Chapter 7:

Roy had to concentrate. If he missed even the slightest thing he would fail his mission and his whole plan would fall to ruin. He wished he could use alchemy but that was prohibited here. He took a deep calming breath and reached upwards with both hands he barely had his fingertips on the wire when…

"Come on Mustang it's just a balloon. If you don't hurry you'll still be decorating when the girls show up." Havoc drawled as he looked up at his superior officer. Roy clenched his teeth and taped the balloon into place. They all stood in silence for a moment as he observed it.

"Dammit to hell!" he shouted when it tilted ever so much to the right.

"Leave it!" Hawkeye called as she sat the cake box on his desk," Its fine Roy there's no need to work yourself up over nothing." She rolled her eyes and pulled blue and purple plates out of a bag along with a white fork and spoon set and an old cake knife.

"It's not every day we get two new state alchemist." he pouted as he stepped down from the ladder. The room filled with laughter before Hawkeye shushed them.

"Ok everyone it's almost zero hour. Report to your post and wait for the packages to arrive." she said sternly. Everyone chuckled at how she compared the simple surprise party to a battle as they took their places.

Ed rolled over and hit something warm that smelled like strawberries. He smiled in his half sleep daze and sniffed slowly. The warm thing moved away then and he chased it until a loud thud was heard.

"Ow!" he opened his eyes to see Ali sitting on her knees in the floor. They both looked at each other in shock for a moment. Ali suddenly looked around the room.

"This isn't my apartment." she stated with a blush.

"No." he offered," this is my room." they blinked as realization sunk in.

"What am I doing in your room!" she shouted.

"How should I know? I went to sleep after I called you!" he shouted. She looked wide eyed at the floor then as her blush spread down her neck like a stain. He found that very cute. She looked up at him then, but only briefly, it appeared a strand on his blanket had suddenly become far more interesting.

"What do you know about sleepwalkers?" she asked then.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I may have had an episode last night." she turned towards the door as Al walked into the room.

"Oh uh I, I just came to check on Ali." Al stated. They both looked at him in a confused way.

"Wait. You knew she was here?" Ed asked.

"Well, uh, yeah. She was wondering around the park in her sleep last night so I brought her here and laid her on the couch but she stood up a few minutes later and walked in here." he shifted causing a squeal of metal on metal to attack two pairs of sleep sensitive ears," I checked on her throughout the night but every time I did you two where wrapped around each other, I think you were even kissing in your sleep at one point." he had his head bent down as he spoke," I probably should have moved her but I read somewhere that if you startle a sleepwalker it could hurt them." he finished in a mumble.

Ed and Ali's faces where scarlet and they wouldn't look at each other, Al looked at them in dismay and searched for something else to say.

"Oh and Mustang called. Um he wanted us all to go to his office as soon as possible. He told me to send you two on ahead and go get Evie myself since he can't seem to get a hold of her." he said as he took a step towards the door," I'm going after her now so you two better get there on time okay." he left a little too fast to be smooth but he didn't care. He was as embarrassed as the both of them put together. Why didn't he just take her home and watch her there? At the time he was sure Ed would be mad if he woke up in his room without the smell of breakfast.

OH NO I FORGOT BREAKFAST!

Ali had made her way to sit at the foot of his bed with her hands in her lap. He sat up and faced her. She was a very pretty shade of red and wouldn't look at him.

"Ali I,"

"I'm sorry." she said suddenly," I'm sorry for kissing you in my sleep. I know we are just friends and it really wasn't either of our faults because of my sleepwalking but I just figured I'd apologize for embarrassing you by doing that. Even in my sleep it was wrong to kiss without asking the person first." she mumbled. He moved to sit beside her then, and placed one nervous hand on hers.

"Ali," she turned to him as he stated her name. He looked deeply into her eyes and moved his hand from hers to let it rest against her cheek," can, can I kiss you?" he asked. Her eyes widened at his sudden request. She took in a deep breath and nodded.

Evie and Al walked into a dark office. It was quiet and the drapes where drawn to where it was pitch black inside.

"Do you know where the switch is?" she asked. Al nodded and walked to the switch and flipped it on.

"SURPRISE!" They both jumped as the room filled with life.

"Oh, HI." Evie stated.

"I don't know if we should go in together after what your Robot guy said I am gonna think everyone thinks we are together or something and I just don't need the Roy Mustang 20 questions right now." Ali said as they sat in the back seat of the cab on the way to the office. Ed rubbed his cheek absently from where she had slapped him when he had grown a little too adventurous. He still smiled though because in the end he had kissed her as Ed and not Comet. He looked down to their interlaced fingers and his smile softened. In the end she had been the one to take his hand.

Finally…

Ali inhaled slowly and stepped out behind Ed in her exhale. He paid the cab fare and turned to her. She was standing there in her uniform that didn't quite fit her the way it should have. The sleeves where too long and the pants slightly baggy, it made her look like a girl dressing up in her big sisters clothes to feel older. He smiled. She was cute in her uniform.

"Do you think we did something wrong?" she asked as she turned to him. He shook his head and shrugged.

"Who knows? Maybe Roy can't find his pen or something." he said as he grabbed her hand and dragged her to the building," we won't find out just standing out here." he smiled at her reassuringly as he held open the big glass door for her. She looked at him questionably for a moment before stepping up the last step to stand beside him.

"Ali?" he asked as she leaned up and kissed him possessively. He was shocked still for a moment before dropping her hand and cupping her face with his. It seemed like the kiss barely started and then it was over and she was blushing and hiding her face.

"I'M SORRY" she cried out suddenly," that smile made you look like Comet and, I didn't know what I was doing and I just!" she ran past him into the building and he stood there with his hand outstretched towards her retreating back for a moment before he remembered himself.

Ali slammed open the door to the office and ran right into Evie's chest. She looked at her sister with a frustrated look pasted on her face until she saw the look on Evie's face.

"SISTER!" she slurred.

"You're drunk." Ali stated.

"How'd you know?" she asked innocently.

"I've only seen you that shade of pink when you're plastered." Ali blinked and looked at all the other drunken people in the room. There were a few shouts of "Surprise" when they noticed her standing in the doorway.

"Come get drunk sis so I can still be the good one." Evie smiled.

"You asking your younger sister to get drunk with you makes you the bad one in this situation." Ali defended her pride as Evie drug her over to the poorly constructed 'bar' and proceeded to pour her a shot of vodka.

"I love you sis." Evie said as she leaned on her sister for support.

"You're wasted." Ali smiled as the vodka worked its magic and spread nice warmth through her body. She let her sister pour her another and then another shot until she to was utterly wasted.

"Let's play Quarters!" Evie was shouting as Ed finally stepped into the room.

"Yeah!" a drunken Ali cheered," let's set up the tables! The Alexandria sisters cannot lose!" she smiled at him and he blushed.

"Brother thank goodness you're here these people are scary." Al quivered as he appeared from nowhere to stand by his brothers' side.

"Hey the kegs getting away!" Ali and Havoc shouted together.

"What did they do to you?" Ed asked.

"They put beer in me and Ali alchemized a knob of some kind on my back!" Al wined.

"ARE THEY CRAZY? YOUR BLOOD SEAL COULD WASH OFF!" Ed shouted.

"Huh?" the sisters slurred as they leaned against one another for support against the rotating room.

"Are you stupid?" Ed asked the sisters.

"Define stupid." Evie slurred trying to sound smart.

"Oh let's see putting liquid in my blood sealed soul on armor brother." Ed growled.

"Well then, yes." Evie smiled as she stroked her imaginary goatee.

"I thought he was a robot." Ali stated as she did her confused circle which just made her slouch into her sister again.

"I wanna play another drinking game." Hawkeye complained.

"I know lets drink every time Edward complains about being short!" Ali exclaimed and received a "Here Here" from a drunk and feisty Roy.

"I AM NOT SHORT." Ed growled.

"That's one!" Ali and Havoc shouted. The room took a long drink from their cups.

"Hey he didn't take a drink!" Evie complained in her slur as she pointed at Ed.

"Havoc hold him down." Ali commanded.

"Okay boss!" Havoc and Ali had him on his back on the floor with her sitting on his chest in a matter of seconds.

Drunken people move fast!

"Okay Ed." Ali smiled as she held up the beer proudly," We can do this the easy way or the hard way." She smirked as Evie stepped up behind her," The easy way is you take a drink from here. The hard way is much more complicated."

"That is why it is called the hard way." Evie informed as her sister leaned closer to his face. She smelled of beer cigarettes and strawberries, for some reason her shampoo still lingered over the other scents.

"Now then which is it?" she asked. He clenched his mouth shut and she sighed," I guess it's the hard way." she turned to the rest of the room," Hey you conscious people!" she called," Watch this!"

"Uh oh." Evie stated as she realized what was about to happen.

"What do you mean uh oh!?" Ed exclaimed as Ali took a long sip from her drink and everyone who could. Turned to them. Suddenly her mouth was on his and her finger was forcing his lips open. She slid her tongue into his mouth and foul tasting liquid followed. She was using her hand on his throat and forcing him to swallow. He coughed and hacked a bit after she stood and walked to her spot beside her sister.

"Are you happy now?" Ali asked proudly.

"Dude he's red." Evie said as she pointed at Ed. He stood quickly and pointed to Ali then the rest of the room.

"You!" he said as he pointed at her," Don't look at me!" he exclaimed as the room filled with laughter.

"Wow." Evie stated in a bored voice as Ed ran from the room," So who wins the pool of when they'd get together?" she called loudly.

"I'll check I think it's my day!" Havoc called helpfully.

"Ha ha did you see his, HUH?" Ali glared at her sister when their words sunk in.

"Actually I think it's my day so I'll go check." Evie stated as she walked away from her mad drunk armed sister," I'll grab some more vodka while I'm a-" She was cut off as she ran into her armor friend," Oh Alphonse I am sorry about the keg thing here I kiss it and make it better." she reached up to pull his helmet head down and kissed it where the lips would have been and continued walking. At that point the other Elric brother ran from the room in embarrassed glee.

The party continued in a blur for the party goers. Soon everyone slid clumsily into their appointed cabs and headed for home. Many hangovers waited the next morning for all but the sisters who had more vodka then blood in their veins from their previous lives.

Al was in a good mood after he drained himself from the leftover beer. He wished he could smile and touch the lips Evie should have kissed instead of hard unmoving metal. He was home before Ed who he knew would sulk around town a wile so he started his chores and after they were all finished he sat down to read a book. Ed marched in around midnight and promptly collapsed on his bed and slept.

Al hummed the cleaning song Evie always sang…

"Why are you so happy?" Ed complained groggily.

"IF ONLY I HAD A FACE!" Al wined to his finally awake brother.

"HUH?" Ed asked.

"YOU MUST FIX THIS PROBLEM!" Al shouted as he pointed at his brother.

"Haven't I been doing that this whole time?" Ed asked.

"I know where a stone is." Al admitted as he reached into his apron pocket and pulled out a small red stone.

"When were you going to tell me?" Ed demanded.

"When you woke up!" Al shouted.

Two days later Ali awoke with a throbbing in her upper right thigh. She flipped the covers off her bed to see her leg gone. Only four inches of meat and bone remained on her hip and her bed was covered in blood.

"EVIE!" she shouted loudly.

"COMING! OH MOTHER FUCK-" she winced as a loud thump reached her ears.

"Are you okay?" she asked loudly.

"I will be if you tell me where you hid my left leg." Evie's voice called back.

"I don't have it give me mine back!" Ali shouted.

"You left legs gone to." Evie stated as she pulled herself into her sisters room.

"No my right one." Ali pouted.

"What's going on with us?" Evie wined.

"I don't know!" Ali wined.

"Roy!" they said together. Evie tried to stand only to fall.

"I have an idea." Ali stated as she watched her sister get into an awkward sitting position.

"Goodbye eyebrows." Evie wined as she looked up.

"NOT THAT KIND OF IDEA!" Ali shouted.

"Then what?" Evie asked as she hid her eyebrows with her hands.

"Let's side hug and walk like a fat Guy." she suggested. Her older sister was quiet for a moment which caused Ali's smile to slip slightly.

"That is the stupidest idea I've ever heard of and oh, do i need to remind you of my eyebrows?" Evie stated.

"Are you ever going to let me live that down?" Ali asked in a whiny voice.

"Only if i die first and maybe not even then." Evie answered with a shrug.

"My sister loves her eyebrows more than me." Ali pouted.

"OK ok, I'm not denying that fact but I'll go along with your stupid plan." Evie sighed as she scooted over to the bed. They maneuvered themselves around for almost twenty minutes until they could stand up and hobble awkwardly to the living room where they promptly collapsed on the couch. Evie reached for the phone with one shaky hand and sat staring at it for a moment. Ali looked at her with the anticipation building in her until she couldn't stand it.

"What are you waiting for DIAL!" she finally ordered.

"I don't know his number!" Evie wined.

"I don't know it either! Just use zero!" Ali choked as blood dribbled from her mouth. Evie nodded and pressed the slot holding 0 and circled the ring around the digits. They both held their breaths as it rang once, twice, three times, four...

"Hello operator how may I help you?" A very annoyed sounding lady echoed over the phones receiver. The sisters propped it on their joined shoulders so they could both hear.

"Help! Please Roy Mustang. Please get him please!" Evie begged as she watched her younger sister slip in and out of consciousness. There was a long pause on the other end of the line before the woman spoke again.

"I'm sorry, Colonel Mustangs number is restricted to all but military personnel Major and over in rank." the woman rambled.

"Dammit! We are State Alchemist!" Ali coughed.

"What is you watch ID number?" the woman asked. The sisters looked at each other in confused silence for a moment. Watch ID number? What watch?

"Shit where's your pocket watch thingy?" Ali hissed as she tried to hang on to wakefulness.

"I don't know what about yours?" Evie hissed back.

"Ed's coat... Room." Ali coughed. Evie winced as she felt the gagging sensation of blood in the back of her throat.

"I really don't like you operator lady but just give us a moment and we will be right with you." She said through clenched teeth as she helped her sister up and they did their awkward walk to her room to find the bright red coat which should be...

Easy?

"Everything is red!" Evie exclaimed. Her sister smiled weakly at her side.

"Guess we bleed a lot huh?" She slouched as she scanned her room," I think it's by the desk." She pointed to the far end of the room away from the window.

"You seriously need to rethink this room arrangement." Evie coughed as they hobbled over to the desk and collapsed on the floor. Ali reached into the coat hanging from her chair and pulled out a silver pocket watch.

"Got it." She smiled, and then passed out.

"Damn..." Evie hissed as she drug herself along the hallway. She had to leave her sister in the floor for now but she would make sure she was ok as soon as Roy came. She pulled herself up onto the couch and reached for the receiver.

"St- Still th- tha- there?" she shivered. Loss of blood was making her very cold.

"Yes." The woman answered.

"Okay, the stupid number is," Evie flipped the watch over in her hands and would have laughed if she could, it had to be her sisters four most hated numbers," Its 1357." she coughed.

"Alichia Alexandria. Of apartment 1020 in the Central Command barracks?" The woman asked.

"Y- Yeah." Evie figured her sister wouldn't hate her for acting in her stead this time since she was currently taking the most dangerous nap of her life in her bedroom floor at the moment.

"We will put you right through sorry for the inconvienance ma'am." there was a click and a few more rings and then the most beutiful words Evie would ever hear.

"Colonel Roy Mustangs office, Hawkeye speaking."

"Hawkeye?!" Evie gasped.

"Evie? Are you okay. you sound like your going through hell."

"Heh, Kinda am. please we're home... Help." Evie fainted there, halfway on the couch and halfway on the floor.

Roy busted into the sisters living room to find Evie out cold on the floor by the couch, the phone still hung in her hand. Hawkeye rushed passed and pressed her fingers to the girls neck.

"Pulse is faint but its there we need to get her to the hospital." Hawkeye shouted to the workers behind her. Roy moved past them to the back of the apartment and the bedrooms. Ali was there in the floor of her room in the same state as her sister.

"It looks like they woke up this way." Hawkeye stated as he felt for a pulse. it took a moment but finally he felt the faint thump in her cool neck.

"What the hell happened to these girls?" He growled. He seemed to notice Hawkeye then," Status report!" he barked over his shoulder. she automatically went into attention and saluted her superior officer.

"The blood trails begin in both beds sir, however it appears they maneuvered themselves around the small space to get to the phone. Two blood stains indicating each missing leg are located on the center couch cushion." She said automatically in that no nonsense voice of hers.

"Ed's gonna hate this. Get a hold of him after we get these two to the hospital." He commanded.

"Sir!" Hawkeye shouted and ran to give orders. after only thirty minutes the girls where in the recovery room asleep and receiving blood transfusions. Roy sat in between their beds so he could be by both's side should they wake at different times. He wanted answers, and a certain short blonde State Alchemist hadn't appeared yet.

"Sir. neither Elric can be found at this time." Hawkeye stated as she appeared beside him. He frowned and slouched into the chair he was sitting in. He hid his face in his gloved hands and winced at the scent of blood that still remained there. he had cauterized the wounds at the house, if he hadn't the girls would have died before they even reached the hospital.

"Sir?" Hawkeye asked when she saw his shoulders shiver.

"What is happening here? just a few days ago these girls where whole and the boys where here. is it humunculi? No, it cant be. Why would they attack these two poor girls?" He whimpered. Hawkeye stiffened, she didn't like this part of Roy, the weakness he had gained from meeting these two girls was going to kill him one day yet she knew she had it to. somehow the sisters had seeped into the veins of all they where around. Just like the brothers...

Evie was aware of the pain in her thigh first, then the fact that she could feel her thigh. she opened her eyes cautiously and looked over at her still sleeping sister. Where where they? Certainly not their by now bloodstained apartment. She groaned at the light reflecting off all the white of the room and then smelled the tale tale hint of disinfectant and chemical cleaner.

HOSPITAL.

It was a simple statement in her mind but it caused a wave of fear to wash over her. Why where they here? What just happened? Why did her left foot tingle and her thigh above it feel like it was on fire? She blinked as Roy's face came into view. What was he doing in this place of many questions?

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Ugnnh." she groaned.

"Like shit huh?" She turned to see Havoc on the other side of her," Now i've had some bad hangovers but this one has to take the cake. you two don't beat around the bush when it comes to anything do ya?" He asked, clearly trying to cheer the poor girl.

"A-A-Ali?" she asked.

"She's fine." Roy assured," she lost a lot of blood but she's resting now." Evie closed her eyes and sighed her relief.

"How- How long have we been out?" she asked.

"Two maybe three days now. Time gets confusing in here." Roy said. Evie blinked up at him for a few seconds before speaking.

"Youv'e, been here, the whole time." He nodded his silent answer and she closed her eyes.

"Thank you." she said before the sedatives pulled her into a dreamless slumber.

Ali was on fire. she cried out to the smiling faces just outside the flames to no avail but all they did was stare. her sister was there among the faces but something wasn't quite right. wasn't the beauty mark on the right side of her face instead of the left? She was sure her eyes where never purple. She reached for Evie but that only seemed to expand the distance between them. she felt the tears evaporate on her cheeks as they tried to run down her face, Help please, help me Evie...

"EVIE!" she shouted as she sat up in the bed. Cold sweat covered her body and her upper right thigh still felt like flames licked at it. she winced and reached for it only to have her hand slapped away by one wearing white gloves.

"That's not the best idea Ali." Roy stated. She turned to him with tear stained eyes and sniffled.

"Mustang please just make the flames go away." She pleaded in her fog of pain. He shushed her and got her back into a laying position on the uncomfortable bed.

"Evie?" She asked weakly.

"She's fine. they have her in another room right now to re apply stitches. how are you though? youv'e been out for a week." he said as he sat in a chair beside her.

"A... Week?" she asked.

"Yes. we were all very worried. you lost a lot of blood." he stated.

"Fu- Fuck blood loss, where's my leg?" she asked with a cough.

"We don't know for sure but the doctors said that they looked as if they rotted off over time. would you like to tell me what exactly has been going on with you two." he demanded.

"If i say no do i... still have to tell you?" she asked. he chuckled softly.

"defiant to the end huh?" he asked.

"You know me so well..." she gave another weak smile and closed her eyes," Legs been... a weird color... for a wile now... couldn't feel anything below my thigh... had a weird red spot in it... i wasn't, i wasn't sure if i could tell anyone.." she broke into a coughing fit at that point and he patted her arm until she calmed down enough to breathe normally.

"Seems your sister was suffering the same fate as you." he said once her eyes opened again.

"Damn." was her faint answer. Her eyes squeezed shut as she thought of the pain Evie must be suffering.

"Have you found Ed and Alphonse?" she heard Roy ask.

"No signs of Ed however we have found a boy in the lower city who resembles what Al should look like at twenty." Hawkeyes voice rang out. Ali opened one eye to look at the blonde officer. Ed was missing? it seemed strange to her that the little blonde alchemist wouldn't suddenly appear.

"Where's Ed?" she asked quietly.

"We don't know at this point." Hawkeye stated calmly. Ali looked down at her hands as she felt another wave of tears threatening her.

"Damn." she said through clenched teeth.

(Thank you for reading chapter seven! I hope you enjoyed it and if you will please post a review. Thank you!)