It's another school morning and Conan is sitting on his chair looking over his shoulder at the empty chair beside him. Haibara was still nowhere to be found. Conan let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes. He didn't get much sleep what with Haibara missing and that disturbing case at the hotel. He looked over to Ai's chair again and she was there to his astonishment. He wanted to speak with her but the Detective Boys were all over her already.

"Ai-chan, are you alright? Conan said you were sick.", Ayumi gently inquired. "I wasn't feeling well but I am fine now.", Ai answered.

"Just tell us if you're feeling sick again. We will bring you to the clinic.", added Mitsuhiko.

The Detective Boys cleared out when they heard the teacher was coming. Conan finally had a chance to talk to Ai. There were so many questions in his head he wasn't actually sure how to begin. "How are you Haibara?", was all he could come up with. "The teacher is here. We'll talk later at the Professor's.", was her short reply without even looking him in the eye.

"Good morning class. I am Rin and I am your temporary English teacher." Everybody looked up to see their new teacher. She had flowing red hair. Conan was quite surprised to see this woman again but he glanced over his shoulder and Ai was more surprised than he was. It was almost shock. Was she still dazed about her kidnapping or was there something about this woman?

"I heard from your teacher that you recently discussed the story of The Prodigal Son.", Rin announced. She asked a volunteer to summarize the story for the class and Mitsuhiko swiftly raised his hand and narrated what the story was about.

"What did you think of it?", Rin asked. "Do you think that son deserved the welcome?"

"No.", Ai unconsciously whispered. This caught Rin's attention and she asked Ai further. "Why do you think so? What's your name?"

Ai realized that she said that out loud and this lady heard. There was a pause before she could respond and Ayumi said, "Her name is Ai-chan." Genta added that she was recently sick that's why she's a bit dazed. Ai stood up nonetheless and explained herself without again making eye contact. "I think the son didn't deserve the warm welcome after squandering his father's fortune." She sat down and said almost to herself, "He shouldn't have returned."

"Well thank you for your input Ai-chan.", Rin replied with a smile. "Unfortunately, I have to disagree. I think that anyone's return should be celebrated with a party."

Gin is busy going through files in an archive. He is sitting down, browsing a folder containing police files. There are newspapers scattered on the floor and the computer screen shows the internet search for the great detective Kogoro Mouri. Police. Private Detective. Great Detective. "Mouri-san, you suddenly became a star.", he hissed and he took another puff from his cigarette. Vodka entered the room and told Gin that they should get going. "Why are you interested in that man Aniki? We have to go look for another scientist."

Gin put down his file and got up. "I guess the great detective will have to wait. We have bigger fish to fry."

The Professor was preparing juice and some biscuits in the kitchen while Conan was fidgeting on the couch. Haibara was still not home when she left school early because she said she still was feeling unwell. They're not allowed to leave early without a guardian. Somebody picked her up. He had all these concerns in his head and he couldn't bring himself to tell the Professor. There he was preparing some snacks for Haibara's return thinking that all will be well again. Conan decided to get up and help him prepare instead of worrying aimlessly. The Professor noticed that Conan prepared four glasses and plates instead of three and he wondered who the surprise visitor could be. He didn't need to wait long for answers because the doorbell rang that instant.

Conan opened the door and saw Ai standing in front of a woman. The woman had the same brownish hair and she seemed to be foreign. Conan knew who that woman really was but he still didn't know who she would introduce herself to be. The Professor quickly came to the door when he saw Ai wasn't alone. The woman introduced herself as Ai's aunt from her british mother's side of the family. He led them inside and offered the snacks and refreshments. The woman did not bother to sit down and said, "We won't be here for long. We just came to say goodbye.", she looked at Ai and Ai merely nodded. "Thank you so much Professor for taking care of my niece. It is time that I took over. I miss her deeply too." A tear fell down her cheek as she said this and Agasa asked her to sit down for a while. Conan was sitting right in front of Ai's aunt and she smiled knowingly at him.

Meanwhile, the Professor hugged Ai and said that he will miss her. He was trying so hard not to cry. Ai cherished every second in the embrace of the man who truly was family, not some actress in a disguise. This man actually took care of her and she him and all of that was now coming to an end. "Even if I am away, I will know if you eat anything unhealthy.", she teased. The Professor smiled and sniffed back his tears. "Take care of yourself Ai-kun. I hope I still hear from you."

"You will.", Ai's aunt replied. "She will be finishing the school year here before we go back to England." England? Ai was leaving for good? Conan was deeply disturbed. He can't let his thoughts get the better of him because he needs to get as much information as he can before Ai walks out that door. The Professor was talking to Ai's aunt about where they are going to stay. She gave the Professor their temporary address in Japan.

"Can we visit Ai-chan?", Conan asked with childlike enthusiasm. "Of course.", replied Ai's aunt with a smile. How confident, thought Conan. It's almost as though they have nothing to hide. "Can I come with you now? I can help you fix your things.", Conan pushed further. Ai's aunt smiled and thanked him for his offer but she respectfully declined it because she said the house was a mess and that he can visit next time.

The final goodbyes were being said when Conan received mail from Ran saying that he was needed at Cafe Poirot. It seems like the old man was meeting with a woman there and Ran couldn't make it because she has karate practice. She wants Conan to be her eyes and ears. He looked up from his phone and saw Ai and her aunt walking towards the door. Everything was happening so fast. He wanted to do so many things at once and he wished that time would just slow down or stop even if only for a second. But that could never happen. Confused as he was, he found himself running towards Ai and hugging her tightly from behind. Ai was startled and so were Agasa and her aunt. "I will save you.", he whispered. Ai looked at him with eyes that were a mixture of joy, gratitude, fear and concern. "Goodbye detective.", she gently said and she kissed him on his cheek. Ai and her aunt went in the car and drove away. Agasa and Conan can do nothing but watch their car get smaller and smaller in the distance, their feet glued to Agasa's doorstep. Subaru did the same from his window.

"What did you learn in school today Ai-chan?", Vermouth sweetly asked her 'niece'. "We had a new teacher today dear aunt.", Ai replied coolly. Vermouth was disappointed with her tone of voice. This little girl needs acting lessons from me, she noted. Does she not know we have an audience? "What was she like?", Vermouth asked further. "You'll like her dear aunt. She has flowing red hair.", Ai answered. Vermouth's smile faded away and the car swiftly parked on the side. Vermouth reached over to Ai's forehead. "You seem feverish", she noted as her hand slid down to the back of Ai's neck where she pulled out the bug that Conan stuck there. She threw it out of the car and they sped towards their home.

Ai and Vermouth arrive in their new house. It seemed like an ordinary two-storey house out front but Ai was sure it was more than that. They both entered and the house looked like a common family house. It was well-furnished and it even had family photos. It was indeed a pristine set for Vermouth's act. Vermouth instructed her to change back to her size and start working at their underground laboratory. Vermouth liked hearing her morph in pain and she thought that this was one of the perks of living with that woman. Otherwise, why would she have traded her luxurious penthouse?

Damn it. She threw the transmitter. Conan, annoyed, entered Cafe Poirot to babysit the old man. He looked around and saw Kogoro sitting near the wall obviously waiting for someone as shown by his repeated glances over at the clock. Conan approached him and he exclaimed, "What are you doing here brat? Go upstairs!"

Conan explained that Ran sent him and he was also excited to meet whoever Kogoro was meeting. He eagerly sat beside him and Kogoro heaved a sigh. Kogoro picked Conan up by the sleeve and was heading towards the door when Rin showed up. "Sorry, I'm late.", she said quite surprised to see Mouri lifting up Conan. "Hello teacher.", Conan greeted her with a giggle as he dangles from Mouri's grip. Mouri awkwardly let him down and said, "It's alright. I was just bringing this boy up." Rin said that Conan can join them if he wants. Mouri glared at Conan and he simply giggled back. Conan hurried to their table and sat with the two. Amuro approached them to take their order and Conan noticed there was a splitsecond pause in his steps when he saw who they were with. Mouri ordered for everyone and Rin gave Amuro the menus back with a smile. Mouri also introduced Amuro as his apprentice and Rin started admiring Mouri's work as Amuro headed back to the kitchen. Conan saw him glance back before heading inside the kitchen doors. Mouri proudly told Rin of his feats as the great detective and Conan was bored. Why was he stuck there babysitting this old man when there are so many other more pressing matters at hand?

Ai is down working in the laboratory. It was under their backyard and the walls were made of the thickest steel. It was soundproof, fireproof and earthquakeproof. The lab was equipped with the most stringent security that only the organization has and she worked alone. She didn't exactly need to be her full size but of course Vermouth enjoyed seeing her morph in pain. The retina identification at the entrance was placed at adult height. The bitch.

Ai felt a sense of nostalgia being around all the equipment and her old files once more. At least there was actually a place similar to home at their fake home. She started working on a permanent antidote first. She can't afford to keep painfully morphing everytime she has to work and the temporary drugs lessen their effective period the more she uses them. She had tried so hard to look for this data to be able to give her and Conan a semblance of their old life back. Now that it was there, she had mixed feelings. On one hand, she can make them go back to normal. But on the other, she knows that there is no turning back from the organization again. She heaved a deep sigh and said she would be doing this for Conan. There was no way out for her. She will be Sherry until her dying breath now but Conan had a chance at life and she will do her best to give it to him. She hopes he enjoys life well enough for the both of them.

They had a visitor. Ai's laboratory had a monitor in the upper corner which showed a feed of their street. A car parked on their lot and out came Bourbon.

Bourbon entered the house and saw Vermouth smoking at the backyard. "Welcome Bourbon.", Vermouth said without standing up or even looking back. "Have a seat. What do you think of the place?"

Bourbon announced, "Spirytus is back.", as though he didn't hear a word that Vermouth said. "I know.", she replied.

"Well, what are we going to do?", he said while taking the seat opposite Vermouth. He noticed the beautiful garden and noted that the place was actually quite cozy. "Relax.", Vermouth simply assured him. "Do you want some tea?"

"Cut out the niceties Vermouth. I want to know what the hell is going on. Spirytus is back. You took Sherry in. Something is happening and I want to know what it is.", Bourbon firmly replied.

"Everything is under control Bourbon.", Vermouth replied with a smile. "Sherry being with us ensures that. Let Spirytus be." Thank the heavens she was an actress because she really didn't mean that. Spirytus back worries her but she can't let Bourbon see that. She was the leader. She needed to be composed. Bourbon can notice some of her features straining so he reluctantly changed the topic. "Where's Sherry?"

"Under the ground.", Vermouth replied with satisfaction. Bourbon looked at her puzzled for a second and then he realized. "The laboratory is under this garden, isn't it?"

"Yes. Just where it should be.", Vermouth replied with a taste of disgust. She hated living with Sherry but what can she do, she needs her. She quickly removed the spotlight from Sherry. "What about that FBI traitor? What did you do with him?"

Bourbon snickered remembering the pathetic act that Subaru did to get into his house. "The bastard bugged my bathroom."

"It's good that I got Sherry out in time.", Vermouth replied. "Have you removed the bug?"

"Nah. I gave him something interesting to listen to.", Bourbon said with a self-satisfied smile. You can't outwit me you bastard, he thought. Keep playing this game and you'll taste the bitter pang of defeat.

Vodka was out drinking alone because Gin was busy digging up the archive again. He didn't quite understand what was so interesting in there so he went to the nearby pub to have a drink.

"Hello Vodka.", a voice greeted him from behind. He turned his head and saw Spirytus' characteristic red hair. Spirytus asked if she can join him and he gladly said yes.

"Aniki is looking up some files in the archive.", Vodka said. "That's alright.", Spirytus replied. "I'm here to talk to you."

Vodka was quite surprised by that. Gin was his superior and so was Spirytus but there she was looking to him instead of Gin. It gave him a little sense of pride. Spirytus can see that Vodka had quite a few drinks. His cheeks were red and his mood relaxed. A few words of flattery here, a smile there, and she can surely get the information Gin can never be tricked to share.

"How's the scientist hunt going?", she started her inquiry. "There are not very many candidates.", Vodka replied.

"The previous scientist was Sherry right? I heard she died?", Spirytus asked further.

"Yes. She was the lead scientist after her parents died." Vodka didn't want to drink anymore but Spirytus prodded him on. "She was supposedly dead but she was with Vermouth the other day in Beika Hotel."

Spirytus smiled. "Are you sure it's her?"

"Sure.", Vodka was holding back a hiccup. "Gin himself identified her hair in the washroom that day."

"That's our scientist right there.", said Spirytus. Vodka was already napping beside her. She drinks to her success and Gin enters the pub and joins her after a couple of minutes.

"I need Vodka to drive. Why did you get him drunk?", Gin said.

"Oh please. Drive yourself for once.", Spirytus teased. Continuing her playful tone Spirytus added, "I heard that your girlfriend rose from the dead. We need her. Work your magic."

Gin glanced again at Vodka sleeping and he understood. "You should really indulge in office gossip sometimes Gin.", Spirytus said with her smug expression all over her face.

N: I'm alive! Haha. Sorry for taking ages to update again. Thank you for the reviews. They help keep me going so don't be shy! I appreciate each and every one. :) I think this fic is going to end crazy haha but let's not think about that for now. There will be more of Subaru next chapter so look out for that. I hope you are all having a great time. :D