48 hours later, Matt thought he was dying. His whole body shook and ached. His muscles cramped constantly and sweat so profusely he actually ended up staying in the bathtub for an hour, water running. The worst parts were the vomiting and diarrhea. Finally they had to put him on a saline drip to rebuild his fluid level.

"Where the f-fuck did you get this stuff?" Matt asked, looking up at the hanging saline bag from his bed. The withdrawal gave him the chills, so he had Mello cover him with four blankets.

"Mafia has all sorts of connection. Getting these weren't hard at all." Jay told him.

Mello walked in carrying a tray. "I brought something for you to eat."

Matt thought he was going to vomit, again. "Don't bring it over here, I'll just heave." He could feel his stomach turn just at the thought of eating and dry heaved over the side of the bed. "Fuck it all." He groaned.

"Can't you give him something?" Mello asked Jay.

Jay sighed. "I'll call Mick." He left the two alone.

Mello set the tray on the desk so he could sit on the edge of the bed.

"Don't touch me." Matt warned. "I'm s-sorry. It's n-n-not you." He was shivering so badly his teeth rattled.

Mello set the offending hand on his lap. "You've just about reached your peak. You just have to hang on for another week."

"I k-k-know. Just s-s-s-stay with me, p-please." Matt reached out for the blonde's hand.

Mello took his hand and squeezed, gently. "Of course." They both looked at Jay, as he leaned casually on the doorframe.

"Mick says he'll have Gio bring some anti-nausea meds in a couple hours. Mello, Danny called he said he wants you on the next operation."

"Can't he have Robby do it? He has more dealings with the Bonanno's than me." Mello pleaded.

"You want me to tell Danny, the family leader, what to do?" Jay asked, incredulously. His face was so comical; Matt couldn't help but give a short laugh. "Ha ha, kid. I'm glad I amuse you. Mello, trade's not for a couple weeks so that gives you, and your little lover here, time to get settled in with one another."

"Not lovers." Matt's voice was muffled by the blanket he had piled on top of his head.

"Whatever." Matt was just about to reply, when they were all startled by a sudden knock at the door. Mello released Matt's hand, reached for his gun, and stood as Matt poked his head out from beneath the blankets. Jay pulled his gun out from it's holster and, keeping it out of sight, walked towards the door. Mello leaned over a little bit so he could see but couldn't be easily seen from that angle.

"Jay, you fucking idiot, why do you have to damn big? I can't fucking see." Mello hissed. Jay must have moved because whatever Mello saw next made him visibly angry. "Near." Mello positively growled. Matt heard the door close and Jay's light footsteps make their way back to the room.

"It's some guy named Near. I told him to wait outside."

"Why the hell did you do that?" Mello interrupted. "Tell him to go away. I don't want to see that little freak."

"I told him to wait," Jay said, patiently, "because he said wanted to see Matt."

Mello groaned. "Of course that little freak would know Matt was here. He's probably watching us right now." Without warning the TV in the living room came to life. The image was a close up of Near's face, the background was the hallway in front of their apartment.

"Mello, I know you probably don't want to see me but I'd like to talk to Matt. If he wants to, of course."

"Jay, can you bring me to the couch?" Matt hated to ask, but he was still shaking to much to walk properly. The chills were gone and the sweating had started up again, making him get rid of the blankets and using a thinner sheet, seeing as he was only in his boxers. Jay picked him up and set him gently on the couch.

"Ah, Matt, it's good to see you again." Near began twirling a strand of hair around his finger and tilted his head. If he hadn't been doing it for years, Matt would have suspected he had a brain tumor or something.

"What do you want, Near?" Matt yawned. He hadn't sleep since Jay injected him the day they, basically, kidnapped Matt.

"May I come in?"

"No." Mello snapped. Unlike Matt, he hated the milk-haired orphan. Whereas Matt had always been civil and often called out a greeting to the other boy, Mello would go out of his way to harass him.

"With all do respect, Mello. I'm here to see Matt, not you."

Matt shrugged and looked at Jay imploringly. Jay rolled his eyes but went to open the door.

"Thank you." Near's image disappeared from the TV to be replaced by a blue screen. The real Near strode into the room carrying a small, black laptop.

"When the fuck did you hack my TV channel?" Mello snarled.

"Last month. I heard you were looking for Matt so I set up your apartment." Near was calm as always. It was starting to get on Matt's nerves.

"What do you want, Near?" Matt's voice was quiet. He wanted nothing more than to sleep but couldn't.

"I wanted to see how you were. I haven't seen you since you ran away." Lies. He wants something from me.

"You're full of shit, you freak." Mello all but physically attacked Near. "You never even talked to Matt."

"Not true." Near shook his head. "We had a great conversation, once. I think it was just after Matt had gotten into a physical altercation with some of the older boys and you, Mello, were nowhere to be found. Isn't that right, Matt?"

Matt was silent. It's technically true. I was in the middle of getting the shit kicked out of me when Near comes out of nowhere…