A/N: God I literally went on a writing binge today.
So this will be the last chapter for today.
Read, review, and enjoy!
The crisp, night air was bittersweet. The procession of people walked in silence towards the gallows. Only a few held torches, casting shadows stretching far into the night. Light walked near L, wishing his last moments weren't approaching so quickly. Lawliet barely looked up from the floor, obviously determined to hold his composure. Behind them, Sachiko sobbed softly into her husband's cradling hold. The warm desert breeze whipped through Light's hair.
Light glanced at L, trying to decipher the boy's unusual expression. His lips parted as he gazed intently at his feet. Light opened his mouth to say something, then immediately closed it, deciding it was no good. His death was decided, and there was nothing he could do but accept it. It was difficult, though. He didn't want to die, not yet.
Sheriff Yagami led Light up the steps. His fingers trembled on his son's arms. "Light," he muttered. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be," Light said. "It was my fault. I'm sorry, dad, for everythin' I put you, ma, and Sayu through. I should've wrote. I should've come home."
His father didn't speak as he wrapped the noose around Light's neck. He stood over the trap door, gazing into the crowd watching silently. His eyes fell on L. All the immense passion he felt for him suddenly surged through his body. His last image would be of the boy who broke his heart twice watching him with a ghastly indifference. Light whimpered, wishing things had turned out differently. A. Kinan had only been a figment of his imagination. Otherwise, he would have had the chance to reconcile with L. He hung his head.
"Do you have any last words?" Sheriff Yagami choked as he approached the lever for the trap door.
"Don't do this, dad," Light suddenly found himself begging. "C'mon, ma, tell'em it's wrong. Please! Someone! Dad, ma...Lawliet. Lawliet, you gota stop this. Look at me! I'm seventeen fuckin' years old, I got so much to look forward to. Don't just fuckin' kill me, please!"
Tears poured down his cheeks as he continued to beg. Sachiko wailed, turning her back from his view. All eyes fell to the floor, except L's. He stared emptily up at Light, lacking any remorse or regret. He looked at Soichiro and nodded the okay.
"No, no, no, no!" Light begged. "Don't dad, stop! Lawliet, please!"
Suddenly, a mocking voice called from the night. "LAWLIET, PLEASE!"
Light froze, immediately recognizing the voice. "Oh Lawliet!" it called again.
L suddenly grabbed a torch from Deputy Mogi's hand and stomped it out. "Put out your torches!" he demanded. Matt threw down his torch, panic stricken. Everyone immediately followed.
The darkness blinded L, but at least it meant the ambushers couldn't see them either. "Come out, Lawliet. Come out, let's play a game. I have so much fun when I'm with you."
L shivered, pressing his back against the gallows. He hadn't heard that voice for a little over a year, yet it's unique, cool tone haunted L's memories. He gripped the gun at his side, straining his ears to figure out Beyond's location.
"What's going on?" Matsuda whimpered and was immediately hushed.
Beyond's approach was imminent. L's head immediately buzzed with ways to get them out safely out of the situation, but he couldn't think of anything. Between the patter of feet and Beyond's incredible hunting skills, running would do them no good. Beyond had the fastest hand when it came to shooting L had ever seen, so there was no way they could kill him without casualties. L's hairs stood on the back of his neck as Beyond called out for him again.
Something had to have been done.
He climbed up onto the gallows and immediately responded, "Why don't you come here?" The wind howled around him. He suddenly felt a hand grip his wrist. He jumped and turned, placing his palm on the hand to see who it belonged to. Light. Apparently, he had swung his bound hands to the front of his body.
"Lawli, you don't know what you're gettin' into," he voice was barely audible. "I sure as Hell don't know why he's callin' your name, but he wants me. I ran from him and I'm sure he ain't too happy 'bout that."
"No," L muttered. "He does want me. Let him take me, Light."
"No," Light whimpered. "You don't know what he'll do to you."
L placed a quivering hand on Light's. "Yes. I do. Come on, Beyond, I'm waiting. What have you got to show me? Another one of your boring tricks?"
A shot rang out in the dark. Someone groaned and a heavy thump was followed. "Deputy Ukita!" Matsuda cried out. "Oh God, someone help! He ain't breathin'!"
Immediately there was bustling in the darkness. L tried to protest to the noise, but found his body betrayed him again. He sunk to the floor, completely petrified. Light was suddenly by his side. His bound arms wrapped around L and silenced his muffled cries. He grabbed him and brought him onto all fours. Instinctively, he enveloped his body over L's to protect him.
Another shot rang out. Another thump. "Ide!" Sheriff Aizawa whimpered.
They stood around, waiting for the next shot to hit them. Soft sobs echoed from the group. Whispers were exchanged. Once more, Beyond called out: "Lawliet! They didn't hit you, did they? Oh, I hope not."
The voice came from behind. L snapped his neck around, only to have a figure lunge toward him and Light. Just like that, the ambush began. Screams erupted from the group as figures grabbed them from the darkness, silencing their cries. Light yanked L away from the silhouette perched on the gallows. He immediately recognized the hunched over look: Beyond. Beyond cackled and got on all fours. He slammed his palm on the wooden boards, the sound echoed across the chaos.
"Lawliet, I know you're here. Say something, let me find you." The shadow groped in front of him, approaching Light and Lawliet. Light clutched Lawliet tighter, pressing their bodies against one of the walls. They sat for what felt like hours as Beyond searched in front and behind him, finally discovering their location. He jumped at them, his face meeting Light's boot. He cried out, wriggling in pain on the floor.
"Let's go," Light grabbed Lawliet and dragged him from the confusion.
Matt glanced around, dodging any one who approached him. The darkness made it nearly impossible to see, but at full alert, he could hear them and almost make out their silhouettes. He ducked each attacker and headed for the black abyss. Once he got away from the commotion, he would be safe. A pang of guilt hit him, but he ignored it. There was nothing he could do. As he ran, he suddenly collided with another person. The person yelped and, before Matt could do anything, a gloved hand wrapped around his neck.
Matt immediately recognized the scent.
"Mello," he gagged.
Mello's fingers suddenly trembled and he immediately pushed Matt off of him. "Matt? You-you traitor," Mello howled. "What the Hell are you doin' here? You ran from me and went straight to L, you pathetic piece of shit? I'll kill you!"
Screams echoed around Matt as Mello lunged at him, knocking him onto the floor. He straddled his ex lover, the hold on Matt's neck tightened. A cool metal grazed the side of Matt's head. Matt froze, wishing he could find the right words to soothe Mello. But, Mello no longer loved him. Soft wisps of his golden hair grazed Matt's cheek. Mello's haggard breath tickled Matt's cheek. He smiled softly, memories of their love suddenly flooded back to him. Matt closed his eyes and only said, "Don't do it, Mello. I don't want you to do anything you won't regret."
A long, mangled cry bellowed from Mello's chest. "Who do you think you are talkin' to me like that? You ain't nothin' but a damn traitor to me."
"I'm sorry you think that, Mello," Matt muttered.
The cool gun suddenly left Matt's head and Mello stood up, his boot pressed against Matt's chest. Even in the blinding dark, Matt immediately recognized Mello was crying. His body wracked as soft sobs escaped his lips. He spit on Matt and too off. Matt lay in the darkness, listening to the dying chaos. The screaming turned into silence. Were they all dead? He buried his head into the dirt, listening desperately for any sign they were alive. There was only one voice he recognized.
"Where the FUCK did he go!" Beyond shouted. "Aren't you idiots supposed to be guarding the perimeter? Yet, you lose both Light and L? I thought this was going to be nice and easy, yet you let them escape."
Beyond stood up, slamming his fist against the gallow's only small wall, where Light and L had been hiding moments ago. It was the first time Matt heard Beyond angry. His voice slithered like poison from his tongue and his tantrum was one of an insane man's. He bellowed, howling directions at several men to find them. Matt knew it was his time to leave. He got up and started to run, stumbling from the fright.
As he ran, he heard Beyond's last words: "Find them! Once you do, bring them to me. Do not kill the one with the black hair, or you will die as well."