A/N: Thank you all for the comments…I've been feeling dizzy lately…staring at the tv/computer screen does not do me any good, lol…I need to get new glasses coz of that, what a pain…anyway…this is the second to the last chapter of this series…I don't wanna end with thirteen chapters…not because of any stupid superstition…I just hate that number… ok, on with it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note. I wish I do.

--Chapter 13--

--Saying Our Goodbyes--

It felt kind of nostalgic like returning to your high school after several years since graduation day. For the first time in years, the room that Lira and L shared was clean from every corner. The usual litters of chocolate wrappers had been thrown at the waste bin. The video games that littered the front of the television had been stacked neatly and the console was lying silently on a shelf underneath the television. The broken parts of toys joined the wrappers in the bin and the ones that remained intact were displayed on the table top, posed like the way they were posed in the stores. The bowls and plates that usually contained the sweets on the table beside the computer were gone and the table had been wiped clean. The computer lay silent on it's place and the monitor was pitch black. The swivel chair was pushed into the table. The carpet had been vacuumed the other day so that no dust would be left. On the beds, the newly bought luggage bags lay open and a seventeen year old girl hovered above them, busying herself in packing them.

The children had been shooed away by the girl because they had been throwing a tantrum for the last three hours, crying their eyes out as if they would never cry again. Of course, goodbyes are hard for children to accept, especially if it is their parents that are leaving them for good. It all started that Valentine's Day. They had their fill of chocolate cake which was made larger by the cook. They sang an out of tune 'Happy Birthday' song and joked around for several minutes. The happiness however was marred when the two teenagers made an announcement that they would be leaving on the twenty-sixth. The kids did not believe them at first. They thought that it was a joke. Yet, L never makes jokes. After realizing that the two were serious, the children started to cry, initiated by the smallest and youngest one. It was almost midnight when they had finally grown tired and fell asleep.

"Is there anything else you wanted packed?" Lira asked her roommate while wiping the sweat off her forehead. The weather had been extremely hot than usual.

"You," L replied, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Huh?" Lira asked with puzzlement etched in her face.

"I want you packed," L said, staring straight at her, it made Lira feel hotter.

"Don't be ridiculous," Lira said and continued packing the two separate luggages. When she had finished, she called upon L.

"Hey, help me in here. Push down on this so that I can close this," Lira said. A large hand extended and pressed down with much force on the luggage. Lira zipped both closed and looked up to the owner of the hand. It was Mr. Wammy and L had not left his place at the bed at all. The old man smiled warmly at Lira.

"You've done great, gleaning this room before you leave. And I see that you have finished packing already. Are you ready for tomorrow then?" Mr. Wammy asked kindly.

"N – not really. But it's not like we have any choice, right? We have to leave once we are seventeen," Lira said sadly.

"I think it's a fine day today. Why don't you go out for some fresh air," Mr. Wammy said looking out of the window. Lira stared at him for a moment and then, excused herself out of the room.

"What was that?" L asked staring at the old man who was still looking out of the window.

"I asked her to say goodbye to her friends," the man replied.

"But you just said something about fresh air."

"It's a hint, you know."

"Oh, I see," L said staring out of the window too.

Lira's first destination that day was the kitchens. She, however, did not bother to peep this time and went inside straight out. She found the cook and tapped him as usual at the back. The man turned and smiled at the girl. The girl smiled back.

"So, you came," Bert said, with a warm smile, leading Lira to a small table and prepared tea for the both of them.

"It's not really necessary, Bert," Lira said as the man laid down two cups.

"I insist. I can't think of a better way to say goodbye to you," Bert looked at the girl before him.

"There is also no need for that," Lira answered.

"Aye, but I'll miss you know. I don't know when someone would come barging in the kitchen requesting cakes from me. I enjoyed your every visit immensely," Bert said in a reminiscing tone.

"I'll miss you too Bert," Lira admitted.

"You can always visit me anytime you want."

"But I don't know when that time will come."

"That is a problem. You know what you'll be?"

"A spy of course. That's what they want me to be, anyway."

"You don't have any plans of taking on any day jobs?"

"Perhaps if I've got time."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll go wherever L goes. I have planned that already. I can't simply let him go."

"You truly love him, don't you."

"Yes, I do."

"Well, if that makes you happy I won't stop you in any way," Bert sighed and stood up.

"Thank you," Lira replied gratefully. Bert retuned a while later with bundled up cheesecloth. He handed it to Lira.

"What is this?" the girl asked.

"They are cookies. I baked them myself. I don't have a clue what to give you so, here it is," Bert replied with a smile. Lira stood up on tiptoe and planted a kiss on Bert's cheek. The man rubbed the place thoughtfully.

"Thank you very much for everything," Lira said, tucking the package away safely into her pocket and proceeded to the yard where she knows that somebody would also like say his goodbyes to her.

She crossed the yard with careful pace and reached the bench that had witnessed her ups and downs in the orphanage. She raised her head and glanced at the branches of the tree above and noticed a dark figure hovering above. She smiled slightly as she called out.

"I know you're there. Now come down here if you don't want me to go in there," Lira said, turning her back to the tree and sitting on the bench, waiting for the usual rustling of leaves. Soon, the boy she had called upon had plopped down on the space beside her.

"You got me there. How did you know?" B asked as soon as he had settled himself.

"I always know you're there. Well, except for that day when I was crying," Lira told the boy.

"I see. So, mom's all set to be the world's greatest spy, huh?" B teased.

"Detecting you was easy. However, I do not know how it will be outside," Lira admitted. She felt a hand on her head.

"I know you can do it. You're the best in here, remember? And Wammy kids could in no way be underestimated," B said, smiling, for the first time.

"Thanks for the encouragement," Lira grinned.

"You needed it. You'll be tailing him as you work, right?" B asked, still staring at that girl before him.

"How did you know?" Lira asked, surprised.

"I always know," B answered.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lira said unbelievingly.

"Let's see how far your one-sided love goes," B teased.

"Who in the hell told you it's just a one-sided love?" Lira asked incredulously.

"It's not?" B was surprised.

"It is not! Apparently, he loves me too," Lira answered, crossing her arms.

"Wow! I never thought someone as naïve as him would fall in love. You really are the best!" B said.

"Why, thank you!" Lira answered, bowing her head as if paying respect.

"I don't know how to say goodbye to you, mom," B said, suddenly in a very serious tone.

"You don't have to think of how. You just say it," Lira said.

"Well, if you say so," B said and suddenly gave Lira a very, very tight hug and planted a kiss on her cheek. Lira was taken by surprise at the sudden show of affection from the cold-hearted boy.

"I'll miss you mom. No one an really handle me as much as you do," B said, never letting go.

"Well, you'll just have to meet me outside," Lira said, patting B's back.

"I'll try my best to find you mom," B replied, finally letting go.

"And you will be my priority once you've done that," Lira replied.

"You take care of yourself, mom," B said, standing up.

"I'll do that," And with that, B climbed the tree once more and Lira returned to the orphanage.

Lira reached their room and opened the door. She was immediately greeted by the children who had jumped on her and now, they are tangled in a large group hug. She felt wetness and realized that the children are crying. She sat up and hugged them all as tightly as possible.

"Don't cry. I don't like it when you guys cry," Lira said, trying to comfort them but it was a hard task to do.

"Mom! Please don't leave! You and daddy!" Matt sniffed and buried his head on Lira's chest. The girl could only care less what he touches in the process.

"We have to leave. We've already come of age and its policy. We can't break any rules especially since L had already made an extension on his stay," Lira tried to explain through the sobs of the children.

"Then take us with you!" Mello cried out, biting his lower lip.

"I can't do that. We are not going to live together once we're outside. We'll be doing our jobs by that time and it would be hard for you to be traveling along with any of us. And besides, we do not have any right on you. Legally, that is. We can only take care of you as long as we are in the orphanage," Lira explained further, patting the boy's head.

"What about Near? You always said that he is yours!" Mello continued his retaliation in the hopes that he might convince Lira to stay.

"I said that to protect him. I took responsibility of him because I saw him being born into the world but now that I am leaving it's the orphanage's job to raise him," Lira said, trying to hold back the tears that were soon to come. The kids are not making it easier for her.

"But mom! I don't want you to go!" Matt said, hitting Lira with his fists.

"I have to. I'll leave all the movies we've watch so that you'll remember me," Lira said, trying to hush them.

"But it's not the same without you!" it was Near's time to berate. At first the kid was totally lost for words but he finally found his voice.

"Yes, mom! Don't leave us!" The other two said in unison.

"Stop calling her mom!" A voice shouted and as Lira turned to see who it was, she found L towering over their entangled figures. The kids stopped crying at the sound of his voice. It was very rare for L to lose his composure like this. Maybe he was also taken by the kids' actions and that is the only way he knew how to stop them.

"L, stop this. You're making them – ," Lira tried to say but she was cut off by the older one.

"Stop being nice to them! Until our last day of stay here, you're spoiling them," L said, reverting back to his usual cold self.

"I'm not – ," Lira tried to answer but L continued.

"Stop crying, will you? I would never have thought that kids like you would succeed me one day. Such crybabies. You're only making it harder for us to leave with you crying. You think it's easy for us? No, it isn't. We keep worrying about you three since you came here and now that you're crying because we are leaving makes us think that you can't go on by yourselves. So, do us a favor and stop crying," L said to the kids cowering.

"I'm not trying to scare you and I won't eat you. I just wanted you guys to be strong," L said, taking in the fear in their faces. It took several minutes later before Lira tried approaching the kids again.

"You guys alright now?" she asked. The three kids nodded.

"You know, I think L is right. You should be strong. And, remember that we won't forget you guys. Of course we'll miss you but there's so much more we need to know that is only found outside the orphanage. I was so happy that I met you guys. But, changes always come. You should move on after we leave and become independent. Especially you two - ," she stared at Matt and Mello who looked back determinedly. "- please try to take care of Near. I'm counting on you," Lira finished. L walked up to where they are sitting on the couch and held out a Polaroid camera.

"Watari left this. Just in case," he said more to Lira.

"Hey guys, let's take a photo," Lira said and asked the boys to pose around her. "What about you L?" she asked the boy holding the camera.

"My identity is secret, sorry," L mumbled and began fumbling with the camera. When the picture came out, Lira took it from L and began shaking it. It was a picture of a perfect family any father would be proud of.

A/N: HYBERNATION MODE! Lolz…sorry, I think it would be a 3-4 day break for me. Don't worry…I'll take care of the last chapter as much as I can. Here's a Preview…

--Chapter 14--

--Departure--

There's your preview…I haven't written anything yet since my mind keeps going haywire these days jumping into the idea of the sequel and then thinking whether or not I could be able to pull off an Ouran High School Host Club fanfiction. Anyway, I hope you like this. Thanks for all the alerts, favorites, and reviews…I really appreciated that…you guys made my summer vacation better.