Riddles {a Death Note MelloXOC and NearXOC story}

Thanks for the Memories

A/N: If, for whatever reason, you're really interested in what Joy's locket looks like, a picture of it is at the top of the bonus chapter "I Went to Look for Joy." You can look at the picture, but be sure not to read the content until you're done with the main story.

Sorry for the flashback chapter, but I needed to add this in. Anyway, things should begin getting more romance-y starting *looks at watch* NOW!

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Allison

"God bless you," I said after hearing Patience sneeze.

"Thank you," she replied.

"Feeling under the weather?" Birdie asked, a slight grin appearing on her face. "Have you been going for more midnight strolls?"

Patience stared at Birdie curiously, unsure of what she meant.

"Ouch!" cried Birdie, gripping her shin and turning to glare at me. "What was that for?"

"Whatever are you talking about, my dear?" I purred, giving her a look that said not to bring up the previous subject again. I turned away, leaving it at that, then searched through my handbag and pulled out a few letters. It wasn't something we talked about because Patience didn't know. She didn't know that we knew.

---ѻ------ѻ------ѻ---

"Near!" cried a four-year-old Birdie, weaving through several children twice her size in an attempt to get at Near.

"What is it?" Near asked, seeming mildly interested.

Birdie hadn't hated Near when she was younger. She knew he was smart, but she hadn't ever talked to him, at least as far as I can recall.

"Patience won't wake up!" Birdie said.

With a sigh, Joy put her magazine down and stood up from where she had been sitting. "I'll go get the ice water," she said.

"What's Patience doing sleeping at this time of day?" Lacey wondered aloud.

"No!" Birdie said, jumping up and down in frustration as she struggled to be understood.

"Use your words, Birdie," I said slowly.

Birdie harrumphed. "She falled down, and now she won't get up!"

"What?" I exclaimed. Noticing a familiar face, I cried out for help. "Mrs. Hajamba!"

After Birdie took us all to where she had been, we found Patience lying unconscious on the floor. Mrs. Hajamba quickly knelt down next to her and put a hand on her forehead.

"Lacey," said Mrs. Hajamba, "get Bruce Murphy."

"I'm on it!" Lacey said, running to go find Patience's warden.

"Joy," said Mrs. Hajamba, "look through my purse and fetch me my car keys."

"What?" said Joy, trying to get things straight. "You're taking her to the ozzy?"

"Yes, now start looking. Allison, I need you to get a hand cloth from the linen closet and run it under cold water, then bring it to me.
"Matt!"

"Huh?" said Matt, looking up from his game to see Mrs. Hajamba hovering over an unconscious Patience. "Whoa, what happened?"

"Perhaps if you weren't always looking at that gadget, you might notice these things," Mrs. Hajamba said, still managing to find time during an emergency to criticize Matt about how much time he spent gaming. "Now go find Mr. Roger and tell him we're taking Patience to hospital."