A/N: Second to last chapter! This one got too long so I split it in half. Just so you know, as I was writing this, I had my sad music playing and at the moment "iris" by goo goo dolls is playing which is such a pretty song and it sort of fits the chapter so that's kinda cool, anyway a lot of people were asking about L in this story so I gave you this one in hopes to satisfy some of your wonderings so enjoy!

For Junnina, the best reviewer ever, for all of her support, help, and for translating my story into Italian (that's so cool).

Chapter 10

I could not believe what had nearly happened on the floor of my living room. I was so embarrassed, that even if I had seen him again in the next few days, I was sure that I wouldn't even be able to look at him. But luckily, I hadn't seen him for nearly a week now and it was obvious he wouldn't be stopping by while on a walk anymore. Did I ruin the strange friendship we had established?

Life continued as it had before that day. I got up in the morning, went to work, ate lunch at the same café as every other day, always ordering the same turkey sandwich, taking the same route home from the building I worked at, made myself dinner, watched a little bit of television before going to sleep only to wake up the next morning and repeat the process.

Life was now as if I had never seen him.

For the first time in my life, I was completely confused about what I was thinking. On one hand, my mind told me that it was completely illogical to see her any more. It was unnecessary and only took away from the Kira case. The Kira case was to be my first and only priority.

But then, in the back of my head, something else was telling me that I would continue to punish myself if I didn't go and see her. Could it possibly be telling me what I thought it was? Of course, this voice in my head was new and foreign so it held no authority over the part of my mind that had always been in charge: the logical part.

Where was she? I thought, it had been nearly three since she left and after ten minutes, I had grown sick of sitting at the table in the lunch room. I hoped that she wasn't waiting for me there since it was beginning to grow dark and that would ruin my plans for us going to sit by the river. I knew she always enjoyed when we sat by the river and she said she wanted to do something fun for my birthday…

Maybe she was in her room, I thought, making my way through the hallways towards her room. I made it to the large wood doorway and was struck by the absence of the cheerful sign that usually read: "MaRiE's RoOm" in her strange handwriting.

I knocked softly on her door as I usually did but this time, I couldn't hear her shuffle about her room quickly and forcefully pull her door open. It remained tightly shut and no noise emerged from inside. My hand clasped the doorknob and slowly turned it, prepared to be scolded for now waiting for her to get the door or for her to scream at me not to coming as she was in the midst of changing her clothes. But she said nothing and once the door was open fully, I nearly let out a gasp, but I held it in.

Her room was no longer cluttered with her random junk but it was completely bare, a simple white room with nothing more to it. I walked into the middle of the room, unsure what was happening. There was no sign of her anywhere in her room, as if she had never even been there.

"Wow…" came a voice from the doorway. I spun around quickly to see a girl nearly my age peeking in the doorway.

Apparently my suddenly movement alarmed her because she visibly jumped and blinked wildly at me. "I just came to see if she really left" she said.

"She left?" I asked, confused and though at the time I would never have admitted it, I was frightened. She was the only connection to mankind that I had. Without her, I was a complete anti-social freak which was, for some reason, frowned upon by society.

"Of course, didn't she tell you? I'd think she would have. Millie said that she saw her leaving with a ton of suitcases and she told her that she was leaving ASAP. Apparently some rich people adopted her and they're leaving tonight, short notice, huh? But I can't imagine she wouldn't tell you, you are friends after all…" the girl droned on and on but after that, I stopped listening. We were friends, weren't we? Perhaps I had only assumed that by the amount of time we were together.

Then again, people spent a lot of time with people they didn't like because it usually benefits them in some way. That's what I tried to convince myself was what happened between us, we stood each other's company because it benefited us.

At that moment, I refused to care that she was gone. She obviously didn't care that she was leaving me here alone so why should I care that she left? It didn't seem fair.

I never had a friend.

But now, if what she was saying is true, than that would mean that all these everything was completely different than I had grown so accustomed to. I couldn't believe this had happened to me of all people. It had been quite a relief to not have to worry about other people or to have to spend time with other people. I was quite content with being alone. But why was I suddenly craving her constant company? It was unfair that I so suddenly had to deal with this when it was the most inopportune moment.

I stared at the security camera screen on which Misa was putting on a show of talking on the phone with a friend. The Kira case was supposed to be complicated, not my life, let alone my love life. It sounded odd even thinking it.

I absent-mindedly stirred my cup of tea with my spoon as I tried to focus on the case when I heard someone mention Rem. I also noticed that Rem had been gone for some time now and I was beginning to become suspicious when it hit me.

A sharp pain burst through my chest coursing through my entire body causing me to topple off my chair but the hard floor never came. I looked up to see Light's smile spread across his face. I was right… Light was Kira… but I had been too distracted with Marie to realize… Marie… what would happen to Marie if I'm not there? Will she be okay? Somehow she'll know... but I wanted to be the one to tell her...

I was in my kitchen, making myself dinner when I nearly sliced my finger off.

"Damnit" I muttered, as the blood began to spill from the tip of my finger, soon covering much of my hand. I grabbed a paper towel and tightly wrapped it around my finger before continuing to cut the vegetables with even more precise care than before.

Suddenly the phone rang causing me to jump, nearly cutting my finger again.

I walked over to the phone and answered it with a frustrated "Hello?"

"Marie!" It was Matsuda's voice on the other line, this alarmed me but it was nothing compared to what I already knew what was coming from the tone of his voice, "we need you to get to the hospital," he said urgently, from what I could tell he was on the verge of tears… this could only mean… "It's L." he said, "Kira got to him."

A/N: No, this isn't the end. I know, I said it would end after ten chapters, but it wasn't really a lie since it was originally supposed to end after chapter ten but it got too long so I split it into two parts so the story should end after chapter eleven and the epilogue coming up to a total of 12 chapters. Please make it with me to the end!

R/R!

i.L.L.