Mrs. Lawliet: Oooh, I'm glad you like it~~

Reader: Huzzah! I think you've got it...yes, correct! ^^

kawaiimint: Aw, well...I'm glad you liked it enough to want to squeal. ;v; Gosh.

Oh god whoops; I almost forgot to update today. Argh...

Well, um, enjoy?

"L, why are my boobs so huge?" Sam asked absently as she took a shower.

Silence prevailed in his thoughts.

"Do you think my boobs look big?" she asked thoughtfully.

Samantha… I'd prefer if you'd not ask these things.

But I like torturing you! she thought with a grin. "I wonder what I taste like," she mused.

Last time I checked, vanilla, he thought dully.

"And cardboard. Don't forget cardboard."

You… don't taste like cardboard, Samantha….

"I don't? Well, okay." She paused. "L, what if I was, like, really fat?"

There was a loud knocking sound that permeated the pattering of the water cascading over her head from the showerhead. "Sam?" Anna called. "Who are you talking to? L's not in there with you, is he?"

"No!" Sam snapped, going red. "What the hell, Anna?!"

"Well, you were talking, so I thought maybe he was actually there!" she defended.

"He's not, Anna. God!" She turned off the water and stepped out, wrapping a towel around herself. She used a second towel to wrap her hair in.

It seems your torturing of me backfired, L remarked, and she frowned.

"Meh," she muttered, and stalked to the door before swinging it open. She swung her arm to gesture to the bathroom. "See, Anna? No L."

"Okay… I believed you," she said blankly.

Sam rolled her eyes and stepped out into the kitchen. "Shouldn't you be getting ready to go to SPK headquarters, Anna?"

"Near said I could have off today," she said softly, and Sam looked at her.

"Why?" she asked.

She wrapped her arms around herself, considering telling her for a moment. "BB caught me the other night," she mumbled.

Sam stared at her. Oh, God, that bastard's definitely going down now. First he nearly kills me… but now Anna? Damn it, BB! "Well, he's a bastard."

"I kinda agree. And to top it all off…." She rocked on her heels. "I think I might have indirectly killed Sophia, and that makes me feel sick…."

"Kill Sophia?" Sam repeated. "What do you mean?"

She shook her head. "Near told me to give Sophia some jam…. Apparently it was poisoned…. And it was supposed to kill BB, but then he was alive, so…."

Sam processed this for a second. B's Bond… dead. How would that feel? Could it really be true; that Sophia could be dead and B wasn't? "Was something wrong with B when you saw him?" she asked her.

"He was kinda out of it when I first saw him, if that's what you mean," Anna answered. "And… he was kinda shaky when… after… after I woke up again." She paused, looking down. "But that might have been because I stabbed him."

The fact she was able to wake up at all means that B isn't at his best. Otherwise, she'd be fully sedated. Then… he wouldn't let himself be stabbed like that. Something's definitely wrong. Is Sophia really dead…? Sam blinked. "You stabbed him?"

"Yeah…. Near told me to…. It was the best way to get out of there…."

"Where did you stab him?"

She frowned and looked up. "I don't know! I can't remember."

"Sorry," Sam responded.

Anna crossed her arms. "Anyway… where's Aunt Natalie, do you know?"

Sam blinked again. "I thought she was still sleeping."

"She's not in her room."

"Oh…," Sam said bemusedly, thinking about it. "Oh." She said upon enlightenment. "Ohhh…." She grinned impishly.

"What?" Anna asked blankly.

I hate myself, I thought dully, staring at a clock on the bed stand glowing green. 6:30.

"If you hate sleeping here so much, leave earlier," Light remarked in amused tones. His arms were wrapped around me, though this time, at least, I was facing away from him. Staring at that clock. 6:31.

"Feh," was my intelligent response. He, in turn, replied with simple little chuckle, and released me. I breathed a little easier then.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. Poo you, I thought, and rolled off my side, falling to the floor with a thump. "Oww…." I immediately realized that had hurt him too, and facepalmed. "You know what?" I muttered irately, and sat up. "You know what?" I headed to his kitchen with my arms crossed. I was about to ask for bread when I remembered he didn't have a gosh-darned toaster, and so I sighed lightly and decided that perhaps I would eat breakfast at home after all.

I headed to the door, but Light stopped me to give a light kiss on the cheek before saying gently, "I'll see you later."

"Yeah," was my wonderful answer, and I left out the door and into the warm air outside. Great, it's even warmer out here. I thought, and Light chuckled again as I closed the door behind me. Sam would be waiting for me, I knew it. Oh well. She couldn't really do anything but tease me, and after all, she'd been with L more often…. No matter. I would go home, be teased by Sam, eat my food, and head to work. And that was exactly what I did. The only difference was that Anna decided to partake in the fun, and I couldn't exactly thwart her efforts. So, I was stuck with her pelting me with her own teases as I tried to eat breakfast. Luckily, this time, it didn't really affect me. Sam was laughing. At least the toast was good.

Work was uneventful. I learned a few things at the mini Police Academy I practiced at, but other than that, absolutely nothing happened. It was around lunchtime that something actually significant happened, and really it was just Light and I going to lunch at his mother's house. After all, I hadn't been to that house since before Soichiro died, and the last time I'd seen Sachiko and Sayu was actually at Misa's funeral…. Before that, it had been before Sayu had been kidnapped. Yeah… I didn't see them that often. I'd need to work on that, all things considered.

"Oh, Light!" Sachiko greeted warmly, a smile on her face. "And Natsumi, you've come too! Come on in…." She moved to the side to allow us entry, and Light closed the door behind us. We took off our shoes there, and Sachiko headed into the living room, telling us that the tea was already made as she left. We made our way after her to find Sayu sitting on the couch.

"Hi, Sayu," I smiled as we walked further in. "How are you?"

She looked at me for a moment, her eyes hollow, but slowly she came to and said, "Oh… hi, Natsumi. I'm fine…. How are you?"

"I'm great," I told her. Seeing her like this when I'd known her before the kidnapping made me sad. And with Light's memories following that, it made it worse….

"Come now, Sayu," said Light lightly, as he sat on the couch and I followed. "Aren't you going to say hello to your older brother?"

"I was getting there…," she mumbled, then looked at him. "'Hi, Big Brother; I missed you so much.' Is that better?"

Light smiled. "Yes; thank you."

She smiled back.

"I've got your lunch," said Sachiko, coming back in with a tray of tea and teacups. "I'll get that in a moment, but first here are your drinks…." She set them on the table and turned to Light. "It's nice seeing you again, Light." She looked to me. "And you too, Natsumi."

"Hug?" I asked her, adding hopefulness to my tone.

"Of course, dear," she said, and hugged me. "You must be so uncertain now, aren't you?" she asked, looking at me. "Life seems to throw death at you at the worst of times, doesn't it?" She smiled wearily, and I gave a sad smile in return.

"Too true," I agreed.

"Just know that we think of you like a part of our family, now, alright?" she asked.

"Thank you."

She smiled. "I'll go get your lunches." She looked to Light. "I know you haven't got a lot of time for a lunch break."

"Anything new, Sayu?" I asked as Sachiko headed off again.

"Not really…," she responded. "No. What about… what about you?"

"Oh we've got nothing new, really." (You used 'we' again, Natalie.) "I really should be coming over more often. We need to talk more often…. You know, the only time I had a real conversation with you was the first time I met you; do you remember?"

"Yeah…," she answered, her eyes momentarily hazy. "I remember."

Sachiko came back in with a tray of onigiri, still smiling. This home seemed to be a smiley place, despite all the pain that had nestled here. "Light, you should be coming over more often," she said as she handed me a plate and I mumbled a thank you. "We hardly see you anymore."

"Yeah," Sayu agreed almost absently. "I like when you come over, Big Brother…."

"We do understand that you're busy, though," said Sachiko as she sat herself down to eat with us. "Especially with Kira back again, and all."

Something flickered in Sayu's eyes, and she straightened up. "Big Brother, don't be on the Kira case this time," she said, her eyes wide and her voice firm and clear and worried. "Please don't get yourself hurt again. …Or killed…."

"Sayu…," said Sachiko, her eyes sad again.

"Sayu, I'm fine," Light said reassuringly. "Don't worry; the NPA isn't on the Kira case anymore; I'm only working on normal police stuff."

She relaxed a little. "Okay…. Light… just be careful…."

"Of course I will, Sayu," he assured her, his voice lowering to a gentle tone. I merely took a bite of my onigiri, feeling ever so slightly out of place.

It wasn't long before Light and I finished our rice balls and tea, and soon we were giving our farewells to Sayu and Sachiko. As we exited the gate, I looked at Light one last time before we parted ways. His eyes were tired. This wasn't the Light that had written in the notebook for years, and had gotten used to it. This was the Light trying to adjust to being Kira, and one just had to look at his eyes to see that he was tired. It was beginning to weigh down on him again. But it was like a cycle, and he would get used to it…. One always did.

We walked separate ways without saying goodbye; we didn't have to. Normally, I would have gone the same direction as him. He was, after all, walking to NPA headquarters. I, however, had to stop at my house to grab a slice of apple crisp for Matsuda. I promised to bring him some. I'd made it last Monday, in a way to help Anna feel better after what had happened that night. I mean, she was nearly killed, why not make her some apple crisp? And she'd eaten a fair amount, too, all things considered.

As I walked, I pulled out my cell phone, heading to my contacts in order to call Mikami. I hadn't contacted him in awhile, and I just needed to make sure he was alright. "Hello?" his voice came in on the other end of the line.

"Hello, Mikami," I answered pleasantly. "It's Natsumi. Natalie, if you will."

"Yes; hello. As you know, not many people can call me anyhow."

"True; true," I conceded. "How are things?"

"As normal as they can be, considering the circumstances," he said. "I'm still trying my best to make myself at home."

"That's good," I told him. "I'm assuming you're still doing your work?"

"Of course. Sometimes it's the only thing I do…."

"It makes sense. You don't have much to occupy yourself with. And that's good, anyway. More work from you just means a better world."

I could feel him smiling. "Yes, Lady, I suppose you're right."

I raised my eyebrows. "Lady?" I repeated.

"Sorry—I've gotten into the habit of calling you that in my head. Lady and Goddess." He sounded ever so slightly embarrassed. If that's the right word. Maybe just…drawn back. I suppose falling apart and pulling himself together again had changed his character a bit, too, hadn't it?

I only smiled. "It's fine, Mikami. Just don't do that when you know you can't, alright?"

"Of course. It's just… I look ahead." He seemed to draw himself up again to the calm man he was. He was getting better now, at least. "Sometimes I just look ahead to the world that will be; the world that I hope I will be a part of. I look ahead and think of how the world will look up to God – Light, that is, and you…. You, as the Goddess. That's how I imagine it, anyway. Sometimes it's all one can do, with too much time on their hands and in a place where the progress seems stagnant."

"That is very true, Mikami. Now, I am almost home and my niece will be waiting. You'll continue in your work, yes?"

"Of course."

"And you're doing alright?"

"Yes, I'm just fine."

I smiled again. "Then good. I will contact you again eventually."

"Alright."

"Goodbye, Mikami," I said, and closed the cell phone before putting it back in my pocket.

I greeted Anna when I reached home, and we talked for a minute as I put a slice of apple crisp in a container, and then in a plastic bag to carry. Then I was off again, and heading to NPA headquarters to give my treat to Matsuda. I walked among the pedestrians of Tokyo, my mind wandering contentedly. Nothing new there. This went on for awhile, but as I passed another insignificant alley someone bumped into me, causing me to stumble sideways towards the dark alleyway. Before I could catch my balance, someone grabbed me and pulled me into the dark, shoving something sweet-smelling in my face, smothering my mouth and nose. I dropped the apple crisp, but it barely made a sound to my ears. I grabbed with ebbing strength at my holder's arms, but they only shoved the sweet-smelling cloth even more into my face. The world grew fuzzy; faded as dizziness took hold of me and sent me into darkness.

So, um, hope you enjoyed the slightly short chapter. I hope nothing's wrong with it- I only got to do a quick edit just before updating, meaning right now. Soo... ^^;

Fun Fact: That awkward conversation with Sam and L? Real-Life Sam wanted it to happen. And yes. It happened in reality. xD

Review? For, ah, showers.