A/N: Well, guys, I got my first "flame" and it made yummy smores! :D But it brought up a point that I think should be answered. This person told me that Mello is OOC. I'm sorry if I sound rude when I say this but, Mello is in a insane asylum with Impulse Control Disorder. Of course he's OOC! He's crazy! If he weren't OOC then we wouldn't have a story, now would we? Also, you said I dissapointed you. I don't really care if I dissapointed you. I write for myself and then post it so other people who enjoy it can read it and tell me if there's things I need to fix, not whine about how they're dissapointed. I know I sound like a bitch but quite frankly, I don't care. Now, for all you amazing reviewers who have lots of love, there's an AN at the bottom of this story for you to read. And for your information, I don't reply to "flames".

Chapter 18: Good Luck

It was morning and Light was in the bathroom, waiting at the sink. His hand was bandaged over as he looked at himself in the mirror. Something was different about himself; just by looking he could tell. But the problem was, he didn't know what it was.

He sighed, shoving the thought to the back of his mind. There was no need to think about something like that at this time.

The bathroom door opened and Light jumped a bit, but soon relaxed when he saw it was Matt.

"Hey, I got what you wanted," Matt said, reaching into his pockets and pulling out a small container of black nail polish. "I really hope this works. And not just for his sake, but yours as well."

"Thank you, Matt. For everything. I don't think I would have survived without you," Light explained as he took the nail polish. Matt shrugged, grinning.

"It's my job," He stated.

Silence.

"You lied."

"What?" Matt asked, shocked.

"You lied to me about L's past. You know, when we first met? You said that Watari adopted him when L was three, and then L gained his Avoidant Personality Disorder when he was five," Light explained.

"It wasn't my story to tell, and you know that," Matt answered.

"Yeah, I do. The important thing is that I think that's the only time you ever lied to me," Light stated.

"Well, don't friends normally tell each other the truth?" Matt asked.

"But you forget; our group of friends is far from normal." Light smiled, laughing with Matt. Their laughs faded away into silence and Matt sighed.

"I guess this is goodbye for us, huh?"

"You're gonna stay behind with Mello?" Light asked.

"He needs me now more than ever. You should see how Watari and Roger have him right now! It's..." Matt took a breath to keep calm, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "It's heartbreaking to see him like this. That's why my goal will be to help him completely. Even if I have to be here twenty four-seven."

That's Matt for you, always helping.

"You helped me, didn't you? It won't take long to help Mello, especially since he's head over heels in love with you." Light smiled.

"Please, you were easy to help. L was the hard one, took me most of my life to make him finally open his eyes," Matt answered, chuckling. Light chuckled too, but they both ended with a silence louder than anything.

"Well," Matt started, breaking the silence and holding out his hand. "Goodbye, Light. Good luck out there."

"Yeah," Light replied, shaking his hand. "See you later, Matt. And good luck in here."

--

Light stood outside the door, fidgeting slightly. He looked to his left where Matt stood, just looking at him and smiling sadly. Then he looked to his right where Roger stood, nodding his head to make Light move forward. Light knocked on the door out of politeness and then slowly entered.

Inside he saw Mello strapped to the bed. Leather straps kept his wrists and ankles bound to the bed, and longer straps were around his chest, waist, and legs.

He stood there for a moment, not knowing what to say or do at the sight before him. No one deserved that, not even Mello.

"Hey..." Light finally found his voice, cracking somewhat when being used. "I have a surprise for you..."

He sat down in a chair next to the bed and took out the black nail polish. Then he started to paint Mello's nails.

"Sayu used to have me do this all the time, so I'm pretty good at it..." Light explained, slightly smiling as he made perfect strokes on Mello's damaged nails.

Mello looked out the window, never moving his sight from it as Light finished his right hand and then moved to his left. Light noticed, though, that Mello's eyes seemed different from how they had looked the night before.

"You look different," Mello finally stated, voice sounding worse than Light's. Light glanced up, but continued to paint Mello's nails.

"Really? I thought so too, but I don't really know what it is," Light answered.

"You look... Alive. You look alive. Before you always looked dim and gloomy," Mello explained, shutting his eyes tightly.

"Is that so? I have to say that you're different too," Light stated, causing Mello's eyes to snap open. "It's your eyes. They've changed."

There was a silence and Light stopped his painting to look at Mello, to see if the blond was okay. Tears were running down Mello's cheeks as he sniffed, unable to do anything with the way he was strapped to the bed.

"I'm not..." Mello started, sniffling so he could speak better. "I'm not dead, you know? I'm not dead. I don't really want to stay in this place, I just don't know how to get out. Don't think of me like that, please, because you're down to Earth. You know what the truth is and what is really going on, so if you believe something, then it's true. But I'm not dead inside... My heart... It's not cold..."

Light smiled.

"I know." Light finished Mello's nails and placed the nail polish on the table next to the bed. "Your eyes look more alive than ever right now."

Because you were always alive, Mello. And it's thanks to you that I'm leaving.

Mello smiled back as the tears stopped flowing and Light stood up and started to leave.

"Thank you, Light. I think... I think I understand now," Mello called after him, making Light pause half way out the door.

"No. Thank you, Mello. If it weren't for you I would probably still be stuck in here," Light answered.

"Bye."

"See you later."

The door shut and Mello lay in the quietness for a while, trying to understand and plan exactly what he needed to do to get better. The door opened again, and this time Matt entered. Mello looked confused as the red head walked over and lay down on the bed with Mello, wrapping his arms around the blond and resting his head on Mello's chest.

"I love you, Mihael. I'll love you forever with all my heart and soul, and I know you're not crazy. You will get through this. I believe in you," Matt whispered, soothing Mello and making the blond feel less scared. All Mello felt now was comfort and love.

"Thank you, Mail. Thank you so much. For always being there for me, for always looking out for me, for always loving me. If it weren't for you, then I don't think I would have survived this long. I think I would have-"

"Shh..." Matt cut Mello off, turning his head so they could lock eyes. "There's no need. I'm here now and I will always be here."

Their lips met slowly. Mello ate at the sweetness and warmth that was given from that one soft kiss, the best kiss he'd ever had.

"I love you too, Mail."

--

L was waiting for Light in the hall, seeming to have already said goodbye to everyone that he wanted to. Light took L's hand once close enough and kissed the raven haired teen.

"You look different..." L observed, eyeing Light as he placed a finger on his lips. "It's as if you're glowing."

"I'll just take that as a compliment and say thank you, but if anyone looks different, it's you. Have you seen yourself? You look so bright," Light replied, making L blush.

"I'll just take that as a compliment," L joked, making Light chuckle.

I'll compliment you forever, L.

They walked outside, hand in hand, to the stairs where Watari stood, waiting with a taxi parked. When they reached him he took both of them into individual hugs.

"Good luck," Watari whispered to them both before releasing them. Once Light was released he saw Near from the top of the stairs, still holding onto his toy robot. Light stared for a moment before walking up the stairs until he was eye level with the younger boy.

"Near, you know the things I write in my journal aren't true. Half the time I don't even know what I'm thinking," Light explained.

"There's no need to apologize, Light. It was I who always caused you trouble and you helped me a lot. For that... I'm grateful," Near answered, tugging at a lock of hair nervously.

"Thank you, Near. You helped me out here. Really, you did. Without yo-"

Light was cut off by Near pushing himself forward and hugging Light. Light was shocked at first, frozen in place, and then slowly he got himself to hug Near back.

"Thank you, Light," Near whispered. "And come back to visit, okay? Mello will need you."

That's Near, using Mello as an excuse for himself.

"Yeah, I promise to." Near let go of Light and smiled, showing his teeth for once. Then the younger boy looked over to L and waved, closing his eyes and smiling.

"Good luck, L!" Near waved and L smiled.

"See you soon, Near!" L waved back as Light walked down the stairs. They got into the taxi that awaited them and watched as Wammy's disappeared behind them.

"Where to?" The taxi driver asked, she looked into the rear view mirror to see L and Light. "Hey, I remember you. I drove you here the first time!"

Light looked at the lady driving and finally remembered her, getting shocked. Her hair had gone back to its original color of light brown and she wore much less makeup, not to mention the taxi now smelt of fruit.

"I took your advice, kid. I'm getting married and everything! Who's this you got with you?" She asked, looking at L.

"He's my boyfriend." Light smiled as L blushed. She whistled.

"Boyfriend, huh?" She asked, smiling as she drove. "So, kid. Did you get better? Is it the end? Is it really all over?"

Light looked from her to L and smiled again.

"Yeah. I think it really is over."

... It's really the end...

A/N: And I don't want it to be the end but it must. *Sighs* I'm really happy to end the story like this, it's the happiest ending I ever gave to any of my stories... I'm an angsty person... Anyways, I'm just going to thank all the great reviewers out there that made this possible. *Holds award* Just kidding. But really, thank you all for reviewing, alerting, and favoriting. It gave me the motivation to update faster and write better. If your wondering about the one-shot, it's going to be a songfic of LightxL. In your review send in what song you want me to use and I'll use the one that's easiest to do! :D Also, a big hand to my beta is needed for getting this far with my typing. Shame on me and lots of love for NightRoseK!

Again, thanks for reading! And please, review! ;}