Hello my dears! I'm back with another story and this time, we're going to wrap up the Pandora-Arc. This is a Shinichi and Kaito friendship story – no pairing! I love how they interact and yes, I do read and like KaiXShin, but this is a continuation of 'Scars' and I'll stick to the original couples, featured by the manga. So – no yaoi/slash/BoyxBoy/whatever here.

As I said: this is a sequel to 'Scars'. I would recommend you to read it first, 'cause there might pop up some references here and there, but you also should be fine if you don't. So, have fun and remember: I always love to know what you are thinking about the story, so be so kind and drop a review now and then ^_~

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Detective Conan or any of its characters and concepts! They all belong to Gosho Aoyama.

Prolog
Debt
ooOO-Oooo

Beep

The annoying sound filtered through Shinichi's befuddled senses.

Beep Beep

He didn't want to leave the cozy, peaceful darkness yet. Every time he'd done so in the last few days, he'd ended up in a new predicament and he'd really had his full.

Beep Beeeeep Beep

Unwilling to open his eyes, he frowned slightly. The rhythm was very unusual for a heart-rate-monitor. Why would he be hooked up to one anyway? As far as he remembered, he'd only been hit on the thigh and grazed on the head, and hadn't he left the hospital yesterday? Huh.

BeepBeepBeepBeepBeepBeeeeeeeeep

' OK – That's it – what the hell-'

He opened his eyes, blinked a few times and yes - this was indeed his own room. His surprisingly dark room. Squinting at the clock on his nightstand, he cursed. 1:30 a.m. Another beep drew his attention to the source of noise next to his bed. A dark haired girl sat there cross-legged and pressed energetically on the display of her cellphone, glancing up at him expectantly.

"Morning, sleepy-head," he was greeted by Ran's cheery voice. "Slept well? I hope I didn't wake you?" All of her expression said differently though. Her Cheshire-grin didn't go well with the concerned question.

'Come to think of it,' his still in a kind of slow sleepy-mode brain pointed out for him, 'This grin doesn't go well with Ran to begin with.'

He took a closer look at his childhood-friend-now-girlfriend, noticing a little white plushy on the phone strap. 'And this is certainly not her phone.'

What left him with the obvious answer as to who was interrupting his well-deserved rest. His right eye twitched.

"KID, what are you doing here?" he asked irritated. Seeing that the thief's grin evolved a very suspicious, mischievous edge, he scowled. "And you better don't mess with me or I will kick your sorry ass to kingdom come."

KID actually pouted. "Aww, Tantei-kun – you're no fun."

He sniggered as he heard his favorite detective grumble something incoherent that sounded like "Why does everyone tell me that lately?" while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Come to the point, KID. Look – I'm really, really grateful for your help with the BO, but it's in the middle of the night and I'm not in the mood for your pranks right now. I don't even want to know why you felt the urge to disguise as my girlfriend to show up here." Seriously – why did he have to put up with weirdos all the time? It was just exhausting. He breathed a quiet sigh. "I just want you to make short work of it, so that I can go back to sleep."

A puff of smoke and instead of Ran, Kaitou KID sat on the floor in his white trademark regalia, eying him innocently. Well, as innocently as possible for an internationally wanted thief. "You owe me one."

"Huh?" Shinichi looked at him baffled. "Come again?"

KID casually leaned back, smiling. "You've heard me, detective. You owe me one."

"Okay… uhm. Mind to specify what exactly I owe to you? Like rescuing you out of a burning building, bringing down a shadowy syndicate, letting you off the hook on your next heist…?"

The thief laughed. "As if I needed to call in a favor from you to pull off a perfect heist. Though I might come back to you about that syndicate thing, but no." In a smooth movement he was on his feet and hovered over Shinichi, leaning in closely. "That's not what I meant," he whispered.

Shinichi's face heated up at the invasion of his personal space and the thief's low voice. Holy crap – what was going on in this lunatic's twisted brain? He scooted back spluttering, until he bumped against his headboard. KID followed him suit, entrapping him with his arms braced left and right to Shinichi's head. "You know, Tantei-kun – Mouri-chan has great taste. You really are handsome. Those bandages give you just the right touch of bad-boy."

'What?' Shinichi's thoughts came to a stuttering halt. He tried to untwist his uncooperative tongue. "Uh… KID… that…" He swallowed. "I feel flattered and all, but… I just don't… swing… that way."

The man in white just looked at him in silence, his eyes and most of his face obscured by his glinting monocle and the brim of his hat. Had he offended the thief?

Shinichi began to phrase an apology, but cut himself off as he saw the familiar grin KID was famous for, breaking through the poker face. "You – you've set me up! You sorry excuse for a…" he yelled disbelievingly, shoving the now outright laughing boy off of the bed.

"Your face was priceless, Tantei-kun," KID hiccupped chuckling. "I just couldn't let this opportunity slip."

Shinichi suppressed a frustrated grunt. 'It's KID, remember? Breathe, calm down and make sure to ask Agasa for new power-kick-boots and a soccer-belt for the next heist.'

His satisfied smile set KID on edge. "Wh- What are you thinking 'bout, Tantei-kun?"

"Never mind - doesn't matter." 'Sweet, sweet revenge, KID.' "So, spit it out. What do you want with me?"

KID hadn't earned his reputation for nothing. Effortlessly, he slipped back into his role of the mockery, enigmatic thief. "Very well, Tantei-kun. Back to business. It's very simple. Remember how you escaped from the rooftop?"

A shudder from Shinichi answered his question.

"And do you also remember how you landed – uh, smashed my precious glider in the park?"

Shinichi cringed. Not a chance that he could forget about that - ever. "So basically you want a new glider? That's all?"

"Such things don't grow on trees, you know? My glider is mostly custom-made, so don't bother buying me a new one, but some financial support would be much appreciated."

Well, that was something Shinichi could arrange quite easily. He shrugged. "Okay, no problem. You're right, I owe you that much. I assume you don't take credit cards?"

KID grinned at him. "Don't worry, I'll send you a note with instructions."

Lifting one eyebrow, Shinichi scowled at the thief. "Instructions my ass. Who do you take me for? This will just end up in some of your insane games if I give you any time to prepare. Just give me the information now and then get out of my bedroom."

"Mahh… always so distrustful, Tantei-kun," KID sighed as he got up from the floor and brushed some non-existent dust from his sleeve. "But really, you should know by now-" He pulled something small out of one of the countless hidden pockets of his suit. "-that I am always prepared."

The pink smoke filled Shinichi's lungs before he could even think about holding his breath. 'Well,' were his last thoughts before he drifted into dreams, 'at least I will get to sleep again now. Damned thief.'

KID looked down at the peacefully slumbering detective and placed his note neatly on the nightstand, so it would be there to greet Shinichi first thing in the morning. He walked over to the window and paused for a moment, a pleased smile gracing his lips. "You're right, Tantei-kun. I don't take cards – I deliver them."

ooOO-OOoo

Dear detective,
five rounds of the ball that means life.
four matching stars
three beats after the beginning
two fingers pointing into the sky
one to deliver the debt

(grinning Kid-doodle)

ooOO-OOoo

"KID!"

The shout resounded through the whole house. Two people sat at the breakfast table, completely unfazed. The woman sipped her tea while the man turned a page in his newspaper.

"I think he found the note," Yukiko said with a small smile. She had seen it while she'd tried to wake her son for breakfast, but he had slept like a log, so she'd let him be.

"Obviously," her husband answered.

Yukiko grinned mischievously. "When do you think the thought will hit him that KID's heist collides with Ran-chan's birthday?"

Yusaku folded the newspaper and counted down while he glanced in the direction of Shinichi's room. "Three, two, one…"

"AAarrrghhh!"