AN: So here it finally is.. the last chapter! Sorry for the wait. Computer problems, work, Fourth of July, other random excuses. Please read an important message at the end. Enjoy!
"Dude…." Black star responded unsure of what to say.
There was a sudden scream approaching from down the hallway, "MAKAAAAAA!"
"Sorry! Excuse me! Worried father coming through!" Blair apologized for the disturbance while running behind Spirit. He stopped running and bent over to place his hands on his knees to catch his breath for a moment. He straightened up and began walking towards her door. "Don't worry, Maka. Papa is here now to make sure everything is alright," he said mainly to himself.
Soul grabbed him by his suit sleeve as he walked by. "I really don't think that's a good idea," Soul advised.
Spirit glared at Soul. "Listen- my daughter, whom I love very much, is hurt and nearly died. I know she doesn't want me around but if that's not going to stop me, then a punk like you certainly won't. Got it, boy?" Soul was surprised at Spirit's assertiveness and let go of him. Still in his serious mood, Spirit slowly opened the hospital room door. He saw Maka sitting up and leaning into Tsubaki who was standing beside her bed. Tsubaki was hugging and comforting Maka, who was crying heavily. Spirit slowly retreated and closed the door quietly. He nervously smiled at Soul and said in his usual untroubled demeanor, "On second thought, you might be right, Soul. I'm not good around crying women!"
"What?!" Soul growled.
"Maka's crying?!" Black star questioned.
"Here, Blair," Spirit said while handing her money. "Can you get Maka a card and some flowers? Maybe some other little gift for me? Tell her Papa loves her~!" he sang.
"What's with all the talk just a moment ago?!" Soul asked angrily.
"Well, she looks OK. I don't want to interrupt Tsubaki comforting her," he excused while beginning to walk away. One hand was in his pocket and the other gave a quick departing wave over his shoulder.
A nurse approached him before he even made it down the hallway and around the corner. "You're Mr. Albarn, right? Maka's father? You were the one shouting it through the halls right?"
"Uh, yeah. Sorry about that," he smiled and scratched the back of his neck.
"It's ok," she brushed it off, "I'm glad you came by. The doctor said that she should be able to be released tomorrow evening as long as there are no complications."
"That's great. Thanks for telling me," he said happily as he began to walk off.
"WAIT!" she called after him. Spirit paused. "Due to her severe injuries she needs to be released to someone who will be able to take care of her while she heals. She's basically bed-ridden for the moment. She said she would like to go home with you, stating, and I quote, you were the lesser of two evils."
Everyone's jaw dropped and there was stunned silence.
"What?! She chose me?!" Spirit asked stunned, his top half turned around towards the nurse, but his feet were frozen in place.
"Wow… she must really hate you," Black star whispered to Soul.
"Shut up," Soul replied angrily. "She didn't choose you either."
"Hmm.. Well that must be because she knows a big star like me has missions to do!" Black star replied. He was right. Maka knew her recovery was going to be a long one, and being the selfless person she is, she didn't want to hold anyone back from their missions. That left either Soul or her father to take care of her. There's no way would she entrust her life to Soul again she had thought.
"Alright! Tell her I'll be back tomorrow evening!" He said confidently as he skipped happily down the hall and out of sight.
Soul was devastated. I have to convince her I truly care for her but how? he thought.
The nurse spoke to the group now, "I'm afraid I'll have to ask you all to leave now. Visiting hours have actually been over for quite a while. Now that you know she's stable, you should go home and get some rest."
Tsubaki entered the hallway, closing Maka's hospital room door quietly behind her. "How is she?" Soul asked urgently.
"She's finally asleep," Tsubaki said quietly and smiled.
"Soul, you can come crash with us, buddy! Right, Tsubaki?" Black star offered.
Tsubaki smiled. "That would be wonderful. We'd love to have you."
Good, it looks like Maka didn't convince her to hate me. Or is that even possible for Tsubaki to hate anyone? Ah, anyway, at least I have a chance at getting through to Maka with Tsubaki, Soul thought, but then realized he's not the only one homeless. He turned to Blair, "Um, what about Blair?"
"It's OK! I already talked with some of the girls from work! They'll let me room with them for a while," she said just as cheerful as ever.
"Great. I'm glad to hear it, " Soul replied. "I guess I'll be seeing you then. Good night."
"Wait, Soul!" Blair stopped him from leaving. "Here, you should take this and get Maka those gifts her Papa asked for." She handed him the money, remembering what happened last time she was entrusted with running an errand for Spirit.
"Oh, thanks. Maybe it'll help me get on Maka's good side." Soul took the money.
"Yeah, that's it! Nya~!" she cheered him on.
…The next day, at the hospital…
Soul stood outside Maka's hospital room, prepping himself with what he would say to her. He imagined all the different scenarios that could possibly happen but he was determined to make Maka listen to him. Tsubaki had already visited a little earlier today to get Maka in a better mood for Soul to have a chance at talking to her. Soul took a deep breath and knocked on the hospital door and slowly opened it. He entered only about two steps…
"Get out." Her voice was low and cracked, but it still conveyed her anger and hatred nonetheless.
"Not until you hear what I have to say," Soul said determinedly.
Silence.
"Look, I didn't know you were home. I thought you were still out-"
"You should have checked anyway!" She shouted to the best of her ability.
Damn Kid for being right. Soul thought. "I realize that. And I deeply regret it. No, regret isn't a strong enough word…"
"Save it, Soul. Not only did you say those horrible things to me, but then you didn't care enough to check if I was stuck in the fire."
"DID YOU EVER STOP AND THINK ABOUT HOW THAT MADE ME FEEL?!" Soul shouted. Maka first looked shocked he would yell at her, but then her face contorted into anger while she opened her mouth to speak. "Wait. Just let me finish." Soul said hurriedly. "I know you had to have been terrified being alone. Thinking of you like that puts a hole in my heart. But have you realized how worried I was running around Death City twice to find you? How scared I was when I realized you had to have been back home?"
"Twice?" she questioned.
"Yes. Once before the fire and once after." Soul seemed to have reached her for a moment but it was short lived.
"That doesn't change the fact you selfishly ran out of the apartment!" she yelled, trying to win the argument.
"'Selfish?' I was running looking for you! Stop thinking about yourself for a moment and realize all the effort I put in to try and find you!"
"I was calling for you out the window! I saw you running away down the sidewalk. I never felt so alone and abandoned. We're supposed to be partners! How could you not sense I was there?" she cried while her voice began to crack from more than just the smoke inhalation.
"Maka, how could I have known you were there? You said you were leaving for the night and I never saw you return. I'm excited you think of me as an all-knowing being, but I'm not. Why do all women have to exaggerate every situation?" he replied sarcastically.
"'Exaggerate?' You think this is a joke? It's no big deal I had to choose between burning to death or jumping out a window?" She put her face into her hands and began to cry.
Soul hadn't thought about it like that. Maybe I've gotten too relaxed about the situation now that she's safe, he thought. "Look, I messed up big time, but I'm here now, willing to do whatever it takes to make it up to you," Soul said sincerely.
"Just get out. My father should be here soon," she requested, with hatred in her voice.
"Alright. Since that's what you want, I'll leave. But I really want you to know how sorry I am and how much I care for you." She kept her head down and her eyes closed, ignoring him. Soul reached into his pocket and placed her cell phone and a phone charger on the hospital bed. "I got your cell phone fixed for you. And a new charger." Actually, he paid for it with Spirit's money. She still didn't move, nor open her eyes. "I guess I'll leave now."
Soul sulked out and Maka only opened her eyes when she heard the door shut. She reached for her phone and turned it on to find three new voicemails.
"First unheard message:
"Hi Maka, It's Tsubaki. I'm sorry about Black star. If you want to come back I'd love to have your company. I'll make sure Black star is out of the way and you won't even have to see him. Well, if I don't hear from you I hope you have a good night!
"Next unheard message:
"MAKAA! It's your Papa! Calling to tell you I love you and I hope-
"Message deleted. Next unheard message:
"Maka….Please… when you get this… call me… I can't find you…. I'm worried."
It sounded like that should have been the end of the call but then she heard a lot of rustling, then banging on a door, then.. Kid's voice? She faintly heard their conversation, but Soul's outburst at his realization that he left Maka in the apartment was loud enough for her to hear. She heard him yelling "no!" repeatedly and admitting fault. She was stunned and took a moment to comprehend what she just heard. Have I really been that selfish to not realize Soul was indeed searching for me?
Spirit entered the room, along with the doctor. "Maka~ are you ready to come home with Papa?" he sang.
"I need to go over your discharge instructions first," the doctor interrupted. He began with the instructions for her pain medicine, and then moved on to explain the expected healing processes for her broken leg and sprained ankle and wrists. She should stay bed-ridden as much as possible until her sprained ankle can support her weight, seeing as she can't stand on her broken leg. In reality, Maka wasn't listening to any of this but was instead replaying the voicemail she just listened to over and over again.
After the doctor left, she looked at her father. "Papa? Can we go to Black star and Tsubaki's house first, please?"
"If that's what you want. Anything for my little Maka! Oh, and then we can get ice cream!" he cooed. He was still infatuated with the fact he let her pick her up from the hospital.
…At Black star and Tsubaki's house…
Spirit knocked on the door with one hand while his other arm helped support Maka, who was standing unsteadily on her crutches. Tsubaki answered the door. "Oh, good evening Mr. Albarn, Maka. I'm glad to see you're out of the hospital!"
"Tsubaki, is Soul here?" Maka asked. Tsubaki and Spirit were both alarmed.
"Yes, he's in the living room," she responded with a worried look and slowly opened the door to its fullest. Maka slowly entered and could see Soul sitting in a chair, spaced out, and looking depressed.
Soul looked up and saw her in the door way. "Maka!" he said surprisingly and suddenly stood up.
"I heard your voice mail," Maka began with a stubborn look on her face, "I heard everything."
"Everything?" Soul asked, not quite understanding.
"You thought you had hung up but I heard you talk to Kid, and then I heard your little outburst," she said with spite.
Soul's eyes widened in surprise. His initial reaction was to be embarrassed someone heard his deepest feelings. That's so not cool, he thought. Then he became slightly angry Maka was handling it this way.
"How much did you hear? I mean, where did it end?" he hesitantly asked.
"You admitted you were the one at fault!" She shouted and her weakened leg gave out from under her. Her wrists were also in too much pain to be able to support her weight by themselves, but before Spirit or Tsubaki could help Soul already leapt forward and caught her.
"Really?! THAT'S what you're going to focus on from that tirade I had? You didn't hear the next part about how sorry I was and how much I care for you?!" Soul said angrily. There was a brief moment of silence.
"Sorry," Maka said sheepishly as she stared at the ground. Soul offered more support so she could look him in the eye.
"Don't be sorry for me," Soul said in all seriousness. "You've been through too much and it's all because I've been a bad partner, no a bad friend. I shouldn't have said those things to you and I should have double checked your room before I left the apartment."
"Soul I.." she began as her eyes began to water. "I was too blinded by my anger to realize you wouldn't purposefully leave me behind!" she cried and threw her arms around him.
"It's OK, Maka. I can certainly forgive you for that." He hugged her back. "I only hope you can someday forgive me."
"Soul, you're my partner and best friend. I acted too hastily and let our trivial fight from before the fire influence my reaction to you not saving me," Maka reasoned.
Soul laughed. "That fight? I can't remember any of it. I'm just so glad you're OK and talking to me again." Soul hugged her tighter and then helped her take a seat on the couch.
"OK, Maka, don't you think it's time to go home with Papa?" Spirit pleaded.
"Papa, I'd like to stay here, if that's OK with you of course, Tsubaki."
"Well of course!" Tsubaki smiled.
"I trust Soul will be able to take care of me." She smiled at him. He gave her his signature grin and a thumbs up back.
Black star jumped into the room. "Maka will be rooming with us, too? YAHOO!"
"Damn you, Soul! You couldn't just leave well enough alone!" Spirit shouted while grabbing him by the collar of his jacket and shaking him.
AN: So... that's all I had originally planned. My first completed fic! I hope it ended well enough. For this fic I tried keeping everyone in-character, so that's why there's no kissy-kissy "I love you so much" mess. However, I'm actually a pretty big KiMa fan, so I have planned a sequel that will be a KiMa fic. (Actually, you can thank author-144 for persuading me to turn this KiMa) Obviously, some people are going to have to be OOC a bit so that's why I'm separating the two. When I get that one started I will post a "chapter" here though to notify anyone interested in the KiMa that it's up. If you don't like KiMa, well you don't have to read it and this is the end of the story for you. Hope you liked it! :)