Fear is The Enemy
By: .Cute
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Disclaimer: Hello everyone! Chapter Seventeen is now here and, me being a mean person, I left Chapter Sixteen with a cliffhanger. ^_^ But, read on and all will be explained. Sort of. Anywho, I'm so sorry about not updating for so long. The holidays were extremely busy for me and my parent is being weird and it's all be crazy with Black Friday. (sighs) Yeah, that wasn't fun. And for some reason, my name won't come up on any of my documents. Weird. But forget about that! Chapter Seventeen is more important! So read on and I hope you like it! I own nothing! ^_^ Enjoy!
LineLineLineLineLine
Light stared at Aizawa with wide eyes, unable to speak. What Aizawa had said...it couldn't be true. Misa was dead? Recovering from his shock much more quickly than Light, L took an urgent step forward. "Explain Aizawa." Aizawa shot a glance of pity towards Light before he said, "We just found out about it. Her story came up on the news and-" Without waiting for the man to finish, L hurried into the Investigation's main area. And because of the handcuffs, Light was forced to follow him, Aizawa not far behind. Once the three reached the room, they saw Soichiro and Matsuda standing near the wide computer screen, their eyes glued to it, sadness printed clearly on their faces. Light too turned his gaze to the computer screen, but oddly, his face was void of any sadness or grief. L took note of this but he didn't give it too much thought. Light was most likely still in a state of shock.
On the screen, a young man, most likely in his early twenty's, was giving the report. Behind him stood two tall buildings and a small alleyway between them. "Local authorities found the body of a nineteen year old woman earlier last night in the alleyway between the two buildings right behind me. Authorities have identified the woman as actress and model Misa Amane, who apparently committed suicide yesterday, though authorities have yet to state this as her official cause of death." Light's knees suddenly went weak and he had to grab onto the back of a chair nearest to him for support. L stared up at the screen with wide eyes, his mind starting to race. Something the reporter had said made L focus a little bit more on the reporter. 'Amane-san committed suicide yesterday? But that's impossible. Amane-san called...' Then suddenly, L remembered and his heart started to beat a little faster.
The reporter went on. "Though locals around the two buildings say that Misa Amane's life was ended by suicide, one must also consider the possibility of the mass murder Kira. Could Kira be changing his usual targets of criminals and targeting, instead, celebrities? And if so, why? That's all for now. Tune in tonight for more information. This is-" The screen suddenly went blank before the reporter could mention his name and, in a flash, L was giving out orders. "Aizawa, Soichiro. I want all police files related to Misa Amane's death. I want police files and, if they have them, autopsy files as well." The now excited detective turned to Matsuda. "Matsuda, I want you to find the exact area Misa Amane's body was found and I want you to speak with everyone who lives within that area. Make sure you ask if anyone saw her before she died and, if someone did, ask them if she was alone or with someone." The Team hesitated but L didn't seem to notice. He was already seated in his chair, his fingers typing swiftly across the keyboard.
It was Soichiro who spoke up. "Ryuzaki. I don't mean to be disrespectful to Misa Amane or to my son." He nodded slightly in Light direction, who had yet to move from his spot near his chair. "But how is her death related to the Kira Case?" L didn't turn to look at his team. Instead, he chose to simple answer Soichiro's question with, "It is related. Once you get the information, you'll be able to see that." Seeing that L wasn't going to further explain himself, and not wanting to just keep standing in the middle of the room, the Team had no choice but to do what they were told. Once they were gone, L typed for a few more moments before turning to Light. "Raito-kun..." Light's eyes were still on the computer screen, apparently frozen.
For a minute, Light didn't answer L. Then, he slowly turned to gaze to him and the older man could see his sadness quite clearly. "It's strange," the younger man mumbled finally. "She was annoying and clingy and I didn't know her all that well. I didn't even like her all that much." To both of the men's surprise, a single tear slipped away from Light's auburn eye and ran down his cheek slowly. Light lifted a hand to his face a wiped the tear away, his gaze still on L. "But I feel...sad. I mean, it's kinda hard for me to imagine her being gone, you know?" L nodded. "I am sorry Raito-kun." Light shook his head slightly and then he too sat down in his chair. "There's nothing to be sorry about. Misa and I weren't that close and I don't even know why I'm so bothered about her death."
'I love you,' he thought. 'I could never love her.' L gave off a small sigh. "I suppose death affects everyone differently but I can understand how you feel Raito-kun. Though Amane-san was far from my favorite person, I too feel at least shaken by her death. I knew her as someone who I saw almost everyday. Now, she will never come again. It's hard to really accept that but you do and you move on. At least, that's how I see it." Light nodded in agreement and gave L a small smile. Though what he had said wasn't in a word comforting, it still seemed to help. "Thanks L." L nodded again. "No need for thanks Raito-kun." Then he sighed again and swiveled his chair to face Light head on. "Raito-kun, I need to discuss something with you." Light glanced at the detective. "What?" "The reporter who was on the screen said something that caused me quite a surprise. He said that Amane-san died yesterday, correct?"
Light frowned slightly but nodded. L's wide eyes stared into his. "But that's not possible Raito-kun because Amane-san called you on her cell phone last night." Light's eyes grew almost as wide as L's. 'That's right...' L went on. "You told me you read that book she gave me, 'False Memory'." Light nodded, his mind starting to race. "Do you recall any character being activated over the phone?" Light's heart skipped a beat. "Yeah. In the book, the one of the main character's best friend is activated over the phone." He could see where L was going with this. And it was terrifying. "She was told to kill herself." L leaned in suddenly, his voice becoming softer. "And when Raito-kun answered Amane-san last night, he told her he was listening." He remembered now where he'd seen that blank expression on Light's face before. It was when Light answered to Misa over the phone.
"Is it not possible, Raito-kun, that Misa was also being controlled by Kira? Could it be possible that Kira commanded her to kill herself, then stole her cell phone in order to contact you, knowing that he'd need a familiar number in order for you to answer?" Light shifted uneasily to one foot and, in an attempt to sooth his nerves, gave off a small smile. "If that's the case then I'm not gonna be answering my cell any more." L suddenly motioned to Light's pocket. "Check the time Amane-san called last night. Once the autopsy files get here, we'll be able to see if she called before or after her death." Light felt a small shiver run down his spine but he nodded in agreement and pulled his cell phone out. But as he was about to check what time Misa called, he saw that he had one missed call. It was from Misa. And she'd left a message. His heart stopped. He froze up. L noticed this and he tilted his head in slight concern. "Raito-kun, is something the matter?"
Slowly, Light turned his cell phone to L. "L, look." L's eyes swept quickly over Light's cell phone and he lifted his thumb to his lips, biting it softly. "Raito-kun..." Light brought the cell phone back and stared at it sadly. "She left a message before she died." Light's grip grew tighter around the phone. He didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to hear the message, to hear Misa's last dying words. He didn't love her. He never did. But he wasn't heartless. And he didn't want to hear her suffer. L gazed silently at Light, giving him some time. Though he knew that they would have to listen to the message, L did not want to force Light. He would wait. He didn't have to wait long. Light suddenly took in a deep breath and pressed the play button on his phone. Instantly, Misa's voice rang through the air. "Light. This'll be my last message to you." L looked from the phone to Light. The young man showed no emotion.
"I just wanted to tell you that you've been the best boyfriend ever. And that I've loved every minute we've spent together, even when Ryuzaki was there. Could you tell Ryuzaki that I'm sorry that I was so mean to him? I just didn't like sharing you with him. But now, that's all over." Light winced suddenly as if in pain and L stared at the phone sadly. "There is nothing to be sorry for Amane-san," he whispered softly, as if somehow, Misa could hear him. "It was just your nature." The message went on. "I'm so tired Light. I just want to fall asleep and never wake up. So this is goodbye, Light. I'll miss you." Misa's voice quieted down to a whisper. L and Light both assumed the message was over so Light made a move to exit out of it. But before he could...
"Light, listen to me. I don't really want to die. But someone's making me die. They're telling me to die and I have to listen to them!" Light gasped softly at Misa's urgent words and blinked when the phone was snatched out of his grasp. "Hey-!" L paid the man no mind as he held the phone close to him with two fingers. Though it was sad about Misa's passing, he had to hear what was on the message. "I've been blacking out Light and I've lost time. I'll wake up in my bed and have no idea how I got there. I'll be at the Kira Investigation Headquarters and I'll have no memory of walking there. And I think that, when that happens, someone's taking over my body."
L turned his gaze quickly to Light and his eyes spoke for themselves. "I was right," they said. Light's sad auburn eyes met L's and they too seemed to speak. "I know," they whispered. "But I wish you were wrong just this one time." L looked away from Light and focused again on the message. 'Come on Amane-san. Give me a name. Anything. Description, an area of meeting, anything!' "Light, I think it's Aziz." L's heart leapt. 'Yes!' "Aziz's the one controlling me. I don't know how or why but I know he's the one. I met him at The Coffee Break one night and after that, all this weird stuff happened. I don't have any proof that he's doing it but I just know." Light's breath was cut off short as he heard Misa's voice. 'Aziz? Who's Aziz?' "Light, I remember. I remember sitting at the coffee shop with Aziz. And he was talking about his next victims. I don't remember exactly what he said but I know he was talking about killing people."
It was, to Light's embarrassment, too much for him to handle. He had to move. So while L remained seated in his chair, Light quickly got up and moved as far away from L as the handcuffs allowed possible. "I've got to go Light. I'm sorry." Then the message ended. L held it his fingers for a few seconds, before closing it silently and setting it on his keyboard. Silence filled the room. Light's mind was racing. What L had said earlier was true. Misa had been under Kira's influence. But for how long? And why Misa? Why did Kira target her? What did he have to gain? And was this Aziz person really Kira? Light's brow scrunched in frustration. It was all connected somehow, he just couldn't figure it out. He felt like pulling all his hair out or punching something. Why couldn't he get this?! "Raito-kun?"
A sudden pair of hands gripped at Light's shoulders and he was turned around to face a pair of onyx eyes. And despite everything that was happening, Light was almost ashamed at the heat rising to his cheeks. L either didn't notice his blush or he simply choose to ignore it because he said nothing about it. "Raito-kun, I understand that you are very emotional now, knowing the truth about Amane-san's death. But..." L's eyes flickered to the side and he hesitated slightly before he went on. "I don't...I don't want you to work yourself too hard. It can be unhealthy. And...I don't want Raito-kun to get ill." L was surprised to feel heat starting to rise up to his cheeks and before Light could answer his comment in anyway, L had already moved back at his computer. "Thanks to Amane-san message, we now have another suspect. This Aziz person. If only she'd given us a last name as well. But I suppose it can't be helped."
Light stared at the detective for a moment before a small smile broke out across his face. 'He cares. He cares about my health.' It was a start. And that was all Light needed to make the grip of guilt on his heart relax. He let out a small sigh and then moved to sit back down in his chair, right next to L. Though Light wanted to bask in this new knowledge of L actually caring for him, Light knew that emotions would have to wait. There was work that needed to be done. For Misa's sake. So he started up his computer. "We know that Misa met this Aziz guy at the coffee shop named The Coffee Break. And we now that the shop is almost directly across from Headquarters. So if we..." "Zero percent." Light blinked and looked away from his computer to stare at L. "What?"
L didn't meet Light's gaze. Instead, he just stared at his computer's screen, his thumb at his lips. "Zero percent Raito-kun. In light of the new evidence brought to us by Amane-san's message, the percentage of Raito-kun begin Kira is now at zero." Light stared at the detective with wide eyes for a moment before a huge smile broke out across his face. This was too good to be true. "L...do you really mean that?" L started to chew softy on his thumb. Then, slowly, he turned his head to give Light a nod. Light thought his heart might burst, which was weird because just a moment ago, he was feeling kind of down. It was funny how love could do that to you. L wasn't finished. "But even though Raito-kun is no longer a suspect, I would like him to stay on the Kira Case."
Light let out a small chuckle, which surprised L. Had he said something funny? "What made you think I'd leave the case? We've got to find Kira and with Misa's message, we're sure to find him." Light chuckled again. "Plus, even if I didn't want to stay for the Kira Investigation, then I'd stay for you. I can't leave you alone with your phobias." L stared at Light. 'He wants to stay not only for Kira, but for me as well?' L suddenly felt a small flutter in his stomach, almost as if he'd swallowed a bird or a butterfly. That feeling was back, the same unknown feeling L had felt back when he'd activated Light. He'd been afraid of it at first. But now that he had time to examine it, he decided that it wasn't a fearful feeling. It actually felt kind of good. L felt his face start to heat up again and quickly, he turned back to his computer screen. "Thank you Raito-kun." Light's smile turned soft. "No problem L." He then also turned back to his computer. "Now, let's get started. We're going to find this Aziz person, whoever he is." "Yes Raito-kun. We'll find him. Together." Light felt his heart scream out in joy. 'Yes. Together.' He wouldn't have it any other way.
LineLineLineLineLine
A/N: God. One minute they're sad, the next, they're happy. Yeah, I know. They're way off character but for some reason, I like them like that. I will try to bring L back some, though. I like him as cool detective. Except when his phobias act up. Anywho, I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving and Chapter Eighteen is coming up soon. Wow. Eighteen chapters. Cookies to everyone who reviews and panda candies. ^_^ Yummy. See ya!