Author's Note: POLL RESULTS~~~ L- 11 votes- Matt- 7 votes- Light- 6 votes- B- 4 votes- Rod Ross and Mafia Co.- 2 votes- Aizawa- 1 measly vote.

Chapter 5: The Savior and the Epilogue

Eating their usual potassium filled breakfast of bananas, Mello and Near could not help but give a each other flirtatious little glances. A reminder of their secret.

A few hours after Near had fallen asleep the storm subsided. The island received a fresh coating of debris and small damage, but it made no difference to Mello and Near. Near's feet were more or less healed, and his confidence in his survival skills had grown immensely. And hell, Mello was wearing leather boots so what did it matter if there were a ton of small branches and leaves littered about everywhere?

The day started off just as any one day they had had before on the island. Minus the fact that their morning greeting was a tad bit more intimate.

However as the day progressed it became anything but the ordinary.

It all started when Mello and Near were lying together in the clearing outside their cave. They were cloud watching, and activity that seems long forgotten in today's society. Just as a cloud that looked suspiciously like the number six rolled by, a flock of brightly colored birds flew by, totally startling Mello and Near. They birds were giving off harsh cries that would make any fine musician's ears bleed heavily.

"What the hell?" Mello grumbled, annoyed that their peace and quiet had been disturbed.

"They all seemed to be heading away from the beach." Near mused, pointing form one direction to the other.

"We probably should check it out…" Mello said standing up. Near did also, and soon they were off on their usual path to the beach. By taking the same route every time, the two were able to make a path of sorts.

Stepping lithely out onto the beach, Mello and Near were astounded to see a black form flying at a low altitude- about 100 feet. It was flying towards the island at a remarkable speed.

Mello and Near looked at each other, then turned back to the sea and watched the form take shape. It was a sleek black helicopter, artfully flown.

"Hey, doesn't that helicopter look awfully like the one-"

"It's form Wammy's House!" Mello exclaimed, totally cutting off Near's sentence.

They both ran forward to meet the helicopter, Mello singing joyfully:

"They're coming to take us away, ha ha! They're coming to take us away ho ho hee hee ha ha! To the Wammy's House where life is beautiful all the time!"

Mello's voice was muffled by the helicopter landing, spraying sand and messing up Mello's blind hair.

The helicopter door opened, and out stepped a scrawny man with horrid posture. He was wearing a plain white shirt and baggy blue jeans. He had disheveled raven black hair and dark, unblinking eyes. He was also happily licking a neon colored lollipop.

It was L.

"Mello! Near!" L called out waving. "Long time no see eh? Are you two enjoying your stay on the island?"

Mello and Near ran up to L, of course happy to see him, but Mello was less then happy at L's question.

"Enjoying our stay?! You make it sound like this is some classy resort! I mean really, there's no, 'Are you okay?' 'What happened?' 'I was so worried!'"

"I actually had a rather good time." Near interrupted, calmly twirling a piece of snow white hair around his finger.

"Well that's good." L licked the length of his lollipop. "Mello I hoped you managed to get along with Near alright." It was a statement not a question.

Mello smiled, putting an arm around Near's shoulders. "Don't worry about that L. We didn't have one problem!"

L nibbled his thumbnail. "Good that was rather the point." L muttered, turning away a motioning for them to follow him into the helicopter.

When L was double checking that everything was in good working order, Mello folded his arms and said, "L that comment you made about me getting along with Near implies that you're not telling us everything."

"Please sit down, I'm about to take off."

Mello sat down in the chair next to L's, eyeing the thermos of coffee L brought with him like it was about to implode. Near sat himself down in Mello's lap. The helicopter rose off the ground, and L acted as if it was perfectly ordinary for the two of them to sit like that.

Once the helicopter was safe in the air, or as safe as it could get when it was being flown by a caffeine-driven insomniac, L began to talk.

"I knew my plan would work, but I never suspected the two of you would fall in love…"

"Excuse me?! What plan?!" Mello's grip around Near's waist tightened.

"Be patient Mello." Near said. Mello sighed, his look prompting L to continue.

"As I was saying the whole idea of you two being stranded on L Island was all my idea."

Mello and Near stared in unison.

"When the island was discovered I immediately noticed its fragile environment, and decided to purchase it to protect it from harm. Watari persuaded me to name it after myself. This was all done before the island's discovery was made public."

"How did you get us both to go on a cruise at the same time?" Near asked.

"I both sent you note, photos, and videos of the case on the Caribbean pirates on the same day, which triggered the idea. The both of you had enough provisions to up and leave right then, so naturally, and with your own reasons, you did."

"How did we end up on the same ship then, the odds are pretty slim." Mello pointed out.

"I paid the captain of the S.S. Food a great sum of money to stock her with accommodations that appeal to the both of you. Then I had it advertised."

"But the ship broke down. Assuming that was also part of your plan, what about all the other passengers."

"I lied and had them all notified we were merely testing the ship and that there was a likelihood it would break down- I took all necessary precautions and everyone survived unscathed."

"So," Mello began. "You were absolutely sure we would find this island and find each other?"

"No. I merely had faith in you two."

Mello frowned. "So we either could have found the island, or drowned."

L sipped from his thermos. "Exactly Mello. I just had that much faith."

"…"

There was a long silence in which L took a few more gulps of coffee.

"L, you wouldn't spend all this money and endanger us like that for nothing." Near said.

Mello nodded in agreement. "Yeah, what was the reason?"

L flicked a switch labeled 'autopilot' to the on setting. He spun himself in his chair to face Mello and Near.

"Now that you two are capable of working together I am now going to reveal the results of the game."

Mello stiffened and Near grew wary.

"It's a tie. Together you two are much more capable then simply taking over for me."

Mello and Near were too stunned to react.

"I'll be there to advise you on the first few cases and then once you get the ropes I'll retire permanently."

Near turned his head to look at Mello, but Mello caught him up in a passionate kiss. L watched the two making out cheerily. It was true he was retiring at a young age, but who ever said he was retiring from all work? He was merely retiring as a detective. After doing so, L was going to create and publish yaoi manga! He could even make one of Mello and Near's adventure on the island!

All thoughts of yaoi aside, L opened a draw and pulled something out of it.

"Oh and Mello?"

"Yeah?" Mello beamed, his expression practically radiating happy-happy joy-joy vibes.

"Here's a chocolate bar."

And all was well.

~Epilogue~

Mello and Near high-fived as the perpetrator of their first official was case was put to justice. The man was a disgusting serial killer, bent on copying Buffalo Bill from the Silence of the Lambs. He had even gone so far as to change his name to James Gumb. The sicko.

So anyway, this case gave Mello and excuse to make Near watch the Silence of the Lambs, and Near found it quite disturbing.

L looked up from the sketches of his manga and smiled proudly at his two prodigies. They had finally grown up and accepted their fate. Although the whole thing did make L feel old , even though he was only in his late 20s he was retiring and seeing the next generation take over for him.

Of course L feeling old made Watari and Roger feel even older then they already were in the first place, but time moves on doesn't it.

When James Gumb was handcuffed, Near leaned over in his chair to kiss Mello. L snapped a quick reference photo, he would need as many pictures of men kissing as he could get. In the back of the room Watari and Roger frowned at each other, they were both strongly against homosexuality.

L speared his strawberry and stuck it in his mouth. All was more then well in his world, and he had a hunch it would stay like that for a very long time.

~End~

A/N: If you enjoyed this story, you might want to keep an eye out for my next fic, which is to be titled 'Bring Me To Life', it'll be about... Well... Let's just say it's mad up of the following formula:

1 Lost and starving adrorably innocent Near + sexy vampiric Mello + creepy stalker vampiric B + France in the 1870s + MxN yaoi = Bring Me To Life