Matsuda shot (Y/n) an empathetic smile as he patted her shoulder. "They'll be here any minute now."

She nodded, pressing her lips together and turning towards the door again. She wasn't nervous per say about seeing her brother again, but with his memories of Kira being blocked, she'd have to tread carefully around Light now. It wouldn't do to have him wonder about the changes in her behavior towards him after all. While he was Kira, he'd been too distracted by his 'mission' to take much note of the growing distance between them, but now that he wouldn't have constant scheming in mind, he would probably pick up on it.

Light was emotionally intelligent. Or, he had been before the Death Note entered his life, bringing with it delusions of godliness that to Light meant that he no longer required extensive sensitivity for those around him.

Now, as she watched the door knob turn, (Y/n) tried to remember the Light she was about to face; the little brother she'd grown up with and who she'd sworn to protect when they were still children and their world didn't need to go beyond their home and the neighborhood park.

When the door opened, she saw her father first. Tired, a little older, but smiling when he took note of her presence, taking heavy steps forward and raising his large, warm hand to rest on her head in the same awkward but genuine way the Yagami patriarch expressed affection.

Suddenly, (Y/n) felt like a little girl again, happy to just have her dad back home as she lay her head against his shoulder, her arms wrapping around him to rest against his broad back.

"I'm here now," he murmured to her, his lips just barely brushing her forehead. His presence was, as usual, an unspoken promise of safety which is what had painted the image of 'Superdad' that the Yagami kids associated with their father.

The older she got, however, (Y/n) quickly understood that dad wasn't a hero out of some manga. He was just an honest man doing his best to live with his head held high, and somehow, that made him even greater as far as she was concerned.

"I know," she muttered, pulling away with a small smile. "It's good to have you back, Dad."

Over Soichiro's shoulder, her gaze met big brown eyes that seemed to become glassy when they found hers. For a moment, she could only stand still, oddly fascinated by how different they looked when they weren't burning with a deep resentment for the world and its inhabitants. They were the kind of warm that had once made her believe that Light's fire could be the hearth that makes a house a home.

And then she was being swept up by him, wrapped up in a warmth that smelled like summers in the Yagami home. Light was crying, she realized belatedly, clinging to her and whispering "Nee-chan" like it was some sort of mantra to keep himself from floating away.

He'd lost weight, she noted, bringing her arms around him and rocking him back and forth like he was still just a child. Just a boy. An eighteen-year-old boy who'd been in confinement for fifty days believing himself to be innocent.

(Y/n) was vaguely aware of Misa crying as she looked on, and the NPA members shifting in uncertainty of what they were supposed to do considering the sheer vulnerability and intimacy of the moment. And there, in the corner of the room where he was just barely in her peripheral vision, with his eyes trained on the siblings and the characteristic blankness on his face, stood L.

Contrary to the lack of expression on his face, she knew his mind was working at incomprehensible speeds, reworking probabilities and possible outcomes, all of them beginning with what (Y/n) chose to be her next move because here she had to decide something very important.

With the Kira persona wiped away, she had the little brother she'd initially been loyal to back. He didn't remember what he'd done, and was perfectly unaware of his capabilities and how far he was willing to go for his own ambitions. In this state, he was no threat to his family.

How very convenient.

And maybe it was cold to have all this in mind when he was reaching for her beyond all his walls and pride to seek comfort from the only source he'd grown up believing he could trust unconditionally, but (Y/n) needed to think as fast she could if she wanted to not fall behind in this race of sheer wit.

"It's okay," she whispered to Light, combing through his matted hair like she used to when he'd come to her after a nightmare when they were kids. "I've got you."

She pulled away first and let him collect himself, knowing that no matter which version of Light she was dealing with, he'd like the chance to salvage his pride in front of others. Instead she turned to Misa and offered the blonde a hug as well, albeit a little awkwardly, figuring that she needed one after the ride from hell.

"I hate to interrupt," L spoke up, "but I believe we have a lot to discuss. If we could all move inside, I would greatly appreciate it."

While everyone else filed into the main room, L lingered behind, evidently waiting to catch her before she could slip away which he wouldn't put past her. (Y/n) didn't bother trying, however, and willingly came to a stop beside him.

"Did your stance on the case shift?" he asked her, voice quiet.

She inclined her head, raising her eyebrows in challenge. "You expect me to tell you if it did?" she shot back.

L stared at her, trying to gauge her expression, but she knew it'd be of no use since she hadn't made her mind up yet. If he figured her out, she'd probably end up having to ask him to know for herself.

Finally the intensity in his gaze subsided and he jerked his head in indication for them to join everyone else. "I'm tempted to ask that you remain on the side you've been on thus far," he admitted softly, "but I realize that your choices are beyond my control."

She paused for a beat, glancing at him with a vague sense of trepidation, but he was already approaching everyone else and she could only follow suit. (Y/n) didn't understand what he was trying to do, but she figured she probably never would. It was best to move on and worry about what she wanted to do.

Right now, her position was such that she could prevent Kira from returning without having to turn Light in and she deliberated over whether or not she wanted to risk actively going against L's motives for Kira in order to achieve her own.

It was incredibly tempting after all, but she'd have to ensure that Light's Death Note never got back to him.

"Is this really necessary?" Light sounded reluctant as he held up his wrist which was now linked to L's by a metal chain that had her resisting the urge to snort at how ridiculous the situation was.

As expected, Misa threw a fit at the prospect of having to share her precious 'boyfriend', and (Y/n) could see her begin to grate on L's nerves.

"You mean you'll be there on all of our dates?" Misa shrieked. "Gross! Then (Y/n) should come with us, too."

(Y/n) blinked. "What? Why?"

Misa stared at the elder woman like it was perfectly obvious. "A double date. Duh," she stated slowly. "At least that way Ryuzaki won't be creeping on our dates. Besides, you guys get along, right?"

The blonde's suggestion had Light's face contorting into an expression that distinctly reminded (Y/n) of someone undergoing constipation. Soichiro didn't look particularly pleased at the idea of his daughter and the renowned detective being together as anything but colleagues either, and Matsuda was looking back and forth between the aforementioned pair like he'd never seen them before.

Meanwhile, Aizawa looked close to volunteering for solitary confinement himself if it meant getting away from the harebrained conversation and its sheer lack of productivity.

L turned his stare to (Y/n), evidently amused at the prospect. "Do we get along, (Y/n)?" he asked, probably just to rub salt in the wound.

But she didn't really care much. It took a lot to embarrass her, and a date with the infuriating detective wasn't really it. If anything, she found the thought of them being romantically involved funny considering how close she was to openly opposing his agenda. They might not be absolutely incompatible personality-wise, but as circumstance would have it, Misa's suggestion was highly likely to not work out.

"I wonder," she said in answer to L, smiling coolly. "Although, dating isn't really my thing, so I'll pass on the double date thing."

The model pouted. "That's no good. Dating should be everyone's thing! Plus, now that I think about it, you guys would be kinda cute together."

Light blanched, looking seconds away from gagging outright as he pictured L coming over for dinners with the Yagami family to discuss plans for his future with (Y/n). He looked to his sister, hoping to see open resistance but was only greeted by her clear urge to start laughing.

It looked like he'd have to put a stop to this rubbish himself.

"That's enough, Misa." He sighed, eyebrows twitching in irritation."The police have already established that you're the one who sent those tapes. You're lucky to even be here right now. They have every right to keep you in prison."

Misa's mouth fell open. "Huh? How could you even say something like that, Light? In case you forgot, I'm your girlfriend. Don't you trust your own soulmate?" she demanded, stepping closer.

It took one look at his face for (Y/n) to know that Light was going to say something that would only push Misa further over the edge, and she sighed, already anticipating the unneeded display.

"What do you mean 'soulmate'? You're the one who fell in love with me at first sight."

Wonderful. Nice going, Light. Now we'll never hear the end of it.

L cleared his throat, cutting off Misa's emotional rant. "About this love at first sight," he began purposefully, "it happened in Aoyama on May 22nd, didn't it?"

"So?" Misa frowned.

"Why did you choose that day to go there?" L pressed. "And do you remember what you wore?"

Puffing her cheeks out, Misa turned to the detective in a clearly aggravated manner. "It's like I told you: I don't remember why I went there, or how I was feeling. I don't even know what I was wearing! And since when do I need a reason to hang out near Aoyama?"

"Somehow, when you came back from Aoyama, you knew that you were in love with a guy and that his name was Light, and yet you yourself have no idea how you came to know his name," L summarized, and all the other investigators in the room straightened as they caught onto what he was trying to do. "What if Light was Kira? How would it make you feel?"

(Y/n) already knew the answer to that. Just because Misa forgot about the Death Note didn't necessarily mean her Kira worship was erased too.

Grinning, Misa latched onto Light's arm, previous argument completely forgotten (much to Light's open dismay). "That'd be great!" she declared, laughing to herself. "I mean, I've always been grateful to Kira for punishing the man who murdered my parents, so if I found out that Light is Kira it would be like a bonus. If anything, it would make me love him even more. Even though it's practically impossible for me to love him even more."

All this PDA is a little nauseating...

"It's Kira, though," L carried on, effectively ignoring the blonde nuzzling into her boyfriend's arm. "I mean, wouldn't you be afraid that he'd try to kill you."

Misa tilted her head, smiling. "You're talking about Light being Kira, so he wouldn't be scary at all. I'm a supporter of Kira, so if I found out that my Light was actually him, I'd think of how I can be useful to him."

Naturally, the statement was a poor choice considering the kind of company the blonde was in. Soichiro and Aizawa both looked to be barely refraining from doing something they'd most likely regret, and even L's unreadable mask had grown cold.

"Well, Misa, based on what you just told me there can be no mistake that you are the second Kira," the raven-haired detective stated bluntly, "but you made it so painfully obvious that I don't really want to believe it."

Somehow missing the serious atmosphere of the room, Misa stuck her tongue out. "It doesn't matter because I'm not the second Kira anyways, so whatever."

L sighed, and (Y/n) would admit that she was just a little bit impressed with the blonde for managing to wear the detective out. "Anyways," he said, "for the time being, you'll remain under surveillance. When you do go out, if needed, you'll be able to contact us through this room's extension. For the most part, your life will return to normal, but from now on, for all private and work related affairs, Mr. Matsuda will be accompanying you as your new manager-- Matsui. Your agency has been paid to keep quiet and the police don't know. Do not blow his cover."

Glancing at the smiling NPA officer, Misa pouted. "Ugh, this old guy's my new manager? I can't believe this."

Matsuda immediately lurched forward. "Huh? Oh, come on. What's wrong with me, Misa-Misa? Is it the tie? Because I can get rid of--"

"Enough!" Aizawa snapped, slamming his fist down onto the table before him and shooting to his feet.

Called it, (Y/n) thought as she watched him fix his aggravated glare onto the blonde.

"Would you cut it out with all the dating, kissing and MIsa-Misa talk already?! This is the Kira investigation! Stop messing around!"

Swallowing, Matsuda rubbed the back of his head apologetically. "Sorry about that, Aizawa."

Aizawa glanced at his junior narrowly. "No, it's alright. I just figured it what the problem is," he announced, purposefully striding towards the young couple. "Misa Amane, it's time for you to go to your room."

While he dealt with her, L addressed Light.

"Light, are you really serious about her?"

Blinking, Light shook his head almost instantly. "No way. Like I told you earlier, it's completely one-sided."

(Y/n) decided that perhaps now was not the time nor place to speak up about how it was unfair to Misa to be giving her false hope without letting her know that her feelings were entirely unrequited, and watched as L turned to the younger brunet.

"Then could you at least pretend to be serious about her? There's only two things I know about Amane for sure: One, that's she involved in this, and two, that she's in love with you."

Her eyebrows rose slowly. "Intimacy for information," she voiced, crossing her arms.

L nodded in confirmation. "I think Light could do it without raising suspicions. And Amane would definitely be a valuable source of information for us. Not to mention, this is the main reason why I released the both of you."

"But Misa really isn't feigning ignorance right now," (Y/n) pointed out with a frown. "Even if she was, at some point, the second Kira, she sure as hell doesn't remember it anymore and hasn't since almost right after her arrest. There's absolutely no tells or any suspicious behavior whatsoever. In this case, is it really fruitful to be giving her this much focus?"

With a third Kira making their appearance in the picture, from an investigator's point of view, it was better to chase the new lead, especially after such a dry spell. And, of course, it was better for (Y/n) if she could get Misa away from this mess since it would ensure her safety and thereby satisfy Rem the Shinigami.

L turned a pointed gaze on her. "I believe that we could possibly get her to remember if we push her enough. You saw how much of Misa's story didn't add up, yes? She's our best bet at figuring out not only the second Kira, but also how the Kiras kill. It's also why we need Light's help."

Pursing his lips, Light straightened. "Ryuzaki, as much as I want to help, and as important as this case is to me, I can't manipulate someone's feelings like that. Please try to understand. To me, exploiting another person's feelings like that is unforgivable, and I won't allow myself to stoop that low."

It clicked in her mind just as soon as L's eyes narrowed by a fraction. It's a test. And if someone's behavior didn't add up, judging by personality and body language, it would be Light's.

Worried by their silence, Light furrowed his eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

L hummed. "Nothing. I suppose you're right. But Amane will probably be making a lot of contact with the public, so it would be helpful if you could make sure that she doesn't leak any information."

Nodding slowly, Light looked like he remembered something. "By the way, could you find some alternative to this system of moving hotels every other day?"

L nodded, revealing his plans to do just that and shift the HQ into a permanent and exclusive building which would be open for usage in a couple of days. Complete with a grand total of 26 floors and two helicopters.

"Extravagant," she commented, nodding in approval at the impressive structure.

The detective nodded. "It is. If the team grows, we can accommodate up to 60 people in here, and Misa shouldn't have any complaints either since she'll have a complete floor for herself.'

Matsuda gaped. "How did you find the finance to fund this stuff?"

"As you can see, it is my intention to solve this case no matter what it takes," L stated, implying that spending his own money on something as exorbitant didn't matter against his will.

With Light's firm agreement, Aizawa voiced his sudden motivation to bring Kira to justice and the team decided to return to their respective homes for the night and start afresh the next day.

"You're really going for it, huh?" (Y/n) asked rhetorically, crouching down beside him to study the building's exterior, ignoring his gaze on her. The brief weight of something akin to guilt hit the pit of her stomach, but she pushed it to the back of her mind, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge it.

L nodded. "It'd be nice if (Y/n) was on my side as well," he voiced, making her bite the inside of her cheek because of course he noticed her instance of vulnerability, "but you're not, are you?"

A trap.

She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. "What makes you think that?"

"Are you, or are you not?" he returned, staring at her like he was trying to read into every little secret of hers. It wasn't like L to ask. Usually, he'd watch, conclude and move accordingly. Then what was this?

She swallowed, suddenly extremely unsure under his unnerving gaze. "I never was," she pointed out.

"But it's