Forgive me, fans of Conan. I have failed to provide you with a new story in...how long has it been? I just felt like I had to do something for Conan/Shinichi's birthday and this was the first thing I found that was even close to good.

"Ran, run…" The voice commanded her. She wanted to stay, but that voice forced her legs to move as she watched the shadows swallow Shinichi whole. Soon it was upon her, wrapping around her body, biting into her…

Mouri Ran screamed, sitting upright as the blankets pooled around her hips, falling off her body. The space around her was dark, but she recognized the familiar aura of her room. Sighing, she lay back down and closed her eyes, but only the deeper blackness behind her eyelids greeted her. Ran tried to fall back asleep but ultimately decided it wasn't going to happen. 'Maybe some warm milk will help,' she thought, rolling out of bed and heading for the kitchen, when her ears picked up the shuffle of feet scampering down into the agency office. Confused, she followed the noise into the room and found a shadowy form looking out the window sadly, feet dangling, glasses set down on the table. She started to move when his words froze her. "Ran...sometimes I wish you could just forget about me and go on with your life…But I love you so much…" She blinked, and she could swear she saw Shinichi standing there.

Ran approached the child from behind and confirmed his identity with a "Conan-kun?"

The boy jumped and turned. "R-Ran-neechan!"

"What are you doing, Conan-kun? Why are you up so late?"

He remained silent, wondering how he could get out of this. "Uh, I'm going to bed now!" He chirped at last.

"No, Conan-kun. We need to talk about this. Sit down, please," she said, indicating the couch and seating herself next to him, the crescent moon throwing a dim light over the room. "I know something's wrong. What is it?"

"It's nothing…"

"You said you wanted me to forget about you. What do you mean?"

"I-I never said that!"

"Don't lie to me, Conan-kun. Why do you want to be forgotten?"

"But I didn't say that!"

"Conan-kun…" She started, tears forming at the corners of her eyes and running down her cheeks in two thin streams. Conan looked up at her and blinked.

"Ran…I just wish you could forget about me."

"But why do you want me to?"

"I guess I'm just so tired of this. I can't stand to see you cry over me so much. It's painful…"

"Shinichi?"

He nodded slowly, leading to more tears on her part. "I miss you, Ran. I really miss you."

"But that's impossible. How could that—" She was cut off as all thoughts were erased and she entered the peace of sleep. Her last image was of Conan holding his watch up and aiming it at her.

(=^_^=)

Ran opened her eyes to harsh sunlight shining in from outside. 'What a dream,' she thought, when she noticed that she was still on the couch she had been on in her dream. A pillow was under her head and someone had tossed a blanket over her, as if they didn't want her to wake up unexpectedly. Sitting up and surveying her surroundings revealed her father sitting at his desk. "Was that you running around last night? You woke me up wandering around the house."

"Oh, sorry, otou-san," she said. 'Then, was that…? No, it couldn't have been. Just a dream, right?'

"Ohayou, Ran-neechan!"

"Ohayou, Conan-kun. Hey, were you up in the middle of last night? You seem awfully tired."

"What are you talking about, Ran-neechan?"

"Hey, brat, you weren't in bed either when Ran woke me up."

"Ah, that's because…"

"Shinichi…" Ran whispered to herself. Conan's eyes widened in realization. "Conan-kun, can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked aloud. The boy nodded, allowing her to lead him upstairs and into her room. "Please sit down, Conan-kun."

He complied reluctantly, unusually scared of something as simple as a talk. She joined him and turned her head. "Why are you lying to me, Conan-kun?"

"Lying about what?" He asked childishly.

"Why are you lying about being up last night? No one's going to hurt you if you were."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Ran-neechan!"

"I think you do. So tell me, Conan-kun, why did otou-san say you weren't in bed when I accidentally woke him up?"

"Ah, I…" He stuttered, trying to think of an excuse.

"Conan-kun, why won't you tell me?" There were tears in her eyes again, and he couldn't bring himself to meet them. Staring down at the floor instead, he whispered, "I wish it were that simple. I wish I could tell you and neither of us would get in trouble. Things just aren't like that."

"Then…Shinichi…"

"Yeah…"

"How?"

Without lifting his head, Conan retold in a monotone what had happened to him. The childlike voice spoke of men in black, of an untested drug, of the pain, both physical and emotional, of the young traitor who now fights on his side, of the many times he was offered a way out, of the few times he had encountered the very people who had done this to him, of how Hattori had discovered his secret. When he had finished, he let out a breath. "I was trying to protect you, Ran. I just didn't want you to be dragged into this whole mess."

"Shinichi…" She said, drying her tears with the back of her hand. "I guess I understand."

His eyes widened before settling into a mix of relief and guilt. "I really am sorry, Ran. I know you must be furious."

"No, really, I'm fine."

"Okay, I guess." Conan stood and left Ran to mull over what had happened to the one she had thought to be nothing more than a child. She had just started to come to terms with it when she was called out to make dinner. She did so automatically and returned to her room, her friend watching sadly. He got to his feet and ran after her on small legs.

"Ran-neechan!"

"What is it, Conan-kun?"

He winced at the name, though a smile was on her face. "I'm sorry."

"About what?"

"About keeping this from you. I should have told you sooner."

"It's alright. I know you had your reasons."

"Just…thank you. For everything. I don't think I could have gotten as far as I did without your help. Some of the strongest allies I've made, I've made because I was with you."

"Ah, you're welcome…" She paused. "But you still have to go to school tomorrow. Goodnight, Conan-kun."

"Goodnight, Ran-neechan."

Ran watched him depart and rocked herself to a standing position, heading off to prepare herself for sleep.

And...cut! Chapter 1 complete! I will have 2 up in a week or two (I want this to be Aoyama's present also, so probably biweekly updates.) Happy birthday Shinichi, and it feels good to be back here again!