Matsuda groaned. They had only allowed him to leave the court after being stuck with Naomi in a small meeting room for the last three hours after Ryuzaki Rue's 'death'. The court wanted to investigate his death to see whether someone else had killed Rue or whether Merikh's responsible. Which meant Matsuda had to pretend to play the grieving boyfriend's role, constantly cry in this small meeting room as Naomi pretended to comfort him. So, when he'd finally allowed to leave. After Ryuzaki's body has been sent to the coroner's office for further analyse. Obviously, Watari's on standby to steal the body before anyone realises B is still alive. He doesn't really go anywhere, stepping outside, taking in the sun's warmth. Letting it hit his face and letting out a deep sigh allowing everything that happened today washes over him.

He tried to keep his mind off that terrifying creature he saw behind Teru in the court. There's no doubt in his mind that it's a Shinigami, Merikh's Shinigami, but Matsuda expected Teru would've come after him. Amane's Shinigami seemed so loyal to her that it threatened to kill them if the task force harmed Misa on multiple occasions. If it weren't for Kira's quick thinking telling the Shinigami that if he and L died. Their files containing the information on Misa's crimes would be sent to an anonymous source who you see it through that Amane was executed. Matsuda couldn't figure out how they will deal with Amane once Merikh's captured, if Misa meant that much to this Shinigami then the members of the task force risked dying themselves if they tried to execute her for her crimes as the second Merikh. If this Shinigami is so loyal to Misa, shouldn't Merikh's Shinigami be utterly devoted to him? It should have told Teru that someone could see it, Teru should've acted by now, but he hadn't. From the little Naomi had found out, Teru had been allowed to leave after being held for only an hour.

"Hyuk, I never expected someone to find the death note," an unfamiliar creepy voice said from behind Matsuda. He felt the hairs on the back of his arms stand up as he slowly turned around to find Merikh's Shinigami standing right behind him. Panic washed over Matsuda as he desperately searched the grounds, looking for Teru or even Higuchi, but found no one. He's by himself with the Shinigami.

"W-what do you want from me?" Matsuda stuttered out; the police academy tried to prepare him with taking with suspects, but he doesn't remember receiving the Shinigami 101 class. This is mad. Here he is entirely out of his depth, Kira or L were better suited to this. Still, Matsuda had long destroyed his earpiece. After being shoved into the meeting room, so no one saw it and realised that Matsuda is in on Rue's fake death so, he couldn't call out for help.

"I don't want anything. I'm just curious how you stumbled across the death note since Teru believes he hidden it well inside his bag." the Shinigami said. Still, Matsuda stayed quiet; he may act stupid sometimes. Still, he's not that stupid to reveal any classified information to their enemy, "Oh don't worry, I won't tell Teru. I may be a Shinigami, but even I can keep secrets, I've told Teru this, but I'm not on his side or the police. I'm simply a spectator."

"And that should reassure me how?" Matsuda felt like he's finally lost it, so many people in his family told him it's a bad idea to become a police officer that it's something he couldn't handle, but he ignored them and signed up. Maybe that was the first sign he's going mad. After graduating from the police academy, everything went downhill from there. Being assigned to the Merikh Case, meeting and stupidly falling for a serial killer well may not fall for. Still, Matsuda knows he's attracted to B, and now, he's talking to a god of death. This isn't what he signed up for when he decided he wanted to become a detective, yet this is what he ended up with.

"It doesn't, but where's the fun it that." the Shinigami said grinning, "You got any apples, I haven't had one since this morning."

"An apple?" yep, Matsuda finally lost it.

"Yea, there, what do you say… juicy. Apple's from the human world are worth the trip" the Shinigami said. The grin widening shouldn't be possible considering the Shinigami's lips seemed to reach from one side of its face to the other.

"You came all this way for an apple" Matsuda muttered, maybe he should check himself into the nearest psych ward because this can't be happening, it must be the stress. He's been working long hours ever since the Merikh case began. His mind is playing tricks on him. He's not standing here having a conversation with a freaking Shinigami about apples. This is not happening; this is stress; this must be stress.

"I came here because I was bored. You know, in the Shinigami realm we don't have much to do. We're either gambling or taking naps, and we find no amusement to kill those in the human world. So, I figured I'd have more fun if I came down here myself." the Shinigami said, "and what fun I've had. Those who've picked up my death note are quite entertaining; they've used the notebook in ways I've never even thought were possible."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Matsuda shouted this makes little sense. The Shinigami is practically confirming Kira and L's suspicion that at least Teru is Merikh but why would he do that? Helping the task force find Merikh mean the Shinigami would lose his source of entertainment.

"Because I'm interested to see what happens next. I'm interested to see what Merikh will do when they're backed into a corner." the Shinigami said. Spreading his previous concealed wings as he took off from the ground, his red and yellow eyes staring down at Matsuda. "Don't worry Matsuda, like I said I've just a spectator; they'll never find out about this. Teru believes he's killed Beyond Birthday or Ryuzaki Rue. He does not know that you and Rue's lawyer are undercover. I'm excited to see what happens next."

Matsuda watched as the Shinigami flew off, his mind racing with a million questions. How did the Shinigami know his actual name? Can he really trust it to keep his identity a secret? Will it really keep their conversation a secret? And most importantly, who the fuck called their child Beyond Birthday!


Light sat quietly at the kitchen table, watching his mother make tea in the kitchen. It felt awkward, the silence which follows. Whilst Light could only assume his mother is pleased to see him again. She had said nothing to him since taking his arm and pulling him inside before guesting from him to sit at the table whilst he made the tea. The outside of the house hadn't changed; however, the furniture differed as the years went by but at the same time, it felt like it'd been frozen in the year Light ran. There are barely new photos of his family, the only new ones are of just Sayu, and that's it, no new pictures of them as a family or of his mother with his father. Speaking of Sayu, she wasn't home, probably still at school being only four in the afternoon; he wasn't sure how to act around her if she turned up anytime soon. Did she remember him? Would she recognise him? Whilst Light didn't feel like he didn't look that different from when he's a kid in those photographs. He couldn't be sure his family or well, his mother even talked about him or whether Sayu hates him for leaving her alone with their father.

"I won't ask why you left, I think we both know who caused you to run away," his mother said handing him his cup whilst she sat down opposite him, "I need to know that wherever you ended up, you were cared for."

"I was, I ended up in an orphanage in England. They looked after me" Light said, shrugging his shoulders. How can he explain to a woman he hadn't seen in ten years, his life at Wammy's house without giving away what Wammy's is about? No matter if he wants to trust her, he couldn't tell her about L. Even if he did, he would have to give her an alias and giving her the name Ryuzaki would just confuse people in the long run. That is if Beyond started using that name again. Light really didn't need the hassle of his mother mistaking Beyond as his husband, that is, if L ever met his mother.

"That's good. What have you been doing? Anything exciting" his mother asked.

"Normal kid stuff, the orphanage gave me an education, I've been working as a freelance detective for the past few years, it's why I'm in Japan. I'm sorry, I didn't reach out all these years. At first, I felt hurt, I needed time, but then the years flew by and… I didn't know how to return when you hadn't heard anything from me for years. I'm sorry for everything I put you through" Light whispered, looking down at the table, his eyes drawn to his engagement and wedding ring. He didn't see the smile on his mother's face, only her hands as they reached over, wrapping around his own.

"Don't apologise Light, I should've done something; I should've protected you. I-I was drawn into the idea of having a genius son and how I wanted you to succeed that I looked over countless times that you were still a child. You shouldn't lose out on your childhood because you understood complex topics at such a young age. I should've realised how much your father was pushing you and stopped him. I'm your mother, I should have seen it. If anyone needs to apologise, it's me. I'm sorry Light, I really am" Sachiko said, squeezing her son's hands, her fingers tracing over the two rings on Light's ring finger, "Although it looks like some good came from it. How long have you been married?".

"Four months, not long but my husband's a busy man so, it took us a year from getting engaged to getting married. My father-in-law spent most the time planning" Light said, there no point hiding he's gay. He was eighteen years old, he's legally allowed to get married to the person of his choice.

"Are you happy?" his mother asked, and Light nodded, L made him happy even if he drove him up the wall sometimes and not in a good way.

"I am," Light said a small smile appeared on his face before he felt his phone buzz, Light pulled his hands away from his mother's reaching into his trouser pocket and pulled out his phone. He has a text message from L.

Panda: (4: 25 pm)

Watari got B

Kira Lawliet: (4: 26 pm)

Okay, I'll head back now.

"I need to go," Light said, finishing his drink before standing up, pushing his chair back underneath the table.

"Of course, you must be busy. Light I know returning may be hard, but please keep in touch even if it's a phone call once a month. I'm sure Sayu would love to see you again. She's missed you more than you can imagine" his mother said, and Light nodded grabbing his coat pulling a small notepad out that he always carried on him turning to a clean page. Light jotted his phone number down, ripping the page out, and handed it to his mother.

"I'll try," Light said, heading to the front door, "I'll see you soon, I'll try to visit before I leave if I get the chance."

"Thank you, Light, for giving me another chance. I won't tell your father you were here until you want to meet him." Sachiko said, standing up on her tiptoes. She pressed a quick kiss to her son's cheek, "I love you. Light remember that."

"I love you too, mum" Light said, walking out the door and through the gate. He turned back slightly to give his mum a wave before taking off down the street. L's newly built headquarters were much further from his childhood then the hotel had been. Once he reached the main road, Light planned to ring Watari for a lift as it would take twice as long to get public transport back. Except Light didn't make the end of the street before a hand shot out from behind him, a hand wrapped around his mouth whilst another wrapped around his waist. Light tried to use his elbows, hitting the man behind him, trying to free himself, but his attacker much stronger.

Light felt his vision slowly blur. He struggled to get a hand into his pocket. Barely pressing speed dial that would instantly call L's phone before he gave in to the darkness and his phone clattered to the ground.


L started down at his phone as it started ringing, he quickly glanced at the caller ID seeing its Light, L picked his phone up.

"Do you need picking you up?" L asked when he answered the phone only to receive nothing from his husband, which was odd. If Light called, he always had something to say.

"Shit, that bastard called someone," an unfamiliar voice said before the line suddenly went dead. L felt his heart freeze as he tried to call his husband back.

"I'm sorry the person you're trying to call in unavailable, please try again," the service message said when the call didn't go through. L called again.

"Light pick up, baby pick up!" L said mostly to himself, not caring whether other task force members heard him as panic slowly rose in his chest. He didn't always feel emotions, only for Light, Beyond, Wammy, Near and Mello. Especially for Light. Yet each time Light's phone went to the unavailable service message, L's heart continued to sink in his chest as his stomach twisted, and he felt sick.

"WAMMY!".