L's L.

Contact

After eating most of the kitchens food supplies, I decided to allow myself some comfort from my only friend. My little Near. He sat beside me on the floor of our room. I'd already taken the precaution of locking the window and closing the blinds. BB was unpredictable and my head couldn't take anymore for tonight. So me and Near say on the floor, solving puzzles together. We ended up making a massive house of cards, and were hardly moving to prevent it from falling over. We also completed several of Near's harder puzzles over and over again. I didn't care how repetitive it was, I was with someone who cared about me, and that's what mattered. Our little heaven didn't last forever though. Mello came storming in, sending the tower of cards flying about the room. The joker happened to land in my hair. I mentally told myself it was mere coincidence.

I wasn't tired, but we soon retreated to the beds. I had managed to persuade Near to allow me I bunk with him. Call me childish, but I felt safer with a kid who was in no way more physically stronger than me, and wouldn't be able to save me from a murderer.... But his company was enough for me. We didn't touch, it wasn't anything more than friendship. And that's how I liked it. I let my eyes droop, cuddling into Near's shirt. He only sighed and didn't move. I smiled, and let myself all asleep beside him.

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"NO! STOP!" I screamed as I awoke from the nightmare. The freakishly real dream had sent me to screaming in my sleep. My breath seemed to be cutting like knives in the back of my throat. I clutched as if it would help. Near sat in front of me. His face literally gobsmacked. Though he didn't over do the emotions, this slight change was enough for Near. He cautiously took a strand of my hair and shakily twisted it. I'd frightened him. Shocked and scared the guy. I closed my eyes and hugged him. Tightly. He awkwardly sat in my arms. He wasn't used to any other touch than that of holding hands. I squeezed, prompting him to return the hug, but he didn't. I smiled even though I didn't want to.

I let Near go get some food that he wouldn't eat, and I took the time to get dressed and cleaned up seen as I wasn't hungry. I tiptoed out of the room and headed for the main office. I glanced in, expecting to usual, and nearly walked right on by. I stopped in my tracks as my eyes locked onto an elderly figure.

I peaked through the slit of light that came from the office. The elderly man had his back to me, so I couldn't distinguish his face, but my hopes were riding so high. Rodger was making idle conversation, but the elderly man shook his head and answered grimly.

"No matter how you put it Rodger. He escaped. And she is inevitably responsible. He wants to catch him. He says he needs help." My head spun. My heart jumping from glee to guilt, to curiosity. It was without a doubt, Watari. His voice I'd recognise anywhere. But then my heart sank as he spoke of my failure. But he was mentioning him. Him. Did he mean... L?

I leant on the door to hear the muffled conversation better, but found myself falling through. Oh no. I tumbled to the ground before Rodger and the friendly face of Watari. No matter how much it hurt to know I'd failed him, I still smiled and regained my stance. I ran up to the man and hugged him tightly.

"It's been a whole Quillish." I said as soon as I remembered to be more professional. Watari had his dark trench coat slung over his arm and a black brief case by his feet. Was that the computer? The one L had spoken to us through, questioned the children with? Was he going to finally make contact!? Watari found me looking at the briefcase.

"You always were impatient. Just like L." Had he really just compared me to L. The man I so openly admired, the man who I had failed. I bowed my head.

"I-I've failed you." I felt tears prickle my eyes. I lifted my head. "Beyond has rejected my teachings. He is killing again." I bit my lip anxiously. All my work, my training, would be for nothing, if Watari found me useless now. I'd never see L again...

"Yes, you have. But it wasn't you fault." I gasped. Watari smiled kindly at me. "Ryusaki was always going to be a tough challenge. You have done admirably well to have kept him as you have for so long." A smiled leaked through his tired features. I smiled back, and nodded respectfully to him. Rodger grumbled.

"Just get it over and done with Quillish." He moaned. I shot him a glare, but he shook me off.

Watari bent towards the brief case, my heart racing as my imagination began imagining everything possibility. But somewhere within that mess, was the fact that L may never want to see me again. That I was nothing to him, and this case. That the very fact I had allowed BB's escape, could be my downfall. I watched as Watari opened the laptop, and a calligraphic black L appeared on the screen.

Thank you. I prayed. Thank you, whoever you are.