A/N: Hello again everybody! It's feels so good to updating! I know I keep saying this, but I still can't believe how awesome all of you are to review! Seriously, you all make my day, and the kind words you leave for me spurr me on to writing the next chapter!

Oh ho ho! This chapter should clear some things up. AND HOLY CRAP YOU GUYS! I'm so excited about it! I had a super cool epiphany last night while working on this, and when you read the end, just remember that when the idea came to me, I was all like, "Oh, shit dude. That would be really, really fucked up . . . I LOVE IT!" Haha, yeah, you'll see what I mean with the last part.

The Art of Drowning

Stripping Away the Outer Layers

Light gazed forlornly at the door of his cell. He was being silly, but he wanted Lawli to come and talk with him. Ever since Light had decided to lay off on trying to expediate his execution, he had found himself treasuring the time he spent with his long lost friend.

Now that Light wasn't concentrating fully on his own demise, he had been spending the hours alone thinking about Lawli's death - or supposed death, as the case was. There were so many unanswered questions. How had Lawli gone from being a dead twelve year old orphan to the top three detectives in the world? Obviously, the body found floating in the Thames hadn't been Lawli, but Mrs. Wallace had identified it as so. Why? Had she honestly thought that the body was Lawli's? She had been a little senile . . .

Light tried to remember the picture he had seen briefly after hacking into the police files so long ago. He cursed himself for not studying it. He would have been able to tell that the body wasn't Lawli, but like everything else of his childhood, it was blurry and painful to even try to remember.

Light shook his head. It wasn't any use. After he landed in Japan with new parents and a new identity, he made a conscious attempt to forget anything and everything associated with England - including Lawli. It didn't work out so well at first. The nightmares that had haunted him for the six months prior to his adoption continued on for a few months longer. Gradually, everything started to fade until his memories of England were just a vague, jumbled mess of impressions, emotions, and flashes of people and places.

Light wasn't stupid. He knew what he had done, even if it was equally conscious as it was subconscious. The mind was a fascinating thing, and when a person suffered from such trauma as Light had with Lawli's violent and sudden death, the mind could sometimes take precautions to protect itself from the traumatic happenings.

In this case, it was Lawli's memory. Memory repression is a wonderful thing. A good example of this is when a child is consistently abused or sexually molested throughout childhood, but as an adult has no recollection whatsoever of the events. In his case, Light's memory had been repressed to the point that he had not even recognized the detective for who he truly was for months.

Light also wondered if perhaps the sanity-twisting effects of owning the Death Note had something to do with it. The darkness inside of him twinged at the thought, but otherwise behaved itself. It would make sense, after all. That, coupled with memory repression, was likely the reason Light had such a hard time figuring out just who he had been dealing with for so many months.

Now all he needed to do was figure out why Lawli didn't recognize him. Light let his mind drift to various explanations, the most prevalent of which was blunt head trauma and subsequent amnesia. That would explain everything, but Light couldn't be too sure. He wondered if there were any physical signs of amnesia besides the obvious memory loss.

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of Watari.

"Good afternoon, Yagami-san. Ryuuzaki sent me down to see what you would like for breakfast," said the old man.

Light smiled, his mind working furiously. It wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?

"Would we happen to have any toast, perchance?" asked Light.

"Toast, Yagami-san? Is that all you wish for?" asked Watari.

Light nodded. "Just plain, if you don't mind."

"I shall return then," said Watari, turning to leave.

"Wait, Watari?" queried Light. It was now or never. Watari didn't usually come down to take his order. L usually did that, but today the detective was maddeningly absent.

"Yes, Yagami-san? Have you decided differently?" asked Watari, his face expectant.

"No, that's not it. I actually had a question for you, and please don't feel obliged to answer. I understand if you can't, but . . . Has, uh, Ryuuzaki ever suffered from amnesia?" asked Light, somewhat hesitant.

Watari seemed honestly confused at the question. "No, not that I'm aware of."

Light deflated. "Oh, okay. Thank you for answering."

Watari said nothing, only stared at Light a moment longer, before taking his leave.

Now Light was back to square one.

He hated square one.

"Tell me how are things going, my friend."

"Everything is going as well as could be expected. The boy still refuses to talk."

"Good. Are you sure that you cannot implement this plan of yours any sooner? Not acting immediately leaves room for unforeseeable events to take place. I would feel better knowing that the problem will disappear without incident."

"No, if nothing has happened this whole week, then I don't believe waiting three more days will hurt. You do want to leave this messy situation behind without being implemented, don't you? It would ruin years of work and sacrifice if we were to slip now."

"No, you are right, my old friend. I am only feeling anxious. I want the boy dead and gone. I'll sleep better when this whole ordeal is over with."

"Yes, I imagine I will as well. The hours have been particularly grueling this past year."

"I can only imagine, especially when he still refuses to sleep."

"Yes, that has been the cause of many late nights."

"I expect you to call me after your plan has come to fruition."

"Then expect my call in three days time."

Light looked up from where he had been staring at the tiled floor when he heard the door open. Fully expecting Watari, Light was surprised to see L's hunched figure carrying a plate of toast.

"I have never known Raito-kun to prefer plain toast before," remarked L, setting himself down on the floor.

Light followed suit, awkwardly sitting with his back against the wall.

"Plain toast is a comfort food," explained Light, "I don't suppose you'd mind doing the honors and sticking a piece in my mouth, would you?"

L replied by shoving a piece of toast into Light's unsuspecting mouth. Light didn't think L could move so fast, and almost choked at the violent intrusion. He glared balefully at the smirking detective while chewing the crumbling bread.

"Hmm, I should remember to do this when Raito-kun refuses to cease his inane chatter. If I had known how effective it was when we were chained together, I would have gotten more work done," remarked L.

"Oh, hardy har har, idiot," said Light through a mouthful of toast. Of course, it came out funny with all the toast, but nonetheless he was understood.

L quirked his head, as he was prone to do when something interested him or confused him.

"'Hardy har har?'" L queried.

Light's eyes widened slightly, and he swallowed hard. He knew that the detective would pick up on that little reaction like a damned blood hound, and he cursed himself. In the past, he had said the exact same sentence to Lawli practically every time Lawli had attempted to play a joke on him or was being an idiot, which admittedly was quite often. It was said enough that the phrase became significant between the two.

"Yes, and what's wrong with that? Do you have a problem with the colloquial?" asked Light, hoping he didn't sound to defensive.

"The phrase is not colloquial in Japan," replied L, his eyes widening as they bore into Light's own. Light could tell L was trying to puzzle him out.

"Japan isn't exactly an isolated nation anymore, Ryuuzaki," pointed out Light.

"Yes, of course Raito-kun."

The silence was somewhat stifling after that, but luckily L had shoved the last piece of toast into Light's mouth, so Light had a good excuse not to offer up any awkward attempts at conversation. However, the drawback was that the detective scrutinized Light as he ate, which made Light feel slightly uncomfortable.

"The taskforce should be here soon," said L absently.

Light, grateful for the subject change, swallowed. "I've been wondering, but how did they take it when you told them of my confession?"

"I have not informed them."

Light blinked, surprised. "I thought you had."

L shook his head minutely. "No, you were under the impression that I had, but I have not."

"Oh," and that was all Light could say, really.

"I was thinking of a new way to pass the time," said L, once again changing the subject.

"What's that?" asked Light, once again thankful for the change in conversation.

"Ever played mental poker?" asked L.

"With only two people?"

"Hmm, yes."

"No."

"Well, do you want to give it a try?"

Light smiled slightly, eager to accept the challenge held in L's eyes. "Why not?"

"Did I mention it would be mental strip poker? I find that to be so much more interesting than the regular variety," smirked L.

Light couldn't help himself. He blushed slightly, and prayed the other detective didn't pick up on that fact. Maybe the other man would take it as him turning red in anger. He sure as hell hoped so.

"I'm not much in the mood for strip poker, thanks," replied Light, as normally as he could.

L quirked his head. "Hmm, that's a pity. I'm sure Light would do well. He always does."

Light rolled his eyes, yet another habit that he had picked back up after being reunited with Lawli.

"I still don't know how you expect us to play it with only two people," he complained.

"Be patient, and you will see."

And yes, Light did see.

Watari studied the hunched figure of his charge. Something was obviously bothering him, and if Watari could hazard a guess, he would bet anything that the man's thoughts revolved around the boy in confinement.

"You have been spending quite a bit of time with Yagami-san lately. I would understand if it was merely for interrogation and observation, but it isn't. Are you sure that it's alright to be doing so?" questioned Watari.

L placed another sugar cube on his makeshift tower. He brought his thumb to his lip, rubbing it softly while scrutinizing his creation. Watari waited patiently for L's answer, all the while wondering why L continued spending time with the man who was almost certainly the serial killer the detective was after.

Watari understood that L had referred to Yagami-san as his 'first ever friend' on more than one occasion, but Watari had assumed that L was only saying that to catch the younger man off guard. Now, he wasn't so sure anymore, and he admitted to himself that he was slightly concerned about his charge.

L gently lowered another sugar cube onto his tower, his face as blank as always as the tower collapsed under the weight of the last sugar cube. L stared down at the mess of sugar cubes lying haphazardly on the table.

"Has the task force arrived yet?" asked L, blatantly ignoring Watari's earlier question.

Watari stifled a sigh. "Yes, they arrived quite some time ago."

"Please inform them that I will not be joining them today," said L. He was still staring at the tumbled sugar cubes.

"And if they inquire as to why?" prompted Watari.

"Hmm, tell them I am feeling under the weather," replied L indifferently.

Watari did sigh then, turning to leave the young detective in peace.

"Oh," Watari stopped short, pulling something from his coat pocket, "Here. His letter came."

L blinked, finally looking up at the older man. A small frown tugged at his lips, but he took the offered letter.

"Yes, thank you Watari," he muttered, looking down at the envelope in his hands.

Watari nodded before stepping out of the room.

L stared down at the letter. How long had it been since the last one? Time had flown by so quickly. With everything that had been happening lately, from Higuchi to shinigami to Raito's confession, he had all but forgotten that he was due a letter.

His mind ghosted over his earlier conversation with Raito. So strange. It was almost as if Raito - L stopped the thought there before his mind could draw any impossible conclusions.

His fingers pulled along the sealed edges, opening the envelope and pulling out the folded paper. There was no greeting - there never was - and that was because it was safer that way, just incase the letter should fall into the wrong hands. The content in and of itself was never too specific for that same reason, at least in the respect that places and last names were never mentioned, but L smiled slightly all the same as he began to read.

I don't know why I haven't graduated yet. I'm dead bored with classes. Seriously, I should just skip to senior year and be done with it. I can't believe you've already gotten three of these damn degrees. I don't know where you find the time. Everything here is as good as can be expected. Elizabeth and I celebrated our six month anniversary last week. That's the longest I've ever been in a relationship before, you know? I don't know, but I think she'd be someone I'd want to spend the rest of my life with. Do you think it's too soon to pop the question?

So how about you? I know your job keeps you busy, but surely you've had a chance to meet someone special? You can't leave me hanging if you have. I've practically spilled my whole love life to you, but you remain tight-lipped on yours.

I know you can't mention anything about the Kira case, but I hope everything's going well on that front. Oh, and Mom says 'hi.' She's doing much better now. It's only been three months since Dad passed away, but she's working in the garden again, so that's good. Means she's healing and all.

I've got to wrap this letter up because Elizabeth will be here any moment. We're heading to the cinema tonight. I'm not so sure what she's dragging me to see this time. I hope it's nothing like the last film we went to. She used me as a bloody handkerchief practically the entire time.

Give my best to Watari, and catch Kira already, would you?

Your unofficial little bro,

Light

EDITED: 7-3-09

A/N: Okay, were you expecting THAT? I sure as hell wasn't! WAAAH! This is sooo fucked up. I love it love it love it.

Thank you all so much for reading! Now SAY SOMETHING! (something awesome would be great!!!!!)