Aspirin couldn't touch his headache- only dull it a little. So they must've given him a super tylenol or something, because as Roy sat on the second bed in the two bed ER room, he felt his headache dull down to something maneagable and watched the doctors and nurses go to treat Ed.

"What seems to be the problem young man?" the resident doctor, a young medical student of about twenty five, beamed down at Ed. His supervisor- a grizzled veteran of a wrinkled grey doctor, with a grey moustache and sideburns, followed behind, taking in the scene before him.

"These people won't let me leave." Ed remarked, scowling.

"I understand you were in a car crash, though?" the resident spoke patiently.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Lots of car crashes tonight. We just had some poor fellow brought in from a two car crash, beyond help..."

"By the east bridge?" Ed ventured.

The doctor nodded. "Yes, how did you know?"

"I was in the same one."

The resident visibly paled. "You... you were involved in... that... crash?"

Ed nodded.

"But... but you'e sitting here... alive." the medical resident looked surprised.

The older doctor stepped forward, hands crashed behind his back. "Do you have any insight on what caused the crash?" he asked, adjusting his circular spectacles from where they were perched on his nose.

"That'd be me. I put my automail foot through the dashboard and set off the airbags, caused the driver to lose control and crash the vehicle. The vehicle behind them was following too closely and crashed as well." Ed reported matter-of-factly.

"But... why would you do that?" the medical resident looked aghast.

"Because I'd been kidnapped by a traitor and several enemies of the state. I had to escape at any cost." Ed replied calmly.

"But... weren't you afraid you'd be killed in the crash as well?" the medical resident looked puzzled.

Ed shrugged. "Meh. Crashing the car wasn't my first choice, but I was wearing a seatbelt. Seatbelts reduce the risk of death by 50% or something, so I just figured- hey, I only got a 50% chance of dying, that's pretty good. Yeet! And then I put my foot through the dashboard."

The medical resident was looking shocked, but he closed his gaping mouth and nodded. "Right. Well... what's hurting you right now?"

"My arm, mostly. My automail leg is messed up, but that's a job for my mechanic, not you. And my face hurts a little but that's it."

"Can you remove your shirt for me?"

Ed quickly obeyed, gingerly peeling off the garment with his automail arms, making a concerted effort to keep his flesh arm still.

There was a large, rectangular bruise starting to darken across Ed's chest. Ed beamed. "Ah, yeah, that's from Mr. seatbelt right there."

The medical resident nodded. "Any difficulty breathing?"

"No."

"Any pain when I press on your stomach?"

"Nope." Ed popped the p, clearly getting tired of dealing with this doctor.

"And you arm? Let's take a- oh." the resident trailed off.

When Ed raised his hand, Roy could see why. Ed's flesh wrist was clearly broken just before where his forearm joined his hand- and bent backwards slightly. His hand resembled a dinner-fork, the way his wrist curved back grotesquely at an unnatural angle.

It made nausea and anxiety bubble up in Roy, and he sat up straighter in bed, trying to get a better look at the boy's injury.

"I'm not doctor, but it looks like shit's broke." Ed commented dryly.

"I'd agree with that assessment." the medical resident agreed dryly. "So, I'll have them prep you with codeine and a general anesthetic- the orthopedic surgeon should be in soon to reduce it once you're asleep, and then when you wake up we'll see about having you discharged tomorrow afternoon..."

Ed frowned. "Look. It doesn't hurt that bad and I'm not a fan of going to sleep in strange places, so could we just set it now so I can go home?"

"We could, but I wouldn't recommend it. It would hurt quite a bit..." the resident looked skeptical.

"There's nice swelling here. I can give a shot to numb the area and then set it, have you done in two hours." the older doctor spoke up.

"Can you just do it without the shot?" Ed inquired hopefully.

The older doctor nodded. "Yes, but it will hurt."

"I'm fine with that." Ed assured him.

"Hold ice on it, at least." the elder doctor handed Ed a bag of ice, and Ed complied.

"Are you sure you don't want the shot?" the young resident inquired hopefully. "It will save you a lot of pain, really..."

"I can deal with it." Ed assured him.

The young resident bit his lip nervously and looked to the elder doctor, who was already shuffling to the side of the bed.

The old man shrugged. "For a normal boy, I wouldn't do this. But you see his auto mail? This will be 10% of that pain, probably. Hold his arm steady."

The resident nodded, moving to Ed's beside and holding his upper arm before the obvious break.

"Pull traction." the elder doctor ordered.

The resident pulled back on Ed's forearm and held it tight while the older doctor grasped Ed's hand with one arm like he was shaking his hand and sued the other to pull at his wrist.

There was a grating sound of bone on bone, and Roy jolted forward at the sound. Ed grit his teeth and said nothing, keeping his eyes closed.

There was another pop, before the old doctor nodded in satisfaction. "Is in place. I send them for x-ray to confirm, then we get you a cast. How you doing, soldier?" he placed a brown, meaty hand on Ed's shoulder.

Ed gave a shaky laugh, opening his eyes. "I'm good, thanks. Hurt like a bitch, but that's over now."

The resident was staring at Ed in disbelief. "How are you not screaming?"

Ed shrugged. "I've had worse."

"I'm getting you pain meds. And you're taking them." the resident ordered.

"As long as it's not a damn shot!" Ed called down the hall after him settling back against the pillow and letting out a sigh.

The elder doctor gave Ed's knee a pat before he was ducking out of the room as well.

"Fullmetal- you're crazy." Roy remarked calmly. He was both nauseated, impressed and guilty. He'd known Ed's pain tolerance was above average, known automail surgery had hurt- but he couldn't help but feel as though Ed wouldn't have pushed himself so far- might not have even gotten the surgery- if he hadn't promised the boy a place in the military.

"Aw shut up, would you? I'm tired of people fussing over me." Ed let his head sink back against the pillows, looking tired.

"I don't care. And you're taking whatever medicine they bring back for you, even if it is a shot."

"Or what?" Ed challenged.

"Quit fighting me. It's for your own good."

"Whatever." Ed rolled his eyes, shifting slightly on the bed and moving his injured wrist so it rested more comfortably.

The medical resident ducked back into the room with a tray containing a paper cup of a mysterious pink liquid.

"Drink up." he gave Ed a tired looking smile.

"What is it?" Ed looked at it suspiciously.

"It's not a shot, and it's bubblegum flavor, and it'll help with the pain." the resident supplied helpfully.

Roy gave Ed a look.

"Alright, alright, whatever." Ed shot back, downing the thick liquid in two gulps. He smacked his lips, looking thoughtful.

"Huh. That pink sauce isn't so bad." he admitted finally.

"We have different flavorings we can mix into medication for the younger patients. X-ray will be in soon, just try and get some rest." the resident nodded, placing a small glass of water on Ed's beside table.

"They gave me the special sauce, the special sauce, and now I feel great." Ed muttered to himself happily.

Roy wasn't sure what they'd given the kid, but whatever it was, Ed was quite happy with himself.

X-ray had come and gone, and Ed, wide-eyed, had told the technician that she was 'really, really beautiful'. The woman was striking, and she'd blushed and thanked him before taking his x-ray and leaving.

"Hey- when are they gonna give me that picture of my bones they kept talking about? I saw they took it, but they didn't give me a copy. I wanna show it to Hughes." Ed piped up.

Roy smirked. "I don't know if you get a copy of that, Ed."

"That's not fair- it's my bones." Ed sulked.

A physician's assistant- a blonde woman with hazel eyes- strode into the room with a small tray of plaster and other things.

"Hello Edward, are you ready to get your cast?"

Ed nodded dumbly.

"I heard you've had a big night." the woman wrapped his arm in a bandage.

Ed hadn't stopped nodding. "Yeah. I was gonna go eat spaghetti with my friend, but then bad guys tried to ruin my life, and I ended up here."

Roy chuckled slightly as the woman looked over at him. "I'm sorry- he's been medicated." he explained.

"Oh it's quite alright- I just wish everyone here was as happy as Mr. Elric." she smiled at him, turning her attention back to Ed.

"Everyone here keeps trying to steal my positive energy, but I won't let them." Ed remarked happily.

"I can see why. You're a fountain of happiness, Edward." the woman beamed at him, and Ed grinned, his chest puffing out as she started to apply plaster to the bandage and form the cast.

"Oh hey- it's my old friend Mr. Paper Mache!" Ed said happily as he watched.

Roy couldn't help the barking laugh that escaped him at the comment.

Ed narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Roy. "You're just jealous because you don't get a cool cast like me!"

"You're right, Edward, I will never be able to be as awesome as you are." Roy conceded, not wanting to upset his drugged Alchemist and cause Ed to make a mess.

"Almost done." the woman was nearly finished applying the plaster, and it was drying rather quickly. "What color wrap do you want on top, Ed? All your friends are going to want to sign it for you."

Ed looked over at Roy hopefully. "What's the color I like?" he asked genuinely.

Roy shrugged. "I dunno, Ed. Do you want it red, like your coat?" he tried. He vaguely wondered if this was what it was like talking to Edward as a small child- innocent, and excited.

Ed shook his head. "I want it like your coat!"

"Do you have any blue wrappings?" Roy asked the woman, who nodded and got to work wrapping the cast in the blue tape.

"All set, Edward. Get some rest- the doctor will be here soon with instructions for discharge." the PA ducked out the curtained room, leaving them alone.

"We're twins!" Ed announced happily, waving his blue-casted arm around in the air.

"Yes, we are. Now stop moving your arm and rest." Roy instructed.

Ed pouted, looking around. "Where's Hughes?"

"He's already seen the doctors, and they gave him a room to stay here." Roy informed him patiently.

"Is he gonna be okay?"

"Yes, he's going to be fine. The doctors just want him to stay off his leg for awhile."

"Are you okay?" Ed squirmed a little on his bed, as through he was trying to get a better look at Roy. It was kind of endearing.

"Yes, I'm okay too. Just a headache."

There was a clanking noise- Ed had somehow managed to stumble over to Roy's bed, and his mismatched hands prodded at Roy. "Scoot over."

"You have your own bed, Ed."

"It's lonely over there and I want a hug."

Roy rolled his eyes, sliding over in his bed so Ed could clamber into it beside him. There really wasn't much room, but Ed was small enough to make it work, curling up on his side and resting his blond head on Roy's chest.

Roy sighed, absently running a hand through the blond locks as he sat back on the bed.

"What am I going to do with you, Edward?"

Ed turned his head so he was peering up at Roy, golden eyes dancing hopefully. "Teach me flame alchemy?"

Roy chortled a laughed, shaking his head and grinning. "No- no, Edward, my drugged up pipsqueak, that is the last thing I'm going to do."

Ed shrugged. "It was worth a try."

He laid his head back down on Roy's chest, along with resting his casted arm there. He was quiet for several minutes.

"Are you happy, Mustang?"

Ed shifted, trying to push himself up with his casted arm.

Roy gently held his arm still. "I guess so. Why do you ask?"

"Because I'm happy." Ed allowed a dopey grin to spread across his face.

"That's good. I know they drugged you to high heaven- if they hadn't, I'd never let you live this down."

"What are we gonna do now?" Ed was starting to get excited, looking around the room and wriggling slightly on the bed.

"We're going to go home soon. But first we're going to be still and get some sleep."

"I don't want to sleep." Ed squirmed, straining to try and push himself up onto his elbows. "I might miss something fun!"

"No, you won't." Roy held him firmly against his chest. Ed gave up on struggling to get up, huffing a sigh and looking mildly irritated.

"You're no fun." he muttered.

"Yeah, well, tough luck." Roy carded his fingers through Ed's hair once again, and Ed let out a soft sigh.

Within a few minutes, Ed had fallen asleep on him.

"Ready to go home, Sir?" Roy looked up to see Riza in the doorway, a sheaf of paperwork- hospital discharge papers, he realized- in her hands.

He nodded, shifting his weight and the sleeping Ed on the bed so he could carry the smaller Alchemist in his arms.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, heading for the door. It was nearly 3am.

"Are you sure you should be carrying him, Sir? You have a concussion." Hawkeye reminded him as they made their way towards the door.

Roy's head was beginning to throb slightly at the exertion, but he ignored it.

"Let me enjoy it while I can, Lieutenant. He only lets me treat him like a child if he's drugged or asleep."