Chapter 5:

Dear Uncle Hughes...

Ed opened his eyes as the bright sunlight shined down on his face. He lifted his head and looked around realizing what that he was still in Mirielle's room. Letting out a sigh he stood up and walked out of the room with his head hung down and his eyes diverted to the floor. Dragging his feet he made his way down the hall and into his room.

I give up...no matter what I say she's still going to believe I lied to her. Who was I kidding anyway? Even if I did tell her we'd still be seperated.

Mirielle was in the study room sitting at a desk crying and wiping away her tears as she wrote a letter addressed to home.

Dear Uncle Hughes,

Please come and take me back home once the Elrics leave. I don't want to live here under the watch of the military anymore. I want to live with you, auntie Gracia and Elysia again. Especially now that I know Edward lied. He lied about everything, about being here to help the village and to do research. Every single little bit of it was a one big fat lie.

Mirielle stopped writing and gripped the pen as she started trembling. She began thinking of how Mustang described the situation to her and her tears began streaming down her face.

Ms.Hartwood, Edward is a state alchemist that takes only to his duty. You have no place in his life and I suggest you stay far away from him. And before you give the phone to him I want you to know that he was never there to help the village, he was there to spy on you and get the chimeras.

All the times she shared with Ed and Al came back to her slowly as she started writing again.

I was wrong about him uncle, it tears me apart just knowing everything that happened between me and the Elrics is a bunch of schemes. But yet, I love him.

Mirielle sat there in a pause then placed her pen down then stood up and walked over to the end table in the corner of the room. She opened the drawer and pulled out a curved rectangular box. As she placed on top of the table she opened it and ran her fingers along the pieces of the flute inside then pulled it out carefully and put it together. She slowly brought it to her lips then blew to check the sound and took a momentary pause. She walked to the open window and sat down on the cushioned bench attached to its sil and she began to play. Her song echoed through the perimeter of the room and she played as if the music was part of her. Soon after her flute began to glow and the song began to echoe through the house. At hearing the song everyone in stopped what they were doing and listened.

This song is from my heart...From now on this will be known as my last song I ever played in this house...

As she progressed through the song her pictured those moments of her and Ed that she cherished. The first was of her and Ed at the town carnival.

"It's alright Ed...I really don't mind the fact you'd rather be working." "Forget work, I'm just kinda uneasy about the carnival. There's too much to do at once. " "Goodness Ed, You sound more like you can't wait to try out everything." "That's me alright. When it comes to fun I'm the master."

Then came to the dinner.

"Well here you go." "I hope this place isn't to simple for you." "Not at all, as a matter of fact I like it here..."

After that came the time he bought her a giant teddy bear and the time she spent the evening with him at the lake nearby. Soon she ended the song and she cried as she placed the flute in her lap. She stood up and placed her flute on the bench and shut the window. Then came a sudden knock on the door; sighing she wiped away her tears and walked to the door and answered it.

"Yes-huh!U-Uncle Hughes..."

Hughes smiled and stepped up wrapping his arms around Mirielle to hug her.

"It's me Mirielle...You don't have to worry."

Mirielle back out of the hug and looked at him with confusion.

"But I thought you were out on duty." "I was but it's taken care of."

She backed up giving Hughes a look of suspicion.

"You were on duty for only 5 days...that doesn't sound like you at all." "Work was cut short." "Work is never cut short. Especially not for a Luitenant Colonel." "Why are you getting so upset?" "You're not Uncle Hughes..."

Mirielle moved around him but was grabbed and pulled back into the room. She turned around to see him pointing a knife at her neck. He smiled eerily at Mirielle and stepped closer to her.

"You've been a very naughty little girl. Defying the orders of the Colonel." "What are you talking about? I was never given any orders. Who are you?"

Hughes smirked and transformed into Envy. Mirielle's eyes widened as she gasped.

"Homunculi..." "You've been keeping up on your studies; haven't you little missy?" "But I thought-" "We don't exist? Well we do."

Suddenly Lust and Cluttony came out from the shadows. Mirielle looked at them with surprise and placed her left hand against the door preparing to use her alchemy.

"So whatta you think Lust? She still good bait?" "Not quite there yet but we can still use her. Cluttony. Why don't you take a little bite out of her?" "Oh joy!" "And I mean little, we still need her mainly in one piece." "Don't worry, I'll be nice."

Envy stepped out of the way letting Cluttony get to her. Mirielle pressed her hand on against the door and transmuted it into a spear. Cluttony backed up and glared at her.

"Don't come near me!" "She's a fisty one Lust." "I can see that. In that case just knock her out."

Cluttony chuckled as he and Envy inched towards her. Mirielle swung the spear at the both of them in an attempt to keep them from coming near her.

"How cute, the little girl thinks she can hurt us with her little toy."

Envy knocked the spear out of Mirielle's grip and punched her in the face then kicked her into the room across the hall. She slowly moved off of the broken door underneath her. Military personal along with Ed and Al came running to the scene. Cluttony grabbed Mirielle using her as a shield. Everyone stopped in their path.

"If you want her come and get her."

Cluttony leaned over Mirielle and bit into her shoulder. Her eyes widened and her body began to tremble while her blood ran down her arm and dripped onto the carpet.

"Get your big mouth off of her!" "Angry are we pipsqueek?"

Ed gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he watched Cluttony lick Mirielle's blood from around his mouth. Lust walked over to them and extended her fingers.

"Don't try anything stupid Edward. Or we'll just let Sloth handle this."

Sloth came up out of the carpet and starred at Lust and Mirielle.

"Sloth, be a dear and get rid of those military bugs. Or better yet, give Edward a taste of what will happen to his girlfriend."

Sloth's left arm turned to liquid and shot straight into Ed's mouth suffocating him. Mirielle tried to move out of Cluttony's grip but ended up screaming.

"STOP IT NOW! It's me you came for so leave him alone!"

Sloth looked over at Mirielle and stopped chocking Ed.

"Brave...It's too bad you're just as bad as your uncle was." "I say we just get rid of the girl." "Now now Envy, we musn't aggrivate our tool."

Mirielle slowly pulled her bracelet off her wrist and transmuted it into a small blade. She dropped it on the floor and lightly kicked it over to Ed. Lust, noticing this, stabbed herin the chest. Everyone except Sloth,Cluttony,and Envy were shocked. At watching Mirielle stand there and gasp for air, Ed cried out.

"MIRIELLE!" "How cute, the pipsqueek cried out for his little girlfriend." "LET 'ER GO!" "No can do little Edward."

Ed charged at Lust as she retracted her fingers but ended up hitting Envy instead. Al joined in and went after Sloth while Armstrong and the others shot at Cluttony. Lust smirked as she ran through the group of military personal striking most of them in the ribs.Sloth dodged everything Al threw at her and knocked him over making way for her and her comrades to escape. As she was dragged along like a rag doll Mirielle watched her surroundings pass her bye. The next thing she and everyone else knew she was falling to her death.

"My food!" "Forget her Cluttony, she's going to die anyway."

As she fell Mirielle remembered everything that had happened in the past 8 weeks. Each moment she cherished seemed to be the only thing she had left to hang on to and before she knew anything else, she was drowning in her own blood.

So...This is how it's to be...

Ed suddenly landed in the pond and pulled her out of the water and pulled her out onto the grass. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"You're going to be alright just hold on."

She stared at him for a moment then closed her eyes. Ed became worried and started yelling.

"Mirielle...Mirielle!Mirielle hold on!"

After repeating himself and getting no response Ed broke down in tears and held Mirielle close. Armstrong and the others came running to see this and were shocked. Sergeant Ross stepped up to them and knelt down placing two fingers on the pressure point in Mirielle's neck. She quickly looked up at him with a serious and happy expression.

"She's ok."

Ed looked up.

"We can save her?" "If we hurry. Her wounds are pretty deep."

Ed nodded and picked her up then carried her into the house. He walked into the living room and gently laid her on the couch and let Ross tend to Mirielle's wounds. Armstrong came in as he hung up his cell phone.

"A doctor will be here shortly." "How could Iet this happen...?" "Ed, it's not your fault." "Thanks for trying Al but it is my fault...no denying it..."

After twenty minutes the doctor had arrived and sent everyone out of the room. It had been about three hours before the doctor came out. ED rushed over to him snapping out of his pacing.

"How is she?"

The doctor took off his glasses in a typical manner and looked at him.

"She's fine but she'll be out for a couple days considering the amount of blood she lost. As for her wounds...They'll heal in about three to four weeks."

Ed looked down at the floor with his bangs shadowing his eyes.

"Thanks doc..." "Well, I'll be off now."

Armstrong escorted the doctor outside and Ed went back into the living room.

"I'm sorry, I should've told you my job from the beginning. You wouldn't have had to go through all that pain Y'know...The doctor said you'll heal in three to four weeks. You're lucky, usually it would take an hour at the least for a doctor to get her but it only took him twenty minutes."

Ed gently shifted Mirielle's bangs away from her eyes and stroked her cheek. For the remainder of the night he sat there watching over her. The next morning Ed sat there still watching and fighting his sleep. Al came in with some breakfast.

"I'm such an idiot." "Ed it's not your fault. I bet when she wakes up she'll be happy to see you." "I doubt it...She most likely won't even talk to me." "Ed..." "Save it Al. I know you're just trying to cheer me up but I know her all to well." "Well, just eat ok."

Al turned and left the room.