Did You Ever?
Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist, or the songs featured here.
Summary: Who knew Edward could sing? Nicole certainly didn't.
"Urg! Ed! Where's my toothbrush!?" Nicole hollered from the bathroom, and Ed looked up from his messy suitcase.
"How should I know?" He cried back, and Nicole's head poked out from the bathroom door.
"You were the last
one in here!"
"Well I don't use your toothbrush, now do I?"
He shot, and her full body, clad in a green and red floor sweeping
dress that hid her cast, her hair up in the flower, came into view.
She had her hands on her hips.
"Not now you two! We have a train to catch in half and hour. Nicole! Get into that wheel chair!" Roy was scurrying around, trying to make sure they got everything done without killing something, and Al was returning movies, library books.
"No! I'm tired of sitting in that thing day in and day out! I'll hop to the station!" She stuck her tongue out, closing and locking the bathroom door.
"Nicole!"
"…"
"Ed, are you almost done?" Roy looked at Ed, who was zipping his case closed.
"Nicole is too." He pointed at the neatly done up case, with two stuffed animals sitting on top.
"Come on Nicole!" She opened the door, and hopped out, falling into Ed, who put her on the chair.
"Pick up your skirt, woman! It's getting caught!" He said, and Nicole did so, cuddling Al's stuffies.
25 minute later they boarded the train, and Nicole was looking out the window, when she heard a familiar voice.
"NICOLE!" She looked around the platform, before spotting her little friend.
"Mile!" She waved, and Mile came up to her window.
"Write, ok?" She asked, and Nicole gave her a high five.
"Sure thing." She smiled, and Mile waved as Ed stuck his head out beside her.
"Bye Mile." He said, and Mile waved, as the train left, giving Al and Roy a hasty goodbye through the other window.
"GOODBYE!" She yelled, and the train gained height, whipping the little girl out of view.
"So, home again home again jiggity jig." Nicole sighed, and Roy and Al returned to their seats behind Ed.
"Yeah…What about this rumor?" He asked, and she sighed.
"There's a buzz." She said, and Ed's shoulders rose, and then dropped in a shrug.
"Well…not much we can do in the direction we want it to go." He sighed, and she looked at him.
"Huh?" She blinked in confusion. He leaned forward, ready to explain.
"There's nothing more we can do if we want it to stop. However, if we want it to stay…then, there's a lot we can do." She nodded, and looked at the wheelchair, folded up in the baggage rack.
"Can't I trade those in for…something I don't have to sit in?" She sighed, and he raised an eyebrow.
"You mean crutches." She smiled.
"That's exactly what I meant!" He grinned.
"We can try." She clapped her hands, and looked at the passing forest.
"I'm going to miss skating." She sighed, and he grinned.
"Who says we have to stop? There are rinks in Central." He pointed out, and she sighed.
"I know…but it's not the same, you know?" She said, smiling a little, and he nodded.
"I know what you mean, trust me." She pulled out a pack of cards, and pretty soon Roy and Al came in, ready to play also.
A couple hours later, they pulled into the station at Central.
"Colonel Mustang, Sir!" A voice rang out, and the four looked around, noticing the people waiting for them.
Armstrong, Fuery, Hawkeye, Breda, and Havoc were waiting for them.
"Major Anderson, how did you receive such an injury?" Armstrong asked, and Nicole rubbed the back of her head.
"I'm fine, really. Silly doctors being paranoid." She tried to breeze it off, but Roy turned on her.
"Really, Anderson? 5 stitches, not being able to stand on it and the doctors are being paranoid?" She glowered at him.
"Oh like you know anything." She grumbled, and Hawkeye stepped forward.
"You're required back at HQ, Colonel." She said, and Nicole and Ed grinned at Roy's disgusted face.
"Don't forget your 'Paperwork shirt'!" They said in unison, laughing hysterically.
Havoc caught Nicole's eye, and Nicole tried to roll her eyes at the all knowing smirk.
"Come, Major Anderson, you should have bed rest." Armstrong moved to push pick her up but she waved her arms frantically, and grabbed Ed's hand.
"Eh, no, no that's ok…Uh…Ed, Al and I have to go unpack! Heh, thanks anyway. Get a move on!" She hissed the last part out so only Ed could hear her.
"Eh, ya, come on Al." The trio tried to make their handsome escape, but Fuery and Hawkeye stepped in.
"Are you sure, Major? I mean, you could've opened something on the train…" Fuery said, looking worried, and Hawkeye pulled her gun.
"Get moving to the hospital…Now." She said, and Nicole's refusal died on her tongue.
"Ok." She said, voice small.
Ed pushed to the car, and helped her in, climbing in beside her, but to their immediate dislike, Havoc climbed in as the driver, setting a suitcase in the front passenger seat.
"So, how'd you vacation go? Any affairs?" He said, and Nicole's hand made a fist around the fabric of her dress, but no one answered, Ed trying not to make a scene and murder him.
"No answer? Absence of words is just as good as the actual answer, you know. That's such a beautiful necklace, by the way." He said.
Nicole colored, and Ed did the same.
"Aww…Is it from Eddy? Isn't that sweet." He cooed evilly, and Ed colored more when Nicole burst.
"I thought that too! Now, would you like to step on my last nerve and get us in the ditch?" she yelled, and Ed stared at her.
"Alright, alright. No need to get your knickers in a knot, princess." Ed felt his blood begin to boil. 'Erg, damn him, making her so stressed in her condition! And when she gets back too!' he thought, glaring a the back of Havoc's head. Fortunately, he didn't notice. Unfortunately, Nicole did.
She put a hand on his arm, but her smile was slightly smaller than usual.
He forced a little smile back, and the rest of the ride was mute.
Havoc let them out, and then drove away, leaving them with a closed up wheel chair.
"There. Up we go." Ed heaved her up, and into the wheelchair, then wheeled her in, and waited for a doctor.
"So…that wasn't too bad, was it?" Nicole asked, and Ed stared at her.
"'Not bad'? Nicole, you shouldn't be harped on like that in your condition, let alone when you first come back!" He said, and she blinked, before smiling at him.
"Aww…Ed you're so sweet!" She smiled, and touched his hand, giving it a squeeze before pulling away. He blushed like a beet, when the doctor came in.
"The nurse tells me you need me to check over some stitches." He said, but Nicole shook her head.
"No, my stitches are fine. Actually, I was threatened to get them checked over, by a lieutenant…who is actually lower in rank than me…Why did I just realize this?" She turned to Ed, who gave a bemused shrug.
"Even Mustang does what she says." She nodded, before turning back to the doctor.
"Actually, what I was wondering is if you could return this," She handed the blanket to him, "And this wheel chair back to the hospital in Freden." The doctor raised an eyebrow.
"Then what about you?" He asked, and Nicole blinked.
"Can I borrow some crutches?" She smiled innocently, and the doctor laughed.
"We can have that arranged. Here, I have some in the closet…" He handed her a pair, and adjusted them to her height…or lack of.
"Thanks!" she got up, and hobbled around, making Ed chuckle at her happiness.
"Thanks Doc. We'll leave you in peace now." He said, and held the door open for her. The doctor waved goodbye.
"Whee!" Nicole squealed, and Ed laughed.
They had decided to walk home, just to admire the 'scenery' of the city again.
"That vacation was…really something." Ed said, as they took a detour through the park.
Nicole turned to him, brown hair whipping around her face, getting in her dark silver eyes.
"Yeah, it was nice." She said, and Ed stared at her for a moment, before leaning in and kissing her softly.
"This isn't helping that pesky rumor any." She whispered.
"I really like you, Nicole Anderson." He whispered, and she blushed heavily.
"I…I…You had me since the first skating lesson." She whispered, kissing him again.
This is not the last Chapter. The next chapter is the last Chapter;
It's the Story Epilogue.