A/N: Heehee. My precious younger brother has a character named Birdy, so he drew him with my Birdie. She doesn't have a fur trim coat, just a sweatshirt of that color, but he got a tad confused when he saw a picture of her at age 18. She also wears her hair in a high ponytail at her age in this story. But otherwise, that's my girl. ^_^

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Matt

"Yeah, I seen her there."

"You're certain?"

"For crying out loud, why bother asking if you ain't gonna believe me?"

"I just need to make sure."

"Well then, yes, I'm blooming sure!"

"And that's all you know? You've told me everything?"

"The full monty!"

"Alright, thanks then, Lacey."

"And what about you, Matt?" she inquired. "You's told me everything?"

"Yes, Lacey, I did," Matt said.

"May's funeral's come and gone. Why do you need to know about this now?"

"I found a watch there," Matt explained. "It has 'Amane' engraved onto it, so I want to be sure I send it to the right person."

"Basically, you thinks I'm a blooming muppet, yeah?" Lacey said, her tone clearly indicating her annoyance.

"What do you mean?"

"You ain't the only smart one here, Matt," Lacey reminded him. "Now, you may's have been closer to succeeding L than I was, but it don't take no genius to tell that you're full of crap.
"Heart attack. Japanese friend. She was with her when she died. You thinks it's connected, yeah?"

"Lacey..."

"It ain't gonna be related to Kira, if that's what you think," Lacey said. "May never did nothing wrong in her life. Must've been something genetic, yeah."

"I know."

"Do you?" Lacey queried. "Seeing Mello, that it? Mmm, ain't none of me business, anyhow. Just be careful, Matt. Basically, I don't agrees with what you're doing, but I don't wants you kicking the bucket neither. I says back out while you still can, afore it all goes pear-shaped. Have a butchers and realize what it is you're getting yourself into... you nutter."

"Just keep this to yourself," Matt said.

"Who, little old me?" Lacey said innocently. "Eh, no need to worry."

"I've got to go now, Lacey," said Matt. "I really need a fag right now."

"Still smoking? You get cancer that way. Or clog up your arteries and die of a heart attack. If you keeps this up, looks like you'll die of a heart attack either way. Just me opinion.
"Oh, and if you talk to Allison, be sure to wind her up for me, yeah. Basically, she ain't said nothing to me since the last time I brought up Mello. Giving me the silent treatment again, I thinks."

"How long do you plan on keeping this up?"

"Just until she admits it."

"Great lot that'll do," Matt said sardonically. "Right, I've got to go now."

"Don't wants to keep gabbing with Lacey, eh? Alright, I ain't going to keep you. Do the off, then, and try not to get into trouble. You has a tendency to do that, yeah."

Matt couldn't help but chuckle. "Bye, Lacey."

"Ta-ta!" she said.

Again, Matt chuckled when he hung up the phone. Only Lacey. Despite the stereotypes, saying "ta-ta" was actually considered fairly unusual in England, extremely clichéd, and even a bit childish. That was Lacey for you, though. Unusual and childish.

Matt thought of this as he pulled out his pack of cigarettes, then noticed that he only had one left. He rummaged through his pockets, being careful not to accidentally switch the safety off of the gun in his pocket, and fished out his lighter and some money. Lighting his last cigarette, he looked at his surroundings, glad to see a nearby convenience store which would likely have a pack of cigarettes that he could buy, and headed for the store.

Allison

"I still don't see why I have to come with you," I said.

"Because I want a pack of gum, and I don't know how to say 'gum' in Japanese," Birdie explained.

The two of us were walking side-by-side down the streets of Japan. Birdie had convinced me to walk with her to a corner store and buy her some gum despite it being a block away.

"You could have just asked," I told her. "You had no problem asking for money."

"For all I know, you would've just told me a swear word, and I'd end up being chased out of the store," Birdie replied. "Anyhow, I'm only twelve; someone might jump out of nowhere and kidnap me."

"With Kira killing criminals by the thousands?" I pointed out. "Anyone who would try to kidnap someone in broad daylight in Japan has a death wish."

"Fine, I get lonely," Birdie said. "What do you want from me?"

"My yen back, for starters," I said.

Birdie chuckled. "Good luck with that."

I stepped into the corner store; I had told Birdie to wait outside and that I'd buy her gum. She could speak Japanese, but she couldn't read it, so she couldn't tell what type of gum she was getting; she couldn't even tell the difference between a pack of gum and a pack of fags. Not to mention I didn't trust that she wouldn't try to pocket something.

The store was practically empty except for the cashier, one other customer, and myself. I didn't take notice of the others at first, until I walked over to the register.

Looking at the customer at the register, my eyes widened, and I wondered if I had finally gone insane.

"Matt?" I said.

Hearing his name, he stiffened and turned to face me, the fag he'd been smoking falling to the ground when his mouth had dropped open in shock.

"Hey! What are you doing?" the cashier yelled, worried his shop was going to be burned to the ground.

"Shit." And with that, Matt was out the door.

"Matt!" I yelled, chasing after him. I pushed open the door, several feet behind him and cursing myself for having decided to wear high heels that day.

Birdie, who had wandered over to the next block, noticed what was going on, blinking in surprise. Instinctively, she stuck her foot out when Matt came running by her, tripping him and causing him to fall flat on his face. Once he was down and I had caught up, I pinned him down to make sure that he wouldn't get away.

"What," I said, panting from having to sprint after him, "the hell, are you doing here? And so help me God, if you say 'buying a pack of fags'...
"Birdie, what are you doing?"

"Checking his pockets," she said, pulling several items out of the pocket of Matt's sweatshirt, listing each item she grabbed. "Pack of fags... gum-ooh, I'll take that... lighter... keys... gun..."

"Birdie, hand over the gun," I said, catching her try to sneak it into her rucksack.

Mumbling a few protests, Birdie handed me the gun.

"What are you doing here, Matt?" I repeated.

"Oh, Allison, it's you," he replied. "For a minute there I thought you were someone else."

"Do you actually expect me to believe that?" I shouted.

At this point, people who were walking by were beginning to stare. Now, let me paint a picture for you: a foreign woman in her early twenties in the middle of the streets pinning down a foreign man who's about her age and screaming in a different language which the majority of people can't understand. Someone was probably going to contact the authorities.

"Just a lovers' quarrel," Birdie assured the passers-by, who all looked at her strangely but nodded and continued to walk.

"Birdie!" I scolded. Shaking my head, I refocused my attention onto Matt. "Matt..."

"I could be asking you the same question," he pointed out.

"Mello told you to come here, didn't he?" I asked. "You might as well admit it."

"Alright, I'll own," he said. "You can get off of me now."

"If he tries to run, I'll set his pants on fire," said Birdie, holding up his lighter.

Knowing that Matt wouldn't doubt Birdie's willingness to set his trousers on fire if he tried to escape, I got off of him and held out my hand to help him up from the pavement. Birdie stood next to Matt, prepared to use the lighter if necessary.

"You know, for someone who doesn't care anymore, you sure do care," Matt said. I kicked him in the shin, prompting him to curse; it turned out that wearing my pointed heels that day had been a good idea.

"Do you know where he is now?" I said, already having a guess as to what his answer would be.

"Yes," he admitted. "I'm supposed to meet him in a couple of minutes."

"Matt," I said, "please."

"Damn it, Allison," he said in a tone of defeat. "I swear, you people are going to be the death of me."

We walked a few blocks, Birdie clinging to Matt with the lighter ready the entire time. As we walked, Matt and I conversed.

"Matt, why are you doing this?" I asked him.

"Doing what?" he replied.

"Helping Mello," I said. "He just up and left; you haven't heard from him in years, and now all of a sudden he contacts you and you agree to risk your life to help him."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" I said, slightly annoyed that he was avoiding answering my question.

"You're in Japan," he said, "so you are likely working on the Kira case as well. We bumped into each other in the same city, after all. Not to mention that you're with Birdie, who should be back at Wammy's. I was third in line to succeed L, Allison; it's not that hard to figure out that you're helping out Near with the case. So tell me: why?"

"I asked you first," I pointed out.

"You sound like a child," he replied.

"Says the nineteen-year-old who still plays video games," I quipped.

"I won't answer until you answer," he said firmly.

"Who's acting like a child, now?" I said, but I relented. "Birdie wanted me to help out, and she got me sacked. I didn't really have any other option."

"How many languages can you speak?" Matt said. "There are a million employers out there that would hire you in an instant."

"I don't know," I said. "I just did. I never liked Kira in the first place."

"Because Patience is there, right?" Matt guessed. "That's your reason."

"How did you know?"

"How stupid do you think I am?"

"Stupid enough to help a wanted criminal."

"Is that what you think of Mello as?" he asked me. "A wanted criminal?"

"You don't know what he's done, Matt."

"I do," he said. "Mello told me. You think I would help him if he'd left me in the dark?"

"He killed a man."

"He didn't," Matt objected. "That was someone else."

"But that man died because of Mello."

"He died because he was working on the Kira investigation, and risking your life is just a part of that."

"How can you be so forgiving?"

"How can you be so resentful?" he shot back. "The entire history between the two of you, yet you won't budge on this.
"Allison, you can't even accept why you're actually here."

"What are you on about?" I said.

"If Near does find Kira, then it won't be thanks to you. And Patience can find her mother without your help." His words stung. "Don't give me that look. It's the truth, Allison, and you know it.
"I'm here because I still think of Mello as a friend, and I want to help him. Why are you here?"

"I... I don't know," I admitted. "I really don't know."

"You know," Matt said. "You just don't want to admit it."

As he said this, we turned a corner into a back alley. I saw a familiar silhouette in the shadows, though larger than I remembered. A pair of blue eyes widened when they saw us approaching.

"Damn it, Matt."

"I was attacked," Matt explained, "and the kid threatened to torch my pants."

Birdie held up the lighter, lighting it for a moment in order to reinforce Matt's point.

"Allison," Mello said. He promptly pulled out a gun, pointing it at me. "Leave."

Making a move to put my hands above my head, I quickly grabbed onto the gun Birdie had stolen from Matt and pointed it at Mello, whose eyes widened.

"I don't think you're in any position to be threatening me," I said. I stood confidently despite never having held a firearm in my life. I tried not to tremble, determined to stand my ground.

Mello gave Matt an annoyed look, and Matt shrugged in response.

"Matt, take the kid and leave for a couple of minutes," Mello said after a brief pause.

"The kid has a name," Birdie pointed out. "...Git."

Matt scoffed. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

"I want pizza," Birdie said as she and Matt walked away. "Buy me pizza. Do the Japanese eat pizza? I don't know. I'll eat anything. As long as it's not raw. I don't like raw things. Sushi is disgusting..."

"Put down the gun, and I'll put down mine," Mello said once Birdie and Matt had left.

"You first," I said.

Reluctantly, he did so, setting down the gun and kicking it away from him. Once he had, I did the same, albeit hesitantly.

"So what do you want, Allison?" he asked. His voice wasn't filled with anger, but rather, something along the lines of dread. As though he had been hoping this day would never come.

"I just," I began, "I just had to see it for myself."

He stepped forward, coming out of the shadows and into view. Both of us stared at one another, our eyes wide in shock as we took each other in, noticing how much the other had changed.

"Allison," he said in a near whisper, but his voice trailed off, and I knew he wasn't going to say any more.

I noticed the scar running down his face: a large marking from where skin had been burned in some sort of fire. I found my hand reaching towards him to touch his cheek. I stopped midway, changing my mind and swinging to slap him instead, but he caught me by the wrist before I could strike him.

"You're a selfish bastard, you know that?" I said, holding back the tears that were forming behind my eyes. I wouldn't let him see me cry.

"Yes," he replied, much to my surprise, "I know."

I shook my head. "Forget this. I don't even care anymore."

A look of frustration formed on his face, and he roughly let go of my wrist. "Are we really still doing this?"

Patience

Birdie and Allison had gone out, while I had decided to remain at the SPK headquarters, trying to sift through all the thoughts in my head. I had joined Near for one reason: to find Jessica. Yet now it seemed like I was there for a million reasons. I was so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn't even notice when Near had opened the door for someone after they had flashed him their ID.

"So it's Patience now, right?"

My eyes widened. It had been eight years, but I still remembered that voice as clear as day. "It's you," I said, looking at the woman whose face I had nearly forgotten, but I recognized her eyes. It's uncommon for a Japanese person to have green eyes, and hers were a stunning shade of emerald, impossible to look away from. I could never forget those eyes.

"You seem surprised," Jessica said, "but then again, I guess I am, too."

"How did you...?" I wondered.

"I was contacted by a man who told me that you were looking for me," Jessica explained. "I was told where to find you."

"Mello?"

Jessica smiled. "You have good friends, Patience. Good friends that care about you." She looked me up and down, her smile never fading. "Look at you..."

"Jessica, I...," I began, trying to search for the right words.

She frowned, expecting what I was going to say next. "Just say it, Patience."

"You're my... are you my mother?"

Her eyes began to water, and she smiled sadly at me. I knew then. I dropped to my knees, knowing what her answer would be before she even said it.

"No. No, I'm not."

"But my mother," I said, "my adoptive mother. You knew her. All that's happened... All that you did... You have to know something!"

She walked over towards me and stopped when she was right in front of me, staring at the ground. Usually I was the one who couldn't meet people's eyes. "You're right. You're right, kid. I know the truth; I know who your birth mother is."

"Then you can tell me," I said, still looking at her.

"No. No, I can't."

"Why?" I asked, raising my voice in a near panic. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Jessica looked at me, and then she held out her hand. Reluctantly, I took it, and she helped me up off the floor.

"She made us promise," Jessica explained. "We didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. We didn't know until it was too late. I swore on my grave Patience, and so did Annie."

"Annie," I said. My dreams... had they really been true, then?

"I can't tell you," she repeated. "I promised, and... and maybe it isn't even my place to say. But you deserve to know." I was surprised to see how broken up she was, nearly choking on her words as she held back tears. "You got this far, Patience. You can figure this out; you're the only one who can. Only you can solve all these goddamn riddles."

I wasn't crying; there wasn't really anything to cry about. I was just stunned, unable to speak. Jessica touched my cheek; I didn't flinch or pull away.

"God," she breathed, "you look so much like..." She sighed. "You know, your mother would be proud. Annie, I mean. She'd be wicked proud of you; you've been strong. Just like Annie." She laughed, tears now running down her cheeks. "You're a lot more like her than you think.
"Here, take this." She handed me a card. "It's my contact info. I can't tell you anything, but if you ever need to talk... I'll always answer."

"Thank you," I said.

She shook her head, smiling sadly. "Don't thank me, kid. There's so much I could tell you if it weren't for my own faults and weaknesses. The ghosts of the past... they haunt me. They always will, and that's why I can never tell you.
"But Annie... Annie was different. She didn't do it because she thought you didn't deserve to know. She did it because she believed that you deserved better. Better than the truth. So she kept it from you and tried to give you something better. It might not have been the right thing to do, but she was determined to do it. It was hard for her, too, you know. All of it.
"Huh... She was the youngest. They always treated her like the baby... 'Little Annie'... but she was stronger than all of us.
"Take care, Patience."

"You're going to keep searching for your birth mother, yes?" Near inquired once Jessica had left.

"This isn't about my birth mother anymore," I told him. "This is about finding out the truth. I need to know what's so bad that they needed to hide my life from me.
"I'm going to stay here, though. I'm at a dead end for now, but I'm not going to walk away from this case. Even if you don't need me, I still want to do what I can. If that's alright with you... Is it okay if I stay?"

"You needn't ask."

Allison

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I said.

"That this dodging and denying we've been doing since we were in our early teens is getting really old."

"I am doing no such thing," I said angrily.

"You're as stubborn as ever," he said.

"Right back at you."

"Allison," he said, his voice trailing off.

"You don't have anything to say for yourself, do you?"

"I don't know what to say!" he said defensively. "I don't know where to start."

"How about how you left without saying anything?" I suggested.

"You would have tried to stop me."

"Fair enough," I admitted.

"I didn't want to leave."

"Bullshit. If you didn't want to leave, then you could have just stayed."

"I couldn't stay."

"Yes, you could have," I insisted.

"I had to leave."

"No, you didn't. You could have stayed, but you were just too stubborn. And now you've dragged Matt into this."

"I didn't force him to do anything," Mello retorted. "He chose to help out."

"After you contacted him!" I yelled. "You're putting his life at risk."

"We're all putting our lives at risk," he said.

"Everyone... everyone at Wammy's... they all want to be the one to succeed L, but it isn't even about that for you, is it, Mello? It's all just a bloody contest to you."

"I need to do this."

"Why?" I asked. It was such a simple question, but I could never figure out the answer. Even now, as I spoke to him about it, I still didn't know. "What are you trying to prove? Who are you trying to prove it to?"

"Myself," he said. The worst part is, as he said that, and I stared into his sky blue eyes, I understood what he meant. "Allison, why are you here? What is it that you want?"

"I want you to suffer," I found myself saying, yet there was no surprised or appalled expression on his face in response to this. "I want you to feel what I felt."

"I felt it, Allison," he assured me. "I swear to you, I felt it. Leaving Wammy's, leaving everyone behind... it wasn't easy. I was alone for a long time."

I clenched my fists and glared at the ground, trying to hold back tears. He put his hand on my arm to comfort me, and I felt goose pimples crawl up and down my arms. I forced myself to look at him, at the blank expression on his face and his stone cold, dead eyes. Then I broke down despite myself. I grabbed his shirt, and I buried my face into his shoulder and cried. He stood there for a moment before wrapping his arms around me, his embrace almost like an apology. One that I couldn't accept, because this... this was unforgivable.

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A/N: Putting this at the end so things wouldn't be spoiled, obviously.
We've finally dealt with Patience and Jessica. How many years did it take us? All those years, but we've finally learned... absolutely nothing. Huh... okay then.
Well, at least we got somewhere with Allison and Mello. Allison, you are so in denial, my dear. Mello was, too, but after years of more serious shit, he ain't got time for that lol. As for Matt, could he have easily pushed Birdie away? Well, yeah, but deep down, part of him wanted Allison and Mello to see each other again.
On another note, I love Birdie. I had to do some rewriting, though. I realize I made Birdie seem too nonchalant about everything, so I needed to show that she actually does care for her friends despite how much she makes it sound like she's not worried about them and that she is, well, a child.
Also, mwahaha @ my dramatic irony with Matt. The poor thing has no idea what's coming. *pats Matt on head*