Authors Note: Here is a short little drabble I wrote up a while ago. Might as well post it here right? So anyways in this fic I imagined them older then they were in the manga/anime. Probably around 17 or 18. Anyways I hope you enjoy it!

They started happening after I was hurt protecting Maka from Chrona and Ragnarok. The nightmares I mean. Every night I would hear Maka crying out softly in her sleep. It was the same simple words night after night. A mere 'No Soul!' But those simple words struck me to the core. They made me feel like I was dying slowly from the inside out. Tonight was no exception.

It must have been around one am when it happened, for Death City is only quiet under the blanket of night. I was laying half sleep, half in and half out of the covers, waiting for sleep to consume me. Then I heard it. The gut clenching sound of my partner, no she is more than that, my other half screaming bloody murder. This nightmare must have been the worst one yet for I had never heard a scream like this before.

I quickly came to my senses and stumbled out of bed, freeing myself from the tangle of sheets. Rushing to Maka's room I threw open the door and rushed to her bedside. The sight of her was pitiful and I had to hold back tears. She was curled in on herself crying profusely. She had one hand clutched over her heart as if its beating was killing her instead of helping her live.

Sitting on what little space the twin bed provided, I scooped the sobbing girl into my arms. Wrapping her in a tight hug I rocked her back and forth gently, as if swaying in the wind.

"Shhh..." I whispered, "It's just a dream Maka. It's all just a dream. You are okay"

As though my voice was the key to the lock keeping her in the dream she immediately woke as I began to speak. Her tear-filled eyes met mine and time froze. I could tell she was petrified, like she was looking at a ghost. Finally snapping out of it she threw her arms around my neck and began to cry even more.

"Soul," she choked out burying her face in my neck. I felt rivers of tears drip down my neck soaking my t-shirt. Instinctively I wrapped my arms around her tighter. I couldn't stand seeing my partner that way. I began rubbing soothing circles on her back trying to get her to calm down enough to tell me what happened in the dream that hurt he so bad.

Done crying for the moment she took a deep, shuddering inhale and removed her face from the crook of my neck resting it on my shoulder letting her hands flop into her lap. The quiet surrounded us and I absent mindedly began playing with her soft blond hair. After a few moments she began to speak in no more than a whisper.

"This dream started out like all the other ones. You and I were at the church fighting Chrona. But..." she paused letting out a small sob as tears began to fill her eyes. Silently the tears began to cascade down her face making it look like rivers of diamonds in the moonlight. She lifted one of her trembling hand placing it over the long scar I received a mere month ago and clutched the fabric of my dark grey shirt for dear life.

"...but this time..." she cried "...you didn't... You didn't wake up." Maka burrows her face in my shoulder as my eyes went wide.
Placing my chin on the top of her head I crushed her to my chest.

"Shhh Maka it's okay. I'm still alive. There is nothing to worry about" I muttered softly. "I'm never going to leave you. I will always be by your side protecting you and keeping you safe. You've got to trust me on that okay?" I felt her nod softly sobs still racking her body. I felt a lone tear slip down my cheek. It tore me apart inside to see her this way.

We sat like that for who knows how long. Her head buried in my shoulder and me hugging her to my chest letting her know that it would be alright. Eventually she got her crying under control and I felt the tension in her body disappear, she must have started to fall asleep. As gently as I could I slid out from beneath her, laying her beneath the covers tucking her in. Kissing her softly on the forehead I turned to leave for my room, there wasn't necessarily room for both of us on the twin bed. Before I could make it two steps I felt a hand grasp my wrist gently.

"Stay..." she breathed out softly, "please stay. "

I looked at the bed and then at her. There was defiantly not enough room for both of us on the bed. But I couldn't just leave her like that. Making a choice I scooped her up into my arms bridal style and carried her back to my room. I had a full size bed that would fit us both more comfortably.

Entering my room I shut the door with my foot and walked to the bed silently. Laying her down softly on the right side I picked up the sheets that were carelessly tossed aside earlier that night. Slipping onto the bed I pulled the sheets over the both of us letting our body heat radiate off the sheets warming our chilled skin. I wrapped my arms around her in a loose hug as she snuggled up to me and started to fall asleep again.

I lay their awake watching as she drifted back into a restful slumber. She looked beautiful with her hair down, cascading over her smooth pale shoulders. The moonlight that entered through the window illuminated her face making her look angelic. I had just started drifting to sleep when I heard a soft whisper that woke me up enough to understand them.

"I love you," I heard her mumble. It shocked me. I thought I was going to be the one to say it first. A smile graced my lips. Even subconsciously she was better than me.

"I love you to Maka. Always" I whispered back kissing her softly. I hugged her tighter and soon a peaceful sleep enveloped the both of us.

~fin