L was sitting in the usual position, eating a strawberry covered cake. He sighed rather angrily. His plan…was failing…miserably. It wasn't that he wanted Light to be Kira. He just…highly suspected his friend of it, that's all.

Matsuda, Ide, Aizawa, Light, and Sochiro were watching him. With nothing else to do…it seemed the only way to pass the time. L glanced behind him to look at Light. His mind wondering what was flowing through the other man's mind.

L noticed something odd in the mirror on the opposite wall. He narrowed his eyes, making sure he was seeing it correctly. He didn't notice the words that slipped as he stared. " Not possible…" He felt for a lack of a better word, horrible.

The image in the mirror was one he thought he'd never see again. Behind him in the image was a body swinging gently from a noose. The second the others heard him speak they whirled around, to see what was going on.

L's eyes widened when the image seemed to dissipate into nothing but a blur. Barely noting that Matsuda had asked, " What? Are you alright?" L stood up, his mind a blur with what he'd just seen.

Why on earth was he seeing this NOW? He thought he'd feel regret about A's death years ago…not now! The stress from the case must be opening old wounds….or so to speak. He felt on the desk for the button to call Watari.

Once he found the button, he clicked it feeling an instant relief when Watari's aging voice answered, " Do you need something?" He still felt less then normal, and, that was going to be problematic.

He paused, not being able to come up with some excuse. " No, Watari, but thank you."

Rem was standing in a corner and looking at nothing in particular. Well, she thought it was going perfectly to Light's plan, until L suddenly stood. Rem took a glance in the same direction, a soft, "Oh?" Echoed around the room.

The group looked at the shinigami. " What is it, Shinigami?" The creature paid the humans no heed, to continue looking in a darkened corner of the room.

The group all took it as the shinigami had just found something to do and ignored it. Not knowing that they would regret that decision.

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Light was listening to the news smirking slightly when the 'Kira Death Toll' was brought up. Misa was doing her job well, it seemed.

He stretched in his chair, feeling self-satisfied. Light typed a few things on the keyboard, carefully trying to make it seem that he was barely listening to the news.

He looked in the screen, noting that L had gotten up, and walked somewhere else, most likely to get some of his 'sweets'. Oh, how he detested that disgusting habit of L's.

Light noticed that L had came back, the two of them were the only ones still awake. The rest of the group was sound asleep in different places.

Light sighed, carefully murmuring to L. " Quite a number of killings already." L didn't seem to notice that Light had spoken to him. Light's eyebrow rose. His mind working, going through all the possibilities of L finding some sort of way to pin the Kira killings on him…again.

"Ryuzaki…" Light carefully questioned out loud. L's head shot in his direction, causing his neck to crack rather loudly. Light stared. This had to be a trick.

L had a slight reddish tint to his eyes, which were glassy and now focused solely on him. There was a disturbed look in his eye, like he KNEW that Light was Kira and was enjoying torturing him about it. L's mouth twitched upward into a demented smile, his shoulders shaking like he was laughing. He glanced above Light's head for a few seconds, before turning around and seeming to simply fade into nothing.

Light shook his head, rubbing his eyes. The hell? He thought. At that moment the sound of feet scraping across the ground broke his chain of thought. L had come back into the room.

He was holding some type of cake; Light didn't care about those habits anymore. Wait…how had he…it was official. Light was tired out of his mind and needed some sleep NOW. L…a ghost? He WAS going crazy. Light chuckled to himself, before beginning to work again.

L on the other hand was feeling rather terrible, like he was coming down with some sort of illness. He had the feeling since he had looked into that mirror.

He tapped his fingers against the bottom of the plate he was holding. He knew that stress couldn't have been the cause. Sure he was annoyed, and slightly stressed. But, he had been much more so on other cases.

So stress couldn't have brought those memories to the front of his mind. Then…what did? His mind was buzzing with the possibilities. He also noted that he felt exceptionally paranoid, feeling eyes watching, footsteps echoing, and soft brushes with something. Or, was that what was actually happening? He didn't know anymore.

______________________________________________________

Matsuda yawned, stretching. He had a good half-night's rest and was raring to go. He blinked, sighing in a dejected manner. No one was up besides L. He got up, giving L a, " Good morning!" And he walked outside, hoping to find someplace that was open this late with something to settle his stomach.

After a few minutes of walking, he stopped. After blinking a few times, he could see someone's shadow standing there, the person on the other side of the corner. He spoke up, " Uh…good morning." He thought nothing of it, thinking it was only Watari.

The shadow moved, like it was going towards him. He smiled slightly, Watari reminded him of a late Uncle. His eyes widened, and he whirled around when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

He stared. There was nobody down the hallway; he sprinted around the corner where the shadow was. Hoping that the person had somehow snuck past him. He let out a soft, " No way…" The 'corner' was a dead end. He rubbed his eyes, not really believing what had just happened to him.

He froze when he felt a soft burst of hot air hit the back of his neck. Like someone was standing behind him, breathing heavily. He could HEAR the deep ragged breaths, like it was all the person's energy was put into breathing.

He turned around praying that someone WAS standing behind him. And let out the breath he had been holding. It was only L. He laughed slightly. " You really shouldn't sneak up on people like that, y' know. You nearly gave me a heart…" He trailed off when L shook his head angrily.

The black hair flew every-which way, before L lifted up his head. Matsuda blinked, if he wasn't scared before he was now. L's eyes were glazed over, a deep crimson color. He was digging his nails so hard into his hands that they were practically pouring blood.

Matsuda blinked as this 'L' whirled around. Rem came floating through a wall; he glanced at the L before speaking. " You're torturing this man, isn't it your predecessor you are after?" L nodded his head.

" Then I as a Shinigami order you to leave. If you so much as glance at Touta Matsuda again, I shall take you to hell myself; am I clear?" L gave a short bow, holding one of his hands to his chest, a symbol of respect.

Matsuda noticed the overly large ancient looking shackle on his arm. The chain was broken, but it held a dark purplish glow around it. 'L' lifted his head up giving both Rem and Matsuda a glare, before touching a wall.

'L' jumped, landing on the ceiling; the thing crawled, disappearing after a few feet. Matsuda stood there gawking. Rem glanced at him. " Human. Don't tell about this yet. I shall give you permission when the time is right."

Matsuda looked at Rem. " Wha? Why? What WAS that?!" Rem looked toward the ceiling. " That is a ghost. Surely you humans still believe in spirits?" Matsuda could of slapped himself. Ghost…duh.

L never could comprehend the idea of a 'supernatural' being or afterlife ever existing. The idea of a heaven or hell was nice, but completely idiotic. Made to comfort those who believed in it.

But, as of late…he had changed his mind. In-between Kira and this well…haunting. He really had no choice. He noted that Light, Sochiro, Ide, or Aizawa didn't seem to notice anything.

Matsuda on the other hand…he was more nervous, jumping at every little noise. However that was it.

The rest of the group noticed L's changing behavior.

L wouldn't dare look into any mirrors, going so far as to remove the ones in the bathrooms and whatever room he was in. His fingers would twitch slightly at any odd noise, and he seemed more tired and sickly.

His already prominent bags underneath his eyes were much darker, his skin was a few shades lighter, and he had over the past few weeks, stopped eating anything but sugar cubes. All in all, Watari was worried sick over him. Something was terribly wrong and L, being the stubborn man he was, wouldn't tell him.

Watari, after a few hours of debating to himself, decided to act. When L called for more sugar cubes, he decided it was the perfect time.

The second he entered the room he felt strangely like a person entering on a grieving family. The room's atmosphere was dark and thick. The task force all looked at him. And he felt like the only sane person in the room.

He walked over to L, placing the overly large tray filled with boxes of sugar cubes on the table. Before speaking. " Ryuzaki…" He questioned out loud. L interrupted him. " Watari…I am beginning to regret using that name."

Watari stared. " You are? I'm positive he wouldn't mind…it was his life's work after all…" L sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. " That's not it, Watari. I'm sure he's giddy with the fact I AM using his name, I just think it is a bad idea, that's all."

Watari, blinked. A sudden dawning of what was lying under L's statement. He didn't think before replying, " So, you believe your being haunted, then?" L froze, a dawning look on his face as well.

" That, is what it seems isn't it?" The task force all watched, Light had snorted at the 'being haunted' comment. L's head snapped to look at him, and he was scarily reminded of that hallucination he had.

L's mouth twitched into that thin smile he had when he knew something. He pressed his thumb to his lips in the typical manner. " So, Raito-kun doesn't believe in ghosts then?" Light snorted. " Of coarse not, it's completely idiotic. Do you?"

L gave a short nod. " Indeed I do, if only fairly recently." Matsuda spoke up. " Oh, so…" He trailed off glancing at Rem. The shinigami nodded its head giving him the ok to go on.

Matsuda got a determined look in his eye. " So, you've seen the ghost too, Ryuzaki?" L gave Matsuda a confused look, before it grew into a look of understanding. He turned to Rem.

" Shinigami. Does this 'ghost' of Matsuda and myself exist?" Rem, gave L a nod. " Yes. It does. I shall warn you, it has a vendetta against you, detective." L nodded. " I guessed as much, with the images it gave me, I'm also guessing that it wants me dead?"

Rem shook his head. "No. It is waiting for something to happen." The task force watched this exchange with surprise. So, ghosts exist, and one here was waiting for something. That's nice to know.