Summary: The Death Note was never meant to fall in human's hands. Trying set things right, Light is granted a second chance. Of course, all isn't easy, as this doesn't mean he will have the same identity... Will L be safe and Kira defeated?. FemLight/L.
Disclaimer: Don't own Death Note characters, but I do like to place my claim on Haruko's and Mioko's characters.
Note: Please don't be too harsh on me for any mistakes. I do not have a beta. I will correct them later when I reread and find them, or you can let me know of course!
It took a while, but finally: here is the next chapter.
Enjoy!
Chapter 6: Tense Moods
"Who the hell are you?"
Haruko felt annoyed, incredibly annoyed with the guy in front of her.
"Did you know Shinigami love apples?" What kind of question was that?
Another stab of a light pain in her head made her clench her fists and grit her teeth.
Flash
I grinned as I took my pen, a perfect message to provoke him was forming in my hea-
Flash
Haruko shook her head, suddenly feeling slightly claustrophobic as the young man in front of her ignored her personal space. The flashes were increasing and it made her anxious. Dave was too close again. Why did it keep happening when he was so close? Why couldn't he just leave her alone?
She watched him warily as he didn't answer her. She hadn't been expecting that. Secretly she had been afraid that he would laugh at her strange question. After all, she had almost made sound like an accusation.
Yet, instead of laughing, the young man in front of her – he was still too close – paused. He actually paused.
Now Haruko knew for sure that something fishy was going on.
He was staring intensely at her and she found it annoying, but she was also puzzled by the fact that Dave was actually remaining very silent and stopped bothering with questions once she had said that.
Haruko narrowed her eyes in suspicion. For someone to be so 'interested' in other people's hobbies and information, he surely didn't like being questioned about his own.
"I'm Dave." He answered blankly. "Are you avoiding my question?" He murmured.
'Yes I am.' She thought, but remained silent and decided to try and match his blank stare. It was at that moment that she noticed something very small.
Ever so slightly, his voice had become softer, she noted. Had he not been invading her personal space she might not have noticed. It was almost an automatic reaction for Haruko to think back to the lessons she had had with her father and all the theories she had read about the use of voices and psychology in her books. The softening of one's voice is often related to the willingness to share one's opinion and secrets and –
She mentally continued to go over the information and frowned.
"Are you avoiding my question by trying to question me whether I'm avoiding to answer your previous question?" She shot right back in realisation. He really was trying to evade her question.
Dave actually seemed to smirk at her reaction.
"Very clever Haruko-chan, to use my own question against me. However I would still like to know what you know about Shinigami."
"And I would still like to know who you are." Haruko countered, feeling far too stubborn to let this go.
Had Haruko been anywhere else but in her home and had 'Dave' been someone else with whom she had not felt such a strange connection with, she would have just agreed to tell him what she knew if it got him away from her.
Yet, unfortunately for the young man in front of her, this was not the case.
He was hiding something and Haruko wanted to find out what it was.
Was his name really Dave? It somehow didn't… fit. His Japanese seemed too be nearly too perfect for him to be an American or European, who usually could be indentified by a slight accent. Yet he didn't look very Japanese. It was his appearance that was confusing her too, as if it wasn't… odd enough?
However, except for his big eyes and slightly hunched back, he didn't seem too odd at all.
Why was this seemingly normal young man suddenly so unnatural in her eyes when he looked perfectly normal?
"Haruko-chan."
Her attention was brought back to his dark eyes, which seemed to look right through her. "Yes?" She managed to say without stuttering.
"Please tell me what you know." He requested.
He was asking her in a different way then before. Haruko frowned ever so slightly as her eyes roamed over his face, taking in his expression. She was once again very aware how close he was and she clutched the couple of books closer to her chest in an act of self-protection. His expression, though very blank looked sincere, so Haruko let out a soft sigh.
"I never read anywhere that Shinigami love apples. I don't know how you came up with it, but it seems very unlikely."
She had expected him to back off but he just continued to stand there as if he was very much used to invade someone's personal space. That or he just didn't have any social manners or was slightly socially awkward.
She was slowly starting to think it was the latter.
"Could you please take a step back Dave-san?" She asked.
The request seemed to puzzle him ever so slightly but he complied. "I apologise, I wasn't aware that I was making you uncomfortable."
The way he said it nearly made her flush, hoping that he didn't think that she had been embarrassed to stand so close to him simply because he was a boy.
"Thank you. It's alright." She decided to stick to that and turned around.
"Now let's get to the kitchen alright?" She muttered as the two of them walked down the stairs.
What had she gotten herself into?
~ Scene Break ~ L ~
Shinigami's were pretty scary creatures, L decided. He thought he was lucky that there was a nearly hundred percent chance that they didn't exist.
L found out that once Haruko started, she had difficulty to stop talking about her little obsession. L would have found it annoying if the things she said would have been totally rubbish, but much to his surprise she kept a bit of logic in the whole illogical subject.
"The chance for them to exist is very small. After all, the human imagination always seems to think up reasons for unexplainable things to happen, even though they have to come from their imagination."
She continued to share various passages with him, before she decided that it was enough.
"I know they are seen as just mythical creatures, but I still think there are things in the world that can not be explained. Yet there might be a chance that they are one of the few things that are not created from someone's imagination. So there might be a possibility that they exist." She finished and looked at him with smile.
Well L didn't agree with that last part, but for once he decided to keep himself from trying to provide proof that said otherwise. Instead he decided to mock her in a teasing way.
"So where do you think that wizards hide themselves?"
Haruko actually stared at him, a flash of hurt appeared in her eyes and she suddenly stood up. "I don't believe in wizards." She muttered and started to put the books on a pile so she could carry them.
L's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He hadn't expected her to react so negatively.
"I apologise Haruko-chan, it was not my intention to – "
"Yeah yeah, whatever." She muttered, interrupting him.
Interrupting was one of the few- alright many things – that L hated. His eyes narrowed and he followed her back to her room.
"Please do not interrupt me when I'm trying to apologise Haruko-chan." He drawled, already finding it annoying enough that he had to apologise.
Placing the last book back in her bookcase, she turned around to face him.
"Well, please do not make fun of me simply because I have an odd hobby. I do not believe in other mythical creatures." She stated, glaring at him.
Mentally L's eyes narrowed.
"Why not?" That didn't seem to make sense.
~ Scene Break ~ Haruko ~
"Why not?"
She had been afraid that he would ask her that.
"Just…" Haruko thought back to her dreams and all those strange flashes that had gotten her to study the shinigami so intently. That wasn't his business at all. He would think she was a freak, which she was.
It wasn't normal.
"… because." She finished lamely.
"Now please, if you don't have any intention of telling me who you really are then let me escort you to the door." The longer she was in his presence the worst her headache became. She needed a break right now.
"I have another question."
"I'm very sorry but I don't feel well enough to continue this."
Flash
"Are you Kir-"
Flash.
She shook her head again. She needed some fresh air. She had to get away from him, so she would stop wondering whom he was. So she would stop getting those strange voices in her head. She nearly ran to the door, but suddenly the dete-
Detective? Another stab of pain.
"I only have one simple question."
"-kun, are you Kira?
"Dave-san, I'm really-"
"Are you Kira?"
"-not feeling well right now."
"-percent sure that you are Kira"
Haruko held her head in her hands, a headache pounding painfully.
"Are you Kira?"
"No."
"Are you Kira?"
"No."
"Haruko-chan are you-?"
"I'm not!" She denied loudly. "Who are you?" She growled out, her head throbbing even more.
She needed to know. Why did this feel like it was so important.
"Haruko-chan, I'm –"
Another flash interrupted her.
Flash
Suddenly she was sitting in a big hall, filled with many teenagers. She was sitting on the front row. A strange boy sat next to her, staring intently at her, which unnerved her ever so slightly. His ruffled dark hair fell into his eyes, shadowing them ever so slightly as his wide blank eyes were boring into her, trying to find all her secrets.
"I'm L"
Flash
As soon at those words were whispered, everything in front of her collapsed and she was once again back in her room, groaning as she sat against the wall with her hands in her had. Lifting her head she came eye to eye with the same eyes that she had seen before.
He was L! Her eyes widened so slightly but she quickly got into control of herself. She knew who he was now and she felt the headache staring to disperse.
Haruko nearly whispered his title in shock but she kept herself in check. She was not going to provoke the world's most famous detective that was searching for Kira of all things. That was why he was in disguise!
"Who are you?" She questioned again this time staring him in the eyes, searching for any willingness to tell her.
"I'm Dave." He repeated slowly and kept studying her as she stared at him. She could practically see the questions in his eyes. What was going on with her? Was she ill like her father? She seemed to feel better now but why does she insist on asking who I am. A flash of suspicion followed.
Haruko sighed, and was well aware that he kept watching her as she rubbed her forehead.
"I'm sorry, I have a huge headache. I'm fine for a moment. What did you want to ask me?" She looked at him again, as he crouched down in front of her.
He remained silent for a moment before he once again leaned a little closer. Haruko didn't even bother to comment on it this time. It was as if she was getting used to it.
"What do you think of Kira?"
Haruko laughed. "What?" Of course she knew the reason behind that question but the situation was too absurd for her.
He remained silent as if to say. 'I know you heard the question, just answer it.'
Haruko leaned back again the wall. She had a feeling that this was not just a question that only needed a 'Kira is the best' or 'Kira is bad' answer. So she took her time and searched for the right words.
She had heard of Kira of course. She could understand where his ideas came from, but the moment he tried to kill L – who was luckily alive in front of her – showed that he would be ready to kill any opposition even if they were innocent. It was at that moment that Kira had lost the little bit of support he had ever had of her.
"Kira is someone that feels that the world is a rotten place and wants to create a brighter future. This part of intentions I find completely understandable and agreeable." She ignored the feeling that L was mentally glaring at her. "However, the power for one person to decide who has to die… that is difficult to accept. I am a firm believer that everyone deserves a second chance if he or she shows that he or she wants to redeem him or herself."
Haruko slowly forgot that she was talking to the world's best detective and her eyes glazed over.
"The moment I saw the replacement of L killed… I know that he was actually a convict and probably deserved death penalty…" She paused again, her thoughts started to get messed up. "We had been watching a program with the children. They were so scared when they saw him have that heart attack and to know that Kira is close…" She shook her head to get back on track.
" I do not think that Kira has the right to do what he doing, but I like to think that the intention behind it had been pure." She eventually said.
"What changed?" A soft drawl interrupted her thoughts and she made eye contact again.
"The power must have gone to someone's head." She shrugged, showing that she didn't know.
The headache was gone and she stood up, offering a hand to the crouching detective in front of her. It was a pretty natural reaction for her, as a closer social interaction comes very easy to someone who lives with more than a dozen children under one roof.
L thought seemed actually surprised by her gesture.
At that moment, Haruko realised that the man in front of her was indeed socially inexperienced. He was the detective that had been hiding away all this time, anonymous behind a computer. That must mean that he didn't interact much with people at all.
And if people found out who he was, most surely wouldn't dare to get close to him, especially with Kira on the lose.
Even though she had expected that she would be uneasy about the whole situation herself, Haruko actually didn't care if he was L. Much to the disbelief of the children around her, she wasn't afraid of Kira either.
It was as if… she knew he wasn't that big and powerful after all. Not that she ever had shared that with anyone.
Anyway, glancing at the Kira-detective in front of her, she made her decision. She was going to treat him as 'Dave' if she had the choice.
"Come on 'Dave-san', I'm not going to bite." She actually teased him.
The silent little dare did its work and L grasped her hand when he heaved himself up, though he still didn't know why that would have been useful. He was more than capable to stand up himself after all.
As soon as he stood, he let her hand go. He never had been very fond of contact. However the strange dazzling feeling that had erupted in their hands when they touched, didn't go unnoticed by either of them.
~Scene Break ~ L ~ Outside the Orphanage~
Haruko lead the pair towards their car and shook hands with both of them. She kept hold of L's hand as she smiled at him.
"Nice to have met you, Dave." She said smiling, which caused L to narrow his eyes at her.
"Why are you so suspicious of me, Haruko-chan?" The detective asked, not showing the slight discomfort he was feeling as she still didn't let go of his hand.
"I just don't belllieve people easily." She had accidently let it slip before she noticed it.
Mentally, L's eyes narrowed dangerously. 'Did she realise who I am?' Had she been playing with him all this time? Was she Kira after all? Did she know Kira? Suddenly there were to many variables. He couldn't risk it. Kira was too dangerous.
He was going to keep an eye on her.
Haruko let his hand go, but frowned when the detective in front of her actually grasped her hand a little firmer than necessary.
Aw crap, she just had to be stupid and say stuff like that, didn't she?
"That is a very good characteristic Haruko-san." L actually smiled at her and Haruko suddenly felt uneasy. "Then who do you think I am?"
The girl in front of him bit her lip, unsure whether to actually share this information with him.
"Police or something." She eventually conceded.
"How did you come to that conclusion?"
"The way you took care of the robber. Not to forget that they do not simply send a piece of evidence to the wrong person. Especially when they told me to pick it up at a later date."
The detective paused and regarded her silently once more.
"You are very observant, Haruko-chan." He complimented her.
They were still very much aware of the fact that they were holding hands, but it had seemingly changed into some kind of game, because neither of them wanted to be the first to let go.
"I would be very interested in having someone like you work for me."
Haruko's eyes widened in surprise. "work?" Was he really asking her to work for him? She suddenly felt suspicious herself.
"I'm afraid, whatever this 'work' would be, that my father and the children need me to help out." Haruko defended herself.
"I'm sure I can find suitable replacement for you."
"The children don't like strangers." She countered easily.
"I'm sure they will manage." He batted it away.
As Haruko opened her mouth for another excuse, he cut her off.
"I can make sure your father gets all the care he needs." He stated, realising what he had said was slightly under the belt.
He knew that Watari had already been planning to donate a good amount of money after their second visit and to help this David, but if this got her to cooperate he wouldn't mind making her think otherwise. If it took blackmail for her to come with him than so be it.
Haruko actually paused and he saw the worries resurface in his eyes.
"You are kidding right?"
"I am not."
"I do not want to work for you." She stated. She was lying of course, it was her dream to become a profiler and this would be a golden chance, but she didn't like the fact that she was making herself suspicious. Still, he was too powerful to completely ignore.
She liked Dave a lot better.
"You know who I am."
She remained silent.
"How?"
It was as if she had switched a button in her head as suddenly thoughts melted together to form a plan that would talk her out of this sudden suspicion. Mentally she straightened herself. She might still be forced to go with him in the end, but she would not let him know of the strange visions she had.
She kept her silence and allowed a bit of her fear to shine through.
~ Scene Break ~ L ~
L was getting annoyed by her silence. She was stubborn that was for sure, but she was also afraid. Was she afraid of him? Was she afraid of leaving her family that much? Her father was ill, but with some specialised and expensive care he would be taken care of.
His other hand grasped her arm to get her attention.
"Tell me."
She shook her head, refusing to.
"I do not want to resort to less peaceful measures." L continued to drawl.
"What do you think of Kira?" She whispered to him, a bit of her fear showing though her eyes. It took a moment for L to realise that she was referring to one of the things he had asked her.
"Are you Kira?"
That question sure was effective enough to throw him slightly off balance. Mentally his eyes narrowed. One of her shoulders was tensed more than the other. Her hand kept twitching nervously and her eyes…
L clenched his hands, causing the girl to winch. "No. I am not." He watched her carefully as some of the tension in her shoulders relaxed.
She was a very bright girl and it would only take a little more time for her to figure it out from there. She would be a valuable asset to the team. After all her father was a very good psychologist. He had been a very good profiler in his youth. The books in her room had shown her own interest.
"So are you willing to come with me?"
"But why-" Haruko's eyes seemed to widen in disbelief. "You're…You're L."
Nope, he wasn't going to let her go anymore.
"Watari."
"I apologise Miss Haruko." The voice of the silent man that had been standing not so far away them made her turn in surprise.
"Hey what the hell are you-mmm!" She felt the piece of cloth cover her mouth before
~ Scene Break ~ Haruko ~ Couple of hours later ~
She woke up in a very comfortable bed. It was soft. It was puffy and she was completely content under the warm and thick blankets.
Of course, the reality quickly caught up with her.
Her eyes snapped open and she was eye to eye with a pair very familiar eyes. He was too close again. For a moment, she didn't move and just watched her reflection in his eyes.
"Are you Kira?"
The sudden question startled her and with a yelp she pushed herself away from him- and off the bed. A hand managed to grab her arm and pull her to him, so that she didn't land headfirst on the floor.
Instead she managed to roll over so she landed on her knees. Luckily for her the floor had a carpet and was soft enough that she didn't get hurt.
"What no!"
"Why are you doing this?" Haruko started to panic and scurried back until her back hit the wall.
L, however, ignored her question and crouched down in front of her. He was once again to close, but
"Haruko, are you Kira?"
"Wha- No!"
Flash
"Are you Kir-"
Flash.
"I'm not Kira!"
Her hand shot up to her temple, rubbing it under the suspicious eye of the detective. This reaction was intriguing and suspicious.
"I insist that we discuss our situation with your father Haruko-chan."
"You freaking kidnapped me!"
"No, I arrested you as a suspect. I assure you it was one of the most gentle manners."
"You have got no proof!"
A couple of photos were put in front of her.
"L, did you know that Shinigami love apples have-" She paused. That didn't seem to fit. It didn't fit. That last part was a fluke.
"That's not right" She muttered, putting her hand on the picture in an attempt to figure out what was wrong with it.
"You seem to know an aweful lot, Haruko-chan."
She actually growled at him.
"That is no proof!"
"You knew I was L before you started that little act of yours."
She stilled.
"I would compliment you on your acting skills, but I am on a whole other level at detecting lies."
"Now tell me. How did you know who I was?"
She glared at him and gritted her teeth. He once again saw the determination in her eyes. The determined look that he had first respected now appeared on her face while she was facing against him. She would not tell him anything today.
He reached in his pocket and threw her a mobile phone. "Watari has explained the situation to your father. Please calm the man down and tell him you are alright."
~ Scene Break ~ L ~
If looks could kill, L wouldn't have had to worry about Kira anymore, for he would be already dead.
He turned around, knowing that he would be able to watch her every move through the cameras he had installed in the room.
"If I'm gonna be stuck here, than at least take your wig off L. I wouldn't find it very comfortable myself."
He paused and looked at her with wide and unnerving eyes.
The detective knew that she was not Kira. She did not fit the profile. She hadn't been able to kill anyone while he had been staying at her place and the way she had shared her opinion of Kira, she had been completely truthful.
But more important, his gut feeling told him so. The one feeling that he had always followed.
However, she was dangerous. Very dangerous if Kira got his hands on her. He would not allow that to happen.
His hand reached for his wig, and with a tug, the dark stresses of hair fell back down over his eyes. He ruffled his hair ever so slightly before he gave her one last look and exited the room.
He was all to aware of the surprised look in her wide eyes that followed him until he was out of sight.
~End Chapter ~
I'm unsure about this chapter… I'm thinking about rewriting it and going for another direction in the fic, letting her remain in the orphanage a little longer and have L visit her a couple more times while the story proceeds.
So, I am asking you guys: What you think?
In the mean time, I think I will work out the other idea. See which I like better. Please let me know!