It's my fault... This is my fault. Marie is dying, and it's because of me. Professor Stein embraced in his self sorrows on the cold laboratory floor. While it leaned limply against the wall behind him, his head was full of terrible thoughts and images: what he would do if Marie passed away. Perhaps I'll just eat a bullet... No, she went through so much pain because of me. My end should be a living hell. Maybe I will do to myself what I did to the man who broke into the house a few days ago... Stein took a deep breath. All of this was too much... Just a little over a month ago, he had no care in the world for love or another person. But that one night, the night she showed at his doorstep, everything changed. Marie replaced him entirely, she taught him how to love and how to care, how to want and drive for something. If only she could have replaced just one more thing, just that one thing... Why couldn't that go too? Why couldn't she take away the menacing madness that burned through his veins? All of these thoughts rapidly flew through his brain over and over again as Stein listened to the heart monitor and several other machines he had hooked up to the still unconcious Marie.
I tried to walk together, but the night was growing dark... Thought you were beside me, but I reached and you were gone... Sometimmes I hear you calling from some lost and distant shore... I hear you cry in suffering for the way it was before... Where are you now? Are you lost? Will I find you again? Are you alone? Are you afraid? Are you searching for me? Why did you go? I had to stay Now I'm reaching for you. Will you wait? Will you wait? Will I see you again...?
Stein tried to stand, but his legs were quite shaky and it took him a second attempt until he was able to stand on his feet. He had been transferring his blood to Marie for the past twenty minutes. He knew he should stop soon, he was already much paler than he normally was, but something inside him screamed she needs more. If he dies, so what? It is his fault that she is lying in this bed, she should have all that she needs to survive. I can't think like that... If I pass out, then she will be left unattended. Stein took another few deep breaths and put his head in his hand as he leaned against the wall for support. His vision had gone black and he was extremely dizzy. It all passed a few moments later and he was able to see clearly, but he needed that needle out of his arm. "Alright," Stein whispered to himself.
He breathed heavily as he got a cotton ball and medical tape from a small metal table a few feet away and pulled the needle out then bandaged the puncture wound in his arm. When he finished, Stein sighed and looked up at Marie. The woman that lay before him... Blood was matted in her hair in a few places, and it covered her hands and the blanket he had thrown over her. I should move her to her bed once I rest up... I don't want her to wake up on a cold medical table. Stein's footsteps were heavy as he slowly walked over to the unconcious woman. He rested his hand on hers. It was warm and her skin had regained some of its natural color, plus it had been a little over twenty minutes since the blood transfusion had begun, so he knew the two blood types were compatible. Stein breahted in a sigh of relief. So long as he makes sure she gets proper rest, plenty of blood, and nutrition, she would survive. She is going to be alright...
Stein closed his eyes and nodded once lazily. His heart was beating at such a slow pace as he left turned his back to Marie and left the small clinic to the living room. He fell limply on the couch, belly down, and didn't even bother to turn on his back. His eyelids drooped and his breathing slowed, all he wanted was sleep. He knew that he should rest, he needs it. But something in the back of his head screamed at him to stay awake. What if she needs me...? Stein thoughts were thick and slow like molasses. Stay awake... Stay... Awake... But no matter how hard he tried, how much he fought against it, sleep was forced upon him.
Stein's eye slowly opened to reality. The steady beeps of the heart monitor buzzed around his ear. "Wha...?" Then it hit him. Recent memories of an unconcious and blood-covered Marie filled his head. Guilt wrapped around and stabbed at his chest, it was too much to bear. I need to keep it together if I want to save her. With a heavy sigh, Stein limped into the small clinic -he had slept on his leg in a bad position- and stood by the metal medical table that Marie lay on. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing lightly. He studied her face, checking for any signs what so ever of the blood transfusion going wrong. Fortunately, none were present. Stein then checked her heart rate; It was beating at a normal rate.
"But you're still so pale..." He said as he brushed his long fingers down her cheek. It was then that he finally noticed he had not cleaned up any of the blood. It was everywhere... All over his hands, soaked in the bottom half of his lab coat, and of course all over Marie as well as trails down the hall, in the bathroom and across the hall. Even more guilt just poured into his heart; It made him feel as if he were suffocating. "Marie... I'm so sorry..." No matter how much he said it, no matter how much he apologized, it didn't seem enough. It would never be enough. He hurt her so badly, both physically and psychologically. "Please tell me you forgive me..." Stein's voice trailed off again as a single tear rolled down his pale cheek.
He shook his head and turned his back to her. Seeing her right now only made the vicious guilt worse. But I need to clean the blood off of her... Damn it. With a sigh he walked across the living room, making sure not to step in the blood, and went into the bathroom. The first thing he noticed was a large pool of blood around the toilet and a knife. His sorrowful eyes grew a bit larger at what he saw. I did this... Stein was so disgusted with hisself. Only an animal, a monster could do this. He sneered and whipped his head to a cabinet that held white towels and wash cloths. He picked up several of the rags then hurried from the bathroom and made his way into the kitchen for a bowl of water.
Stein's heart was pounding in his chest and a slight cold sweat was clinging to his forehead. At least there is no blood in here. Reaching into a cupboard, he picked up a medium- sized glass bowl, then turned on the sink faucet. He turned the large screw in his head while he waited for the water to warm, then filled the bowl half way. He then quickly walked back to the clinic, avoiding as much blood as he could. Placing the water on a small table next to Marie, he soaked one of the washrags in it.
He got the cloth out of the bowl and rung it out slightly before he washed her hands. The once white rag was now reddened by the blood. Stein dropped the cloth in the water then began unbottoning her shirt, then removed it. While most of the blood on the shirt was dried, some of it was still wet and sticky, so he assumed it had only been two or three hours since she was stabbed. Stein grabbed the cloth out of the water and rubbed it across her belly and chest, first avoiding the wound. Why didn't I stitch her wounds up?! He cursed hisself for being such a fool. What kind of a doctor am I if I can't remember these things? With a sigh, Stein continued to clean all of the blood off of Marie's body, finishing with her abdomen and washing her legs. Once he was finished with that, he began stitching all of the knife cuts and stabs.
Stein started with the leg wound, it was the deepest. Considering how much blood was lost from that wound, I must have struck an artery or two. He assumed the same motive when he got to the stab in her abdomen. Damn... I woke up just in time to stop before I sliced into her small intestine. The cut on her shoulder wasn't deep at all, so it could heal without any stitches. Once he did all he could do for her wounds, Stein wheeled the medical table with one hand and her IV pole and heart monitor with the other out of the clinic and down the hall. Turning the corner of the hall was probably the trickiest part.
He finally made his way to her bedroom door. Great. How am I going to do this? I can't push the medical table in the room or blood will get on her carpet; I just got the blood stains out of the carpet from the last time I slipped into the madness... Even though Stein was quite strong and had much muscle mass, carrying a full grown woman with one arm and pulling an IV pole and a heart monitor at the same time was not easy at all.
Stein pulled the medical equipment next to her bed before he gently layed Marie on it. He propped the pillows up so her head had plenty of support, then grabbed a white spare blanket out of the hall clost and threw it over her. When all was done, Stein stood by her bedside, thinking of what else he should do. His first thought was another blood transfusion, which he knew was neccessary. I should call someone too... What is Shinigami going to do? I think it's quite clear I shouldn't be teaching for a while. I shouldn't even be here... An animal needs to be caged.
"Hey, Spirit." Stein said as he stood in his kitchen, trying to keep his shaking voice even.
"Hey, Stein. What's up? You sound upset," Death Scythe replied from the other end of the phone.
"Um... Listen, I uh, I messed up. I slipped into the madness, and Marie was here..." His normally plain voice was now threatening to break.
"Woah, what? What are you saying?"
"Marie... She's hurt badly." Stein's voice finally broke and a few tears fell from his eyes. "Spirit?"
"Yeah, I'm here. I'll be there in a few minutes." Spirit's voice was filled with shock. He had never heard Stein's voice with that much emotion. With that, Stein hung up the phone. Only a few tears fell, but they were enough to prove to him just how much he cared for her. She needs more blood. Stein quickly walked back to Marie's room, wiping his eyes and taking long strides as he went.
Marie's eye shot up toward the door when Stein pushed it open. "Marie... You're awake." Another tear rolled down his cheek. Her eye was filled with pain and fear. Stein began walking toward her bed, but she flinched slightly. Even if she didn't mean to, he knew what it meant. She is so terrified of me... "Marie, I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean... To hurt you... I wish I could take it back, but I know I can't..." Stein's voice trailed off and his eyes sunk to the floor. His heart was beating rapidly.
"Franken... It's alright. I know you didn't mean to do this. That wasn't you. It was something else that made you do it. I know you have been trying to fight it..." Marie's voice was rough and small.
"No! It's not alright... I hurt you, Marie. You lost so much blood. You could be dead by now!" His breathing was quick and heavy as he began to pace.
"Come here." Marie's order was short and simple, but it still left Stein dumbfounded. How could she want me anywhere near her? After several moments and he did not move, she repeated herself. "Franken, come here."
Stein took a few slow strides to her side. Marie grabbed his hand and held it in hers before she held it to her cheek and closed her eye for a moment. Stein didn't move, he couldn't. Why...? Why is she still showing me affection even after I almost killed her? Stein used his Soul Perception and looked into her soul. It was weak, but it was still strong in one thing: Love. Even after everything, all of her love was still there. It didn't shatter or waver at all. Yes, fear was still wrapped around, but love still dominated her soul.
"Franken, I love you. I still and always will love you." Marie opened her eye and looked up at the tall man. "Love is not something that can just go away. It cannot be replaced by fear or hate. I know you don't understand this, but it is true. I admit that I am afraid, but not of you. I am afraid for you. I know that all of this time you have been examining my soul. That fear that you see may be directed toward you, but it is because I am afraid you will get hurt or too far lost in the madness." She paused and took a few deep breaths before she continued. "Now do you understand why I am still here? Why I am still speaking to you?"
Stein nodded his head slightly. He didn't fully understand, but he got the basics of it. "Marie, I... I won't be able to forgive myself for this... I told you before that if anything happend to you, I could never forgive myself."
"I know, but I want you to know and believe that I forgive you. I don't want to live without you." A long silence drifted between them. Their eyes were locked in soft contact. Stein could feel his eyes water; He was about to cry.
"I uh, I need to go get some syringes. You need another blood transfusion." Stein said quickly as he turned his head to the floor. "I love you too." He then turned his back to her and left the room. Marie sighed. I do forgive you, Franken, and I love you. I always have, nothing could ever change that.
So what did you guys think? I was considering doing a much more depressing ending, but I figured a lot of you guys would rather have it this way. If any of you want to check out the song that inspired me during this chapter, it is Comatose by Skillet. Please leave your reviews and opinions of the story so far, I love to hear from you guys. Thanks so much for reading! :) -Mikshizels