Note: This is just a drabble. I have no plot for this, and I apologize for any OOC-ness now, before you read.

Warnings for: OC char, OOC, BRINGING THE ELRICS BACK, BABY!

23 looked at me with what I supposed was a reassuring smile, but I didn't see it as such. I saw the pain that I caused him and I felt a searing pain rush across my back for every lash that he received in my place. I was in tears and huddled on the ground, a foot on my back to make sure I was kept in place during the punishment, when "20" was called out, signaling the end of the torture. I raised my head shakily and saw 23 on his knees, like he was before, blood spilling from the open wounds on his back. His blood painted his clothing and ground he knelt on, and it was my fault. When Master moved away from 23 and the foot on my back was removed, I scrambled forward to reach him as quickly as I could.

He did nothing, choosing to watch me from the side with a ghost of a smile on his face. When I reached him, I pulled him towards me so he could rest, but the man resisted me.

"You don't need to be strong right now." I chided in a voice that I could swear was not my own, "You've already done more than enough, brother." He was still for a second; I suppose weighing his options, before deciding to listen to me for once in his life. He collapsed to the side, leaning heavily on me, and I held him in my arms, supporting him.

"Maybe you'll finally learn your place, Slave 23. Slave 37." And with that, both Master – and Slaves 16 and 7 – left the room. 23 and I were alone in a room filled with the stench of blood. I couldn't help but blame myself, after all, if I hadn't refused to share bedding with Master's associate this wouldn't have happened.

"You're blaming yourself, aren't you?"

I was startled out of my thoughts by my brother's voice. I had thought he was asleep, I would be, but it would be too easy for him and he always did things the hard way.

"Don't." He snarled suddenly. His voice was suddenly grating and I felt a fear for my life that would never thought I would ever feel, especially from 23. "I won't have you do…" There was a discernable pause, like he was struggling to shove away his rage and speak coherently, "As long as I live." He began again, snarling and hissing, forcing me to be afraid of him despite his weakened status, "You will not be reduced to that of a whore." The last word was spat with disgust, "You worth more than that."

"23, I can't read or write. I'm not strong, and I'm sickly. I'm a slave and I'm not worth much of anything."

"You're worth it to me."

I gave him a critical look, "Thank you, brother. But in case you haven't noticed, you're a slave too."

"So, who's this?" I smiled as I held the glass flask in my hand.

"He likes to be called Little One in the Flask, or Homunculus." 23 beamed with pride as he leaned over my shoulder to look at the black mass inside the flask. "Little One inside the Flask, this is 37."

I hadn't expected the black mass to suddenly grin and look at me. He had one large eye that was frightening, and a grin that could chill the dead. I nearly dropped the flask, but kept a hold of myself.

"It's nice to finally meet the illustrious 37~!" The homunculus giggled as it spun around in its flask, "I've been wanting to meet you for a while now~!"

I blushed and looked towards 23 for support. He gave me an encouraging smile and I turned back to the flask in my hand, "I've… I've heard a lot about you too, Little One. You've been teaching 23 to read and write, and I…" I blushed again, looking away before turning back to the black mask who was focusing on me with a patience I didn't think any normal human would have possessed, "and I think you have to be really smart to know such things." I finished at last.

"She's pleasant, Van Hohenheim!" The Homunculus spoke calmly, "Are you sure she's not yours?"

23 turned beet red and shook his head frantically, "No!" He shouted just a little too defensive for my own tastes, "No, she's like a sister! I-I-I, "He looked at me and shook his head again, "Right? No, right? Tell him that we're not, 37!"

I was little embarrassed that Little One thought me and 23 were with each other, but that frantic denial and extreme disapproval was painful, even though 23 was right. We were like siblings and I wouldn't want anything different between us.

But it still stung.

"Oh~!" The Homunculus gasped knowingly, "I think you hurt her feelings, Hohenheim!" He tsked, "Don't worry, I like you." Little One was suddenly addressing me and I didn't know what to do besides blush.

"It's okay." I gave a weak smile to 23, "I'm fine. I just wish you didn't protest so much. Would it really be so bad if we were each others'?"

23 was suddenly still and his eyes were focused, thinking on what I had said and what he had said. I waited for his sharp focus to soften by returning my attention to Little One.

"You are attractive you know." Homunculus complimented, "I would pursue you if I had a body." I was blushing profusely again, "But maybe there's something you could do for me, since I don't?"

"What is it?" I blinked with owlish eyes and innocent curiosity. What would he want from me?

"Kiss me."

I blushed again and turned to 23 who was now watching both of us with a curious expression on his face. He shrugged at me and I turned back to Little One.

"I- I don't know how." I whispered to the glass. Homunculus gave me a critical yet soft look and his smile became friendlier as a little black hand spun out from the black mass and plastered itself along the side of the flask.

"Bring me up to your face." It instructed, and I did so, "Now kiss me." I was blushing again, but inhaled deeply before leaning forward
slightly and let my lips gently brush along the side of the flask. When I pulled away the little black mass was now a little red mass.

The eye turned away from me and toward 23.

"She's a good kisser, Hohenheim! You should give it a try!"

I'd never seen 23 get so red.

"Do you really have to go with them?" Hohenheim asked as he helped me onto my horse. I looked down at him and smiled, caressing the side of his face with my hand.

"You know I do." Then, on complete impulse, I leaned down and met Hohenheim with a kiss. At first he was solid, his rough lips unyielding to mine, but they were warm and with a little insistence on my part, he gave me access. With one hand on the side of his face, holding his face aloft, I nipped at his lower lip before suckling on it. I let my tongue ease into his mouth and explored the sweet taste of Foer bean and Voil juice that was still remnant from breakfast. I slowly withdrew my tongue, returning to nipping playfully at his up lip, letting him slowly take charge of the kiss.

Then suddenly his firm hands were at my neck, cupping me and tilting my head to give him better access. He was strong yet gentle, and I let him suck at my lips before plunging his tongue deep into my mouth, eliciting an involuntary moan from myself that surprised us both. He paused suddenly, aware of what we were doing, but then I continued again, gently and slowly. We parted shortly afterwards, both breathless and flushed pink.

Master looked at us with an approving look while Little One suddenly gave a shrill whistle from the flask in Hohenheim's hands.

"Wow." It gasped, "That was hot."

I flushed again and righted myself on the horse. "I'll see you when I get back, Hohenheim. Little One."

He nodded, "See you when you get back, Rodney."

"Bye, Rodney!" The homunculus cheered, and with that, I was off with the traders. I normally wouldn't have gone, but it turned out I had a knack for languages and managed to learn not only the written language of Xerxes, but also the written and spoken language of Xing. I was to function as a translator and as a result I wouldn't return for a full season. I didn't know that when I got back, there would be nothing left of my people.

I spent much of my time in Xerxes, after its fall. I tried to bury all the bodies and take care of the city, but it was too much for one former slave to handle. I was hopeful that Hohenheim hadn't died, I hadn't seen his body, but I knew that Little One had died. His flask was broken and I mourned his death and buried the flask with the other people of my country. I spent my days in Xerxes, the fallen city, and died there.

When I died as an old wrinkled woman, holding onto the feeble strings of my past, I saw The Gate and I was scared. I nearly died again just by seeing the thing, and then there was a shrill voice from behind me. It was a genderless white character on a white background, unable to be seen and yet only able to be distinguished by its black shadow of an outline.

It introduced itself and Truth, and it was conniving. Apparently Master was a guardian of The Gate, to make sure it wasn't abused by Alchemists. The Gate needed a caretaker, and the caretakers were always from the people of Xerxes. Hohenheim, despite being of Xerxes and a better option, was a Philosopher's Stone, and was therefore unable to die and therefore unable to be a Caretaker. You had to die to be a Caretaker.

"So, what do you want me to do?"

Apparently, it would allow me control over The Gate. When it opened or closed. I would be able to go in and out of The Gate at my discretion and use its powers however I want. Only rule is, I had to keep the energy flow up to par, allowing a certain number of soul energy through The Gate, from the other side to enable Alchemy on this side. I also would have to take the energy that was left over from Transmutations and send it back through The Gate.

It wasn't as easy as it sounded though. Apparently, each time I would do this – once a year -, I would suffer extreme pain working as a conduit for The Gate to absorb and discharge energies. It would be bad enough to keep me conscious throughout the whole ordeal, and then leave me extremely vulnerable, for near 4 months at first. Truth promised that as the centuries would wear on, the time would gradually be shortened to just a few weeks, but that was still a long time and even a longer time to still be in agonizing pain.

"Will you do it?"

Anyone would be crazy to accept this offer. Suffer agonizing pain for months for as long as you breathe in exchange for immortality and control of The Gate (as well as enlightening conversations with Truth). Clearly you would be getting the short end of the stick, but I had nothing left to lose. I hadn't anything to do with my life, no purpose. I hoped that with my death, I could justify my existence to myself and to my dead country. This was the least I could do for them and myself.

"Yes."

"Coming!" I shouted at the door. Currently I was studying an Automail leg I had found in the garbage. Rush Valley was extremely pleasant if you didn't have automail or weren't an engineer. The people were nice and pleasant, and you found very valuable stuff in the trash – like limbs. I didn't need automail, but the machinery did fascinate me. I knew how most models worked and often watched engineers work and build them. I could never be an engineer, I was nowhere near good enough, but it didn't mean I couldn't watch. So I did, and currently I was examining a leg I found in the garbage when a knock resounded through my house quite insistent to be answered.

I opened the door and found two men and a woman there. The first man was tall and had black hair. He was good looking and his onyx eyes were quite thrilling, but his cold exterior threw me off.

The other man had soulful eyes unlike the dead ones in the other man. His eyes were full of hope and love, and it was amazing how his glasses could frame his eyes as they did.

The woman was blonde with a no nonsense sort of attitude. She seemed kind, but she also seemed to hide behind her tough exterior to prevent people from getting close to her.

I sighed. It was a major downside to immortality; you learned to read people far too well. It was almost scary how I could read a person's past just by looking at how they carried themselves – and the infinite knowledge from The Gate helped matters too.

"Can I help you?"

"Rodney Fischer?" The onyx eyes man asked. I nodded, "I need to talk to you about the Gate."

The second man rounded on the first with such ferocity when they saw my shocked face and defensive posture exhume itself.

"Roy!" The man chided, "Seriously! This is not the time for that. We can't just barge in here and demand things. She's a lady and we have to be nice and then politely ask if she can help us. I mean, she hasn't even asked us in yet! The boys can wait a few minutes longer."

Roy, seemed miffed, but let it go and allowed the second man to start talking with me again. "So sorry about that, Ms. Fischer. He's a grouch and a bachelor. He hasn't learned how to treat respectable ladies yet." He smiled, "My name is Brigadier General Maes Hughes. This in Fuhrer Roy Mustang, and his Chief of Security, Riza Hawkeye. May we come in?"

I blinked. This was the Fuhrer? Of Amestris? Seriously? I'd never seen a picture of the Fuhrer, but I had envisioned something a little… taller? And maybe more manly too…

"Um…" I looked behind me, "Okay. Sure, come on in." And with that I opened my door wider and allowed the three to enter before closing the door behind them.

"Tea?" They refused so I invited them to sit on the couch to listen to what they had to say.

Maes, as he insisted I address him, did most of the talking and explaining. That the People's Alchemist, Fullmetal, and his brother another strong State Alchemist, had gone through The Gate and were unable to return to this world. They wanted me to open The Gate and allow the two boys to come back through – if I could do it, that is.

"Could I do it?" I blinked, "Sure, I could do it." But the thing is - I didn't want to. What did it matter to me if the boys were here or there? They chose to go there in the first place, all reasons aside. Why should I go through four weeks of constant agony after only just having opened The Gate not five weeks ago? I'd just gotten better and they want me to do it again, so soon? And for two boys?

"So you'll do it?" Maes asked, obviously hopeful.

"No. I won't. I'm sorry." That threw all three soldiers into an outrage, and they nearly shot me to death if I didn't explain why I wouldn't. I explained the burning agony I was forced to go through once a year. I explained the constant four week anguish that I suffered through without respite. I explained it all and how only four days ago had the pain subsided. That I couldn't do it again so soon. That I wouldn't do it again so soon.

At the end, all four of us were silent. I was reliving the torture I suffered through once a year for the past four hundred years, and how it never got any better, just shorter. All three understood how cruel it was to ask me to do it again, for just two boys who meant nothing to me, but they wouldn't let it go.

Eventually they convinced me to join them on the ride back to Central. Fuhrer King Mustang needed to head back to his castle, but he wasn't willing to give up that I might change my mind, so he brought me with him and his friends. I let him. Maybe he would convince me to do it, I didn't know. I just knew what would await me if I did. Pain.

I spent a lot of time in Central headquarters. I paid visits to the different offices, and talked often with both Roy, as he insisted I call him, and Maes. Maes often invited me to his house for dinner with his daughter and wife, while Roy let me watch him work as our country's great leader. Once Maes posed the question if I could just bring the boys back when I opened The Gate for the energy, I explained that that was impossible for some technical reasons he just wouldn't understand. I knew that if I was going to bring those boys back, it was going to have to be on my own time.

Roy and Maes were gradually losing hope, that I wouldn't ever open The Gate and bring the Elric brother's back through. They were talking about the other avenues they'd been exploring so they wouldn't need to use me when I entered Roy's office. I hadn't knocked first, but I needed to hurry. I needed to do this before I lost my resolve, so when the secretary and several soldier all pointed their guns and harsh words at me to stand down, I ignored them.

"It's alright." Roy calmed them, "What is it, Rodney?"

I steeled myself against both men's cool gaze and gave them a look that would send most men packing.

"I'll do it."

Truthfully, the looks of relief and joy on both men's faces were almost worth the pain I knew I would be going through for them.

Keyword there – Almost.

Everyone was standing around me in a giant circle. Medics were off to one side, soldiers on the other – it was nerve wrecking and I was scared. I could never get used to the pain, and just knowing what was going to happen scared me all the more. However, I had said that I would bring both boys back through The Gate, and that was exactly what I would do.

I turned to Roy beside me; I needed him to help guide me to the boys once I opened The Gate. I had never met the Elric brothers, and I needed someone who had.

"What's going to happen when you open The Gate?" Maes questioned once everyone was settled.

I turned to him and gave a weak smile, "You won't notice any time difference. One moment I'll be sitting here; the next-"I paused, "You'll see two more people sitting next to Roy and me." I had already explained that Roy wouldn't feel the pain of the Gate, it was, sadly, something only for me to bear.

Maes nodded, and with a grim expression, grabbed Roy's hand in my own and closed my eyes. Then there was nothing but whiteness and I saw Truth standing before me.

"Hey!" It cheered, "Long time, no see. How you've been?"

I shrugged, "Okay I suppose. Some old stuff."

It nodded and began to walk in a slow circle around me, "So, what's the big deal, calling The Gate, eh?"

I explained that I was here for the Elric brothers. That I wanted them back on this side of the Gate and that's what Roy had been there for. Truth sighed and gave me a noncommittal sound, asking if that's what I had really came all this way for. It sounded surprised and maybe just a tiny bit proud that I was finally calling in some of my job benefits after nearly 100 years of non-voluntary contact.

"Well, if that's what you want…" And then the door opened, responding to Truth's voice and silent command. Eyes peered at me and hands reached out, but they didn't dare touch me. I walked towards the darkness and reached deep into Roy's mind for memories of the two boys. When I found them, I shot out my hand into the blackness and reached for them both.

It didn't take me long to find them, and when I did, I gripped them both tight and pulled them through the Gate. They were unconscious, but that was to be expected. I checked them over quickly for any wounds or injuries that I could cure now while the Gate was open. The younger of the two, Alphonse as Roy's memories recalled, had some sort of disease altering the coloring of his skin. I fixed that quickly and then pulled them farther from the Gate.

"Is that it?" Truth asked incredulous, "You came all this way for that?"

I nodded, "Yeah, pretty much."

"What about that Roy character of yours?" It shouted angrily, "He's blind in one eye! You haven't thought to heal him?"

I blinked. No, I hadn't thought of it, but now that you mentioned it, it is a marvelous idea.

"You're such an idiot." Truth rebuked me, slapping me over my head, "You have to learn to look at all the angles or you'll stay a moron forever. You're lucky I'm training you like I am, or you'd be even more of a moron."

Yeah, lucky me.

Please review happy thoughts! I don't really wanna be flamed today. XD