The bright white of the room hurt her eyes. Hard. Solid. Sterile. It was all too immaculate. It made her uncomfortable, but that was the intention, no?

C rapped her fingertips across the white tabletop, glancing behind her shoulder to the door. It still lay shut, and much like the rest of the room, it was a harsh white.

She debated whether to just leave when the door opened.

His footsteps were slow, echoing. He dragged himself around her, the guard forcing them to give her a wide berth. The guard, a woman with bottle blond hair, clamped a set of heavy medieval looking silver shackles around his wrists. Despite the rough treatment, Beyond threw her what would be a charming smile and a wink, if it wasn't for the setting.

Blondie scoffed, "I'll be right outside, I'll hear if you scream." The door slammed shut behind her.

With an eye roll, C turned back to the figure folded in the chair across from her. Beyond Birthday had always been… striking, to say the least. He was this big ball of overzealous charisma that you could easily pick out in a crowd. Seeing him here, squatting in an uncomfortable metal chair, in Japan's Maximum Security Penitentiary, it was bizarre.

"I brought you some hair dye." she produced the neat cardboard box from her already searched and x rayed bag, placing it on the table. His hair had been stained, just as she told him it would, and his gorgeous platinum blonde roots had only just started to grow back. The nest on his head was some weird, overgrown ombre that any hair stylist would rather shoot themselves than look at.

He didn't move, but to be completely honest, she didn't expect him to. He just stared. If he was trying to intimidate her, it wasn't working.

With a sigh, her hands dived back into her bag, tugging out a tiny drawstring bag and a deck of cards. Beyond's eyes lit up, and she smothered a victorious smirk. "Do the honours?

His shackled hands shuffled the cards with flair, lying them out in a wide arc. "Pick three, darlin'."

She did exactly that, and Beyond flipped them over, an inquisitive crinkle between his brows. "The tower, the empress, the chariot. How ominous."

"It's not as bad as I expected, considering."

"Considering what?"

" That's what I'm here for, actually," her eyes flicked up to Beyond's, her face impassive "L has recruited me for a case."

Beyond's jaw clenched painfully. He blinked, eyes moving just above her head, avoiding her eyes. "I didn't want to agree, at first, but it's important, B." He finally met her gaze and with a soft smile, he nodded.

Reaching across the table, he cupped her hand in his own. "Does that mean you'll be able to visit more often?" His voice was gritty, hoarse from disuse and she felt hot tears prick the back of her eyes. Sniffling, Cael nodded "Yes, of course, I'll try to come every week, but you know how L is."

"More than most, unfortunately," B chuckled, a grin stretching his lips wide open. I missed this, Cael realised with a jolt. Everything surrounding them was different, but it was like nothing between them had changed. If she just closed her eyes, she felt she would be back at Whammy's, breathing in the musty attic air, drawing cards they had made themselves.

"Have you heard from Naomi Misora lately?"

Beyond quirked a brow, his lips pursed "That's hardly any of your business."

Cael grunted impatiently, tracing the design on the cards with her fingertip. "Since when don't you like to gossip with your favourite sister?'" "Why are you so interested?"

Her jaw clamped shut. There was a high chance of Misora already being dead, and she really didn't want to admit this, especially to Beyond. He doesn't take death well. She's still haunted by the months following Adam's death. Beyond had shut down completely, barring her from entering his bedroom, getting angry at the smallest thing. He wasn't the same after Adam. Neither of them were.

"She's gone missing, I'm trying to find her because I believe she's connected to my investigation."

"You mean L's investigation."

"Don't be childish."

"How can I not be when once again, he's ruined everything."

"L had nothing to do with Naomi Misora, and she isn't yours-"

"Why are you defending him-"

"You have no claim over her. She could have imperative information-"

"Irrelevant! L-

"Backup."

The whole world came to a stop. Beyond's mouth curled into a monstrous sneer, and Cael instantly regretted it, but she had to move on. "We're just talking in circles, B, I can't keep doing this," her head fell into her palms. "Please if you know anything, you have to tell me, she could be in danger."

"She hasn't contacted me in years. If you find her, tell her to call."

He yelled for the guard, and Blondie dragged him out with a rough tug.

"I'll see you next week ." Cael said softly as he passed. Her friend didn't answer. He disappeared around the corner and she felt tears pricking her eyes.

A hand clasped her shoulder reassuringly, and she thanked the Hospital's Administrator for allowing her to see him. "It's quite alright, he just needs some time, you know how he is…" He continued on for some time as he led her to his office, and she took note of his laptop, wide open on his desk, showing a live feed of Beyond in his cell. He just sat on his cot, staring at the wall, his back facing the camera. "After all, it's not every day he gets visitors, and two in the same week! I'm sure he's overwhelmed-"

"Wait, what? He's had another visitor? Who?"

"Well Miss Connors, this hospital does have a little thing called confidentiality," Beyond arched his neck, now gazing over his shoulder, up into the camera, and she swore he was glaring right into her soul, completely aware of her conversation. "but I suppose that as you are one of our most generous benefactors, you could accidentally overhear that a young man by the name of Mello requested a video call with Beyond. They had a rather long chat about Beyond's… colourful past." Her mind whirled. She shook his hand firmly with a smile.

"It would be greatly appreciated if you alerted me to any more of Beyond's visitors, if he has any." The Administrator's eyes flashed greedily, making C's insides turn and shrivel. The man nodded vigorously as she bit back a disbelieving laugh.

"Thank you Mr Chi-"

"Please, call me Frederick."

"Of course, it's been lovely seeing you, Frederick, I'll show myself out."

Once in the safety of her car, Cael's smile dropped like a stone, and she rubbed at the knot forming in her neck. She was familiar with Mello, he was a genius - outspoken, ambitious, confident, hardworking and had an attitude that could give the devil himself a headache. Naturally, Cael adored the boy. But why was he talking with Beyond?

She gritted her teeth, starting the car, and forcing back tears of frustration. Why now? The boy reminded her so much of her brother, she wouldn't let him end up like him too.

Wiping her face harshly, she nodded to herself, a new goal forming in her mind. Contact the Whammy kids.

.

.

"Late night or early morning?"

"Christ!" she whirled around, abandoning her plan of tiptoeing to her room like a rebellious teenager.

Matsuda sat innocently in an armchair that had been dragged in front of the screens of livefeed, his legs thrown over one arm, and Fluffy curled up into his lap. The feline opened one eye to see who had entered and promptly closed it again, burrowing further into Matsuda's crumpled shirt.

"They put you on the night shift again?"

"Yep, and once again, nothing's happening." He gestured to the screens, showing various angles of sleeping figures. Cael grimaced, this was Matsuda's third night in a row on the shift, his apparent punishment for… well, actually, Cael doesn't even know. For some reason, L seemed to have some vendetta against Matsuda, so he was constantly pulling the short straw and left doing menial tasks like getting coffee or collecting newspapers. She's pretty sure that L had the poor guy picking up his dry cleaning. If she hadn't read his file, she'd think he was an intern.

"You don't have to sit up with me, it's late, you should get some rest." He shot her a smile, and she found herself returning it.

"And miss out on all the excitement? Not a chance." She laughed grabbing a stiff backed office chair and plopped herself down, sitting crisscross applesauce with a heavy, over dramatic sigh, to which he chuckled at.

She gazed over at Matsuda as he stroked her cat, he attentively inspected every screen, his eyes darting to any movement. As the next hour ticked by, she found herself forming an odd admiration for the young man. Even when doing the menial work, he gave a hundred percent, detailing every time someone got up from bed and returned with precision. He didn't even complain. Cael probably would have.

Her eyes returned to her laptop, which she had produced from her shoulder bag. Roger had already responded to her email.

"C,

I never would have thought Mello would try to make contact with B. I'll be sure to talk to him, but I'm certain it's just one of his pet projects. I can set up a video call In a few days, I know Mello would like to talk to you. You're missed.

Wishing you health,

R.R."

She sighed, feeling the knot between her neck tighten some more. These kids...

"Are you ok?"

She raised her head sluggishly, eyes meeting Matsuda's.

"Aye, I'm just… stressed."

He nodded sympathetically. "It's been a tough few days."

"So tell me about yourself, Matsuda." She said. He raised a brow, spluttering softly and she waved him off.

"I'm not trying to wrangle anything out of you, or trying to embarrass you, but anyone that decided to take on this investigation is pretty admirable. I wouldn't have done so without Ryuzaki's insistence."

"Why did Ryuzaki ask for you, anyway?"

"We knew each other in school, a very long time ago," She chuckled, "It seems I left an impression on him." It wasn't technically a lie, yet the ease it came out with jarred her.

"Wow, you knew him when he was young… he must have been a weird looking child."

"Believe it or not, he looks exactly the same as he did back then, maybe a bit thinner." She laughed softly, shaking her head in disbelief. Matsuda's eyes widened- finally realising what he had actually said.

"Please don't tell him I said that?" He said sheepishly, and with a laugh she indulged him, going as far as to pinky promise to keep his terrible secret. As their fingers had separated, she sent him a cheeky wink, delighting in the way his ears turned pink.

She nodded towards the screen. "You know him, right?"

"Yes, I'm a close family friend of the Yagami's, I spent a lot of time around Light and Sayu."

"What do you think of Ryuzaki's… opinions?"

"I think it's preposterous! Light may be intelligent, but he's not… evil."

"You believe Kira to be evil?"

"Yes." He said firmly, and Cael was almost surprised at his conviction. He made no point to continue the conversation and she leaned back into her chair, surveying the man with new eyes. Some would say Kira had a point, far too many criminals got away with their crime, evil men and women were let loose on the world purely because they could dish out money in their defence. Their victims didn't see their world in black and white, but neither did their families. It was almost admirable that Matsuda had faith in the justice system and still wanted to try to make a difference.

Cael didn't know if she agreed with him, to a point.

…

The redhead found herself watching over the officers. She rarely interacted with them, hiding behind a pile of paperwork. At nights she would drive by the suspects houses and just keep watch. When the officers shifts ended, she had been appointed to trailing them from a distance , to make sure they got home safely. L was nervous about information getting out, or the task force being intercepted, and she wasn't certain if she was their bodyguard or their tail.

It was simple work, however, one that she was familiar with. For a time she had been a photographer for an infamous tabloid over in the States, where she had staked out and snapped pictures of celebrities, government officials and criminals. Apparently, there was an arrest warrant out on her over there.

Stalking the task force wasn't even half as difficult and she didn't have to, but she had brought her camera to snap some photos, just for old times' sake. To get into the spirit, she had adorned her black baseball cap and thick dark sunglasses. Her serial killer getup, L had dubbed drily.

She sent a text to L. Yagami entering home at 7:57 pm. Sighing, she watched as the family sat down around the table. Dinner had already been eaten a few hours ago- she had watched the family over the live feeds- but now they just sat and talked as the patriarch ate. It was all so very domestic. Cael didn't know if she was jealous or uncomfortable, but the squirming feeling in her chest persisted. She leaned back into her seat, crossing her arms. She swapped cars everyday. Today's was a simple black Nissan.

Turning up the heating, she watched through the open window as the suspect himself laid the table, pouring tea for some and sujo for others. He was a handsome young man, and she could imagine him growing to look just as distinguished as his father. A noble, kind man.

She sorely hoped that Light Yagami was not Kira. Partly to prove that L could for once be wrong. But mostly she hoped he wasn't Kira for Soichiro Yagami's sake. He was a wonderful man, who was completely kind and respectful towards her, despite her seemingly useless role in the investigation. If his son was this malevolent force, he wouldn't react to mention his long and esteemed career would be over.

It would eat him up and turn him inside out with guilt. The knowledge that he had bred such a monster…

She had seen it in Wammy with Beyond, with Adam. With many of the other children who had cracked under pressure. Wammy and Roger had been the ones to create them, and had dealt with the moral and emotional repercussions of the fallout. Their little family had been shattered into pieces. For a time, the adults had not been able to deal with it- she had seen them in their studies, head in their palms, glasses of brandy by their sides, too tired to cry. She had been the same way. She didn't allow herself to feel, she threw herself into her work and she travelled. She had fun, submerging herself in every petty vice known to man.

She watched as each light went out in the idyllic house. Just as she was about to reverse from where she was parked, a bedroom lamp turned on, illuminating a figure standing in the window, looking out into the night. With a growing sense of unease, she realised Light Yagami was looking directly at her. Pulling the cap lower over her face, she pulled out of the alley she had parked in, intending on driving back to the hotel.

She hoped against hope that L was wrong in his hypothesis, but he had never been before.

Hello again! i hope you are all doing well, and enjoy the chapter :) Please comment and tell me your thoughts!