.

二

It wasn't long before Light had gotten lost. Which was strange for him, considering he had never gotten lost before. Where he had woken up, wherever it was, wasn't a part of Tokyo that he had ever been to. But he recognized the city-scape. The same restaurant on the corner, and the intersection he'd come to again for the second time. He wasn't sure how he'd walked around in a full circle, and he went back over his steps in his head. It didn't really make a lot of sense, but he could only put it down to being disorientated. After all, the morning hadn't been that normal and his thoughts had constantly been cut off by trying to figure out exactly what had happened, and why it had happened. The best he could come up with that it was all just some absurd Kira test. He'd been too angry to rationalize it completely at the time, but now he had had a bit more to consider it properly.

L and his father had both acted weird, like they had no idea what he was talking about, even when he mentioned Kira. That was easy enough to poke holes through though, all he had to do was ask some random person if they'd caught the news this morning. L may have been blackmailing or controlling Light's father somehow, but it wasn't like L could have had control over the whole city, if it was his doing. And while Light now needed to ask for directions, why not kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Light stopped walking. Partly annoyed at himself for getting lost, but mostly annoyed at L, and tried to determine who he should approach. The snow was still falling although it had eased up a bit and the small clusters of people walking to work or school or college that morning had now turned into a crowd. Most people were walking past too quickly, except for a man stopped on the side of the pavement, trying stubbornly to light up a cigarette and a group of people much further up waiting for a bus. Light eyed the guy near him again.

"Excuse me," he said, walking up and getting his attention. The stranger stared at him coldly before exhaling, but didn't say anything. "Sorry," Light apologized. "Can you tell me if I'm far from Kiyobashi station?"

...Nothing. Well. Maybe this person just wasn't approachable, although it was pretty rude to just flat out ignore him.

Then, after a long moment, "It's a half hour drive. It'd take forever to walk."

"That far...?" Light hesitated. "Can you tell me where the nearest station is then?"

The stranger shrugged, pointing at the road at the right of the next intersection. "Don't know. Somewhere that way, I think."

Light had gone left before... So, he realized, he wasn't that far off before, but he'd completely missed it.

"Thanks..." he said, and pulled his jacket closer to himself, feeling the cold going straight through him as the wind picked up, "By the way, did you happen to catch the news headlines this morning? I was sort of in a rush and didn't get to hear them. I was hoping there might be something on Kira?"

The guy frowned.

Light hoped that he wasn't some crazy Kira supporter. Actually, it was hard to tell what the guys thoughts were. His face was stony, like he had had a rough morning. Or year. Or life.

"Don't know what you're talking about." He said abruptly.

Light paid more attention to him. What, this guy...? L had gotten to this guy too? Was he a paid actor, placed there? Surely there wasn't anybody who didn't know about Kira by now?

"Right..." Light mumbled, trying to dismiss the uneasy feeling in his stomach. "You have no idea who Kira is?"

The stranger looked at him, exhaling on his cigarette again.

"Nope. I have no idea."

Light's eyes narrowed, annoyed.

"Okay... Thanks."

He turned to leave, walked away. It wouldn't be that hard to find someone else who did know, considering L couldn't have filled the entirety of Tokyo with actors, if the former were the case. Especially considering there weren't even nearly that many in Japan, not to mention the impractical implications.

Speaking of actors, an idea struck him. He felt around in the pockets of the clothes he had basically thrown on earlier, but there was no cell phone. Not that surprising, though. It wasn't like he was really expecting one to be there, just on the off-chance. But he did find several candy wrappers and a month old return ticket to Yokohama. He'd just have to try and get a hold of Misa when he got back to his parents, then. Without any change it wasn't like he could even use a pay phone. Actually, now that Light thought about it, how was he going to pay for a train ticket if his house was that far? Should he just get on without one and get the fine? Something about that just made him feel uncomfortable. Getting on without paying was a criminal offense, more or less. Then, he could just walk back? It wasn't like it could be that far. Half an hours drive? Despite the strangers warning of it being far, it was probably only a couple hours walk, considering the traffic... He could also ask some more people about Kira on the way. It wouldn't be long before L's stupid fabrication of the morning could so obviously be proven as a hoax.

Light walked to the intersection and went right, like the stranger had instructed. There was nothing about that street that set it apart from any of the others. Although it did have a sign telling him that he was in Shinsen. At least that gave him some sort of idea, however it did mean that he was completely in the wrong part of Tokyo. How had L even gotten him there, anyway? Drugged him? That's what he had immediately thought before, but the only thing he'd eaten yesterday was breakfast, and he should have felt the effects by the afternoon if he had. Maybe he had slipped something in his drink then, or injected him while he was asleep. Whatever it had been, it had been strong, because Light remembered nothing after he had gone to sleep that last night. No disturbances at all. In fact, maybe a drug would also explain why he was feeling so unwell and disorientated now. Each step, he felt more nauseous to the point that he had to force his legs to move forward. Seriously, what was wrong with him?

He approached an elderly couple who had stopped underneath the cover of one of the restaurants serving breakfast. About Kira? They knew nothing. A senior, walking quickly like he was late for the bus or school. Nothing. A mother and daughter, clutching onto her mothers hand and rugged up for the weather and although the mother was appearing pleasant and eager to talk, also nothing. Light's head began to spin, and his pace became a lot slower.

He had no doubt now, that something was wrong with him. People were walking around him and he tried to focus. Tried to fight against the dizziness which was almost threatening him to fall down and collapse right there. Somehow, he made it against a building to steady himself, throwing out a hand, then letting it completely support his body. If he didn't realize the irony, he would have sworn to kill L when he saw him next. He'd almost reached his limit in patience and he had no idea what this could have been about. A Kira test, he assumed, but for what purpose? Why would L have even risked removing the chain, he was convinced that he was Kira. Where had what was his normality suddenly gone?

A voice made Light turn his head suddenly. Where had that come from?

He tried to pinpoint where it had, but it seemed impossible. There were just more people walking past. Nobody had stopped, and yet he had heard it so clearly, like it was someone both near and far to him. His senses must have been distorting. Not only that, but he realized that darkness was starting to creep around the edges of his sight. Not good. Coupled with the dizziness, and shortness of breath, that was most likely a sign that he was about to feint.

And then it happened, although he didn't know it. His body crumpled and fell back against the brick and his eyes closed after the world was sent spinning. It was several minutes before somebody called an ambulance, and Light didn't feel himself being handled onto a stretcher and put inside.

x

White.

Near him, far away?

Close, he thought. Were there people there? Weren't there any?

Sometime during wondering where he was, his other senses started to kick in. Slowly. He heard someone cough and his own breathing which seemed unusually loud. He could feel something on his face and gradually realized that it was an oxygen mask. Eyes widening, he jolted his head up.

Mistake.

He slammed it back down.

His vision was completely un-adjusted and his head throbbed.

He closed then opened them again after several minutes. White again. The ceiling. More slowly this time, he put his head up. There were beds across from him and beside him. A hospital room. There were patients that he didn't recognize, but no staff in there at that moment. He shuddered as he felt something touch his arm and moved it. Then looked to his other side and almost swore loudly at the person he saw sitting there.

"Fuck," he muttered under his breath instead. "Where am I?"

His body was taking a while to wake up, but his mind was almost immediately being crashed with memories. L was sitting there staring at him with those dark owl-like eyes, expressionless.

Light pulled the oxygen mask off.

"What am I doing here?"

"You passed out."

"No, I mean why did I pass out."

"All the doctor said was that you had low blood pressure. It was probably from distress or anxiety. They already checked your heart. It's fine."

Light's head turned sharply.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm your next of kin..."

...

"What happened this morning... What have you done?"

"I don't know what you mean."

Raising a shaking hand to his forehead, he looked at L again and saw him properly this time, sitting on the edge of a chair. Hunched over; white shirt, baggy blue jeans, battered converse.

"Light-kun, you're still confused," L said quietly, what must have been feigning concern. "They want to do an MRI."

"I don't need an MRI." Light snapped, bringing his hand away, and trying his best to calm down. "I need you to tell me what the hell's going on."

"What's going on," L replied, "is something that I can only guess right now. I think that you are suffering from some sort of prolonged amnesia after the attack yesterday. This morning, you panicked and after you left that caused you to collapse in the middle of the street. You've been out only for about nearly an hour. It hasn't been that long, however it is longer than usual for somebody to black out from anxiety alone. Although... you haven't been sleeping that well because of college lately. That may also partly be due to exhaustion."

Light stared at him.

Attack? What was he talking about?

"Where's my father?"

"He went out looking for you this morning, I contacted him a few minutes ago. He should be on his way."

Light was shaking now more than he wanted to admit. He swallowed, resting his head back down, only for the sake of trying to focus.

"Do you have your cell on you?"

"...Yes."

"Can I use it?"

"What for?"

"I need to call Misa."

There was no response. So Light glanced at him. "How long did you really think that this would last?"

L froze. If his face could have gotten any paler, it did. Hesitantly, and slowly, he retrieved his phone from his jean pocket and held it out to Light, using his thumb and forefinger as he always did with objects that he seemed wary of handling.

They both stared at each other for a moment, Light's gaze as precarious as L's before he took it and flipped it open. He dialed the number and waited for several seconds before he heard a tone, indicating that the number had been disconnected.

He snapped it shut.

"If you're not going to explain anything, then leave." He instructed, handing L the phone back. "I don't know how or why you've one this, but it's obviously some sort of test. I'm not interested in playing your games any more, Ryuzaki. I'm quitting the investigation team."

Light was holding the phone out to L, expecting him to take it. However he didn't, and his stare was becoming annoying.

"I want to stay with you while they do the scan." L objected.

"Well I don't want you anywhere near me. And I'm not getting one."

"I'll move further away if you like."

"Nowhere could honestly be far enough."

L wrapped his arms around his knees, hunching in on himself even further.

"Would it help if I got the report that you filed yesterday?"

"No, I just -"

"I could get the security recording from the station of you walking in there and filing it."

"No," Light snapped, "I just want you to leave. I could put serious charges against you for this. I don't know how you've gotten my father to go along with it. Or everyone in Tokyo for that matter... What did you do," he asked, curiosity getting the better of him, "put another broadcast out and ask everyone to act like they don't know anything about Kira?"

"Kira?"

"The person you're hell bent on proving that I am."

"...Kira is a criminal?"

"You honestly expect me to slip up if I am and answer 'no'?"

"I'm asking you who Kira is."

"Right," Light scoffed. "Because you really have no idea, do you?"

"That's right."

"...Just forget it. Go away."

"I want to try to understand what you're talking about."

"How about you answer some of my questions, L. What did you drug me with last night?"

"Drug you?"

"Is that what made me black out? Did it have some sort of unwanted side-effect, is that why I'm here?"

"No." L replied carefully, "I haven't drugged you since that one time accidentally two months ago."

"...So you're admitting to drugging me?"

"Accidentally, yes." L repeated, like that was important.

"Accidentally...? How can you drug someone accidentally, and with what?"

"Sleeping pills..." L replied, like it was obvious. "I put them in the wrong coffee. They were meant for myself, because I hadn't been able to sleep after a case... You don't remember this?"

"You never told me that you did."

"You didn't talk to me the whole day after you woke up. Although you'd also missed out on the first two lectures of college. It was sort of understandable."

"What are you talking about...?"

Light was sitting up properly by now, and he hadn't noticed a nurse come in until he felt someone pull on his other arm and strap a blood pressure monitor around it. He flinched.

"Sorry," the nurse apologized, "Just need to check it again."

He swallowed.

"It's normal." The nurse stated after a moment. "How are you feeling?"

Light didn't know how to respond.

"Are you dizzy still?"

"...No."

"Any headaches, or vomiting?"

Light shook his head. "I'm fine."

She sat on the end of the bed, clipboard in hand. "Please tell me your name."

"Light Yagami..."

"Do you know where you are?"

"In Tokyo... Somewhere."

"You're in Ito Hospital, in Shibuya. Do you know where that is?"

"...Yes."

"We also got told that you were a victim of a hit and run yesterday, do you remember anything about that?"

"No. That never happened."

The nurse bit her bottom lip, nodding at the same time, then noted something quickly down onto her clipboard. "Alright, and could you please tell me the date?"

...What was this? Was she actually being serious?

"It's October eighteenth. Two thousand and four."

Her eyebrows flew up.

"Two thousand and four?"

No... This isn't good.

She looked towards L.

"I'll send in a doctor to ask him a few more questions. We probably need to do an MRI after all."

L nodded.

"Wait!" Light's hand shot up to grab her as she got up from the bed, to stop her from leaving. "What are you talking about. What's the date?!"

In an apathetic voice she said, "It's the fifteenth of January, two thousand and five."

Light's hand dropped.

"What...?"

"Light-kun," L interrupted, but Light didn't turn. "When was the last time that it snowed in Tokyo in October?"

Light wavered.

NO.

Then threw the sheets off himself and scrambled over to him.

"You bastard!" he shrieked. "How long was I out for?! What the hell are you doing?"

With Light's fist hovering in the air above his face, L drew back. Light felt someone grip his arms and pull him back, and saw his father, and nothing was making sense. It wasn't like he had woken up in another house, but like in another world.

"Light," he heard his father's voice say. "What's happening? Whatever it is, do not take it out on Ryuzaki."

"I just want to know what's going on!"

"We don't know."

"Then tell me!"

"How can I?!" Soichiro was actually starting to raise his voice. "Light, I just got here, but you need to calm down."

"Just arrest me. If you have enough evidence, then just fucking arrest me, but don't mess with me like this!"

"Light!" his father exclaimed, rather loudly. "That's enough! Ryuzaki hasn't done anything. If you don't calm down I'll take you to the station myself for assault!"

He would. Light knew that he would.

Light retracted his fist, but nothing about him became any less aggressive or menacing.

"Whatever it is you're talking about," L replied evenly, "it's not me Light. And I don't know what, or who, Kira is."

Light's fists curled, again.

"And how could I possibly believe you?"

"...I don't know."

L was looking at him, not in fright. But alarm. Slowly, hesitantly, he opened his mouth to speak.

"I think you might be suffering from retrograde amnesia." He said slowly, "Please stop looking at me like you want to murder me, Light."

.

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Author's notes

Thank you to those who have stuck it out to wait another chapter. I know it took way too long of a time. Thank you to everyone who reviewed. Wizard-Party-Forever, She Who Wears Red, Guest, Insanity Ignited, snowg13, Neko Neko Rachie, Epipelagic, Kaizen Kitty, and sasunaru4ever, thank you :) and sorry this chapter is so short, ahhh, essays. Hope to see you in the next chapter :)