Stein stood in the lab, his hands clenched into fists. Marie had just left, telling him offhandedly that she would be back later, a smile on her face. She was wearing a little black dress that came halfway to her knees. It was sleeveless, and she had a small throw around her shoulders, the lace reminding him of a spider's web thrown across her shoulders. Even her eye patch was different.
He knew. Even if she didn't tell him, he knew. So he stood in his lab, hands clenched into fists, trying desperately to understand the emotion that was swirling around his brain. Turning the screw was no help. It wouldn't clear the emotion.
"I don't understand." Stein thought. "Why would Marie going on a date with someone else bother me?" He turned the screw in his head again.
"Because you love her." The voice was small, barely heard, but it made him stop breathing. Shaking his head he turned the screw again, pushing the thought out of his mind.
He sat down in front of his computer screen, his hands lying limply on the keyboard. Thoughts of Marie swirled through his mind as he sat in the dark room. His hands clenched into fists and he forced them to relax, noting his quickened breathing.
"Marie…" He whispered quietly; shaking his head. "I don't understand love; so why can I not get you out of my mind? Jealousy? Over what?"
Before he was aware of what he was doing, Stein stood, slipped on his lab coat and left the Patchwork Lab, walking towards the restaurant that he remembered Marie mentioning. The walk let him ignore some of the emotions that were swirling around in his head, as he focused only on putting one foot in front of the other.
"What do I say?" His thoughts suddenly intruded and Stein nearly turned back. " 'Hello, Marie. I'm here to take you home.' ? Perhaps, 'Hello, Marie. I don't understand how to love, but I can't stand to see you with someone else so please come back with me so you can live a life unloved.' ?" Stein shook his head. "If I can't convince myself that she should stay with me, if I can't explain why I feel jealousy, how could I ever expect her to stay with me alone?"
He had finally reached the restaurant when he heard sobbing. It was too familiar for him to ignore and he looked up at the source. "Marie?" He said quietly, his long strides carrying him to her side quickly. "Marie?" He touched her shoulder gently and staggered back as she grabbed him, burying her face in his chest.
"He… left… me…" She sobbed. "He… said… I… was… too… clingy…" Stein could feel the tears soaking through his lab coat and shirt. Hesitantly he lowered himself the rest of the way to the curb, wrapping his arms loosely around Marie as she sobbed into his chest.
"He… he… said I was too… old… an old maid!" She wailed. Stein could feel the anger welling up in him.
"Marie." He said quietly, tilting her head up to look at him. She sniffled slightly, her sobs stopping as she stared up into his moss green eyes. He could see the faint blush spreading on her cheeks. "You are not clingy. You are not an old maid. You're a beautiful woman." The blush darkened.
"You… you think so?" She asked, her emotional state still very fragile.
"I know so, Marie." He said gently. She sighed and laid her head against his chest again.
"Wait." She pulled away from him. "What are you doing here, Franken?" Her brow furrowed as she looked up at him.
"Marie… I…" He trailed off, looking away.
Her laughter made him look back. "I must look horrible!" She declared, standing to her feet, brushing her dress off. "I'm sorry I got your shirt all wet, Franken."
He looked down at her. 'She's sparing me having to answer.' He stood as well, adjusting his lab coat. "It's fine, Marie."
"Are… are you hungry, Stein?" She looked away as she asked it.
A million responses flew through his mind in the moment it took him to decide on one. "I am."
She smiled up at him, slipping her hand into his. She started walking, away from the restaurant, and after a few steps slid out of the heels she was wearing, holding them in one hand as she led him away from it. He let his fingers loosely thread in between hers. He could feel her pulse beating against his hand, and he gently stroked her thumb with his, savoring the feel of her pulse. A smile played on his lips as he followed her.
She pulled him down an alley and they came out in a section of Death City that was open all night, complete with street vendors. Her hand slipped out of his as she danced, barefoot to one. She ordered the two of them food, paying for it with some money she pulled out of her purse. Stein watched as she smiled as she took the food from the vendor and came back to him.
"I hope that you like hot dogs." She said warmly, handing him one. He glanced down at it and smirked.
"There's nothing on it, Marie." She smiled as he said it.
"Of course not. I know you don't eat anything on them." She took a bite of the hotdog and linked her arm through his, her shoes peeking out of her purse now. They ate and walked in companionable silence until she stepped on something, nearly shrieking in pain, stumbling against him.
He knelt in front of her, and inspected the hurt foot. "Hold still, Marie." He cautioned as he retrieved a pair of tweezers, carefully removing the piece of glass she had stepped on. Standing back up he surprised her by sweeping her off her feet. "Can't have you limping the entire way, Marie." He said with a smirk on his face.
She laughed as he started walking back to the lab, carrying her as if she weighed nothing. Marie leaned her head against his chest, enjoying the unfamiliar tenderness he was showing. "Franken?" She asked quietly, waiting until he looked down at her before continuing. "Why were you at the restaurant?"
He was quiet for a moment. "I… I was jealous, Marie." He had expected her to yell, to be angry, to hit him. He was totally unprepared for her to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him. He stopped in the middle of the road, staring down at her, shock apparent on his face.
"I love you, Franken." She said sweetly, laying her head back against his chest, listening to the beat of his heart.
"I'm jealous of someone else being with you." He said quietly. She felt the rumble of his words. It may not have been, 'I love you too, Marie.', but to her it was just as good.
A/N: I'm sorry for taking her away from you in my last fic, Stein. Please don't dissect or vivisect me! You have her now :)