The alarm went off and Stein rolled over to turn it off, and ended up being too slow. Opening his eyes he expected to see Marie standing there, and was shocked to find that it was Spirit.
"Get up, Stein." Spirit's voice was cold.
"Senpai?" Stein noticed now that the bed beside him was cold. He closed his eyes and couldn't feel Marie anywhere near.
"Stein, get up." Spirit grabbed the man's shoulder and pulled him out of the bed. "Get dressed. Now."
"Spirit, what's going on? Where's Marie?"
Spirit didn't answer. Stein looked up from pulling on his pants. There was… anger?... in Spirit's eyes.
"Spirit, what's going on?"
"What did you do to Marie, Stein?" There was an edge that Stein hadn't heard in a long time in Spirit's voice.
"Nothing, Senpai. We came to bed last night and that was it." Stein looked completely confused. Right up until Spirit slapped the look off his face.
"Damnit, Stein! I'm trying to help you here. What did you do to Marie?"
"Maybe if you told me was what going I could answer you." Stein finally finished dressing.
"We found her this morning Stein. How could you?" Spirit's temper snapped and he punched Stein square in the jaw, nearly knocking the meister backwards onto the bed. "She trusted you!"
Stein dodged the next swing. "What are you talking about, Spirit? This is a joke, right? It's all a bad joke? Where is Marie?!" He asked, moving to put the bed between himself and the redheaded death scythe.
Spirit hung his head. "Tell me you're being honest, Stein. Tell me you're not the one who did it."
"Did what?!" Stein demanded.
"She's dead, Stein." Spirit looked up at him and Stein could see the tears. "Someone sewed her lips together, gutted her, and left her to die on the steps of the DWMA. Nygus found her this morning, the only thing she said after they cut the stitching on her lips before she died was your name."
Stein collapsed onto the bed.
'Marie? Dead? No… that's not possible. She was just right here…'
"You're lying." Stein forced out. "She can't be dead."
"Stein, you're their only suspect. The stitching on her lips…" Spirit trailed off, looking down at the man.
"I would never harm Marie!" Stein exploded.
"But the madness would." Spirit said quietly.
"How many times have you known me to have an attack around Marie, Senpai? With her wavelength I doubt I could ever hurt her, even in the wake of the madness." Stein said truthfully. "There's no way I did anything to her! I've been home the entire time!"
"Let's go, Stein." Spirit grabbed Stein's arm and propelled him out of the room and down the stairs, the taller man stumbling slightly as he came down the steps.
Sid and Justin Law stood at the base of the steps with Joe Buttataki. All three men were glaring at him, but they parted to let him pass with Spirit.
"You're to be escorted back to Shinigami-sama, but first…" Joe's voice trailed off as he stepped in front of Stein, pressing his fist to the man's chest. "Did you kill Marie Mjolnir?"
Rage boiled in Stein's veins and he forced out a single word. "No." His voice was harsh and cold. Joe's hand didn't move and he looked up at Stein with pain in his eyes.
"Did you love her?"
The room was silent. Stein glared at the man who had his fist on his chest, but answered, "Yes."
Stein stood looking down at the still form laid out on the gurney, and his heart twisted. Giggles poured from his mouth as he desperately turned the screw in his head, his eyes clenched shut trying to block out the image of Marie laying cold and dead on the gurney.
Even with his eyes shut he could feel the emptiness directly in front of him, the cold void where her soul should be floating. No tears came, but many believed that Stein was incapable of them. The attack may have lasted minutes or hours, but eventually Stein came out of it to look down at the corpse, the sane part of him locking away his grief.
"Stein-kun, I know you didn't do this." Came Shinigami-sama's voice.
"Then why have them arrest me as if I had?" Stein asked spitefully, unable to tear his eyes away from Marie's still form.
"I had to be sure, Stein-kun. You came willingly, you answered truthfully." The pain in Shinigami-sama's voice was obvious. "I know you, you will want revenge. You were fiercely protective of Marie-chan."
Stein's hands clenched into fists. "Apparently not enough," he said with anger evident in his voice.
Shinigami-sama was quiet for a moment. "You're released from your obligations to Shibusen, Hakase Stein."
Stein whirled to stare at the being standing in front of him as Shinigami-sama continued in a low, menacing voice.
"I would ask a favor of someone who is no longer affiliated with my school. Find the person or people responsible for the death of one of my death scythes. Destroy them utterly, and bring me their souls."
A sadistic grin spread across the ex-teachers face. "With pleasure."
A/N: I started this a while back, and decided to add a bit to it. I'll work on it as I get time between my other stories. I hope that you're enjoying this so far.
I don't own Soul Eater.