*Stalking Kogorou*

by: WhiteGloves

-KogorouXEri pairing-

"We're married."

"But living separately."

"I attend our anniversary meeting."

"I still wear our wedding ring."

"She's just stubborn."

"He wouldn't change."

"In the end- we still run back to each other."

"I'm home!" Ran Mouri announced as she closed their house door behind her. She found the bespectacled boy coming out of the kitchen with a soda can in his hand.

"Welcome back," Conan said as he smiled at her. That was when the phone rang. "I'll get it!"

"Thank you, Conan-kun," Ran went pass him and entered the kitchen while Conan took the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello…? Conan-kun, is that you?"

"Huh?" Conan blinked as he recognized the voice of the secretary of Ran's mom, "Kuriyama-san?"

"Hai… I was wondering if Kogorou-san is there? I tried calling the main office but no one's answering…"

"Uncle?" Conan remembered hearing the tv on the office as he went up and rolled his eyes. The old man was probably watching the horse race too loudly to hear the phone. "Y-yeah, I think he's there. Why, is there a problem, Kuriyama-san?"

"Ah well…"

Conan could feel the secretary hesitating and listened attentively.

"It's because Kisaki-sensei didn't want me to tell him but it's been happening for over two weeks already…"

"What is?"

"Well—there's this politician who always comes here to see sensei… and he wouldn't stop courting her."

Conan felt his head swell. "Eh?"

"Yes," Kuriyama went on urgently, "Kisaki-sensei has refused him a number of times but he wouldn't listen. He persistently tries to get her—sending her a number of bouquets, expensive gifts like rings, necklaces… he even sent her a new car."

Oi, oi… Conan thought with a face.

"Conan-kun," Kuriyama went on in an urgent whisper, "what bothers me is that even though sensei told him she was going to sue him this week—she suddenly changed her mind after receiving an email from that politician… and now they've arrange to meet… someone's going to pick her up later… I can't help thinking he was pulling something against Kisaki-sensei so I'm very worried. I feel like something's bad is going to happen to sensei…"

Conan nodded with an important look over to Ran who was busily mixing the hot soup in the kitchen.

"I understand—I will tell Uncle immediately."

"Thank you, Conan-kun."

Kuriyama hung up while Conan stared at the phone with shrewd expression. Knowing Ran's mother, she was someone who would never fall in anyone's trap. And she's definitely not a push over… so her being obedient with the politician's request sounds suspicious alright.

In a hurry, Cona raced down the agency and barge in. He saw Kogorou Mouri avidly watching the horse race with cans of drinks around him without a care in the world as he urged his horse to run. The phone was under all the pile of directories and newspapers.

"Go, go you animal! I bet all my fortune to you! Run!"

"Uncle!" Conan yelled as he jumped on the table, "Uncle—it's important!"

"Quiet, brat!" he hollered with a scathingly look at him, "can't you see I'm in an important race!?"

"But uncle—Aunt Kisaki's in danger!" Conan said on with a determined look in his eyes that made Kogorou shot him a surprised look.

"Oi, don't be kidding around, damn brat," he muttered with a slight frown and turned to his tv again. Conan felt his face turned red as he took the remote and turned it off. Kogorou cried in surprise and took the small screen in his hands—

"Oi! What the hell happened—!?"

He glared at Conan but the boy was adamant—

"I said Aunt Kisaki may be in trouble! Kuriyama-sensei told me she might need your help!"

Kogorou blinked, "Oi…"

"Uncle, go there already," Conan went on seriously, "before it's too late."

Kogorou stared at the kid.

Moments later, Conan watched as the old detective in his long coat, went out of the agency with hands deep in his pocket.

I hope everything goes well… the boy thought with a worried frown on his face, well, maybe I should check on them after all—

Just as he took his first step, he heard a sudden loud thud on the floor above followed by a plate shattering and Ran crying in pain. In instant, Conan was running upstairs.

"Ran-neechan!?" he called and to his horror he saw sitting on the floor looking as if in pain as she clutched her wrist. She was covered with hot soup from her hands to her lap. The broken pieces of china were on the floor.

"Oww… its hot…" she mumbled with a tear on her eyes.

"Ran-neechan!"

Kogorou Mouri sneezed and had to wrinkle his nose as he walked on the chilly pavement of November.

"Geez, why do I have to go there?" he muttered to himself, "A great detective like me walking out here… this is ridiculous…"

He turned around the last corner where Eri's office was located. Just as he sighted the main entrance, Kogorou Mouri stopped dead. That was because he saw Eri Kisaki walking beside a man in black suit and he opened the door of an expensive car for her. Mouri frowned as he saw this and his eyes fell on the car's plate number.

"Hmm?" he said to himself, "she's meeting a politician?"

Eri stopped by the car door and Kogorou studied her face.

"Heh," he grunted, "so that's how it is. If she has work why do I have to go all the way here? Really, that brat was exaggerating."

Just as Kogorou turned haughtily back home, he suddenly stopped as Eri slid down the car. The detective frowned to himself as he watched the car glide away from the office. That was when he noticed his wife's secretary went out from the main entrance with a troubled look on her face.

He didn't waste time to call a cab and to have the expensive car followed.

Half an hour later, Kogorou watched as the car stopped in front of a large mansion with tall gate and wall. The car stopped by the gate for a few moments and the security came to check. By this time, Kogorou had climbed out of the cab and was observing from a far distance. When the mirror of the car slid down, he saw the man in black suit nod at the security. Beside him, Eri was sitting still.

Kogorou frowned even more.

As the car stopped by the main door, a butler opened the car door and Eri went after the man in black suit who happened to be the politician's secretary. She stared up at the mansion with an impassive face and allowed the assistant to guide her toward the mansion.

They walked inside the grand mansion but Eri didn't find its grandeur surprising. Instead, she followed the secretary up the staircase and didn't say anything until he stopped by a room. Eri stopped in front of it and glanced at the guy.

"I hope your master knows what he is doing," she remarked to him.

He bowed and opened the door. Eri went inside.

She saw a large room with a long table in the middle. There were plenty of paintings and sculptures around but Eri had never seen anything as hideous as the old man sitting in the middle of the room. As the door closed shut behind her, Eri glared at the man.

"Takayama-san," she started without prelude, "I am here to take back what you took from me. I hope you are ready for the lawsuit after this."

"Ah, my Eri-sensei," the old man named Takayama Hajiro said with a sly smile on his face as he drank a wine from his glass in one hand, "why don't you sit down first and join me?"

"I have no time to chat with you," Eri went on strongly and remained standing where she was, "Instead of drinking so calmly why don't you start fretting for your career? I will end you as a politician the moment I came out here."

"You're too excited, my lady," Takayama looked unfazed as he drank again with eyes glimmering, "I said take a sit."

"I said—"

"Take a sit, Eri-sensei," Takayama ordered with a hint of meanness in his eyes. Eri hesitated, before looking away and walking toward the opposite chair. In front of her there was a set of luxurious food and a wine glass. She didn't dare touch it.

"You look as beautiful as ever," Takayama started as he placed his chin on the top of his clasped hands, "it's no wonder you captivated me in one look."

"Sexual harassment shall be added on your lawsuit," Eri answered with a glare. Takayama laughed and continued staring at her transfixed.

"Why don't you eat, sensei? I made sure to prepare the most expensive food equivalent for your liking."

Eri's jaw tightened.

"To take something offered by a well known enemy is clearly the same as suicide," she said acidly.

Takayam laughed in amusement and gazed at her with deep interest.

"You are really something, Eri-sensei, and I liked that about you. It's no wonder I had to take certain actions in order to have you here in my house. I hope you'll forgive me—but I never let go of a treasure once I've set my eyes on them."

Eri looked up with a sharp look on her eyes.

"To willingly risk your position as a politician to force a woman in your hands—you must be very desperate."

"I am," Takayama smiled. "Now you see how serious I am to have you."

Eri's jaw tightened.

"Where is he?" she said finally, "give him back to me."

Takayama watched her expression for a moment with a smile lingering on his face, the next thing he clicked his hands and the door behind him opened followed by the butler carrying something on his hands.

Eri abruptly stood up with a worried expression on her face.

Takayama stood up too and went near the butler.

"To think this thing would be the only weakness of my beloved," he said as he stroked the thing's fur, "I can't help but be amused."

"Don't touch him!" Eri hollered as she walked toward them indignantly. She walked passed Takayama—eager to have her hands on her little bundle of joy. The next thing—she felt Takayama's fist fly out of nowhere and hit her across the stomach. Eri gasped and fell on his arms with the last notion to reach her favourite fury companion.

"…Goro…"

And everything went black.

Takayam held Eri in his arms with a triumphant and excited look on his eyes.

"Prepare the room," he said to the butler, but before either of them could move, the main door opened followed by his secretary.

"Takayama-sama," the secretary said urgently, "we have a sudden visitor."

Takayama frowned with hands still around Eri.

"Who?"

"Kogorou Mouri."

Takayama shot his secretary a look of disbelief.

"What? That famous detective?" he grunted with a frown, "what's that famous detective doing here?"

The secretary shook his head as Takayama looked down at Eri.

"Fine, invite him in."

Minutes later, Kogoro Mouri entered the same elegant room with an air of importance. He looked from left to right with sharp glances and then looked down at the old man sitting in the middle of the long table.

"Detective Kogorou Mouri-san," Takayama started in welcome, "to what do I owe this sudden visit?"

Mouri walked around and saw the untouched food across the table.

"Well, I'm actually under an investigation," he started quietly as he touched the back of the chair where Eri had sat, "I just happened to find myself here… did you have another visitor?"

A sweat drop slide down the old man's face as he suddenly remembered the plate across him.

"A-ahh… that was…"

"It hasn't been touched," Mouri went on as his eyes darted from the expensive food, to the wine glass, "your visitor must be quite something to prepare something as luxurious as this."

Takayama forced a smile as Mouri touched the wine glass. The detective took it and looked at it for awhile.

"Mind if I take a sip?" he asked quietly as he raised it up his lips. The politician didn't say anything but waited expectantly. This didn't went pass Kogorou as he suddenly lowered the untouched glass. Something just attracted his attention—enough for him to put the glass down and walked toward the politician.

"Mouri-san," the politician said as the detective walked close, "this is really a bad day and I have plenty of things on my schedule… maybe you can come back some other day?"

Takayama watched as Mouri walked toward him—but then to his surprise, the detective stopped and picked up something on the floor. The politician frowned and tried to have a glimpse of what Mouri was looking at when he heard the detective's cold voice.

"Oi… where is she?"

Takayama raised on his chair and saw that Mouri was holding a red shoe on his hand. He realized it must've been the lawyer's shoe left there when they carried her out of the room. In panic, he shot his butler a look who was also looking at Kogorou with an uncertain expression.

"I'm asking you where she is…" Mouri said again as he flashed Takayama a look of daggers and the next thing, he clutched the red shoe in his hand and shot his other hand on the politician's collar and pulled him gruffly so that their foreheads almost knocked each other, and bellowed, "WHERE IS MY WIFE?!"

Takayama's ears rang and his eyes widened, "Y-your wife!?"

"DON'T TRY TO PLAY DUMB!" Mouri hollered with a wild look on his eyes, "THIS IS HER SHOE! WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WALK AROUND WITH ONLY ONE? THAT MEANS SOMETHING MUST'VE HAPPENED! AND YOUR DAMN WINE IS REEKING OF SLEEPING POWDER—THAT ONLY MEANS YOU'RE PLAN SOMETHING WITH HER—SO TELL ME WHERE DID YOU TAKE MY WIFE!?"

As he bellowed this, he kept shaking Takayama roughly enough to make him dizzy. The butler came to his rescue and tried to pry Kogorou away from the politician. As he came near, Kogorou's eyes flashed and the next thing, he grabbed the butler's hand and threw him across the room. He then threw the door at the back of the room opened and ran around shouting.

"ERI!" he called wildly as he checked every room in the vicinity, "ERI—ANSWER ME!"

He found her inside the second to the last room of the same floor. As he opened the room, he saw her lying across the bed with one of her shoe missing. Kogouri immediately ran to her with a deep frown. He checked her condition and then touched her shoulders.

"Eri!" he called, leaning on her and shaking her, "oi! Eri! Wake up!"

Eri remained unconscious on the bed.

Men in black suit started to pour inside the room, surrounding Kogorou. Takayama followed them and stood by the door way with his hands behind him. He surveyed Kogorou with an amused and somehow troubled look.

"To think that that this stunning lawyer is your wife…"

Kogorou's grip on Eri's shoulder tightened.

"Oi… what did you do to her?" he said in a voice so low it was almost a whisper, "why is she like this?"

Takayama chuckled as Kogorou Mouri glared at him.

"Well… let's just say your wife was smart enough to avoid the wine I spiked with sleeping powder so in the end I had to do it by force."

Kogorou's jaw tightened and he slowly stood straight with his fists clutching.

"What did you just…" he turned to face the old man with a dark look in his eyes, and you don't know Kogorou Mouri when he has that sharp dark look in his eyes, "a bastard like you… trying to have ago at her like this…what nerve…"

And Kogorou's eyes flashed as the next thing a commotion came about. Takayama nodded at his men and they all attacked together at once. It was a pretty dirty fight—having ten of them against one but Mouri had no care whatsoever as he took them all one by one. Takayama's eyes widened as he watched his men get thrown across the room easily by a lone man who seemed to be spinning in the middle of the fight.

"Arghhhh!" cried his last standing man as he flew out of the window—crashing it.

And Kogorou emerged from the fight with barely a breath to spend and without much as a crumpled coat. He eyed Takayama dangerously and the politician was forced to flee while calling for more men—

But Kogorou was already on him as he grabbed the old man's shoulder with a snake like grip with eyes flashing.

"You're not going anywhere!" he said and with a mighty force, he threw Takayama gruffly and had him land next to one of his unconscious men. "Go to hell!"

As the excitement of the fight settled down, Kogorou Mouri wiped a sweat drop on his chin using the back of his hand. He then looked back at his unconscious wife and slowly walked toward her.

Eri was still out cold and was still oblivious to what had happened around her. The detective surveyed his wife and had to shake his head as he gently took her into his arms.

"Really," he muttered as he carried her light figure, "you're still troublesome."

When Eri came to, she found herself blinking to lights flashing to her face. She slowly got up and gasped as she felt a sudden pain across her stomach.

"Ow…" she mumbled.

"Are you okay?"

Eri blinked several times and then sat up straight. She realize she was inside a moving car and sitting beside none other than her husband, who at that time, has his one arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"Dear!" she gasped and recoiled a little as she felt the pain in her stomach again.

"Don't move too much," Kogorou said in a low voice with eyes transfixed ahead of him. Eri realized he looked demented for some reason, "you got hit in the stomach so I expect a little bruise. Detective Takagi's now bringing us to the hospital to have you checked."

Eri blinked at the man in the wheels and found Takagi smile at him from the rear view mirror. Then Eri turned to her husband with visible confusion reflected in her eyes.

"But…what happened…?"

Kogoro extracted his arm from her shoulder and crossed his arms. Eri realized she was covered with his long coat.

"Takayama-san attacked you," he said flatly and with a growl, "I followed you there and found you unconscious on the bed. He admitted his crime and now he's under the police investigation."

Eri gaped at her husband with her heart racing. She suddenly remembered her business that morning with the politician and let out a small cry—

"Wait—where's Goro!?"

"The Russian blue's okay," Mouri muttered with a narrowed look at the passenger's seat. Takagi tapped the box next to him and a cat let out a small pour. Eri felt like a knot was removed from her chest.

"Oh, thank goodness," she let out a sigh of relief and then blinked again. She looked up at her husband and saw that he still looked mad about something, "but how did you know I was there?"

"I saw you got pick up by his men in front of your office," Kogorou muttered scathingly, "I saw your face—you always have that expression when you're not sure about what you are doing which is rare… so when I saw that expression I knew something was wrong. It also adds up since I saw your secretary tried to follow you with a look of worry."

Eri stared at her husband with a flicker on her eyes as he continued in the same flat tone—

"So I followed you to the mansion and when you didn't come out I decided to go in. Well—since I'm a famous detective visiting a well known politician makes sense. They allowed me entry and then I confronted Takayama-san."

"You confronted him?" Eri found her face flushing.

"What do you expect?" Kogorou growled as he turned a look at her, "I found your shoe on the floor. You idiot—why didn't you report to the police at once? You're a smart woman, aren't you? Dealing with a guy like that on your own—you're reckless! You nearly got attacked! What if I didn't come to your rescue—what then!?"

Eri saw Kogorou's face flush in anger and annoyance and she found herself unable to reply.

"T-that…" she started with eyes on her hands.

"You didn't even ask for my help,"

Eri could only look down.

"I reported them all to the police and had that old man arrested," Kogorou continued as he put his left hand on the window and leaned his face on it, "really, having that kind of a man after you… don't you find that creepy? You should have filed a case against him—you're a lawyer. To think that something as trivial as a cat would make you fall in his trap… crazy old woman."

Eri's eyebrows suddenly twitched. Takagi was smiling problematically behind the wheel.

"Fine, I get it," she said after awhile as she crossed her arms across her chest, "thank you for helping me but there's no need to rant. I had everything under control."

"That's not how I saw it," Kogorou muttered and the two started throwing annoyed and irritated glances at each other.

"Now, now…" Takagi called in front of them with a forced smile.

"Detective Takagi," Eri suddenly said with a look at the young police, "please turn the car and take me back to my apartment."

"Eh?" Takagi blinked at her while Kogorou shot her a testing look.

"Oi,"

"Its fine," she told him flatly, "it's just a bruise after all. Go ahead, Detective Takagi—"

Mouri Kogorou's hand shot out of nowhere and grabbed the back side of Takagi's chair.

"Drive to the hospital," he told Takagi heatedly and then shot his wife an angry look, "if you want to go against me, try it."

Eri opened her mouth but no words came as she gazed up at Kogorou's angry face. Finding herself unable to contradict him again, she decided to look away without another word.

Takagi could only smile a little.

When they arrived at the hospital, Eri was admitted into one of the ward. As her body was being inspected, Mouri Kogorou suddenly entered the room.

"Hey!" Eri's face flushed for she was half naked with only her brassier on, "do you mind!?"

"It's okay doctor," Kogorou told the lady doctor who looked at him in surprise, "she's my wife."

"I see," the doctor said while Eri shot Kogorou a reproachful look, her whole face red at his appearance.

"How is it?" the detective asked as he looked closer at Eri's stomach. His eyes widened a little at what he saw. Eri's white skin had that ugly bruise in the middle—a red mark with little purple on the side and black spots. It looked painful in the eye and the doctor was even gentle on touching it but it still made Eri intake a breath.

"It's bad," the doctor whispered, "you should probably take it slow when you're moving… and your internal organ showed signs of inflammation so I suggest you try to eat soft food that is not hard in the stomach."

Kogorou and Eri nodded. Just then, the detective walked out of the room with his phone at hand. He dialled a number while Eri followed him with her eyes.

"Hello? Inspector Megure?" she heard him say as he closed the door behind him. Eri sighed when he was gone.

The next thing—they could hear Mouri shouting at the top of his lungs just outside the door.

"OI! YOU DAMN BASTARD—YOU WAIT FOR ME THERE I'LL GIVE YOU A PROPER BEATING YOU OLD MANIAC-! I'LL MAKE YOU PAY A DOZEN BRUISE ON YOUR FACE!"

Eri stared at the doorway with her mouth gaping open.

"Your husband is pretty concerned," the doctor then said as she straightened and smiled at Eri, "I feel really sorry for the person who did this to you."

"A-ahh…" Eri forced a smile and then gazed at the doorway again to where she knew her husband was standing.

"I said you didn't have to go this far," the lawyer was telling the detective as the elevator opened and they came out on the floor where her apartment was located. She was wearing his long coat which he insisted on putting while she carried a box.

"I told you I'll check your room," he said in a flat tone as they walked, "a maniac like that shouldn't be trusted. If I didn't know better—he was monitoring you day and night. And how the hell did he lay his hands on that thing?"

He nodded at the box Eri was carrying where the Russian blue was fast asleep.

"It means he's been really on you like a hawk," Kogorou muttered scathingly, "damn ero…"

Eri blushed as she stopped in front of her door and opened it. Together they entered the room and the detective started sniffing around the room. Eri watched him in wonder and for half an hour Kogorou Mouri diligently checked the whole apartment.

"Did you find anything?" Eri asked as he joined her in the living room. Mouri sat opposite her and shook his head.

"But you shouldn't let your guard down," Mouri told him with a straight face, "with your work and everything, serious things are bound to happen."

Eri smiled and nodded, "I understand, dear. Thank you for worrying."

Kogorou Mouri shot her a look and started ranting again—"Look after yourself more properly! What's with you going all alone inside that damn geezer's house?!"

"I understand already," Eri said as she stood up and sat beside him. Just then, Kogorou found himself uncertain as the next thing—she leaned her head on his chest, "and said I'm sorry. I know you're very angry because of my carelessness. That's why I'm sorry. I'm glad you saved me."

Kogorou didn't know how to react as he felt her rest on his chest.

"I—I'm just saying," he muttered as he finally relaxed and put an arm around her shoulder, "as long as you understand."

The husband and wife stayed like that for a moment with Kogorou seemingly unable to get rid the image of his wife lying defenceless on another man's bed. He squeezed her shoulder and pulled her close.

"Besides," Kogorou continued as Eri sighed in satisfaction, "you're not as young as you think."

There was a twitch on Eri's eyebrows and who knows what happened next?

It's the same old story.

Meanwhile in the Mouri Agency, Conan was accompanying Ran who was rubbing an ointment on her burned arm. The hot soup got her around the wrist but she was still lucky that it was all.

There was a concerned look on Conan's face as he surveyed her red skin that made Ran smile at him.

"Don't worry, Conan-kun, it doesn't hurt a bit."

"Y-yeah," Conan said uncertainly.

"Thank you for wiping the mess, it was my fault I was clumsy."

"No problem… but Ran-neechan, are you sure it's okay?"

"Don't worry! And you told me to immediately soak it on cold water so I guess it'll be okay. Thank you very much, Conan-kun."

Conan nodded and watched as Ran went toward the kitchen again. That was when he remembered Kogorou Mouri's case and hoped against all hope that he wouldn't mess anything.

But well… knowing Uncle Kogorou…

The boy could only make a face.

~The End~

"One of the most powerful couple out there!"

Thank you for Reading!