Chapter 6

Mandy came rushing into the house, her eyes were wide with panic and she was panting like she'd just ran a marathon. "JASPER" she cried.

"What? What is Mandy" asked Jasper rushing to her side.

"It's the military" she wailed. "What could they be doing here?" Jasper's mouth simply gaped. "What if….What if they're heard about the boy? What if they're here to take him away?" This instantly sent the boy rigid. He didn't want to join the military. He didn't want to go away with those people.

"I won't let that happen" said Jasper. With a tightly clenched jaw he picked up the boy under his arm and tossed him into the main bedroom, very impressive for a man of his age. "Stay in here" he ordered. "Don't come out no matter what" then as an after thought he added "There's a gun in that draw over there if they advance on you. But don't use it, just threaten them. You're not a murderer like they are." The kid nodded at this, he understood.

He watched through the only slightly opened door as a terrified Mandy opened the front door, letting in three people. The leader was very serious looking man with raven hair and onyx eyes. He wore white gloves and the blue military uniform and there was a fire in his eyes warning everybody not to mess with him.

The second person to enter wore the same outfit (minus the gloves). She was a firm looking woman with an unreadable face and blond hair done up in some kind of bun.

The third, however, was incredibly strange and frightening. He was tall and large, but instead of wearing the military uniform he wore a suit of armour.

He watched as the leader advanced over to Jasper. "My name is Colonel Mustang" he said without raising his hand to shake, Jasper of course, did no such thing either, he merely stood there with a defiant look in his eyes. "We are looking for an Edward Elric. We received word that he was staying here."

Mandy stepped forward over to Mustang. "We don't have anybody here but us, no thanks to you lot" she said neutrally.

"I beg to differ miss. You see, a woman named Ally said she saw a blond haired, golden eyed boy in your house, the exact description of Mr. Elric. We need to take him to military headquarters. Now, you will co-operate or I will be forced to take drastic measures!" this Mustang seemed to mean business.

"You're not getting him!" roared Jasper. "You'll leave that boy alone. He's staying with us and you're not getting your filthy hands on him!" In a split second the woman had a gun out and pointed at Jasper while the colonel had his fingers ready to click. Why did that position seem so threatening? The colonel clicked his fingers creating a small flame to flicker mere inches from Jasper's nose.

"Where is he" growled the colonel. Golden eyes went wide as he realised just how serious matters were becoming. He could feel his heart beating fast against his ribcage and he could here the blood beat heavily in his ears. His breathing was rapid as he began to panic. In two swift movements he grabbed the gun from the draw and burst through the door, gun pointed at the colonel.

Mustang snapped his fingers as a warning shot. The small flame was inches away from Mr. Cramer and he could see the fear in his eyes. He smirked, he was getting somewhere. Suddenly, there was a burst through the door. Everybody looked around to see Edward Elric standing there with a gun raised at the colonel.

"Brother!" called Alphonse before the situation sunk in. He stepped away in fear "Brother?" Edward looked over to Al for only a split moment. Mustang almost gasped as he saw the look in the older brother's eyes. There was no recognition, just hate and a burning disrespect. Alphonse, of course, saw this too and was terrified.

B-b-brother, what's w-wrong? asked Al who made another small step towards him. Edward snapped the gun over to point at Al.

"Stop, don't come any closer" Ed's voice was rushed and tense as if he was panicking. Now Al wasn't a fool, but right now he was too confused to think properly. He made a second step towards him, but he froze in mid step. It wasn't until he heard the rattle of shell hit the ground, it wasn't until he saw his brother's eyes widen in shock at his actions, and it wasn't until he looked down to see the dint in his armour that Al heard the bang from the gun. His brother had shot him! His brother! Al went frozen stiff as his mind seemed to freeze on the spot. Stuck and no longer working.

"Fullmetal, explain yourself" ordered a now pissed of Mustang. He didn't like what he saw in those eyes.

Cold and threatening golden orbs met Mustang as Edward turned to talk to him "I'm not going with you. I'm not a murderer like you. Leave us alone." Argh, why did his head hut? He thought. What were these images flashing in front of his eyes before he had the chance to actually understand them?

"Fullmetal, I'm ordering you to return to central." growled Mustang who was slowly advancing on the boy. Bang! A shot was fired uncomfortably close to his feet.

"Don't come any closer! I'm not going with you…. you dogs! I'm not going to become a murderer!" he yelled.

Mustang stopped in his tracks as something seemed to click in his head. "Fullmet….. Edward. You don't remember us?" cautiously he watched the boys face turn from anger to fear.

"I..I don't know you" said Edward. His hand began to shake as he gripped the gun tighter. "I don't know who you people are!" he yelled but his voice was beginning to crack with the confusion that was tightly wrapping itself around his head.

"Edward" said Hawkeye, she looked so calm in this situation. "Edward we're your work colleagues. And this" she said pointing at Alphonse "Is your brother".

Edward shook his head in disbelief, but Mandy was the first to speak.

"Wor…work colleagues?" she gasped. "You.. you mean. But.. but he couldn't."

Mustang nodded "Major Edward Elric the Fullmetal Alchemist. I am ordering you to come back with us to Central."

"Ma.. Ma.. Major? She then turned to Edward, eyes wide with disbelief "You're a MAJOR! You're a STATE ALCHEMIST!"

Mandy's voice stung Edward with such force that he felt his heartbeat quicken and his breathing sharpen, the confusion consumed him and the flashing images made his head feel like it would explode. But, above all that was the guilt. He was a part of the military! A Major! A State Alchemist! One of the states worst and most dangerous weapons of all! He was a murderer! He felt the tears roll up into his eyes in an attempt to lessen the hurt, guilt and confusion. But he wouldn't let them fall. "I'm not one of you!" he screamed before turning and sprinting out the back door.

"Brother!" cried Alphonse. But Edward was already long gone and out of sight.

Edward kept running, and he continued even after his leg burned with exhaustion. He was going to get to town as soon as possible and find a way away from this place, as far away from Mandy and Jasper as possible, and even further away from the military. He wiped away a stray tear and pushed onward searching around the landscape to find the quickest way into town. But his mind wasn't thinking straight.

"Stop it" he growled at himself "It insane, your probably not even a part of the military. I mean really, I can't be over 16! There's no way they'd let me join! No matter how desperate they were for help." Edward nodded his head at this, agreeing with himself. But there was still an uneasy feeling at the bottom of his stomach, and it scared him.

After pushing on over a hill he came into sight with the town. With he sigh of relief he sped up almost tripping over his feet as he stumbled down the hill.

Mustang's mouth hung so low it was in danger of hitting the floor. "What the bloody hell just happened!" he roared turning to Jasper who didn't appreciate the noise.

"I could ask you the same thing!" he growled back. But Mandy stepped in, bringing herself up to full high, a menacing fingure pointed straight at the colonel.

"I knew the military was low, but making a small boy join the military to inhuman! You murders are lower then dirt! What is wrong with you!"

Mustang stepped back in shock but quickly caught his composer "I assure you, Fullmetal entered the military on his own free will and has proven himself more than capable at handling the missions the military gives him".

"That's not the point" she growled back and mustang had to nod at this. He knew exactly what she meant, that the military shouldn't have let him join if he wanted to or not. But, that didn't mean he agreed.

"Would you please tell us what Major Elric remembers" prodded Hawkeye.

"Nothing except for how to live and work as a normal human being. All he has is the memories of a few days ago. We found him without any at all." Then as an after thought he added with voice of power that Hawkeye had thought only the most powerful of generals possessed "Which means that he his no longer this Major Edward Elric and should be left alone to live a normal child."

Mustang frowned; he wouldn't have it, none of it. He knew that Edward would bash his head in if he regained his memories and found out that Mustang had just let him forget his brother and leave him to stay as a suit of armour. "Where would he have headed off to?"

There was a pause, a long one, before Mandy sighed in defeat. "He'd have gone off into town I believe." Mustang gave a bow and headed out the door Hawkeye in toe. But Alphonse stayed rooted to the spot, staring at the back door his brother had run out moments before. It was heart braking. And all Alphonse could see were the cold eyes of his brother staring straight at him.

"Alphonse" Mustang called in a low commanding voice. "We will help your brother".

Edward slumped down the streets of the small town. His legs were aching from the run and carrying automail hadn't helped. He needed a drink, but without money finding somewhere to get it would be hard. A seat would have to do.

Ed (if that really was his name) turned into a café and took a seat. He glared out the window at the travelling people. They all seemed so content with life. So content with themselves! Ed barely registered it as a bell on a door chimed, announcing two men's arrival.

"Did you hear" said one waving around a newspaper. "That Fullmetal alchemist kid's gone missing!" Edward almost choked when he heard those words. He spun around to see the two men sitting down not to far away from him.

"Yeh I heard" said the other. "Hero to the people disappeared after a mission went wrong. Central's military must be in an uproar". Ed grabbed at his forehead again, it was starting to ache. "You know I've heard rumours about him? Travels around with some giant guy that where's a suit of armour strange hah?" Edward groaned, he felt a pang of guilt stab at his chest. Could that guy in the suit of armour be the one that he just met? The one that called him….brother? But why did he wear the suit of armour? He knew there was a reason, and that it was important very important. Why couldn't he remember?

"You know I heard a rumour about them. That the suit of armour is empty! Could you imagine! Jeeze, some people have wild imaginations!" That was when it all started coming back. Not slowly, but all at once. He remembered everything, his brother, his mother, their home… that night, the horrifying night when they tried to bring their mother back, the gate, the military, Nina and everything they'd done. He could even feel the pain of getting his automail attached as if he had to experience it to remember how horrible it really was. And it was all too much to take in. In a flash Edward leapt to the back of the room to the bathroom and threw up in the sink. It was horrifying, everything was so painful and it had hit him so quickly.

In confusion he stumbled out of the café and onto the street drawing curious stares. He stumbled into an alley where his legs collapsed on him. He couldn't hold himself up anymore. Heck, he could barely hold himself together. But then, the last of his memories came back to him. But only one stayed fresh in his mind. His mother was lying in a bed and she was dying and Edward as holding her hand when it went limp, and fell to her side.

Edward screamed, tears running freely down his face. It all just hurt too much! It felt as if his heart was being torn and ripped to shreds! He curled up into a ball and began to sob uncontrollably. He felt so alone and at that moment, vulnerable.

"Fullmetal?" Edward froze, he knew that voice. A raven haired man stepped into the darkness of the alley his face unreadable. But then his onyx eyes widened as he saw Edward's defeated form lying crumpled on the ground. "Edward" he gasped and bent down to his side. The boy began to shake again. He tried to stop the tears, to not show weakness, but it didn't help.

"I – I remember" he whispered through his golden haired curtain. Then he let out a small gasped as he felt strong arms rap around him and pull him up into a sitting position.

Mustang leaned against the wall and held the boy close to him. He knew what a shock it all must have been. How much it would have hurt to remember every horror in his life instantly. Edward must have been close to shattering. And he was right.

Edward began to cry again, his fist gripping onto mustang's shirt and his forehead pressed against Mustang's shoulder, trying to find some security. And even though his jacket was getting soaked, Mustang let him. And he just held him, rocking slightly from side to side like all parents knew how, and whispered softly to him that it was alright. Because it would be, because Edward was strong and he had his brother, Alphonse, who loved him, and he had Mustang if ever he needed the help.

Me: Yay! It was an actual long Chapter! Woot! Well that's basically the end but there's still a kinda epilogue thing left so please read, it's kinda cute! But now I can work on a different, hopefully better, story. Maybe a crossover…. Ooo I like that idea!

Ed: What! No! I'm not doing another one of your stupid stories!

Me: (Pores milk down Ed's open mouth without looking up)

Ed: (choke, splutter) What the Hell! Are you trying to kill me?

Me: Are you lactose intolerant?

Ed: No

Me: Then you're fine.