Authors note: Yet another one of my many ideas. I actually really, really like this one and there are several chapters of it already typed. Please review, I'd love to post more! Yes, Beyond Birthday is in this fanfiction and God help your soul if you don't know who he is. So please read, review and enjoy. 3

Not as sunny as it used to be

Somewhere in the midst of New york

The extensive details that came to mind when Mello arrived home to a gothic N flashing on his home monitor sent shivers down his spine though the likelihood of any of those daydreams being anything more than that was quietly stepped on by his subconscious. He couldn't allow thoughts like those to roam free at times like this nor did he allow them to. Languidly, if only to fool himself he allowed himself to venture into the kitchen and play with thoughts of allowing Near to wait another few hours before responding. Even if it were a dire situation it hadn't mattered before if Mello decided to allow the connection or not. Given that this had never occurred before but he wasn't going to allow that to cloud his judgment. Still toying with the idea of a shower he took a seat at the monitor and allowed the dictated means of communication of Wammy house alumni. "And what do I owe this little hello Near?" He believed he had done well enough to keep the falseness from his voice despite knowing that even that would be lost on the tiny crunched over albino boy. It was all done to his own satisfaction and at moments like this that was all that mattered.

He cocked his head slightly at the lack of response from the other side of the monitor. It could have very well been an S.O.S from the white haired boy but nearly as quickly as the though penetrated the surface it was pulled back down to be drowned. That was impossible. The boy would have called someone that would have gave a damn. Someone that would have been more willing and ready to come to his attention at the sound of the alarm. Someone very much like Matt.

The name struck a sour chord welling up emotions that had very well been buried years ago after he left Wammy house. He knew quite well that he would be leaving his best and only friend behind and during the time he hadn't once regretted it. Even now it was simply human emotions in their feral attempt to pin him down and force him to submit to the wanting of contact with another person. No, not just any other person but with Matt. Though it had been years he could picture the red head fully but even that thought brought with it too much for him to handle. Instead he allowed himself to stand heading back towards the kitchen where he could clearly hear the computer if anything were to happen and made himself a nice warm cup of hot chocolate. It wasn't a good enough substitute for the actual thing he had decided to give up on his departure from the mafia but it was good enough to get him through dark moments.

"Good evening Mello." Near's dead pan voice interrupted his internal struggle so perfectly he was nearly grateful though he would never think about admitting that aloud. Though his voice held the electronic nudge that L's once did it wasn't exactly needed. Mello knew what the boy sounded like, there wasn't much left to be desired. "I apologize if I am hindering any of your activities." He paused for several seconds before continuing, "But there have been several recent events that should be brought to your attention."

"Regarding?" He replied leveling his voice with that of Near before taking a deep sip of his hot chocolate. He didn't want this conversation dragging on any longer than was necessary and therefore the faster the runt told him what happened the quicker he could return to his life. No matter how regretful it had become.

This time the pause didn't last, "The L code." The boy responded as if he had mapped out this entire conversation in his mind. Most likely the boy already had and was questioning why there hadn't been any bursts of anger or threats on his life this far though. It was actually turning out quite civilized. There was a first time for everything. "Allow me to explain. This morning at exactly two O'clock a unidentified hacker entered the Wammy house mainframe. From there they continued through the firewalls created by myself and L until they reached the code itself and the personal information of every person that had passed through the doors of the institution." Near for once didn't seem as disconnected from reality as usual. "From there they proceeded to delete the code and all the information written for each of the individuals."

Mello found himself blinking several times, "Right. So, I'm going to guess that there was no one fighting the hacker once they entered the system?" He leaned back in his chair, sipping his drink. If the runt hadn't figured this one out on his own he truly was slipping. "Only a Wammy house kid would know of the code to know it should be deleted. Didn't it contain the actual line of for L. That was the only actual proof that we were-" He paused slightly folding his hands together after placing his cooling drink down. "I see. The only reasonable explanation was that Matt was pissed and decided to take a punch at you from behind a computer." He snickered slightly, it was nice to know the red head still had a sense of humor. "Was that all Near?"

"Actually no. It is true that by process of elimination there are very few people that could possibly hack through the Wammy house server to delete the information. The blame would quite possibly point at is Matt but Matt was with Near attempting to rid the system of the hacker. Matt and Near were unable to stop the hacker from two O'clock in the morning to two O'five. The hacker is not Matt. The L code has been deleted. Rightfully, Near is not L."

The blond gasped. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to focus on that someone beat Matt at his own game. Someone finally beat out Near or that Near could no longer rightfully be L. He decided to focus on the latter. It being the easiest possible thing not to make him focus on Matt. "So what you're attempting to tell me is that no one is L right now?" He snapped into the monitor. He didn't need a response to come through for the thoughts to bubble inside of him. "Near, what is it you're really trying to tell me right now? It wasn't the hacker or that you are not L. What is it?" He questioned staring wide eyed at the screen though the boy couldn't see him. "There's something you're avoiding."

Near remained silent for several minutes, "Near is attempting to tell Mello that no one is L. The position has been reopened due to the erasure of the code. Near has been given the details to request that Mello return to Wammy institution to forgo more classes before the final test. The final placement will be the new line for the position." Near's voice didn't allow a regretful tone but Mello was sure if it could it would be there. "Near will not keep you for any longer." With that the connection was cut.

His hands gingerly ran forward feeling for his cup that had long since cooled but he didn't allow that to stop him from picking it up and drinking the remainder. He could be L. He could finally beat out Near and take the spot. It had been so close last time but this time things could possibly go his way. Not only that but Matt was sure to be there with him again. He wasn't sure if he was going to be able to convince the man to talk to him, befriend him, become close with him again. Not after the initial betrayal but with enough prompting the man could possibly become his Matty again.

He closed his fingers over his rosary allowing the thoughts to run freely for once in his life. This couldn't be happening, none of it. The chance of being L. The chance of being number once. The chance of beating Near. The chance of finally succeeding" He smirked, this would all work out perfectly.

Though somehow he couldn't help but wonder why anyone would want to delete the code.

Somewhere in the midst of London

Matt fingered his keyboard restlessly as he had done several minutes ago before walking away. He couldn't bring himself to open the IM and vent to anyone so he remained sitting exactly where he had been before. Next door the music blared, that would definitely be something that he wouldn't be missing once he headed back to Wammy house. Sure, he played his games at all times of the morning and night but never had he been so bold as to filter it though the surround sound speakers and blast Mario tunes at all hours of the night. This was simply ridiculous.

Twenty minutes home since his pwn by the hacker and he was already running himself insane. He simply couldn't believe it. No one in Wammy house was better than he at technological endeavors but this person had not only managed to get into the system while he was on red alert but compete their mission and get out. That was epic fail like no other. No, it didn't help that Near was also being owned. No, it didn't help that he could be L. Hell, he didn't want to be L, all he wanted was to virtually mop the floor with said hacker so that never again in their life would they be able to pull a total win over his life like they had the previous day. Before he knew it he had pulled the IM screen open and was typing.

-Crimson tears is online-

Mariomatt: Has Near contacted you yet Crimmy?
Crimson Tears: Yah
Mariomatt: I was owned Crimmy by a nobody. Can you believe that? Me. Owned.
Crimson tears: Actually yeah. Are you sure you didn't lay down and play dead because you thought it was Mello? I told you Mario, Mello isn't coming back to you. Give it up.
Mariomatt: It wasn't Mello. I own Mello. Hacker owned me. No logic.
Crimson Tears: Life is full of bullshit logic. It's called fail. Which if I'm not mistaken you've made a life out of bullshit logic. Yes?
MarioMatt: Crimmy. I'm serious. Hacking is all I have. It's my identity. If I'm not good at that then what's left for me?
Crimson tears: Videogame junkie.
Mariomatt: Why is it that when I'm being serious you ignore me? I didn't think it was Mello. I don't know who it was.
Crimson tears: Then you wanted it to be Mello. Either way, it wasn't him and you played possum. Near lost his position in five minutes Matt. It's not exactly something he should be proud of. Someone beat you at your thing. Just because we grew up in Wammy house, are recognized only by Wammy alumni as being the best doesn't mean that we really are. Nuff said.
Mariomatt: No one's beat me before.
Crimson Tears: Mello. Near. Sentence fail.
Mariomatt: You know what I meant.
Crimson tears: Like I said. Sentence fail. No one is number one forever. Not Near. Not L. Not Mello. Not you. Nothing separates you from the failures of Wammy house. We were an experiment and we're returning to add to the experiment. If we weren't number one we were failures. Once we completed our time there our overwhelming need to be number one compiled with our nurtured inferiority complexes causes us to search for the best and do such. Mello failed. You failed and as did I. No sugar coating needed.
Mariomatt: Do I sense a bit of hostility from someone that claimed they never wanted to be number one because she couldn't handle the stress?
Crimson tears: Number 4.
Mariomatt: Number 3.

-Crimson tears is offline-

Mariomatt: Are you serious?

-crimson tears is offline. She will receive your offline messages when logging back into the server-

Matt found himself glaring at the computer screen. He should have guessed she was going to mock him, put him down and ignore his pleas that his world was slowly falling apart but even though she had been right. He believed it was Mello hacking the server but once the swift loss came five minutes later he realized that not even Mello was that good. Not even Mello could- He stopped himself instantly from thinking about it. Using force to pull himself out of the computer chair and to light a cigarette. Gently he placed it between his lips moving towards the large open window that was letting cool air into the lukewarm apartment. He didn't believe he had gained such an attachment to the world outside Wammy house. Everything was so imperfect, empty, cold and yet so filled with life he couldn't help but find himself smirking at his sentimentally. That wasn't like him, to be sentimental but with his world falling apart as quickly as it was he wondered if this new sentimental him was good or bad.

He should have been packing, that was a given but watching the slow, nearly graceful movements on the streets below him was almost too memorizing. He groaned pulling a chair towards the window rubbing his temples in slow circles. He hadn't felt this way since Mello left him alone at Wammy house. It had been years. "God." He found himself speaking aloud, "What the hell is happening?"

Somewhere in the midst of California

"How rude." The slightly Russian accent came out clearly as she glanced back behind the computer where the cords had been disconnected nearly seconds before. "If you wanted my attention you could have just called for it. I didn't need you going to do that. Now he thinks I don't want to speak with him any longer. I prefer my friends don't think I'm an arsehole." She glanced behind her at the slouching individual before pausing. "I don't even understand why you came here."

Slowly the individual pulled his legs upward sitting with them pulled to his chin, most of his body unfortunately burned. She guessed the stories were true about him in that case. "After searching the Wammy house directory I found that you were the one least likely to turn me in." He concluded placing his thumb towards his lips. "Am I correct Crimson?"

She shook her head, "No. If anything I'm more likely to turn you in." She moved to stand before a blackened hand came forward to shove her back down. "I didn't say I was going to do it right now. I have to go pack, now move before I snap your fingers." It was unnatural, the way his fingers touched her hands and she didn't like it. At least, not when it was from a insane murderer that had been jailed nearly eight years prior.

"Pack he questioned? Now it is you being rude Miss Crimson. You should tell me where you're going or else I will assume that you are going to turn me in." He replied keeping a firm grip on her hand before gently allowing it to relax but he didn't move it. "I would also like certification that you were not contacting the authorities on your laptop before I unplugged it."

That would have been way easier had he not unplugged it but she guessed he knew that and realized his mistake. "It was Matt, you remember the little red head boy." She crossed her legs ignoring the need to kick him while he sat like that. It was nearly unbearably creepy. This man was a true oddity, it was no wonder L set out to catch him so quickly. "As for packing I need to go back to Wammy house. Someone hacked the server and deleted the L code. Long story short we're going back to find the new L."

His eyes widened slightly watching her before returning to their previous dead state. "So you all will be back at the house? That will be your protection? …Roger?" He leaned forward until he was inches from her face before beginning to laugh. "He he hehe he he he he he…no, no that's not right. HA HA HA HA HA HAHAHAHA!"

She twitched slightly, her leg responding to the close distance kicking him back quickly. "Look Beyond, I don't know what you did or why you did it but you're definitely not going to get away with it." She snapped standing up making sure he was still on the ground. "Mello'll be there. If you're planning on taking him out I suggest you bring an army." She shivered but that was only because he continued to laugh even while he laid on the floor. It was as if he didn't feel the pain of falling, though it did tempt her to see what fire did to him again. It'd get her killed but a bit of impulse couldn't be that bad. Nope, BB lived on that. Careful planning and impulse.

Somewhere in the midst of Paris

"You are no longer required to be with me here Hallie." Near mumbled gently crouched in the corner of the moving car playing with his toys without looking up at her once. His once normally deadpan voice was slightly sullen but it was just a tinge. It was nothing he couldn't keep hidden while he spoke with her. "Is there anywhere you wish to go while I still have to power to send you there? I do not wish for you to follow me back to Wammy house where I might fail." He glanced back to the blond woman watching him with saddened eyes and for the first time realized that she might actually care. She might actually care like the other blond woman all those years ago. He was far too old for tears but they came to mind when he turned away again.

He had lost his position as L. He had lost it in a matter of minutes and he couldn't do anything to stop it. He could have. That previous sentence had been a lie. Weeks ago he had noticed someone hacking through the system but never through the firewalls he had set up to protect the code. Never through L's firewall he had created all those years ago. No, they were just hacking it seemed. He had taken the time to guess it was just one of the students attempting to change their grades in the computer only to find it was impossible. He only believed that until the hacking had gotten more intent, more intrusive until he was forced to deal with it himself. Afterwards he had called upon Matt who had also been defeated in that five minutes. All he had worked for throughout his days at Wammy house. Beating Mello, Matt and Crimson time after time. Connecting the dots and capturing Kira. It had all been nothing but wistful accomplishments that fell into the mud now.

"You will always be L to us Near." Hallie replied glancing out the window as the car turned. "You can drop me off anywhere. I know my way around here fairly well after running so many errands for you. I'll return home until you call upon me again." She watched the boy slouch slightly more before reaching forward. He was still just a kid, going through all of this. Despite the mind she guessed he was running himself insane somewhere in there. "Near, no one is blaming you for anything that happened. None of it was your fault. You were brought into the war that was Kira and you finished it. You should be proud of yourself. You've solved countless murders and helped so many people. Don't beat yourself up over the little things."

"It's the little things that matter." He replied almost instantly glancing up out the window. "I will be returning back to Wammy house Hallie. From there I doubt you will ever hear from me again. I apologize." He released a slight whimper but left it alone. Everyone was returning. Mello, Matt, Crimson, himself. He breathed in deeply placing his toys down at his feet unable to continue to play with them as if everything was okay. Nothing here was fine. Nothing here was going okay. Nothing here. He wondered if this was how L felt everyday while he did his job. He wondered if this was how Mello felt when he lost. He wondered if this was how Matt felt when he pretended the loss didn't hurt. He wondered if this was how all the Wammy house kids felt towards him when he became number one. Resentment, callous hatred, ill will. It hurt, he had to admit but he wasn't one for emotions.

The only good thing that had come from all of this was that he was able to talk to Crimson though even she seemed slightly distracted and quickly moved to get off the phone. There was a voice in the background, an alarming voice. A voice that he guessed he should have known, should have thought about but he hadn't at the time. He relayed the message and told her he would be seeing her shortly. She seemed a bit happy about that, even told him she'd play Chess with him. Playing chess wasn't going to get rid of this feeling crying out inside of him.

"Thank you Hallie." He replied gently as the car came to a stop in front of the airport. "For everything." He glanced back at the woman flashing a smile before turning away again. She uttered something before sliding out of the car but it was lost on his thinking once more. The door shut and minutes later they were back on the road heading home. It was only then that the tears slipped from their dam wetting his cheeks and belaying emotion. He had lost. Just like L. He had lost. Again.

Wammy house for gifted children

Roger watched the monitors in his office, the ones that displayed the playground, library, and bedrooms. He could still distantly see Matt in his shared bedroom playing on the computer when he should have been studying. He could still see Mello pulling book after book off the shelves of the mumbling gently to himself. Crimson and Near playing three consecutive games of Chess in the kitchen while the other students moved around close to them. It was all so far away and yet it was all coming back to him now. That was the days before the monitors, the days before but he could still remember it all clearly.

The previous day at the assembly of the 15 new children where he had relayed to them that the others would be returning he had been sideswiped by so many questions it made him smile. They were so interested in the group it was amazing.

"I get to meet number one?" One girl had asked almost instantly without raising her hand. "Well, the top four? Number one is all that matters. To be number one."

He shook his head, "N is never solitary. There are a very small amount of people he allows to let see him. I doubt you will see him very much. Number two and three would be much easier for you to talk to. Very intelligent individuals that have passed through the doors and moved into making something of themselves." At least he attempted to sugar coat what they were both up to. One dealt with the mafia and the other was a junkie videogame player. It made him cringe. Maybe while they were home he could do something about all of that. The group had accomplishments, just not good ones. Well, good in his own eyes.

Now glancing at the monitors once more he awaited for the cars to pull up. One by one his children were returning and this time the stakes were higher. Higher than any of them could imagine.

Ending note: Everyone seems to be having a break down...okay not everyone just Near and Matt. Mello's happy and Crimsons being held captive by an insane guy but hey, whatever makes you happy. They'll all be arriving in the next chapter so please review and I'll post it. It's longer than this one actually. I've been working on longer chapters to keep you interested. Tell me what you think about this idea. It's a bit of an apology for not uploading any new chapters. Just know that they're coming and whatever! Anyway please review!