Matt pulled Mello to his feet and nodded.

"He's just in shock, he's fine now." Matt assured before looking at Mello. "Right?"

"...You tell us." Mello told Nate evenly. "You tell us everything."

"Not here," Nate sighed, looking all around - they were still in the hallway, after all. "I don't want Near's sister coming and smashing my face in or something. She's nuts."

"Linda's cool...she's just worried about her brother." Matt sighed.

"She can join the club." Mello replied before wiping the blood out of the corner of his mouth.

It was weird getting into a fight with someone that looked like Near.

"...You just admitted you're worried about Near," Nate pointed out, smirking a little. "Let's find somewhere we can talk."

"What are you talking about?" Mello frowned.

"Yeah, he's been worrying about Near this whole time." Matt added.

"That you obviously care about him as more then a rival?" Nate offered before he groaned and started walking. "If you wont find somewhere, I will!"

"...I care..." Mello repeated with a frown before following Nate. "But what about you?"

"We all care." Mat offered.

"Oh, like me offering up my own freedom earlier says I don't care," Nate scoffed. "You're seriously going to ask me that, Mello? Of course I care about Near, I've practically lived as the kid!"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Mello admitted. "What is it about you and Near...you're like mirror images and so different and it was YOU two that ended up switching."

Nate paused in mid-step and turned to look at him for a moment, before he frowned. "I... I'm not sure. We... we're obviously very different..."

"Not too different." Matt offered.

"I don't see how we're alike at all," Nate commented. "Other then our looks."

"And the fact that we all like you?" Matt asked.

"Well in that case, I must have a lot in common with L," Nate scoffed, pushing his way into an open doorway.

"That's Near's room." Mello said firmly- stopping at the door as Matt and Nate went inside.

"Ohhh, that's ironic," Nate informed as he flicked on the light and paused, looking around.

He had expected a white room full of stuffed toys or something - but instead he found himself in a room that was a mirror image of Matts, save for the lack of computer equipment. Instead, Near had a singular toy box and it had a lock on it.

"Nancy cleaned it up." Matt laughed. "Normally, he makes a mess. He can't clean it up on his own...like a little kid."

Mello stood in the doorway.

"Sounds familiar," Nate admitted, eying the room as if it were forbidden territory. "...Let's find another room."

"Too familiar?" Mello asked stiffly.

"What's your problem!?" Nate snapped, glaring at the blonde.

"Who said there was one." Mello frowned. "Get a different room."

"Who about mine?" Matt offered.

"Fine!" Nate snapped - though if it was a response to Mello or Matt was unclear.

"It was just a suggestion...we could go to Mels' instead." Matt replied apologetically.

"C'mon." Mello took Nate's wrist and started pulling him down the hallway.

Surprisingly, Nate didn't protest.

In truth, seeing Near's room made the boy feel more... real. Like he was more then just a name they were tossing back and forth. It was almost like seeing a photo of someone for the first time.

Mello turned and pulled Nate into a dark room. Matt came in behind them and flicked on a light. The room was a bit cluttered with papers and notebooks and had a desk to one side and window set in the wall. The floor had some clothes lying about on it and the bed wasn't made. All the clothes, sheets, pillow cases and bed covers were in black and the trash bin beside the desk was full of chocolate wrappers.

Slowly, Nate took a seat on the bed and breathed in the smell of chocolate - a smell that made him think of Mihael, which brought a frown to his face.

There was something a bit more normal to this room besides the chocolate smell and black sheets. Matt and Near's room had a sort of surreal quality to them, but here there were posters of musicians and famous soccer placers and such...even a calender with days X-ed off in red marker. It was quasi-normal.

"What's up Near?" Matt asked- accidentally saying 'Near' instead of 'Nate'.

"My room bugging you?" Mello asked.

"...I like the smell," Nate admitted - either not noticing Matt's slip up, or not mentioning it.

Mello blinked.

"...Thanks?" He frowned. "Uhh...okay, now we're outta the hal-ahhh..."

Mello yawned loudly.

The white-haired youth looked surprised for a moment, before he smiled and began to giggle.

"Oh shut up." Mello mumbled.

"It's 5:11 in the morning." Matt commented- looking at his watch.

"What?" Nate chuckled. "I think you're cute... and really, really tired. I am, too, actually..."

"I've been called everything BUT cute." Mello mumbled before walking over to his bed and flopping on it with a heavy sigh- almost a huff.

Matt laughed and laid back on the bed. It was big enough for all of them. In fact, Mello, Matt and Near had been on it a few different times before. Lazy Sunday afternoons watching the kids out in the soccer field while Mello studied tirelessly and Matt just hung out out of boredom...he was never sure why Near was there though.

Unlike Near, however, Nate made no move to climb into the bed with them. Instead he simply stood there and stared at the two, not sure what exactly he was supposed to be doing.

"...Maybe he'd be more comfortable sleeping in your room or something." Mello offered. "He doesn't wanna lay down here."

Letting out a huff, Nate flicked off the light and climbed into Mello's bed between the two younger boys.

"Yay!" Matt cheered.

"Shut up Matt." Mello muttered.

There was some shifting and Nate felt the covers go over them- Matt pulling off his hoody and tossing it aside and Mello kicking off his pants before curling up.

The white-haired teenager knew he should feel uncomfortable... after all, he was pressed between two people and somewhat trapped...

But... for some reason he felt... well, safe.

Closing his eyes, the boy allowed a small smile to cross his lips.

--Scene Change--

"Ah, Mister Javas," the flight attendant greeted, grinning from ear to ear. "Pleasure to meet you, sir! My name is Becky and I'll be your attendant for this trip..."

"Jeevas," Near cut in - it was one of the first things he'd said since they entered the air port. Mail was relatively happy, since he could easily blow his cover.

"Excuse me?" The woman asked in confusion.

"His name is Mail Jeevas," Near corrected, lifting an eyebrow and looking entirely Nate.

"Just keep the free drinks coming doll." Mail snorted as he took his seat and pulled Nate down with him. "First Class gets free alcohol, you know the drill."

She looked a bit put off as she disappeared behind the curtain into the flight attendant's area.

"You didn't seem interested," Near commented as he buckled his seat belt.