A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger last chapter, but hey, what's a story without one. Right!
As always Reviews are welcomed. Especially now, since I may be putting a chapter into my art portfolio for school.
(Mello P.O.V)
His parents! Was this for real!? I mean… there were kids at the Wammy house that saw their parents once a month due to legal reasons, but Near wasn't one of them. In fact, he wanted nothing to do with them. Not after they abandoned him. So why were they here now? How did they find him?
L was calm about the entire thing though. "What proof do you have of this, might I ask?"
"Proof? You want proof from us?" The man said. "We're his parents, we own him! We've searched years for Nate after what our daughters did!"
"What did they do?" L asked calmly. He knew full well what had happened, but he knew he could use this against them.
I suppose they saw right through his trap. "That has no concern to you. Now please, just let us see him."
"After I see proof that he's your son. Otherwise, you have no business here."
Another man suddenly walked in. "I'm afraid you'll have to let them pass, young man." He stuck out his hand. "My name is detective Arden. I've been employed by this couple to help track down their missing child."
L didn't shake his hand. "Ryuzaki. And I suppose if you're involved, then the police are as well?"
That name. Why did he choose that name? Didn't Beyond…?
"Yes, and they have rights to be here if it is their son."
"How did you come by his location, if I may be so bold as to ask?"
"That's classified information…"
"Au contraire. You see, if you have been spying on Near without proper papers, then I'm afraid you must tell his legal guardian what's going on. His guardian being myself of course. Otherwise, you're in violation of several laws here in England that may not be looked highly upon."
Cornered. The guy had to tell us now.
He grumbled for a moment. "We recently received Intel from an associate of mine that perfectly fit this boy's description. After further investigation involving surveillance of the Wammy house Orphanage, I found that this boy may in fact be the one we're looking for."
"But you don't have physical evidence to back it up?"
The man groaned. "Unfortunately, Quillish Wammy would not allow DNA from him into our hands. Unless I got a court order, I cannot do a thing to prove he is who I believe he is."
"And without enough evidence, you won't get the court order here in England. Shame. But I will offer you a deal."
Everyone perked up at this point. A deal? For Near?
"What do you mean?" The lesser detective asked.
"When Near is awake and rested from his surgery, you will make yourself known. You may ask him for a sample of his DNA, and whatever he chooses I shall abide by."
"Meaning, you will allow a DNA test to be performed? You do realize that if it comes up as positive he will go home with his parents."
"I'm sorry, but that isn't a possibility."
"Why not?"
"He is in the system as an orphan in the Wammy house. If you don't know by now, Wammy's has a system for two branches. There are the children in the house who stay as a student until they are older, a choice made by them, and the others on the adoption list. He chose to remain a student until he is a legal adult. His status will remain as such until then. He cannot be picked up by his parents unless he chooses otherwise. There is no stopping you from seeing him, however. Though, once again, all this is his decision."
All this was true. Just worded differently. The kids had the choice to be put into foster care or try to be L's successor slash high-grade-student. I chose to stay, along with Matt and Near. We were allowed to change our minds later on, but none of us really wanted to. I did wonder if Near would at this point though.
The man nodded. "Then we will abide by this." He looked back at the couple nodding. "We will return in a few days. Say nothing of our meeting, none of you." He spoke to all of us.
When we all agreed, they left. Now we waited.
(Near P.O.V)
I had woken up the night of my operation, my head stinging from pain but far from a headache sort of pain. It was more from the stitches if anything. I'd never had stitches before, and I can't say it wasn't a comfortable experience.
Matt and Mello were right there like they said they'd be, which made me happy. It was refreshing to see Matt smiling like usual, even with Mello's bored expression right beside him. I suppose I was just happy to be alive, but I was glad to see they'd kept their promise.
The next day I was a little better. My stitches still stung, but I was able to play with the toys Watari had brought for me. Some were even brand new and just for me alone. However, out of all of them, I kept my robot close. It was the best thing I owned now because it was a gift from the people I admired most. I hadn't cared that it was spur of the moment or that they hadn't put any thought about my birthday until now. I was just happy to be noticed by the two.
Speaking of which.
Since Matt was up most nights in the hospital room, probably playing video games, he had fallen asleep on the floor a week after my operation, lying face-down. Mello had started piling cards on the red-head when he noticed this, and since Matt was almost like the dead when he slept, it wasn't hard to for him to begin constructing a tower right away. He even let me join in once the tower got higher. Maybe it was because it was my birthday, and I was just done with a surgery, but Mello had been kind to me for the duration of the week. Well… as kind as Mello could be when he isn't angry.
"You think he'll wake up?" I asked when I was a little more comfortable around the blonde.
"Nah, he'll be like this for a while. I think we can make this tower into a castle before he realizes it."
"Really?"
"Sure. He fell asleep in the sandbox one time and I made him into a sand-mermaid. He once fell asleep in the library too. Me and a bunch of students started piling books on his head to see who could balance more."
I blinked. "Wow… deep sleeper."
L looked up from his crossword puzzle. "I think he just needs to lay off the video games at night. The poor kid's losing brain cells by the minute from lack of sleep."
"Actually," a muffled voice said from Matt's direction. "Video games are proven to enhance reaction time and raise observational skills."
The card tower had surprisingly not moved.
Mello looked at the red-head. "I thought you were asleep."
"I am, don't bother me." Came the muffled, and sleepy, reply.
A quick glance between me and Mello, and we were back to work.
"The fall of our card empire rests on your shoulders Matt. Literally, so try not to move." Mello said as he stacked up a few more cards.
"The nobles of this castle must worship the mighty god Matt if they wish to live another day." I added as I continued with my half of the palace.
"They must sing sweet lullabies, else he will destroy them all."
"Then the benevolent gods Mello and Near must rebuild what is broken and answer to the prayers of the weary."
"Matt's rein as god is short lived, whereas ours is just beginning. The royals will lose faith in their god Matt as he annihilates them all with his mighty wrath."
"Yet they continue to grow, the inhabitants, as they are unaware of how ruthless their god Matt truly is."
We were silent for a moment until Matt piped up. "You guys are making my sound awful."
Mello stacked two more cards. "No way, Mattie. You're like Atlas. You hold the world on your shoulders. It's just, you know, once you're bored, you'll soon give up and kill everyone."
"How is that reassuring?"
The blonde paused for a moment. "Well… you're a god. For the most part."
Another moment of silence. "Okay. That's not so bad. If it means they shower me in tribute, then I guess I'll be okay with knowing I destroyed your card civilization."
We had gotten the tower high enough that we had to stand to put the finishing touches on it. Matt, surprisingly, stayed still the entire time. Once it was completely done, we left it where it was and took a step back to admire it.
"The Queen of Hearts would be pleased." Mello said proudly.
I nodded. "Indeed."
L suddenly chimed in once again. "The gods, when they worked together, founded a great masterpiece we know as the world today." We both turned to him as he continued. "But once it was done, they fought like mad to make it so as only one would rule all. Those that got the short end of the deal, usually did whatever they could to bring down what they built up, so that they were all left with nothing once again. This is what power does to people. It changes them, makes them believe in things that are untrue. Though… I believe you all worked well together."
"What do you mean?" The blonde asked.
"Well, instead of fighting about who got which, you both shared the work evenly. Just as well, you put your faith into Matt to make sure your civilization stays afloat. Though you may not like each other too much, when a time depends on it, you know working together is beneficial to the three of you."
It was quiet now. Though, inside my head, the thoughts were whirling. L was right, just as he always was. Even if we didn't like each other, even if Mello hated me for the rest of my life, we worked well together. I'm sure Mello didn't agree, but if L saw it… it must have been true.
Before I could add something, I heard a knock at the door. When I looked, I saw a man standing in the door-way with two people behind him. I felt my heart stop immediately when I got a better look at the couple.
My mother and father? How had they found me?
Once L invited them in, he informed me of the situation. "Near, these people would like a sample of your DNA to prove you are this couple's lost son. I was not allowed to speak with you about this earlier, for that I apologize, but would you kindly allow them to conduct a DNA test to prove you are in fact their son?"
"Nate?" I heard my father say. "Is it really you?! You're so grown up!"
I didn't look at them immediately, but I did look. My mother still looked the same, blonde and well kept, whilst my father had changed in physique just a bit. My sisters were nowhere to be seen – thank god – but even just looking at the two brought back bad memories. Why had they been looking for me anyway? Last I heard, my mother wanted nothing to do with me.
L put a hand on my shoulder. "Near? What say you?"
I took another look at my parents. Then back to L. I hadn't known what to choose until I looked back at Mello and Matt, who still lay on the floor-semi unconscious. Matt had said one time that family wasn't the people you were born into. It was the people who did whatever they could to help you feel better. To keep you warm when you're cold, and help you up when you stumble.
To help you feel brave when you're scared.
My parents… they weren't those people.
I backed away from them. "No. I won't. I don't even know you people, so how could I be your son?" I turned my vision from them and ran to Mello's side. As I hid behind him, I pleaded, "Please go away. I don't know you."
L turned to the three. "Well, I suppose that's that. Our agreement?"
"Yes," said the official looking man. "As promised, we'll leave you all be. I apologize for the misunderstanding."
"Misunderstanding?" My father exclaimed. "No, you've got it wrong! That's our boy! I swear it!"
"Please Mr. River, calm down." Said the man.
"Calm down!? He's my son! But if you can't see that, then I'll take him myself!"
My father made a move to grab me, but before he was hairsbreadth away from me…
I had closed my eyes when he came after me but it wasn't until I heard a thud that I opened them. My father lay on the floor with a bloodied nose, writhing in pain. Everyone, including Matt was standing at alert.
When I noticed more closely, it had been Mello who caused the damages to his face. But… why? Why had he defended me?
Security was called in and the three were escorted off the premises. None dared to ask where Mello found the strength to take down the man that was almost three times his height.
L hummed a bit. "Thank you, Mello. I was afraid there would be an issue."
"No problem. I don't think Near needs the stress right now anyway."
"Hm, good point."
Mello then turned to me. "You alright?"
I shook a bit before hugging his waist tightly. I didn't really know any other way to express my gratitude. My father had never acted so violently before.
Mello patted my back. "No worries, Near. I won't let a bully like that get anywhere close to you. Now come on. We should start rebuilding our card empire. The god Matt was spooked and he killed our civilians by accident."
I smiled then. Genuinely. Family defended each other. They kept us safe when needed. Even if he didn't like me, I knew Mello was my family.
A/N: Stay tuned for more chapters!