Chapter 8: The End

Hisaye was about to step forward, eyes narrowing as the two fought. She had to help him! She wouldn't let Akumu get away with what he had done. Her crimson orbs narrowed and her body tensed, waiting for a chance to jump in. But the chance never came as her eyes shifted up to Matsuda. His gun! Her eyes widened and her brain kicked into high gear. There was no way...they were so close that...if he shot.
"Matsu, no!" She yelled, knowing what he was thinking. But it came to be too late as an opportunity had presented itself to him. His finger squeezed on the trigger and her face went pale as she heard the loud noise of the gun. "N-no..."
Her hand had outstretched a bit as she had yelled at him to not do it. But now it was just frozen and her crimson eyes glazed over. Her heart began to beat and pound against her chest as shock began to set in. She felt like her heart was going to tear right through her chest and just leap out. Softly, her eyes closed and her hand fell slowly to her side. Tears were suddenly threatening to burst from her eyes and her whole body shuddered.

Blood had spattered to the floor, both L and Akumu's blood. Biting down hard on her lower lip, she heard Akumu thud to the ground. He would be dead within a matter of seconds. But she didn't care about him...she didn't care if he died. Right now, she only cared about one person. Someone she felt meant everything to her, though she hadn't known him for long. Her eyes snapped open as she heard him land on his knees.
"L!" She yelled, her voice filled with pain and horror mixed together in a perfect match. She jumped forward and just barely was able to catch him before his body thudded to the ground. Hisaye was sitting on her knees, her arms wrapping around him to hold him better. She stared down at him, eyes swelling up with tears. He was fading...he was going away!
"No...please...please don't..." she sputtered out, not able to control her emotions. There was no way she could remain calm in this situation. She was losing him...losing her father! How could she stay calm? "Don't. Don't go..."
Her hand moved, softly brushing against his cheek as she blinked and tears began to roll down her face. "Stay...stay with me...Dad..."

It was all crashing down on her, every single emotion she felt toward him right now. Hatred, love, depression, and anger...it was all smothering her. She was human, she could not always hold herself together. It was too late for him, Hisaye knew this. Her shinigami eyes watched his clock start to go down faster and faster. He was dying...and there was nothing she could do. All she could do was just sit here and cry...sit here and watch him die! She had barely even gotten to know him yet. It wasn't fair! She hated it...she hated herself...why couldn't she do anything!? Why couldn't she save him!? Her face moved and hid itself in his shoulder. Her tears were staining his shirt as she suddenly just started to sob. Her arms tightened around him, pulling him close to her.
"I-I'm so sorry!" She managed to get out, "I'm so sorry...! Forgive me..."
She was being selfish and she knew it. Hisaye couldn't help it. She didn't want him to die, but she didn't want him to suffer either.
"Dad..." she murmured, knowing she didn't have a lot of time left. He was almost gone. She had to tell him anything she wanted him to know now. It was now or never. "Dad...I love you...I forgive you for being gone so long. I'm fully sincere. I barely got to know you, but I'm happy...happy I at least got to meet you. To talk to you for a while...thank you. You're important to me and always will be. Thank you...for everything."

She lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes were no longer dead looking. Instead, they were how they were when she was a child. They were bright and innocent, though heavy with pain and depression. The tears wouldn't stop rolling down her face. Hisaye watched as the clock was almost at zero. With a shudder and a sob, she managed one last whisper before she knew he would no longer hear her. When he would no longer be with her.
"I love you, daddy..."
Her hand had softly taken his, giving an affectionate squeeze as her eyes closed. The tears were silently falling now as she tried to gain herself back together. But it was just impossible right now. Everything right now...just seemed impossible, unreal. Reality...no longer existed. Reality was gone...everything just felt gone...

She had been right beside him, watching as her daughter cried into his shoulder. Soft, scarlet eyes watched him with a loved filled gaze. But she was crying, too. To watch him die...but he was coming to join her now. Good softly touched the hand Hisaye was not. A soft smile crossed her face despite the tears in her eyes.
"L..." she whispered lovingly, knowing he would hear her. "I've b-een waiting f-for you...I'm r-ight here, L-san. D-don't be worried...I-I'm here..."
He would be gone soon, gone away from Hisaye. Good hated to see her daughter so unhappy, and it was paining her to watch L die. But the spirit could do nothing. She could only watch until he joined her, until they were reunited yet again. Bending down, she placed a soft kiss upon his lips, though he would not feel it. Good pulled away and watched his life span fade. When he came, she would be here. Soon he would be here, and she would be here for him. Good had promised to wait for him, to wait until he came before going off with him. She had kept her promise and she had waited, but now it seemed the wait was over. It was all over...all over for L Lawliet's life...
It was as if time had come to a stand still, caught in this one moment for eternity. The screaming voice of a distraught teen filled his ears. L could hear it, but for a few minutes he did not really register that they were words. He would weakly blink his eyes as his hand moved slowly to the wound just beneath his heart. So it was a bullet from the gun of an ally that would both free his daughter to live a normal life and condemn him to death. A smile started to pull at his lips as he thought about the irony, the one thing that was odd to think of in this moment. Finally his mind would sorta of come back to the present, his eyes slowly turning to meet Hisaye's. He chuckled softly, coughing blood up onto his shirt. Was she apologizing to him? What for? She had done nothing wrong, nothing that he could figure out anyway. His hand would reach up, running it's self through her hair gently, a smile firmly etched onto his face.

"D-don't apologize..." he said in his weak voice, blood dripping down his chin a little as he spoke. On the eve of his death he could find no reason for her to be sorry for anything. This was not her mess, she would not have gotten into any of this had it been her choice he assumed. "I-I love...you...too..." he said straining himself between the words. He was barely hanging on, his vitals crashing down fast. There was nothing that could save him at this point, even if they had been near a hospital. "You did nothing wrong...I don't...ever want you to think that..." he said grunting the last few words. The pain was the most agonizing thing he had ever felt. All he wanted right now was to scream out and let go but he could not, he had to make sure he stayed with her as long as he could. Time was never on their side, nor was fate it seemed. What had poor Hisaye ever done...? It seemed unfair, cruel and unusual punishment for nothing.

"I got be a father, to love and be close to my...little girl..." he said with tears in his eyes. He was choking up, the tears and blood in his throat almost strangling him. He would cough viciously as more blood came out. "I...L-l-l..." he started but his head would slowly turn to the side and become limp. His eyes would slowly start to close, his essence leaving his body. The worlds greatest detective had managed to escape death once, however this time it seemed that he would not be so lucky. As his astral self left the body he would turn to look down upon his own body and that of his daughter. Without even turning to look at her, he would smile. "I knew you would be here, Good-Chan..." he said in his usual tone, the tone of a know it all. "So this is it...? Leaving her behind like this just doesn't seem real...like some sort of nightmare that should have ended hours ago..." he said as he turned to face her. Tears rolled down the face of his astral self as he approached Good. He would embrace her warmly, kissing her passionately as he so longed to do for many years. "Let's go..." he said with one final look to Hisaye, he would take her hand and walk towards the glowing light.

Back in the real world, Matsuda would stand shakily and walk over. Kneeling down next to her, he would place his hands on Hisaye's shoulders. "I-I'm...so sorry..." he started to apologize. He could not believe what he had just done. Mentally he swore to himself that he would never touch another gun as long as he lived. "It's not good to stay here, lets get out of here Lady Hisaye..." he said as he stood. As soon as she moved he would then make preparations to take the body, he could not just leave L here. The only words that rang clear in his head at this moment were, "Damn it Matsuda, you clumsy fool!" the shout of Soichiro-San.

That day, two heroes fell...
His hand through her hair caused her to shiver and the pain started to throb harder through her body. Tears grew quicker and fell faster and continued to stain L's white shirt. His words soothed her yet made it hurt. She felt like she was being stabbed in the heart and healed at the same time. She forced a smile upon her lips as she said he loved her. She loved him more then anything, he was her father.
"I'm proud of you..." she murmured, "more proud then anyone can be..."
She pulled him closer to her, knowing he was in pain. Go now... she thought quietly, go to mother. She is waiting for you...
She listened to him speak and gave a slightly more sincere smile. She was happy for him that he got such a wonderful chance. Hisaye was also so happy she had gotten to meet him. What if he hadn't found her? What if they had never met? Would he had died anyways? Would it have been for nothing then? But now he was dying for something...for her. It was not that she liked the fact he was dying, but she knew he had died with a purpose and not in vain. Her hand moved and stroked his coal strands of hair, taking in their feel as she memorized the last strands of his life. He had begun to speak again, but she knew the sentence would never make it out of his lips.
I love you, too... she thought quietly, I love you too...

Good watched him leave his body and stood up, standing perfectly still. Her eyes were soft and full of love and caring. Her gaze went to Hisaye as she watched the teen girl cling to the dead body. Hisaye would take a while to get over this, and she might never actually fully get over it. L had been very special to her and Good knew that. Hisaye had looked up to her father, though she had never met him, ever since she found out about him. To lose him like this would devastate the girl for some time. Good missed her daughter...and she would do anything to hold her right now. But her hands would merely go through her if she tried to. But she would join them one day, and Good would cry her eyes out the day she did. Good never wanted Hisaye to leave the world, but she knew one day it had to happen. She would be happily reunited with her daughter while crying over her death.

Her attention went to L as he spoke and she watched him. Her eyes grew softer with every word he spoke. Yes, for her it had seemed like the same thing. It had been such a nightmare to leave her daughter behind. Good hadn't any choice in that matter, her clock had reached zero. But she hated having to leave Hisaye to be all by herself. Hisaye was her only child and her only baby girl. She meant everything to the woman, everything.
"Of course..." she spoke quietly, "I-I'll always w-ait for y-ou...L-san...Until t-he end and e-ven beyond t-that..."
Good moved forward towards him as he turned, tears staining his face. He met her halfway as he had approached her, too. Her hand reached up softly and brushed tears away from one side of his face.
"She'll b-e ok...s-she's strong. One d-ay...we'll s-see her a-gain...but l-et us not h-ope too soon..."
The woman wrapped her arms around him as he did the same to her. She hid her face in his shoulder, feeling tears coming to her eyes. Within a few moments she was crying, crying that L had died, and crying that now both had to leave Hisaye behind. She also cried because of how happy she was to hold L again in her arms and he hold her. She was so happy they were together again, but so sad it had to be like this...in death. He didn't deserve death at all, but it's how it was now. That's how she would accept it.
"L..." she murmured, "I-I missed y-ou..."
Her tears stopped as she pulled her head from his shoulder, gazing at him fondly. She leaned forward to meet him in his kiss that she wished could've lasted forever. They could be together now without any problems, she knew. It was time...time to go...
"Yes...l-let's go..."
Taking his hand softly in her own, she walked alongside him to their final peace.

Hisaye had managed to stop her sobbing, but silent tears still fell from her eyes. She would not be able to stop crying, she figured. But her body was screaming at her now because she was dehydrated, sleep deprived, and starving. She barely even heard Matsuda as he said they should go. Hisaye shook her head in protest, but knew there was nothing she could do.
"H-he...should be buried...n-next to Good-chan..." she whispered shakily. She swallowed and stared at him for a long time before standing up.
"Goodbye..." she whispered and turned, heading straight for the kitchen. She turned the sink on and leaned over, taking in long drinks of life-saving water. Then she stumbled back over to Matsuda, collapsing in the man's arms. Her body gave out and she faded into an out cold state. She would not wake up the rest of that day...

-19 years later-

Sakura blossoms were falling lazily towards the ground as the two figures stood before the graves. The elder one, who was now 35, rested a hand on her large stomach. Dull eyes filled with sorrow remained upon the two stones. This is where both her parents lay, together. Hisaye sighed and then winced slightly as she felt a kick to her stomach. Boy the little devil in her 9 months pregnant tummy was a kicker. She hated pregnancy because she had to take a break from work. The kid was due any day now and would be her second. When she was 32 she had given birth to a boy named Tsukiya. He was 3 years old now and as cute as a button. He had come along, unexpectedly, 7 years after she had got married. Hisaye had met her husband when she was 18 and married him at 25. Now they were going to have two unplanned kids. But Hisaye loved them both nevertheless. She was unsure what gender this second child to be was. Hisaye hadn't let them tell her because she wanted to be surprised.
"Mom...dad...I hope you're both proud of me," Hisaye sighed. She smiled softly, "I'm raising a family and am still this Century's Greatest Detective, flashy, no?"

Hisaye gave a soft chuckle, "then I still have enough time to come visit. I'm just a bucket of activity, huh? My son is quite a handful..."
"Mommy!"
Hisaye turned her head to see her little boy running up to her. He had some flowers in his small fingers and skidded to a stop in front of her. With his free hand he clang to her pants leg and held the flowers up. "For you!"
"Oh, well aren't those pretty," Hisaye took the flowers and smelled them. "Thank you, Tsukiya."
"Mommy, where daddy?" Tsukiya blinked softly at her.
"We're supposed to be meeting him in a few minutes. But I think we'll be a little late," Hisaye responded.
"I wanna see daddy," Tsukiya tugged on her pants leg. "Let see daddy!"
"Alright, alright," Hisaye watched her son in utter amusement. "Give me a few more minutes with grandma and grandpa, ok?"
"...K," Tsukiya looked at the graves and frowned.
"We won't be long, your daddy doesn't like me being out by myself. At least, not while I'm 9 months pregnant," Hisaye laughed. "He hardly trusts me at all in the kitchen! As much as I hurt myself in it. He thinks he'll be the husband with the wife who will die in the kitchen trying to make waffles."
"No!" Tsukiya clung to her tighter, "mommy no die making waffles!"
"I won't, Tsukiya," Hisaye smiled softly and took his hand, "I won't."

She looked back at the grave and gave a soft goodbye. Turning back to leave, she was suddenly reminded of a picture her mother had drawn. The picture that was incomplete and one Good thought she'd never finish. It had been a lovely charcoal drawing of the grass and sakura blossoms. Some of the blossoms were floating in the air and some on the ground. Good had never been able to figure out what was missing. Hisaye began to walk away but heard a soft thud. Turning back to see her eyes widened as they laid upon a lollipop at the edge of the graves. The wind picked up and sakura blossoms swirled to the lollipop. Some rested upon the lollipop and made a pattern and Hisaye stared. The blossoms formed a heart upon it.
"Oh..." Hisaye whispered, feeling tears coming to her eyes. The blossoms were picked up by the wind again and carried off. Her hand reached out as if trying to catch them. But Hisaye didn't move as some brushed affectionately against her cheeks softly. Hisaye had slightly changed in appearance. Aside from looking older, she's lucky enough to look in her late 20s, her hair had grown. Once at her shoulder blades, it was now halfway down her back. Her long bangs that had once been at her chin had shortened. Now they barely touched the tip of her cheeks. So now instead of her fingertips brushing against hair they would actually touch the skin.
"Mom...dad...goodbye," she smiled softly as tears rolled down her cheeks. She picked up the lollipop and headed off with Tsukiya.
"...For now."

Hisaye went home the night and completed the drawing. Adding to it the edge of the graves, the lollipop, and the sakura blossoms that formed in the pattern of a heart. The once incomplete drawing was now complete. Hisaye died at the age of 60 protecting her eldest son, who was 28 at the time, from a fatal wound. In her lifetime, Hisaye had 3 kids named Tsukiya, Noriko, and Ryuuzaki. Noriko was her only daughter. Before her death she got to see her newborn granddaughter from Tsukiya whom was named Tsuki. Hisaye knew 2 of her grandchildren and both were from Tsukiya. There was Tsuki, who was only a few days old at Hisaye's death, and then Mariah, who was 3 at the time. Tsukiya grew up to become a spy who spied on criminal organizations, Noriko became a doctor, and Ryuuzaki...Ryuuzaki became a detective. So who's to say that this is really the end? It's not...it may just be the beginning...the beginning Hisaye started and the beginning Ryuuzaki would now take upon himself to continue...

-Fin...for now-