An idea I've had floating around since like 2008, heh. Although at this point I realize I'm not the only one who's devised to give L a daughter that takes after him, let's just hope my interpretation (that I probably wrote first) is still original ;)

Summary: Put all the children chosen to succeed L to the side and you get one little girl that holds a special place in L's heart. Can she help him finally put a crack in his toughest case to date? Can he keep her safe? L's p.o.v.

/August 2nd, 2004/

...

"We have this great facility now, yet you don't seem very into it, Ryuzaki."

…'Into it' he says…

"Not really… I'm actually kind of depressed."

"Depressed?"

He should seem so surprised…

"Yes…" The fork lingers in my mouth, and even as I continue to eat Miss Amane's cake, I can't help but suddenly notice that the fluffy texture tastes oddly bitter. "For the longest time, I thought you were Kira… I'm a little shocked that I was wrong." A pause, as I proceed to lift my cuffed arm.

"Well, I still suspect you, thus the handcuffs. But Kira could control people's actions, meaning— (A short pause to swallow) —Kira controlled you to make me think that you were Kira. Light-kun and Misa-san were both controlled by Kira… Everything fits in my mind if I assume that to be fact. The thing I don't understand is why the two of you weren't killed…"

As I explain my theory of Kira being able to pass his powers from person to person into further detail, all I earn are hard stares from my hostess and chain-mate. "—don't think there's any mistake there. You're both Kiras." When I finish, he tells me that my theory is 'interesting' and that catching Kira will be difficult. I then decide to speak my mind, and what does he do? Well…

"Come on, show some energy." Light places a hand on my shoulder.

"…Energy...? I'm just not feeling it. Why even bother..?" The gesture only causes the weight over my heart to increase.

"…"

"Trying hard to go after him just puts us in danger… don't you agree?" At the moment, despite my watchful peripheral gaze, I think nothing of it when the weight suddenly shifts on the couch we sit on as Light stands rather stiffly to my right. "I've thought I was going to die so many times already…" I add.

"Ryuzaki…"

"…—?!" Something hard connects with my cheek—

SMACK

—and I am sent tumbling off of the couch.

I stare back wide-eyed as I sit up. "Ouch." This is what I get for speaking my mind.

"Don't be ridiculous! Just because I'm not the true Kira… Just because you were wrong, you want to give up?!" He's shouting in my face now… "You gonna sulk like a baby?!"

I sigh, keeping a keen eye on his movements. An almost unfamiliar urge is surfacing… "I may have worded it poorly, but… I'm saying that continuing this isn't going to get us anywhere good," I reply, wiping my jaw gingerly with my wrist; it stings. "So maybe we should just stop."

With the fervor of a wild man, Light grabs the collar of my shirt, spouting about how we need to catch Kira, and how I am the one who promised to see him executed. He has the nerve to bring up all the F.B.I. agents and policemen who have died on my watch…

His words are like a catalyst to my growing anger; his fists clenched around the fabric near my neck, his voice all too loud in my ears.

"I understand that…" I reply slowly. "But whatever the reason…" The urge boils over.

SMACK

"Once is once!" Before I can lower my leg and stand properly, the momentum of my kick pulls me along with Light's falling body. Our bodies collapse awkwardly onto the sofa, causing it to topple over with a noisy clatter. Looking back up at him, my bangs are blocking most of my view. "It's not just that my reasoning was wrong… it's the fact that the case can't be solved as 'Light Yagami is Kira and Misa Amane is the second Kira'."

It is now that I suddenly realize how elevated my heart rate has become and continue gruffly: "So I'm a little disappointed. I'm human—that's not allowed?" The college student grunts as he comes to a stand; I copy his movements slowly.

"No, it's not." he replies stubbornly. "The way you talk—it's like you won't be satisfied unless I am Kira!"

My eyelids lower somewhat at his heated words. He is absolutely right… and I tell him so.

He noticeably tenses—I'm ready.

His fist is planted hard into the spot between my hidden eyebrows, but I'm still standing despite how he attempts to push forward.

Light Yagami… I say I want to give up and he punches me with all he has... Is he really not Kira..? No… it's still possible he passed the powers of Kira to someone else to make himself look innocent.

I huff at Light's persistence. Really, trying to use his fist to push me down… "One is once. I'll have you know that I'm quite strong…" I spin around and shoot my left leg up again, catching him hard in the chin as I use my hands to brace against the floor.

He suddenly yanks on the chain; I'm not able to stop him from pulling me in. My adrenaline is pumping. He raises a fist—I cock back mine. Somehow I've gotten hold of his shirt in my other hand.

Bbbbrrriiiiing

We both freeze in mid-motion, the teen's fingers having just slipped under my collar again; I bat his hand away and leap for the phone.

I would use the cliché saved by the bell… that is, if I had not fully planned on putting Soichiro Yagami's son in his place… "Yes?" the phone wouldn't be ringing unless it were important news pertaining to the Kira case.

Matsuda's voice chimes loudly over the other end. "We did it, Ryuzaki!"

My chest, previously attempting to return to its normal state of rest, inflates with suspense. "What happened?"

"Misa-Misa was number one in the Eighteen-Magazine Reader poll!"

He continues on about her roll in an upcoming movie… it's all I can do to keep from throwing the phone to spite him. "…Yes… I see." He then tells me to show some more excitement. I reach over and let the phone fall with a clatter back onto the receiver.

"What was it?" Light questions, still sounding a tad offended.

"Nothing, just Matsuda being an idiot again."

"Well… Matsuda is a little slow…"

/~/

Author's Note: So yes, this story will take place during the Yotsuba deal with Light having no memories of the Death note :) I chose to write in first person/present to give it a different feel, but the story will leave L's point of view from time to time and I'll switch to third-person past tense.