Chapter 40

* New Task Force HeadQuarters*

-Light Yagami and Misa Amane's apartment-

*Light*

The tension in the room was so thick a knife couldn't even penetrate it. Everyone was silent with the newspaper still laying upon the coffee table and open in front of them. The air was stricken with grief. None felt more of that than I. I felt tears prickling against my eyes threatening to escape in a full-out mess as we all waited for Matsuda's return. One look at the news and he had run out. Claiming, when Aizawa had tried to call him, that he had to see for himself. That had happened earlier in the day. A day that started out like any other. The task force members had filed in ready to continue trying to track down leads when Mogi had brought in the morning news and handed it over to my dad. Time was slowly ticking past as we all waited. Could this really be happening? That question was evident in everyone's mind. It has to be a joke right? There has to be a mistake. There is no way, I could have caused… this to happen. I can't let myself believe it.

The sound of the door opening broke the silence in the room causing everyone to look in Matsuda's direction, except for myself. I feared if I saw the look on his face that I would lose all control I currently had. So I went to typing away finishing the archive of killings from the day before. Silence followed as if everyone already knew what Matsuda had run to find out for certain. It wasn't until I heard him slump down onto a couch that he finally spoke. "Ryuzaki's Headquarters has been abandoned. From the looks of it not long after…" His words broke out. They were unnecessary anyway. We all knew what was meant to follow. The real L and Watari had packed up and left just after… Kira had died.

"Huh? Why is everyone so depressed? I just came in to try and see if Light would actually want to sleep with me tonight and I find you all like this." Misa's shrill voice spoke up and explained before I heard her walk over to them and pick up the paper. "Kira Lake age twenty-three who had been in a coma just before her nineteenth birthday past away three days ago." She paused her reading momentarily, I could hear her take in a steadying breath. "It has been reported that the surviving family plans to hold a small funeral back in her home town in… America. Miss Lake a college student at To-ho university was survived by her parents, cousins, and siblings to her parents. She was an only child with a bright future ahead of her. This bright young woman was left in a coma after being attacked by a rising gang of criminals shortly before her 19th birthday. Where not much is actually known about Kira Lake, all who knew her have been left devastated... So Kira's dead?! Woah. That's really… sad." Misa finished as even I could hear her voice cracking. I may have led her to believe that Kira had betrayed her but it is perfectly evident that she still very much cared about her. With a rustle of paper, Misa is heard running out of the room slamming the door shut behind her. A distant echo in the apartment was the sound of her bedroom door being slammed shut as she had done with the door to this room.

My mind flowing with the memories of Kira and guilt from how I had been the one who put her in the very coma that had killed her. I felt like my world was crumbling beneath me. Submerging me into the ocean depths. Where only Kira's shining face was staring down at me. Pain from my betrayal shimmering in her eyes as if she too were blaming me. It's only rightfully so, this was my fault. I killed her. "Light… Are you… going to be alright?" My dad hesitantly asks. Pain and grief lacing his every word. To be honest we all wondered if this was going to happen. It is why we all gradually stopped visiting her over the years. Telling ourselves that if there was any change Ryuzaki or Watari would let us know. That was the last ray of hope we had to cling to.

"I think... We all should take some time in order to come to terms with what has happened." I speak knowingly ignoring my dad's question. They gave murmurs of agreement so I stood and went to go to my room. Upon reaching the door though, a beeping rang in the room. Spinning, I turn, a gasp similar to the sounds coming from the others escaped from me as we look to the computer. A second later we saw the screen go grey. Yet, rather than an L or W in old English MT like what we had expected there was a lone capital S in the same style. "Greetings Japan's Kira Investigation Task Force, I.. am S." Someone spoke through a voice filter.

"S? Who the hell is S?" Aizawa questions as I step further into the room. S? What's going on here? Moving back to the computer I set down as the others begin to converge around me. Clicking my mic with the added voice filter I finally speak.

"Greetings S, I am L."

"I am unknown to you, so I shall clarify. I have been watching Both Kira and the Kira investigation for quite some time." What is he getting at? I just said I'm L. "I have MO's built for not only the criminals masquerading as Kira but, I also have built knowledge around the Task Force itself." S pauses momentarily letting what he had just said sink in. "I can safely say. You are not the original L." He decided to speak as if clarifying his deduction ability.

"Woah, what's with this guy?" Matsuda says stunned staring at the screen.

"I don't know but he has even figured out there are multiple Kira's just like the original L did." Aizawa adds in. "He even figured out that Light isn't Ryuzaki."

"I don't know what you're implying S. I am L." I speak into the microphone again. Who the hell is this guy?! And what does he want?

"You are L now but, you weren't always. Your actions do not match up with the original. You make the appearance seem as if you are to the untrained eye. However, I can see through your act." What the… with the others behind me I glare at the old English S.

"So, you found out. Yes, I am not the original. L has... Retired." I speak finally giving S what he wanted me to say.

"I see, now that you know of my deductive skills I have some useful information for the Task Force as a whole."

"What?! What sort of information." my Dad speaks as I feel his hands settle on the back of my chair. That is what I would like to know but before I could switch my mic back on S continues.

"I can tell you that the killings before one Kyosuke Higuchi and the killings now are from the same people. Meaning, whoever WAS Kira before is Kira again." They pause again giving a timely silence as the others gasp behind me. "Task Force members. I implore you to take another look at your findings thus far. Rethink of whom all were suspected in the beginning, then look at how much progress the investigation has made... With the new L. That is all." And just like that. The line was cut off and the screen returns to normal. Closing my eyes I feel myself seething with anger. Who the hell is this S?! Why did they show up now, now that Kira is… Wait. I take in a breath replaying the conversation with S in my mind. Are they smarter than L? They already know so much but yet gave so little information at the same time. It was like they were... Taunting me or at least playing a game. My heart gives a shutter. It's almost as if it's L all over again and this time... I don't have Kira to help me. Should I be worried? Opening my eyes I look at the screen again hiding my smile from the others. I accept your challenge S.

"Didn't L suspect Kira in the beginning?" Matsuda questions, the rest of the task force having sat back down on the couches already. "Maybe S doesn't know she is dead?"

"Not likely, Kira's name is in the paper as deceased. There is no way someone like him would get that wrong." Aizawa says as he crosses his arms. I turn to them to watch their reactions. "Besides, if you remember correctly it was Kira and Light who L initially suspected. There have ever been four really. Kyosuke Higuchi, Misa Amane, Kira, and Light."

"You are right Aizawa." I breathe letting my gaze drift to the floor before returning to them to see they were all looking at me. "But, it was me he suspected before he even knew about Kira. Right, dad?" I turn my attention to my dad who leaned forward looking down.

"Yeah.." It was obvious he really didn't want to think about it. "But in the end, he cleared you."

"Even so, this S guy must suspect me. It can't be a coincidence he told us to look at who L first suspected and the new L."

"Then it's obvious he doesn't have the information we do." Matsuda says causing everyone to look at him. "If he knew that L cleared you maybe he can help us in the investigation rather than conducting his own."

"It's possible." I said before turning back to my computer. Even with Matsuda's words of encouragement I couldn't help but feel, this S character, would never work with us until I somehow no longer become a suspect. Once I've done that. I can use Misa's eyes, to kill this S.

It wasn't long until the other Taskforce members went home and I found myself walking through the halls of the apartment towards the room in which I knew Misa is in. By now she should still be laying on her stomach in front of the laptop looking at pictures of criminals whom was only suspected and were otherwise presumed dead. She would be looking at their names and life spans killing the ones who actually weren't dead. Raising my hand to her door I knock once before entering her domain.

As I had thought she was laying on her stomach wearing a light pink nightgown in front of the laptop. "Misa." I say as I walk towards her. S aside images of Kira come flooding back pushing the one I should be worried about right out of my thought process. Misa makes a sound of question before finally looking up to me and her eyes going wide. I found myself slumping onto the bed as she rises to her knees and wraps her fragile arms around me. In attempts to soothe away the pain, I had been holding back in front of everyone. "I can't believe it." I found myself muttering remembering Kira's smiling face. Then the image changes to when she had me pinned to my bed. The serious look on her face. - "Use me as your shield if you must. Both my parents are awakened beings so I was born mostly awakened as well. I won't receive my full form until I master my power and it reaches its full limitations but, I still can't be killed by conventional means."-

She begged me to use her to protect myself. I could almost see it in her eyes. Whereas I couldn't stand to see her suffer anymore like she did in confinement. She had become so weak she couldn't even stand. It was me who tried to push her back to where it was safe. Out of the two of us, it was only I who didn't want her to go through anything like that again. I didn't even give her a choice. She's now dead because of me. It felt like something shattered inside of me just then as Misa guided my head to her chest and rested her cheek on my head. Overwhelmed with grief I found myself clutching to the girl who was trying so hard for me as tears steadily began to stream down my cheeks. I was prepared for anyone to die. My father, my Mother, Sayu, anyone. Just not... "Kira.." - "I think I love you too Light."- Hearing her voice from the first time we had confessed to each other only brought more pain. Consuming me in guilt. Surrounding me with nothing but her loving hands.

*Memory*

"You other two can go now. I'm done. Just Ryuzaki, please think about my being able to go outside. It's not in me to be stuck away from the sunlight and fresh air. I need to be free to roam, it's just how I am." I watch as Ryuzaki and Matsuda leave the room. The Elevator door closing envelopes the room in even more darkness without the light from it spilling into the room. Moving around the couch I lower myself down upon her with my right knee nestled between her soft thighs. As I lean over her with my arms out of the way so I would not put pressure on her small, frail-looking form.

*end of memory*

The bed shifts beneath my weight as I see Kira beneath me. Her hands reach up to cup my cheeks as her charcoal eyes bore into me with emotions she never shows around the others. "You really are amazing you know that?" I repeat the same words to her that I had spoken that night on her floor of Ryuzaki's building. Lowering myself further over her I catch her lips with mine. Tasting her strawberry and kiwi flavor. Closing my eyes in the kiss I could feel her hands move from my face to link around my shoulders before her soft delicate hands sift into my hair bringing forth the familiar need within me I thought had died four years ago when I had betrayed her. Breaking the kiss I lower my head towards her neck. Kissing down her tender flesh before lightly nipping the curve of her throat. "I thought you hated me after what happened." I mumble against her skin. As I trace my right hand down her side before sliding beneath her to rest under her well-portioned rear.

- "I could never hate you Light"- I heard her words before delving into my darker desires. Raising up I look down at her miraculous form. Taking in the sight of her fully developed breasts where the peaks are pushing against the thin pink silk covering them. Grabbing her hips after undoing my pants I pull her against me before pulling up her nightgown to give me full contact with her breasts. She goes to grab onto my shirt but I catch her wrists. Shifting them so I can hold her with one hand. Pinning her arms above her head as I grip onto her breast with my free hand. Lowering my head I flip her hardened mound with my tongue causing her to gasp and squirm beneath me from my touch. Scraping my teeth against her nipple I couldn't help but smirk at the moan reverberating through her.

Raising my head I move to her neck. Biting her earlobe gently taking pride in her hitched breathing. "Don't ever leave my side." I inform her before kissing her neck. Just as I bite against her sensitive flesh I reach between us and guide myself to her wet opening. "I mean it, don't ever leave." I growl out just before plunging myself deep within her hot sheath, shivering above her as her warm wet muscles clamp around my hardened cock.

Upon waking in the morning I raise my right hand to my forehead. Sifting my fingers into my bangs, lifting them from my eyes so I can see the ceiling. Did I fall asleep last night? I silently question myself. Remembering walking into Misa's room and crying against her chest from being consumed by the loss of Kira. The memory I had after that, felt so real. Though the memory somehow turned from the night on the couch after the long timed distance from Kira that I had brought upon myself. To one mixed with that night and another upon a bed. Turning my head towards my left in order to glance at the window of my room. I had wanted to check what time it was by the clock I have set in between the window and my bed. But what I seen was a soft and curvy lump in the blanket. Her shiny blonde hair peeking out over the top. I felt my stomach knot before I pulled the covers off of me as I sat up. Looking down I felt like my world had just plummeted into a different existence altogether. Did I really lose myself in the memory of Kira this much? I silently question as I stand to locate my clothes. I had lost all track between reality and memory.