Mello cursed at himself, kicking at the wall, his bed frame, anything within kicking reach.

He had never meant to kiss her- he had been too angry to distinguish between punishing her and satisfying his own lust. It could've happened to anyone… He declared to himself, lying and trying to justify his actions. He was not used to being ignored, to be rebelled against- he only knew of obedience on his inferiors' parts and commands on his own.

SHE was the contradiction.

It had to be her to defy him, didn't it?

It had to be her to serve as the role as the rebel, huh?

Damn, if only she was just some girly-girl who liked pink and listened better than he did.

But no- he had to get stuck with the challenger, the girl who hung around misfits, the lost girl who never listened to anyone who didn't make sense or she didn't agree with.

She was a contradiction- innocent and yet dirty; tough as nails but also gentle; Emily and Death.

Almost like him.

He was superior, yet inferior. Perfect but flawed. Mihael Keehl and Mello.

Of course; she had been close to Beyond, who shared as many imperfections with Mello- therefore, she'd be exposed to a similar personality type and she'd know how to get back at him.

All he had to do now was to wait for her first move, whatever that was.

But what if he didn't want to wait?

What if he just wanted to have his way when dealing with her?

What if he just wanted to find a way to make her obey his every word and make her obey willingly?

He rolled his eyes at himself and his foolishness. Don't get so attached and/or obsessed with her…She's just an obstacle, an inconvenience who'd hold me back.

But why, he now reasoned, didn't I just leave her for the police that night? Why didn't I just leave a gun with her and frame her for the killing of that gang? I could've done that so easily- she had a motive, opportunity, and if he had left the gun and her at the scene, she would've had the means to do it.

"Agggggghhhhh!" Mello yelled randomly, feeling so stupid, wondering why-and how- she could change his thinking. Another thought crossed his mind as well- why he did he want her to obey something other than daily orders?

He brushed it off, collapsing on his bed after pulling off his shirt, deciding not to let Emily hold him back from his goal of becoming #1.

If only he knew what the next day held…

...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Amy's piercing scream of surprise was what woke Mello up. Bolting out of bed immediately, he ran towards the scream, which, as luck would have, was in Death's room.

"What the hell is wrong?" He demanded, although he could put 2 and 2 together. And in this case, 2+2= Death had run away.

Cursing some more as he hastily pulled on some clothes, he was outside and had his motor bike revved up in minutes of the discovery and in the course of another few minutes, the sound of his motorcycle assaulted the before noon air.

…...

Death stood outside of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, the Catholic Church where she occasionally worshipped, when she had the chance. Opening the large doors leading to the Reconciliation Chapel, she quietly walked past other parishioners who had come to pray alone, careful not to make any loud noises as she kneeled at the altar, closing her eyes and folding her hands after crossing herself.

"Dear God, please bless me with your wisdom, for I need to know the answer to the question that plagues me." She looked to the white, frosted stained window that bathed the chapel in a soft warm, comforting glow, as if she was trying to see God. Fingering the red and black prayer beads that held the red cross of her rosary, she whispered to the silence, unaware that all the other parishioners had left moments after she had arrived, unaware that the one who had forced the question vexing her soul was watching from the chapel's entrance, listening to her whispers.

"Lord, help me. Help me find myself- help me understand what is going on between my situation and me. Please, good Lord, save me- let me find my way. Amen." Death finished, feeling at ease as she breathed in the incense, a ghost of a smile forming on her face, not hearing-or not paying attention to- the heavy thuds of Mello's feet on the floor as he walked up behind her.

"Death…" "Hmm?" She looked up, confused, her dark blue eyes widening immediately when she saw who it was, making a run for the door, much to his surprise.

She broke out of the church, breathing heavily, before booking it as she heard Mello running after her, trying not to curse as he shouted, "Emily! Wait! Come back…NOW!"

It was the bitchy NOW that had made Death run faster, down the street and a couple back alleys, running and finding her way back to her old hangout since B had died- The Trixx, a club/bar that was owned by her old landlord/employer, a widower named Monty Rich. She just hoped that Mello didn't catch up before she got through the door. She was close- He had parked his bike and had managed to grab her arm right as she pulled the door open. Resisting against him, Emily pulled herself into the bar, unable to shake Mello off her arm.

Shouts and choruses of "Hey, it's Em!" "Buy Em a drink!" and "Sing for us, Dead Emmy!" nearly drowned out Mello's growl of, "We need to talk. NOW." Death glared at him as she whispered, "I have nothing to say to you."

"That's a lie."

"No! It's not a lie, Mello! Just leave me alone!" 'Dead Emmy', as the patrons dubbed Death/Emily affectionately, shook Mello off of her arm and took a step away from him, the fear of being too close taking over her key anger at him. She turned from him and started heading for the microphone, ignoring a perturbed Mello who was on her heels.

Walking calmly on stage, Emily turned on a microphone and smiled, nodding to the band and saying, "I'll do my usual song, please." The all male band grinned and slapped each other high fives before getting ready, this show of victory being because of Death wearing the outfit she had worn the day before when she had been so offended by Mello.

Spectators surrounded Mello now as the music to Avril Lagvine's "My Happy Ending" began to play, and Emily stood, facing the crowd and glancing at the familiar faces until her eyes rested on only one person- Mello, standing directly in the middle of the crowd of listeners as she opened her mouth and began to sing… She floored Mello as she sang clearly and sweetly, putting the desire to keep her for himself in his already lusting heart. This isn't passion- it's lust and there is a difference… Mello declared to himself as he watched Emily watch him, getting the feeling that she was thinking the same thing as well…

After the performance…

"Don't be a stranger, Em!" Death's audience called as Mello escorted her out of the club and to his bike. Mello climbed on the bike, growling at Emily, "Get on, NOW." She sighed and obeyed silently, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding on tight as he kicked it into gear, it's tires squealing as they peeled out of there, on their way back to the hideout.

"What was the big idea, Emily?" Mello hissed at her as she buried her face into his leather jacket, trying to ignore his scolding phrases of "You scared Amy!" "You didn't leave a note!" "We didn't know if you were alive!" By the time they had reached the hideout, Death was ready to jump off the motorcycle to get away from Mello. As soon as the kickstand was down, Death was off, shaking her hair out after it was crammed in the helmet before she started heading inside. Her retreat was ruined when Mello grabbed her by the shoulders and spun her to meet his eyes. "Tell me why you ran." He demanded, blue eyes piercing her almost like darts as she stared back at him, the silent fear returning.

"I wanted to be alone…away from you…I only went to the church because that's where I think clearest…I only ran because I was scared." She said slowly, afraid that the wrong words would provoke him to do something rash.

"Of what? Of me? Why?" Mello asked, somewhat suspicious, somewhat confused/curious.

"Don't you know?" She replied, staring up at him before wriggling out of his grasp and heading for the hideout's entrance before looking back at him.

"Oh and Mello?"

"What?"

"'The sad truth is that most evil is done by people who never make up their minds to be good or evil.' I thought of you when I remembered that quote…Think about it, o.k.?"

And with those words, Death left Mello alone standing in the alley, really thinking about the command she had given him.

"my happy ending" does kinda suit Mello and Death...hmmm...

Please review!