Yay! The much awaited (sort of) Chap 2. Sorry it took so long. This was a little hard to rewrite. Mostly because it was just a filler. ¯\(°_o)/¯ yeah ...

Chapter 2: It's not what you think, maybe?

My nose itches. Wiggling it I fought against a sneeze. I sank back into sleep only to have it come back. Nope that sneeze was coming. Inhaling I choked on fur then sneezed and sat up. Claws dug into my chest and I grabbed whatever it was. A cat? Mismatched eyes stared owlishly up at me and I stared back.

"Mistoffelees, what are you doing?"

I looked over and stared wide eyed at the woman. Darkness crept over me and I leaped painfully out of bed. No, no, where was I? I was starting to get tunnel vision and my focus was the door. An escape. I couldn't get captured again. Not ever again.

I felt cold hands crawl over my skin and tighten around my throat. Their icy fingers constricting around my windpipe, cutting of my oxygen, my life. I wanted to scream but couldn't. I couldn't even whimper. Those blue eyes loomed over me, sneering, jesting, daring me to move, to fight. Every time I did though those rough hands would tighten and I would panic even more.

That's what I was doing now, panicking. The terror from those weeks was eating way at my already brittle barriers. I could tell with every racking sob that made my wounds ache. I fled before this time I would fight. I heard a hiss of pain and hands grip my shoulders tight. Twisting I shouted to let me go.

The resounding crack and my head swing sharply to the right had me freezing.

"_" A voice.

The tunnel vision was fading and I could see the woman from before watching me and my holder warily.

"_"

I swallowed and looked to my holder. Such a familiar face. The darkness ebbed and I could begin to hear over the sound of my blood rushing.

"Tantei-kun!" KID shouted desperately.

I watched as blood dripped from KID's nose and plop down on to the floor. Blood … the darkness was swimming back into my vision. Closing my eyes I felt my world slip again.

"Is he going to be alright?" A soft voice asked. "Are YOU going to be alright?"

There was a soft chuckle. "Just a bloody nose and I don't know."

"Kaitou-sama I think he's coming to."

I opened my eyes weakly and stared at the three faces around my side. KID … that's right he … he took me in. As the morning played through my head I flinched at the gentle hand on my brow. Looking over I saw the woman from last night and this morning. I groaned and sat up. Good god I completely broke down on her this morning.

"What's wrong? Are you still in pain?" She asked.

"No, just dying from embarrassment." I huffed.

Now that she had said something. I realized I wasn't in any pain. I couldn't remember the last time I felt like this. It was kind of unsettling. I leaned back and blushed. Where in the hell were my clothes?! I gripped the blanket and pulled it around my waist a little tighter.

"There's no need to be shy, tantei-kun." KID laughed.

I thrust my hand into his face and watched him nearly fall backwards out of his chair. "My clothes, now."

"Sorry but they have been thrown away. Burned to be precise." KID explained huffily.

I gawked at him. "KID! Those were the only clothes I have."

"In case you haven't notice you're not even sitting in YOUR under ware." He smirked.

I felt my face heat. "Clothes now, KID!" I shouted and smacked him with a pillow.

He laughed and stood up. "Hai, hai."

"How are you feeling?"

"Feeling tons better, thank you." I gripped the blanket a little harder and bowed my head. "I'm sorry. For this morning. I … wasn't in my right mind."

We listened to KID rummage around in a Chester drawer before she spoke.

"I'm not entirely sure what you went through and I'm not goin to ask you to share that with us. You mean something to my son and for now that is all I need. You're a detective so I still have my doubts and reasonably so. As a mother I will go to great lengths to protect the ones I love. So for now I will abide to his wishes and keep you here. Not now but soon you'll need to share what or who it is exactly you're running from and when that time comes be prepared for the help well offer." She smiled.

I gaped at her and went to say something but lost the words. Humbled I simply bowed my head and nodded.

"Now, he" She said pointing at KID. "Will help you get dressed. You must be starving by now, so we're going to go down stairs and fix some lunch. You'll eat and put everything behind you for now. Jii."

As the two walked out of the door I watched KID enter my peripheral. "She is …"

"Pushy? Forceful?" KID offered.

"I was going to say amazing."

KID smiled softly at me and I found myself unable to meet it. Laying my legs over the edge and tried to stand. My thigh was having none of it. I felt arms around me and the soft beating of a heart. We both froze and stood there for a few minutes. How long has it been since I felt some one hold me so gently? I fought back the tears and buried my face into KID's shirt. When did I need this? I heard KID's soft gasp and realized I was holding him back. I snapped back and stared up at his face. I blushed and stumbled back.

"Sorry … I"

"Here, the pants will be a little long but they should fit in the waist. " He said and placed them into my hands.

I shifted awkwardly from foot to foot and pulled the tee shirt over my head. My muscles ached with every movement and made the normal movement barely tolerable and coupled with KID's unrelenting stare made me extremely self-conscious. I was not at my best at the moment. I could barely stand much less go toe to toe with him. Bandages wrapped around my thigh and lay in scattered white patches along my torso and from what I could feel onmy back as well. As I gingerly stepped into the sweat pants I sensed KID move up behind me.

Every hair on my body stood up at his closeness. I watched hands grabbed to bottom of the pants before I could even catch my breath and slowly pull the cloth up my claves, then knees. The knuckles of his thumbs brushed along the sides of my thighs and made me shudder and step back. That was a mistake, a very big mistake. We were touching now, pressed with my back against his chest. I could feel his heart pound against my back like a fist and mine rose to meet its pace.

"KID …" I cursed myself for sounding so breathless but at the moment I didn't think I could speak higher than a whisper.

"Hm?"

He stepped back from me and stuffed his hands deep into the pockets of his jeans. I could feel my cheeks burn as I looked away from him to the ground.

"T-Thank you" I stuttered. I freaking stuttered.

"You're welcome." He replied and I felt his breath on the back of my neck right before the lips.

It felt like feathers were brushed along my skin and I let out a high pitched squeal. Whirling on him I slapped a hand to the back of my neck. KID was grinning from ear to ear and looking like a big cat ready to pounce.

"KID …" I growled.

"You are quiet energetic for someone who was half dead for three days." His mother said suddenly causing both of us to jump.

She gave KID a knowing look then took my arm gently.

"Now why don't you sit down and stop aggravating that thigh of yours while I bring up your lunch. Do you think you can stomach a light sandwich?"

I rubbed the spot KID had kissed and shot him a glare. "You really don't have to. I really appreciate your help but"

Her raised eyebrow and look only a mother could give had my sentence dying on my tongue." I think so, ma'am." I nodded.

She sat me down and smiled before slipping out of the room. We sat in awkward silence for a while before I swallowed.

"Why?"

KID tilted his head to the side and I was reminded of a curious dog. He thought about the question and shrugged. "I don't know. I just wanted to kiss"

"NOT THAT!" I shouted and turned red. "Why are you helping me? You know good and well exactly who could be after me, so why risk this much? Risk your family? I'm certainly not anyone special. Not worth people dying for me."

"Is that what happened?" He asked.

Evade! GOD, evade! I was nowhere near ready to even think about what happened much less talk about it. I felt the blood rush out of my face leaving me light headed. I heard him curse and start to wrap his arms around me in a hug. I wiggled and shoved his arms aside.

"They won't stop and you know it." I stated seriously.

"Yes, I know."

"Then why?"

He fell silent and so still before wrapping his arms around me again and held. "Because … It may seem a little hard to believe but I do care about you, about all of the people that chase after me. That is the plain truth. I haven't seen the amount of pain you have nor the amount of death but the stuff I have seen haunts me. I never want to see it again or have it happen around me."

I pushed lightly against him trying to get him to loosen his hold just slightly. "Your 'No one gets hurt' rule, right?" I sighed and forced myself to relax.

"Exactly." He said and laid his chin on top of my head. "We're after the same people, tan- Shinichi, there shouldn't be a problem in us teaming up for now."

I stiffened again and shoved hard. "No way! Even if we are on the same side I won't get you involved more than you already are!"

He leaned back and looked at my face. "Is it because I'm a criminal?"

Was he pouting? I shook my head. "No, I just don't want anyone else involved. There are way too many people now. I couldn't bare it if someone else; you included, was to get hurt or worse killed for just being around me."

"You really think that they can kill me? HA! Tantei-kun they have been trying for years now and they haven't even gotten close." KID laughed and sat down beside me, stilling facing me and with a firm hold on my arms.

I opened my mouth to say something then shook it again in disbelief. "KID …"

"Shinichi, I'll be fine. You can't tell me to not get involved now. I've been planning on this route for a while now. You'll be better off in just accepting that." He said and stroked my cheek gently over a bandaged.

I watched for a moment before grimacing weakly at him. I didn't like this. Not one bit. "KID …"

"I can always come back a little later."

We both jumped again at his mother's sudden appearance. KID stood and walked over to take the tray from her and failed to convince her that nothing was going on. Watching the two I steeled myself. In accepting KID's help I was going to drag him into yet another part of the Organization. 'At what cost though?' my mind screamed.

"You have to promise me something."

I was looking at the floor before taking a deep breath and meeting their gaze.

"I need you to promise me." My voice broke slightly. "If something turns for the worse and it seems like your life is in jeopardy, get out. Even if it means my life"

"Shinichi" He started.

"Promise me that you'll live!" I shouted and watched him seriously.

He and his mother watched on silently. They were still quiet as his mother approached me and knelt down in front of me.

"Do you really expect to die in this conflict?" She asked and took my hands.

"I've already prepared myself for that, if it happens." I said somberly. Yes, I was prepared to give my life if that was what it cost.

"Sorry, Shinichi I can't promise you that."

My head jerked up to look at KID. He was so calm.

"I'm not going to just abandoned everything I stand for."

I bowed my head and clenched my hands into fists. Anger was building. HE didn't get it. I couldn't bare it if he died. For so long KID had been my salvation as Conan; my way of an escape from the day in and day out of murder, my release. If I lost him … What would I do?

"I won't make any promise but I can say that I'm not going to let them kill me. It's not a promise, it's fact." He said softly.

I looked up at him and stared at the familiar knowing-smirk. Bowing my head I nodded. "That'll have to do." For now.