Marie couldn't help it; she finally wondered to herself, why she adored Stein so much. She had finally accepted it, after returning from Oceania; she was still in love with him. Of course she understood a why she liked Stein but…she just loved him SO much, and he was far from who she thought she would end up with one day.

Flashback:

"And they lived happily ever after." Marie's mom said, closing the book she had just read to her daughter.

"Hey mommy, do you think I'll marry a boy like the prince from the story? Awww he would be so handsome with his blonde hair and blue eyes! He'd be so kind and warm and sweep me off my feet!" Marie cried, with her eyes practically turning into hearts.

Her mother laughed. "But my little Marie, you have no idea the man you'll ever end up with. What if you marry a really weird boy some day?"

"Ewwww! I'm not going to marry a weird boy!" Marie said sticking her tongue out.

"But I married your father and he's a bit off an oddball isn't he?" her mother said with a smile.

"Yeah but daddy is different. And what do you mean by a 'weird boy'?" Marie said.

Her mother smirked and got a spooky face on. "Maybe you'll marry….a mad scientist!" her mother said.

Marie looked mortified.

"No! I boy like that would be all icky and gross and stinky!" Marie said.

"You don't know that. What if he's a very handsome mad scientist?" Marie's mom said waving a finger at her daughter.

"There's no such thing as that…he'd be scary and mix nasty chemicals!" Marie whined.

"Oh no he wouldn't dear….he'd dissect animals for fun! Haha!" her mother said, tickling her daughter.

"Mommy you're scaring me! I'm never ever gonna marry a boy like that!" Marie pouted.

"Ugh, what are you doing?" a male voice said from a nearby doorway. "Are you talking about all that marriage stuff again? You're going to get my little girl obsessed with that stuff! My little angel only needs her daddy." Marie's dad said hugging her from behind. "You don't need any of those icky boys!"

End Flashback:

You were right again, mom. Spot on. I'm in love with a weird guy.

"I wonder where Stein went…he's been gone for a while." Marie pondered.

With Stein:

"Did you ask the pretty lady out yet?" Blair asked, following Stein as he walked home from the academy.

"No." he answered.

"Are you going to?" she inquired.

"No."

"Why noooot?" she whined.

"Because." He answered.

"Oh I get it." She said smirking.

"What?" he half growled.

"You're a scary baby! You're just a big baby who can't ask out a girl!" Blair laughed.

Now Stein was agitated.

"That's NOT IT." He growled.

"Then what is it? Why won't you? Huh? Huh?" she urged.

"Because I don't love Marie! I don't care for her!" Stein shouted outside his front door before flinging it open only to be greeted by a wide eyed Marie.

"Uh oh…" Blair said quietly, hopping off in her cat form.

Ouch. That hit home for Marie…who wouldn't feel hurt?

Silence.

"Um…I'm going to take a shower…" Marie said finally, turning around and heading for the stairs.

Shit….

Upstairs Marie quickly locked the door and hopped into the hot shower. The minute she stepped in she started crying.

I knew it! I knew it! He doesn't like me at all! He probably hates me! He thinks I'm annoying! He probably complains to everyone about having to stay with me!

45 minutes later:

Stein sat on the living room couch, lighting another cigarette. She was STILL in the shower; he could hear the water running. Great…she probably felt like garbage…

Knowing Marie, she's in there crying. And she probably took it way too far and thinks I hate her or something. But what am I supposed to do? Give her false hope for a relationship? I'm slowly succumbing to the madness…I can't have a relationship with her.

Stein exhaled a large puff of smoke. He couldn't help it; her words from all those years ago still rung in his head no matter how many times he adjusted the screw and no matter how many cigarettes he smoked.

I love you…I love you Stein…what's not to love about you? I care about you…

She had said all of those things to him, and had meant every single word. Marie…always so true to all of her emotions. She would smile and laugh when she was happy….cry when she was sad…puff up her cheeks and shout when she was angry…Marie..

Wait now…ok it had been AN HOUR and the water was still running. The water had to be cold by now…

Sighing and rotating the screw in his head a few times, Stein headed up the stairs to check on Marie. He took a breath before knocking on the door a few times.

No answer.

"Marie, are you ok? You've been in there for an hour." Stein said.

No answer.

Ok this was NOT good. Stein reached above the door and pulled a key off the top of the door frame. He unlocked the door slowly…wow this felt awkward…breaking in on a girl taking a shower.

Opening the door he took a cautious step inside…no response. He could hear the water still running and the curtain was still closed, but there was no shadow of a body behind it. Odd.

Stein reached out a nervous hand (he really didn't want to get punched) and grasped the edge of the curtain. Taking a deep breath he finally pulled it to the side, to find Marie lying on the bottom of the shower asleep…

He immediately snapped his eyes shut and looked away; I mean she was still naked for god's sake!

Stein had to use all of his will power not to look though; ugh he was so curious. Grabbing a towel from the towel rack, he turned off the now freezing cold water and draped the towel over Marie; his eyes were still glued shut.

Opening his eyes, he frowned. Her eyes were puffy from crying and she was shivering like mad from the ice cold water. She looked horrible…

Stein reached down and carefully lifted her out and carried her to her bed. Despite feeling horrible for Marie, Stein couldn't help but have his mind stray as he felt his hands pressing against the bare skin of her legs and side…so smooth…mmm he wanted to touch more of it.

No. He had to get that OUT of his head. He laid her down carefully and observed her for a moment. She was soaking wet still; he would have to dry her off. Gulping, he closed his eyes and looked the opposite way as he began to rub the towel against her body…ah yes there was that familiar raised area just above her ribcage.

Stein was a scientist…and a MAN, so he couldn't help but observe her in his mind. He could feel every curve and bump on her body; he couldn't see her, but from what he felt, she seemed absolutely perfect.

After that was done, Stein pulled the towel away from Marie's body and pulled the covers over her. He sighed and began to leave, but when he looked back, he noticed that she was still shivering furiously.

Oh God…was he really about to do what he was thinking of? What choice did he have? Ok…this was STRICTLY professional!

Stein deftly removed both his lab coat and shirt and carefully crawled in next to Marie. Moving her to lay on her side, he pulled her close to him. He gulped. In pulling her closer, his arm had pressed against the underside of her breasts.

Ignore it. Ignore it. This is just to help her…

But Stein couldn't help it…the feel of the skin of her stomach where his hand now rested….it was like silk. And the feel of her smooth skin pressing against his bare chest was like nothing he had ever felt before; it was amazing.

Ugh. He closed his eyes; he had to stop this….shit…

Great another boner from Marie….what the hell…

One would think that a man could get a boner way more easily by walking next to Blair than Marie; not Stein. Apparently she had a way of turning him on without even meaning to.

If I ignore it, it will go away…

Whether it was going to go away or not, it was still highly uncomfortable; almost painful. He mentally slapped himself as impure thoughts began to fill his mind. He had to stop them now…otherwise he might repeat that incident from back when he visited Marie for her birthday.

As hard as it was (in more ways than one), Stein managed to relax and close his eyes…the feel of Marie against him was actually, other than enticing….very soothing. Even if he didn't want to admit it; it felt like she belonged there. The way she fit so perfectly against him….it was just as if she were made to be in his arms.

But at least for the time being, I can't think about that….even if I want to be with you, Marie; I can't. I hope you understand…

(A/N: lol don't you just love awkward situations? Ok, I just need to say this to get this off my chest. But having written about Stein being shirtless, has brought me back to episode 28…UGH! I wanted to fucking kill Medusa for touching him even if it was only illusory! Fucking whore…skankin on Stein…bitch. Ah that feels better now that I've said that XD anyway I hope you're enjoying this!)