Stein's eyes opened, dry in their sockets. His throat and lips were also dry and he ran a parched tongue across them before trying to form words.

"Ma-" his voice gave out and his hands clenched into fists as he stared up at the ceiling, his arms tensing against his bindings.

Someone was holding him. He didn't know who his captor was, but they were holding him against his will. The room was dimly lit, shadows crawling in the corners, and he could sense two people outside the room by what he assumed was the only exit.

"Ma… rie?" Stein tried again to call out, even though he knew he was alone in the room, his voice almost failing him. He didn't sense her wavelength near him- but it was there, calling to him like a siren, from very far away.

One of the guards outside the door cocked his head, turning to the other. "He's making noise."

The second guard turned to the door and pressed his ear to it. He listened for a moment before looking up at the other guard, surprise on his features.

"What?"

"Go alert them! He's calling for Marie!"

The first guard hesitated, and then darted off. The second twisted the door handle and glanced over his shoulder before opening it so he could better hear what the meister was saying.

The sliver of light fell upon the restrained meister and he looked up at the guard with a wild look in his eyes. His body strained against the bonds, and the guard took a step back as he met the man's eyes.

"Let me go!" Stein demanded. "I must find her!"

"What do you mean, Stein is talking?"

"My Lord, he was calling for Marie. I came here as quickly as possible, just as ordered if he showed any signs of coming around."

Azusa looked at Kid and both moved towards the door, Kid already speaking again as the guard trailed behind. "When did he start?"

"Just a minute before I came to get you. I heard a noise; we listened closer, and realized it wasn't the usual sounds of laughter or tears. He was calling a name; that was when I came."

"You've done well. You're dismissed. Go home, get some rest."

"My Lord?"

"Kid-sama, you can't-"

Kid stopped and turned to face them both. "Go home, get some rest. We will be fine. I have a death scythe with me."

Azusa bowed, her hair hiding her face, and the guard saluted. "Yes, sir."

"I would feel more comfortable if we had the extra guard-"

"You know as well as I that if Stein isn't himself they would only be in the way. I've called Patty and Liz, they're on their way. We will be fine."

"Wait, what? When did you have time to contact them?"

Kid gave a small smile as they came around a corner, almost to Stein's cell. "When you were arguing, Azusa."

She stopped for a moment, perplexed at how he had managed it, but stepped after him with just a slight hesitation.

"Doctor Stein, do you know who I am?" Kid asked, standing well away from the still-shackled man.

The scientist met his gaze. "You're Death the Kid. What I don't know is why you're holding me captive. You have to release me."

"You are bound in witch's steel. I cannot release you until the bonds are removed, and to do that, a witch must be present. Kim will be here shortly. What is the last thing you remember?"

The man on the table was silent for a long moment. "The kishin was defeated."

"Yes. In doing so, black blood covered the moon."

"They died." The words hung in the air for a long moment. "Their wavelengths disappeared entirely. But I can sense her now! You have to release me so I can find her!" Stein struggled against the witch's steel for a moment before slumping back against the table, and they were surprised to see tears in the corner of the man's eyes, even though they never fell.

"Why is it so important that you be the one to find her, Stein?" Azusa asked suddenly.

Stein was silent, staring at the ceiling, for a long a while before the Kid and Azusa turned to leave. In a broken voice, almost so silent that they didn't hear him, Stein spoke. "Of all people, I cannot have her death on my soul."

Spirit's good arm was draped over Marie's shoulder, the taller man leaning heavily on the diminutive death scythe.

"Come on, Spirit! We've got to keep on walking!" Marie urged the man, pulling him along behind her.

Spirit was breathing heavily, his teeth clenched as he tried, unsuccessfully again, to stand on his own, without Marie's aid; his knees nearly buckled as he did. The pain in his chest and side had grown with every step, and it was becoming more difficult to breathe. Marie coaxed him back to movement, pulling him along with her.

Three steps later he fell forward, taking Marie with him. He was unconscious when he hit the ground.

"Kiddo!"

Kid stopped midstride and nearly fell as Patty collided with him. Liz stood a few feet back, smiling.

"Liz, Patty, glad you could make it," Kid said, a smile on his face as Patty released him and bounced back to stand by her sister. "Professor Stein seems to be coming back to himself, and we're just waiting on Kim to get here to release him."

"That's great news, Kid!"

"Azusa and I just finished talking with him- I'd like the two of you to be with me when we release him, just as a precaution. I'll feel much better armed, in case this is an act."

"I would have been there with you-" Azusa started.

"My symmetry would have been off."

It was nearly an hour later when Kim finally arrived. She moved into the room, flanked by two guards- Kid, Liz and Patty stood on the other side of Stein, watching intently as Kim performed the ritual to remove the bonds.

As the metal clanked open and fell towards the ground, shimmering and disappearing before it hit, Stein was sitting up, rubbing his wrists. His eyes were wide, and Kid was struck by how odd he looked without his glasses.

He was moving before they realized it, nearly out the door before Azusa stepped in front of him. "You're in no condition to go out there, Stein. You haven't eaten in 72 hours and we could barely force fluids down you. You're weak."

The scientist paused in front of her, his eyes narrowed. "I've gone longer when caught up in an experiment. I will be fine."

"Azusa, let him go. Stein, you are tasked with finding Marie Mjolnir."

"And getting something to eat!" Patty called out from beside Kid.

"Yes, that would also be prudent," Kid said. "Something wholesome and symmetrical. A bagel or donut perhaps, provided care has been taken in its preparation…"

Stein was down the hall before Kid could finish his breakfast list.

Spirit opened his eyes to a dimly lit room. The fire in his side was much duller now, and he found that he could breathe easier. There was quiet breathing to his right and he tilted his head to the side to look.

Marie lay curled up in his suit jacket, directly beside him, a hair of space between them. Her lips were parted slightly as she breathed, obviously deep in sleep, though he could see the tear tracks that streaked down her cheeks even in the dim light.

Carefully, cautiously, he rolled onto his side and wrapped an arm around the woman. He gave no thought to where they were, sleep claiming him quickly.

A/N: I'm having fun building this up. Hope you enjoy this.

I don't own Soul Eater. Duh.