Chapter 63

June 15th – 15th Day of Confinement

I haven't been able to get Ryuzaki out of my mind since that day. Every time I find myself spacing out, I'm thinking about that moment we shared, and my heart starts beating so fast I think it'll beat right out of my chest. After out shower we snuggled in bed until both of us fell asleep. When I woke up in the morning, he was still there and we stayed in bed for a while, enjoying each other's company. We took a break from the case to recharge our batteries and moral; we got to eat breakfast together too. I covered for Watari in the observation room while he made us waffles, and the whole time Ryuzaki sat in a chair next to me. Ryuzaki's waffles were slathered in syrup, naturally, but mine had white chocolate chips in them. By lunch, he was back on his way to headquarters and the taskforce. As I watched him leave my heart started to ache and with that, I found a new drive to finish this case as fast as possible so we could be together.

. . .

As far as the case is concerned, we've had a new development. Yesterday there was a mass culling of criminals. I'd estimate that it was probably two of three weeks' worth. More than enough to make up for the time Misa and Light have been in confinement. I was shocked as the information came in, the list of names just kept going and going, and the whole time Light and Misa were locked up tight. Ryuzaki immediately told me not to tell anyone, and I agreed, having a strong feeling that Rem had found a third Kira. Honestly, I half expected her to give me a heads up, but it doesn't matter considering I can see her and who ever she stands by would have to be Kira, that is how I found Misa the first time. Once we have a suspect, we can set a trap and I can confirm if the suspect is Kira or not by spotting Rem. 'Till then though, I'll sit here and look at the charts Ryuzaki made on the people who died recently, hopefully, I'll find some sort of pattern…

. . .

I lean back and rub my eyes, the ache from staring at the screens. Different columns dividing deaths in the past month by name, cause of death, and if Ryuzaki thinks their death was suspicious, mark my monitors. I also have a list of all the criminals who have appeared on tv recently on another monitor. I've been entering names into a program and if any come up twice it goes into a list of Kira's victims, and their cause of death gets highlighted. After balancing between multiple screens for hours my eyes need a break, and my stomach needs a snack.

I hate to say it, but there's no discernible pattern yet…I can definitely tell this is a different person though…Light as Kira killed criminals but strayed from the petty ones for the most part…that is until Ryuzaki challenged him. Then he killed whoever he wanted as to say 'come and get me'…Light's pattern was decisive and deliberate…like an avenging God, reigning judgment…which makes sense…he seems like the type to develop a God complex…Misa on the other hand showed a spike in the murders of female criminals, criminals who attacked women, and anyone in the media who spoke out against Kira's ideals. It wasn't uncommon for us to find domestic violence criminals on our list of Kira victims…and that pattern continued until we caught her…except the part where she killed media people, I think Kira Light told her to stop that…With Misa we also found that she could kill with just a face…an it's too early to tell what this Kira needs…how much power they possess…at the moment though I'd bet they need both a name and a face, he doesn't have 'the eyes' like Misa did. She wanted to make the world a better place like Light, but she didn't have a God Complex, but more like a disciple. When she killed those officers…when she killed Ukita…she was acting in what she thought was Kira's favor…Ukita…I should bring new flowers to his grave…

"Chief! Kira's started killing again!" Matsuda's voice startles me out of my own head and I nearly jump out of my skin.

What the actual fuck Matsuda!

Chief Yagami jumps up from his chair sending it across the floor with a metal screech. He looks at the camera with hope in his eyes. His hard is disheveled and his face unshaven. "What?!"

"Kira was only resting. He's started punishing criminals again." Matsuda's voice comes through excited as ever and I have a hard time imagining Ryuzaki giving him permission to tell the Chief this when he told me not to tell anyone. It's much easier to imagine Matsuda running up and just doing it.

Too bad you're wrong Matsuda, Kira wasn't resting…there's just another one now…

I sigh, lean back, fold my arms, and watch it all play out. The Chief is beside himself; he can't believe his ears. "Matsuda are you sure?! That means…my son…I know I shouldn't be happy when people are dying but…wait, this is Ryuzaki we're dealing with…He won't clear Light…not just yet…" He trails off and the hope fades from his eyes as he turns from the camera. He grows quiet and I wonder what's going through his head.

"Um…well I'd say he's in the grey…" Ryuzaki's unaltered voice comes through the speaker, he sounds uncertain and awkward. I can just see the taskforce staring him down, forcing him to say something.

"Did you hear that Chief?!" Matsuda comes back still excited; the hope returns to the Chiefs eyes.

"Yeah, that's great news! He was definitely guilty in Ryuzaki's eyes yesterday…thank god…" He trails off at the end and sighs in relief.

Technically he's still guilty, but with your logic he would have been 'in the grey' yesterday…but whatever…

"He's probably one shade from being cleared!" I sigh at Matsuda's blatant optimism and naivety.

It doesn't work that way Matsuda…

Everything quiets down again as Watari returns with drinks and snacks. It's amazing that he always knows when I need brain food. He hands me a cup and I accept it with a 'thank you' and a nod. I take a sip and smile, it's strawberry lemonade, and it hits the spot. He sets down a plate with crackers and cheese and I pop a cracker in my mouth.

"Light…" My eyes travel to Light's screen as Ryuzaki addresses him in his modded voice. Light's sitting in front of his cot with his head hung low and his arms bound together behind him. It was something new Ryuzaki thought to try to make Light confess. Personally, I thought it was inhumane to make him sleep cuffed, so I made Ryuzaki agree to a sort of schedule; I'd remove Lights restraints during mealtimes, and when he was going to sleep. That doesn't mean that he hasn't fallen asleep cuffed before though.

Light doesn't look up as he responds. "What is it Ryuzaki?"

"It's been two weeks with no criminals killed. Why don't you confess to being Kira already?"

The challenge gets Light to raise his head. "Don't be ridiculous Ryuzaki." I can see the irritation in his eyes. The contrast between Kira Light and Pure Light hits me again, almost as if I had somehow forgotten.

Light still committed murder, there's no doubt about that, but without the corruption of the Death Note is it really possible to charge Light as a serial killer? If he never got his hands on the book would he ever have developed that God complex and would he still want to change the world, rid it of criminals? Does the Death Note create murderers or are all the psychological ingredients there and it just awakens them? Amplifies feelings that are already there? Is it possible that with this power it could make anyone go dark? Even me? Are there people who can resist its powers? Or does the Death Note create Kira in people like a dark seed? With the evidence in front of me I can't say this Light would have gone dark on his own…that book had to have corrupted him…

"Ryuzaki you're wrong." Light speaks up again, his tone pleading, desperate. "I can understand how you came to the conclusion that I'm Kira, but this is a trap! I'm being set up! I'm not Kira! Zoom in on my, my eyes, do they look like the eyes of someone who's lying? Are these the eyes of a killer? Let me out Ryuzaki! Please!" I sigh as Light stares at the camera, desperation plastered across his face.

No...those aren't the eyes of a liar or a killer…anymore.

He struggles weakly against his bonds but gives up and goes back to hanging his head.

Has light given up?

"Amane…you really don't know who Kira is?" Ryuzaki's modded voice comes through Misa's speaker next, but something isn't right about his tone. I can't tell what it is but something's off.

Is Ryuzaki…shaken?

"That again…I wish I knew…" Misa sounds exhausted and her voice is hoarse. I make a mental note to give her some water after all this is over. "Kira's a hero, he punished the burglar who killed my family when the law wouldn't." I sigh.

I read about that when we first labeled her a suspect…poor girl came home to her family bleeding out all over the floor. From a psychological point of view, I can see how she felt an obligation to repay him for 'exacting vengeance' on her family's murderer…but what she doesn't realize is that, for Light. It wasn't about her, revenge, or her family…it was just another name on a list...

Ryuzaki doesn't respond to Misa and after waiting a minute I take it as a sigh that he's done questioning them for now. I stand and make my way to her cell to give the poor girl some water.

If Light's plan was for Rem to find a third Kira and push us into a situation where we'd have to free him and Misa, how long did he think it would take? Did he plan to help us find the third Kira and then take back the power? He had to know that it would take a lot more than a third Kira to convince Ryuzaki…we know that they were Kira…and I can accept that they passed the power on, so to speak, that they're not Kira anymore…But I also saw Ryuk and Rem leave. Ryuzaki didn't…and no matter how much I feel he trusts me I don't expect him to take me at my word. Ryuzaki knows Light was Kira and I have a feeling he'll keeping trying to prove it for as long as he can. Eventually we're gonna hit that point where we can't confine them anymore, what then? And what about this new Kira? What will happen if Kira 3 comes in contact with Misa or Light? I don't think Ryuzaki will just let them waltz out of here knowing they used to be Kira, but we're in a tight spot…Light thought three steps ahead and I hate to say it, but this is starting to look like a game of chess we might not win…but that doesn't mean we won't lose the match.

Hi there, hope everyone had a good Christmas! I kinda expected an influx of comments from ch 61 and 62 lol but there was nothing. Did anyone get the chance to read them yet? i need some feedback here .

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well there were no comments so i'll start typing 64. i'm already writing 65 too *sighs* i have this habit of over writing...no one really cares how Misa gets from the confinement room to the car but i apparently think it's necessary to write about how Suzuki went and got her and how she took her bonds off and how Misa took a shower...before we even get to the damn car...i'll have to see what i can do about cutting it down...but the interaction between characters and showing what we don't see in the anime and manga are what make this fic special. that's why it's called the Other Side. We see Light's but not L's and what happens with the task force an such...so idk...but we're getting to the Yotsuba Arc! Doesn't that mean that we're half done? i hope you all are still interested!