Chapter 24
Mello ripped the articles out of the paper, and scoured for more. It was amazing how much was being written about Kira and L. He ignored the articles which said L was wrong and Kira was doing the right thing. He kept all the articles that called L brilliant and the only one who could save the world from Kira. He decided these had to go into the book they'd already created for him, so he could be reminded just how awesome he was. Near looked over at the pile of newspapers and magazines in the middle of the room and snickered.
"From whom did you steal all those newspapers?" he asked. Mello scowled at him.
"Why do you think I stole them?" he asked.
"Because you did." Came the answer from behind him followed by a giggle. Mello turned and glared at Matt.
"Well how else am I supposed to get all these articles? I got them from the teacher's lounge." He admitted laughing.
"I think we have enough to put in the book," Matt said looking at the pile in Mello's lap, "I think we should take them to Dr. Thompson so she can get the book for us." Mello nodded and stood up, papers flying in all directions.
"On second thought why don't you guys go, I'll clean up this mess before we get into trouble for it." Matt said grabbing at papers.
"Ok. We'll be right back." Mello said and he and near went out of their room and headed for Dr. Thompson's.
She was quite thrilled by all the articles Mello presented to her and agreed they'd look great in his memory book.
"Right now I'm in the middle of finishing inoculations. So leave these with me, and I'll go up and get the book out of his apartment as soon as I'm free, okay? Why don't you guys go play and Ill get you when I've picked up the book." Both boys nodded and ran out of her office towards the front door.
Later, Christine went up the hidden stairway to L's apartment, keys in hand. She hadn't been up there in a while as it only intensified how much she missed him being around. She went in and went immediately to the bedroom and opened the drawer with his unending white shirts. She fished around under them until she found the book she had hidden underneath them. She picked it up and looked through it slowly, laughing at her favorite picture of L with the ice cream. She picked up the keys and walked towards the door when she heard the computer beep behind her. She stopped and waited to hear if it did it again. When it beeped again she turned around and ran to the desk. Then her phone started to vibrate, and she found she had stopped breathing. She looked at the computer when the screen flashed three words "L is Dead".
"No! L! No!" she cried and with a shaking hand pulled her phone from her pocket. She flipped it open and the same three words flashed on her phone screen. She dropped the phone and lost all strength in her legs, sinking to the floor, clutching the book to her chest.
Roger received the same message and even though he and L had their differences, he didn't want this to ever happen. As he had not heard from Watari, he had to only assume that he was gone as well. There was no way that he would not have heard from him after losing L, unless he were not also dead. He stood up and looked outside, searching the crowd of children running back and forth. He finally spotted both Mello and Near and went outside to fetch them.
She didn't know how long she'd been on her knees; time had stopped for her the moment she'd read those words. How could this be? It had to be a mistake. Any moment now her phone would ring and he would laughingly tell her he had forgotten about the countdown he was so busy with the case. Yes, that made perfect sense. He just got too busy to...to…she looked down at the book in her hands and ran her hand over the cover. He would never forget to do something so important. She tried to breathe normally again and found she couldn't without a sob coming through. She didn't want to cry, if she did she wasn't sure she'd stop anytime soon. Half of her was telling her this just couldn't be happening, and the other half was trying to get her to calm down and handle it. Well, maybe she could calm down and handle it, after she fell apart. Then she allowed herself to cry over the loss of her great friend and lover.
When she finally got control of herself her mind raced to the boys. What if Roger had told them without her being there? They were going to be inconsolable; she had to get to them. She got up and looked around the room slowly, the pain deepening with every thought of him never coming back to his rooms again. She dropped the book on the desk and ran out of the door.
She ran immediately to the boys' room and threw open the door where she found Matt lying in his bed sobbing hysterically. She ran over to him, lifted him up and held him against her.
"He can't be dead, Dr. Thompson, he can't be!" she held him as close as she could, stroking his hair.
"I'm so sorry Matt, I didn't mean for you to find out like this." She said rocking him in her arms.
"I've lost everything now. My parents, L and now Mello. What's left for me?" he sobbed. She held him away from her for a moment.
"What do you mean you've lost Mello?"
"He's leaving Whammy's. He came in here practically hysterical throwing clothes into a bag. When I asked him what was wrong he told me L was…and that he was leaving. He's left me Dr. Thompson. What am I supposed to do now?" She held him for a few moments more and then gently moved him away.
"I think Mello is just upset, Matt. Let me go to him and see if I can get him to come back." He nodded through his tears and fell back against the bed, the sobbing continuing.
She ran out of the room and down the hall hoping she would find him. She kept going until she ran out of the front door and she could see him halfway down the walkway. She ran until she caught up with him, turning him around to face her. She saw the tears coursing down his face, and the anger and betrayal in his eyes.
"Let me go, Dr. Thompson, let me go!" he yelled at her fighting to get loose.
"No, Mello I can't do that. What do you think you're doing!"
"He's dead, Dr. Thompson. L is dead! He lied, he promised he'd bring Kira to justice and that he'd be back. He lied to us!" Christine pulled him against her, refusing to let him go. He fought for a few minutes and then just gave up and cried against her. She held him tightly and cried with him.
"Mello I'm sure he didn't do this on purpose. L didn't want to die; he wanted to come back here to us, his family. He didn't lie…" Mello looked up at her, the tears drying and the anger flaring again.
"There's nothing for me here anymore. I will find Kira my way and I will make him pay. I refuse to work with Near on this; I have to do this my way. "
"Mello you're still a child, you can't do this on your own. You can't leave us, L wanted you boys to work together…"
"If I'm old enough to be L's heir I can do this on my own, and it doesn't matter what L wanted right now" he looked back at the mansion in disgust, "I hate this place."
"What about Matt?" he turned back to her, his green eyes suddenly steely.
"I told Matt I would send for him when I got settled. I will keep up with him as I get things together. I would never leave Matt behind if I didn't have to. But I have to do this alone. Please Dr. Thompson, don't force me to stay here now. I won't stay." She looked down at his tear-streaked face, set in what he was going to do. She ran her hand through his hair and hugged him one last time.
"Alright Mello. I won't force you. But please, please keep in touch with us, okay? I owe it to L to make sure you guys are okay, I made a promise to him." He nodded and backed away from her.
"This is not the way it was supposed to be, Dr. Thompson. But I'll kill Kira for this and make it right. You watch me, Dr. Thompson, and I'll beat Near. Good-bye, Dr. Thompson." He turned and walked away from her. She watched him until he was out of the grounds, a small, thin blonde boy alone to face the world. She was supposed to hold the boys together; she had promised L she would keep them on the right road. And already she had lost one. But even L had known that Mello would be the troublesome one. She turned around and ran back into the building to find Near.
She walked back into the building and looked around. He hadn't been in their room and he wasn't outside. Perhaps Roger knew where he was.
She went into Roger's office without knocking, she just didn't care. That's where she found Near, on the floor with his puzzle. She looked at Roger and he nodded. She walked over to Near and kneeled down to him. She reached out and touched his shoulder.
"Near…" he turned and looked at her. For a moment she saw him falter, the eyes glazed and looked away. Then he looked back at her and nodded.
"Yes, Dr. Thompson I know. Mello unfortunately decided to work on his own rather than to work with me. I am officially L's successor now. I hope you will be agreeable with this." She stared into the eyes of a boy suddenly pushed into something he really wasn't ready for.
"Near, would you come with me please?" she asked standing up. He nodded and stood.
"Roger, I'll talk to you later about everything. Okay?" Roger nodded, the pain still clearly etched on his face. She left the room with Near, heading to her office.
Once they arrived they went in and she closed the door behind her. She looked at Near and tried to read him. He stood before looking calm and controlled, his hand twirling in his hair as usual.
"Near, are you alright?"
"Ofcourse, Dr. L challenged Kira and he lost. It's one thing to promise victory but quite another to actually do it." He looked up at her and she saw some of the bravado break.
"I'm just not sure I know how to begin. Please help me, Dr. Thompson, please…help me..' and then he broke. She knew he would once taken away from Roger. She ran to him and held him against her, wrapping her arms around his trembling body. She heard him let a sob escape, and she held him tighter, knowing he would never have allowed anyone else to see him like this. She let some of her own tears escape as well as she held him.
After a few minutes Near drew away from her and looked down at the floor.
"Forgive me, Dr. Thompson."
"There's nothing to forgive Near. This is the worst possible scenario we could ever have thought. We aren't ready. I know I'm not. But we will be. "
"Yes, he said nodding, "We will be. I will bring Kira down. " She smiled at him and reached out and patted his arm.
"I believe you will, Near. And I will do whatever I can to help you. But right now, let's go be with Matt, I think he needs us both right now." He nodded and they went to the boys' room.
