Case Closed Fan Fiction ❯ Vindicated ❯ Long Long Noses ( Chapter 7 )

Disclaimers: I do not nor ever will own Conan or Jimmy and co. It’s a cruel sad world, isn’t it?

It’s been awhile, but in good reason. My updates usually only come once a month and I only update Case Closed stories in alternation with my Dbz stories. So its more like I update once every two months. It’s crazy- but I hope you all forgive me. It’s sad but I do have a life.

Thanks everyone for sticking with me.

-LAST TIME ON VINDICATED-

Forgive me, Jimmy. This is all my fault.

He just had no luck with his lies.

Rachel please forgive me. I never meant to make you cry.

And then, there was nothing.

I hope I’m wrong.

“It’s a pretty little trinket, aint it?”

“Damn. You’re one lucky kid.”

Home. I have to get home.

“What happened to you?”

“I’m sorry for everything.”

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Chapter Seven: Long Long Noses 

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Not that you lied to me but that I no longer believe you- that is what has distressed me.

-Friedrich Nietzsche

xxx

It was raining. There was a continuous drip against a deadened face. The drops of water sent sharp pangs up nerves to its brain. And Jimmy flinched.

He twitched again as another splashed against the highest part of his left cheek. It trailed down, tickling his skin relentlessly in its trek.

In the solitude of his closed eyelids, Jimmy could see the makings of what could be a large body of water- or not. With the light of his mind’s eye, he couldn’t tell. It was a abyss like hole filled with splashing rain water not unlike that which ran down his sleeping face.

There was a form in this water- an incredible face. One that stabbed his heart when he stared. And did he stare. His eyes could not remove themselves after seeing them.

There it was- his face, horrified, looking back upon himself. But, for some reason, his reflection’s eyes wouldn’t meet his own. They focused, instead, on a being behind his shoulder.

And this sight really made Jimmy jolt with pain.

Long blonde hair and the dark clothes- a crow with loaded pistol in hand. The grim reaper of all his dreams. The unhappily ever after that haunted his nightmares.

“Goodbye Detective,” Gin smiled lifting the gun.

Jimmy felt the nose of the gun press against the back of his head. He heard a terrible sound and felt a terrible pain as the bullet embedded deep into his skull.

Blood. Blood rushing. And such horrible pain gushing. Gushing like a waterfall.

And then the pain dulled out into a slow and quiet throbbing.

Jimmy decided to open his eyes but quickly regretted the decision. He hadn’t counted on blinding sunlight to greet him. Jimmy blinked again- giving his eyes time to adjust.

“Good. You’re awake.”

Someone was speaking. He saw lips but the face was too blurry to make out. The blurry creature moved, a bit too fast for the detective’s liking. Unable to protest much, Jimmy listened to the chimes of water hitting water. And then Jimmy felt the juices of a cold compress drip down the sides of his forehead. It felt good. Real good.

Something to drink would be better though. His throat was starting to itch with all these dreams of water and rain.

It seemed the bodiless voice knew this. Jimmy felt a warm hand go behind his head and support him up. His mouth opened eagerly just in time for the cold liquid to rush down it. It was only too kind, whoever it was.

Jimmy didn’t stop drinking until every last drop was gone. The person holding him gave no complaint.

Taking a moment to breathe, Jimmy looked at his helper once more- his vision coming into focus. He was slightly startled to see who was looking back at him.

“Hah,” Jimmy spoke out of Conan’s mouth. “R-iic-hard...”

He didn’t exactly have the look of a compassionate doctor nor a look of a concerned parent. But there was something strangely genuine about his gaze. Perhaps not concern but definitely some sort of respect for this bedridden boy.

“Hey, rest,” said Richard sternly, laying Conan gently back down on his cot. “Your fever may be going down but you are still in no condition-”

“H-how bad is it?” Conan interrupted somewhat cross-eyed. The headache was making his vision go again. 

“You make it sound like you’re dying,” Richard grunted. “You aren’t. Just some broken bones, bruises and scrapes. Hardly worth getting worked up over...”

“How long have I been out?”

“Three days.”

“Three?!”

“ Well, what do you expect?” Richard frowned. “An hour? Boy, you collapsed in the office. We had to take you to the ER! You weren’t a pleasant sight. You’re lucky to even be alive. God only knows how you made it back to the Detective Agency by yourself.”

The man stretched himself a bit and rose off his haunches. Richard was carefully balancing a bowl of water in his hands. Conan guessed it was for his cold compress. Richard was probably going to go change the water now. Not good to keep applying unclean water to the sweaty face of a feverish child.

But strangely, Conan didn’t want him to go yet. The man was a comfort to have near, better than these nightmares of Gin.

“Richard?”

“Hm.”

Richard turned and Conan’s voice got caught up in this throat. His mouth halfway bitten into a word he couldn’t bare to say. The elder man seemed to understand. He gave a nod and let Conan swallow his thanks.

“Where’s Rachel?”

Richard’s eyes went up, past Conan’s face. And Conan understood, not needing a definite answer from the old man.

Lifting his head slightly, Conan could just see her sleeping soundly and patiently at his side.

You’re really too good to me, Rachel.

“You really worried her,” Richard spoke as Conan watched her sadly. “She hasn’t left your side since you came back from the emergency room.”

Guilt filled the boy. He shouldn’t have returned after all. He should have just disappeared.

But then- Do they know-?

Conan looked back to Richard again wildly but the man gave no response to the accusing stare. He wouldn’t get anything out of Richard without letting on too much of what he was holding stay concealed.

Frustratingly, Conan removed his pressuring gaze from the unweary caretaker.

But then his eye caught something a few feet away from the cot. A newspaper. It looked just a little old- but he missed most of those days to really notice.

Conan reached out to it. His fingertips just graced it when Richard effortlessly handed the newspaper to him. Giving a grunt of thanks, only half wondering why Richard hadn’t left now, Conan silently read the main headline.

Rain, Sleet, Snow Or Hail, Kaito Kid’s Heists Never Fail

Exclusive Coverage of last Thursday’s break-in at the Pink Diamond Museum

Hm. Shouldn’t be surprised. I’m the only one who’s gotten close to catching the bastard and I’ve been unconscious for the past several days. Conan thought bitterly.

Conan eyed the date. May 13.

Oh. This is only yesterday’s paper. Conan felt a weight waver off and on his shoulders. It seems Tetra hasn’t posted anything about me yet. What could she be waiting for?

“You reading it alright? Need me to help you at all?” Richard’s voice interrupted Conan’s thoughts.

Assuming Richard was playing him for a dope, Conan glared over the paper at his male guardian. The glare didn’t seem to be enough since Richard still waited patiently for an answer.

“I can read just fine,” Conan snapped. What does he take me for? A two year old?

“Oh alright,” He suddenly looked suspicious.

Tossing one last look over his shoulder, Richard placed a hand on the door handle.

“It’s just that you wear your glasses all the time. I didn’t realize you were just nearsighted.”

Conan’s heart did a somersault in his chest. He felt his face burn off all color- but Richard had already taken his leave.

That couldn’t have gone any worse...

He didn’t exactly know if Richard realized what he just discovered. But all Conan could do now, was hope that Richard would drink the suspicion off later.

Hoping not to experience the event twice, Conan reached over, around Rachel, to where his disguise lay waiting. Once the glasses were firmly and securely in place, Conan went back to scanning the paper and thinking.

This is just one paper out of hundreds. Just because this paper said nothing doesn’t mean that Tetra hasn’t opened her mouth yet.

But, Conan reminded himself. This story is hardly one for the back burners. If Tetra did sell the concept already- then every newspaper in the world would be taking grabs at it.

Conan could see the headlines now, Mysterious Vanishing Detective Reappears, Japanese Detective Discovers Fountain of Youth, or better yet Little Boy Turns Out to be Teenage Detective Sleuth in Disguise.

It was every media industries dream come true.

And his every nightmare.

But there was no sign of such a headline in this paper. It was a good sign but not enough to quench the former detective’s worries.

The text began to get blurry again. Through his head-splitting migraine, he just couldn’t concentrate. Aggravated, Conan set the paper aside and redirected his glare at the ceiling.

He knew that Tetra knew. He couldn’t have been mistaken. It was in the way she looked at him. That sinister smile that coiled on her face said it. Said it so clear. She knew his dark secret. And she was going to expose him. But yet... Tetra had not acted on it.

And why hadn’t she? Was there something he was missing?

Conan tensed as he felt Rachel stir next to him. He hadn’t the time to coy a sleeping act. By the time he thought to do so, Rachel was already sitting up. She had already seen his open eyes, and she was already overjoyed.

Besides, Conan wanted her to be happy before Tetra- or rather he broke her heart again.

“You’re awake! Oh, I’m so glad,” Rachel’s buoyant smile slipped into yawn. “How’s your fever?”

Conan couldn’t hide the blush as she pressed her warm hand against his face. Her finger tips brushed back his bangs. And there she was, breathing gently against him. Conan could reach up and touch her lips. Her soft and beautiful face. He could embrace her and keep her just like he always promised he would. Rachel was right here, so close, waiting for him to take her.

But even though she was so close, she was so far away. Mentally. In a few days, she would know everything. That was the time to embrace her- not that she’d allow it. And even knowing this Conan’s hand kept at his side.

“Ah. It’s gone down,” Rachel flashed Conan a smile. “That’s great. You’re recovering nicely.”

Conan could see the indecision flash in her eyes. She wanted to ask him something that he wouldn’t like to answer. He knew that look all too well.

“What happened?” Conan asked curiously, deciding to play it dumb. “How come I hurt all over?”

Rachel frowned. He could see the sadness spread over her cherry face and tried not to ache at the sight. She was worried about him. She wanted to know what happened. Rachel hadn’t planned on the interrogation going the opposite way.

“I was hoping you could tell me that, Conan.” Rachel sighed desolately. “The doctors said, beyond the bruises and cuts, you suffered three broken ribs and your right hand’s fingers were crushed. The reason you had been passing out lately was because you had mono. Which is why you are gonna stay in bed a while longer,” snapped Rachel when Conan looked uncomfortably out the window.

“The mono just made your condition worse when you went back to school. Then you went out in the rain,” She sighed. “You caught some pneumoniabecause of that.”

“But the mono and the pneumonia, I expected. What I don’t understand, Conan,” Rachel leaned closer to the boy, just making him blush all the more. “Are those broken bones. Don’t you remember anything, Conan?”

Conan couldn’t look at her. He couldn’t lie to her again. Not with a strait face, that is.

“Did someone hurt you, Conan?”

Conan tried to curl himself up and become deaf to her worries- like all other little boys did. But he couldn’t and he couldn’t- wouldn’t bring himself to answer her.

When she should have been accusing him, she was worrying about him. He hated and loved her dearly for it.

Rachel’s hand grasped his shoulder as a means to turn him around, but he coiled away at her touch.

“Conan,” She stopped and then smiled gently.

His shoulders were shaking- stubbornly fighting something back.

“Nobody hurt me, Rachel,” Conan’s voice wavered shakily.

“Alright Conan,” Rachel muttered, carefully resisting the urge to embrace him and stop the tremors that were keeping him from her. “Alright.”

Conan was grateful for the silence afterwards despite how awkward the conversation must have gone. The monster of mono caught up with him- and in the silence Conan quickly found peace.

His soft snoring sang through the room before Rachel even had time to consider offering the boy some more rest.

Rachel smiled down at the sleeping boy and quietly removed his glasses. She laid a soft kiss on his cheek and gently tucked him before heading to the door.

Holding her finger above the light switch, Rachel whispered, “Night, Conan”. She applied weight to her finger and with a click- the lights blinked out.

10:30 am blinked the clock.

---

Fingertips didn’t brush Conan’s fake glasses until two days after that. It was late afternoon when Conan pushed himself out of his cot.

Wandering over to the door, glasses secure and clad in his blue pajamas, Conan made careful to keep his footsteps quiet. His head had been pounding less- so Conan felt this was a perfect time to watch some television.

He needed to make absolutely sure Tetra had not even leaked the news to the comic reels. If the BO caught any wind of it- he was dead for sure.

Conan pushed open the door and wandered down the dank hall still wet from the rain. He reached the stairs, and warily- with banister close at hand, made his slow way down.

He had nearly made the whole way down himself when his foot slipped out from beneath him. Shocked, Conan could only stare at the ceiling- dreading impact that he knew was only seconds away.

But arms caught him safely.

Conan looked up in ready thanks only to shallow his words.

“You should be more careful, Conan-kun. Those wounds have may become fatal if you have another accident.” Tetra smiled in her horrible accented Japanese.

Conan fought back the urge to vomit. He pushed off her chest, falling backwards painfully on the staircase.

“Get away from me!” Conan shrieked, nearly winding himself in his efforts to escape her embrace.

Tetra only smiled in response, her layered makeup flawless in hiding her true intentions.

“What’s going on?”

Richard appeared at the bottom of the staircase- the door of his office flung open in his haste to see what the commotion was about.

Rachel must have gone to school.

Richard saw the two standing there, and frowned.

“Conan. You shouldn’t be up.”

“Don’t worry. I actually wanted him to be here. I have good news from Meguire. I thought our little burglar-catching hero would like to hear about it.”

“Ah,” Richard stood still for a second more, and then took to one side as if to offer them both safe passage.

“Thank you.” Tetra smiled, taking Conan’s hand. “Come along, Conan-kun. I’m sure you’ll love to hear my good news.”

Conan wanted to bite his hand off.

They entered the office in silence. Richard motioned Tetra to a seat on the couch which she took submissively. Conan tried to sneak away, but Tetra’s strong grip forced him on the seat cushion nearest her.

So there he sat, awkwardly awaiting whatever torture she had planned for him. And he knew she was going to torture him. Tetra probably, being the sadistic witch she was, would interrogate him into admitting in front of Richard who he was.

Maybe she had a voice recorder planted somewhere so she could have hard core evidence to support her claims.

Or maybe the witch just liked making him sweat.

“Can I get you anything?” asked Richard politely.

“Yes, actually. Can you get me some green tea, please?”

“Ah,” He gave Conan a funny almost sympathetic look, almost as if he realized how horrible it was to leave the boy alone with the reporter. “Sure. I’m pretty sure we have something in the back.”

And off he went. Conan was actually sad to see him go. He had been missing the annoying detective’s company a lot lately.

Conan looked up at Tetra. She waited, watching and making sure Richard was not going to reemerge from the kitchen. When it was evident he had started boiling the water, Tetra turned her painful smile down upon Conan again.

Conan cringed, “What do you want from me?”

“What are you, child? I’m insanely curious.” Tetra grinned lifting Conan’s chin so that his dark blue eyes met hers. “For some reason, I have the strangest inclination to assume that you and Kudo are the same person.”

Conan smiled darkly, careful not to waver in his gaze. “That is a strange assumption.”

“Hm.”

Tetra released him, still eyeing Conan over the same way. “You are a perplexing mystery, child. I enjoy a challenge.”

“You should stop while you’re ahead,” Conan warned, eyes piercing her own.

“Hm,” Tetra stated again, pulling out a small silver case from her little black purse. She flicked it open and pulled out a thin cigarette of some kind.

She lit it with a simple swipe of her thumb on the lighter, that she had also take from the purse, and inhaled deeply. She let out a long chain of smoke that burned Conan’s eyes even through the protection of his glasses.

“How much will you pay me?” Tetra let off another puff.

Conan was caught off guard. “Pay you?”

“Yes. You can pay me to keep my mouth shut. How much is this dear secret worth to you?”

She let out another long exhale of smoke from her mouth. Conan just stared.

There was a brief interlude before Conan brought up the nerve to speak.

“I’m just a kid- I don’t have any money,” He said hoping she’d buy his bluff. “Besides, it’s not much of a secret to keep. I’ve been calling Rachel as Niisan so she wouldn’t worry about him as much. I just don’t want her to know.”

Tetra let out another puff of air. “Alright.”

She snapped the case shut and rose from the couch, startling Conan with her suddenness. Tetra reached the door just as Richard reentered with the tea.

“M-miss?”

“You can have it, Richard, dear. I’m suddenly not thirsty.” Tetra gave Conan a wink and added, “You know the story of Pinocchio, don’t you, Conan?”

Conan’s frown deepened. She tapped the end of her nose with her free pinkie, and smiled.

“Good luck, dear.”

And then the witch was gone.
-To Be Continued...- Please R & R!

I don’t usually like bringing my personal life into my stories unless it’s important- and this is important to me.

I don’t know much about the actual situation but one of my cousins is in the hospital. She’s only sixteen years old.I don’t how bad it is but I do know it’s serious enough that my Grammie calls my mother every night to update her on Brianna’s condition.

All I ask, if it’s not too much, is that you keep Brianna in your prayers tonight.

Thank you.

  &nb sp;