Away From Home
Chapter Five
By Andruindel
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"I'm not going back with you."
My stark refusal to go back to the hotel with L was not met with enthusiasm. L had long since let me up, and I had dusted myself down. But I was not going to go back with L.
L apparently had other ideas. Without a word he hefted me up and over his shoulder. Shocked and defiant, I beat L hard in the back with my fists, but he wouldn't let go.
"Let me go! Stop!" I cried, but to no avail. All the way home I beat at L, but he just kept walking, his head lowered and his back hunched. I was going back with him, whether I liked it or not.
Although people stopped and stared at me and L as we went down the sidewalk, I was not really bothered. I just wanted to get down and run until I could no longer run. It was only when we got to the hotel and I heard a familiar voice ask "What's going on?" that I realized just how weird the situation I was in really was.
To my surprise, L said nothing in reply to Matsuda's question. I could almost literally feel him simmering with resentment, but he remained silent. That was almost twice as embarrassing, because it left Matsuda to guess what was going on. I felt my face heat up, and finally stopped struggling, hanging limply over L's shoulder.
L didn't put me down until we had gotten into the elevator. When he did finally put me down, I positioned myself in a corner of the elevator, tense because I hated enclosed spaces, and with my eyes downcast. I refused to look up at either L or Matsuda, and I felt at that moment that I hated both of them equally. But I was just angry. Boiling with resentment, defiance and frustration, I frowned at the elevator floor, determined to say nothing.
When the time came to exit the elevator, I almost didn't. I held back, still refusing to look at either of the two men. But L's hand came to my elbow, and he led me, gently yet firmly, out of the elevator and into the hotel room. I had no choice but to follow. He was way too strong for me. And besides, I had no where to go.
"Sit down, Amy."
"No."
I finally lifted my eyes off the floor, but gazed at a point just to the right of L's head. I was angry, and hurt, and embarrassed. L had no right to keep me here against my will. If he hadn't already been working with the Japanese police, I would have called them and anonymously tipped them off about a certain young woman who was being held prisoner.
Though I wasn't looking directly at L, I saw him blink slowly once. "Please sit down, Amy."
"No." I said stubbornly. I was not going to do what L said. I didn't want to be lectured; I didn't want to hear why he thought I was Kira. I didn't want to look at him.
"Amy," I heard the warning in his voice, but did not heed it.
"Just shut up, L." I snarled, and I dashed for my room.
Behind me I heard Matsuda's exclamation of surprise, and then L's calm voice. It was still as though I meant absolutely nothing to him. Wasn't he even angry I had run away? Wasn't he shocked that I knew who he was?
Closing and locking my door in case L, or more likely Matsuda, decided to follow me, I threw myself down on my bed, pulling Panda into my arms. I felt like Panda was the only one who understood me. He was the only one who would listen when I talked, or offer me comfort. Without really knowing why, I hated L for remaining so calm, and for thinking that I was Kira. I understood why he thought that, sure. But it hurt to think that he didn't trust me.
I had only been in my room for a short time before someone knocked.
"Go away." I called, my words muffled by Panda, for I had buried my face in his soft fur.
The knocking persisted.
"Leave me alone!"
I actually sat up this time, glaring angrily at the door.
But whoever it was just kept knocking, each knock becoming louder than the last.
"What do you want?!" I finally shouted.
"Uh, Amy-chan, uh, L wants to see you…"
I could almost see Matsuda sweat-dropping like in the anime. The hesitance in his words was enough to make me take pity on him, and go to the door. I opened it slowly, peering around it at Matsuda.
"Alright, fine, I'll go talk to L." I said, losing all my defiance in the face of Matsuda's plight. He was obviously uncomfortable.
Apparently relieved, Matsuda led me back to the work room. Chief Yagami and the other task force members were there. I glanced once at each of them, and then I moved to my customary corner, sitting down and pulling my hood over my head, hiding my burning face.
For several minutes no one spoke. L sat at his computer, staring at the screen. I could almost feel apprehensiveness simmering in the air. I kept my eyes on the floor, half-closed. An expression, half of disdain and half of uncaring was on my face. I had to work hard to keep it there.
Eventually L spoke. "As you all know, there is a slight chance that Amy is Kira."
I didn't glance up at him. I knew he wouldn't be looking at me.
L went on. "That chance was doubled twice today, when I discovered that Amy knows that I am L."
There was a collective murmur around the room, and I actually lifted my eyes off the floor to look at the men. Matsuda was looking at L, while the others were looking at me. My eyes darkened, and I turned my head again, lifting my chin defiantly.
"Due to this…unfortunate change of circumstances, I think it wise to keep Amy under constant surveillance. To ensure this, cameras will be put on her room, and she will be unable to leave this hotel, until all chances that she is Kira are erased."
I wasn't quite sure how to react to that. Inside I was mentally bashing L's face in, and I was boiling with resentment. But, I merely turned my head away. "Whatever." Was the first reply that popped into my head.
I heard Matsuda mutter something, and glanced once at him. I was still angry, and hurt. But when I stood up, and went to leave, L stopped me.
"You need to stay here, Amy." He said softly. "Watari will be here soon, with the means to ensure you do not leave the hotel."
I flushed angrily, but sat back down. He was treating my like a child. I was hurt, and angry, and I wanted nothing more than to punch a hole in a wall. But I couldn't. So I sat silently, listening as the men worked, letting my anger simmer, and resenting L.
When Watari finally entered, I was half-asleep. I came into reality suddenly, looking around, and unsure exactly what I had missed. I blinked once or twice, trying to wake up all the way, and that's when I realized that everyone in the room was looking at me. Blushing, I lowered my head, closing my eyes again. I didn't want to deal with anything at the moment.
"Amy," I fixed narrowed eyes on L as he spoke to me. I was relatively sure he couldn't see my whole face. I felt more intimidating and menacing that way. Of course, it was hard to match L's intimidating nature. I tried my hardest, and failed miserably when I met L's eyes, and had to look away. "Come here."
I could not even try to disobey. With slow, reluctant movements, I forced myself to stand up, and approach L. It was like I was going to my execution or something. And I hadn't even gotten a last meal…
"Sit down."
I did as I was told, sitting on the couch next to Matsuda. Gazing mistrustfully at L, I tilted my head a bit to one side, watching as he picked up a small circle of metal. I was confused, to say the least, but my confusion quickly dropped to anger when I realized what L was going to do. He was going to put that thing on my ankle, and if I so much as stepped outside the hotel room door, an alarm would go off, or else I would get shocked… Either one was pretty humiliating.
As L approached me with the device, I freaked. I was not about to let L subject me to that kind of mental, or emotional, torture. I jumped up and fled to the other side of the room, knocking the device out of L's hands as I went. I knew my actions would get me into trouble, but I hadn't stopped to think. Speaking of that, when did I ever really stop to think?
L followed me, faster than I had anticipated, and as he approached me again, I only had time for one disjointed thought before I struck out at him, catching him in the face. Though I knew the blow could not have hurt much, seeing as I had not had a lot of force behind it, it must have caught L by surprise, for he stumbled back. That was when all hell broke loose. Both Chief Yagami and Mogi came forward. I backed away from them, fearing for my life, only to bump into someone. I tilted my chin up to see that it was Matsuda. Too late, I tried to escape, but he already had a grasp on me. I was stuck.
I could only watch, helpless, as L attached the device to my ankle. I kicked him once, and then Chief Yagami had to grab my feet to keep me from doing it again. It was a completely awkward and humiliating position. When finally L got it on me, I was let go, and I fled, reduced to tears of embarrassment, to my room. There I found Panda, and curled up with him to cry in peace. No one bothered me for the rest of the day.
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Poor Amy… Heh… I'm not really pleased with this chapter. But at least it made me laugh. Hopefully you all liked it too. Thanks for reading, and thank you, most sincerely, for all the reviews I have received so far. I hope to continue getting tons of good reviews from you all.
