My eyes fluttered open and I stared up at the ceiling. Finally, I thought, I hated that. The last few days have been so annoying. I was completely awake in my mind but I couldn't move my body at all. It had completely shut down and on the rare accession I could accurately move it hurt a lot. I sighed and my hand went down to wear my gun wound was. Very slowly I sat up. I felt really weak, like all my energy had been suck out of me. I placed my hand by my side and touched something. I quickly drew my hand back and looked at what it was. It was Near. He was fast asleep. Then I thought back to the convocation I had heard between him and Anthony. That Mello might be dead because of some explosion. What had gone on while I was out? Near looked so peaceful and happy. I remembered what he said last night. "I need you to get better." He really said that. I smiled to myself, and the whole thing about me healing really fast because I was part God. Even I didn't know I could do that. I just remembered looked at Ill Ratt and the gun in his hand which was aimed at Near and knew I couldn't let that happen. So, without thinking I protected him and got myself shout in the process. When I was on the floor I looked up at him and saw that he was okay. He looked shocked and scared but he was safe and I was happy because he was safe. I remember when Halle was in her by herself changing my bandages.

"Throwing yourself in front of a gun like that just to protect the one you love. Really brave of you Hope." That was what she said to me. I have been thinking a lot about that. "The one you love," was that Near? Did I love Near? I wasn't really sure but looking down at him then I was sure. What Halle said was right. I did love Near, even if I tried to deny it I knew I would be lying to myself. I did love him that was why I did what I did without thinking. That is why I risked my life to save his. Slowly I got out of the other side of the bed so that I wouldn't wake Near up and grabbed my drawing pad. When I stood up I felt like I was going to collapse. My legs felt so weak. Like they would break at any moment. I then sat down next to Near and started to draw a picture of the forest, with deer and birds in the trees. I couldn't do anywhere and Near looked so tired that I wanted him to sleep. I knew that he had barely left my side when I was out. He was always here, playing quietly with his toys. For that fact I was grateful to him. He stayed with me because he was worried. He didn't say it but he didn't need to. I could see it and it didn't take a genius to work it out. That fact that he was really worried about me made me happy and sad at the same time. I didn't really want him to worry about me so much. It wasn't good for him and yet the fact that he was worried gave me hope that maybe, just maybe he feels the same way about me? No, that was ridicules, or was it?

Eventually Near woke up. He looked confused but he recognised me almost instantly.

"Hope?"

"Hey Near." I said with a small smile.

"Are you better?"

"Well my wound doesn't hurt at all but I feel really weak. I think it may take a bit of time to get my strength back."

"I think Commander Rester said he had something to give you when you woke up. It is supposed make your strength return. I'll go get him." He stood but but I grabbed his shirt. He looked around at me.

"It isn't urgent I'm fine right now. Tell me what I missed while I was out. I heard something about Mello being dead. That's not true is it?"

"You heard that?"

"Yeah, people in comas can still hear everything that is going on around them, they just can't move." Near sat back down and began filling me in on everything I missed. "So Mello might not be dead then." I said when he was finished. "And what about Matt? Do you know where he is?"

"No idea but he will be somewhere close by to Mello. They are always together."

"And you are sure that the second L is Kira now?"

"Yes, it all seems to fit into place, don't you think?"

"Yes, we just evidence now." I trailed off at the end as I realised that I had just said 'we' like Near and I were together. I felt embarrassed. Even though I knew I love Near I couldn't let it show. If he found out it will ruin everything. I hoped that he didn't pick up on it. I snapped back to reality and looked back up at Near. His cheeks were slightly red, or was I imagining it? We sat in silence when suddenly Anthony came bursting into the room.

"Near..." He stopped when he saw me and smiled. "Hope, are you better?"

"Yes but still weak." I told him nodding.

"Oh good, I have something for that but Near the deputy director of the NPA is dead. He was shot by a member of the Mafia and died in hospital a couple of hours ago."

"It wasn't Mello that shot him was it?" I asked.

"I don't believe so. The briefing just said that he was shot and died."

"The briefing?" I questioned.

"Yes the second L sent up a file with the information of events in it."

"Has there been any news as to where Mello is?" Asked Near.

"No, not yet. He could be anyway but we will keep looking. I understand that he has to be found." Said Anthony, then he turned and left without another word. Near stood up.

"I will do and get you some of that stuff to make you feel better. Wait here and don't get up, I'll be back." And then he left. I watched him leave and then laid back down. I turned my head to the side to look at my Mama's drawn picture.
"Quel sentiment étrange maman." (Means - what a strange feeling, Mum). I said sighing.

Near brought me a bowl of soup which I ate all of. Then I spent the rest of the day playing with Near's toys in my bedroom. Halle and Anthony both told me even though I felt better I had to take it easy still. At 7pm Near left and I decided to go for a shower. I grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom. I washed my hair, tail and ears. Afterwards I felt so much better. I dried myself and got dressed, then got a red towel from the rack and placed it on my head to try and dry my hair. With the towel draped over my head I left the bathroom. I closed the door and then stopped immanently. Something wasn't right. I felt a presence that seemed strangely familiar and the smell of chocolate. It could only mean one thing. Mello. I quickly flicked on the light and I saw Mello stood in the corner of the room. He wore a long black coat and he had a huge scar down his face but he otherwise looked like I remembered him too.

"Hello Hope." Said Mello casually.

"Hi Mello." I said simply. "What brings you here?"

"Near has a picture of me and I want it back."

"I understand. You want to delete everything about yourself so you are safe from Kira." He nodded and then his eyes drifted to the drawings on my wall.

"You still like to draw then." He said walking over, looking at them all. His eyes stopped on the one I drew of him. "Why do you have that?" He asked.

"Because you and Matt were my friends."

"But you only knew us for a morning." I shook my head.

"It doesn't matter to me. You three were the first to accept me for what I was."

"Three?"

"Yes, you, Matt and Near." Mello snorted.

"I'm still losing to him am I?" He said through gritted teeth.

"Sorry, what exactly are you losing?" I asked.

"You." He said simple like it was obvious.

"I'm not a prize to be won you know." I said getting a little angry.     

"But he still won because you came here with him. You helped him with the Kira case and not me."

"I came with him because he came back for me. He asked for my help."

"So why did you go with him then?"

"Because I want to catch Kira as much as you both do. I'm just not competing. I want to bring the person that murderer Watari to justice because he was my first friend. He was like a father to me. It's not always about winning and losing Mello, can't you understand that?" I felt hot tears stream down my face. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I was worried sick about Mello and Matt after I found out what happened and then he comes to me and starts talking about winning and losing. Mello looked upset for a moment and then his face returned to the way it was before, cold and emotionless. He put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a tissue. Instead of handing it too me he walked over and wiped the tears of my face for me. I stopped crying and stood completely still looking up at him, shocked by his actions.

"Maybe you are right." Mello said quietly. "But I want to be L's successor as much as he does and I hate to come second place to him all the time."

"I can understand that. I mean I have never experienced it first hand but I imagine that it is awful. I think that you have things Near doesn't have. I mean you get emotional and that isn't a bad thing, it makes you human, but then Near is smart in a different way. Near might be cleaver at solving things but you are smart in a different way. If it was a competition on who had better life skills you would win." I walked away from him. "Near doesn't have any life skills at all. I didn't either but over these last 4 years I have been learning."

"But that doesn't help me become L's successor."

"I know but listen, if it was really that straight forward as too who was smarter then L would have just picked Near just like that, but he didn't. Just because you were second doesn't mean that L though any less of you." Mello came forward and gently stroked my face. I froze, "What are you doing?" I said nervously.

"Thank you Hope." He sighed and moved away from me. "But since as Near cares about you so much." He pulled put a gun and pointed it to my head. I gasped and felt my heart quicken. "Sorry Hope but I really need to disappear if I want to catch Kira before Near..."