AN: Sooooo hows everyone? Good? Ready? Allright! Onward!

Maka woke up surrounded by white. She bolted upright and winced at the pain in her arm. There was a needle attached to it. She pulled it out with a slight hiss of pain. Looking around, she realized that she was surrounded by curtains. She ripped them aside and looked about her wildly.

Soul…

Her eyes were wide, she was afraid to blink. Apart from her, there was no one in the room. She made for the door in two strides and flung herself into the hallway. She looked both ways, not sure which way she should go first. She opted for her right.

XXxxXX

All Stein heard was doors being swung open. One by one, the crash of wood against the walls rocketed off in the otherwise empty hallway. He peeked his head out of his office and got a serious surprise out of what was in front of him.

Here was Maka, dressed in just her hospital gown, running barefoot though the hall; opening every door on her way. She was steadily making her way toward him and Stein would put his head on the line that she was looking for Soul.

There was a problem if he ever saw one. Soul was still out of it, and being kept asleep so that he could heal faster. He was the only person in this wing that was awake, well… now there was also Maka, but he seriously wanted her asleep. There was no point of her going crazy here, and Soul wasn't reachable right now.

He stepped out and went up to her. She didn't even seem to notice him there. Not until he lightly touched her arm. Only then did she stop and look at him. Her eyes were far gone, she looked like a person under the influence of madness.

Like that boy…

She kept mumbling to herself. "Soul, Soul, Soul…" He started to worry about her sanity.

"Maka…" he grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her gently. She looked through him, trying to get to another door. "Maka!" He shouted at her, trying to get her to look AT him instead of THROUGH him. All he needed was to make eye contact.

He didn't know how to get to her. He decided to release his soul wavelength into her, hoping that the initial shock would get her out of this state. It worked. Her pupils dilated in pain and she cried out, suddenly leeching herself to him with all her strength, weeping loudly and cursing colorfully.

"I killed him.. I killed him… " Stein pulled her face back and looked at her sternly, she wouldn't meet his eyes again, now however, he knew that it was in shame.

"Let me start first off, by telling you that Soul is alive."

Her head snapped to him, eyes again filled with hope. She pushed herself away from him and looked around wildly. "Where is he? I have to see him! I have to…" Her voice died out quickly.

Stein held up a hand. "He's alive… but his wellbeing is under question. The wound was deep and quite frankly Maka, I'm not going to lie to you, I have no idea how fast he will heal. I also have no idea what was injected into him when he was hit."

Maka was pale in fear. "Injected?"

Stein sighed softly. So she was clueless about the black blood. He looked at her now, trying to be gentle. "You can see him, he's sleeping now, and will remain so for some time yet; until I know the wound can take movement."

Maka nodded solemnly and followed Stein into his office. There, in a conjoining room, lay a single bed and on it, attached to at least five different tubes running into and around him, lay an unconscious Soul.

"dear God…" Maka bit out as she hurried to his side. She was about to grab his hand but refrained, letting her had drop to her side instead. She looked intently at the scar running across his chest. Stein had to admit that it wasn't pretty.

She ghosted her hand above it. Soul breathed in and out calmly, oblivious of the anguish going on above him.

Maka couldn't even feel his wavelength. It was as if it wasn't there. But he was alive.. it should have been, at least a glimmer of it… That was her specialty, soul perception… Only the dead don't have soul wavelengths.

"True..." Stein said from behind her.

She snapped around, not realizing that she had spoken out loud. "Then why…?"

"That is the most fascinating thing… he was injected with black blood… I think you should know that much…. And here he is, with no wavelength. It's a medical phenomenon."

"Then that boy… the one who hurt him…"

"hes being held in the dungeons… he's been investigated."

Maka's eyes flashed with anger. "I'll kill him!" She roared and stomped out of the office and down, Stein supposed, into the dungeons.

Deeming it safe to leave Soul for a bit, he quickly followed her already shrinking form.

"You can't blame him you know…"

She huffed as she kept walking briskly. "Why the hell not?...did you see that scar…" her voice broke and she sped up her steps.

"he was under the influence of madness… that child is special in his own way… he.. he has no blood other than the black."

Maka stopped in her steps, eyes wide in fear. "Was he born like that…?"

Stein stopped as well. "No… he told me a bit, not much that he wanted to say but essentially, his Mother, the witch Medusa transferred his blood with the black and infused the sword Rangarok into him."

Maka looked scared. "That sword he had… was that it?"

Stein nodded solemnly.

"Monster…" Maka rasped out harshly, sandy hair covering her face from Steins penetrating gaze.

"He acts normally when not under madness Maka.. he hasn't had an easy childhood either.. in fact, out of all of the students of Shibusen, its surprising that he manages to act human at all, considering the nightmare he went through."

"he's a STUDENT! She squeaked out.

Stein nodded. "Death entered him into the system, says there might be hope for him. But like I said, he won't speak to anyone about what happened… there's only one person he says he wishes to see..."

"that would be me." Maka deadpanned.

"How'd you know?" Stein didn't hide the surprise in his voice.

"Because if it was someone else, you would have blabbed it out already." Maka deduced.

Stein rolled his eyes at her twisted thinking.

"And I don't think he's a monster…" Maka added, as she once again started walking down the hall. "His Mother is…"

Stein chuckled to himself as he ran to catch up. Typical Maka thinking.

They made their way quickly. No more words exchanged, feeling the tension fill them as they neared the door where the boy was kept under lockdown.

"Some student dorm you guys gave him." Maka muttered under her breath as they stopped in front of the heavy iron doors.

"procedures…" Stein muttered back.

Maka nodded and rapped the door gently with her knuckles.

"come in."

Stein opened the door with a heavy key he pulled out of his pocket and pushed the door open. Maka stepped in, followed by Stein. They looked around, but couldn't see him anywhere.

"the girl only." The deep voice sounded, a bit to their left, they looked down.

There in the corner, sat the boy that had carved out a valley in Souls chest. Maka's hands curled into fists. She was ready to strike, but would withhold until she heard what he had to say to her. Then… that would be decided quickly.

Stein politely reterated outside, whispering "you have twenty minutes." To Maka before relocking the door.

She closed her eyes and breathed in hard, only then did she open them again, and looked that the boy once more.

He stood and walked up to her, extending a pale hand. "I'm Crona."

AN: OKAY.. Its been forever NE? Please don't kill me! -.- Ive been sooo busy.. you have no idea.. but Im trying damnit.. Im trying (and have more than just this story to update :P)