Near sat on the floor, a wall of Legos surrounding him. Since the Kira case had been solved, Near had taken over as the new L. However, for the first time in a while, his mind was not on any particular case. Tonight, his toys were the only thing occupying his mind. As he continued to stack the multi-colored blocks one by one, the sound of heeled footsteps caught his attention. It was Halle Lidner, one of his partners in the SPK.

However, they had also shared a "special relationship" for many years of Near's life, after he had left Wammy's house. This relationship was the reason Lidner has entered the room just then. And it was also the reason why Near had interrupted his Lego stacking to face her.

Without a word, Near stood up, something he did not do on a regular basis. There was an odd, muffled crunching noise as he shuffled out of the room, the tall attractive blonde following closely. They walked silently in the darkness, while Lidner watched Near closely. Halle had never had children of her own, and ever since she had started working with Near, she felt a special connection with him…something that made her feel like the mother she always wished she could become.

And this nightly routine they practiced only strengthened that connection, as she was the only one Near trusted to do this.

They stopped at a door, a door that had Near's signature calligraphy N on the front of it. Near opened the door and nudged it further open for Lidner as he shuffled in. The room was cluttered with toys and puzzles, with a small table in the corner which Near shuffled towards. Lidner stepped over to the closet, and withdrew a small package.

Luvs.

Near unbuttoned and unzipped his clean white pants, and as he began to unbutton his shirt, his pants fell to the floor, revealing a white disposable diaper. Lidner would never say it, but she thought the young detective was simply adorable in Luvs.

Once his shirt was open, Near hopped up onto the table and lay himself down so that Lidner could work. The blonde stepped over, a fresh diaper in one hand, and Talcum powder in the other.

As she undid the tapes of Near's diaper, Lidner felt the strange feeling again, the feeling of a mother tending her child. It warmed her heart to be able to do this for someone like Near, whom she cared for deep down in her heart. Near looked back up at her, his face blank.

They were two of a kind. Near had never had parents, and Lidner had never had children. And at this moment in time, Lidner felt that perhaps, beneath the enigmas, the toys and the puzzles, Near might have felt the same way about her that she felt about him. She rolled up the used diaper, which was soaked from a day's worth of urine (Near absolutely refused to be changed during the daytime), and tossed it down the garbage chute in the wall. After carefully applying a very light layer of Talcum powder, Lidner slid the new diaper underneath Near's behind. Once she had fastened the tapes, Lidner stepped back and allowed Near to dress himself.

"Halle…"

"Yes Near?"

"You don't have to hide your feelings, you know."

"Feelings, Near?" The white-haired detective nodded.

"You've never had a child, correct?" Lidner could only nod in response. Near shrugged.

"Well then I suppose that makes me your child…thank you for the changing, as always." As Near left the room, Lidner stood in mild shock. What Near had just said had made her happier than anything she had heard in a long time. She smiled and wiped away a single tear that slid from her eye.

"I'll be your mother, Near…whenever you need me."