L paced the empty room, completely alone with his thoughts. B was confused, that much L was sure of. He didn't understand or even know what he was feeling. It was almost as if the emotions the two men shared back in the orphanage were resurfacing, bubbling right under Beyond's pale skin. Was L making the killer feel things he didn't ever want to feel again? He could almost read it in his face, and in his eyes. Since Beyond had left in the morning, he hadn't been back. L suspected that it was now late at night, meaning he hadn't eaten all day. He debated whether or not he should bang on the door and scream for Beyond or Auralee to bring him food. Another hour passed, and still no one had come for him. After much thought and hesitation, L found himself banging on the hospital room door as hard as he could. "Hey! HEY!" he screamed. Silence.

Then he heard footsteps, hurried and angry. The lock was undone, and the door jolted open with scary force. "What the fuck are you yelling for?" Auralee hissed. "People are fucking sleeping!" Auralee had bags under her eyes, not the same extent as L's or Beyond's, but bags nonetheless. Her eyes were bloodshot, face pale, and hair a mess. She did not look like the same bubbly soul that L had first met back in the 7 eleven. "Auralee...I haven't eaten anything since the night before. After the...incident...with Beyond, no one has brought me anything. I'm hungry," he whispered. He wanted Auralee to remain calm since the last thing that L needed was for Beyond to wake up. The girl threw her head back and laughed. A bitter and taunting laughed that made L feel extremely uncomfortable in front of the girl. When she had finally stopped laughing, she looked L in the eyes with no hint at amusment. "Do you really think I give a fuck that you're hungry? Of all the things I've ever heard, my god. You are the worst thing that has ever happened to Beyond, and I hate your guts. I want to see Beyond tear your skin open and spill your blood all over the floor. Oh and, if he won't do it, for whatever reason, you can be sure I will. I'm not letting you manipulate him or make him think that you're anything more than dirt," her voice was the angriest L had ever heard, low and menacing. His eyes were wide with shock, as he had never seen the girl this frightening. To L's surprise, Auralee lifted a pale hand to an even paler face, and stroked the detective's cheek. She smiled sweetly, "as I said, my dear L, you will die here." With that, she turned on her heel, shut the door quietly, and locked it behind her.

All L could do was sit exactly where he was, and cry. Not a heavy and dramatic event, just a few quiet tears rolled down his cheek. He cried because he knew what she said was true. It was the awful truth that he could not second guess. No matter what mixed feelings Beyond was having, L was going to die in this old abandoned hospital. It was a thought that made L's stomach sink.

L jumped out of skin when he heard the lock being fiddled with. Was Auralee coming back to just finish him off now? His hands shook and he couldn't peel his eyes from the door. He expected her small frame and wild hair to burst through the door, knife in hand. He knew she had it in her, as most humans do. Instead of Auralee walking through the door L thought he'd never walk out of, it was Beyond. L could not believe that for once he was grateful do see his skinny form and tossed black hair. L did not even realize he was still crying, and the tears fell a lot harder now. The detective felt vulnerable on the floor and quickly moved to the center of his bed. "You're ugly looking when you cry," Beyond said, looking slightly amused. He pulled the chair up to the side of the bed. "Can you please lie down? I want to talk to you." L looked at him suspiciously, and wiped his eyes with the bed sheet. Beyond Birthday grabbed the sheet from his hands and inspected the spot with the fresh tears. "No makeup. So those are real," Beyond whispered, reaching with one finger to touch the bags under L's eyes. The detective cringed and jerked his head backwards. He noticed Beyond grimace slightly at his reaction, but then the killer smiled. He raised his finger to touch his own bags and ran his fingertip under his eye. When he held it up to L, it was black with makeup. "A copycat, L. That's all I am." B looked sad, and to L's surprise, very vulnerable. L had the sudden urge to reach out and hug B. He knew that L's pressure and rejection had turned Beyond into the man that he was today. Of course, L did not act on this impulse, for that would have been very silly of him. So instead, L said nothing. "They say a replica can never be as good as the original," he said quietly. "You're not a replica, B," L said. "Oh but I am!" Beyond became animated in only a second and flailed his arms around. "That is exactly what I am! Look at me, L." His excited tone became a hushed whisper. "What did you want to talk to me about Beyond?" L's stomach did flip flops. "The other night... that was not supposed to happen. I think you know that," Beyond said. "Yes, I can come to the conclusion that you were not supposed to crawl into bed with the man you supposedly hate," L's tone was angry. "But you did. And why did you Beyond?" An angry glare was flashed in the killer's direction. Beyond looked hurt, L could see it in the pout of his lip and glimmer in his eyes. "I don't know L. I'd like to blame my intoxicated state but..." his frail voice trailed off. "But WHAT Beyond? How can you expect to do that to me? You confuse me and it's making my head hurt a great deal!" L was shouting. Beyond first looked shocked at L's sudden outburst, but then he looked angry. "Don't fucking talk to me like that," Beyond spat. "Do you think I enjoy this? I'm...confused too. I have dreams, and they're always changing. Sometimes I dream of killing you in the most awful and delicious ways. I wake up and I feel sad. Other times, I dream of just holding you in silence. Each dream is so vivid, and when I wake from either one I can hardly stop myself from coming in here and either killing you or fucking you." Beyond's head was down. L was shocked. He didn't really know what to say. What did that even mean? That Beyond was a bipolar menace? Well yes, he already knew that. Did this confirm that Beyond had feelings for L? "Beyond," L whispered. The serial killer raised his head and looked the saddest that L had ever seen him. "What do I do, L?" Beyond choked. "Do I kill you? Will it end? When will my heart stop hurting? It's been hurting ever since you left. I think of you and I feel pain that I can't fucking kill. I'm scared to hurt you but I'm scared to feel anything but hate towards you either," the killer was crying now. Heavy, loud, choking sobs that made his whole body shake.

Without another word or any warning, Beyond Birthday jumped to his feet. L had been sitting up in his bed and jumped at the killer's sudden movement. "Move over," Beyond whispered. "What?" L looked horrified. "Move the fuck over, L!" Beyond almost whined. L did as he was asked and moved his body over to the other side of the bed. "You have to lie down," Beyond said. "Why?" L said in a frightened voice. "Just do it!" Beyond was getting impatient, and so L did as he told him to. With no hesitation, Beyond climbed into the bed alongside L, just as he did when he was drunk, the only difference being that Beyond was now facing L. Beyond forced a small smile onto his face, "Hi." L's confusion was so broad and disturbing that it made his stomach hurt. "What are you doing Beyond?" he whispered. "I don't exactly know. I just don't. I remember, when we were at the orphanage, when you would visit me...I was so happy. You know that. I think that, in a way, you knew me at my best, before I was consumed by this sadness, the one that doesn't go away. Now, I can't even stand on my own. It takes pills and boozes. I need to know if you can make it better L. A part of me says you can. Another part of me screams that I can't trust you. A part of me wants to show you my scars. Another part of me wants to give you new ones." L was shaking, and he knew it was because he was confused too. He had always been so confused. He had thought of Beyond often. "You have to make a choice Beyond." He was hesitant to even move. A defiant look came across the man's face. Beyond leaned in close to L, and placed a light kiss on his lips. L almost cried out in shock. He didn't think anything on Earth could stop the trembling in his hands. Beyond buried his face in the sheets. He spoke, the sound muffled. "I don't think I'm ready to do that, L."