Author's Note: This chapter took longer than usual to write... for some reason I kept having to stop and come back to it later. And most of this I forced myself to write, so I don't mind if everyone hates this chapter just for it's general sucky-ness. Sorry!

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The following day, Eternity and Aria didn't come to the hospital for the first day since they found out that Ed and Roy were there. Not only did Eternity have a lot of stuff on her mind to deal with-- since she realized that she had in fact been heard by Roy, Aria, and Ed-- the two girls also had to buy Christmas presents. Aria was stumped on what to get Roy.

"A flamethrower?" Eternity suggested, recieving a glare for her efforts. "Hmph. Don't say I didn't try..." Eternity had already chosen what she wanted to get Ed, and was also searching for a gift for Roy. "We should get him a puppy," She commented to Aria, who grinned.

"We'd end up taking care of it," Aria replied. Eternity shrugged.

"Well then, something to do with dogs." She said, examining a black lab calender. "This'll work!" She went to buy her items, leaving Aria to search for something to get Roy. When Eternity returned to her friend five minutes later, she was still puzzling over the dilemma. "You're not very good at finding a present, are you?" Aria shook her head, smiling sheepishly. "Here. Lemme help." She started first with the statue aisles, mulling over the tiny lifelike dogs sitting on each shelf. After realizing how easily those break, she moved on to something that Roy could use without worrying about breaking it.

"How about a necklace?" Aria suggested. "No, not like a locket with those tiny chains that fall off so easily," She defended herself against Eternity's look. "Something more... macho."

"A ring?" Eternity responded, earning a smile. "But it has to be something thick-banded, or else it'll look girly... and it would be best if it was a thumb ring... you don't by any chance know his ring size, do you?" She asked Aria, who shook her head. Eternity sighed and headed over to the ring section, with her friend in tow. After about 15 minutes of browsing, Aria and Eternity finally agreed on a plain silver thumb ring, that was too large for both of them so it would hopefully fit Roy. They left, but by then the visiting hours at the hospital were over. They spent the rest of the day wrapping their presents and wondering exactly how Roy and Ed would react to them.

When they entered the hospital the next day, everything was very awkward between Eternity and Ed.

"The doctor said that we're almost ready to leave," Roy finally commented, hoping to start a conversation that would break the tension in the air. Eternity made a move on the chess board in front of her. "He said that we'll be out by the 25th."

"That's great!" She replied enthusiastically. "Checkmate, Ed." Ed groaned and reset the board. "That makes... 2-1."

"4 out of 7." Ed told her, determined to beat her. In previous games on earlier days, Ed had been just as bad. But, in his defense, he barely knew how to play.

"Mm-kay." She moved her pawn and waited for his move.

"I wish they would just talk," Aria murmured to Roy. She watched the pair intently. "They should get it over with."

"Ed would never do that," Roy replied quietly, fiddling with a Rubik's Cube. "He doesn't want to make her feel uncomfortable." When Winry opened the door, she froze for a moment, and then entered. She seemed happy, almost smug. When Eternity won the round of chess again, she turned the board over to Winry and retreated to listen to the radio. She noticed, very painfully, how relaxed Ed became while talking to Winry. Winry seemed just as content, and the two chatted about useless things.