NOTE: There is another story about Justin and Maka called, "The Executioner's Execution" in which I read the gist of and kinda gave me an idea about how to frame SOME of my story. So this is more of a romantic pairing between the two, and very loosely based off of that other fanfic. I am giving credit because the story gave me idea and taking credit for it is horrible and I am not a horrible person.

Now, my taste in Soul Eater ships has changed. No, I do NOT support SoMa, so don't you dare get your hopes up on that. Soul and Maka are more of a brother/sister relationship in my view, a very beautiful one, yes. BUT NOT ROMANTIC IN MY VIEW.

I have supported KiMa for a while and I still do, but I kind of like the ship of Justin Law and Maka Albarn and will intend to write some fanfics for those two since the pairing gets little love. Okay? Okay!

-x-

Instead of being killed, Justin Law was captured and prisoned at Shibusen. The discussion of his fate was being discussed in the Death Room among death scythes.

Among the death scythes were Soul and Maka. With intense training, the blonde meister found out that she didn't need to be unconscious to wield her weapon form. However, scythe blades would emerge in pairs from her body, as she was a dual-scythe. And whose soul did she consume? Medusa's (because Maka killed her in the anime).

Soul and Maka broke Justin Law's record of being the youngest death scythes. At first, Maka thought that they would be happy. People would celebrate their success. Soul would probably… see her as more than just a friend or an ally or a meister. But she was sadly mistaken.

Jealousy, hatred, anger drifted her apart from those people she even dared to consider 'friends' or 'classmates' at DWMA. Even Soul. The only person out of her friends that didn't turn on her was Kid. But somehow she thought it was because he had to be nice to her; he would be the successor of his father. (In here, Lord Death survives)

Maka questioned of her father ever got sick of her constant annoyance with him. He always assured her that he never loathed her in any form or fashion; and for once, she wasn't disgusted with him. But then, her trust was extremely low. Her relationship with the other death scythe (minus Soul) was civil and courteous although Marie and Stein treated her like their own daughter, much to Spirit's displeasure.

"Now the topic comes to a death scythe who we know all too well turned his back on us," Lord Death said in his chirpy tone, "What should we do?"

"Maybe if we convince him to switch alliances to our side," Marie sighed, "The kishin has a successor now. We will need all help possible to defeat him."

Chrona. Every day it was a slap to her face. The pink-haired meister, devoid of all love in childhood made his first friend in Maka. And her concern wasn't enough to keep Crona from slipping and giving into the madness. It reminded her how much she failed her best friend. How she couldn't keep a promise.

"Well, he technically betrayed us, so it would be plausible to execute him," Spirit said after a moment of thinking.

"No," Maka said quickly.

"Would you shut up, tiny-tits?" Soul snapped, "I have to put up with your annoying personality at home, don't be so pushy here."

"You won't ever talk to my daughter like that, you sick moron," Spirit glared, grabbing Soul by his tie.

"Enough with the violence, it won't get us anywhere," Lord Death said, waving around his huge hands to appear playful in a serious situation, "Now, Maka-chan, what do you propose instead?"

"If we can convince him to come back on our side, or at least let him choose without any force, he'll most likely make a sound decision to be on our side again," said Maka.

"But he had betrayed me, he might do it again," Lord Death sighed.

The blonde nodded but said, "I know… it's just I feel guilty. He kind of reminds me of Crona. He's not evil, just lost. He lost his way and was easily seduced by madness."

Lord Death sighed. He knew each and every day the blonde death scythe berated and blamed herself for not being able to save the swordsman from the madness. Although it wasn't her fault, the fact wasn't enough to prevent the guilt that ate at her conscience, literally driving her insane from the voices in her head.

"Please, I can do it, I will do my best just for you, at least let me help him, however it may take," Maka pleaded quietly.

"Alright. Take the time you need, as long as he can be cleared of the madness," Lord Death sighed.

"Thank you," Maka whispered, "Thank you."

"Wow this will be headlines. A freak is going to help out another freaks," Soul snorted, only to be punched in the face by Spirit.

"Dad," Maka looked at her dad and silently shook her head at him once, to stop the violence. Spirit obeyed, albeit he was ticked off.

"Here is the key to his cell. Visit him as many times as you want at any time you would wish to. I pray this works. Take all the time you need," Lord Death said sympathetically and handed Maka a simple golden key.

"Isn't this…?" Maka asked.

"Yes," Marie solemnly nodded, "Crona's old room."

"It now has a lock?" Maka asked.

"Yes, because we need to use the space as a jail cell and he needs to be locked up deep within to ensure he doesn't escape," Marie sighed.

The blonde nodded and pocketed the key. With the rest of the meeting going past in a blur, the only thing was on her mind. How would she make him see the light?

-x-

Maka had finished her homework during lunch, because she knew that taking one step in the cafeteria would mean she wouldn't hear the end of their condescending remarks. In fact, it wasn't too bad. Kid made up some kind of excuse like how he wants to spend his lunch in the library, and secretly met up with her to do homework, as a sort of company.

Still, it kind of stung that he would lie to his friends just to hang out with her. Was hanging out so bad or shameful that the reputation was worth more than being her friend? No, she shouldn't be so selfish. Kid is making a genuine effort to hang out with her.

"I will never abandon you, Maka, even when you're convinced otherwise. Why would I, when in all of my lowest points, you out of everybody was there to lift me right back up? They'll come around, but if they do not, you will always be my closest friend and most trusted ally," Kid said, holding her shoulder during one of her meltdowns in a remote hallway of the school.

Maka sighed, heading down the stairs long after people had left the academy for home. Home, some place that is foreign and alien to her. She doesn't have one, since her father can't give up his womanizing ways (even though he is a doting and loving father), and Soul abandoned her.

The corridors became colder and colder, just like her lonely soul as she passed torches hung up on the walls to provide the only source of light she had in these narrow, frigid pathways.

Finally, she reached the infamous door. Crona's old room. Memories rushed to her about the times she and the pink haired meister shared. How she went to this same room and found out that he escaped, and how she went running after him.

And now, he's gone. Sucked into the madness.

"Aren't you going to come in?" A sinister voice snickered from behind the doors, and Maka shivered.

Wordlessly, Maka input the key and unlocked the door, slowly opening it. She saw what she expected to see; Justin Law in a crazed state, obviously under the effects of madness.

"You're wasting your life, you know," Justin spoke after a couple moments of silence; Maka closed the door.

"I could lead you from this path of destruction and slavery; you could be on your path to redemption if only if you submit to the Kishin," Justin grinned with malice.

"Asura is dead. I killed him," Maka flatly said, "Crona is the new kishin, in case if you have forgotten."

The smirk wiped right off his face and his expression warped into horror, as he struggled against the chains pinning him against the walls. He thrashed and said all the things he disliked about her; how much he hated her and how much she should die.

"Of course, you hate me," Maka whispered, "Just like everyone else."

Justin froze mid-rant, and sunk against the weight of the heavy shackles. His body was tired, and the shackles seemed impossible to break. Leaning against the wall like an abandoned puppet, he looked at the ceiling with a defeated look.

"So when is my execution date?" Justin asked suddenly.

"It's not going to happen," Maka said.

"What do you mean it's not going to happen? I turned my back, there are rules for what happens to people who do that, even though I don't regret what I did," Justin snapped.

"I told him that if I could reason with you, you could live," Maka whispered.

"I'm never going back to the light side. It's so suffocating, trying to be someone who you're not," Justin bitterly spat.

"But you have friends," Maka pleaded.

"I'm lonely, okay? You don't know what it feels like to be all alone and have to do everything on your own with no one to support you!" Justin yelled, resisting against the chains.

"I know now," Maka whispered.

He stopped struggling, eyes wide, as he whispered, "What?"

"You were right, Justin, they would turn back on me," Maka sighed, not wanting to look at him while she admitted her ignorance, "I brushed your words off, thinking how loyal friends like them couldn't possibly backstab me. But it turned out that Soul used me to become a death scythe and that my other so called friends were merely putting up with me and my snobbish bookworm attitude; they said there was only so much they could handle," Maka said, tears slipping down her face, "Kid didn't abandon me yet, although I don't know who to trust anymore. I guess it's a matter of time before he does as well."

Her speech was met with no response. After half a minute, Maka began to nervously laugh.

"Laugh at me. Laugh at my mistakes, my stupidity, foolishness, ignorance, naiveté, and short-temper," Maka shakily said, arms hugging herself, "Laugh at what an idiot I was to believe that I had the perfect life with the perfect people. Mock my carelessness to blindly give my trust away without thinking. Laugh or at least respond."

He still didn't respond. Maka sighed; he might just be ignoring her, just like everyone else. Taking the key out of her pocket, she unlocked the chains that were pinning him to the wall. Placing it on a table next to him, she faced Justin.

"The key's there. You can escape now," Maka boldly said. Justin didn't make a move for the key.

"I unlocked the shackles. You can attack me now," Maka tried again. Justin didn't take the opportunity to hurt her.

After a good ten seconds of waiting, Maka sighed and was going to reach the key to take with her on her way out of his cell when two arms grabbed her around her waist and pinned her back against someone's chest. His hug was warm, and comforting. So this is what it felt like to be spooned. You felt protected and encased in nothing but sheer love. But was it?

"Justin-" Maka said, but was cut off.

"Sleep," was all he said. And she wouldn't argue. It was her first hug in months. She wouldn't turn down a little affection like this.

TBC