I don't own death note or its characters.
i.
In their early days, Roger just enjoyed the company of the children. There were only ever three or four at a time, and he was still young.
They used a house subsidised by the local government; but the backyard was too small.
When the numbers increased, Watari bought an expensive property on the edge of town, near a church.
The children came and went, and it was wonderful. Peaceful.
Years passed.
One particularly cold year, on a winter morning, the phone call wasn't from the police, but another orphanage.
They pleaded with Roger to take a boy; an eight-year-old insomniac, for reasons they wouldn't say.
Roger, being Roger, couldn't refuse.
Later that week, when the church bells were ringing, Watari brought back a child with dark-hair and dark-eyes.
Two days later, Roger discovered the boy was genius.
Two years later, the boy, who called himself L, announced he would be a detective, and that Watari and Roger should help him.
Surprisingly, they both agreed.
ii.
In less than 18 months, the boy was a millionaire.
Roger couldn't quite place his feelings as pride or wonder.
L was something else; a once-in-a-generation genius.
When he was nearly twelve, he gave Roger instructions to only accept certain children into the orphanage.
Then he suggested that Roger use the money he'd earned to travel the world and find these special children.
(That is, girls and boys who scored only in the top quarter-percentile of the intelligence quota, with an emphasis on analytical and deductive skills.)
So they did.
He brought children in from all corners of the globe, and developed technology (with the help of L) especially to test them.
The numbers in Wammy's gradually dropped from about a hundred to twenty-five. He used the extra space as specialised classrooms.
It was hard work, but Roger didn't mind.
iii.
At sixteen, L visited the children and told them who he was.
To say the least, the children were deeply impressed.
He also told them he hoped his successor would be a Wammy's child.
So Roger introduced a ranking system based on a combination of tests, exams and simulations.
The children competed against each other, the orphanage allowing them to accomplish their potential like no place else.
And the inevitable race to the top began.
iv.
The next generation of children eventually came through.
By then, L was not only and target, but a security for the children.
They adored him, aspired to him, wrote adoring letters, and tried relentlessly to outwit him.
Which is why, when Roger stared painfully at the 3 short words on his phone, he decided not to tell them.
(L is dead.)
But of course, they were very smart children.
When Near and Mello suddenly left the orphanage, they smelled a rat.
Roger then watched sadly as the averages across all age groups dropped.
The desire to be number one had diminished; their safety bubble had burst.
L had been outwitted by Kira, and that scared them to no end.
v.
Years later, even years after Kira had gone, Near came back.
Roger almost didn't recognise the well-presented young man who stood at his door with a pleasant smile, and introduced himself as L.
The children of course were ecstatic, especially the young ones, to finally meet the one who triumphed over Kira.
(Naturally, the Kira case was that of absolute legend at Wammy's.)
Near sat with the children (all thirteen of them) in the old sitting room, all high-ceilings and wooden floors, answering their endless questions with another.
Roger, sitting on the old red couch with five-year-old Carol on his knee, was overwhelmed.
vi.
When Roger retired, Near had already found someone to replace him.
He couldn't bring himself to leave the kids, and the kids were devastated to see him go aswell.
So he settled for a small cottage home on a section of land surrounding Wammy's.
Near visited every 6 months or so, and had began to invest in another orphanage in Australia.
During one particular visit, Near told him what happened to Mihael Kheel and Mail Jeevas.
Roger definitely remembered those two, the little scallywags. So young.
Near said, if it weren't for them, and L, Kira would still be here.
But they did it.
They beat him together, the Wammy's children did.