May I advertise the works of my wonderful friend Dotti55, she has recently begun writing and her stories are well worth the read. I hope that you will take some time to go and read them.

A/N; Right, a little slower in updating than I hoped, but I've been busy revising and working on my final year report. Final year at university is quite something I can tell you.

Please Read and Review!

Chapter 9

With a small smile adorning his face at the trio's antics at breakfast L made his way back towards the bedroom. He was surprised the trio knew so much about the going's on at Wammy's, even he hadn't known everything and that was with the head teacher, now Wammy not Roger, as his main informant. However he knew his heirs were not the sort to sit on their laurels, they would of course keep up a careful watch on Wammy's. Not only because of the incident with Beyond and all the horror that had caused, no-one wanted a repeat of any of that, and the search for an heir, or heirs, was always continuing.

With a sharp tug he pulled his still packed suitcase from underneath the bed, and dumped it on top of the duvet. For a second he looked through the contents of the case, smiling wanly at the shirts of other colours than white that Light had snuck in at some point, he had yet to get L to wear anything other than his usual outfit for any length of time.

"Oh Light," L said with a quiet laugh, "Still not given up on instilling your dress sense on me?"

Deciding to relent a little on the fashion front, he did the case up again, dragged it into the adjoining walk in wardrobe and began unpacking all that he had brought with him. It still didn't feel comfortable to be using the space without Light present, it just felt wrong somehow. Yet he knew if he didn't unpack Wammy would end up telling his partner. Somehow the two of them hand lines of communication even he didn't know of, and exactly the same feelings when it came to disorder. It was most disconcerting at times.

His thoughts ceased though as the box containing Light's gift was finally visible. He stared at it for a moment, but he knew he couldn't truly resist. So he opened it and tipped the collar out onto his hand. With the gentlest of touches he ran his fingers over the soft, white leather; their smooth journey hindered only by the silver clasp and the small silver rings concealed in the leather that were only just visible; he could only guess at what Light planned to do with them in the future. He had worn it only once, but he remembered its counterpart well; part of him hoped Light would continue with what they had done in the past. Yet now he had told Light what he wanted... L sighed into the quiet of the small room... he couldn't help feeling more than a little apprehensive. He shivered so suddenly it shocked him and he pushed the collar back into the box and shoved it onto a shelf. Yes he was apprehensive, but it was in oh such a good way, but he had come here to work. Such distractions just wouldn't do. Particularly when they woke in him the ever present need to touch Light and to feel Light touch him, and... with a sound of displeasure he turned his back on the collar.

He turned his attentions back to his unpacking, successfully distracting himself, if not from his partner then from the collar, by marvelling at the bright array of colours that Light had thought he might suddenly choose to wear. He didn't want to wear any of them, he was happy with his white shirts.

He was brought out of his reverie by the sudden sound of music from the bedroom, the noise startling him as he realised it was his mobile phone. He frowned in puzzlement as he wondered who could be calling him at this time of the morning, but already a growing suspicion made him think the object of his thoughts had decided to check on him. L smiled and made his way hurriedly back into the bedroom and picked up the phone. His smile broadened as he saw the caller I.D. as he answered.

"Hello."

"Daddy!"

The sudden happy exclamation went straight to his heart and L's smile softened.

"Hello Eleanor," L said, his voice quiet, "How are you?"

"I'm good," Eleanor replied, still sounding her usual happy self, before adding in a more subdued tone, "I miss you though."

"I miss you too," L sighed, trying to keep his tone calm even while he longed to give the forlorn sounding girl a hug, "But it won't be long till I come home. This does give you a chance to get Dad to spoil you rotten."

He smiled as he heard her giggle on the end of the phone, and as she became just slightly louder the laughter not as forced as it had been, he knew Light must have managed to catch what he had said. He could only imagine the look his partner must have had on his face then.

"Are you going to buy me a present?" Eleanor asked suddenly, and it dawned on L how much she was his and Light's daughter. She knew precisely how to get what she wanted.

"Only if you ask nicely," L retorted, unable to resist teasing her just a little bit.

"Please!" The sudden volume and the following giggle made L hold the phone just that bit further away from his ear. It was quite a shock, though he knew he should have expected it.

"That was rather loud, I'm not sure I caught that," L said, deciding to continue with his little game, it seemed to be amusing her. He forced back a laugh as he heard a sigh from the other end of the phone; it was rather funny to hear one of Light's sighs of annoyance from her.

"Please could you buy me a present daddy?" Eleanor said, her voice filled with pleading, and L could just see the pleading look on her face, but then she continued, "Because you're so far away and I don't like it, it's not the same without you here."

"Then of course I will," L replied, wondering if he was agreeing all too easily, but she did sound as if she missed him more than he and Light had anticipated. He heard the sound of quiet conversation on the other end of the phone and he briefly wondered what was going on.

"I've gotta go help Uncle Jason with breakfast," Eleanor said suddenly, "bye bye Daddy."

He heard the sound of rustling which could only mean that that Eleanor had passed the phone to Light. For a moment all was silence, and L sat there waiting for Light to speak.

"You put the most evil ideas into her head," Light said suddenly, "I thought I was going to have a pleasant week. However, it seems I was mistaken."

"I'd hardly call advising her in the best way to utilise the situation as 'evil'," L laughed, "And you have to admit she already has the both of us wrapped around her little finger."

"Well she certainly has you wrapped around her little finger," Light retorted with a laugh, then he sighed, "and I suppose I am as well. Oh, she acted as my alarm clock this morning, I don't know where she gets the energy."

"As your alarm clock?" L queried, though he had a feeling that he already knew the answer. He bit back a laugh, he wanted Light to tell him first.

"Yes," Light sighed, "Instead of the sound of the alarm clock I was woken by her pleasant voice saying Dad repeatedly."

L could almost feel the frown through the phone as he laughed, but it really was too funny.

"So, what do you have planned for the day?" Light asked, and it brought L's laughter back under sharp control.

"I'm talking to the trio about the case," L sighed, his smile leaving him now as well, "They were here for breakfast Light. They somehow though that now I was returning to the UK I had some thoughts to taking back the caseload-"

"What?" Light exclaimed, sounding totally shocked, "Why did they still think that?"

"I believe it's because of how much they respect me," L sighed, "Part of them still doesn't think they are up to the task."

"Surely the last three years of success would be enough for them?" Light said, still sounding puzzled.

"I also assumed it would have until today," L replied, "I don't think this will be coming up again though."

"I'm glad to hear it," Light commented with a small laugh, "the thought of the trio being so worried about something like that is worrying for me..."

L frowned as Light trailed off, and there was the sound of a sudden heartfelt sigh from his partner.

"I miss you as well L," Light said quietly, his voice nearly a whisper and L's frown deepened at the sadness in his lover's voice. It made his own heartache and he couldn't have that today, he had too much to face, but he also couldn't feel angry at Light for admitting this to him; it was just a sign of how much of the past few years they had spent together.

"Don't tell me you're after a present as well," L managed to reply, attempting humour, but even through his amused tone his voice wavered slightly.

"Oh I don't see why not," Light laughed. He still sounded sad, but it wasn't like it had been before, he only hoped that Light didn't think he was cheapening or ignoring his emotions by not saying anything about them now. He wasn't, and he doubted Light really thought that, but he couldn't focus on it. If he did his own loneliness about being away from those he loved the most would threaten to hit him and he didn't want that, not with what he had to face today.

"You better get me something really special," Light's voice cut across L's thoughts and he froze, he had no choice, the tone of voice had been one of pure seductive promise. He knew for sure now that Light definitely wasn't upset with him in any way. He was saved in having to reply as Eleanor's voice sounded on the line.

"Jason has sent me to tell you that breakfast is getting cold," Eleanor said, obviously trying to be stern but failing with the small giggle she couldn't help but add at the end.

"Ah, we can't have that now can we," Light said, and then his voice was directed at L again, "as you can hear I have to go. Goodbye L."

"Bye," L managed, before the line was cut and he was left standing alone once more. He brought the mobile close to his chest then, almost as if he could reach through and ease the pain he felt there now. Then he realised just what this week would hold for Light now that he wasn't there and L laughed, it was worth being this far away just to see what his cunning little daughter could come up. He certainly hoped she would make the most of it. "At least I hope you do." L added with another laugh.

...

The trio sat at the large table strewn with papers, sunlight streaming through the nearby windows making the images shine far too brightly, but they ignored them. Unlike L they had seen them at a much older age, and they had the ability to shield themselves from the disgusting sight before them. They also knew that by working on this case they could catch this killer and give the people in those images some semblance of justice. As Mello had so aptly put it, they would be introducing the monster to Light.

"I'm still not sure how we should do this," Mello sighed, "Shoving all these notes right under his nose could bring it all back too quickly. I don't want to hurt him with this."

"It's the only way," Near said in reply, "this way makes it seem like any other case. If we talk to the logical side of L then the emotional side of him shouldn't have time to take over."

"This isn't so much about his emotional side," Matt commented, "It's about his childhood fears. I think what's worrying Mello is whether he will react the same way as you do when confronted with heights."

Near sighed in acknowledgement he knew that Matt spoke the truth, there really was no way to do this that didn't have the potential to hurt L. Yet it had to be done, L had agreed with this, without L the possibility of catching the killer was significantly lower. They couldn't have that.

All three of them looked up as the door to the room they had procured opened and L strode in, he looked far more confident than they expected. Perhaps they were worrying too much. In silence L sat at the table across from them, knees drawn up to his chest as he simply looked over at them, eyes not straying once down to the documents arranged on the table.

"This is your case," L said eventually, "Where do you want to start?"

It was as if the ice had broken and the tension the trio had felt vanished, there was no need to worry at all, before them was the L they thought of so fondly. Here was the detective that they had idolised in their young childhood and grown to love as they grew up. They had been blinded by the emotional side he had shown around them and Light in recent years. How had they forgotten that L must have seen worse than this? He had grown up being strictly logical and he had continued on despite this case.

"These are the documents we think you saw," Mello said, leaning forward to push one of the stacks towards L slightly, "however they were in a deplorable state when we received them and we have no idea if they are all there or if this is what you remember."

There was no question about asking L if he would remember, his memory was impeccable about things like this. Even if he had forgotten the case now it had been brought up again he would most likely remember each document with unerring accuracy.

They watched in silence as L calmly scanned through every document and cast his eyes over every picture, a slight frown forming on his face as he saw the pictures, but nothing more. He seemed to be coping.

"This was everything?" L asked.

"Yes, Near replied, "That's all we received about the old cases."

"Have you tried matching up the police reports here from all the officers involved with the officers who died?" L murmured, "I think at least one of them is missing."