***disclaimer: I did not write the lyrics included in this story. The song is Love's Old Sweet Song (lyrics by G.C. Bingham, music by James Molloy)***

It was a relaxing night. The air was the perfect temperature without a touch of humidity. Spirit slowly ambled down the streets of Death City. He had had a long day and he needed to get a drink. He was headed to his usual spot. It was even livelier now that the adorable kitty Blair was working there. She would pour him a glass and listen to his troubles with compassion. He shook his head. To be completely honest he had mixed feelings about landing the gig at Death Weapon Meister Academy. Being within reach of Stein made his skin crawl.

However, if it was what he needed to do to be near his precious Maka then it was a cross he was proud to bear. He knew that her little heart was overflowing with gratitude at having her papa nearby. She hadn't exactly expressed it yet but before long his paternal love would bring her true feelings to the surface. When she finally ran into his arms it would make all of his suffering worthwhile.

In the meantime, there was also that luscious Dr. Medusa. She could kiss his boo-boo better any time. Just picturing her made his cheeks glow bright red and radiate heat. He continued to daydream as he rounded a corner and stumbled into a large metal trash can. He jumped back on his good leg and held his injured knee in his hands. Muttering curses, he glanced around to see if he anyone had been watching. If so he could go ahead and add his pride to the list of casualties. Luckily the streets were pretty barren. People were most likely at home with their families having dinner. Besides, this wasn't an especially crowded part of town even on the best of days.

Spirit glanced up at the rows of windows above the businesses. He was sure at least a few of them were apartments. One of the glass panes was adorned with freshly painted shutters. A small potted white daisy rested on the sill. He wondered about the inhabitants.

Below the window was a new bar. The owner hadn't occupied the location for very long. Word on the street was that they had live entertainment every night. Apparently they weren't getting much traffic because almost no noise floated through the thick door. Spirit walked up to the large window and tried to peek in. It was mostly covered by a dark red curtain and dimly lit. A layer of smoke hung just below the ceiling. Spirit stepped up to the handle and tested it. They were open. The door swung open and he entered.

His eyes took a few seconds to adjust to the lack of light. The floor was carpeted. A lanky man with hollow cheeks leaned against the bar. He absentmindedly cleaned a glass. He may have been wiping it for hours. The atmosphere was completely different from Spirit's usual haunt. It was dank. There weren't very many tables: five or six at the most. Each had three chairs. They circled around a small stage. It was only one step above the ground. There was a negative vibe in the air that he couldn't place.

He considered leaving when a woman stepped into the faint spotlight. Spirit's jaw dropped to the floor. Her heart shaped face was framed by ebony hair that cascaded down the curve of her spine. Her eyes were pale green. A simple red dress hung from her frame. It wasn't particularly flashy or provocative but she was beautiful in it. Her gaze fell to the black leather pumps on her feet. She adjusted the mic and winked at the bartender. He set down the tumbler which was somehow still misty even after all that cleaning. He strolled over to a large radio and hit the play button. A low static ridden piano solo resonated from two unseen speakers pressed against the ceiling.

"Just a song at twilight, when the lights are low,
And the flick'ring shadows softly come and go,
Tho' the heart be weary, sad the day and long,
Still to us at twilight comes Love's old song,
comes Love's old sweet song."

Guiding himself with his hands, Spirit lowered himself into a chair. He leaned forward onto the table and held his chin in his hands like a school girl with a crush. Oh my gosh, she is the most beautiful angel in the sky. His face contorted into a scrunched up smile as her lovely tune filled his head and tickled his senses. His heart sank when the outro started playing. He wanted more. Spirit launched to his feet. His hands slammed together with tenacity. The woman was almost caught off guard. She made a small "Oh." Sprit started cheering enthusiastically

"Encore!" Encore! We want an encore!"

The woman's face was hard to read. Spirit could not tell what she was thinking and he could not see souls like Stein or Maka. She put a hand to her cheek and softly cooed "Thank you." Spirit gave her large dorky thumbs up before sitting down again. The bartender eyeballed Spirit. He didn't seem like any trouble but he certainly stood out in a place like this. He wasn't the usual clientele they received. The radio started another song and the woman resumed singing with a small hint of a smile dancing on her lips. Spirit leaned back in his chair comfortably. He nodded over in the direction of the bar and made a gesture. The bartender brought him a bottle and glass. Spirit mused serenely. Sorry Blair, I've found a new place for a little while. This is what falling in love must feel like.