He had been sick for a while now, and terribly so. His coughing fits had become more desperate and long, his exhaustion induced sleeps became frightening and short due to nightmares. Marie had noticed his health falling a month ago, for whatever cause there was behind the Kishin reviving, she hadn't paid attention. Marie cared for Stein, he, in a way, was perhaps her closest friend. Although they hardly talked, even as children, she had always maintained a moderately close relationship with him. The many years that had passed by in Oceania were quiet ones. Altogether, she had forgotten about her friends from the DWMA. A few weeks ago she started to notice the bags under his eyes getting bigger and darker. His lack of attention becoming broader he would often stare off into nothingness when left alone. This is why she was here. Marie would place her hand subtly on his shoulder, he would stir, inhale deeply, then slouch in inner connection, suddenly calmer and tired. Stein was becoming more quiet as well, but only to her. His self-dialogues were now frequent, darkly vivid. His nose would bleed suddenly. Thus worrying her about his malnourishment, his smoking habits, the level of stress and anxiety he was feeling, and his deprivation of what he did need most. Sleep. Marie had tried her hardest to take away his cigarettes, his lungs were already affected badly enough by his asthma and she tried to take notes of any allergies he might have. That went well for a week, but his nose continued to bleed and he continued to sulk and tire more easily. A week after that he couldn't even run to answer her call of "COFFEE!" Another week passed by, his encounter from the snake witch in the bowels of he academy now a slight but frightening blur. His abdomen had mostly healed after his self surgery and the teeth marks on his neck were now mere scars. Scars. It hurt Marie to know that Stein had so many of them. He would constantly rub these scars, passing his calloused hand lazily over the left side of his neck, coarsely as if trying to rub off sap. It hurt Marie when he collapsed while walking out the door to teach at the school in mere hours. It hurt Marie when he didn't wake up for several minutes. It pained Marie to see him insist that he simply tripped, nothing more. Stein was pestered, Marie, Spirit, Sid, Mira, even Yumi had joined in on testifying against him working another full week at the school. When Stein went hazy, fell, and hit his head he was put under a house arrest like sentence. Two weeks had passed by from that sentence, Stein could barely get out of bed. Marie had decided a long time ago to temporarily resign if Stein should 'fall'. Half past four, Marie was unaware of the temperature outside, she had been sitting on the fluorescent pink colored couch she had brought into the madman's laboratory when she first arrived. To 'brighten the mood', and his. Marie held a cup of tea, long since cooled down and ceased to burn her fingers in the thin glassed beaker. Sitting quietly on the couch, staring through the glass table, listening to the rattles of the air conditioner from down the long concrete hall. She sat quietly…listening. She had no desire to move, perhaps out of confusion, but she contemplated that she should move sometime soon, at least to make sure that He was still alive. She shocked herself by the bluntness and yet suggestive comment she had laid just now in her mind, Marie tried to shake it from her head as she set down the cup on the table, and unconsciously quickened her pace down the narrow hallway. She nearly fell into the door in desperation to check on Stein, she pushed herself away from the frame, exhaled, and ran her hands through her hair. Feeling empty, helpless, and suddenly like crying, she brought her arms down to her side and swallowed her emotions. A creak opened the door and beamed a shallow and dim light upon the simple white sheeted bed just beyond where she stood, overseeing. Lightly swinging the door open with another creak she slinked shyly into the room, hunched over as if that would dampen the noise she made while walking. Marie peered at the head of the bed, Stein was laying on his back. Marie's though process was put to a hault as she stared blankly and widely at the man. His neck was tilted backwards and up to the right on his worn pillow, slightly twitching to the left and right at unforeseen moments, his leg kicking in time with his head's jerks. Perhaps it was a good thing that she had entered when she did, he was about to be thrown into a nightmarish fit. Marie sat down on the side of the bed, twisting her back to reach around and place her hand lightly over his heart just as he gave a strained and tight lurch. His mouth opened in pain, straining his neck and pulling his skin tight as he twisted his head to the right. Marie's stomach twisted in empathetic pain and she tightened her light grip over his heart. She leaned over his chest and moved her eyes to look at his neck. The scars. He had been scratching them, there were nail marks and slightly irritated and bleeding. Stein let loose a agonized moan, his brow furrowing further, suddenly put into a freezed state. Marie had warmly cupped his neck in her hands. Her soft hands. Lightly, warmly, carefully, she softly caressed and massaged his neck. She closed her eyes and covered her mouth to keep from crying. It hurt. Because he was hurt, because he never wanted attention, he never wanted help, he never wanted love, he never wanted her. He was hurt, and it hurt her. When she opened her eyes he was now laying still, his face, almost relaxed. He was so still, so calm…She could feel his pulse. His thin muscular neck, she could feel his steady pulse. She wiped her tears onto her sleeve and reached down, cupping both of her hands just below his chin. It had been days since he would've shaved but there only light stubble just on his jaw-line. Her right hand moved to graze his left ear, then brush hair from his face. She had never noticed how fair his skin was or how smooth. Marie's eyes softened. Moving her left hand to cup his cheek and turn his head so that his neck was straight and replacing her right hand over his heart. She made his unconscious face look at her. Her lips parted. "Little child, be not afraid." her voice an inaudible whisper. "though rain pounds harshly against the glass….like an unwanted stranger….there is no danger…." she stroked his cheek with her thumb. "I am here, tonight." There was a tear on his face, it was hers. " Little child, be not afraid….though thunder explodes and lightning flash, illuminates….your tear stained face…" her voice fading as her tears started to flow down her pale yellow complexion like a river. "I am here tonight." She cupped his face. She leaned down and softly kissed him on the lips. When she finally pulled apart she felt tired. Stein, still dead asleep, looked completely at rest, his nightmare was over. Marie moved to the other side of the bed and lay onto of the covers, giving slack to the sheets and quilt that she lay on top of. She propped herself up at the head of the bed, looking down at Stein's face. She lay her hand over his heart and closed her eyes. I love you.