Rewritten

Chapter 4

L's thoughts were a swirling storm that kept going over the same facts. If the user didn't kill after 13 days, then the user would be killed. Can the user use only a scrap from the notebook to kill? The Shinigami would answer any trivial question L threw at her, but whenever he asked one that was remotely important the only answer he received was 'I don't know'.

"If you all would excuse me for a moment." L said as he stood and left the room.

Where are you going Ryuuzaki?" Light called out after him.

"Just going to get some air."

The corridor was dark and empty as L ambled down it. His thoughts still a horrid chaotic mess that he couldn't organize no matter how hard he tried. He was close…so close but he just couldn't see it.

L exited out onto a balcony. The storm outside fit the one in his mind perfectly. Within seconds he was soaked to the bone. It was only fitting. If he was lucky, he would get one last chance…but he doubted his luck would hold out.

He'd gambled with his own life…and he lost.

Off in the distance he could here church bells ringing.

A sudden movement caught his eye. L turned and there was Light standing there in the only sheltered spot on the balcony. The unfairness ate at him like acid. Light started talking to him and while he could mostly hear him, a wave of vindictive pettiness had him pretend he couldn't. If he accomplished nothing else this day, he would ruin Light's perfect image.

It didn't take nearly as long as he thought it would to force Light into the rain. Even drenched, Light was as collected as ever as he approached him. Perhaps he's come to gloat, he deserved it after all. Light managed to tie his hands perfectly. It was truly a masterful move.

"What are you doing out here L?" Light asked when he came up next to him. It was the first time he'd called L by that name in such a long time.

"Oh…I'm not doing anything in particular." L said distractedly "I just came out here to hear the bells."

"The bells?"

"Yes, they've been unusually loud today."

Surprisingly Light wasn't looking at him like he was crazy. Instead, he looked as if he were in pain. It wasn't what he expected at all from his Kira suspect.

"I'm sorry L, but I can't hear them." Light truly did sound sorry.

"Really? They've been ringing all day; I find it very distracting." L said softly "I wonder if it's a church. Maybe a wedding, or a…"

L couldn't finish that thought. If he did, he might just go as crazy as everyone believes he is. He stood there in the storm frozen to his spot. He knew without any doubt that when he reentered the building, he would die. He knew it as sure as he knew Kira was standing beside him watching his every move.

"Come on," Light said calmly "Let's get you back inside and dried off before you catch ill."

"I'm sorry, nothing I say makes sense anymore." L said turning away instead "If I were you, I wouldn't believe any of it."

He waited for Light to mock him and he'd done countless times in the past. Instead he almost jumped out of his skin as a steady arm wrapped solidly around his shoulders. He looked up to see Light's grim face staring back at him. It was completely unexpected of everything he knew about Light.

"Come on," Light said tugging L forward "you'll really stop making sense if you stay out here much longer."

"Tell me Light" L asked as he allowed Light to lead them back inside "Has there ever been a moment since you were born where you actually told the truth?"

If he was going to die, he wanted to die knowing he was right. He deserved at least that much. He expected Light to try and back out or turn the volley around on him. He was ready for anything Light tried to say to get out of his own trap.

"Once or twice."

…Anything but that apparently.

"You're being unusually kind and honest tonight Light-kun."

"Tonight is special."

Light led him to a side room and pushed him to sit down on some stairs. L did it in numb acceptance. Light left him long enough to gather a couple of towels from a nearby closet and returned to cover his hair with one of them before roughly drying off his own hair. That was all the confirmation he needed.

Light was Kira…

He was going to die…

L could feel the grief welling up in him. He thought…he knew he wasn't going to survive but he honestly thought that maybe…maybe he would find a way out at the last second. Pull one more trick out of his sleeve but…

IT WASN'T FAIR!

L pulled the towel over his head in hope it would hide the tears from his killer. He couldn't bare the humiliation. He didn't deserve… Arms suddenly wrapped around him from behind in a tight grip. Light had settled on the step directly behind him without his notice and now he was imprisoned in Light's embrace. L struggled briefly but Light's hold was just too strong and he had none left. He was caught completely. L gasped horribly as his tears became a flood. He bit his lips until he tasted blood but it was too late. The gasps quickly became sobs that turned into screams as he cried out in the terrible truth.

He was going to…

All the while Light held him close, a dark presence on his back as ominous as the reaper standing in the control room. He wasn't ready! He didn't want to! He didn't want…

Please God…

Anyone…

"I'm sorry." Light whispered in his ear through the towel.

"I'm so sorry. If I could…I'd stop it."

L's whole body was trying to shake apart. If it weren't for Light's hold he would have shattered already.

"I can't…it's already too late."

Shut up Shut-upSHUTUP!

"I'm sorry."

It continued on forever until the tears stopped. Until he was already dead inside. Until he was nothing more than a hollowed out shell. All that time Light held him whispering 'sorry' over and over again.

"Why?" L finally croaked out through his torn throat.

"Because I had to." Light said "I know it makes no sense to you, but there are certain events that need to take place…things I cannot change no matter how much I want to."

"…My death is one of those events." L stated roughly.

"Yes."

Yes…acceptance was a funny thing. It felt like breathing underwater. L wondered what death would be like…

"What happens now?" L asked vaguely.

"Now" Light said standing up and pulling L to his feet. He was so drained and dizzy that he immediately fell against Light's form. Light held him steady until he could stand on his own. "We go back. You'll take your chair and I'll take mine. I'm sure you already have one or more theories to test."

"13 days." L whispered.

"Put it in play. It won't be too long a wait."

"Alright then."

L turned to head back but he only managed a few steps before he stopped again.

"Do you think it will hurt?"

"It might at first…but it won't last long."

L nodded and continued on "I wonder if it'll be lonely."

"I doubt it." Light said.

"You and I will be parting ways soon."

Light's hand at his back coaxed him into moving forward again. This would be the last time he walked this corridor. These would be the last windows he would ever see out of. This storm outside would be the last time he ever felt rain on his face. When was the last time he spoke to his successors?

They entered the control room silently. L instantly spotted Rem watching him viciously as he crossed the room.

'Ah…here is the murder weapon. Of course.'

It only made sense given how obsessed with Misa she was every time she appeared on one of the monitors. She must have been Misa's Shinigami then. L wondered briefly what Light's had been like. Not that it mattered…nothing mattered anymore for him.

It was time…

"It doesn't matter which country, find one and negotiate with them for approval. We will have them use the notebook we have as an execution." L said.

He ignored the shock and outrage from the rest of the team. It was the only escape he could find. If the 13-day rule was false, then Light and Misa were the first and second Kira. But he needed to test it before it was too late.

"Find someone to write in it that has longer than 13 days until their execution. If that person survives past that time, then they'll be absolved of their own execution."

"Watari, contact all the states which you think would agree to the test." L called into the microphone.

"Yes Sir." Was his prompt reply.

"You plan to do this right now?" Aizawa demanded.

"Yes, I need to verify the notebook's ability."

A sudden crashing sound came over Watari's speakers. This wasn't part of the plan was it? He was the one who was supposed to die! Not Watari!

"Watari what's wrong?" L cried out.

"Watari?"

Immediately all the computer monitors started flashing the same message.

All Data Deletion

Light was instantly behind him as L stared at the message. An inner clock already counting down the seconds.

"I instructed Watari to delete all the data he collected should anything unexpected happen to him…"

"Where's the Reaper?"

"The Shinigami is gone!"

Chaos echoed around the room.

5…

Not long now

4…

L caught lights eyes

3…

L pick up a sugar spoon

2…

One last taste

1…