Fear is The Enemy

By: .Cute

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Disclaimer: Yay! Chapter Sixteen is finally here and I'm happy about it! So many questions were left unanswered in the last chapter. And why? Because I like cliffhangers! It's a problem. But anywho, here's Chapter Sixteen, I hope you like it! ^_^ Enjoy!

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At exactly four o' clock in the morning, Light Yagami placed 'False Memory' on the bedside table besides him and raised a shaky hand to his chest. Dim rays of sunlight were shinning through the single window in the room, illuminating it in a pinkish glow. 'It's impossible! There's just no freaking way!' Light couldn't believe it. He really didn't want to. But with the resent events playing back in his mind, Light was forced to admit that the impossible could most likely be happening to not only L, but to himself as well. 'But now what?' Light stared at the book for a moment, it's very presence sending a shiver down his spine. 'I have to tell L.' Light couldn't possibly keep this new information to himself, it was too big. Plus, L had the right to know.

The question was, would L believe him? 'Well, whether he believes me or not, I've got to tell him.' Light gazed down at his love interest and smiled sadly, despite the growing anxiety in his chest. It truly amazed and even frightened Light slight on how much new and raw emotion was surging through him as he continued to gaze at L's sleeping form. 'How could I have fallen for this man?' Light couldn't resist the temptation and he raised his hand to slowly push back L's jet-black bangs out of his face. L didn't stir. But how Light fell in love with the detective wasn't important anymore. What was important was what to do now about his feelings. It was a crushing situation for the younger man because Light was almost positive that L would never return his feelings of affection.

Light was, after all, Kira in L's mind, a murder. But Hope was a very hard thing to destroy and, despite the growing numbers against him, Light couldn't help but hope that L would somehow grow feelings for him as well. Never mind the fact that the older man was trying to prove him guilty of begin Kira. Never mind the fact that L growing feelings for Light had about the same chance as Hell freezing over. Light couldn't fight off the glimmer of hope that shone in his heart and he didn't try to fight it. It felt good. Light's smile slowly started to diminish though and he pulled his hand away from L's hair. He couldn't think about his feelings now. He had to take care of L. He had to tell him his theory. So Light slowly placed a hand on L's shoulder and tried to shake him awake. "L?" Almost immediately, after hearing Light's voice, L's eyes shot open and he quickly sat up, his legs curling inward automatically, taking Light by surprise. The detective had seemed so tired earlier, he was sure he would have been at least a little groggy. But L seemed to be fully awake.

He also appeared to have a very bad case of bed hair, his hair stinking up in all sorts of directions He looked at Light with a small glimmer of confusion in his eyes. "Raito-kun?" Light gave him a small smile, trying to ignore how cute, yes cute, he looked right now. "Sorry L, about waking you." L shook his head, his hair returning to it's normal fashion slightly. "Do not apologist Raito-kun. We would have had to wake up in an hour anyways. But knowing you, you must have had a reason for waking me when it is obvious that you desire that I get more sleep." Light nodded. "Yeah." He hesitated slightly, before he grabbed 'False Memory' and held it up to L. L noticed his hesitation and his smile diminished slightly. Why would Light hesitate to pick up a mere book? "L, do you know what this book is about?" L frowned. "I'm afraid I do not Raito-kun, I haven't read it yet. Why?" Light ran his hand over the cover of the book. "It's about brainwashing…and phobias."

He seemed to hesitate again before he went on. "It's about a doctor who brainwashes his patients into believing they are suffering from phobias." L's eyes narrowed, seeing quite quickly where Light was going. "And you believe that the book and its plot has some connection with my recent phobic attacks." It wasn't a question because L already knew the answer. Light let out a small, dry chuckle. "I don't think L. I know." L's frown deepened. "That's highly illogical Raito-kun. The fact is that even if there were such a thing as brainwashing, it'd be rather difficult to brainwash me in my current situation. The only people I've had contact with in the past is you, Watari, the Investigation Team and, more recently, Dr. Hayashi. I'm more than certain that none of you have conducted anything on my mind or myself. So, I'm afraid we will have to dismiss your idea about brainwashing Raito-kun." Light sighed. He had hoped that L would just believe him and his theory and then they could work from there. But now he realized that that plan had been stupid.

L would never believe anything unless he had cold, hard facts. He had to have proof. So he stood up from the bed and turned to face L. "Okay. How about this? I'll prove to you that this book is related to your phobias." He held the book out in front of him. "In the book, the doctor activates his patients by reciting a name. Kind of like an on and off switch. When the doctor says the name, the patient will shut down, almost like they're going to sleep. Then, the doctor recites a haiku, activating the patient. After that, he can make them do anything." L remained seated, questioning silently why Light seemed so convinced that what he was saying was true. 'What's he planning on doing?' Light lowered the book and threw it gently onto the bed. "The patient has no memory of begin activated or of anything the doctor tells them. So, if I were to activate you, you'd have no memory of it." L's body tensed up despite itself. "Raito-kun-" "Martie Rhodes."

L's body jerked, and then slowly relaxed, his onyx eyes growing dull and his face expressionless. Because he was seated on the bed in his usual fashion, he almost fell over but he remained seated. "I'm listening." Light felt an odd sense of anxiety at L's dull eyes but he shook it off. He didn't complete the activation. Instead, he walked over to stand behind L and placed a hand on his shoulder. "L, wake up." Immediately, the control over L's mind was broken and he returned to his normal self. "Raito-kun, I-" L's sentence was cut short by a small gasp that escaped his lips. His eyes grew wider than they've ever been before and Light could feel his body freeze up in shock. In an attempt to calm the man, Light tightened his grip on his shoulders. "It's alright." L let out another short gasp and tried to breathe. 'One minute, he's standing in front of me. The next, he's behind me! It's not possible!' Light was starting to get worried. "L? You okay?" L didn't answer him. His mind continued to race at an amazing speed, trying to process what Light had shown him. 'If what Raito-kun is telling me is true, if I've truly been under the influence of a madman, then for how long?!'

Light, growing more and more concerned for his love interest, tried to get the man's attention again. "L, try and calm down. I know it's a lot to take in. You okay?" "Of course I'm not okay Raito-kun," L hissed between clenched teeth. "I've just realized that despite all logic, what you've been telling me is true." He suddenly spun his head around and, despite his fear of getting anyone angry with him, shot Light a glare. A glare so intense that Light had to take a step back, releasing his grip on L. "But how can Raito-kun know so much about this? How can Raito-kun know how to activate me, as he calls it." Light's jaw dropped. "L, what are you talking about?" L let out a scoff. "Come now Raito-kun, you're smarter than this. Who in the world would want to have complete power over me? The detective L?" Light thought about that for a moment and his eyes went almost as wide as L's. "Kira…" L nodded then turned away, burying his head in his knees. Why was he feeling so…used? He recognized the feelings coursing through him. Betrayal, fear, sadness. He didn't want to feel them.

But he couldn't stop them. Nor could he stop the words that started to fly from his mouth. "Raito-kun is a suspect in the Kira Case. He is suspected to be Kira. If I have truly been brainwashed, as in that book, then the only suspect as to who did brainwash me is Kira. He is the only one with a true motive. Though it is true that I've seen Dr. Hayashi, I wasn't alone with him, we didn't stay with him for more than a few minutes. And the percentage of Raito-kun begin Kira is seven percent." Light felt his heart start to break. L thought he was the one brainwashing him! Desperate to prove that suspicion wrong, Light sat down next to L on the bed. "L, I'm not Kira and I didn't do this to you! This brainwashing thing is happening to me too!" L slowly raised his head from his knees. "Please explain Raito-kun as I'm in no position to believe you." Light sighed. "Last night, I had a dream. A nightmare. I won't go too into it but in my dream, you kept calling me 'Dustin' instead of my name." Light reached over and grabbed 'False Memory', flipping it open to the first page.

"Listen L, your activation name is this name right here." Unable to say it, Light held the book up to L and pointed. "Martie Rhodes?" L suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine. That name seemed familiar somehow, but L couldn't remember. Light nodded. "Yeah. So, I was reading this last night because I thought it would give me some information when I found this name." Light flipped to about a quarter through the book and when he settled on a page, he looked at L. "I want to say the name out loud, okay? If I'm right, I should be under Kira's influence too." Light handed L the book. "When you say the name, I'm going to answer with 'I'm listening' and I'll go under. I won't come back out until you tell me to wake up, okay?" L took the book in his hands like it was some poisonous animal, ready to strike. He nodded. Light took in a deep breath. "Okay. Go." L looked down at the page and read the first name that he saw out loud. "Dustin Rhodes." L watched with half fascination and half horror as Light's body jerked upwards, then relaxed back down, his face becoming completely emotionless, his eyes growing dull.

"I'm listening." L nearly dropped the book in shock but recovered himself quickly. He remembered this expression. Light had it on when he was speaking to Misa the other night. "Raito-kun?" Light made a small movement with his head. "Yeah?" His voice sounded hollow, far off, like he wasn't really in the room. L didn't like it. He felt his chest start to tighten up with fear. Like he wasn't really in the room… L suddenly dropped the book and took a hold on Light's shoulders. Along with his fear, L felt a new feeling emerge as well, taking a strong hold on his heart. L had never felt this new feeling before, which added more fear. "Raito-kun, wake up!" Instantly, and to L's relief, Light's eyes lost their dullness and his usual sharpness returned. His face, no longer void of expression, now was full of confusion and concern. "L?" L gave out a tiny sigh of relief and lowered his head slightly. "Raito-kun left. Not physically, but he still left." Light smiled softly, but his smile was laced with fear. "I know. One minute you were sitting there, the book in your hands and the next, you were here, the book gone." He let out a shaky laugh. "Creepy."

L released his hold on Light's shoulders and Light reached over and grabbed the book. "The question now is how Kira managed to do this to us and what we're going to do about it." L cocked his head to one side, still very close to Light. Strangely, he felt a little more relaxed sitting next to Light, despite their now extreme problem. "What do you mean Raito-kun?" Light gazed down at the book. "Well, in the book, one of the main characters undoes the damage on the other main characters mind and then, her phobias disappear." Light turned to L. "We could try that on you. I could activate you, tell you to forget ever having your phobias and then you'd be back to normal." L studied Light for a moment before he smiled slightly. "But you won't do that, will you Raito-kun?" Light looked away from the detective, as if ashamed.

"I can't L. Though we do know that there is a very strong possibility that your phobias did indeed come from Kira's influence, we can't be a hundred percent sure. And if I did try to get rid of your phobias, I could word something wrong and then you'd be damaged forever. Like, if I said, 'L, I want you to forget you ever had your phobias and you took it the wrong way, you could forget everything that happened during your phobias. I just can't do that L." Light wasn't giving L the total truth. True, he was scared that he'd damaged L forever, he was also afraid of the total control. He loved L. But he didn't want to have complete power over him. He didn't like it when L's eyes grew dull. Light suddenly looked up at L again with sad eyes. "I'm sorry L. I just can't take the risk of damaging you."

L didn't say anything for a long moment. He just stared into Light's amber eyes for what seemed like forever. Then, just as Light was starting to get nervous, L gave him a soft smile. "There is no need to apologize Raito-kun. I understand what your saying and I respect your choice." His smile grew slightly. "You're truly a good friend Raito-kun." Light blinked, then smiled slightly as well. Though he wanted a different title then 'friend', he'd settle for it for now. "Thanks L." The two then lapsed into a peaceful silence, both trying to sort their minds. But they were soon interrupted. Aizawa suddenly burst through their bedroom door, his face pale with shock. "Ryuzaki?! Light?!" Both men quickly jumped up off the bed and turned to face Aizawa. Light blushed softly. 'Why do I feel like I've be caught doing something wrong?' L stared at him. "Yes Aizawa?" Said man's eyes were wide as dinner plates. "Misa's dead!" And the silence was deafening.

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A/N: OMG! I finished! Yay! Well, I've got nothing to say really. I hoped you guys liked it! Chapter Seventeen coming soon! See ya