When the Gap can't be Bridged

Disclaimer: Characters and setting are the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I'm just borrowing them for a bit of non-profit angst.


Elysia Hughes, four years old and the apple of her daddy's eye, clung tightly to her mother's hand as they made their way through the base hospital. The muted bustle and the cold sterility of the place frightened her even more than she already was. She crowded close to her mother's leg.

In truth Elysia had been frightened ever since the previous afternoon when her daddy came home early and just held her for a long, long time without smiling even once. Then he put her down and took her mommy into another room to talk. When they came back her mommy's eyes had been all red. Then, this morning, her mommy told Elysia that they were going to visit Niisan Edward because he didn't feel very good. Now they were in this yucky smelling building were everyone looked so serious and Elysia was scared. She didn't like the thought of her big brother being here.

When they reached Edward's room Elysia gasped. She knew about Ed's automail but seeing it missing, like the limbs of her doll after the nasty boy who lived next door pulled it apart, was a shock. Elysia's expression quickly darkened with outrage. "Who hurt Niisan?" she asked. Thinking of the boy who'd hurt her doll she added. "I'm gonna kick them!"

"Elysia," Gracia reprimanded quietly.

"Well somebody should," Elysia muttered then she called, "Hi Niisan!"

When Edward didn't respond to her greeting Elysia turned to her mother and whispered, "Is Niisan sleeping?"

Gracia sighed. "No sweatheart. Edward's insides hurt and he, he's having a hard time thinking about anything but the hurt. Still, maybe if you talk to him it might distract him a little."

Elysia nodded. She climbed up onto the bed beside Edward. "Oh, you are awake!" Elysia exclaimed as she noted that Ed's eyes were open and gave him her best hug. "Niisan, your hair's all messy. It's okay, Mommy's been teaching me to braid."

When Elysia went to crawl over Edward her mother picked her up and carried her around to the other side of the bed before she could get tangled in the IV line running to Ed's arm Gracia pointed to his bandaged hand. "Be careful not touch his ouchies," she warned.

Elysia nodded seriously. Delicately she gathered up Ed's loose hair. With a look of intense concentration on her face she began twisting the strands together. When she was done she sat back and examined her work critically. "There, like it should be. My mommy fixes my hair for me. It's hard to do your own hair. Does Niisan Al braid yours? Where is he?"

Edward shuddered and made a soft, pained sound.

Elysia drew back worriedly. "Did I hurt him?" she asked her mother fearfully.

"No sweety," Gracia assured her. She settled on the edge of the bed and wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders as she gently stroked Ed's bangs. She sighed. "Al… had to go away and Edward misses him very much. That's why he hurts inside, but we need to remind him that he isn't alone and there are still people who care about him."

Gracia carefully brushed the tears off of Edward's cheeks. "I know it can never be the same, but we are here for you."

After several minutes of silence Elysia decided that she was going to tell Edward a story because that made her feel better when she skinned her knee.

Gracia noticed a figure hovering near the door. Once she was sure that Elysia was absorbed in her storytelling Gracia tiptoed out into the hall. "Hello Roy," she said softly.

"Did it work?" Roy demanded in a hushed voice.

"He's aware," Gracia reported. "Edward reacted when Elysia asked about Al but he didn't respond to her."

"It wasn't much of a plan anyway," Roy said. "But there was a chance he'd respond to a child where he'd ignore an adult."

"He's always had a very strong 'big brother' instinct," Gracia said sadly.

"And trying to use that to draw him out was a futile effort, considering," Roy said darkly.

"At least we know he hears us now," Gracia said as she put her hand on his forearm.