Chapter 10

"All of you can take the rest of the day off. I have to go to a very important NPA meeting, and I probably won't be back until after your hours are up," Aizawa said in a gruff voice. Tamaki looked disappointed, and the twins gave relieved grins to each other.

"What's your meeting about?" asked Honey, blinking his large doe-brown eyes at him. Aizawa wasn't intending to answer, but Honey's innocent little act made him crumple.

"I'll tell you, but you can't say anything about it, alright?" Aizawa asked. Everyone nodded, even the twins, who were interested.

"It's about those mysterious murders of criminals. Kira. At least, that is what the mainstream news is calling him. We are going to decide the best course of action to take concerning discovering his identity and apprehending him. This has gone too far for us to do nothing," Aizawa glanced around, knowing he could very well be fired if anyone caught him giving confidential information to high school students.

"Are you going to ask the Ohtori detectives for assistance?" Kyoya asked, pretending to be nonchalant, but secretly very interested in the answer.

"Probably," Aizawa replied. "But we also may ask L if that doesn't work out. This type of case isn't a normal one. Regular detectives might be overwhelmed and have no idea of how to proceed. And we all know L isn't a regular detective. Who knows, maybe he's grown interested in it already."

"Hmm." Kyoya said nothing more. The police officers words slightly angered him; the assumption that the best detectives in Japan, the ones from his own family, would not be able to handle the Kira case was something that Kyoya couldn't believe. And thinking that L could do any better was equally as preposterous. Kyoya couldn't deny that L was a brilliant detective, but Kyoya did not like the reverence towards him in the police world.

"Okay then! Let's get out of this place," said Hikaru, stretching and beginning to walk to the door.

"But I don't want to leave!" Tamaki cried. "This is all so cool! Almost as cool as the commoner world!"

Aizawa rolled his eyes and put on his jacket. "Tell Shinju-san to lock up after you go," he ordered before grabbing his work phone and leaving.

Kaoru and Hikaru had to practically pry Tamaki from Aizawa's desk, giving Aizawa's order to the janitor before they all left the building. The group hopped into the limousine owned by the Hitachiins. Tamaki moped in a corner, Kyoya began doing his regular accounting, Honey ate the candies Mori had with him and the twins teased Tamaki. Nekozawa would have joined in, but he decided to sit in another corner and turn that entire side of the vehicle black and gloomy.

"Noooooo! I was looking forward to working at the police station today, to get closer to real investigative work, to change the world!" Tamaki wailed after a few minutes of the twins' teasing. "My life stinks! I had to wear my backup dress shirt because I spilt barbecue sauce on it, and then I tripped in the parking lot and got a scratch on my arm!" He held out his arm. By the noise he was making, people would have thought he was shot or something. "And then we have to go home early, I have a history test tomorrow that I haven't studied for and Haruhi's still missing!"

"Haruhi isn't missing," Kyoya corrected. "She still lives in the same place. All she's doing is not attending school."

Tamaki began to dramatically fake-cry, trying to express his complete and utter sadness. "MY DAUGHTER COULD BE SICK OR DYING OR ENSLAVED BY BRAIN-SUCKING ALIENS!"

"Tama-chan, if you miss Haru-chan so much, why don't we visit her?" Honey suggested happily from Mori's lap.

Tamaki immediately stopped his 'sobbing' and assumed a business-like attitude. "That's it! Where does my beautiful Haruhi live, mom?" He turned to Kyoya, who turned a few pages back in his notebook.

"Here." He showed Tamaki the address, and Tamaki immediately yelled the information up to the driver as if his life depended on it. Kaoru and Hikaru exchanged glances.

"Perhaps we shouldn't go," Kaoru said. "If she hasn't been coming to school and takes so much trouble to not be seen on the days she does go... then it's obvious that she doesn't want to be disturbed."

"You traitor!" Tamaki cried. "My daughter is sick and you dare suggest we not go check on her?"

"We don't know she's sick," Hikaru pointed out. "You're just being a drama... king." He smirked in amusement.

Tamaki covered his ears. "I will not let you fiends change my mind!"

"Who is Haruhi?" Nekozawa spoke up. Everybody, except Kyoya and Mori, had forgotten he was there and jumped at the sound of his smooth voice.

"Haruhi is the commoner scholarship student. She's technically still part of the host club because she hasn't paid her debt off yet," answered Kyoya. "You probably would have met her if she stayed around at school."

"Ah. Okay then." Nekozawa went back to his gloom and the others swore the car felt colder than it did before.

In no time, the limousine pulled up in front of a rather neat, but small, apartment complex. Tamaki looked at it in horror.

"My daughter lives here? A princess like that needs a castle!" he said grandly.

"It could be worse," said Kaoru. "I've seen places a thousand times worse than this."

"Um... Haruhi?" Ryoji asked from his place at the window.

"Yes?" L asked without glancing up.

"There's a rather... nice limousine-looking thing outside."

"It could be for somebody else," L reasoned, but she was already putting her computer away. She had a hunch that it was, in fact, not for somebody else. "Do you see any people?"

"Not yet... oh, wait, yeah. There's a blonde guy who looks like he's yelling hysterically, there's a proper looking gentleman who is observing some type of notebook, there are two red-heads... I think they might be twins. And there's this tall black-haired guy with another blonde guy on his back who looks like he belongs in fifth grade. And some creep in a cloak. Don't worry, Haruhi, if they come up here, I'll protect you!"

L groaned quietly. "It's the host club."

Ryoji couldn't hold back his chuckle. "See, I was right when I said they'd try to visit you."

L gave him a glare and went into the bathroom to make herself look more presentable, and not like the eccentric detective she was.

"So you want me to answer the door?" he called back to her as he watched the well-dressed group walk up the stairs to their apartment.

"Fine," L called in answer as she began applying her concealing make-up and brushing her unruly hair. She thought back to the descriptions her 'guardian' had given her. She was sure it was the host club, but she didn't remember any 'creep in a cloak'. She ran through possibilities in her head and decided on a Nekozawa she had seen slinking about in the hallways before school. The club had visited his manor once, but he hadn't shown himself during their entire visit. She had remembered to do her research on him and his family after that trip, as she had promised herself. Yes, she was certain that it was him.

A knock on the door was heard and L took a deep breath, knowing how it was going to play out: Tamaki would worry needlessly over her, Mitsukuni and the twins would bombard her with questions (and Mitsukuni would probably steal some of her sweets...), Takashi would say absolutely nothing, and Kyoya would only inquire as to how she planned to pay off her debt.

L entered the sitting room just as Ryoji opened the door.

"Hello, gentlemen." Ryoji grinned. "How goes it?"

Hikaru looked him over, noticing that Ryoji was dressed in a masculine way. "I thought you were a tranny," he said.

"I received a paid vacation for the next week because I slipped on a wet floor and gave myself a concussion. I said it was the management's fault because they didn't put a wet floor sign there, and they agreed!" Ryoji smiled, proud of himself.

"That's great. WHERE'S HARUHI?!" Tamaki yelled at the top of his lungs, earning a glare from Ryoji. He stepped aside, revealing L sitting normally in her spot on the couch. Tamaki instantly ran in and crushed Haruhi in a hug. "DADDY'S MISSED YOU!"

L ended up pushing her excited sempai off and stood. "It is nice to see you all," she lied smoothly. She walked up to them, looking at them all.

Nekozawa bowed to her. "Hello, Fujioka-san," he greeted with his usual tone.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Nekozawa-sempai," she said in return. "Come in." She led them inside, sitting on the couch again as Ryoji went to make some tea.

As L had predicted, Hikaru started at once to ask questions. "Where have you been?!"

"Here," she answered.

"Why haven't you been coming to school?" Kaoru asked.

"I found school rather unnecessary." That was partially true, but L wasn't going to expand on it.

"Do you realise that you still have your debt to pay? And that if you turn in one unsatisfactory test score, you will be promptly expelled without question?" Kyoya inquired, looking over his glasses at her.

L sighed inwardly. "I am aware of that, and I will pay off my debt in due time, do not worry."

"How?"

"Father is helping me out. And I have come across work."

"Having a job, even part-time, is grounds for expulsion. It's in the rules," Kyoya pointed out.

"I understand that, but I might as well be expelled already, yes?" L fixed him with a stare that made him visibly uncomfortable.

"True," he said simply, looking down at his notebook.

"Please come back, Haruhi! We've missed having you around at the club! Customers are calling on you even today, after you've been gone for so long!" Tamaki cried, grabbing onto her arm. "We formed a police force!"

L's eyes widened slightly. "What do you mean?"

"We merely partake in volunteer work. Filing and the works. I think it was the stupidest idea Boss has ever come up with," complained Hikaru.

"Oh, so you aren't doing anything to do with actual police work?"

"Nope! I love it!" Tamaki smiled widely. "You should join us!"

"Goodness, I'd love to, but I don't have the time." L tried to be as polite as possible. She didn't need to get roped into anything else concerning the host club.

"Please!"

"No. That is my final answer, Suoh-sempai, and I'm not changing it."

Kaoru grinned. "It's useless, Boss. Haruhi's just as stubborn as you are."

Tamaki frowned, realising this. "Please visit the club once in a while, at least!"

L sighed. "Fine. I'll try. But I am very busy."

Tamaki's gloomy expression instantly melted into one of triumph. "Well, we won't bother you any longer! You must have been spending quality time with your father! I know how great father-daughter relationships can be." He closed his eyes and L visualised flower petals swirling all around him, with the way he was talking.

"Let's go!" Tamaki led the way out. The twins gave L a hug, as did Honey. Mori ruffled her hair and Kyoya merely nodded. Nekozawa bowed again before following the rest of the group. L sighed. Luckily, their visit had been a short one, and they were gone even before Ryoji re-entered with the tea.

"They're gone already? I would have expected them to stay longer."

"I did too. However, I am grateful for the circumstances." L poured herself a cup of tea and sipped at it slowly. "I got a message from Watari, just before they showed up. The NPA was considering asking me for my assistance with the Kira dilemma going on lately, and I told him to tell them I was already working on it."

"Are you still going through with that... Lind L. Tailor thing?" Ryoji sat down.

L nodded. "It seems like a better and better idea the more I think about it. Of course, I still thank Near for suggesting the second half of my plan."

"He's a little strange..."

"We're all strange," L replied.

"Haruhi seemed a little different to me," Hikaru said once they were all in the limousine again.

"Yeah... even more detached than usual. Maybe it's because she hasn't been in the social circle of school in a while?" Kaoru mused.

"She said she's been working," Kyoya pointed out. "For that, she'd have to work with people."

"L doesn't have to work with people," Hikaru argued. "He avoids all human contact and prefers to do things electronically."

"L has nothing to do with Haruhi," replied Kyoya, giving Hikaru a look.

"It was just nice seeing my dear daughter again!" Tamaki gushed, stars in his eyes.

"She didn't look too happy to see you, Boss," Kaoru said while chuckling.

Tamaki gave a gasp. "Nonsense! She is absolutely charming! And takes after me!" He turned to Nekozawa, despite his fear of the cloaked young man. "Don't you agree? Don't you find her very charming?"

Nekozawa frowned, in thought. "She certainly seems... smart."

"Well, no duh. She's probably a genius or something," Hikaru said.

"It's just that... I have never met Miss Fujioka before... and she told me: 'It's nice to meet you, Nekozawa-sempai.'. Did any of you ever tell her about me? The only picture of me at my house is that portrait," Nekozawa told them. In all truth, he was a little spooked about the way Haruhi had greeted him, with a flash of recognition in her eyes and a tone that suggested that she knew exactly who he was, and more.

"She was simply being polite, Neko-chan!" Honey said, smiling.

"... Yeah..." Nekozawa let it drop for the moment, tired of speaking and staring out the window. Maybe he was paranoid. Maybe it was because it was very sunny on the last Wednesday of the previous month... He then turned to thinking about how the weather affected him.

The others, save for Kyoya, resumed chattering amongst themselves, about Haruhi, about L, about work, et cetera.

Kyoya merely looked down at his notebook. It seemed as if he was the only one who really understood what Nekozawa had just said. How exactly had Haruhi recognised Nekozawa if she had never met him. Kyoya merely dismissed it after a while. She must have just learned about him from somebody at school, when she still went, that was.

The strangest thing was, he couldn't get the comment Hikaru had said about L out of his mind. Was there anyone who truly knew him? Haruhi was indeed acting differently than she had before. She was still blunt, yes, but the short conversation with her had revealed her impatience, and how she found the unexpected arrival of the host club to be an inconvenience, and a rather unpleasant surprise.

Kyoya wondered if the compliant, slightly annoyed Host Haruhi was the real one. Or was it this 'newer, different' Haruhi?

He sighed, closing his eyes. Too much was happening for this to worry him now, he assured himself. The best detectives in his family were beginning to endeavour on the Kira case, and Kyoya couldn't help but feel like something was somehow going to put them all in danger.

AN: Next chapter should be the Tailor thing! Hope you are all looking forward to it. I thank everyone who has supported this story so far!