Sorry that it's been so long since an update! I felt so bad that I was determined to get this one out today. Thank you being patient with me. The fic is now complete, up to and including chapter 19 ^_^ Woo hoo~! I have a sort of epilogue planned now that the main action is all taken care of, so look out for that at some point in the future. For now, you get fortnightly updates which I can finally deliver.

Oh, and the little joke between L and Misa here comes from 'The Office' (US). I knew I had to use it somewhere as this moment with Michael and Pam is soo L and Misa.

Roused

SCATTERED CLOUDS FLOATED like cream on black, liquid night. Veiled from sight behind these melting whisps, a humanoid shape was beginning to take form. It was a long, gangly, dark figure with sprawling, outstretched limbs. The being broke through clouds as it descended, its grin lit fiendishly by the moon's glow.

A shinigami.

The source of the death god's interest soon became apparent, for one spindly arm was grasping for a rounded object which hovered before him. A red apple was somehow suspended in the empty air and kept tantalisingly out of reach.

Sitting astride the creature's back, like a fearless rider commanding a dragon, was Light Yagami. The icy wind whipped at his shirt and auburn hair as the pair swooped down upon the glittering expanse of Tokyo. In one hand he held a child's fishing rod, from which the apple was dangled cunningly in front of the shinigami. In his other, Light clutched a blackbound notebook.

Commercial planes adjusted their courses, although they could not quite recall what they had seen. Passersby on the city streets peered upwards beneath their hands, muttering in confusion. Children ran onto balconies to shriek and point upwards at the falling star. As the death god descended his black-feathered wings spread wide, beating like claps of thunder. Light too opened his arms to the night, threw his head back and laughed until his throat was raw.

The pair soared down to where crowds were flooding the streets. Infants cheered and supporters brandished banners - "We Love You Kira!" "GOD OF THE NEW WORLD" "555-0199: Kill me!" Light reached out to high five a row of eager spectators who dropped both placards and painted sheets in a frenzy to touch his hand. He gently fist bumped the extended knuckles of a group of children gathered upon a terrace. He removed a pen from his blazer and scrawled an illegible Ki- upon a sobbing fan's shirt as he flew past.

With an effort, the death god's wings carried them up and away. Light clung on to the fine black feathers which covered the creature's shoulders. The shinigami's whole body heaved with each wingbeat. Just as he grasped hopefully at the treasured fruit before him, a seagull swept down with an open beak.

"Argh!"

The shinigami swerved violently to the left, avoiding the bird's steeled beak. The apple remained safe upon its string. Light's arms were wrapped around the death god's neck in an effort to save himself.

"Ryuk! Stop dodging objects when you know damn well they pass right through you!"

As he turned his head, Light caught a flash of movement and a flutter of pages. It was with a thrill of horror that he saw the notebook tumble towards the ground. Barely hesitating, Light climbed unsteadily into a crouch upon Ryuk's back and then propelled himself off.

Light sank very quickly through the empty air as he fell. He stretched out an arm, his blazer flapping wildly as he gathered speed. The Death Note turned over and over as it plummeted to earth. Light tried again and again, the ground rushing up to meet them both at an ever increasing rate.

With unyielding resolve, Light reached out once more. His fingers closed around the notebook's spine. The student brought the book close to his chest, gasping in blissful relief.

Ryuk had slowed to a mere hover some ten feet from the ground. He continued to watch Light as he fell. The shinigami placed a skeletal hand over his white face, only sliding one finger to peek through the gap with a bulging green eye. Light was almost ground-level now; he had gripped his hands about his knees and tucked in his head as he spiralled faster and faster. Then he disappeared from view behind a treetop.

As the death god drew closer there came an upwards burst of motion. It was neither Light nor a seagull nor another apple, Ryuk noted. The being possessed a bright, shining skull, with deep set, scarlet red eyes and grinning black mouth. Auburn hair stood up in tufts upon the crown of its gaunt head.

The first shinigami gaped after the second as it soared in a great arc before dropping down towards Tokyo Bay. The creature plunged one boot-clad foot into the water, leaving a trail of sparkling light in his wake.

"Oh?" Ryuk uttered.

"I'm… ah… a… a… I'm a… ah… God..."

Where he lay, a faint frown creased Light's features. The student shifted his head weakly, his mouth working in an effort to form words.

x-x-x

Whilst the world beyond the hospital's walls ticked on, time within the waiting room seemed to struggle at its own agonising pace. A row of four plastic chairs lined the far wall, each occupied by L, Misa, Soichiro and Matsuda in succession. A fifth bore the unopened sandwiches and undrunk coffee cups which Mogi and Aizawa had brought to them. The icing of L's uneaten doughnut was glued to the inside of its bag.

The detective had remained in the same position for most of the night. Beside him, Misa's face shone with silent tears as she stared hopelessly through the double doors which led to the ward. Matsuda had embarked on his own coffee run, between offering quiet assurances to Soichiro and lapsing into wordless melancholy himself. It was Soichiro, however, who seemed to be suffering the most. The former police chief would stand and pace the room before slumping back in his seat with his head resting in his hands. He had performed this ritual at least nine times before news came, at long last.

The double doors swung closed behind the junior doctor as they approached. The trickle of time slowed to a treacle-like ooze where words and actions had to be waded through. Soichiro and Matsuda stood; Misa drew a shuddering breath; L was still crouched upon his chair. What the doctor said next sent Matsuda's coffee cup tumbling to the floor. Soichiro pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes.

"You go, Chief. I'm going to call the others, bring you a change of clothes and some food."

L and Misa, too, climbed to their feet as Soichiro was guided through the double doors. Misa clapped a hand to her mouth, eyes brimming with unshed tears. Instinctively she turned to L, wrapping her arms around his thin waist. Misa's whole body was wracked with violent sobs as she held him. Hesitant arms folded around her. Misa pressed her face into L's shoulder as she drew one shaking breath after another. Above, she felt the cool skin of his cheek resting against her forehead. Such unexpected tenderness caused Misa to gulp noisily, her breath warm against L's neck.

"R-ryuzaki…"

L lifted his head to look down at her. The model's puffy eyes were narrowed in suspicion.

"Is… um. Is there something in your pocket?"

She stepped back apace, her hands still upon L's waist. The detective looked away uncomfortably and then reached into his jeans.

"You mean this?" he asked, extracting a candy bar and lifting it before her.

"Oh!" Misa laughed in relief, "thank God." With a smile the model began to draw him closer, but L steadied her shoulder with a firm hand.

"Actually I think that's enough for now," he added quickly, before shifting away from her. Hardly hearing him, Misa brushed past and launched herself into a bobbing run down the hospital corridor.

There she drew to a sudden halt at the open door; a terrified gasp snatched from her. Despite the narrow confines of his hospital bed, Light looked small and fragile where he lay. His neck was propped up stiffly by three, thick, starched pillows while the rest of his slight form was swamped in blue linen. The harsh spotlights above drained his face of what little colour was left in it and brought no relief to his reddened eyes. As Misa drew closer Light caught sight of her. An unknown emotion passed over his face before his jaw set firmly in resignation. Soichiro, on a plastic chair at his son's side, turned to Misa and smiled encouragingly.

"Ah, Miss Amane. I'm sure Light won't appreciate me saying this, but he had been looking to see if you'd arrived." At this, Misa pulled up a second chair, settled herself and then leaned forward to grasp at Light's hands. Light flexed his fingers as they touched, twisting his unbound wrists experimentally.

"Misa," he spoke dully. "So glad you're here." As Misa squeezed his hand, Light's eyes wandered over her head to the empty doorway.

"I couldn't believe it when they said you'd woken up-! I- I thought I'd lost you!" she burst out in a high, frantic voice. Light's mouth twisted as he sank backwards into his many pillows.

"Sorry I gave everyone such a scare," he managed uneasily, "but I'm fine now. Just a little tired, I guess. I think I must have been dreaming..." Unconvinced, it was Soichiro's turn to slide forward on his chair.

"You understand how serious this was, don't you son?"

"Yes dad," Light replied obediently. "The doctor explained everything. It was a tachycardic episode. Sometimes they simply happen out of the blue and for no particular reason at all."

Soichiro looked as though he were about to comment on this but thought better of it. Misa bristled indignantly and threw her chin into the air.

"It's pretty obvious to me what caused it!" she announced, prompting Light to give a nervous heh. "You've been working way too hard! You need to take it easy."

"She has got a point," Light's father sighed, running his palm across his mouth as he spoke. "There's an obvious connection between the stress of working on the case and this incident. You've always been in perfect health but now… spending all this time with Ryuzaki, eating badly and hardly sleeping-"

"I know how to look after myself," Light snapped, "Come on dad, we're so close to solving this case once and for all. I- I can't stop now. No one's even told me what happened to Hatori! I saw him collapse but it was Watari who fired the shot, I'm telling you-"

"Son," Soichiro's voice plummeted heavily, "you, your sister and your mother are the world to me. Do you understand how utterly inconceivable it was that I couldn't even tell the family you were here? They don't know you're still in Japan, let alone working with me. If things had been different… if we'd lost you, I…" His voice shook. He looked away.

"But you're here," Soichiro resumed, composure somewhat regained, "and I will not allow this to happen again. Your health is far too important, which is why I think it best that you return home instead of coming back to headquarters."

"What?" Light gasped, "but that's crazy!" His voice was fortified with a sudden firmness, mostly in outrage at such a suggestion but also in his efforts to wrestle his hand free from Misa's. "I have to do this! I know that this is L's case but it's mine as well. Solving it will be my victory too!" Misa's eyes widened with sudden realisation.

"Oh… so, you're really back! " she burst out, clinging so tightly to the student's hand that her rings bit into his skin. "Well you know I support you, Light! Whatever you need me to do, you can count on me!" She chanced a brief look at Soichiro, quite oblivious to Light's yelp of pain.

"Thanks Misa..." Light grimaced. "I'm sure you've got things of your own to be getting on with, you know?" The model nodded to herself and smiled conspiratorially at the floor. It was Soichiro who remained unsatisfied.

"But if this were to happen again-"

"It won't," Light countered, successfully freeing himself from Misa's clutches, "I've been checked out thoroughly. You wouldn't believe how many tests they ran..."

"Yes, they were very detailed," Soichiro acknowledged gravely, with a small, grateful smile. "We have Ryuzaki to thank for that."

"Oh yeah?" Light asked casually. Steadying himself with his hands, the student shifted into a more upright sitting position. As he let his bedragged head lean back against his pillow, he continued with feigned indifference. "So... he's here then?"

"Of course! He's probably talking to the doctors again. He's such a sweetie!" Misa half-shouted, grabbing Light's hands once more and wringing them so that the student yelled in alarm. "You know he stayed here all night?"

Light was about to speak at this but felt the corners of his mouth pull involuntarily upwards.

"I'm glad to see you looking so much better," Soichiro marvelled at his son's transformation. "I'll give you two some time alone, but do try to rest, Light. The hospital has cleared you to go home later today so I will be back once the discharge papers are ready."

"I'll stay!" Misa offered, pressing her lips wetly against Light's knuckles. "Oh, it's been so long since I had you all to myself! And now, here we are. No more handcuffs!"

Light's eyes stood out in alarm.

"Okay! If you want them back that badly, I'll ask Ryuzaki if we can borrow them-"

"Dad!" Light's strangled voice froze Soichiro as the former police chief clasped the door handle.

x-x-x

It was far from the homecoming Light had anticipated when he eventually returned to headquarters later that afternoon. Despite his clean bill of health the student could not quite rid himself of the feeling that something else was amiss. For the remainder of her visit and the entire car journey home, Misa had spoken animatedly of Light's recovery and of their future social plans. His father's proximity - merely the seat in front of her - did little to deter her enthusiastic descriptions of how they were to spend their first evening alone together, even with Light's warning glances and a swift nudge to her ankle.

Once freed from Misa's incessant chatter Light stood in the empty central room, his eyes roving across the line of computers which stood along the back wall. He considered the space of desk to the far right awed by the knowledge that, a mere twenty four hours earlier, he had sat in that very place completing the final plans to capture Hatori. To him the events of the previous night felt more like weeks ago, whilst the team's current movements remained a mystery. Apparently none were present to ask, for Misa had returned to her apartment to pack her belongings. His father had only stayed momentarily to observe his son with quiet disapproval, before leaving for home himself. The other investigation team members had allegedly been assigned elsewhere. Matsuda briefly resurfaced, but only to bid Light a cheerful welcome back, before diving into official business once more and assisting Misa in her packing. L, elusive as ever, was nowhere to be found.

Intent on finding some purposeful task to complete, Light walked upstairs to the rooms which he and L shared. There was no need to try the door, he quickly realised, when his eyes fell on the silver case he had brought with him upon his arrival to headquarters. Light's belongings had been packed away neatly inside.

Furious, he banged upon the door several times, but to no avail. Light stormed back down to the central room, threw himself into the chair at the right end of the desk and waited. Still, no one materialised, leaving Light to idly contemplate the computer in front of him. He passed a little more time by checking his university email account and deleting anything that appeared to be junkmail or which bore Takada's name. He browsed a few news reports on Kira - 'a high profile Yotsuba employee, unnamed at this time, had been apprehended by officers on alleged charges of nepotism' - at which he glanced instinctively to the empty seat on his left. Shifting his unshackled wrist against the desktop, Light scrolled on until his idle browsing produced an inflammatory comment on a Kira discussion board. Light was just about to type back a savage reply when he caught a movement from the corner of his eye.

Light's chair spun slowly round to face the individual. Towering at least three feet above his head stood a gaunt, hulking figure. It seemed to be predominantly composed of a twisted spine and four skeletal limbs which protruded from it. Its large, yellow eyes glared at him with such intense loathing that Light shrank against the backrest of his seat.

"Light Yagami," it pronounced in a resonant voice. Light stared back in quiet amazement.

"I see you've met Rem," came a bland voice. Light's knuckles blanched as he gripped the edge of his chair. He watched as L strolled casually into the room with hands thrust into the pockets of his jeans.

"Rem?"

"As we discussed, Rem, the abilities you possess as a shinigami mean there is no requirement to issue you with one of the special task force belts. However, we would prefer it if you remained close to headquarters." L crouched in his usual place to Light's left as though absolutely nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Rem regarded the young man in the same way that a child, sickened by the presence of a spider, might consider disposing of their unwanted, eight-legged friend.

"That will be all Rem." If the shinigami was truly contemplating ridding herself of such pestilence then the sentiment no longer showed, for Rem silently lumbered away.

"How-?" Light stared after the creature. "You're talking to it like it's part of the team."

"It is," L assured him, typing away without lifting his head. "With you in the hospital, we were even more short-handed than usual. Rem is our newest asset and has already proved quite valuable." Light stood and approached L's chair. Still, the detective did not turn around.

"I'm fine by the way," Light retorted scornfully.

"I know," L answered, the flow of his typing uninterrupted.

"I thought you-" Light had to stop himself because the words that were forming sounded so inexcusably childish. Maybe he didn't come in to see me, but that doesn't mean he wasn't there at all. Didn't Misa say that he stayed all night?

"I... heard you talked to some of the doctors. Dad said they ordered additional tests for me…" When L declined to speak, Light continued. "Well.. thanks. I know that was your way of making sure I was okay."

"It was no problem," L spoke stiffly. His hand grasped the computer mouse as he began to scroll down the page to read. Light leaned over the chair, his hands upon the plastic backrest. L's hair stood up in soft, dark tufts apart from at the base of his neck where the strands were thinner and less defined. Light forced himself to look away and over the top of the detective's tousled head to view the computer screen. The monitor displayed an image of a black page filled with cramped, white script.

"'How to use…'" Light read aloud and then, unable to suppress a sudden chill, he added, "is this the notebook?" L's head turned around to him. The muscles in Light's arms tensed.

"Light…" The detective's eyes flicked from his knees, upwards to Light's face. "Whilst I appreciate the contributions you've made to this case, I can't help but think that the best decision for you personally would be to leave headquarters."

The pronouncement, although not entirely unexpected, still sank into Light's gut like an unwarranted punch. His mind reeling, the student clenched at the backrest all the more tightly. This feeling… he had experienced the very same sensation only two nights ago, all because of a similar suggestion L had so callously made.

"Come on, Ryuzaki!" Light snarled, exasperated. "Is that why you had my case packed?"

"What happened yesterday was very serious," L continued, much like an uncanny echo of Soichiro Light realised, until he had hastily dismissed such a repellent thought. "This case isn't worth you risking your life. Only the other day you admitted that you were keen to return home."

"But not like this!" Light shouted before he could stop himself, "this isn't fair. I have every right to be here. I've been by your side during every step, every decision, every action we've taken. I said that you would never be alone as long as I was here… that we would catch Kira together!" Light drew the back of L's chair around so that the detective was forced to face him. The latter heaved an impatient sigh.

"I'm never going to finish reading this..."

"You've always said that I was the original Kira. Well, what if you were right?" At this the student quickly threw his hands up before L had a chance to interrupt. "I'm not admitting I was! Just... you know, if I was, then surely I deserve justice too? Whoever Kira is, it's possible that they were controlling me. That's why I want to catch them as much as you. No, more than you."

"That's incorrect," L countered, his expression darkening. "For one, no one wants to catch Kira as badly as I do. Secondly..." As the detective glanced down at his knees once more, his hair fell across his eyes. "Please think carefully about what you are saying. The hypothetical notion of self-sacrifice is one thing but to knowingly put a life at stake is a whole other matter. I simply can't allow it."

"That's... why...?" Light asked in an uneven voice, arms suspended awkwardly, "you're... you're afraid I might collapse again...?"

"Don't worry, I can't imagine I'll feel that way for long," L quipped at him, shoulders hunched as he resumed reading. Light regarded the man before him; at his back, tensed beneath his white shirt. He thought again of L's earlier words; of the once false sentiment of friendship that now contained far more truth than lies...

"Well, then you shouldn't worry either!" Light replied with a forced brightness. He considered the detective for a moment longer, before crossing over to the staircase. Hesitating, Light raised his voice to call behind himself. "And since you're satisfied that there's absolutely no reason for us to share a room anymore, I guess I'll ask Watari to unlock one of the spare suites on the third floor!"

As expected, L did not respond. Despite Light's good-humoured jests and the detective's honest concern for his welfare, Light's earlier misgivings weighed all too heavily. Much like the dissatisfaction of an incomplete sentence or the penultimate verse of a song, suspense lingered in the want of words.

At his desk, L closed his eyes in quiet despair.