The slippery glass plate clattered to the bottom of the sink and chipped. Alphonse raced to his side. "Brother, are you alright?"

Ed's dilated eyes danced behind the glaze of pain and his body trembled at the pounding of his distant pulse. Revelation of slumber persisted as Ed sunk carefully to the floor in agony. Why? Why did this happen so often? What was wrong with him?

Alphonse's lips worked quickly to form the reassuring words that Ed needed to listen carefully enough to in order to stay conscious. Erratic waves of cool air breathed past Ed's face, chilling the beads of sweat that formed. "Al…"

"Yes brother." Alphonse supported Ed's limping body in his arms and brushed the hair from his forehead.

"Call… hospital."

Al nodded and carefully, propped him up against the two cupboard doors in the corner and rushed to the phone. His fingers tapping all three keys in a well-practiced speed, Al called in the emergency.

When the information had been given, he returned to his brother's side. "It's done, they're coming."

"Th-thank you… Al…"

Al shook his brother gently. "No brother! Stay awake! STAY AWAKE!"

***

"I'm glad you brought him to us again. We get good money out of you two!" The registered nurse, Marly beamed, sarcastically, even though it was true. She loved to tease the boys about their problems, hoping to add optimism to the situation.

Al smirked lightly in return. "Yeah… So have you figured it out yet? What's wrong with him?"

Marly's smile faded. "'Fraid not. None of us have the slightest idea. But he'll come around." Her smile returned, big as ever, "He always does."

Al stared in at Ed through the ICU's (intensive care unit) glass confinement; all the machines he was hooked to… the monitors… the IV and the oxygen… Watching his brother's chest fall and rise, Al was continuously filled with the dread that Ed might be dying.

"Alphonse." A white coated man drifted around a corner a short distance away.

"Dr. Cropton." Al walked briskly to him for the report on Ed's condition.

"Alphonse, I have a question… I have some suspicions, but I can't be entirely sure without some answers… My first standing question being… Did either of your parents show similar symptoms in the past? You mentioned that they had both passed away by now… Or at least your mother for certain… How did she die, Alphonse?"

Al staggered back against the wall, shielding his eyes with his hand. "It was something like this… Of course… It's genetic."

"Al, I'm so sorry." Marly stepped in and set her delicate hand on Al's shoulder. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I don't know, Marly, you're the nurse… You tell me. Am I sick too?" Al's humor was grotesque and Marly swaggered in shock. His eyes grew and shrank in realization to his accusation and he fell back against the blank slate for support. "I'm sorry."

Marly smiled in understanding. "It's alright. This must be hard for you."

A quiet tear slid secretly down the side Al's face opposite of Marly and he whispered too quietly for her to hear clearly: "He's all I've got left."

"What?" Marly ducked her head to try to see his expression.

He lifted his chin and slapped on a, fatigued, happy face, "Nothing. I'm alright."

"Hm, looks like he just woke up. You wanna go in and see him?" Dr. Cropton's less business like tone chimed in and Al nodded entering the room.

"Hey, brother."

Ed turned his head toward the door and closed his eyes, looking pleased.

"Do you feel any better?"

Ed nodded and slid the mask to his chin. "Yes… Want to get ice cream? It sounds pretty good right now, right? Then we'll go home."

Al's hands balled to fists and he glared at the floor. "No brother."

Ed was stunned for a moment, then comprehended the mouth lashing to come and looked away.

"You have to let them take the tests brother! I don't care if we can't afford it right now! But it's our only hope of saving you!" *sigh* "They've determined the source of your illness, brother… But they can't treat it without your compliance."

"They have?" Ed turned back to him curious, but avoided Al's raw gaze.

"Don't act so surprised… It wasn't too difficult to figure out you inherited it from mother."

Ed snorted; then laughed lightly.

"What's so funny brother?! You're dying!"

"Ah, come on, Al. Not too difficult? Heh, how many times have we been here? It might have been more obvious, but it was difficult to determine. At least for them."

"I don't care right now brother, I want you well again. You're all I've got." Al fought back tears and refused to look at his sibling now sitting up straight in the hospital bed squeamishly disconnecting the IV from his arm.

"We've been here six times now, Al… We've had this conversation five… We both know this by now… If this was really terminal, I'd be dead already…" Ed came to his feet and approached him, setting a hand on his shoulder.

Al looked up at him with teary eyes.

Ed gave him a reassuring smile and set his forehead against Al's. "I'm not going anywhere…"