Authors Note: I'm not really happy with this chapter...It's not quite right...

I wanted it to be about Light, for the first time, confiding in L about being Kira and it matters to the story that L takes in all the information about the case so that he can formulate the plan. I didn't want to do a 'and then Light told him the whole story from the moment he found the death note' style thing but in the end there was so much that I couldn't fit it in! I tried to put it together like a proper conversation with the information building up as L asked questions and Light answered but I couldn't be bothered to put all the information...

It occurred to me while writing this how much L never knows and understands about it. He dies lacking so much knowledge. So I was really attracted to the idea of Light telling L everything.

Thankashou everyone who has read, fav'd, alerted and reviewed this story so far!

Please do do review this chapter and say what you think of it! Feedback is most most helpful!

Missing pieces

"Start at the beginning," L said quietly, pulling himself up onto the bed beside the mass murder, running his fingers through the handsome young man's hair. "Tell me, how did you obtain the death note, how is that a human may come to possess it?"

"Every shinigami has one notebook," Light said carefully, running all the information through his mind to ensure that he did not omit a single fact. He opened his eyes to stare up at the detective, L's wide black eyes fixed upon him with menacing intensity. "Shinigami need their notebook to live, they survive by taking the lives of humans before their predetermined time. When they take the life of a human the years that the said human should have had left to live are added to the shinigami's lifespan. Therefore shinigami are immortal but only if they continue to write names in their death note and if they desist then they shall die."

"So," said L thoughtfully, "every notebook belongs to a shinigami, for every death note there is a keeper." He regarded the man reclined before him thoughtfully and Light stared back calmly. "This is true, correct? The second Kira said, 'we can show our shinigami to each other.' So there is always a keeper…Who is Light's shinigami?"

"He is called Ryuk," Light replied with a smile. He rolled over on to his side to look up at L and put his finger to his lips before saying in a half-whisper, "he loves apples. In fact they are his addiction. It seems that shingami have tastes, furthermore they have an addictive personality. Ryuk told me that most shinigami spend their time gambling. This addictive quality to their nature mingles with apathy and boredom to make shingami simple and easy to control. They are likely to find something that they take pleasure in and latch on to it with almost desperation as they have little other stimulation. They also have little or no other conflicting obligations, principles or interests to divert them from pursuing their obsession. I believe that this is the most important thing to remember about shinigami. It can mean that they are dangerous under very specific circumstances however generally if you understand their obsession and their nature then they are simple beings and you can easily stay in control."

"Is that what Light did with Ryuk?" L asked, a thin and wide grin on his face, amused by the concept. He pulled his knees up to sit in his usual position and pulled down his bottom lip with his fingers to skew his smile slightly, "did you bribe him with apples to give you information and do simple tasks for you?"

"Yes," Light said with a little laugh, "as long as I gave him apples he was happy." He pulled himself up slightly, bearing his weight on his arms and lent towards L, still grinning. "If he didn't have apples he actually experienced withdrawal symptoms, twisted his body up anxiously and threw himself about." Light laughed a little quietly after he told L this and the detective smiled indulgently but Light saw the smile linger in the wrong places and fall too soon from the other man's face. L's eyes were fixed on Light thoughtfully. The sound of him actually biting through his nails made Light wince sharply.

"So," he murmured, "shinigami have addictions. Shinigami form obsessions. This is the conclusion that you drew…" His jaw moved behind his fingers slightly and his eyes were narrowed. "Light must have had more than one reference point to form this theory or at least not to disprove it. So Rem has an addiction does she? Rem has an obsession." His voice lowered to a whisper as he said this, "this must be so. The fact that Light's shinigami has an obsession is not evidence enough to formulate this assessment and if Rem showed no signs of having a obsession or addiction then that would have suggested that the theory was incorrect and could not be generalised to all shinigami.

So Rem has an obsession does she Light?" Light's own smile had fallen and he shifted his position, letting himself fall back down upon the bed, resting his head on his arm to stare up at the detective. He nodded, slightly, silently.

"What would interest a shinigami?" L murmured quietly. Light saw his teeth moving as he chewed his fingers, "A quiet, calm shinigami but bored and unstimulated like most shinigami…she has showed no interest in physical stimulation like Ryuk seems to prefer. No food or games. She has not exhibited any behaviour to indicate to us the object of her obsession. Therefore one must conclude that either she does not have an object after all, which I consider given Light's theory to be unlikely, or," L paused pulling his hand down from his mouth, running his fingers over his thumb, toying with the abused digit as he lowered it, "the object of her obsession is not here, in our sight at this moment in time where we can observe her attachment to it. But it must have been an object that she has had contact and access to from her time here in the human world and therefore it cannot be that hard to deduct what it might be…" L flexed his toes, "or, given Rem's apparent good-natured and communicative personality, whom it might be." He raised his eyes to Lights to take the other man's eyes in a stare.

"I've never understood it myself but it seems that some beautiful, female personalities, the kind that earn the term 'celebrity,' very often can inspire obsession. They are so pretty and interesting." The last part of L's sentence was voiced with a slight sarcastic tone. There was a short silence while both men stared at each other.

"Is that how you were going to kill me Light?" L asked, cutting open the silence, "manipulate Rem by putting Misa in danger from me therefore moving Rem to kill me in order to free her object?" There was another poignant silence. Light lay staring up at his lover, his amber eyes framed by damp strands of hair. The water dripped down to dampen L's bedsheets. He stared at L for a long time, his expression still and his lips tight. Eventually he moved, sitting up on the bed and then slowly pulling his legs up and moving across until he was knelt opposite L. He reached down to touch L's cold white hand, to grasp it. L held his hard against the bedsheets, the knuckles tight but Light wrenched it up and pulled it to his bare chest, over his heart.

L remained still for a few moment while Light knelt before him in silence and then he gently moved forward and reached up to touch his lover's face, to push back the wet hair and to stroke the boy's cold and pale cheek.

"Is that how you were going to murder me, Light?" he asked again. Light breathed gently, a small sigh and moan.

"Yes," he replied, "yes." L ran his fingers over the side of Light's face, down his neck and into the smooth wet curve of the boy's collarbone.

"You won," he whispered softly, "you won, my sweet adversary. There was no way I could have foreseen that." Light's hot breath touched L's face and he stared up at L as the older man caressed him. L's fingers went to Light's hair to twist tightly, the fingers knotted painfully in the chestnut locks. "you," he breathed leaning in to kiss Light's cheek and then run his lips down to kiss at the boy's neck and then whisper directly into his ear, "have such a beautiful mind."

L pulled Light forward and lent back until they both lay back upon the bed, their heads upon the pillows; L's face buried into Light's neck and their limbs sprawled across the sheets. Light's fingers curled underneath the collar of L's shirt as he settled against the other man's body. The expensive sheets sagged under their weight, softly pressed about their bodies. L pressed a dozen more soft kisses to Light's neck and cheek before drawing away slowly to lie next to his lover. Light's fingers stretched out to play with L's shirt and stroke at his throat.

"So tell me," L murmured thoughtfully, "If a shinigami has one notebook and it needs this notebook then how does a human obtain a death note?"

"A shinigami must have a spare," Light replied, "the shinigami must have two and then if that is so then the shinigami might give their spare death note to a human."

"How does a shinigami obtain a second notebook?" L asked.

"I'm not certain how Ryuk obtained his, although he implies that it was through some form of trickery. When I first met Misa she told me that a shinigami will die if they kill one human in order to extend another's life beyond their predestined amount. I believe that Rem witnessed a shinigami do this and then obtained the dead shinigami's death note. This was how she obtained a spare. It was my intention to provoke Rem into killing you in order to save Misa, under which circumstances Rem would have died and I would have claimed her death note." L let out a small sigh, his eyes wide with excitement and understanding.

"Then you would have had another, new death note making up for the loss of the one in police custody."

"I would also be free of Rem who is difficult to control as she is entirely devoted to Misa and has more than once threatened me on Misa's behalf." Light replied softly, "It's ironic really; if she had not presented herself as a threat to me in this way then I would never have perceived the extent of her devotion and known that I could manipulate her this far."

"It seems however that there truly is only one notebook to each shinigami and that the only way that a spare can be obtained is from another shinigami," L murmured thoughtfully, "it may be possible for a shinigami to obtain one through other means but we do not have knowledge of it. Does Ryuk usually answer questions easily, is he easy to control as you implied?"

"It depends," Light replied, "usually yes he will answer my questions but sometimes he is vague or difficult with the answer. Usually I find it best to leave him be and let him divulge things as he pleases, it gives him something interesting to do, makes him feel involved and important. You have to make him want to tell you if you ask him, have to make him curious and excited. If you just ask and press him he finds it fun to deny you what you want, just because he can see you want it."

"You should try and ask him how he came to possess a second notebook if it is possible," L said, "it could be important." He stroked Light's hair tenderly, "but tell me now how you came to find the notebook and use it." Light smiled softly. It seemed like a long time ago now although truly not that much time had passed. He told L how Ryuk had, as he said to Light, dropped the death note out of boredom and how Light had found it and also out of boredom had tested it. He even confided in L how he had felt about the matter at the time, his initial guilt and indecision and then ambition, ideals, confidence and belief.

"Does Light believe in destiny?" L asked gently, running his finger's over the young man's handsome features, over his soft cheek and pale lips.

"No," Light replied, "not really, not truly. I believe in chance but I think there is more than just random selection that shapes the world, because it is formed by humanity. When I first obtained the death note I did say I felt that I was the only one who could've and would've chosen to pursue my ideal but this came from my belief that this was what was needed. I felt that this was what was right. It's not destiny, it is choice, but it is a choice moved by something far deeper and greater. I couldn't express it more than that." L considered his reply for a few moments before moving on.

"I understand how you did most of what you did, at least I can make educated guesses which I do not feel the need to be confirmed, it is only small things, mostly relating to the supernatural nature of the death note that I do not know of and understand although even now I can imagine vaguely the answers to my questions." Light had told him about the basic conditions of the death note, of the shinigami eye deal and all the rules and restrictions he could think of, each one being drunken in by L's wide, hungry eyes. "One thing I wish to know is the matter of your confinement; how that came to pass and you had the notebook transferred on to another. Was this through Ryuk?"

"Yes," Light replied and went on to explain the complicated process of switching notebooks and how both he and Misa had given up ownership of the deathnotes, having their memories erased. L had given a great sigh when Light had explained this matter, his eyes extremely wide and bright, glittering like black jewels, onyx spheres shining with intensity and excitement. Light could see his mind racing.

"It makes sense now," he whispered leaning back against the thick pillows, a smile upon his lips, "it all makes sense now." There was silence as Light lay calmly watching L's brain absorb and consider all this new information.

"There are many issues immediately at hand," L said thoughtfully, "you have given up a great deal of power and knowledge to get to this point." He paused to raise his fingers to his lips, "too much. You considered that once I was dead that this could be controlled, excused and brushed aside. You never planned to resolve it." He sighed, "and Misa, Misa is a problem. Misa is a huge problem." Light smiled at this comment.

"In more ways then one perhaps?" he murmured leaning forward to kiss L's neck lovingly.

"Her personal involvement with you is one with her criminal involvement, she has secured her position entirely." L turned to nuzzle against Light as the young man ravaged his neck, "I would never speak from simple personal motives of my own. She is a real problem Light. It is because of her that you are where you are now, that you have been forced to sacrifice so much, and what has been caused by her actions has not been resolved. The evidence she has developed against the both of you has not been absolved, it merely conflicts with the evidence of the death note's rules; it is not contradicted by them. She needs to be dealt with and we must find a way to absolve all the evidence against you."

"Is it possible to do so?" Light whispered against his lover's skin.

"It has to be," L replied, "we have to find a way. If it is not possible to do so then the alternative is either extremely drastic action or you shall inevitably be caught."

"Extremely drastic action?" Light asked pulling away from L to lean over him, staring into the other man's face with his eyes narrowed in thought, "what would that be?" L's fingers stroked Light's bare arms softly.

"Extremely drastic. Impossibly extreme," L replied quietly, "measures I do not want to consider. We must develop a plan that removes all the issues, all the problems at hand and absolves all the evidence against you."

"What if it can't be done?" Light replied slowly. L reached out softly to wrap his arms tightly around Light and pull him into a close embrace. He turned his head to kiss the side of Light's face and whispered,

"whatever happens I will protect you, I will fight for you. I will never, never betray you." His fingers ran though Light's hair, his lips on the young man's pulse. "I will never betray you."

Well there we go.

I can tell you now: Misa is going down!

Like I said; I'm still a little iffy about it so do review and tell me what you think