DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN DETECTIVE CONAN.

Note: Advanced apologies for the wrong Japanese terms inserted in the story. And for the OOC's.

Nivellia Neil: Sorry for the confusion. Here's the explanation. Gin knowing the identity of Sherry is still untold just as Kir's identity being exposed is untold. I only hinted that the Organization knows of the Apotoxin's effect through Vermouth's message delivered by Kir. Asami left to give the kids privacy, she will appear in this chapter. When Haibara transformed to a teen, she borrowed Asami's clothes that's why in the end, at first glance, Mitsuhiko thought it was Asami. I hope this answered your question. If not, please let me know.

Here's a guide for the following:

This line means it's Conan's thoughts

= what's written here is a flashback =

XXXXX

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: GOODBYE

"What about my brother, where is he?" he asked.

"He probably got lost while following me."

"So how would you feel if someone important to you is lost?"

Shiho noticed something odd about Gin. A millisecond ago she was sure his eyes locked on something. It was then that she realized something. With rash actions, she slashed at Gin and Gin defended himself, his arm paying the price.

"Tsuburaya-kun!" Shiho ran towards Mitsuhiko as fast as she could.

Vodka's bullet came flying.

Mitsuhiko ended up closing his eyes, awaiting his fate. He didn't feel a thing. Instead, he felt a liquid drop in his face. Slowly, he opened his eyes and saw Haibara's face. She was scared. And she was smiling at him.

"D- Daijobu (are you alright)?" she asked. Mitsuhiko couldn't help but look at her bleeding shirt.

"H- Hai."

"Do you trust me, Tsuburaya-kun?" She leaned closer. Mitsuhiko knew that she was in pain. He was worried but in his situation, there was nothing he could do. He nodded at Shiho and she forces a small smile.

"DIE! SHERRY!" Gin shouted when he saw that Sherry was still alive.

Shiho wrapped her arms around the boy as Vodka and Gin started firing at them. The two fell over the cliff and into the ocean.

"COWARD! Get back here!"

Gin looked down and started firing random bullets at the water.

"Aniki it's over!" Vodka said, pulling Gin away from the edge. "We should go! I saw a phone by the bushes earlier. Silver Bullet is coming."

"Let him come. I want to tell him what i did to Sherry."

XXXXX

Upon arriving at the right place, Conan easily spotted Mitsuhiko's sister.

"Asami-neechan, where is Mitsuhiko and Haibara?" he asked childishly but he was also in a hurry.

"It's funny. I left them for a while and when I got back they were gone." she replied. "I'm really worried you know? I heard a gunshot earlier."

It wasn't that long when they heard another bullet.

"Conan, that was fired from over there!" Akai called, pointing at the direction towards the cliff.

"Wakarimashta (Gotcha)." Conan said and ran after Akai but forgot about Asami. "Oh Asami-neechan, arigato but I have to go!"

"O- Okay?"

Akai and Conan hurried to the cliff. Only to hear more bullets firing. Stop it! Gin! Don't hurt them! Conan shouted internally.

Shiho... please be alright. I'm coming. Akai thought.

But as soon as they got there, there was only a sign of blood splattered all over the edge, Gin's gun and Haibara's knife.

Masaka! (No way)!

Conan ran to the edge and peeked down the ocean.

"Haibara! Mitsuhiko!" he shouted.

"There's no one here." Akai said as he spotted blood drops on a certain direction. "One of them is wounded."

"Should we pursue them?"

"You go look for your friends. I'll take care of this guy." Akai said and Conan tugged his shirt hard.

"Don't die."

XXXXX

Akai ran after Gin but Gin was long gone. He saw the tires on the dirt and he knew that Gin and Vodka drove off. He scanned the perimeter before joining Conan in his search.

A search party began, helicopters and divers all over the ocean, searching for the two missing people.

"They couldn't have gone far." Conan thought aloud.

"True. But there's no way the police could find the two kids if one of them is not a kid." that dialect. Conan turned around to see Heiji behind him.

"Hattori!"

"Yoi tsuitachi (Good day), Kudo." he said with a smile.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came by as soon as I heard a call from you."

"A call from me? Stop lying, why would I call you on such a case?"

"Eh? So it wasn't you?"

"It was me." said one of the divers who walked towards them with a smirk.

"Kid." Conan muttered.

"You know, I enjoyed my heist for the past several weeks. But not if you're not around."

"Too bad. I'm too busy to chase after you."

"That's why I came here. I heard all about that Sherry woman being the center of attraction. I want to know more."

"She's missing. And she's not a woman anymore, she-" Conan tried to explain but Heiji cuts him off.

"Actually, I asked several people if they've seen that girl. They did but one of those people is Asami Tsuburaya. She claimed that her bag was missing and when they found it. There are clothing items that are missing." Heiji explained.

"She transformed back." Conan caught up. "Mitsuhiko is in danger. If he saw-"

"I'm sorry to break it to you, little detective, but they are both dead." claimed the thief.

"Why would I believe you?"

"I saw those men in black shoot them without hesitation. Both of them fell on the ocean. I jumped after them after those men in black left. Their gone."

"If their body is not found then they're alive!"

"It was an area filled with rocks! Sharp rocks!" shouted the thief.

"There would still be mutilated body parts if they did land there." Heiji added.

"There's a small hole to a cave. Maybe you could see for yourself." he offered.

Conan didn't waste any time and he took a gear and jumped into the water. Haibara and Mitsuhiko... they can't... they won't... I know their alive.

He swam deeper as Heiji and the thief swam after him. Kid pointed the small opening he saw earlier and only Conan could fit in. Conan entered and found a small place of dry land. He lifted his head from the waters and saw blood all over. It's been there a while. Mitsuhiko's been here. He's the only who would fit if Haibara turned into Shiho again. But why did Mitsuhiko enter? Did he leave Haibara? He looked around for more clues but that's all there is to it.

All of them got back into the shore, still Conan doesn't believe they are dead.

"I still don't believe it. I will find them. That's for sure."

Conan separated himself from them and went towards Akai who was looking blankly at the ocean.

"They're alive. I know it." Conan assured.

"Shiho's a strong woman. The boy has a strong will. I want to believe they're alive. But..." he trailed off for a while. "...I don't want to see her suffer again. If she was alive, then there's a chance that the organization will come after her and make her suffer again."

"That's why we're here."

"We can't protect her. Twice now I've failed."

"Stop beating yourself up for it!"

"If I realized it any sooner, then maybe I should've done something!"

"You can do something now! You can at least think like you're happy for once!" Conan yelled. "I don't know about you, but Haibara doesn't hold a grudge against you or Akemi. All she ever wanted was to be loved! To live a life like yours! She might be selfless at times but she didn't want to die! So I believe she's out there fighting for her life, wanting to come back! So don't give me that mercy speech that she should've just died!"

Akai was left speechless.'

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"We'll find her. We'll find them both."

XXXXX

After a week of searching, there was no sign of them. Asami never stopped crying. Agasa pretended he was alright but deep inside he mourned.

The Detective Boys were never the same without Haibara and Mitsuhiko. And Conan being distant to them.

Conan was at the agency when Agasa paid him a call.

"What is it, Hakase?"

"Shinichi, you need to go to my house. Now." and the call ended.

I wonder what it could be? It better not be another game to cheer me up.

He annoyingly went to the professor's place and saw the professor holding the small present Haibara gave him on his birthday.

"That's Haibara's present last month. You still haven't opened it?" he wondered. Usually, Agasa would be tempted to open it.

"Un. I hid it in the basement where I will not find it. But when I went there earlier because I was... er..." Hakase... gomen.

"It's alright. What is it?"

"Shinichi, I think it was meant for you than for me."

"Eh? What do you mean?"

"Ai-kun's present for me was the party itself. This one's yours." He said and handed the box over to him.

Conan took it with wonder. He peeled the wrapping off and find a wooden box with his name engraved on it. Kudo Shinichi. Conan felt the need to open something with his name on it. When he did, he found an envelope, with again, his name on it.

'Kudo-kun,

I didn't give you this because it's your birthday.

I gave it to you because this is my peace offering.

Being with you, Hakase, Yoshida-san and everyone else

was memorable to me. I never had a childhood like this one.

I promise not to forget.

And another promise; the antidote for your problems.'

Conan stopped reading and flipped the box upside down. Sets of memory disks fell over before a small casing where the pill was. Haibara... you... kept your end of the bargain. And I...

'Don't even think about not taking it.

I swear if I come back, I'll mock you until you die.

Take care, idiot. And don't break Mouri-san's heart.

I'll know if you do.'

"Haibara you're the idiot!" Conan yelled aloud. Agasa knew why. "Doshite... doshite... (why... why...)? Why do you always have to think of others' happiness and not yours?!"

When I first met you I felt my heart pounding.

= "Say, I'm Conan. Edogawa Conan!" he said, offering his hand for her to shake.

"Haibara Ai. Nice to meet you!" she said as she joyfully shook the boy's hands.=

The second time i met you, I was terrified.

= "Ran happened to meet one of the famed scientists around and befriended her."

"Really?"

"Oh speaking of 'famed scientists' look." Heiji pointed at a woman whom Ran was talking to.

The woman wore a white lab coat where a tag was hanging on the left side of the coat. Conan froze recognizing that woman from earlier. Only smaller. She had the same mid-neck length hair. That auburn hair. That wavy auburn hair. That woman. =

I didn't know why I felt that way. But the third time I was fine.

= "I will take you down."

"Don't give me empty threats." she said, ignoring how serious Conan was.

"Fine. Maybe it won't just be me. But I will be a part of it. I assure you."

"I'll look forward for it then." then she went out.=

Every time I see you, my emotions would play. And I never understood why I couldn't solve you.

= "What is it now, Ayumi-chan?" he said, his eyes locked on hers.

"Mite mite (Look look)! A new student! And it looks like she's a foreigner too." Ayumi said, pointing at the new student who had just entered.

Conan's eyes widened at the sight of her. That little girl with wavy short auburn hair and icy blue eyes.

"Tell them your name." Kobayashi said.

"Haibara Ai." she said simply. Her voice was cold. Conan knew it was Sherry.

"Alright Haibara-san, you can sit next to Conan-kun over there." =

You always act cold towards me and you'd tease me.

= "Oi I know that you're not here for school! What do you want?!" he yelled. But the girl wasn't fazed at his glare or his telling.

"If you know I'm not here for school, then why do you ask?" she said, keeping her poker face on. Her tone the same.

"Stop playing games!"=

But there are times you'd protect me.

= "Is that you, Conan-kun?" Conan immediately releases Haibara. Kobayashi expressed the expression of disbelief, wondering what Conan was doing to the new student. "What are you doing?"

"I-" Conan tried to explain but Haibara cuts him off.

"Conan-kun was just checking if I'm alright." she lied. She grabbed Conan's hand and held on it. It felt warm, thought Conan. "Some kids were bullying me because I was different. But Conan-kun protected me." She showed her childish manner.

"Sou ka (I see)." Kobayashi said =

If not protect me, you're helping me with my problems, without me knowing about it.

="Conan-kun wa bakadesu (is an idiot)!" She girl yelled as she clutched her heart. "Ayumi-chan doesn't care if Conan-kun doesn't return her feelings. But Ayumi-chan doesn't like lying!"

"Ayumi..." Conan was out of words. For a seven year old girl, she's actually more understanding about these kind of things. And it surprised the young detective.

"Ai-chan told me she'll pry you for what you truly feel. She said she doesn't want me to get hurt." she explained. What are you talking about? She just hurt you! "I understand what she did and Ayumi-chan is happy that at least I finally know what Conan-kun feels." =

Haibara... I'm sorry if I just found out today that the reason you're here as Haibara Ai, was to protect me from the organization. They sent you to kill me, the poison inside you as a safe switch in case you failed.

= "Oi, Haibara, anata wa sokude nani o shite iru nodesu ka (what are you doing there)?" he hurried to her side and unwrap the bed sheet off her face to see her sweating and pale.

"E.. Edo.. gawa-kun.." she managed to say.

"Oi don't even think about fainting on me. You owe me." Conan said, worried that she might lose consciousness before he could even have that talk.

"Shitte iru (I know)." And again, she blacked out. =

I didn't even notice your cry for help.

= "You wanted my help, why?" That's the part that Conan couldn't understand. Of all people, why him?

"Well you're the great detective, Kudo Shinichi, are you not?" I am, but..

"I am. But what makes you think I'd help someone like you?"

"I don't. I just wanted to give it a try." she said and looked away.=

Forgive me, Haibara... for not noticing sooner...

XXXXX

Hey guys, sorry if it was too long. Hope you enjoyed!

Guys, I'll be posting early due to my busy schedule on Sunday-Monday. Hopefully it will not affect Tuesday because it is my posting day for Apotoxin 4896: The Switch. Either way, I will try to keep my weekly posting basis. Thank you.

For more fanfics of Detective Conan, feel free to browse my Library. If you want to try out my other works such as; Tokyo Ghoul, Kagerou Project and Nanatsu No Taizai, go ahead and check my profile. For questions, you can message me or a drop a review. For more inquiries or announcements, I update my profile for announcements. Thank you!