Godforsaken

Chapter One - Narrowly Avoided

Notes: This story, not necessarily this chapter, contains: spoilers, violence, death, and minor language.

I do not own Death Note or any of it's characters.

Everything was going according to plan. Light and L had taken to the skies by helicopter, and were now in hot pursuit of Kyosuke Higuchi, the man who had been killing off enemies of the Yotsuba Company through means known only to Kira. Even though it was obvious that L still suspected him, Light was glad that the case was finally nearing its end.

He had been so frustrated by L's attempts at keeping Light under constant observation. Not only was he angry at the lack of freedom, but also the lack of comfort. Everywhere L went, so did Light. He had absolutely no say in what they did either.

This had taken its toll on his body. Nearly every night was spent searching through files or starring at computer screens until early the next day. Slowly Light's body had grown accustomed to the lack of sleep and movement, but that didn't make it any better.

He still had the dilemma of sleeping arrangements with L. While L occupied the only bed in their room, Light slept on the floor with only a thin blanket for warmth (Although he naturally slept in his clothes). He felt that this was probably more comfortable than sleeping under the covers with L.

But all of it was finally going to end. He could barely hold in his excitement as they flew across the city, search light beaming on the stretch of highway beneath them. Ahead of them a cluster of flashing red and blue lights appeared. In their midst, a sleek black car with its door ajar.

Quickly, L guided the copter toward the site, stopping their descent only a few feet from the asphalt below. They hovered there as they watched the situation evolve. Higuchi was soon bounded and was now being dragged from the car, yelling and flailing wildly. As one of the masked policemen started toward the car in an attempt to search its content, it suddenly burst into a ragging torrent of flames. Light gasped as the flames licked the car's surface, readily consuming it whole. A feeling of disappointment flooded him as he watched, the orange of the flames reflected in his eyes.

- - - - - - - - -

Light sat in a hard metal chair, arms crossed and eyes closed in an attempt to clear his mind. It had been a week after the capture of 'Kira'. From what they had heard from Higuchi, he had been using a sort of notebook to kill enemies of Yotsuba, and that it had been owned by a Shinigami possessing him. Apparently, the god of death was what had given him the ability to collect the names of men without having to resort to menial measures.

Write the name of someone in the notebook, and they will die.

This was what he was supposed to believe? After all their hard work, all they got was some deranged and unbelievable explanation?! They had no evidence of this notebook or any mythical creature that might be lurking nearby. It was obvious that Higuchi had been insane, but this only made him feel as though the win had lost most of its value. Light sighed heavily and put his head into his hands. To make things worse, their one and only suspect had died only 26 hours after his capture. The cause, he was told, was heart attack.

"I see you are also having troubling thoughts."

Light's head shot up to face L, who had just walked into the room. L had mercifully removed the handcuffs only a few days ago, and Light had been thoroughly enjoying his new found freedom. After considering the man for a moment, Light nodded.

"It just…doesn't feel right. Almost like there's something we're missing."

"I, too, feel the same." L entered the room, hands in pockets and back hunched over.

Light crossed his arms. "Yeah, but that's because you still think I'm Kira."

"Yes, that is also true," mumbled L.

L pulled up a revolving computer chair and sat himself down beside Light. He grabbed an Oreo from a small box and slid it into his mouth, watching Light thoughtfully. It was a moment before he spoke again.

"What are you planning on doing after you return home? Are you going to finish your college term?" L glanced down toward the blue box but quickly returned his gaze to Light.

Light considered him for a moment, wondering a little about L's sudden interest in his personal life. He gazed back at the man as he thought. L had both his knees against his chest and was wearing his oh so famous set of clothes: a loose fitting white shirt with long sleeves that reached his wrists and baggy jeans which partially concealed his bare feet which were clutching the edge of his seat.

"Probably. I still want to have a position in the police department, so I kind of have to go through with college, don't I?" Light responded keeping his gaze on L.

"Yes, it would be the only way you could ever hope to enter the department," mumbled L.

L had now turned his full attention onto his Oreo box, delicately pulling out the cookies as if they might crumble at the smallest provocation.

A silence fell onto the room broken only by the scraping of cookie on cardboard. Light watched L for a while longer then closed his eyes once more, attempting to sort out thoughts racing through his head. This proved a hard thing to do, as the silence surrounding was so utterly loud.

"Do you have feelings for Misa, Light-kun?"

This question was sudden and caught Light off guard, making him lapse into an uncontrollable fit of coughing. After a moment or two, he got a hold of himself and answered, voice shaking noticeably.

"You could say that." He retorted slowly in a voice slightly higher than his own. "But not the kind of feelings you might be thinking of. I'm sorry if this sounds cruel, but I'll be glad once I'm rid of her."

L raised an eyebrow, but did not shift his eyes from his treats.

"I see. Then maybe…" His voice faded away before he could finish.

- - - - - - - - -

L sat there for a moment, sifting through his options. There had been no deaths since Higuchi's capture, and Light Yagami had remained at his side. Misa had also continued on with her normal but rather annoying behavior, which had intensified since Light-kun's release. L could simply go back to England with Watari. This seemed the best and most obvious decision.

But there was something nudging the edge of his mind. A tiny voice inside L's head told him that he shouldn't leave quite like that. It hinted at the man sitting next to him, and seemed to grin with delight when L had caught on.

Surely, though, after all that had happened this would be a bad decision!

The thought bared its teeth in disagreement.

But you know you want to. He would surely say yes.

No, he would not. I cannot ignore his intelligence, or that he—

He's grown on you!

Yes, well, even so. -L faltered.- I'm certain he is, or was, Kira. He could very well turn against me.

The thought gave him a steely glare, but no the less purred and waved its tail ominously.

He won't, and you know it. He's a good person. Give him the chance to prove himself.

L sighed. He knew his conscience was right. Even so, he didn't feel comfortable allowing Light-kun to invade his personal life. But no matter how hard he thought, he knew that he would eventually ask Yagami-kun. Every time he had made up his mind not to, the thought retorted quickly, always giving a better reason than his.

Finally, he decided that he would indeed ask. L could only hope that Light-kun would reject his offer so he could be on his way with a healthy, or at least satisfied, conscience.