The fourth chapter. These are coming ready crazy fast! There still is plenty chance that I don't update as often when the first inspiration burns out, so don't get your hopes up for it to continue long like this. I haven't planned out an ending yet and don't know if I get there, but let's see (again) where this goes...

CHAPTER FOUR

It was horrible. She almost started crying upon seeing the too familiar apartment building. She had tried. Tried hard to find it to prevent the suicide. Searching the net for Yoko-san. Nothing had come up. It was just horrible to know the man had killed himself due to many misunderstandings that could have been cleared up, if she had been fast enough. Her time had stopped when the idol had come to the Mouri agency. She had simply frozen to place ignoring the strange antics of one hopeless adult named Mouri Kogoro.

Conan had tried to guess what was wrong and asked when they were left alone. Marie knew she couldn't lie too well so she covered it up with a 'I have a bad feeling' comment to which Conan had said nothing. Only threw some worried glances at her.

Marie's anxiety grew by the second as the elevator stopped at the twenty-fifth floor. She left herself walking behind the group watching quietly as everyone admired views and walked towards the apartment where the dead man lied. She didn't like this. Not at all.

"What's wrong?", the words made her head snap back up to stare into Conan's eyes.

"I'm just getting a really bad feeling about this", which was true, but not in the way the boy thought.

That was when Okino Yoko opened the door backing away. The scene she must be seeing flashed in Marie's mind making her shudder. At this point everyone but her were looking shocked at the scene in front of them. She wanted to back away. Not see the man that had stabbed himself in the back. Her feet still carried her forward towards the door where everyone was looking at the body and some of the watchers screaming.

Seeing the body was a whole other thing. It made her eyes sting and tears form in her eyes. Her chest tightened and she felt so sad. So guilty. Kogoro sent Ran to call the police but she barely noticed anything of what was happening when falling to her knees and covering her mouth. Tears finally rolled down and she closed her eyes from the scene.

I tried so hard! Why couldn't I prevent this?

A hand appeared on her shoulder.

"Hey, It's okay! Things like these happen all the time", Conan whispered in her ear.

No it's not! He died! It's sad! And I couldn't do anything to stop it!

The hand brushed her back reassuringly and in a little while she got control over herself again.

"I knew something bad was going to happen!", Marie whispered silently only so Conan could hear.

It was true, but understood differently. The hand stopped and Conan whispered to her again.

"Don't worry. I'll solve it"

That struck her. He'll solve it. She knew he would. He would uncover the truth. It didn't stop it being sad and wrong, but it somehow it helped her to know everyone else would know the truth too. She nodded her head silently and heard small footsteps go and inspect the crime scene. Wiping her cheeks Marie stood up shakily and watched the great detective work. It still stung for not being able to stop it, but having it solved and letting everyone know the victim's grief made it ease up a little. She probably wouldn't be able to stop any of them in the future either because really, what could a child do? But she would try. She would and if she couldn't then Shinichi could uncover the truth like normally. He would catch the murderers. It wouldn't be what she wanted to happen, but it would help deal with it. Conan was right. She didn't need to worry so much.

XXXX

"Conan-kun! Marie-chan! Breakfast is ready!", Ran called for the siblings on a saturday morning.

"Hai, Ran-neechan!", Marie's shout came from her room.

The door opened and the siblings came out Marie first jumping with excitement and Conan behind smiling keeping hands in his pockets. They sat side by side and waited for Ran to give them rice and soup talking about a chess game they probably had been playing. Ran watched the interaction thinking it was cute. They seemed closer after the idol case and acted more like siblings now. She had been worried for a while when they didn't play together or really talk with each other like siblings should. Marie-chan was cute. She was shy at first, but once Ran got to know her, she had been very open and enthusiastic. Conan was almost the same, but maybe a little more distant. It was nice they were here. Like her own little siblings.

Marie had become better at acting like a little kid and a real sibling. She and Shinichi had talked in Ran's room to imrove their interaction and acting skills together. It helped a lot to have Conan remember the many tips his mother had told him about acting. They had talked about topics to argue about and their likings and dislikes as well as what to answer some common questions bound to come up at some point. Marie had to admit it was kind of fun. It was like they had discussed a play that lasted 24/7 with some breaks when at Agasa's house and each other sometimes.

"But you always win! It's not fair!", Marie pouted at Conan who won the chess game they had played in Ran's room while discussing sibling matters.

"You're just not a good loser", Conan shot back with a proud expression and ate his food neatly.

"And you're not a good winner", Marie said nose up in the air and concentrated on eating for now.

Ran snickered at them. Score for good acting! It helped to have some kind of an objective to achieve with the acts so this time it was to get Ran laughing. The supposed siblings exchanged glances and smirked.

"Ne, Ran-neechan", Marie asked smiling brightly.

"Hm?"

"Could we go out and play soccer after breakfast? Conan wanted to show me something"

"Well, I have to do some homework so I can't go with you… Are you fine by yourselves?", Ran seemed thoughtful.

"We'll be fine!", Conan smiled using his overly cheerful act.

"Yeah! Fine!", Marie repeated imitating her 'older brother'.

XXXX

"Are we seriously going to play soccer?", Conan asked raising his eyebrow at the girl beside him.

She shrugged.

"Might as well do what we said we would. It's easier to be out of the house. There's less chance you have to act"

"Right, good point", Conan agreed but frowned afterwards, "You don't seem concerned with what happened to us at Tropical Land. Why?"

Marie turned to walk backwards, facing him. She smiled sadly.

"I lost my family months ago and have never met my relatives, remember? I don't really need to get my former life back, because I have almost nothing to return to. It was crazy what happened back there, but not all bad. I have a chance to live in a new family now. Something I came to look for in Japan. It might not be a permanent one or replace my old one, but still family"

It was true, Marie realized as she spoke. She had come looking for a family to love her. She had found it, if in different circumstances than expected. It was crazy how she had accepted what happened so quickly. In less than a week she had blended in the new world and started loving this new chance in life she got. She would have undoubtedly died in that plane crash if that strange light hadn't brought her here.

It still was stupid of her to walk into Gin and Vodka right after that because of curiosity, but she didn't regret it. She could also try and help here. Maybe prevent some things and drop hints. It would be risky, but wouldn't it be good to get Shinichi back as soon as possible? Then Ran wouldn't worry so long.

"I'm going to help you get your body back to normal in any way I can, you know? You still have a promising life to return to", Marie's smile wasn't sad anymore.

It was determined. Conan seemed dumbfounded for a second before giving her a smirk.

"I'm going to bring the Men in Black down and help protecting you and everyone close to me", he said also determined judging by the way his eyes flashed.

Marie nodded and turned to look ahead at the soccer field they arrived to. Her smile widened and she took off running to a goal and shouting back to Conan.

"You shoot! I'll be the keeper!"

The boy shook his head smiling and dropped the soccer ball he had carried to the ground.

"I'm good at this, you know?", he called to his 'sister'.

He wasn't prepared to get a confident grin from the girl.

"I know. Me too", was all Marie said before turning around to gurd the goal with her life.

Conan was surprised and blinked once before going into soccer mode, what Marie had started to call it. This would be interesting, he decided as he kicked the ball. From there it was all fun and play for the two shrunken teenagers that shared a big secret as well as a liking to soccer.

(Apparently both of them were really good at soccer. Marie used to be a gymnast, so she was flexible and good at catching the ball while Conan was superb at shooting it with great accuracy and handled the ball easily, but everyone already knew that.)

XXXX

So I wanted her to be good at soccer, because I'd like them to end up being almost like real siblings and it helps them with it. Now then, should I make my OC go to Ekoda at some point... (answer is most likely yes)