I do not own Death Note or any of the characters created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takseshi Obata. I'm just a huge fan. The million other original characters in this story belong to me.

The room was alive with electricity. The affable light that had glinted in Light Yagami's eyes now flashed to cold malice. My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced over at L, busy on the computer, unaware of the change. Something was badly wrong and it wasn't Yagami's constant mood swings. We had been accustomed to them for months, even having private discussions at night about our concerns. Jude had grown more and more frustrated as time had went on for the simple reason that of all the minds in the world, Light's was the one he could not read.

But with that split-second change in his expression I suddenly could. And it bloody terrified me beyond words.

Kira had never left after all.

Chapter 1 - Ghosts

Madrid, Spain – June 2007

I woke up with a start, a scream strangled in my throat. It always was so real, the memories of Tokyo and Kira and how close we had all come to oblivion. The familiar typing abruptly ended and in one fluid motion, L joined me on the bed, pulling me into his arms as he usually did and murmuring. "Another nightmare, G?"

I nodded, still unable to speak, the fear still as prevalent as it had always been. My first case outside of the U.K. and I had almost royally botched it. It still embarrassed me to think about it. I clung to him tightly and sighed. "We all almost- Jude, Wammy, you…"

Above my head, I heard an exasperated groan. "Cassandra Grace, for the last time, it's over. We have survived, Light Yagami is dead…"

As my heart rate slowed, I grew perturbed with his dismissal. "I know that, I am bloody fully aware of it, L. It doesn't make it any better when I'm assaulted with it in my sleep, it's not like I can defend myself when I'm unconscious."

He was silent and started stroking my hair. "It has been months since we closed the case. I worry that it still is causing you such pain."

I pulled apart from him to give him a pointed look in the darkened hotel room. "If this is about seeing that Harley Street quack…"

"It's not a terrible suggestion, to be prescribed a sleeping aid, dearest."

"Ha, pot meet kettle."

I could tell he was frowning as my eyes adjusted to the light emanating from his laptop in the corner of the room. "I have every right to be concerned. The night terrors have never been this often and they come without the slightest provocation."

My eyes widened. "Without provocation? L, we all almost died. They are more than bleeding night terrors. It's more akin to post traumatic stress."

"Exactly why you should see the doctor, G."

"Rubbish." I crossed my arms. "I wish I had stayed asleep."

He gave me a bemused smile and took my hand. "Nonsense, now that you have awoken you may assist me with the correspondence I have just received."

"Sleep is sounding worlds better than that." I rejoined but let him lead me to his computer at the desk. "So, what is it this time?"

L clicked on a file embedded in an email. "You have the artless way of rejecting an idea without treading on someone's feelings, an ability I sadly lack. I greatly have need of your aid now." He turned the screen completely towards me, his face full of displeasure. "Liam wishes me to wear that."

I couldn't suppress the urge to giggle. "Oh my." Liam and Anne's idea of their traditional English wedding had apparently expanded to include morning suits. Always a charming look, but to imagine L in one required a stretch of the imagination that I wasn't capable of at half five in the morning. "I especially like the top hat."

"Of course you would say that. I cannot wear this, G. Why must he insist on his groomsmen dressing up at all?"

I leaned against him, trying to smother my laughter in his shoulder. "People dress up when they are in weddings, L. In fact, shocking as it may be, people also dress up when they are getting married."

"Well, I didn't." L replied with an indignant sniff.

"Yes, yes I know. I was there, remember?"

His miffed look melted away as he sat me down on his lap. "So you were."

"Otherwise you would have married yourself."

"I'm painfully aware of that."

"Anyway," I draped my arms around his neck and dropped my head down to his ear. "I am certain you can fight your own misgivings and do something nice for Liam and Anne who, after all, postponed their wedding just so it could be certain their dear friend, L could attend…"

He cleared his throat and I could sense him weakening. "It, it was rather kind of them to accommodate me in that regard, yes…"

"And, mind you, it's one day. The service, the wedding breakfast and then you'll be free of it." I left a kiss by his ear as I finished my plea. "It will mean ever so much to Anne…"

He tried one last argument fruitlessly. "I will look so foolish."

"Hasn't truly been something you worried about before. Why start?"

L fixed me with a pointed look. "Not the best attempt at a compliment, Grace."

I chuckled in agreement. "Well remember the hour. I'm not my best in the middle of the night."

"Oh I don't know…" his arms snaked around my waist as a devilish grin formed on his lips. "Sometimes that's when you do your best work."

I flushed scarlet and cleared my throat. "Erm, anyway, it's not like you haven't worn disagreeable clothing in the past, like ties… and skirts."

The smile vanished. "The female attire, as you are well aware, was for a case. There would be no reason I would voluntarily choose to dress like a woman apart from that."

"Yes, I know that too. Here, think of the wedding as a mission, one where you have a truly important job, and the suit is required to complete your objective." When I could tell he wasn't being swayed by my argument, I gave him a winsome smile and started toying with his wild black hair. "And you won't wear it long, I can assure you of that…"

"Now you are appealing to my finer nature." He murmured before stealing a long kiss that made my heart explode with the contact. Nothing had changed in the almost two years since our first kiss in the hallways of Wammy's. I marveled at the sheer power of feeling every time.

When his fingertips started to slide my nightgown strap off my shoulder, I playfully protested. "Now, now, I thought you were working."

"I was…. I should return to it, after all, that's the only reason we are getting this break to go back to Winchester is if I complete my investigation as planned…" He gave his laptop a cursory glance and shrugged. "But it isn't like I can't catch up. I am me after all."

I grinned and easily let myself be distracted with his touches and lips from the thoughts that never really left the back of my mind. Yes, it had been months, but the Kira case had changed me, I could feel it with every fiber of my being. The world wasn't the same, and neither for that matter, was L. He had only gotten more protective as time passed and even more ardently affectionate, not that I minded that bit.

As he laid me down on the bed and resumed his kisses, I started losing myself to the feeling, finally forcing my fears to lie dormant for a short while as the pleasure intensified. To note that we had hardly had a moment alone during the Kira case would be a generous estimation so I understood why the need was so strong in both of us now. It seemed like we could never get close enough, which, after we'd had our fleeting mortality thrown in our faces was quite understandable.

"You are right, however." I whispered as sunlight started to stream through the windows, "I do have a way of rejecting an idea without treading on someone's feelings, don't I?"

L stopped short, holding himself above me as he realized what I meant. "Not exactly what I had in mind, being that I wished you to neutralize the suit issue, not endorse it. Hopefully next time, you will take my side."

"I always do." I smiled back at him. "But I couldn't pass up such an opportunity nonetheless."

My husband frowned but I could tell he was slightly pleased. "At least all of your negotiations aren't to solely benefit you. You could truly be a danger to the social order."

"Then it's a relief I work for the good guys, isn't it?"

"Very much so." His voice lowered as he slipped his shirt up over his head, revealing the G symbol I treasured on his chest. "After all, someone must keep you in line."

"Clever boy," I teased in return. "You almost made that seem like a chore."

"I may at times whinge on about work, but never this sort."

"It's much appreciated. Although you don't seem to complain about work nearly as much as you used to."

"Well," L paused with a thoughtful smile. "It stands to reason that with having you here such a feeling would decrease. Most of the complaints before were connected to that."

"I'm not just a stress reliever you know, Louie."

"Oh, I'm aware, you are so much more than that, my Grace."

My momentary frustration gave way to another burst of happiness and I pulled him toward me as my mobile started to buzz repeatedly by our heads.

"Blast it…"

"Leave it…"

'Ha, the first time you do such a thing, I'll follow suit." I managed to reach the phone just as it stopped its vibrations. "Damn, missed it."

"It was fate." L suggested as he pressed his lips against my neck.

"No, just bad timing." Closing my eyes to savor the feeling, I jolted when the mobile emitted one last buzz. I opened my eyes to see a text message superseding a calendar event announcing that today was the day we would finally step foot again in England. The text was a message of the same effect.

06:15 From: Annie:

YOU ARE COMING HOME TODAY! :D XD ;)

I had to grin when I showed the message to L. "Ah Anne, she always was an early riser. To think how you used to wish to be free to travel and now you cannot wait to return."

"Times change." I smiled to myself as I reread her text. "Home, we're going home."

For a Winchester girl who had spent far too long in Tokyo and now Madrid, it could truly not come fast enough.

AN: Okay, I'm going to make a go at this sequel again, but I'm definitely going to need my readers' awesome support! What do you want to see in this sequel? Which characters do you miss the most? I can't wait to hear it all!