A/N: I just want to say thanks to OtakuAnime131 for reading and commenting .
Chapter Six: Truth
Three days passed rather slowly, too slowly. It was as if Heidi could feel the second hand ticking her safety away, ticking away toward the closing of her role in this play. She kept up the veneer that everything was fine, she was happy. In some instances she was happy, happy that Roy was being so kind and attentive. His smiles, his touches were nice and since she knew it was going to end soon she indulged in it, just to know what it felt like before he cast her aside.
They had spent every evening together either out for dinner or at her apartment or both. It was all quiet, no real questions asked, just sitting together talking about almost nothing. There were a few instances that she let him hold her, kiss her. She didn't want to let it all go, but she couldn't fight the currents she knew were dragging her away from the things she wanted, needed.
Today was different; today she couldn't quite hide, especially when Major Hughes entered the personale office carrying two files. Roy stood with a smile and introduced them in front of everyone.
Major Hughes smiled. "Hey doll,"
Heidi's smile faded, her face paled instantly, her body trembled at just the sound of someone saying it. "Don't call me that." It came out harsh and cold, more so than she'd intended.
"Alright calm down." Hughes said almost laughingly.
Roy frowned. Heidi never yelled, never spoke thusly… She must have some sort of heightened intuition and sensed something was up, that this wasn't some casual visit. He'd also noted the faint dark circles shadowing her eyes; it was no wonder with the tossing in turning in her sleep. He'd been staying over night with her because she'd asked. "Something wrong Major?"
Heidi caught the eyes of everyone else in the room. "Uh no Sir, I'm just tired. Sorry,"
Roy nodded and sat down motioning for Maes to pull up a chair. He smiled. "Heidi, would you mind getting Maes and I a cup of coffee?"
Heidi smirked. "Well that depends you two sharing one?"
"Jealous?"
"Not really," She replied standing. She pushed in her chair slowly.
"Take your time babe."
Heidi and everyone else halted. She smiled though, a beautiful smile. "You'd better watch that mouth of yours Colonel. It's fine out of the office and you'd better be glad everyone in here likes you." With that she turned and left closing the door quietly.
Maes turned to Roy. "'babe' huh? You're dating her?"
Roy reached for the files. "Let me see what you came here about."
Maes sighed. "Right, just remember what I said Roy. I mean it, you need all the facts before a confrontation."
Roy took both files frowning at the first. "Maes this is her military file."
"Yes, you'll need it."
"But I have already seen it."
"Just read them both." Maes said softly.
"What's going on?" Havoc asked around his cigarette.
"That's what I'm about to find out." Roy replied.
"So she is a spy?" Breda asked.
Maes adjusted his glasses. "I wouldn't say that. Just not who she says she is."
Roy sighed opening the other file. He frowned and read the name. Liezel H. Kimblee. Kimblee…Zolf J. Kimblee. That's what came to his mind first. That traitor and she was…She couldn't be the man's wife. Kimblee had no wife he knew that much for sure. This meant. Of course the familiarity. Damn it how could he have been so blind. And the little things, all the hints. She was his damned sister, his little fucking sister. "Hughes,"
"Just read it Roy." Maes cautioned. "It's not what you think."
Roy steeled himself growing cold, feeling the anger from being lied to rise within him as he read.
Name: Liezel H. Kimblee
Origin: Seris
Age: 17
Sex: Female
Weight: 100lbs
Height: 5'5
Hair: Dark Brown
Eyes: blue
Hand: right
Rank: Major
Alchemy Title: Melody
Service Record: Central in accounting, Eastern Rebellion-Commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Jacob Tans (deceased)
Death: Shot while moving prisoners, age 18
Current Location: Central Military Cemetery Row 28, Line C, Grave number 1125
Roy flipped over to Heidi's military file to make comparisons. There weren't that many at all. She'd changed her hair, gained some weight, grown an inch, switched what hand was predominating, and her alchemy title. One thing he did know was that she was far from dead. Both birth places were in the north though, just a few miles away from each other.
Maes pointed to the back ground information of Liezel's file. "Here take a look at this."
Roy set his eyes upon the page to read. Liezel was born to James and Olga Kimblee with an older brother named Zolf J. Her father owned a flower shop in Seris where he used alchemy in his work but never enlisted with the State. Her mother worked in the Seris library. Her parents were killed in a small terrorist bombing during a small rebellion about the time she'd have been six. The record stated that she and Zolf remained in Seris working at the library and other odd jobs to survive. Then they got on a train to Central when she turned seventeen and enlisted. Both were shipped to the East for the Eastern Rebellion.
The Flame Alchemist closed both files and sat back. He had several interesting questions running through his mind.
"So what are you going to do?"
"Ask, clearly she changed her identity. I get why someone would want to not be associated with him, but,"
Maes pulled something from the breast pocket of his uniform. "This might answer a few questions. I found this after some digging."
Roy frowned taking the sheet of folded paper from Maes's hand. As he read his frown faded, he could feel the color draining from his face, his blood even seemed to slow at the horrendous details he was reading. "I see, well that explains a lot. I wonder what ever made Gran think she could stop him when I barely could."
Maes shrugged. "Maybe he thought the love of a sister would be enough."
Heidi took a deep breath closing her eyes as she leaned against the wall outside of the office. She couldn't make herself enter. Her heart thudded wildly against her ribcage, she couldn't…She wanted to weep. Just a tiny flicker of a real life, of happiness and it was snuffed before it could ignite into a flame. It wasn't enough.
"Major?" A soft voice asked not too far away.
"Yes Edward?" She asked. "Where is Al?"
"He went to the library. What's wrong?" Ed replied.
She smiled opening her blue eyes. "Nothing, just…could you open the door for me?" she said softly.
Ed nodded and turned the handle nudging it open. Heidi held him back a moment. "Edward it was really nice to meet you. You and Al are really good hearted kids; don't let anyone else dare tell you differently." Before he could question her she darted skillfully, with out spilling the coffee into the office, plastering a small smile upon her pale face.
She met Roy's eyes as she placed the coffee upon his desk. He looked…she couldn't read him at all. She couldn't tell what he was going to say or do, but she knew it was the end. "Anything else?"
"No Liezel Kimblee, that will be enough."
Heidi heard the others drop things; Fury gasped and knew they were all looking at her. She felt so cold, so terribly cold, was trembling again. This was it, he knew now; this was the end of the line. In some ways she was relieved. She nodded closing her eyes and swallowed. "I see. If you then excuse me I will go home now. My resignation will be on your desk tomorrow morning."
"Wait what, why did you call her that?" Ed asked confused. "Who is Liezel Kimblee?"
Heidi let out a sigh. "I am, my name, my real name is Liezel Heidi Kimblee and yes I am Zolf Kimblee's little sister." She turned and headed for the door.
"What!" Breda asked.
"You're really his sister?" Havoc asked.
"Where do you think you are going?" Roy demanded. "Why are you turning in a resignation?" Truth be told he didn't want her to leave. Yes she had some explaining to do, but she didn't have to resign.
Heidi stopped at the door with her wobbly hand upon the handle. "It's like you said Colonel, because there are some things that you just can't change." Looking over her shoulder she smiled with tears glistening in her eyes. "Thank you for doing the thing I couldn't. He might have been a monster, but he was my brother and I didn't want him to die out there. I don't think you could ever know what that means to me." She turned the door handle opened the door.
"So you're just going to run away?" Roy asked coldly. "And do what, go where? If you turn in a resignation, that's the end of your career."
"I know that," Just leave it alone Roy, please! She added silently.
"Why?" Roy looked at the files upon his desk. "Why change everything about yourself and hide?"
Heidi slammed the door feeling every sense of control in her body betray and leave her. It just wasn't in the cards for her to remain unruffled today. "I didn't ask for that. Fuher Bradley came to me and offered it to me, said he and others had decided that I was too valuable to lose. I could have left then, but I didn't have anywhere else to go. I had no one! Damn it I couldn't even get out of the damned hospital bed after…" She trailed off shuddering.
"Liezel," Roy began calmly.
"Shut up!" She snapped startling everyone including Edward who wasn't used to seeing anything cold or angry about her in the least. Well no one was for that matter. "You don't get it do you? I am tired of this, always having to be one step ahead, always changing subjects, always hiding. No the Kruger's are not my real parents; they are just some childless couple who the Fuher found to act the part. No I never grew up in Latak either. I don't like being blonde, I don't like pretending when all I have ever wanted was to just live as me! But I can't do that, the Fuher said I couldn't because it wouldn't be easy. People wouldn't trust me, wouldn't treat me like a real person if they knew the truth. And god damn it I am exhausted of lying! I simply cannot live like this anymore now that everyone knows so it is better just to leave. Then you don't ever have to worry whether or not I am going to betray you like Zolf."
"You know what the worst of it is? I have been over it countless times and I still don't understand why. Why would he do this to me? I was his sister. When we were growing up after our parents died he did everything to take care of me because I was so little and could barely do it myself. He taught me the alchemy he learned, he made sure we had a place to stay, food to eat, clothes, helped convince the librarian to let us work there. He said when we got old enough we'd go to Central, pass the exam, join the military, and have a family again. He was my entire world and he…
Heidi closed her eyes quivering, the scene playing almost as if in real time in her mind. She could still feel his hands touching her, the chemicals burning and changing, her flesh ripping, shredding like paper. "Do you have any idea what it feels like to watch and feel your own brother use alchemy on you? To explode parts of you and be so shocked you couldn't move? He couldn't just kill me and get it over with. He had to rip me apart, torture me then leave me to die in the hot sand. Do you know what it feels like to have nothing, want to die but pick yourself up and barely make it back to camp praying to just die and never being granted it? I tried to die several times in fact and they stopped me every time, even after the Fuher came with the proposal for a new life. He said it would be okay with time, but it's not okay. It never will be and I can't understand why. So excuse me for wanting to leave."
Everyone was silent after that all save for Roy. There were still questions burning in his mind, questions he was almost afraid to ask at this time. The suffering exuded in her face, her body, her words was intense, and he really felt for her. He didn't pity her in the least in fact he kind of admired her for doing this, picking up her feet and attempting to move on after that kind of betrayal, the worst kind. Seeing Heidi like this, seeing her look as if she was dying inside, defeated when before she was ready with her next round…it was painful.
He frowned. "Why did Gran send you?"
Heidi scoffed. "Because he thought if anyone could bring Zolf back it would be me. He'd seen us together, the way Zolf doted on me when I was around him. He was wrong. I couldn't do it. I even tried to convince Zolf to run away, I'd go with him. I tried everything, said anything just to make him stop. He was insane, too far gone for…" Heidi wiped her face in vain. "I can't hate him, I tried, I really did but he wasn't completely lost not when…Zolf, the last thing I ever heard him say was, 'Little Liezel, my little doll. I can't, what am I doing? Liezel…' Then he ran away. There was some part of the brother I knew left, some part that wasn't bad, don't ask me to hate him…" She froze as the realization of her outburst finally hit her. She was sacred of him, of everyone in the room, even Edward who just looked confused and sad.
Roy stood slowly and she backed up a step. "It's okay, let's go to my office."
"Why?"
"Because I am still your commanding officer and that's an order."
Ed glared and moved to stand between Heidi and Mustang as the man rounded his desk. "Leave her alone."
"Fullmetal," Roy warned.
"No you can't make her do anything and you're not going to do anything to her. All this time you've wanted to get rid of her. Well congratulations bastard you've done it!"
Heidi rested her hand upon Edward's shoulder. Frightened as she was she couldn't help but feel affected warmly by this almost stranger's deep protection of her. "Ed its okay, don't get yourself into trouble over me. You've got bigger things to take care of, like Al." She gently pushed him aside. "Thanks though,"
Ed began to protest but she shook her head.
Roy watched Edward carefully and finally the boy sat down near Maes. Then he looked to Heidi and nodded to the door.
Once inside of his office Roy closed and locked the door. "You don't have to do this. You can stay."
"Why? You're not going to trust me I lied about-"
"With good reason. If the Fuher was in on this then you must really be of importance and he thought it was necessary. Don't be an idiot and throw away everything just because we found out." He said coldly.
Heidi sat upon one of the sofas. "Look I did the one thing I wanted to do in coming here, I thanked you for bringing my brother home-"
"I will not accept the resignation or allow you to be transferred to start this all over again." Roy said sitting beside her. "You don't really want to leave do you? Leave me behind?"
Heidi shook her head. "No, but I can't-"
"Sure you can. All we have to do is ask them not to say a word. We'll make it simple and no one besides us ever has to know. I trust those guys can't you? Can't you trust me? If I remember correctly you said you wanted to tell me some things. Was this it?"
Heidi nodded and Roy lifted his hand to her hair. "I have to apologize for this. I asked Maes to dig because I think I knew. I saw you with Kimblee in Ishbal, I saw him give you the orchid."
"It was my birthday; he made it because he couldn't get me a real one. Our father used to grow them in his shop and I always loved them. I didn't need it but he wouldn't let me go without something on my birthday. He wasn't always a monster. He used to be so gentle, so kind, never let anyone say or do anything to…"
"No one can blame you for something he did. I don't, you were just caught in the middle. Please think about this carefully Heidi. You'd be throwing everything away, me, your career, and the friends you've made. Hell you saw Edward. I think he and Alphones would be upset if you left." He sighed twisting her soft hair around his fingers. "I'll fight you on this. I don't want you to leave, who else would I have to play pranks on or other things." He leaned close, breathing in the scent of her hair. "I don't want you to leave." He kissed her lips lightly.
"But you don't know me." She whispered pushing him away. This hurt, this was the worst of it, wanting to stay and be with him. It was shear torture to be wanted and knowing it really wouldn't work, to have someone seem to not care about her past and the scars.
"I think I do, I think you've been the same all along just with a different name and altered appearance. You know what I like it all, save for your hair. It's beautiful but I think brown would look better on you."
"You just don't want to break in another replacement. I could ask the Fuher to get Hawkeye back for you." She replied emotionlessly.
As great as that sounded Roy didn't want that. "No," He smiled lifting her face. "Go home, get some rest and really think about this. Report in tomorrow morning like always, in uniform, I mean it Heidi. If you don't I'll have you drug from your house and handcuffed to the desk."
"You didn't do this to Hawkeye." She glared.
"That's because Riza would never leave over something this stupid. Go and I'll see you tomorrow." He watched her get up from the sofa. "And don't think this changes anything between us. I'll need some answers but they can come in time."
Was he crazy…or just a really good man? Heidi swallowed. "I'm sorry for the outburst, it was out of proper conduct sir."
Ed sat reading the files Maes had brought. He didn't give a shit who she had been what name she went by or her damned hair color. She was Heidi to him and she was kind, funny, treated he and Al like friends, didn't make fun of him, didn't let Mustang get away with too much and that was all that mattered.
"I can't believe she's really Kimblee's sister." Breda whispered.
"That doesn't mean she's like him." Havoc reasoned. "I mean you heard her, she's pretty upset."
"Yeah, I mean she's so nice," Fury added.
"Unless it's an act and she's really here to get back at the Colonel for apprehending Kimblee and bringing him back to Central to for execution." Falman said.
"But she thanked Mustang for it." Fury said softly. "What do you think the Colonel's going to do?"
"I wouldn't worry about that." Maes said finally with a smile. "It didn't look like he was too upset. He's probably just annoyed that she lied but I'm sure he understands the reasons for it and with the Fuher backing her, okaying this in the first place-"
"Yeah but they are dating," Havoc interrupted.
Maes nodded. "So I just learned. Look Roy's not going to just let her throw everything away. If anything he's in there trying to convince her to stay. Whether or not they remain a couple is up in the air, but he won't let her do this to herself, not over something this insane. It's not her fault and she shouldn't be blamed for it."
"Yeah but here's the next question, can he convince her alone?" Havoc asked. "Personally I don't care who she's related too and all this mess. Do you guys?"
Falman, Breda, and Fury shook their heads. "No, but what do we call her?"
"What ever she wants to be called." Roy replied closing the door.
"Colonel is she staying?" Fury asked.
Roy slipped his hand into his pocket sighing. "I don't know. I sent her home-"
"You what, you are getting rid of her!" Ed snapped.
"No I sent her home to think before making any rash decisions. It would help if you and Alphones paid her a visit. She likes you two, it would be good for her to see what she'd be giving up." Roy explained.
"Colonel, is she going to be okay?" Fury asked.
Roy shook his head. "You don't get over that Fury, not those scars visible or invisible, just ask Edward."
"How bad is it?" Breda asked.
"Seventy percent of her body's torn up under that uniform."
Maes frowned. That wasn't in the page he'd found. "Did she tell you that?"
Roy nodded. "Yeah, she showed me her arm too."
"But why would Kimblee do that, she was his sister. It's so cruel." Fury breathed.
"And you think I know the answer to that?" Roy asked heading for his desk. "This doesn't leave this office. It goes to the grave with all of you. If this information got out…There is a reason the Fuher ordered this change and we're going to follow it."
Maes smiled. "You still going to date her even though she lied to protect herself and she's Kimblee's little sister?"
Roy gave him a look that said 'you're kidding me right?'
Edward glared. "You're a bastard Colonel, after what she said to me the other day… How would you like it if she did this to you?"
Shaking his head Roy replied. This made the second time in the last five minutes Ed had jumped to the wrong conclusions. Damn did this kid really not think that much of him? "What are you talking about Edward; I'm not breaking up with her."
"B-B-But-" Edward sputtered.
"You miss read, I'm just glad that I don't have to raid her house again to find the answers." Roy said sitting back.
His subordinates chuckled and snorted. "Yeah you might get a green pair next." Breda muttered.
"What was that?" Roy asked coldly.
"Green pair?" Maes asked scratching his head. "Green pair of what? What did you do…Did you go through her clothes and make off with-"
"No," Roy interrupted.
"Liar," Ed chuckled. "She caught him."
Maes laughed. "I bet that was interesting. You'll have to tell me about that sometime Edward."
"Wait; let me tell you I was there." Havoc piped up. "It was great and you should probably know all the other stuff they've done out here."
Roy pulled on his gloves and snapped making a spark but no transmutation of flames. It was just a warning. "I told you that doesn't leave that back yard."
"Aw come on Roy it's only me, Maes your best buddy in the whole world." Maes cooed.
Eye brow a twitching, Roy turned his attention to Edward. "Fullmetal go find your brother and go see Heidi. She might make you dinner."
"I don't know where she lives." Ed replied. "Shouldn't you be going?"
"Seventh street, third block away from HQ, apartment 5." He dug into his pocket and tossed the key to him. "Here just in case she locked the door and won't let you in. At least with a key we won't have to cover the damage of you breaking down the door. I'm giving her some time to think away from me. My hassling won't do anything but put her on the defensive."
"Damn Roy, already got a key?" Maes asked.
"He swindled it from the housing office." Fury replied.
"I did not, I asked for it."
"With a lie," Havoc added.
Maes chuckled. "Oh I really have to know what you've been up to lately. Speaking of which," he pulled some photos from his pocket. "I got new pictures of Elicia, want to see!"
At this point Roy would do anything to change the subject so he nodded, that and he kind of missed Maes and his little family. He was curious to see how much Elicia had grown over the last few months.
"I'll catch ya later Ed," Maes said as Ed began for the door.
"Yeah, see ya."
Heidi sat upon her bed looking an old worn photograph. She couldn't help but shudder a few times as the images of that night passed through her mind.
"I'll make it so no one will ever touch you, if you don't die first. You know it's amazing seeing the terror in people's faces when they know they're going to explode and it's their own chemistry working against them."
"Were you really that insane?" She asked softly through the tears. One dripped upon the picture and she hurriedly wiped it away to save the only photo she had of Zolf. "Why? What made you like this?"
"Hello?" A voice called. "Major Kruger?" It was Edward, but how did he get in she'd locked the door. She sighed. Damn kid probably used alchemy to pick her lock.
Slowly she got up from her bed and walked into the hall way, wiping her face. Ed and Al were standing in her entrance way. Ed waved. "Hi, sorry Mustang gave us the key. Can we come in?"
"You're in aren't you?" Heidi asked coldly. She was going to kill him. First he played pranks to get her to leave, then he poked his nose where it didn't belong, then he wouldn't let her run away like she wanted, and now he was sending kids to her damned house!
"Uh…" Alphones said.
She sighed. "Come in,"
Ed smiled and stepped out of Al's way then closed the door. "Are you okay?" Al asked.
Heidi shook her head. There really was no point in trying to lie, not when she'd been crying. Her face always splotched red; her eyes always glistened and puffed. She really hated that because everyone could tell. She didn't mind crying though; it was a natural reaction of emotions and a good outlet. Sometimes people just needed a good weep festival but she'd rather do it alone.
Ed marched over to her and caught hold of her white dress shirt sleeve. He tugged her into her living room and sat her upon her sofa then plopped down beside her. "Al and I talked about it and we don't want you to leave, we like you."
"Mustang sent you, he said he'd fight me on this so it doesn't surprise me that he'd go as far as to use you two."
"But we really don't want you to leave." Al said sitting on the floor in front of them with a soft thud, a creak of leather, and clanking of metal. "We've learned so much from you and you're our friend. If you leave we won't get to see you again for a long time if at all."
Heidi smiled sadly. She was touched and felt for them. She knew what it was like to cling to a person that entered her life after losing so much. Wanting to be loved, noticed as a person, wanting just a little taste of normality. It had led her down a one way track of despair and loneliness. It led her here to her end. "That's true, but it's not the end of the world. People come and go, it's the way things work."
"Stop being an idiot. No one up at HQ is mad at you. They want you to stay too and don't care who your brother was. In fact they are more concerned with how bad he hurt you."
"Yeah, Ed said Colonel Mustang said Kimblee really hurt you. What did he do, if you don't mind telling us?" Al asked.
Heidi glanced at the picture still in her hand. "He uh…Do you know that he was the Crimson Alchemist?"
"We looked him up in the library before coming. The records said that he betrayed the military, killed a lot of Ishbalin's in the war then killed some of the military including a commanding officer with alchemy." Ed replied.
"Yes, he did." She whispered.
"So what did he do?" Ed asked.
"Zolf could touch a person, with the help of alchemy of course and determine their make up, break it down and use a person's own body chemistry to turn them into a living bomb. He could control it so you only lost a limb, or it was a surface explosion…"
"Well you're not dead." Ed replied grimly.
"No, he…I was sent to bring him in. Gran thought perhaps Zolf would come back with me because we were so close. But we weren't so close in the war. I was stationed under a different commander and barely saw him. So when I found him after…He was…" she sniffled, it was so hard. "He was mad. He said things and preformed the surface explosions all over me. I couldn't…I couldn't move, run away, use my alchemy to stop him. I was too shocked that he'd even hurt me after he had always taken care of me."
"So he tried to kill you, that's awful. How did you stop him?" Al asked.
"I didn't he…there was some good part of him left I think. He got confused, freaked out when he realized what he was doing and ran away." Heidi wiped her face again. "I didn't want to be called a deserter; I had to get back to camp and report that he'd gotten away and quickly before he hurt someone else. I don't remember exactly how, I think I crawled most of the way and it seemed to take an eternity to get back. I remember seeing the camp and falling to the still hot sand. I remember feeling someone picking me up and the pain. I can't even being to describe it. All I wanted after reporting in was to die.
"I don't know how long I was at the camp, but soon I remember a train, the vibrations were hell. Then white, so much white surrounding me and voices, so many sounds and I knew it wasn't dead. How could I be dead when there was still so much agony? Then the Fuher came, told me Zolf had been caught by Colonel Mustang, he was a Major back then. I knew Zolf would be executed and I tried so hard to hate him, wanted too, but even now I can't."
Ed's eyes fell to her hands. He reached out for the photo and gently slid it from her fingers. "Is this him?" he asked.
Heidi nodded. "Yes, we had just passed the alchemy exam, the only two that year. He even waited for me to turn the right age just so I wouldn't be left behind."
"What about your parents?" Al asked.
"They died when we were very young; I was six, almost seven. Seris was a military friendly town and well the tribes up north aren't all happy with the state. There was a terrorist bombing in city hall the night there was a city meeting. Both our parents were in attendance. Father liked to keep up on the politics and they were of the many that were killed."
"Oh, our dad left and our mom died."
"I know, Colonel Mustang told me as much when I asked."
Ed was quiet. Kimblee looked like a handsome young man, happy even with his arm draped over Heidi's shoulder. Her hair was brown and her eyes blue, where as his eyes were an amber color and his hair black. He could see the subtle likeness between them; it was in the lips and eyes, the jaw line. They looked happy, really happy. This photo reminded him of the one where he and Al had caught a fish together on their own back in Resmbol.
He gave it back. "You look better with brown hair."
Heidi smiled. "Well I needed a drastic change."
"You shouldn't leave Major, too many will miss you. Mustang will miss you. I think he really likes you unless you're afraid he'll get sick from the scars?" Ed said softly.
"He didn't run away when he saw them." She whispered.
"Then I'd say you got it good and it would be stupid to leave."
"It's not so simple Ed. I wish it were." She frowned. "You hungry?"
"Don't change the subject." Ed bit.
"This is my house Edward; I'll do what I want in it. Now what do you want to eat?" She asked sternly as she stood. She glanced at Al. "I'd ask you too but I know you don't eat. I wish you did, Ivan says my cooking is really good and I think you might like it."
"Maybe someday I'll get to try it." Al said hopefully.
Heidi smiled. "I'd like that,"
"So you're staying?" Ed asked.
"I never said that. I just need some time to think about it is all. I know Mustang is going to fight me and as much as I want to argue and fight him back on this I'm just too exhausted at the moment."
Ed jumped up. "I'll help, no I'll cook, you relax, take a nap."
"I'll help too, if I don't Ed might burn the house down."
"Will not,"
"Uh huh, what about the pancakes at Winry's?" Al teased.
"That was an accident!"
Heidi smiled warmed by their childish banter and antics. It reminded her of when she was younger and her parents were alive. "I'll just go change; you won't mind if I get out of this uniform, it's a little hot?"
"Not at all." Al replied.
Heidi nodded and walked back to her bedroom. She could hear the boys rustling around in her kitchen as she changed into a sun dress. It was daring, she knew they would see the scars upon her arms, the one upon her collar bone but she was sweating and just didn't care anymore today.
She wandered into the kitchen to see what they were up too and Ed smiled. "You have a really nice apartment. How did you get it this way? I mean I get a nice pay check but-"
"I saved for a long time, got pieces here and there until I had everything perfect. It's easy when you have nothing else to spend it on save for bills. I mostly lived in the dorms and stored my furniture at my adoptive parent's house until I had enough to fill an apartment." She explained. "Need any help?"
"We got it." Al replied merrily. "You should go lay down. If you fall asleep we'll wake you."
Heidi hesitated but nodded and went to her sofa. As she lay down she closed her eyes. After a few nights of trouble sleep and emotional exhaustion it was so easy to just slip away into the comfortable darkness.
Ed frowned as he stood over Heidi. He'd tried talking to her, tried shaking her but for all of his trying he received nothing. She was out cold. Scratching his head he sighed. "Well Al I guess we're eating alone."
Al's clanking form entered the room. "We can save her waffles in the ice box. Should we go after we clean up?"
"Yeah,"
There was a soft knock upon the front door and Ed hurried to get it. He frowned. "I thought you were staying away."
Roy smirked. "I was, but Maes," He pointed over his shoulder. "Wanted to try and convince her too."
Ed smiled. "Good luck she'd asleep and won't wake up." He moved aside to let them in.
"We made waffles, want some?" Al asked cheerfully.
"Maybe later." Maes said quietly as he followed Roy into the living room. He looked around. "Wow this is nice."
Roy only nodded heading for the sofa where Heidi lay sleeping. He smiled a little seeing her so peaceful. Carefully he bent down and slipped his hands under her, lifting her. She didn't even budge. "Damn she really is out." He turned to Edward. "Did it work?"
Ed shrugged. "Don't know,"
"So she didn't tell you anything?" Maes asked.
"She said some things, but not if she was staying or not." Ed replied.
Roy sighed and headed back to the bedroom. Damn it he was hoping Ed and Al's influence would be strong enough to sway her.
Ever so gently, as if Heidi might break, Roy placed her in her bed and covered her with the blanket that lay folded in the rocking chair. Then he sat beside her upon the bed, brushing her hair from her face. "Don't leave Heidi," He kissed her forehead before leaving, closing the door behind him