GOING FOR WHAT MATTERS MOST

A Detective Conan/Case Closed Fan Fiction

By Greek Wise Girl

The rain poured down hard and relentlessly. The accompanying winds made everything worse. Temperature had dropped down increasingly and the blowing wind didn't help at all. Shinichi was feeling very cold. So cold that he began shivering about an hour ago. Or was it two hours ago? He couldn't really tell.

He was soaked down to the bone as he sat down the sidewalk, just below the office of Mouri Kogorou. Every store was closed no thanks to the storm that was overhead Tokyo, Japan and its neighboring cities. He had nowhere to go to shed himself from the downpour. He couldn't even go up to the office.

Ran was still mad.

No matter how many times he tried to reason and explain to her, she just wouldn't accept his apology. Upon seeing his face, she would be ready to show everyone why she was recognized as the champion in that Karate tournament. Even in class, she did everything to avoid him. She avoided his calls and didn't know if she even read the messages he had left her.

But he was not going to give up. She had to see why he did it. Why he lied to her. There is only one truth, after all. No one said how painful the truth could sometimes be though, and for Ran, it was devastating. Shinichi could definitely see where she was coming from.

But two weeks might have been such a long period of time. It had been exactly fourteen days since he had told her the truth and she had immediately pushed him out of her life with the accusations of being, her exact words, "a liar and an inconsiderate idiot."

He wasn't going to give up.

That's why he was sitting here, waiting, in the middle of the storm.

Two hours ago when he arrived, he attempted to knock on the door and speak directly to her. The father was the one to answer the door and one look made Shinichi know that the man was living in hell for some time now. Ran could be a force to deal with for everyone every time she was angry. He knew for he experienced them himself as both Shinichi and Conan.

"Occhan, is Ran home?" He asked.

Mouri Kogorou looked at him with narrowed eyes for a while, before his gaze flitted to the left where Shinichi could see Ran in the kitchen, making dinner. "No," he answered.

"Oh," he said. "Well, do you mind if I wait for her?"

"Uhh," Kogorou seemed to be unprepared for that one. Once again, his eyes flew to the kitchen, where Ran noisily prepared the meals.

"Tell the idiot that no, he can't." He heard her say.

Shinichi flinched at the hatred in her voice. He really had done it. Still, he waited for the man to convey the message even when he had heard her loud and clear.

"Sorry, brat. Would probably be a while before she comes home, so…"

But Shinichi heard the underlying message. It could be a while before she came around.

"All right, give her a message for me, at least?" He asked. When Kogorou nodded stiffly he said out loud for Ran to hear, "Please tell her to give me one last chance to clear everything. If she listened to me then... then I'll do whatever she asked me to. Even if it's to stay away from her forever.

"Can you tell her that, Occhan?" And before he could see the reply, he turned to leave.

But he didn't leave at all. He stayed out there, in the rain, for two hours now. Waiting. Just waiting. After all, Ran waited for him forever, only to learn that he was lying to her all along.

Shinichi sneezed. He could also feel a headache coming. Just great…

In the distance, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. Down on the ground, Kudo Shinichi shivered once again. He was definitely going to be sick after this.

Looking at his watch, it was twenty minutes passed nine o'clock. It was getting pretty late. Usually, Ran was getting ready for bed at this hour, if she wasn't already in bed. He wondered if she knew that he was out here the whole time. He would stay the whole night if he had to. He didn't care.

The rain didn't stop and it was now five minutes to ten o'clock. Shinichi knew he was already sporting a fever. His body shivered tremendously and his teeth were chattering fast and loud. He sneezed once again and to make matters worse, every time he did, which was every few minutes, his head would pound so hard.

Oh, yeah, he was definitely sick now.

For a while, he thought if he was going to die out here in the cold, waiting for the girl he had kept waiting. What a stupid way to go for some. But to him, it made him smile. Maybe the fever was getting to him, but he couldn't think of a better way to go at the moment than trying to attempt to her earn her forgiveness, or at least her understanding since forgiveness seemed to be pretty costly at the moment.

Yes, just knowing that she understood why he did it would be enough.

"Achoo!" He sneezed again. His head was hurting too much now, he couldn't think. Maybe he was going to die after all.

Shinichi smiled as he felt the world tilt. What a stupid, but meaningful way to die.

…

It was nine thirty in the evening and Ran had just gotten out of the shower and had gotten ready for bed. On her way to her room though, she passed by her dad who told her that he just saw the brat outside, still waiting for her. Ran didn't want to believe him, but she found no reason for her father to lie. He hated Shinichi, too, after learning that he was actually Conan, the freeloader that he let inside his house and around his family, especially Ran. She wondered how he seemed to be calmer though. She thought Mouri Kogorou would be so unforgiving to Shinichi since he didn't like the boy to begin with.

Kogorou took his turn in the bathroom then. When Ran heard the shower running, she sat down and decided to continue brushing her drying hair. Her mind filled with what her father had told her: Shinichi was still waiting for her out there. He couldn't be stupid enough to actually wait out there in the rain, right?

Sighing, she placed the brush down on the table and walked out the door. She descended the stairs down to the second floor where the office was. Upon entering she didn't flip the light switches on. With the windows, the light from the lampposts outside could illuminate the place, letting her know her way around. Besides, she was moving at the corner of the room, by the window. The clock at the wall said that it was already ten minutes to ten o'clock. It was getting late.

She peered outside to see the trees being shaken by the strong winds and the rain was falling down so hard that it was difficult to make out what was on the other side of their street. Visibility was poor, but was enough for her to see the figure that sat on the pavement by their office.

Why was he still here? How long had he been out there in the rain?

She watched for a while and her mind couldn't help but think of how cruel she was. There was her best friend, soaked in the pouring rain, shivering and probably sick already, yet she still decided to watch.

Idiot, Shinichi. She thought. Such an idiot.

She stayed there for what could only be five minutes, when she saw him collapse on the pavement. Whether he really collapsed or just decided to go down and lie on the street she didn't know. She didn't stay to watch and wait anymore, that's for sure.

Ran hurried back upstairs and ran to the bathroom, rapping on the door and calling for her father. He opened it, obviously annoyed at such disturbance, but she ran passed him and towards the cabinets where they hid their towels. She pulled one of her extra robes and another towel before running outside once again. Kogorou was calling after her, but everything fell to deaf ears.

She ran down the stairs, skipping the second floor office and down to the streets where she saw Shinichi passed out on the ground, shaking immensely. He was cocooned in his own body, trying to keep every bit of warmth that's left inside.

"Shinichi!" She cried as she ran towards him, wrapping the bathrobe and towel onto his shaking form. "You stupid idiot!"

"Ran!" She heard her father call. He was there at the base of the stairs carrying an umbrella to shield himself from the rain and another, probably for his daughter. When he saw her and the boy on the ground he hurried to them and asked, "What the hell?"

"Dad, he fainted. We have to carry him upstairs now. Please!"

The wind was blowing hard and Ran's hair was whipping back and forth. Kogorou's umbrella stood no chance as it flew away and down the street. He muttered a curse and then kneeled down to the boy. "Geez, this brat is nothing but trouble." And he carried him up the stairs, the three of them dripping wet from the rain.

…

Shinichi felt warmth seeped through his body, although he still shivered. He tried to open his heavy lids and when they did, the surrounding was familiar to him. There was a drizzle of water in front of him. Had the rain receded into light drops? Was it morning already? What's with the bright light?

And then he felt something wrapped around him. His eyes opened further to see what it was, but instead he was met with a who.

Ran was there, in front of him. No, embracing him. He could smell the familiar scent of her shampoo by his nose. He tried to comprehend further what was happening, and was surprised when things came into focus much better.

He could see the sink from here, and the toilet seat. Up above, there was the cabinet full of towels and bathrobes and then the container for other toiletries. He could see the shower that was causing the light rain-like feeling on his face, and the light… it was the lighting in the bathroom.

He was in the bathroom. With Ran.

"Ran?" He whispered hoarsely.

The embrace loosened and Ran's eyes met his. He could see the worry embedded in them. Shinichi smiled.

"Shinichi. Are you okay? How could you be so stupid? You know better than to stay out in the storm like that!" She lectured. "Geez, you could have waited by the stairs where you'll be safe from the rain. Idiot."

"Gomen ne, Ran." He answered just before sneezing.

Ran dodged by sitting up in the tub, further away from him, and that was when he realized where they were.

"Uh, what are we doing in the bathroom?" He asked cautiously. She was talking to him, and not angry, he shouldn't do anything to change that now.

"I found you passed out in the cold. Dad carried you up here and I told him to settle you in the bathroom so I could use the tub to heat you up faster. I asked Dad to heat up some soup for you, too, and prepare some clothes. But then you were still shaking despite the hot water in here so I thought, since I'm all soaked up as well from the rain no thanks to you, that I'll join in and keep you warmer." She said.

Shinichi was flushed red. Whether it was from his fever or from the situation, he didn't know. Maybe both.

Just at that moment did Kogorou enter the room only to find the two in the tub together. His eyes widened and he began to scold them both.

"What the?! Oi, brat! What the hell do you think you're doing? Taking advantage of the situation. We should have left you out there in the rain!" He said.

"Dad, don't be mean." Ran countered as she got out the tub, her clothes dripping wet. "Did you prepare his soup?"

"Hmph! I should just throw him out of here."

"Otousan!" Ran reprimanded. "Geez, we'll be right out there as soon as he stopped shivering. Could you prepare his clothes now?"

"Ha! There is no way that brat is sleeping in my room." Kogorou said sternly.

"Oh, good. Because I was going to ask you to help him to my room after his bath." Ran said as she grabbed another set of towels and a bathrobe.

"Na – Nani!" Kogorou's eyes widened. "Ran, are you out of your mind? Have you forgotten that you're mad at him?"

Geez, old man, no need to remind her that!

"I remember. But it's not good to take advantage of his illness and then be mad at him." Ran said.

"But he took advantage of us!"

"That's why he's the idiot."

Ouch, Ran. Ouch.

Kogorou groaned one more time before he left the bathroom muttering things about Shinichi. The boy in question however stayed quiet in the tub, taking as much warmth from the water as he could.

"Shinichi, once you're all fine you need to get out of there so you could eat and drink some medicine. I'm going to bring the food to my room." Ran walked out with her own bathrobe and towel in hand to dry herself again, before she turned to say, "Don't get out on your own. Call for me or dad to help you out." And she left.

There is no way I'm asking for your dad's help. He'll just drown me here when he got the chance.

Five minutes later the water had cooled down and Shinichi had reached out to take the bathrobe. He stood up with the help of a steel bar at the wall of the bathroom and was surprised to find himself stripped of his clothes, save for his shorts.

I wonder if Ran did this, he thought with enough blush to beat a tomato.

He wrapped the robe around his body as he leaned against the wall. He grabbed a towel and then thought for a while whether he should remove his shorts or not. With another blood rush to his cheeks, he did so.

Shinichi came out of the bathroom and towards Ran's room with high hopes of avoiding her father. Unfortunately, he came out of his room just then and had stared at the ill boy with such hatred that only a few hours ago, Ran had carried and given him. Shinichi loudly gulped down his nerves as he reached out for Ran's doorknob, having clearly heard that that was where he was staying for the night.

"Listen, brat… If you – "

Ran opened the door to her room. "Oh, Shinichi, you're here. I thought I told you to call for help!"

"I – I did." He lied. "Your dad passed by and I asked him. He just went into his room for a sec to grab the clothes he would lend me, telling me to go ahead and get inside your room."

Ran stared at him with half lidded eyes. Do you think I'm that stupid? They seem to ask.

She only sighed though before she stepped to take the clothes from her father, thanking him, and calling out good night. With a last glare to the young detective, Mouri Kogorou proceeded to his room with a loud slam of the door. Shinichi flinched.

"Here you go. Go ahead and change while I clean up the bathroom. The food's on my table so help yourself." She said before walking off.

Shinichi grabbed the clothes and closed the door. He stared at the white wood for a while before his sneeze brought him back to reality where Ran had asked him to change into her dad's clothes and eat some of the food that was prepared. He removed the robe and immediately went to cover himself with warm clothes. He wiped his hair dry and considered the fact that he still had that stupid headache.

He sneezed again and Shinichi groaned. This was sure to be a long night for him.

He sat down on the chair and grabbed the spoon for the soup. He began to mix them a little before he scooped a generous amount to bring to his lips. He stopped midway. Surely, Oochan didn't poison this, right?

Right?

What a stupid way to die, in that case.

Nonetheless, he took it and another and another, until the bowl was empty. He grabbed the cup of tea alongside it and drank it as well.

Just as he finished the last drop, Ran entered the room with another pillow in her hands. She regarded the empty tray of food and smiled. "That's good. You finished it." Then she moved to her bed where she placed the other pillow alongside the one she used. "Don't forget your medicine though then you're all set for sleep. You must be really tired."

"H-hai." He answered before taking the two tablets on the medicine cup and downing them with the glass of water on the tray. If these weren't the right medicine for his condition, then he'd probably be in more pain.

When he turned around for bed, Ran was seated there and he wondered if they were sharing. There seem to be no other explanation to it. Nevertheless, Shinichi attempted. "So, I'll be heading over to the couch now. Oyasumi, Ran."

His hands were already by the door when she called him back. "You're sleeping here, idiot." She told him softly. "How else am I suppose to keep watch over you for the night?"

Shinichi tensed and blushed for the third time that night as he moved towards the bed and occupied the one by the wall.

He expected Ran to join him, but she simply sat there by the edge. He was about to ask if she was sleeping or not when she faced him and leaned forward, closer and closer. Every bit of Shinichi's muscle tensed.

She's so close. So close…

And their foreheads were touching. Of course, she'd be taking his temperature. Still, he made no movement at all, willing his heart to beat slower and for his breathing to even out. He let out a sigh of relief when Ran sat and stood up to turn off the light.

"Well, you've got a high fever tonight, but the medicine should help you. I'll take your temperature again tomorrow." She said in the dark.

He waited for her to come crawling beside him, but she only sat at the edge of the bed, leaning at the headboard.

"Ran, aren't you going to sleep?" He asked her as he produced a yawn.

"No, I'm watching over you for tonight." She replied.

She was still watching over me, after everything I've put her through. Ran…

"Ran…" he started.
"Don't." She stopped him. "We'll talk tomorrow, when you're all better. Oyasumi, Shinichi."

He smiled in the dark. Tomorrow would be another day. Everything would either make or break tomorrow. All he could do was wish for the best, and see tonight as a sign of hope for the two of them. She wouldn't take care of him like this if she hadn't forgiven him, right? She must have forgiven him somehow.

No matter, things will be discussed tomorrow. And as soon as he grabbed a hold of Ran for the second time around, he was never going to let go ever again. He will spend the rest of his life trying to make up for everything he had done to her. He wouldn't care if Oochan or anyone else would be mad, as long as Ran understood and accepted him again. That's all that matters.

"Arigatou, Ran."

Shinichi fell asleep with a smile while watching Ran's unmoving silhouette in the darkness of her room. What did I ever do to deserve you?

Thank you for reading!

HAPPY EASTER SUNDAY, MINNA-SAN!

XXX,

Greek Wise Girl