Well, ignore the crappy please. There are many L back-story fics. I know.

Oh, and the story is completely POV of L's sister.

--

I walked purposefully down the London sidewalk, ever aware of the tiny hand in mine.

"Hey, Lawliet." I called my five year old brother's attention. "I want you to promise me something before we get into town."

"Hm? Okay." He replied.

"Promise me that this is our secret. We won't tell daddy about this, because you know how daddy get's mad."

The small boy nodded. "But you didn't say where we're going."

I smiled, my grip on his hand slipping for a fraction of a second before I smiled down at him. "We're gonna go get some cake."

"Because it's Halloween?" He asked, swinging his free hand. "I wanted to go trick or treating, but daddy won't let us."

"Lawliet, don't tell me you forgot your own birthday." A cold wind blew and I adjusted my scarf. It was an unusually cold day for late October in England. And while it was Halloween of 1984, it was also Lawliet's fifth birthday, and while it wouldn't be formally celebrated -nothing in our family had been since mom died- it was worth finding a café downtown to have a piece of cake.

"I didn't forget. I just thought we weren't gonna celebrate it. We didn't get cake for your birthday this year." I hadn't expected for him to forget. Even though I was ten, twice his age, and very mature for it, he often out smarted me. Before I had time to laugh, his little face became hopeful. "We could get two cakes!" He yelled. "One for 'Happy Birthday Lawliet', and one for 'Happy Birthday Page'!"

"I appreciate the thought, but let's just get one and split it so we don't have to take any home." We hadn't celebrated because after mom died, we were stuck with dad. He wasn't the nicest guy. He was honestly rather abusive to the point where I can't speak of it until today.

"Is that the cake shop?" Lawliet asked, pointing to a café.

"Yeah. Let's go." Excited as a five year old SHOULD be on his birthday, Lawliet dragged be towards the small building and burst through the doors and up to the counter. I smiled. "So what cake do you want?"

He stood on the tips of his toes, looking at all the pastries that sat among bagels and coffee machines behind the counter.

"I want the one with the strawberry!" He said, rather loudly.

"So you'd like a cake?" Smiled a waitress, noticing my brother, who was now jumping up and down.

"Yes, please." I handed her a small handful of change, and she handed me a plate with said slice of cake. "Thanks." I nodded to her, resisting the need to go into a full out bow, out of the habit inherited from our half-Japanese mother.

"Thank you!" Lawliet called, running towards an empty table near the back. He jumped on to the booth seat and began to tug at his gloves, getting them off his hands before I reached the table to help him with his heavy jacket.

The cake was gone mere minutes later. "All done?" I asked.

He nodded, smiling with cake on his face. I was subconsciously reminded that no matter how smart he was, he was still a first grader. Once he wiped the cake off his face, we went home.

--

We entered our house, the Lapinski residence, and Lawliet started up the stairs.

"I'm gonna make dinner, alright?"

"Yeah."

"Alright then." Lawliet finished his climb up the stairs, just as I heard the door open again.

"Yo." I cringed at the voice.

"Hi, dad." I managed. "How was your day?"

"Crappy." A typical response. "There are kids in costumes keep askin' me for change because they got some UNICEF box."

"That must suck." I took a deep breath and let it out. "It was Lawliet's birthday today."

"Really? How old is ee'?"

"Five." I replied. I began to boil some water to keep from having to look at my father when I talked to him.

"Tell 'im happy birthday for me."

"He's upstairs. You could tell him if you want."

"But I don't want." The slur in his voice became more and more distinct. It wasn't how he talked when he was sober, but really, he hadn't been sober in a while.

"Okay, I'll tell him when I'm done with dinner then." I stopped. I thought for a minute. I decided.

My little brother was five years old. He was smart, he knew what was happening, but he chose to believe it wasn't. I had to make him know it wasn't. I had to change things.

So with no reason not to, I made up my mind. "Dad, I really think you should stop drinking so much. Lawliet can't grow up being raised by his sister. I can't grow up raising myself. You need to get some help and be a father."

I turned to look at him as I said this. I bit the inside of my cheek, afraid of what would happen next.

I had good reason to be afraid.

I felt the sharp sting of dad's hand across the side of my face almost before the two made contact. "Ow…" I mumbled, placing my own hand on my cheek. Damn, just after the last bruise had healed.

"I am a father." Dad's face became more twisted than it had been. "You and Lawli-shit are just little brats."

"You aren't my dad, you never will be! You aren't to Lawliet, either-"

I had earned myself another firm slap in the face. Before I could even react to that one, I heard small foot steps. "What happened? Is daddy home?"

My eyes widened. "LAWLIET, STAY UPSTAIR-!"

With that I took my last blow of the fight. I hardly saw that one coming, only catching a glimpse of the translucent green bottle before it hit me on the head, and I fell down. The alcohol that poured out when the glass broke stung my eyes, as well as the minor cuts the glass gave my forehead.

"You're not his mother, Page."

Though my eyes were a little foggy from the alcohol, I still saw the small figure run up in front of me. "Daddy! What did you do that for?!" Said the same small voice.

I panicked and reached out to protect my little brother, but the kick came to fast, and Lawliet, being small for his age, flew right into the cabinet door. He sat dumbfounded for a moment, and then began to cry. I jumped up and ran towards him, pulling him by the hand up the stairs, and towards my room.

But I did hear another snide remark before I closed and locked the door.

"HAPPY FUCKN' BIRTHDAY!"

--

So here are the chapter names, in order (It's a short fic)

The Birthday

The Runaway

The Town

The Inventor

The Goodbye

The Life

Once

And get a tissue box, my friend!!