Hi, everyone. This is my first shot at a Death Note fic, and hopefully it will be a success. My beta-reader, sAppHiRa-hiMe was very helpful to me, and I'm very grateful. Oh, and before I forget, I don't own anyone or anything for Death Note, nor do I own the title: It's the name of a classical song by Clint Mansell

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Lux Aeterna

Prologue: Good bye

May 25, 1992, Tokyo

The classical music blared from the sound system to the large auditorium. Upon the stage, a group of young ballerinas danced with the enchanting music. The colourful lights accentuated their graceful movements. Their extravagant costumes sparkled as they twirled, leaped, and swayed. The audience devoted their full attention to the dancers as they played their role amazingly.

One dancer in particular, an eight year old named Hikari, was trying to look for someone in the crowd as she danced. It was hard to do so, but she was desperate to know if a certain person was watching her. She had practiced so hard for this day, and she knew that he didn't like to watch recitals, but him watching meant the world to Hikari right now.

Where is he? She wondered, twirling en point in the middle of the stage. He promised he'd be here.

The little girl followed her fellow ballerinas in a circle of chasses while glancing at the audience periodically. There were so many people in the crowd, how could she assure herself that cousin was here?

Finishing the routine with a powerful leap and half a spin, Hikari and the other dancers stepped forward, and curtsied daintily. The audience applauded and cheered for the young ballerinas. Remaining bent down in a bow, Hikari took her time to scan the audience with her dark brown eyes. Suddenly, she spotted him.

Sitting in the third row in between her aunt and her mother, was Hikari's younger cousin by two years, Light Yagami. He was holding his head up, leaning to one side of his chair. He looked bored out of his mind, but at least he was watching her.

Satisfied, Hikari straightened up, and skipped off the stage with the other dancers as the curtain closed behind her.

Once in the backstage area, the little ballerina weaved in and out through the dancers, teachers, photographers, and parents until she reached the small, cramped dressing room. There, she changed out of her sparkly blue dress and switched her ballet slippers for her sneakers. Lastly, she undid her bun, letting her straight, chestnut brown hair fall to her shoulders, and bade her friends good bye.

Hikari left the room, and made her way into the theatre's lobby. As she descended the grand staircase, the girl saw her parents, cousins, and aunt and uncle waiting for her. With happiness surging through her, the ballerina jumped down the last few steps and ran to meet her family.

"Hikari-chan, you were great!" crooned the girl's mother, hugging her.

"You looked so graceful," commented Hikari's aunt, Sachiko. In her arms was Hikari's four year old cousin, Sayu, who was fast asleep.

Once her mother released her from the strangling hug, Hikari looked up at her father, and his brother, Soichiro who beamed at her.

"Good job dancing today, Hikari," her father complimented as he handed her a bouquet of flowers.

"Yes, very good job indeed," Soichiro agreed. "How long have you been practicing?"

"Since December," Hikari answered proudly.

Soichiro smiled, and gave Hikari a one arm hug. In his other hand, he held Light's, who was looking at Hikari with raised eyebrows. Once Soichiro let go of his niece, she bounced over to Light and threw her arms around him.

"Light! Light! Did you see me? Did you? Did you?" she asked excitedly as she squeezed her cousin. Light was still giving her a weird look when Hikari released him from her hug.

"Why are you wearing so much make-up?" he asked. "You look different. Like a grown up."

Hikari threw her head back with pride, and put her hands on her hips.

"Ballerinas needto wear make-up, Light-kun," she informed, flattered that he said she looked like an adult.

"Why?" the six year old boy pressed.

Hikari's shoulder's dropped, and frowned. She didn't have the slightest clue. She only knew make-up was needed by performers because her mother had said so.

"Because... Mom told me..." she answered finally.

After a minute or two of congratulating Hikari on her performance, her father looked at his watched and announced reluctantly.

"Well, I suppose we better get going now. The plane will be leaving in a few hours, and we need to get to the airport."

Hikari's happiness was rapidly replaced with the utmost sadness when her father said that. She was so busy with her ballet recital and had completely forgotten that she and her family were moving to Osaka this afternoon. Hikari's dad needed to move to Osaka for his work, and at first, Hikari was excited to live in a new place, but she soon learned afterwards that there were downsides to moving.

Ever since she was a baby, Hikari lived near her cousins' place in Kanto. She had grown up around her father's brother's family. Light was like a brother to her; they were joined at the hip from the beginning. She loved him, Sayu, Uncle Soichiro, and Aunt Sachiko the same way she loved her own mother and father. Leaving them would be very painful for her.

The two families said goodbye to each other in the theatre lobby. Hikari's father and Soichiro hugged each other tightly. Her mother and Sachiko gave each other kisses on the cheeks. Hikari felt like she was having a part of her cut out from her heart. She couldn't believe she was really leaving her cousins. With her eyes tearing, she turned to Light to see he too was on the verge of crying. Setting down her bouquet, she threw her arms around her cousin once again and hugged him as tightly as she could.

"Goodbye, Light-kun," she sniffled. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and released him.

Light hiccoughed and rubbed his eyes.

"I'll miss you, Hikari-chan," he mumbled.

"Now, now, children," Hikari's mom said to the two kids. "We're not leaving forever. We'll visit from time to time."

Hikari sniffed again, and gave her aunt and uncle hugs as well. Finally, after she kissed the sleeping Sayu on the cheek, Hikari picked up her bouquet and grabbed her father's hand as they left the theatre. While they walked away from their family, Hikari turned her head to catch one more glimpse of Light and Sayu before she left for the airport.

Light was clutching his father's hand with a red face and puffy eyes. He raised his hand and waved as his cousin left the theatre. Before she stepped through the front doors, though, Hikari returned his wave, and gave him a watery smile, as one last mascara filled tear ran down her cheek.