Disclaimer- I do not own Death Note.

Chapter 7

Apparitions and Dreams

It had been about a week since Noriko had been questioned by the police about Katsuo. Her mother had remained fairly quiet and withdrawn the entire time. She was also more anti-social meaning that there were no parties and loud drunken escapades happening at the house every night. It had been fairly quiet and peaceful much to Noriko's liking.

Noriko's ankle was healing nicely. She was able to put some weight on it but she still needed the crutches to get around just to be safe, but figured after a few more days they wouldn't be necessary. The brace, however, was going to be necessary according to the doctor who she had seen that day after school. Apparently she was stuck with the brace for about two months.

'Oh joy,' was her only oh so happy thought on the subject.

Since walking to school was out of the question she had asked for rides. So she had been getting rides to school from a very unexpected source.

Her mother.

Getting home was another problem though. She took the bus that picked up just down the street from the school and dropped her off about two blocks south of her house.

Due to these facts, she had rarely seen Light except for at school and only during the few classes they shared together. So she decided that since it was a nice day she would venture out of her room where she had taken to locking herself in, and try her luck at going to his house.

She managed to get down the stairs without incident, using her crutches while also starting to put just a little bit of weight on her injured ankle. After exiting her house she made her way slowly to the pretty two story home of the Yagami's. Pushing open the little gate she stepped into the yard and walked to the door where she pushed the doorbell and waited.

Voices reached her ears from the other side of the closed door before it was swung open by the petite Mrs Yagami.

"Oh, Noriko. You should be resting dear. That ankle won't heal if you don't let it," the brown haired woman said in a very motherly tone.

"I know. I've just been cooped up in that room for too long and I've hardly seen Light. So I thought I'd stop by, if that's ok, of course," she replied.

"Of course it is," Mrs Yagami said happily. "He's up in his room studying. Would you like some tea, I can bring it up to you?"

"Oh no, I'm fine," Noriko answered as she made her way up the stairs to Light's room.

She tried opening the door but it was locked.

Noriko frowned, 'He's never locked the door before.'

She knocked lightly on the door, "Hey, Light it's me. Can I come in?"

"Huh, oh, I'll be right there," he called in response.

After a few moments of waiting and listening to drawers and things opening and closing, the door opened.

"Hey, shouldn't you be resting?" he asked her.

"I'm fine. Now what are you up to?"

"I'm not up to anything," he replied.

"Then can I come in or are you gonna stand there staring at me?"

Light blinked at her before he seemed to realize he was blocking her entry into his room.

"Sorry."

"Whatever," she replied as she made her way to his bed before turning and plopping down on it with a sigh.

"So how have you been Nori?" Light asked casually.

"Fine. I guess. The house has been quiet, it's nice actually. Mother dearest has been keeping mostly to herself, which I don't mind at all. On top of that Katsuo isn't there and that's nice."

"That's good. How's your ankle?"

"A lot better actually. I should only need the crutches for a few more days. Then I just have to wear the brace, that's what the doctor said at least," Noriko said.

"Is that where you were earlier?"

"Yeah. I had to miss a class to go. Didn't think you'd noticed," she answered somewhat sourly.

"Of course I noticed."

"I wasn't sure you would. I've hardly seen you in the last, what has it been, a week? You're always gone right after the last class and I haven't really been able to get out much," her voice sounded suspicious and also sad.

"I'm sorry Nori," he said, taking a seat on the bed next to her, "I've just been really busy."

"With what? I know you're hiding something from me Light," she accused.

He looked almost shocked for a split second, but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

"Why do you say that?" he asked her curiously.

She eyed him like he was insane. "Well, let's see. I have known you my whole life. So I think I can tell when you're acting strange. And you've been acting strange all week."

He shook his head at her and sighed. "You're just imagining things, Noriko. I think you've been stuck at home for too long, that or the pain killers are affecting your brain."

"Don't joke around. I know you're lying," she said seriously.

He became serious and just looked at her.

"What," she barked.

"It's nothing Noriko. I promise. I've just been busy with school work and stuff," he replied impassively.

"That's it," she asked skeptically.

"Yes. After all, I need to make sure I can take care of you in the future, right?"

Noriko tweaked an eyebrow at him, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He just smiled before leaning forward and kissing her on the forehead, "Oh nothing. But I can't give you the world if I don't work for it, right?"

"You don't have to give me the world, Light," she sighed tiredly.

He got up from the bed flashing her a quick a smile, "Doesn't change the fact I will."

Noriko watched him curiously as he made his way to his desk to flip on the television. Something in the way he had smiled had unsettled her.

'It was arrogant, like he knows he'll be able to do just that,' she thought.

She shook the thought away as he walked back to her, and they laid back to watch the news. Noriko rested her head on Light's shoulder, as he wrapped an arm around her to hold her close.

The news anchor was talking about the recent death of a man who had been on death row for the murder of two young women. Apparently he had died today of a sudden heart attack, he was only 28. The news droned on but Noriko tuned it out after a little while and just snuggled next to Light.

She just laid there listening to the dull sound of his heart beat and his even breathing. It was calming and it was making her sleepy.

Noriko yawned tiredly.

"I think I'm going to head home, Light. I'm pretty tired and it's about to get dark," Noriko said as she stretched lithely before swinging her legs over the edge of his bed.

Light stretched as well before standing up and walking around his bed.

"Alright. I'll help you downstairs," he replied as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

"Light. What are you doing?" she asked, slightly annoyed. "I need my crutches."

"I'll get them in a minute," he said as he leaned forward and placed his warm lips on to hers.

She was slightly surprised but relaxed and closed her eyes to enjoy the sensation of his lips on hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck as the kiss deepened and she felt her knees grow weak.

'Funny. I've kissed him plenty of times since we've become an item, but he never fails to take my breath away,' she thought as they broke apart.

They both took in a deep breath before Light released her and stepped back towards the door.

"Come on," he said with a smile.

"Right," she replied somewhat breathlessly.

He helped her down the stairs and walked her outside to the gate.

"Be careful, ok. I'll see you later," Light told her as he kissed her lightly on the cheek.

"Of course."

As she left the Yagami's she passed a neighbor of theirs who had a paper bag full of apples she murmured a greeting and noticed that they were going to the Yagami's.

'That's nice of them,' Noriko thought as she made her way back to her house.

As she turned the corner of her street a shadow passed over her and a sudden chill passed through the air. She looked up to try and see the source of the shadow but there was nothing that she could see. No birds were flying around and there weren't many trees along the street. She shivered involuntarily and glanced around herself. Nothing looked out of the ordinary, all of the houses and gardens were fairly well lit so she could see that there was no one around. She also noticed that there was no wind and it was still a fairly warm day, making her wonder where the cold chill had come from.

A sense of foreboding filled her as she tried to shrug off the strange chill and continue along the quiet house lined street. It felt as if something was watching her, something sinister and dark.

Unknown to her, yellow red eyes peered at her quizzically from a telephone pole not far behind her. The eyes were set into sickly looking skin above an upturned nose and large red lips. Black wings hovered in the air around it before the being turned away and flew off.

"Such an interesting human," it said with one last glance back at the retreating figure of the girl.

She reached her gate and quickly made her way inside and to her room. Once there the feeling of being watched passed, but the foreboding sense of something evil lurking nearby did not. With a quick shake of her head she tugged at the dark chain that held her black cross securely around her neck. She let her fingers brush over the cool metal as she lay down and stared at the white ceiling.

"I'm being paranoid," she mumbled to herself.

After a few minutes of staring blankly at her ceiling she pushed herself up and grudgingly readied herself for bed. She changed into her pink and blank striped pajama bottoms and slipped on a fitted black tank top before going to her bathroom and washing up. She pulled her hair into a braid to keep it out of her face and then made her way back to her comfy bed.

Grabbing the black remote for her television off the desk she pressed the on button and tuned into to the local news station.

The current news anchor was a middle aged woman with short brown hair and brown eyes. She was dressed in a dark blue suit jacket and a pale blue button up shirt. She was currently talking about the deaths of many violent criminals. It seemed that criminals were dying of unexplainable heart attacks. The deaths had begun only a few days before, and already it was becoming a hot topic.

'It's like someone's killing off all of the criminals. That's just not possible though. Is it?' she thought as she continued to stare blankly at the television.

She brought her hand to her face and began to chew on her thumbnail. During her distraction and wandering train of thoughts something else occurred to her. She tried to shake the thought away, knowing that it was ridiculous. It just kept nagging at her though.

'The deaths of these criminals started about five days ago...The same time that Light,' she shook her head roughly trying to shake away the nagging thought. 'No, that's absurd. How could Light have anything to do with this? The deaths have to be coincidental. There's no other explanation, how do you kill someone by giving them a heart attack? It's impossible. Unless you're a shinigami, which don't even exist outside of books..'

She sighed as she turned the television off and immersed herself in a welcoming darkness.

It wasn't long before she drifted into a fitful sleep.

She woke up a few hours later and glanced at the clock on her desk. It read 12:34 am. A sudden cold chill made her shiver and huddle under her blanket. It was then that she heard the soft flutter of fabric.

Curious, she looked around and noticed that her bedroom window over her dresser was open. The pale gray curtains that covered them blowing and twisting in the night breeze.

"When did I open the window," she said aloud although she meant it more as a thought.

"You didn't," a quiet voice answered.

Noriko froze as she was about to stand and close the window. Her feet where touching the carpeting of her room, and her hands were placed on either side of her. Unconsciously, she gripped the blankets on her bed and stared straight ahead with wide eyes.

"H-hello? Who's there," she was trying to sound braver than she felt. It wasn't that easy though, after all she just woke up to her window open and a strange voice talking to her.

"You've forgotten me already, have you," the voice replied almost playfully.

Noriko's wide eyes narrowed as she thought the voice held traces of something familiar. It wasn't menacing or frightening. It was a soft voice like the sounds of a calm stream after a small rainfall.

She glanced around her room, but the shadows hid most of the corners and she couldn't tell where the voice was coming from or if anyone was even there.

"I'm going crazy," she muttered to herself hoping she was just dreaming and this wasn't real.

"Afraid not little one," the voice replied with amusement.

Noriko immediately cocked her head to the side as the voice spoke once again. Her eyes blinked rapidly as a shape began to form out of the shadows near the window.

"D-daddy," she whispered hoarsely as her chest tightened and her throat grew dry.

A tall man with kind, bright green eyes and smooth features stood before her. His short combed hair appeared black in the darkness but Noriko knew that wasn't the case. It was a dark brown with a slight red tint in the sun. Similar to her own.

A kind smile creased his smooth face as he stared down at the young girl on the edge of the bed.

"But you're...You're..." Noriko struggled to find some words to express her disbelief at the sight of her dead father but could find none.

"Dead? Yes, I know," he replied thoughtfully, but there was also a hint of sarcasm too.

"I'm dreaming right?" she asked.

"Sort of," he said with a shrug of a shoulder.

"Sort of. I'm talking to my dead father, I have to be dreaming," she replied matter of factly as she shook her head rather forcefully causing her to get a little dizzy.

"Have it your way, but I'm more than just a memory in your unconscious mind at the moment."

"You haven't changed much," Noriko muttered,."Still talking nonsense even though you're the dead one and I'm the one going crazy and having talks with ghosts in my dreams. Now I'm just muttering to myself like a real crazy person..great."

"Done," he asked cheerily.

She nodded. "For now. Once reality sets back in I'll probably start freaking out and crying though."

Kiyoshi Mori chuckled lightly at his daughter.

"So is there a reason why you're standing in my bedroom at almost one am?" she asked curiously.

'I'm not freaking out yet, that's good,' she thought as she smiled at the specter before her.

"I came to tell you something."

"Tell me what?"

"Well, this may seem a bit strange, but bear with me. There is a battle about to begin between two opposing forces. Good and evil, light and dark," he explained.

Noriko tweaked a brow at the light and dark comment wondering if there was more to what he was saying.

"You will get stuck in the middle. Both sides will try to use you for their own devices. So there are a few roads open to you. Almost all are lined by death and betrayal, but love is also there as well. It is your decision whom to help, but remember that true love is something that few ever find. It's a precious rarity that can heal a wounded heart, or break one down."

Noriko was listening silently, not sure what to make of his words. She knew there was more to what he was saying but she just didn't know what. It was all so strange and unbelievable.

"I don't understand. A battle? As in a war?" she asked, confused.

"Not exactly. More like a match of wits, or a very deadly and involved game of chess. I just want you to follow your heart, and not ignore it. It will lead you in the right direction. Remember what I taught you about right and wrong, and remember that no matter how good someone's intentions are it doesn't mean that what they're doing is right."

If the topic hadn't been so serious, Noriko would have felt like she was being lectured.

"This makes no sense to me, but ok," she said with a smile.

'I've lost my mind...Yay...' she thought somewhat sarcastically.

"Also, that necklace," he said pointing to the black cross that dangled around her neck, "Never take it off. It will protect you from the eyes of those that have no business being here."

"I still have no idea what you mean by that you know."

"You will, soon enough," Kiyoshi said sadly.

"Ok, so there is a battle coming up. I'm going to be involved somehow, and I'm going to have to choose what side I'm going to be on. Sounds interesting, to say the least," Noriko said with a shrug.

"I need to be going," her father said as he glanced to her open window, "I will watch over you as best I can, I love you Noriko."

"I love you too dad."

He bent down and kissed her on her forehead. She laid herself back down and curled up into her blankets. The heavy pull of sleep tugging at her.

"Sleep well my girl," she heard her father whisper before she fell into a state of unconsciousness.

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