A/N: Thanks for the great reviews on the last chapter! As I've mentioned before, this was supposed to be the second chapter (just because the perfectionalist in me wanted to keep things in chronological order...). Much shorter than the last one, but I wanted to include it because, well, it's a perfect moment for some quality time between Mitsuru and Akihiko. More importantly, the conversation between them acts as a sort of precursor to the infamous incident in October.

Title: Starry Starry Night (by Don McLean)

Summary: "You can't protect everyone, Akihiko. No matter how much you try, sometimes things just don't go the way you want them to." On their way back from walking Fuuka home, Mitsuru and Akihiko have a little talk. (Small spoilers for October full moon.)

"Will your parents be home, Yamagishi?" Mitsuru asked the green-haired girl beside her as they walked down the dimly-lit street of the quiet residential area. The junior nodded in response. "Yes, my mother will probably be there, but my father might not be back yet," she said.

"You sure they'd let you stay at the dorm?" Akihiko inquired, a hand reaching up to scratch his head.

"I think they will. After all, it is closer to school. I'll do my best to convince them," Fuuka said. She gestured towards a quaint little house they were nearing. "That's my home. You don't need to worry about following me to the doorstep, Senpai. I'm pretty sure Mum's around." The three of them stopped before a rickety wooden gate, which Fuuka pushed open. She turned back to smile at the seniors. "Thank you for walking me home," she said with a grateful bow.

"That's okay," replied Akihiko.

"You have a nice garden," Mitsuru remarked, her sharp eyes catching sight of the beautifully trimmed bushes and plants despite the dimness.

"Thanks, my mother takes care of it. She loves gardening; I help her out sometimes."

"I see. Well, we'll see you in school, Yamagishi. Good night." The two older SEES members stayed back for a while to make sure Fuuka was safely in the house before turning to leave. It was a relatively cool night for summer. For once, Akihiko had left his jacket back in his room and he walked on with his hands deep in his pockets. Mitsuru followed suit, half a step behind, arms crossed and red tresses waving gently in the breeze.

"It's a nice neighbourhood," Akihiko broke the brief silence, looking at the small, neat houses around them. "Pretty quiet. I'm sure Fuuka will take a while to get used to the busier streets next to our dorm."

"Mmm…" came the slightly dreamy response from Mitsuru. He glanced at her, cocking his head to the side. "What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"… Yamagishi," she answered after a pause. "Her Persona's abilities are quite impressive, aren't they? Granted, it's nothing compared to being able to switch Personas in the midst of battle, but still, knowing the enemy's weaknesses and strengths in a matter of seconds without even needing to be nearby will prove very useful."

"Yeah," Akihiko concurred. "We could really use her on the team, and with her handling support, that means you'll be able to join us in battle. It'll be like old times."

She gave him a small, watery smile. "Minus one…" she added in a whisper. He heard her, but carried on walking anyway.

"Are you excited?"

"Yes," admitted Mitsuru. "I don't mind giving support, but it'll be good to be on the frontline again, though I think my skills are a little rusty now. Plus, I'll see if Yamagishi will help me with my training—sharpen Penthesilea's senses a little more. You never know when she might need some back-up."

"Ever the practical person, I see." Akihiko laughed. He suddenly stopped and turned to her worriedly as a thought struck his mind. "Oh, how are you feeling?" he asked. "I mean… are you still hurting? That was quite a fall the other night."

"I'm alright now, thanks. It was just a few bruises. Nothing too serious," she replied, a little touched by his concern. The both of them fell silent again as they resumed their walk back to the dorm. They went down one of the busier streets of the city and into a rather deserted lane that led to another road just by the sea. As they ambled along, Akihiko looked longingly at it, the hushed waves filling him with tranquillity. He turned to Mitsuru. "Are you in a hurry to get back?" he inquired. "Is it okay if we hang out here for a while?"

She took a look at her watch and nodded. "I don't mind," she said. "It shouldn't take us more than ten minutes to get back to the dorm from here. We can stay a while."

He grinned in reply, pleased, and went over to lean against the sturdy metal railing, grey eyes combing the vast ocean before him. She followed him, standing by his side and looking out at the dark waters below.

"I'm sorry about the other night." His words made her raise her eyebrows at him in surprise. "What?" she said.

"The other night—when we rescued Fuuka? I couldn't make it to you in time when you were attacked by those two Shadows."

"Akihiko…" Mitsuru said sharply but slowly. "You're not my bodyguard. I don't expect you to constantly be at my beck and call. I was careless that night; I was so focused on tracking you down that the Shadows just took me by surprise. And I not only placed myself in danger, but Takeba as well. If it was anyone's fault, it's mine."

He surprised her again when he gave a harsh chuckle. She stared at him, her forehead furrowed slightly. "You have no idea, Mitsuru, what it's like to know that someone you care about got hurt because of your own damned weakness," he said in a low tone. "I train and train precisely because I know how that feels. Like I said to Yukari once, I know what it's like to be powerless, and I don't ever want to feel that way again. You getting hurt just meant I wasn't strong enough, and I sort of hate myself for that…"

His lips were pressed in a thin, straight line, his jaws tensed. Mitsuru studied him for a moment before heaving a sigh. She turned away to lean her elbows and back on the railing.

"You can't protect everyone, Akihiko," she stated quietly. "No matter how much you try, sometimes things just don't go the way you want them to. Sometimes… even though you can't do anything about what happens in the end, the only thing that really matters is how much you tried to help them—how much you tried to save them." She paused, and then added under her breath, "How much you sacrificed just to be there for them."

She waited to see if he responded, but he simply kept quiet. Feeling the tension between them rising, she said no more. They spent the next few minutes in silence—she lifting her head to breathe in the salty ocean air and he fixing his stare on the unrelenting waves splashing against the rocks below. Neither of them moved, even when the first few raindrops began to fall. Somewhere faraway came the rumble of thunder.

"We should get back to the dorm before the rain gets heavier," Mitsuru pointed out. He nodded in reply and gestured for her to move on. "You go on ahead," he said. "I'll catch up."

She looked at him sharply, but when she saw his grim face, she decided not to say anything. With an indifferent shrug, she turned and walked away, leaving him to continue staring at the sea. His grip on the metal rail tightened as he stood there for a while, ignoring the more frequent drops of rain on his skin.

"… I think you're wrong, Mitsuru," Akihiko whispered to himself, grey eyes catching the reflection of the moon. "Things might not go the way I want them to, but someday, I'll still be strong enough to protect the people that matter to me…"