Chapter 29

"Are you certain it's right for you to keep yourself at the Task Force Headquarters?" My cousin asks as she folds a few pieces of paper and puts them inside the front pocket of her skirt. She was nervous, her voice vibrated with the underlying echo of worry. Closing my eyes I hold up her phone I had to borrow since I had forgotten my bag on my floor at headquarters.

Not answering her question I wait through the ringing until Light finally answers. "Is something wrong Kiara?" Light's voice flowed softly with the same hint of innocence he has been masterfully pulling off while around Ryuzaki.

"Not at all, I was thinking. Since we are free to come and go as we please. Maybe we can... Well you know. Go on a date. Take a night just for the two of us since we haven't been able to have one for so long." I listen as he falls silent. Obviously mulling over why I would suddenly request a date. It was so out of character for me I knew it would throw him through a loop.

Hearing mumbling on the other side of the phone I could only imagine Light letting the others know what I am asking to make sure it was alright before finally speaking into the phone itself. "Yes, when would you like to go out?"

"Tonight, how about we meet at our favorite place." Hearing the sound of agreement from him I find myself smiling. Oh Light, I need a true night to ourselves for real.

"See you there." Giggling I hang up and hand the phone back to Aphrodite. Before rounding a corner and picking up my pace. My eyes staring straight ahead of me as I hear her ungodly shoes clunking the cement to keep up.

"Hey! Isn't headquarters the other direction?" She questions finally causing me to roll my eyes.

"You don't have any other clothes here, I figured we would do some shopping then you can go back to my place. The downstairs bedroom is already furnished. You can have that one. Wait there until I return, I'll set up hacks for you to follow on my computer so you can keep up."

"Oh, so you don't want me at headquarters with you?"

"No, you will be my body while I am there. I need you to do everything I say completely. Since I have already gotten rid of L's successors and I know that killing L was a big mistake in the anime because of them. It is safe to say that Wammy's house was not the only orphanage that houses geniuses and grooms them to succeed L. With this uncertainty, killing L would still be a major mistake. So…"

"This means from here on out we are no longer following the anime." she follows my train of thought as her hand reaches up and settles around her chin. Hmm, so she has a tick similar to mine only in thought she cups her chin where I bite my bottom lip. Maybe it is possible that we might not be so different after all.

"Yes, so I will need you to be diligent. We need to remain three steps ahead of L at all times."

"I see. So you should probably tell me what all has happened up to this point in time so I know how different the scenario has become." Nodding to her in agreement as I push the door open to a clothing store. Preceding to tell her everything she needed to know, leaving out details such as Light and I's relationship.

I knew by now Rem would be at Headquarters. Revealing himself to the agents working the Kira case. I could almost imagine their screams and Ryuzaki coming to the realization that Shinigami are real. Light would do a spectacular job at feigning ignorance and surprise. As Rem would further solidify Misa and I's innocence. He would be spinning our web as he grips hold of Ryuzaki. Poor Ryuzaki, Poor L. He has no idea that Light and I have a Shinigami on our side. Plus, the annoying Misa is out of the picture. By sheer accident, Rem had made sure that Misa's memory was taken while she was in the long interrogation as well as made sure Misa knows nothing about Kira's Identity. She will remain ignorant and go back to her life as a celebrity. Instead to replace our lost member of our trio we have an even more powerful ally on our side. My very own cousin who is already completely her true self. She can use her power to aid us in our quest to creating a new world. This will be perfect.

*Light*

"Oh, Light!" I heard her exasperated tone causing me to turn away from the doors to the Café. Before I had even seen her I felt her arms wrap around me as if she hadn't just seen me a few hours before. My chest felt heavy beneath her hold as my heart seemed to swell. Wrapping my arms around her I hold her close resting my chin on the top of her head. Feeling my eyes close as for the first time in months the feeling of normality washed over me without scrutinizing eyes gazing upon us. Yes, it may be clear now that Ryuzaki is in love with Kira but, it was me she goes above and beyond for. "We need to talk." Her voice mumbled against my chest I could almost feel her lips brushing against the fabric of my shirt. Regrettably, I let her go turning to go into the Café where I feel her small soft hand grab onto mine.

Curling my fingers around her hand I hold it gently in my grasp as we walk inside and make our way to my favorite table. Instead of sliding into the opposite side of the booth as I had expected her to she clung to my hand and slid in next to me. Feeling her rub against me as she nuzzled herself to become comfortable. she relaxed as I let go of her hand and slid my arm around her holding her to me. This is how it should be. As she looks up at me the sweet smile on her face made my body fill with warmth. Using my free hand I reach up to cup her cheek before pressing my lips against hers. I feel her fingers curl into my shirt as I slip my tongue into her mouth craving her mind-melting taste. All too soon we were broken apart by hearing a voice clear as the waitress stood next to our table waiting for our order. She was smiling at us even though there was a tint of annoyance in her eyes. "Two cups of coffee one black and the other one-third hot cocoa one third chocolate mocha and one-third coffee." I order tossing in Kira's drink of choice as well causing her to giggle.

"Two BLT's as well." She followed my lead before burying her head against my chest again. The waitress taking the hint walked off letting my eyes fall back down to the beautiful woman in my arms. Running my fingers through her hair I hear a faint purr escape from her at my gentle touch bringing another smile from me.

I didn't want to do this but I knew if we didn't get this out of the way we would have it hanging over our heads the entire night. "You said we needed to talk." I felt her stiffen beneath my arm before finally forcing herself to set up completely. Her eyes falling onto the table as I watch her teeth go to work on her lower lip. We do need to talk especially now after I had seen Rem at Task Force Headquarters. This entire time she had given me instructions of what to do trusting me, for the most part, to figure out when her plan had begun. I was filled with questions about what was going on in her mind. What was going to happen now and if she really was making Ryuzaki dance like a puppet in her hands. If she was then what would be her reason to not have just killed him by now as she knows it is what I want.

"Yes, the first phase of my plan is done. We successfully kept you out of suspicion and cleared mine as well as Misa's names. For the most part."

"But, the Taskforce now has a death note." I interrupted her as my mind tried to follow her actions. I couldn't make sense of her decision. We were trying desperately to keep the death notes unknown to the Task Force and yet she dropped one into their awaiting laps.

"No." What? Looking down at her I hook her chin with a finger and raise her gaze to look at me. If her plan has been completely successful why won't she just look me in the eyes? Where has that fire gone she just had. "What they have is a fake with only a particular page being the real deal so that they could see Rem. I chose that page because it is already completely filled and no one would even think about trying it out."

I felt my heart give a pound as my eyes widen the sudden intake of air I gasped showing my shock. What they have is a fake? I couldn't believe it. "A fake?" I found myself repeating as if I hadn't heard correctly. That is the very notebook I had Ryuk write in shortly after Kira had been detained. Mine was still safely tucked away in my desk where no one would even think to find it. She had told me just before she was arrested that in this part of the anime I had been given no choice but to save Misa from Rem threatening to kill me as he had done to her. She even had me meticulously plan out deaths to stretch throughout her entire detainment. I sent Rem to find someone with power with the very death note that lies inside of the Task Force headquarters now. Did she really plan so far that Higuchi had seriously been holding onto a fake all this time? If he was then how was he able to kill or even make the eye deal?

"Uhuh. They have a fake. Rem and I switched it. Even when I gave up ownership of his death note I kept my memories from still having my own. When he gave Higuchi a death note it was the real deal. But when he stashed it away in his desk and left his office, Rem then switched out the real with the fake. From there Rem was actually doing the killing Higuchi was writing. So technically the death note became Higuchi's once he touched it since I no longer had ownership of it. Which is why he was able to do the eye deal even though he only had a fake in his presence." I just seemed to stare at her as she described to me the first part of her plan. Yes, death notes can be given back to Shinigami but I had never imagined a Shinigami swiping back a notebook once it had become a part of the human realm. I shouldn't be surprised, however. Where Ryuk seems to follow the rules Rem walks between the lines. "Once Higuchi was dead, Rem met me back home and gave me the death note. Misa is now out of the picture. We no longer have to worry about her messing up."

"So why is Rem at The Task Force Headquarters?"

"Because Ryuzaki already suspects a Shinigami. With a Shinigami there to eliminate all doubt, he has about the rules it further aids the clearing of our names completely. Rem will be able to hang around them and monitor them in ways they won't feel compelled to keep things... Well, hush hush. He will be able to tell me everything when they leave Headquarters while I am going to set my home computer up to hack into Headquarters' already privacy challenged security system so that Aphrodite can watch from the house."

"We will have eyes all over the task force so we can thwart any other movement towards finding Kira." I explain as I believe I am starting to understand where she is getting at. She gave me a giggle and nod in return to prove I am on the right track. "But, why not just kill L? Wouldn't that eliminate the necessity for all this work?"

"No, in the anime Killing L was a big mistake, it is what led to the second season."

"So in this second season L is dead but something happens that you want to avoid. So the... Orphanage that was burned down.."

"Yes, full of his successors two of which brought your story to an abrupt halt, those two had put Sayu in danger and brought on Dad's death as well. I had to get rid of them. Just as killing L would still be a bad idea. There are most likely more places out there like Whammy's house so killing L would just bring fresh minds to be our competition where.."

"Where we already know L. We know him well enough we can use the influences we have set up to keep steering him in the wrong direction."

"Yes."

"But that would mean we are now out of your knowledge. We are no longer playing through your anime where you can expect what is happening." She gave me a sorrowful nod before looking back to the table. So this is why she isn't happy about her victorious plan. We are out of her reach. She is nervous that from here on out she may make a mistake. Cupping her chin with my hand I raise her face once again. "Don't worry, we will be fine. Everything you have laid out for us will keep us at the top. We can now concentrate on building my new world. We will be able to live in peace with you at my side as my goddess." Our lips seem to crush together as she wraps her arms around my shoulders and closing the distance between our lips abruptly. Yes, it seems the fire in her has returned.