Case Closed AU

By: FunahoMisaki

(A/N: I own nothing and read last chapter)

Irene was bored as she was leaving the school building when a young girl she had learned was called Amy ran up behind her.

"Why don't you walk home from school with us Irene?" Amy asked causing Irene to stop and look at the excited six year old.

"You're the first new kid in a while, you must be kinda lonely. We'll be your friends." Amy said chirpily while two boys Irene had learned was named Mitch and George walked up behind the two girls.

"Ah thanks but no Rachel-san is probably waiting for me and I'm kinda busy." Irene said scratching her cheek slightly, today she was wearing an outfit that Rachel had bought her. It was a simple blue dress suit like outfit with Doctor Agase's newest invention, modified sneakers that let her kick with her former strength, on her feet and the voice changing hair bow behind her ear.

"So Ms. Hair bow thinks she's too good for us! Guess I need to get out the snob pounder!" George said causing Irene to turn around and glare at him sharply when he raised his fist as if to hit her. Oh boy she hoped Rachel wasn't around otherwise the poor guy would be given the beating of a lifetime!

"Oh great! Threaten her George she'll really like us now." Mitch said sarcastically although he blushed slightly when he realized that Irene was looking at him. Irene watched for a minute as George threatened Mitch while Amy asked them to cut it out, she used this opportunity to escape.

"Nice talking to you! Bye!" She called back to the three kids, causing them to watch as she ran off. Irene was only mildly surprised when Rachel met her at the front of the gates to walk home with her.

"Hi Rachel-san. You didn't have to walk with me if you didn't want to or had something else planned." Irene said smiling up at Rachel who smiled back down to her and held out her hand.

"I know but I did want to walk with you and besides, you've only been staying with us for two days so I didn't want to risk you getting lost on the way home." Rachel said beaming when Irene obediently placed her smaller hand in Rachels larger one. Irene's mind flew back to the conversation she had had with Doctor Agase before going to school this morning. Rachel was worried about Jimmy because he hadn't shown up in school again today and Irene felt guilty for making Rachel worry although she was grateful to the Doc for covering for her.

It's been a few hours since they got home and Irene was watching out the window in confusion as she noticed the three kids from earlier staring at the apartment from an alley corner, although a car driving up caused her to blink.

"Mr. Richard you might want to get your professional look on. It looks like you have a client." Irene called to the Detective who was slouching around drinking another beer before he heard Irene.

"Eh? Alright alright." Richard said waving a hand dismissively as he stood and headed to his room to get dressed in his formal suit. He left the room just in time to hear the doorbell ring.

"How may I help you?" Richard asked opening the door only to be met with the face of Yoko Okino, Irene sighed as she felt her head drop. This was going to be a long night, she just knew it. Although the fact that Yoko had taken one look at Irene sitting there with her glasses and hair bow before squealing and glomping the poor girl didn't help that feeling…and neither did the fact that Yoko's rival Yuko had done the same when she had seen Irene poking around the crime scene curiously like a cat.

"Well that was a doozy of a case huh dad?" Rachel asked a few hours later when the case had been solved and she had practically carried a tired Irene all the way home. She had found it hilarious though when young Amy had kicked Richard in the shin for yelling at Irene, although Rachel had smacked her father upside the head twice for yelling at Irene before gently reprimanding Irene for getting in the way of the investigation. It was even funnier when after Irene had solved the investigation using her hair tie after Richard knocked himself out, he had burned himself with the cigarette.

It was now about ten o clock at night and Richard was passed out on his desk while Rachel was sitting alone in the office crying, she was worried about Jimmy. Irene was 'sleeping' in her room wearing a t-shirt Rachel had lent her to sleep in when the phone rang.

"Hello Moore detective agency." Rachel said answering the phone and walking towards the window where she could see the snow outside drifting down lazily to rest on the buildings and sidewalk.

"Hey Rachel it's me. You wouldn't happen to be sitting in your dad's office alone crying your eyes out would you?" A male's voice asked on the other end of the line, causing Rachel to gasp.

"Jimmy? Don't be ridiculous why would I be crying? Where are you anyways?" Rachel asked staring out the window although she smiled at hearing Jimmy's voice again.

"Everywhere. I got hooked into a complicated case and it's got me on the run but I'll solve it soon I hope." 'Jimmy' said smiling into the phone.

"What do you mean you hope? Go solve it Jimmy." Rachel said sounding a bit worried and anxious at the same time.

"Alright I will. Thanks Rachel I needed that. I'll see you soon okay?" 'Jimmy' said causing Rachel to smile.

"Okay Jimmy." Rachel said softly while 'Jimmy' quickly realized something, if he didn't ask about Irene he was screwed!

"By the way I heard you met a relative of Doctor Agase's. Irene-chan right? He called earlier and told me she was staying with you for a bit." 'Jimmy' asked causing Rachel to light up like a light bulb.

"Irene-chan? Yes she is! She's absolutely adorable and acts like you do. Earlier we were at a crime scene where someone had a knife in his back and she acted just like you, poking around for clues and hints as to the killer." Rachel said nearly gushing like a proud sister or mom would.

"Really? That's my girl. I taught her all of my detective skills I could the few times she would stay with me while her dad was overseas and taught her a few soccer moves too. You really like her huh?" 'Jimmy' asked grinning slightly over the phone as he quickly came up with a reason why Irene was a great little detective and pretty handy with a soccer ball.

"You and your dad should let her help out on any cases Richard might get since I'm not there right now. Sometimes it's easier for children to spot things adults wouldn't, not to mention she can sneak or fit into places where you, me, or your dad couldn't go." 'Jimmy' said while Rachel smiled and took note of that on a spare piece of paper she had found, it was true. No one had spotted the earring, dent in the floor, or the moisture until Irene had pointed them out.

"Yes I do like her, she so cute and she must feel so alone. Her mom and dad are both gone and she's staying with two people who are practically strangers to her. I just hope she'll learn to trust me soon." Rachel said causing 'Jimmy' to laugh slightly.

"Your maternal instincts are going full force huh? You planning to mother hen the girl?" 'Jimmy' asked, he really wanted an answer for this so he knew just how to act as Irene.

"Yes they are and yes I am. Hopefully soon she'll call me 'nee-chan' instead of merely 'Rachel-san' all the time." Rachel said sighing as she looked at the door to what she had named as Irene's room.

"Eh just give her time. You'll probably be the only mother like figure she knows so I wouldn't be surprised if she started calling you kaa-san soon!" 'Jimmy' said with a laugh before he stopped and seemed to listen to something for a minute.

"Alright. It was great talking to you Rach but I gotta go. Say hi to Irene-chan for me." 'Jimmy' said causing Rachel to nod.

"Bye Jimmy." Rachel said softly before hanging up the phone, a few seconds after she did so Irene's door opened and the little girl walked out. Her hair was messed up as if she had been sleeping and she was tiredly rubbing one eye with the back of her hand.

"Oh! Irene-chan I'm sorry. Did I wake you?" Rachel asked setting down the phone and looking at the sleepy looking brown haired girl that actually looked quite a bit like Rachel herself now that she thought about it.

"Nu-uh. I had a bad dream." Irene said in a tired and slightly scared voice, 'Note to self thank mom for acting lessons' Jimmy noted inside his mind, as Rachel came over and smiled at the girl.

"Well you know what my mom used to do whenever I had a bad dream?" Rachel asked causing Irene to look up at her curiously and shake her head, neither Jimmy nor Irene had heard anything about that before.

"She used to let me sleep with her in her bed so that she could scare away all the bad dreams that came near me. Come on. You can stay with me and if any bad dreams come back I'll hit em with a few Karate moves." Rachel said winking at Irene who giggled slightly at that image in her head and allowed herself to be picked up by Rachel.

"Mkay…Rachel?" Irene asked laying her head on Rachels shoulder and idly noticing that Richard was still conscious as he peeked through one eye at the two females and smiled.

"Yes Irene-chan?" Rachel asked smiling down at Irene reassuringly while she began to carry the young girl to her room. Her next tired and half yawned out question caused Richard to fall out of his chair and Rachel to nearly drop Irene.

"Since you're acting like a mom to me…can I call you kaa-san?"