Despite L's reluctance, you were the one driving again. Your hands were shaking on the wheel. You now had a carrier of the virus with you. In the back, you could hear her tell L that she could kill anyone she wanted to now. Her father wasn't there to keep her grounded anymore and it worried you. Maki was close to the edge. You wondered what her father's death had to be like for her. You had seen death before and it never affected you like this. It had to have been different. It had to have been horrible.

L's automated chair, constructed into the crepe truck, shifted so that he was seated next to you. Amazingly, his knees were still pulled up under his arms. "I was able to uncover more information before leaving. The group is called Blue Ship. They are supposed to be radical environmentalists. During the break in, you may have noticed a man with a scar. That one was different. He was a terrorist using them as a cover." He paused before continuing, a finger in his mouth. "However, K is not a group member."

"Huh?" You looked to him, more confused than before. You had just pieced together that somehow he and K were connected, hence the letter codes. As was B, that murderer he had you turn in the year before. They were all a part of something to have those codenames. But...a terrorist using an environmental group? How had they managed the authority to obtain a virus? And why call themselves Blue Ship? What was the meaning there?

Before you could ask him anything, L stopped you as you opened your mouth. "Ms. (Last name), please turn left 30 meters ahead. We will be getting out there."

"30 me-? Uh..." How many feet are in a meter?

"Right here." He said it so calmly while you swerved to car to stop where he wanted to. L was thrown back in his seat, but he silently moved out with Maki and Takeru. "Let's go," he told them.

You opened the door as he was moving around to the front of the truck. He stopped you. "We will meet here again in two hours. You should go. And I recommend you drive fast."

Then he walked away with the children.

He left you? Driving a car... with no one else inside...

You were a decoy!

You turned around and your suspicions were confirmed: a black car skidded behind you and was gaining fast. You quickly hopped back into the driver's seat and gunned the gas. You drove that crepe truck as fast as it could go, not caring about traffic laws in the slightest. "Damn you, L!" you screamed. "Damn him!"

This was unforgivable. Why couldn't he learn how to drive? Or better yet, call that Watari person back from whatever case he was on and have him be his chauffeur?

Ok, that was rather cruel of you. But still. You didn't like being chased.

As the pursuit progressed, you ended up nearly plowing down civilians, attempting to get these environmental terrorist people to stop coming after you. When you got out of the way of the civilians, you were pleased to see in the rearview mirror that your pursuer was being held up by the same people! The crowd was outraged by him driving the wrong direction in a one-way street and swarmed the car! Your bad driving saved you!

The only problem now was the traffic. You could barely move a foot per minute. You honked the horn constantly, but it didn't seem to be getting any better. It was really your fault for driving in the wrong direction, but it was still annoying. You had to choice but to keep driving aimlessly for another two hours.

You weren't in a hurry to see L again. During the BB Murder Case, he seemed like a mysterious hero - even if he did have you destroy your laptop. This time he shipped you to Japan and used you as little more than a babysitter and a decoy. Though, you thought depressingly, you were far from an actual detective. Maybe that was simply what you were good for. Maybe there was nothing to be mad about. Maybe this was all you could offer him.

When you parked the truck, L was there with the children. He led them inside so that the two of you could talk privately. Something was wrong. L always seemed somewhat depressed, but something was especially off right now. You two had come to a pier now, only a small walk from where you had left the truck. L was sitting on a wooden pole, set in the water. With his legs still pulled in like they always were when he sat, he reminded you of a seagull perched, overlooking a beach. With him chewing his thumb slightly, the image was hilarious - but you couldn't laugh. Not after all that had happened.

You decided to start the conversation. "So...Maki and the virus?"

"Yes." L answered your question without hesitation. She was now a carrier. "But don't worry. As long as the virus remains dormant, it won't be life-threatening to the host."

"Wait, it's dormant?"

"Yes. I have spoken with Maki. Apparently, her father, the scientist behind generating the antidote, gave her injections every 10 days. Whatever he gave her, it is delaying the virus' activity." He sighed. "However, I do have to travel some distance with her before the virus takes effect."

"Travel?" you asked him. "Where are we going? And...how do we know we won't get infected?"

His head lifted, looking out further into the sea. "To a doctor I know. And...this is true. We don't know that. My death..."

You were shocked looking at him now. Not because of anything he was doing, but because he said it out loud. No matter how annoyed you may be, you knew that L was the greatest police for the world. L is just so important. To everyone, whether they knew it or not. Even before you met him, you looked up to him. He was justice. You couldn't imagine the world without him.

He finished "...may not be as peaceful as I had hoped for after all."

"No..." You swung your legs over the metal chains separating the road from the water where he was seated. "You...you can't talk like that. You're not going to die."

He didn't even look at you. "I don't believe you are being truthful. Did you not just acknowledge the possibility of the virus activating? If Maki were to start showing symptoms, we may all be infected. We may all die. With the exception of Takeru, of course."

You stood so that you were directly next to him. "Well, yeah," you admitted. "But we don't need to think about it." You looked down to your feet. "A person's optimism can make the difference at times, after all. Even if we know what might happen...at this point, we can't just accept it."

He jumped down and walked closer to you. "That is ... a very difficult thing to ask for. I always weigh all of the options. I can simply not mention them to you."

You cracked a smile. "For you to tell me less than you already do? Then there would be no point in me being here."

L pulled your arm so that you had to sit down beside him. Both of you were seated at the pier's ledge, though your legs dangled over the edge of cement, getting your feet slightly wet. L said to you, "I apologize if my methods make you feel unappreciated. You would not be the first of my associates to leave me, fed up with my behavior." He lifted his right hand to reveal another of his Dough-Kabobs, complete with marshmallows and a hint of strawberries and chocolate. Cavities on a stick. You didn't even see him bring it up here.

"Would you like some?" He pulled off a marshmallow on top, apparently ready to feed you. "Close your eyes."

This must have been a true apology, to do something a goofy yet sweet as offer to feed you. With a small chuckle and a smile on your lips, you closed your eyes and opened your mouth, ready for the sweetness from the fluffy marshmallow.

What you tasted, however, was another form of sweetness entirely.

L's lips were warm against your own, gliding and then slipping in his tongue. He had taken your shoulders and pulled you underneath of him. With his tongue invading your heated mouth, you completely surrendered yourself to him. The mixture of his warmth and his sweet taste was like hot, melted sugar. He was taking his time kissing you, both of you completely losing your sense of time. L seemed intent on exploring every inch of your mouth and it could have been either seconds or minutes. You feared you had been together for even longer.

The thought terrified you. As you broke out of your pleasure-induced daze, you realized who you were making out with. A hero to people everywhere, but also someone you barely knew. Not even his real name. The boss of you for two cases platonically, always seeming so awkward and childish, yet here he was being so forceful with you, luring you with sweets.

Part of you was telling yourself that it felt good - amazing - but another was screaming of how completely wrong this was. Being held underneath of him, you struggled to break free, denying him even if you craved him again as soon as you separated. Inadvertently, you pushed against him too far. L became unbalanced and landed directly in the water.

"L! I...I didn't mean..."

L quickly got out of the water, completely drenched. His wet, white shirt wasn't transparent, but that and his jeans clung nicely to his slender frame. The Dough-Kabob he tricked you with had smeared across him during the fall, making a muddy stain across his front. The detective was now hugging himself, his body temperature considerably lower after the evening dip. He rushed towards the crepe truck; apparently, he keeps spare clothes in his mobile unit.

You mumbled through both apologies and rationalizations behind him. "I...I am so sorry! That was really cruel...but you didn't have to...I mean, why would you..."

He stopped with his palm on the handle of the truck's back entrance. "I...wanted to kiss a girl before I died." Still completely soaked, a shade of red crossed his face in embarrassment. "I'm...sorry I did that." He looked away. "Please, forget the whole thing..."