Inspired by: Simple Plan's Save You

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan in any way possible.

Author's Note: I know I didn't quite capture their characters well, but I would like to think otherwise. I haven't watched all the DC episodes yet so forgive me. Anyhow, reviews are greatly appreciated.

Rescue

There was only one thing she was certain of in that cruel life of hers: death.

If life was kind enough to have something in store for her, then that something would indubitably be death. And she was already at the tip of its fingers.

She had escaped from the clutches of the Black Organization, yes. But ironic as it may be, death had started chasing her more frequently and fervently than before. She could almost picture death with its claws filled with poison and its venomous cavern ready to devour her.

She changed her position again. How many times she faced the door to her left and her study table to the right, she didn't know. It seemed like her usual guest every night had forgotten to visit her while it probably already visited the rest of the world causing the dead of the night. It didn't matter to her that much. She was actually grateful that she would be able to dodge at least an attack from the typical nightmares she had always had.

That she would just one day wake up to the malevolent presence of the Black Organization. That those people who had kept her safe would just disappear in an instance. That before she could even comprehend the goings-on, she would faint with the sight of blood blinding her vision and its scent suffocating her…the blood that would most likely be hers.

Still, despite the unending chase the death was giving her, she had managed to survive this far and breathe painlessly.

Thanks to that bespectacled little kid with a mind that of a great detective – as what he always claimed himself to be – when in reality, he was just a brat turned into… well, a younger brat.

" Kudo-kun."

She whispered against the stale air she was accustomed to breathing in. Oxygen, or the lack thereof, wasn't really helping or harming her system. After all, it was no longer a new case for her seeing that death was coming for her anyway no matter what.

But if there would be a second thing she would be sure about in her life, that would be Shinichi getting in the way of death for her.

It was safe to assume that he was just doing that for himself to regain his prior life, to return to Ran's side, and in the process, she would be benefitted as well.

However, when he had put his life on the line saving her countless times, she would like to think that there was more to it than just her being an accidental beneficiary of his good plans.

For once, she wondered how Ran always felt whenever Shinichi, in his real form, was with her telling her that he would always find her to the ends of the world and save her till the end of his life.

She wondered how it would be like to be Ran…to be the most important person to Shinichi.

" …I'm going."

She jerked out of her bed when he heard his voice. He wasn't asleep, and sure he was up to something risky again. That was one of the reasons why there were times she just wanted to snatch that stun gun watch of his and use it against him just to stop him.

She neared her door and pressed her ears to it trusting her acute sense of hearing to do the spying.

" But Shinichi, that's dangerous."

She heard Professor Agasa's voice in frantic emotion. She sighed. Even though the professor was genuinely worried about Shinichi, his voice was never really convincing enough to stop the latter from his rash actions.

" That word was never in my dictionary. I'm doing this not only for my sake, but for Haibara's as well."

She smiled. At least she had come to know that she was originally included in his plans and that he had really intended to save her, too.

" If Ai-kun gets to know about this, she won't allow you either. You know how much she hates – "

" I know. But I need to protect her. I need to make sure she will no longer suffer because of the organization. She's my partner, and she deserves a happier life like everyone else."

Even though her door wasn't even slightly opened for her to peek out, she knew Shinichi was wearing a smile when he said that.

Somehow, she had mastered the ups and the downs of his voice which clearly gave an inkling of his thoughts and emotions

She's my partner. His partner.

It gave her warmth having heard those words directly from him. Now she knew where she stood in his life and what she meant to him.

Montage of Shinichi's smiles and frowns flashed through her mind. The times they spent together with the Detective Boys or even just the two of them plainly talking or the instances the professor would give them weird quizzes and they would battle to their wits' ends to figure them out.

He had always been there for her.

" But Shinichi – "

" You intend not to mention this thing to me again, huh?" she asked almost sardonically with her arms crossed over her chest.

She had decided to make an appearance before it was too late.

" Haibara…"

Shinichi had his face sweating giving her a nervous look.

She looked daggers at him. She suddenly noticed that he was still unprepared and knew that she could take advantage of this.

She walked closer to him while he stepped back. It went on until his back reached the edge of the table on which his gadgets were laid. She finally stopped.

She sighed in defeat knowing that she, too, would never be able to stop him.

" I don't want to you to be put in danger. You're special to me," she muttered with her head slightly bowed making it hard for Shinichi to see her face.

Nevertheless, he smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder.

" Same here."

But of course we don't have the same definition of 'special'.

She looked up and smiled wintrily.

" Then let me do this one."

She quickly reached for his stun gun wristwatch laid on the table and shot him with a tranquilizer dart. He fell asleep right away.

" Ai-kun, what are you doing?" the professor panicked.

She, however, just collected all of Shinichi's gadgets and stuffed them inside her bag. She also took hold of his Turbo Engine Skateboard. She knew that Shinichi prepared for this so the skateboard had stored solar energy.

" Do me a favor, professor. Tell me where they are."

She gave him a firm look.

" But Shinichi wouldn't – "

" It's my turn to do something for him; it's my turn to save him."

For the last time, she looked at the sleeping figure of this boy special to her.

And the professor understood.

…

Fin.