Innocent Banter

Of Broken Daughters

'I hurt…again…why though...Oh! I got shot…I remember now.' slowly the sleeping woman's eyes fluttered open, and a soft moan escaped her. Her side burned and ached like she had been run through with a white hot dagger. Slowly she sat up, clutching at her wounded side. This certainly was not how Sonam had wanted to spend the end of the war. She was craving alcohol; the burning sensation as it went down, the warmth, the forgetfulness that came with drinking; she craved all that. It had been weeks since she had had a drop, and now she was irritable. She needed the alcohol to function.

Looking over at the window, Sonam's brown eyes widened for a second, and then a small grin spread across her face. 'Oh Auntie Tenzin…you didn't have to come all the way here,' Sonam thought as she moved into a slightly more comfortable position. Leaning back against her pillows she watched as her aunt slept, her grin slowly fading as her mind started to whirl back in time. 'You are more like a mom to me Auntie. I mean after the death of my parents in the Invasion you saved me, helped me, worked your fingers to the bone to keep us alive and then to get me automail when I told you what my dream was. Of course, you were more than slightly concerned about me joining the military; however, by all means you are the closest thing I've had to a parent.'

Sighing softly, Sonam looked out the window at the dusky evening sky that she had grown to love. She enjoyed looking outside her window during this time, just before the sun completely disappeared below the horizon. It was calming, not as calming as the bitterness of alcohol, but still it kept her calm enough to pass as normal.

As she thought back in time her automail hand clenched and unclenched, a reflexive reaction to the memory of the day when she got her automail – before she joined the military academy. It was one of the most physically painful experiences Sonam had ever felt! The pain was unbelievable as the mechanics attached nerves to wires, muscles to metal, and overall the aftermath and physical therapy was just as painful! However, it was worth all of it in her opinion and she was eternally grateful to her aunt for doing that for her.

Suddenly a soft stirring came from her aunt and slowly the woman sat up, her hair slightly ruffled from the nap. Sonam couldn't help but smile this time as she saw her Aunt's face light up like a Yule Tree.

"Sleep good Auntie?" Sonam asked her voice harsh and heavy compared to her aunt's gentler calmer voice.

"Well I could ask you the same question Sonam." Tenzin replied, clasping her hands together delicately.

"It was good as can be expected. I don't know how it missed the vitals but I got shot…" Sonam said with a laugh shaking her head.

"I know. I got your letter." Tenzin replied, watching her niece with a loving look on her face. The relief that had swept through her when she found Sonam sleeping was still very evident in the way she held herself and the way she talked, and it was a relief for Sonam that her Auntie was taking it so well.

"So how long will you be in town? Do you have a place to stay? If you don't have a place to stay you can stay with me. The spare key is on top of the doorframe." Sonam said, cutting right to the chase. She knew visiting hours would be over as soon, as it ended at six o'clock and it was five fifty-five right now. As much as she wanted her aunt to stay, she knew that Tenzin would need a place to sleep.

"I will be in town for about one month, give or take a week." Tenzin replied, her knuckles slowly turning white. "As for a place to stay, I will take up your offer of staying at your apartment."

"That is great! Now how was the trai…" Right when Sonam was beginning to ask a question her nurse, Matilda, came in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but visiting hours are over." She said her voice crisp and harsh. It was like the atrocities she had seen had completely hardened her.

"Alright I'll stay at your apartment." Tenzin whispered, standing up and grabbing her suitcase, "You still live in the same apartment as before?" she asked, blushing as she started to rock back and forth. She wasn't in a hurry or anything, her foot was just numb.

"Yup." Sonam answered curtly, watching as Tenzin smiled at her.

"Love you Sonam."

"Love you too Auntie Tenzin." Sonam whispered, watching as Tenzin left the room; her steps echoing through her room. 'I missed you….' However, her smile was broken as tears filled her eyes. 'I missed you Mommy. It's so nice to know you love me still…even if I am your broken daughter." Of course, by this time Tenzin was gone and the nurse was gone as well this left Sonam alone with her thoughts, as sporadic as they were. Unable to take it anymore Sonam started to cry, her bitter tears falling down her face.

It was hinted at by the nurses that they wanted the doctors to force the patient in room 305b into a vacation from the military, or maybe even get her honorably discharged. Many of the floor nurses had walked in on her crying, holding her head as she cried, rocking backwards and forwards. However, what was uncommon was that the young woman was usually talking to herself in some form of gibberish mixed in with Amestrian. They had figured the horrors of war had somehow traumatized her young female brain. However, what they didn't know was that she had been damaged a long time before she had even come to Amestris.

A soft sniffling escaped Sonam as her automail hand clutched at her hair, pulling it as she tried to hold back a scream. 'I just want this to end.' She thought frantically to herself as another flashback took her over – pulling her to a time and place she did not want to be in.

It had not taken Tenzin long to find Sonam's apartment, that was one thing in the city she could find easily. However, there was something that was a problem now that she was in the apartment building. As she rounded the hallway and made her way to Sonam's apartment she couldn't help but wince.

Sometimes when you were short life was not easy. This was the case for Tenzin. So setting her suitcase down, she carefully clamored on top of it. Then standing on her tip-toes, she searched the top of the door frame for the spare key. When she did find it she grabbed a hold of it quickly but, due to the sudden movement, she knocked herself off balance. Teetering, Tenzin let out a small squeak as she started to flail, falling backwards. She was soon bracing herself for a fall against the wall, as the hallways were kind of small

Much to her surprise though she fell back into something that was hard, but also warm and…

"Why hello again Miss." A familiar, warm, and deep voice said as he looked down at the small woman he had caught. Much to the embarrassment of Tenzin, but as much as she was embarrassed she was also grateful.

"Hello Mr. Armstrong." She answered as he let her go and she righted herself, clamoring off the suitcase with the key still in hand. "May I ask what you are doing here?" she asked, clasping her hands back in front of her body as she turned and looked up at the much taller gentleman.

At this Armstrong couldn't help but smile, she was such a demure and sweet woman. Looking her straight in the eye he continued to smile, his sparkle returning as he looked down at Tenzin. However, the most interesting thing about her was her eyes and clearly foreign accent, which caused her to leave s's off certain words and sometimes words blended together. She was a curiosity, and it intrigued Armstrong; besides, he could see that she would make a good friend, especially right now as she held this polite banter with him

"I was visiting my friend Roy, who lives down the hall. Then I saw you falling as I prepared to leave and you know what happened next I am sure." Armstrong answered his spit curl bouncing as he used his hands to explain for the most part.

'Apparently he talks with his hands.' Tenzin thought as she smiled wider at him. "I must thank you for saving me from a rather disastrous fall."

"You are quite welcome." Armstrong retorted, his voice gentle as he gave her a gentlemanly bow, "But I have to go Miss. It was a pleasure talking to you."

Smiling gently she nodded and bowed in return and then they parted, Tenzin opening the door to the apartment and Armstrong walked down the hallway and eventually left the building. After all, they would have tea tomorrow and tomorrow was a new day.

A/N: I will be posting this chapter to dA soon.