I am so sorry that it took so long! How many of you are still alive for this chappy? Ed-torture coming, yay!

And thanks for my most awesome reviewers, the last chappy got... was it over thirty reviews? Well I was amazed! Thank you so much and keep reviewing!

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA.

PARENT'S RESPONSIBILITY

Chapter 21
Missing

Ed was feeling fuzzy, stiff and his head ached like hell. What happened? He moaned pathetically and tried to move his body but found out that his right arm refused to move and his left arm was uncomfortably tied up somewhere behind him. He clenched his teeth and opened his right eye.

Everything was blurry for a brief while and even after that it took a while before he could really see anything clearly. It was dark already… he was probably underground in the middle of a night. He snorted and opened his other eyes well. Nobody was around. At least from what he could see. Pain ran through his body again and he closed his eyes. God how much he just wanted to sleep… but no, he couldn't sleep now! He had to get out and go to Roy, he needed to make sure that he was going to be alright! He couldn't give up now!

He tried to swallow but his mouth was dry and his throat ached. How fantastic. Like he wasn't feeling fuzzy already, but he had to be incredibly thirsty too. Just fantastic. He heard his bones cracking uncomfortably as he tried to turn to see where his right arm was tied to.

Yeah, this really was his luck. He was fucking handcuffed to a metal pipe. And he couldn't move his right arm so he could clap his hands and transmute himself off. Whoever had gotten him must've done something to his automail. Now it was just unneeded weight on his right side. He growled angrily and tried to scream.

"Help! Somebody help me!" he managed to yell very hoarsely before he started coughing. His mouth was just so dry. Hip, hip hurray. He was never getting away from this.

He felt a tear on his eyes. Was he ever going to see Roy again? Was he alright? Was he… was he even alive anymore? Was he worrying over him? Had he even noticed he was gone? Was he alive, damn it, he needed to know! He felt hot tears on his cheeks. Why was everyone close to him dying? Why!? First mum, then Al and now Roy. A silent sob escaped from his lips. Fantastic, crying was making him thirstier than he was already and he had no idea when he was getting something to drink again. He was just so tired, fuzzy, thirsty, hungry and anguish. He just wanted to pass out so he could stop thinking, stop feeling, stop crying. He didn't want to think about Roy. He didn't want to think about Al. And he didn't want to think about his mum either.

Shivers of cold ran through his back as he cried. The place he was in was damp and freezing. His warm red coat seemed to be long lost and the rest of his clothes were wet. He sneezed. Like he didn't feel bad already, but this too!? He just wanted to get back to Roy, damn it! He missed the man! Yes! He admitted it, he missed him, he missed his warmth, his gentle touch, his stupid teasing, the feeling of safety lingering around him! He missed him standing next to him in the darkness, in the fucking darkness which was swallowing him even now! He just wanted to cuddle next to him! And he didn't even know if the man was alive! And he was probably never going to find out judging by the way things looked! Would he see him too after death? Would he see anyone after death? His head hurt just so much… It was so hard to think, but he just couldn't stop!

He tried to lean back comfortably but failed with his attempt. The tears finding their way to his mouth were making him so badly thirsty that he almost tried to roll over and try to get some dampness of the ground to his mouth. If he'd just listened to Roy he wouldn't be there, Roy had just been thinking about the best of him once again. And he had dared to run off and ignore it. Once again. If he hadn't left maybe he'd hear news about him soon, maybe he would be crying on the comfortable sofa instead of this hard ground which seemed to be made of cement. He started wailing.

God Roy, just be OK. Be OK and save me. I want to see you so much… you don't deserve to die because of me.

He heard footsteps coming closer.

Roy woke up feeling numb and tired. He groaned and moved his right hand slightly to a little more comfortable position.

"Colonel? Colonel, are you awake?"

"Roppy, god you scared me!"

"Roy? How are you feeling?"

"Colonel, thank god-!"

The sudden voices were making his head hurt. And talking about pain, his body was slightly in pain too. He opened his eyes which watered for a brief while because of the sudden bright light almost blinding them.

His mum, Riza, Maes, Havoc, Breda, Fuery and Falman. He felt honoured to have them all in there.

Just one person was missing. He groaned again.

"Where's Ed?" he managed to say hoarsely. His mum seemed a little defended and Riza sighed.

"We haven't told him yet, Roy."

Roy snarled. "Why?"

"Because nobody of us was willing to pick him up before you woke up and we didn't want him to come here alone because Root is still on loose."

Typical Riza. So military-like and loyal. But sometimes her decisions just didn't make people happy. It kept people alive but left them grumpy.

He raised his eyebrows sleepily. "Oh. Can someone go and get him now?"

Riza nodded and bowed before leaving the room, eyeing the other military men to follow her as she did. Roy was left in the room alone with his mum.

"How are you feeling, Roppy?" she asked concernedly. Roy sighed and closed his eyes.

"Honestly", he started and felt a small smile rise on his lips, "probably worse than ever."

Ed growled furiously as his kidnapper stepped in front of him, carrying a small tool box on his right hand.

"Always have a plan B, Edward", he said and kicked him right at his face. Ed got sand in his mouth and tried to spit it out but with dry mouth he wasn't succeeding that well. He could feel the sand crunching uncomfortably as he clenched his teeth and rubbing his already dry throat.

"You shot Roy", he spat out, making the man laugh, obviously out of maliciousness. He felt his left hand clinching to a shaky fist.

"I've never really shot anyone before. I was amazed that I hit. And full three times. Poor man wasn't looking good." He finished his sentence with a crazy laugh. Ed tried to kick him with his still moving untied right leg but the man was too far. His face immediately changed from crazy to pure disgust and fury. Ed felt cold shivers running up and down his spine.

The man stepped on his leg and Ed gasped. It wasn't like the man was gentle, actually the exact opposite.

"You should learn to respect people bigger than you, Mr. Elric", Root growled dangerously and leaned closer to him. Ed could smell his breath on his face. His whole body was shaking as Root slapped his cheek. God, like he hadn't gotten slaps in there enough already with Mrs. Mustang!

"I don't respect people like you", he snarled and the man backed away to his tool box and pulled out a knife. Ed froze. The man pinned his leg down again and ran the knife's edge down his throat. Ed didn't dare to move.

"I don't respect people like you either. 'Hero' they say. But you're nothing but a cold murderer. You serve the military with your abilities that could help people. And what do you do? Cause an upraising that kills my family, many of my friends and many, many other people. You're no hero" he said dangerously and let the knife sink in Ed's chest. He held back a scream but couldn't help gasping loudly.

"What upraising?"

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Root purred and Ed clenched his teeth as the man slid the knife away. He felt blood dropping down his shoulder and making him feel even dirtier. Where was Roy when he needed him!?

"No", he snarled and took a deep breath before gazing stubbornly to his captor's eyes. "And answer me." He wasn't getting away alive and he knew it. The man was just having fun for now but he'd have the guts to kill him. Or did he? But he'd killed Al and shot Roy… did he kill Roy too? Ed didn't know but he felt tears in his eyes once again as the man raised his eyebrows and smiled.

"Lior's", the man snarled and Ed coughed.

"Lior? I didn't-!? I couldn't!?" he gasped and the man pushed him hardly against the pipe. Ed felt pain in his arm. If the man was going to push a few inches more it was definitely going to break.

"Oh yes you could, Edward. Your little trip in here was like drawing a bloody cross in the map. You've killed a lot of people. I can't be the only one who waits for your painful death…"

No… no! He couldn't! He had just eliminated the bloody traitor-priest in Lior, he had done nothing to cause an upraising! …Or at least that hadn't been what he had meant to do! He thought he'd saved the town, he thought the people there were going to be OK! He thought they'd get a better life! No! This wasn't what he wanted! He had caused people's death… He was a murderer himself. The thought sink in his mind and made him want scream and cry and cuddle to his mother's arms, but it wasn't like he had a mother. Making that… creature… and watching it die just in front of him…

God, he was a murderer… Who was he to blame others if he was one himself? It was like all the innocence left in him that he had been trying to protect was now permanently gone. There was nothing. There was nothing but the cold and the pain. The blame. The screams. He was so alone, he didn't even deserve anyone after all he had done. What would Winry say when she'd find out?

Why hadn't he gotten told about it!? Why!? Why had Roy kept it as a secret, god, just why?! Did he think that things would be different if he didn't know? That he'd be more innocent? Did he want someone so burdened as his son anymore? Did he see him as a murderer too? Had he accepted the fact that he was?

"Tell me… how's Roy? Is he alive?" Ed questioned desperately. He knew he shouldn't show his weak side to his captor but he couldn't help himself. He was just so worried… what if Roy was dead..? What if the last person who had stood there for him had died too..? What if Roy was gone, forever unreachable to him? It was so hard to breathe… It was so hard to do anything anymore.

"Roy? You mean that guy I shot?"

Ed nodded and looked the man in his eyes. Would the man even know anything about Roy? Would he know? Did Roy even have any chances? He must have, he's Roy!

"Oh. Sorry Elric, but he must be long gone already. Three bullets, blood everywhere. He didn't have many chances for survival", the man said and stepped back to his tool box. Ed started crying. Was Roy dead? Was he really dead? The world was so cold… He sneezed but it hurt his throat and made him feel fuzzy. The man put the bloody knife back into the tool box and stretched his hands.

"You're going to regret the day you stepped in Lior", he said dangerously and kicked Ed in his ribs. Ed felt his hand against his back breaking and screamed. The man was over him, kicking and punching his sensitive spots. Ed even threw up a few times during the man's kicks in his stomach.

He cried. He cried now that he still could. Because after all the years he had held everything in he needed just this one chance to get it all out.

"…He isn't here", Riza said after they had turned the office upside down ten times. Every officer was starting to panic. Fuery was shaking.

"If he's not here, where is he?" Breda asked and grabbed Havoc's cigarette just in time Havoc didn't bit it off and threw it out of the window. As usually Havoc took immediately a new one from his pocket.

"Maybe he was hungry?" Falman asked. Havoc shook his head.

But after fifteen minutes they were sure that Ed wasn't eating. At least in the military building. The men were watching Hawkeye rip some of her hair to half.

"I can't believe it! Where can he be?!" she bellowed furiously. Fuery tried to calm her down but gave up the idea after getting her gun pointed between his eyes.

"Go and ask. Ask everyone if anyone's seen him", she ordered and they split up. Ed was better be alright.

What would they say to Roy if he wasn't?

Ed spat out blood after the man was finished for that time. He had gone to somewhere else and Ed was lying limply against the metal pipe and trying to force air in his aching lungs. At least there was one good thing in this state. Even though the blood tasted bitter and horrible anyway he was getting something wet down his throat.

His whole body was trembling and every inch of his body ached like hell. He was hungry but even if he'd gotten something to eat he doubted that he could keep it in. He was feeling nauseous and his head ached harder than ever. He could feel a thick line of blood running down his bruised face. The loss of blood wasn't helping at all. He felt so horrible that it felt unexplainable.

His whole life had been suffering, but he had never suffered more than that day, that moment. Everything he had held dear to him was gone and he was a puddle of blood on the damp and hard floor, unable to even move freely. He had caused so many people's death that if the devils of hell existed they were going to welcome him with wide arms. This hadn't been what he had wanted from him life. He had wanted to live in harmony with everyone, have a happy, whole family and live in the countryside.

It was amazing how he had kept dreaming and dreaming of it even after he knew that it was never going to happen. He was so naïve himself that it was hard to see how he had called Roy naïve. He had never really gotten to tell the man how much he'd loved him. How he really felt. How he had let Roy to be part of the very few people he called his family. He loved his family, he was willing to do so many things for every member of it. And now he had lost one of it again. One that had made him feel happier during the dark times. His moonlight.

How much he wished that he'd see the faces of his dead family once he died too.

It wasn't going to be long until that if things went on this way.

He would soon get in the arms of his loving mother, brother and the person he considered as his father.

"Riza!" Havoc yelled as he spotted the blond woman pointing two men angrily with her gun. "A few guys remember telling him about the colonel and saw him running away after asking about the hospital!"

Riza cursed under her breath as the two men saw their chance and ran away. Breda and Fuery, standing beside Havoc, had already been informed about the seriousness of the situation. Riza sighed.

"Alright, no time to waste. Havoc runs and checks the hospital and if he's not here I'm sorry but I guess you have to tell about his disappearance to the colonel-"

"Why me…" Havoc muttered but ran away as he was ordered. Riza rolled her eyes as she went on.

"Fuery goes to look for Falman. You two will go and ask if people have seen him on the streets, just try to find him, OK? Breda comes with me. Now."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE'S DISAPPEAREAD!?!?" Roy bellowed from the top of his lungs to Havoc whose cigarette fell to the floor. He quickly stepped on it to prevent a fire. Roy's mother slapped his son's cheek grumpily.

"Don't strain yourself, Roppy."

"…He's not there and somebody remembers him running out of the building", Havoc explained, ignoring Roy's mother's sentence. "I tried to warn Riza about rumours but she didn't listen and here's the result. We have no idea where he is. It's highly possible that Root has him."

Roy tried to get up but his mother forced him down.

"Mum, you need to let me go, he needs me-" he started but before Roy's mother managed to even open her mouth Havoc pushed the colonel back to his bed.

"You're going nowhere, colonel. You're going to stay in the bed as long as you need and judging by the way things are it might take a quite a while. We'll handle this."

Roy shook his head disbelievingly. "You can't just expect me to lie in my bed when Ed's in the hands of someone who wants to kill him!?"

"Yes I do, and you're going to do exactly that!" Havoc yelled back. "Do you think you're any kind of help for him in that condition?"

Roy shut his mouth but snarled furiously and tried not to move his shot shoulder. The bullets had hit his shoulder, left leg and left side. "I want him back alive, Havoc. And I want that maniac back behind bars. You understand?"

"Yes colonel! I'm on my way to help!" Havoc yelled and ran out of the room. This had better work out.

The man was cutting his left leg deeply, making it bleed heavily. Ed was feeling so fuzzy that it was hard to even really focus to the pain. He grunted.

"…How did you get out of the jail?" he asked sleepily. He gasped as the man cut deeper.

"With pure intelligence. None of your business", the man growled as an answer. Ed shrugged.

"After you've killed me… will you go back…?"

The man didn't even laugh. "No. After that I'll kill myself. Way better than jail."

"…I want you back to jail… for what you did for my brother…"

This time the man laughed. "I didn't get a punishment for that."

Ed froze. "…What?"

"No body, no evidence and that colonel of yours didn't risk telling that your dead brother was just a soul in the armour. All I got was a few tens of years because of you."

"…That can't be..! It can't be! Al..!"

The man stroked the knife in Ed's left arm. He screamed. "It's funny how I got away from it. Blame your colonel in that one."

…And for the first time during the whole kidnap Ed really hoped that Roy had gotten a painful death.

I apologize how unclear it was... I'm feeling sleepy here...

Review? Pretty please?