Chapter 5

Maka sat looking out at the park filled with people while she waited for Soul to bring her ice cream. She smiled as she looked at him ordering and paying. She couldn't believe that just two days ago she had married him. It was one of the most amazing days of her entire life and she had never felt happier than when they said their vows and shared that first kiss as husband and wife. She never thought that she would end up with her weapon partner, let alone marry him and look forward to a long life together. Knowing what her parents went through still worried her, but she knew Soul, she knew he would never dream of doing anything like that. Maka felt a light shine inside her soul as he turned and looked at her. She hadn't realized it but ever since they had become a couple and had completely opened up to each other, their Souls had been connected more. Now it was if they were constantly resonating. He handed her the ice cream and she thanked him before looking back at al the people walking around.

"It's been so long since we were able to actually relax like normal people." Soul said following her eyes.

"It's like I completely forget what to do." She smiled at him as he nodded and ate his ice cream. "Well it took us two days to get here but we're on our honeymoon for the next two weeks. What do we do first?"

Soul shrugged. "Let's just wander and see for now." She nodded in agreement and the newly weds wandered the busy streets of Paris. Soul had said it was too sappy but Maka was intent to go there for their honeymoon, so he caved in to make her happy. It was time off work, time away from the academy and the others and time to spend with just him and Maka being themselves. So, he let her pick and have her dream wedding and now honeymoon that had all taken a year and a half to plan and execute, he didn't exactly care as long as he was with her. He mentally rolled his eyes as he realized how sappy it all was.

Soul followed her as she wandered Paris taking in all the sites. Even though they had been there a million times, it was all new, they were tourists now, not a team looking for evil. He smiled watching her run around like a child in Absolut awe of the city and its structures. They spent their days exploring and learning as well as relaxing and taking a deep breath they hadn't been able to since they joined the DWMA. And they spent their nights exploring and learning everything they could about each other.

Maka sighed as she zippered her suitcase and looked over as Soul finished packing his own bag. "Don't worry, we'll have more time." Soul said glancing at her. "You think I wont talk Kid into letting us have time off again?" He smirked making her smile at him. "Come on. let's go for now."

"Kid and the others are going to need us back there anyway. I'm sure Black Star isn't making it easy trying t set up for the treaty celebration." She smiled as he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Her smile brightened, and she rested her hands on his chest. "You promise we'll be able to come back and not just for a mission?"

"I promise." He nodded before he rested his forehead against hers. "Now come on. Let's get this over with." He sighed pulling away to grab his bag and the couple made their way back to the airport to fly home.

Once home they were glad not to be bombarded by everyone, they settled back at their apartment before they got ready and made their way back to the academy. "What?" Maka asked as she caught Soul looking at her.

"Nothing." He said, shaking his head. She was eighteen and she looked more and more beautiful every day. He never would have thought that the girl he had agreed to partner with would be this beautiful and now his wife. It always amazed him when he looked back at them and where they used to be, who they used to be and then looking at it all now. She smiled and wrapped her arm through his as they made it up the stairs of the academy. The crowds of people filtered in as Soul and Maka expertly weaved through it all and found Kid trying to keep Black star from starting his antics.

"Thank god you're back!" They heard Liz call as they joined them. "So? How was the honeymoon?" She asked, wiggling her brow suggestively. Soul rolled his eyes as Maka blushed slightly.

"It was fun. Got to see a lot of stuff we never did when we went on missions." Maka said, trying to push her blush away.

"Hmm, I'm sure." Liz smirked making Maka shrink a bit before Black Star made himself known.

"What took you so long?" He asked as he and Soul fist bumped. "I was getting so bored here. They won't do anything fun around here."

"It's a school, and we're all adults now." Maka told him. "Please tell me you didn't hurt any of the students."

"He behaved on that part." Kid mumbled making Maka sigh relieved. "It was everything else that he didn't behave on. I barely was able to get this put together and now look, there's people filing in and I'm not remotely ready for this. What am I going to do-?"

"It's not that bad." Maka said stopping his freak out. "You've got everything here set, there's food and music and friends. That's all that really matters."

"We need a speech, and very inspiring speech and I haven't even had time to-."

Maka put her hand on his shoulder. "Kid, it's okay. You'll come up with something, you always do. Besides, you've got all of us who can help announce the celebration. We're the reason it's even happening at all anyway." Kid looked at her in awe as she smiled. "It will work out."

He nodded before he started for the stage with the Spartoi and other teachers joined him. Once he took his spot the room quieted. He stood looking around as for once in his life of speeches his mind went blank. "Welcome! We're here to celebrate again…" Maka walked forwards with Soul and Liz. She smiled at the crowd and Soul and Liz did their best to get Kid off stage.

"Welcome to another year of celebration and harmony between the DWMA and the witches. It was a rough road and we've all been working hard but we've managed to find a way to work together and prosper. Please enjoy the celebrations!" She announced before walking over to where Kid had quieted and stood in thought. "Sorry, Kid."

"No need to apologize, Maka." He smirked. "That was perfect. It was short, but it had all the needed information and thoughts. Perhaps I should collaborate with you on my speeches from now on." He turned and walked away leaving Maka to groan as Soul laughed at her.

"Maka!" Spirit called as he ran across the room to hug her only to have a book collide with his head. "Papa missed you." He cried.

"Can't you be a normal father and just walk over and ask how our honeymoon was?" She sighed as he jumped back to his feet. "It was great by the way."

"Good." He smiled.

"How did things go here?" She asked glancing back over to Black Star and Kid getting into an argument.

"Better than I expected with Black Star back for a bit. It's never dull with him around." He smirked. "Did you decide if you were taking that job?"

Maka looked at Soul before she answered. "I think I'll take it for now. We'll still be able to take missions and everything so it's not like it's the end of everything."

"Besides." Soul said as he shrugged. "Between my pay and the raise it'll give her, we'll be able to get a house and all." Maka smiled happily as Spirit glanced between them. His little girl was all grown up. She said she needed to go greet some students she knew, leaving Spirit and Soul alone.

"You're really getting a house?" Spirit asked.

Soul shrugged. "Maka's been working hard to save as much as we can, and if she started teaching soon we'll be able to have a place by the holidays this year. She wants a place that's really ours."

"And you just can't say no." Spirit smirked.

Soul smirked. "Not this time."

"You make her happy." Spirit said after a minute. Soul raised a brow. "I've failed as a father for years, I'm glad someone could be there and show her all men aren't failures."

"You're not a failure." Soul sighed. "You just made bad choices. Whether she really tells you or not, she does love you. Trust me, she's still proud to be your daughter. For now, at least." He smirked as Spirit gave a small smile, both watching as Maka started back towards them.

"Soul?" The two men turned and found a tall woman with her blond, nearly white hair pulled back in an elegant hairstyle. She was dressed in a long black dress and she looked at him with violet eyes. "it is you."

"You know her?" Spirit asked looking at the woman.

"Yeah, unfortunately." Soul said as he gave a hard look watching as a tall man with grey hair and maroon eyes walked to her side. "She's my mother and that's my father." He shifted and pushed his hands in his pockets as Maka stopped between him and Spirit. "What are you doing here?"

"We've come to see you." She said.

"Well that's bull." The woman looked taken aback as the man went to say something.

"Soul?" Maka asked eyeing the two.

Soul nodded at them. "My parents." Maka looked at him then back at the two.

"It's nice to meet a friend of Soul's." His mother said with a weary smile.

Maka gave a smile back and Soul spoke. "Mother, Father. This is Maka. My wife." The two looked completely stunned as they looked between the two. "And this is Maka's father. Now what are you doing here?"

"Wife?" His mother asked as Maka felt the disappointment in her father in law's eyes. "You're married?"

"Two weeks ago." Soul nodded. "Why are you here?"

"It wasn't a lie, we are here to see you." She said. "We wanted to give you space, we thought you would come home when you got tired of all of this but…." She trailed off a moment before she took a breath. "We're here to ask for your help."

"My help?" Soul asked before he chuckled. "Why would I help you?"

"Soul." Maka said placing a hand on his arm. "What's wrong?"

"It's Wes." Soul furrowed his brow, worried. "He's married and has started a family of his own. Which is why we're here. His son, he seems to have inherited what you have."

"Weapon blood?" Maka asked.

"It's not a disease or something." Soul scoffed.

Maka nudged his side. "Why come to us for help?"

"Because we don't know what to do about it." She stated as a matter of fact.

Soul and Maka looked at each other before he sighed. "Where are they?"

"Wes and Jason are out front, he's become terrified to be around anyone else." His mother explained. Soul sighed again and told her they would help earning a smirk from Spirit before the three followed Soul's parents out to Wes and his son Jason. "Wes…"

"Soul." Wes said as he stood up quickly looking at his brother. "It's been a long time."

"It has." Soul nodded. "What's this about you having a kid?"

Wes smirked. "Soon after you left I met a wonderful woman. Long story short we began dating and had Jason and got married. Now six years later…" He turned to reveal his son with neat brown hair and violet eyes, standing terrified behind his father. "He recently started showing signs like you and now it's out of control. Can you help him?"

Soul looked at him before he bent down. "So you can change too, huh?" The boy just looked at him. "It's scary when no one else can do it." The boy gave a small nod. "You want to know something? I can change too." The boy looked at him intrigued as Soul transformed his arm into a scythe blade and the boy's eyes lit up.

"How did you do that?" Jason asked.

Soul smirked as Maka leaned down beside him with a hand on the blade. "Would you like to learn?" He nodded and Maka smiled at Soul. "Well then we better get going to meet lord death, so we can start teaching you to be as cool as your uncle." The boy gave a small smile but shrunk away.

"Don't worry." Soul said. "This place is full of people like us. And nerds like her." He watched the boy giggle. Maka held her hand out. "Don't be afraid if you change in there, we're all used to it." The boy nodded and let Maka led him into the academy with the others following. "He's going to need training, or he could get hurt, or worse." He told his brother.

"Will he need to stay?" Wes asked watching as the boy shrunk behind Maka. "He's so afraid, I remember you didn't have these issues and I became worried."

Soul shrugged. "Every weapon is different. He'll learn and be able to control it. He won't have to stay here all the time, he'll be able to go home and visit, and between Maka and I we could probably get him out more often than the other kids."

"Abuse of power." Spirit said before looking away.

"Like you're one to talk." Soul scoffed.

"Death scythe." Someone said making Spirit and Soul look over before they pulled Spirit away.

"Hey, Kid." Soul said. "Got a minute?"

"I do." He said as he turned away from watching Black Star. "Anything to get me away from that." Soul smirked. "What's up?"

"We have someone who is in need of training." Maka said as she tried to coaxed Jason out from behind her.

"You're lord Death?" Jason asked looking up at him.

Kid nodded. "I am, although my friends call me Kid. What's your name?"

"Jason. Jason Evens." Kid looked at Soul.

Soul smirked. "My brother's kid. Apparently, he's inherited the weapon blood too. It's uncontrolled and freaking him out."

"Well then we'll just have to open up a slot for young Jason to learn. Sid will be able to start him out and once he's learned a little and all we can get him in your class."

"The kid's freaked enough, a Zombie trying to teach him probably isn't a good idea." Soul said.

"Isn't Marie coming back?" Maka said. "She would be perfect to train him. She's not all that scary, and she's a weapon too."

Kid nodded. "That's a good idea. I'll speak with her in the morning." Maka nodded. "Maka and Soul are the best partners we have, they'll be able to teach you a lot along the way. I'll leave it to you two."

Maka and Soul gave a nod. Jason looked around at all the people, afraid. Maka smiled and bent down in front of him. "Soul and I need to do a demonstration tomorrow, how about you come watch it and then maybe we'll set something up with our friends?" The boy nodded with a smile.

"That's the first time he's really smiled like that since he started changing." Wes said with a small smile. "Thank you for helping him. I know how you must feel about all of us."

"It doesn't matter what I feel about everyone." Soul shrugged. "You and Granny were the only ones who ever tried to understand me. Besides, this is what we do."

Wes gave a small smile at his younger brother "He'll be safe?" Wes asked.

Soul nodded. "The danger doesn't come until after you're matched with your partner. And by then you're so trained you're ready for most things." Soul paused. "And he's got me and Maka and our friends. He'll be fine."

"Thank you, brother." Wes smiled making Soul smirk and give a nod. They spent the rest of the night wandering the party, stopping Black Star from destroying things, keeping Kid from being overwhelmed with nonsymmetrical things, and learning to be comfortable with his family.

Maka kept looking at those dancing before Spirit spoke up. "Go, I'll keep them entertained for a few minutes."

Her face light up. "Thank you, papa. One dance, that's all." She grabbed Soul's hand as he glared at Spirit but once he held her in his arms and they started to waltz around, he couldn't help but give a small smile while her face was alight with happiness.