Raito quickly turned on her computer and looked over her shoulder to find that L was standing behind her, expectant, waiting to see what she had in store for him.

Should she ask him to sit, she wondered. Well, it was his house but it was her room...she supposed that it wouldn't hurt to be courteous.

"You should sit down," she suggested, gesturing at the bed with her eyes.

To her surprise, he did what he was told.

She quickly connected her cell phone to the computer and waited for the images to load. L waited patiently and leaned forward when she finally had the picture she wanted to show to him.

"Oh," he breathed, looking closely at the picture, obsidian eyes astonished.

She smiled to herself smugly. "Yeah," she agreed. "Pretty amazing what a close-up look can tell you, huh?"

L ignored her taunt and focused on the image. "Two thousand-and-one," he murmured.

The numbers had been neatly carved on the collarbone of the female victim, tiny and black. She wasn't surprised that they hadn't seen it in the pictures. You had to see something like this in person, to take in all the details.

"Is it a year?" she asked him. "Did something happen between the two of you then?"

L shook his head. "No, I don't think so," he said. "B was already gone by then so there wasn't much contact between us then."

Raito frowned. "Then why would he write that?" she wondered aloud. "It doesn't make sense. Why would he keep writing nonsensical words and gibberish if he wants to give you a real message and take revenge? I don't think it's his motive to play games with us if he had no ends to achieve."

"Raito-kun has a point," said L. "I think...he might be giving us a location. Maybe he wants to meet me somewhere."

"And challenge you to a duel?" she was darkly amused.

"Perhaps," his mouth quirked cynically.

"It could be a childhood place that he liked to visit," she suggested, "he might have mentioned it to you."

L got up and pensively walked around the room. It was clear that he didn't remember much about B but he was raking through his mind, searching for a clue, a hint that the other man might have left him years ago.

"Now that you mentioned it," he said slowly. "There was one place that he once mentioned to me when we were in an empty classroom..."

Raito's ears perked up like a cat's and she straightened in her chair to hear him out.

"Two thousand-and-one," he muttered thoughtfully to himself, stopping and looking out the window, taking a hand out of his pocket so that he could press his finger against his teeth. "B liked spicy food a lot," he offered suddenly.

Just like you adore sweets, she thought secretly.

"There was one place he would keep slipping out to for that." L's face had this glazed, distant look as he recalled this particular part of his past. "I know this because one of the children told me that he would smell like spicy chicken." He looked at her. "B might want to meet me there."

"Yeah." She nodded. "Now the question is when."

They were quiet for a moment.

"So the clues hadn't been the letters this time," she said. "They were the numbers."

L nodded. "And it was very clever of him, too. He knew what we would be looking for and that's how he decided to give us a different hint this time." He eyed her cautiously. "Are you sure that no one followed you?"

"Positive," she answered confidently. "I kept checking."

"How did you go there?" he wanted to know.

"Uh, I got a taxi," she ran her fingers through her hair sheepishly.

"A taxi?" he tilted his head critically.

"Yeah, it was just there outside." She felt alarmed all of a sudden. "Why?"

"Did you get a look at the cab driver's face?" his voice was urgent now.

"I...I didn't really notice." For the first time that night, she was starting to feel guilty.

There was an unreadable look in his eyes. "Raito-kun," he uttered slowly. "From now on, pleased do not go anywhere without my permission. If you like, either Watari or I will accompany you."

"O-okay," she blinked at him, "but what's wrong?"

He was silent for a moment. "It could've been B in the cab," he said. "I don't wish for Raito-kun to take any risks. We have little idea how B moves and it isn't unlikely that he could be lurking outside, waiting for a chance to hurt us." He took a step towards her. "I'm glad you're all right."

"Yeah," she felt shaken. "Me, too." She eyed him warily. "Do you really think that B might've been...?"

"There's no telling. But I don't want to take any risks."

"Well, I don't think it was B. I mean, I'm still here, aren't I?"

He didn't say anything. Just looked at her for a long moment and then said, "I think you should move to a room closer to mine."

She rolled her eyes at that. "Come on, Ryuuzaki. It's not a big deal. I can take care of myself."

"Nevertheless," he said, dismissing her. "It would make me feel better."

"I'm not a kid, Ryuuzaki," she protested, though not vehemently. A part of her felt strangely warm that he was being so protective over her when he'd said something so mean just the other day... "And I thought you said that the world didn't revolve around me."

L looked into her eyes. "Let's pretend for now that it does."

Her heart skipped a beat when he said that and she hoped that she wasn't blushing. She turned her gaze away as he shuffled his feet and then she asked, "I can't move now, can I? With everyone asleep – there might not be a room ready for me."

"You could stay in my room," he suggested innocently.

She narrowed her eyes. "Now is not the time to flirt shamelessly, Ryuuzaki," she huffed but there was no change in his expression.

"I'm serious," he said.

"Look, it was just a cab drive, okay? I won't do it again." Scowling, she folded her arms and crossed her legs like a petulant child. "You should be more worried about the orphans. They're the ones he seems to be after."

Her period started in the morning.

She realized that when she opened her eyes and felt a stickiness between her legs and saw a splash of red on the white sheets.

Her cheeks colored. Oh, crap.

So Ryuuzaki had had a point yesterday when he said that she must be having her period.

A stab in the pit of her stomach further confirmed his guess and she rushed to the bathroom, ignoring the ache in her waist and her lower back.

Raito had come back to sleep in her room last night as she didn't trust herself to be in closed spaces with her estranged (and strange) husband and she had been feeling pretty tired after her excursion.

And now this.

She groaned. What was she going to do? She'd already changed to the proper...attire but she was still very uncomfortable about anyone else knowing about her biological cycle.

And L made it his business to know everything that didn't concern him.

Her stomach was growling with hunger now and she really could do with a pill to ease her cramps but first things first.

Raito opened her door a crack and poked her head out, looking left and right like a cat burglar. The passage was empty, the floor clean and shining, except for a maid pushing a cart of supplies, her flat heels clicking on the ground.

Raito would never cease to be amazed at how this place sometimes resembled a hotel.

"Um, excuse me," she said in English, her voice low but loud enough to be heard. The maid stopped and turned towards her, eyes startled.

"I need a change of sheets," said Raito awkwardly. She half-expected the maid to ask why, but instead, the other woman nodded and pulled out a white bedsheet from one of the shelves of the cart. Raito stepped aside to let the maid enter. As the other woman drew up the stained sheets, Raito was pleased and relieved to find that the maid's features did not change. She was obviously used to seeing these things.

Raito sighed, watching the other woman put on the fresh sheets and crumple the stained one in a huge ball.

"Thank you," she smiled gratefully.

"You're welcome, miss," said the maid politely and was about to move past her when Ryuuzaki appeared at the door.

He looked a little groggy, which let her know that he'd just woke up. It surprised her because she would think to herself that he never slept.

"What's going on?" he asked in English; his voice was slightly huskier than usual, and he eyed them as if he had just caught them red handed.

"Nothing, Ryuuzaki," Raito answered quickly. "Everything's fine."

But L was still suspicious and when he looked at what was in the maid's arms more closely (why the hell wasn't she leaving?), he saw the ruby stains against the ivory.

Black eyes bulged.

"Oh," he said.

Raito turned red to her roots. She wished that the floor would magically turn into a living beast and swallow her up to save her from the embarrassment of a lifetime.

And now, the maid scattered past them and pushed the cart away, hurrying as if she couldn't wait to get away from the crime scene.

An awkward moment passed between them. And then L faced her smugly and said, "So I was right – this is why Raito-kun was crankier than usual."

Raito glared at him. "Oh, shut up."

No more new leads.

Sometimes Raito wasn't sure what she was doing here. During her stay in the last three weeks, it didn't feel like they'd made any new progress. Only letters, letters, letters – ones that made sense and did not make sense.

And L's convenient amnesia didn't make things any easier for her. Why did she have the feeling that he was hiding things deliberately from her?

In their dark room (clearly, that was what she had come to call it), L flapped his feet and consumed one snow pie after another like some sort of super eating machine while she drudged through the files, trying to make a connection. So far, these were the things they'd established:
1.B and L knew each other.
2.B was trying to get back at L by striving to become the best criminal in the world.
3.The letters referred to events, and due to recent findings, an address.
4.B liked seafood.

She put away the files and rubbed her eyes, staring up at the ceiling.

"You know," she addressed him, "I think you should just make a public announcement. Tell B that you're tired of playing all these guessing games and you just want to know what he wants from you."

L lifted a thin eyebrow quizzically at her. "That would be like announcing to the world that I am giving up on the case." His eyes hardened slightly. "I have no wish to admit defeat like that."

She rolled her eyes as though she were dealing with an unreasonable boy. "There's no need to be such a sore loser, Ryuuzaki," she told him pointedly. "You're too old for that."

L smirked. "Isn't the pot calling the kettle black, Raito-kun?" he glanced at her from his monitor. "I recall distinctly that you once threw a hissy fit because you lost backgammon to me thrice in a row."

A muscle twitched on her face. "That was different!" she hissed, glowering at him.

"My, my," said L dryly, "Raito-kun is quicker than usual to fly to a temper. Perhaps her time of the month is influencing her emotions more than she'd care to admit?"

Her mouth opened and closed like a goldfish's. "Stop poking your nose in places where it doesn't belong," she chided him angrily. "And you should try using that sharp humor on B some time; I'd really like to see how he takes it."

This time, L was the one to pout unhappily. "You really know how to hit in the places that feel the worst," he murmured, discontent.

She smiled at him, pleased with herself. "You deserved it," she answered, undaunted. "You should be actively trying to catch B instead of picking on me."

He assented, "Raito-kun has made a good point."

"Damn right I have." She leaned back, supporting her weight on her palms, trying not to wince. Thank God the ache in her stomach had dulled due to the pill she'd taken at breakfast, but she was feeling tired now, wishing that she could just lie down and ease the pressure on her back...

"Are you okay?" L's eyes were on her now, concerned.

She straightened up, trying to put on an energetic facade. "Yeah, yeah. Just fine."

He didn't seem convinced. "Women tend to get tired easily during their monthly cycles," he stated in a professional tone, making Raito wince with its practicality. "They have cramps, lose their temper easily, suffer from backaches..."

"Yes, yes, I know from practical experience," she brushed him off, embarrassed. "You don't have to talk about it so..."

"Openly?" he filled in for her, earning another glare. He took no notice. "I would be most glad to give Raito-kun a back massage."

She eyed him quizzically. "A massage?" she echoed, dubious.

He held up pale hands, face totally innocent. "I solemnly swear that I have no intentions of monkey business. And besides, I'm pretty good at giving massages, too."

The offer was tempting, she admitted with a frown but, "Thanks, but I don't think..."

"It'll be no problem, Raito-kun," said the detective, crawling towards her in his crouched position. "Just lie on your stomach and relax."

Raito was confused for a few moments but watching him approach her like that someone swayed her reluctance, and she finally obeyed him but not without discomfort and nervousness.

"Just no funny business, okay?" she hated how pathetic she sounded as she rested on her stomach, arms folded beneath her chin.

"Absolutely," his voice sounded from above.

She took a deep breath and shut her eyes, waiting for the first encounter with his touch.

She gasped as the slender hands met with the center of her back, kneading the flesh softly, easing out the pressure points by gently pressing in his fingertips. Her eyes drifted shut on their own accord and pretty soon, she felt like she was floating on air without any worries, a weightless journey through a shimmer of cotton clouds...

"Quite soothing, isn't it?" said L softly, continuing with his massage.

"Mm hmm," she nodded, her guard going down. An alarm sounded mildly in the back of her back but she quickly shut the door on it. The massage felt good and that was what she could care about it at the moment.

"Raito-kun is more agreeable to interact with when she's in a state of comfort," he observed with amusement. "Perhaps she should get massages more often."

Her mouth curled in an almost-flirtatious smile that she knew he couldn't see. She had to admit that he had a point because she was in better spirits than before. But he was doing a perfect job with his massage and the only thing that could complete this experience would be a better surface to lie on. Because the floor was hard.

"Are you offering?"she said lazily; she didn't have to look back to see that he was smiling as well.

"If Raito-kun wishes," came his reply. "Even after we are divorced, I wouldn't mind coming to Japan to ease the tension in her muscles if she required it."

Ignoring the suggestive tone, she smirked a bit. "I'll be sure to let you know," she responded dryly. Her eyes opened. "Where did you learn to give such good massages?"

L took a moment to reply. "I used to work as a masseur before I became a private investigator," he said with a straight face.

Despite herself, Raito burst into laughter. She twisted her head so that she could look at him, and she was surprised to find a small smile on his lips, too.

He looked rather nice when he smiled.

"Come on," she said, laughter dying down, body becoming still again. "Tell me the truth."

His eyes were wide with mock-innocence. "But it is the truth," he objected, and then glancing away, "I am hurt to find that Yagami-kun thinks me a liar."

She rolled her eyes, reluctantly smiling. "Well, you once admitted to me that you lie all the time," she pointed out to him, a shadow of bad memories briefly touching her heart as she recalled their former passions.

(Yes, he'd definitely lied about loving her.)

"Raito-kun is exploiting what I said to her in a moment of weakness," L deadpanned, but there was a deeper meaning to his words than what anyone could see on the surface. "I lie only when it is necessary.

You mean, when it suits you, thought Raito and she rolled her eyes once again. There were so many things she could've said to that but she made a choice to keep the peace between them. "Come on, L, tell me where you learned to give massages."

"My mother taught me," he replied, startling her. "She used to get joint aches all the time so she taught me to do this."

She said nothing for a moment; she was still surprised at how this was the first time L had actually said anything about his parents – okay, just his mother, but it was a good start! - and curiosity bloomed inside her like a secret flower, making her want to know more.

"And..." she wondered how she could put this tactfully. "Your father? Did you know him?"

L's facial expression did not change. "Never met him," he answered. "My mother told me he'd died before I was born. But she still wore her wedding ring."

Raito thought of how she'd kept hers even when she'd thought that she would never hear from L again. The parallel was mildly disconcerting.

"What happened to her?" she couldn't help asking, resting her head on her palm, elbow on the floor.

"She was killed in an accident when I was seven," he glanced at her then, expression unreadable. "I lived in an orphanage in London for about a year before Watari found me and brought me here."

"I see." Raito's pulse with racing with excitement from getting all this information that L was voluntarily offering – not that she was complaining, of course.

"Yes." His hand had stopped now and he held her gaze intensely, and she was at a loss for words so all she could tell him was a quiet, "I'm sorry."

To her astonishment, he smiled. "There's no need to be, Raito-kun. You weren't the person driving the car that killed her."

A/N: Gah, sorry this chapter is so short. I've been so busy with...fasting and being lazy, not to mention writer's block smiles sheepishly. Starting working on a Raitoxgirl!L oneshot, about 2500 words done, I think and I posted something called Vignette Collection, if you're interested :).

Yes, L is a gentleman in spite of the perverted jokes he makes and I suppose he has qualms about seeing his wife naked o.o And he might reading dirty magazine, I really wouldn't be surprised... Regarding girl!L, well, I admit I prefer L as the submissive one but one must keep in mind that there is no fixed top/bottom in this pairing ;). There are also ways to dominate by being submissive...not that I know, of course lol.

And I need more ideas for this fic so suggestions are appreciated. Feedback is love!