Rushed chapter since I wanted to get it up tonight. Nevertheless, here's chapter three! Next chapter's finale!

Dinner went by pretty quick. It was spent in somewhat awkward silence, the clinking of kitchenware echoing in the bleak house, and before I knew it, we were getting ready for bed.

"I'm sorry." I muttered as Shinichi entered my room while I was combing my hair, "...We didn't get to... 'talk'." I whispered, his gaze boring into me while remaining ever passive.

He hummed, "Goodnight then."

Before my mind processed what was happening, I jumped up from my bed and ran to grab his shirt, stopping him from leaving. I squeaked, letting go and murmuring apologies as I slid my gaze down, "Can you stay?" I asked, awfully conscious of what I was saying.

He walked past me into my room, plopping down on my desk chair, "You wanna talk about it now..?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

"No. I mean... Nevermind." I said, my cheeks heating up from his wrong response. I stood still in the doorway, looking at my carpeted floor.

His eyes grew wide at that time, realization slapping him in the face, "Ran..?" he called out, making me look at him, "Are you...?" I saw a tint of disbelief in his face as I realized he took it the wrong way again.

I retaliated with a series of stutters and flailing of arms, "N-no! I meant stay with me, like lie down and talk then sleep!" I exclaimed, my face bright red, "Not that!"

His mouth formed an 'O' as his mind finally processed my request. For someone that's been dubbed as the 'Savior of the Japanese Police' for his brilliance, he can be incredibly stupid and naïve, "Well.. I guess." he muttered, looking away from me as he stood up and took the covers off my bed before looking at me anxiously then moving himself to the far left of my bed, laying down and facing away from the center.

I sighed, "I'm sorry." I said, turning off the light and heading towards my bed as well. I laid down, conscious of the way the bed seemed to creak under my weight before turning to him, watching his back.

The next hour was spent like this, I couldn't find the courage to talk and ask the multiple questions plaguing my mind; like who the stranger was, what was bothering him, what else he wasn't telling me, and why we needed this closure thing when everything's fine... Though I can't say that everything's fine the way it was right now.

I couldn't tell if Shinichi was still awake or not, he seemed relaxed, his breathing deep and even. I was about to say something when he cut me off, "Kuroba Kaito." he said with perfect clarity that his whisper seemed almost like a shout in the silent room, "That's him."

I frowned, "The stranger?"

"Yeah."

"And..?"

He abruptly faced me, a serious look on his face as I nearly fell off my side of the bed from his sudden movement, "Did you forgive me?" he asked, switching subjects so suddenly that I didn't have time to think of an answer as I blurted out:

"No."

My eyes widened, my hands coming up to cover my mouth as if what I had said burned me, "I mean... I did. The very first time you told me." I said, my mind reeling as I tried to think of why I said that.

"Ran," he called out my name with a bit of desperation, "I want you to think hard on that."

I frowned at him, and I suddenly realized how close we'd gotten, our faces inches apart, his hand lying face down beside his face. He must've seen my gaze for the next thing I knew, he was holding my hand, intertwining them. For some reason though, I couldn't find myself blushing... and it scared me. I looked into his eyes, blue orbs patiently waiting for my answer to his question; and so I thought. Did I forgive him for his lies? For his deceit over my family? For his feelings? For his change? The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. I knew he was sorry for what he did to me and Dad, his guilty gaze towards me from time to time when he thought I wasn't looking evidence enough of that... but did I actually forgive him for doing what he had to do?

I gulped, "I guess I haven't." I confessed, a huge weight feeling like it was lifted off my chest, "I'm sorry." For his feelings and his change, I have no right to be mad about because even though I was right beside him every step of the way, it was as a sister figure, not someone he could see as a potential lover. I just wished he came to me instead of bearing the weight of Conan alone. I blinked, tears cascading down to the side of my face, "I'm sorry." I whispered again.

Shinichi chuckled, bitter, "Don't be," he said, letting go of my hand to cup my cheeks with both of his, "I wanted to hear this, because I know you." he said, smiling softly, "You get mad quickly and forgive just as quick... You never got mad at me this time, and your sudden change in personality makes me believe that you're keeping this to yourself without actually thinking about it. You know you don't forgive me, you just haven't realized it." he finished, and as I heard the words leaving his lips, I knew it was true.

...What now that I've said that I haven't forgiven him?

"You don't have to forgive me..." he continued, wiping my tears and grabbing my hand once again, "You just have to accept that what has happened can never be restored."

"I know that." I sniffled, tightening my hold on his hand as I scooted closer to him, our legs and elbows touching.

"But you still want to change it."

I nodded, unable to find my voice. For the past year and a half since his disappearance I've felt my world tilt. Of course I want to change it. But accepting the fact that Shinichi.. can never be mine, when for most of my life he's been there, he's been the one to support me when Mom and Dad split, the one to bring a smile to my face...

I closed my eyes, willing myself to accept, knowing I can't.

He flicked my nose with a finger, making me open my watery eyes and gaze into his deep blues. He was smiling sadly at me, no pity, just sad, "You don't have to right now, just don't get your hopes high. Alright?" he said, eyes searching mine.

I nodded again, burying my face in the crook of his neck, "..We've been together our whole life.. it's just.."

"I know." he cut in, running his hair through my tresses.

Silence passed between us, and I started entertaining a thought in my head, "Shinichi?" I called.

"Hmm?"

"Can you do me one last favor?" I asked, pulling away from his embrace and looking at him, determined, "Just please don't hate me..."

"I won't." he replied, voice firm but holding a tint of amusement to it, "What is it?"

"Kiss me."

He chuckled softly, and I couldn't help but giggle with him, "Alright." he murmured, closing his eyes and leaning towards me, making our lips meet.

The kiss was soft, just a touch of lips, and when I started breaking it off, Shinichi leaned harder towards me. My eyes flew open, his were closed, and I kept thinking of how unfair life seemed to be. Once again, tears slipped to the side of my face as I wrapped my arms around his neck, breaking off the sweet kiss and hiding my face in his cheeks, "I'm sorry." I muttered miserably. I couldn't help but think of how selfish I was being. If I asked Shinichi to be my boyfriend he'd probably say yes... but when it came to loving me back... I'm gonna have to wait until pigs fly.

"Don't be." he said again, this time burrowing his face in the crook of my neck, my as still wrapped around his, "It's the least I can do."

-dsf-

My heart wrenched when Mouri-chan uttered those two words... it cracked when Kudo agreed with no complaint.

I was the jealous type, and even though I knew my Shin-chan was doing it out of guilt, it didn't lessen the hurt I felt as I heard their breathing deepen and a moan escape Mouri-chan's lips. I was still at the Kudo mansion... I had planted a few microphones around the Mouri Agency after I found out Kudo's been staying there when I started demanding him for an answer to his ignorance, and though I felt slightly bad for intruding on their privacy, I'm glad I did.

A cup of coffee stood beside me on the desk where I was perched on, the small listening device (expertly disguised as an Ipod touch) held in my hands. It was nearing midnight, and somehow I can't sleep. I've changed the covers of Kudo's bed, counted sheep, thought of happy thoughts, but sleep somehow eluded me. My night job requires little to no sleep, so it's practically fine, but right now, I want to sleep and forget the feeling that my beloved detective had betrayed me.

I turned the iPod off just as Shinichi started talking again; something about needing help. And I headed back upstairs to try once more to find sleep.

Kaitou KID's confidence and ingenious rubbed off on Kuroba Kaito, but that doesn't mean that it's the same with matters of love. I had to admit, I had never planned on falling for the detective; playing with him, sure, a fling would also be alright. Just the friends with benefits kind of thing. But the more I got to know of my favorite critic: his never-ending sadness, his pain, his life... I couldn't help but fall in love with the man that overcame everything thrown at his way.

My mind started reeling with creative ways of Kudo confronting me telling me he loves Mouri-chan instead of myself and that I should just disappear. My heart ached at the thought as I lied down on Kudo's bed, curling into a ball, not bothering to put the blankets over myself as I squeezed my eyes shut, ignoring the constricting of my chest and I cried myself to sleep.

-dsf-

"I need your help with something."

I was about to fall asleep, curled around the man of my dreams, when his voice, serious and daunting, pulled me from dreamland, "What?" I yawned.

Silence greeted me and for a while I thought I had heard wrong and Shinichi was actually asleep... until his question made me abruptly sit up, my eyes widened and filled with disbelief.

"..How do you know you're in love?"

I choked on myself, if the question wasn't so betraying, I would have laughed at how his face was incredibly serious, and knowing him, blushing like there's no tomorrow, "Well... I don't know how to explain it.. but.." I trailed off, lying back down, this time facing the ceiling as I groped for his hand. Finding it, I squeezed, trying to find the right words to say, "Well, your heart swells, beats faster, and you feel yourself heating up." I explained, trying to be as logical as possible, "You want to be closer, stick your body to his, yet at the same time, your repulsed because you think you're not enough." I said, and I felt like I was complicating things more, I didn't even know what I was saying, "You feel yourself wanting to know more about him, wanting to spend more time with him... and whenever you're around him, you only see him, only want to touch him, only want him." I realized I was talking about how I felt about him, and when I glanced to the left, I saw him with his eyes closed, as if he was imagining something. I smiled sadly, turning to face him, "...It's that stranger, isn't it?"

He nodded, eyes still closed.

"Can you tell me about him?" I asked, watching as he opened his blue orbs.

"...He's a magician." he started, "I met him one time when I was supposed to meet you when I took a prototype antidote, but I didn't get to since he dragged me to his place 'cause he was sorry... he spilled coffee on me." he chuckled at this, "cliché, huh?" he said, looking at me with eyes covered in a reminiscent glaze, "He's funny, almost all the time, and he's one huge puzzle I can't help but be drawn to." he finished, sighing. And through his narration, I noticed his small smile seemed to reach his eyes, and I frowned. This is it, huh?

"He seems.. interesting."

"He is." he said, grinning, "I want you to meet him, actually."

I suddenly frowned, remembering the stranger's familiarity with me, "He called me Mouri-chan.. have I met him before?" I asked, suspicious of this Kuroba Kaito.

He took on a look of surprise before going contemplative, "You've met him quite a few times."

"I did?"

He nodded, flipping on his back to face the ceiling, "...Kaitou KID." he said simply.

I gasped, and for the second time within an hour sat up abruptly, "What?!" I exclaimed, noting Shinichi's sudden tenseness, "Why aren't you turning him in?!"

He sighed, "Ran, I trust you with this, okay?" he said, sitting up as well, "I need you to promise me you'll keep this a secret.."

I thought about it before nodding uncertainly.. if Shinichi trusted me, then I'll do so, "But... Why?" I asked, unable to keep the disbelief in my voice. Why him?

"I need help with that." he admitted, lying back down on his back, "I don't know... if I.. l-love him."

"You are."

He turned to me as I lied back down once more, "How..?"

"You look so happy when you talk about him," I started, closing my eyes as I remembered his look a few minutes ago as he told me of the thief that stole his heart, "The happiest I've seen you since your return."

He looked at me, and all of a sudden, I was embraced in a literal breathtaking hug, "...I don't know what to do."

"Tell him." Before you regret it like I did.

"I've been turning him away for a while now.. I've been hiding and avoiding him..." he murmured, inhaling deeply, his nose buried in my hair and I felt him relax, "I don't know how to approach him."

"Is that why you've been hiding out here at the agency?"

He nodded, "He doesn't want to be near you 'cause he's jealous of our bond." he laughed, pleasant, unlike the humorless laugh he shows the world the past months.

I smiled at his statement, our bond, I thought, "Just approach him normally," I said, wrapping my arms around his chest, making lazy circles around his back, "If you explain it to him, I'm sure he'll understand."

He tightened his hold on me, and I felt the side of my face get wet, he's crying? "I'm so lucky to have you.." he uttered in a shaky voice, "I'm so sorry for everything I did."

I hummed, noncommittal.

He loosened his grip on me, sniffling, "Thank you."

I felt so bad for Ran and Kaito when I was writing this... And I felt like Ran was being a pushover, agreeing to whatever Shinichi said.. Ugh! What is wrong with me? I feel so mean. :(

Tell me what you think! :)