The first thing Ran noticed when she awoke was that there was a warm lump weighing down on her stomach. She slowly opened her eyes letting them adjust to the bright light coming in through a window next to her bed. Somewhere in the back of her mind she vaguely remembered that she didn't the window in her room was opposite her bed.

She took in the white walls and various machines around her and came to the first logical conclusion that crossed her mind. She was in a hospital room.

'Why am I here? Did I have an accident? I don't remember anything like that...'

It was morning, Ran could tell by looking out the window. She lifted her head slightly to examine the the mysterious warm lump, and was mildly surprised to find Conan laying next to her on the bed with his head and arms resting on her stomach sleeping peacefully. The overwhelming cuteness of the scene brought a smile to Ran's face as she gazed fondly at the small boy who had become the little brother she never had. It was times like these that made her realize how much she really really loved him, and she didn't know what she would do if he were to ever go away.

The situation reminded Ran of the time Conan was shot while exploring a cave with his friends. After the surgery she had stayed with him all night, just like he was doing no for her. She had been so sure that he was Shinichi. She had even gone so far as to tell the doctors that she and Conan had the same blood type just because hers was the same as Shinichi's.

'But the idea is one hundred percent impossible.' said a small voice in the back of Ran's head.

'Why? There could be some way, I just need to figure it out.'' Ran felt silly arguing with herself.

'Because Shinichi is dead and Conan is still here.' the voice responded.

'What?'

And then all the memories of what happened came flooding back. Shinichi had been poisoned, that's what Taichi had said. Shinichi Kudou had been murdered. Denial swept over Ran, she didn't want to believe it.

'He was supposed to be the one who caught the murderers.

He was supposed to be the one solved the crimes!' Ran felt the corners of her eyes begin to burn.

'He was supposed to prevent murders.' Ran's chest tightened.

'He wasn't supposed to be the one who died!

If he is gone, who will solve the crimes?' Ran felt as if someone was squeezing her heart.

'Who would put the pieces together?

Who would find that one truth?'

But Ran understood that one truth. It was telling her that the famous high school detective, her childhood friend, the person she cared the most about in the entire universe was was gone, and no matter how much she wished otherwise nothing could ever bring him back. She felt the tears finally break free from her eyes, her shoulders shook with her sobs.

'I can't believe it...I just can't believe it...there's no way Shinichi would let it end like that...'

Convulsions ripped through her body, she felt she was going to vomit. The tears wouldn't stop. Ran's sobbing grew more fierce, she couldn't breathe, the tears wouldn't quit coming. All of her thoughts were unbearable now, she felt as if her body was burning. She was dying, she needed air but she couldn't seem to remember how to breathe. She knew she was screaming, her throat was hoarse, her lungs burned...

"RAN!"

And then Conan was there. She felt him press the top of his head against her cheek all the while gripping her tightly in a fierce embrace.

Somehow his touch forced her body to work properly again and she managed to calm herself. That's when she realized that he was crying too. She couldn't remember him ever crying before. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him back as tightly as she could without hurting him.

Suddenly the room was full of people as a couple doctors and and half a dozen nurses who had obviously heard the whole ordeal came rushing in.

Conan was removed by one of the nurses as the her coworkers immediately began an examination and the two doctors took turns interrogating Ran about what had happened.

At some point in all the all of the madness Ran's parents were called back to the hospital, Kogorou and Eri had been there before but had left after making certain their daughter was all right and talking to her doctor.

Conan stood quietly in a corner away from all the fuss and continued to cry. He had kept the tears in for so long, but now he just couldn't seem to make them stop. So he cried. He cried for all the times he had lied to Ran, he cried for the pain he had caused her, he cried for what happened to him, and he cried for for all the people who would suffer because of what he did to Ran.

000 (The previous day)

Conan watched helplessly as Ran promptly fainted. and he scrambled to catch her as she fell out of her seat. Her friend Sonoko ran to the teacher to tell her to cal an ambulance.

The rest of the class stared at their fallen classmate in shock and then began to panic.

'Something is wrong!' Conan couldn't help the feeling from intruding as he watched Ran sleep peacefully in his arms. And suddenly he knew. Ran had begun to sweat and her face contorted in pain.

'Ran! Why didn't you tell me!'

The ambulance came and took Ran and Conan to the hospital.

During the ride a nurse inspected Ran and it was with great horror that Conan watched Ran be rushed to the emergency room.

Conan hardly noticed when Kogorou raced into the room followed closely by Eri Kisaki. After what seemed like an eternity the doors to the ER opened and a doctor walked briskly out to meet them.

"I assume you are the parents of Ms. Ran Mouri?" he said. Eri nodded.

"And is this her brother?" he went on referring to Conan.

"No, he is just staying with us for the time being," said Kogoro.

"I see. My name is Gosho Aoyama and I regret to inform you that your daughter is very sick."

"Doctor! Please, what happened?" Eri begged.

"We have determined that Mouri-san's illness is stress related and has been brought on by lack of sleep and high emotional tension."

Kogoro looked surprised.

"She seemed fine to me," he said.

"Do either of you have any idea of what could be causing this?" Dr. Aoyama asked.

"It was me."

The three adults looked down at Conan.

"It's all my fault." Conan said.

"Nonsense!" said Eri, "You have no reason to blame yourself about what happened. You are just a kid."

"It's that Shinichi!" Kogoro yelled shaking his fist.

"Shinichi Kudou?" asked the doctor, "The high school detective?"

"The very same!" said Kogoro, "Look what he's done to my little girl!"

Conan hung his head.

"Will Ran be all right?" asked Eri ignoring her husband's banter.

"She should be. Just make sure she gets plenty of rest. She will have to stay at the hospital tonight however so we can make sure her condition doesn't worsen.

"Doctor, I want to stay with Ran-neechan," said Conan.

"I'm sorry kid but she really needs her sleep..." Aoyama started.

"Please doctor, it's very important." Conan gazed steadily at the doctor.

"Very well," Aoyama gave in. "If it means that much to you. Mouri-san has just been relocated to room 725 on the seventh floor.

"Thank you."

000 (Present day)

Everyone had left for the time being so it was only Conan and Ran in the room again.

"I just can't accept that he's dead," Ran said while staring out the window. Conan glanced at her and smiled slightly to himself.

"Shinichi really was a foolish person," said Conan softly. Ran looked at him.

"He thought he was immortal." Conan laughed softly. Ran thought she detected bitterness in that laugh, a bitterness that should never be heard in the voice of a child.

Conan gazed out at the sky, and to Ran it almost looked like he was looking back in time, to a place that he wanted desperately to forget.

"He couldn't even defend himself when those men poisoned him," Conan continued.

"How do you know tha-" Ran was cut off by Conan.

"He really made a mess of things didn't he?"

Ran stared at him. Conan slowly turned to face her.

"Do you believe in Shinichi, Ran?" he asked.

"How can I? He's dead now,"

"There's only one truth Ran, but it can appear in many different forms." Conan stared intently into her eyes, "Do you believe in Shinichi?"

'Only one truth...'

"Yes."

Conan's small regretful smile grew into a large grin and for the first time since Ran awoke that morning, he looked truly happy.

"Then you should know that no matter how arrogant and foolish he is, he would never let himself be killed before he came back to you.

An impossible hope shown in Ran's eyes.

"So you mean he isn't..."

"Of course he isn't dead!" Conan threw his arms around her and laughed, "Do you really think he would die before you got to throttle him for leaving?"

At that moment Ran didn't care how Conan knew that Shinichi was alive. He was alive, and that's all that really mattered. Ran began to laugh, and she ran her fingers through Conan's soft dark hair all the while holding him close.

"Are you all better now Ran-neechan? Can you come home now?"

"Yes, of course!" She smiled brightly at him.

"Good! Because you know math class wouldn't be any fun without you."

Ran laughed again and hugged him even tighter.

000

I couldn't help it! I had to name the doctor after the Aoyama-sama. I think it's pretty funny.

How did you like the chapter? It took forever to write. Don't forget to review! I'll have the next chapter up soon.

ps. There are going to be a few surprises in the upcoming chapters. Hope you enjoy it!