This is technically the ending, OK? Like I have pretty much tied up all your loose ends. But here's the thing, no matter how much I fight with myself you're probably still going to get an epilogue after this because for some reason I can't just let this fic (or let's be honest, any fic) go and I have this reoccurring picture in my head so I have to write it out. So swoon over this ending and secretly wait for me to treat you to one last fluff fest.

Maka had crunched numbers. Technically, she had figured out how much she and Soul were worth, what they brought to the company, and what the company could be without them but, honestly, at the end of the day, it seemed measly. This didn't seem like an argument that could hold water against the one she knew she was bound to hear: you're trouble. That was an extremely boiled down version but that would be the main idea of anything from Death's mouth. The warning had been clear that Maka had been expected to tattle if Soul was going off the deep end and it must be abundantly clear at this point that she hadn't been entirely truthful the last time Death confronted her.

The amiable smile on Death's face when he entered the waiting room somehow sent all of this on its head, making Maka's mind reel as she attempted to echo his sentiment. "Hello, sir. Again, I'm so sorry-"

"Let's save all of the discussion for when we're all together, Maka." While this was a firm order, it still lacked the terse, unhappy nature that Maka had expected.

Maybe Death is the kind that fires with a smile. She led him back to Soul's room, not bothering to cross fingers and toes against the inevitable. Most of the color was back to Soul's skin but the bandages still left him looking blanched, a message that was clear as Death's eyebrows flung towards his hairline at the sight of him. Soul and Black Star had worked most of the morning to get Soul into a comfortable, mostly seated position but it didn't actually lend to him looking any better, just a hollow facade of strength.

"Hello, Soul," Death managed to keep the sing-song nature to his voice as if Soul had just walked into the office.

"Sir, I'm sorry you had to come all this way." Soul's eyes darted from Death to Maka, finding himself reaching for a lifeline before the discussion even started. Maybe I should have just let her handle this. I feel like shit and while I'm pretty sure he'll feel bad looking at me, I don't necessarily think it'll change the outcome.

Death looked around the room, grabbed one of the chairs off the back of the wall, and scooted it to the foot of Soul's bed. "Well, this has been a long time coming, so the trip was a necessity." It was more arranging than settling himself in the seat and Death took his time, ending with his ankle crossed over his knee. "I assume you remember our deal, Soul Evans, and I think it bears repeating since Maka didn't seem clued in the last time I brought it up with her."

Soul cleared his throat, "That I was done with the gang sh… situation. I was going to keep my head down, nose clean, and do my work without letting the streets interfere. If I could keep that part of my life in the past then I would have the opportunity to move forward with the company." He couldn't help but let that last little bit eke out with helpless defeat. Because now, as soon as moving forward is possible, is when I'm going to be stuck.

Death spread his hands, "And that ends up all being a lie."

"Mr. Death, that's not exactly fair," Maka started but a finger from Death silenced her.

"I know, sir," Soul sighed. "I didn't hold up my end of the bargain."

Death started to nod, his eyes going from Maka to Soul before a smile cracked his lips. "So, neither of you will be coming back to the office."

Panic started to rake at Maka's heart but before she could open her mouth, Soul was barking, "No way. I get me, sir, it was my deal, but Maka had nothing to do with this. She was just trying to be a good partner and do her job. You can't fire her."

"One would normally expect when an employee lies to their employer, they're fired," Death shrugged before turning his gaze towards Maka. "You assured me Soul was fine, didn't you, Maka?"

"I did, sir," Maka murmured before turning to stare at Soul. He felt it and let their eyes meet, that desperate 'I'm sorry' already starting there but she just shook her head softly. "But I don't think I exactly lied." She narrowed her eyes and brought them back to Death. "I said what I meant: Soul would never do anything to put this job in jeopardy. It may not seem like it, but Soul has done everything he can to keep this job, despite the odds stacked against him, so I don't think it's fair to say he broke your deal."

"So just you should be fired," Death offered back.

"Maka, don't," Soul started.

But she stepped all over his words, "If that's how it has to be."

Death let out a thoughtful hum as he leaned back in the chair, wiggling his foot at the ankle. Seconds ticked away agonizingly as Soul tried to create some argument that seemed plausible to fill the space. Finally, Death laughed, "It seems to me that the deal was faulty from the beginning."

Maka and Soul exchanged glances.

Death nodded to himself, "Keeping you, Soul, from the streets would have required you to never be in the city in the first place. I'm not a fool, I know that business dealings usually come with some extent of not-so-savory details, but I was wrong to think that the underworld was so separate. It took my old friend Mr. Eibon to remind me of that. Apparently, he's been one of the catalysts to your woes, correct?"

Maka worried at her lip before replying, "Sir, when we got the job with Eibon it did put us in danger with another agency."

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Danger that left you injured as well, Maka."

"Yes, sir." Thankfully her stitches had all remained intact after the last row, but the wounds still let out an almost constant reminder.

"Which means Soul's reacquaintance with the unsavory element was just as much my fault as his own," Death patted his knees decidedly on this point, making Maka jump. "And thus, I should take part of the responsibility. So, no, neither of you will be returning to the office because Eibon and I have come up with an alternative that I think we can make work."

Soul assumed it was the painkillers because suddenly nothing made sense. "You mean I'm not fired?"

"Neither of you is," Death grinned.

A dumbfounded laugh fluttered from Soul's lips.

Death leaned forward and dropped his leg to allow his elbows to his knees, tenting his fingers. "Eibon and I have decided to start a new venture. He was very taken by that farmhouse meeting you all had, the idea of escaping the city and being in the idyllic country life while still having your business taken care of. With his continued visits to the area, he's found some land available that I think will be beneficial to start a sort of business retreat. I won't bore you with the details but we'd need to staff an office there, fill all the regular positions. This means Maka would remain a full-time employee but I would need you, Soul, to be lead project manager since I don't want to have to train someone from scratch and I think you've expressed interest before."

It was then that Soul decided he had to be in a coma, that this was all a feverish dream created by a mind just barely clinging to life. "But, sir, the board, your shareholders, what will they say about my assaults? Or this?" he found himself echoing his mother.

"Exactly whatever I want them to say," Death laughed. "With Eibon lining up lucrative clients already and making his usual primadonna hissy-fitting that he'll only work with you they'll honestly have no choice." He shook his head slowly, "That was never the issue, Soul. It always just seemed like it was you who were holding yourself back, allowing a darker side of your mind to take control. That's why I left you with Maka since she seems very capable of balancing that in you."

"Yeah," he answered dumbly. Soul stole a glance at her, seeing Maka's watery eyes focused on Death, a hand pressed carefully to her mouth.

She didn't dare risk a glance back, knowing that the liquid that threatened at her eyes would become streams down her cheeks. Instead, Maka took a deep breath before taking the hand from her mouth. "That's wonderful, sir, thank you."

"Which I assume means Maka accepts," Death chirped. "What about you, Soul?"

Soul took a second to blink absently at his hands, once again wondering when he'd wake up and find himself still in the precinct, bathed in blood and not in this absolutely impossible reality. "Of course, sir." Lead project manager. You. All that work, all the pain, all of the suffering.

"Excellent," Death slapped his knees again, making them both jump from the enthusiasm. "The timeline's a little rough right now since Eibon has insisted on building this from scratch. In the meantime, both of you will be resigned to working remotely. Eibon's your main client but he may start funneling new work your way when he finds it. This should give you the flexibility to heal and to see to what I understand are current legal issues."

"Nothing on our side, sir," Soul clarified, overwhelmed with the idea that for once he could profess utter innocence.

"No, but I assume the DA and Sheriff will still be taking up some of your time." He looked between the two of them for a moment before letting out a sharp laugh, "And please, take some actual advantage of your sick time." He motioned a finger towards the impromptu desk Maka had created in one corner of the room. "I'm going to put my foot down about working from the hospital."

Maka followed his point before rushing over in embarrassment, clapping the laptop closed and trying to shuffle away the papers. "We'll both take off the next week, sir, I promise."

"At least," Death urged before he stood. "I'll write up the contracts this week, have them OK'ed and email them to you next."

"Thank you, sir," both echoed.

"Goodbye for now." Death made sure to take a last look at both of them, nodding as if he were agreeing with something in his own head before walking out the door.

Both of them exhaled into the empty room, Maka's hand clapping back at her mouth to try to ease back the sob that was still threatening. "In my head," Soul let out an airy laugh, "I'm grabbing you, swinging you around, and kissing you."

Her sob disintegrated into a weak laugh as she turned to him. "Will you settle for a regular kiss? Or is that a hint that I'm supposed to be picking you up now?"

"That's a hint that you're getting into this bed." Soul groaned as he started to antagonize every site of his pain. Maka's soft arguments might as well have been a fly buzzing in his ear and he continued to struggle through all the flare-ups to get to the point where there was just enough space for her. By the time he was through he was out of breath and a little grayer around the gills but he was happily gripping at her, using the little strength he had left to coax her onto the mattress.

"Again, stubborn," she murmured softly but gave that as her last complaint before carefully sliding in next to him. She knew better than to completely give in since his hands were more than anxious to bring her close enough to crush spots that she was sure were especially tender after all that movement. Instead, her head hit just at the edge of his pillow and her hand rested comfortably on his stomach, instantly joined by his own.

"This is barely close enough," he muttered.

Maka snorted, "Live with it."

Soul smirked, "Maybe if I get my kiss."

She more than complied, trying to temper his vigor with a tender touch to his cheek. "Didn't the doctor say no activity-"

"Promise, that kiss is about as rowdy as I'm getting," he sighed gently over her lips. "But again, in my head, I'm-"

Maka silenced him with another soft peck, sure she couldn't take the tease. Keenly missing his touch had come crashing on her after all the terror had abided and she didn't need to be reminded of it. "How does it feel, Mr. Lead Project Manager?"

Soul let out a warbling sigh, "Like I'm dreaming."

"Feel pretty nice, huh?" She settled into the edge of the pillow with a radiant smile. "All your hard work paid off."

"Our," he instantly corrected. "Death was right: it couldn't have happened without you."

Maka raised her eyebrows playfully, "I will accept my praise, thank you. But that means, well, our deal is done, Soul."

Soul's eyebrows furrowed as he brought his hand up to her face, curling his hand to caress her cheek with his knuckles. "Then I guess I have to do what I should have from the beginning."

She had expected to fall back into playful banter but he'd turned serious, those red eyes drilling into her so that the words only weakly left her lips, "What's that?"

"Make the real deal," the knot started to unwind from his forehead. "The one where I officially ask you to move into the cottage not just to get away from something but to start a life. The one where I tell you I'm ready to give you all of me if you do the same."

The smile on her face was contagious, beckoning the grin off of his. "Just one edit, Soul…"

A snort of a laugh erupted from his throat, "Of course. Nitpicking. What is it?"

"Add forever."