~12 hours previous~

Beyond observed with delight as Watari dragged Mr Yagami out of the building. The staggering relief that Beyond felt over never having to look at this man again. That Light will never see this man again, the father who mistreated him, the father who neglected and controlled him to advance his own image and reputation. Souichiro Yagami is a vile man who deserves everything coming to him when L sends footage to Yagami's boss (edited to preserve their identities).

"Now with him out of the way, let's save Kira," L said and for the first time in days, a smile appeared on his brother's face.

"So, what's the plan, Lawlipop? Are we gonna enter the cabin guns blazing and end Merikh once and for all or take our time with their deaths, make them suffer for everything they've done to my bestie?" Beyond asked, grinning, the thought of crushing their skulls and snapping their bones by extending their own suffering until they are begging for mercy. Hurting them enough to maximise their pain whilst being careful, Beyond won't let them die until he's decided when it's time and even then, Beyond will fill their death with more pain than Teru and Higuchi could imagine.

"I'm not planning anything. Matt, Mello and Near you found Kira. How do you want to rescue him?" L asked, turning to his three successors. Mello shared a chilling grin with Near and Matt.

"How about you give B and me some alone time with Merikh? We can't kill them, but that doesn't mean we can't repay them for the damages done to our mother and your brother-in-law. What do you think, B?" Mello said, looking over at Beyond.

"I like the way you think, blondie," Beyond grinned.

"Five minutes. I'm sure Merikh will resist arrest. The rest of us will surround the cabin. We're not risking them escaping. Aizawa, contact the NPA. We need a functioning S.W.A.T team ready in the next twenty minutes. Give them the cabin location, tell them not to engage unless Merikh flees, or they're given the signal. Make sure they have full helmet visors. We not risking their faces in case one of Merikh have the Shinigami eyes. Matt, stick on surveillance. I want you in contact with the S.W.A.T team. If you see any movement, then you give the order to breach. Is that clear?" L said. Everyone nodded. Aizawa and Mogi looked a little unsure. They didn't approve of the permission Mello and Beyond was given to attack Merikh, but neither of them was going to protest. This might be their only chance to capture Merikh before they go into hiding. Their hesitance could kill the world's second greatest detective, and they would not have that on their conscience.

"Consider it done," Aizawa said.

"Good, the rest of you. Be ready to leave in ten minutes" L dismissed them, darting up the stairs with Watari close behind him. The others split, leaving Matsuda and Beyond alone.

"Be careful. We don't know what Merikh is capable of face to face. I know you've been through a lot and what you did in LA gives you an advantage over Merikh as their kills were at a distance. Merikh will expect us, I just want you to be careful," Matsuda said, looking worried. "Promise me you'll be safe."

Beyond smiled softly, slowly approaching the detective before placing his hand on Touta's waist. "You don't need to worry about me. I'll come back to you. I promise." And with that Beyond wrapped his arms around Touta, pressing their lips together in a gentle kiss.

Beyond drew away, resting his forehead against Matsuda's, "The things you do to me, Touta Matsuda. I hope you know, I'll always come back to you. You're stuck with me now."

"Good," Matsuda said, his hands cupping Beyond's nape, pulling them closer and capturing his lips in a more passionate and desperate kiss.


Lowering his pen to the death note, for the first time since setting off on this destiny, felt liberating. The deaths of those first few criminals meant everything to Mikami, having the strength and the power to delete all these disgusting vermin from the world. Their pathetic justice system has failed them, releasing those criminals back onto the streets when they deserved to be in jail. That all stopped when he found the Death Note, the solution to his problems, using it he can delete these monsters from the face of the world until all that remains are those who he's judged to be kind and hardworking, those who would never consider committing a crime in fear of their god Merikh who reigned judgment over the world. The only thing stopping Kyosuke and himself from reigning over their world as they deserved was this man and L. Once their two biggest enemies were exterminated from this world, the world's police, governments and rulers will fall in line with their demands and bowed their heads to their new world rulers and no one was going to stop them. Mikami had the upper hand over L. Once Light Lawliet is dead after he tells them L's name or location, then L's downfall will come, and no one will ever think about coming after them again. All their hard work and sacrifice will be for something.

Mikami smirked as Light closed his eyes. He knew, he knew his death had come after holding up for a week, he'd lost to Merikh. Merikh is superior in every way. Pressing his pen to the page, Mikami wrote Light's name and then, in the next six minutes and forty seconds, he'd write his last instruction for Light Lawliet. He will tell them L's name. Ryuk started laughing manically in the background and for once the Shinigami's expression matched what Mikami felt inside. He'd won. Merikh had won.

Lawliet Ligh

The door slammed open, two men came rushing in and before Mikami could finish writing Light's name, one of the assailed punched him in the face and ripped the death note from his hand. Mikami groaned when his body hit the floor, but his assailant didn't continue his attack. Instead, he turned to look at Lawliet, who now had opened his eyes and looked in awe at his rescuers.

"B, Mello," Light croaked, his voice sore and his throat dry.

"Hey Lightie. We've got a five-minute head start on the others. Now let's have some fun." The man turned to look at him once more and that's when he realised it, why Ryuk was laughing? It wasn't because of Light's end and Merikh's ultimate victory. He knew that this B and Mello person were approaching the cabin, that their victory was being snatched away in a blink of an eye and Ryuk didn't warn them.

"I told you Teru, I'm not on your side or L's. I'm a spectator, so I'm not going to do anything to help you, only watch," Ryuk cackled as if sensing Mikami's dilemma.

Mikami cursed before looking up at the man cracking his fingers and balling them into fists and then horror overwhelmed him because who was standing in front of him was impossible, but it couldn't be someone else. The same blood-red eyes, the same creepy grin on his face as he stared down at Mikami, the death note thrown to the other side of the cabin. It's the man from the trial, a man who died right in front of him. Ryuzaki Rue.

The realisation crashed down over him like an icy wave. The trial, the last-minute arranged trial, had been a setup. All this time, L had been one step closer than they imagined. They'd figured out who Merikh was and set up the trial to see whether he'd try to kill the suspect, he'd given himself away by killing Rue during the trial. Had it been days after the trial, then they would've been fine, Rue would've passed countless people who might've wanted revenge on him. But if Ryuzaki Rue was an alias, then how did they know when and at what moment they should've faked Rue's death?… the man, Rue's boyfriend. He wasn't sneaking around the court looking for alcohol, he was in that room searching Mikami's belonging for the death note and he must have found it because at quarter past three just like Mikami had written in the death note, Rue 'died' of a heart attack in front of everyone at court. All this time, they'd thought they were one step from their victory and the defeat of their enemy. L had, in fact, been pushing them into a corner, preparing to arrest them.

No! Mikami would let this defeat him. He's the rightful ruler of this world and if L wants Merikh to fight, then they'll give him a fight.


Quietly, the S.W.A.T team and the Merikh task force enveloped the cabin. Mello and Beyond entered only two minutes ago, and neither Merikh had fled. Three extra minutes and then this will all be over, Merikh arrested, and his beautiful husband saved. They had an ambulance and two paramedics stationed 10 miles back waiting with Matt to hear the all-clear so they can drive in and take Light to the hospital.

'I'm coming, Light, hold on for a few more moments and then you'll be in my arms again,' L thought as he opened the comm channel and said, "S.W.A.T team move in."

And a sea of armoured cladded men swarmed the cabin.


Beyond smirked as Teru lifted himself off the floor, his own hands clamped into fists, but B could see that Teru hadn't fought a fight in his life and won. He had no form, no control over his punches, only he aimed at B and expected they'd hit, but B evaded them. Letting Teru stumble before lifting his own fists and bringing them down on Teru's back forcing him onto the floor and then Beyond let loose. Bringing his fists down on Teru again and again, transferring all his fury on the bastard who dared kidnap and hurt his best friend. He didn't care if he crushed the bones in Teru's face as he slammed the face onto the hard wooden floor. This bastard deserved everything he got. B's only wish was that L had let him bring a knife, or any weapon, to lengthen and worsen the pain B could give Teru. B supposed it didn't matter, his fists were all he needed to get the great Merikh crying and begging on the floor for it all to stop, but Beyond wouldn't stop this man's pain and suffering until someone pulled him off Teru.

And as all this happened, all Beyond could hear was the loud cackling of the Shinigami.


Higuchi didn't stand a chance when he tried to fight Mello, whilst he seems to understand what he was doing compared to his partner Teru, he still wasn't prepared to come up against someone who's as experienced in fighting as Mello. Before Light, Mello spent every day of his life fighting, be it his abusive family, bullies from school or Wammy's, he always had someone to fight with. But today, no matter how much pain he wanted to force Merikh to experience, he knew in this situation fighting isn't the answer. Bracing himself, Mello shifted his weight backwards, moving swiftly out of Higuchi's way before dropping to the floor and swiping Higuchi's feet out from underneath him, sending him crashing to the floor. Quickly Mello stood up, straddling Higuchi's waist, he quickly secured Higuchi's hands.

"Higuchi Kyosuke, you're under arrest for the actions and murders you've committed under the name Merikh. You do not have to say anything, anything you say will be written down and used as evidence in a court of law" Mello spoke Higuchi's rights, slapping Higuchi's arms into metal cuffs and doing them up as tight as they could go. A part of him, a small slither of the old Mello, screamed for revenge, to attack Higuchi with everything he had, but he wasn't that Mello anymore and he knew, his mum wouldn't want to put either himself, Matt or Near in harm's way and even rescuing him now. If Mello walked away injured, Light would never forgive himself.

Opening the door, Mello signalled to L.


"Light, it's me. I'm here" L whispered. The restraints on his arms, legs and around his stomach disappeared and without those, Light didn't have any strength to hold himself up. He felt himself flop forward and into someone's arms. They were strong and safe, the cotton t-shirt pressed against his skin and the familiar arms hauled him up off the ground.

"Panda" Light said, his words slurred as he fought to keep himself awake, so far, a losing battle.

"Yeah baby, it's me. I'm here. You're safe now. I promise you. I'm not going to let you go again," L said.

"Mer-Merikh," Light tried to speak, but L shushed him.

"Get some rest baby, I'll fill you in when you wake," L said, kissing the top of his head.

"Let's get him into the ambulance" was the last thing Light heard before he gave in to the darkness and slipped unconscious, safe in his husband's arms.