AN: I don't own "Drops of Jupiter" any more than I own the internet. I'd like to own both, but I don't.

Ignorance was bliss.

If she were still ignorant, she would be at the dance. She wouldn't have gone with anyone. But she would have gone. As things were now, she only wanted to go with Shinichi, who was right there, but she couldn't.

She could hardly take him as Conan, and proving the tabloids right didn't sit well with her either.

That was a whole other kettle of fish. The 'Phantom Detective' was becoming a popular urban legend, something Danny found highly amusing. People were eating it up and she couldn't count how many times she had been offered condolences for the death of her friend. When she had demanded he set things straight, he had just fixed her with a glare and asked her how he was supposed to do that. For all intended purposes it was true; Shinichi Kudo only existed as a ghost.

After that she had decided the subject was on 'Topics to avoid'. Despite his playful demeanor with his powers, he wasn't very comfortable with his new undead state and would be depressed for hours or even days if he stopped to think about it.

It didn't do much for her mood either, so she pushed it to the back of her mind. If she was going to mope, it was going to be about the dance. In her closet was a dress she had been saving. It took only a second for Ran to change into the dress. Hey she could dream right?

"You look beautiful," she heard whispered in her ear.

"I appreciate the compliment Shinichi, but if I need to secure this room I will."

Shinichi suppressed a shiver. Whether through magic or technology, 'securing' a location was always painful on the part of the ghost. "I have a surprise for you. Close your eyes." Ran felt the strange feeling of becoming intangible as Shinichi pulled her from the room.

It was strange, flying while intangible. There was no feeling of wind resistance to gauge speed, no feeling of up or down. Usually the only way she could tell anything was visually, and with her eyes closed that was nullified.

It seemed like her eyes were closed forever when they stopped moving. She felt Shinichi move from behind her to in front of her. "Okay, open your eyes."

Ran complied and gasped, clutching at him tightly. The ground wasn't even visible from where they were, only wispy clouds. Above was the evening sky, brighter and clearer than she had ever seen. "Shinichi what?"

"It's for you. I can't exactly take you out for dinner anymore. Unless I'm Conan I can't even risk being seen in public," It was then that Ran noticed he had swapped what he referred to as 'the orange eyesore' with a black tuxedo. His hair had been amateurly dyed brown, though the attempt to look more human was ruined by the emerald eyes.

"But what about the temperature or thin air?" Ran protested.

He smiled. "It doesn't matter. As long as you're intangible, things like temperature and air pressure shouldn't matter. Technically you don't even need to breath. Don't worry, I checked and double-checked. You're safe with me."

Holding her in one hand, Shinichi reached into his pocket and pulled out something that looked vaguely like and iPod. He pressed a few buttons before sticking it back into his pocket.

Suddenly music surrounded them both, as if there were speakers floating around them. English words seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

At last she's back in the atmosphere With Drops of Jupiter in her Hair

HeyHeyHey

"May I have this dance?" Shinichi asked.

Ran grinned, the feelings of sadness banished. "Of course."

With only the stars as their witness, they danced.

Tell me, did you sail across the sun?

Did you make to the milky way to see the lights all faded,

And that Heaven is overrated.

He held her close. She meant the world to him. She was his everything, alpha and omega. She was stronger in spirit than she was in body, and that was saying something. She was what made it worth being Shinichi Kudo.

Tell me, did you fall for a shooting star

One without a permanent scar

And did you miss me while you were

Looking for yourself out there?

"Ran, I'm sorry this is all I can do for you. I wish I could be normal for you."

"You were never normal to begin with." Ran commented dryly. "And neither am I for that matter. If you were normal, we'd never get to see all this. It's beautiful up here."

"I know. I'm glad I could share this with you. Ran, does it …bother you that I'm like this? I mean you always hated ghosts and stuff."

She looked him in the eyes. "No. It's weird, but you were gone for so long. Even as a ghost or half ghost, I'm just glad to have you back."

"Ran, you know I never really left. I could never leave you."

"I know that now." She said, pulling him close for a kiss, "You are such an idiot Shinichi."

He smiled. "Yeah, I am."

Can you imagine no love, pride, freeze-dried chicken

Your best friend in the whole world sticking up for you

-Even when I know you're wrong

Can you imagine no first dance, freeze dried romance

Five-hour phone conversation
The best soy latte that you ever had . . . and me

They danced for hours, until the first predawn light told them it was time to get back. It was a good thing neither had school in the morning, for both slept in several hours. But both had a smile on their faces and renewed faith in each other.

Especially Shinichi, who had also regained a little faith in himself.

S$$S

AN: I write romance. Go Me!

In case anyone is wondering about Shinichi's ponderings last chappy, the reason is psychological based on how the halfa views his powers. Plasmius viewed his as making him entitled and thus became someone who took whatever he wanted no matter the consequence to others. Danny saw his powers as making him a superhero, thus he feels compelled to protect people. Shinichi's simply saw himself as becoming ghostly and thus started acting more like he thought a ghost would.