Breaking Branches (Death Note Fanfiction)

Chapter 9

L's POV

I wanted to attack Light more than ever. Soichiro actually held me back for a moment. Why on earth would he ever accuse such an innocent child of being Kira after all she's been through?! I specifically remember explaining everything to him, from her cuts to the tree she almost hung from! I don't know why, but this only made me suspect him as Kira more.

Kira had the power to kill. This was obvious to all of us. It definitely was not impossible for Kira to kill himself or herself. Based on what Katana's life had been like the past few years, she would be dead by now if she was Kira.

I explained this to Light and he understood. That's when I decided; it would be best if I spent the day with Katana. Yes, the Kira case would be left to the task force for a while, but that didn't matter. I cared about this child's life more than anything at the moment.

"Watari." I called. "Please inform the Task Force that I will not be working with them until tonight. I am taking responsibility for Katana, at least until she goes to sleep."

Watari nodded and left the room. I picked Katana up and dried her tears with my sleeve. "It'll be alright... Light won't hurt you..." I whispered to her. As I held her, I was reminded of the night she almost hung herself. Once again, she was hugging me, sobbing into my chest. I stroked her hair and held her close.

Once she was finished crying, I video-called Near. Of all people, the boys would make her feel better. They talked for a long time about just about everything. I could tell they missed each other. The four of them really were great friends, even if the boys were almost 10 years older than Katana.

My phone was about to die, so she said goodbye and hung up. A loud growl came from her stomach. "Of course." I thought. "She hasn't been eating again."

"Dad?" she mumbled. Did she just... did she just call me "Dad"?!

I thought she might have been hallucinating. "Are you alright, Katana?"

She nodded. "Yes, Papa." She really was talking to me...

I asked her why she was addressing me this way. Her response made my heart melt.

"I just love you too much to see you as anything else."

We stood there in an awkward silence. Not even Near called me his father!

Eventually, I spoke. "Let's go get some lunch, sweetheart..."

I didn't understand why, but I felt like this was right. I was going treat this little girl as if she were my daughter from now on.