AN: Finally! The next chapter! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or plot line of the Inuyashaor Death Note series.

Chapter 22

It was raining. In fact it was absolutely dreary outside. But it had no effect on Kagome as she relaxed, sprawled out on the couch. She even cracked the window a bit to let in the cool air that came with the cloudy weather and to listen to the soft pitter patter of the droplets hitting the side of the building. The sound was soothing, and reminiscent of the less active days spent in Kaede's village during similar weather.

No… despite the less than lovely forecast, Kagome Higurashi was chipper and smiling. After all, she had successfully gone on her first real date yesterday. So what if technically it was a double-date with two supernatural involved murder suspects? And so what if the guy she had gone on the date with is a world-famous, socially awkward detective that held his own suspicions against her?

Closing her eyes she reminisced over the minute interactions that he bestowed upon her. The memory of his relieved expression when seeing her was etched into her mind. Her heart was starting to race, and she again was brought back to the short lived intimate moment they experienced together on that very same couch.

A loud thud brought Kagome out of her fantasizing and moment of bliss. Her eyes snapped open. Surveying the room she wasn't surprised to see a certain shinigami prodding around the pantry. No doubt looking for a specific bag of apples that was well hidden in the kitchen. Eyebrow twitching in annoyance, Kagome reached for the pen that rested on the living room table. The very same pen she used to write all the notes covering the forty-two cameras in her room.

Taking aim, she chucked it at Ryuk, striking him in the middle of his back and catching him off guard. He froze and slowly turned around, a sheepish look adorning his face. The death god knew he had been caught but attempted to cover it up nonetheless. "I saw a spider. I know how you hate them so I was going to kill it for you."

The priestess rolled her eyes and stood up, lazily walking to the kitchen herself. Opening the cupboard under the sink, she withdrew a plastic grocery bag stuffed to the brim with apples. Ryuk watched carefully as she placed it on the counter and grabbed a paring knife. The moment she cut the first apple in half, he contorted his body into an awkward shape.

"You're destroying it! Why wouldn't you just eat it? Why wouldn't you let me eat it?" His cries of anguish caused her to crack a smile. Ignoring him she continued to chop up ten of the juicy fruits, placing each of the slices into a large bowl.

She had so many fresh apples now, there was no way she was just going to eat plain apples for the next few days. Instead, she opted to make a pie. Maybe she would make a couple and take one up to the Kira Investigation Team. Now that she thought about it, she hadn't properly been introduced to the squad. Sure she had gotten to tease Matsuda a bit in Aoyama, but the rest of them really had no idea about her. Were they suspicious of her? Or did they simply pay her no mind because that's what Ryuzaki told them to do?

The knife halted.

L technically didn't really know anything about her either. He witnessed a glimpse of the boisterous Inuyasha a couple of weeks back, but never asked questions about the silver haired man that managed to jump up to the seventh floor of her current home. No doubt Watari was instructed to do research on the half demon, but surely no information was yielded. Nor did he ever question her claims of being a priestess or meeting a shinigami five hundred years ago. Merely displayed his piqued interest by resting his thumb lightly upon his bottom lip.

Looking at her like a puzzle.

But was it one he was truly inquisitive enough to solve? From what she had read, L was a prominent figure in the world of detective work. Very few held a candle to his mental capabilities and he was not an individual to be trifled with. If L wanted to learn something, he would discover it on his own.

Sighing, she went back to work, forcing herself out of her own thoughts. With a soft hum she grabbed the staple items in her pantry needed to make a crust for the pies. The stock of her kitchen and apartment truly was a treat. Not that she was able to step out very often, but when she did it was replenished and stocked to the brim. Even the utensils were top notch. There was nothing that she went without in her current home.

Gingerly, she hand kneaded the dough against the counter before pulling out a rolling pin and flattening it out. Tentatively she lined a few pie pans, careful not to let it tear, before filling them with apples and brown sugar. Ryuk watched her with a keen eye, still clearly upset by not letting him simply eat the apples. After she covered the pies and placed them in the hot oven, she picked up the pen she threw at the shinigami a bit ago and jotted on a paper towel: You've never had apple pie before?

"I was never patient enough. Besides, the only other human that could have given me apple pie is Light. I can't really see him baking…."

Kagome attempted to imagine the genius in a bright pink apron, his hair covered by a bandana while attempting to create some sort of dish in the kitchen. She snickered. You never stole one either?

"I'm hurt… until that village was burned to the ground I didn't steal anything. I took my apple offering and that was it. Once urbanization kicked in I didn't stick around the human world much." Ryuk crossed his arms and hung upside down.

Kagome's heart felt heavy. If it was one thing the priestess missed, it was the clean air and beauty that Feudal Japan offered along with her pack mates. The time period may have been more dangerous, but it was simpler. She ached for it often, but her life did not belong there. It belonged in the present now. However, she did ponder if her present was destined to be alone.

Twirling the pen between her fingers she strolled back over to the sofa and landed with a plop on the cushions. Her eyes caught one of the cameras in the corner of the room, her note still taped delicately over the lens. Surprisingly enough, nothing had been said to her yet in regards to their removal. So she did not voluntarily take them down. The task force was more than likely looking into the Yotsuba group. It was Friday, which meant the wealthy group of businessmen would be meeting today. Ryuzaki mentioned that Weddie had set up cameras and bugs throughout the conference room, allowing their investigation to continue forward a without a hitch.

But would all of this truly end with the containment of the third Kira? Light was manipulative and calculating. He may have relinquished ownership of the Death Note right now, but that didn't mean there wasn't a plan already in action to obtain the power again. Kagome was naively hoping that perhaps if she can get rid of all of the Death Notes on Earth right now, no one else will have to suffer the supernatural item's deadly ramifications. Deep down the priestess knew better. She knew that any owners and previous owners would mostly likely still end up dying an early death because of their involvement. But she could hope. She was unfortunately a little too optimistic at times such as these.

It was about an hour later that her sweet treats were done baking in the oven. With a happy hum she gathered some paper plates, forks, and a knife and placed them inside a plastic bag before delicately picking up one of the hot pies. Ignoring the distressed reaction she received from Ryuk about not cutting him a slice, she walked out of her room into the hallway. While she had been withdrawn from school and told that she would be unable to leave the property, she still had the freedom to wander around the building itself. Not that she had dared to interrupt one of the team's meetings.

That is, before now.

She wasn't sure where her little bout of audacity was coming from, but she wasn't going to waste it in the slightest. Although she was quite a patient person, restlessness was starting to overtake her personality. She was ready for more involvement. After all, she was the same priestess that traveled around Feudal Japan looking for a manipulative half demon hell bent on ruling the world. Perhaps Naraku and Light would have gotten along well. She shuddered at the thought of those two teaming up. Thank the gods that could never happen.

Without hesitation she opened the door to the Kira Headquarters meeting space. The only person that even noticed her entrance was Matsuda himself. "Oh! Kagome!" His little face lit up with excitement from her sudden surprise visit, alerting the rest of the team she had stepped in. "What are you doing here? Does L know you're here?"

Glancing around the room, she was slightly surprised (yet disappointed) at the lack of chained together individuals in the room. Namely Light and Ryuzaki. "Well, it doesn't look like it," she casually shrugged. "But I was bored in my room so I made you guys apple pie with some of the apples I bought yesterday."

"Alright!" Matsuda triumphantly cheered, a light blush dusting his cheeks. "This is better than Valentine's Day!"

Kagome placed the pie on a small table that accompanied a couch near the giant monitors in the main part of the room. "You mean you weren't drowned in chocolates at Valentine's Day?" She teased playfully. "I always assumed you were a lady killer."

The youngest investigator blushed harder letting out a nervous laugh without attempting to respond to her comment. Kanzo Mogi and Soichiro Yagami joined the pair around the table, each taking a cushion on the couch as Kagome started to slice the pie into six even pieces. "Sorry I haven't gotten to see you guys too much. I'd like for us to be better acquainted since we're all living together."

Chief Yagami eyed the pie Kagome handed him warily before taking it. "I think we would all like to know a little bit more about you, as well as your involvement with the Kira investigation. Any why choose now, after all of this time?"

She let out a brief hum, thinking carefully about her answer. "I assure you my involvement is entirely coincidental. As for why now… I got tired of waiting for Ryuzaki to give me permission to mingle with other human beings." Hanging out with just Ryuk got pretty boring quickly. "I'm not a private piece of property. Besides, I don't like being alone for very long."

Living for years in a pack with the group in Feudal Japan had her craving for more human interaction ever since she decided to permanently live in the modern time. It truly was a bit of a hard choice. Did she come back to the time and family she was born into, with a world of technological innovations and normality? Or did she stay with the make-shift family she had learned to love, with scenic beauty and supernatural wonder? Truly the toughest decision she ever made in life was choosing the time period to spend the rest of her life in.

But the future needed her. Her mission in the past was completed. The Jewel of Four Souls she once shattered was whole, the manufactured half-demon Naraku was dead, and her friends were moving on with their lives starting families. At one time, she truly believed that her and Inuyasha were destined to be together and create a unique family of their own. But the half dog demon could never see through to just Kagome. All he ever saw was Kikyou.

In the future there is no Kikyou. There is no mistaking the two priestesses for one another. There is no one calling her wench, or useless, or bitch. Although she hadn't encountered any demons, she did have a shinigami around to remind her that she wasn't a boring human like everyone else.

"This is so good!" Touta's exclamation stole her from her thoughts. A fork lazily hung from his mouth, savoring the bite of pie he had just indulged in. "I'd love to eat your cooking every day instead of all the take-out we've been getting."

"Well, if Ryuzaki will provide me with all the groceries, I would love to," she responded. As long as he didn't continue to banish her to her room with little human interaction. "Where is our sweet-tooth of a detective anyway?"

Mogi pointed at the giant monitors in front of them with his own fork. It turned out the chained duo were hanging out in Misa Amane's room. Kagome strolled towards the giant desk, noticing the cup resting in front of a rolling chair. It contained a pyramid of sugar cubes resting on what now looked like a mushy serving of tea, steam still escaping between the blocks. She had just missed them leaving the headquarter suite then.

"Which do you choose?" Ryuzaki's voice pulled her attention to the monitor. "Either Light and I die, or we capture Kira."

"Capture Kira!" The blonde model exclaimed happily, raising her hand triumphantly. "I can't go on in a world without Light!"

"And as long as you carry a gun, you are working against fate. If I die, then Light dies as well and the saddest person here will be Misa," the detective turned toward his companion. "Light, if we win, then Misa will not die."

Light hesitated, casting an uncertain look toward L. "Don't you think you're going a little too far?"

"There is no time. I am in a hurry. But her love for Light is the greatest in the world." Ryuzaki commented, playing on the girl's heartstrings. However, it unknowingly had an affect on Kagome as well. Since when did he care to compliment the two Kira's? Kagome scoffed at his actions and crossed her arms in a pout.

"Ryuzaki!" Misa gazed at him starry eyed, her hands clasped dramatically just below her chin. "Misa may have thought wrongly of you until now… calling you a pervert…. you understand me perfectly!"

"Yes, Misa. You are indeed an excellent woman worthy of Light." He held a slight sarcasm to his voice that was easily detected, just not by the other two occupants in the room apparently. Misa quickly rushed forward and planted a kiss on Ryuzaki's cheek, expressing her gratitude. A light blush dusted his cheeks. "I just might fall in love with you…"

Eyebrow twitching in annoyance, Kagome quickly turned around ignoring the rest of the conversation that took place on the screen, and stomped back over to the table where the other members sat watching her. "Stupid detective…" she mumbled while picking up the rest of the pie and serving the remaining three slices to the investigation team, putting the last one on Matsuda's plate. Pushing the now empty pan to the side, Kagome uncouthly sat on the table directly in front of the men.

"Well boys, tell me all about yourselves. It's time we got acquainted."

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"You're playing dirty Ryuzaki," Light grumbled as he trudged behind the investigator. "Using Misa like this… It doesn't seem right."

L walked with his hands in his jean pockets, slightly hunched in front of the disgruntled teenager, a hidden smirk displayed on his face. Of course he was playing dirty. That's how he solved all of his cases. It wasn't necessarily a sense of justice as much as something enjoyable to do to pass the time. That's why he only takes cases that piques his interest.

If it meant being able to clear a case, he wouldn't play fair. He would be a dishonest, cheating human being… because he hates to lose.

Which is why he didn't mind using the manufactured feelings of a teenage model to further his investigation. He still whole-heartedly believed that Light is Kira. Although he already received confirmation that Misa was the Second Kira who had given up her powers, forfeiting her memory of all the wrongdoings she committed in the process.

But for now, they had a third Kira to catch.

Pushing open the door to the main suite, a familiar melodic laugh halted him in his steps. He was surprised to see Kagome sitting with the rest of the squad, chatting amicably with the other men. Flashing the men a dazzling smile, the entire lot of them hadn't even noticed his arrival back into the room.

The detective frowned in discontent.

Light managed to squeeze past L who continued to block the door. After realizing what had the genius distracted, he couldn't help but be amused. "Kagome," he called, earning her attention. "What brings you to our floor of the building?

"Light!" She stood up to greet the newcomer, even offering up a welcoming hug . "I just wanted to come check on my favorite jail bird and his team mates. It's good to see you again! You know it just gets so lonely being pent up in the room all day." At the last minute, her big blue eyes met with his. "Oh, you too Ryuzaki."

Stealing her gaze away from his, she dragged Light over to the rest of the team, in turn bringing L along as well. A crumb filled pie pan caught the sleuth's eye and he couldn't help but wonder where the actual treat could be. As if reading his mind, Kagome said, "Sorry I don't have anymore apple pie, I gave the last slice to Touta."

True to her word, Matsuda sat happily digging his fork into a decadent looking piece of pie. The detective glared at the idiot causing him to nervously lower the plate. "Did you want the rest Ryuzaki? You could have it if you want…."

"Nonsense!" Kagome didn't even give him the chance to answer for himself. "I'm sure Ryuzaki doesn't want to bother with my homemade cooking. After all, he got enough sugar from Miss Amane."

Light politely tried to cover his mouth in a failed attempt to stifle his laughter. L crossed his arms in frustration not quite sure what she meant by her statement. He turned away from the chuckling group of individuals only to have his eye catch the monitor, still displaying a bored looking Misa indulging in a magazine and some music on the couch.

She saw.

Kagome had caught part of Light and his visit to Misa's suite, including the kiss she gave him on the cheek. Including when he said…. Oh God.

He instantly changed the camera feed to the self-proclaimed priestess's room. However, instead of seeing the expensive suite he paid for, notebook paper with her irate messages greeted him. "I thought you were going to take these down." He commented, vexed by the fact that every single camera had been located and covered. Even reviewing the tapes prior to their discovery she merely walks over to each camera without hesitation or delay, as if she knew exactly where every single one was located the entire time.

She crossed her arms and raised a brow curiously. "I don't recall striking any deals with you. I remember you asking me to take them down, I politely refused, and Light offered for all of us to go on an excursion yesterday. I said I would go as long as I could get some apples."

Kira's note flashed his mind: L, do you know Gods of death love apples? The very same message he was pondering the day he met her. It all made sense to him now. She was feeding the shinigami and didn't want anyone to know. But would Light pick up on this little tidbit? Or would he disregard it as just a silly request she had?

Kagome was playing a very dangerous game in her honesty.

It was a trait he both loved and hated about her. To his knowledge she had been completely forthcoming with any information she knew in regards to Kira and the investigation. To make matters worse, she had convinced him to throw most logic out the window and merely take her word for everything. Even when it came to apprehending Misa as the Second Kira he originally held no evidence to suspect the model until Kagome claimed to see a death god at her photo shoot. It wasn't until after Amane was taken into custody that they were able to search her house for concrete evidence to share with the team.

There were many nights that he would lie awake pondering the claims she made. Being an actual priestess… being able to actually see shinigami… meeting one 500 years ago? Every bit of education he received and knowledge he retained screamed that the girl was delusional. Certainly she was a looney nut job fabricating impossible stories, caught up in the hype of the Kira investigation.

But every bit of his heart screamed the opposite.

He was a man of many talents and held unlimited resources around the world. Nevertheless, none of his instruction or training prepared him for the likes of her. Useless emotions that he had no need of… before now. He cared for her happiness and if she had everything she needed. He cared about her safety, even enough so to move her into the headquarters. He cared about what she was up to at all times and who she was talking to.

Better yet, he cared about her jealousies.

A small smirk slowly made its way to back to his face. In a way it was… cute. i

"She's right, you know," Light's voice extracted him from his own thoughts. She smiled smugly at him, awaiting his response.

"I suppose you are correct," L responded defeated, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. "I guess I'll only be forced to watch the beautiful Miss Amane all day. No loss really."

The team stared incredulously at the detective, while Kagome huffed and turned away from him, but not before sparing a petulant expression and turning red in the face mumbling a brief, "Pervert."

Oh yes.

Perhaps he liked jealousy after all.

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AN: Thank you to everyone that has stuck with me! I appreciate it. Life has been crazy this past year, and it's finally settling down a little bit. Thank you for your patience and love, it continues to inspire me to write more and more each day.