Disclaimer: If you haven't figured out by now that I don't own Detective Conan, your name must be Mouri Kogoro. Get a clue already.

Author's Notes: Wow, this got started a lot sooner than I thought I would be able to. Things are pretty busy on the college scene, but I'll take some time out and work on getting this chapter out a lot sooner than most of my updates! It turned out to be rather long…hoping you guys don't mind. Although I've got a gut feeling this chapter won't go over well…still, I really hope that you enjoy it!

Chapter Summary: His last plan failed, and Ran is leaving Japan in a few short hours. Is a desperate Conan ready to give up everything so that he can have the one thing that matters to him the most? But, can anything really make a difference now?


Star-Crossed Lovers
A Detective Conan Fanfiction

File 6: Coming Clean


Even as Ran stared out the window of the Mouri Detective Agency, she was unable to rid herself of the words that had come to pass only the night before.

She knew that there was only a few hours left before she had to be at the airport for her first flight departure. She couldn't bring her mind to ease. She couldn't stop thinking about what Shinichi had said. Ever since she had hung up on him in a fit of anger, she simply could not stop running the heated conversation through her mind. Even as she slept, an awful premonition had haunted her subconscious.

Shinichi appeared to her, wrapped in a void of darkness and drenched in his own blood. He slowly staggered towards her as she stood, unable to tear herself away from his mournful eyes and their silent plea.

"Don't you see what I would do, Ran?" he had said. "Don't you see that I would die for you? To be with you? You can't leave…don't leave me…"

She had awoken in a cold sweat. The memory of that vision sent a chill running up her spine, and she pressed her head against the window, her hand listlessly running down the cool glass.

'I talked to him,' she thought airily. 'I thought that I could move on…but I don't know anymore. I think that I really do…love…him; that mystery-otaku, that baka. I…but I don't know if what I am doing is right. If I leave him behind, then what makes me better than him? I thought that he had left me…but now I'm leaving him. It's too late to call it off now, though. I've made my decision, and I will stick to it!'

A sudden crash jolted her out of her musing. Glancing up, she quickly noticed her father, who was straining to lift one of her suitcases down the stairs and knocking over several things in the process of dragging the heavy bag. Without hesitation, she got up and rapidly strode over to where Kogoro was beginning to swear at the offending piece of luggage.

"Dad, it's okay. I'll take it down," she said, lifting up the suitcase and carrying it towards the exit. Kogoro mumbled something about unnatural strength and that damn karate, but he soon followed his daughter out to their car, where Ran was already placing the luggage in the trunk.

"Is there any more?" she said. He shook his head quickly in response.

"No, I think we've gotten it all already," he said, briefly closing his eyes. "I do need to get gasoline for the trip to the airport before we leave, though."

"Alright, but don't forget to do it…we wouldn't want to get stranded because you didn't fill up the tank!" she teased him lightly. He snorted in response.

"Hey, I'm gonna do it, okay? I'll go in a little bit and pick you up some drink or snacks for the flight, then come back and pick you up, and we'll go. Sound good to you?"

"Fine, I don't really need anything, though," she admitted. Kogoro rubbed his chin.

"You know, Ran," he spoke haltingly. "You really don't have to do this if you don't want to. There are plenty of fine schools in Japan."

"Dad, you don't need to talk me out of it. I am going to go and get out, have new experiences, all that stuff it said on the application!" she replied at length. "Don't tell me that you're worried about me being alone?"

"I know you can take care of yourself," he said, looking at her. "I'm…well, it's just that I want to make sure that you are positive about this. It's a really big decision, you know, and I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to back out. There are a lot of reasons for you to stay here too…"

"Oh, come on, you're just afraid of what will happen when I'm not around to cook and clean for you," she said. The father and daughter shared a half-hearted laugh before Ran continued. "Seriously, though, I have thought about this, and…I'm really sure it's what I want to do."

"That's good," Kogoro said. "You know, I don't always act this way, but I am really proud of you, Ran. You'll do great…and I'll miss you."

"Oh, Dad…" Ran sighed. "We're not even saying goodbye yet and you're already making a scene over it!" They laughed again. "Thanks, though, Dad. I know you and Conan will do okay…and I'll miss you too, you know." She sniffed lightly, drawing a small tear from her eye. Kogoro looked puzzled at the end of her sentence.

"Speaking of the kid, I haven't seen him all day," he mused. "Don't tell me he's over at that kooky old man's house again?"

"Conan?" she said. Now it was Ran's turn to be puzzled. "He came in last night and went straight to bed. He didn't come out for breakfast, and I haven't seen him…I think he's inside, somewhere…" The two thought over this for a moment before Ran turned and started walking towards the door. "I think I'll go check on him."

"Alright then," Kogoro sighed, placing his hands into his pockets. He turned back to the car as Ran slipped inside and shut the door.

Ran walked through the house, looking for the boy. She didn't see him in the kitchen, nor in the bathroom. It was then she noticed a small sound coming from down the hall. Turning, she walked slowly towards the door to her—no, it was Conan's room now. Knocking lightly on the door, she called his name and stepped back.

Nothing happened for a few seconds, but then the door creaked open and Ran found herself staring down at the young child. His eyes were dull and unfocused, like he hadn't had any rest through the night before. He was also wearing the same clothes he had yesterday, rumpled and disheveled, staring up at her blearily.

"Ran…" he muttered. "Sorry…"

"Conan, are you alright? You look pale…did you get any sleep?" she said admonishingly. He slowly shook his head.

"Couldn't sleep…don't want you to go…" he groaned. She could only look down at him sadly.

'Poor kid,' she thought. Turning, she walked down the hall. "Come on. You need something to eat, and then we can spend some time together. How about that?" He followed her slowly, his steps soft and labored. He went and sat on the couch as she began preparing a quick bowl of ramen in the kitchen.

"Ran!" Kogoro called from outside. "I'm leaving now to get gasoline and run a few errands. I'll be back in about a half-hour, alright?"

"Sure thing, dad!" she called back. There was the faint sound of a car engine starting, and then silence as she watched him drive off through the window. Humming a soft tune to herself, Ran went back to preparing some nourishment for Conan.

Meanwhile, Conan was curled up on the couch, his arms crossed and his head tucked into his chest. He slowly rocked back and forth.

'It didn't work…' he though, briefly looking up to see Ran before resuming his position. 'Even talking to her couldn't convince her to stay…I couldn't convince her. No. That's not it…it's that I didn't have enough time to explain everything. Not enough time to tell her how I feel.' He drew himself into a sitting position. 'Come on, Kudo, think! There has to be some way…I know that there is a way not to lose her!' He kicked his mind into overdrive as the faint scent of noodles began to fill the air. Another minute passed.

'No…no…nothing! I can't leave to call her again, and she wouldn't listen to Conan,' he frowned. Then, the words he had spoken to Heiji echoed in the back of his head. 'I could tell her what really happened…dammit, that won't work either! She might stay if I convince her I've been here all along…but we won't be safe.' He stared up again at the object of his affection, then back down at his own hands. Hands that were so cursed now, so small, yet so burdened. He slowly came to a decision. 'There is…only one truth. I have to…I will tell her the truth. Black Organization be damned…it's my only chance.' He brought himself to a sitting position as Ran poured the ramen into a small bowl, her humming transformed into soft singing.

-I don't wanna cry!
Mou ichido aishite mo ii?
Kodoeteru furueteru watashi ga iru
"Nando de mo futari de ikite ikitai."
Anata no koe wo kikasete hoshii-

She sat down next to him, handing him the bowl and a glass of water. He ate slowly, looking at her in between mouthfuls. Without warning, he set the bowl down and looked up at her.

"Ran-nee-chan, can I…can I talk to you?" he said softly. Ran blinked.

"Of course you can, Conan-kun," she smiled warmly. The boy looked down in response, and he got to his feet, walking away from the couch and standing directly in front of her. He stared right into her eyes, and began to speak to her.

"I wanted…I wasn't sure that, if this time ever came, what I would do about it," he said. Ran immediately noticed the changes in his voice. It was no longer the innocent sound of a child, nor was it the determined, calculating tone he took on whenever a mystery was afoot. Rather, it was…mature. And strangely enough, it was incredibly familiar…

"W-what do you mean?" she stammered. He looked away for a moment, a ray of sunlight catching his glasses and obscuring his eyes.

"Do you remember, Ran? How it was like growing up? We were always together, always hanging out, but it never seemed like we were anything more than friends. It was nice, but gradually I had to start coming to terms with the strange feelings that began popping up. I had to realize how I felt…" Conan was going on emotion now, simply babbling his back story to prepare her for the unbelievable news he was about to reveal to her. "I wanted to tell you, that day at Tropical Land, but…somehow, fate stopped it. And, now I'm like this because of it…"

Ran's hand had slowly gone to her throat throughout the conversation. She wasn't deaf, she had picked up on the tones in his voice, but…it was impossible, wasn't it?

"You're…Conan, what are you?" she said. The boy looked at her again before slowly bringing a hand to his face. With one sweep, he sent his glasses—his mask—tumbling to the floor.

"Ran…I really am Kudo Shinichi," he intoned quietly.

Ran's world froze. It really couldn't be. A teenager somehow returned to the body of a child? That was science-fiction nonsense, right? It couldn't happen to someone…

But then again, hadn't she held her own suspicions time and time again, only to be disproved every time? Wasn't she the one who held out some insane hope that, somehow, he had really been there all along by God-knows-what methods? Hadn't she, for a time, believed that what he was telling her now was really true?

Logic suspended reasoning, and she immediately latched onto the first thing that came to mind.

"Conan-kun, that really isn't nice. I know that you're upset about me leaving, but saying something like that isn't the way to go about it! Now say you're sorry," she admonished. Conan shook his head, smiling wryly.

"I didn't know if you'd believe me. But, Ran, it's true. I know it seems impossible…look at me, Ran. Look at me and you'll know!"

She stared. It was true, without the glasses to hide behind, the little details, he really did look like-

Reality crashed around her again as it sank in. It was him. He was telling the truth.

"H-how…?" she managed to gasp.

"That night, at Tropical Land, when I chased those two suspicious men. Remember? They were part of some crime syndicate; I saw them making a back-room deal and they found me out. They made me ingest a poison that would supposedly kill me without leaving any evidence, but instead…it shrank me into this body." He stared pointedly at himself. "Ran…"

'It really does make sense, somehow,' she thought. Just when Shinichi disappeared, Conan came into her life. But, an evil organization, spreading its corruption? Drugs that caused a person to de-age? It seemed like something out of fiction, not something that would actually happen!

"It is…really you," she sighed. "Why didn't you tell me this, Co- Shinichi?"

He stared at his feet before opening his mouth to respond. "Ran…those men thought I was dead. If they found out that I was still alive, they'd come after me for what I knew, and kill anyone who was in the way. I didn't want to see you hurt because of me." He sighed.

"But how?" she said. "Those times that you called me, and…you even were there, normal, standing next to Conan!"

"Agasa-hakase helped me out," he said, laughing as he raised his bow-tie up to his face. "It's a voice-changer he made," he said in Shinichi's voice. "I used it so that I could call you. As for that other time…well, I had some help from Haibara."

"Ai-chan?" Ran said. Something clicked in the back of her mind, and she glared at the boy. "Don't tell me…her too? She's-"

"Bingo," he said. "Her name was Miyano Shiho, and she used to work for the Organization. She basically created the poison that did this to me…but they tried to kill her, and she took the drug herself to commit suicide; instead it shrank her and she was able to escape. She helped make a temporary antidote to the apoptoxin…that I could be in my body for a short time…but there are only so many, and I can't use them repeatedly, or else…"

"This is…this is too much," she said. "I can barely believe it…but…it really is you, isn't it?"

"I am here, Ran," he said. "Please…listen. I wanted to tell you last night when I had the chance. But…Ran, I don't want you to go! I don't want you to leave me…"

"Sh-Shinichi…" she said. Without warning, he launched himself at her, wrapping his small frame around her and sinking into her sweater, shaking with barely-restrained tears.

"I couldn't say anything," he gasped. "I couldn't do anything, I had to always sit by and watch you cry over me…and there was nothing I could do! I had to live with hurting you…it hurt so much, Ran, I could barely stand it! I don't know how much longer I would be able to take it!"

"Shinichi," she inhaled, slowly raising her arm to rest on his heaving back.

"I don't want you to leave…I can't be without you…I…I love you, Ran!"

She inhaled sharply. He had said that…that he loved her? She always hoped that Shinichi would return her feelings, but…

For the longest time she had berated herself over what seemed like a stupid crush on a boy who was just a friend, then and forever. She tried getting his attention, but despite the rumors throughout the school, nothing would ever happen. Eventually she had resigned herself to the fact that he would always just be her tagalong friend, and nothing more; she could take some happiness in that, for at least she could be with him, right? But then the day at Tropical Land came, and he seemed so…so different. And then, he left.

Only he hadn't left, had he? He had still been there, hiding from her. Staying right under her very nose, as a little brother to her…

"Shinichi," she said slowly. "Why…why couldn't you tell me?"

"I told you, if the Black Organization had figured out I was alive, they'd come after me, not caring about anyone who died in the process. I thought you'd be hurt, Ran. I didn't want to watch you die for me." 'Not that they haven't really figured out my secret anyway…Vermouth knows, but she is keeping the information away from those who'd come to kill me…' he added in his mind.

"…you didn't trust me?" she said, pulling him away to stare into his face.

"Ran, no, that's not it!" he said. "I'd trust you with my life, but…these things, these people are dangerous! You have to understand…"

"But love…is about trust, right? If you loved me, Shinichi, then why didn't you...?"

"It's not that! If you got hurt, I'd!"

"Shinichi, I am able to take care of myself. I know you know that. I just…if you had told me, things would have been so much easier! You know?" She stood up suddenly, sending the boy stumbling to regain his balance.

"Ran…you're not…" he pleaded.

"There are a couple reasons. I know that…what you've gone through must have been hell, Shinichi. But…no matter what you say to me now, I am going to go through with this."

"N-No!" he cried. "Ran! Please, please! It isn't too late, you can still stay!"

"Why?" she smiled. "The object of my desire is trapped ten years younger than me…no one would understand it, Shinichi! It can't work out, unless you're you. I want to be with you too, but…like I said; I also take an opportunity when I see it."

"It's not too late," he moaned. "Please…I want to be with you, just stay with me…I'll find a cure eventually…please, Ran…"

"Let me do this," she pleaded. "If how you say you feel is really the truth…then I know it'll be hard. But…I just can't. Not after what has happened, not after the way things are." He said nothing in reply, his shoulders quivering as he stared at the floor. She knelt and took him by the shoulders. "Look. If you get your body back, at some point, then…come find me. Maybe…we'll see then if we still have feelings for each other."

"…So that's it, then?" he said at length. "There's nothing I can do to stop you. You're just going to walk away, maybe forever? End of story?"

"…I'm sorry," she said, quickly wiping away a tear. "I had to choose, and I made my decision, and I want to stick with it. I'll be happy there, happy to have a chance somewhere. Isn't that enough?"

"Nothing is enough without you!" he suddenly screamed. "I want to…no, need to be near you! It's not enough!"

"You're starting to be selfish," she said. "My feelings don't come into this?"

"It's not that you don't have the right to go where you want…but I can't go with you. You wouldn't be able to support me as well…so the only way is for you to stay! And I'm sorry to say it, but you're acting selfish as well, Ran!"

"And now you are acting like the child you're masquerading as," she replied sardonically. "Look, I have to go. End of story. It is not the end of the world, Shinichi."

"…Says you…"

"It's not over, just like this!" she shouted. "If it's meant to be, I know we will see each other again! I just know it!"

"…I don't like leaving things to chance…" he sighed. Then, they both heard the door open, and seconds later Kogoro entered the room.

"…Is something wrong?" he asked slowly. Ran got up and turned away from Conan.

"No, nothing," she said. "Conan-kun and I were just talking."

Kogoro paused. Clearly something else had been going on; from the way the kid looked and Ran's sudden refusal to even look at him. He shrugged mentally.

"Alright. We're ready to leave for the airport anytime. Your mother will meet us there…so whenever you're ready-"

"Let's go now," Ran said. Conan jerked back, continuing to look away.

"Now? Ran, are you sure you want to go just now?" Kogoro said.

"Yeah. I'm ready as I'll ever be. Besides, it would be better to get there early so there is more time to say goodbye. Right?" she reasoned. Kogoro gave another inward shrug.

"If you say so, then alright, let's go." He turned back to walk out the door, and then paused. "Hey, kid, are you coming or what?" he said, turning back to look at Conan. The boy didn't budge.

"He'd get bored," Ran said quickly, grabbing her coat. "And it might be too hard for him to be there." She walked over and knelt in front of the child, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. "Goodbye…Conan-kun. I will see you sometime…or call, maybe. Take care of yourself, okay?" That said, she joined her father and they exited the door.

Once in the car, Ran instantly pressed her head against the rest and shut her eyes tightly. It really was too much. It had been her who walked out on him, in the end.

But…wasn't it the right choice? He had his business to attend to, and she had her future to think about. And it wasn't over by any means. If someone else didn't come along…if they waited for each other, then maybe…

As the car started and they began to pull away, Ran took one final look at her home. And in the window, she saw the despondent man-turned-child staring out with the most horrified expression on his face. And a forgotten pain blossomed in her heart once again. The road opened up before her and her father, and she closed her eyes again and mouthed softly the words set to her emotion.

-Kasuka ni nokoru yume tsukande mo
Nani mo kawaru hazu na katta

I don't wanna cry!
Hontou ni aishite mo ii?
Kokoro kara karada kara ai afureru
"Nando de mo futari de ikite ikitai."
Anata no koe ga amaku sasayaku…-

-

He watched her, driven away. Out of his life. Out of his heart.

Maybe it was foolish to begin with to think that he could change her mind.

But it couldn't be. What he said…what he felt…had to be worth something, right?

And he hadn't even said goodbye to her. She only said goodbye to Conan-kun.

Always Conan-kun. Never him. Never the person who loved her.

"'Love is an emotional thing, and whatever is emotional is opposed to that true cold reason which I place above all things'," he quoted softly, as if an unseen audience were standing by him.

Something clicked inside him.

What he had shown her, all along, it had been the cold reason he was so familiar with; reasons why she should stay with him. Not love. Not emotion…Was that it, then?

'I can't convince her with statement alone,' he thought. 'If I could just…'

He dropped away from the window, characteristic fire burning in his eyes. He walked through the now-empty house with purpose. It all seemed so clear now. He had to do it, or he'd never forgive himself.

It wasn't over. No, not yet. He had one last thing to do.


Author's Notes: Wow. Never thought I'd pull that one off. But I wrote it, and I think it came out decently. Even though everyone and their mother probably wants to kill me now. I know that some of the reasoning behind these things is weak. Bear with me.

Thanks to Firestorm2004 for being my beta-reader for this chapter.

The song that Ran sings is I Don't Wanna Cry by Romantic Mode from Gundam X. I never really planned to have a song in this at all, but it came up on my randomized playlist while I was writing this and I started to realize that it kinda fit. The sections I used roughly translate to:

I don't wanna cry!
May I love you again?
I'm here, trembling and throbbing
"I want us to live together any time."
I want to hear your voice

Although I made the decision, "I will be strong"
I cannot stop my tears and so

I don't wanna cry
Can I really love you?
Love rises from my heart, from my body
"I want us to live together anytime",
Your voice whispers softly…

Did it fit the chapter? Did it just suck? Should I never do it again or what? Let me know what you think!

Oh yeah, and Conan's quoting near the end is taken from his idol, Sherlock Holmes, and it appeared in Arthur Conan Doyle's The Sign of the Four.

Now its time for reviewer response!

Silver Sky Magician—I'm glad you really like it, glad you like how I wrote the drama! I was a little worried about it being a little melodramatic but I think I got it about right, and looks like at least someone else feels the same way.
Inu-youkai 911—Thanks! I got started on this a lot sooner than I thought I would…so hopefully it wasn't too long of a wait! And I've seen you like stories where they torture people. Angst and the like. I guess I would say, hope this chapter didn't disappoint either, but you gotta admit, it really does suck to be Shinichi right now, ne?
ZimmyChild—Glad you liked the story, in the way you…ah, put it so enthusiastically. And I do not have a problem as you wonderfully put it…
YumeTakato—I had a line like that in the first draft. But it got cut out as I made more definite plans about what I was going to have happen in this chapter. That's how writing goes I guess. Happy that you liked the chapter…as to the character deviation, it isn't really intentional. I'm trying to capture the change that both Ran and Shinichi would feel at this pivotal moment in their relationship with the other. Naturally some things will change, but I try to keep them relatively in character.
Sapphire Stars—Glad you noticed how Ran and Shinichi are really acting the same way! As for Sonoko, that'll be explained…sooner or later. Thanks for the review!
ShinichiEdogawa—Thanks for your enthusiasm and support!
Pauratagashi22—Thanks for the review! And I am glad you think it's a good original story!
Lil—Well, thanks for taking a quick second to review. Nice to know that yet another person wants me to keep writing!
Cowgirl—Thanks for your review!
Crystal Snowflakes—Wow, I made the reading list of a Shinichi/Ran hater? Don't tell me you just read it because of the ConanXAi label…In all seriousness, though, thanks, nice to know you enjoyed reading it! Even though it isn't really ConanXAi…
Kudo—Ran does have a stubborn streak. And is she really being selfish, or is there something else going on? I know the chapter wasn't perfect, but give me the benefit of the doubt and allow me to keep writing. I've left some things ambiguous on purpose to lead into the ending…if you've noticed, both Conan and Ran act somewhat out-of-character back and forth. If you don't like it though, you don't have to read it.

Thanks for all the reviews and critique!

I changed my mind. I wanted to upload this and File 7 at the same time, but I will not. It is almost finished, but I want to wait and get feedback on this chapter before I post the next one. Ugh. Let me know what you think in a review. File 7 will, in fact, be fairly short.

So, finally…

Next Time! What is left for Conan to do? What can he be feeling now? And how far will he go to see Ran one last time, as he wants it to be? One truth prevails in Star-Crossed Lovers File 7!