A/N: WOW! I'm over the 500 mark?!?! Geez, that's amazing! Seriously, that has MADE MY DAY! I never expected this story to hit anywhere NEAR there! Wow! I think I might actually have a shot of hitting 1000! Dude, if I did that, I swears I would have accomplished one of my freaking LIFE GOALS! MAYNE! THAT IS SO FRACKING AWESOME!!!!!
This chapter is dedicated to one of my fabulous reviewers - Your Kidney! I kept thinking of her and chuckling as I wrote this chapter. Y'all should see why!
Oh, and I think this chapter came off as a bit sarcastically funny, but it wasn't technically supposed to be funny, but I knew that it would be funny. If that makes any sense!
The Art of Drowning
The Kidney That Wasn't
Once Yagami Soichirou had been informed of his son's stolen body, L was correct in that Soichirou had quite literally organized a witch hunt. Not a week after being told, a rabid Soichirou had not only managed to track down two potential perpetrators, but had managed to track down Raito too.
Or, at least, a part of Raito.
"A kidney?" gasped Matsuda.
"Hospital confirmed it to be Raito's," nodded Mogi.
"What kind of sick fu-" started Aizawa.
"The kind that's not going to see the light of day for decades," confirmed Soichirou harshly. It was apparent that the ordeal was affecting the older man. His usual neat appearence was now unkempt, and it looked as if he hadn't shaved in days.
"A kidney?" asked Matsuda once again, his face turning slightly green at the thought.
Aizawa cuffed him on the back of the head before reprimanding the younger detective.
"Have a little respect!"
"I'm sorry! It's just - a kidney?"
"Well you don't have to keep saying it with the chief here! Don't you have any sense at all?" growled Aizawa.
"Oh! Chief! I, erm . . ." trailed off Matsuda, looking desperately at the glaring form of Yagami-san.
L barely paid attention to the argument. In fact, L had barely paid attention to much of anything within the past week. Once Rem had dropped that little tid bit about his best friend onto his lap, she had merrily gone on her way, and while L suspected she would come back in the near future because of her notebook, he couldn't really muster the hope that she'd show up. He'd rather she take her damned notebook and get out of his life once and for all.
It shouldn't have come to such a shock to him, but L was beyond upset. He had known Light was Kira, but when an alternative option had been presented, he had jumped at the other explanation wholeheartedly. Even though he had once accepted that his best friend was a serial killer, it was hard to reaccept it when the truth was confirmed.
And now Raito was dead, the only thing left of him was a kidney, a fucking kidney. He couldn't convict a kidney. He couldn't offer a kidney redemption. He couldn't play chess with a kidney. He couldn't be friends with a kidney.
Hell, a kidney wouldn't be able to answer all the questions that L still had, the most prominent one being why Raito, since he had been Kira, had confessed and wanted to be executed when he had somehow learned L's true identity. For all of his skill, L was still stumped. The only thing that made any reasonable sense was that Raito had come to value L's friendship above his own goals as Kira, and ultimately above his own life.
If that truly had been the case, then that just made L hurt all the more, because Raito had forfeited his dreams, his power, and his life for L. What other conclusion could he come to? And how was L supposed to cope with this knowledge in light of Raito's death?
Raito's death was a different matter altogether. If Raito truly had been Kira, as was confirmed by Rem, then how had he died of a heart attack? Could it have been the second Kira? No, because L knew that the second Kira had to have been Amane Misa, and Misa would never kill Raito. Then what had . . .
L suddenly froze in his seat, his heart lurching as a horrible realization made itself known.
Raito died of a heart attack. Kira killed by heart attacks. Raito was Kira. So, Raito had . . . killed himself?
Raito must have had a piece of the notebook on him after all.
L reeled.
The still arguing taskforce quieted when L threw himself out of his chair. With a speed that was unexpected, L rushed to the bathroom, feeling cake and tea bubble angrily in his stomach. The taskforce only looked after L in confusion, shrugging to each other when the slouching figure was out of sight.
After a few days in a London hotel, Light felt fairly confident about his plan. It was simple. He would search out his relatives and ask them about his parents. What they were like, who their friends were, what they did for a living - that sort of thing. It was a perfectly normal thing for a person who had never known his parents to want to know.
He would investigate all possibilities, everything that would point to an unsavory character hell bent on manipulating Light's life, and hopefully his extended family would know something, anything that might send him in the right direction. If not, then Light would be back to square one. He really hated that square.
The first person he visited lived right there in London. Gregory Layfield was a hard man to track down, and Light had visited the man's apartment twice before, only to find nobody home.
So here he was the third time, thankfully leaving Ryuk back at the hotel with a few apples to keep the shinigami happy and out of his hair. Light nervously wiped his sweaty palms against his brown slacks. Whoever Gregory Layfield was, he had been related to Light's biological father since they shared the same last name. Light had already decided to use his given name - Light Layfield - when introducing himself, if only to avoid confusion if he introduced himself as Yamaguchi Tsuki and then claimed to be a relative.
Light took a steadying breath, like he had twice before while standing in the very same spot, before knocking sharply on the door to the apartment which, hopefully, housed his long lost family member.
He waited a moment, but no one answered. Letting out a sigh, Light turned away from the door.
"Oi, buddy! You need something?" called a voice.
Light whirled around to see a tall, middle aged man with shaggy, dark auburn hair - hair frightfully similar to Light's own off-auburn locks.
"Are you Gregory Layfield?" asked Light.
The man shifted a bag of groceries to his other arm before sticking a key into the apartment door that Light had been knocking on not a moment before.
"That depends. Does 'e owe you money?" asked the man lightly, cutting his eyes to regard Light.
"No," replied Light in confusion.
"Well, then you've found him! Why don't ya step into my humble abode, and you can tell me why yer looking for me, eh?" chuckled the man.
Light gave a stilted chuckle of his own. What an odd man. He wondered how he was related to him.
Light almost slipped his shoes off, before reminding himself he wasn't in Japan anymore.
The man walked into what Light assumed was the kitchen, calling out for him to make himself comfortable. Light gave the living room a once over. Pizza boxes, beer cans, and poker chips littered the floor, and Light immediately made the assumption that his Gregory Layfield was single, a slob, and a gambler just from glancing at the man's messy living room.
Light gingerly sat down in a ratty arm chair, almost afraid that he'd fall straight through the bottom.
"Hey buddy, you want a beer?" called the man.
"Uh, no thank you." replied Light, grimacing when he heard the tell-tale sound of a can being popped open.
Gregory Layfield sauntered back into the living room, throwing himself down on the couch opposite Light, before taking a long draft from his beer. Light took a brief moment to note that the man had several tattoos of nude women on his arms, which were bare as the man was wearing a white wife beater. Light suspected that the man would soon lose his slender look if he continued to down beers at the rate he was going.
"So, what can I do for ya buddy?" asked Gregory.
Light cleared his throat. "Well, Gregory -"
"Greg."
"Greg," amended Light, "I know this is rather sudden, as I've only recently learned that you, well, existed, but I believe we're relatives."
The man snorted. "My whole family's dead, kid. We're not related."
"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. See, my name's Light Layfield and -"
The other man suddenly threw his beer can against the wall, standing up with his fists clenched.
"You are not Light Layfield. Light Layfield is dead."
Light blinked, reeling back from the man's sudden anger. "Look, I don't know how to prove it to you, but I am Light Layfield."
"If you were Light Layfield, then where have you been, huh? Do you expect me to believe that Charlie and Ai are alive too? Who the fuck put you up to this, you sick son of a -"
"Hey! I don't know what you're talking about! My parents were murdered when I was a baby! I don't why you don't know about me, or why I was shipped off to an orphanage if I had family out there, but I was and I'm alive!" yelled Light defensively.
Gregory glared at him, crossing his arms.
"Prove it," he hissed.
"I don't know how!" exclaimed Light.
"Show me yer birthmark," demanded the man.
Light's jaw slackened. "What?!"
"Yer birthmark. Light Layfield had a very distinguishing birthmark. If you really are him, then ya'd know exactly what I'm talking 'bout, wouldn't ya? Otherwise, yer just a dirty rotten liar," said the man with a triumphant smirk, obviously believing that Light hadn't a clue about what he was talking about.
Oh, but Light did have a clue. If there was any doubt in his mind that he was related to the man in front of him, it went directly out the window with Greg's knowing question.
"Is there any other way -"
"No. I won't believe ya otherwise," said the man firmly.
"Fine," gritted Light, trying to hold his own temper in check.
To his credit, Light barely hesitated before pulling his pants partially down, letting the man get a good look at the birthmark he had on his rear end. It wasn't very big, but it was shaped almost like a some sort of inverted triangle. The last person who had ever seen it was Lawli in the orphanage, and Sachiko once by accident. Light wasn't necessarily embarrassed by it, but it wasn't something he wanted to advertise, as he was quite clearly doing at the moment.
"Bloody fucking hell."
Greg sat down hard, and once Light was certain that the man had gotten a good look, he'd quickly pulled his pants back up, thoroughly embarrassed. It was an awkward silence that filled the air as Greg stared at him in shock.
"Light?" the man whispered in disbelief.
Light didn't know what else to do but nod somewhat hesitantly, almost afraid the man would ask for a second look.
Suddenly the man was threw himself at Light, grabbing him in a bone crushing hug.
"LIGHT! YER ALIVE! YER ALIVE!" Greg shouted, directly in Light's ear, and danced him around.
Suddenly, Light felt himself being pushed back into the ratty armchair.
"Bloody 'ell! Ya don't even know who I am, do ya?" asked Greg, eyes wide.
"Erm, no?" tried Light, who was feeling extremely violated.
"I'm yer Uncle Greg! I used to baby-sit ya!" exclaimed the man.
Light gave Greg a doubtful look. "You don't look like you could have been old enough to baby sit me."
The man waved his hand. "Oh, I was fourteen, plenty old enough. Damn, Light! I thought ya was dead! Ya say you was sent to an orphanage?"
"Yes," answered Light warily, expecting the other man to pounce on him any second.
"I can't believe yer alive! Me and Charlie didn't 'ave the same dad, ya see, and since our mom died, I was living with me dad when Charlie was killed. Me and dad were living in America at the time, so I guess it just didn't get back to us that ya was alive. My little nephew is alive!" said the man in a gushing rush, the last part said mostly to himself in awe.
Light didn't really know what to say, so he just nodded dumbly at the beaming man.
"Where have ya been all this time, Light?" asked Greg, turning his full attention back to Light.
Light sat up a bit straighter at the question.
"Well, I was adopted when I was ten, and then my adoptive parents took me to live with them in Japan," explained Light.
"Japan? Ha! That's ironic! Yer mother was Japanese," said Greg.
Light nodded. "Yeah, I figured as much. It's pretty obvious that I've got some Asian in me, and her name gave it away."
"So what are ya doing 'ere at my apartment? Why aren't ya in Japan?" asked Greg, an honest expression of confusion marring his rugged face.
"Well, my adopted father knew I've always wanted to learn more about my real parents, so he tracked down the names and addresses of relatives for me. I jumped on a plane, and, long story short, here I am," explained Light. There was no way in hell he'd go any farther than that just yet.
"So ya just came back to England after all these years to reconnect with family?" asked Greg.
Light nodded, and Greg continued to beam at him.
"Well, I'm the only relative you have that I know of. I guess whoever else's name ya 'ave is related to yer mother. I think she had a sister or something," said Greg, once again throwing himself back down onto the sofa.
"I've only got two other names. Yumi Thomas and Roger Ruvie."
"Yumi, huh? That sounds 'bout right. Probably is yer mom's sister. I don't know who that Roger Ruvie bloke is though. Guess you'll have to ask him yourself, huh? So where does Yumi live?"
"Oh, Scotland. I was going to visit her last. Roger lives in Winchester," replied Light, feeling more at ease now with the conversation. He had always been more comfortable when he was spinning a web of lies. It was one of his quirks. Honesty had always set him on edge, but this - Light felt like he was finally regaining his equilibrium.
"Winchester? That's a lot closer than Scotland. So where are ya staying, Light? A hotel?" asked Greg.
"Yeah, it's about twenty minutes from -"
"Because ya 'ave to stay with me! I won't take no for an answer!" interrupted Greg, an excited gleam in his eye.
"I wouldn't want to impose -"
"Bloody right you don't want to! Ya better forget all about those ruddy Japanese manners while yer in England! Yer family, Light! It's your God given right to impose on my hospitality and generally make a damn bloody nuisance of yerself!" once again interrupted Greg.
Well, if he was going to find out what he wanted to know, it might not hurt to stay with Greg for awhile. Light couldn't deny that he wanted to get to know his father's brother either, who so far had proven to be a very interesting, if undeniably somewhat annoying, character. If only it wasn't so -
"Shit! Was that a rat?" asked Light, jumping in shock when he saw something gray dart into the kitchen.
"What? 'Course not!" exclaimed Greg, although he wasn't trying to be very convincing
Light groaned, knowing he would probably regret it. "Fine, I'll stay."
"Brilliant! We're celebrating tonight at the pub! Drinks on me!"
"Sounds like fun," grimaced Light.
What the had he just gotten himself into?
Watari was worried. L had been unusually quiet the past couple of days since the conclusion of the case. The two men who had stolen Raito's body were already convicted and in jail. Raito's kidney, the only piece of the boy that had been recovered, was reburied.
Watari expected L to turn his full focus back onto the Kira case, and yet all L did was stare listlessly out of the window more often than he looked at his laptop. However, the thing that truly worried Watari was L's refusal of strawberry cheesecake. His ward hadn't had a piece in over four days now.
L had given the taskforce another week off, considering the past week had been busy with finding Raito's body. There were a few days yet until the taskforce returned, but if the killings started up again, it was agreed that everyone would come in immediately regardless if the week was up or not.
And so Watari found himself yet again trying to convince L to eat a piece of cheesecake.
"No thank you, Watari," murmured L, his knees held tightly against his chest. The young man's dark eyes studied the horizon with a listless fascination.
"L, why don't you take a look at the Kira case again?" asked Watari, hoping that work would distract L from what was obviously bothering him.
If Watari hadn't known his charge for so long, he would have missed the slight wince at the mention of the Kira case.
"That will not be necessary, Watari," said L, his eyes never leaving the city landscape.
"And why's that?" inquired Watari with a lift of his eyebrows.
L sighed. "The Kira case is solved. There will be no more killings."
Watari started. "What are you talking about?"
"The shinigami informed me that Kira is dead," said L, his voice monotone as usual.
"Kira is dead? How did he die?" asked Watari in shock.
"He committed suicide," said L, his voice tightening with repressed emotion.
This only confused Watari. Was L upset? Kira's death, no matter how it came about, was a good thing. Maybe his charge was upset that he had never got to bring Kira to justice. After all, L had been furious when Kira had killed Raito.
"Did the shinigami know why?" asked Watari.
L hesitated, "No."
"Well, what are we still doing here then? Why haven't you told the taskforce? Are we waiting to see if the shinigami speaks the truth? And what about the second Kira?" asked Watari, truly confused at the detective's actions.
"No, I know the shinigami was truthful, and I doubt that the second Kira will give us any trouble now that the first one is dead. As for the taskforce? I am unsure how to tell them . . ." trailed of L, bringing his thumb to his mouth.
"It shouldn't be too difficult, L," prompted Watari gently.
L shook his head. "But it is, Watari. Perhaps we could leave tomorrow. You could visit the station and inform them that the case is solved, and Kira is no more."
"Do you honestly expect the team to be happy with that? No explanation? No goodbyes?" asked Watari.
L shook his head. "No, I do not, but I am tired of this case and this country. I am ready to leave. There is no reason for my continuing presence."
Watari sighed. "I'll make the arrangements. Where do you suggest we go?"
L shrugged lightly. "I do not care, just as long as it is far from here."
"You haven't chosen a successor yet, L. I would suspect that after a difficult case such as this, it would be prudent to make your decision soon. Next case we might not be so lucky," reminded Watari.
"It is hard to choose between the two. They would work well together, if only they could manage to get along," mused L.
"You've never even met them. Perhaps it would help if you were to meet with them personally?" asked Watari.
L seemed to think it over, his teeth nibbling thoughtfully on his thumb.
"I don't want to travel straight to the orphanage. I need a few weeks to recover from - all of this," finally stated L.
"That seems the best choice. I'll make the arrangements for us to leave, and then I'll contact the taskforce."
"Thank you, Watari," murmured L, before turning his attention back to the horizon.
Watari hesitated before leaving, wanting to say something that would make the dead, haunted look in his ward's eyes go away, but he was at a loss for words.
EDITED: 7-4-09
A/N: Yeaaaah, sorry about Light's ass everybody, but I just really wanted to put that in, and I figured, oh why the hell not!
Oh, yay me for finally not giving you some sort of cliffie!
Okay, I usually try to stay away from OCs because I'm never sure about their characterization, but tell me what y'all think of Greg! I kind of like him!
SAY SOMETHING YOU AWESOME PEOPLE YOU!