They were some of the last people to leave Tropical Land before the gates were shut for the night. And as they walked to the bus stop the only sounds seemed to be their footsteps and laughter echoing softly between the buildings. Somehow Ran's hand found it's way into Shinichi's as they walked along listening to the teasing and laughter of the two behind them.

Ran heard her name mentioned and looked back to see what they were talking about, when Shinichi suddenly stopped. His hand gripped hers tightly and she looked up to see him staring at a big man in a black trench coat standing in the mouth of an alley. Shinichi started to back up then froze as the man aimed a gun at them.

"You're not going anywhere Detective." Said the man in black as he stepped out of the alley. She heard a muttered curse from Kaito behind her, the only other sound she heard was Shinichi's breathing.

'He's terrified!' She realized. She had seen him face down murderers without flinching but this man terrified him. She began to unobtrusively shift her stance, hoping for an opening to disarm the man. But Shinichi slammed into her, knocking her to the side. She heard a sharp crack and then Shinichi was staggering into her again, urging her to run.

There was a flash behind her and Kaito yelled, "Don't look back! Just run!"

Aoko was next to her and she could hear the boys behind them as they pounded down the deserted street past empty stores and darkened windows.

"Head for the park!" Said Kaito "Maybe we can loose him in there."

The gates were locked but it took just seconds for Kaito to let them in and lock it behind them. But as they ducked behind a merry go round they heard the gates rattle as someone climbed over them! Now Kaito was leading as they ran through the empty park, never following a straight line. They heard another sharp crack, a gunshot! And another! But the sounds of their pursuer fell further and further behind, unable to keep up with Kaito's apparently random course.

Suddenly Kaito led them in to a funhouse. "We can rest here for a while." He said as he led them into the darkened mirror maze, pulling out a small light with a dim, reddish glow. They followed Kaito into a dead end. Working quickly he removed a mirror from the back wall and reattached it across the front of the dead end so from outside it looked like it didn't exist.

Motioning to the girls to keep quiet he set the small light down in the center of the mirrored room. Ran took a deep breath and reached for Shinichi only to see him flinch.

"Don't! Don't touch me!" He hissed.

Ran stared at him in shock, and then she saw the left shoulder of his shirt was soaked in a dark liquid. She reached towards him "Shinichi?"

"Don't touch me!" He scooted back, away from her.

Then Kaito was there. He had the girls take the light and wait on the far side of the room where Ran and Aoko listened to their conversation with growing confusion and worry.

"Get away!"

"It can't affect me remember? And I can't let you bleed to death."

"Leave me and get them to safety."

"We're not going anywhere just yet."

"I said leave me!"

"Stop being dramatic, the bullet barely nicked you."

"No, not that."

"What then? Oh."

Shinichi moaned, even half stifled as it was it was clear he was in pain. At that terrible sound Ran jumped up followed closely by Aoko. But they had barely moved before Kaito turned around and said, "Stop! Stay there."

"But he's hurt!"

"Yes and I need you to stay back. Please trust me."

Slowly, reluctantly, they sat back down but neither took their eyes off Kaito and the huddled shape of Shinichi. The muffled moans grew fainter, softer and there was a strange, faint chemical smell in the air. It seemed to take forever. Each moment, each breath seemed to take hours as they waited. Then Kaito was walking towards them carrying a bundle wrapped in his coat.

"We need to get him to a hospital. I'm going to distract that thug and you two wait until he follows me then run."

"We can't leave you behind!"

"You have to!" He handed Ran the bundle. It moved! It was Conan? He was wearing most of Shinichi's shirt; the rest of the shirt had been torn into strips and used to bandage his left shoulder. He was unconscious and his face was sweaty and feverish.

"How?" Stammered Aoko. Ran seemed speechless.

"We don't have time right now, just come on."

He took down the false wall and led them to the exit. Cautioning them to stay in the shadows he slipped out. He hadn't gone far when a shot rang out! Dodging in and out of the shadows, seemingly a shadow come to life himself, he ran towards the sound of the gun. As he almost danced across an open space he flung something ahead of him. A bright flash and a cry of pain came from behind a building. Kaito ran straight for it. Briefly the sounds of a struggle were heard before the gun came flying out to land in a patch of moonlight. Kaito followed in a controlled tumble.

He had barely regained his feet before the man came after him in a mad rush. Kaito dodged with near inhuman agility while the man lunged after him like an enraged bear. The man seemed huge and menacing. Yet he couldn't touch Kaito who avoided him with ease, staying just out of reach. Taking advantage of the distraction, the girls tried to sneak past staying in the shadows. Unfortunately the man spotted them and turned his back on Kaito to come after the girls. Seeing them as easier prey perhaps, or as bait to trap Kaito.

With nowhere to run Ran clutched the unconscious child tighter as she shifted her stance, preparing to run or kick. She could hear behind her Aoko shifting her feet on the gravel. But before the man could reach them Kaito tackled him from behind. He didn't have a chance against a guy so much bigger then him. He obviously didn't care. Ran and Aoko ran for the shadows where they hid. Yet they had to watch, creeping out to stare in horror as their friend struggled in the big man's grasp.

Once the man in black got his hands on Kaito he seemed to take his time as he beat Kaito with a sadistic smile on his face. Finally, he held Kaito off the ground by his throat, "Any last words?" he asked sarcastically. In answer Kaito spat a mouthful of bloody saliva in the man's face where it mixed with the blood running from a cut below his eye. The man snarled, without even bothering to wipe the bloody spit off his face he flung Kaito to the ground where the boy groaned, unable to get up. The man reached for the gun, still lying in the moonlight where it had landed, when Kaito groaned again and shuddered. Picking up the gun the man said, "Don't bother trying to get up, it'll be over soon."

"Yes it will, for you." Said Kaito before he fell back with a half stifled scream. The man took a step closer before he clutched his head and moaned. A strange mist seemed to rise from Kaito as he began to shrink. The man shrieked once, horribly, before dropping to the ground where he lay, unmoving. After a few moments the girls crept out from the shadows. Aoko snatched up Kaito, bundling him up in his now too large clothes, before they ran.

The first thing Kaito noticed was he hurt but since that meant he was alive it counted as good news, sort of. The next things he noticed were, a smell of disinfectant, a steady, electronic, beep somewhere close and two voices talking.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. He lied to me. He made me think I was losing my mind! All this time I've been worried about him and he's been right here!"

There was a soft scrape of a chair being pushed back and one set of footsteps tapped across a hard, smooth, floor.

"Where are you going Ran?"

"I'm leaving. It's obvious he never trusted me; he hid this from me for two years! He hid this from me while I cried for him. I wasted my tears, but I won't waste any more tears or time on a self-centered JERK! When Shinichi's well he can find a new place to live!"

Kaito opened his eyes and struggled to a sitting position, startling Ran and Aoko.

"You don't have any idea what he has gone through for you."

The girls stared at him, their eyes were reddened from crying. He continued angrily before either one could interrupt.

"He could have left this behind at any time. His parents wanted to take him away, let him start a new life in safety but he wouldn't leave you. He stayed. He stayed to be close to you even if only as a little brother. Even with only a faint hope of ever returning to himself again.

You don't have any idea what it's like, trapped in this way. Not even able to use your own name. Seeing some one you care about missing you, worried about you. And you can't even tell her that you're right here, can't do anything without hurting her." Aoko felt he was talking about himself now as much as Shinichi. But he continued looking straight at Ran. "You've cried for him, well he's cried for you more nights than not. He's cried for how he hurts you, and for the things he wishes he'd said and done when he had a chance. And for fear that he might make a mistake and lead those murderers to you.

He's risked death more than once to return to you for just a few hours and you're going to walk out on him?"

"Risked death?" said Ran softly.

Instead of replying he turned to Aoko and asked her "What happened to the big guy?"

"After he threw you he screamed and fell down. I, I don't think he was breathing when I picked you up."

Kaito nodded then winced at the movement. "That's what the poison was supposed to do to us you know. Kill us, not shrink us, and because it's still in our blood the temporary antidote is almost as risky as the poison. And even if the antidote didn't kill there was the risk of being seen like we were last night." He fell silent for a moment as the door to the hospital room opened and Dr Agasa walked in followed by Ai, at a look from Kaito they shut the door behind them.

Kaito continued, pointing at the sleeping form in the other hospital bed, "You've cried for him but he's bled for you. He shoved you out of the way and took a bullet in his shoulder. And he wanted us to leave him behind when he knew he would soon be unconscious and defenseless from the change and blood loss. He didn't care if he died as long as you were safe! And you call him a selfish jerk? Maybe you should get the whole story before you storm out of here." Kaito was now pale with the effort of sitting up and the pain of his injuries. As he eased back to his bed he looked at Aoko and said, "I owe you an explanation, please wait until I can tell you the whole story before you make up your mind."

"I'll wait." She said softly. "You better have a good explanation but I'll wait."

Ran sat stunned and silent as Agasa placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Thank you for all the reviews,

Psycho King, this is what I've been planning with the poison being transferred by blood. How do you like it?

DaisyAnimeluvr,

greatkid4869,

Jax9,

YumeTakato,

Colormyworld,

Snickerer,

Fyliwion, the charm bracelet was fun and felt like something Kaito would do. With all the hidden meanings to the charms it began to remind me of a Kid heist note.

Janey, that's funny, my little brother kind of reminds me of Kaito a little too. He taught himself to be an escape artist and he has that 'anime character with bed head' hairstyle naturally.

Tigger isn't saying much, she's not feeling well this week and just doesn't seem to have her usual bounce.