"Mello, you look exhausted," Matt told me. "Are you sure you don't want to take a nap or something?"

"I'm fine…" I protested weakly.

"Seriously, Mello. We've been watching TV for a couple hours now and you can't even keep your eyes open."

"But we're spending time together…" I mumbled.

Matt looked at me softly and a smile broke through his face. He gestured for me to come towards him, so I did. I sighed as he wrapped his arms around me and kissed my forehead. I was tired, but Matt had just found out that the guy that hurt him was the same guy that put his mom in jail. I didn't really want to leave him…

"Well, then I guess we'll have to take a nap together then," he suggested, pulling me to my feet. I groaned at the light-headedness it caused me. "C'mon, let's get you upstairs."

We made our way back up to the main floor to find my parents sitting in the living room. They were whispering frantically about something but stopped abruptly when they saw us appear in the main hall. My mom smoothed out her skirt as a distraction as my dad stood and walked toward us. Uh-oh.

"Mello," he greeted me. I just looked at him. "Your mother and I have decided that it's time to maybe think about moving into a different home…"

"What?!" I shouted, looking to my mom for confirmation. She stared at her hands in her lap, avoiding eye contact. "What the hell is wrong with THIS house?"

"Don't you use that language with me!" he snapped back at me. I shut my mouth, knowing my place in this fucked up family. My dad simmered before continuing. "Well, you'll be off to college soon and we certainly don't need this giant house for two people."

"Yeah, especially since you're never home," I grumbled under my breath. If they heard it, they ignored it.

"Besides," my mom finally chimed in. "We needed something to spend the money on and what better than a new home?" She smiled sweetly but I could tell it was fake as hell. She didn't want to move out just as much as I didn't. But whatever dad says, goes. He made the money, so he made the decisions. I sighed in defeat. I could feel Matt shift awkwardly on his feet behind me.

"And where do you plan on moving to?"

"Out of state."

"Are you kidding me?!" Those goes my temper again. These people, I swear… "How am I supposed to finish my senior year?"

"Well, there are these nice condos you can rent out for the remainder of the year. You and your friend can live there until school is finished. Your mother and I will be moving everything a week from now."

"Oh! So you already have this all planned out! I don't get a say in this at all? And his name is Matt, dad."

"This isn't really up for discussion, Mello. Your mother and I have agreed. We need to downsize and move closer to where I've been promoted."

"And where exactly is THAT?"

"England, I'm afraid," he answered quickly, as if he didn't just say fucking ENGLAND!

"OUT OF STATE?! Dad! That's OUT OF COUNTRY!"

"Semantics," he said dismissively. I gaped at him. He could NOT be fucking serious! I looked back at Matt to make sure I wasn't the only one freaking out. He shrugged sympathetically but he obviously couldn't do or say anything. "This isn't up for discussion, Mello."

"But—"

"Mello," I heard Matt say behind me very, very quietly. I whipped around to face him and he shook his head, telling me to just walk away. "You need to rest…"

I sighed and stormed away, taking the stairs two at a time. Matt followed behind me quickly and slipped in my door before I slammed it as loudly as I could.

"I can't BELIEVE that he wants to up and move to fucking ENGLAND!" I yelled as I paced my room. I threw my good arm up in the arm in exasperation. Matt sat quietly on my bed, watching me storm around my room. "And he wants me to be okay with that shit?! Like how the fuck—"

"Mello!" Matt interrupted me again, getting up and stopping me. He placed his hands on each side of my face and I instantly relaxed. Not completely, but a little. "Please, calm down. You're supposed to be recovering, remember?" I rolled my eyes at him.

"Matt, I'm not really concerned about that right at this second!"

"Just listen to me, okay?" his voice pleaded. I tried my hardest to calm myself down, but he better speak quickly because my temper isn't really under control.

"What is it?" Let's just say, I was beyond annoyed.

"Look, what's so bad about moving into a condo with ME, alone, with no parents to worry about? We can finish school, work on the case, and be on our own! We don't have to worry about people interrupting us or telling us what to do! This is every teenager's dream!" Matt was excited, his eyes lighting up behind his goggles.

"Matt, you don't understand! I grew up in this house. My theater is here! My room is here!"

"I do understand, Mello. I'm sorry that your parents are doing this to you, but it could be a lot worse! They could be dragging you along with them." I mean, he had a point, but still…

"I've just never been on my own before…" I finally admitted. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I have a very pampered lifestyle. I'm not used to taking care of myself…"

"You won't be on your own, Mells. You'll have me!" he beamed. I couldn't help but smile at how adorable he was being. He did know how to cheer a guy up. I was actually starting to accept the idea more and more.

There was a knock on my door. At first I thought it might be Bentley, but he has a quieter knock than that. I looked at Matt funny and went to open it.

"Mom!" I said in surprise. My mom smiled warmly at me and quickly wrapped me in a hug. I was shocked! My mom hadn't hugged me in…months? Maybe even a year? I don't even know! How sad is that?

"May I come in?" she asked after a while of awkwardly squeezing me. I moved to the side to let her in and Matt sat on my bed uncomfortably.

"So…" I said, shifting on my feet.

"Mello, your dad does love you. He just has a weird way of showing it," she started. I nodded, suddenly becoming very interested in the carpet on my floor. "I know you don't want to move out of here, Mello, so I talked to him for you after you left."

"And what did he say? That it wasn't up for discussion?"

"No. He's agreed to not put the house up for sale until after you graduate."

"So you guys are staying, then? Just like that?" I asked doubtfully.

"Well, no. We still have to move to England for your father's job, but you and your friend can stay here while you finish school out. There's no reason for you to move all your stuff into a stuffy condo for just a few months."

"Well at least ONE of you is being reasonable and practical," I muttered. My mom gave me a short smile, trying to ignore my quip and left my room. I closed the door behind her and turned around to meet Matt's skeptical gaze.

"That…was too easy…" he noted suspiciously.

"Welcome to the life of a Keehl, Matt. Everything is too easy." I was half-joking, but let's be honest…

"Will you come take a nap with me now?" he groaned, crawling under the blankets. I walked over to join him in my bed. It wasn't too long before I fell asleep, his arms wrapped around me.

I woke up to the annoying sound of my cellphone ringing. I groaned and put my pillow over my head. I felt Matt shift beside me and wake up, his arm leaving my side.

"It's L," he mumbled, looking at my phone.

"Answer it, then. Put it on speaker."

"Me?" he asked in shock.

"Just do it."

"H-hello?" I heard him say into the receiver.

"Matt," L greeted knowingly. Sometimes I wondered if he hacked my security system when he called me…

"Uh, hi…"

"I had a break in my cases and I was up thinking last night," he started blandly. "It's about your mom's case."

"Yes?" Matt prompted eagerly. Even I sat up for this one.

"The police and detectives didn't examine the body of the baby. They just took Kyle's word for it. I think if the body were to be exhumed, you might find crucial evidence to suggest Kyle is not innocent. I am 96% positive."

"Well how do I do that?"

"It's almost impossible." Matt's excitement died at that sentence. "But it might be possible if you can convince the parents to do so. That is all." And the call ended. Matt looked at me with sad eyes.

This is exactly why L pissed me off so much. He just comes around, trying to get people excited about shit that would never happen! What the fuck, L?!

"Matt, I'm sorry…He doesn't understand human emotions and doesn't really get that this case is very important to you…" I tried to comfort him. He gave me a small smile and shrugged, as if he wasn't bothered.

"You can go back to sleep now…" he suggested quietly. I shook my head.

"No, that phone call just made me mad. Let's go visit your mom."

"Mom, I have an important question to ask you," Matt told his mother through the black phone on his side of the glass. "Will you tell me where the tape is?"

Matt's mom's eyes widened and she instantly looked around. She looked as if she was afraid or something. She got closer to the glass and whispered.

"How did you find out about that, Matt?" she demanded quietly.

"This is Mello…Mello Keehl," he said, reintroducing me. She looked at him with a confused look on her face. She obviously didn't know that Kyle and my family had anything to do with each other. "He's…Kyle Brown's cousin."

"Matt! Are you crazy?!" she hissed, her sweetness disappearing. She glanced around and behind her again.

"No, he's on our side, mom! He's trying to help you get out of here!"

"Matt, the Browns have been trying to get me to tell them the whereabouts of that tape for ages now! And now you want to tell me that you just magically become buddy-buddy with his cousin who's 'trying to help'?"

"Mom, he really is. He hates Kyle."

"So you think," she said doubtfully, not looking at me. Well, fuck you too then. But I did understand where she might be a little skeptical. The situation was very suspiciously coincidental.

"I know, mom. You need to tell me where the tape is. It's the only way to get you out of here!"

"And lead his cousin right to it? Do you think I've gone insane?"

Matt sighed. "Mello will you wait for me outside?"

I nodded and left to go wait for him in the parking lot. I had used one of our spare cars, seeing as how mine had bullet holes in it. Driving wasn't so bad. I usually drove with one hand anyway, but you don't really realize how much you need your other arm until it's sore from being shot. I hopped in the car and tried to be patient. I hope he doesn't take three years in there trying to convince her to tell him.

…

After about 45 minutes of torture, Matt came sprinting out to the parking lot with a smile on his face. I was just going to assume that it was a success. He immediately jumped in the passenger seat and threw himself at me, kissing my face all over.

"We have it! We have the one thing that's going to free my mom! I'm so happy, I can hardly breathe!" he panted, clicking his seatbelt into place.

"Well? Where the hell is it?" I demanded. His smile was making me smile.

"She had a trustworthy friend put it in a safety deposit box," he said quickly. "We have to go to this address to go meet with the friend." He showed me the ink on the back of his hand where he had scribbled the address.

"Here," I said, turning on the GPS. "Type it in." I pulled out of the parking lot and made my way out of the jail block. Honestly, this place gives me the creeps.

"In 1.3 miles, turn right on Winchester Drive," the GPS told me.

Finally, we were getting somewhere.

A/N: I know this chapter is shorter than usual, but I wanted to end it here before all the juicy stuff starts happening. You know me, loving my cliff hangers. I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please, please tell me what you think! I'm almost at 100 reviews! You guys are the best fans a fanfic writer could have. Honestly. You've been so patient with me. Please review.