Chapter 5: We are a family

Note: this is a year after the previous chapter…the years will speed up and slow down at different parts

Ace sat on the steps out front of Wammy's staring at a letter. It was early in the morning and most of the kids were still asleep. Roger had woken Ace up to give him the letter he was now holding. Luna came out and sat beside him. She put some of her dark hair behind her ear so only one purple eye was covered and she could see him better. She pulled a cherry sucker out of her mouth. "Are you okay?" she asked seeing his gloomy appearance.

"Yea, I'm fine" Ace responded looking down again

Luna looked at him then down at the letter he held. She glared at the letter predicting it was the cause of his sadness. She quickly snatched the letter from him knowing he wouldn't hand it to her. "Give that back" Ace complained

Luna kept pulling it away from him while reading it. She then looked at him and gave the letter back. "How could they just give you a letter to tell you this?" she asked angrily

"I don't know" Ace told her and suddenly found himself pulled into a hug

"She meant a lot to you didn't she?" Luna asked

"My sister was my whole world growing up. She is, was so young. When our parents died we were separated I was brought here and she was taken somewhere else. Roger promised to keep an eye on her. I didn't even know she was sick until now." Ace told her

"Roger has some explaining to do how could he not tell you your sister was sick and then just give you a letter to tell you that she died?" she said letting him go

"Lu, it's fine"

"But Ace, it's not. You should have gotten this information a week ago when it happened"

"My sister was in the U.S.; it would not have been able to get here sooner"

"Have they heard of a phone?" Luna asked she then patting his arm then added "Let's get back inside"

Ace nodded and they both stood up. Luna put her sucker back in her mouth and pulled Ace lightly along behind her. Ace then realized where they were heading "Luna, we shouldn't bother Roger"

Luna ignored his plea and pushed the door open walking to stand in front of Roger and his desk. Roger looked up at them. Luna then lightly took the letter from Ace and placed it on his desk "What is this?"

"It's an informal letter" Roger told her

"Just a letter? That's all he gets? This is his sister and he should have been informed sooner"

"I didn't even know until this came" Roger informed her

"You help to try and create the next L and you couldn't find out something like this"

"It was of no importance until now"

"No importance? You told me you would watch her. You would make sure she was okay" Ace said

"I truly am sorry about the loss of your sister Ace, but there is nothing I could have done differently. All I can do now is escort you to her funeral. You have two hours to be ready"

"Can I bring other people?"

"Two others at the most"

Ace nodded then grabbed Luna's arm and gently pulled her out of Roger's office. Luna looked at him "At least I get to see her again" Ace told her

Luna smiled slightly "Yea"

"Lu?"

"What?"

"Would…would you go with me?"

"You really want me to?"

"Yea, I want you and Beyond to go"

"Okay"

Ac e smiled and opened his door Beyond was still sleeping. Ace was about to shake him awake when Luna grabbed his hand and shook her head. Ace looked at her suspiciously as she moved to the wall and motioned for him to do the same. He then picked up on what she wanted to do and together they flipped the mattress causing Beyond to land on the floor and immediately wake up. He glared at both of them "I hate you guys" he said and got up.

"Well, you need to get up" Ace told him

"Why is that?"

"We are going to a funeral"

"Whos?"

"His sisters" Luna told him

"Oh, when did you find out?"

"About two hours ago" Ace told him

"That's how long you were outside?" Luna asked him

"Yea"

"You could have woken me earlier"

"I know"

"Yea, and me too" Beyond told him

Ace smiled "We should get ready"

"Yea, I'll be back later" Luna told them and went to her room where Nova was still sleeping.

Luna put Nova's blanket back on her. She had pushed it off and was shivering a bit. Nova smiled in her sleep. Luna wrote her a note and left it on Nova's nightstand. She changed out of her pajamas and quietly left the room again after grabbing her iPod. She met the other two back in their room and Mello was now here. "Hey" he said as Luna walked in. The four talked for a while and soon Matt joined them as well. Then Ace, BB, and Luna left with Roger. They were currently in a small plane heading for Arizona where the funeral was to be held. All three fell asleep on the way Luna was in the middle and had her head on Beyond's shoulder. Beyond had his head on her shoulder and Ace laid on her other shoulder and her feet were across his lap. Roger smiled at them, and had to admit they were adorable, while sleeping. After a nine hour flight (three of which were spent sleeping; mainly the three younger kids because Roger feared sleeping in such a close space, especially with Luna and BB) they were now in Arizona. After another hour making it 9PM they checked into a hotel. The funeral would be the next day. Ace didn't sleep much and Beyond and Luna stayed up with him, though after a while Beyond fell asleep. Morning finally came and now Roger, Ace, Luna, and Beyond stood in front of a small casket. The casket was closed, and Ace reached down and placed his hands on the lid. Before he opened it Luna put her and on his and he looked at her "This won't be easy, but we are here" she told him

He smirked and she moved her hand. Slowly he lifted the lid. A very pale child about five lay inside. Her delicate eyes were closed and her blond hair was neatly tucked underneath her. Her hands were folded onto her stomach and she wore a light green dress and black shoes. Roger, Beyond, and Luna politely kept their distance. Ace gently picked up the small girl's hand and put a silver bracelet on her wrist and placed it back where it was. He had told them how his sister gave him the bracelet that was the next time they met she would know it was him. Her tiny hand was cold, and she looked like a doll. Ace then reached up and closed the lid. "Now I'm the only one in my family left" Ace said to no one in particular

"You're wrong" Luna said and he looked at her

She was standing beside him now and grabbed one of his hands with both of hers "You don't have to be blood to be family. Me, Beyond, Roger, Nova, Matt, Mello, and everyone else at Wammy's, also Watari and L are your family"

"I suppose you're right. I don't know how I could forget a thing like that" Ace said

Luna then gently pulled him over to the others and they walked outside. They watched as the small casket was put into a hole in the ground. Then they got back on the plane to head home. Ace slept the whole way, and Luna and Beyond listened to her iPod. Roger looked at them. 'I don't know what it is, but L was right they are different. It's hard not to care for them.'