"Um... I guess so?" Near started, but by the time he was done speaking Matt was already gone. "...That was odd."

--Scene Break--

Mello stirred and woke when Near entered the room- sitting up and rubbing his eyes.

"Mmm...where'd you go?" He asked- looking around with his sleepy eyes.

"Got some lunch," Near informed, moving to take a seat beside the blonde on the small bed. "And then I signed our release papers."

He smiled, reaching out to pet Mello's hair.

"They're finally letting me go after a week of you watching me?" Mello smiled.

The white-haired boy laughed a little bit. "Yes. Exactly."

He leaned in and kissed the blonde, before looking up as a nurse came in and unhooked Mello's IV.

"Just sign here and you're free to go," She told Near, handing him a clip board.

Giving a nod, Near took it and quickly signed the paper, before he hopped off the bed and grabbed Mello's shoes, moving over to help the blonde put them on. "Mello still looks somewhat drugged, but not as bad as it was. Does he want me to leave the boot off of his hurt leg?"

"Nah, but can you talk them outta making me ride in that damned wheelchair?" Mello sighed before he rubbed the back of his head. "Where'd I stash my chocolate?"

"Mello only gets the chocolate if he rides in it," Near coaxed, grabbing a bar of chocolate out of the blonde's coat pocket. "Matt already headed back so the only one here to see Mello is me."

"Oh c'mon, you're gonna make me take the wheelchair?" Mello groaned as he pulled on his shirt. "And no chocolate and...who the hell is driving us?"

Mello looked at Near worriedly.

Near laughed a little. "I am. Roger had my car brought here. Come on... it wont kill Mello to take the wheel chair and as soon as we get in the elevator, he can have the chocolate."

"What kind of a car do you even drive?" Mello asked as he reached down to finish tying his shoes.

"...One that drives?" Near offered with a frown. He didn't know much about cars, after all. In fact, Mello couldn't even remember seeing the boy play with a toy car. It was always robots or trains.

"...Did you remember to put gas in it?" Mello asked nervously. "Change the oil? Check the tires?"

"I know how to drive, Mello," Near groaned, rolling his eyes. "Relax... We'll be home before Mello knows it."

The nurse slipped in with a wheel chair, then.

"Don't make me lie down in the back or something." Mello mumbled- the nurse approaching him with the chair. "Leave it, I don't need your help hun."

He waved the nurse off.

The nurse gave Near a look, to which the white-haired boy nodded. She left and he sighed, looking toward Mello.

"I wont make Mello lay down in the back," He chuckled.

"You're enjoying taking care of me for once, aren't you?" Mello sighed before he gave that lazy smile Near had come to know more and more over the past week.

"Yes, I am," Near said with a smile.

--

"Please, he needs a DOCTOR!"

As Zero came to once again he heard Trick sobbing loudly somewhere close to him. He had swam in and out of consciousness for almost a week, unsure where he was and who he was with.

"There's nothing a doctor could do for him that I can't here Trick, I assure you." Far replied calmly as he leaned over Zero. "Are you in any pain?"

He pet Zero's hair before reaching over and patting Trick as well.

"Shhh...it's okay." He said softly to the little boy.

Trick whimpered to himself and looked at his brother, his eyes full of tears.

"Nnn..." Zero mumbled, looking up at Far.

"He's right Far, we have to go now, we can't just let Zero die!" Treat said urgently.

"I'm not going to let Zero die." Far told Trick's brother. "We all have to stay calm."

Far looked terrible. He was pale and thin- his features a bit sunken and his eyes bloodshot- shadowed from sleep deprivation. He looked ready to keel over any second. He scooped Trick up and held him gently as he looked down at Zero.

"Hungry?" He asked the Asian boy.

Zero shook his head. He felt weak and sick... He wanted to go back to the hospital and get those answers that K had promised him.

"You can relax, I'm taking care of the boys." Far assured Zero. "I'm trying to tell them you're going to be okay."

"Nnn..." Zero groaned before wincing. His throat was on fire... he was rather thirsty. "Nnn...?" He attempted to make a motion like drinking from a glass.

"I think he's thirsty!" Trick whined.

"I'll get him some water!" Treat slipped off the coach and ran into the kitchen.

Both boys were still in the same clothes they'd had when Far took them from the hospital. They'd bathed and he'd washed them, but he didn't have any real provisions besides food and the medicine he was forcing into Zero to fight infection.

Zero tried to sit up and winced, looking down at the wound on his waist. It had been wrapped, but it was still burning. He frowned, looking up at Far.

"He wont give you pain medicine," Trick explained, frowning. "Says you used to be addictered to it... whatever that means."

"It means he would take it even when he didn't need it and that's dangerous." Far explained. "Trick, you feel lighter...aren't you eating?"

Treat ran back in with a glass of water. He climbed up to Zero and tipped the cup to the Asian boy's lips.

Zero took a few sips, before nodding his thanks to Treat and leaning back, his head swimming.

"Not hungry," Trick mumbled, wiggling from Far's arms.

"Trick, if you don't eat, you'll get sick." Far said- petting Trick's hair. "That will make me and Zero very sad."

Treat stood beside Zero- holding the glass a moment before he brush he Asian's boy's bangs aside. Zero looked so weak.

Zero glanced at Treat before he tried to force a tired smile.

The boys seemed to know this man... but something felt off about the situation. They both seemed uneasy around him and it was making him uneasy as well.

"...I wish he could talk!" Treat suddenly burst before turning and pointing an accusing finger at Far. "He'd tell you something's wrong!"

"Please, everyone stay calm." Far pleaded. "We're away and safe now...now no-one can hurt Zero again."

Zero's eyes shot up and he looked a bit alarmed. Was someone out to get him!? Had the guy who stabbed him-...

No, that was right... he'd attacked him. He... why had he attacked? He was so confused... it was all so blurry!

"Zero wasn't himself, it was all an accident...no-one wants to hurt him Far!" Treat pleaded.

Far snapped out and snatched the glass from Treat so suddenly that the boy jumped in surprise.

"Right now, I can't take any chances." Far said calmly before walking back into the kitchen.

Zero's eyes went wide and shot to Treat, who was frozen with fear. He quickly reached out for the boy, only to pause as he remembered that Treat hated to be touched.

Slowly, the dark-haired teen pulled himself off the bed and stumbled toward the kitchen, wincing.

"Zero!" Treat patted after the Asian boy. "You can't move around, you're sick...so's Far!"

Pausing, Zero turned to look at the boy with a frown on his face. "Nn?"

Treat nodded frantically.

"He doesn't have his medicine, he's-" Treat started before Far touched Zero's shoulder.

"Zero, you can't be up right now." Far said. "You must rest."

Looking a bit alarmed, Zero turned to Far and stumbled away a bit, his eyes wide with fear.

Trick ducked behind his brother, looking between the two teens.

"Zero, it's okay...see?" He held up his hands and came forward. "It's Far...you don't have to be afraid of me Zero...we're together. You gave up your career to become a teacher so we could still be together."

Treat backed up with his brother.

Zero's eyes fell over Far before he glanced at the twins for a moment.

He then motioned to a bottle of asprin on the table and pointed to Far, asking where his medicine was.

"...Asprin...I don't need it." Far blinked- looking confused.