Her Past

Chapter 3

Wonderful News….Ha!

"Maka?" Soul asked.

"Umm, Soul? Do you think you could give us some time alone?"

The white haired boy studied her. Then he crossed his arms and simply said, "No."

"Fine," she said finding her legs again. She walked to the door and closed it behind her. Looking up at the men, she put on a false bravado of courage and said, "What are you doing here?"

"Where's your mother?" one of the men asked.

"How am I supposed to know? I thought you people were keeping tabs on her, turning her into a murderer," Maka said vehemently.

Both men's face tightened in anger. "Watch your mouth girl," the second man spat.

"So, you haven't seen her?"

"I haven't seen her in almost two years," the girl exaggerated.

The second man pulled out his cell phone and began speaking to someone.

"Fine. We'll be back to check again." They both walked away.

Maka slid down the wall with an exasperated sigh when the men disappeared. What was she going to do? They found her. They know where she lives. They're coming back. They're definitely going to keep tabs on her too. Aghhhhhhhhhh!

She heard the door beside her open and looked over to see Soul watching her. He sat down beside her and asked, "So, whatcha gonna do?"

"Oh Soul, I have no idea."

"Well, something needs to be done. What about your crazy dad?"

Maka's eyes widened. "What about him?"

"Can he help us?"

She shrugged. "Papa knows nothing about this."

"You're kidding."

"Nope."

"He never saw the scars?" The girl shook her head. Soul grinned. "Your father really is dense, huh?"

With a sigh, Maka stood up. "Well, I guess he needs to know sooner or later." She took off down the hall towards the stairs. Looking back, she realized Soul had yet to get up. "You coming?"

"To talk to you obsessive father?" He paused. "Eh, I guess I can, if only to keep you sane."

Maka smiled softly. "Thanks Soul, you really are a good friend."

"Of course. That's just how I do things."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Maka!"

Kill me now, the blond girl thought as her ever loving father ran towards her with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Spirit took her into a huge hug and started rubbing his cheek against hers. "How's my baby girl doing? She missed her Papa…" He continued rambling with his baby talk until Maka pushed him away.

"I didn't come here to visit. I came to talk. About Mama."

At the mention of his ex-wife, Spirit sobered up. "Oh." He glanced over at Soul leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. "What about her exactly?"

"I know why she disappeared all the time. Also, why she withdrew herself before then."

The redhead man was shocked. All his words had escaped him for once. Honestly this was a side of him Maka had never seen. It was kind of unnerving growing up with this man, always seeing him try to keep a happy air about him, never hearing him shut up. It was just weird.

"Papa?"

He blinked. "How do you know? You were so young when it started."

"I know because I was there when Mama was threatened."

Spirit paled. He was now completely at a loss for words. All he could do was just sit and stare at his daughter.

"The Starkweather gang had somehow taken her in one of her missions and she had apparently been mixed up with them ever since," Maka continued realizing Spirit wasn't going to reply.

She waited again for him to reply. After two minutes passed, she started getting irritated. She is trying to tell her father important things about their past and he isn't even going to talk? Another two minutes passed and Maka screamed in frustration.

"Fine! Don't listen! I'm never talking to you again!" she yelled walking to the door.

Soul caught her before she walked out the door and brought her back to Spirit. "Just calm down. The poor man is in shock. Here."

Soul grabbed her ever present, out of nowhere book and Maka Chopped Spirit. Rubbing his head, her Papa finally came out of his trance-like state.

"Sorry about that. It's just a lot to take in. I remember the mission. I was supposed to be with her being her weapon, but Lord Death needed me more. She insisted she could go alone. That it was no problem. What I don't understand is where you come into this," he said to his daughter.

Maka told him about the park and then about the persuasion. By the end of the story, Spirit was in shock again. Soul then hit him again. Tears were now pouring down the man's face from the pain of the second hit.

"Do you have to be so rough?" he cried.

"Trust me. Your daughter hits twice as hard," Soul replied nonchalantly.

"So, they hurt you?" Spirit whispered.

"Show him, Maka. He deserves to know."

"But-" Maka began to protest, but Soul cut her off with look. "Fine." She turned around and pulled up the back of her hoodie exposing the scores that Starkweather embedded in her back. She had finally after years learned to ignore the ugly marks. Now everyone was bringing them back. Thanks a lot, Soul. Before she knew it, she was back in Spirit's embrace with him crying dramatically.

"Oh my little Maka! My little girl! How could this have happened to you? How can anyone stand to hurt my beautiful little girl? Oh Maka, Papa will protect you! Maka, Maka, Maka, Maka," Spirit rambled.

His daughter began to wilt visibly. Why is he like this? Maka glanced at Soul for help only to find him snickering to himself. Soul, you jerk! She thought sending him a smoldering glare.

"Oh Maka, Papa loves you!" Spirit said having yet to stop talking.

"Papa! Papa stop," Maka said pushing him away. "There's still something else."

Spirit quieted and looked at the girl. He had finally gotten over the initial shock and was now functional (in Spirit's own way). "What is it?"

"They're back. They came asking if I know where Mama had gone. They also said they'd keep checking in."

"Oh. Hmm, Kami has always been good at her job," he commented finally serious. "She's probably keeping low trying to get out. I'm sure she's thinking that by now that they'd forgotten about you. With recent events, she obviously got it wrong." Maka's father paused for a moment to think. "Have you heard from Kami?"

"She sent me a post card last month, but that's it."

"I'm sure she's moved since then so that's not going to be much help I'm sure. I believe we're going to need some assistance." Spirit frowned a bit then said, "I think we need to go see Stein."