Death Note: Game Over (An AU fanfiction)

Light Yagami is Dead

Mr. Yagami's eyes flew open and he tried to stand up, but the ropes kept him sitting down in the chair. He frowned at them and pulled against the ropes in an attempt to stretch them.

"That won't do anything, Mr. Yagami. Even if you got the ropes off, we are surrounded by mafia," L said.

Mr. Yagami turned his head and slumped when he saw L sitting there.

"I am dead. There is no other way you could be sitting here like this," Mr. Yagami said.

"Like what, Mr. Yagami? You have never given me any trouble about how I sit before." 

"I mean alive. You died. I saw it happen," Mr. Yagami answered.

"I don't have time to get into to it now, but the short version is 'I am not dead'," L said.

"But why didn't you let the task force know you were alive? Surely we deserved to know," Mr. Yagami demanded.

"You know why I couldn't. I couldn't let Kira know."

"You still think Light is Kira. Light was cleared. The rules in the notebook itself cleared him!" Mr. Yagami said.

"I don't think Light is Kira. I know he is Kira. The rule that cleared Light was fake. It is no coincidence that I died right before the rule could be tested. A rule that would either clear Light once and for all or prove once and for all that he is Kira. The timing couldn't have been more perfect," L said gently.

"My son is not Kira. He is not capable of it," Mr. Yagami insisted.

"You are correct. Light Yagami is not Kira. He was one of Kira's first victim. The Death Note tempted your Light to write the first two names to see if it was real. Once the notebook was proved to be real, Kira was in control. He used Light's hatred of injustice, a fundamentally good quality, to prompt him to write names in the notebook. Kira also used Light's biggest weakness, pride, to suggest that Light was not only doing what was right, but that he was the only who could do it and that anyone who opposed him is evil. Your son died a long time ago, Mr. Yagami," L said.

Mr. Yagami stared at L open mouthed.

"I know that you think I don't know Light well, but I spent weeks handcuffed to him. At that point, Light was actually himself. Without Kira's memories, Light was free to be himself, a good man. If Light had never been allowed to touch the death note again, he would have stayed that way. Kira's reappearance is all my fault. I should never have let Light handle the Death Note. For that I ask your forgiveness," L admitted.

"You think Light is dead?" Mr. Yagami asked, sounding stricken.

L nodded.

The two sat in silence for moment. Mr. Yagami's face was a myriad of emotions as he struggled with L's words and L was expressionless. He waited for the yelling to start, the angry denials. The longer the silence stretched the more L tensed inwardly as he waited for the explosion with closed eyes.

Then he heard it. A sob.

L opened his eyes to see tears streaming down Mr. Yagami's face. The man's body shook.

"Light.....my son.....Light," He said.

L turned away. Most displays of effection were a mystery to him, but this one felt downright awkward. He wished he had a tissue for Mr. Yagami.

"L_" Mr. Yagami began.

L turned back to him and braced himself.

"_thank you."

Not even L could control his bafflement at this.

"For what?" L asked.

"For helping me find closure. Ever since you told me Light was a suspect, I have been struggling. How could I catch Kira and still be Light's father? Now I know and once Kira is dead, maybe I can mourn Light properly, L."