Pinako returned home and the first thing she saw was Winry about to throw a wrench at Ed.

"Stop being so stubborn! I'm trying to help!" She yelled.

"I told you I'm fine!" Was the reply (actually, it was more of a growl) from the boy sitting up on the bed. "Where's Al? He's been gone for a long t-."

Pinako sighed, set down the bag and coat just outside the room and entered. Winry immediatly turned her way, "He won't listen to reason!" she said. "He's obviously in pain."

"No I am not!"

"...But he won't..."

"Winry I AM FI..."

"QUIET!" Pinako yelled and both immediatley silenced in the middle of their words. Pinako glanced at Ed. His face was very flushed. Either she had interupted something other than a fight between him and Winry, or that boy had a real fever. From the way he was shaking, she guessed it was the latter. "Winry. Go get Doctor Maenz. Tell him there was an accident-don't tell him anything else."

Winry nodded and hurried away, even as Ed stubbornly whispered, "I'm fine dammit."

Pinako walked up to him. She was frowning. When she stood before him, she pressed a hand to his brow and he flinched. "Fine, eh?" she said. "You're burning up, Edward Elric. I should have checked on you myself this morning. Al hasn't seen as many infections from these sort of injuries as I have, I guess."

Ed looked up at that. His eyes were bright, but it wasn't a calm light she saw there. "Al! Where is he? Didn't you see him?"

Pinako purposefully turned away and grabbed a bowl filled with water and a cloth. She sat on a chair near the bed and said, "Lay down. Let's try to get you more comfortable."

"Nevermind that." Ed said as he pulled away from the cloth Pinako had pressed to his face, "Where is he? Al...Al...where is he?"

Pinako frowned and Ed sunk back a little. "Lay down, Edward. You can hear me just as well laying down as sitting up and you'll feel better."

Pinako barely heard him, but as he let himself sink into the pillows, she could have sworn he whispered "Maybe I don't want to feel better."

She didn't respond to that. Instead, she pressed the cool cloth to his forhead, his cheeks. She rinsed the cloth in the bowl. The only sound in the room then was that of the water moving in the wake of her hands.

Ed had closed his eyes as Pinako tried to cool him down. His mouth was pulled into a frown, his brows knit tight on his head. "Where is Al?" he said in a flat voice.

Pinako brushed the cloth up his cheek, "He is at your boys' home." she said.

Ed's eyes rolled opened. The golden eyes glared at her, and although he hadn't moved to sit up, she could tell by the way the shaking increased in his arms that he simply couldn't anymore even if he wanted. Pinako hoped Winry did hurry. "You left him alone there?" Ed said, his voice low and angry.

"Yes."

"Why? You have to go get him! Now...!" This time the shaking in his limbs peeked and Ed managed to raise himself a quarter of the way up before he fell back, breathing hard into the sheets, his teeth gnashed, groaning despite himself.

Pinako said nothing, she merely watched him and when his thrashing, his attempts to rise had subsided from sheer exhaustion, she stood and settled the pillow behind his head, the sheets over his body. She set the cloth back on his cheek, and peered into the eye glaring helplessly at her. There were many things she could have told Ed at that moment, but she chose the one she knew that he most needed to hear, whether or not he wanted to hear it, "I only know the little Alphonse has told me about what you boys tried to do, and although I think you were wrong to do such a thing, you were right in one thing. You saved Al's life." She paused and her eyes turned uncharacteristically soft, "He loves you as you love him. So rest now. He'll return soon. He promised he'd be back before sundown."

Ed stared at her for a moment, and Pinako wasn't sure if he hated her or just couldn't believe her words. Either way, he turned away from her, then.

Pinako sighed and dipped the cloth back into the water.

When the doctor came, Ed was almost asleep...He had been having a dream half-awake...in it there was Al looking so trusting. How could Ed ever face him again? He hadn't saved Al...he had...he had...

His thoughts were interupted as the doctor arrived. He heard Pinako greet him and elude all mentioning of what kind of "accident" had occurred to put Ed in such a state. Then, Ed was turned gently over.

The boy felt like he was far away as the man's face hovered over him. He knew it was the fever and didn't care. He hadn't cared, not when he had first felt that fever pounding behind his eyes, and not now when he felt it like flames licking at the insides of his bones. The doctor was staring down at him, concerned, worried, anxious... Ed didn't care about that either...there was only one thing he cared about..."Al..." he whispered and hated how heavy his eyes felt, how weak he was.

That's when his vision faded. He had a last peek of the change in a doctor's face, then a gloved hand was reaching towards him, or...was it a hand...? Between cuff and glove...just for a moment...Ed swore his saw something glinting...something almost like...metal...

Author's Note: Hiii! Well...here it is...the next installment (whoop-whoop). Hope you guys like it! And a GREAT BIG THANKS : ) to TheOneBlue Gecko, Myeerah and Eco Child for reviewing the first part of this fic! Arigatou:)