If ever there was a doubt about the boy's true father, it all disappeared on his 16th birthday.

"I told you," his mother said, that pixie smile he had only seen once before, when he had graduated from To-Oh University two years ago with high honors, the youngest person to do so in the history of Japan.

"I told you, sweetheart." His mother placed one ruby red fingertip on the side of his face. "Now you have proof. I understand that you needed it. You are your father's son after all...But I wish you could have believed your dear mother."

Eclipse stared in disbelief at the unassuming thin, black notebook in his hand. His back stiffened, knowing then, what must come next. He turned around.

17 years earlier. Tokyo, Japan. January 28, 2010

[Misa Amane]

My heart-I- I could hardly keep up with my own thoughts, staring almost disbelievingly at the little stick my shaking fingers grasped between my legs. This, after months of waiting, months of...trepidation! I knew Light thought it was too early for a child, and I'm sure part of that was not wanting his girlfriend to get fat for nine months, but I just couldn't wait. Light wouldn't even have to be there, I'd raise the child, Light's child, our child for him. To him. In his image! I would raise a child that Light could be proud of. And that's when the phone rang. That damn, damn phone. I had to throw it away after. After. For a long time, it was hard to believe there was going to be any after. But I didn't know yet. Hoping it was Light, I placed the pregnancy test gently on the bathroom counter, as though afraid it would break. As if by dropping the proof of it, the little bundle of cells multiplying as I lived and breathed would vanish altogehter. I practically skipped to the living room and dug in my purse. I sighed. Not light. Motchi.

"Misa-misa," he said, in that low, I'm-so-serious voice I had grown quite fond of.

"Ai, Motchi, how are-"

"Misa, Kira is dead."

My knees went weak. "AIYEEE!" I screamed into the phone, dropping onto the sofa and kicking away happily. "My Light wins! I told you, I told you he is the best detective that Tokyo has ever seen! Is he happy? Is he tired? Oh, he must be tired, I must have a delicious warm dinner for him to come home to! Steamed dumplings, just how he likes, and-"

From the other end of the line, something like the groan of a dying animal crept wafted through the speakers and into the air...Poisoned it.

"Misa-misa..." Motchi said, and I had to strain to hear him. "Misa-misa, Light Yagami is dead."

Light Yagami is dead.

Light Yagami is dead.

"Misa-misa, are you alright? Are you there? Misa-misa!"

I must have made some sort of noise. Light Yagami is dead...

"Misa, I'm not even supposed to be calling you. I'm in the bathroom at...somewhere. Come to think of it, Near might be listening in on me right now. Listen Misa-misa. Listen carefully. I don't know if you know, but Light Yagami is Kira. Was Kira."

My hand hurt.

"I can tell by your reaction, even over the phone, you really had no idea. I believe that Misa, but Near probably won't. He'll be coming after you next. I really like you, Misa. So I need you to pull it together, and get the hell out of Tokyo. The hell out of the country, if you can swing it."

"...W-where?.." I was in auto-pilot.

"Anywhere. Just no matter what you do, don't contact anyone you know. Not even family. Near will already have them under surveillance."

Family? Light is my family.

"I don't know where to go..."

"I don't know where you will go either, Misa and it's probably better if I don't. Just be gone as soon as you can, we are going to search Light's apartment as soon as the mess at the warehouse is cleaned up. Make sure there aren't any more pieces of the notebook there. Take what you need, but go!"

Distantly, I heard someone-Aizawa?-call "Mogi!"

"Damn! Misa-misa, take care of yourself."

Click.

The next few weeks are cloudy, so cloudy even now, so many years after, I can't even piece them together. All I have are snatches.

"If anything ever happens to me-"

"Oh, Light, you know I hate it when you talk like this!" I tried to silence him with a kiss, but he pulled away.

"Listen, Misa!" he said, his eyes flashing red. "If something ever happens to me, there is a key here," he said, patting the bedside table next to him. "It opens a safety deposit box at -. It is in your name. Go there. I will have a note for you. Make sure you do exactly-as-it-says. Do you understand, Misa?"

"Oh, Light, you should know by now, I'll do anything you tell me to. I'd ask Kira to write my name down in his notebook if that's what you wanted." I placed my hand on his chest. "But you're going to find him, and nothing's going to happen to you."

Light folded his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes. Satisfied. For the time being.

Misa, my love,

If you are reading this, I am dead and Near won. I calculated that there was a .00039% chance of failure on my part. It seems that was enough. I know that you are pregnant-you really didn't think you could hide that from me, did you? I must admit, I had reservations. If I survived, I am not sure what I would have done. Now that I am dead, the course is more clear. You know that I am Kira now. The blood of Kira flows in our baby's veins-the heir to my kingdom. There is a scrap of Death Note stapled to the back of this paper. If Teru Mikami is still alive, write his name on the paper, by suicide as soon as you are out of the country. And yes, you must leave. Also in this box is $3000 US. That should be enough. Do whatever you need to, but make sure our child has the best education possible. I expect them to continue their father's legacy. I love you, Misa. I only wish I was there to raise our child with you, my heart. Destroy this.

Yours, even in death,

L

8 Months Later. Atlanta, GA. August 4, 2010.

[Misa Amane]

As it turns out, life for a pregnant model in a foreign country is hard. I looked everywhere for a job that suited my...normal lifestyle. At first, things went okay. I got a job serving drinks at a gentleman's club a few blocks from my apartment, but as soon as I started showing, and that was pretty soon considering my outfit, my sleazy boss fired me. "If you don't have any stretchmarks, come on back. Customers dig the Asian thing." All things considered, I'm not a superstitious person. But the fact that I was cleaning Mr. Johnson's library when I went into premature labor...well that sealed the deal that Eclipse would be his father's son.

I stared down at my soaked shoes and grinned. "The second coming."