As L stared helplessly into those scorching red eyes, the truth became apparent to him. Light Yagami was in fact Kira. From the very beginning, L was right.

Alas, none of that mattered anymore. It was too late for L to save the world. He was currently being held in the arms of a killer, the one who led him to his demise. Arrogant, egotistical, a human who believed he could be god of the new world; Light Yagami was all of these things. However, these traits would soon return to haunt him in the future, but, for now, he soaked himself in victory.

Rem had written down L's name, sentencing both of them to their deaths. In Light's case, this meant getting rid of two obstacles that stood in his way.

"Ryuzaki!" Matsuda called, watching the scene unfold with panic. "What's wrong?!"

The struggle to stay alive was useless on L's part, and he knew how to tell when it was time for him to give up. But part of him desired to keep fighting because, if he was gone, how would everyone know he had been right all along?

Suddenly the door burst open, and Aiko Maki appeared. A section of her dark brown hair was pulled back and clipped while the rest dangled around her flushed face. Her oversized pastel blue sweater and jeans made her seem normal, but she was actually one of them.

The second she saw L in Light's arms, her feet acted without consent, guiding her to the detective's side. "What's going on?!" she breathed, fists clenched as she analyzed the situation.

She didn't need to ask. It was clear enough, at least in Light's opinion. "H-He just fell out of his chair," explained young Yagami, sharp eyes lingering on the detective. "Ryuzaki, come on, stay with me!"

Panic swelling her body, Aiko attempted to remain calm, even though it felt like the world was falling apart right before her eyes. Resting the palm of her right hand on the floor on the right side of L, the brunette leaned over and hovered above L's face.

As the detective stared up at her, he realized that her eyes were much kinder and gentler than his opponent's. Instead of arrogance, he noted concern, none of which was coming from Light at all. Why? Because Light didn't care, and Aiko did.

It was a pleasant thing to die seeing, L concluded. The bright, tender face of Aiko, her worried, warm eyes staring down at him. She was even on the brink of tears. How is it that this intern made L smile just as he closed his eyes for one last time?

The world may never know.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1… 0

Time was up…

0…

Or was it?

1… 2… 3… 4… 5…

The bells… he had heard them. Those eyes… they were evil, and he had stared straight into them. His heartbeat… he had felt it, slowly counting down like a clock.

The clock stopped, frozen in time. Then, it began ticking backwards. Slowly at first, like the rusting of a creaky gate. Next in rapid motions of unstoppable speed, time itself was shifting and changing all because of one person.

L Lawliet.

The next time he opened his eyes, he wasn't gazing into the bright clouds or golden streets of heaven, but instead, he was looking at a ceiling. Quite a mundane thing, sure, but astoundingly abnormal to said detective.

Shifting his weight, he instantly realized he was lying down on a bed. Not just any bed- he was in his hotel room. Everything seemed… the same. Wrappers of candies and sweets littered the floor, his half empty cup of tea sitting on the nightstand.

It should have been normal. This entire situation… his death had just been a dream- a nightmare- he received when he dozed off. Except for one thing: L never sleeps. More accurately, he never enjoyed sleeping on the job, especially when the monster Kira was still on the loose. It was a rare phenomenon for L to close his eyes for more than an hour, yet, it felt like he'd been sleeping for ages.

The memories were still wrapped around his brain, swirling like a hurricane inside his head. Misa Amane… Higuchi… the Death Note… the Shinigami… killing a person just by looking at their face and writing their name in the notebook… Kira… Light… Kira is Light, and Light is Kira.

He paused in his own storm of thoughts. Watari. Scrambling up from the bed, L swiftly moved across the room despite the numbness in his limbs from sleeping too long. Making his way down the hallway, the detective silently passed the main room and entered the kitchen to find a certain old man pouring a cup of freshly brewed tea.

Freezing in his tracks, L watched motionlessly until the elderly man glanced up at him, a warm smile crossing his lips. "Ah, there you are Ryuzaki. I've just made some tea for you." His voice was just as firm and heartwarming as the detective remembered.

It was then that L wished to embrace his mentor, but he was unsure of how that would make Watari feel. Nevertheless, would it be appropriate for L of all people to initiate that sort of physical contact?

Something about L caught Watari's eye, making his lower the pot of tea to the counter. "Ryuzaki, is something the matter?"

Where had he seen this situation before? Oh, right.

Slouching across the elderly man in his wrinkly white shirt and baggy jeans, L had not noticed the tears staining his dark eyes. However, it was obvious that even the great L had emotions that could not be contained. I am rather childish the raven reminded himself.

However, he couldn't reveal the fact that he assumed he had just died, can he? Would his mentor even believe him? I must be thinking too hard on this decided L. Surely it isn't possible that I just experienced my death.

Clearing his throat, the detective finally looked Watari in the eyes. "I just… had a nightmare. That's all." He was being quite truthful- a world where he dies and Kira lives would truly be Hell on earth.

The old man's face wrinkled nostalgically as he smiled tenderly at L. Watari could easily remember L's younger years, when he would have nightmares quite often. Whenever this happened, Watari would always make hot chocolate for the both of them, then sit with L and reminisce with stories about his lifetime experiences. This always seemed to calm the young boy down.

By now, L had heard Watari's life story a million times (at least the parts Watari allowed him to hear). Yes, there was only one thing Watari could think of at the moment that L looked like he needed the most, no matter what the reason.

Stepping forward, the elderly man wrapped his strong, comforting arms around the young one, squeezing him ever so slightly. At the touch of his mentor, L seemed to withdraw from anxiety. Watari is… not dead.

After a solid minute or two, the old man pulled away, his tender face gazing at his young pupil, the boy he raised ever since he came to the orphanage. "Make sure you don't work yourself too hard, alright? As your mentor and assistant, it is my duty to look after you." He hesitated before adding the last part. "And as your father figure, I want the best for you, and I want you to be happy."

It was a lot for L to absorb, but he did so quickly, allowing himself to reveal a small smile. "Thank you, Watari. I promise I will look after myself. However, don't forget to do the same for yourself."

Both males exchanged amusing, sincere looks before stepping away. Watari returned to preparing the tea, and L spun around to attempt to sort things out in his head. A nightmare about… my death?

"By the way, Watari," L spoke up, his back facing the old man. "What is the date as of today?"

This was an odd question coming from the world's greatest detective. But Watari ignored the abnormality of the speculation and replied, "It's December 31st." He does not ask why.

"What do I have planned then?" L inquired quickly.

"The Japanese Task Force should be meeting with you tonight," replied Watari, setting down the pot once again. "The six members should be arriving sometime around midnight."

The detective's heartbeat suddenly skyrocketed. No… this isn't right. This has already happened. I have already been through this. It is a 99% certainty that this has in fact happened before.

Back in his room, L crouched on his bed, thumb to his lips and eyes scanning the scenery out the window. According to the current timeline, he hasn't even met the Task Force yet. Not Light. Not Misa. Not Higuchi. Hasn't even touched a Death Note.

Everything feels… real. This isn't a dream, and my other memories aren't a dream either. Everything that L experienced was real, even his death. This… this whole thing is a miracle. A second life. His second chance.

Kira's reign of terror was just beginning. Now L had a second chance to stop him.

The first, and probably most crucial, change was not allowing himself to appear to the public. Even showing himself to the Task Force was now a dangerous risk.

He discussed this with Watari before the others arrived, revealing the fact that he had gained a whole new mindset on the entire matter. The ways things proceeded from here on out would be different, unusual, and even strange.

But L had a plan. He was going to do whatever it takes to make sure Kira loses, and he wins.

First off, he needed a stand-in. Someone who could pretend to be the real L for the rest of the investigation. After that, if everything worked out well, was another story that would have to be thought out, but not at the moment.

Watari wasn't exactly who he was looking for- besides, L decided that he didn't want to risk losing his mentor once again and experience the panic that had overwhelmed him.

He needed someone who wouldn't mind giving up their entire lives to fill in for him and pretend to be the real L. To be thrown directly into the middle of the deadly Kira case and put one's life on the line to save the world.

Where the heck would he find someone like that?

Hello my lovely readers! So, I got this cool idea some time ago and decided to write it out... here it is! I'm still not sure how I plan on this going. If you guys like it, I might actually continue posting, if not then I'll just make it a oneshot. Updates won't be frequent since I'm currently invested in my Blue Exorcist fanfic, but nonetheless I will not give up on this if you don't want me to.

Comments, questions, concerns? Leave them in the review box below and tell me what you think! Until next time! ~