Yawning widely I sat up and tried to subtly work some of the kinks out of my back from sleeping hunched over my desk, blinking around myself once I was a bit more awake I finally noticed Havoc and Breda staring at me. Scowling I snapped "what?!"

Rolling his unlit cigaret around his mouth a bit before he replied Havoc sounded part curious and part incredulous as he remarked "did you know you purr in your sleep? We thought you were snoring to start with but nope you were definitely purring it was kinda cute, to be honest."

"I don't purr! That's ridiculous!"

"No no you were definitely purring it was adorable! Like a little kitten." Breda was cracking up so bad it was a marvel he got the whole sentence out in one go but I was beginning to get more irritated now the first initial flash of embarrassment had faded some.

Narrowing my eyes at the pair I rolled my shoulders and stood from my chair, it had taken a lot of practice but I had mastered the art of looming over people from a distance, this was mostly because I couldn't actually loom over people up close when I had to look up at them. So glaring the two men down with moderate ease, I managed to get both men to stop laughing without actually saying anything else and then with a pointed look at Mustang's door, where Hawkeye's voice could clearly be heard, I said "don't you two have paperwork you should be getting back to?"

Cringing and shooting the door vaguely terrified looks both men jumped to get back to reading and signing paperwork, neither one paying me any mind as I stretched again, letting out a soft moan when I finally felt my back pop and click back into place, before exiting the office and making for the coffee machine down the corridor because the mess hall's coffee sucked. Badly.

I was still glaring at the stupid machine waiting for it to spit out the damn hot liquid I needed to wake myself up again when I heard the office door open and shut again. Peeking up through my bangs I was mildly irritated to spot Mustang pause after shutting the door and the begin making his way towards me as soon as he spotted me loitering in front of this damned infernal machine. One I was seriously beginning to consider turning into scraps in a minute if it didn't hurry the hell up.

"Fullmetal!"

Oh good nevermind it was too late to escape now anyway. I still wanted that coffee though, if I was going to have to deal with Colonel bastard I needed to be properly awake.

Mustang opened his mouth to speak again and I was quick to hold up a hand to stall him, relived as the machine finally relinquished my drink. Grabbing the cup I downed half in one go, flinching and shuddering slightly at the scalding temperature and then took another smaller mouthful swallowing and pausing for a second to allow the caffeine to reach my previously sleep-fogged brain. Sighing I waved my hand for Mustang to continue hoping whatever he wanted was brief so I could go and get something to eat, I had no idea what time it was or even where Al was but my stomach said it was food time so I was gonna go get some take out after this.

"Fullmetal, I have another lead for you, regarding a rather innovative medical alchemist, he might be able to help you and your brother, speaking of which do you know where your brother is? He should probably be here for the briefing if he's going to accompany you like normal."

Shrugging slightly I mumbled around my coffee "not sure but I can make a good guess for where he could be. I'll go find him and come back."

"See that you do so quickly."

Narrowing my eyes I glared at the Colonels back as he returned to the office and then I downed the rest of my coffee, chucking the cup at the little bin next to the machine and then made a beeline for the stairs leading to the roof.

xxx

As expected I found Al perched on the edge of the roof staring off into the distance, looking all moody and sullen. Smirking as I strolled over I called a cheery "hey Al guess what!"

"Brother!" I noticed Al sounded only slightly better than he had looked, but not nearly as broody as I had expected, he got like this sometimes and he always made for high ground when he was upset. "What is it?"

Flicking my braid over my shoulder I exclaimed "we have a new lead, Colonel bastard wants to brief us now so let's go already, I can't wait to get out of this dump!"

"Brother."

Wincing at Al's chiding tone I flapped my hand slightly and turned to make a beeline for the door when Al spoke again, "you know brother I was reading dad's book again and it mentioned something about getting a growth spurt after a dragon has its first moult. You've been growing a lot recently brother, you wouldn't happen to have something to tell me would you?"

"Um okay so maybe I was exaggerating a bit before when I said I had my moult but I just didn't want to worry you! Seventeen is late to moult!"

"Brother..."

I had to cut Al off quickly before he could completely destroy my defences with that exasperated tone of his, "growing isn't as fun as I thought it would be. It hurts damn it!"

"Really." The dry tone told me Al wasn't taking this as seriously as I wanted.

"Yes really! You remember our first change right?"

"Yeah."

"It's like that but more drawn out."

Al winced and mumbled "that would be expected as the growth is rapidly accelerated, I read that potassium is good for growing pains, so maybe you should eat more bananas."

Tilting my head I shrugged slightly, humming to myself before replying "I will try just about anything at the moment if it will get these damn pains to go away for a while, hell I'd eat a whole waggon of bananas if that would help."

"Of course you would," Al deadpanned.

xxx

"So this sewing life alchemist made a talking chimaera?! That's amazing!"

"Yes it was the talk of the military when it happened and he is somewhat regarded as the authority on chimaera research, I figured he might be able to help you as it is rumoured he has extensive library's full of biological alchemy books and that is pretty close to what you're looking into."

Leaning back in my seat and rubbing my leg port, newly changed limbs ached something rotten, I watched the countryside blur past as we headed back towards east city so we could talk to this Shou Tucker guy who hopefully, wouldn't be a waste of our time. Although I suspected that Mustang would have tried to get us out of the city somehow anyway because of that Scar guy. Everyone was freaking out about him, what with the number of alchemists he's killed rising enough that Colonel bastard got moved to Central. The move had only happened about three days before I got kidnapped so I could kind of understand Mustang's paranoia but even if I understood it still chafed. I could look after myself damn it!

I could feel my eyelids drooping again and mentally groaned, it seemed like all I was doing lately was sleeping and frankly, it was beginning to irritate me. I was too tired to care that much right now though so with a put-upon sigh I drifted off to dreamland, hopefully by the time I wake up we will almost be at East City.

xxx

Rain was soaking through my pants, but I couldn't really find it in myself to care. I failed. Terribly. Now because of my mistakes poor Nina was gone, stuck with a fate worse than death and no one could do anything about it.

"Are you Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist?"

Blinking up at the source of the deep rumbling voice, I found myself staring at the white-haired and very tanned man. A distinctive scar crossed his face hidden mostly by his sunglasses, and that was weird, why was he wearing sunglasses in this weather?

"That depends on who's asking."

"Brother!" Ignoring Al's hissed reprimand I watched the man, curious as to his reaction. The way the stranger flexed his hand suggested 'not well' would be the answer to that question.

Diving forwards I barely dodged the blow coming for me, the crackle of alchemy told me it was very good I had avoided that hit, especially when it collided with the fountain I was sitting on and turned it to rubble.

"Shit! Run Al!"

Sprinting with Al hot on my heels, we ducked and dodged as best we could, avoiding blows and scrambling to get away at every opportunity. Slapping my hands together I brought them down on the alleyways wall next to me, hoping it might slow this guy down a bit. The stone beams I transmuted were quickly deconstructed and then the man was right behind Al. Gasping I tried to shout a warning to my brother "AL!" But it was too late, the side of Al's armour exploded violently when the alchemically charged hand made contact with it.

Everything stuttered slightly when I saw that and red flooded my vision. Screaming in rage I blindly charged the moron that dared to attack my brother, however, said moron was dodging all of my attacks with apparent ease, which was just ticking me off even more. Suddenly he was right up in my face, one huge hand wrapped around my right arm. A flash of blue lighting and I was thrown back a few feet, most of my sleeve shredded with the attack. Grimacing and shaking off the weird shuddery feeling in my limbs I straightened up and grabbed my coat, ripping the rest of it off to prevent it getting in my way any more, also because it looked so badass when people did that and nothing Al said would ever change my mind.

"A metal arm..."

Clapping my hands together I slapped a palm down on my automail, lengthening it into a razor-sharp short blade and then levelling it at the heavily scarred man.

"I see, so you put your palms together to create the circle for you transmutations that is why you do not need written arrays. Then that arm will need to be the first thing to go!"

Hesitating for second in my surprise at someone actually understanding how I was able to use clap alchemy I just barely dodged his attack, stumbling back quickly as I tried to evade his reaching hands. A foot hooking behind my leg had me completely off balance and falling, arms flailing instinctively, making my right arm an easy target for Scar's attack and as bits of automail rained down on me I could only really be grateful that Winry hadn't replaced my arm yet, because she would be so pissed if it got broken that soon after she just put it on.

Fear and desperation had me kicking my legs, trying to scuttle backwards only to tip over and almost land on my face when I went to put my right hand down only for there to be nothing to put down.

Little embarrassing tears of frustration appeared in my eyes and I didn't have a spare hand to try and get rid of them with so I just ignored them as they tracked down the sides of my face, and when Scar asked if I had any last words all I could think of was Al. The words fell in a twisted and broken jumble, "not my brother! Not Al. Don't hurt my brother. Leave him alone. Kill me but leave him be."

And through all my panicked mumbling I could just make out Al's distraught screaming, telling me to run, to live but what he didn't know was there would be no living without him. Al was my rock, my sole reason for struggling on and not just giving up, I had to fix my mistakes and make it up to my brother I couldn't fix anything if I was dead, but maybe if I gave my life for him it would at least make up for some of my sins.

Something like pitty flickered across the scared man's face and then he was leaning forwards, blue alchemic light already dancing over his hand ready to end my life like so many before.

A loud BANG had him jolting back, the bullet just barely grazing the side of his face and sending his sunglasses clattering to the ground revealing a pair of angry crimson eyes. Ishvalen. Well, that certainly explained his motive for attacking state alchemists, revenge is always a good motivator. Slumping against the ground I couldn't really drum up the energy needed to stand and get out of the way, so I just laid there as Mustang and the MP's drove Scar away, unable to feel anything with the cold numbness in my limbs disguising any aches or pains.

Sucking in a sudden sharp and shuddery breath I remembered Al, he was hurt! He needed me! Lunging drunkenly to my feet I staggered towards the alley where Al was propped against the wall. As soon as I reached him I dropped to the ground, a painful throbbing now making its-self known in my legs, and reached for my brother only to get a painful whack to the head.

Clutching pathetically at my head I sent my brother a wounded look and he snarled "I told you to run! You cant just give up, brother! We have so much to live for, so much we still need to do and if you die we cant do any of that!"

Guilt quickly began chipping away at my conscious when I heard just how distraught Al was over my willingness to die for him, I didn't want to hurt him like that but I just couldn't bear the thought of him leaving me, I would rather be selfish and risk my own life than have to live on without him.

"Edward Elric! It gladdens me to see you safe and sound after an encounter with such a vicious enemy."

Tilting my head back I blinked slowly at the huge shadow of Major Alex Luis Armstrong looming over me, still shivering from the rain I opened my mouth to greet the man and was almost blinded by the sudden appearance of the man's bare chest as he whipped off his jacket and dropped over my shoulders. A wave of warmth from the body heat warmed clothing stopped me from complaining or refusing, instead, I just enjoyed how the thick fabric insulated me from the slight breeze that had picked up, "thanks, Major Armstrong."

"No problem young Elric, but I think it would be best if we hurried you to the hospital, yes?"

"What!? No! I'm fine! It's only my arm. I just need to call Winry and she'll bring me a new one, she should be finished with the one she was making for me anyway so no big deal. I don't need to go to the hospital!"

"Ah but better to be safe rather than sorry as they say Fullmetal." I didn't even notice when Colonel bastard got here but his words were pissing me off and all I could really reply with was enraged growling that no one would understand. Well actually Al probably got what I was on about but no one else would.

"Too bad brother I guess this is your punishment for not listening to me."

Shooting Al a betrayed and wounded look I made a couple more weak complaints and protests but ultimately it was decided, I would be going to the hospital...again. Hell, they probably have a room set aside for me by now maybe even with my name on it too.

Pouting and whining the whole way there, if for no other reason than to get on Mustang's nerves, we arrived at the hospital and were seen into a private room straight away. The nurse was shooting me this look, one that said 'I have seen you here far too many times' although she seemed mollified to some degree when I explained it was mostly just light scratches and blown up automail and that I was, for the most part, injury free. She still made me sit on the damn hospital bed and not move while she cleaned and dressed the small scratches and scrapes I picked up during my attempt to run away from Scar.

I was more aware of my surroundings now so I noticed as soon as Mustang entered my room, sitting up straighter I asked "how is Al?"

"Your brother is just fine, I left him with Major Armstrong discussing something about temperatures affecting transmutations, it did sound quite interesting but I dragged myself away and called your mechanic, I told her you were in the hospital and in need of the arm they're making so they need to get here as quickly as possible...Fullmetal why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh my god...You told Winry I'm in the hospital and need my new arm?! She's going to think the worst and panic and oh man she is going to kill me when she gets here for worrying her unnecessarily! And it wasn't even my fault!"

"My apologies then Fullmetal it wasn't my intention to worry your mechanic I just thought...although I guess the number of times you've been in the hospital for small injuries are vastly outnumbered by the larger ones, so it would make sense for her to assume...yes I do feel rather bad for you now Edward, oh well, do pass on my regards to Winry when she gets here, thank you."

And then the bastard fled back out the door he just swanned in through, evil pyromaniac that he is. Just comes sauntering in, drops a death sentence in my lap and then runs away like the coward he is.

AN: Okay here it is, I'm so sorry this took so long to get out! I ran into some real trouble about halfway through and had to rewatch some of the series to get into the feel of this since I've been watching a whole bunch of other animes recently and I just could get the characters right. I hope the last part of this didn't seem too weird, I was really tired when I wrote it and frankly, I can't really see a better way to word it all so I'm just gonna post it as it is. Thank you for hanging in there with me this far, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave me a review or a comment on your way out, they make my day.

-SL xxx