When Stein reentered the room, an atmosphere that resembled that of a funeral was practically palpable to him. He knew Soul had been eavesdropping; it was obvious by the look the boy was now giving him. He slouched into his wheeled chair, and sighed heavily.

"Maka, you are suspended from DWMA until you are back to full health."

"No!" Maka's expression became even more, if possible, devastated. Soul advanced on the professor, fury in his eyes.

"You can't just do that!"

"Do not tell me what I can and can't do!" Stein snapped, "This is Lord Death's final word."

"It's not fair-!" Soul began to argue defiantly, but Stein spoke up.

"You have a choice to make, Soul. You are a capable, useful weapon. Find a new meister, and you will still be in the running to develop into a Death-Scythe. Leave Maka behind."

"Leave her behind?" Soul repeated incredulously.

"He has a point, Soul. This isn't just about me." Maka said from her bed, as she stared hard at the sheets trapped between her fingers. Stein's gaze flickered curiously from girl to boy.

Soul's face was stricken. His eyes were wide, and his fists shook by his side, his heart beating furiously against his chest. He could hear the sound of his own blood rushing through his veins, and his senses were sharpened from the shock of the situation's reality. Stein stared Soul down, and he found it nearly impossible to look away. He swallowed hard as he shook his head.

"You are choosing to stay with Maka, even though she can now do nothing for you in her present condition?" Stein smirked at the pair. "You choose to forget your biggest dream?"

"Maka is my meister. I don't understand why you think I can just abandon my partner so easily."

"He doesn't mean that!" Maka suddenly cut in, her voice frantic.

"Yeah, I do!"

"Soul, what about your dream? Don't be so stupid!"

"It's not stupid! Didn't you promise me yourself that you would be the one to turn me into the strongest weapon ever?" Soul shouted obstinately.

"I did, Soul, and I meant it, but things have changed-!"

"NOTHING HAS CHANGED!" Soul suddenly shouted, whipping around to look into his partner's tired face. "You're still my meister and nothing is ever going to change that!"

"How can you stand there and defend this partnership when it's so clear to all of us that it's over?" Maka hissed, "I can't be your meister!"

"You must be the most absurd little fool I've ever met! This isn't over until we both agree it is, and since I'm not in favor of calling us quits, the conversation ends here!"

Maka was now so upset sh e was fighting to stand up, but was held down by the force of only Soul's arm that kept her pinned against the mattress as she continued, "Absurd? Why are you being such a damn blockhead! Why!"

"Because I can't be anyone else's partner but yours, fool!" Soul answered loudly. "There's no reason to end anything! Listen," Soul's voice softened, "I'll take care of you. I promise. I won't leave you to deal with anything alone. I'm your friend too, remember that."

"Very well then, I guess that's that." Stein spun idly on his chair, during the space of silence that had only been broken by the muffled sound of footsteps of students filing into the school. "Soul, you're suspended as well."

"Yeah, yeah, fine."

It was noon when Soul and Maka arrived back at their apartment. The weather outside was chilly, and the threat of a storm hung over the apartment complex in the form of dense black clouds, accompanied by howling winds that rattled the window panes. Maka sat on the far side of their couch, looking out at the dark sky, waiting for the rain that was sure to come.

"Heard there'd be a lot of rain today," Soul passed Maka a mug of tea as he joined her in the living room, sitting on the opposite side of the couch as he was unsure whether Maka wanted to be close to him.

Maka sipped at her tea in reply, looking at nothing in particular, but not staring at anything for too long. Her restless observation tempted Soul to inch closer to her side. To remind her that she was safe, and that he was with her. But if he made any sort of movement in her direction, Maka would stiffen up, and clutch tighter to her cup. He wondered where the determination she had expressed earlier that day had disappeared to.

The day drew to a close as the sun sank out of sight and was replaced by the moon. Maka had remained silent, and Soul had continued internal arguments with himself for hours. He wished he could ask Tsubaki for advice. She usually knew what she was talking about when it came to sympathy and understanding.

"So, aren't you, um, tired?" Soul asked, trying to sound as casual and untroubled as possible, despite his true emotions. Maka gave a slight, unhelpful shrug, and looked out at the rain that hammered persistently on the glass. Lightning flashed and thunder boomed, which would illuminate the room for seconds at a time, for the electricity had been knocked out earlier that afternoon.

"Do you want me to run you a bath?" Soul inquired. He felt determined to get at least a nod or shake of the head from her. As she stood up however, Maka did neither of these gestures. Instead, she stood in front of his place on the couch for what felt to Soul like an eternity, leaned down, remaining just inches from his bewildered face, then plucked the cup that was now held loosely in his hands. She withdrew to the kitchen, and the sound of running water could be heard as she washed the used mugs. Soul released the breath he had been holding, and frowned, frustrated at himself for feeling so nervous when Maka had come close to him.

"I'm going to bed." Soul passed by the kitchen, and turned slightly in Maka's direction to make sure she heard him. He saw her nod, not turning her gaze away from the sink she was cleaning out. Soul continued into his bedroom, where he changed and climbed under cover of his duvet. Shortly after this, he heard Maka's footsteps pass down the hall, and then sound of her bedroom door open and close. Relaxing into his sheets, he realized how exhausted he was, and quickly fell asleep.

The smell and vision of him still burned vividly in her nose and mind's eye. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts of Soul's confused expression and gaping mouth. As the thought of her partner eventually faded from her senses, she fell back into the emotions she had been wallowing in all day; the feelings that scorched her insides and churned darkly inside of her returned so that she could focus on nothing else.

She had been cheated. Forced into her own personal hell from which she had no hope of escape. She could no longer feel a connection to her weapon. She understood that the ones who were responsible for her downfall bore no grudge against her. Had no reason for doing what they did. No reason at all.

What is your reason for being here on this earth now?

The realization of this thought blasted through the girl with such force that her breath was stolen from her lungs. She knelt on the ground, keeling over with her hands muffling the sobs that fought desperately to escape from her. After taking a few steadying gulps of air, she staggered to her feet again, wiping away what few tears had stained her cheeks, then crept quietly from her room, down the hall, and into Soul's bedroom.

Although the room was completely enshrouded in shadow, Maka could still make out the familiar posters of jazz stars that so escaped her understanding. Upon his desk sat a darkened lamp and a couple of recently bought CDs. Beside his bed, upon a small table, sat a picture frame holding a photograph of the two of them, grinning at the camera that had been in the hands of Tsubaki last New Year's Eve. They were both red-faced and cheery looking, wearing the goofy paper crowns they had pulled out of a festive cracker. As Maka bent her head over Soul's bed, mere inches away from his sleeping face, the thought of how strangely long ago it felt that the picture had been taken crossed her mind. As she bowed in even more, her hair cascaded across her shoulder, brushing lightly across Soul's neckline and causing him to stir slightly in his sleep. Her entire being trembled. From what exactly she was unsure of. However, her quaking body did not quell her from pressing her mouth to Soul's. Immediately, the weapon's eyes snapped open, and he wrenched himself up from his mattress, causing Maka to tumble backward onto his carpet. He slapped a hand across his lips, surprise etched into his eyes as he stared dumbstruck at the girl on the floor.

"M-Maka," he was finally able to choke out, "what do you think you're doing?"

Maka stood and approached his bed once more, "Come on, Soul. We've known each other for ages. There's no reason not to just…" She had come so close to him now that she could hear the hesitating uncertainty in his breathing, and as she began to think he would allow her to slide under the blankets with him, a hand, his hand, pushed her away.

"Why are you acting like this?"

Against her will, tears began forcing their way into Maka's eyes, and she closed them so he could not discover this as she spoke, "Why am I acting like what? I'm only trying to find my purpose."

"Your what?" Soul was now sitting upright in his bed, staring at her with an incomprehensible look.

"Why do you think I'm here, Soul?" She asked sincerely, "I was an incredible meister, and I was in the process of attaining a goal. But now, my motive for being here has disappeared. It's gone."

"That's not true-!"

"How can you sit there and say that!" She suddenly screamed, "Everything I was is lost to me! Forever out of my reach! Everything I worked for is meaningless! How can you sit there and say it's not true!"

"Maka-!"

The girl fell to her knees, tears falling fast down her face, her voice now coming out in short, raspy gasps, "Soul…" Again, she reached for him, holding tightly to the edges of his T-shirt. He pulled her up into his arms, so her next words were muffled.

"Give me a reason…a reason to be alive."


HAPPY THXGIVING EVERYONE! ^^ here's an extra long-super-special-uber-awesum-edition chapter! just 4 u! MWA! this is getting ridiculously dramatic... sry if its a bit 2...much. lol hope u enjoy anyway! luv u all! starting Miroku/Kagome fanfic soon! also thinking about a Draco/Hermione fanfic, just 2 honor how awesum it is ^_~