Disclaimer: No, I don't own DC, but I wouldn't mind you thinking that I do.

Chapter 2

Welcoming her to stay, Hakase treats Ai as if she really is a seven year old.

"Ahh, it's dangerous, get away from the kitchen!!"

"No, Ai-chan, I'll do the cooking!"

Finally, Ai resigned herself to Agasa Hakase's attempts to make her stay out of the kitchen, and sat poking at the plate of so called scrambled eggs in front of her.

Days passed. Shinichi dropped in constantly each day, and when questioned why with an annoyed look from Ai, he looked surprised. "I'm the one that found you unconscious outside, I have to take care of you!" He declared, as if explaining the obvious, the seriousness of his voice almost made Ai laugh, and she was forced to remind herself that the boy in front of her was actually a seven year old.

And now she is bored out of her mind. Nothing but news and shopping channels on.

"Ahhhhh!" Hakase's yells could be heard in the living room as he tried to avoid the oil splattering from the pan. It was obvious he had forgotten to wait for the pan to dry.

Ai ran to his rescue.

"Ai-chan, what are you doing, it's dangerous here!" Hakase yelled while hiding under the sink. "Dinner will be ready soon!"

"Yes, dangerous if you're the one cooking maybe." Ai thought to herself, rolling her eyes. She's had to stand his cooking for three days in a row now, and SHE"S HAD ENOUGH!!

Nimbly sidestepping the professor, she caught hold of the pan, and deftly dumped its contents in the trash without hesitation. Whatever it is, the ingredients are indistinguishable from one another, and are giving of a scent of burnt plastic.

"Ahh, what are you doing?" the professor wailed as he watched his efforts thrown mercilessly away.

Ai laughed to herself. "I'm surprised you're not in a hospital right now, having cooked for yourself all these years." She said, exasperated.

Hakase gave an embarrassed smile. "I eat take out sometimes too. Are you saying I don't cook well?"

"No, I'm saying you cook horribly."

"I'll order pizza." Hakase agreed, decidedly trying to stop giving people food poisoning.

"No need. I'll do the cooking from now on." Ai said, and the professor watched with opened mouth, awed, as the small strawberry blonde started dicing the vegetables with the expertise of a restaurant chef.

"If you don't mind, could you wait in the living room? You're blocking the way to the freezer." Ai told him, as Agasa Hakase tried to find words. Where in the world did a little girl of seven learned to cook like that?

"Right, careful of the oil." He reminded warily before stepping out of the kitchen. Ai rolled her eyes.

"Wow! What's that smell?" Shinichi poked his head through the front door as the last dish was served. "Looks delicious, Hakase!" Grabbing the chopsticks in the professor's hand, he took a plate and helped himself to the food. "Mmm, this is good, which place did you order it from?"

"Ai-chan made it." Hakase announced as he eyed the piece of roast pork he had his eye on in Shinichi's plate sourly.

Shinichi choked on the food. "Ai-chan, really?" he asked, coughing, eyes wide with amazement.

"Why, is there a problem, Tantei-san?" Ai asked, setting the last plate down.

"Tantei-san?" His brow furrowed. "How did you know I want to be a detective when I grow up?"

Oops, she'd forgotten she wasn't supposed to know that yet. "Lucky guess?" she said, flustered.

Shinichi, looked at her curiously, then shrugged and turned his mind to the feast on the table.

"Shouldn't you be home for dinner now?" the professor asked testily, staring jealously at the roast pork.

"Go home? Why force myself to eat my mom's broccoli when I can come here?" Shinichi asked with a mischievous grin. "I'm coming over for dinner every day!" he announced, and his grin only widened as Hakase groaned.

"Noooo! Eat your own food!" the professor wailed. Ai laughed as she watched the two argue like children. "You were a pretty cute kid, Kudo-kun." She thought to herself, smiling.

"Fine." Hakase grumbled as they finally sat down to eat. "By the way, Ai-kun, I've signed you up for the school's entry exam. It's tomorrow morning."

"Really, so I can go to school with Ai-chan?" Shinichi asked eagerly, expression reminding Ai of Mitsuhiko and Genta.

"Yeah." Hakase answered.

"Yay!" the little detective cheered, face flushed.

"Why so happy?" Hakase asked, bewildered.

"We could be… what is that phrase my mom's always saying…right, 'childhood friends'!" Shinichi said happily.

"What ever happened to Mouri Ran?" Ai asked softly, her gaze glued to the floor.

"Mouri Ran… who's that?"

Ai looked up in surprise. Had her arrival somehow changed history? "You…you don't know her?" she stammered.

Shinichi thought for a moment. "I know the family that moved across the street's last name is Mouri, but I've never met them before."

Ai let out a relieved sigh. So history hadn't been changed, he just hadn't met her yet. So the two of them probably met at the beginning of elementary school. She mused.

Wait. Change history?

The sudden thought gripped Ai's mind. It's ten years ago. She should be growing up somewhere in America, and Neechan is just starting junior high. APTX4869 wasn't invented, and Kudo and herself weren't wanted by the organization. If, and only if, she could somehow give the organization's information to the police and destroy them, then Neechan wouldn't be killed, and she and Kudo would never had turned into kids! Everything would be put right!

"Ai-chan? What's wrong?" Shinichi asked, staring curiously at her.

Trying to steady her own heartbeat, Ai sat down, distracted, and picked up her chopsticks.

Is it possible for her to change history?

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Shinichi is so adorable!!!!!!! XD Don't forget to review and tell me what you think!!