Disclaimer: Death Note does not belong to me. I make no profit from this. Just borrowing the characters as it were.

Author's Note: Hello. First attempt at a DN fanfic. I've been searching for a fanfic with L, Near and Mello in their Wammy House days for ages, but could never find one. I actually put this off for ages in the hope that one would appear but alas, that didn't happen. (Or I wasn't searching hard enough). Anyways, I haven't written a story in ages, so I'm a little rough, so I apologise sincerely for that.

And seeing as I haven't written in ages, comments or critiques would be greatly appreciated. It's all for your reading pleasure, so let me know what you think. I'm just dying to hear. :P

Footsteps

By Mithua

There was never really a quiet day at The Wammy's House. Every day there would always be some sort of ruckus that would no doubt cause some grief to the staff there, but on this particular day the air was buzzing with excitement. There had been hushed whispers from all the adults and caretakers in Mr. Roger's office. And it had been confirmed that the founder of the building was returning. Quillish Wammy himself. But it was the latter part of the discussion that had had the children in the building in a bit of an uproar. Because if Quillish Wammy was coming back, that meant there was a high possibility that the world's greatest detective was coming with him. Groups of the orphans followed different members of staff relentlessly – whether they were chambermaids, teachers, caretakers; none of the staff were safe from the children trying to pry answers from them.

"Is it true Mr. Roger?" Linda asked tugging on his sleeves, as she and a few others walked down the corridor following the man since he finished his lunch. He was the one who usually took over when Mr. Wammy wasn't here, and it was becoming more and more frequent nowadays.

"We want to know!" Another girl named 'Josephine' exclaimed. A look of sheer determination on his face.

"Is L really coming back?" A young boy called 'Cole' asked boldly, his eyes wide and desperately seeking the answers as if it was written on Mr. Roger but just hidden from him.

Mr. Roger sighed a little, knowing that he wouldn't really get a moments peace today. Not that he usually did, looking after a houseful of especially gifted children. Children were naturally curious but when it came to children who border lined on genius; curiosity was much higher than that of an average child.

"Is it true L's going to pick out possible successors?" Josephine asked again, the eagerness hidden from her face but clearly noticed in her voice. And she had every reason to be, she had been in the Wammy House for 8 years now. She was good highly deductive, but sometimes demanded too much of those around her, and lost her temper quite easily if things didn't go her way. It clouded her judgement, and was probably the main reason why she wasn't already out in the field.

"Nothing has been confirmed yet. L hasn't contacted us." Mr. Roger repeated what he had said for the past few hours, to any child that had come up to him with L. He smiled at the children though. "Don't give up hope though; I'm sure L will pay us a visit some day." He added, ruffling Linda's hair. Turning around he continued to walk down the corridor, only to be accosted by some more of the children, after telling the same thing he almost ran to avoid the next bunch - they had just spotted him from the other side of the hallway.

Making a slight dash, he made a detour to the library where it was a definitive rule to keep quiet. The librarian herself was rather strict, but gave a small curt nod. Apparently his entrance had been too noisy. Coughing a little, Mr. Roger made his way through the line of shelves. It wasn't so filled with books as such, they were more like records, old newspapers, folders upon folders of case studies. The only books here were really about the Law, Politics and Criminology. But there was a small section of the library with fiction and comics. They may be raising detectives here, but the children here still needed a childhood.

He didn't really have any intention of reading anything in the library. But loitering here would perhaps save him from more prying questions about L coming back. Sighing, he walked up to one of the windows in the library, and sat by the ledge. Looking outside he could see more or of the orphans out playing, enjoying the one of the rare nice days of the British climate. He found a fond smile coming to his face as he saw one of the outdoor wardens being questioned by the very same group that had questioned him only a few moments ago.

Mr Roger had got to spend the better part of half an hour in the library in relative silence before deciding to head back out to face the masses – or at least to try and get back to his office anyway.

Elsewhere in the house, some of the children who had given up on getting any answers other than 'we don't know' from the staff, sat in the living room discussing whether or not L was really going to come or not. Analysing all the details they had so far altogether. Not everyone in the room however was really taking part in the discussion.

Near sat on the floor, by one of the sofas with building blocks, building what seemed to look like a castle fort. He hadn't been chasing around the staff but merely analysing from where he had been. It was amazing what you could hear when nobody thought you were listening. The other orphans had been arguing back and forth over whether L would come back with Mr. Wammy or not. And if he did come, the purpose of his visit.

"L could just be wanting to relax here for all we know."

"I don't think L would get a minute's rest here. Not with us lot, we'd be asking questions all day."

"I still think L will pick out successors if he or she does come."

"I heard L isn't actually that old. For all we know, L could remain as L for a long time yet."

"Age doesn't matter. You can die at any time."

"Only if you're careless."

Near tuned them out. Everyone in this building was growing up hearing about the wonders of L. The world's greatest detective, always managing to solve cases no matter how tough they were. Though no one actually knew who L was. They weren't even sure what gender L was. Just that L was what they were all striving to be. To be L's successor…it was everyone's goal. Everyone was competitive here.

"What do you think Near?"

Near didn't glance up, but balanced a triangular block precariously on top of a tower. Once he was sure it wouldn't fall off, he answered. Or was about to anyway.

"He thinks L's already among us." Said a voice from the doorway. Near this time did glance up, looking at the blonde haired boy leaning on the doorframe. Mello walked in and sat on the sofa that Near sat in front of, but as far from the boy as he could be. "And he might not be wrong."

"That's ridiculous Mello." One of the older ones in the discussion objected. "Without bragging, but in a houseful of people with some of the highest IQs, I'm sure that we'd be able to detect when L would be among us."

"L's a secretive person, so I doubt that L would announce when he…or she would arrive." Mello pointed out the shrugged his shoulders. "Near, you think there's a chance that L has already infiltrated us." Mello said, glancing at the white haired boy from the corner of his eye.

Near added another block to his fort. "1."