All you've forgotten
Rating: T
Summary: Al and Ed have been surviving on the street that is until they are picked up by the police and placed in a foster home, Al adapts quickly but can Ed forgive all those in the past who hurt him and move on?
Author Note: Major AU! No Alchemy but Ed does have automail. Also I do not own FMA, I wish I did but sadly… I don't.
Chapter eleven
(Alphonse)
I hate her, this dreaded physiatrist. Every Wednesday Edward has to go and see her and every time he comes back from his appointment's he's withdrawn and tired, emotionally weary. Then, about the time he's back to normal it's time for the next session, it's maddening! So, last night I asked Riza if I could attend one of Edward's meetings to find out what was happening to my older brother. Riza looked slightly concerned before shrugging and saying she would see. Obviously it worked because here I am, sitting in the waiting room with Riza and brother, bored out of my mind. Still puzzling over the fact that Izumi's office is above her husband's meat store I barely register the fact that Izumi herself has come out into the waiting room, asking for Edward. Edward sighs and strips out of his heavy coat, leaving it with Riza and nods at me before following the other woman. Behind them shuts the cork door and then the heavy oak door. The small waiting section is plunged into silence once more. I'm suddenly regretting having asked if I could come.
(Edward)
I've been seeing Izumi for a little over three weeks now but I can't help but be weary of her. Since the first day at Riza's house I still can't get the fact that she used very hurtful, personal information to get me to break. I lean back in the chair I adopted as mine and watch as the woman sets out the chess board, lining up the pieces in silence. This is how the sessions have been going since she discovered I have what she called a 'sharp mind and a decent knack for strategy' and the deal is, if I can beat her in a game of Chess than she will declare me sane and done with 'this screwed up crap'. I have yet to beat the woman, no matter how hard I try I still can't seem to out smart her. The board is set and she moves first, placing a pawn out in the open. I think for a minute and do the same, trying a new strategy.
"So, tell me about your time at the Douglas's." She suddenly says, intercepting my pawn and moving one space closer to my line of pawns. I frown, finding this game much like our conversations, the board, when empty is like the space around us, silent but carrying a hint of nervousness. Then, she moves, taking the initiative to begin the session, then I move, challenging her to do so. Usually, she takes my first move as a 'go ahead' and launches into the questions, capturing my own thread of defense and squashing it, slowly gaping the distance between her forces and the defensive wall around mine. I sigh and try again, slowly bringing up the memories of the third home Alphonse and I was put into. Somehow, we decided to go backwards, starting not with the place now ut with Mr. Ronald, or 'chubby' as Alphonse referred to him as and now we're on Douglas. I shudder, finding the face of the woman repulsive even in my memories.
"She looked like my mom." I begin, taking one of her pawns and just as quickly she takes another of mine.
"Really? And how did that work for you?" she asks, watching the board.
"Obviously it didn't work." I smirk, finding the glint in the older woman's eye at my sarcasm.
"No crap, really?" she snaps back, tone just seeping with venom as she takes my knight. Oh, a solid blow to the defenses. I concede and shrug
"She was a nice lady, for all of about two weeks." I begin and move another piece
"Then what happened?" she takes my castle and I quickly take her with my queen.
"The usual, shoved me in a closet, called me a freak, an abomination. Proceeded to beat and starve me. There was this one time…" I stop, cringing at the memory and finding that Izumi has taken my Queen.
"Keep going." She urges and I lick my lips, suddenly feeling all the aches in my body at once.
"She stripped me down and tied me outside on the back porch, all night, after she disconnected my automail arm." I shudder, human hand gripping my shoulder, where the port meets flesh the agonizing pain of an untrained person disconnecting the metal limb, only a memory, racing down my spine.
"How did that make you feel Edward?" she asks and my eyes glaze over, reeling in the memories and the emotions of that stay. I barely register the fact I'm answering her question
"Hurt. It really hurt when she disconnected the limb and then my nerves, grabbing onto the wires and just… y-yanking them from the connectors. She-she was laughing when she did it, took pleasure in hurting me through a vulnerable place…." I stop, collecting myself before continuing; from somewhere distant I can hear myself that night, sobbing for her to stop as she cruelly slapped me around, forcing hard objects into the sensitive port on my shoulder. Cold water hurt the worse, for an area of the body that was previously only touched by metal and coated wires the ice water sent my system into shock, causing my muscles to spasm and twitch.
"She was an animal." I mutter, slowly bringing myself out of the memories, suddenly feeling lighter as the woman was beaten away by my own mind
"Why did you let her do it Edward?" I snap my eyes up and stare at the woman, seeing a fucked up mixture of Izumi Curtis and Douglas… I shut my eyes, not wanting to see her snide face, twisted smile so unlike my mother but with the features of her.
"Alphonse…. Was treated kindly by her…. She… was what I thought he needed. God, she was almost like mom." I tell her and watch as the Izumi Curtis wins over the Douglas, her stern face coming back into full focus.
"She wasn't anything like your mother Edward." She says, slowly and calmly, slowly reaching out to place a gentle hand on my shoulder but I flinch back and she withdraws, knowing I'm not ready for that kind of contact.
"But… she was so kind to Al… why not me? Why does everyone only want Al and not me?" I ask, staring at her and her mouth opens and closes for a moment and I know the truth.
"Al's not a fucking freak like me. He's normal, not carrying around baggage." I rattle off and suddenly arms are around me, closing me into a light embrace. I flinch and try to pull away but the arms remain, I'm frightened and try to break free but Izumi only shushes me, allowing me to shove against her in an attempt to pull away, not once saying a word until I stop. Body tense and ready, senses on high alert I wait, timidly waiting as the older woman takes her time before saying
"You're not a freak Edward. If anything you are an upstanding young man with a heart of gold, buried under scars and marks put upon you for being who you are. I don't know of any adults who would put themselves in harms way and endure such treatment because of something so simple as brotherly love. You did this for your brother Edward and that alone, this self sacrifice is something to admire. I would be, no I am proud to know such a fine youth as you and wish many more were like you." She rocks me slowly and I relax a little, letting her words sink in and banish the memories of Douglas and her degrading words. After some time Izumi releases me and sits back in her own chair, eyes fixed upon the unfinished game. She's taken the majority of my pieces, leaving two remaining. I think back to my comparison, last time there were three pieces left. I smirk a little at the irony of the situation, one more wall broken down, two more to go.
"I think we're finished here? What do you say?" Izumi smiles and puts the pieces back into the box. I stand, feeling the weariness usually accompanied by the sessions was over me in waves. But so doesn't the satisfaction of knowing I finally beat Douglass, and Chubby.
"I say I'll see you next Wednesday." I smile and give her a thumbs up
"It's a date then." I wave and walk back out into the waiting room and find Alphonse walking in circles and somehow know, that everything done to me was for a good reason. He's still an innocent and unafraid to be that way. He spots me and stops his walking, halting midstep before coming to wrap his arms around my frame.
"Let's head home boys." Riza says and nods to Izumi.
Ah ha, I finally did an Edward pov! Ya go me! I have volume 9 already. I wish they put that into the anime, it would have been way better. O.O four bloody pages! But, I have a never anime obsession called Kyou Kara Maoh! OMFG it's so funny. Please review!!!