Emily looked up from wrapping up the final cords of Matt's computer equipment as Matt walked into the living room balancing several boxes as he entered, mumbling, "I finished packing my stuff. We can leave for the airport as soon as you're ready." Emily smiled and nodded, chuckling at how flustered that made Matt. It appeared that Matt hadn't gotten over the fact that the previous week had been marked by Mello returning from New York with Emily in tow and that there was something between the two of them that was a secret from Matt. Not that Matt couldn't guess what that secret was- he could, and he did, knowing that he was correct. Still...

Matt still couldn't fully grasp how Emily, silent, sweet and headstrong Emily, had managed to get Mello, Mr. Impulsive-and-ambitious, practically wrapped around her little finger. Matt couldn't even get used to the idea of his best friend and Emily surviving their relationship, as their relationship had been filled with screaming matches, tears, regret, anger and a whole crapload of angst, as far as he knew.

(Let us remember, Matt only knew of our leads kissing maybe once or twice- he didn't fully know how the two in question understood each other enough to be there to help or that they knew what each other had been through. In short, Matt was unaware of the relationship's good side, as he was also unable to realize that Emily and Mello only fought half the time because Emily either wouldn't listen or agree with Mello or Mello ignored her or, of course, one of them was bored and so decided to liven things up with a quarrel. Hey, it happens.)

Matt snapped out of his "trance" as he realized that Emily had stood and said, "I'm ready to go." as she grabbed her suitcase, checking to see if she still had the forged passports, glancing over them as she waited for Matt's response. He nodded, making his way out of the apartment and to the street, Emily following, suitcases and a couple small boxes balanced in her arms. Upon the arrival of a hailed taxi, both teenagers shoved their things into the car's trunk, climbing into the backseat, Matt sitting back and relaxing a bit as Emily told the driver, "Can you please take us to the airport?"

The driver nodded and Emily watched the apartment she had lived in for the last month or so (counting her days in New York) grow smaller as the taxi pulled away, leaving fuel exhausted smoke in the building's wake. Emily tried to relax as she twined and then untwined her hair from around her fingers, fidgeting with boredom and excitement as she grinned to herself, knowing that she'd be in Mello's arms in a day or less. She glanced over at Matt and she knew that, despite him never saying, he couldn't wait to see Amy, his girlfriend, as she understood. Emily had to admit, she rather missed the over the top enthusiast ...but not as much as she missed Mello. She sighed, feeling lucky that she wasn't experiencing the hurting kind of regretful missing- this kind of missing reminded her that of a wife being anxious to see her husband coming home from a war, being proud and yet scared in the same breath. She blushed, realizing just what she had just compared Mello and herself to- but it was true. Those were her feelings.

Emily looked up at Matt as he tapped her on the shoulder, saying, "C'mon, we'll miss our flight..." She nodded, scooting to the car's door and hopping out, paying the driver as Matt started struggling with the bags. She sighed as she grabbed her bag and Matt's arm, yelling, "C'mon!" as she started to run, wanting to get on that plane as soon as possible, wanting to get to Japan faster, wanting to see Mello soon. "Hang on! We have to go through Customs and the security check thing- slow down!" Matt protested, still running despite his words. Both adolescents were more than happy to get through the required airport checkpoints, running to the plane, despite it not taking off until a half hour later.

Emily lead Matt into the first class section, ignoring his nervous behavior as he asked, "Just how-no, where - did you get the money to get us first class tickets?" She laughed uneasily at his skeptical tone, murmuring, "Um, did I ever mention that I learned how to pickpocket while living on the street, before I got my job as a, erm, entertainer and meeting Mello?"

"...Not that I can recall..."

"...That's how."

"...I see...who did you pickpocket?"

"Um, I think it was one of the Japanese Police officers on the Kira case when I was tailing him a week back...What was his name...Matsu? Touda? Erm...I don't know exactly what his name was...I accidentally bumped into him...my papers scattered...he tried to help me pick them up...he invited me to coffee, he unknowingly helped with the case, paid for my lunch...and I swiped his money clip."

"...You have a strange way of thanking unknowing helping/helpless guys for taking you out to lunch."

"I acted on instinct, mind you. It was totally a reflex. Besides, he was trying to get my number and he was looking for a napkin to write it on when I gave it to him, I saw his wallet and I snatched it before giving him a fake number."

"...Nice."

"Thanks...and don't judge me...and please don't tell Mello. He'd kill me..."

They exchanged those last words as the other passengers boarded and the plane took off, Emily quietly waving goodbye without a thought on how the gesture was lost on people who weren't even there to wish her goodbye as well. Emily sighed and closed her eyes, grimacing slightly as the plane flew smoothly on, she herself falling asleep despite her bet with Matt that morning that he'd be the first to fall asleep.

Emily opened her eyes a few hours later, climbing over Matt, who was sleeping blissfully, on her way to the bathroom. On her way back' Emily pulled a flight attendant aside, asking how soon it was until the plane landed. Upon receiving her answer of "In an hour or so." Emily made the trip back to her seat, trying to ignore the sight of a little girl who looked like a younger her resting her head on her mother's lap as the father looked on proudly. It took every inch of self-restraint not to walk over to the parents and tell them how lucky they were and how lucky their daughter was, almost as hard as refraining from telling the young married couple a few seats away how lucky they were as well as they leaned on each other, to comforted in their soul mate's embrace to notice as she walked by. Climbing over Matt again, she sat, fidgeting again before sighing and waking him up by elbowing him hard in the stomach.

"We're almost there." Emily said indifferently as Matt tried to regain his breath as he mumbled, "Geez...violent much?" under his breath. Emily gave him a withering look but she sighed as the expression left her face, mumbling to Matt, "How did you and Amy get together...? I'm just curious." Matt looked over at her as he stretched, raising an eyebrow before simpering as he said, "She blackmailed me."

"WHAT? Amy BLACKMAILED you?"

"Yup- don't ask how...it's scary to even think about it...But hey, I'm happy and she's happy, most of the time..."

"Most of the time?"

"Well, every couple have their lovers' spat every so often...only some more than others." He looked pointedly at Emily, ignoring her flustered and reddening face as he continued:

"But despite that, we're happy. We complete each other, I guess that's the only way to put it. I think everybody has someone like that, someone made for them, who complements and completes them by being their total opposite. And when they're gone for a while or forever...you're never the same."

Matt realized what he had just proclaimed on the now totally silent plane as people turned in their seats to stare at him and Emily. Emily blinked in shock as she ignored the onlookers' glances as she said, awestruck, "Wow...that's the longest you've ever talked... thanks, Matt... I needed that." She smiled as she leaned over and hugged him, both of the aware of the whispers of "Is this a movie?" "Maybe it is...those kids are cute enough to be models or actors..." "Wow, mom! We're extra people in a movie!"

Matt sighed and closed his eyes, getting a headache and feeling relieved that the plane had finally landed.

...

Mello and Amy stood in the crowd of people waiting for the newly arrived plane's passengers to descend, glancing around, making sure that no one knew them or was following them. Mello gazed about him, ready to run at any given moment if he was spotted. Despite his caution, he was eager to see his friend...and Emily, even though he had yet to tell her. Of his plan, of her part in it, of its consequences...of his-and possibly her- impending doom. He grimaced, but he knew that he couldn't put it off much longer- he had a month and a half left to be with her. She didn't deserve to know at the last minute. He decided that the moment they were alone, he'd tell her...as soon as he could, even if he had to tell her the day before he died...he'd tell her.

She doesn't deserve any surprises...especially from me. Mello thought grimly as he saw a familiar red head of hair appear as Matt walked down the plane's stairs, Emily following close behind. Mello let a small bitter smile show as Amy uttered a small squeal of happiness as she ran to Matt, throwing her arms around him as the pair approached. Matt smiled a little, awkwardly stroking Amy's hair as Emily walked around the pair, making a beeline for Mello. She smiled shyly at him, a smile that made it hard for Mello not to smile even a little. Emily bit her lip as she stepped carefully towards him, raising her arms to hug him, uttering a small gasp as he pulled her into his arms, kissing her hair as he muttered, "Did anything happen after I left?" "Nothing of note." She looked and smiled at him, feeling uneasy by how he was acting. Mello held her a second longer before letting go, declaring, "Time to go", to their small group and leading them to the car he had rented.

It was later that night as Emily looked up from unpacking to see Mello leaning in the doorway of the bedroom they'd start to share that night as she heard him casually knocked, smirking at her. "May I come in?" he asked sardonically, sauntering in and sitting on the bed, watching her close the drawer she had been depositing her shirts into and joined him, sitting next to him as she glanced up at him, biting her lip. "Is something wrong?" She asked, leaning her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, trying to calm herself as he chuckled, muttering, "Something like that."

"What is it?" Mello sighed as he moved away, leaning back against the headboard of the bed before pulling Emily back into his arms as he muttered, "You know the basic plan, right?" Emily nodded slowly, remembering how Mello had explained it to her while he kissed her goodbye a week ago. It consisted of her getting close to Takada, Kira's spokesperson, getting information out of her, and then Matt and Mello would stage a kidnapping, somehow luring Kira to act and ultimately, slip up and reveal himself- in short, Kira would be caught. Mello saw her small nod and continued. "You also know the consequences, right?" "Besides getting caught, sent to jail or put on death row?" Emily asked, glancing at Mello quickly as she caught a glance of a slightly pained look on Mello's face. Emily straightened up in Mello's arms, wriggling her way out of them, letting her hands remain in his as she bit her lip, mumbling,"You...are...going...to...leave...me...or...die...on...me...aren't...you?" She tried out the words slowly, confused by how they sounded, by the way sounded in that order, in that tone.

She felt her throat tighten as Mello nodded and she felt his grip on her hands tighten as well. She stared at him, mouth a bit open as she gazed, uncomprehending for a moment, before it all finally sunk in by crashing down around her. "I...see." She mumbled, her tone shocking both of them- it contradicted her facial expressions and hand gestures. Her lips were red from biting on them so hard, she was trying hard to blink back tears and her hands were white and clammy as she held onto Mello, tight. She swallowed down the lump in her throat as Mello said a bit quickly, "I only have so much time left and this isn't the time for you to cling to me or start thinking suicide or some shit like that. Understand?"

Emily looked Mello full in the face and half smiled, saying, "Why would I do that? I wouldn't ever do that- I'm not clingy in the first place and besides...I'm not a suicide kind of person." She smiled at him, leaning on him carefully, listening to his heart again, disbelief slowly sinking in as she wrapped her arms around him. She couldn't believe that she hadn't even spent a whole day with him, and she had been away from him for too long in her opinion, and now...she'd lose him. Permanently. She sighed before straightening up in his arms, kissing him quickly before declaring, "I want to help you." Mello glanced at her, kissing her forehead as he muttered, "I know you do. But don't do anything reckless or stupid, got it?"

Emily laughed as she wriggled her way out of his grasp again, getting up and walking to the door. "Why would I do something reckless or stupid? After all..." She looked at him from over her shoulder and finished saying, "you're the one who's always been reckless...I don't need to fill that role." Her lip trembled and she was down the hall, in the bathroom and had the door locked before Mello could stop her. He sighed as he slowly got up, walking to the bathroom, knocking on the door softly and muttering, "Sorry, Emmy...I don't want to leave you that way either." In a matter of moments, the door was unlocked and Emily had wrapped her arms around him, crying into his shoulder as she whispered, "I hate Kira...It's like he knows just who to hurt to hurt me...first Miss Misora, then BB, then L...and now you. God, I hate it!" Mello said nothing, only wrapping his arms around her and stroking her back, muttering, "I hate Kira too..."

I was right...she doesn't need any surprises from me... Mello told himself as Emily's grip tightened and she whispered again, "I want to help you." "...Alright."

I finally updated! Whoo-hoo! I'm sorry if it's crappy, I've been really stressed and it may show in my writing! (I hope it doesn't!) Thanks! This is one of the last chapters- I plan to have 20 chapters in all for this story. ( That includes an epilogue!) Read and Reveiw please!