Disclaimer: I don't own it. I promise to put the characters and places and other things I used in this fic back where I got them.
Er to the OOC-ness. Again, all warnings from the first chapter carry on to the rest of the fic.
Chapter 3
Dani quickly recovered from her injuries and the first place she went was Edward's grave. She could not believe that her Edward was gone. Alphonse still stood there next to her, hugging her. Both of them broken, both of them staring at the gravestone of the young man that they come to love so much. "I can't believe he's gone, Dani. I'm so sorry." Winry said, coming up behind her, hugging her, crying along with the two. The three stood there. Edward was buried next to the grave of his mother, crying of over the grave of their best friend, and for Dani, her love.
Edward Elric
1912-1931
He was a great brother, friend, and a loving son.
We will miss you Edward.
His gravestone was simple. It had simple words on it. But the boy underneath it was far from simple. "Oh if he had only drunk his milk!" Winry cried out. Dani and Al couldn't help but to let out a small, sad laugh. "Winry, dear, I don't think that would've helped. The boy was stubborn about drinking his milk." said a voice behind the three. "Pinako." whispered Dani. "Dani, Al. You both should come back to the house. Eat something. It won't help the pain, but it'll help you from being physically sick. You don't need that with being in the military, Dani. And Al, with you just getting you body back and all." said Pinako. Dani realized she was right. Pinako hadn't only helped to take care of Ed and Al, but she also helped Dani in her time of need, when the bandits took over her house and killed her family. Dani and Al nodded and the three walked their way back towards the local HQ where Dani had stayed the night so she make her way to Winry and Pinako's house. Dani packed her bags and picked up a picture in a frame that wasn't taken far too long ago. It was Dani, Alphonse, and in the middle, Edward. It was one of their days off. Ed looked so happy, so peaceful. She started to cry. This hurt too much. She started to grab things off of the dresser, such as her keys and her pocket knife, which incoincidentally was open. The knife sliced her flesh and brought bright red blood. At first she thought it hurt, but it felt, to her, slightly calming. She watched as the blood poured at a steady pace and she felt as if all the pain melted away. Her thoughts came slowly and calmy back to her mind. How she could be so calm, she didn't know. She dressed the wound. She then thought to herself. What was it that he wanted to say to her? Those last moments together? She made her way quickly out of the dorm and to Winry and Pinako's house. She unpacked her things and sprawled out on the bed. Hot tears silently fell from her eyes as a knock came to her door. She was still injured, healing from her broken leg. "Come in!" she yelled, so she wouldn't have to hobble all the way over to the door. The person that came in the door was the least expected person to come into the door. She thought 'ghost?' as she stared at the blonde boy standing in front of her. "E-Edward?" she asked softly and unbelievable. Edward just looked at her and smiled. He embraced her and she heard him whisper into her ear. "Dani, I love you. I always have. Don't forget me, okay?" but before she could answer he was gone. Was it a ghost? Was it her imagination running wild on her? She would never know. About a week of visiting and staying with Winry and Pinako, Dani made her way back to Central.
Dani never knew if it was a dream or not. It was the last thing she remembered after she cut herself. She had woken up from her what seemed like dreamless sleep. She wanted to forget it all. She just wished that it'd all go away. Again, hot tears escaped her eyes. Maes was always the one she ran to. To express her feelings, be guided into the right direction. When he wasn't around, she had started a new stress relief tactic, something that no one would approve of, she would lay her blade on her skin and allow all the blood to take it all away. She felt cleansed afterwards, but there was always a guilt after that.
Soon Dani became distant to all. Even to Maes. One day Maes scheduled a little conference. He had basically become her personal psychologist. One to run to whenever she was down. He was like her best friend. "Dani, can you come over today? Elicia wants to hang out with you. She's been asking about you. So has Gracia." Maes said to her at lunch one day. "Um, I think I have something planned." Dani said. She really didn't want to. "Please Dani, I need to talk to you. And I know that you need to talk as well. I can sense it." Maes said. "I'll try." Dani said. "You will if you want to help yourself." Maes said. Truthfully? Dani didn't give a damn anymore. She was so far, so broken. It had almost been two months since that fateful day. 'Dani, I love you. I always have. Don't forget me, okay?' it replayed in her mind over and over again. She felt the sudden urge to relieve her angst.
Danilooked down at the plate of food she hardly touched. "I'm full. I'm gonna go." she said, getting up and taking her tray. Maes knew something was wrong. When she told him her story in that hospital room 2 1/2 months ago, She was awake, and less than 2 weeks before her love had been killed. Who wouldn't be grieving? But this was just too much. Maes watched as Dani retreated into her dorm and walked to her bathroom.
Dani shared ajointed room with Riza. Her and Riza were really great friends, they just didn't talk much. One of those silent relationships. She ran a bath and put her cotton terry bathrobe on. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were sunken. Her face looked aged. She was only 18! In other words, she looked horrible. She seemed to be diminishing before her eyes. Maes was right, it was time for one of their talks.
She slipped off the bathrobe and slipped into the hot water. The hot water around her body made her relax, but for a second. The absolute sorrow took over her body like a disease. She grabbed the razor and broke the plastic away. Anything to feel better, anything to feel calm. With one swift motion there was another wound. She allowed the blood to drip into the water, making her seemed to feel better. There was a knock on the door. "Occupied!" she shouted. "Let me know when you get done, okay? Roy's taking me out tonight!" she heard Riza say from her side of the bathroom door. "'Kay" Dani said. She allowed the bloode to flow faster, drip faster. She smiled weakly at the sight. She drained the tub and cleaned her wound. She placed the broken razor in one of her own drawers, in a box, where she kept all the others. It occurred to her that yet again she gave herself another wound. This had to stop.
Dani got dressed. Her recent change of clothing made many joke that she looked like Shaft. Black pants, shirt, and jacket. She just sighed at them. The knew that something was wrong. And as many of them guessed and knew, there was. On her way to the Hughes' house she thought she saw someone in the crowd that was familiar to her. She looked and looked and it occurred to her. "Edward" she whispered to herself. She ran over to the boy. But it wasn't him. Just somebody that looked exactly like him. "I've lost it." she said to herself as the boy ran off.
She knocked on the door of the Hughes' house and Elicia answered the door. "Sister Dani!" she said, jumping to Dani's arms "Why haven't you visited? Are you feeling better? I'm so sorry about Edward. I miss him too! So much! Uncle Edward was one of the-" Elicia was interrupted by her father. "Elicia, hun, go help mommy in the kitchen. I need to talk to Dani." Dani had a nervous expression on her face and she looke like she was about to cry. Elicia ran off into the kichen where she helped Gracia with dinner. Maes led her into the all too familiar living room. Last time she was here, Ed was with her. They often visited the Hughes'. Maes had calmed down a bit with the shoving of Elicia's pictures into their faces every time they passed him in the hallway. We he kinda had to, Roy threatened his rank if he didn't stop. But that's another story.
"Dani? Are you okay? You're here deteriorating in front of my eyes. I'm really worried about you." Maes said. Dani sighed, "I don't know anymore, Maes. It's just, Idontknow, I miss him, and work is starting to get really stressful, because I only have one partner instead of two, and Roy's been on my case, and he's being an irritable jackass. I know he's grieving too, but that's no reason!" Tears were in Dani's eyes now and she lifted her arm up to wipe away tears from her eyes and Maes noticed her exposed wrist. His voice lowered to a whisper. "Dani. Why?" he said. Dani realized Maes had spotted her wound from earlier in the bath tub on her wrist. Dani lowered her head. "Because I feel it's the only way I can get away from my-" but Dani was cut off by Gracia walking into the room to tell the two that dinner was ready. "Dear, dinner is ready. You too, Dani-" Gracia started. She say the look upon the two's faces. "What's wrong, Dani?" she said. She knew the girl all too well. For one, Dani was always hyper and wore bright clothes. She looked horrible. And her make-up was done in black. Gracia knew that Dani didn't take Edward's death too well. But she didn't know that she took it this hard. "It's okay Gracia, dear. Dani and I were just talking. We will be there in a minute." Maes spoke up, knowing dani was in a n uncomfortable situation anyways. Gracia left the room. "Dani, please, don't do this anymore. We love you so much and we don't want anything to happen to you. We'll talk about this more after dinner." Maes said. All Dani could do was nod. She was embarrassed and disappointed in herself. She felt like she let her surragate parents down. Maes and Gracia had always been there for Dani, and Edward's death, though very tragic, brought Dani and the Hughes' even closer. It was horrible that Maes had caught her. He had learned her secret.
She slowly walked into the kitchen and sat down, staring down at the plate of food in front of her. "Don't be shy Dani! Eat!" Elicia said, "Mommie's cooking is great!" A small, sad smile came to Dani's face. It felt good to smile again. She sighed and dug in to the awesome food. It felt good to have the food in her stomach again. She had to admit. She missed Gracia's cooking.
After dinner, Maes had taken her into the back yard as Gracia tucked Elicia into bed. "Dani, please talk to me about this." Maes said. "Maes, he came to me. I don't know if it was a ghost, a vision, or a dream. I don't now. But he said he loved me. I let him down. I could've stopped the train from de-railing!" Dani said, tears forming in her eyes. Maes took Dani in his arms and calmed her. "Dani, hon, do you really think that Edward would want you to do this to yourself?" Maes said. She thought about it. He wouldn't want her to do what she was doing. "But it hurts so much! Just for him not to be here. Just not to have him here with me. And it's how I get over it! How would you feel if Gracia died and left you alone?" she whispered. "I'd be devastated. I'd probably be in the same state as you are right now. But I wouldn't do waht you are doing to yourself over him. Dani, hon, it's stupid. It's not right. It's not the way to help it." Maes said, cradling her in his arms as tears fell from her eyes.
Gracia came out onto the back porch, having heard every thing after "What if you lost Gracia?" and hugged her. "Dani, dear, it's going to be okay." she said, in her sweet voice. "Dear, do you need to stay here for the night? The upstairs room is always open for you." she continued. Dani nodded and wiped her eyes. She stood up and walked into the house, walking upstairs to the guest bedroom and laying down in the bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
"Gracia, I'm worried about her. Did you hear everything?" Maes asked his wife. "Nothing before when she asked you what would you be like if you lost me." Gracia answered. "Gracia, dear, I found out that Dani is cutting herself. And it's not just because Edward died, although that's the main part of it. She's just so stressed right now. I need to talk to Roy and get him to give her time off." Maes said, looking to the gound worried about his best friend and practically older daughter.
Gracia held Maes's hand in hers. "Hon, do you remember what happened before we met and got married. Do you remember what you told me you used to do?" she asked. "Yes I do, Gracia." Maes said as he looked at the very light scars on his wrist. "Being in the military does put a lot of stress on you. But when you're lonely too. It does get to be too much." Maes hugged his wife and stood up to walk into the house. She stood up with him and they walked up the stairs together, going to bed.
A/N: Hey guys. I hope I did this chapter justice. Please no flames. Fanfics are written by people who alter the actual fiction that the fanfic is based on. I don't flame your work. Please review and I'll get chapter 4 up as soon as I can. Remember, reviews give me the confidence to write.