A/N: Thanks to Canada Syrup and KazeNoSasayaki2494 for the lovely, lovely reviews.. ; I'll try to repay you with more LxLira…hehe…but for now, It'll be more about Near and Lira…lol…I just have to get him more into the story…I'm feeling a bit L-like at the moment…I think someone really wants me to overdose on sugary stuff TT….oh, and did I mention I love David Cook? (ok, that was completely necessary hits self on the head)
Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. I wish I do.
--Chapter 9--
--Acceptance--
Lira and L left the room and started searching for Matt and Mello. Mr. Wammy could have taken them in his office to play and that worried the two. The children were not exactly careful and might cause mayhem in the poor old man's office or as L had put it they might "drive Watari up the wall". They reached the landing of the stair leading to the ground floor of the orphanage and walked down the corridor leading to the director's office. Lira extended her hand and slowly turned the door knob, slightly closing her eyes ready for any sudden outburst of an angry Mr. Wammy or a complete mess that will lead eventually to the former. But what met Lira's eyes surprised her the most. Mello was sitting on a chair munching contentedly on a large bar of chocolate and Matt was on the floor facing the television playing a game on an Atari (A/N: it's a really old gaming console using only a joystick as control for those who do not know). Mr. Wammy smiled at the sight of the two and beckoned them to enter his office.
"They – they didn't cause anything wrong, did they?" Lira asked the smiling old man.
"No. They were a bit hyperactive at first but they calmed down eventually," Mr. Wammy said.
"Where did you get that?" Lira asked pointing at the gaming console.
"It has been in my office for a while now. I received it as a gift from a friend and I really don't have time to play with it but I think Matt has put it into good use. I might consider giving it to him," Mr. Wammy said.
"Nah, don't spoil him," Lira pouted.
"So, the men already left, did they?" Mr. Wammy asked.
"Yes. I just had a little talk with them about Near's mom and then they left," Lira answered indifferently.
"So you're going to fetch them now?" Mr. Wammy said gesturing towards the children.
"I suppose so," Lira said and called the children towards her. After making the kids thank Mr. Wammy, the adolescents and the children made to leave the old man's office when the man held up his hand to stop Lira.
"I want a word with you, if you please, Shadow," The use of the underground nickname made Lira sense that the conversation would be a serious one.
"Alright then. L, can you please take them upstairs? It won't take long," Lira asked L and the boy merely nodded before ushering the kids outside and shutting the office door as quietly as he can.
Lira strode to where Mr. Wammy was, sitting on his chair behind a large table stacked with papers and a computer on one side. The old man motioned for Lira to sit down and gestured to the papers and folders stacked before him, smiling as he did so.
"These are all case requests for L," he stated.
"They know he's someone from the orphanage?" Lira asked. If they know he was someone in the orphanage, then the secrecy is not very good.
"Oh, no. Not at all. They were sent to a P.O. Box and I just send someone to pick them up at random times a week. L is never discovered in any way," Mr. Wammy assured Lira.
"Oh, I thought they knew about him being somewhere in here," Lira muttered and Mr. Wammy chuckled.
"Don't worry so much. I think this is what L calls your motherly attitude," The old man smiled warmly at the girl before him.
"Well, I can't help it! And I hate the way that L calls it that way," Lira defended herself.
"Well, then. I wanted to ask you something," Mr. Wammy said in a serious tone.
"Is it about something the men who came here?" Lira asked in a monotone voice.
"You really are a smart girl," Mr. Wammy smiled.
"They went to get Near," Lira answered indifferently.
"And you did not let them?"
"No I didn't"
"Why?"
"Near is mine"
"I can't understand what you mean but, alright then, let's overlook that. Go on"
"They're from a society. Near's mother was named Eleanor River. She was a member of their society but I think she betrayed them or something and they went looking for her. I think that when they found out that she was dead, they decided to take out their grudge on Near so they went in and tried to take him," Lira related her thoughts to the old man before her. The warm atmosphere she feels whenever she's around him makes her comfortable about telling him almost anything.
"I don't know what made you guess that but you're right. They are from a society of spies and assassins. They are sent here to get Near as much as I know. And Eleanor did betray them in some way. No, they did not tell me that. I, like you, did my own guesswork and I fortunately know about their society. Having children who may someday be detectives and all kinds of undercover geniuses make me obliged to know about underground societies. Tell me then, how do you feel about them?"
"I don't like them in the slightest"
"Why is that?"
"They're so rude and they think someone like me is unfit to keep a proper conversation with them. They treat me like a child," Lira replied much like a child telling her father about bullies at school.
"People really tend to be near-sighted when it comes to age gap. What did you do then?"
"They turned their backs on me while I was speaking so I sent a fruit knife flying on their direction and they listened to me then," Lira said and this made Mr. Wammy laugh.
"So they eventually listened to you. So, how did you make them decide for Near to stay?" The old man asked with interest.
"I made a deal with them. I told them that they will have Near if the house decides to fire him. You know, when he does not show any potential of being a genius. They don't want to believe me then so I told them Near's real name as proof that I was sincere and they still doubted that I gave them something fake so I told them that If I was lying they can have me in their full service once I leave this place," Lira answered with a little edge in her voice.
"You were very brave to do that, I must say. And you care so much for Near," Mr. Wammy said.
"I don't know. I just want to keep Near here," Lira answered sheepishly.
"I know how you feel. Do you think it's not hard to keep a child of a Mafia member?" Mr. Wammy said, ruffling Lira's hair.
"What do you mean?" Lira asked bemused.
"You don't know of course, but your dad was a Mafia member. He got killed because he betrayed them, and you ended up in here. I also made a similar deal with them about you. You and Near are in the same boat," Mr. Wammy explained.
"But – dad never told me," Lira said in a shaking voice.
"Of course, he will not tell you. He doesn't want you to get scared or anything. He wants you to have a great memory of him. I am afraid that I might stain that memory now," the old man said.
"I – don't worry Mr. Wammy. You did not ruin my memory of my dad in any way. I have enough good memories of him to live by and knowing that he is a member of the Mafia does not change anything," Lira said and smiled.
"I am glad to hear that. Well, you better leave now. L and the kids are waiting for you. Also, I think Near needs a bit of time to meet his 'family'," Mr. Wammy said with a significant smile.
"You mean, I can take Near out of the nursery?" Lira asked with glee.
"Of course I have given the nurse instructions to let you take Near out for sometime. But, remember to take him back before night comes," Mr. Wammy smiled warmly. And Lira, after giving a hasty 'thank you' left the office at once.
The door of the room opened and L was the one who welcomed Lira in the room because the two boys were busy playing a video game. The boy's eyes widened when he saw that Lira was carrying a bundle in her arms.
"It's him?" L asked indicating the bundle in Lira's arms.
"Stop referring to children as if they are objects for sale at a department store, and, yes, it's Near. Mr. Wammy has finally allowed me to take him out for sometime," Lira explained and sat on the couch where the two children stopped playing their videogame and sat on either side of Lira to get a better look at the baby in her arms.
"Yay! Mom and dad had a baby already!" Matt exclaimed gawping at the baby. Lira flinched at the boy's statement.
"What makes you think we've had a baby!" Lira asked Matt with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, you guys kissed didn't you? And in the movies, after the guy and girl kissed, they'll have a baby," Matt answered twiddling his fingers and grinning all the while.
"Well, I'm glad you haven't learned a lot from my movie collection," Lira snorted.
"What do you mean?" both kids asked.
"Well, the baby is not ours. Mere kissing won't make any girl pregnant," Lira explained.
"What? But in the movies – ," Mello began but he was cut off by Lira.
"Well, we can't have a baby because L and I have never even –," this time, Lira was cut off with a glare from L as the boy raised his index finger and placed it against his lips. A command of silence. Lira gulped and nodded to show that she understood.
"We haven't even slept together," Lira finished. And both children nodded though they did not really know what their 'parents' were talking about.
The rest of the day was spent fussing about or playing with Near. Not that Near was a toy or anything but Lira liked the fact that the kid was a little too hard to please. The kid showed little amounts of emotions she was forcefully reminded of L and she vaguely wondered whether L was like that ever since he was a baby. However, someone does not think he likes the idea of a new and younger member in their 'family'. Mello thought that Near's appearance will make him neglected by his 'parents', maybe even L, who at least showed him more care than Lira mainly because he was under L's care. Acceptance of the new 'family' member will be hard for Mello, that's for sure.
A/N (set in bold so that you will read!): I have kidnapped a chapter of this fanfic and will delay it's publish until I get a ransom…Yes, remember the chapter that was halfway finished I had mentioned last time? Well, I'm kidnapping it and I will be very willing to delay it's publish until I get my ransom. I want to have at least 20 comments before that chapter and I would just have to write several other chapters before it. What does it contain, you may ask? The title of the chapter is "The Problem With L" featuring a fluffy, fluffy LxLira scene concerning confessions…yadda,yadda,yadda…. So, I'm kidnapping it!! Bwahahaahaha! (sorry, I think I've got sugar or medicine overdose, but, seriously, I WILL delay that chapter if you don't give me my ransom! Bwahahahaha)