A/N: This is long overdue.

"Speech"

-thoughts.-

Chapter 7 Part II

TickTock ... TickTock ...

Again Ed watched as the small pointer hand cleared the 12. It had been 12 minutes; 12 long and painful minutes and still no sign of Havoc. Ed's golden pools clung to the face of the pocket watch, begging it to stop it's eternal loop around the hours. Time wasn't humane. One second your alive and the next it cuts your life-strings. It didn't care whose life it took so long as it happened the moment when it was supposed to. It didn't matter how important you were to society, to a loved one. It didn't matter if you never made it home to met your wife or how many promises you would be breaking, time would kill you without prejudice, without remorse. Ed prayed each time he saw the hand tick that it wasn't Roy's second to die.

-How much longer are we going to waste sitting here?!-

The blond's forehead cracked into a million more wrinkles, lines as deep as his hatred for time itself. He would have punched the glass lens in, he would have shattered the watch down to it's gears if his soul hadn't been teetering on edge to know the exact moment in the day. He clutched the watch's frame a degree tighter, wishing the action would hasten their rescue's arrival. His fingers were well passed the point of blue and onto violet.

Riza had preoccupied her time with stripping Roy of his bandages and using torn sections of her uniform as a temporary replacement. She had given the Colonel some water (he was conscious enough not to choke on it) from her canteen and had popped him some pain killers that she devotedly kept in her pocket. They were simple tasks, but it was all in the name of making Roy's condition a little less horrible. Ed had tried to lend a hand, but Riza had used some flowery language to more or less tell him his help wasn't needed.

Ed couldn't say he blamed her for it. The young alchemist had his own set of injuries to worry about and there wasn't much he could do to help her carry Roy with a 6 inch height difference between them. Not only that, but once he saw the hard determination in Riza's caramel eyes he decided not to push the issue. Riza was using this chance to prove to herself that she could take care of the Colonel on her own, that this entire incident had been her fault and she had to take responsibility for her carelessness. Ed couldn't interfere with something that so closely resembled his own heart's will to protect Al.

Errrrrrrrrccchhh!

Ed looked up from his scowl at the squeal of brakes. He sprung to his feet, though he wasn't metal aware he had. His gaze traveled through the alley and landed on the green jeep waiting on the other end.

"They're here," Ed announced quietly to himself before to waving back to Riza, "Hey! They're here!"

-Everything's alright now. We'll take him back and everything will be fine.-

The woman was well aware of the news. By the time Ed turned to her inform her, she had singlehandedly lifted the Colonel up by the waist.

"Here, let me help."

Ed held out his hands, thinking she wouldn't be able to deny his request this time. It was stupid to ask, she was perfectly capable on her own, but Ed couldn't stop himself.

-I want to feel that he's alive, too.-

Hawkeye looked down at the blond boy. His eyes were concentrated on Roy, not once flicking up to meet hers. A closed-mouth smile managed to light up the child's face.

"I've got him." She insisted peacefully and trudged past the young boy.

"What?" Ed's eyes were stagnant, his mind not fully accepting Riza's words. He looked down at his own quivering hands. His gloves were frayed and ruined with blood. Surely, that wasn't the reason he was rejected.

He swiveled around, clenching his fists and yelling, "Hey wait a minute!"

If she had heard him, she clearly didn't show it.

"HEY!"

She didn't stop. She didn't look back.

"Dammit!"

Ed grit his teeth and took after her. As soon as his boot touched down, a stabbing pinch erupted from his hip. Exhaustion also unleash it's biding unto him.

"Ermph!" Ed bit his lip, stopping his scream's escape. The unanticipated pain overtook him, retiring his ideas of chase. His hands rushed to cup his flank, applying pressure to mull out the agony. One ember eye was clamped shut to defend against the coming of tears.

-Shit. How far is she?-

He had barely allowed himself to rest and already the expert markswoman was a good ways ahead of him.

-She's leaving me behind.-

-What did you expect? You're a fallen soldier. You'll only slow her down. Nothing else matters to her. It's the same for you too, Edward. You use others to get what you want and then shed them off like a worn-out second skin. Always flying higher aren't you? Everything and anything for your little brother. Maybe you don't love Roy like you think you do.-

"No ... I am ... it's different!" Ed whispered hoarsely. His voice lacked the usual vehemence to prove the voice in his head wrong.

-Don't do this. Don't leave me!-

Ed broke out into a gimpy run, using the pain as stasis to his mind's confliction. He reached the alley in time to see Riza's navy-clad back dissappear out the opposite end. Ed's brazen eyes flickered out of focus. He started breathing heavy. Ed knew he was panicking, but he couldn't calm himself down. He bumped into the alley wall. His brain kicked in then, giving him the idea to map out the brick building with his hands and guide himself through the lies in his sight.

"Hey!" Havoc called loudly, "Somebody call for a cab?" He grinned, adjusting his hat.

Two male officers climbed out of the jeep and took Roy from Riza's care.

"Easy with him," She warned the young men before handing over the Colonel.

"Ma'am yes ma'am."

Riza watched as the men loaded Roy into the jeep, her eyes trained on their movements to make sure they stayed true to her instructions. Pleased with their handling, she directed her attention to Havoc. Riza almost felt the urge to smile when she saw his teeth fumbling around with a toothpick instead of the unhealthy alternative.

"Sorry we couldn't get here sooner." Havoc apologized, "The days been pretty hectic. Had a lot of customers if you know what I mean. There's a medic on board. He'll take care of Mustang until we get to headquarters."

Riza wasn't pleased. Even though she knew Havoc had done everything in his jurisdiction, she still had expected more.

-Shit.-

Jean knew Riza wasn't the type of woman you disappointed. Once you split her trust, she would never let you forget your failure. She would cut you down with her words and her high expectations until the day came when you finally made up for it. Jean was particularly acquainted with this side of her. He wasn't proud of himself for it, but he had let her down in the past. It had been unintentional of course, but to this day, 2 years ago, he was still in the process of earning back her good terms.

If you care to know, there was a way to tell if she had it in for you. Her pupils would shrink, piercingly like the head of a pin, and the iris would encompass her eyes in gold.

-Just like they are now.-

"I know, but it's the best I could do. All our medical crews are tied up. They're trying to save what's left of our men."

Riza clenched her jaw around a oncoming migraine. "Let's ... just get out of here as quickly as we can."

"Right and in the meantime you might want to do something about that uniform." Havoc advised, taking his toothpick between his fingers and pointing it at her. Havoc took his time looking at her from the corners of his eye. She had perfect round shoulders and a grabable waist. Her white under shirt was hugging her form nicely and the tattered uniform was doing wonders for Havoc's kinky fantasies. The suddenly horny male turned to face the windshield. He didn't need her knowing about his blush.

-Why does the Colonel have to have all the luck?-

He closed his eyes and sucked on the unsatisfying taste of wood. Tabacco would be doing so much more to settle his nerves.

"No need to worry. I"ll handle it," Hawkeye said, her tone putting a sure close on the argument.

"I know you will. I am just worried. I can't protect you if the higher-ups convict you of faulty reasoning. You know what uptight assholes they can be."

"Havoc..." Hawkeye whispered, bent on tears.

-That voice ... it couldn't be hers. It's too weak.-

His eyes immediately snapped over to hers, but Riza's sight was fixated on the jeep's front wheel. There was color in her cheeks. It mixed wonderfuly with her peachy skin, Jean noted. If this fragile woman was what lay beneath all that outer brutality, then Jean knew why she was such a hardass. She was living in fear of people taking advantage of her. Men especially by the look of it. She was afraid to strip her heavy guard, stray out of that persona of a strong independent woman. He could see her armor was full of dents, mistakes, and Jean's heart melted for her even more because she knew that her own shield against humanity was breakable.

"Hey, easy now. It'll be alright. Just tell me what's bothering you." Jean had to restrain his body from rushing out of the vehicle and wrapping his arms around her. He controlled himself, toning the urge down to deftly resting his hand on her shoulder. His whole arm still shook with the overwhelming desire to hug her.

Jean heard her gasp slightly. Her eyes grew wide and then switched to embarrassed anger.

"Don't take it the wrong way!"

She nearly screamed it and Jean's hand retreated back inside the safety of the jeep.

-There goes any of my chances. Heh, as if I had any to begin with.-

She turned her eyes away and bit her lower lip.

"I haven't been in contact with my men. While we were waiting my radio malfunctioned. I couldn't leave the Colonel by himself. How unfortunate for them to have me as their lieutenant commander," Hawkeye said much too sadly.

"Hey don't say that. They're trained for this sorta 're not to far from here, right? We'll take a side trip to pick them up.

"Yes, I can direct you. I just hope to God they're alright."

Havoc blinked.

"Hm?"

Jean adjusted his side view mirror, catching more of the figure skirting at the edge of the glass. He twisted his body out the driver-side window to see if the object in his mirror was really one of those optical illusion the warning label had just forgotten to tell him about.

"Did you say Ed was with you?" Havoc asked her, incredulous of what his eyes were picking up.

"What? Ed?"

Riza turned to her right, finding the cloaked boy staggering out of the mouth of the narrow passage. She gasped, looking largely like she had just remembered something precious she had forgotten.

"Ed!" Riza called.

She ran to him and just as the boy summoned enough strength to looked up and whisper a 'Hey' in return, she was kneeling down with his face in her hands.

"My God Ed... I am sorry. I thought if I left you there you'd stay put til I got back. I know your stubborn and I didn't want you risk moving without help."

-Is that really the truth?-

"No, it's okay. Really. I am alright. It's my fault for being stupid." He stated flatly. Ed was sick of apologies, sick of Riza making it seem like she was the only victim here. Was it wrong that he wanted to spit harsh words in her face and punch blood out of her nose? Ed ruled that he was fully entitled, but he kept his reservations. The blond boy placed his hands gently over top hers and ushered them away from his face. He didn't want to be touched right now.

"Can we just get out of here ... please?" Ed's withered voice begged.

"Yeah," She sighed, knowing Ed's aura to be left alone. She turned her back towards him, and reached her arms behind her.

"Here, get onto my back. It's faster."

"No arguments here."

It had been difficult to urge his legs around her hips without drawing out irks of pain, but they worked through the saddling process patiently. Once Ed was securly harnessed, Riza counted to 3 and lifted him up with ease.

"What was that all about?" Havoc asked when Riza returned.

"Nothing." Riza dismissed.

The smoker was still deeply confused.

Riza went around to the side of the jeep and allowed the men to peal Fullmetal off. She climbed in after, sitting on the door frame and using the wire canopy for leverage. At least it gave them enough room so that the boys could lie down.

"Havoc take us outta here." Riza ordered.

"I am already on it."

The motor hummed to life, reverberated the jeep and making Ed feel like they were finally safe. It was just something about that sound that allieviated him.

Roy was being treated on the flat bed beside him. Judging by the lack of excitement from the medics, he suspected they had made it in time.

-Good.-

Fullmetal closed his eyes, relaxing his weary body. He felt the wind tousle his hair and smiled.

"Ahhh! oh no! oh no!"

-What?-

Ed opened his eyes a bit, then flung them open when he realized a large suit of armor was trying to cover itself back under a camo tarp. How could he have missed something so obvious?

"Al?!" Ed gaped, "What are you doing here?!"

Al froze, his hands awkwardly in the midst playing tug-of-war with the wind.

"Oh…heheh..hi brother." Al laughed nervously, waving a gauntlet hand. A small bit of rust marred Al's cheeks.

"Don't be shy Al!" Jean grinned, looking in his rear-view mirror, "I was wondering when we'd be found out! Let me tell ya Ed, it was all thanks to you're kid brother that we caught this fugitive."

Ed arched a brow.

"Fugitive?"

"Yeah," Havoc continued, "we've been chasing after this guy for awhile. He's the only link we have to the attack at Central. He's bound up inside Al's chest plate now. We didn't want him escaping again so we decided Al would be the perfect holding cell."

"No kidding. That's great Al." Ed smiled, sincerely proud of his brother.

"Wait!" Ed growled, flipping through emotions like they were yesterday's paper, "You're using my brother as a portable prison?! What wrong with you guys?!"

"Um ... it's okay brother," Al said, staring down at his clapsed hands. "He's hasn't been making much of a fuss so I don't mind."

"All of you are unbelievable." Ed sighed, flopping back in his seat and liking the idea of drifting off to sleep.

"Medic." Riza called.

Both young doctors looked up, "Yes, ma'am?"

"Make sure you check Fullmetal."

"Yes, ma'am."

Ed crossed his arms and grounded his teeth. He hoped she'd forgotten.

"Fullmetal, Sir." Ed opened one eye, a extreme frown angling his lips as he acknowledged the blue-eyed officer that was kneeling in front of him.

"If you're ready, I need to take your blood pressure."

-Dammit. They make you do all these test, but they never tell you why.-

"Yeah, sur---"

Ed felt a pulse in the back of his skull. It started out small, but Ed knew that it was a prelude to something bigger, something serious.

Al instantly noticed the change in Ed, "Brother?! Hey, brother are you alright?"

Ed tried to speak Al's name, just to see if still had the power to, but he couldn't utter the weakest of sounds. Ed's body was struck numb. He couldn't even blink his eyes let alone hold himself upright, and maybe that's why he found himself collapsing into the medics arms.

"Brother!" Alphonse got down on his knees, his first instinct to use alchemy. He called upon all the libraries he and his brother had read through, and yet his hands remained stagnant. Of all the knowledge he had, there wasn't a single spell he could come up to help his brother.

-That's not right. Everything can be solved through Alchemy!-

"Something's wrong with him! You gotta do something please!" Al begged the medic. His hands still shook with the need to draw a circle, anything to get rid of his feelings of uselessness. He told himself it would just be a waste of energy, but he couldn't allow the idea of alchemy bringing only destruction and decomposition to rein in his head.

"I'll try." The hazel eyed medic nodded, in the midst of checking Ed over.

"What's going on back there?!" Jean hollered from over his shoulder, concentrating his sight on the rear-view mirror.

"Keep your eyes on the road!" Riza barked. She wasn't going to have them wind up in another accident today. She'd hold Havoc's head in place if she had too.

"Do you have any idea of what's happening to him?" Riza implored.

"He could be going into shock or cardiac arrest. I am not sure of the cause." The medic explained, assessing Ed's body.

Ed could hear his heartbeat drumming, a concert that blew out every other sound in existance. The medic had laid him down and Ed watched helplessly as his own chest bowed upward in a reversed 'V'. Ed told his brain to take big gulps of air, but his body wasn't listening. His eyes were hazing over, closing without his consent.

-NO! No wait!-

His body was shutting down, but he could feel no pain, no sense of hot or last thing he saw was the towering shadow of his concerned younger brother and the red cross printed across the medics helmet.

Mustang awoke with a jolt, sweat flinging into the air as he snapped erect in his hospital bed. A frightened cry welled out of his throat. He wheezed. The coughing began immediately afterwards, burning new holes in the interior of his throat.

"eghck." A bitter film had formed on his tongue and it was playing delightfuly with the inflamation in his throat.

-What happened? Where's Ed?-

His dilated pupils took in the darkened room, his ebony eyes traveling over the homely tan wallpaper and centering on the large windows ahead of him. Sunlight peaked in through the blinds. It was still daylight outside. Roy put a hand to his head, closing his hot eyes in relief and flopped back onto the opposable mattress. His skin felt clammy, his hospital gown dewed with perspiration. A shiver overtook his body. The 3 layers of insulated blankets not doing a thing to warm him. An IV needle was stuck into the back of his hand and Roy had to look away. He hated needles, especially when they were in him. It brought him back to his basic training days when they had had to draw blood from each other. It wasn't a favorite highlight of his youth.

Roy's eyes landed on the heart meter, the dismal beep of each peak telling him he was still alive. Just to check, Roy flexed his fingers attached to the intervienous. Ow. Yup, definitely awake.

"Ed . . . was everything a dream?" Roy asked the hollow room.

The Colonel let himself cry, one arm covering up his eyes. His chest was thick with frustration. Had he really fallen asleep and left Fullmetal to die?

There was no doubt in his mind that the green-haired mutant that had posed as his nurse had made good on his promise to assassinate Ed. The guy was a part of the group that slaughtered Central afterall. That more than qualified him to kill a teenage boy.

Roy gently brushed a hand through his hair. He could still feel the murder's hands rip at his root tips, giving Roy a show of pain so he knew he meant business.

"Well what will you do Colonel? Risk you're life to save little Ed-boy or stay here and live to see the day you become Furher? I know it's a hard decision so let me give you some advice. It wouldn't be hard to find yourself another state alchemist. I hear they're practically lining up at your door. Or maybe you'd like me to end you're life now and save you the hassle of being indecisive?"

What did that bastard want with Edward? Was the blond boy even capable of injecting someone with that much hatred for him? Not that it mattered. Figuring out the shape-shifter's motive didn't subtract from the truth that Roy caused Ed's death.

Actually, Roy wasn't sure of the truth. He knew the attack on Central had been real. The fact that he was sporting a bloodied abdomen was proof of that. It was the order and honesty of the events that came afterward that were jumbled and slippery in the black-haired man's mind. Was his escape and meeting Ed out in the rain something he imagined? The way it looked now, he was starting to think so.

-Don't tell me that lowlife drugged me so that it turned out his way. Somehow, putting a false idea in my head that Ed actually stood a chance at living hurts so much more than knowing I killed him. So from the beginning ... we had no hope at all. This guy ... he's definitely a professional. He really knows how to fuck with you.-

"I guess I don't have to worry about my feelings being wrong anymore." Roy confessed, tears emptying into his cracked lips. This really wasn't a good time for Roy to start laughing.

When Roy opened his crusty eyes again, he was lying on his side. Biege curtains blocked his view of anything that might have been positioned on the right side of the room. There was a table hooked to the side of his bed and on it was a tray of what he presumed to be his dinner. There was instant mash potatoes, a carrots peas medley, and a lone pork chop that was doused in gray to make up for the lack of meat. Apparently, he hadn't known he'd been starving until now. It was cold, but he ate it all the same. Thristy. Water. A clear jug sat on the far corner of the table and Roy drank the liquid down until he started to gag.

As he wiped his lips with the back of his hand, Roy heard voices bickering outside the door ajar.

"I am telling you doctor! He's not improving!" A voice clearly belonging to woman dictated.

"Miss I understand your concern, but I've done all I can do," came the defensive, beaten voice of Roy's doctor.

-Sounds like he needs a break.-

"Please just take another look at him." The woman pleaded. The colonel damned the female's voice for being so strikingly familiar and yet not registering in his memory.

"If you insist. I DO have other patients to worry about." The M.D. spat.

The doctor didn't care if he was being a jerk. Ever since the Colonel was readmitted, she had been a constant thorn in his side.

-She pesters me and the nurses, knowing full-well that everything that could be done to improve the Colonel's condition has been done. I know I am only 28 and should be bustling with energy, but coffee can only do so much to keep a person awake after 32 hours. Not to mention Kay will be furious with me. I haven't been able to see her in 2 weeks thanks to this job. Maybe I should've become a teacher. Nights and weekends off...summer vacation...-

Roy heard the door open completely and 2 pairs of footsteps walk in. The maroon curtain around his bed was pulled aside and the Colonel came face to face with a overworked man in a white coat. Jostled but nonetheless pleased to see the Colonel awake, the doctor stepped back to share his discovery with the blonde lady.

Roy met Riza's flurrying eyes before he felt a delicate hand smack him across the cheek.

"I swear, If you ever do something like this again, I'll leave you to drown in that office of paperwork alone!" She screeched. She was panting, her hand still hanging by her chest where she had finished the follow-through of her swing.

Well that was certainly a wake up call. The Colonel put a hand to his cheek, smiling, but he turned his head down to stare at the sheets. He was grateful for her concern, but it couldn't overshadow the other blond tearing at his heart.

"It's good to see you too lieutenant," Roy said.

The doctor rubbed his eyes behind his glasses, making sure he had just seen right. He was accustomed to relatives flinging themselves onto patients with blissful relief, but this was a new way of expressing one's affection; and a violent one at that. The doctor slipped towards the exit. He rather not be around when the real drama unfolded.

Ed blinked his eyes out of darkness.

"Riza please. I promise."

-Colonel?-

There was only a slim possibility that the voice truly belonged to the man, but Ed sat up from his bed with surprising speed. Regrettably, the swift action brought on a painful dizziness and the young alchemist found himself rubbing at his pounding forehead much to his annoyance.

"It's not like I want to be like this! Believe me I'd love to be apathetic right now! Do you even care how scared I was?!"

"Riza?" Ed croaked inaudible to the other two. His throat was rougher than he thought.

"I know ... and I am sorry. I've jeopardized 7 years of effort, I understand that, but I told you ... I had no control over what I was doing. As much as you want me to, I can't take back what's happened so please stop asking. If anything, I'll handle things more delicately. We'll get through this. We always have."

There was a pause, and then a creak that could only be Riza leaning on Roy's bed.

"I am sorry. I've only been making it worse," Ed heard her sob.

"No, I can't ask for anything more beautiful then those caring eyes," Roy consoled, using a breathy whisper. Ed wanted to say that Roy's soothing voice was just a habit he picked up, a trick he used to win women over, but Ed's logic wouldn't let him believe it. She was special to the Colonel, set apart from the regular lot of whilst dates.

Ed jumped slightly and his eyes opened to their limit as he heard the distinct sound of lips against flesh. His stomach suddenly lurched and his migraine bowled him another strike of pain. The blond boy hoped it was just a kiss on the forehead.

Polished boots clacked against the linoleum floor at the doorway, alerting everyone in the room that they had visitor.

"Lieutant Hawkeye," came a foreign man's voice.

The mattress groaned as Riza swiveled around on the bed. Ed also turned towards the male's voice, the curtain around his bed hiding the officer from sight. Ed couldn't complain about the veil, it safeguarded him from their eyes and allowed him eavesdrop without detection.

"Pardon the intrusion, but your time is up," the man informed.

The silence following the officer's words was nerve-wracking for Ed. Without the hints of sound, he couldn't tell what the two were doing in the bed next to him. We're they still touching? We're they looking at each other? We're they talking? If they we're, it was too low for Ed to hear. The blond blamed the hindrance on the officer's appearance.

"You have to get going," Ed finally heard Roy whisper, "It's okay. I'll still be here when you get back."

Ed could picture it, the way Roy's lips must be brushing against her ear as he reassured her. He must be cupping his hand against her cheek, gazing deep into her eyes. Ed understood what was going on. The Colonel was telling her that he still needed her by his side, that he wouldn't dare see her walk out his life.

"And if you're not, expect to see me my resignation on your desk," Riza warned, her voice weighted with the very possibility of that happening.

The solider at the door cleared his throat.

"He's waiting," Roy reminded her quietly.

"Understood," Riza acquiesced.

Ed listened as Riza moved off the mattress, her steps carrying her over to the door.

"Ma'am." The officer saluted, clacking his boots together.

Ed didn't bother to listen after that. He already knew he was fighting a loosing battle. He knew from the first time he entered the Colonel's office that Roy and Riza unconditionally belonged to each other. It wasn't just a feeling Ed had, he had seen the proof. Ed would catch the slightest moments when the two's eyes lingered on another and the changes in the way they spoke when they thought no one was looking down the hallway. Ed had overlooked the sentiments in the past, but after what had happened in the last two days, there was no unseeing it.

Ed wasn't assuming anything. He knew what he had overheard and what he had envisioned was reality. The two felt for each other. It wasn't a mark of companionship, or concern for a friend, it was love. Really, if Ed allowed himself to really look at them back then, Riza and Roy completed each other. Riza gave Roy the kick in the ass he needed to get his job done and Roy gave Riza a purpose. It was perfect. They were man and woman, friends turned lovers, and though they carried the titles of master of subordinate, Ed knew they privately never thought of one being superior over the other.

They didn't need an outside force trying to break them apart. Ed hadn't served the state for long, but those two deserved each other for surviving in a relationship after all the risks and years the military put on them. Roy would never be his. And that was alright. If any one should be with Roy, it should be her. Ed wanted it to be her. He knew Roy would always be safe under her eyes. That her love for him would never wither no matter how many times he betrayed her.

-She's just like mom always was, staring out the window for dad to come home.-

When Ed realized what he was doing, his bare feet were already on the cold floor, leading him to the Colonel.

It was still hard for him to walk, the pain making him shamble. The blond moved himself along using the guide rail at the foot of his bed. His body wouldn't allow him to mask the impairment any better than that.

"Ed?"

Ed couldn't suppress the jolt that swept through his body when the Colonel noticed him.

"Hi Colonel," Ed greeted monotonously. He made his way around the man's bed, keeping his head down.

The tall man sat up in his bed, his hair a mess, and pointed a finger at the blonde boy as if he burst from a hole in the floor and demanded Roy's brains.

"Were you ... right next to me the entire time?!"

"Yeah, looks like it." Ed sighed.

"But I haven't heard a word out of you!"

Ed froze, his hair standing on end. Of all the things the Colonel could have said, he just had to say something that would set him off.

"Yeah, guess I was knocked out cold for awhile. How are you feeling?" Ed laughed, wearing a big fake smile to suppress the urge to throttle the man in front of him.

"I don't know..." The Colonel said sadly.

Ed's anger left him at the sound of those words. The Colonel was staring into his lap, his hands gripping over each other worryingly.

Ed let go of the foot rail at the end bed, nearly running the rest of the way around the mattress to Roy side. Ed had to do something. He couldn't bare to watch the Colonel drowning in his own desire to die.

Ed felt his legs give under him and found himself draped over the right side of the bed.

Ed turned vermillion, afraid to move after his little performance.

"No need to act tough Fullmetal. If you're hurting, it's alright to sit on my bed."

The blond gripped the sheets, visibly shaking as he pulled himself to his feet, "Colonel ... I-"

"Wait."

Ed's head snapped up, tears in his eyes, but the blond couldn't seem to remember that detail due to the Colonel's unexpected interjection.

"What?" Ed asked.

The Colonel closed his eyes and bowed his head.

"Before I let you say anything," the Colonel eyes met Eds, "explain to me what it is you're doing here. Did you miss having me around and decide to come pay me a visit?" There was no prank in Roy's words. His face and tone was of complete, utter seriousness.

"What?"

Ed clenched the blankets tighter, nearly ripping the layers of thick fabric.

"Whatdaya mean 'what are you doing here?!' Can't you tell by what I am wearing?! It's not like I dress like this for fun." Ed hollered, the pain and hatred finally balling together and exploding.

"And remind me again why would I waste my time to visit a good-for-nothing bastard like you?!"

"Maybe if you took the time to listen to my advice, you wouldn't wind up in a hospital," the Colonel remarked.

"You give shitty advice! And I know damn well what it is I am doing! I got this way protecting you, remember?!"

Ed was panting by the end of his tirade, and knew it would be days before his throat recovered.

Roy's face suddenly blanched. He sunk his head heavily into his hands.

"God ... that was real? It wasn't a dream? It's real … you're real?" The words came out muffled through his hands, but Ed could make out most of it. What worried the blond the most was that the Colonel was on the verge of sobbing.

"Um... yeah. You telling me you don't remember?" Ed said, his voice resuming a gentle tone. He leaned in closer to the man to show him he was here.

"Ed ..."

"Yeah what is it?" The blond spoke up with a cheerier tone to encourage the man to keep talking.

"Can you ... come a little closer? It's ... hard for me to talk." One of the hands shielding Roy's face falls away. A lone obsidian eye stared at Ed though a spread fan of fingers.

"Oh yeah, sure. Sorry. Why didn't you say something earlier?" Ed laughed. Now Roy was making him cry.

Fullmetal inched closer, taking small shuffling steps and using his hands on the mattress to support himself. When he was in line with the Colonel's shoulder, Ed took a breath and hopped up to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Ed..." The Colonel shook his head in his hand, "that's not what I meant."

"What do you mean 'that's not what you meant?' You're not making sense."

"I want you to climb up here and straddle me."

"What?"

Ed couldn't have heard him right. Maybe the Colonel was inebriated.

"Straddle me." The Colonel repeated.

Ed swiveled around just as the crimson spread across his nose. His hands squeezed the lip of the mattress. His stomach felt weird.

"Somehow I don't that will improve you're hearing," Ed reasoned.

"Trust me, it will."

Ed didn't say anything for a short while, and then he asked, "If ... if I do this, will you go back to being normal?"

Roy his focus on the boy hunched over with his shoulders raised. His golden hair has split down the back of his head and flows down the front of his shoulders. Roy wanted to press his lips to the strip of flesh revealed on his neck.

"I can't promise anything." The Colonel laughed, recounting his previous thought.

Roy heard the mattress squeak as Ed's knees sunk in. The Colonel looked on, dumbstruck as the boy positioned himself as he was asked. Roy didn't see it playing out like this, but he was far from regretting it. The boy was sensual without even trying and Roy was captivated. The Colonel's eyes followed the boys quivering lips down to his chest, loving how the neck of the gown hung low so he could take in the cashew colored plane of muscles. The hospital gown was big on the blond to say the least. He was too tall for a child's size and too small for an adults, but to Roy's enjoyment, Fullmetal was stuck with wearing the larger of the two. Fabric dips around the boys white thighs and the Colonel feels his hunger intensify at being denied at peek at Ed's lower body and knowing all it takes for him to get what he wants is to slide his hand under the fabric.

"Happy now?"

Ed's annoyed yet abashed voice sprung the aroused Colonel out of his perverted thoughts.

The Colonel smirked, "I don't think I've ever seen you this close before."

The blond glows red.

"Don't complain! You asked me too!" Ed yells. He was never proud of his body, it suited it's purpose, but it wasn't exactly nice to look at. It wasn't anything like a woman's body that was made with a man's taste in mind. It was easier to accept the Colonel's comment rather then call him on it and suffer any insults.

"Don't scream. You'll give me a headache," the Colonel scolds.

"SS-sorry."

"Ed."

"y-yeah?" Ed's heart is beating faster than he can breathe.

"Lean down more."

"Um...O..okay…" Ed wonders vaguely why he's following orders and where his damn stuttering problem arose from, but he forgets all of that when Mustang's breath tickles his ear.

"You're hair ... It's been awhile since you let it down."

The Colonel entangles his fingers in the golden threads, combing through the long strands.

"It suits you."

"Hey, are you sure your—"

Their mouths engulf each other as Roy pulls the back of Ed's head down to him. The Colonel's other arm wraps around the young alchemist's lower back and forces their body's together. Ed slides against the man, moaning at the friction. It had been too long for the both of them to feel the heat sex again. Roy's tongue won't let up, won't stop tasting him even though Ed is desperate for breath and boy's technique is getting sloppy. Ed can't make himself push away either, because it feels too good to have the real Colonel kissing him, and Ed doesn't dare to ruin the moment by thinking back any further to the night with the fake. The Colonel licks once more along the tip of Ed's tongue and then parts away, but the boy crawls forward to connect them again. Roy flings his eyes open, shocked at the blond's actions. Roy's doesn't keep the boy waiting in case he realizes what he's doing because Roy will do what he has to if it means living in this dream a little longer.

- He doesn't know what he's doing. This must be impulse for him, never having done this before.-

The Colonel whips the sheen off Ed's swollen lips and kisses him again lightly.

"Ed, I know what I am doing now is wrong, but I .... I've dreamed of ... of having you for so long. If these are my last days, then let an old man die happy won't you?"

"Shut up. Don't say that you're going to die." Ed tries not to bring up the Colonel's confession even though he wants to hear the man say it again.

Roy kisses Ed's forehead and urges the blond's head up.

"If you don't like it, you can always blame it on the selfishness of a sick man."

Ed manages to hold eyes with Roy for a second before he has to look away.

"You know, you're really making me feel better, blushing like that. Careful Ed, if you keep this up I might start thinking you like it." The Colonel teases with a sly smirk.

Ed glared, "Well maybe I do like it and maybe I want youto kiss me already instead of dicking around!"

Roy was shocked ... no, more than that, he was blown away. Ed's eyes reminded him of a fierce tiger, his mouth growling, but yet so vulnerable under Roy's whip.

"We'll then don't let me be the one to disappoint you."

"Just hurry it up." Ed closed his eyes and waited. He hears Mustang chuckle.

"What's the hold up? You stalling? Or did you change your mind or something?" Ed grins, amused with the idea of an old man being beaten by a kid.

"I am not."

"Then what is it?!" Ed snaps.

"Cute."

"What?!"

"Seeing you so impatient just for a kiss, it's cute. I can't look away."

"Oh yeah?! We'll see just hOW CUTE I AM WHEN I SHOVE THIS FIST UP YOUR--"

Their lips met and Ed didn't care anymore.

TBC...

Thanks for reading!

Comments and Questions welcome.

Completed: Friday, March 20, 2009. 2:21 pm.