L's Wife
It is the month of November, year 2003, just weeks before KIRA!
As they entered into the month of November, everything was calm, L went occasionally to give help or advice to certain cases here and there but nothing had truly caught his attention. There were currently no cases that picked at his brain, no cases that he had to put cerebral effort into or that elicited a strong sense of justice that was within him. But L was also currently enjoying his wife, with the pregnancy being a new experience for both of them, they kept busy reading information about it and L was convinced that it had to be one of the most complicated and dangerous things women had to go through. There were an endless number of possibilities of something going horribly wrong. It almost seemed that the sacrifice might outweigh the benefit, but he reminded himself that the "benefit" was his child, his and Acelia's. And while his wife was content and glowing even, he couldn't help but notice that she seemed a little apprehensive. Usually Acelia was calm and well reasoned but lately she would start getting jumpy for no reason at all, and when he left the house, a dark shadow would come over her face.
At first he thought that perhaps the pregnancy was making her worried, but whenever the topic came up she was genuinely cheerful and exuberant about it. Then he began to suspect that she was worried about him leaving. In the past she had been worried before, but never to this degree. It was highly unusual. She knew it was essential for him to get "his hands dirty" and work on highly dangerous and difficult cases. She had never begrudged him for leaving in the years they had been together; it was a normal part of their relationship. He had to figure this out before he went on an extended work period.
His wife was right when she told him that he was married to work and to her. Whenever a case came up, it completely consumed him and his time; even in his head he would put her on the back burner. He knew it was a cruel thing to do, but he was who he was. In fact, he knew himself so well he'd always thought he would live a life of bachelorhood, but Acelia married him, knowing full well how he was. And so whenever he had periods like these, in between cases, his time went wholly to her, the woman that not only tolerated his eccentricities, but accepted them. So that is why, while he still had the chance, he wanted to figure out what was bothering her.
Acelia was coming back from her walk around the neighborhood when she spotted L waiting for her on the front steps of their home. She liked to take walks in the midday because it wasn't so crowded in the streets and the sun was warm, even in this chilling weather.
"How was your walk?" L asked once she started climbing the stairs.
"It was nice, I picked up some books from the library" Acelia wanted to start reading to her child and had picked up some children's books to read to the baby, even though she was barely two months pregnant.
"Reading to the little bean already?"
"Yes, this little bean is going to be read to, daily. This is my wish, that my child be well read and exposed to the joys of literature." She smiled at the nick name L used for their child.
"Well, so long as little bean also gets exposed to the joys of sweets I don't mind."
"L, I don't think giving a child sugar would be such a good idea. Do you really want to deal with a hyper child?" She laughed as she got a mental image of a toddler running circles around L.
"No child of mine would be hyper. He would simply use the sugar to fuel his brain, and perhaps use that energy to outsmart us both to cause masterful havoc." L smiled mischievously and Acelia was starting to worry that if it did end up that way, she'd be dealing with two geniuses bent on getting their way. She could picture it now, L and their child scheming away. Oh, what had she gotten herself into?
Once she had put the books near her reading nook, she went into the kitchen to get a cup of water. As she sat down, that feeling came over her again. That horrible sense of foreboding, it was made worse because she couldn't rationally explain why she was feeling the way she was.
She looked up and saw that L was studying her intently, and she gulped. He usually reserved that look for when he was trying to figure out a case, but right now it was zeroed in on her.
She sighed, there was no way she was going to be able to escape this little interrogation.
"Acelia"
His voice was firm and kind all at the same time. She wanted to tell him how she was feeling, but she couldn't even explain her feelings to herself internally, how was she supposed to explain this to him?
"Yes?"
He gave her a knowing look, a look that said "you know what I am asking".
Just as she was about to open her mouth to try and explain what she was feeling, her phone went off and she tried her best to hide her relief.
"Hello?"
"This is Watari speaking."
"Oh, hello Uncle" L looked up and gave her a curious look, she just shrugged, she didn't know why Watari was calling her.
"I have a favor to ask, but you need not accept. Do not feel that you must accept in any way."
"I'm sure whatever you want me to do, I'll gladly do it for you Uncle." She genuinely meant that, Watari meant so much to both her and L, he was really a part of their family seeing as they had no other family to speak of.
"Well, it would seem that Mello and Near need some time apart from each other. I have tried to keep them occupied, especially Mello but I am afraid they have come to blows."
"Oh no, what happened?" L was moving close to her trying to get into a better hearing range.
"Mello is in a temper, and Near won't say what happened. But I found them fighting, it seems even Near was growing weary and his patience ran out for a bit."
"Are you saying Near was actually fighting back, and violently?" She was a bit shocked, but it sort of made sense.
"Yes, which brings me to the reason I called. Would it be alright with you if I sent Near to be with you for a bit? Not for very long, just so they can be separated for a while."
Acelia looked at L and knew he had heard. L simply nodded.
"Sure, that shouldn't be a problem. We can pick him up if you'd like-" Before she could finish, L grabbed the phone.
"Watari, its fine, Near can come and stay with us." Then L hung up the phone. He turned to Acelia, her phone still in his hand.
"Acelia, we need to talk about you. Watari will undoubtedly be coming over soon, and with Near here I know you will use him as a shield to avoid this conversation."
"Its not that I don't want to tell you, it just that I can't. L, you know that I am perfectly fine with the line of work you do, it's a part of who you are and I never want that to be taken away from you." L nodded, he was quiet and looked at her to continue.
"It's just that lately, I've had this horrible fear creeping up on me. I have thought it over and over in my head, there is no logical reason for me to be afraid but I am."
"What are you afraid of?"
"I don't know, but it's related to your work. I know you're extremely careful. Heck, I know that no one that you work with, besides Watari knows who you are, or what you look like. But this feeling keeps nagging at me." She came close to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. Acelia looked at him and she allowed herself to show that unfounded fear that was lying within her.
"Just be careful." L looked at his wife, she had always wished him well, but this was the first time she told him to be careful. She may have felt that her fears were unfounded but L knew his wife was a perceptive woman with a good intuition. He trusted her judgment.
He nodded and promised her he'd be careful, and he would be. They dropped the subject after that, Acelia was no longer willing to talk about it.
Instead she went to the guest room to prepare it for Nate, relieved to have someone else in the house to distract L from reading into her too much.
The doorbell rang twenty minuets later, and as L opened the door he saw a passive Watari with a quiet Nate right beside him. A duffle bag and a backpack were all that Near had brought with him.
"So Watari, what's this really all about? Are you conspiring with my wife and helping her supply Intel to certain FBI and MS-13. I'm pretty sure that's why Near is here. She's cracking a code and needs a little help now."
"L if you are aware, why ask me? Just let Acelia know that you know what she's up to."
"Ah, but there's not much fun in that, its cute how she tries to be discrete around me. Especially since I have a lot of time on my hands right now, I've learned just how involved my little wife is in all this detective business." L wasn't particularly upset; it just reminded him how busy he's been in the past without an extended break. Besides, he didn't tell Acelia all the details about what he was doing, it was only fair that she be allowed to do the same.
Near greeted L with a small nod and looked down the hallway just as Acelia was making her way to the front door.
"Nate! It's going to be so much fun having you over. Come, let's get you settled into your room." She dragged Near along with his things and they were halfway to the guest room before she stopped and waved to Watari. Then she resumed her march along with Near.
"Your wife has been worried about you lately. She's called me and I found it very strange. You're really on break aren't you?"
"Watari, I have really been doing nothing. But yes, she has been worried, perhaps the pregnancy is making her act strangely."
"No, I do not believe it is. Just trust her instincts, women have a great intuition. Besides, I can't help but feel this is the calm before the storm. But it could just be that I'm getting older." Watari smiled gently, and L felt a great warmth for this man, this man who was both a father and a mentor to him.
"Perhaps"
"Oh and Mello and Near really did have a fight."
"I'm sure, and it's the perfect excuse to get her co-conspirator here." L smirked and said his goodbyes to Watari.
A/N
Reaching canon time period soon. Yeah.