Brother and Sister

She was a pain in the ass, a constant shadow and the definition of annoying little sister. Going to the same school he barely had room to breathe without her nosing in on his business. So when Rosie, the pretty girl with freckles and strawberry blond hair, asked if he could walk her home Eddy flat out told Sara to beat it. It wasn't as if he liked liked Rosie, but maybe he just wanted to not have his annoying sister bothering them. That wasn't mean, right?

"Eddy!"

He rolled his eyes, "Beat it kid I'm walking Rosie home first."

They took only a few steps before he realized Sara was still following him. Turning on his heel he pointed in the opposite direction, "I said get lost!"

Eddy ignored the way her lower lip trembled and reminded himself that she was just being a brat. Not pausing to apologize he took up his spot next to Rosie and walked her home. The giddy feeling at being chosen to walk a girl home left him as he waved goodbye to her. A strange kind of panic began to build inside him as he stared down the familiar road.

Had Sara ever walked home by herself?

The blood cursing through his veins chilled as he caught sight of his little sister, a group of young teenage guys holding something over her head. Upon closer inspection he cringed, it was the wrench their mom had given to her for show and tell. Needless to say it was no wonder his little sister's face was covered in tears as they held it teasingly above her head.

Eddy could feel his cheeks flush, the anger washing over him as he pushed himself in front of his little sister.

"Give it back to her." He demanded.

The group of fifteen year old boys smirked, excited to have found a fight.

"Another Elric huh? Why don't you run and go tell your famous daddy, maybe he can make us give it back? Oh yeah that's right, he can't do alchemy anymore."

Sara hiccupped through her tears behind him, her hands holding onto the back of his shirt. Eddy frowned as they continued to cackle at what they had done. Sara tugged again on his shirt. Eddy glanced down at her, the fear in her eyes making his throat tighten.

"Give it back." He stated darkly, the threat eminent in his voice. No one insulted his family and NO ONE messed with his little sister.

"Oh, you mean this stupid wrench?" the pimpled faced one faked innocence.

A small sob escaped his little sister as she buried her face into his back. Sara wasn't a crybaby, but that wrench wasn't just a normal tool. That wrench had been made by their father as a gift for their mom; it had a sentimental value that only infused its practicality around their household.

He sighed, he could easily cream these three idiots but with Sara there he couldn't risk it. "Just give it back."

When most of their laughing had subsided the tallest of the three grinned, "I hear a train a coming…"

With a smirk the boy launched the wrench at the tracks, its clank against the rails making his sister gasp.

"Go get it." Eddy commanded in disgust at the three idiots.

"Whose gonna make us? You?" The three of them burst into a fit of laughter.

He glanced over towards the distant railroad tracks. Narrowing his eyes he turned back to them.

"Are you as stupid as you look? I said go get it." He responded with a little more confidence than he actually felt. He was eleven years old but his dad had taught him that it wasn't all about size. Speed and accuracy have a way of evening out any playing field.

The biggest one took a menacing step towards him and he instinctively pushed Sara back away from him. "Go." He muttered over his shoulder.

"What did you say pipsqueak?"

Eddy stood tall, extending himself to his full height. "I believe I told you to go get it, or are you deaf too?"

The boy grinned a little before throwing an ill placed punch in his direction. Eddy easily ducked, taking the missed opportunity into his advantage and nailing the kid in the gut. While the first troublemaker toppled over in pain the other two decided to join in and came charging.

Eddy was so caught up in the fight he never noticed his little sister heading towards the tracks.

It wasn't until he had a bloody nose and had finally beaten the tar out of the last boy that he heard the whistle blow. He struggled to his feet, his eyes growing wide as he watched Sara cry out towards them. She was tugging at her leg frantically, her face filled in horror.

Eddy squinted, she was at the crossroads between two lines. The realization that her foot must have gotten trapped in the changing track made him forget all about the three idiots nursing their wounds.

"NO!"

He staggered for a moment; his footing uneven as he tried to run to her. His wobbly legs folded, causing him to crash to the ground. Eddy could hear the cowardly voices of the boys over his shoulder as they fled the scene.

Eddy cussed loudly as he regained his footing and began to run full speed. The train whistle screamed out again, the sound of braking loud enough to block out the cry of his little sister. She reached out towards him in desperation and his heart hammered in response. Terror laced the blood curdling scream that left his mouth.

"SARA!"

A/N: I have had this chapter written long before I even began OBHF. I know I shouldn't leave it at a cliffhanger but the next chapter will pick up where this leaves off.