Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews and encouragement guys! Look forward to hearing your thoughts on this chapter.
Chapter 32
November 15, 2004
Light isn't Kira.
"Do you think he really could be Kira?" Liliana asked, holding her daughter close as they laid in Eva's bed together.
"No…." Eva responded weakly. "Light knew how I felt about L…he wouldn't hurt me like that."
"Then why won't you see him? He's stopped by every day since L passed awa—"
"Was murdered." Eva corrected.
"Was murdered." Liliana agreed.
"I don't know…. I just can't." Eva closed her eyes, listening to the indistinct chatter downstairs. He was back again. It only took a few moments for her father to come upstairs and give her the same pained smile he had been giving her since she came back home. It couldn't have been easy for him. All he wanted was to protect his daughter, and here she was, absolutely devastated and heartbroken.
"You have a visitor." Ben said. Eva shook her head at him.
"I don't want to see him."
"I'm hurt." the voice came from behind her father. The door opened a bit more before Reiji stepped in with a bouquet of flowers.
"W-what are you…how did you know—"
"Our fathers are very close." Reiji replied with a smile, setting the flowers down by her bed. "I heard you haven't been feeling well, so I decided to come see how you were doing."
"You knew who I was the whole time, didn't you?" Eva ignored his sentiments.
"From the moment we met." Reiji agreed, swiveling her desk chair around and taking a seat.
"Why did you pretend—"
"You were clearly worried about your identity being discovered. I didn't want to alarm you." he explained.
"We'll let you two catch up." Liliana said with a small smile, pulling herself out of bed and hooking Ben's arm to guide him out of the room.
"Leave the door open!" Ben called from down the hall. Eva couldn't help but to laugh given her recent diagnosis. What else was he worried about happening to her? Eva sat up against the pillows, pulling the blankets closer to her.
"So, why are you really here?" she pried.
"I've been noncommittal in the past, but I really like you, Eva. And given recent events, I don't think I have much time to waste if I want to be with you." Reiji started. Eva immediately shook her head and looked away from him.
"You don't understand the full context."
"I do." he assured.
"How could you?"
"Your father filled me in on that as well."
"For someone who worked so closely with the CIA, he sure does run his mouth a lot." Eva rolled her eyes. "So…he told you everything?"
"Everything." Reiji repeated.
"My time is so limited…I don't understand why you would want to be with someone you can't enjoy a full life with." Eva watched him closely. He smiled.
"And I could walk out to my car right now and die in an accident. We're all holding onto life by a fragile thread. It could be gone tomorrow, but that's no reason to not live today. At least try it with me." He held out his hand for her, and Eva gently took it.
"Okay."
"Good." Reiji leaned over, kissed the top of Eva's head and stood. "I'll be here tomorrow morning to take you to your doctor's appointment. They'll have final results then, correct?"
"Yea." Eva nodded, amazed that this man was willing to sacrifice so much for her.
November 16, 2004
It's going to be okay.
The doctor said that all of the test results came back within normal ranges. The delayed chemo will be harmful…but better late than never, right L?
I'm so relieved.
I'm so sorry I couldn't share this moment with you.
I know you didn't believe in an afterlife…but maybe if there are gods of death looking down on us…maybe you are too.
"Light!" Ryuk called out to the brown-haired man standing at his balcony. He had been glaring down at the street below him for nearly a full minute. "I thought we were just coming here to pack." The god of death looked around the room. Books and personal effects had been crammed into small boxes "Light! Answer me when I'm talking to you!" Ryuk stepped out onto the balcony, noticing Light gripping the railing with white knuckles. "…huh?" He followed the man's sight to the street below. A dry laugh erupted from Ryuk's throat. The entire situation was comical to him.
"I'll kill him…I'll kill all of them." Light whispered through gritted teeth.
"I guess you really can't catch a break, can you?" Ryuk laughed again, watching Reiji Namikawa help Eva into his limo.
December 15, 2004
I wish you were here, L.
I wish you could tell me what you wanted.
A sharp knock on the door made Eva jump. Her spoon clattered against the ceramic bowl her dinner sat in.
"Were you expecting someone?" Ben asked, wiping his face with a napkin and standing from the dinner table. Eva shook her head, glancing over at her mother. Liliana shrugged.
"I wasn't either." she replied.
"Okay." Ben approached the door and peeked through the peephole. He opened the door to the short, scrawny old white man that stood in front of him. "Who are you?" Ben asked, opting to skip the Japanese. The old man straightened out his glasses and stared up at Ben, his bushy eyebrows seemed heavy with concern.
"Good afternoon." the man replied in a British accent. "I'm here to see Eva Reyes."
"How about you give me a name first." Ben glared down at him, his anger growing. Eva stepped around the corner at hearing her name. The old man's eyes moved from Ben to her.
"I see you decided to keep the child." Eva instinctively moved her hands to the small bump in her stomach.
"Eva…do you know this man?" Ben asked, turning to his daughter. The old man took the opportunity to enter the door. "H-hey!"
"Forgive me. My name is Roger. I am the manager of Wammy's House." Roger said, shuffling through his briefcase.
"L's home…." Eva whispered, all concerns about this man being lifted.
"Yes, I see he told you." Eva nodded and Ben closed the door, leading the man into the dining room. They all took their seats and Roger continued his introductions. "L had made monetary arrangements for your care and the care of your child, should you decide to keep—"
"I'm keeping my child." Eva quickly cut him off. "All of the test results on the fetus came back within normal ranges. I'm stopping chemo while I'm pregnant, and I'll resume it after."
"I see." Roger took a deep breath and handed Eva a check. She gawked at the amount written on it.
"I-I don't need this much." Eva pushed the check back to Roger who quickly rejected it.
"It was L's wish that his child be taken care of. Unfortunately, that was the only wish he was able to express, related to his child, prior to his untimely death."
"What do you mean?" Eva asked, glancing at her parents.
"While L did not have a home or family in the traditional sense, he did have the finest education available. Watari founded many orphanages, but Wammy's House was specifically for gifted children." Roger took a moment to look up at Eva, confusion prominent on her face. "L's child should have the same educational opportunities that he had. Wouldn't you agree?"
"You…want me to put my child in an orphanage?" Eva asked, holding her bump.
"No, of course not. I would like to visit once a year after your child is born. I would like to assess their development and intellectual capacity. If it is in line with what we typically see within Wammy's House…I would like for you to move to England so that your child's education and development can be overseen by Wammy's House." Roger explained. Eva's head spun with the influx of information.
"I'm sorry…I can't answer that. I have no idea—"
"I understand." Roger stood and began packing his briefcase. "I don't expect you to make such a heavy decision with such short notice. All I ask for now is for the assessments. You can make your final decision once the child is three."
"Okay…."
"Wow." Liliana whispered as Ben lead Roger from the living room to the front door.
"What do you think I should do?" Eva asked her mother. Liliana smiled at her daughter.
"I think you should go. Change your name, deny any knowledge of the Kira case, and go live a normal, new life in England. The change will be good for you."
April 10, 2005
I finally feel like I have a family again.
Eva's eyes fluttered open at the feeling of soft kisses being planted on her shoulder. She smiled carefully turned in the full-size bed to Reiji.
"Sorry you have to squeeze into this tiny bed with me." she whispered, running her fingers across his jaw.
"We'll get a bigger one soon."
"When we move to England?" she asked. Reiji laughed and sat up, pulling the covers off his lap and redressing into the suit from his previous night.
"I don't think I can wait that long." Reiji turned and kissed Eva, stopped to also plant a kiss on her stomach. "There are a few more open houses we can go look at today."
"Are you sure it's a good idea to buy a house when we know we're going to move in three years?"
"We'll need a place to stay when we come back to visit your parents, won't we?"
"You don't want all three of us to squeeze into this bed when we visit?" Eva joked. Reiji rolled his eyes.
"God no." He didn't bother to put on his tie or his blazer.
"You're going to work like that?" Eva asked. He didn't look bad. His shirt was free of wrinkles, as were his slacks. He looked perfectly acceptable to the average person. It was just a stark contrast between how polished his appearance usually was. Reiji never would have dreamed of showing up to work without a full suit and tie prior to his engagement with Eva.
"I technically took the day off. I just have to go in for one meeting. I'll be back in a few hours."
"I like that a few hours of work is your definition of a day off." Eva shook her head and slowly pulled herself out of bed, maneuvering around the support pillows needed for sleep now.
"Better four than twelve." Reiji gave her another kiss before rushing out of the door.
"True…." Eva laughed to herself, making her way downstairs to breakfast with her parents.
"Light…what are you doing here?" The brown-haired man jumped at hearing his name, standing up to greet Eva's mother.
"Mrs. Reyes, I heard Eva was in the hospital from my mother. I just wanted to check in on her." he quickly explained. "What happened? Is she okay?"
"She's…stable." Liliana replied, motioning for the boy to sit and taking a seat across from him in the waiting room. Doctors and nurses rushed past them. "She was seeing this guy and he died in a car accident today. She didn't really handle the news well, and a few hours later she was drifting in and out of consciousness and we admitted her for low blood pressure."
"She had hypotension before, right?" Light asked, trying to ease his own guilt. Had he done this to her? Liliana didn't answer him. "Can I see her?" She bit her lip, taking a moment to consider his proposal. She sized him up: his leg had been bouncing in place anxiously, the distress was clear on his face, and he was pale, with bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't eaten or slept in a few days.
"Just for a few minutes." Liliana stood, leading him to Eva's room. Light saw this tiny girl that he loved so dearly hooked up to what felt like a hundred wires. They monitored her heart rate, her breathing, her—he paused when he noticed the bump in her stomach. It was unmistakable.
"She's pregnant?" Light took a step closer and Liliana grabbed his arm.
"Six months. I think we should go now, before we wake her up." Light said nothing as was pulled out of her room. L's child…it has to be. There's no one else….
"Why wouldn't she tell me?" Light asked, still staring at Eva through the window embedded in the hospital door. "Why wouldn't she let me help her?"
"I think she already had all of the help she needed…at least until Reiji's accident." Liliana replied. Light felt sick. Namikawa had been caring for her? She trusted a man she barely knew over him? Why was she so cold all of the sudden? Why was she keeping him at arm's length? "You should go, Light. I don't think she can handle any visitors in her current state."
"How long?" Light whispered, leaning his head against Eva's door.
"Hm?" Liliana asked, tilting her head in confusion. "What did you say?"
"You know I can't tell you that." Ryuk replied, hovering over Light. "I'm forbidden from revealing anyone's lifespans."
"Light?" Liliana asked again.
"Sorry." Light mumbled. He turned and walked out of the hospital, into the cold night. He looked around, making sure he was alone with the hum of the streetlight and the sound of wet car tires on damp pavement. I could have Misa tell me her remaining lifespan. No, if I involve Misa, she might assume I have feelings for Eva and try to kill her. "Ryuk?"
"Hm" the god of death asked.
"How does the Death Note work on pregnant women?"
"Once there's a heartbeat, you'll need both names."
"I see…so if someone wrote Eva's name in a Death Note while she was pregnant…."
"It wouldn't work." Ryuk finished for him. "It can't be used like that."
"Good." Light replied. I have three months…three months to establish my position as L with the police. Once I set up this investigation so that everyone is chasing their tails, I can have Misa fulfill her purpose and finally get rid of her. It'll finally be over. I'll finally have achieved everything I wanted. I'll have my new world.
