A/N[edit]: OMFG T^T WHY DID NONE OF YOU TELL ME HOW TERRIBLE THESE CHAPTERS WERE?!

No, seriously. I'm like, writhing in agony here. These chapters are horrifying. And not even a somewhat-decently good kind of horrifying.

Must. Finish. Chapter. And. Fix. The. Rest.

D:

-Icie911

Don't Leave…

Won't you please… please, stay?

Ran's body was wracked with silent sobs as she held Conan 's lifeless form tightly. Her tears formed small craters on the dusty floor. A part of her wanted to stay here forever, screaming out her grief. She wanted to cradle Conan's body, hoping to miraculously breathe life into him as she cried. Her tears streamed from her face to Conan's, her mark of grief trailing down his cheeks. The tears striped clean trails down Conan's ashen face, washing away the blood and grime. Ran's body convulsed as she gasped for air, her throat raw. Finally, as she started to run out of tears, some logical part of her snapped into focus.

Baka! Get a hold of yourself! Ran shook her head furiously, her dark hair whipping out and lashing her cheek. Blinking the stinging tears out of her eyes, she found a moment of crystal clarity. Slowly, like rusty gears beginning to function after years of disuse, she began to think coherently. Breathe, she told herself, and finally was able to settle down. She could take a deep breath without her breath hitching. Ran's sides ached from her shaking, and she felt brittle and sharp, as one usually does after crying their eyes out. The air was acrid as she inhaled, and a sharp pain of sorrow pierced her heart. Her mind cleared, heavy with guilt. I should've gone looking for him earlier. I should've known to trust that feeling. I should've… I should've…

She was about to break down again when suddenly, a revelation hit her.

I'm such an idiot! When had she ever confirmed Conan was dead? Ran flinched like someone slapped her. Here she had been, grieving, while she could potentially be killing him! If he was still alive… Ran could barely hope, but if he was, then every second she wasted was a second where his strength weakened. Frantically, she placed two fingers on Conan's limp wrist, praying.

One second passed.

Two.

Three.

Nothing. Ran bit back her devastating disappointment and fresh onslaught of grief as the deluge of tears threatened to spill from her eyes again. She blinked rapidly, her fingers pressing so hard into Conan's wrist that they turned white. She couldn't believe… she couldn't believe he was gone. Stage one of grief… Ran thought dully, a lone tear trickling down her face. Denial.

And suddenly, she felt a weak thrum under her fingertips. It could just be wishful thinking, but she could've sworn… she pressed hard on Conan's wrist, and waited with bated breath for what felt like an eternity. She tightened her jaw and squeezed her eyes shut, praying, hoping, and pleading. And she felt the same weak thrum. Her eyes flew open, a lone spark of hope flaring inside of her. Alive! She nearly started crying again. H-he's alive!

Ran's fingers jammed into her pocket, searching. Please, please let it be there… found it! Her fingers tightened around her cellphone, which she whipped out and dialed 119. Her fingers were shaking hard, but she was able to press connect. Ambulance… Ran's thought's were flying, whirling, racing.

Please pick up!

The line connected. Ran nearly collapsed in relief. Thankfully, she was still kneeling, or her knees would've given way. Her eyes wild, she rambled a jumble of information. When she hung up, she wasn't quite sure what she'd said, but she knew she'd covered the basics and the most important details. Edogawa Conan, barely alive, emergency, 135 Beika St., storage room of the park. As she snapped her cellphone shut and deftly returned it to her pocket, a colossal wave of fatigue swept over Ran. Her limbs were like lead, and she wanted more than anything to fall next to Conan and surrender to peaceful darkness. But a single thread of determination wouldn't let her just fall unconscious, so, with difficulty, she struggled to her feet, nestling Conan safely in her arms. She struggled to the door, once again, barely avoiding stepping on (and effectively destroying) the large footprint.

Once outside, a cool breeze crept around her legs. Stumbling a few feet away from the storage room, she laid Conan carefully on the silver tipped grass, careful not to jar him. His face looked fragile and made of porcelain under the pearly moonlight. Ran traced his cheek lightly, his skin cold and smooth.

"Hang on, Conan…" she whispered softly. And then she collapsed, black edging her vision. The grass was wonderfully cool against her cheek, and she gave herself willingly into the onyx shadows.

She'd had enough shock for today.

A few minutes later…

A pristine white ambulance hastened across the road, its sirens wailing and lights flashing. Destination: 135 Beika Street. The sirens followed a steady rhythm.

E-mer-gen-cy

E-mer-gen-cy

E-mer-gen-cy

Even the vehicle itself radiated urgency. It raced against time and tried to cheat death. This time, it would be a close-call. It pressed on harder, flying down the street. The siren sounded terse, the lights flashing worriedly. Would they be able to save this young life? And although they had no idea, a lot more was at stake than one Edogawa Conan's life. If he fell, a thick, stygian evil would live for eternity. The boy's life alone held a heavy weight on the delicate scale of balance.

It screeched to halt in front of the park entrance. Four nurses with two stretchers agitatedly scrambled off the ambulance and raced inside, finding two unconscious people. The young boy's life was clearly the one in danger. Edogawa Conan. He was gently loaded onto the first stretcher and immediately attached to life support. The teenage girl was in general unhurt, but had blacked out due to hyperventilation and most likely shock. The second stretcher brought her to the ambulance, where she was given a oxygen mask laden with calming gases. She would be fine.

But the boy… the boy was in severe danger. The peril had not yet been alleviated, and as the ambulance wailed its heartbroken tune again, the duo were whisked off to what would either be the young boy's recovery stead… or his deathbed.

Everything faded to charcoal sketches once again.

At the Beika Hospital

"Ran! What happened to her? Why aren't you doing anything? Surely you can-"

"Please calm down, Mouri-kun. Your daughter is perfectly fine; she's simply going through some mental trauma. The boy, however, is in an alarmingly critical condition…"

"Ah, Conan-kun… what in the world happened to him?"

"The boy, Kisaki-san, has several harsh blows to his head and various cuts on his body. His chest has a nasty, seeping bruise and three ribs of his ribs are fractured. It seems as if he was repeatedly kicked with dense, possibly steel-tipped boots. His leg is broken and his arm is sprained. He'll need many stitches and several casts, and even then, we cannot be sure if he'll survive. He's lost a terrible amount of blood… he must've been left alone for hours. You say his name is Conan? Edogawa Conan?"

Conan…?

Conan…

Conan…!

With a jolt, Ran woke up. She jerked upwards, her mouth forming the name. Halfway through it died in her throat. She found herself sitting in a narrow white bed, her father and mother watching her.

"Ran!" Kogoro cried in relief, crushing her in a bear hug. "Thank goodness you're safe! I mean, the doctor said you were safe and if he was lying then I would've judo thrown him to Mars but still-"

"Stop you incessant rambling, Kogoro," Eri cut in, her voice only half serious. "And if you don't let go of her soon our daughter may walk out of this room with bruised ribs as well," she chided, pulling her daughter into a gentler embrace.

"I-I'm fine," Ran's voice wavered. "I think I blacked out from the shock of Conan-" her voice broke in half. Ran swallowed with difficulty, meeting her parents' grave looks. Her voice barely above a whisper, she asked, "Conan. H-how… how is he?" Ran bit her lip hard, tasting coppery blood. There was a formidable silence, and once again, without her permission, tears leaked down Ran's face. "Is he… still… alive?"

Eri brushed the tears away from Ran's face, tucking her daughter's long hair behind an ear. "He's still alive." She paused, her gaze flickering away uncomfortably. "For now." A swell of uncontrollable emotions burst inside of Ran. It was all too much. Eri gave her daughter a soft, concerned look. "Ran-chan…" A look of fear crossed Ran's face. Eri only called her 'Ran-chan' when she was talking about something really serious. Her mother's face softened. "I don't want to say this… but the chance of him surviving is far less than the chance of…" she trailed off.

A part of Ran wanted to sit in the bed and cry in despair, but a stronger part of her was tired of crying. She rubbed her eyes angrily, and swung her legs over the bed, standing. She was clothed in a creamy white hospital gown with cheery blue and white borders. It fell breezily above her knees, and she was barefoot. Eri and Kogoro, looking concerned, rushed to support her.

Pushing them away, Ran reassured them, "I'm fine." Her voice faltered, as if she was trying to convince herself as well as them. "Can you bring me a change of clothes, kaa-san?" Ran asked.

"I have some, but are you quite sure you're okay-" Eri was interrupted.

"I'm fine." Ran lifted her jaw slightly. Swallowing, she said, "We need to call Agasa-hakase. Maybe he'll be able to contact Conan's parents…"

At the Agasa residence

The phone rang. Once, twice, three times… finally, an old, balding man thundered into the room, gasping for breath. He reached for the phone, shouting, "Don't worry, Ai-chan! I've got the telephone!" before picking up the receiver. "Hello? Agasa residence, Agasa Hiroshi speaking."

Quietly, an eight year old girl with coffee colored hair stepped into the room. Cloaked a pristine white lab coat, she watched the hakase fondly with a gaze far too old for someone her age. Her cerulean eyes were filled with loss and pain smoothened over with glassy coldness that occasionally melted into a warm spring of sapphire. The girl was none other than Haibara Ai, the previously known Miyano Shiho. Codename: Sherry, former Black Organization member. Stuck in the same state as Conan, Haibara took APTX on purpose to escape the organization— either by shrinking or death. As the scientist who crafted the deadly drug, Haibara was working on a permanent antidote to the drug while Conan chased down the criminals. She sat on the couch, listening intently to Agasa's side of the conversation.

"Hmm? Oh, of course I've heard of that disgusting murderer after elementary school children, Eri-san. Have they found him? No? Oh, there was another victim tonight… that's terrible. How do you know so fast- excuse me? Are you joking?" Agasa was silent for a few moments, and then his tone turned grave. "Of course this is no matter for joking, I'm sorry. But… him? Really? Yes… I'll be right there with Ai-chan. Give us ten minutes, more or less. Goodbye." He hung up.

"Eh, hakase, another victim? Where are we going at this time of night?" Haibara asked calmly, her face impassive.

Agasa regarded her grimly. "The victim… this time he…" Agasa seemed at a loss for words. "It's Shinichi." He grabbed his coat and car keys, tossing Haibara's coat in her direction.

"You're joking." Haibara was stunned, barely catching the jacket before it hit her. Suddenly, her face twisted in fear, agitation reflecting off her clear blue eyes. "That's… that's nearly impossible!" She knew she was being illogical. With all the trouble the tantei immersed himself in, a situation like this was bound to happen. But every time he'd miraculously escaped unscathed. She'd begun to think… well, she didn't quite know. Maybe she'd begun to think that here was a boy who could escape from the logic of danger and death. "His brain?" Haibara asked helplessly, shoving her arms into the sleeves of her jacket. "Your gadgets? Doesn't he usually…" she waved her arms vaguely, panic outlining her features, "escape?"

"Apparently not this time." Agasa's face looked carved from stone. "As for my gadgets… it seems I failed him in that area." Heavy responsibility and guilt shone from his eyes as he turned to leave. Haibara walked up to him, gently placing a small hand on his arm.

"It's not your fault," she said softly. "We all should've seen this coming."

Agasa sighed, a heavy sigh that sounded discouragingly weary. "I don't know the full story yet…" he said slowly, "Just that the classic ace of spades was tossed on the ground near Shinichi-kun's unmoving body." He swallowed, pushing the door open, stepping into the biting black night air. "And that he's in critical condition. The chances are…" he unlocked his car, not once looking into Haibara's eyes, "He's not going to make it."

Haibara said nothing, the dread written plainly across her face. She didn't need to say anything.

The car revved, and sped into the darkness, its amber beams cutting into the dusk. The silence was terse, as they sped toward Conan and his impending doom. At the very least, they wanted to be by his deathbed before he left them…

Forever.

Back at Beika Hospital

A doctor staggered out of the emergency room, his face ragged with exhaustion. His green smock, cap, and hospital mask were quickly replaced with a white, coat that flared slightly and fluttered at the ends. Finally, he looked up at the waiting recipients. His face was impenetrable, inexpressive. He cleared his throat, once, and delivered the news.

"We've done all we can. It's up to fate now." He hesitated, then continued. "It's up to the boy now to fight."

Ran's mouth tightened, Eri's eyes widened in dismay, and Kogoro stared at the doctor numbly. They were now in a terrible deadlock. There was an appalling sort of relief that nothing could be done on their side anymore, and a horrifying kind of terror that Conan wouldn't have the stamina or strength to fight. All throughout was the frightful premonition that such a young flame of life would soon be extinguished. Ran's shoulders sagged, and she buried her face in her hands forlornly. Stay… Conan, I beg you. Please, stay with us…

A pair appeared suddenly; the adult a portly man with white hair and the child a slim girl with tea-colored hair and aged, crystal blue eyes. Agasa and Ai. A tense, unknowing aura swirled thickly around them, their faces drawn with apprehension.

"Is he still… alive?" Agasa asked first. There was silence while Eri nodded weakly.

"Will he survive…?" Haibara finally asked, the question lingering on Agasa's tongue as well.

The taut, clouded silence led Haibara and Agasa to their worst fears.

"Chances are… no." Ran's voice broke, her words thick with unshed tears.

Agasa sat hard on the seat, a confused expression on his face. It wasn't the kind of confusion where he didn't know what was going on; it was more of the confusion that couldn't fathom how such a thing had happened. Ai sank gracefully into her seat, her normally calm demeanor completely destroyed by the stricken expression on her face. Her eyes reflected pain and torment, a blue whirlpool of emotion.

The five sat, a dreadful silence blanketed heavily around them.

Suddenly, another doctor burst through the revolving doors, pushing a stretcher. A pretty, young nurse ran alongside the stretcher, working frantically on the patient. A boy, to be exact.

A familiar boy with raven-black, disheveled hair; his glasses still perched precariously on the bridge of his nose.

"Conan!" Ran stood up so quickly her vision spun. She stumbled back, falling onto the chair again.

"Take it slowly, Ran," Eri soothed.

"But… Conan…" Ran raised a hand helplessly towards the receding stretcher.

"Not to worry," Eri promised. "Your father will run after them and get the room number they're taking him to, won't you Kogoro?" Eri asked sweetly, shooting Kogoro a poisonous glare.

"O-of course!" Kogoro stuttered, his face ashen with fear. Without further delay, he bolted after the rapidly fading stretcher. Ran still looked stricken.

"Besides, Ran, if they're taking him to a room that means he's definitely alive, right? It means he has a chance." Eri reasoned, calming Ran down.

"You're right." Ran attempted to smile.

"Now, let's get up and slowly make our way to Conan-kun, okay? Take your time." Eri helped Ran to her feet. As they walked down the narrow hallway, Agasa and Ai trailing behind them, Eri pulled out a hospital map. A vibrating sound came from her pocket, and Eri pulled out her cellphone. She smiled lightly at her daughter. "Kogoro's sent me the location. Room 312. Which is…" she looked at the map. "This way." She led Ran in the right direction.

Agasa allowed himself a small smile and the barest trace of hope. "Let's get moving."

Room 312; resident Edogawa Conan

Agasa and Haibara huddled into a corner, whispering urgently and quickly to each other, with the occasional glance in Conan's direction. Kogoro and Eri stood in the corner opposite to the duo, stony still and deathly silent. Stiff worry carved their features. Ran knelt next to Conan's bed, on the opposite side of the doctor, who was hooking him up to drips and working the oxygen mask.

He looks so… frail, Ran thought dismally. She longed to see those cobalt blue eyes and their electric spark of life. Those eyes masked behind behind glasses, those eyes that reminded her of Shinichi. Don't leave me, Conan… Ran thought desperately. Don't leave me like this.

She couldn't bear to lose him. It would rip apart the chasm in her heart Conan had closed when Shinichi left. It would break her inside, and this time Conan wouldn't be the one fixing her. He would be the one breaking her.

And Shinichi…

Ran could've slapped herself for feeling so selfish. Conan was the one here. Conan was the one in danger. Conan was the one who had been there when her baka tantei hadn't. She could've slapped Shinichi for leaving, for being the cause of her bonding with Conan. She could've slapped him for forever shadowing Conan. But Ran also knew that it wasn't Shinichi's fault that she saw him in Conan's every move, and that it wasn't anyone's fault but her own. Her thoughts were whirling wildly, uncontrollably, each idea presenting itself and whisking back into the tornado. Her head hurt. Finally, she simply repeated a mantra in her mind, staking her hopes on the three words.

Don't leave us.

Don't leave us.

Don't leave us…

"Okay," The doctor proclaimed firmly. "He's attached to the drip, and we're supplying him with oxygen."

"The drip, and oxygen." Haibara snorted ungraciously. The doctor shot her a strange look. "Yes, we can clearly see you've hooked him up to both, but is that all? Is that all you can do for him?" Haibara's gaze was steelly and cold, her voice sarcastic and biting.

A look of surprise crossed the doctor's face. Then his brain seemed to register that he was talking to a little girl, albeit (he thought) a sassy one. His expression honeyed over. He gestured to a large metallic machine. "Little girl, I'm not sure you know this, but we also attach this little device called-"

"A heart monitor." Ai interrupted coldly, rolling her eyes. "I would hardly call it little." She made no attempt to conceal her contempt. The doctor opened his mouth, but Haibara continued before he could utter a sound.

"Please don't try to explain how it works. I think we all know. But if you must know, then I'm fully capable of explaining it myself." Haibara's voice was a monotone, her every particle radiating boredom. "The heart monitor will show Edogawa-kun's heart rate. That's rather obvious, isn't it? If it dies out then the line spiking in a diagram formatted to rate his heartbeat will flatline; otherwise, it will observe his heartbeat and pulse according to the pattern. Have I left anything out?" Haibara smirked. "Oh yes. This is hardly worth mentioning, but it also can tell if Edogawa-kun's heartbeat is irregular or not. I wasn't asking about what other gizmos you could connect to him, I was asking whether you could physically do anything about his condition. I suppose not though, so you can consider my question answered."

The doctor blinked at the girl, gaping. I thought she was… seven or something? What the hell…? He narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Just who is this—

"Excuse me, but do you have the time to be standing there lolly-gagging? Even if you can't do anything to help, the least you can do is finish your job and leave us here in peace!" Eri's voice was severe. Meanwhile, Agasa elbowed Haibara discreetly. His message was clear.

Cut the genius girl act!

The doctor eyed them suspiciously, but Eri slapped him. "Pay attention to your patient!" Her dark violet eyes were dangerous and angry.

A burst of surprise and slight pain whisked across the doctor's face. As Eri scolded him, shame flushed his features. Swiftly, he hooked a metal cuff around Conan's limp wrist. A thick cord fell to the ground, connecting Conan's hand to the large machine. The doctor expertly tapped a series of buttons, and the monitor flickered to life. The machine hummed as it started up.

Ran gripped Conan's hand so hard her fingers turned white. A terrified mixture of dread and hope stretched her face. "Stay with us," she pleaded, her voice thin and barely audible. "Please."

All at once, a glowing green line appeared on the screen. For the longest seconds possible, it hung there, suspended. Data and information scrolled through the corners of the screen, the font impeccable, blue, and meticulously small. There was a silence as everything seemed to come to a standstill. Even the world seemed to hold its breath.

And then, right before the verdict for Conan's life, the door slammed open. Everyone's attention, however unwillingly, flashed to the open doorway. Not a single soul was paying attention to the heart monitor… when it alone decided the boy's fate.

This is a terrible cliffhanger. It doesn't even hang… off like a cliff. Or something.

But it doesn't really matter, I guess, because the next chapter's already there.

OMFG. DON'T YOU DARE READ IT. I HAVEN'T EDITED IT YET. NOOOO TT^TT

But really, the cliffie I had here before was seerrioouslly lame. Ultimately lame.