CHAPTER 53:
"Showdown: Demetre Vs Light"

L didn't like the idea, but Soichiro Yagami insisted that both Light and Demetre settle their differences one-on-one and then come back and tell everyone what occurred even if it came to blows.

Demetre could tell the great detective L didn't like it. But he didn't care. He and Light had never had a fight, but he needed this settled now.

The fact that Soichiro Yagami even suggested such a thing probably raised a lot of red flags in L's mind.

It would be a mistake to allow it, Demetre thought, as if reading L's thoughts. But I can't have this looming over our heads, distracting us—distracting Light. Light would not be able to concentrate on the Kira Case, no one would, until this conflict is settled. So, I'll allow it.

Not like L had a choice in the matter anyhow. If he had to be a disrupter to get what he wanted, Demetre would cause delay after delay for the Kira Task Force until they caved. So, it was best for L to accept the situation quickly.

But I have no intention of telling them anything!

Light was obviously eager to know himself, having no clue why the animosity towards him. But he was about to find out.

The wind had settled down to a soft but steady blow on the roof of the Kira Task Force Headquarters, but it was still enough to provide a small chill in the air. There were no cameras or listening devices, so they could speak freely without reprisal.

Only Demetre and Dana could see the Shinigami that were standing on the roof. That was the way Demetre wanted it since Light had lost all his memories are the Death Note. Only those who had touched a Death Note could see and hear a god of death, it was a staple in the Shinigami rulebook. Unless a Shinigami specifically wanted to be seen and each god of death had the ability to allow it—but only to them, dwelling like an illusion within their conscious mind. But like most spirits, they preferred to remain masked within an astral plane.

Geist crossed the roof and stood behind Light Yagami, but he would not do anything without Demetre's say. Angel stood next to Dana.

The Third Kira was active and killing under the banner of Kira. But the real killer who started it all was standing before Demetre, and if he could, he would stop Light's reign of terror here and now, once and for all, and prevent the oncoming future. Demetre had thought about it and maybe his insertion into the Kira Incident was for a purpose? That he was meant to stop Kira's reign of terror from eclipsing the world in the near future.

God works in mysterious ways, he thought.

Light stood next to the damaged HVAC fan grate. He asked about it and the charred motorcycle near by, but Demetre didn't answer him.

A wicked storm was still approaching, Demetre could feel it in the air. This was merely the calm before the storm and he hoped it held off until they were finished. It was time to confront his friend for what he had done. A showdown, of sorts.

Light stood meters away from Demetre, he was purposely directed to stand away from the door hatch. Geist had fused it shut so no one interrupted them. Demetre was not going to allow Light to escape until they were finished.

Dana stood beside him. The two of them acting like some kind of barricade.

"Okay, Demmy, we're here on the roof, and alone," Light said, folding his arms across his chest. Light looked annoyed. But Demetre didn't think his friend had the right to be. "Time to tell me what the hell is going on with you? And where have you been all this time, Dana? Why did you leave me? It's been five years since you disappeared and not once have you tried to get in contact with me. I'm filled with so many conflicted emotions right now. I'm relieved you're okay, but I'm also disappointed and hurt that you didn't bother to tell me you back and together."

"You're disappointed?" Demetre said disbelief and angrily. "You're hurt?" he said with equal incredulity.

A small rumbling filtered through the clouds as if to share his emotions.

Dana placed a hand on Demetre's lower back as if to ease his tension. She shook her head, non-verbally telling him not to lash out in anger. He knew he had to talk about his feelings and being hostile wasn't the way. Demetre quickly calmed himself and took a deep breath. He clenched a fist at his right side and dug his nails into his palm. Physical pain helped him to control the mental anguish.

"It's a bit complicated, Light," she then said, turning to Light.

Her hand came from his back and went down to Demetre's hand. Demetre felt her grasp his clenching tight fist. Her touch gave him a solace in his heart that wasn't matched anywhere. When he was with her, he felt a sense of ease that only someone who shared his heart could return.

Demetre released his fist and held her hand, attempting to gain strength and support from her touch. She was his world now.

He gave her a nod, he was calmer now.

He knew it didn't escape Light's notice. His friend's face seemed to darken seeing them together. Like a sense of betrayal.

Demetre knew that Dana had been Light's love in middle school, but even then Demetre liked Dana from afar. He couldn't help it. She had an inner beauty than matched her outer. But since Light and Dana were together, he couldn't say anything. And he didn't want to ruin a good friendship by allowing Dana to get between them. So, he kept his mouth shut, and his heart suffered in silence. But no more.

He sighed. "Light, we've been friends for as long as I can remember, but a true friend would never do what you did," he said, as calm as he could say it. "Friends don't hurt friends. That might sound cliche, but it's true."

Light extended his arms wide in a gesture of complete oblivion. "Demmy, what the heck are you talking about? What did I do to you that hurt you so much? I don't understand! Tell me, please! I beg you. I don't want to lose you as a friend. You and Dana are now a couple, fine, I can accept that—but this doesn't have to get between our friendship. For heaven's sake, you were there in my most darkest hour when Dana left."

Darkest hour, my ass! If you only knew what you would become…

"You're my best friend in the world, Demmy," Light continued, his arms still out-stretched, "and you're like a brother to me. I thought we could tell each other anything? I thought I did something wrong?" Light looked at Dana. "During the last five years, when I didn't know where you were, Dana, I tried to move on. But you'll always be my first love and you will always have a place in my heart. Dana, I still care for you."

"Oh, Light…" Dana said with tearful eyes.

Demetre stood in disbelief that she was actually falling for his words. Light is a lair and a manipulator, that's who Kira is. Then he stopped. Recanted himself. Yes, that was who Kira is, but not Light—he sensed no deception in his friend right now. But was this the real Light, or just the one masked behind a veil of amnesia because he had lost all memory of the Death Note, and what Light had done?

Which is the real you, Light?

Demetre mentally sighed frustrated.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you," Dana then said, "but I had no choice. It was beyond my control. There were forces at play that kept us apart. Unfortunately I can't tell you about them…" She looked at Demetre and Demetre shook his head. Despite her okay for him to tell Light's father about the Savant Society, he didn't want Light to know. She looked back at Light. "Demetre and I are together now. And we love each other. I missed you, Light, but things have changed, and I…"

"You don't love me," Light finished sombrely. Then he nodded. "I understand. I was trying to figure it out if I did something wrong. But now I realize it wasn't me, it was you!"

Light folded his arms across his chest again, his body standoffish. Light was now mad, and he looked at Demetre with animosity, as if Demetre had betrayed him. But this was not Kira who was angry, this was Light Yagami.

No, you don't have a right to feel angry at me, Light!

"So, tell me," Light said, his voice upset. "Why are you angry with me? Come out with it, Demetre? And don't think it's guilt for taking Dana away from me? We're not leaving here until I can answers. You've already put a knife to my back and crushed my heart, so you might as well finish me off, right? Tell me what the hell I did to you? And don't filter it with any of your religious, sanctimonious crap! Just tell me!"

Light was pissed off. Attacking one's faith was one way to get back at someone. But Demetre didn't take the bait.

Light didn't necessary believe in a god, but he wasn't a full-blown Atheist. He always respected Demetre's faith and what it represented. But Light once told him, having blind faith in an unseen entity/deity was irrational. Light was an analytical thinker and believed more in Evolution then Creationism. Light attended church with Demetre's family from time to time, but Demetre knew it was just to see what all the "fuss" was about. His faith had wavered tremendously since he was younger, Light was more cynical now. And when Light began to engross himself in his studies, he stopped going all together.

Now he was showing his true colours and Demetre understood how much antipathy Light had in this heart to use a Death Note—to wipe evil from the Human World. It was almost to help Light deal with his own personal issues. Like a child lashing out upon the world for all the wrongs and all the hurt he had suffered.

But Light was privileged, and he was smart. And he could have used that intelligence to help the world instead of hurting so many. If only he had not picked up the Death Note, Demetre knew his friend would have been okay.

And yet, Demetre felt selfish. With Light's pain, came his own salvation in finding Dana. A void that had been filled in his heart that he felt was empty for years. He wondered where Dana had gone, too, and he had searched, but had found nothing—the Savant Society hiding her.

If anyone had found a way to disappear without a trace, Dana had. When he had asked Dana how she managed to stay away for five years, she told him it tore her up inside to do so, and everyday she wanted to reach out and tell both why. But she wasn't allowed.

No, I can't talk to you like this, Demetre thought. I need your memories fully restored.

He unclasped Dana's hand and reached into his shoulder bag, bringing out the Death Note.

Dana clutched his arm, shook her head when she saw him bring it out into the open. "Demetre, what are you doing?"

"I would rather Light stay ignorant for the rest of his life than do this," he said to her, "but I can't talk to him the way he is now. In order for us to clear the air completely, I need to bring everything out into the open."

"But we don't know his mental state when he was under its influence," she said. "The future Geist showed us gave us glimpses of his actions, but not the whole story. At least in this state, he can be reasoned with. With the Death Note's power, we don't know what he'll do. He might even try to kill you!"

Demetre gave a look to Light, they were speaking low enough that Light couldn't hear them over the wind. He understood her trepidation.

When he first learned that Light/Kira had killed his grandfather, Demetre was in possession of a Death Note. He had only recently found it, and proved its validity—that it was the same power Kira had. When a mugger tried to kill him, he used it, and gave the man a heart attack by writing his name on one of its pages. He was angry, and wanted to kill Light for what he had done.

He wasn't sure how to write Light's full name in Japanese kanji, and since his friend's name in Japanese had conflicting meanings—Bright, or Moon, and even God—he wrote his friend's name in English, so there would be no mistake. The only letters that were missing to complete the note were g and i. But he had stopped himself before he did something he knew he would regret.

I was angry, and to kill in malice is to invite God's wrath!

He had other options. He had cloned Light's phone just before learning the truth about him, because he wanted to find out any information about Kira knowing Light's father was not he Kira Task Force. Like any good detective, information gathering was essential. So, one day he could confront Kira, and ask him why he murdered an innocent man. Hence, he fell back on that. However, he never got to use it.

The Savant Society—Zurn Wellington—had kidnapped him, watching him, like they watched everyone with a Death Note.

And now, here I am. That was my goal. But this is not Kira, this is Light. I need to speak to "Kira" directly.

Demetre touched her arm and gently pushed it away, he knew the dangers it wrought.

"It has to be done, Dana," he said, a slight reluctance in his voice. "I need to speak with him as his true self, to get the whole truth. The way he is now, I'll never get my answer. His memories were suppressed when he relinquished the Death Note."

"Are you absolutely sure about this?" she asked worried.

Demetre looked at her, saw her concern, and shared it. Even he had doubts.

To be continued...