Sorry, for the really late update but marching band season just ended recently so I have some time to write fanfiction again. And hooray for winter break! Oh, and let's not forget freakin' finals week finally ended. (Well, for peeps in Cali. I suppose. ^^') Thanks to those of you who have followed and favorited Dearly Beloved. :)

Edit: I wrote 'Teitan' instead of 'Beika' for their police department... *face palm* Thank you for catching my little brain fart there, Eyeinthesky!

Enjoy!

I do not own Detective Conan or Magic Kaito.

The tension in his shoulders and clenched fists ceased abruptly as Kuroba turned his head slightly to quirk a single brow in askance. Conan unscrewed his face from the previous expression of horror he had sported upon passing the Ekoda police station to give the teenager a silly grin. The magician faced forward in time to dodge a lamppost in time. The shrunken detective breathed a sigh of relief. This Ekoda kid wouldn't give him trouble as far as he knew. He seemed like a nice guy, but he still couldn't help doubting it. One thing he learned from being a detective for so long was to trust no one, especially if they were being extremely generous towards you.

Conan mentally steered away from memory lane, now wasn't the time for that, and continued on with his analysis of Kuroba. They had already been walking for quite sometime with Kuroba attempting to seek information about himself. The magician seemed to want to be his friend and seen as an older brother judging by the silliest of questions ranging from 'what's your favorite color' to 'what's your favorite movie'. Kuroba had so far been truthful with him as there hadn't been any signs of concealing his own personality or personal information.

The younger brunette offered over the best answers that he could give over to the Ekoda teen as well as taking diligent mental notation of what he said into account. As well as keeping most of his answers to himself and instead pointing out other areas around the little town square they were in order to avoiding further questioning . It didn't matter if the other was being honest to him or not, he didn't need his cover to be blown and revealed to the world (and to the men in black either for that matter) that he was still around.

Then came the difficulty of displaying the very essence of 'innocent grade school boy' upon his now childish face. Nothing like this radical transformation changed the fact that he was still the mature and sharp-looking Kudo Shinichi. Conan watched silently as Kuroba exchanged some yen for sweet melon bread and fumbled for an excuse as his stomach released a roar of protest. The magician snorted in an attempt to repress his laughter.

"Shut up, it's not funny!"

"Course it is! It sounded like a lion!" Kuroba grinned despite the seething glare Conan threw back at him. The faux child huffed as he bit into his portion of their lunch, shifting his weight so as to be comfortable with his new position. They were seated outside of a coffee shop to rest.

"Hey, let's make a stop at the police station. I need to pick up Aoko and her friend, they needed to drop something off for Nakamori-san." Conan froze at the comment then relaxed slightly when he reminded himself that he wasn't alone. There wouldn't be any sort of interrogation upon arrival with his 'Kaito-nii-chan' in tow.

"Nakamori-san?" Conan raised a brow.

"Yeah, he's the Edoka Police Department's inspector and leader of the Kaito Kid 'heist-squad' or whatever. He's Aoko's father.", Kuroba replied.

"Yeah. This tall, big, and grumpy old man with a really weird hair cut." Kuroba wrinkled his nose briefly in thought. The shrunken detective thought over his situation; Agasa Hakase had called him earlier when he had been taking a 'bathroom break'. She had taken his situation into more consideration and led the Beika Police off his trail and out of suspicion. He needn't worry for nosy officers and fellow detectives.

"So, is that all right with you?"

"Sure. Let's go then, Kaito-nii-chan!I really want to this Aoko-nee-san, is she your girlfriend?" Kuroba flushed in embarrassment. Conan gazed up innocently at the magician as he scrambled about for an explanation. Nakamori Aoko- also the love interest of Kuroba and his tormentor in certain aspects judging by the 'mop' comment. Kuroba ruffled his hair in what seemed like habit and muttered a 'Don't get cute with me.' under his breath.

"Let's go before we're late. Don't want Nakamori-san getting fussy, ne?"

They were going on foot again in no time, the station being a block away. Upon entering the establishment, the shrunken detective glanced around the office. It was different compared to Beika Police Department. This place was messier and they had a better break room.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Nakamori!", Kuroba exclaimed. The officers in the room stopped what they were doing to stare in curiosity at the magician. Conan stared up at the magician in exasperation. This hadn't been the first group to stare at them as if Kuroba were a maniac.

Which he was.

"Kuroba Kaito, in my office, now!" The teen's face briefly became blank before plastering on a foolish grin. The shrunken detective's eyes narrowed, Kuroba was up to something. He had soon discovered that the boy happened to like playing pranks on whatever unfortunate soul he could get his paws on. That explained the strange sights he had come across upon arriving.

"Good evening, Inspector! How has your day been?" There sat the said Inspector with his daughter and another girl with light brunette hair, a scowl on his face and his daughter looking ready to burst a casket. Conan froze in place as his mind finally registered the image before him. A daughter who looked identical to his best friend- his ex-best friend, Ran.

"What's this I hear about you flipping my girl's skirt and running off like a maniac?" The magician had the audacity to look embarrassed. Conan hid behind Kuroba's leg once the angered father's eyes flickered over his form. His daughter, Aoko, followed the Inspector's gaze.

"And who's this? Don't tell me you're trying to mentor him or something.", Nakamori grimaced at the thought.

'I don't want to be a skirt flipper or a magician. I'm fine with being a detective, thank you very much.', Conan thought. He attempted to keep his line of sight on the Inspector, it was in vain as they strayed off to the 'long lost twin' of Ran. His chest was aching again and he could feel his eyes beginning to burn.

"Of course not!", Kuroba responded frantically- the younger Nakamori looked skeptic at his response, "I just decided to be a good citizen and show this kid around town. You people have no faith in me!" The wild haired brunette faked a hurt expression and placed a hand of his heart. Nakamori Aoko stepped forward and held out a hand towards Conan.

"Nakamori Aoko, at your service. What's your name?" He took her hand and smiled shyly at the young woman. Weren't boys around this age awkward around girls?

"E-Edogawa Conan. Nice to meet you, Nee-chan.", he replied. Aoko raised a brow and bent down to his level. He flinched slightly as her hand came into contact with his forehead, she frowned.

"You're sick; it's no wonder you sound so odd. Here's some tissues." The young girl grabbed a tissue box from her father's desk and handed over to Conan. She took note of the jacket he was currently wearing as her navy blue eyes widened in surprise. He took this opportunity to tear his eyes away from the shocking sight and gratefully blew his nose into the soft material. He had forgotten that he was still sick. Kuroba had kept him too preoccupied with exploring and his shenanigans to muse over his current health issue.

"A little, but I'm getting better.", Conan replied. He inched back to his place behind Kuroba as the girl crept closer. Nakamori gestured for the them to sit and dismissed, from what he could assume, Aoko's friend home. Well, not without having one of his trusted officers escort her home. It was pretty late already, exactly 7:30pm. The inspector glared pointedly at the magician waiting for a response to his earlier question.

"Well, er, I was just joking around?" Nakamori's glare seemed to intensify.

"So it's all a joke to you?" Kuroba blinked.

"No, no, no! I...okay, well I just flipped her skirt to distract her and look for Conan-kun before he disappeared. He had actually been waiting for me and had gotten worse.", Kuroba explained. Conan raised a brow and then narrowed his eyes. No one would just up and relocate a kid the next couple hours after they met a stranger. Nor would they suddenly take to asking them personal information so discretely. 'Kuroba knew.' He hadn't tried to connect the clues earlier when the teen helped him back at the alleyway of the neighborhoods. His thoughts at the time were a bit scrambled from taking the medication and finally warming up from days of wearing his thin jacket around added to that.

"Nakamori-keibu, we really need to get moving. If it gets to dark, I'm afraid Conan-kun's parents will be angry with me." Kuroba stood up and grabbed Conan's hand. Conan blushed slightly as Aoko smiled gently at him before turning back to glare at the magician. Nakamori consented and barked back at the teen to return once he was finished to continue their discussion. The young woman hurried alongside them out of the police station and decidedly pinched Kaito's arm.

"Ow, geez, Aoko! Don't do that!", he yelped. She scowled up at him and returned his gaze down to Conan.

"You could've at least told me you were going to pick up Conan-kun at the time. I could've helped you show him around.", she replied. She seemed to be attempting to conceal her pent up anger as she clenched her right hand, the other was making its way to her school bag. Conan watched the hand warily, wondering what she was going to pull out before remembering one of Kuroba's earlier statements. She had pulled a stuffed fish out from her bag one time and proceeded to beat the living hell out of Kuroba with it.

"I just didn't want you to get sick too from sticking around for so long.", he replied. Conan frowned, now they were ignoring him. Now he could relax his cheek muscles for a moment, he doesn't grin or smile so often. He absently rubbed his right cheek with his free hand. Aoko didn't seem to like the answer judging by frown her face, she would interrogate him later.

"So what do you think of Ekoda, Conan-kun? Anything you liked?"

"It's really nice here! I really liked that clock tower in downtown.", Conan replied excitedly. He kept his eyes glued down to the floor. Aoko raised an eyebrow and glanced back at her childhood friend in worry.

"Me too. That's where Bakaito and I first met." Kuroba looked thoughtful for a moment and grinned.

"Well, well, well. Looks like you have a new admirer, Ahoko.", Kuroba said. He winked down at Conan as his head snapped up at him. His mouth open in slight horror and as red as his bow tie. He sputtered for a moment and composed himself.

"N-no, I d-don't-"

"You don't what?", Kuroba asked innocently.

"I don't like Nee-chan like that. Nee-chan will always be Nee-chan." The shrunken detective pouted up at the other and brought a fist to his chest, something he'd seen Mitsuhiko and Ayumi do this when they were trying to get sweets from adults.

"Well, here's my stop. Be careful and call me later alright, Kaito? Goodbye, Conan-kun!" Aoko hurried over the porch of a small two story home and unlocked the front door. She closed the door and both males could her the door latch click signaling that it was securely locked.

"You don't have a place to stay, do you?"

"I-"

"You know there isn't a point in lying, I already know the answer. I'm not going to send you to social services if you don't want to."

"No, I don't have a place. And I never want to go to social services. But why do you want to help me, though?", Conan asked. If now was the time to confess the truth, he could at least asked some questions of his own. Kuroba shrugged and tighten his grip on Conan's hand by a fraction. It was a bit reassuring.

"You're a good kid, from what I can belongings you have a worn and yet well taken care of, meaning that their yours. Nothing stolen. And well...", he paused. Conan kept his gaze on the ground, waited patiently for the others answer. The teen wasn't half bad, he took the time he was using by distracting Conan with questions regarding his 'personal information' to do a little investigating of his own. Smart. He glanced up at the magician, his gaze casting over his current body language. Confusion, melancholy, and worry.

"I guess I just had a feeling." Only a fool would run on simply feeling. He mentally shook his head but, nevertheless, accepted the answer. Atleast the teen wouldn't send him to social services. He felt Kuroba stop abruptly and stared at the nice, small white home with confusion.

"My mom is in Los Angeles right now on vacation with her friend. I'm currently home alone right now and willing to take a roommate. Can you do me a favor and take it? I kinda don't wanna die from loneliness or something stupid like that.", Kuroba joked. Conan considered it. It was either freeze to death, return to Beika, room with this guy, or get sent to the police station by some random stranger.

"Sure."

"Have you received any news from him? Is he safe? Does he have enough money on him?"

"Yes, yes. Don't worry, he'll be fine. He just called me to say that he was safe and staying with a friend nearby."

"Thank Kami-sama."

"..."

"Do you think you'll be able to find the guys who did it?"

"Surely in due time. Shinichi told me that they were drug dealers in the area. That and they were possibly involved with some businesses here. Maybe around Japan, if it may be."

"...can you tell him I'm sorry."

"No. That's something you'll have to do, maybe the next time he calls and you're around..."

"Alright."

And done! Gosh, such a short chapter in the months that I've been gone? Well, I'll try to fix that next chapter. Tut, tut, tut. Oh, that and I had also been thinking of Mitsuhiko and Ayumi when I wrote 'Teitan'. Heheheh.

Well, I hope you enjoyed guys enjoyed this chapter. Salut et bon week-end!