"You're doing wonderful Emily." Caroline praised the young girl as she practiced her scales on the piano.

The younger girl smiled and flushed with the praise Caroline always so easily gave out. "Am I really doing well?"

Caroline smiled while watching the young girl concentrate on the keys. "Yes, you have been practicing, I can tell."

Emily smiled. "I have! As soon as Roger lets us out of our lessons I go straight to the piano." Caroline continued to smile but said nothing. She often heard Emily play for hours on end, even at dinner she would hum the songs that she practiced. The young girl had an affinity for the piano and it pleased Caroline greatly. "Miss. Caroline, may I tell you something?"

"Of course, you can tell me anything Emily."

Emily took a deep breath and paused her practicing, "I don't want to be a detective like the other students. I don't want to be a doctor or a teacher or anything that we learn in our normal lessons. I want to learn to play the piano like you and one day teach all of the children here like you do."

Caroline thought that her heart would burst, she had never felt so accomplished than she did at that moment. "I'm flattered Emily. You will make an amazing instructor. We will have to practive extra now don't you think?"

Emily's face lit up and Caroline melted. "Can I really? Oh I can't wait to tell my friends! You're the best!" The younger girl jumped off the piano seat and into Caroline's arms in a hug. Caroline held her close and the girl pulled away with a large grin and returned to her scales.

After a few moments of silence Emily moved from scales to a melody that Caroline had shown her the day before. "Is L the tall man with dark hair that slouches when he stands?"

Caroline laughed at the abrupt change of subject and at the younger girl's description of L. "Well yes he does have dark hair and slouches when he stands. Have you met him?"

Emily shook her head, "No I haven't, but he often watches you while you play in here."

Caroline's eyes widened in surprise as she looked down at the younger girl. "Does he?"

Emily nodded. "I often come down here when I hear you play, but he is already here. He stands in the doorway and watches you. He never stays long, but he's almost always here when I come down."

"So I have been had."

Caroline and Emily both jumped at the intrusion from the front of the room. Caroline felt the heat creep up into her face knowing that L had heard their conversation. She quickly regained her composure. "Hello L, have you come to lurk in the doorways some more? Or would you like to play?"

Caroline couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw an endearing trace of scarlet on L's cheeks before he looked back down at his feet. "I'm afraid that I don't know how to play."

Caroline faked a gasp causing L to look up and Emily to giggle. "There's something that you don't know how to do? Well that won't do, we will have to sign you up for lessons immediately." Emily giggled harder and Caroline shot her a wink. "Emily here has decided that she wants to take my job so you can be her first student."

L realized that she was teasing him and decided to go along with the mood, "Thank heavens she is, it's about time someone who is talented takes over the helm."

Caroline laughed and L watched her as the joy took over her face. Her cheeks flushed slightly and her emerald eyes were brilliant. He thought at that moment that Caroline was a sight to be seen when she was happy, for she lit up the room with her musical laughter.

L made no move to leave as the clock chimed signaling the lunch hour for the students. Caroline stood from the seat and ushered Emily towards the dining hall. She hugged Caroline and quickly ran past L to meet the other children for lunch. L watched her go and then turned to Caroline. "The girl likes you very much."

Caroline sighed happily and smiled at L. "I'm glad, for I like her very much. She told me today she wants to teach the piano like me. It's the greatest compliment I've ever received."

L was thoughtful for a moment, "You enjoy simple things."

Caroline motioned for L to follow her as she walked out to the garden. "Yes," she answered simply.

He watched her as she crouched down in the flower beds and pulled a few weeds before cutting a few fresh flowers. L didn't spend a lot of time here and had never noticed the gardens before. "Are the flowers your doing?"

Caroline nodded her head, "Yes, flowers are one of the simple things that I enjoy."

"You have a lot of lillies, is it because Lily is your middle name?" L asked.

Caroline laughed her musical laugh as she turned back to L with a handful of flowers. "Just what other suprise things do you know about me L?"

L took her question literally and thought a moment before answering. "I know you sing to yourself constantly. Any time you walk past the flowers in any of the rooms your fingers absently brush the petals. Whenever you are with the children your smile is at it's brightest. When you do something you enjoy, whether it be playing the piano, singing, painting, or reading you immerse yourself completely. I've watched people call your name multiple times and you still block them out while you're doing what you like." L paused momentarily and said, "Oh yes, and you watch those cartoon Disney movies late at night when you think everyone is asleep."

Caroline brushed past L and he followed her back into the music room where she began arranging her flowers on top of the piano. Caroline looked over at him and winked, "You forgot to add that I hate orange juice."

L shoved his hands in his pockets and stared blankly at her, "Hmm, I was unaware of that."

"You must be losing your touch L, first you admit you don't know how to play piano and then you weren't aware of my distaste for orange juice? You might need to decide on your successor in the very near future."

L smiled one of his rare smiles, "I forgot to add that you enjoy to tease people."

Caroline smiled down at her flower arrangement and turned to face L. "It's unfair that you know so much about me yet I know so little about you don't you think?"

L shrugged, "There isn't much to know, I'm a very good detective and I like cake."

Caroline laughed again and L realized he enjoyed making her laugh, it made him want to laugh as well. "Yes I am well aware of that, how about Disney movies?"

"I can't say that I've ever desired to see one."

Caroline moved closer to him and he tensed slightly, he was not used to being so close to people. "Now that is a problem, and to think that I was beginning to like you a little."

L's eyes widened and Caroline winked at him. She closed the distance between them and pushed something into L's hand. She smiled at him and then moved past him towards the hallway. Just before she left the room she turned back and said, "By the way, you're correct. I do like lillies because Lily is my middle name."

She turned into the hallway and L looked down to see that he was holding a white easter lily.

L looked up and Caroline was already gone. He wasn't sure how long he was staring down at the flower in his hand when he heard a low chuckle coming from behind him. L's head snapped around and he saw Watari standing behind him with a smile on his face. "Hello Watari."

"Have you been picking flowers L?" Watari asked.

L looked confused and said, "Of course not. Caroline gave it to me."

Watari chuckled again and said, "My boy you're going about it wrong, you are the one that's supposed to give flowers to her."

L looked down at the flower in his hand and then said, "Why would she want me to give her flowers when she has plenty in her own garden?"

Watari shook his head and sighed. "I guess I should blame myself for not discussing this with you earlier. Let me ask you something son, how does Miss. Caroline make you feel?"

L let the question roll around in his mind for a second. "Well, most of the time I feel rather annoyed."

Watari laughed and asked, "Why do you feel annoyed?"

L answered quickly, "Because I can't figure her out. It's my job to be able to read and disect people and I can't even begin to understand what goes on in her mind. I find that I spend most of my time thinking about her and right when I think I might understand her, I see her and everything goes blank."

Watari put a comforting hand on L's shoulder and said, "My boy, that's what happens when you're attracted to a woman." L's eyes widened slightly but continued to silently stare at Watari. Watari continued, "My question to you is, what do you plan on doing about it?"

L paused in thought and then turned and exited the room without another look at the older man.


After dinner Caroline returned to her room where she showered quickly and changed into a pair of shorts and an oversized off the shoulder sweater. She had just tied her hair up when she heard an unexpected knock at her door. She opened the door and smiled, "Hello L."

L was holding something under his arm and was scratching the back of his head nervously. "If you aren't busy, I would like to watch this movie with you."

Caroline looked down at the movie he held out to her and her face lit up in a brilliant smile, it was her favorite: Beauty and the Beast. She looked up at L and saw the faint scarlet flush on his face and she knew the reason he was there wanting to watch the movie was because she enjoyed it so much.

At that moment she opened the door wider to let him in, and she knew that she was sunk.