Alrighty folks. As you know it's been a while and this isn't the longest chapter...It's kind of just a bridge chapter that leads up to the party. That's right, our crazed party will be covered by the next chapter. It may surprise you who I may have show up. Anyway, thankies one and all for the reveiws, and I'm expecting three (THREE) more. Toodles.

Journey Again

Chapter 13:Pre-party

Unfortunately for Ed, his head was still pounding when the sun woke him up the following morning. No matter how hard he tried to adjust to the sun, it was just too much, so shut the curtains went. Crawling back into bed, he suddenly felt very grateful that he was sick. It had been a long time since he had been able to catch up on his sleep. And they were going around waiting on him everywhere. Today though, only Winnie would be there for the most of the day.

Downstairs, there were some thudding sounds as Emilie probably rolled down the stairs and a little bit of shouting from Winnie to Al about getting out and being off to school on time. If only Ed had picked a nice, quiet place to live. But he let a smile climb to his face as he heard the door open and shut, open and shut. His brother was off to school, Emilie off to work, and Winnie would be then joining her that night…Somehow he felt he had forgotten something.

"Ed!" Winnie cheered, plowing down the door with as much noise as humanly possible. "Get up and get used to being up Ed! We have to get the house ready."

"Ready for what?" he moaned, burying his face deep into his pillow, not caring at all. Nothing could be so important as to interrupt him being sick.

"Ready for what? Ed…You can't tell me you forgot!" He grunted, pulling the covers tight, pretending she wasn't there. "Your boss is coming over for dinner!" There was a bird chirping outside, the only thing that broke into the silence as what Winnie said sunk in. After Winnie was good and scared that Ed had passed out, the boy leaped out of bed.

"He's what?" was the shocked reply. But then, his head wouldn't allow for a reply as the room suddenly spun around him and the world hammered away at his precious mind. He felt someone supporting him, a pair of horribly worried eyes, but the most dominant thing he knew was that he was on the floor. Was he really so sick that he couldn't stand?

"Ed…This can't be good…Come on, get up, let's get you dressed and to the doctor."

"The what? Doctor…Why?" His mind wasn't grasping anything at all.

"Ed! You're sicker than you were yesterday…Come on, try to get up…" He stood, somehow. His legs were trembling and the room was still twirling, but he managed. "Alright, hurry and get dressed…I'll go get ready and we'll hurry off to the doctor…I know where the other doctor is, but he's kind of more expensive than Dad was…Ed?"

"Money…More, right?" She shook her head, patting him on the back.

"Just try to pay attention to where you're going once we leave the house. I really don't want you getting hit by a car." He nodded, understanding that. As she stepped out, he pulled the first thing he found out of his closet, but once he looked in the mirror he nearly knocked himself out. He had put on a military uniform from the other side. How that had happened, he wasn't quite sure for he could swear that he was grabbing one of his suits. Mad at himself, he pried the clothes from his body and put on a real suit, jumping when Winnie knocked.

"Yeah?"

"I'm ready…How are you doing?"

"Almost…" She peeked, without permission. She was lucky he had his pants on and was working on buttoning his shirt. "What are you thinking, walking in like that?"

"Almost usually means you're just working on the tie…Here, let me help. You sit down before you fall over." He nodded, happy to agree as she finished the buttoning, and then pulled his tie around his neck. "There, you look just fine. Actually, you look exceptional for someone so sick. Come on, let's go." She wrapped her hands around his pulling him to his feet and out the door, from which he cringed as the sun broke through.

"How far is it?"

"Two or three blocks." In the sun, he could see that she had really dressed up in her best cream colored dress trimmed with lovely blue bows.

"You sure dressed…up…" He ducked out of the way as some young boys ran past, long late for school.

"Well, I don't know when we'll be back so I got ready in case we get back later and Emilie already brought your boss and your boss's son over, you know?"

"Yeah, sure." She wrapped both her arms around his, keeping him on the side away from the rode. People would pause to stare, wondering how someone as young as Winnie could end up with someone four years older than her, but they continued on their way. Some shrugged it off as her being his sister, but each had their own thoughts of the scene. Of course Ed was oblivious, trying to focus the world right in front of him. A lot of good that did, for when they got there that he barley even noticed that they'd stopped walking.

"Doctor! Oh doctor!" Winnie rapped on the door, only to be greeted by a scowling nurse. "M-ma'am, can we see the doctor."

"The doctor's busy," was the flat reply.

"But he's…"

"Sick. So is everyone else in town. Come in and have a seat, wait your turn." She seemed to snarl at them as Winnie guided Ed to a couple of empty chairs in the waiting room. It was shocking how full the room was of people coughing and sniffing. "Miss, register."

"What?"

"Write your name down on the list and get in line." Winnie reluctantly took the paper and pencil that the smelly nurse offered, writing down in nice bold writing 'Edward Elric.' Snapping back the paper, the nurse waddled her way over to the desk, falling into a much desecrated chair. Glancing around, Winnie nearly went over to write her name beside his. Just the smell made her queasy, and the manner-less men all around weren't any comfort. It was almost as though none of them had ever heard of a handkerchief.

"Mr. Temmian?" a nervous looking, younger nurse whispered out the door. "The doctor will see you now…"

"Why didn't he see me earlier?" the man sniffed, getting Ed's attention.

"Hey…" Ed whispered. "What's he doing here?" The room wouldn't hold still as Ed attempted to stand and get the grumbling man's attention, but Winnie held him down.

"Edward! Stay seated!" she hissed to him.

"He said he was going to the doctor," a boy's voice came down the hall as light shredded through the room. "So…Dad!"

"Khayal, what are you doing here?" the man sniffed in reply as the young nurse attempted to guide him to the back room.

"I was looking for you…this can wait…"

"No it can't!" Emilie's voice rose over. "I'm inviting you to dinner!"

"Emilie…" Ed laughed, climbing out of Winnie's grasp.

"Ed?" They stared at each other for a moment, Emilie in shock and Ed with amusement.

"Edward?" the factory boss echoed.

"Sir! The doctor will see you now or at the end of the list!" the old grumpy nurse demanded in the place of her young co-worker. In reply, he let out a hearty laugh, clapping his hand down on Ed's back.

"Isn't this that little girl you were helping? She's prettier than I thought…So this blond one must be Winnie then?" He glanced over to her, trembling in her chair. "Well, I must say, Khayal, you've made my day. Three people I wasn't expecting to see ever again show up all here while I'm going to the doctor. Isn't that just funny?" With that, he disappeared, leaving them a little stunned and with an echo of chuckles from some of the other patients.

"Well…Em…" Khayal attempted to start. "He…hasn't laughed like that in quite some time…"

"So was that a good thing?" Emilie nagged, helping Winnie drag the out-of-it Edward Elric to his chair again.

"I…think it was. We can only hope. At the very least I'm sure he'll accept your invitation to dinner…"

"Even though you blurted it out like that," Winnie reprimanded. "You're so demanding, a lowly café worker talking to someone that owns a chain of factories all throughout Germany and who knows where else."

"What else can I say but…" Emilie put on her largest smile as she spoke, drawing out the final word as if she had no clue what she was going to say. "That's how we dance. We tell them the story, no short-cuts and no running around the bush to get there when going straight through it works just as fine, even if you get a cut or two."

"Who told you that one?"

"My mom." The two were rudely hushed by the many people whose heads would not stand healthy people.

"She sounds smart," Ed whispered, motioning for Emilie to take the seat on the other side of him, as everyone had moved down in a feeble attempt to get away from their noise.

"Not smart…She couldn't read or write or even do simple arithmetic. But she was wise…boy was she wise." Khayal took a seat on the floor, a grin still on his face as he waited for his father.

"I had a mother," he told them. "But she left. Father said she was looking out for me…I'm not sure what he meant by that though." Emilie smiled a little, leaning over to pat his cheek.

"To protect you then huh? I may know why." She glanced to Ed, who gave a solemn nod. The boy was probably part Jew or gypsy or some other such. To protect him, the Jew or gypsy or whatever she was had left.

"Cheer up," Winnie said to the two glum ones. "You two are perfect together, you know? I've never known two people to be so depressed all the time and still pick up some comedic acts when anyone else is upset. Honestly…The both of you should join a circus."

"But a circus isn't full of sad people," Ed reminded her.

"Oh, I bet their sad. I bet that when the clowns wipe their make-up off and the lady with the beard goes out to buy bread, I bet they cry. I bet they only smile around people so that those people think that circus families are wonderful, when all they really do is hide behind their show."

"Who's depressing again?" Emilie scoffed, her eyes snakey and full of a sort of humor that only their group would understand. Even Khayal thought Emilie was truly mad at Winnie then.

"Really," Ed managed to hack out, his body near ready to pass out on him.

"Ed…You really need to just get…"

"Sleep? I tried that, I got worse. I hate to say this…but I need some medicine to help me."

"Aw….Eddy finally admitted he had a problem?" Her eyes were big with laughter as she pulled her body close enough to make him blush a nice deep red.

"Yes, I'm sick. Now…If you would…" His neck was turning a bright red even. But his comment only got her closer.

"What? You don't like girls with a figure Ed?"

"Whaat?!" the boy's voice scratched out.

"Well, you want me to back off but I just want to lay down on something, and you're so comfy…"

"Please tell me you're joking with me…Emilie?" She cuddled her head against his chest. It was all a joke, really. But it was a funny one to her.

"Quiet!" the over-sized nurse snapped. "Some people here are sick and the noise is bothering them!" The four looked around and saw only two sick people by now. Some had gotten up and left, sick of waiting more than actually sick. The list was shrinking all the time. Actually, Ed realized he was only four people away now.

"But nurse…I'm so sleepy," Emilie crooned out sweetly. "He's a…"

"Sit up in your seat and be quiet." Emilie glared, but obeyed with hate in her eyes. As the nurse turned back to her large lunch, Emilie stuck her tongue out in the most childish manner she could muster. It was rude of the nurse to treat them like she did. Acting like that had to be against the doctorial laws.

"You're quite a troublemaker, aren't you," she heard Winnie giggle into her ear as the door opened once again, sending Khayal's father out the door.

"Thanks Doc!" the man cheered. "Khayal, let's go. We need to get ready for tonight."

"But father…" the boy attempted.

"Don't but me. Let's be on our way!" The boy let out a dejected meep as he was dragged away, and Emilie slapped her own forehead as she realized the problem.

"What is it?" Ed rasped out.

"They don't know the way to our house," she stated matter-of-factly. Everyone fell over, even the patients and the crusty old nurse. The stupidity was just plain crazy.

"He knows where we…used to live."

"Who lives there now?"

"Roy and Riza." Winnie let out a long sigh, and quickly latched onto Emilie's arm.

"Let's go get 'em," came from the young lady's mouth.

"But who will stay here with…" Emilie started, only to have the blond girl pull her out of the chair.

"Ed's a big boy; he can take care of himself. Let's go!" Winnie pulled the girl straight out of the office, speeding faster than ever before. With a quick glance, Ed nearly realized why. Everyone was glaring. It was actually rather creepy. Burying himself in the chair, Ed prepared to wait.

XxXxXxXxXxXxX

Only half an hour later, the two girls came back huffing to find Ed was in for his appointment already. Settling themselves in a pair of chairs, their chests heaved for air. It seemed their guests-to-be were really quick people, disappearing in the few minutes they'd been separated. Now Emilie was coughing as she slid to the floor, resting her head gingerly on the chair. Her lungs just weren't taking as kindly to running in the cooler temperatures.

"Emilie," Winnie whispered, patting the girl on her back, "we most definitely need to get you warmer clothing."

"We can't afford it!" Emilie complained.

"Of course we can, a few new outfits at least. After all those things Ed sold, we have enough to keep the cops at bay for a good few months."

"But we need to save up every Frank until we can be sure they won't come after us."

"What? Do you want us to try and become millionaires or something?"

"That would be preferable."

"You greedy little fox."

"Fox?"

"Sly and quick and cunning…You are a quick little thing, believe it or not…I had a hard time keeping up with you for a while." The two laughed, making sure to be a little noisier than necessary for the sake of the over-sized nurse, who was still glaring at them, irritated by the girls need to talk and irritate her even more.

"Where is he anyway…?" The doctor answered her question, nearly beating down the door and giving Ed a caring shove out with a bag of medicine.

"Take that and you'll be good to go in a few days. Now…how will you be paying the bill?" Ed groaned loudly, handing over the wad of Franks. "Thank you. Get well soon." Ed dared to glance back as a girl took each of his arms. The greedy doctor was counting the Franks greedily.

"I bet they'll do me good," he grumbled, pulling his accessories out the door as they nearly collapsed with laughter. "What's got the two of you so happy?"

"I'm going to take Emilie shopping," Winnie cheered.

"After you two made me waste all that money on him?"

"Yeah. Unless you want to pay him three times that when Emilie catches pneumonia when winter sets in." Ed glanced to each of the faces, finally surrendering a nod.

"Be back before…"

"We can go today?"

"Yeah. She could use something new for dinner. I need that job."

"Nah," Emilie giggled. "You could work at some fancy restaurant. The working conditions are healthier."

"And it's much harder to get in."

"Now with a cunning girl like me."

"Yes, even with a cunning girl like you in a racist society like this." Emilie appeared terribly hurt, almost to the brink of tears. "Emilie, I'm sorry…I didn't mean…"

"I know. I know what society is like…but it's not my choice to be who I am." She leaned her head over on his shoulder. At that moment, Ed would have given anything for his real arm on that side; so that he could feel her warm skin…Shock attacked his body. What was he thinking?

"Come on, Emilie, lets get going," Winnie whispered. "Ed knows the way home." Her voice was cold and angered, obviously ticked because of Ed's stupidity.

"Yes Winnie," Emilie replied in her dejected tones. "Take your medicine and get rest Ed. We'll be back to start dinner in an hour or two."

"Of course," Ed replied, allowing for them to let go of his arms. "Stay safe, both of you." He smiled at them, heading the other way down the street. Something was definitely wrong with him. Wanting to feel her warmth? Perhaps he was just spending too much time with Emilie and it was getting to him. People did tend to become attracted to someone they saw often, even if they didn't want to be attracted. Not that he thought she wasn't attracted…he just couldn't shake the old feeling that he was betraying Winry whenever he felt attracted to his gypsy friend. And with Winnie always there, it felt almost as though Winry was always keeping her eyes on him.

A cough escaped his lungs, a tad less violent than those he'd been hacking out over the last couple days.