--------------Chapter 19: The Sudden Sickness--------------

Everybody soon off to bed. It was merely morning with just a blink of a eye. Waking up first was Kazuha, who had stumbled into the living room, watching Kogoro sleep with a string of drool hanging from his mouth. She grew a fake smile. "Geez, I feel bad for Ran," she told herself, stepping into the bathroom and cleaning her face.

Up next was Ran, walking slowly into the livingroom, and falling onto the couch still half awake. "Ugh.."

"Ran-neechan?" asked the third person awake, as little Conan stepped into the living room with a blanket still around him. "Can you make me some tea? My head feels weird." He looked up at her sweetly.

Ran sat up, feeling his head. "Oh, wow. You're burning up Conan!" she said in a tone of surprise. Stepping into the kitchen, she felt breathing over her shoulder. She turned around, seeing Kazuha with a smile.

"Food?" was the first word that came from her mouth. Ran sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Let me make tea for Conan, he isn't feeling well."

Kazuha looked outside of the kitchen at Conan, "Poor kid.." She looked back at Ran and grinned, poking her head, "Then...?"

Ran turned around, "Then you're going to have to make yourself something to eat while I take care of him." Ran stated, walking off with a hot fresh cup of mint tea. Setting it down to Conan, she checked his head again, "I'll go get some medicine, but for now you just sit here and finish your tea. Okay?"

"Okay," Conan nodded, accepting the drink and curling himself up on the couch. He watched Ran walk by, then looked up at Kazuha.

Kazuha sat down beside him. "Not feeling well, again?" she asked, watching him sip his tea.

"Nope," he replied, looking down at his cup. "At least the tea is good," he smiled up at her, suddenly being interrupted by a bout of coughs. He had some more of his tea, soothing his throat.

Kazuha smirked. "Right.." She got up, walking away.

Ran came back around the corner, handing him 2-teaspoons of a purple syrup. "Drink that," she said, before walking away into her room. Kazuha began to get changed into a fresh pair of clothes. When walking out, Ran flew right passed her. Kazuha grabbed her arm.

"Oi Ran, I need to talk to you.." she asked, almost in a tone of suspicion, while staring at Conan.

Ran looked at Conan, then at Kazuha. "A-Alright, just wait until I'm done cleaning, and getting changed."

Conan took the spoon and drank the syrup. "Ooh, grape!" he announced happily, thinking in his head, "Wow, never thought I'd have THIS stuff again." He cleaned the spoon off and set it aside, taking another sip of his tea before putting it down and lying across the couch. He doubted he would be able to sleep again so soon, but closed his eyes in that vain hope, anyway.

Soon awaking, Kogoro turned the T.V. on full blast. "YoOoOko!" he yelled out, almost in his "hugging the T.V day" stage.

Ran stepped out of her room, "Oi, DAD!" She ran over, turning off the T.V. "Conan isn't feeling well today, cut him some slack okay? Go do something athletic..."

Kogoro got up, tightening his tie. He walked out the door, "FINE I WILL." He slammed the door behind him.

Kazuha stepped next to Ran, "Ya'know he'll be out drinking, right?"

Ran hung her head. "I know."

Kazuha smiled, jumping up. "We should go to the market though, I'm hungry."

Ran looked down at sleeping Conan. "Okay, but at most only 20 minutes, okay?"

Kazuha clapped her hands together, "Right right." Then they both headed out the door and down the sidewalk.

Conan blinked as the T.V. was fiddled with and the door was slammed. He then realized that he was in the room alone. "Huh?" He sat up. "Ran-neechan?..."

Just then, a newly-awoken Heiji stepped down the hallway, with a wide stretch and yawn. "Morning!" he called happily, heading toward the kitchen. "What'd the girls make for breakfast today?"

"Nothing. They just went out to the market real quick," sighed Conan, sinking back into the couch.

Heiji stopped in his tracks, "Oh." He looked around the room, noting that even Kogoro had left. "Well, that's a little disappointing.. Eh? What's up with the blanket?"

Conan peered at him for a moment, "I'm sick, duh." He curled the blanket around himself more tightly, shivering.

When coming home, Kazuha had a pocky stick hanging from her mouth. She stepped aside, holding the door open with a handful of groceries. Ran walked in toward the kitchen. Kazuha followed in behind, putting the groceries on the counter. She snorted, beginning to laugh and poking Ran's back. "O-Oi Ran, don't we remind you of the little people in Snow White?"

Ran gave a slight "Heh." Kazuha finished her pocky stick.

"Aw, y'know that was funny." She helped put the stuff away. Ran stepped in the living room toConan. "How are you feeling?" she asked, putting her hand on his forehead.

"The same," sighed Conan.

Heiji looked down at him."L-Look, why don't you go sleep in your own room. It would be quieter."

Conan had his eyes closed, but he nodded, trying to stand up on his own, but finding it surprisingly hard to balance.

Ran helped him up. She walked into his room, putting him in his bed and covering him with sheets. Before closing the door, she looked at him smiling. "Hey, get better okay?" she said, closing the door. Conan relaxed in the blankets, still awake, but with his eyes securely closed.

Kazuha jumped on Ran once she walked outside of the room. "OoOi Ran, I'm hungry..." she whined.

Ran dragged her into the livingroom, "Then make something.."

Heiji, on the other hand, was still in the living room, watching the girls shuffle around. "Uh, is there anything I can help with?" he asked. "I don't think I'd be much of a cook, but I have nothing better to do, heh.."

Kazuha and Ran froze. "Eh?" they both responded. "Y-You mean you want to cook, Heiji..?" Ran asked, surprised.

Kazuha shrugged with a smile, "Sure why not?"

"Well, umm.. Even if I can't cook, I can always just... set the places or something," Heiji responded, shyly.

Kazuha ran into the kitchen. "Then I shall cook," she announced, rolling up her sleeves.

Ran covered the doorway with a curtain, "Best if we don't go back there, right?" she said to Heiji, as she sat on the couch waiting.

Some minutes later, Kazuha walked out with a plate filled with eggs, fruit, and a side of rice. "It, it wasn't easy..." she said, trying to catch her breath.

Heiji smiled and accepted the plate. "Thank you, Kazuha." He looked straight at her again.

Over in the other room, Conan finally fell asleep.

After cleaning her plate, Ran poked her head into Conan's room. Kazuha grabbed her hand, pulling her away. "He's fine Ran.." she insisted.

Ran scratched the back of her head. "I-I guess.." She stepped into the bathroom, "I'm going to take a shower."

Kazuha nodded. "All right," she replied, walking back into the livingroom.

Heiji was in the kitchen, cleaning everybody's plates in the sink. Once done, he turned back around to the living room to find Kazuha. "Oh.. Hey..." he said, stopping in the doorway.

Kazuha sat back down on the couch looking up at Heiji. "Oh, h-hey," she said, rolling her eyes up to the ceiling.

He turned away and smiled. Suddenly holding back no inhibitions and without any warning at all, he ran forward and pounced at her on the couch. Holding her in his arms, he let out a little laugh. "Hehe.. Got you!" He sat there and gave her a cheesy smile.

"Umph!" she breathed through the cushion of the couch. She rolled her way up to see his smile. "Y-You have changed, Heiji," she said, giggling with a smile, "Especially when no one else knows you're doing this."

"Well, maybe that's the point. Maybe it's just all.. for you." He smiled at her admiringly. "Gosh, she's cute up close.." he thought, admiring every little beauty mark to every tiny strand of hair.

Kazuha giggled, with a soft pink across her cheeks. She sneezed, almost sounding like a loud, "squeek!", then curled her body.

Down the hallway, Heiji heard the water shut off. He backed off of Kazuha and simply sat next to her. "I wonder what we'll be doing today.." he pondered out loud.

Ran walked out in the livingroom, "I'm going to take a nap.." She walked towards her room, closing the door behind her.

Kazuha rose a brow as she watched her walk away, "A-Alright.."

--------------End Chapter 19--------------