(Mello P.O.V)

I snickered as another snowball hit J in the back of the head. Matt and I had been beaning him and his buds for fifteen minutes now, and they were getting mad. They even got Torrik involved to try and get us back. I had to admit, this was better than sitting in my room and sulking over nothing. Besides, it was no way for me to celebrate my birthday.

I didn't tell Matt that it was my birthday. It was a terrible day for me to remember anyway. It was the day I almost died at my father's hand, the day I ran away, and… the day my life changed. December thirteenth. My own personal hell for a day.

I was ten years old now. A whole decade of my life had passed by like a film. Half of that life was spent in fear of my own family. The other half with the other Wammy house kids. I had spent the first half of my life alone and scared, and the second half tough with Matt at my side. I was hoping today would be special, but it wasn't. In fact, it just reminded me all the more how much damage my family actually did. My father's bruises were long gone by now, as were my brothers. But like a ghost, unable to pass onto the next realm, their shadowy memories lay over me like the veil of a bride. I would never rid myself of these suffocating memories, no matter how hard I tried. This fact made it all the worse for me.

I suddenly felt a snowball hit my face and I went down. I was about to get up and start throwing again, when my head lit up with a terrible flashback:

"Get up!" He screamed. "Get up, you stupid shit!"

He kicked me when I didn't stand. My own father kicked me after beating me to ear death. Did he really want me to die this way?

Again, I didn't stand fast enough for him and he grabbed my hair, throwing me across the room. I hit a mirror and it shattered. My mother had tried to stop him, but he was too far gone. She only wound up getting herself hurt.

"Please god," I mumbled to myself. "Please kill me. Kill me now."

I really wish he hadn't heard that. He had grabbed me by the hair again and raised me to his eye level. "You really believe god would want you by his side? You're nothing more than an accident. Unwanted and unloved. Julius is the only son I'll ever want…"

"Daddy, please!"

He threw me to the floor and kicked me again. "You aren't my son. You aren't worth our name."

He spat on me then and left the room. I struggled on my own, but I managed to stand up. As soon as I hobbled into my room, I shut the door and began to cry silent tears. How could any child live like this on their own birthday?

Apparently, I didn't get back up. It was like I had been knocked out. J, S, R and Torrik had even gone to get Roger who came outside immediately with L in tow. At least, that's what I was told by Matt. He stayed by my side like a loyal friend and commanded that the others go get help. I sometimes think that Matt embellished the story a bit since I really couldn't see his character giving any commands to anyone.

I was rolled over gently by Roger so he could assess the damage. I didn't even look at them. I was too scared to. My little flashback had me thinking I was back home and being beaten all over again. That in a matter of seconds, I'd be reduced to nothing more than an accident once again. My birthday… my hell… it was all too real.

I was tired now. So tired it was almost impossible. I blacked out, shivering and lost. My world was now nothing… and I was ready to give up.

The thought of death did not scare me, nor did it make me feel sick. I was happy to be given this opportunity. To be free of the nightmares, the memories, the horrible flashbacks. I didn't care if I never saw Matt or L again; I wanted to be free.

I didn't get my wish though.

When I opened my eyes, I found that I ended up in some place I really didn't know of. It wasn't a place of death or wherever souls go to rest. It was more like I was watching a movie. Everything was hyper-realistic and bright. White feathers fell from the sky and a large tree with bright green grass grew around me. The tree was massive to say the least. Beautifully touching the sky. None of the feathers seemed to catch on the branches, but rather disappeared once they touched the grass.

Everything about this place was beautiful. Everything, but a tiny, rotting root that grew out from under the tree. Something about it was just not right.

When I went to touch the root, my mind clouded in darkness and pain so I backed away. When I went near the tree however, every bit of me felt at peace. There was happiness there as well, but it wasn't as strong as the root's sadness. How interesting it was, that pain had so much more power over happiness… yet it was so small. Barely even noticeable.

Like A. So much power and potential, yet his sadness overcame him. He embraced that sadness, that darkness he felt, and now he was gone. The feeling was so powerful, but felt so wrong. Yet, people seem to choose darkness over light more times than not. People like me.

A feather landed on my nose and I quickly grabbed it. The feather itself was soft and smelled like fresh rain. It was almost like having my mother right beside me once again.

My mother… my anchor… the one thing in my life that made my tortured life just a tiny bit bearable. I missed her. I missed her smile, her comfort, her love. I missed having her hold me when I was in pain, or to be there when I needed her most. Above all, I missed her hugs. The warm hugs only a mother knew how to give.

I looked back at the tree and saw it began to fade. The root was disappearing along with it, and the density of the feathers began to increase. My dream was fading. The only good dream I had had in a long while. And one I would never forget.

When I awoke, I was in the infirmary of the Wammy house. Matt was sleeping soundlessly at my side, as loyal as ever. I swear, he was like a puppy some days.

L was there as well, though he was reading a book while in his little position on a chair and didn't take notice of me until I tried to sit up.

"Mello!" He exclaimed quietly as so he wouldn't wake Matt. He seemed genuinely worried for my wellbeing, though it was hardtop tell with him.

When he had hugged me out of relief, he mentioned the snowball fight and how I passed out from getting hit. I wonder if that was true. I don't really remember anything from before the dream, so it might have been the case.

"The nurse said something was wrong with your heart but she couldn't figure out what. When she thought she had done everything to help, you returned to normal."

"What do you mean by, 'normal'?" I asked.

L's demeanor went back to his usual lax self. "You weren't breathing on your own, and you had a few seizures. Everyone was worried you were going to die. When your vitals returned to normal… we didn't know what to do. We were unsure whether to take you to a better health center, or to wait. After about a day, you seemed to be alright."

"A day? How long have I been here?"

"Two and a half days. We were going to relocate you in the morning if you didn't wake. Thankfully we won't have to."

"And Matt? How long has he been here?"

"Same time. Two and a half days. He wanted to make sure you were okay, so I gave him permission to be here. He was worried beyond reason for you, to a point of insanity. He even tried to talk to you, however, you can imagine the outcome."

Two and a half days? Had it been that long? And Matt… he stayed by my side that entire time. Like a true best friend.

Speaking of the little red-head, he had begun to stir at this point and even opened an eye. It didn't take him long to notice my consciousness and he soon flung himself toward me for a hug. I didn't hesitate to hug back, because whatever heavenly, dreamlike purgatory I was in for the last few days, was nothing compared to the happiness that emanated from this little red-head I knew as a friend. My best friend. The one that had kept all those nightmares away for me when I needed him to.

Maybe that's why I hadn't had a nightmare those few days. My Matt was there to keep them away. Like he always was.

Reviews are welcomed :)