A/N: This chapter is pretty much the same as last, but instead of Ran, its stars Shinichi and what happened before she came over. It also explains what happened with him. :)

Angel of Darkness

Chapter 2: The Woman In Black (Shinichi Part)

Seventeen-year-old Edogawa Conan sighed as he sat down in his bed, rereading The Sign of Four for what was probably the fifth time or so already. It had been ten long years since he was shrunk to the size of a kid by those men in black, and he had yet to find a clue on them other than Haibara Ai, previously known as Miyano Shiho.

It had also been ten years... since Ran disappeared.

The girl had, according to Suzuki Sonoko, one of the few people to see her before she vanished, been heading home to make dinner for her father and he. He remembered, when she came home that night, he spotted her through the window talking to a man in black. Even though he was high up, there was no mistaking the car and the man beside it.

Gin.

Fear had instantly built up inside of him. Had that man finally found out who he really was? Or was he suspicious and trying to get it out of Ran? He was slightly confused when he saw him hand Ran something, a small piece of paper perhaps. When he left, Shinichi immediately ran down to see what happened.

"Oh, C-Conank-kun...he's dead. Shinichi's dead."

He remembered her words from that night, and instantly had a feeling on what Gin might have told her. At least she was physically alright, he hadn't hurt her.

He convinced her that she was wrong, that Gin was wrong, Shinichi was still alive by calling her the next day using his old voice. It cheered her up quite a bit, but because she had yet to see him in person... she wasn't quite sure what to think.

It was soon after that she disappeared. Conan remembered after the phone call with Ran that he'd been eating some curry made by, of course, Ran herself. She said she was going out to meet with someone and that they could order in some take out if she happened to come back late.

After twenty-four hours and no sign of her, Kogoro immediately went to Megure, who asked a few police officers, and went along himself, to search for her. They immediately had checked Shinichi's house first, and then Professor Agasa.

Nothing. After an entire day searching around nearly all of Tokyo, it was like Ran had disappeared off the face of the Earth. Even Kogoro and Eri joined in on the search, both worried for their daughter.

Conan hadn't told them of her speaking with Gin.

He didn't know for sure, but perhaps Gin was going to 'explain' to her what had happened to her dear childhood friend, and gave him Kudo's address. That's what he got from what had been on the paper, which he had told Ran not to let anyone see, especially her parents, much to her confusion.

There was a high possibility that she was already dead. If Ran began to discuss Conan with Gin, or Haibara, he'd get suspicious. And once he got what he wanted from her, he'd probably finish her off. The Black Organization didn't want to reveal their existence to anyone who didn't need to know about it, and most of the ones who knew about them, were dead.

Things hadn't been the same since they couldn't find Ran. Kogoro's business went downhill. Eri had moved back in to the apartment to help take care of him, and Conan couldn't take living there anymore. Everytime he saw or passed by Ran's room, he felt too many emotions that he couldn't even begin to describe. The boy had moved out and lived at Professor Agasa's with him and Haibara, until he was fifteen once again. Then, he moved back to his old mansion. He'd been there ever since, all alone in that place. He'd gone and finished high school (actually, Shinichi just recently graduated), helped Inspector Megure solve cases, but it wasn't as thrilling as it used to be. Not without Ran.

Shinichi sighed, closing the book and putting it away. He remembered where he left off so he didn't need to use a bookmark. Already dressed in a pair of blue pajamas and ready for bed, he climbed in, letting out a small sigh.

Ran... where are you?

That was his final thought before sleep took him, and he was met with darkness.

Not even two hours later, Shinichi woke up but kept his eyes closed. A noise had woken him up from downstairs. The creaking of a door.

Someone was inside. Was it them? Did they know and we're coming to finsih him off?

Keeping his eyes closed and his ears alert, he heard footsteps. Not heavy, but light. Whoever it was didn't want to be heard. Probably not seen either, given the fact that they were sneaking into his house.

When Shinichi heard his door creak open he froze, but then relaxed. That presence... it was familiar, but there was something different about it.

Pretending to be asleep, whoever it was walked over to his bedside. His heart was pounding in his chest. After a few minutes of silence, he felt a hand run through his hair. He could tell it belonged to a female by the feel of it, and the sensation felt good.

When he felt whoever it was moving over on top of him, he froze. Here they are, about to finish the job...

That was when he felt it. Water? The ceiling certainly hadn't come in, and it landed on his cheek. Just a small drop.

A tear?

"S-Shinichi..."

'R-Ran?'

The voice was familiar. Older, but familiar. If he was correct, Ran would be about twenty-seven now...if that really was...

He felt her lips press against his forehead in a light kiss, so light he wasn't sure if it really happened or not. When he felt her getting off of him, he immediately panicked and grabbed hold of her wrist with his hand.

'No, Ran! Don't go yet!'

"Ran?"

TBC

A/N: Mwahaha. You'll find out what really happens next chapter, if you review. :)