The Fallen

Chapter 4

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It had been two weeks since Edward and Alphonse had moved in with General Mustang. It was amazing how kind he could be to Edward. Mustang supposed his kindness came from the fact that he didn't know how much longer he had to spend with the young man.

The three had begun to feel accustomed to living with each other. It would be different for all of them, considering how they had never really been together before.

"Alphonse, where's your brother?"

"He's still upstairs... I think he's still asleep."

Roy sighed and stood from the couch that he and Alphonse were sitting on. "It's time for him to get up. It's almost two o'clock."

Roy lazily walked up the staircase and opened the shared room of Edward and Alphonse. He looked in the bed and only saw a bundle of covers and a whisp of golden hair. Roy smiled at the sight and kneeled beside the bed.

"Hey, Ed, wake up," he said, poking what he guessed was Edward's head.

There was no response from the young man and Roy called again. "Edward, come on," Roy called, raising his voice slightly. Worry filled his mind as Edward stayed silent.

"Edward, wake up," Roy nearly yelled, holding back just enough so Alphonse couldn't hear him. There was a shudder underneath the blankets and Roy relaxed slightly. He shook Edward's shoulder gently and uncovered the boy.

Roy gasped when he saw Edward. Edward's face was deathly pale, along with the rest of his body. Sweat covered the boy's brow and he was shivering. Faint black circles surrounded show white eye lids and hazy golden slits stared out into an un-recognized world.

"Ed?" Roy settled his hand in front of the boy's face and yanked it back. Edward's breathing was shallow and ragged.

Edward's too weak body gasped and shuddered as his eyes opened wide to see Roy clearer. A pale, weak hand reached out for Roy's own hand. It dropped in front of Roy's hand, too weak to even touch Roy's. Roy quickly grasped Edward's pale hand and felt tears drip down his cheeks and pad gently on the covers of the bed.

"Ed... I need you to hold on... You need to go to the hospital." Edward nodded and his eye lids dropped a bit as he began to lose his grasp on the waking world.

"Ed!Stay with me!" Roy let go of Ed's hand and out in the hallway to see Alphonse already running up the stairs. Roy ducked back in the bedroom and grabbed the phone beside the bed.

He called the doctor as he stared at Edward as his brother grasped his hand and rubbed his back. The conversation with the doctor quickly faded from his mind as he stared at Edward in his dying state.

It seemed like life had frozen until the doctor came and rang the door bell, waking Alphonse and Roy out of their daze of watching Edward.

Roy ran down the stairs and opened the door for the doctor and rushed him up the stairs to the bedroom.

Edward, who was quickly fading, blinked at the doctor and smiled. He knew that his time would soon come to an end weeks ago. He knew that the General just wouldn't tell and everyone else was oblivious to what would happen.

"Ed! Edward!" Edward heard Roy yelling at him to stay awake, but the world drifted farther and farther away from him. Edward couldn't see anything. He looked around only to see darkness.

Maybe I just closed my eyes... Maybe I'm dead... Edward thought and a heavy fogged drifted into his mind, clouding his thoughts.

Sorry, Alphonse...

I'm sorry..., Roy.