On the way to the hospital, Hughes kept giving me intense looks, like he was trying to ask what we were going to find when we got there. After a few glances, I started giving him a nervous smile that hopefully said something like, 'You'll see. Try not to freak out too much when you do though.'

Winry eventually caught onto this and mentioned it as he was parking the car. "Hey, are you two sharing a secret or something? You've both been acting really weird..."

I was about to answer with 'No! Of course not; why would you think that?' or something along those suspicious lines, when Hughes interrupted me with, "Oh, all right you caught us. I gave her an extra piece of cake last night, and she thinks I should've given you some too - there's no need to be mad, Felicity!"

"Ah-" I stuttered, surprised, then put on an amused/grumpy face. "I'm not mad, you're the one who keeps looking at me like you think I should be mad. Feeling guilty, are we?"

I saw through the front seat mirror that Hughes looked almost amazed at my ability to act/lie, and a little suspicious - or maybe that was just me being paranoid. "Oh, maybe you're right. I'll have Gracia bake Winry a whole pie to make up for it!"

"Aw, I can't have any?" I said in a disappointed tone. It was starting to scare me how good I'd gotten at lying for an audience.

Winry laughed. "Oh, that's all? Well, if she does bake me a pie, I'll make sure to give you some, Felicity."

I smiled in gratitude when she glanced back, noticing Hughes give me another weird look, this time it was a doubting one. Man, I couldn't wait to get the whole Alphonse thing over with...

As we walked down the hall to Ed's hospital room, I tried to give Hughes a look that said, 'Brace yourself,' remembering how I could never watch the scene we were about to walk in on on a screen anymore because it was so intense. But at least this time I knew it was going to help me, unless it didn't happen...what if it happened earlier? What if I was wrong, and Hughes wasn't going to be there in the real world?

I swallowed my fears as we walked up to the door where Ross and that other guy - what was his name again - Brosh, stood saluting. "Hello there, Mr Hughes, sir; Winry, Felicity," Brosh said with a friendly smile, salute still in place. Ross smiled as well and nodded. Then Hughes went to open the door.

I heard part of what Ed was saying and tensed up, lingering behind the others in the doorway. "...like you, Al. You've got such a big body now."

Winry was just stepping in and I bit my lip, then, the expected: "IT'S NOT LIKE I ASKED FOR THIS BODY, BROTHER."

I backed away a little bit so I didn't have to watch the intense scene that I always hated to watch play out, flinching at the look Hughes gave me when he heard Al say what had been on his mind. It was pretty obvious he hadn't expected what I'd said to come true.

(I spent like ten minutes struggling to write this scene, but then I accidentally refreshed and lost it, so just imagine what you saw in the show.)

At the end of it, I was stepping forward again to see a bit. "What do you have to say for yourself,brother?"

Ed slammed his fists on the food tray in front of him, causing Al to gasp in surprise as if he'd been expecting a more...shameful reaction? There was silence for a few moments. Then, "Is that what you really think?" Edward spoke bitterly, then his voice slipped into something akin to depression when he continued. "Have you believed that all this time?" Alphonse took a step back; Ed's hands were shaking horribly. "So are you finished? Or is there more you wanted to say?" There was complete silence a few moments longer, and I saw what I guessed was a cut in his left hand start bleeding as he clenched his fists. Then he seemed to relax some and smiled in that...creepy, unhappy way. "Okay."

Ed pushed his food tray away and got up, walking past Al without a glance. I moved out of the way as he walked passed me and out the door, getting some nearly fresh blood on my sleeve from his left arm as he bumped me by accident.

"Don't go..." Winry whispered in a pained voice. Then she stepped out and shouted at him, "Ed!"

I watched as Ed left, then looked at Hughes. He was glaring at me. Glaring. As if this whole thing was my fault. I felt my face turn into something that might've looked like pain or regret or something as Winry charged back into the room. I heard her scream, "Al, you...MOROOON!" then the CLANG of her wrench hitting the armored boy's head.

Everyone in the hall shuddered at the force of her hitting, including me. "Hh! Where did that come from?!" Alphonse exclaimed, his head vibrating from the attack.

That's when Winry started crying.

Al gasped, reaching his hands out as he realized how much he'd hurt her. "Winry!"

"You idiot!" Winry yelled, hitting him again. "You have no idea how Ed feels! Do you know what he was so afraid to talk to you about? He wants to know if you blame him for what happened to your body, Al!"

Al gasped again, this time in obvious horror at what he'd done. "Winry, I-"

"When he was in his automail surgery," Winry choked on tears. "he told Granny and me that he was scared of what you might say. And then," she sniffled and fell into the floor, banging Al with her wrench weakly; I glanced down the hall again at where Ed had gone. "you idiot. You said that. Who would do something like that? Who would be prepared to risk his own life..." I heard that she'd stopped banging him, but I was too busy worrying over Ed to think about it. I'd just realized; if things were worse here for some reason, if I had somehow made everything worse...Ed didn't think he had anything to live for without Al, so what if he was going to...

"...to create a fake brother?" Winry was saying. "Don't you get it?..."

Okay, I couldn't take it anymore. I mumbled, "I'm gonna check on Ed." to Hughes quietly before running off towards where he'd gone. I wasn't sure where the roof was, but I didn't need to know; Ed had left a trail of blood from his hand leading down the halls. I followed said trail, running as fast as I could, until I reached a flight of stairs.

I jumped up two steps at a time and threw open the roof door to find Edward standing on the other side of the roof. He turned his head slightly as I walked toward him, his eyes empty, more upset than I remembered. He had his automail knife out... 'Damn! I was right.' I swallowed nervously. "Hey, Ed... You okay?"

"I'm fine," he muttered, putting his knife away. He looked at my face and gave a short laugh. "I know what you're thinking. No, I wouldn't kill myself over something like this. Al just...I need to..." He grunted in pain and clutched his side, quieting as he gripped the railing and doubled over.

I ran over to him and put a hand on his back - which, incidentally, was the first willing physical contact I'd given anyone since I got here. "Ed, you're really badly hurt..."

"You think I don't know that?" he barked at me suddenly, a tiny bit of blood leaking out of his mouth. My hand jumped away as he stood up straighter. "As I was saying, I just need to knock some sense into the kid bastard. Even with these injuries, I can take on a pile of junk any day!"

I gave him a very concerned look, and he scowled, staring out across the buildings below us. I bit my lip - it was becoming a habit of mine. "Ed..."

"Don't get involved!" he shouted at me, gripping the railing even harder. "Why did you come here anyway? Who are you?"

"I-"

"Brother?"

We both turned to see Alphonse standing by the door, looking about as sorry as a suit of armor could get. There was a pause... then Ed smirked. "You know, Al, we haven't had a good fight in a while." He kicked off his slippers and practically shoved me away from him. "I'm starting to get flabby."

Okay, I was all for everything going as planned, but Ed couldn't do this with these injuries. "Ed, don't-"

But it was too late; he was already running at his younger brother. He jumped up and kicked at him, grunting in pain but holding up. Al backed away as he kept attacking, kicking and punching and even doing a flip at some point. "Hey, stop!" Al exclaimed, blocking a whack from his automail. "Your wounds haven't healed enough for this!"

It was about then that Ed grabbed a blanket hanging on a clothing line and threw it at him. I made my way over to the door as they fought, hoping Ed didn't hurt himself too much. Not that I could do anything with him throwing punches, but I noticed that his clothes seemed to get just a little more red every few seconds.

"I beat you!" Ed shouted as he threw Al to the ground. "First time I ever won." I'd gotten to the door by then and found Hughes and Winry watching as well.

We all stood there as the brothers had their little talk, Ed squeezing his wounds closed with his shirt the whole time. Then, right on cue when they were bumping fists all brotherly like, Winry spoke. "Mr Hughes? Maybe you don't have to hear something out loud, but it sure is helpful sometimes."

"I guess it is," Hughes replied. I glanced at him and saw him looking sadly at me, I guess realizing for the first time that the seriousness of our conversation last night wasn't just in my own head. I looked back at Ed and Al and found that Edward was limping horribly, but thankfully wasn't dead. That was good.

But I was still stressed.

"So everything you said was true."

Hughes and I were sitting in the hospital waiting room while Winry was getting upset at Ed and Al for fighting when Edward was so badly injured. I think there were doctors involved too, but I wasn't sure, as Hughes had insisted I come with him.

I sighed, fingering my gloves. I considered taking them off, but then I decided against it; Hughes didn't know I had automail, and if he did he'd probably ask more questions, what with what I know. "Yeah, I figured you wouldn't believe me." I looked up at his serious face, frowning. "Do you believe what I said about...what might happen to you?"

He nodded. "Yes, I think I do. But you weren't very clear on that one. You said lots could be at stake if I wasn't killed, but you're desperate to save me. So, is there less at stake than you let on, or did you really get so attached to me of all people while watching his 'ainomay'?"

"Anime," I corrected automatically. "And there's really more at stake than I let on." Anime gasp from Hughes. "I didn't want to say too much 'cause I knew you'd think I was nuts, but if you don't die, then basically the entire world could be destroyed. I mean, it might not, but if it isn't, then at the very least Amestris will crumble like Xerxes, and people all over the world could be in huge danger! But... if that doesn't happen, on the miniscule chance that you surviving to tell everyone what you'll find out about and DON'T get the world obliterated over a long period of time, then I guess it could save lives...but then the person who could've stopped the Homunculi might not be prepared in time, and then who knows what would happen, probably a lot of deaths. And you know what, you won't survive anyway. They wouldn't let you get anywhere near the military without getting killed, and..." I trailed off, realizing I'd been babbling. And that last part might've been in English.

Hughes laid a hand on my shoulder comfortingly. "So what you're saying is, you just don't want me to die as a personal preference."

I paused and nodded. "I saw your family up close yesterday, and I don't want you to die and leave those two alone. You're a wonderful person, Hughes." Dang, I'd never told anyone they were a wonderful person before. I must've been desperate.

He patted my shoulder and nodded. "Can you tell me though...what happens to them if I do die?"

"You won't," I muttered, determined.

"Yes, but if I did. I want to know...just in case something happens."

I gazed into his caring eyes and realized this question wasn't just because he thought he might not save himself. He'd been wondering this ever since Elysia was born... I couldn't ignore that. "I haven't seen it in a while, but as far as I can remember...they're okay. Elysia would be really sad and confused, she didn't - wouldn't understand that you were dead, just that-" I choked, feeling tears well up in my eyes. I hastily wiped them away and continued. "There was a funeral scene. And she was screaming at everyone to stop burying you, saying-" I paused. "...She didn't know..." I stopped again, seeing tears in Hughes eyes as well. I almost smiled, realizing this probably meant he would be more determined to survive as well. "Gracia is strong. She wouldn't break down when you were gone, caring for Elysia with everything she has. The anime didn't show too much of those two after you were gone though, so I don't know any of the specifics."

The man nodded. "Well then, I can't let my little Elysia cry, can I?"

I smiled. "No way."

"Would you mind if I told Roy about this though? He may be able to help..."

"NO!" I shouted, a little too loudly. I smiled awkwardly at a woman passing by in the hallway outside. "I mean, Roy is the one who has to think you're dead the most. He can't know."

Hughes looked absolutely shocked. "Why? Why should I make my best friend suffer like that?"

I bit my lip. "Because...your death is going to make him more determined. To be honest, I don't remember everything, but his search for your killer will end in the death of the person - thing who started the Ishbalan Civil War."

He gasped. "What?"

"One of the Homunculi," I said. "The one that's supposed to kill you. He purposefully started the war, and he loves to see people suffer."

I'd never seen Hughes so disgusted.

"They are talking about some seriously crazy stuff in there!" Brosh - who I shall now call Denny because I like that better - exclaimed, holding an ear to Ed's hospital room door.

It had been six days since the ordeal with Al and my conversation with Hughes. It was longer than I'd expected, but I really shouldn't have been surprised; even with the doctors' limited knowledge of medical alchemy, Edward's injuries took a while to heal. I think they were about as healed now as when he was supposed to leave the hospital. Which was conformed by this short conversation.

"You've heard the old cliché about how curiosity killed the cat, right? Well, it's true." Ross sounded pretty bitter as she pressed her fingers deeper into her ears.

I'd been staying at the Hughes with Winry this whole time, playing with Elysia once and a while. I didn't feel so bad about getting close to the Hughes family now that it was pretty certain that Maes Hughes would live.

Now I was sitting on that same bench I had been on that first day, smiling at the two while I ate a banana that Hughes had made me bring as a snack. He'd said something like, "You didn't eat lunch the first two days and then you skipped breakfast the next! Choose a fruit or something and we'll be off." Bananas are the only fruit I can stand when it's not in a pie. (Mmm...apple pie...)

He'd brought me and Winry to visit with Ed a bit before he and Major Armstrong got to asking him exactly what happened in Laboratory 5 now that he was healed more. Edward had quickly asked Winry to get some train tickets for Dublith (and I had begged them if I could come too, to which they'd all been confused but I'd explained with the excuse that I liked traveling, not just big cities, and they were fun to be around when they weren't killing each other), and then he'd glared at me some before giving me a thanks for trying to help him when he recklessly opened his wounds more in that fight with Al. (Not that he'd admitted to being reckless, he was just 'being nice' by thanking me. I think someone put him up to it.) Then I had to wait outside while they talked, but not before I whispered to Hughes that someone else was going to come in later and it was a good idea not to tell him about me.

"Pardon me, Lieutenant."

I turned my head to see none other than Fuhrer Bradley (AKA: Wrath) waltzing down the hall towards us. Denny quickly saluted, and I raised my eyebrows, pretending to not be terrified that he'd find out there was something different about me with that left eye of his. (Maybe he can see that sort of thing?)

"I'm looking for Edward Elric," Wrath said in a calm voice, which was totally ironic. (I might switch between calling him Wrath and Bradley) "the Fullmetal Alchemist?" He hardly spared me a glance, but I couldn't tell whether the glance he did spare me meant anything or not.

"Sure," Ross said, taking her fingers from her ears and opening her eyes. "this is his...-!"

"His room?" Bradley asked politely. When she nodded, he reached out to open the door, then, to my (hopefully well-hidden) horror, he looked over at me. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but who's this?"

I'm doomed. I just made the Homunculi's moderately wanted list. I hoped I wouldn't have to meet Pride.

"Uh, m-my name's Felicity," I stammered, staring at his medals and stuff to try and make it seem like I was only nervous 'cause I recognized how powerful he was.

The man nodded with a smile, then he knocked and pushed open the door. "Sorry to interrupt."

I leaned over and saw everyone in the room - except Alphonse - acquire a shocked-out-of-my-mind look and gasp. Then the two soldiers saluted. "Fuhrer Bradley!" Armstrong exclaimed. "Your excellency!"

That's when the heavy doors closed and the sound got muffled.

Denny gasped and looked at Ross. "What was that all about?"

"I don't know..." Ross stated, looking at me curiously.

I realized they were referring to his acknowledgement of my existence. "I guess he doesn't normally notice random kids on benches?"

"Well...maybe he would've acted the same towards you if he knew you were with us," Ross began.

"But you were just sitting there - not talking to us or anything! For all he knew you were just a kid waiting for a doctor somewhere, so why would he notice?" Denny finished for her.

I shrugged, unsure of what to say. But I was really hoping Hughes wouldn't act suspicious in there, and that Bradley didn't say anything about me.

A few minutes later, which dragged on like a sleeping cat over sandpaper, Winry appeared down the hall. "Hey, Felicity! I got the tickets!" She waved them at me as she got over.

I stood up from the bench, smiling. "Sweet! I can't wait to sit in a hard-seated train for hours again!"

All three of the people here stared at me like they were trying to find out if I was being sarcastic or not; I smirked as Winry shrugged it off and turned to open the door. "Hey, Ed." She paused as she noticed everyone staring out the window. "What the... What's going on? Did we miss something?"

"Not really," Ed replied, eyes so wide it looked like the pupils had overtaken the golden irises. "just a tornado passing by."

Winry looked at me in confusion and I smiled sheepishly, indicating I knew exactly what they were talking about. She narrowed her eyes at me and then shut the door. "Well, I don't think there's anything I can do about that, but I did go and buy the train tickets you asked for..."

Ed almost smiled. "Thanks, just in time."

"You sure are a man on the move, aren't you?" Armstrong acknowledged, leaning down slightly. "Your wounds haven't even healed completely!"

"Yeah, well...six days of sick people and hospital food is more than enough for me, thanks."

"And where are you heading off to this time?" Hughes asked, getting in to look at the tickets. I noticed he hadn't even glanced at me this whole time; I wondered if Bradley's speech about not trusting anyone got him rethinking his trust... But no...Hughes wasn't that kind of guy, was he? I looked around and didn't see anyone else avoiding eye contact. Maybe he was just trying to not get people suspicious like Winry before - or maybe I was paranoid. "What's in Dublith?" he asked when Winry lifted the papers.

"Well," Edward stepped forward and laid his left hand on his brother's back with a tiny smile. "the way things have gone lately, Al and I decided we should go back and visit our old teacher."

Al was shaking. "I think I'm too scared, brother! There's no way she's not gonna kill us!"

The brothers turned and held each other's hands supportively. "Look, don't you chicken out on me now! I'm scared too, okay?!"

"What exactly does this person teach?" Winry asked, sounding just a bit nervous. I had to fake-cough to avoid smiling.

Armstrong put his chin in his hand. "It appears you have a lengthy journey ahead of you..."

Winry widened her eyes and looked at the map. "How far is Dublith?"

Al raised a hand to point. "Well, let's see. There it is!" He put his finger on a little dot in the south. "All the way down here."

A moment passed, and then Winry gasped in recognition, squealing with either surprise or excitement. Ed looked at her like she was crazy. "Wha-what is it?"

She pointed at a spot on the map between Central and Dublith. "That! Right there! Right before Dublith!" She spun around happily and held her hands crossed at her chest, saying, "It's the holy land of automail engineering! It's Rush Valley!" She turned to him and started shaking her arms at him frantically. "WEHAVETOGOWEHAVETOGO WEHAVETOGO - YOU HAVE TO TAKE ME!"

I stared at Winry in shock as Ed answered in a mumbley voice. (This looked so much weirder in real life.) "Eh, whatever - I don't have to take you anywhere."

"Well, somebody has to pay for my travel fare!"

"And why does it have to be me?"

"Come on, brother, what's the big deal? It's on our way."

"Only if you want to Al."

"YAAAAYYYYEE!"

I shook my head, smiling. "Some things you can never prepare for." I murmured in English.

"What was that?" I turned to see Hughes standing right next to me.

"Uh, nothing."

Me and Hughes had an awkward stare-off while Winry ran to the door. "I better call and tell Grandma." she said, then left.

There was a pause as everyone looked toward where she last was, then: "She'll make a fine wife someday."

"Don't start that again!" Edward growled as Hughes laughed.

"I would rather talk about my wife anyway." He smiled.

Aaand scene.

Most of that wasn't anything you guys haven't heard already, so...sorry. That's most of the fic, though. *shrug* Fullmetal Alchemist +1

Meitenshidarkangel: Yeah, Hughes. Is so. Heartbreaking. Hmm...with my rocket boots...You might be on to something there, ha. And thanks for the "WOOOOOOOOO!" I love those! Haha!

ArtisticFantasy: I'm so glad I made you happy. :3 And yeah, I find that it's pretty much impossible to make a character fall in love with someone they're not already close to andstay in character. I hate when people do that too. And yeah, I've thought about that sort of thing before: I've always wanted to be able to meet everyone in every story I like, but then I realized that it could easily destroy the ENTIRE WORLD if I'm not careful. Tell me if I seem to be messing something up/ever getting someone out of character! And thanks!