~Lawliet's POV~

"Lawliet," Gevanni said, looking at me with concern. "Are you okay?"

I hadn't spoken to anyone since the ambulance came to get Near, and I knew Gevanni would get worried. However, could anyone have blamed me? I just saw the only alive family I'd ever had get shot, for God's sake.

I'm most certainly not okay.

"I'm fine," I managed to lie, and Gevanni sighed, sitting down next to me in the waiting room.

"Don't worry, Law, everything's gonna work out, I promise." He cooed, seeing through me.

No, it's not. Even if Near survives... we have targets on our backs, now, huh?

I took a deep breath, trying not to let my anxiety get the better of me. After all, it was Near, who had been the strongest person I'd met in my entire life. "Did you find out who did it yet?" I whispered.

"It was someone skilled, and Near was targeted, that's for sure. But I haven't gotten the specifics yet," he replied, "Whoever did this better pray to God that they get me before I get them, because I will show no mercy."

I looked over at Gevanni, who was finally starting to break down, little by little. "I'm sorry," I mumbled.

"Its not your fault," he quickly assured, "It's not your fault at all. This... is something bigger than us."

An assassination?

"Understood," I grumbled, taking my phone out of my pocket and checking the notifications. A few texts from other kids at Wammy's House filled the screen, and I rolled my eyes.

Fake sympathy. From all of them.

"You know," I began, "If... If Near were to... be gone... I'd have to take his place."

Gevanni worriedly nodded. "Yes...?"

"But this... system that we have in place at Wammy's House. It's horrendous. Orphans being trained to be someone else's replacement... it's like we're objects."

Like we're... not even people.

"Well, kid," He said, "You're free to make your own choices. And I know, you're under some serious pressure right now. Nat- er, Near, is like your adoptive dad. But you need to seriously focus, okay? I've got your back, kiddo. And so does Near."

I nodded and stood up. "I'm gonna go to the vending machine. Want anything?"

When he shook his head, I began to walk to the vending machine a few halls down. It was lit up and had basic candy in it. I put in some change and chose what I wanted, pressing the buttons accordingly.

Okay, Lawliet, think here. Near could make it, he could end up living. But if he doesn't, what're you gonna do?? You have shoes to fill, but this... becoming N, or L, or whatever, at the age of 13, that's a lot of pressure. Can you really do that?

My food fell down to the bottom of the machine and I crouched down to pick it up, my {H/C} hair falling around my face, framing it. I broke open the wrapper and peeled it down.

After all, you're not Near, or anyone else. You're Lawliet Keehl.

And I took a bite of the chocolate bar in my hand.

You're Lawliet Keehl.

~{Y/N}'s POV~

By the time Matt and I found our way back to Mello and B, L was standing there, pissed off and visibly agitated. I ran towards them, and without a greeting nor anything, blurted, "What happened?"

L shook his head, his eyes red from crying, and sighed. "Don't wanna talk about it."

Noticing the fact that Light was missing, Matt stepped forward. "What'd Light do to you?"

L's face went red and he looked at me. "Remember when I used to tell you that if a boy cheats on you, to think logically before doing anything drastic?"

Light... you fucking...

"Yeah, not so easy when you're being cheated on, sorry for giving you impossible things to do."

Asshole.

"He cheated on you?" Mello echoed, and I took his hand.

Let the most reasonable one handle this, please.

"Lemme guess," I said, "Kiyomi Takada. Or Misa Amane."

"Both," L managed before bursting into tears. "Both."

A switch flipped in my brain and I narrowed my eyes. "Okay, boys. We'll go home, and then come back and kick his ass."

"Speaking of going home," B interrupted, "It's nice to see you again, Ryuk."

I looked away from L to see a terrifying... clown man?? "Uh... hi." I shyly said.

"I'm Ryuk," he introduced himself, "I was Light's Shinigami when he was Kira."

"Oh, nice to meet you, I'm Matt," the redhead chimed.

The shinigami smiled wide, observing us for a moment before speaking again. "Well, I came here for one reason and one reason only. Who wanted to return to Earth?"

"Us," Mello spoke up. "{Y/N}, Matt and I."

"Well, I can take you three down there, but not for long," he explained. "You'll be able to communicate, too, but you have a time limit of like, an hour."

"We just want to see our baby, that's it," I assured.

"Okay, then, are you ready to go?" Ryuk asked.

I turned to look into Mello's blue eyes, which seemed as deep as the ocean. I could always read his emotions, and right now, his eyes were full of hope. We both knew what we wanted, and we had it right in the palm in our hands. It was almost like our days with the mafia, whenever we wanted something, we could just take it.

"{Y/N}, this is it," he said, squeezing my hand, "We can go home."

I processed everything in my head, finally feeling excited. Even though it was just for a little while, I would get to see my baby again. "I'm ready, Mells," I mumbled back, "Let's go home."

~Gevanni's POV~

While Lawliet went to get food, I sat back in my seat, tears threatening to spill out of my eyes. Nate River, the man I'd been looking after for 17 years, the man who I loved with all my heart, might disappear.

"Shit," I cussed under my breath, "If he dies..."

I won't be able to live with myself.

I looked down at my cell phone, hoping to see a notification from anything at all, something to distract me from the situation. However, it's like the cosmos were playing a joke on me. My phone was completely dry from any new texts, calls, or anything.

I saw Lawliet come down the hallway, and I recollected myself, trying to remain strong for his sake. "What'd you get?" I asked, and he shrugged.

"Chocolate. It calms me down." he explained.

I chuckled, remembering Mello's odd habit of consuming chocolate whenever he had a free moment. "Your father loved chocolate. He ate it all the time."

"Huh, it's hereditary, I guess." He assumed, slumping back down into the chair beside me. He looked a little bit more awake, a little bit more emotional than he had been before. Maybe he was finally coming to his senses.

"You feeling a little better?" I asked.

"Better isn't the word I'd use, because I'm worried as shit," he admitted, "But I'm a little less vacant now."

"That's good, Lawliet," I said, smiling at the teenager. He looked away, and I felt empathetic towards him. After all, Near was someone we both cared about tremendously.

The door to Near's room opened, and the doctor walked out. Both Lawliet and I stood up, and looked expectantly at the doctor. "I'm Dr. Kaoru," the male said, "You're here for Near, correct?"

"Yes," Lawliet responded, "Please, Doctor, how is he?"

Dr. Kaoru looked hesitant, and immediately, my heart smashed to pieces. I looked over at Lawliet, who hadn't clued in, as the doctor removed his surgical gear. 

No, please, not Near, I pleaded mentally.

"I'm sorry," Kaoru said, looking grimly at the floor, "We did everything we could, but there was nothing we could fix in order to save him."

Lawliet's face crumbled from hopeful to broken in less than a second. He walked past the doctor, going into the room. I was about to run and go after him, but Kaoru raised his hand. "He's a child," he mumbled, "Let him handle it his own way."

I waited for a moment before slowly advancing towards the door. Not because of what the doctor said, but because I knew I had to muster up all of my strength to see Near's dead body.

~Lawliet's POV~

"...there was nothing we could fix in order to save him."

...no.

You're lying.

It can't be...Near couldn't... Near can't...

Near can't leave me, too...

I ran past the doctor into the room, not caring if I would get taken by security. In my mind, I had to see it to believe it. I saw a blanket on the table in the room, a body clearly below it. Slowly, I took a corner and lifted it, and when I saw Near's closed eyes and his paler-than-usual stiff body, my stomach fell.

"N-Near..." I managed, pulling the blanket down further in order to take his hand. His normally high body temperature was gone, and his hand was heavy and lifeless, like a rag doll. I couldn't stop the tears from escaping my eyes as I fell to my knees, the reality of it all finally hitting me like a bus. I hugged Near's arm tightly, praying for some sign that this was some cruel prank, or a dream, just something to tell me that this wasn't real.

Shaking, I stood up again, my sobs loud and uncontrollable. "Near, please," I begged, "You can't leave me like this."

You're the closest thing to family that I have!

When I received no reaction, I clung to Near's chest, sobbing into it, despite the sheet being between us. I felt hands grasp me and slowly pull me away, with much more strength than I had. "NO! LET ME GO!" I screamed, "NEAR!"

The person dragging me spun me around, and pulled me into a hug,cradling my head as I sobbed. When I realized that it was Gevanni, I hugged back, letting all my emotions out. "Sorry, Law," he managed through his own strangled sobs, "He's gone."

I yelled out, crying even harder, and Gevanni ran his hands through my hair. 

"He's gone..."