Authors note:

No, I do not usually do long authors note's at the beginning of a chapter, therefore this is impertinent to the story. You wont see a AN like this in front of a chapter ever again, I promise!! Anyway, I just finished reading the book Another Note, and it gave me the idea to do an LxNaomi story.

So, here are some things you should know before continuing this fic.

First off, almost all of the contents in this chapter are true. By true I mean yes, they are fiction, but in the world of Death Note this is fact. There is a book, almost a "prequel" to the Death Note manga and anime series that is called, Death Note: Another Note. The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases. It is by Nisiosin, and it's narrated by Mello. :)

I want to incorporate some of the themes from the book Another Note in this story, so here's a quick summary for those of you that haven't read it.

xxx

Brief summary of Another Note:

The story is about Naomi Misora and her time with 'L' on the case of a serial killer that was called 'B'. His name was Beyond Birthday. Basically, Naomi is approached by L (through e-mail and phone) to help him on the BB murder cases. Since she had been suspended temporarily from the FBI, and has time on her hands, she accepts. While looking for clues at the first victim's home, she finds a man calling himself Ryuzaki hiding under the bed. As a reader, you think this is L. He acts like L, and is described as looking like L. He uses the alias Ryuzaki, L's alias during the Kira case.

Naomi calls L and tells him about the man, and L tells her to keep an eye on him, and to let him help her on the case. You think he's talking about himself. L on the phone is the real L (so all phone conversations between L and Naomi mentioned below are actually L), and Ryuzaki is actually the serial killer, B. You don't find all of this out until the end of the book.

All very confusing, but please, keep reading.

So its real, I didn't make it all up in my head, Another Note says that this happened in the timeline of the Death Note series, two years before the Kira case. Now, as far as Naomi Misora living after her initial confrontation with Light…that is fiction.

Everything in italics is taken directly from the book, word for word. That isn't mine. Hell, none of this is really mine. I don't own Death Note (in case you didn't know). Which is sad, because if I did, L never would have died. :(

This first chapter is going to help you understand parts of the first book, Another Note, and set you up for the rest of my tale. Its invaluable information so please don't skip ahead, even if you have read Another Note. If you have not read it, you should.

Enjoy, and e-mail me if you have a question about the finer details, or something I may have missed.

xxx

Chapter One, So it Starts

B never wanted to become L. In fact B, whose real name was Beyond Birthday, didn't even want there to be an L.

He wanted there to be only B.

B was a serial killer.

…Or was he?

It was all a game to him, a way to get L. A way to surpass L. He'd been at Whammy's House, raised there. He'd been one of L's successors. They'd been trying to make prototypes of the real L, little copies that would never be as great as the real man. So that when L died, someone could take his place.

'A' had committed suicide under the pressure of it all.

And B had gone crazy.

But B was a special case. You see, B was born with Shinigami eyes. He had no Death Note, and no one knew why he'd been born with the eyes of a Death God, not even B himself. All B knew was that when he looked at someone he saw their name, their real name, and the amount of time they had left to live.

So he was not a serial killer.

All of his victims were supposed to die the day he had killed them, one way or another. The victims, Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen, and Backyard Bottomslash would all have died whether he had murdered them or not. But L did not know this, so by making it look as though these people were sadistically killed, B could get L's attention.

This was the way B challenged L.

L was said never to get involved in a case unless there were more than ten victims or a million dollars at stake. Beyond Birthday had killed three people. Brutal and vicious deaths, yes, but there were only three. And there was certainly no Million dollars at stake.

The Los Angels BB Murder Cases. The LABB.

L.A.B.B.

L is After Beyond Birthday.

B had left clues. Clues so hard to figure out that only a genius like himself and L could solve them. Crosswords and Wara Ningyo dolls (voodoo dolls in America), and small hints that were almost not hints at all. Almost.

B wanted not to become L, but to surpass him. He wanted to be B. He wanted there to be no L, only B.

B, the world's best.

B, the detective who outsmarted L.

And he almost had.

He had impersonated L in a way that only one who had met him could. Dark hair, dark circles under the eyes, tall but hunch backed. Even mannerisms that he'd been taught to copy at Whammy's House. Odd behavior, like crawling on all fours at a crime scene. A different way of talking, using a lot of "hmmm…" and "Yes, but why?" Eating an entire jar of Jam with his fingers, and drinking his coffee sweet enough that the spoon would probably stand straight up in the middle of the cup from all the sugar.

And B, Beyond Birthday, had introduced himself to Naomi as Rue Ryuzaki.

But Naomi Misora had never met the real L. Even on the BB murder cases she had only ever talked to L on the phone, through a secured line. So when she met the "un-private detective" that called himself Rue Ryuzaki, she had no idea he was impersonating L. She had no idea that this was B, the serial killer, the man she was after. She thought he was there to help her solve the case. He was brilliant yes, but almost certainly insane.

B had thought of everything. He'd calculated all of L's moves, right down to when L had hired Naomi to help him with the investigation. He was going to defeat L, and he would do it by killing himself. He would guide Naomi along, help her figure out the clues he'd left at the crime scenes, and then when it was all said and done, he'd kill himself in a way that looked like murder.

It made sense to no one but B, who truly believed that this was the way to defeat and conquer L. He would become the fourth victim, even though L had said that there would be no more deaths now that he was on the case.

He would prove L wrong.

But B, while not underestimating L, had greatly underestimated Naomi Misora. He had not thought her smart enough to figure it out. But she had. She'd arrested B, this "Rue Ryuzaki". She had solved the puzzle.

She'd gotten to B just as he had lit himself on fire. She had extinguished the flames and then slapped hand cuffs onto his burnt wrists.

"Rue Ryuzaki, I arrest you on suspicion of the murders of Believe Bridesmaid, Quarter Queen, and Backyard Bottomslash. You do not have the right to remain silent, you do not have the right to an attorney, and you do not have the right to a fair trial."

And that had been it. Beyond Birthday was arrested. He was alive. He lost. He lost because he knew.

He had said to Naomi, "And you are trained in capoeira, right?"

He'd made a mistake.

And it had clicked a few hours later with Naomi that the only two people that knew about her ability in capoeira (a self defense/fighting method) during this case was L, and a man she had used it on. A man who had attacked her in an alleyway, who had been wearing a mask, just days earlier.

When she had told L of the attack, over phone conversation of course, he had been concerned.

"Naomi Misora, do take all precautions for your own safety. You are the only person who can work for me on this case. If you fall, there is no one who can replace you."

He must be referring to the fight in the alley. She was caught off guard by this. No one who could replace her? For L it might be a very casual pronouncement, or just an outright lie, but Misora found it hard to believe it was even being applied to her.

"Don't worry. I wasn't hurt."

"No-I mean, take care not to place yourself in a situation in which you might be attacked. Avoid back roads, alleys, and other deserted areas. It might take longer, but stick to crowded areas and busy streets."

"I'm fine, L. And I can take care of myself. I've trained in martial arts."

"Have you? In what? Karate? Or judo?"

"Capoeira."

"…"

Naomi had felt pride that she caused L to not know how to respond. Although, she knew it was an unusual choice of fighting for an FBI agent.

"Yeah, I thought it was crap till I actually started it, but I got involved in street dancing in college and joined a capoeira group as an extension of that. It's actually a really effective form of self defense for a woman. The basic techniques all involve dodging your opponent's attacks, which means it isn't possible to overpower a block like it is in karate or judo. We can never match a man for power. And the acrobatic, tricky movements in capoeira give you time to get a good look at your assailant."

"Really? That makes sense," L said, sounding impressed.

Genuinely impressed, not just saying so.

"Your description makes it sound interesting. If I have time, I will have to look at some videos… but however confident you are, if they have a gun, or outnumber you, the situation changes. Take all the precautions you can."

Ryuzaki had let it slip that he knew, and since he couldn't be L (L would never make such a mistake in any event), he was the attacker. He was B.

And a few years after his arrest, on January 21, 2004, serving a life sentence in a California prison, Beyond Birthday died of a mysterious heart attack.

If Kira had known who he was killing, a man with the Shinigami eyes, he surely would not have done this.

But before that, on September 1st only a week after the BB case had been solved, Naomi met the real L.

Not the fake, not the imposter "Ryuzaki". Not B.

She met L.

She was on her way back to work at the FBI, getting ready to enter the subway. She had been put on probation in these last weeks (one of the reasons she'd been able to help L with the BB case) because she had not been able to fire her gun at a 13 year old boy who had been part of a large crime ring. It had upset her, and it had made her question her job and her ability. Even her boyfriend, Raye Penber, had timidly told her that perhaps this was a good reason for her to quit the force. But L had set her straight. L had told her over the phone that:

"Justice had more power than anything else."

"Power? By power… you mean strength?"

"No. I mean kindness."

And that had helped. L was not only a great detective, he was a great man. He'd hired her to help him on this case not because she was available, and not only because she was able, but because she possessed kindness. She possessed the ability to help a person change, and to show kindness.

So when she saw him, not really knowing who she was seeing, she was struck with deja vu.

Like she had met him once before.

There was something about him that reminded her of Ryuzaki- of Beyond Birthday. But the resemblance was backward, like this was the original, and the other had been the copy.

"Um, have we…?" she asked, even though he was hardly blocking the entrance bodily, and she could have simply ignored him and walked on inside.

The young man instantly leapt at her.

Leapt at her? No, that's not right. He actually tried to throw his arms around her.

"Huh?! No!"

Misora had brushed off the man's embrace and had moved smoothly into a capoeira offence, spinning in the air, raising her back legs like a scorpion, and slamming her heels onto his shoulders. Hard.

He'd been knocked off balance and had crashed down the subway stairs.

Whoops. A little overboard.

Certainly, he had assaulted her, but Misora quickly righted herself and ran down after him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

He was lying on his stomach like a crushed frog.

"I see," he muttered, seemingly talking to himself. "Watching videos and seeing it for real is quite something different, but now I think I understand."

"Hunh?"

What was he talking about? Had he hit his head on something? Her first day back at work, and already she was in trouble…

"Um… can you stand?" Misora said, reaching out toward him.

The man looked up at her, his eyes in shadow, as if two holes were staring at her.

"Thank you," he said, and took her hand.

Misora pulled him upright.

"Are you injured? Does it hurt anywhere?"

"I'm fine, thank you," the man said, not letting go of her hand. Even on his feet, he did not attempt to move away.

They appeared to be shaking hands. Like warriors on the battle field, exchanging a firm handshake after surviving yet another bloody fight.

"You are very kind," he said, with something like a smile, and at last let go of her hand. Then he tottered away as if nothing at all had happened, slowly climbing the stairs again.

"Ah…w-wait! Just a second!"

Misora had almost let him go, but a moment later she ran after him, circling around in front of him again. She was an FBI agent and could not let an assault crime go unpunished. The young man was sucking his thumb. He did not appear to be at all nervous.

"If you aren't hurt, then you'll have to come with me. Sexual assault is a serious crime. You can't go around throwing your arms around women. What were you thinking?"

"…"

"Don't just stand there. Say something. This attitude won't make things easier for you. What's your name?"

Naomi Misora has asked his name.

The young man nodded.

And answered.

"Please call me Ryuzaki," he said, unperturbed.

Just like someone else had.

xxx

It was then that L had taken another alias. He had many names, and this was one more he was to use. Rue Ryuzaki. Not his real name, no, but what a number of people ended up calling him. A name he had taken from Beyond Birthday. A name that L felt he deserved to take on, now that he had beaten B.

He'd left Naomi standing there, eyes wide in shock. Who was this man? He looked like Ryuzaki, like Beyond Birthday, but he seemed more real, more genuine. Like B had been impersonating this man.

And he'd said, "Watching videos and seeing it for real is quite something different, but now I think I understand."

What did that mean? Was he talking about her capoeira?

"You are very kind," he'd said.

Could he be…?

No, he could not be L! But…but…

Ryuzaki turned to look at her one last time and smiled, both hand fisted deep into his pockets.

"Please, if you are to ever be undercover, do not use your real name under any circumstance."

Then he was gone.

And why had he said that?

xxx

It was two years later now, and Naomi was in Japan, hunting down her fiancé's murderer.

Hunting down Kira.

She looked up into the face of Light Yagami.

"Um, would you mind telling me your name?" He asked, smiling good naturedly down at her.

And Naomi Misora remembered…

"Please, if you are to ever be undercover, do not use your real name under any circumstance."

"I'm Shoko Maki."

xxx

Authors Note: Whew! Ok, that was hard, trying to explain the damn book. The book was confusing.

L takes the name Ryuzaki because he has defeated the "real" Ryuzaki (B), and feels that he deserves to use this alias now. He has done the same with 2 other detectives.

Anyway, everything above actually happened in the book until the last 2 paragraphs. L never tells Naomi to use a fake name if she goes undercover. I added that for my own purpose. And since you know from the summary that this is a "What if Naomi had lived" story, you know that that statement may have helped her in her decision to tell Light a fake name, and to actually stick with it. But all will be unfolded in the next chapter. :)

My favorite part, my favorite exert from the book Another Note (and I will quote it for your pleasure), is when Mello say's in the forward; There's also the chance that Kira might read this… and I really hope he does. If these notes tell the murderer, who only got by with the help of a supernatural killing notebook and an idiot of a shinigami, that he was, under any other circumstances, not even worth the dirt beneath L's shoes, then they have served their purpose.

I'm not a fan of Light, so that's just beautiful to me. He's not worth the dirt people! Maybe I'll have Naomi say something to that effect later on. :)

Please review, constructive criticism is appreciated. Sorry if it was kind of hard understanding the summary of the book Another Note, but I wanted to use it later on, and I wanted people to know what the hell I was talking about. The story will be able to progress with a more natural flow now. Hope you're interested! And please be kind to me, this is my first Death Note fic!

xxx