A lifeless night.

Black clouds swirling over the moon.

Random flashes and booming rumbling.

Fat raindrops pounding against tender skin.

Chidori tried to block all of these things from her mind. Her sensory system was overloading; she was getting dizzy. She just kept running, running, running...that was all she could think about, do anything about. She felt herself go flying and hit the pavement hard as she stumbled over her own feet. Her skin and dress were smeared with dirt, and she felt blood dripping from her cheek. All she could do was use her mud-covered hands to push herself back up. She kept going, desperate to find her only sanctuary left.

. . .

"Takaya...I can't do it."

The words slipped from her lips faster than she had expected.

The three of them were standing at the gates to Tartarus, her, Jin, and Takaya. The bright, eerie moon of the Dark Hour was glowing above them, an ominous-looking eye that held the secrets of their fortune with its hypnotizing essence. The streets were glowing in a beautiful, sickening haze of black, green, and red. Takaya had just broken Chidori out of the hospital, and now he was here with his companions, ready to settle things with S.E.E.S. once and for all. But Chidori was standing further away behind them, fearing the words she had just spoken.

She was having second thoughts.

Jin was completely gaping at her. He looked like her wanted to strike her across the face, but Takaya placed a hand on his shoulder and stepped in front of him. Chidori lowered her gaze. Takaya may have looked frail because of his thin body and unkempt appearance, but his nature frightened her the most.

"What do you mean, Chidori?" he asked. There was a subtle fury in his tranquil voice.

Chidori withdrew in fear. "I don't know."

"You know there's no place for you back there. They'll resent you."

"What the hell are you thinking, Chidori?" Jin said, "We busted our asses getting you out of there and now you're-"

"Be quiet, Jin!" Takaya growled. Jin immediately silenced himself.

Chidori shook her head wildly. "I...I don't know. I just can't."

So many thoughts were flying around in her mind, pulling her back and forth between her place in Strega and her time in the hospital. She had left that dull place with clear resolve, but now it was starting to waver. She kept picturing his damn face in her mind.

"It's all his fault. Since the day I've met him, I've experienced nothing but pain, and I've become afraid of dying." Why did those words suddenly not make sense now? She knew she had no place in his world. Takaya and Jin were the only people who shared her pain, so why did she suddenly feel so detached to them? Had she become drunk on life because of one single person?

'Goddamn it, Junpei, what have you done to me?"

"Look at me, Chidori!" Takaya roared at her, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Her head turned sharply back up towards him.

"Am I right to suspect that you've become poisoned by their influence?" Takaya asked. "Have you come to fear death?"

Chidori was having a hard time breathing. How was she supposed to answer that? She knew that becoming attached to life was only going to bring her misery, but why was she so reluctant to admit this? Why was it so hard for her to accept the inevitable truth?

"I don't know!" Chidori cried.

All was silent then. Takaya sighed helplessly. Jin stood fuelled with anger, but refused to act without Takaya's consent. Chidori trembled as their harsh eyes glared at her. She cursed her hurting, clueless heart.

"I see," said Takaya. "You've made your decision, Chidori. I can see you're no longer one of us."

Chidori shook her head. "Takaya, I-"

"There's nothing left for you to say to me. Go, turn around and run. Run as fast and as far away as you can and get the hell out of my sight."

Chidori stood frozen for some time, then, without thinking, turned away from them and ran as fast as her feet could carry her, letting them decide where she needed to go.

Jin was about to ask Takaya why he let Chidori go when he watched as Takaya drew out his revolver and fired three shots in Chidori's direction. All of them missed, but she vanished quicker into the darkness than he had expected. Takaya kept moving forward and fired show after shot, eventually quickening his face after her. Jin tried to stop him by pulling his arm away, but Takaya pushed him off.

"Damn it, Jin," Takaya snarled, "You have legs, now use them and head after her!"

Jin was still in shock from what happened, but he sombrely composed himself and followed Takaya.

. . .

Chidori froze as she gazed up at the building in front of her. This was the dorm that was the headquarters of S.E.E.S. This was the only place left for her to hide. She was afraid that she would be leading Takaya and Jin here, but it seemed that she managed to throw them off her trail. She was soaking wet and filthy; there was no doubt she was going to get sick. Desperate, she rushed to the entrance and started pounding on the doors.

The dorm was calm and quiet from the inside, the atmosphere unaffected by the harsh weather outside. Near the entrance, Koromaru was gently nestled on the floor, sleeping peacefully while always alert to whatever dangers could be lurking outside. His ears perked up as he heard something banging on the door. Suspecting trouble, he leaped up onto all four and barked at the doors.

Fuuka was the first to hear Koromaru's barking and rushed downstairs, still yawning and rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

"What's the matter, Koro-chan?" she asked, "Is there someone at the door?" She could sense a strange presence, but she was still half-asleep and couldn't focus her powers properly.

Fuuka pulled the door open and gasped when she saw the drenched and dirt-matted Chidori before her, illuminated by the lightning. Filled with relief, Chidori collapsed onto her knees, coughing as she tried to catch her breath.

"Chidori-san!" Fuuka gasped, "What are you..." She stopped and took a moment to calm herself. "Never mind, that's not important right now. We need to get you inside!"

Fuuka lifted the weary Chidori up and dragged her into the dorm. As she set Chidori down next to an anxious Koromaru, she contacted everyone with her Persona, Juno's help to inform them what had happened. After she closed and locked to the door behind her, everyone from S.E.E.S. rushed down the stairs towards the three of them.

Mitsuru was the first at Fuuka's side. "Yamagishi, is everything all right?"

Fuuka nodded. "I didn't sense anyone following her, but-"

"Chidori!"

Fuuka and Mitsuru turned to find Junpei rushing towards Chidori, his face white with terror. They stepped out of the way as he kneeled down next to the her, cradling her in his arms. She refused to look at him.

"Is she okay?" Junpei asked, his voice cracking with panic.

"She's not in any serious condition," Fuuka replied, "but we should look after her as soon as she can."

Akihiko sighed from behind them. "You got that right. She's a damn mess."

Yukari shook her head. "Yeah, but are you sure it's a good idea that we keep her here? I mean, I know she's now well, but we still can't trust her. She could be leading Strega right to us!"

Everyone else was feeling as nervous as Yukari. They had Chidori in their captivity for some time, but there was still no real guarantee that they could trust her. They couldn't offer her any blind hospitality if she was still loyal to Strega.

Mitsuru stood up and reached for her cell phone. "Yukari's right. Even though Chidori is in no condition to fight, we still have to take into consideration that she could be luring us into a trap. I'll contact the hospital and find out what's happening on their end. I was afraid that Strega would eventually find out where she was being held." She turned to the rest of S.E.E.S. "Everyone, be on your guard for any trouble."

. . .

Time had passed since Chidori had pleaded for sanctuary in their dorm. Mitsuru managed to get a hold of the hospital; the staff informed her of the break in into Chidori's room and her sudden disappearance. Mitsuru was now convinced of Strega's involvement, but was still unsure of why Chidori had begged for her team's aid. She was anticipating foul play and had sent Akihiko, Ken, Koromaru, Aigis, and another member of their team to guard the dorm.

Junpei, Yukari, and Fuuka were in charge of taking care of Chidori. The girls had already stripped her of her goth lolita garb and gave her a nightgown to wear while her regular attire was in the wash. Chidori was currently sitting in the girl's bathroom alone. Her body was still grimy and muddy from her escape in the rain, and in the state she was in, her limps were too weak for her to wash herself, so Yukari or Fuuka would have to do the work for her. Meanwhile, Junpei was sitting back on the sidelines, waiting to take orders from the girls. He was concerned about Chidori and wanted to see her, but he was afraid to speak to her. After all, how could you talk to someone after they had rejected you and were now sitting behind a girls' bathroom door after running for their lives? All he could do was sit and wait, twiddling his thumbs and impatiently thumping his leg.

It wasn't long afterwards that Yukari exited the bathroom, looking completely exasperated. "Ugh, why does she have to give me such an attitude?" she asked herself. She immediately changed her tone when she saw Junpei's frustrated face. "Oh, I'm sorry, Junpei, I'm just tired."

"What's going on?" Junpei asked.

"Well, Fuuka and I were trying to help her get clean," Yukari explained, "but she kept flinching whenever I put the sponge on her skin. She said I had a 'fiery touch' and that 'my fingers were too harsh for her skin'." She rolled her eyes. "Who talks like that anyway? I kept telling her I was only trying to help, but she screamed at me to go away and kept glaring at me until I left. Fuuka's trying her shot on it; maybe her touch will be a little 'gentler' than mine."

"I guess it's complicated," Junpei said, trying to calm Yukari. "She's not really that good with people, so for something that," He tried to find the right words, "...'intimate', it would take a lot of time getting used to."

Yukari sighed. "Too bad you're not a girl, or else this would be much simpler to deal with."

Junpei blushed at the thought of being in that same room as Chidori right now.

Yukari stepped aside as Fuuka walked out into the hallway, closing the bathroom door behind her.

"How goes it, Fuuka?" Yukari asked.

"Not good," Fuuka replied. "She won't let me help her either. She says I have a "cool, fragile touch that sends goose bumps down her back.'"

"Oh, come on!" Yukari cried impatiently. "She can't just complain like that after we took the risk of taking her in and saving her life. In her condition, beggars can't be choosers! You and I are the only ones who can help her right now; she's going to have to make do with what she's got."

"Well, not exactly," Fuuka turned to Junpei with a flustered look on her face. "Junpei-kun, this may be a little embarrassing to say, but..." Fuuka hesitated while Yukari and Junpei looked at her curiously. "Well...we need you to help Chidori in there."

Junpei grinned. "Well, sure Fuuka, I'd be happy to..." His eyes went wide when the implications of her words finally hit him. "Wait, what?"

Even Yukari was taken aback. "Fuuka, I know Junpei would probably be the best one to help her out, but he's a guy! He can't just waltz in there while she's...you know."

"We may not have a choice if we want to keep her healthy," Fuuka replied, "Every time I went near her, she kept getting nervous and asking where Junpei was. She's become very anxious after everything that's happened and Junpei is probably the only person who can help her relax. It seems to me that if she wants to feel comfortable, she'll want him by her side."

Junpei's face was getting redder by the minute at the thought, but he kept his concentration on what Fuuka had said. No matter what had happened between them, Junpei swore he would always be there for Chidori when she needed him.

Yukari sighed. "Well, if it will help her feel better." She took Junpei by the hand and led him to the door. "Come on, lover boy, time to get up close and personal with your girlfriend."

Junpei's face flushed into a deeper hue. "But...Wait..." he stammered. "She's not...I mean..."

Yukari took his tightly clenched hand and used it to knock on the door. Before Junpei could react, Yukari and Fuuka turned and hid behind a corner, leaving him by himself. He was about to yell at them when he heard a voice coming from the bathroom.

"I thought I told you not to come near me!" Chidori hissed.

"Uhh... Chidori, it's me, Junpei," he replied, swallowing down his fear. "Can...I come in?"

There was an empty minute of silence between them and then finally a quiet "yes".

Junpei turned the knob slowly and pushed the door back to enter the bathroom. The floor had a checker pattern of dull tiles and a drain in the centre. A few detachable showerheads lined across two walls with some water basins sitting under them. Off in the corner was a small tub for bathing in, used after one has rinsed themselves in the shower to keep the bath water clean. Upon examining it, Junpei didn't see how different it was from the boy's bathroom.

Then Junpei's eyes finally caught what he was looking for. Chidori was sitting silently on a stool, her stringy hair pasted onto her naked back. Her arms were tightly wrapped around her body, still smudged with dirt. Even though she had her back to him and a towel covering her lap, Junpei was having a mental freak-out. Here he was, standing in the girl's bath room with a naked girl sitting in front of him; a girl he had come to know so well no less. He finally took a deep breath and knelt behind her, trying to keep his composure.

"Hey," Junpei whispered, "How're you feeling?" He tried to sound as calm and soothing as possible so she would feel more comfortable.

Chidori didn't respond.

Junpei noticed the atmosphere suddenly get heavier. "Okay, well, if you don't want to talk to me, that's fine, but you've got to tell me if you're not feeling comfortable, okay?" He took the sponge out of the soapy water basin. "I'll try to be as gentle as I can."

He reached out and gingerly pushed Chidori's hair away from her back, careful not to graze her skin should she have an anxiety attack. His mind was still going wild over the situation he was in; after all, not many perverted guys like him ever got the chance to help bathe naked women sitting in front of them. However, reality was starting to diminish his suppressed dirty thoughts. Chidori's physical state was nowhere near the image men fantasized about in scenes like this. From a distance, Chidori's hair looked full and silky smooth, but Junpei could feel the dry and brittleness of it as it ran through his fingers. Her skin looked as smooth and as pale as ivory, but the scars were white washed from her healing powers; sapping energy from her body and making her look like a ghost. She was thin like most Japanese girls, but clearly too thin. Junpei swore he could see the outline of her ribcage and was tempted to trace it with his finger. He felt his heart give as he kept staring at her in sympathy. He thought of her as a beauty unkempt in health.

Junpei was pushing Chidori's hair over her shoulder when he heard an audible gasp and felt her whole body tremble and tense up. Without thinking, he had accidently rested his hand on her shoulder and she reacted to his touch. Junpei was about to pull his hand away when he felt her body relax again.

Chidori sighed contentedly. "Your fingers are warm," she whispered, "They're a bit rough, but very gentle."

Junpei blushed in surprise. "Uhh...thanks."

He gently placed the sponge on her back and moved it slowly over her body, washing away all of its impurities. The soapy bubbles danced around her skin as the sponge glided across her body, which to her felt as soft as a pillow after everything that had happened. Junpei was careful not to clean anywhere that made her feel uncomfortable, and he tried not faint as his hand began gliding near her breasts. He decided to make small talk to distract himself.

"So..." Junpei was having trouble finding the right words. "Mitsuru thinks you might have met up with Strega again."

Chidori remained silent.

"We thought for sure they had..." He didn't offer the right word. "But after seeing you like this, we had our doubts. I mean, why else would you break out of the hospital?"

Chidori still remained silent.

"Hey," Junpei knew he was getting into personal territory, but he had to ask. "What was going through your head when you saw them? Did you think about rejoining them and then chicken out at the last minute?"

"That's none of your business," Chidori finally replied. "I'm here for sanctuary, not interrogation."

"Don't worry, Mitsuru-senpai didn't tell me to ask you all of this. I just wanted to find out for myself." His thoughts went to darker places. "Did they hurt you?"

Chidori's eyes widened. He said this with such malice, it frightened her.

"I know they're your friends," Junpei said, a low growl in his voice, "But so help me, if they ever did anything to hurt you, I-"

Chidori cringed as the sponge dug into her skin. "Junpei, you're hurting me!"

Junpei composed himself and pulled his arm away. He turned his eyes away in shame. "Chidori, I...I'm sorry."

Chidori ignored him. "I shouldn't even be here," she whispered. "I should have stayed with them. I shouldn't have had second thoughts. Why the hell did you..." She shut herself up and turned her head down.

"What was that?" Junpei asked.

"Nothing!"

Junpei was confused. "Chidori, I'm your friend. You can talk to me about anything."

Chidori felt herself tense up again, but her muscles soon relaxed when Junpei took a clean rag to rinse the suds off of her body. "...It's no use," she sighed. "I suppose fate has decided to torture me even further. I am doomed to spend the rest of my life like this."

Junpei was baffled by her words. "What do you mean?"

"You wouldn't understand. How could you? You're nothing like me. You've lived a more prosperous life than I have. You have power, food, shelter, and friends. You can even control your Persona. I have no place in the normal order of things. No matter how hard to try to make me conform, I'll never truly fit in."

"Chidori..."

She turned her head and cast an icy glare at him. "I hate you."

Junpei was taken aback. He could feel his heart ripping to shreds and tears brimming in his eyes. Then rage began to build up. "What, you think this is easy for me? That I treat all of this like some kind of game? Of course I do; you know why? Because I'm trying to hide the fact that I'm just reality's bitch." His temper was flying higher with each sentence. "I'm just a stupid, arrogant, ladies man that everyone can laugh at, always the butt of everyone's joke. I laugh at myself too, making everyone feel okay with laughing at me if I can laugh at myself. But I laugh at myself because I'm so pathetic. I mean, look at me. My test scores are low, I can't hook up with a girl to save my life, hell even my battle skills are worthless. Sure, I've got a Persona, but what good is it if you're always hiding in the shadow of someone who can use multiple Personas at once?" He calmed himself. "I fight because it makes me feel special, but even then I feel like a nobody."

He took a deep breath. "At least I did until I met you, Chidori. You actually took me seriously. You didn't laugh at me, you didn't take pity on me, and you just let me be me and accepted it. Even after you captured me and nearly killed me, I couldn't hate you. I at least feel like you're someone of worth, even if you yourself don't. At first I thought it was just cool that someone actually looked up to me, but as I got to know you more, I stopped acting so selfishly about it. I want to help you because I know it's something I need to do, not just as a way to make me feel better about myself. You're my reason to fight because you're a big deal to me, a really, really big deal." Tears were streaking down his face. "So, how could you say something like that?"

Chidori was overcome with anxiety and she hugged herself as tightly as she could to suppress her panic. "This is too much. This is just too much!" She was hyperventilating. "Why does my heart hurt so much? Why is it so hard to breathe? Why do I feel so hot and dizzy?"

Junpei looked at her in concern. "Chidori, are you okay?" He gently moved his hand up and down her back. "H-Hey, just relax, okay? I'm here."

"You used to be so much fun to be around," she sobbed, "Why is everything so different now? Why do I feel so attached to you? Why do I feel so afraid of death?"

Junpei's headed tilted in curiosity.

"I don't want to become attached to you. If I do, it will just end up hurting me and you. If either of us dies, we won't be able to be with each other anymore. I...I wouldn't know what to do with myself then. But...it hurts just as much when I'm not with you. I don't understand why I'm feeling this way. What the hell is wrong with me?"

That was when it dawned on him. He knew what Chidori was feeling:

Heartache.

He understood now why he was so frustrated with her and himself when she rejected him. She was feeling the same way as he did. All of these confusing emotions after spending so much time with each other all lead up to this. She wanted to be with him as much as he did with her, but she was so confused and frightened by the consequences that she pushed him away. Now that he thought about it, who could blame her? The poor girl was so emotionally stunted she couldn't understand these feelings or the people she felt them for. All he had to do was give her the proper guidance.

She liked him because his warmth made her feel like her life meant something to someone.

He liked her because her kindness made him like himself, and he now had an unselfish reason to fight.

Somewhere along the line, however, it stopped being about "liking" each other. Once these emotional needs were fulfilled, their bond became stronger the more they got to know each other.

That's when they fell in love.

Realizing his true feelings for her, Junpei gingerly stroked his fingers down Chidori's arm, hoping to calm her down. When her muscles relaxed, he wrapped his arms around her body, bringing them closer together. Before Chidori could ask what he was doing, Junpei softly kissed the top of her head.

"It's okay, Chidori," he whispered, "I understand." He moved his lips closer to her ear. "I love you too."

Chidori's entire body went rigid in Junpei's arms. Her eyes went wide and her breathing grew more frantic. Her suppressed emotions were beginning to burst from the coiled ball she had wrapped them into after all of those years. She tried to break free of his hold, but his arms were firm. Half of her wanted to stay locked in his embrace, while the other wanted to flee as far away from him as possible. All she could do was turn her head and face him, and her eyes immediately met with the warm, loving eyes he always gazed at her with, the eyes that told her that it was okay for her to live because she meant something to him. For that moment, the fear of death had no part in the matter.

That was when her suppressed instinct took over. She cradled Junpei's face in her hands and fiercely pressed her lips against his. Junpei's eyes went wide at the force of her kiss, but he eventually closed them and gave in. In a fit of passion, Junpei and Chidori lifted themselves to their feet, and he pulled her into his embrace, not caring that her naked body was pressing against him. The kiss between them was awkward and somewhat messy from inexperience, but with each new kiss, their lips learned to meld together perfectly and become more tame. Chidori pushed off Junpei's hat and brushed her fingers through his short strands of hair, while he roamed his hand all over her back as he held the back of her head with the other, his fingers tangling her blood red hair.

Chidori leaned back against the wall and broke her kiss with Junpei, both of them panting for breath.

"Junpei, I..." Chidori gasped. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I told you I hated you. I'm sorry I said I didn't want to see you anymore. I'm sorry I tried to kill you when I found out that you were my enemy." Tears were streaming down her face as she went on. She blushed when she felt Junpei kissing away the tears of her face.

"It's okay," he whispered, "I'm sorry I got mad and yelled at you like that. I just...didn't want you to reject me after everything we've been through. You mean a lot to me, Chidori."

"You mean a lot to me too. I was just so scared of losing you that I tried to push you away, for your own good as well as mine. But I know now that forcing you out of my life won't change anything. All it will do is just make the pain worse. It's just been so hard trying to understand myself."

Junpei nodded. "I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy, Chidori. I don't want you to have to suffer through all of this anymore. I'm going to help you get through all of this as much as I can...that is, if you'll have me."

Chidori smiled and kissed his cheek in affirmation. "I wouldn't have it any other way, my love."

The two smiled and locked lips once again, the passion growing so deep that they weren't paying attention to the tiny knock on the door.

"Junpei-kun, it's Fuuka," came the voice from the door as it slowly opened and revealed the head of the speaker. "I just wanted to see how you were coming along with..."

A heavy, awkward silence filled the room as the three took notice of each other. Fuuka stood frozen in place as she saw her friend and their clothe-less refugee in a passionate embrace. She grew more flustered as she continued to stare.

Junpei yelped in shock at Fuuka's stare. "W-W-WAIT, FUUKA, I CAN EXPLAIN!"

As soon as he spoke, Fuuka immediately shut the door and left, shouting "S-SORRY TO INTERRUPT!" in the distance.

Junpei sighed in relief after Fuuka had left, but now his mind was back in reality and he blushed horribly over the fact that the Chidori he was embracing was as naked as the day she was born. He quickly turned away, handing her a towel to cover herself while he tried to hold back the blood dripping from his nose.

"D-Don't think that I find your body ugly or anything like that," he reassured the confused Chidori, "I-I-I just want to be modest is all." He swore he was going to pass out at any moment.

Chidori simply shrugged and wrapped herself in the towel. She took her place back on the stool and turned to Junpei.

"I suppose I got a bit carried away, didn't I?" she laughed, blushing. "I don't really know what came over me."

Junpei nodded in agreement. "I guess pent-up love will do that to you." He sat back behind her and examined her hair. "Well, your body is all clean now, but your hair is still pretty dirty. Do you still want my company?"

Chidori simply nodded.

Time passed as Junpei helped Chidori become clean and healthy again. He helped lather shampoo and conditioner into her hair to make it healthy again and rinsed it away under the hot water of the shower head. Once her hair was dry, he helped Chidori into the bathtub for her to relax in, careful not to look at her body out of respect and fear of another nosebleed. As she sat in the tub, the two of them were left alone with their thoughts.

Outside of the bathroom, Yukari was checking her wristwatch, waiting for Junpei and Chidori to come out.

Yukari sighed. "How long have they been in there now? I know Junpei is a perv, but I doubt he would really do something crazy in there with her like that."

Fuuka stayed silent the whole time, blushing every time Yukari brought Junpei and Chidori up.

Moments after Yukari's comment, Junpei opened the door with a clean and healthy Chidori next to him, her arm around his waist for support. She was dressed in a clean nightgown covered by a housecoat and wearing fuzzy slippers to keep her warm.

Yukari smiled, glad that the job was done, but eyed Junpei suspiciously. "You know, you guys were in there for a really long time. Are you sure you didn't try anything, Junpei?"

Junpei blushed at Yukari's teasing accusation. "H-hey, is that the thanks I get for doing your job for you?"

Fuuka jumped up quickly to Junpei's defence. "O-Oh, Yukari-chan, I'm sure there's no reason to be suspicious. I-I'm sure Junpei wouldn't even think of trying to...umm...pull any fast moves on her." She started laughing nervously.

Yukari raised an eyebrow in confusion, but simply turned away. "Well, whatever. I'm going to report to Mitsuru-senpai and then maybe I'll finally get some shut-eye. See ya."

After she had left, the heavy silence caused Junpei and Fuuka to laugh awkwardly over the ordeal. Chidori remained silent, not sure how to respond. However, when Fuuka decided to follow Yukari, she turned to find Chidori giving her a warm look. It was not the same look she gave to Junpei, but Fuuka acknowledged that both Chidori and Junpei would be forever grateful if she could keep what she saw a secret. Ever the wise one, Fuuka left with the intention of giving them some alone time.

Now it was just Junpei and Chidori in the empty hallway. For a time, nothing was said between them. All they could do was hold each other's hands.

"So...I'm glad you're feeling better." Junpei said, not sure of how else to break the silence. "I might just go and check if your bed is ready. I hope you don't mind sleeping on a couch."

Chidori wasn't listening. "Do you think things the way they are now...will they be able to stay like this? You know what kind of power Medea has over me. If I'm not careful, she could..." She wasn't sure if Junpei already knew about the side effects of her suppressants or not.

Junpei was silent for the longest time. He couldn't stand the position Chidori was in. He knew what her Persona was capable of if she couldn't control it, and he had heard Mitsuru and Akihiko talking about the pills she was taking to suppress it. Were they really shortening her life? Was it really her Persona or her pills that would kill her in such a short time? What would he do then? He had become interested in a lot of girls, like Yukari, Fuuka, Mitsuru, and Aigis, but Chidori was the only girl he had ever thought of having a serious relationship with. What would he do, knowing that she probably wouldn't last long? When someone had such a profound effect on your life, it would be very hard to move on. He hated himself foe feeling so immature. He wanted to cry when he saw Chidori's eyes staring back at him, clear, dark eyes filled with worry.

Chidori jumped when Junpei suddenly lifted her up and kissed her lips.

"Why don't we just let things happen?" he said. "We'll deal with that when the time comes, okay?"

He couldn't think about those kinds of things, not while she was still around. He wanted to use the time he had with her right now. He wanted to remain hopeful of the future, hopeful that maybe the Kirijo Group could find a way to help her control her Persona without any lethal side effects. Perhaps he would eventually accept that their fates were set in stone, but this was something he wasn't ready for now. He just wanted to deal with the problem when it was inevitable and make the most out of their lives together.

Chidori smiled and embraced the young man that she loved. She knew now that no amount of fear or uncertainty was going to overcome her feelings for him.

They were about to head back down when Junpei suddenly received a call from Fuuka.

"Junpei-kun, we need you, quick! I'm sensing that the other members of Strega are nearby. Find a place for Chidori to hide and hurry!"

Junpei's eyes went wide and he gazed at Chidori in fear. He could tell that she knew what he was thinking: Takaya and Jin had found them. Not wanting to waste any more time, he took her firmly by the shoulders and forced her to look him right in the eyes.

"Chidori, listen to me," he firmly told her, "Go to the second floor and into the second room on the right. That's my room. I want to you to hide in there until I come in and give you the 'okay'. If you sense someone else in there, get out of there and run back to me as quickly as you can."

Chidori could barely speak. "But...what about you?"

"I'll be fine. Your life is what matters to me the most right now."

Chidori was quiet for some time, but then finally nodded. "Just promise me you won't die."

"I promise," he said, and sealed it with a kiss on her forehead. "Go, hurry!"

As Junpei rushed to join the others at the front doors, Chidori silently took refuge in his room and shook her head feebly. It was an empty promise. She knew Takaya and Jin all too well. They wouldn't rest until both she and Junpei were dead. She wouldn't know how to live with herself if he was gone. He was the reason her life had any meaning in it at all. Why would she want to keep dragging on with her short life if he wouldn't be there to pull her along through it? But she knew he was strong. Maybe fate would be kind to him and spare him. And if it didn't...

She knew what her healing powers were capable of...

She knew the sacrifice it would involve, but she accepted it.

She would rather die and live on through him than live whatever life she had left without him.