Blow

WITH HANDS CLASPING the back of his head, Light slowly climbed to his feet. Behind him came the sound of Matsuda's footsteps, softened by carpet.

"Okay, Matsuda… okay… we're complying with you." Light nodded for Misa to do the same. He noticed that the door to the room was standing wide open where he had flung it against the wall. Scuff marks were visible on the paint, just behind the door handle. As Light turned away to face the opposite wall he caught sight of a pair of beaten old sneakers strewn across the carpet. One lay underneath the desk, the other was upturned by the skirting board. There it had remained for the past few days, ever since the night when Light had kicked it there in temper. L had seldom worn them of course but whenever he had, they had been a constant nuisance to Light who had repeatedly urged him to store them in the perfectly good shoe rack instead of throwing them across the floor. Light blinked hard and looked away.

L's empty armchair stood by the window. Since Light had taken his own room, presumably there had no longer been any need to keep it beside the middle bed. As Light crossed the room he passed both beds, each of them neatly made up and unslept in. Against the far wall the oaken bureau was covered in glass from the broken candle jar. Light stepped carefully over the shards which lay upon the carpet as brought his face level to the wall.

"Listen," he began, "I know how all of this must look to you, but I'm not Kira. You have to believe me, Matsuda."

"You have a second notebook!" Matsuda insisted from behind him.

"And I can explain how I came to know about it," Light continued, desperately forcing his voice to remain level. "At the time people's lives were in danger so I didn't have a choice-"

"There's always a choice!" Matsuda cut in emphatically. "There's good and evil in this world and I- I choose to be on the side of good! I think you wanted that once too, didn't you Light? Before you became Kira?"

"Matsuda…" Light's eyes closed. Every muscle in his body was aching. His fears of having this second Death Note discovered; the dangers he and Misa had faced; the sudden, dreadful way that L had- A wave of despair washed over him with such force that he felt his weakened legs could no longer support him.

"M-matsuda… I'm still me…"

"To be honest, a part of me kind of understands where Kira's coming from, you know?" Matsuda continued. Unseen by Light and Misa, his pistol remained raised as he apprehended them both. "I mean, who wouldn't want a fair and just world? But, Light… you lost your way and did all those terrible things…"

Light pressed his forehead into the cold wall with a faint moan. Perhaps you're right. Maybe this is what I deserve after all…

"Matsuda, please!" came Misa's shrill voice beside him. "I know you won't believe me because you just think I'd say anything to protect Light, but he really isn't Kira! If he was, then wouldn't he just kill us both now and escape? That's totally something only Kira would do!"

Light's heart leapt a little to hear such a sound argument. Although surprising to hear such a revelation originate from Misa… might it offer them both hope after all?

Matsuda's hand trembled as he lowered the gun by a wide fraction. "Maybe… But… that still doesn't change the fact that you know about the other notebook…"

"That's only because we learnt about it from the shinigami," Misa continued with renewed confidence. "We were going to tell you but we were afraid." Daringly she moved to glance over her shoulder at him. Matsuda was watching her, gun held stiffly. His other hand was reaching into his pocket.

"You're right, Misa…" Matsuda spoke sadly. "I want to believe you… more than anything… but I can't. I can't believe either of you anymore. This is a real blow to us all." He brought out his cell phone.

"Matsu, please don't-"

Light screwed up his eyes and swore vehemently. Images flashed through his head, each more excruciating than the last. His father's utter horror; his family's shame; the other officers and their injured betrayal; the loathing of the public; his final walk to the gurney… Light's future played out before him like an awful spectacle.

"Matsu! Hang up, please!"

A sudden, piercing chill cut through Light. It couldn't happen. It would not. Not while he had the means to prevent it for, inside his watch, there was a second piece of paper. All those months ago, while he had possessed Kira's power, Light had hidden the note there for some unknown purpose. Only now that time was here… but was he truly capable of…

"Hello? Yes? I'm in need of urgent assistance-"

Light twisted his head around to Misa in desperation. Hysteria tightening her chest, Misa's voice rose to a scream.

"Matsu! No! Please!" Next to her, Light's hands were positioned over his head; one palm lay flat against the wall, his other hand held his wrist. His thumb and finger held the tiny lever of his watch in a pincer grip. Am I really going to do this…?

"Light's had plenty of time to kill us both right here and he hasn't!" Misa cried. "Do you remember when L made his dad drive us out to the middle of nowhere? Mr Yagami had a gun pressed to Light's head and nothing happened to him. L said himself that Kira would kill anyone to escape, so why hasn't it happened already? Tell me!"

Light's hand stiffened over his watch. He felt his eyes blur with tears.

Matsuda appeared as bewildered as if Misa had announced that she was breaking off her relationship with Light. The hand which carried the pistol dropped even lower so that it hung limply at his side.

"For once, Amane, you've actually said something intelligent. I'm impressed."

"Thanks-" Misa started to address him when her mouth fell open. "Oh my Death God!"

Light turned his head around so that his cheek was squashed against the cool plaster of the wall. L was standing next to the computer desk, pale and dishevelled, but very much alive. Quite forgetting the fact that Matsuda was armed, Light crossed the room in three strides. His fingers closed around the collar of L's white shirt, bringing his face close to his own. At that precise moment, Light was unsure whether he wanted to kiss him on the mouth or drag his head down against the sharp corner of the desk.

Before he had the chance to decide, L's fist connected with Light's jaw.

"Wha-!"

Light buckled under the blow, gripping onto the desk as he fell. Misa screamed and hid her face in her hands. L stood over Light's slumped form and seized the front of his sweater. He threw the student against the floor and grabbed at one of his flailing arms.

"Hand - it - over!" L panted as he struggled.

"We have to stop them!" Misa cried. As she started forward, Matsuda drew her backwards by the wrist so that she hissed like a savage cat. Gripping his forearms, Light dragged L on top of him. The pair rolled into Matsuda who only just managed to fling himself and Misa out of their path. With a grunt, Light shoved L with such force that the detective was flung onto his back.

"So this whole thing was a set up?!" Light exploded as he pulled himself upright. He stumbled backwards, shoving the bloodied piece of notepaper into the pocket of his khakis, but L was not giving up easily. The detective launched himself at Light, thrusting his head into Light's stomach. Winded, Light crashed into the office chair behind him.

"They're going to kill each other!" Misa yowled as she struggled in Matsuda's arms. Her captor smiled warmly at the two young men as they wrestled over the paper.

"I am a little confused right now," he admitted, "but I'm pretty sure they're just finally letting out their feelings!" Misa aimed a swift kick at the inside of Matsuda's ankle. "Ah!"

L had emerged victorious with the strip of paper balled inside his fist. He staggered out of the room and into the hallway with Light giving chase.

"L, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Light roared, his footfalls echoing down the corridor, "I'M NOT KIRA!"

"That's incorrect!"

With a strangled cry Light threw himself at the detective's back, knocking him flat onto his stomach. Clutching the back of his jeans and then the material of his white shirt, Light dragged himself forwards. He clutched at L's arm and roughly turned him over.

"Shut up! I'm not just going to just lie down and take it from you!"

"That's - definitely - incorrect!" Desperately, L threw his arm out of Light's reach but the latter merely gripped L's wrist and smashed it hard against the floor again and again. L gasped, his hand opening to reveal an empty palm.

"What have you done with it, you bastard?!" Light's fingers found L's throat, pulling the detective's head up before bringing it down against the ground with a gut-wrenching crack. Beneath him L uttered a choking sound. His arms struggled within Light's hold. As Light shifted, L's hand shot forward with such speed that it promptly collided with Light's nose. The latter fell backwards, clutching his face with a muffled groan.

Misa, who had briefly broken free, dashed out into the corridor. There, she watched in amazement as L lifted himself onto his hands. In a bizarre defiance of physics he brought his bodyweight down into a kick which sent Light sprawling onto his back.

"This is no time to show off!" she shouted. Matsuda, who had appeared at her shoulder, had his hands raised as though about to applaud.

"I mean, that was pretty cool."

"Matsu! Do something!"

L was running in his loping, disjointed manner towards the stairs. Frantically wiping blood out of his eyes, Light scrambled up and tore after him. He grasped a handful of L's shirt, dragging him around to face him. As Light staggered forwards his leg slid into L's ankle, knocking him off balance. Light was bent double and then, suddenly, he had snatched the piece of Death Note triumphantly from L. The detective swayed dangerously before tumbling down the staircase behind him.

"Oh shit! L!"

Seven stairs down, L was slumped against the wall like a crushed frog. Light clattered down towards him with his hand held out; Misa and Matsuda followed. Misa screamed again as Light was thrown feet first into the air. As he fell, L was dragged along behind him. The pair crashed into a mangled heap at the bottom of the staircase.

Fearfully, Misa and Matsuda hurried down to the ground floor. Light was sitting up and holding his bruised face. The blood had started to clot around his nostrils. L was wobbling on his feet. At the apprehensive expressions of his two associates, he waved a vague hand.

"I'm much stronger than I look," he managed. With that, he doubled over and coughed a spatter of blood onto his white shirt.

His chest heaving, Light's hand closed over the torn piece of Death Note. He clambered to his feet and hurtled towards the lobby doors. Behind him the drumming of footsteps signalled his pursuer.

Panic tightened his chest until his lungs burned. Light's sneakers squeaked against the polished floor as he sprinted towards the doors. Matsuda was losing ground against the student. With one last wild attempt, he drew his pistol, flung out an arm and took aim.

Misa's whole body jolted at the crack of the shot.

"That was a warning shot!" Matsuda called to Light's rapidly retreating form. "You've got one more chance!" But Light was already drawing level with the doors.

With one leg tucked behind the other, Matsuda released his weapon with the grace of a ten pin bowling champion. The gun slid across the lobby floor, past Light's running feet, and into the path of the metal detector. There came the noise of the claxon, and the metal door crunched closed upon them.

Light skidded into the doorframe, his raised arm smacking against its metal. Matsuda pounded across the central room in great strides and, with an anguished yell, leapt upon his back. Light gasped as the breath was knocked from him. His hand grabbed at Matsuda's wrist but a sudden blow struck him between his shoulder blades. The student fell hard against the floor. Above him, Matsuda pressed his knee into Light's back. His hand clamped Light's bloodied face against the cold tiles. Struggling, Light slowly wrenched his head around so that his cheek remained to the ground. One terrified eye stared up desperately at the former police detective.

- *flips giant switch* L's aliiiiive!

- Because there had to be at least one more fight scene with L and Light.

- I 've also been waiting for the right point to use the "like a crushed frog" line. Loved this in the LABB Murder Cases. Def recommend reading this if you haven't already.