Stein sat in his room alone thinking; it was a good time to sit alone in the dark because Marie wasn't home and wouldn't be for a while. Whenever she saw him behaving that way it worried her.

He had seen Lord Death not long ago and his words echoed in Stein's mind.

"Marie has told me she's been worried about you. She says you seem more exhausted than usual." Lord Death had said.

Stein had of course immediately fired off a lie in a smooth and natural way; Stein was a great liar; it was no problem for him. In truth, the madness had been eating away at him even more than usual for some reason; he wondered why…why was it happening this quickly? And Marie…what would happen to her if he really went mad?

Marie….she had been worried about him…why? Why did she worry so much for his sake? She was always making sure he was doing well. Even when she had been away in Oceania, she still sent him letters telling him that she cared, and reminding him to eat and sleep well. She had always cared about him for some reason.

Stein was worried too though. Was his madness really starting to show that much? He thought he had been doing a relatively good job at hiding it, but apparently it was wearing him out enough that Marie could see its physical effects on him. He wondered if Marie was suspicious of his madness. She was sweet and gave people the benefit of the doubt, but she wasn't stupid; perhaps she really could tell that his madness was increasing.

Stein took out a cigarette; his third one in the past ten minutes.

He really was exhausted if he admitted it; physically and emotionally. He had been exhausted like this before though...

Flashback:

"Franken, I want you to clean all the clothes in the house, along with our draperies by hand." Stein's mother said to a nine year old Stein.

"But I just did them yesterday…" Stein said slowly.

"Do them again!" his mother shouted.

"I want you to clean the house all over again too! I want the top, main, and basement floors done all over! You did a horrible job!" she snarled.

"Mom…I haven't slept in four days because you keep making me do so much work…I'm so tired. Mom, can I just please rest for a minute?" Stein asked.

"Oh listen to you complaining. Poor Franken! He has chores to do! You're mother does so much already and I ask you to do a few simple tasks and you want to nap on the job. So selfish." His mother growled. "Now, before you do the wash, I want you to put the dishes away. Do it NOW."

Stein rubbed the dark bags below his eyes and dragged himself over to the dish washer and began to put things away. At one point, Stein's eyes fluttered closed and his grip loosened.

CRASH!

Stein's eyes shot open to look down in horror at the shattered tea set.

"What did you-. Oh you clumsy brat!" his mother said angrily, grabbing her son's arm and pushing him to the ground.

In order to keep himself from falling on his face, Stein reached out his hands but subsequently pushed his hands onto some of the shattered glass. He cried out in pain.

"Clumsy…" his mother scoffed. "Clean all of that up."

Stein stood and looked at his blood covered hands. His mother smirked.

"Perhaps you should just stitch them shut you freakish child." His mother laughed.

But as she was walking away Stein began to laugh quietly…eerily.

"What's so funny?" she shouted, grabbing his shoulder.

Her eyes widened and her pupils shrunk when she saw her son's frightening and disturbing expression.

"Oh nothing mom…I was just thinking of how it might be fun to stitch your lips shut so you could never yell at me again." Stein said with a smile as he cocked his head to the side.

His mother choked and took a step back.

"Then maybe after that…I could stitch your eyes closed so you wouldn't be able to look at things and tell me to redo them…and I could watch you fall all over the place from not being able to see…tell me mom…wouldn't it be funny if you just sat all alone with your eyes sewn shut and I came up veerrrry quietly and dismembered you? Hehe you wouldn't even see it coming…..what do you think mommy…..?" Stein said, taking another step closer to his mom with his grin widening.

"Y-you…what….who are you?" she stammered.

"I thought you said I was your child…who else would I be? So mom….would you like to find me some thread to sew the cuts on my hands shut?" Stein asked eerily.

"S-skip your chores! Just go on! Get out!" his mother screamed, throwing a random object at his face.

"Ok mom…I'm going to go outside and play…." Stein said walking away slowly.

….it was about 30 minutes later when his mother had gone to find him. She figured she'd smack him back into shape…but she wasn't prepared at all for what came next.

A shrill, terrified scream could be heard from what seemed to be miles around.

"F-F-Franken! What have you done?" she screamed through her hands that were over her mouth.

Stein looked at her with a blank expression before allowing a small smile to creep onto his face.

"I decided to play with the cat….it was so much fun while it lasted…" Stein said looking down at his mother's cat.

"Y-you've killed him!" she screamed.

"He was so fun to dissect….better than squirrels or rabbits."

End Flashback:

Stein wondered….would he end up doing something terrible to Marie too, if he ended up too exhausted? Would his exhaustion make him more vulnerable to madness? Marie….he could never live with himself if he hurt her…she was too valuable.

"Stein?" came a familiar concerned voice.

Stein didn't look up; he already knew who it was.

"You're sitting in the dark again…that's not good for you; you know? You've seemed so tired lately, so if you're going to sit in the dark, then just take a nap." Marie said setting down the bag of groceries in her arms.

Stein didn't answer.

"Hey, can you hear me? Stein…." Marie said gently, coming over to his bed and resting a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm fine, Marie. I'm not tired either…" Stein said absentmindedly.

"That's not what those dark bags under your eyes are telling me." Marie said waving a finger at him.

Stein sighed and in the process exhaled some smoke.

He was surprised when he felt Marie pluck the cigarette from his mouth, and put it out in the ashtray on his nightstand.

"Stop that. It's not an equivalent to some good rest." Marie said putting her hands on her hips.

"I know how to take care of myself." Stein said as he began to get up.

He was surprised once again, when Marie pushed him back onto his bed and looked at him firmly.

"No no mister. You're getting some rest right now. Now close those eyes and go to sleep." Marie said winking cutely.

"I have work to do…" Stein protested.

"Don't give me that. Work can wait; your health can't." Marie said.

"Why are you so serious about this?" Stein asked, closing his eyes, as his voice finally became somewhat agitated.

There was a long pause….

"You really must be tired huh? Out of it…" Marie said quietly, turning away.

"What do you mean?" Stein asked.

"Because if you had any sense in that head of yours you wouldn't have asked me why I was serious about this!" Marie said, clenching her fists.

"Marie…" Stein said.

"Don't you get it by now? I care about you! Somebody who cares about you wouldn't let you push yourself past your limits!" Marie said loudly.

Stein could hear her voice cracking. Marie was loving; yes. She cared so much for him and everyone else but she could definitely get upset. She was obviously upset right now…it wasn't because she was being inconvenienced…it was because she was sad that he hadn't seen why she was doing what she was doing.

"I'm going to put the groceries away…" Marie breathed, walking out of the room.

She paused at the doorframe. "If you need anything….let me know….please." she said, before walking out.

Even after all that frustration…she still felt the need to let him know that she cared. She felt bad for her outburst…

She's working so hard for me…I haven't really done anything for her at all. But what would I do anyway? I can't think of what to do. What could I do…..

Then Stein mentally slapped himself, for not having thought of the solution sooner. He stood slowly and made his way to the kitchen. He watched Marie from the doorframe.

She was smiling…

Marie always started smiling once she got into the kitchen; it was such a natural and fun place for her to be. She loved cooking….

Stein took in a slow breath and walked in smoothly.

"Marie." He said in a relaxed tone.

She turned to him with pink cheeks and an embarrassed expression.

"Um….Stein…I'm sorry for yelling back there. I don't know what got into me. I guess I just got a bit flustered is all, but it's no excuse for yelling at you. I just want to let you know that I'm not angry. I mean, it must be so hard for you right now…with all of the things you're going through. I should've been more understanding…" she said, looking to the side a bit.

Stein stared at her. How did she manage to be him to the apology? Marie cared about him so much…WHY? She was always so nice to him even when he didn't deserve it.

"No. I can't blame you for getting frustrated. You were trying to be helpful and it must have seemed like I was neglecting your efforts and being unappreciative." Stein said looking at her with a dull expression.

"I wouldn't really say that's what it was." Marie said, as she began to prepare some tea.

Stein raised an eyebrow; confused and rather surprised that his diagnosis of her behavior had been wrong.

"It was more because I felt like you just didn't get what my position was. I felt like you thought I was just bossing you around. That's not it. I just…I just want to make sure you're alright…" Marie said softly, before finally looking at him and stepping up to him.

Stein looked at her intently; she was so full of mixed emotions right now; she was hard to read.

Then she closed the space between them and wrapped her arms around him sweetly and sighed into his chest.

"I just care about you so much. I just want you to understand that…and don't you dare think to ask me why I do….I just…" she trailed off.

"Rest." Stein said simply.

"Huh?" Marie asked, loosening her grip to look at him.

"I'm going to lie down." He said.

Marie smiled. "Good…" she said softly. "But…" she began.

"Yes?" Stein asked.

"Can I…." Marie started shyly; a blush formed on her cheeks. "lie down…with you? I-it's only because I want to make sure you're resting!" she rushed.

Stein turned around and allowed a small smile to creep onto his face. "Yes. You probably need to rest up too…"

Marie smiled a bit and followed Stein to his room and flicked off the lights. She could hear Stein remove his lab coat and allow it to fall to the floor followed by his sliding into bed and settling down. The room was dark, so Marie moved about rather awkwardly. She finally found the bed and climbed in carefully. Yawning, she stretched out her arms and allowed them to rest….

"Marie." Stein said quietly.

"Yes?" she replied sweetly.

"If it isn't too much to ask; could you move your right hand? It's on my groin." Stein said nonchalantly.

Marie's face heated up beyond belief and she yelped and yanked her hand away. She flailed about it embarrassment and fell off the bed in the process with a loud thud.

"Ow…" Marie whined.

"You ok?" Stein asked.

"Um….yeah…sorry.." she answered awkwardly, climbing back into bed.

Despite Stein having asked Marie if she was fine, he wasn't fully alright himself as his pants were now much tighter than he would have liked them to be.

Silence….

"Stein?" Marie asked softly.

No answer….

Marie moved her face closer to his and realized from his breathing that he was asleep.

"You must have been so tired…." Marie whispered, reaching up and brushing a few of his bangs out of his face. "And this must be so hard for you…I can't imagine how difficult it must be…"

Marie carefully leaned forward, hoping she was aiming correctly, to press her lips against the soft skin of his forehead. She kept them there for a while, savoring the feel of his smooth skin against her warm silken lips. She breathed in and out gently and allowed her tender and loving healing wavelength to radiate from her. She could hear his breathing relax and feel his muscles loosen up as she soothed his soul with her wavelength.

Finally, after some time, she pulled her lips away just a bit.

"I love you…" she whispered against his skin, before getting comfortable in his bed and drifting off to sleep as well.

Only a few moments after Marie fell asleep, Stein began to stir a bit….

Still fast asleep, five words managed to escape from his lips.

"I love you too, Marie….." he breathed in his sleep his above a whisper…."I…really do…"

(A/N: Awwww ^_^ the cuteness. I really enjoyed writing a more heated Marie, like when she gets more agitated. Marie is indeed adorable and loving but she can still get frustrated like everyone else lol so I liked writing that as weird as that sounds. I love Marie…well and I love Stein…and this is my fav pairing ugh now I'm babbling. Haha thanks for reading guys!)