I'm still not sure where I'm going with this but getting into the groove of writing again is a bit weird. I think I'm still a bit rusty here and there but enjoy the chapter.

A Fake

Shinchi could only grasp his chest as he stared at his friends. His mind wavered, some of the people that he had never wanted to find out but here they were, staring at him in horror. He started to crawl along the floor, trying to get away from them. He felt an arm around him and was staring into the Professor's face.

He didn't say anything as the Professor picked him up and took him downstairs. Shinchi clutched his chest once more and felt the familiar pain of growing as he quickly pulled Conan's clothes. He couldn't be going and destroying them. The Professor only looked grave as Shinchi finally looked at him back in his own body. He passed a blanket to him.

"I'll be back in a minute. You need some clothes Shinchi." He said going upstairs.

It didn't feel as if five minutes had gone by when he finally came back and passed a pair of jeans and t-shirt to him. When Shinchi was finally changed, he shared a strained look with the Professor.

"The kids. They saw me change back to Shinchi Kudo. What do we do now?" He mumbled staring at the ceiling.

"They looked quite scared. Ai-chan's got them sitting upstairs but we've got to tell them what happened."

"How do you explain that one of their friends just grew in front of their eyes?" He rubbed his head.

"I think we try and tell them the truth. I expected for Ran-kun to find out more than them but you're never careful." The Professor muttered. "Now come on we can't keep them waiting."

"Professor." Shinchi everyone always going to keep mentioning that he screwed up? With a reluctant sigh he went back up the stairs.

What greeted him was a shaking Ayumi trying to clutch a glass of water. Her eyes were all red and she kept sniffing. Gents and Mitsuhiko sat either side of her, looking at the floor and playing with their hands. Haibara sat on one of the armchairs with her arms folded. Her eyes followed Shinchi as he walked into the room.

"Kudo-kun." She acknowledged him as he came into the view of the detective boys.

All three of them shared a glance with each other. It was Ayumi who spoke first.

"You're Conan-kun right?" She mumbled. Her eyes welled up with tears again.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Yes and no."

"What do you mean?" Mitsuhiko shouted. He was clenching his fists. "You made Ayumi-chan cry! Answer her!"

"Yes! Answer her!" Gents joined in.

They were still treating him like he was Conan. They didn't know his true identity. He would have to tell them but by telling them, he was going to put them in danger.

Shinchi sighed. "My name isn't really Conan. My real name is Kudo Shinchi."

"As in the high school detective?" All three said together.

He nodded.

"Then how did you become Conan?" Mitsuhiko asked.

"Some bad people. They gave me a drug which shrunk my body which I know is hard to believe but it happened. I had to become Conan to protect everyone. I can't tell you anymore than that or else you will be in danger. I never wanted you guys to find out."

He looked at the three of them as they processed the information. They looked like they had been told that their pet hamster had just died.

"So Conan is fake?" Ayumi cried. Her eyes welling up with tears.

Shinchi knelt down so he was at their level. It had only just occurred to him, how small and fragile they were. Was this what he looked like to adults when he was Conan? He must have looked pathetic but he wasn't a kid. The detective boys were.

He placed his hands on Ayumi's shoulders. She stopped and looked at him. Her cheeks blushing.

"Conan is still real. I'm only like this for about a day. So I will be Conan again soon. I'm still your friend aren't I? Conan may not be my real name but the camps we've been on and the adventures we've had. That was still me."

She wiped her eyes and nodded. She gave Shinchi a small smile which he took as a thank you.

"How did you become Shinchi again then?"

"The professor created a drug that allows me turn back for a time." He lied.

"Oh. Ai-chan was helping you though?" Ayumi asked.

"Yes. She knows." Was all Shinchi said. He was going to protect Haibara's secret. She was always in a lot more danger than he was and he didn't want the kids to know the truth about her.

"Then we can still call you Conan-kun?" Mitsuhiko asked Shinchi.

"Only in private. Call me by me real name."

"Shinchi-san then?" He looked unsure about the name but Shinchi nodded.

"You can't let anyone know that I'm Conan. They exist as two different people and that's the way I want to keep it, okay?"

"It's so confusing." Genta mumbled but Shinchi gave a nod and then Genta's stomach rumbled.

"I think we'd better have some dinner. Luckily I have some curry prepared." Haibara mentioned. The six of them had a quiet dinner. Although the detective boys had accepted that Conan was Shinchi. They still kept giving him glances. It made dinner seem tenser than it should have been.

"It's getting late. I really should go and see Ran before time's up." Shinchi said looking at his watch. The detective boys looked at him once again.

"Can we go with you?" They all chimed.

He shook his head. "No, you guys need to go home."

He waved goodbye to them. Luckily the Professor also had some spare shoes in his size that he put on and he ran out into the rain towards the detective agency. The detective boys whispered something together before putting their arms in the air and they too slipped their shoes on and went outside.

"They're going to follow him aren't they?" Haibara muttered.

The Professor laughed. "Those three are never going to learn. You'd better go follow them Ai-kun, you never know what trouble they will get into."

"It's not those three I'm worried about. It's Kudo-kun. But yes I'll follow them." She reached for an umbrella that was lying at the door's side and turned to the Professor.

"And don't you dare ordering any pizza this late again!" She shouted as she opened the front door.

"Yes Ma'am." The Professor nervously laughed as the door closed for the third time.

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Shinchi pushed the door open and headed up the stairs. He wanted to see Ran. He didn't know how she was going to react. Ever since he had confessed to her in London, their exchanges had been rather distant but he knew that she would want to see him again. He knew that much.

He heard Ran in the office and went in. Kogoro was nowhere to be seen.

"Conan-kun you're late!" She shouted but just stopped and stared as she noticed who was standing in the same room as her. "Shinchi?" She mumbled.

"Hello Ran, it's been a long time huh?" He said leaning against the door.

Ran's eyes swelled up with tears. "How could you say that! Coming here late at night without even a phone call! I miss you and then you turn up out of the blue!" She shouted.

"Ran." Shinchi said. He walked over to her. The moonlight was streaming through the detective agency. She looked so beautiful. "I've missed you." Was all he said as he wrapped his arms around her.

Ran tensed for a second but relaxed and enjoyed the hug. "Despite it, I miss you too. Are you back for good now?" She asked.

He pulled away. "No. Only for a day or so. I just had a break in my clients to come and see you. I expect in a couple of days. I'll be busy with cases again."

"I see." Ran looked sad again and Shinchi's heart broke. He hated this; having to lie to her all the time. She was waiting for him and every time he came, he had to leave again.

There was a knock on the door. "Excuse me is this the Mouri Detective agency?" A woman's voice asked.

Both teenagers turned to see a middle aged woman wearing a purple dress and heels. Her hair was long and brown, that she flipped to the side as she looked at them both. She was quite beautiful but she looked worried as she only saw them.

"Yes it is." Ran replied. "Do you need something with my Dad?"

"Yes. I want him to search for someone for me."

Ran had no time to respond before another voice chirped up from behind the woman.

"It's a case! A case!" Mitsuhiko shouted with joy.

Shinchi only looked at them and laughed. Of course. He should have expected this.