Can't write short summaries to save my life. Rated T for langage and violence that is bound to happen.
Full Summary: Layna is your average nobody from average nowhere, with the exception of her parents, two FBI agents. But when they are both killed while working on a case in Japan, a strange man comes to whisk Layna away to the Wammy's House, an orphanage and school for gifted children in Winchester, England. She begins to unravel the mystery behind the death of her parents, and the word of her intellect and resourcefulness reaches the world's greatest detective, L. Soon Layna is found stuck right in the middle of the very case her parents were working on and were killed for, the Kira case. The more time Layna spends on the case, the stranger the detective, L, appears, and she can't help but wonder what he's hiding…
Author's Note: I suck at summaries. If you cannot interpret my writing, here's the summary in a much simpler form:
Layna's FBI parents die, killed by Kira. She moves to the Wammy's House, gifted in forensics and problem solving. L hears about her through Watari. Layna is shipped to Japan. Death Note plot ensues, with a few deaths. The title, though it has more depth than the reason I'm telling you now, means "a quality that makes up for other generally negative characteristics; redeeming feature" (according to a dictionary). *Spoiler.* L just might not die.
First Death Note fanfiction, so don't kill me if it sucks. No OCxL. Just a weird twist that comes in between the two characters. Oh, and L won't make his debut in my fanfic until about Chapter 5 or 6, and that'll practically just be over Skype. L should make his in-person appearance by, say, Chapter 10? Patience, my lovelies.
I do not own Death Note, nor any characters affiliated with it.
"Love forty! Err, sorry Carmen!"
Layna swung the tennis racket with a ferocity that was rare in the timid seventeen-year-old. Her opponent, Carmen, had little more than a second before the ball had already bounced once, making it just in time to swing and have the bright yellow ball soar over the net, but out of bounds.
Layna jogged forward and grabbed the ball. "Game," she said with a satisfied smirk. "Set." She bounced it once. "Match," Layna laughed, lightly tossing the ball to her friend, who almost fumbled it.
"Damn, Layna," Carmen said after they'd changed out of their gym clothes and walked out to the cafeteria. "Where'd you learn to play tennis like that?"
The raven-haired junior shrugged. "Mum's from England. I guess tennis is a big sport over there. She's been teaching me since I was six, when we moved to America."
"You amaze me Layna," Carmen said, shaking her head as they sat down at their table, isolated from the rest of the kids at lunch. "You have such an exotic background, money to burn, and you're gifted at the piano. Care to tell me why you don't use those things to your advantage?"
Prob'ly because FBI agents need as little attention brought to them as possible, and if Mum and Dad ended up in any spotlight whatsoever, they'll have my neck, Layna thought. A slight laugh escaped her mouth as she came up with a more believable answer. "Come on, Carmen. If I was as famous as you want me to be, would I be sitting with you instead of people who are actually like that?"
"I suppose not," Carmen mused.
But her brunette friend brought up an interesting point. It was true, Layna was gifted, with a strangely high intelligence and ear for music, but she was never allowed to flaunt it. She lived her life in the shadows, and that's where her parents kept her. But then again, they were overseas in Japan, working on a murder case, it's not like they'd find out if she did anything while they were away…
"Layna!"
The swift snapping in front of her face jolted Layna back to reality. Living in Middle-of-No-Where Arkansas, she had to admit, Los Angeles was a much more exciting place to live. But during the murder case that went on a few years before, her parents packed up and shipped the family out, just about as far from civilization as you could get in America. This was something that bugged Layna for a while. Why would two of the top FBI agents suddenly leave during one of the hardest cases during Layna's lifetime? Their expertise would've been well appreciated, if only they stayed…
Realizing her friend had yet again departed from their conversation, Carmen sighed. "You have the shortest human attention span in the history of ever. I swear, it's like talking to a freaking rock, the response I get out of you."
The insult brought Layna's train of thought to a screeching halt. "Hey!" she said, half-glaring at Carmen.
The brunette leaned back in her chair, triumphant. "Well, you're back to the year 2007, aren't you?"
Layna rolled her eyes. "You know me a little too well, don't you?"
Carmen laughed, but was suddenly cut off short. Layna followed her eyes to a man standing no less than three feet behind her. He looked old, with gray hair and a bushy mustache. His eyes were a pale, silvery-blue, as if he was blind.
"Miss Michelle?" he said. His English accent was so perfect and sounded so much like her mother's Layna knew instantly where he was from.
Despite what must've been a serious greeting, Layna had to bite back a laugh. After their move from California to Arkansas, her family had their last name changed from Lawsford to Michelle. Being only twelve, with her imagination her closest friend, Layna had adopted the last name as it being a game where she was a secret agent, and anyone who knew her real last name would kill her. However, whenever she heard her false last name as she grew older, she had to keep from laughing at her own stupidity.
The junior twisted in her seat to face the man. "Yes, sir?" Layna felt it best to address the man in an almost formal manner.
"Come with me," was all he said, before turning and walking away, not bothering to see if Layna was following.
"Go on," Carmen said. "I'm sure it's nothing." Her eyes, however, shone with a strange, worried light. "If he tries to kidnap you, just scream for me!" she called as Layna began walking away. The raven-haired girl tried not to turn around and glare at her friend, though her attempt to lighten the suddenly-wary mood was well appreciated.
Layna walked faster in order to catch up with the man, who did not stop to see if anyone was behind him until they had reached the school's lobby.
"Miss Michelle, I regret to inform you of this, but…"
No! No, no, no, no, no… Layna thought. There was only one reason someone would contact her during the day, without giving any information aside that which they came to deliver.
"Yesterday afternoon, agents Samuel and Rebecca Michelle were found dead in their apartment room in Japan."
Layna stared wide-eyed at the floor, not wanting to meet the old man's gaze, which she could feel was resting on her shoulders.
Put on a braver face, show no signs of disturbance, Layna told herself, forcing herself to lift her head, making eye contact with the man. "Cause of death?"
"Heart attack. It appears they both died within thirty seconds of each other."
That puzzled Layna. The chances of her parents, who were in near-perfect health conditions, to die of the same cause, less than a minute apart? It didn't sound true, but he didn't appear to be lying…
"The reports of your parents are not why I was sent here to you today," the man went on. "I am Watari, though as it appears your parents have raised you with etiquette, you may refer to me as Mr. Watari. As listed in your parents' will, I am to care for you from now on."
Will? That definitely sounded far-fetched to Layna. If her parents had a will, the least they could've done was mention it to her once.
"And where might you be taking me, Mr. Watari?" Layna half-hissed, still fighting back tears.
The old man's voice still remained a steady monotone. "I am a native of England, and because you are Rebecca Michelle's daughter, I presume you are as well, I own an orphanage in Winchester, England. While you will be, by no means, regarded as the same as anyone else there, I apologize for not being able to accompany you back to England, as I have important business in another area."
Layna's head was spinning. Yet another move. But this time, rather than actually care for her, Layna's "caretaker" would be flying halfway across the world. But there was one thing he mentioned that intrigued her. Mr. Watari was returning to Japan, to work on a case that resulted in the death of her parents... the details sounded familiar, if only she could remember the name…
"Miss Michelle," Mr. Watari began. "Have you, by any chance, heard about the Kira investigation, taking place in Japan?"
…it gets better than this. At least, I hope you think so.
