In the distance, a clock tower chimed twelve. The moon was high and the night was warm, but there was a cool breeze blowing off the bay. Alexis stuck her hands in her pockets, glad she'd changed into her usual slacks and sweater.

The hotel was brightly lit, even at this hour of the night. Jigen was outside, leaning against a planter. His hat was pulled low over his eyes, and he had a freshly-lit cigarette between his fingers.

"Nice night for a walk," he said. He pulled a crumpled pack of smokes from his pocket and shook one out, offering it to her.

Alexis smiled as she approached him. "Yes, it is," she said, taking the cigarette. Jigen produced a lit match, and Alexis leaned in, holding her hands around it. Her fingers brushed lightly against his, and he shivered in a way that had nothing to do with the wind.

Tossing away the extinguished match, he held out his arm for her. She placed her hand in the crook of his elbow, and they started walking. After a block or two, Jigen looked down at Alexis.

"Everything's set to go at the palace," he said, his voice low. "I'm going in with Lupin tomorrow night." He took a drag of his cigarette and blew a tight stream of smoke into the clear night air.

Alexis looked up at him in surprise. "Oh?"

Jigen nodded. "Yeah. Someone's gotta keep him safe from that bitch, Fujiko." He growled softly. Taking a final puff of his cigarette, he dropped it to the pavement, then brought his foot down, grinding the butt under his heel. "He never friggin' learns." Alexis turned her head away, trying to hide a smile behind her hand. Jigen frowned. "What's so funny?" he demanded.

"Have you noticed," she said, "that no matter how many times he chases after her skirt, you're always there to bail him out?" Alexis laughed softly. "Does that not strike you as just a little bit ironic?" She tilted her head to look at him out of the corner of one eye.

Jigen stopped and looked thoughtfully up at the sky. Alexis unlinked her arm from his and dropped her spent cigarette. Turning to face him, she saw a slow smile spread across his face.

"Well, damn," he said, with a deep chuckle. "You're right. I'm as bad as he is."

Alexis shook her head and touched his arm. "That's not what I meant," she said, smiling up at him. "It's not a bad thing. You're very loyal to him."

Jigen smirked. "I guess it's just one of my charms," he said. Pushing up the brim of his hat with one thumb, he winked at her. "Along with my beautiful eyes, of course."

Alexis lifted her hand from his arm as if she'd been burned. She looked down at her feet. "I'm such an idiot," she said, blushing furiously. "That was a bloody stupid thing to say."

"Hey." Jigen placed a finger under her chin and forced her gaze back to his face. He smiled as tenderly as he knew how. "Don't be like that. It's not so dumb," he said clumsily. "I mean, you're not an idiot. I just..." Now it was his turn to blush. He dropped his hand to his side. "Never mind." He turned. There was a small park at the next corner, and they entered it, walking the path until they came to an empty bench.

Jigen sat down and pulled another cigarette from his pocket. The match hissed as he struck it against his shoe. "You know, you were right," he said. The end of the cigarette glowed faintly. "Tonight really was a night to remember."

Alexis sat down beside him and pulled her feet up. She clasped her arms around her knees and watched the dead match fly from his fingers. "Why? Because I didn't tell the inspector where you were?" She smirked.

Jigen took his time answering. He drew long and hard on his cigarette, blowing a heavy cloud of smoke into the air. "That, too," he said at last. He turned his head slightly and peeked at her from under his hat. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier," he mumbled.

Alexis glanced at him. "I'm not with you," she said, a puzzled look on her face. "What happened earlier?"

Jigen shifted uncomfortably. "You know," he said awkwardly. "Under the stars." Alexis' gaze hardened, and he tensed. "I completely lost my head."

"You have nothing to apologise for," Alexis said. She scowled out at the darkness. "If anything, it's Lupin who owes me an apology."

Jigen turned his head slowly and stared at her in stunned silence. Alexis' expression softened, and she reached out to stroke his cheek. "Jigen," she said quietly, "do you really think I'd be offended if you kissed me?" He continued to stare at her, speechless. She reached up and pushed his hat back slightly, revealing a pair of wide brown eyes. They gazed at each other for a long moment, until at last, Jigen looked away. He shrugged one shoulder and took another drag of his smoke to hide his embarrassment.

Alexis laughed lightly. "You're not much older than I am," she said, "but you still have so much to learn about women, Jigen."

He stiffened. "I'm better with guns," he said shortly. The cigarette hissed as he drew on it, and he lowered his hat over his eyes again. Guns don't betray you, he thought bitterly.

Alexis looked carefully at him. "What was it you said to me outside the tobacconist's shop?" she asked, her voice soft. "'It's all about practise.'"

Jigen stood abruptly. "Yeah, right." He looked at the glowing ember on the end of his near-dead smoke. "Except my practise sessions haven't gone real well."

Alexis hopped off the bench and reached out a hand to touch his shoulder, but he moved away. She dropped her arm. "I'm sorry, Jigen," she murmured. "I shouldn't have --"

"Don't worry about it," he interrupted. He took a last pull from his smoke and dropped it to the ground. Crushing it underfoot, he felt as though someone were doing the same thing to his heart. Taking a deep breath, Jigen looked at Alexis over his shoulder. Her eyes were wide and apologetic. He managed a half-smile, and she returned it tentatively. "Time to get back," he said, trying to keep his voice steady.

Alexis nodded and followed him out of the park. When they were a block away from the hotel, Jigen lit up again, the uncomfortable silence broken by the sound of a hissing match. He spoke between puffs.

"The job's almost over," he said, glancing down at Alexis. "For both of us."

She nodded. "Yes," she said, rubbing her hands together to warm them. "Next stop: Vienna."

Jigen whistled softly. "Damn," he said. "Belgium, Italy, Austria... you get around, don't you?" He raised an eyebrow.

Now it was Alexis' turn to look uncomfortable. "Well... you know how things are," she said vaguely. Jigen frowned, though she couldn't see it under his hat. "You go where the work is."

"Yeah." He peered at her, and she gave him a wan smile, ducking her head to avoid his gaze. "You must be one hell of a good cook," he added, as they approached the hotel.

Alexis seemed to brighten. "Why don't you come up to my villa tomorrow afternoon and I'll show you how good a cook I am," she said, reaching into her pocket for something. "I'll fix us a late lunch. Steak and mussels sound good?"

Jigen nodded. "Yeah." He watched her as she pulled out a handful of business cards and flipped through them. "Sounds great."

"Smashing." Alexis finally found what she was looking for. "I'm staying at the Villa Azzurra, on the Amalfi Coast," she said, handing him a small card. He glanced at it. It contained nothing more than an address. "I'll be there all afternoon. Come round anytime after one o'clock." She plucked the cigarette from his hand and took a puff, then grinned crookedly and stuck it back between his fingers. "Thanks for the fag," she said, waving. "See you tomorrow."

Jigen smirked. "Tomorrow," he repeated. "See you then." He leaned against the same planter where she'd come across him an hour earlier, and watched her retreating back. He had a distinctly uncomfortable feeling about the whole thing. Any moment now, he thought to himself as he finished his cigarette and butted it in the ashtray outside the door. Possibly tomorrow. He'd better be ready, just in case.