"Yes I win." I said as I knocked over Near's king.

"Well played." Said Near calmly. "But tell me how did you do it?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I didn't even come up with a plan of action I based my moves on yours. That way I thought you couldn't predict mine." I smiled at him.

"That's what I thought you were doing. So what I did was predicted what your movements if I made a certain move. Then I moved accordingly to get you to move a certain way which benefits me."

"Impressive." Was all Near said. Then Anthony walked over.

"So it's finally over and Hope comes out on top." He said.

"You don't have to sound so surprised Anthony." I said standing up and walking over to the table were I left my drawing. I sat down and Anthony started staring at the computers scenes, I looked at Near and saw he was smiling at me. If I played against him again I would have to come up with a new strategy. Near definitely wouldn't use the same one because now he knows what he was doing. However he might use that same method because he knows that I think he will change his method. It was more likely that he would change his method but I never really knew exactly how Near's brain worked. Throughout that chess game I was mostly guessing where he would go. I put myself in his position and knew where I would go and thought he would too. Most of the time I was right but something I was wrong and had to swap a few things in my plan to win. I still won overall but the way he was smiling at me then suggested that maybe he just let me win? No, Near wouldn't let someone win. It is human nature to want to win and do anything to get there. Maybe he did let me win and that whole time we were planning he was studying everything I did. If that was so then it meant that I might have won this time but I would never win against him again. I looked back down at my drawing and smiled, well if that's his gameplay I will just have to show him next time that I can't be beaten that easily. Anthony's phone rang breaking the silence between us all. He took it out of his pocket and answered it.

"Yes?" He said. There was silence as he listened to the other person on the end of the line. "What's that?" He said turning to look at Near, who was no playing with the small figurines he had made of everyone. I didn't see one of me and it made me a little sad but at the same time I wasn't sure I wanted him to make one of me. They were all so ugly and I knew he had made them like that on purpose. Then I thought that Near uses these toys to help him solve the case and if I wasn't there then maybe I didn't play a big enough part in solving the case to be noted at all. The thought made me angry with myself. I wanted to help more. I wanted to be out there working beside Halle and Stephan but I could because of what the public will think if anyone outside of the SPK sees that I have a tail, ears and bright red eyes. "You want to meet and talk with Near in person?" Said Anthony. This got my attention as well as Nears. We both looked up at Anthony. Who was on the phone? Was it L? If it was that would make sense to why he was wanting ti meet Near in person but if it was someone else, what could their goal be? It could be a porn of Kira? No, Kira knows that Near wouldn't just ket anyone come and see him so it would have to be someone that Near trusts a little. Anthony hangs up the phone. "It was that Aizawa guy from the task force." Said Anthony.

"Well he is the only one cooperating..." Near trailed off.

"Near, your not seriously considering letting him do that are you?" Questioned Anthony.

"He can talk with me in person but just make sure his eyes are covered. I have no problem with that." Anthony looked from Near to me.

"And your okay with this?" He asked.

"Yes, why wouldn't I be?" I said.

"Well, the task force know that there are 5 members but they have no information on you at all. They all know our names or aliases but you are still completely anonymous." He said.

"I know but if Near says it's okay then go ahead with it."

"Alright." He said before he walked put the room.

A few hours later I walked back into the main room were Near was sat. Anthony still hadn't come back. He was making sure that Aizawa didn't know where our base was. We didn't want anyone knowing in case the Kira supporters find out and come after us like last time. Near was sat on the floor playing with his toys as usual. I sat down on a chair next to the computers and watched him. I had nothing to do at all anyway. I had done a lot of drawing today and didn't want to do any more. I sighed quietly and started playing with my hair.

"Hope." Said Near.

"Yeah." I replied.

"You aren't useless." He said. I was completely shocked.

"But I never said..."

"No but you thought it." Near cut me off. "It was obvious. Well obvious to me any way. I don't know how many times I have to tell you this but you are a important part in this case." He paused. "Tell me what made you think that you aren't important this time." I didn't want to answer. I knew the reason why was childish and it might just make Near mad. I knew he didn't like it when I thought of myself as useless and I thought that I had done a good job of hiding it.

"Ummm..." I started. "Your toys. You use them in you theory's right?"

"Yes, I find it easier to think that way."

"And the dolls you have made. You made one of everyone so you can move them across the chess board. Well, you didn't make one of me. I know it's childish and stupid but that fact that you didn't makes me think I don't play a big enough part in solving this case that you would need to." Near looked down at the floor, to where all his home made dolls were.

"I understand where you are coming from. If there was a drawn picture of everyone that was important to you on your wall and I wasn't there I would think that I didn't play a big enough part in your life for you to take the time to draw one of me. Having said all that you have got the reason why I didn't make one of you completely wrong." I looked at him confused.

"What do you mean?" I asked. Near still didn't look at him and I saw a blush come on his face.

"Well you see all my dolls are really ugly. I am not the best at drawing. I didn't want to make one of you in case it was ugly. You are not ugly and I didn't want to offend you. Guess I was worried that you wouldn't like it or that the doll I make wouldn't do you true beauty justice." He said it all rather quietly but I heard every word. I felt my face become bright red. I was lost for words. What do I say to something like that? Near had just called me beautiful. That has never happened before. How do you react? Do I say thank you? Or would he think I was just agreeing that I think I'm beautiful? I didn't think that at all. I had never really though of myself as beautiful or ugly. Is wasn't something that was important to me. I was just me and that was the end of it. What ever the case I had to say something. I took a deep breath.

"We-ll thank you, I think." I said stuttering a little. "I never thought of it like that. You don't have to worry about it looking ugly. I don't mind what it looks like, honestly. I just being childish..."

"It's not childish." Near said. "I understand it completely. I never thought you would look at it like that. I'm sorry. I should have thought about your feelings. I just not good with these things. I'm good at sitting by myself and playing with toys in my own little world. I have never been the person that talks to people. I find it easier with you but I still struggle with it." I couldn't help but smile. Near found it easy to talk to me. That made me happy. I was glad and everything he had said almost made me love him more. I needed to tell me how I felt. I was still sure that he didn't love me but with everything he just said I couldn't stop myself from hoping. I hated this side of myself. I hated the girl that needs to be loved. I don't need a man, that's what I always told myself but now it was different. I remember the night my Mama came home. She had been on her first date since Papa. She was smiling happily then a few months later she came home crying she eyes out. She said that her boyfriend had 'cheated' on her. I didn't even know what that meant but I knew it wasn't something good. I never really understood why she dated at all, but as I grew older I started to understand. It was human nature to seek a companion. My Mama was seeking for something she couldn't get from me. It was a different kind of love, a love I couldn't give her. The fact that there wasn't something I could give her made me upset and angry, but now I had fallen in love myself I understood it. I didn't know this would happen to me. I wasn't fully human but I still had the same natural instincts and needs as a human. Perhaps that all came from my Mama. Maybe I was more human than I realised...