I do not own soul eater... still haven't changed...

The Secret Life of the Staff Meister

Chapter 3

Lesley's Story:

Marie Steps in?

For the second time that week, Stein was blindsided. He stared at the first year. Not many would boldly walk up to him. She looked down at the floor.

"I'm sorry I didn't come forward earlier, but I was nervous." She muttered.

"That's alright, now what did you want to speak to me about?" Stein asked. He knew most of the students had only heard rumors about him. Stein knew that all the rumors where bad.

"Oh right, Molly went looking for that fight. She kept saying things to that other girl. If she said that to me, I would have punched her too." The girl said.

"What did she say?" He wondered if girls just took each other opinions more seriously then boys did.

"She called the other girl a freak several times. I don't know much about the other girl, but Molly said her parents deserved what they got." The small girl said.

"You are being serious?" He asked. The girl looked at him with a confused expression.

"Why would I lie about that kind of thing, Professor. I don't really know the other girl, I don't even know her name."

Stein wondered why Miley hadn't told him. It explained Miley's behavior. He found a slight wave of frustration roll over him. Miley still wasn't opening up to him. He knew the concept of telling someone when something was wrong was still new to her. He wondered why he couldn't reach her, he wondered if he was taking the wrong approach, he was hoping Miley would just tell him when something was wrong. He wasn't going to make her tell if she didn't want to either. He decided not to panic till he found out, if Miley had talked to Mason about it. If she hadn't talk to her partner he was going to have to put his foot down.

He found the weapon coming out of a classroom. Mason looked surprised when he approached. Stein rarely spoke to Mason without his partner around. Well unless it was about his partner. " Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure Professor." Mason had always had an acute fear of Stein. Stein ever understood why, but when Miley was involved he would grit his teeth. There had been several time Mason had told Stein off. He would admit though if Miley was involved the boy grit his teeth and dealt with it.

"Has Miley talked about the fight with Molly?" He needed to make sure, if she hadn't told Mason.

"Yeah, Molly called her a freak and Miles just lost her temper. She's terrified of you right now." Was the weapon's reply.

"Good," He said. "She's getting the message." She hadn't even told Mason. It was time to bring in the heavy artillery. Stein knew he was going to need Marie's help.

He arrived at Marie's office. The door was ajar and when he pushed it open it didn't make a sound. Marie didn't seem aware he was in the room, she kept grading paper still Stein tapped her on the shoulder. She nearly jumped out of her chair.

"Franken, I hate it when you do that!" She said while holding and hand over her heart. She spun in the chair to face him."

"How did you know it was me?" He teased.

"You're the only one who doesn't tell me, you're here." She whined, with a pout spreading over her lips. He loved it when she pouted.

"Sorry," he said. "But I need to ask you a favor." He said while leaning against Marie's desk. She looked up with him. She was almost in shock.

"Should I mark this day on the calendar Franken, you're asking for help?" She smiled at him.

"Yeah, with Miley." He said looking away, feeling like he should be able to help but she would be much better at this then he would. He wanted to help Miley, show that she had people to go to. He was acting strange again. He shook himself mentally.

"What happened with Miley." She asked quickly.

"Not another fight in the hallway if that's what you're worried about. I think she's learned not to do that again." He quickly told her the full story of his afternoon.

"Leslie, she's in my homeroom. How did she knew to talk to you about it?" His partner asked.

"She saw me breaking it up. But it's not worried about that Miley still hasn't told Mason what Molly said to her. Unless he's covering for her but it doesn't seem like it to me."

"So what do you want me to do?" Marie asked staring in to his eyes. He felt a small smile pull at the corners of his mouth. He moved in really close.

"Just talk to her, show her that she isn't alone. I really just need you to do for her, what you did for me." She wrapped her arms around him. They still hadn't talked about that day. Four years later it was clear that nothing needed to be said. She stood there and listened to his heart beat, this was her favorite spot to be.

She went looking for Miley. Stein had told her where Miley next class was. She stuck her head in to see Sid lecturing. "Sorry Sid, would you mind if I borrow Miley while?"

"Not at all Marie, you're excused Miley."

Mason and Miley gave each other a look, which said. 'What now?' Miley remembered what Stein had said. Was Marie going to chew her out from the fight. It didn't make sense, not almost three days after. She stood up not really having a choice but to go. She felt everyone staring at her, this she was used. Everyone had heard about the fight by now. She wondered if Marie had decided to punish her... could Marie? She hoped not...

She never really knew what to think of Marie. She was Stein's partner, and Miley had a feeling that their relationship may even go farther then that, but she had very few times alone with the older women. One time when they we're in Japan, and Miley still couldn't really defined what happened. Then when Miley had discovered one of her classmates was a mole. Marie was the one who stopped her from doing further harm to the girl. Maybe that was this was about, Miley was still unsure if Marie had told Stein about that fight. Clearly not thought...

They arrived at her office. Miley wondered if Stein had one. They had always met in the class one. She wondered if that was a good thing. Miley shook herself she needed to pay attention. Marie gestured for her to sit down on the couch that was in the office. She did quickly wondering what was going to happen. Marie sat down next to her facing her slightly.

"First off Miley I just wanted to tell you. You're not in trouble. I just want to talk to you for a bit." The smile never left. Miley wondered why they where there if she wasn't in trouble. She didn't usually have random conversations with teachers. Hell she didn't even have random chats with Stein...

"Alright," Miley said, while rubbing her feet against the floor. "About what?" She couldn't really think what Marie would want to talk to her about if she wasn't in trouble...

"The fight, the other day, what was it about?" She asked, she made it would like they where talking about the weather and the answer didn't matter. Miley wasn't ready to tell anyone what Molly had said, because the girl was right, if Miley didn't exist, they would still be alive.

"Molly just started running her mouth, and I just got mad." Miley said simply not looking at Marie. Marie moved closer to her and lifted her chin so they where looking at her.

"What did she say?" She said gently.

"She called me a freak several times. I just done with the name calling." Miley adverted her eyes. Would it be okay if she told her? Would she tell Stein? If Miley told Molly may get in more trouble and then she would go after Miley even more and she knew how to get to her. Miley had never really thought she could hate someone but Molly was getting close to it.

"I don't get why you we're so mad, you make it sound like it hasn't bothered you before." Marie was trying to get Miley to tell her on her own but Marie knew Miley had more Pride then Stein did.

"It didn't but I would have thought after three year they would have grow up a little." Miley sniffed, she didn't know why she was so upset.

"Miley, sweetheart, is something bothering you?"

Miley felt the ache rise in her chest. Why had Marie called her that? No one had called her that before. "Nothing really why?"

"You seem it that's all."

"How can you tell...?" She knew she had just admitted something was bothering her, but she was interested.

"Miley, I live with Franken, for almost four years. It's the little things that give it away. I've got a well trained eye." Marie gently grabbed Miley's shoulders. "Did she say anything else to you?"

"No, why are you asking?" Miley looked away from the teacher again.

"Because I know for a fact that she did. How much did it hurt hearing her say that?" The older weapon asked. "You can talk about to me about it, you know that right? It must have hurt hearing her talk about your parents that way."

Miley felt the walls falling down. Now she understood why she was Stein's partner. Her wavelength made it easier to relax. She could get anyone to talk to her. She kept trying to hold on, but she knew it wouldn't last... "I didn't know it as first." Miley admitted. "That was why I punched her. I knew she was right, that I was the reason they where dead..." She sniffed, she didn't even know why she was crying.

"No honey, it's not your fault. You couldn't do anything honey, really, it was out of your hands. How long have you been keeping this to yourself?"

"Since I found out, why they died. He told me it wasn't my fault, but it didn't change how I felt." Miley felt Marie wrap her arms around her. She was surrounded by the flowery smell that was on her teddy bear. She new that she had gotten it she stayed with the two teachers but she couldn't figure out where the flowery smell could have come from. She was shaking. She couldn't' stop the tears from falling.

"Shh..." Marie muttered into her hair while rubbing circles on her back. "Just let it out. They still love you, you know that right." Miley nodded, not really sure how she knew. "You know you can talk to us, if something is bothering you right?" Miley looked at the women. Her tears just wouldn't stop. No matter how hard she tried to make them stop.

"I can..." She hiccuped.

"Anytime, sweetheart, anytime." Marie kept hushing her and wiped the new tears that fell away.

"I just don't want to prove them right..." Miley muttered.

"They don't matter Miley." Marie told her with a slight order in her voice.

"I'm sorry about the fight..." She muttered.

"I know you are sweetheart." This sent Miley into another fit of tears. Marie held the young girl till she fell asleep in her arms. Miley had tired herself out. Marie laid her down on the couch. She had her back to the door.

"I still don't know how you do that." Stein while leaning against the door frame. He watched his partner jump.

"Franken, you are going to scare me to death one of these days!" She quickly covered her mouth. "Oh the poor thing, she tired herself out. When did she found out why her parents died?"

"About half way though last year, why?"

"She still feels like it's her fault. Why I don't understand though, she was just a child she couldn't have done anything." Marie said looked at the sleeping girl.

"She just wants to be normal. She just wants to be Miley, she thinks if she was just Miley they wouldn't have been taken that day. She doesn't think she was worth dying for." Stein said.

"Did you feel that way?" Marie asked.

"No, they died proud of me. Miley wasn't even sure what they're last thought was. Or any news they got, she doesn't know anything. Which is why she has so much trouble with it."

"It's heartbreaking, is there anything we can do?"

"I'm not sure, I hate to say it but this is something she needs to face herself."

Well that was more emotional for me then I expected... yeah, so tell me what you think.