The Lamborghini purred like an overgrown cat as he drove out to Villa Azzurra. Lupin's suspicions were right, of course. And as much as he wanted to walk away and forget about Alexis, Jigen found that he couldn't.

The villa was completely dark. Jigen pulled a lockpick from his pocket and opened the front door. He closed it, leaned against it, and listened. He could hear the strains of classical music coming from the master bedroom. Climbing the stairs, he saw that the bed was still unmade, but empty. The French doors were open, and Jigen could smell cigarette smoke. He stepped onto the terrace.

Alexis was sitting in an Adirondack chair, her bare feet resting on a matching wooden ottoman. She wore the same blue robe she'd had on earlier, but it was open, and the high, full moon bathed her in its pale light. On the small table beside her chair was the pack of Pall Malls that Jigen had left behind earlier in the evening. It was nearly empty.

Jigen moved closer. Alexis blew a perfect smoke ring into the still night air, then leaned against the arm of her chair and looked behind her.

"Hello, Jigen," she said. He came forward and threw himself into the matching chair on the other side of the table. Alexis watched his every move, drinking in the sight of him. "I didn't expect to see you again," she murmured.

Jigen chuckled and pulled a fresh pack of cigarettes from his jacket. "Yeah, that's me, all right," he said as he lit up. "Love 'em and leave 'em."

Alexis smiled mischievously. "How did the job go?" she said, settling back in her chair. In the moonlight, her white bra and panties glowed against her skin, and Jigen had to force himself to breathe naturally. To buy himself some time, he took a long, slow drag of his cigarette.

"Good," he said at last. "Fujiko gets her rock, and probably a lot more." He smirked. "Lupin's like that."

Alexis laughed lightly. "You got your share first, I hope," she said, her smile deepening.

Jigen nodded. "Yeah." He tilted his head, looking at her from out of the corner of his eye. "There was a blue diamond there, you know. From the Smithsonian."

"Mm-hm." Alexis leaned forward and tapped the ash off her cigarette. "I know." She filled her lungs with smoke again. "The Blue Heart. I heard that it was coming to the exhibit."

"I'm surprised you didn't steal it," Jigen said.

Alexis shrugged one shoulder. "I'd planned to," she said, "but then you chaps came along, and I didn't want to throw a spanner in your works." She looked over at him and smiled warmly. "Honour among thieves, you know."

"Heh." Jigen took another long drag on his cigarette. "That's the real reason you came to Italy, isn't it?" he said.

Alexis nodded. "Of course," she said. "The catering gig was just a nice way to have someone pay my expenses." She set her cigarette in the ashtray and stood, walking over to the bar.

Jigen watched her, watched the way the robe clung to her body as she moved. His eyes darkened with the memory of her skin against his, and he ached for her. Reaching into his jacket, he touched the Blue Heart, feeling every facet, before pulling it from his pocket. "I'd hate to think you made a wasted trip," he said, letting the diamond flash in the moonlight.

Alexis smiled to herself as she fixed them each a drink.

"You expected this, didn't you?" Jigen said, as she returned with two glasses of Scotch and set them down.

Alexis shook her head. She settled into her chair again. "With you, I expect nothing," she said, taking a sip of her drink.

Jigen picked up his glass and studied the moon through it for a moment before taking a healthy swallow. Glancing over at Alexis, he placed the diamond on the table and pushed it towards her. She looked down at it.

"You don't owe me anything, Daisuke," she said, making no move to pick it up. Instead, she picked up her cigarette and took one last puff.

"Yeah, I know." Jigen sat back in his chair and took a drag from his own smoke. The Blue Heart glittered on the table between them. "But the whole time we were there, I was thinking about how much it would suit you." He stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray and finished his drink.

Alexis reached out and took the diamond. She rolled it between her fingers, holding it out, letting the moonlight play along its facets, caressing it with cool, white light.

Jigen pushed his hat back with the tip of his thumb. "It matches your eyes," he said, watching her.

Alexis looked over at him and smiled. "It matches your heart," she said.

Jigen snorted. "Rock hard and blue?" He smirked.

"No." Alexis laughed lightly. "I was thinking more about how brightly it glitters when you see it in the right sort of light."

They stared at each other for a long moment. Finally, Jigen chuckled, blushing slightly.

"You have a way with words," he said, standing up and stretching, to cover his embarrassment.

Alexis' eyes shone with mischief. "But you're better with guns, right?" She rose and stood before him. Her robe was still open, her curves inviting.

Jigen looked down at her, giving her a half-smile. "Yeah," he said, lifting her chin with one hand. "But sometimes it's a poor substitute."

Alexis smiled tenderly at him and shook her head. She slid one hand into his hair, leaned in, and whispered in his ear.

"Sometimes," she said, "words aren't necessary."