Naoko
Chapter Twelve: The Desperation
Ran blinked and the eager smile slid off her face.
"What?" she asked.
"I'm sorry," the doctor shook her head. "But there's only a ten percent chance that he'll make it."
"You're not serious," she said. "You're joking, right? Kaitou put you up to this, didn't he?"
"No, I'm sorry. You can see him if you want," she offered. Ran sprang out of bed. The doctor led her out into the hall and to the elevator. They rode up to the third floor and into the first room to the left.
Ran scurried inside and was shocked at what she saw. Shinichi was lying on the bed, eyes closed and tubes coming out from everywhere she could see. She hesitantly stepped closer and called his name quietly. She called for him louder, then louder still. He didn't even stir.
"Is he going to die?" she whispered.
"It's likely," The doctor sighed. "He was badly hurt and unless he's got the will to stay alive, he will die." Ran sat down in the vacant chair next to the bed. She stared at Shinichi's calm face as he lay inert on the bed. She gently took his hand and stroked it with her thumb. He didn't move. She burst into tears.
"Oh Shinichi!" she cried, burying her face in his chest. She cried herself to sleep.
---
Heiji tiredly closed the door to his apartment, tossing his coat on the floor and flicking the light switch. He rubbed his eyes and groaned. He'd been in the hospital with Ran at Shinichi's side for two weeks. He'd barely had time to go home. Kid and Heiji had been taking turns watching over Ran, who was feeling a bit suicidal and could not be trusted on her own. He clicked on the coffee machine and the soft drip of the coffee maker started up. Pretty soon, his apartment was warmed up and smelling of Hazelnut flavored coffee.
He poured himself a cup and breathed in the sweet scent, smiling jadedly and taking a sip. He put down his cup on the coffee table and flicked on the television. Another news special on the diagnosis of Kudou. He sighed and drained his coffee cup, flipping through channels. Finding nothing interesting, he clicked off the television and sat in the dark for a while, thinking.
Shinichi was still in a coma. The doctor had suggested that they take him off life support and let him die in peace, but Ran had forbidden it.
'If you think that I'm going to sit by and watch you kill him, you'll have to kill me first!' Ran shouted angrily as the doctor made her proposal.
He rubbed his eyes lazily and sat back on the couch, resting his eyes. The phone rang, but he didn't get up to answer it. It rang three more times before the machine picked up.
"Hey, you've reached the great detective of the west! Leave a message," his voice sang cheerfully through the dark apartment. There was a beep and the caller sighed irritably.
"Come on, Heiji. Pick up. I know you're there. Come on, I haven't talked to you in forever! Please pick up," Kazuha's voice pleaded through the silence. He grunted and pushed himself off the couch, picking the phone up slowly and holding it up to his ear.
"I'm here, Kazuha," he sighed.
"Heiji! Where have you been?" she snapped.
"Sorry, Kazuha," he whispered. "I was at the hospital."
"Are you sick?" Kazuha shrieked.
"No, no I'm fine. Exhausted, maybe. But otherwise fine," he replied. "Kudou Shinichi's in a coma."
"That detective you always compete with?" Kazuha asked anxiously.
"The same," he responded.
"Will he be okay?" Kazuha asked, sounding concerned.
"Not likely. They say he's got a ten percent chance of making it, and that we should take him off life support, but Ran won't have it. She said if we take him off the life support, she'll kill herself," he groaned, stretching.
"Maybe I could talk to her," Kazuha offered. Heiji made an agreeing noise from the back of his throat.
"You could try. I have to go, I'm falling asleep here," he said.
"Okay. Goodnight," she whispered.
"'Night," he grunted, hanging up. Too tired to get up, he lie down on the couch quietly and fell asleep quickly.
---
Kaito scratched the back of is head wearily and blinked rapidly. He had just been jolted from his sleep by loud, vigorous knocking on the front door. He stumbled up lazily and opened the door.
"Yeah?" he grumbled, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands.
"You jerk!" a female voice shrieked. He took his hands away and stared surprised at the fuming woman in front of him. Aoko ground her teeth.
"Wha –?" he started drowsily.
"Kaito! Where have you been?" she shrieked.
"Hospital," he grunted, turning and going back to the living room. She followed.
"You sick?" she asked.
"No, Kudou's in a coma," he grumbled. "Been helping out."
"The detective?" Aoko asked, shocked.
"That's the one," Kaito agreed, flopping down on the couch. Aoko sat next to him. She studied his face closely.
"You look beat! Here, lay down," she ordered, patting her lap. He stared at her dumbly. She looked at him expectantly.
"What?" he asked stupidly. She frowned.
"Put your head in my lap," she said. He blinked. "Come on."
He slowly lay down and settled his head gently in her lap. She smiled and stroked the side of his face calmingly. She caressed his hair like a mother nursing health to a sick child. He groaned lightly, leaning towards her hand. She smiled delicately and sang a soft lullaby.
Donna toki de mo
Anata ha hitori ja nai yo
Dakishimeteta itami
Koboreochita shunkan ni
Yasashisa tabane arashi no naka he kakedasu
Yakusoku-shite koko he kaeru to
Hateshinaku tooku he ittemo
Donna toki de mo
Anata ha hitori ja nai yo
Tsunaida te ha hanasanai
Shinjiteru ano hi no kizuna
Tsuyoi omoi ga onaji yume wo sagashitsudzuketeru
Kaito looked up at Aoko, astonished. She had tears in her eyes and she was sniffling slightly. He lifted himself up onto his elbows and looked her in the eyes. Their lips met passionately.
---
Ran stared down at Shinichi's pale face in the light of the moon. He hadn't budged. She traced her finger over his cold lips, wishing he were awake. So he could press his warm lips against hers again.
She knew he couldn't feel her there. She knew he couldn't hear her words. But she couldn't help but think maybe he was aware. She laid her head on his heavily bandaged chest and hummed softly. Kogoro sat in the corner of the room, watching her. She fell asleep shortly after, and he picked her up. He carried her out of the hospital and drove her home. After she was comfortably settled in her bed, he made himself a cup of coffee and sat on the couch. He swirled around some cream before adding it into his cup.
He drank deeply, ignoring the scorching heat from the liquid. He put his empty cup on the table and slumped down on the couch. He turned on the television. It was a television movie, staring Yoko Okino. Somehow, it just didn't matter as much anymore.
---
Kazuha burst through the door of the Mouri residence at promptly seven o'clock the next morning. She held three brown bags of groceries in her arms and a smile on her face.
"Up and at 'em!" she sang cheerily. Kogoro jerked awake and looked around resignedly.
"Up what?" he asked. Kazuha blinked and kept the smile on her face. She skipped into the kitchen and started unpacking the food and making breakfast. Kogoro followed the scent of frying bacon and sat at the table. Ran came in a few moments later. She grumbled some sort of greeting and sat next to Kogoro.
"Good morning!" Kazuha sang. Ran smacked her head on the table. Kazuha frowned and piled eggs onto her plate. "Smile, Ran. It's beautiful out!"
"Shinichi loved being outside," Ran said, tearing up. Kazuha sat across from her.
"Ran. Ran, look at me," she ordered. Ran looked over, black bags under her eyes. "Maybe – Maybe it'd be better if you let them take Shinichi off life-support." Ran shook her head.
"No," she said harshly.
"Ran –," Kazuha started.
"NO!" Ran shouted, jumping to her feet.
"Ran! You're thinking about what you want! What about what Shinichi would want?!" Kazuha shrieked.
"He wouldn't want to die!"
"But he wouldn't want to see you like this either!"
Ran was silent. It was true; Shinichi wouldn't want her to be so depressed. Maybe he would want her to take him off life support. She stared down at her hands. Then, she stood up and left the apartment.
---
She was at the hospital. She walked past nurses and doctors, headed for Shinichi's room. She finally reached it, and stood in the door way. Shinichi laid there, same position as before. She stepped foreword determinedly.
Ran made her way to the side of his bed and looked down at him. He looked peaceful. She placed her hand on the side of his cool face and bit her lip. She knew what she had to do. She bent down and took the plug to the machine in her hand. It was the only thing keeping Shinichi alive. She braced herself and got ready to yank it out.
"What are you doing?"
---
Who caught Ran? Was it Heiji? Or Kaito? Kogoro, Kazuha, or Akako? ::smile:: If you want to know, you better review!
shadowfox - Hey, thanks! You're the greatest!
Firestorm2004 - Well like I said, i needed a villian and that's not exactly my forte, so i picked her. sry 'bout that!
Wing Omega - Okay, i'll make this clear one last time. Shinichi killed Naoko because her blood would destroy Japan. He didn't believe what Shiro told him (note: "Ran! Get Kid and Heiji and Naoko out! Forget about me!" Shinichi said hoarsely.) So he TOLD Naoko to leave but then ("Kill Naoko!" she said. "Please!" "No," he whispered croakily. "Yes! Only way," she said. "I see Mama again!") He told her to leave but she asked him to kill her because she wanted to see her mother. I hope you understand now.