Stein shut the door behind him, setting the candle down on the dresser. He directed his attention back to Marie.

She turned to the scientist, confused. He took a step towards her, cautiously. She didn't move. There was a moment of silence between them. The sound of rain could be distinguished among the elements, bouncing off of the tin roof. The two stared at each other through the darkness before Stein asked,

"Marie, why haven't you left me?"

"What? What are you talking about? Shinigami ordered me-"

"Anyone who would be assigned to supervise me would have reported my increasing insanity. Why haven't you?" Stein inquired. He was grateful she hadn't left, but he didn't understand why she hadn't run away. Marie exhaled before forfeiting a small smile,

"I was afraid."

Stein knew it. There was no one in Death City that thought he was safe to be around, not even his childhood friend, Spirit. Suddenly Marie was closing the space between them.

"I didn't want Shinigami to take you away from me."

Stein stared down at Marie silently as she played with his tie; he wasn't sure what to think.

"You…want to stay?" he asked amazed. Marie continued to smile, a blush crossing her features,

"I just want to stay with you. It doesn't have to be here. I need you, too." she looked up at him, so sweetly, it felt as though she was the most genuine thing he had ever seen.

I must dissect her.

Stein winced he took off his glasses and headed over to the coat-rack with long quick strides.

"Stein?" Marie asked. He stopped, massaging the corners of his eyes, placing his glasses back on. He stared at his lab coat as he said,

"I…need to keep working." he reached up to his bolt, hand shaking, and turned it.

Click.

He giggled.

Click.

Grinning crazily, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around, still grinning ear to ear, to see Marie frowning. He looked at her, into her disapproving gaze, and released another titter. Marie placed a hand on Stein's chest softly as she spoke to him,

"Not tonight, it's getting late. And there's no electricity anyways."

Stein felt a calming wave radiating from her palm, and saw it was glowing slightly, lighting up their faces.

"Marie…" he looked into her eyes. He knew Marie's powers of cleansing, purifying, but he did not think they would affect him. Was he evil, tainted? If so Marie was the only one who could help him. He watched as she removed her hand from his chest and reached up to his glasses, removing them carefully with both hands. She blushed,

"Sometimes I forget how handsome you are."

Stein smirked.

Just then the sky outside flashed before a loud roar of thunder echoed from what sounded like directly above the house. Marie shrieked and grabbed onto Stein, holding him tightly like a child. He held her chuckling,

"Why would you have any reason to fear lightening? It's part of your abilities."

Marie replied, without pulling away,

"It's not the lightening that frightens me it's-" another boom interrupted her sentence, "The thunder!" She shivered. Stein raised a hand and gently smoothed her hair. His chest rising as he inhaled, declaring,

"Well, if you'd like, I can sleep on the couch tonight so you can have the bed."

Marie remained silent not loosening her grip at all. When he received no verbal response he asked,

"Would that be better?"

Marie pulled back enough to look at the bed, it was large, probably a king size. She turned her head to look up at Stein,

"Yeah… That's alright." She pulled away from him.

"I'm going to get ready for bed!" she rushed into the bathroom, candle in hand, without another word. Stein just shook his head at her. Stein turned to look at the coat rack again. He observed its sharp ornate design before making his way to the closet. With a sigh he removed his dress jacket and hung it up on its hanger. He reached up and turned his bolt again until he heard another click. Satisfied he strode away from the closet and back to the vanity mirror. He stood still for a moment, observing himself. He remembered what Marie had said about him being handsome and recalled gazing in the mirror at himself shirtless earlier. How she could think this stitched up body was anything but imperfect was beyond him. He began untying his tie, pondering her behavior. She had hesitated when he had asked if she wanted to sleep in the bedroom. He hung the tie on the coat-rack and began unbuttoning his shirt. Could she be so scared, that even the sanctuary of his bed would not soothe her?

As if in response another crack of lightening followed by the all powerful sound of thunder boomed over the house like a shotgun. Just as suddenly, the bathroom door flung open and out flew the shadowed figure of Marie. She appeared to have had enough time to change into a satiny black slip and a sheer night gown over that.

Drawn to him like a magnet to metal, as he turned to face her she clung to his front her face resting against his bare chest. Stein looked down at Marie. Her soft, warm cheek was pressed against him fearfully above his sternum. Now that she had he tall shoes off she was even smaller than Stein realized. She seemed to have realized Stein's shirt was unbuttoned as she slowly turned to look from his chest and then up to him. He let one of his hands rise up from behind her back and pet her head.

"It's… okay." He managed to say, never having been good at comforting people.

Just dissecting them.

Medusa arched a brow in interest as Stein staggered back from where he had been holding Marie. He held a hand out in front of him, as if to say 'Stay back!' The witch sneered at the scene,

"It's only a matter of time, Stein." She chuckled as the two moved awkwardly around the room, Stein knocking over his candle on the dresser. She watched Marie jump away from the hot wax and still trying to figure out a way to help Stein. "Because," she continued, rolling onto her back so she was no longer looking at the orb. She let he legs bounce lazily in the air as she explained,

"As you had your lips locked just moments ago… you two still don't realize I control the snake that's in Marie. And that snake is now," she rolled her head back now glaring viciously upside down into the crystal ball, "Inside Franken Stein." She laughed some more, the noise rising louder and louder, becoming hysterical as she kicked her feet like a toddler being tickled.

"My head!" Stein yelled, thrashing about the bedroom. Marie stepped back to avoid the hot wax from spilling on her feet.

"Stein!" she called out, trying to get some part of the man to listen. He growled and shouted as he held his head, bumping into the coat rack he suddenly grabbed it and threw it to the ground.

"Leave me alone!" he yelled. Marie moved back to the side of the bed, feeling scared and unsure. Her safety from the storm was now causing a maelstrom of his own; she was beginning to doubt she could do anything this time.

Stein fell to his knees, tucking himself into a ball he began rocking, laughing madly to himself,

"Look at them! On the floor, dancing… just watching me."

Marie tried to look around and see what Stein was talking about. He lashed out as if to smack something away.

"Marie, transform into a hammer so I can smash them." He giggled more, "Their guts will spray out and cover the floor, and the walls… Then I'll dissect them!" He laughed even louder than before, "Cut them up and slice them open!" He stood up laughing hysterically towards the ceiling as another flash of lightening struck somewhere nearby, thunder booming over head.

Marie could feel her mettle wavering but she had to help Stein. She ran over to him and with both hands held either side of his head at the base of his bolt. Stein grabbed Marie's arms harshly grinning madly at her,

"You want to be cut open?"

She allocated her healing energy and let it soak into Stein's skull. Stein's laughing subsided as Marie pushed more energy through her hands. Finally once the laughter had stopped Marie felt Stein's hands come up to her own and hold them, bringing them between the two. Marie opened her eyes to see Stein's pupils growing back to their regular size, no longer dilated. Again the two shared a moment. The wind howled angrily outside. Suddenly Marie sensed something growing in Stein, not madness but just as powerful.

"Marie, would it be alright if we shared the bed?"

Marie felt herself beginning to blush, and looked down to their hands,

"Please?" Stein asked again, "I can tell you're reluctant to be alone during the storm. And I am afraid of what might happen if you don't stay by me."

Marie looked up into Stein's eyes the color of graveyard moss. They were strong yet they seemed sensitive to detail, like his hands. She nodded,

"Alright."

Stein walked to one side of the bed and Marie the other. He could tell despite her claim that she felt awkward. He kicked his shoes off on his side of the bed before climbing into bed. He watches as she follows him, her night gown following and folding beneath her as she settles in. Stein looks at his pillow, there's only one.

"Here." He pushes it her way.

"Can we share?" she asks tentatively. He nods and lies down on the pillow. He lies still as Marie scoots closer to him, her body resting against his as she lays he head on the pillow. Suddenly he feels her hand beneath the covers. She finds his hand and closes over it with her own. He turns to look at her and she smiles. He remembers their kiss from earlier. That's right, I love her. He wondered if it was mutual. Stein can't help but read her, as he would in battle. She is his weapon and he is used to her. She has become familiar and he feels safe both in and out of battle when she is around. He maneuvers his hand so he is holding hers and turns to face her. She mimics his action. He can feel her pulse steady and strong, her muscles are slightly tense. He leans closer to her and senses her heart-rate pick up and muscles tense further. As he debates whether to pull back or not, Marie closes the space between their bodies and lips and kisses Stein. He closes his eyes and let's go of her hand. His digits wander up to the curve above her hip. He smoothes his hand over the sheer fabric, so delicate and perfect. Her hand comes up to his jaw and soon her fingers are running over his shaven chin. She opens her eyes as they pull away from the kiss, Stein's hand still on her hip.

"I'm sorry." She says suddenly, "I just have been trying to find a man for so long, if I had known it could be you I wouldn't have left."

Stein smiled,

"Then don't leave again." He kissed her again and she drank it in like fresh air. He could taste the wine on her lips from earlier and wondered if she was slightly intoxicated. If she had been it seemed to have worn off fairly quickly. He felt like he had to tell her, he knew she wanted to hear it.

"Marie," Stein said in a low powerful tone. She looked into his eyes once more,

"Hmm?"

"I love you."