PART TWO:

Roy would have thought Lily would have panicked but she didn't, in fact she seemed more collected than he was, even as he drove to the infirmary, Ed still unconscious in the back seat. It had been a frightening thing to see Edward keel over with almost no warning.

Lily placed her little hand upon his arm. "Daddy, Ed will be okay, he'll wake up." He didn't know who she was trying to convince more him or herself and to him it sounded as if this sort of thing had happened before.

He glanced at her. "Lily I need you to be honest with me even if he asked you or made you promise not to tell, has Ed passed out before?"

Lily looked back at Al who held Edward in his lap. "Yes," Al replied with a sigh. "It's okay Lily this is serious. Ed might be upset for a little bit but we have to tell so he'll get better."

Lily sighed and turned in her seat. "Are you sure? I really don't think saying anything will make him better."

"But Roy and the doctors have to know what's bothering him so they'll know how to treat him." Al reasoned. "Brother's fainted before, several times. It's usually after Lily's lessons when he's been up and moving around a lot. At first I just thought it was because he was doing too much and have been trying to get him to stay in bed longer."

"But it's not just that." Lily said quietly. "He gets cold sometimes but that doesn't make any sense because when he's cold he sweaty too. He keeps saying he's fine but he's not fine."

Fatigue was definitely a possibility but the other… Roy didn't know and it scared him. Sure Edward could be sick but from what? How? Roy had made sure to keep the house practically spotless and as disinfected as possible what with Lily having already been sick and Edward's burn, the cuts that were now healed. He'd done his best to make sure Edward couldn't get an infection.

He sighed, he didn't know.

He pulled into the parking lot, parked and took Edward from Al so he could get out of the car but he didn't give him back.

Roy wanted to be in the room while the doctor, Dr. Hiasen to be exact, looked Edward over, something Lily wasn't to thrilled about, but he decided he was more needed out here in the waiting room with Lily and Al.

Lily sat in his lap, curled up, her eyes watching everything. She jumped when someone knocked something over and what ever it was clattered loudly. Roy gently rubbed her back to calm her down. He really didn't know why that would bother her when sometimes Alphonse made more noise just walking or running. Perhaps it was because she was familiar and felt safe around him.

Dr. Hiasen came out scratching his head. Roy didn't take that as a good sign. "Tell me something Alphonse if I were to look you over would you be cranky as well?"

"So he's awake?" Roy asked.

Hiasen nodded with a smile. "Oh yes, had a few strong words for me to boot. Just like his little sister it seems. By the way he's asking for her and his brother, only I think it was more of a demand, something about breaking down my feet and other such nonsense. He asked for you as well but,"

Typical Edward. Roy set Lily upon her feet. "Go make sure your brother doesn't alienate anyone else."

"Okay, Al?"

"Coming," Al replied.

As soon as they were gone Dr. Hiasen sighed. "It's fatigue mostly but he does have a cold, a slight fever. It's all manageable provided he gets more rest. I looked at his burn and changed the bandages on it myself. It's healing very nicely. Given what you've told me I think it would be for the best if he stayed in bed for a few days which I understand must be difficult since he's so high spirited. And I can appreciate that fact that he'd want to be up and around to play with his siblings but he really does need rest. I'll prescribe an antibiotic just to make sure there isn't any infection trying to fester that we haven't seen and to help with the cold. But I suppose you know how to combat a cold."

Roy nodded. "Alright, thank you,"

"Is there someone at home with him during the day that can enforce his bed rest?"

"Just Al and Lily, her teacher." He replied.

"Mm, you might stress how important this is to them and inform her teacher." Hiasen advised. "Must be hard for them, they're together and they can't really play much. I remember being their ages and I hated being sick and not being able to play with my brothers and sisters."

Roy smiled. He didn't know what that was like, he'd been an only child but he could remember not being able to go outside and play with his friends. So he supposed it was almost the same. "Can I take him home?"

"Sure, I'll just go get those antibiotics and let you go." Hiasen paused in the door way a moment as Roy rose to tell Edward he wouldn't have to stay. "Colonel just a moment,"

"Hmm?"

"Has Edward been having nightmares?"

"What's that got to do with it?" Roy asked a little on the defensive side.

Hiasen slipped his hands into the pockets of his white over coat. "It's strange the way the mind plays upon the body, stress can do strange things to a person and considering Edward was in an explosion it might just be due to that as well. If you can you might try to get him to talk about it a little if he hasn't. That might help some."

Roy sighed. If only Edward would tell him what had happened without waking from nightmares and half sobbing only a portion of it. Ed had had three more since the first night. "I'll do that,"

Edward did not look pleased when Roy entered the small room but so unlike him, he didn't complain. That just made Roy worry for him more. "We'll be leaving just as soon as Dr. Hiasen comes back." He promised.

Ed only nodded and hugged Lily as if she would protect him which Roy found alarming. It was stranger still when the doctor returned and handed Edward a pill and a cup of water to start him off. Ed didn't reach for it and actually shied away from the man. It took Lily giving it to him before he'd take it. Roy decided then he and Edward were going to talk as soon as they got home, just as soon as he put Lily to bed. He'd wake Ed up if he had too.

Lily decided she was going to sleep with Edward tonight and she wasn't going to budge. Edward decided he really wanted to her too and Roy could tell by the way Edward looked at him, the way he was holding her in his lap, that he was using her as a shield and desperately didn't want her to go. This only made Roy that much more adamant to talk to him.

"Lily why don't you have Al read you a story in your room and then you can come back."

"I'll be asleep by then." She replied, twisting her little fingers in the tail of Edward's blonde braid.

"I'll bring you back in here. I have to change Ed's bandages."

"The doctor did that." Ed said.

Roy sighed. "You're not helping Ed," he paused. "Are you afraid I'll yell at you?"

Ed looked away, hugging Lily tighter. He took that as a yes.

"I promise I won't." Roy said. Jeeze this was certainly different. Edward never showed him this. Ed was always defiant, always ready to fight back. What the hell was wrong with him? Why did Edward look so small and helpless? He needed to know what was going on and soon. He wished Al was up here to help. Al could usually reason with Edward better than anyone but Al was down stairs in the study putting the books away.

Lily sighed and hugged Ed tight for a moment then slipped from his arms. "I'll be back soon big brother. I have to go to the bathroom anyway." And then she was gone before Ed could get a word in edgewise.

Roy quietly closed Ed's bedroom door and sat next to him upon his bed. "Why didn't tell me you felt so ill?"

Ed shrugged and bent down to pull off his socks.

Roy rested his hand upon Ed's back. At first the boy tensed then relaxed, finished removing his socks, and tossed them to the dirty clothes hamper in the corner. "Ed,"

"I didn't mean to pass out. I thought I'd be okay."

Roy straightened him up and turned his face to him. "You're going to have to stay in bed for the next couple of days. No getting up unless it's absolutely necessary." He ordered. "And if you don't feel good or feel worse you need to tell me. I don't want you making Lily and Al promise not to tell. You're only hurting yourself by doing so."

"I didn't want to have to go to the infirmary. I hate places like that." Ed whispered.

"I don't like them either." Roy replied with a sigh. "I think it's about time we talked about what happened in Ariss. I need to know why you left Anise's."

Ed tensed and pushed his hand away. "I don't want too,"

"Ed,"

"No! Nothing good will come of it." He snapped and reached for his bed covers, pulling them back. "I'm tired."

"What did she do Edward? Did she hit you, did she say something, did she scare you, threaten you?"

"She put her damned hands on me!" Ed half yelled. "There are you happy now?"

For a moment all Roy could do was sit there stunned. What did that mean? Why would… How did… "Ed, what do you mean?"

"She woke me up and wanted to sleep with me and not like Lily sleeps with me." Ed barely whispered.

Heart thudding in his ears, barely being able to breathe, Roy just sat there appalled at the very thought. Had she really sunk so low? Had she really become that vile? It was so unreal but Ed wouldn't lie about something like this especially not with the way he'd been acting. And Roy was filled with more disgust and guilt than he thought he'd ever felt in his entire life. He'd let Edward walk into that.

Wetting his lips, he asked. "She didn't... you got away?" Ed looked so scared. He was trembling. Dear god please let him have gotten away, please!

Ed nodded. "We didn't do anything." He frowned shuddering. "She wouldn't go away I told her I had to go to the bathroom, told her I only liked guys, which isn't true but I thought it might work… I had to lie and trick her. I transmuted her hands and feet to the bed and transmuted her clothes away and left. I swear I didn't look but I was so mad and I didn't want her coming after me. I'm sorry-"

Roy quickly covered Ed's mouth with his hand so very thankful Ed had a sharp mind to help him get out of something that horrifying. "Do not apologize Edward, don't you dare!" Ed winced and tried to ease away and Roy guessed that his words came out a bit strong but he wanted them too.

He pulled Edward against him and held him gently but firmly, pressing his head to his shoulder. The boy was shaking so terribly. "You did absolutely nothing wrong. You were only protecting yourself against something you didn't want, something that was hurtful. Your instincts are good Ed and you couldn't have handled it better. You set her up to fall."

"Sometimes I feel like I can still feel her hand on my chest." Ed whispered.

Roy closed his eyes. The shock was wearing off a little, making room for the fury to build but he had to remain calm for Edward. He must have been so afraid and it was a wonder he trusted anyone at all now. Sure he'd known he couldn't trust Anise but even still she was supposed to take care of him while he was staying in her house. Roy never thought she'd ever go after a child, never thought… He found himself apologizing to Sable for no matter how much she'd loved her sister Roy just couldn't let this go. She'd tried to rape his son, a thirteen year old boy or in the very least use him to probably get information and then she'd tried to kill him. It was a damned good thing Hakuro had taken him off this case because if he ever saw her again she would die.

"I hate her." Ed confessed barely breathing. "I was scared and she wasn't going to stop."

"She won't touch you again, I promise." Roy breathed and began to absently rock him.

"I was just trying to help,"

"Don't say your sorry you didn't do anything wrong." He pushed the boy back and held his face in his hands, made him look at him. "Listen to me, you didn't do anything wrong. Do you understand?"

The fear and self loathing in Ed's amber eyes was enough to break his heart. "But-"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong."

Ed nodded and clung to him, still trembling but it was less now. "Don't do anything stupid." He whispered. "We still need you."

Roy smirked. "I won't."

It took some time but Ed finally fell asleep and Lily came back on her own and crawled into bed with him, curling up with her little arm hugging him. Roy found Al in his room lying in bed and though he wanted to know why the hell Al hadn't saved his brother, he left him alone in favor of a drink down stairs. He needed one, hadn't had one in a long time really.

Maes was still awake when he entered the study, sitting up, working from the looks of it. "So Lily says Ed's going to be okay,"

Roy kept his mouth shut as he walked toward his liquor cabinet. He just… Maes was his best friend why hadn't he… He just… Damn it, he was going to tear her apart!

Digging out his bottle of scotch and a glass, he poured himself one. "Why didn't you tell me Anise t-…" He couldn't even say it. It was too ghastly and horrendous and god it hurt him to even think he knew someone so disgusting.

Maes sighed. "Ed finally told you."

Roy glared at him. "And you didn't, damn it Maes you're supposed to be my best friend! He's my son, if it had been Elicia I would have told you."

Maes shuddered a moment. "You think I didn't want too, that I wanted to keep something like this from you? Hell Roy I want to make her pay but I knew and still know that you and I can't be that selfish. I was thinking of Ed. It had to come from him and he needed to know that he could trust the people who truly care for him. If he can't it will only hurt him more in the long run."

He hated it when Maes was right, hated not really being able to be angry with him for not telling him when there was a reason like that in play. It just… Damn it! He downed the scotch he'd poured himself in one take and slammed the glass upon the cabinet top. "I take it you told Hakuro,"

"I did, I had too and for Ed, it's being kept quiet. Hakuro's pulling strings to make sure it never gets out. He said with this much he doesn't even think she'll get a trial, she'll just go right to prison for the rest of her life."

"I'm going to kill her if I ever see her again."

"Which is why Hakuro removed you from the case. Frankly the military still needs the Flame Alchemist Colonel Mustang. Lily, Ed, and Al still need their father, your subordinates and friends need you, and you still have your goal. If you went after her Roy…"

"I know," He breathed lividly.

"She won't get away with it, but you've got to be here for the kids, especially Edward."

"Where was Al during all of this?" Roy found himself asking.

"Al said Anise asked him to wait for Ed in the dinning room, she was going to wake him up and just wanted to talk to him. Al didn't think anything of it."

No, Al wouldn't. He tried to see the good in people first, wasn't used to the evils some people hid and unleashed upon unsuspecting prey.

"Al made Edward tell me." Maes said after a moment.

"He would," Roy replied.

"Blaming yourself isn't going to do anyone any good so don't." Maes said as he came toward him. "None of us could have known what she would do."

"But I let them go," Roy whispered. "I knew she was dangerous."

"But you didn't know she'd do something like that. Look Roy you can try to blame yourself as much as you want but it's not your fault. It's hers plain and simple and she will pay for it."

Roy clenched his fists, the thin glass he still held in his right hand shattered under the pressure but he didn't feel the pain, just the shards biting and slicing his skin, a piece or two entering his hand. He looked to Maes, ignoring the stinging and throbbing in his hand for it was nothing compared to what he felt in his heart.

"Why couldn't she just come after me?!"

Maes shook his head and gently lifted his friend's hand. "She shouldn't be going after you at all. Don't let her push you again Roy, don't you dare let her break you and don't let her break the kids. She'll win if that happens and we can't let her win. Come on let's get this taken care of."