A/N: This is an L story I started a while back. I'm on ..Chapter 9, I think. So I'll post the next chapters about, every week or so.. Enjoy! (:

Jade wasn't a good detective. Her friend said so. He said she was better at writing, then she was at trying to solve cases. She agreed.

Jade thought a detective must be smarter and a harder worker than an author. Her friend begged to differ. He said that an author needed a creative mind to keep their stories alive. They needed to be able to think of faces, profiles, settings and plots. This put a smile on Jade's face.

Jade and her friend were very close.

He told her about how he wanted to be the world's greatest detective, and she told him how she wanted to be a famous author. They told each other that they'd succeed.

Jade liked to visit her friend.

A girl with dark locks walked down the street, sobbing and rubbing at her eyes. Unfortunately she had been separated from her mother, and was now lost—wandering the streets helplessly.

"What's wrong?"

She stopped in her tracks, turning to see a boy about her age standing in front of the orphanage that she and her mother drove past all the time.

"I lost my mommy."

"Where'd you see her last?" the boy asked her, stepping outside the boundaries of the orphanage.

"The park."

"I bet she's looking for you, right now. You can wait here, if you want," he offered, carefully unwrapping a lollipop.

"O-Okay.." she stepped into the orphanage boundaries with the boy.

"What's your name?" he asked, leading her to the entrance.

"Jade. What's yours?"

"L."

"That's a funny name."

"It's not my real name... It's more of an alias."

"What's an alias?" she questioned, watching him suck on the red lollipop.

"It's a name used to hide an identity..."

"Why do you need to hide?" she asked. 'L' didn't reply. "...How old are you?"

"Seven. You?"

"S-six. And a half."

"Alright."

She watched L walk, before raising a small eyebrow, "Why do you walk all hunched over like that?"

"Helps me think."

"Oh..." her eyes trailed down to his feet. "Why don't you wear any-...nevermind."

"Any socks? They bug me. I don't like them."

"O-okay..."

Fortunately Jade's mother got the right idea to check in at the orphanage. As she grabbed Jade's hand, dragging her to the car and giving her a lecture about running off, L stood in the doorway. Just watching.

Jade lifted a small hand to wave bye to him, and he mimicked the action.

"Who's that boy?" her mother asked, as they drove down the road.

"L."

"L? That's a funny name."

"It's an alias."

Her mother looked surprised to see that she even knew the word at six. She looked to the backseat of the car, "An alias, eh?"

"It's a name used to hide ident...identities..."

"How do you know that?" she asked, looking back out at the road.

"L told me."

Her mother glanced back at the orphanage.

Wammy's House.

There was no surprise in this 'L' knowing the word. They were basically all geniuses in there.

"Hi L."

"Hi Jade."

Jade stepped into the orphanage boundaries, "What do you wanna do today?"

"We could do a puzzle," L suggested, pointing to the tattered puzzle boxes on the steps of the orphanage. "There's lots to choose from."

"Okay."

They decided on a puzzle with a picture of your typical detective on it. A long brown trench coat, hat, dress shoes and a magnifying glass in hand. They dumped the contents out onto the deck and began arranging the pieces. As the image began to become clearer, Jade glanced over at L, who had his thumb placed on his bottom lip, holding a puzzle piece in his other hand.

"Are you gonna dress like that when you're a detective, L?" she asked him.

He shook his head, placing the piece down in the correct spot, "Nu-uh. That'd be way to obvious. I'll dress however I want."

She nodded, "Right."

A year had passed, and Jade and L were still close. She'd visit him at the orphanage almost everyday, until her mother or father came to get her, wondering why she liked it so much there.

"What's that you got, Jade?" L asked, peering over Jade's shoulder as she scribbled words onto a notepad. "Are you making clues? That's what old fashioned detectives do."

She shook her head, "I'm writing a story, L."

He sat next to her on the steps, "That's right. You want to be a famous author when you grow up, right?"

She nodded in response, "Right."

"So what're you writing about?"

"The day you and me met."

"Can I see?"

She nodded, handing him the notebook and keeping the pencil in her hand. He scanned the page, then handed the notebook back and smiled, "That's good. I like how you use your words."

"Thanks."

What was she? Eight now.

"You have some nice words in there, too. You're pretty smart."

She shrugged, "I guess so. But detectives are smarter, and work harder."

"That's not true.." L mused, watching as she set the notebook and pencil down and looked at him for an explanation. He gave her one. "Authors need a smart, and creative mind to keep their stories alive. And they need to be able to think up characters, settings and plots. The characters have to live, and associate with the reader. The settings need to be able to become real to the reader, and the plots have to keep them reading. Authors need to work hard. Their stories are skilfully worked out."

She smiled, "I guess so. You're real smart, L."

"I guess so," he shot back, with his own smile.

"I like you," she said simply.

"I like you, too," he replied, handing her a lollipop and keeping one for himself.

"Are you alright, L?" Jade asked one day, as they sat out on the walk, watching the speeding cars whiz past. Her friend nodded slowly, his black mess of hair shifting slightly.

"You don't seem alright."

"I'm alright, Jade..." he said quietly, lifting his head to see another car go flying past. The hair blew out of his eyes, but gracefully returned in less than a second.

"What's bothering you?" she asked, a frown on her lips. She was nine now. L was ten. It had been another year. Another year of their friendship.

"I like you."

"I like you, too L," she replied. "I would be somewhere else if I didn't."

He grinned, "Of course." Then he bowed his head again, ignoring the two cars that both went past. Jade frowned again as she looked at him, "I can tell something's wrong, L... What is it?"

"I like you."

"I know."

"I don't wanna leave you."

She tilted her head curiously, "Leave me? Where are you going L?" At that moment her mother and father pulled up. At the same time Watari, the owner and founder of Wammy House stuck his head out the door, "L! Come in, please!"

"Bye Jade," he said quietly, lifting himself up and walking off. She watched him for a few seconds, before climbing into the car.

"You're being no fun. You've been no fun for weeks, L."

Jade laid on the grass outside the orphanage, a notebook in front of her and a pencil in her hand. She glanced up at L, who was just sitting on the steps. It had been a while since he mentioned leaving.

"Sorry," he mumbled, wiggling his toes.

She sighed, "What should I write about?"

"A strong bond being broken."

She frowned, setting the pencil down, "That sounds sad, L. Why would I wanna write about that?"

"It happens."

Her frown slowly turned into a small smile, "I know! I'll write something about you and me."

L looked away from her, and to the street. In the background he heard bells ringing.

It had been a week since L mentioned broken bonds. And to Jade, he was still being no fun.

"I think it's time you tell me what's wrong," she mused, scanning her newest story.

L glanced at her for a moment, until turning his attention right back to the streets, "It's nothing."

"You seem sad," she mentioned, crossing some words and sentences out.

"I am."

"Why? I knew something was wrong."

"I like you, Jade."

"I like you, too L," she told him, closing her notebook and putting the pencil down. "You're my best friend."

"You're mine."

She smiled, "That's good."

"And since you're my best friend, it's going to be hard leaving you."

"Is Watari taking you somewhere?" she asked him.

He was silent, until the bells started to ring. "...Something like that..." he said quietly. "The bells are loud today."

"Yeah."

"We're going to be best friends forever, right L?"

"Yes..."

"And we're always going to be together, right?"

"I can't guarantee that."

Jade frowned, "O-okay."

L handed her a lollipop, and in return got a "Thanks" and a friendly hug.

"I made it myself. I saved you a piece," Jade told L, smiling proudly as she presented him with a piece of cake wrapped in plastic wrap.

"Thank you."

She handed him the piece, "I like you, L."

"I like you, too."

The next few weeks went about normally. Jade had almost forgotten about L mentioning leaving, and broken bonds. It was easy to clear it from her head when she was around him. She was happy around him, but at the same time she was sad.

She sensed that he was keeping a lot from her these days.

"The bells are especially loud, today," L pointed out, listening to the bells chorusing.

Jade nodded from next to him on the steps, "They are. Hey, you seem sad again. What's wrong?"

She was determined to get an answer this time. But she didn't get one.

"That must mean something bad is going to happen," L said, referring to the loud clanging of the bells.

"Why? What do you mean?"

"It's never easy leaving. And it's never easy breaking special bonds."

"L..."

Jade stepped out of the car, putting her small umbrella up and watching her parents drive off. She looked to the steps to see L standing in front of them, out of shelter. He was soaked to the bone.

"L, you're gonna get sick!" she called to him, over the loud pelt of the rain.

He put a hand to his ear, letting her know that he couldn't hear her.

"You're gonna get sick!" she shouted, walking over to him. He smiled playfully, putting his hand up again.

"You're going to get sick!" she said quietly, hardly audible over the pitter patter of the raindrops.

"My heart's going to get sick."

She made a face, "Why, L?"

"You're my best friend."

"You're mine."

"I like you."

"I like you, too."

"We have a special bond."

"Sure we do," she nodded.

"I don't want to leave you, Jade. Honest."

"Okay..." she frowned, seeing how this was playing out again.

"It's not easy. It never is. No matter who the person."

"Alright."

The bells began to ring in the background. Probably the loudest they'd ever rung since Jade had met L.

Watari suddenly came out, carrying a small tattered suitcase. He placed it on the deck, and then stood tall and proud with his hands held in front of him.

"Good luck, L," was all he said.

Jade turned her attention from him, and back to L, "...Are you going somewhere?"

"Something like that," he replied, as a black limo pulled up to the orphanage. The driver got out, holding an umbrella above his head and opening the back door. He waited patiently there.

"Sorry," L mumbled, taking hold of the suitcase and beginning to walk towards the vehicle.

"L!" Jade cried, dropping her umbrella and running after him, almost slipping on the wet ground. "Where are you going!?"

He managed to give her a smile, "Good luck...with your stories." He turned back around and continued walking.

"L!" she crashed into him from behind. "You're leaving!"

"It appears..."

"You can't!" she yelled over the rain and ringing bells. "I won't let you!"

"I have to."

This was what he was implying the whole time. She was too naive to see it. He was leaving. He was breaking their bond...

Like the first day they met, she was sobbing, "L."

"Good luck," he repeated. "Don't give up." He became free of her hold, and climbed into the limo. Before the driver shut the door, he gave Jade another smile, "...best friend."

"L!" she tried to run to him, but slipped in a puddle, landing in it and looking up miserably at her friend. He waved bye, as the driver shut the door. And in less than a second, they were speeding off down the road.

Sobbing, Jade shifted position to sit in the pouring rain as Watari made his way down the steps and over to her. He carefully picked her up, walking back towards the door. Leaving her umbrella, he opened the door, "You should be proud of L."

Through her sobs she managed to say, "...I am."

"Let's get you dried up, and then we'll call your parents. I don't want you getting sick."

"My heart's sick."

It had been about roughly sixteen years since Jade had last seen L, let alone spoken to him. Like the day back when he left, her heart was still sick. L was her best friend. She liked him, and he liked her...

She tried to forget about L. From what she knew, he was now the world's greatest detective. It was funny in a way... No one knew his real identity (of course, she didn't either. She'd just been in contact with him a lot), and no one had even been in his actual presence. And she used to be his childhood friend. His best friend.

But enough about that...

Now Jade lived in the Kanto region of Japan with a friend. Her friend was originally from Japan, and decided to move back. She offered Jade to come with her. She accepted, seeing it as a great opportunity for inspiration for her stories. And she was right. She might not of reached her goal, like L, being a famous author. But she was about half way there... She was just having trouble getting things published. The things she wrote about weren't what people wanted.

They all wanted happy endings, strong friendships and romances. They didn't like the drama and the tragedy. They didn't like the not so happy endings... They didn't like the broken bonds, and separation of protagonists.

It was hard.

"Where are you going, Jade?" Kimi asked, her black hair put up in a messy bun. She sat at the kitchen table in their small apartment, eating lunch.

"The library. I'm gonna try and do some writing..." Jade replied, pulling a light sweater on.

"Good luck, then."

"Thanks, Kimi..." she twisted the knob, stepping into the hall and closing the door behind her. She walked down the empty hallway, a notebook and pen in hand.

As she walked down the streets, cars whizzing past and chatter and laughter lifting into the air, she noticed something. She noticed the kids picking on each other. The bums on the side of the road, asking for no more than a penny, only to be ignored by every passerby. The smokers, the drinkers. And the news reports on the large television, about criminals and crime.

'Disgusting... I wonder how we can live with ourselves, sometimes,' she thought, almost smiling to herself. No, that was crazy. It wasn't like someone was just going to start cleaning this mess up. And even if they did, that would be wrong.

She skipped up the steps to the library, pulling the large doors open and walking inside. Spotting a free and forsaken table, she made her way over to it. Once she was seated she opened up her notebook, and held her pen to the paper.

'...' she stared at the page. 'I don't know what to write...'

And that's where she met him. At the library.