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Sacrifices

A Death Note and xxxHolic crossover

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Ichihara Yuuko was used to unusual guests. She lay on her favorite chaise lounge, smoking an elegant ivory pipe.

It was a muggy october afternoon when the air hung like a heavy haze in the old house. She waited patiently like a tigress and Watanuki Kimihiro can almost see her swishing her tail. He continued on with his chores, feeling uneasy. It was as if he was also waiting for something to happen.

"Welcome!" Maru and Moro's voices pierced the silence. He listened to their foosteps, their giggles. A soft and melodic chuckle blended with the twins' laughter. The dark-haired young man couldn't resist peeking from the doorway in curiousity.

Watanuki's eyes widened. He was staring at the beautiful and wildly popular supermodel Amane Misa.

She was as pretty as her photographs with long blonde hair and large blue eyes. In her black silk and lace dress with ribbons at her neck and wrists and pointed boots on her feet, she was a devilishly seductive angel. He was surprised that their shop would draw someone as popular as she.

"Wasn't she a model?" Mokona asked as it jumped on his shoulder.

"Shh," Watanuki chided gently. "I can't hear anything."

"Konnichiwa," Amane-san greeted Yuuko. "I'm sorry for trespassing. It was like I was drawn to this place..."

"You're here because you're meant to be," the Witch of Dimensions said lazily "and you have a wish. I run this shop that grants wishes."

"Ah, that's so interesting!" The blonde young woman exclaimed. Her blue eyes were sparkling. Watanuki couldn't help but feel instantly besotted with this blonde beauty. He felt that she was as optimistic, sweet and naive as she led the world to believe.

"Watanuki," Yuuko called. He straightened and smiled at his boss guiltily. "Can you prepare tea and cake for our guest?"

He nodded and walked to the kitchen that was his domain. There was plenty of time to eavesdrop later. It was more than curiosity that drew him to the beautiful girl.

When Yuuko was sure that he was away, she turned her attention to her newest client. Her ruby red eyes drank in the sight of the model and superstar with professional interest. Amane Misa was too kind, too trusting and too stubborn. She could tell that the girl had dealings with the supernatural. Worse, she had traded eyes with a death god.

"What is your wish?" Yuuko asked quietly. She tapped her pipe on an ornate ashtray that she acquired many centuries ago. Her red velvet dress whispered as she adjusted her seat.

"I want to get rid of the Death Note," Amane Misa said firmly.

She held out the black notebook to the witch. Her blue eyes lost its sparkle. Waves of regret, longing and determination emanated from her. Yuuko could tell that it was a hard decision to make. The Death Note was her life until this moment.

Something must have happened to convince Misa to give it up.

The Witch of Dimensions looked at the Death Note coolly. It was the first time she had laid eyes on a genuine one. She'd heard whispers of the notebook that literally spelled life and death for humankind but had yet to find one. This was the tool of the Death Gods who lived while others died. In the hands of an ordinary human girl, it was fatal. She had often said to Watanuki that the price for killing someone was too great to pay. This was Amane Misa's payment for her previous sins.

"There is a price to pay," Yuuko warned. She put down her pipe and stared at Misa's eyes directly. "Are you willing to pay for it?"

"Get it away from me," Misa said fiercely "Please take it. Burn it, tear it apart or throw it away, I don't care what you do... I don't want to have it anymore. I don't want to kill anyone anymore..."

"But that's the duty of the owner," the dark-haired woman said softly "If you want to get rid of it so much, you should have given it to a friend or a stranger..."

"I want to end it," murmured the blonde "Rem understands. She knows I can't take it anymore."

Yuuko didn't say anything. Of course she knew about Kira and his killings. She understood Misa's desire to please her boyfriend and win his everlasting love. But the blonde was getting tired of running after him, after his ideals. She didn't want to be used and discarded later. What Amane Misa really wanted and wished for was to forget her love for Yamagi Light.

"Very well," said the Dimension Witch. "Your payment will be your memories. All of them."

"What?" Misa blinked. "Will you take away my memories of using the Death Note?"

"Yes and there's more to it. I'll also require your memories of Yagami Light and your relationship." Yuuko's eyes burned with ruby fires. She hated this part more than anything. When the blonde stepped back just a bit, she wanted to close her eyes in weariness. It was her job to grant wishes and exact prices but it always hurt her when her clients thought the price was too exorbitant.

The model looked down on her hands. She blinked back the tears that welled up and swallowed the hard lump.

Loving Light was her life. He was her god, her light. He was the reason she got up in the morning. He was her drive, her obsession. His indifference, his coldness and his calculating nature didn't matter. All she wanted was to make him love her as much as she loved him. But it was getting harder each and every day when his actions became colder, his words sharper.

She was dying inside. Love was her life. The world might think she was stupid but she was not. She did not want to live in a dark and cold world where her love didn't love her back. Besides Light didn't need her anymore. He thought she was a burden, a nuisnace. If he didn't pretend to care at least, she was going to break. She'd rather die. Or she'd give up the Death Note and live.

"Yes, I'll do whatever it takes," Misa said firmly as she looked up. "I don't want to die too early, you know?"

The weak joke brought a little light back to her eyes. Rem knew and understood. Light would never know... It hurt but the pain will go away.

If the owner of the Death Note gave it away, his or her memories will be instantly erased. The witch knew that. But she'd also take away Misa's memories and feelings for Yagami Light. That was the price.

Yuuko held out her hand and received the Death Note.

She raised an inquisitive eyebrow as she saw the Death God behind Amane Misa. A small smile crept up her lips. Then she returned her gaze on the blonde who was looking back at her with a blank stare.

"Amane-san, is there anything else that I can do for you?" the dark-haired woman asked softly, very gently. She watched as the blonde looked around the room with an oddly vacant smile. It would take another minute to regain her bearings. She would not remember anything.

"Why is Misa-Misa here?" Amane Misa asked aloud. She turned to Yuuko and bowed very politely. "Misa-Misa is sorry. She'll be going now."

Watanuki entered the room with the tea service and scrumptious slices of cake. He stared as Misa literally skipped out of the door, humming. His mistress watched her passively as he sat down and served tea. The blonde sang a farewell to Maru and Moro.

Then she was gone.

"What was that all about?" The dark-haired boy murmured to himself as he arranged the tea set under Mokona's instructions. He wanted to shake hands with her at least and tell Himawari-chan all about it. If Yuuko got such famous customers, he shouldn't be surprised. It would be great conversation at least. "She didn't even stay for tea."

Watanuki poured tea into Yuuko's cup before he looked up. A swear word escaped his lips as he patted the spilled drink on the tatami mat with a rag. He'd seen the grotesque and strangely dressed phantom that was hovering behind his mistress. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's a Death God," Yuuko said lightly. "She's Rem, I think. It's surprising to know that your powers are so strong that you don't need to touch the Death Note to see."

"See that?" sputtered the reluctant employee. "I don't want to see that... Did you say a DEATH GOD? Isn't that bad luck? Is it an omen? WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"

"Calm down," Mokona said loudly. "Watanuki written as Liar, you should stop overreacting."

"Who's the liar?" yelled the affronted servant.

The Witch of Dimensions listened to the colorful conversation half-heartedly. She turned to Rem and smiled. "You'll get used to them."

"So he's the boy I was hearing rumors about," the Death God said hoarsely. It was not lost on Yuuko when she saw the slightest glance Rem threw at the doorway. So she cared about the pretty model. It's very rare for a Death God to care about humans.

"How did you get the Death God?" Watanuki's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Yuuko told him.

"So why do you think she did it?" asked the dark-haired student with a thoughtful frown. Yuuko resisted the urge to sigh and roll her eyes. Men would always be dense creatures.

"It's a sacrifice," answered his boss. "The greatest sacrifice for a woman is to give up her feelings for the man she loved."

"I told her that it wasn't worth it," Rem said darkly. "But she insisted. I only have to understand."

"Humans are frail things," Yuuko said quietly. "She won't regret it. There's nothing to regret now. If she can't have him, she won't have anyone else. She'd rather forget than to suffer."

"Frail things indeed," agreed the Death God.

Watanuki merely stared at the ominous black notebook.

In that muggy October afternoon, Watanuki finally understood.

There were some things that were greater than love; there were other things that required a greater sacrifice. A life without love was death to Amane Misa while a death filled with love was a worthy price for giving up life.