Unaware Winry had still been watching them; Steel Wing returned her attention to Fullmetal. She blushed when Edward mentioned eating, and began to lift her fork for her. She would have tried denying it, but her stomach interrupted her with a loud growl. Somewhat stubbornly, she gave into Edward's unintentional, natural charms and bright, goofy smile and opened her mouth.

Edward continued to smile; he was glad she gave in—if she had not, he would have forced the food into her mouth anyway. Once she finished that bite, he got more and held it in front of her. "You know she's going to work non-stop no matter what we say." He mumbled, lowering his eyes to her bed, sighing some. "Sometimes she's just too stubborn for her own good." He whispered. He was genuinely worried about her well being; he did not want to have another friend in the hospital.

Elizabeth chewed and swallowed the bite he had given her, and then took the next with a little more ease, though she was still blushing a little. She paused in chewing, then continued and swallowed as she thought about what he had said. She nodded as she swallowed, and a smile tugged at one corner of her lips. "That's Winry for you. She's used to it, though. She and Auntie Pinako have been doing this for almost as long as I can remember. Besides, Ed, like you're one to talk." She laughed softly, half joking, but mostly teasing him, though she meant it. She knew well he pulled all-nighters studying Alchemy quite often, especially while he was still learning.

Those thoughts would have to wait, though, as a nurse came in a little while later. Once the woman was through the door, she closed it behind her and swiftly locked it. Then she turned and looked at the hospitalized Steel Wing Alchemist. "Glad to see you're doing well…" The nurse said with a familiar wicked smirk on her lips.

Elizabeth assumed the woman was there to check on her, but she was somewhat confused as to why the nurse locked the door. Before she could speak and reply, realization washed over her in a wave of icy fear and all color drained from her face.

"I do see both of your arms aren't working though…how sad." The "nurse" commented mockingly.

What was Envy doing here? Elizabeth's lips were parted slightly, but no sound would come out, and she was unable to speak. She had not felt such crippling fear in a long time, but Envy had just easily infiltrated the hospital with no hints yet to the Homunculus's intentions.

Edward's eyes widened as realization hit him as well, and then ran at the disguised creature in an attempt to attack before Envy could get any further.

The shape-shifter quickly grabbed Ed's right wrist and smiled, "Now, now, Fullmetal pipsqueak, I don't want to fight, I was just told to come check on one of our sacrifices. But if you're going to insist…" He began to bend Edward's wrist back. He did not break the auto mail arm but it still caused pain to shoot up the appendage.

Edward cringed and took a step back "Then leave!" He hissed.

As soon as Edward ran at the Homunculus in disguise and the monster grabbed his wrist, she snapped out of her fearful trance somewhat. "Ed!" When she saw Envy bending his wrist back, harming him or intending to, she tried to run to him without thinking. The instant her feet touched the floor, her legs gave out and she collapsed, rather painfully. "Let him go, Envy!" She cried, desperate to help Edward somehow, blind to anything else, including her own pain and condition. She was giving up too much information, but she did not care to think of it at the moment.

The nurse smiled. "Fine, I got what I wanted. Hurry and feel better, Elizabeth. Oh, and I wasn't here-we wouldn't want anything to happen to that blonde girl now would we?" She unlocked the door, and walked quickly down the hall.

She was relieved when Envy decided to leave, but trembled when the creature directed his voice at her and spoke her name. Her eyes widened and she felt another wave of fear when he not-so-subtly threatened Winry. "Don't you touch her!" She screamed after Envy as the Homunculus retreated down the hall. The danger had passed for now, and her body seemed to know it as it gave out on her and she collapsed onto the cold, hard floor.

Edward was glaring as he quickly stood and ran out into the hall. "Envy!" He yelled, looking down the hall, but the Homunculus was nowhere to be seen. Ed was sure he had already changed his appearance, and was long gone…

After a moment of trying to calm herself, Elizabeth pushed herself up off the ground as best as she could with her flesh arm. She looked after Edward, wondering if he had been able to find the Homunculus, but rather hoping he would not.

Roy was sitting in one of the guest rooms staring at the floor in silence, his mind deep in thought. But the second he heard Edward scream that name he slipped his gloves on and bolted out of the room and down the hall. "What happened?!" He yelled before he ran to his cousin's side and helped her back into her bed. Then he looked over his shoulder at Edward. "Which way did he go? I'm going after him." He hissed, his fists clenching tightly as he turned and walked out into the hall to look.

The dark-haired girl was somewhat surprised when Roy came running into the room, but she was mostly relieved to see him. She helped him as best as she could when he helped her back into her bed, but this mostly meant going somewhat limp so he could pick her up and move her. "E-Envy..." She barely managed to get the name out, her voice barely above a whisper.

Edward started to say something but stopped and just pointed down the hall. "But he's gone, Colonel, we won't be able to find him. "

"DAMN IT!" Roy yelled before his fist hit the wall. He wanted to burn Envy for what that bastard did to his cousin…

When he asked which way the Homunculus went and said he was going after him, she was glad Edward convinced him of how futile it was. "H-he disguised himself as a nurse this time. He changes too fast, Roy, there's no point. Ed's right, he's long gone..." She was still trembling and still felt as though the amount of color in her face was severely lacking. Elizabeth took several deep breaths to calm herself, closing her eyes.

When she finally opened her eyes, they turned up to look at Edward, then at her cousin. "Please don't go after him... H-he...just forget about this. Don't go…" She was afraid for either of them to leave her sight, subconsciously because she was afraid of Envy pulling the same trick he had before, but mostly she was afraid of them getting hurt. She was determined to pay the bastard back for hurting Ed and threatening Winry later. But right now she was scared of losing them and putting Winry in danger. "Envy threatened Winry if we told anyone he was here. You knowing could already put her in danger, Roy. She needs guards around her hotel and her room... But she can't know they're there, or she'll just worry more. Envy only came to check on me..." The thought made her shudder.

Roy looked over at Elizabeth; he was about to protest but saw the look in her eyes and nodded. "Alright…I'll make sure there are plenty of guards around." He said before turning away. "If that bastard shows up again, I better hear about it." He hissed before walking out of the room. He found the nearest phone where he called headquarters, demanding guards be discreetly placed outside Winry's hotel room.

Elizabeth smiled softly as she thanked her cousin, and then kept it on her lips with a bit of effort as he demanded hearing about it if Envy made another appearance. "You will." She murmured. She was trying to let him know somehow through her actions and calmer tone that everything was alright. He could stop worrying. Then her attention was on Edward. "How's your wrist, Ed?" She asked softly, looking at it with worry in her eyes. "Dummy...What if he had done worse?" She was only trying to sound mad because she had been so afraid.

Edward blinked and smiled some. "I'm alright, Lizzy." He said moving his wrist back and forth. "It just hurt is all." He said softly, before walking over to her kissing her forehead. "Rest, I'll make sure he doesn't come back. And I'm sure Winry will be safe, so just…try to relax, I'm sure you'll have your arm in no time and then you'll be out of here soon." He said smiling some gently grabbing her hand, making sure not to hurt her wrist. "I'll be here when you wake up."

She did not seem entirely satisfied that he was not more hurt than he let on, but she believed him anyway. He did not look to be in pain, so that much was good. Lizzy let out a quiet sigh, then wiggled her body downward so she could lie more comfortably in her bed. Sleep did sound rather tempting, and after all that excitement her body was tired whether she wanted to be or not. "Just make sure you get some sleep, Ed. Have them bring a cot in here if you're going to be stubborn about not leaving. But don't...sleep on the floor again..." She murmured sleepily as she quickly drifted off.

Ed laughed and nodded. "Sure, I will, I promise." He said to her remark about getting a cot; but every time she awoke he would be at her side.

The Steel Wing Alchemist's room became crowded and busy late at night. Not because she had friends or family suddenly piling in, but nurses and doctors. That night she had another nightmare; this time Envy disguised himself as Edward again and was actually the one who had come back from the hallway. Instead of encouraging her gently to go to sleep, to rest, he locked the door and resumed tormenting her. The next night, it was her mother and father, covered in blood and asking her why she had not taken care of her younger siblings. This pattern went on for several nights, and each nightmare ended in whoever was to be her tormentor for that dream trying to choke her in some way. Then the nightmare would fade to blackness and she would forget all about it.

The doctors and nurses would have to do as they had the first night, and finally sedate her. Elizabeth woke up each morning or-more often-afternoon with the oxygen mask over her nose and mouth, but, though confused, she did not question it and no one told her why...

As he had promised himself, Edward never left Elizabeth's side, even when the nurses tried to get him out of the way. He just glared and told them he was not moving, no matter what. His hand was always in hers, and he would not let go. He had not slept, he refused to, not after the fact Envy easily strolled in here like it was nothing. Every time she awoke, he removed the oxygen mask for her, since he remembered she hated them blocking her face. This particular morning, Ed smiled down at his friend gently. "How are you feeling?"

Elizabeth sighed softly as Edward removed the mask for her once again. She was beginning to wish she had at least one of her arms back, but did not want to rush Winry any more than her blonde friend was rushing herself. "Honestly, you'd think they don't think I know how to breathe." She huffed. Then she smiled brightly at her friend. "Ah, you know. About the same as usual." Then she rolled her eyes and looked around the room jokingly. Even now she continued attempting to make light of her situation and condition; though even now she was refusing to look down at her missing arm. It was still a little too surreal for her, so instead she allowed her gaze to fall on Edward. "When was the last time you slept?" She asked, suddenly realizing how tired he looked as her eyes wandered over one of her best friends.

As if she had sensed Elizabeth's growing need for her arm, Winry Rockbell made the final adjustments on it. She was on her way to the hospital already, and reached it soon enough. Once inside, she found a nurse and checked to be certain Lizzy was still in the same room. As she walked away, she overheard one of the nurses say something that caused her to stop and turn back around. "Excuse me, ma'am? What did you mean? What's wrong with her, is she alright?" The nurse looked reluctant to say anything, but Winry could be very persuasive, especially when she was this worried.

Several minutes later, Elizabeth nearly jumped out of her skin when the door to her room was thrown open and slammed into the wall. "Winry! You scared me... What's wrong?" Winry's expression was a mixture of worry, anger, and confusion, plus a slew of other things the black-haired girl was having difficulty reading at the moment.

"You tell me! What on earth put you under so much stress you stop breathing every night and they have to put you on oxygen just to keep you alive?! And you never told me how you got so badly injured you have to be bedridden in the hospital for at least two months."

Elizabeth's confused gaze turned to Edward. "What is she talking about? What...Wh-why do I keep waking up with a mask on...?" Her eyes widened as sudden flashes, images from her nightmares shot through her mind-.

"Don't ask him, Elizabeth!" Winry snapped. She crossed the room to the injured girl's bed, shoved her heavy bag of tools and automail into Ed's arms, and placed her hands on her hips. "How many times do I have to tell you, you can come to me about anything!? I know I can't ask you to quit again, because you told me why you do this. But you can't keep putting yourself in danger!"

Ed blinked as tools got shoved into his arms, but he said nothing about it, he just and suppressed a yawn. He rubbed his eye, and listened to them argue in silence.

"Sometimes it's necessary!" Elizabeth retorted.

"It's never necessary! Lizzy, if you die, how are you supposed to get your body back? How are you going to fulfill the promise you made me and Auntie Pinako?" Winry demanded.

Elizabeth's mouth fell open, but she was speechless. As she lowered her head and stared at her lap in shame, what Major General Stryker had said to her began to come back to her. She was surrounded by people who loved her, who counted on her. She had to stop letting Envy, a Homunculus who did not know her the way her loved ones did, get to her. She had to keep moving forward. "...I won't break my promise." She murmured.

"Good!" Winry replied without missing a beat.

Elizabeth looked up, confused, but paled when she saw her blonde friend now holding some tools and her repaired automail arm.

She cleared the socket of the broken pieces from the previous one, then lifted Elizabeth's arm and aimed it to insert properly. "Now, brace yourself." She did it as gently as possible, but as soon as Winry inserted the metal arm into its socket, Elizabeth clenched her teeth and lips shut tight and had to suppress a loud yelp of pain. While Winry tinkered with it and did the final touch ups, Lizzy laid back on her pillow and closed her eyes, taking deep breaths in the hope the pain would subside faster. "I fixed this up for you so you can keep moving forward. Don't stop, no matter what, but...please be careful." Winry whispered.

Elizabeth glanced at her blonde friend out of the corner of her eye, gazed at her for a moment, then nodded. "...I promise."

Ed smiled lightly. "I'm glad to hear that." He quipped, smirking.

Things went rather smoothly after Winry yelled some sense into Elizabeth. The raven-haired girl's late-night "attacks" stopped abruptly and so did the nightmares that caused them.

Winry stayed for another day or two, but finally left with some reluctance. She only really agreed to leave after Elizabeth promised her they would all come visit her and Auntie Pinako as soon as possible, whether that was once she was released from the hospital, or as soon as she could get away after. Lizzy was likely to have a lot to do to catch up, so it would be some time before she, Edward and Alphonse could all visit. But they would, and that was what Winry looked forward to.

A month later, Elizabeth was finally released. Edward helped her into a car that Roy was driving; he knew Alina would want to see them as soon as possible. Since Lizzy was able to move again Roy figured the faster they get this over with the faster his cousin could forget about everything that happened. Roy stayed silent on the whole drive there before they all got out and began to walk inside and toward Alina's office.

It was a month later, and how the time had seemed to drag. There was not much the Steel Wing Alchemist could do confined to her hospital bed, but having at least one arm, and once her legs had healed-Winry had fixed up the automail one-she got into plenty of trouble. Many of the doctors and nurses were not sure whether they were glad to see her go or not, but it would certainly be much "quieter" without her there.

As soon as Edward helped her outside, Elizabeth took the moment she had before they reached the car to look around. Everything seemed so much brighter and clearer after being stuck in a hospital room for two months. Even as they drove to Central HQ, she continued to look excitedly out the window, like a little kid or a puppy might.

Alina sighed softly she was just doing paperwork in silence, she hadn't heard anything about Steel Wing, but she was sure she was fine, she would have heard about it otherwise.

Once there, she accepted a little assistance that may have been offered to her from Ed or Roy, but for the most part she insisted on walking on her own. Her wrist and ribs still required some care, but her legs were working just fine. Still, the Steel Wing Alchemist stayed at Fullmetal's side during their quiet, solemn walk to the Major General's office.

Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye was already there and waiting for them outside.

Roy walked over to Riza and glanced back to the two young Alchemists. He nodded slightly, before gently knocking on the Major General's office door.

"Come in." Alina beckoned them from within.

Roy opened it and walked in saluting her and nodded. "Major General, sir." He said, still saluting.

Lieutenant Hawkeye entered Alina's office behind Mustang, and Elizabeth entered between him and Edward. The Lieutenant saluted their superior as well, and then stood at ease only when she was given permission to do so.

"At ease…" Alina stated; glancing up she smiled softly. "Elizabeth, how are you feeling?" She asked smiling slightly.

Elizabeth's attention turned to the Major General when she was spoken to directly, and she shrugged her left shoulder casually. "Fine, sir. Thanks for asking." She still was not certain how to feel about this woman, but so far from what little she had seen, she liked her.

Once her question was answered, Alina nodded and then slowly stood. "Lieutenant Hawkeye, I am pleased to announce that you have been promoted to Major." She said before saluting her. "Congratulations."

Roy smiled. He was happy for Hawkeye, but he was trying to climb to the top and he hadn't been promoted in quite some time.

Edward smiled at the blonde female. "Congrats, Major Hawkeye…it's going be hard to get used to that."

Alina then turned to Roy. "Don't worry, Brigadier General Mustang…You're not getting left behind." She said as she smiled, saluting them both once more.

Mustang grinned from ear to ear. He had been waiting for this for quite some time, and he was glad to finally hear it.

Lieutenant-Major Hawkeye saluted once more, stunned. "Thank you, sir." She was waiting for it, and her patience was rewarded when she heard Roy Mustang being promoted as well. There was no way she could have accepted being a higher rank than him, not when she had vowed to fully support him in his climb to the top.

Edward sighed, however, when he heard Mustangs promotion. "Great now you have even more power over my head." He grumbled.

"Yeah, congratulations, Major! And…Mustang." Elizabeth started off cheerfully enough, and then ended with a grumble. She was happy for her cousin, genuinely, but she already knew he was not going to shut up about this for a while. If she gave him any sort of praise in front of people, she would never live it down, and he would probably never stop making up stories and over-exaggerating her reaction. Although, that was very likely to happen anyway, she thought. Still, she would be sure to give him a proper "congratulations"...eventually.

Alina glanced at Edward and Elizabeth before returning her attention to the newly-promoted officers for a moment longer. "Mustang, Hawkeye, you are both dismissed. However I would like if both Edward and Elizabeth stuck around. I have a few things I wish to discuss."

Roy was grinning; he wasn't even really listening to anyone anymore. He was just in his own little world of himself as Fuhrer as he walked out of the office and down the hall with Hawkeye.

Steel Wing blinked when Hawkeye and her cousin were dismissed, and as Riza saluted the Major General, and then turned to leave with Roy Mustang. Once they were gone, she found an empty seat and made herself comfortable. "So...what is it you wanted to discuss, sir?" She asked, curious and perhaps a little nervous.

Edward sat across from Elizabeth, and looked over to Alina. "Yeah, what is it you want? You don't talk to us lower folk much." He said with a nod.

Elizabeth shot Edward a look that told him to shut up when he mentioned them as "lower folk," warning him with her gaze not to mock the Major General. She had heard (vague) stories from her cousin, Roy Mustang, and knew he should not be joking like that. Fortunately, Alina seemed to dismiss his comment and continued with what she had wanted to tell them.

Alina shut her eyes and sighed softly. "My parents research on the Philosopher's Stone…I want you both to have it." She said softly slowly standing. "But the main ingredient isn't a happy one, the things I did I to assist my parents are not good… You have to understand the toll you must pay to create a stone; however, my parents were working on making it to where they no longer needed this ingredient…"

"What the hell is it Major General?! You keep talking about it, what the hell is it?!" Edward all but leapt from the couch with excitement. This would be a huge step towards getting him and his brother's original bodies back.

"Human souls." Alina said softly, before looking over to them with a somber expression on her face. "But as I said, my parents were working on figuring out away to change that so they weren't needed. My parents were obsessed… "

By the time Edward was demanding impatiently to know what the main ingredient was Elizabeth was literally on the edge of her seat, dying to know as well. However, the moment the answer left the Major General's lips, the raven-haired girl began to wish she had not told them. "There's no way..." She murmured in disbelief, shocked and disgusted. The stone they had been searching for all this time, the one thing that would help them get their bodies back, came at the cost of other peoples' lives? What were they supposed to do with this information? What the hell were they going to do now?

Edward was just staring forward shaking slightly. "W—what?" he whispered softly. "Y—you can't be serious…"

"I am." She hissed. "I want you both to follow me, I will give you all their research…it should help you guys." She whispered softly, her eyes watering. She hated talking about anything related to her past, especially her parents; it killed her to have to remember these things.

Dumbstruck and speechless, Steel Wing stood on shaky legs and followed Alina reluctantly. If this woman's parents, as evil as they sounded, had been searching for some way around such horror, perhaps they had at least come close. Perhaps they had left behind some sort of "truth behind the truth" that would allow for a loop hole. There had to be some other way, Elizabeth was certain of it. At least, she desperately wanted to be...

The Major General walked out of her office, down the hall, and outside with the two young Alchemists following close behind her. It was a short walk from Central headquarters to her apartment, where she opened the door. Inside, she led them to a back room. Within were many books and journals; a few of them were stained with blood.

Alina sighed softly, and then spoke. "This is everything." She murmured, and then reached into her pocket and handed Elizabeth a key. "You guys are welcome here whenever. I'm sorry to drop such a bomb on you, but my parents were close, they just didn't finish it before I…" She glanced away as she trailed off, her eyes still watering. "I'm sorry, but I hope this all helps."

Elizabeth's midnight blue eyes stared around the room in awe, momentarily forgetting the horror and temporarily trapped in the fascination of all that research. But when she saw the old, dried blood on some of the books and journals, she snapped out of it and reality sank in again. Still, seeing all of this made her even more determined than ever to find a different answer. She took the key from the Major General carefully, and then placed it in her pocket.

Edward walked over to the chestnut-haired woman and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "Don't apologize," He whispered staring at the ground with his bangs shadowing his eyes. "Thank you for telling us…and offering all this to us." He said before looking up at her with a small smile.

Elizabeth placed her left hand on Alina's other shoulder and smiled at the older woman as well. "You've already helped us a great deal. Thank you, Major General Stryker." She murmured with full sincerity in her voice. Elizabeth squeezed her shoulder gently, then released it and walked further into the room. She began exploring, and then picked up one of the closest journals to her. She sat down on the floor and placed it before her, flipped it open with her left hand, and began to read. Within moments, she was deeply absorbed and lost to the world.

Alina smiled slightly. "You're welcome, and…that blood isn't anything to worry about; it's mine…try not to let it get it to you." She whispered before turning on her heel. "Help yourself to the kitchen; I have plenty of food." She said smiling before walking out the door, and back toward Central.

Edward smiled some, before grabbing one of the books and starting to flip through it as well. He still did not know how to feel about Alina. He knew she was sincere, but part of him knew she was still hiding something from all of them. He did not know what, he just knew she was. He continued flipping through the pages of the book he had picked up as he sighed. "If all of this blood is hers, I'd hate to think what her parents did to her…" He whispered to Elizabeth, looking through the blood-stained book, his golden optics scanning the pages.

Elizabeth had not heard what Alina said, and was not even aware she had left them alone. She did not hear Edward when he spoke, either, though the thought had occurred to her on her own at some point.

It was several hours before Steel Wing lifted her nose from the books she was perusing, and when she looked up, it was dark outside. She stretched, wondering how late it had gotten without her noticing. When her back told her it was time to quit for the night, she sighed and allowed herself to fall backwards and onto the floor. A cast and sling kept her right arm against her torso, but her left stretched out and above her head while her legs stretched across the floor as well. When her left arm touched something, she tilted her head back to see what she had bumped into.

Her midnight blue eyes found Edward's leg at the end of her arm, and her cheeks flushed a deep red. She moved her hand away quickly, and then cleared her throat. "I'm not sure how much I learned, but should we quit for the night?" She asked, trying to make conversation and avoid the fact she had touched him so casually. Then a thought occurred to her, and she sighed. "Roy had better not be 'celebrating.' I'm going to be stuck at his place for a while." She had not yet had the chance to set up another hotel reservation, and the doctor(s) had actually insisted she stay with family or friends until she was completely healed. Not that she intended to listen, unless she was forced to by someone outside the hospital and within her "circle." But she had not yet had a chance to find a military hotel to stay at. She sighed again, then sat up, preparing herself to return to the newly-appointed Brigadier-General's apartment and likely find a drunk-or getting there-Roy Mustang.

Edward nodded slightly, as he stretched. "Yeah, we probably should, I'm not sure the Major General wants us in her house while she's asleep." He said with a small smile.

"You're not really the one to make that call, are you?" Alina spoke suddenly from the doorway, smiling, before looking over at Elizabeth. "You're both more than welcome to stay here, I have two extra rooms. Besides I already talked Mustang; he's pretty much gone; I'm not sure you staying with him would be wise." She commented. "Plus, this way you can come straight back here when you wake up. I also made you two food-it's on the table if you want it. In any case the two rooms are down the hall if you wanted to stay. If not, I wish you luck with your cousin, Steel Wing." She said smiling some, before turning on her heel walking toward her own room.

Elizabeth nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of Alina's voice from the doorway. She had begun to think the Major General was gone or perhaps asleep, but the last place she had expected her to be was practically in the same room as them. Lizzy considered politely declining at first. Her first instinct was the desire to take care of her cousin and make certain he was not getting absolutely drunk. But once she thought about it, she knew he was an adult and capable of making his own decisions-and obviously already had while she had been busy reading.

Besides, perhaps he deserved a night to celebrate, and since he was not getting drunk to drown away his sorrows but for a much happier reason, she finally decided to stay off his back, this time. And besides, as an added bonus, there was food being offered to her and Edward. "If it's all the same to you, sir, your spare rooms sound perfect." She said with a nervous grin, easily giving away her ulterior motives of avoiding her sloshed cousin.

Edward blinked and stood up rubbing the back of his head before wandering into the kitchen and starting to eat. After all, he knew they had been so wrapped up in reading, neither of them had eaten. "I think I might stay here, at least for tonight." He grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. "It sounds much nicer then trudging all the way back to me and Al's apartment."

Once everything had been established and Alina had left, Elizabeth followed Edward to the kitchen to join him in partaking of the food the Major General had left for them. Once seated, she dug in. "Wow, this is good." She commented under her breath between bites, and then looked across the table at Edward when he spoke. Her cheeks flushed slightly again, and she nodded. "Er, yeah...you're right. Sounds like a good idea." Then her attention and focus fell on the food she was devouring, trying to keep her thoughts on the warm and deliciousness of the meal.

If she let herself, she might be reminded of the night they spent next door to one another in the hotel. Her thoughts would not fall on Envy, but on how she had felt and what she had been thinking the night before. She had begun to feel closer to Edward Elric for the first time in years, and it warmed her heart-and her cheeks-to even think of it. "Th-this food is really good. Who knew the Major General could cook." She marveled, trying to sound as genuine and focused on the meal as she possibly could.

Edward was stuffing food in his mouth as well he nodded. "No kidding. It's really good...it was nice of her to do all this for us." He said his food still in his mouth, stretching some. "I hope we can help her out in some way eventually." He mumbled, still stuffing his face with food. He glanced up at the ceiling and sighed softly, before standing. "Well. I'm going to head to sleep…you should probably do the same." He suggested, smiling some before starting to walk down the hall opening the bedroom door, he stopped and glanced back. "If you need anything…don't hesitate to wake me up." He said smiling some before walking back into his room, shutting the door, slipping off his shoes, pants and shirt before collapsing on the bed, basically passing out.

Elizabeth nodded in response, as she continued shoveling her plate of food into her mouth as well. She slowed to chew for a moment, staring at her plate in thought. She swallowed, and then looked up with a big grin on her face. "We'll figure out some way to pay her back. It's Equivalent Exchange." She giggled softly, then resumed eating and finally finished her meal a few minutes later. She nodded when he stood and headed off to bed. "I will." She smiled. "Thanks, Ed."

Then, once she was sure he was in his chosen room and asleep, she gathered all the dishes from the table and took them to the sink. There, doing a fairly decent job considering she only had use of one arm, she rinsed and cleaned all the dishes they had used by hand. Once they had been dried, she found where they belonged and put them all away. Satisfied, she made her way into the other spare room where she changed with some effort into her night clothes. Realizing this was futile because of her sling-a nurse had helped her earlier that day-she gave up and tossed her shirt aside, leaving her in just her pajama-pants and a sports bra she often slept in at night. Then she threw herself onto her bed and stared at the ceiling from under the covers for several minutes before realizing she was not going to be falling asleep any time soon.

Instead, she tip-toed her way back into the room filled with Alina's parents' research and picked up where she had left off-no one else was awake anyway, she assumed, so her decency was not at the forefront of her mind. A couple hours later, she noticed she had read the same sentence over and over again; she had begun to drift off and thus decided it was time to finally go to sleep. Elizabeth made her way as silently as possible to her room, where she gently closed the door, crawled into bed, curled up under the covers, and was soon out like a light...

The raven-haired girl awoke once in the middle of the night to use the restroom, then crawled back into bed when she had finished. There, she pulled the covers back over her and snuggled against the warmth at the center of the bed; it could get cold late at night in Amestris. Wait-her eyes shot open as her body finally registered something was amiss. The moon was shining its pale light through the room's window, but though she could see that out of the corner of her eye, something was blocking her view directly in front of her. Steel Wing lifted her left hand to touch it gently and carefully; it was warm...

Lifting her head slowly so as not to cause too much movement, she found herself almost touching noses with Edward Elric. Her eyes widened and her face flushed a deep shade of crimson when it dawned on her: she had gone into the wrong room! Though she remained perfectly still, on the inside she was panicking. If she moved again, she would wake him up, especially now that his right arm was draped over her body. A thought occurred to her that she was glad she was under the covers so he wasn't touching any of her bare skin. But her face warmed and turned an even deeper shade of red if that were possible when she realized he was not wearing a shirt either, and his chest was so warm...she could even feel his heartbeat-No. She was going to stop herself right there. She had to think clearly.

Edward was completely out, but his arm did tighten around her when she moved, his blonde hair in his face.

Elizabeth eventually managed to calm down, and since she could not move, she did what came naturally and fell asleep.