Justice and Vengeance
Author: Qaddafi the Ripper
Summary: AU: Light misses running into Misora Naomi, and she is able to tell L what she knows about Kira. Working together, can Naomi and L catch Light?
Disclaimer: Death Note belongs to Ooba and Obata.

Part 7: Life

Yagami Light and Amane Misa were tried in an international court. Interpol managed to keep the media as far away as possible, but word still got around that the two Kira's were being tried. The trials had gone badly at first. The Death Notes had not been shown in court, but were referred to and described. It was understandable that no one would believe about the Death Notes without at least seeing the notes. But after two months of isolation and questioning, Misa finally admitted to the truth about the Death Notes. She'd hoped, she also admitted, to marry Light and help him create a new world. She'd been willing to do anything for him, she'd said. But when she learned that Light had been willing bait to capture her, she finally changed her opinion of him, although she maintained that, if things had turned out differently, she would have been very happy to live with Light.

Light never admitted to being Kira, although he did admit to helping capture the second Kira. Naomi wondered sometimes, if it was is pride that kept him from that final admission, or if he still had some sort of plan to save himself at the very last moment.

Both were eventually judged guilty of being Kira and the second Kira, respectively. Misa, due to her killing police officers and innocent civilians, was given the death sentence, and scheduled for execution a month after the verdict. Light was given a lifetime in high security prison, a lesser sentence since he had helped in the capture of the second Kira. The two Death Notes were burnt by the investigation team, and as soon as they were gone, the two gods of death vanished, presumed to have gone back to the shinigami world. Throughout the imprisonment and trial, all people concerned had kept their faces covered, and no one had died.

The media did eventually hear about the Death Notes, and started making all sorts of weird claims about them. Television shows were made about the Death Notes, and people frequently asked each other the question: if you could kill anyone you wanted to, who would you kill?

There were massive crime sprees right after the second Kira was caught and criminals stopped dying of heart attacks. Eventually, the crime rate did go back down to approximately where it had been before Kira. Many people expressed sadness over the death of Kira, but equally many were glad he was gone. Many groups pushed for a strengthened police force, so crime could be taken care of without help from Kira. Slowly but surely, the world began to move again without Kira, though whether the world was better or not was a question Naomi would leave to philosophers.

While she was glad that she would never have to see either reaper again, and that Misa had gotten the death penalty, Naomi was still unsatisfied. Her emotions roiled and swayed, between fury that Light wasn't going to be killed, to peace for the case having been successfully solved. She had never felt so conflicted about a case before, and she frequently asked herself what Raye might have thought of the outcome. Would he have felt that only Light's death would avenge him, or would the life sentence be sufficient for him? Naomi couldn't say, and so her wavering continued.

After Light was finally judged guilty of being Kira and sentenced, his father shot himself. Sachiko and Sayu were devastated by the loss of both men. At some point, L had apparently taken steps to ensure that families were given money should an investigator die on the Kira case, and he quietly transferred money to the remaining Yagami family. It wouldn't make up for their losses, but at least they could pay the bills for the rest of their lives.

The family of Ukita also received money because of his death, and the Amane family was quietly given some money also. Naomi, Matsuda, Aizawa, and Mogi, the only four who had made it through the case alive, were paid handsomely by police all over the world, and frequently interviewed by the media. It amazed the public that only those four, along with the still mysterious L and Watari, had been able to solve the case and capture Kira. Naomi liked having some measure of prestige, but could do without the reporters hounding her. It got worse when the media learned that Raye had been killed by Kira, and they started giving her sympathy. After that, she barely went outside.

It was after the death of Yagami that L finally packed his things and planned to disappear again with Watari. He said goodbye to Naomi, Matsuda, Aizawa, and Mogi in his hotel room. Aizawa wished him well with quiet dignity and said it had been a pleasure working with him. Mogi thanked him for the opportunity to work together, and for solving the case. Matsuda was reduced to tears, bawling over how sad he was for the chief and how much he'd miss L. The three men left together, Aizawa scolding Matsuda for his tears even though his own eyes were suspiciously bright.

Naomi lingered behind. "What do you intend to do now?" L asked her. Watari was finishing packing in the next room, and it felt like the two of them were alone together.

She sighed and looked down. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I only left the FBI because I was going to marry Raye, but now I'm not sure if I want to go back. My family is here, so I might stay for awhile, maybe join the NPA." She hadn't wanted to join the NPA before, because it was common knowledge that a woman couldn't go as far as a man could. In America with the FBI, it had been different. But now she had three friends in the NPA, and a reputation, so she could probably be successful here in Japan. But while there were people here, there were also so many bad memories: Raye dying and the Yagami family, to name two. "I don't know," she repeated softly.

L scratched the calf of his left leg with his right foot, his hands buried deep in his pockets. "If you're still interested in being an investigator," he said quietly, "you could work with myself and Watari." She blinked and stared at him in shock. They had worked well together, but she hadn't expected him to make an offer like this! It was also like he was asking her to be his partner... No, not quite partner, she corrected herself. But to work with him, like Watari did.

"Are... Are you sure about that?" she asked hesitantly. She knew how great an honor it was, to work with L, and how many people would be jealous of her.

"We work well together," L said, echoing her earlier thoughts. "And I usually need more help than Watari. I ask the police, but it would be nice to have someone I know." He glanced away from her, almost as it he were embarrassed.

She frowned and looked down. It was an honor, there was no doubt about that, and she also believed that she could be a great help to him. But she still hesitated. She couldn't forget Light, and his life sentence. Perhaps Raye would be satisfied with just that, but in the end it had been because of L that Light had helped capture Misa, and gotten a lighter sentence. She was still angry at him for that, and wasn't sure if she could forgive him for it. It was shallow and cruel of her, to be angry at L for doing what he needed to in order to capture Misa. But Light was still alive

"I'm sorry," she said, barely above a whisper. "But I can't work with you. Not now."

He was silent for a moment, before saying, "Because of Yagami-kun?" It wasn't really a question.

"Yes," she agreed softly.

He sighed quietly. "I believe that capturing and stopping a criminal should be enough justice for anyone. And I think a life sentence would satisfy most people's thirst for vengeance too. But I can't make you agree with me. I hope that we may meet again, some time in the future. Goodbye, Misora-san."

"Goodbye, Ryuuzaki," she murmured. And in moments, L and Watari were gone, leaving the room empty. Naomi stared around herself for a minute or two before falling in a heap on the ground.

What did she have left now? She had no job, no fiancé, no vengeance, and few friends. How had her life come to this point? And whose fault was it? Light's? L's? Or was it her fault, for wanting more and not getting it? She didn't know, and wasn't sure if she would ever know.

What did she have left?

Wiping tears from her eyes, she noticed a business card on the carpet in front of her. It was one of Aizawa's, whose number she knew, and she almost threw it away before she saw the backside. A phone number had been scrawled down, in handwriting she recognized as L's. Below the number were the words, "If you change your mind."

She picked up the business card and slipped it into her pocket.

The end

Notes:

Let me start by saying that this was not the ending I originally intended. Yes, I knew Light was going to get captured. The point of this fic, in the end, was for both Naomi and L to survive, which meant Kira had to lose. It was sometime during the second chapter where I realized that Yagami would kill himself. I wish he hadn't, but from the manga, I don't think he was someone who could live with the shame of having Kira as a son. The chapter title of this final part, life, reflects my own feelings, and Naomi's: life rarely turns out the way you want it to. Speaking of titles, though, a more accurate title for the entire fic might have been Justice or Vengeance, since that is the core of Naomi's debate.

So, I'm sorry that ending was sad. I couldn't avoid it. But, there are choices left, as least for Naomi. And I'm sure Light will plot things in prison, because Light's that kind of person.

The Gods of Death have to return to the shinigami world if the Death Note is destroyed, which is why they left before Misa died. Everyone Misa met up with had their faces covered, to keep Rem from killing them to save Misa. Given Misa's power, it was a logical step to take.

You can debate whether the phone number Naomi got was L's or Watari's. Either way, she can contact them.

And so ends my first Death Note fic. I think the next one needs to be short, not drama, and full of random slashy pairings. Something crazy that no one has done yet, like L/Aber or a Yotsuba 8 orgy. Because I'm so done with serious for awhile. Thanks to everyone who read.