A Year of Jubilee [The Death Note Fanfic]

Chapter 21

Jubilee slept fitfully that night, tossing and turning and wavering between wakefulness and wistful dreams. She dreamt of her parents swinging her around as a little girl, of Alyssa laughing and resplendent in a wedding dress, of a little boy with wild black hair and wide gray eyes standing before a set of gates, listening to church bells ring. Her consciousness floated between different moments in space and time, and during the frequent but brief moments that she woke during the night, her mind felt confused and disoriented between what was memory and what was fantasy. At one point she fell into one particularly clear, vivid dream...

The pale, black-haired young man sat crouched before his computer. Watari stood beside him, speaking. On the other side of him laid his suspect, sprawled out on the desk, asleep.

A hundred thoughts simultaneously processed themselves through his head in the space of a second; one being deferential acknowledgment of how patiently Light Yagami took to not having a bed for the last few weeks, another being recognition of what Watari was saying to him, and about seventy being directly related to the Kira case.

Something that Watari said pricked his attention, drawing up caution.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Watari," he said smoothly, his voice betraying no emotion. "I view Miss Amachi with the utmost respect."

"But does she know that?" insisted the old man.

"If she does not then the fault is hers, not mine, for I have made every effort to be courteous, professional and even considerate of her wellbeing."

"That isn't behavior to be applauded, my boy, it's the very basics of humanity."

"With all due respect, why are we discussing this subject?"

Watari sighed. "I don't know what is going on between the two of you, but—"

"There is nothing 'going on' between the two us other than a respectful and professional working relationship." A pause. "Ask her yourself."

"She hasn't been the same since you spoke alone with her today. What on earth did you do to the poor girl?"

If Watari could have seen under the camouflage of dark hair hiding L's face, he might have detected the slightest wince crease the detective's brow at this accusation. As it was, however, the young man's voice remained impassive. "I did nothing. Simply spoke about a topic regarding the case that required some discretion."

The old man's voice took on a fatherly, instructive tone. "Well, did you remember to communicate with consideration of the other person's feelings and with some measure of social tact, as we've discussed?"

L lowered his head and his hair fell over his face even more. "I tried my best, Watari," he said softly. "I tried my best."

Jubilee tossed irritably in her sleep, her consciousness meandering towards wakefulness before she managed to find a more comfortable position and plunge back into deep, blessed slumber. Her mind drifted for some moments in dreamless sleep, before plunging into yet another clear dream...

An hour had passed. Light was awake now and back at work in front of his computer, even though it was still the dead of night. He had only managed to sleep for a few hours, his mind still caught up with all the events of the day, including the fight and what L had revealed about Kira. Tapping busily at his computer mouse, his fingers drummed against the top of the desk as he surveyed the most recent kill statistics onscreen. Beside him L sat brooding silently. Watari had retired for the night.

Suddenly he sat up. "Ryuzaki," he began, a subdued excitement in his voice. "I know you may not be feeling up to it, but...take a look at this. It can't be coincidence."