It had been three long years since they defeated the kishin and graduated from the DWMA. Maka twirled her straw in the drink she ordered, trying to pay attention to what her date was saying, but one week with the guy and she still thought he was boring. Sighing, she looked up at the man. Really, there were no defining features that would make it easy to pick him out of a line-up, and in this case, the line-up would be the large number of ex-boyfriends she had accumulated.

"Maka? Did you hear me?"

Blinking, she smiled politely, "I'm sorry, my mind was elsewhere. Listen Jonathan, you are a very nice guy, and I thought our bond over reading and common interests would be enough to make this last, but I have no desire to prolong the inevitable. So…I'm breaking up with you."

Jonathan chuckled, "that's funny, Maka."

"No, I'm quite serious."

"You can't be, because I'm the son of one of the wealthiest families in the city."

Rolling her eyes, she crossed her arms, "you think I care about something like that? I'm not shallow, but you would know that if you knew me."

Standing up, she straightened out her evening gown, a long dark blue dress which dipped low in the back and formed a sweetheart neckline in the front, accentuating her small perky chest, even showing off her cleavage a bit, and moved to walk out, but Jonathan grabbed her wrist.

"I know what this is about! Everyone talks about it…you're hung up on that death scythe!"

That comment earned him a swift punch to the face, "don't you ever mention Soul again! I'm leaving."

Finally, she stepped out on the quiet street and took deep breaths of the crisp clean air as she started walking, her blue velvet high heels clicking on the sidewalk.

"Maka?"

Stopping, she turned to the voice and lifted her hands over her mouth, "Soul?"

He heard the faint sound of his name before she launched herself at him, crashing into him and wrapping her arms tightly around his torso.

"Soul! I didn't know if I'd ever see you again!"

Holding her delicate frame, he couldn't believe how much she had grown, "come on, Maka, I wasn't going to stay away forever."

She wiped her eyes as tears threatened to fall, "you can't blame me for thinking so, I had to spend three years without you."

"I know, but I'm back now, so don't cry."

Usually, she would make some comment about not crying and seeming tough, but all she could do was nod into his chest. Composing herself, she straightened and walked with Soul, all the way to her place, the place they shared everything at. Looking up at the building, he smirked, "so, you still live here?"

Blushing, Maka crossed her arms, not knowing how much attention it put on her breasts, but Soul did. He could hear his heart beating in his ears and gulped…when did she become a woman? Doing a full once over of her appearance, he started at her heeled ankles, definitely not big like he used to tell her, up to her long slender legs, round hips, tiny waist, and then those small, but perfectly proportioned to her body, breasts.

"Soul, your nose is bleeding."

Oh great! Talk about stupid. He wasn't a kid anymore and he couldn't even remember the last time that happened.

"Huh, that's strange."

Giggling, she opened the door and walked up the stairs, Soul behind her admiring the gentle sway of her hips as she moved up the steps. Clenching his fists, he tried to get control of himself as they reached the door to their old home. Maka opened it and stretched, "I'm going to shower and change. You can make yourself at home, I mean, since it kind of is anyway."

Taking a seat on the couch, Soul rubbed his fingers along the worn-out material, "it's been too long. I had no idea how strange it would be to come back."

He could hear the shower going and thought it best to turn the TV on in hopes of getting thoughts of little miss grown up Maka, naked, out of his head. Yawning, he took his jacket off and relaxed further into the couch, kicking his shoes off at the same time. There was nothing like being home again.

"Did you eat anything yet?"

Jerking his head over to the kitchen, he saw Maka dressed in a tight white tank top and pink and blue plaid PJ shorts that only covered the top of her thighs, her hair long enough to touch her backside now, and wet. Again, he found himself reacting oddly to her appearance, but who could blame him?

"Um, no I didn't."

Turning around to face him, she cocked her hip to one side and put her hands on the island, giving him a coy smile, "well, what would you like?"

You.

"Just whatever you've got is fine."

Maka turned around and bent down to investigate the fridge, "I can make some chicken parmesan for us."

Standing up, he meant to comment, but as he was looking at her, he noticed her position. With her head in the fridge, bent over, her divine derriere was up in the air and Soul practically drooled at the sight.

"You want a coke?"

Blinking, he moved around to stand next to her, leaning against the kitchen counter, "sure, that sounds good too."

Getting the cold ingredients and coke out, she stood and turned, right into Soul's chest. They just stared into each other's eyes, until Maka gave him a big smile, "you want to help me make it like old times?"

He smirked and grabbed the food from her arms, trying to ignore the slight graze of his hand on her chest, "that sounds awesome."

Laughing, she got the rest of the components needed for the meal, "you must have missed this place if you're that happy to help cook."

Yeah, he missed it, but not as much as the girl beside him, in fact, she was the whole reason why he came back. Being a death scythe was cool, but he felt lonely without her, no other meister could properly resonate their soul with his and no one could really keep his interest. Really, he felt so bored all the time…until now.

He started up the chicken while Maka cooked the noodles. Grinning a little, she bumped her hip into his side when he went for the spatula. Glaring playfully at her, he bumped her back, but grabbed her waist as he foresaw a bad situation with the boiling water. Maka gasped as she was pressed flush against him, realizing her nipples were still sensitive from the shower as they rubbed against his strong muscular chest.

"Soul?"

"Maka."

"Thank you for saving me."

He wanted to tell her everything he felt in that moment, but the courage didn't hit him yet. Letting her go, he moved the pot off the burner, "don't want it to boil over."

Smirking, she grabbed the strainer and moved to the sink, Soul stepping out of the way as he turned it on for her, "such a gentleman now."

It didn't take long for the rest of the food to finish, and they moved to the table with their plates. Soul had a clear view of her from across the table and everything seemed so different but the same about her.

"What is it?"

Crap! He was caught staring!

"Nothing, its just, I didn't expect you to have changed so much."

Looking down bashfully, Maka couldn't hide her blush very well, "come on, Soul. It's still me in here. You'll see once we've spent more time together."

"You're right, you haven't changed. Same old Maka that can't take a complement without being shy or embarrassed about it."

"So? What's wrong with that?"

Grinning with his fanged smile, he leveled her with a playful expression, "nothing, nothing at all."

They ate in silence for a few minutes, but Soul's curiosity started nagging at him, "why were you wearing that dress?"

Jerking her head up with a mouth full of food, she chewed and swallowed, "what?"

"The dress you were wearing when I saw you. That didn't seem like normal street clothes."

"Oh", she put her fork down and crossed her arms, "I went out with my boyfriend tonight so I could dump him. He liked to go to fancy places and show me off, then talk on and on about himself. One week with him and I thought I was going to die of boredom."

Soul hated, no, loathed the idea of Maka dating anyone, and the thought made his blood boil, "so, how far did you get with him?"

Eyes widening, her mouth worked for a second until her voice came back to her, "not even a kiss, and that's how it's been with any guys I've dated. When they want what I'm not willing or ready to give, I kick them to the curb."

"In other words, you haven't done anything with anyone."

"Well, no, but why would you even care?"

Fangy smile back in place, he leaned back looking cool, "just wanted to make sure I wouldn't have to kick anyone's ass."

That brought a smile to her face, "let's see, out of five guys, three have tried to take things further, but I took care of it...hey, Soul, how many girls have you dated since leaving?"

"Me? I'm too cool to get tied down by some random chick. They all just wanted to date me because I'm a death scythe, and that's not good enough. There's more to me than that."

"There sure is."

Soul cocked his head a bit, "what was that?"

Oh no! She said that out loud?!

"Uh, it was nothing. So, how was dinner?"

She wanted to forget about her little slip up, but Soul heard her loud and clear, and grinned to himself, "it was good, just like I remember."

Blushing, she grabbed his plate and started the dishes. Having him here felt so normal and…right. She was startled out of her musings as she felt Soul come up behind her. His breath was hot on her ear, "it really is great to be home."

Lifting his hand, he wanted to touch her, feel the curve of her waist, but restrained himself. He walked away and watched her from the entrance to his old room. Even washing dishes, she was beautiful. It was no surprise her exes tried to mess with her, but she would have never gone through any of those losers if he had stayed home. She turned around and noticed him watching, "are you going to bed now?"

"Yeah, it was a long trip."

Looking down sadly, she put on the best fake smile she could muster, "well, goodnight then."

He couldn't stand it! Walking up to her, Soul cupped her cheek, startling her.

"Don't you ever think about it?"

"A-about what?"

The day he left:

"Alright, that's everything."

Maka stood outside his room with her arms crossed, "would it be okay if I walked you to the station?"

Smirking, he slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, "sure, why not?"

Blair had long since left the apartment, something about three feeling too crowded anymore, so Maka knew it would feel lonely without him, but what right did she have to ask him to stay? Kishin souls still existed, but with the truce between the witches and Shinigami-sama, they didn't have to worry so much about them becoming too powerful. Soul was assigned a mission to choose or turn away…he chose to take it. Maka tried her best to act as if it didn't affect her, but he was her partner; that alone made it very personal. He said once that he would never abandon her, but for some reason, that's exactly what it felt like.

They walked to the train station in silence, Maka wondered what he was thinking, and he wondered the same with her. The silence seemed to become deafening and Maka couldn't take it anymore.

"Soul?"

He stopped and looked at her, "what is it?"

"When the mission's done, will you… (she looked up into his red eyes with so much vulnerability and anguish) come back to me?"

The way she was looking sent a piercing pain into his chest, "what kind of stupid question is that? Of course, I will! You are my partner, Maka, no one else."

Tears flowed freely down her face and he leaned down to wipe them away, but what he didn't expect was the soft delicate feel of her lips as she lifted her head up to kiss him. It wasn't passionate or wild, but a restrained gentleness one would expect from her. He couldn't help grinning at that thought when he moved to deepen the kiss, wrapping his arm around her tiny waist and pulling her flush against him. Knowing his meister, Soul didn't try to take control of the kiss, because she would pull away. Maka broke the kiss and held tightly to him, "promise you'll come back to me!"

Such a tiny frame held the whole world on her shoulders not long ago, "I will, I promise, Maka."

Shoving him away, she stood in front of him with her hands fisted at her sides, "go now, Soul."

"Maka."

"I said GO!"

She ran off, a flood of tears pouring down her face, and didn't stop until she was home. Soul watched her and grabbed his chest, "damn, had to make things more difficult, didn't you?"

He left that day, and Maka fell into a depression so dark it seemed no one could get her out of it.

(end flashback)

Soul saw something dark in her eyes, "Maka?"

"I remember how painful it was when you left. The bottomless Hell I spiraled into without you. It's funny, you said I was the one that saved you from your own darkness, but it turns out you were also keeping mine at bay. Anyway, I don't want to talk about this now, so let's just get some sleep and see what tomorrow brings."

She moved away from him and shut herself in her room, hoping sleep would get rid of all the horrible memories that tried to surface. Walking to her room, Soul put his palm on her door, sensing the pain in her soul. Was he ready to see? Could he look into her memories and come back unscathed? Lifting his hand, he knew he wasn't ready to see any of that, and walked off to his room.