HIYA! This will be my second Detective Conan story. This story will feature Conan and Haibara because I believe that Haibara deserves to have her own love life considering the crap she's been through. I love the couple and I kind of hope it happens but I doubt it because of the strong relationship between Shinichi and Ran. I do not own detective Conan or the characters in this story all credit goes to Gosho Aoyama and TV Tokyo. The only thing I own is this idea for a story.

Prologue:

Ran has gotten tired of waiting for Shinichi and decides to call it off with him over the phone. Shinichi is heartbroken and tries to explain to her that he's only being distant to protect her, but Ran doesn't want any more of his excuses and claims that it's hard for her to do this but this is her decision and she hopes that he will respect it. Shinichi finally breaks down and in one last ditch effort tells her the truth. Ran is stunned and sad that she didn't realize it sooner. Ran is heard crying on the other end of the line while Shinichi tries to hold back his own sorrow. Ran tells him that she cares for him but the truth is that she is leaving Tokyo to go to college and that Araide has asked her hand in marriage and she accepted his proposal. Shinichi completely falls apart but goes ahead and continues his conversation with Ran claiming that he hopes she finds happiness and love. He hangs up the phone. Shinichi is a total mess. He presses his back against the back of the booth and slides down to the ground clutching his knees like a lost child.

Chapter 1: lost and found

The next few weeks were hell for Conan. He refused to do anything after that. He wouldn't eat or sleep, play or even solve cases, he didn't care anymore. The girl he loved had literally ripped his heart out and stepped on it. Conan was mute, he refused to talk, laugh, or show any childish emotions except a blank stare he gave everyone. His friends thought he was just upset because Ran was leaving they were all upset, Ran was their friend too. No one knew that Ran was responsible for permanently destroying this child.

Haibara was the only one who knew what was going on. After Conan's conversation on the phone with Ran he called Haibara unexpectedly and told her what had happened. She wasn't sure of what to say to this broken boy. The strangest thing was that he refused to talk to anyone but Haibara. Most of the time Conan would go to his house and just sit on the steps looking at the sky which always upset him and broke him more. On occasion he would go to Dr. Agasa's house and stay the night but that was as far as it went. He was distraught and completely lost. Haibara didn't blame him for the way he felt. Anyone who has gone through as much as him has every reason to be upset but upset was putting it mildly. She just wished that she could do something to help this broken child.

The days went on and he didn't seem like he was getting any better instead it looked like he was getting worse his appearance was proof of that. He looked thinner, dead-like, almost like a walking skeleton. Haibara and the detective boys were noticing this. Half of the time he wouldn't show up to school. Occasionally the kids would visit the agency but he was never there. Haibara walked past him a couple of times in the city but he would never say anything back to her. She had enough she was going to bring him back no matter what.

She saw him again later that day and that's when she decided to test her trick. She waited in an alleyway and waited patiently for him to come closer then she grabbed him. He was surprised and his face showed it. Haibara grabbed the collar of his shirt and held him in the air.

"Stop this childish behavior Kudou!" Haibara yelled at him. He was completely taken back by this.

"Put me down!" Conan yelled back at her. She raised him higher in the air.

"Stop this Kudou, you're killing yourself!" Conan glared at her.

"I DON'T CARE!" this time Haibara was the one surprised. She cared so much for this kid but yet he did not care about her enough to stop his childish tantrum. Haibara was fed up with him; she tossed him on the ground. "Fine, waste away and die for all I care." Conan looked up at her shocked. She started to walk away until he called to her.

"Haibara why?" Haibara looked back at him and sighed.

"It's because I love you." Conan was taken aback by this statement. Haibara was in tears. "I've loved you since I met you, I loved the person you were, but you've changed; now you're just pathetic."

Conan picked himself off of the ground and ran up to her and grabbed her hand. "Stop, please Ai." she looked at him. "Is that true what you said or are you just joking like you always do."

"You really think I would be crying if I wasn't serious?" Conan was even more surprised now.

"I've been so blind, why didn't I see it sooner." He thought to himself. He felt like a total jerk and idiot, this was so not like him to act this way, to give up on everything he loved, it was pathetic. Conan grabbed Haibara's shoulder and turned her around to face him, that's when he embraced her in his arms.

"Kudou what're you…" She started to say but was interrupted by the unexpected embrace.

"Thank you." Ai could feel him shaking in her arms then he did the unexpected, he cried.

"C'mon Conan you're too much of a tough guy to act like this." Looking at the scene before her reminded her of the first time she met Conan when she broke down like this too. Conan stayed in Haibara's arms for what seemed like an eternity. She had to admit she was happy to finally be holding the one she loved in her arms but the fact that such a strong boy was crying upset her.

"Hey Conan, why don't we go get something to eat?" Conan looked up at Ai with his tear streaked face.

"Huh?"Was all he managed to say. Haibara sighed again.

"You look like the living dead! you need to eat something." Conan looked at himself. He was hella boney.

"No, its okay I'll be fine." But his stomach said otherwise cause at that minute it growled. Feed me dammit! Is what it seemed to say.

"Yeah, no you're going to eat even if I have to drag your ass." Conan chuckled at Ai's statement and was reluctant to follow but went ahead anyway. She dragged him with her everywhere until they reached a burger stand. Haibara went up to the man and ordered three burgers, two large fries, and two medium drinks to- go. After receiving her purchase she and Conan went to a nearby park bench to sit down, Conan was out of breath. "You're getting old Kudou." She laughed. Conan was completely out of breath and exhausted. He chuckled which made it worse and he cringed. "You're definitely out-of-shape I'll have to fix that." Conan sighed and tried to compose himself. Ai helped Conan onto the bench since he didn't have the energy to climb the high bench. Once on the bench Ai grabbed a burger out of the brown paper bag and handed it to Conan. Conan looked at it for awhile before he took a bite. He was having a hard time eating but forced himself to swallow. "When was the last time you ate?" Conan looked at Ai then back down at his partially eaten burger.

"Five weeks ago." Ai just looked at the ground.

"I'm surprised you're still alive." Ai was sad and ashamed that she didn't do this sooner. If she had maybe he wouldn't be this way right now.

"I can't eat this, I'll probably hurl if I try." Ai could see that he was having a hard time that's when it hit her. I'm so stupid of course he's having trouble eating; it's just like after WW2. After so long of not eating the soldiers gave the Jewish small rations of bread and hot soup. He needs something to coat his stomach, hot soup would be perfect.

"Just save it for later, I'll get you something you can actually eat, more like drink." Haibara packed up the left over meal, grabbed Conan's hand, and jumped off the bench. She slowly led him into town where she stopped by another restaurant and purchased hot chicken noodle soup for them. She paid for the both of them and took a nearby booth as they waited for the order to arrive. Conan sat opposite of Ai at the booth completely silent. "Say something; you're starting to depress me." Ai inquired. He looked up at her then back at the table. Then she tried again more sweet-like. "What's on your mind?" That got his attention, he looked up again this time he smiled, it was weak but it was still a smile. Ai blushed when she saw his face. Conan laughed weakly,

"Your face is as red as a tomato." Ai turned redder.

"Oh shut up it is not." Ai turned away from Conan and he laughed again.

"I guess I'm just imaging your face turning the color of a tomato."

"I guess so." She was still turned the other way when the waitress walk up with their order. She placed the hot bowls in front of each kid and walked off. Conan picked up his spoon and swirled it around in the bowl while he rested his head on his hand. Ai was slowly sipping her soup and watching the boy sitting across from her.

"Stop playing with your food you are not a child." Ai whispered. Conan didn't seem to be listening he was in his own little world at the moment. "Conan!" He lifted his eyes to stare at her. "Conan you need to eat your soup you'll feel better.

"I don't feel like eating right now."

"Conan, honey you need to eat." Conan was shocked that Ai was being so sweet but it could've been just an act. He rose up gabbing his spoon to eat his soup. He sipped at his soup and was amazed at how much he loved the taste. He began to eat a little faster. "Hey! Don't eat too fast you'll be sick." Conan took her advice and slowed his eating. She smiled as she watched him eat. He stopped when he noticed she was watching him.

"What? What's with that face?" She looked down at her lap embarrassed. "I didn't mean that in a bad way!" he said quickly trying to cover up his mistake. Ai just shook her head slowly.

"No, its fine, it's just..." Conan stared at her with a hard stare as if he was trying to read her thoughts. "It just doesn't feel like this is real it feels more like a dream, I never thought the time would come when I could sit down and tell you my true feelings. It makes me kind of sad because I feel like I'm trying too hard to fill the void in your heart." Conan just sighed and sat back in the booth looking at the ceiling.

"Actually, you're the reason why I'm still alive. It's true that I loved Ran and I'm still heartbroken because she left me, but if you hadn't did what you've done for me today I would probably have just ended my life or gone overseas with my parents to start a new life. Either way, Shinichi Kudou would cease to exist." Ai was completely at a loss for words. "Arigato, Ai-chan." This time Ai just sat back and laughed. Conan was once again confused.

"Shinichi Kudou would never cease to exist, everyone who knows him will treasure the moments spent with him, think about it, the detective boys right now are enjoying every minute spent with you. They may not know who you really are but from what I can tell they seem to enjoy your existence a lot. Do you really think Dr. Agasa would forget about you? You are like a grandson to him he has told me that many times. And what about your friend from the west Hattori, you don't think he would be upset, you are the brother he never had. You aren't just a kid; you're a detective and a damn good one at that. Do you think I would forget about you? I would be just as heartbroken as you right now if something happened to you. "How could you even think of ending your life?" Ai began to get teary-eyed again.

"Haibara."

"Stupid, I'm just being stupid and childish crying like this." She laughed. Conan could tell that Ai was trying to cover up all her emotions by laughing. Still he felt bad for not realizing sooner that her jokes about her loving him were actually true. His mother even mentioned it to him once before but he just ignored it, after all at that time he was still in love with Ran. He remembered that one time when they were rehearsing lines in a play and her in her part she had to say "I Love You." He remembered how embarrassed she was when she had to say that out loud. Conan, being as ignorant as he was about girls just thought she found it embarrassing because she was actually eighteen years old and she was stuck doing kid stuff. He now knew that wasn't the case.

"Ai-Chan should we leave now?" apparently the whole time that he and Ai had been talking Conan had finished his soup.

"Yeah, let's go." She said wiping the last of her tears. Ai and Conan left the restaurant and headed for Agasa's house it was getting late anyways. They arrived home at about six and were greeted by Agasa himself.

"Ai-kun, Conan-kun, nice to see you."

"Likewise Dr. Agasa." Conan responded. He and Ai walked right past him into the house.

"You're looking livelier today Shinichi."

"Yeah." He smiled. Ai began to rub her eyes so he led her up to her room. Once inside he helped her onto her bed and covered her up with a large fleece blanket then tucked her in. She instantly passed out. Conan just smirked and left the room closing it gently to avoid making any noise that might wake up Ai. He then headed back down the stairs into the living room. All Shinichi could think about now was how lucky he was to have someone like Ai by his side. He always thought it would be Ran that he ended up with but now he knew Ai was the only person he would truly love. Agasa noticed the smile on Shinichi's face and was utterly confused. Just a few weeks ago the child wouldn't even show one emotion but now he looked livelier and happier as if nothing ever happened. Agasa was upset himself when he heard that Ran refused to stay with Shinichi, he knew how upset the boy must be to find out that the one person he truly loved was not only leaving the country but also getting married to someone else. After he heard about the conversation between Ran and Shinichi he himself was disappointed in Ran for the decision she made.

Shinichi just kept his head down with his hands in his pockets as he made his way to one of the nearby couches. He sat down with his arms folded behind his head as he stared at the ceiling.

"You seem to be doing better Shinichi." Agasa smiled as he sat on the couch across from Shinichi.

"It's all thanks to Ai; she's the one to thank." Agasa was quiet as he listened to Shinichi talk about all the things that Ai had done for him earlier that day. "She's really amazing." He was stunned that Shinichi was talking so much about Ai that he was starting to think that maybe Shinichi was developing a crush on her, which was true. By about 9 Shinichi finally decided to call it quits and asked the doctor if it was okay to stay the night which was fine with him of course. Doctor Agasa was just happy to have his "Grandson" back again. After Shinichi fell asleep on the couch Agasa covered the boy up, shut off the lights and headed upstairs to his bedroom. He was truly grateful to Ai for bringing back the old Shinichi he cared so much for. He would ask her why she did it later but for now all he wanted was some good-old sleep. Tomorrow would be a busy day.

I hope you all enjoyed my story I enjoyed writing this a lot mostly because I love this couple and I think that if Shinichi really did pay attention to Ai's feelings that this couple probably would happen, but its futile. Anyway leave a comment if you have questions or if u wanna talk. Hope to hear from ya, next chapter will be out soon so yeah laterz peoplez. XD