Chapter 14: Return

When they got back, L and Light were happy to discover that Japan had not fallen into mass chaos or been taken over by insane Kira worshippers. Other than the news continuing to speculate over the deaths, most things involving Kira stayed underground, whether they were support or praise. Home was a comforting thing, with Near's phone number stuck to the refrigerator and no evidence of anything being wrong.

L wanted to play chess, having dragged an old set out of one of the closets. Light agreed, and they spent the entire afternoon after getting home attempting to outmaneuver each other's pieces.

Sometime during the middle of the game, L glanced up at Light. "Light?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I ask you something?"

Light looked up from where he was contemplating his move, frowning. "Are you trying to distract me?" He didn't put it past the detective to try something sneaky. After all, he himself had said that he was childish and hated to lose.

"No…" L replied. He looked thoughtful, saying, "It was something Gevanni said, while we were in Near's hotel room. I don't think you heard him."

"What was it?" Light carefully shifted the board to the other end of the table, and then leaned on his elbows, looking at L.

L blinked. "…If you had the chance, would you become Kira again?"

Light's eyes widened. "L! What…? Why would you think that? Kira's ideals are wrong; we both know that!"

L looked away. "That, too, is what you believed when you didn't have any memories. You thought that Kira deserved to be punished. And yet, when your memories came back, there was no remorse, no regret, and no hesitation. What causes a child to become a murderer, and why can't it happen again?" L would never admit it to Light, but he was genuinely worried. If for some reason Light did become Kira again, and get his hands on a murder notebook… He knew L's name. He knew L's family; everyone important to him. And he could do away with all of them in less than a minute. "Please, Light. Be honest with me about Kira, for once in two lives."

Light got up, walking around the table and sitting down next to L. He wrapped his arms around the smaller boy, feeling L lean into the hug. Resting his chin on L's head, he said softly, "I doubt that I could ever kill people on that scale ever again. It's too much. But I won't say that I'm not capable of murder. If it was for a legitimate reason, like self-defense, or… or to protect you…"

L looked up at him. "You were honest that time, weren't you?" He actually believed it, probably for the first time.

Light smiled faintly, nodding. "Yeah." He pushed L up into a standing position, saying, "We should probably go to sleep. Otherwise the time zone differences will kill us tomorrow. We can finish our chess match in the morning."

L nodded, walking off to his room to put on pajamas. As he slipped into his shirt, he considered what Light had said. Or to protect you… If that was how Light felt… L found himself astonished that Light cared about him that much. Can't function without you… But he wouldn't let Light become a killer again because of him. He would rather die than lose Light to Kira again.

There was a soft knock, and the door opened slightly. Light poked his head in, looking around. L glanced at him. "What is it?"

"I had a question." Light said. He waited until L's full attention was on him, before asking, "How do you see me? What am I to you?"

L understood what he was asking. However roundabout Light had put it, Can't function without you, he had still gotten the point across that he definitely cared about L. But L really hadn't done the same. He stared at the carpet for a moment, before admitting, "I don't know."

Light blinked. "What do you mean?"

L sighed, walking over to put his shirt away. "I don't know what it's supposed to feel like, so I can't be sure of how I feel about you. Before, I was the World's Greatest Detective. With a job like that, you don't really have much time to get to know people. I wasn't lying to you when I said that you were the first friend I'd ever had."

"So, in France…" Light began.

"That was me trying to figure out what I felt for you. I thought if I played along, I would figure it out sooner or later. But that's really not fair to you."

"You…" Light looked slightly hurt, but there was really nothing L could do to change that. No more lying.

"I don't know what more I can say, Light, other than that I haven't figured it out yet." He turned away. "I'll see you in the morning." Light turned and left without a word, and L almost felt bad. But it was the truth. Sometimes the truth hurt.

xXx

The next day, after finishing the chess game, they were lounging around doing nothing when a knock came on the front door. L got up curiously, opening the door only to be tackled to the floor in a hug.

"Oof!" He felt the air leave his lungs in a whoosh.

"L-kun!" Momi yelped. "How have you been?! Are you doing okay?!"

L struggled to his feet, pushing her up with him. "Momi? How did you find out where I was?"

"I knew you were staying with Light-kun, so I looked it up!" she said cheerfully. L swallowed hard.

"That's… great…" He could only hope with all of his being that Taro Kagami wasn't smart enough to think of that. He motioned Momi to come in, leading her back to the living area where Light was sitting.

"Momi?" Light asked curiously. "Why are you here?"

"Well…" The gypsy sat down in one of the chairs, smoothing her brightly colored skirt. "I'm leaving in a few days. You know, moving on to a new place. One of the great things about being a gypsy, getting to travel and see new places. But I wanted to see you two before I left." She looked up, bright eyes sparkling beneath red hair. "You two are by far the most interesting I've ever met. Did your fortune come true yet?"

Both looked at each other, raising an eyebrow. Momi blinked, before pulling out her deck of Tarot cards. "Oh, yes! I wanted to tell you… The card that fell face-down during Light's draw, last time… It was an accompanying card to the Two of Cups. Card VI." She pulled it out to show it to them. "The Lovers."

L's eyes widened, and Light gaped at her. Both glanced quickly at each other, then away. "Ahh…" L voiced, the only sound that he appeared to be able to make. "You predicted that?" This would be a lot less awkward if they hadn't just had that conversation last night.

Momi grinned. "I was right, then! Good for you, guys!" They glanced at each other awkwardly. She looked down at the deck, shuffling the card back in with practiced skill. "I wanted to ask you, too… You can each draw a card. Take it to keep, for your futures. I… don't normally do this, but you two are something else. So if you want to, I will."

They looked at each other, seeming to communicate without words. Both nodded, and L leaned forward. "I'll draw first, Momi."

She smiled faintly, holding out the deck to him. He pulled a card at random, turning it over and holding it up to her. She grinned, shaking her head. "The Two of Cups. You two…" Going into full-on interpreter mode, she began, "A symbol of a bond, the power of two. Two forces coming together, creating one. You two have a bond stronger than I've seen in a long time. Soul mates, you might even go so far to say." She handed L the card, saying, "Keep it. It's yours."

Light moved over to sit by L on the couch, ruffling his raven hair. "Soul mates, huh? Across two lives, I can believe that." L frowned slightly. Ignoring him, Light reached out for a card. Drawing one, he blinked at it, flipping it over to better see what it was. He held it out to Momi, who frowned.

"The Lightning-Struck Tower. Crisis, disruption, revelation, realizing truth…" She looked up at Light. "You drew this upside-down?" He nodded, and Momi sighed. "You are currently in a difficult and chaotic situation. Your resolve will be tested. Drawn against the two of cups, I would say that your bond will be tested as well. You are falling, but in the end you will land safely." She handed the card back to Light, and he frowned.

"So the chaotic situation will end well?" he asked quietly.

Momi's face settled into a serious expression. "All endings are what you make them. The cards believe that you have the heart to make the ending well, but it's up to you what ending you make it. They're not magic. They don't control your actions. You control your actions, Light-kun." She sighed. "A happy ending? A happy ending can be different for different people. Since it's your card… An ending could be happy for you, but not necessarily happy for L, or anyone else you could care to name. It depends on you, and what you would be happy with."

"I would be happy with L." Light said firmly. Momi blinked, then smiled.

"You're lucky, L." L sighed, staring up at the ceiling. Everything was just stacking up against him, wasn't it? Momi stood up. "I'll miss you guys. I hope you're both happy with each other." She stepped around the table to give first Light, then L, a hug. L walked with her to the door, stopping just before opening it.

"Thank you, Momi… I honestly don't think I could have dealt with the beginning of this without your help." L said quietly.

Momi laughed. "I told you, L, you had an interesting future. I could tell, and I wanted to see what would happen. I didn't know, to this degree…" L started to say something, realizing that she really didn't understand what was happening, but Momi shook her head. "I don't want to know. I have a fairly good idea what's up with you two, but that's your business, not mine." She hugged L, one last time. "Be happy, L. I'll miss you. Maybe we'll meet again someday."

"Goodbye, Momi." L watched as she disappeared down the hallway, and walked back to sit down next to Light again. He settled against the arm of the couch, saying, "I think she knows what we are. Reincarnated, I mean. She's fairly intuitive."

"Yeah…" Light replied. "You know the strangest people, L." He laughed as L lightly whacked him on the head. "I was kidding!"

L smirked, in a much better mood. "Of course you were. Otherwise, you would be including yourself in that descriptive statement."

Light reached up and ruffled his hair absently. "Shut up." he said, but it was spoken in an amused tone. He glanced over at the window, saying then, "But tomorrow's going to be tough, right? Because we start chasing Kira?"

"Yes…" L murmured. "We have to figure out what's going on, because even if Near gets here in time, he won't know what to look for…"

"Well… We'll just have to be ready, then."

L nodded, reaching for the remote and turning the news on, possibly for the first time in weeks. It wouldn't hurt to start looking for answers now, even if the news wouldn't be very helpful. But no matter what they did, tomorrow was looking to be a long day.

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Anyone that I told I had to edit chapter 13, I got mixed up. It was this one. You wouldn't believe how many times I rewrote that middle conversation. Ick. I really don't like this chapter. In my eyes, it's worse than the Interpol chapter, and that really was a bad one.

Anyway, this brings to a conclusion Momi's part in this. She might show up in the ending, but I'm not sure yet. Anyway, villains next chapter. Yay! Let's see what they were up to while our boys were in France.

From now on, I should be able to update Monday mornings. Assuming, of course, that I've actually had time to get the chapter written. But having some kind of schedual will definitely make it easier.

Hugs!
Li