Hey, hope you like this chapter. The amount of times I sat down to work on this chapter and then get distracted (usually by uni work) is unbelievable. If it jumps about a bit I'm sorry. Thanks for the reviews =]

DeathNote= not owned

Chapter 10

The entrance exams continued. L went to every single one of them and every single time he sat behind Light. Jenny had suggested to L that she meet him afterwards for ice cream every single day but as L pointed out that would look suspicious. It was safer if the task force didn't know that L and Jenny were together, that their relationship was strictly business only or so L kept telling her. She didn't argue with him, Jenny fully understood the importance of their secret, nonetheless, she still didn't appreciate being cooped up in doors.

With L gone and the task force work Jenny was a lost soul in the hotel room. Occasionally she would engage in conversation with the task force but there was still a slight language barrier she had yet to overcome. As the task force trawled through various surveillance tapes and files Jenny took examining the samples L had given her under her new microscope. She spent hours staring at the various samples but couldn't find anything, at first she was enjoying being able to do something more to her liking but with nothing to show for it she was becoming increasingly frustrated with each passing day. Jenny couldn't help but think that maybe L had given her the samples just to keep her busy; he probably already knew that it would be a dead end. Stupid L Jenny ranted to herself as she set up another slide.

"Hello L," Matsuda's enthusiastic voice broke through the mutterings in the room, speak of the devil and he shall appear, Jenny frowned at him, still cursing him, well mostly his samples.

L greeted the task force, although Jenny had a feeling that he wouldn't have if it wasn't for Watari stood next to him. To make a point Jenny didn't bother to greet L, she stayed slumped over the table she was using in the corner, trying to look wrapped up in the task L had set her, although every time she sighed she gave herself away. When the task force left for the evening she would call L out on the pointless task she had been given, to do it in front of the task force would be disrespectful. In the meantime she would silently fume in the corner.

The task force were dismissed for the evening, once again leaving Watari, L and Jenny to themselves again. L discussed his observations of Light Yagami with Watari, Jenny took this opportunity to abandon the samples and forage under stacks of paper for the room service menu. Eventually she found the dog eared menu and sat down to try her hand at deciphering the Japanese characters. It was getting pretty late but thankfully room service was still available. Although what she wouldn't give to be able to use a proper kitchen and cook a proper substantial meal one that wasn't lathered in sugar.

As soon as Watari left for his own room sometime later Jenny turned to L, arms folded wearing what she felt was her more serious frown, "L, I have a bone to pick with you."

At the tone of her voice L immediately abandoned the file he was glancing over and looked up at Jenny, "I already know what you're going to say." This only fuelled Jenny's annoyance.

"Oh, do you now," it was a straight out challenge to L, one that she hoped he would lose so as to further prove her point.

"Yes," he sighed now amused at Jenny's attempt to catch him out, "those samples I had you analyse show nothing of significance, I was 98% sure that would be the case."

Jenny momentarily discarded her annoyance for amazement, L did know what she was going to say but then, as the percentage registered in her mind her annoyance with a hint of anger returned, "98% and you didn't think to tell me. No, how silly of me, of course you weren't going to tell me. You were going to let me spend countless hours trapped in the same four walls, straining my eyes for something that holds no benefit what so ever for the case whilst you," Jenny paused, aware that as she ranted straight at L her voice had risen several octaves, "you get to disappear out into the real world sitting some exam that you could do in your sleep."

L sat and stared at Jenny as she vented her annoyance straight at him, he would let her finish before he said anything. He didn't have a death wish just yet.

"I could cope with that, what gets me is you think you can fob me off with some samples that you know are useless. You give the task force a beneficial task but with me, what is it? Do you feel you have to keep me entertained like a child, as a distraction?" by now Jenny was on a roll. "Meanwhile you're being a real investigator not bothering yourself with considering the rest of us; I guess if I'm occupied I'm out of your way not being a burden."

"Jenny," L's voice cut through the tense silence that had followed Jenny's outburst, "you are not a burden, Matsuda on the other hand." What L said didn't exactly help matters. He may well be a genius but sometimes he could be an idiot.

"Matsuda? He's doing a fine job, I like his enthusiasm," Jenny stuck up for Matsuda, sure he could be bit silly but he had a good heart, "but we weren't talking about Matsuda."

"I was only trying to keep you busy, so you wouldn't think so much about staying in the hotel room but it seems to have had the opposite effect," L thought he had solid reasoning behind his decision but if there was one thing he had yet to understand it was the female population.

As she listened to L's reasoning Jenny softened a bit, in his own strange way he had given her those samples in an attempt to keep her happy, not that she was going to let him off the hook that easily. For the first day and a half it had kept her occupied quite happily, though L didn't need to know that. "I'm going to bed, night L," Jenny didn't have any further energy to argue with L. She knew that if she stayed in the same room as him for much longer he would get his way and win her round and it would all be forgotten. For once she felt that L could sit and stew all night long, he wasn't going to win this one.

"I'm sorry," L said quietly as he watched Jenny head for room. Before entering her room she paused, fighting an inner battle to turn around and forgive him, thankfully she won that battle and continued on to her room. Of course she would forgive L; she would just make him wait till morning.

The following morning Jenny took her time getting ready, L hadn't woken her as he had taken to doing, he was still giving her space. All night he had sat and pondered offered his solid reasoning and Jenny's reaction. He had expected her not to mind too much, if he was honest he hadn't given it much thought to begin with, Light Yagami had taken up most of his thoughts. If he'd only paid more attention he would have anticipated Jenny's reaction and could have rethought things. As it was he couldn't turn back the clock, he just had to hope that after a good night's sleep Jenny would forgive him. Every time L managed to stop thinking about Jenny and get back to the case she would creep into his thought again along with a small amount of guilt. He had tried to manipulate Jenny like a pawn in one of his games of chess but Jenny wasn't a chess piece she was a real person, someone L treasured.

"Good morning L," Jenny greeted as if their little disagreement the night before hadn't occurred. She wanted to see his reaction and see if L had learnt his lesson.

L eyed her for a moment debating how to reply, it almost felt like a trap, if I reply in a similar manner she may think I wasn't affected by last night's events on the other hand, if I don't reply she may think I'm ignoring her. I'll reply there's an 83% she's forgiven me. "Good morning, did you sleep well?" L finally greeted, as if to prove that he meant it he abandoned the file he had in his hand and stood up to greet her properly.

"Yes thank you," Jenny side stepped L and went to help herself to coffee. L following hot on her heels. She could tell he was itching to know if he was forgiven, he was, but Jenny was enjoying the extra effort he was putting into communicating with her, "any progress?" she referred to the case.

Once again L remained silent, he was tempted to simply ask Jenny if she had forgiven him but that might make things worse; instead he carried on with their small talk, "no. Are you hungry? Perhaps I could order us some room service." Normally Jenny would order but for once L could do it, after all she was making him work for her forgiveness.

As they waited for room service to arrive Jenny read a chapter of her book whilst L sat silently next her, not daring to touch any work for the case. It took every effort on Jenny's behalf not to giggle; he really was trying to make amends.

L even went as far as insisting they ate breakfast at the table instead of in front of the various laptops as they normally did. It was so unlike L that Jenny was having a tough time keeping a straight face, when he offered her fresh coffee for the third time she couldn't help herself; she burst into a fit of giggle. L stared at her, his unamused eyes piercing hers, "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. You were forgiven long ago."

"That was cruel," he replied, still not amused.

"Well you shouldn't have tried to manipulate me so that you are free to do as you please," Jenny took this small victory and kept it fresh in her mind all day. It was the last day of the entrance exams so she only had to entertain herself for one more morning. L had learnt his lesson and had asked her to catalogue the observations Mogi had given him the evening before. Mogi had been following the Kitamura family, specifically the young daughter. Jenny had a strong inclination that L had asked him to that so as to keep Mr Yagami happy; it meant his son wasn't the only suspect.

With L gone Matsuda took to chatting freely about nothing and everything at the same time to anyone who would listen, Jenny only half listened and took it as a chance to improve her Japanese. Matsuda was quite the character, his cheerful personality helped keep the doom and gloom away, not that it didn't invade from time to time. Jenny was listening to Matsuda explain a popular television series that Hideki Ryuuga was currently starring in. It was the alias L was using but Jenny couldn't fathom why, maybe it had just been coincidence. Out of curiosity jenny made a mental note to watch the show next time it aired and if L questioned why she could say that it was to improve her Japanese.

L returned putting an end to the task forces light hearted morning. With L around everyone felt the need to work hard and prove themselves to stop the niggling feeling in the back of their minds that L could send them home at any minute. Watari had bought back some food supplies, Jenny had to rummage in the bags to find something with low sugar content. That was like solving a case in itself.

"There's also a talent show on a Saturday where the judges are looking for the next big pop star, you should watch it," Matsuda whispered to Jenny across the table they were sat at. Jenny glanced over to L suspecting that he was listening in from his perch on the sofa. She had learned not to believe everything L did, at that moment in time he was giving what looked like all his attention to deciding whether to eat a piece of chocolate cake or one topped with strawberries. He would obviously choose both.

"What time is it on?" Jenny asked, not that she was planning on watching it; they were nearly always working on the case at that time of night.

"Seven, I tape it and watch it when I can," it seemed that Jenny's question sparked a whole new life into Matsuda as his enthusiasm for the show surfaced, "there's one act, two sisters, they are amazing. I think they should win. Last week Hideki Ryuuga was a guest, isn't that the alias Ryuzaki is using?"

Jenny sighed; Matsuda had been told this twice already, "it is."

"Ah," Matsuda laughed to himself, "I bet it would be funny to see Ryuzaki as a guest instead of Hideki Ryuuga."

L stiffened, he had been listening in on their conversation, Jenny had called it eaves dropping but he preferred to think of it as ensuring the investigation ran smoothly. "Matsuda I would prefer it if you were to keep discussions to something case related," he spoke from behind the chocolate cake he had picked up.

"Ryuzaki, Matsuda was helping me understand the Japanese culture," it was clutching at straws and Jenny knew it but she tried it anyway, hoping that L would drop the subject.

"I see," he replied sceptically.

"What are the other contestants like?" Jenny ignored L.

"Oh there's this one guy all the girls love, a real heart throb, he's favourite to win," Matsuda grinned, "brilliant voice."

"I'll see about watching it," Jenny eyed the TV in the room hoping L would let her watch something instead of the news channel for once. Maybe if she asked nicely or maybe even bribery not that either of those would work on L.

Jenny returned to what she was working on, hoping that Matsuda would take the hint and do the same, "do you and Ryuzaki spend much time together when we're gone?" that caught her off guard. She had been expecting him to talk more about the reality television show he loved so much.

"Errrrrm, we work some more on the case," she hoped that a vague answer would suffice.

"So are you in item?" Matsuda quizzed.

Jenny felt like a deer caught in the headlights, she could hardly lie but L wouldn't want it to be public knowledge, "we've just known each other for a long time." Hopefully that answer would satisfy Matsuda.

"You should be, Ryuzaki could do with someone in his life," apparently he wasn't satisfied and apparently he had also forgotten that L was capable of listening in.

"Matsuda," L's voice cut in saving Jenny, "would you go and assist Aizawa."

Matsuda immediately blushed a deep crimson, "ah sorry L, err, Ryuzaki." Stumbling to his feet he scrambled across the room to where Aizawa was grumbling away to himself under his breath.

For the rest of the day the taskforce worked mostly in silence, Matsuda kept his head down clearly worried L might show him to the door so to speak. Watari joined the task force at nightfall but didn't stay long, "Ryuzaki may I have a word?" There was something in the way that he said it that spiked Jenny's curiosity.

She had expected L and Watari to hold their conversation in the room as the normally did, Watari usually had a new case development but on this occasion to everyone's surprise L stood up and led the way into his bedroom. Jenny could tell immediately that something was wrong.

No one resumed their work until they heard the click of the door handle. Jenny eyed the pair suspiciously, hoping they would give something away judging by the look on their faces but it was no use. She just had to hope that whatever it was L might share it with her later.

In complete silence L sat down in front of the screen drawing his knees up, not moving a muscle. He didn't touch the bowl of chocolates that Watari placed in front of him, neither did he bother to say goodbye when the taskforce let. "L?" Jenny asked tentatively as she stood behind him, she waited for a response but none came. Something was wrong.

"I will take my leave as well, good night Jenny, L," he picked up his coat and hat and headed for the door. Something was very much amiss. He turned back towards the pair, "L, talk to Jenny she can help."

"Me?" Jenny squeaked still trying to fathom everything out. Watari nodded and closed the door behind him, "L?" Jenny tried again. Still no reply. "What's wrong?" she knelt down on the floor so she could look up at L. He was staring down at the hideous carpet pattern, clearly distressed, although he was doing his best to hide it. "Please, tell me," Jenny all but pleaded with him.

He lifted his head, "it seems Kira has struck again."

"Who?" Jenny asked immediately, L had never behaved like this with other victims.

"I thought he would escape Kira but I was wrong," L explained, avoiding Jenny's question.

"Who?" she repeated.

L bought his thumb up to his lip, deep in thought, "Jenny you need to know something." He cast his eyes down to the floor once again and collected his thoughts.