XXX: I do NOT own Fullmetal Alchemist. I am just a huge fan! :XXX

So, I am a little mad. I had this chapter all typed up and ready to go, so I hit submit document and it asked me to log in. When I did, the whole chapter was gone... Ugh. That's what I get for typing directly into the Document Manager instead of in a word processor. But have I learned my lesson? Nope. :3

Anyway, so I've retyped it here for you. This story is just too fun to give up on! I really enjoy it! I apologize if it's a little shorter than you'd like. I'm not sure I can redo everything I wrote before, and it needs to end where I have it.

Of course they aren't required but any and all reviews are appreciated! I'd just like to hear your opinion about where I'm taking the story. I've got some big plans and I'm not sure how you all will take it. :)

Alright, blab over. Enjoy!

Envy POV

The room was already filled with steam, as I had turned the temperature to its maximum. The warm air curled around me almost protectively. I attempted to pick out the individual drops from the stream.I stuck my hand under the scalding water. It was painful, but I didn't pull my arm away. I was fascinated by the way my skin changed from a pale white to a bright red.

After the initial moment of wonder was over, the pain came through and I jerked my hand back, cradling it against my chest, and used my other hand to turn the temperature down. The contact with my crop top made me remember the pile of clothes the girl had set on the counter for me. She must have gotten them from one of the brothers, which bothered me immensely.

Removing my clothes proved to be a difficult task. It took me a couple of minutes to peel off my top and skort, caked as they were with blood and mud. My gloves and socks were much easier. The girl hadn't given me my headband back and I hadn't exactly asked for it... I looked from the clothing to my outfit. Two very different styles. Even though I disliked the items, I recognized the meaning of the gesture. She seemed to care...

I shoved my head into the stream, turning my face up into it. That was a road I didn't feel like going down. I decided to focus on the feel of the heated water, warming me from the outside in. I wouldn't be able to stay there for long. My bandages were already soaked. I quickly washed the filth from my body. It felt amazing. I gave myself a few more moments to feel the relaxing water rush over me before I finished up my business and stepped out of the shower.

My eyes went to the clothing once more. I decided against them, then looked to my usual outfit. Their state was less than ideal for wearing, so the only option was to wash them.

I stuck them under some cold water and did as best I could to remove the dirt. Once the water rolling off the pieces ceased to be brown, I held up my clothes, inspecting my work. I was satisfied with the results. The only problem was that they were wet.

Guess I'll have to wait for them to dry.

A knock on the door grabbed my attention. The engineer's voice came from the other side. "You doing alright in there?"

I just stared at the door.

"You're not going to wear my father's clothing, are you?"

So they didn't belong to either of the brothers, but instead her father. That made them a little less revolting, but I still didn't like the look of them.

She took my silence as a negative. "Well, wrap a towel around yourself and I'll have one of the boys wash them while I change your bandages."

I didn't really see any other option, so I wrapped a towel around my waist and opened the bathroom door.

I watched her watch me.

Her eyes broke the stare first. She pushed me inside and had me sit on the toilet. She grabbed my clothes from me. "Give me those. Looks like you already washed them." She threw them out the door and over the banister. "Edward, dry those off for me!" She went to the cabinet above the sink and grabbed the supplies she needed, the sounds of Edward's alchemy in the background. She came back over to me and began her work. Her face was one of quiet determination. She seemed hell bent on taking care of me.

Why do you care?

I almost felt like asking.

The alchemist threw the clothes back over the banister, ever the lazy man, and told his mechanic to get them herself. She did just that and brought them over to me. She grabbed a brush from a drawer and began running it through my slightly tangled hair. She kept at it until my locks had regained most of their volume and were practically dry. It was so soothing that I almost fell asleep where I sat.

"Now, get dressed. I'll wait outside the door so I can help you down the stairs when you're done. I know you won't call for me." She smiled at me, then left the room, leaving me with my clothes and my thoughts.

I managed to dress myself. I was just so damn confused. Less than a week ago I would have killed her for trying to boss me around like that. But now, even the idea of snuffing out a life brought me much displeasure. It was an odd feeling. Usually the thought of murder brought excitement.

It's because you're a pathetic human.

The voice, so like my own, yet so different, echoed in my head. I stared, wide-eyed at my reflection in the mirror, unable to follow the trail of my thoughts. My mind was racing and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

"Envy? You alright?" the girl asked, concerned.

It took a few moments to realize what it was that was different in my face. At first I thought I was just noticing the surrender in my eyes. Upon further study, I realized that it wasn't a change in my demeanor that I was seeing, but a physical change.

My eyes had faded from their usual bright purple to a dull brown.

They were horrifyingly human.

I fell backwards, landing on the floor with a loud thump.

My quasi-doctor busting into the room, rushing to my side. "Envy! What happened? Are your wounds hurting badly? Let me get Ed to carry you downstairs." She opened her mouth to call for the alchemist, but stopped when my hand smacked into her shoulder. I gripped the small bone roughly, directing a hard stare at her.

She saw the "no" in my face, and closed her mouth. After a moment, she smiled. "Okay, I get it. Can you stand?"

I nodded.

She offered her hand to me. I took it, accepting the assistance that I knew I would need to get up from such a low position. Once I was on my feet, I headed for the door.

Her hand gripped my wrist and she pulled me back to face her. "You forgot something." She reached out to me, pushing something over my head, pulling my hair out, then pulling it back up onto my forehead. My headband. I hadn't had it since she'd taken it off to wash it days ago. My hair was no longer serving as a curtain between my face and the outside world.

With my wounds healing, my clothes clean, and my headband once again subduing the cluster that was my hair, I began to feel somewhat normal again. I gained a bit of strength from that fact.

I left the bathroom and walked down the stairs on my own. My wounds ached, but it was bearable. I wasn't standing straight, but I wasn't curled in on myself either. I went over to the couch I had been occupying the last few days and stared out the window.

How did we get here?