Alfons POV

I watched from the front door as Edward launched himself into yet another battle that had nothing to do with him. He came out fairly unscathed, but the way that beast was looking at him unnerved me. It's almost as if it were more than a mere animal. Some recognition flashed in it's large, purple eyes that shouldn't have been there when it looked up and locked eyes with Edward. My Edward.

Gulping down the hint of blood that had crept up my throat during my coughing fit, the evidence of my sickness, I hurried over to Edward once the men he fought scattered.

"Hurry, Alfons! Help me untie it. We need to stop the bleeding!" Edward seemed panic-stricken. At the time, I didn't understand why. I'm not convinced he did, either.

"O-okay." I reluctantly began untying the ropes that bound the unconscious reptile. No one else helped, they only stared in wonder and disbelief. It was just Edward and I, trying to save the life of a green monster.

Edward pulled his shirt off and stuffed it into the gaping wound on the monster's neck. Blood soaked it immediately, doing little good.

"Damnit!" Edward swore. "How are we supposed to move it?"

"We can't. It's too heavy." I sighed, feebly trying to push against the heavy scales with my hands. They felt weak, like they had no power behind them. I was trying to hide it, but I really didn't feel well that day. I felt clammy and feverish, and there was a constant itch at the back of my throat like I wanted to cough. Then there was the metallic taste that always lingered in my mouth.

Edward looked frustrated; maybe even downright furious. He began to yell. "Why won't you people fucking help me? Can't you see it's dying?"

The crowd seemed nervous, and even fearful of Ed at this point. Likely most of them were just as happy if the beast died, rather than possibly wrecking havoc on the already stricken town.

A few brave individuals actually stepped forward though, and began to shove at the giant creature. It was made even more difficult by the fact it was nothing but dead weight, being unconscious like that. It made sense to at least get the thing out of the middle of the street, I suppose.

Between all of us, we finally got the creature off to the side and around the side of the place where Edward and I lived. It was mildly sheltered with a short fence and a tree overhanging, but it didn't exactly keep the serpent out of sight entirely.

I was nervous about this, and didn't like the idea of trying to hide it from the authorities. We already had enough to hide. What was Edward thinking, and why did he have such a drive to save it? Uncomfortable knots formed in my already upset stomach as I felt Edward was beginning to slip further and further away from me.

Edward POV

We finally got it mostly out of sight, and I suddenly felt fatigued from the physical strain it took to move such a massive creature. I ran into the house to find anything I could to stop the bleeding. Sheets, blankets, I didn't care. My only goal was to save its life.

I wrapped a bed sheet around its neck, attempting to tourniquet off the bleeding. It didn't work as well as I had anticipated, as it is seemingly more difficult to achieve on a creature that is covered in large, thick scales.

"Ed... I don't think we can save it by ourselves." Alfons said in a small voice.

"We have to. I need to find out—" I cut myself off, unsure of exactly how to finish that sentence. Alfons already thought I was a little nuts, and telling him what I was feeling would likely not help his opinion of my mental state.

When I looked into that reptile's eyes I sensed a familiarity that I could only experience in my dreams since I came to this world. It was only for a moment, but when it looked up at me and we locked gazes, I felt like I knew it somehow. It sounds ridiculous, but I felt as though we had met before.

Of course that should have been absurd, but I couldn't shake the feeling that lingered in my body from that encounter.

"What is it you need to find out, Ed?" Alfons' question brought me back to reality.

"...I... I don't know yet. I just need to make sure it doesn't die. I feel bad for it." I half-lie, unsure of how to tell Alfons how I'm really feeling.

Predictably, he looked as though he didn't believe I was telling him the whole truth. I should have just said nothing at all. Though he was my rock here in this foreign place, he never took it seriously when I told him stories of my world. I loved him. I would always love him. But how could I have shared my life completely with him if he just brushed off my past like that?

I knew it hurt him when I referred to this world as a dream, or implied that it wasn't the real world. To him, this was the only real world.

After a while, I just quit talking about my old life entirely. Things sort of settled into a routine after that, until this happened of course.

Before I knew it, Alfons had gotten on the phone. Who could he possibly be calling at a time like this?

"—Thanks Dr. Hughes, I know it's short notice but it's an emergency. See you soon." Click.

Alfons had called the local veterinarian, of course. That would only make logical sense. Leave it to him to be the level-headed one.

I managed to slow the bleeding with the sheets and blankets until Dr. Hughes arrived.

"Thanks for coming on such short notice, Sir." Alfons greeted the doctor politely once he arrived, and led him around to the side where the beast had been moved to.

"Oh dear. This is a special case." Dr. Hughes took his stethoscope and put it to the area where I assumed the serpent's chest was located at and listened. "He's breathing. The heart beat is slowed, but that's likely due to the unconscious state of the reptile. First thing's first, we'll sew up this wound and treat it with antibiotics, then it should wake up on its own in due time."

His easy-going, calm way of speaking soothed my nerves some. He also seemed to think it was going to be just fine, making me feel like I might have been overreacting some.

"—Though, there does seem to be some fluid in the lungs." He repositioned his instrument a few times, listening intently. "We'll have to drain that out once the wound is sewed shut before its breathing is compromised."

I nodded shallowly. The doctor then took out his bag and began withdrawing various things like tubes and pumps. It seems he came well-equipped for an emergency house call at least.

"Could you help me get its mouth open far enough for me to put this down its throat?" He motioned for me to help, and I obediently put my hands to the serpent's lower jaw and pulled. The razor-sharp teeth emerged as its lips were pulled away from them slightly as I pulled its mouth open, and the tongue flopped out the side of its mouth unceremoniously as the doctor began inserting the long tube down its throat.

Connecting it to a pump, once it was inserted fully, he began draining the red liquid into a can. I was still holding the creature's mouth open, and the warmness of its breath hit my face in a rhythmic way. I expected its breath to be foul, but it wasn't. It was just warm, and almost a little musky in odor, but not at all unpleasant.

As the fluid was draining, Dr. Hughes began working on closing the wound. It seems there would be a permanent scar between the two scales where it was punctured.

Before I knew it, it was all over and the doctor was getting ready to leave. It was odd, how he didn't seem to be surprised over the fact we called him to come treat a giant green serpent.

He simply handed me a bottle of antibiotics and instructed me to give it three pills a day for a week.

I hadn't really thought that far ahead yet. I didn't know how it was going to behave when it wakes up.

Alfons POV

I hadn't realized how much time we spent with Dr. Hughes. I looked at my watch and realized I was already late for the rocket launching event!

"I have to go, Ed! I'm late!" I said after the doctor departed.

Edwards bulged like he had forgotten. Of course he had. He had started losing interest in rocketry for a while now.

"Shit, Alfons. How are we supposed to leave it here alone?" He asked, looking over at the still-unconscious serpent.

My eyes lowered. I should have known something would happen so Edward couldn't make it. I felt like we had been growing apart these past months. He'd been getting more and more distant from me, and I couldn't understand why.

Edward seemed to read my look. I could see duplicity in his eyes, as if he were trying to figure something out.

I began to leave, and I heard Ed behind me. He grabbed my hand, catching up to me.

He surprised me by pulling me in closer for a kiss, effectively stopping me in my tracks.

It was a shallow, brief kiss, but held more meaning for me at that moment than any deep kiss would.

"Alfons. I told you I wouldn't miss this." He said once our lips separated, that soft look behind those big golden pools that he reserved only for me. "I doubt it'll wake up before we get back, anyway."

I bit my lower lip lightly, a small smile gracing my lips and a slight flush invading my cheeks. He always managed to say the right thing.

I moved to hold his hand in mine as we left together, but stopped just before our fingers touched. We couldn't show affection in public. It was our best kept secret, but sometimes I would forget that our love was considered an abomination when it felt so right to me.

Envy POV

I had no way of knowing how long I'd been out when I finally awoke. My mouth felt dry and cottony, and I lifted my head to check my surroundings. I no longer felt like I was in danger, but I had a throbbing pain in my neck and various aches all over my body.

My body.

I had almost forgotten. This foreign body which was not my own. I couldn't change out of it at all, no matter how hard I tried. It was a debilitating feeling.

I was laying in the grass, sun peeking through the trees and illuminating my scales. I looked down at myself, monstrous and green. Had I come up with this form? It wasn't very flattering.

Where did that golden-haired boy go? I pictured the last thing I remembered before I fell unconscious. That beautiful face and worried expression. I felt like I knew him, but couldn't remember from where. I wanted to see him again.

No, I couldn't focus on that right now. There was much more important things I had to worry about. Something was drawing me to this place. Some unseen force... something I was lacking. Something was taken from me, and I intended on getting it back.

I had to find it. I had to restore myself. I couldn't function properly in this body.

I searched and I searched, trying my best to stay out of sight. I didn't need a repeat of what happened the first time.

The feeling grew stronger, more pronounced as I neared a cottage just outside of town. The muscles in my belly moved me closer and closer until my nose was nearly pressed against the door. I didn't know what I was going to find, but at the time I didn't care either.

I opened my mouth and my voice finally came out, ragged and gravelly.

"GIVE ME BACK WHAT'S MINE! I KNOW YOU HAVE IT!" I scraped my teeth against the door irritably as I was unable to do much else in this form.

Shuffling could be heard on the other side of the door, before it slowly opened to reveal an aging blonde man with his hair in a ponytail and glasses high on his strong nose. A snarl ripped in my throat as I instantly recognized who it was. If nothing else, my hatred kept my memory of him alive.

"HOHENHEIM!" I screamed, lunging my open jaws towards the startled man, who just barely managed to dodge my sluggish assault. I was still feeling the abuse I had suffered earlier, and it showed in my attacks.

"W-william? Is that really you?" He stuttered my name, clearly afraid. The fear in his eyes made me almost giddy. "How did you end up in this world?"

This world? The fuck is he on about?

"Oh, so you remember me after all this time? I should be fucking flattered. And it's Envy now, pops. You should know that, seeing as how you're the one who fucking made me what I am!" I growled, looking down at him from my reared position, ready to strike again at any moment. There was something stopping me, though. The feeling I had sensed was radiating from the bastard himself. That meant I needed him alive. Fuck.

"Well of course. I would recognize one of my sons no matter what." He peered up at me, his body suddenly more relaxed now that I had stopped to actually talk to him. What a smug bastard. Just then though, his eyes gained a peculiar sadness to them. "That's why I'd like to tell you something, William."

I really wish he'd stop fucking calling me that.

"Cut the crap old man. I know you have something of mine. The only reason your guts aren't splattered all over your walls is because I need to know how to fix this, and I know you know how!" I snapped, starting to lose my patience with this.

His eyes softened, and almost gained a look of pity. I fucking hated that look. The last thing I needed was his pity!

A low growl grumbled in my chest as a warning.

"I'm sorry... Envy." He seemed to struggle to say my name. He looked at me sadly. Why was he apologizing now?! Was he trying to get on my good side or something? Fat fucking chance.

"I always meant to apologize to you, but I never got the right opportunity. I think now is that time."

I winced, not wanting to hear any of it. All I want is my body back!

"Shut up!" I snapped, baring my canines at him. He wasn't even flinching anymore. Why wasn't he afraid of me?!

"I was wrong, for leaving you. I was wrong for what I did to you, and I'm sorry. Even if you don't forgive me, I just wanted you to know how sorry I am."

Something disgustingly similar to tears pricked at the corners of my eyes and I fought them back with all of my being. Stupid bastard. He has no fucking idea what I've been through because of him.

"Let me help you, Envy." He pleaded with me. Fuck him, I don't want his pity. I just wanted a way to change out of this horrendous form of mine!

Growling, I weighed my options quickly. If I refused his help and just killed him, I may be stuck in this body forever. But if I allow him to help me, I might be able to return back to normal and remember what happened to me. God damnit!

"Fine! But this doesn't mean you're off the hook, Hohenheim. You better fucking have a way to fix this shit and not be wasting my time!" I spat out his name like a bad taste, but he seemed satisfied with my answer.

"I would invite you inside, but I don't think you will fit." He had the arrogance to chuckle. He was really getting on my nerves, but I resisted the urge to bite his stupid head off. I needed answers first.

"Just fucking fix me, you worthless bastard."