That shower had been the most refreshing shower Stein had ever taken. Sure, before he willed himself to drag his pale body under the steaming hot water, he only wanted to lay in bed and sleep for the rest of his life. But now that he was there, he wanted to stay there until he grew gills. That would be interesting. The warm water was so relaxing and comforting. All he could hear was the water splash on the tile floor and the sounds the drain made when water fell in to it. He thought about several different things while he was bathing, things of life, death, what seperates the human brain from an animal's. And of course, he thought of Marie.

Why hasne't she left yet? Does she not fear me? The human brain really is quite amazing... If it feels or sees anything alian, it fears it. Sometimes it even feels threatened. So why hasn't Marie left yet? Even when the madness started to take me when I was in the hospital, a small part of me was still there. I saw the fear in her eyes. She wanted to run, to scream. She was afraid of me... We both know that it is very likely my madness will grow, so that means I will lose myself much more. I will do things that I don't want to do. I could hurt her. I could just pick up a knife and cut her open when she is sleeping! Or I could- NO! It's already starting... I can feel it. Oh, God! Why is this happening to me?!

Stein slid down the wall of the shower until he was sitting on the floor. He didn't want to lose himself, not now, not ever. He couldn't. I can't lose myself. For Marie, I can't lose myself. I know I don't understand the first thing about love, and I know I don't understand how some one's heart could break, but I have heard of some people actually dying because of heart break. If something happened to me, what would happen to her? She cried the entire time I was in the hospital, even though she knew I would be ok. And when I woke up after she saved me, I thought she would never stop crying... If I succumbed to the madness and I hurt her, God knows what will happen to her. I've heard my students talking about who so ever broke up with them- I think that's what they called it- and how they wanted to just die. Wait... Would she? She may cry a lot, but she still is a strong woman. But still... According to every one else, that heart break is the worst pain in the world. Would Marie kill herself over me?

Stein stopped thinking about that, he felt as if it were making his stomach upset. But when he did think of Marie that much, he could barely feel the madness. Usually, he could always feel it at the back of his head, clawing, biting it's way to the surface. But when he was around Marie, it was supressed greatly. Although, it was still there...

"Franken, are you alright?" Marie called from the other side of the bathroom door.

"Yes, I'm fine. Why?"

"You've been in there for almost two hours," she said. She could hear metal clicking and she knew Stein was adjusting the bolt in his head.

"I'll be out in a few minutes."

Marie nodded then remembered that he couldn't hear her. "Ok, I'll be in my bedroom."

Stein stood up and stayed under the water for just a little while longer until he finally turned the shower knob and the water stopped coming down. He shook his hair out and grabbed a towel a few feet across from the shower door, then he stepped out and walked over to the mirror. He used his towel to wipe off the millions of miniscule water droplets from the mirror, then he wrapped it around his hips. He shook his hair out again, then he observed his face. Before he had dark shadows around his eyes, and his hair was oily. Now the dark shadows were gone, and his hair felt much better. All he had to do now was shave the growing stubble off of his face. I'm surprised I haven't gone in to a nicotine fit yet. He hadn't even cared for cigarettes before he got in to the shower. But now that he had thought about cigarettes, he wanted one. Badly.

But I really need to shave... He quickly lathered cream all over his jaw and upper lip, then picked up his razor. He slid the blade across his skin so quickly that if anyone else were to shave with that speed, they would cut and nick their skin so many times that thier face would be dripping with blood. However, because Stein had performed so many dissections, he could do anything with complete ease perfectly so long as it involved a blade and skin.

About twenty seconds later, he dropped his razor on the counter then rushed in to his bedroom. He searched all of the drawers of his dresser and desk, then he ran in to the living when he couldn't find them. He picked up loose papers from his computer desk, then he checked underneathe the desk. Still no cigarettes. Then he rushed to the couch and checked under there, and he still couldn't find them. He stood up to remove all of the cushions, but he had to bend over quite a lot because he was so tall. He threw the cushions behind him and dug his hands deep inside the couch, searching for a small box. Even so, they weren't there. Stein sighed in frustration and ran back to his room.

They have to be in here somewhere... He searched through his dresser and desk again, hoping that he may have missed the cigarettes earlier. But of course, they were not there. "God damn it!" he shouted.

"Are you ok?" Marie called from her bedroom with concern laced in her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Stein sighed again in frustration. Just when he thought he was feeling better, this happens! He angrily looked around the room until his eyes fell upon his lab coat sitting on the floor in a corner. He took very long strides to the other side of the room- two to be exact- and he dropped to his knees and frantically searched through the coat pockets. Finally, his hand brushed against the cigarette box and matches. Stein wrapped his long fingers around the cigarette carton and match box and pulled them out. He ripped the box open and tore a cigarette out and put it in his mouth as he lit a match and held the flame under the cigarette. Once it started smoking, he inhaled deeply then released the smoke through his nose.

Stein sighed in relief, everything felt right. The madness was pushed far back, Marie was just down the hall, he didn't feel nearly as bad as when he did before he showered, and he had a smoking cigarette in his mouth. I really should go outside. Marie hates it when I smoke, I'm sure she wouldn't want the smell of it in the house. Stein stood and went to his closet to find some pants, black of course, and he left his room without putting anything on his well-toned body. He came in the living room, sat down on his office chair so his chest was resting up against the back of the chair, then reached his leg out and kicked backward. He slowly rolled outside on to the front porch, then got up and sat in the chair correctly. He leaned back and put his arms behind his head, then he put his left leg over his right leg so his ankle was resting on his knee.

This was peaceful.