Hey, another chapter =] I had a hard time writing this so hopefully it's not too awful. There probably won't be another update till next week because I'm visiting home at the weekend, unless I get bored in which case I'll work on the next chapter. I can honestly say I didn't expect this to turn out quite so long, oh well its fun to write. Thanks for reading!

I don't own Deathnote.

Chapter 21

L waited till he heard Jenny and Watari's footsteps die down before he turned around and returned to his laptop. He had decided that the best thing for himself was to return to the Kira case as a distraction. Jenny had made her decision and was returning to her job, if he was honest he probably should have sent her home sooner but he was selfish and rather enjoyed Jenny's company.

Time seemed to drag as he waited for the return of the taskforce. When they finally did return an hour later he immediately threw himself into work. Mogi had bought along some files from the NPA that L wanted to look through. Aizawa was flicking through the news channels and browsing news websites for any new Kira deaths. L immersed himself in the surveillance videos; more specifically Light or rather Kira. He spent the remainder of the day staring at the screen straining his eyes, needless to say not once did Light do something interesting.

When Watari returned mid-afternoon he looked at his young friend and sighed, L was coping with Jenny's departure the only way he knew how, by concentrating on a case. L's had become more detached than his usual self. Watari was the only one to pick this up, neither Mogi nor Aizawa had. To try and cheer L up Watari had bought back the sickliest looking strawberry cheesecake he could find in the bakery he so often visited but it seemed not even that would cheer the detective up.

That night as the taskforce left Watari stayed up with L, "Ryuzaki how about a game of chess?" he suggested.

"Hmm not tonight Watari," L replied without looking away from the screen leaving Watari to pick up a discarded newspaper. L kept glancing at the clock in the corner of his screen; Jenny would be in the air still. He was impatient for her to land so that he could call her. "Watari please you do not need to stay up on my behalf, I assure that I am perfectly fine," L pointed out even though it was a lie but if there was thing L was good at it was lying.

"It is no bother to me," Watari answered.

"You are no use if you're exhausted," L responded.

"L," Watari dropped the alias and said somewhat firmly; "I'm staying." L didn't argue back but neither did he enter into any further conversation.

Watari spent most of the night dozing in an arm chair, his head resting on his chest and glasses on the end of his nose, L turned around as Watari let out a small snore, why hadn't the old man gone to bed as L had suggested? Jenny would be amused by the sleeping Watari, L thought about waking him but decided not to. Instead he stood up and wondered into Jenny's room. It seemed bare and empty; the whole hotel suit was bare and empty. With a heavy sigh L closed the door again and headed for the kitchenette. Tea would clear his mind.

Five in the morning arrived, L was hunched over his laptop and Watari was making yet more tea. "Watari, the phone is not connecting," L had been trying to contact Jenny for the past few minutes, he knew that she would have landed and be in the car on her way home.

"Have you tried her mobile, I will see what the problem is," Watari opened his laptop to check on the phone's status.

"Yes and she is not answering that," L didn't say that he was worried his tone of voice said it all.

"I'm sure there is a perfect enough reason," Watari reasoned.

"Hmm," L replied, he would try again in fifteen minutes knowing Jenny she had probably forgotten to switch on the phone that he had given her or she had fallen asleep in the car.

Two hours later and L still hadn't reached Jenny so asked Watari for her home number; she should by his calculations have arrived home. Watari connected the call to L's mobile and he listened to the ringing, he was flooded by relief as Jenny picked up although this faded quickly as he heard a thud from her end of the line, "hello?"

"Aaare you alright?" L didn't hide his worry.

"I fell over the back of the chair as I reached for the phone," L rolled his eyes, Jenny really was too clumsy for her own good. Maybe it wasn't Kira she should be worried about.

"You have not switched on the phone," he chose not to comment on her clumsiness, he had a point to make.

"Oh sorry, I was just so caught up in getting here and I'm tired," L understood but at the same time with Kira breathing down his neck he was becoming paranoid, especially when it came to all matters Jenny.

Over the next few days L sunk into a sort of depression, he would just sit and stare at the surveillance screens asking Light over and over again if he was Kira. It was starting to drive the taskforce and Watari insane. They all knew why L wasn't his normal stoic self but none dared to broach that particular topic. Watari had hoped that he would snap out of it in a day or two, what he needed was a development in the Kira case something that would once again focus his thoughts.

On day of three of the Chief, Light and Misa's imprisonment L confirmed that there had been no new deaths as a result of Kira, here was the distraction that Watari had hoped for. L concentrated all his focus on Light; it may just be coincidence that the killings had stopped. He expected the killings to continue, if the killings continue to cease then L could say the Light was Kira. Although with that posed a whole new set problems. Did Light know that he was Kira? Or was he thinking that even if he really is Kira, then if he acts like he wasn't aware of it then it'll be fine? These questions had plagued L's mind incessantly and would continue to do so for some time.

On the seventh day of the imprisonment L was struck with confusion, one moment Light was babbling on about his pride and the next, if he didn't know any better, he would say he was confused. Something was going on and L would try to find out what. As Watari had hoped L had now snapped out of his funk and was now very much in control again, he just wished he could say the same about Jenny he had come to the conclusion that Jenny wasn't happy.

L had been having the same thoughts as Watari on the subject matter of Jenny so that morning he decided to voice his worry to Watari. L had wondered if Jenny was not enjoying her job as much because she never mentioned it when she spoke and her cheery disposition hinted of falsities. L wanted to call her on it but knew that she would deny it so he delegated the job out to Watari.

When Watari spoke to Jenny he updated her on the Kira case but then steered the conversation in a different direction, as per L's request "I'm surrounded by the case all day long tell me about your work?"

Jenny was multitasking she was trying to pry off the lid of a tub of ice-cream with a spoon as she held the phone to her ear. Normally Jenny was pretty good at this but she was on her guard. Under no circumstances could Watari or L know that she was having a tough time settling in. Granted she had only been back a week and it would take time to settle back to normal life but despite this Jenny wasn't going to admit it. If she did she would be a failure or so she thought. This had been her decision and she was determined to follow through with it. "Work is okay," Jenny answered the elderly man. It turned out that returning to work was challenging, she had lie to her handful of colleagues about her whereabouts, the excuse was an archaeological dig abroad. Under no circumstances could they know that she had been with L.

"Just okay?" Watari pressed for more information.

"It's as it was before I left, I'm up to my arms in samples," Jenny hoped her elaboration would satisfy Watari.

"Watari," Jenny said exasperatedly, "Why do they make ice cream difficult to open?" She dropped the spoon onto the counter with force.

Watari chuckled, "it seems you have been around Ryuzaki for too long."

Jenny felt her sadness return, she had forgotten it as she had wrestled with the ice-cream and chatted with Watari. She had completely forgotten the reason for wanting ice-cream in the first place. "How is he, truthfully?" she asked as she always did.

"He is faring better than you are, I dare say," Watari decided on a different approach for getting Jenny to be honest with him.

Aware of what he was trying to do Jenny got defensive, "I'm fairing perfectly fine thank you. My only issue is with the ice-cream," her defence ended with deflection. She hadn't meant to sound so cold towards Watari but she just couldn't help herself.

When Watari rung off Jenny felt exhausted L had clearly assigned him a mission. Did L not think she could cope? 'Stupid L,' she muttered to herself, L was of course right but it would take a while before she would admit it. Jenny blinked back tears which over the last week had been making a regular appearance and returned her attention to the ice-cream.

As the minutes passed the ice-cream began to melt and water trickled down the side of the tub making the job twice as difficult. "Oh come on!" Jenny shouted at the container, "Why won't you open? Oh god I'm talking to myself," she had to laugh, the whole situation was ridiculous. Her laughter didn't last long it soon turned into tears.

Was she really that desperate for ice-cream? Yes, although what she was really desperate for was to return to Japan.

Eventually Jenny got the lid off and shoved a large spoon of the cookie dough ice-cream into her mouth. Not bothering to return to the living room she sat at the kitchen table and concentrated on eating the ice-cream instead of crying.

Having finished the whole tub Jenny felt very ill, at the time it had seemed like a good idea but now she felt twice as bad as she did before getting it out of the freezer. Jenny could now add ice-cream to the list of things that didn't help. Already on that list were chocolate digestives, blueberry tea, chocolate and Banoffee pie. "If I get fat its L's fault," Jenny said to no one as she ditched the empty tub, best to hide the evidence although who from she didn't know.

That night Jenny went to bed early ready to start the next working week. As she laid in bed she contemplated throwing a sickie and staying at home. She really didn't want to go to work but she would go and keep herself busy. Having guilty caught sight of the empty ice-cream tub in the bin she decided to stop stuffing herself full of unhealthy foods and instead keep herself busy.

For the next week Jenny succeeded in keeping herself busy, she redecorated her living room. If she couldn't see the finished headquarters she would at least revamp her home a bit. Her kitchen cupboards had been emptied and rearranged and her winter clothes packed away at the back of her wardrobe. Having worked her week away buried knee deep in mud during the day and pottering about her cottage at night she found that the weekend was once again upon her. That would be two weeks without her detective lover. Jenny felt this was an achievement so she celebrated by making a cheesecake which turned out to a bad idea. It ended with Jenny crying herself to sleep and the cheesecake sitting forgotten on the kitchen work top.

What annoyed Jenny the most was how much she had come to rely on L, she had gone from being alone and happy to be with someone and happy. Something like that wasn't easy to give up. If she returned to Japan and quit her job she would feel like a quitter and if there was thing Jenny do it was quit and admit defeat.

Over in Japan things hadn't changed. L's three prisoners were still locked away, Aizawa, Mogi and Matsuda were taking it turns to run the phones in the station and assist L in whichever hotel he was in this week, Watari was doing everything he normally did and L himself was behaving in a perfectly normal manner. "Watari is there any more of that gateau?" he asked the father-like figure.

"No that was the last of it, I will pick up some more next time I go out," Watari replied. Both Matsuda and Aizawa exchanged a glance, they had seen the gateaux it was a particularly sickly looking one. In the last two weeks L had doubled his sugar and caffeine intake so that he could stay awake and work. If he was working he wasn't thinking of Jenny or at least that's what he told himself.

No matter how hard L tried Jenny seemed to creep her way into his thoughts. He didn't admit this to anyone but instead allowed his mind to wonder. It was a very unlike L thing to do.

On the fifteenth day of the confinement two weeks' worth of criminals died in one day signalling the return of Kira not that L told Light this. He let the chief know but didn't inform his two Kira suspects. For the following two weeks things continued much as they had before, deaths were still happening and Light and Misa were still oblivious to them. The chief was fairing worse and worse with each passing day.

Having been apart for a month both Jenny and L had adjusted although in very different ways. Kira had started killing again which kept L busy with the case. He had been so sure that Light was Kira and was beginning to entertain the idea that Light had passed on his Kira knowledge to someone else. Jenny on the other hand wasn't adapting very well. She overworked herself to occupy herself but it was proving to be a very inefficient thing to do. It left her tired but unable to sleep so she would lie awake for hours on end and wait for morning when she would have to get up and do it all over again. Jenny wasn't enjoying her work not even being out in the field was appealing anymore and she usually loved the great outdoors.

As time passed by she felt more and more inclined to throw in the towel and hop on the first flight to Tokyo. There were only two things stopping her. One was the feeling of failure if she handed in her notice and the other was L who had probably decided that he liked having Jenny safe and sound in her own home than at the heart of the Kira investigation. If she tried to leave the country she had a feeling that immigration would stop her, L would no doubt find a way to prevent her from leaving the country. Jenny just prayed that L hadn't done this although she wouldn't put it past him.

It was the fourth Sunday since she had left Japan and Jenny had been doing her washing. She had her clothes ironed and into neat piles on her bed ready to put away but the more she stared the pile the more she thought that getting her suitcase out would be a good idea and the more she felt like putting them into the suitcase was a bright idea. An hour later with all her belongings packed it still seemed like a good idea.

Jenny couldn't pin point the exact moment that she had decided to up sticks and return to Japan. It had been a gradual process as she began to entertain the idea of thinking about the best way to get the airport whether a taxi or by train, maybe even a coach to deciding whether she would buy L a cheesecake or blueberry muffins, maybe even glazed donuts when she arrived. Having heaved her suitcase down the narrow stairs Jenny packed away her laptop and a bad as carry-on luggage. When she paused to catch her breath she looked down on her belongings all neatly packed away and realised that she was about to do something very out of character. She was throwing caution to the wind and getting on a plane to Japan. Not once did she think twice about calling her boss to hand in her notice effective immediately and not once did she consider telling L that she was coming. She would let him figure it out for himself.

Having taken a taxi to the train station she then caught a train to Heathrow, although it would mean changing three times. The result would be worth it though. With June coming to a close and July just around the corner she hoped and prayed as she lugged her luggage across the airport terminal that the next flight wouldn't be fully booked.

Jenny was able to get on the first flight to Tokyo and was grateful that L phoned at his usual time so she wouldn't have to call him, which would make him very suspicious. "Good evening Ryuzaki," she greeted in her usual manner.

"Good Evening Jenny, I trust that you are well?" came the reply.

"Yep," Jenny had to fight a smile that threatened, "I've been busy all day."

"Hmm," L replied something was off but he could not tell what, "is this a bad time for me to call, it sounds as if you are out."

Jenny momentarily panicked; L was on to her, "yeah just picking a few bits from the bakery." That wasn't a total lie, she would be picking some bits up from the bakery, just it wouldn't be an English one.

"That sounds very appetising, I will have to send Watari out," L mused.

Jenny was careful not to give anything away as she spoke to L, she said everything with total calm and managed to keep her excitement from her voice or so she thought. Really she should have known better L was not a detective for nothing. As the plane taxied onto the runway Jenny came to the decision that she would buy some glazed donuts to give to L. If he guessed that she was on her way it would be a reward if not well she hoped it would prevent him from being annoyed at her.

L listened to Jenny as she rambled on; something was different about this call. Something was different about Jenny. For a start there was too much background noise in the call, she was obviously in a public place, that was the first alarm bell to L. Jenny never went to anywhere outside of work or the shops in the local village and seeing as it was past six at night the shops were shut. The second alarm bell was the sound of a loud voice in the background. It took several seconds for it all to sink in. Jenny's cheerfulness and the background noise meant one thing. L closed his eyes in frustration, she was at the airport. He mentally kicked himself for he should have seen this coming.

"Watari?" L pushed the button connecting his microphone to the computer.

"Yes Ryuzaki," said the synthetic voice. L was perfectly aware that it was the early hours of the morning but that didn't matter, Watari would take the call.

"You need to go the airport and pick someone up," L declared.

"May I inquire who?" Watari asked curiously.

"I believe Jitsumi is having a moment of madness," L used her alias over the line, he could never be too careful.

Watari chuckled, "you are quite sure?"

"Yes she was in the airport when I called although she did not admit to it," L glanced around the room as he waited for Watari's reply and took note of the state of the room. With Jenny gone the taskforce had only become messier, even L had a stack of papers and dirty plates by his computer that Jenny would usually remove. If she was indeed on her way to Japan he would have to tidy the room up. It seemed that both Jenny and L were experiencing behaviour so far out of their usual norm.

L didn't actually tidy, he took his dishes to the side in the kitchenette only to return with a plate of cookies and a cup of tea. As for the paper that got dropped into a box by the table. The room didn't appear any cleaner but L felt he had made an effort.

Watari checked the flight times for arrivals from the UK and made arrangements for the day so that he could pick Jenny up. He was surprised that she hadn't contacted him to find out where L was staying; maybe she had just assumed L would know what she was doing. Watari wasn't complaining that Jenny was returning he had missed her company and knew that L had missed her he just wished that L wouldn't be too hard on her when she returned.

Jenny collected her luggage and headed through arrivals. Her first plan of action was to look around for Watari; if he wasn't there then she would get a taxi to a hotel and decide what her next move would be. She would have to call L or perhaps just Watari he would help her out. As luck would have it Watari was stood in arrival wearing his trench coat with a welcoming smile upon his face. Jenny's face immediately broke out into a guilty smile. "This is a surprise J," he greeted.

Jenny laughed nervously, she felt as if she was being told off only this time instead of accidently knocking over an ornament she had taken off after the world's greatest detective who pursuing his most dangerous foe to date. "I'm sorry Watari, I seemed like a good idea at the time…" she trailed off and scratched the back of her head.

"It is quite alright, I believe Ryuzaki is looking forward to seeing you again," Watari took her suitcase and led her out to the car.

"Hey Watari?" Jenny called from the back seat of the expensive classic car, "Can we stop at a bakery. I told Ryuzaki that I was just nipping out the bakery when I spoke to him before leaving. Watari laughed before making a detour to L's favourite bakery.

Jenny clutched the box of donuts tightly as she walked into the hotel, she didn't want to trip and drop them. Watari opened the door and let a nervous Jenny walk in first. "Hello Jenny I see you went to the bakery," L greeted without any sort of expression on his face. Jenny grinned at the sight of the detective. He hadn't changed in the month she had been gone, he was still wearing the same white shirt and faded blue jeans with unbrushed hair. His feet were still bare and the bags under his eyes were still very much present. She flung her arms around him, nearly dropping the box of donuts that she was no gripping with one arm. Seeing the pair finally in each other's arms again Watari snuck out of the room and returned to his own.

L stepped back to stop himself toppling over, he didn't want to squash whatever was in the contents of the box Jenny had in her hands. "Sorry L," she muttered into his ear. L couldn't stop a small smile from appearing, not that Jenny saw, as her wrapped his arms around her.

"Show me what's in the box and I'll forgive you," L held her at arm's length. Jenny grinned impishly and lifted the lid of the box. L took a pink glazed donut and bit into it, he held it out for Jenny to take a bite. Jenny was glad to be back with L, she was back home. Home wasn't where she lived it was with the people she loved and they just so happened to be L and Watari. L took Jenny's hand guided her over to the sofa, the box of donuts in his other hand, "I believe we have some catching up to do," he decided.

As the pair tucked into the box of donuts Jenny explained that she hated being apart from L. Her home and hadn't felt like home and going to work became a chore. Now that Jenny was back with L she didn't feel like a quitter for deserting her life, in fact she felt the opposite. In her eyes she'd won and for the rest of the day she would enjoy the feeling before the Kira case once again set in and bought back reality.

Having listened to Jenny L waited for her to finish before suggesting that it was not the best of plans since Kira had begun to kill again. He used words that Jenny had heard many a time as she was growing up 'irresponsible' 'immature' and her personal favourite although it was more a statement than a word 'you read too many books it gives you romanticised ideas'. She didn't deny the last one; L had been right when he said she read too many books. Her whimsical idea to jet across the world was something the heroines would do.

After her telling off they settled into their old routine by starting a game of chess, "L, where are the task force?" Jenny asked having not noticed until then.

"I sent them home for a break as you always insist," L replied, "you may not believe it but your beginning to have an effect on me."

"I could say the same for you. All I've done for the past month is eat cake and ice-cream," Jenny countered.

"I can assure you that it is not noticeable," Jenny took L's compliment with a smile. Most normal people would have said 'you look nice today' not L he had a certain way of wording things that Jenny wouldn't swap for the world. She kissed him on the cheek before continuing with her move on the chess board. L reached up to his cheek momentarily distracted from the game. Jenny moved and hoped that he didn't see where to. Unlucky for her he had and inevitably ended up winning the game as he did every game.