Hello again my criminals, detectives and shinigami! Sorry for the lack of updates but I've been working hard to finish the story in its entirety. I'm just about there but need to check through for a few plot details so the continuity is accurate. Once I'm done I'll hopefully be able to give a chapter a fortnight.

In the meantime, I know there's been a lot of sitting at computers in this story so get ready for a reveal! Obviously the title will hint this, as well as possibly having a double meaning... (I actually borrowed this idea from the creators of Death Note itself because I thought it would be interesting to have all chapter titles as ambiguous in meaning).

Misa's "exsqueeze me" comes from The Mindy Project. I can imagine her using this a lot tbh!

I think that's all for now... Oh, and any references to a certain, well-known folktale are purely coincidental ^.^

Spoiler

"LIGHT! HIDEKI! I'M so glad- " Hatori gave a grandiose sweep of his arm in welcome, then faltered as he fully realised the extent of Light's plaster casts. "Whoa! What happened?"

As the pair approached L stepped to Light's side, his arm still grasping the student around the waist. Light closed his eyes and heaved a sigh. Beneath the layers of shirt, plaster casts and coils of concealed chain, his aching body was drenched in sweat.

"Oh, it's kind of a long story," the student began nonchalantly, shaking his long fringe from his eyes. "You see, I had an audition for a television ad and it didn't exactly go as planned." He flashed a grin around at his companions; as his eye caught Misa's, a blush crept up the model's neck.

"It's true what they say though, you should never lie on the special skills section of your resumé. I guess I'd better remove 'skateboarding' from mine, huh? Ha ha ha..." As Light laughed airily, Mido and Matsuda were compelled to join in. L managed a thin smile.

"Isn't it so sweet that Light wanted to be here anyway?" Misa appealed to Hatori, squeezing the businessman's arm tightly. Hatori stroked the top of Misa's hand, a faint frown crumpling his brow.

"Look, you really didn't need to come if half your body is in plaster!"

"No, he's fine," L contradicted him flatly, "Light enjoys socialising, so I thought the party would lift his spirits." He turned to the student, his left hand trailing down from Light's elbow to gently clasp his fingertips. "Are you doing okay, Light?"

A spasm seemed to pass over Light's face.

"Er... now you mention it, my nose is kind of itchy," he answered quickly. L dutifully reached up and scratched the bridge of Light's nose.

"Did I get it…?"

Hesitantly L lowered his hand, his fingers lingering just beneath Light's chin. Light's eyes moved from the detective's hand slowly upwards to L's face. He swallowed.

"Well, I think it's great that you guys made it. I'll get someone to bring over some champagne so Hideki doesn't have to carry Light over to the bar." Hatori gave a giddy laugh and smiled around at his new companions in delight. "We've got a lot to celebrate tonight! The photos from Misa's shoot have been approved and they look awesome. And it's a huge night for Yotsuba with the launch of our Kira Mailing Service-"

"Sounds interesting," L cut in, with a significant nod at Light. Beside him, the student's expression had twisted disdainfully. "Light, would you like a salmon roll?"

"Kira Mailing Service?" Light began in disgust. L quickly plucked an appetiser from a passing tray and thrust it in Light's mouth.

"It's not how it sounds!" Hatori laughed nervously, giving a jerky wave of his hands. "Look, lots of people are already trying to contact Kira to pay their respects, pray for mercy, that sort of thing. We just thought we would create an official channel to avoid tragedies like the one that occured on Sakura television."

"Mmmm," L coaxed as he watched Light chew furiously. "Of course you would capitalise on this?" Hatori looked down at his feet again, his face reddening.

"Well. I mean, some good has to come out of this Kira business, right...?"

"Mmmph!"

"I agree, Light," L assured his professed partner calmly, "we should use the restroom before the presentation starts."

"Do they do everything together...?" Hatori asked, watching as the pair turned themselves around awkwardly to begin their slow progress over to the adjoining lobby. L glanced back at the businessman over his shoulder.

"I'm afraid we have no choice. I'm Light's hands and arms, so to speak." His eyes widened emphatically as his tone darkened. "You can't imagine the things I've done for him..."

"Do I want to...?" Hatori wondered aloud at their retreating forms. "Then again, it's easy when you know you love someone..." His thumb smoothed the skin of Misa's hand.

"...because you'd do anything for them," Misa breathed, her eyes following Light across the room. Matsuda gave a vague "hmm" of agreement as he watched Mido replace his cell phone in his trouser pocket.

It was then that there came a muffled cry from the centre of the room, quickly succeeded by an almighty crash. Hatori, Misa, Matsuda and Mido looked up, bewildered, to watch the pyramid of champagne glasses tremble and then, agonisingly, collapse in on itself. The whole awful spectacle played itself out in slow motion, each flute shattering under the weight of its predecessor. Champagne spilled across the floor, soaking the unfortunate pair who lay at the base of the desecrated tower. Light was sprawled upon his front, his limbs flailing like a felled turtle. L was attempting to disentangle himself from Light's legs.

"N-no!" Hatori stammered. "Excuse me!" The businessman flung out an arm to cut his way through the staring crowds, leaving Misa to whimper quietly at the scene of devastation. Mido was poised as though ready to follow him; Matsuda's hand flew into the man's pocket.

"Light! Let me help-" L gasped, sending showers of glass fragments everywhere as he struggled to pull himself upright. Crouching, he gathered Light under the arms and heaved him upwards.

"Damn it! You could have warned me that you were going to do that!" Light snarled. Keeping his hands firmly pressed under Light's arms, L brought his mouth to Light's ear.

"I'm sorry, but it had to be believable…"

"We're covered in broken glass!"

Without an answer to this, the detective glanced behind him. Hatori was approaching, closely followed by Misa. In the distance, Mido looked about himself helplessly. Matsuda dodged around the businessman as he moved from side to side, the cell phone in his outstretched hand. It was very much like watching a poorly-played game of pin the tail on the donkey.

"I'm sorry, Light."

"What-"

L took a purposeful misstep and kicked the back of Light's knee. Light buckled, staggered, slipped on a puddle of champagne and was thrown onto his back. Instantaneously L was dragged down upon him; his windpipe crushed against Light's shoulder as he fell.

"Owww…"

Wheezing, L prised himself up and sat propped upon elbows. Mido was patting down his empty trouser pockets in consternation. Panic-stricken, Matsuda turned to a passing server bearing a loaded tray and hastily deposited the phone in an ice bucket.

"Get off me!" Light roared violently.

A crowd had formed around the pair by now. Attentive hands reached out; eventually L, and then Light, were helped to their feet and dusted free of glass.

"I'm sorry, but it's probably best if we go now..." L croaked, his arm gripping Light about the waist. "Thank you for… all this."

"We'll send a cheque to cover the damage!" Light insisted. He bade Hatori a hurried goodbye, sensing that the marketing executive was more than happy to see them both leave the premises. For the first time that evening Light gratefully allowed L to steer him towards the doors. Hatori was left to gape hopelessly at the mound of broken glass.

Then a crisp voice rang out across the hall.

"Light!"

"No way!" he cursed under his breath. Light swiped a kick at L's foot so that the detective halted. "This isn't good. Takada's here. I forgot she was on a work experience placement for Yotsuba's press office." As the two men shifted around to face her, the college student lowered her waving hand. From her delighted surprise upon seeing Light, Takada's expression changed to one of cool reproach as she noticed L. "Sorry, I don't think we've met?"

"It's Hideki Ryu-"

"Light, I thought you were away travelling?" Takada continued, dismissing L as though he were no more than a passing waiter. "That's what everyone on campus has been saying! What are you doing back here? Did you have an accident?" Light nodded, grimacing.

"You know, I literally just arrived back in town and then this happened." He gave an attempt at a casual shrug, despite his plastered arms, and laughed carelessly. "Would you believe it?"

"Wow. I'll have to hear all about it." Takada's eyes moved from Light's arms, down to his legs and back up to his face. "We should catch up over coffee. Are you-"

"I'm sorry but Light's calendar is rather full," L interrupted. Both Takada and Light gave a small gasp of surprise.

"Who even are you?" Takada asked in amazement as the two young men resumed their unsteady progress towards the doors. L whirled around, his shackled arm still pressed against Light's waist.

"Hideki Ryuga! Is that so difficult for you to remember?" Before Takada could offer a retort, a shrill, chirping ringtone broke out. As L removed his cell phone from the pocket of his jeans, his tone seemed to transform entirely. "Oh, please excuse me. I need to take this. ...yes?"

"I did it!" came Matsuda's urgent whisper. "I texted Higuchi the message but..."

"Yes?"

"...I couldn't get Mido's phone back in his pocket! He cornered Aiber because he was positioned as a waiter nearby. He's making Aiber gather the other servers to look for his missing phone and - Now he's coming this way!"

"I see." L ended the call with a bip and, dangling his phone between two fingers, began to text frantically with his thumb.

"Er… we have to go," Light tried awkwardly with a pained smile at Takada. "Maybe I'll... see you around?"

"And maybe he won't," L muttered to himself, eyes locked on the phone's screen, as the pair finally shuffled from the foyer. Over in the centre of the room, Hatori stood aghast at the destruction the pair had left in their wake.

"Oh God. What am I gonna do?" he moaned, hands clapped on top of his fair hair.

"Yoshi, it's gonna be okay!" Misa soothed, placing a hand gingerly upon Hatori's perspiring back. "There's people who can take care of this." She crossed around in front of him, where she stood running a finger under the lapel of the businessman's jacket. "Come on, let's get out of here. I bet no one will notice us if we sneak off now…!"

"B-but-"

"Anyone can sweep up a pile of broken glass!" Misa cried in exasperation. "You can get one of your assistants to do it. I'm the one who needs you right now…" Her hands found Hatori's tie. She leaned against him as she stroked the material, causing Hatori to utter a guttural sound.

"I need you to take me upstairs and…" Misa pressed her cheek against his, her whisper lost in Hatori's ear. For a moment the businessman's eyes became unfocused.

"You!" Hatori exploded at a passing waitress, flinging an arm out so enthusiastically that he almost jabbed her in the eye with his proclamatory finger. "You're responsible for organising the clean up in here. Make sure it gets done!"

"But I-" The young woman's protests remained unheard, for Hatori had already seized Misa by the hand and was not quite leading, so much as dragging her out to the lobby with the elevators. Fellow servers were now encircling the waitress, waiting politely for her instructions. With a muttered oath, she turned away, a few blonde curls working themselves loose underneath her headpiece.

"So much for that plan, L!" Wedy remarked to herself waspishly.

Across the foyer and under the archway, Misa and Hatori had reached the lobby. The former released her grip from Hatori's hand, leaving her free arm swinging playfully before her.

"You go on ahead!" Misa insisted brightly. "I wanna go to the bathroom and check my make-up." Hatori gave a splutter of protest.

"Patience is a virtue, Yoshi!" she teased him, hands clasped behind her back. "I'll be up in a sec, okay?"

It was with pronounced reluctance that Hatori indulged her request. Misa's smile stiffened into something tense and unnatural as Hatori turned his back. Her eyes followed him into the elevator and yet, even after the doors closed behind him, something on the wall above seemed to hold her attention. She nodded to herself. Then, quite spontaneously, her red clutch bag rumbled in her hand, accompanied by the hollow sound of rock music. Reaching inside, she retrieved her ringing phone.

"Light?" Misa breathed, "Oh my God, where are you guys?"

"In the location we discussed," L replied brusquely

"Stop stealing my boyfriend's phone!" Misa shrieked. Covering her cell warily with one hand, Misa clasped the phone more tightly against her ear.

"But that was the whole point. Someone said they were gonna bring a saw!" came Light's outraged voice in the background. "Great. So now I just have to sit here with my arms like this?"

"He... can't speak right now," L continued in a low voice. "Look, we're running out of time. Can you see Higuchi?" Misa inched around the archway to glimpse a head of red hair moving across the foyer.

"He must have just got here," she answered, dropping her tone to match L's. "He's yelling at Wedy. Wow… I feel so bad for her."

"Never mind that. Follow him and do not let him out of your sight."

"Exsqueeze me?" Misa exclaimed, affronted. "Why?"

"You have to be the one to do this, Misa." There came a sigh from L's end of the line. "Higuchi should have received the message which Matsuda sent, so he will head to Hatori's office next. Aiber and Matsuda are with Mido and unable to assist you." Another pause followed. "It has to be you."

Misa's frightened eyes locked onto the elevator doors once more. She peered around the wall. Then, as though suddenly awakened to her surroundings, she leapt behind a potted fern.

"I think he's coming this way!" Misa hissed into the receiver. She shrank against the lobby wall, breathless and silent. There came the sound of large, echoing, purposeful strides and then Higuchi emerged into the hallway. The businessman stopped for a moment, his shoulders tensed. Misa's eyes moved to the fern's branches which were still trembling in the still air. Higuchi exhaled loudly and then jabbed the button for the elevator. Misa remained perfectly still, her arm pinned behind her back; cell phone squashed against the wall. With a quiet ping the door admitted Higuchi and, in a dull whirr of machinery, he was whisked away. Tentatively, Misa moved out of her hiding place and lifted her phone to her mouth.

"He's going to the thirtieth floor…" she whispered, "...is that where Hatori's office is?"

"That's…" L hesitated on the line. "That's where the CEO's Office is. The rooms on the thirtieth floor belong to the President of Yotsuba himself."

"Why's he going all the way up there…?" Misa shook her head fervently.

"I'm not sure but we're about to find out. Follow him and keep your phone close to hand," L warned her. "Wedy bugged all of the offices, Yotsuba's included, so we'll have visuals when you get there."

"Great. I'm so glad you'll have visuals," Misa snapped.

"Misa…" The line was silent for a moment. "Be careful."

The model closed her phone and threw it inside her clutch bag. Reaching out, Misa hit the button for the next elevator. With a final nod to herself, she stepped inside the waiting doors.

x-x-x

Meanwhile, a few streets away from the Yotsuba building, Mogi had parked a relatively inconspicuous-looking black van. From the outside neither the vehicle nor driver appeared suspicious themselves; it was only the extensive array of surveillance equipment loaded in the back that would have been a dead giveaway. Both Aizawa and Soichiro were crouched upon the van's floor in grave silence, headphones in ears. Soichiro, in particular, had been wearing a tightened expression that became even more pronounced upon hearing the exchange between L, Light and Hatori. As L had planted the unwelcome image of assisting as Light's own hands within Mr Yagami's mind, he tore the device from his ear and coughed loudly.

"Once this is over I am going to suggest that those two spend some time apart," the former police chief announced. He looked to Aizawa, who could no longer pretend he was listening intently to Misa's proverbial comments on love.

"Probably for the best, Chief," he answered shortly.

Before long, a metallic rap on the side of the vehicle had signalled L and Light's return. Aizawa had opened the back door and helped to lift Light inside; L scrambling in behind them. After Soichiro's insistence that he check his son for glass-related injuries and Light's subsequent fury that no one possessed the tools to free him from his plaster casts, the detectives quickly arranged themselves to observe Higuchi's movements.

And so, as Misa soared upwards through the floors of the Yotsuba building in her pursuit of Higuchi, L rapidly began his one-handed typing at Watari's laptop. The monitor changed, displaying the surveillance from the CEO's office and beckoning L forwards into a deep crouch. Although the details were small and lacked the obvious splendour more easily beheld in person, Yotsuba's Office still boasted a sense of grandeur even on camera. A large, curved desk of deep wood stretched in the crescent of the bay window. Long, dark red curtains hung down at either side of the panes, whilst the walls themselves were embellished with fine works of art.

It was one of these that Higuchi now approached; a small framed piece which he had lifted to scrutinise. The man stood at the far wall with his back unknowingly facing Wedy's camera. Inside the van, Light knelt beside L. He frowned at the tiny figure of Higuchi upon the screen.

"What is he doing...?" Light, too, felt compelled to tilt himself forwards, his useless arms held aloft. "What is that…?"

But before any truth could be shed on the matter, their attention was seized by the arrival of a second individual. In the lower left corner of the monitor a blonde head of hair appeared. The person approached cautiously at first. Then, as though startled by some unseen presence, the figure threw a panicked look behind them.

"Misa!" Light gasped in horror. The model darted across the bottom of the picture and disappeared through a door to the right. Higuchi remained imobile and, apparently, oblivious.

"Worse," L contradicted him, "Hatori." For now a third individual had materialised upon the screen. Behind L, Aizawa spoke urgently into his microphone.

"Amane, stay where you are. We're working to extract you." The former police detective lifted his head. "According to the building plans she's in Yotsuba's private bathroom." Light was about to swear in exasperation when the sound of rising voices came from Watari's laptop.

"What are you doing here?" Hatori came to rest by Yotsuba's desk, his head fixed in Higuchi's direction. Slowly, the latter turned around to him, still clasping the small picture frame.

"I could ask you the same thing," Higuchi replied easily, weighing the frame in his hands. "Hey, did you ever hear the story of this yen bill?"

"Yen bill?" Light swatted clumsily at the laptop with his plastered hands. "L, what is it with the volume on this thing?"

"Actually, it's fine so long as other people aren't talking," L snapped at him. Aizawa wheezed in an attempt to disguise his laughter.

"Everybody at the company knows the story," Hatori continued impatiently. Higuchi, however, appeared not to have heard him. He strolled quite casually around Yotsuba's desk and sank into his chair.

"Old Yotsuba hailed from a quiet town," Higuchi began to narrate in a pompous drawl, "Life there was slow and without opportunities. And so he knew he had no choice but to leave home and set out to make his fortune. The only items he took with him… one thousand yen and the clothes on his back."

"Higuchi, they literally play us the documentary video every year at the company-"

"And whilst on the road," Higuchi continued in patronising tones, "he stopped at a market where a vendor refused to take his money, sensing it was all he had. Instead, he gave him some beans…"

"Yeah, yeah, then he defrauded a goat farmer by claiming the beans had mysterious-" Hatori gave a wild shake of his head. "Higuchi, everyone knows this story! There's a statue of the goat in the courtyard for crying out loud!"

"I thought it was the perfect prop for this evening's presentation." Higuchi smiled down at the framed yen note. "Remind everyone of the company's past, as we look to its future." He lifted his nose in the air and gave a regal wave of his hands.

"The way you talk… the way you sit in his chair…!" Hatori raised his trembling fists. "You're acting like the CEO before he's even...!"

"Why not?" Higuchi grinned up at his colleague, crossing his feet leisurely upon the desktop. "Like anyone else has the balls to do it." Hatori's face crumpled.

"I- I thought we were friends, you know? We're meant to stick together," Hatori's voice trembled as he spoke. "And what did you say to Takahashi?!"

"Look Hatori, you can get yourself all worked up over nothing, or you can face the facts." Higuchi gave a small half shrug. "The seven of us are running this company now. We split the decisions, the power, the money… but only one of us has what it takes to become a true leader. And that person is me. Takahashi certainly couldn't handle it. That's why I suggested that he either commit or quit." At this, Higuchi slammed his feet noisily upon the floor. He stood and began to cross towards the doorway.

"I'd love to stay and chat but I have a crowd to please. You really should calm down though…" There was a primal savagery in his grin now. "You might have a heart attack."

Light found his own chest tightening as he moved closer still, hungrily drinking in the details upon the screen.

Hatori did not follow after his associate. With Higuchi gone, he simply stared through the empty doorway, and then walked around the crescent-shaped desk. Defeated, Hatori sank into Yostuba's seat and drummed his fingers idly upon the desktop. Tiring from this inane activity, he reached for a picture frame on the desk, seemingly at random. Leaning back in his chair, Hatori contemplated the photograph, his expression indecipherable from the camera's angle.

Inside the van, L trailed his finger across his lower lip in silent calculation.

"A family photograph…?" he gazed in wonder. "Yotsuba with his wife and son I presume?"

Light peered closer still. "It looks like it."

Their perplexity grew as Hatori turned the photo frame over and prised off the back. The businessman slid a small, oblong card from within; no larger than a passport photo. L was now leaning so far forward it appeared as though he was attempting to pass through the computer screen itself.

"A hidden photograph…? Of whom? And how did Hatori know to look there?"

"Whoever it is, from the looks of it, they can't have been very old when that was taken..." Light frowned. "-maybe it's someone who was out of the picture-"

Hatori lifted the photograph, his face still inscrutable.

"- but with a connection to Yotsuba -?"

"My old man got me a job in the mail room, then I worked my way up..."

"- someone hidden in the background. Someone without recognition-"

"My brother was always the real entrepreneur of the two of us."

"- someone with protective instincts, despite being an unseen member of that family."

"...we are all still in agreement on our current target, are we not? Todo Yotsuba, who was named a fortnight ago?"

Light's mouth fell open. Before he could utter a syllable, he felt a hand grasp his wrist. He swung round to see L's eyes glisten in triumph; an expression which mirrored his own.

"Hatori is Kira!"