Detached: Ok people. This has been sitting in my computer for a while now, couple months at least and now since I finally have some time on my hands, I'm reading it and fixing it up to a decent reading level in order to present this to you guys. I've never posted anything but I've been playing god "ahem" with Death Note for a while now and I actually have a few storylines with the "Detached Memories" title theme. If you deem me worthy I may put a few of the others up as well. I'll talk more about the story and the few additions after the chapter, just know I sort of skip points of view in the beginning. I don't want to bore you so I'll start it now.

Detached Memories

It was cold, no he was cold. Why? Why was he so cold? It covered him in a thin veil, wrapping him and constricting his chest, but he didn't know why, no he couldn't remember why. It was ending. What was about to happen could not be changed, he knew that instinctively.

The blood was pounding in his ears, but what caused it? Exhilaration? Disappointment? Regret? Was he actually regretting his decision?

The old man fell. The screen went blank with the deletion of data. It was too late now, too late to regret, he had made his decision. It was over. He had won.

Raito watched the man fall out of the chair, much like a single domino toppling over. He couldn't believe it was finally happening, although this was what he had planned for. He caught him effortlessly, instinctively. This is what he'd wanted, he thought to himself as he looked down at the man in his arms.

A pair of dark, hypnotic eyes looked up at him, meeting his own, watching him, piercing him. The man knew now, he had always suspected him, but now…he knew. And they both knew he was dying. It was over. The look that he was being given felt so much worse than anything he'd ever experienced. The look he received was filled with pain, regret and realization, asking an unspoken question 'Why?' something that their owner could not say.

The grin spread to his face, a small grin he only let this person see, a look of victory, smugness from finally outwitting this man, from defeating him. It was a childish grin, a childish win, but had either of them really been adults? But as he watched the man fade, starting to drop from the reality, the grin fell. Over. It was over. This person would no longer exist, no longer held any warmth, no longer be able to speak. He would become a memory.

The act ended then, he couldn't do it; he couldn't fake this act because he did regret it. As he watched the hypnotic eyes close, he returned the stare, with not an act, but the true regret he felt, everything he had tried to delude himself into was false, the only thing that was real to him was the person in his arms. His mission? What was it again? He couldn't remember, he couldn't remember anything, couldn't think of anything besides the man in his arms. There was nothing else, there was no one else. The eyes closed never to open again.

What have I done? He thought to himself with horror, as he fitfully tried to shake the still warm body in his arms. What have I done?

"Wake up! You're not dead! You…you can't be dead! I won't let you die!" Words poured from his mouth, screams and shouts. He vaguely remembered being pulled, no pried away from the body, the body that he had killed. It wasn't a person anymore, just a body. The person was still in his memories, tormenting him, and they would for eternity. What god didn't have his own cross to bear? But it hurt, damnit it hurt. His heart hurt.

"I'm so sorry, Ry-"

Raito Yagami woke up covered in a cold sweat with tears streaming down his face. He sat up quickly, desperately trying to remember what he had to say, what he had been dreaming about, but as always the dream was slipping away from him, drifting away again, only to haunt him later.

Just as well, he thought to himself as he got out of bed. Maybe I shouldn't remember. But that wasn't true and he knew it, somewhere deep within him he knew that forgetting would have been an insult the owner of the pair of eyes in his dreams. And he didn't want to insult them, he knew that.

He got out of bed slowly and stood up. Ten' o'clock, I have just enough time. He always slept through any alarm he had when he dreamed. He started a pot of coffee and jumped into the shower. When he was dressed, his phone rang.

"Can you come in now?" a desperate voice asked. "Car accident, two fatalities and the third…" Raito nodded as he pulled on his jacket, knowing the other person could see him. "Very well, I'll be there in six minutes, make some coffee." he turned his own coffeepot off and stepped out into the street. His house was rather large for one person, but he liked it all the same, besides his sister came over often enough when she didn't want to get up earlier for her seminars. Still as he stepped onto the moving platforms, he had a feeling that something was going to happen today.

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"I'll be fine, don't you worry Mrs. Arisa. I think I just sprained it. Your husband however has passed on." The man said as he walked out of the house, taking care not to place too much pressure on his foot.

"I still think you should go to the hospital."

"I may just do that," he said quickly wincing slightly as he applied pressure to his foot. It was broken, he would be stuck like this for three weeks, but he couldn't really find the disappointment at the moment when he saw how happy she was. Her husband had been trying for years asking for help. His murder had finally been put to rest and the young man felt proud of himself.

"Good, do you need a ride?"

"I have enough money to ride the platform Ms. Arisa."

"Take care of yourself." he nodded as he turned around and walked away. He didn't really want to go to a hospital. Hospitals were full of sprits, some nice, some not so nice, and they always made him sick. He wasn't going to wait until he received an infection however, as it most likely would have if he didn't go now. "But hospitals are so expensive." he grumbled as he placed money onto the platform. "Tokyo Hospital."

"One moment please." The automated voice recited back to him the location.

"Correct." he felt the sinking feeling that he was descending and then he was there, outside the hospital, he could hear the wailings of and see the ambulances from here. There were two of them. They stopped and he clearly say a sign of a recently dead, the faint orange glow that represented a new spirit.

"Maybe I can wait a couple of hours," he sighed as he sat down on a bench.

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Raito was exhausted; he had spent nearly eight hours in surgery! The boy had had some serious damage though, but he would be fine now, Raito had made sure of it. Sure he had suffered some nerve damage, he would have to learn how to walk again but his brain remained intact. He would be fine.

Raito felt pleased with himself as he opened a water bottle, he needed something cool. Raito wasn't sure why he had become a doctor. He hated people who talked to him as if he wouldn't say anything in return as if he was stupid. He didn't like people much at all. But he did like the feeling he received on a day like today, when he was able to save a life. It felt almost compulsory to him, saving someone and so he would. Again and again. But the feeling would be gone as quickly as it had come.

He started to walk towards the waiting rooms, looking for the boy's mother.

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He had taken a nap on the bench; sharing his body always drained him. He looked up; he never carried a watch, besides they refused to work for him. It must be around four, he thought as he walked into the building. He immediately hunched over as if he had been punched, he would have thrown up had he eaten today. Today was a horrible day to be in the hospital; he saw six pale orange spirits spending there last few minutes with their loved ones, before leaving the world or remaining. He was preparing to leave, he would come back another day, when one spirit saw him staring around and moved up to him.

"Can you see me?"

The man, unable to talk, nodded weakly.

"Can you tell my wife a few things?" he nodded weakly again. He would move on after this and check up on his family on occasion. He hadn't been planning on staying, but he couldn't refuse the request either.

"Just…give…me a moment…" he gasped.

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Raito walked into the room a couple hours later. The boy was stabilized and it was determined that he would live. He went over to the mother who was crying, well sobbing actually. Raito felt nothing for her however. It always made his job easier when he didn't have good news.

His eyes widened as he realized she was talking to a man, who was hunched over and clutching his stomach. It wasn't his problem, but he walked closer. Suddenly the woman slapped the young man.

"How dare you spout such lies! I cannot believe you think I would buy that!"

Raito had come close enough to hear the other man. "But, it is all true," he whispered. Whatever the man had been saying had been honest.

"If it is then you belong in an asylum, not here."

"No, he wants you to know that your daughter-"

"I do not have a daughter!"

"You do not have one yet." he stated calmly. "She'll be born soon enough. Your husband's final gift." she slapped him again and Raito stepped in.

"I know you've had a terrible experience but I condone fighting under my wing." he stated calmly although his eyes were icy. "I would prefer you to stop. Has this man done anything wrong?"

"He is a lying swindler, trying to get money out of me right here in the hospital."

"I want no money, just to tell you that your son will be fine and your daughter-"

"I do not wish to hear it." the man stopped talking, dejected.

"Well, Mayuno-san, you're son will be just fine. It was a difficult operation, but we were able to save him."

She looked up with tear rimmed eyes.

"You'll be able to see him when he wakes up. I shall be in tomorrow." he walked away pulling the man's sleeve so he would walk with him. He noticed he was limping rather badly.

"So you were here for medical attention, then?"

"Of course, I wouldn't be here otherwise."

"And why would that be?" he looked into the man's eyes and startled, released his grip. The man wasn't unaffected either. As he looked into those honey golden eyes, something akin to a memory stirred in his head. Not only that, he noticed the shadows behind the man. There were so many! He couldn't really believe his eyes. As he watched several disappeared into the next plane, he could hear the faint pop as each disappeared. He took as step back and winced.

"Come to my office." he stepped into an elevator and the dark haired man followed. Once inside, he looked around. There was a large desk with a computer and several filing cabinets, but overall the room was extremely plain. But it was large. He motioned the man to sit down.

Once he did, Raito picked up the leg, quickly and looked it over. This is a bad break, why were you not here sooner?" Breaks were not really his specialty, but he knew how to fix them. He pulled up a kit and stared to wrap the ankle.

"How did you do this?"

"I fell down a flight of stairs." Raito nodded, unconvinced at the explanation but accepting it all the same.

"And what was the scene downstairs about?"

"Her husband wanted her to know a few things."

"Her dead husband?"

"Yes he is dead."

"Dead people do not speak."

"Spirits of the dead do." Raito stared at him for a moment. "Yes, I can see them, and no I am not crazy. I can give you a description if you want."

"That is alright. This is a strange world we are a part of."

"What is your name?"

"L".

A ghost of a smile appeared on Raito's face. "Where did you find such a name and how did you choose it?" L nodded, the man knew of the historical significance of his name.

"I'm surprised that you know of the Kira story. It has been covered up pretty well, with all the propaganda and wars and diseases."

"As am I of your knowing. They do not teach that in schools."

"Ah, I learned from a secondhand source."

"And why are you sharing this with me?"

"You learned from something similar."

"Correct, Yagami-san." he said slowly taking note of the name on the desk. Something stirred again. There was something about this man, about L.

"From what then?"

"I think you have other problems at the moment. Your grandmother is currently shouting at you." Raito did feel a low buzz in his ear.

"What does she look like?"

"Well, first off she has black hair, rather short and she keeps telling you to call your sister in-between shouts involving a boy that is garbage and dinner plans. He has three girlfriends apparently."

Raito flipped open his phone and called his sister.

"Hey, Sayu. How are you? Well I just got off work, how about I pick up some …Chinese food on the way home. You're not with Takumi are you?" he faced silence before she announced. "I'll be home for dinner Onii-chan!" and hung up.

"Your grandmother disappeared, going to see her probably."

"She's not my grandmother." L frowned; the woman had looked too old to be his mother.

"Oh, I assumed-"

"She's my great-grandmother." L nodded as Raito stood.

"Well, since I now have dinner plans now so would you like to come?" Raito wasn't sure why he invited the man in the first place, although he quickly formed a reason. "I would appreciate you not saying anything about what happened downstairs." L nodded understandingly.

"She was feeling helpless, I didn't really mind. Besides, some part of her desperately wants to believe what I said was true."

"Is it?"

"Of course. I shall join you for dinner, but do you perhaps have any cake?"

Raito himself didn't care for sweet things. They all tasted like sugar to him.

"No, but I shall buy one, there is a pastry shop near the Chinese restaurant." He pulled off his white jacket and placed the dark one on in its place. L noted that even though the jacket may have looked expensive, it was not. He was practical and he made the jacket appear expensive.

"Do you have a coat?"

"No, I left it behind…somewhere." L, when he was on a job, usually forgot things that were not of utmost importance. "Ah, at the hotel." he said as he thought on it.

"You live at a hotel?"

"No. I move around constantly." Raito nodded handing him a second coat, almost identical to the first. L took it and placed it on. Raito made the jacket suit him, whereas L looked like the jacket was wearing him, not the other way around. He stood up slightly, straightening it.

Raito walked out of the hospital and L followed. He ordered dinner and they sat within the pastry shop as they waited for the restaurant to cook the food. He had ordered the cake and bought L a piece while they waited. L had a strange way of eating, holding the fork between his forefinger and thumb, but Raito didn't really mind. L was offering him the most interesting conversation he'd had in a while. L was smart, much smarter than he looked. At one point they were speaking in English with one another, then French, then Japanese again.

Finally Raito stood up and went across the street to pick up their food and L followed. They arrived at his house a few minutes later. Sayu was in the house and L noticed that the grandmother was hovering over her, whispering various things to the girl. Both the ghost and the girl turned around simultaneously to look at them.

Sayu had black hair and brown eyes and if L could explain how she looked in one word, it would be strong. She looked gentle, with soft curves and a wide smile, but her eyes told a different story. She actually reminded him very much of the woman hovering behind her.

"Good evening." He said to both of them.

"Hey, Onii-chan, who's this? Your lover?" L looked over at the brunette. He was agitated by this comment although he wouldn't show it.

"I've got dinner Sayu. This is…" he didn't want to say L.

"You may call me Law." he told them both, letting Raito know that wasn't his name either.

"Oh, well hello Law-san."

"So is he?"

"No, there was some trouble at the hospital today so I invited him to dinner."

"Oh." she sounded disappointed as she opened the bag. "It's just that you don't talk to anyone except Teru-chan and me anymore. You should get yourself a girlfriend."

"I don't need one." he said as he pulled out the dinner settings.

"What happened with Taka-chan? I thought you were going to marry her."

"I've told you before I had no intention of doing so. This is not a topic to discuss again." he knew his sister was doing this both to annoy him and to see L's response to the information.

"So you live here all alone, then?" he said as he sat down.

"Yes. Sayu will stay for her lectures though."

"I'm not here very often, though." she chipped in.

"So were you with Takumi?" her smile disappeared.

"Why don't you like him Onii-chan?"

"He has three other girlfriends." L supplied.

"Who says?"

"Your great-grandmother. She says he deserves to live in a garbage can." she smiled slightly.

"That does sound like something she'd say."

"She says to call him tomorrow at two in the afternoon. He'll be with…Mari, I think her name is?" her eyes became dark. "Mari said she was going to see her father."

"I'm just saying what she's telling me."

"But she's dead." she said realizing who he was referring to.

"Ah, her body might be, but her spirit isn't and her voice definitely isn't. Ethereal bodies are just containers for eternal spirits."

"So are you a fortune teller too?"

Raito saw L's eyes become slightly icy. "No, I am not a fortune teller."

"Oh, sorry. Do you want some noodles?"

"No, I'd rather have some cake."

"Just cake?"

"Just cake."

"That's like Onii-chan. He doesn't like food unless it's spicy or something."

"That is interesting."

"So how often do you eat cake?"

"Every day."

"And you're that skinny. That's not fair."

"I am not skinny."

"Fine, lean then. If I ate cake every day, I'd look like a balloon." Even though that wasn't quite physically accurate neither L nor Raito said anything. L opened the cake box and took out a rather large piece. The way he was trying to sit hurt his ankle so he compromised sitting cross legged in the chair as he started to eat. He listened to Sayu talk. And talk. And talk some more. When she was finished she put her plate down and said she had homework.

Raito went to wash the dishes as L helped himself to another piece of cake.

"You don't look much like your sister."

"No, I don't look like my parents either."

"You don't look like any members of your family?" L had not only been listening to the sister, but the grandmother as well.

"Well she used to say that I looked very much like her brother, but I never met him."

"What did your parents say?"

"They never met him either. He died while my great grandmother was in high school."

"Not too long after his father?" Raito thought for a moment.

"Yes…" he said slowly. "A couple of years later."

"And you're named after him?" Raito nodded.

"So you're talking to her?"

"Well, listening Raito-kun. She does like to talk."

"So why are you asking me then?"

"Like I said before, she likes to talk. About everything, including how cute her high school uniform used to be." Raito nodded, knowing full well what she had been like.

"She's glad you became a doctor, she says her grandson wasn't right about how difficult it is." she had started to talk about how she had wanted to be a nurse so L turned to Raito.

"Did you want to become a doctor?"

"Not really."

"Then why?"

"I'm not sure, but when I save someone's life it makes the-" he stopped. It was too easy to talk to this man and he didn't like it.

"It makes what, Raito-kun?"

"Nothing." L looked over to the woman who, for the first time, wasn't talking. So he had to find out on his own then? How interesting.

"Well, I should be getting back to the hotel then. I'll have to pick up my equipment before they throw it away."

"You don't have an apartment?"

"No, I did, once, but because I spent seventy-two percent of my time elsewhere it became an expense rather than an asset."

"So you carry everything around with you?"

"Correct Raito-kun."

"Can you walk?"

"No, I'll probably have to pay for the platform. Again."

"Do you have much money?"

"I have a decent amount, but I'd rather not spend it unless deemed necessary. Riding the train now though is not a wise thing to do at this time."

"Look, why don't you let me get your equipment. I'd rather not have to fix you up again." He had that small smirk on his face again. But L was rather partial to his equipment, and he probably couldn't carry everything either.

"Very well." he said dejected. "Be careful with it." Raito nodded. L told him the room code and information, and then Raito was gone.

"Onii-chan?" Sayu asked as she walked out. "Oh, you're still here Law-san? Do you know where Oni-chan is?"

"He went to go retrieve my things. I'm not really in a position to be carrying anything just yet."

"So you're staying here tonight?"

"I suppose so."

"Can you help me with this? I was going to ask Onii-chan but I have a feeling that you know how to do them also." he looked over at the problems. It was a cumulative math review. And according to her work, math didn't seem to be her strong spot.

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Raito walked in some time later with three bags, two of them being equipment. He heard his sister in the kitchen.

"Do you understand, then?"

"Umm…I think so." So she was trying math again. He walked in and looked at the paper. She was doing it correctly, but L looked tired. Tutoring his sister was not an easy task.

"So if you subtract forty seven degrees, thirteen feet and forty-four seconds with thirty-two degrees seven feet and thirty-one seconds you receive a five degree, four feet and thirteen second difference and then you…" she paused for several seconds. 'Then you divide the feet by sixty and the seconds by thirty-six hundred and add them together to get… eight point zero seven one. Then you multiply by pi and divide by one hundred eighty degrees to receive…" she reached for her calculator.

"Point one hundred forty-one." Raito and L said simultaneously.

She wrote it down. "Why are you both calculators? It's not fair." She closed the book. Thanks, Law-kun, Onii-chan.

"You should check your work Sayu."

"I'll be fine, I just needed help with those few." she said walking away.

"So am I staying here then?"

"Of course." Raito said bluntly. "It is more practical that way. If you ever have a job nearby, you can stop by also. I usually work during the day though." Raito wasn't quite sure why he had invited a person he'd known for less than a day to visit his house in the future, but he did wish to speak with L again. L nodded solemnly and walked toward the room Raito specified.

When Raito came home the next day from work, L was gone.

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Detached: So…what do you think? I butchered the beginning about six or seven times. I don't like the memories, but they're necessary. I also wanted a kind of heaven/punishment scene, but that was really bad, so it disappeared. Completely. Okay, this story, if you haven't realized, is in the future. The Kira age has been glossed over, more like a scary bedtime story than anything else. Everyone has the same name in this one because…I say so. It's about eighty-ish years in the future. That's important later. Not so much for the years, but for a human lifespan to match. The platform is an advanced mode of transportation and the train had become the cheaper, more…questionable way to travel. By the way, with Raito being a doctor, he gets to ride it for free! But he doesn't abuse the privilege! Isn't he such a good ex-mass murderer? Oh, I don't own Death Note. I think I'm finished for now.