Giving In

by Naked Doll

He wants everything you can imagine: money, status, women, power, the finer things in life. But only after the horrible fall of his comrades does Greed attempt to keep the only thing that he has left safe from his Fathers grasp. A treasure he thought he'd never possess. "Talk about cheesy…" GreedxOC Rated M for (Adult situations, violence and smut)

25. Chapter 25 I Can't Resist

Story Time! You all know what that means grab whatever snacks and beverages you have and enjoy the drama drama and more drama! Because why not drama?!

Note: Thank you all SO SO SO MUCH for your comments and favoriting, its always heartwarming to see how many of you Greed Fans are out there and to know that I am not alone. Also thank you for those whom have given me a few ideas in the past in order to help these stories along, they really do help me out, especially on days of endless writers block. I HATE THAT!

Now! As much as I would love to bear hug all of you, I think we have more exciting and erotic matters to attend to...By the way Id like to praise this chapter with a song by Madeline Juno called Into the Night that I thought would fit well for this very emotional roller coaster ahead. WARNING...Yes, again!~ This chapter will be longer than my other chapters (yes, longer) since there's a little more to cover, so get comfortable and let's get started! Sorry for any errors in advance!

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Chapter 25: I Can't Resist

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"Hold on, you're saying she absorbed the damn thing! Why didn't you stop her you idiot?!" Envy crossed his arms and leaned forward as he looked to Greed and the one and only Father after they had heard all about the hybrid and her attacker, Sven Collins a son and nephew of two long time trusted and well known scientists who was changed into a chimera over the course of Ellie's creation and had become unstable after the death of his father, "What did you want me to do, jump in the middle of a cross fire between the philosopher stones? No thanks. From what I could tell of the guy she killed there was nothing left of him."

"Ha, pussy."

"Say what you want Envy, you weren't there to see what happen. Right now she's in the infirmary."

"Aaand no one's noticed her ears and tail? What an idiot you are Greed, don't you have any common sense to bring her back here?! She's a chimera!"

"Okay well there were too many people that witnessed me leaving the scene so I couldn't just stroll back. I made sure she was taken care of by people that wouldn't blab about her. So chill out spaz." Father being silent, had already been contemplating on what he had heard. After hearing everything through his son, he knew that the girl's new ability was just the beginning. He then smirked and stood before his sons. Wrath, and Pride included who had been standing silently behind Greed, "So the stone fused with her own..."

"I don't know. All I know is it disappeared after she finished off Collins."

"Then my son, I do believe that you've just witnessed more than a fight between the stone. What you witnessed...was a single being able to exceed even my own abilities." They weren't entirely sure what he meant at first, so he explained, "The girl already has a link to the other side of the gate prior to this. We all know this. And how, well...Her link..." He then pointed to his head with a tap of his finger, "Is here..."

"What? That's impossible!" This couldn't be true. They had been attempting for years to make chimeras, homunculi, and all kinds of assortment of creatures, but never in their long years of living had this been achieved. And that was a given, "There's no way!" Envy exclaimed but his Father silenced him with a hand.

"There is. Because of the girl's blood line, strong will, and previous operations, this girl has had a special connection to the portal ever since she was a child. And since then her soul has become even more in tune with the stone until the day we took the risk of fusing her with another creature. It didnt stop there. Not only did it bring her back to the land of the living as a toddler but as a woman as well. Not too long after going into Dublith with the last avarice did her soul give into our side of the genes." Of course the term was used loosely, "Then when I sent Envy on a task to kill her again the stone made it possible for us to create the first unknown species we've named the hybrid. Her gift has made it so the stone will never cease to exist." The last part made his lips curl into a grin, causing Greed to feel a disgusting chill crawl up his spine.

"We've actually created an immortal being with a conscience." Pride interjected, "There's no telling what she's capable of if she becomes unstable again. Next time she could destroy us within the blink of an eye. This...woman, is wielding god-like capabilities and It feels like an insult to have such abilities wasted on an ignorant brat." Wrath looked so angry and sour but instead clenched his fists behind his back until they shook.

"Sounds a little cliche. So if she has a bitch fit her mutated stone will give her unlimited power as she sees fit?"

"She can still do that whether or not she's upset. I know, I've watched her throw a boulder at my head and look through walls a second later. She can basically do whatever comes to mind.." The palm tree huffed but retorted as calmly as he could through a grin, "Then we should kill her now before it's too late..." Envy retorted bitterly saying this to the family who made no reply until Father began to speak again, this time playing with the length of his beard as he regarded it, "It doesn't sound any different from her any of her own findings. I remember her figuring out on how to make things disappear out of thin air. And Envy your time in Gluttony's belly, didnt you mention the girl being able to talk to you through him?" When his son looked at Envy the homunculus could only stare back wide eyed before he huffed back and looked away from his creator. But he couldn't deny the truth, "Yeah, she did."

"That means the girl is fully aware of what she possesses." He then eyed each of his sins carefully, with a glare that gave his golden hues a bloody red, "We can't be sloppy on this one. We must bring her back without having to cause any collateral damage."

"Wait, what are you saying? You're going to perform more tests on her?" It was when Greed spoke up did Father fall silent under his avarice's suspicious worries, and he had already revealed too much. Also, with no one keeping an eye on the girl except for Pride's shadows, he knew he needed someone to bring her back, and for that knew that in itself would not such a simple task. They needed someone she trusted, someone that could talk her into coming back without the probability of angering her, "She will not be permitted to leave her quarters until I've decided otherwise. Is that understood?"

"Sure sounds good to me." Envy replied grinning happily.

"As you wish sir." Pride didn't say anything but for the other two being more than willing, Greed was not, "You know she's just going to fight back. What do you expect us to do, drag her back here even though she can still kill us with a single thought?"

"That's why I will leave you in charge of this matter, and if you do not do so I will have someone else do it for you. I can boil you down like the last Greed instead, since you seem to be so fond of this woman after merely, as you put it, 'babysitting'. I'll have you know the last avarice had also taken aliking to this vixen and like him I will end you if you interfere!" His demand was as acidic as acid when they oozed from his dead pan mouth. He meant every word and it was more of a promise if he didn't do as he was told, "No, that won't be necessary. I can do it."

"Can you? I'm starting to doubt whether or not you can pull this off." Wrath wasn't helping but with a straight face he glared back at the two staring back with mocking eyes. Envy was still grinning like an idiot the whole time, but Greed looked passed it, "I'll bring her back, just let me handle it." He replied gruffly.

"And why should we trust you?" Asked Envy.

"Do you want to take the suicide mission freak?" He retorted back just as smooth to cause his brother to growl, "Fine. Do what you want its your funeral pest! I hope she mops the floor with your ugly mug!"

"Ha ha! Ugly? Talk about calling the kettle black." With the fued defused Envy walked away apparently mumbling along the lines of him having more important matters to attend to. Wrath and Pride's child body followed in suit to leave the Avarice to his thoughts.

Father had been sitting at his desk and sat down with a new book flipping through pages searching on things that could ease certain questions, or so Greed assumed. When he was about to leave the room, his Father called upon him once again when his hand grasped the handle, "Greed. She will fight you every step of the way, but if you must lie to her to lure her back make it so. I want her here. Now."

"Yeah. I got it." With another uneasy chill running up the man's spine Greed could only stare intensely at the halls and tunnels he soon began to stroll. He was already on his way to meet the woman clenching his fists so tight he had to shield his hands in order to make sure he wouldn't pierce his own skin.

The girl wasnt even awake yet, he knew that since Wrath had to come and find him. And after reporting the news he was starting to regret telling them anything. The whole way back to the hospital all he could think of every scenario in his head on how he would tell her and how she may react. He still hadn't been able to talk to her about what happened to her the night of the incident, now he had to tell her that she would have to be imprisoned in her room until the promise day knowing that she would be used and tested on again. You're not really going to hand her over to those monsters are you?

"What else am I going to do? If I don't I'm going to get my ass handed to me. That means we both suffer the same fate prince so unless you have a better idea I need to hand her over." Greed didn't want to admit it but he could sense the grim look Ling was giving. He had disapproved greatly of this, and the feelings were mutual, I don't. All I know is that you shouldn't. You know what they will do to her once they have her. They will do terrible things to her Greed. They will break her over and over again until there's nothing left of the Elise we knew. She will be a shell of her former self. So tell me Greed, when that happens, and everything is set in stone, how are you going to be able to live with yourself? Without realizing it Greed had stopped in mid walk for no more than a moment before he walked into the building. There were two nurses at the front ddesk, and as always Greed attempted to smirk at them to get their attention, "Hello sir, looking to see your friend I see."

"I sure am. How is she doing today? Any good news?" There was a small glance given between the two nurses before they smiled and led him to the room, "I heard she was whispering in her sleep. Its not much but its showing signs of progress. I can't believe it's been three days and already her vital signs are showing tremendous improvement. She's an incredible woman for being able to survive a horrible accident like that."

"...Yeah...She is." This is NOT helping lady. Damn it I feel like a jack ass. I should feel like one, I am about to hand her over. I...I don't have a choice. I have to. "Here we are. Someone was here earlier, but he left on offical business. He said he'll back later."

"Was it by any chance the Furher?" He really hoped that wasn't the case, but since he did just talk to him and the others he had to be sure. He could only imagine what would happen if Elise had awaken to see Bradley there ready to interrogate her. What a mess that would've turned out to be, "Oh no, I think he was a Major if I'm not mistaken." He already knew who that could've been but said nothing since he was pretty relieved to hear it was a friend of hers that the former. The nurse then led him into the room. There in the small hosptial gerny near a new freshly arranged vase of roses laid the slumbering kitten with her ears tucked behind bandages and her lower half covered by a thin sheet to hide her tail.

Greed had a feeling that was also the Major's doing before he left, with the flowers containing a small note inside that read 'Get Well Soon, From the Armstrong Family', a slightly smiled the card but turned his attention back to Elise. Her bruises as well as her scars had fully healed but her face still seemed to have somewhat of that sickly look upon her. Her body was was and looked as if she was in discomfort, "Let me know if you need anything." The nurse finally said, "I'll be back soon with a routine check up."

"Thanks." Once the woman had left the avaricious kept his eyes on the girl in front of him, the late morning sun made the side of her body shine, keeping her at a normal body tempature. He checked her head just to make sure, and as he checked both sides he cupped the side of her face and slowly began to drift off into his thoughts again. It was just him and Elise now, alone again, and in every sense of it Greed enjoy the moments caressing her cheek and studying her face. And as he began to remember what his Father said a deep frown took his face. He then ever so softly pressed his forehead to the girl's and closed his eyes hoping she could sense him like before, "Hey Doll..." There was no answer but soft breathing while he continued on with a worried look taking his face, "I hope you're not hiding from me in there. Although, I wouldnt blame you if you were. Whatever you're dreaming about has got to be a hell of alot better than this." He wasn't sure why he said that. It wasnt as if he wanted her dead. But if his father gets his hands on her she sure going to wish it. He didn't know what he was going to do when she woke up, but he for once in his life asked for forgiveness. He repetitively asked her in his head if she could ever forgive him, but deep down he couldn't even forgive himself for what he was to do to her. He would have to let the devil swallow her.

But not before putting her through the ringer to make sure what she possessed was indeed real. Would he really be able to let them take her? Would he allow his father to take such a decent human being and destroy her until there was nothing left of her but the pure power to take her abilities in as his own. "Fuck...!" He cursed in a whisper just inches away from her face now with closed lids and his souls ablaze in the most conflicting and difficult decision of his known existence.

And while Greed constantly fought with himself, Elise was having problems of her own. Through broken static, and like any other dream, she was forced into a weakened state unable to move any limbs as if some one were holding her there. It was silent at first, but the further she fell into her dream the more she began to hear whispers seep in. The voices just like before were familiar to her, this time, they soon began to become louder for her to hear them. All of them calling her and asking where she had gone. Why couldnt they find her? They asked so much so that they began to plead for her help. Each voice was different, but she knew who they were. Her brows bent in pain, sensing and feeling every ounce of their deaths one by one. They became like a wall around her repeating themselves, over and over again, Elise...

Ellie...

Miss...

Help us...Please Elle...The whispers and mind numbing memories of what had happened that night down in the tunnels of Dublith came to her. She could see albums of her friends being shot by military personel. Each shot being burned into her skin as the men pulled their triggers. But, the ones that made her twitch and convulse in her sleep were those of her closest companions, of Dorchetto and Roa being torn to pieces by Bradley's blade. The homunculus was just too fast for them. They were good, but whatever that man Bradley possessed as a homunuculus was surely no match for them. She sensed it like her friends had sensed it. Feeling their fears and last thoughts before they had left their bodies and became apart of this vortex of Hell inside her. She felt everything they did that day, and even more so when she felt a sense of betrayal.

From what? Why would they feel so betrayed that their souls cried out in pain. Was it because of her? Did they believe that she was the reason for their deaths?

Before this could be questioned, the static and voices proceeded to get louder, and in a moment came to an end leaving her heavy and almost feeling as if she couldn't move. She felt so tired that even after feeling the hand of someone touch her face she could see who it was. Her eyes just remained closed while the person caressed her face so sweetly. Her name was called in an echoed whisper near her cheek, their lips were barely touching her skin before they pulled away to face her. Her heart ached at this because even she couldn't make out anything, until she used her other senses, "Oh..."

Kitty... She wanted to believe that her mind was playing tricks on her, but when she tried to open her lids she got a blurry glimpse of that handsome symmertical soul she had been waiting to see. His soul portray his ultimate shield, and like that her tears were apparent, "Why...Why can't I be with you..." Her question was even quieter than a whisper, her own being crushed under the weight of all this pain and sorrow she relived every second of every day. There was never any rest for her, and there was no time for a glimpse of happiness. She closed her eyes unable to hold them open any more, but when she let out a breath the soul answered kissing the corner of her cat like ears, with its fingers interlocking with hers as tight as they could. He brought his chest in closer and held their hands between them, when he replied in a distant voice, as if he was too far away to hear, yet just in ear shot to catch his faded words, I'm sorry...

"Sorry...?" When he bowed his head sadly her eyes opened up more, fighting the numbness of her limbs until she could raise her other hand to grasp his shoulder. Unfortunately, the time of her slumberbwas coming quickly to a pass. His soul was pulling away, and fading away until he was translucent, flowing passed her embrace.

A gust of air froze in her throat and her eyes widened completely scared to be left alone again. This couldn't be over. Not yet. She didn't want him or any of them to leave her alone. It shook her body until the panic reached her hands and when she tried to grab for the Avarice, it became useless, "No...Please! Don't leave! I don't want to be alone again! I can't...I can't do this by myself!" There was no stopping it. The more she cried for them the faster they all diminished into the endless walls of tortured souls crying and yelling out at her as well, "Please come back! Come back!" Her body moved so slowly unlike theirs, and before she could even start to run, the walls around her began to fluctuate between blood red and a brighten light that beat to the sound of her own heart. The screams and whines again began to drive the kitten mad, closing in until they surrounded her fragile form hunched over with her ears covered to attempt tp drown them out.

But it hurt. It hurt so much to be in an abyss of anguish. Others screaming just as badly as she wanted to scream. Once the loud obnoxious tones hit the inside of her skull she soon realized that those screams were of her friends, crying out. She hated that sound she hated the images flickering with every panicked breath, "Stop..." Her world began to spin, and the sound of memories past muttered behind the screams.

Things they had said to her or each other, her interactions with them, their laughter and jokes they've told. Every experience with a soul was becoming unbearable. She was going to snap if they didn't cease. They were in her head ringing scream after scream until her hands went from her head to her ears. That also seemed to be proven useless and when she couldn't take much more the panther lost it with an outburst, "Stop! I'm begging you!" She tried to plead with them again but when it did nothing, she cried harder until she was sobbing and curling in a fetal position, "Please..." before her world faded out all she could mutter through clenched teeth was, "Just stop already!" Her teary orbs suddenly opened, but only now to the sight of the dead corpses laying under her feet. What she didn't realize was as she jumped away in a blood curddling shriek from the ghost haunting her very soul, her body in reality had also jumped in defense right into two nurses who had come to check up on their patient.

Luckily for Greed he was just out of reach when this happened, but the next thing he knew one of the nurses were calling in a doctor while the panther thrashed and screamed at them in utter terror, "I need a doctor in here!"

"No don't do that-,"

"Sir step back!"

"Gr! I'm telling you that's a bad idea!" As much as the staff were trying to merely do their jobs, Elise's eyes were on the verge of opening. And when they did the situation went from bad to worse, when she laid her sights on two strange people in white holding her down, "Uuugh! Ahhh! Not again! NOT AGAIN!"

"WAIT!" He had to push one of the women out of the way to grab the girl just in time before Elise decided to extend her claws on an innocent bystander, "No! Noo!" She cried out in a weak raspy voice, but it only covered the strength she was using to push him back. He actually had to use more force than he thought necessary. He gripped her forearms in retaliation to hold her in place while she kicked and screamed in what sounded like horror, "It's okay, it's okay! Take it easy Ellie! It's alright!" The second Elise heard his coaxing voice she progressively snap out of it, and realizing he was the one holding her

Her once tightly shut lids fluttered open to show her irises changing from violet to Greed when she acknowledged to see none other than the avaricious trying to reach her with a deep desperate feature etching into his face, "Ellie? Ellie can you hear me?" At first she was skeptical about her surroundings,, unsure on whether or not if it was real.

The last thing she remembered was the dream and that was it. Yet, It became apparent when she saw Greed's face looking back at her, she couldn't resist to touch his the side of his cheek to make sure she was in reality. Then it all came back, her abduction, and Sven Collins, a once considered comrade, dying by her hands after he had the gull to berate her friends corpses in front of her. Every little detail came back in one go, even the part where Greed had come to her rescue.

Upon meeting a softened gaze in Greed's violet eyes, and his grip loosening on her arms, the homunculus also brought a hand up to the side of her head to let her know that she was in safe hands,.and no longer in danger.

She made no reply to his question since she was too stun to do so, but after seeing someone other than the dead she finally let her distraught features fall into utterly relief, so much so her eyes began to water at the same time she let out a breath she had been holding in. Regardless, Greed smirked with his own relief washing over him, to see the girl conscious and awake from her temporary coma. Unfortunately, her relief didn't last long on account that her expression she gave was one of utter fraught after she came to realize, "Am I awake?" As if the nightmare still wasn't over.

He agreed. She couldn't be any more closer to the truth. Her eyes were wide and her complexion paled to the bone as if she had seen a ghost. When her eyes flooded over her lips quivered to the sight of a friendly face. Immediately her emotions got the best of her, and with a deep loud exhale Elise threw herself into the man's arms and began to cry in between short tender gasp. It was the only thing he could hear coming from the sudden embrace, along side the feel of hot tears soaking the front of his shirt when she nuzzled her face into him.

Another frown took the avarice's lips and his eyes narrowed at the sight of this amazing woman in front of him a complete mess and shaking like a leaf. How she had gone from an all powerful god like creature capable of destroying anything and everything, to this. All he could see was a scared little girl trembling and holding onto him for dear life. His guilt slowly began to overwhelm him when he heard meek mutters coming from his chest,, "Please no...Please no...Please, please, please..."

In the end he found his arm wrapping around her while his other pet the top of her head, and over her tucked back ears. He didn't move from his spot either, he just sat on his knees and let the panther have her moment to recover, "It's okay. Just take a deep breath." It took her an hour to calm down long enough for the nurses and doctors to make sure she was alright, and once she got to know these people more Elise had found some common sense to get along with them again.

Now she was sitting upright with her legs crossed and her back to the pillow with her eyes staring off tiredly at the wall in front of her. Greed was hunched towards her in his seat waiting for Ellie to say something. Unfortunately she had nothing to say and stayed mute and distant during their few moments alone, "You want to talk about what happen?" He asked softly trying not to spook her, but the panther still jumped at his words and huddled into herself, "Ellie, he's gone. He can't hurt you anymore."

"That's not true..." She whispered fiddling with her pinky's nail when she swallowed back the lump in her throat, "Even if he's gone, he did what he did because he felt as if I ruined his chances at being special. His own father was going to throw him away because I had taken what he felt was rightfully his. And when he tracked me down he didn't have the heart to take me at the time...I think in a way he was like me before all of this. Normal. We wanted to fit in as kids because our parents were obsessed with their jobs because we were ignored and neglected. And when the day came the wanted to use us, He refused to be the outcast, so he embraced his family's ways instead of seeing the big picture."

"And what would that be?" Greed didn't want to know, but curiosity was a curse for him, and when she gazed upon him she went from one amethyst to the next before giving an eerie yet sadden smile, "That we're all toys, used and disgarded as they see fit. No one is special unless they create you to be special. That's not acceptance. That's abuse. They made him completely insane because of it. There are all kinds of abuse out there, but I think the worse would have to be mental and physical. To make someone believe that their self worth is nothing if they dont meet expectations, that they have to throw their face in the dirt and get their hands dirty to appease them and realize that none of it was enough is cruel. They might as well have killed him to spare him the dignity..." With no reply she only assumed he agreed. His face said it all when she looked out of the corner of her eye to see him looking right at her almost emotionless, "You really shouldn't feel any sympathy for a guy like that though Ellie. He decapitated you and then held you prisoner in a place where you've been before. A place that caused you nothing but pain and misery. Where you were turned into a chimera. He didn't care that the place held a dark past behind it, or about you. And from what was down in that basement it's a good thing I came in time. Who knows what he would've done..." Even though Greed began to trail off into his own paranoid thoughts, the sound of him knowing what was in the basement was what made her gasp at him, "Y-You know what's down in the basement?" Shit, I shouldn't have mentioned that, she's still recovering! When Greed mentally cursed himself Elise returned his glance with a glare of suspicion, "What did you see?" Where she was expecting an answer, the avarice could only shake his head and keep his eyes away from hers.

She didn't like that, not one bit. She knew from the minute he hesitated there was something down in that mansion he didn't want her to find out about. Something so horrific he didn't have the heart to tell her what it was.

"Greed..." She warned suddenly under a chilling voice that even made Greed's hairs stand on end, "If you don't tell me right now what was down there, I will get the answers from you myself. One way or another."

"By what? Reading my mind?" He asked unafraid and not once raising his voice, making the girl stare back just the same before she replied back trying to keep herself from shaking, "Yes. I will. I've been patient so far, but I'm on really thin ice at the moment! I NEED to know what that...that THING was doing in that god damn basement! Tell me! I mean how could it be any worse from him dragging my friends bodies all the way from the Central morgue to here JUST TO PRESENT THEM TO ME ON HOOKS AND WIRES!" The homunculus eyes widen a bit but did nothing else when the girl sat up from the mat of her bed and straddled his lap to get to his shoulers and shake him, "Please! Tell me how it's any worse from him hurting my friends!" She surely would've cried again if his eyes hadn't gone from surprised to focused.

Even after hearing of what caused her to lose herself in the stone, he knew what he saw would be just as traumatic. He knew once he told her, she would blame herself for it. And while her desperate plea was heard, Greed sighed and softly put the small kitten back onto her bed, "First, you need to relax. You've just been through alot and your blood pressure is through the roof. Any more and the doctors will have to come in a check up on you-,"

"STOP CHANGING THE SUBJECT AND TELL ME!" When she yelled the entire room softly shook , causing the light fan to swing and nurse's equipment to scatter across the floor. Greed looked all around him seeing this and narrowed his eyes to the panther. His gaze did nothing to change the girl's outrage though. She tried to calm her breathing by clenching the bed sheets tight under her nails to find some common ground, but her patience had just been pushed to the limit after what Sven had done to her.

Unfortunately enough there was more, and since she wanted to know so badly he would give her what she desired. He would tell her with his head lowered and eyes towards the lines in the tiled floor, for even he was too disturbed and disgusted by what he saw to look her in the eyes as he told it, scene by scene, "It was just after I had said something about your disappearance to the soldiers outside the mansion. Armstrong hadn't been around to investigate the problem just yet, so, I went to see what I thought may have been a clue to where that bastard might have taken you." His eyes then closed and his intertwined fists tightened to hide an unknown emotion to Elise, "It wasn't..." He then paused, trying to find the words to tell her but he could only bounce his forearms on his thighs, "Doll I really think you should just leave this alone. What was down there? It was pretty bad."

"Please...Just tell me already." Truthfully the panther was terrified, scared of what it was that was so hard for Greed to say. But when he finally did, it hit the girl harder than she had expected, "It was room full of dead women. Before I left to go find you they had already hauled out over 90 bodies. All of them were women ranging from 18 to their early 20's, with black hair, and green eyes. All of them also seemed to have home made ears and tails placed on their bodies...well, at least for the ones that were still in contact." When she heard this she didn't know how to respond. She just stared at him flabbergasted , "...I can't even begin to tell you what he did to those women Ellie. It was beyond forgivable. The horrible things he did to them? It was obvious he had been practicing so that he could perform those same vile acts on you." She couldn't speak. How could she respond to that? This sick psychopath had done unspeakable things to these women, and not only that, he was dressing them up to look like her! She felt as if her mind had snapped again when she tried to fathom all of it. Her nightmare really was still going. Before she knew it she had thrown her back into the head board of her bed and pressed her hands into her temples, "Oh God..."

"I'm sorry Elle. I really didn't want to tell you."

"Well you did!" She tried to laugh it off, but Greed knew it was just her way of not being able to handle the news. To know what she had seen being dragged across the floor the first time she stepped into that hell hole. It was the women being brought into the house. This freaked her out so bad that she began to rock back and forth and cried hard, grabbing a pillow to bury her face into the cushion. Feeling as though all of it was her fault and more now than ever as she released a mighty scream into the pillow until she couldn't breath any more. There were no words to describe this terrible feeling. She felt absoultely horrible, cursed and branded to cause death where ever she roamed. It was a hex at its best.

Now at the end of her rope, and fed up, Elise was starting to believe that if she had never existed, none of this would've happened, "This is all my fault, isn't it?!"

"No, and don't you dare blame yourself for what he did. He was sick Ellie, really really sick, and the best thing you did in that situation was fight back. You fought and won. And you're alive because of it." He didn't know why he was saying all of this. Wasn't he about to send her to her death as well? Well, whatever the case it got the kitten to sniffle and wipe her constant tears from her eyes using her forearm, "It doesn't make me feel better when it's because of me he did it." Of course it didn't help so Greed leaned over next to the girl's night stand to pull out a tissue from its box handing it to her.

Once it was in her hands she took it and cleaned her face with it, "Look, you went through hell to get here, and you can't help everyone. It sucks but its true. Not to mention, right now we have a bigger issue. It's been three days since you've been out, and pops already knows about what happened to Collins and the stone." Just what she needed, more bad news. As she listened to this the panther couldn't help the roll her eyes and the shake of her head when she looked towards the tree leaves just outside her window, "Great...What does that bastard want with me now...?" She paused until she muttered a whisper under her breath, something she had asked herself once before, but had to ask each time life decided to take a turn for the worse, "Haven't I suffered enough?" To that Greed could not reply either, he merely looked away with a grim look on his face. He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortable with the whole thing. He liked the panther believe or not, and in the short amount time he had known her the last thing he wanted to do was hurt.

It hurt even more when he realized this, and unnoticeably began to grit his teeth. He wanted to tell her that everything was going to be fine and that she would get over this part of her life. But that was lie. It wasn't going to get better. It wouldn't, and he with each passing second closer to the mid afternoon, the more he was finding it difficult to keep to bringing her back. He couldn't, not in her condition. She wasn't showing it, but he had a feeling she already knew why. Once the room had fell into more awkward silence, the avarice was about to speak up in hopes of giving her some advice. But when he exhaled at the failed attempt, someone had knocked on the door behind him.

The two looked to see Alex Armstrong walking in with a box of some sort, but nothing prepared them for his sudden joyful outburst when he saw Elise sitting up in her bed, "OH MISS ELISE! THANK THE HEAVENS YOU'RE ALRIGHT!" She was even more surprised when he embraced her small body tightly against his barely chest. When did he take off his shirt?

Maybe he's a magician Greed couldn't stop the stifle when he heard Elise seep through his head, but unfortunately sometimes it couldn't be helped.

"Heh heh, h-hello to you too, Major. It's nice to see you again." She sounded tired, and already the Major had snapped out of his glee to see the woman's face, Are you alright? You look like you've been crying?" Before she could answer Alex was already in panic and ready to fight any one who had upset her, "WHO IS THE DASTARDLY VERMIN THAT CAUSED YOU SUCH DISTRESS! I WILL MAKE SURE HE PAYS FOR HIS CRIMES!"

"Oh you don't need to do that. The uh,...vermin is gone I can assure you. I'm just still under alot of stress is all. But thank you Major, thank you for coming to see me. Really, I could always use another friendly face." He smiled and bowed his head, putting his jacket back on as he pulled up a chair, "Well that's good to hear. And your wounds?"

"I'm fit as a fiddle.." She announced herself with a little more cheer in her voice, even giggled lightly to get both Greed and Armstrong to smile. It was the first time she tried to seem cheerful, but they both knew the pain was still lingering. So once Armstrong scooted forward and sat the box down on his lap, he took a deep breath and nodded, "Hm. And I can't even imagine what's going through your head right now. It's just aweful what that man did to you and those women. I have no sympathy for men who hurt the defenseless." She kept the smile all that she could, but the sadness was apparent then when she nodded biting her lip, "Yeah well, he's gone now. And I feel as though came here for more than just checking up on me." They were already making eye contact when she mentioned this, seeing Alex's eyes squint a bit before her lips fell nuetral, "Is there something on your mind?" And he could see that hiding it was futile. The Major had been waiting for a month to apologize about Dublith, about her befallen comrades, but as he stared down at the box his hand laid over in a protective manner he could longer hold in all the things Bradley said, about Roa looking for her. He needed to relay that message despite had already occurred, "Miss...I may know a few things about a certain recorded assault on a place you may recall. A bar called, the Devil's Nest." It almost didn't register when he said it but her eyes slowly widened while he continued, "While I was in charge of a group of soldiers we ran into your friends, the Ox, and the dog I believe. During my short time with them I learned that they were once comrades in arms...and I asked them to surrender so we could negotiate."

"Th-they wouldn't..." She barely whispered to the discovery of his meet with her friends down in the sewers. This man was there on the day of their deaths, and as much as she didn't want to believe it, Alex Armstrong was for one thing an honest person through and through. He had no reason to decieve her, and the gloom that was to come had revealed itself in his features as he told her the rest, "I know. And they didn't. But, the one thing that's stuck with me since that day is that they never got the chance to see their friend..A girl with dark hair, green eyes, and part cat..." Again there was nothing she could say, completely mute as her eyes began to water and her throat and chest began to ache, "I know...I know that part." She panted.

"Miss Elise... I can't tell you how sorry I am that I couldn't stop what happened to them. There were times in my life I couldn't stop alot of things because I was a coward. I was too afraid to talk out of line even after I was scorned for attempting to talk to your comrades, but...it would've done no good. They wouldn't have stopped until they found the friend, and that's what I believe my superiors were trying to do." There was a short pause before he finally placed a box dated on that fateful day in front of her, "And since I couldn't prevent their deaths, I thought it would be just as dishonorable to have these just thrown away, when these precious treasures should be given to that friend they never got to find." When he had opened the flaps Greed and Elise leaned towards it to see what was inside.

"Huh, looks like a bunch of antiques." The other homunculus didn't seem to make the connection, but when he saw Ellie dip her face into her hands with her emeralds still glued to the items in the box, "Where-, Why-,"

"We were asked to clear the Devil's Nest after everyone was exterminated, and once we boxed up all the evidence it was sent to Headquarters. And, when I saw you that day with the Elric brothers you told me who you were, I just had to give them to you. It's the least I can do to make for my crimes...for what I've done." She sniffled back trying with all her might not to cry again, to stay above water while she stared down at the few trinkets that had been brought to her. But the ones that stood out were the three military name tags just underneath one of her knick knacks. Compared to everything in that box, the name tags had gained the most sentimental value. She pulled them out, untangling them carefully one by one until she held them all neatly in her palm, reading each of them in her head.

The boys were quietly watched her do this when suddenly while she began to stare at them, her face fell emotionless, yet it couldn't be said for the water fall of tears pouring down her face. She closed her eyes, giving a soft gasp when she felt the resonance of her friends glued to those tags and as the memories of their souls came to her she finally found herself sobbing in the hand that held the metal necklaces. Oh how much she wanted to see that quiet ox again calling her Miss Elise when he'd need something from her or whatever else it maybe. She wanted to hear Dorchetto's smart ass puns so she could tackle him to the ground like she use to. She wanted to see Martel cracking up as the cat and dog squabbled on the floor in a failed attempt to get the other. Or when she would yell at them and get in the mix to break them up in the middle of the fight. Yeah, just that alone she missed. She missed the fighting, the laughing, the sparring, the crazy adventures of every day survival. The walks to the store to get a bar of chocolate. She even remembered the first time she fell in love with chocolate, and how it occurred. It made her cry back harder, not loud, but passionate enough to make the boy's faces fall in despair.

"Jeez who would've ever guessed you were such a bitch when you're on edge." Dorchetto was always the one to get the worse from the panther. When she had refused to come out of her room the first few weeks because of thw phobia of people, the gang realized right away that they had to think of her like an actual feline. And just like an abused animal they were going to have to lure her outside. Now, it was Dorchetto's turn this week to force the kitten into getting some fresh air. He even managed to get a black eye in the process and a lump over lapping his cheekbone, "Sorry...But you made me do it. You shouldn't have grabbed me like that. It was rude!"

"Rude? I carried you over my shoulder Kitty! Did that really call for a slug to the face! TWICE?!"

"W-Well I'm not use to it! I don't like being man handled and it was my first intial reaction!" She was fiddling with her thumbs when she noticed what a number she did on his face, "Im sorry, I'll fix this okay? If you want I have a little money for some antibiotics. And maybe when we get back we can put some ice on your cheek to bring down the swelling."

"Awe. I feel special Kitty-, wait where did you get the money from?"

"Um...From the last time I went out with Martel. She told me to keep the change." Elise still felt guilty for having money that wasn't rightfully earned by her, but the Snake didn't take no for an answer. And Dorchetto smirked at her knowing this already. In all truthfulness Martel had found a soft spot for Ellie before most people did, Dorchetto was definitel the second to become emotinally invested with this cat he roamed with. "Heh, then keep it. If she finds out any of her money went to me she'll consider it a debt."

"You two have a very odd relationship."

"Eh, it's no different from yours and mine, the only difference is she's ten times as violent as you." The pup chirped at the girl obviously trying to joke around, but when the panther pushed him softly with a bite of her lip the dog laughed blocking her force, "An arse you are, Dorchetto!." He laughed even more when he blocked her light force, "Ha ha! See what I mean. You are so cruel."

"Says the dog that's constantly pulling pranks on the cat." She retorted back in a huff crossing her arms with cheeks puffed and all. That was until Dorchetto noticed they were finally in the market place, and read a sign of chocolate samples just outside one of the merchant's stands, "Well I'll tell you what, how about I make it up to you by buying you some sweets. Huh? How about it?"

"Do I look like I'm five?" Her face was priceless to say the least, but Dorchetto could only snort under his breath and yanked the girl's arm softly to pull her towards the stand, "Come on, you're not a smoker, a drinker, or an optimist. It's time to let your hair down for once and stop being so up tight." That's right...he was also the reason she would open up every now again. It seemed to be in his dog-like nature to always see the glass half full instead of half empty. And it was just like her to fight back against him. A true cat and dog to the end. It really was.

"No matter where I go, you'll always be there won't you?" She finally heard her present self say, sobbing in a fetal position in front of two men who had make little sense of what she said. They both looked at one another and then looked back to Elise whose shoulders were shrugging more and more as they shook, "I can't do this any more. I really can't. I don't have the strength to go on if I keep seeing their faces like this. They're everywhere...Everywhere!" Armstrong frowned deeply placing a careful hand on her knee before he hanged his head low, "You can do it Miss." When she heard this from him the panther raised her heavy head wiping away her stain ridden face, "You can. I know you can. But there are also other choices you can make. Take some time to recover first, then decide on a plan. I didn't bring these here to bring you pain. I brought them here to show you that even your friends never gave up. They kept on going no matter how gloomy the end may have seemed. Take their morals, and learn from them. And try not to be so reckless." With that said the Major then bowed his head to the young homunculus and began his walk out the door, but not before looking back at Greed with a glare, "Make sure that she's safe sir. I probably won't be able to make any more visits after this unless it's under crucial circumstances."

"Sure, I got'cha." Armstrong didn't seem to like how Greed said that, his conscience heavy and easy to see that it was weighing him down. Unfortunately Armstrong couldn't say anything more, and turned himself to leave only to be face to face with none other than the Furher himself, "Oh, forgive me Furher sir I did not see you there." Elise had already began to feel him coming when Armstrong and Greed were giving their odd farewell and with those few seconds she shoved the tags deep into her hospital dress pocket and dematerialized the box just as she thought of it. When she looked back to see if it was still. It wasn't. She wasn't surprised like before but more relieved that Bradley didn't seem to notice; or so she hoped, "Furher Bradley? What are you doing here?"

"Hello Major, I was merely coming to check up on a special patient, and yey Ibelieve I should be asking you the same thing." Armstrong needed to make up an excuse fast, and although he couldn't really come up with one, Elise was the first to fib for him, "The Major was just paying his respects." All eyes turned to her ask she spoke, and her face remained the same, "He was the one that helped Greed bring me here, so he wanted to see that I was alright."

"Ah, I see." He then stared at Alex, observing his face and straightened posture, "Well, I can assure you Major this woman will be in good hands. After all, we take care of our own." His words couldn't be any more of a lie, and it made Ellie want to spit to hear it Go fuck yourself

"Of course sir." With that said Armstrong saluted his superior and then saluted Elise who in return gave a small smile, "Farewell Miss."

"Goodbye Major." Her fingers danced when she waved to him, an arm wrapping around one of her legs. But pass the small facade, Alex could see the sadness in her eyes, knowing that she knew the man who was standing before her. And to her, he was a prime target. Just as the door closed with a click the Major had stopped in mid stride at the sound of the Furher's cheerful tune changing drastically to nothing but a mere venomous tone, "Now, let's get to business, since Greed here hasn't really gotten the chance to do his god damn job." His once proud Armstrong posture was now hunched and with his head hanging low with grief his hands tightened in a hard grasp, wanting nothing more than to stop Bradley from causing this girl any harm. How he wish he had the guts to without holding back. But if he really wanted to take him down, he would have to wait. Elise would have to hold out for just a little while longer.

Because he knew of a few others that would assist in taking these monsters down for good, "I promise...Just-, a little longer." There were no words how terrible he felt walking away, leaving her like that. The only thing he could do was shed a tear that went unnoticed.

All while the three were now having an awkward stand off looking at one another. Greed just watched between the two as Wrath began to step forward, never releasing his locked gaze on the panther's emerald greens, "That's a very fierce stare you're giving me. Is there something you wish to say."

"What do you want?" She hissed with clenched teeth, but he did not flinch, instead he took another few steps forward until the woman had to raise her head to him, growling even more at his proximity. He was too close for her comfort and it didn't help that he was trying to make her feel only two feet tall, "I've come to make sure you haven't run off with those special little powers of yours. And since Pride has already made it clear that Greed does not have the stomach to tell you the news, I will. You have until night fall to return underground, if you don't we will be forced to come back, you got that?"

"Yeah I got that." She replied plainly, "But since you can see I'm still stuck in this fucking bed I can't leave any time soon, and I've already been told that you'd come after me a hundred times before you've even got here! So go do what it is you do best and order somebody else around!"

"This order is not from me, little girl." He leaned forward only to sit next to her, which she immediately moved away. Greed didn't seem to like what was happening either but crossed his arms and sighed to calm himself as he watched on, "This is coming from our Fatherl." She tried to turn herself more towards the window facing her back towards him to shun him away. She really didn't need this at the moment, but when he could see the lack of respect, Wrath gave a sour scrunch of his nose and grabbed onto Elise's shoulder with a light grasp. Although it was a soft, the reaction it caused on the panther startled the avarice. She gasped back gripping onto her legs as she went into a panting fit. Her eyes began to change again, fluxuating between the colors when she began to feel each memory of his imbed into her skull. Each teaching, each kill, and each opponent were there, even the day that he was brought to the labs was there before her eyes. What shocked her more was when she came to discover that, not only was he trained to become the next ruler of this country, but he was created by Father, with the help of her own parents. Her own Father really. And he was there smiling, chuckling that old smoker chuckle of his when he had successfully turned this man behind her, the Furher, King Bradley, into the aging homunculus known as Wrath.

And what came after caused her body to shake and her jaw to clench as she dug her nails into her legs, growling silently to herself, "He makes the decisions and we carry them out. He expects nothing but obedience from all his children. Including you, and Greed..." When he muttered this over her shoulder he was awkwardly close to her ear getting her to look back into his ocean green eye. She gasped loudly seeing what had occurred down underground by him just barely gripping her. It was all rolling through her head like a clash of tidal waves, each one being more painful and tramatic than the last.

And when her face paled, the avarice could tell that he was hurting her, "Wait, what are you doing?" Cautiously he asked this only realizing now that the man's firm touch was causing visions for Elise. Things she didnt want to see, and things that would destroy the one plan he was trying to carefully bring to light, "Hey that's enough!" He was about to pull his hand off of her, infuriated that Bradley was interfering like this, but he didn't have the chance to. Not when the panther took a good grip of his cuff and turned her eyes to him, her face went from utterly distraught to shockingly disgusted. By him, which surprised Greed, freezing him as she spoke, "You..." She started fiercely, "You knew they were going to take me away." At first he didn't know how to respond, he just stood there with his mouth agape wanting to tell her otherwise. But it was true, all of it, and she felt it gripping onto him tighter, "YOU KNEW THEY WERE GOING TO EXPERIMENT ON ME AGAIN?!"

"Ellie, I-," Before he could finish he noticed the lights tilting back and forth and flickering. Both him and Wrath looked above them, snapping their heads to the crack in the cieling when it slid down the wall. One of the outlets suddenly sparked as well just as the ground began to shake. Suddenly with a loud screeching cry Ellie sent the floor waving under their feet, and threw the two back into the wall with just a thought.

She sent them flying, nearly hitting a nurse and a patient on the way just before Ellie took a leap of faith out of the window with the break of the fragile glass. She didn't feel any of the cuts, she was too enraged to feel them as they slashed her forearms and legs. When she hit the ground the cuts had already healed, and just as quick as those scars were gone, so was she she was gone, vanishing into thin air to get away from the monsters that wished her dead.

Greed and Wrath had already recovered from the forceful push, but Greed seemed to have a harder time dealing with the fact that Elise was gone, and her bandages now laying on the floor just on the seal of the broken window, "Shit. Damn it Wrath why did you interfere! I could've handled it!"

"Yes but you were catering to the cat's feelings! And he wanted her down there now. Not later, now."

"Yeah well, it's going to take hours now! You might be the Furher, but you should've known about her telepathy!" At this he said nothing he merely looked up thoughtfully and hummed as he walked away, "I'm aware of it. I needed her to see the truth and what better way than to get it straight from the source itself." He stopped and gazed back through his good eye, glaring at the humanoid before him and gave a smug smirk, "Well what are you waiting for Greed? Go get her."

"Che, bastard..." He hoped Wrath didn't hear him say that, but part of him could only wish he would drop dead after pulling that stunt. He didn't do it because he was taking his time he did it so Elise wouldn't hate him, so he wouldn't have to send her back immobilized. Greed wasn't an idiot, but when it came to Elise he could only see himself as one. How was he going to get her back exactly without hating and not fighting back? And how would he find her when he had no idea where to look.

And now while he was on a wild goose chase, Ellie was jumping through walls and roofs left and right trying to find new clothes to use as a disguise in order to lose the people she hide from. It sucked having to steal from someone. Elise was not one for doing such an act but within a dire situtation for her life she felt she had no choice. It was either that or being caught in a patient's dress and that was awkward enough and very uncomfortable to be in while the mid day was beginning to be swallowed by dark grey clouds. A chill in the air was soon to follow after.

Now, she was wearing a black off the shoulder buttocks midi dress that was long in the sleeves and knee high which made it perfect for a cheap pair of heels she was also able to grab without notice. Once she was prepared for departured she wrapped her tail around her waist, and placed a black derby hat with white feathers coming off the side on her head to keep her ears hidden.

She knew it wasnt going to be enough to hide her but it was definitely a better disguise.

And now after already using so much energy to escape, she was weak, aching and felt on the verge of puking which was certainly surpassing her guilt for stealing fabrics she could make herself, but now she was nearly on the verge of puking after running a good couple of miles into a crowded part of the city where, since it was the weekend, plenty of the town citizens whether it be party goers, friends, families, or tourist alike, were out looking for the next big thing to catch their attention. Be it food or entertainers themselves, it was just one big festivity.

In a moments notice those memories on the night of the festival hit her harder than ever before. She was lost in mind and soul, still listening to the voices inside her head knowing that this time around they would no longer just remain in slumber. No, they were screaming, crying out in pain, almost on the verge of debating whether she should even keep running anymore. Why? They would only catch her again anyway. They would keep finding her and finding her and then what? Will she go on using fake names and hiding herself in the dark living on for eternity on earth? The thought became overwhelming. She didn't want to hide in the shadows again. Not after doing it for so long...and this time, she would have to do it alone.

When she spotted a big enough building to hide against Elise was quick in a dash to hide behind it and found herself gazing up at the mid day sun, her heart pounding in her ears so loudly she could hear it through the loud whispers swallowing her peace of mind, causing her to curl up on the grou d and hide her head between her legs. She wouldn't let anyone see them or hear her, but in that moment of trying to catch her breath, Ellie found her hands clutching her head and digging hard into her scalp as she debated her next move. Her next alternatives. Were there really any? Could she really go on alone? All alone without ever getting close enough to anyone because if she did she qould end up killing them. Either by them or her hands? What if she couldn't control what she was thinking and accidentally killed someone like Witty?

Not to mention Greed was going to be chasing her down no doubt and attempt to apologize or whatever it would be, and Elise would either have to make the decision of letting him take her in and give up or fight for her life again and kill him like she killed so many others. She remembered long ago when a certain cat had told a certain homunculus about how she wasn't a killer. But look at her now. Hiding away in the shade music hall like scum again, because she had become the scum she hated. She was a killer, she ran with killers, and was raised by them from the day she was born.

"I'm just like any killer...aren't I?" Pausing she looked up at the music hall she once stood behind and looked back to see a crowd of people, and seeing what looked like a man just like the one she once believed to be the hero. A dark one, but a hero none the less. But when she began to remember what Sven Collins had declared. A few words he had stated, her face sadden as her eyes filled with tears that never fell, "I'm just like you..." She muttered the muted words behind her teeth, the words being hers and hers alone.

When she had come to her senses and realized that the man she was looking at had looked nothing like the homunculus she thought, her eyes as well as her frantic mind grew tired of looking into the past. She had been for so long, and it was obvious her stone would curse her here to it if she did not end it now. What was worse? A quick death or a slow and long agonizing life of tests and people running after her? Wanting to hurt her.

Ellie closed her eyes tight as she turned to the doors before her, person after person with their groups crowded it as she heard the sound of her heels hitting the ground with each step towards the inside. To her, these steps felt as if they were her last. And it was almost revealing to think that. To know this would be the end. That maybe, just maybe, she could find some peace.

The final steps to the big stage for one last unforgettable evening. And with it came a loud clash of thunder and lightening in the distance over head, "I knew from the very first day we met on that hillside that it was in someone's wildest dreams to rule the world. And I was right. It was. But...even if it was still a dream, I still wanted to be apart of it. I want to...I want to be a part of your world again...even in death." One of the doormen were the first to greet her and closed the door behind her.

She would've never known that the thunder clouds had brought back a full on assault of nothing but rain that could've been mistaken for hail. But she did hear the thunder there was no mistaking that. And again, memories flooded back of that night in the warehouse. And the night the homunculi had attempted to capture her.

I can no longer stand this nightmare She thought as she gave a small uneasy smile.

Meanwhile a certain humanoid avarice was gritting through the cats and dogs soaking him to the bone while he looked around for the panther, "Ling I'm really going to need your help on this one."

Are you mad? I'm not helping you. You want to capture her and Ellie is still considered a friend to me believe it or not, so I will not assist you. Greed wish he could've growled louder than the rain but it was useless. This guilt was overwhelming him, and now even the prince is against him. He didn't like this. He didn't like that he felt as if he was killing Elise himself if he did this. But would he really go against his creator and his brothers for this special cat woman he seemed to be growing fond of? "What would you have me do then prince! Huh! If you want to protect her so badly where would you hide her with a homunculus out there whose prime objective is to keep an eye on people through shadows! Don't you think I want to keep her safe after what happen just as much as you do?! After all the crap! All these fucking disgusting emotions are engraved there whirling in my head like some kind of plague while Im soaking wet in the rain looking for her because I can't decide now on whether or not to keep her here! Those ass holes want me to bring her back so they can experiment on her and that's not what I want! I don't want to bring her back! I don't want to put her through anymore hell and thats coming from the Greedy himself piss ant! I don't want them to have her! Fuck! I've wanted her since the day she approached me! Like she knew me! Him! Whatever!" Suddenly he snapped back and realized again he had stopped running all together. He had been standing in the middle of the street soaking wet curling his fist with such a tight grip that he started to dig into his palm.

He was seeing that not only was she running from them, but from him as well. She was now terrified of him and that bothered him to the very core. When she grabbed him, he watched as her face changed from hurt to rage. All those emotions and it all pointed to betrayal. He knew it too. He guessed she had every right to run from him, but...

With a firm smack to his face his hand covered the side as he stared down at the pavement, guessing on his next move, "Did you see the way she looked at me? Every emotion she felt, Ling...I felt it too. All this kid has done is made me weak. I can't even carry out a simple order. So what do I do ? Can I really just throw her to the wolves when she's..." He trailed off looking up at the rain clouds hovering and flying over him, the sunsetting yet again for another day like some kind of sign that the answer was soon to reveal itself.

I don't know. But if it's consoling you want you may need to look within yourself for that one. Becuase Ive already asked you that before. So it's all on you Greed, but I for one will not sit by and let you kill her. Be aware you will have to fight both of us for her survival.

"Che, wow. You're not going to make this any easier are you?" Without a sound the avarice acknowledged that the prince had nothing to say and huffed rubbing his eyes of stress.

Suddenly a small melodious harmony perked his attention as his ears caught wind of it.

Into the night...

He looked up from his hand and held his breath, knowing he had heard that soft voice once before. But this time, the song she sang was no longer cheerful or happy, but light and sad by what he could tell. He ran towards the sound, catching the wall with his claws so he could take the roof tops of the nearest company building to him and start from there.

Into the night...

When he reached the top of a small restaurant he noticed a music hall and this time heard it again coming from that direction as his eyes read the name. He knew she was there now, she had to have been since it seemed more or less the more logical place to look. He remembered them sitting at that same restraunt at the time she mentioned of her fond memories, singing and dancing. He was given high hopes on this and casually leaped down onto the streets to make sure he didn't look too suspicious. He strolled across the street unnoticed by anyone, and when he came to the entrance the door man smiled and opened it with a nod of his head, "Enjoy the show sir."

"Thanks." It was brief and quick, but when he got inside the place was packed from front tables to the bars. The homunculus had to excuse himself passed people while he heard the words continue on with the song. The lyrics were beautiful, and deep, something Greed latched onto when he spotted Elise there standing on the stage under the bright blue lights beaming brightly above her.

Her patient clothes gone, and a new get up and hat to cover her face. Somehow she was able to grab some lipstick because he could spot those perfect lips from where he had taken each step to cautiously reach her. So to avoid suspicion he knew he would have to wait until she finished with her song and corner her from back stage.

While he stood there looking up at her, couldn't help but tune in her melody, listening in on her sweet little voice singing with an unnoticeable quiver. Either that, or she was just that good at setting the mood.

Fingerprints on my skin, Constellations that begin

Where we touched

The sky is crying, so am I cause your love is running dry

It just won't stop

Hoohoohooooo

Heavy heart, growing cold, and it's sinking like a stone, bound to drown

Guess you're not coming back, cause you covered all your tracks

Without a sound I know, I won't follow you this time I have to go alone

Into the night

Into the night I'll be chasing, whatever's left of the rest of my life

Into the night

Learn to walk on my own, look towards the unknown

Souls are lost

A complete disconnect, cause no streets are leading back

To where our paths crossed I know, I won't follow you this time I have to go alone

Into the night

Into the night I'll be chasing, whatever's left of the rest of my life

Into the night

Every word he felt as if it had been from her heart and he would be correct when he noticed a few tears had fallen during the performance. Some seemed to have noticed them as well and fell in love with the song even more hearing the passion of her singing.

When it was over people were in utter awe and inspired by it and eventually burst into an applauding and cheering crowd, getting Elise herself to come out of a small haze she seemed to be in. Greed could see it by the way she snapped her head up to the crowd and smiled happily to bow her head, "Thank you...Thank you...all of you..." She must've seemed shy to some but if the avarice didn't know any better, if she wasn't wearing that lovely hat of hers she would've been a complete mess under it. But no one seemed to notice the next solomn gaze she had, "You all have been such a wonderful audience. And unfortunately this may be my last perfomance." Some awed and cheered for an encore, but she politely refused getting them all to cheer her anyways, giving Elise almost a glimmer of hope to say more before she buttoned her lips, "I hope all of you have a pleasant evening. Really. Enjoy yourselves." With that she made her way off the stage, almost in a hurry to give the man around the curtain the microphone and made her way towards the dressing room.

No one seemed to mind.

This was his chance he thought, Greed could see from where he had snaked his way over to the end of the stage where he caught her going into the back just in time. He could see no one else in there but her from his angle, and stealthly walked passed some of the auditioning groupies to reach his destination.

He opened the door slowly as to not alert the kitten.

But he knew she had those abilities to see through things, to sense him, and by the time he had closed the door behind him, Elise was already holding a pair of shears to her chest, eyes wide and paled from fear. He could hear her panting with sharp breaths. His reaction was to freeze and stare almost in denial of what he saw. Then he realized what she intended to do, so he slowly raised a hand up in defense, just like his posture. Then his hitched breath came with a silent shake of his voice, "H-Hey now...what do you think you're going to do with that?"

At first there was noanswer, her eyes just continued to morph their different shades while her face fought between strength and weakness. It was obvious since she could barely keep the blade straight as she swallowed back to calm the hysteria in conjuring up within her, "I...I won't let you take me back, Greed. Be it you or anyone else, I will kill myself here and now, I dont care how many times it takes. Technically I could kill myself with my own mind if I wanted to, but I...I don't want to chance it. I'd rather cut the cursed thing out of me if I have to before you monsters EVER TOUCH ME!"

"Ellie please, that isnt going to-,"

"SHUT UP! I WON'T GO BACK THERE! DO YOU HEAR ME! I WON'T-, I won't..."

"It's okay. Just-, calm down and talk to me."

"Oh. Now you want to talk? Now? After never mentioning it before." He could see how unhinged and franic it was making her, but still Greed remained where he stood, only to move his foot an inch to balance himself better, "Listen, about before, if you let me explain you'll know how I felt on the matter. I was even going to tell you when you weren't like this! So we could...I don't know...I just...I just couldn't tell you after the basement thing."

"And now look at us..." She whispered softly back in tears, "Standing face to face, and the real question is whose side are you on? Because you seem to be conflicted on whether or not you want to help me or them. So choose wisely Greed. It's your choice." At this point her hands brought the closed blades closer to her chest, "And just so we're clear, I can't stand anymore surprises today...I've had enough mystery in my life so tell me what you have to say, so I can end it." She croaked swallowing back the aching sensation in her larynx, "I will. Because I-, I can't live like this! Hiding and fighting, fighting and hiding! Its pointless! Whats the point if I will never find peace! Will I ever know the meaning of it?!"

"I know, I know, it's hell right now, I get that. Just-, please don't hurt yourself. " She shook her head for what reason he was unsure of, but as she looked away sobbing with her shoulders quaking, the avarice began to explain his dilemma, "If you know what happen, then you also know that I myself am on a really thin line. And you know that pops is not one for taking failure lightly."

"So you're afraid. You're more afraid of him though because he can kill you, right? Well guess what? So can I." She said it so bluntly that he had to do a double take blinking his eyes in bewilderment, "You forget what I am capable of. If I wanted to I could make it so you'd never walk out of here. And no one will ever find you. I could turn you into nothing like I did to Collins." Had she really gone so far off the deep end? Well, he assumed anyone in her position would be the same way. So with that in mind he breathed out his nose to help him reset and regain some kind of logic in this mess.

He kept his sights on the enchanting eyes of this hysterical panther, and with hope that she would let him in Greed began to take baby steps towards her, "DON'T!" She began to slice her skin which made him gasp and stop immediately, "I mean it. I just...want to be left alone! Please Greed, why are you doing this?!" Her words struck such a cord within him, making his eyes soften and his lips frown, "Do you really want to send me back to them that badly? Do you fear them so much because I can assure you, All of you should fear me. I'm the worst! Don't make me your enemy too! I don't...I don't want to kill you..." Just then she broke down and her knees hit the floor while the shears stayed strong in her shaking grasp, "I don't want to kill anyone...I don't...want to kill..." Greed could only remain silent still a dark gloomy gaze taking his eyes when she looked up at him with a broken stare, "I can hear them clearly now you know...my friends...I can hear them..." She couldn't even say it she began to sob even more wiping away the on coming rivers streaming down her flushed cheeks, "And it won't stop, they just keeping crying at me and crying at me! And I can't do anything for them...Even with this power I'm still useless to bring them back. And Greed, he never cared! He left me to these monsters! He left me all alone and no one is here to help me...No one..." She could speak any longer, not without her voice quivering immensely to the point she wouldn't be able to speak clearly, so she breathed trying to catch her breath, but by the time she had honed into Greed making his move, it was too late. Her eyes shot open, and she almost attempted to stab him in the process screaming out in fear, "NO!" When he got a hold of the knife he struggled for a moment with the frighten kitten, "NO! NO, THIS ISN'T RIGHT, THIS ISN'T RIGHT! PLEASE! PLEASE JUST LET ME DIE! KILL ME NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!" Greed used his shield to force the shears from her hands. Trying with all his might he pulled them away from the girl's chest which was now scarred before they had healed themselves in an instant, "Ah!" He then grabbed her hands when his had returned to their human ones and brought his chest to hers to throw her off balance and embrace her to him throwing the sharp tool straight under a dresser on the other side of the room to get the thing out of sight. She attempted to struggle with all her might of course but she was so distraught she almost forgot she could've flown out of his grasp.

All she could do was cry out in pleads, hoping and praying he'd reason with her, but not in the way he thought, "Please Greed don't send me back there! I'll...I'll do anything! Please! Please..." He couldnt even say anything, he just embraced her tighter shutting his eyes from the white noises he was starting to have from the sound of the woman's cries. He didn't have to look at her to see how scared she felt, how badly she wanted out of this. And how far she would go to stop it from ever happening again. He couldn't do that. He couldn't do any of it, "I'll do anything. Just don't let them take me away." Her tone was that of a light angelic whisper now, no longer frantic, but almost in a hopeless surrender.

And what made matters worse is that the girl was giving herself over to him. He would've wanted nothing more than to have her. Damn it he wanted her so bad it was literally injuring him to think about her, but this was nothing like he wanted it.

He didn't want her to do it out of fear or desperation. Who would want an unwilling woman like that?

Suddenly he began to reminisce on the night before, and his eyes opened to cup the side of the woman's face, her eyes closed to show her disoriented tri colors.

He knew behind those lids her irises were changing. He felt it was partially due to him. Hell, it was because of him, he couldn't help but sense anguish seeping from her petrified form. Her heart beating so fast that he could feel it pounding fast and hard like a cat's would. It wasn't at a normal pace. And it hurt him him to see her this way. Again he kept getting the images of her tears. Images not of his own and they were painful to say the least. Even when he closed his eyes they still remained in front of him. There were three that stood out. Three memories that caused him to nudge her head up with his until she was face to face with him. Those tears staining her face all familiar to each memory. The first was of her first meeting with the previous Greed when she had come to realize the animal she was created from was the same she had tried to save.

The second was of the last Greed calling her beautiful, which she hated for the fact of what she had done to the other homunculi and also for what the white coats had done to her. She thought herself as a monster for nearly losing control of her anger, and she came afraid of becoming a killer because of it.

To these aweful memories his face cringed and he held her wrist with both of his hands to bring them to his head. When he opened his eyes again and he realized whose memories he was sensing. Had these memories been hers the whole time? No, these were his. The previous Greed's memories. He didn't know why he had been seeing them through his eyes, and why they were surfacing so fast for, but the more she held onto him the more she began to whisper. It was inaudible, but by what he could hear she was praying for something or someone to help her.

The third was of her covered in blood again, naked and covering her face from him like she was now.

At this he sensed that he could let go of her hands, and cautiously brought his hands underneath her jaw line and up to the back of her head to wear he was cupping her face in his unbelieveablely gentle grasp, "Ellie..." When he spoke her name the panther could only give him a soft breath when she tightened her eyes more, "Open your eyes..." He all but demanded. Seconds later she obeyed already in defeat as she raised her gaze to his, although she would be lying if she said she wasn't surprised by the look of devotion burning into her soul like a wild fire set ablaze. It was the same, the same as the man she loved. The man she had wanted to deny.

But as she stared into the fiery of this avarice in front of her, he suddenly spoke with a soft whisper so only the words were theirs and theirs alone, "If you could read my mind right now, you would know damn well that I can't do that." He sounded frustrated as all hell, wanting to lash out on anything and eveything for the horrid predicament they were carelessly and unwillingly thrown into, "Look at you, you're a complete train wreck, and you're barely able to stand on your own two feet. You've been beaten and bruised, kidnapped and abused..." He paused only to clench his jaw and glared back with such intensity, "I can't kill you. I can't." Yet instead of lashing out, he grabbed one of the hands that he had placed on his head and pressed it to the left side of his chest where his heart laid, "And you're right. I can't let them have you either."

She didn't remove it. She listened to it letting the beat of it hit her palms with a hard and uncontrollable rhythm causing her eyes to soften as she continued to stare back at him, "Do you feel that?" He asked earnestly and respiring through his nose deeply as he nudged into her face like a cat would to another, getting Elise's inner feline to surface and surrender to the sincerity in his voice, "That's not fake. That's not a lie. That's because of you, and because of you I can't fucking think straight!" He never yelled but grit his teeth in a tender, trembling whisper, "So go ahead. Do it. Read it, and tell me what I'm feeling because I don't understand it at all. All I want is you to myself and say to hell with everyone else. I'm not suppose to be like that. I'm greedy, Ellie."

She wanted to open her eyes again, to see if he had told her this all while looking at her, but by his wish she began to enter his being, reading his mind, and seeing that soul she feared to recognize. When she analyzed the shape of his soul, and the face he wore, Ellie's eyes seemed sad and over joyed all at once. It was something that never changed about the avarices. They both looked just alike. They felt the same, as if her Greed was here in front of her. She could feel his aura staring back at her as it approached in a smaller form than the huge size head it once appeared to be. Now, he had made himself about the same size that of a normal human, yet still managing the true form of his soul, wearing the face of the ultimate shield like she had seen before, yet this time, she did not turn away. She couldn't. She was frozen by his appearance, and stood there stupified when he wiped away the stains from her face. And just like his body, his soul had leaned into her and placed its head against her own. With them in sync, the breath that Elise had been holding in was released with a soft exhale near the homunculus's mouth.

He was so close to her lips now, and he couldn't resist the nudge of his nose against her own and when he did his lips brushed up aginst her too barely touching against eachother with mouths lightly agape. He was on the brink of snapping when he tasted her, and when she leaned in to lip lock, the avarice laced his fingers into her strands massaging her ears to softly pinch the tips of them. To the gentle touch Elise released one last tear and sniffle before she pecked his lips, licking at his bottom lip to lure his tongue into her mouth with an urgent and impatient motion.

And he wasted no time intertwining their caverns, finding any part he had not explored sooner when she kissed him back. When this came to mind the b avarice found no control on what he did next, and as he began to nibble at her bottom lip, he brought the kitten into his lap, picking her up off the floor and laid her on the couch they had in the dressing room, "Wait." She mumbled between his hasty pecks, "No."

"I can't-, I shouldn't-,." She thought it would be the right thing to say, but even Greed could see through her attempt to stop him, "It would be wrong." She finally said breathless.

"No it's not. You know it's not." The avarice growled holding her down sucking on the soft spots in the crook of her neck, scrapping his fangs against her skin to have her jolt underneath him, "Greed..." She whimpered meekly to him, but it only made it worse, for when she called his name he responded back by grinding against her with his hands dipping down to her exposed legs and following up until his fingers danced around her thighs, all the while murmuring something in an aggressive tone that left her falling for him, "It's so fucking right it should be considered a sin." He then led his mouth down to reach her collarbone and suckled against the tasty skin. The noises were loud enough for Elise to hear him and with soft heavy breaths she shivered to the rough squeeze of his hands riding up to the curve of her bottom.

She inhaled sharply trying not to moan and even tried to pull away from him one last time but the avarice pulled her back into him forcefully biting his lip from holding back his enthusiasm and hovered over the girl to make sure she had nowhere else to go except right back into another one of his hot hungry kisses. This time Elise hummed with content, not caring where their actions were heading any more. After all, how could she resist the man who was revealing more and more of how he could be the homunculus she came to have an inclination for.

Could it really be true? Are you still in there?

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Next- Chapter 26: Fail Me Now

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I absolutely despise cliffhangers, but if I don't end it now I may NEVER end this chapter hee hee! And I know you all want the L word that we dare not speak...That's right, thats exactly what the next chapter is so stick around because I'M PUMPED and READY! See you soon! :)