"Perhaps I will have to accept that this is my home," Near sighed, closing his eyes. "This time..."

"You don't have to accept anything." Mail frowned.

Near glanced up as the door came open and Zero came in.

"Wasn't sure what you wanted," He told Mail as he brought a tray of fruits and veggies in. "I could get you a beer or something if you want."

"I'm fine." Mail turned his attention back to Near on the floor.

"...That was a joke," Zero pointed out before he sighed and came over, kneeling down and setting the tray to the side. "Near..."

"Tell me they're alive," Near whispered, his face still pressed against the carpet. "That's all I ask."

Zero frowned.

"...Mello...and Matt?" Mail asked.

Zero gave him a small nod, but remained quiet.

"I don't care if Zero lies," Near whispered. "I wont know either way... just say it."

After a few seconds the young man sighed. "They're alive and well, Near."

"...My thanks to Zero," Near sighed, closing his eyes.

"Eat something," Zero insisted as he gently ruffled the boy's hair, before getting up and leaving, closing the door behind himself.

"...His specialty is lying," Near explained, opening one eye to look up at Mail.

"So it's likely he's telling the truth." Mail smiled. "Because I'm an expert bullshitter."

The boy smiled at him a little bit, before he leaned over and grabbed the tray, pulling it in front of himself.

He picked out a grape and popped it into his mouth, watching Mail carefully. "Wont Mail get in trouble for not being on set?"

"Hard to have a movie without one of the leads and Nate's still MIA and everyone else is still looking for you." Mail grinned.

"I think Nate would be hurt that Mihael hasn't come running for him," Near commented, tilting his head.

"Mihael will come after you to get after him." Mail pointed out.

"Then why hasn't he tried?" Nate inquired. "It would be perfectly easy to trace us to England and Nate's cell had yet to go off."

He reached into his pocket and removed the phone, only to realize that it had died on the plane.

"He's probably on the plane right now." Mail laughed. "If you charge that thing and put out a call, he'll use the cell plan features to trace you here."

"I do not believe I have a charger that would work and even if I did, electrical outlets are different in the UK," Near sighed. "I am not sure I have any desire for him to follow... finding Wammies would be impossible for someone of his low IQ level."

"But not for someone with his drive." Mail laughed. "Determination outdoes intelligence any day."

"Doubtful," Near informed, frowning.

He sat back for a moment and curled a lock of hair, before looking up at the redhead.

"I want to see the script," He informed. "The episodes, the unfinished ones... I want to know what happens."

"Don't have it." Mail shrugged.

The white-haired boy frowned, but nodded in understanding. He slowly sat forward once more and began to build a mountain out of his celery.

--Scene Change--

"I like it here," Nate admitted after Matt whopped him at another round of old-school Super Mario Kart.

"It's a great place when you got nothin' better to do." Matt looked around fondly.

The room was dark again so he could have his goggles off.

"Beats any place I've ever been before," Nate admitted, leaning back in his bean bag chair and closing his eyes with a smile.

He'd changed out of Near's clothes and was now supporting one of Matt's striped hoodies and a pair of jeans.

Matt looked over at the other boy- really taking a moment to take Nate in and smiled. He crawled back on his bed so that he and Nate where right beside each other and he could look a little more closely.

Nate poked an eye open and peered at Matt for a moment, before smiling weakly. "What?"

"You look great in my clothes." Matt replied.

A small blush covered Nate's cheeks, but it was hard to see in the dark. "Is that so? Well, you look great in your clothes too!"

"Oh really?" Matt snorted- setting down his controller. "You bashed on them earlier, remember?"

"I get defensive when I'm feeling unsafe and I tend to insult people," Nate informed, frowning a little now. "You'd feel unsafe in a new place too, wouldn't you?"

"Actually...no...you'll laugh." Matt sighed.

"I wont laugh," Nate informed, holding up a hand with his pinkie finger extended. "Pinkie swear!"

Matt looked at the boy's hand before sighing and reaching over to link their pinkies.

"I feel like that here all the time." Matt admitted.

Nate's eyes were instantly sympathetic. "You do?"

Matt nodded.

"Near...I hate this place." Matt said. "I hate being here."

"Why?" Nate asked - not correcting the redhead once again.

"This place isn't for me...the people here and what it's about." Matt shook his head- curling up a little on the bed. "When I first came here...all I wanted to do was go home...and that feeling never once went away. I have friends, sure but..."

He jumped a little in surprise when Nate's hands pulled him up and he was crushed against the white-haired teenager's body, his face buried into Nate's shoulder.

"I've felt that way my whole life," Nate whispered.

"...You were like one of us too...right?" Matt asked- his own arms wrapping around Nate.

"Well, I'm no super genius," Nate scoffed. "And Wammy's house is a picnic compared to the homes I went to... though I'm sure I'm not seeing all of it."

"No, you're not." Matt replied into Nate's shirt. "I hate this place. You know they don't even let people come in and see us. Even keep up the charade of being an orphanage...we don't ever leave here."

"Sounds a bit like a prison," Nate frowned as he started to pet the redhead's hair.

"You live like crap if you don't keep you grades up...they don't care." Matt said. "If you can't keep them at a certain average, then they don't even keep you here...but you can't fail on purpose either."