"Misa!" Exclaimed Light, gruff with the clear anger he felt stemming from the scene.
Ed and Misa jumped apart, both red-faced upon seeing their audience. "Light? I-I thought you were working late" Misa stammered, shocked.
"I decided to wrap things up quickly in order to see you," Light stated coldly, glaring at Ed. "But it seems my trouble was a waste of time"
Misa locked her gaze with the ground in her shame as Ed started to speak. "Shit. Light, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-It just happened, I didn't mean to step on your toes. God, I feel like shit. I know she's yours, but you weren't here and I can't help how I feel-"
"Don't apologize to the bastard" Matt suddenly spoke up, all eyes turning to his outburst. He held Eddy protectively to his side as he spoke with measured anger. "I caught Light threatening Eddy in the alley outside, he would have hurt her if I hadn't stepped in. Light's a manipulative, creepy bastard that doesn't treat women right. The facts are that Misa deserves someone better, so don't apologize, Ed" he finished, leaving Misa gaping in surprise.
Light's mouth was agape a full minute before he recovered, but Ed was already talking before Light could collect himself enough to speak. "You tried to hurt my sister?" Ed asked rhetorically, his voice outraged as he glared at Light. "You son of a bitch! I knew you were a jackass from the way you treated Misa, but threatening a girl like that? Threatening anyone-You're fucking lucky I don't beat the shit out of you!" Ed said, advancing on Light as he spoke and shoving him harshly.
Eddy was getting noticeably nervous; while she had never seen Ed fight, she knew he had no education on the subject (having preferred to take drama classes instead of the karate their parents had wanted) and it was unlikely he would win against the more athletic-looking Light. Not to mention the rapidly gathering bystanders would be enough of a reason for security to throw them out after causing the second loudest uproar of the night.
"Matt, do something. If they fight…" Eddy trailed off worriedly, tugging on Matt's sleeve as she watched the tension between Light and Ed escalate. However, as much as he wanted to intervene for Eddy's sake, Matt waited to see what Light would say for himself.
"Matt's utterly absurd fantasy aside," Light glared at Ed, brushing imagined filth from his suit where Ed's hand had made contact with the material. "You have no idea of the depth of our relationship. You've only worked with Misa, what, three weeks? You know nothing about her, or me for that matter, so it's best that you calm down before you embarrass yourself" Light said with an even tone, exerting a snobbish poise that was a surefire way to set Ed off.
"If I know nothing about her, then how do I know her favorite food is cheesecake but she doesn't eat it because she think's it'll make her fat? How do I know that she decided to become a model in the hopes of going to Paris and traveling to exotic places? How do I know that she took an extra-credit class in high school about Greek mythology-for fun-that she made a B in? How do I know that you don't often come home from work at night, so she usually sleeps in the room at your office? How do I know that you constantly write off her career as being unimportant? How do I know that you can't see how talented, or beautiful, or smart she is?" Ed said, enraged. "I've had enough of your bullshit entitled attitude, Light"
"Misa loves me, she would do anything for me, and we're very happy together" Light stated coldly. "She would never leave me, especially for someone like you" as he spoke, Light reached out to wrap an arm around Misa. Much to Light's shock, she shrugged his possessive gesture off quickly while backing away from him at the same time.
"Stop it!" Misa exclaimed, tears and mascara running down her cheeks as she clutched her arms tightly around herself. "Light, stop speaking for me like that! If you took the time to talk to me, you would know how much I hate that!"
"Misa, you're being silly-"
"NO!" she shouted, interrupting the visibly annoyed Light, "I'm not! I'm not silly, or stupid, or air headed-and I'm tired of acting like it! I'm tired of pretending to be something you want! I try so hard, all the time, just to please you! I try to make you smile, or laugh, or show some kind of emotion, but I can't! I can never feel good enough for you! You never pay attention to me anymore, you always act so cold-like we're business partners or something!"
A dangerous look flashed over Light's face at the sentence, "Misa, stop. Think about what you're saying" he said menacingly, something dark hidden under the tone of his words.
"I have thought about it!" she insisted before continuing in a much more subdued, broken voice, "You don't love me, Light" A long silence grew between them and hung in the weighted air as Misa evidently waited for a protest from Light, which never came.
She let out a short, bitter laugh. "I thought so" Misa said quietly, lifting a hand in an attempt to wipe the tearstains from her now dry cheeks. "The thing is, I knew it. It always felt like I was trying too much, doing the work to keep the two of us together and getting nothing from you in return. You can act however you want, Light, but you're really a cold person. It's hard to love someone like that, and I think I'm done trying"
"Misa, I-" Light began, his voice more gentle now in hopes of soothing her, but he was quickly cut off regardless.
"Let me finish, please." she said, "They're right when they say I deserve someone better. I didn't want to see you how everyone else seems to, because you were perfect to me, but I understand now. While you may have done something nice for me once, it was just a coincidence, wasn't it?" she asked, remembering how her love for Kira-and Light by conjunction-had stemmed from his attack on her family's murderer.
Again, Light said nothing in response.
With his silence, she could feel her heart breaking; which ultimately only strengthened her resolve. "What you said you wanted me to be, I'm not that person anymore. I'm not doing it anymore" Misa stated, referring to his request for her as his queen of the new world; ruling by his side. "Matsu can bring my things from the office"
Light stared at her, a complicated rush of emotions gathering on his face, "Misa, just to be clear, you understand what this means?" he asked slowly, as if trying to engrave the words into her. He knew, if she did this, Misa could become a fearsome enemy with her knowledge of the Death Note.
Misa gave him a slight smile, "Yes, but we're at a stalemate. You can't touch me, being that what I have in my possession also comes with the deal I made. Plus, what I have has a real owner and wasn't stolen, so I have the power of my owner." she said, pleasantly smiling at Light. Since Misa was the owner of Ryuk's true Death Note, and not the one that the shinigami had stolen, Misa was in charge of denouncing her hold of the notebook-therefore, Light couldn't make her forget what would be incriminating evidence against him, even if he tried. Not to mention, she still held the power of the shinigami eyes; a valuable asset, that without, would make Light's plans of a new world difficult.
Of course, Misa's words and true meaning were gibberish to both Eddy and Ed; Matt being the only one to furrow his brow at the arguing ex-couple as if trying to decode the cryptic messages. Somehow, Matt couldn't help but think the words shared between the two were somehow invaluable. After all, Misa had been suspected of being the second Kira-and as Matt had theorized before, it was very possible that Light had been manipulating her into being Kira2 with as much ease as he had manipulated their relationship.
"Which means what, exactly?" Light said with a smirk, continuing the battle between himself and his now very threatening ex-girlfriend. "I'm prepared to loose everything that's close to me, so that won't be a way to stop me, Misa. It's really a game of who can get to a pen first, isn't it?" Light asked.
Misa looked troubled by his words. "I… hadn't thought of it that way. Rem was willing to save me before, but I doubt that he would…" she trailed off, knowing full well Ryuk's preference to watch the human's antics detachedly-as he was doing now, perched on a piece of the Tokyo tower and cackling manically. Whereas Rem loved Misa enough to be her failsafe, Rem was now gone thanks to L's death, and Ryuk would not be so kind as to save the blonde.
"There is another way that you might manage to get out of this intact, and you know what that is" Light said.
"You mean, forget what I know" Misa said slowly, frowning at the realization. The only way Light was going to let her live, would be for her to denounce her Death Note and forget all of her important memories pertaining to Kira and the notebooks. Meaning all the valuable evidence she had witnessed would be lost, and Light would be free from persecution as Kira.
"Yes" Light answered stoically.
The silence that ensued was flooded with tension as Misa tried to think through the situation. I told him my true name when we first met. So if I walk away now… I'm dead. She thought with a grimace as she stared at the smug face of her once boyfriend, now tormentor. I know too much for him to let me live any other way. He wouldn't believe me even if I told him that I have no interest in turning him in. It wouldn't be worth it. He may be a bad boyfriend, but as Kira… How do I even feel about Kira now? If Light was just killing criminals at random, then my family's murderer was just happenstance. He isn't my savior. He's not who I thought he was…
Neither Misa nor Light looked at Ryuk as he landed between them on the Tokyo tower's tourist-accessible level. "This certainly is interesting" the shinigami said with a chuckle as the two continued to ignore his presence and stare at each other instead. "Misa, I'll tell you right now that I won't protect you. So make your decision"
Light smirked at the death god's words. "…Do you have something you want to tell me, Misa?" he asked.
"Misa Amane is my stage name" the blonde spoke slowly.
Light was momentarily floored before the anger welled up in his face, poorly hidden behind a stoic demeanor. "What?"
"I got the idea from the police report when my parents were killed" She said wistfully. "An officer said it was necessary to protect my identity, and suggested the name Misa because it could be written with the character 'help'. As for 'Amane', Maybe that's my last name, and maybe it isn't."
He stared at her as if trying to detect her lie. "And you assume I believe you?" Light asked.
Misa shrugged, working hard to appear indifferent. "Try it right now, in front of everyone" She urged, knowing full well that to do so would be as good as a confession.
Light slowly shook his head at her. "Maybe I have overlooked you Misa, but you know that I don't loose. You aren't as capable as I am" he said, tapping the side of his head to signify his formidable intellect.
"You're right" Misa said with distaste. "I wouldn't be able to get rid of my best friend as easily as you did"
The statement, while simple, sent Light's temper flaring as he angrily grit his teeth at her. "You can do whatever the hell you want, Misa, but if you value your life you'll keep your mouth shut" he said before turning on his heel and marching into the tower's stairwell.
His departure didn't give any of them relief, but it broke the spell of immobile gaping the rest of them had been trapped in during the course of the argument. "Why do I feel like him leaving you hasn't made you any safer?" Ed said, putting his arm around Misa.
"Because it hasn't" Misa said, her eyes welling up with tears in a mixture of anger and fear. "If anything, staying with him was safer than this"
"We need to keep her from panicking and get her somewhere safe so she can talk before Light starts his offensive" Matt said quietly to Eddy.
The seriousness of his words as well as his businesslike tone obviously startled her, and Eddy stared at him as if he was a stranger.
Sighing, Matt tried again, "Listen; we need to go. Now. You take Ed and go back to my apartment. Misa and I will get anything from her place that's important and meet you there. If we don't show up in an hour, call Mello and tell him everything. Take the keys, and here's the fair for the bus"
Numb with the information he bombarded her with, Eddy nodded numbly and accepted the keys and money he thrust into her hands. "But, what if Light's already at her place? If-"
He cut her off, "He won't be. If anything, it'll be one of his police lackeys. Especially if he's the new L like we thought." Matt supplied.
"But what if something happens?" Eddy asked nervously.
Matt mustered up the most re-assuring smile he could, lifting one of her hands to his lips before lightly kissing her knuckle. "Don't worry" he said, before turning to a still-pissed Ed trying to soothe a jittery Misa.
"Ed, Eddy's taking you back to my place" Matt stated. "Misa, you're coming with me. We'll get anything important from your place and then we'll meet them"
Misa's eyes immediately went wide, "Are you crazy? I can't go there now, Light will have someone waiting for me. I don't want to be away from Ed either" she said, clutching Ed's arm like a life vest.
"I'm not leaving her, Matt" Ed added stoically.
Matt gripped Ed's shoulder with one hand, "You have to trust me. Misa will be safer with me, and if anything that's incriminating or bearing Misa's real name is at her place; Light will get her" he stated.
Ed's temper was evidently still itching to start a fight, as he rather violently shoved Matt's hand off of himself. "Why the hell would she be safer with you?" he barked.
"Knock it off!" Eddy insisted, stepping between her brother and her boyfriend. "don't be stupid, the last thing we need to do now is fight. If you don't want to trust Matt, than take my word for it; he's Misa's best hope right now. You don't know Matt as well as I do, he's-"
Matt halted her words by gently placing a hand on her back. "This isn't the place to talk about that. Explain to him when you get home. We need to get moving" he said.
Eddy nodded resolutely at him before turning her attention to the blonde actress, "Alright, Misa, are you ready?"
She gulped before replying, "Yes" Misa answered, her voice cracking with nerves.
"You better take care of her" Ed stated, glaring at Matt as Eddy practically dragged him towards the elevator. The siblings quickly left the other two behind as Misa and Matt disappeared inside the stairwell and blended into the rest of the crowd leaving the Tokyo tower.
Each with their own thoughts to occupy themselves, it wasn't until they were safely on the bus bound for the apartment that Ed spoke up again. "What did you mean, Matt's her best hope right now?" He asked quietly.
Eddy carefully scanned the passengers of the bus as subtly as she could before she focused her attention on her brother. "He knows more about this than both of us. I don't want to say too much, I'll explain at the apartment" she said.
Her words only seemed to frustrate her brother more. "How can you be so calm about this? Light has the power of a badge behind him, he could be doing anything with them right now. You heard what he said to Misa-he threatened her fucking life, Sis" Ed said gravely.
A sudden jolt of panic ran through her, and Eddy let herself feel the entire weight of her helplessness with a shiver. "Of course I'm not fucking calm, you idiot!" she blurted out. "I'm just trying not to freak the fuck out because that would do absolutely nothing to fucking help!"
The shocked stares from the rest of the demure bus passengers caused Eddy to hurriedly look out the window in embarrassment at her outburst. Ed took a minute to recover before he spoke again, "Look, I'm sorry-You're right. I just… still kinda overwhelmed I guess…"
"…Yeah…" Eddy said quietly, the nervous thrumming of her heartbeat settling down slightly when her twin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
…
"Misa, do you know how to drive a stick shift?" Matt asked as the two of them rapidly made their way down the sidewalk.
The blonde seemed to hobble behind him at nearly half the pace, her high heels hindering her significantly. "Uh, sort of. I was in a show once where-"
"Good, here" Matt said, tossing her the keys after unlocking the car.
Misa tottered on her heels as she came to a stop beside the driver's door. "Well, I… don't know that well…" she stammered.
Matt was already sliding inside the passenger seat. "Just get in and go" he stated, and the blonde complied.
The mustang started easily, and Misa carefully worked her way into the busy Tokyo traffic. "Why can't you do this? It's a lot of pressure. I only drove a manual once on a TV set years ago…"
Matt ignored the nervous shock her words sent through him, he was not a person known to let anyone drive his car, let alone a Kira suspect with little-to-no experience. "I'm searching the internet right now for anything that could lead Light to your real name, and either jamming up the site or deleting the info. You're lucky the Japanese police department has such a shitty firewall. And you can thank me later" he stated, his fingers flying over the keyboard of the netbook he kept under the mustang's seat.
The blonde smiled to herself, despite of the fear still working through her body, "So, to my place, then?"
Yes, yes, an update after all this time. Believe it or not, this chapter actually had three different versions, that were rather hard to write, and this is just the one I liked the most. Thanks for the support, dear readers, and stay tuned. -Luv, Cart