I am very sorry for the delay, lots of things happened and helped prevent me from acting as I wanted to. Unfortunately the next chapter is for adults only because of some very hot scenes of Heiji and Kazuha in the shower. I am sorry but I decided against publishing it here since I don't want to rate this story M. Instead, here's the next chapter (you don't need the missing chapter to understand the story, nothing from the plot is missing). However, who does wish to read this missing chapter, email me or look it up at my homepage. Sorry, I hope you understand and enjoy this story none the less. Lots of love, Jojo

"AAAHHHHH!" A scream that tore through skin and bones, tore through the light conversation that hung upon the cozy restaurant and the once comfortable silence that enveloped the table of our four.

Chapter fourteen – Goodbye?

Some of the guests turned to search for the source of the penetrating scream. To the shocks of our couples, the said source was sitting among them, for one of them was clutching his heart in an almost painful grip.

Ran looked at Shinichi in shock, the hand that he had been holding now abandoned and outstretched. She very carefully reached out for his arm, her eyes overflowing with concern.

"S-Shinichi? Are you all ri-…" She saw the beads of sweat on his forehead, growing more panicked. "W-what wrong with you?"

Shinichi gulped, trying to gather himself enough to gain his voice back through his panting. He forced a smile to form on his lips, somewhat relieved that the pain had vanished as abruptly as it had come. Maybe it had only been a…a joke his body had played on him. There was no way that he would change back. No change…

"I am ok. Sorry, I only…

And then he felt it again. The pain that started in his heart and shot through his whole body in jerking spasms.

'Oh my god, I can't believe this is happening to me! This can't be happening!'

And all of a sudden, all that he knew was that he had to get away. Had to get away as soon as it was possible unless he wished to shrink to a size smaller than the table he was currently sitting on in front of everybody.

"I'm sorry; I just remembered an important phone call I have to make, like now. Excuse me!" Even to his own ears it sounded so lame but he had no time to be picky.

He stood up and left the three back, stunned. Heiji felt like this all was happening in only a few seconds and he was completely powerless about the events. He had a slight suspicion about what was going on with his friend and he hoped with all his might that he was wrong. He put his hands on the table and was about to stand up as somebody else was faster than him.

"Excuse me," an incredibly concerned Ran murmured to her friends and disappeared in the direction Shinichi had run off.

Kazuha and Heiji watched silently as she run off, both concerned for their friend, Heiji more than her since he knew the whole background. Kazuha was completely clueless.

She looked with big eyes filled with worry and puzzlement at Heiji who only looked sympathetically back and lay an arm around her shoulder, comforting her the best he could while inwardly sending another, silent prayer to heaven, that his friend would be all right.

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Ran found Shinichi right in front of the boy's restroom, leaning with his hands and his forehead against a wall.

'Have I said earlier that life was good to me? Screw that!'

Her whole body was tense and hands balled to fists as she stepped towards him and slowly reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"S-Shinichi?"

He flinched a little at the contact and her words but didn't run away, only turned his head towards her. She could see his pained and hunted expression and felt tears coming up.

"Please, tell me what's wrong, I…" But she couldn't say more as she was faster in his arms than she could blink.

But she didn't refuse, just held him back with all her might, having a feeling as if something or somebody was forcing him away from her, again!

They had turned in the process, her back now pressed against the wall while his hands let go of her and were again holding his weight, which grew more and more unbearable with the minute, against the wall. She looked at him and at the miserable picture that he suddenly presented and felt her heart shatter. She knew where this was leading.

"Please…" she whispered, holding on to his arm with one hand while the other was against his chest. "Please don't leave me alone again, I couldn't stand it."

"Ran…" he looked deeply in her eyes and as he saw the wet trail of hot tears that ran down her cheeks almost started crying with her. His eyes did moisten, though, as he bent forward a little, through all his pain, and rested his forehead against hers. But he couldn't talk because it was a too hard task to not scream out in the pain that he was experiencing at the moment.

Oh god, what was he to do? What could he do now without putting her in danger nor hurting her emotionally? He couldn't possibly allow her to see him transform, and not only because it was too humiliating. While he was engaged with his inner conflict of what to do next, what he could possibly do next, he felt the pain that jerked through him in another strong wave bring tears to his eyes and thus he closed them.

The feeling of her hands caressing the backside of his head felt almost distant, as if happening in another universe. The pain and fear and hurt had carried him to another dimension and he could only faintly feel anything else or understand what was happening around him anymore, the feeling that he was about to fall unconscious growing in intensity.

All he knew next and this all of a sudden, he felt something warm and wet press against his lips. He couldn't bring himself to open his eyes, not that he needed to at the moment, but felt a sparkle of happiness at the touch and at the fact that he could bring his head to move against her to respond to the desperate kiss she was giving him, realizing that her tears were wetting his face even more.

Ran had grown more panicked and desperate with every passing moment in which he was not moving or responding but remained unmoving and panting, making sounds as if in pain and sweating stronger noticeably. He then touched his forehead to hers weakly and her eyes widened as she felt that he was almost burning up.

New tears wet her soft cheeks as fear was getting a very tight grip on her heart and she looked at him almost lost. "Shinichi? Please, talk to me, what's wrong? Shinichi, please!"

But he didn't say anything. In an attempt that was driven on by pure despair, Ran clutched to her hopes, to his head and pressed her lips against his.

Her heart cheered as she felt him lean in to the kiss, although not as passionately as she would have hoped. She pulled back and hastily looked at his face for any signs of change in his condition but found none. He wouldn't even open his eyes as his lips stayed parted and he panted harder than before.

His hands lost their grip on the wall slightly and he sagged against her, his head on her shoulder. Ran quickly held on to him tightly, using all her strength to not let him fall on the ground but keep him upright the best she could. Her brows were knitted together in concern in its purest form now as she repeatedly tried to get through to him by calling his name. But it was useless for it seemed like he couldn't hear her anymore.

Just as she started crying tears of hopelessness and horror, she felt his weight being removed off her little by little. With big, teary eyes she looked up at the familiar face who was lifting most of Shinichi's weight on his shoulder.

"I'll take him to the hospital." Was all that he said with a lowered, compassionate voice, as he carried his half-conscious friend out of the entrance and into the parking lot, which wasn't far away. He was grateful that he had parked the motorcycle there earlier on.

Ran only stood there, rubbing her own arms as she, crying, watched the men exit. At first she didn't even notice Kazuha who had come after Heiji and was now hugging her sympathetically, giving her all the comfort that she could bring up.

"Don't worry, Ran-chan, Heiji will bring him to a doctor and everything will be all right, you will see!" she tried to soothe her friend while trying her hardest to retain herself from crying along with her.

But Ran didn't say anything. In fact she didn't react in any way; the only thing moving were her tears that rolled inexorably south.

Sorry for the EVIL cliffhanger but guess what! I am sooo stuck here! Honestly, I don't know how I want this to continue! If somebody does have an idea, please tell me!