.2 Family Ties
"The most confused you will ever get is when you try to convince your heart and spirit of something your mind knows is a lie." ~Shannon L. Alder
…
There was something she needed to do. Katerina had spent her entire life wanting to help people, and at this point she had a body that looked old enough to do it. While eighteen was still relatively young to most she was physically old enough to enlist. She wanted to serve her country, to help people, but there was also something she wanted to look into.
One night, after her two little brothers had long since gone to bed she sat down with her father at the dining room table. Trisha was there as well, she sat next to Hohenheim as they listened to Katerina's plan. Katerina was ready to leave the nest, she wanted to spread her wings and fly. Hohenheim was briefly reminded of her late mother again. Eliza had longed to be free too.
"I want to join the military as a doctor for the time being." She tells them firmly, as if she's trying to convince herself at the same time. Trisha let out a small sigh, her partner remained quiet.
"You will write yes? And come to visit when you can right? Your brother would be devastated if you didn't." Katerina smiled then, the first time in an hour.
"Of course, I will write all the time and visit as much as a can. The first six months are so will be a sort of formal training to get certified as a doctor the next six will be spent at basic. But no matter what I promise to come back." Trisha gave her step-daughter a worried smile and nodded her head in acceptance.
Hohenheim was quiet. Katerina waited anxiously for his reaction, his was the one she hadn't been able to predict. Her stepmother only ever wanted for her to be happy. Finally he gave a small nod of approval but remained silent on the matter.
"When will you set out for this?" Trisha questioned pouring them all another glass of tea.
"The first of next month, I'll have a week to get settle in central and then I'll be thrown straight into the fray. So I have a few weeks to get ready." She told them easily glad they both seemed to have given their approval.
Sometime later Trisha decided it was perhaps time for her to retire. She kissed Hohenheim on his cheek before heading out of the kitchen and upstairs to their bedroom. Leaving the father and daughter duo alone. Neither spoke for quite a while after that, each making sure everyone in the house was out cold. After almost a half hour passed Hohenheim cleared his throat and gave Katerina a serious look.
"He'll know who you are, what you are." His tone warning and she nodded her head.
"I know father, but it can't be helped. We both know what he's been up to and it will only get worse from here. If I'm in central, in the military I can monitor their progression. Perhaps buy you some time." Katerina's voice was hopeful, childlike, and he tried to push his doubts aside for her sake.
"What if you get sent to the front lines, and somethings happens and you expose yourself to someone?" She shrugged her shoulders, a sly smile making its way upon her lips. Katerina looked more and more like her mother every day.
"I'm a doctor who knows alchemy. I'll think of something. Besides you don't have time to be worrying about me, you are needed here. Ed and Al they need you." She reached across the table grabbing his hand smiling brightly at him. "You taught me well father, I'll be okay, I promise." Hohenheim was reluctant to believe her, and even more so to let her go.
"I see. Stay safe Katerina. It would break my heart if something happened to you. You know that I can't bear to lose you." She only smiled reassuringly at him. Giving him faltering promise that everything would be fine. Trying to believe it herself.
The three weeks before her departure passed by in a daze. Edward and Alphonse had been devastated when she told them that she'd be leaving for central and in that time they never left her side if they could help it. Katerina didn't want to leave her brother, but she knew that she had too. Knew that if she wanted them to live full lives this was something she needed to do.
She was crouched down to their level on the train platform, her arms wrapped tightly around them both. "You be good for your mother, and don't pick on Winry to much, drink your milk. But most of all be kind to one another. I love you." Katerina planted a kiss to both of their little cheeks even as they protested. Trying to ignore their cries for her not to leave, she got on the train sparing them one last glance before disappearing into the iron horse.
Trisha plucked Alphonse off the platform, they waited there for a moment until they could see Katerina settle at one of the windows. She gave them one last wave and small smile, watching as they waved back at her staying put on the platform until the train rolled away. Katerina was going to miss them so much.
As much as she hated to leave her family behind, this was something she had to do. There was no escaping that fact. Someone had to keep an eye on the dwarf beneath central. Her father deserved a few years of happiness still.
How could she know that just around the corner she was going to be thrust head first into a civil war?
State Alchemist were is such a high demand those days.
…
Dr. Katerina Von was sent to aid on the Ishvalan front in 1902 a full year after her arrival in central. At the time she'd still been a low ranking officer with a doctorate and 'small' talent with medicinal alchemy. She'd made herself unassuming enough during the year in hopes to not gain to much of the dwarf's attention. Even now she wasn't sure if it had worked.
The camp that she'd been stationed at was swarming in chaos, the dead were piling up all around her. It made her sick. All she wanted was to help these people, but there was little she could do from the confinements of a tent. Katerina just wanted to save them.
Her unit consisted of two military doctors, a man by the name of Knox, herself and a half-Amestrian name Isaiah. Dr. Knox was a callous man, brittle around the edges and a bit socially incompetent. By Katerina's standards at least but the copper haired teen was far too friendly for her own good if you asked anyone else. The half-Amestrian was a quiet but kind man, with dark skin and light hair. He wasn't technically military but he was quiet a civilian doctor either.
They made an interesting team and spent six months at a time on the front in rotation. Six months on, two months off, and so on and so forth. During the time they were sent home to recover and recuperate Katerina spent her time still in the east working in small bordering cities as a doctor there. She felt much more useful there then she did on the front. Before she knew it two more years had passed.
Half way through her second rotation on the front a letter from home reaches her. The date is from two weeks prior and inside is the worst news she's ever heard. It's nothing compared to the last letter from home telling her of her brother's growth and their alchemy skills written by her stepmother. No this letter is tear stained and ink smudged. Katerina was needed home, now more than ever.
On September 20th, 1904 Trisha Elric had succumbed to a long time illness. Her stepmother had died and her brothers were left alone. Their father had left them a few months prior.
She arranged for leave, and despite needing her on the front lines now more than ever. They let her go.
..
There was a time in her life where she question why she'd been spared all those years ago, what purpose did she serve? Katerina had pondered over these thoughts most of her adult life. She wondered what the purpose of an immortal body was if she couldn't use it to bring back the people lost. Why it couldn't be used to save those who had died.
She's never really contemplated the idea of human transmutation in all her life as she knew it was fruitless endeavor. But for some reason, the human part of her old soul had decided to then. What could truth take from someone like her? What did she have to offer him that he didn't already have? The fact remained the same that she had nothing he needed, and regardless of all the souls trapped inside of her being she couldn't bring back the dead.
Morosely she pushed those thoughts away, she couldn't let them see her like this. They would need her strength. Katerina hadn't made it in time for the funeral, she hadn't received the letter in time for that. Something she would regret probably for the rest of her life.
It was the first time in four years that she'd be home longer than a week at a time. Regardless of the terrible circumstances she was glad to be home.
The sun was just beginning to rise as her train pulled into the station, she taken the first one available to get there as soon as possible. So she wasn't surprised that there was no one there to greet her. Katerina had only brought a small bag with her, so she hadn't needed to wait on the luggage cart to be unloaded like some of the few others on board. Carefully she swung the bag over her shoulder and made haste to the automel shop.
She knew her brothers wouldn't be at home. Not so soon.
Quietly she entered the mechanic shop, knowing that only a few of its residents would even be awake this early. Pinako Rockbell didn't even look up at the sound of the door opening, she knew who would be coming it through it. The tired old woman instead started a pot of coffee, her son and his wife would be awake soon and would be needing it. They all would.
Katerina slid into the kitchen she knew better than to go any further while the children were still asleep. As it had probably been a battle to even get them to go down in the first place. Pinako finally looked up then, their eyes met. It was then that the old woman noticed something strange. The girl's golden eyes had started to change colors, they weren't so much pure gold any longer but seemed to be catching ruby in the morning light. "It's been a while Kat. I see that you've aged a little bit more." She nodded her head numbly.
Yuiry stumbled into the kitchen a few minutes later, he patted Katerina's shoulder as he passed heading straight to fix himself a cup of coffee. He was going to need it for the conversation they were about to have. "You look tired Kat, have you had any rest since you left?" Katerina didn't know if he meant since she left for central or since she left the front but she did know that the answer to both was probably one he'd be disappointed in. The doctor sighed, fixing another cup of coffee and passing it too her once he joined her at the kitchen table.
"I had to give Ed and Al a small amount of Benadryl last night to get them to sleep. So it will be awhile before either of the wake. Hopefully." She nods, at least they are sleeping.
"Was she in any pain? Did she suffer?" Katerina had seen far too much suffering lately, she prayed to whatever god would listen that her stepmother hadn't suffered. That perhaps the kind woman had been given a peaceful death.
"I don't think so, it all happened so suddenly. It's hard to believe she felt anything." Katerina took in his answer, trying to ignore the pitying look he was giving her. There was more she wanted to ask, more she needed to know about how it had happened. But the overwhelming emotions, the loss, it finally caught up to her.
She sobbed. Burying her face in her hands trying to stop the tears from falling. Trying so hard not to break, she was supposed to be strong. Supposed to protect them, how was she going to do that if she couldn't keep from falling apart? Pinako and Yuiry both gave her a minute to regain control. Katerina had always tried to keep everything buried, all her pain, the old woman knew that better than most. The girl was just too much like her father.
"Does father know?" She asked once all her tears had been shed and she had no more to give then. Hohenheim loved Trisha more than anything.
"No one had been able to reach him. Wherever he went, we can't find him." Katerina frowned deeply at Pinako's bitter words. She had been afraid, afraid that was going to be the case.
"I don't know where he is either, only that there was something he had to do." She tells the solemnly. Pinako just shakes her head. Nothing was more important than ones family. Yuiry sets his cup down already sensing the direction his mother's ire was taking her and the stress it was causing Katerina.
"Why don't you use one of the spare cots to try to get some rest? It should be a few more hours before the rest of the house is awake." Katerina gives another numb nod of her head and listens to the doctor's orders. She was out cold not even twenty-minutes later. Benadryl apparently worked on her too.
..
Katerina came to sometime around what felt like noon. Just as she was about to move and get up she felt tiny hands grip onto her shirt tight. She looked down then examining the two addition to the small cot that hadn't been there when she'd fallen asleep. Edward and Alphonse were curled up on either side of her.
She pulled them as close to her as the small cot would allow, holding them for what felt like hours. Katerina was never going to let them go, not if she could help it. They were her brothers she'd promised to protect them and protect them she would. No matter what.
Edward's eyes opened sleepily from the sudden movement. He struggled to get his arm out of Alphonse's tight grip to rub the sleep from his eyes. Finally after a moment of squirming on the small space he manages, Al doesn't stir but his little brother had always been a hard sleeper. Ed takes a moment to remember what had happened. This wasn't the guest bedroom. The memory comes back in pieces.
His eyes scan the room trying to figure out where exactly he is when they finally land on his big sister's face. She was half sitting up, her arm wrapped around Alphonse hand resting on top of his head. Her other hand had obviously been holding onto him at some point, and he realizes now that it wasn't Alphonse's vice grip he'd been trying to shake. It was Katerina's.
Once he'd come to that conclusion, and remembered the steps that brought him here Edward settled back into her side. Nuzzling his small body against her closing his eyes once more. Trying not to think about it. He didn't want to think about the reason why she was home, no he couldn't.
"Please don't leave us again." Katerina's heart breaks at the sound of his broken and scared tone. She pulls him closer to her then, she run's her fingers through his golden hair.
"I'm sorry, I'm not leaving not going anywhere. I'm so sorry." She leans her head down, presses her nose to the top of his head. It takes everything out of her not to break then.
"Promise?" He mutters, his tone held a slight whimpering to it. Katerina gives a slight nod of her head with a heavy heart.
Because she knows that this isn't a promise she'll be able to keep forever. There was a war going on and she was a doctor. No matter how long she tried to prolong it, she would still be sent back to the fronts. Promise or not. Instead, all she can manage is a quiet.
"I'm sorry." Barely a whisper, but the young child hears it and for a moment his heart drops in his chest. Edward doesn't show any other sign to have heard her after that. He doesn't ask her to stay again.
Sometime later Katerina shifts in discomfort. The cot was small and was not actually meant for three people. She gives Alphonse a small nudge and the four year old opens his eyes to look up at her. "Morning sleepyhead." Katerina smiles brightly at Alphonse ruffling his hair while he yawns.
"Morning." He speaks through his yawn. Edward takes this moment to slide off the bed, still trying to distract himself.
"More like afternoon, I wondered how long the three of you planned to stay howled up in here." The siblings all turn to look in the direction of the new voice. Pinako was standing in the door way, her hands on her hips and a slight smile on her face. Katerina gave a small laugh at the woman's mirthful tone.
She threw her legs over the edge of the bed, scooting the still half-awake Alphonse into her lap so she could just pick him up when she stood. As if figuring out his sister's plan Al promptly laid his head on her shoulder. Katerina could only sigh, standing carefully to adjust to the weight of holding him until she had him held securely between one arm and chest. Her youngest brother while four wasn't really that heavy. Neither of her brothers were, not for her at least.
Katerina placed her free hand on Ed's shoulder. He looked up at her then, expression slightly confused. "Let's eat lunch, and then we'll go visit mom. Okay?" Edward froze for a moment, then he gave a small nod of confirmation.
"Okay." She tried to offer him a reassuring smile, but he'd turned away. Katerina looked over at Pinako then. The old woman could only sigh at the helpless look on Katerina's face. She felt sorry for the woman.
"Can we take her some flowers?" Katerina smiles down at Alphonse then. His eyes are wide, innocence brimming in them, she'd hate to disappoint him. Especially with that look he was giving her.
"Of course, we'll go get some from Mrs. Joan's store on the way there." She tells him while the follow Pinako out of the room. Al nods his head in response, he agrees with that plan.
Katerina set's Alphonse down once they reach the kitchen. She wonders over to the coffee pot to make a fresh batch. Watching her brothers climb onto the kitchen chairs from the corner of her eye. Sara and Winry join them a few minutes later. The two doctors exchange a greeting, and talk very briefly and in hushed whispers about the happenings on the Ishvalan front. Pinako tells them a second later that there would be no talk of war around the children or in her kitchen.
"So where did Yuiry run off too?" Katerina questions between sips of her coffee. She'd be having a talk with him about drugging her later. Sara offers the other woman a sort of wary look.
"There was an emergency at the Klien residence. He'll be back later." Katerina frown at that. She liked the Kliens.
"How unfortunate." Sara nodded her head in agreement. Neither woman spoke on the matter anymore, nor lunch passed by rather silently after that. The only noise coming from the muted conversation the three children were having.
Yes, Katerina thought, she was indeed glad to be home. Even if it was only for a moment.
XOXOX
Please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading this chapter. I look forward to hearing from you all.
Sincerely, La'Rae