Ahh, 18-years-old L. He had grown into an adorable teenager by this time. Maria had grown up too.

Disclaimer: Death Note belongs to Tsugumi Ohba-sensei and Takeshi Obata-sensei. L would still survive till the end if I were the one who own Death Note series.

White

Chapter IV: Farewell

September 30, 1998.

A young woman stepped into the park. Many things had changed in Winchester, she thought, but this place remained same. How awesome.

She walked towards a certain tree. She remembered burying the present here and was a bit disappointed seeing it untouched. No one had dug out the present.

Does he forget?

She took a small white-covered agenda out of her purse. The naughty wind played with her long curly brown hair. She could have her hair curled, but said a big NO to hair-dye. She loved her hair's colour after all.

Back to topic, she opened the agenda and looked for a certain page. She took out an old torn-paper from it carefully.

"Five steps forward from the swing, four steps backward diagonally-right, four steps forward diagonally-right, and five steps backward," She read aloud what was written on that old paper. "He never made things easy."

She was grateful that the location of the swing wasn't changed. After doing exactly what she was told, she realized that those steps are to curve a big 'M' on the ground. 'M' for Maria. She smiled friendly to the old paper, as if it was really her mate.

Maria pulled a small folded spade out of her purse. She intentionally brought a big purse that day. After digging about half a meter, her spade reached something hard.

"Yatta! Got it!" Maria smiled happily to herself. She wasn't aware since when, but she had learned a little Japanese colloquial. She dug a little bit more and pulled out a small white steel box. She headed to find a water fountain to cleanse it from soil. She entered the nearest toilet and reached for a water fountain. While rinsing the box, she looked away to outside the toilet through an opened door. The female toilet was exactly opposed the male toilet, so all she could see was the door to male toilet. There was nobody. She shrugged and looked at her box to check whether or not it was clean enough.

"I bet what's in this case…" Maria shook the box a little. A sound of paper or plastic bag heard. She slowly opened the lock…

A plastic-wrapped garment appeared. She carefully removed the wrapper. It was quite hard, since it protected the clothing inside very securely. When she finally succeeded in opening the wrapper, she managed to pull the cloth out. Once she touched it, she felt warmth and softness. She looked at it. A very beautiful white scarf appeared in sight.

"L…" Maria brought the scarf to her face. It was very beautiful, bright and cleanly white, result of the secure wrapper. It was already the end of September, the wind blew harshly. She immediately put it on.

"It's very beautiful…"

Just when she looked at her reflection on the mirror, she realized that the scarf was not purely all-white. She noticed something blue embroidered there. She put it off to examine.

There was a blue 'L' in certain font embroidered neatly there. She tilted her head. Her memory flashed back.

… "He very panicked when I told him what date's today. But he still remembered about the promise. You see," Watari took L's left hand and showed it to Maria. Maria squeaked in shock.

"Why… is it… wounded that badly?" Maria widened her eyes while examining L's left hand. The fingers were wounded here and there.

"You will know once you see your present."

Her eyes began to moisten. She cursed herself for being so easily to cry, but… She knew now. Even when he was ill, he forced to embroider the letter by himself. He didn't want to just give a present without meaning.

'L'… 'L' from 'Lawliet', 'L' for 'Lawson'.

That's why his fingers were wounded… And what I did to him after all that he went through for me?

She put on the scarf again. Just when she closed the box and prepared to leave, she looked once again at the door…

…and saw a young man wearing a white long-sleeve shirt and loose blue jeans.

She was stunned by the sight of the man. She knew those certain clothing too well, since she was the one who buried them there 10 years ago.

"A… ah…" She seemed like lost her feet a moment, but after regaining them, she grabbed her purse and white steel box, ran away as fast as possible.

There's him! Her heart skipped beats that frightened her as if it would explode soon. She saw him, a hunched-over guy with uncombed ebony hair. The way he walked, the way he carried things-- in this case, a plastic bag-- were all too familiar to her.

She fully knew that this was the day they promised to dig the presents together, but she was still surprised and not ready to meet him again after 10 years. After all, she still had such an odd feeling towards him. What it was, even she herself wasn't sure.

The man was about to leave the park. A black, shiny limousine was waiting for him in front of the park. Maria stopped by this sight.

Do you still think that he is the same boy as he was 10 years ago? She questioned herself. Even though the news about him never spread out in public, many of your friends in police force knew him, right? He is very, very popular in his world. The world of justice, the universe that is much different than yours. You understand nothing about it. Do you still think you can chat with him like you did 10 years ago? He won't like you because you have been living a different life from his. It's not the same as when you lived in Wammy's House together with him. Besides, he already becomes a legendary detective. He is rich. It's not impossible if he had already forgotten you.

The man still chatted with his driver through the driver's window. He was still standing up the way he's used to doing. His hands stuck in the pockets of his jeans.

"N-no…" Maria shook. "I don't know whether or not he already changed, but he definitely still remembers me. Him coming here today is enough to prove that."

Convincing herself, she ran as fast as she could manage. She wondered why he always made her run.

"…"

Before Maria called out his (nick)name, he had already turned around, directly looking at her. Through the driver's window, Watari pointed at her.

"Maria…"

"L!" She finally reached him. She was definitely out of breath. Her hair and new scarf waved.

Sht, I must look very ugly. What a good impression…

"So you come here too," L said, his wide black eyes stuck on Maria.

"As you see…" Maria tried to calm herself down. She regarded, "Mr. Wammy."

"Glad to see you after so long, Maria," Watari smiled warmly.

"Me too, Mr. Wammy, L…"

"That's from me," L pointed at Maria's scarf.

"Yes," She immediately pulled his left hand. He was quite surprised, but stayed calm. As guessed, his hand was completely unscarred, of course. Ten years was more than enough to recover wounded fingers. "Now I know why your fingers were wounded that badly."

"You know it after you saw you present, right?" Watari chuckled. Maria was amazed on how Watari still remembered that old thing.

"What are you two talking about?" L frowned.

"Oh come on! See, Mr. Wammy, he himself had forgotten it!"

Watari laughed. "He has too many cases to think about. No enough space for such a memory."

"That makes sense."

"How's your life now, Maria?"

She smiled. "Very good. And how about you, little detective?" She teased him, knowing that he was exactly not little. He was very tall, even with that back hunching over.

"He traveled to many places around the world to solve case after case." It was Watari who answered.

"Still sticking to Mr. Wammy? Come on, you have been an adult!"

"I am his right hand, no longer a babysitter," Watari laughed while L mumbling an 'I-never-need-a-babysitter' thing. Maria laughed along.

"So, do you like my present?" Maria asked L.

"Mmm..." L looked up at the sky. "Quite…"

"He immediately changed into his new clothes. You have to know, Maria, he came here with a blue long-sleeve shirt and black trousers."

"What?! After this long?" Maria widened her eyes. She glanced at the plastic bag L was holding. She leaned to see what was inside. Certain folded garments, the same blue and black. "So it's real!" Maria was shocked. Watari laughed. L pouted.

"I DO change," L argued. "But all my clothes are in same colours and fashion."

"Yes, I believe," Maria chuckled. "It's impossible for you to still wear those old clothes. You've grown up pretty tall, that's the matter."

"Maria, where do you live now?" L changed the topic.

"In London. I come here specially for my present. You?"

"Japan."

"But he moved to another place after a few months. He should solve cases around the world. He has houses in almost every country," Watari added.

"Waw, that's… amazing," Maria smiled purely. "Congratulation, you have become what you wanted."

"Thank you," L replied.

Silence.

"I think we should leave now, Watari," L looked down at the ground. Maria was surprised.

"This soon?"

"He has to be in America tonight," Watari answered.

"Hnn, you're very busy now, kid!" Maria tried to give a knock to L's head, but she was too short to do it.

"It seems like he doesn't want to leave you now," Watari teased. L remained silent.

"Hee, no need to miss me that much!" Maria laughed. Actually she was trying to hide blushes that appeared on her cheeks. "To be honest, I miss you as well. But today as I see you, you do not change much! Just like you were 10 years ago…"

"You change," L said shortly.

"Do I?"

"Yes, you seem more cheerful. I bet you're happy with your current life. I am relief."

"Thank you for your care, L," Maria smiled widely. "Actually I don't change that much, but… I was and am–almost--always cheerful when I am by your side."

L raised up his face a little. "Really?"

"Hontou," Maria nodded surely. A wide smile still plastered on her face.

"Hey, since when did you learn Japanese?"

"Since I remembered that my best childhood friend is Japanese," Maria giggled. "Hey, by the way, are you sure it's okay to show me that you are L? I mean… my friends in police force said that your identity is confidential. They themselves always wonder how that legendary detective looks. They always say that he might be an old Poirot-or-Holmes-looking man. If only they know L is a young careless teenager like you," Maria laughed. "Don't you worry I'll accidentally reveal your identity, L?"

"I believe in you. You won't," L replied seriously, eyes looking through hers.

"Eh?" Maria blushed. That much belief in me? "We-well, thank you. Ah, your time's up, it seems," she switched the topic before Watari began to tease her. Watari checked his watch.

"We're almost late, L."

"Take care, Maria," L said while opening the passenger's door.

"I am the one who should say that. Haven't I told you that you are very skinny? Please, take care of your health."

"I will," L entered his limo and shut the door. He opened the window. "Don't you want to come with me?"

Maria shook. "I'd love to, but I also must be home soon or else my mum will worry."

"Send our regards to your mum, then."

"Hai. Come visit me in London sometimes."

"I'll try. Sayonara." With that, the limo raced away.

"Sayonara, Eru!" Maria shouted while the car speeded away, further away, and disappeared from her sight. She held back her tears. "I will miss you very, very much. I hope we can meet again someday."

'Eru' is Japanese pronunciation of 'L'

A.N: So… the story about L and Maria ended here. I'm a little bit sad, knowing that they wouldn't meet again in the rest of their life (because I never planned to make a story about that). If I were Maria, I would be oh-so-very-very sad, met my best childhood friend whom I always missed but only had a few minutes to talk to him, and never to see him again. Moreover, the said childhood friend was a cute world-class detective like L.

I made this story in such a short time, so please forgive the lack of idea. Really, I've tried my best, since this is my first Death Note story. Please tell me if L and/or Watari are OOC, so I won't do it again in my next fic. Comments are appreciated. Thank you for the reviewers who had appreciated my work. Even though you aren't going to review, I thank you just for reading!