The Empty Grave

Wind was rustling in tree brought the sound of children's laughter with it from the playground nearby, a sound that somehow seemed to balance out the silence of this very place.

His reflection on the black tombstone was dull, the cold autumn wind tugged at his clothes and on the small leaves of the sunflowers that she had brought to his grave. He couldn't hide the small smile that tugged at his lips - sun flowers had the meaning of "Thank you" in the language of flowers. It was a nice gesture of her, as always.

His gaze drove from the bright yellow flowers that seemed to shiver in the cold wind, back to his name, written in plain white letters, without a date or a comment beneath, what made it even more final. He narrowed his eyes and observed how his pale reflection on the pitch-black gravestone did the same before his gaze found something else on the surface of the stone.

Steps were coming closer, before they stopped right beside him. He could hear how someone was taking a sharp breath, while the other person had a fond smile on her lips.

"Seems like your friend got another visitor."

But the small boy didn't turn to look at her, his gaze was still fixed on the grave.

Sherlock Holmes

The name written in bright white letters covered nearly the whole front of the stone and yet John was able to recognize the reflecting glasses of the small boy, mirrored on the smooth surface of the gravestone.

Out of the corner of his eye John could see a frown slowly forming itself on Mary's beautiful turned to look at him, but before she was able to voice her thoughts, Conan's stern and yet somewhat high-pitched voice interrupted her.

"You're working as a doctor again."

A statement, not a question. The boy hadn't looked up at them while he spoke, gaze still fixed on his friend's grave. All color drained from John's face while Mary was casting the little boy a confused glance before her eyes settled on him.

"John, do you know-"

"Mary- would… could you leave us for a moment?" His eyes never left the child in front of him and yet he could feel his girlfriend's confused and worried look on him.

"John? What?"

"Please." He pleaded again, softer this time.

Her gaze wavered from him to the boy and back again."Alright- I'll be at the café across the street if you need me." Her voice was gentle and she didn't leave him before putting a kiss on his cheek, but her eyes told him that he had a lot of explanation to do once he finished his chat.

Dear Good- he wasn't looking forward to that one, not at all.

The blond woman left the two of them alone, but for only a second, Shinichi could feel cold sharp eyes on the base of his neck. The boy shook the shiver off that ran down his spine, now was not the time for him overreacting about things like this.

Doctor Watson took a step forward, now standing right beside him and for a couple of seconds,both of them did nothing more than standing by his grave in silence.

"When are you going to propose?"

The sudden question ripped the doctor from his thoughts, his gaze wandered down to the small boy at his side.

"What? How did you-?"

The boy smirked beneath his large glassed, putting his hands in his pockets as he explained.

"When you first came into my few, the church bell's started ringing in the listened to them until your gaze moved to your girlfriend, before you put her left hand in yours and stroked her fingers, especially her forth one. Don't worry-" Conan smirked when he saw a hint of red on the doctors cheeks.

"- I'm sure she didn't notice the connection. As for your former question, it's not that hard to figure it out. Everyone has to do something to earn their living after all. Your shirt's front pocket, which I can see beneath your coat, is marked from the clips of pens, but also something heaver- a small flashlight probably, one that you can carry with you to get a better look at your patience throats. Your collar is also rather messy, while your sleeves are perfectly well ironed – probably done by your new girlfriend. That tells me that you're putting something around your neck frequently.A scarf wouldn't cause that much damage but something like a stethoscope would. You came from work just now- probably a small private practice since they let you wear your own clothes during work, while you don't have an assistant to hand you the flashlight or stethoscope, so that you have to carry it with you all the time."

Shinichi took a deep breath when he finished his his weight to his other foot, he turned around to finally face the doctor without the shadiness of the stone. But Dr. Watson's gaze was fixed on his friend's grave again, his eyes however seemed to look right through it.

He had done it again.

Just like him.

Memories of Sherlock Holmes, which he had tried to put a cover upon. now replayed themselves in his mind, pushing him from scene to scene. The feeling of being seen through made him shiver in his own skin, it was like someone had read is thoughts… a feeling he hadn't had since… since-

"Dr. Watson? John?"

But it took a small hand tugging on his coat before he finally found himself back in reality again. The blond man blinked hard, he wasn't really aware that his eyes burned when he looked down to the small boy with a frown.

"Wh-What?"

Shinichi bit his lips at the hoarse tone of the doctor, his eyes wandered down to the grave again, while he apologized to the military doctor.

"Sorry… I shouldn't have done that."

John's gaze wandered from the deep black gravestone to the grade-schooler by his side.

The wind was tousling his hair and he silently asked himself if the boy's coat was thick enough to keep him warm enough during England's cold autumn days. But the way the boy- or rather teenager- he still had trouble keeping that one in mind- had deduced a decision he himself yet wasn't complete sure about, made him remember who exactly he was talking to.

To be honest… he had forgotten about the miniature high-schooler over the past months. And yet he wasn't surprised to find him at his grave. The boy had studied Holmes's methods and when his friend ever had a true fan, then it would be but not least, the grim features on the young face showed true grief and now as well blame- for something the boy probably couldn't control as much as his old friend.

'Well done John, well done.'

The doctor swallowed getting a grip on himself before he shook his head with a sigh.

"No, no its just- it's alright."

The boy however still didn't look up to him again, avoiding his gaze. The silence between them made the doctor nervous, his hands twisted around the key in his pocket, when he took a deep breath, trying to give his tone a lighter touch when he spoke again.

"So, what are you doing here?"

Kudo shifted uncomfortably back and forth, before a heavy sigh left his lungs.

"I needed to see it for myself, I guess."

A shiver ran down John's spine, looking down into the hard and rather dark looking eyes of the little boy, eyes that didn't fit into a child's face at all.

'Neither do they suit a teenage boy'

John bit his lips but nodded understanding.

He knew this feeling.

He had been there when it happened, had searched for his friend's pulse when he rested on the cold pavement and even now, when he was visiting his grave, recently he had still trouble believing it.

Sherlock Holmes, his best friend, dead.

A well-known ache throbbed in his deep black hole Sherlock had left behind had reopened again, threatening to devour him alive. The doctor took a shuddering breath, as he tried to get himself back under control, this wasn't about him now.

'Get yourself together John.'

But the tiny voice in his head didn't sound quite like his own, but more like a ghost of his past.

He shook his head, before his eyes searched the young boy by his side again.

"Are you alright?"

The boy beside him tensed, before he looked up with big eyes behind the overlarge fames of his glasses. He blinked a few times when he realized that the doctor's question was genuine, before he shook his head with a sad smile.

"That should be my question to ask, Doctor."

John's lip twisted in sympathy and yet he held the boy's gaze before Conan finally gave in with a sigh.

"I'll be fine… don't worry."

The doctor nodded to the not-child, clearing his throat when he felt a lump slowly getting comfortable in it.

"As I will. And beside…I've got Mary now."

The small smile on the man's lips guided Shinichi's gaze back to his face, getting stuck there before John finally noticed that the boy was still staring at him.

He knew this look, he knew it just too well.

"What?" he questioned, raising an eyebrow, while he stared down at the child.

The grade-schooler frowned, before raising a finger to point straight at the doctor's face.

"What is that?"

"What is what?"

The boy just turned his head a little, big confused eyes staring at probably didn't even know that he was looking all the way like a lost little puppy, before he finally elaborated.

"The thing on your face-"

"Huh?" John's hand searched his face, only finding his skin and the stubbles of his new growing- Oh-OH! A slight shade of red showed on the physician's cheeks.

"Uh, you mean- I-" He coughed into his hand, trying to display more confidence.

"I'm trying to grow a mustache."

The boy however still continued to stare at him, before a frown appeared on the child's face.

"You sure about that?"

John blinked.

'What the-'

He felt how his eye started to twitch, before he took a deep breath, guiding his gaze away from the boy, briefly ignoring his stare.

"Indeed, I am."

"Mhm." The silence of the boy however spoke volumes.

"Oh come one, what would you possible understand about facial hair."

The boy glared at him. "That was a low one doctor- even for you."

The man however couldn't hide a grin. "Perhaps- but I'm sure he would have liked it." He smirked even it was a sad one.

"Maybe." Conan's eyes also went back to the black marble in front of them and joined his smile.

"I'll stand for what he said, you know."

John's voice cut through the rather pleasant silence between them, so that Shinichi looked up towards him again.

"Huh?"

But the questioning look of the little boy was met by a confident one. John turned towards him, carefully placing both hands on his shoulders looking right into the boy's eyes through the mask of Edogawa Conan to focus on Kudo Shinichi.

"Whatever I can do to help, I will do."

Conan swallowed, his stomach felt like someone had filled it with ice.

'Doctor Watson…' But Shinichi bit his lips, before he nodded.

"Thank you."

John mirrored his gesture, before he awkwardly patted the boy on the back when he let go of his shoulders again. The sharp east wind cooled their embarrassed flushed faces down after a few seconds.

Both of them continued to stand there in silence, before the bells of the little church nearby remembered Shinichi that he wasn't in England all by himself. He sighed, taking a look at his wristwatch.

"Well… I guess that's my call then."

"You sure? You can join me and Mary for dinner if you want to- I'm sure she wouldn't mind," the doctor suggested.

"Nah- It's time for me to meet up with the others again," Conan shrugged, before a rather evil smile found its way on the child's lips.

"And besides, I'm not eager to be questioned by your future fiancée."

John groaned. "Me neither…"

"Remember, doctor-" Shinichi reminded him, his tone serious once more. "- that knowing about me would only put her in danger."

"Oh come one, it sounds like a quote of a cheap mystery movie," the doctor chuckled but was met with Conan's eyes in an instant, the boy glaring daggers at him.

"Okay, okay." John raised his hands in defense. "Don't worry about it, I'll take good care of her."

"You'd better," the child huffed, before he turned around to leave the doctor along with the sunflowers on Sherlock's grave.

John was about to shout a goodbye after him, when the boy suddenly stopped in his tracks. A few seconds passed, before Shinichi finally spoke again, his back still facing the doctor.

"You know... I miss your blog." The words that were barely more than a whisper made the doctor swallow, before he agreed with a sad smile.

"Yeah… me too."

XXX

Conan avoided the direction to the small café where he'd seen Dr. Watson's girlfriend vanish into, so he crossed the street by a crosswalk nearby. Shinichi knew that Agasa covered for him, but at some point, Ran's patience would run short.

In his hurry he had missed to see the black car, waiting on the corner of the least until its driver, a big brawny man, dressed all in black, stepped in his way. Shinichi felt a cold feeling running down his heart skipped a beat as he looked up at the monster of a man.

"Edogawa Conan, I need you to get into the car."

Only a few seconds passed that left the boy staring at the man, while his mind was weighing his options.

A command, not a question, no surprise that someone had sent him (cause, there was no way that this gorilla of a man was responsible for the heart attack he was going through right now) to pick up a child.

His eyes found their way back to the black car, an expensive one at that, until his attention was focused on the man's stern gaze again. The Poker face was perfect.

Was it really them?

But how could they have found him out so easily and what the hell were they even doing here in- wait a second.

Shinichi bit the inside of his cheek while he started to look around until he found what he was searching for. A smirk was displayed on his lips, aiming for the black eye, with the blinking red spot, which was staring at him.

"What a dirty little trick." The boy cursed beneath his breath, before he turned around, aiming for the black car. When he found the door unlocked, he let himself in, choosing the passenger seat right behind the driver before he closed the door with a thud. The man clad in black looked over the rims of his sunglasses with a frown, before he shook himself out of his stupor to follow the grade-schooler.

There was no exchange of words or friendly chatter while they drove through the city of London. Shinichi didn't even try to remember where they were going, since he had a pretty good idea what their destination would be. Of course, the driver parked behind the tall building, guiding him through the back door, where a lady in a dark blue business suit already greeted him with a polite smile.

"Welcome, me show you the way."

They behaved like it was him who'd requested the formal visit and not like they had just kidnapped him from the streets- which was in fact, more how it felt to him.

He followed her through long corridors with walls made of expensive wood, while probably even more expensive drawings and sculptures were displayed in each and every alcove of the hallway. The light was dim and Shinichi tried his hardest to ignore the shiver running down his spine, but when he decided to focus his eyes on his guide instead, it didn't help, because from his perspective the skirt of the pretty brunette was even shorter than it probably appeared to be.

"Edogawa-kun."

He blinked, the tips of his ears becoming red when he only noticed that they had stopped in front of a big mahogany door, the woman's smile wavered for a second while she noticed how the boy's eyes slowly found her own.

"Mr. Holmes awaits you," she announced, her smile back on display. The lady took a step back, politely allowing him to approach the door by his own, but the sight of the door handle stopped him again.

Shinichi grumbled, he was sure that the bastard had calculated this "little" circumstance into his plan. But instead of trying to reach the door handle all by himself, his gaze moved back to the lady, searching for help. She blinked in surprise, before a small and somewhat pitiful (- yeah, thank you) smile appeared on her lips, as she opened the door for him, announcing the small visitor to her boss.

"Edogawa-kun for you, Mr. Holmes."

"Thank you, Anthea."

The door fell shut behind him and Shinichi felt like someone had just stuck him into a fridge.

Mycroft Holmes resided behind a heavy desk that was placed in the middle of the room, surrounded by bookshelves and drawings. The green curtains of the windows in his back were shut, so that only the old-fashioned banker's lamp illuminated the room.

A smirk appeared on Conan's lips. "Cozy."

Mycroft however just screwed up his nose at the jab of the grade-schooler, while he raised himself to his full height, circling his desk to eye the boy from above.

"Not for you, I fear."

Conan swallowed under the cold shark like gaze.

"Kudo… Shinichi."

The little boy rose an eyebrow, ignoring Mycroft's calculating stare on purpose. He focused on his surroundings, his eyes found the iron knight in a corner while he spoke.

"That's a dangerous name to use nowadays," Conan announced in a dry voice, only glancing at the Brit from the corner of his eyes.

"Indeed, it is," Mycroft confirmed unfazed, but of course he couldn't stop himself to negotiate with the boy again.

"I told you it doesn't have to be that way if you would care to consent to our purpose."

Conan gave him a cold look through half-moon eyes, pursing his lips until Mycroft shook his head with a sigh.

"Thought so." He rolled his eyes, fishing for his phone and began to type while he chose a rather patronizing tone to speak.

"So, to what do we owe the honor of your visit."

"I'm here to offer my help to Sherlock Holmes." The answer however earned Shinichi a cold glare and Mycroft gritted his teeth in despise.

"Good grief, that's a rather ugly joke."

But instead of apologizing humbly, the boy just chuckled with a knowing smirk.

"Oh please, we both know that it's just a hole in the ground," he explained, while Mycroft's lips thinned underneath the detective's shape eyes.

"An empty grave."

A twitch tugged at the Brit's lips.

'You've found a rather creepy apprentice dear brother, that's for sure.'

Along with an annoyed sigh, Mycroft started typing on his smartphone again.

"And yet your beloved Ran-neechan brought flowers along, quite sentimental may I say."

Shinichi gritted his teeth; his eyes grew cold while his gaze on Mycroft became rather dangerous. The government agent however just ignored him, his face had a pale touch due to the illumination of his phone's screen.

"Anyway, how would you know about that?"

Shinichi only snorted, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Beside the fact that you snatched me from the street once I hit British ground to throw me into one of your facilities, if it wasn't for him?"

"Awe you really think so little of me boy?" Mycroft cooed in a false hurt tone.

"I have my reasons to," Shinichi huffed, before he explained himself further.

"Anyway, I've been following your brother's cases since his first file. He wasn't famous back then, working under a pseudonym-"

"Conan… yes, I get it." Mycroft added with a smirk and was delighted to watch how the boy's cheeks glowed red in the dim light of his office.

Shinichi just cleared his throat with a cough.

"Whatever… I knew what I needed to search for and I can tell from the last turmoil in Belgium that he's still on the run," Shinichi finished and finally looked up to Mycroft again.

"So, I'm here to help."

The man however, ignored the serious tone that sounded so wrong in a child's voice, instead opted fora tone to mock him- since that had worked best on Sherlock as well.

"Oh, and what could a shrimp like you possible help with?"

Shinichi just crossed his arms before his chest. "I have my resources."

"Is that so…care to elaborate?"the government agent asked and the boy shrugged.

"Sure, if you would call him for me?"

"Why so suspicious?"

Conan just glared at him.

"Alright, alright…" Mycroft rolled his eyes with a sigh, and finally held his smartphone to his ear.

Both of them waited in silence. Shinichi looked at his wristwatch since the deep green curtains told him little about the time of the day – he was already an hour behind his schedule, Ran was going to kill him for sure. If Conan's father (or rather his own) hadn't paid for their visit, a second flight to London would have been impossible anyway.

A sigh left the grade-schooler's lips until finally someone took Mycroft's call.

"Ah, hello dear brother, long time no see."

Conan shot him a look, trying to follow the conversation of the brothers.

"Yes, London still stands despite, or maybe because you're not here causing havoc."

The one on the other side of the phone seemed to think otherwise, a heavy breath from the older brother at least suggested that much.

"I doubt -" he cleared his throat with a cough. "- there is someone who likes to speak with you."

Shinichi took the phone and waited for Mycroft to leave them, but the British agent just took a seat behind his desk, folding his hands on the wooden surface, patiently waiting.

Shinichi sighed and finally got to the call.

"Mr. Holmes."

"Kudo-san." A hint of surprise lingered in Sherlock's tone before he chuckled.

"Seems like you can't stay out of trouble, huh brat?"

Conan frowned. "Look who's talking!" he answered pouting slightly, before a smirk appeared on his lips.

"How's being death?"

"Oh, it's rather amusing, but if you don't mind, I'll skip the part of shrinking into a munchkin."

Shinichi bit his lips and tried to ignore the provocation of the younger Holmes brother.

"Ha ha… you know… it's not as amusing for everyone back here as it is for you"

Silence greeted Shinichi on the other side of the line. He wasn't quite sure if he had just confused his idol or if he was probably thinking about whom he could mean.

You never knew with Sherlock Holmes.

"Well- you at least got a nice grave," he said to cut through the disturbing silence and caused the man on the other side of the line to laugh.

"You bet I did, you should have listened to the speech."

Conan blinked

He did what?!

"You-You've been at your own funeral?" Shinichi asked in disbelief. He could nearly see the detective shrug, while he answered like his behavior was the obvious thing to do.

"Sure, it was mine after all."

Shinichi shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I hope you don't want a comment on that,"he answered in a dry voice.

"Killjoy," Holmes pouted, before he chose to change topics.

"Anyway, how's my brother."

A smirk appeared on Conan's lips, while he shot a glance at Mycroft.

"Boling like a kettle."

"I 's fun messing with him, right?" Sherlock chuckled, not waiting for Shinichi to response. "Geez, I really miss his emotional side."

Conan's lip twitched.

'Yeah, as emotional as a brick stone can be.'

"So… what have you got for me." Sherlock's tone finally was sober and Mycroft was able to observe the change of the boy's eyes.

'At least they are back on the hunt again.'

"A name… " the boy announced.

"Someone you probably have been looking for, since you're currently involved with the Netherlands-Sumatra Company"

A sharp smile appeared on the boy's lips.

"Baron Maupertuis"

XXX

Their conversation didn´t take much longer and after Conan had filled in the few details he knew, he could sense by the antsy shuffling on the other side of the phone that he had just delivered the last puzzle pieces Holmes had needed for his case. It felt good that he had been able to help his idol. With a satisfied grin, he handed the phone back to Mycroft.

"Thank you," he formally gave his thanks to the older brother, before he turned to leave. "Well then… good bye, Mr. Holmes."

"Wait a second, boy."

"Uh?"

The Brit's voice made him turn around again. Shinichi raised an eyebrow while Mycroft seemed to search for something in the drawer of his desk, before he finally stood up handing a brown paper envelope to the boy.

"Here."

"What is that?" Shinichi eyed the envelope skeptically but decided to open it while Mycroft made a fuss about his behavior.

"Jeez, you really are a nosy little kid," he snorted, but Conan payed him little attention, his eyes grew big when he saw what was inside.

Papers, a passport… both issued in the name of Edogawa Conan.

'What?'

Shinichi looked up at Mycroft in surprise, but the man pointedly avoided his eyes.

"Just use it," he grumbled in a harsh toneand opened the door for him.

"And now get out, before I change my mind."

"Alright…" Shinichi gulped, but stopped in the door frame once more.

"I guess… we'll see each other."

Mycroft just rolled his eyes at the cheeky smile of the boy and replied him with a sigh, taking his seat again.

"That's inevitable, I fear."

Hello again,

I hope you enjoyed the new chapter.

The Empty House = The Empty Grave

For those of you who had trouble with the last one I added a list what Conan and Sherlock really are talking about.

Thank's to my amazing beta Tobina, who again did a great work here!

Next time Sherlock is going to meet the real Shinichi, I hope you´re excited ^.~

By the way, I got myself my first tumblr account shelling4869ford, if you want to join me there.

I hope you had fun with the chapter, of course I would love to hear your thought again.

Till next time.

Shelling~