I'm so sorry that this has taken so long, but I had to study for some GCSE tests and do some coursework so... yeah, I'm sorry. I'm also sarry that this one is a little short, but I'm going to make it up to you later and wright a longer one, okay? Enjoy!

Running urgently through the bustling streets filled with people trying to shelter from the rain, the puddles splashing muddy rainwater behind him, Edward desperately scanned his golden eyes everywhere for something, anything, even just a sign or a clue, as to what he was looking for. His blond hair and clothes clung damply to his skin from the ever-pouring rain and sweat. His cheats heaved with gasping breaths and his chest pounded inside. His auto-mail aced from the sudden change in weather, the joints stiffening, but none of this stopped him.

He practically tripped over his own feet when tried to skid to a halt, as he saw a fairly large crowed all gathered underneath the tarp on the outside of what looked like a restaurant. But they weren't just trying to shelter from the rain, they where all staring at something. His heart pounding heavily against his chest, he licked his lips nervously and started to make his way through the small crowd, slipping and pushing in-between people. However, once her reached the middle, the thing the centre of attention was now what he expected.

"D-Ducky?" Edward asked in surprise. Sure enough, the old English doctor was the one surrounded by the crowed of people, sat at small round table.

"Oh, erm… hello Edward," Ducky greeted, though he didn't seem to fully notice Ed as his eyes didn't move from there gave inform of him. Following his gaze in confusion, Edward saw a huge pile of empty plates and bowls, which had obviously one contained food, as there were still a few odd scraps and pools of ketchup left. For a small second, Edward wondered how he couldn't have noticed them before, however his thought where stopped as soon as he noticed that someone else was sat at the table, sat behind the huge heap of plates, where everyone was looking at. Edward was suddenly hit with an idea that he had never even begun to think of. He tried to shack the suspicions away, but his thoughts where confirmed when he notices, behind the dishes, a long, bushy black pigtail bobbing up and down.

"Ling?!" he yelled in shock. The pigtail froze for a second, before the face of a friend emerged over the mounted of dishes. There was no mistaking those squinty eyes. Yep. It was Ling.

"Hey, Ed! Old buddy, old pall, old friend of mine!" greeted Ling, his usual goofy grin spread wide across his face, a few stray noodles still hanging from his mouth down his chin. Ed merely continued to star at him in disbelief.

"Oh, you too know each other?" asked Ducky.

"Oh, me and Ed go way back!" smile Ling, wiping his face with his long sleeve. "He saved me from starvation a few times, just like you did Doctor Mallard. I've helped him out plenty of times too, you know how much trouble that hot temper of his can get him in? Well, neither can I, but I know it's a heck of a lot!"

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," smiled Ducky.

"Yeah, tell me about it. You wouldn't believe the stuff he does when he gets mad. I remember a while ago that he actually used himself as bait just to get back at my friend for beating him up. But he is a good guy. Actually not so long ago, I was about to starve to death, and seeing as we didn't have any food he actually picked me up and carried me, can you believe it? He's a real good friend."

"What the hell are you doing here!?" he shouted at Ling, finally snapping out f his daze.

"What, I can just drop by and say 'hi' to a friend?" he asked, pretending to be hurt. "I thought we where friends. We are friends, right Ed?"

"I need to talk to you," he hissed, grabbing hold of Lings upper arm. "Now!" He began to pull him to his feet and drag him through the crowed. He didn't need people listening in on this conversation.

Ducky remained sat at the table, a little confused by Edwards's reaction. That is, until the waiter came and gave him the bill. Then he nearly had a heart attack.

"Damn that kid," snapped Gibbs, not even bothering to keep his comment to himself, as Ed disappeared out of the building yet again. "Where's he going now?" he asked no on in particular as he got up and started following him, the others close behind him, just as confused as he was. However, as soon as he had stepped out of the building into the pouring rain, Edward was nowhere to be seen.

Gibbs growled angrily. "McGee!"

"Y-yes boss?" he asked, a little worried.

"Find out where that brats parents live and stay there, he might go there, and make sure Abby doesn't go anywhere this time! DiNozzo, David, with me. I'm not about to loose this kid just when we found him again!" he yelled. It was obvious to everyone that Gibbs was fuming with anger and frustration, though they couldn't really blame him for it.

"Erm… err, boss?" called Tim, shifting nervously. That was it. He had to tell him. True he promised Abby that he wouldn't, but he knew he had to. He'd find out sooner or later anyway. Though right then he was trying to work out which was scarier. A mad Gibbs, or a mad Abby.

"Damn it McGee, what?"

"Nothing… nothing at all Boss," he decided quickly. Gibbs rolled his eyes and began to run down the street, Tony and Ziva close behind.

"What are you doing here!?" Edward repeated himself, as soon as they where down the road and hidden in an alleyway, away from anyone's earshot. Thankfully it had stopped raining by then, so he didn't have to worry about getting wet.

"Oh, come now, is that anyway to treat an old friend of yours?" he said, still with that stupid smirk on his face. It was really starting to annoy Ed.

"Okay, let me rephrase that. How the hell did you get here?!"

"Kind of the same way you did," he told him seriously, finally lousing the smile.

"Kind of?"

"Well… I made it back… but you didn't…"

"W… what?" Edward asked, completely confused.

"I came out of Gluttony's stomach. He and Al where both in the same spot we had left them. Gotta tell ya, Al was in pretty bad shape. He was worried sick about you when we where swallowed. And the fact that I came back covered in blood and you didn't, didn't exactly help him. I though that I might have left you behind or something, so I copied that circle thing that you drew. Al used alchemy with Gluttony's stone and I went first. Then I woke up here, past out on the streets, starving and that guy gave me some food."

"But… but how did you get Gluttony to help you?" he asked, trying not to think about how worried Al had been.

Ling smirked slightly. "Well he was feeling guilty for swallowing a 'human sacrifice' and his brother, so we convinced him that his 'Father' would be happy if we could get you back."

"And it took you almost 2 days to do that?!" He yelled, suddenly feeling very angry. He had been stuck here… and Al had been so worried… and he couldn't even try and hurry it up a bit!?

"What are you taking about?" Ling asked, opening his eyes slightly, to show just how serious he was.

"I've been stuck here for 2 days, idiot!?" he shouted.

"Ed… you've been here for only a couple of hours."

Ed froze up. A couple of hours? How was that possible? It was two days, he was sure of it! But then again… that paper he read did say that it was 2009… Oh, how his head hurt.

"A couple of hours?" he repeated, just to make sure.

"A couple of hours," Ling confirmed with a nod of his head. Just then, Edward felt something cold and wet hit his head. It happed again. And again and again. The rain once again started to fall heavily. Suddenly, another flash of, what was not lightning but alchemic reaction, shot through the sky and another shake vibrated under his feet.

"Come on!" Ed told him, grabbing hold of Lings arm again and began running once more down the street.

Well, if you have any requests for the next chapter, you know what to do. Please review!