-gasp-

"Don't move, Fullmetal." Mustang places a hand on Edward's flesh thigh.

Ed frowns and starts shifting about again but grimaces and gasps again as pain overwhelms him.

"I said not to move. You've hurt your back."

Ed grunts. "Where's Al?"

The sound of Al's voice comes from the corner, "Niisan." He is damaged and has been set in the corner of his brother's hospital room.

Ed addresses his sibling, "Al. You alright?"

"I'm a little broken…but okay."

Roy interrupts the conversation. "Relax, Fullmetal. You need to relax and let yourself heal."

Edward scoffs at him and tries to move again. Roy gets up from his chair and leans over him, their faces almost touching, and tells Ed is a rough voice, "I told you not to move. You've gone and somehow thrown your back out. Now lay there and recuperate. That's an order!"

His charge replies by narrowing his eyes and turning his head away. Mustang backs off and returns to his seat at the side of the bed. He is not, however, finished with Ed. "You know; you're lucky."

Ed gives him an incredulous look. Al wisely stays out of the entire affair.

"You were found slung over a stone wall, unconscious. Someone could have finished you off. Al certainly couldn't have stopped them."

Ed keeps his face turned away from Roy. Al looks everywhere in the room but at the two by the bed.

"So what happened? Off the record, of course."

Ed responds with a sigh and then dryly informs his superior, "I got beat up."

"Are you going to elaborate on that at all on that point?"

"No."

A moment passes. No one says anything.

Ed suddenly gasps as the pain in his back flares up.

"Niisan?" A concerned Al says from his spot in the corner.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Ed says through gasps.

Roy places a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You are not fine, brother."

Ed closes his eyes and sighs as the hurt subsides a bit. He re-opens his eyes and eyes a glass of water on a nearby table. "Colonel? Could I get some water?"

Roy reaches for the glass and brings it towards Ed. "Can you sit up at all?"

Ed attempts this, only to discover that his back wants nothing to do with moving. He slumps into his pillow as a string of curses escape his lips.

"Niisan?" Al says quietly and worriedly. Ed either ignores or didn't hear his brother.

Roy slides a hand behind Ed and starts to help his sit up. This, however, puts Ed immediately on the defensive, "What're you…"

"Relax. You have to calm down. Your back will just seize up if you fight me and work against me."

Ed obeys and is eased up into a position where he can drink without spilling all over himself. With his other hand, Roy puts the glass to Ed's lips. Ed, however, takes it from his hand before drinking it greedily. Roy takes the empty glass from his hand and carefully lowers him back to the mattress. Ed givesa whispered thanks before drifting into sleep.