I'm so sorry! I really suck at updating quickly lately. The main problem has been exams, which finished on Thursday, and then it was all the Leaver's things... Basically I haven't stopped since the 6th, and thus have been hard-pressed to find writing time. I actually had this done a lot sooner, but it was too rushed and the end of the chapter felt weak, so I rewrote it. Here's hoping I'll be faster now.

This chapter has an interesting end, and I would like to hear your thoughts on it. Also, remember that there are at least 2 more chapters planned; this is not where it stops. Oh no. There is still more to this story.

Nothing could have prepared Light for this. Half-glimpses of something hidden in the shadows on a computer screen or a photograph may have frightened him, but the thing smiling wickedly at him now makes his heart shudder with blinding terror. His legs completely give way, the hand curled tightly around his neck the only thing keeping him from collapsing.

Her.

Endless black eyes gleam at him from a marble-smooth face, dark veins spiderwebbing across the pallid flesh. The hand – no, claw – that is in view is vicious, metal talons jutting sharply from white bone, sharp enough to slice the air, and even in the darkness Light can see red dripping from the clawtips. And those teeth, oh God, those teeth, they could cut through bone like butter, and they shine maliciously as she smiles at him.

She drops him and he crumples, unable to do anything but watch as she decides exactly which way to carve him into pieces. She leans down, running one claw across his cheek. He feels no pain, but warm blood drips down his face, mingling with terrified tears.

"What are you?" She asks, and for a second, Light doesn't even understand the words. Then realisation dawns, and he knows what she wants him to say.

"I am Kira," Light whispers, his voice trembling.

Her smile widens. "Good. I was beginning to worry I had the wrong person."

Light has no idea where it comes from, but he is suddenly angry at the creature's words. "What?! And I suppose you would have – you would have still killed my family if you were wrong?!"

Roughly forcing him to the floor, she rakes a hand across his chest, leaving four gashes that quickly pool with blood. "No. Do not dare to bring me to your level, Kira." She licks at Light's wounds with an ice-cold tongue, making him shudder. "How many innocents have you killed in the name of your pathetic Justice? How many families have you destroyed with your mission?" She nuzzles into his neck, razor-sharp teeth grazing the skin. "Perhaps I should cut you for each and every person you have brought misery to. But then, there wouldn't be much left for me to play with, would there?"

Light cannot stop a choking sob from passing his lips.

please no don't hurt me I'll do anything just don't hurt me please

She kneels above him, drinking in his fear. One wicked talon slices at the skin beneath his eye. "What does the eye of a God see?"

Panic threatens to swamp Light's mind and blackness eats at his vision. He cannot pass out, not now, for then he will truly be dead. He suddenly remembers something that she said to him, something that could save him, and he clings to this, his last remaining safety line to his rapidly dwindling sanity. "Stop! I'll stop!"

She pauses. "What?"

"I'll stop. All of it. I'll stop being Kira, I'll give it all up, just please, don't hurt me!"

Her smile falters. "You'll stop?"

Light nods emphatically. "All of it. I'll stop killing, I'll stop making judgements. I'll even give myself in." He can see the creature's disappointment, and hope rises inside of him that he has found a way out.

She chuckles darkly. "Oh, Kira, and I was so close…Very well. Stop. Confess. Do whatever your pitiful human mind thinks will bring you redemption. But remember, Kira…" She grabs his throat once more, her icy breath chilling him to the core as she whispers, "I'll be watching."

Cackling wildly, she snaps her teeth and tosses Light aside, knocking his head against the wall and dazing him. By the time he shakes himself out of it, she has disappeared.

The lights come back on.

-x-

Light is composed. He has put on a new shirt to hide the wounds across his chest and cleaned up the gashes on his face as best he can. Ryuk has reappeared, and watches silently as he takes the Death Note from its hiding place with shaking hands.

"Are ya sure you wanna do this, Light?" the shinigami asks.

Tight-lipped, Light nods once. "It is the only way. If I don't speak of Misa's involvement, then she at least can continue…" He trails off, not even having the conviction to finish the sentence. Instead, he busies himself with correcting the missed buttons on his shirt. He tries to sort them out a few times, but his trembling fingers hinder him and he gives up, leaving them as they are. Ryuk eyes him, and it seems for a second as if the shinigami is about to say something, convince Light not to do this, but he remains mute, simply grinning as he tosses an apple into his mouth.

Not wishing to run through the rain once more, Light calls a taxi. The driver is shocked at his appearance, but says nothing. Light clutches the Note tightly to himself, as if seeking comfort from the thing that had once been his greatest weapon for humanity.

He spends the entire journey fearfully looking around the cab, terrified that the metal frame would suddenly crumple under the impact of gleaming claws.

-x-

The Investigation HQ is locked for the night, but the upper lights are still on and Light knows L will not be sleeping. He buzzes the intercom, twitching fingers the only outward sign of the unrelenting fear coursing through him, fear of what he was about to do, and an even greater fear of what would happen if he did not do it. He nervously picks at the hem of his shirt, which is now soaked in blood from his undressed wounds.

After an agonising half-minute, Watari's voice rings from the speakers.

"Light? Is that you?"

"Y-yes, it is. Can you let me in, please?"

This newfound humility and nervousness does not pass by unnoticed. "Are you alright? What's happened?"

"Nothing, nothing, I'm fine. I need to talk to L. It's very important."

There is a pause, then the door unlocks. As Light pushes it open, he struggles for a moment, the weight of the action he is about to take holding him back. But then it is gone, and he enters the building. There is no other option. This must be done.

-x-

If Light was not in a dazed state of shock, L's expression on first seeing him would have been quite amusing. The detective had glanced up from his laptop and actually done a double-take as the teenager entered. L stood and walked cautiously up to Light, as if worried any quick movements would startle him. L stops just short of him, thumbnail in mouth, peering intently at the blood-soaked shirt.

"You are hurt," he states. "Were you attacked?"

Light isn't sure what he is doing. Something…he was meant to say something. Claws glinting in the thunderlight. His head feels broken.

"Uh, no, it's fine," Light mutters. "Listen, I have-"

L is now examining the cuts on Light's face, pulling at the skin to further scrutinize them. "The angle does not suggest self-infliction, and I doubt this was accidental. Therefore, I conclude you must indeed have been attacked. Who assaulted you?"

Light slaps L's hand away. "I came here for a reason," he says, his voice breaking on the final word. L's face darkens, but he falls silent. "I came here to say – to say that…" Light's throat tightens, his body rebelling against the words, but then he remembers the feel of those merciless claws against his flesh, and he can speak.

"I am Kira."

At first, L is wary, perhaps believing this to somehow be another mind game of theirs. He even asks Light if the assault has affected his judgement and brought on such a confession.

"No," Light responds, a little too hastily. "It's too much. I have to tell you. She told me to." He wraps his arms around himself. "It's cold in here. Are you cold? I feel cold." There are spiders under his skin. He can feel them, crawling all around, biting at him.

L eyes him warily. "The temperature is normal. Are you suffering from blood-loss?"

"Blood?" Light looks down, looks at his hands, and they are red, stained with blood, so much blood, so many people, he remembers them all, every name, every face, all watching.

"Light. Light!"

He looks up, startled. "I'm not Light. I'm Kira." Pulling out the Death Note from where he'd tucked it in his trousers, he shows it to L. "This is how I kill. I write the names on these pages – oh, it's got blood on it… Please lock me up. I should be punished and put in a cell where nobody and nothing can ever see me."

"Light, this is highly irrational behaviour, and I suggest you regain control of yourself before-"

"JUST TAKE IT!" Light is pleading, knowing that true horror awaits him if L does not believe his confession.

If L is shocked to see Ryuk materialise out of nowhere when he touches the Note, he does not show it. "You are the shinigami, I presume?"

"Yep. But don't mind me, I'm just here for the show."

Light worries at his fingernails, eyes darting around the room. "You believe me, right? You know I'm Kira?" Whispers, saying his name, all around, where are they from?

Flipping through the Note, L nods curtly. "The names do appear to correlate. Very well. Light Yagami, you are under arrest on suspicion of being the murderer known as Kira. As you have willingly confessed, I doubt you will resist, but should you attempt anything, this room is under constant surveillance and our conversation is being recorded. I will need to make a phone call to instruct one of my representatives to collect you."

Light nearly collapses with relief. They would take him away, and he would be punished, yes, he would pay for his crimes, but she would be satisfied, she would not hurt him. Finally, he is free.

As L keys in the number that will seal his fate, Light begins to panic. What if – what if it isn't enough? What if she only let him do this to lull him into a false sense of security, to let him try to make peace, only to strike when there was nowhere else to run? What if she would be waiting for him when they took him away? Those voices, he can still hear them, mocking him, are they her?

His breathing erratic, Light stumbles backwards, wildly searching for the source of that sound. Both L and Ryuk are staring at him, but he does not care, all he cares about is those voices, and that noise, that noise like –

scritch scritch, scritch scritch

You're mine.

Fear grips his heart like iron claws, and everything goes black.

-x-

As Light's unconscious form collapses to the floor, L considers catching him. There is an 85.67% chance that he would be able to stop the young man's descent. A sudden impact could re-open the wounds on his chest, which may require medical attention.

L lets Light fall.

He ends the call he had been making to an automated weather report and dials another number, not entirely surprised that he can hear the ringtone from the corridor behind him. Flipping his phone shut, he turns to see someone approach him, her smile wide.

"It worked, then?" the woman asks, her metal teeth flashing as she speaks.

Hehehehe.

All shall be revealed, and things may not be as simple as they appear...