My good lord Kira.

I don't think an apology can make up for not updating until September.

But.

Because of my blunder and my having a conscience, I vow to work on this story no matter what! *determined pose* Weekly updates again starting this week! Once a week now, probably on Wednesdays even though it's Monday today. =7= I just hope I didn't lose too many readers, my dears-

And now to respond to my dear reviewers!

Mr. Lawliet: Staying positive and happy is the way to go! Your review is from It Is Written, but hello there~ ^^

random: It's quite alright that it's been awhile; uhh... I'm sorry it's been awhile updating. ^^;

Guest: Sorry we don't go to the same church, bro. It would have been rad, though~

Random anon: Thank you for the not-oatmeal-raisin cookie. ;v; I'm so glad you like these so much- I hope you forgive my late updating-

HappinessIsShame: Oh, thank you thank you thank you! eve Oh lordy, I have such trouble with fluff - I am surprised but glad that you liked it so~

GrellPlease: I completely agree. I've always liked Grell more than Sebastian xD

Flubblr: Bucking Fuffalos. Hell ye.

Dr. kwoolaid:Ooo, an It Is Done reviewer. I-ah-I didn't think of that actually- Light probably burned that page. Yeah. Let's go with that. *shifty eyes*

Dr. Fab: I don't care that you're reviewing a previous story. I still hope you see this. I love you, and I love your name, and thank you very much. Yes.

CRITICAL: WAIT WHAT DID I DO IS IT BECAUSE I TOOK SO LONG OR DID I KILL SOMEONE IMPORTANT THAT I FORGOT OR-? I'M SO SORRYYY ;A;

imathel: Y-yeah, I did have a busy summer, and now a lot's going on, but that's no excuse to stop updating without a word- I'm terrible. It...isn't finished yet...but I am going to do my best to do so! *determined pose* No matter what! Yeah! And...uh...I guess a part of me figured you people would forget about the story after a month anyway... ^^; Since I evidently forgot myself... I'm so happy that it's that important to you reviewers... ;v; But those of you who have been waiting-I've updated for you, dear. I hope you like it-

I wasn't surprised when Anna came home that day with Light in tow. Although, that may have been because I knew it would happen the moment Anna arrived on Light's doorstep and asked him to come over. It was weird of her to do, though. Either this had something to do with Near, or Anna really was feeling lonely… and more than I'd thought. She had spoken her of her worries about how the four of us were growing apart, so….

In any case, Light saw no harm in coming over. If Near wanted to make a move while he was out of the house, then fine. We'd let him do that. In the long run, it would make no difference. If anything, Light would just have to be more careful in his own home. He wouldn't be living in it for much longer anyhow….

"So," said Anna as she pulled out Monopoly, "what have you both been doing lately, guys?"

I furrowed my brow. "Working. Coming home. Eating. Sleeping. Why?"

"Don't you go on dates?"

I felt myself get a little warmer. "Oh. So that's what you meant. Um."

"Not very often, Anna, but every so often," Light conceded. "We went to the café you know from the manga not too long ago, in fact."

I lifted my glass and took a sip of my water. We had gone there together; yeah – on the thirteenth. But that was to meet BB, and even at this point I was still uncomfortable with these white lies when it came to Anna. Was it really necessary to lie then? My mindset was usually along the lines of, 'Tell the truth whenever possible, and even when you lie, inject as much truth as you can.' Even as Kira, that's what I thought. With Light, though, he sometimes just lied without even knowing it. The only reason he realized it at that moment was because I noticed. But we guessed it was harmless, so we moved on.

"Aww," Anna responded, and giggled. "You should do that more often."

"We won't need to," Light said easily, and I elbowed him with a frown. He just smiled.

"What do you mean?" asked Anna, but Light just closed his eyes.

"We don't have time for those kinds of things anyhow…," he said to her.

"What about you and Near?" I suggested. "You two should go out on a date."

"No," Anna answered simply as she took the dog figure and set it on the start box. "That won't happen."

I pouted at her. "Poo you, Anna; you're no fun. Why not? You both need to soften up."

"Just shut up, Aunt Natalie," Anna huffed. Light chuckled. "Aunt Natalie, can I spend more time with you?" she asked me after a period of silence.

I blinked. "Of course, Anna; as long as I'm not at work. Will Near be okay with that?"

"I'm sure he would be. We don't usually do much anyway, and sometimes I think he doesn't like me very much."

"That's just rude," Light remarked as he slid his car eight spaces forward.

"Aw, Anna…." I sighed. "You know, I still miss when you were younger."

"Me too," she answered almost wistfully. "I never really wanted to grow up in the first place…." She paused. "I just miss you, Aunt Natalie. I want you back."

I blinked again, then smiled. "Well, I do live with you. I'm always here if you need me."

"…Right…."

"You don't sound very convinced," Light remarked.

Anna shrugged. "Things are different. They changed. And I want the way it was back. I can get little things. You guys can be in love, Sierra can be gone, Sam can move away, and we can be older…. But I want the Aunt Natalie I remember back. I feel like something changed, and I can't tell what, but I don't like it…."

I just gazed at her, even though she didn't look up at me. "…I'm sorry," was all I said.

And I swear I meant it.

Sierra bit at her fingernail absently, thinking of everything and staring at nothing. Matt was nearby, lying out on the couch with one foot on the ground while he played one of his video games. Mello was also close, working on the computer at the multi-chaired desk. He was looking up information on the police force, trying to figure out who was working on the Mello Case. His case. Trying to find him…. Mello was a decent hacker himself, even though he was nowhere near as good as Matt could be. If Matt could be skilled at anything besides lazing around, it would be all things electronic. That, or remembering numbers. He was pretty damned good at that, too.

Sierra could admit that she wasn't very happy in that moment. It wasn't that she was sad, but Mello was tense and irritated and she felt a little lonely with both of her only company doing their own thing. Mello had been pretty distant ever since that phoenix guy came and stole me away. And that was a month ago. Over a month ago, actually.

The chocoholic was angry and determined to win. Not only was he determined, he was obsessed. He'd win.

That mindset had changed slightly, at least. Now his thought process was not, 'I will win,' rather, now it was, 'We will win.' And in the end, that was what made all the difference in Sierra's eyes. He had added her to his mindset (even before the final step was reached, if you remember), and now there was a sense of unity in more than the mind sync. A sense of each caring about the other.

Despite that, though, for right now, Sierra felt pretty lonely. I mean, she knew Matt and Mello were there, she was just not being paid attention to, and she was bored. What to do; what to do…. She sighed lightly and looked around, picking at the nail of her left ring finger with her teeth. She thought about things. All sorts of things. The topics would jump around, scrambled yet organized in their own special way, scattered collectively in her half of the mind.

She thought of Near. Just the thought made her irate – oh, look, Mello was rubbing off on her – and so she tried to imagine him getting bitten by a Chihuahua. And thinking of Near led her mind to think of sheep. Sheep were so fluffy. She'd love to pet one; it was too bad they reminded her of Near…. And so she thought of wool and how annoyingly itchy it was to wear…. She thought of clothes and all the styles there were, thinking about how she had her own style now…. This made her think of Sam…. And thinking of Sam brought her thoughts back to the other three from her world, which made her kinda sad.

She hoped Anna was okay. Despite her time apart from her, Sierra was still her big sister, and she sincerely hoped she was alright…. She kinda wished they could be together again, though she didn't know how that would work at the moment…. It would be great to have her here with Matt and Mello – with her – but Anna liked Near far better than Mello or Matt, and that just wouldn't work out.

Sierra frowned. She wanted to be with Anna, and she really, really hoped nothing had happened to her… or would happen to her anytime soon…. She thought about how her absence might affect her…. Imagine; her big sister wasn't there for her anymore…. Sierra frowned deeper, gnawing at her nail almost irritatedly. Damned Kira; that was the problem…. But remember you were one of them, she reminded herself, and her eyes narrowed slightly.

She thought about me. She loved me, true, but she knew what I was doing, with or without the proof. And right now, Mello came before me. Had it really come to this? And here Mello was, getting ready to kill someone with that notebook. Here the three of them were, ready and willing to go to any and all ends to reach their goal. Yet Sierra herself had once been on their enemy's side…. My side…. Not even necessarily on the side of Kira, but… we were family. No, more than that; we'd been friends. Now she was working against me, competing against her sister, and was supposed to be loathing the side that Sam was on, who by the way was a good friend as well. I mean, Mello respected L, but in all honesty he didn't like the guy very much. Not after he decided to leave for Russia to abandon the Kira Case back in March.

Sierra's mindset switched, and she stopped questioning her relationships for the moment. Now she was wondering who the real enemy was…. Although Mello was working to catch Kira… he was really only working to beat Near… so was Near the true enemy? Yet Mello had nearly sacrificed himself last time around to help Near and defeat Kira, so….

Mello stopped tapping at the computer and turned around to face the couches where Sierra and Matt were. He spoke in his usual slightly-irritated voice. "Sierra, I love you, but could you stop over-thinking everything? It's distracting."

Sierra went red after the first four words and just stopped thinking for awhile. Mello smirked slightly, satisfied with the reaction, and returned to his work.

Too bad Matt completely missed the moment.

L walked down a long corridor. The ceilings were high and the handles on every door went to his shoulder. Perhaps, he thought, I am a child.

The hallway had a pleasant feel, and every few moments he would switch frames of mind. L to Sam. Boy to girl. In place to out.

Neither of them recognized this place, but as he or she or they walked, their shadows would be off. The darkness would have a different step, or it would move a little different, or it would disappear for a moment before reappearing once again. And they could both feel it looking at them, whoever they happened to be at the time. Whispering.

'Don't trust these doors,' it murmured in their ears. 'Trust nothing and no one. Nothing deserves trust. Not even us. That's why we lie. Lie, and they can't see what's hiding. Lie and you can hide. Lie and you'll be safe. Lie and stay secluded. You are nothing, remember. I killed you.'

No, thought L. Liar. You can't kill me.

But they kept walking, and despite the warnings uttered by their shadow, L was drawn to one of the doors. They hesitated, the frame shifting to the hand of a young girl – Sam – once more before returning to L and remaining there. He opened the door tentatively, and walked into a place that was once his home. He felt intrigued. Perhaps if their being was of Samantha when they opened that door, it would have been her old home. Perhaps; perhaps. Oh, the possibilities.

L took only two steps in before he stopped. Someone was waiting for him. A figure stood up from the couch; a man in a long black coat. He turned to greet L, and smiled. "Ah, my little genius," he said. "You're home."

Young L could only stare at his father and walk numbly forward, until at last he stumbled into the man's embrace. He looked up at his father's face. He was exactly as he remembered. "Daddy," he spoke without thought, "I grew up. Aren't you proud?"

"Did you get rid of them?" he responded, and L's smile faltered. "Did you get rid of your demons?"

His shadow seemed to cackle, and L looked down to where his shadow should be to find it had gone. He looked around to find it, but couldn't. L grew older and taller as he searched, and soon he was almost his father's height. It was only then that L could see his shadow over his father's shoulder, a somehow tangible figure of darkness with pure white circles for eyes. The thing seemed to smile at L. Suddenly L was a child again in his father's arms, lifted into a hug as he yelled, "Look out!" before his shadow plunged a knife into his father's back. His father fell, and L fell with him, down and down and down….

The detective's eyes opened. It was still dark. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before he frowned up at it and rolled over on his side. This is one of the many reasons I don't sleep, he thought dully. He focused his grey eyes on Sam. She, too, was awake, and she turned in order to face him as well.

"…Hi," she said awkwardly.

"I'm sorry for sleeping."

Sam just furrowed her brow at him. "Don't be sorry for sleeping," she scoffed. "I don't mind nightmares…."

"Liar."

She drew her lips into a thin line. "Okay, yeah, they're unnerving, but it's okay because I like having a person with me when I sleep."

L only turned onto his back again, a faint smile touching upon his lips. "You know, Samantha…" he said softly, "…I think, if my father were alive, he would have loved to meet you. And I think he'd like you. I think he'd approve of my choice."

Sam was quiet, and so he turned his head to look at her. She was blushing.

He smiled just a bit more. "Yes…." He gripped her hand, and his voice grew softer and somehow more child-like. "He would approve…." He closed his eyes. "Daddy would approve who I chose as my lover, I think. I think he'd really like you…." His voice trailed off.

Sam was still silent, trying to stave off the blush that simply could not be overcome. "…Stop it, you're making my face red," she said eventually, her voice as soft as his had been, but L had fallen back to sleep. She only looked at him, smiling with one hand over her mouth. "He's so adorable…." With that, she lay back on her back and stared at the ceiling. "You know…" she said to no one, "…I would have loved to have met him, too." The silence enveloped them then, and as Sam didn't like the silence, she closed her eyes and let herself drift away again too.

Light took me to the Stockholm restaurant that Wednesday. We'd gone there once before, with Matsuda. In case you don't remember, this was the place where the clumsy waitress, Kamiko, had thought Light was proposing to me when he picked up the napkin ring that had fallen to the floor. She had also been the one to spill Light's water onto Matsuda. She seemed fun to be around.

As it turned out, we got the same waitress this time, and we recognized her immediately even though I no longer had the Eyes to see her name. She looked about the same, with brown eyes and brown hair pulled back into a messy bun. She smiled at the two of us. "Hello, I am Kamiko and I will be your waitress," she said warmly, and both of us smiled in turn.

"Yes, didn't we have you as a waitress before?" asked Light. "I seem to remember you."

"Um…." She brushed a stray strand of hair back behind her ear. "Maybe. I'm sorry; I don't seem to remember…."

Light smiled at her. "I was the one you thought was proposing to my girlfriend when she dropped her napkin ring."

Kamiko blinked before recognition came across her features. Her face went pink. "Oh! You remember that? I'm so sorry…."

Light only laughed warmly. "Don't apologize. It made a nice memory, don't you think?"

Kamiko shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah, I guess…." She looked at me. "Aren't you her? You're still together?"

"Oh, yes," Light smiled.

I smiled weakly in turn.

She put both her hands to her mouth and squeaked. "Oh; I'm so glad, then!"

I shifted uncomfortably.

"Oh!" Kamiko yelped, and scrambled to pull out her notebook. "What would you like to drink?"

Light just got water. I got a Shirley Temple. 'Cause I'm fancy like that.

Without Matsuda there with us, there was little to no conversation. It was all in our heads…. Light was smiling ever so slightly throughout the dinner, completely calm even though his eyes were concealing a glimmer of vague anticipation. Both of us knew what was coming, so it wasn't like it was any sort of surprise for either of us. It would be a nice surprise for Kamiko, though. And just as Light was ever smiling, albeit slightly, I could not get the pink off of my cheeks for the life of me. I was constantly a little bit warmer than usual. Granted, it was August, but still.

We ate our food and enjoyed it just as much as last time, despite the fact there was no fun spilling of drinks onto Matsuda's shirt. Although, Kamiko nearly dropped my food spilled it all over the floor…. Luckily, she didn't, but still. Poor girl. Honestly.

In the end, we even had room for dessert. We got the same thing as last time: a rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon powder. Light wiped his mouth with his cloth napkin after he'd finished his rice pudding, the glimmer hidden in his eyes less concealed now. I was nearly finished with my own.

"Did you enjoy your dinner?" he asked casually, setting his napkin back on the table.

"Oh, yes," I answered for conversation's sake. "It was very nice. Fancy and delicious."

His ever-present smile grew. "I'm glad you liked it," he said.

"Did you enjoy yours?"

"Of course."

I soon finished my pudding, and something seemed to catch Light's eye behind me. He chuckled softly. "I'd come here again, you know," he said making a gesture with his hand and knocking his napkin ring onto the ground.

I made a sound as I watched it drop, then watched Light drop onto his knee as I drew my lips into a thin line. Smoothly, he pulled a black box out of his pocket and held it out to me, opening with just as much simple charm. My face wasn't pink anymore, but red as I stared at the silver band resting in the box's velvet lining. There was a clatter behind me, and Light smiled at the sound.

"Will you marry me?" he asked easily.

I could only force my head to nod, and he slid the engagement ring onto my finger before got to his feet and kissed me wordlessly.

There was a broken kind of sound behind me, which grew to excited wail as Light pulled away. We both looked to see Kamiko standing there with both hands to her mouth, tears in her eyes, and her empty tray on the ground. She stared at us. "You're really doing it? You're really getting married this time?"

Light smiled at her. "Yes, Miss Kamiko."

Only then did Kamiko truly squeal out of joy. "I'm so happy for you!" she cried. And there were people looking at us with smiles on their faces. It was making me even more uncomfortable and awkward and warm and red, but despite it all I found myself smiling.

Eventually Light would pay the bill and we would leave the restaurant, Kamiko bidding us farewell with tears of joy in her eyes. Then we would walk out onto the sidewalk beneath the bright city lights and the rising full moon. His hand was clasping mine, and he didn't let go. Not that I minded. I found myself gazing at the silver band on my left hand, glistening in the lights and in the moonlight.

"Was that really necessary?" I asked him.

He smiled again. "Of course it was. You know me well enough to know I have to be the dramatic."

"…Right…."

"When do you think we should have the wedding?"

"I-I don't know. I guess it's not an option to just be married secret?"

Light just laughed.

We walked until I began tire just slightly. Then we would stand close in a bus as we waited to stop closer to my home. Either way, we would have a bit to walk upon getting off again, and I was happy with that. Walking silently side-by-side was nice. The lights of my house weren't as bright as the lights of the city. They were warm and welcoming as we drew closer. He stopped us on my doorstep so he could kiss me goodbye and goodnight…. But he lingered near even after, and smiled as my face grew red again.

His voice was low as he spoke. "I know it will fade someday," he said to me quietly. "I know that it's possible I won't feel this anymore. That's why I'm showing it now. And I know you know this, but…." He smiled. "I want to hold you while your heart still beats faster in that moment. I want to kiss you while it isn't an act. I want to make you blush while it has a purpose. And one day soon, I'd like to make love to you while there is still love to make it true." And with that, he kissed my forehead and bid me goodnight before walking away down the driveway, leaving me blushing a deeper red than ever before.

Eventually I would go back into my home to find Anna waiting for me on the couch. She would notice my ring, and I would awkwardly explain what it meant, and she would be excited for its purpose. We conversed for awhile, but it was late and the full moon was high, so soon the both of us would go to our own respective beds to sleep.

...Fluff.

Fun Fact: So, Sierra has ADD and is distracted rather easily. =7=

Review? For the fact I've got a regular update again! ...Or, you know, Light's proposal, but-