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. So those that are reading please read, review and enjoy.

Buying time

The call had come nearly eight times but Matt still sat in his bedroom. He didn't feel like being bothered. Not by Mello, not by customers and definitely not by that old man everyone seemed to respect so much. If they knew the types of things he was into. He shuttered slightly taking another sip of brandy. It was nearly ten in the morning and the only thing that could calm his nerves enough was a drink.

Mello hadn't spoken to him since he had offered to take him away. That had been almost two weeks ago not that he blamed Mello for changing his mind. Despite their lengthy history Matt knew that if it came down to it he would throw the blond under the bus. He looked up red hair falling out of his eyes where he could see the glint of green in the mirror across the room. That was a lie. He was beginning to even lie to himself. He risked his life for the people that worked here, he had risked his life for himself but he would walk into the den of hell if it meant that Mello walked free.

Footsteps sounded down his hallway again and he knew it had to be another soldier. First whoever it was tried the door that he had locked nearly thirty minutes ago. Next they kicked the bottom of it angrily. It wasn't Mello, he would take the thing off the hinges. "You are aware the fucking Don is calling you? I suggest you go before you get everyone here fucking killed. He's pissed off."

Matt shrugged to himself despite the other not being able to see him. "I'll be out soon enough." He said taking another sip and falling back onto his bed. Getting everyone "fucking killed" didn't seem like such a big thing any longer.

xXx

"About damn time." The Don hissed as Matt slid past the soldiers. There was something different about today. Today everyone was assembled in the bar area except the ones that worked here. Usually they would be skittering by trying not to be seen but still busy. Today there was nothing by these losers. Mello sat close to the Don. Matt couldn't make out his expression once he reached the table the two sat at. "When I fucking call you what are you supposed to do?" He hissed standing up so that he stood in full height towering above Matt by several inches. Had he cared it would have been intimidating. Right now it was just something that he couldn't bring himself to think about.

He shrugged vaguely a small smirk riding on his face. "Take my time getting here. Remember you do like my moxy." He sniggered as the fierce slap rocked him backwards. The soldiers were poised to laugh but unlike most people Matt took the abuse in stride. He stood back up fully not even a whimper escaping from his lips. The bruise on his cheek was already darkening and he could see Mello watching him with cool interest.

The Don smirked himself. "Look what you made me do. I bruised that pretty face of yours." He reached forward tilting Matt's head upward so that he could get a good look at it. "Don't make me do that again, okay?"

"Okay." Matt replied shortly although he had no intention of always doing what he was told. He had been like that since childhood and a few smacks probably wouldn't set that back into place.

The Don nodded, "Good. We're behind schedule so I guess you don't get to pack." He watched an eyebrow arch from the red head. "I've decided that this business venture isn't going to be profitable." Matt blinked slowly. "But you…I like you so I'm bringing you with me."

Matt breathed in deeply. "Profitable?" He asked aloud trying to put the pieces together quickly. "What about everyone else? Where are they?"

There was a cool snicker from the group around him. "The boys will be taking care of them." He said firmly as two of the soldiers surged forward suddenly grabbing Matt's arms. The Don nodded as if they were doing the right thing. "They know too much."

Realization dawned on the red head. "No, please wait." His voice was slightly shrill. "They know not to talk. Please."

He Don held his hand up, "Be that as it may I can't take chances." He snapped his finger and the automatic weapons came out. Matt gasped aloud. Mello stood his own weapon in hand as he avoided the eyes of the red head. "Mello you know what to do."

The blond nodded ad they moved out with strategic positioning.

Matt screamed, "Mello please! Please don't!" The soldiers were dragging him backwards as he heavily kicked the air attempting to break free. He wasn't sure what he would do….what he could do but everything in him told him that they needed help.

The first gunshot rang and Matt's blood ran cold. There was screams, running footsteps before a full spray of bullets were heard. That stopped the running instantly. Matt could tell he was still screaming, still trying to break free but everything had gone silent.

He couldn't help them. He couldn't even help himself.

xXx

Somewhere in the screaming the soldiers must have had enough before Matt woke up lying in the backseat of a car. He could tell by the faint rumble that they were moving but due to the throbbing he couldn't tell which direction or even move to find out. Instead he cracked an eye open and to his relief it wasn't the Don who was sitting with him but Mello.

The blond was sitting facing him blue eyes drifting from one window to the other with no particular interest.

"Murderer." Matt coughed the word out as the blue ice gaze zeroed in on him. "You murdered them. Murderer."

Mello shrugged, "It was the order. I obeyed the order." He said simply watching the other with eerie stillness. "How do you feel? They said they hit you pretty hard accidentally."

Matt closed his eyes again, "Accidentally, right." He mumbled fighting the tears that were threatening. He counted some of them as friends. It hurt that they were gone. "Why? Why did he kill them?"

Mello was silent for a long while. "Because he wanted to eliminate your ties." He said evenly. The red head's head snapped back and the throbbing began ten times worse. "He's a sadistic son of a bitch but he knows how to break someone. He's trying to break you Matt."

Matt released something between a sob and chuckle. "Break me? How can you break something that's been broken for years?" He mused aloud.

"You're amazing at stitching yourself back together." Mello's voice was calm but that made Matt stare at him harder. "Don't do anything stupid Matt." His eyes bespoke several things. One was that Mello hadn't given up on getting him out of here. The second was that they were being watched and listened to and the third was that Mello trusted him.

Matt sighed, closed his eyes and knew that he would trust Mello because he always had.