Last Chapter!
How I Feel
Chapter the fifteenth: Realization
---Five Days Prior---
Ran opened her eyes slowly. She didn't know where she was. She sat up bit by bit, rubbing a sore spot on her forehead. What had happened? Why was she lying on the side of the road like an old homeless person?
It all hit her like a ton of bricks. Those guys in black had snuck up on her and knocked her out with a chemical on a cloth. She looked around frantically for Shinichi, but she didn't see him. But she did see Kazuha, who was still asleep.
"Kazuha wake up!" she cried, shaking her friend's shoulders. Kazuha blinked tiredly and looked up at Ran, confused.
"What happened?" she asked groggily.
"They got Shinichi and Heiji," Ran said. Kazuha shot up from her spot and stared at Ran with wide eyes.
"No, you're wrong," she objected. "They can't have!"
"They did," Ran said tearfully. "I don't know what to do. I don't even know where we are!"
"Okay, just calm down," Kazuha said hysterically. "I said calm down!"
"Kazuha, snap out of it!" Ran snapped.
"Sorry," Kazuha apologized, blushing.
"We have to get to somewhere, anywhere but here. We need to find someone to help," Ran said, getting to her feet. Kazuha followed her example and stood. They wandered aimlessly down the snow covered dirt road, looking for signs of people anywhere. There was none.
"What do we do Ran?" Kazuha asked. "What do we do?"
"I don't know," Ran answered quietly.
They stopped walking and sat on the ground. It was getting dark, and it had begun to snow. They shivered silently, not knowing what to do. Suddenly, something caught Kazuha's eye.
"Ran do you see that light?" she asked. Ran squinted.
"Yeah, yeah I see it!" she exclaimed, sitting up. Kazuha got to her feet as the light got closer and separated into two lights. It was a car.
"Stop!" Kazuha screamed, waving her arms in the air. "Stop!" Ran stood up gradually as the car slowed and stopped in front of them. The person opened their car door and looked out, frowning. It was a boy, a teenager about their age.
"Hey," he said. "Why are you out here in the snow? It's bloody freezing!"
"We're lost. Can you give us a ride?" Ran asked.
"Sure, get in," the boy said, settling himself back in the driver's seat. They got in the back and the boy cranked up the heater. He drove for a while in silence, and then the girl in the front seat next to him turned around and gave them a bright smile.
"Hi," she said. "My name is Aoko. What's yours?"
"I'm Ran Mouri, this is Kazuha Toyama," Ran answered. The boy eyed them in the mirror.
"Mouri? Any relation to Mouri Kogoro?" he asked.
"My father," Ran said. The boy smirked.
"I'm Kaito Kuroba," he introduced. "Where are you off to?"
"The police station," Kazuha said. "As quickly as possible, please. It's an emergency." Aoko frowned.
"What happened?" she asked.
"Our friends were kidnapped, and we need to get them back before they're killed," Ran said. Kaito stared at them through the mirror.
"They're detectives," Kazuha said. "And they're probably dead by now."
"They aren't, Kazuha," Ran said. "Have faith."
All in the car were silent as Kaito drove them to the police station. Snow piled up on the car as they drove. Kazuha looked out the window wonderingly.
"Where were we?" she asked. Aoko looked back.
"You were in the middle of the forest," she said. Ran sighed.
"What were you doing in the middle of the forest?" Kazuha asked suspiciously.
"Can't two people take a drive through the woods in peace?" Kaito asked.
"Oh," Ran blushed. "Sorry for interrupting your date."
"Date?!" Aoko and Kaito exclaimed at once. "No way!"
"What?" Ran asked.
"We weren't on a date, Kaito just picked me up to take me home," Aoko said blushing.
"Oh, sorry," Ran apologized. Everyone went silent again. Finally, Kaito pulled to a stop in front of the police station. Kazuha and Ran got out of the car, thanking Kaito ad Aoko for the ride.
"Anytime," Kaito said with a smile, before driving off. Ran and Kazuha, still soaking wet, hurried into the police station.
No one was there. Kazuha and Ran walked in slowly, dripping water onto the smoothly tiled floor. Their shoes made gross squelching noises with every step they took, but no one was there to hear it. There was a loud cry from Inspector Megure's office. They dashed to it and threw open the door.
The officers and Kogoro were all crowded into the office, seemingly celebrating something. They cheered again, none of them noticing the sopping wet girls in the doorway.
"You're best case yet, Mouri," Megure congratulated, clapping Kogoro on the back. Kogoro laughed and started to respond when he saw Ran and Kazuha.
"Ran?" he asked in shock. He approached her quickly, tearing off his jacket and wrapping it around her shoulders. She clutched it to her, shivering. Another officer came up and wrapped a blanket around Kazuha.
"Sit, sit," Kogoro said, pushing Ran down onto the small sofa. She stood back up almost immediately.
"No dad, there's no time," she said.
"Calm down you'll get yourself sick," he said, pushing hr back down. Kazuha sat next to her, but Ran refused to stay down.
"We have to find Shinichi and Heiji!" she said frantically. Megure froze.
"What happened to them?" he asked.
"Well we don't know exactly," Kazuha said quietly. "I don't know how long ago it was but I got a call from my dad, at least I thought it was my dad at the time, and he said to go to the airport and he's pick up Heiji and I. We fell asleep and then when I woke up, one of they guys that kidnapped Heiji before was there and Heiji was knocked out on the ground. Then one of the guys sprayed something in my face and I fell asleep."
"Ran when was the last time you saw Shinichi?" Megure asked.
"It was that same day. I told Shinichi Kazuha and Heiji had left and he got this weird look on his face and told me to take me to the airport because he had a bad feeling. When we got there a woman said Kazuha and Heiji had been taken by two men in black and we went out to the car to go to the police station and I felt something in the back of my neck and the last thing I saw was Shinichi looking back at me to see if I was okay," Ran said.
"It sounds like whoever got them the first time got them again," Kogoro said.
"I doubt they'll wait this time though. They're probably already dead," Megure muttered.
"You two stay here. Don't move from this spot, do you hear me?" Kogoro ordered Ran and Kazuha.
"Yes dad," Ran whispered, avoiding his eyes.
"When I get back you two had better be here," he said. "I'm not kidding this time Ran. They could've killed you, and I won't have you putting yourself or Kazuha in danger."
"Yes dad," Ran repeated. Kogoro nodded, giving Ran a brief hug before departing. Kazuha scooted closer to shivering Ran and shared the blanket with her. Ran said nothing but smiled thankfully at Kazuha.
"It'll be okay Ran," Kazuha whispered. Ran just nodded. She wasn't sure.
---
Four days later, there had been no clue to where the men in black had taken Shinichi and Heiji. They'd searched endlessly, but they couldn't find any clue or hint to lead them in the right direction.
"Why?" Ran asked her father. "Why is it always Shinichi?"
"I don't know, Ran," Kogoro answered gruffly. "I just don't know."
"It isn't fair! What did he do wrong to deserve this? What did Heiji do wrong to deserve it?" she asked tearfully.
"Things happen Ran. Everything happens for a reason," Kogoro said. She was silent for a while, but looked up at Kogoro with tears running down her cheeks.
"Why couldn't it have been someone else?" she whispered.
"I don't know Ran. Everything happens for a reason," he repeated. "Things happen because they're supposed to."
"It isn't fair," she whispered.
"I know Ran, and it never will be," Kogoro said offhandedly.
Heizo had been told of course. He was not happy. Not happy at all. He hadn't slept since he'd found out. Mr. Toyama had never called Kazuha, they found out. It had all been a trap set to re-kidnap Heiji and Shinichi. And the trap had worked.
The organization must have been following. They seemed to know Shinichi would go looking if Heiji and Kazuha left suddenly. That made Ran nervous. She was always looking over her shoulder, as if she would see the men in black following her.
She and Kazuha didn't leave the house. They were confined to the Mouri house until the police could do something to make sure that the girls weren't followed. It was no simple task, since they didn't know where to start. Neither of the girls seemed to mind though.
"Ran, do you think they're okay?" Kazuha asked.
"I hope so," Ran whispered.
Ran hated feeling so helpless. Shinichi and Heiji were gone. And neither of them had told the girls anything about Conan or Arthur. Ran was worried. What could have happened to two eight year old children? She felt terrible she hadn't thought to ask, but she knew there was nothing she could do. Did Conan miss her? They had been so close.
And now everyone she loved was gone. Kogoro was at work, Conan was in hiding, Shinichi and Heiji had been kidnapped, and Kazuha was grieving. She as alone, she realized.
"Ran, I'm scared," Kazuha whimpered. Ran looked over at her friend.
"I am too," she said quietly. She pulled Kazuha into a hug and tried not to cry. "I am too."
Kazuha sobbed loudly.
There was nothing they could do. Nothing they could do that is, but hope.
End Story: How I Feel
Please see the sequel – How It Goes – coming soon.
Well, there it is everybody. Hope you liked it! And keep an eye out for the sequel! And while you wait, please review to my Harry Potter story - Harry Potter and the Secrets Within - Which is what I'm currently working on my hardest.
shiholover4869 - You want more? Check out the sequel!
harukatenohu - I'll try
kudo - Well there's a definate sequel, and I have a nagging idea in the back of my head about another one after that!
ladyneria - ummmm...okay....scary
Tant - Yes, poor boys. But they'll be okay, promise!
Masked Detective - You're not dead yet, are you?
Julie-chan - They're not going to die! Not any time soon, anyway... ::Possible hint?:: But seriously, don't worry about them
Firestorm2004 - No, I don't like to torture them...But it does make an interesting and suspensful story!
serenity-touched - YEs, Drama is a necessary factor, I agree
kudo - TWO kudo's? well anyway...It isn't going to b too too gory