Chapter Sixteen

What happened next I will always regret. I know, in the end, everything turned out as well as I might have hoped, but in my heart I wonder if there wasn't another way. A lot of pain could have been saved if I had stopped Quinn walking out that door.

But I didn't. I let him and Sayu walk out of my grasp and for that I can't forgive myself. Ever.

Do you feel the same way about your sister?

"Quinn." His eyes snapped to me. It had been a long time since I'd seen that amount of horror in his face. There was something about Shinigami that brought out the primal terror within humans. "Do you want to have that talk now?"

Quinn gulped and nodded, all righteous anger smothered by a tidal wave of fear, disgust and abject confusion. He made to look at Rem again and I shook my head ever so slightly. It wouldn't do for either Light or L to notice that Quinn was terrified by thin air.

"L, is there anywhere we can talk in private without cameras microphones?" The detective cocked his head to the side, considering. Around the thumb pressed to his lips he said,

"The roof."

Nodding in thanks, I stood up, gesturing to Rem behind my hand with a quick flick of my fingers. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her float through the ceiling. Quinn's gaze followed her.

I walked towards Quinn, hand outstretched to take his. His fingers slipped between mine and he led me to a door down the hall. I could feel the eyes of the others burning into our backs. The silence was oppressive. We made our way up a stairwell. When the door to the roof closed behind us I let out a sigh of relief. The chill air of spring cleared my nose and throat, allowing me to breathe easily for what had to be the first time in days. When was the last time I was outside? Oh, that's right. When I was being slashed up by Misa's attacker. That seemed to long ago now.

The sun threw our shadows against the higher floors behind us. The silhouettes were long and distorted and a poetic thought darted through my mind that they were our baggage and pain manifested. Seeing Quinn's stretched shadow stretched spiked irrational guilt in my chest. He didn't deserve to deal with everything I placed on his shoulders and yet he stayed all the same even though he could leave me to my fate and wash his hands clean of my madness. What had I done to deserve him?

"What is it?" asked Quinn, who was staring at the Shinigami perched on top of a large satellite dish. Rem was a dark spot on the rising sun, her spindly wings open.

"A death god," I said. "A Shinigami."

Quinn stumbled back, hands clenched by his sides and breathing hard. "Those aren't real," he said, shaking his head.

"They are."

"They can't be!" He turned on me. The terror was back and stronger than ever. "God never made them!"

I pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes, thinking fast. Fitting the reality of death gods into my accepted religion was still a sore spot for me and I could see no way of explaining it to Quinn when I didn't know myself. So I said, "How do we know that? Maybe it was the Devil who created them."

Quinn's hands were clenched so tightly his knuckles were turning a bloodless white. In a broken, cracking voice he asked, "Why is it here?"

"She won't hurt you," I reassured, holding my hands out, palms up.

"She!"

"Yes," said Rem. Quinn let out what could almost have been a shriek that he muffled with his hand. I'd never seen my brother like this before. It was more disturbing than any nightmare I'd had.

"Don't talk to him," I told Rem. She nodded, folded her wings and crouched patiently on the edge of the dish. Quinn allowed me to approach him and take him into a hug. He didn't reciprocate. Slight shivers were running down his spine and his eyes never left Rem.

"She's real. Her name is Rem. She gave me a notebook. That's what you wanted to talk to me about didn't you?"

"The Death Note," Quinn whispered.

"Where is it?" I asked.

"In my sock drawer. What does it do?"

"How come you have it?"

"I found it when we were moving things out of your room."

"Did you show anyone else?"

"No. You'd hidden it. What does it do?"

"Shinigami use it to kill humans. They write down a person's name and take the remaining lifespan of the person so they can stay immortal."

Quinn was silent for so long I thought he might have gone into shock. Slowly, cautiously, I pulled away and held him at arm's length, my hands on his shoulders. He was still wide-eyed yet his breathing was back to normal. I only hoped that the inevitable end to this conversation wouldn't send him off the edge.

His voice was barely above a whisper when he said, "How do they kill people?"

I swallowed. "They picture the person's face and write down their name."

"How does the person die?"

And here we came to the painful truth that I'd been avoiding for so long. Now I regretted not telling him sooner. I could see no possible way of Quinn forgiving me for this.

Deep breaths. It might not turn out so bad. Have faith in him.

Yeah right.

"If you don't specify they die of a heart attack."

There was a pause. Another. Another. My brother's face lost all colour. He'd put some of the facts together. Thankfully not all of them though. I knew that would result in a lot more than horrified silence.

"Kira has a Death Note?"

"Yes."

"But . . . how do you know how it works? You hadn't written anything in it." And at that I almost smiled. He hadn't even considered that I could have written on a ripped out piece of paper. He trusted me.

"I saw a Death Note that was written in."

Quinn glanced at the Shinigami. "Re – Rem's?"

"No."

His breath caught. "Kira's?" I nodded. Quinn's eyes narrowed. "Who is Kira?"

With a shaky half smile that was more of a grimace, I said, "I think you can guess."

It took mere seconds for him to link the dots and in that time I braced myself for whatever he could throw at me. Even so, it was like a stab to the heart to see the absolute betrayal, revulsion and fear twist my darling brother's face as he wrenched himself out of my grasp.

"Why – why didn't you . . . Light is . . . and you – you let him live with us! And you knew what he was!"

"I'm sorry!" I exclaimed, stepping forward. He backed away three steps for my one. "I didn't know how to tell you and I couldn't . . ."

"He was in our house! He's a murderer, V!"

"I know! I thought I could –"

"He's a bloody psychopath!"

"Quinn, will you listen to me!"

"You slept with him!"

That stung more than I thought it would, but instead of trying to explain what had happened that night, I shouted, "I thought I could save him!"

Quinn's jaw clicked shut and he stared at me. Taking this as an opportunity to plead my case, I went on.

"You can't tell anyone, Q. No one. Not even Sayu. I thought I could stop him from killing people. He needs a true name, Q. He doesn't know ours so we're safe. And then, when Sachiko and Soichiro died I thought about running but then I'd be leaving Sayu and she's not safe so –"

"Sayu!" Quinn spun on his heel and ran for the roof door.

"Quinn, she's not in danger now!"

"I don't care!" he shouted over his shoulder. "I'm not going to leave her alone with a murderer." The implied 'unlike you' stung. He flung open the door and sprinted down the stairs, his clanging footsteps fading from earshot until I heard the slamming of the door into the apartment.

Rem flew to my side, her toes brushing the grating on which I stood. I could think of nothing to say. It was like my ability to speak had left, stolen by Quinn in his flight from the roof.

"What will he do?" she asked. I shrugged.

"Leave."

"Will he come back?"

"He's got nowhere else to go." A strange emptiness washed over me, replacing my desperation for Quinn to understand with resignation. I should have known this was coming. It was only a matter of time. In the back of my mind I knew that soon I'd be sobbing, unable to handle having just lost my brother's trust possibly forever. For now I embraced apathy.

"Where were you if Quinn's only seeing you now?" I crossed the grate and rounded the satellite dish to lean against the railing of the tall building. The bustling and crowded city stretched on and on towards the shoreline and the ocean beyond. The sky was clear of clouds and a sea breeze whipped any fog from the air, leaving it clean and fresh and almost shimmering in the light of the rising sun. It was a perfect view for a horrible morning.

"Ryuk and I went to see the Shinigami King."

"Ryuk mentioned something about a king. What did you see him for?"

"Regarding you and Light Yagami retaining your memories if his Death Note is destroyed."

I whirled around so fast I almost fell over the railing, only just grabbing the top rail fast enough to avoid a fatal plunge to the pavement. "You what!?"

"We asked the king if you could keep your memories."

"Why?"

Rem thought for a moment. "Ryuk finds you entertaining and I do not want you . . . to forget me."

"Oh. Oh." I fumbled for words. "So . . . what did he say?"

"He is considering."

"I see. Well. I didn't think you would go so far." Breathing in deep, I met the eyes of the Shinigami. "Thank you." Rem nodded her head and returned to staring at the city. I did the same, not ready to return to the crushing weight of the apartment's atmosphere. Out here I could almost pretend there was nothing wrong. Just me, a death god and Tokyo.

The first thing I heard when the I opened the apartment door was "I'm not leaving Mi-chan!" Exchanging a glance with Rem – which I immediately regretted as I caught sight of another camera's red light winking at me across the corridor – I frowned and wandered into the sitting room. Misa was on her feet, standing shoulder to shoulder with Light against L. The detective was impassive and unmoving. There were no nervous jitters or restless shuffling; his hands were in his pockets and he stared at his aggressive interlocutors. Sayu and Quinn were nowhere to be seen. No doubt they were wandering the streets of Tokyo by now. Ryuk, surprisingly, was in the corner. I would have thought he'd be following Sayu on Light's orders.

"Misa-chan has work," said L lowly.

"I'm staying with Mi-chan! She needs me!" Misa stomped her foot, the picture of childish impertinence. Over her shoulder L caught my attention and raised an eyebrow. I shook my head, indicating that Misa wasn't as necessary to me as she thought.

"Watari will drive you," he continued, as though Misa hadn't said a thing. To Light he said, "And he will take you to your graduation."

"I would prefer to walk," said Light. His back was to me but I could imagine the cold smile, the appearance of cordiality that belied his anger. I could hear it on the tip of his tongue.

"You will not get there in time."

"I'll be fine, Ryuzaki." He turned away from L and spotted me waiting in the doorway. His expression changed from a false mask to one of genuine worry in a flash. Moments later he was dragging me into the bedroom at the end of the hall, closing the door and standing in front of me, both his hands holding mine. "What happened with Quinn?" he asked.

"We had a talk."

"About?"

"You." I made sure he couldn't mistake my meaning.

His grip on my hands tightened to the point of crushing as his eyes flashed that same red as before. His jaw was locked, face hard. For a moment I feared Kira would make a reappearance but his better judgement superseded his impulse to lash out. Slowly, his right hand uncurled from mine and reached up to touch my cheek, brushing a strand of hair back behind my ear.

With a voice so steady I could almost pretend he was stable, he asked, "Will you run like your brother?"

Now or never.

I interlocked our fingers on both hands.

He needs me.

"I'm not going anywhere."

He pulled me into the first hug we'd had in a long time and I clung to him. Terror was seeping in under my skin as the realisation that Quinn was no longer with me struck. He'd taken Sayu with him too and that left only L, Light and Misa in my camp.

"How did everything get so complicated?" I murmured into Light's shoulder. He chuckled and held me closer. I closed my eyes, blocking out the way Rem's shadow was falling across Light's face.

"You have to go to the graduation ceremony."

"You're not coming?"

"L won't let me."

Light's fingers dug into my back as he tensed. Only a few days keeping company and already they were at each other's throats. Surely that was some kind of record.

Suddenly Light pulled back. He placed his hands on my jawline, his thumbs following the curves of my cheeks. "I don't trust him," he said. "Be careful, Minerva. He'll try to use you."

I raised an eyebrow. "Hypocritical much?"

"Minerva, come on. Now's not the time," he said wearily.

"Sorry." I put my hands up. "I'm just trying to figure out how much of this is real or not."

Light glanced at the camera in the corner of the room, groaned and let go of me. "What did Quinn say to you?"

"Nothing."

"Minerva."

I rolled my eyes. "Light, don't make me tell you. Otherwise I'm going to break down and then L won't let you near me." Light's lips twitched but he otherwise didn't pounce on my wording.

"Ryuzaki can't tell me what to do."

"Oh, can't he?" I put my hands on my hips, enjoying this break from my tedious internal angst.

"No." A smirk was dancing on his lips and his arms snaked around my waist, tugging me to him once more. I didn't resist.

"How come you and him are so annoyed at each other?" I asked. I'd already formulated my ideas of course, it was just interesting to hear it from the source.

Light's smirk was in full force now. "You know the answer to that."

"Do I?"

Light tipped my chin with a finger and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my lips. My eyes closed of their own volition and when I opened them I saw an unfamiliar grin lighting up his face.

"Yes, you do," he said and he disappeared through the door, leaving me confused, flushed and altogether frustrated with every male in my acquaintance apart from Watari.

"Have a seat, Valerie." The detective was speaking English, his accent apparent. I took the seat L offered, curling up on the couch Misa and I had occupied. Then I caught sight of Quinn's guitar still on the floor and abandoned my place to get it. To my relief, the instrument was undamaged from its fall. Quinn, once he'd come to grips with the revelation of Shinigami and Kira, would not have been happy to find it broken in any way. It was a present from Granny Hiro, on our first Christmas.

"Where can I put this?" I asked. L didn't reply. He was staring out the windows, lost in thought. It was Watari who answered the question.

"I can take that to Master Quinn's room, Miss Minerva." He stood a doorway leading off of the sitting room. In his right hand was a large white box with the name of a pastry shop stamped on the lid.

"Thanks." We swapped items and he went down the hallway towards the room I'd awoken in, turning off at the third door on the right. Knowing myself as I did – lack of sweet tooth and all – it was obvious the box of what appeared to be red velvet cupcakes was not for me. As soon as I placed it on the table L was on the armchair, leaning to open the lid and pluck one from the box with two fingers. He held it at eye level, examining the chocolate frosting and black baking cup with an expert eye. Apparently satisfied, he took a large bite, at odds with his delicate hold on the cake. In a show of many years of practice, and I had no idea how he managed it even though I watched, there was no icing or crumbs on his mouth at all.

"Sit down, Valerie," he said, waving his hand to the couch adjacent to his chair again. I sat on the cushion furthest from him, suppressing my distaste with his propensity to talk with his mouth full. He'd never cared, as long as I'd known him. Biting fingernails, insulting fellow people, talking while chewing, they were all the same to him; things people of 'lesser intelligence' took as offensive when a person of true intellect would understand the stifling quality of social standards. He'd given me a lecture on the subject when I was eleven.

For a moment we were in silence. My thoughts immediately set upon Light, finding him easier to puzzle out that dwelling on the rift that I'd caused between Quinn and I.

He'd kissed me. Well, that was partly unexpected and yet not. We had, after all, been a semi-relationship, even if it was for the benefit of the cameras – and the annoyance of the watchers on the other side – and so it was not implausible that he might want to start it up again when around L. Still. There was something there, something more than just manipulation. That grin. Was it possible that Light actually held emotion for me that was deeper than interest and my status as a liability? All signs on the surface pointed towards such a conclusion but instinct, ingrained from countless encounters with his murderous self told me to run and keep running with Quinn and Sayu and Misa.

Misa?

Well, yes. I guess Misa was part of the small family I'd created, even if we'd only known each other for a few days. Her innocence had to be protected and the only way I could do that was to either push her away or make sure Light and L didn't get their hooks into her skin. And from what I'd seen of her determination to stay by my side, the former wasn't an option.

I sighed, putting my head in my hands. Why did I constantly pick up strays? It was always the hopeless cases, the lost ones, those in pain that I drew to me. What was it about the stable, unhurt ones that deflected my interest?

In my periphery Rem sat on the couch at my side, not putting a dent in the soft cotton cushion. She watched L, her heavy, silent gaze unmoving. L must have felt something because he moved his attention from the cupcake to me.

"Watari can bring you your sketchbook, Valerie."

"Oh. Thanks." L glanced over my shoulder and I heard footsteps recede down the hallway again. I hadn't even noticed Watari returning. In a few moments he was back, standing in front of me holding the sketchbook and pencil case I carried in my bag in his hands.

"Miss Minerva, would you like anything to eat or drink?" asked the old man, his voice the picture of politeness. Always shocked by his new investment in my well-being, I shook my head in silence. He smiled and walked out the other doorway. I watched the back of his suit jacket disappear around a corner.

Finally. A distraction. I cracked open the sketchbook and flipped to the last used page. A finished sketch of Quinn, Sayu, Light and Misa looked back at me, taken from the internal photograph in my head of them in my hospital room. Sayu and Misa pored over her latest magazine spread on the end of the bed while Light and Quinn, despite their lack of friendship, carried an easy conversation about classes at Daikoku. To see them smiling, sitting there at the windows without a hint of what was going to happen with a day due to me was painful.

An memory from the gallery rose in my mind. "Why does it have to be me? It's so unfair."

Maybe it isn't so unfair after all. If I'm going to hurt those closest to me, at least I get to suffer too. A bitter laugh escaped me and L frowned. Rem swivelled in her seat, tube hair flopping with her movement.

"Sorry," I muttered, turning over the page and searching through the pencil case. Finding a sharp pencil, I placed the tip on the paper, closed my eyes and sought for something to draw. Nothing. No image came to mind, no fleeting impression or inspired idea. Sighing again, I started to sketch without a clear picture of what I was drawing. My teacher from Whammy's would have glared at me.

An hour later, roused from the insensate state I'd fallen into by L getting up, I paid mind to what I'd drawn.

Three men and one boy. One held a knife, raised as if to strike; another had his mouth open, mid-speech; the third has his pen poised above his Death Note; the boy's eyes were wide, his expression a mask of terror, in the midst of stumbling back. And above them all reigned terrible creatures with bone-like wings, one black, one white, mouths of sharp teeth open in grins and eyes blazing.

I slammed the book shut and threw it onto the table. It skittered across the polished surface, hit the box of cupcakes and caused it to teeter on the edge. Only L's quick reflexes saved the carpet from a sugary demise. With one finger he slid it back on to the table, a good three inches from the side. One dark eyebrow rose in an obvious question.

"So," I started a little too cheerily, avoiding any attempts he might make to interrogate me. "Are the task force here?"

"Yes," he said, not dropping his inquisitorial expression. "They are downstairs."

"I'll have Watari give me a tour of the building . . . how's the investigation going?"

"We are monitoring a possible suspect now."

I narrowed my eyes. "Closely monitoring?" L nodded. "I see. Are you still going to hire Light?"

"I intend to hire him after his graduation ceremony."

"Right." I cast my eyes upwards, as if the ceiling might give me another topic for small talk. "How long are you going to let us stay?"

"For as long as you need."

My gaze snapped back to his. "Really? You're putting us up indefinitely?"

L inclined his head. "You're in need of a residence and having both you and Light here will make things . . . easier." I had no delusions of what he meant by that. Easier to keep an eye on. Easier to contain and control.

An incongruity occurred to me. "Wait, how come Misa was here? I didn't think you'd let her into HQ, let alone meet you."

"She was at your apartment when I was there. I had no other choice and she wouldn't leave you. She's attached to you."

"I saved her life. I suppose that makes her feel indebted."

L raised his eyebrow again, silently saying 'Really? Only indebted?'

"Yeah, I know." I leaned on the armrest, chin on my hand. "At least Sayu likes her."

"What was your nightmare about?"

I jerked upright. "Why do you want to know?"

"I feel . . . worried about you." He voice was soft, concerned and timid, like he was scared to say such a thing.

I glared. "Don't pull that with me, L," I said, pointing at him. "The hesitance might play well against Light and Quinn but there's no way I'm going to deal with you putting up a false front. I get too much of it from Light. Tell me the truth and say it without sounding like a seven-year-old with his hand in a cookie jar."

L stopped playing with the hem of his jeans and actually smiled. "You never cease to surprise me, Valerie." His tone was back to the strength I remembered from Whammy's.

"Thanks. Now why do you want to know about my nightmares?"

"You've had them since before you came to the House. Have they been continuing since you left?"

"Not while I was in Canada." Apart from the bear incident, but he didn't have to know about that. "It was after . . . Kira, that they came back."

"Kira." L's hands tightened on his knees.

"Uh huh."

"What was this one about."

"Yeah, no. Sorry, but not even Quinn gets to know the full details."

"Valerie," he said quietly. "Human beings require confession in order to move on."

Now it was my turn to look disbelieving. "L, if you think I'm going to tell anyone what happens in my dreams, you are mistaken." I held up a hand when he made to speak. "It's not that I don't trust anyone enough. It's my problem, no one else's. So let it go."

L remained silent, though mutiny was in his eyes. He took another cupcake and removed the baking cup, giving the action more attention than was necessary. Amused and strangely comforted by this, I leaned back in my chair and watched the world go by through the windows. Another stretch of peace ensued, only broken by Rem shifting on the couch. L's questioning, though way too personal to be answered, made me feel a smidgen of relief that he cared enough to ask and to stay with me despite the ongoing investigation. The twelve-year-old girl deep in the recesses of my head that yearned for his approval and affection was ecstatic.

After countless minutes, I wondered aloud, in English, "Do you think Kira will ever feel guilty?"

L's gaze sharpened. "Why?"

I frowned at the view of the city. "Because, whether or not he thinks he's doing good, to kill people is to mutilate a part of yourself. You can't take life and expect there to be no consequences to yourself. Only God has the power to do that, and He loves everyone."

"You believe God has the only right to take life without repercussions?"

"I believe that whatever God does is for the benefit of His plan, which is for the benefit of us all. For a human to murder for their own ends . . . imagine what must be happening to their soul. That much sin without redemption . . ." I thought of Kira, its wild eyes and terrifying grin. If anything could convince me of the evil of murder it was that being residing within Light Yagami.

"What do you think, Light-kun?" L asked. I jumped in my seat, twisting to see Light standing in the doorway Watari had departed through. He shoulders were stiff, his posture tense. He seemed almost disturbed.

Then he shrugged it off like it hadn't existed. With a laugh he said in Japanese, "Well, Minerva seems to be the expert on the subject. I'll defer to her." He came and sat beside me. Rem barely had enough time to phase through the back of the couch and float there, almost scowling.

It was as though a switch had been flipped by Light speaking in Japanese and the discussion of Kira ended. In its absence, an atmosphere of tension fell between Light and L. Light was smug, though I was sure L couldn't tell, and L's focus was now more riveted on his third cupcake than ever.

Light flung an arm around my shoulders, tugging me into his side. Instincts screaming caution, I curled up next to him, allowing my head to rest on his shoulder but nothing more. His arm moved to my waist, holding me closer.

What will Quinn do if he finds you like this? a sly voice asked. I thought of the kiss and an ashamed flush rose up my neck. I was betraying Quinn's trust one step at a time. What the heck was I thinking?

However, just as I was about to extricate myself from Light's embrace, Watari walked an envelope.

"Ryuzaki, Master Yagami, Miss Minerva," he said as he stood on the other side of the coffee table. "I have received a message for you." He passed the envelope to, bowed his head, and left. The envelope was unopened, with the words 'To L, V and Light Yagami, A.K.A. Kira' printed on the front. It was of a cheap make that could be purchased from any convenience store in Japan. Apart from the words, nothing about it was ominous.

Yet the writing was more than enough. Who knew that we were together, knew L's true identity, knew my nickname and suspected Light of being Kira?

L and Light exchanged a meaningful look and L slit the envelope open with his thumbnail. A single photograph and a sheet of paper were inside. As L drew the paper out the photograph fluttered free, floating through the air and coming to rest on the coffee table face up. My heart stopped.

In the monochrome photo were Sayu and Quinn, gagged, blindfolded and bound, lying in the back of a van evidently unconscious. My brother had been kidnapped. My brother had been kidnapped.

A hysterical noise escaped me as I groped for the photo, staring at it in disbelief. The picture didn't change. On closer inspection Quinn's hair was matted with what could only be blood. My brother had been hurt and kidnapped. It had only been half a day since I saw him last. How could this have happened? Who would dare take my little brother?

"No," I whispered, my voice hoarse. "No, no. This isn't possible." Light and L looked up from reading the letter but all I could see was Quinn's prone form. Now beginning to panic, I flipped the photo over and found a line of writing on the back, printed in that same typewriter font.

Hello, V. Want your brother back? Then give me Kira or take their place.

- M

TOWRTA: Well isn't that a bit out of the left field? This isn't some random idea, by the way. I've been planning this since I started. I thought about dropping hints here and there but there was so much going on and really, what hints could I have put in? It's not like Minerva would have had any way of knowing this was about to happen and if L had caught on then obviously he would have put a stop to a possible kidnapping. So I feel perfectly justified in this. Hah.

Alex (anon): Have I told you I love your long reviews? They always make me smile. So Quinn did end up getting overwhelmed by it and that turned into a kerfuffle. Light has shown romantic feelings (though we don't know whether they are true or not). A lot of things about Light are going to be called into question now his sister and Quinn has been kidnapped and he's to blame. We'll have to see whether he's willing to sacrifice himself for Minerva or not and his decision is going to influence L's opinion of him greatly. L's emotional detachment is going to be seriously called into question here. If you've guessed who M is then I you can see why. This is getting a bit long so I'll cut it short (make an account so I can write ridiculously long replies to you!) and I hope to hear your response to this!

Anyway, tell me what you think and where it's going and feel free to monologue over Quinn or Minerva or what the heck is going on in Light's mind (because seriously, who knows?)

Next: phone call

Thanks for reading!

Yours Truly
TOWRTA

R.I.P. David Bowie (the ever-fabulous Jareth) and Alan Rickman (the lovely Colonel Brandon and awesome Severus Snape). May what they have given to the artistic world always be remembered.