Soul Eater

Untouchable

Chapter 65 - Unforgettable

"Maka! How many times do I have to tell you? Stay still. I can't get your hair done if you keeping moving." Liz told her angrily as she stood behind her with a comb in her hand. She scolded at her, but in that moment, that was the least thing Maka cared about. "You still need to change and were moving at a snail's pace. We're going to end up late. Is that what you want?"

"No. Of course not." Maka told her as she turned her head away from the mirror. It was easy for her to say. If she was in her shoes, she would probably be twice as nervous as she was. It was just so hard for her to believe that all of that was happening. She just couldn't believe the big step she was going to take in her life. "How do you expect to relax, though?!" Maka suddenly freaked out as she covered her face with her hands. "It's not everyday you get married! I can't believe this is happening! I think I'm dreaming!"

"Don't touch your face!" Liz hollered back at her, grabbing her wrists. "You'll ruin your make-up! Do you know how long that took me?! And you better not cry either! This is big day for you, Maka! Get a hold of yourself! I'm sure Soul is going through the same thing, okay?! Everything is going to be just fine. Just relax. Take a deep breath and relax."

Maka nodded even though she was far from calm. She had been thinking about her wedding day ever since Soul had proposed to her, but now, the day had finally come. Taking a deep breath, Maka bit her lip as she faced forward again. She stared at her reflection in the mirror while Liz grabbed the curler that was laying on top of the dresser. She grabbed a strand of her hair and slowly twirled it with a curler. She continued doing that with the rest of her hair.

She would finally marry the man she loved, the man that she was destined to be with. Nothing could possibly make her happier, but that didn't mean she wasn't nervous. She was nervous for a number of reasons and she wanted everything to go perfect. However, they were all running on a tight schedule. Liz had had the brilliant idea of having a sleeping over and in the end, they all ended up waking up a bit late. Maka looked around the room as she watched her mother and Tsubaki pull out her white dress. Patty, on the other hand, was next to Liz to assist her with her needs, but Maka couldn't help but wonder how things were going with Soul and the others.

"Hey, Liz?" Maka said, looking up at Liz who was starting to pin some of her up in a nice neat bun. "What are you going to say to Kid? He did just ask you out, didn't he?" Liz's body suddenly froze and Maka could see her blushing through the mirror's reflection. "He's been liking you for a long time, Liz. You're the only one he's ever liked and I wished you could accept him. It would be wonderful if you could love him back."

"Listen, Maka. I'm going to be honest with you." Liz started, shifting her focus to her hair again. Maka could feel her hands shaking and her voice was getting shaky as well. "Kid has become a very good friend over the years, but I don't know if I like him in the romantic sense. Do you know what I mean? I don't really get it myself. I mean, I want to be with him, but I can't see myself as his girlfriend. I'm probably not making any sense, but that's how I feel. Still, it pisses me off whenever I see that stupid classmate of his hanging all over him. It's like she doesn't get that he has no interest in her. Geez."

Maka let out a small laugh, but she tried not to make too obvious. She just hoped Liz would realize her feelings for Kid soon. He was her best friend after all and he deserved happiness as much as she did. Maka turned to look at Tsubaki, who had been listening to their conversation. Unlike Liz, Tsubaki was actually in a pretty steady relationship with Black*Star. Maka had no idea when it had happened since she just happened to see them holding hands one day. The only thing she knew was that they liked each other a lot and she supported them with all her heart.

"There. Finished." Liz finally said, pretending to wipe off some sweat off her forehead. She looked at her with a satisfied grin as she stood right next to her. Maka looked at herself in the mirror, impressed with Liz's skills once again. It was really no surprise, though since she and Patty were running a beauty salon. "You look beautiful and it's all thanks to me. Thanks for letting me fix you up. I'm sure Soul will fall in love with you all over again."

"Oh, Maka! Just look at you! You look so beautiful! I could just cry!" Her mother told her as she stood up from the chair. Maka stared at herself in the mirror and with all the eye shadow Liz had put, her green eyes were really sticking out. Her lips had been stroked with a color of red and her cheeks were flushed up with a faint shade of pink. She didn't look that bad, but she really liked her natural look better.

"I can't believe it." Her mother began as she pulled out a small handkerchief from her handbag. She was starting to get emotional and Maka knew that would only lead to chaos. "My baby girl is finally getting married. I'm just so happy for you! I'm so glad that I'm able to be with you in such an important day!"

Staying silent, Maka gave her mother a small smile as she grabbed her hands. It was an important day for her and she was glad her mother and her friends would be there for her. She loved them all very much and she knew they were happy for her. After all, they had witnessed her love and her relationship with Soul from the very beginning. Maka embraced her mother tightly, leaning her head on top of her shoulder. Her long awaited day had finally arrived. Maka could hear Patty taking pictures like crazy and for the first time, Maka didn't mind.

"Well, enough of that." Her mother stated, wiping a couple of tears with her finger "We need to get you dressed already. We're already running late and we don't want to keep Soul waiting. He's a pretty impatient guy and I'm sure he wants to get over with this as soon as possible."

Maka smiled as image of Soul appeared in her mind. It was strange how her heart still skipped a beat at the sound of his name. Even though she had been living with him for a long time, her heart still fluttered whenever she was around him. She loved him with all her heart and she couldn't wait to be his wife. She was finally going to become Maka Evans. "You're right." Maka replied as she walked over to Tsubaki. Everyone was ready to go except for her. "Let's do this!"

With everyone's help, Maka was able to change into her beautiful dress. It wasn't anything fancy since she had picked out the simplest dress she could find. Still, she loved it and she considered it perfect. Her dress was sleeveless and it was perfectly adjusted at the waist with a decorated lace. From there, her dress ruffled down to the floor and it dragged back just a bit. Since her bouquet of roses were a light shade of pink, her bridesmaids' dresses were also pink; her bridesmaids being Liz, Tsubaki, and Patty. Of course, Soul had also agreed to wear a pink tie with his suit with his excuse being that a true man wore pink. In the end, everyone agreed with it.

"I'm so excited!" Tsubaki exclaimed before she clasped her hands together. Her eyes were glittering with joy and Maka couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking about herself in a wedding dress as well. "I'm so happy for you, Maka! You and Soul deserve this. You two are the most loving couple I know. I wish you two the best and I hope you have lots of kids!"

Maka was about to open her mouth to say something when she heard a loud ruckus coming from the hallway. She turned to look at the door and it wasn't long before she heard a loud and frustrated knocking. After getting no response, Maka suddenly saw her dad barging inside, completely out of breath and he didn't look too happy. He stared at her amazingly before he created a scene. "Maka! Please! You don't have to do this! You can come back to me! It's not too late to take this all back! Papa loves you more than him, Maka! Please don't give yourself to that man! My little girl is still too young for this! I won't allow it!"

"What the hell are you doing here, you idiot!?" Her mother suddenly exclaimed before she grabbed him by the collar. " Get out of here! This is the ladies' room in case you didn't realize it and aside from that, you're suppose to be in the church already! So, don't come in here with your crap! Maka is going to marry Soul and I thought I had drilled that inside your stupid head! I guess you'll never change! You're so annoying! Go away! You're only slowing us down more!"

"Then, this jerk over here wants to take away my fatherly privileges!" Her dad continued to complain as he pulled Mifune out of the hallway. Her dad stared at him with a death glare, but Mifune kept his face expression steady and serious. "Kami, you better not let him! He wants to walk Maka down the aisle and that's my responsibility! I'm her REAL father! I'm the one that's suppose to walk Maka down to her misery! So, don't you even think about it, dude! You might see Maka as your daughter, but she's not! I'm her biological father!"

"I'm not going to stop him if he wants to." Her mother argued back with a sly grin on her face. She crossed her hands and when she saw her father's distraught face, she let out a loud laugh. "Stop being such whiny old man! I don't see nothing wrong with Mifune walking Maka down the aisle. After all, you do oppose the wedding."

"Maka! You can't let her do this to me!" Her father cried as he walked over to her like a child. He hugged her by the waist, pretending to hide from her mother. He stayed that way for a couple of seconds before he finally looked at her properly. He stood up straight and his eyes came into contact with hers. Had he finally gotten serious? Maka certainly hoped so. "Are you sure about this, Maka? Are you sure you want to bind your life with that Soul Evans?"

Smiling, Maka placed her hands over her father's face and for the first time that day, she could feel tears swelling inside her eyes. Even though he was always playing around and never taking anything seriously, Maka knew that he loved her and that he cared about her a lot. Maka embraced him tightly and even though he annoyed her to no end sometimes, she loved him too. He was her father after all and he had always been there for her. "Yes, Papa." Maka told him, releasing him from her embrace. He was already crying a river of tears. "I love Soul and you know that. We finally decided to take this extra step and I know he's the one for me."

Her father nodded before he took hold her hands. He gave them a tight squeeze, but his tears didn't stop. Maka couldn't help but smile at him. "If that's what you want, then I guess I can't keep opposing. I give you two my blessing." However, the minute he said his last sentence, his tears quickly dried up and his eyes suddenly glowed with determination. "So, tell your mother to let me walk you down the aisle! That stupid guy doesn't have any right! How dare he even suggest that to me?! Can you believe that?! He just came up to me to ask if I wanted him to take my spot! Maka is my daughter! She's mine!"

Maka laughed as she watched her parents argue. Then, she slowly turned to look at herself in the mirror again. Liz had really outdone herself since she really did look beautiful. She was about to take the best man in the world and just knowing she would be with him forever made her happy. She continued to stare at herself as she grabbed her bouquet of roses from the dresser. It was her day. She was finally getting married. She was finally going to change her last name to Evans.

"Mama?" Startled, Maka was snapped from her thoughts. She placed the picture frame back over the coffee table before she looked down at Sophie. She wondered just how long she had been staring at the her wedding picture. "I can't put the ribbon on. It keeps slipping. Can you put it for me?"

"Of course." Maka said with delight as she took the ribbon from her hand. She slowly began to tie it around her ponytail, making sure to leave a nice and beautiful bow. Once she was done, her daughter smiled at her happily before she grabbed her teddy bear from the sofa. "Looks like you're all ready to go." Maka patted her head, a smile escaping from her lips. "That dress looks really cute and I'm sure you're dad will love it as well."

"Do you really think daddy will like it?" She said, excitedly as she held her teddy bear closer to her chest. Maka nodded and Sophie let out a small squeal of joy. Maka let out a sigh as she looked down at her own simple dress. They both had to dress up since they were about to go to a very special occasion. "Do you like my teddy bear, Mama? Daddy bought it for me! He said that it would take care of me whenever he wasn't around! He also said that he was going to take me to the Zoo next week! I can't wait! I want to take a picture of all the animals and I want to hang them all over the wall!"

Maka smiled at her, but it didn't really surprised her in the least since Soul tended to spoil her a bit too much. "Alright. I hope we'll all be able to go." She told Sophie and she excitedly nodded with a cheerful laugh. She was about to six, but to Soul she would always be his little girl. "I hope you keeping doing well in school. You wouldn't want to disappoint your dad after everything he has done for you, okay?"

"Yes, Mama!" She said happily before she ran out of the living room. Maka let out a sigh, walking right behind her. She was about to go up the stairs when she heard the doorbell. Usually, the maid would go running to answer it but since she was right there, Maka decided to open the door herself. Even after moving inside the house Soul had inherited from his father, Maka still didn't like the idea of having maids do the work for her. She always tended to cook herself and do chores along with them. That was just the way she was raised after all.

Maka opened the door to find Kid standing in front of the doorway. She greeted him with a small hug before she let him come in. "Oh, Kid. This is a surprise. I thought you said that you wouldn't be able to make it."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to make it after all. I'm not only dropping off Liz at the airport; I'm leaving with her." Kid told her with a small smile, but Maka could see some embarrassment rising up. "This is her big opportunity and I just can't leave her alone. She's finally going to debut as a designer and I want to be there to support her. Patty is probably going to accompany you all, though. She has to stay behind to manage their salon after all."

"Oh, Kid." Maka told him, feeling happiness for him. "I hope everything goes well for the both of you. It's okay. It can't be helped and I know that Soul will understand. So, please have a safe trip."

"I just thought I would tell you this in person. I'm really sorry that I'm not able to make it." Kid apologized again as he pulled her into another tight embrace. "Take care of yourself and the family. Please congratulate Soul for me. I probably won't be back in a while. I'll call sometime, okay?"

Maka nodded before Kid finally let go of her. He patted her head like the way he would when they were back in high school. Waving her hand, Maka watched as he went out the door. He had come all that way just to tell her that he was leaving. Maka would have loved him and Liz to accompany them on Soul's special day. Still, Liz had gotten an important offer that she just couldn't afford to turn down. A person of very high status had taken an interest in one of her designs and he asked her to come work for him. Of course, Liz immediately accepted and Maka wasn't surprised the Kid was going to follow her. It would be careless of him to let his girlfriend work in a faraway town with who knows who.

Ruffling down her dress, Maka climbed up the stairs and made sure she didn't trip over her heels. She checked her watched, realizing that they only had a couple of minutes left before they needed to head down toward the car. They couldn't be late. Soul had told them over and over again not to be late and Maka promised she wouldn't. She and Sophie were ready. There was just one more person Maka needed to check on.

She walked down the hallway, but stopped when she stood in front of his door. She took in a deep breath before she knocked on the door slightly. She waited there for a couple of seconds or so and when she received no response, Maka knocked again. Growing impatient, Maka knocked for the third time, louder and harder. "Are you almost ready?"

"I don't want to go and I'm not going!" He shouted before the door finally flew open. Maka stared down at Max with horror since he wasn't anywhere near ready. His hair was a mess and he was still wearing his regular clothing. "There's no way I'm wearing that suit or whatever! That tie chokes me! Besides, it's going to be boring! I'm going to Josh's house. He got this really cool video game that I want to see."

"How can you say that?" Maka asked him, placing her hand over her hips and furrowing her eyebrows. There was no doubt about it. He had definitely gotten his father's temper and her stubbornness. "You're dad has been preparing for this day for a long time! Are you telling me that you don't care about him? Don't you want to see your dad's debut as a pianist? It's his first performance and he wants his entire family to be there. So forget about going to Josh's house. You're going to change into that suit because I say so. Do you understand?"

"This is so annoying." He grumbled under his breath as he leaned against the doorway. Maka wasn't planning on leaving until he agreed on going. They had been having that argument all week and it was all because he didn't want to wear the suit she had especially picked out for him. "I don't want to wear that suit. It itches and it doesn't go with me at all. Then, I have to brush my hair back. I look like a nerd when I do that. Why can't you just let me go to Josh's house? You always let me go to his house. Why don't you let me go now?"

"I told you why already. Don't make me repeat myself." Maka told him raising her voice a little bit more. "Everyone is going, Max. Do you know how sad your dad would be if he didn't see you with us and all because you don't want to wear a suit? Can't you bare it for a couple of hours? It's not going to kill you. I can assure you. So, hurry up and get ready. You only have a couple of minutes."

"Fine." He stated before he finally shut the door. Maka let out a deep breath as shook her head. For a nine year old, he really did have quite a temper and he was always picking fights with everyone. She usually got plenty of complaints from the teachers and no matter how many times she and Soul lectured him, he just wouldn't learn. Still, he had a large group of friends, both boys and girls and his grades weren't bad either. The only problem was his behavior. Maka was so busy daydreaming and thinking about Max, that she didn't realize the moment he had come out of his room. "There. Are you happy?"

"Very." Maka told him as she bent down to fix his tie. He groaned, pulling himself back a little. Maka laughed at his reaction but she was already used to it. He didn't like it when she showed him any signs of affections, but she did it anyway. When Maka had finished adjusting his tie, she placed her hands over his face and gave him a kiss on the forehead. Of course, he immediately backed away with annoyance. "You look so nice. Such a dashing boy. You're going to find a girlfriend in no time."

"I don't want one!" He quickly exclaimed as he crossed his hands. Rolling his eyes, his began to point at his shoes with frustration. "I hate these shoes! They fit me so tight and I hate wearing this ugly suit. If you want me to go so badly, why can't I just wear my jeans? Why do we have to go all formal?"

"Because those are the rules. Mama, told me so." Sophie interrupted as she walked over to him. She pulled on his sleeve before she gave him a happy smile. "You look so cute, brother! You're almost like a prince! You should let me do your hair! I can put some really cute ribbons on you. I have some that color, too! Do you want me to get them for you?"

"No, I don't! Just go away! You're so annoying." He told her, but Sophie was already used to his foul humor. She laughed, pushing her teddy bear toward his face. Max let out groan and Maka could see that he was containing some his anger inside. "Get that thing away from me! You're going to get me full of your girly germs! How gross! Besides, this isn't any of your business! Just go away!"

"Max, be nicer to your sister!" Maka told him since Sophie's smile had already turned upside down. "She's just trying to cheer you up and she's right. You should consider fixing your hair before you leave. It would be bad if you left it that way. At least take some hair off your face."

"Fine!" He did what he was told before he turned to look back at his sister. "She's always like this. It's just so annoying and embarrassing. Whenever she sees me at school, she goes out of her way just to say hi to me. She acts like she doesn't me at home or something. Why can't you just leave me alone? You're always tagging along everywhere and you better not sit down next to me during the performance thing. I'm not going to be babysitting you."

Maka was about to say something when she saw the maid rushing up the stairs. She told them that it was time to go and that the car was ready. With that being said, they all started heading down the stairs and Sophie didn't waste anytime to hold her brother's hand. Of course, he immediately shoved it away but after much persistence, he ended up giving in to her request. Maka smiled at the sight of her kids and she really couldn't have asked for a better family. She had married the man she loved and they were able to form a loving family.

After she grabbed her purse, they all headed out the door to the car, where the driver was patiently waiting for them with the open door. Sophie climbed inside first before Max and herself. Once they were all properly seated with their seat belts on, the driver turned on the car and started driving away to the music hall Soul was going to debut in.

It wasn't long before they finally arrived and as the driver parked the car, Maka immediately caught sight of Tsubaki and Black*Star, who seemed just as impatient as ever. Smiling, Maka got off the car herself, not bothering to wait for the driver to open the door for her. Sophie immediately ran out to meet Tsubaki with a big embrace. Max, of course, got off the car unwillingly and Maka couldn't help but give him a pat on the head which only made him groan.

"Hey, Soph!" Black*Star exclaimed in his usual excited voice. Despite all the years the had passed, he hadn't changed a bit. He was still the same Black*Star that she had known since high school, the only difference being that he was a soon to be dad. Black*Star grinned at her daughter before he shuffled her hair playfully. "You came here to see your dad, right?! You excited?"

She nodded happily before she ran with Max again. She grabbed his hand, but he quickly tried to shove it away. Maka let out a small helpless sigh and turned to look at her friends. "I'm glad that you two were able to make it. Kid stopped by a little a while to tell me that he was going to leave with Liz after all."

"Well, I'm happy for them." Tsubaki said, placing a hand over her small belly. "Where's Soul's stepmother? Didn't you tell me before that she was also coming? I don't see her around. I thought she would be here before us?"

"She's probably already inside." Maka told her before she walked over to her kids. Black*Star was making fun of Max again and Maka knew that he wasn't in the mood to deal with his dad's crazy friend. Maka grabbed Sophie's hand and turned back to look at her friends. "We should also head inside. We don't want to be late."

…

Soul took a deep breath as he stood in front of the door. He could feel his heart jumping right out of his chest and a part of him wanted to runaway. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe what had just happened and a part of him was still in shock. He gulped to himself as he looked at the door in front of him again. He gripped tightly on the small bouquet of flowers before placing his other hand on the door knob. Everything had happened so fast and he still couldn't believe that he had just presence his wife giving birth.

Gathering his courage, Soul turned the doorknob to find Maka laying on top of the bed half asleep and completely worn out. When he closed the door, she quickly woke up. A smile formed on her face the minute she realized it was him. She held out her hand and Soul quickly walked over to grab it. He gave it a tight squeeze before he bent down to give her a kiss in the forehead. She had done it. She had given birth to their first son.

"How are you doing, Maka?" He asked as he placed the flowers he had brought for her on one of the guest chairs. He looked at her and he could see exhaustion written all over her face. He would never understand how a woman even managed to stay alive after giving birth. It seemed like an impossible task for him and it was something that would always amaze him. "You should rest if you're tired. I wouldn't mind watching over you."

"I'm doing fine." She told him through a quiet and scratchy voice. "You should head back to school now, Soul. I don't want you to be skipping class. You're barely passing after all. You can't afford to let your grades to slip after you've worked so hard."

"That doesn't matter right now." Soul replied to receive a long sigh. What did she expect him to do? There was no way he was planning to go back to school after his wife had just given birth. He had almost died when Tsubaki called him to tell him that Maka was about to go into labor. Soul patted her head, pushing her hair away from her face. Even though she was tired and worn out, he still found her beautiful. "I'm going to stay right here and nothing you say will change that."

It was thanks to her that he had gotten into college and it was thanks to her that he gotten into the music program. She was always keeping him in check. She was always making sure he didn't slack off and so far, all of his hard work was paying off. He was getting pretty decent grades and he wasn't getting any complaints from his professors. He was sure if he kept all that up, he would be able to make it far. Of course, she was also working hard for her dream, but with her pregnancy, she had to become a part time student. Even so, Soul believed in her and he knew that she would be able to graduate as a psychologist soon.

In that moment, none of that mattered to him, though. He was a dad. He had just become a father to a small baby boy. He had only seen him briefly and he honestly couldn't wait to hold him in his arms. He wanted to see what it felt like to be a father for the very first time. Soul looked at Maka to find her staring at him. "I guess it's okay. I don't want you to leave me anyways. Please stay with me, Soul."

"I will and I already contacted your parents." Soul told her and he could already imagine the scene her dad was going to make. He wasn't really looking forward to that, but he didn't have much of a choice. He had the right to see his grandson after all. "They're on there way over here and you're dad was going crazy over the phone."

"Yeah, I can imagine so." Maka said to him with a snicker before she laid back on her pillow. "It finally came true, Soul. We're finally parents. You have no idea how happy I am. I could just cry out of excitement."

Soul could see the happiness pouring out of her face. He smiled at her as he thought about his own happiness. They had both just been blessed with a child and it was a boy no less. A part of him had wanted the baby to be a girl, but now he realized that whether the baby had been a girl or boy, the love would have been the same. Nothing would have changed the fact that he was dad and that he had a responsibility to fulfil. He would not only have to work for Maka and for himself. He now had another small mouth to feed. Soul gave Maka's hand another squeeze and it was on that moment that the heard a faint knock. He was going to get up to open it, but the door flew open before he even had a chance.

"Congrats, Soul!" Black*Star hollered and Soul was suddenly found stuck in his friend's embrace. He was squeezing him so tightly that he was practically running out of breath. Soul pushed him off and Black*Star immediately dashed toward Maka. It was amazing. Even though he was working full time as a boxing coach, his energy levels were always the same. "Maka! Congrats to you to! You two are finally parents! I can't wait to see Soul Jr.! I just hope he doesn't get his father's looks! If he does, he's going to be one ugly looking baby!"

"What the hell did you just say?!" Soul barked at him, feeling his eyebrow twitch. He grabbed Black*Star by the collar, but his crazy friend only let out a laugh. He was playing around, but Soul couldn't find the amusement. "If you came here to insult others, then just leave! In case you didn't know, only one visitor is allowed at this time! So go away, moron!"

"So mean! You never change! Let's hope your son doesn't get that attitude of yours!" He told him again, obviously playing around. Soul rolled his eyes as he let go of him. He could hear Maka laughing faintly even though she was trying her best to hold it in. "Where is he, anyways?! I wanna see him! I want to see my new nephew!"

"Nephew?" Soul couldn't help, but raise his eyebrow. He was suppose to be an adult and yet, he acted as immature as ever. Soul couldn't help but wonder how he even made it through life. Letting out a sigh, Soul looked at the door again to see Tsubaki coming in with some balloons and small vase with flowers. Why didn't they understand that only one visitor was allowed?

"Congratulations!" She told them sweetly before she placed her gifts on a small table beside the television. She walked over to give Maka a hug and she happily accepted it. "You're both parents! That must be very exciting for the both of you! I'm glad everything went okay."

Soul watched them for a little bit and it wasn't long before Tsubaki dragged Black*Star out of there. She told Maka to rest and that they would visit her later when she had recuperated her strength a little more. Soul felt a bit relieved the moment he was left alone with Maka again. She was tired and she really did need some sleep. He was about to sit down next to her again when the door flew open again and he was surprised to find a nurse with a small baby in a hospital crib.

She carefully rolled the crib inside and she slowly positioned it the right side of the room. She didn't have to say anything because they both knew what she was doing. Soul turned to look at Maka and he could see her face radiating with delight. The moment had finally come. They were both going to meet their first son properly. Soul had already carried him before, the minute Maka had given birth to him, but he had been so busy crying that he wasn't able to enjoy the moment at all. His excitement had overpowered him and had locked away his mind.

The nurse carefully lifted their baby from the transparent crib before she walked over to Maka. With a small smile on her face, the nurse placed the baby in Maka's arms. When that was done, the nurse quietly stepped back and introduce the baby as theirs. Soul watched Maka as she enjoyed the baby in her arms. She looked at him with wonder, pressing his small little strands of hair with her fingers. She caressed his cheeks gently before she fixed the blue blanket that was wrapped over his small little body.

Soul was standing pretty far back and he wasn't sure how to approach Maka. She looked so beautiful with their son in her arms. Taking in a deep breath, Soul took a couple of steps toward them. The baby was fast asleep, but every now and then, Soul could see him moving around. When Soul finally stood in front of them, he placed his hand over Maka's shoulder. He was finally a dad. He was the father of a beautiful and adorable son. They were finally a family.

"Why don't you try carrying him?" Maka asked him, looking up at him. At first, Soul hesitated but when he turned to look at the small sleeping baby in Maka's arms, Soul just couldn't say no. He nodded before he carefully took his son from Maka's arms. "He's so beautiful, Soul. I have a feeling he's going to look exactly like you. I can already see that he has your hair color."

Soul didn't say anything since his mind and his heart were focused on his son. He remembered when he had carried Maka's step brother the same way when he was little, but the feeling was no where the same. He had never felt more happier in his entire life. He wanted to scream out to the world that he was a father and he hoped that his own dad was looking down at him from heaven proudly. Soul began to slowly rock him in his arms as his eyes began to swell with tears again. He was being far too emotional that day, but he was willing to make an exception.

"Hey there, little guy." Soul greeted him quietly when he began to stir around a little. He caressed his cheek with his finger and even though it was brief, Soul saw his son opening his eyes. "Welcome to the world. I'm your dad and I promise to always take care of you. I'm not perfect, but I'll try to be for you and your mother."

"Soul Jr.?" Maka asked him from behind and Soul turned to find her falling asleep. She kept forcing her eyes to stay open while her breaths kept getting longer. Soul couldn't really blame her. She had just brought a baby to the world and from what he had witnessed, it definitely wasn't easy and it was something he was glad he didn't get experience first hand. It was painful enough to watch Maka go into labor. "Do you want to name our first son Soul? I think it would fit him perfectly."

"I don't think so." Soul told her softly as he looked at his son one more time. He was trying to pull out one of his hands, but the blanket was wrapped around him tightly. Soul smiled before he gave him a small kiss on the forehead. "We should find a name that's more similar to yours."

"Why?"

"Because," Soul quickly replied, turning around so he could look at Maka. "He has your green eyes."

"Soul, are you ready?" Soul was snapped from his thoughts as he turned around to see his brother coming in his direction. Giving him a grin, Soul went back to fixing his tie. He was running out of time and it wouldn't be long before it was he had to go on stage. "The day is finally here, huh? You're finally going to perform again."

"Yeah, I thought I would never be ready." Soul told him after his failure to fix his bow tie. It still looked ugly and sloppy since he wasn't used to doing those sort of things. He would always get Maka to do it for him. Letting out a groan, Soul continued on fixing it. He needed to look presentable especially since he knew that his entire family would be out there watching him. "Believe it or not, I'm feeling kind of nervous. I haven't performed in front of a crowd since what feels like forever. I was just a brat when I last played the piano on stage."

"You shouldn't have quit." Wes began to lecture him again even though Soul knew he was in no position to talk. He didn't play the violin much either since he was too busy taking over his father's company. "Just imagine how good you would be if you still continued playing in middle school. You would probably be a composer or a conductor by now."

"Don't rub it in." Soul snapped at him since it was practically his fault he had stopped. Still, that was a part of the past and Soul didn't like to dwell on it. He had a lovely family he needed to take care of and he knew that they expected great things from him. "You should have accepted to play a duet with me, but you refused. That would have been pretty awesome, you know."

"Maybe next time." Wes told him and he surprised him a bit when he patted his shoulder supportingly. Of course, Soul quickly pushed it away which in turn made his older brother laugh. They were the only ones that were playing it cool backstage since everyone else was running around in a panic. Some the coordinators didn't have the stage set up and the performance was going to start soon. "You're so tensed up. Relax. Everything is going to turn out fine and I'm sure you're performance will end up making history."

Soul doubted that. He was just a plain pianist as far as the world was concerned. Still, he knew Maka and many other loved ones were proud of his accomplishments. It wasn't much and maybe being a professional pianist didn't mean much to other people, but it sure as hell meant a lot to him. After all, before Maka and before his family, he was a no one.

"Daddy!" That voice. He could make it out in a crowd of a million. Soul turned away from Wes to see Maka, Sophie and Max coming in his direction. He could see Sophie jumping up and down excitedly and her smile always filled up his chest with warmth. "Uncle Wes! We're here!"

"Princess." Soul lifted her from the ground and carried her in his arms. He playfully pinched her nose, making her laugh and making her crimson eyes sparkle. "You look so pretty today. That dress really suits you. One day you're going to be as pretty as your mother."

He could hear Maka letting out a sigh, but he was being totally serious. With a smirk on his face, Soul placed Sophie back on the floor before he grabbed her hand. He walked over to Maka and gave her a quick kiss in the lips. He stared at her for a couple of seconds or so, admiring her presence. She looked as beautiful as ever especially since she had prettied herself up for him. Soul looked down at Max who didn't look too happy to be there.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Soul suddenly asked his son before he ruffled his hair around. He didn't say anything and turned to look away a bit embarrassed. It really was no surprise for him, though. Max was always acting like that and it always took him some effort to get him to speak up. Soul gave him a smile and gave him a light pat on the shoulder. "It's cool. We can talk about it later."

"Just look at you, Soul. When are you going to learn to do a tie?" Maka told him helplessly as her hands reached out to his collar. She slowly began to fix and adjust his bow tie the way it was suppose to be. She was just too perfect and she was probably the only person that could see through his flaws. "Kid wasn't able to come. He left with Liz to the airport a while ago. He told me to congratulate you from his part. He really wanted to come."

"It's not like this is a big deal." Soul replied as he turned to look at the stage that was behind him. They were setting up the piano first since he was technically the opening act. In reality, he didn't want to start first and he was afraid that he would mess up because of it. "I'll probably get a bigger performing role next time anyways. I guess you can say this is like an introduction. Still, it is my first performance after music school. A solo no less."

"Well, let's go find our seats." Wes suddenly said interrupting them, but he was mostly talking to Sophie and Max. He placed his arms around both of them before he grabbed their hands. Max didn't waste anytime to shove it away. He probably felt to old for that sort of thing. "C'mon, let's go. You're mother will catch up with us later."

Sophie quickly nodded her head and turned back to wave at them. She happily skipped along with Wes out to the exit. Max, on the other hand, lingered back a bit and then he turned around to look at him. He placed his hand behind his back and Soul could see that he was struggling with something. "Umm, Dad?" He began, looking down at the floor. "I hope...you do good and I want to learn how to play the piano too. Do you think you can teach me sometime?"

"Alright." Soul told him with a smirk, parting from Maka for a bit. He held out his fist and Max quickly made fist contact. "You can count on it. I'll be more than happy to teach you, little man. Just let me know when you want to get started."

Max nodded a bit shyly before Soul saw him smile for the first time that day. Then it wasn't long before he started walking away toward Wes, who was waiting for him by the doorway. Soul let out a sigh as he watched them leave. Man, did he love them all. He even loved his brother who he had learned to trust over the past years. He wondered where they would be if they had never gotten over their differences. He seemed to be having a pretty decent life, especially considering how he had taken over his father's company. He was a good businessman and he had a pretty nice fiancee.

He was still staring off into the distance when Maka continued to fix his bowtie. Soul looked down at her fragile hands as they carefully pulled on his shirt's collar. "Max is a good kid and I can see that he admires you a lot. That's probably why he has trouble talking to you sometimes. You shouldn't take it too personally."

"Yeah, I know. He reminds me of me when I was young." Soul told her and when she was finally finished fixing his tie, he pulled her closer by the waist. He wrapped his arms around her body with their faces only inches apart. It didn't how much time passed. His love for Maka would never change and he would love her forever. "You look really beautiful, Maka. Did I tell you that already?"

"Don't change topics." She snapped at him, turning her head away. Soul placed his hand over her face and made her look back in his direction. He just couldn't get enough of her and it was thanks to her that he was having such a wonderful life. What more could he ask for anyways? He had a beautiful wife and two beautiful children. "Shouldn't you be getting ready? Isn't the show about to start in couple of minutes?"

"It's okay." Soul whispered before he pressed a kiss on her lips. He embraced her tighter and he could see some embarrassment on her face. "I still have some time to spare."

Maka chuckled and she slowly pushed him away. She crossed her hands, lifting one of her eyebrows. "You never change. I really should get going back. Tsubaki was saving our seats, but still, I don't want to keep her waiting. Then, Max has been picking fights with Sophie a lot lately. She's just so attached to him and she's also way too attached to you. Sometimes I feel like you spoil her more than you really need to."

"What me?" Soul asked with sarcasm, but Maka didn't find it amusing at all. "It's not like I spoil Sophie more. She just needs more protection. She's my little girl after all. What do you expect me to do?"

"You're going to end up worse than my dad." Maka told him, pointing at him with her index finger. Soul let out a sigh as he thought about Spirit and all the mess he made him go through. He was way too protective over Maka and it was only until then that Soul was finally starting to understand. He would never in hell let Sophie get taken away by some random boy. Soul shook those thoughts away since it was way too early to be worrying about something like that. "You're hopeless, Soul."

"It's alright, Maka. There's still time before that happens." Soul said to her as he grabbed her hands. Then he slowly placed them over his lips before he heard one of the stage coordinators shout that there were only five minutes left. "Max and I will beat the crap out of any guy that makes her cry. You can bet on it. And, I'll also be here to protect you."

Maka shook her head before she leaned in closer. She kissed him softly on the lips, but that was only enough to taunt him. When she was about to pull away, Soul grabbed her by the waist again and pulled her in for a deeper kiss. He kissed her and he didn't want to let her go. They had been together for so long and yet, he lost his mind every single time he was with her. When they finally parted, Maka let go off his hand before she slowly started walking away. Soul gave her a smile as he became determined to give her the performance of her life.

Taking in a deep breath, Soul started reciting the music notes inside his head. He had practiced like crazy for that moment and he had to make sure he didn't mess up. He wanted to show Max just how wonderful and enjoyable it was to play the piano. He wanted to learn how to play and Soul was about to make sure he didn't change his mind. Inhaling another big gulp of air, Soul started to release the tension in his shoulders and he started to relax his muscles. This was it. The day he had been preparing for was finally there. It was finally time to show the world who Soul Eater Evans was and who he had become because of his family.

He waited there for a while longer and when it was finally his time to get on stage, Soul began to feel the jitters in his stomach again. He tried to block all the nervousness. He tried to block away all his insecurities. He needed to focus. He was about to perform in front of the biggest crowd ever and he had special guests that were expecting the very best from him. He couldn't fail them. He couldn't fail his son who looked up to him.

Soul stood in mid-stage with the piano right behind him. Once the curtains were slowly lifted, Soul was suddenly faced with a sound of applause. He quickly bowed down and he could feel his heart jumping right out of his chest. His palms were starting to feel sweaty and his breathing was starting to get out of control. He closed his eyes for several seconds as he tried to relax again. When he finally lifted his head, Soul quickly scanned the front rows. A sigh of relief escaped his mouth when he saw Maka and his family sitting down in the first two rows.

He could see them clearly despite the dimness of the music hall. Black*Star was clapping like an idiot, giving him a thumbs up. Tsubaki remained calm, but she seemed little uncomfortable by all the noise Black*Star was making. Wes was looking in his direction with a wide grin in his face. He was probably proud of him and he had told him that many times before. Patty was sitting down next to Meredith, his stepmother, and they were both just as excited to see him. To say that Meredith was wiping her tears with a white handkerchief. Then, his gaze quickly went toward Maka and his kids. Sophie was clapping happily with a smile that was probably brighter than the sun. Max was as serious as ever since he was trying to pull off his cool act. Maka was clapping along with Sophie, but she was the reason he was even standing up there at all.

Soul took another quick bow before he finally turned around to walk toward the piano. He slowly sat down in the seat and he looked down at the piano keys with disbelief. He was actually there. The last time he had been on that stage was when he had played for Maka personally back when they were in high school. Now, he was there again and this time they weren't high school students. They were both adults, married and with a lovely family.

Placing his fingers over the piano keys, the applause from the crowd finally ceased. He wasn't the only one performing that night and he knew that many more famous and well known musicians were going to take the stage that night. Still, it was a big accomplishment for him and if Maka hadn't crossed his path he wouldn't have been there at all. Soul took in a deep breath before he started playing the piano.

He fingers struck the piano keys passionately and he didn't even have to look at his music notes. He knew that song by heart since it was the same piano piece he had played for Maka many years ago. The only difference was that he had perfected it and he wasn't only playing it for her; he was playing it for everyone. He was playing it for his kids, for his brother, for his friends, for his stepmother, for his father, and for everyone else who had bothered to come out that night. Soul's fingers grazed through the piano keys as he felt the music run through his veins. He just hoped that the beautiful melody that had once belong to Maka would be able to reach the hearts of the many people that were out there.

This was it. He had done it. He had become a man that Maka would be proud of calling her husband. He had become a father that his children would be proud of talking about. He had become a person that people could actually point at and say good things about. He wasn't that same brat he was when he was in high school. He wasn't that rebellious monster that had no motivation and no meaning.

He was a person that cared about his family more than anything. Sophie, his beautiful daughter, would always give him a smile that would shed away his doubts and insecurities. Max, his beloved son, would always motivate him indirectly to become better and better. Maka, his one and only wife, was his pillar. She was the one that gave him strength and she was the one that gave him the courage to face anything. Without them, he just wouldn't be complete.

Soul paused briefly before he pressed piano keys again. After everything that had happened, he was actually there and he was living a life that he never thought he would have. He was happy even after thinking that he didn't deserve it. He was enjoying life to the fullest despite it's ups and downs. Still, he understood that everyone, no matter how ugly their past where, deserved happiness and everyone should fight for it.

The minutes continued to tick by and it wasn't long before Soul finally struck the last key. By that point his hands were trembling and he had no idea how he had even managed to finish the song. The crowd sat silent for a second or so before they erupted in wave of applause. Soul let out a deep breath before he stood up from his seat. His legs had gone numb and his mouth had gone completely dry. Still, he had done it. He had performed for the first time since middle school. He had performed in front of Maka and his friends. He had performed in front of his children for the very first time.

Walking up to the middle of the stage, Soul took another quick bow and this time, he could feel all his emotions piling up at once. This would be the beginning of his new music life and he hoped he would be able to get a chance to perform in another bigger and better music hall; A music hall were only legends would be born. Soul lifted his head and before he walked off the stage, he looked at his family again. He waved at them with pride because without them, he wouldn't have become the person he was.

He was Soul Eater Evans, husband, father, pianist, human.

...

Thank you everyone! Thank you for reading this story till the end and I hope to see you around soon! The support you have given me will never be forgotten and it's thanks to you all that I was able to finish my first fanfic ever! Thank you again! Love you all!