With the closure of The Bishop Case came a trip to Moscow, followed by another one to Rome.  Summer gave way to Autumn and the greatest detective in the world and his most trusted agent continued to serve justice well.

Naomi tucked away her feelings for L and, though they hadn't quite disappeared, she felt as though she at least had them under control. 

Life was good.

At the end of October, a particular case called them to Los Angeles.

Staring with her chin in her hand out the window of the private jet, Naomi realized that it had been nearly ten months since she had been to the American city she had once called home.  Below, she could see the sprawling city of LA and the Santa Monica Pier and the many beaches that lined the California Coast.  It had been here that she had helped solve the BB Murder Cases.  And, come to think of it, it was where she had first met L- both the first time, when she hadn't known it was him and kicked him down the stairs, and then the second time when he had hired her and they were formally introduced.  Naomi smiled to herself.  It felt good to be back.

"Alright, that sounds great... thank you."  L was speaking on the phone in one of his many disguised voices.  This one was obnoxious and loud.  "Yup, you too!  Mhmm, bye."  He hung up and looked at Naomi, his voice returning to normal.  "Alright, so, as discussed, an FBI agent will meet us when we land and you will go with them to their headquarters.  Watari and I will go straight to the hotel and you will meet us there when you are finished."

Naomi nodded.  "Sounds like a plan."

Within a few moments, the plane touched down on a private runway near LAX.  Watari, who had been flying the plane, disembarked and instructed the airport personnel to unload the bags and put them in the waiting limousine. 

L and Naomi descended the stairs leading off the plane.  The day was warm and sunny and Naomi shielded her eyes with her hand as she looked around for the agent who was supposed to meet her.  She spotted a black SUV parked nearby and turned to L.

"I'll see you in a bit."

"Yep."  L turned toward the limo and Naomi began walking toward the SUV. 

The drivers' side door opened and a man stepped out wearing slim-cut navy blue suit.

"Naomi?" the man said in disbelief.

Naomi's steps slowed abruptly and her heart caught in .

"...Raye?"

She blinked several times.  It was really him!  Raye Penber, the man she had almost married... standing right in front of her. 

She had forgotten how good-looking he was...

Raye stepped forward as if he wanted to greet her with a hug, but he stopped himself.  Smiling broadly, he extended his hand instead.

"I- I can't believe it's you!" he stammered.

Naomi shook her head in awe, smiling back and accepting the handshake.  "Raye!  Oh my god, hi!  This is... so unexpected!  How have you been?"

The two exchanged greetings and small talk for a few minutes before getting into the vehicle together.

"Watari, that man looks familiar," L commented, standing by the limo and watching the SUV drive away.  "And Misora seemed to know him..."

"Perhaps you could call and request the name of the agent that was sent over?" Watari suggested as he shut the trunk of the car.

"Hmm... Perhaps someone she used to work with?"  And then suddenly, L's eyes widened.  "Wait a minute... that was Raye Penber." 

L wasn't quite sure why, but it irked him that Naomi had just gotten into a vehicle with her ex-fiancé.  And he had learned from experience to always follow a hunch.

He turned toward Watari.  "Change of plans," he said.

"Oh?" Watari asked, raising his eyebrows.  "Where are we going, then?"

L climbed into the backseat and stared with lowered eyelids in the direction Raye and Naomi had driven.

"The Los Angeles FBI Building" he grumbled.

---

Raye glanced over at Naomi, who was sitting in the passenger seat with her hands calmly folded on her lap.  She looked so pretty in her dark grey dress pants and matching jacket with her long, raven-black hair cascading softly over her shoulders. 

"You look good, Naomi," he said.

Naomi flashed him a bright smile.  "Thank you.  So do you."

And she meant that- more than she cared to admit.  Somehow, her mind had dulled the image of Raye Penber in her memory and she had forgotten how handsome he was... with his dark hair and strong build and steel-blue eyes.  He was the type that was charming and attractive without even trying.  And, surprisingly, she felt totally comfortable riding next to him.  The history between them was actually making it easier and not weirder, she pleasantly realized.

"You're good, then?  You're... happy?" Raye inquired.

Naomi tipped her head.  "I am," she responded honestly.  "Things are good."

Raye nodded.  "Good, good..."

It was quiet for a minute and then Raye spoke again.

"So, you left the FBI, then?"

Naomi squirmed a bit.  She really couldn't talk about her job.  "Um, yes I did."

Raye nodded.  "Mm.  It's just... Well, I thought you loved it at the FBI.  I mean, that's the whole reason we-"

"Raye, can we not do this?"

Now it was starting to feel weird.

"No, no, it's fine, I just- well, I've just been confused ever since then, is all," Raye glanced at her again and then back at the road.  He sighed.  "Try to see it from my perspective, Naomi.  You chose your job at the FBI over marrying me and then, less than two months later, I find out that you quit the FBI and then you just fell off the face of the earth.  Don't I deserve... at least a little explanation?" 

He looked at her again and for some stupid reason, the only thought Naomi's brain could conjure up was that his eyes were gorgeous.

She lifted both palms and shrugged.  "I don't know what to say, Raye.  You know that sometimes, in our line of work, things can't be explained.  It's... classified."

"So you got another job, then?  I mean, obviously... you're here for the case, but... well, they are saying that the famous detective L is on the case.  Naomi, are you working for him?  Is that why you can't talk about your job?"

Naomi shook her head, flustered.  "You know I can't answer that, one way or another."

"No, no, it makes sense.  The private jet, the limo..." Raye looked at her, impressed.  "You're one of L's agents, aren't you?  Naomi, that's amazing!"

Naomi brought her hand up to rest her fingers on the bridge of her nose.  "Raye, I don't have to explain to you what will happen if you start spreading rumors like that."

Raye shook his head, still looking shocked.  "Hey, I won't say anything.  You have my word, it's not leaving this vehicle.  And I don't think anyone assigned to this case knows you, so it's all good."  Then, he chuckled and added under his breath, "I can't believe you're working for L..."  He turned his head to smile at her and said sincerely, "I'm really happy for you.  That's quite an honor."

Naomi simply smiled in response.  If she said "thank you," she'd be confirming it.

"So, have you met him?"

"Raye!"

"Okay, I'll stop."  He grinned.

It was quiet again for awhile.  Naomi gazed out the window at the passing buildings and palm trees and enjoyed the feeling of the warm sunshine on her face.  After a little bit, she turned to ask Raye a question about the case but stopped when she realized he was already looking at her.

One corner of his mouth lifted into a small smile.  "I've missed you, Naomi," he said quietly.

Naomi's stomach did a flip.  She would have been lying if she said she hadn't missed him.  Old feelings were staring to crop up and Naomi wasn't really sure if she wanted to revisit them.  She smiled back but made no reply.

They pulled into the parking lot of the FBI building and, to Naomi's surprise, L was there, standing against the limo with his hands in his pockets.

She stepped out of the SUV and turned to Raye.  "Um, just give me a minute?"

Raye nodded and she walked briskly over to L.

"What are you doing here?" she asked when she reached him.  "Is everything okay?"

"Everything is fine," L answered casually.  "I just decided that I wanted to come down and see some of the evidence first-hand."

Naomi made a confused expression.  That wasn't like him.  Besides, wasn't that what he had hired her to do?

"Well, how'd you get here before us?"

L waved a hand carelessly into the air and shoved off of his leaning stance.  "You know how Watari drives... come on."  He began walking toward the building with his back arched and Naomi turned to follow him.  Raye was waiting by the front door.

"He's with me," Naomi said, gesturing toward L.

"Oh, um...ok."  Raye was clearly taken aback by L's appearance.  But he extended his hand.  "Raye Penber, good to meet you."

L reached out and firmly shook Raye's hand.  He made direct eye contact as he spoke.  "Ivan Markov.  Likewise."

"Okay, so apparently he's a Russian for the time-being?" Naomi thought with amusement.  L had more aliases than she could keep track of.

The trio entered the building and met a small handful of other people before getting down to business.

Raye turned to Naomi as they were getting started.  "Can I get you a coffee?"

Naomi was leaning forward with her forearms on the room's large conference table and her hands folded.  "Oh, um-"

"Yes," L interjected loudly.

Naomi and Raye turned to look at him.  He was standing on the other side of Naomi with his thumb in between his teeth.  He wasn't breaking eye contact with Raye.

"What's his problem?" Naomi wondered.  She turned back to look up at Raye.  "I'd love a coffee," she said, smiling.

Raye shifted his uneasy gaze from L to Naomi.  He relaxed and smiled down at her, having to use every ounce of willpower not to playfully tap the end of her nose like he used to.  "Two coffees, coming up!"  He turned and left the room.

Naomi swung her head around and up to look at L.  "What's with you?" she asked.

"Whaght?" L innocently inquired around the thumb in his mouth.

"You're acting weird."

L returned his hand to his pocket.  "Yes, well, I've been told that many times."

Naomi shook her head.  "No, Ivan, I mean more than usual."

L shrugged and lifted his miffed gaze to stare straight ahead.  Naomi saw that his hands were fidgeting inside his jeans pockets.  Whatever the reason, he was clearly in a bad mood.

Raye returned with the coffees in a cardboard carrying tray.  He set the tray down and held out a box of sugar cubes to Naomi.

"If my memory serves me right, you take two sugars?" he said candidly.

Naomi took a pair of sugar cubes and rolled them around in her palm like they were dice.  She nodded, smiling back.  "Good memory," she commented.

Then, Raye held the box out to L and spoke politely.  "Do you take sugar, Ivan?"

"I do," L responded and swiped the box from Raye's hand.  He then proceeded to empty the entire thing into his coffee.

For Naomi's sake, Raye tried not to react too much, though Naomi couldn't help but notice his complete bewilderment toward L's rude behavior.  She quickly attempted to break the awkwardness by getting everyone's attention back on the case.

"Right, well why don't we all take a seat?" Raye began, gesturing with both hands toward the table, and everyone did.  L stepped backwards up onto a chair and sat as he usually did with his hands resting on his knees.  He continued to stare intently at Raye, who was finding it more and more difficult to hide his confused discomfort toward the strange man whom Naomi had claimed to be one of her colleagues.

Naomi noticed that everybody in the room was trying way too hard to avert their eyes from L and his unusual way of sitting.  He, on the other hand, acted as though nothing were amiss and casually asked questions about the case, sipped his coffee, and chewed on the end of his thumb.  Naomi wanted to crawl into the floor.  Everything he did was suddenly just as weird as it was on the day they first met.

"Why can't he just be normal for two seconds?" she bemoaned inwardly.

And then L spoke.  He spoke in such a way that demanded the attention of the entire room.  He calmly and evenly voiced his deductions based on the information he'd been presented and heads began to nod in impressed agreement.  Murmurs of, "I hadn't even thought of that!" and "That is brilliant!" were heard from around the table.

Naomi's mouth twitched in an attempt to hide a smile.  A sense of pride flitted inside her as he spoke, and all the embarrassment she had been feeling melted away.  She chided herself.  What did a few quirks matter?  He was amazing.

"...but I'll have to double-check with L later," he finished plainly.  "I'm sure he'll have more to say on the matter."

With that, L stood and looked toward Naomi.

Naomi took the hint and turned to face Raye.  "It was great seeing you," she said with a smile.

"You too, Naomi..." Raye couldn't help himself any longer and he leaned in to hug her. 

Naomi was surprised at first, but she lifted onto her tiptoes and hugged him back. 

L looked down at the floor and kicked at it with the toe of his beaten sneaker.

"Listen, Naomi..." Raye said, pulling away.  "I know we didn't end things all that well... and I have no way of knowing if I'll ever see you again."  He reached out to gently touch her elbow.  "Let me take you to dinner.  It's the least I can do."

L's sneaker scuffed at the wooden floor.  He didn't know why he was so mad.  And that made him even more mad.

"Oh, um," Naomi stiffened and Raye pulled his hand away, searching her face and waiting for a response. 

She looked up into his eyes.  She knew that nothing could ever happen between them again, but what was the harm in dinner?  It was so good to see a familiar face and it had been so long since she'd had an evening out like a real grown-up.  And besides, he was right- it was possible, and even likely, that their paths may never cross again. 

"...I'd like that," she finally replied.

L turned, hands pocketed and gaze lowered, and started kicking the baseboard against the wall.  His sneaker left little scuff marks.  So what?  He didn't care.

Raye smiled at Naomi.  They agreed on a time and a restaurant near Naomi's hotel and said goodbye.

Naomi turned to leave and Raye looked up at L, lifting a hand.  "Nice to meet you, Ivan," he said pleasantly.

L nodded curtly and mumbled, "And you, Raye Penber."  He left the FBI building feeling the inexplicable urge to punch a wall.

"Is this okay?" Naomi asked hopefully as they approached the limo.  "You didn't need me for anything tonight, did you?"  She walked alongside L, an excited lightness to her steps.

L's shadowed eyes were fixed straight ahead as he walked, hunched over with his hands pocketed.  "It's fine," he muttered.

Naomi was a bit mystified regarding L's crabby attitude.  A new case usually intrigued him.  Then again, he was nearing five days without sleep.  Maybe he was just moody and tired.

Well, more than usual, anyway.

She determined not to dwell on it.  Instead, she turned her thoughts to the evening ahead and her stomach flipped again.

She had a date tonight!

They got into the car and Watari began driving to the hotel.  He glanced in the rear-view mirror and what he saw caused his brow to furrow in fatherly concern.  He wasn't born yesterday.  He knew full well why L had wanted to come to the FBI Building, even if the detective himself didn't know exactly why. 

But Watari knew.

He had known for a long time.

And what he saw now in the backseat of the limo was exactly what he had been fearing for quite some time now.  He saw a girl with flushed cheeks and an excited smile and, next to her, a dejected boy of a man who was desperately struggling to understand the strange and overwhelming ache he felt deep within his chest.