Welcome! I really do hope all of you enjoy this story. It is the first I've completed. I do not own Death Note, but any character not in the original is mine. Also as promised I'm in the middle of editing. Look at the end of each chapter for the word "Final!" to know if it has been fixed or content has been added. I would love to replace the fanfic cover as well. So if any of you out their is an artist I would love to see fan art! Anyway please REVIEW, but more importantly ENJOY!

Chapter 1: A Different Road Taken

"I never expected to end up like this... trapped in an alley way... a knife to my throat. How was I suppose to know that this was the beginning of a new life? Where I'd met him... a secret desire of my heart..."

-Akane Yagami-

It was supposed to be a normal day. She had wished her father Souichiro Yagami good luck at work like she always did. He was the police chief and one day Akane knew she'd inherit his job. Her mother Sachiko made herself and her sister Sayu breakfast. Akane helped her mother with dishes before getting ready for school that day along with Sayu and fighting for counter space in the bathroom as per usual, but in her heart, she knew something was wrong like warning bells going off in her soul. They were so loud. It signaled the end of her life at such a young age.

Akane went to school with the neighbor's kid, a high school freshman named Toshi Kaguya who was being raised by his elder brother Satoru Kaguya for the past three years. Their parents died in a car crash several years ago and the three of them were a pretty close-knit group. Toshi was the brother she never thought she'd have and then there was Satoru.

He was more than just a childhood crush to Akane. She had loved him since she was a young girl. When she saw him for the first time eight years ago they had just moved next door and it was love at first sight. He was her senior by four years and in an instant he become so important to her. It was hard not to fall for the hard working and handsome man. He was intelligent, gentle, caring, devoted, a bit cheesy in a way that made her smile, and she had seen a kindness in him that no one could ever hope to grasp. His shoulder length hair was blond in color and his eyes blue as the sky in a clear spring day. He was only a quarter Japanese with the rest being English and Irish. His skin was so remarkable tan and flawless in a way that just looking at him told you he took great care of himself. He had the facial features of an angel and he knew just how good looking he was so there was a slight arrogance in his step. Satoru was also Akane's boyfriend in secret for about a year now. She knew her parents wouldn't approve and think him beneath her because he never completed high school or went to college like they planned for Akane to do. Instead he dropped out and gave up all his dreams just so he could take care of his little brother Toshi. It was one of the reasons she loved him so much.

However, today was so different from her usual days. The wind was so strong as it blew through her hair and ruffled her school clothes. A storm was slowly closing in toward her. She could feel it in her bones and it chilled her to her very soul. The school day was long and boring as it usually was. Nothing these days really tested her mind or challenged her in any way. Akane just wanted to see Satoru, but the need was stronger than usual... like that morning kiss was her last.

Toshi and Akane were walking home when they noticed a group of men were following them. Their hate filled glares were on Akane's back sending her heart into a panic frenzy as it pounded loudly in her ears that she was sure they could hear it over those men's heavy footsteps that clashed against the hard pavement. There was also the intent to kill in their auras and it was so strong that they could even feel it. "Toshi, what do we do?" Akane asked her voice trembling a bit.

"Akane... run. I'll distract them long enough for you to get away!" Toshi whispered back in a hurried voice.

"What if they hurt you?!" Akane demanded for she was one of her first concerns. The second was if she was ever going to see Satoru or her family again. She was scared as well while hands shook.

"Don't worry about me! I'm a man and I can handle myself just run! Will ya?!" He commanded as he turned around to face the men alone.

The determination in his eyes convinced her to comply, "Okay, I'll go find help! I'll be back Toshi! I swear it!" Akane called to him as she ran.

When she went to turn the corner she heard the sound of a two by four contact with someone's face and at the corner of her eye she saw Toshi fall on all fours. His blood dripping on the pavement. "No... Toshi," she whispered to herself tears clouding her vision as she ran for her life, but she realized to late she had taken a wrong turn. I'm sorry Toshi, Satoru, dad, mom, aunt Asa, Sayu! I don't think I'll be coming back from this one. Toshi please be okay and Satoru forgive me if he isn't!

"Get her boys! We'll show her daddy what happens when you mess with our gang! Leave that other kid alive. He can be the one to break the news to her daddy." Their leader laughed before they rush to follow after her.

They mean to kill me! Akane mind yelled out in fear. She was shaking and trapped in a dead end of an ally way. At least... Toshi will be okay. Satoru... please forgive me. If Toshi wasn't walking home with me he wouldn't have gotten hurt at all.

Before she knew it she was trapped in a corner. One of them grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her against him holding a knife to her throat. "NO! Help!" Akane called out, but no one seemed to have heard her scream.

"Shut up stupid wench!" the leader said before he slapped her. Then grabbed her by the face so hard she knew it would leave a bruise... if she lived past this moment that is. "Hey, boys she quite pretty under all this hair and this body is rather shapely! Think we should have some fun first?"

Akane spat her blood right in his face. "Don't touch me you, bastard!" He was right though she was pretty. Her hair was long to her hips in large golden-brown curls with thick bangs that shaped her face that partially hid her eyes that were so light brown they were like amber. Her skin was pale and soft with perfect defined curves. She was a trophy daughter of her family. Top of her class, popular, and everyone agreed she was going to go somewhere, but who knew it'd be here of all places.

Her eyes widen at the feeling of her top being ripped open as buttons went flying elsewhere. "She's a feisty little thing! She'll be fun! Be a good girl or my friend here will slit your pretty little throat."

"That would be preferable to your disgusting self, you pig!" Akane yelled as she kicked upward.

She watched as her kick landed perfectly into his man bits and their boss fell to his knees. She could feel the blade pierce her skin, but with her adrenaline running through her veins she barely felt the pain as she fought against the man holding her stomping his foot as hard as she could. Her will alone pushing past her fear of death and pain. She was thrown against the wall breaking a window cutting deep into her flesh. She screamed at the sudden agony and feeling the glass digging deep this time around. Her body was shaking as she struggled to stand. She watched them as they approach and she knew she was going to die as the rain began to fall overhead... that or she was going to bleed to death first.

She could hear a voice crying out over the loud thunder from above, "No not her! I won't allow it!" as the leader grabbed at his chest and fell to the ground dead and one by the others fell dead before Akane. Then she felt as if something inside herself clicked as shards of glass fell on to the ground and out of her wounds. Then her wounds began to heal, but just enough to stop the bleeding. A black book fell at her feet. The words "Death Note" on its cover as her knees gave way mostly in relief and shock. She picked up the notebook and found herself staring at four names and rules on its pages. The rules on its pages were as followed;

1. The human whose name is written in this note shall die.

2. This note will not take effect unless the writer has the person's face in their mind when writing his/her name. Therefore, people sharing the same name will not be affected.

3. If the cause of death is written in the next 40 seconds of writing the person's name, it will happen.

4. If the cause of death is not specified, the person will simply die of a heart attack.

5. After writing the cause of death, details of the death should be written in the next 6 minutes and 40 seconds.

"What... is this?" she asked herself. She wasn't expecting to hear a reply.

"It's yours now, my lady." A voice said in her ear. She looked behind her and screamed as she quickly backed away against the cold brick wall.

It was a monster or, well, she wasn't sure what it was, but the word monster sounded just right at that moment. He wore black half shirt and pants with gray wrapping on everything below his neck that would show skin otherwise, except for some of his thin stomach. There was also this black marble sealed jar that seemed as it was secured to his waist with leather straps and great care like it was rather important to him. He was at least seven feet tall. His skin the color of paper. His narrow green slit eyes looked at her with genuine concern. His hair was black and kept in a high ponytail with a red hair tie and it swayed down to his shoulder blades. He had black horns on his head with a spiral-like carving in them as well and he was far to thin to be alive or human for that matter. His body looked long and lanky with his skin tightly stretched on his skeletal frame. He was hunched over her to allow his large black bat-like wings to shield her from the cold blistering rain.

(Author's Note: Look on my profile for the link to see the concept art for Donovan. It's a rough sketch and I'm still new to drawing. So don't judge it to harshly and yes I did change his looks a little bit, but I wanted to add more detail to him. Also, correct some mistakes and if you already read this story once you can guess what that jar actually is... hint, hint.)

She stared not sure what to do as she held the notebook against her instinctively and tightly as it crinkled under her shaken grip. "Who... who are you?"

"I am Donovan (Irish for 'Dark Warrior'), my lady. I am your Shinigami, a god of death." He told her in a rough voice, through his pointed teeth, nearly sounded like one would imagine a demon's voice in a horror movie, but his words were gentle as he bowed only his head. Then when he lifted that head of his a long black clawed finger pointed at the note. "The book in your hands is what killed those men as you have seen. The Shinigami who saved you was not I, but a... close friend. Ciaran (Irish for 'Dark One') was his name and his love for you little human is what saved your life and took his years of life from him and they were given to you gladly." The creature explained his clawed hand expanding toward her. "Worry not little one, you are safe in my care."

Akane didn't know what to think as he grabbed her by the wrist and helped her up with a gentle yet firm hand like a father would do for his daughter that fell off her bike. He had such a frightening voice and she couldn't understand how it could sound so sincere. "Your... friend is dead?" she asked her voice concerned.

"Yes," he replied his voice even as if hiding a pain behind it. "He died to save you. Those four men's names lie within that book that kills was a sacrifice he made to save you."

"I... I'm sorry," she said her voice unable to conceal her nervousness as the creature ripped a shirt off a line that was hanging to dry and handed it to her. "Um, thank you, Donovan."

The creature nodded gently holding nobleness with the way held himself. It was like at the undead version of a knight of the round table, but something about his gentle gaze placed a calm over her terrified being. He shook his head at her apology, "He did it for you there is no need to say sorry for that. What matters is your well being. He asked me to look after you. So on my honor, I will."

She pulled the shirt over her head and looked back up at him a small frown of worry on her face, "I have to find Toshi," she informed him. "He's my friend and could be hurt or worse."

"He is fine... only unconscious, my lady. This way, I'll lead you there," he told her. "He cannot see or hear me. Only you can at the moment. Do not lose that Death Note. Keep it hidden. Keep it safe. Others might try to take advantage of it or try to take it from you for there own selfish gain."

….

It had been a month since the day she met the Shinigami. Donovan followed her everywhere she went except for her need for privacy, of course. He was a quiet companion and quite polite calling her 'my lady' all the hours of the day. She could see him look around from time to time for danger and it made her wonder if he was a warrior once upon a time. He was a mystery really and had a long sword called a claymore with Celtic ruins on its handle and it was strapped to his back like a warrior from the medieval times. He didn't talk much if at all unless she asked him something and he would always answer in some way. Though she didn't mind it really. She didn't want to talk much either after what happened and then with all those criminals that started having heart attacks three days later. It was rather strange and she wondered if it had something to do with her. Who was killing all these people? Was there another Death Note out there? It seemed most likely that another had a Death Note.

She had told Toshi that she had no idea what had happened when those men attacked her. They just fell over and died quite literally. The police had examined them and said they all had died from heart attacks. Their hearts just gave out as if the grim reaper had just sucked out the life from them, but Akane knew what happened. Ciaran had killed them to save her life and she was grateful, but she could not use that Death Note and damn her own soul. She had read the rule on it.

How To Use II: 3. The human who uses this notebook can neither go to Heaven or Hell.

So Akane had hidden it in the false bottom of her draw she had made for her diary two years ago. No one should have such power and she told no one of it not even the love of her life, Satoru. She could still remember the way he held her as she cried that night. His touch was always so tender, but that night his grip was so tight and it nearly hurt. However, she didn't mind and he had this angry fire in his eyes when he didn't think she was looking. Of course, he would someone had hurt the person he cared for so deeply. However, she could no longer say his arms or warm embrace were the only ones she could let herself feel safe in. Donovan even with his bony frame and clawed hands made her feel safe and comforted. Somehow she knew he did not just tell her empty words that day and he would protect her no matter what came to pass.

"Donovan... how long am I going to live?" she asked curiously one day.

His green eyes slowly turned toward her. "I don't think I'm suppose to say so I will not give an exact date, but roughly five hundred years, my lady," he replied in a calm voice.

"Oh okay... wait! WHAT?! Five... hundred years?!" she yelled glad no one was home except her and Donovan today. It was the only time she could spend with Satoru.

"Yes. Is that a problem? Aren't humans always complaining about life being to short?" he asked a creepy smile stretching across his face her reactions sometimes amused him.

"I'm going to be the oldest living human out there... great. I'm going to outlive my grandchildren's grandchildren. That's freaky as hell." She told Donovan who laughed. "I'm so glad you find this amusing."

"There are ways to half it if you want, my lady," he told her.

"So I live two hundred and fifty years instead. That doesn't sound much better, but how could I, if I wanted to I mean?" she asked curiously as she sat up on her bed.

"Shinigami eyes. It will take half of the years you have left away," he told her. "It will give the ability to see the names of others just by seeing their faces even tell you how much time they have left. However, it will not show the time of death for Shinigami and other holders of the Death Note. You really should read that rules and instructions in that book, my dear lady."

"That's kind of cool, but not I'm not interested. I'm never using that death note and cheat my soul out of going to heaven or where I'm going when I die. Guess I'll cope with the long lifespan then. I'll have to fake my death eventually then move place to place every couple of years. What about Satoru? I'll have to live without him... one day won't I?" she said the thought alone brought a tear ran down her face as she thought that. She was going to lose him or she'd have to end it somehow before she had to fake her own death or simply go missing.

Donovan placed his hand upon her head, "Thinking of such things will only break your heart, child. You have many years before you have to think of such things."

Slowly she nodded, maybe shortening her life would be a good thing later down the line, but not now, "You're right. I'm going on a date with Satoru tonight. I should be getting ready. Not thinking of depressing things."

"I will be in the living room watching TV then, my lady." He said giving her a bow before leaving the room through a wall as if it wasn't even there.

She smiled up at him. How could a god of death be so kind? He is polite too. Who was he in a formal life? My guess would have been a knight from England or something, Akane thought to herself.

Final!