Author's Note: I figured since you had to wait so long for the last chapter, I'd upload this one quickly. This chapter is the longest one yet and took me a few days to write, but I'm quite proud of it even if I couldn't quite find a decent place to end it xD I hope you enjoy it all the same.

Chapter 14 – Close calls

A few months have passed since Renee's permanent appointment as L's colleague. Her goal to work with the world's greatest detective had been realised and she couldn't be more pleased. It felt like winning. She'd certainly come a long way from being the broken young girl that she had been. L and Watari had also been very accommodating of her considering, and it seemed they had gotten used to her little oddities, much like she had theirs. The arrangement was pretty dysfunctional, but somehow it was working.

Whenever L required someone to visit a crime scene in person, Renee almost always mustered the energy to complete the task, despite her condition. If L believed her to be too unwell, on the odd occasion he did, she would wrestle him until relenting that she should remain bedridden for the day. She never quite won an argument against L. But then Watari would perform the duties as before. L actually preferred this arrangement of having two colleagues in many ways. Firstly it always ensured he had someone there to provide him with sugary sweets if necessary and he was never short of beverages. Also, much to his surprise, he found he enjoyed having someone present of a similar age and mental prowess. Renee never grew confused over his conversational quirks nor did she require much explanation in the way of aspects of a case. He even found her company preferable some days, when she wasn't determined to distract and irritate him anyway. She had those days sometimes. They usually occurred after a reminder of her health condition or the removal of sugar from her proximity. She always apologised eventually.

Both her and L had been attempting to track B's movements since the news from Wammy's, when they weren't preoccupied with working on another case, but to no avail. He had hoped that Renee's personal knowledge of B might have made it easier but this was not the case. In many ways, L was impressed with his previous successors ability to disguise himself, manipulate those around him in order to reach a goal, as well as his drive and intelligence. But with B this chemical concoction was only dangerous, a nuclear weapon waiting to be primed and detonated on his desired target.

Renee had also been uneasy over the situation, but more out of concern for a friend. Her emotional connection to B blinded her to exactly what he was capable of. When she finally discovered the truth... well that wouldn't be an easy day for her and the inevitably created a profound feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. After all, he had become responsible for her care. Whether out of choice or obligation he hadn't decided yet.

L was currently glancing over an important case file that had been delivered to him by the American government agency, the FBI. Apparently an illustrious serial killer rapist was eluding their apparently barely average detective abilities. According to them, the reason they have been unable to capture the suspect, despite his victims having been raped, was because there had been no sperm present, though the post mortem examinations show that each of the women's anatomy had been brutally abused. Therefore his presence was required. He had already requested Watari prepare them a flight to the capital where the majority of the victims had been reported to be found. Renee would no doubt be excited to leave Italy as she hadn't acquired a liking to the cuisine. A complaint she'd taken upon herself to repeat constantly over the past couple of weeks whilst they'd been there.
L was sure Renee was in her makeshift workshop she'd organised in her bedroom at that moment in time. She often occupied herself with 'making things' when L was busy on a case that didn't require her assistance. Watari would sometimes join her and provide her with pointers for her latest projects. Apparently she'd improved significantly under his supervision. No doubt this would prove useful in future endeavours. The smug grin she got whenever finishing something he could use often tugged a smile at his own lips as well.

Not that his thoughts should be lingering on her at this moment in time. Despite now pushing to believe her a friend, he would not allow himself to become any more aware of her presence. His priority and dedication should remain on his occupation. Not that this was always easy.

Renee was feeling tired. After staying awake all night (unknown by Watari and L of course) she was beginning to experience the strain. Absolutely refusing to admit defeat, however, the young woman continued working. Mostly she had been distracting herself by reflecting on her time with L over these past couple of months. She remembered L's nineteenth birthday around a month ago – the amount of time she had resided in the kitchen baking bordered on unbearable. If L's lapping tongue had been any indication though, he appreciated the effort. He had given her a genuine thank you too, a pleasantry previously restricted to Watari. When he demonstrated surprise in her remembering his birthday, she just laughed and said "of course I remembered, it's Halloween for goodness sake!" Though that Halloween was less than enjoyable for her as the candy was kept at an unreachable distance by Watari and L the whole day. Who knew L would turn out to be such a mother hen?

The memory that constantly bubbled to the surface, however, was her final trip to Wammy's house. L allowed her to grab some of her more sentimental items from her room, including the letter from A, that she had left behind. What she hadn't expected was for her things to be packed and bagged already and for her room to be occupied by another. Apparently a new orphan at Wammy's had taken a liking to her spacious room and claimed it as his own. It was an awkward moment when she casually opened the door to see a young boy of around eleven with bright yellow hair sat on what was previously her bed. He looked up at her with a serious scowl in which she then had to apologise profusely. Apparently he wasn't one to miss a beat and instantly began questioning her...

"You're the one with L." In fact, it wasn't much of a question at all.

But it seemed Watari and L weren't keeping it a secret at Wammy's of her prospective future and new career path. "Yes?"

"Well you should know that I'm going to succeed L when he dies, so one day you might be working for me," he retorted, an arrogant aura dominating his every word. Renee wasn't certain how to respond so she just opted for nodding. "Well aren't you going to ask my name?"

"Er, sorry... What's your name?"

"Mello. Remember it." That signalled the end of the conversation and Renee quickly slipped out of the room abashed and completely confused. It seemed the children at Wammy's were only getting more and more dysfunctional. Mello? More like mellow dramatic.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the door to her room opened and Watari stepped in. "Have you taken your supplements today, Renee?"

No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes each time he asked. "Yes, Watari."

He smiled at her. He knew how much she hated being reminded, but it wouldn't be the first time she had forgotten. He had been keeping tabs on it after all. "Good. I believe L wishes to speak to you about your next case."

Renee almost fist pumped the air in excitement. They may finally be leaving Italy! Being with L had certainly exposed her to many beautiful places in the world and she'd come to appreciate the change in scenery, even looking forward to some of them. She rushed into the room that L resided in and threw herself on the sofa beside him. He narrowed his eyes at her as she did so, the impact causing him and the laptop to become unbalanced. She looked at him sheepishly in which he shook his head, looking back at the screen.

"So what's the case?" She finally asked, casually glancing over his shoulder at what he was reading.

"Another serial murderer, this time in America," he muttered, any excitement he felt about the prospect invisible to the naked eye. Fortunately Renee knew L, or at least she hoped she did, and he always enjoyed a challenge. If the FBI hadn't caught this man, it might be because every single one of them was incompetent, or this person was as intelligent as he was ruthless. Those cases always excited L the most.

Renee never liked the serial murdering cases, though. She was much too emotionally driven to find any sadistic pleasure in them. So instead she took pleasure in seeing L happy. That was much easier. However the prospect of going to America was definitely something to be excited about. "Whereabouts in America?"

"Washington," he murmured behind his forefinger that hung languidly from his mouth.

"Really? Wow." Renee was slightly aghast. She never believed her first stop in America would be the capital. "Will I be needed on this case?" Secretly she was hoping he would say no so she could instead explore a little. Although L probably wouldn't have allowed that either.

"I am unsure at this moment in time. We will know once we get there."

And get there they did. That very same day Watari had organised their luggage and everything else they'd need. They arrived at the airport in perfect timing to be boarded straight on the plane in preparation for taking off. Renee had brought a book to read whereas L continued pondering the case and analysing any evidence that had been collected.

Something he had spotted early on kept bothering him. The evidence collected by the LAPD when they had control of the case was slightly different to the FBI. He couldn't be certain why this was and this irritation crawled up him like a spider on his skin.

Renee noticed L's bad mood almost immediately. "What's wrong?" She asked, startling him from his speculation. Instead of answering her, he pushed his laptop onto her lap, the book that she had been previously reading toppled to the floor. "I've lost my page now..."

Ignoring her, he gestured with his head to glance at the digital copy of the case file. "I want you to look at these images and tell me what you see."

Great, more dead bodies and crime scenes. She shook her head but did as she was bid. The first image was of a crime scene in what looked to be some sort of motel room. A woman lay on the bed, bloodied, her clothes ripped and torn. The room itself seemed to be slightly rugged, but not too worse for wear. The second image that L pointed to was similar in scenario, but there seemed to be something different. There was more blood and the room looked muskier, dirtier even. Other than that she couldn't see anything in particular that could be bothering him. She relayed what she had noticed and he nodded.

"Yes, but look who the pictures were taken by."

She glanced at the small print and her mouth formed an inaudible 'oh.' The first was taken by the LAPD, whilst the second the FBI. "You suspect foul play, don't you?"

Again he nodded. This was all speculation at this moment in time, but he feared that the suspect may be a little closer to the profession than a detective may feel comfortable with. "A police officer may have the opportunity to tamper with a crime scene if he so desired."

"Man, if you can't even rely on those who are supposed to support justice..."

Indeed. it wasn't a pleasant thought.

Once arriving in Washington, Watari immediately drove them to their new overly expensive hotel. Walking in, Renee was a little surprised at the number of people. Usually L tried to allocate himself a hotel with as few people as he could find. When questioned about this he explained the difficulty he had in finding one as it was so close to Christmas.

The penthouse in this hotel resembled so many of the others she had been to. The wealth and prosperity no longer surprised her. She hated to admit it, but she just expected it now. Having gotten into a routine, Renee allocated herself a bedroom and dropped her luggage in the corner beside the dresser. She didn't bother to unpack as there was little point. She'd only be on the move again soon anyway.
L never needed a room as he slept in the exact same position he worked. She'd discovered this one night in Russia. Unable to sleep, she'd gone to ask him if he needed anything. When he didn't respond she approached him cautiously, worried that he was angry at her for one of the many childish things she found herself doing everyday. He had his eyes wide open, still blankly staring at the screen illuminating the room. Once in front of him, she reached out and waved a hand in front of his face. He didn't even blink. Watari revealed he was sleeping after she'd been taken completely aback, almost frightened at this development. He never failed to surprise her.

After dumping her luggage in her room, Renee returned to the living area to see L already comfortable in his chosen position. He was curled up on an armchair, his laptop perched on a table that Watari had obviously moved for him.

"I've just been informed of a new victim discovered only fifteen minutes ago. My contact is withholding this knowledge from his colleagues for the time being as I have requested we investigate the crime scene first. Renee, would you mind?"

The young woman smiled earnestly, already reaching for the coat Watari bought her. "Where am I going?"

"Watari will drive you. Please bare in mind that I'll be referring to you as Rebecca for the duration of the case." He paused for a moment of contemplation, glancing at her appraisingly for a moment. "...Are you certain you are well enough?"

Evidently he hadn't missed the dark circles forming under her eyes, nor the tired tone of her voice. This wouldn't prevent her from assisting him, no matter how sleep deprived she felt. "I'm fine, L. I've taken my supplements so this shouldn't be an issue."

The detective relented. "Very well. Just so you are aware, Watari will wire tap you so you can relay your observations straight to me."

"All right," she said, buttoning up her coat as Watari moved to grab the wire tap. Then they were all set to go. "Seeya later, L. That is if I'm not brutally murdered whilst I'm away." The joke was in poor taste she knew, but it was a defence mechanism to hide her own insecurities about the case. The dead silence that followed only solidified this.

"It would be preferable if you didn't die, Rebecca. Please do be careful." Renee almost became suspicious of the sincerity she heard in his voice. Realising there was no malice or sarcasm present, her heart skipped a beat. What was that?

"Erm… Well, I'm only going to a crime scene, right? No biggy." She waved him off as she quickly exited the room. What the hell was that?

Renee took a deep breath after arriving outside the motel room door. She'd been greeted by L's contact who escorted her to the room. He was a middle-aged man with soft eyes that just pleaded 'trust me'. She wanted to, but there were few people in the world she trusted. Even more so since working with L.

Watari had already set up her wire tap, now it was her turn. She nodded to the contact with a look that said 'stay outside'. The last thing she needed was someone contaminating the crime scene before she could even do her job.

Slowly she turned the knob of the door and pushed it ajar. Finding her remaining courage, she stepped inside instantly shutting the door behind her. The first sensation that hit her was the resoundingly potent smell of sweat and iron. Her hand instinctively moved to cover her nose as she grimaced at the scene before her. A woman lay sprawled on her stomach surrounded by blood, her clothes shredded just like the other victims. Her desolate eyes remained open and unseeing. The sight sent a small shiver down her spine.

"L, can you hear me?"

"Yes, loud and clear," a voice replied through her earpiece.

"O-okay, that's good."

Honestly, she was talking more to distract herself than anything else. Of course L noticed this instantly. "Are you well, Rebecca?"

A heavy gulp was her only reply as she stared anxiously at the scene. "So, the woman looks to be in her early twenties. Her… erm… female area looks similar to the others. Nothing new there. But… there's more blood in the room, just like on the second image."

L's thumb returned to his mouth. He was getting closer to a break through, he could feel it. "Do you see a murder weapon?"

Renee redoubled her efforts, careful to not actually disturb anything in the crime scene. The last thing she needed was to incriminate herself in this case. "Erm, no. I don't see anything that could cause those sorts of wounds."

"What do you see?" The voice sounded almost desperate. That meant he was close, but there was something missing for him.

"Well, erm..." Renee started scrutinising the room even closer, not wishing to overlook anything. She was L's eyes after all. In that instant, she spotted what looked to by a scruff of dirt in the carpet. It was something that could be easily overlooked, but not for a Wammy child. She moved and knelt beside it, inspecting it closer. "L, I think I might have found something useful. It may be dirt from the bottom of a shoe."

L perked up slightly at this. "Do you have the tweezers and bag?"

"Yes," she replied, already carefully grabbing a sample for analysis later, slotting it in a clear, plastic bag.

Suddenly the door to the motel opened and in came two police officers, L's contact quick to follow. Renee quickly shoved the bag in her coat pocket, hoping they didn't notice.

"I'm sorry. They just turned up and there was nothing I could do about it," the contact stuttered out, a panicked expression wishing for her to believe it wasn't him. Perhaps she did.

Renee tried to maintain a neutral bravado, but her heart was hammering against her chest. Why were they here? Apparently L was having similar thoughts.

"I am unsure why the police have arrived, but I have my suspicions. I don't want you to make them aware you're working for me. Try and be calm, Rebecca. I'm listening and won't let any harm come to you." He was trying to reassure her.

"What do you think you're doing, miss?" The first officer asked. He was a tall man, hair slicked back and carefully prepared. He may have been considered handsome if his hand wasn't carefully grasping at the pistol strapped to his waist. Thankfully it seemed as if he was only trying to be imposing rather than possessing any intention of using the weapon.

Renee imitated her best American accent. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm investigating the crime scene." She'd go with the ruse she's used on more than one occasion.

"Oh? Under whose authority?" The second officer spoke next, and he frightened Renee much more. He was heavily muscled with a leering scowl that seemed to be permanently etched on his face. He was staring at her with an inconceivable gaze and he felt no need to grasp his weapon.

Renee took a deep breath. She needed to be assertive. "My own." She punctuated her statement by standing up in a vain attempt to show confidence and power, but she was much shorter than the two police officers so it had very little impact. "I'm a private investigator, hired by the families to look into the murders of these women." She gestured to the lifeless woman that currently lay on the bed beside her, unable to stop herself from grimacing as she did so.

"Do you have any form of identification?" The first officer asked, the second choosing to watch in silence. Actually she did have a fake identification for this exact ruse. She had used it often enough that Watari had forged all the necessary paperwork. Holding it out for them to read, the first officer seemed to relax slightly. "Now it's your turn."

They seemed surprised by her abruptness, but quickly showed her their badges. The first officers name was P. Kennedy and the second L. Simmons. She nodded in acceptance, validating they were in fact members of the LAPD.

"So, how did you get here so quick?" Simmons questioned, a disbelieving tone to his voice.

Keep it cool, Renee. Keep it cool. "Sorry, I don't break confidentiality."

"As if it wasn't already obvious," Kennedy continued, gesturing to the door in which L's contact had already vanished through.

Renee ignored him. She had to remain as aloof as possible. "I haven't finished looking around the crime scene, so if you could..." She waved her hands towards the door, indicating for them to leave.

Simmons shook his head. "Sorry, ma'am. We can't leave you alone in here any longer. This investigation is run by the LAPD and the FBI. We can't just give the run around to P.I's nobody has heard of." Renee shifted uncomfortably at the way he spoke 'ma'am' like a curse. "Besides, we've already called for back up. Now if you'll excuse us, we need to look around."

Renee stepped out the way as Simmons bypassed her. That same small chill flew down her spine as her passed her. There was just something about him.

The first officer, Kennedy, stopped in front of her with a tough bravado. "I'm sure we don't have to tell you that if you discover anything, you must share your findings. We can't have secrecy on a case like this." She inclined her head to show she agreed, but she had no intention of showing them anything. The officer accepted her submission, however, and resumed his work.

"I need you to continue looking around, Rebecca. We can't miss anything… but I also need you to keep an eye on the two officers. This is purely speculation, but I have a suspicion that one of them may be the killer."

Renee's eyes flew wide open. If it were possible, her heart race staggered to even higher levels. Why the hell did he tell you that? To make you aware, that's why. To keep you safe. Taking a deep breath, she turned back around to watch the officers. There was no way she could miss anything, not now. Not when it was this important.

L had listened to the entire exchange with a heavy heart. He knew as soon as those officers appeared unannounced that she had been watched. He had every confidence that his contact hadn't tipped the police off and therefore there could be only one explanation, the killer had been lying in wait. This left Renee in a very precarious position and he couldn't stop his heart from lurching in his chest. Was this how it felt to care for another? He wasn't certain how comfortable he was with that. The case had always been his priority and yet, in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to tell her to escape.

But he didn't. He continued listening, hoping to overhear any conversation the officers may be having. If there was any indication of foul play or dark intentions, he'd order her to leave immediately. For now, however, the scenario would continue. He found himself feeling quite proud in how she had handled herself despite the pressure she was under. He just hoped she could maintain her façade.

"So, P.I, did you manage to find anything before we arrived?" A voice asked, presumably speaking to Renee. L recognised it as the second officer he had heard through the tap.

"Nothing," was her quick reply. At least she sounded confident. "I didn't really have time to look around before you guys showed up. Which makes me wonder… How did you find out so soon?" L smiled. She sounded like a real detective, and he couldn't help but think how attractive that was. His eyes widened at his own thoughts, a pink tinge quickly decorating his usually pale complexion. Well, that was unexpected.

"Oh, I never break confidentiality," was the sarcastic reply she was greeted with, an imitation of her earlier response. He could almost hear the scowl she was giving him. "But you moved rather quickly. How long have you been working on this case?"

"A couple of days at most… Do you mind if I take photos?"

L smiled, understanding exactly what she was going to take photos of. The crime scene was of course important, but what he really needed was the faces of the two officers she was with.

"Sure," the officer replied begrudgingly, realising he wouldn't have been able to stop her even if he wanted to.

"Well done, Rebecca. Try and be discreet if you can," L voiced, reaching out for a pack of panda biscuits that had been left for him by Watari.

It was only moments later that his phone vibrated with a message and five pictures attached. The first three were specifically of the crime scene. The ones he was most interested in were of the two men. He immediately began searching police records for the faces on the photos. There had to be something in there that could incriminate one of them.

Renee shifted uncomfortably, feeling Simmons' gaze on her constantly. She didn't want to accuse anyone without proof, but if one of them was the killer she had to guess at him. His stares felt perverse, as if he was already imagining her life seeping away. She shuddered at the thought. Please hurry, L.

Then a cold breath was felt on the back of her neck, causing her to startle and turn in a panic. Simmons had grown excruciatingly close whilst she wasn't looking. Of course L heard this. "If you feel the need, Renee, make your excuses and leave." The slip of her name exposed just how concerned the detective had grown. This made her smile despite everything.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," said Simmons, but his devious smirk betrayed him. He enjoyed seeing people afraid.

"No trouble. I should have grown accustomed to people sneaking up on me I suppose." She chuckled in an attempt to play it off, but he didn't seem convinced.

"How long you been a P.I anyway? You look a little young to even have the profession in the first place."

He was suspicious of her, and for good reason she supposed. Make-up could only take you so far in the ageing department. "For around six months. I've solved every case I've taken on, however." She wouldn't have him believe her an imbecile, because she most certainly wasn't.

He didn't seem impressed. "I don't think women should even be in this profession. They're too emotional and too quick to use what's between their legs to get results."

Alarm bells sang inside her head at the threat underlining his statement. L had heard it too. "I insist that you find some excuse to leave now, Renee. Watari is waiting outside."

She didn't have to be told twice. Coughing, she straightened her coat and prepared herself to leave. "Well, I should really be going. Wouldn't want to intrude when your back-up arrives."

"But you've barely searched the crime scene," Kennedy questioned, popping his head around from the kitchen door for the first time, apparently only catching the end of her conversation with his colleague.

"Indeed," Simmons interrupted, perhaps even more suspicious of her now.

"I have enough. Besides I forgot to take my medication this morning so I should really be going. It was a pleasure to meet you both," she exclaimed, a fake cheeriness dominating her statement as she promptly reached for the front door.

"Well, I imagine we'll be seeing each other again, Miss. We will be working this case together after all." Simmons' voice was like ice bucket on a winter's day. That was certainly not something she wished to think about.

"Yes..." Was all she could stutter, having to prevent herself from sprinting to safety. Safety being the confines of Watari's car, and a quick reunion with L – the person whose company made her feel safer than anything else possibly could.

For once, L gave Renee his undivided attention when she walked in. This was surprising enough. But the apologetic expression he was giving her almost gave her a heart attack out of shock. "Renee, are you well?"

She sighed, sinking into the sofa beside L's armchair in which he had evidently not moved from all day. "I'm exhausted... in more ways than one."

"Indeed... I appreciate what you did today."

She smiled, enjoying the rare occasion in which L thanked her. "You're welcome," she replied, her eyes shining despite her frailty. L's breath hitched at her wide-eyed stare. Why was she looking like that? "You keep calling me Renee."

Now it was the detectives turn to smirk, already forgetting his previous thoughts. "I discovered the records of the two officers and despite the overwhelming evidence at the crime scene, I have discovered a possible motive for Simmons wishing to kill so many women – well, what a mad man may consider a motive. His ex wife was also a police officer who had... sexual relations with one of their suspects. She divorced him, taking their children and leaving him penniless after he'd discovered the truth. However, I still lack absolute proof. Do you have the sample you took from the crime scene?"

Renee nodded mutely, still trying to get her head around the whole scenario. She pulled out the bag and handed it to the detective. He accepted it graciously, pinching it between his forefinger and thumb, before instantly holding it out for Watari.

"I'll take a look at this right away," Watari said, turning around and walking out of the room with the evidence bag.

"The sample might be able to identify Simmons at the crime scene beforehand if we can obtain the shoes from his home. I already have someone working on this," he finished quickly, noticing the glance of despair that Renee demonstrated at the prospect of having to get involved once again. "I am confident we will find the evidence we need to apprehend Simmons. Try not to fret. I promise you won't be seeing him again."

Renee breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Simmons parting words had been playing heavily on her mind since she left. Visions of her assaulted body left lifeless haunted her and she was thankful that she wouldn't be leaving L's side for the remainder of the case. "Thanks," she muttered, her exhaustion masking the genuine appreciation in her words.

L glanced at her from the corner of his eyes, his forefinger playing with his bottom lip delicately. He had recognised the shaky breaths and uncontrollable fear through the wire tap. This was what baffled him. He always put her in situations in which she was in great danger and she was always afraid, yet she continued to volunteer to help him. "Why don't you rest, Renee." It wasn't necessarily a request.

"I haven't eaten. I'll eat first." Finding the energy to move somehow, she dragged herself from the sofa and moved to the kitchen in order to prepare some food.

"Do remember that your food should—"

"Not contain too much sugar. Yes, I know," she interrupted, probably far too rudely than she intended. Not that L really picked up on this. Though he found himself being surprised by Renee in many ways. Her lack of mood swings was just one example, compared to what he had come to expect of women through various media and literature sources. He attributed her current poor mood to the days events.

"So how long do you think it'll be before he's caught?" Renee asked as she clanged pots and slammed cupboards in order to get the necessary items for her meal.

"Hm, I imagine it'll be a few days at most. I am certain of his guilt, and of course the police force are going to trust the word of the world's greatest detective either way."

She allowed herself to chuckle at this. "It's not like you to cut corners, L."

She was right. It wasn't. He never used his status to finish a case. He always relied on the evidence he gathered to provide irrevocable proof that his suspect was the perpetrator. So why should this case be any different? Not having an answer for her, L remained quiet.

"So do you have any other cases lined up?" She questioned, pouring dry pasta shells into a pan in preparation for heating. She couldn't be bothered to cook anything fancy, and to be honest, she wasn't much of a chef. Typically Watari would cook for her, but with him being otherwise preoccupied…

"I've received numerous emails of cases but none have peaked my interest," he mumbled, a slight disappointment recognisable in his tone.

"Ah, shame," she said sarcastically, always amused by L's requirements for a case. "Would you like anything to eat, L?"

He hummed slightly to himself, pondering the question with great interest. "Mhm, yes, would you mind bringing me some cheesecake from the refrigerator. I believe Watari prepared it earlier."

"Coming up!" She opened the fridge and pulled out the item in question. Then she pulled the cutlery draw open and grabbed the necessary utensils before moving to hand it to the detective.

He accepted it graciously, a small smiling playing at the corner of his lips, their hands brushing against one another as he did so. "Thank you." Their shared gaze held for a small time, Renee unabashedly basking in the warmth spreading inside her. Realising she was staring, with the noticable heat rising to her cheeks, she swiftly moved back to the stove where her pasta was slowly boiling.

In her mind she was screaming to herself. How could she be so stupid? Of course she had been aware of the extensive admiration she possessed for the detective. She'd felt this way since she was a child… but she wasn't a child any longer. Renee was in touch with her emotions now, she wasn't as ignorant to them as L. Therefore she was very aware that these feelings were associated with being attracted to someone. This was a huge miscalculation on her part. Yet she couldn't bring herself to regret it. He was the best person she had ever met, even with his quirks and lack of empathy and recuperation.

No, she couldn't let her emotions dominate her interactions with L. It would only make him feel uncomfortable if he discovered it. Fortunately for her, L was too preoccupied with his cases to notice when she fumbled or blushed because of something he did or said. She just hoped that this was a serious case of hero worship, rather than anything else.

P.S. I tried to be subtle in L's growing affection for Renee, and I genuinely believe that L would be more attracted to someone's mind rather than their appearance. But I think we're finally getting somewhere with them, right? Anyway, I'm pretty certain we'll be reaching the LABB murder case very soon. Poor Renee... I've put her through far too much xD