Edward leaped into the path of the bullet like the self sacrificing idiot he was. It hit him square in the chest, and he fell to the ground with a thud.
"Edward!" Maes shouted. The attacker who had fired the gun was already being tackled by another MP. "Ed, Oh, Ed."
Maes stared down at his hands that were trying to block the unfaltering flow of blood. They were being stained red with the large quantities of Edward's blood. "Edward, just stay awake don't go to sleep. The paramedics will be here soon."
Edward's head gave an almost imperceptible nod.
"Why did you do that, Ed?" Maes asked through frightened tears, barely holding it back anymore.
"Yo- you have a family t- to go back- back to," Edward stuttered.
"So do you," Maes reminded.
Edward's eye lids started to get droopy. He coughed and blood spilled from between his lips. He mumbled something.
"What?"
"Th- there is no gre- greater love than this, th- that someone lay down his- his life for his friends."
"John fifteen thirteen," Maes mumbled.
"Wh- what?" Edward was confused.
"The Bible. John fifteen thirteen."
"Oh, s- so that's where that came from? Sho- should have known it'd be a religious bo- book if I- I couldn't remember where- where I read it."
"Why were you reading the Bible?" Maes asked, welcoming the distraction from Edward's life threatening wound.
"Th- thought I'd check it- it out an' see if- if there were an- any mentions of the stone."
"Well, Ed, when you're all better, I'll take you to this nice little church near my house. I've been there a few times with Gracia and Elicia. Maybe they can pray for you to get taller?"
"Fine, an' not sh- short"
Edward smirked knowingly. "bu- but I don't think I'll- I'll get out of this o- one." Edward closed his eyes.
"No, Edward! Open your eyes! Stay with me!" The paramedics pulled Edward out of Maes's arms. "Wait!" It was too late they were already loading Edward into an ambulance.
Maes got into the car with his beautiful wife and daughter. He smiled at Gracia. "We will need to make one stop."
They drove down the street as the cemetery came into view. Hughes frowned. He drove past it to the military dorms. Edward, not wearing his usual trademark coat, and Alphonse stood outside on the sidewalk.
"Hey, boys, clime in," Maes smiled. Edward grudgingly opened the car door and piled in.
"Hey, Little-big brother!" Elicia squealed. Alphonse closed the car door and waved.
"Are you not coming, Al?"
"I think I'd be a bit of a distraction and there isn't much room."
"We can all squeeze in," Maes offered.
"It's fine Edward can tell me all about it when you his guys get back," Edward, from the back seat, almost looked betrayed.
"Okay, than," Hughes sighed in defeat.
"Have fun!" Alphonse called as the car drove off towards the little church.
A/N: Okay, a friend of mine invited me to his church, and he asked me afterwards to write a Fullmetal alchemist fanfiction for him. He wanted me to try doing it with some verses so I wrote it, sent him a copy, and thought 'What the heck! I'll post it on fanfiction for fun!'.