Mello left the door open just enough so that if Matt leaned forward slightly he could not only hear but see Mello storming towards Jay, who had changed into a black shirt.

"Did you know?" Mello asked Jay. His voice was soft and deadly.

"Know what?" Jay calmly resumed cleaning his gun.

"Are you screwing with me? Make no mistake, I will fucking kill you where you sit. Did you know Matt was using?"

Jay put the gun and cleaning supplies on the table in front of him. "Where the hell do you think you are? You're in the fucking mafia. You know what junkies look like. You know what fucking withdrawal looks like. I'm starting to think Danny was wrong when he called you a genius." Jay casually took out a cigarette and put it between his lips.

Mello drew his gun and aimed it at Jay's head. "Don't ever question my intelligence."

"Or what?" Jay asked as he lit his cigarette. "You're going to shoot me? Going ahead you fucking little bastard. Make my day." He took a deep drag from the cigarette and watched as Mello lowered his gun. "You're too emotional for this line of work. Watch it or you're done for."

Mello returned his gun to it's holster and sank heavily onto the couch. "Fuck it, Jay. I don't know what the hell I'm doing."

"Well, you have two choices. You either give him the drug or you help him kick it." Jay started putting his gun back together and reloading it. "But he can only quit if he wants to. Isn't that right kid?" Jay yelled so Matt was sure to hear.

Mello gave Jay a final glare before walking back into the room. He started pacing quickly, nervously almost. "I don't understand, Matt. Any of it. The cutting, the drugs. You were never like that before."

"You never knew me. You only thought you did." Matt brought his knees to his chest.

Mello stopped his pacing to sit on the bed. His eyes focused on Matt's. "I may not have but I can't help that now. If you want my help just ask for it and I'll help you through this."

"What makes you so sure I want your help?" Matt sneered.

Mello threw up his hands in frustration. "What do you want from me?"

Matt bowed his head so as not to look at the clearly frustrated blonde. He looked back up to see Jay pick Mello up from the bed and unceremoniously dump him on the couch before walking back into the room and closing the door behind him.

"So fucking help me, Jay. If you don't open this door, I'll fucking kill you." Mello raged.

Jay laughed softly. "I'd like to see him try. Though he probably would considering it's you." Jay sat on the bed, still smoking the cigarette. "He's an arrogant little prick but he thinks highly of you and I think you know it. So what is? It's not just about him, is it?" He snuffed out the cigarette on the desk and lay across the foot of the bed, hands under his head. "I've been around enough killers, junkies, and you're basic all around freaks, to know that something's up. Look, kid, I like you, I really do. You remind me of my little brother. He was a good kid."

"And where is he now? Prison? Done in by your little mafia?" Matt was getting irritable.

"Dead. Junkie if you really want to know. Got mixed up with the wrong crowd. Shame if you ask me. Never did anything to anyone. Then, one day, Danny calls and he doesn't usually call personally, I might add. Calls and says: 'Jay, bad news. Little Jackie's dead. ODed'." Jay sighed heavily. "That's life for you though. Always gives you the worst and says 'keep moving'."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Forget about it. He's gone, you're here. So you going talk or what? 'Cause if not, Mello's going come in here and we're going to have to start this whole love-hate thing all over again. And to be honest, I don't think any of us really wants that." Jay looked at him, waiting patiently.

Matt couldn't hold it in any longer. He buried his head in between his knees and cried. He felt Jay's strong arms embrace him. His hands moving in soothing circles on Matt's back. "Go ahead, kid. It's better to let it out. Trust me. I'll even let you get in a few punches if you want." Matt made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob. Jay still held on even after he stopped crying. Matt was shaking, though whether it was from exhaustion or withdrawal, he couldn't tell. Holding onto Jay's shirt and face pressed against the man's chest, Matt took a deep shuddering breath and began.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ok, I had to expand on Jay's character a little because whether you like him or not he plays a major role in what's about to happen…unless I change my mind, of course  .

Also a tiny detail I forgot to mention. There are 5 different families in the mafia. Lucchese and Gambino were and may still be two of those families. Also, in this fic, Mello advises Danny (Gambino family leader) in drug and weapons operations. This stuff pops up later.