It had been 2 days since Hope arrived. She was fitting in with the SPK members and I noticed that Ill Ratt was taking a unhealthy interest in her. When ever she left the room he would find some random reason why he had to go with her. He always stood really close to her too. To close. I found myself starting to hate him. I had never really hated someone before but seeing him get so close to Hope like that angered me. I did not know the reason why though over time I find myself also wanting to be that close to her. To just casually stand next to her like he does. Why is it so easy for him to come into contact with her yet everything I think about it I get so nervous? Hope doesn't even seem to notice his closeness most of the time, she just carry's on like nothing is happening. No matter how hard I looked I could never tell what she was thinking. Her face and body language were so hard to read. I could easily read anyone else's but when it came to her I didn't have a clue. It bothered me, the one person that I want to know what they are thinking I can't tell, but everyone else I could. Whenever I could I pulled her to my side. Even though things weren't going as well as I hoped I felt a lot calmer and happier when she was near. Hope was on the other side of the room talking to Halle. I was in the middle of the room like normal, building a tower out of dice. Hope looked around and caught me staring at her. I instantly looked away and I could feel my face heating up. Was this what they called blushing? It was my first time and I didn't really like it. It made my cheeks feel hot and go red. I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. I had to stay calm, keep myself collected so that I could solve this case and surpass L as his successor...

The SPK members were coming and going as the pleased. I build my dice tower and knocked it down again. Hope was no where to be seen. Where was she? It worried me to not have her in my sight. Stop it, I screamed at myself, she can look after herself. I have to stay focused but no matter how much I told myself this my eyes kept wondering to the door, hoping she would come through it at any moment perfectly safe. Eventually after a while of building my dice tower and listening to Anthony tapping on his computer, Hope finally returned. Her face seemed paler than normal and Halle was behind her looking worried.
"What's wrong?" I shouted to them without even thinking about what I was doing. Everyone in the room looked around at me and then at Hope and Halle. Hope came and sat down on a chair. Something was definitely wrong. She looked really tired and her eyes were distant. Halle came over to me.
"Hope is a little bit ill." My eyes widened. Ill?
"What?" Said Ill Ratt jumping up from his seat. "What is wrong with her?" He said sounding panicked. I stayed quiet and just watched Hope carefully. She had her head down and didn't look happy about having that fact the she wasn't very well announced to everyone like this.
"She puked up blood." Halle said making panic rise in my chest. What? I screamed. That was not good.
"Then she should go to hospital. This could be serious." Shouted Ill Ratt.
"No." Spooked up Hope for the first time since she came in. "The doctors there couldn't do anything for me anyway because I am not fully human. It isn't serious it has happened before. I just need to rest it will be gone it a couple of days."
"Then you should be in bed." Said Anthony.
"That wouldn't do any good either. If I don't exert myself I will be fine. I will not just lie in bed while you guys are up all hours trying ti catch Kira it is not fair on you. Plus, I was brought here to help so help I shall. This is why I told you not to tell them Halle."
"But it was clear that you weren't right and they needed to know."
"You weren't going to tell me?" I said feeling slightly hurt by this.
"Of course not, there is no point worrying everyone if I don't need to. I will be better in a couple of days." She told me as if it was obvious. I nodded though part of me wanted to tell her that if she was ill I wanted to know.
"I will go make you some soup. Come on." Said Ill Ratt getting up and gently pulling Hope by the hand out of the room. I glared at the back of his head. I wanted to be the one to look after her when she was sick. I wanted to be the one to put her to bed and make her soup, though I didn't know how to make soup. The only thing I could do was play with my toys. How would that make Hope feel better? What good was being a so called genius if I couldn't even look after someone I care about? I do care about Hope. That much was clear to me, but I wasn't sure of what I was feeling towards her yet but I did care if something bad happened to her.

After a couple of hours of feeling useless and dispersed I decided to go and see where Hope was because she hadn't returned to the main room and neither had Ill Ratt. I went to my room and picked up a few toys. I couldn't do much for Hope but I was going to at least try and cheer her up the best way I could. Picking up my toys like that reminded me greatly of when I did it all those years ago when Hope first arrived at Wammy's house. I went to her room and stopped just outside. There were voices inside, it was probable Ill again. I opened the door and saw Ill standing at the side of Hopes bed and Hope herself was on the bed sat up.
"Hey Near." Said Ill. I nodded and silently walked over to Hope's bed. She stared at me and I stared at her. We stated like that until Ill cleared his throat.
"I guess I'll be going then." He said walking out. Hope and I didn't even say goodbye and when the door shut I gently lifted my hand up and stroked Hope's cheek which was red and flushed because she was ill. She tensed and looked shocked and scared. Why I did it? I really don't know but I did.
"You look really pale." I said quietly. She smiled at me.
"Don't worry I will be fine." She said taking my hand in hers. Her hands were warm and soft but then she placed it on it on the bed next to her. Did she not like me touching her? "What have you got there?" She asked.
"Toys." I said tipping the contents of the bag on the floor. Hope jumped out if bed and joined me on the floor. I noticed that she wasn't wearing she normal clothes. She was now wearing grey pyjamas but she was still wearing her neck belt. What was that? And why did she always wear it?
"This reminds me of when we first met." She said taking some domino's and starting to set them up. I smiled a little.
"Yeah." I paused and watched her happily playing with the toys I brought for her. "Hope?"
"Yes Near?" She replied without looking up.
"Do you hate me for leaving you like that?" She stopped what she was doing and looked up at me.
"No, of course I don't. I mean yeah I was a little angry because you left and then when you thought I might be helpfully to you you came back, but at least you did come back. Mellow and Matt haven't been heard of since they left."
"And do you trust me?"
"Well, I believe that there are many different kinds of trust. There are people you trust with little secrets, there are people you trust to be there for you when you need them and then there are people you trust with your life. I trust you with all off these so yes I do trust you."
"You trust me with your life?"
"Yes, everyone here does, because we are all going against Kira. We all know what could mean death for us yet everyone stays. I trust you to be there for me when I need you to be because you are here now. Even though you should probable be in the main room you took the time to come and try to cheer me up. You are doing a good job of that if it was up to Ill I would be in bed all day which is very boring."
"And you thrust me with little secrets?" She nods. I don't know why but I had a sudden what to know something that never really mattered to me before. "Well then Hope, what is your real name?"