Maka sat beside Soul's hospital bed watching him. He had been unconscious for two days already and no one knew why or what happened. Maka had been coming home from a mission with him when he collapsed. Now he was in a hospital bed at the academy with no one understanding what was going on. She looked at him and felt her heart breaking. It had been almost a month since the war on the moon, they had some close calls there and at any moment they could have been killed, now Soul collapsed for no reason and may actually leave her all alone. She did not want to be alone; she could not imagine living her life without her sarcastic, lazy weapon partner always at her side. She loved him; she could not let this be it.

Reaching out she held his hand in hers, silently begging him to open his eyes. "Maka." She heard her father's voice as he walked into the room. "What are you doing here? You've already missed two days of class. Soul will be fine." He said with a sighed as he walked closer to her. She just glanced up at him before turning her sad green eyes back to her partner. Spirit could not stand the hurt in her eyes, the pain he had been seeing since Soul was brought in and with no diagnoses to give. She had spent all her time here at his side. He gave a soft sigh again as he saw what he did not want to see from his little girl. She was his baby and he did not ever want her to grow up but he could see the love she held for her weapon, he had even seen the compaction Soul held for his meister. He could see it during the fighting on the moon and even how he looked after her after everyone was home.

"There has to be something." Maka whispered as Spirit took a seat beside her. "There has to be something someone can do. I can't lose him." She said finally looking at him with tears in her eyes.

Spirit pulled her into a tight hug as she let her tears flow. "I don't know Maka. I wish I could help you, but I don't have an answer. It's nothing anyone's seen before, there's no reason for this to be happening." A tear fell from her eye. "You really care for him."

"He's my best friend." She said as she locked her watery eyes back on her partner. "He's the only guy I ever really trusted. He taught me how to live; I wouldn't know what to do without him." She gave a small smile as she thought of all the things Soul had done for her.

Spirit took a deep breath and slowly let it out. "Do you love him?" Maka quickly looked at her father as he gave a small smile. "It's okay, Maka. I know you're growing up."

Maka paused before looking back at Soul with a small smile. "I think so." She blushed slightly and Spirit felt his chest constrict. His little girl was not a little girl anymore. She looked back at him. "You're not going to freak out? Not going to try to strangle Soul or anything?"

"No." Spirit smiled. "Not right now at least. You are my little girl." He paused, surprised as Maka leaned into him. "I'm sure the little octopus head will be fine." He told her before she hugged him tight.

"Thank you papa." She gave him a bright smile he remembered seeing when she was a child and he would agree to read her favorite book at night.

"Well I think I better get back to work." He stood up as she glanced at Soul before looking up at her father slightly pleading. "You don't have to go. I'll come up with something for now." She again gave him that smile before he left her alone at Soul's side once again, thinking about how he lost his little girl but trying to be the cool dad for now. When things were not so unsure and Soul was better, he would let loose on the young man. For now, it was best to wait until they knew what was going on.

"Soul." Maka whispered. "What happened? What's going on?" She felt his soul jump. It was as if he was swinging wildly trying to touch her soul. "Soul, I'm here. It's okay." She soothed as she took his hand again and held it tight as her soul gently touched his, letting him relax. She looked at his sleeping face and wondered if she could find a way to talk to him. She was stunned when it came to her. She could try to resonate with him and find him in the black room. She gave a small smile as she scooted her chair a little closer to the head of the bed before resting her head on his and reached out, combining her own soul with his before everything went dark and she was standing in the dark room. It was dim and she could not see anyone in there as she looked around. "Soul?" She asked, looking around.

"He's not here." She heard making her turn to the piano to the left. "She has taken him out there." He pointed to the door. Maka furrowed her brows, she had dealt with the little demon before, and she knew he had tricks up his sleeves to try to take over Soul and herself. "It's no trick." He said as if reading her mind. "Soul has been ripped from the room. If you leave you'll be trapped just like him." Maka thought she heard some worry in the little demon's voice but she shrugged it off.

"Soul is through this door?" The demon nodded. "Then I'll go find him."

"You'll be lost!" The demon shouted as he lunged to stop her from opening the door. "You'll be lost and she will be able to get in here."

"You're just protecting yourself? What about Soul? You are a part of him, you are in him and you just sit in here letting him suffer all alone? I'm going to him." She said sternly before swinging the door open seconds before the darkness rushed past her, over taking everything in sight.

"Maka." Marie said as she slowly walked into the room. She knew how the partners felt even without them saying a word. She knew how Maka must have been feeling so she decided to visit with her. She stopped seeing Maka with her head on Soul's and her hand in his. "Maka?" Maka did not move. Marie turned to the door and called for Stein. "What's wrong with them?" She asked as he walked into the room.

He looked at the two, "They're resonating." He mused, standing in place for a moment longer.

"Will they both be alright?" Marie asked. "I mean we don't know what happened to Soul…"

"I'm sure they'll be fine." Stein shrugged as he walked over and lifted Maka from her seat to lay her in a bed next to Soul's. "Just tell Spirit to come down here. I'm sure he wouldn't be too happy if no one told him his daughter was now unconscious." Marie just nodded as Stein checked over Maka to make sure she was all right for the moment.

"What happened?! Where's Maka?!" Spirit ran into the room yelling.

"She's right here." Stein said stepping back as Spirit went to his daughter's side. "It seems she and Soul are resonating. I assume they are in that black room they talked about."

"And if they're not? What if he infected her or something?" Spirit was worried as he glared at the still unconscious Soul.

"We'll have to wait to find out." Stein just shrugged. Spirit was not happy as he sat beside his daughter.

"Maka?" She heard a whisper in the darkness.

"Soul." She responded. "Soul, I'm right here." She told him, as the darkness seemed to fade revealing Soul on his knees with his head in his hands. "Soul…" She started towards him.

"I'm not listening! It's a trick again! You're not her, Maka is dead!" He shouted at her. Maka froze staring at him in shock. "You stay away!"

"Soul…" She watched as he looked up with watery red eyes full of pain and anger. "Soul. It's me. What happened?" She asked but he just glared at her before looking away, refusing to look at her, as if it hurt to look at her. Maka furrowed her brow and walked closer.

"No!" He shouted as she came closer. "I know who you are. You killed her, you killed the only girl I loved and now you're tormenting me." He cried out. Maka froze again. Someone had made him believe she was dead and she was the only girl he loved. She watched as he turned away again, not acting at all like himself. Someone had really hurt him and she was going to make sure they paid for it.

"Soul!" She called out before storming over to him making him look at her as she Maka chopped him. "I'm not dead, I'm right here!" She shouted at him as he looked at her in shock.

"Maka…" He said as he stopped holding his head.

She gave him a little smirk. "Of course, stupid." Suddenly he pulled her into a tight hug, holding her tight as he buried his head in her neck. She could feel the fear and pain in his soul as he reached for her. She enveloped his soul, comforting him as he held her.

"You were dead. I saw her kill you, I… I watched you die in my arms…" He mumbled as he pulled away to look at her.

"Well I'm right here." She told him. "You collapsed on our way home from our last mission. I got you to Stein but no one knows what happened or what to do to help. I felt you try to touch my soul so I tried to resonate to try to talk to you. I wound up in the black room with that little demon and then I came here." She looked at him as he relaxed, still holding onto her arms. "So… only girl you love, huh?" Soul flinched and tried to shrink away as he blushed. He knew her past and her parents' story; he never wanted her to feel pressure or pain.

"Maka… I…"

"It's fine." He looked at her confused as she gave him a smile. "You know I've been thinking a lot since the fight on the moon." She paused trying to hold her nerve as she pressed on. "At any time we could die. Either one of us could be lost. I don't want to die or lose you without you knowing the secret I keep closest to my heart." He looked at her confused as she took a breath and closed her eyes. "I love you, Soul." He was shocked. He never thought she would ever tell him that she loved him. He stared at her as she opened her eyes to look at him, try to figure out his reaction as her nerves went haywire and her fears began to surface.

Soul reached up to touch her cheek before quickly pulling her into a kiss. She tensed but soon relaxed and melted into the kiss. Pulling back, they looked at each other. "Maka." She gave a small smile before leaning in for another kiss from her weapon.

"Oh, look at the cuteness." A voice echoed making them pull apart.

Soul jumped away from Maka looking at her unsure. "No… this… this isn't real. Maka would never…. Stop it!" He yelled as Maka climbed to her feet and ran to him.

"Soul!" She called making him look at her. "It is me. I really am here." He looked into her green eyes before he relaxed. "it's okay. We're together; we can figure this out together." He just gave a small nod as she held out her hand worried as he let all of his cool guy, no caring attitude completely disappear. "Tell me what happened? Who was the voice?"

"I was walking with you back to the house and then it was like the sky clouded up and this kishin came from nowhere. She started fighting with us. We almost had her and then she shot some attack and it hit you…" He trailed off.

"It's okay." She reassured him.

"She killed you. You died in my arms. Maka…" He paused and took a deep breath trying to forget the images. "Then everything was dark and I was here. Every time I thought it could be some dream or something it's like you would come from nowhere but it wasn't really you. You would come up sometimes all bloody saying it was my fault, sometimes you would be here teasing me about all kinds of things."

"This kishin, was that her voice?" Soul nodded looking off into the darkness. Maka knew she needed to be the cool one right now. Whatever that woman put him through had really gotten to him. She needed to be the strong, smart one. She gently reached up to touch his chest, resting her hand over his heart making him look back at her. "Soul, I'm not going to leave you. I know you, this isn't like you." She paused only a minute. "You protected me all those times during our partnership. You even risked your own life to protect me when I could have been killed. You would never let me die, and even if something ever did happen I know you would go after whoever hurt me and make them pay. I can't sit by and let you hurt either. Meisters take care of their weapons as much as weapons take care of their meisters. Not only am I your meister, I also love you. I'm not going to let someone get away with hurting you."

"Maka." He paused as he met her green eyes and saw the tears gathering in them. "Don't. I can't lose you."

"And you think I can bear to lose you?" She said angrily. "You're laying in a hospital bed unconscious. This is the first time I've been able to connect our souls in two days. You think sitting at your bed side wondering what happened and watching you is okay for me?" He blinked at her. "If you really think I would ever just let something happen to you and just sit back because I might get hurt, you never really knew me. You think I won't go after the person who hurt you, you've got another thing coming."

There was silence between them as she looked at him with hard green eyes. She was right. No matter what happened they would always protect each other. He let it all sink in as he looked into her angry green eyes. Green eyes that he would often get lost in. "You're right." She blinked at him. "I've been so uncool." He watched a small smile cross her lips. "I know you wouldn't ever sit back, no matter what you'll go face to face with the person who hurt your friends."

"Well, will you help me go face to face with this one, then?" She watched as he smirked.

"Yeah." He reached out and gently touched her cheek. "I was going to tell you, I was afraid you wouldn't feel the same way because of what happened with your parents."

"Soul, I figured out a long time ago that you're not my father. You've stayed at my side, you've been with me through everything. Even after you could have gone off with someone else. You're the one I decided to trust. And because of all of that I fell in love with you." She gave him a small smile.

Soul gently placed his other hand on her hip as he moved closer. "I love you Maka." Was all he said before he pulled her into a loving kiss.

"Now let's go end this nightmare and show that kishin who she's messing with. She has no idea who we are and what we can do." Maka smiled up at him as he gave his goofy smirk and nodded. "Once we're done we can talk some more."

"Right." He agreed as he stepped back, holding out his hand. Maka took it and quickly spun him around as if slicing through the darkness. Suddenly it shrank away like fog and they were back in the black room. The female laughter made Maka spin around to look at the doorway and find a tall woman with long dark purple hair and red eyes.

"You are something else." She laughed at Maka. "You are the first one to ever have the power to enter the dream of someone I held, let alone clear it as you did. What is your name?"

"I am Maka Albarn and this is Soul Eater Evans. We'll take your soul for what you've done." Maka answered, glaring at the woman before charging at her. The woman barely dodged and looked at Maka angrily.

"Well not very civil are we?"

"Not when you hurt someone I care about." Maka told her standing ready for another attack. "I won't let you go." Maka attacked. She and Soul worked in unison as they beat the woman back through the room.

"But what happens if your dream comes true, Soul?" She said softly making Soul's soul spike and wave.

"It's not going to." Maka said sternly. "I promised I won't leave him. I won't let you make me break that promise." Soul felt the firmness, he felt the confidence and heard the anger, but he knew Maka would never break her promise. He settled himself, shaking off the images of her dying in his arms as the lunged again this time connecting and cutting open her side. The kishin screamed in outrage before locking her eyes on Maka before lunging. Maka barely had time to block as the kishin swung around slicing her long nails into the metal of Soul making him cry out.

"You have no power here." The kishin laughed as she sliced into Soul again.

Maka spun away from her, trying to get enough distance to check on Soul. "Soul, are you okay?"

"Yeah." He said softly. "I don't know how she did it but she dug in and actually cut me."

"We have to end this." Maka said trying to think of any way to save her weapon, any way to protect the man she had come to love.

"Don't, Maka." Soul said as if knowing where her mind was wandering. "You're not throwing me away."

"Soul, she can-."

"No." Soul cut her off. "Maka, we can do this together." Maka did not want him hurt any more but if she went by herself, she did not know if she would be able to win. "Maka." He transformed and stood in front of her. "Maka, I can't lose you, I can't let anything happen to you." The Kishin looked at them and tilted her head watching intrigued. He reached out and gently touched her arm as he glanced at the Kishin.

"Soul, I don't want you to get hurt any more. You've already-" He shook his head as he touched her cheek.

"I have you with me. She can't hurt me anymore." He gave a smirk as he turned at her side. "We have to finish this and get out. Cool guys take their girlfriends out on dates after all." Maka looked at him and could not help the smile that crossed her face as her green eyes and his red eyes locked. She gave a nod and reached out for his hand. He smirked again before transforming. The woman stood in utter confusion before laughing hysterically. "We got this Maka."

"Right." Maka agreed as she twisted and spun him around. It was time to be serious. It was time to finish this fight, to protect the one they loved. The two moved in perfect unison, dancing around in the darkness keeping the kishin moving and unable to land a decent blow. The woman did not know what happened, she did not understand it. Their power doubled and flowed from them.

"I am Lawanda the Ghost! You cannot defeat me!" The woman screeched as she battled harder and harder calling the darkness back around them. Maka was slammed into the wall and thrown through the air. Something had to give. She needed to stop this Kishin. As she spun around to meet her once again Maka heard Soul's music playing as it connected and grew. She felt power surge as she swung around and let her soul flow through her and into Soul as he exploded into the Kishin hunter that shined bright as she spun around reaching out and slicing through the Kishin making her cry out in horror and pain. As the blade slid through her she began disintegrating, the darkness faded around them, and the black room took shape once again.

"Maka…" Soul said as he transformed back, wearing his usual black and red suit. Maka smiled before quickly wrapping her arms around him, pulling herself close to him. He pulled her tight giving the top of her head a kiss.

Pulling back, she looked up at him. "We should wake up."

"I owe you a date." He told her making her smile. The two slowly faded.

Maka's eyes snapped open and she sat up quickly. "Maka?" She heard before she saw her father running over to her bedside crying for her.

Before he could reach her, she was out of her bed and at Soul's side. "Soul…" She said softly as she watched only a moment before his red eyes opened. She smiled as tears gathered in her eyes.

"What are you crying for, bookworm?" He teased as he sat up. Before anyone could say or do anything Maka wrapped her arms around his neck and connected her lips with his. Soul wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back before they pulled apart and smirked at each other.

"What did you do?" Spirit called out as he tried to pull Maka back and glare at Soul.

"Papa! Stop it!" Maka yelled at her father before shoving him to the side. She looked back at Soul and gave a small smile. "You need to rest after everything. You still owe me a date."

Soul gave a small smile as his cheeks tinted and he saw Spirit in convolutions as Stein pulled him out and Marie giggled, following them. "I owe you more than a date." Maka smirked and nodded before she gently pushed him back down on the mattress.

"Get some rest."

"Only if you stay." He said softly. Maka's face tinted red before she scooted over and lay down next to him, quickly falling into a dream alongside her boyfriend.