A Final Note from Flutter: Oh. My. Goodness. I simply cannot believe this is the end. For those of you who didn't read the A/N in the first chapter, this was my first multi-chapter fanfiction. And now, it's over. Tears! I feel like I grew as a writer while I was writing this, which is good, because you have by no means heard the last of me. Fire and Ice Cream may or may not get put on hold, depending on if my writer's block lifts, but I guarantee that something will be up soon. In the meantime, I'd like to dedicate this epilogue to my freakin' epic reviewers. You guys are the best- I can't believe how many great comments I got. They all made me so happy!

Oh, and if you hadn't figured out why this is called Golden... well, read to the end!

And on that lengthy and sappy note, we digress...


The police station was eerily quiet. Matt leaned closer to Mello as they were led to a locked room in the back. Entering, they saw the man they were there for. He was sitting in a chair in the middle of the room with his hands cuffed behind his back.

They took seats facing him. "Light Yagami," Mello said calmly.

Light didn't respond immediately. He hadn't lifted his eyes from the ground since they came in. Finally, he asked, "Have they let you go?" He almost seemed to be trembling a little bit.

"They have."

Light didn't look at them, but they could see the corners of his mouth curl up in some sort of twisted smile. "Good."

"Why'd you do it?" Matt asked bluntly.

"I'm going to die. I know that. I have been convicted and sentenced to the death penalty already; what's another name to my list? Now, you- both of you- have a lot of life ahead of you. You see, the main mistake I made as Kira was forgetting one of the most important rules of life- that everyone deserves a second chance. I won't make that mistake again- this is your second chance."

"What exactly did you tell them?" Mello demanded.

"You should be careful. Someone could be listening," Light warned.

"No one's listening. I checked on the way in. No guards or bugs. I guess they don't think you're too dangerous now that you've confessed," Matt said.

"No, they just can't be bothered. You'd be amazed at how little people really want to hear..."

"It doesn't matter," Mello cut in. "How exactly did you get me off the hook?"

"I'm Kira. I told them I found out about William Jeevas's criminal activities and judged him as unfit for the New World. I claimed I shut off the lights then intentionally shot him."

Mello held up a hand for him to stop talking. "Someone's coming," he murmured.

Two officers entered the room and announced that they were taking Yagami. They handed him a pair of crutches and stood on either side of him as they left, slowly on account of Light's broken leg. Light was beyond caring where he was being taken, so he didn't ask.

Matt and Mello hung back and watched him go, and as they watched him retreat further and further towards his imminent death, Matt whispered "Thank you" to the man who had caused him so much pain and suffering.

And then all was quiet.


"Silence is golden."