Batty bit into another apple as he and the others walked. He had a big paper bag filled to the brim with shiny, red apples and he couldn't have been happier.

"You know, when you said that you would buy him some apples, I didn't know you meant a whole bag." Chris said.

"Well, hell, he deserves them. He's been on his best behavior since we got here." Elyza said.

"He tackled a store clerk." Chris said, flatly.

"He apologized! Besides that pervert deserved it. If Batty hadn't tackled him, I would have planted a knife in that jerk."

"You're both crazy." Chris sighed.

"I'm not denying that." Elyza said, matter-of-factly.

As they walked and Batty munched on his apples, they ran across the Elric brothers and Major Armstrong.

"Forte? There you are. I was wondering where you were." Armstrong said.

"Hey, your assignment is to keep up with Metal Boy and Little Bit, not me."

"Again with the damn short jokes!" Ed hissed.

"Still, I can't help but worry about your safety a little." Armstrong said.

"You don't need to worry about her. She's nobody's fool." Chris laughed.

"Yeah." Batty said with a mouthful of apple. "If anyone can survive on the streets, it's her."

"Batty, don't talk with your mouth full." Elyza said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, sorry." Batty said, taking another bite.

"But yeah, they have a point. I'm not a little girl and I don't need the military trying to keep up with me. Sorry, Major, but I can't even let my guard down around you. I'm a wanted criminal and I can't let old feelings get in the way of goals. I've come too far to get shot down now."

"I would never -." Armstrong said.

"But as long as you're wearing that uniform, then you are my enemy. I can't afford to trust anyone, not even you." Elyza said, softly.

Armstrong looked down and so did Elyza. Suddenly, Batty held out an apple in between them.

"Apple?" he said.

"Oh, no thank you." Armstrong said, meekly.

"Okay. I just figured that a big guy like you could eat a lot." Batty said, taking a bite of the apple.

"We should be going now. Let's go, guys." Elyza said.

"Going?" Al said.

"Where are you running off to now?" Ed said.

"None of your business." Elyza hissed.

"Actually, it is. Mustang told me to keep an eye on you." Ed said.

Elyza grit her teeth and her hands curled up in angry fists as she looked down. Al looked at Ed.

"Brother -." Al said.

"I don't need any of you dogs on me! For the last time, back off!" Elyza screamed.

"I thought the only thing that you were doing was trying to find Greed. What's with the secrets, Elyza?" Ed said.

"I don't have to report my actions to you or Mustang!" Elyza yelled as she looked up.

"I still don't buy that you're not working with the homunculi!" Ed said.

"What?" Armstrong said in shock.

"I already told you that I only care about Greed and his desires! The other homunculi are of no concern to me!" Elyza said.

"I don't believe that shit!" Ed hissed.

"Oh yeah? Armstrong, do you remember when I ran into you, Mustang, and Hawkeye in Central? How I was all beat up and bloody?"

"Y-yes?" Armstrong said, confused.

"I ran into a homunculus named Envy. He attacked me." she said as she pulled Greed's vest and her shirt down off of her shoulder a little to reveal bandages around her shoulder.

"What? Why would Envy waste his time on you?" Ed said.

"I don't freaking know! He said something about my alchemy then something about being a candidate?"

"A candidate for what?" Al said.

"Once again, I don't know. I was kinda busy trying to keep that weirdo at bay, alright?"

"Well, if they attacked you then you really must not be on their side." Ed said.

"Thank you. Finally!" Elyza said, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Hey, I have a question." Batty said.

"What is it?" Elyza said.

"What's a homunculus?" Batty said.

Elyza, Ed, and Al all sighed heavily before looking at the little chimera who was confused beyond all reason.

"It's a person made from alchemy. It's a person who's not human." Ed said.

"That's what Greed was. They are visually immortal. They often have unique abilities. I don't know about the others but I know Envy and Greed do. Greed was called the Ultimate Shield because he could make his skin as harder than diamonds. Bullets, knives, and arrows were completely useless against him. Envy can apparently shape shift." Elyza explained.

"How much do you know about the homunculi?" Al asked.

"Probably more than the average person but I'm no expert. Envy seemed a little worried when he figured out that I knew so much though so clearly I know too much."

"If they think that you know too much, then why are you alive?" Ed said.

"Your guess is as good as mine. I don't know but if anyone gets in my way of getting pay back for my friends then they will either a bullet in their head or a steel blade in their chest." Elyza hissed.

Elyza took a couple steps then nearly tripped. Batty caught her and Chris looked at her.

"Are you okay?" Chris said.

"Yeah. I'm just lightheaded." she replied softly.

"Why don't you come with us? You probably haven't eaten lately and it's making you sick." Ed said.

"Here. Have an apple." Batty said, offering her one.

"No." Elyza replied, shaking her head. "Those are yours."

"Don't be stubborn, Pinkie." Batty said.

Elyza's eye widened as she looked up. She looked at the apple then at Batty before taking it out of his hand and leaning up against a fence. She bit into it and laughed a little.

"This is a pretty good damn apple, Batt." she said, smiling at him.

"You'd better feel loved. Batty never shares fruit, especially not apples." Chris chuckled.

"Thanks, you guys."

"Why don't you just come with us for now? And I don't mean this bouncing around thing you've been doing. I mean actually team up with us. It's clear you need some help and if the homunculi are after you then you might need some back up." Ed said.

"I don't need help, especially not from a State Alchemist." Elyza said, coldly before taking another bite of her apple.

"So you can handle the homunculi on your own and keep outrunning the military and get your revenge all on your own?"

"I have Batt and Chris! I don't need your damn help or your damn pity so piss off!" Elyza screamed.

"You just don't know when to give in, do you? I'm trying to help you!" Ed screamed back.

"I said no!"

"You try to do this by yourself and you'll all three get killed!" Ed said.

"Damn you and the State! We can handle this!"

"Did you ever stop and think that just because you know how to fight homunculi, that doesn't mean that they do?" Ed said.

Elyza started to scream something back in rage but stopped and looked back at her chimeras. He was right. Batty didn't even know what a homunculus was until now. It was foolish to think that they could fight homunculi as well as she fought Envy. She looked down and growled loudly before looking up at Ed with an expression of pure hatred. She looked over at Al and Armstrong and her expression softened but not by much. Her chest was heaving up and down in anger as she stared them down. Finally, she scoffed in disgust and looked away.

"Teaming up with the damned military to fight homunculi. How damn ironic considering a homunculus saved me from the stupid military to start with." she whispered loud enough for them to hear.

"I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not exactly as loyal of a dog as Mustang is. I'm just using the military title to get me and my little brother back into your original bodies." Ed said.

Elyza looked at him with a look of confusion.

"What's the matter with your body? Anyone could see what's up with the tin man but you look normal to me. I mean you're missing an arm but that's not that bad, is it?" she said.

Ed rolled up his pants leg to reveal his automail leg. She looked at him with a less angry expression.

"Your leg is gone too? What the hell happened to you guys anyway? I mean what it some kind of accident or what?" she said.

"I'd rather not explain it out here. Come with us to our friend's house and I'll fill you in."

Elyza clenched her fists.

"Look, you're gonna have to drop the tough bad ass act and let someone help you. We both know that I'm not going to turn you in or I would have done it by now." Ed said.

Elyza sighed heavily and nodded. All of them went to Winry's house and they sat down. Elyza, Chris, and Batty then listened patiently as Ed recounted their story. When he finished, Elyza closed her eyes.

"M-my God. I-I had no idea. I mean I knew his soul was bonded to that armor but I didn't know why. I-I misjudged you. This whole time I've been screaming for you to stop assuming you knew everything about me when that's all I've been doing to you two. I-I'm sorry, Edward." she said.

"That's better. Now then, we're going back to Central in the morning. Are you going with us?" Ed said.

"I am, but the boys are staying here another day or two."

"What?" Chris said.

"No way! We're a team! You can't go all by yourself!" Batty said.

"Your leg is cut open and Chris is still injured from the run in with the soldiers. You two don't need to be drug all over the world. You two need to be resting so that you recover." she said.

"What about you? Your shoulder is still badly injured." Chris said.

"I can fight with only one arm if I have to. Besides, I swore to Greed that I would protect our family and I will do that. I don't have the luxury of sitting down and resting. I have to keep moving."

"That's crazy! You can't -." Batty screamed.

Elyza stood up suddenly and slammed her hands down on the table violently.

"Do not ask me to throw you in the line of fire when I know you two can't defend yourselves! I don't believe in the use of meat shields and that's all you would be in this condition! You two are the only people that I can call my friends and I will not lose you! Now just lay low until your injuries heal a little more, alright?" Elyza barked.

They both looked down and sighed heavily.

"Answer me." she said, softly.

"Okay." Chris whispered without looking up.

"No." Batty said in a low growl.

"Batty, I'm not asking." Elyza said.

"My injuries aren't as bad as Chris's are and I can still walk just fine. He might need to lay low but I'm fine and I don't like the idea of just letting you run off with these guys when you clearly don't trust them."

"I'm not in the mood to argue, Batt. I have noticed you limping." Elyza sighed.

"Good, because I'm not changing my mind. I'll be fine." Batty said, matter of factly.

Elyza growled under her breath and looked at him.

"I can't say that I don't admire your loyalty. I really do. I just can't stand to lose anyone else. My parents, my brothers, my sister, the chimeras at the Nest, and Greed..." she said as she looked down.

"I don't want to just wait and hope that you make it. I need to be there. You're all we have too." Batt said.

"I want you at full health before you try to get involved, okay? Just stay here and rest. Please?"

Batty sighed heavily and nodded. Winry was sitting behind Ed now.

"You can use our phone. I'll give you the number and you can use pay phones or something to keep up with their recovery." she said.

"Thank you. I'm sorry for throwing all of this on you." Elyza said.

"No problem. Don't worry. I'll have them back to full health in no time." Winry said, happily.

Elyza smiled at her then looked at Batty.

"Listen, you'll heal before Chris since yours aren't as bad as his are. When you heal completely, call me and we'll set up a point to meet then come to Central and stay hidden until I can find you, okay?" she said.

"Alright. Be careful, please?" Batty said.

"Careful is my middle name." she laughed.

"You know," Chris said. "we've only known each other about two days but it feels like we've known each other since we were kids."

Elyza laughed a little.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way." she said with a smile.

"Why don't you guys go get some rest? You all are leaving kind of early in the morning so you might want to go bed earlier." Winry's grandmother said.

Batty finished the apple that he was currently eating then threw the core at Chris's head. It bounced off and Chris looked at his brother with a blank expression. Batty burst into a fit of laughter and Elyza rolled her eyes. The Elrics went upstairs and Elyza, after much arguing about who shouldn't have to sleep on the floor, was put on the sofa. After watching her toss and turn for about two and half hours, Batty sat up and looked at her.

"What's up, Bubblegum?" he whispered.

"I've never really been able to sleep in places I've never been before. It's so bad that I had to sleep in my superior's office when I was in the military because I couldn't ever sleep in my own apartment." she replied.

"Well, you seemed to be able to sleep on the train when you had your head on my shoulder. Maybe if you came down here with me and Chris, you'd feel safer."

"Chris's side is still hurt and if I was down there too, he'd be up against the wall. I'm fine, okay? You need to sleep."

"I'll just come up there with you then. We're both skinny enough to fit up there together."

"I don't know." Elyza said, looking away.

"Oh, come on. It's nothing like that and you know it. I'm not trying to be a pervert. I just want to help you get some sleep." Batty said.

Elyza was still looking away and Batty sighed.

"How about this? If I do anything - and I mean anything- that makes you uncomfortable, you can stab me in three places on your choosing. Sound fair?" he said.

Elyza looked at him and smirked.

"Anywhere that I chose, huh?" she said.

"Hey, that doesn't mean size me up now. I ain't done anything yet." Batty laughed.

"Alright. Get up here." she laughed.

Batty climbed over Chris, being careful not to wake him, then got behind her on the sofa. He put his arm around her and she looked back at him.

"That hand goes any higher and I'm counting it." she laughed.

"I ain't trying to do anything. I'm just putting my hand on you. Calm down a little, Pink." he laughed.

Elyza laughed and started to fall asleep. Batty pulled her closer to him and she looked back at him before laying her head down again.

"Good night, Batt." she said softly.

"Night." he mumbled as he doozed off.