"Just let him sleep," She whispered. "And get some rest yourself..."

"I can't." Mello sighed and looked back into the room. "...He's hurting and it's all because of me. I can't just take off and not be here."

"An hour wont kill you," She groaned. "Go in the waiting room or something... or just go get some coffee. And while you're down there, find Matt. He was supposed to come back with news for the Twins if they can see Zero or not..."

"Did he get any sleep?" Mello asked as he started down the hall. "Next came up after me all alone."

"You'll have to ask him that," She called before she slipped back into Near's room.

Mello headed for the vending machines where he remembered seeing a coffee dispenser. After Linda came back into the room, she saw Treat sitting up on the bed and rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, kiddo," She called, resuming her seat on Near's bed, though she didn't move the young boy again. "Feel any better?"

"I have since he fell asleep and stopped throwing stuff." Treat mumbled- his voice still a little horse from his crying earlier.

She frowned a little. "I'm still sorry for that... I wish I could tell you everything but you wouldn't understand... even I don't understand. No one can but he himself."

"As long as he doesn't do it again." Treat replied- looking down at Near before checking his brother.

Trick was sprawled over a chair, his head thrown back as he snored lightly.

"...I hope he doesn't," Linda frowned, her eyes sad.

"...You think he will though." Treat said as he put a coat over his brother. "He didn't have to touch me."

"He isn't thinking right," She whispered. "But I'm sorry, Treat. He shouldn't have."

She reached over and began to pet Near's hair. He didn't stir.

"No he shouldn't have...I told him not to." Treat said as he crawled back onto the bed and looked at Near's face. "You can hardly tell he's breathing."

Slowly, Linda watched the boy on the bed as he quietly slept. Then - her heart breaking with every syllabub - she whispered, "...Do you know what it means to me clinically insane, Treat?"

--Scene Change--

Next had asked all around - approaching people from Wammy's and the hospital staff, as well as people he'd never seen - but no one had seen Matt in a while.

His best lead was someone mentioning the redhead heading downstairs. Thinking that maybe Matt went to catch a smoke to calm his nerves, Next headed outside.

It was against the law to smoke within ten feet of any doors, so Next followed the pathway around to where several ashtrays were set up, away from the front of the building.

It was still freezing outside, but Next hardly noticed. The sky was completely black- overcast and threatening to snow. The only lights came form the building and the occasional streetlight. He came around one corner and caught a glimpse of a figure leaned back against the wall with a smoke in his hands.