Sorry, I'm not dead. I've been frenzying and busy with other junk. So here's a longer chapter as a reward for the wait. The next chapter will probably be the last one.

Soul didn't talk to Maka more than he had to and avoided her as much as possible for the next week. Maka tried in vain to coax him out of his stupor. He got up before her in the mornings and breakfast was always already made. She would eat the food left for her and down on the street he would be waiting for her. He would walk with her in silence to the academy. It pained him to see her pretty face and remember how ashamed he had felt to be defeated in front of her however he would not let her walk to school alone for fear of her safety. He did not speak a word as he walked her to school despite her pestering.

Maka was beginning to become very upset with Soul and herself. All attempts at confrontation failed. He stayed out late at night, she suspected at Blackfire's place, and came home after she was asleep. Some nights she fell asleep waiting for him on the couch. On Wednesday night Blaire came in through the window in cat form and informed Maka that the tan, silver haired boy she was waiting for was just outside their building and had never gone very far from there the nights before. When Maka flew down the stairs and ran outside in her pajamas he quickly hid himself out of sight.

Although Maka fell asleep on the couch each night she always woke up in her bed. Usually there were tears on her pillow. Couldn't Soul see he was causing her pain? On Thursday Maka threw on her clothing and did not touch the food. Downstairs she found her weapon and she angrily swung a book at his head.

For the first time in her life he caught her wrist and stopped her from swinging it down in the usual chop. She had always known he was capable of stopping her from beating on him, as was common practice in their house. But the actual event shattered all illusions she had held that she was any match for him, that he needed her in any way. This was too much and she burst into tears. She ran to school and didn't look back to see if Soul was following her. When she reached the academy she curled up on the steps, dejected, sobbing and out of breath.

She had forgotten her black cloak and the wind made her shiver. This only made her pity herself more and more sobs racked her small frame. Suddenly she felt warm, scratchy cloth be draped over her. She looked up to find Dr. Stein's lab coat on her shoulders and the professor himself avoiding her eyes. He led her inside, into his classroom and into his office. The students stopped chattering and stared as they passed, Maka clutched the lab coat tighter about her to ward off their looks. Everyone gawked as she was led into his office, a forbidden place where another student had never entered. As he shut the door behind them Maka felt a twinge of fear of being alone in the same room with her teacher. Then he smiled and she felt guilty for feeling that way towards her favorite teacher. A roar of mumbling students came from the classroom an crashed on the wooden door.

The office was small and ordinary except for a gallon sized coffee mug with stitched cracks in it sitting on the desk. It wasn't at all like Maka had expected. Maka decided the professor must not use it frequently and chose to spend his time elsewhere. There was only one picture in the office of Dr. Stein wearing a vacant expression and a cheery Lord Death that had been taped up crooked probably by Lord Death himself.

"It's Soul isn't it?" He asked from his usual swivel chair behind his desk. Maka nodded.

"Out with it. I think its in my contract that I have to listen to students' problems or something so…"

"Well, I don't even know what's wrong, Dr. Stein!" Maka broke into tears again. Dr. Stein looked beyond uncomfortable as he nudged a box of tissues toward her across the desk. He grumbled under his breath about dealing with little girls crying not being in the job description.

"Just try to explain, I guess"

"So it started I guess with our last mission when Justin came and saved us from the golem? Well, he was upset after that I guess. And then he was really moody like towards Kid when Kid was helping me with target practice. And, and he won't even talk to me now since Justin beat up on him in that duel last week! Professor I don't know what to do!" For a moment there was silence only disturbed by the murmur from students outside and the choking gasps of Maka's breathing. Then the professor lost his composer and chuckled like it was the funniest thing in the world. As strange as it was to see the Professor crack up Maka was furious and turned a dark red. She stood up and shouted at him.

"It's not funny! I feel like our relationship is crumbling. We can't operate as a team if we don't communicate! Don't laugh at me!"

"No, no. I'm sorry; it's not funny. Fights within a team are not funny. It's just that it's so obvious what's upsetting your young brash weapon." Maka sat back down. "He's jealous."

"I'm sorry sir, is this a joke? I don't understand."

"My naïve child, Soul is drowning in his own jealousy of your relationship with Justin and Kid and any other boy you give the time of day to. He's just too proud, or stupid, to admit it. Don't worry. I'll have a uh…talk with him. This will all work itself out. It's obvious he cares about you so don't think you're at risk of splitting up."

"Thank you so much Professor!" Maka launched herself at her favorite teacher and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. He awkwardly put his arms around her and hugged her back.

Outside the office, in the classroom Soul had sat stewing in a swirling pool of anxiety for what seemed to him like an eternity. His red piercing eyes did not leave the office door. Finally he couldn't take it anymore and without a plan of action he went to the door and opened it. He had pictured many horrifying things the professor could have been doing to his precious meister but the position he found her in seemed worse than anything he could have imagined. He wanted to melt into the floor.

Upon seeing him Maka untangled herself from Dr. Stein and reached out a hand to Soul who had run out of the classroom in a blind panic. Without knowing where he was going he found himself on the roof. He stayed there through first and second period until the Dr. Stein found him up there.

"We need to have a talk Soul," he said, leaning on the railing, looking away from the weapon.