All You Need Is A Little Love
Part 6: A Life Worth Living
"I've got some great news!" Hughes exclaimed as he busted into Roy's office later the next morning.
Roy and Riza were hovered of a file writing down the events of the break in. When the door opened, Roy dropped his head onto the desk.
"Tell me is it about your daughter?" Roy asked annoyed. He and Riza had been at this since the event had closed, hours ago.
"Well there was that, but this is concerning your friend, Venus." Hughes smiled leaning against Roy's desk.
"What about her?" Roy lifted his head, picked up a pen, and began to write again.
"Seems there is an opening in a lab over at Central. The lab works on trying to reverse the effects of chemical accidents." Hughes flashed a huge smile, Roy looked up and then back down to his paperwork.
"I know what you're thinking Roy. And yes, it is possible than can reverse her longevity." He finished.
"And what effects would that have?" Roy asked without looking up.
"I don't know Roy." Hughes replied.
Venus yawned pulling that hated blue uniform from her bag.
"Well I guess its time to go." She sighed as she began to change.
At breakfast, Jean was telling Ed about the latest girl he had taken out. Neither Elric seemed too interested in the story. Today they were going back to Central and the short break they had from military duties was over. Aside from that, they were traveling back with Armstrong and Hughes, and knowing Hughes he would go on and on about his wife and daughter, as if they hadn't heard it before.
Venus walked down the hallway her bag on her back in her uniform with a skirt and her long hair pulled into a tight bun at the base of her neck. One might not recognize her if it wasn't for her sea green eyes. Ed and Al had finished breakfast and were heading to Roy's office to get the file they had come for. They met Venus at the door each looked at the other for a moment.
"Don't say anything. I hate this tacky uniform." She snapped opening the door. Hughes had been in the middle of a speech on the importance of family and ranking when she did so.
Everyone one was silent and all eyes were staring at Venus. After a few moments, she hissed through her teeth.
"Would you stop staring at me! It's just a stupid uniform!" She yelled.
"Yeah your right. Well anyway, Lieutenant Decaff you will be coming back with me, Major Armstrong and the Elrics to Central. You've been reassigned there to a lab dealing with the affects of chemical accidents." Hughes said standing up.
"What?" Venus said a little dumbfounded.
"What a minute. Since when was there a lab dealing with chemical accidents?" Ed asked scratching his head.
"Since I called Central last night and told them who I had run into out here in the East." Hughes said proudly.
"You act as if I'm some kind of celebrity." Venus muttered adjusting her bag.
"Well it is rare for anyone from Central to run into you." Hughes said defensively.
"Well ok. I guess it's a good thing I was planning on heading back today. Have you talked to anyone in the West?" She asked.
"Don't worry its all settled." Hughes waved a hand and laughed.
"Well then I guess I need to give you this Fullmetal." Roy stood up and walked to Ed handing him the file. Ed looked at then nodded to Roy who turned to head back to his desk.
Roy stopped next to Venus who was still thinking over her situation. He placed a hand on her shoulder, she turned her head and he smiled.
"I'm sure everything will turn out fine. And if not, you know where to find me." He said returning to his desk.
"Well since we have the file we should get going, right Al?" Ed laughed.
"Right!" Al replied with enthusiasm. He was happy Venus was coming with them; there were a lot things he wanted to ask her. He was sure Ed felt the same way.
Roy and Riza saw them all to the train station and stood waving their goodbyes. Once the train began to pull out, they turned and started back to the command center.
"It is going to be really quiet now." Roy said with a loud sigh.
"Yes it is." Riza replied.
"So what are you doing this evening?" He asked stuffing his hands into his coat pockets.
"Nothing, why do you ask, Sir?" Riza replied wondering what he was up to now.
"How about we have dinner together." He said he acted as if this was something they did every day.
"Uhh, ok." Riza replied blushing slightly.
"Good, how is 7 o'clock?" Roy smiled looking at her through the corners of his eyes.
"That's fine." She blushed more.
"Venus?" Al asked as they sat on the train.
Venus had her legs stretched out across her seat and was leaning on the window looking out it. Ed was beside Al nearly asleep. Major Armstrong and Lt. Colonel Hughes weren't in the same car as them. Al was sitting directly across from Venus and had his hands on his knees. She turned her head slightly to look at him.
"What's up Al?" She asked.
"You told that thief that your wings were not alchemy, so what are they?" He asked she smiled looking out the window again.
"Those chemicals did a lot to me Al. "Just side affects," that is what the doctors told me. I'm not really sure what they are, I'd just call it magic." She replied closing her eyes for a moment and then opening them again.
"Oh." Al said looking down.
"What is it like?" She asked he looked up.
"What is what like?" He asked.
"To be inside there." She nodded to the armor.
"I don't know, it just feels, natural to me now." He replied looking down again.
"You're lucky Al. Really lucky." She said he heard her voice crack.
"How am I lucky?" He asked looking up to see a tear roll down her cheek.
"To live. Ed is lucky to have you with him." She said closing her eyes.
Al decided not to further the conversation, he feared she might breakdown. After an hour of silence Ed woke up.
"Hey what did I miss?" He laughed. Venus hid her face, she was still crying softly to herself. Al was looking out the window. Ed looked from one to the other with question marks popping over his head.
"You two ok?" He asked looking at his brother.
"We're fine." They muttered at once.
Both cheered up once they arrived at Central. Venus was talking to Hughes trying to get some more information about the lab she would be working at. Ed and Al were ambushed by Winry, Venus called Al over and he went leaving Ed and Winry alone.
"How are you Ed?" Winry asked holding her hands behind her back.
"Good, you?" He replied.
"Never better." She smiled.
"Winry?" Ed asked rubbing the back of his head with his right hand and placing his left on his hip.
"What is it Ed?" She replied.
"You want to go eat or something?" He asked blushing slightly.
"Sure Ed!" She smiled and he smiled back.
"Told you." Venus whispered to Al.
"How did you…?" He turned to look at her to find she was running off behind Hughes. Al smiled and shook his head.
"I think there really is more to your story." Al laughed watching her go. He turned and looked at his brother as he walked hand in hand with Winry off into town.
"I guess I should find something to do." Al started to walk in the opposite direction.
"How did you do that?" Roy asked over the phone.
"Hehe. All you need is a little love, Roy." Venus replied with a giggle.
"You're something else." He replied.
"No. I'm just me." She said softly.
"Goodnight Venus thanks." Roy said.
"Take care of yourself." She said hanging up the phone. She hugged her knees to her chest looking out the window by her bed. It was open and soft breeze was blowing under a full moon. White angel wings rested on her back, them and her hair was softly blowing in the breeze. She smiled looking at the moon with her sea-green eyes.
"All you need is a little love." She muttered softly.
End-
