Four points of the same star.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Detective Conan.

FOUR POINTS OF THE SAME STAR

Chapter 29

There is only One Truth (A)

It was a cool and clear night. Ideal for a stroll.

Well, in his case for a flight.

Kaito steered the hang glider with a hand as it went slightly to the left and enjoyed the fresh air on his face. He made a mental note to thank Jii as soon as saw him for having convinced him in adding a spare glider in his suit. "For emergencies, Young Master!" he had said. Smiling at the thought of his old friend, Kaito looked ahead while his thoughts went on their own.

He had left the hospital a couple of hours after Miyano had waken up. He, Kazama, Kudo, Ikeda and Matt had filled her in with all the things that had happened during her.. absence. Reliving all the events and all the narrow escapes of the day made him feel immensely glad to have come out of it with just a gash on an arm and a couple of scrapes and bruises. Only remembering the conditions of the others, especially of Miyano, made him shudder..

He had left the hospital with the promise to show up in case he was needed and to keep in touch. Kaito felt a little twinge of disappointment at the thought that the team he had belonged for months had ceased to exist. It was nice to feel part of something. Moreover to have friends who can understand your own feelings, having lived his own past.

As he flew on, his smile widened at the thought of the beautiful news.

The Organisation was defeated. His father's murderers had been arrested.

Oh, he just couldn't wait to tell Jii! The old man would probably start to cry in delight. He wished he could tell this to his mother, too. She should know the truth about her husband's death. A shadow clouded Kaito's face as he recalled his mother's face when she gave him the news of his father's death. Then, the day of the funeral. Then, the weeks later when she faked to be all right while her red, puffy eyes showed how much she still cried unknowingly to him.

Kaito himself spent a great time dealing with his grief. The urge to cry and scream out his frustration was high but his father's words echoed in his head.

"No matter what, Kaito, always keep a good Poker Face."

And that's what Kaito did. He kept that Poker Face plastered on his face, hiding his grief with a charming smile. For his mother's sake. For his father's memory.

Kaito sighed and shook his head in attempt to get rid of these thoughts. He didn't have to think of those sad memories. This was a moment of celebration. With this in his mind, he gripped the handle of the hang-glider and steered it to his house.

Ten minutes later, he was at home. He landed on the balcony of his room and closed the hang-glider behind his back. By habit, he slowly opened his window, careful not to make noise.

'Mom's not at home.' he realised as soon as he was inside. He nearly laughed out loud for his attitude. He was so used to be Kid with his mother home that he behaved in the same way even when she wasn't in the house. He was going to remove his cape when he caught a glimpse of his reflection on the window panel.

Kaitou Kid was wearing his white suit with the long white mantle and top hat. His monocle, complete with his trademark triangle charm swinging from the chain adorned his eye. But the effects of the battle were still visible on him. His suit was stained with blood drops and dirt, his sleeve was torn and at the height of his bicep. There were stains of dry blood every here and there on the length of his arm.

He hadn't had time to think of getting something clean to wear. Coming to think of it, he hadn't

even thought to change, not with all the things that were happening. He had only thought of changing his appearance a bit so that he wouldn't have been recognised. But he had immediately changed to his suit as he turned to leave.

Kaito slowly moved his arm and winced as the wound brushed against the bandages. He had to find a way to hide this injury till it healed. He couldn't let his mother or anyone else notice it; otherwise there would be too many questions to answer and even he, Kaito Kuroba alias Kaitou Kid, would have a hard time finding the answers.

'Speaking of Mom..' he thought, 'I'll have to go down to Aoko's place and bring her home. Yeah.. but what will I tell her? She will surely ask where I've been and what has happened..'

Kaito sighed, brushing his face with his hand and tipping his hat slightly to a side.

"Should I tell her the truth?" he whispered to himself. He turned to the wall and faced the poster picturing his father during a magic show. "What must I do, Da..?"

A sudden sound made him freeze.

A step.

Someone was there.

He swiftly turned around, hand in a pocket, fingering the card-shooting gun and ready to face his opponent. A light wind entered in the room, making the curtains sway behind him and allowing the rays of the full moon to get inside, lighting the room.

And Kaito saw her.

The blood chilled in his veins and all thoughts just fled from his head, leaving him unable to think.

His mother.

But it was only a mere second.

The moment later he was no longer Kaito Kuroba, the seventeen year old high-school student but Kaitou Kid, the Phantom Thief.

Kasumi Kuroba stepped into the moonlit room and stared at the young man in front of her.

He stood there motionless. One hand in his pocket, the other hand straightened the top hat and stayed there, covering half of his face. The cape fluttered behind him for the light wind, the thin chain swayed making the clover charm hover in air. He looked completely fearless and calm. An enigmatic smile was on his face as he stared back.

She couldn't know that this was just an act.

Kaito's heart was beating so fast that he was surprised that the sound didn't echo throughout the room. He faced his mother, praying that the poor light, the hat, the monocle and his hand wouldn't let her recognise him.

'Poker Face. Poker Face. Poker Face..' he kept repeating the mantra in his mind, 'Keep the Poker Face. Poker Face..'

"Kaito."

The mantra vanished the moment he heard his name. It took all his will power not to react in any way. Beneath Kid's poker face, Kaito was stunned; did she know? How? He had been so careful.. but when he left her at Aoko's house. He heard her words replay in his head.

"Be careful, Kaito. Don't underestimate your enemies and don't do the mistake to overestimate your tricks."

Realisation hit him like a punch at the stomach.

She knew.

Silence reigned in the room. Kaito knew that he couldn't speak. This was his mother. His mother. She would recognise him the moment he opened his mouth.

But he had to do something.

Clearing his voice as lightly as he could so that she couldn't hear him well, he looked up. The enigmatic smile was still on his face.

"My dear lady, I am sorry." he said in a barely audible tone, dropping his voice down a few octaves and adding an accent to confuse her. "I assume that you are mistaking me for someone else."

Kasumi looked at him and her features softened.

"I know it's you." she remarked, approaching him, "Kaito.."

The boy was frozen on the spot. He just watched as she reached out for him and gently caressed his cheek. Her eyes scanned his face and his body; the small gasps showing that she noticed the blood.

Kaito's mask creaked.

His mother's touch. The gentle caresses, the warm hugs and the loving kisses that had brought him up during his childhood and that still were present in every single day of his life. His mother had poured all her love on him; she had given him everything he needed, compensating in someway the absence of a fatherly figure. He had been lying to his mother for all this time.

The creaks on the Poker Face increased.

Mrs. Kuroba stayed still, cupping the boy's cheek and looking straight in his eyes. Her own eyes welled with tears as she bore in those dark blue eyes that her son had inherited from his father. The eyes that she knew so well..

"Kaito.." A tear slid down her face.

It was the last straw for Kaito. His Poker Face broke in two and a piece fell to the floor, revealing the boy hidden beneath.

"Mom..." he whispered hoarsely. He couldn't bear to see her cry.

His mother hugged him. Kaito hugged her back; the hat fell to the floor with a soft, soundless thump. He barely felt the pain at his arm but just the lump in his throat, the raw emotion that was threatening to come up.

He couldn't cry.

No, he had sworn not to cry anymore the day of his father's burial. He would have been strong. He would have cheered his mother whenever she was sad. He would be her rock.

"I always knew.." Mrs. Kuroba whispered, stepping back and looking at him, "I knew that it was you. Just like your father."

Kaito stared at her.

'She knew that Dad was Kid?' he thought in astonishment, 'She knew all the time? Or.. did he tell her? Of course.. Dad trusted Mom. He must have told her everything..' He looked at his mother and felt something twinge inside. 'I didn't trust her..'

Kaito was about to say something. Anything that could, in someway, explain his behaviour but a sound coming from the door made him look up. His stare wandered past his mother and he caught sight of a shadow by the door frame. A ray of moonlight pierced its way through the room and he finally saw who was there.

Kaito felt his heart fall to the ground and crash into a thousand pieces.

Cerulean eyes stared back at him with a watery expression but he could also see sorrow, hurt and... pity? He had never seen that emotion on her face. Not for him.

Aoko Nakamori stepped into the room and looked at her best friend. The monocle was still on his eyes, the clover charm dangling from it; the white cape was fluttering behind his back; the white suit he was wearing was shining in the moonlight.

Kaito was Kid. Kid was Kaito. Her Kaito.

This last thought was the only one in her mind as she rushed forward and threw her arms around the neck of the petrified boy in front of her.

The Poker Face shattered as a tear made it's way down his cheek.

"Aoko.." Kaito whispered, "I..." The words just didn't want to come out.

"You should have told me!" she sobbed in his chest, "I never thought..! Couldn't even imagine..!" She broke the embrace and looked at him, tears streaking her cheeks. "If your mother hadn't been so worried, I would have never known.."

Kaito automatically turned around. His mother smiled at him through tearful eyes.

"I told her what I knew because I knew that something must have happened." she said, "When you received that call yesterday, I saw you change. Your face changed: you were so serious. Like Toichi before.. that heist..." Kaito felt himself tense as his father was mentioned. "Kaito, you're not alone. You can trust me.. and Aoko-chan."

Kaito stayed still, unable to speak or even think. Slowly his brain began to work and reality sank in. He turned to look at the two women that were the most important people in his life. He caught a glimpse of his father's picture.

And suddenly, he knew what to do.

Kaito smiled his trademark smile and looked at them.

"I'll tell you everything."

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The following weeks were hectic.

Shinichi, Shiho, Rei and Ryu spent many days in hospital going through numerous tests to check their conditions. Shinichi and Ryu left the hospital first while the girls stayed there for more check-ups. The two boys visited the girls everyday becoming quite known in the wards. Actually, they were well known even during their staying as patients because they were never in the room they shared but always in the room Rei and Shiho divided. The nurses had long lost hopes that the two boys would even learn the meaning of -go and rest. It became a common sight in the wards to see a white-haired nurse drag either Ryu or Shinichi or both back to his room, threatening to tie him up.

Rei and Shiho on the other hand didn't know whether to be flattered, amused or just embarrassed...

Anyway, besides the boys, the girls received many visits from their friends and a few partners of work. Hakase spent every free moment he had with them, bringing them what they needed, whenever Ryu and Shinichi forgot it, and was glad to see them bettering. Matt, Chris and Luc showed up every now and then along with Ryu or Shinichi since they were residing at the Kudo mansion. Takagi and Satou would come to see the girls once in a while too.

However, the main reason for the police's presence in the hospital was to keep the press away.

The fall of the Organisation, the massive number of arrests and the names of certain of the arrested was just too much of information. It somehow leaked out and reached the press.

And the newspapers had a field day.

For a couple of weeks or so, the front pages of many of the most prominent newspapers had the face of Koji Koizumi printed along with the photos of the Organisation's other leaders. Pages and pages told about the Organisation's activities and the world knew to what extent one group of evil people could go. Especially if guided by a cunning and equally evil leader.

The truth behind many unsolved cases were finally revealed. Victims' relatives could mourn their loved ones knowing that they were innocent and had had the misfortune to meet or cross lines with the worst of criminals. On the other hand, many that were considered honest, were arrested for criminal activities that they had perpetuated in the shadows or under false identities.

Names were revealed. In the Bad side but also on the Good side.

To put it clear, Ryu, Rei, Matt, Shiho and Shinichi found their names and pictures on the newspapers along with the names and photos of the Inspectors that helped capture the Organisation's members. Kid was mentioned quite a few times as well; the reporters just couldn't resist to add the fact the Internationally Wanted thief had cooperated in the massive capture and aided the police forces. It was the detail that captured the readers' attention... and added another charm to the already idolised phantom thief that saw the number of girls belonging to his fan club double in a week's time. Much to Kaito's amusement and to Inspector Nakamori, Hakuba and Aoko's, especially Aoko's, annoyance. The girl had more than once threatened him to reveal his identity to her father, despite her promise to keep the secret. This would usually solemn the gloating boy and make the girl quite satisfied.

How did the names of the ex-MYSTERY team come out, you may ask.

Put a curious reporter, a talkative nurse and a policeman who hat had gone to have lunch break a bit earlier together and you'll get your answer...

The papers began to dig into the teenagers' past and old stories surfaced back.

Rei and Ryu's pasts were exposed to public notice. Shiho's background with the Organisation was revealed. The plan to destroy the Organisation was written in details and the role of each member of the team was known. People wanted to know the truth so the authorities found themselves in the situation to reveal rather than hide. All the things that weren't strictly reserved were exposed. The APTX4869, for example, was a secret revealed only to the highest police chiefs. And the role of a certain Conan Edogawa and a certain Ai Haibara was unknown to most.

Judgements were made along with critiques and protests since many pieces of the big, enormous puzzle that was the MYSTERY plan were missing and many didn't know everything.

But that's the world, isn't it? One minute you're a hero because you saved the world but if you make a mistake you're no more than nothing.

And that's what happened to the MYSTERY team.

Rei's suicide antique was questioned. Ryu's role as infiltrated agent was found suspicious. Kaito.. Kid's involvement was considered out of place since he was a thief. And, of course, Shiho..

Shiho's link with the Organisation was the point that was most speculated of. Many thought that once a member of the Black Organisation, you're one forever and there was no redeeming. Few believed that she was on the Good side despite the efforts of Inspector Xanders, Matt and other FBI members.

It was always like that. People just couldn't see that you can change, if you really want to do so.

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Shinichi was lying on his bed, staring at the blank ceiling. It was one of those precious moments of silence and calm that he had begun to taste again now that everything was over.

He stayed there immobile and found himself thinking of the past events.

The plan that they had worked together, the assault that had been thought in all details, the downfall and victory that had been shadowed by the casualties and, especially, Shiho's conditions and, at last, the trials. The final, definitive victory.

'The trials..' he thought, 'Good thing the papers were kept out of it.'

He had attended the trials a couple of weeks ago but the scenario was still vivid in his mind.

The large and immaculate court room. The high windows that filled the room with light. The long wooden benches that took most of the space of the room. The sombre-looking police officers seated on a series of chairs at the very left. The thin iron-bronze fence that divided the public from the lawyers' location: two long iron tables with a set of simple chairs. And in the middle, in full view of everyone, the massive wood table. And behind it, sitting on elegant throne-like chairs, there were the three judges, adorned in their official, militar outfits.

He had been allowed to attend the trial along with Agase and his parents: they were the only civilians in the room. The other people that were in the court room were mainly policemen and FBI agents. He still recalled the burning feeling full of anticipation and nervousness running through his veins while he walked down the aisle towards the first bench and sat down right behind the table where his friends were. Rei, Ryu and Shiho, still wrapped with bandages since not all the wounds had healed, sat silently next to their lawyers, listening to the trial.

The trials weren't only reserved for the Organisation's members. Ryu, Rei and Shiho had to be judged too. Unlike Shinichi, who had been glorified as some kind of hero, and Matt, whose role in the operation had been immediately cleared thanks to the connection to his father and his own role in the mission, the others had to fight once again. This time not against men dressed in black and brandishing weapons but against the people of their same side. People that couldn't see their innocence and honesty but just saw their flaws and mistakes.

Matt, after having animatedly protested his chiefs' decisions, decided to take the situation in his hands. This was his subject. He would be in the first line this time, defending the others.

He set to work immediately. He asked Shinichi to let him stay at his place for a while and began the massive work of collecting all the evidences that showed his friends unmistakable innocence. He wasn't alone though. He had gone seeking for help and trustful people answered eagerly.

Shiro Ayase, Rei's guardian, flew the whole way back to Japan to help him. After having seen Rei and granting himself that she was safe and sound, he began to help the younger lawyer in his work. The Kudos came back to their hometown too. Yusaku and Yukiko took charge of all the expenses that the trial might cause, despite the protests from Ryu, Rei and Shiho.

Shinichi had been glad to see that his parents had decided to help his friends so much and barely protested when his mother gave him an earful on being irresponsible, insensible to her concern and for not having called her when he had been injured. Rei had to endure the same lecture shortly after, though in a slightly milder tone..

The first obstacle that Matt encountered was Kid.

Kaito, who had to be judged just as much as Ryu, Rei and Shiho, had merely laughed when Matt called him on the phone asking him to attend the trial to prove his innocence. And when the bewildered lawyer asked him, without mid terms, what the hell was so funny about the situation, the magician gave him the most simple of answers.

"I am Phantom Thief, Kaitou Kid. Do you really think that a whole bunch of agents would let me leave if I entered a court room?"

Admitting that he had a point, Matt decided to work on his defense without his presence. And he and Ayase-san set to work together.

And then, the trials came.

Shinichi yawned and got up, stretching slightly. He took of the wrinkled shirt he wore and slipped on a blue sweatshirt. He left his room and headed to the bathroom. He caught a glimpse of his appearance on the bathroom mirror. The wound on his arm had healed without leaving traces but he still wore a light bandage around his head. The hit had been stronger than he had though and the cut was deep. The doctors had told him that it would probably leave a scar. Barely visible through his dark strands but still there.

'A remembrance of Akai..' he mused mirthlessly, 'And that makes two scars from the Organisation.'

His hand reached for the back of his head, fingering the spot where Gin had nearly split his head in two with a metal bar.

He went downstairs, careful not to make noise since Shiho was in her room, resting. She had attended the trial despite her weak conditions and still had to recover completely. Her wounds had healed partially and she had been forced to go around in a wheelchair to lessen her fatigue. Only in the past days, the doctors had agreed to allow her to walk with the crutches.

Shinichi stopped halfway down the staircase and looked up.

He had managed to convince her to rest after lunch despite her reluctance. He wished that Ryu and Rei were there too; in three, she could have been easily convinced...

As he walked to the kitchen for a glass of water, his thought drifted on their own.

The trial had taken many, many days.

Every high agent of the Organisation was brought in front of the judge and the jury. Akai, Vodka, Vermouth, Gin.. And others that Shinichi hadn't heard of or seen. But the names didn't matter. The list of crimes was enough to chill one's blood in the veins.

When Chris Vineyard had walked past him, Shinichi saw her look in his direction and for the smallest of seconds, her stare lingered on his mother and some sort of emotion flickered in those ice blue eyes. But it was just an instant. Yukiko didn't react to her look in anyway but Shinichi did notice that his mother reached for his father's hand and that he squeezed it tightly and never let go.

When Gin entered the room, Shinichi felt something bubble in the pit of his stomach and fought the mad desire to jump past the iron fence and hit the man. He saw Shiho's shoulders tense as he walked past them, escorted by three policemen.

But the ace of the card pack was him. Koji Koizumi.

Shinichi didn't know what his friends were feeling but he could clearly see what the agents in room did. Their expressions showed pure hatred and loathing towards a man that most of them had trusted and had obeyed to as their chief. But knowing what his mind had created had showed them where his loyalties lied.

He cared only of himself.

Koizumi didn't debate. He simply answered to the questions in a colourless tone and admitted all the crimes that he was proved to be guilty of doing. But over anything, Shinichi couldn't forget his stare: the one he had on his face when he was escorted out of the court room.

He shot a glance at his side and looked at him with the most vengeful expression he had ever seen. But it wasn't directed only at him. By the looks that Rei, Ryu and Matt traded and the glance that Shiho slanted at him, Shinichi knew that Koizumi had promised them that he would get his revenge whenever he would have the chance to do so. That stare was his way to tell them this.

It was a vow of revenge.

The jury reached an agreement immediately and the sentence was clear.

Life long prison for the leaders and all the high agents. Convictions that went from thirty to twenty-five years for the other lower ranked members.

Ryu, Rei and Shiho were cleared from all charges and their role in the whole plan was finally acknowledged.

Shinichi had cheered. Along with Matt and Agase, Ryu and Rei and Shiho. Along with all the agents in the court room.

It was over.

Shinichi put the glass of water in the sink and looked out the window. A car drove past his house and a couple of children walked by.

'And now..?' he thought, 'What will happen? What will it be of all of us?'

It was the question that had been popping in his mind for the past weeks, ever since he left the hospital. From the moment the trial was over, he kept wondering..

What will happen to them?

Would everything change now that they didn't have a common goal? Would they all just split and each walk on a different path?

Shinichi sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Rei and Ryu had left with Matt and had gone back to America. They had to deal a few matters with FBI and clear their names as agents. The two had promised to come back soon but.. it was strange to be just two in the house, just him and Shiho. Not that he minded being alone with Shiho.. but..

It was just strange.

With another sigh, Shinichi left the kitchen. He was going to go back to his room when the sound of voices coming from outside made him stop. He recognised a few voices; in particular, a certain accented male voice that made him go into the living room and peek through the window that gave to the front gate. A small crowd of people was standing out there.

Shinichi smiled ever so lightly but immediately sobered.

He had been waiting for their arrival.

--

"Come in, come in..."

Shinichi ushered his guests into the living room. After a moment of embarrassed silence, the group spread out and took seats. The large room looked suddenly very small with all the people that were in there.

Ran and Kazuha sat on the couch; Heiji eyed Shinichi for an instant and sat down next to his childhood friend. Detective Satou sat on an armchair while Takagi took a chair. Everyone turned to Shinichi, who was standing by the door, looking mildly amused.

"I honestly didn't expect this." he stated, approaching them and sitting on the remaining armchair, "I knew that you'd come but.. honestly, not all together."

"Never mind that." Heiji snapped, clearly annoyed. He jerked a finger out to the window, "What's the meaning of that?"

"That?" Shinichi asked, turning to his side. He turned to face his friend, "What about the curtains?"

"Not the curtains. That man! The policeman outside! He didn't want to let us in!"

"Oh, the guard.." Shinichi smirked, "One of Matt's ideas. A good one actually."

"Why do you need a guard?" Takagi asked, "I thought that all the men of the Organisation had been captured? Does he think that..?"
"No, no." the young detective waved a hand airily, "Nothing like that. We're quite sure that all the Organisation's members are in jail. We need a guard for the reporters and to keep away the curious people. We were assaulted for a couple of days with letters, telephone calls and people knocking at the door wanting to know more. We had to do something because Hakase couldn't tackle all those people on his own and the four of us couldn't do much either since we had been just dismissed from the hospital. The guard will leave in another couple of days, once Rei and Ryu will be back."

"Agents Ikeda and Kazama are not here?" Satou asked.

"No, they went back to the States with FBI. They had to deal with a series of... matters."

A full-blown silence followed his statement. Shinichi had said it.

They were all here to deal matters.

They all wanted answers.

And he had to give them what they asked for.

He had already talked with Inspector Megure after the trials. He had told him everything, along with Shiho, Rei and Ryu. Saying that the man was astounded was an understatement but he had accepted it. He had patted Shinichi's back when they bid goodbye and had murmured a soft -thank you for the help you gave us- before leaving in his car. He supposed that Satou and Takagi were there now because Megure had thought that he should decide to whom tell the truth or not. The man had given the boy a great display of loyalty.

Heiji had called him hardly a week ago, saying that he wanted to speak to him about the past events. Shinichi had said that he waited for his visit the coming week. The Osaka teen wasn't too happy because he wanted immediate answers.

As for Ran, Shinichi called her himself. He wanted to talk to her privately and explain what he did during his absence. He felt that he owed her a full explanation if he wanted to hope to keep their childhood friendship. He knew that he had to explain her why he did most of the things he did. And most of all, why he kept her out.

But, unfortunately, Ran couldn't come. Although maybe, he thought, she didn't want to come.

Shinichi's eyes averted to the long-haired girl sitting on the couch. She was looking at him with an oddly detached and serious look. He had seen that look before.

It was the one she had whenever she suspected him. The look she had when she thought that Conan was a little too smart. A little too adult-like. A little too similar to him, Shinichi.

Every time, he had managed to convince her that she was wrong. He always came up with a different plan either on his own or with Hakase's or Ai's help.

'You guessed right, Ran..' he thought, 'From the start..'

He looked around and was greeted by questioning stares.

He had to start.

'It shouldn't be difficult after all..' he thought, clearing his voice, 'It's just like when you solve a case. Expose all the clues and details.. and reveal the truth.'

"I will ask you only one thing." He scanned the room, sitting up straight, "Please, whatever will be said here must not leave this room."

He received firm nods from Satou and Takagi. Heiji did the same. Kazuha looked slightly confused but nodded nevertheless. Ran stared at him and only after a few moments, she nodded.

"Thanks." the young detective said, "I knew that you would understand. What I'm going to tell you involves all of us... it's not just me.."

Ran eyed Shinichi.

He kept repeating it over and over again.

We... us...

It was not -me and the others, but.. us. One word for all. A solid union.

She thought about the boy that she had befriended years ago and had grown up with. Shinichi had always been intelligent and rather independent. He was also stubborn and maybe a bit too knowing for his own good.

'But he...' she thought, 'He was always gentle and caring..'

As he grew up, Shinichi's sharpness grew with his wisdom but also with his arrogance. He knew that he was intelligent and wanted to show it. Often in those days, Ran wondered what happened to the sweet little boy she knew. But, once in while, the tenderness and sweetness hidden inside him would surface and Shinichi would surprise her.

But now.. Now, she barely recognised the young man in front of her. What happened to all his ego? What happened to the restless teaser that she had to endure for all her childhood and that she had always loved? Who was this calm, serious, too serious, man?

Shinichi glanced at Ran, feeling her stare and she immediately averted her gaze. He lingered on her for a moment before looking at the others.

"So..." he started, "I'll start from the very beginning.

Everything started with Ryu and Matt nearly.. two years ago. They had both entered FBI straight after college and were trying to find information about the murderer of Ryu' family." He paused. "I don't think that I have tell you anything more about Ryu's past: the papers have given even too much information, in my opinion.

Anyway, one day, Ryu received a message from a woman, Akemi Miyano, who asked to speak with him and he agreed to do so. They met and despite his initial uncertainty, Ryu began to trust her because Akemi-san knew things of his past. She confided him about the existence of a big underground criminal group involved in all kinds of crimes: thefts, receiving of stolen properties, corruption, murders. The only way to recognize them was the colour of their clothing. Black."

"The Organisation.." Takagi muttered audibly.

"Yes.." Shinichi remarked, "Ryu, who had seen his parent's murderer, connected him to the Organisation and wanted to know more. Akemi-san gave all the information she knew but unfortunately they weren't much; she knew that there were many double crossers, corrupted agents but didn't have any name to tell him. Ryu decided to set to work and began to collect information along with Matt. But it still wasn't enough: the amount of information they gathered wasn't what they looked for. They needed something more and so they decided to take the risk.

Ryu infiltrated in the Organisation and began to steal information and bring it out to Matt. They worked in this way for weeks but, again, they crossed an obstacle. The files that they had were getting too complicated to read and most were written in a cryptic code. It was at this point that they decided to include another person in their team: Rei.

She had entered FBI after college too and was a trusted friend. Her help was very precious to them; her knowledge of cryptography made them gain more details about the Organisation.

Many months passed and they were working steadily. They gathered more and more information regarding the Organisation; many old cases that had been closed were re-opened and.. Ryu and Rei found out the truth about their pasts."

Shinichi paused again. An eerie silence greeted his words: everyone was engrossed by his story.

"It was all going well. None of them thought that the Organisation might know what they were doing; even less, they could immagine that some of the men in black had infiltrated in FBI as well.

One day, Ryu vanished, leaving nothing but a note to Rei and Matt telling them that they had been discovered and that they were all in danger. Matt advised Rei to hide till they knew how their situation was going to develop. Hoping that it was going to get better.

But it didn't. Things just got worse and worse.

Ryu was suspected to be a traitor, Rei and Matt to be in collusion with him and double-crossers themselves. Rei and Matt didn't have the slightest idea of where Ryu was; if he was fine.. even alive.. while the Organisation knew that Rei was involved with Ryu.

That's why Rei had to put up the stunt of her suicide. It gave her time to find Ryu and also to be safe from the Organisation for a bit of time. Matt and his father helped her in this. I know that it's illegal." Shinichi turned to Heiji as he said this. The boy had opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water since the other boy answered his unsaid question. "But she didn't have any other choice. She didn't have time to think of something else."

No longer he had said this, Shinichi's thoughts wandered back to a couple of months ago when Rei had appeared at Hakase's house. He remembered the feeling of relief that he had felt since she was alive and not dead as he had thought for the previous couple of weeks. The feeling had been slowly replaced by anger when she told him that it had been an act.

'And now, I'm here telling the others to understand her..' he mused, 'While I didn't understand her myself..'

He inwardly thought of how fast his opinion had changed with time.

"But didn't she tell anyone that it was just an act?"

Shinichi's attention turned to Kazuha who looked quite surprised to have asked a question.

"No, Toyama-san." he said, "She didn't tell anyone but Matt, his father and her guardian. I didn't know anything and neither di my parents. We were all worried for her and had nearly come to the conclusion that she had really died."

Another moment of silence greeted his words.

"Anyway, Rei managed to find Ryu's name on the passengers' list of a flight heading to Japan and she came here too. After a couple of weeks of hiding and when she was sure that the news of her suicide was widely known, she came to find me."

Shinichi stopped knowing that he had come to the point where he must give lots and lots of explanations. He saw Heiji looking at him with a look of understanding and nodded ever so lightly.

"Where have you been for the last year, Kudo-kun?" Takagi finally asked, "You said that you never left but I didn't see you if not once or twice. Where have you been?"

The question lingered in air for a moment. All heads turned towards the boy but he looked down at the floor, trying to find the words to start.

Finally, he stood up.

"Just give me a minute." he said, "I have to take something."

Without further explanations, he left the room and went upstairs. Careful not to make a sound, he headed to his room and opened a drawer in his desk and took out two items that he had carefully left inside. Two reminders of the past.

"Hello, my friend.." Shinichi whispered softly, "You will come back for a while.."

He put them in his sweat shirt's pockets and walked out of his room. He casually turned to look at the door next to his. It was still closed and no sounds came out of it.

'She must be still asleep..' he thought and smiled slightly, glad that she had followed his advise for once. And he went back downstairs.

As he entered the room, he saw all his guests looking tense as though awaiting some startling news.

'You have no idea of what I'm going to tell you..' he thought. He didn't feel ready yet, so he thought of a diversion till his nerves settled down.

"I think I've forgotten my manners." he said, apologetically, "Do you want something to drink?"

A few murmured yes reached him and he left to get something in the kitchen.

"Hey, Kudo."

Shinichi looked up over the fridge's door that he had opened to see if he had any soft drinks left and met the stern gaze of the Western Detective.

"Hattori." he said, straightening up.

"What are you going to do?" the teen asked without mid terms.

Knowing what was the subject of the question, Shinichi turned and put a kettle on the stove.

"Say the truth." he replied without turning around.

"Everything?" the Osaka teen asked.

"Everything." This time the eastern detective was facing him.

Heiji's eyes lingered on Shinichi.

"What about...?" he started to say but he was hastily interrupted.

"Ran will understand." Shinichi remarked, "She must understand."

"Kudo, you do know that she will probably hate you for the rest of her life? At the very least?"

Shinichi looked at the other boy.

"Not more than she already dislikes me." he said with a sad smile, "I lied and hurt her. I can't expect anything less from her."

Heiji digested his words and watched him put glasses on a tray along with a bottle of Coke. The two boys stayed in silence for a couple of minutes. Only when the kettle whistled and Shinichi switched the stove off, Heiji came up with another question that had been nagging him in the past weeks.

"Did you and Ran-san break up?" he asked, feeling slightly awkward to discuss these kind of things with Kudo but he had noticed the looks Ran-san had shot him. He had also had to endure many annoying dialogues with Kazuha on the subject.

"We were never a couple, Hattori." Shinichi replied as he put the tea leaves into the kettle and took out some cups from the cupboard.

"You know what I mean.."

"We.. Ran and I talked and... decided to be friends." Shinichi was pouring the tea in the cups but Heiji noticed that his tone was slightly wavering. "I hope we'll still be friends."

"Does that Miyano girl have something to do with this?"

Shinichi looked up, hearing the hint of anger in Heiji's tone. He knew that the Osaka teen was very fond of Ran and he knew that he hated to see her suffer. Shinichi still remembered the times when he would coax him to reveal Ran the truth about his conditions. Like that time at the hospital after he had been shot.

"Hattori..." he said in a should-be calming tone.

"Who is she?" Heiji demanded, cutting through his sentence, "She's in the Organisation, right? What does she have to do with you?"

"She was in the Organisation." Shinichi tone was like ice and this surprised Heiji who fell silent. "As for our relationship.. it's something that I can't explain so easily..."

Heiji wasn't going to let away so easily though.

"Then, tell me this." The Western Detective approached his detective friend rather menacingly. "Why, why on earth, Kudo, didn't you tell me that she was like you?"

Shinichi stared at him but he was spared to answer thanks to Detective Satou's arrival at the kitchen's door.

"I wondered if you needed a hand.." she explained, eyeing the two boys who walked away from each other, "To bring everything."

"Thanks, Satou-san." Shinichi said, with a small smile, "Why don't you take the tray? Hattori, take the cups and tea on this tray. I'll bring something to eat."

Hattori mumbled something that sounded to Shinichi as a menace saying that had not finished yet and left with the heavy tray. Satou looked at him and then at Shinichi and left with her tray. Shinichi sighed and fished a packet of biscuits from the pantry and poured some on a plate and left himself. He entered the living room and found people helping themselves on the drinks and left the plate on the table as well and sat back on his seat.

He waited a few minutes and only when everything went quiet again, he spoke again.

"As I said at the hospital, I never left Tokyo." he said slowly, "I stayed here, hiding... if we can say so." He passed a hand through his hair. "I think that I should start from the beginning.. I got involved with the Organisation nearly a year and a half ago." Shinichi took a deep breath and turned to his side. "Ran?"

The girl visibly jumped to be addressed without any warning. Gladly, she wasn't holding anything in her hands.

"Yes?" she asked, turning to look at him but without meeting his eyes.

"Do you remember when we went to Tropical Land together more or less a year and a half ago?"

Ran stared at him and nodded.

"Yes." she replied slowly, "You vanished right that day. You said that you would have come along with me back home but suddenly, you changed idea and left, saying me to go ahead and that you would have caught up."

"Right." Shinichi smiled slightly, noticing that she remembered all these details of his departure and turned to Takagi and Satou. "Detectives, do you remember the murder that occurred on the roller coaster, there at Tropical Land?" The two nodded and the boy proceeded. "There were two people there that had caught my attention and, unfortunately, they were the beginning of all my problems.."

Shinichi paused.

"While I was walking away with Ran, I caught sight of Vodka, one of the men in black, lurking suspiciously near an alley. I knew that he had to be up to something so I followed him after leaving Ran. I found out that I was right: Vodka was black-mailing a man. I had a camera with me so I started taking pictures but this lowered my guard and attention. I didn't hear or even notice that Gin was behind me. The next thing I knew was a metal bar slamming against my head and my blood flowing down my face and neck."

Ran gasped in horror along with Kazuha.

"I fell down on the ground and heard Gin and Vodka talking about how to get rid me." Shinichi paused, knowing that he had come to the poignant point. "Vodka was ready to shoot me on the spot but Gin.. didn't. He didn't want to attract the police's attention. I remember him saying that I would have been their guinea pig for the testing of a poison." Shinichi glanced at his small audience and saw the tensed looks on their faces. "You see, the Organisation, we found out later, supported the research and creation of poisons and drugs along with their other criminal activities. The one that Gin was speaking of is called APTX-4869: a traceless, lethal poison. I wasn't very clear minded for the hit on my head but I clearly remember Gin lifting me and force feed me a capsule along with some water and then leave me crumple to the ground again. Gin and Vodka left immediately, leaving me there on the ground, sure that I was dead for the poison."

Shinichi looked up, trying to keep his calm now that he was going to reveal his secret.

"They were wrong. I didn't die as you can see, otherwise I wouldn't be here talking to you." A faint trace of a smile made its way on his face but quickly disappeared. "Fortunately for me, they had left without checking if I had really died and, fortunately again, the poison didn't accomplish it's final task. Though it did effect me."

"Kudo-kun.." Satou sat up on her chair, looking concerned, hearing the boy's troubled tone, "What happened to you?"

"The poison had a..peculiar side-effect. It.. it effected my body without killing me. Somehow, it saved my life though it created me lots of problems."

"What happened to you?"

Shinichi looked up as Ran spoke. Her tone was clear and unwavering but with a hint of sharpness that made him understand that he had to tell the truth immediately.

'They have already waited enough..' he thought and put a hand in his pocket, taking the objects inside and slowly laid them on the glassed coffee table that was in front of him.

Satou and Takagi exchanged a puzzled, slightly alarmed glance. Kazuha shot a confused glance to Heiji but he didn't even look at her; he only looked at Shinichi. But the eastern detective wasn't bothering to the stares he received. His eyes were fixed on Ran. The girl was looking at the objects on the table.

A pair of glasses and a large, red bow-tie.

Ran couldn't believe her eyes. All her past suspicions came back to surface, all the thoughts that she had chased away as though they were impossible. But now..

She looked up and met Shinichi's eyes and when she saw the sorrowful look in his eyes, she knew the truth. Her heart shattered. Again, for him. Because of him. She looked away.

A couple of minutes of uneasy silence filled the room. Shinichi's eyes left Ran and scanned the room: everyone but Ran was looking at him.

'They want an answer..' he thought, 'I owe them one.'

"The poison affected me. It.. it shrunk me." he whispered, "I was found by some policemen and I realised what really happened to me only later, after they had taken me away and mended my head wound. I.. I didn't know what to do.. I just ran away and came here to my house. Hakase found me and I managed to convince him that the.. kid in front of him was really me. He convinced me, on the other hand, not to go out and try to find the men in black or go and tell anyone who I really was. He said that I had to take advantage of the fact that they thought I was dead. We were discussing of that when... when.."

"I came in." Ran said, making many heads turn to her but she only stared at Shinichi.

"But.. that's impossible!" Kazuha burst out. "You can't be shrunken! Come on, a teenager cannot turn into a ..." She looked at the glasses and bow-tie, looking incredulous, "Into a seven year old!"

Shinichi leaned forward and took the glasses. Without a word, he slowly slipped them on his nose. When he looked up, Satou was once again struck by a sense of déjà-vu that made her recall Shinichi's words. It was so impossible that she just couldn't believe it.. It was impossible.

Shinichi reached out for the bow-tie but didn't use it. He turned to Kazuha.

"Kazuha-neechan."

A shiver ran down the Osaka girl's spine. Ran turned around in shock.

Shinichi's voice had rose a few octaves. It sounded unnatural but also significantly familiar.

The intonation, the innocent hint..

It was him.

"Conan-kun.." Ran muttered. All her suspicions fit together as though they were pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. And as reality sank in, a feeling of betrayal pooled into her body. All the images of the moments she had spent with the little boy that she had started to think of as a little brother replayed in her head.

Takagi looked at Shinichi in what seemed like awe.

"You were Conan-kun?" he managed to ask, "The same one we know?"
Shinichi removed the glasses and put them back on the table.

"Yes, it was me." he replied with a nod. His expression was solemn and sorrowful. "I didn't mean to.. lie to any of you. I had to hide the truth otherwise I would have endangered the lives of the people around me. And I didn't want the Organisation to threaten others because of me."

"But you didn't lie to everyone." Ran's tone made Shinichi turn towards her. Her tone was neutral but it also held a hint of accuse and betrayed hurt that made him look away.

"No, I didn't." he admitted, "Agase knew it from the start and he informed my parents about my situation. Another one that knew was.."

"Me." Heiji cut in, making the other people turn to him, "I found out on my own."

Shinichi quirked an eyebrow ever so lightly at the faint hint of pride he heard in Heiji's tone.

"Hattori found out of me being Conan when we -me, Ran and her father I mean, were at the Sherlock Holmes fans' reunion. Afterwards, he was the only one I asked for help since my shrinking. He could find information about the Organisation through his father or through the police just as I did.. staying with the Mouris." He glanced at Ran and saw once again the hurt expression on her face.

"Was this why you were in all the murder scenes?" Takagi asked, still looking clearly astounded at Shinichi's revelation that he and Conan were the same person.

"Not always." the boy replied, "I happened to be on many scenes.. mainly stumble on the corpses. A couple of times, I could find some details during the cases that were related to the men in black. But I obviously couldn't ask any of the agents or you, Detectives Satou and Takagi to investigate further because it would mean to put you in danger."

"Conan-kun." Satou said slowly and Shinichi turned to her without second thoughts. Satou smiled slightly. "You helped us so many times. I thought, at the beginning, that you were just a sharp child that had learned a lot from Mouri-san but now, I understand that it all came from you."

The boy looked at her and nodded in gratitude.

"Did your presence at the Agency influence Mouri-kun's abilities?" Takagi asked, "I remember you being on the murder scenes and pointing out the clues and the details we seemed to miss. Did you do the same with Mouri-san?"

"Er- I... I really..." Shinichi stammered slightly, not knowing what to say. He really hadn't planned to reveal the whole truth behind Sleeping-Kogoroh. "I helped him.. a bit.."

"What did you do, Shinichi?" Ran asked. She looked at the boy with a firm stare. At this point, Ran only wanted to know everything: she didn't care if it would make her suffer or worse. She just wanted to know what Shinichi had hidden her.

Shinichi toyed with the bow-tie in his hands. He shot a glance at Ran and, seeing the look on her face, he knew that he had to tell her.

Without further doubts, he took the bow-tie in his hands and began to search for Kogoroh's voice. He felt as though he had gone back in time to when he was still Conan and had to solve the case. Hands trembling ever so lightly, Shinichi brought the bow-tie in front of his lips.

"I used this." Kogoroh Mouri's voice echoed throughout the room. The small audience stayed still in stunned silence. "Agase gave me this at the very beginning along with a pair of super powered sneakers and a special watch: a stun-gun with hypodermic needle."

"So... the Sleeping Kogoroh is just.." Takagi whispered, "He's just your doing."

Shinichi didn't answer but his silence was enough to draw all conclusions. Ran kept staring at him. He couldn't make out what she was feeling because her face had turned into some sort of mask that seemed to repel emotions. For a fleeting second, he wondered what had happened to the girl he knew as a child and with whom he had grown with. The girl who seemed to carry her heart on her sleeve and was unable to hide her emotions from him.

'Did I do this to you?' he thought. Afterwards, he realised that maybe, Ran was just changing. Like he did.

"I spent the first six months of my staying at the Mouri Agency, trying to find as much as possible about the Organisation." Shinichi decided that going on with his story was better than waiting in silence, "Unfortunately, the only thing I found out was the name of the two that had nearly killed me: Gin and Vodka. I couldn't find anything despite all my efforts." He paused. "The only information I got was after Rei and Ryu's arrival six months ago when we started to work together."

"Now wait a minute!" Heiji exclaimed, startling him, "Kudo, what about that girl? She was here before Ikeda and Kazama's arrival: I saw her. She was in the Organisation, right? Who is she really? But, besides that, how did you turn back to your normal self? The last thing you told me was that a cure to that poison was still far from being fully prepared."

Ran turned to Shinichi and saw that for the first time she knew him he looked uneasy. Guilty.

"I can't.." he said at last, "It's not my story to tell."

"I can tell it then."

Every head in the room turned to the voice. Shiho was standing by the door frame, leaning on a pair of crutches. The white blouse she wore over a maroon knee-length skirt showed the bandages that were still wrapped around her waist and arm.

Shinichi leapt out of his seat and approached hurriedly.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in a hushed whisper, "You should be resting!"

She looked at him in that peculiar way that made him feel as though he was child that was caught doing something that he shouldn't do.

"The doctors said that you should be at bed rest too." she said softly, "I spent the past days laying on that bed. Can you say the same?" Not waiting for his answer, she went on. "But moreover, you should have called me. You shouldn't have started this on your own."

Shinichi felt the caring, concerned note in her tone and softened.

"I didn't want you to be..." he stopped.

"Judged." she completed and he nodded. She smiled slightly. "I have faced worse juries. Come on, they all deserve a satisfying explanation."

Shinichi nodded reluctantly and helped her to his seat. As soon as Shiho was on the armchair, he took a chair from the living room table and sat next to her.

Shiho looked around and was mildly surprised to see so many people: it seemed that she hadn't noticed how many they were at the beginning. She shot Shinichi a glance that hid the silent question and he gave her a wry smile and shrugged. She then noticed the glasses and bow tie scattered on the glass table.

"I see that he has already told you about the shrinking." she remarked calmly.

"But Kudo doesn't want to say a word about you." Heiji said sharply. He just couldn't get over the feeling he had whenever he saw Miyano. It was a gut feeling that told him to be alert. Kazuha shot Heiji a worried glance, alarmed by his attitude.

Ran's attention was on Shiho now. Who was this girl who had captured Shinichi's heart?

"Who are you?" she asked.

Shiho looked at her and shot her a half-smile.

"You know me as another person." she replied, "I know all of you."

Takagi looked at the young woman in front of him and felt a sense of recognition, similar to the one he had when he had seen Shinichi again. His eyes wandered to the glass table and when he saw the glasses and bow-tie, the missing pieces of the puzzle were found. Takagi's eyes widened.

"A... Ai.." he mumbled, "Ai-chan.." He immediately turned red for having addressed the girl with the intimate suffix.

Shiho smiled at him and nodded.

Ran stared at her, wondering as she had done before, how could she have been so blind. The same reddish-blonde hair, the same guarded, too-mature expression, those light blue eyes that often chilled her..

'Ai-chan..' she thought, 'And Conan-kun..'

"You are Ai Haibara?" Satou asked, looking at the girl.

"Yes, I had to use that name once I escaped from the Organisation." she replied coolly, "Actually, Hakase fashioned the name for me. I didn't have to improvise and make up a name on the spot..." She shot an amused glance at Shinichi who sweat dropped.

Ran looked at Shiho and Shinichi and saw the shadows of Ai Haibara and Conan Edogawa take their places. How had she been so blind? The way they looked at each other, the way they spoke without words.. It was them.
"Escaped?" Heiji echoed, arching an eyebrow.

Both Shiho and Shinichi sensed the hint of doubt in his tone. The Eastern Detective felt the strange urge to strangle his western counterpart for not understanding.

"I lived my entire life in the Organisation." Shiho said, looking at her hands on her lap, "My parents were Atsushi and Elena Miyano and they worked for the Organisation. They died shortly after my birth and I was.. entrusted, if we can say so to the Organisation's care. My sister Akemi, fortunately, was entrusted to some family friends since it was written in my parents' wills."

"Couldn't they do the same for you?" Takagi asked in mere curiosity.

"The wills were made before my birth and when my parents died, the Organisation was quick to see that." Shiho's eyes clouded. "They wanted me for themselves." The last statement came out as a whisper.

"Wait.." Heiji pointed out as a sudden thought came across his mind. "Your sister's name is Akemi? Akemi Miyano like the girl that contacted Kazama?"

"Yes." Shiho replied simply, "She asked Ryu to help her."

"Help her?" Satou questioned, "I thought she only gave information about the Organisation."

Shiho arched an eyebrow and turned to Shinichi.

"Didn't you tell them?" she asked.

"No.." he muttered, "I didn't want to.."

Shiho stared at him for a second before turning back around.

"Akemi asked for Ryu's help on purpose." she explained, "She knew that his family's murder had been done by the Organisation. She sought for him because she knew that he would have listened and, maybe, given her the help she needed." Shiho paused. "She wanted to get me out of the Organisation and thought that Ryu, and with him FBI, would be able to do so. She often told me that it was unfair that she could be out of the Organisation while I had to work restlessly for them. She couldn't accept it and tried to find a way to get me out.

Even joining the Organisation in the attempt.

Akemi was a field agent while I was one of the heads of the scientific-research group. So we didn't have many chances to see each other but whenever we did, she would say that one day or another, we would be free. She would have done to keep her promise... even if it meant putting herself in danger."

Shiho stopped and took a deep breath.

"Akemi went to Ryu pleading for help, telling that she didn't care if she would have been arrested as long as I would be free. She gave him all the information she knew and then left knowing that he would have done something. She didn't wait without doing anything in the meantime though; she kept accepting works from the Organisation with the promise that if she did what she was told she and I would have been free to leave forever. But... they lied.."

Ran looked at Shiho and remembered their conversation on the school rooftop months ago and then recalled what Shinichi had said at the hospital.

"Masami..." she said, "Masami Hirota was your sister. Her real name was Akemi Miyano."

"The Million Yen theft should have been the last of a long list of criminal activities" Shiho remarked, "It should have been the last work for the Organisation. Akemi thought that they would have really respected the deal." A flash of some emotion flickered in the young chemist's eyes as she continued. "My sister was killed by Gin after she had hoped that accomplishing the task they asked her would have brought the two of us together and Organisation-free. But at the same time, they told me that they would have let us free once I had finished my task."

"What was it?" Satou asked.

"I was in the scientific group." Shiho paused. "I worked on the development and research of drugs."

"WHAT?" Heiji exclaimed, jumping out of his seat. Shinichi and Shiho looked startled by the sudden outburst: Shiho hadn't said anything that the papers hadn't already divulged.

"Then... you..." Heiji pointed a finger at Shiho, trembling in barely hidden rage, "You made the drug!"

Shinichi and Shiho exchanged a glance while everyone else turned to look at Heiji. It seemed that they didn't seem to see what was happening.

Not immediately..

The drug plus Conan and Ai equals...

"You made the poison that shrunk.. both..." Ran murmured. Every set of eyes was fixed on Shiho. Only Shinichi's didn't have suspicion in them.

Shiho smiled her peculiar half smile and sat straighter, careful not move too abruptly for her wound.

"Yes, I made the poison that shrank Shinichi and me." she admitted, "It's called Apotoxin 4869, APTX-4869. The drug isn't only responsible of the 'Apothosis', that is death, but also leads to the activation of a hormone that increases the efficiency of cellular multiplication. It's efficiency is immediate. It's untraceable in any blood testing. The death would be classified as a natural one in absence of any other proof."

Shiho was speaking as though she was giving an academic lecture. Her tone was even, colourless and very calm. A full blown silence greeted her words.

"How come it didn't affect neither of you?" Satou asked with a hint of mild curiosity, "If it's so... lethal, how come you survived?"

"It seems that there was a slight flaw in the project that I must have missed." Shiho carefully said after a moment of silence, "As far as I know, Shinichi and I are the only ones that have survived after having eaten the APTX capsule."

"So it has killed the other times.." Heiji stated coldly.

Shiho turned to look at him.

"Yes." she said simply.

"Who gave you the poison?"

"I took it on my own will." Noticing the look on his face she added. "I decided to to end my life with my own hands rather than having the Organisation kill me."

"What!" Heiji choked out.

"I worked on the creation of the most lethal drug existing and had to hand it to the most dangerous criminals because it was the only way to gain my sister's and my own freedom. I might have been selfish or even senseless for you, Hattori, but I had no other hope than accomplishing that for a better life." The words rolled out of Shiho's mouth evenly but held a hint of anger and sorrow that couldn't be hidden. "What would you have done if you learned that the last remaining member of your family, the only one you had was killed? If you read about it on the newspapers, wouldn't you ask for more details? But what would you do, if all you got were just menaces? Wouldn't you stop doing what they asked for, threaten to interrupt years of work?"

Heiji stared at her, dumbstruck. Her words played in his mind and he knew that she was telling him what she had gone through. Challenging him to understand, to feel what she must have felt.

"You... chose to stop.. the research?" he stammered and turned to Shinichi as though asking if it was the truth. The Eastern detective nodded.

"I halted any progress on the almost-complete APTX-4869 until they gave me a reasonable explanation for Akemi's death." Shiho smiled bitterly, "As though there could be a reasonable one.. However, the Organisation decided not to tolerate such... insubordination, and sentenced me to death, locking me in an empty chamber till they decided my fate." A gasp echoed throughout the room. Shinichi's face was emotionless as Shiho's one but his inner feelings were shown by his hand, shaking on his lap.

"As a last stand.." Shiho went on, "I decided to take the APTX-4869 myself rather than see the whole Miyano family... my entire family destroyed solely at the hands of the Organization. But.. something went wrong. During testings on lab rats, I had noticed that one of them had shrunk rather than die. One over a fifty cases. I never thought that I, among all people, would be part of that feeble percent."

"Let's thank God for that..." Shinichi muttered so that only Shiho could hear him. She looked up at him and gave him the faintest of smiles.

"I found myself shrunk to the size of a child and managed to escape through the ventilation pipe. Once I was out, without any place to go, I remembered the other APTX victim. The only one whose death hadn't been confirmed.."

"Shinichi..." Ran whispered, her eyes straying form Shiho to the boy.

"Yes." Shiho looked at her and their eyes met. "It was the only place I knew and I hoped that he would have helped me, since we both happened to share the same fate."

Ran nodded imperceptibly and the blonde went on.

"I ran under the rain till this district in Beika. And I passed out right in front of the Kudo mansion's gates. Hakase found me lying on the ground and took me at his house. When I came back to senses, he made me feel comfortable and then asked who I was. I confessed everything and he decided to help me. That very night, he came up with my name: Ai Haibara. And a few days later, I joined Teitan Elementary and.." Shiho looked at her side towards Shinichi. "We met for the first time."

Shinichi smirked as he recalled their first meeting nearly an year ago.

"After a bit of... -er..." Shinichi stammered trying to find the right word, "Well... hostility.. we decided to cooperate. The Organisation was after both of us and our lives' were linked together: if one was found, the other was bound to be found as well. We.. I was always with my ears open trying to find any hint about the men in black. She was a bit more cautious... too cautious."

"And I was right to be so." Shiho mildly protested, "He was too reckless and didn't fully realise how dangerous the Organisation could really be. A bit of common sense got into his head when we encountered Gin and Vodka and risked to reveal ourselves."

"When did that happen?" Heiji asked, "I didn't know that!"

"I told you.." Shinichi replied. Then, as an afterthought, he scratched the back of his head. "I think. so, at least..."

Shiho failed to hide a smirk as she saw Heiji's face turn a dangerous red. She turned to the others.

"There isn't much to say afterwards..." she said, "We kept our cover more or less until Rei came here seeking for Shinichi's help. And then Ryu joined us too. As we working to bring the Organisation down, I worked on the development of the APTX's antidote. Thanks to some data that was in Ryu's possession, I managed to have a head start rather than having to work on it from step one. I managed to finish the antidote a couple of months ago when we had to put up the stunt of Conan and Ai's departure." She paused. "And that's all I can say. The papers have told all the rest."

Once she stopped talking, the room went quiet except for Heiji who was busy arguing with Shinichi and Kazuha trying to keep him calm.

Ran stared at them without really seeing them. She took in all the information she had gathered today. It was too much...

Too absurd..

Her mind was lost in a stream of thoughts. Her childhood with Shinichi. The past year with Conan.

Two people that she cared for and that had been by her side when she needed help. Memories over memories overcame her along with the images of their many adventures together.

And suddenly, she imagined herself standing in front of Conan and Shinichi.

Both dressed in blue. Both with a hand in their pocket. Both with that cocky half smile.

'How could I miss it?' she wondered as she saw the two's faces merge into one and turning into the face of the Eastern Detective.

'How...? How could you stay by my side for all this time and lie the whole way through..?'

She looked at the boy sitting across her. Shinichi was still talking animatedly with Heiji. Ran noticed that Shiho was observing the two with mild amusement.

At this point, Ran realised that she had come to the point where a decision had to be made.

Shinichi had told them everything. From his first encounter with the Organisation till the day he took the antidote to the poison.

Now she knew everything about Shiho Miyano. She had learned about Rei Ikeda and Ryu Kazama through the papers.

She knew everything.

Now the point is, will she be able to forgive him?

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It was snowing.

Not the blizzard-like storm that had gone on for the past days but a light shower with fluffy flakes; the city was covered with a thick white blanket.

It seemed to be Christmas but the holiday had been months ago and people were busy either going to work or to school. A couple of school children were merrily running down the sidewalks, pelting each other with snowballs.

Rei looked at the scene from her window, with a mug of coffee in her hand and smiled.

It had been two weeks since she had come back to America with Ryu, Matt and the FBI. And ten days since she moved back into her old flat. She had spent the first three days of her staying at Chris' place. She had gently refused her guardian's offer to stay at his house since she knew that Ayase-san's wife had just had a baby and she didn't want to disturb them. Moreover the Ayase house was at the opposite side of New York from Rei's house and she was still recovering from her injuries. At the moment, however, she was fine and only had the cast on her hand.

Anyway, after having sent a cleaning company to sort through her flat, Rei had settled back in. The first thing she noticed was that more than half of her things, from clothing to common use objects were all in Japan at the Kudo mansion. Gladly, she had brought a few things in her suitcase.

The house on the other hand, was just as he remembered. The short hallway that led to the living room, the small kitchen on the left. Her room was on the right next to the bathroom.

It was small but she liked it.

Rei sipped the hot drink and sat on the armchair and opened the day's newspaper on the coffee table in front of her.

There was still a column dedicated to the Organisation on the front page, debating on the trials that had occurred in Japan weeks ago. As she flipped through the pages with her good hand, Rei read about the various unsolved crimes that had been reopened and finally closed now that the culprits had been caught. She knew most of these events since she had read them in the Organisation's archives.

Her stare fell on an article regarding Koizumi and she felt a blush creep on her face when she read her name mentioned more than once. The article was praising her ability in computering and cryptography, the fact that she had decrypted the code that allowed to read the Org's secret data and her close encounter with Koizumi back in the mansion. Mansion that, they had later found out, had belonged to the late Koizumi family and that had been sold after their son Koji had left. Rei wondered how the papers had managed to find out all these details. She also had the feeling, as she went on reading, that the article was highlighting the fact that she was an FBI agent. Agent that had studied in America, graduated in America and lived in America. And the same went for Ryu whenever he was mentioned on the papers.

'They sure want to show that I owe most of my knowledge to them..' she mused, 'Mind you, it is true after all...'

She sipped another bit of coffee and put the mug on the table. She absently flipped through the pages of the paper. Her mind wandered from the random articles to the past days' events.

Rei and Ryu had had to face their seniors in a rather uncomfortable meeting during which every single one of their actions had been questioned. It seemed that FBI's chiefs hadn't accepted very gracefully the fact that they had been kept out of the MYSTERY operation...

Rei had to explain that her suicide antic had been necessary not only for the plan but also for her own well being; otherwise, the Organisation's men would have surely killed her.

Ryu had a rough time going through a third degree where his loyalties were questioned. He had to swear that he wasn't a traitor and that he had infiltrated into the Organisation and not viceversa as many thought.

They had been helped mostly by Matt and his father. Inspector Xanders had more than once proclaimed both Rei and Ryu's loyalty to FBI. He had given a detailed description of their past and had said that due to their families' tragic demise they couldn't possibly be in collusion with the Organisation in any way.

Inspectors Morris, Knight and Carter and Detectives Fabian testified in favour of Inspector Xanders words, saying that Rei and Ryu were not criminals but loyal FBI men.

Stubborn, maybe a bit too reckless.. but loyal.

With a sigh, Rei leaned back on the armchair and closed her eyes.

She felt as though she had just waken up after a long dream and the world had gone on without her. Now that she was in her apartment, alone, she realised that she had to make a decision that she had postponed too many times.

She sat still, savouring the warmth of her house and hearing the snowflakes against her windows.

"What now, Rei?"

It came as a soft whisper. Barely audible. But it was the question that had taunted her ever since she truly acknowledged that the Organisation was gone; ever since the trials were over.

Now that she had fulfilled her mission, finding and imprisoning her parents' murders, what was she going to do? She had come to USA to study as an undergraduate in computer science to get the knowledge to find the murderers. She had joined FBI to be able to track the murderers.

And now that she had done it, what was she to do?

Her thoughts drifted to Shinichi and Shiho and wondered how they were doing.

'Should I stay here and go on with my life with FBI?' she thought, 'Or must I go back to Japan? Or should I go somewhere else and start all over again?'

"What should I do?" Rei mumbled to herself.

It was all so ephemeral .. her thoughts so confused..

And to add more confusion, she had been called by...

The ring of the phone made her start in surprise and her eyes popped open. She walked to the phone table by the small two-seat couch and took the receiver.

"Hello?" she said slowly, wondering if it was another annoying journalist wanting some other detail about her family or about MYSTERY.

"Hi."

A wide smile spread on the girl's face and she let herself fall on the couch.

"Hi.." she said softly.

"What are you doing?"

"Not much. Just looking through the news after breakfast."

"I see..." There was a pause. "Weren't you on the papers today?"

"Ryu..." Rei protested, noticing the teasing in his voice. The boy laughed softly.

"What? It's the truth."

"I know but... I'm still not used at..."

"Notoriety?" Ryu completed her sentence.

"Yes." She sighed. "How can you stand it?"

"I'm not notorious."

"Oh really?" Rei remarked ironically, "Must I mention the article where a certain FBI agent's work as infiltrator were highly praised? Or the one where the same agent's abilities in engineering were considered outstanding? Or.."

"Enough, enough.." Ryu stopped her. Rei could hear a hint of embarrassment in his tone. "I got it: no need to continue, thank you!"

She laughed and leaned back on the couch, twisting the phone line with her fingers.

"What are you doing by the way?" she asked.

"Not much. Aunt Yurie's still fussing me for the injuries, even though they're all gone by now, and has prohibited me any action within the house that isn't resting or eating... And occasionally going to the bathroom. I'm sort of trapped in my room and have gained a few pounds for sure."

Rei snorted a short laugh imagining Ryu's face.

"You're mean.." she remarked, "Mrs. Xanders is so sweet to worry about you."

There was a moment of silence.

"I know." he said at last, "But you know me.. I can't just stay still."

"So... is this a way to say that I must come down to your place?" she asked. "Again?"

In the past days, Rei had often gone to visit the Xanders. Whenever they weren't called at the FBI headquarters, they would try to spend some time together; either the two of them alone or with Matt.

"Please.."

"Well... I'll think about it."

"Mean woman.."

Rei laughed again.

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Shinichi and Shiho were at the mansion's front door in front of Detectives Satou and Takagi who were leaving.

"You have been very quiet." Shinichi remarked, looking at the two police officers, "Unlike Hattori who still wants more answers.."

Takagi looked at the young man in front of him and his mind wandered to another moment. To not so long ago but yet it seemed so far.

Two people, a boy and a man, trapped in an elevator.. with a bomb.

"Just tell me one more thing.." the man said, looking up at the boy, "Exactly.. who are you?"

The child looked at him with eyes too wise for his age and smiled.

"You said that I would know what I wanted to know in afterlife." Takagi said to Shinichi, "But, it seems that I didn't have to wait for so long.."

Shinichi stared at him for a moment. And then smiled, remembering.

"No." he replied, "Thankfully not."

The two women looked at them in puzzlement but didn't receive an answer.

"There isn't much to say." Satou remarked after a couple of moments of silence, "When Inspector Megure told us to come here if we wanted some answers, I imagined that the truth would have been..." She stopped, unable to find the right word.

"Surprising?" Shiho suggested.

Satou looked at her and nodded with a smile.

"Yes." she said, "I can't blame you for your actions: you just thought to do what was right. And I'm not a judge to say of that was right or wrong." She looked at the two teens and her smile softened. "However, I must thank both of you. More than once, your subtle suggestions and ideas helped us solve cases. And saved our lives as well. I know what the papers' have said but.. that isn't important. It doesn't matter. I just want to say, thank you. To both of you."

Shinichi grinned broadly and even Shiho failed to hide a smile.

It was gratifying and self-warming to know that despite everything, all the critiques, the blames and the judgements, there was still someone that appreciated their work.

"Same for me." Takagi added with his open smile, "I probably wouldn't be here if it weren't for you guys. And the Detective Boys." He added the last bit as an afterthought.

Satou laughed followed by Shinichi and Shiho.

The officers approached the teens and shook hands with both.

"Come over at the police station every now and then, Kudo-kun." Satou said to Shinichi, "You might help us out with other cases. Do it for the sake of Conan-kun."

"I'll keep it in my mind." he replied.

"And the same goes for you, Miyano-kun." she said to Shiho."Ai-chan's silent brilliance can be handy."

"All right." the reddish-blonde answered with a smile.

The detectives walked to the car, leaving the two teens at the door. As they took off, they stayed in silence.

"I finally understand why Inspector Megure looked so shocked after his talk with Kudo-kun." Takagi stated , driving down the main road.

"Yes." Satou said, "If I hadn't heard all of this with my own ears I wouldn't have believed it."

"Neither would I."

They were silent for another while.

"Conan and Ai..." Satou muttered. A distant memory crossed her mind.

"If someone solved this mystery, I would do anything for them."

The kids began to jump up and down asking for the most impossible of things; like living in a castle or getting a ticket to the International Space Ship or getting to eat a few hundreds of eel dishes. Takagi and Shiratori looked oddly dreamy. What were they thinking about?

And then, those two looked up at her.

"I want Prada's newest handbag model.."

"Can I have tickets to the next World Cup?"

Satou felt a smile creep on her face. Takagi noticed it.

"What?" he asked curiously.

"Nothing." she replied, shaking her head and looked out of the window.

-

"Well, it didn't go that bad, did it?" Shiho said, watching the red car disappear from view.

"No, indeed." Shinichi admitted, "Inspector Megure, Detective Satou and Detective Takagi took the news quite well as a matter of fact."

They turned and after having closed the gates, Shinichi looked at Shiho with a bit of concern as she walked with the crutches towards the house.

"You're sure you're alright?"
"Yes."

"The wound's not hurting you?

"No."

"Are you su...?"

"Shinichi?" Shiho's tone had a hint of exasperation.

"Yes?"

"Who's more doctor between you and me?"

"You?" he pointed out with puzzlement.

"Exactly." She looked at him and smirked. "And I, the Doctor, am saying that I'm fine."

The boy failed to hide a smile.

As they entered the house, Shinichi eyed the living room with a bit of apprehension. Shiho noticed it immediately.

"Worried?" she asked.

"A bit." he admitted. He had to deal with Hattori now and that was something he wasn't looking forward for. And then, he had to deal with Ran. He looked at Shiho and smiled evenly. "It's going to be a long afternoon."

Shiho's stare was focused on him for a couple of moments before she spoke, turning to the living room's door.

"If you want, I can talk to Ran-san while you clear things of with Hattori."

That was something the Eastern Detective didn't expect.

"What?" he exclaimed.

"You talk to Hattori, I talk to Mouri."

"Why?"

"I have to speak to Ran-san." Noticing the doubtful look on his face, she added, "What?"

"I'm not sure that I want to leave you alone with Ran."

"Why so?"

"Because you're injured, Ran's a Karate champion and.. oh yes, Toyama-san will be there too and she's an Aikido champion."

The reddish blonde's head turned to him, a spark of amusement playing in her light blue eyes.

"Worried for me, Shinichi?" she asked, "Do I have to remember you that I've been trained by the Organisation? I could deal with much worse people and, by the way, Mouri and Toyama don't seem the violent, revengeful type of people."

"That's what you think.." Shinichi muttered.

The girl shot him a glance and shook her head before getting into the living room. With a sigh, Shinichi followed her.

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"Stop laughing, will you?"

Ryu sat on his computer chair, holding the phone on his left ear. He looked mildly annoyed but nevertheless a small smile crept on his face. He swirled on his chair and looked around his room, the one that was his since the day he arrived at the Xanders' house.

There were shelves full of books going from Engineering to Computer Science, from Electronics to Mechanics and every here and there a mystery novel poked out. His desk was empty aside a large lamp and a small stereo that were on it. There was his computer table on the far corner next to the window but it was empty since he had all his things at Shinichi's house. On a small shelf above the table was a stack of CDs and DVDs.

It was his room. The place where he had spent most of his time besides college and FBI. And it hadn't varied at all in the years.

"Ryu..?"

The boy snapped out of his reverie and turned his attention to the phone.

"Good to see you've stopped.." he remarked with a teasing note in his voice.

"Oh, come on.." Rei's voice held an amused hint. "Hearing you protesting about Matt isn't something that can be taken seriously."

"You say that because you don't live with him." he protested, "Ever since he and Chris are going out together, he's...impossible to stand! I swear, even you wouldn't be able to suffer him!"

The girl laughed softly.

"I just can't imagine a wrapped up in love Matt." she remarked, "He has always been so cool and composed.."

"You haven't seen him during the last week. Now that everything is over and he doesn't have any dutiful job to do, he's whole attention is focused on Chris. And on telling me, everything about her. Believe me, brother or not, certain things shouldn't be said."

"He's just happy and you should be happy for him. I saw Chris a couple of days ago and I haven't seen her smile so radiantly since I know her."

"I am happy for Matt. For God's sake, he's my brother but... I just can't stand when he goes on about Chris here and there..."

There was a moment of silence.

"Were you like that?" Rei asked.

"What!"

"I was just wondering.. When.. we didn't... I mean...." Ryu was amused to hear Rei stutter embarrassedly. "Before we confessed to each other.. were you like that too?"

Ryu recalled the days... weeks... months after his meeting with Rei and felt a blush creep on his face.

"Er..."

"I thought so."

The blush on Ryu's face turned a darker shade of red.

"By the way, did you speak with Shinichi or Shiho recently?" Rei asked, giving the boy a few moments to return to a normal colour.

"I chatted with him through e-mail last night." he replied, "I asked how things were going down in Japan and he asked how we doing here. He said that Shiho's recovering."

"I talked with her the day before yesterday. She said that the papers have calmed down a bit and that Shinichi and Hakase are an utter nightmare telling to her rest every single minute."

Ryu laughed.

"I can imagine... Hakase is quite tough to convince."

He expected an answer but didn't receive any. Arching an eyebrow, he looked at the phone receiver wondering if something was wrong.

"Rei?"

"Yes, I'm still here." she answered at the end, "I was just thinking."

"What about?"

"It's... just so strange. I mean.. I'm so used to see Shiho every day, talk to her about anything that it seems so awkward to hear her every once in a while. And the same goes for Shinichi."

"I know.. I feel the same too. I'm sort of used of talking with Shinichi every morning or chatting with Shiho about so and so.."

The two stayed in silence, pondering.

"We've bound a lot in these six months.." Ryu remarked absently, "I honestly can't imagine my life without seeing you, Shinichi and Shiho every day...or nearly."

"Yes.." Rei replied. Another moment of silence followed before the girl spoke again.

"Ryu?"

"Yes?"

"What are you going to do?"

"What?"

"Now. What are you going to do now? Now that all is over?"

"We've talked about this before.." he commented airily.

"Yes, but you never gave me an answer."

"My answer hasn't changed: I don't know. Not yet at least."

"Not.. yet?" Rei questioned sharply, "What do you mean?"

Ryu stayed silent.

"Rei, have you received any job offers?" he finally asked.

"What?!"

"Did anyone contact you offering a job?"

"Why..?"

"So?"

Rei didn't answer immediately. Ryu sensed her hesitation.

"Yes." she finally admitted. "I received a few calls from a couple of governative agencies and a few private firms. IBM, Bell and so and so.."

"Agencies from the Government... " Ryu stated, "Who?"

"Well, FBI was the first. They called from the main offices offering me a higher ranking position in their offices due to my computer skills."

"I thought so. They called me too, offering me a high level position as systems security technician."

Ryu smiled slightly. "As a Sys-Sec. Who else called you? "

"The National Security Agency."

"What?" Ryu bolted up straight in surprise. "The NSA?"

"Yes."

"You've got to be joking.."

Rei laughed.

"No, I'm serious." she replied, "Mind you, I didn't believe my ears when they called..."

"That's one of the most influential government organisations in the world."

"Don't I know.. Everyone in the cryptography department at college dreamed do enter in NSA: I still remember the guys at Cryptography talking about it. And the organisation is exactly how they described it."

"That is?"

"What the NSA wants, the NSA gets. I think they must have got the wind that I was going to be contacted by other governative organisations and by privates. I received a call from a woman from NSA and received a plane ticket the following day."

"What!"

"A plane ticket to Washington. There isn't the day of the flight though; I think that I can decide when to get there at my choice."

"It seems that they take for granted that you'll be going there."

"I didn't give them a full answer. Even though, I must admit, their offer was very appealing."

"Wow." Ryu commented simply.

"What about you? Who wants Mr. Kazama's services?"

"A couple of private firms in US and Asia. FBI and... I got a call from the CIA." he replied hesitantly.

"What!" Rei exclaimed. It was her turn to be surprised.

"Yeah.." Ryu said rather embarrassed, scratching the back of his head. "I nearly dropped the receiver when I heard who they were. They heard about Dad's devices and that I had bettered them. They seemed to be quite interested.."

"Who wouldn't Ryu? I mean, the Organisation wanted to get its hands on your devices."

Ryu stiffened slightly as his father's life long work was defined as his own but quickly recovered.

"Yeah.." he stated.

They stayed in silence for a few moments.

"Are you going to accept any of the offers?" Rei asked.

"I.. I don't know." Ryu admitted softly, "I must think about it, Rei. There are many things that I have to clear up now."

"You mean the... after?"

"I thought about it, Rei. I started thinking about what to do now that Organisation's gone. Ever since I came back here, I realised that I have to make a decision about my future.

In these years, I have developed many abilities, along with the perfection of my father's microelectronic invention. I spent my time trying to reach a level of knowledge that could have allowed me to have the instruments to find my family's killer. And to do it, I studied at college as an undergraduate and got a degree, joined FBI and became an agent. At last, I started to investigate. And you know how it went... My work as an infiltrator, MYSTERY, then the escape from America to Japan and the whole period with you, Shinichi and Shiho.."

"So many things in so little time.." Rei stated, remembering what had happened in hardly a year and a half.

"Yes. And now that everything is over, I realised that I have come to a point where I can't turn back. As I received all these work offers, I realise that people see me as a engineer, a qualified scientist or a well-trained police agent. They don't see me as a teenager, not as a seventeen year old.

Whether I like it or not, I'm treated as an adult and I have to behave as to it. When I was twelve, I planned out my life, precluding myself a normal childhood in the name of the revenging desire I had to find my family's murderers. I knew that in the time of three, maximum four years, I would have the abilities to find them. I didn't know how long it would have taken though. My desire of revenge fogged my mind to the point that I totally forgot to plan my future.

But now, it's done. And the time has come for me to think about that future that I had so ignored and... start to forget that past that has haunted me for so long.."

Ryu's last words came out as a whisper and he heard Rei sigh softly. His words reflected her life and her own problems.

"So..." she said, "You're saying that it's time to think about ourselves? My parents, your family.. they can rest in peace now... So... It's our turn to find.."

"Peace." he whispered. "It's our turn now."

A long, poignant silence fell between them.

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I finally updated!! -Annitha jumps up and down-

Oh my gosh, it took me forever..

I sincerely apologize to all readers. This story has slowed down to drastic levels. I can't promise anything but just say that the updates will come.

As you have seen, this chapter is the first part of a longer one. Again, you might say.

It wasn't intentional actually.

I was writing this chapter and had come to put in all the things that I thought were necessary. Suddenly, I didn't remember a detail and went back to read the older chapters. And.. -surprise!

I realised that there are many small open questions throughout the story that have to answered. I think that cutting the chapter at this point was the only way. It gives you reading, (without cliffhanger! I'm not that cruel! -) and it gives me time to finish the second part and put in all the details I have to put. By the way, I've posted the first 12 chapters again. There are a few minor changed here and there. Read them and tell me if there are still mistakes.

Updates will come... sooner or later..

Please wait!

READ AND REVIEW!!

Bye to all and hear you guys!

Annitha