Chapter Ten: Break.

Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note.

A/N:

Finally got up to double digits, huh?

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Thank you all so much for reading my fan fictions!

Please excuse the delay of the chapter.

Stupid school's getting in the way of my fanfictions.

Akemi's Point of View

I squeezed my eyes shut, praying to God he would save me.

The gun was shot.

I felt nothing.

No pain. Absolutely nothing.

I took a deep breath.

Maybe this is how a person dies?

I dared myself to open one eye, to see if I was still on Earth itself.

"No one is going to shoot Akemi-chan. Ever."

My eyes fluttered open and looked around.

I was still inside the nurse's office.

I was still at school.

I was still alive.

Then I felt wet drops fall against my cheek. It fell down to the side of my head, on the blanket. I turned to see it.

Blood.

I looked at the man above me, still straddling me.

He cried in pain as he clutched his bleeding hand. The gun wasn't in its original place before.

I looked at L. He was holding up a handgun, and it was obvious that he'd just fired; smoke was coming out of the end.

My realization had suddenly hit me, and I gasped and cried out of the fear of dying.

L had shot the gun out of the mans hand.

"Get off her this instant," L ordered.

"N-NO! I'm still going to fuck this girl and show my family what I've got!" The man screamed.

"There's nothing you can do now. You have no weapon. Try hurting Akemi-chan and I won't hesitate to shoot your head," L almost sneered.

The man stared at him for what seemed a long time, and gulped. "Don't… I don't want to die…"

"Get off her," L murmured.

The man did as he was told, and stood by the side of the bed.

I sniffed, trying to take away my tears.

L, still pointing the gun at the man, helped untie my hands from the unbelievably tight rope. I rubbed my wrists; they'd already developed scarring from the tightness.

L asked me, "Akemi-chan, are you okay?"

I suddenly burst in even more tears, springing my self against L's body. I sobbed loudly, not caring how unladylike it was. I kept my arms around his neck, pressing my cheek on his chest.

"It was so s-scary L—" I whimpered. "I thought he was going to r-rape me, I thought he was going to k-kill me, I thought I… I would never see you again!"

I felt one arm wrap around my near naked waist.

He whispered in my ear, "There's nothing wrong now. We'll take you to a safe place and take this man where he belongs."

I felt his head lift. "Light, call the police, in case they haven't already been called."

"You… what's your name?" L asked.

I heard the man grimace as I turned around to face him.

"U-Uh…"He stuttered.

L frowned and raised his gun. "Tell us, or I'll have to shoot."

"S-Satoshi…" He half whispered.

My eyes widened. "Satoshi Toru?! The man who tried to have sex with me?!"

"No! That's my brother!" He said.

"Take off your mask," L commanded.

So he did, revealing a man that looked like Toru, only slightly younger. About his late 20s.

"When I visited him in jail, he told me… he wanted revenge or something … on this girl he didn't get to have sex with. Being the somewhat… player he was, he expected me to do it with her instead. He wanted me to follow his lifestyle… So I had to," He explained.

I gripped L's white shirt stiffly. "What is your name then?"

"Satoshi Juro," He mumbled.

"We're going to see if we can control your habits of following your brother, Satoshi, or we'll have to send you to jail, just like him," L said.

He hung his head. "What…Whatever."

Light then pointed the gun at Juro and sighed. "I'll keep watch on Juro and wait for the police to come. You… can… c… ca… calm Akemi down," He pressed his lips in a white line.

L's arms grew tighter on me as he breathed onto my neck.

"I'm sorry, Akemi-chan," He mumbled.

"F-For what?" I mumbled back, hiccupping on tears.

"I shouldn't let you be involved in such dangerous cases. It's my fault this man tried to rape you," L grunted.

I shook my head. "It's my fault for not being able to defend myself. I'm just stupid like that, so it's not your fault."

"You're not stupid, Akemi-chan!" He almost yelled.

I froze, and then looked up at him. "…Then what am I?"

He sighed. "You're smart, and beautiful. I can't risk ever losing you or hurting you… This is why I'm going to give you a little break from the case."

"Wait, what?" My eyes widened.

"You should rest a while before continuing the Kira case. When you do come back, I'll give you a safer job to do."

"But I want to do the case! It's probably the only way I'll get to see you other than university!"

"I want to keep you safe, Akemi-chan."

I bit my bottom lip and breathed. "F…Fine…"

He embraced me gently. "I'm only doing this because I love you."

-x-x-x-x-

The next day, I was almost about to the headquarters, when I remembered, I wasn't able to come back for a while.

Then I got a text from L.

Meet me at the headquarters.

I have something to give you.

- L.

I mumbled, "Not even a small 'Hello.'"

So when I reached the place, L confronted me at the door, thrusting an envelope in my direction.

"Hello to you too, L," I murmured.

L's eyebrows rose and then he kissed my forehead. "Sorry. Good afternoon, Akemi-chan."

I fought my blush and looked at the object L gave me. "I walked here for an envelope?"

"Please look inside," He said.

I pouted. "I-I knew that."

I opened it up, and my eyes widened.

"It's a ticket…" I whispered. "…To Italy?!"

I lifted my head quickly to face him. "What's the meaning of this? Italy?! What?! Why?!"

"I have a friend in Italy who can teach you a few things to help us with the case. I want you to learn from him," L answered.

"Wouldn't it be better if he just came here?" I asked.

"You need to stay out of Japan."

I paused. "…Why?"

He sighed and placed his hand on my head. "You're a target now. That Satoshi family… Let's describe them as a mini Yakuza. That whole family wants you, to kill or to torture; they were more dangerous than we expected, and I'm not letting you go anytime soon. When you're out of the country, I'll deal with the Satoshis. Once you arrive back, I promise you that you'll be safe again."

"And what about university?!" I asked.

"University won't be that much of a problem. Don't worry, Akemi-chan. I'll deal with everything. All you have to do is go to Italy, and learn."

"…For how long?"

"One month at least. It takes time to learn off my friend. I will keep in touch with you everyday. It'll almost be like I've never left your side. So please."

I suddenly wrapped my arms around his waist and pressed my cheek against his almost cold chest.

"But I don't want to leave you."

He leaned his head on top of mine. "If anything wrong happens, I will come to Italy. Faster than you can imagine. Face it, Akemi-chan..."

I looked at him as he spoke.

"You're going to be safe, because you're with me now."

-x-x-x-x-

"I can't believe it's been so short since I've been at this airport," I grumbled.

L, Light and Matsuda were at the airport, saying goodbye to me before I left.

My brother's lips were pressed together so tightly, they were white, and in a thin line. He then hugged me tightly.

"I still don't think this is such a good idea…" Matsuda mumbled on my shoulder.

I patted him on the back gently. "Don't think of it as one month… Think of it as… Thirty days?"

"I can't let you go to Italy!" He cried.

"I'll come back as soon as I've learned what L wants me to. Didn't you let me go to England?" I asked.

"Yes, but you were with L! This time, you're all alone, and I have no idea what might happen! What if some Italian man tries to blackmail you?!" He freaked. "Oh! What if you run into the Mafia?!"

I forced myself not to roll my eyes. "I'll be fine, onii-chan. I can look after myself, you know."

He then let go of my shoulders and looked at L as he came to embrace me.

All he said was "Look after yourself."

He placed his thumb on my chin and slowly lifted it up. L placed his lips over mine, and it felt so right, as if his lips were meant for only me to kiss. I gripped the back of his shirt as he embraced me tighter. My mouth left his for one moment.

"People will see…" I whispered.

"Then I suppose we'll just give them a little show." He smiled against my cheek.

His lips trailed down my jaw to my throat and I felt his tongue slightly brush over my skin. I cringed and blushed as L began to suck and nip on my neck. He then let go.

L chuckled as I saw his eyes gaze at my neck.

I furrowed my eyebrows and briskly took out a small mirror from my bag. I checked my flesh where L had caressed with his lips. My eyes widened slightly at the sight of it.

A hickey.

I glared at him. "How am I supposed to hide this mark?"

He shrugged and kissed my forehead. "It will go away, but for now, I've marked you. So think of me every time you look at it."

I blushed at the part where he said, 'I've marked you.'

I hugged him lightly and mumbled. "I'll miss you."

He returned the gesture. "I'll miss you too."

Light coughed abruptly and glanced at me.

I gave him a small awkward smile. "Goodbye, Light. I'll see you in a month or so."

I waved slightly to him, hoping he wasn't feeling too left out about being the only one not being hugged.

When I was just about to board the plane, I saw L, Light and Matsuda waving goodbye.

I waved back at them, mouthing to L, "I love you."

He mouthed those words back before I turned.

-x-x-x-x-

Almost a day later, I arrived in Rome, Italy. I also didn't expect L to give me a first class ticket.

When I got off the plane and into the airport, my phone began ringing as I searched for my luggage. I was startled, and quickly rummaged through my bag to find my cell.

"Uh, hello?" I answered.

"Sounds like you arrived safely." His oh-so familiar voice said.

"Yeah. I'm just not sure where to go now. Is there supposed to be somebody looking for me?" I asked L.

"There should be. I asked him to hold a sign with your name on it," My boyfriend replied.

I scanned the airport and tried to find this 'friend' of L's. There were a few people with signs, but none with my name on it. Then, I found a big… scary man holding a piece of paper with a paper saying, 'Matsuda Akemi.'

"Uh…" I said into the phone.

"Did you find him?"

"You have friends who are… that big?!"

"He's not big. He's my height."

"Yeah, right. That guy is huge!"

"Hm? Maybe he sent Carlo in his place. Carlo's probably his bodyguard or something along those lines, but really, my friend speaks Japanese, so you don't have to worry about speaking Italian to him."

"Yeah… but what about Carlo? He speaks Italian doesn't he?"

"Oh… I… never really thought about that."

"Idiot!"

"Try walking up to him. Tell him that you're Matsuda Akemi."

"I don't know how to speak Italian, L!"

"You'll never know until you try."

I sighed frustratingly and took slow steps towards the large sized man.

He looked at me under his black shades. An eyebrow was raised.

"U-Uh…" I stuttered. I began to do hand gestures. I pointed to myself, and then to the sign he held.

He turned to me then.

"Come ti chiami?" He asked almost brutally.

"U-Um…"

"Akemi-chan. Put me on loudspeaker."

I stiffly pressed the button on my phone and L's voice was then heard loudly and clearly.

"Questa è Matsuda Akemi. Mi chiamo L."

The man then stood straight, saying sternly, "Mi dispiace," and led me outside, to a swanky black car.

I mumbled into the phone, "Did I do something wrong?"

L chuckled. "No, you didn't. He said that he was sorry. I assume it's for being all 'up-in-your-face'?"

"I… think so?" I cringed as I held my luggage.

Carlo opened the door for me and he took my bags to place in the boot of the car. He sat himself in the driver's seat as I entered the shiny car. I slid in carefully, not wanting to ruin anything inside.

I heard a chuckle. "You don't have to be so stiff."

I yelped, but then sighed of relief once I heard Japanese words from someone around there. "Ah, I'm sorry." I turned around.

The man sitting next to me was handsome. He didn't look like L, in fact, the opposite, but he looked sleek, as if he knew how to take care of his own business.

He held out his hand. "I'm Tatsuo Akihiko. I'm glad to finally meet the girl Ryuuzaki's been raving on about for the past day."

I laughed nervously. "Uh… Yeah, it's nice to meet you. I guess you're going to be my teacher for the following month?"

He nodded. "Precisely," He turned to the driver. "Carlo, per favore potresti…?"

Carlo nodded, and began to drive.

-x-x-x-x-

Driving through Rome was amazing.

Everything was so different to Japan. Japan was so modern, everything was so high-tech, but Italy was so… natural, if you get what I mean. It was just so relaxing for me, going around the streets of Rome.

What surprised me was the building we stopped at.

It was coincidentally similar to the Wammy's orphanage, huge land, old style… It was pretty much the same.

I got out of the car and stared at the massive building. "W…Wow. Uh… Original?"

Akihiko chuckled. "It has the same design as the Wammy Orphanage. I thought you've been there before? L told me."

"Ah," I nodded, hoping he didn't notice my use of sarcasm. "Well, yes, I have been there."

"Anyway," He turned and gestured me to follow him. He led me to a room. "This is going to be your room for however long it takes for you to master my techniques."

I looked inside. It was certainly cozy, it had a fireplace, a pretty massive king sized bed and a nice view of Rome from a balcony. I smiled. "Thank you. I… uh… What is it, am I exactly going to learn?"

He beamed. "Computer techniques!"

I blinked at him. I was never the best at using computers. "Hah?"

"I'm going to teach you how to hack into other systems, like L, but his knowledge about computers is very limited, compared to what I am going to make you learn. You'll know things like how to spread viruses, how to prevent them, how to switch off security systems… You get the deal," He laughed.

I blinked at him once again. "You know all that?"

Akihiko shrugged sheepishly. "I am considered a genius, I guess…"

I grinned. "Awesome. Uh, so… when do we start?"

"We could start right now…" He averted his eyes. "Or…"

"Or…?"

"I could take you shopping? It's Italy, Akemi, and there are so many things to buy in this place! What do you say?"

"S-Shopping? But I don't have any money!"

"It would be my pleasure."

"…Shopping it is!"

So, we soon had reached the shopping square. It was filled with people; I was scared to be separated from Akihiko, and so I took his hand.

We eventually escaped the bustling shoppers and found a somewhat clear path. I looked around on the street, and saw a lonely stall sitting there.

I felt pity for the stallholder, so I walked down there with Akihiko.

I smiled at the old man, who suddenly stood up grinning, and shoved random items in front of my face, speaking fast Italian.

I scanned the table in front of him once he had calmed down… and something indeed caught my attention.

My eyes spied it, and I traced my fingers over it carefully.

Its dark leather was smooth, and it seemed to not have been used very much in the past.

But my lips parted to name it.

"Death Note…"

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