A/N Just checking in to say that yes, I am indeed still alive. Sorry for taking so long, I swear my next update will be quicker! I've just had so much to do lately, the homework, it's killing me. Well, this chapter's kind of short, kind of crappy, but oh well. I've written worse. Also, lately I've been eating lots of pie, I don't know why. It's quite delicious…
Disclaimer: I do not own FMA
"Ed!" Roy yelled, as they both took off. But Ed had the head start, which he used to his advantage, darting out of the building and running down to the central market. It was a square filled with café's, restaurants, and shops of every sort, a huge tourist attraction, and always brimming with people. Ed slowed down, looking around nervously; Roy was nowhere to be seen. This was the safest place to be right now, so Ed walked into a small restaurant.
Roy swore as he lost sight of Ed. He could be anywhere in Central, hell, he could be taking a train somewhere else. Roy ran back to his office, calling Riza. "Colonel, what is it?" she questioned, putting away the paperwork she'd been doing for him.
"Riza, it's Ed, I need everyone's help, can you round them up for me?" Roy replied. Riza nodded her head, looking Roy up and down in confusion.
"What happened?"
"He was asleep when I found him, didn't even realize a day had passed," Roy replied, "And I saw his pillow was covered in blood. Then he saw that I had seen it and ran, he could be anywhere."
"Wait here sir," Riza replied, "I'll be back in 5, 10 minutes." Roy nodded, as Riza walked hurriedly out the door. Roy couldn't sit down, he couldn't do anything but pace in a circle, glancing at the clock nervously every thirty seconds or so.
Riza ran about, gathering everyone and telling them to meet in Roy's office, her mind racing. Blood, it could mean quite a few things. Was Ed cutting? Was he hurt somewhere and not telling? Did he actually have a disease serious enough to hurt him this badly? "Havoc, get over here, now!" she yelled, lacing her fingers over the hilt of one of her guns threateningly.
Havoc practically ran over seeing this, following Riza back down the hall. "What's up Hawkeye?" he asked informally, finishing the last of the sandwich he'd been eating for dinner.
"I'll tell you when we get back, everyone else is already with Roy in his office," Riza replied, quickening her pace. Havoc shrugged, walking into Roy's office where Fury, Breda, Fallman, and Roy himself all awaited them. "We're all here sir, what do you propose we do?" Hawkeye asked, standing at attention.
"Okay, now that everyone's here, I have a new assignment for you all," Roy said, stopping his pacing, "Go and search Central for Fullmetal, he's gone and we need to find him. Bring him back no matter the cost. I've divided up the areas of Central for each of you to search, and Fury, be sure to check at the train station if he's left Central by train. If you find him, or any possible whereabouts, contact either the First Lieutenant or myself immediately. That is all, dismissed."
They all saluted nervously, taking maps of Central and divvying up the sections. Fullmetal was, well, Fullmetal! And we wouldn't go down without one hell of a fight if he didn't want to. "Sir, are you sure this is entirely wise?" Hawkeye asked as they all left.
"Ed's weak right now, he's tired, he's hungry, and he's sick. He shouldn't be too hard to take down," Roy replied, "Dismissed." Riza nodded, sliding her pistol into its holster, and giving a quick salute before their paths separated.
IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Ed drank a couple cappuccinos, he normally disapproved of coffee, but he had to stay alert, which was admittedly pretty hard when you felt weak, dispirited, hungry, and a bit cold. Ed felt vulnerable, just weak overall. He really didn't like feeling this way, as he looked out the window of the coffee shop. Ed flagged down a waitress, ordering quite literally half of the menu, and taking another gulp of his drink. He scanned the square; Roy would probably be putting together a search party about now. Then they'd find Ed and take him back. Ed pretty much had two choices, he could resign himself to the fate of being drug back, or he could keep running and fighting.
He'd simply gone with plan two on instinct before, but now he was feeling so tired he simply didn't really care anymore. A part of him, a small part he'd buried deep away, wanted to tell everyone. He actually half wanted to be taken away to the rehab center, for Roy to know, to see what Ed really was. Only a small part though. Plates of steaming food were placed in front of him, as Ed picked up his fork and began to stuff himself, trying not to think about it.
This happened to be when Havoc saw him, as he walked through the square. Havoc ducked behind a large potted plant, watching Ed as he finished eating and got up. Ed paid the bill along with a hefty tip, and left to the bathroom. Havoc ran back, he had to find Roy. Like hell he'd face Fullmetal alone.
Ed reached down his throat, puking in one of the bathroom stalls. He wiped his mouth, washing it out a couple times before coming back out. His stomach felt uneasy, churning uncomfortably. It growled both from hunger and unease, he stopped back at his table, sitting down and ordering another cappuccino. He was tired as hell; his body hadn't been functioning well lately. And as Ed picked the menu back up, he felt a wave of tiredness wash over him, his head falling on the table and his eyes sliding shut. It was one of the random bouts of sleepiness that sometimes overtook him, like the one that had left him to sleep all day today. Talk about bad timing.
Roy followed Havoc into the restaurant impatiently, flashing his pocket watch to a waitress carrying a couple cappuccinos. "Have you seen a young man, blonde hair, red coat?" Roy asked. The waitress nodded nervously, gesturing towards a table next to the window. They walked quickly over. "Ed, what the hell's your problem storming off like that?" Roy said angrily, pulling away the menu that hid the boy's face. He was lying on the table, drool leaking in a thin stream out of the left side of his mouth.
"He's out cold," Havoc said plainly, lifting Ed's wrist and dropping it, "What now?"
"Havoc, get a cab," Roy replied, lifting Ed out of his char and over his shoulder, "Now."
A/N I'm going to sleep now, kendo wiped me out tonight. Read and review, at least five, and I'll update sooner this time! Please don't hurt me! More will happen next chapter, but I'm really tired right now, so I have no idea how this chapter turned out. Oh well, I'll find out in the morning I guess… also, I've heard that this story is frighteningly realistic, which is somewhat surprising and pleasing for me. I personally know someone who's bulimic, and I myself, in moments of weakness have partaken in cutting myself, so I'm better at writing angst because I have more experience with it I guess. The rest is random facts about it that I've picked up from TV, books, and other such random resources, so, so far, I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out. Well, goodnight!