A/N: ... I love some of my most recent reviews. Really, they're so funny. XD AND STOP GUESSING WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN! I don't have the heart to lie to you guys! XP Anyways, I have an idea for that one-shot I owe all of you and I thought of another story for LightxL yumminess that is AU and based on another movie. (I should just quit television. -.-) So those will be updated after this story is complete. Moving on, I'm warning you now that this chapter moves quickly at moments and both L and Light are drama whores. But besides that I hope you read, enjoy, and review! :}

Chapter 16: Wake Up

Beyond was arrested. Finally they had enough proof and witnesses to put him in jail. The police were searching for Mello, the blond leaving long before the police could arrive. Light, L, and Near were taken back to Wammy's. Once they were inside they were greeted by Matt, who was allowed back to work. Near saw the redhead and ran to him, hugging him.

"Hey, Near," Matt greeted, patting the white hair.

"... M-Mihael..." Matt's eyes widened a bit at hearing Near say his brother's real name, but they softened again, understanding why Near said that name.

"I know, Nate. I know. Come on, let's go get you in bed," Matt instructed, picking the younger boy into his arms and carrying him to his room.

Light looked to L.

"It's over L. It's really over. Beyond is finally gone," Light stated aloud, almost as if he couldn't believe it either. L didn't do anything, the black haired boy just kept his head down. "L?"

"I heard you, Light," L hissed, turning his head away from Light. The chestnut haired boy stood there for a moment, trying to understand why L wasn't happy like he was.

"L, Beyond has been arrested. You're free to live your life now. You're free to be happy and be safe," Light explained, softly touching L's shoulder. L turned violently, facing Light and glaring.

"At what cost, Light?!" L yelled, anger again shocking Light. "At what cost?! A's death?! The death of an innocent and young boy?! I'm free to live because I allowed A to die?! Is that how it is?! Is it?!"

"L, it's not like that-"

"It's exactly like that! If it weren't for A's death, then Beyond would have done something! He would have used A against us! He would have killed you and Mello and..!" L trailed off, looking at the floor.

"L... Then isn't it more like A's death saved us?" Light asked, trying to get closer to L, but the raven just kept backing away.

"No. No life should ever have to be sacrificed. No innocence should ever be tainted! No one should ever be so sick that they think the only way out is through death!" L yelled. That last statement stung Light, remembering when he had tried to take his own life.

"Please L-"

"No. It's all my fault. It wasn't Beyond's, it wasn't Mello's, it wasn't A's, it wasn't Near's, it wasn't yours. It's my fault. All my fault." L's eyes widened with realization. Light almost flinched at the dead tone L's voice held, monotone the whole time he talked. "Please Light... Stay away from me. I'll just cause you harm..."

"Don't say that, L," Light ordered, stepping towards L.

"Stay away from me!" L yelled, and before Light knew it, L turned and ran into his room, locking the door behind him. Light chased after him, banging on the locked door.

"L! It's not true! Everything you said is not true! Please listen to me!" Light yelled, but L never opened the door. "Please!"

Light stayed outside L's door for the rest of the day. No one bothered him except when they had to check on L, and even then they would not allow Light in, on L's request.

"L..." Light would murmur, sitting outside the closed door. He would wait and hope for the door to open.

L, on the other side, lay on his bed. He was curled into himself, hugging his knees close to his chest and staring blankly at the wall. He gripped the bed sheets as he looked on forever.

"I'm sorry A. I'm sorry Akira Alles."

--

"Light. May I have a word?" Watari asked, seeing the boy falling asleep at L's door.

"Can't. L might open the door..." Light answered, eyes drooping.

"Trust me, Light. He won't. Anyway, this is very important," Watari explained, helping Light up. The old man led Light to his office, Light waking up by the time he sat down on Watari's couch, shivering as he remembered the last time he was there.

"Do we have to talk here?" Light asked, crossing his legs as he leaned back.

"I'm afraid so. I would like to bring up a very important topic, one that's been keeping you here so far," Watari explained, pulling out a notebook. Light's eyes widened as he saw the book.

"That's my notebook," Light stated, unnecessarily stating the obvious.

"I would like to tell you that I'm surprised. You're the only one that actually took the time to write in this. When you ran off with Mello, I decided to read it, see what was really going on in your mind, for you would never tell me during our therapy sessions." Watari opened the notebook, flipping through the pages.

"Yeah? And what's wrong with me now? What do you want to say about me? Why don't you want me near L?"

"Don't get me wrong, Light. I'm not here to tell you what you did wrong," Watari stated, looking at the confused teenager. Light shifted on the couch.

"You're not?"

"No. Actually, I'm here to tell you that you are going home," Watari explained as Light grew silent, staring at the elder man in shock.

"But, I didn't get better. Nothing changed..." Light trailed off, completely confused.

"Let me ask you something, Light. In the past few days have you spaced out? Have you forgotten anything? Have you had inner turmoil?" Watari asked.

"When you told me to stay away from L..."

"And only then, am I correct? Am I right to say that you two had sexual intercourse and after that there was no second guessing yourself? There was nothing sad about what you were doing? You were truly happy?" Watari asked, shocking Light even more.

"How do you..?" Light trailed off, but then stood up abruptly, placing his hands on Watari's desk. "But what about when I was sick?! What was wrong with me?!"

"Nothing."

"Nothing? How can it be nothing?!" Light asked.

"It's simple, really. You thought you were talking to yourself, but it was more like second guessing yourself, your mind not sure what was going on. You forgot things because the human mind doesn't remember anything it doesn't want to. You had sex because it is a normal thing teenagers like to do, especially with hormones. I'm not surprised that you liked sex so much," Watari explained.

"But... It doesn't make sense," Light trailed off.

"It makes perfect sense, Light." Watari stood. He walked around to Light and placed a hand on Light's shoulder. "And... I... I was wrong. I'm sorry, I was wrong."

"Wrong about what?" Light asked, turning his head to Watari.

"About you and L. You're helping him so much... Thank you for helping him in a way that I could not."

"Don't thank me; he just locked me out of his life."

"I wouldn't worry too much about that, Light," Watari stated, and then hugged Light. "Really, thank you."

"... You're welcome."

And Light hugged back.

--

Matt walked into L's room, L never moving from his spot on his bed. The red head sighed as he placed the tray of food he brought L onto the desk beside the bed.

"You know, Light is really worried," Matt stated.

"Please do not let him in," L asked in that same monotone he had been using all day.

"Everyone is worried. Maybe it's about time you got up?" Matt asked.

"No, I need to rest... Just... Just a little bit longer," L explained. Matt rolled his eyes before placing goggles over them and then picking up L, carrying him. "What are you doing..? Where are you taking me..?"

Matt ignored the words from L as he walked down the hall and to the empty bathroom. A tub was filled with water, to his luck, and he threw L in it. Water splashed around the rim as L yelled and kicked to get up and out of the water. Matt pushed him back in.

"What the hell?" L asked, wiping the locks of hair out of his face so they wouldn't stick and ruin his vision.

"Wake up," Matt ordered, pulling the goggles back down as he stood in front of L.

"What?" L asked, not understanding.

"I said wake the fuck up, L!" Matt yelled, locking his green eyes with L's black ones. "You've been in this asylum all these years, acting like the biggest fucking baby I've ever seen! You hide away all day because you're afraid that someone may do something to you and you might get hurt! Well, it's about time you fucking woke up!"

"Woke up?! Did you forget that Beyond-"

"Beyond did what, L? Beyond raped you?! He took your innocence and followed you? He tortured A? I know what Beyond did to you! I'm the one that had to fucking take care of you for what Beyond did to you!" Matt yelled. "It was over ten years ago, L! Now Beyond's arrested and you don't even have the decency to be happy?!"

"Happy? About what?! Happy that Beyond's been arrested because A took his own life?!"

"No! Be happy that you have the one you love next to you every day! That you don't have to hide anymore! That someone who wanted you dead killed himself!" Matt yelled, slamming his hands on the tub and glaring into L's eyes.

"What?! A... A did not want to kill me..!" L denied, sitting up more in the tub.

"Have you ever read A's journal?! He wrote that as soon as you both were out of Wammy's, he would kill you! Kill you, L! I stole his journal and burned it so nobody would hurt A because I know you cared about him! I know..!"

"He wanted to kill me..?" L trailed off, looking at Matt who kneeled down next to L. The raven looked into the green eyes and then relaxed, seeing that Matt was really only looking out for him and trying to help him, just like Matt always did. L couldn't help but feel guilt at that thought. "Why are you doing this, Matt? Why do you help Light, Near, Mello, and I?"

"Because I..! I... I don't want you to end up like me. You all have so much potential, you all have the will to learn and... You're all so fucking smart, like... Like how I used to be, and I don't want you to waste it. I don't want you to just throw away your talent, and I don't want you living a life that is not your dream life. I want you to fulfill your dream to the fullest, and just live," Matt explained, running a hand through his hair. L finally understood and took Matt's face into his hands, making sure that their eyes locked.

"Thank you, Matt," L smiled, closing his eyes in happiness. "For waking me up."