Disclaimer- I don't own Death Note.

A/N- ………I'm so sorry. I think it's been 7 months? (More maybe?) I hope you don't think I gave up or something! …. (Because for a while I thought I gave up too.)

Chapter 20-"…In the Heart."

…Ryuzaki?

Haruka's heart felt as heavy as a block of iron as she looked from Ryuzaki to Light. From where she was positioned, between the rough branches of the trees and Light's warm back she could plainly see the look on Ryuzaki's face as he finally spotted Haruka and Light together. Nothing in Haruka's mind, nothing at all would convince her otherwise that the sudden feeling that Ryuzaki was going through where but those of utter disappointment. She could plainly see it written on his glowing face. In front of her, she suddenly felt Light's body tightened with rigid sternness.

"Ryu…" she mumbled but Light swiftly threw his hand upward in a signal for silence. Now that her attention had refocused on Light, she could see his whole body quiver against the ground, with his fists clenched together tightly. Haruka tugged at his sleeve gently, "Light…' but before she was allowed to let out the rest, Light had already sprang up to his feet, steadied himself and began to walk to Ryuzaki in a menacingly brisk pace.

"Light, wait!" Haruka said as she followed suit, her already palpitating heart racing in a dangerously fast speed. The ground was rough and wet on her cold palms as she used them rapidly to steady herself as she sprang up after Light. She didn't even stop and bother to wipe of the black green mud that stuck to them as she struggled to call out to Light.

"Light!"

Ryuzaki looked at both Light and Haruka passively as he saw them both approach him, and he didn't move an inch as Light made an abrupt stop about two inches from his face.

"You should leave Ryuzaki." Light muttered menacingly, a dark aura forming in-between their rigid bodies.

L blinked slowly but he nonetheless stood his ground firmly.

"Or what?" The soft tone he used as he gently spoke those words made Haruka shiver in surprise. Hidden in them was a distant but clear promise of threat.

Light grinded his teeth but did no movement toward Ryuzaki, though Haruka could see plainly that it was difficult to restrain himself as she noticed how violently his fist was shaking next to him.

Moments of intense but awkward silence passed between the three, more intense where those of the two young men while Haruka's was that of slight and unexpected dread.

"I believe you're smart enough…….I know you are smart enough… to realize that I don't want you near Haruka again." Light's face contorted to a decisive expression while Ryuzaki's stood motionless and passive. Haruka glanced at Light and back at Ryuzaki, and feeling like she should say something at this point, made to open her mouth but Light did another hasty motion for her to keep quiet.

"I don't want to say it more than once." Light said but this time a smile edged on his lips.

Ignoring Light's warning, Haruka cried "That's enough, Light! Don't speak to him that way!" As she said this, she tugged on his arm roughly forcing Light to turn his angry gaze down onto her frightened one.

Up to that moment, Haruka had been boldly fighting a vicious battle with her consciousness as her happiness for finally being able to work things out with Light evaporated into supreme guilt for having dragged Ryuzaki into this. After all she was the one that had persistently begged Ryuzaki for his help, even far to go beyond his opposition. And now he was pushed roughly up to a wall that happened to be a dead end, a dead end that crumbled the friendship she wanted the three of them to be able to share. The best thing for her to do was to explain everything that had just happened up to that point and probably to apologize to him but the right words where difficult to form in her mind. Her head was spinning and she felt herself crack under the pressure that both their stares where giving her. In the end, for now maybe the best thing was for…

"Ryuzaki, I think maybe you should lea…." she began to say, but she couldn't even hear her own words as they all heard a screech that came towards them from the sky. Haruka looked up, her heart beating fast, Light stiffening next to her.

"Oh, what was that?!" Haruka said as she looked around her anxiously. Subconsciously her hand had flown up to her chest, lying against her heart. Light continued to stay frozen in place, while Ryuzaki gazed around with his penetrating black eyes.

Everyone tried to listen intently but after that first shocking shriek all that could be heard around them was absolute silence. The surrounding flowers whistled against the trees and the grass rustled beneath them, nothing more.

"That was…." Ryuzaki looked startled and Haruka suddenly felt surprised at seeing this sudden look of concern sweep through Ryuzaki's smooth features. In contrast to all the expressions that Ryuzaki's has ever given her this one made her stomach knot with unease.

"Ryuzaki? Are you okay?" Haruka whispered as she approached Ryuzaki worriedly but Light restrained her softly with his arm,

"You should leave." Light addressed Ryuzaki again but this time his voice not as clam as before. Haruka looked desperately from Ryuzaki to Light but Light's stern gaze would not look at her but instead was firmly set on Ryuzaki whose eyes, in turn, never averted from him.

"Then I leave, but not because you demand it. But of my own free will." Ryuzaki said a silent but intimidating edge in his voice. Light stood unfazed and wrapped his arm around Haruka's waist pulling her body close to his defensively. Haruka struggled slightly under his grip and looked exasperatedly at Ryuzaki. She didn't want him to think that she too wanted him gone, but instead of giving her any reproachful look he looked at her passively.

"Haruka, you really are…..disappointing."

Haruka's heart dropped as she finally managed to free herself from Light's embrace.

"Wait…Ryuzaki." But Ryuzaki did not look back as he turned around and started to walk away.

"Ryuzaki!" she cried out but Light took her swiftly in his arms and muttered, "Forget him."

"But, Light." Haruka held her hand over her face and felt several strands of hair land in between her shaking fingers. "Ryuzaki…he's a treasured friend, you should have tried to stop yourself from speaking to him like that."

Light paced around her like a wolf stuck in a cage, his eyes shining with a strange gleam.

"I don't like him."

"It doesn't matter if you don't like him Light" Haruka whispered as he wearily saw the figures of people around them swirling against the dim light as they continued to fervently enjoy the smells and delights of the flowers around them.

"Haruka…I'm just glad…that…." He paused, shrugging his shoulders as Haruka turned to meet his gaze.

"Glad that what?"

"Glad that we're talking again. I mean not to say that I was jealous or anything but seeing you with that Ryuzaki guy…I." Light tentatively smiled at her and raised his shoulders questionably.

Haruka couldn't help but smile as she crossed her arms and sighed.

"What was that just earlier?" She said as she suddenly came back to what had happened only several moments before. Light paused suddenly and stood quiet. Haruka looked over to him and raised an eyebrow questionably even though she saw Light's face as calm as it had been a second ago.

"Maybe there was a mouse or something." Light said as he waved his hand dismissively. Haruka looked away from him and down at her shoes, her eyes following the flow of her dress around her bare ankles as the wind rattled against them.

"Its getting cold…I think I want to go home." She muttered to herself but loud enough so that even Light would be able to hear her. She didn't hear Light mutter a word in protest and she heard him only slightly shuffle around her.

"If you want. It's been a long night. I think I want to go home too." Light sighed softly next to her but she didn't look up just felt Light wrap his arms around her shyly.

"This would have been a perfect night if we had come together from the beginning don't you think?" Light said as he hugged her from behind and they swayed to the rhythm of the ongoing music only a short distance from them.

"I suppose." Haruka said looking up, a frown forming on her tired face.

It only took them roughly 30 minutes to walk to Haruka's house. The light's where still on, and from a distance they could both see her dad sitting on the porch, an impatient and solemn look on his face. Haruka made a motion to hide behind Light as they both tentatively approached the house. Haruka's house never seemed so menacing to them as tonight. Her dad was probably still upset for Haruka's bold lying attempts but for some reason she was assured that once he spotted Light she would be either forgiven or seriously scolded at. Either way no matter how slow they walked her house only enlarged in the distance and since it was such a short distance from where they stood they might as well swallow their fears and face him.

Haruka's dad didn't smile as they stood in front of him, prisoners to be finally judged in the cold and awful room of a courthouse. He actually stood silent for a few dreadful minutes until he finally decided to say something.

"Light….Haruka."

Light waved a hand in salute and rubbed the back of his head slowly.

Haruka looked down rapidly and tried to avoid her father's look. She wasn't scared as much as she was embarrassed. She could just hear her father already saying those 4 mocking words…

"I told you so."

But only silence greeted them and that silence was what was driving both Haruka and Light crazy. At least it was certainly driving Haruka crazy, because as she tried to glance at Light from the corner of her eye she wasn't so sure. He looked calm except for a small trickle of sweat she made out from where she stood.

"Light…Haruka." Her dad said again…but this time slower and without any indication of threat. Haruka's shoulders softened and she saw Light let out a sigh.

"I don't know what I can say….but… that...you two kids really really confuse me."

Light and Haruka remained silent.

"I mean one day…sure your all happy and planning to go on date to who knows where and then the next day I hear Haruka talking about forks and then the next next day Haruka won't speak to you and then you come back arm in arm like two newly weds only that you two aren't really smiling all that much. Will someone explain to me why, when, and how all this happened? And what about that Ryuzaki fella? Huh where is he?" Haruka and Light exchanged awkward glances.

Haruka's dad sighed and muttered something that neither of them could catch.

"Never mind." Light and Haruka looked up at him in surprise. He lifted a single hand and looked at them resigned. "You kids obviously know what you guys are doing and whatever I say probably won't be making any difference. Just don't think I'm mad at ya because I'm not…just really confused."

Haruka bowed her head and Light smiled despite himself.

"I'm glad you guys finally fixed whatever needed to be fixed, I'm really glad. I couldn't really stand seeing Haruka looking so depressed all the time. Especially with all the Kira stuff going on and all." He paused as he said that but quietly dismissed the comment with his hand again .

"There's food inside if you didn't get to eat anything while you where over at that festival thing." He placed his hands on his shoulders and shook his head.

"To tell you the truth I never ever really did like those festivals, big waste of money and time."

With that he went inside and left the blue door slightly open as an invitation, which meant that they could go inside whenever they felt like it.

Haruka let out a huge breath of relief out and looked at Light who had a cocky smile plastered on his face.

"Dad was pretty exhausted about this huh?" she said smiling slightly beside herself.

Light nodded and looked at the door, then at Haruka and motioned for her to go inside. They climbed the small flight of steps together and they stopped as they reached the door.

"Hey Haruka….I'm sorry for everything." Light said as she started to go into the door. She hesitated and looked up at him.

"Okay." She managed with a small smile.

"I'm also sorry for your Ryuzaki friend….I mean I wasn't thinking very straight was I."

"I don't know you seemed a bit on edge." Haruka said as a small breeze blew in between them.

Light laughed…"I'm just relieved….Haruka, I know everything seems awkward right now but we'll work things out, okay?"

Haruka smiled and nodded, "Can I call you tomorrow."

Light smirked…. "If you want."

They both burst out laughing, to see if they could lighten the mood and they smiled for several moments before Haruka said, "Well I got to go."

Light nodded again and ran a hand through his short brown hair. "Um….for some reason I still feel like there's more to say."

Haruka looked around… "Like what?"

Light smiled… "I don't know, you tell me…."

Haruka sighed but smiled otherwise, walking to the door and placing her hand gingerly on the doorframe,
"Good night…Light."

"Good night…Haruka"

She could still see Light's face as she closed the door. Once she did the house was completely in the dark, the only think she could see was her hands from the small sliver of moonlight that shown form the small window on her door. She stood there a moment, her back to the wooden frame and she let out a big sigh as she slipped off her shoes. She looked slightly sideways, her nails clawing into the helm of her dress. Haruka couldn't really see through the door's window but she had a feeling that Light was already gone.

Now that she was alone… did everything seem stupid….

Light…..

And Ryuzaki….

I'm sorry….

She closed her eyes and looked away sharply….clutching her heart slightly

"Why do I have a feeling nothings going to be the same anymore…."

_________________________________________________________________________________

Raye….

What didn't you tell me that….you where getting involved in all this…

You never ever told me anything…

How was I supposed to do anything?

And now you're dead

Naomi was leaning on the railing of a dark and lonely bridge nearby, the commotion of the festivities far away from her….her mind wandering to random thoughts and sad memories. She wasn't afraid of showing how she really felt, so she let the hot tears spill freely from her worn out face. She left Raye's body in the garden….waiting to see if someone else found it….similar to how she did…back at the garden….

Maybe she should have stayed there with his body…..but it was boo late to go back…and she didn't want to handle the stress of everyone peering down at her and Raye and the commotion of the police and the thoughts of distressed people giving her looks of pity.

She'd rather calm herself down before she went back….to have everything sink in for a moment…..

At least until she stopped crying enough so she could breathe….

Looking out in that distant violet horizon that stretched out endlessly in front of her she couldn't understand anything that had been going through Raye's mind as he died….

Did he figure out who…..who Kira was?

Because certainly Kira killed him….there was no reason that could dissuade her from that suspicion….

And she would find him too…and bring at least a little justice to the fact that Raye was gone ,trying to bring that same justice to the world.

"I want someone to explain to me every stupid detail that happened in that god forsaken festival right at this instant!" L thundered as he barged into the dimly lit hotel room, pushing the doors with so much force they clashed with the dark walls surrounding them. Though the sound was earsplitting everyone that stood in the room didn't move so much as an inch. As L stood analyzing frantically every single expression in their faces, his hands shook with unknown rage and emotion, feelings which felt foreign and unexpected to him.

"Well?" he muttered, glaring expectedly at his team. They all stood silent, their faces passive and unreadable. L tensed but then relaxed after a moment, standing up straighter and looking at everyone directly in the eye. At that moment Thirteen ventured to speak,

"Raye's dead."

L turned his head slowly to face Thirteen. Thirteen froze and looked away from L, fidgeting slightly with his fingers as he spoke, "At the time it happened, we where trying to locate where Light was. Out of our carelessness, we did not spot him until after Raye was killed. Light was with Haruka…when we finally saw him again." Thirteen turned to face L.

"Weren't you with Haruka?" he said his voice not rising above one of a whisper.

Everyone's eyes turned to L.

L continued to remain silent while everyone's eyes penetrated his body.

"Well, L? Weren't you!?" Thirteen exclaimed this time his voice rising above his pervious whisper. L looked at his team members as they all gave him curious looks.

"Yes….yes I was."

"Was there ever a time when you left Haruka's side even for a moment?" someone else said, making everyone turn to hi m but then back to L waiting for his response.

L looked over at Watari and saw that he was the only one looking away.

"It was only for a moment." He finally said.

Everyone in the room finally looked away. Thirteen was shaking violently where he stood, his fist balled up in anger. He glared intensely at L and opened his mouth to say something but closed it after a moment of hesitation. Without another word he turned his heel and opened the door, looking back at L again and closed it with a bang.

The whole room was now full of whispers and L took a seat in one the chairs nearest to him. He didn't even know what to think about at that point. As he saw it, Light could have killed Raye while Haruka and him where together or Raye could have died while Light was with Haruka… L had no way of knowing at what time Light had finally reached Haruka and if it was around the time that Raye died.

…..he shouldn't have left Haruka in the first place……

That stupid girl…..he thought besides himself. She was so upset over such a trifling thing…why are all women like is?! Always preoccupying themselves with these sorts of matters…..

But I left, to try and cheer her up…why did I? This is unbelievable…I can't even look at my team in the eye…this is all my fault.

L closed his eyes wearingly and rubbed his forehead. There could still be a way to fix this though….there was always a way if you think it through well enough.

A hand gently placed itself on his shoulder, "Everyone makes mistakes right?"
L looked up at Watari's face, "it wasn't a mistake….it was….." L immediately looked away, angry at himself.

"I….Raye…." he whispered into his palms.

"Raye's job is done…the least you could do is try and catch Kira now."

L paused briefly then nodded.

"And I will."

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The night was slowly lifting away, the black blanket that was the brilliance of the stars was slowly receding into a mix of low oranges and blues that signaled the approaching of dawn.

Light lay on his bed, idly smoothing the creases of his blankets with the palm of his hand. Beneath his exterior of sleep he was smiling.

And only with the slowly approaching light could you see it.

Okay. It's not like I gave up. No really. I just felt like this story was so lame I couldn't take it anymore. Maybe I'm just losing interest? Maybe…but I don't like not finishing something…even if it is bad. I also feel like my writing has gone downhill…. I felt like last chapter was awful, and I couldn't come up with a good enough reason to explain why Light was with Shiroi. "Project?" How awfully lame. Please…disregard that. And think of a better reason in your heads.

----Anyways. I probably don't have the right to ask you to review, since I made you wait….along time…

But I would like some constructive criticism on both the story and anything that you find wrong. I would like to use that as a foundation to improve my writing.

Thank you. Dagger94.