Time

(A/N: LAST CHAPTER!!! Thanks to those of you that stuck with me this far.)

Ryuk, who hovered behind the new owner of the Death Note, laughed. He got a better show than he ever thought he would.

Raito glanced at the shinigami. He was unhurt, wearing normal street clothes—albeit ones that weren't his style—with the look on his face full of question.

L had been experimenting with the Death Note. It appeared that in Raito's narrow frame of mind, he had not done much to test the Death Note on grounds other than killing. L didn't know exactly how Raito broke out of jail. All he knew was that if the deed was even one percent possible, Raito would be standing in front of him at that precise moment.

Raito took his time to assess the situation. It didn't take long, however, to realize what the detective had done to get him there. He went to stand directly in front of L.

The detective stood as well, and showed Raito his name in the Death note, along with the notes: escapes to headquarters five hours before the time of the execution.

Raito pushed the book away. He lowered his head, saying with distinct humor in his voice, "Your methods of investigation have been a bit senseless lately."

"…This isn't investigation. That last night wasn't either."

"This is revenge."

"No. This is a little more selfish than that, I think. I…"

"How long did you put me down for?"

L glanced at the clock. "Until 12:15."

"Well, was there anything you wanted to say, or…"

"…No…"

Raito paused. There were about three minutes until 12:15, at which time he would die of a heart attack. He wasn't one hundred percent sure why L brought hi there. Eighty percent at least said it wasn't just because the detective wanted to watch him die.

"How did you find the Death Note?"

"Was the ceiling tile significant at all?"

"No."

"I thought there was a fifty-three percent chance that your new hiding place was nowhere significant, and most likely in plain view. I turned the room inside out to find it."

Raito nodded. Whatever time was left ticked obnoxiously away. "Fifty seconds, then," he murmured, looking at L's watch. A few more seconds.

Raito closed his eyes, slipping his hands into his pockets. He stepped into L, and closed his lips against those of the detective who was, as ever, unfazed. He was unfazed—Raito natural—because in the past few months of rebirth and death, the two had thought about everything. When one comes to terms with death, one realizes his own significance and insignificance. Standing there in the first moments of morning, their hearts drowning out time, Raito and L accepted their most private—perhaps selfish—but entirely individualistic selves. Everything finally made sense; it was perfectly logical.

They broke apart, savoring the coolness of fresh air and the heat rising to their heads. L glanced at his watch, which led Raito to realize that 12: 15 had passed into 12:16 and 23 seconds.

"I gave us a little more time," L explained.

"How…"

L retrieved the Death Note, dropped unceremoniously on the floor moments ago, and showed Raito the last part of the notes under his name, the time of death.

Raito laughed.

"In order for any of the events written in the Death Note to occur, death…"

"…Must be planned," Raito finished. "Well, I think that's a good amount of time."

"I… there's a helicopter on the roof…"

"Wait." Raito suddenly frowned. L sat down on the sofa, taking up his half-finished cake. "Did the reaper tell you that whoever uses the Death Note will go to neither heaven nor hell?"

"Yes, yes I did," Ryuk said, bobbing up and down on the ceiling.

Both men were just slightly disturbed to be reminded of the shinigami's presence.

"Your name is the only one I would ever have written in the Death Note," L answered as Raito sat across from him. "Shall we just leave it at that?" His watch ticked. "We should probably leave soon, after I finish this cake."

FINE.

(A/N: Thanks so much for reading. This last chapter was so fun to write. I can't say if I'll do any more DN stories ::probably shorter ones::, but ideas or whatever are welcome. G'night.)