Full Summary: This story takes place before, during, and after the events of Death Note and the Kira Investigation. The time and place will constantly alternate between the past and the present. In 1996, Emma is taken in by L as a protected witness whose testimony is more valuable than anyone realizes at the time - and the last thing she wants to do is work with L. In present time, Emma is still learning to live a life without L as she continues to help the Task Force catch Kira. However, she has returned to the Task Force as an undercover informant for Near.

Prologue

"L is dead."

"Emory?"

"Yes, Lawleit?"

"Don't call me that - "

"Well I assumed we were being formal, since you used my full name. You know I hate that name."

"I apologize. Emma."

"Thank you. Now what do you want?"

The tinkle of breaking china filled the short silence that was in the room as the cup in Emma's hand fell to the floor. Ignoring the hot tea soaking through her socks, slightly burning her toes, Emma brought a hand to her mouth, her eyes widened in shock. L was... dead? It had to be a mistake. It was not that long ago that she left him in Japan to return to Wammy's House, at his request. At first, she refused, but he had insisted.

Is this why you wanted me to leave? Her vision began to blur as a pool of tears filled her eyes. Did you know this would happen?

"Dead?! Why?!" Mello demanded, leaning against the wooden table.

Roger merely grunted in response. On the ground, Near sat silently, putting together his puzzle.

She remembered one of their last conversations. Emma had begun to pack her things at headquarters, and L was crouched on her bed, watching her, studying her face to see if it revealed any emotion. He knew she was angry at him for telling her to leave, but it was for the best.

I should have stayed.

"I want you to know that you have been a very valuable partner to me."

"Then why are you making me leave?" she had demanded, glaring at him angrily.

"I have a very bad feeling... or perhaps a very good feeling. Either way, it's best you're not around."

"Did Kira kill him? Is that it?" Mello brought himself closer to Roger, waiting for confirmation of what they already knew was true: Kira killed L.

"Probably."

Mello grabbed Roger by his shirt and shook him. "He said that he would get Kira executed... and was killed... Is that what you're saying?!"

"M-Mello - !"

The sound of puzzle pieces clattering against the floor suddenly filled the room. Mello turned to look at Near, who, still on the floor, had picked up and tipped over his puzzle board, letting the pieces rain down onto the carpet.

"If you can't beat the game... if you can't solve the puzzle..." Near began putting the pieces back onto the board, not looking up at Mello, who was staring at him incredulously. "You're nothing but a loser."

Ignoring Near, Mello turned back to Roger, slamming his hand down on the desk.

"Me or Near? So which one of us did L...?"

Emma finally broke her silence, stepping over the broken glass shattered at her feet, "What? That's what you care about right now? L is - he's - and all you can think about is -"

She furiously wiped at the tears that had begun to roll down her cheeks. She hadn't even noticed her tears had begun to fall. Her head was spinning, and her body was numb. She felt as if the floor had disappeared from underneath her, and she was slowly tumbling down into the darkness. There was a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"Of course I care about that!" Mello said matter-of-factly, rolling his eyes at her tears. "It's important! Who else is gonna catch Kira?"

"He hadn't decided," Emma sobbed, shooting a dark look in Mello's direction. "He had a lot on his mind... the day I left... he knew something was gonna happen..."

"Mello... Near..." Roger began, keeping his eyes fixated on his desk. "How about the both of you work together...?"

Emma let out a half sob, half laugh, while Mello let out an angry sigh.

"Sure, sounds good," Near agreed without skipping a beat, never taking his eyes off his puzzle.

"That's impossible," Mello said, exasperated. "You know that Near and I don't get along. We've always competed against each other. Always."

Dead silence. For a few seconds, the only sounds that filled the room were of Near's puzzle pieces as they clicked together and Emma's shaky breaths, until -

"It's fine, Roger," Mello said suddenly, a serious expression falling across his face. "Near should succeed L. Unlike me, Near will solve this unemotionally, like a puzzle."

As if on cue, Near placed the final piece of his puzzle in the corner of the board. Emma felt an ache in her chest as she looked at the completed puzzle. Through her tears, she saw a blurry L in the corner of the puzzle board.

"Please don't make me leave," she had pleaded after zipping up her suitcase.

L stood up from the bed and crouched down so he was eye level with her.

"It's for the best, really," he repeated.

Her eyes had begun to burn, but she bit back the tears that were threatening to fall. She kept her eyes on the floor, avoiding L's concerned eyes. She hated that she could cry so easily. She didn't want L to think she was weak. Was that why he was sending her away? Did he finally see that she wasn't strong enough to handle such a high profile case? After all these years, he's realized that she's useless as a partner.

She froze suddenly as she felt his hand cup her chin and raise her head so that she was staring straight into his eyes. He sighed softly, as if chiding a small child. The look on his face was not unlike the look he'd had the first time they met, when he offered her safety and shelter, for which she was always grateful. Suddenly, she felt very calm.

"You've done nothing wrong, Emmy," he said softly, tilting his head and resting his forehead on hers. "This is simply a precaution. I would never forgive myself if anything ever happened to you. Please, return to Wammy's House, and I will see you again when this is all over."

"I'm leaving this institution," Mello continued, still ignoring Near, and bringing Emma back into the present.

"What?" Emma said, turning to face Mello as he began walking out of the room. "You can't leave! We need to stick together now more than ever!"

"I'm almost fifteen anyway." Mello walked right past her, and she wanted to punch him.

"Mello, please don't go."

He ignored her, walking straight out of the office and leaving her there, standing once again on the spilled tea that had made its way across the wood floor. It had started seeping into the carpet, getting cold. Once Mello left, the only sounds that filled the room were the puzzle pieces snapping together.