Wow. Everyone here is so nice. Except for you, Superflous-sama (kidding, kidding!!!). Since these characters belong to some of my friends, I'm going to give brief profiles about them.

Name: Winter

Creator: Superflous-sama

Age:...I have no idea, but she's a little younger than L

Apperance: Like Near, she is an albino. She always wears a gray sweatshirt and pants, with a long skirt over that.

Backstory: Winter originally began working as L's assistant, during the Kira case. She has always secretly loved L. However, that didn't work out (you'll find out about that, later). She was there when Roger told Mello and Near about L's death, and she was the one who drove Mello to Mafia headquarters (in a silver volvo which she purchased, hoping a vampire would be included). Mello has a secret crush on her, but it's mixed with his feelings for Kana-chi. Winter may or may not like Mello; she still has feelings for L.

Note: Since my friends and I write seperate fan fictions, yet they are still intertwined with each other, keep in mind that I did not make everything up. I will let you know when this happens.

Chapter 3: In Which Plans are Formed

[Kanako's P.O.V.]

There was no doubt in my mind. I had to leave. I couldn't endanger Near, like I was doing. It was clear that my potential Kira was planning to make Darkmoon his link to Near and the SPK. And I would simply not allow that.

I was not so vain as to think that I was smart enough to outwit this potential Kira. The mere fact that he had managed to obtain Darkmoon's cell phone number meant that he was incredibly smart. Leaving was the only possible option.

But where would I go? I wouldn't even be fourteen for another week. And I definatley could not pass for older that that. So I would have to have a guardian. I had no living family, as far as I knew. And no adults that I could count on.

Well...there was one. Shortly after he had been assigned the Kira case, Near had told me that it was really only temporary.

"Why?" I had asked, confused.

"Oh," he had replied, not looking up from his puzzle. "Because it turns out L had a fiancee. And a son."

"..."

"His son is still quite young," Near explained. "However, his IQ already exceeds L's. With a few years of training, he should be ready to take my place."

If L's son and fiancee were out there, somewhere...well, they would understand my situation, wouldn't they? Would they understand how difficult it was to have a loved one who was working on the Kira case? But I didn't know their names, much less where they were.

Winter and I were washing breakfast dishes. Near was working on the Kira case, and Mello was pretending not to work on the Kira case.

"Winter?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Hmm?"

"Um..." I began, feeling reckless, " Near said...that L had...had a fiancee and a son. Um...d-did you ever...do you know their names?"

Winter turned and stared at me.

"Why do you ask?" she said, suspiciously.

"Well...I just..." I stammered, "I mean, you were such good friends with L...so I thought...maybe..."

Winter sighed.

"Her name's Star," she said. She was determindley avoiding my gaze. I hate it when people do this, because it's much harder to figure out what they're thinking when I can't see their eyes. "Everyone called her that. The only one who knew her real name was L. When he...died, she burned all of her records. And the kid's name is Kio."

Winter glanced at me.

"I don't know what you're planning, Kanako. But you shouldn't go looking for them, or anything like that. Last time I checked, Star and Kio were with the Japanese Police. The NPA has one of those murder notebooks, and it could be dangerous."

I smiled reassuringly at her. Dangerous? Wow, wouldn't that be refreshing. It didn't matter the danger. I now had all the information I needed.