Hitomi introduced L to her boss, explaining in a low voice some bogus reason for his presence with her today. She turned and motioned for L to follow her, heading back from the small kitchen to the front reception area. She sat down behind a desk and started to shuffle around papers and type into a computer. L sat down on a small sofa that faced her desk, soaking in the silence for a few minutes. Eventually she looked up at him and spoke.

"L-san, you can sit in the kitchen if you want, instead of out here in the waiting room."

"This is better. I need to keep an eye on Hitomi-chan."

"Oh, that's right. Well, you can go back whenever you want, the bathroom is back there too." He nodded, and the awkwardly silent day began. For the first half hour, Hitomi explained everything that went on at the psychiatrist's office she worked at, talking briefly about the secretary job she did. But when patients began to come in, L sat quietly on one end of the couch, observing them and her. They got an hour for lunch, Hitomi getting something from the McDonald's down the street and L some donuts from the bakery next door.

The pair sat in what Hitomi was starting to consider a painful silence on a park bench as they ate. She kept glancing over at him from the corner of her eye, until he caught her. She jumped and looked away, trying not to blush at getting caught. After rebuilding her courage, she looked over again to find him watching her, so she held up her hamburger.

"Want a bite?"

"Is it... good?" She smiled.

"Not as good as cake and donuts. But I like it... and I wouldn't make you eat anything bad." He considered, then nodded, and she held the burger out to him. Instead of putting one of his treats down to take the food, he just leaned over and took a small bite, startling Hitomi. She waited while he chewed and swallowed it, then shook his head a little.

"You're right. Not as good," he muttered, taking a large bite of a glazed donut. Hitomi couldn't help but laugh, and the light, carefree sound caused him to look back at the food she had, pointing at the french fries while barely containing a smile of his own.

"What about those?" She calmed her laughing a bit, and glanced down to what he was pointing at.

"Fries? I don't know if you'll like them."

"Why not?" Hitomi put one in her mouth, chewing slowly before replying,

"They're really salty." L shrugged and went back to his lunch, and now that they'd seemingly loosened up a little, Hitomi said what she really wanted. "Ryuzaki-kun, I didn't mean to upset you earlier. I wasn't trying to imply anything by saying kissing you was stupid or apologizing, I just-"

"Thought it was stupid."

"No! I figured, well, you wouldn't, you know, approve. I mean, all the talk about how you being older than me is such a big deal, and since we're coworkers... kind of... and I was drunk. It was something I wouldn't have done... under sober judgment." She sighed. "I'm not making it any better, am I?"

"I understand."

"Do you?" Hitomi's voice was small, almost a whisper. "It's just something you'd say I shouldn't do... not something I didn't w-want to do..." her voice trailed off, embarrassed at what she'd implied.

"You know what?" L asked. "I changed my mind. I want to try fries." Hitomi looked up at him, french fries in one hand and her mouth opening to offer them to him, and he surprised her again with the same move he'd used the night before. Of course, because she didn't remember it.

This time his grip was a little gentler on the back of her neck, but he was soon exploring the inside of her mouth with his tongue. Recovering from her shock, Hitomi blushed furiously, but was barely able to respond before L pulled away enough to speak.

"That's fries?" Hitomi let out her held breath and answered softly,

"You could've just taken one..." The corner of his mouth twitched.

"I think I just did." Now she couldn't help but smile too, glancing down to see the rest of her lunch scattered on the ground. L let go of Hitomi and she got up, crouching to pick up the mess.

"Oh, look, you made me drop it all!" she jokingly whined. "I hope you liked them, 'cause that's all we're getting!" She threw it in the garbage and when she turned back, found L close behind her. "Ryuzaki-kun..."

"Hmm?" She paused for a second. "Lunch is almost over. Maybe you should head back." Hitomi nodded and they left the park, side by side. After a few seconds she asked,

"So, did you like them? French fries?"

"I can see the appeal. But I would rather it had tasted like the chocolate frosted one." Hitomi gasped at his response, but couldn't help laughing when she saw the serious look on his face.

"Ecchi..." He furrowed his eyebrows, shooting her a questioning look.

"How's that... I believe Hitomi-chan offered..." But before she could think of a good enough reply, they'd reached the office again, and Hitomi had to get back to work.

The rest of the day Hitomi noticed L watching her even more than before, and every time she glanced up and happened to catch his eyes, a small smile cracked on her lips. By six thirty they were on the street, locking the doors, but Hitomi's boss stopped her before she and L could head for the subway.

"I'm sorry Hitomi, I know you said this man was an undercover cop, but he..." she motioned the girl closer, so L wouldn't hear. "He freaks out my patients. I can't have him in the office anymore."

"But he has to stay with me, I-"

"I know, the stalker, you explained. But if you can't leave him somewhere while you're at work, I'm afraid you'll have to take some time off."

"A- are you firing me?"

"No, of course not," the woman put a hand on Hitomi's shoulder, poorly faking sympathy. "When all of this is resolved, there will of course be a spot here for you. You've been the best secretary I've had in years. But like I said, I just can't allow him to make the patients more anxious than they already are. You understand, right?" Without waiting for a response, she turned and headed the other direction, trying to hail a cab. Hitomi stood frozen in place, shocked into silence until L bent his head down to look her in the eye.

"What is it?"

"She... I just got fired." Her shoulders slumped, and tears unexpectedly filled her vision. "How am I gonna afford school... shit, how am I gonna afford rent?" She started walking, muttering to herself about being homeless but holding the tears back, L shuffling along quietly beside her. She fell silent on the subway, this time the two of them standing pressed close together in the even more crowded train, and L didn't interrupt her thoughts until she'd dropped her bags on the floor by her front door and taken her shoes off, trudging into the kitchen and cutting a huge piece of cake and eating it at the counter. Raito looked up from his laptop, bidding goodbye to his father and the task force until the next update, looking between the two of them.

"What happened?" Hitomi answered through a mouthful of cake.

"I lost my job. My boss fired me for having Ryuzaki with me at work."

"What?" She stuffed more in her mouth, and L took over for her.

"She was fired. She's eating like that because of her anxiety over not being able to afford her tuition and rent without the job." Raito shook his head.

"Oh, Hitomi, I'm sorry. Is there anything we can do?"

"I doubt it," she mumbled, sticking a strawberry in her mouth. "Not unless you can pay me."

"I don't see why that can't be done." Hitomi looked up.

"But, Ryuzaki-kun! I'm not a detective, or a police officer, or... anything!"

"But your input is valuable to the investigation. Besides, Raito-kun is in the same position, and he gets compensation." Raito laughed.

"A camera monitored apartment with Misa is hardly compensation..."

"But it is provided. And since the case has ruined Hitomi-chan's means of living, I'm sure it can be taken care of." The detective sat down and turned his own laptop on. "Watari."

"Yes, L?" a small voice answered from the computer.

"Ooka-san is now an official member of the task force. Arrange for her to be added to the payroll."

"Of course. Will that be all?"

"For now." He shut the computer and stood, hardly having time to turn before Hitomi pounced on him. She hugged him tightly around the waist, burying her head against his chest.

"Arigatou gozaimasu!" she wailed. L could tell through his shirt that her tears had finally managed to escape. Unsure of what to do, he rested a hand on top of her head lightly, then asked,

"Don't you think you should freshen up before your other job?" Hitomi pulled away instantly, agreeing.

"Right. I don't have to go in until nine tonight, so I think I'll take a nap. Raito, come in and wake me up around eight fifteen so we can go?" He nodded, and Hitomi closed herself in her room, falling quickly into a light and troubled sleep.

DREAM*****

She opened her eyes to a dark, dingy room whose features she couldn't quite make out. The further away something was, the hazier her vision got. Shifting in her seat, she heard the rustling of immense fabric, and looked down. It was her dress, an amazingly delicate looking creation of black and dark, silvery gray fabrics. Every inch of her was covered in elegance, from black lace gloves to a long veil she realized must be what skewed her sight.

Without lifting it, she glanced at her seat. An enormous black and silver throne, made perfectly to fit her. The match to it, only more decorated, sat empty to her left. So she was a queen or something... only where was everyone else?

The sound of footsteps behind her startled her, but she had no time to turn and see who it was before she felt hot breath on her neck and a familiar voice in her ear.

"Finally awake, my queen?" She jumped, barely stifling a gasp.

"R-Raito?" He stepped around the throne to stand in front of her, his hand never leaving her shoulder. He was dressed as elegantly as she was... did that mean he was some kind of king? Were they- a couple again?

"Raito, what's going on... where's Ryuzaki?" He smiled, a grin that made her cringe inside, and took the edge of her veil in both hands, lifting it off of her face and draping it back over her shoulders. Now that her face was revealed, he leaned close, one hand on each arm of the throne to keep her there, his mouth by her ear again.

"You'll not mention that man again. Do you understand?"

"What...?"

"I defeated him. You must remember our victory over the injustice of L..." she opened her mouth to ask what he could be talking about when he bit her earlobe, making her gasp aloud this time. He dragged the tip of his tongue along the ear before pulling away enough to look her in the eyes.

"That always did make you gasp."

"Raito... I don't understand. What are we doing here? Why am I dressed like this?"

"Always so groggy when you wake from your nap... I killed him, Hitomi. I told you that I would be the God of this new world, and I am."

"Y- you mean I-"

"My queen." He stepped aside and suddenly the vast room they were in was filled with people, bowing in reverence to the pair. Hitomi flew to her feet.

"How could you? How could you kill him, you bastard?!" Raito seized her by the throat.

"You'll watch your tongue with me. I am God, and you will obey me or pay the price of crimes against your lord!" She nodded and he released her, letting her stumble back a step. In an instant his smile was back, serene as ever. "Now sit down, my love, and wave to your people." She sat, pulling the veil back over her face so no one could see the tears in her eyes. But she did not obey silently.

"But Raito... we both know you don't love me. And I certainly don't-"

"It doesn't matter what you say. No one will love you like I do. No one." Hitomi suppressed a chill that engulfed her body, taking from the tone of his voice and the wicked glint behind his calm eyes and smile that he wasn't talking about emotions. Not at all.

*******

"Hitomi. Wake up, it's eight fifteen." She shot up in bed, almost smashing her head against Raito's as he leaned over her in the bed. Rubbing her eyes, she forced the dream out of her head and got up, grabbing her bag and heading out of her room. "Hitomi, is something wrong? You look upset." She didn't stop, or even dare to look at him, but set her bag on the floor to grab he shoes and put them on.

"It's nothing. Just a bad dream, I'll forget it in a few minutes. Come on, let's get out of here." Raito held the door open for her, and they walked silently to the club where they were stopped by the guard at the back door.

"What's this?" He asked in a deep voice.

"It's fine, Jerry. He's a detective."

"A detective?" Jerry replied doubtfully. Hitomi smiled at the tall, muscled man.

"Yeah, he thinks I'm a serial killer, so he's following me around. Relax, I wouldn't bring in anyone that would get you in trouble." Jerry smiled.

"All right, I'm putting my trust in your hands. And my job." She smiled back.

"I won't let you down." The pair entered and Hitomi led Raito to the door of the dressing room. She peeked inside and said a few things to another girl inside, and soon a group of young women paraded out, leaving the room empty for Hitomi and Raito.

"I'm going to have to change, so could you wait in the hall for a minute?"

"Sorry. I've got to watch all of your movements to make sure you're not Kira." She shrugged and ducked behind a folding screen changing her clothes with incredible speed. When she emerged she was wearing bright red lingerie and matching stilettos, not giving him a second glance as she sat in front of a mirror and started applying makeup.

"So what are you going to tell L?" she asked after a few moments. Raito approached her chair, stopping where they could look at each other in the mirror.

"That depends on how well you behave." She raised an eyebrow. "Your note. I want to see it."

"Of course you do." She bent and dug through her bag, pulling out a plain spiral bound notebook any student might have. Raito narrowed his gaze, thinking she was playing him.

"That looks nothing like-"

"No one ever said all the notes look the same. Here, take a look for yourself." She held it out to him, but jerked it back as he reached out a hand for it. "I'll want something in return."

"Of course." Raito pulled out his own death note, and after a moment of hesitation, they traded. Hitomi gasped as the huge black figure of Ryuk appeared behind Raito, but Raito flipped through her notebook angrily, looking around.

"You liar. This is a fake." Hitomi ignored him and spoke to the shinigami.

"What are you called?"

"Ryuk. You're pretty interesting, for a human."

"Thank you."

"Did you hear me?" Raito shouted. "Give me your real death note!" Hitomi's eyes snapped to him.

"Keep your voice down, or Jerry'll come in to check on me." Raito grabbed a handful of her hair, yanking it toward him with a wild look in his eye.

"Give me the goddamn note, Hitomi." Ryuk chuckled in the background, finally speaking up.

"That is the note."

"How can it be the note if there's no shinigami?" No sooner had the words left Raito's lips than a soft, sensuously female voice spoke from near the ceiling.

"Sorry I'm late. Did I miss anything... interesting?" Raito looked up, finding the shinigami floating there with an eerily familiar grin on her face. For the most part, she looked like a human girl no more than thirteen or fourteen years old, with short brown hair that had a few straggly long pieces around her ears. But beneath her bangs, her eyes were blindfolded with thick black lace patterned cloth, and the little amount of clothing she wore seemed to be made of a blackish dully shining metal. Her hips were traced with black curling tattoos, and sprouting from her back were the telltale shinigami wings, only smaller and somehow fitting for such a young looking girl.

"Well," Ryuk grinned back, "I didn't think I'd see you here."

"And I never thought you'd disappear into the human world, brother."

A/N: so so so! there's a chapter! and there's ryuk! lol, i wanted to throw in something interesting, and als o to make it seem more like hitomi and raito had some kind of fated thing to end up in this together. i hope it worked, and continues to more on the way!!

oh, and i'll try to put the link to the pic i used as inspiration for hitomi's shinigami in my profile. if you want to take a peek that is.