Becci 'D': Hey all, thanks for reading. ^_^

Chapter 3

Ed's P.O.V

Mustang had left me on my own for a moment as he went to find a doctor. I stared up at the ceiling and ponder about my situation. I now realize what a fool I can be.

Sure I have hidden injuries or sickness in the past but this is the first time it's come back and hit me in the face. I know I am really sick to the point I feel like I am half way in a dream world. Perhaps it is the fever that's messing with me?

I think I was on the verge of falling a sleep when Mustang came back with a man, who I knew must be the doctor.

"Hello young man, I am Doctor Mathews. How are we feeling?" the doc said as he walked up to me with a warm smile.

"I suppose I have had better days" I said in a drowsy voice "I've got this major headache and I feel very fatigued"

"Hmmm, did this headache occur after you collapsed?" he asked me.

"No I've had it now for a few days, but since you mentioned it. It doe's feel worse after I passed out"

"I'd say you could have a slight concussion from the impact of falling. By what the Colonel has explained to me, you did fall quite harshly. So that's why it's more bothersome now" he then got out a thermometer and placed it in my mouth.

I noticed Mustang taking the seat next to my bed where he was sitting before. He was listening carefully to every word the Doctor said.

"I'm glad your fever has gone down slightly. Tell me young man, anything else to add to that?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Yes" It's best to just say everything now. "I started to feel unwell for a couple of weeks now" I noticed Mustang looked very surprised at this. "I have been sick, dizzy, having cold sweats. I've also been so tired, I've often get to a destination and wonder how I got there? I don't remember walking or anything?"

"You were like that in my office too. I noticed how you was lets say 'Spacing out' a lot" added Mustang "And I can't believe you didn't say anything? For 2 weeks! Alphonse is going to be so disappointed at you for not trusting him for his help"

"No Colonel, it's not I don't trust him…it's just?…I hate making him worry…that's all" I am so ashamed of myself.

"Well you did not succeed Fullmetal because you've made it worse. Al has been really worried. We all are. That poor boy has been holding your hand in fear you wasn't going to wake up!"

I deserved to be scolded by Mustang. He was right. I know next time I will say something. I have learned from this.

The Doctor then spoke. Temporarily I forgot he was here? "Well from what you have described to me. Your symptoms could indicate the flu. But I have to check on that. In fact your blood tests should be done by now"

Blood tests? I must of looked petrified for a minute because Mustang gave me a amused look. What? I mouthed at him, that amused look grew into a huge smirk. Okay what doe's he know I don't?

"BROTHER!"

I was startled for a moment, I am glad Al was back. I see Riza smiling at me.

"Hey Al, Long time no see!" I said as I smiled at them.

The sound of Al's metal foot steps clanked over to me "Oh my god Edward! I've been so worried! You idiot, you should know better then to suffer in silence!"

I was feeling more guilty and a shamed now. I smile nervously at him "I'm sorry Al. I really am. Don't worry the Colonel has already knocked some sense into me"

Mustang looked surprised at this "I did?" he questioned "You actually going to listen to me and take my advice?"

"Yes Colonel Bastard! You are right" I gave him a grin.

"I'm glad Brother, Just promise me you won't let it happen again?"

"I promise Al. I won't" I tried to sit up. Whoa sudden head rush. Did I sit up to quickly? I held my head with hands.

"Edward?" I couldn't look up at Mustang. I feared if I moved I might be sick. I heard Al move out the way and someone's hand was placed on my shoulder.

"Young man?" It was the Doctor Matthews "You look rather pale, I think it's best if we slowly laid you back down"

I nodded slightly. Man I really don't feel so good. This freaking headache. I can hear my heart beat in my ears again. I let the Doctor guide my body back to lay down in the bed again. When my head touched the pillow I was aware on how tired I now feel.

"I think you should sleep now Major Elric" Huh? Major? The Doc is being formal with me now. He must be serious.

"Uh huh" I closed my eye's. The moment I did, I was out like a light.

Roy's P.O.V

The Doctor had just mentioned about his blood tests. Fullmetal had the look of fear written all over his face. I knew what he was thinking. Needles. I smiled at him. He stared back at me and mouthed the word's 'what?' It just made my smile turn into a smirk.

I think he was about to say something when he got interrupted by Alphonse and Hawkeye returning.

"BROTHER!"

I see Fullmetal's face light up with excitement.

"Hey Al, Long time no see!"

"Oh my god Edward! I've been so worried! You idiot, you should know better then to suffer in silence!"

"I'm sorry Al. I really am. Don't worry the Colonel has already knocked some sense into me"

I felt shocked by his statement "I did?" You mean I really got through to the kid this time?

"You actually going to listen to me and take my advice?" I questioned him, raising my eyebrow.

"Yes Colonel Bastard! You are right" He gave me a reassuring grin. Maybe I did then.

"I'm glad Brother, Just promise me you won't let it happen again?"

"I promise Al. I won't"

I see Fullmetal sit up, but he then looked rather odd. He went really pale and held his head in the palm of his hands. I couldn't see his face, as his hair dangled in the way.

"Edward?" I said with a concerned tone. I then notice the Doctor move over to Fullmetal and Alphonse side stepped out the way.

"Young man? You look rather pale, I think it's best if we slowly laid you back down"

I see him nod slightly in response. The Doctor then gently placed him back down onto the bed.

"I think you should sleep now Major Elric"

"Uh huh" was all that he muttered and he seemed just to pass out again.

I glanced at Fullmetal's sleeping form for a moment then I looked up at the Doctor.

"He will be ok?" I asked him. Hawkeye now stood by my side when I asked.

"I can not clarify that until I have the results" Doctor Matthews then bowed slightly and turned to leave the room. "When I come back, I will have an answer for you"

Riza placed her hand on my shoulder, I looked up at her and she gave me a small smile.

"Sir, Edward will be ok. He's a very strong whiled person. He wouldn't let something like this keep him down and out for long"

I sighed, she was right "I know. I suppose it just comes naturally to just worry when someone is unwell"

"I understand Sir, I also have been worried"

I have seem to lost track of time. Waiting wasn't one of my best qualities but it's all I can do for now. Hawkeye had left me and Alphonse here to go back to the office. She went to finish of some paperwork for me and to update what had happened to Fullmetal to the others.

Alphonse was sitting quietly next to Fullmetal again holding his hand. I wondered why he would hold his hand like that for such a long time. Maybe I should ask?

"Alphonse?"

His armor creaked a little as he turned to look at me.

"Yes Colonel?"

"This is a strange question but why do you hold Edward's hand? He is just sleeping"

If Al could smile he probably would of done.

"Brother suffers from terrible nightmares. I am unable to sleep, so I have learnt how to comfort him over the years. My mother once told me that to hold someone's hand when they slept will protect them from bad dreams"

Al paused for a moment as he remembered that memory.

"So I often hold his hand to try and protect him from his bad dreams. I think Mother was right, it seems to work"

I never knew. So Fullmetal suffers from terrible dreams? That I can believe, I've already witnessed one. But by the sounds of it he's been suffering for years. I wonder if lack of sleep was one of the causes of Fullmetal's short temper?

"I see. So the comforting gesture of holding someone's hand is believed to keep the rested from drifting to far into a deep slumber? where the person dreams? In Fullmetal's case Nightmares"

Alphonse laughed at me "Colonel your saying it like it's such an alien thing to do?"

"I'm sorry, I never experienced this gesture or have giving it. I am not sure if my mother had ever done that with me? I don't remember suffering from nightmares when I was a child" I tried to explain.

"It's ok Colonel" reassured Alphonse. The room went briefly quiet for a moment.

"What doe's he dream of?" I suddenly ask him.

"Brother never tells me. I can't mention it to him either as it makes him highly distressed. He cover's that feeling up by becoming angry. I don't blame him. So by holding his hand I can quietly help him without him knowing"

Al made a sighing noise and looked at his brother.

"But I can guess what it could be? If I could sleep I am sure I would have had a bad dreams about it also. I think he dreams about that night".

I knew what Alphonse meant when he said that night. The night they tried to bring back their Mother. I only saw the after math. It was not a pretty sight to see. God knows what Fullmetal witnessed? But it was obliviously very traumatic.

I wasn't sure on how to respond to Alphonse. This was a very touchy subject. I'm glad Doctor Mathews returned when he did.

"I have the results" he confirmed "Major Elric has been diagnosed with mycoplasma pneumonia"

"Pneumonia?" I mouthed out shocked.

"Not quite. Mycoplasma infections happen to be common for someone in his age range. It takes two to three weeks for a normal infection, such as maybe a cold to develop into what Major Elric has now. Hopefully we have caught it in time before it turns into stage 3, Pneumonia"

"I understand, So what happens now?"

"Antibiotics should clear it up. It takes about a week. He will need plenty of rest"

I am glad Fullmetal couldn't hide this from us any longer. It could have been worse. I wasn't sure if the kid was going to like being in a hospital bed for a week. I don't think I would like to leave him here either. I had an idea.

"Doe's Fullmetal have to stay here for treatment?"

"It's best to but we can make arrangements if it's going to help his recovery"

"I believe Fullmetal will be more comfortable away from a hospital. It be less stress for him. I will take responsibility" I looked at Alphonse "Both he and his brother can both stay with me"

"Colonel, will that be ok? We could stay in the dorms"

I shook my head "No Alphonse, I insist you both stay with me. The dorms are not the most comfortable place to sleep and I don't expect your brother would be happy here and try and escape. I can't have that. I assume he's not out of the woods yet and will need that rest"

"That's right Colonel. There is a slim chance it can still develop into pneumonia if he doe's not get the bed rest he needs. You also have to make sure he takes his medicine correctly. A dosage missed from the coarse can effect his recovery also" informed Doctor Matthews.

"Ok Colonel" Al looked like he thought of something "When will we leave?"

I turned to the Doctor "When can we move Fullmetal?"

"Let me get what you need and explain in detail what you have to do. Then you may leave" The Doctor smiled at me.

"Thank you Doctor" I stood and held out my hand. He responded and shook it.

"Just doing my job Colonel" He then left us briefly to get Fullmetal's coarse of antibiotics.

I looked back at Alphonse "Looks like it be soon then"

Al then bowed at me "I be back as soon as I can Colonel" he then started to dash out the room.

"Wait! Where are you going?" I said puzzled.

He called out over his shoulder "To get all of Brother's things"

I hear his metal foot steps echo down the corridor, I smile.

For a strange reason I get the feeling Alphonse was excited about staying with me. Maybe he liked the idea of staying in a home rather then dorms or hotels all the time. Not sure how Fullmetal is going to react?

I looked at him, Probably be best to move him while he's a sleep.

"What have I let myself into?"

End Chapter 3