I do not own Death Note!

Yay chapter 8!! All you people leaving reviews rock. It's always good to hear someone enjoys your writing...makes me want to write more!! hehe


Chapter 8 – Answers

Roger stopped outside Matt's door and took in a deep steadying breath. He unlocked the door and stepped in, closing it behind him. Matt was curled on his side on the bed, his knees against his chest with his arms locked around them. Roger sat on the side of the bed and folded his hands in his lap.

"Matt. I need you to tell me what happened."

Matt jumped when he spoke and turned his head to look at the man. His eyes were red and swollen. He turned his head back to look out the windows. "There is nothing to say."

"I know why you hurt him, Mello told me the truth. All I need from you is for you to tell me how you hurt him. It could be important for the doctors to know so they can help him."

"I slammed his hand in the draw of his dresser, hit his head against it a few times. I wasn't doing to hurt him more then that, maybe shake him a few times. I just wanted to scare him."

"Then what?"

"Near said that he wouldn't stay away from Mello. He said he loves him. Something in me snapped. I grabbed his arms and threw him. I didn't know he would hit the mirror."

Roger nodded and stood again. "I know you were angry and hurt, Matt. But the fact remains that you attacked Near and you have hurt him very badly. I'm going to have someone come in here and remove all of your video games and anything else you can use to pass your time. You will be locked in here and someone will bring you your meals and your school work. When I feel you are ready, you may return to your classes but you will spend all your free time in here. When I feel you have been punished enough, then I will return your things to you."

Matt nodded and pulled his knees closer to his body. Roger just shook his head and left the room, locking it behind him. After he told someone to remove the things from Matt's room, he made his way back to see Mello.

There was no answer when he knocked on the door, so he opened it. The room was empty but the shower was running. He knocked on the bathroom room, still no answer.

Opening the door slowly he looked in. Mello was sitting on the floor of the tub, arms around his knees, rocking softly as the water beat down on him. The steam in the room was so thick Roger could hardly make him out from the door. He sat on the closed toilet and pulled back the shower curtain enough to see Mello. His skin was bright red from the scalding hot water he was sitting under. Turning the water off, Roger knelt beside Mello and pushed his hair from his face.

"Hurting yourself wont help anything, Mello."

"It makes me feel better. Near was hurt because of me. I should have been the one Matt hurt, not Near. It wasn't his fault." Mello turned his face away from Roger and laid the side of his face against his knees.

"Matt only wanted to scare him. He threw Near into the mirror after Near told him that he loves you."

Mello stiffened. He slid his hands up his legs and covered his ears. He started to shake his head. "No. No, no, no, no, no. That isn't true. Don't say things that aren't true."

Roger pulled Mello's hands away from his face and forced him to look at him. "I don't know if it is true or not, Mello. That is only what Matt told me. You can ask Near yourself when you see him. Come out of here and get dressed and we will go."

Mello nodded and pulled his hands back. He watched as Roger left the bathroom, closing the door to give him privacy.

Roger sighed again and stepped into the hallway, leaving the door open a crack so he could see the bathroom door and know when Mello was out. He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed a number. It rang twice before it was answered. "Watari, I need to speak with L."

"If you will give me a moment, Roger, I will see if he is available."

"It's an emergency, I need to talk to him now."

"One moment, I will get him." The line buzzed as Roger was put on hold. He waited impatiently for L to come on the phone, he wanted to get this conversation over with before Mello came out of the bathroom.

"Roger, what's wrong?" L's calm voice floated over the line, making Roger instantly angrier then he already was.

"What's wrong, he says. I'll tell you what's wrong. Mello and Near have done exactly what you though they would do."

"I warned you to expect this. I told you to let it happen because I believe it will be important for them."

"Yes, yes. And I would have. But Mello's friend Matt has become insanely jealous. He hurt Near. I am about to leave with Mello to go to the hospital to find out his condition."

L sighed. "I did not expect this. I thought Matt and Mello were merely friends?"

"So did I. And I think they were. I think Matt was harboring feelings for him and he got angry when he gave Near what he wanted for himself."

"Will Near be alright?"

"I don't know yet. He was taken to the hospital less then an hour ago. I will call you again when I know his condition."

"Please do. I will inform Watari to tell me as soon as you call."

"Fine. But I am telling you now, L. I am not going to allow Mello and Near to continue what they have begun. If Matt found out on his own what they had done less then 24 hours after it began, other will find out. I will not be having boys all over Whammy House having sex with each other simply because you think Mello and Near should."

"I understand your anger, Roger. But I believe and Mello and Near could work better as a team if they have intimate knowledge of each other. I feel that it is important for their development."

"They're development? Mello is 14 and Near is only 12. How is having sex with each other good for their development? They are too young for it. Maybe it two years or so it would work, but not now."

"How has their behavior been since it began?"

The question stumped Roger for a moment. He hadn't been expecting it. "Mello actually asked my permission to do something with Near earlier today. But other then that, I haven't noticed anything. It hasn't been that long since it began for me to really notice anything different."

"Mello and Near each have aspects of their personality that the other needs. Mello is brave and impulsive and relies heavily on his instincts to draw out a plan. Near is calm and collected and relies on logic to form a plan. While both are good, there are times when you need both. They have a lot to teach one another. I also believe that spending time with one another could help solve some of their social problems. Mello needs to learn to listen to authority more and abide by the rules. Near needs to simply open up and learn to make friends."

"How will them fucking each other fix that, L?"

"There is a difference between fucking and having sex with someone you care for."

Roger blinked in surprise. "How did you know they care for each other?"

"I have spent a lot of time with both of them. They ask me things they would not ask another adult. Near came to me with questions and he stated some things that lead me to believe that he has strong feelings for Mello that he did not know how to express. The level of anger and jealousy that Mello has always expressed towards Near was only a cover for the fact that he found it hard to not watch him while they were in the same room. Mello acts out because he is embarrassed by what he feels. Near simply hides what he doesn't understand."

Roger sighed and pressed his thumbs into his eyes. "How do I fix this, L?"

"May I make a suggestion without you becoming upset before I have explained?"

"What is it?"

"Have Mello and Near share a room. I know I suggested to you that they have separate rooms because of my training with them, but I think they would do better together."

"And how the hell will I explain that?"

"I am sure others besides you and Matt have seen Mello and Near spending time together since yesterday?"

"Yes. They caused a stir of rumors when they ate lunch together."

"And surely the word of the attack on Near has spread. Put them in a room together and tell people that you did so because Mello is the only one Near is comfortable around. He will be nervous to be alone after what has happened. With his relationship with Mello, he will be comfortable with him there. He will feel safe. And you know how important it is for a child of his age to feel safe."

Roger sighed again. He didn't want to do this. "I understand what you are saying, L. I'll put them together. But if others find out that their relationship is anything more than friendship, I will separate them, no matter what you say."

"I only ask that you give them a chance. Speak to them and warn them about showing their affection in public if you must."

Roger looked into the room as the bathroom door opened and Mello shuffled out, fully dressed. "I have to go now. I will call you again after I have checked in on Near." Roger hung up the phone and pushed open Mello's door. "Are you ready?" Mello walked towards him and nodded. "Good. Let's go see Near and we will figure out what to do from there."

Mello followed Roger out of Whammy House and they got in his car to drive to the hospital so see how badly injured Near had been.