OMFG! I gots a review. Four actaully! And they are wonderful reviews! I love you guys! becomes teary-eyed

This chapter is dedicated to my first reviewers and their awesome-ness!

Anyway, here's the typical notices.

NOTE: Okay, I have a time line worked out, I think. This will take place after Higushi's capture and Light's release. Also, I, the author, will refer to Light by his English name (Light), but other characters within the story will refer to him as "Raito," since it is the actual Japanese pronunciation of his name.

WARNINGS: some foul language, spoilers for Another Note, and possible Misa bashing (I hate her so much-it's going to be VERY difficult to stay neutral).

DISCLAIMER: All I own of Death Note is some DVDs, some managa volumes, Another Note novel, and various other merchandise; not the show itself. cries

B R E A K I N G P O I N T

Chapter Two: Foreign Emotions and The Name

There was only word that truly described the direction the investigation was heading in L' eyes: boredom. Complete and utter boredom.

Despite all the turmoil they had dealt with, despite the revelation that Shinigami did, in fact exist, despite the wonderful new lead that fell into their laps, despite the relieving discovery that Light could not be Kira (though L still held more than a few suspicions), the investigation was nothing more than that. If someone did not quite accept L's reasoning, they could go to hell for all he cared.

L sighed, shoulders slumping. He knew he was being difficult, critical, and even childish, but he simply could not bring himself to care.

The truth was...was...impossibly difficult for him to accept. The truth that Light was indeed not Kira? No-as long as L was allowed his doubts and suspicions, he could at least pretend to accept the teen's innocence.

And on the contraire, he was more than ecstatic that Kira's killing method had at last been unveiled. Suddenly the fog that had incased itself so thickly around the entity that was Kira had been lifted, allowing L to see into the darker depths of the case. And to L's astonishment, Kira's world was filled to the brim with abnormalities that he believed he would never to able to fully wrap his sharp mind around: Shinigami, other worlds that housed creatures worthy of a psychopath’s nightmare, notebooks that could kill. It did not seem real. It was simply too bizarre and out-worldish to be real.

But it was. It was real. Denying its existence now would be like denying the existence of common, everyday aspects, such as water, air, or rain.

However, in the end, despite all these new revelations, L was still fixated on that one overwhelming feeling of boredom.

Or was it boredom? When L gave it further thought, it did not seem quite like boredom. Indifference? Discontentment? The feeling was so unfamiliar that he simply could not place it...

"...Hello? L? Oi! Hey! Oh for god's sake, would you listen already!"

A person calling his name and a sudden, but light smack to the back of his head snapped L out of his reverie.

L blinked and quietly turned his head to meet the person's eyes, face still as void of emotion as ever. His eyes met the deep ones of an obviously irritated Light Yagami, standing with his arms crossed.

"Yes?" L inquired.

Light's left eye twitched. "Did you even hear a word I said?" he asked in a tone that made it clear he was none too pleased with being ignored.

L blinked again. Had he heard him? To be honest, L had not even heard the teen come in, let alone begin speaking. A feeling of disturbance welled in the detective's chest. This...was not normal...in fact, it was highly peculiar for L to become so distracted with his own thoughts that he failed to notice the presence of another. He prided himself with having a high sense of awareness, being able to tell exactly who was behind him and when they entered the room. Even further concerning, L had not been thinking of the Kira case or allowing his mind to run rampant with theories and ideas.

Instead, he was...what exactly has he been doing? He was not even sure. He knew he was pondering the strange and peculiar feelings he had been having of recent, but pin pointing what they were and where they came from was proving to be more of a puzzle than L would have liked to admit. L made a face; something was definitely not right.

A sigh to his right pulled him from his thoughts.

"Really, what is going on with you today, L?" Light questioned, fixing him with an analytical stare.

L merely stared back before taking a quick sweep of the room. Light was not the only one staring. The other members of the investigation team were watching as well, wondering why the normally sharp and witty detective was looking so out of it. Great. Not only had Light noticed the change in him, but so had the rest of the team. Fantastic.

L quickly pulled his wits together and stared back into Light's eyes, keeping his face as emotionless as possible.

"What ever do you mean, Raito-kun?" he questioned simply.

Light raised an eye, obviously considering whether or not to argue with the stubborn man because frankly, sometimes it was just not worth it.

However, L stole the opportunity to take control of the situation. If it was one thing L positively hated, it was lack of control. He almost demanded it.

"If you have nothing else to say Raito-kun, than please resume with your work. There is still much to be done despite the discovery of the Death Note," L reasoned, turning back to his computer and beginning to type rapidly. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Light's eye twitch at the sound of the clacking keys and L hid a smile, remembering the many nights they had fought over L's computer in the middle of the night when hand-cuffed together.

A foreign emotion swept through L's chest and he paused a moment. Seriously, what was wrong with him these days?

X + X + X + X + X

Sharp, uncut nails dug deep into the skin of his knees as he watched the darkness of his world, waiting for the noises to die down. The calls, the cries, the screaming. If only the sounds were birthed in the throat of his adversary, his prize, his prey.

At the thought, he bit deeper into the flesh of his thumb, fresh blood squeezing its way out of the wound; his anxiety was building, placing layer upon layer.

How much longer would it be? It was close, very close, he could tell... The screams were more desperate and he could almost taste the air of freedom on his tongue.

The name was everywhere, lurking behind a veil of fear and whispers. They whispered it as they slept, sobbed it as they went further into the depths of insanity, screamed it as rage flooded them; no one could escape the name, the name of their executioner.

But unlike the others, he did not fear the name. They called him insane, crazy. He would only stare into his world, unblinking, listening to them.

They were wrong. He alone kept his wits and knew not to fear the name, for it was the name that would set him free.

It was the name that would creep its way into the mind of the one who muttered to himself each morning, scribbling illegible words over the pages of some book as the keepers delivered meals. It was the name that would drive him to the edge. The clock was ticking, failing, until nothing was left. And only he, L's adversary, could see it.

Yes. Soon, the name would take control of the muttering man and end his life. He only had to wait a little longer. He could hear the whispers of the name, the executioner, his scapegoat, his freedom.

Kira.

To be honest, I'm not sure I like this chapter. It just doesn't have that zest the first one did... But please, bare with me! I'm just getting the feel of this piece. It will get better!

Footnotes were edited out since they were not all that necessary.

Bye!