Catharsis

Disclaimer: this is obviously fanfiction.

A/N: My second attempt at DN fanfiction. I'm a big fan of LxMisa though the lack of love for the ship makes me weep. So I figured I'd try to do my part in rectifying the situation. I don't write out and out romances, so if you're looking for some quick hot action... it's gonna be awhile before their relationship progresses like that. After all, half the fun is just getting them to actually like each other, rather than the sudden realization that they just wanna jump the other ; ) Of course i love reading those two, I'm just not comfortable with writing it.

Misa had never been so angry in her life! How dare he? She thought as the lifts doors opened, revealing the large main room for the Kira task force. After everything he's put me through, he still has the nerve to do this!

"Hey Misa Misa wait up!" Matusda called, still trying to detour the girl from her present course.

"Out of my way," she said, storming forward.

At the sound of noise, both Light and Ryuzaki turned their heads to take in the scene, though the latter merely glanced before returning to the computer screen.

"Light, I think your girlfriend wants you," he muttered lowly.

There was no doubt about it. Misa looked furious as she strode towards the two boys chained together. Her fists were clenched, her eyes red, and her face flushed as she came to stand before them, practically shaking with rage.

Light sent a questioning to the back of the room where Matusda stood nervously, but received no helpful hint as to what this was all about. "Misa? What's…" Light began to ask, but before he could finish, it was Ryuzaki's chair that she turned to face her.

L had only a moment to gage the situation as the blondes hand raised before him. His eyes went wide in surprise when- Slap. A loud crack rang out in the room as Misa's small hand came down across the mans face.

"What the hell, Misa?" Light stood up, though Misa continued to ignore him. Instead her eyes shot daggers to the man now cupping the side of his face in his hand, looking back in complete shock.

"There!" she spat, folding her arms across her chest. "That's for you and your… your… manipulations!"

"Misa!" Light called again, now roughly taking her by the shoulder in an attempt to gain her attention.

"Don't you even start!" she said, wrenching back. L continued to stare, dumbstruck as she turned on heel to storm back to her room.

The two men looked at each other

"Ask Matsuda if you want to know!" she called over her shoulder before entering the lift. And without another word, the blond girl was gone.

For the first time, both men took notice of the third standing in the back of the room. Hesitantly he raised a hand. "Hi," Matsuda called with a cringe, clearly wanting nothing more than to dissolve into the background.

L closed his eyes, clearly taking a calming breath. "Matsuda could you please come over here for a moment", he asked softly.

The man shuffled over with uncertainty. "Uh… yes?"

He paused to nibble his thumb, seemingly searching for words. "Could you please explain to me why I was just assaulted by a very angry Misa Amane?"

Matsuda shifted his gaze between the two of him. "Umm… well, I was just talking to her you see…"

Neither L nor Light looked impressed.

"And, well look…." The man took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "Misa deserves to know the truth. If she really was the second Kira or knew anything for that matter than surly she would've revealed something by now. And well she's so desperate for just some form of attention…" he looked meaningfully at Light who looked back coldly. "That I really couldn't keep the truth from her anymore. It's just not right" he exclaimed with a bit more force. "If she were Kira you would've been able to see it by now but she's not and she doesn't deserve to be played with like this."

"Matsu, what on earth are you talking about." Light asked calmly.

"What is it that you told her?" L asked.

"All I did was say that Ryuzaki has asked you," he said, nodding to Light. "That you would play the part of her boyfriend in the hopes that you would open up about Kira and all. She shouldn't be used like that, is all I'm saying!" he added roughly. "She was just going on and on about Light this and Light that… it had to be said. I mean come on! It's not right to treat a young girl like that. She obviously doesn't know anything."

"What she doesn't know and what we decide she doesn't know is not up for debate." L replied levelly, looking up at the man through his heavy bangs. "Is there anything else we should know before rectifying this situation?"

"Well I kind of…." Matsu muttered.

"Kind of what?" Light asked harshly, not at all liking where this was going.

"Well I kind of showed her the video surveillance from when she was released… you know, when you told Light to get close to her."

Light moaned while L just continued to stare at the man. At least he had the grace to look properly embarrassed.

"And why exactly did you feel the need to do that?" he asked softly.

"Well, because… look she obviously doesn't know anything, ok," he repeated. "It's not right for her to keep pining away like she does for no reason. It's just not right, ok. And well, it's not like she believed me at first either. Or at second, or third for that matter, and I have the slap mark to prove it!"

"Matsu, you idiot," L muttered to himself. "Come on Light," he said, standing for the first time. "This should prove an adventure if nothing else." He then began to head for the elevator in which Misa had disappeared.

"What? Where are we going?" Light asked.

"Damage control," he replied darkly.

Once in the lift, Light turned to him. "I really don't see what the big deal is. Matsu was right to a certain extent."

"You would say that."

Light made a slight groan in response, it really wasn't worth arguing.

A few minutes later and the two were standing out front Misa's door. L was about to walk in when Light grabbed his arm.

"Aren't you going to knock?" he asked with reproach.

L raised an eyebrow. "And give her the option of denying us entry? Rather defeats our purpose."

"And that is?"

He didn't answer, instead L gave Light a knowing smirk and walked into the apartment.

.

After that oh so satisfying encounter down in the main room, Misa had decided it was best just to get dressed in her nightgown and curl up on her couch with a movie to take her mind off things.

That Matsu! she thought furiously. He's just as bad, sticking his nose into others business. But Ryuzaki! The guy was such a creep. She couldn't believe they were supposed to be friends. That she ever thought he was neat, back when they first met. Back before he had her bound and gagged and locked up for months. Creep! And probably pervy on top of that. She should've scratched his eyes out as well when she had the chance.

She was just getting ready to go on a full force rant in her head when her door opened unexpectedly. Her eyes widened when she saw the pair walk in, bold as ever, without so much as a knock.

"You two!" she screamed. "Excuse me, but I don't remember inviting you in. I could've been dressing or something, you creep!" The girl stood up to face them in full lacy nighty glory, throwing her hands to her hips in what looked like an attempt to stare them to death.

"Misa Amane," L began, with a slightly amused voice. "I believe you have some things to say to us right now."

"Ryuzaki what exactly…" Light began but Misa didn't miss a beat.

"Yes I do, actually. And it all involve get out!" she shouted, pointing to the door. "Light I don't blame you, in fact I know you were just trying to stave off suspicions from us so that we can be together once this is all over but you," she glared back at Ryuzaki. "You are just a horrible manipulative…" she cringed, shaking her firsts in rage, "thing!"

Well I suppose thing is a step up from creep, he thought absently. Ryusaki's blank stare just continued to look at her, then drifted over the couch. Light sighed slightly as he was once again dragged along while L seated himself on the sofa without blinking an eye at the girls' shocked expression. "It's true. I did ask Light to pretend to be enamored with you."

"I knew it!"

"So now that you know it's all a fake, what do you have to say about it?" he asked, resting his chin on his knees and placing a thumb to his lip.

"It's not a fake; he's just being difficult because of all the stress you've been putting him under."

"No, you've seen the video's Misa. You know the truth. So what do you have to say? Your Light really doesn't care for you."

Misa was really getting sick of the small smile curling from the side of him mouth.

"Stop it. There's no need for you to do this, Ryusaki," Light breathed softly.

L merely raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're such a creep."

Back to creep it would seem.

"A horrible, mean, little creep. But you'll see," she said with a smirk. "Once we're out of this, Light will love me. I'll make him love me, once I prove it to him."

Light looked uncomfortable and about to say something when L interrupted. "But that's just the thing isn't it? You saw for yourself on the video. Lights not all that interested."

Light shifted awkwardly, not meeting the girls constantly shifting gaze as it travelled between the two.

"But then, you could be thinking the current Light is not Kira, and it is Kira who you truly admire," L went on.

"How dare you! I love Light with all my heart! I got Kira to confess didn't I? Do you think I did that for you? I did that to prove that Light and I are not Kira! We will be together, no matter what you think you can say."

"But what about what Kira says?"

Misa frowned in confusion. "I don't…"

"Ryuzaki please," Light began. "This isn't…"

"I wonder…" L continued, tapping his finger to his mouth. "Now that you've heard Lights true intentions… I wonder what Kira would think of you? Uninhibited of course, and without forethought?"

"I don't understand you," the girl said, finally taking a seat.

Light gave him a look full of warning. "Don't."

"Light, I was wondering. If say, you were Kira," he went on, unfazed.

"Don't, Ryuzaki. This is cruel, even for you."

L shrugged. "And yet, the truth will out. So tell me Light, if you were Kira, and Miss Amane were the second Kira, what would you do? What would you honestly think Kira would do if a second turned up? Especially in the guise of our lovely Misa Misa over here?"

Misa scowled.

"Why are you doing this? You know the answer. It just cruel to continue…"

"And yet Miss Amane hasn't quite grasped it yet, which is why I need you to explain it to her. You, whom she loves and trusts. So please, tell her what the real Kira would be thinking in this situation."

Light sighed loudly before raised his eyes to the girl sitting across from him. Her expression had changed from one of annoyance to one of curiosity. "He would want to kill them," he answered flatly. "They would be a liability. From the beginning they've proved to lack same principles he carried as well as the intelligence to carry out such a thing. They've killed innocents and what's more, they were foolish in how they went about it."

Misa seemed to deflate with ever word. Her tense muscles slowly slouching as each syllable seemed to wound her more and more. L on the other hand, watched her with unwavering eyes. So she does know.

Light continued. "Working alone, Kira was much more elusive. This second Kira has given us more information. If I were Kira." Light closed his eyes for a time before settling them upon Misa. "I would've wanted to eliminate the second as soon as possible. To be honest, I would not be surprised if he hasn't already. The only reason I can think that he hasn't or wouldn't, is because this second Kira seems to be able to kill without using a name, which the first Kira can not do. Perhaps he is keeping them alive as a tool, but I can see no other reason. Once that usefulness has expired, they would die. No question about it. They're just too much of risk." He sighed. "I'm sorry Misa, but it's the truth."

For a moment, L thought the girl would break into tears, but then a steely reservation over took her.

"Well that doesn't matter because as I've said, I'm not Kira!" she practically yelled, standing abruptly. L nibbled on his thumb, the small smile returning to his lips. "I don't care what you have to say. Either of you! I know I haven't done anything, so the two of you can just get out and play detective somewhere else!" The girl scowled, looming over them. "I've had enough of this, so just… just get out!" She softened her eyes upon Light. "Oh Light, I don't' blame you of course. I know he just made you do it," she said glaring at the other boy in front of her, with that damn smirk of his.

"Not another word Miss Amane," L replied cutting her off. "Light, I think we've done all there is to do tonight. Misa's said her piece, and we, ours." He continued, rising from the couch and practically dragging Light to the apartment's door. Light gasped as he was pulled forth without warning. "A good night to you, and I do hope we've given you much to think upon."

An inaudible reply could be heard as she turned, wanting nothing more than to scratch both their eyes out.

"Misa… I'm sor—", Light called.

"Not another word," L cut in. "Our points been made, I think. Or at least I hope." He gave another smirk before exiting.

Misa screamed.

A/N: ok, so my first attempt at shippy DN fic. I'm always nervous when first entering a fandom.