Dachi's cries shook his body, but as the broiling hot water slowly started to turn icy he started to regain his composure and calm himself. He sighed and slowly stood, his knees slightly weak from sitting for too long; how long had he been self-loathing? The long haired man tuned off the water and leaned against the shower wall, trying to block all thought and memories of the incident in the alleyway…even if it was just for a little while; he didn't want to think about how pathetic he had come to see himself. Dachi stepped from the shower onto the tile below; a cool air surrounded him, trying to take away the little body heat he had left from the cold water that had fell upon him before.
Dachi took a large, cream-colored towel that was on a rack next to him and tried off his legs, not wanting to slip on the tile, before wrapping it around his waist and tying it. He was in no hurry, no rush to go to bed; silently fearing the nightmares that might come. Dachi sighed once more and shook his head. Beads of water dripped from his orange hair and fell around him as he stepped in front of the large mirror in the bathroom. He grabbed the brush on the counter top and started to run it through his hair, pulling tangles less than gingerly. Dachi put his long hair into a less than perfect bun, just so that it wouldn't be so tangled again in the morning.
He opened the bathroom door just a bit to see if Matsuda was awake or not, wondering if it was safe for him to slip on a pair of pajamas. To Dachi's slight relief the man had either passed out, or just fallen asleep, though he remained facing the bathroom door. Dachi walked out slowly and headed for his suitcase, but as he passed by Matsuda he noticed his features were slightly wrinkled to one of almost worry. Dachi smiled as he slipped on a pair sweats and a black wife-beater. That was the more innocent face of the Matsuda he remembered and had come to like so much. Dachi passed Matsuda's bed and sat down on his; his legs were pulled on top of the bed as he criss-crossed them. He was no longer facing Matsuda and as he turned off the TV, which was starting to get on his nerves, and let out a soft sigh.
"Da…chi…" Matsuda said softly. It was an innocent tone in his voice that just portrayed concern; and for a moment, Dachi thought that Matsuda had woken, but turned his head to see he was still fast asleep. Matsuda seemed to do that quite often…speak when he dreamt, and Dachi felt a guilt in his heart as he saw just the slightest red mark on the man's neck where he had pushed a little too hard; though it was barely noticeable.
Dachi sighed and was silent for a moment as he stared at Matsuda for a moment in sadness before raising himself back to his feet. Dachi grabbed the briefcase off of the
small table that was near the window and made his way out of the hotel room; the hotel key in his other hand.
He quickly shut the door behind him and made his way in front of Sato's room. Dachi knocked on the door a few times until Christian opened the door. "Oh, Dachi." Christian smiled softly and opened the door wider, allowing Dachi to enter the room. As Christian shut the door, Dachi looked over at Zellogi and spoke out loud, "I need to talk to you."
Dachi placed the briefcase on top of Sato's bed and looked back over at Christian. "And you as well. Both Sato and Light need to-" Dachi was cut off as he looked around the room and then back over at Sato. "Where's Light?"
Christian budded in and replied, "Oh, after he brought me over he left to go back down to the bar. He said he still had to pay the bill for Matsuda."
Dachi looked at the two boys in ridicule as he replied in anger, "A bar doesn't just let you walk away without paying the tab!" Dachi glanced over at the clock before continuing, "He's been gone for over an hour! Why didn't anyone say something to me?" Before anyone could reply he looked over at Sato and scolded him, "I told you not to let him out of your sight! How bluntly could I have put it?!"
Sato flinched backward and looked down at the ground, "I…I'm sorry Dachi. I; I didn't know. I thought he would be back quicker and…and I'd never been to a bar before. I didn't know that." Sato said; he never did like the harsh tone Dachi could get in his voice and he knew that he angered him greatly for not listening to him. Christian imagined Sato as a puppy who had his tail between his legs and large eyes that was frightened of being beaten.
The blonde haired man snapped out of his thoughts as Dachi spoke once again, "It's common sense! You can't walk out of a place without paying for whatever you bought!"
Christian bit his bottom lip before blurting out, "No; don't blame Sato, Dachi." Dachi glanced over at the boy, his gaze still hard, "I was in the room when Light said that he had to go pay the bill…I didn't say anything; it's my fault too. I should have taken the liberty of going with him, not just Sato." Dachi's gaze remained unwavering, "But there is nothing that we can do now; all we can do is wait for his return and hope he has a really good reason for leaving."
"He better come back or else I'll hunt him down. Don't think I won't be able to find him." Dachi said angrily, "And he better have a damn good reason for being gone for so long. You can't reach him?" Dachi asked, though it sounded more like a statement, "He's not answering his cell…" Sato said softly.
Dachi growled as he put out his hand and demanded for his son's phone. Sato quickly handed it to him and retreated back to his spot on the bed, not wanting to be too close to Dachi while he was angry. Dachi quickly found Light's number and called it, but there was no answer.
"God, dammit!" Shouted Dachi as he tossed the phone onto the bed and looked around in frustration. Dachi brought his right hand up to his head as his mind began to race. Was it possible this was the chance Light had been waiting for?
Dachi looked at Sato and asked, "Did anyone else go to the bar with Matsu and Light?" Sato shook his head as Dachi removed his hands and furrowed his brows. "He knew Matsuda would get drunk. And he knew I would look after him, leaving you two to keep an eye on him." Whispered Dachi as Sato frowned and stood up. "Stop blaming him! That's all you ever do!" Shouted Sato as Dachi narrowed his eyes and replied, "Then where is he?! If he's so innocent then where is he now Sato?!"
The room fell silent as they heard Sato's phone go off. Dachi quickly rushed towards it and realized it was Light who was calling. Dachi quickly answered the phone with a pissed off tone, "Where the hell are you?"
"I'm afraid I can't release that information to you just yet, L." Said an all too familiar voice. Dachi's eyes widened, it was Mikami.
Dachi's eyes soon narrowed, "Mikami;" He spit out with venom dripping heavily in his voice. Sato's eyes widened, along with Christian's. The boy had been filled in mostly about the man Mikami and everything he has done and had planned to do; besides, he threatened to kill Matsuda, who he was considering on calling him the nickname Sato used for him…it was cute and suited him. The two boys rushed toward Dachi, forgetting about his anger for the moment, wanting to hear what Mikami had to say.
Sato was leaned in close to Dachi on one side while Christian was leaned in close on the other. Dachi, who didn't want to have the two boys breathing down his neck while he tried to talk, just clicked a button on Sato's phone as Mikami could be heard through the speaker on the back. The man chuckled softly, "That's right. Your intelligence exceeds your reputation." Mikami said mockingly.
Dachi growled; he was in no mood to deal with Mikami's games, "Tell me; where are you and Raito." Dachi used Light's new name instead of his original one; he figured it would be more appropriate.
"God," Mikami seemed to exaggerate the word, "is in very good hands, I can assure you that." Dachi could hear the smirk in Mikami's voice and wished he could wipe it off his face.
"You let him go, you son of a Bitch!" Shouted Sato and Dachi pushed the boy away in anger. Signaling him to be quiet. The group heard Mikami chuckle as he replied, "You must be Sato. Your love and support for God will not go unnoticed, I promise you. A kira supporter is someone special in my eyes."
Dachi looked at Sato with a confused look in his eyes as Sato just had shock and fear in his own. How could he have known that? The only person Sato ever mentioned that to was...
"It's amazing what you can get out of somebody when you hold their life against them." Said Mikami as he let out a small laugh and continued, "I know everything, L. I know that the thing you hold closer to your heart then that pathetic agent, Touta Matsuda is your son. I know his entire name and I will not hesitate to write it down if you do not listen to my instructions."
Dachi gritted his teeth slightly as Mikami continued, "When you exit the hotel you should catch a cab and go to McKinley Road near the west end of Midtown. When you exit, you will go to house number 67." Mikami's instructions were vague, but easy enough to follow. "I can't wait to finally meet you; be here before 5 AM. Oh, and be sure you are alone. We wouldn't want your son to get killed because you brought along some friends now, would we?" and with that, Mikami hung up Light's cell phone.
Dachi growled, "Fucking bastard!" He yelled, but resisted the temptation of throwing Sato's phone. Mikami continued to threaten the people he cared about and he wanted to see it end.
"Dad, it'll be okay…" Sato said softly. It was as if he was convincing himself more than Dachi; though the words came out weak and broken. He knew part of this was his fault and he felt guilt in his heart like never before. Christian stayed silent before a sudden thought came to his head, "Dachi…" He said calmly as he looked at the man, "Why did you call Light, Raito?" He asked, confusion present in his voice.
Dachi and Sato both looked at Christian, "What are you talking about?" Dachi asked him in curiosity. "I mean…Light's name isn't Raito. It's Light. I saw it…why do you call him that?" Christian was confused; was there something he was being left out of? Dachi's eyes widened, "That son of a bitch…I was right all along…" Dachi mumbled in realization. It made sense…all of it made sense.
Sato was a little confused also, "Dachi…what is he talking about? What does he mean that Light's legal name isn't Raito?" Dachi gazed at Sato, but he could not look him in the eyes. His son had fallen for Kira…and he had been told by Mikami, though he didn't know how reliable that information was, that Sato was Pro-Kira… "It means that Light was working with Mikami the whole time. Mikami must have changed Light's birth certificate back to Light Yagami…" Dachi sighed but Christian spoke once more, "Yagami? No, that wasn't his last name…" he said.
Dachi looked at Christian, "I need you to tell me his last name." Dachi said seriously. Christian furrowed his brow in thought before looking at Dachi in sadness, "I…I don't know it…" He said.
"Christian! Think hard; we really need his last name." Dachi said. "I…I can't remember it. I couldn't pronounce it because it was some long Japanese name! There were like, twenty letters in it! How am I suppose to remember that?…all I know is that it didn't start with a 'Y."
"Damnit!" Dachi couldn't help but curse; when suddenly he saw Christian's eyes go wide as he gazed at the top of his head. "D-Dachi?" He asked in a shaky voice. Dachi looked down at him, "What?"
"Since…since when did you have a name?" Christian asked in a whisper.
Dachi and Sato looked at Christian in fear as Dachi asked, "What?..." Pure disbelief in his voice. Christian raised his hand and pointed to the the letters above Dachi's head. "D, A, C...Now there's an H... Your name is appearing above your head." Christian watched as Dachi looked around in a panic.
"Somehow he's figured out how to give me a name...He knows my face..." Dachi glanced over at Sato as fear was evident in the older man's voice. "Light's going to kill me."
"No..." Sato whispered as he shook his head in denial. "Light wouldn't do that." Dachi was thinking quickly back on the rules of the Death Note. He knew them as well as the shinigami who had owned it since he had been studying it since they got there.
Dachi rushed to the bedside and unlocked the briefcase, pulling the Death Note out. Dachi then ran over to the entertainment set and laid the book on the dresser, grabbing the pen next to the television.
"What are you doing?!" Asked Sato, fearful of his father's actions.
"Christian! Spell my name out to me!" Dachi demanded as he opened the Death Note and rested the pen's tip against the lined paper. "Your first name is Dachi. D-A-C-H-I. Your last name only has a few letters so far. S-E-R-R." Said Christian, focusing on the letters above the man's head.
"A." Christian continued as the letters appeared. Dachi wrote the letters quickly, now waiting for the next letters, he knew what it would spell out. Light was making Dachi's false name his true identity.
"N."
"Stop it!" Shouted Sato as he ran over towards Dachi and grabbed onto his hand. "What're you doing?! You're going to kill yourself!" Dachi pushed Sato away and replied, "If I don't do this, then I'm guaranteed to die. I have to take a chance."
"O." Was the last letter Christian read out as he saw Dachi's name glow brighter. "That's it. That's all there is." Said Christian as Dachi looked back at the notebook and took in a scared breath. He wrote down the last letter and quickly after began to write a scenario next to it.
Sato tried to step forward to see what he was writing, but tears blocked Sato's vision, making everything blurry. "Dad?" Sato asked in a weak whisper as Dachi set the pen down and looked over at the group; fearful of what he had just done. Dachi removed his hands from the Death Note and dropped them to his side as he turned to face the others, hoping he had done the right thing. There were too many risks in Dachi's opinion when dealing with the Death Note.
Sato quickly grabbed the Death Note as Christian gasped and stared at Dachi in shock. Dachi held his breath as he looked over at Christian and asked, "What do you see?"
"Your life line...The numbers. They're spinning out of control." Said Christian as he watched Dachi's life line deplete at an alarming rate.
"Dachi Serrano; Dies a peaceful death on January 1st 2013." Sato read the writing out loud. He looked up at Dachi in shock as Dachi waited. Was he going to die now? or later? The room was silent and to Dachi's relief, nothing had happened within the next 40 seconds.
Dachi sighed as he nodded his head and replied, "Talk about nerve racking..."
"What the hell is your problem?!" Shouted Sato as he closed the Death Note and looked at Dachi with angry tears. "Once a name is written down in a Death Note, it can never be written down again by anyone in any other Death Note. The death would not take place." Said Dachi as Sato shook his head and replied, "So you go ahead and kill yourself instead?!"
"I set it up so I'll die in a little less then two years. Since I'm still alive and breathing, that means I didn't pass the original extension of my life, correct?" Asked Dachi as he glanced over at Zellogi. The shinigami nodded his head as he let out a small chuckle; amused at the situation.
Sato let the tears come out of his eyes as he pushed Dachi in anger. "Why would you do that?! Why?!" Sato asked in half sobs as Dachi smiled softly at Sato and replied, "You're forgetting about the eraser, Sato."
Sato paused for a moment as Christian smiled brightly as he replied, "That's right! You can erase any name in the Death Note!" Dachi nodded his head as he looked back at Sato and smiled sadly, "I'll be fine, Sato. I promise."
Sato sniffled a bit, trying to regain his composure as he handed the Death Note back to Dachi. The older man looked at the Death Note in thought and then asked, "How would he have made me a name?"
The question seemed like it was only aimed at Dachi himself, but Sato turned away from the group, realizing what he had done. "He would have somehow made me a birth certificate." Said Dachi as he looked around the room in question. "But...How could he have been so certain that making a certificate would guarantee him my name?"
Dachi shook his head and replied, "Never mind that. Right now the focus is that I have to be at that house in five hours." Sato turned to Dachi and replied, "I'm going with you."
"No, you're not." Said Dachi as he turned around and grabbed the pen that was on the dresser and tucked it inside the Death Note. "You can't stop me." Sato said sternly as Dachi looked over at the boy in silence.
"You know I'll come and you know Matsu will come as well. The minute he finds out you're in danger, he'll be right by your side." Said Sato, saying it as fact. Dachi looked away, knowing it was true. Dachi nodded his head as he seemed to build tears in his eyes.
"I wish you two wouldn't do that." Whispered Dachi as Sato shook his head. "You won't be able to stop us, Dad. We love you too much." Said Sato as Dachi closed his eyes tightly and nodded his head in understanding. Dachi glanced over at Sato and replied, "Go over to my room. There is a key on the night stand that will unlock the handcuffs to Matsuda's wrist. Wake him up, fill him in on what just happened...And bring him over here."
Sato smiled and nodded his head, glad his father didn't argue with him about coming along. "Right." Sato handed out his hand as Dachi gave him the hotel key card and quickly made his way out of the room.
Dachi looked over at Zellogi in fear. "The eraser...It works, right?"
Zellogi nodded his head and replied, "As long as the body hasn't been cremated and it died by the Death Note." Dachi nodded his head as he looked over at Christian with tears coming out of his eyes.
Christian was confused for a moment, but then realized how close Dachi was holding the Death Note to his chest. Christian's blue eyes brimmed with shock and fear and he shook his head slightly and whispered, "Your not going to give them the chance to follow you...Are you?"
Dachi was silent for a moment until he finally spoke up, "Christian...Don't loose that eraser." Christian rushed towards Dachi and put his hands on his shoulder. "Please! Don't do this! What if something goes wrong?!" Christian begged as Dachi shook his head and replied, "I have to protect them...At any cost."