"Shit…" Edward breathed. There was a girl on the sidewalk, looking in. Just an ordinary girl his age.

The sky—overcast on the way home—had started to release the water it had held back, starting off as a light sprinkle, but thickening into a straight downpour. She still didn't move, letting it soak her through.

Ed's eyes met the girls. Hers he'd expected to be wide, fearful, or astonished. He thought—from the moment he knew someone saw—that her eyes would be full of hate or disgust. But her eyes were calm. Her eyes—gray as the sky at that moment—were serene. They met his with a force, or a presence, and they did not judge him. She was just a normal looking girl—sort of plain, even—with brown hair cut short, fair skin, and long, wet lashes hovering over the gray eyes he was staring into. And she stared straight into him.

Until she realized he was half-naked and walked away. He watched her go, she trotted down the street into the rainy cover, but he could still just barely see the house into which she had disappeared, and made a point to find her later. For the moment, however, he settled on getting dressed.

-- --

Who was she? How had she not been afraid? Anyone else would have known that false limbs meant he wasn't perfect. His label had been written for him and stuck on his forehead, much as he tried to hide it. He was a "flawed". And now, that girl knew. And if he was found out, she might just go down with him for keeping the secret.

He pulled on his pants and threaded the belt through the loops. He reached for the shirt on the edge of his bed and pulled it over his wet head, grabbing his hairband and braiding his golden locks as he walked into the small living room.

He had to think. "Should I talk to her?" he asked himself. "I should ask her to keep the secret at least…but how?"

There were many options. Threats, blackmail, kidnapping, murder, etc., but none of them seemed right. Ed quickly brewed a cup of coffee, and sat to drink it. He only stared into it until it got cold. It was still raining, so Ed pulled on a jacket before walking out the door and down the street, mug of coffee abandoned on his kitchen table. He'd made up his mind.

"Five down, and across the street," he thought, and, finding the correct house, he knocked harshly on the door. No one answered, so he tried again. And again, and again. "Is she being a coward now?" Edward wondered. "Or is she telling someone?" His eyes widened. He pounded harder on the wood of the door, and this time, miraculously, it opened.

"Yes?" The girl asked. It was her that had opened the door. Edward was surprised. He'd half-expected to see her mother or something, but she'd answered the door herself, knowing damn well he'd probably be coming around soon enough. And he could have sworn he'd seen a smile on her lips. "I've been expecting you."

"You have?"

"Mhm. Please, come in." The boy gratefully accepted the invite, though he was cautious as he stepped over the threshold, removing his wet coat. She led him inside to the table in what he guessed was the dining room, and sat at one end in front of a steaming cup. A similar cup was placed at the other end. It seemed she had been expecting him. Tentatively, he sat, though he didn't touch the tea, despite the fact that he was starting to shiver from the rain.

"So," she said. "There must have been a reason behind your visit." She walked into the kitchen, coming back a moment later with a plate of cookies. She set it on the table before taking her seat again.

"Yeah," Ed said tersely, suddenly remembering why he was there. "I came to talk to you." The girl remained silent, giving him an opportunity to finish before saying anything herself. Ed put his hands around the warm cup. "About earlier." The girl nodded, her short brown hair bouncing with the slight movement. "Um…first I guess I should ask you what you saw. So…what did you see?"

"You." The honesty in her voice was alarming as it rang through his head. She wasn't trying to be smart or sarcastic, she was just blatantly truthful. He composed himself.

"I didn't exactly mean that. I meant my…"

"Your prosthetic limbs?" She said slowly, finishing what he could not. She took a sip of her tea before whispering, "yes. I saw them." She set her cup down again, looking his straight in the eye, and waited for him to finish. "Very interesting, those things. Are they automail?"

"Look," Ed pushed back his chair and stood, pressing his hands onto the table. "I just don't want anyone else to find out, so I just want you to keep it to yourself." He'd hoped to intimidate her into listening, but she didn't seem to fall for it. She poured herself another cup of tea, never taking her eyes off the teapot as she spoke.

"And why would I tell anyone? I don't even know your name."

"Look, I just don't want this to get around, alright? I'd appreciate it if you'd just zip your lips about it. That's all."

"Why don't you want anyone else to know?"

"Why do you think?" Ed practically shouted. "I'm a 'flawed'! I don't want to be treated differently because I'm missing an arm and half my leg! That's just stupid! I'm still a person! I can't believe the Fuhrer would even think this way! It's ridiculous and complete crap!" He started pacing angrily around the room. "Just because they're not perfect on the outside, they're not people? Well, ya know what? I once had a normal body!" He sat back down, panting from his yell. He looked back up at her, his eyes containing something close to helplessness. "I just don't want them to hate me when they don't even know me," he concluded. "I just don't want to be hated."

The girl didn't say anything, but watched as Ed put his head down on his arms and then she stared at the top of his head. Her face held more sympathy than he could see through his rage and desperation, and she knew he would have more to say. You don't get over what seemed to be years of pent up emotions in a few minutes of screaming.

"It's just not fair. I've kept this a secret for this long, and I slip up once and I get screwed over. God must really hate me. Good thing I don't believe in him. Ugh." He sat back in his chair then slouched. "The one time I forget to close my curtains and you have to be walking by. And now that I've gone seemingly crazy, you probably hate me too." He narrowed his eyes accusingly.

She slammed her cup down on the table, making him jump. "I'm not going to hate you because your body's imperfect," she said coolly, though her eyes betrayed her true feelings. Ed instantly felt bad, though his pride refused to let his apologize. "And now I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave." She stood, collected the cups—Ed hadn't touched his but the once—and put them in the kitchen before she returned. She ushered him to the door, handing his coat before he left.

"I didn't catch your name," Ed said, standing in the doorway.

"It's Nell. Nell Quick."

"I'm Edward. Edward Elric."

"Well, Mr. Elric," she said, her face calming, her voice more softened now. "I thank you for coming, and apologize for having seen your secret. I also hope that your opinion of me won't always be so harsh. Goodbye." The door slammed without another word.

"'Bye," he said to the wood, before shoving his hands into his pockets and trotting home, hood protecting him from the diligent rain.

-- --

"I was sure she'd be a little brat who'd blackmail me or something…" Ed thought aloud as he soaked in the tub. The rain had chilled him to the bone, and he didn't want to risk a cold. Al wouldn't approve.

He sank into the hot water up to his nose, as deep in thought as he was in the bath.

"Could it be that she's going to blackmail me later? When she needs something? But she didn't seem like that kind of girl…" but then again first impressions are almost always wrong. How many times had he been betrayed?

But then again…

He leaned against the edge of the tub and tilted his head back, eyes closed. "Life was easier when I was hiding."

-- --

Having no appetite, Ed went to bed. He woke up the next day—Thursday—and went to school, though it wasn't the same as all the other days. He kept his arm more hidden, not willing to let anyone else see his automail. Instead of sleeping, or even dozing during class, he just stared out the window, thinking, and not even realizing when the teacher had called his name four times.

"This is very unlike you, Edward. I'd like to see you after class." Ed didn't even get embarrassed when the other students laughed at him. He just rested his chin on the palm of his hand, elbow propped on the table, and stared out the window again. The bell rang and he hadn't heard it.

"Edward? Edward?"

"Hm?"

"Edward, have you been listening?"

"Mm-mm, not really."

"Ed, you should pay attention in class more. If your grades drop…well you know the long chain of events that ultimately lead to a terrible future. I won't bore you, since you don't seem to have the attention span at the moment. So, I'll cut to the chase. Is something wrong?"

"Well…no more than usual."

"Oh." The teacher dropped the subject, instead allowing Edward to go on to his next class, apologizing for butting in.

The day followed with each class going the same way. Ed would lose focus, teachers would ask him what was wrong, he'd tell them some bullshit lie and they'd let him go. He made it through the day, and walked home.

"I still don't know if I want to trust her," he mumbled, chewing on his thumb nail thoughtfully. He weighed the risks and benefits in his hands. In one there was an ally, possible friend, or at the very least someone he could trust to help him when things got rough. He couldn't keep the secret forever, as she had made very clear by finding out.

On the other hand, there was the possibility of betrayal, being found out and shunned, sent away to another country like an outcast. That would be terrible.

Though, if he was sent away, he wasn't leaving much behind. He had no living family, nor friends, and in another country, he might be accepted. But then again, it was his home. Amestris was—and always had been—his home. And he wanted it forever more.

In the end, he dropped his hands back to his sides, more confused than ever. He wished something would present itself as a sign or something to help him choose. This was too hard.

You know that saying "be careful what you wish for"? It's a very good saying, and Edward encourages more people to listen to it. You see, Edward got what he wished for, though not in the form he wanted it.

A/N: So, now we know the girl's name. Let's find out more about her! And whatever will happen to Edward? Dun dun DUN! Review and you'll get the next chapter and find out.