Disclaimer- I don't own Death Note.

Chapter 25

Somewhere to Hide

"Noriko!" Light shouted as he ran after the fleeing figure of his fiance. "Noriko, stop! Please, Noriko, it's not what you think!"

He ran as quickly as his legs would allow him to, but no matter how fast he ran, she was still faster. He didn't know when she got so fast, after all her legs were a bit shorter than his and he was in pretty good shape, she tended to be lazy.

'Dammit,' he thought as he scowled at Noriko's back that was getting even further from him as he followed her down the random streets she was turning down, 'How the hell did she see Ryuk, and even Rem apparently? She's never seen Ryuk before, but she knew his name, how is that possible? I could ask Ryuk, but he'll never tell me. I need to get to her before she gets to L, I have to convince her that it's not what she thought. If she gets to L first, I'll have to think of something else. I won't kill her, she will be mine, no matter what. I'll just have to tell her what's going on, that I'm creating a better world. For her.'

"Noriko," he shouted one last time before her back disappeared and she was no longer in view. He continued to run in the direction she had gone, but he didn't see her anywhere. "Dammit," he cursed aloud as he came to a stop and leaned over to rest putting his hands on his knees.

'What do I do? I can call L, tell him that Noriko showed up at my house and claimed to be seeing things... But what would I say about Misa? I could say that she is just a friend that showed up and Noriko got the wrong idea and ran out of the house a complete mess. Which she did. Would he buy it though...'

Light tightened his grip on his knees in an attempt to regain utmost control of his thoughts. He scowled in the direction Noriko had gone and knew he had to think of something quick. Noriko wasn't supposed to leave the hotels, so chances were it was already noticed that she was missing, if not, it would be soon and he would be the first to get a phone call. Plus, his mom and Sayu had both seen Noriko running from the house with him yelling after her, if his dad hadn't been called already, he would be soon.

"Why could she see you," Light asked through gritted teeth.

The Shinigami behind him knew that he was the one being asked the question, he cackled quietly to himself before responding. "She's interesting. I told you you should watch out for her."

"She saw both you and Rem, Ryuk. I could see there being a possibility of her touching a piece of the Death Note in my possession, it's slim but she has never had qualms about poking around in my stuff. It's impossible though, for her to have touched Misa's, they don't know each other," Light said.

"True, true. Maybe she's got some secrets too," the Shinigami replied.

"But you're not going to tell me, are you," Light asked as he glared at the grinning creature floating upside down in the air beside him.

"Sorry Light."

"Damn Shinigami," Light grumbled. "I should get back to Misa, somehow I think that stupid girl would try and kill Noriko."

"I don't think you need to worry about that," Ryuk muttered to himself as he floated after Light as they returned to the Yagami household.

"Light, where's Noriko? What happened? She looked so upset. Your dad called, I told him what happened, he wants you to call him. Is Noriko-"

"Mom, calm down. It's just a misunderstanding, I'll go call dad right now, Noriko's on her way home. She just needs to cool off, alright," Light said reassuringly as he started up the stairs to his room.

Misa was still there sitting in his desk chair, she looked confused and slightly upset. He shut his bedroom door quietly and Misa looked up at him with a look of mild jealousy and even hurt.

"I thought you said I was your girlfriend," the blond girl pouted.

Light sighed and ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to calm himself down and not snap at the girl. "I told you, it's impossible. Noriko, the girl that was here, she's my fiance Misa. You can't be my girlfriend."

"She's not your fiance, she dropped this," Misa said innocently as she handed Light the black and white diamond ring he had proposed to Noriko with.

Light took the ring from Misa quickly and had to resist the urge to glare at her for having touched the object. "I'll give it back to her later."

"Why can't I see her name?"

"What?" Light asked in surprise.

"Rem didn't think Misa should say anything, but Misa couldn't see her name."

"That's not even possible," Light replied.

"It's weird, but Rem says she's not like other humans. She has a protector, Misa doesn't really know what that means," she said with a shrug.

"You couldn't see her name," Light asked slowly.

Misa shook her head. "Nope."

"What does that mean," he asked, he wasn't really talking to Misa but to himself, trying to piece things together. There was no logical reason why Noriko's name couldn't be seen. "What about Rem and Ryuk, could you two see her name?"

"No," Rem answered.

Light looked over to Ryuk who shrugged and grunted which Light took as a no too.

"There has to be a reason," Light pressed.

"All I know is that the girl isn't an ordinary human, she's different," Rem said.

"So now that you don't have a girlfriend anymore, can Misa Misa be your girlfriend," Misa asked happily as she smiled at Light who sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I don't think that's a good idea. I can't be seen with you, you were caught on tape in Aoyama, if we're seen together that could create a lot of problems."

"Look," Misa said as she dug a few pictures out of her bag, "This is what I looked like, I changed my makeup and everything, they'll never know it was me."

Light fought back the urge to scowl at the blonde, 'She's smarter than I thought. I have to be careful though or she can kill me.'

"I suppose I can play the part, but I can't be your boyfriend," Light answered.

"I'll do my best to make you love me, I promise," Misa replied as a knock sounded at his door.

"Light," his mom called.

"Yeah mom," he answered.

The door swung open to reveal an unsure Mrs Yagami who glanced at Misa before looking back at Light. "It's just that the trains stop running soon, and I'm worried about Noriko, you really need to call your father dear."

"I know mom, Misa was just leaving," Light said as he glanced over to Misa.

"Oh, right. Sorry for staying so late. Good night," she chirped as she stood up from the desk and darted from the room.

"Ryuzaki, I think we have a problem," Watari said calmly as he made his way out of the hallway and to where the young disheveled detective was sitting with Mr Yagami.

"What is it now, Watari," Ryuzaki asked not taking his eyes from the monitor before him that was currently displaying surveillance footage from Aoyama on the twenty second.

"It's Ms Mori."

Ryuzaki turned his head to look up at the elderly man., "What is it," he asked, a slight trace of concern seeping into his tone.

"Well, she seems to be missing."

"Missing," Ryuzaki repeated.

"What do you mean, that's impossible," Mr Yagami said.

"She must have slipped out some how. She's not in her room."

"Mr Yagami, call Light-kun, it's highly likely that she'll go there," Ryuzaki said as he faced forward again and placed his thumb on the edge of his lip.

"He's not answering," Mr Yagami said worriedly as he hung up the phone after several failed attempts to contact Light. "I'll try the house."

Ryuzaki ignored Mr Yagami as he stared straight ahead with narrowed eyes.

"When," Mr Yagami asked loudly.

Ryuzaki's head snapped over to Mr Yagami and he watched curiously as the man listened to his wife speak, his face growing concerned and worried.

"Alright, have Light call me when he gets back," Mr Yagami ended his call and snapped his phone shut. "You were right, she went to our house. Apparently there was a young woman there with Light, someone he knows from school. The two were in Light's room when Sayu let Noriko in the house, they don't really know what happened after that, only that Noriko ran out of the house very upset over something and Light was running after her yelling her name."

"They aren't there now," Ryuzaki inquired.

"No. Light hasn't returned to the house yet, he'll call me when me when he gets back."

"Who was the girl," Ryuzaki asked innocently.

"Sachiko wasn't sure all she knew was that she knew Light from school," Mr Yagami replied.

"I see. Watari could you drive around the Yagami neighborhood, see if you can't spot Noriko. I'd like to know that she's safe."

"Of course Ryuzaki," Watari replied with a slight nod before turning to exit the room.

For what felt like hours, Ryuzaki sat quietly, fiddling with some papers now and then so it appeared he was doing something, but his thoughts were turned to Noriko and why she would sneak out of the hotel. He wasn't sure what her reasons could be for doing something so rash. Lately, she had been so withdrawn and quiet, he had also noticed that her suspicion of Light seemed to have sky rocketed for some reason that was unknown to him. She would always watch him discreetly and the look that crossed her face when he spoke told Ryuzaki that she was trying to decipher something from the words.

A vibrating noise broke him from his thoughts as Mr Yagami's phone began to vibrate where it sat on the table in front of the older man.

"Light," Mr Yagami began. "Is Noriko there?"

There was a short pause and a frown creased the man's forehead. "I see. You don't know where she went?" Another pause. "Well keep looking, we have someone out looking for her as well. We'll find her Light, don't worry."

"She's gone," Mr Yagami said as he hung up his cell phone. "Light said she came into his room, saw his friend there. Apparently she became upset, and left the house after giving him her ring back."

"I see. Did he say who the girl was?" Ryuzaki asked.

"Misa, no last name though."

"Hmm. It seems strange to me that Noriko would react in such a way. She trusts Light, why would she get the wrong idea as he is implying, if that were the case. She had to have seen something to make her think otherwise."

"I know Light, he would never do something like that to Noriko. He loves her, he always has," Mr Yagami replied heatedly. "He would give her the world if could."

"Of course, of course he would," Ryuzaki said absently. 'How far would he go to give her the world though, I think that's the question we should ask. Would he kill her if she found out he was Kira? Somehow I don't think so. He does care for her, that much is obvious. It's more likely he would try to distance her from the investigation and everyone involved. If she ran away though, where will she go? Would she come back here, or would she go elsewhere?' His thoughts trailed off as he chewed on his thumb vigorously.

"She never came back last night?"

Mr Yagami shook his head at his visibly worried and tired son. "I'm sorry Light. We can't seem to find her anywhere. Is there anywhere that she would go?"

Light shook his head and frowned as he ran a hand through his hair. "No. She has nowhere to go."

"Did she say anything to you," Ryuzaki asked from his crouched position in his chair, he was facing forward, Light and Mr Yagami as well as Matsuda all stood a few feet behind him conversing quietly.

"No," Light answered. "She just opened the door and freaked out."

"But she never spoke, or gave any indication as to why she was there?"

"No Ryuzaki. All she did was look at me and then Misa, drop her ring and run."

"I don't understand why she would do that. She must have had a reason for her actions. For going to see you, and then her reaction, that to me seems a little extreme, even for her," Ryuzaki replied.

"I don't know what you're getting at, but my fiance is somewhere in this city with no money and nowhere to go. I want to find her before something happens to her," Light said angrily.

"Hmm, somehow I imagine she's in less danger out there than in here," Ryuzaki answered as he took a sip of the thick, sugary coffee before him.

"You still think I'm Kira, don't you?! You think I'd hurt Noriko?!" Light asked, his voice rising as he took a step towards the detective who was still facing away from him.

"Yes," Ryuzaki answered. "I don't think you'd hurt Noriko though. Not unless it was absolutely necessary. She's important to you, you'd give her the world, would you not?"

"Of course I would," Light retorted.

"How far would you go to do it? Would you kill, would you get rid of anyone who could ever possibly harm her, make the world a safer place for her?"

"Ryuzaki," Mr Yagami cut in, the detective's words biting into his mind.

"Forgive me, it seems I got carried away," Ryuzaki replied.

Noriko was busy eating her second helping of miso soup and munching away at the rice and tofu she had ordered. It seemed that her host was quite popular and they were sitting at a rather crowded table, Noriko wasn't paying much attention to the several other men, aside from Higuchi who had somehow shown up right after they had walked out of Reiji's office, and had invited himself to have breakfast with them in the restaurant the building housed on it's first floor.

Reiji was to her right and Higuchi to her left, the latter kept inching his way closer to Noriko, who in turn was inching her way closer to Reiji not even bothering to care about what anyone else might think.

She was nibbling on a pickled plum when she felt a pressure on her leg, she looked down to see that Higuchi was now so close their legs were touching. Swallowing the plum in a single gulp, Noriko put some space between them but if she moved anymore she would practically be in Reiji's lap. She was startled again when Reiji, who was apparently paying more attention than she thought, discreetly put an arm around her waist while continuing to talk with several of the other people at the table.

Noriko nearly choked on her food in her surprise, but was able to cover it up as she took a drink of her green tea. She saw the corners of Reiji's lips tweak slightly as he lightly squeezed her side before removing his hand. Higuchi who had seen the gesture that no one else was paying enough attention to notice, scowled, but within seconds he was no longer leg to leg with Noriko.

She sighed in relief as she set her green tea back on the table and went back to picking at her food, she was apparently quite hungry. She tuned out the conversations around her as she continued to eat almost every piece of food in front of her, that is until her name was suddenly mentioned.

"Huh," she said as she looked up, her chopsticks held in her hand as she blinked at several sets of eyes that were now focused on her.

"She is my new assistant," Reiji said as he smiled pleasantly at her.

"Uh..." was all she could manage to come up with.

"Tired of Lisa already," one of the men asked with a chuckle.

"Not at all, Lisa will continue to do her duties, Ms Mori will have her hands full with her own job as it is. Isn't that right," Reiji asked as he looked over to her.

"Yes, of course. Very busy," she replied with a smile she hoped looked less confused then she felt.

"What made you want an assistant Namikawa, and she looks a little young," the same man said.

Noriko frowned at him, but didn't say anything, she was the assistant after all, it wasn't her place to speak. Or was it, she wasn't too sure on the matter.

"It's been very busy lately, I thought I could use the help. Ms Mori may be young, but she's quite capable," Reiji answered smoothly.

"I'm sure she is," she heard another man whisper to someone.

She made a disgusted grimace at the tone of his voice, she knew what the man was implying and she didn't appreciate the implication. Reiji seemed to ignore the comment although she saw the sharp glance he sent in the direction the comment came from.

"It was a pleasure eating with you gentleman, but now that my new assistant has finished I think it's time to show her around and introduce her to her new job," Reiji said as he pushed himself up.

"You mean life, we all know how hard you push your subordinates. Poor girl doesn't know what she's getting into," a middle aged man said teasingly as he smiled at Noriko.

Noriko smiled back as she stood from her seat and bowed to the men at the table. "It was pleasure meeting you all."

"You look distracted," Reiji said as he looked up from some papers to glance at Noriko who had been staring out the window for nearly an hour without moving, but sighing every now and then.

"A little," she confessed.

"What's on your mind?"

Noriko sighed. "I don't want to go back, but I know I have to. It'll be easier that way, otherwise there will be police looking for me and I know one of the top detectives quite well, so I don't think I'd be able to avoid them long. On top of that, I have nowhere else to go. My options are limited and it's rather frustrating."

Reiji flipped some of his hair out of his eyes as he leaned back in his chair to stare at Noriko. "What if you did have somewhere else to go, what would you do?"

"I think I would still go back first. If everyone knows I'm alive and well, mostly, there would be no reason for the police to look for me. It wouldn't be a runaway case, or a missing persons case. It would save a lot of trouble and I could disappear, somehow, after that," she replied.

"Well, sounds to me like you have a plan."

Noriko shrugged. "A plan, yes. A way to make it work, not so much. I have nowhere to go, no money, no job, no nothing really."

"Wrong. You have a job, or have you forgotten? A job comes with benefits, like income and of course that would enable you to buy what you don't have."

"True enough," Noriko agreed. "Doesn't solve the roof problem though, although I have a feeling you've already figured that one out too, haven't you?"

Reiji smiled at her and she sighed as she rested her chin in her hand. "I have several spare rooms, you're welcome to any of them."

"You barely know me, what if I'm some psycho killer?"

"I doubt it, but I'll take my chances."

"I don't know..."

"Why not give yourself a few days to think things over, and of course you can stay at my home until you've decided," Reiji offered.

Noriko frowned as she looked at the handsome long haired man, but finally sighed. "Honestly, I like that idea. I don't think going back today is a great idea, I might get carried away and do something stupid. I don't have any..anything though."

"Not a problem."

Noriko sighed for what had to have been the hundredth time in less than five minutes as she followed after a silent, brooding Lisa who was gathering up different things for Noriko to try on. Namikawa had asked Lisa to take Noriko shopping for clothes and other necessities. She had to admit though that while the woman was a bit of a pain, she had a very good fashion sense.

"Uh, I don't think that's necessary," Noriko said as Lisa grabbed a black cocktail dress from one of the racks. It was knee length with a flowing skirt and a low cut back, with beading and sequin detail on the straps and under the chest.

"Trust me, it will be," she said.

"This stuff is a little expensive, don't you think?"

Lisa stopped and looked at Noriko with her dark brown eyes. "I don't know why Mr Namikawa is helping you, it's not really like him to be honest. However, he has some interest in you or he wouldn't bother to give you the time of day. I don't know if you've noticed, but he isn't the type who skimps, on anything. It's the best and that's really all there is to it, anything less than perfection and he's not interested. He told me to get you things to wear to work, things you'll be comfortable in outside of work, and whatever else you may need. I plan on doing as I was told, I like my job and I plan on keeping it. You seem like the type of girl who doesn't put a lot of thought into what she wears," she held up a hand to silence Noriko who had opened her mouth to retort but huffed and looked away instead. "I don't mean that in a bad way, I envy you actually. Do you have any idea how irritating it is to have to wear heels everyday?"

"I have a feeling I'll understand soon," Noriko replied sulkily.

"You're right, you will. Now I know we seem to have gotten off on the wrong foot, but I was honestly just a little surprised. Mr Namikawa doesn't bring his personal life into the office, and to give me some credit you looked..."

"Like hell," Noriko said. "Yeah, well I sort of had a rough night. I walked in on my fiance and some skimpy blond, after that I wound up in a park with no place to go. I ran into Reiji..uh, Mr Namikawa, while I was walking around the city trying to figure out what I was going to do."

"I'm sorry to hear about that," Lisa said apologetically. "Well, let's have some fun shall we. Oh, and I was trying to say money isn't an issue when it comes to Mr Namikawa, he's the V.P of Sales of a multi-million dollar, world wide company. If he offers you something, take it, he has more money than he knows what to do with."

Noriko laughed. "I suppose you're right, but is the dress really necessary, and heels," she groaned.

"Sorry hun," Lisa sang as she turned and they started going through the racks once again.

Noriko groaned dramatically and Lisa laughed.

"You two seem to be in a good mood," Namikawa observed as he approached the two females who were sitting in Lisa's office drinking tea and talking about the different outfits they had gotten for Noriko and the many ways she could wear much of it.

"Hello Mr Namikawa," Lisa greeted as the long haired man walked into her office from the main hall.

"Hello," Noriko offered as well with a smile.

"I trust things went well," he asked Lisa.

Lisa nodded. "Yes sir, she should be set for anything you throw at her."

"She's not kidding. She insisted on buying a dress, a nice dress, but a dress. Seriously, I don't think I'll ever wear it," Noriko replied as she tossed a quick glare at Lisa who just smiled sweetly.

"Ah, good. There's a party over the weekend I'll be attending, you'll be accompanying me, and if I know Lisa, the dress she picked out will be perfect."

Noriko opened her mouth to say something, anything, but she didn't have anything to say.

"Close your mouth dear, I told you you would need the dress," Lisa said.

"Yeah, yeah," Noriko said as she waved a hand at Lisa dismissively.

"You'll look so cute. I'll have to show you how to do your hair, and don't forget about the make up I got for you, the woman at showed you how to apply everything, so don't forget," Lisa said cheerily.

Noriko groaned and let her head drop onto the woman's desk. "Kill me now. Make up, dresses, heels, next you'll be telling me I have to get a hair..."

"A hair what, cut?" Lisa asked, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Actually that sounds like a great idea," Noriko replied as she raised her head form the desk. "I think I'll get a hair cut. Not yet though, in a few days, give me sometime to think over what I want done, you know."

Namikawa raised a brow at Noriko, the look on her face told him she wasn't being entirely truthful about the reasons for the sudden decision to cut her hair.

"Oh, I want to go. You have to let me come with you," Lisa insisted.

"Yeah of course," Noriko replied absently with a smile before yawning and raising a hand to cover it as best she could.

"I think you could use some sleep, in a bed, I'll be done in just a moment. Let me put these files on my desk and we can go," Namikawa said as he held up two files before disappearing through his office door.

"You're staying with him, you didn't tell me that," Lisa whispered conspiratorially.

Noriko shrugged. "I don't have anywhere to go now, and he offered to let me use one of his spare rooms for now. I would rather that then sleep in the park again, that wasn't so fun."

"Right...So are you sure there's nothing going on between the two of you?"

"Of course not!"

"Ok, ok, sorry...He's a very handsome man though, isn't he?"

"Well yeah," Noriko replied as she blushed slightly and looked away.

"Ha, you like him."

"I do not. Now shut it Lisa."

"No, this is too good. I want dirt woman! You must tell me everything!"

"There won't be anything to tell. We're friends and I just broke off my engagement hours ago."

"For now," Lisa replied with a smirk and a wink as Namikawa reemerged from his office to see Noriko blushing as she glared at a triumphant Lisa.

Noriko had to resist the very strong urge to gape open mouthed as Reiji pulled his very nice black sports car, the type and model were all foreign to Noriko who had never owned a car, let alone paid any attention to them, up to a very expensive modern looking home. There was a gate that surrounded the immense property and all the grass and gardens were immaculately landscaped and kept. The majority of the walls were darkly tinted windows and Noriko was impressed by the sheer size of the large house.

After having parked in one of what was apparently several garages, Noriko exited the car and followed after Reiji as he made his way into the grand house.

"Wow," was all she managed as they walked through a small hallway that led to a large kitchen that had light colored granite counter tops and what cabinets that Noriko thought could possibly be cherry wood with a slightly darker finish, they were simple yet modern with just a single metal handle on each. The flooring was wood a different color than the cabinets, darker with no hint of red. All the appliances were all stainless steel and very shiny.

"And this is just the kitchen," Reiji teased.

"Which looks like it cost more than my old house," Noriko mumbled.

"I'll show you around, follow me."

Noriko admired the entirety of the large, five bedroom house. The floors through out the home were mainly wood, except in the bedrooms and the bathrooms. The bedroom she would be using, which was across from Reiji's had plush gray carpeting and was furnished sparsely with a low bed that sat on a platform of wood that had been painted black, the sheets and coverlet were a deep wine red with a few black and gray accents. There were two nightstands and a dresser in the same black painted wood and a large window in the back that over looked one of the gardens, a red leather love seat sat in front of the window to allow the occupant of the room to sit and read or just stare out into the world. This particular room also had its own bathroom as well.

"I suppose you want to get some sleep, if you need anything, you know where my room is. Feel free to help yourself to anything you'd like. Also, if you're hungry there's plenty in the kitchen. I'll be up for a little while longer as well if you need anything."

"Thank you. This is really very nice of you, I don't think I'll ever be able to thank you enough," Noriko said as she struggled to look at Reiji and smile, but she was rather embarrassed and instead looked out the window.

"Not a problem, have a good night."

"Night," Noriko called as he left her standing just inside the room that was to be hers during her stay.

She looked around and sighed, the room was rather large and open, it made Noriko a little lonely. She had spent the day with so many distractions that now that she was alone the weight of everything once again crashed down on her and she plopped down onto the bed and put her head in her hands. The clothing her and Lisa had bought had been delivered to the house earlier in the day by someone and a housekeeper had put them all in the closet and in the drawers for her. After sitting for a few minutes Noriko explored the room to get a feel for where all of her new things were and after finding everything she grabbed the black knee length silk nightgown Lisa insisted she get instead of shorts and a tank top. She slipped into the bathroom and out of the clothes she was in, she took a quick shower and once done, retreated back into the bedroom and into the bed.

To say she was exhausted would be an understatement, she was completely and utterly wiped out. She hadn't slept in over a day, she had run around town like a mad woman, and then had somehow managed to find a job, a place to stay and acquire all new belongings in that time. It was a tad overwhelming, considering the fact that yesterday she was still engaged and staying with one of the world's top detectives helping, or trying to, find Kira. Now she wasn't engaged, she had found Kira, and she was staying with her new boss who was the Vice President of Sales for a company she wasn't even qualified to walk into, let alone work for, in her opinion at least.

She pulled back the coverlet and crawled between the sheets. She figured that regardless of how tired she was that sleep would elude her. Well she was wrong, she was out almost as soon as her head touched the soft feather pillow.

Please review!