A/N - Thanks to merendinoemiliano for enjoying the story so far.

Brennan sprinted down to the last corridor he needed with Desmond close behind. He crashed into the but quickly regained his balance and sprinted down the last hall. Desmond acted wiser and slowed down before he turned the corner. Brennan's eyes were on Maka at th middle of the hallway.

"Maka!" Brenna yelled.

Her depressed face looked up from the ground. A small smile grew and looked back down to the ground. His sprint slowed down to an uneven trot. Brennan at the end gasped for air, while Desmond stayed silent behind. Yet he couldn't stand still and grabbed Brennan's shoulder. His other hand ran circles around his back at counter clockwise motion.

"There, there little Brennan. Breathe in slowly, breathe out slowly." Brennan twisted his head to his partner. "I'm sorry Maka, he's like this because he doesn't run."

"Maka." Brennan relaxed his oxygen flow. "Is everything alright? I heard about Soul."

"As you can see, we got here as fast as we could."

"He's going to do fine." Both Brennan and Desmond heard the words she spoke but the scaredness in her words.

"How are you holding up Maka? Soul is a strong soul."

"Nice." Desmond jumped in.

"He's strong willed and all. But how are you pulling through?"

Maka wrapped her arms behind her and slightly rocked her body. "What kind of partner would I be if I broke down while Soul needed me the most? I'm strong just like him. I'm going to be fine for real."

Brennan locked eyes with his partner, in return Desmond gave a small nod. "Okay." He whispered. "Maka after I get checked out by the nurse, would you help me out and go with me to clear my head? I haven't experienced what you went through but I think it will be good for both of us."

"You're new in the Death City right?"

"Yeah, I am."

"I'll be happy to do that."

Brennan couldn't hold back the enormous smile that built up on his face. A smile large enough to make Maka blush and look down at her feet. He became a lost for words, his mouth opened but nothing came out. All Brennan could do was wave his hands around his chest and barely make them point to the door Maka was next to. With a little help Desmond pushed him forward and helped him through the door.

"Desmond, Brennan. Glad to see you made it on time. I'm nurse Medusa, the on staff nurse here at the DWMA." The woman in a black dress under a lab coat walked up to them. "Brennan as I look over the report, you got stabbed by a magical weapon handled by a killer. Show me the wound."

Brennan untucked his shirt and spun around with his back exposed. "You see, the wound was stitched perfectly but I want to have it checked even further than normal medicine."

Medusa inspected the wound. "The wound doesn't seem to have created anything other than just a flesh cut. But just in case, I'm going to prescribe you an antibiotic that will erase any left over residue if any was any there."

"Thank you, Dr. Medusa."

"It's my pleasure." Her smile in the response made Brennan think it was forced and fake. It could've been for the waste of her time, or from her own personal desires. Her face returned to a normal look and focused it on Desmond. "I do need Desmond here to stay for a bit longer. Lord Death wished for me to do some blood work." She looked at Brennan. "You're free to go though."

"Don't worry lad, go to your date." Desmond slapped Brennan's back and pushed him to the door. "You might not get another chance."

"Just text me when your done." Brennnan said and went through the door.

Brennan took Maka to the one spot he knew about in Death City. A small bookshop near the market streets, a common interest they both had and a new store he's never been too. Maka showed Brennan different shops and what made them special in the town. She shared her favorite memories of every place and even some of the worst. His favorite was about a single owner coffee shop down an alley that served the best food and coffee. Another place Brennan would like to visit in the future.

Inside the shop Brennan felt like he really opened up Maka from her slump. She spoke faster than he ever heard and more than he knew. He noticed there wasn't much of a difference in the content of book from his hometown. A few more book specifically about Meisters and Weappns but nothing new.

"Tell me, what's the whole deal with Desmond?" Maka asked out of the blue. She pulled a book from the shelf and immediately placed it back in the slot.

Brennan nervously laughed as he looked at her. "Come on, I brought us on a date to learn more about you."

"This is a date?"

Brennan realized what he said and pulled half the shelf of books to the floor from a hand spasm. "I mean this is a date that we decided to do stuff together as friends." Brennan went down his knees and collected the books. "But um, what do you mean about Desmond?"

Maka chose to ignore the comment and act like everything was normal to save Brennan from his embarrassment. "I just mean Desmond likes to fight with more of the want to hurt. I see his soul and it's turning red from his white color. Soul and Black Star likes to fight too, just with intent to prove their skill and strength."

Brennan shoved the books back in their slot. "Desmond as a child never could express nor do anything. After his parents died, he had siblings to take care of. No income and no real home, crime was his only way of survival. And I noticed that villains tend to do the same, but he, enjoys it. Doesn't Soul do the same? I don't see how it's that different, Desmond shows a different energy I guess. Not that I saw a difference with his fight with Kid."

"Soul does it to protect me, he still knows and shows when something scares him, excites or anything in that matter."

"Is there anything between you and Soul?"

"No, we just live together, how I see every weapon and meister should do. Everyone I know does it."

"I wouldn't know that your father or Soul's family or even anyone else's family would be okay with both genders living together without supervision."

"He doesn't like it but it's been going on for ages now with generation of pairings." She turned and smiled at Brennan. "I liked this small date. You ready to go?"

"Why not, nothings here that I've already read."

"Maybe you should check out the library, three stories high with every book known to man."

"Date number two, if there is a second date."

"There will."

"So you're not embarrassed to be seen around with a clumsy guy like me?"

"I got to keep my rival scythe master close to me to know how to get better." Maka sneaked behind him and poked his shoulder. "Can't let you get better without first seeing how I can beat those skills."

Brennan kicked out Maka's leg, grabbed her arm, and twisted it behind her. He moved his arm around her face and tapped the tip of her nose. "A rival means competition. Are you really up for that?"

Maka spun out of the grip and continued to do so to the door. "I can't hear you, you're too far behind me!" Maka pushed open the door and ran out.

"Thank you again, ma'am for letting us see your store." Brennan nodded to the clerk behind the desk and followed behind her.

Brennan lost her one she turned the corner from the building. He looked at the other windows and divots in the streets but still couldn't see her.

"Desmond?" Brennan thought he saw his partner down the street a bit more. "Desmond have you seen Maka?"

The figure that appeared to look like Desmond moved his head to Brennan's direction. He turned his head the other way and swerved around the corner to another street. Again Brennan lost a person. He peered his head around the corner to a empty street.

"Strange." Brennan turned back around and shouted. "God Maka, you scared me."

"I was shouting for you down the other way. Everything alright?"

"Yeah, thought I saw Desmond but I didn't? Think I'm just a little worn out from the sight seeing."

"Come on, let me take you to that coffee shop I talked about. Little caffeine and carbs will get you right up."

Brennan agreed to the second part and walked side by side with Maka. The entire time he wondered about who he saw. The plainness of the person reminded him as Desmond, he didn't do anything weird like him though. He ignored the thought for the rest of the day and made his focus on the girl with him instead. He wasn't about to ruin this one chance.