……disclaimer…don't own…Daemon…Vicious…own…

/thoughts/

(my comments)

"speaking"

'thoughts, more broad ones'

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Ed ignored the arms wrapped around his small figure. Hell. Ed didn't deny it to himself. He was short, it sucked yes. A lie, no. "Ed?" shifting, Ed looked out the window. "come on Ed. You have to give a bigger response then just moving your head." Ed ignored Roy again. "your short Ed." Ed's eyes narrowed. "who are you calling so small a grain of sand would be a boulder?" a normal response, only Ed's voice was detached and cool. Roy's eyes narrowed as he pulled his arms back and sat with stiff shoulders.

Despite being broad daylight, Ed yawned. Shifting, he slowly turned so he laying on his side, he pressed his ear to Roy's chest, over his heart and fell asleep. Roy smiled softly, he couldn't help it. He raised one hand and threaded it through Ed's long blond (now dry) locks. Ed shifted and rumbling came from the back of his throat. "your like a cat, more then a dog." Ed grumbled as he shifted, trying to burrow himself into Roy's warmth.

"and your more of… a dog… perverted old man." Roy's eyes widened. "your not asleep…" Ed shook his head. "nope, just comfortable." Roy's eyes softened. "so, ready to tell me what's got you so down short stop?" Ed's demeanor changed back to devoid in a instant. Roy grumbled then smacked his forehead. "I did that wrong." before Ed could speak, the phone rang.

Roy reached over and picked the phone up, a feminine voice coming over the line. "Charlotte!" Roy's persona went from kind and calm, to that of a womanizer. The woman spoke for a few seconds. "tonight? Well, let me see what I'm doing." Roy placed a hand on the phone's speaker and looked down at Ed. "you okay being here alone tonight short stop?" Ed smirked as he nodded. He wouldn't bother Roy more then needed. Or interfere with his… social life.

Placing the phone at his ear, Roy agreed for the date. "see you at 8 Charlotte." Roy hung up the phone and shifted. "you mind removing your person from my body? I have to get ready." Ed rolled over so he was laying on a pillow. He curled up and closed his eyes. The towel forgotten laying on Roy's leg. "your worthless weight Ed." Ed smirked. "at least I'm not a ugly, fat old man trying to get laid." Roy groaned, but stood up. "must you keep saying I'm old? I'm only 29 for gods sake."

Ed rolled his eyes but watched as Roy walked out of the room. He sat up and slowly ran a hand through his hair. His eyes went from devoid, to serious. He stood up and winced as his stomach gnawed angrily, grabbing a fresh black sleeveless top, he pulled it on. It wasn't baggy. (like his other tops in the Anime. The ones he wears beneath his overcoat). Walking down the stairs, and into the kitchen- Ed absent minded started to make a small meal. when it was done, he sat down at the table and quickly ate the meal.

"Truth…" for some reason, merely saying the word made Ed think back to the crystal alchemist, Marco. When he had given Ed the note. "the Truth behind truths." Ed washed his plate and frowned. There was more then one truth to the philosophers stone. Ed knew that for sure. /it's like a gigantic puzzle/ Ed groaned and ran a hand through his hair again. He then straightened and glared out the window. "it's like a web, so many things tied together."

Ed jolted into awareness when a hand smacked him over the head. "hey!" looking over his shoulder, Ed glared at a serious looking Roy. "you should be resting." Ed grinned. "don't worry about this kid Mustang. I hate sitting around, it's gives a person to much time to think, and there are more productive things I could be doing…" Ed looked out at the setting sun. "I was going to go for a walk. So, see you later Roy."

Roy's eyebrow twitched when Ed walked over to the front door. He looked over his shoulder at the last second and looked Roy up and down. Roy wore a pair of black dress pants and a white dress shirt. "you actually don't look half bad-" Ed smirked. "for a old man." Roy's eyebrow twitched again, this time in anger. Ed waved a careless hand and walked out the door into the night.

"hey Ed." Ed blinked. Behind him, Roy tossed a familiar crimson overcoat over Ed's head, where it settled. Ed grumbled as he pulled the coat on and stared at it. "I thought I ripped this thing." Roy shrugged. "Kernel Armstrong spoke of some family skill when he gave that to me." Ed grinned as he pulled his hair back into it's normal braid. "well, at least something came in handy with that man." Ed started down the sidewalk without another word….

Managing to walk all the way to the downside of town, Ed started to kick a rock back and forth between his feet. "Fullmetal." Ed faltered and tripped over the stone. He braced himself with his hands and frowned. /I know that voice…/ looking up, Ed's eyes slid up black pants, white shirt beneath a yellow jacket… bronze skin… Ed's eye twitched. "Scar." a frown remained on Scar's face. "you never smile, do you?" Ed shifted and pulled himself onto his feet. "I don't want to deal with you." with a groan, Ed started to pass Scar.

A quick move, and Ed's arm was caught by Scar's tattoo free one. Ed's muscles jumped beneath the touch when Scar tightened his grip. "You're a state alchemist." Ed's eyes narrowed. "so? You want one that is at their beck and call? Go to the central building." Scar stared at Ed through his glasses. "you've become bold Edward Elric, or foolish."

Ed tried to pull his arm out of Ed's gasp. Tried being the key word. "I've had a really bad day. Some could say I bit the hand that feeds me." Scar's eyebrow rose. "bit the hand that fed you?" Ed looked to the ground. "I won't let great power go to those who don't deserve it. And the Fuhrer would definitely maltreat the power." Scar's frown straightened, but he didn't smile.

"the philosopher's stone." Ed nodded once, a small barely seen gesture. Scar looked up, then around. Seeing no one, but still wary he pulled Ed with little problems down a alleyway, a crossed the next street to a abandoned warehouse. It would give them privacy, and Scar wasn't even planning on showing Ed where he rested up. So this would have to do.

Ed grumbled as his arm was released. He sighed and sat down on a rickety, but safe (he hoped) crate, while Scar merely crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby wall. "talk Fullmetal." Ed leaned against the wall. "I won't be used like some lapdog, some whipped… weak dog." Scar shifted, unnoticed to Ed. "so, Edward Elric is finally realizing the truth." Ed shrugged a shoulder. "there is more then one Truth Scar." Ed's eyes narrowed. "actually, I don't even know why I'm talking to you. A murderer." Scar glared at Ed, even though Scar always looked like he glared.

"how do you know that I'm not the savior, and the state alchemists aren't the murderers." Ed shifted again, growing uncomfortable underneath the heavy staring. "I see no point in the god forsaken war. You guys have your god. We have our science-" Ed pinned Scar with another glare. "we shouldn't of tried to force alchemy onto you guys, and you guys shouldn't of acted the way you should of." Scar gave no warning before he darted forward and wrapped his hand around Ed's neck.

"alchemy goes against what god had planned! What he made, should stay as it is!" Ed's eyes narrowed, he struggled to breathe and raised his hands. Speaking, he managed to not sound weak. "everything comes with a price Scar! The stone is no different. So why do you think it can bypass all laws! not go against what your god says?"

Scar frowned. "then what was equivalent to giving your brother a real body?" Ed's eyes narrowed before he spoke; a very low, serious tone. "because I saved her son, Rose gave herself up." Scar's eyes narrowed. "how is that not murder Edward Elric?" Scar's voice was raised, his hand tightening on Ed's neck. Nearly crushing his windpipe. A bruise was inevitable. Ed's eyes flashed as tears surfaced, not only from his own pain. But the pain of remembering.

"I was going to sacrifice myself." Ed coughed, trying to regain some air to his abused lungs. Scar lessened his grip, silently commanding Ed to continue. "I didn't bring Al's body back in this town. I was going to bring it back in the desert, a town named Diablo. Where everything needed could be more then easily obtained. And-" Ed took a breath. "and the military couldn't stop me, before I had the chance to complete the act."

Ed could faintly tell that he was dangling in mid air. At least half a foot off the ground, his legs felt kind of numb. "that particular band of Ishbalens had Rose as their leader." another breath. "we were at a abandoned home. Privacy… Al was gathering the last ingredients. Rose had been wandering, stumbling in on me as I made the alchemic symbols…" Ed's eyes flickered as he recalled the memory. "she knew what I was going to do. A life for a life Scar. She realized that with that fake priest."

Fixing his hold on Scar's hand, Ed shifted, trying to release some pressure against his neck. "the first thing she said, the only thing she said that wasn't hysterical was the most painful thing for me to hear."

------------------------------flashback----------------------------

Ed looked up at Rose. "Edward…" Rose's eyes glittered as tears pooled in the corners. "to kill yourself and bring Al back-" Rose didn't give any warning before she slapped Ed hard a crossed the cheek. Ed's head whipped to the side, but he didn't react.

"to give Al a body is a caring gesture… even when it was in god's whim for him to die…" Rose shifted. Her voice gaining strength and emotion, anger… sadness. "YOUR WILLING TO LEAVE YOUR BROTHER ALONE EDWARD!" tears flew and one splattered on Ed's cheek. "that is the most selfish thing I have ever heard!"

Ed looked back at Rose, his eyes wide with surprise. "Rose-" Rose shook her head and clenched her fist. "no! you can't do that Ed! You can't leave Al in this world…" her voice was hysterical now. "you don't know what it's like to be alone in this world! It hurts so much…" her voice broke off. "it's the worst feeling in the world. It makes you feel like no one cares for you." Rose's eyes hardened again.

"so how could you do that to Alphonse Ed? Allow him to wonder why no one is with him anymore!"

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Ed's eyes flashed as he spoke again. "she wouldn't let me go through and kill myself for Al. so, she allowed herself to be the sacrifice." Scar's eyes narrowed in anger. "that gives-" Ed shook his head and tears slid silently down his cheeks. "she had no one left! She wanted to kill herself Scar! Her love was dead, she had no one left in this world!" Ed's voice lowered. "so she begged me to do it, sacrifice her instead of myself. She didn't want Al to be alone, feel the pain she felt every day. Every second."

Trying to end the tears, Ed removed his hands from Scar's wrist. He couldn't loosen the grip even if he wanted to. "she made me promise to sacrifice herself. She said it was the least she could do, and allow her peace. Allow her to be with her love." Ed choked for a minute. "she hid herself from Al. and I actually did it!" Scar released Ed and he fell on his knees, bending over; Ed hit his hands to the pact dirt ground and then fisted them. "I actually killed her! She was the only person that I actually murdered!" Ed's voice choke again.

"I couldn't, and still can't look Al in the eye." Scar kneeled next to Ed and placed his hand, somewhat comforting on top of Ed's head. "your brother doesn't know about Rose's sacrifice. Does he Fullmetal?" Ed shook his head and stiffened, his forehead against the ground. "I can't tell him! I couldn't stand if he hated me for it…" Ed slowly looked up, his eyes desperate. He stared at Scar with hopeless eyes. "I may be selfish…" Ed lowered his voice to that of a whisper.

"but I don't want to be alone… I'm scared of it. Not having someone there near me." Scar's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Al isn't here, he's back 'home.'" Ed slowly nodded as he sat up, his legs tucked into the outside of his thighs, his hands stabilizing him on the ground in front of him. "without even telling him, I was left alone again."

Scar smoothed Ed's bangs. "Alphonse is coming back, is he not?" Ed's shoulders shook as silent sobs racked his body. "I won't make him stay here. He deserves a happy life. One free of dangerous missions, evil men and out of the military." Ed's sobs broke though his lips, a small sound. But it was still there. "he wants to be a state alchemist, I won't let him." Ed's eyes hardened as he continued to stare at the ground. "how will that be stopped Edward Elric?"

Ed gave a small grin to himself. "for his qualification test, he's going to fight me. I won't lose." the hand on his head slowly smoothed his hair. "yet you're a dog of the military." Ed nodded. "why should he suffer the same fate Scar? Become another of your enemies?" Scar heard a small crack in Ed's voice.

"you care for your brother very much, don't you Edward?" Edward nodded. "even if he can't be near me, he deserves to be happy. And I can guarantee one thing…" Ed slowly leaned forward, his forehead resting on Scar's knee. He knew it was dangerous, probably lose his head. But he would take the risk. "he wouldn't be happy if he stayed near me." the hand on Ed's head increased in pressure.

"your smart to keep your brother out of danger Fullmetal." Ed's shoulders shook with his effort to stifle the sobs in his throat. Scar prodded Ed until he was standing on his own two feet. "you look pathetic Edward. Stop acting like a child and grow up." Ed slowly nodded, his eyes shadowed. "the next time I see you Fullmetal, your head is mine." Ed looked up, they widened to see he was alone again. "what the hell…" Ed slowly walked out of the warehouse.

Starting down the street. Ed pressed a hand to his forehead. "I just had a conversation with a evil murderer…" How do you know that I'm not the savior, and the state alchemist aren't the murderers…Ed shook his head. How could he tell? It was true. The state was more vile then they let on, more selfish. But Scar… he still killed many men.

"a man who murders for selfish reasons. That is a murderer." then everyone was a murderer… even Ed.

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A short chapter, good none the less, I hope.

a REALLY bad chapter, but it's a useless filler. hope you like it, thanks for the review and KEEP REVIEWING!