Full of surprises

This is a work of fiction. I don't own any copyrights and I am not making any profit out of this. I don't own any of the characters or the story or anything.

This fanfic goes off the original story, but without changing the basic story arch. It takes place right after Raito discovered he was Kira. I don't know how far the story will go, concerning violence, language and other mature content, because I haven't written any Death Note fan fiction before…. For now there is nothing to be rated, except mild language. Maybe further on… who knows ;)

Prologue:

The early hours of the morning in a private room in the Kira investigation building.

L was sitting on a bed with his knees pulled up to his chest and his hands clutching nervously to his ankles. The detective was distressed and feeling under even more pressured than usual. He had no intention of sleeping. A couple of hours earlier the investigation had finally caught a Kira - Kyosuke Higuchi. However, the detective didn't feel even a hint of satisfaction. The person had died in front of their eyes, without any apparent reason. No information was obtained from him before he died; no clues of the other Kiras' identities were left. Nothing. No doubt that the death was the work of Kira. But how could have Kira known when to kill Kyosuke Higuchi. Unless Kira was in the room with the investigation team. Unless Kira was one of them… which, L knew, he was. The detective's fists clenched his baggy jeans forcefully in subsided anger.

The mysterious death of … had officially released of suspicion Yagami Raito and Amane Misa. It was probably a major relief for the entire investigation team, especially Raito's father, and not to mention the two Kira suspects. However, to L it still did not make any sense. With all of his guts he felt that Raito and Misa were the first two Kiras and Kyosuke Higuchi had been an additional one. L did not buy the 13 day rule in the Death Note as well. It seemed faked, because if it was real, Raito and Misa wouldn't have been alive, would they. L did not reason this way just because he wanted to be right, but because he had all other concrete evidence against Raito and Misa. L knew that if he could prove that illusive 13 day rule wrong, he could pretty much solve the case in the way that he had solved it in the first place – Raito Kira, Misa Second Kira. As simple as that, but without doubts - correct.

L had a possible plan for action that he could undergo in order to prove that the 13 day rule was faked. The detective was thinking of making a prisoner sentenced to death write in the death note to see if he'll die after 13 days. L knew that most people would find his idea disturbing, and the investigation team would not be happy (especially Raito, L imagined, because the teen was the one who faked the rule, without any doubt) but since L had used a death convict for his plans before – the one, who was murdered on TV by Kira - he was willing to do it again. In the detective's mind things were straightforward – if the person was sentenced to be executed on a certain date, the manner in which he died did not really matter. So, why not die for the benefit of the Kira investigation and possibly save lives?

L straightened his back a little bit, as he was sitting on the bed. The detective took absolutely no notice of anything in the room. His mind went through the maze of plans and solutions furiously. If someone was observing him, L would have look even more inhuman than he usually did – black circles prominent beneath his devoid of movement and emotion eyes; he had been sitting perfectly still for hours, too concentrated on his devices, calculating every single possibility, considering every little piece of information from the beginning of the investigation until the previous night, weighing everything once again, making sure he did not miss anything… And he was concrete - Raito Kira, Misa Second Kira.

Was the last thing that the detective had to do a sacrifice of a criminal's life? To prove the stupid 13 day rule wrong would mean to catch Kira? Was it that simple, or was there something he did not take into consideration? Surely Kira was smarter than that and did not depend on something, which could so easily be proven faked. Or was Raito running out of alibis? Maybe Kira was finally cornered? But why did the whole situation worry the detective so much? Somehow he felt that things were not as simple as they appeared. L felt that there was something he did not see. Could he be doing exactly what Kira had expected him to do?

The ring of his mobile phone made him jump. The detective had been so deep in thought that the ring in the empty room had come way too suddenly. L frowned in annoyance but answered smoothly.

"Yes, Watari"

"L, Interpol has contacted us and requests your immediate assistance." the voice from the other end of the line came.

"What has happened" L's voice was level, which betrayed his absolute resolve not to be separated from the Kira case.

"A leak of information from the Russian Interpol headquarters."

"Tell them to find somebody else. Goodnight, Watari…" the detective was about to hang up, but Watari's voice quickly interrupted him.

"Interpol has exclusively requested your assistance. There has been a breach in the Sankt-Petersburg's headquarters, 3 victims of 1st priority and 15 from the personal. It is believed that the perpetrators have stolen information but it is still to be determined what exactly has been taken. It is supposed that it was an organized terrorism assault." The voice of the elder man sounded fluent, but the news he was giving were grave. L knew that this was the sort of emergency to which he had to respond, but he truly did not want to waste even a second and give Kira a chance to recuperate.

"Ask them if they can wait 14 days." ordered L, just a bit too rashly. The detective already knew the answer would be negative, so his mind was occupied with finding a solution to the problem of leaving Kira unwatched. True, terrorists were no joke, but neither was Kira.

But had his determination to catch Kira… become a little bit too personal?

"Interpol requested a conference with you in case you are reluctant to take the case." calmly informed him Watari. L was glad that the older man knew him too well to get offended by the detective's harshness.

"Then leave immediately and let me speak to them as soon as possible." L's eyes narrowed in irritation, not only with Interpol but also with himself. L was childish, he knew that all too well, but he wanted to be the one to outwit and catch Kira no matter what. He was pretty much obsessed by the idea. However, that wasn't a healthy state of mind and L knew that.

Kira – Kira – Kira – Kira…. All the time it was Kira L was thinking about. And ironically, the person he inevitably pictured while thinking of Kira was the pretty auburn haired teenager Yagami Raito with his innocent brown eyes.

"Goodnight, L"

"Have a good trip, Watari" L tried to sound softer - Watari wasn't to blame for anything.

Watari was going to leave for the Interpol base and represent him with the laptop, so that L could speak to the Interpol representatives in means that could not be traced. The time it was going to take for Watari to travel to Europe bought the detective some time to do his research on the subject. It annoyed L to no end that he had to waste his intelligence on something other than the Kira case now that he was so close…

Time to push Yagami Raito out of his head… but there was something else too. L felt as if he was actually missing something.

Could L have been deluded by Kira into thinking that it was too easy now? L had a little feeling, itching in his gut, that he was ignoring something and exposing himself to danger...

L had to get this Russian Interpol investigation over as soon as possible. And brush up on his Russian…

Chapter 1

On the next day L did not show up for the morning meeting of the Kira investigation team. It was completely exceptional, even though Watari had called to warn the members of the team that it was likely for the detective to be late because of an engagement, which could not wait.

"I wonder what could be more important than this meeting, right?" it was Matsuda being genuine about his thoughts as usual. "It has to be something reaaaally big if he can turn his back on us now! We have uncovered Kira and we have his weapon!"

The rest of team silently looked at each other.

Yagami Raito looked passive on the surface… but deep down beneath his calm caramel-colored eyes, he was breaking in anger and despair. No doubt that L's disappearance had to do with Raito's capture as Kira. The night before, when Raito had touched the death note his memories of being Kira had returned, as the teen's innocence fled. Even though, the boy had done his best to hide the momentary transformation, which underwent when his memories flooded back into his head, L had been staring. And L had seen something. For that Raito was sure. The onyx eyes had been fixed on Raito when he barely contained his emotions surging through him as if his blood had turned into hot, melted iron and burnt his insides. And Raito felt as if he had not been able to conceal this completely, or at least, not from the detective, who knew more about Raito that the teen knew about himself. And those previously friendly and even, at times, trusting eyes had become frozen in terror and suspicion when Raito remembered who he was. Now, most probably, the detective had decided to arrest Kira again and this time, persecute him. That was why L wasn't there, right?

But there was still the 13 day rule. Had L not fallen for it? Raito had expected the detective to try to prove that clue false before he did anything else. That way, things were going to go just as Raito had planned. If L decided not to pursue the 13 day rule, but to capture Raito and employ some strategy, of which the teen was not aware… than this could have been the final mistake of Raito's life.

A slim streak of sweat run down the side of Raito's face. Thankfully his auburn hair concealed it. The teen felt his face and hands were getting hotter from the pressure.

"And besides, we still need to examine that notebook… the Death Note… I am kind of curious to see what it's all about…" Matsuda continued, but ex-chief Yagami glanced at him sharply, which made the younger inspector trail off.

Raito turned away from the team and bit his lower lip. His hands were tightly crossed in front of his chest. He needed to fight the fear. For hell's sakes! He was a God! He couldn't possibly be afraid! Even if this was the end, he wasn't going to let L see him cower. He wasn't going to give the detective any satisfaction by showing weakness or fear. There was no way in hell! AND there was no way that L was going to win this game. Raito had to win in the end. He was willing to do anything, truly anything. And no mortal could withstand the wrath of the Gods! It was impossible for L to win, so Raito was going to pull himself together. L was going to make a mistake. The victory would be Raito's, no matter what!

The door of the room opened and Raito's eyes shot up, immediately concealing the red-hot rage in them. It was L. And he was alone. No guards, no guns, no restrainers…

The detective looked extremely morbid, the dark circles underneath his eyes looked worse than usual, his skin seemed paler and the corners of his tightly pressed lips pointed down. As he entered the team seemed to hold their breaths, Matsuda exclaimed something like "L!", but the silence engulfed like a dark shadow coming from the detective. L shot Raito a quick glance, which seemed angry and personal, but it made Raito feel relieved, because he immediately conceived that L wasn't late because he was planning on busting Kira just yet.

The detective sat in his chair with his back to the rest for a few seconds until Raito's father demanded to know what had happened.

"Ryuzaki, what has happened?"

The rest waited, grateful that the chief was the one to confront L.

"I have some grave news." If there was something more morbid than a sentence like that, then it was L's voice as he said it.

Matsuda felt cold sweat dripping down his neck.

Everybody was in suspense for a few seconds. L turned to face them.

"I have to leave Japan for a few days to lead another investigation. I think it could take almost a week."

There was a very dramatic pause.

"Is that it?" Matsuda looked relieved.

"Yes, that's it!" snapped L.

"Ah, I am sorry, Ryuzaki, but by the way you announced it, I thought that you were going to say something terrible!" Matsuda laughed nervously.

"It is terrible, Matsuda, because I cannot afford to go off to another country and leave Kira to roam free and unrestrained by anyone! I'll most probably miss crucial moments and evidence will slip…" L's voice was level but that was even more frightening than his snappy attitude. His eyes intentionally avoided Raito until that point, but now he stared right at his favorite suspect and seemed as if he was talking especially to him.

Raito was trying not to let his eyes widen from the sudden, most perfect, fantastic surprise. If he could have asked for anything for his birthday or for Christmas, or if he could have wished on a falling star – then L's absence would have been his number one wish. Actually, number two, right after L's death. Matsuda and the others had no idea how helpful the detective's departure was going to be for the creation of Kira's new world! But L knew. How delicious!

"However, I expect to return shortly. I am going to do my best to solve the case quickly. I wouldn't have agreed to go if it was not from the utmost importance for maintaining the international peace right now, and if I could have led the case from here. Unfortunately, after meeting Interpol and hearing the details, I have to admit that there is no other way – my physical presence is needed. So, I will be travelling to Sankt-Petersburg in a few hours."

Raito suppressed a jolt. L had given away vital information, which Kira shouldn't have known. Either the detective had suddenly lost most of his intelligence, or he actually trusted the entire team and did not suspect Raito. Was that even possible?

"So, you were meeting Interpol and that is why you didn't show up for our meeting?" Matsuda inquired. L gave him a straight face.

"Yes, that is right, Matsuda, and as I was saying…"

"Did you use the laptop and that letter, as you did with us, back in the day, or do you actually talk to them in person?" Matsuda interrupted him again. Raito tried not to laugh seeing how the detective's eyes narrowed at the young man and Matsuda got very pale.

"I was about to say that I need the team to continue working and that I expect you all to do your best in my absence, and keep me updated at all times. I need you to work out shifts, so that the team does not stop working 24/7 and I'll be expecting reports every hour and more frequently, if needed." L made a pause to look at the team's faces. There was slight disappointment at first, maybe people had thought they were getting a break, but then determination quickly settled in the room. And most of it was radiating from L's favorite, righteous, driven and genius Kira suspect – Yagami Raito. Looking at the boy's upright expression, and sparkling with determination bright eyes, L thought that he wished very badly that Raito wasn't Kira.

Raito could have made a truly irreplaceable partner. He had been, for the last couple of months. The teen rivaled L in his resolve and genius and had been able to notice things, which L had failed to. The investigation wouldn't have gone that far if it wasn't for Raito. Also L had noticed that working with the youth was far more pleasant than working alone. It was nice to have somebody to talk to for a change and even nicer to feel that he didn't have to explain everything 3 times before his meaning was conceived. And L couldn't deny that he loved being around Raito for no apparent reason. He enjoyed the teen's company, liked to examine him, to listen to his voice and what it had to say. Raito was the first and only friend L had even had.

But since last night, when his friend touched the Death Note, L had felt a change in him, and again strongly believed that Raito was nobody but the original Kira.

"We'll do our best to keep the investigation going without you, Ryuzaki. I promise you." Raito said with dignity.

L couldn't suppress a small smirk. The detective found it extremely ironic that Raito was the one saying that. A very impudent and deceitful Kira he was.

"I am sure that Raito-kun will be the one to work the hardest in my absence." L almost chuckled.

The sting of the implied double meaning would hit Raito very clearly, but nobody else was going to grasped it.

"All of us will do our best." Raito's father backed his son up. Obviously he guessed what the detective meant too… In fact, judging by everyone's expressions, all of them had, maybe the detective was being just a little bit too malicious.

"However," continued L, not caring about their opinion of him, "since Raito-kun is very talented in investigating, I would like to ask Yagami-sama's permission and Raito-kun's consent, for Raito-kun to come with me to Sankt-Petersburg and aid me in the investigation."

Raito remained straight-faced and turned to his father. If he refused this "invitation" L was going to convict him of being Kira again. Probably the detective was looking for a way to put Raito behind bars at least for a little bit and needed the slightest motivation to do it. If in fact the whole "Russia trip" was not staged in order to get Raito behind bars! Or maybe, even if he agreed to follow Ryuzaki, he was going to end up in a prison or at an examination room. Could the detective be so sly to take him away to somewhere where nobody could stop him from interrogating Raito any way he wanted to? Most probably.

Maybe L felt that his time was running out. Who knew what the detective was willing to do?

"That would be an honor for me." Said Raito, trying not to sound too dry. "Father?"

It took Soichiro Yagami some consideration. Suspicion was evident on his face.

"Please trust me, Yagami-sama. I need your son in order to get this distraction over with really quickly. Raito-kun's abilities will be irreplaceable." Ryuzaki seemed to have calmed down to his usual state. His expression did not show anything, but there was something comforting about cold, intelligent, dark eyes.

Soon it was all arranged. Raito's father accepted and the teen had to rush to his private room where he kept some extra clothing. He found a suitcase on his bed, as well as packets full of all necessities. Obviously L had expected Raito to be joining him. Raito frowned. He couldn't believe that there really was something more important than the Kira investigation and that they truly were going somewhere other than a torture room. It also bothered him to think that there was something worse than Kira in the world. Raito held the idea of being the scariest force very dear to his heart. It annoyed him to no end that L was interested in something else, rather than Kira.

He quickly and neatly prepared his suitcase but before he had finished L immerged at the door behind Raito. Raito heard him and turned to face his arch-enemy, not trusting him enough to have his back towards him even for a second.

L was leaning on the doorframe, his index finger playing over his lips.

"Raito-kun should hurry. The helicopter is already waiting for us on the roof." The detective said in his velvety voice.

"I'm ready." Raito said, changing his position in a way that he could close the suitcase on his bed, while observing the detective's every move. L didn't say anything, just dragged his suitcase towards the elevator. Raito quickly followed.

The teen caught up with L and the boys entered the elevator together.

The silence was awkward. It had been some time since they were unchained from each other and since they had last spent time alone together in a confided space. Now, since Raito knew he was Kira, and L was sure that Raito was Kira, the atmosphere between them seemed even more charged and the small space of the cabin was filling up with their clashing energy.

It didn't make it any better that they both stared at each other challengingly. When the elevator stopped and the door opened, allowing fresh air to enter and cool down the passions, they both sighed in relief. One more second and they were going to bounce on one another and physically fight.

The helicopter was waiting, ready to take off. A co-pilot met them and walked next to L, talking in English hastily. The airstream of the rotating vane and the wind made Raito's hair fly around his face and into his eyes. He narrowed them and run towards the passenger's seats. L was shouting over the noise to the co-pilot, who took L's suitcase and loaded it inside, where Raito was already getting accommodated. L hurried in and sat next to Raito. Awfully close, Raito noted. Immediately he felt a rousing irritation as if the bio energy immersing from L collided with his in the most violent way. This was going to be one… tough flight.

The helicopter took off. Finally Raito realized he had never been on a helicopter before and he wasn't sure that he was going to like it. Probably not, the teen thought when he felt the machine turn sharply and incline insanely, making Raito's insights turn…

That's it for now. This is my first Death Note fanfic. I hope you like it! I'll appreciate constructive criticism and reviews and tell me if you see any grammar or spelling errors, because English is not my first language. But I won't even read flamers, mind you. So, if you're planning on flaming, save yourself the effort.