"Two hearts with but a single thought, two hearts that beat as one."

"Oh, that orphanage down the street?" Light asked casually, pretending that he didn't know anything else about it. "What do they want?"

"Light," Soichiro said, his voice rising in anger, "as I'm sure that you know, it's not just any orphanage. It's the orphanage that he," he pointed at L, "ran away from. They want him back."

"But, dad, you don't understand! He-"

"He ran away from Wammy's?" Gasped Sayu. This was news to her. "But isn't that, like, the orphanage that only the most intelligent children can get into? Wow! You must be really intelligent, then, huh?" She stared at L admiringly. "But, then, why did you lea-"

"Sayu, go away," Light snapped, irritated by her relentless babbling. Plus, he didn't want her to finish what she was saying, because he feared that it would be the wrong thing to say right now.

Sayu scowled. She opened her mouth to protest, but Soichiro quickly cut in. "Sayu, why don't you go finish watching your TV show up in your room?" He kindly suggested, though the gentleness in his voice sounded forced. Sayu hesitated for a moment before reluctantly heading to her room.

"Dad, this isn't fair," Light said as soon as Sayu was out of earshot.

"Life isn't fair, Light," Soichiro responded automatically. It was his answer to almost everything, and Light hated it.

"I know, but... Ryuzaki came to us for help. We rescued him. He could've died out on the streets if we had left him there. Do you really want him to try to run away again? What if he does die this time around? Then what?" Light growled, his caramel eyes narrowed and focusing so hard on his father that, if looks could kill, Soichiro would be having a heart attack on the ground at that instant.

L, who was still sitting right next to Light, sat there awkwardly, panic etched in his face. He had grown tense at what Light had said, and was considering running to Light's room or something.

"That's not our problem." That did it. Those four words that came out of Soichiro's mouth—L's "adopted father"'s mouth—sent the child dashing up the stairs. Tears sprang from his eyes, blurring his vision.

He soon found himself in Light's room and paused in front of the window in order to swiftly wipe his tears away with the white sleeve of his shirt. He cast one quick, sorrowful glance behind him before yanking the window open. He hated how his first instinct was to always run away. He never stood his ground, but instead ran from all his problems. Or, tried to. He was now finding that, no matter how far or fast he ran, he'd never escape his problems.

A small sob escaped from his lips. He quickly clamped his hands over his mouth. What if Sayu heard him and came running? He cast a fleeting glance behind him before clumsily clambering out the window, trying to be as quick as he possibly could.

Just as he stuck one of his legs out the window frame and onto the roof, he heard footsteps charging towards him. Panicking, L practically threw himself out the window, tumbling onto the roof... but he didn't stop tumbling. His face and arms and legs painfully scraped against the brick roof as he skidded towards the edge.

"Help," He yelped before he could stop himself. He felt his legs leave the safety of the roof. His scraped-up arms shout out and reflexively grabbed the gutter that was attached to the edge of the roof. He hung there for a moment, panting heavily, his legs dangling in midair, his fingers painfully gripping onto the gutter.

"H... help!" L repeated, squeezing his eyes shut and willing himself not to look down. "Light! Help me!" He couldn't breath, he couldn't hold on much longer, he was going to let go, he was going to fall all the way down to his death and hit the ground and... and die.

No! No, I can't die, I can't! I made it all this way, I finally escaped from the orphanage, I found a home, a family... I can't die. Even if they want to take me back to the orphanage... I-I don't care. I'll escape again if I have to. Just so long as I don't die!

L opened his eyes again and glanced up at the roof. He recalled the footsteps he had heard, but still no one had appeared at the window. So... who had been running towards him? Maybe it was Soichiro? After all, he probably would never want to save his adopted son. And he had wanted to take him back to the orphanage, too.

I guess I'll have to save myself, L thought, straining to heave himself back up onto the platform. He let out a strangled gasp as he relaxed his muscles, his lower half dropping back down again. "L-Light... p... please help," L whined as loud as he could, hoping, praying, that Light would hear him.

"Ryuzaki?" A voice called, and L's eyes widened.

"I'm down here," He replied loudly, his voice drowning with relief. The sound of someone clambering on the roof quickly followed, and suddenly Light's face peeked down at him.

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" Light gasped, horror sweeping over his expression just as fast as the relief swept onto L's.

"Y-yeah... b-but I can't hold on much longer. Please help me up?" L pleaded quietly, tentatively taking one of his hands off the gutter. He struggled to stay on by his remaining hand whilst raising his free hand up towards Light. His whole body was shaking, making it hard to hold on.

"Of course." Light hastily grabbed L's wrist with both hands and pulled. L let out a small gasp of pain as he was yanked onto the roof. He lay on his stomach, panting again, fear still lingering in his eyes. "Are you okay?" Light asked, clearly concerned.

"I... I think so," L breathed. Light sighed quietly and scooped L up, pulling the boy onto his lap. L's breath hitched at the sudden action, though he wasn't quite sure why. Brothers were supposed to be affectionate with each other... right? He pushed away the shock that had overcome him and wrapped his arms around Light's waist, pressing his face against Light's chest like he had done two weeks ago, underneath the tree. He tried to say something, but Light's cotton shirt muffled his voice.

Light chuckled a bit at the failed attempt. "What?" He asked, a good-natured smile on his face.

L pulled his head away from Light's chest. "I-I said... 'thank you'..."

"No pro-"

"For everything," L interrupted. He didn't give Light time to respond before continuing, "Thank you for rescuing me, thank you for keeping me here for two weeks, and thank you for arguing with your father that I should stay... It's been fun." He forced a small smile as he stared up into Light's eyes earnestly.

"You're speaking as if you're saying goodbye," Light said slowly. When L didn't say anything, shock and realization sparked in the older boy's caramel eyes. "No! You're not going to leave, Ryuzaki! I'm not going to let you!"

"But your dad-"

"Forget my dad. We don't need him. I'll..." Light became silent for a moment, a thoughtful look taking over his face. "I'll... I'll save us. Just trust me, okay? I'm sure dad'll let you stay here for a little while... and then..."

"And then...?" L prompted when Light trailed off and didn't pick back up.

Light's lip curled up into a smirk and his eyes glittered with mischief and menace. "And then... well... you'll just have to wait and see," He said, his voice so smooth and confident that L couldn't help but feel confident himself.

A/N So sorry this chapter took so long! I got addicted to a new series, Hetalia, so working on a Death Note fanfic became difficult since the original personalities of Light and L slipped my mind a bit. But I tried my hardest to continue keeping them in character, and don't worry. I'm not going to ditch this story. Not after all that me and it have been through. Also, I'd like to thank you guys for sticking with me up until now. I know I'm a pain to deal with, considering how long it takes me to do a new chapter, but I'll try not to let you guys down. I love you all~