Hi everyone!

I wanted to say sorry for the long wait. I actually got into a car accident on the 14th. I was rear ended by a domino effect. My airbag did not deploy and while I do wear I seat belt – since I sit close to the steering wheel my forehead collided into it.

I had to go to the hospital but no broken bones or anything just bumps and bruises so I'm happy of course since I was able to walk away from it with a lesson learned. Anyways that's my excuse for not posting sooner. Please forgive me!

I wanted to thank some people by replying to your reviews.

Island Heart: Again thank you for your suggestion as I was able to go back and fix it – it seems to flow better now than before. Reunion is an understatement! I hope you will enjoy!

Angelsgrace: Yes he sure is Shinichi again!

Review lord: I don't know if I'll make history but I certainly did try to make it likable! Thank you for being here since the beginning to the somewhat on the way towards the end!

Annoymous: Updated yay!

Random reader: It's so hard not to make it a cliffy though!

Akai Hoshi Neko: Ha, sorry about that! I'm going to try extra hard not to do so many cliffys after this last one…! Thank you for checking the song out! I love it!

Clue: Thank you so much! You have no idea how I shall spam to find you video now! Makes me happy inside just thinking about it!

X-streakz-X-the-X-werecat-x : I'm glad you love it, I've always had trouble writing stories. Thus why I've pulled down two other stories on here before. At least now I feel like I'm getting better. Thank you for being around!

Thanks again for the reviews – sorry for the delay again – I'll post the next when I'm feeling better!

XXX

Chapter Eleven: Her Will

Disclaimer: I do not own Detective Conan

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It was strange and maybe it was just her imagination or perhaps Ran was just going crazy but she was smiling because of it. It was raining but there was something extraordinary about it. Ran swore she could hear within the rain shower she could hear music. A hymn and a lovely one at that although it was hard to hear through the rain it was there, calming her inner nerves. Ran wanted to embrace it but the melody evaded her so and she couldn't help but think of him.

Once her mind came upon the thought of Shinichi, her heart sank and the melody vanished leaving her to stare up into the heavens paralyzed in deep thought. If only things had gone differently, but it was too late now. He made his decision known firmly. The whole thing caused her body to tighten up from the shock.

In fact Ran really didn't care about what happened next it all seemed a giant blur. Her clothes were now soaked and clung close to her body exposing Ran's delicate frame. Her hair the same-drenched.

The park was cleared now because anyone with a brain had left to head for cover. Yet apparently Ran greatly lacked that factor and while there had been a few passing bystanders—they were much too wrapped up in their own world to possibly invade her own.

Ran chuckled, had she known it was going to rain before hand, she would have never proposed such a silly idea to spend the day out in the first place! While there was the fact that she could handle sticking out in the rain for quite some time, Shinichi's smaller form was a different story.

However did that really matter now? Ran sighed. Shinichi wasn't coming. Not for her at least, Ran was sure of it. She just wasn't the one that she so desperately wanted to be when it came to winning Shinichi's heart. Ran felt like the shadow of a fool. That's for sure.

What a stupid idea it became when Ran actually believed she still had a chance to stand at his side

How stupid can one person get?

Maybe that's why she loved the rain so much…

It hid away the sorrow that brewed deep within her broken heart.

When it rained, Ran could cry and no one would suspect a thing. If someone were to point it out others would be there to tell them that they were wrong and simply blame it on the beauty of illusion that the rain had created. It was truly a wonderful piece of work.

Ran dropped her gaze down and allowed it to drift back behind her shoulder to where the cast aside picnic basket laid under a nearby tree. At this rate all the food she had prepared would be wasted and all that hard work for that the possible romantic scene Ran had planned out would be gone along with it.

XXX

It was getting darker by the minute and still there were no signs of Shinichi appearing any time soon. Her heart couldn't take much more of this and was falling deep into a pit of depression.

Who was she kidding?

The rain was a signal that this entire thing was a waste of time!

She should leave, but she couldn't. It was sad and pathetic to say but waiting is just what she was best at. She would wait forever if she had to because she loved him.

Yet he doesn't love me.

It was a constant brutal reminder, one that really shook her up as if she had heard rolling thunder in the distance. The thunder itself was always a frightening impact that would cause Ran to jump up startled and now she would have to endure that feeling again. Ran detested it and also despised her ever growing feelings for a man who did not return her own.

Since were weak.

The voice taunted causing Ran's jaw to clench irritably. It was then and only then that Ran glanced back down at her hands.

It can't be. Ran thought with a frown upon her face, as her palms began to shake.

These hands of hers…

While it was true that they had showed kindness many times –It was highly unlikely that anyone could possibly attach the term weak to them. They had grown strong from her past childhood experiences.

Ran knew this because she could see in her mind a version of herself that she once knew. It was hard to picture the exact scene which revolved around that girl since it was a long time ago but those days changed her and created this Ran that stood before the world now.

Yet Ran could still feel the burning ambition that swallowed her up that day. It was that ambition that drove her to become something better, something stronger, and something more worth wild.

Those times had been very chaotic indeed. Her parents were already beginning the process of separation from each other, otherwise known as divorce and back then her words did not matter. They were ignored because she was a mere child.

Shinichi couldn't help her either. To him, she was simply, "Mouri-san," so this was something she had to solve on her own. It was an inner battle of happiness and despair that would turn any tide in the future to come.

Anyways, her mother, Eri, was a strong woman. Ran was envious of it and Eri even entrusted her with the task the day she finally left home. Ran had wanted to cry, but she couldn't muster it when she watched her mother go – it was just silence.

That night was the first time ever that Ran heard her father cry.

It wasn't smooth sailing from then on. Despite her attempts to keep her mother's wishes possible, her father was dwindling away. No matter what Ran tried to do to please him, it wasn't enough to earn that smile in the least bit.

Each night Ran had to press her pillow to her head because she didn't want to hear the sorrowful cries her father made upon drinking the nights away with a poorly sung song.

One day she remembered her dad was a fan of judo and while it was a spur of the moment, Ran quickly asked to be enlisted into Karate. During those days something miraculous happened. Her father was more active than ever before as he helped her train.

Karate became their saving grace.

It was then that Ran decided she wanted to be the one person that people could count on. She wanted to be able to protect her family, care for her friends, and finally to one day be able to stand side by side with the man she would come to love.

Ranwas strong but not the way she wanted to be.

If only Shinichi included her in his life, then maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't seem so weak.

Ran sighed, dropping those hands to her side and raised her head allowing herself to feel the rain that she ignored through her thoughts. It gave her happiness and the will to push herself to maybe one day become someone that could be looked up to. Someone to trust and someone to love like the way she would love them.

Ran closed her eyes and took a deep breath while all the more sliding her heels across the sidewalk into a fighting stance. Karate would help her through the pain and it would become her saving grace once more.

If Shinichi wasn't going to be that someone than she may as well reveal herself off everything he was to her. It would cause her to cry at the end of this day but what didn't kill her only made her stronger…Right?

She would forget him.

For his sake and hers because she didn't want to break the bonds of friendship they created all these years. She didn't want to become the Ran in her dream. Ran was better than that. If anything, Ran would find another way because that's the kind of person she was…

Strong like the mother she strived to be.

If anyone had been watching her, they might have found it funny to see such a young and pretty girl like herself practicing karate moves in the rain. Maybe even a little enticing too considering the way her dress exposed her skin during those flow of movements. Either way Ran wasn't too worried. She was too busy in her own trance, fighting to release those inner nerves that dwelled from deep within.

She would forget…

His kind laughter—

Left jab—

That concern look he held in his eyes whenever she was troubled.

Right jab—

How handsome he looked whenever he appeared before her.

It was then Ran felt her body twist around to deliver a high left kick.

She just had to forget that cool guy attitude that caused her heart to skip a few beats whenever he solved a case before her very eyes.

Again Ran felt her body twist around but unlike last time she released a strong right kick before allowing her body to relax again. She thought she was finished until she remembered one last piece of memory that caused her body to freeze up all together.

She would have to forget… The way her name sounded as it rolled off his tongue.

"Ran…"

The tears came then.

In her mind she could hear herself calling out his name hundreds of time.

She needed him and wanted him but he was not coming!

He wasn't coming…

Yet—

She would wait…

How idiotic of her. All this time she was supposed to be forgetting her feelings for him but now she was falling for him all over again just because of one silly little thing.

Ran dropped to her knees and then raised her right hand to her slowly to her lips as she softly whispered,

"Shinichi…"

She was smiling because she knew she could wait.

She could wait forever if he wanted her to because after all she loved him with all her heart.

.

.

.

"RAN!"

.

.

"RAN!"

.

"S-Shinichi…?" Ran questioned as she blinked tears with a blank expression.

Was she just hearing things?

Or was that really Shinichi calling her?

"RAN—!"

Ran jumped at the call of her name again, it sounded so frightened. Slowly she rose to her feet and looked around; she could see nothing before her. No signs of anyone. No one at all, that was until she felt a presence behind her. Ran suddenly felt alarmed turning to counter whoever the intruder was only to be pulled into a hug.

Ran's eyes widened greatly as warmth wrapped around her cold body instantly. Her cheeks rose in heat as well, and her legs felt like jelly in their hold. She could hear snickers and it caused her to become more shocked when they spoke, "Thank goodness." They muttered pressing their face into her neck causing her reddening cheeks to only increase as her hands trembled weakly in the air. "Y-your safe, your safe…"

W-who, Ran scrunched her nose, who was this?

It certainly sounded like Shinichi and looked like Shinichi but that was impossible because Shinichi was Conan-kun— Right?

If that was the case than whom was this person hugging her so intimately?

Don't tell me…

Ran growled, how stupid could these men get? She didn't need people to substitute Shinichi whenever she was feeling down! Hattori wasn't stupid enough to cross her path again but there was always one other person that also fooled her from time to time for his own agenda of fun and games. Which Ran hated to no end.

Ran's eyes slid into narrow slits.

Kaito Kid –

That pervert that tricked her all the time and made her flustered whenever he pretended to be Shinichi because of those stupid comments of him calling her cute and what not! She hated him!

Ran would not be fooled a third time and she did what any girl her age would have done if they were being sexually harassed –

She kneed him where it hurts the most.

.

.

And boy did he collapse like any unsuspecting male would during times like those.

Ran stepped away from the imposter smirking proudly.

Serves him right. She thought triumphantly while placing her hands on her hips as she greeted them with a hardened glare towards his utterly confused ones.

"I warned Hattori the same before and I'm telling you this now! Don't play with my feelings anymore Kaito Kid or I'll make you regret it!"

"K-Kaito K- Kid—?" He questioned hoarsely as he rolled over in pain. Ran nodded.

"Don't think you have me fooled for a minute because I know for a fact that—"

"Conan is Shinichi." He replied weakly and she nodded again but this time froze. If he knew that she knew that Conan was Shinichi…Why the hell did he insist on showing up like this in front of her?

Did he have a death wish or something? "I also know," Kaito Kid mumbled lowly, "That he swore one day as he walked you home that he would watch your back."

Ran blinked in surprise.

How would Kaito Kid know that?

That was their special memory and Shinichi would have never told anyone that.

Don't tell me he's also a stalker.

Yet then again why in the world would he waste precious time out of his life to watch the two of them interact? Kaito Kid wasn't that bad…

So if that was the case then the person before her really was…

Ran gasped,

"Shinichi?"

He winced slightly, one eye closed, the other open as a giant grin appeared on his lips.

"Hi Ran…It's been awhile."

Tears.

Fresh lovely tears ran down her cheeks, or was that the rain? Ran didn't know and didn't care as she watched him stagger back up on his own two legs. "I'm back."

Her mind went blank then and suddenly she found herself springing forwards pulling him into her own welcoming hug. It was strange like she had no control over her body but she couldn't help it. Ran did miss him after all.

Shinichi wobbled back a bit when she did hug him, but he managed to find his footing luckily before the two of them possibly would fall back onto the concrete floor.

"Geez I didn't think I'd be missed this much." He joked and Ran tried her very best to contain her anger.

He always said the worst possible things sometimes.

She should have added something extra painful to go along with what she did before.

"Who would miss you?" Ran grumbled as she pulled away, "I just tripped." Ran crossed her hands over her chest and turned away from him scowling while closing her eyes. Shinichi scratched the back of his head and she opened one eye to glance his way again.

Her cheeks flushed at the sight. Oh she could hardly contain herself. Her heart was skipping away madly as she did skips around in her mind.

He had come after all but one thing bugged her, "H-how—?" She asked him and he lowered his hand blinking as if puzzled at her words. "How are you—you again?"

Ran right away regretted opening her mouth.

She wasn't supposed to let him know that she knew!

"Haibara," He answered surprising her a bit. "She helped me become this way so I could see you as myself again Ran."

Her mouth hung open.

Had he just answered her?

…Yes… Yes he had.

Yet now what? She couldn't speak and she wouldn't dare to as he was letting her in. "I don't know how much time I'll have left." A question mark appeared over her head.

Time…What did he mean by that? Was he going somewhere? "I'm going to shrink again soon Ran."

"S-Shrink?" Ran exclaimed, only to be caught in a similar situation like before. Shinichi's left palm pressed tightly over her lips and with his right hand he hushed her.

"Not so loud—they might be listening." He was being so serious and he didn't need to be. If the organization really was after Shinichi wouldn't they already have interfered the moment they saw him? At this rate he was going to make her paranoid.

She couldn't help but get angry, her eyes narrowed by the second. The look in her eyes conveying a message that could only mean, 'Kudo Shinichi you had better explain yourself right now or else!'

"It's not a permanent cure Ran." Shinichi told her, letting his hand fall away from her lips, "I wish it was but it's not." The expression on his face made her lose her anger all together. He looked so vulnerable and this caused her heart to waver because of it.

"Is there nothing that can be done to help you grow again other than waiting for Ai-chan to come up an antidote?" Ran asked, rubbing her forehead. "There has to be something…"

"Well there was alcohol that worked before but—"

"That's it!" Ran cried out, grinning. She clenched her hands together and snickered. "Dad has so much alcohol lying around the house that I'm sure we could use that—"

"Ran—"

"See you should have just told me in the beginning!" Ran said gleefully, "At least Dad won't say anything to me about it—"

"Ran that won't—"

"You'll be better in—"

"RAN!"

It was then that Ran jumped out of her thoughts. His yell made her a bit shaken over all but she managed to glance back his way with a confused expression.

"What's wrong?" She questioned blinking a couple times and he took a deep breath before exhaling to say,

"It won't work."

"Huh?" Came her immediate reply. Shinichi's eyes focused on the ground now. He was even biting the side of his cheek.

"My body's already become immune to it Ran." He whispered out and she felt her body stiffen uneasily. "I'm sorry Ran…It just won't work that way anymore."

Ran's eyes darted away and she felt like a heavy bolder had just been placed on her shoulders. She moved past him all together, and tried her best to chuckle but it was weak and hesitant.

"Don't say that," Ran replied roughly, "Y-you can't say that until we try."

"We have tried." He stated, and she closed her eyes.

Ran didn't like this.

She wasn't content knowing he accepted this fate. "Ran listen to me—"

"No!" Ran yelled, placing her hands over her ears. "I don't want to hear it Shinichi!" She couldn't see the expression that was written on his face but she did feel him grab her right shoulder from behind. Ran gapped a bit when he spun her around, her right arm in his left's grasp.

It surprised her even more when she got a good look at him. He looked completely out of his groove. Bewildered and tense—He was just trying to keep her from exploding and it was working. Especially with that look—he appeared concerned for her –truly concerned.

Her heart was beat wildly now so much that she wondered how much longer could she endure the heat flowing to her cheeks before fainting dead away. Her eyes flew away despite his attempts to keep them on him. It was just too much. Her will to keep silent was loosening by the second.

"Ran—"

"D-don't…"Ran mumbled weakly, "Don't look at me like that." He blinked at her shyness,

"Ran?"

The Karate champion couldn't explain what happened next. Everything just happened on its own.

"I-I want to help you Shinichi. You don't understand! I-I just, I just don't— I just don't want to lose you again…"

Mouri Ran, karate champion, a woman who could knock people out in a single blow was now under the mercy of Kudo Shinichi, detective.

It was so pathetic, she thought, as she was sobbing, crying away in his hold because she finally caved into those feelings she so desperately tried to contain all these years.

"Ran…"

She winced at the sound of his voice.

Don't pity me, don't pity me— And then suddenly she was jerked out of her thoughts because Shinichi's hand right hand brushed gently against her jaw. Her eyes were wide at first but then slowly they shut as she finally gave in allowing herself to relax into his palm.

He was so warm…

So tender…

"Ran…"

Just the sound of him, oh how it sent shivers down her spine! Ran knew at some point she would have to face him so slowly she her lips settled in a tiny smile as she opened her eyes to see he was focused on her more than ever before. His fingertips still brushing lightly against her left cheek making her smile widen.

"Because you see…" She began with a light giggle, "I've always loved—"

Her throat caught because he, Shinichi Kudo, decided to—so suddenly might she add— to take the initiative and claim her precious lips for his own.

It was then that Mouri Ran couldn't help but wonder…

Why in the world—was it—that she, had not, attempted...

To jump him...

Sooner?

Things might have gone a lot smoother then!

Stupid, idiotic, karate freak!

XXX

To be continued!

XXX

Well …That was hard to write but fun – but also hard to write. I went through so many different scenes in my head. So many different ideas and I was aggravated like no other when I wrote it. I know it's not the best, and probably could have been done better – but it's something! Something!

And I liked it! I did. I don't know about you, but I liked it! I tried to make it in character! I really did, it's really hard! God next chapter is going has to be so fluffy that I will explode.

GOD I WANT A SHINICHI OF MY OWN!

Sigh…

I'm going to go cry in a corner now.

Thank you again for the reviews. I hope happiness will find you soon!

See you soon~