Chapter 3: Shopping

Kochan sat in his playpen, watching Bert and Ernie. They were trying to sleep when suddenly the faucet start to drip. This annoyed Bert and he asked Ernie to take care of it. Ernie, not being particularly bright, turned on the radio so it covered up the sound of the leak. When Bert complained about the noise of the radio Ernie turned on the t.v. And when Bert, who was becoming furious, complained about that, Ernie turned on the vaccum.

Those two need help.

His thoughts were interrupted by Ran picking him up and out of the playpen.

"Come on, we need to get you dressed up. We're going shopping!" She told him as she carried him into her room.

Kochan groaned inwardly. He hated shopping as Shinichi and as Conan, and was sure it wouldn't be any more enjoyable as Kochan.

After what seemed like forever to Kochan Ran settled on a little T-shirt and pair of jeans for him to wear. As she carried him out the door to the car her father called after her.

"Where are you going?" Kogoro asked.

"Shopping. Want to come?" She asked back. The detective's face paled significantly.

"No ,no, I'm fine. I'm uh, working on an important case." He quickly tried to look busy. Shopping with Ran, what a nightmare.

Scene Change

"Oh, I just love this! What do you think?" The professor held up a tiny outfit, pink with lambs on it.

Absolutely not! And stop enjoying this! Baby Ai thought as she sat in the child seat of the shopping cart, making her displeasure at the outfit known to Agasa by scowling and shaking her head no.

"Okay ,okay. I suppose that just isn't you." He placed the outfit back on it's rack before grabbing another. "How about this one?" It was also pink.

No! I hate pink! Her scowl grew and she banged both little fists on the cart's handle bar.

"Come now. You need more clothes then what you have on. Or would you rather just wear nothing but your diaper?"

Ai looked at the gray sweatshirt and pants she wore that they had borrowed from Shinichi's attic. With a small sigh, she nodded and pointed to a pair of purple overalls.

After a bit more searching, Ai gave her approval to some more outfits and clothing sets, enough to get her through to the date she was scheduled to change back. But she drew the line at the pink hair ribbons. That was not going to happen!

Later as they waited in the cheek-out line Ran pushed her cart up behind theirs, Kochan in the child seat.

"Oh hello Professor. What brings you two here?" Ran asked as she picked items out of the cart and placed them on the automated belt.

"Hello Ran-chan. Just getting some outfits, diapers, and cream for her rash. Turns out she's allergic to baby powder."

Kochan struggled to suppress his laughter as the baby girl scowled at him, a deep blush spreading across her face. Suddenly she was lifted out of the child seat by Ran.

"Ai-chan's baby cousin, she looks just like her! Well you're just so cute aren't you? Yes you are. Yes you are." Ran said as she tickled the tiny girl, who was letting out adorable giggles even as she tried to squirm out of Ran's grasp. Kochan couldn't help himself and started to laugh too.

Enough already! I swear I'll get you for this!

"Aww, what's wrong? Why the mean face? You'd look so much cuter with a smile and some pink hair ribbons...OW!" Ran gasped as the baby managed to get hold of a good length of her hair in one fist. She flashed the professor a look that told him get me out of here now unless you want to see blood!

"Well, um, she's just cranky because of the rash and it's her nap time." Agasa stated quickly, making a mental note to give his infant houseguest a talking-too about not acting her age.

Ran nodded and put her little captive back in her seat. Ran and Kochan were just getting ready to leave when a happy cry reached their ears.

"Ran-chan!"

No. Not now.

"Hello Ayumi-chan."

Ayumi ran up to the two of them, her parents close behind. The young girl halted and stared in wonder at the baby.

"Ran-chan, is he your baby? Is Shinichi ni-san the daddy?"

"What? Me? Him? No!" Ran blushed and waved her hands defensively.

"But don't you like Shinichi ni-san?"

Both Ran and Kochan were turning red. Ran quickly tried to change the subject, picking up Kochan and kneeling down so the young girl could see him.

"His name is Kochan. He's Conan-kun's little brother."

Ayumi's face lit up brightly. "He's so cute! He looks just like Conan-kun!" She squealed excitedly. She brought her face up close, a little to close for Kochan. "Can I hold him?"

What?

Ran thought for a moment. "Okay, just be careful." She cautioned as she gave Ayumi the baby.

Don't I get a say in this?

Ayumi squeezed Kochan and spun him around. Everyone, with the exception of Kochan himself, thought it was an adorable scene. He knew she meant well, but all the spinning and squeezing was getting very uncomfortable.

"Someday I'm going to marry Conan-kun, and then we'll have a cute little baby just like him!" she told her parents and Ran.

Eventually her parents told Ayumi it was time to go. She gave Kochan a kiss on his cheek the gave him back to Ran.

"I really hope she and Conan do get married someday, they'd make a great couple. Don't you think so Kochan?"

Why me?

To be continued

I've never seen Ran actually drive, but she is old enough to have a license. And yes, a plot will form soon.