A/N: Thanks to everyone who is reviewing/following this story.

Lonely Boy IV

It was approaching sunset when Akira, Ann, and Ryuji entered Café LeBlanc for the second time that day. As with that morning, the rest of the Phantom Thieves, Sojiro and Sae were waiting for them. Unlike this morning Akira took a seat on one of the stools with Ryuji and Ann either side for support. Sae noted that Ann held Akira's hand the entire time, but any feeling associated with that thought was quickly suppressed by the twenty-six-year-old.

Akira exhaled before saying, "I wanted to say I'm sorry about… well, everything. I owe you all an explanation…"

With that Akira laid out the events he'd earlier relayed to Ann and Ryuji, Hearing it a second time was just as unpleasant for the two. By the time he finished everyone in the room had shared the same anger that Ann and Ryuji had felt upon Akira's initial relaying of events. The Phantom Thieves went up to Akira and hugged him in turn. Last was Futaba who refused to let go keeping her arms wrapped around him silently sobbing into his chest while swearing at him. Akira could only smile gently stroking the younger girl's head.

Sojiro put a cup down on the counter shaking his head, "Eriko… has changed."

"Yeah, I guess so," Akira replied despondently.

"I still don't understand why you didn't come to us. Was living on the street a better option?" Makoto asked angrily.

"I thought, I thought I had no choice, I didn't think…" Akira began before he was interrupted by a new person in the conversation.

"No, you didn't. I mean you're a man, so that's understandable. However, I think I have a better explanation in this instance." Tae Takagi interjected entering the café.

"What would that be Doctor?" Sae asked.

Tae walked up to face Akira leaning against one of the booths asking, "How have you been feeling recently? Lethargic, gloomy, lack of appetite?"

Akira nodded, "I thought it was because I was living on the streets."

"But those feelings started before that didn't they like you've been feeling this way since you left Tokyo?" Tae added with a knowing smile.

Ann frowned asking, "What are you getting at, is something wrong with him?"

"Oh, many things my dear, but this one is treatable. You, dear Akira, are depressed. I took a sample of your blood and a strand of your hair to a friend at Tokyo general. They confirmed two things, one that your serotonin levels are deficient."

"And the second thing?" Yusuke asked speaking up for the first time.

"Someone has been doping your food. It was almost gone, but since you haven't had a haircut in months, we were able to isolate the drug. It's called Varenicline; it's usually used to help smokers who are looking to quit. It can cause depression if used in proper dosages and just enough was added to your food over a long enough period to ensure you would get very depressed."

"Is there anything you can do?" Ann asked before Akira could.

Tae nodded, "Well, usually, if it were safe a doctor would recommend stopping the drug since Akira was away from whoever was doping him that's no problem. But then this idiot decided to go live on the streets and without proper diet and exercise the symptoms persisted. Hopefully, now that he's back amongst friends we can finally correct that."

"You always have a place here Akira," Sojiro added from behind the counter. Akira looked back to see a gentle smile on the older man's face.

"He can always stay with me," Ann added squeezing Akira's hand.

"Well, he did stay with us last night, he's welcome to stay for however long he likes," Makoto replied to which Sae nodded.

"I believe I am best placed to see to Akira's needs," Haru responded gently but firmly.

Yusuke, Ryuji, Sojiro and Morgana sweat dropped feeling the temperature in the room drop as the five women glared at each other. Yusuke cleared his throat turning to Morgana, "I believe you said that Akira made you promise not to reveal what was happening to him. Akira's story made no mention of that."

Morgana dipped his head, "That's because that wasn't the entire truth."

*Flashback*

Akira left the room frowning, Vince having demanded a beer, once Vince was sure he was gone he turned his attention to a glaring Morgana. He stepped forward picking up the cage to look Morgana in the face.

"I know where you're going kitty cat. I know they'll come to try and help that little jackass if they find out what's happening. But they won't find out will they, because if they do…" Vince reached into his pants pocket producing a switchblade; he opened it to show Morgana the sharpness of the blade, "Your friend and his mother won't live long enough to get any of that help. Understand?"

Morgana reluctantly nodded, and Vince put the cage back down on the chair as Akira returned.

*End Flashback*

"I wanted to tell everyone, but I was afraid what would happen to Akira. I didn't want to lose him…" Morgana explained lying flat on the seat with his ears down.

Ann quickly filled Sojiro and Sae in on what Morgana had said, at that point, Sae's eyes lit up.

"How did he know that Morgana talked?"

"Did your Mom tell him?" Ryuji asked.

Everyone in the room turned to Akira who shook his head, "I… never told Mom, I told her some of it but not everything. I thought the idea of having a talking cat might scare her."

"So… if he didn't find out from her, then… how did he know?" Ryuji asked.

At that moment Futaba who still had her head buried in Akira's chest started giggling evilly, she looked up at Akira with a grin. "We may not have Persona's anymore, but I'm still Alibaba."

Without another word, Futaba ran to the last booth in the café and within seconds was engrossed in her laptop. Sae frowned pulling the envelope out of her bag handing it to Akira explaining, "I found this under the window wiper on my car, I thought it was connected to a case but in light of what you've said…"

Opening the envelope made Akira's face pale, looking through the photos confirmed his worse fears, Vince's threats weren't empty ones. Ryuji's hand on his shoulder prevented Akira from walking out of the café and back into the streets of Tokyo. Ryuji squeezed Akira's shoulder saying, "Dude, relax, whatever it is we'll handle it together."

Akira looked over at Sae who was standing beside Makoto protectively. It was the first time he'd looked at her since they'd met in the alleyway in Shinjuku. Up till now, he'd been too busy trying to run away or looking at the ground to adequately study the features of the woman who had once been the most significant threat to the Phantom Thieves.

Sae had changed in the six months he'd been gone. Her features were somehow softer; she had the look of a person who smiled more and was at peace with the person she was. These small changes on enhanced the beauty of Sae Nijima in Akira's opinion. He always thought she was beautiful, even drugged and beaten he could recognise that. But he was a criminal delinquent an undesirable member of society, and she was a member of the respected classes. Sae had a law degree and a mind as sharp as diamonds, Akira knew she wasn't a woman who would settle for anyone and if a man was ever lucky enough to make Sae their bride it would be someone who was on her level intellectually.

Akira looked at the ground batting away juvenile fantasies as he slid off the stool. He rubbed the back of his head as the Phantom Thieves and their allies watched him expectantly. He was supposed to be their leader, but right now he couldn't put a coherent thought together in his head outside of curling up into a ball and crying himself to sleep. The depression made him feel as though running away was the only good idea but he knew intellectually that wasn't his only option. He had friends, allies, people he could go to for help, people who could ask other people for favours.

He quickly dismissed that thought; he knew that this time he had to play by the rules. He could risk getting hurt if he was alone but his friends were a different story. Makoto got up placing a hand on Akira's arm. She looked him in the eyes before turning to Sojiro and speaking, "Boss, if you cook up some curry Ann and I will prepare Akira's bed for him."

Ryuji hid a smirk behind his hand; unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough for Ann not to spot it as she smacked him over the head following the brunette upstairs. Sojiro disappeared into the kitchen to make some of LeBlanc's famed curry for his adopted son.

Sae walked over to Akira and sat down beside him, "I shouldn't have shown you those pictures Kurusu-san, I'm sorry."

Akira shook his head responding, "I'm sorry you and Makoto got dragged into my mess."

Sae smiled a little replying, "I'm not, it meant we got to see you again."

Tae stifled a groan walking to the door of the café, "I'm leaving before I become sick. Akira, visit the clinic in a few days so I can check on your stitches."

Meanwhile, Ann and Makoto were upstairs putting the finishing touches on Akira's room. Ann dropped onto the couch fanning herself as Makoto opened a window to let some fresh air in before joining her friend on the couch. Ann glanced around the room, "This room brings back memories, good and bad."

"Yeah, we spent so much time up here, both as Phantom Thieves and as friends." Makoto agreed.

"It's hard to believe we almost lost him…" Ann added a sombre tone in her voice.

"Hey, we didn't lose him, that's what matters," Makoto replied putting her hand over Ann's.

"But… what, what if we did, what if we turn up one day and…" Ann whispered tears were forming in the corner of her eyes.

"That's not going to happen. We won't let it. Akira's Mom may be a… but we're here for him, so are all the people he helped. All we have to do is reach out, and they'll come running to remind Akira of the people who love him."

"Yeah, you're right," Ann replied wiping the tears from her eyes.

Makoto smiled smugly glancing at the blue-eyed beauty, "Speaking of love…"

"Wh-what, what are you talking about?" Ann stuttered her face turning bright red.

Makoto laughed a hand grasping her stomach as she tried to keep her laughter to a minimum, "I knew it!"

"Knew what?" Ann asked still flustered.

"You're in love with Akira!"

"Like you're not!" Ann bit back playfully.

"I uh, I mean…"

Ann grinned replying, "Ha, gotcha!"

Makoto blushed, "D-don't tell him ok. I don't think he's ready for that right now."

"Only if you keep my secret," Ann responded extending her hand to the brunette girl.

"Deal." Makoto agreed, her smile turned to a smirk, "I won't let him go without a fight you know."

Ann returned the smirk, "Neither will I."

As sparks flew between the two women, Yusuke walked downstairs with a grin on his face, Futaba looked up from her laptop with a curious eyebrow raised, "What are you so happy about Inari?"

"I believe I found the inspiration for my next piece."

To Be Continued…