Phew. Finally got the next chapter up. I've been going insane lately so I was worried about getting this in a timely fashion. Hopefully this chapter suits you all for now and gives you enough content to be sated for a while because I've been negleting other writing's that I have to do (college stuff for instance).

Anyway, please enjoy the chapter

"Yes. All right I'll let him know." L perked up at the sound of Watari getting off of the phone. He twisted in his chair to look at the man as he approached.

"What is it Watari?" The man cleared his throat and glanced towards Mello, Matt, and Near who were watching him curiously.

"The police called to have me inform you that they did manage to make arrests last night," Watari said.

"But...?" The man sighed and frowned.

"They only arrested five of them," He said, "I believe you said there were seven of them there?"

"Plus the one who's unidentified yes." He looked to Light who was listening intently while not looking away from the computer screen. "So there are three more still wandering around. Have any of them identified our unknown person?" Watari shook his head and L nodded. "All right. Thank you Watari." The man nodded.

"I'm going to contact your family Light," he informed them before slipping away. L turned back around only to have Matt clear his throat in order to get his attention.

"What's going on you two," the redhead demanded, "After what happens last night we deserve to know what the hell's going on." L went to protest when Matt cut him off. "I mean...you abandon a case you care so much about and don't leave any explanation. It's about time we get one."

"Light," L started but the brunette shook his head.

"They're right," he said, "They have a right to know." He stood and paced for a few moments before stopping and clasping his hands together. "The reason L's chasing after these guys is because they're rapists." He swallowed thickly and looked down towards the floor. "To be more exact they're...they're my rapists. That's why he personally took this case on. He wanted to catch them." There was silence for a few moments before Light shook his head again and walked away in silence.

"Shit," Matt murmured, "Now I kind of feel bad for asking."

"He'll be alright," Near commented, drawing the remaining three boys gazes to him. He looked at L and gave a small smile. "After all, he's got someone there for him doesn't he." L smiled and nodded, hopping out of his chair to go after Light. As his form left the room Mello turned to face Matt and Near, confusion clear on his face.

"What the hell was that last comment about Near?" Mello asked curiously. Matt couldn't help the laugh that escaped him as he wrapped an arm around Mello's shoulders and pulled his chair closer.

"I'll explain later Mello," he promised. The blonde eyed him suspiciously but eventually melted against him

"You better Matt or so help me I'll-" Matt cut him off with a quick peck on the cheek.

"Yeah, yeah," He said before, soft enough so Near wouldn't hear, "No need to ruin Near's innocence though Mello." Mello flushed slightly and scowled when Matt laughed again.

"I hate you sometimes."

"I know," Matt whispered, "Promise I'll make it up to you later though." Mello's blush darkened and he shifted slightly, looking like he was about to tell him off.

"Fine."

"Light," L said as he entered their shared room. The teen was pacing around the room, running a hand through his hair in repeated, nervous movements. L approached him swiftly and wrapped his arms around the younger male. "Matt's sorry for bringing it up. Hopefully you aren't too upset with him." Light sighed and relaxed against him.

"I'm not upset with him," Light told him, resting one hand on L's arm while the other dropped to his side, "Your involvement in this case affected them too. They had a right to know." He took a shaky breath and hung his head. "I just with they hadn't gotten involved. They should have left it alone." L held the teen tighter.

"Then where would we be," L said, "Gin wouldn't have let you leave there, especially once you shot at Kaito like that. You'd probably be locked up somewhere and being hurt by them. And who knows if they would have let me and Hino go to begin with." Light's shoulders slumped and L rested his chin on the teen's shoulder. "One question though."

"What is it?"

"How did you know Gin and Kaito were together?" Light didn't reply for a few moments before he leaned his head back to rest on L's shoulder.

"I could just tell," he said, "despite all the issues they obviously have...the way Gin and Kaito looked at each other...it was the same way most couples in love look at each other. All throughout the," he swallowed, gathering the words, "rape...he always looked to Kaito. I could tell they cared about one another." He sighed and closed his eyes. "Love's weird isn't it."

"Yeah I guess so. You always were more attuned to people's emotions." Light slipped his eyes shut and sighed.

"I bet Gin and Kaito were the ones to escape," Light said absently. L nuzzled into the side of Light's neck and smiled as the teen shuddered.

"Maybe so but we'll worry about them later," L told him, "For now just relax and be happy. Six down and three to go."

"We still don't know who the third one is L." L pulled back and spun the teen around. Light opened his eyes, and stared back into those dark eyes he was beginning to love so much. L cupped his face and looked at him lovingly.

"We'll find them," L said gently, stroking the younger male's cheek with his thumb, "No matter what. Trust me a little." A small smile was his answer.

"Yeah." Light pulled him into a hug and gave a small sigh. "Thank you Ryuuzaki."

"For what?" There was a short silence where Light held him a bit tighter. He frowned, unsure what the problem was, and waited for the other to finally respond. Light buried his face in L's neck which only made the other more unsure.

"Just...thanks for everything," He finally said, voice cracking. He pulled back, tears glistening in his eyes, and laughed slightly. "I swear I'm turning into a hormonal teenager." L cracked a smile and laughed as well.

"Perhaps you are," he replied, "but is that really so bad?" Light grinned and shook his head. Without warning he pulled away and reached into his pocket to retrieve his phone. With a sympathetic look at L he answered the vibrating machine.

"Hello?" he questioned, going to sit on the edge of the bed and crossing his legs. There was silence for a few minutes before the teen spoke again. "Yeah, I'm free right now. Okay...see you then." He clicked the phone shut and groaned.

"Something wrong?" L asked. Light nodded and sighed.

"That," he said, "was my dad." L went to sit beside him, understanding why the teen looked so miserable now.

"What did he want?" Light shrugged and stood.

"Just said he wanted to talk at home," he told the detective, "I should go see what he wants." He stuffed his phone into his pocket and leaned down to give L a quick kiss before bounding out of the room. L stood and followed at a slower pace, entering the main room just as Light slipped out the front door. He spotted Near perched on one couch with a book in his hand, obviously taking a break, and looked around for Matt and Mello to no avail.

"They went out," Near said before he could ask. He looked up from his book and met L's gaze with his own. "So that was the case you were so intent on taking up." Despite it being a statement rather than a question, L nodded anyway. Near clicked the book shut and set it aside. "I see why you didn't want to explain what it was about now."

"I didn't want to divulge that information because he didn't even know I was doing it when I spoke to you," L admitted, crouching beside Near on the couch. Near only nodded, staring off into space with a thoughtful look.

"If Mello had found out then all hell would have broke loose," Near commented, "He hated him to begin with. Now though...he's mellowed out a bit."

"What about you?" L asked, "What was your opinion?" Near crossed his arms and cocked his head to one side.

"I could ask you the same thing you know." When L didn't reply Near gave a sigh and shifted slightly. "Do you want my honest opinion?" L nodded and Near gave a small smile. "I wasn't to worried about him. He didn't come off as threatening. Guarded perhaps but not threatening. It was tat guardedness that made you suspect him to start with wasn't it?"

"Unfortunately yes," he replied, "though I now realize how stupid that was to start with. I wasted time on my idiotic obsession of him being Kira when the real one was still running around and probably laughing at me." Near's smile dropped and he turned his head to fully look at him.

"Do you want to know what I think?"

"Yes."

"I don't think you ever fully suspected him to begin with. I believe it was more of a desperate gamble to keep him within reach that managed to work. No other person his age would have willingly allowed themselves to be kept under such a tight watch let alone handcuff themselves to you. Especially if they actually had been guilty." The smile returned to Near's face, tiny and almost invisible to anyone who didn't know him personally. "You respected him and didn't want him to leave. Lucky for you he decided to stick around." L stood and patted Near's head.

"This is why I talk to you," he stated, "you have good insight." Near blushed at the praise before picking his book up again and going back to reading. L eyed him for a moment before going to retrieve a book from his room that he'd never had time to read. He returned to his crouched position beside Near and smiled to himself. He didn't worry about the Kira case or Light's rape case. He didn't worry about Light's meeting with his father. He was completely at ease.

He hadn't ever felt like this before but he was beginning to enjoy it.

It was later that night that he realized that perhaps he should have worried a bit more. Not on the cases. Those were always being fretted over in some corner of his mind after all. No, he realized that perhaps he should have had more concern over Light's meeting with his father. He hadn't thought anything of it but he should have realized that, whatever happened, it wouldn't end well.

To start off with Light entered the bedroom looking like he'd been in a fight with a boulder and lost. His face was bruised and he had a glare that would terrify most normal people. He had his right hand pressed tight to the opposite shoulder and the arm hung limply by his side. Overall he looked beaten down.

"What happened," he demanded when Light entered the room. Thank any deity who'd listen that the boys had disappeared for the night.

"What do you think," he stated, though it wasn't angry. "Last time I go anywhere near that idiot."

"Your father did this?" He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Sure, he knew Soichiro didn't approve of their relationship but...to do this to his own son? It just didn't seem plausible. Light shook his head slightly to settle some ruffled hair before nodding.

"Despite what you all thought he isn't a very good person at times," Light commented, "though I suppose alcohol doesn't help matters any."

"He was drunk?" Light nodded and L shifted his gaze from the teen's face to his arm.

"My arm's fine," Light said registering his unease, "Just sore." As if to prove his point he raised the arm up slightly, wincing at the strain to his muscles. "I'm gonna take a shower. Hopefully the warm water will help the tenseness." He walked away without another word, clearly not wanting to discuss anything further. L was snapped out of his shocked state by the bathroom door gently hitting the wall. He hurried in after the brunette, sincerely worried for him.

"Light, wait-," He stopped as he saw the bruises. The bruises on Light's face were nothing compared to the blue-black splotches covering a large portion of his back. He let out a surprised hiss as Light's shirt fully slipped off to reveal the angry marks.

"I know what you're thinking," Light said as L approached him and gingerly ran a hand over his back. He continued to strip without pause.

"Light, he can't-" Light whirled around, expression obviously not pleased.

"Just don't finish that statement L," Light hissed. L winced at the sound of his detective name rather than the alias that Light normally used. It meant he was seriously pissed off. "No one's going to believe it to begin with. Besides," he said, turning away, "I can take care of myself. I don't need your protection."

"Obviously not," he muttered, "Otherwise you wouldn't get in so much trouble." Apparently he hadn't spoken softly enough because Light heard him. The teen growled at him.

"God I'm sick of your condescending attitude," the teen said, "I'm sorry I'm such a charity case for you." He pushed the shower door open and stepped in. "And by the way I got the majority of these bruises defending your ass." He forcefully shut the door and L deflated.

"Light," he tried.

"Go to hell!" L sighed and left the room, realizing the best thing to do was let the teen cool down. He laid back on the bed and sighed.

'Me and my big mouth.'

Well there you are. I feel kind of bad about making Light's father so mean but...such is life. Also, I wanted to give L and Light another little bump because L seems like the type to be clueless about these things and, lets be honest, every relationship has some major ups and downs.

So, until next time, I hope you enjoyed.