Author's Note

Thanks to those of you have reviewed! I'm sorry for not listing off the names, but I do know that one of them was Mango_To_The_Max! Also, internet is crappy right now, so I'm trying to post this as soon as possible.

ONCE AGAIN HARRY POTTER IS STILL WINNING IN THE VOTES ON MY PROFILE! PLEASE, VOTE SO I KNOW WHAT EVERYONE WANTS TO READ NEXT!

Thank you guys for reading! Please review!

- A. Moonbeam

Chapter IX

Laughter Eases The Pain

"When on door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we took so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened up for us."

- Helen Keller

Alana tossed in her bed as she wondered what L was up to. They had tried to find where Brian Joplin could be staying with the boys and were hardly shocked to realize that he hadn't shown up for work since his last outing, to find a kidnapper. Alana gave up on sleep around one in the morning and stood from her bed. She did not bother to change from her white nightgown and moved into the suite of rooms that L had rented for the investigation. She walked into the living room to notice that L had actually fallen asleep in his seat.

Alana smiled as she walked towards him, picking up the folded blanket that she had placed there after Alec and her were done playing with a puzzle in the floor earlier that day. She moved closer to L and carefully moved him so that he was laying on the couch. From there she covered him with the blanket and move the laptop away from him. She looked at the screen and noticed that he was still trying to find Joplin.

The young woman decided that it was her turn to do something more in the investigation and started to look over what he had done so far. Alright, so he's started with properties that would easily fit nine boys inside but far enough out of town for neighbors not to know what it going on. All in all, he has just started this search. Alana finished the search for him and noticed that there were quite a few houses out in the country in Washington, D.C. where Joplin could be hiding. From there she quickly searched the places that had his name on them. None were there. He didn't have a wife or a girlfriend, but he did have a mother that was still alive. Alana frowned as she quickly typed in the woman's name and came back with a list of properties that the woman owned, even after her husband's death. There was nothing that fit the criteria.

Alana sighed softly and looked over to see that L was still sleeping. She carefully began to search through her mind for other possible ideas. Friends were out of the question because they would have already looked at all of their properties and it also seemed that Joplin didn't have any friends from the office that were close enough to let him borrow their private homes or vacation houses. That was what the officials said and the people that did talk to them that did talk to Joplin didn't know anything about him using one of their homes. Alana decided that it may just be time to see which houses may have been bought or rented during the kidnappings and even after. She found only ten houses out of the thirty that she had before. That wasn't narrowed enough for her liking.

Alana continued to look through possible ideas on the computer and through her mind. There had to be a way that she could actually narrow this search down. That was when it hit her. The only way for her to narrow this down was to search the last names of each of the children. Brian was a common enough first name and all of the children had brown hair and brown eyes. That was what Brian looked like. That would mean that each of those boys could pass as a son to him. Alana smiled as she typed in each of the children's last names.

She came up with one result and that house was far out in the woods. Alana looked over to see that L was still asleep. She didn't want to wake him up, but knew that she needed to. She stood from her seat and moved to stand in front of him, "L, wake up. I got something." She stated as she touched his shoulder lightly.

L's eyes snapped opened and he looked up at her before closing his eyes and yawning once more. "What is it?" He mumbled as he rolled over on the couch.

Alana frowned as she moved his feet and placed them in her lap before she reached over and brought the laptop in front of them both. "I found the house."

L was up quicker than she thought possible and he was searching the internet for the blueprints of the house. Once he had them, he attached them to an email file and wrote instructions. "We will be leaving early in the morning. I shall wake Watari and tell him. If you could pack your bags and take care of Alec, I shall take care of the plane."

Alana nodded as she stood, but before she got too far away, she turned back, "L, I'd like to see you sleep, too. You're going to die if you don't sleep. I almost didn't wake you up just now to tell you what I found. Just promise me that you'll sleep more."

L nodded his head but she didn't really think he heard a word that she said. Alana sighed and moved to her room to pack. She would wake Alec up early and have him get a bath while she packs his things. He should be happy to get out of this hotel. Poor Alec. He always does try to get L to let us go out and play. Alana thought sadly as she started to pack her bags.

At 7:05, the entire group had made it to L's private jet. Watari told everyone that there would be food on board. Alec wasn't too excited as he was still sleepy. L watched as Alana wrapped an arm around his shoulders and walked with him tucked into her side. L wasn't sure how she could walk like that, but decided that it was a woman thing. He also could understand how she could be so patient with Alec and himself. It almost seemed as if she was gifted for taking care of adults who thought they were children and children who thought they were adults.

Alana and Alec walked up the stairs to L's private jet before the two men and L looked towards Watari. "Do you think that Alec can handle this?" L questioned softly.

"I believe he is stronger than we have been given his credit for. He hasn't acted like I thought he would through this entire case. He has had reminders every day and he just goes to Alana for comfort. As such, I believe that he shall be fine with facing his kidnapper once again as long as Alana and yourself are by him." Watari replied before heading up the stairs as well.

L narrowed his eyes in thought as he moved up the stairs after his mentor. L's thumb danced across his lips as he thought, he didn't even see Alec laying his head against Alana as he went back to sleep with the teddy bear clutched in his arms. L went to sit in front of Alana as he pulled his feet up to his chest and waited for the plane to take off.

Watari and Alana both believe that Alec looks at me for something that I do not understand. He wants me to be his father, but I do not know how to be a father. I do not even remember my own father. All I remember is being at Wammy's House and having Watari teaching me. I also remember how Watari was always so proud of everything I did, but I do not know if that is all that a father is supposed to do. Am I to teach Alec and be proud of him? If that is the case then I have already done both of them well, I believe. Alana has not told me to do other things. L looked up at the boy that his mind was consumed by and then to the woman at the boys side. Alana was looking out the window as the plane started going down the runway. She is a good mother-figure for Alec. I am sure that she will decide to come to the orphanage and live there. It would be a good thing for her and the children there. I can only hope that after we have finished with this case she is not wishing to go back to her school so soon. I am interested to see her work a case on her own.

Alana turned her emerald eyes to him and smiled softly before running her hand through Alec's hair. The boy just snuggled closer with a small smile. L looked around him and noticed that Watari was sitting farther away from them with a book in his hands and his glasses falling down his nose. L could tell that the man was about to fall asleep as well. It would only be Alana and himself awake after Watari fell into sleep. L looked back to the woman and noticed that she was watching the boy in her embrace once more. L followed her gaze and felt a smile tug at his lips. Alec and grasped her shirt in his hand and was now snoring lightly. He had also brought his legs up to his chest, seemingly in an imitation of the way that L sat himself. Alana smiled widely as she looked back up at L.

He looks just like you when he sleeps.

L was shocked as he read Alana's lips. She was right, he supposed. Alec's hair was mussed and standing on his. His lashes caused shadows to fall on his cheeks to mimic L's dark circles from his sleepless nights. His skin was pale from the time he had to spend in doors. His knees were up to his chest and tucked under his chin. He wore a white shirt and jeans that matched L's normal attire. L looked up at Alana with a goofy smile on his face before she chuckled at him.

Alana moved carefully as she got off the plane in Washington, D.C. It wasn't her first trip to the capital of the USA, but on an investigation like this it really was. She frowned as she moved with Alec tucked under her arm again. The poor boy had heard a news broadcast when he had woken up about the missing children. The anchor had said that the government officials haven't heard anything on them and that the country should be thinking the worst has happened to these children. Alec had screamed at the television set until Watari turned it off and Alana had moved him into the bedroom at the back of the plane. It had taken her two hours to calm him down from the rage that turned into tears.

Alana sighed as she moved with the group of men to a waiting car that would be taking them to a new hotel near the White House. She tucked Alec's head under her chin, he was still slightly upset. Alec grumbled something about people being stupid that caused L to chuckle.

"You are far too young to start looking at the bad in people, son." Watari smiled kindly from the driver's seat.

"I don't care! They don't have a right to say that those other boys are hurt!" Alec exclaimed, grabbing onto Alana's hand. He looked up at her with teary brown eyes, "They aren't hurt, are they?"

Alana sighed as she brushed a few of his brown locks from his face. "I can't answer that honestly, Alec. I don't know what's been happening. You told us enough for us to have a good guess that the other boys aren't hurt. However, I do promise that if any of them are hurt, I'll hurt that man back, alright?" Alec nodded his head and settled back into her side.

Alana looked at L, who just shook his head before he looked out of the tinted window at the buildings they passed.

It only took thirty minutes for them to make it to the hotel and get to their room. Alana settled Alec in his room with some homework to occupy him for a little while. In the mean time, she was going to see what L's actual plan was. She walked to his bedroom door, where she knew he would have set up his office because Alec was awake and moving about as far as he knew. Alana raised her hand and knocked on the door. She was told to enter and did just that.

She watched as L stood at the window in his bedroom before he turned to look at her. "It is close to the end of the investigation." L stated bluntly.

Alana nodded as she stepped into the room and shut the door. She didn't bother to look around since every hotel room look the same to her after having been cooped up in one for as long as she had been. She moved towards one of the chairs that were pushed around a table and set her laptop bag upon it. "That's right. Soon we'll have those boys somewhere safe and that man behind bars." Alana smiled as she stretched nicely before pulling her laptop out.

"Do you plan on going back to school afterwards?" L questioned as he moved towards the table as well. It was then that Alana noticed that Watari had already made tea and apparently had bought a few treats for L to munch on.

"I think that I may continue on with detective work. I don't need a degree in it, but I also suppose that I can take online classes to get my education degree. It seems to be the best route as of now. I'm sure some of my friends from school have already figured out that I left as soon as word really spread about these boys going missing. Some of them may be smart enough to put two and two together. I'd rather not go back and be questioned." Alana sighed as she booted up her computer.

L nodded his head as he sat down and started typing on his computer. "You will need to know the plan, I suppose."

Alana listened to L's plan. It was simple really and she was pleased to be a part of it, to some extent. L and Alana would be staying out of the line of fire with a computer screen in front of them so they could see what was happening. Once the man was in custody and in interrogation, they would bring Alec in the room and he would tell them if this was the man who kidnapped him. Alana was still not that happy about this part of the plan.

"I'm going to have to get him as mentally ready as I can. He may have a larger problem with it than I was anticipating him having. Or he may even just have a thought process of wanting to hurt the man as we saw him act today." Alana sighed and ran a hand through her short white locks. There was no way that this would be easy on the boy and she was really worries about his mental state after this was all said and done.

The two detectives were quiet for a moment before L pushed back his chair and stood. Alana watched him for a second before deciding to ask a question, "You were going to take Alec to Wammy's House, correct?"

"That was the plan, Alana. I had decided that he needed to go somewhere that he could continue his lessons on his level on not what someone else decided his level was." L nodded his head as he stood slouched by the window, just waiting for the time to be right so the plan was put into action.

"I would like permission to go with him. It may help him to have a familiar face once he gets there to settle in. If it's not too much trouble that is." Alana stood to join the male detective at the window.

L looked at her from the corner of his eye and nodded, "I'm sure I don't have to tell you that the house is filled with my successors?"

"No, you do not. You don't even have to tell me to be quiet about it when I leave. Besides, I have a feeling the kids there may need someone to be a mother to them." Alana smiled as she turned her gaze to look out the window.

There was silence for a moment before L turned to face her. "What happened at the other hotel room, Alana, I wish to apologize for. I could not help myself by kissing you."

Alana felt her breath catch in her throat. He was apologizing for it? She bowed her head with her eyes closed before turning to face him once again. She searched his eyes, trying to decide if this was a test or not. She couldn't tell anything, just like normal. Alana sighed as she rocked backwards on her heels. "It's alright, L. Possibly the fact that we were both cooped up in a hotel room together without anyone else being of the opposite sex and around our own age just caused our attraction for each other to rise to that of unprofessional. It is a normal occurrence really. When two people are always around each other, a bond is normally formed. Attraction also needs proximity and as such we had that. It just caused us to finally act upon it when I burned myself and you came to my res-"

Alana was cut off from the rest of her words by L's lips crashing against hers for the second time. She knew that she was rambling on, trying to get her thoughts together on the subject, but she hadn't expected him to try and silence her in this way. She also did not think that she would react this way to his kiss either.

Alana's body did not hesitate in responding, just as it hadn't before. Her hands immediately went up to play in his slightly long hair as his hands tightened at her waist, drawing her closer to his body. She couldn't feel any space between them, just the fabric of their clothes separating their skin. When she felt L's tongue lick at her bottom lip, she gasped in excitement and allowed him to deepen the kiss. She could feel his hands begin to move up her back and to her neck, dipping her head back so he had better access to her mouth. Her back arched into him, she hadn't realized she wasn't touching all of him until she felt the firmness in his jeans. She moaned as she felt it on her lower abdomen.

The moan seemed to bring them both back to what was at hand as they each separated quickly and back away from the other. Alana felt her face was flushed and her mind was even more unorganized. L cleared his throat before turning away from her and strolling swiftly to the bathroom that was connected to his bedroom. Alana decided that was her cue to leave and took it quickly.

Alana moved to her own bedroom and sat her laptop case down on the bed before falling upon it herself. She began to chuckle to herself and then grabbed her pillow so her full fledged laughter couldn't be heard by the other occupants of the hotel suite. Little did she know, was that L was laughing right along with her in his own bedroom.