"Whoa, this place looks incredible!" I said, amazed when we walked into Logan's apartment that it looked fantastic. His fancy decor and expensive luxury items proved that he was a rich young man with good taste.
"Yeah, I like living in style." Logan replied, looking around his own house decor.
"How did you ever get the money for all this?" I asked.
"I'm one of France's finest lawyers around." he said as he hung up his coat in the closet next to him. "So when I win a case for big corporations or rich people, I get a lot of money." He smirked. As we took off our shoes and placed them on the shoe rack, we walked around Logan's house, still amazed with everything. Dani's house may have been nice, but Logan's condo made it seem like her mansion was poorly decorated! Logan then led us into a room across from the bathroom.
"You guys can sleep here for the night. The bathroom is right there if you need to take a shower or use the toilet."
"Thanks a bunch, Logan." Light and I both replied as he walked down the hall into the kitchen to prepare something to eat. While Light fell onto the bed, letting the soft sheets caress him, I took out a towel from the closet.
"I suggest you take a shower before doing that," I told Light, smirking. "After all, we do need to sleep there tonight, and I don't want the sheets to smell like dirt!" He laughed.
"Alright, alright." Light replied, standing from the bed. He then grabbed my waist and kissed me gently. I placed the towel on the bed, and wrapped my arms around him, laying my head on his chest.
"Where did our lives end up?" I asked Light softly.
"What do you mean?" Light replied.
"What I mean is that I used to have this amazing life. Friends, family, a home...And now, we're running from the police." I said, sighing. "I miss my old life. I'm actually wishing that there was never a death note to begin with, so then, our lives would be happy, and no innocent people would have died."
"But Joanna," Light started. "Just think of what the earth will be like a year or two from now. We'll be praised for purifying the earth, and life will be happy again!"
"Yeah, but that's what we thought a few years ago, and things have only gotten worse."
"Well, things always get worse before they get better." I paused.
"I'm not so sure if this will ever get better, Light." I said, looking into Light's eyes. It looked as if his face grew with disgust.
"Are you saying that you wanna back down...this far in?!" Light questioned. When I refused to look into his eyes again and looked down, he knew my answer. He then let go of me and turned around, his tone getting angry as he paced. "I can't believe this!"
"Light, just face it. The death note has changed both of us." I said. "And not in a good way."
"Are you saying that we're the evil ones now?!" Light yelled at me.
"I never said that!" I yelled back. "I said that I don't like what we have become!" tears slowly began to stream down my face. "I don't like how innocent people need to be killed! Like L, or Near, or..." I paused, looking at the floor. "...Mello."
"You gotta be kidding me!" Light exclaimed. "They were the enemies, and needed to be killed! Don't you dare ever have sympathy for the enemy! I thought I told you this already!" When I lifted my head, I saw Light's hand, coming towards me. Before I knew it, he had slapped me across the face with great force, making my cheek turn red, and causing me to stumble into the wall and fall. "And if you don't kill Amanda sooner or later, I'll do it instead!" Suddenly, Logan came running in, and I quickly covered the red mark on my face with my hair.
"I everything alright in here?" He asked. "I heard a lot of screaming, and then a crash."
"Yeah, everything's fine." Light replied, anger still in his eyes, although he managed to hide it so Logan wouldn't notice.
"Alright..." Logan replied, a little uneasy. "I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." He then walked back into the kitchen to resume cooking. I then felt my cheek, staring blankly in front of me as tears streamed down my face. I turned to look at Light, hoping that he would notice what he had done and apologized, like last time. But instead, I saw the fury in his eyes as he stared back at me. There was no hint of guilt or sorrow in his expression; I could tell that unlike last time, he meant to slap me. I slowly stood and took the towel from off the bed. I then grabbed clothes from the drawer in the guest room, which Logan had said we could use if we needed to. I then left the room, without making anymore eye contact or conversation with Light. When I walked into the bathroom and closed the door behind me, I tried to hold in my heavy weeping as best as I could so then no one would hear me. I turned the shower water on, and the warm pulsation of the shower along with the steam refreshed me a little, and I slowly stopped crying. After my shower was done, I dried myself and put the pajamas on; black shorts that came down to my knees, and a light grey sleeveless shirt. They felt warm and comforting, a thing that I haven't really felt in a while. When I was finished, I placed the towel in the washing machine, and carefully opened the door, trying not to make any noise. When I opened it, I looked through the small crack of opening to the guest room to find Light laying on the bed, watching television. I then sighed as I walked into the kitchen to find Logan cooking. When he noticed that I had walked into the kitchen, he looked over and smiled at me.
"Hey Joanna." Logan greeted me.
"Hey..." I replied. He could see the sorrow in my eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Do you have another guest room or something that I can stay in? I'll even sleep on the couch in the living room if you don't. That would be good enough."
"Did something happen?"
"Yeah, but I'd rather not get into it right now." I said.
"Alright, but I'm right here if you need to talk." Logan respected my privacy. I walked over to him, and the aroma of the food made my mouth water.
"Do you need help with anything?"
"Nah, I got it. It's just about done, anyways. I hope you like Italian food!"
"Yeah, I love Italian food." I chuckled a little, smirking.
"Would you like to eat before or after Light does?" Logan asked. "Since you're having problems with him right now."
"Thanks, I'll eat quickly before Light comes out." I thanked Logan. As he prepared my dinner on a plate and gave it to me, I ate it quickly, although I wanted to slow down and taste all of the flavor. "This is amazing! You're like, the perfect person!" I laughed. "You're kind, you have a good job, a wonderful home, and you cook like you're the best chef ever!" Logan chuckled.
"Thanks." He replied, flattered. As I finished, Logan took the dish and placed it in the dish washer. He then led me to another room at the end of the hallway that I hadn't noticed until now, since it was closed. Logan then opened the door for me. "You can stay in my room tonight. I'll sleep on the couch."
"Are you sure?" I asked. "I wouldn't want to make you sleep somewhere where you don't want to."
"It's fine." Logan replied. "The couch folds out to a futon, which is actually quite comfortable. I'm just gonna grab a few things first, and then you can use my TV, any of my video games, or you can just sleep or something." As I sat on the bed, I noticed a fancy photo album on the book shelf. I grabbed it and looked through it, finding that almost every picture was of Logan and this beautiful woman.
"Is this your wife or something?" I asked. "She's gorgeous."
"Was." Logan replied, stopping what he was doing to come and look at the photos with me. "Heather died a few years due to a rare disease." Logan stroked the picture, and when I saw a tear drop fall on the album, I looked up to find Logan tearing. "She meant the world to me..." I comforted Logan as he broke out into tears. He sniffled and looked up at me. "You actually remind me a little of her." I smiled warmly at him.
"It'll be alright..." I say softly to Logan. "You'll find someone that loves and cares for you again one day, I know it!" He sniffled, managing to crack a smile.
"Thanks." He replied. "I just hope you're right." Logan then grabbed his things that he needed for the night. "If you need anything, just holler."
"Will do." I said. "And if you need to talk, I'm here." Logan then nodded as he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. I then stared at the photos. "They look so...happy, and in love...I barely even remember feeling that good." I told myself, as Rem appeared in front of me. I closed the photo album and put it back on the shelf. "Where have you been?"
"Sorry, Joanna." Rem apologized. A silence filled the room, and I suddenly yawned loudly.
"Hey Rem, can you do me a favor?" I asked.
"Anything."
"I..." I sighed. "I would like to lose ownership of my death note for a while..." Rem's eyes grew wide.
"B-but Joanna!" the shinigami stuttered.
"I know all of the consequences, Rem." I said. "But I want to be able to experience normal life again instead of all this Kira crap."
"Who will take your place for the time being?"
"Give it to Mikami..." I began, but paused for a moment. "No...Give it to Jared." I looked at Rem. "I want you to find him and give him my Death note for now."
"A-are you sure?"
"Yes...take all my memories of the death note now." I braced myself as Rem sighed, taking my death note, along with all memories of it, and the shinigami eyes. She then disappeared and as I fell into a deep sleep on the bed, my spirits seemed to be lifted, and for the first time in a long time, I slept peacefully.
To Be Continued...
