Author's note: I know where this is going, but I'm curious to know what everyone else thinks. Oh, and just to warn you all: I write killer cliff hangers. ^_^ Also, I often fill plot holes without doing that much to them, so ideas would be really nice.

Disclaimer: Do I even need this? Obviously I don't own Death Note, otherwise L would never have died. (I was so sad that episode. T_T No, I haven't read the manga.)

Anyway, my first Death Note fic. Enjoy!

It is not an easy thing to admit that you were wrong about something, especially when you are usually right ninety-eight percent of the time. But, fifty days solitary confinement and the performance given by Chief Detective Soichiro Yagami, I really did have no choice but to confess being wrong about suspecting the man's son, Light Yagami, of being Kira.

So now, I am left with nothing. I have no recent clues about who Kira might be, or the reasons for the murders. And, most importantly, I still don't know how it is that he can kill so many people and from a distance. This is indeed my most difficult case to date, and one that I am no longer sure if I can solve.

Regardless of whether or not Light Yagami is Kira, I placed him under my own personal surveillance, even going as far as to handcuff him and myself together with a two-metre long chain. Not surprisingly, I received many complaints from the others concerning that action, but it did not bother me. And Light, surprisingly enough, soon stopped constantly insisting that my precautions were unnecessary. Obviously he understood that nothing he could say would make me remove the cuffs any sooner than I was prepared to.

I never understood what Light saw in Misa Amane, or... perhaps is it more accurate to say: I never understood how Light could stand Misa Amane. The girl constantly grates and distracts me and whenever she is around, I am certain that my reasoning abilities drop by twenty percent.

And it is that very same Misa Amane that is currently disrupting the whole task force this evening at six-thirty-seven and twelve seconds.

"So, I'm going to be the main actress in his upcoming film!" the blonde proudly announced.

"That's great news, Misa-Misa," Matsuda congratulated happily.

The rest of the taskforce, however, looked less than impressed. Mogi and Aizawa looked at each other, both wondering what horror the young woman was preparing to inflict on them. Soichiro, however, was more than content to ignore Misa and continue with his work.

"You are pleased for me, aren't you Light?" Misa asked, leaning over his shoulder to look at him.

"Uhh... yeah, of course," Light answered unsurely, looking nervously at the face that was a mere inch from his own.

L watched, perched from the vantage point of another chair. He wondered if Misa could see the discomfort she was causing the young man beneath her gaze, but he guessed not. He had noticed that she was neither particularly bright nor observant. He could only sympathise on Light's situation.

It was then that he noticed that he had become the aspiring actress/model/singer's next target for attention. He could handle serial killers, terrorists, mafia, and drug rings. But the focus in that woman's eyes made him gulp.

"Light will be able to go out with me tonight, won't he?" Misa demanded, pouting dramatically at him.

"Wherever Light goes," L explained, lifting his right hand up to show the cuff. "I will go, as well."

"You have to be kidding me!" Misa whined. "I can't go out celebrating with my boyfriend for a couple of hours, alone?!"

"Light is still under surveillance, much like you are, Miss Amane," L noted factually.

"Umm, Ryuzaki..." Light began, obviously unsure of what he was asking.

L didn't reply. He could tell that Light wanted to make some comment, and he didn't doubt that it had something to do with taking off the handcuff. But, of course he would let the young man ask that.

"I don't mind if Ryuzaki comes with us, Misa," Light explained to the woman, who seemed to be trying to merge with the side of his neck, before turning back to L. "Although, it would be strange if we were handcuffed like that in public."

L thought about this comment. Indeed, it would appear odd that two adult men were handcuffed together. Also, Light had just stated that L could come with them on this 'celebratory date', and that meant that he could watch them. Of course, being willing could mean that nothing is going on, and Light has nothing to hide, like he says. Then again, he could be saying that to throw L off track, either by making L feel it's unnecessary to follow L, or by tricking him while the three of them are out.

It was a risk he felt willing to take.

"Yes, I suppose it would be difficult," L agreed after a second's thought. "Not to mention, many people may get between us and walk into the chain. So yes, I suppose I will have to remove the chain for tonight."

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to face L. Had they just heard him right? Had he just said that he'd remove the handcuffs?

Ignoring everyone's stares, L stood up and approached Light. He stuck a hand into his jean pocket and brought out a key. He stretched out his hand for Light's handcuffed wrist, which he received a moment later. After a click, the handcuff was gone from Light's wrist, and second later, it was the same for L.

"So, where are we going?" L asked, unaware that he'd done anything odd.

And so, out we went. I kept thinking about the case, wondering what it was that I was missing. Of course I was thinking about the case, there isn't a moment when I'm not. However this outing with Light and Misa Amane was a break and distraction from staring at a screen, going in circles. Going nowhere in a case is not something I enjoy, and I suppose I had been hoping that something would come up, either so I could leave it alone for a while or so I could progress in the case.

Light and I had already come to odds about whether we should continue this case actively, as he wished to do, or passively, as I thought to. We had broken several items in Misa Amane's room before Matsuda called the room and broke the tension between us. Although I have to admit, since then I have always been curious as to which of us would have won.

We didn't go far from headquarters, just down the road and across the crossroad, to be precise. There had been a small cafe that Misa Amane had spoken of, and so we went there.

I have to be honest. The cakes that were there most certainly captivated my attention and they had been baked quite well. I may have to ask Watari to go there and get more.

So, unsurprisingly, I had a piece of cake and tea, with plenty of sugar of course. Light chose to have tea as well, and a sandwich. Misa Amane had, well... I'm not sure if I could repeat what she had, even in my mind.

So, Miss Amane talked the most, while Light and myself listened, or in my case, pretended to listen to her. From what I did happen to hear while concentrating on my cake, I gathered that she was talking about her new part in an upcoming film, all the films she had been in and all of her photo-shoots.

How someone can talk about themselves so much is beyond me. I cannot understand how people can find themselves that interesting, or maybe that is simply me.

So, that little outing came to an end, and we began walking back to headquarters. I always found it odd to walk with both sides of the traffic on either side of me, but the others didn't seem to mind.

"I had sooo much fun tonight," Misa stated happily. "Didn't you guys have fun?"

"Uh, yeah," Light replied. "It was nice to get out for a while."

L didn't reply. He felt it unnecessary as Light had already given the response that he was going to use. Although he couldn't say that he had enjoyed it like Misa apparently had, he could say that he might have found it a pleasant distraction from the computer screens.

Feeling Misa's eyes on him, L thought up a different answer to the one Light had given. He knew that mentioning the cake might not be the best idea, and found himself hard struck on finding another reason.

Light looked forward and noticed a group of men was walking in the opposite direction to them. He might not have gotten out much in the evening like this, but he knew that these men were not to be messed with. So, he lowered his head so he was almost staring at the floor, but he kept looking in their direction.

Misa and L quickly picked up on Light's change in demeanour. After looking up the street, Misa understood. She gasped slightly, to which Light responded by putting his arm across her back and drew her closer to him.

L stared at the approaching gang and then back at Light and Misa. Not understanding their apparent fear of the men, L returned his attention to them.

"Hopefully, they're drunk enough to leave us alone," Light whispered to Misa, who nodded hopefully in agreement.

Sure enough, the gang passed them without incident. They apparently enjoyed the aura of fear from the people they passed. And then, came the one that brought up the rear of the group.

He wasn't a particularly big man, nor was he built that impressively. But the way he walked was enough of a warning sign to anyone to get out of his way. And, he walked straight into L's right side.

Light and Misa watched in horror as L was thrown slightly. Obviously he hadn't had many people shove him before, and honestly, neither of them could think of many people who would dare. But this was because they knew of what L often thought of when something like this happened.

An eye for an eye.

However, surprise entered L's face as his foot suddenly dropped off the curb. L reached out instinctively to anything, hoping to grab something to stop his fall into the road. With nothing in reach, he turned to prevent a damaging fall. He landed sharply on his right knee and hands.

"Ryuzaki!" Light yelled, leaving Misa's side and rushing forwards.

My hands and knee hurt from hitting the tarmac, but it isn't anything that I can't endure. I suddenly notice that my left side is covered in light, and all I need is to turn my head to know that a vehicle was about to hit me.

All I can do is stare at the upcoming vehicle. Why can't I move? Why can't I do anything to save my life? Why am I frozen?

It was then that I felt something grab the collar of my shirt and my shoulder and pull backwards. It was a choking feeling, but my body doesn't resist the motion. I feel my feet leave the ground, as if I was being thrown about, which isn't all that unlikely. I am grossly underweight, as Watari and Light continue to remind me.

The next thing I feel was the right side of my face scraping against the pavement, and my forehead hurts terribly. It's almost as painful when Light had hit me, but only almost. I quickly sit up and turn to see who it was that had pulled me out of the road.

It was Light. But, he is still over the road. Surely he knows how dangerous that is?

I watch him turn to look left, but I can't understand why he doesn't move back. Is he caught like I had been? Why won't he move? I then see him move just as a truck thunders past, but... it doesn't feel right that he should move like that.

He jerks to the right and twists away from the road. I can see his arms flail about limply, as if he's not controlling them. He doesn't do anything to hinder his fall to the floor. He falls so slowly and when he lands... he lands so painfully I can't help but wince. And, when he doesn't move, I feel something gripping at my heart, but what?

I slowly get to my feet, but I don't bother straightening up, it would take too much time. I make my way to him, and no one else is moving. Why is no one moving? I look at his face and I can't believe what I see.

Blood. His face is covered with the stuff. His eyes are only partially opened, and he's not looking at anyone.

I understand now why it looked wrong when he moved. I look up to see that truck driving away, and I make sure that I memorise the licence plate for later. After I'm certain that I can recite the plate, I look back to Light.

As I carefully check the rest of his body for injuries, I'm amazed as to how calm I am. Not even my breathing is elevated. I finally return my attention to Light's face, and I don't know what else there is for me to do. It has been minutes since he was hit, and I don't know what to do for him.

I see him blink slowly and I call his name. I feel myself feel lifted when he slowly focuses his eyes on me. I say his name again, hoping to get more of a response, but I don't.

I keep saying his name, but I don't know why. It's as if it is the only word left in my mind, the only word that I can speak.

Light.

Light.

Light.