"We'll be back after class Papa, take good care of Melody." Maka said handing the infant to her father.

"I'm not new at this Maka, I helped raise you...a little." Spirit said taking his youngest daughter.

"Don't take her with you to meet any of those girls, It's not good for her. Watch the time, she'll need to eat, there's bottles in the bag. I packed extra just in case. I brought extra blankets in case she's cold, and-"

"You really are like your Mama, she used to bring extra everything with you."

"Melody's a baby, you never know when you're going to need it. Her diapers are in there and her toys. If you do go somewhere, bring her back to us." Maka instructed sternly, there was no need for her sister to be exposed to Spirit's way of life.

'Turn down the jackass level while you're at it." Soul advised.

"You-" Spirit started toward Soul angrily.

"Don't, you're still holding Melody, if you hurt her, even accidentally, I will Maka Chop you into oblivion!' Maka warned glaring st her father.

"Yeah, you are your mother's daughter. We'll be fine won't we Melody, you'll be good for papa?" Spirit cooed only for the child to spit up on him in response. Soul shook his head in amusement at the expression on the man's face.

"I didn't miss that part of raising children." Spirit grumbled.

"Alright, Melody, be good for Papa, We'll be back soon, love you." Maka said smiling at her sister before making her way back to Soul. Once outside the death room, Maka stopped and looked at Soul.

"Do you think she's going to be alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine, I'd be more worried about your dad. Everything will be just fine." Soul assured her.

"It's strange, after we've had her this long, to leave her and not be carrying her wi-" Soul grabbed her hand and pulled her close, kissing her gently. After a moment Maka leaned into him, resting her head on his chest.

"I know Maka, do you trust me?" He asked still holding her.

"Yes." She said without hesitation.

"Then relax, we'll have her back soon okay?"

"You're right, I'm sorry."

"For what, you love your sister, there's nothing wrong with that." Soul wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they made their way to the class room.

Melody, now realizing that Maka and Soul were gone, began to cry.

"It's okay Melody, they're going to come back for you soon." Spirit said rocking the baby gently in his arms. He hoped it would help her to relax.

"Maybe she's hungry." Lord Death suggested.

"Right, I can try that." Spirit said placing the baby girl in a bassinet and prepared her bottle. The child's cry was becoming more sorrowful as Spirit shook the bottle allowing the contents to mix.

"Melody, don't cry, please. I'm going as fast as I can." Spirit sighed. When it was finally ready, Spirit picked his daughter up and attempted to feed her. The infant rejected the offer and continued to fuss. Spirit gently rocked her in his arms but nothing seemed to help.

"I bet she misses Maka and Soul." Lord Death said.

"Yeah, but they can't always take her with them, she has to get used to this."

"That maybe true, but it doesn't make it any easier to accept. She's a baby, she doesn't understand yet. They've been raising her she's attached to them by now" A sudden feeling of guilt and remorse hit Spirit hard.

"Maka's going to be heart broken." He said.

"Why would she be?"

"You said at the end of two months, Melody will be where she belongs. Maka's going to be heart broken when she loses her. She's going to be two months very soon. She'll hate me as long as she lives."

"Well...I can't say there's a guarantee she's going to stop hating you even if she kept the child." Spirit didn't know what to say at the comment. It was no secret that Maka hated her father, but he could never get used to hearing it.

"That only proves I'm right, I can't take another daughter hating me that much. At least if she resents me, I won't be able to see that look in her eyes, the pain and anger- I can't put her through all that. I can't even calm her down. What kind of father am I?" Spirit sobbed, leaving the reaper in a state of confusion and at a loss for something to say.

"You're doing the best you can for your girls, that's all that can be done. No one's perfect."

"How do I do this?" Spirit asked pleadingly still holding Melody close.

"Take Melody from her sister, there's no easy way to do that. You'll crush both of them."

"I was so stupid for letting this happen, how could I have let myself be talked into this. You'd think I would know better."

"You should have." Lord Death said casually.

"My Maka can't do this on her own. I certainly can't I it. She deserves a mother and father that love her and can be responsible."

"She does, yes."

"Soul was right, I am a jackass." Finally after what seemed like hours, Melody cried herself to sleep. Spirit placed her in the bassinet once again and sat down next to her.

"What do you think about all this, since you suggested the trial?"

"I could tell you, but you won't like my opinion." Spirit shook his head.

"Maka's just a child herself, how can she possibly deal with the daily routine of caring for a baby by herself?"

"She's not alone." Spirit looked at Lord Death with curiosity.

"What do you mean, I haven't been helping and-"

"She has Soul. Don't tell me you don't see it."

"See what?"

"Maka loves him Spirit, and he's fiercely loyal to her, not because he's her weapon, at least not entirely. He loves her just as much, he's going to do everything he can to help her. They make an excellent team. What makes you think they couldn't raise little Melody?"

"They're too young, I was that age once, as soon as he finds something 'better' later in life, he'll leave them. He's not ready to settle down... And at his age, he shouldn't be."

"Even if they're not together, if this is something Maka wants, I believe Soul will be there, even if It's only moral support. I have seen true love Spirit, I had it with Kid's mother, and I see it in your daughter's eyes when she looks at Soul. They can accomplish pretty much anything together."

"My Maka's too young to know what love is. She doesn't need to be worried about having a boyfriend let alone a baby."

"Spirit, there isn't any doubt that raising Melody has been hard for them at times, but they continue to learn and take cues from each other. They're young, but I believe they could do this if they wanted to. Eventually, if you chose to go that way, I believe those two could take full responsibility for her." Lord Death told him, the tone if the reaper's voice told Spirit he truly believed in the words he was saying.

"I don't think I would trust Soul with-"

"You don't trust him or you don't like him because you worry about him hurting Maka the same way you hurt her Mother?"

"Well I-"

"It seems to me, that young Soul has proven himself to be very trustworthy, he saved your daughter's life many times, and if you haven't figured it out by now, it wasn't just part of the job description. He does it without thinking of himself at all, and then makes sure Maka knows it isn't her fault when he's hurt. That suggests to me that he does it out of love for her. You may say they're too young for love, but I have known former students to fall for their partners at this age and stay together all their lives. Soul's good for her. Of course that's just my opinion."

Throughout the rest of the day, Spirit found himself with a nearly inconsolable child.

"I don't know how those two do it." He said walking around the room trying to soothe her. It wasn't long before Maka and Soul entered the room.

"Papa, what happened, is she alright?" Maka asked as she took her little sister into her arms and held her close.

"I think she missed you guys, a lot. She's been this way all day."

"Can't really blame her though, if I had to spend all day with your dad, I'd probably be upset too." Soul said. Melody whimpered sadly, Maka handed the young child to Soul and grabbed the bag she had left with her father.

"Hey little one, I know it must have been a tough day, It's okay though, we'll take you home and it'll be okay." Soul said gently as Melody stared up into his eyes contentedly.

When Maka walked back to Soul, Spirit sighed. Soul was good with both of his daughters it seemed. It was clear to Spirit that they were loved. It would only make it more difficult to separate them.

"Hey Soul?" Maka said as they exited the death room.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think Papa will let her stay with me?"

"I don't know. He should, you're a great sister and she's happy with you. You do know that If you do get to keep Melody, It's going to get harder as she grows don't you?"

"Yeah, but maybe it won't be too bad."

"If it does get to be too much, you can't exactly -"

"I know, I still want her. She's still my baby sister. I don't want her to go."

"Let's not think about that now, she's here with us, let's enjoy the time we have with her okay?" Maka nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder as they walked. The sadness Soul sensed from Maka was almost too much for him. He would have to have a talk with Spirit some time soon.