A/N: Hello, you cute little bitch. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to call you a bitch. I meant it affectionately. I promise. But how are we today? Doing well? Doing not so well? I feel you. Me, too. I'm a little low, too. Have been for a couple days now. But we'll persevere. This is just a little bump in the road. We'll be alright. Ok? Come here. Bring it in. *hug* Alright. Now, how about we get to this week's chapter? Ok? There you are, slugger.

"I don't know what to do, Sayu," L sighed out, his head on the table while everyone around them continued their fun.

"There's not much you can do," Sayu did her best to offer what little comfort she could, "How were you supposed to know Misa and Takada were going to be here? Unless you're some kind of psychic."

"Psychics are just con artists with a good sales pitch," L melted into the tabletop, "Forgive me if I'm coming off as a skeptic here, I'm just a little depressed."

"Did you actually meet Misa and Takada?" Sayu wondered.

"Kind of," L told her, "I was there when they both found Light. It's not like I held a conversation with either of them."

"So," she figured, "Chances are, neither one of them know about you and Light, do they?"

"Probably not."

"Less damage control," Sayu let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"I don't even know about Light and me, Sayu," L admitted, "I told him I cared for him and he took off."

"He's probably holed up in the bathroom," Sayu pointed out, "Why don't you go find him? Make sure he's doing ok. Right now, that's the least you can do."

"You know, Sayu…" L smiled a bit, "You really are quite the insightful young lady."

"Thank you," Sayu melted inside. No one had ever called her insightful. Those words were usually saved for Light. But she would gladly accept it, "Go. Go find Light before either Misa or Takada find him first."

"I will."

Meanwhile, Misa and Takada were the least of Light's worries. Light was cornered. Lost in his own head and trapped like a rat in a cage. He could hardly move with the exception of his rapidly beating heart. Light thought he was afraid before…He was so naïve. So innocent then. Then, he opened his mouth. And only one word could come out, "Mikami…"

"Hello, Light," Mikami moved closer to him, only for Light to mirror his movements in the opposite direction.

"What are you doing here?" Light's voice quivered. In terror, in anger, he didn't even know anymore.

"I was invited," Mikami purred, "I missed you, Light. I miss…Us."

"I don't," Light stood his ground, "Leave."

"But Light," Mikami tried to keep a calm composure. However, since Light was involved, his calm may not hold out well, "I miss you. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"No," Light kept backing away from him. Why can't he take a hint? We're done. I thought if I threw him a bone, he'd go away, "Mikami, we're not getting back together…If we can even call it that."

"Can't we talk?" Mikami asked, "Please?"

"No."

"I just want to talk, Light," Mikami begged. But then came the inevitable breakdown at Light's feet. Mikami wrapped himself around Light's legs, making sure he couldn't get away, "Light, please…Just one more night. One more night is all I need. I'll never be able to move on unless we have one more night together. Please…"

"I said no!" Light couldn't move. He tried to shake Mikami off him, but Mikami's upper body strength was better than Light gave him credit for.

"Light?" L walked into the bathroom onto the sad, pathetic display that was Teru Mikami on someone that didn't belong to him.

"Oh, thank God," Light sighed out.

"You ran off on me," L looked down at the shattered remains of Mikami's psyche. That's what I was afraid of. Hopefully, Light's getting my mental telepathy. Use this as a distraction, Light. One split second is all it takes.

"I'm sorry," Light winced, "I needed a minute. I had a lot going on in my head and needed some quiet."

"Clearly," L scoffed, glaring down at Mikami, "You must be Teru Mikami."

"Yes…" Mikami got up from the floor, pulling himself together, "Who are you?"

"You know me as Mr. Ryuzaki," L introduced himself, "I believe Mr. Yagami recommended me to you."

"Of course, Mr. Ryuzaki," Mikami nodded, "It's nice to meet you in person."

"I wish I could say the same," L rolled his eyes, "It's unfortunate my first impression of you is groveling at someone's feet. Not to mention, the handful of times he's likely said no. Light, am I right in that assumption?"

"Yes," Light didn't even hesitate.

"Am I also right in assuming you'd like for Mr. Mikami to leave?"

"God, yes."

"This doesn't concern you, Mr. Ryuzaki," Mikami got territorial.

"Actually," L stuck his hand firmly on what belonged to him, catching Light by surprise. Something he had been wanting to do for so long. Damn, Light, you have a nice ass, "It does. Light, I've been waiting on you long enough. It's time we adjourn to much better matters."

"Ok…" Light wasn't going to argue. Light wasn't going to fight him. In fact, Light caught L's hint. And he sure as hell wasn't complaining.

"Excuse me," Mikami would fight, though. Mikami wouldn't hesitate, "We were talking."

"No," L shot him down, "You weren't. You weren't taking the hint. Light, come with me."

"Yes, sir," Light followed L out of the bathroom, finally able to breathe again. But once he regained his bearings, he couldn't help but ask, "What the fuck was that all about?

"I needed to make an impression on Mikami," L explained, "And…Well…I'd say getting a handful of your ass was a big enough impression."

"You certainly made an impression," Light agreed.

"Hey…" L pulled Light into his shoulder, "It's been a long night. For both of us. You want to get out of here?"

"Actually…" Light thought it over. It has been a long night. And I really don't want to have to pry Misa off Takada tonight, "Yeah. Can we?"

"Absolutely," L allowed, "But first…I need you to indulge me for a second."

"What do you mean?" Light worried.

L pulled Light into a vacant hallway, making sure no one was around, and pulled him in for one gentle, magical kiss, "I'm sorry I didn't get to you faster. If I would've known Mikami was going to come for you, I wouldn't have let you go off on your own."

"I'm going to go tell my dad I'm leaving," Light let L go, "I'll be right back."

"Light," L stopped him, "Are you ok?"

"I'll tell you later," Light left L in the hall and went back into the ballroom in search of his father. Or at the very least, his mother. Just so someone knew not to look for him here. However, he found Soichiro at a table with a couple of the task force and his mother, "Hey, Dad…?"

"Light!" Soichiro smiled, "I feel like I haven't seen you all night. Where have you been?"

White knuckling it in the bathroom while my old casual tries to get one more night of sex out of me, "I've been around. But I think I'm going to go home. It's been a long night and I'm kind of tired."

"Alright," Soichiro let him go, "Is everything ok?"

"Yeah," Light brushed him off, "I'm just tired. L's going to take me home."

"Light," Soichiro wondered, "You've been spending a lot of time with L lately…"

"Yeah," Light tried to play it off. What does he know? What has he been told? And who told him? No…It's probably nothing, "I work for him, Dad. We're going to be spending a lot of time together."

"I know," Soichiro gave him a little swat to the shoulder, "I'm just screwing with you. Don't worry so much, son. It's no good for you. Now, we're going to stick around and watch Matsuda try to flirt with some idol. Are you sure you don't want to watch?"

"I'm sure," Light promised. Good luck, Matsuda. Misa's not an easy one to live with. Trust me. If anyone would know, it'd be me. Light left Soichiro and the task force and headed back to the hall. No L. His phone buzzed in his pocket.

I'm waiting outside

Light held back a smile. Good. I didn't need to walk through that mess again. Light went outside and noticed the car already parked up front. The driver opened the door and Light gladly slid in next to L. It'd be nice to just go home. Light laid in L's shoulder and shut his eyes for a brief moment, sending L almost through the ceiling. But in the best way. L's fingers skimmed the back of Light's arm without a single thought in his head. However, when Light opened his eyes again, he noticed a different turn.

"Hey, L?" Light sat up, looking out the window, "Where are we going? I thought we were going back to my house."

"Not quite yet," L told him. You…could come back here any time, though, "I only asked you if you wanted to get out of the NPA ball. I never said anything about you going back home yet."

"So," Light joked darkly, "I traded Mikami cornering me in the bathroom for you kidnapping me?"

"No," L pulled Light back toward him, "I'm not kidnapping you, Light. I figured we'd go back to Odaiba for the rest of the night."

"Odaiba?" Light looked at him strange, "L, I'm not in the slightest mood for…"

"No," L corrected him, "I'm not expecting anything like that tonight. Don't worry. Sex is the last thing on my mind right now. I figured it'd be a good place to clear our heads. Just the two of us."

"The Odaiba ferris wheel," Light smiled, remembering exactly what went down on the Odaiba ferris wheel. Definitely better than what my imagination could've concocted.

"There's what I was looking for," L melted inside, "That won't be so bad, will it?"

"Anything is better than dealing with Misa, Takada, and Mikami," Light cuddled into L's side.

"You're not wrong," L agreed, kissing the top of Light's head. For the first time all night, Light was finally at peace. He didn't have a single racing thought in his head. Light shut his eyes and spaced out. All the rest of the way to Odaiba. For a brief moment, he had a nice memory come into his head. Not one of his last trip to Odaiba, but to one of his first. Sayu was still in diapers. She went running after a balloon and I stopped her from getting hit by a bike. When we were on our way home, she wouldn't let go of my hand the whole way. L tried to stop me from getting hit by the bike, but instead, I got hit by a semi truck. But I survived. And he might have had something to do with it.

By the time L and Light got to the ferris wheel, L bought them a couple rounds and the two of them started their quiet ride up. As peaceful as it was, L knew there was something on Light's mind. Come on, Light. Talk to me. Please, "You know, Light, you don't have to talk about him…"

"It's alright," Light assured him, "I just wish Mikami would leave me alone. In a perfect world, he'd leave the country and never come back, but I digress."

"Can I ask you something," L wrapped himself around Light's arm, bracing himself for whatever comes next.

"Sure. What's on your mind?"

"Why did you run off in the first place?" L wondered.

"There was a lot going on at one time," Light confessed, "I'd love to be able to reconnect with Takada. Really, I would. But I have no doubt she hates me because of what Misa made me do. And Misa's just as batshit crazy as she's ever been. Then, there was you…"

"Me?" L perked up, "What did I do?"

"You…" All of Light's calm suddenly went out the window, "YOU!"

"Me!" L freaked at Light's outburst, "What did I do?"

"You just…!" Light snapped, "You cared! You wanted me! You didn't toss me aside! You didn't abandon me! You didn't obsess over me! You were….just…You!"

Light turned away quickly, hiding his face…and his light sobbing…from L. And L's heart shattered to pieces. Oh, Light…How long have you been holding that back? How long have you needed to get that off your chest? And how long have you needed someone to love you? Then, L caught a little sob coming out of Light's throat, "Light…Are you crying?"

"No…" Light lied through his teeth, running his finger under his eyes, "Would you think less of me if I said yes?"

"Of course not," L slipped his hand in Light's, "Light…I love you. If I didn't, I would've left you in the bathroom to let Mikami do God only knows what with you. If I didn't, I wouldn't be offering you a unit in the headquarters building. If I didn't, I wouldn't be taking you to where I feel the safest just in hopes of you calming down instead of taking you home. If I didn't, I wouldn't be taking care of you the way that I do. It's plain and simple, Light. I can't keep that from you anymore."

"You…" Light had known. Light had known for so long, but he never wanted to admit it. For what reasons, he may never know, "You…love me?"

"Yes," L confirmed, "I love you, Light. It's time you heard that and it means something. Never will that ever be empty again."

Light stifled his next sob and laid in L's shoulder, slowly pulling L's arm around him, "I love you, too. Because if I didn't, I wouldn't put up with nearly as much of your shit as what I do."

L kept quiet, but he couldn't wipe the smile off his face if he wanted to. It's so nice to finally hear you say it, too, Light, "I'm sorry tonight couldn't have been better, Light. I'm sorry you had to put up with what you did. You didn't deserve that."

"I had you, didn't I?" Light pointed out, "That was enough. You got me away from Mikami. You gave me an out with Misa and Takada. Hell, you don't know it, but you broke the hold Misa had on me."

"What do you mean?"

"I wouldn't even say her name before, L…"

"That's because you're under…"

"No," Light cut him off, "It was more than just my NDA. She had me gagged without even realizing it. It takes a while before that kind of mental block gets broken, L. And you…You."

"Me," L held onto Light's hand a little tighter. I'll be more than happy to help you heal in any way you need, Light, "You want to go home?"

"Yeah," Light held back a yawn. It had been a long day and an even longer night. Sleep would do them both wonders, "But…Maybe…You could stay with me?"

"You want me to stay with you?" L wondered, "At…Your house?"

"Yeah," Light nodded, "Why not?"

Because I didn't think you were going to be that forward with your parents' bedroom just down the hall. Or with your sister next door. But if you insist. You were good enough to stay with me when I was fragile, "Ok."

The ferris wheel reached the bottom and L and Light got back into the car. While Light was curled up in L's hip, ready to fall asleep right then and there, L got his phone out of his pocket, careful not to wake the sleeping angel in his lap. He scrolled to the bottom of his contacts and opened up a new text message.

Don't wait up.

I'll call and explain in the morning.

That should be enough to where Watari won't worry about me. I'm sure he still will, though. It's Watari. When doesn't he worry about me? L looked down at Light, blissfully asleep. It was enough to put a smile on L's face. I know when he doesn't worry about me. He never worries about me when I'm with you. He doesn't ever have to. L shut his eyes for a second or two, not expecting to fully fall asleep himself.

"Mr. Ryuzaki…" the driver put a hand to L's shoulder, gently shaking him, "Mr. Ryuzaki…?"

"Hmm?" L's eyes slowly opened, "What? Are we here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Task force headquarters or the Yagami house?"

"The Yagami house."

"Light," L nudged him, "Light, wake up…Let's go sleep in a real bed, ok?"

"Ok…" Light's voice was soft and gentle. And so sleepy. When they got inside, the house was quiet. Everyone had already gone to bed. Light might as well, too. They both climbed the stairs and laid in Light's bed only for Light to stick to L's hip like a magnet. Good night, Light. Sleep well.