A/N: Yes, I know I'm late at updating, but I had. . . THE FLU! And because of that little matter I was a potato on the couch watching bad television for four days! But now I'm back and eager to write, so here is chapter 3!
My eyes flew open as my soul rushed back into my body. For a second, I forgot all that had happened, and I freaked out. I didn't know where I was, or even when it was.
"Maka! Maka, calm down! It's okay, everything's okay. Stein! Stein, we need help!" Kid was trying to get Stein's attention. He was gripping my hands, his knuckles white. Finally, a high pitched scream reached my ears. I was appalled to recognize my own voice, I immediately stopped.
"Kid? What's going on in here?!" Miss Marie came running into the room. She stopped when she saw me sitting up in the bed, tears streaming down my face in rivets. "Maka!?" She rushed over and hugged me. "We were beginning to think you would never wake up! Stein! Stein get in here!" she rushed to the doorway. "Stein, its Maka! She's woken up!" Stein came running into the room.
"What? But that's not-," he stopped short when he saw me sitting up in the bed. "Well I'll be… Well that doesn't matter now. Kid," Kid looked up. "I'm sure the others will want to see her too."
Kid jumped up and straightened his suit. "Of course. Liz was coming to pick me up anyway, I'm sure she won't mind picking up the others."
"Hold on a second, Kid," Liz said as she strolled into the room, Soul stood in the doorway behind her. Why are they here together? "What did you sign me up to do?" She looked around. "Is something wrong?" Soul hurried in.
"Something's wrong?" he asked. He sounded so worried; I couldn't string him on any longer.
"It's okay, Soul, I'm fine," I leaned over the bed a little and gave him a small wave.
His jaw went slack and he tugged on Liz's sleeve and pointed at me. She glared at him, and then followed his line of sight. Her jaw, needless to say, also went slack.
"MAKA!" they both screeched in tandem. They practically tackled each other trying to get to me. Liz got there first and wrapped her arms around my neck, avoiding the wound, but still effectively choking me.
"Liz!" I would be surprised if any of them managed to hear me, but I could barely breathe. "Liz! I can't breathe!" She pulled away faster than I thought possible.
"Oh, sorry Maka. I just missed you!" then Soul was there pushing her out of the way. "Maka!" he hugged me too, but nowhere near as tight as Liz.
"Are you alright? How long have you been up? You didn't flat line, did you?" he asked.
"Uh, I'm fine, about five minutes, and no." I tried to answer all his questions but he was asking them so fast. He turned to Kid, who was talking with Liz about who to pick up first.
"Kid? You were in here when she woke up, right?" he asked. Kid turned to face him, looking a little flustered.
"Yes, of course I was."
"So what happened?"
"What do you mean?" Kid asked confused.
"Well, she's been out for over three weeks, why would she suddenly wake up now? What was different about her condition today compared to any other day?"
"Uh," Kid didn't seem to know what to say. I gave him a quizzical look. He knew what woke me up, he did. So why wasn't he telling any of this to Soul? "I'm not sure actually."
"Oh, well, okay then." Soul said. Now I glanced at him. Something seemed, off about him. I decided to put it off as worry.
"Soul," I started, but Kid and Liz interrupted me. "Liz is going to get the others, and I'm going to wait by the door so they won't be locked out, we'll be back in a few minutes."
"Okay," I said. They left, Liz arguing about why she had to be the one to go get Black*Star. She didn't want his excitement destroying her car.
"Soul," I started again. "Is something wrong? You just seem a bit out of it."
He gave out a little forced laugh. "Well dummy," I scowled at his little nickname. "It's because I've been spending all my time for the last few weeks worrying about you. Let me explain. Your condition wasn't getting better, but it wasn't getting worse either. Stein told us that he couldn't figure out why you weren't waking up, and because of that, he didn't know if you ever would." He looked like he was about to cry. I was shocked, the Soul I knew would never cry in front of his meister, and especially not in front of a girl.
"Did I really break him down that much…?" I murmured to myself. Soul still heard me though.
"I guess you can say you did, Maka. You broke me. I don't know what I would've done had you died." I saw a single tear fall down his cheek. I gasped, how is this possible? This is Soul we're talking about here. He would never cry in front of me.
"Soul? Are you…will you be-," Soul cut me off.
"Don't worry, Maka," he said. "I'll be fine; Liz will make sure of that." He let out a small laugh. "She's been helping me since the first time we saw you after the surgery. I'll tell you something, Maka, it actually hurt to see you so weak and helpless. It was so unlike you."
I grabbed his hand, "You don't have to worry anymore Soul. I'm back, I'm fine, and I've got Kid." He glanced at me curiously. I started to explain, but then we heard the door slam open. Both Soul and I jumped before we heard…
"MAKA! YOUR GOD HAS ARRIVED!"
"Oh dear," I murmured. "I'll explain to you later, okay?" he nodded, and gave me a small, sympathetic smile.
"Good luck," he said, standing up. "You're going to need it."
"Wait, you're leaving! No, please don't leave me alone with Black*Star!" I begged. He turned for a second before giving me one of his signature smirks, before waving and leaving the room. "Jerk!" I shouted after him.
The rest of the night and the next morning consisted of people, flowers, and multiple apologies. I was shocked when the first of some of those who had bullied me came into the room, saying they'd heard about what happened and couldn't believe they'd treated me like that. By the end of the first day, I was exhausted. I'd received and accepted so many apologies, that I'd even ended up having a small speech memorized. By the time visiting hours had ended, I was about to drop. And I hadn't even done anything! But, as luck would have it, just as I was about to nod off, my friends came in. I'd been wondering where they were all day, and now I knew. They each had large bags full of Lord Death knows what and huge smiles on their faces.
"Maka, guess what!" Patty practically shrieked in my ear. "You get to leave the hospital today!"
"Really?" I glanced at Stein who had entered the room after them.
"It's true," he said. "Your wound is as healed as it can be for now, and the only reason you were still here is because you wouldn't wake up. And now that you have, you get to go home."
"ISN'T IT GREAT, MAKA?" Black*Star shouted at me, nearly bursting mine and everyone else's ear drums. "NOW YOU GET TO WORSHIP YOUR GOD AGAIN!"
"Joy," I said sarcastically. Everyone but Tsubaki laughed, she just looked embarrassed about the idiot.
Either way, I was finally out of there! I left the hospital with my friends, who refused to tell me what was in the bags, and went to get on Soul's motorcycle. Sadly my mood dropped as soon as I saw the death trap. It reminded me to much of that night. Soul seemed to feel my unease, and put his hand on my shoulder.
"Hey," he said. "It's okay, all that's in the past now. And don't worry about those idiots who did that to you, Kids been working nonstop to try and find them so that him and I can hurt them as much as they hurt you." He then helped me on the death trap before climbing on himself. Then he revved the engine and sped off to our apartment. I noticed a few blocks later that the others were following. I didn't think much of it; I was too busy thinking about what Soul had said.
Kids been working nonstop to try and find those three? I thought he would've found them by now. But then I remembered that I was the only one who saw them, and I'd been unconscious since the attack. I decided I'd talk to Kid about it tomorrow.
We got back to the apartment, and I finally figured out what was in the bags. Those guys had gone way to over board. And I told them so.
"Don't worry about it, Maka," Liz told me as read off the instructions on what everyone was supposed to do. "We've been planning this party forever, so it's about time you got to enjoy it. Now, go into your room, and don't come out until I say so." She then pushed me into my room, and stationed Patty outside it to make sure I didn't come out.
"Is this really necessary?!" I shouted through the door, but I got no reply other than patty's giddy laughter as she snapped the neck of an origami giraffe. There has to be something seriously wrong with that girl I swear!
I just sat on my bed and listened to the commotion outside the room as my friends tried to put together a "Welcome Home" party. I appreciated the gesture, I really did, but all I wanted right then was to sleep and forget the last month ever happened. I was just about to doze off when I heard a light knock on the door.
"Maka?" I couldn't tell whose voice it was. "Can I come in?"
"Yeah, come on ahead. It should be unlocked." I called. The door slowly opened, and Kid stuck his head in. "You sure?" he asked. I nodded.
He quietly stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. "Patty fell asleep, so I was able to sneak my way in."
"I swear," I told him. "That girl has something wrong with her."
He laughed. "I'm pretty sure we've all come to the same conclusion." Now I was laughing.
"Hey," I asked after the laughing had stopped. "Aren't you supposed to be making a cake?"
"There's only so much on can do once the cake goes in the oven, so I thought I'd come back here and keep you company. And to warn you that Black*Star might of-," I cut him off with my hand.
"I don't want to know." He laughed.
"Yeah, I'm not sure if you do… Hey, Maka? I've been meaning to ask you about something."
"What is it, Kid?"
"Well, it's about your attackers." My mood instantly darkened and I dropped the small smile I'd been wearing.
"Oh," was all I was able to say before Kid hurriedly wrapped me in a hug, surprising me. I was stiff at first, but soon was gripping his arms as if my life depended on it; tears were beginning to stream down my face.
"If you don't want to talk about it, Maka, we don't have to talk about it." He rushed, trying to get me to calm down.
"I'm sorry, Kid, but I just can't talk about it. It's so weird to me. Why was I able to defeat the Kishin using bravery, but I can't even be brave when in danger because of a couple of boys! My age nonetheless!" By now I was shaking with anger. It made no sense!
"I think I might know the reason, Maka."
I snapped me head up. "What do you mean?"
"Well, I think it might have to do with the relationship between you and your dad, or, you and men in particular. I think that might be making harder for you to fight against them."
"I don't understand, shouldn't me resenting them make it easier for me to fight them?"
"I'm not sure, it could be, but it could also be the fact that by resenting them and not trusting them, you become fearful of what they might do, or the choices they might make. You don't trust them, so you also don't trust your view on what their attack plans might be. And since you don't know what their attack plans might be, you become fearful." I stared at Kid, had he really just gotten into my head in a matter of seconds? I was about to ask how he made those assumptions, but I was interrupted.
"Kid! Where are you?" We heard a shout from somewhere in the apartment.
"Back with Maka!" he shouted back. Soon we heard footsteps heading towards the door. Liz poked her head into room.
"Kid, what are you doing back here? Your cake's done. Oh, and Patty's in weapon form again."
"Again?"
"Yeah, she told me it stopped, but I thought she was lying to me. Anyway, you know the drill. Maka, we're not done yet, so don't come out for another few minutes." I gave her thumbs up.
"Yeah, okay, I'll be out in a second." Kid said, Liz left the room and we stepped outside to see Patty on the floor in her weapon form.
"Why…?" I asked.
"Well," Kid replied, picking her up and seeing if she was loaded. "Lately she's been getting nightmares, and when she gets scared enough, she turns into her weapon form as a force of habit. And so far we've only found one way to wake her up."
"And what would that be?" I asked as we went back into my room. Kid walked over to the window and opened it. He looked around before pointing Patty at the abandoned apartment building next door.
"By doing this," he said before shooting at building. Kid kept on shooting until the gun began to glow. He then set it on the bed and a few seconds later the gun was Patty again. She yawned before sitting up.
"Hi Kid, hi Maka!" She looked at Kid's face. "I did it again, didn't I?" She seemed to have a rare serious moment.
"Afraid so," Kid answered. Patty stared at her feet for a few seconds before jumping up and grabbing Kid's hand.
"Oh well," she sang. She began to pull Kid out of the room, singing 'Oops, I did it again'. I simply stared with my jaw hanging open like an idiot.
"There is seriously something wrong with that girl…" I muttered to myself before sitting on my bed and reading. Sadly, that peace didn't last long. After only two chapters, Liz and Tsubaki came into the room.
"What are you two doing in here?" I asked as Tsubaki took my book and Liz pulled me off the bed.
"I thought it would be obvious, Maka, we're in here to help you!" Liz was shaking with excitement. I worried about what this "help" might be. I voiced by concern.
"Well, what else silly! We're here to help you with Kid!" Liz was practically jumping with joy. "Don't try and deny it Maka! I've seen him every day since the incident," she danced around the subject of my attack. "And if you don't think I'd notice when my own meister gets a crush than you must be stupider than you seem!"
"Hey!" I protested.
"Come on Tsubaki," Liz shouted. "We only have a few minutes!"
Pretty soon Liz and Tsubaki had forced me into an outfit Liz had bought me for my birthday that I had never worn. It was something Liz would wear, but nothing I would've picked out for myself. The top was a green tank top with a faux sweetheart neckline (it was like the dress I wore in Soul's head, but without the long sleeves). Then there was a black skirt that looked and felt a lot like my favorite red plaid one. I was kind of shocked, this was actually something I would wear, and Liz of all people had picked it out. Finally Liz gave me some green and white striped knee high socks, some black Converse (A/N: I don't own those!), and finally some little silver earrings in the shape of Lord Death's mask. I was shocked when I looked in the mirror, I didn't actually look too bad.
Liz giggled. "Okay," she said. "Time to go show Kid!" We left the room and I was surprised by how much my friends (minus Crona, Liz said she invited him, but was told he didn't know how to deal with parties), had done on such short notice. There were balloons in the corners, streamers along the tops of the walls, and a huge hand painted banner that said "welcome home Maka!" I guessed Tsubaki was the one who'd made it; no one else in our group was too good at art. I glanced over at the dining room table and that's when I became a bit worried. I saw all the normal stuff you'd see at a party, cookies, cake, punch etc. But I also saw beer. Though none of us really should drink it, Death City had a lower alcohol limit. We were allowed to drink it as long as we didn't walk around with it on the streets or anything. I was stilled worried, my friends were weird enough, I really wasn't looking forward to seeing them drunk.
"Who brought the beer?" I asked Liz, hoping my distaste of the substance would be noticed. Sadly, it was not.
"Black*Star if I'm remembering right," she answered, oblivious to my gaping mouth. "But don't worry, I made sure he got the good stuff." She smiled at me and I grimaced back. So this was a two man job? I'll make sure they both get Maka-Chopped later!
At first the party was normal (after Kid's reaction to my new look. To sum it up, Liz ended up dragging his unconscious body to the couch). We talked and ate for a bit, carefully dancing around the reason for the party, and then we ended up playing truth or dare (once Kid had woken up of course). In the end, Kid was left with one shoe off for another thirty minutes and was about to throw a fit, Black*Star was forced not to call himself god for the rest of the night, and because of a truth, a dare had led into Soul and Liz kissing. I wasn't too sure if they really cared or not. Sadly, after that, Black*Star and Liz began to pass out drinks. I sternly declined every time one of them tried to give me one, and because of her nightmare problems, Patty wasn't allowed to have any either. But everyone else dug right on in. It was disgusting.
I found out a lot about my friends in those couple of hours. Like the fact that Tsubaki and Black*Star were dating (no real shocker, everyone knew they liked each other, I was just surprised Tsubaki had finally said yes), Patty had actually gone out on a date while I was out cold (much to everyone's shock), Liz had stolen her parents credit card before she and Patty had gone to live on the streets and was still using it to this day, and quite a few other things that I kind of wish I hadn't learned.
Pretty soon hook-ups were happening. I wasn't surprised, but I'd hope they would contain themselves it being my first night back. Sadly, my wishes were destined not to be granted tonight. I watched silently from the couch as Liz and Soul went back into his room. Disgusting, I thought. I hoped they didn't do anything they would regret later. I wasn't about to be confused about two relationships. At least Tsubaki and Black*Star were being more modest.
I don't know when, but someone had put in a romantic comedy/ tragedy (yes, it can be both) and they were watching it. Black*Star was sitting it one of the chairs and Tsubaki was sitting on his lap. I don't know why they weren't asking me to sit in one of the chairs, since I was on the couch. I was about to stand up and head back to my room before I remembered why. Kid had basically passed out around the same time the movie had started. He'd been sitting next to me, and had just fallen over. I'd sighed and maneuvered his head so it was on my lap, the original position of it hanging upside down of the edge of the couch hadn't looked to comfortable.
I'd been watching the movie for a bit, absently stroking Kid's hair, when the doorbell rang. I glanced at the clock and it showed 10:52pm. I wonder who would be coming by this late; I thought sleepily as I moved Kid's head off my lap and trudged to the door. Thankfully I glanced through the peep hole before opening the door, or else I could've ended up in worse shape than I already was.
I jumped away from the door as the bell rang again. No, it can't be! They wouldn't be stupid enough to come by here, would they? But apparently they were, because right outside my door stood the two boys mostly involved to the attack, Hair dye and Blue eyes. They rang the doorbell again.
"Maka…" I heard a sleepy voice say from behind me. "Can't you open the stupid door?" I whirled around to see Soul standing in the doorway, thankfully wearing his normal t-shirt and some sweat pants. I must've had terrified written all over my face because he was beside me gripping my arms in a flash.
"It's them, isn't it?" His eyes flashed angrily as I nodded.
"Maka?" I heard two new sleepy voices ask. I saw Liz standing in the doorway where Soul had just been, and Kid sitting up on the couch, both rubbing sleep out of their eyes. Kid noticed my facial expression first and suddenly stood up. He told Liz to go into weapon for as he picked Patty up from on the floor. I hadn't even noticed she'd gone into weapon form. I wonder what her nightmares are. As I thought that, Kid placed himself in front of Soul and I. He glanced back at us and I saw Soul turn his arm into a scythe blade. Kid nodded before throwing open the door.
"What do you two pieces of scum want?" He sneered, using his death voice (it sounded a lot like his father's original voice). Hair dye jumped and ran down the hall.
"Coward!" Blue eyes shouted after him. He turned back to Kid, "What do you mean what do we want? We want to finish what we started!" He quickly pulled out a gun and shot into the apartment, straight at me. Soul pushed me down, but the bullet still grazed my shoulder. And at the speed it was going, it hurt. To make matters worse, I hit my head on the wall as I made my way down, hard. Pain exploded in my head and the fight turned into nothing more than blurs throwing themselves at each other. Soul heard my little shriek of pain and knelt down beside me, cradling me against him to protect me from further injuries. By now Black*Star and Tsubaki had joined to fight to make up for Soul.
It's sad that it takes two of them with weapon partners just to fight off him with a regular gun…
Finally Blue eyes seemed to realize that he wasn't getting to me without a fight, so he turned and ran back down the hall.
"Coward!" Black*Star shouted after him.
"Maka," suddenly Kid was beside me. "Are you okay?" I couldn't force any words out. My thoughts were scrambled and my mid kept wondering to other things.
How come Patty hasn't woken up yet?
Why is Soul gripping my arm so hard?
Was it because they're all a little drunk that they had a hard time beating him? Or was he really just that strong?
Kid sighed, seeming to realize he wasn't getting anything out of me tonight. He picked me up bridal style and instructed the others to pick up the apartment. They all agreed except for Soul, he followed us back to my room. Kid either didn't notice, or didn't care. Kid laid me down and instructed Soul to make sure I didn't try and get up. Soul nodded, and Kid left to help the others.
Soul stayed by my side the rest of the night. Finally, around two or three am, I began to nod of. I could tell sleep was pulling at Soul too, because he was starting to tell me nonsense things. In the end, he was ranting about what he would do when he found the boys who had hurt me. I was only half listening, but then he told me this…
"I'm going to let you in on a secret, Maka. Me and Kid have decided that punishing those idiots isn't enough. We decided we're going to kill them." Then he stood up and left the room.
Kill them? No, I could feel sleep pulling me under, and I yawned heavily. This is Kid we're talking about; he wouldn't kill anyone that wasn't a Kishin egg… But in the little crevice of my mind that was still thinking strait, I could feel doubts forming.
But before I could think about the problem anymore, sleep grabbed me in its dark arms, and pulled me into the blackness.
A/N: Okay start, boring middle, okay ending. But don't worry, the next chapter will have more action. Kid got all philosophical there, didn't he? And what's Maka going to do about Kid and Soul? You're just going to have to wait until the next chapter to find out!