A/N: I'm supposed to be sleeping. Shush. I just got this and my phone vibrated saying my beta send it back and I was like Must Update. So here I am, sneaking on to give you this sloppy chapter. I promise it will get better after this, I just need this information out now. XD By the way, something I find hilarious. My phone is retarded but gets my emails, so when you guys review and such, my phone is nonstop vibration during school and I keep jumping surprised and have to make lame excuses to my teachers. Oh yeah, school sucks, just to let you all know. I got lost five times. I'm so mad. Anyways, enough of my talk, read, enjoy, and review!

Chapter 12: Run

Watari closed the last door of the hallway and continued over to the next to finish up doing the midnight rounds. He and Roger now had to look in twice as many hallways since Matt was being grounded. The night was too quiet - aside from the occasional footsteps of either Watari, Roger, or someone else that worked in the asylum walking by - and even though the night lights were dimly lit, it was still very dark.

That was when Light poked his head out of his room and looked both ways down the hall. It was clear of life and sound, no footsteps signaling someone soon to pass by. Light took a deep breath to help him make the move out of his room, for as soon as he left his room, there was no turning back. Quickly, Light moved out of the room and towards L's, when he heard upcoming footsteps. He moved faster, trying not to make noise so as not to attract attention, getting closer to L's room.

"Light?" A voice asked from the other end of the hall, a voice Light had not expected. He turned to face the other end.

"Mello, what are you doing here? How are you even awake; I thought Watari put you back on shots," Light stated as Mello walked to him. The blond pulled a needle out of his pocket, spinning it around his fingers.

"Everyone here has to carry the antibiotic to the shots with them, in case they get shot themselves. I was able to pick this off Roger," Mello explained. "What are you doing here?"

"I think, the same thing as you," Light stated, grinning.

"Great minds think alike, but we should really get into L's room before someone else spots us here," Mello explained, pushing Light to L's door. They entered quietly and closed the door behind them, keeping the lights off so there would be no suspicions. Mello waited by the door as Light went to L's side and gently touched what he thought to be L.

"Hey L, wake up," Light murmured softly. Mello had to keep from laughing.

"I'm over here, Light-kun." L stood up from where he was just sitting in the corner of his room.

"Wait, you guys have been dating and yet you still don't know that L's an insomniac?" Mello asked, crossing his arms in amusement.

"Shut up," Light growled, making Mello chuckle.

"What are you both doing here, besides looking for me?" L asked, walking closer to the two.

"We're leaving this place. There's no way we're going to get better here, with Watari and Roger not having a clue of what they're doing," Light explained.

"You want me to come with you?" L asked.

"I'd never leave you alone, or put you in danger," Light stated.

"In other words, we don't have all night to stand here and explain. You coming or not?" Mello interrupted impatiently. L's nod was just visible due to the moonlight that shone through the window.

"Okay."

Mello smirked and opened the door, listening for footsteps and looking for any life forms. He waved behind him for L and Light to follow him as he snuck over to Near's room. Again, they kept the lights turned off and this time Mello was left to get Near. The younger boy was awake, sitting up in his bed and looking out his window.

"I knew you would come. What location have you chosen for us to run away to?" Near asked, tightly hugging his toy robot. Mello grabbed Near's hand, not too roughly, but also not gently.

"Disney Land," Mello stated, moving to the door and practically dragging Near with him.

"Disney Land? Seriously?" Light asked.

"I have it all planned out," Mello stated, pulling Near out the door after checking the hall. L and Light followed, listening as Mello whispered. "We're going to stop at A's and stay there until I can get enough money for us to travel and get Matt as well."

"To go to Disney Land?" Light asked, still shocked by the blond's location choice.

"Yes, Light. To Disney Land," Mello hissed. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"No, just be quiet," Light warned. Mello huffed and walked faster, making Near trip over himself as he tried not to lose his arm. They made it outside, and as soon as the cool air hit their faces, they broke into a sprint for the road. They ran past bushes and the driveway so they got to the main road. Mello let go of Near so he could put his thumb up as an indication for car's to stop for them.

"How do you know where A lives?" L asked, unconsciously inching closer to Light for warmth. The weather was due for snow, and their present clothes were not protecting them from the cold.

"Watari left a letter from A on his desk." Mello took the paper out of his pocket. "Address and all."

A car drove by and kept going, leaving them in the dark again.

"And this is our mastermind of a plan?" Near asked, sarcastically.

"We could leave you here," Mello growled as another car came by, this one a large van that actually stopped. "Come on!"

"Where are you going?" A man with dark black hair to his chin asked, glasses on his face. In the passenger seat was a woman with short black hair that looked at Light and blushed. In fact, Light could have sworn he saw the man do the same thing.

"This address." Mello gave the man the letter, and the man gave a surprised look.

"You're in luck. We're headed that way, come in." The man handed the letter back to Mello who got everyone in the van before he himself did. "My name is Mikami Teru. This is Takada Kiyomi."

"I'm Mello."

"Near."

"Hello, I'm Light."

"... L." The three were surprised to hear L speak to the strangers. Usually L would not so much as even speak the one lettered first name to a stranger but he did for those two.

Interesting...

"Interesting names..." Mikami trailed off, obviously not believing them at all. He looked through the mirror to glance at Light and then return his gaze to the road. "We have to stop for the night before we make it to your location, is that okay?"

"Yeah, thank you so much," Light thanked.

L got closer to Light, but Light shifted so that he was leaning against the car door and looking out the window, putting space between himself and L. When L looked at Light, confused, the chestnut haired boy did nothing but smile caringly. Mello raised an eyebrow and even Near looked shocked, but no one dared to comment.

It was going to be a long ride.

--

Indeed the ride was long; and quiet except for the radio that Takada had playing violin melodies, and Mikami basically interrogating Light. L noticed how Light was distancing himself physically from L, but still kept close with his smiles. L also noticed that Mikami was paying too much attention to Light, as was Takada. It was setting the eccentric teen on edge, making him bite his thumb even more.

The car stopped at a house that had many cars parked outside. There were people sitting on the porch and people moving inside that could be seen from the car. They got out and stretched, the ride being too long and the sky actually getting brighter.

"We're just going to take a break and sleep here until about Eight in the morning. We're only a few miles from your destination," Takada explained to Light. "Would you like something? I could get it for you…"

"Sorry, Kiyomi-san, but I'm gay and taken," Light stated, looking to a glaring L who blushed a deep crimson when they both looked at him.

"Oh, okay." Takada took it well, not upset or anything.

Why can't all girls be like that? Especially Misa?

L was about to go to Light when Mikami put a hand on the chestnut haired boy's shoulder.

"Hey, Light. Follow me; I'd like to show you something," Mikami stated, pulling Light along, whether he wanted to or not. L stared, anger flowing through him as he watched where Mikami and Light disappeared inside.

"He sure is popular. Even around strangers," Mello noted, nodding his head to where Light once was.

"That's because he's standing amongst freaks, and was already good looking," Near explained, twirling a lock of his hair.

"I'm worried about him, though," Mello stated, taking out a chocolate bar and opening it. "That Mikami guy is gay, and was hitting on him the whole ride here. Him hearing Light's gay may cause Light some problems."

"Problems?" L asked worriedly as Mello took a bite of his chocolate. "Light said he was taken though!"

"That's not enough to stop most people," Mello admitted, walking to the house and acting like he did not care about the situation at all. "He's a big boy, he can take care of himself just fine."

"But...anything could happen," L muttered, thoughts of what Beyond did to him flooding back into his head. It hurt and it was scary, he wanted the images to go away, but they wouldn't because he could only keep thinking that the same thing might happen to Light. What if Mikami didn't take no as an answer? What if Light got raped? What if, what if, what if..? "Anything can happen..!"

"Yeah. Your right, I guess," Mello agreed, shrugging.

"No. I won't let it happen..!" L stated, running inside to find Light. Near stared at L and then looked to Mello.

"You might be ruining things," Near said, walking to his brother.

"Or I could be saving them," Mello retaliated.

"How much do you want to bet?" Near asked as they walked to the house.

"Our first pay checks."

"Deal."

--

"This is a very interesting book about the law, Teru-san, really. I'm actually looking to become a detective one day, but I'm really tired right now. Is there anywhere I can sleep?" Light asked, placing the book down on a desk and turning to see Mikami just inches away. It shocked him, but he kept his façade of being calm as he questioned the man. "Excuse me, you're really close."

"I'm sorry, Light-kun, but you're really the most amazing person I have ever met. Gay, amazing looking, intelligent, and into the law? I think we were made to be," Mikami purred. Light tried not to say anything rude or mean since the man was their ride to A.

"I have a boyfriend," Light reminded.

"That L kid? You can't possibly be serious about him when there's a normal guy like me around," Mikami stated.

Shit, that's not working... What else?

"I'm crazy, you know? Mentally insane. You really don't want to be with me," Light explained.

"Oh, but I do. I know that's a lie," Mikami retaliated. Light was getting worried, he was having problems trying to think of excuses (they were not really excuses since most of them were true) as Mikami kept them close. Then Mikami did the worse thing Light could ever have thought; he closed the distance between their lips and kissed him. Light was shocked into freezing.

Shit.

The door opened and L ran in to see them in mid session.

Are you kidding me?! Fuck!

Light's body woke up and was able to push Mikami off. Mikami stumbled backwards with a look of shock upon his face, then he looked to L and glared. L glared back.

"That," L started, turning so his hands were on the floor and kicking Mikami in the jaw before he had the chance to move. "Is my boyfriend."

Mikami stepped back, holding his quickly reddening jaw in shock.

"You would rather be with this violent freak than me?!" Mikami yelled to Light. Light walked up to Mikami and punched him in the stomach, knocking the wind out of the man, and forcing Mikami to fall to his knees, panting.

"He is not a freak," Light growled, taking L's hand and pulling them close together for the first time that night. L had missed Light's touch a lot more than he'd thought. "He's perfect."

Then they walked out of the room, hand in hand.