…

For the next week or so, Beyond had Persephone do some peculiar tasks. One day she would be sent to find the nearest shop which sold Wara Ningyo dolls and the next she would be sent on a trip to buy "groceries" which really consisted of nothing but strawberry jam.

Persephone didn't care though. They kissed and fucked and occasionally Beyond would let her hug him, and to Persephone, that was a serious relationship. She didn't want to admit it, but Beyond was all she had left. Her family were all dead or unimportant, her friends... Well, she had never really had any real friends. But it didn't matter anymore. Because now she had Beyond. Beyond who didn't judge her for killing those people, Beyond with his clever plans and his crazy smile. Things were going to be just fine, just her and Beyond.

And things were going just fine, until one day when things suddenly changed. She was out buying yet more jam for Beyond at the nearest supermarket when she saw a familiar figure at the bakery section. Watari was stood buying more cake, his wrinkled skin slightly more tanned after weeks in the American sun.

Persephone watched him purchase his sweet good and then followed him out of the store.

If she could only just find L's current location, she could make Beyond happy. And a happy Beyond meant a happy Persephone. And so she kept her distance, but she followed him quickly, watching as he entered the Foresters luxury hotel. She grinned, what were the chances of them living so close together?

...

"He's here? After all this time and he was right under our noses?" Beyond said, his fingers endlessly twitching as he leaned closer to her curled up in the hotel seat. His eyes shone in amusement.

"Yeah, a hotel not 15 minutes from here." Persephone unpacked the jars of jam, one of which was quickly snatched away by Beyond.

"L, the world's greatest detective... what a great birthday present!" He said to himself and Persephone paused.

"It's your birthday?" She asked and he nodded once.

"Why didn't you say? I would have bought a present or a cake at least." She grumbled and he shrugged his shoulders, his face impassive.

"I have no need for either of those things."

"Well we could go out to celebrate! You're 18, it's a big day! Let's go get some ice cream!" She announced and he gave her an unimpressed look.

"I'm not 5, you're attempts at exciting me with ice cream are unsuccessful." He said and dropped his gaze back to the jam. Persephone scowled then snatched the jar from his fingers.

"Hey!"

"No jam for killjoys." She said simply before scooping up some of the sticky substance on her finger and licking it off. He made a leap at her from his chair but she was faster, holding the jam out of reach.

"You shouldn't tease me." He glowered but she simply grinned back.

"Or what? You'll kill me? I'd like to see you try." Her eyes flashed in excitement but he only slumped his shoulders at her taunt.

"Fine. Let's get some stupid fucking ice cream." He half mumbled and Persephone pushed him towards the door.

...

Beyond looked very out of place in the brightly coloured ice cream parlour. He sat awkwardly on his chair in the booth opposite Persephone, his fingers drumming nervously on the edge of the table.

A strawberry sundae sat in front of him untouched as his eyes darted around the bustling room full of American teens and laughing children.

"Eat your ice cream." Persephone urged and then ate another scoop of her own chocolate sundae. Beyond wondered whether she would look just as out of place as he did if she took off the brightly coloured wig and the startling blue contact lenses. Her original dark hair and dead grey eyes would certainly dim down her brightness which seemed to match in so well with the multicoloured walls and booths.

"I'm not a fan of ice cream." He eventually said, pushing the dessert away and she sighed, pulling a jar of his treasured jam from her bag. His twitching fingers grasped at it desperately and he curled over it as he ate, as though none of his surroundings mattered anymore.

"So how has your plan been coming along?" Persephone asked and he paused for only the briefest seconds.

"Very well. I am nearly ready to put it into motion."

"Oh?" She raised her eyebrows at him and his blood red eyes looked up at her for a moment beneath his hair.

"Yes, I have located my victims. There are only a few details left to look over..." He finished off his jam and then his eyes were sent on a darting mission around the room once more. Persephone thought he looked almost scared, dark rimmed eyes wide and frantic and fingers twitching as he curled up his knees to his chest.

A small child passed by and stopped to stare at the wild haired Beyond, his mouth dropping slightly at the strange sight. His mother appeared quickly at his side, pulling him away but not before sending Beyond a distasteful frown. Beyond seemed not to notice though and Persephone smirked a little as she finished off her ice cream.

"Do you want me to sing happy birthday?" She joked and he gave her an alarmed look.

"Please refrain from doing so."

"Would you at least like a birthday kiss?" She then asked, leaning slightly over the table and batting her eyelashes. However, Beyond was not even looking at her, his attention instead fixed on something outside the far window of the parlour. His face dropped and turned a shade of pale Persephone had thought was impossible.

"What's wrong?" She asked and turned in the direction he stared. Her mouth dropped open when she saw the flash of blue jeans and white top, topped with a mop of black hair.

"L. L is here." Beyond half whispered as they both watched the detective walk awkwardly and hunched towards the door, his own grey eyes seeming as scared and nervous as Beyond was of the public setting. As the door opened, Beyond snapped his head back, his eyes wider than an owls.

"You have to stall him. He can't see me. I have to get out." He babbled in a low voice and Persephone gave him a shocked look.

"But... But I-" She stammered but Beyond gave her a look which shut her up. His face had turned deadly serious ad his eyes were flashing at her in a way that seemed dangerous. He did not want his plan ruined now after all this time.

"Fine... I'll think of something." She sighed and then leapt out from the booth, suddenly feeling very exposed. At the other side of the busy parlour, L was staring up at the menu, one finger placed to his lower lip as he pondered the selection. The woman behind the counter smiled fondly at him.

"Not here with your old friend?" She asked him with a smile but he did not return it. Instead, his deadpan face blinked back at her as though confused before his low voice stated,

"No, he was busy... He told me that I should come here by myself to learn... Life lessons." L stated the last part with slight disgust in his tone, as though the very idea was ridiculous. The woman behind the counter simply smiled at him in a slightly pitiful way, probably thinking he was simple. Persephone could not help but grin. How wrong that woman was.

She felt a shove from behind and turned to see Beyond glaring at her from the safety of his booth. She breathed in heavily before heading her way across the parlour, looking for a way to distract L. When no situation arose, she decided to take matters into her own hands and approached the detective herself, standing as close to him as she dared.
L was 4 years older than she was, however his slight hunch meant that he was only taller by a slight degree. He still stared up at the board, licking his pale lips once in anticipation.

"Hello." She said and he didn't reply, leaving her to stand awkwardly beside him. "Hello!" She tried again louder and this time he glanced her way, startling slightly when he realised she was talking to him.

"Hello." He said back eventually, turning towards her so that she could see that although he had been in LA for almost a month now, he was still deathly pale, the dark bags under his eyes more prominent than ever.

"How are you?" She said and gave him a pleasant smile. He frowned back at her and looked her up and down.

He saw someone familiar. She had pale skin and shocking long red hair which framed a pretty face and blue eyes. He searched his mind for where he had seen her before but came up blank.

"I am hungry." He replied with a questioning look, wondering why she was engaging conversation with him. After a second or two, Persephone realised that he wasn't going to be the one to continue their interaction and she inwardly rolled her eyes. This guy was worse than Beyond, did they teach no social skills at that orphanage? She wondered and then took a step closer to him.

"Are you going to get some ice cream?" She asked him and he frowned at her.

"Well, when a person enters an ice cream parlour, one can presume they are going to purchase some ice cream." He stated and her smile faltered only slightly. She glanced quickly over the room and saw Beyond heading for the door, only seconds away from escaping.

"Yeah! Silly me!" She quickly announced and turned back to L and his suspicious glare. "Well, it was nice to meet you." She said, checking over L's shoulder as Beyond closed the door quickly behind him, free at last.

"Well... If you say so." L said and then raised a thumbnail to his mouth. His eyes were roaming her face intensely and as she made to make her own escape, a light of recognition flashed across his face.

"Persephone Fairview." He suddenly announced and she froze, her face paling in fear. L smirked slightly, knowing he had got it right from her reaction.

"You were following Watari that one time back in England. I thought it was strange for you to have an English accent here. And that long hair, like on the surveillance cameras. Yes... You are Persephone Fairview, wanted for murder of two men." L was speaking in a low voice so that the rest of the parlour customers would not hear.

Persephone stood rigid before him, adrenaline starting to pump around her body, preparing her to run or to fight. She knew that if she fought, she would not stop. She would kill this stupid detective right there and then. But then she realised that L was making no move to capture her and alert people of her presence. In fact, he had brought his face close to her own, his eyes more alive than she had ever seen them with curiosity.

"Who are you with?" He asked her and she stood her ground against his gaze. He was so close, she felt his warm breath on her cheek, could see the individual strands of hair which fell across his face.

"I... I don't know what you are talking about..." She said and cursed her stammering.

"Who are you working for? Someone from Wammy's? What are they trying to achieve?" L was hammering her with questions and Persephone had to remind herself that they were stood in the middle of a crowded ice cream parlour. Was he really interrogating her here? She thought and then as she tripped over her own thoughts thinking of a reply, she was saved.

At that moment, a waitress walking with a tray full of ice cream sundaes tripped, sending the tray flying into the air and crashing heavily at Persephone and L's feet. In the commotion, L jumped back, his baggy jeans splattered with chocolate and strawberry sauce. Persephone saw her chance and, leaping over the sprawled waitress, she darted for the door, running through it and not stopping until she was sure no one was following her.

…

Now that L knows of her presence, what will happen to Persephone? And how will unpredictable Beyond take the news? Please leave reviews! :D

Geniusly-Unique : I'm sorry, I fail epically. I kinda uploaded the last chapter in a rush and so there were probably lots of stupid mistakes that shouldn't have been there. I apologise for being such a fail.

Kira Yokai : I'm glad you have enjoyed the story so far! Thanks for your review!