Hi all~

So, I'm not sure how many of you are still even on FF after... six or seven years, but I'm either adding on to or completely rewriting some of my things. Some of them, I'll probably just delete and forget about for the rest of my life because there is no point in trying to save them. XD;

Anywho, I hope you enjoy my second attempt at Down With the Sickness.

Raito wasn't a fool. As much as L liked to think he was much less intelligent, Raito was observant. He noticed people's nervous little habits, their gestures, the way they liked to sit, eat, and talk. L liked to nibble on his thumb when he was thinking, or when he was interested in something. He liked to it with his knees to his chest like some child was that put in time out. When he was on a roll, he spoke quickly but evenly, never giving anyone any time to interject, and he spoke without drawing one breath in the middle of his dialogue.

So when he spoke almost lazily, and he started to sit like a normal person, he almost thought that was strange for him. Seeing him acting and sitting relatively normal - now that was strange for L. He teased him about it sometimes, but L just sighed, like he was tired.

Then one day, it happened. Everyone started to go home, Raito starting to leave with his father. L was ahead of him, nearly dragging his feet. Before he reached the door, he stopped, shaking his head and putting a hand to his face. "... Ryuuzaki?" Raito asked curiously, his eyebrows knitting.

"I'm fine." He said, reaching for the handle, but before he touched it, his head tilted backward and his body went in the same direction. Raito caught him out of reflex, his eyes widening. His eyes were closed for once, and his neck was bared as his body went limp. He had never seen the detective's body so relaxed before, and for a moment, he wondered if this was some kind of trick. If he didn't react quickly enough, L might add it to his petty little list of "Why Raito-kun is Kira". But then his breathing slowed drastically and his face became paler than usual, and he knew this wasn't a trick.

At first, his heart started to bang against his chest in happiness. If he could stall the team, L could be dead before he got help. This annoying, immature, smart-ass of a detective could be DEAD, and then nothing would stop his plans for world domination. He felt a psychotic little grin start tugging at the corners of his lips, but then he remembered that everyone else was watching.

He grunted as he curled his other arm under L's knees, realizing that he felt a lot lighter than he did when they were chained together. L was still breathing, but he didn't look good. "We need to call an ambulance. Dad-"

"No." Watari said. Raito was surprised. He... wanted him to die? "L has a personal doctor. He's very close by, so put him in his room. I'll call on him."

Raito blinked. He'd rather have him be checked out by some doctor on house-call than medical professionals at a clean, sanitized hospital? He nodded slowly and quickly walked to the elevator. He turned around, the doors sliding shut... and he waited, finally grinning. He would let him expire, right here, and if the others asked, he could just tell them there was something wrong with the elevator, he tried his best -

"Papa, why are you smiling like that?"

Raito's eyes darted down to L's face, his grin wavering slightly. His eyebrows pinned down. "Ryuuzaki?"

L looked like he was having trouble trying to keep his eyes open, but he was looking Raito in the eye. "I didn't... do anything wrong." He said, his breaths becoming a little shallow, and he could feel the detective's hard beating faster and faster with a hand on his back. "He was there... you can ask..." His eyes rolled to the back of his head again, going limp once more.

What the fuck was that? Hmm... If he was delirious, perhaps he could get some more information out of him before he died. That could be useful. He pressed the button to get to L's hotel room. He could extend the game a little longer.

Raito placed L on his bed, looking at him as he tried to come around again. Before the doctor got there, maybe he could get his name, where he came from...

"Raito... Why are we up here?" L asked quietly, before coughing. "Ugh... I don't feel good..." He tried to sit up, but Raito pushed him back down.

"Stay down, Ryuuzaki, you're sick. The doctor's coming for you." He told him, an even look on his face. He WOULD get it out of him, one way or another. He would play with him for the time being, act like the caring friend everyone thought he was... Then he would crush him. The thought of it made him feel giddy.

The door opened and a man that looked barely 25 came into the room. He had auburn hair, and blue eyes. He had light olive skin, and he looked to be European... but he looked like he could be half-Asian, too. He walked by Raito, as if he wasn't even there.

"Now's your chance."

Raito jumped slightly as he looked up at Ryuk, not having noticed him even floating towards him. The Shinigami's eyes seemed to be on the doctor, concentrated, even narrowed slightly. Raito didn't say anything, obviously the doctor would hear him talking to thin air, but he gave Ryuk a curious look.

They watched as the doctor worked on L, despite the detective's protests. "I'm fine... I just need... rest..." He coughed more harshly now, jerking up in bed. Raito saw droplets of blood fall on the sheets and he made a face.

The doctor sighed, shaking his head. "You're too stubborn for you own good, Ryuuzaki-san. We've been through his before..." He pushed him back down, continuing to work on him.

Ryuk blinked, tilting his head, like he was trying to figure the doctor out. He floated forward a bit, looming over him, one bony hand reaching out slowly. Raito's eyes widened as he touched the man's hair that touched down to the back of his neck, and saw the doctor shudder slightly, stopping for a moment. He turned with an almost insulted look on his face and narrowed his eyes, scowling through Ryuk and at Raito.

"What?"

"Um... Nothing." The doctor mumbled, shaking his head. Before he finished, he gave L a shot ("No, I don't like needles," L complained, squirming even though his coughing was getting slightly worse, but the doctor replied with "too bad, deal with it.") and set a bottle of pills next to his bed. "In two days, take those twice a day. When you wake up, and before you go to sleep. We've been through this before... Do you want a repeat of last time?"

L pouted, shaking his head.

"Good... If you need anything from me, don't hesitate to call... and I mean it, Ryuuzaki-san. Pride is such a foolish thing to hold on to when your life is on the line." He gave him a look that said "damn it, I mean it" before packing up and walking out.

Ryuk sighed, watching him leave. Raito gave the Shinigami a scrutinizing look. "Something wrong?" He asked under his breath.

"... Heh. Nah."

The doctor is my own character that I made up from my head, it's no one from the series. In case you were wondering. ^^

Review, favorite, follow - Just let me know how (if) you like it. I tried to keep L from being TOO OOC, but since this is a rewrite, trust me when I say he's a lot less out of character than the first time I tried this.

Hope you enjoyed~