Chapter 17

Watari left the car running as he packed the few things L took with him in the trunk. It was 5:30 in the morning and their runway time was 6:30 so he needed to make sure that everything was ready ahead of time. He went back up to L's apartment to make sure he was awake and ready to go. He smiled to himself; it sounded funny having to make sure L was awake. He was so used to the boy barely sleeping, and even so it was only when he was with the good doctor that he slept.

He found he wished circumstances could be different, that L could have a life like any other young man of his age; love, marriage, children. A life that any father would wish for his son. But he knew that it was impossible, that future certainly did not await the great detective. But at least he could enjoy some of the pleasures of life a little with the help of his very special friend and that made Watari happy as well. He arrived back at the apartment and headed for the bedroom door. The fact that it was closed let him know that L was not alone, so he knocked quietly, knowing well that L was a very light sleeper and would hear it. He knew L would be up and out soon.

He unhooked the laptop and put it into its carrying case with all its attachments. He gathered files on the Kira case from the desk and placed them inside the carrying case with the computer. He systematically shut down all of the screens around L's desk except the main one. He heard the sound of the shower go on and off fairly quickly, and poured L a cup of coffee and tea for himself. A few moments later L walked out of the bedroom and headed directly for the coffee after closing the door behind him.

"The car is ready L, our runway time is 6:30" Watari informed him as he sipped at his coffee and grabbed a donut.

"Thank you, Watari. Don't tell the ICPO I'm coming when you arrive there, we'll let it be a bit of a surprise." He finished the donut and finished the rest of his syrupy sweet

coffee. He looked around.

"Have you already packed my laptop?" the detective asked standing up.

"Of course," he answered and handed L the case. L smiled taking it and headed for the door, Watari followed closing and locking it behind him.

After getting into the car, L watched the familiar view of Whammy's disappearing behind him through the window. From now on until the case was over he would continually be L the detective. Kira was obviously not someone he could relax with, he would have to be on his guard at all times with this case. He smiled to himself knowing that there would be at least a few times he could relax, when he made a phone call back to Whammy's. He had begun to enjoy his calls to Christine while he was away. It was like recharging his batteries. Something he never needed before; or perhaps he just never realized he needed it. This entire special friend situation was something he was still sometimes unsure about.

"Watari, can I ask you a personal question?" He saw his guardian look at him through the rear view mirror.

"Of course, L. What is it?"

"My relationship with Dr. Thompson, does it trouble you at all? Am I the worse for it?" He watched the smile grow on Watari's face through the mirror.

"L, I have never been happier for you. I was always afraid that this was a part of life you would never have the opportunity to experience. You give your all for humanity and yet a normal part of humanity seemed to always be out of your reach. I think you are the better for it. In the past year it has not interfered with your work, if anything it has broadened your outlook." He looked back again and was rewarded with one of L's rare, real smiles.

As Watari piloted L's plane into the sky, Christine was working on leaving L's apartment. She found she didn't feel comfortable without him actually there. Although his presence was definitely felt without him, everything in there seemed to attest to his existence, from many dishes of candies and other sweets, to the chess set to the computer. She looked at the computer with disdain; it had gone from being an instrument of information to a possible harbinger of bad news in her eyes. As she walked past one of the dishes of candies she stuck her fingers in and pulled out a few, knowing that wherever L was right now he probably felt it. She smiled a wicked smile and popped them into her mouth.

Two days later she was sitting in her living room eating popcorn and reading when there was frantic knocking on her door. She went quickly to the door and was surprised to see Mello, Near and Matt come flying through it.

"Turn on the TV Dr. Thompson!! It's about L and Kira!!! He yelled running to her set without waiting for an answer.

"What are you talking about?" she asked shutting the door behind them.

"Apparently L called Kira out on television in Japan on live television and they're rebroadcasting it all over now." Near explained sitting on the floor in front of the set in his usual one leg up and one down position, hand in his hair.

"Called him out? What do you.." Mello interrupted her question when he shushed her after finding the proper station and turning it up.

The reporter on screen was explaining that this was a rebroadcast of a live event, which happened in Japan and those that are squeamish, and young children may not wish to watch. All three heads turned to her with expressions as if to warn her to not even try to deny their viewing of this and she nodded her approval as if she'd had a choice in the matter.

They watched as a young man in a suit, seated behind a desk with a sign, which read "Lind L. Taylor" on it began to speak. He introduced himself, adding that he was better known as "L". Mello stood up and turned to Christine in total confusion.

"But he's not L!! We know he 's not L!!" he practically yelled. The other two voiced the same opinion.

"Yes we know but no one else does," Christine cautioned, 'L is obviously using him as a mouthpiece so he can stay hidden." She explained. Understanding dawned on all three young faces and they turned back to the screen. They listened as "L" told Kira that what he was doing was evil, that his crimes were some of the most heinous he'd ever encountered.

"I bet L is trying to scare Kira by letting him know he's after him. Maybe he'll give up when he knows L's after him, maybe…" he stopped short by what was happening on the screen. The pretend L was grabbing at his chest, gasping in pain. He finally fell from his chair onto the floor, b ringing several people from behind the cameras into the front to help him.

Christine watched in horror as it was evident this man was dead. The trio looked back at her, equal looks of horror on their faces.

"Oh my God," she whispered, "He can kill just like that? Without being anywhere near his victim?" he asked to no one at all in shock. Then suddenly the screen buzzed and went completely white, save for a large black L making the boys all shout in excitement.

"I don't believe it", started the familiar mechanical voice, "This was an experiment to test a hunch I had, but I never really thought…Kira, you can actually kill people without direct contact…you'd have to ofcourse otherwise it wouldn't make sense otherwise."

This was a first for Christine. Ofcourse she knew the man who had become her friend and lover was L, but she had never really been witness to him being L other than seeing him at his desk. This was different, he was out there for the entire world to hear, and she couldn't help feel a sense of pride as she realized she truly KNEW who has behind that voice. Then she just realized what she had thought; he was actually putting himself out there. He'd never done that before, always in the background, never seen or heard except to the police he was working with. But now…oh L what are you doing?

They all listened as L told "Kira" that he had just killed an unknown to him criminal who was scheduled to be put to death today. Nothing about his arrest or conviction had been reported anywhere, so he was the perfect person to use to be him. Then L's voice, took on an almost angry, mocking tone.

"But I, L, do in fact exist. So come on, kill me if you can!!"

"No, L no!" Christine cried out before she could catch herself. She quickly looked down into three other nervous faces in front of the TV set. She tried a shaky smile then.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you I was just taken by surprise, this is so unlike him. I'm sure he knows what he's doing." They tried to return her smile and turned back to the screen as L continued to taunt Kira.

"What are you waiting for? Come on, go ahead and kill me!!" with every taunt Christine could feel her stomach drop a little more. She had just watched Kira's power right before her eyes, and now he was just begging Kira to use it on him. L was silent for a few moments.

"Evidently you aren't able to kill me, so there are people you can't kill, that's a valuable clue." All four people in the room let out shaky breaths they hadn't even realized they'd been holding. They listened again as L continued to taunt Kira by telling him how much information about him he'd just learned. That he now knew he was in the Kanto region of Japan because only that area was receiving this broadcast at this time. And that he would find out how he was killing people WHEN he had caught him.

"Kira, I'm going to find and dispose of you, if it's the last thing I do, because I am justice." And the L screen was gone. Christine giggled to herself for a moment, he still never knew how to say good-bye. The room was quiet for a moment until Mello stood up pumping his fist in the air.

"That was fucking AWESOME!!" he yelled.

"Mello your language!!" Christine cautioned but couldn't help laughing.

"Kira has got to be pissed!!" Matt said laughing, "L just made him look like a total jerk!! And in only a few minutes!!"

"But why did he do that so publicly? He's never done that before…" Christine mused. Near turned to look at her, completely serious.

"This Kira is doing something completely unbelievable. He is never going to be caught by normal means. L had to call him out to verify this hunch he said he had. There was no other way to do it, there are no discernable clues available to him."

Christine listened and completely agreed. She didn't really know much herself except what had been on the news, but if someone had the power to just kill someone without even having to be in the same room, this was more than unbelievable, this was horrifying.

The reporter on the screen was just going over what had happened, showing scenes of Japan's reaction to this. Some people seemed to believe that Kira was right; he was getting rid of evil people so why stop him? Others were convinced he was the greater evil, and some didn't even believe he and L existed. That they were thought up by the police to cover up their desire to empty the prisons. She could see that if L and the police did not stop him soon, this was going to be a worldwide mess.

She looked back at the boys and checked her watch.

"Did you guys even get dinner?" she asked. They looked at each other then back at her shaking their heads. She smiled.

"You guys stay here while I go down and raid the kitchen to see what's left and we can all share it. I daresay we need to decompress after all that." They noisily agreed, with Matt offering to go with her to help bring things back.

Fried chicken had apparently been the main meal this evening and there was plenty left. They each grabbed a plate and filled them with chicken, grabbing slices of apple pie that had been for desert as well. She held up the side dishes of beets and dumplings and had to laugh at Matt's disgusted face. They then moved quickly past the kitchen staff before questions arose and went back to her apartment.

"Dr. Thompson, can I ask you a question without getting into trouble?" Matt asked suddenly before they went in.

"Ofcourse, Matt. What's the matter?"

"Are you and L going to get married?" Christine sputtered with laughter.

"Oh no Matt. That's not in our future. We're just very close friends. We're both too busy for that kind of thing." Matt snorted.

"Close friends. Is that what adults are calling it these days?" he asked and opened the door and ran in. She was thankful for that because it meant he didn't see her blush.

They sat on the floor picnic style going over what they had seen. It was a first for the boys as well, they'd never seen L work, and this was an amazing way to start. She let them chat themselves into tired silence and then suggested they go to bed. By this time they were all in total agreement and got up to leave. Matt turned back before he left, looked at Christine and burst into laughter. He then ran out of the door before she could retaliate.

She leaned back against the couch and sighed. She knew L would never do anything without thinking it through, and Near was obviously right about why he would go so public like this for the first time. It was just unnerving to know he'd put himself out there like that. She smiled though, because she knew he was enjoying every minute of it.