I've had some writer's block since honestly, I couldn't figure out what I was going to do with the exorcism. I think I have it figured out now (fingers crossed) but here's some filler I wrote to get us there.

At least the sight was comforting, Maka with her nose practically in the spine of the book and Stein looking on as the dutiful teacher, waiting for his little pupil to pop expectantly back to him with the answer. The idea that she was scouring for the information on a difficult and probably unprecedented magical operation that could quite possibly injure her or their future children wasn't anything close to succor and Soul felt it gnawing at his insides.

"All signs point to her being expelled but with enough energy that part of her should be corporeal," Maka's eyebrows furrowed as she sighed, "and then it should be the regular beheading and burning."

"Should," Soul muttered.

"Should," Maka repeated with a grim smile in his direction.

Soul looked to Stein for some final addition but when he found none he leaned over Maka's shoulder, his eyes falling on the jumbled, nonsensical text on the page before thinking better of it and opting for her face. "Any idea how much power she'll come back with?"

"Well, we have no exact idea how long she's been in the girl," Maka worried at her lip before running a finger down the page, trying to isolate a paragraph, "but even sucking the girl dry should only get her about half power which means…"

"Stein could kill her easily." Soul let that fall with some relief until his eyes turned to the man in question, finding that cool stare without an ounce of excitement.

"While I would hope so," Stein finally slipped his words between theirs carefully. "We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. It should be all of us available for the fight."

"Especially since…" Maka narrowed her eyes at the page before suddenly getting up, almost clocking Soul in the chin with her shoulder. "I have to ask Free something." Before Soul could even offer an alternative, Maka started resolute footsteps for the door.

He flashed a look at Stein, "Most days she hobbles along now but," he waved a hand at her disappearance through the door.

Stein chuckled, "Give her a fight and she's unstoppable."

"Yeah." The relief hit him in a wave that pushed his feet forward, leaving Stein laughing to himself as he let hurried footsteps echo after hers. He caught up to her on the stairs as she leaned against the stone. "You alright?"

"The babies made it clear that haste is overrated," she answered with a huff.

That sharky smirk cracked his lips as he slid his hands to her waist. "You're beautiful, you know that?"

Maka pressed a hand to his chest with a frustrated sigh, "You're ridiculous. I'm giant and-"

"Determined," he dipped enough to brush her lips between each word, "and capable, and smart and all of that is beautiful." Soul sighed sweetly as he let his hands roam up her back. "And remember, you're still you. The babies are a little in the way but… I still see you as you."

Pink flared on her cheeks as she toyed her fingers in the fabric of his shirt. "I'm looking forward to being just myself again."

He hummed a soft affirmative before pressing his lips to her forehead. "Come on, if the babies act up again I'll carry you down."

"Not necessary," she rolled her eyes at him before slipping from his grasp and starting down the stairs again.

Soul followed close behind, his hand hovering near her lower back since she seemed to zoom ahead again and he struggled to keep up with her even with the pregnancy gait. "Did you have a good idea or a bad idea?"

"Bad," Maka snapped flatly. "I'm hoping Free will tell me I'm wrong."

He chewed that over, letting it fall like to grind like rocks in his gut. They finished the stairs and Soul grabbed her wrist. "Stay here."

Maka turned her head as her eyebrows wrinkled. "Why?"

Soul cleared the tightness from his throat as his eyes darted from her to the end of the hall. "I don't want her to see you until it's totally necessary."

"Soul…" Maka started, a frown tugging on her lips.

"Humor me?" he pleaded with glowing eyes.

She sighed and waved him away.

Soul gifted her another grin before he turned and continued down the hallway, surprised to find Free in very much the same position he found him in last time but with Black Star at his side, both men laying on their backs and staring up at the ceiling. "Did I miss something?" Soul laughed.

"I thought since the clock is ticking down this one would do something interesting," Black Star jutted his chin back at the little girl in the cell. "Nothing so far."

"Not sure if that's good or bad news," Soul sighed. "Hey, Free, Maka has a question for you."

"A question?" Free's ears perked as he rolled onto his side. "What kind of question?"

"She'd have to ask it for me to know," Soul chuckled. "At the end of the hallway." Free gracefully rolled to his feet and started his long stride off in the direction. "You free tonight?"

Black Star raised his eyebrows, "Me?"

"You're the only person here," he smirked.

"Didn't have much planned," Black Star shrugged.

"Let's have a drink."

Black Star let a triumphant grin break over his face. "You mean your wife'll let you go for the night?"

Soul didn't pause to let the other side of his mind reason its way out of this. "I'll put her to bed and then it'll just be you and me."

"Uh…" He sat up quickly, hair bouncing from the momentum before he turned his face up to Soul again. "Mind if we bring Crona?"

"Seriously?" Soul contemplated a laugh but shelved it, seeing the honest set to Black Star's face.

"Yeah," he nodded. "They could loosen up a little. Plus, incentive for Maka to say yes."

He nodded slowly, "Yeah, sure. You, me, Crona."

The excitement swelled and then washed off his face before Black Star tilted his head. "She gonna be OK with you drinking? With her father around, I mean?"

"What?" Soul blinked at him. "What's Spirit got to do with it?"

Black Star let out a rough sigh, "She's fucking impossible."

"What?" Soul repeated with biting urgency.

"He used to be a drunk," Black Star spat back frankly. He let the rest churn over his mind for a second but as he saw the cold rage building in Soul's eyes he couldn't help but let his own come back. "That's why she was at Marie's. Yaara was gone and Spirit wasn't able to take care of her right and Stein found out."

All of Soul was frozen except for a twitch in his jaw as his teeth clamped down.

"Don't worry," he said bitterly. "She didn't tell me. Mostly figured it out on my own because she is impossible. Wants to keep all of us out of it for what?"

Soul let a raspy breath crinkle out of his lips. "Because she doesn't want us feeling sorry for her."

Black Star's lips wrinkled in disgust, "That's it?"

"She said," he muttered.

A few cackling laughs left Black Star's lips, "That's stupid!" Another bout followed before he shook his head to knock the last few out. "She's ridiculous."

Soul cleared his throat to stop any more expansion on that front before adding tersely. "I'll ask her if it's alright. Thanks… for letting me know."

Black Star jumped to his feet and grasped Soul by the shirt, giving him a shake. "You jealous again?"

"No," he sighed as he pushed the hand away but Black Star refused to relent, giving him another rattle in return. "No. I just…"

"Keep working at her," Black Star ordered as he released Soul. "Crona and I'll pick you up after dark."

"Fine." Soul turned, letting a sigh propel him along the stone floor to where Maka stood, arms crossed and a bitter smile on her face. "What's the verdict?" Soul asked with little faith since as he looked at Free there wasn't a bit of sunshine on his face either.

"I could be right or wrong," Maka pursed her lips before she turned for the stairs and began her steps. Soul trudged after her, listening to the clicks of her heels before her voice sounded again. "I'm worried that's not her first body. She could have leeched off something else first, probably an animal, before finding the girl. We can't guarantee she'll be in some weak state."

"Shit," Soul muttered.

"Well, it's just as Stein said," Maka rolled her shoulders, trying to expel the uneasiness with the motion, "We play it safe. All hands on deck."

Soul grunted in agreement, letting them get a few steps forward before the words unstuck from his throat. "I'm going to drink with Black Star and Crona tonight, if that's alright."

"Crona?" Maka tossed a glance over her shoulder to ensure he saw her furrowed brow. "I'm not sure they drink or should drink but… I'm happy that you'd include them."

He hesitated but gave up the truth, "It was Black Star's idea."

"Huh," Maka let that thought settle before sighing. "Well, please, just make sure you're keeping Black Star from being too pushy with Crona. They're, well, sensitive…"

Soul grabbed her wrist, stopping her steps and bringing her eyes to him. "But you're OK with it?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" She squinted as she tried to read the fine print on his face.

Soul shook his head slowly as he sucked in a breath. "Maka, at the ball…"

Maka let a momentary amusement hit her and a laugh trickled over her lips. "Why are you thinking about that?"

"You asked me if I got drunk a lot," his voice fizzled to a mutter.

She started to pull her hand from him, the tenuous ties meeting in her mind. "I did…"

"And I…" the fussing knot in his chest spurred the sorrowful groan from his mouth. "I told you not to worry but you did, didn't you? You have to worry because Spirit-"

"Soul," Maka was cautioning, chiding but it was only his name she could get in before he continued.

"And when I think about it that moment must have hurt you," each word was like an aching cry off his tongue. "And then that night when I tried to touch you-"

"What he did doesn't matter!" Maka snapped.

"It does," Soul urged back.

Tight fists popped at her sides as her nails pressed crescent moons into her palms but she tried to force sleet into her breath, "All that is the past and it has nothing to do with you."

"It does," he echoed with even more bluntly. "It does when it makes what I do hurt you. If I come back tonight smelling like wine are you going to think of him? Are you going to worry that I'm going to do the same to you that he did?"

"You're being ridiculous," she huffed as she tried to turn but he grabbed her hand again. Her feet stomped in place and she pulled in a sharp breath before exploding at the stairs in front of her. "I told you that I wanted you to let it go. I wanted you to let me deal with it but you won't!"

"No, I won't." He refused to echo her shout but his voice was firm behind her. "Maka-"

She cut his voice off with the jerking away of her hand, the stomping creating earsplitting thunder as she ran away without looking back.

Liz settled just about everything on the tray and made her way from the kitchen, up the stairs. She had just about reached the last hallway to Maka's room when Marie turned into the corridor, almost upending the swath of goodies. "Lady Marie," Liz gasped.

"Oh, Liz, I'm sorry!" Marie helped her right the tray, thankfully nothing scattering to the floor. "Is that for Maka?"

Liz pursed her lips before she shook her head quickly. "She didn't seem right at dinner. Didn't eat anything and with the babies…"

Marie sighed softly and whispered to no one in particular, "They're still so young." She waved the younger girl forward and then started the journey again towards the princess.

"Who's young, Lady Marie?"

She rolled her eyes in reply, "They still fight exactly the same way they used to. She explodes. He goes quiet. He explodes, she goes quiet. I thought eventually they'd grow out of it but… technically they're barely much more than teenagers. But you're right, Liz, with the babies to worry about, Maka has to be a little more responsible." As they approached the door, Marie knocked softly but Liz held her breath as she didn't wait for an answer, simply barreling in.

Maka didn't bother to raise her head from the pillow, instead digging into it to hide the tears on her cheek. "I'd prefer you didn't, Marie," Maka's voice strained into the fabric.

"That's too bad," Marie replied jovially as she crossed to the bed.

Liz waited until Marie waved her over and she carefully set the tray on the bed next to where Marie now sat, Maka laying on the other side. "I brought some of your favorites," Liz had attempted to soften her voice but as the next part came she couldn't help but let it ring out, "since you need to eat. Don't be foolish when the babies are involved."

A helpless moan resonated into the pillow before Maka removed her face, using her hands to clear away her cheeks. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Liz offered back. "Is there anything else?"

Maka eyed the tray and then brought her puffy eyes back to Liz. "Would you stay?"

Liz couldn't contain the jolt of her eyebrows but they crinkled back with a soft smile. "If you'd like. I assumed you'd prefer Lady Marie."

"Marie," the lady corrected as she smoothed over Maka's hair. "And I would assume she'd prefer Soul but then again…" Marie gave Maka a knowing look that only intensified as Maka sniffled under the gaze. "You two fought. So, come on," Marie patted the bed on the other side of the tray, motioning for Liz, "both your ladies are here, so spill."

"But eat something first," Liz urged as she sat still with that wavering hesitation. Even with those whispers that Maka was nothing more than common, Marie was most certainly a lady, but sitting next to them left Liz feeling no different than being next to the hearth in the kitchens, gossiping with Tsubaki and Patty.

Maka bit into a hunk of bread, chewing slowly and deliberately as the shame poisoned the sweet taste in her mouth. When she cleared it, her voice was small and tight. "I'm acting like a child and I hate it."

Marie's laugh chimed, tickling sweetly in Maka's ear. "At least you know. Was it the babies?"

"No," Maka sighed.

"Your mother?" Liz offered.

She nibbled at her lip, "No."

"Then?"

There was another cautious bite, settling the words as much as the bread on her tongue. "I… I want him to leave the past as the past," she murmured before letting her eyes close tightly. "I try not to remember what it was like with Papa. I try not to remember how I felt without Mama. I just want to forget that it all existed and just start my life from the moment I came here. I wasn't Maka until then anyway."

"Maka," Marie chided. "It doesn't work that way."

Bright jade eyes shot open desperately. "Why not? Why can't I just be this? I'm strong, I'm brave, I'm-"

"Still human," Liz's finish was tender but somehow still firm.

"And you get scared, upset," Marie reminded on top of that until a forlorn sigh broke her lips, "but very young you learned not to rely on anyone to fix that but yourself. Except now you have a husband, one that actually loves you, and would most probably like to share some of your burdens."

Suddenly her own words resounded back in her mind: I plan to share my burdens instead of leaving them. It was a slap to the face, her body tensing with the force. But I'm not, I don't share. I don't and what I'm doing is just like-

"And while Spirit would claim you're nothing like her," Marie continued softly, "this reminds me of one of Yaara's bad habits. Something I thought was fixing itself when you and Soul first met, but… apparently you still have work to do."

Liquid puddled on her lids, a maelstrom starting in her chest between the flutters of her heart and the aching need for breath. "I'm not like her," Maka begged, "I want my babies, I want to be with Soul!"

Marie shook her head as she engulfed Maka in her arms, "Stop that. I didn't mean it like that. You're not going to leave him, we both know it." She let a soft look dart over to Liz, receiving a quick nod.

"But Soul's only ever wanted to take care of you," Liz took her cue, finding strength in the easy smile that came to Marie's face. "He worries over every little thing that hurts you so can't you imagine how much he must worry if he doesn't know what will?"

If I told him about Papa, what would have happened that night with the hairpin? She tried to shake it off, distracted thinking bringing her from the problem at hand.

Marie brought her back with a tender touch, that glowing warmth that only Marie could offer. "And letting him know doesn't mean you're no longer strong." Maka crumbled into tears again, even with those magic fingers running through her hair, the gentle words of reassurance parting Marie's lips just for her ear. "It means you're stronger together, that's all. You need him, Maka, and that's alright. It's alright to rely on someone else."

"Especially when they rarely disappoint," Liz chimed. "Though how that idiot thought it was a good idea to still go with Black Star and Crona tonight I'll never know."

Maka let out a wet laugh as she rubbed at her cheeks again. "I didn't give him much choice. It was that or sit outside the door and I know which I'd choose."

"You're so stubborn," Liz chided. "But at least you'll eat now, right?"

"Yes," Maka sighed softly before picking at the grapes and throwing one in her mouth. "I'm sorry," she murmured through the sweetness.

"It doesn't just affect you anymore," Marie warned, "and it's even more important when the babies are born that the two of you stop creating these boundaries. It's like you're both still afraid you'll lose each other."

Maka gnawed on the edge of the roll in her hand as her eyebrows furrowed while working that over. "We are," she murmured, mouth obscured by the food. "Medusa's still not gone, my parents are, well, them, and Soul thinks I'm about to run off with Black Star."

Marie and Liz exchanged glances before breaking out into laughter. "You're joking!" Liz brayed between cackles.

She cracked half of a smile in reply, "No, I'm not. He was worried…" and while Maka meant full well to expose Black Star's secret her lips buttoned back shut. "He was worried we spent too much time together."

"At each other's throats, I'm sure!" Liz took a dedicated moment to roll her eyes, making sure the dramatics of it was just right.

"Just about," Maka nodded but felt the weakness in it. That's not fair. "Actually…"

Liz raised her eyebrows in reply, a grin starting on her lips. "What, don't tell me the captain of the guard actually treated you like a lady?"

"He tried," Maka started, but shook her head quickly. "He can be ridiculous, but he's… loyal. And he does actually care about more than just skirt-chasing or bloodshed."

Liz let out a long, low whistle as she looked to Marie. "Does that sound like him?"

"He's probably matured," Marie nodded along with the suggested. "Maybe just a little slower than you two, and with a bit more to go."

Black Star's shoulders shook as the chill crept up his spine.

"Someone's talking about you," Soul chuckled.

"Better be a cute girl." Black Star brought the wineskin to the leer on his lips and let the liquid bolster the thought.

A devious smirk was starting to pull at Soul's mouth and he leaned a little closer to coo near his ear, "Maka's convinced-"

"No," Black Star cut him off by brandishing the wine in his face. "We're not talking about love tonight."

"But what's it like?"

Both men jumped, having forgotten for a moment that they'd grown a third as Crona's head suddenly popped between them.

Soul turned his lazy smile towards Crona. "Being in love?"

"Yeah." The word was quick and a blush followed even more swiftly.

"It's… fucking great."

Black Star cackled, "Says the guy who's in the doghouse tonight."

"Yeah," and while Soul's sigh here should have been dejected, maybe even a tad forlorn, it was still wholly lovesick. Even after the way she'd run off, the quiet act through dinner, she'd held his hand under the table so tightly that he could swear he was still working back circulation. I can't decide if it's the babies or her mother or her father that has her like this but… "She's just stubborn."

Black Star snorted. "What else is new."

"Maka's nice, too," Crona interjected.

"She can be, and…" Soul took a slow drink and then let his eyes wander out into the dark. "There's no one else in the world I could even imagine loving as much as I do her but… look, Crona, loving somebody, it's wanting to do everything you can for them, whether that's stuff that feels like it's in your power or not, you try because you love them. And I don't know if it's her or me, but sometimes loving her makes me feel so powerless. I can't do a thing for her and what I do end up doing-"

"Oh, that's bullshit," Black Star grumbled. "You do plenty. She's just-"

"Stubborn." This time all three of them jumped as Maka's voice cut over Black Star's.

He winced as he turned to her, "Hello, princess."

Maka offered him a wry smile before turning her gaze to Crona. "Crona, have they been good to you?"

"I'm having fun," they chimed before looking between the two men, receiving nods of approval.

"Can I interrupt you for a minute?"

Soul met those soft green eyes and was on his feet before she could finish the question. "You OK?" he murmured as he let his hand drift into hers.

Maka pulled him back into the stairwell, getting a few steps down for at least an ounce of privacy that she was sure Black Star's ear probably wouldn't allow. "I would have waited until you came to bed but I was sure I'd fall asleep before then."

"What is it?" His fingers were searching for the right spot, running up from her wrists to her elbows to anchor her closer.

"I'm sorry," she offered weakly, "and that's honestly not enough and I know it."

"It's not something I want you to be sorry for," he forced a rough breath before squeezing at her biceps. "I… I don't even know if you're wrong or I am, I just…"

"You feel powerless," she finished with a sigh.

"You were listening, huh?" He leaned in, resting his forehead to hers. "You used to… Sometimes, when we were kids, you would let those walls down and let me hold you while you were crying. Now, when I have every right to hold you, it seems like it's harder to get you to do that. I want you to be happy. Us to be happy. So let me." He watched her lips move in a slow revolution, words fluttering to the edge but halting at the end of her tongue. Without another second of hesitation, he pressed his there, trying to build a bridge from her to him.

"Those things that you called me," she murmured. "Determined, capable… don't they fizzle away when I tell you? You'll forget that side of me once the tears come and wasn't that the side that you fell in love with?"

He couldn't refuse the sharp laugh from leaving his mouth and he clutched at her elbows to keep her from bucking completely away, catching the start of anger on her face. "I know I shouldn't laugh, Maka, but come on. The tears just make those other moments even more amazing because after all you've been through, everything that's happened, you're still able to beat just about anything. And it's stupid for you to think that I don't love every last part of you."

"You said I was smart," she muttered back.

"Book smart," he corrected playfully. She huffed but let him pull her back in, bringing her head to his chest as the babies pressed between them. Soul let gentle fingers glide through her hair before he whispered to her again, "It's always been obvious that I need you. I think…" he shuffled through his mind for a moment, trying to pick out the words he cultivated over sleepless nights, "Maybe that's why I can't stop the jealousy because, honestly, you've always made it clear you don't need anyone, you'll make it on your own no matter what and what I give you-"

"Is what I need." Her voice was as firm as her arms around him. "I do need you."

"Then start relying on me," he murmured. "Show me you need me by letting me carry some of the weight."

"That's it?"

"It's a fucking start," he sighed, half sweet but still a little bitter.