Authors note: Well it certainly has been sometime since I've updated. Sorry about that. Hell, I don't even know if anyone is still reading this but I don't blame you if you're not. If you are by the magical chance know that the next chapter is nearly done and should be posted tomorrow. So those that are reading please read, review and enjoy.

Hollow

Watch your neck, Mello….

For the last three weeks Matt had been completely normal for all he could tell. The red head said rude things, left the place a mess and widely ignored his criticism just like old times but this wasn't like old times. Despite their laughter and smiles it didn't change the tension that had followed them into their new found relationship.

He hadn't slept in weeks due to that cryptic warning. What exactly was he supposed to do about that? Watch his neck? He sighed quietly to himself feeling Matt stir against his leg. The red head had fallen asleep leaning against his leg playing some kind of hand held game. He had paused it for him but most likely the batteries would die before Matt woke back up. He felt the smile spreading on his face when he thought about Matt blaming him for it in the morning.

The morning. Even that sounded cryptic to him now. He had missed weeks of work in fear of leaving the red head alone in the apartment. Sure, he had done it countless times before but that was before he was aware of everything that was happening. He didn't want to take his eyes off of the other because he felt like if he did he would come back to a completely different person. That didn't matter much seeing as it could happen at any time. He thought back to the first time he believed he had met M after Matt's accident. The accident that M had caused for reasons only he understood. Matt had even convinced the Task Force that he would work better away from the main headquarters although he was always on call by Raito.

He leaned back against the couch breathing in deeply. Not only did he find out that Matt, no M had slept with Near but he also was running around with the head of this task force. He had taken to watching the phone conversations with sick interest as Matt attempted to keep up the image that M had created. Oddly M could mime Matt but Matt could not mine M. The red head was always self-conscious, awkward and soft spoken but there were many things bubbling under that surface and that was enough to frighten him.

"Matt." Mello's voice was soft as he nudged the other. "Matt if you're going to sleep go in bed."

He watched a green eye flick open before the other sat up a bit too aware after being asleep for nearly three hours. He didn't speak instead pushing himself off the floor and giving Mello a leveled look as if to ascertain that it really was Mello speaking to him. Slowly he sat back down on the floor in front of the blond and smiled gently, almost serene.

"Mihael," he began gently watching as Mello sat up straighter. "I apologize for allowing M's charade to continue on this long. You see it was never my intention that either you or Nate believed that he was the only one residing here." He leaned forward as if attempting to get a better look at the others face in the darkness of the room. "But I assure you there are many, many more under the surface and you have only had the pleasure of meeting three."

Mello blinked, "Three?" He echoed. "I'm assuming that Matt is not included." The other shook their head. "I've met you, M and whom?"

The other's smiled turned into a full grin. "Watch your neck, Mello." It repeated in the same cold tongue as the original warning. "There are those of us that don't find you to be needed any longer but I could beg to differ. It was the idea of seeing you again that made sure Matt didn't off himself once you left him. Well, after the first few weeks at least."

Mello winced. He never thought that Matt would try to hurt himself that way if he left him but then again he was never fully aware of how dependent Matt was on him until just recently.

"I'm not going anywhere." He said for what had to have been the hundredth time but this time it wasn't to Matt to reassure him but to this personality sitting in front of him. "Who are you that you're taking the time to actually talk to me?"

The person blinked before shrugging. "We do not have individual names Mello, there is no need for that. We are Matt and Matt is us, if that makes sense to you. You see logic fails when it dictates that we all have to be one." He shook his head. "My time is waning. I came to warn you. Until Matt takes control of his own life and his own problems we hold more power. Like I have said there are some that want Matt to do without you some that do not care for Matt's wishes and others…" There was a long pause. "That wants to live without Matt entirely. They view him as weak and potentially expendable."

"But he's not." Mello insisted instantly. How could they think of Matt as being expendable when he himself couldn't think of a world where Matt wasn't walking around and breathing?

The other shrugged lightly. "I don't know Mello. While his relationship with you is stable Matt is stable." He smiled lightly. "That doesn't mean much to you but it helps his conscious quite a bit. They have less power if Matt is more willing to fight them off." He moved to stand but Mello still had many questions to ask. "Although I still wouldn't go making enemies with M. He's actually quite insane."

Mello snorted, "I could have only guessed that much. What makes you feel that way because I have quite a list going already."

The other shook his head, nothing of this person spoke of Matt. Matt slouched while this person stood fully showing his full height. Despite the calm, almost meek voice his eyes were sharp, as if watching and waiting. He didn't twitch nor did his eyes move about as if he were looking for something new to toy with to get his eyes off of Mello. No, this person continued to watch him, green eyes uncovered to their full intensity and there was nothing but interest. It was almost same interest that scientists have while they prod rats relentlessly to get them to do what they wanted as if it would prove their research. This person was looking at him like he was an experiment, a funny and entertaining experiment. Mello knew from that gaze that it wasn't the one he was just talking to.

"And what can I do for you?" He asked aloud as the other tilted his head, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Any other revelations you want to include me in? Anything else you want to warn me about?"

The smirk grew but the other didn't respond. He still languidly walked down the hallway towards Matt's old bedroom. Once the door shut Mello released a breath he hadn't known he had been holding and closed his eyes.

There were few things that he still understood. One was that the trauma of finding out about his parents had opened a gaping hole for these other personalities to flitter in and out through. The other was that he was more scared for Matt than himself and the last, well he finally understood what he looked like as a killer. He had saw it deep within these green eyes the sadistic smirk playing on the others lips wasn't that of interest as he first thought. No, it extended further, deeper than anything he wanted to think about.

They had failed Matt and now it was up to them to save him. Inwardly a small Judas voice told him….too late.