"So, what did you need, Lord Death?" Stein asked in his usual, monotone voice.

"I have been curious about your current mental state." The tall shinigami stated. He tilted his body drastically to the side. It still did amuse and somewhat annoy Stein how this Reaper had to talk in that high pitched voice with that cheeky mask just so he wouldn't scare the living hell out of the students. Even the Death Room had to look more of a kindergarten classroom instead of an actual graveyeard.

"Oh?" Stein tilted his head slightly.

"I have been getting some odd reports lately. The first came when Spirit walked in here a few weeks ago. He looked as if he had gotten into a fight. I asked him about it and he said you blasted him with your soul wavelength."

"He wouldn't stop screaming about Maka! It was giving me a migrane." Stein retorted quickly and defensively.

Lord Death only stared back at Stein. Why is he getting so heated so quickly? "Yeah, that is what I thought. Then just a few days ago, one of the custodians reported a broken mirror in the bathroom."

"So?" Stein was trying to act as if he didn't know anything about the matter, but Shinigami was not buying his act.

"I wasn't finished. The custodian said that he saw you walking out of the bathroom with blood and cuts all over your knuckles." Now the doctor's fingers curled lightly into his palms to form gentle fists, then he released them.

"Anything else?" Stein growled. Why the hell am I getting so angry?!

Lord Death could easily tell the man before him was beginning to boil, but this needed to be covered in case something was needed to be done. "Stein, I need you to calm down. I know this might be frustrating for you, but you need to understand that this is an important matter that must be discussed." Stein sighed heavily and removed his glasses. He then nodded in gesture for Lord Death to go on. As he spoke, Stein rubbed the side of his face roughly and slowly with the hand that was not holding his glasses. "I have been hearing some rumors of you and Marie."

At her name, Stein's eyes widened and his heart beat picked up. Shit! "What about us?"

"Apparently, she came to your classroom yesterday asking to speak to you. When a few of your students looked into the hallway, you were holding her while she cried."

"And? What's wrong with that?" Stein knew what was wrong with it though. Why else would Marie go to him if something is wrong? As far as everyone else knows, Stein and Marie are merely room mates. If she had family issues, she would rather talk to someone who actually felt emotion and cared. But they had no idea just how wrong they were about that now.

"This brings us back to my original question: How is your current mental state, Stein?"

A dead silence filled the at-first-glace-eternal-horizon room. The mad man stared at the Reaper with a burning fire in his olive eyes. He didn't know why, but he was still angered by all of this. What the hell is happening to me? Is the madness somehow channeling anger? "Alright, you really wanna know?! I am going freaking insane! More than I already am!" Stein began pacing back and forth while he ranted. "I don't know what the hell is happening to me! I want to be ok, I want to teach. I want to be with Marie! But I have this shit in my way all of the time!" Lord Death only stood in silence as Stein raged and pointed his finger at his chest.

Oh, my my... Perhaps he just needs to blow up. He is always holding the madness back; I am sure it causes him a great deal of stress. Now the only question is: What is causing his insanity to accelerate so rapidly? Shinigami continued to listen to the mad man's rants for quite some time before he finally took a huge breath and calmed hisself. Stein bent his knees and rested his elbows in them with his head in his hands. He let his shoulders relax as he closed his eyes and took another deep breath. I need to fortify myself by not letting my emotions best me anymore. First it was happieness over riding me, now it's anger. Maybe the anger is part of the madness or the black blood, maybe it isn't. But the bottom line is it is something that only I can deal with.

Stein stood to his full height. "I apologize, Lord Death. It was... Wrong of me to blow up like that." He was still angry, but not nearly as much as he was just before. Furthermore, he was now doing a fine job at keeping it locked up at the back of his head so he could resume his monotone expression that he has carried for years.

Lord Death waved his large paper-white hands in front of his chest. "No, no. It's quite alright, Stein. People need to release anger and stress every now and then. It is normal." Stein nodded slowly. Normal.

"So is there anything else?" Stein asked casually.

"I need to know if you are still fit for teaching. Be honest with me, Stein. If you are not able, I can't allow you to be a danger to the students." Shinigami seemed sadded by his statement. This is such a shame... I don't mean to be harsh, but he understands. With the skill and power he possesses, Stein could become a great threat to anyone here. If he loses control, I willbe forced to fight him until someone can bring him back. If no one can, then... I will have to kill him. After Stein had not replied to his question, Lord Death continued asked, "Well?"

"I am able." he said shortly.

"Stein, I am sure you are. Just know that if the madness does take you again, I will need to suspend you from teaching until I know you are fit to return." Stein nodded his head in approval. He didn't want to have to do any of this, he just wanted to go back to his lab and dissect something. "Alright, Stein. You can go now."

The professor stepped out of the Death Room and into the hallway where he slumped up against a wall and slid down it till one foot was planted firmly underneath him and his other leg was outstretched. Damn it. I need to get this under control...

"Hey, Professor Stein," a familiar voice said from about three or four feet away from him. Stein jumped in startlement. He snapped his head up and saw none other than a certain pink-haired boy.

"Crona." Stein's heart beat began to pick up, but he took a breath and soon got it down to its normal speed. "Do you need something?"

"Yes, well, no. Uh, I just.. Uhm... How are you?" Crona seemed very nervous, maybe afraid.

What does he know? "I'm fine." Stein said casually as he let his eyes drift toward the ground.

"But... I heard you talking to Ms. Marie about how you digested my blood... Is it hurting you?" Guilt burned on Crona's worried face.

At the mention of him digesting the black blood, Stein's eyes snapped back up to Crona. "Were you eavesdropping?"

Now the boy really seemed afraid. "No, no! Maka said she heard you guys talking when you and Marie were in the hallway. I swear I wasn't eavesdropping, really!"

The professor waved his hand in dismissal. "It's fine. I just need you to not tell anyone, you got me? I can't have word of this breaking out... More than it already has." Stein could already feel the madness reaching out toward its origin. It was biting and clawing at his conciousness, desprately trying to escape. He began to breath heavily and he ran his fingers thorugh his grey hair.

"Professor, are you alright?" Crona took a small step toward him and reached his hand out; it was shaking violently.

"Crona," Stein took a short, ragged breath. "I need you to get away from me." Another breath.

"But-"

"Now!" The doctor almost yelled. The foot that he was using to prop himself up was now sliding out and he was sinking to the ground. Crona took a step back from Stein, guilt and sadness flowing thorugh him like blood. This is my fault... This is all my fault... Then he bolted down the hall. I need to get help! But wait... He told me not to tell anyone... God, what do I do?

Stein waited till the pink-haired boy turned the corner at the far end of the hall before he made an effort to stand. I need to go home and rest... But Marie... What if I slip and she is there? He slowly walked down the hall, looking for someone who might be able to give him the information he wanted. While he was walking, he found a rectangular digital clock mounted on the wall next to a classroom. 5:27 p.m. She may have gone home by now or she could still be grading papers. Either way I need to find out. Stein made his way to her classroom to find it empty. Disappointment filled him, he wanted to see her.

Then he felt the madness surge forward. It was actually rather painful, as if something was stabbing at his brain. He fell to the wall and leaned against it while he gripped his hair and doubled over. He grunted in pain, trying not to make too much noise. Finally, the pain subsided, and he just stood there with his back to the wall, panting heavily. What am I going to do? Stein left Marie's classroom and instantly spotted Azusa walking through the hallway.

"Azusa! Do you know where Marie is?" He said as he quickly walked toward her.

"Yeah, she and I are meeting at the cafe for some coffee, she's probably there by now. That is if she hasn't bailed on me for being so late. Why?" Azusa asked as she adjusted her glasses.

"Just wondering." Stein stated shortly. "I'll see you later." He could feel the madness reaching out again, trying to over power him as he began his walk down the academy hallway so he could go home. God damn it! He thought miserably. The entire time he was walking home, the madness was only growing more, and by the time he opened the heavy steel laboratory doors, it was almost consuming him entirely.

Stein put almost all of his weight on the door to push it open; Fighting off the madness was weakening him. When he was inside, he fell to his knees and clawed his head with his long fingers. The pain was immense now, since when did the madness hurt? It was always more of something that just forced itself. It was never actual pain. But that didn't matter now. All that mattered was fighting for his sanity. He couldn't really even think straight at this point.

Then he heard footsteps coming from down the hall, and he knew it was only one thing: Marie.

Marie was home.

There was no one else here to protect her, and Stein's sanity was rapidly slipping away from him.

"Franken?" She had just turned the corner out of the hallway and was staring straight at him with wide, fear-filled eyes.

The giggles began at his thought: Oh, she is going to be a bloody mess tonight. Stein's mouth expanded to a large, teeth-baring grin.

So you can probably tell I didn't really know where to go during the first part of this chapter, but I got it down now :) Leave your reviews on what you think or any ideas you may have. You have no idea how much it helps me. Thanks so much for reading! :) -Mikshizels