There was nothing to do but wait. Wait for him to come back, wait for the pain to stop, and wait for the final answer to all life's questions. He knew he was dying but he wanted one last day with his lover before all his strength was gone. They sat and talked in the park all day, just basking in each other's company. Roy stood up and leant down to help Ed to his feet. Ed just looked up at Roy with love in his eyes.
"Thank you for making my last day the best ever, Roy. I love you." Ed lay down on the blanket spread out under the tree with a sigh and closed his eyes. Roy dropped to his knees.
"Wait, Ed, what do you mean last day? You're not sick, you're fine. Aren't you? Ed?! Answer me, please!" Roy cradled the still body in his arms, tears streaming down his face.
"Roy, it's okay. I knew what was happening to me. I knew I was going to die." Ed murmured into Roy's chest sleepily.
"No! You can't die! There has to be a cure for whatever it is you have! Ed, what do you have?" Roy's voice was frantic and his eyes wide.
"No Roy. There's nothing that can be done. I have the same thing my mother had. There is no cure. It was over exposure to red water. It's became genetic; I just hope that Al doesn't get it to. Can you kiss me one more time? I just want to go to sleep with you here with me. I know I won't wake up and I want you to say you love me one more time." Ed's voice was growing steadily weaker with each word he spoke. Roy scooped Ed up and raced out of the park and toward the car they had driven.
"Ed, I'm gonna get you to the hospital and you're going to be fine. I'll call Alphonse and he can meet us there, okay?" Roy slid Ed into the passenger's seat of the car and quickly slid into his own seat. He started the engine and sped of toward the hospital at break-neck speeds.
"No, that's okay. Al already knows but he thinks that I have another month or two left." Ed turned his head toward Roy slowly as if it were a huge effort. "You still haven't said that you love me, bastard. I need to hear it before I die."
"Ed, you will hear me say I love you a million more times because we still have so much time together. I won't let you die Ed, I swear." Roy's eyes took on a determined edge and there was a touch of steel added to the onyx depths.
"No Roy. I'm going to die and before I do I want you to promise me one thing." Ed sighed in an exhausted voice, one that spoke of unbelievable hardship and suffering.
"Anything Ed, I will promise you anything." Roy said trying to placate the younger alchemist.
"Don't try to bring me back when I'm gone. I don't want you to see what I saw. Now I just want to sleep. Goodnight Roy, I love you." Ed's eyes closed and his breathing slowed as he drifted into a deep, dreamless sleep. Roy stared at his chibi lover worriedly but then drew his attention back to the road. The two finally reached the hospital and Roy ran inside carrying Ed in his arms. He ran up to the reception desk with a frenzied look in his eyes.
"Save him, please. I'll do anything, just save him." The receptionist stared at the drop dead gorgeous man in front of her holding an unconscious blond boy.
"Um...Follow me sir. I believe we might be able to get a room for your son." Roy had to smile at what the receptionist had just said. He remembered how Ed would always act when they were out in public and he would be mistaken for Roy's son. He strode quickly after the receptionist. He entered a plain white room with a single bed in the center. He lay Ed down on the bed and then pulled up the chair in the room to sit beside the bed. He sat motionless until the doctor entered.
"Ah, so Mr. Elric finally told you. I was wondering when he would." The doctor said with a knowing glance at Ed.
"What do mean? Has Ed come here before?" Roy looked up at the doctor, his eyes wide and worried.
"Yes, Mr. Elric has been coming here for the past year. He refused treatment saying that he had escaped life as a cripple once and wasn't going to let a silly disease turn him into a charity case."
"Yeah, that sounds like Ed. Isn't there any way to save him? Anything at all?" Roy asked desperately.
"Well there is one thing to do, but it would take months, maybe even years. He would have to stay here for about 2 months and then come back twice a week for treatment."
"What do you need to do for treatment?"
"Well, he would have to have alchemic treatment because it is over-exposure to red water. He would be put on a transmutation circle that would slowly try and cleanse his body and soul."
"That sounds simple enough. Why wouldn't Ed do it?"
"Because the procedure takes so long and because to cleanse the body the circle takes some of your own life force leaving you weak and vulnerable."
"I still want Ed to take the treatment."
"I'm sorry Colonel but Mr. Elric is a legal adult and only he can say approve to have this treatment done to him. I'll leave you two to talk." With that the doctor turned and walked out of the room. Roy turned to the bed to see Ed lying there with his eyes open staring at him.
"Ed, I want you to take the treatment. It could save your life."
"Yeah, but you heard what the doctor said. It would mean 6 months in the hospital until their sure my condition is stable and then another 6 months of lying bed all day, with the visits back to the hospital twice a week thrown in there for the added bonus. No thank you."
"Ed, do it for me. I can't live without you. You're my everything. You can't leave me alone here. Please. I need you." Ed lay on the bed silently.
"Okay Ed. I'm going to go call Al and get him over here. Just, think about what I said." With that Roy turned and walked from the room toward the phone. Ed lay there thinking about what Roy said. 'God, how could I have been so stupid!