I was so very relieved that I hadn't died in vain… But now, what would follow in this series of contrived events? Tomorrow I would begin to know my answer…

XXXV

I sighed heavily inside the warm water inside the tub of the hotel room I was at. A few bubbles shook a little and some popped under my breath. I then closed my eyes and lay down on the tub yet again. I really loved the feeling of that hot water involving me from top to bottom.

So Aizawa and Matsuda had left me at the hotel, paying me for that night. They said that tomorrow L would explain everything I needed to know. Yet I couldn't welcome him tomorrow with arms wide open, like nothing contrived had happened. I had learned to hate him in that long period of time. How would I actually be able to look at him without feeling the will to punch him yet again?

I remembered the way I looked when I first looked at myself in the mirror shortly after I began filling up the hot tub with hot water. I had huge bags underneath my eyes, some pimples and marks in my face, which was extremely oily, and my hair was literally a mess. As you can imagine I couldn't stand the way I smelled, and neither could the people who looked at me at the reception of the hotel like I was a sewer rat.

But at that moment I felt softer. And less itchy.

I rose up from the bathtub and remembered the fact that my father was arrested by L… Now I would definitely try to murder him the moment I saw him.

"Daddy…" I whispered to myself alone in that bathroom "Are you in a warm space like I am right now?"

I missed him so much. Alas, I couldn't be with him at that moment like I so desired. I missed his comforting voice and his tight embrace. In fact, I hadn't embraced him since I began hitting puberty. I used to be a daddy's little girl, but then I had to spoil everything with the typical rebellion that teenagers have, and the fact that I had started to smoke just to look cool.

"Daddy… I'll find you… And it'll be alright!" I said, speaking from my heart.

I then showered after releasing the water from the tub, dried the top of my head, dressed a yukata which was hanging in the wall next to the sink, and then laid down on the bed. I sank in the mattress like it was sucking me. That type of comfort felt too good to be true to me. Still, while looking out the window, I could only think about my father and the complicated situation we were both in. Would I ever see him again? Would I be able to look at him the same way ever again? As I prayed for those questions to turn out to be true, the slumber eventually took the best of me, and I blacked out without even realizing it.

I moaned as I woke up. I felt fresh and rejuvenated. I felt ready for that day. But when I opened my eyes, I sure wasn't ready for what I saw.

"AH!" I exclaimed in surprise standing up with a hop.

Standing next to my bed, looking down at me while I was sleeping, was L. His eyes faced me like I was a lab subject to be studied.

"Wha-wha-WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE YOU CREEPER?" I shouted after snapping out of the shock.

"Waiting for you to wake up." He said like I had asked a stupid question.

"But, but you were watching me while I was sleeping! That's creepy!" I continued to shout.

"It's not my fault you're a heavy sleeper Mimamoto-chan…" he said.

"Why you…" I replied provoked trying to slap him straight in the face.

But in a quick impulse, he grabbed my hand, and jumped to the bed next to me, restraining my arm. He placed himself behind me, and now my right arm was behind my back with him still holding it. I tried to release from him, but he was too strong.

"Now, will you behave like a civilized woman or am I going to have to get nasty with you?" he asked, too relaxed.

"Ngh…" I grunted trying to release myself "…I hate you…"

"I couldn't care less…" he replied really like someone who didn't care.

I stopped struggling and sighed heavily in defeat. He then released me and sat next to me on the bed.

"So… why did you confine and Light in the first place?" I asked with that question willing to leave my mouth "As a matter of fact, why were we the potential suspects in the first place?"

"Because at the time when the investigation began, the two of you were very peculiar… students."

"And… What made you believe that Kira could be a student?" I asked confused.

"It had to do with the schedules of the killings. They stopped during the mornings and the first part of an afternoon, and then ended close to midnight. Even though I wasn't very sure of myself at the time, I sent several psychologists to interact with several students inside the Kanto region. And then… your report and Yagami's immediately caught my attention."

I knew that the psychologist worked for L, but now that he was telling me that, all of a sudden everything seemed to make a little more sense. Still I had to pretend like I never knew about that detail. I was still in the grey, but I wanted to be clear.

"That woman… Was working for you?" I asked.

"I believe you actually know about that fact, but that is another conversation." He said breaking my attempt to pretend that I never knew "Anyways you and Yagami's file caught my attention. Yagami's because besides being the son of Yagami Soichiro, he had and has characteristics that belong to an honor student. A genius mind such as his could have easily plotted a plan to eliminate criminals of he had the right ways to do it. Don't you believe so?"

"No…" I said shaking my head.

"Why do you not believe that?" he asked.

"Because I know that Light wouldn't do that… Ever since we were friends, he's always talked about his high sense of justice. But… I believe that he wants the world to be a better place with no deaths."

"Sometimes you think that you know a person very well. But the moment that a person is given either power or a great responsibility, then and only then can you see that person for what he really is: either strong or weak."

"But I don't believe he's weak." I said looking at L straight in the eyes "I believe he just wants the world to become a better place."

"But would he do it through the right actions?" asked L trying to get me to lower my defences.

"Yes…" I replied firmly "I don't believe he would do what Kira is doing to get a better world."

We stared silently at each other for a while. That subject was closed. For that moment…

"Anyways… The reason why you were also made a suspect was due to the fact that not only were you the second brightest in your academy, but also due to the fact that, according to the report, your low self-esteem had suddenly began to rise up without any psychological support or any medication. " said L and only then I noticed he was barefooted and scratching his feet.

I made a frown but I kept listening to him.

"My guess is that you probably gained the power of Kira, and the fact that you possessed such a remarkable object, made you stare at the world with very different eyes."

"I just… Began to get over my stupid little dramas!" I protested trying to justify myself, even though something about that fact didn't feel very right to me as well.

"Maybe… But that isn't something that happens from one day to another. Something must have entered your life and made you feel more confident."

"I just remember starting to get over my dramas. Nothing else."

"… I see…" replied L, visibly unconvinced.

All of a sudden a cell phone began to ring. L stood up from the bed, took the cell phone from his pocked, holding it with the tip of his fingers. He pressed the answering button.

"Hello? Oh, so he's out already? Good! Tell him to come to the hotel! You drive him here Matsuda-san! Thank you!" he said shutting off all of a sudden.

"Who is coming here besides Matsuda-san?" I asked.

"Yagami-kun is. He was released from the hospital today. Matsuda is giving him a lift here." replied L.

I smiled at the thought of being with Light again. But then the remorse took over my consciousness yet again. I started to fear the time which we would have to sit and talk honestly to each other. How would he react? Would he be mad? Sad? Frustrated? Oh, I now feared a conversation that probably wouldn't take place on that same day.

"Anyways, another reason that you most likely know about, is the fact that you were involved in two incidents, which only you survived. As you may understand, I can't let that slip." Continued L, breaking away that thought.

"I don't understand as well! How can I help it that I got lucky in those two horrible incidents?" I protested feeling Goosebumps as I remembered the horrible tragedies.

"Kira could have easily saved himself, sacrificing others. At least ever since he started to kill, he seemed to let the power get to his head progressively." Spoke L, sure of the truth in his theory.

"How are you so sure of yourself?" I asked "You have interesting and credible theories L, but how can you speak of them with the belief that they are the truth?"

"I don't…" replied L looking at me with an innocent glance "I just try to elaborate an explanation that seems closer to the truth about this case."

"But why are you telling me all of this? Aren't I the main suspect?"

"Yes. But at the same time you may be an important way to help us get closer to the truth. Considering the fact that the killings of Kira continue, you may be a helpful source to find out who the killer really is. And if you're really not Kira, this may be a chance for you to finally prove your innocence."

"So… You want me to cooperate with you?" I asked.

"Yes. If you want to prove that you're not Kira, you may want to join us, and help us get to the bottom of this mystery." said L waiting for my response.

"… I'll join!" I said not thinking about it very much "I don't like you L! In fact I could rip you apart for all the things you've put me and Light through! But… If I can prove to you that you were unfair in making us go through all of that, then I'll do it, and rub mine and Light's innocence in your face!"

He then offered his right hand. "Partners?" he asked.

I looked at his hand reluctantly, but then I quickly grabbed it and gave it a firm shake. "This doesn't mean 'friendship' in any way!" I reminded him.

"I never said that…" he said releasing my hand.

"By the way… Did you really arrest my father? Where is he?" I finally asked.

All of a sudden we turned around after the door knocked.

"They came quicker than I expected. As for your father, I will have a conversation with you about that matter later. And I know nothing about how he is at the moment." replied L, heading to the door.

What did he meant? He didn't know if my father was ok or not? He probably knew about where he was. Was he really arrested? Or was he still out there? Oh, I couldn't help but to feel worried about my daddy.

"Ah, finally!" exclaimed Matsuda stretching himself as he and Light made their way in "Oh, hi Minamoto-chan! Did you sleep well this night?"

"I feel refreshed…" I said standing up and turning straight to them.

Now I and Light were facing each other, a few centimeters away. He looked a lot healthier, even though his hair was still long. It looked like he had bathed too. We approached, never looking away from each other's eyes. We then held hands. His were warm.

"I feared you were dead…" I said visibly glad he was there with me.

"It's over now. We're reunited again." he said smiling lightly.

"Yeah…" I sighed, releasing my hands from his and looking away.

How in the world was I supposed to tell him about that night? Now the fear of his reaction was more present than ever.

"I like your yukata, by the way… it suits you!" he said complementing me warmly.

I looked at him again, feeling a little blush in my cheeks. "Th-Thanks!"

He then approached me and made me lay my head on his chest. My heart skipped a beat.

"So now, Ryuzaki, what do we do from here on?" he asked looking at L.

L sat down on the bed again and looked at Matsuda, Light and then towards me.

"Now that Minamoto-chan is with us, helping with this case, I can talk to the three of you about the building that I ordered to build a while ago, in order for us to have a proper base to investigate the Kira case."