Soul started awake one night. It was summer and he had left his window open to get the rare cool breeze, but it was hot. Too hot for comfort.
The pages of a book rustled as the cool breeze played through his room again. By the light of the moon he noticed that his bedroom door had been left open. He was sure he had shut it before going to bed.
Ignoring it, he turned over to look at his clock and see what time it was. Instead of coming face to face with his clock he turned over to face Maka.
She breathed lightly, easily, peacefully for the first time in weeks since defeating the kieshen. The only thing he wandered about was why she was in his bed and not her own.
"Hey, Maka," he said in a low voice, poking her cheek to try to wake her.
She turned over so that she was facing the ceiling. She mumbled something Soul couldn't understand. To hear her better he sat up and looked down at her face which was scrunching in concentration and pain, like she was trying to make someone stay. She mumbled again, "No…don't leave me. Please."
The plea surprised Soul. He had never heard her sound so pathetic and child like. He cupped her face in one of his hands. "Come on Maka, no one's going to leave you. Wake up," he said softly, in a whisper.
Her breath came quicker as if she was chasing somebody. "Please, don't leave me. Soul, don't leave me!" she cried out, tears starting to stream down her face.
Soul was stunned. After a few moments, he wiped away her tears and said, "I'd never leave you." He gently pressed his lips to hers. She gave a startled gasp and then settled into the kiss.
When he pulled away and opened his eyes again he found himself looking into Maka's green eyes. They stared at each other for awhile before Maka wrapped her arms around Soul's neck in a hug, whispering in his ear, "Thank you."
"Anytime," he said, wrapping his arms around Maka's waist. Suddenly, the heat didn't seem so bad.