[Everything is different now, since he's been killed and resurrected. Living through your own death is an incredibly difficult experience, one no one should have to survive - there is a difference between coming back from death's door and actually going through it to the other side. Everything is different, too, since he kissed her, betraying weakness in the truth that he feels anything about her, that she matters to him at all. This would be so much easier if she didn't matter to him, if she could brush off the sting from her words that tell him he's wrong.]

No one is supposed to know, you idiot!

[No one except Near, and he'll only remember it as long as it's useful information. Mello forces out a hard, bitter laugh, tightening his fingers around her shoulders.]

You don't know a thing about me, Ai. Tell me, can you possibly conceive of a situation where you're prepared to give up everything - everything you've ever worked for, everything you ever cared about - to make certain that you affect the outcome the way you want? Don't you fucking dare tell me to get over myself when you can't even imagine being part of something bigger than yourself!