Hey, so I managed to drag myself away from the delight that is comparing coastal defence strategies to write some more. Actually it was an easy choice to make, I might cry if I have to write the word sand one more time. Thanks to those who added when it rains to their story alert things, right, well let me know what you think.

I don't own Deathnote.


Chapter 11

"Beyond was in a high security prison, his arrest was low publicity to avoid any connection with L," L explained.

Jenny was silent for some time, "did you think that this might happen?" She watched L carefully. Beyond had grown up at Wammy's just like her and L, she hadn't known him that well but it was common knowledge that Beyond had tried to beat L everything but L always came out on top.

"Hmmm, I would like to say no but it was inevitable," L spoke barely above a whisper.

"He didn't deserve to die," Jenny murmured, not daring to say it any louder in case L heard.

"No he did not," L replied, Jenny hadn't been as quiet as she'd hoped, "it's not justice." L and Jenny spent the remainder of the evening in silence; Jenny didn't know whether L wanted to be alone or not.

The first day of the university term was drawing closer. January had passed into February taking with it the rapidly melting snow. With the arrival of March, not that Jenny got to appreciate the spring, she wasn't in England anymore. Instead her time was spent holed up inside buried amongst stacks of files and buried under mountains of paper. They had to make sure that every detail was covered to make it easier for L when he attended the university. Kira was still very much at large and still killing criminals on a daily sometimes even hourly basis.

The change weather made Jenny restless, more so than usual. As hard as she tried this lifestyle just wasn't for her. It didn't go unnoticed by L, who although he was quite happy to chase Kira in their little game, couldn't help but feel guilty. Not that he showed it mind you. The messy haired detective just continued as normal, something which when Jenny was trying to get a response from him was more than frustration. Today was one of those days.

The task force has gone home, leaving L, Jenny and Watari in the hotel. Jenny was pacing back and forth in the living area as she read over a file that she must have glanced at three or four times before. "Ahh," she threw file onto the table and stormed over to the chair opposite L. These little outbursts were nothing unusual. L simply watched her with amusement. "You know that Light Yagami is Kira can you not just arrest him already?" she asked, her arms folded glaring at L.

He answered as he always did; "with what evidence?" jenny would then open her mouth to protest but close it with defeat. Several times over the past few months L had offered her the chance to return to England but Jenny had turned him down muttering something about seeing something through to the end, in all honesty she just wanted to stay with L as infuriating as he was sometimes.

As with any other occasion when Jenny's frustration got the better of her Watari would step in and offer a distraction. She knew he was doing but wouldn't protest against it. "Jitsumi, would you join me in a game of cards?" he asked her. Jitsumi, there was a name that Jenny had grown to hate. She had accepted his offer and they began to play cheat. L watched from across the room, reading their faces. He took note that Jenny's poker face was terrible, she was a terrible liar. Taking a break from the timetable he was studying he joined Jenny and Watari in their game.

Watari bowed out early on, between L's desire to win and ability to lie alongside of Jenny's competitive streak he didn't stand a chance. "Three Kings," L placed three cards face down.

Carefully Jenny studied his face. He kept it perfectly straight and stared straight back at her, "cheat," she declared.

L smiled and turned the cards over for her to see, sure enough there were three kings, "I think we should play a different game, you're too good at lying."

"One more game," L decided. He was enjoying this; Jenny's attempts at trying to fool him were amusing.

By the end of March their plan was almost complete, every flaw had been identified courtesy of L's eye for detail. An overall feeling of optimism swept across the task force, well over everyone except Mr Yagami. Even the plan for Mogi to reveal himself to their other suspect had come together nicely. Although L hadn't made that too complicated he knew that Kira was Light Yagami. He just had to prove it.

Matsuda and Jenny were making tea in the kitchenette of the hotel room. "Are you really sure that you and Ryuzaki aren't married?" she had to hand it to Matsuda he was like a dog with a bone. He'd as a similar question at least once a week. Jenny liked to think that they weren't obvious; she certainly put a lot of effort into not looking at L or treating him any different to the task force.

Putting on a fake laugh Jenny answered him, "For the last time no."

"Oh, are you sure?" he looked crestfallen.

"Positively," she lied. Good job Matsuda did not have L's ability to identify a liar. Following her conversation with Matsuda Jenny dwelled upon a thought that had been plaguing her. At some point they were bound to slip up or say something to each other that would give the game away. There was no doubt in her mind that it would be her. L was too careful to make such a mistake.

Two days later the task force left for the evening. L reached out to pull Jenny down onto his lap as she bought him a new cup of tea. He set the tea on the table and kissed her forehead. "Today was too long," Jenny complained into his shoulder. The click of the door made L look up, he was expecting to see Watari but instead there was Matsuda.

"Oh s-sorry Ryuzaki," he stammered looking out the window.

L sighed; this would complicate things, and looked over Jenny's shoulder. She was trying not to laugh, poor Matsuda he always put his foot in it. "What do you want Matsuda?" he asked not hiding his annoyance.

"I left my phone," he laughed as he picked it up from the table and headed back towards the door.

"Next time make sure you have everything," L reprimanded him. Jenny was still trying not to giggle, she didn't make any movement away from L. it was too late.

Matsuda turned around before opening the door, "Ryuzaki?" he asked.

"Yes Matsuda," L replied, "does this mean I was right?"

Jenny looked up at Matsuda, she knew that L wouldn't say it, "yeah, you were right." This seemed to make Matsuda's day, he grinned and said goodnight to them before leaving. It was no use asking him to keep quiet. By tomorrow he'd have informed everyone on the task force.

With Matsuda gone Jenny burst into a fit of giggles, "sorry-I-just-poor-Matsuda," she said between laughs.

"Matsuda is an idiot," L's opinion on the man hadn't changed. As Jenny sobered up L addressed the situation, "with the task force now aware of our situation it has added to the risk. If this knowledge gets out it could be very beneficial to Kira."

Jenny sighed, Kira ruined everything, "I realise that. I'll promise you that I will be extra careful if you promise me the same thing."

"How can I promise such a thing, Kira needs to be caught," L answered her.

"I know but I just wanted to hear you say it, you didn't have to tell me that," she replied.

"But that would be lying, surely you must realise I cannot lie to you," L murmured as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"I do but that wasn't the point, I wanted you to lie just to put my mind at ease," she explained.

"I can't do that," in any relationship that would be a good thing but with hunting down a serial killer who only needed a name and a face to kill it wasn't. Jenny needed that little bit of innocence, no brutally honest truths for once. She admitted defeat and kissed him, it was no use arguing.

The day before University started was extremely hectic for the task force. L had then running around left right and centre, Jenny included, whilst he sat in his chair tucking into sickly pastries. With the exception of Matsuda no one in the task force mentioned Jenny and L's relationship.

April 5th arrived and with it the first day of University. Jenny did wonder if L would wear something different for a change but as slipped his bare feet into his battered shoes it became evident that he wasn't. Lingering at the door Jenny handed L a box containing cream filled pastries, "Don't do anything stupid," she said as she handed over the box.

L looked at her as if she had offended him. He wasn't the sort of person to do something stupid, "the likelihood of that happening is extremely low." Jenny rolled her eyes. With a quick goodbye L was heading out of the door with Watari and Jenny had returned to the task force, or those that were left. Mogi and Aizawa were out investigating the Kitamura's, Mogi was going to show himself as L. Trying not to worry Jenny settled for helping Matsuda clear up the room so long as she was kept busy her mind wouldn't wonder to L.

Watari dropped L outside the To-Oh University campus and went to park the car. L walked into the building drawing looks from the many faces he passed. He navigated his way to his seat next to Light and sat, his legs drawn up, waiting for the start of the ceremony.

"Next, we have the freshman address. Our freshman representative, Light Yagami, and our other freshman representative Hideki Ryuuga," a middle age man with glasses had taken to the podium. He straightened his glasses and stepped aside allowing L and Light Yagami to take the stage. As soon as L stood up an outbreak of whispering struck the room.

Light read from a sheet of paper first, followed by L. The whispering continued as L held the sheet pinched between his thumb and index finger and read out his lines. Finishing the speech L set the paper down and scratched the side of his head, he followed Light from the stage and back to their seats. He needed to rattle Light, now was the perfect time to expose himself, "Yagami-kun, you're the sun of detective superintendent Soichiro Yagami of the NPA. Your respect for you father is matched only by your deep sense of justice. Your aim is to reach a leadership position in the NPA yourself, and have in the past provided insights that have led to the solution of several cases. And right now, you're showing a great deal of interest in the Kira case. So if you swear to me that you will not tell anybody, I shall place my faith in your abilities and sense of justice and tell you something of vital importance regarding the Kira case."

L now had Light's full attention, "I won't tell anybody, what is it?"

"I am L," L responded from behind Light. Watch carefully

"If you're L, you have my full respect and admiration," Light replied turning around to shake his hand. L watched Light carefully for any sign of panic or recognition.

"I told you who I was because I thought you might be able to help us solve the Kira case," L stated as he continued to watch Light's every move. The pair took their seats and the ceremony continued. L pulled his knees up to his chest again and began to chew on his thumbnail, Light Yagami. Probability of being Kira, five percent or less…but of everyone we're watching, the most suspicious…you're perfect, and if you are Kira, there's nothing that could pressure you more than this. From the corner of his eye L monitored Light's every move, hoping that light might slip up and make his job easier but he didn't. It could mean that he wasn't Kira or it could mean, as L had been thinking, that Light was good liar.

The ceremony ended and the students filed out. L hung back so that he could deliberately follow Light, "Yagami-kun," he called, "it was nice meeting you."

"Yes. Nice meeting you too," Light replied. L walked over to where Watari was waiting with the car, he said goodbye to Light and climbed into the back of the car where the box of sweet pastries that Jenny had given him were waiting.

L sat in silence contemplating his meeting with Light; he finished off one the pastries before addressing Watari, "have you heard from Mogi or Aizawa?"

"Yes, everything is running smoothly," Watari replied from the driver's seat. L didn't reply, instead he immersed himself in the sugary goods.

Back at the hotel Jenny was sat with Matsuda and Ukita. Ukita was working on adding the names of new victims to a database, Matsuda on the other hand had sat himself down next to Jenny. "Ryuzaki doesn't seem to be the kind of person to be in a relationship," he stated.

Jenny sighed, she really didn't want to talk about her and L, "well he is," she answered him.

"You two looked so adorable together," he grinned.

Adorable, really? Jenny was starting to see why L thought Matsuda was an idiot. "You better not let him hear you say that," she replied.

Matsuda laughed, "sorry but it's nice to hear something cheerful for a change. It proves Kira isn't completely ruling our lives."

Jenny smiled deciding that maybe he wasn't such an idiot after all. What he'd said had been completely right.

"Are you two married?" he asked.

Jenny couldn't help herself, she laughed, "do you honestly see Ryuzaki in a tuxedo?"

"No," he answered amused at the concept.

The click of the door interrupted their conversation. Jenny and Matsuda looked down at the papers spread about on the table hoping to convince L that they'd been working hard. He greeted everyone and sat down in his usual chair and flipped open the lid of his laptop. Jenny giggled as he walked past, she honestly couldn't see him wearing a tuxedo complete with top hat.

The following day L attended classes at the University; he'd arranged it so he was in every single one of Light's classes. Again the task force continued to work in the hotel room. With L away Jenny had flicked on the television at Matsuda's insistence, a day time cooking show was blaring away in the background as they pinned data to maps and organised the mountains of paper.

On April 7th L challenged Light to a game of tennis as a way of getting to know him. When L had first run this idea by Jenny it had amused her. Somehow she just couldn't see L in tennis shorts not that he had any intention of wearing them, the only thing he took along to the courts was a racket. Jenny had asked L if she could go along and watch from he stands but he had refused insisting that she would attract attention. Needless to say she was distant towards L for the remainder of the day.

Relax, Yagami. Kira hates to lose, but you don't have to be Kira to want to win a tennis match, L was enjoying himself. It had been awhile since he's had this much exercise. Light was certainly giving him a run for his money not that he liked to brag but he was junior tennis champion when he was younger. He watched Light's every single move from the moment L had suggested the tennis match he could see that Light had a need to win.

Quite a crowd had formed by the time they were even at four games. All this effort on L's part was so that he could broach the topic of Kira, it was simply a process he had to go through to claim Light's friendship. L didn't want to lose to Light but unfortunately it was a necessity, he would have to throw the game for the purpose of the case. In reality, had Kira not existed, L would have played till he won. Their game ended at six games to four with Light claiming the victory. "You beat me Yagami-kun," he admitted. It didn't matter L knew he would win in the end.

After the match L agreed to go to a coffee shop with Light, on the way there L volunteered his suspicions. He told Light straight to his face that he suspected him of being Kira.

"This is one of my favourite coffee shops. If you sit back here in the back, nobody can hear what you're talking about," Light said as they sat down.

"You've picked the perfect place for this," L replied pulling his legs and glancing around the coffee shop. Since the entrance exam the task force had been scoping out the area surrounding the University for occurrences such as these. L needed to know that he would be in constant control of the situation.

"Yeah. For one thing, back here nobody's going to be staring at you for sitting like that," Light laughed gesturing to L.

"True," L ignored the laughing and explained, "I just can't sit any other way than this. If I sit the way other people do, my reasoning ability drops by forty percent. So Yagami-kun, what did you want to ask me?"

"That can wait until you're positive that I'm not Kira. So you go ahead and start Ryuga," to the pair of them this was a game from the moment L set foot in the exam hall at the beginning of the year.

L proceeded to quiz Light. Every answer that Light provided was analysed by L and pulled apart for any hidden meaning or slip up. He pulled four photographs from his pocket and set them on the table. This was followed by a list of the twelve dead FBI agents. L didn't look at the items he'd placed on the table; instead he looked at Light's face for any sign of recognition.

Light explained his thoughts behind the list and photographs to L who was waiting patiently for his chance to prove Light wrong, even if he was right. Reaching back into his pocket he pulled out a fourth photograph, "in fact, there's a fourth note." Again L watched Light's reaction carefully. "I think I'm correct in deducing that you decided there were only three notes, Yagami-kun, and therefore could not infer there might be a fourth one," L was baiting Light. This was purely and simply a challenge from L.

L was quite satisfied with himself and the way things were preceding, it was the welcomed bit of progress he's been itching for. He asked Light what he would do if he were L and was in his position sitting in front of a Kira suspect, "I've already asked the same question to a number of detectives, and most of them took a few minutes to think about it. When they finally came up with an answer it was usually something silly like, 'bring out a well-known criminal and watch from a hidden location if they kill him or not' but you Yagami-kun," L paused briefly thinking of Matsuda who had provide him with that silly answer, "were instantly able to think about it from the perspective of Kira talking to an investigator. I have to say you are quite brilliant Yagami-kun."

Light laughed off the comment, "you make it sound like if I do well, I'm under even more suspicion." He was right L did think that.

"Indeed, now it's up to three percent. However, that also increases my desire to have you help us in the investigation," L picked up the photographs, it was best not to keep them out on the table where anyone could see them for too long.

The conversation was dominated by Light as he took up L's unspoken challenge; it only proved to increase the likelihood of him being Kira. One thing it definitely proved was that Light hated to lose. L agreed with Light that if he took him to the task force Light would join them; he'd have to contact Jenny and request that she went to Watari's room before Light's arrival. As he considered taking out his phone to text it actually rang from his pocket, "Ryuzaki we have an emergency," Jenny's voice sounded on the end on the phone. He could tell immediately that something was wrong.

Jenny was sat in the hotel room once again putting away files that L had requested. She'd gone from being a respected Geoarchaeologist to L's personal assistant. This irritated her more than she let on. It almost felt like an insult, L had asked her here to help but this didn't seem much like helping not in the way he'd sold it to her at least but she didn't complain about it. She just had to trust that L knew what he was doing and that he had a use for her later on. In the meantime Jenny would try hard not to think about it and complete what he asked of her. Aizawa's phone rang from across the room; the shrill ring was enough to pull Jenny from her bitter thoughts. The conversation was brief and judging by the look on his face Jenny could tell that it wasn't good news. Her suspicions were confirmed when he addressed the room, "that was Matsuda, he's at the hospital," Jenny's first thought was that he'd made a clumsy mistake but it turns out he was fine Mr Yagami on the other hand had suffered a heart attack.

"Is he okay?" Jenny asked as her thoughts shifted to Kira. Panicked she picked up her phone to dial L; she dialled the number and waited for him to answer.

"Matsuda said he's as alright as can be," Aizawa replied.

"That's good, if it was Kira then he'd be dead," Jenny was going to say more but L chose that moment to answer his phone.