AN: Not much to say here… been very busy and so Im not updating as much as I'd (and Im sure you guys too) like…. Cheers!

Maka walked up to him and without thinking and pulled back to hit Crona with all her force.

This accomplished two things, Crona was thrown against the wall, crashing into it and making a nice crater, and two, Maka now felt somewhat relieved and ready for an explanation.

"That was for Soul.' She spat at him while trying to massage her sore knuckles. The feeling of hitting him felt great and that was all she could manage now that she knew Crona wasn't a soulless killer.

The boy didn't get up for a while, he lay where he fell, peering out the window smiling faintly.

"What are you smiling about?" Maka was curious as she crouched before him, hands on knees.

One bleary eye regarded her for a bit, until he spoke, his voice cracking a bit from the impact. "I could have stopped that hit you know…'

"I know."

His eyes went a bit wide at hearing the news, something he obviously had not expected to hear.

"Then why did you…"

"I wanted to see if what Stein said was true… it is."

What would that be?" His eyes narrowed a bit, he was uncertain and nervous.

"there's hope for you yet." She smirked and jumped to her feet extending her hand to help him up. He took it, staring at Maka as if she was the one that was crazy.

"I'm Maka."

"A pleasure." He inclined his head at her, not taking his eyes off her still.

Maka looked around the damp cell and wrinkled her nose. "Not pleasant in here is it?"

Crona shrugged and walked over to the bed, slumping onto it gracefully. "It's better than what I'm used to… at least there IS a bed.'

Maka wanted to ask more, instead, she opted for flopping onto the bed beside him and staring at the wall he was trying to drill a hole through with his eyes.

"I didn't mean to…" he croaked after a moment. Not looking at her at all.

"I sort of figured that out after I saw you."

He looked at her then, eyes questioning but silent.

"What I mean…' she went on to say, "is that if you in any way wanted to hurt me or Soul you wouldn't have let me hit you."

He snorted and ran his hand through his hair, scrubbing at his face. "You're insane girl.. not me.. you."

Maka smiled mischievously. "So I've been told.'

"By Soul…" It wasn't a question. Crona was peeking at her from behind his bangs, not sure if he should even be saying the name of the boy that ended up almost dead because of him.

Maka nodded. "How is he?" His face was sad, twisted in pain at what he had done.

"he's sleeping… he was injected with your blood…' she stopped talking because it was too painful to do so.

"I need to see him…"Crona whispered. "I need to see what I did…"

Maka leveled her gaze at him, questioning. "You mean you don't remember...?"

He shook his head, "not a bit. Being in a total loss of sanity… you can't even see what's going on… its like sitting in total darkness, no smell, no feeling, scent, touch…light… nothing.. you're enveloped in nothingness… you become it." He smiled at her then, a sad, apologetic smile. "It's ok to not understand… you won't be able to… how could you?

"I'd like to." Maka mumbled.

Crona jumped from where he was sitting, eyes wide, blank, his face horrified. He was shaking her by her shoulders. "Don't you ever say that! You hear me? Never! You can't wish for something like this! The only way to understand it is to be IN it.. and for that to happen you need to be injected!.. Don't ever…" his voice broke as he was wracked by shuddering sobs. Crumpling to the mattress in a ball, all power and strength gone from him in that moment of loss.

Maka was dumbfounded. It all happened so fast, the screaming, the pleas and panic and now this… Crona sobbing in a ball on the mattress where, exactly 15 seconds ago, he was somewhat comfortably talking to her.

She didn't know what else to do than put her arms around him and try to comfort. He grasped to her like a scared child, his hands bruising her in their desperate attempt to bring her closer.

They didn't say much, him trying to regain his composure and her feeling a bit awkward and uncertain of what to say.

Stein decided to walk in then, looking around and raising an eyebrow at the image that he beheld. There was the boy, curled in Maka's lap, she petting him on the head, fingers running through his hair, talking quietly.

"twenty minutes is over." He said, his voice resounding in the small cell. It brought them both back from the trance they were in, Maka nodding and getting up slowly, so as to not hurt Crona's feelings. The boy reached out for her.

"there's something about you Maka… I can't put it but… you make me feel safe…safe from all this…" he pointed to all of himself, looking at her and hoping that she'd understand what he meant.

"I have to go." Was all she managed, hoping that he'd understand that she was too confused to think straight.

"you can come as well." Stein nodded to him, provided you behave, you may leave this cell and take up temporary residence in Shibusen… with me.

The look on Crona's face said it all as he sized up Stein. He sat back down and mumbled a quiet "I think I'll stay here, thanks." But Maka would have none of it, she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the cell by force, kicking it closed behind her. Purposefully deaf to the sounds of protest Crona was making.

XXxxXX

Minutes later, they were all back in the hospital room behind Stein's office. Maka trembling slightly, her minute dress not allowing for much warmth, Crona staring tah Soul with slits in his eyes and Stein observing both with interest as he settled himself back into his chair.

Crona reached walked up to Soul, laying a hand gently on his chest, close to the stitched wound, mumbling something to himself. Stein huffed rather loudly, bringing the boys attention back to himself and Maka. "he should have healed by now… that's what black blood does.. or rather, one of the things."

Maka understood him well, nodding. Her hit should have left a bruise and a broken jaw, but crona lookedliek nothing happened, apart from the small trickle of blood that followed the initial hit, he was sound and in one piece.

"he has no soul wavelength." Stein added, hoping that Crona would provide some information.

"that could happen," Crona answered nodding" but its temporary.. black blood can completely mask one's soul, so that not even you can see it." He then turned his off. Just like that, Crona vanished any traces of his soul that was visible to either Stein or Maka.

"Amazing." Stein mumbled to himself, pulling out a pad and scribbling frantically in it.

"I assume that once he wakes up, he'll be able to adjust and control that aspect." Crona further observed. Maka came around the other side, nervously shuffling from foot to foot. "It's my fault." She said quietly, so that only Crona could hear. "I should have been able to protect him."

"there would have been nothing you could have done without knowledge on black blood." Crona shook his head. "Be happy that Stein cam when he did.. I probably would have killed you." He added, eyes full of sorrow as he looked up at her.

"Its ok." Maka took is hand and squeezed, reassuring him that it was ok for now. "Soul is alive…it's all ok."

Then she collapsed.

Crona caught her with a yelp, Stein turning around to see what the ruckus was about. "Finally…" he breathed.

"What do you mean finally?" Crona demanded, holding up Maka awkwardly. "She's passed out!"

"Im surprised she was able to get up at all…" Stein chuckled. "the amount of sedatives she was given would have put down a horse, and yet she managed to run around and cause havoc for about an hour… let her rest." He added and took her limp form from Crona.

He placed her in the room opposite his office, hoping that this time she'd be able to relax and sleep.

She was snoring already.

AN: OK… PHEW! Heres another chappie to keep you peeps happy! Also, I'd like to thank you all for the awesome reviews I get! ^.^ You peeps make my day!