With a heavy thud, she and Chrona are launched away from Medusa and Stein's combined attack. Her breathing is heavy and ragged; her soul wavelength is distorted and erratic after being attacked by Stein's own powerful wavelength attack. 'Not again.' She thinks as she struggles to breath. 'I have to save the Professor and stop Medusa...' Shakily, she lifts Soul up to pull herself up, but is suddenly pushed to the side. At first she think she's been attacked again.

Then, she can see the massive arrow sticking through his abdomen. His arms are spread wide after pushing her away. "Are you okay?" His voice is weak.

She can't speak. Ice fills her veins.

Medusa pulls her sword back, and it's freed from Chrona with a wrench that makes a horrifying squelch as his black blood falls freely.

He stands motionless for a moment, then his body dissolves and two souls are left where he'd been standing a moment ago. One pink and one red, the meister and the weapon. Gone.

"NOOOOOO!"

Maka bolts upright in bed as the scream leaves her mouth. Cold sweat covers her forehead and she's breathing hard.

Looking around her sunlit room, she starts to calm down. 'It was just a bad dream.' She tells herself as she pulls the covers off and stands up.

"Hey, Maka!" Her door opens suddenly and Soul and Blair are standing in the doorway. "What's up!? We heard you scream!"

She shakes her head. "I had a bad dream." She tells him.

At her prolonged silence, Soul sighs. "Must've been some dream." He says quietly as he stuffs his hands in his pockets.

Maka just nods. "Sorry to worry you." She gives a sad, half smile and heads to the bathroom to shower.

Even though it had happened so long ago, the memory makes her feel Chrona's blood on her legs and hands from when she'd knelt next to him the day he'd nearly died.

After a quick breakfast, Soul and Maka head to the academy.

They always get to their classroom early - there was no assigned seating and Maka always liked to be in the center aisle to have the best view of the lesson - but today, Maka is almost running through the halls as she heads to the classroom.

And there, sitting in his usual spot beside hers, is Chrona.

All the tension she hadn't realized was there dropped out of her shoulders as a smile spreads across her face.

She walks up the steps to his row, his eyes on her the entire time, and he stands as she gets close. "Good morning, Maka - huh?"

Maka wraps her arms around him, and bonelessly slumps against him and closing her eyes. She sniffles, and he wraps his arms around her. "Good morning." She says quietly, taking in his warmth and scent. She turns her head to place an ear over his heart, and exhales as she hears the study bu-dum bu-dum.

"What's gotten into you?" Liz asks.

Black Star snickers. "Maka and Chrona, sitting in a tree..."

She ignores them as she continues to hug Chrona. He looks down to ask quietly so only she can hear: "Are you okay?" His voice is concerned, and Maka looks up to give him a weary smile.

"I am. As long as you're here."

His eyes widen, and he nods once. "I'm not going anywhere." He reassures her.

Though he isn't sure why, it makes Maka happy to hear that, and she finally pulls back and sits down beside him.