I JUST FINISHED MY SECOND WEEK OF HIGH SCHOOL SO I WROTE THIS AS A GIFT TO MYSELF. SO YEA. (but i still have the rest of the year ;_;)

I actually wrote this almost four weeks ago, but my computer crashed and NOTHING. SAVED.

So it's late.

-_-"'

WARNING: I own nothing, except for this particular story's plot.

P.S.-HALLOWEEN. I'M SO EXCITED. (is gonna' cosplay H-Amaimon from Ao no Exorcist.)

Chapter 8: One Step Forward

"Alright, Mr. Elric, I'm going to move you into your wheelchair now." I nodded at my nurse, Ms. Rosalice, who stood by my bedside with a wheelchair sitting ominously at her side.

I had only participated in three therapy sessions so far, from my room, and the doctor had mainly focused on the basics movements of my body. He had me practice moving my fingers, all togethere and then each one at a time, and then I would simply twist my wrist for a while. My elbows could bend in with no trouble, and I would wiggle my toes the best I could, then I started moving my ankle. That was just yesterday, and afterwards I had practiced trying to hold the weight of my upper body on my elbows and shoulders. I fumbled and flailed as I callapsed each time, until I managed to hold myself up for about a minute. Then, of course, I simply doubled over in exhaustion.

However, today, my doctor deemed me ready for a wheelchair. I couldn't yet opperate it on my own, but I would be able to travel about the hospital facility and get away from the loneliness of my bland room. Not saying that the hospital wasn't bland in it's own ways, but I could at least speak a bit with the other guests and patients.

"Mr. Elric, please extend your arms." Ms. Rosalice requested of me, having already placed the arm of the wheelchair parrallel to the guard rails of my bed. I did as she asked, extending my arms awkwardly to the side of my centered spot in the bed. She leaned forward, carefully yet sternly placing her hands below my shoulders and pulling my torso forward. I leaned towards her, hesitantly attempting to slide my body to the side of the bed. My knees pulled towards my chest as she pulled me towards the edge, and soon my feet slid over the side and onto the ground. Then, with her amr sunder my shoulders, she lifted me up and towards her, like someone would a child. I shook, and my arms quickly latched onto her forearms as I rose on trembling legs. With her lifting me, I was not holding my full weight, and managed to slide my feet forward as I turned and positioned myslef in front of the chair. In response, Ms. Rosalice turned herself and began to gently place me down. When I was safely and comfortably seated in the chair, she released my arms and backed away, while I let go of the breath I hadn't noticed I was holding. Ms. Rosalice stood tall in front of me, her hands on her hips and a triumphant smile on her face.

"Well! It looks like you get to move around now a bit, eh, Mr. Elric?" I smiled at her obvious joy.

"Y's, ah b't." I mumbled, trying to wrap my mouth and tongue around the sounds. I haven't only started therapy for my movement and coordination, but for my speech as well. I was completely incomprehensible at first, but now I could make out half-sentences and a few short words. Speech therapy wasn't very easy at first, considering how frustrating it could be to have to repeat the alphabet, your name, short words, and simple sentences multiple times for hours a day every day. The work I put into therapy was certainly proving to be worth it, though.

"Is there anywhere special you would like to go today? It is your first adventure around this wonderful facility!" Ms. Rosalice asked kindly, walking around and squeezing past the bedside table in order to take hold of the wheelchairs handles. She kicked at one of the wheels, unlcoking the safety break, and began to turn me to the door.

"Hah...cafet'r'a?" I suggested happily. Ms. Rosalice chukled and wheeled me out of the room, only pausing to open the door and guide me into the hall. It wasn't very different from my room. Bleak off-white walls randomly decorated by a painting or interuppted by another door, and floors made of dirty white-and-blue checkered tiles. The hall was relatively empty, with only the occasional passing nurse and the sound of my chairs' wheels accompanied by Ms. Rosalice's light steps. Eventually, we came to a two way intersection, and she rolled us both down the right corridor. It was small, only four doors on each wall (two bathrooms) and large double doors at the end. She pushed us both through, and I was met with the sight of a plethora of round wooden tables and a large kitchen set off to the very end. We rolled straight to it, and I was struck by the pure smell of warming stew and roasting meat. I hummed in delight.

"Oh, doesn't it just smell wonderful in here? It's usually pretty full, but we must have hit it at just the right time." It wasn't full at all, only a few twenty people scattered about the large room. I was more focused on the buffet-style cafe table then the others around me. "Unfortunately...you aren't allowed to eat regular food yet." My face must have practically shattered, because Ms. Rosalice panicked trying to come up with something else, "b-but I think you can have something to drink!" I nodded, and readily pointed at one of the drinks listed on a board behind the counter.

"I wo'ld l'ke milk, pl'ase."

I grinned inwardly to myself as Ms. Rosalice nodded and demanded for my drink.

"Why can't you just drink your milk, brother? It will help you to grow-"

"-Who the hell are you calling so small he needs to drink some damn mysterious cow liquids to make him taller!"

"...I never said that, brother!"

"Here we are, a nice little corner table!" I jumped at the sound of the woman's voice, noticing at once that we had migrated away from the counter and over to a round table in a semi-secluded corner of the cafeteria. Ms. Rosalice placed my tray in front of me, holding nothing but a small glass of milk, and then placed her own tray of salad across from me.

"Now, remember, drink it slowly. You've been recoperating for quite a while, but your stomache may not be able to handle just it yet!" I nodded and reached forward, wrapping my fingers securely around the glass.

"Th'nk y'u." She smiled.

"Oh, it's no problem, dear." I nodded and brought the glass to my lips, slowly tipping it forward and drinking.

Milk. Tasted. Wonderful. It may not truly have much of a taste, but after being deprived of my senses for years and living on an IV drip for weeks, it was the most amazing thing I've ever had. The pure, wonderous moment instantly lit up my face, and I fought hard not to tilt the glass forward and drown donwn all of the liquid. Ms. Rosalice took a hurried bite of her salad, and then made the mistake of looking at my face. She dropped her fork and started coughing into her hand, the choked sound of a laugh struggling to escape her throat. I quickly placed down my glass and reached as close to her as I could from across the table.

"M-ms. Ros'li'e!"

hack, hack, cough!

"S-sorry, Mr. Elric. Your face was just...it looked like a baby drinking juice for the first time!"

I blinked.

And then my face heated a bit.

And I was sure I was blushing after Ms. Rosalice giggled at my expression.

"Oh, don't worry. It was just so adorable. Although, a seventeen-year-old probably doesn't like to be told he's cute, huh?" I chuckled awkwardly and settled back into my seat, taking another sip of my milk. I made sure not to make the same face as before, but I was fairly sure I was still a bit flushed in embarrassment.

We finished our 'lunch' rather quickly after that, me taking my time with my drink and her scarfing down her salad. She stood and made her way to the garbage, and then back to wheel me away. We manuevered around the few other guests, including a little girl with onyx curls who had run up to give me an apple, and made our way into the hall. We took a left at the intersection, the way we had come. I frowned a bit as I noticed the direction in which we were going. Ms. Rosalice peered down from above me, noticing the dissapointment on my face.

"Sorry, hun. You've had enough adventure for today, so I'm taking you back to your room."

I sighed, the look still evident on my face. She smiled, the tiniest hint of a smirk threatening at the corner of her lips.

"Don't sound so glum," she started, a prideful glint in her eyes, "I have a little surprise for you."

Thank you to The Curse of Forever, Lazy Gaga, I-stabbed-him-with-the-pencil (guilty as well), Joker Oak, ConfusedBunny, ShiningPikachu, Vincent Sansa Halestorm, hahasux4u, and lumisakom for reviewing this story! I'm so sorry my updates are so random and unpredicatable, I need to try harder to get these chapters up every week or two. But I promise I won't give up on it, so please continue to give me your wonderful reviews!

Also, a thanks to all of those who've favorited and alerted this story! Once again, I apologize for the random updates, but I'm trying!

P.S.-This story is reaching it's one-year anniversary, I believe.