Untold; Into the Dark Of

By: PhoenixJustice

Disclaimer: Death Note is owned by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. I only own this story and make no profit from this.

Warning: M for sexual situations, slash, language, etc

Pairing: L/Light, Mello/Matt, Gevanni/Near, etc

Setting: Starts after the moment L dies as well as spoilers for the anime/manga.

Summary: My hands will forever be stained red.

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Part Fifteen-

Final Confrontation

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Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards. —Søren Kierkegaard

He grins as the footage that showed him the indeniable proof he was hoping to find; Naomi Misora in the company of one Light Yagami. It was inside of the NPA on the last day that Naomi Misora had been seen; they had their backs to the camera and there was no audio, but it was proof and it was a start. He was alone in the room for the moment as Rester and Lidner were off gathering more intel and Gevanni was busy tailing Mikami.

Piles of videotapes and DVD's littered the floor around him, mixed with many toys that also littered the room. Every single one of the screens were on and were showing different footage; he was watching them all.

Screen-watching was a developed skill he had honed early on when he, and his teachers, noticed that he was good at holding attention on many things at once, even if it looked like he wasn't always paying attention and/or interested.

The footage in front of him that showed Light Yagami and Naomi Misora was a powerful tool and one which provided a powerful insight into what happened to her, and who had seen her last. He was just putting in a couple DVD's of security footage Rester had gained, which were in various locations around the NPA area; hopefully he would hit another jackpot soon...

He was just about to hit play on the screens after watching the new footage; which showed a brief glimpse of them in a couple of them, but there was nothing other than them walking and stopping for a brief moment before taking off again, when the door behind him opens and Gevanni steps in. Gevanni turns and sees Near looking at him; their eyes lock. It was an almost awkward moment, but thankfully for them both, they were both good at keeping things in check and the moment passed smoothly.

Near allows himself a small moment to remember the previous day (and night) that they had shared. It had been a blur of hands and mouths, of groans and sighs and shudders. Names were cried out and he had also allowed himself the small allowance of being held against the older man as the aftershocks of pleasure faded and he fell into sleep. It was wonderful for a first experience, and when he had told the agent just that a while afterwards, Gevanni had moaned and he had taken Near beneath him again.

All in all, he was kind of sore, but he figured that came with the territory and it had been well worth it, even if he had missed some time when he could have worked on the case...

"How did the tailing of Mikami go?" Asked Near.

He wondered what he should call Gevanni now. Boyfriend? That seemed like too immature a word, even though Near knew that he himself was perhaps a bit younger than some might like, but he didn't care because he was smarter and more mature than many twice his age and older! Lover? He wasn't sure about calling him that; it almost seemed like a term that someone cheating on their spouse or significant other would say or something with the same equilvilancy...Still, lover was the closest thing his quick mind could think of and it didn't sound that bad...

Gevanni seemed momentarily started when Near speaks and breaks their silent staring (non)contest.

"Quite useful." Said Gevanni, coming closer to Near. "Mikami is now in the company of one Misa Amane; the girl who was once seen in the company of one Light Yagami and accused of being the Second Kira. Did L say whether she was cleared as a suspect?"

Near shakes his head. "No. He only said that Light Yagami was, though as I said, he said different to Light when he and Light thought they were alone. It's possible that Light sent her there to have a way to get ahold of Mikami, but tell me what you saw and heard."

"They had left his residence together and were standing outside the building when he kisses her and she runs off in one direction and he walks calmly down the other. Before they departed, I clearly heard the word 'Rem' and he passed something to her in an envelope. There was no writing on it that I could see and nothing else occurred on my end." He hesitated. "...However...I did come across something else that has turned up some information on things. I know you just asked me to tail Mikami because I couldn't tail Light Yagami as he had not come out of L's building yet and Mikami might possibly be connected to Yagami somehow and could get something from that, but..."

"But?" Near raised a brow expectantly.

Gevanni just shakes his head, turning it and gestures to the hallway area he came from. A moment later, two figures come walking in and Near looks at them both.

"Near."

"Mello. Matt. And just what have you been doing with your time?"

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Mello smirks. This time he had the upper-hand. He and Matt had been watching Mikami much longer and they had discovered his relationship with Misa Amane before Gevanni came skulking around, which meant that Near was running lower on options. He knew why though; Near was obviously gunning for Light Yagami, while he and Matt were focusing on Mikami.

With Mikami there was new info coming in at a steady rate as he was still an active figure in the whole Kira mess. Light, on the other hand, did not seem to be active, if he had ever truly been the First Kira. Even if he had been, he was not active now. (That was another plus that he and Matt had, as they were doing a lot of their work inside L's building and were hanging around L, Light and the detectives a lot longer than Near was.) When Mello had spent time around Light, even if it was just observing him (as well as L) and observing him and L together, he seen something in Light and though everyone always fawned over Near for his abilities, his were just as sharp and he did not see Light Yagami as Kira.

And he was looking past that perfectionist act that he put on in front of other people (except for L when they were alone, or thought they were alone, apparently); he was looking past all of that, and seeing the inner Light Yagami. Slowly, a tiny bit, Light's perfectionist outside was starting to chip and crack, showing the young man underneath who was as sexy and damned brilliant as he was on the outside and had the ability to fall like everyone else.

Light Yagami had a hidden darkness, but it was one that was tamped down by reluctance to be taken over by that darkness again, it seemed (he seen Light's eyes shadow over sometimes, and he had managed to overhear a few things). It was a darkness that was also tamped down by Light's obvious feelings for L; the detectives were either just stupidly oblivious or were pretending to not notice for their own sakes.

I'm just fucking brilliant, is what I am. Thought Mello with an inward smile. And Matt is just as fucking brilliant; he managed to do all that screen-watching when my eyes couldn't stand looking at all the screens anymore and he managed to put some of the cameras and bugs in great places that should keep them from being discovered.

"A lot of things, Near." He grinned. "While you've been obsessing over Light, we've been focusing on the active person, Mikami, and his little fuck-buddy Misa. Guess she didn't get Kira from Light and stumbled onto Mikami. We've learned some information, but I think it's only fair if you share yours as well; I'm not giving it away for free." His grin widens, and he leans against the wall.

Near twirls a piece of hair around his finger, small beeps in the room told of Matt's continuance on a handheld game and Gevanni was rather silent as this exchange between number one and number two of Wammy's House took place.

"Alright." Mello blinks. As simple as that? Near was willing to talk about all the information he had learned worked so hard to get, as simple as that? Apparently he was, for he sat there on the floor like he had been and reinterated all that he had told Gevanni, as well as what he had learned on his own and what he had learned through Gevanni, Rester and Lidner's actions.

By this time, Matt had turned off his game and was looking at Near intently as well. Mello was thinking to himself as Near finishes up speaking, but turns to the teen on the floor after a brief glance at the older man in the room, Gevanni, who he sees is staring at Near; the look in his eyes quite obvious to a trained observed such as Mello.

So Near's leading him around by the cock the same way Light is doing to L. Damn. Everybody seems to be so damned horny lately, it's like a epidemic, he thought with an inward chuckle. Of course I can't really talk, because me and Matt have been going at it just as bad.

"...Thanks for the info," he finally says to Near, once it was obvious Near had nothing else to say and was staring at Mello in that intense way he did that seemed to pierce a person and see what was inside. Near was speaking more now in the time that they had been in Japan than Mello could ever remember Near speaking period, or at least to him.

"We've been watching Mikami over the last few days, as he's who we are focusing on, even if you are focusing on Light," says Matt unexpectedly. They all turn to him and see him grabbing the seat that Gevanni was still standing by and sits in it, grabbing a cigarette from his vest pocket and lights one up. He takes a long drag before letting out a puff of smoke and continuing. "We've seen him and Misa Amane in many locations, mostly Mikami's place as that's where she had been staying mostly in for the past few days; it's just now that she too is becoming active and moving out in the world again. He's made her into the Second Kira again. I've seen him passing sheets of paper from a notebook, which has to definitely be a Death Note. He's given her the tools to be the Second Kira again."

"I heard Light and L talking last night in the workroom," continued Mello, crossing his arms. "Apparently little Whiny McBitch had some problem with Light or something; maybe she seen him and L fucking or something, I have no fucking idea on that, but either way, she hurried the hell out of the building and seemed to run into Mikami, because we hadn't seen him with Amane anywhere else before and then she suddenly shows up there. They're working together and carrying on the name of Kira 'in the way that Kira needs to be.'" He quoted.

"They aren't happy with Light Yagami's job as Kira?" Near asked.

"No, that's the thing Near that you haven't been getting," said Mello, uncrossing his arms and looking at Near intently. "They're mad because he won't be Kira, that he's given it up, so they've said. And I'm inclined to believe them, because I've watched Light closer than you have, in the ways that matter. He might have fucking been Kira once, but he isn't now and catching him isn't going to solve the Kira problem. I've heard them; they're pissed at Light, they're not working with him. They want him fucking dead and you going all out on catching him is just going to backfire on catching those that are working to fuck the world all the hell."

"And you don't think that Light Yagami having been Kira is not a crime?" Said Gevanni, speaking finally. "He may not be now, but he still did and that's still a crime."

Mello turns his eyes on the F.B.I agent and narrows them as he looks at him.

"Yeah, he may have been, but that isn't important to me now." He said. "I don't care what the hell he did in the past, because that isn't him anymore and him doing that led to this moment now. I'm more concerned about getting rid of those who are doing the killings now than killings done in the past. I know there were F.B.I agents involved early on and they died and shit, but that shit's got nothing to do with me and it isn't why I do things. I do things to be the best, to prove that I am the best," His eyes turn to Near. "And I will. Kira will get me the recognition that I deserve; I'm just as fucking intelligent as you and I work twice as hard. I am going to be the one to catch Kira, or Kiras, me."

"We don't have a problem working together from here though," said Matt. "Because Mikami and Misa are becoming a problem that is quickly escalating. And the more intel we can do together, the better likelyhood that we'll capture them sooner, and before L. I don't know, maybe I want to impress him too, a little...in the very least, we need to capture them before they do anymore serious damage."

As if by word, as soon as those words are spoken, one of the screens suddenly has screams coming from it. They all turn to the screen and Gevanni, being closer, quickly turns up the volume and switches many of the screens to the same channel.

"We have just received reports of the deaths of the president of the United States and his vice president. There was a message sent here to Sakura TV courtesy of Kira, here is the message," A warped voice suddenly plays on the screen with the name Kira on it. " 'Such a ruthless leader and a spineless man under him. Neither have shown Kira any loyalty and they have done many things to bring shame upon a country and let it continue to slide into a degraded state. They deserved to die and many more will be coming if you do not start repenting now; name your loyalty publically to Kira, your God, and those that are clean and pure will be saved. Those undeserving shall die in the most horrible ways imaginable. I do not need to explain how that president and vice president were killed, the pictures speak for themselves, and you shall find that their wives will be found in the same way in exactly two minutes after this broadcast ends. Kira is divine judgement; he is retrobution; he will wipe away your sins with the sweet release of Death. Speak your loyalty to your God; I await you.'"

The broadcast ends and they all turn to each other.

Mello said it all; "Well, shit."

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I cannot allow this to go further. He thought. I will have to go into capture mode soon and catch him. He cannot be allowed to continue this, especially with Amane at his side. That is what Rem said...

His head swivels over to where Light was talking quietly to Rem, Rem who looked completely different now, and another Shinigami named Ryuk. Lawliet had sent the other detectives to run some necessary errands. He walks over, taking care to walk softly so they weren't distracted by his footsteps, hoping to hear something, and straining his ears to see what he could hear.

"...look the same," was the first thing he caught, from Light. "...punished...then?"

As soon as he comes close enough to where he knew he would be heard anyway, he takes his next step extra hard to get their attention and they all turn towards him.

"Rem-san I know of because she was haunting Higuchi before he died," said L. "What about you, Ryuk-san? Where do you come into this? I imagine that this was not the face you used to have; you look remarkably like Teru Mikami."

He did too, though he was wearing leather clothes that Mello would probably salivate over and he held himself differently, not just the way he could contort his body in ways a human never could, but also because he seemed to see the humorous side more than the serious side that the real Mikami did. He was also taller and thinner as well and he had a strange affinity for apples. That was all he really knew so far. That, and the fact, that it seemed as if Light and Ryuk knew each other already, though neither of them said anything of the sort, of course.

He supposed it made sense; he knew that Light had been the First Kira, had been doing all he could to make Mikami into the First Kira to protect Light, had egged Mikami on in the media, had called him out the past few days and said things with the intention to make Mikami reach the state of egotism and insanity so he would make that one mistake and Lawliet could capture him.

It was all a waiting game now, and it would be soon...

"The Shinigami realm is boring," said Ryuk with a shrug. "Gods of Death have nothing to do and I seen all what was going down here and it looked much more interesting."

He didn't believe that was the only thing, knew that wasn't the only thing, as much as he knew that they knew that he knew that wasn't the only thing. He bites on his thumbnail.

"Were you punished the same as Rem-san was, Ryuk-san? And what was it you did that caused this...punishment?"

It was startling to see wings suddenly ripple from what looked like Mikami's body. Ryuk was surprisingly silent; the Reaper never seemed to not have something to say.

Sudden screams on the screens alert them to the Sakura TVs program and they too hear Kira's message as Near, Matt, Mello and Gevanni did, though none of them knew this. As soon as the program was over, Rem turns to look at Light.

"Light Yagami, this is why I came to you, risking further punishment from the Shinigami King for not staying close enough to Mikami; I cannot see Misa like this anymore. I cannot see this person she has become, she is much different than the sweet girl I knew, even with...Mikami is a brutal, vicious and violent person. There are deaths that have yet to be sent out to your news stations, but they are just as brutal and some are worse. And she is taking part in these, he is letting her use the Death Note and I fear that it, along with his crazed mind, is doing severe harm to her. It..."

She stops and looks over at Lawliet who was looking at them all intently. After a long stare into L's wide black eyes, she turns to Light who looks at the exchange with furrowed brows.

"Light Yagami," she said. "You need to tell him everything."

Tell him...Tell him?! His eyes widen and he holds himself back hard, to keep from letting out a gasp. Tell Lawliet everything? Everything? Was Rem crazy or what? He couldn't do that! He...he trusted Lawliet. He did. But, there was the point when even trust would get stretched so thin that it would break. He had longed for a long while now to get it all off his chest and come clean, but how could he?

"Light-kun?" He turns to look at L directly. This person was whom he loved, the person he trusted. His equal. They were opposite sides of the same coin and Light knew that he would never find a person who could even compare to L Lawliet. But he couldn't gauge L's reaction for something as big as this; to confess to everything...

He takes in a deep breath and lets it out, trying to prepare himself; for truth or for another lie, he wasn't sure, but...

"Light-kun, I know that you're Kira," said L. "I know. I know that I died and I saw your former face, the face of Kira, and that I...came back somehow. And I saw your face then; and I knew that I never had to worry if I was looking at Kira when I looked at you, or Light Yagami. Not ever again."

Light's eyes had widened throughout this and he gulps slightly. He takes in a long breath, closing his eyes before letting out a breath and opening them.

"I was at school," he started. "And I spotted something on the ground--"

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"You think this is still a good idea, Mel?"

"Hell yes. I want to catch that bastard Mikami and that bitch Amane as soon as possible. I don't know, I'm just restless, I guess...but I feel like something's coming, or going to happen, something like that. And I want to be there when it does so I can capture them when the time comes."

"Hmm..."

He looks over at Matt, who was sitting in the passenger seat. They were parked and waiting for Near to come in the other car with Gevanni and a rounded-up Rester and Lidner; everyone was ready to get rid of Mikami and Amane (though Near still seemed a bit miffed that everyone else was focusing so much on this, with Mikami, and not Light Yagami, and had managed to persuade him to come.)

After a couple of minutes, the inconspicuous black car that held Near and the others arrives and Mello hits the button that opens the door to let them inside. He opens the car door and steps out, Matt opening his a moment later. He taps his foot impatiently while Rester and Lidner step out, both silent, but filled with a quiet strength that Mello knew he wouldn't underestimate; Near wouldn't choose slackers or those he thought were weak to be apart of his group, especially when it came to his own protection. Gevanni steps out as well and pushes the door back for Near to sidle out of the car, hands full with toys.

Mello snickers. Everyone turns to him and he just smirks further.

"I didn't realize you were the type who liked the old school, Near--door being held out for you and all. I wonder what else Gevanni does when your alone--"

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They had been quite active the past few days, but it was what was necessary; it was getting the message across to Kira and to the world at large. No...Light Yagami. Light could no longer be called Kira; he had given that up when he became a fool and gave his all to L, the enemy.

So let's see...another message perhaps...but...just what should be said? Done?

"I want to see them," he murmured. Misa looks up from the magazine she was half-heartedly flipping through. "I want to see Light Yagami and L. I want to kill them; I want to see their blood flowing down, down...the last deaths that will do beautiful justice and serve our purpose."

Misa frowns a bit, her pretty face darkening slightly. "I know what you mean. It's like an itch that you can never reach, but remember Mika-kun, that they have others with them; at least that Mello, Matt and Near that I know of. I don't know if there was anyone else. Near seemed to be gone more than Mello and Matt, so it's possible that he might have talked to someone or something, I don't know..."

He ponders this fact and thinks hard for a few moments. He scarcely noticed that Rem hadn't been around in awhile, and Misa hadn't commented on it, so he imagined it was all right.

"I think it might be time to call them out into the open, and see if they decide to show themselves. If we can find something to take from them that would make them come out." He slowly starts to smile. "Or someone perhaps?"

He smiles.

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He frowns.

"I don't know, Light-kun. With everything that is happening, I would prefer it if you--"

"Is it because of everything I told you?" Light said angrily. "Do you think I plan to run off to Mikami and Misa or something?"

"No!" Retorted L, just as angrily. "But I worry about you. What you told me wasn't anymore than I didn't already know--other than certain details--I knew you were Kira all along, and even when I had concrete proof, I didn't do what you thought I would do."

"We know their names," bit out Light. "And we know Misa's face and I can go and see Mikami's as well. I can call them out and they'll come; it's not a matter of arrogance; they want to see me dead, so of course they'll come out. Especially when they see that I'm alone."

"Exactly! They want you dead. I will not have you go alone to face a psychopath and his psychopath in training. I won't allow it!"

"So here we go! L demanding everything! L always having had everything handed to him on a fucking platter! Well, I don't need it and I don't answer to you!"

L closes his eyes briefly before looking back at Light who was glaring as strongly at him as he could remember, but this time, no glare from Kira invaded those eyes.

"I don't care what you want or don't want. I don't care who or what you don't answer to, but I will not have you go on a suicide mission and die!"

"It's not your choice to make! I started this mess and I have to finish it!"

"That's what this is about? You have ceased to be responsible for it, Light-kun; Mikami's actions and Misa's actions, are their own. Their sins are not yours to bear."

"That's easy for you to say, L Lawliet," Light snarls, saying L's full name; a name which L knew that Light knew of now. "You've never had to deal with anything on any real level; not like this. You've never felt the stain of blood never shed from many deaths, you've never felt the sickness that slowly creeps inside you with every letter you write down. You've never felt what's it's like to murder!"

He sees the fist coming but only manages to turn his face slightly, taking most of the blow and stumbling back slightly. It had been a long time since they had resorted to these measures, and he felt something inside him warm despite himself. He responds with a spinning kick that sends Light sprawling backwards into a chair which tips over and skids away.

"I don't know what it's like?" He murmured as he neared Light. Light wipes his mouth as he starts to stand and looks at L warily. "I don't know what it's like to murder someone when I send detectives out day after day when their lives can be taken in an instant? I don't know what it's like to murder, when I've sent out a whole police force only to see them slaughtered right in front of my eyes on a screen? I don't know what it's like to murder when I've been in countries that have civil war that is neverending, to see children little older than infants carrying around knives and guns, stabbing and shooting each other? To have seen mothers killing their children, to see father's killing their families. To have to close my eyes to the sufferings of many to protect the lives of all. I become blind to their suffering, deaf to their cries and my voice is left silent. My hands are just as stained as yours Light-kun; you are more innocent in ways that I can never be again. My hands will forever be stained red."

"Lawliet--" said Light, softly.

Light punches him.

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The sounds of grunts and smacks were clearly heard and there were quite a few raised eyebrows. As they start to enter the room, the sight in front of them shocked a few of them. Tables were overturned, chairs tossed every which way, paper scattered everywhere and two people who seemed to be going all out on each other.

Light, who was sitting up on L's lap, was attempting to punch the detective, when L uses extra force on his feet and kicks Light off of him onto the ground in front of him. Both of them were breathing loudly and both had blood dribbling on the sides of their mouths.

"What the hell--?" Muttered Rester.

The detectives had arrived back a minute or two after Mello and co had, and none of them were even batting an eye at the antics of L and Light.

"They do this sometime," explained Matsuda. "It's best just to let them get it out of their systems."

Near's SPK team looked at him like he was crazy, but when Matsuda said that, everyone else literally went about other business, ignoring the punches and kicks from L and Light. Mogi had even made everyone coffee, moving around in his silent manner, with about ten minutes having past by now and L and Light seemed to finally get it out of their systems; they were even sitting next to each other and talking as if nothing happened!

"...You're really that set on me not going?"

"It would be foolish, Light-kun; there is no need for that when we can get the required result from a different plan entirely."

Light was silent for a moment. "..."

"...Alright." Light finally said. And without any hesitation, he kisses L straight on the mouth.

The Chief of the NPA, who also happened to be Light's father, spit out his coffee, as did a few others; it seems that this wasn't expected in the detectives' minds. Mello smirks and, after adding a bit of another drink from a flask he takes out of his rather tight pants pocket into his coffee, takes a drink of the coffee.

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She scurried to get the new tape from Kira up and ready by the next news broadcast. She was not for Kira, but she would never let that be known to anyone; she would play the tape, even if it resulted in the deaths of others, because it protected her, because she did as she was told to do.

She felt a bit sorry for whoever might get it next, but was too worried about her own skin to really worry about it.

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"I think that it is time that Kira is sent a message. A final one. This is zero hour; the time for confrontation is at hand," said L, sitting crouched as he always did in one of the chairs that had been cleaned up along with the room by Near's people (who he had to admit were pretty good in their own right--Near had chosen well) and the detectives.

"I promised you I would give you Kira's head on a platter, and I intend to deliver. This is only one option, and I am not forcing you into this; this is a dangerous mission and I will not ask you do something that you do not wish to do, nor would I think it cowardice to back out of this. I only ask for those who are absolutely sure, once and for all, that they are ready to lay everything on the line in hopes of stopping a great evil completely."

Light didn't hesitate. "You know I'm not going anywhere, L." He murmured.

Mello didn't hesitate either. "And you know that I have your back--I not about to turn tail and run like a little pansy, not when I'm, we're, this close to victory."

Matt nods his agreement silently, as does Near.

"Wherever Near goes, I follow," said Gevanni, quietly, standing by Near.

Rester and Lidner nod as well.

The detectives all turn toward L.

"Ryuuzaki," started Soichiro. "All of us detectives still working this case, me, Aizawa, Mogi, and Matsuda have sacrificed so much to see Kira put to ground for good. We have agreed to risk our lives, because we all know that to sacrifice our own lives for the sake of all others might be a necessary sacrifice. There has never been another option for me; I'm staying."

"I haven't always agreed with your methods," said Aizawa. "But I know that you're a good man and I am doing this not just for myself and my family, but for Ukita and all those who have lost their lives to a psychopathic killer. I'm staying."

Mogi didn't have to say anything, the look in his eyes along with his solemn nod said everything that needed to be said.

"I'm in, Ryuuzaki!" Said Matsuda, in that ever energetic manner of his. "I can't miss something as big as this!"

Light comes to stand by L, who stands up and takes in all who were there and staring at him, ready for him to make a decision.

"Let's begin."

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He loads the chamber into the gun; knowing that it was always good to carry a back-up plan, just in case. He waits impatiently for Misa to finish gathering up all the scattered Death Note pages and burn them, it was all right as the pages of the actual Note never ran out, and he didn't want to leave any stray evidence.

He puts the gun up, making sure the safety was on, and once Misa is finally ready, he heads out the door, with Misa following him.

Behind them, a television is still blaring, "There you have it! L himself has sent a message to Kira, with his own actual voice, right here on Sakura TV! We are playing it again right now for you!"

'Kira...as well as the Second Kira I know is with you, here this; Your reign of tyranny ends today...or I will fall and you will rise up as you so wish. I will be awaiting you at the Nobayaki Bridge at 7:00 p.m. I will be there and I will only be accompanied by one other person, who is not a detective or bodyguard of any sort; I am not lying and you will know the truth, because the Second Kira is aware of my identity and the Second Kira will also know this person. I await you there; let us begin our final round of cat and mouse.'

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"They just left the building," whispered Lidner. She, Rester and Mogi had been watching over Mikami's apartment. "Should we tail at a safe distance?"

"No, wait until they are out of sight then go; make sure there is a good interval from the time they left from the time you leave."

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It was just him and one other person, like he had said it would be.

He turns to Misa for affirmation of the identities, for he could not see the names yet because their faces were still a bit out of reach to see, and gets a nod in return.

"It's them, Ryuuzaki--L, and Light," her face twists in disgust.

It starts to slowly drizzle as they approach and their names became all too clear to both of their Eyes; L Lawliet and Light Yagami.

"It's good to see the faces of both those who have done so much injustice for the world." Said L, hands in his pockets. "It makes it worth it to show mine."

Both were unarmed and neither of them had a notebook or pen anywhere in sight, a plus.

"Nice that it'll be the last thing you'll see." He replies, with a small smile. He starts to remove the gun and point it at L.

"Now!" Yelled Light suddenly.

A sudden gunshot from his right side goes off, hitting his hand and dropping the gun. He lets out a groan of pain and clutches his now bloody hand. "Mika-kun!" Exclaimed Misa.

And just like that, there out of the few hidden places on the bridge, people were coming out of the woodwork, all coming to surround L and Light.

"You bastard," growled Mikami.

L smiles grimly. "I didn't lie, I said that I would just be accompanied with someone, Light-kun, and I was; I never said that others wouldn't follow if they so choose; they're all here because they chose to be here."

He moves away from the idiot detectives, still clutching his hand, when Misa steps up towards them, shaking.

"I hate you, Ryuuzaki!" She glares hard at him. "You took my Light away! But in return I've gained Mika-kun, who is a hundred times better than either of you! He is Kira and I am the Second Kira." She pulls out a pen, unheeding Mikami's sudden exclamation and everything else. "Your deaths will be absolution--"

Bang.

Mello's shot was true and struck her in the hand like Matt's had hit Mikami's.

She cries out in pain and gasps when she sees who was standing next to L and Light.

"Rem! Rem!" She cried. "What are you doing? Why have you abandoned me? Rem!"

Rem looked stricken. "For your own good, Misa. You have become something unclean and ugly; I could not stand by any longer and see you continue to degrade yourself. I am sorry, Misa."

Mikami had been awfully silent during this whole exchange, and Light looks over to him instead of the crying Misa. He gives a gasp when he notices how Mikami was moving; it was a gesture Light could easily identify.

"He's writing in the Death Note!" Before anyone else could say anything else, the sounds of many gunshots were going off and Misa cries out as the bullets all hit her body. She stumbles backwards and bumps into Mikami who lets out a gasp and in an instant, they both fall over the bridge and into the violent and torrential depths below.

Silence.

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"You know that he is Kira, L," said Near quietly, a piece of hair wrapped around a finger; his own defensive mechanism, like L had his thumb biting and other strange mannerisms. L looks at him, blinking his wide black eyes. "I know that you know; just like I know that he is; I've gained proof."

"He was, Near-kun," murmured L. "Was. Kira has not been an intimate part of his being for a long while now; he's given up the shackles of such a demanding and twisted presence and I have watched him every step of the way to make sure that he is being sincere. I believe 100 percent that he will stay this way and will never turn to Kira again."

"You're not just letting your feelings for Light Yagami get the best of you?"

"Do you really think that they could? No, even though I do feel for Light--love him--I would not hesitate to bring him down if he chose willingly to become Kira--especially because I love him. I believe I understand why you started with Light when Mello and Matt were working on catching Mikami; because you like to know things from their beginnings like I do, to figure out what they mean from every side until there is no unknown left. We are alike in many ways. You wanted to know everything from the beginning, and that also meant working to catch the Very First Kira, which used to be Light, but he has since given that up and I have done all I can this past while to make Mikami into the First Kira, into what Light used to be and I have succeeded. None other than myself, Light, yourself and Mello and Matt really know otherwise."

"...It will remain that way, if you're sure."

"I am. I would never settle myself down to 100 percent if I were not absolutely certain, Near-kun. And you will like Light, I think--as will Mello and Matt--for he is a absolutely brilliant mind and will always keep you on your toes; it makes things forever interesting."

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"It's all over now," he murmured. "All the Kiras have been taken care of, so it's up to you all left over to decide what you want to do. I have already decided to remain here for now, but what you wish to do is up to you."

The detectives had done clean up with the help of the rest of the police force (and were all at HQ right now), now that Kira was eradicated, the police were fully cooperative, but no traces of Misa or Mikami had been found as of yet. And L announced to the world that Kira case was closed for good, as both the First Kira and the Second Kira had drowned when they fell off the bridge into the depths below.

Rem, stricken with Misa's death, soon after left to go back to the Shinigami realm. Ryuk was still hanging around, however, and was currently sitting in a corner and munching on some apples.

"Where the hell else would I want to go?" Said Mello. "If you still want me, I want to work cases with you...and learn new shit and...shit."

"Me too," said Matt. "Would we be getting paid though? Cause I'm running low on funds. Cigarettes and the new Final Fantasy don't come cheap--"

"I am staying as well," said Near, twirling a piece of hair in his fingers. He looks at his SPK. "All of you are more than welcome to go back to your regular duties in the F.B.I, and thank you for all you have done."

"Yeah, I need to get back; my wife's probably worried sick about me." Said Rester and he was off just like that.

Lidner too went off, after a quick goodbye to everyone, silent but a powerful presense as always.

"Wherever Near goes, I follow," said Gevanni, repeating the statement he had made much earlier. He kisses Near on the forehead and sat close to him. "So I guess you've got another member of your ragtag--yet extremely effective--group. I like to stay close to where the action is."

"And you definitely will, since you're around Near all the time, right?" Sniggered Mello.

Matt elbows him and rolls his eyes.

Light turns to L.

"And you know where I stand. You've cleared me in every way, and you've shown me a lot of things that I never expected to see; even more than Shinigami. And you...know how I feel and all..." He decides to shut himself up by kissing L.

Mello whistles, Matt shrugs but looks on anyway, Near looks on interestingly and Gevanni was trying not to blush.

"Oh yeah, Light?" Said Ryuk suddenly.

Light and L pull away, both looking flushed, and look at Ryuk.

"About our little deal?" He grins. "Consider it waived; I'm going to go catch Rem and...calm her down...see you crazy ass humans later!"

He disappears.

Light glances over at their new little group, then at L.

"You know I have a feeling that things aren't going to be so damned boring for a long while," stated Light.

L looks up at him with his wide eyes, flushed cheeks and oh-so-kissable mouth--

"And that is a problem, Light-kun?"

"Not at all, L-kun," he said, kissing him again. "Not at all."

The End

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A/N: I finished! Yay! I was glad that it turned out as well as it did. Now I can focus on my new L/Light fic, as well as the sequel to Redeemer (which people seem to want really badly--not that I'm complaining, lol) And there were less casualties in this fic as well too! Lol Cause Redeemer had quite a few people dying, so I'm glad that not as many did in this (because more had been planned, but it didn't go that way) I don't plan to do a sequel for this, as the sequel to Redeemer will have plenty more of Near, Mello, and Matt besides L and Light of course.

Thank you all for all your great reviews on this! Expect a new L/Light fic soon and the sequel to Redeemer as well!

All of you have been so great to me and continue to be even now, you all are so great!

Let me know what you think!

More L/Light will be on the way soon!

--PhoenixJustice