I'm sorry for not uploading for such a long time ._. I just didn't know how to go on with the story, but here's a new chapter! Hopefully, next time I won't have such a long break.

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Disclaimer: I don't own Soul Eater or its characters.

Chapter 11 – Wasted hope?

Things could get better. Stein could ban the Madness from his mind. The witches could miss the new source of Madness. Things could happen… They could, but they didn't.

When I reached the Deathroom with Nygus' help once again, staff of the Shibusen was gathered around Shinigami. "What's happening?", I asked one of them but before I got an answer, Shinigami-Sama noticed me. "Death Scythe, you're back!", he shouted, "Did you get any new information?" I nodded weakly. The wounds were going to be my death. "Seems like the Madness has no special target but the destruction of sanity and the waves of madness", I explain, "And they told me that we would have a witch-problem very soon" Shinigami-Sama nodded his head in agreement. "It had to be expected, hadn't it. As soon as the witches find the source of the Madness, we're not save anymore. Death Scythe, why do you want to risk something like this…" I don't want to hear it "… Stein shouldn't be here and the chances of recovery are low…" shut up shut up shut up "… So again, I don't know if I can respect your wish concerning Stein. I told you before that we have response-" – "I'M NOT GIVING STEIN UP!", I shouted before I even realized how loud I have been. All people in the Deathroom starred at me. "I'm sorry", I mumbled. I couldn't lose Stein and I was afraid of what could happen. Shinigami-Sama looked in my direction and if he had any facial expression, it would probably be concern and confusion. "Death Scythe, I think you should rest for a while. What has happened to you during the mission needs its time to come in terms with. Could you please help Death Scythe to get back to his room, Doctor Nygus?"

The female Weapon dragged me back to the infirmary. We didn't spoke at all, maybe because Nygus wasn't into chit-chat or maybe because I began to feel the pain of some joints and bones I didn't even know before. The idea of sleeping for some time would have appealed me in every other situation, but I didn't have time for now. Right, I didn't need any sleep now.

"Death Scythe, stay awake until you're in your bed, you are heavy enough when you're half asleep but I won't carry you when you sleep", Nygus commented. "I'm completely awake!", I told her. Well, maybe not 'completely' as my words were disrupted by a yawn and the following pain from the wound on my chin. The next minutes passed in a blur, I didn't realize we were back in my room until the doctor told me that we were standing in front of my bed and that I could now let go of her. I fell onto the soft mattress like a stone and before sleep hit me I noticed that Nygus attached me to the infusions again, but I couldn't care less.

I woke up after what felt like an eternity but I could see the sun behind the curtains so I probably slept for two or three hours. The dull ache in my body reminded me once again what had happened and I was happy that someone had invented pain killers, otherwise it would be much worse.

As I looked around in the room, I noticed that I had two visitors. One of them leaned against the wall at the entrance of the room and although I only saw their back, I knew immediately that it had to be Soul Eater. The other one sat next to me in a white plastic chair and was…

"Maka! You came to visit your daddy!", I exclaimed happily and if I hadn't been hurt, I would have hugged her. But she wouldn't like that anyway. "uh… hi dad. Are you ok?" – "Sure." Maka looked at the bandages and infusions and sighed. The way she looked at me and her expression reminded me of Kami. "Can Soul come in as well? I asked him to wait outside because I didn't know if you would be upset if he didn't." I glanced at Soul who seemed to be pretty uninterested in the whole situation (well, he always looked uninterested) and then at my daughter. "Only if he keeps his filthy fingers by himself and stays away from you", I explained. I still didn't trust the white-haired Weapon and I was very concerned when it came to my Maka-girl. "Whatever,", Maka sighed again, "Soul, you can come in!"

Soul shuffled with his hands in the pockets (his definition of 'being cool') towards us, nodded in my direction as greeting and stood behind Maka who started to talk to me. "I spoke with Kid shortly after you came back to the Shibusen and he told me everything. I didn't even know that you were on a mission with Stein again."

"It was unexpected for me as well", I mumbled. On other days, I would probably enjoy the fact that my daughter was talking to me but today was different. Maybe because of the atmosphere in the infirmary which as very similar to the one in a hospital and I never liked hospitals. Stein's lab didn't count, that was something different.

"And then you come back, hurt and everything and even needed a blood donation because that freak doctor nearly killed you and now? I… I heard you were having an argument with Shinigami-Sama because you insisted to watch Stein although he's gone totally insane. Why?"

I really love my daughter and I will probably always love her, but then there were moments when I was desperate because she was right. She was always right, just like her mother. What should I tell her? I could not tell her the truth, what would she think about her father? A man, who was a stud-muffin, who didn't care enough for his family, who was the reason why this family broke apart and who now suddenly fell in love with another man who had hurt him, not strong enough to defeat him or help him. I felt a huge lump in my throat as I thought about what I should tell her.

"He's my former Meister. I can't just give him up. You as Meister should know it, Maka." – "But he hurt you! Everyone in the Shibusen knows that he used you for his sick experiments. You're probably nothing but a test subject. Dad, Stein's dangerous, even before he became insane. And now you're asking Shinigami-Sama to keep him here? Here are pupils, some of them are still children, if something happens… why are you risking so much for him?"

"I can't just give him up! There's a chance he will recover! Just… just give me some days, I will figure out how I can help him!", I shouted to nobody. I didn't even look to Maka or Soul. It was more like a mantra to me that I will succeed, that I won't fail.

"Dad?" I couldn't look in her eyes. I turned my head towards the window and watched the curtains swinging with the breeze that comes from outside. Everything else in this room was silent.

"Death Scythe?" Soul. "How important is Stein to you?" I spun my head around and stared at him confused. "Why do you ask? It's none of your business." The boy rolled his red eyes. "I don't care. Just answer my question." I glanced at my hands in my lap as I felt two pairs of eyes on me. "He's… very important to me." – "As what? As a partner or friend or… lover?" As I held my breath at Soul's remark, Maka gasped: "Soul! Don't make him upset."

"It's ok,", I lied. Nothing's ok. What does Soul know? Why does he ask something like this now? I'll just say it because it would have no use if I was hiding. "It's ok", I mumbled once more. "He's important to me… as my lover." I was pretty sure that my daughter was now staring at me. "eh… Stein and you are lovers? But… what about mom, what about all the other women?", she asked. "I don't know."

"Dad, look at me, please. I.. I'm not mad, it's just… surprising, you know. But I guess, this makes the problem with Stein even more complicated. Oh… Dad, I'm sorry about what I said about Stein, I didn't want to hurt you." I nodded.

"We have to leave, Maka.", Soul said. The chair next to me shifted and my daughter stood up. Suddenly, she laid her hand on mine and smiled as I looked at her. "Get well soon, so you can help Stein." She was ok with it, I noticed. A heavy weight was just lifted off my shoulders.

"'Oi, Death Scythe", Soul said, "you're an idiot, but I think you are able to help Stein. I've been to his crazy lab only one time, but when he already knew that he was infected by Madness, I'm pretty sure that he did research. You could go there and search for some hints how you can help him." It was the best idea I've ever heard from the Weapon, I didn't even know that he was able to think that far, but I didn't commented on it. He called me "idiot" after all. "And you better inform Marie, his Weapon. She can surely help as well.", my Maka-girl added, then looked at her watch. "We'll be too late, Soul! Bye, Dad!"

They left and I only could hope that I would be able to leave this room as soon as possible, too.

(Hopefully, I didn't mess with Makas and Soul's characterization…) I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'm writing a vocaloid-fanfiction as well, take a look if you're interested. See you next chapter!