Disclaimer: I do not own DC, its characters, plot, etc.

"Running Away"

Conan Songfic

I don't want you to give it all up
And leave your own life collecting dust
And I don't want you to feel sorry for me
You never gave us a chance to be

*Flashback*

Conan was in his bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep for the one thought running through his head, over and over. Tell her. In an attempt to shut out the thoughts, he closed his eyes, burying his face in his pillow, but an image of Ai Haibara floated into his mind, accenting the thoughts. Finally, he rose from his bed and grabbed his skateboard, tucking it under his arm and quietly leaving his room.

Once he left the building, he started his skateboard and headed for the professor's house, hoping that the backup battery would hold out until he reached his destination. The yellow glow of street signs flew by as Conan urged the skateboard to go faster.

When he saw the familiar gates of the professor's house, he skidded to a stop, jumping off before the skateboard stopped and hurriedly snatching the deck, he tossed it over the gates onto the professor's lawn, and began climbing the gates. Carrying the skateboard, he proceeded to the door. It was only when his hand grasped the doorknob that he realized the front door must be locked. After confirming that the door was indeed locked, he ran around to the back of the house and found a window, which he forced open.

After dropping the skateboard in, he crawled in* and found himself in the kitchen. After a few minutes of wandering blindly in the pre-dawn darkness, he found the exit and stepped into the living room, which he quickly left, having been in that room before. Equipped with the knowledge of approximately where he was in the vast house, he wandered up the stairs and found the bedrooms. Following his heart, he quietly opened the fourth door to his left.

Looking in, he saw that it was a barely furnished room, with only a laptop and a small lamp sitting on the desk, a bookshelf lined with books of medical studies, and a bed against the wall, by the desk. Quietly, he stepped in and approached the sleeping figure. He smiled as he looked down, taking in the innocent, carefree expression on Haibara's face as she slept. The face behind the mask. Unable to resist, he bent down and pressed his lips to her eyelids. Stirring, Haibara opened her eyes.

"What're you doing in my room?" she asked sleepily, the words coming out in a muddle.

"I love you," Conan answered, gazing into her eyes.

Haibara was shocked, but she recovered quickly, "…Humorous. It's 2:34 in the morning; you wouldn't come unless there was something important."

"I love you," Conan repeated, bringing his hands up to waist level, palms up and about two feet apart.

*End*

And I don't need you to be by my side
To tell me that everything's all right
I just wanted you to tell me the truth
You know I'd do that for you

"Just give me an answer… tell me the truth," Conan pleaded, turning to face Haibara.

"I…" For a second, her mask dropped, and it looked like she was going to tell the truth, but she quickly replaced it, hiding the genuine, torn expression. "don't know," she finished. Not giving him a chance to reply, she rose from the couch and headed for her room.

Why are you running away?
Why are you running away?

Conan was left standing, facing the empty couch. Why are you running away? Stay long enough for me to finish all that I have to say. For once, just give me an answer, not another evasive response.

Cause I did enough to show you that I
Was willing to give and sacrifice
And I was the one who was lifting you up
When you thought your life had had enough
And when I get close, you turn away
There's nothing that I can do or say
So now I need you to tell me the truth
You know I'd do that for you

*Flashback*

All he saw was Haibara, and the gun aimed at her back. He couldn't think, he couldn't feel… all he could do was run, faster than he ever had. "No!!" he screamed, having finally found his voice. He reached her and had pushed her down, shielding her. It wasn't until he felt an excruciating sensation pulsing from his side that he realized he had taken the bullet. Summoning his remaining strength, he managed to raise his arm, focus his blurring vision on the watch face, and fire a needle, stunning the assailant before he lost his senses and fell over from the blood loss. **

*End*

*Flashback*

"Is there really a point to this endless suffering? A life filled with apprehension; hiding in a corner and wondering when they'll come for you? A life filled with fear and grief that you can't even show?" Ai wondered, softly voicing her thoughts, a trail of tears flowing down her face, unaware that she wasn't alone. As Conan watched, every tear was like a knife in the heart.

"You're not alone," he began, extending an arm and wiping the tears away, "if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I'm here," he flashed a quick grin before continuing, "I will always be there for you; no matter what happens, I'll always protect you." He pulled her close, hugging her, but she pulled away.

"Thanks, Kudo," giving him a small, hollow smile as she backed away a few paces.

*End*

So why are you running away?
Why are you running away?

After tearing his eyes from the image of her retreating back, he sat down on the couch, elbow leaning on the armrest, cheek resting against his loose fist.
You know you can trust me …don't you?

Is it me, is it you
Nothing that I can do
To make you change your mind

…Is it something I said? Am I wrong? I thought you cared. Did I offend you when I burst into your room that night? Or are you just a cold ice princess? Is there anything I can do to melt you?

Is it me, is it you
Nothing that I can do
Is it a waste of time?

Ai…should I not have told you that I love you? Do you not want to hear it? What is it that's stopping you? Why won't you just give me a chance? Listen to your heart; don't be afraid of it. Can "we" never be?

Is it me, is it you
Nothing that I can do
To make you change your mind

Is it APTX-4869? Because I was the victim? Because you were born into a life of crime and ordered to create the drug? You didn't have a choice. Will nothing I do convince you that it wasn't your fault?

So why are you running away?
Why are you running away?
...What is it I've got to say...
So why are you running away?
...To make you admit you're afraid...
Why are you running away?

Why won't you give me a chance? Will nothing I say persuade you to change your mind? Why are you running away? Why are you so determined to be the one mystery I'll never solve? "Why are you running away?" he asked, his soft question answered only by the silence of the room.

* - Haha… We were locked out of the house once and I actually had to do that… I'm not sure if Japanese houses have "bars" installed by the windows to prevent this from happening, but it didn't look like it from the manga.

** - I don't care that "if he'd lost enough blood to black out in such a short period of time, the doctors would say…"

R&R Please!