A/N: how many weeks have passed already?! Really?! I don't know, I've lost track of how long it takes for me to update….anyway, I must tell all of you that I have not yet forgotten about my story…I'm just too darn busy,…so I must apologize to those who wait for my updates. Got particularly busy during the exams so I had no time to think of something for the third chapter (and studying really paid off!!)

Disclaimer: to apologize for the lack of disclaimers in the past chapters, I would like to say that I DO NOT OWN DEATH NOTE NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WISH! Though I do own a copy of the novel.

--Chapter 3--

--Demise of a Genius--

Lira watched with sorrow as the retreating back of B disappeared from the doorway. She was sure of what will happen next for they have been arguing about it ever since B started his meaningless killings. What was there to achieve from it, anyway? B would never even experience his satisfaction of beating L after he's done with his plan.

B had planned to perform his last act of killing on an apartment complex on a person, just like his former victims, who has the same letter as his or her initials. This time, he would kill himself. B had planned to end the Los Angeles BB Serial Killer Case with his life, thus, erasing any trace of him, just as what he did to the crime scenes he had left behind. B had figured out that if he died, the case will never be solved because L will never ever catch his suspect. L would forever be searching for him. There was no doubt that B had brains that could match the intelligence of L but Lira doubted from the very beginning whether the lad would use that intelligence like L had done.

And Lira's hunch was correct. Ever since he had left, or rather, ran away from the orphanage, he had put all his efforts and smarts to device a plan to give L the defeat he had promised to bring the detective once he had left the orphanage. The boy might have taken his parting words with L very deeply. But Lira have never thought it would go this far. She had tried to dissuade B several times, varying her attacks but B remained unmoved.

It's not that the innocent lives of Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen and Backyard Bottomslash did not matter to her but B is different. It would hurt more to lose someone whom you have grown attached to. Lira had treated B like her son or rather; a younger brother during their Wammy days and B was the only one who comforts her whenever L acts a little childish for her liking.

Lira sat at the sofa much like the couch that she used to sit on when she was still at the orphanage and stared for God knows how long at her phone lying on the table. She had been debating with herself whether to call L about her problem with B. The part of her that L likes to name her 'motherly side' got the best of her and she dialed L's line and heard the ringing sound on the other side. Watari picked up at the third ring. The disguised voice greeted her.

"This is Watari speaking," the voice said.

"Watari, this is Lira. Can I talk to L for a minute?" Lira said, in what she assumed was a calm voice.

"Oh, wait a minute then," Watari said and turned over the phone to L.

"Hello, what do you need, baby," L said in that disguised voice of his.

"Why do you still disguise your voice when you know very well that it's me?" Lira asked, frowning slightly.

"Unfortunately, I cannot change that because you called the line that disguises my voice. I cannot do anything about that, so, for the mean time, please bear with it," L explained from the other end. "Anyway, what is it that you want?" he asked.

"It's about B," Lira started.

"I figured out it would be something like that."

"What do you mean?"

"I think I already know what B is planning today. However, I will assure you that he would be arrested alive if possible. I had Wedy and Aiber already stationed in disguise at the complex," L explained from the other line.

"How did you know he was –", Lira's voice trailed of as she heard a faint chuckle from L's side.

"A father knows his son best. We are, after all, a family," L said. Even though L cannot see it, Lira smiled the kind of smile that she reserves only for L.

"Then I guess I'll just have to trust you," Lira replied and bid L goodbye before ending the call.

There was something in L that Lira could not help but trust him. But she still fears for B. What if Wedy and Aiber came a bit late? What if B had already killed himself?

Lira had decided that staying put in her house would not do her any good and decided to search for some stuff in her computer. While looking for some files in her computer, she stumbled upon her long forgotten resume. How long has it been since she had last searched for a job? That was quite a long time already since she had always been by B's side, supporting him. She decided to update it since, if L really kept his promise, she would like to stay by B's side even in prison. She does not care whether L calls her a mommy.

L had called back in the middle of the day and promised to call her to tell her what will happen. To tell her how the case would end. To be honest with herself, Lira thought that the only innocent ones in the case are the victims – Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen and Backyard Bottomslash – and Misora Naomi, L's supposed shield. L is an idiot that he is risking other's lives to protect himself. She cannot blame him. His identity staying as a secret will mean world peace, even though it might earn him a place on the world's best kept secrets 1.

She stayed at home the whole day in tenterhooks waiting to hear what would happen next for her next move will depend on what will happen. She had decided to stay with B in jail for how long it would take and if B died, she would leave the United States at once.

At about 7 in the evening, Lira's phone finally rang, displaying one of L's line numbers. Hand shaking, she picked up the phone.

"H – hello?" she asked.

"It's me," L's real voice answered back.

"Wh – what happened?" Lira asked fearing the worst.

"B's still alive but only just 2. He had tried to burn herself. Good thing Miss Misora got there before he actually died. She arrested him but he was really badly burned. We've sent him to the hospital under high security. I think you should get yourself a job at the state prison. I know how much you care for him and I won't tell you it's wrong to stay by his side. Just look after him, alright?" L said from his line and after a few more exchange of words, the ended the conversation.

Lira was right. She really should get a job at the prison. She then turned on her computer and proceeded to update her resume.

A/N: 1 – there really is a book of the world's greatest secrets. I saw it while waiting for someone at the mall so I decided to stop by the bookstore and check out some new books and found these books at the very back of the store with titles like the world's greatest scandals, etc. and they are sold for a very cheap price so I bought one (the world's greatest ghosts since I really like reading about ghosts)

2 – I recently re-watched my Harry Potter movies and well, I sort of picked this line up from a dialogue of Tom Riddle.