Author's note: Hey guys! Sorry it's been like what... 3 years! I was in college when I started this fic and school kept me extremely busy.. BUT now I have officially graduated and finally have time to re-watch and catch up with Case Closed. I'm going to try and have chapters out ASAP but I don't have a set release schedule. After I finish this fic I am also going to be starting a "Bad Things Happen Bingo" collection of Case Closed fics so if you have anything you want to see in one of these fics let me know and I'll try my best! NOW! On to the fic!

As the sounds of beeping and whining from various machines filled the small hospital room, Kogoro couldn't help but stare at the small boy laying on the bed, looking more like a corpse than the ward he had grown fond of. He reached a shaky hand out to grasp the smaller one but he stopped short as a wave of guilt flooded through him, telling him he had no right to hold Conan when he was the reason he was in this state. The older detective couldn't help but to think of everything he could have done differently. 'If I would have just taken him with me like Ran asked, or if I would have just stayed home with him, maybe this wouldn't have happened.' He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. 'If I was just there, I could have stopped whoever did this!' Too lost in his own thoughts Kogoro didn't hear the hospital door open nor did he hear the footsteps coming towards him until a gentle hand fell upon the detective's shoulder, startling him out of his own head.

"Calm down, It's just me Mori. I brought some coffee." Megure stated, holding up two steaming Styrofoam cups. The officer sat down next to Kogoro, placing the cups on a small table. "He looks so small like this."

Kogoro looked over to Conan, a pang ringing through his heart when he realized what his friend was saying.

"You know, with how he acts during a case, it's easy to forget he's still just a child." Megure couldn't help but reach up and brush the hair from Conan's face as he talked. The boy had only been tagging along with Kogoro on cases for a few years but it was hard for the officer to imagine a case without him. Conan had been crucial in putting away some of the most sly killers the department has seen through his seemingly small, yet meaningful observations. It had become clear to everyone on the force, including Kogoro, that the kid knew much more than he let on but chose to hide it behind childish phrasing. If it was obvious to them at this point, Megure could see a killer he's helped catch noticing as well and wanting to take revenge. That seemed so much more likely than an 8 year old both knowing, and attempting to take his own life. The officer noticed movement out of the corner of his eye and turned his attention to Kogoro as he tried once again to reach out and grab Conan's hand but stopping himself short. He sighed, knowing what thoughts were probably running through the detective's mind. "It's not your fault Mori. You couldn't have known this would happen."

With a frustrated growl Kogoro shoved his hands into his pockets and slouched back in the chair. "How is it not my fault! Ran even asked me to take the kid out with me if I got a case and I still left him at home!" His head fell, hiding the slight wetness in his eyes. "I had one job, watch over him, and I blew it. I was just so eager for a large pay out that I didn't even stop and try to take him with me. I left him vulnerable to this because I was a greedy fool!"

The room grew silent aside from the constant beep of the heart monitor and the buzz of the breathing tube. The sounds felt deafening as Kogoro waited for his friend to reply. He wasn't sure if he wanted Megure to agree with him, to tell him what a horrible, greedy piece of shit he was, or if he wanted him to dismiss these claims. A part of him felt like he needed to be punished in some way for letting this happen but he also had the need to be comforted. Unfortunately for him, his punishment came before Megure could even open his mouth to reply. A loud ring filled the room, making the detective's blood run cold. There were only two people who could be calling him and one of them was sitting in the chair next to him. His hands trembling, he shakily pulled out his phone and simply stared at it.

"Have you not told Ran about this yet?" Megure asked, watching his friend with worry. He didn't expect the sleuth to call her right away, but it had been several hours since Conan was brought out of the OR. "You know if you don't answer, she's only going to worry."

With a sigh, Kogoro flipped open his phone, it was now or never. He took a shaky breath before speaking. "Ah, Ran.."

"Otosan! Do you know how many times I called the house? Did you and Conan stay at the client's house last night or something?" Ran's frustrated voice rang through the phone, loud enough even for Megure to hear it over the sounds of the hospital machines.

"No.. I made it back home from the case-"

"What on earth is that beeping noise! Did you set off the fire alarm trying to cook again? You know you can't leave the stove unattended while you watch your horse racing!"

The young girl rambled on about the importance of safe cooking while Kogoro struggled to find the words to say. How on earth was he supposed to tell his precious baby girl that the boy she's come to love as a little brother almost died last night? His mouth opened and closed several times as the words died in his throat. Silence filled the line as Ran waited for some sort of explanation. The seconds felt like minutes and the tension only grew the longer the detective struggled.

"Otosan? Is everything okay?" There was clear concern laced in her voice, the quietness of the usually loud (and slightly obnoxious) detective stirred up her anxiety.

Megure placed a hand on Kogoro's shoulder, gaining his attention. "Mori, do you want me to explain?" A curt nod from the other was all he needed to take the phone from his trembling hands and take over. "Moshi Moshi Ran-san. This is Inspector Megure."

There was silence on the other side for a moment before Ran spoke. "Inspector? What's going on?"

Megure realized just how much harder it was to actually tell the girl the harsh news and he couldn't help but feel proud of Kogoro for even having the strength to pick up the phone. "Ah, well.. T-there's-" He had to clear his throat and steady his resolve, knowing his next words were going to break her heart. "There's been an incident. Your father and I are at Beika Hospital and.." He took a deep breath. "Conan has been severely injured." The officer paused as a loud gasp came through the phone.

"Conan?! What happened?! Is he okay?!" The ever growing panic was clear in Ran's voice.

"I think I should explain once you're here, it's.. It's not easy news" Megure told her the room number and hung up before looking over to his friend.

Kogoro was staring at Conan, distress written all over his face. She was going to blame him for this, to hate him, he just knew it. Maybe he deserved it, after all, it was his fault right? His fault Conan was left vulnerable to an attack, his fault that he blatantly ignored the one thing Ran had asked him to do. His thoughts began to spiral, trapping him in a cycle of guilt until a small slap to the back of his head brought him back to his senses. "Ouch! What the hell Megure?"

The inspector sighed. "You're getting in your own head again Mori. Try focusing on just the facts of this case, not what you could or could not have done differently. At the end of the day, this happened and no amount of self loathing is going to change that. All it will do is hinder your logical thinking while we try to find whoever did this."

With a reluctant nod, Kogoro shoved his guilt and regret in a box in his mind to deal with once this case was solved. Finally after hours of trying and with less shaky hands than before, he finally reached out and grabbed Conan's hand. "I will find whoever did this." He said, more to Conan than to the inspector next to him.

"I know you will."