Chapter I : Silence

~ Flashback ~

Thick drops of rain were falling continuously over the Tokyo city, from the darkened and sad sky. Drops of rain…and silence.

"What are you doing there, Ryuzaki?" Light asked the little raven-haired bear standing defenseless right in the middle of the rain. L turned his head a little towards Light, putting his hand to one ear in a gesture that meant he couldn't hear him.

"What are you doing there, Ryuzaki?" Repeated Light, this time louder. L- the same gesture. Upset that he had to abandon the shelter offered by the roof of the headquarters, the brown-haired man realized that he had no other choice.

"What are you doing here, Ryuzaki?" This time Light was at a suitable distance, so that the detective would hear him.

"Nothing special", answered L with sadness in his voice. "I'm listening to the sound of the bells…it's very strong today"

~ End flashback ~

Thick drops of rain, like that day. They were falling mercilessly over him, washing his past…but the pain was still there. A deep pain in his heart that didn't want to go away…was consuming him. And silence…so much silence that he wanted to shout in order to shatter it. He was afraid of being swallowed by that silence like he was afraid of being swallowed by his past. He started running, drops of rain fallowing him, falling over his brown hair, over the dirty and ragged clothes, over the lost expression of his tears-soaked face. Tears? Was he crying? He didn't know himself, maybe it was only the rain. It was raining continuously…as if the sky expressed everything that was in his soul, all the suffering he didn't dare to express. Suddenly he stopped ; it was something there. A building that looked familiar, which he wanted to enter. Than he remembered, like a fog that is gradually lifted : it was his old faculty. The shadows of his past were still fallowing him…but he really wanted to be there, to enter that building. Because, from all the shadows, this one was precious to him. It was there that he had met him for the first time, from there everything started. The only person who had seen him how he really was and still wanted his friendship, the only one who could reach the same level as him, sometimes even surpass him. The most feared opponent and the most important friend. Friend…this word so simple, yet so complex that he couldn't understand in the past. Or rather didn't want to understand.

"Lawliet…" Light jumped a little, scared by his own voice echoing in the room in which not so long ago two different boys, but with lots of common features, were holding their graduation speech. He wasn't expecting for the shadow of his past to receive a name so suddenly. Because, with the name Light was engulfed in memories again…in the past…and in silence.

Chapter II : Light

Lawliet…it really fits him, thought Light and smiled sadly. Law..raito, even our names have something in common…what an irony. The name…how much I wanted to find it, back then.

He looked around, wondering what he was doing there, why did he let himself be deceived by the shadows of his past. It couldn't be changed, even if he wanted. Did he become so pathetic as to loose himself in a sea of melancholy? Anger towards himself filled his body. Where was Yagami Light, the embodiment of justice and ruler of the New World? Did he die? Then who was the young man in the middle of the room, soaked to the skin, but in whoose glance the light of hope began to flicker?

Light. The rain almost stopped, there were only some drops falling now and then and the rays of the sun appeared from the clouds that were fading little by little. Light looked at the sky, as if searching an answer to his question.

"Raito-kun…" a voice was heard, making Light come back to reality. He turned slowly towards the source of the voice, being hard for him to believe that it was real.

"Ryu…Ryuzaki?" Light couldn't hide the surprise in his voice. When the detective took a few steps towards him, the brown-haired man took some steps backwards, in fear of the ghost. A shadow of sadness appeared on L's face.

"You're probably wondering how come I'm here when you thought I'm dead. It's simple" here L made a pause for more effect "I faked my own death. That day I felt you were up to something…I didn't want to be defeated by you, so I decided to choose when I wanted my life to end. I wrote my own name in the Death Note that was at the headquarters; that was before we spoke on the roof, in the rain. The rest was only acting. I can say that I have a year to live, from now on. My only regret is Watari" L made a pause and his eyes avoided Light's for a few moments, then he went on " I didn't think the Shinigami would write his name in the notebook"

"I can't believe it…my plan…the funeral", said Light with a restless voice, his mind searching desperately for an explanation.

"The funeral was necessary in order to convince everybody that I was really dead. Then I could observe from the shadows how the truth was revealed, I could see the result of my involvement and confirm my theory"

"All this time you were alive…"

L made a few steps towards Light, but this time the latter stayed put.

"I wanted to be by you when you died; even for someone who committed so many crimes nothing can be more terrifying than dying alone."

Light looked astonished at L and suddenly all the events seemed to connect with each-other.

"I have thought that your image appeared in my mind, in those moments…but you were real. All my efforts, my dream has been shattered when I was so close to achieve it…"

"Your sence of justice is too strong, Raito-kun. But justice doesn't mean to eliminate all the criminals, you can't create a better world this way." L smiled in anticipation of Light's reaction at his next words. "I know what I'm saying, believe me! After all, I'm justice."

Without thinking Light jumped on L targeting the detective's face with his fist, but L dodged and quickly put Light out of balance with a kick at his feet, so that the brown-haired man suddenly realized he was lying on the floor, on his back.

"You haven't changed a bit, Raito-kun", said L and smiled, coming to sit next to the other, in a crunched position.

Light continued to look at the ceiling and tears began to fall from his big brown eyes. Tears that were falling on his face than into his hair.

"In my last moments I was…scared. But your image gave me peace. I remembered how much satisfaction your challenges gave me, how I enjoyed measuring my intelligence with yours…even our fights. I felt at peace". Light's eyes were so human…

L couldn't hide the emotion in his voice.

"Raito-kun, I'm glad you're alive again! Now we can be friends for real…it's a new beginning…" L got up and stretched his hand to Light. "Come…let me show you how beautiful this world is, even with its imperfections".

The brown-haired man whipped his tears, lifled himself a little and looked at L, than at his hand and he felt the same peace in his heart as in his last moments. A warm smile lightened his expressions suddenly, not Kira's cruel grin, but a smile from Light's heart. A smile that expressed all his gratitude and content.

"Hm. I'm glad to be back too…Lawliet", answered Light and caught the hand that was offered to him, to help him stand up. Hearing his true name, L smiled cunningly.

"I miss our tennis match; let's play again sometime", added Light.

"Sure…but this time I'll win!"

"We'll see about that…"

The two left the building. The sun was shining in the clear sky and no cloud could be seen. The rain was only a memory now.