Supernatural Death Note

Chapter Seventeen: Waiting

Summary:  Waiting until Castiel comes.

Mello piped in. "Maybe so..but Near will have to be shown. It's just who he is."

"I know who he is, Mello, but I wanted him to understand where Cas was coming from and why I trust him. Near is special to me, and I always want understanding between us."

The blond's face hardened slightly and he went to the window, watching out. L gave a soft sigh. This was going to explode later.

Dean saw the look and walked over to Mello. "Mello, I'd like to make peace between us and get know you like I know Near. I want to be friends, and I had hoped our adventure tonight might open a door between us." Dean wanted to reach out and touch him but wasn't sure if it would be accepted. He stood close enough behind the blond that Mello could hear his breathing.

He nodded, voice low. "Yeah..we can try."

"I would like to find time alone for each of you, but also do things together if you would allow that. I'm trying to build friendships and family here with all of you."

"It's him I have the problem with."

"Mello, Near is very special. He may be different but we should find joy in the difference. He has a soft heart but doesn't understand it. Little things bring a joy he doesn't understand. He needs us to show him how. Why do you have a problem? I want to understand. Do you know that you are special too. There were things about you I had problems with but I want to overcome those problems and learn you and care about you. We all need that."

The voice was bitter. "He's always special, always important. I work my fingers to the bone and he always beats me. No emotions..just a fucking ball of cotton."

"You have something he would trade all of his genius for, Mello. He wants to feel. It hurts but he doesn't understand he's hurting. He's lonely, Mello. He told me he had no friends, but he does because I'm his friend. I've come to love and appreciate him in a very short time. He may beat you but he feels no joy in that, nothing. It is a burden he bears and does not understand that he does. There's an emptiness he doesn't know how to fill.

"You, Near, and Matt are all three with L because all three of you are special. This is not a contest. You all three have gifts and talents that compliment each other. No matter which one of you becomes L, it will take all three of you to be him. Not a one of you has what L has. Don't you see that. Near has the genius, you have the skills to comprehend how to handle a battle, to fight remarkably well, and you have the leadership abilities. Matt, is the mechanical genius. You all three need each other to fulfill each other and become the leadership to be L when he retires. Near may have the title but he's nothing without you and Matt. If either of you gain the title, you will be nothing without the other two.

Near cannot handle being outside or among people. Who will represent L in those situations? It would be you. Don't you realize that you three are like brothers...triplets, you all have situations that hurt and disturb you, but when you pull together, you are one."

He rubbed his arm idly, thinking on what the hunter had said. "I will think on it."

"Okay, please do think hard. It makes sense and you're a real sensible guy. You're just hurting like a lot of us are."

Mello nodded. "Just..hate trying so hard and not even succeeding."

"But I don't understand. You each have your own expertise. You succeed all the time in areas where Near doesn't. You complete each other not tear each other down."

"Something I remember. Be the best and no one can look down on you."

"The things I remember are when you are on the top, there are hundreds there to knock you off the top and take your place and then you have nothing. The best way, I've learned is to have each other's backs. If I had not had your back tonight, Mello, that creature would have done to you what happened to the other murder victims. You'd have had a quill and then been butchered. You thought yourself invincible before tonight. You learned that working together in the field and trusting each other keeps you alive. It's the same with everything else. You three will make L together. So what if Near has the title. He won't be out in the world much to enjoy the title. He just has the genius, but you and Matt will be the ones out there doing the work, enjoying the challenges. You both have genius as well, Mello. It's not a bad deal. There's three of you at the top. No one topples a conglomerate."