a/n: I honestly don't know when Sonoko and Makoto's birthdays are, so I made them up hehe.

Prompt: Remembering

Disclaimer: Guess what! I do own Detective Conan! Hmph, yeah right.

"OUT OF MY WAY!"

The furious karate champion shoved through teems of nurses, doctors and patients, screaming the entire way. Running behind him were an exhausted police detective and martial arts teacher, struggling to keep up as they apologized profusely to various doctors in the wake of the Prince of Kicks.

"Ma-ko-to!" wheezed Shinichi as he willed his legs to run faster. "Slow down!"

The said boy paid no heed and continued running, paving a way through the people down the halls. Well, at least he's considerate enough to give me a clear path to chase him after. Shinichi thought wryly. He glanced to his right to see his wife who was also slightly struggling to catch up. Even though she was a karate teacher with tons of stamina (at least a lot more than Shinichi had), the rate at which Makoto was running was just plain inhuman.

As the pair rounded the corner, they simultaneously sighed in relief at the sight of Sonoko's operation room, with Makoto right in front of it, talking to a nurse. Actually, it was more like she was talking and he was shouting. As the poor soul cowered behind a clipboard, he slowly calmed down and sat down on the bench next to the wall, much to the Kudo's relief (and to the relief of the nurse, as seen when she sped off at a speed that could rival Makoto's).

"Makoto…she'll be okay. You know Sonoko. She's a fighter." Ran said comfortingly, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"…The nurse…but the nurse said that she received a pretty hard blow to the head. The truck…it hit her car pretty badly."

Shinichi pursed his lips in pity as the karate champ worried for his wife. "We're working to find out who it is. I'm sure we'll be able to find out who drove the truck and hit Sonoko soon."

"I don't care about finding the guy who hit her. What's more important is that she's okay."

"Makoto Kyogoku!"

"Yes?" Makoto immediately straightened up from his slumped position on the bench. It had been hours. Ran and Shinichi were fast asleep beside him.

"She's ready to see you now."

He hastily stood up and briskly made a move to the door when the nurse's hand stopped him.

"You…you might be surprised, Mr. Kyogoku. She…she's not well. Are you sure you want to go inside?"

He shrugged off her arm with ease as he barged into his wife's room, only to see her staring out into nothingness. Her eyes were blank, with none of the sparkle and joy it held yesterday. She turned to him, then plastered a fake smile on her face. His heart clenched at her next words.

"Hello. Are you the one who knows my name?"

Amnesia. She didn't remember anything. She didn't remember her own name. Worse of all, she didn't remember him. She didn't remember that they were married. And he didn't want to tell her. No one did.

So he lied. They all lied. Him, Shinichi, Ran, everyone. He called everyone he could think of who knew of their marriage and told them that officially, Sonoko and he weren't married. They told Sonoko that she was Sonoko Suzuki, not Sonoko Kyogoku. He was now her 'friend', not her husband. And that was why she was living in his house (not their house. His house, he noted with spite). Because they were friends, and nothing more.

He didn't know how long he would be able to keep up the charade. Soon, someone would slip up. But he knew that he'd break her if he told her. So he'd stall, for as long as he could. Because he couldn't get her memories back.

He was helpless. He could beat up anyone he wanted with ease, but was defeated by amnesia.

For the first time in a long time, Makoto Kyogoku cried.

Month 1: March

She was strong enough to walk again. She was as energetic and as lively as always, always wanted to get out of the house, to stroll around, to do everything.And of course he'd resist, he should resist because he was supposed to take care of her, but no. She'd flash him a smile and unconsciously bat her eyes in a way that made his heart beat faster, and say, "Please, Makoto-kun?"

And they'd be outside, shopping in the mall five minutes later. She had no idea the sheer power she had over him, did she?

Of course not. Because she didn't even know who she was.

"Makoto, look at this! Oh, but this is prettier!"

She'd point at different items of clothing, asking for his advice, just like they had before the accident. Before everything went wrong. He'd always steer her away from the short dresses ('Sonoko, those are too short. You're going to catch the attention of too many other boys.') and she'd huff in annoyance.

But now, she wouldn't understand why he'd tell her that, because she didn't know him. Not anymore.

"Ne, Makoto? Are you okay?"

He looked at her, a forcing himself to smile. "Of course, Sonoko."

She looked at him, and took his hand in both of hers, and smiled. "Makoto, I…I don't know what you were to me in the past. But…you've helped me so much this past month, and…I don't know how to thank you. You're an amazing friend."

He smiled back, but silently cried. Because she had no idea how much closer they'd been before. Much closer than 'friends'.

Month 2: April

"APRIL FOOLS!"

They had grown closer together. He'd taken care of her, and she'd love his company. They'd make each other laugh and smile, and he'd come home from training to have Sonoko make dinner for the both of them, smiling all the while. And it was almost like…almost like they were married again.

But of course, they weren't.

Because she still didn't remember. They were still trying, trying every single treatment they could to restore her memory. But nothing was working.

Yet, nothing could put her down. Sonoko, as always, was still shining and happy and a beacon of light as she always was. She was positive she'd get her memories back.

Now, she was laughing with mirth as he grumbled in annoyance, his face covered with icing. Instead of dinner, like he was expecting, he had gotten a face full of cake, courtesy of Sonoko Kyo–Suzuki. Sonoko Suzuki.

Her laughing face soon morphed into horror as he smiled mischievously and grabbed a piece of cake off the floor and threw it at her, watching as it splattered icing on the front of her shirt. In retaliation, she threw a raw egg at him. And of course, what else was he supposed to do but throw a fistful of flour?

This turned into an all out food war and soon a wrestling match which ended up with Sonoko pinned to the kitchen floor and him on top of her, both of them panting in exhaustion. Their faces were so close together, and he could feel her breath on his face. Her eyes were twinkling and she was breathless from laughter. He could close the gap between them, one inch, one centimeter…

"Ah…Makoto…I think you win. You can get off of me now."

"Ah…yeah."

As he scrambles off of her and runs to his room with some excuse, any excuse, he leaves the brunette on the floor with a confused look clouding her eyes and wondering what just happened.

Month 3: May

The couple stood in front of the black stone despite the pouring rain around them. Makoto held the umbrella over their heads as Sonoko bent down and set down the flowers they had bought just a few minutes ago.

"Happy Mother's day, mother."

It was Ran who told her that her parents had died last year. She had sobbed for days afterward, reminding Makoto of the time when she had first found out her parents had passed away. It pained him to see her relive her pain once again. When she was first released from the hospital, they told her the names of her father and mother. They had purposely avoided telling her where they were or why they didn't come visit her in the hospital. That a fire in the Suzuki mansion resulted in their deaths.

Now Sonoko hunched over their graves, tears still trickling down her face. Oh, how Makoto wanted to do something, anything to free her from her pain, but he could only watch as Sonoko cried and cried just like she had done so many months ago. He placed his arm on her shoulders and whispered, "It's okay, Sonoko. I'm here for you."

He was more than surprised when she reacted by throwing herself into his arms, fisting her hands into his shirt and sobbing into his chest. He forgot the umbrella and dropped it on the ground, opting to wrap his arms around her in the pouring rain. He placed his chin on top of her head as she cried against him, and tried to comfort her as best he could.

"It's so unfair, Makoto. Why did I have to forget everything important to me? I can't even remember their faces!"

The only thing he could do was cry with her. Cry because of her pain, cry because of her sorrow, and cry because the woman in his arms was crying and he couldn't do anything about it.

And it almost seemed as if the sky was crying with them.

He came home with her cradled in his arms, fast asleep. His arms were under her knees and spine, carrying her bridal style. They were soaking wet from an hour spent in the rain. He placed her gently on her bed, her face wet from tears or rain he didn't know. He kissed her forehead and whispered, "It's okay, Sonoko. I'm here, and I'll always be here for you."

As he left the room, he could've sworn he saw her smile.

Month 4: June

He noticed that she was having nightmares.

After her visit to her parent's grave, she started having nightmares. He didn't know what about, or why she was having them, but he noticed that in the morning, instead of a bright happy smile, she had a false smile and a dark mood. She looked paler, and circles were forming under her eyes.

When he'd ask about it, she'd brush it off. 'I'm sleeping fine', she'd say. But she would look away immediately and change the topic, and he knew she was lying. So he decided to take things into his own hands. He'd find out what was plaguing her.

He watched her one night, peeking through the crack in her door. After four hours, when he was on the brink of giving up and leaving and deeming this a whole waste of time, he heard it. Sobs. Her sobs.

He slipped inside the room and crouched down at her bedside. His heart constricted as he saw her tear stained face as she emitted little sobs. She was on her side, her blanket bunched up around her. He brushed his fingers against her cheek, tears threatening to spill from his own eyes. As he turned to leave, he heard a voice that stopped him in his tracks.

"Ma…Makoto?"

He turned around very slowly, as if he was a burglar that had just been caught by the police. "S…Sonoko. Ah, I didn't know you were awake. I'll…I'll just be going now…" And he turned to leave once again.

"Makoto! Wait!"

He turned around, shocked to see his wife's face so broken and sad, so desperate.

"Makoto…please stay with me. Don't…don't leave me alone…please…"

"Sonoko…I would never do that."

And soon she was curled up against him, his hand wrapped protectively around her stomach and her back against his chest.

She didn't have any more nightmares that night.

The night after, he'd gone into her room again, only to have her sleeping on the edge of her bed, a space made for him.

It became a silent agreement that he'd sleep in her room from then on.

Month 5: July

If anyone walked into the Kyogoku kitchen on July 17, they would be surprised to find the legendary Prince of Kicks running around dressed in a frilly pink apron.

The karate champion was panicking because yes, today was Sonoko's birthday.

"My birthday?"

"Yes. It's on July 17."

"Oh, that's a few months away, isn't it?"

"Yeah. You'll be 27 then."

"Oh, I hope I get a cake. A chocolate cake. I love chocolate. Getting that…would be the best birthday, wouldn't it? There's always chocolate cake on every good birthday. And…I want my first birthday to be the best. Because it's the first one that I'll remember."

She had forgotten about it as well with her amnesia, but they told her along with all the trivial things (age, blood type, etc.) the day she got out of the hospital. She had been particularly excited that morning, and Makoto knew why. So he'd gotten Ran and Kazuha to distract her and get her out of the house so he could prepare for her birthday surprise. When she'd return, she'd find a beautiful chocolate cake waiting for her along with his present in a romantic candlelit room. Her version of the best birthday ever.

Unfortunately, the beautiful plan he'd envisioned in his head had gone horribly wrong. There was something wrong with the oven, the stove looked like it was on fire, his present still hadn't been wrapped and it was an hour before she would arrive.

Yep. Panic time.

Ten minutes left and Makoto was still trying to get the stupid oven to work. His heart beat two times faster at the sound of the door opening.

"Makoto! Hey, I'm home!"

No no no NO! This was NOT supposed to happen! His heart fell as he imagined her disappointment.

"Ma…koto? What's all this?"

He turned to face her guiltily, head hung in shame. "I…I couldn't do it. I wanted to give you the best birthday…but I couldn't. I'm sorry. The chocolate cake didn't bake and – OOF!"

He was interrupted by his apology as a small body crashed into him forcefully, wrapping its arms around him as he numbly hugged back in confusion.

"Thank you, Makoto. Thank you so much."

He smiled, hugging her back. "Oh! I almost forgot."

He pulled away from her and handed her a small box wrapped in a ribbon. She opened it and gasped in surprise at the sparkling diamond necklace. "Makoto…"

"Happy Birthday."

Month 6: August

Hiya!

"WHOOHOO! GOOOOO MAKOTO!"

He inwardly smiled as she cheered him on. Her enthusiasm, her support…it was what made him fall in love with her.

And the winner is…Makoto Kyogoku!

"YEAHHHHHH! MAKOTO! MAKOTO! MAKOTO!"

After receiving his award, he approached her as she tackled him with a hug. "Whoohoo! I knew you would win it!" She looked up at him, her mouth pulled in a huge smile. "We gotta celebrate! You won a huge trophy!"

His recent karate competition had distracted her somewhat from her amnesia. Even though she still kept hopeful, they all knew that she was starting to lose heart, that she was starting to think she would never regain her memories. When he announced he'd joined a huge karate competition, she was bent on making him win, which included making him train and work out 24/7, her encouraging him all the while.

"I know! Let's watch a movie tonight!" she exclaimed excitedly.

They ended up curled up on the sofa watching "The Maple Leaves of Winter" that night.

"Y'know Makoto, it would be cool to do that. I'd tie up a red handkerchief and my lover would find me, ne?"

He smiled. "Yeah, that would be nice."

If only she knew.

Month 7: September

"Sonoko! I'm home!"

He was greeted with silence, which worried him. What had happened to her? Was something wrong?

He walked into the living room, and then…

"SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAKOTO!"

She had gone all the way. Balloons, cake, candles, music, present, everything was there. Much different from Makoto's failed birthday surprise.

"You should've told me it was your birthday! I'm living in your house this whole time and you didn't tell me? Ran told me last night!"

He stood in awe at her handiwork. She handed him his gift, a small heart locket. "I know it's cheesy, but I think it's important to have something for the most important person in your life."

She had no idea that the very next day, he had put her picture in the locket.

Month 8: October

Costume party. Tsh. They were way too old for this, weren't they?

But Sonoko had insisted, or else 'I'm going to go without you, Makoto!', and of course he had to go, because he wasn't letting her into a party with lots of people with a witch dress way too short for his liking. Not to mention half of them were drunk.

So here he was, in a boooooring party with nothing to do. Sonoko had long gone talking with Kazuha and Ran, and he'd lost sight of her.

Where was she, anyway?

"Hey, come on babe, dance with me baby."

"Get off of me!"

Makoto straightened up immediately at the sound of Sonoko's voice. "Sonoko? Sonoko!" He desperately looked around for her witch hat in the crowd.

"Babe, stop bein' so difficult. Just lemme take off that dress o' yours."

"Let go of me!"

"SONOKO!" He was panicking now, checking every corner of the huge room for any clue about his wife.

"Fine then. You wanna be difficult? It's fine, I like em feisty."

"HELP!"

"SONOKO!" He finally found her pinned against the wall in one of the halls by some obviously drunk jerk in a vampire costume. Her hands were pinned above her head and the guy's other hand was on her bare thigh.

That's when Makoto saw red.

THWACK! WHAM!

Soon the vampire boy was on the floor, unconscious. Sonoko ran into Makoto's arms as she sobbed in his chest and he wrapped his arms around her. When she looked up at him, their faces were so close, and he could almost…

She was the one who closed the gap between them.

After a full 10 minutes with her pressed against the wall, this time of her own doing, and him holding her and kissing her and kissing her, he finally told her, "Sonoko…let's go home."

When they slept that night, their bodies were pressed closer then ever.

Month 9: November

They started dating. Which was weird, because…well, they were married. But Makoto didn't care. He was on cloud nine. And so was everyone else. She could take as long as she wanted, he didn't care, as long as they were together.

They were still open to ideas to get her memory back, of course, but they weren't as driven. Because they were happy already. Sonoko was happy. That's all Makoto needed.

Until news came that a new treatment was available. One that could give her back her memories, all of them. Not without risk, but still. It was hope.

They talked. Sonoko desperately wanted the treatment, but Makoto was afraid. He didn't want Sonoko to hurt anymore than she already had.

So they talked. They argued. They fought. They stopped dating. And soon, she told him not to sleep in her bed anymore. So he didn't.

Suddenly, both of them weren't happy anymore.

Month 10: December

It was Christmas. They were still fighting. And they both kept it up.

Until he gave in. He apologized. He told her it was her life, her decision, and he was being a stupid jerk.

She stared at him angrily for a while as he looked down at the floor. Then her eyes softened, and she kissed him with tenderness and care, and he kissed her right back.

They started dating again. They spent Christmas and New Year together. She let him back in her bed.

Both of them were happy again.

Month 11: January

It was nearing a year. She'd decided to take the treatment. Some sort of chemical or some sort. It would take a month.

Outside the treatment room, Makoto Kyogoku paced. He was afraid.

Then, it was done. It was over. He entered the hospital room again, like he had 11 months ago. As he approached her bed, he saw something in her eyes.

Was it…anger?

As she whipped her head around to him, he could definitely see it was anger. She was glaring at him, a fire in her eyes. And he gulped. Because an angry Sonoko was not a good Sonoko.

"You jerk." She hissed at him. "All this time…"

"You never told me we were married."

Then she grabbed his collar and wrenched him towards her, and as they kissed tears streamed down their faces. Because finally, finally…

Sonoko Kyogoku remembered.

Month 12: February

The two sat down on a ledge, staring at the sunset.

The treatment worked. All her memories were back.

Makoto took his hand in hers as he whispered, "Sonoko Kyogoku, happy valentine's day."

"Happy valentine's day, Makoto."

a/n: woah. This was soooo long. The words didn't stop. I couldn't stop writing! But this is one of my favorites for sure.

Reviews make me happy!