It's short, but I'm an absolute sucker for hurt Ed/ worried Roy, so here it is.

It seemed like Roy sat in the ambulance for hours, just watching Ed.

The male EMT made quick work of immobilizing Ed's upper arm in a splint and pressing gauze to the wound to control the bleeding.

The female EMT made quick work of cutting off Ed's bloodied uniform, discarding it, before she was pressing a stethoscope to his chest, listening carefully.

"Any other injuries?"

"No. It was only one shot. He might've hit his head on the ground when he fell- I'm not really sure."

She nodded, pulling back her stethoscope and placing her hands on Ed's wrist to take his pulse quickly.

The ambulance made a rather harsh turn, jostling everyone- Roy had to catch himself on the gurney so he didn't go sprawling.

Ed tossed his head and moaned, eyes still closed.

"Easy Ed. We're almost there." Roy was running his bloody fingers through the boy's hair.

Ed didn't bother opening his eyes, and Roy looked over the at EMT, frowning. "He's got two automail limbs."

"More than just the arm?"

"A leg, too, just above the knee."

The woman was quickly moving, adjusting the IV bags she had to drip above them as she nodded. "Right. I'll lower the dose on painkiller- I was wondering why he was so quiet. He won't remember any of this- he won't be that lucid, either. They'll probably take him right back to trauma bay at the hospital and deal with his arm..."

"He's back with us." the male EMT spoke up.

Sure enough, Roy looked over to see cloudy golden eyes looking over at him.

"Ed? You with me?" Roy asked.

Ed whimpered. He'd lost some of the color in his cheeks. "D'un feel good."

"You gonna be sick?" Roy asked.

Ed gave a half-shrug with his automail shoulder. "Dunno."

Roy was being handed a wet cloth, which he placed on Ed's forehead.

"It's probably the pain medicine, Ed. It should wear off in a few minutes. Just try to relax. If you have to get sick, we'll deal with it."

"They're gonna steal my leg."

"Who is?" Roy asked, arching an eyebrow.

"T-the guy. He's buzzing around here, I saw him. He's... shifty. He wants my leg cuz it's shiny. I need you to start a fire so he doesn't take it."

"I will not let anyone take your leg, Ed. I promise."

"M'kay." Ed let his head flop back onto the gurney. "This car is full of string." he said, batting an automail hand at the IV lines running above him.

"Don't do that." Roy had to stifle a smirk, reaching over to grasp Ed's hand in his own.

"You shouldn't grab his hand. It's automail. His grip is too strong- he might break your hand if he's frightened." the male EMT spoke up with a frown. He didn't want to have to deal with two patients.

Roy narrowed his eyes. "No, he might break your hand if he's frightened. Not me. And if I don't hold his hand, he's going to mess with his lines."

"Magic string..." Ed sang, looking dazedly up at the IV lines again before looking back over at Roy. He shifted over so he could see the man better, half-sitting up- he beamed, delighted, when he saw he was holding Roy's hand.

"I got you!"

"Yes, you do." Roy had to suppress his smile, pushing Ed so he was laying back against the gurney with his other hand. He was reminded of how loopy Ed got on launadum- he really was just a kid.

"That's my metal hand." Ed said happily. "My other arm is shot. I can't wait to get my real arm back- I'm gonna punch so many people in the face with it."

"That's good to know." Roy laughed to himself, reminding himself to keep an extra watch on Ed after he got his arm back.

"Where is your other arm, sweetie?" the female EMT asked.

"It's in hell." Ed said simply, eyes continuing to rove the ambulance, not noticing the shocked look the woman gave him. "These are some good painkillers" she muttered under her breath.

Ed spotted the male EMT and scowled. "Stay away from my leg!"

"Nobody is touching your leg, Ed. Look at me." Roy ordered.

Ed turned his head back towards Roy.

The ambulance turned harshly again, throwing everyone for a moment. Ed slammed against the side rail of the gurney and cried out, and Roy reached forward to steady him. "Easy, we're almost there." he shot a glance at the female EMT, who nodded.

The siren was still blaring loudly in the background as they drove- they were probably less than a minute away from the hospital.

Ed mumbled something, looking over at Roy sadly. "You know, I never got to ride in the wee-woo wagon before."

"You mean an ambulance?

"Yeah. The wee-woo wagon." Ed nodded solemnly.

"Well, let's not make a habit out of this. I don't know how many more gray hairs I can take from you."

"Ed, do you know how old you are? We need to see how aware he is." the female EMT was trying to keep him alert.

"Thirteen."

"Who's the furher?"

"Bradley."

"And what are you having for dinner?"

Ed gave her a lopsided smirk. "Bourbon."

Roy would've face-palmed with his free hand, if it wasn't smeared with Ed's blood.

The ambulance came to a stop, and the EMTs jolted to action, opening the back and loading Ed off the gurney.

They wheeled into the ER at a high speed, nurses and doctors fluttering in to take over as Roy stayed beside the ambulance.

Ed watching them all with a dull distrust, looking beside him to check that Roy was still there- he hadn't let go of Roy's hand.

"It's alright, Ed. Let them work."

Ed nodded vaguely at his reassurance, but still squirmed and mewled when a cold stethoscope was placed on his bare chest.

"There's no exit wound." the female EMT admitted to the doctor on call, who nodded hurriedly.

"We're going to have to take him to X-ray."

"I'm not going anywhere without a lawyer." Ed piped up.

The doctor disregarded Ed completely.

"Let's move him."

"You're kidnapping me! I'm a goddamn state alchemist! I'll bite you" Ed managed with shocking conviction for someone who'd just been shot. A feral look flashed in his eyes.

The doctor's eyes flicked from Ed to the nurse. "Up the drip. We need him calm."

"Let me come with him and leave the drip alone. The medicine might quiet him down but he'll also get sick."

The doctor's eyes roved to the female EMT, who nodded. "As long as his Dad is with him, he's fine."

The doctor nodded. "Alright. Your dad can come with you, sweetie, but he's gonna have to stand outside the x-ray room. It's not safe for him to be in there."

"Seems sketchy." Ed frowned, scrutinizing the doctor as though he was afraid she was lying.

"The room has windows. You can see him at all times." a nurse added.

"Okay, I guess."

They were wheeled down the hallway- Roy had to jog to keep up with the gurney.

The x-ray tech managed to position Edward without too much fuss, and was surprisingly tactful at prying Roy away from Ed and having him stand outside the room as she ducked into the other room to get the pictures.

"Ready?" he heard the woman's muffled voice through the glass windows.

"Cheese." Ed gave a half-smile as there was a whirring of machinery. Roy chuckled- it was cute, watching his doped-up Edward smile for his X-rays like they were actually taking pictures of him.

The x-ray tech came out of the room beaming as she lifted the lead protective gown off the rest of Edward.

"You did wonderful, sweetie!"

She was wheeling Ed back into the hallway with Roy, while he was headed back to the ER- Roy saw the doctor and one of the nurses step into the room and X-ray films being set before a light board before he was jogging behind the gurney, sitting with Ed later in the emergency room.

Ed blinked owlishly, looking over at Roy. "If I fall asleep, you'll stay and make sure they don't take my leg?"

"Yes, I will." Roy jumped on the chance to get Edward to sleep. While it was amusing to watch Edward drugged up, the kid was obviously dragging and being awake couldn't be good for him right now.

"And you won't go away? You'll be here when I wake up?"

"Yes, I will. You know I wouldn't leave you alone. You need to rest- get some sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up."

Ed nodded heavily, letting his eyes fall shut. " 'Kay. Goodnight, Dad."

He shifted, fumbling for the sheets.

Roy's expression softened slightly- even if Ed was drugged to high heaven, it seemed... right, somehow, calling him Dad.

He reached over, grabbing the flimsy hospital blanket Ed was grappling with a smoothly pulling it up to Ed's chin. "Get some rest, Ed."

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