Epilogue

In The Wake of Tragedy

There were no words that could describe what they had gone through. Absolutely no amount of tears could make them forget of the horrors they had witnessed inside of Gallows Elementary School. They had lost friends and they would never return.

The janitor had been making his rounds through the school and found them passed out in the classroom. The janitor feared the worst when he had seen the condition they had been in and called an ambulance. They had been taken to the hospital and been treated for their wounds. The doctors and nurses had bombarded them with questions why they were passed out in the classroom with all kinds of wounds, but they couldn't explain. They insisted to report it to the police and started an assault investigation, but the three refused. The doctors and nurses were worried and discussed about filing a report to social services, but eventually it was dropped. What good would it do? Nothing.

Maka and Liz mostly had cuts and bruises and they were cleaned and stitched up. They had been discharged after a few hours. Soul wasn't as lucky. When they were passed out, they had to have been gone for quite a while because Soul had developed a fever. The doctors had been worried and taken blood tests, which came out Soul had sepsis. The cuts on Soul's cheek and wrist had become infected and it had to have happened when he fell down into the pool. She had cleaned out the wound too late or the rubbing alcohol wasn't as strong as she thought it was, which was most likely the case. Then there was his tiny wound on his neck Medusa delivered to him that had her concerned.

After Liz had been treated, she left Soul's leather jacket behind and she had left them behind without a word spoken. Maka however… had a difficult time leaving Soul. She had remained by Soul's side. She had stayed till visitation hours had ended and when morning came, she had waited by the door when visitation hours started once again. She was there because Soul needed her and… she needed him too.

Most of the time Soul had been sleeping and a coat of sweat always covered his face. In his sleep he would moan, twitch and turning uneasily. He had experienced many nightmares and Maka knew exactly what they were about because… she had them too. When she woke up from the nightmares, the first person she thought about was Soul. Where was he? Was he safe? Always anxiety would hit her when she didn't find Soul beside her, but tried to calm herself down. He was at the hospital getting treated. He was safe. They were safe.

In the hospital she had always come with fresh flowers she placed in the vase. Occasionally Wes would swing by during his lunchbreak or in the evening, keeping Soul and her company as Soul remained sick. Wes had told her he felt at ease knowing Maka was with him most of the day.

Liz hadn't kept in contact with them. Since they escaped Gallows Elementary School, she hadn't heard a word from her. She had sent texts and tried to call Liz to hear how she was holding up and giving updates on Soul's condition, but she never answered or replied. Sometimes she found herself wondering why, but then it hit her. Liz still blamed her for Patty, Kid and Tsubaki's deaths. She blamed it all on her.

It wasn't the only thing. All the pictures of their friends were gone. The pictures still remained but they were missing. In the photo they had taken at the end of their junior year at the beach, they were missing. She knew in the picture Soul had his arm around Black*Star's shoulders but Soul's arm was floating in the air and Black*Star was missing! She had searched for all of their social media, but they were completely gone. Maka had gone inside of the school's martial arts' deathbook page Black*Star was missing there. The pictures she knew were supposed to be there of Black*Star and gold medals… they were gone. Not just gone. It was as if he never existed and he never won the gold medals.

It was as if they never existed.

The reality she couldn't take comfort in the rest of her classmates about the passing of her friends hurt her beyond doubt. There would be no funeral for them. There was no one who remembered them. Except for them.

It made the situation worse. The fact Liz wasn't answering her texts and Soul was sick in the hospital. She was all alone in it and she didn't know how to handle it.

There was no way she could go to school. With Gallows Elementary School being at the same spot and knowing underneath the school still remained human bones from its victims, she couldn't return there. There was no way she could return there. Her grades were dropping fast and her classmates were worried about their class rep. The teachers rung daily to her father to inquire on how she was doing and if she was to return to school anytime soon, but he always gave them the same vague answer. He didn't know and he was going to ask her. He tried to ask her what had changed and why she didn't want to go to school, but she didn't say anything. At one point the school's counsellor had called her father to ask if something was going on in Maka's life he knew of and if she wanted to talk about it and get help, their door was open for her. The counsellor had even gone as far as make an appointment and asked her to come, but of course she didn't show up. She was all alone in this and talking to someone other than Liz or Soul wouldn't help her.

The rumours didn't help her situation either. When she had been in the flower shop buying flowers to put on Soul's night stand in the hospital, she had heard two adults gossiping about what their children had heard happened at the school. Rumours were Soul and Maka had been secretly dating for months and something had happened in the summer and they had taken a break, that's why they had been so distanced in school. At the day of the Halloween festival, Soul and Liz had hooked up in the classroom after everyone had cleaned up and left, but Maka had been searching for Soul to mend together their broken relationship and get back together, that's when she had caught them having sex in the classroom. The fight had broken out and they had ended up in that state.

It was the most ridiculous rumour she had ever heard. Liz was definitely not Soul's type and Soul was as far away from being Liz's type. Not to forget she wasn't even interested in Soul's private parts. At all. And Soul and she hadn't even been together. Ever. The thought had left a sour taste in her mouth.

It was difficult. Watching Soul sick and struggling on his own and she couldn't do anything but hold his hand and keep him company. Soul had remained hospitalised for quite some time. The doctors had been puzzled on how come he had remained sick for so long since he didn't have any sort of organ infection, gaining sepsis from cuts were rare and the patient often grew healthy fast when it was discovered in time like Soul's case, but he didn't bounce back. While the doctors were puzzled, she couldn't help but to look at the prickle at his neck. Whatever Medusa had done to him, this was what it was and she feared there was more to it.

It wasn't until three weeks his condition started to get better and slowly the fever went down and he got better. Three weeks and four days after she was discharge Soul was finally discharged from the hospital to return home.

She had lain awake in her bed on Soul's first night discharged from the hospital, not being able to fall asleep. In her head she relived her friends' deaths. Seeing Patty's remains splattered on the blackboard, watching Kid jump out of the window, arriving too late and finding Miss Marie dead and seeing Black*Star get crushed under the ceiling beams.

And it had been all her fault.

If she hadn't found the charm, none of it would've happened. They would've still been alive. She had read countless of warnings and read about unexplainable paranormal activity and yet she still decided to mess with the occult, knowing very well it could come to haunt her, but still she went on and found it exciting in provoking the occult.

All her books about the occult, her tarot cards, her Ouija board, even fictional movies about paranormal activity was thrown away. Anything remotely linked to the occult or spirits, she had gotten rid of, and it was quite a lot. Most of her book shelves were empty and her walls were bare from the posters.

Her eyes were glued toward the student ID on her night stand with Soul's picture on it and the wrapper of a chocolate bar with "I like you. Will you date me?" written in Soul's writing.

Since she had discovered the fact her student ID didn't belong to her and… Soul had actually swapped their student IDs, rocking her into the illusion it was actually him who lost his student ID, and not her. The thought unnerved her beyond imagination. She had been fooled and… Soul had put her life before his own. He had been willing to stay behind, give his life for her all so she could get out of there safely when all she had done was… was terrible things. She had broken his heart, hurt him and… he was in the situation because of her, and he still put her before himself. It was mind-bobbling and… it only further nurtured the guilt in her heart.

It was around midnight and it was about time to get up. Only two hours earlier she had received her first text from Liz since they were brought to the hospital, asking her to meet her at the hill far away from school.

She threw the blanket off of her and swung her legs over the edge of her bed. She got dressed and she packed down his student ID and the chocolate wrapping in her pocket. Quietly she snuck out of the house without waking up her father.

She headed down the street in the darkness of the night. She wandered to the hill where Liz was already waiting for her with her hair tied up in a high ponytail using Tsubaki's scrunchie. Beside her on the ground was a backpack. Liz turned around when she heard her making her way up the hill.

"I was starting to wonder you weren't going to show up," she said.

"I wouldn't let you down when you asked to see me," Maka said.

"Don't get me wrong. I didn't ask you to come here because I need you. You're the last person I would find comfort in to put it bluntly," Liz spoke without any regard of her feelings and it stung hearing it spoken out honestly. "How's Soul doing?"

"He's recovering and he was discharged from the hospital earlier this evening."

"Good." Liz shoved her hands into her pockets. "Good at least one of us got something good out from this ordeal."

Maka sighed. "You know this wasn't some sort of way for Soul and I to… you know."

"I know. But it still happened because of it all." Liz visibly swallowed heavily. "You got the love you wanted and I lost everyone."

"And I lost Black*Star, you know."

Liz snorted as she looked away. "Are we comparing losses now, huh?"

"I didn't mean it like that. I meant it as we have both lost friends, family and people we love, but we still have each other. Only you, Soul and I remember them and can talk about this. We are here for you."

Liz shook her head. "Yeah, I don't think so," she rejected. "The only reason I'm really here is to tell you I'm leaving Death City so you can stop with all the calling and texting, you can delete my number while you're at it because yours are gone from my phone."

"You're leaving?"

"Yes."

"But where will you go?"

"I won't tell you where, but anywhere but here is a good destination in my book." Liz started to head toward Maka, her shoulder brushing hers as she went passed her. "Hope you have a happy life with your boy," she sneered.

She wanted to say something, anything, to sooth Liz's pain and mend their broken relationship, but she knew it was impossible. Liz was hurting beyond imagination. And she was putting the blame on her. As much as she wanted to help her, she simply couldn't on the grounds it was her who presented the Sachiko Ever After charm to them.

She watched Liz leave and she knew it was the last time she would ever see her friend. It hurt. Liz had been a close friend of hers and it sucked to lose her friendship, but there was nothing she could do. She cared for Liz and her well-being, and because of that she had to let her go.

She didn't want to be alone. Not after saying goodbye to Liz forever. She needed to find the one person who always made her feel better and the one person she couldn't stray from. She left the hill and started heading toward Wes's apartment. As time went by, her steps only quickened until she found herself running to Wes's apartment. She ran up the stairs and she rang the doorbell. Quicker than she thought, the door unlocked and by the door stood Soul.

"Aren't you supposed to be asleep?" Soul asked.

"I think you know exactly what I'm going through," Maka plainly answered. "Can I stay at your place for the night?"

Soul didn't answer, he simply opened the door wider and allowed her to step inside. He closed the door after her and locked the door. "We got to be quiet. Wes is asleep."

She nodded as she took off her jacket and hung it on the rack, kicking off her shoes with the help of her toes. Just like the time in Gallows Elementary School, their hands found each other and they headed deeper inside of the apartment. Soul led her to his small bed in the living room.

"You can take the bed, I'll sleep on the floor."

Maka gently shook her head as she pulled at his hand, preventing him from pulling the mattress from underneath his bed. "You don't have to. Your bed is big enough for both of us. If you are okay with sharing that is."

His bed wasn't big at all. Two people could fit, but they would have to sleep close to each other. A nearness Maka longed for. The comfort she had needed for so long and… she really needed it.

Soul waved it away. "It's okay." He released her hand and crawled under his blanket. He invitingly held it up and allowed Maka to crawl under it. She snuggled close to his chest, tucking her head under his chin as he wrapped the blanket around her. His arms snaked around her waist and held her close to him.

This was exactly what she had needed. Smelling his deodorant, feeling his warmth skin against hers. All the stress and the sensation of loneliness were gone in an instance as soon as she was with him. Her partner in crime in Gallows Elementary School. It was true what they said, going through something traumatic with someone was either going to make or break them and… it had healed their already broken relationship.

"How are you holding up…?" Soul murmured against her head.

"Better now when you're healthy and discharged from the hospital."

"How did you feel before I was discharged from the hospital?"

Maka let out a heavy sighed and buried her face further into his neck. "You have no idea."

"If you want to talk about it I'm all ears."

"I do…" her eyes fluttered shut. "It's just… it's a lot going on. Liz asked to see me and I met up with her only an hour ago and… she despises me. She hates me and blames it all on me and… she said we could delete her number because she didn't want to hear from us ever again. Ox has been hackling me about my grades dropping and my father isn't making it easier. It has just been hard dealing with all of this and with you been sick and… I've felt so lonely in all of this."

"I'm here now. You know I'm always here for you."

She knew. Oh how she knew. He had put her life before his own in so many ways, even before they were spirited away to Gallows Elementary School. Always had he been there, supporting her and being absolutely what she wanted and needed… but she had been too stupid and stubborn to see it, rather looking at him as a cheating pig like her father instead of the loyal, kind, genuine and decent guy he was.

"It's…" she exhaled loudly. "I-I honestly don't know what to do. With Black*Star gone and… I-I just can't do anything. It's my fault all of them are gone and—"

"It's not your fault," Soul punctuated. "You didn't know this would happen and you didn't intend on this to happen. What happened is tragic and it sucks losing our friends… but what can we do? It won't change the fact they won't return to us."

It was true. Patty, Black*Star, Kid, Tsubaki and Miss Marie won't return. They were stuck in Gallows Elementary to forever suffer the pain of the moment they died. They were stuck there to wallow in their own pain for eternity, and who knew exactly what Medusa was doing over there. She feared for her friends' peace in their passing but… as much as she told herself Black*Star and Tsubaki was reunited and could be together in Gallows Elementary School, and Patty and Kid had each other while Miss Marie had a bunch of students she could teach and take care for… it still didn't help her move on. They still had to bear the pain of their death… and Patty and Black*Star had died a horrible death getting crushed and splattered.

Never would she forgive herself.

"You might have a point, but I am the first link in the chain. If I had taken the threat of the occults more seriously than a means of entertaining… this would've never happened."

"Maybe so, but honestly, you've introduced a lot of occult stuff. The board, creepy stories and weird bathroom mirror rituals. Out of all the things you have studied and tried out, could you foresee this would happen because of the charm?"

Maka went quiet. Deep in her heart, she knew she would've never in a million years thought this would happen. Never would she think she would lose Black*Star and her friends… but it was still her fault. The occult weren't to mess with. She should've learned that lesson a long time ago. She ignored the warnings to stay away from the paranormal activity and… she still did it. Never would she forget what she had done to them.

"What do you want me to say?" Maka pulled away slightly from Soul to look into his red eyes. "That what I did was unintentional and I forgive myself? Soul I… I can never say that. It's my fault they are gone and I'm never going to forgive myself."

"And I'm sorry you're feeling that way because in no shape or form am I blaming this on you and I know Black*Star doesn't either. We see this isn't your fault."

"But not everybody does…" Maka didn't need to say her name.

"Then focus on the people who do. Liz she isn't…" Soul inhaled loudly. "… unfortunately we have lost Liz's friendship, but focus on the good in your life and we will make it."

She had no clue how he was dealing with all of this. They had been through painful events and almost gotten themselves killed. Soul… he had almost died. He had almost drowned in the pool and… yet he was so calm.

"How do you do it?" Maka asked.

"Doing what?"

"Deal with all of this."

He shrugged his shoulders as he allows his thumb to caress her back. "I don't know… I'm just… I don't know. I have the nightmares."

"I do too."

Soul gently shook his head. "No… it's not nightmares about that. I don't know what kind of nightmare it is… Every night I dream about this demon. It's always taunting me to let loose and encouraging me to lose my mind again… you know, get caught in the madness again." He swallowed loudly. "It's scary because… sometimes, I can swear I can hear its voice when I'm awake. Always whispering in my ear to let go and…" his voice faltered, not daring to finish his sentence. "It all started in the hospital and… what if it's still Medusa trying to get inside of my head and making me her new Sachiko?"

She had witnessed what had happened to him when the madness had overtaken him. And it wasn't a sight she wanted to see. Soul… he didn't deserve it. He had gone through a rough life, not rough like Liz's life, but rough in a different meaning. One that broke down his identity and the only way for him to gain the power back, was to leave his parents and the comfortable life behind.

"Do you think you're going to be caught by the madness again?" She pulled slightly away from him in order to look into his red eyes. Her hand cupped his cheek and her thumb traced the scar left to always remind them of what had taken place.

"It's what I fear."

Her arm around his waist tightened as she buried her face in his neck. "You're not. I-I'll be here with you. I'm not going to let you get swept by the madness ever again."

"That isn't all… you said even though Medusa was dead… she still managed to kill Giriko and drag him to Gallows Elementary School. What if that will happen to me?"

"No it won't happen. The ghosts and Crona are free. Medusa has no more power and she's trapped in the space."

"But someone like me could end up there and… you know she can regain the power she lost."

"We will get the page taken down and make sure not a word about the Sachiko Ever After charm exists."

Soul went silent.

She feared Medusa's reach too. Medusa had set her eyes on Soul and… from the memories Giriko had shared, Crona had lived a horrible life and never would she wish anyone to live a life like that. Soul didn't deserve to live like that and… She couldn't part from him. She couldn't.

She fisted his shirt and she nuzzled her nose into the edge of his hair. "I'm not going to let her take you away from me." She swallowed heavily.

"I hope she won't."

"She won't," Maka assured.

The conversation ended and they lay in the bed, wrapped in each other's arms, enjoying the closeness of the other. They hadn't been this close since the moment they shared in the broom closet. A moment she hadn't forgotten and wished for more.

"I want to be your girlfriend," Maka finally whispered in his ear.

A wide smile spread on his face and he nuzzled his nose into her lose hair. "That's cool."

They lay wide awake in Soul's bed in silence, simply finding comfort in each other.

The traumatic events that had taken place within Gallows Elementary School would forever haunt them till the day they breathed their last breaths. Never would their wounds heal and the scars would remind them every day of the friends they had lost. Only in each other they could find a moment of comfort in the world of hurt.

OH BOY! This has been the most pain-inducing stories I have ever written. It was incredibly hard writing from so many people's point of view, keeping up with the plots at the same time as I tried to flesh out the characters and make their own stories interesting. I can say never again will I write a story like this. But I hope you enjoyed this story anyway!

I want to thank the mods for Resbang who organized the event! It was a whole lot of fun writing this fic and I want to thank my artist Purr who created the most amazing set of gifs for this fic. You can find them on her T blog and her username is darkpurply.

That's it! I'm out and going to bed!