Disclaimer: Don't own anything besides the plot and the possible OCs

"I'll be back."

"Okay."

The door shuts. It was a full moon tonight. Conan held the gem under the moonlight.

It wasn't his gem.

How did he not noticed this before?

Conan checked the gem again under the moonlight. There was no red light within the gem. Conan felt a rise of panic as he checked in every angle.

Did Shinichi knew what the gem was after all? Did he replaced it with a replica and gave it back to the rightful owner?

There were so many questions running through his head he was pretty sure he was on the verge of hyperventilation. He heard the door open behind him and Conan turned around.

"Where's my gem?" He asked.

Shinichi looked confused, "Isn't that-"

"Don't give me that crap." Conan snapped and Shinichi glared.

Conan wasn't done, "This isn't my gem. Where is it?"

Shinichi walked towards him, though he stood at a distance. That was good for Conan, he didn't feel like he could be near the teen just yet.

"I never touched your gem except for that time at the hospital."

"Plenty of time to exchange it for something else." Conan retorted.

"Hey, even if I knew what it was I wouldn't know why it was with you." The teen said. Conan deflated. He knew Shinichi would want to hear a reason first before he decides to do something. But...

He sensed Shinichi walking down towards him and sat down beside him. They didn't say a word as Conan kept checking the gem.

"Say..." Shinichi started and Conan turned to look at him.

Shinichi reached for the gem but Conan gripped it tightly. The teen retracted his hand, "...Is that... Pandora?"

Conan was confused, "Pandora?"

He couldn't recall the name of the gem when he went to the heist. Was that what KID was looking for?

"I finally found it..."

Conan's head hurts.

"Ah...nevermind." Shinichi dismissed.

Conan shook his head and showed the gem to Shinichi, "This isn't my gem, niichan. I want my gem back."

Shinichi reached out for the gem and Conan lets him this time. Shinichi raised it up and looked under the moonlight, "It's exactly the gem you've been carrying with you for a while now." he gave it back to Conan.

"Speaking of which, we need to make that as a jewelry if you want to keep it with you all the time." Shinichi stated.

"I'd rather have a locket. It's not too big for a guy to wear, anyways." Conan suggested, and Shinichi nodded standing up. Conan frowned as the teen walked away.

"Stop changing the subject and tell me where my gem is." Conan demanded.

Different versions meant exactly that. Different. So even if he did have an idea of how this Shinichi would go about decision making, Conan didn't know him.

Shinichi turned around from his place between the door and the doorframe, "Safe." He simply said.

"I want it back."

"I'd rather no one dies because of it."

Conan paused. KID died because of it. Conan almost died too.

He stood up and walked towards Shinichi, "You said you know who he is. Does he know?"

When he reached Shinichi, the teen patted Conan's head, "No." He replied and he closed the door behind them, "Not yet. I want to know why you have it first before we do anything else." The teen explained as they walked.

Conan was a bit relieved that they were similar on that aspect, at least. Conan looked up at the teen beside him when they entered the library.

He was about to ask when they'll tell the thief when the teen turned around and lifted Conan up, settling the child on his hips. Conan had to wrap his arms around Shinichi's neck to find balance.

Conan settled with giving the teen a questioning look. Shinichi glanced down at him and winked.

"You'll see." The teen said and pressed on a book spine.

Conan was surprised. The last time he went in the secret passage, he got lost. He was only lucky to get out of the confusing maze. That was a few days ago when he threw Mr. Cuddles and accidentally opened a door to the secret passage.

Oh he was aware the house was bigger than it already was, but what he didn't know was that the library had an entrance to the passages via the book shelves.

This house was truly a mystery on itself.

They twisted and turned through the passage that Conan had to close his eyes before he gets too dizzy.

"I don't like this." He informed Shinichi as he rested his forehead on the teen's shoulder.

Shinichi only chuckled, "You'll get used to it."

They were silent again, and Shinichi's footsteps the only sound echoing through the narrow passage.

"The gem." Conan started and Shinichi flinched from the sound of his voice, "It brought me here for a reason." He paused, "I'm pretty sure I know why, but I don't know where to start. I'm going to need help even if I don't want to." Everyone involved would be at risk of dying, he didn't say.

Shinichi didn't respond.

Conan didn't know how long it took before he felt Shinichi stop and pushed a door open. Conan twisted around to look at what was happening and didn't expect to find an equipment room. It was full of equipments that he didn't recognize and lots of papers.

What made him happy though was the fact that he spotted his gem on a jewel display case. Conan wiggled his body to be put down, and when his feet touched the ground he quickly walked towards the gem.

"Mommy!" He exclaimed happily and then abruptly stopped reaching out to the gem.

That was... He didn't know why he said that. He retracted his hands and looked at the gem curiously.

"'Mommy'?" He heard Shinichi asked and Conan turned to look at him. Then he looked back at the gem resting in the case.

"I'm... I'm not sure why I said that." He said honestly. Shinichi hummed. Conan decided he didn't want to venture too much on the subject and looked around the room. Something clicked in his mind.

"I never thought Night Baron actually exists." He said as he spotted the signature mask of the Night Baron.

Shinichi shrugged, "Dad likes mysteries, he writes. Mom makes it authentic."

"But I thought it was based off of Kaitou KID." Conan asked as he walked towards the Costume's display case.

He heard shuffling from behind him and turned around. He saw Shinichi wearing gloves as he took out the gem from its case.

"For the rest of the series, yes." Shinichi confirmed, "But it wasn't always like that."

The series had started during the Phantom Thief's rise to fame. The book was a bit more violent. Though during the years of hiatus, the book took a turn that made Conan feel like it was based off of Kaitou KID.

Disclaimer: I really don't need to say this on every chapter? I don't own the show.

Conan was impressed. So the Kudos really were on the gray line. It was in their genes to consider both sides of the law. His eyebrow twitched as he realized that he should've expected it considering the fact that his parents weren't exactly following the norm.

Shinichi took out a silver necklace with a plain but spacious locket and placed the gem inside. The gem really wasn't that big, just the size of Conan's thumb. Shinichi then walked over to Conan and clipped the necklace around the child's neck.

"It's a family heirloom that I didn't want to wear." Shinichi said as he adjusted the necklace, "I didn't get the point of the locket until today." He looked Conan in the eyes, "I know I said I'd like to keep it here. But if you're reaction was like that on the gem then I have no right to part it from you."

Conan looked down his chest, "Thank you."

Shinichi ruffled his hair, "Just don't die, kiddo."

Conan looked up again, "Are you going to tell him?"

Shinichi smirked, "I'd like you to do it. I want to see his face from the sidelines." Then Shinichi's face turned serious, "But that's up to you. I don't want you to think I'm pressuring you to do so."

Conan nodded, looking down on the locket again. Then he yawned.

"Come. It's time to go to sleep." Shinichi said as he lifted the child up.

"You think we can play Night Baron?" Conan asked as Shinichi carried him through the passages, "without the 'killing if cornered' part, of course. Just like KID."

Shinichi laughed, "We'll see."