Iggy was still out of town, for whatever reason. Our fridge was almost empty as I ate everything in it, including Iggy's soy milk (chocolate flavored). I had nothing to do, seeing as my weapon was gone and I couldn't go on any missions.

I took Norah on a walk around town, so my metabolism didn't have a heart attack and die. Norah could've used some exercise too. You know how dogs walk on all fours? Well, her fat was hanging down, like some sort of curtain. Like a... meat... curtain. I felt bad for her, and we walked. During the walk, there was an advertisement for a new sandwich shop called Death Subs. I looked at the large poster and thought, "Yes." And so I did.

I took Norah's leash and pulled it left, so we turned onto the street in which this Death Subs was on. All I saw was a huge damn line, and thought, "No." And so I didn't. I was about to turn around when I saw Maka and Soul pushing through the crowd towards me. I waved at them as they got closer.

"Great weather, eh?" I pointed at the sky to prove my point. It was cloudy and it looked like it would rain... as long as that was it, I was fine. Maka nodded and said, "Looks like it'll thunder, always does once in a while when it's this time of year." I frowned. Shit.

"Aileen? Something wrong?" Maka voiced. Soul looked at me. "Ye-uhhh. I'm fine, I think." I was looking all far-off and troubled, I guess, because Maka and Soul just kept staring. "Aileen, are you... afraid of thunder?" I snapped out of my trance. I wasn't afraid, so much. Well, okay, I was afraid I would be hit by lightning when I was smaller, so I always tried to hide. I guess it just turned into some weird phobia over the years and never went away. "Let's walk home, shall we?" I smiled half-heartedly.

I turned on all our electronics that night so I wouldn't hear the thunder rumbling. I started watching a Bruce Willis movie so I could hear gunblasts, rather than scary rolling thunder in the background. I even tried to get Norah barking, when there was a knock on the door that scared the ever-living daylights out of me. It was about eleven at night so the first thing that came to mind was raper/murderer/terriblererer. There was a good possibility of that, it's true.

I opened the door with a golf club that I had acquired God-knows-where hidden behind my back, to find white hair and red eyes standing in front of me. What?

"Hey, are you okay? You didn't look so good earlier." I didn't look so well earlier, Soul. Have some grammer. "I-I'm fine." He obviously didn't believe me, since I had the radio, microwave, and television all on at once. "Can I come in? Maka's asleep."

I stepped aside and threw the golf club under the table so he wouldn't inquire why I had it to answer the door. I turned the microwave and radio off, and turned the TV down about 75 decibels before turning it off (have you ever turned it off when it was turned up all the way and turned it on later when you forgot about it? Scared the shit out of me). "Soul, did you need something? Like food? Because we're fresh out, so if that's what you're here for-" He cut me off by looking at me. "I thought I'd keep you company, since you're afraid of thunder and all."

"Hey! I'm not-!" I was cut off again by a flash of lightning in the background, followed a few seconds later by the familiar rumbling. I froze. He showed his stupid shark teeth in some stupid grin. "Hey, did you like Kid?" I was caught off guard by the question. Was he trying to use my fear against me for an interrogation? I knew this town was no good. I told Iggy we should've stayed in California. Fucking Iggy, never listens.

"Kid? Well... I did, he is sexy and all. B-but... that guy has too many problems. And besides, I have freckles everywhere. How is that symmetrical?" I shrugged, then scrambled for cover when another bolt of lightning flashed behind me. Norah was probably hiding under the bed, smart dog.

Soul was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Aileen. Stay right there. I'll be back in thirty seconds." Did that mean he was leaving the door unlocked? What if a creeper just waltzed on in and stole my golf clubs? I needed those. Soul was a lot of things, but he wasn't a liar, I guess, since I heard him open and close the door again. I peered over the back of the couch to see him carrying a milk crate that had records in it. Did he drink all that milk so he could have somewhere to put his records?

"I noticed you had that record player in your living room, so I brought my music over. I think it would help with the thunder." He pulled one out that had some old guy with a mean looking face on the cover. He looked familiar... Beethoven? "My family had me take piano my whole life, and I recieved this from my teacher to help me get into it," Soul explained. When he put the needle on the record, Moonlight Sonata came on. "It's a collection of Beethoven's most popular piano songs."

I had covered the couch in thick comforters earlier so I could hide myself and block out the thunder better. Soul pushed them aside and sat next to me. He had dark circles under his eyes. Why? Was he tired? Did he stay up late just to comfort me? I mean, I knew he was in love with me (teehee) but I didn't know he was in love with me. Or maybe he just couldn't sleep either.

"Soul?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. I mean, for helping me when I was sick. And now. I'm... really sorry I'm such a bother." He better be happy. I'll thank him for that... and that's it. Weenie.

"Hmph. I know," he said. He took advantage of my vulnerableness... ness, put his arm around my shoulder, and pulled my head towards him. "What-!"

"Calm down. You need to fall asleep." I was tireder than I thought, and he made a pillow out of all the comforters. He was lucky there were blankets there, or I would've drooled all over his stupid lap.

I saw a few flashes through my eyelids, but the music drowned out the thunder that came after. That was all I remember before I fell asleep, for the first time during a thunderstorm since... ever.

You're good, Evans. I give you that.