The Sun will Shine

by Datenma

Sequel to When the rain comes. RoyEd. In a coastal town, there's a man rumored to cure a strange illness with the aid of a crimson light-could it be the Philosopher's Stone?

A/N: Mmm obey the sequel-ly goodness of it all and guess what, there's another part to this! :collective gasp from muses: Yes, yes, boys, I know, I'm working over-time to make up for the years of neglecting you. The sequel to THIS story will take place around the last episode but I'm not sure how long it's going to end up being.

Anywho, this story takes place right after When the rain comes - mmm there's a bit of blood mention but I don't get terribly graphic. Viva la fight scenes.

Please read and review. I am currently working on The sound of silence which is the sequel to this. I wanted to make it follow the previous story titles "When the rain comes, the sun will shine" so maybe I'll find a better name for it along the way. Who knows. Maybe 'and my heart will beat' or something insane and sappy like that. I also just thought of something. During one of the openings, when it's raining, the sun comes out. Too bad Winry ruins it. I just really don't like violent women :shakes head: call me old-fashioned.

Also, thank you to everyone who did review to my two previous stories, it means the world to me. And thanks so much for the favs, make my heart go doki doki.

The Sun will Shine
By: Datenma

The Colonel's legs stretch across the booth to the other bench as he slouches down in the seat, his arms folded across his chest with his head bowed towards his chest, his head tilting towards his shoulder slightly. I prop my elbow on my knee, watching him as he sleeps, my mouth turning in a slight frown.

I knew he was tall; I just never thought about it a lot since and he's usually sitting down behind his desk when I report in at the Office. I haven't had the chance to think about him much since we first met. Everything has been moving so quickly these past few months.

Even our…confessions to each other were rushed. My head's still reeling. In my wildest dreams, I never would have thought the Colonel would like me or think about me as anything more than a subordinate or just another way to help him rise through the ranks and become Fuhrer some day.

I sigh, stretching my arms and legs out, slipping down in the seat as the train speeds down through the countryside, trees whipping past the window quickly, too fast for me to focus on them as they sweep by.

I lean forward, studying the Colonel's face carefully, committing every single line to memory. Everything about him, a whirlwind of emotions and chaos seem to come together and form someone that can't be explained by mere, callous words. In a word, he is unique, unlike anyone else in this world.

Even in his sleep he seems so laid-back. I wonder if there's anything scary enough to wipe that calm, calculated expression off his face. It isn't that I want to see him hurt…I just want to…

I don't know…maybe I just want to know that the military won't destroy my emotions…hasn't destroyed his emotions. Maybe I want to be sure that Roy is still human where it counts.

I groan, leaning back and flailing my arms and legs in exasperation, "How long are you gonna sleep, Colonel!" I shift, rummaging through his coat pockets, finding a pen inside after searching through all of them. I grin and slide a finger under his chin, tilting his head back and leaning forward to make a mark his face when I spot something out the window that catches my attention and draws it away from my current act of crime immediately.

"Wow! Wow, wow, wow!" I scramble over Roy in my rush to get to the window; pressing my hands against the glass and leaning close, ignoring Roy's groans of protest as I kneel on his lap, pressing my cheek against the windowpane to get a better look.

The usual grassy country mountains and lush green trees have fallen back to reveal a wide flowery field surrounded by large, snow-tipped mountains in the distance, seemingly keeping up with the train track by track.

The train is zipping through the open fields heading towards a large town set near a wide stretch of beach, the sand so white I almost mistook it for snow. It looks so peaceful, like something that belongs in a snow globe, not a place for the military to be investigating something like the Philosopher's Stone.

It's a town that doesn't look as if it's been touched by alchemy.

I blink suddenly as the seat shifts under me and I turn quickly, remembering that I had climbed onto Roy to look out the window. He grasps my arm, shifting again and sighing, shaking his head, frowning at me slightly, "As sexy as this is, Fullmetal, you're cutting off the circulation to my legs."

He grins suddenly and I feel the heat rise in my cheeks, going to smack him but he catches my other hand, his grin softening to a smile, "Now, sit down and behave yourself, we'll be there soon enough, I'm sure that even you can wait a couple of more minutes."

I roll my eyes at him, grumbling to myself and slipping off his lap carefully, settling back on the seat, resting my elbow on the armrest and dropping my chin onto my hand, staring out the opposite window. The bench groans slightly under us and I turn, almost flying over the side of the bench.

Roy moved closer when I looked away and now his face is right in front of mine, "W-what are you doing, idiot Colonel…!" He presses his hand to my mouth and I start to struggle against him when I notice that he's wearing his gloves even though he's still dressed in civilian clothes.

"Fullmetal…no, Edward, I'm going to tell you this once and only once. While we are in this town, you are under no circumstances to call me 'Colonel' or 'Flame', do you understand?" There's a seriousness in his deep cobalt eyes that wasn't there a moment ago. It makes my heart beat faster but not in a good way.

The sharp look in his eyes frightens me.

Just what does the Colonel expect from such an innocent looking town? What has him taking such precautions when he normally just runs headlong into the situation, snapping his fingers and calling out cocky punch lines? I know that it's just the two of us in this but shouldn't that be more than enough?

He smiles suddenly, the dangerous glint in his eyes dissolving like sugar in warm water and he leans forward slowly, pressing his forehead to mine as he rests his hand on the back of my neck, rubbing his fingers along my skins gently. Without really wanting to, I feel myself relaxing again. Why does he have such an affect on me? I must be going crazy…falling for someone like him…

"I'm saying this because I don't want to scare off a potential lead to the Philosopher's Stone and this town hasn't had much of a brush with alchemy before this incident. I don't want to draw any unnecessary attention to ourselves, even though this is a mission given to you by the military we don't have to go charging in." He sighs, closing his eyes and touching his other hand to my shoulder, "And I'm not sure how the people there will feel if they learn that they are being cured through the use of alchemy. They haven't had much contact with it and they seem to doing just fine."

"If the person who has been curing the illness turns out to have the Philosopher's Stone, I doubt that the villagers are just going to let us take it away without a fight."

He pulls back slowly, taking a deep breath and shaking his head, "Let's try not to think about that unless the situation arises. I also believe…that if they know that they are being cured through alchemy, they most likely will turn the doctor away." He straightens his gloves, glancing down at the alchemic circle printed out neatly there in crimson ink before he sighed, covering his eyes with his hand, "Anyway, I want to avoid spilling innocent if we can…no, at all costs…"

I blink, reaching out to touch his hand slowly, "R-Roy…?"

He falls against me before I can even brush my fingers along the back of his hand. He presses his face to my shoulder and wraps his arms around me, his shoulders shaking slightly. "Edward…I…know that you've already seen so many horrible things and I want to protect you from having to witness anymore…but trust me…it doesn't get any better and I can't stop you from continuing down the path you've chosen—the path we both have chosen to walk down. You keep trying and trying…trying to find some balance, trying to find a way to make sense of it…some way to make it right but you'll start to lose yourself along the way if you aren't careful…"

I swallow nervously, raising my hands slowly, clutching at the back of his jacket, "Roy…what are you…saying…?"

"I know that I can't stop you…but I don't want to…just stand back and have you…disappear…" He takes another deep breath, a shudder rolling through his entire body and he pulls away slowly, not looking me in the eye as he turns away, staring out the window. "I'm sorry, Edward, I don't know what's gotten into me."

"Roy…"

I frown, unable to make out the expression reflected in the glass. Part of me wants to demand that he tell me but then the other part of me is telling me no—if he cares about me…and if I really care about him, I should be patient and wait for him to tell me. There's only one thing that I can do for him right now.

I shift, turning my back to him slightly, leaning against his arm and resting my head on his shoulder, closing my eyes. I can almost feel his smile on me, soft and tender, warm and comforting like a gentle summer breeze.

"I've never been there myself," He starts to say, his voice lowered, still a hint of a soft ache deep down, "But I have heard about it and I had Fuery do a little research for me before we left."

I blink, glancing up at him, grinning, "So that's what took you so long to get back last night and here I thought you stopped off at the bar and got drunk."

He rolls his eyes and I smile softly, resting my head on his shoulder again, "Anyway, the town is called Weltmeere. It isn't a popular tourist town since it's so quiet but the villagers are friendly enough and they welcome anyone who actually does visit. There haven't been many reports of alchemists traveling to the town but I'm sure there have been a few who just stop by for some peace and quiet." He pauses for a moment, "I have to admit though, if this wasn't an assignment, I wouldn't mind coming here on vacation."

I laugh, "But didn't you take leave to come here? When you think about it that way, it sort of is a vacation for you."

He shakes his head, smiling, "Quite the contrary, Edward. You are my subordinate, one who I take special interest in and you're normally with your brother who is currently no where to be found so what kind of commanding officer would I be if I let you handle this on your own?"

I puff my cheeks, "I was going to go back to Resembool for Al but you had to go and butt in. You took leave to come with me…when you could have used it to take a break from work or something." He pokes my cheek gently, smiling more, forcing the air through my mouth.

"I want to help you through this, Edward." He lifts his arm, resting it on the back of the bench, "You can argue with me until you're blue in the face but that won't change the fact that I'm already here and that I plan to do everything in my power to help you, not just with this…but in everything…"

I blush, glancing away quickly and shrugging my shoulders, "I bet no one would believe me if I said you were so sappy."

He laughs softly, "You're the only one who needs to know that, Edward." He leans back, tilting his head back, looking up at the roof of the train, "We should keep a low profile until we hear about the person who has been curing the villagers. We don't need to scare him off before we even see him."

I lean around him, staring out the window as the town drew closer. The buildings are pressed close together, some made of stone bricks, others of wood but they all look soft, just perfect for a beachside town.

"It reminds me of my hometown…" I blink, glancing up at Roy. His eyes are glued on the village; his head tilted, his bangs falling across his face gently. He smiles softly, closing his eyes and turning away from the window, "It's been so long I've almost forgotten…"

I sigh and lean against him, resting my head on his chest and staring down at his boots. His chest rises heavily for a moment before he touches his hand to my shoulder, releasing the breath he has been holding, his chest sinking again, "I'd rather not think about that right now, though."

I slip my arms around his waist, burying my face in his shirt, "You've already said it…is it really going to be that easy for you to just stop thinking about it?"

"Of course it is, because I have something more important to think about."

I shift and lift my head as the train begins to slow, pulling into the small station on the outskirts of the town. I blink, glancing around as some of passengers stand, picking up their luggage and heading for the doors.

Roy leans down, picking up his suitcase and stretching, "We'll check in at the inn—I had Fuery make reservations for us too, just in case. After that, we can take a look around the village and see if there's anything of interest."

I pick up my suitcase, saluting him teasingly, "Ready to go." He smiles, shaking his head and taking the hand I used to salute him in his free hand, leading me off the train.

As we step off the train, a gentle breeze blows in from the ocean, carrying the scent of saltwater over to us. I close my eyes, taking a deep breath and stretching out my arms. The air is warm and the town quiet enough to hear the sound of birds chirping somewhere on a nearby rooftop.

After getting his bearings, Roy starts down the main street leading into town. I blink, hurrying after him and latching onto the edge of his coat, blushing as he glances back at me. He smiles softly, reaching back and taking my hand again before looking forward.

We stop as we reach the middle of the town square, sitting down on the edge of the large fountain, watching the villagers moving about through the square, couples laughing cheerfully together. Even as I smile at them, I can't help but notice that Roy's frowning through it all.

"What's wrong, did someone drop a lobster down your pants?" He sighs, shaking his head as he adjusts his gloves again, stretching his fingers. He tests them with a small, concealed snap, sparks flying from the tips of his fingers.

He bows his head slightly, resting his hand across his mouth and speaking softly, "Havoc said there was a strange illness afflicting the villagers, but haven't you noticed that everyone seems…almost blissfully unaware? If you were living in a village with something that modern medicine couldn't cure for, wouldn't you take some precautions to prevent yourself from falling ill?"

I lean back, stretching my legs out and glancing up at the sky, "Maybe they have a lot of faith in their doctor?"

"Too much faith if you ask me..." He sighs again, pinching the bridge of his nose, "I don't like it, Edward…this place seems almost too perfect. Maybe I'm just so used to expecting the worst out of people…I feel uncomfortable thinking that there isn't something always wrong."

I touch my hand to his shoulder, leaning against him.

I don't want to admit it to him but I had the same uneasy feeling about this place when we first arrived. Everyone seems too happy for people to be falling ill, even if there is a doctor around with the only cure for the disease. Don't they value their lives more than this? I know that they can't hold themselves up in their homes forever but still…

There are more people living here than I thought would be in a town with a 'strange illness' and they don't look as if they have any plans on moving any time soon.

He rests his hand on my head suddenly; ruffling my hair and smiling down at me, "Let's go to the inn and drop off our things so we don't have to lug them all over the town." He grins and leans down, kissing me on the cheek quickly before I have a chance to protest.

He stands, smiling and whistling to himself as he starts down another road. I hop up, grabbing my suitcase and running after him, holding my cheek, "Y-you shouldn't do that in public! What'll people say…?"

"Let them talk, you and I know the truth and that's good enough for me."

I blush, shaking my head and taking his hand again, "Idiot Roy…"

He laughs, "That's a new one." He squeezes my hand gently and I lean against him, sighing softly and closing my eyes for a moment. If you ignore the fact that we're here looking for the Philosopher's Stone, this place could be romantic.

I blush, shaking my head. I shouldn't be thinking about that right now. Maybe when I get mine and Al's bodies back…

The inn is built on the east side of town on a small sloping hill overlooking a long stretch of beach, the salty blue waves rolling up to kiss the white sand, multicolored shells littering the beach, creating a dazzling array of colors set against the pale sand. I try to get a better look but Roy smiles, squeezing my hand and pulling me through the doors of the inn, the old man at the desk greeting us with a wave and a toothy smile.

Roy walks over to the counter, "Hello, we have reservations for…" I walk over to the nearby window, tuning out their conversation.

It has a perfect view of the ocean and the beach along with a flight of stone steps leading down the hill and onto the shore, blending in seamlessly with the white sand. Growing near the edge of the beach is a small bush of pale white flowers, the wind blowing them gently, sending some of the blossoms flying off and out of sight.

I blink, pressing my cheek against the glass, trying to see where they land but a familiar hand touches my shoulder and I turn around, spotting Roy. He smiles softly, leaning down and whispering to me, "It's a good thing that we reserved a room before coming here. The innkeeper said that there have been a lot of visitors recently and all of his rooms are booked."

I frown, looking up at him and leaning back against the wall, "But haven't people heard about the illness in this town? Why would they come all the way out here when there's a danger of catching it themselves?"

"They want to catch a glimpse of the miracle healer, Edward, that's the way people are." He shakes his head, taking my hand and pulling me up the stairs and pausing in front of a door at the end of the corridor, taking out a key from his pocket and turning it in the lock, twisting the doorknob and pushing the door open.

I step past him as he sets his suitcase on the wooden floor, dropping mine down next to his and grinning brightly, bounding over to the bed and jumping onto it, tackling the pillow. He smiles, closing the door and locking it behind him, walking over to the window and pushing the curtains aside.

I roll over onto my stomach, watching him, "Are you still uneasy?" He turns away from the window, closing the curtains again and sighing.

He walks over to me, sitting down on the edge of the bed, "It isn't that, I was just thinking of a way we can see the good doctor work his magic in person. Maybe if there are so many tourists coming to see him, he might let anyone in to watch while he cures the sick." He shakes his head, lying back on the bed next to me, folding his arms under his head, "It's just a matter of time, waiting for someone else to get sick."

I frown, resting my head in my hands and staring at the wallpaper, lifting my legs into the air and waving them absently, "We should at least try to figure out who the man is…we might be able to follow him around town and corner him about how he's curing people. If it comes to it, we could tell him we're the military and…"

I pause, blinking as he grabs me around the waist, pulling me to lie on top of him, "Roy?" He sighs, resting his hand on the back of my head, tangling his fingers up in my hair.

"We just got here; let's relax before we think about work."

I puff my cheeks, glaring down at him, "This is why Hawkeye has to come after you all the time—you won't even do your paperwork when you're at the Office and now you don't want me to even work on my assignment for the Philosopher's Stone. You know it benefits you too, you should at least try to help me."

He sighs again, pinching my cheek and tugging slightly, "It isn't that I don't want to help, it's just that we don't get to spend a lot of time together. I understand that it is a serious matter but even though I'm worried about why people are acting the way they are, they do seem happy and when I talked to the innkeeper, he said that there hasn't been any reports of the sickness the past couple of days. If we don't hear about any more people falling ill after today, we can go to the doctor himself. He lives on the beach a mile or so from town."

I blush, resting my chin on his chest, "You found all that out from talking to that old man?"

He smiles, pushing my bangs away from my face, "Yes, while you were busy staring out the window." He smiles more, leaning down and kissing my forehead, "See, I don't always try to avoid my duties."

I sigh, poking his nose, "Yeah but you could go without putting off your paperwork until the last possible minute." He groans, shaking his head and wrapping his arms around me, hugging me tightly.

"Let's not talk about that." He tilts his head back, "It's about time for lunch, what do you say to getting something to eat? I saw a café on our way here."

I cheer, scrambling off the bed and heading for the door. He smiles, picking up his coat again, pulling it on before reaching over me, unlocking the door and pushing it open. I start to run out but he catches my hand, smiling and leading me down the hallway and back into the inn's lobby.

The old man was sitting back in a wooden chair, reading a thick leather-bound book. He glances up as we cross the room, waving to us before returning his attention to the book, tapping his foot on the floor. I blink, letting Roy lead the way back into the street.

This side of town isn't as crowded as the town square is even though the east side has the best view of the beach. I glance back, tucking my bangs behind my ears as a strong wind blows through. I frown as I spot a man bending down near the bush, pulling some of the flowers from it. Though there isn't anything wrong with picking flowers, there's something not right about that man…

I turn away quickly as the man begins to straighten, shaking my head and gripping Roy's hand, leaning against his back. He smiles softly, closing his eyes for a moment. I wonder if he's really happy. Even now, being this close to him and knowing that he likes me, he's still a mystery.

We reach the café and sit at a table near the large window, ordering when the waitress comes. I rest my hand on the table, drumming my fingers along the edge as I prop my head on my hand, staring out the window and watching people as they walk past.

"It's really different from Central and East City, don't you think." I blink, glancing back at him and nodding.

"I know that there are a lot of towns that don't rely on alchemy but one that hasn't had a touch of it…it's strange."

He smiles, glancing out the window, "But you shouldn't be so shocked. People all over are still surprised and amazed by what alchemists can accomplish…it's like magic to them even if it's a science to us." He sighs, "People fear what they don't understand, so much that they're prone to lashing out at it. That's why we have to take caution when we act, especially State Alchemists. Being an alchemist at all is cause for prudence but being an alchemist who works for the military…people aren't likely to take to them well. I'm sure you've seen your share of it already."

I nod slowly before tilting my head, watching him, "Roy, why did you join the military?"

He blinks, shifting slightly in his chair, leaning towards me and laughing bitterly, "I thought that I could make a difference, even though I was a dog of the military. I still thought that I would be able to change the way things were if I was close to one of the problems in the world." He looks away, "A few years ago, that all changed…but more so than ever now, I want to rise to the top and try to change things as Fuhrer."

I laugh, "That's kind of childish, don't you think?"

He smiles at me softly, "Maybe…but isn't that why you joined the military, Edward?" I stiffen slightly, looking at him, my heart pounding loudly in my ears. "You went as far as you could on your own…but you're not alone anymore. There are many people who care about you and even if you're worried about them getting hurt, it would be a lot much more painful if you're the only one who ends up hurt in the end."

He reaches across the table, wrapping his fingers around my hand turning it over so my palm is facing up, lacing his fingers through mine, "I've seen enough death in the past and I know that I haven't seen the end of it but there's one death that I wouldn't be able to take."

"Roy…" I blush when the waitress returns to our table with our order, pushing Roy's hand away quickly and sitting back. He shakes his head, smiling at me softly as she sets the plates down between us.

We finish eating and he walks over to pay at the register. I stand behind him, leaning back against him and staring up at the strange patterns dancing along the ceiling, tilting my head to follow them lazily about the room.

Suddenly, the door flies open, the bell hanging over it jingling lightly and I turn my head, feeling Roy shift behind me, looking towards the door as well.

A woman carrying a basket of those same white flowers is standing in the doorway, looking as if she had been running all over town, her hair a mess. "The mayor's daughter has contracted the sickness and Doctor Whitfield has gone to his house to cure the girl!" With that quick announcement, she runs back out of the restaurant to tell more of the villagers.

The woman working at the register blinks, smiling at us quickly as she removes her apron, laying it across the counter, "You should hurry if you want to see the doctor's miracle."

"Thanks." Roy takes my hand, pulling me out the door and into the crowd, grinning, "This worked out better than I thought."

I sigh, watching him and doing my best to keep up. It's moments like these that I wonder if he's human. He seems to be able to plan everything out in advance even while pretending he had nothing to do with it.

We stand in the back of the room, most of the villagers gathered around a small bed with a little girl lying on it, her face almost as pale as the white sand, strange crimson marks dotting her face. The man that I had seen picking flowers on the beach earlier is leaning over the bed with his hand hovering over the girl's eyes.

Something else in the room catches my attention though, distracting me from the two at the far wall.

There's a light, sweet smell coming from somewhere in the room and I glance around, trying to find it when I spot a vase near the bed. The white flowers are arranged neatly in the vase, the petals sprinkled with fresh water. There's something intoxicating about the scent and I lean back against Roy in a slight daze.

He grips my arms lightly, leaning down and whispering into my ear so no one else hears him, "That's a flower called jasmine; they mostly grow near the coast which is why you probably haven't seen them until now."

I blink, shaking the haze away and glancing at the man again. He pulls something out from inside his coat, clutching it tightly in his hands, concealing it from view. A dazzling crimson light fills the room and the villagers let out a collective awed sound, whispers of 'miracle healer' rolling gently through the crowd.

I glance back at Roy to see his reaction, surprised to find him glaring coldly at the man's back. I look back as the light dies down and the man steps away from the bed, slipping whatever he had in his hands back into his coat.

Slowly, the little girl opens her eyes, her cheeks still a little pale but the red marks have vanished. She smiles weakly and the man holds his arms out, turning around, "She's cured." He freezes, stiffening when he spots Roy and he clears his throat, lowering his arms slowly, "Please, seek me at my house if anyone else falls ill."

He pushes through the crowd, keeping his head bowed as he passes us. Roy turns, gritting his teeth and taking my hand, "Come on, Edward." I blink, nodding and following him out of the house.

"Do you know him, Roy?"

"No, but he seems to know us and that's what matters and if we don't follow him, he might decide to skip town and we'll have come all this way for nothing."

We follow the man down an alley and he stops at the wall blocking his way, glancing back at us and sighing, holding his arms up submissively, "I know that you're both State Alchemists and I know that you came here looking for me."

Roy fixes his gloves, holding his hand out, ready to snap his fingers. "If you know that much, then you should know that we mean business. Tell us how you cured that girl. Is it the Philosopher's Stone?"

The man blinks, grinning and shaking his head, "It has nothing to do with the Philosopher's Stone." I felt my heart sink, stepping back slightly. "If you know what's good for you, you'll get out of this town before nightfall."

"Is that a threat?"

The man laughs, "I wouldn't possibly think of threatening the Flame Alchemist, I'm no fool. Please, consider it a friendly warning from one alchemist to another." Roy narrows his eyes before smiling at the man.

"Fine, consider this a friendly warning as well." He steps in front of me, snapping his fingers quickly, sparks flying from his fingertips. A split second later, a long flame shoots out and the man ducks down, the flame striking the wall behind him, destroying it, bits of rubble raining down on the man.

I blink standing back before clapping my hands together, kneeling down and pressing my palms to the ground. The stones come together, forming a large cage around the man.

He stands up, gripping the bars and trying to break them, "I haven't done anything wrong, you can't keep me here!"

"You didn't tell us what we wanted to know." Roy turns, "Come on, Edward." I blink, glancing from him, to the man and back again, nodding and following him out of the alley quickly.

"Is it all right to just leave him there?"

"If he's an alchemist, breaking out of there shouldn't be that difficult for him." I catch the edge of Roy's jacket, clutching at it in my hand as I glance back at the man, a shiver running down my spine as he glares at us.

"That's not what I'm worried about…when he breaks out, he could tell the villagers some lie about us and turn them against us. It'll be difficult to get around if we're being tracked down by everyone in town."

He shakes his head, pausing in the middle of the road, tilting his head back and glancing up at the reddening sky, the sun setting on the horizon. "That's not something I'm so worried about. I doubt that he's going to spread rumors about us. They may respect him, but I'm sure they fear the military more." He sighs, slipping his hands into his pockets, "But I don't want it to come to that."

"It's starting to get dark, Roy, we should get back to the inn while we can still find our way in the light."

He smiles, grinning back at me, "Is little Edward afraid of the dark?"

I feel my eye start to twitch, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL YOU CAN FIT THEM INTO A BREADBASKET!?" He blinks, starting to laugh, reaching over and ruffling my hair.

"You're too adorable for your own good, Edward." I blush as he pulls me close, slipping his arms around me and sighing. I push him back shyly and he places his hand on the small of my back, guiding me to the inn.

The old man is missing from his chair behind the front desk, a closed sign resting neatly on the counter and Roy walks us past it, heading up the stairs, they creak under the weight of our bodies softly. I stiffen, glancing back down the stairs as I see a shadow darting across the room, relaxing when I spot a cat jumping into a chair near the window. The cat stares at me with large, glowing eyes and I feel a chill run down my spine, turning away quickly and hurrying after Roy, almost crashing into him as he reaches out room.

He smiles at me softly, holding the door to let me in first and I blush, brushing against him on my way past. I lean back against the wall as he closes the door, locking it again and walking over to the window, pushing the curtains open and glancing out. "The sun set faster than I thought it would…"

I slide my boots off, sneaking over to him and throwing my arms around his waist and leaning against him, pressing my cheek to his back. He turns around in my arms, smiling softly and pushing my coat off, shrugging off his own and tossing them over the nearby chair.

I glance up at him nervously and he smiles, leaning down and kissing my forehead, slipping an arm under my legs and lifting me up quickly, carrying me over to the bed and dropping me on top of it. I blink as I bounce slightly, glancing up at him again, "Ro-?" He leans down, touching my cheek and pushing my bangs out of my eyes, pressing his lips to mine.

I clutch at his sleeve with my right hand, bringing my left hand up and tangling my fingers in his hair. I never thought that the Colonel would be such a passionate man—then again, he is a man. Every man has his needs; I really wouldn't expect someone like Roy to be able to wait until I was old enough before…

I feel my face grow hot as he pulls my braid free, setting the band on the bedside table and running his hand back through my hair, letting it fan out on the bed around my head. He blinks, laughing softly and pressing his lips to my forehead gently, "Is something on your mind, Edward?"

I puff my cheeks, glancing away quickly, "Um…well, erm…not exactly but…aren't you going to do more…?"

He shifts, lying down next to me before reaching across and turning off the lamp, the only light in the room coming from the moon high above and some distant streetlamp. He smiles, pulling my head to rest on his chest, the sound of his heart reaching me.

I take a deep breath instinctively, catching a whiff of his scent. He smells of cedar and a fresh spring morning with a slight hint of ash probably from his gloves. It isn't unpleasant…more like a fire burning in the hearth—it's comforting, just like his voice. "I won't do anything tonight, Edward."

I sigh, closing my eyes. It isn't terrible…being able to relax with him like this. I hope I can find the real Philosopher's Stone soon…so I can spend more days like this with Roy…

Before I know it, I drift off into a light sleep. There's something strange about this town. I don't want to relax completely, let my guard down and have someone break in trying to kill us. Maybe I'm just being paranoid…

Sometime during the night I fell asleep completely, lulled into a deep slumber by the sound of Roy's steady heartbeat. I stiffen, stirring in my sleep slightly. I thought I heard footsteps out in the hallway but there isn't even the sound of the window blowing outside over the rooftop. Roy has one arm strewn across my waist, the other folded under his head, his hair lying across his face gently.

I try to relax, resting my head near his chest and taking a deep breath, his earthy scent coming to me again, this time it is accompanied by something that makes my heart stop.

It's the same sweet smell that I noticed at the mayor's house earlier. What did Roy call those flowers? Jam…jasmine? I frown slightly, sitting up and glancing around the room. Where could it be coming from?

I start to slide my legs off the bed to check the hall but a gloved hand catches my wrist, holding me fast. "Roy?" He presses a finger to his lips, his dark eyes narrowed slightly.

"Get your boots and coat, Edward." His voice comes to me in a hushed whisper, firm and commanding, yet there is still a hint of gentleness buried deep beneath the urgency.

I swallow past the lump in my throat, nodding to him and climbing off the bed, pulling on my boots and coat, turning around to see him doing the same. He walks over to the window, pulling it open and leaning out, glancing around. "This should be all right."

"All right for what? What's going on?" I let out a yell and duck down slightly, throwing my arms up over my head as the door suddenly bursts off its hinges, sending splintered wood flying. Standing there among some of the villagers is the little girl that the doctor cured earlier today. Her eyes are rolled back in her head, her skin sagging off the bone.

"W-what the hell!?" I jerk away, running over to Roy and pressing against back against him as they amble towards us. "What the hell's going on, Roy!?"

He curses softly, grabbing my arm and lifting me up onto the windowsill, "We don't have time to talk. We need to get somewhere safe." He pushes me out and I slide down the side of the building, stumbling as I hit the ground, rolling out of the way when I hear a sharp snap. He lands next to me, grabbing my hand and taking off down the street, heading towards the town square without missing a beat.

I glance back, watching the smoke rise into the air from the window of the room where we had been sleeping just seconds ago. I close my eyes, a shiver running down my spine. I thought the little girl's face was horrifying enough when I saw her but as I looked at the other villagers…she was normal compared to them.

Their skin was peeling off in messy globs, muscle and bone visible underneath, blood streaming down, coating their skin, dying their clothes and dripping onto the floor. One even had an eye hanging out of the socket, dangling by the vein and swinging down around near their chin.

It brought back memories still too vivid in my mind.

He finally stops running when we reach the fountain, doubling over slightly, resting his hands on his knees. I watch him for a moment before glancing around, taking a deep breath and holding it, listening for the sound of footsteps. It's quiet again, the only sound coming from the fountain behind us, water dripping noisily from the statue and down into the waiting pool, splashing my gloved hand with water now and then.

My heart's still thumping loudly in my chest, sweat running down my cheek even in the cool night air. I push my hair back, reaching into my pocket for a spare tie and pulling it back into a ponytail.

I fold my arms across my chest, frowning at him, "What's going on, Roy? Did you know this was going to happen?"

He looks at me quickly, still hunched over and shaking his head, a fire burning in his eyes, "Do you honestly think I would have let you come here if I had any idea this was going to happen?" He waits, staring at me and I glance away, rubbing the back of my neck.

"No…" He sighs, straightening and walking over to me, resting his hand on my head, ruffling my hair gently.

"It's just speculation, but maybe it has something to do with what that doctor is using to cure this illness. The innkeeper said that he is living on a shack somewhere on the beach. It's best if we head that way for now." He fixes his gloves, starting down a different road to get to the beach and I bow my head.

"I guess that really does mean he doesn't have the Philosopher's Stone." I ball my hands into fists, biting down on my bottom lip and shaking slightly. So many dead-ends. So many things stopping us…what is going to be the real price to get to the Philosopher's Stone?

He pauses, looking back at me and sighing, slipping his hands into his pockets. "Just because the thing this man is using can't truly cure these people, doesn't mean that he doesn't know how to procure a Philosopher's Stone. Maybe he can lead us in the right direction if we persuade him."

"But, what if…"

"Edward, I will help you, no matter the cost." I blink, glancing up at him. "Even if it means my position in the military or my life—whatever, I would willingly give up anything to help you so don't back out on me now."

"Roy…" I smile softly, starting towards him when he stiffens, raising his hand and snapping. I duck down quickly as a flame comes shooting past me. "Watch when you point that thing!"

"No time for romance." He runs forward, grabbing my wrist and running down a street. I glance back, spotting a group of villagers stumbling after us, some on fire. They disappear as we round the corner and I struggle to keep up with him. "Edward, just follow the shoreline until you come across the doctor's house. Get as much information out of him as possible."

I blink, almost tripping on a loose cobblestone but I regain my balance before I can hit the ground, "What do you mean? What are you going to be doing?"

"Someone needs to stay back and make sure that they don't get to the doctor's house. We don't know if he can control them or not."

"Y-you can't do it on your own!" He grins back at me.

"Have a little more faith in me, Fullmetal. I can last long enough for you to deal with the good doctor and come back in time to be a hero."

"I-idiot, now isn't the time for jokes…there's no way I'm going to leave you alone with these things, even if you ordered me." He pauses as we reach the outskirts of town, a large stone overhanging connecting the two buildings on either side of us.

He pushes me down into the grass, pulling out his pen and drawing a transmutation circle on the wall. I stand, starting to run back over to him as the strange villagers appear around the corner but he pushes me down again, this time a little more forcefully, smiling softly. "Edward, I…"

…Roy.

He touches his hand to the circle, the stones from above and below rising and falling to form a solid stone wall between us. I run forward again, clawing at the stone, skinning my left hand, making marks in the stone with my right. "ROY!!"

I sink to my knees in front of the stone wall, trying to fight back the tears even as they roll down my cheeks, dripping to the ground. I could transmute the wall and get to him but…

"Roy…" I grit my teeth, clapping my hands together, running my left hand across my right arm and down to the hand, transmuting the automail into a hand blade. Someone is going to die today but it isn't going to be Roy.

I turn, running down the hill and stumbling into the sand, turning to look up and down the beach. I spot a pinprick of light in the distance near the rolling surf and I narrow my eyes, taking off down the beach, my feet sinking in the soft sand.

Roy will be okay, right? He wouldn't have gotten this far if something like that could beat him. He wouldn't just let himself die after…

I shake my head quickly, gritting my teeth and running faster towards the doctor's house.

I clap my hands as I reach the door, pressing my hands to it and breaking it down, jumping in through the opening. The doctor stumbles out of his chair, standing near it, too shocked to make another move. I walk over to him slowly, pointing the tip of my blade at his throat, "You're going to tell me everything and I mean everything, I'll get it out of you one way or another and I really don't think you're going to like the second option. Now, what's it going to be?"

He shifts, glancing around, probably wandering if he can get away fast enough. I clap my hands together again, kneeling down on the floor and pressing my hands against the worn wooden boards, blocking all the exits except for the door I busted through.

I stand again, pointing my blade at his neck and narrowing my eyes; half-hoping he would try to fight me. He doesn't though, sighing as he lowers his hands, leaning down to right his chair and sitting in it again, staring at the floor, "I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

I lower my blade slightly, leaning against his desk and rifling through the pages of loose notes scattered around. He frowns at me but doesn't object to it and I turn to him, holding a collection of some of the notes in my hand, "What do you use to…cure the sickness?"

He shifts in the chair slightly, opening his jacket and pulling out a small vial of crimson liquid. He hands it to me and I lift it up to the light, turning it one way and then the other. It's similar to the crimson liquid used to make the false Philosopher's Stones but why would it have such a violent reaction on the people that he tries to heal? It hasn't happened before…

"Who gave you this? I doubt you could make it by yourself…"

He shakes his head, "A woman gave it to me…"

"A woman? Did she have a fat, stumpy guy following her around?" He frowns slightly, shaking his head and I sigh, running a hand back through my hair. Instead of answering the list of questions I have, the list just keeps growing. Will anyone tell me what I want to know without making it worse?

"Why are all the villagers like that? Are you controlling them? Are they all dead?" He raises an eyebrow, blinking at me as he straightens in his chair.

"Dead? What are you talking about? The elixir cured their sickness completely—everyone in the village is safe because of me." I stand, clapping my hand and removing the blade from my right arm, turning away from him and glancing around the cabin.

"You're wrong…your so-called elixir did nothing more than prolong the sickness, maybe even exacerbated it. They look like the living dead come back to haunt the village." I pull a thick tome from the bookcase on the far side of the room, flipping through it. I blink as one of those white flowers falls to the floor near my feet. He had been using the flowers as a substitute for one of the ingredients…was that why…?

I blink, hearing the floorboards creak behind me and I turn around, dropping the book, my eyes widening. The doctor crossed the room while I had my back turned, a pair of scissors raised in his hand, ready to attack. I raise my right arm defensively, closing my eyes as he brings the scissors down quickly.

There's a sudden, sharp familiar snap, the man letting out a cry of pain, dropping the scissors and crumpling to the floor. I lower my arm slowly, blinking and spotting Roy stepping over the shattered bits of wood lying in the doorway. His clothes are a little torn and singed in some places and there's a small cut under his right eye but other than that he's unharmed.

"R-Roy…" I run over to him, hopping over the doctor's body, throwing my arms around his waist and pressing my cheek against his chest.

He winches slightly but slips one arm around my waist, resting the other on top of my head, sighing softly, "Sorry I'm a little late…" I shake my head, clinging to him more, "I'll give a report to Headquarters when we get back to Central. Edward, let's go home."

"Yeah…I'm ready."

The Colonel's house may not be my home yet…not until all my questions are answered, not until I manage to restore my body and Alphonse's…but for now, Roy is my home.

No matter what problems I come across, no matter how many questions are stacked up against me, Roy will always be there to give me a reason to keep pushing forward even when I can't find the strength to get up.

No matter how dark the way becomes, there will always be a flame to guide me when I start to waver.

-bis zum Ende-