SoMa Fanfic - Your Memory - Ch 3 - Cancelled -

Can't Sleep

"Maka… what are you talking about? It's me your partner! Soul!" he said confused, a hint of anger showing to hide his distress. She continued to stare back at him; her expression unreadable and blank, almost like you could look right through her and not even see there was a person there. "Maka… do you really not…"

I don't know...you...

Those words continuously echoing in his head. He finally remembered the words that Maka spoke back in the darkness. Soul's eyes grew wide as he realized this. All he could do was stare back at his meister with sympathetic, saddened eyes.

"No… Maka… enough joking around, okay?" He mumbled, staring down at his clenched fists.

"Maka… Who is… Maka…?" she asked, her words lifeless and misplaced. He stared back up at his meister only wishing that this all was a dream. Soul couldn't hold back his true emotions any longer, as he let them stream down his face, he leaned down and embraced Maka for a long time; his entire body trembling as they did. Of course, she didn't hug him back, but she let herself be held up and pulled into Soul; not understanding what the action meant.

"I don't understand…"Maka spoke softly. "Did I do… something… wrong? …Why are you hugging me?" At this, Soul could only squeeze tighter before he finally let go, letting his meister lay back down; her eyes still solemnly placed in his.

"No… you didn't do anything wrong… Maka...," he whispered somberly, his voice dry from tears that he had wiped off his face.

"Am I… Maka? Did I make you cry? … I must have done something wrong if you're… crying… I'm sorry," she said her eyes empathetic.

"No… there's nothing to apologize for, Maka… I'm Soul… your partner…"

"My… partner?... I don't understand…," she muttered, her eyes beginning to fall once more.

"It's okay… It'll all be okay," Soul spoke, wishing he could believe his own words as his partner's eyes fell asleep from once they came. "It'll all be okay…"

Soul got up and left the room, confirming that he was indeed in the DWMA's recovery rooms. Stein had been walking down the hallways and spotted Soul right away.

"Oh good, your awake. How are you feeling?" he asked, his glasses glaring over his eyes so that you couldn't read exactly what he was thinking.

"I'm fine…, but Maka… What happened to her, Stein?!" he asked, begging to know the answer.

"Just as I suspected… She doesn't remember you at all does she?" he asked skeptically.

"Me? She doesn't even remember who she is!" Soul said, his grief suddenly turning to rage.

"I thought so. I discussed the monster you faced with Lord Death. It seems that thing steals memories, not faces," he stated with intelligence and a hint of aloofness that Stein always had.

"Memories? But, it touched me too. Why can I still remember?" Soul asked, confused.

"I'm not quite sure, but we'll have to keep Maka here for the next few days to watch over her. If you're feeling alright you're free to go home," Stein said, taking a deep drag from his cigarette that was stuck in his mouth.

"No, I'm not leaving my meisters side… Besides… It's my fault she got hurt in the first place… I'm her weapon partner; I'm supposed to protect her!" Soul almost yelled, all his anger and realization unleashed.

"Think rationally about this, Soul. You and she have been asleep for a few days. It might be smart to check up with your friends and make sure everything at home is okay. Don't worry about Maka. We've got her taken care of." Soul grunted, not wanting to accept that his words were actually true.

"I'll be back," he stated, continuing down the hall.

Back at the apartment, everything laid the way they left it when they left that night.

"I guess Blaire still hasn't been home in a while. She must have noticed we weren't coming back…," Soul muttered to himself. It felt like it had been so long since he had last been home, even though it was merely a week.

Soul waked into the kitchen to see that their dirty dishes that they had used last had yet to be cleaned. He peeked his eye into Maka's bedroom to see there wasn't any sort of mess on her floor and her bed had been made.

She always keeps things clean… doesn't she…

Soul thought, silently letting himself smile slightly as he caught her sweet scent through the door, only to be reminded that it might be some time before she returned to her own room and his smile faded. He ignored his own room and let himself collapse on their couch in his usual position he had whenever he wanted to take a nap. He let himself close his eyes, trying to let sleep find its way to him, but he couldn't keep his mind off his meister.

I can't sleep… knowing she's not home with me… and safe.

Soul realized and jumped back up from the sofa, taking long strides out of the apartment. On his way realizing he hadn't said anything to any of his friends…, but he knew they'd continue asking about Maka and he and would find out eventually, because all he knew right now was that he had to get back to his partner.

Back in Maka's room, Soul found her unmoved and sleeping in her bed. He sighed, relieved to see his meister and pulled a chair from the corner of the room and sat it next to her bed; taking a seat.

"I'm back," he whispered, taking Maka's cold hand and clasping it in his own. He watched her small, moving chest as it slowly rose and fell. He let his gaze rest on her calm, round face that he recognized so well. Her long hair was strewn around her pillow and head. The setting sun lit up half of her face and left the rest in darkness; a lot like how her mind was in the darkness and her body was left to linger in the light.

"I'm right here, Maka… I'll be here when you wake… I'll always be by your side," he said truthfully, thinking for a moment that if she were awake he would never be able to say these things, but it was only a passing thought. "Besides, can't sleep without you."