Hello everyone! I know I said I wouldn't update until I finished my assignment, or something like that. Anyways, I've half finished it and I got bored so here's a new chapter. Thanks to those who have reviewed and everybody who'd reading this.

Deathnote= not owned

Chapter 26

Matsuda was prattling on about losing another taskforce member making the building seeming emptier and larger than before. As was tradition everyone ignored him, Light chose to discuss the case having found other suspicious deaths and a possible death that despite saying could occur it was almost inevitable.

Jenny spent the evening stewing in her room. She would pace backwards and forwards before collapsing onto the sofa where she would pick up her book, she wouldn't get beyond a paragraph before she would be pacing once again. It wasn't just L that was annoying her it was the whole case, everything. Not even Watari was in the good books and he usually was. Jenny had gone to see him a short while after storming off, although saying that he would have made the taskforce aware of the financial safety that would be provided for them he respected L's decision. Jenny left quietly, she didn't have the heart to slam the door on her way out of Watari's apartments, however, she did slam the door to her own. That night Jenny went to bed early and slept very little.

As Jenny hid away upstairs the remaining taskforce members had another breakthrough. Kira's killings were concentrated around the weekends. To L it didn't make any sense, this pattern had never surfaced before. For the briefest of moments he began to entertain the idea that Kira might not behind the deaths at all but on seconds thoughts decided that either Kira was a member of Yotsuba or he was being controlled by Yotsuba. Later that afternoon Mogi bought a stack of papers to Li, he placed them on the desk in front of L where L picked up the first sheet from the top of precariously balanced pile. It contained all the details of Yotsuba's three thousand employees; this would certainly keep them all busy for a while.

L made a tough decision as they browsed the employee records, they needed more hands but couldn't get anyone else from the police that had been made perfectly clear so instead he called on to criminals that he'd established a level of trust with, not that they'd ever seen his face. With the decision having been made Watari agreed to make the arrangements to contact Aiber and Wedy.

The following morning Jenny went downstairs to assist the taskforce as she always did. It didn't mean that L was forgiven that was far from the case but she had a job to do and a duty to perform. The taskforce were greeted first and then L however his greeting was very cold and professional. Jenny locked herself away in the conference room; she closed the blinds to hide from Misa and began to tackle the case files she'd been analysing the day before. If case files were out L was unlikely to tell Misa where Jenny was when she came looking for her which saved Jenny from an hour of talking girly nonsense and would instead incur L's suffering for an hour until Misa and Matsuda left for the film set that Misa was currently working on. For once Jenny had very little sympathy for L.

Jenny remained in the conference room all day right through until eight o'clock at night when her stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten anything all day except for a blueberry muffin. L and Light were the only ones working so Jenny made a swift exit for the elevator. Jenny slotted her key card into the reader and entered her apartment. On the table in the middle of the room was a large expensive looking bouquet of flowers. They were truly stunning. She picked up the card written on it was the word sorry. Jenny discarded the card, still annoyed at L but kept the flowers. L would have to work harder than a bunch of flowers to earn her forgiveness. Most of Jenny's evening was spent casting glances at the flowers over the top of her book, she really missed L even though she'd see him every day but it wasn't the same when he was handcuffed to a Kira suspect. Jenny was glad to be going to bed that night so she wouldn't have to look at the flowers until the morning.

The following morning Jenny was no longer angry at L she was just annoyed. Her thoughts went to Aizawa. Having put so much work and time into the case he was now discarded leaving behind a hole in the taskforce. Jenny took her breakfast with her as she went to speak with Watari. Watari sympathised with Jenny, he didn't think L was right in keeping the detail quiet. Having ranted to Watari Jenny felt a little bit better but she still wasn't quite ready to forgive L.

Jenny headed downstairs and sat in the conference room, the blinds still down. Mid-morning arrived, Matsuda poked his around the door, "Jitsumi, Ryuzaki requests your presence." With a heavy sigh Jenny went out into the control room.

"Aiber and Wedy, acquaintances who I trust and have used before, are coming to fill the void left by Aizawa," Jenny nodded as L explained. The rest of the meeting was spent making sure everyone was up to date on the case. Jenny was still cold towards L and made no acknowledgement of her beautiful flowers she expected more of an effort from him. Her mind began to wonder what he would come up with next.

The taskforce made no comment on Jenny's disagreement with L, silently the taskforce agreed that L should have told them from the start about financial security but at the same time they had accepted it was a test.

L had arranged with Watari to send some flowers, he didn't like to see Jenny upstairs but handcuffed to Light there was very little he could do. Hopefully Jenny would forgive him, the following morning after the flowers had been sent L soon discovered that Jenny had not forgiven him and instead kept herself holed away in the conference room. He had to admit that he was curious as to what she was doing. Watari informed him that she had old case files. L was certainly intrigued but when Jenny was so annoyed at him he knew better than to ask instead he would have to be patient and wait and see. This didn't agree with L, he liked to know what was going especially when he was so intrigued. By the end of the day L was desperate for some time alone with Jenny to explain, he didn't want to have his apology conversation in front of an audience.

That night Jenny was dragged by Misa into Misa's room to watch a film with sticky popcorn. Jenny was surprised to see Light and L enter. This must be one of Misa's dates; Jenny cursed herself for agreeing to come. She just thought it would be the two of them. Misa would throw all her attention on Light which would leave Jenny and L, and Jenny was currently not speaking to L unless he had to. The night quickly took a turn for a worse, at least if the film was on they wouldn't have to talk.

As soon as the film ended Jenny made her excuse and left, she didn't want to hang around and be forced to be civil to L by Misa. All evening she had avoided making eye contact with him and sat furthest from him, thankfully Misa was too concerned with Light to notice any difference in the pair's behaviour. Sometimes Jenny was grateful that Misa so absorbed in herself.

L watched Jenny all evening, he had no clue what was going on with the film and honestly he wasn't interested. Jenny looked so miserable with her knees bought up to her chest and head resting on her arms. She was more reserved than usual and it was his fault. L needed to explain but he couldn't, not in front of Light. The case had taken a positive turn and L was full of motivation but that didn't matter not when he'd hurt the one person that mattered most to him. Watari would probably scold him like a child for it but thankfully Watari was hidden away upstairs and wouldn't contacted him for such a matter when Light was present as he always was.

Feeling dejected L decided that Misa and Light had been with each other enough so he dragged Light back down to the control room to immerse himself in work except L didn't work. He only had one day till Aiber and Wedy arrived and by that point he needed the taskforce to be on top form and that meant all differences reconciled. Jenny was the only problem her stubbornness would make the task ten times harder than it would normally be.

L waited for Light to fall asleep at the computer, he had no sympathy for the Kira suspect. He still considered him as Kira which meant to L it didn't matter if Kira had an uncomfortable night's sleep. L, having checked that Light was asleep, hacked into the network of the headquarters to see if Jenny's personal laptop was switched on. It was. Feeling triumphant L launched the messaging feature that was installed. He had a feeling that Jenny had probably forgotten to switch the laptop off as she was apt to do therefore he wasn't optimistic that she would answer but it was worth a try nonetheless. J? L typed, he waited for a reply but there was none.

Over an hour later and nearly two in the morning a box popped up in the corner of his screen, he clicked it. Yes, Jenny had answered him. He was firstly concerned that she was still awake but decided not to ask.

L thought hard for a few minutes to construct the best way approach the situation; I want to explain my actions. Jenny didn't type anything so L typed some more, his spider-like fingers tapping away silently, it was in Aizawa's best interests to return his family, he would not be able to give the case 100%. Still Jenny didn't say anything, L would have liked to have left it at that but was niggled by a voice in the back of his mind that Jenny deserved more of an explanation. This case is my biggest challenge and Kira is my most dangerous opponent, I cannot afford to have those who do not wish to be here for the sole purpose of stopping Kira. It is a liability.

Jenny had been unable to sleep and instead found herself siting at her laptop where a box had appeared in the bottom right corner of the screen. She clicked it knowing it would be L; he had used the message service a few times before. Jenny decided to let L do all the work and remained quiet, she didn't anything constructive to say to him anyway and she was pretty sure that he was already aware of her feelings on the subject. Knowing that L was still chained to Light made it easier for her to stay mad at him. Jenny silently wondered if she was a liability. Normally she wouldn't have asked by considering her current annoyance at L she asked him.

L hadn't expected the reply he received, am I a liability? He had never considered Jenny a liability not when she was hidden away from the world but their relationship was certainly a liability. If Kira were discover it the he or she could Jenny against him. L would do anything for his stubborn bookworm. If Kira hurt Jenny he would stop at nothing till there was justice. That was the liability; so long as Kira was unaware of her then she was safe. Of course L wouldn't tell Jenny instead he lied and told her she was a great asset to the case. L wasn't one for heartfelt apologies filled with mindless words, he didn't even say sorry as he tried to patch things with Jenny. He didn't even get chance to say it. Jenny switched off her laptop off. L assumed she was still angry and didn't want to talk to him. He was startled when she appeared in the control room. Quietly L stood up and went as far as he could on the chain. The further from Light the better.

"I am a liability so don't lie," Jenny had walked over and stood a foot from him, her arms folded across her chest, "I'm not stupid."

"My apologies, I fear that if you consider yourself a liability then you will leave again," L whispered quietly.

"I can look after myself," Jenny countered. This was true to a certain extent; L refrained from pointing out that she couldn't fire a gun. Perhaps he would ask Wedy to show, it couldn't hurt for her to know.

"You do realise that you can't manipulate people," Jenny told him. L raised an eyebrow, Jenny sighed, "I mean that you shouldn't." she looked round L to Light who was out for the count.

"I assure you Light is asleep," L confirmed.

"Good. Thank you for the flowers," her tone lightened although she still stood hostility.

"I was prevented from seeking you out to apologise," L stated. Jenny glared at the chain on his wrist, "it is not a pleasant experience."

Jenny knew he was referring to the handcuffs, "but a necessary one," she finished for him.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"what you did to Aizawa was unfair, after the sacrifices he's made and even if he is better off," Jenny wanted to step closer to L but knew that if she did she would lose all resolve, stupid detective.

"I stand by my decision," L declared. Jenny didn't argue with him. This was his investigation after all.

"That's fine," she answered him coolly. It was frustrating to L, in the past they patched things up quicker.

"Am I forgiven?" L asked as he bought his right hand up to his index finger resting on his bottom lip.

"No," she looked away as she said this, "it'll take more than a few flowers and words or have you forgotten what you said to me. L you were cruel," their conversation was starting to rise above a whisper. L looked back at Light who appeared not to have stirred.

"It was a necessary," L repeated.

"I don't care. You told me I was forgetting my place. I wasn't. I was being human something you seem incapable of being," she whispered harshly, "you heard what Aizawa said. You show nothing, that cheesecake over there has a wider emotional range than you do." Jenny pointed to the half-eaten cheesecake on the table next to L's keyboard.

L opened his mouth but Jenny spoke over him, "if you say it was necessary one more time I'm leaving." L closed his mouth again thinking better of saying anything. Jenny didn't specify whether she was leaving him or just leaving the room. She was only leaving the room but decided that if he was going to worry she would let him. "you frustrate me, one minute I'm an equal the next I'm a pawn in your game, make your mind up," Jenny was glad that L couldn't step any closer without yanking Light off his chair and onto the floor. It gave her an advantage, if L could reach out and touch her she would forgive him completely.

Looking down at the chain L considered unfastening the handcuff for a few minutes so he could step closer to Jenny. They both seemed to be thinking the same thing; she looked at L as if daring him to do it. L resigned himself to staying put; he just couldn't risk the case no matter what.

"I'm sorry, I did not mean for you take offense," L rambled; he was struggling to find something to say that would solve the issue.

"Well I did, it was as if you cared nothing," Jenny blinked back tears.

"Light can't know that," L paused.

"That what?" she demanded her voice raised slightly.

"That I love you," L muttered, "and I do care." L moved his hand away and set it in his pocket.

Jenny sighed, she still loved, what kind of a person would she be if she didn't love him after a few harsh words? "I love you too," Jenny replied letting her arms fall to her sides. "I should have held my tongue; it was not professional however I do not regret it. Someone had to challenge you," Jenny had spent time thinking about that days events and realised that her emotions had bought about some unprofessionalism which may have reflected badly on L but that was only a small issue and she deemed it to be unimportant considering that L had held back on sharing a vital detail with the taskforce.

Stepping closer Jenny crumbled and let L wrap his arms around her, "I'm not going to kiss you," she whispered into his ear. L wasn't totally forgiven.

Light had been woken by voices, he cracked one eye open to see Jitsumi and Ryuzaki, he didn't want to interrupt it looked like they were having a serious conversation. He hoped that the pair of them would start talking again, no one mentioned it but they could all tell that they were currently ignoring each other or rather Jitsumi was ignoring Ryuzaki. Light didn't blame Jitsumi for being mad at Ryuzaki. It did make him wonder whether there was more to them than just a work relationship, these thoughts would soon dissolve when he set his eyes on the hunched over detective next to him.

Light had been surprised to hear a muttered 'I love you' from Ryuzaki. In fact he had been more than surprised and began to piece together pieces of information. Jitsumi and Ryuzaki must be in item but why the secrecy? Did they not want anyone to know? Considering that Light had been suspected of being Kira he assumed that this must be the case. Therefore he would keep quiet and pretend to sleep; if they didn't want him to know then he would act as if he didn't know.