WishesIWasHuman: Wishes here. Its been so long seens I last added a note. I don't really keep up with the posted chapters. I can't believe you guys have read up to the time skip. I had lots of fun writing Sarah and Katie's fight. I look back on some of these chapters and think "Wow! I really love this sentince! The word choose! The way it sounds! Oh it makes my heart leap!" And then there are places were I am like "Gosh this is bad. Its got Mary Sue all over it!" But I live without regret. This story is all about my enjoyment! And I'm having lots of fun writing it. (In fact its probably pretty selfish to write stories like this one) So I'm glad there are some of you who like reading it. Because I like it too. Thats all for now. Kisses and Wishes! -WishesIWasHuman

They started going through the market, picking up supplies. They were having a great time when a commotion was heard ahead of them.

"Get back here!"

"Thief!"

"Stop that man!"

Suddenly, a Xing man wearing a thin yellow jacket came pushing through the crowd toward them. He had a piece of bread in his mouth and was running from some angry men.

Katie's eyes widened as she quickly turned to Izumi. "Ok I'm going to sound very crazy again but please listen. That man running is Ling and he'll end up being an important ally to Ed and Al. Can he please come stay with you while we're here Mrs. Curtis?"

Before Izumi could open her mouth, Ling came running toward them. He tripped which caused the men chasing to catch up. He got back on his feet and hid behind Izumi and Katie.

The men stopped in front of them. "Move! I'm going to cut that scandal's fingers off for stealing my product! That will teach him!" Katie laughed nervously.

"I am so sorry for my friend here sirs. I had sent him ahead to see if there was any good food and apparently he found some. What was the price of what he took?" The men glared at her before giving the price of the bread he stole. Katie nodded her head and pulled a few coins that she had gotten on their travels out of her pocket and paid the men. They grumbled but turned and left. Ling poked his head out from behind Izumi.

"Hey thanks for the save."

"You're welcome. I'm Katie." She smiled cutely and stuck out her hand for him to shake. He stuck his hand out likewise but didn't shake it.

"Ling."

She kept herself under control so that she wouldn't spaz and fangirl attack him like she had when she first met Ed. They were in public plus he'd probably fight her back unlike Ed who was actually calmer. She lowered her hand and glanced up at Izumi, her eyes begging for an answer to the question she had asked. Izumi didn't say anything as she shoved her shopping bag in Ling's hands. She started walking ahead and turned to look at them.

"What are you doing? Move your ass! We've still got things to do!"Katie smiled and looked at Ling's confused face.

"Why don't you come stay with us for a bit? That way you won't be getting into trouble." His stomach gurgled and she laughed. "And you'll get food to eat without stealing it." Ling smiled at the word food. Katie grabbed his elbow and pulled him along for a few steps before letting go. "Um Ling…your friends hiding in the shadows…They can come out if they want to…"Ling darkened for a slight moment but then his eyes lightened again in his normal cheer manner.

"Ha-ha, I'm not sure what you mean." Katie shook her head and sighed.

"I'll drop the subject for the moment Ling but my guess is that when we get to Izumi's they'll come out. It'd be rude not to feed your friends after all." Ling stands still for a minute. He looked at her suspiciously as she caught up with Izumi. He looked up at the roof tops as if looking at something. Then he slowly went off to help the girls with their bags, unquestioningly.

Lanfan and Fu watched from the shadows, on their guard even more so than usual. The girl had known they were there even though they had given nothing away. There was something strange about her. Lan Fan's eyes narrowed as she regarded the smiling red haired girl. She hadn't seen someone with that hair color before. Though for the most part she seemed normal, there was an aloof air about her.

Katie had tried to talk with Ling a bit but he was very tight lipped. Katie sighed as they approached Izumi's house. Perhaps she had blown it when she had brought up Lan Fan and Fu.

Ling approached the house with caution. This country still new to him. Was this sort of thing a custom here? And then there was the girl. How did she know about his men? Plus she didn't seem afraid of him because he was Xing. The people of this country seem to be afraid of anyone who is different. It saddened him really. But she looked his way with kind eyes. He didn't understand her. He wanted to know so he walked up to her, his hand touching hers. "Hey, how did you-?

"Hey Katie its goo-" Ed had come out to help with groceries and stopped in his tracks at the sight of Ling. Katie smiled at Ed. "Hey Ed. Mrs. Curtis and I got lots of food...what is it?" Ling's hand was still touching hers but she didn't seem to mind it. Ling straightened up and pointed at Ed.

"Is he your little brother?"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING A PINT SIZE MIDGET!" Ed screamed. Katie giggled.

"No he's not my little brother. He's a good friend of mine that I'm traveling with. He's actually older than me." Katie looked over at Ed. "Ed please calm down. It's rude to scream at another guest." Ling watched with interest how Ed grumbled but calmed down. He smiled knowingly as he thought of a fun game. He squeezed Katie's hand.

"How about we go help your Aunt with dinner."Ed's eyes narrowed with anger as Katie blushed lightly.

"O-ok. But just to let you know Izumi isn't my aunt." They followed Izumi into the kitchen area. Ling called back at Ed.

"Hey, little brother! You should come too." He laughed because he knew it made the short blond he just met mad. It was fun to watch him make a fuss. Katie laughed at their antics.

"You might want to lay off on the teasing Ling. Ed might end up going overboard on one of his rants."

"You seem pretty comfortable, considering I'm a complete stranger." Katie smiled softly.

"Yes and no. But mainly my policy is give everyone an equal chance to prove themselves and show their true colors before judging them. That's why I can be comfortable around you."

Ling felt something inside his chest tighten, making his feet stop, his eyes on the girl. He smiled, whispering to himself. "She's something."

Dinner was soon ready and they all sat at the table together: Ed, Al, Katie, Sid, Izumi, Mason, and Ling. It was a really quiet dinner except for the sounds of Ed and Ling scarfing down dinner. Katie sighed as she glanced between the two of them. "It's like some kind of bitter rival between brothers to see who can eat the most."

"Oh yeah, Ed and I would sometimes do that," Alphones said, sitting in front of an empty plate.

"Really? Maybe it's a guy thing?"

A pleasant conversation began after that, Katie's comfort level with everyone rising in effect. Despite the fact that only a few months ago they had only been ink on paper, these characters were turning more human to her every day.

Dinner ended without any mishaps and soon Katie was heading to bed in one of the spare rooms. She was lucking to get her own room with the house being so full. The girl entered the room with two plates of food that she had snuck away and approached the open window.

"Listen I know you're out here. Why don't you come eat? You must be hungry after today."

Only the sounds of crickets answered her call. She placed the plates down on the windowsill with a sigh.

"How do you know about us," a stern and serious voice said. Katie turned to see Ling standing in the doorway as he quietly closed the door behind him. She hadn't even heard him come in, which was a bit scary. His body language said that he was here on business.

"Hi Ling. Here to say good night," she said sweetly but her smile faded as he didn't reply. "I'm not going to get out of this without a really good explanation am I?"

"Are you a spy from another clan?"

She shook her head. "No, I'm not Ling! I have nothing to do with any of the clans from your country and your competition to become the emperor!" She seemed a bit offended by his comment but before she knew it he rushed across the room toward her. Her body hit the bed as he jumped on top of her, sword at her throat.

"Don't you dare take such a tone with me!" The way he was speaking, the look in his eyes, and the feeling of steel pressed to her skin made the thought of death cross Katie's mind. She felt a shiver of pure fear run her spin.

"Now tell why I shouldn't kill you right here and now," he hissed.

She tried to struggle against him but he just pressed the sword harder against her throat. Her emotional barriers began to break as memories flooded her mind. Her eyes darkened with pain, sorrow, and anguish as she met Ling's cold eyes.

"Honestly Ling I have no reason as to why you shouldn't kill me. I can give you my word that I'm not a spy for a clan but you don't know me well enough to accept my word." Tears welled in her eyes and she shut them so they wouldn't spill. Her voice quivered as she whispered. "If you're going to go through with killing me then please tell Ed and Al to tell Sarah that I'll miss her."

Katie waited a moment for the feeling of death but instead she felt a thumb brush away the tears that had fallen despite her best efforts. She opened her eyes to see a smiling Ling, looking down at her as he sheathed his sword.

"Don't cry. I believe you."

Katie felt a sigh of relief escape her lips as the last drops of tears ran down her cheek. Ling still hovered over her, his eyes intense. "I can tell you're different than the others," he said as he brushed a lock of hair out of her face, "You're eyes tell me so."

A tint of pink touched Katie's face but she felt a wave of calm come over her. The danger in his eyes was gone and kindness replaced them.

Katie sat up and Ling sat in front of her on the bed. She told him how she knew him, though left out anything he really didn't need to know. She also spoke of her past and Sarah. Ling seemed very interested. There was a draw to him that Katie hadn't felt in a long time, like she could tell him anything. They laughed and talked, nearly staying up all night. Ling was asleep next to her on the bed when the hour struck 3am. Her gaze fell upon the window. The two plates were gone.

~oOo~

The first rays of daylight hit Katie's eyes causing her to snuggle deeper into the soft yet firm warmth next to her. As the birds chirped, her senses and the memory of last night caused her eyes to snap open. Her head was resting on Ling's bare chest, his arm tightly around her as he continued to sleep. She remembered how when she had finally begun to fall asleep he had reached out and pulled her against him. She hadn't even struggled but instead had snuggled into him since he was warm. Though she would've been content to lay there she heard the sounds of Ed and Al awakening. She sighed as she tried to move but his grip just tightened instead. She began gently shaking his shoulders, trying to get him to wake up before anyone walked in on them in this awkward position.

"Ling….Ling…Wake up" She whispered softly as his arm tightened around her waist.

"Ugh….No," Ling said in a tired voice as he pulled closer, seeking warmth. He rolled them over and rested his head on her chest, making her cheeks burst into flames. She sighed and shook his shoulders again.

"Ling please I need you to get up. Everyone's waking up and I don't want people drawing the wrong conclusion."

"No. It's fine," Ling groaned, making himself comfortable on her with his arms still wrapped around her. She groaned and flicked his forehead.

"Ling please get up. I need to get up and get changed…plus if I don't get up then you won't get any food Ling." He moaned as he lifted himself up. His jacket had slipped off at one point during the night and he now hovered over her, his chest bare except for the bandage wraps. Her cheeks got even redder and she attempted to glare as he smirked down at her, sleep beginning to fade from his face. "What exactly do you find funny Ling?"

"Your bed head looks good," he said with a chuckle. "I could wake up to that every day." She rolled her eyes as she playfully stuck her tongue out at him.

"That's nice to know Romeo. Now come on I need you out so I can get dressed." He opened his mouth to respond but she cut him off. "Ling if you don't let me get changed then you will not get any food." He quickly shut his mouth and got off of her. He bent down and picked up his jacket and grabbed his sword from the bedside table. He watched her as she went over to her small pack and took out some clothes. As she stood up he hugged her tightly before slipping out of her room like a shadow. As he entered the room he was using thoughts of her filled his mind.

He thought about her puzzling reaction last night. About how he had tried to apologize and explain to her but she just shook her head and smiled softly, saying that she understood his reasons and that his reaction was to be expected. They had talked for many hours, both of them revealing things about their pasts. Only Lanfan and Fu knew more than she did but that was because they'd been with him since he was a young boy. He rubbed the back of his neck as he yawned. He had felt very comfortable and a bit safe last night with her next to him. There was definitely a pull towards her that made him want to understand her. He sighed as he laid down on the bed. Perhaps he'd get to spend more nights with her.