Disclaimer: L.Q Does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Edward came back to consciousness with a groan. His entire body was aching, all his muscles throbbing in unison. Damn that crazy bitch. He tried to open his eyes, but found that he was unable to. Either his eyelids were too heavy or he was blindfolded.

Possibly both.

"Al?" he croaked. He waited for a reassuring response, but none came.

It was then that Ed started to panic.

He willed his automail arm to move, but for some reason, it refused to comply with the signals being sent out by his brain. Maybe it wasn't even attached to him anymore. It wasn't like he could tell.

His flesh arm wasn't much help either. He struggled weakly against the bonds that held him. To his surprise, they didn't cut into him or cause him any (additional) pain. And, come to think of it, the chair he was in was pretty damn comfy.

He was exhausted; a nap would be nice.

If it wasn't for him being blindfolded, restrained against his will, and without Alphonse, Ed would've been perfectly content to drift back into oblivion. But alas, such was not the case.

"Comfy?" A feminine voice drifted to him from somewhere in front of him.

Edward snarled in response. "Where am I? What have you done to my brother?" He renewed his efforts to free himself, but his energy was sapped and his body wasn't cooperating. Damn, now wasn't the time to be imitating a noodle!

Soft footsteps padded towards him and came to stand behind him. Edward tensed. He didn't know what to expect from this female captor. A hand placed itself on his head, and he froze. It started to stroke his hair, much like the way a loving mother would caress their child.

A soft, motherly voice spoke, "Do not fear. Your brother is safe, and so are you. I have no wish to harm you."

Ed squirmed to get away from her touch. If only he wasn't blindfolded, then he might be able to tell if this woman was a sadistic bitch, dangerously insane, or simply a bit mentally ill. Strangely, he could sense no ill intent behind her touch, and that worried him.

"What do you want with me?"

The woman didn't reply, but moved instead to take out his hair tie and undo his braid.

"Poor child," she murmured sadly, running her fingers through his hair. "In the military at the age of twelve . . . what is this world coming to?"

Ed felt gentle tugs at his hair as the woman began to re-braid it. He was so sleepy. Surely it would be alright to rest for a bit longer. The woman said Al was safe anyways . . .

Hell! What drug was he on? Edward forced himself to stay alert. Sure, this woman didn't sound dangerous, but who knew she wasn't just playing around with him before slitting his throat?

Done with his hair, the woman rested her hands on his shoulders. She gave them a light squeeze. Or, she gave his left shoulder a light squeeze. Ed knew one hand only felt cold, hard metal; the symbol of his sin.

"Such hardships and trials, forced upon one so young," the woman continued, her voice a soft whisper. "Where has your childhood gone?"

What the hell! What was this woman trying to get across? He wasn't some sort of pitiable kid! He chose to join the military, damn it! And that decision was given to him in the first place because he chose to try and play God!

He couldn't help himself; Alphonse entered his thoughts. This woman was making him think about his lost childhood when he should've been thinking about Al's. Who was he to complain, when his little brother was trapped in an unfeeling shell, unable to eat, sleep, or feel? Why was it that Al got off with the worse punishment when he didn't even commit the crime?

Ed asked himself again and again; where was the equivalent exchange?

"Every child deserves a loving hand, a gentle touch, a chance to flourish under a watchful, caring eye." The woman interrupted his thoughts. Her grip became a little bit tighter – still much too gentle to hurt – and her voice became a little firmer. "Every child is entitled to a childhood. Every child has the right to be a child."

Yes. Yes, yes, yes, that was all true. Alphonse had the right to be a child, but how could he be one, when some didn't even consider him human? How could he receive gentle touches and loving words when some people couldn't see past his hard exterior? When people couldn't even see the interior? For when you opened up that suit of armour, there was nothing there.

Nothing but a trapped soul.

The hands removed themselves from his shoulders. Ed heard the woman's footsteps walk away.

Good. The crazy woman was leaving.

Ed's relief was short lived though. The footsteps returned almost immediately. Ed felt his left sleeve being rolled up. He snarled as he felt a tiny prick in his left arm.

"What the hell! What did you do to me?"

He felt betrayed, somehow. His mind struggled to form coherent thoughts through the haze that suddenly blanketed his mind. Hadn't the woman said he was safe?

"Edward Elric." His name fell from her lips with such love, and Edward was painfully reminded of his own mother. What he wouldn't give to go back to that time . . .

His mind was suddenly overwhelmed with images of his childhood. Edward felt light and almost happy, even as he was descending into unconsciousness.

As Edward's thoughts slipped away, he thought he heard his strange captor say one last thing.

"You're only a child once in your life. Be sure to enjoy it while it lasts, Fullmetal Alchemist."

Colonel Roy Mustang squinted through the darkness. The building was old but obviously well maintained. A light shone through a window on the second floor.

"Are you positive this is where Fullmetal is being held?" He addressed the suit of armour that was crouching beside him in the shrubbery.

"Yes sir. I was able to follow her after she knocked Brother out. This is where she took him."

The Colonel nodded. He signaled to Hawkeye and Havoc. "Cover the back, Havoc. Hawkeye, you're with me."

"Yes Sir!" Havoc and Hawkeye replied.

Under the cover of darkness, Havoc circled to the rear of the house, while Hawkeye came up beside Mustang. She drew her gun from her holster and clicked the safety off.

Mustang turned to Al. "Alphonse, I want you to stay here. We need you to be our eyes and ears out here in the front."

Al looked like he wanted to protest, but his obedient nature stopped him from doing so. "Please bring my brother back safely," he said instead.

Mustang nodded to show he understood. With a final tug on his ignition gloves, he took off towards the house, with Hawkeye following close behind.

The house was as orderly on the inside as it was on the outside. There wasn't any dust anywhere, suggesting that this remote house was lived in and well looked after.

After doing a cautious scan of the first floor for anyone lying in wait, they proceeded to the second floor. Roy winced as the stairs creaked softly under his weight.

The second floor landing was dim, save for the thin strip of light that shone from beneath a closed door at the end of a hall. Hawkeye separated from him to do a quick sweep of the floor as Roy crept towards the door.

Somehow, Hawkeye was at Mustang's side again by the time he made it to the closed door. For some reason, Mustang dreaded opening the door. He feared what would be on the other side. If Fullmetal was gravely injured . . . he didn't know what he would tell Alphonse.

After taking a deep breath, he threw open the door. With Roy's fingers poised to snap and Riza's gun drawn beside him, he charged into the room. He was met with a confusing sight.

They had entered a bedroom. The ambiance of the room was actually quite pleasant; a fireplace was crackling merrily in a corner, casting a warm glow over the room. Roy spotted Edward almost immediately. He was sprawled out on a four poster bed with his eyes closed. Even from across the room, Roy could see the steady rise and fall of his chest. It looked like Edward had simply lain down for a nap.

After checking that there was no immediate threat, he rushed over to Fullmetal. "Fullmetal, wake up!" he said, shaking the boy's shoulder. Fullmetal was unresponsive. They had found Edward and he had no injuries that Roy could see, but that was no cause to celebrate.

"Sir, we should bring him to a hospital," Hawkeye stated the obvious.

"Agreed," Roy replied. Without a moment's hesitation, he scooped Edward into his arms and headed out of the house, Hawkeye covering him.

From the window of another room in the house, a woman watched as Edward was sped off to the hospital, his younger brother barely getting a glimpse of him before he was loaded into a military car.

"Take good care of him, Colonel," she whispered.

Lest: You finally worked up the courage to post something!

Legendarily Quiet: Yes, yes I did.

Lest & L.Q: We don't need to tell you, but we'll say it anyway: review review review review!

L.Q: Pretty please with a cherry on top?