Disclaimer: I don't own detective Conan/Case Closed.

Conan traversed the room while scanning his surroundings with meticulous precision. Like he does on every crime scene. But this time, he was extremely accurate.

"So Hattori, this is your Everest. Interesting!" he addressed to the boy standing behind him. Conan couldn't help but tease him a little for assuming that no one might be able to solve that crime. Not even the small detective. He couldn't let such statement pass.

Heiji's response was an undefinable grunt. "Hurry up, Kudo! We're not allowed to be here. The crime scene is sealed by police. I just brought you here because you were such a pain in the ass since you came to Osaka. 'Please, I need to see it by myself. Please, please, please' ," he imitated his best friend.

"Yeah, right!" Conan commented eye-rolling. "Why don't make yourself useful and also examine the room?"

"Why should I? I already told you I have no clue," Heiji replied reserved with hands in his trouser pockets.

Conan looked puzzled a him. That behaviour was very odd for his friend. Normally, Heiji leaves nothing untried to solve a mystery. He focused his thoughts back on the case and started to crawl on all fours to examine the ground.

"I give you just one more minute."

"God, Heiji. Who's the pain in the ass here?"

"There might be a policemen coming every second."

"Since when does that frighten you?"

"You're funny! Your father isn't a police superintendant. You pass as child and just get a light bottom smack for being here. But I…"

"Yeah, yeah. Just calm down. I'm nearly done. I found an interesting clue."

"WHAT!" Heiji was beside him immediately.

"Look, Hattori!" Conan pulled something from under the desk. It was a piece of a handcuff chain. With an unusual notch on it. Conan had the feeling that he knew it from somewhere. But where…..?

Suddenly, the truth dawned upon him. He turned to Heiji. At once, he was confronted with the barrel of a gun onto his face.

"Ha-..Hattori! Wh-what are… you doing?" he stuttered as white as a sheet.

"I didn't want to do this but you couldn't keep your nose out," Heiji signed. "Give me that damn chain piece." He pointed with the gun on Conan's hand.

"Or what? Will you shoot?"

"I don't want to but…."

"You can't be serious."

Heiji's expression saddened. "Look! Just give it to me. This is the only remaining evidence."

Conan threw the piece to him which Heiji easily caught and put into his pocket. Then he turned to the exit.

"Hattori, what have you done?" Conan asked in shock.

Heiji paused in the movement but didn't turn to face his friend. "You wouldn't understand," he replied heavy-hearted and left the crime scene.

Heiji parked his bike in front of a sleazy motel. With heavy steps, he went upstairs to the second floor, took a key out of his jacket and unlocked the last door at the end of the corridor. After getting rid of his shoes, he made his way to the small entrance area and walked into the main room. It wasn't much bigger either but held enough room for a TV set, a table and a futon. Fortunately, the room was cleaner than expected from the outside of the motel.

Despite the approaching dusk, the lights were turned out. "I'm back," he called into the darkness. An indefinable figure flew across the room and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so glad you're back," Kazuha whispered into his ear. Heiji caressed her tenderly and buried his nose into her hair, inhaling the sweet scent. He wanted to savor the moment before telling her the unavoidable truth.

"And? Can we go back home?" Kazuha looked up to him, hope shining in her eyes. At this moment, he would have given everything to answer in the affirmative. To remain that hope.

"I'm not sure. Conan found out and…"

"What? Really?" she freed herself from his embrace. "But this can't be true. I mean he's smart. Too smart for a child in his age but still a child? Maybe you misunderstood the situation…"

"No," Heiji replied with a huge sign. "He knows."

"But Heiji. He is a child. Who will believe him?" she tried to smile.

He didn't know how to explain the situation. How to explain that Conan wasn't an ordinary child but rather a brilliant detective. That he was much more dangerous for them as assumed. But it was Kazuha who delivered a suitable answer.

"You believe he gonna tell Occhan, right? And the sleeping Kogoro will track me down," she lowered her head by her last words so Heiji couldn't see tears forming in her eyes.

He closed the distance between them and embraced her from behind, his arms around her waist and placed his chin in the crook of her neck. "But he has no evidence. I took the last piece away from him." He removed one hand to pull the chain piece out of his trouser pocket and held it in front of her face.

The darkness in the room made it hard to see. Kazuha took it and examined rather with her hands than her eyes. "From your lucky charm!" she shouted in surprise. "What if we still left evidence there? In the end…umm… they could suggest… you are the culprit."

"Heiji?" she turned around into his embrace, facing him. He avoided her glance. "Heiji!" she demanded and took his face in her hands, forcing him to look in her eyes.

"Does it matter?" he asked shrugging.

Kazuha laid her head on his chest. "Yes, it does," she whispered in his shirt. "And therefore, I will go to the police now and explain everything." But when she tried to leave his embrace, Heiji tightened his grip around her and also hold her wrist tight to her form.

"No!" he replied with a threatening tone in her voice.

"Heiji, let me go!" Kazuha demanded. She tried desperately to freed herself. Not for the first time, she realized how strong her childhood-friend was. His grip was like iron.

"You know that I can aikido. I could beat the life out of you," she tried to sound intimidating.

Despite the serious situation, Heiji had to smile. "And I do kendo. So what? Try it and don't go easy on me," he replied with a sardonic grin.

"Release me first and we can start."

"Oh no! You should be able to free yourself."

"Baka! This isn't a childish teasing or something. LET. ME. GO," she kept squirming but Heiji didn't ease his grip just a bit.

"I won't let you go until you get your senses back, 'zuha. Don't play the hero!"

"I believe I have to bring YOU back to reason. What are we going to do? We're under aged high schooler with no money. Come on! Even for tonight, we had just enough cash for a small motel room in one of the worst areas in Osaka. This isn't a Hollywood movie."

When their eyes met, they fought a wordless battle. Finally, Heiji signed, closed his eyes and rested his forehead on hers. "I can't let you go. Don't you understand?" he whispered. Nevertheless, he loosened his grip on her.

"I do. But thus doesn't change the facts," with that, Kazuha was about to turn around in the direction of the door but wasn't about to get further. Suddenly, Heiji pinned her against the wall, using his whole body to remain her there and claimed her lips in a fierce, demanding kiss. Despite of the first surprise, Kazuha parted her lips immediately while he trust his tongue hard and fast in her mouth. Embracing her waist with his hands, he lifted her up, allowing her legs to encircle his hips while continuing the hungry kiss.

Kazuha raised her arms to encircle his neck and gently stroked through his dark hair, giving him the much needed comfort. Despite the passionate note, she felt desperation in his kiss, in his touch. Heiji clung himself on her like she would disappear any second. Finally, she released her swollen lips from his and whispered, „You know, we should get some rest. Tomorrow, we will make a decision. And I promise that I won't go away tonight, okay?"

He nodded and loosened his grip to let her come back on her own feet. Then, they laid down on the futon, Kazuha comfortable snuggled into Heiji's arms.

The vibration of the cell phone in his pants pocket nearly made him startle. Night wasn't completely over yet but dawn might be there soon. Heiji hadn't slept much. His mind couldn't be switched off that easy. In the end, he just watched the sleeping girl in his arms, listening her steady breathing. Even think about not being with her everyday formed a hard lump in his belly.

Heiji managed to reach the phone without much movement, a new lump developed in his abdomen when he had seen the addressor. I'm waiting outside. Kudo.

Conan leant against the wall at the opposite side of the motel room. When Heiji showed up, he got a mischievous smile on his face. "You're getting lazy. I expected you an hour before."

But Conan didn't react to his cheeky comment. Getting a serious expression back on the face, Heiji joined his friend on the wall, sank down slowly until he reached the floor. After a moment, Conan did likewise.

"Did you know what happened to Kazuha's mother three weeks ago?"

"Umm, yes. She had a car accident," Conan replied confused.

"That's what everyone think. But actually, she tried to kill herself, " Heiji's expression saddened by that revelation while Conan's showed pure shock.

"Kazuha found the suicide note after school. She didn't show anyone. Me either," he sighed heavily. "Luckily, she survived and will soon get well but…Mrs Toyama is gambling-addicted. The last years, she did very well but old habits die hard, right?" Heiji showed a bleak smile. "She made enormous debts by a sleazy, rotten loan shark and when he blackmailed her to tell Detective Toyama, she got completely desperate. Kazuha's father already threatened with divorce if she doesn't stop gambling and throw their money down the rathole. In the end, she didn't see another way out."

"But why did Kazuha…?" Conan interposed.

Heiji looked intensely to his friend. Sometimes I forget how good the small detective is, he noticed acknowledging. "Kazuha tried to help her mother and also save their parents marriage. She went to the loan shark and tried to convince him to give her mother more time. Appealed on his humanity. But that bastard just laughed about it. He molested her and said that she could work her mother's debts off," Heiji couldn't hardly restrain himself, his hands clenched to fists. "That asshole held her down to…," he wasn't even able to say it out loud. If the guy wasn't already dead, he would have killed him with his bare hands. "Scuffles broke out and Kazuha managed to get the scissor and…you know the rest. She called me and I…my first thought laid on Kazuha, so I examined the crime scene and removed every evidence which may lead to her but it seems I forgot something…"

"But that evidence belongs to you. Didn't you noticed it's loss?"

Heiji sighed. "No, I gave it to Kazuha shortly before. She forgot hers at her aunt's house in Kyoto. You know her idiotic believe in lucky charms. I gave her mine before she got completely crazy," Both exchanged a knowing smile according Kazuha's and Ran's typical girlie behaviour. But one second after, Heiji got serious again. "Since that incident, she is a nervous wreck and might not notice that something inside the charm's lost."

For a while, they sat there in silence. "So, what now?" Conan asked.

Heiji buried his face in his hands, then stroked through his hair. "I don't know, "he admitted in resignation. "I only know that I don't want to lose her."

"You know, Kazuha's underaged and just defended herself. It wasn't murder…"

"Oh, and you think it's that simple, hmm? It's not Ran we're talking about, right? Who cares! We can just let her rot in prison," he talked himself into a rage.

"Heiji, calm down. I would never think that, you know it. Try to put your feelings beside and think straight. What do you want to do? Driving like Bonny and Clyde through Japan. This is not a stupid Hollywood movie." The use of the same phrase Kazuha had availed just a few hours ago forced a smile on Heiji's face and let him calm a bit.

After a few minutes of silence, Conan continued: "You know, I wouldn't have known the owner of that chain piece if it hadn't the special mark on. The mark which remained because of that maniac who tried to killed me with a knife. Funny that the same item that saved my life happens to…"

"Yeah, fate have a sick sense of humour," Heiji interrupted drily.

Conan sighed," I leave it to you, man. But don't wait to long. Your parents might be crazy by now because of your absence from home."

"I told mine I stay overnight at Benjiro-kun and Kazuha's official in Akiko's house. I just wanted a bit time to think straight so I brought Kazuha to this place," he looked down to Conan with a bitchy expression. "Because of this little brat who always keeps sticking his nose in other people's business."

The boy gave him a deadly look and stood up. "I'd better be on my way," he turned back to his friend. "Oh, and never ever threaten me again with a gun, understood?!"

This statement raised a smile on Heiji's face. "It was a fake. Didn't you noticed, great detective of the East?" Conan replied with an indecent gesture and walked down the corridor.

After a few minutes, Heiji made his way back to the motel room.

Kazuha felt the movement behind her on the futon. The comfortable warmth returning on her back and strong arms encircling her waist. His breath tickled her neck, leaving goose bumps on her skin. The short departure didn't leave unnoticed by her and while Heiji was outside, she stared into the darkness, waiting for his return. The second she woke up, all thoughts about the current situation came back in mind. And although the decision she already made.

Turning around, she faced a surprised Heiji. He was about to open his mouth and apologise for waking her up but she silenced him by covering his lips with her fingertips. Then she stroked gently over Heiji's cheek. Their eyes met, fighting out a silent discourse. He saw the determination regarding her decision but was far from accepting it. He couldn't. He didn't know how. Accepting it means giving up his best friend. The girl he loved. How could he? Desperation started to form inside of him again. Suddenly, Kazuha kissed him softly on his lips, then deepening the kiss. Pulling him on top of her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and nibbled on his bottom lip. Heiji groaned softly against her mouth as he pressed her closer to him. At that moment all of their fears and problems seemed far away.

Kazuha's hands moved to his waistband, fumbling with the buttons when she felt him freeze. Heiji raised his head to look at her. Uncertainty and hesitation was reflected in his eyes. They never made the last step until now and he wasn't sure if Kazuha was really ready. Maybe she decides out of this extraordinary situation and will regret it later, crossed his mind. But her face taught him otherwise. The radiant smile full of confidence regarding him made his heart skip a beat. Heiji bent down to kiss her again, letting his lips wander along her jaw and down to her throat, teasing her with a flick of his tongue, a nip of his teeth, until he captured her mouth again. His hands wandered along her leg, up her thigh. When he reached her butt, he pulled her hips hard against his groin. Kazuha's mouth escaped a moan, her hands on his back, the nails scraping their way down to his backside. For the first time since this incident, she didn't feel burdened by her problems. Just being with Heiji made her forget everything else. The outside world disappeared. Only the two of us. That's everything that matters, she resumed with a smile.

Sun already showed up on the horizon when Heiji finally woke up. The place beside him was empty. Panic caught him. Did she left already? Without me? Suddenly, Kazuha stepped out of the bathroom, completely dressed. He sighed with relief.

"Umm, I thought…it would be time to go to police and…,"she muttered shyly.

"I'm going with you. Don't even dare to make a move without me, 'zuha." Heiji grabbed his clothes, scattered all around the room and put them on in no time. Busy with his clothes, he missed Kazuha's relieved expression regarding his declaration. She wanted him by her side but didn't know how to ask.

Finally, Heiji was dressed, too. He took Kazuha's hand in his and looked in her eyes. "We're doing this together," he declared firmly. Even though, he didn't agree to her decision but he will stand by her side. No matter what. Then, they went out of the motel room.

The End

The idea of Kazuha being a culprit and Heiji's reaction to it crossed my mind. What do you think about the course I chose? I'm dying to know :)

I also made a sequel to this story, called "picking up the pieces", if someone wants to know what happens next... ;)