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File 15: Calling Time

Ran sat on the couch in her father's office, still and pensive. With Kogoro sprawled out upstairs in front of the television, this seemed the best place to be alone with her thoughts. Mostly they centered on Shinichi, but a few of them were for his whole family, fueled by the blind suppositions her mind brought up about what might be wrong. She had no way of knowing until he told her.

She wished she had someone to talk to, really--someone with whom she could share her fears and concerns. Preferably a female friend; Shinichi was in her heart and soul, but there were some things you just couldn't talk to men about. And any discussion of his situation seemed to make him uncomfortable and self-conscious, darkening his beautiful blue eyes with angry thoughts at the men who had done this to him.

But there was no one she could talk with. Sonoko, while she was Ran's best friend, was never that good at keeping secrets. Kazuha-chan was too much like Hattori-kun--the Osaka pair both tended to be blunt and open, and neither were adept at hiding things like this. Aoko Nakamori seemed nice, but they'd only just made acquaintance, and even if she was Kuroba-kun's girlfriend Ran had no way of knowing how much she knew or even if she'd be a likely candidate for such a confidence.

With whom, then, could she share her thoughts and cares and fears?

The telephone rang, interrupting her brooding. Her father probably wasn't going to jump up and get it--he was most likely asleep--so she rose from the couch and headed for the desk, snatching up the handset.

"Mouri Detective Agency," she recited blandly, scooping up a pencil to take a message.

"Hello, may I speak with...oh, Ran-chan, is that you?" the female voice said, its tone and pitch abruptly changing mid-sentence.

"Ah! Yukiko-obachan!" Ran greeted, surprised to hear from Shinichi's mother. "I haven't seen you in a while. How are you?"

"I'm...quite healthy," Yukiko replied, although her voice wasn't as bright as Ran remembered it being. "Ran-chan...?"

Ran sat down in the chair next to the desk, smiling a little, her voice slightly breathless. "Yes, it's true--I know. But it's okay--Shinichi and I have talked things over. I'm still a little angry with him, but I understand why he did what he did."

"I'm glad to hear that. But he hasn't told you anything about what happened this morning, I take it," Yukiko said hesitantly.

"No...I don't mean to pry, but I am worried about him. He seemed kind of upset when he came home... Obachan, is he okay?"

"I think so, dear..." Yukiko paused for a moment. "Actually, I'm calling to talk to Shin-chan...is he there?"

"Oh...well, he's gone out to talk to Kuroba-kun...I don't know when he'll be back."

"I see..."

"But he should be back soon! 'Conan-kun' knows he's not supposed to be out after dark, and it'll be dinner time shortly, too," Ran offered, brightening her voice.

"I'm sure 'Conan-kun' is being very well-behaved, isn't he?" Yukiko asked with a small giggle.

Ran smiled, thankful that the older woman's voice had become more cheerful. "Yes, he is. He was a model child when we went shopping today."

"You took him shopping? My, I suppose you made him sweat through the womens' departments." Another giggle that Ran was glad to hear.

"No...actually, I think he enjoyed getting to pick his own clothes this time," Ran confessed with a short laugh. "I know I'm a bit angry still, but I also can't help feeling a little sorry for him. I...I suppose it hasn't been easy for him, living like this..."

Yukiko sighed audibly, her tone lowering. "No, dear, it hasn't. I'm sad to say I haven't been there for him as much as I should, nor have we talked about it a lot, but...he's been very lonely, very tired, and very, very afraid."

Ran felt her breath catch on a lump in her throat. "I...I wish I'd known...I wish he would've just told me at the beginning. I could've helped him...even if I couldn't help him get back to normal, I could've been a real friend to him--someone he could talk to... And I was lonely too--he was right there all along but I couldn't see it, and I missed him...Obachan, I missed him so much...!"

Yukiko's voice was soft, gentle. "Ran-chan, honey, are you crying?"

"I...uh..." Ran put a hand to her cheek and found, to her surprise, that it was wet. "I guess I am..."

"You haven't really cried since he told you, have you?" Yukiko asked tenderly.

"I guess not..." To her dismay, Ran found that the tears on her cheeks wouldn't stop coming, no matter how she tried. "I'm...terribly sorry..."

"Oh hush! Don't hold back, dear--everyone needs a good cry now and then." Yukiko took a deep breath as Ran's soft sobs were unleashed. "Why, I had a long cry myself, after I saw what they did to my Shin-chan. Go ahead and cry, Ran-chan...I'm here for you. Cry and complain and say whatever you want."

"Thank you, Obachan," Ran sniffled, wiping ineffectively at her eyes--there were just too many tears for her to stop. "It's just...I've had all afternoon to sit here and think about him...about what he's been through and what he must feel. I almost feel selfish for being angry with him..."

"Nonsense! Ran-chan, the little baka didn't even have the wits to tell his parents what happened! We came home and he was just gone--and I was so worried about him! I was quite upset as well, once Professor Agasa informed us of the details. We had a good long talk with him then--a real parent-child talk. We almost took him away with us to America, to protect him from them, but he wouldn't hear of it. He refused to leave you." For long moments, Yukiko listened to the sound of Ran's shaky breaths as the girl cried softly. "He missed you too, Ran-chan...I know it hurt him terribly to lie to you."

"I love him...so much, Obachan," Ran admitted unsteadily, reaching for the tissues in the desk drawer. "It...it hurts to know he's unhappy...and I look back on what we've been through together, when I thought he was Conan...and now that I know, I realize what he's been through...what I put him through...!"

"He doesn't blame you at all, Ran-chan," Yukiko told her firmly. "He understands everything--how could you think of him as anything else? He chose to keep it from you. But even then, he really relied on you. To hear him talk, you're the only person he can depend on."

"I know he let me down by lying to me all this time..." Ran took a deep, quavering breath. "But I feel like I let him down too. I wish...I wish he'd told me...!"

"Well, now he has," Yukiko said. Her voice, so much stronger than Ran felt, offered tremendous support. "And now you're one of the few who know the truth about him and the people that did this to him. I hope you realize that's a large responsibility."

Ran sniffled, still trying to dry her eyes. "I know. If I slip, now that he's entrusted his secret to me..."

Yukiko sighed. "Ran-chan...you hold my son's life in your hands. In more ways than one."

"Obachan..." Wide-eyed, Ran listened carefully.

"You know first and foremost that his secret identity is the only thing keeping him alive right now," the older woman told her, uncharacteristically serious. "The moment they find out he's still alive, not only our lives are in danger but his as well."

"Yes..."

"And...I know how he feels about you," Yukiko continued, tone softening. "I wouldn't be a mother if I couldn't see it. You hold his heart in your hands, too."

Ran's quiet gasp was quite audible over the phone.

"He missed you, Ran-chan, but he was determined to protect you from them no matter how much he hurt himself doing it," Yukiko went on. "That's sacrificial love if I ever saw it. I know he seems like such a calm, cool detective all the time, as if he's invincible, but he's very fragile in a lot of ways. A lot of his confidence depends on how others see him, and becoming Conan was a serious blow to his self-esteem. This whole affair has really tested him...our family issues included...and he's become so worn-down and insecure... Ran-chan...it's up to you to guard his heart as well--he needs you so much, especially now..."

Ran was startled to hear a sob in Yukiko's voice as well. "Obachan...I won't...I won't let him down, I promise...!"

"I know you won't, honey." Yukiko actually sniffed. "My, I thought I was being the shoulder to cry on! It's no good if the shoulder gets teary..."

"No, I don't mind...!" Ran was quick to protest. "Honestly...I really needed another woman to talk to about this...and I think you came as the answer to my prayers."

"That's very sweet of you, Ran-chan," Yukiko responded honestly. "I appreciate your confidence...and your listening ear, too. I know I can trust you to take care of Shin-chan."

"I'll try my best," Ran replied earnestly. "He and I are both on new ground, now that I know...but I guess we'll just take it one day at a time, and learn together."

"That's the spirit," Yukiko applauded. "I imagine it's going to be an adventure for both of you, but as long as you keep each other in your hearts, you'll be fine. He'll watch out for you, and you'll look after him, and together you can handle anything."

"At least I won't have to worry about him as much as I used to," Ran confessed. "Shinichi and Conan. I used to worry about Shinichi because he was always gone doing God-knows-what, and Conan because he was a little kid who could get hurt or into trouble because he didn't know any better..."

"On the contrary," Yukiko disagreed, "I think Shin-chan is worse in some ways."

"Really?"

"Shin-chan may have the mind of a young man, but...Ran-chan, honestly, his body is a little boy's. He can still get into all the same kinds of trouble, even though he knows better, because a child simply can't handle those things. Sometimes he thinks he can, when he forgets what he is...and he can get hurt..."

"Oh..." Ran's eyes widened. "I see..."

"So you'll still have to look after him," Yukiko told her wryly, softly. "You'll need to watch over him to make sure he doesn't try to do anything too dangerous...and see that others don't harm him because he looks like a child and they want to take advantage of him. And...if he is about to do something rash or dangerous, you'll need to remind him of his limitations--gently and carefully, so you don't bruise what's left of his pride."

"I understand."

"You can make it easier on him by offering your help instead of waiting for him to ask you--but be tactful about that help and remember how independent he is. Also, bear in mind that he's still just as skillful and experienced, despite his size, so be sure to learn quickly what he can and can't handle by himself. We all understand what a dangerous situation we're in, so don't let him tell you not to get involved--because he does need you for protection, security, assurance, friendship..."

Ran wondered if she'd be able to live up to the older woman's expectations--and be the person Shinichi needed her to be.

Yukiko took a deep breath, her tone full of significance. "But on the other hand, always be aware of the risks, and listen to him; you know how intelligent he is, and how perceptive--he knows what he's dealing with, Ran-chan, and he isn't naive or unaware, so you'd be wise to consider his advice. Be willing to help out, but also be ready to stand back."

Ran listened, astonished at Yukiko's seriousness and wisdom. She'd seldom heard such gravity from Shinichi's mother; so often in her memory, Yukiko-obachan was all smiles and silliness, a wonderful lady to have fun with--except when she was driving--and a carefree, sparkling soul. This was a side of Yukiko she'd hardly seen, if ever.

"I...I'll try," Ran whispered honestly.

"I know." Yukiko's smile was deep enough to be heard. "You've done a marvelous job so far, Ran-chan, and I don't mean just since yesterday. You've helped keep Shin-chan sane through this whole thing, even if you didn't know."

"Thank you, Obachan."

"Despite Yuusaku's reservations, I'm glad we didn't take Shin-chan away to America back then," Yukiko confessed. "My poor boy would've wasted away alone in Hawaii waiting for a cure. I think he would've pined after you so terribly that we'd have to either send him back or clue you in so we could bring you for a visit. He wouldn't have survived long without you..."

"When did you find out, Obachan?" Ran asked hesitantly, rather startled at her own abrupt question.

"Hm? Ah, some time ago...er, remember Conan Edogawa's mother?"

"Oh, that woman--who was she? Did you ask her to come and act as his mother?"

"No, dear, that was me."

Ran went silent for several moments. "Yukiko...obachan...?"

"Ah, don't be so surprised! I am an actress, after all, so the arts of cosmetics and disguise aren't completely unknown to me. A little mask here, a little padding there..."

"Oh...ah...I see..." Ran was giggling, to her own surprise, finding it hard to reconcile the starched, pudgy woman with the slim, cheerful Yukiko Kudo. "That's amazing, Obachan!"

"Thank you, Ran-chan...and I am sorry that I deceived you too. But that was when Yuusaku and I were planning to smuggle Shin-chan out of the country, and I thought it best to take him from you under safe, pleasant pretenses so you wouldn't worry."

"I...I was actually glad you'd come," Ran confessed. "I'd started worrying about Conan-kun's parents and how they never called...and I thought he'd be happy to go home with you at last."

Yukiko laughed softly. "Actually, honey, I believe I scared him to death, coming out of nowhere and all but kidnapping him like that. He didn't recognize me, so I think he panicked--I know I did, when he pulled that stunt in the middle of the road..."

"Stunt?"

"He's a very resourceful young man, you know...he thought I was an agent, so he did whatever he could to escape from me. He caused a huge pile-up at the first major intersection we came to--he jumped on the gas pedal and sent us right into the middle of traffic! And then he dove right out of the car while all the traffic was still surging everywhere around us. My heart was racing--he's just a little thing, and I thought for sure he'd be hit...but he kept running and never slowed down."

Ran's eyes were wide, astonished. "He did that...just to...?"

"Just to get back to you, Ran-chan," Yukiko told her softly. "He was terrified, but determined to investigate the 'agents' and expose the Syndicate, so he could safely return to you. Yuusaku insisted that we test him, to see how he would handle a real encounter with them, and even though he failed against his father in the end, he proved himself quick-witted and capable. He didn't give up, even when his life was supposedly in danger."

"I know what you mean, Obachan," Ran replied, her own voice full of tearful wonder, hearing the pride in the older woman's voice. "A while ago...when I lost my memory and a murderer was trying to kill me because I was a witness...Shinichi saved my life, because...he told me...there's no one on this Earth he loves more. I couldn't even remember him, but he still...he warned me, led me to safety, and even faced that man so I could escape. He was afraid--when he got close to me I could feel his heart pounding--but it didn't stop him. And even though he's so small, he still protected me from that killer at the risk of his own life. Looking back, it's amazing he was able to do it...unarmed, holding off a man with a gun and keeping me alive and unharmed even when he got hurt... And so many other times, even now that he's little--he's risked drowning, gunfire, speeding trains, even bombs...so many impossible things that I still can't believe it sometimes..."

"Yes...I've often been surprised at what he can do when he's angry or frightened," Yukiko confessed quietly. "He's been that way all his life--able to pull miracles out of the worst situations; saving lives, averting disasters, surviving incredible danger, doing the impossible just like his father did once, a long time ago. During those moments of life or death, when nothing else matters...that's when I can see clearly what he really is. No matter what training or manipulation or discipline--no matter how much Yuusaku tries to hide it, Shin-chan will always be..."

Ran waited breathlessly as Yukiko paused, sighing sadly.

"He's...well, he's something else, isn't he?" the older woman said after a moment.

"Yes," Ran agreed, still wondering.

"You're a lucky girl, Ran-chan," Yukiko instructed, lightening her tone a little. "There aren't many men like him in this world. He's so very, very special, more than he knows..."

"Obachan...?"

Yukiko's lightness almost sounded forced. "Of course he's special--he's our Shin-chan, right? My darling son is the most exceptional young man in Japan!"

"Yes, Obachan," Ran replied with a smile. "I'm glad he is, or I don't think he would've survived this whole thing."

"You're very right," Yukiko agreed. "He's managed to stay sane through all this--with your help, remember--and still solve mysteries and track down the Syndicate!"

Ran laughed softly. "I'm not sure how much help I was--I was so busy enjoying my little brother that I don't think I was of much benefit to him. His whole situation was really uncomfortable, and I made it a lot worse with some of the things I did."

"Oh, Ran-chan, it's not your fault."

"I know, but...I'm sure I embarrassed him horribly whenever I talked about him in front of 'Conan-kun'-- and Sonoko was no help either. And any time I picked him up or hugged him..." Ran found herself blushing, remembering the many, many times. "I'm sure he felt terribly awkward. And especially when I...I...oh my gosh...!" She broke off with a gasp, going crimson from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair.

"Goodness, Ran-chan, are you all right?"

It was a few moments before she could speak, one particular memory leaping into sharp, mortifying focus in her mind. She gaped, at first too horrified for any other emotions to bubble up, but when they did--anger, embarassment, guilt, and disbelief came all at once, creating a logjam that backed things up somewhere between her brain and her mouth.

"Ran-chan? Ran-chan, are you still there?"

"I...I-I'm sorry, Obachan...I just...remembered..." It was rather hard to form words; vaguely she wondered if her tongue was blushing too--all the rest of her was red enough.

"Did...something happen, honey?"

"It...was a bath..."

Yukiko went silent for a second. "Oh dear..."

Ran gulped, suddenly rushing to explain herself. "I...we...all went to a hot spring, and took a bath there...and I decided bringing Conan-kun in would be fun, so I..."

"Oh dear...oh dear..." Yukiko's voice sounded strange, as if she were somehow caught between incredulity and laughter.

"...I took him in with me and...and I washed his hair, too...and then I made him stay there while I..."

"Oh...my goodness...!" Yukiko's voice broke, either in disbelief or hilarity. "Ran-chan, he...he didn't do anything--?"

"No! I...he..." Ran hesitated, still beet red. "Ah...I guess...it's my fault..."

"Ran-chan...?"

"I made him go in...when he didn't really want to," she confessed, her emotions still jumbled. "I know it's because he didn't tell me the truth! But he did...protest, um, kind of desperately."

At last, Yukiko burst out laughing--and even though she was upset, Ran was glad to hear such cheer from the older woman. "Goodness gracious! You poor kids...!" Yukiko gasped, nearly out of breath. "I'm terribly sorry, Ran-chan...but...he deserved that, he really did!"

"He deserved it?" Ran burst out, shocked. "He saw me--!"

"Which is something close to a cardinal sin, if you know Shin-chan," Yukiko put in, still breathless from laughter. "You have every right to be mad at him, honey, but be honest with yourself if you decide to punish him for it--he is a gentleman, and he knows better than to peep on an unclothed lady. That's probably the reason he didn't want to go in there with you, hm?"

"I...I guess you're right..." Ran admitted, thoughtful. A blushing smile grew on her face as she recalled the utter panic on little "Conan's" face that day. "He was kicking and screaming like a cat that doesn't want a bath, and he spent the whole time either trying to get away from me or averting his eyes..."

"My, but you did put him through a fright! He certainly didn't want to do you any dishonor," Yukiko said with a little giggle. "But it wasn't entirely unfair, was it? You got to see him, too."

"Obachan...!" Ran gasped, a little startled that Shinichi's mother could be so frank about it. Her crimson flush returned full force. "But...um...really...there wasn't much to see..."

"Ah, yes...that dratted drug is a problem." Yukiko sighed exaggeratedly. "A pity, isn't it?"

Ran wondered if it were possible to spontaneously combust if one's face grew too warm. "Um..."

"Do calm down, Ran-chan--I won't force you to be too honest," Yukiko assured her--and Ran could almost hear the deviltry in her voice. "But if you really do need to...chastise him for that, just mention it and watch him squirm. I promise you it will be most satisfactory."

Ran burst out in a giggle before she could catch herself. Even her own embarrassment right now would be nothing to what Shinichi would feel if she reminded him that she hadn't forgotten that incident. After all...it was his own fault, and he knew it--she had been perfectly innocent. "Thanks. I'll remember that, Obachan," she replied. "And I won't be dragging him into any more baths."

"I'm sure you won't," Yukiko laughed.

Except maybe someday in the near future, piped that shameless little voice in Ran's head, when he's back to his true age and really worth dragging into a bath.

"I swear I'm going to get back at you for that," Shinichi grumbled, walking alongside his cousin with a sulky look. They were nearly to the Mouri Detective Agency; the sun was just below the horizon and their shadows had begun to fade into the evening dimness.

Kaito just grinned down at the small boy beside him, hands in his pockets with a perfectly relaxed air. "Should I hold my breath?"

"If I get you anywhere near open water, you should," the little boy shot back, turning his nose up crossly. "Especially since your head's going to be under it. I thought I made it clear--no hoisting without asking first!"

"Ah, but you did ask for it."

"What?" Shinichi gaped indignantly. "I did not!"

"Hey, shorty, if you provoke, expect retribution."

"Retribution? You dangled me over the bridge rails by my ankles!"

Kaito's grin got considerably broader. "What are you complaining about? You got off easy! You didn't get wet, did you? You should be glad I've got a strong grip. Or that you're such a lightweight."

"You..." Shinichi scowled, pouting, giving the youth a side-eyed glare. "I will get you for that. Somehow, someday, when you least expect it."

"Oooh, look at me shaking." Kaito whistled a merry tune as he strode along, adopting a manner of complete nonchalance.

"How can you be so damn cheerful all the time?" Shinichi demanded after a moment, exasperated with his cousin's easy air.

"Why are you always so damn serious?" Kaito shot back, unruffled, as they turned the corner to the street that led to the Agency. "You get so wigged-out over the littlest things. If you're not careful, you'll make the record books by becoming the first seven-year-old to get a stress-related aneurysm."

"Ha ha ha." The little boy snorted, unchildlike, and shoved his own hands into his pockets. "If I don't take things seriously, they start to go haywire. I've got no room for joking around in my situation. It's no fun in the first place, and there's lives on the line."

"I hear you there," Kaito agreed. "Stay serious, but learn to laugh at things once in a while. You did have fun at the park--I caught you giggling when you ran under the monkey bars and I crashed into them!" The teen rubbed the tender spot on his head ruefully.

"I did not giggle."

"All little squeakers giggle, Conan-kun." Kaito grinned again, and winked at him. "Come on, loosen up. If you can't take yourself lightly, I don't know how you cope."

"You try it sometime and see if you feel like lightening up!" Shinichi challenged.

Kaito shrugged. "I've got lives on the line in my business too, you know. But I've learned to be able to laugh at myself and my situation--if I didn't, I figure my life would be pretty bleak right now. You're right; sometimes what we do is no joking matter, and during those times we've gotta buckle down. But there's another side to it, Shinichi."

"Huh?"

"In the not-so-serious times, if you can't find the will to smile, laugh, and enjoy what you do have, then your whole existence becomes empty," Kaito explained, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "You become your mission, nothing more than a machine with one goal. No room for feelings, friends, family..." He hesitated, glancing down at the small boy. "That kind of life is meaningless. It's the kind of life they live, slaves to their ambitions."

Shinichi stared at him for long moments as they walked, surprised that his cousin had brought up something so profound. "Yeah," he admitted after a while. "You're right. I'm glad I've got Ran and the others--my family, my friends..." A smile spread across his mouth, surprising the teen beside him. "Even you...though you're a major pain in the ass..."

Kaito chuckled. "I am, aren't I? Takes one to know one, kiddo."

Shinichi impishly stuck out his tongue, spurred by an odd impulse. Kaito knuckled him lightly on the head, laughing as they came to a stop just one building away from the Detective Agency.

"Watch it, short stuff--your face might freeze like that," the youth warned lightly, chuckling. "Well, guess I'd better head home."

Shinichi blinked, withdrawing his tongue. "Why--?"

Kaito shrugged. "Guess I'm just not too comfortable about detectives. Oh, except you."

"Aw, Jisan can't do anything--he's probably passed out drunk upstairs anyway..."

"Yeah, but do I want to be mistaken for you by a drunk, half-asleep, overprotective father?" Kaito retorted with a grin.

Shinichi had to snicker. "I guess you're right. See you, then."

"I'll catch you later," Kaito replied with a grin. "Take care now!"

With that, his cousin headed off back down the sidewalk in the direction of the bus station. Shinichi watched him until he disappeared around the corner, then turned and hurried the rest of the way home. Ran was waiting for him, and he wouldn't--couldn't disappoint her.

He knew he was rushing to get to her, even though what he'd promised to tell her could mean his own doom. Still, despite his nervousness, he hurried up the stairs all the way to the third floor, bursting in the door and calling out, "Ran-neechan! I'm home!"

"Downstairs, boy," Kogoro growled from his pillow on the floor in front of the TV.

"Huh? Oh..." Wondering briefly why Ran was in her father's office at this hour, Conan turned to hustle back down one flight, turning sharply and doing the familiar little hop-twist that allowed him to open the door. Inside, he could hear Ran's voice chatting agreeably with someone--then spotted her sitting at her father's desk, using the telephone.

"...you're right, I'll definitely do it. But honestly, I don't think I'll ever be able to go into another hot spring without blushing!"

"Ran-neechan?"

Ran jumped with a gasp, turning to him with wide eyes and red cheeks. "Oh! Sorry--he just got here. Yes..." Pausing her telephone conversation, she covered the mouthpiece to speak to him. "Hello, Shinichi," she greeted quietly, a rather unusual smile on her face. "Your mother's on the phone--we've just been having the most wonderful conversation..."

"It's Mom?" he gulped, eyes widening. Oh boy...Ran's having a "conversation" with my mother. Should I be worried...? Wait, she said--hot spring? Oh...oh, that. I was hoping she forgot. Shit...this is worse than bad. Ran and Mom discussing the single most embarassing moment of my life--and Ran's probably beyond pissed about it...! "Uh...great!" he offered nervously. "I hope you're enjoying yourselves. Um, Ran, I'll just be waiting upstairs, so whenever you're done..." He turned to leave, sweat already trickling down his temple.

"Hold it right there, mister," Ran barked.

He froze. I'm dead. Dead, dead, dead...just sic Gin on me right now, 'cause at this point he'd be much kinder...!

"Your mother wants to talk to you."

Shinichi blinked, for one moment completely thrown for a loop, having expected something dire out of Ran in regards to the rather awkward subject of the hot spring "incident." Almost surprised that he was still breathing, he turned hesitantly to look at her. "Um...oh..."

"Whatever's the matter with you?" Ran asked him primly, shaking her head as she returned once more to her conversation. "I'm still here, Obachan. Yes...thank you..." She giggled softly. "You're right...he looks like someone smacked him between the eyes with a board! ... Oh, not at all! Thanks for the advice. ... You're welcome too. .... Good night, Obachan."

With that, she handed the phone to a very wide-eyed Shinichi, giving him a girlish smile. "I'll be waiting for you," she said pleasantly, gliding out of the office.

Uh-oh....I know I'm gonna get it when she corners me tonight... Shinichi stared after her for several long seconds, perplexed--until he remembered the telephone in his hand. "Oh...uh...hello Mom..."

His mother's voice bubbled over the line, all cheer and concern. "Shin-chan! There you are. How was your talk with Kaito-kun, sweetie?"

"Um...good, I guess..." He decided not to mention the more...rambunctious parts, nor the blatant disregard for Rule Five--especially since it was rather embarrassing. "How are you?"

"Fine, fine..." Yukiko hesitated. "I was worried about you, Shin-chan. I know you were fairly upset when you left..."

"I'm okay now, Mom. Having Kaito around to talk to really helps."

"I'm glad." Once again, his mother's voice faded. "Honey, you know I didn't agree with your father about separating you two boys, or about all those secrets..."

"Mom, it's okay. Really," he assured her. "Kaito and I are getting along great--" --when he's not threatening to dunk me in a canal-- "--and we're already making plans for working together."

"That's good to hear. I do hope you're both very careful...Fumiyo and I would be upset if something happened to you two. Not to mention Yuusaku would say, 'I told you so.'"

"Yes, Mom." Shinichi Kudo wasn't a detective for nothing--and he knew his mother well enough to recognize when she was unhappy, even when she was trying to hide it. "Tell me the truth...are you really all right?"

"Of course!" Yukiko replied quickly.

"Mom..."

After a long moment, she sighed softly, her previous cheer melting away. "Why do you have to be so perceptive? I'd almost think you were an empath. You're worse than your father..."

"Mom...I just know you too well." He frowned, clambering up to sit in the desk chair. "Is Dad still angry with me? Is he mad at you because of it?"

"Shin-chan, it's not your fault--it is not your fault..."

His mother's voice broke suddenly, startling him. He'd known she was unhappy, but he hadn't known it was this bad! "Mom? What happened?"

"Nothing, honey," Yukiko asserted. "We're just having a disagreement about this. You know your father and me...we're always squabbling over something..."

Shinichi hesitated, worried and unsure. "But...he doesn't make you cry, Mom. Not when you're just squabbling."

"It's just because this is...a lot more emotionally taxing. You know this is more serious than usual."

"If it's that serious, do you want me to come and--?"

Yukiko's voice broke in hurriedly. "No, Shin-chan--you've got to stay there. Stay with Ran-chan...you're safer there where you're supposed to be--you're Conan-chan, and I'm just your Obasan, remember?"

He gritted his teeth. "No, you're my mother--and I can't just turn away from you!"

"Oh...oh, sweetheart..." Yukiko sniffed, a soft audible sob. "I'm so sorry...I know. But you're also my baby, and can't turn away from you, either. So you stay there with Ran-chan where you're safe, and don't worry about me. Your father and I will settle this--it's not your fault, it's really between him and me, and you needn't get involved..."

"Mom, it isn't--"

"Shin-chan, listen to me." Yukiko's voice, though tearful, held a note of command; a mother's voice, giving a stern order to her child--a directive which had to be followed without question.

But he did question--although he didn't speak it aloud--and though his instincts demanded he rebel to protect her, his mother's gentle authority still had the power to make him obey. "Yes, Mom..."

"Good boy." Yukiko took a breath, her tone calming slightly. "Besides, I think Ran is expecting you to talk to her as well...you two do have a lot to work out, you know."

"Yeah," he admitted, unwilling to change the subject. "First I've gotta survive until she's not mad at me for the whole Conan thing..."

"You'll be fine, honey--believe me, I was just talking to her. She cares about you a great deal."

"Yeah..." He couldn't help his smile. "But she still gets mad at the people she cares about."

"She gets angry because she cares, Shin-chan," his mother told him gently. "If you meant nothing to her, there'd be nothing for her to be angry about."

"I know." Still reluctant to leave the subject of his mother's well-being, he frowned once again. "Mom, I'm...really worried about you."

Yukiko sighed, almost exasperated. "I'm fine--just a little upset. You don't need to be concerned. It's sweet of you, but I'm a big girl--I've been looking out for myself since long before you were ever around to worry about me."

"Yeah, but..." He flushed. "I can't help feeling that this is somehow my fault."

"No." Her firm tone startled him--but so did the sadness in it. "It's not your fault, Shin-chan. Don't you ever blame yourself for this. This has been going on between Yuusaku and Toichi for years, and it's not because of you or Kaito-kun--so don't you ever hold yourself responsible, do you understand?"

"Yes, Mom," he responded smartly, surprised.

After a pause, Yukiko spoke again. "I'm sorry, honey, but I've got to go--your father and I...still have things to discuss. I'll try to call you again tomorrow. You stay there and be good, okay?"

"Um...okay. But...Mom...?"

"Shin-chan, I'm all right."

"Mom..."

"I love you, sweetie."

"Mom, I...I love you too."

"Good night!"

"'Night..."

Still worried and confused, he hung up the phone and sat for a few minutes, running the conversation over and over in his mind, all the while becoming more and more concerned. There was something just not right about his mother's voice--he knew she was unhappy and he knew she was trying to hide it, but he had the feeling that she was somehow concealing something more distressing than a mere "disagreement" between herself and his father. As if she'd been more than just unhappy--heartbroken, even--but adamantly refused to tell him.

Brows drawn down with apprehension, he scooted off the desk chair and headed out of the office, turning out lights and locking the door as he went. Ran would be starting dinner soon, and after that, he had to tell her...

Upstairs, Kogoro was still sprawled on the floor--asleep this time--and Ran wasn't in the kitchen. So he tiptoed past the snoring man and knocked on her door.

"Come in," answered her muffled voice. He steeled himself with a deep breath, swallowed hard, and opened the door. Her room was brightly lit this time, and she was sitting at her desk doing homework; when he stepped inside and shut the door behind him, she turned around to smile at him. "Well, hello, Conan-kun."

"Hi." He tried a cheerful smile but failed miserably, settling insead for a sort of sad tightening of his lips.

She noticed his melancholy right away, gesturing at her bed. "Have a seat...but I've got to start dinner soon, so don't get too comfortable."

The hop up to her bed was getting familiar. He perched himself on the end of it, sighing as he settled in. She gazed at him for a few moments, her brows lowering with conern. "How did it go?" she asked softly.

He sat still for a while, thinking, his small face scrunched with muted dismay. "I think..." he began softly, hesitantly, as if he were afraid to say it. "I think my parents are fighting."

"Oh...!" Ran's eyes widened. "Is it...very bad? Yukiko-obachan didn't say anything to me..."

"I don't know," he confessed rather miserably. "She wouldn't tell me either. But...I think it's a real fight this time, not their usual silly bickering. Mom was really upset, but she just wouldn't tell me anything."

"I'm sure she's okay," Ran was quick to assure him. "And...your parents do quarrel about things sometimes. I'm sure they'll be fine."

"She kept telling me it's not my fault," he murmured. "Like she's worried that's what I'd think..."

Ran frowned, a memory of her own making her shiver--something with tears and loneliness and it wasn't her fault, she wasn't to blame--as she watched him pick at the bedspread, withdrawn. "Shinichi, even I tell you not to blame yourself for things that aren't your fault."

"I know that--but I can't help how I feel," he retorted, glancing up at her. "All of this happened because I decided to side with Kaito..."

"But--"

"Ran...I haven't told you yet," Shinichi interrupted quietly. "You don't understand what this is about. It's a lot bigger than just my age problem."

"Does it have to do with Kuroba-kun and the Organization?" Ran asked hesitantly.

"Yeah...and way deeper. My whole family's involved in this--it's bigger than even I thought it was..." He looked up at her again. "Did my mom tell you anything when you talked?"

"No," she replied. "And even if she did mention something, I didn't catch it. You're right...I don't understand. But I want to. Shinichi, I want to help you."

"Thanks..." He gave a rueful smile. "I just hope you'll still want to help me after you hear this."

Ran frowned at him, a bit miffed that he'd think her that shallow. Putting on a haughty air, she turned up her nose and spoke somewhat huffily. "Well, if I can 'still want to help you' even after you saw me in the hot spring, I'm pretty sure my feelings for you will survive whatever you're going to tell me."

Through her act, she kept one eye open for his reaction. Wow...Obachan was right. Squirm, Shinichi, squirm!

Bright red, he gaped at her, his mouth working frantically. He was practically waving his arms, his childish voice squawking brokenly as he scrabbled for an excuse. "Ah...ah...I...didn't...wasn't...I'd never...couldn't...I swear...!"

It was so hilarious she couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. Though her own cheeks were flushed, Shinichi's whole face had turned tomato-red, and his eyes were so large they seemed to fill the frames of his glasses. He stared at her in disbelief as she giggled, his jaw still hanging open, somehow unable to comprehend that she was laughing--when he probably expected her to pound him into a Conan-sized serving of pudding.

"I wish you could see yourself," Ran giggled, wiping her eyes. "You look just like you did then!"

"Aaaaagh!" he finally groaned rather incoherently, flopping over backwards on her bed to lay limply in utter and complete humiliation. "Just shoot me now...please...Mom's never gonna let me hear the end of it, and you're mad to boot...!"

Ran hid her tiny snicker behind prim ire. "I am the one who made you go in--but I wouldn't've done that if you'd told me the truth. It's all your fault."

"I know, I know," Staring at the ceiling so he wouldn't have to look at her, he rubbed his forehead with one hand, ruffling his bangs. "But I wasn't exactly thinking about that at the time..."

"Well then, what were you thinking about?" Ran asked, leaning forward--and feeling rather mischiveous after her conversation with Yukiko. "I hope you weren't thinking of taking advantage of my ignorance--"

"No way! I'd never--!" he blurted sharply, then checked his volume with a gulp. "Uh...well..."

To be completely accurate, Escape Now had been his first and foremost priority the instant he'd realized what she was about to do. But by then she'd already gotten a grip on him, and resisting became a matter of strength and weight, which he, of course, was sorely lacking in comparison to her. His only recourse had become a verbal protest--and a rather noisy one at that--but despite his shrill, desperate, hysterical objections, he'd still been forcibly compelled to accompany her into the hot spring.

And accompany her he had, even though he'd been wriggling like an eel and employing escape tactics he'd never thought to use against even his most agressive captors in emergencies past; he hadn't even known he could move like that, but desperation had driven him to unusual extremes. Some shock-detatched part of him had wondered if she was part octopus, because she managed to keep her hold on him despite his best efforts to free himself. And then--then, good grief, she'd taken off her robe to start washing, still somehow maintaining her grip and peeling him out of his own covering. How she'd managed that he couldn't remember clearly, having been focused on getting away, but when she did...

"Um...I was thinking....I wanted to get the hell out of that spring," he mumbled sheepishly. "I was more scared than anything else...and I wasn't trying to see you..."

Ran cocked an eyebrow at him, relishing the chance to tease him despite her own discomfiture. "Are you sure? I think you could've gotten away if you really wanted to..."

"Are you kidding?" he blurted in disbelief, sitting straight up off the bed to stare at her. "Not the way you held me down! Whatever I tried I'd end up--!"

Ran smiled, pink at the cheeks and trying not to laugh at his indignant embarrassment. "But what about when you settled down? I thought you'd started enjoying the bath."

Shinichi scowled peevishly, wishing rather fervently he could hide under the bed. "It's more like I gave up. I think I went into shock."

"Maybe I should've listened to Conan-kun," Ran offered, though he could see she was still amused at his blush.

"It would've saved me the heart failure," he muttered, still red-faced and glaring sullenly at the floor.

"What's that?" she demanded.

"Oh...uh...nothing!" he was quick to reply, pasting on the best cute-little-innocent smile he could muster under the circumstances. "Just...talking to myself!"

"Hm..." She regarded him sternly--but with an impish glimmer in her eyes--for several seconds before standing up. "Well, I should go get dinner started. You've got a lot of explaining to do, mister, and if I don't want Dad or hungry stomachs interrupting us I'd better feed them."

"Uh...yeah!" he readily agreed, hopping down from the bed and following her from the bedroom, ready to help in the kitchen. He heaved a mental sigh of relief, glad that she had finally dropped that awful subject. Damn, that little incident always replayed itself in his mind in full sound and color--blush included--whenever he was reminded of it. It would never have happened if he wasn't small or if he'd told Ran the truth--but he'd still gotten enough accidental eyefulls of her to last him well into the next year, and that made him feel even worse.

Hell, I could hardly look her in the eye for days afterward, he thought uncomfortably. And she kept asking me what was wrong--and I couldn't exactly just tell her. Plus I knew she'd be really mad if she ever found out--which she has, but the weirdest thing is...she isn't mad. Or...is she?

In the kitchen, just out sight of her sleeping father, Ran finally turned to him, a very pleasant smile on her face--which made him freeze warily. Bending at the waist, she brought her face close to his so that only he could hear her quiet words.

"Remember, I'm still a bit upset at you about this whole thing, even though I've forgiven you," she said in a sweet, soft tone. "I'm not mad about the hot spring, especially since I spoke to Yukiko-obachan...but...if I hear that you've taken improper advantage of your situation in regards to other ladies' modesty, I will get very angry with you."

His jaw dropped. "Uh-huh..." he managed, nodding vigorously as she smiled kindly and went on with her dinner preparations. Somewhat terrified once again, he decided to clear out of the kitchen entirely, not stopping until he reached the bedroom he shared with Kogoro. Once there, he leaned against the wall, one hand pressed to his sweaty forehead.

"Ugh..." he moaned, already feeling fatigued. Between my parents, Kaito, the hot spring, and telling Ran tonight...I don't think I'll survive 'til morning.

"...I'll never make it to Saturday..."

To be continued...

AN: Hiya! Here's another one...sorry it took so long--this File gave me fits! It's hard to write humor when there's angst on the way... *ahem!* Anyway, File 16's in the works right now, hopefully done soon! By the way, if anyone knows how Ran really addresses Yukiko Kudo, (Obasan, Obachan, Bachan, Yukiko-san) I'd appreciate the info! ^_^ Thanks!