The glaring sun was hot on my neck and we all dragged our feet across the dirt except for Paninya who was used to this heat and Al who couldn't feel the heat, the rest of us were having trouble keeping up.

"Come on slowpokes, hurry up or ill leave you behind!" Paninya called back to us.

"Leave us behind?" Ed growled, "why the hell am I following you into these god forsaken mountains anyway!" He shouted and stopped in front of me.

I ran into him by accident.

The sun was making my reactions slower and we tumbled to the ground together.

"Oh shut up short stack you're giving me a head ache" I snapped at him in frustration, he shoved me when I tried to get to my feet and I stumbled back to the ground falling behind.

"You shut up!" Ed spat back at me.

"Calm down guys" Al said grabbing my arm so id hurry up, I let him drag me.

"You weren't kidding this engineer of yours really does live in the middle of nowhere" Winry stated. I stayed beside Al because he blocking the suns rays for me.

"Yup, he says he can find better quality ore" Paninya agreed, "and that he didn't want to live in town, he's not what you call the friendly type" she added.

I tripped over a small rock and head butted Al, I groaned slightly and rubbed my head. From the amount of times I've head butted this kid was uncountable, I had a nice bruise on my forehead since I got the same spot every time.

Al steadied me.

I smiled a thanks.

"Will you just give my watch back" Ed groaned stopping in front of my again, I nearly ran into him but Al pulled me out the way and shoved Ed forward a bit to keep him moving.

There was no doubt Ed and I would break out into a fight if we got too close to each other out here, we were both on edge. Since Ed didn't have his watch back and I had been walking far too long than what my body could cope with.

"We made a deal so I'm keeping this watch hostage until then" Paninya argued with Ed.

"I wasn't the one who made the deal" he argued back, "this is so damn stupid!" He moaned throwing his hands in the air.

"Just give me back my watch!" He moaned some more, "that thing wasn't easy to get!"

"Stop whinging Ed" Winry barked over her shoulder at him. Ed crossed his arms and scowled falling back walking with me and Al.

"I didn't make this damn deal" he huffed under his breath.

We crossed a wooden bridge. A small house stood on the other side which I was begging was the house we were stopping at or at least be a pit stop, I needed to sit down and have a rest for a moment.

Paninya sped up and rushed into the house making me exhale in relief. Thank god this was the house, I don't think I could have kept on walking much longer.

"Howdy" she exclaimed walking in, "I brought guests" she added quickly. A man with a bandanna greeted us at the door and let us through. Paninya was quick to introduce Winry to her engineer, Ed and I collapsed to the floor in exhaustion.

"I don't know how we're going to make the trip back" Ed panted.

"I'm with you on that one" I panted back. Al stood over us making sure we were still alive. "Alphonse" I moaned in a sweet voice.

He looked at me.

"Carry me back please?"

"Me too?" Ed asked.

Al crossed his arms and looked between us.

"You both have legs, you can use them" he said still looming over us.

We both sighed.

"It was worth a try" I grumbled sitting up slowly.

Paninya came bounding through the door grabbing our attention, a pregnant lady and the man with the bandana who had let us in followed her.

Ed sat up slowly beside me.

"This is Ed, Al and Lexie" Paninya said introducing us to the bandanna guy and a pregnant lady, Ed and I got up to shake their hands.

"My names Ridel Le-Court and this is my wife Satera" we smiled politely at them.

I looked at Satera's belly.

"Boy or girl?" I asked her, she smiled and put her hand on her belly.

"Don't know, we're keeping it for a surprise" she giggled, "but I think it's a girl" she added with a whisper.

"Congratulations Mrs. Le-Court" Ed chimed.

"Wow thats so amazing" Al beamed with excitement.

"Yeah the baby's due in about two weeks" she said smiling happily, "it's so heavy that I'm always tired" she sat down and grabbed Ed's hand putting it to her tummy.

He smiled like a little boy lighting up his entire face.

His smile was contagious because I ended up with a goofy smile on my face as well.

"Thats so cool, I don't really know why but it's really cool, thats the first time I've touched a pregnant lady's tummy" Ed laughed nervously.

"To think we were in our mum's belly like that too, its kinda weird" Al added with a giggle. It was cute to see them so fascinated in something that wasn't alchemy.

"I know" Satera smiled happily, "its even strange for me to think that there is another life inside me" she rubbed her belly.

"Oh Ed!" Winry called out, we all turned around. She was talking to Paninya's mechanic in the next room, "come here for a second" Ed's face dropped.

"Fine but I'm not taking my clothes off" he mumbled walking off.


Al and I sat on the floor watching the dark storm clouds move towards us through the window. Ed and Winry were complaining to Dominic, Paninya's mechanic, about making Winry his apprentice or making Ed a new and lighter arm and leg.

"That cloud looks pretty scary" Al spoke up, it was slowly coming towards us lighting up once and awhile, light thunder would follow.

"Yeah we might get stuck here for a few hours if we don't leave soon" I replied.

The storm looked menacing but it would probably cool down the hot humid air. There was a scream behind us making me and Al jump, I snapped my head around to see Satera lying on the ground clutching her stomach. Al and I jumped to our feet so fast my head spun for a second, I shook my head and helped Al pull Satera to her feet slowly.

Her stomach convulsed and she whimpered in pain.

"The baby's coming" she whispered, I looked at her with wide eyes.

She stared up at me and Al.

"Like right now!" she gasped in pain.

"Ah Lexie" Al said worriedly, "what do we do?"

I don't know why he was asking me.

"I don't know" I squeaked in shock.

This was like mum giving brith to Danny all over again. That was a nightmare.

Everyone came running towards us as thunder cracked in the sky so loudly the small house shook. The rain was heavy against the house cooling the air around us.

Satera's husband sat her on the lounge while Dominic went to get the doctor, the rest of us stood around not sure what to do with ourselves.

"Just hold on until the doctor comes" Ridel said nervously.

"You can say that all you want but its gonna be born when its gonna be born" she blurted at him.

"Oh man" I whispered pacing the room. I could still remember when Danny was born, I was only five but it was a memory hard to forget.

Dominic slammed the front door open in distress making us all freeze in our spots.

"The bridge is broken" he said panting, "I can't get across, lightening has struck it!" he exclaimed.

He looked around at us.

"I can see if I can fix it!" Ed spoked up, "Al and Lexie come help"

I stood there staring at him.

"Help how?" I asked stupidly.

He stopped in his tracks to look at me.

"How else?!" He snapped at me, "by using alchemy!"

"I can't" I protested, I looked down at the faded transmutation circles tattooed on my hands. They brought back memories I didn't want to remember.

"Why?" Ed asked, "you can use alchemy, right?" he had seen the tattoos on my hands but I shook my head.

"Yeah but not anymore, it makes me sick" I confessed, I could do basic alchemy once but I found it too difficult with having trouble reading the information I needed to understand it then it used to make me physically sick. I never understood why, so I gave up.

Satera screamed in pain.

I panicked slightly.

"Okay ill try" I added quickly following Ed, Al and Dominic out the door.

Dominic led us to the broken bridge in the pouring rain, Al wasn't going to be able to draw a circle on the ground from all the rain so it was up to me and Ed.

It had been a while since I had done alchemy, I didn't even know if I could still do it anymore.

Ed looked at me and I nodded.

I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath.

I just hoped this worked and it didn't make me sick like it used to. We both clapped our hands together and slammed them to the ground trying to create another bridge. The rain drops were like tiny weights hitting my back, they were cold and hard.

"Come on!" Ed shouted but it collapsed under its own weight, the space was too big for us to be able to make a bridge out of alchemy. "What else can we do? Dammit isn't there any other way!" he shouted again.

I sat back on my knees thinking but it was useless, there was no way for us to do this.

I shook my head knowing that this wouldn't work in time.

"Theres no time" I explained, for us to think of something else the baby might already be born. We might actually have to deliver it ourselves, a bunch of kids delivering a baby did not sound good.

"She's right" Dominic spoke up, "ill have to go the long way, you guys go back to keep her spirits up" he rushed off.

We all staggered back to the house in the heavy rain but I froze in pain.

The scar on my right calf started ache and my stomach convulsed. I felt really sick and stumbled to my knees.

My stomach convulsed.

Oh man, this is why I didn't like using alchemy.

"Lexie!" Ed dropped to his knees beside me, I waved him off and clutched my stomach.

"Im f-fine" I sputtered closing my eyes, "go help Satera" I gasped and convulsed again. The pain shooting up my leg stopped but I could feel whatever was in my stomach start to move around violently.

"Al go help, we'll be there in a second" Ed said over the rain, Al ran back to the house and I convulsed again. "Are you okay?" he asked, I was on my hands and knees staring at the ground trying to breath steadily.

"Im fine" I blurted but I lent forward and the contents of my stomach spilled out, I threw up just missing my hands. My throat started to burn from the acid and my stomach ached, I shuffled backwards looking up at the sky letting the rain wash away the sweat that was plastered on my face.

The pain in my leg disappeared but the sick feeling didn't.

"You're not fine Lexie, is this what usually happens when you use alchemy?" He asked, I nodded trying to get to my feet.

I didn't feel as sick any more but my knees felt weak.

Ed wrapped my arm around his shoulder keeping me up and we walked back towards the house.

"This isn't normal" he muttered to me.

"Yeah I know" I muttered back letting my head hang forward.

"Wh-wh-what should we do? All this water came pouring out of Satera" Paninya exclaimed waving her arms at us when we walked inside, she saw me and fear flashed across her face.

"Whats wrong with you?!" she screeched, I waved Ed off feeling better. I could finally stand on my own and my stomach didn't hurt anymore, I did have this horrible sour taste in my mouth though.

"Thats probably her water breaking" I said in a soft voice, I didn't know much about delivering a baby but I have witnessed it before.

"What?!" Ed shouted in fear, I squinted at his raised voice, "is that something bad?!" I looked at him like he was an idiot.

Was he being serious?

At a time like this he was the worst person to be stuck with.

"It means the baby's ready to be born" Winry said coming around the corner, Al, Ed and Paninya started to run around the room freaking out.

I sighed in annoyance.

"What are we gonna do?! The doctor's not even here" they all shouted.

Winry looked at me.

"We're going to have to deliver that baby" she said to me.

I ran my hand through my hair nervously.

I nodded at her.

"Lets do it" I said kicking my foot out, Ed tripped, Paninya tripped over Ed and Al stumbled around trying to dodge them on the ground. Now that they were under control we could talk some sense into them.

I took in a deep breath.

"This running around like lunatics is not helping our situation!" I snapped at them, they all looked at me silently.

"Now that I've got all your attention" I said rubbing my neck, my throat was still sore. "Paninya go get me a glass of water" she stared at me, "now!" I snapped, she jumped to her feet and rushed off. I needed to get this foul taste out of my mouth.

"Ridel come here!" Winry called out, he came rushing out of the room Satera was in. Paninya came rushing around the corner and shoved the glass of water into my hands, I gulped it down.

"We have no choice but to deliver the baby" Winry explained, everyone looked slightly frightened. Even I had to admit I was.

"We have to" I added more to myself than anyone else, "that baby aint going to wait for the doctor" Winry nodded.

I looked at her.

"Do you have any experience?" I asked her.

"No but I've read about it" thank god someone had.

"That will have to do, what about you Paninya?" I asked, she shook her head.

"What about you?" Winry asked me.

I sighed.

"I was there when my brother was born" I admitted.

Ed scoffed.

"How old were you?" he asked, "like five" I rubbed the back of my neck.

"Yes but right now we don't have any other choice" I replied, "so someone boil a lot of water" I said tying my hair back.

"Someone gather as many towels as possible" Winry said after me, Ed and Al rushed off. Paninya, Winry and I stood at the door and looked at each other, "we're girls it's in our nature right?" she said grabbing our hands.

I squeezed her hand.

"Right!" Paninya chimed.

"I can't believe we're about to do this" I laughed nervously. "For the second time and still I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing" Paninya and Winry glanced at me.

"Lexie" they both moaned at me.

"That doesn't make us feel any better" Winry added.

I smiled weakly at them.

"Girls?" We turned around, everyone gave us thumbs up, "you can do it" they said together, we smiled slightly.

Time to deliver a baby.


The baby screeched in my arms and I wrapped her in a towel, Winry sat on the floor in exhaustion and Paninya crawled out of the room from the sight of all the blood.

"It's a girl" I said handing the little girl over to her new father. I staggered over next to Winry and I slid down the wall sitting next to her.

"It's okay" Ed and Al shouted throwing their hands in the air rushing into the room.

Winry glanced at me a laughed nervously.

"I can't believe we just did that" she blurted.

I nodded slouching back against the wall.

"I seriously can't believe it either but we'll never forget it" I admitted.

She nodded and grabbed my hand.

"I need help" she whispered, I tiled my head at her and her face went red, "I can't get up" she said in embarrassment. She was too overwhelmed that she had lost feeling in her legs.

I smiled.

Winry smacked my arm.

"This isn't funny" she whined at me, "and the floor is making my butt numb" she was still blushing.

"Thats so cool, it's a real live baby" Ed spoke up in amazement getting in the way, I glanced up and saw Ed and Al hovering over the new born baby.

"Ed come here" I called out, he walked over to us, "help Winry up, she can't move" he raised his eyebrows.

"Why?" he asked oblivious.

I scoffed at him.

"Because the girl just delivered a damn baby now be useful and help her to a chair!" I snapped at him losing my patiences, he jumped but said no more.

Winry smiled thanks to me and got on Ed's back, he took over to the chairs but I stayed on the ground. I was happy to just be relaxing at the moment, I leant my head against the wall and closed my eyes.

I heard Al sit next to me.

"You all right?" he asked, "you didn't look too well outside" I opened my eyes and smiled up at him.

"Im fine" I said softly, "we helped bring a new life into this world today" I said to him distracting him from thinking about me. I didn't want to talk about what had happened.

Al giggled softly.

"I know, how amazing is that?" I held my fist up to him.

He hit fist hit mine.

"Totally amazing" I replied with a small laugh.


After a while the doctor turned up giving us all the okay with the baby and congratulated us on doing a good job on delivering a baby for a first time.

Ridel wouldn't stop thanking us until we told him to go away and go spend time with his wife and new baby girl, Dominica went soft on Winry for helping delivering his granddaughter and gave into her but said she would be an apprentice to one of his friends. Winry agreed happily and we decided it was time to leave.

Dominica said we would have to go the long way but it shouldn't be too hard for us to figure out our way back to Rush Valley.

"Be carful for the bird people" Dominica called out to us as we left.

"The what?" I asked.

"Thats just a myth" Paninya laughed back like it was nothing.

"Just be carful guys" he called out again.

"Who's the bird people?" I asked her intrigued slightly.

"Don't worry about it, he's just trying to scare us" she said waving the silly myth off.

"Oh that sounds promising" I muttered. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach and it wasn't because I had used alchemy earlier.