Author's Note: Just a quick word from me this time. Basically... this chapter was, excuse my French, a bitch to write. But I hope you enjoy it all the same. After the next chapter, things will probably be speeding up a lot more, but the next chapter has significant importance for Renee. You can probably guess why. Alrighty then... without further ado...

Chapter 21 - Unveiling

After the her and L's discussion the previous night, Renee had returned to referring to herself as the name she had been assigned by Watari. She felt more like herself already, even if it was only in her own head. She was certain that after today's meeting at the police agency took place, she would soon be hearing people call her 'Renee' rather than 'Callie' more often. Once L had the opportunity to work closer with the Japanese police, her appointment at his side would be permanent and she would leave the police force. She could already imagine the horrified gasp from Matsuda, as well as the uncertain frown from the Chief, but the excitement bubbling inside her showed the decision to be the right one.

"Hey, Callie!"

She jumped slightly at the unexpected voice before turning to see a jogging Matsuda coming towards her. "Oh hi, Matsuda. How are you?" She asked politely as they both arrived at Task Force headquarters.

He blushed at her seemingly genuine interest. "Oh, erm, I'm great thanks. Yourself?" She just nodded in reply. "So, what do you think the meetings about?" Matsuda asked in referral to the Chief's instruction that every detective make their way to the Task Force building for an important discussion.

"Oh, I don't really," she lied easily, not really feeling like explaining the whole situation to her vacant-minded colleague. The Chief would be revealing everything sooner or later anyway.

Then they both silently entered the conference room to find a lot of the curious detectives had already taken their seats. The Chief had also already arrived, sitting at the front table patiently. Not wanting to wait around, Renee sat down in her usual spot and glimpsed around the room. She half expected Watari to have arrived by now, but she didn't see him. Perhaps he was waiting for the meeting to adjourn before he came in to speak with whoever was left. L would have instructions waiting for them.

After ten minutes of empty chatter with Matsuda, the Chief cleared his throat to gather everyone's attention. Once the room was silent, he took a deep breath to prepare himself. "We now know that Kira doesn't just target criminals. He'll kill anyone who opposes him. It's quite possible that we may all be killed by Kira." Renee could feel the exacerbating tension rise, the room itself feeling more claustrophobic as a result. "Think of your own lives, your families, and all the others you would be leaving behind. If anyone wants to leave this investigation – now is the time. You won't be demoted if you choose not to stay, you have my word." Renee instantly began glancing around at the other members of the Task Force, spotting any who looked as if they would leave.

The meeting was put on hold temporarily to give the detectives the opportunity to decide their fates. Renee didn't move from her spot, whereas others left to grab coffee and chat privately with their friends about the situation. That wasn't required for her. Instead she allowed her mind to wander to the illustrious detective who had wormed himself so thoroughly into her heart. The feel of his fingers against her skin, and the sweet taste of his tongue against her own almost made her moan in bliss at the vividness of the memories. But the strange glances she was already receiving stopped her. Her first kiss with L had been a desperate goodbye camouflaged to hide her true sadness four years ago, but the kiss they shared the previous night was nothing of the sort. It had been filled with a heated passion that even Renee hadn't been certain L possessed. He had certainly proved her wrong.

Uncertain how long she had allowed herself to succumb to her sweet fantasies, she gazed around to find that the only people left gathered were Aizawa, Mogi, Matsuda, Ukita, Ide and of course herself and the Chief. It was a little disappointing to see such few numbers willing to assist in capturing the world's deadliest serial killer, but it was understandable.

"Well, I suppose I should be glad that at least six of you are willing to lay down your lives to catch Kira," the Chief finally said, his hands clasped in front of his face as he sat at his desk.

"The fact you have chosen to stay means you have a strong sense of justice. I trust all of you." L's voice startled her somewhat, having not heard nor seen Watari enter. Perhaps she shouldn't have been daydreaming as much as she had been.

Aizawa turned to the electronically modified voice with a deep, sceptical scowl. Renee could already see where this was going. "Hey, hold on! L just said he's decided to trust us now, but honestly what reason do we have to trust him?!"

Renee glowered at him ferociously, though he hardly seemed to notice. She turned her eyes to the Chief to make a silent plea for him to say something in the detective's defence. After all, that was why she had revealed the truth to him in the first place. But the Chief wasn't looking at her, instead his eyes were focused on Watari and the laptop in the corner of the room.

"Look, L, all of us have agreed to stick our necks out here. So I hope you understand what this means," Ide readily agreed with Aizawa, though that came as little surprise. Them two were basically the epitome of Tweedle dum and Tweedle dee. "But you never have to show your face, do you? You just give the orders." Renee could feel herself growing hot as the anger burned inside her. The only reason she was remaining quiet was because this is exactly what L wanted.

"I don't see how we can work with you under these conditions!" exclaimed Aizawa, cementing the argument firmly enough for the Chief to finally add his input.

"L, if all of us are going to work together on this investigation, and if you truly meant what you said about trusting us, why don't you come here so we can all meet in person?" Renee wanted to laugh out loud at the preposterous suggestion, but figured that L could take the lead on this one.

"The thought had already crossed my mind. After all, I did say I trusted all of you." A small smile tugged at her lips at how the comment seemed to be more directed at her. Watari then turned the screen in their direction and Renee realised it was the other members' instructions. Of course she had no need to read them because she already knew where he was. There was little reason for her to stick around here any longer. From this moment forward, she would be able to wear her own clothes again, cut her own hair if she liked, and never put any more blasted make-up on her face. She felt so free.

"Right, well, you guys can hang around here and debate amongst yourselves if you like. I'm going to head out." Everyone in the room, apart from the Chief, watched her with a scrutiny that suggested she had grown two heads as she waved them off and left the room without a second glance. She wasn't prepared to listen to them second guess L for the remainder of the day, not when she could be of some real use by L's side. Plus she really wanted out of these heels.

"I'm back!" she called in a sing-song voice as she shut the hotel door behind her and kicked off her shoes.

L, for once in a very long time, wasn't sat behind his laptop screen. Instead he was perched on an armchair, occupying himself by balancing empty milk containers on top of each other with the aid of the coffee table. "Welcome home, Renee," he murmured distractedly, his mind evidently more preoccupied with the impending reveal of himself to the other Task Force members.

"Watari not back yet?" She asked, glancing around the room as if to spot him. It was a little surprising not to see him there to be honest. Watari travelled by car, whereas she went on foot. He should have arrived before her.

"Watari is organising the fake police badges for your colleagues."

"Ex-colleagues," she retorted with a shining smile. "Speaking of which, I'm going to get changed."

L watched with amusement as the young woman ran into her room, almost tripping in the process due to her over excitement. He had to admit that he was also enjoying the prospect of her become his employee again. Like he said, he wasn't very good at sharing. Though he supposed he would have no choice but to share her with the other Task Force members when they arrived. It wasn't like he could claim ownership of her entire schedule when they would all be working together to catch Kira.

A few minutes later Renee barraged out of the bedroom with the widest grin she could muster. "I'm officially free!" she shouted happily, laughing as she threw herself onto the sofa beside L's armchair. The impact sent L's tower toppling to the floor and she stared at him sheepishly as he froze, calculating the damage. "eh… sorry, L."

"Well that just won't do," he uttered dangerously, a deviously blank expression on his face. Renee was certain he was planning something.

"Please don't hurt me," she whimpered pathetically as the detective pushed himself off the armchair and stepped over to the sofa that she was currently backing up on. He paused before suddenly pouncing forwards and with a squeak, Renee fell backwards onto the floor. L looked pleased with himself as he made his way back to his own spot. "Oh no you don't!" She jumped up dramatically, wrapping her arms around his chest as she brought him back down with her. If it wasn't for the fact that she'd missed being able to be this childish, she might have grown more embarrassed about the fact they were intertwined on the floor in close proximity.

L, on the other hand, wasn't as oblivious to this fact. He couldn't help but stare into her wide chestnut eyes as she playfully pinned him to the ground. He knew that with his practice in capoeira, he could easily overpower her, and though this did provide some rather satisfying predatory responses inside him, there was also something unexpectedly provocative in being submissive. But the detective wasn't one for staying submissive for long. With a wry smirk, he swiped his leg from underneath her and switched their positions. Now she seemed to understand the gravity of the situation a little more, the rouge on her cheeks endearing the detective further. "Checkmate," he murmured in a deep voice that vibrated down to her very core, consequently causing Renee to squirm underneath him.

She honestly felt like she could throw up. L's voice was doing things to her that she previously hadn't thought possible. The sensuous nature of their position had initially gone unnoticed by her. It was only when the tables had turned did she realise her bodies reaction. What had she gotten herself into? This was much worse than the last time this had happened. This time nobody moved. "L..." she said breathlessly, though she couldn't help but be a little smug at the reaction she was getting out of the usually stoic detective. His own breaths were laboured and he looked to be holding back a great deal.

After a few more pants of breath, he seemed to make a decision as his face grew gradually closer to her own. This time she knew what to expect, their lips forming together in perfect synchronisation. L's tongue sought entrance to her mouth with hopeless abandon as Renee's daring hands curled themselves around his back. Apparently one experience was all it took for the detective to confidently take her breath away after only a brief minute.

He reluctantly pulled away, worried how much farther that could carry itself if he allowed him to succumb to bodily desire. This wasn't the right time for such frivolous frolicking. He doubted the other Task Force members would appreciate the sight as much as he would.

Renee watched with a distant, dreamy gaze as he pushed himself off the floor, a hand held out for her to take. She smiled, placing her hand in his and allowed him to pull her off the ground also. "W-well, that was abrupt."

The detective found himself smiling despite himself. "Indeed. It seems you can affect me at the most unexpected of times."

She laughed loudly, her mind forming an image of a shocked Watari opening the door to such a sight. "W-we might have to be a little more careful in future, t-though."

The detective breathed a heavy, dramatic sigh. "Yes, it would seem so." He perched himself back on the armchair he had been occupying beforehand, his thumb returning to poking at his still swollen lips. Catching her breath, Renee returned to slouching on the sofa as well. "Mm, perhaps it was a mistake to invite the Task Force here," he murmured, his black eyes smiling at her cheekily, even if his lips didn't perform the action.

If Renee had to guess, L was flirting with her? How the hell was she supposed to deal with that?! Nobody could possibly ever believe that she was a twenty three year old woman with the way she stuttered in the face of romantic gestures. "Or in that case, maybe it's a good thing they are coming here. As much as I… erm… enjoy the moments we have together… We do need to catch Kira."

"Yes, I suppose that's true." He was acting coy on purpose. These light hearted conversations had been occurring more frequently as they grew closer and they were Renee's best reminder of how human the detective actually was. It was easy to forget that L was just as capable as anyone else in having a physical attraction to someone. Renee's presence only served to ignite the flame, so to speak.

But apparently their short escapade had left Renee exhausted. It wasn't long before she had fallen asleep on the sofa, her soft snoozing catching L's attention as he attempted to rebuild his milk container tower. She had her cheek tucked neatly into the curve of her arm as it supported her head. Sometimes her eyes scrunched slightly in her sleep suggesting she may be enduring a bad dream. He was certain that she experienced these a lot more than even she was aware of. The difficulties she had been through in her life were hardly idyllic. The vulnerability she displayed only made his need to protect her stronger.

Quietly, he leaned over to the unconscious woman and placed a sweet kiss on her forehead, as he had done so many times before. Instantly her eyebrows ceased their furrowing and softened in response to his sweet gesture. L enjoyed the feeling of being able to calm her without her knowing. It was all the evidence he needed to be certain of the way she felt for him. Watari would be so pleased…

At around 11:55pm, L attempted to wake the sleeping beauty on the sofa beside him. He called her name twice to no avail so instead opted for poking her cheek. When that didn't achieve his wanted goal, he deviously planted his lips against her own. This worked well enough.

"W-what-?" The detective narrowly dodged getting head-butted in the face as she shot up from her laid position. Her cheeks were bright red again.

"The other Task Force members will be here shortly."

She nodded, still in a sleepy daze. "R-right. Wait, did you just kiss me to wake me up?"

"Well, I did try calling your name and prodding you awake. It seems kissing you is one hundred percent more effective." She laughed awkwardly, a hand reaching behind her head to scratch the back. He's going to be the death of me...

The other Task Force members arrived at the hotel room door at exactly 12:03pm. L greeted them a few metres a way, his right foot rubbing his left whilst his hand brushed through his hair. Renee could see the wide eyed stares of the police officers, and instead of getting angry at them, she smiled knowingly. This was the moment she had been looking forward to the most.

"I am L," he said simply, his eyes daring any to argue it.

The Chief's eyes narrowed ever so slightly in suspicion before searching his pockets for his police identification. She tutted to herself at the action. She could already predict what L was going to say. After the Chief had introduced himself, however, everyone else followed suit. "I'm very sorry we're late-"

"Bang!" L exclaimed, his hand held out as a child would when playing cops and robbers. She tried to muffle her laughter. The other officers hadn't noticed her yet.

"What the hell was that?!"

L hummed to himself slightly. "If I were Kira, you'd be dead Mr Soichiro Yagami of the NPA." Everyone's eyes turn fearfully wide. "Kira needs a name and a face to kill. But I'm sure you've already figured that much out, haven't you? Please do not give out your names so carelessly," L muttered, then turned around and approached the armchair once again. "Instead, let us value our lives."

Matsuda was the first to pry his eyes away from the detective and consequently the first to notice her presence. "Callie?! You're already here?!"

This was going to be fun. She waved happily, the other officers finally seeing her as well. The Chief was the only one who wasn't surprised. "Hey, guys!"

"Mm, yes, you should now all be made aware that Callie and I have been acquainted since we were young. Watari and I refer to her as Renee. She will also be returning to working with me permanently. Now, if you could place all your mobile devices on the table over there." L had just thrown an awful lot of information at the others members who still hadn't quite processed it all and were looking quite dazed.

The Chief was the first to compose himself. Matsuda on the other hand… "All this time you've known L?!"

She shrugged carelessly as if that little tidbit of information didn't even matter. "You guys shouldn't keep L waiting. You've got a lot to get through after all." Aizawa's eyes narrowed at her but he promptly put his phone on the table and sat down. It was obvious he was pissed with her. Aizawa had never been a fan of her childish nature and carefree attitude, but it seemed he now didn't trust her as well.

Sensing that this could cause a problem for L, she excused herself from the room whilst he began the initial introductions and theories. She didn't want to distract anyone from what was important and she already knew the latest on the case. Instead she opted for searching the kitchen for anything that she could use to bake for L. Of course there was an ample of ingredients and equipment available. It was now just deciding what to make and it had been too long since she'd had the opportunity. Eventually she decided on a treacle tart. That was sure to get L's taste buds watering.

Renee pulled Watari's apron over her head and got to work. She might as well fill the void of the man's absence whilst he was away.

"… During this window of only five days, Kira became aware of the FBI's presence in Japan and obviously felt threatened." L was in the process of explaining to the other Task Force members his latest theory, though admittedly his mind kept wandering to the thought that Renee's presence at this time would probably make it easier. She was much more attuned to company after all. What was she doing? "Because he didn't know any of their names or faces, he was at a disadvantage. He needed to know how much control he had over his victims before he could use it against the twelve agents. And as we all know, on December 27th…"

"All the FBI agents died," finished Aizawa, and L nodded slightly in response.

"During this period, to the best of our knowledge, at least 23 individuals died of heart attacks, but these victims were different from Kira's previous targets. They were all ex criminals, convicts or part of an ongoing investigation. So legally speaking, they were innocent." L was certain he could smell something sweet coming from the kitchen now. It seemed Renee was trying to seduce him… He enjoyed seeing her clad in flour or icing sugar as she made him dessert. She always had a habit of making a terrible mess.

I shouldn't be thinking about this right now...

"What this indicates is that Kira had to manipulate these lesser criminals in order to kill the FBI agents. He killed that many people so we would be unable to tell the decoys from those actually used." L returned his thoughts to focusing on what mattered, adding to the diagram he had made on the table to demonstrate them. "He waited 8 days so the FBI could investigate other suspects so there would be no time line linking him to their deaths. I suspect that Kira had to be one of the people being investigated by the FBI between the 14th and 19th of December. In fact I have no doubt."L shifted his position in order to grab a stack of papers he had left to the side and handed them over to Aizawa stating how they were left behind by the FBI and that Kira had to be amongst them.

"Amazing!" exclaimed Matsuda, interrupting L and instantly setting him in a foul mood. "There may only be five of us, but with this much information..."

Renee in that moment joined them in the room, and just as L expected, she had flour across her cheek, as well as what looked to be golden syrup on her fingers. His stomach growled at the prospect and his heart thumped at unexpectedly attracted to her he felt. She was going to be the death of him. "I do hope you're not missing me out in that number, Matsuda."

His hand scratched the back of his head as he fake laughed in embarrassment. "Ah, yeah, sorry about that, Callie." L took notice of how Matsuda's cheeks flamed as she walked in the room. Evidently he was having similar thoughts about Renee. He wasn't certain he liked that...

"Call her Renee, Matsuda." He retorted somewhat bitterly, still slightly aggravated with the man. Though her using that alias worried him, she wouldn't have it any other way. She was back by his side and seemed to need to tell the world such.

The mention of her name to the young officer seemed to remind him of their confusing relationship. "Oh, yeah… so can we talk about that yet?"

She shook her head after taking one glance at Aizawa. "Erm, maybe after Aizawa has handed out his instructions. He looks like he's going to burst." She wasn't wrong. Aizawa's fists were clenched and his body was trembling. Evidently he was the hot-headed one.

"Why thank you, Callie or Renee or whatever!" Definitely losing his cool. "Now, we have to split up into two teams. One team will focus on the FBI agents whilst the other looks at the heart attack victims."

They all nodded in agreement at the suggestion as they halved the papers between them.

"Does anyone have any questions?" L asked finally, stopping the others as they debated in their head.

The chief spoke first. "I do have one question, and it pertains to what you said earlier about how you hate to lose. Does the fact that you've shown your face mean that you have lost? By being here are you admitting defeat to Kira?" Renee's heart sank at the unexpectedly perceptive question. She could hear L's breath stutter slightly as well.

"That's right," he said sadly, his eyes glancing down at his bare feet curling against the armchair material. Renee took a step closer and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, which he subconsciously moved into. "By showing myself to you and sacrificing the lives of twelve FBI agents, I have lost the battle. But I'm not going to lose the war." She smiled at his determined tone, knowing that was much more like the L she knew. "This is the first time I've ever put my life on the line. I want to show Kira that we are all willing to risk our lives if that's what it takes – and that justice will prevail no matter what." The panda smile she found so adorable made an appearance and Renee had to look away to stop herself from showing the others how it affected her.

There were shouts of agreement from each of the other members as they concurred with L's statement. It seemed they were finally beginning to understand L and trust him a little more. She was grateful for this as becoming violently protective of him against her ex-colleagues would grow tiresome in the end.

"Though I still have a question," interrupted Matsuda, everyone in the room turning to the bashful young man. "How do you and, erm... Renee, know each other?"

L paused, glancing to the woman in question who seemingly was unaware that her hand still lay on his shoulder. Renee returned the stare as they exchanged a silent conversation. It seemed they both agreed that revealing a little more wouldn't be detrimental. Though he nodded for her to take the lead.

"Okay, so I'll just get straight to it then so you can all stop staring at me with those confusing expressions on your face. L and I grew up in the same place. No, I won't tell you where. When I was twelve, I helped L on a case. Something happened and we parted ways. He came back when I was eighteen and we worked together for a few years. Something happened and I left. I came to Japan and joined the NPA. The Kira case happened and now me and L are working together again. Okay? That's that. Now can we focus on the Kira case?" For a long while they continuously gaped at her, all their mouths hanging open. Eventually they nodded mutely and she smiled in thanks. "Good."

"Let's do this, Ryuzaki!" Aizawa exclaimed, already fiddling with the files in front of him.

L cringed slightly as he felt Renee's gaze bore into his back. He braced himself for the backlash. "Ryuzaki? You're making them call you Ryuzaki?" Her voice feigned calmness but he knew how temperamental she could be.

She ignored the questioning glances from the other officers in her frustration, but L was much more aware. "Perhaps we can discuss this later?" He asked calmly, gesturing to the company they were in.

"There's nothing to discuss," she immediately retorted, her hands on her hips. "There's no way I'm calling you Ryuzaki." L sighed quietly. It seemed they were have their first official argument as a… couple? That hardly seemed right. When it became clear that L wasn't going to say anything else on the matter, Renee turned around exasperated. "You're lucky I have a treacle tart to finish." L perked up at the mention of the sweet dessert, his mouth already salivating in anticipation. He just hoped she was feeling kind enough to give him it later. "We'll speak later, L." With that final word, she returned to the kitchen, leaving L with the inquisitive stares of the other detectives.

Matsuda seemed as if he was about to ask what that was about before L immediately shut him down. "No, I will not elaborate further on the topic of Renee's outburst. We should focus on the Kira case. Speaking of which, I'll need to speak to each of you individually so I can be certain that none of you is Kira." Without allowing them time to protest, the detective rose from his seat and hunched his way towards the window, staring out at the dimly lit streets of Japan. He could barely hear the others talking about him, his mind focusing on how he only needed one decisive factor to discover Kira's identity. Once he found it, he'd pursue it ferociously and would refuse to back down. He was certain Renee would help with that… provided she didn't remain angry at him of course. Though he doubted she would. He knew how to get on her good side by now.

After L had finished interrogating the Task Force members one-on-one, there was no doubt in his mind that Kira wasn't among them. None of them fit the profile of Kira, and though he didn't mean to be rude, none of them were particularly smart enough. Mogi was the last he interviewed before gathering them together in preparation for Watari's arrival. It wasn't long before they had all been handed their new police identification, as well as the belts that worked in a similar fashion to Renee's watch. The whole time she had remained in the kitchen, which was mildly worrying to him. Therefore, as soon as he got the chance, he cautiously approached her self-appointed sanctuary and went inside, leaving the others members with Watari to get to work on the FBI profiles. No doubt they would be retiring for the evening soon enough… or should he say for the morning? It was already the early hours after all.

For a few minutes, he was content to just watch her. She was making the finishing touches to a carefully prepared treacle tart, the aroma entering him into a trance. Eventually she recognised his presence and arched an eyebrow at his silence. Realising this was his cue to speak, he walked over to a stool and crouched precariously on top, eyeing the treacle tart in front of him.

She rolled her eyes before cutting him a slice and pushing it closer towards him. "Thank you," he mumbled, tucking into the treat with the fork that had been laid on the side.

Renee smiled kindly as his eyes lit up at the taste. It was pathetic that all it took was a small smile from him for her to forget any annoyance that had previously plagued her. "I take it Watari's returned then?" she asked, pulling the apron over her head as she walked over to the sink to clean herself up.

"Mm, yes, he has provided the officer's with the items as well," the detective replied with a mouthful of food muffling the words.

Renee paused her ministrations in washing herself, debating whether to even bother bringing up the topic of his name. She knew she had to, however. She had to make him understand why she couldn't call him Ryuzaki. "L, I trust you know that I won't be calling you Ryuzaki."

L glanced up at the woman whose back was currently facing him, making it impossible for him to fully determine her emotions. Though it was obvious she was trying to conceal her vulnerability on this topic. "I suppose I can live with that."

Renee shot her head round at his unexpected submission. He hadn't put up a fight at all. "You seriously don't mind?"

He released a breath as he returned the fork to the kitchen counter. "The only reason I ask the other's to call me Ryuzaki in private company is because I cannot trust them to not extend that courtesy in public. I trust you completely, Renee."

She grinned helplessly, the room all of a sudden becoming very warm as her heart thundered against her chest and a fire lit in the pit of her stomach. "If you say things like that, I might just kiss you."

It was the detective's turn to smirk. "I just might not be opposed to that."

Renee dried her hands on a nearby clean tea towel before slowly making her way over to the detective, a teasing glint in her eye. Feeling far more confident than she usually would in this situation, Renee placed both of her hands on either side of L's face, stroking his cheek gently and then pressed her lips against his much more forcefully than either was used to. This created an all new sensation that caused the detective to release a small moan. Renee whimpered as his tongue demanded entrance and she could taste the treacle tart on his lips, her knees becoming weak at the thought.

"Ahem." A small cough dragged them out of their revelry. Renee instantly pushed herself away from the detective at the sight of Watari's overly pleased smile. Her face burnt up far more than she thought previously possible, though he hardly seemed affected at all. "I just came to tell you that everyone is preparing to return to their homes, but it seems I walked in at an inopportune time. I apologise."

"It's quite all right, Watari. We may have gotten a little distracted. I'll see them out." The detective jumped off the stool and exited the kitchen to ensure the other's left with nothing but themselves.

Renee was still in shock, and the knowing glance her mentor was giving her wasn't helping matters. Honestly, it irked her all the more that L was in no way bothered that they had been caught, and yet at the same time it was completely attractive. Her hormones were evidently schizophrenic. "What?" she said blankly, attempting to play off the situation just as the detective had done.

Watari wasn't fooled. "I see that you and L have grown even closer."

She turned her back to the man in a vain attempt to hide her constant blushing, preoccupying herself by wiping down the sides that she'd left a complete mess. "I suppose we have." Renee really didn't want to be having this conversation with a man she considered a father figure. It was so uncomfortable.

"Words cannot describe how happy I am for you both." Quickly her attention returned to her mentor whose eyes seemed to be watering, his voice wavering in elation. "Just please… take care of one another." Renee stopped cleaning and ran to the man before bringing him into a tight hug. She'd never seen him this way before. "I won't be around forever. I'm glad that he has someone to take care of him now." Of course that would have been a big concern of his over the years. If L hadn't taken an interest in the Kira case, Renee might never have reunited with him and L would have stayed alone. That would mean…

"Don't say things like that," she finally muttered, tucking her head further into the material of his tidy shirt. "You've got plenty of life in you yet." She didn't want to even consider Watari's demise if she was honest. The thought of losing another father…

Although Watari wanted to point out that he was an ageing man, he didn't want to upset his prodigy further so instead opted for holding her close for a little longer.

L walked in on the scene with a confused expression. He could feel the elevated emotions and questioned whether he should just leave and allow them their moment. Before he could decide, however, Renee spotted him and pulled herself away from Watari with a watery smile.

"Well, I think I'm going to head to bed. I'm pretty sure I'll only manage a few hours sleep but it's better than nothing." The detective inclined his head to show he understood and allowed her to pass him, but not before she gave one last longing glance in his direction.

For a moment after she left he remained stood in the doorway, his hands firmly in his Jean pockets as he debated what to do next. Apparently his mentor had decided for him. "Well, aren't you going to wish her goodnight?" L wasn't certain, but he had a feeling he was hinting at something else. The detective had already made his mind up.

Silently he shuffled into the living room and picked up the files left by the Task Force. They had already done much of the work but L figured he could finish the rest in Renee's room. He was certain she wouldn't mind.

Feigning a bravery he didn't feel, L knocked on her bedroom door and awaited a response. Before they entered, what society may deem, a romantic relationship, he would have entered her room without a second thought and without knocking. But it seemed that being attracted to someone came with a whole new set of boundaries when in the process of courting.

"Come in!" a voice finally called from the other side, and L complied. Suddenly the air felt really think as Renee stared at the detective in curiosity. Why was he in her room? Why wasn't he saying anything? Could he really know that she wanted him nearby?

Eventually the detective found the willpower to speak. "I couldn't help but notice the way your eye wandered to me before exiting the kitchen." He paused for a millisecond as his free hand reached his mouth, his thumb brushing against his lips in what may be considered a nervous gesture, despite sounding completely composed. "I came to the conclusion that perhaps you had grown used to sleeping by my side and found comfort in our close proximity." He wouldn't admit it, but he enjoyed it too. "If you wish it, I brought my work with me and I could-"

"Yes," was her short answer, cutting off his long winded explanation that he seemed to be gradually getting more nervous with, putting him out of his misery. She chuckled at her own unexpected brashness. "Thank you," she muttered tenderly as she climbed into the queen sized bed that was far too large for a single person.

L remained stock still at first, content to watch her climb into the bed. He wasn't oblivious to the suggestive connotations of them sharing a room possessed, but there was only Watari left in the hotel room and he was certain that his long lasting companion would only be pleased with the development, even if the copulation was not to take place.

"Usually I wouldn't mind the blank staring, L, but considering the circumstances it's a little unnerving." The sound of her voice snapped him back to the present and allowed him the initiative to move forwards and perch himself on the bed beside her, laying the files out in front of him. He had little doubt that the other investigators would be back soon after a short nap at their homes and therefore felt the need to finish before they did so. He was oblivious to Renee admiring him from her sprawled position. "You look cute when you're concentrating," she muttered tiredly, catching the detective's attention.

"I'm always concentrating."

She smiled warmly. "Yeah, I know."

Although he didn't show it, L felt his his insides warm at her kind words. He was starting to believe that feeling this pleasant constantly was illegal. Why had he waited so long for this to be a reality? Why hadn't he stopped her from leaving? And why did everything have to come together on the most dangerous case of his career?

Once he could hear the evening of Renee's breathing as she snoozed peacefully beside him, he reached out and clutched her hand in his. This time for his own comfort.