A/N: thank you ubergrif500! You really inspired me to write more! :) I hope you enjoy this next chapter ^___^

Fire, Death and Names

(Just before the explosion)

"Thanks Marie!" called Winry, "if she comes back here, tell her we're looking for her!"

"Will do, Winry! Give us a call when you find her!" Marie replied, returning to her job.

Edward was standing outside looking utterly mutinous. Kicking the ground in front of him he looked ready to punch someone, or something. It did not really matter to him when he was in that mood.

"Nothing?" asked Alphonse, he was worried again.

Winry shook her head. "No… they said this Theodore is a decent guy though, they'd seen him before. Several times. He's always friendly and perfectly harmless."

"He works for the investigation bureau… he is not harmless," grumbled Edward, pushing away from the wall, "which way did they go?"

"That way, come on, we might find where they went."

The walked off, down the street, discussing where they may have gone. Edward strangely quiet as his mind reflected back on his findings.

All of a sudden there was a catastrophic BANG! And all three of them were thrown forewords. Edward spun round, his golden eyes opened wide and he clapped his hands together, slamming them on the floor erecting a wall to protect them.

"Is everyone all right?" he called out turning around.

"We're fine," Winry said, "couple of scrapes… what was that?"

"A bomb blast," Edward replied, peering around the wall, "and debris is everywhere."

"What was blown up?" asked Alphonse, picking himself up.

The three of them looked at each other in dismay, "Charlotte?!"

Clapping his hands again, Edward deconstructed the barrier, allowing all three of them forewords. He stopped in his tracks. It looked like a war zone. There was bodies in the street, the wounded crying out for help, debris and pieces of wood everywhere. People were rushing foreword to help, and someone was calling the police from a pay phone.

It hadn't been Charlotte that he been blown up, but a tool shop two buildings away. But the result of the bomb blast meant the tool shop had been completely obliterated there was little left of the two shops nearer the original target, and the shops besides those were on fire, which was quickly spreading.

"Help the wounded!" Edward called, "carry them away from here!" He sighed looking around, Winry had picked up two injured children and was carrying them to safety as Alphonse helped up a heavy set man helping him limp away. More and more people were coming to help. Soon the military would be there.

'Sorry Lucy…' he thought as he called out more instructions, 'but I have to help out here.'

The Military arrived, taking control of the situation. Edward found himself standing beside Mustang.

"What happened?" he asked dryly.

"An explosion," Edward replied, his answer short.

"How many dead?"

"As far as we know, only six, four men, a woman and a child. We can't get to the building yet to finalise the number."

"Who caused it?"

"It could have been anyone… Ishballans, Drachmen… we heard nothing but the explosion, and we had only just left there."

"Damn," Mustang sighed, "this is getting really bad… it's been months since the last attack… and normally someone would have claimed responsibility by now."

"I know…"

"Have you found Lucy?"

"No but-"

It was as though a blur ran passed them at that moment, what ever it was moved too quickly for either of them to catch it properly. What they did catch was the blurred outline and the breeze created as it moved. They frowned and looked at each other. Behind them, three men were running after someone.

"There's a girl-" one paused to explain, "ran into the building- couldn't catch her- upset-"

"Dark skin, dark hair with silver in it?" Edward spoke rapidly.

"Was talking to the people we took out of Char-"

Edward had left as well chasing after her. Lucy… it could have only been Lucy. But what was she doing? Marie and the others had been pulled out, he knew that, he had done that himself. So what was… no… there was someone else in there.

He stopped short at the door, the heat from the fire was a physical barrier from entering the doomed restaurant. How had she just run in there?! The metal on her automail must have been seriously burning her already! His memory flashed to the automail on her side. It may have been light and durable… but it was still metal. It could still conduct heat. She could burn her insides out if she wasn't careful.

Taking a breath, he pushed himself through the barrier of heat, sweat dropping from his forehead immediately. Not that he cared. He had one thought. Get Lucy out.

He walked through, pushing against the solid heat, squinting through the black smoke, half wandering why it was so hot in the main part of the restaurant when there was no fire present. It was not until the floor above him groaned ominously did he remember the fire now almost directly above.

He swallowed hard and pushed his way through smoke and pushed over chairs, yelling for Lucy. She wasn't in the actual restaurant. He squinted through to the kitchen. There was no way… she couldn't have! The kitchen had almost been totally demolished when he had come to help pull people out. A weak beam in the ceiling had fallen, immediately bringing more than half the rest of it down. As far as Edward knew, as much as Marie had told him, there was no one else there. Looking back, he realised that Marie was far too disorientated to remember things clearly.

Now coughing almost violently, Edward walked towards the door almost slowly, the heat made him lethargic, the black smoke made him feel blind. All he could do was press forewords, his arm over his mouth and nose, and his eyes somewhat. He was already blinded by the smoke and heat, it made very little difference whether his eyes were covered or not. He leaned forewords to set his metal arm against where the door should have been, he remembered how he had been unable to open it, but clearly Lucy's determination did not understand such limitations. Instead of bracing himself against solid materiel, he fell forewords, into the room, where the heat seemed to have been intensifying.

He was beginning to feel the metal warm up as the heat began conducting. He didn't have that much longer before his skin attached would start to blister. Lucy had been in there longer… had more covering her body. She had far less time. He just have to get her out of there.

He picked himself up, peering through the smoke. Trying to locate her.

Then realised why the heat had intensified. The fire had fallen from the floor above into the kitchen. He had less time than they thought. He tried to forget the heat and forget the smoke inhalation, and concentrated on the stupidity of Lucy.

He yelled out her name, ignoring the tickling sensation in the back of his throat, pushing down the urge to cough and splutter. That was not going to do him any favours.

"LUCY!"

"Ed? Ed help me!" he could hear her voice towards the back of the restaurant. There seemed to be less fire back there, it had cooled. Just a little bit, not enough to really have made much difference.

"Lucy we have to go," he insisted, following the direction of her voice.

"You have to help me."

"What? Why? Where are you?!"

"Here! Ed! Hurry up! Please!" There was panic in her voice like he had never heard before. He couldn't quite believe it. She was always calm. It was strange… eerie to hear her like that.

The smoke was so think he felt her before he saw her. His hand on her shoulder. She was standing, trying to push something.

"You have to help me," she begged, looking at him, "it's… it's… it's Harry… he's stuck!"

Edward swallowed hard, finally able to make out her eyes. Her glasses had been thrown aside, her eyes were wide open and wild. She looked almost demented, the passion and fright practically radiated from her being.

"Is he still-"

"Just help me!"

Edward paused, then dropped beside the still figure of Harry. His fingers searched for his neck, looking for a pulse. Following the man's hair, he positioned his finger over where the artery should have been. He felt nothing.

Almost unwilling to believe it himself he waved the smoke away and grabbed the man's hand, trying desperately to find a pulse in his wrist. There was nothing.

Harry was gone.

The blonde boy felt a lump in his own throat. Harry had been a good man, and a good friend to Lucy. He had looked after her. He looked at the older man for a moment, his face and upper body were covered, he couldn't see the rest of his body properly. He was hoping he hadn't fallen through from the floor above when the bomb exploded. That would have been torture.

"Lucy," he said quietly, getting up, realising it was a beam that she was trying to push off the man. Evidently that was the culprit for Harry's demise. "Lucy we have to go."

"No! We have to help him! We have to- we have to-"

"Lucy he's gone!"

"No he's not!" her hands clamped over her ears. Surrounded by smoke, fire and death she was still being stubborn. "He's not! He's right here! We have to save him! We have to!"

"Lucy come on- no! He loved you, Lucy, why would he want you to throw your life away?"

"But I have to!" The conviction was still there.

"Lucy-"

"NO!" She set her metal shoulder against the beam and tried to push.

He called out to her repeatedly, trying to get her to see reason. She was beyond reason. She was frantic. Just as he reached out to touch her again, she pulled off her gloves, how she had been able to keep them on he didn't understand. Just as he tried to pull her back now that she was no longer pushing against him, she did the one thing he never thought he'd ever see her do.

She clapped her hands together, very precisely, watching where her hands met. The symbols… he realised she needed the symbols to connect… to make a full circle. The action of the clapping helped to create another circle, it was a hard form of alchemy to master, and it was no way as pure as the alchemy Edward himself performed, but it was enough. A crackle of blue electricity sparkled and she put her hands on the beam, her eyes focusing on the wood before her.

Nothing happened. Her mind was in turmoil, she did not have the concentration to be able to perform alchemy just then, but he had no doubt that she would have been able.

Above them the structure creaked. It could have come down on them at any moment. Yet Lucy was back to trying to push the beam again, ignoring the fact that her alchemy had not worked; a clear sign to any alchemist that there was too much going on to be able to do very much rationally.

There was the problem. She was no longer rational.

By then he was desperate. Edward did the only thing he could think of doing.

"Chaandi?" he said quietly. She stopped moving. "Chaandi come on… we have to go. Now."

"But…"

"Chaandi, come on," he took her hand, her right hand, "we have to go now. Harry wouldn't want you to die here. You've got so much more to do."

Lucy… Chaandi stopped. She paused. Then relaxed as Edward pulled her. She said no more. Like a doll or a robot she followed him out saying nothing else. As though the mention of her real name had rendered her helpless. Like he suddenly had some sort of power over her.

Soon they were outside again, coughing and spluttering. Edward fought the urge to cover his ears and eyes, everything seemed to have suddenly become much sharper. The military rushed towards them, but Edward waved them off. He turned to Lucy, take her hands, grasping her left in his right… her right in his left.

"Lucy," he said softly, "look at me? Say something?"

Her soot smudged face was down caste. Her eyes masked by her hair. The silver in her hair was sooted black to match the rest of her hair. She was still. Too still.

"Chaandi?" he whispered.

No reaction.

Then…

"Ed?" she looked up at him, she looked shaky, her eyes were moist as though she were about to cry. "Edward? It's all my fault."

"No it's not you can't-"

"It's all my fault," she repeated. The swayed on the spot, and crumbled to the floor, Edward still holding her hands.

"Cha-" no Chaandi wasn't her name… this was- "Lucy!" he shouted, "Lucy! Get up! Now! Get up!"

But she wasn't responding. As the military took over, Mustang ushered him away, taking him to the side. But he was in no mood to talk.

"What happened?" asked the brigadier general.

"She tried to save her friend who was already dead," he said dryly, his eyes not leaving the spot where Lucy was being attended to, "and she's blaming herself."

"Why?"

"I've got no idea…" he sighed angrily, "this is getting ridiculous… her father's killed, her mother dies, her uncle's killed, her friend dies. It's no wander she's blaming herself!"

Mustang sighed. "Forget about it for now. We just need to get her better."

Edward nodded curtly, looking around at the devastation that surrounded them. A lot of the people had been taken away, the rest were being taken care of on the spot. Winry was consoling Marie who had recovered from the shock and remembered that Harry had not come out of the building. Alphonse was helping to attend to the remaining people, even it just meant helping them get more comfortable.

"Who the hell did this…" he muttered.

*

The room was dark and dingy. The brunette fair skinned male sat down, a cigarette in his hand smoking softly. He was leaning back, looking lazy. His green eyes were focused on the tall standing Ishballan before him. He was standing, looking utterly disgusted.

"What the fuck have you done?!" the Ishballan snarled, "what the fuck have you DONE?"

"Just what we planned… ruined little Chaandi's life."

"Ruined? Ruined?! I didn't want her ruined!"

"Then what did you want?"

"I just wanted some money! I thought you said you were just going to freak her out."

"I wanted her to suffer."

"Suffer?! That's not the point! Annoy, irritate yeah sure! But suffer…" he trailed off, "she's suffered so much already- why make it worse?!"

"You grown a conscience then, Zarraq?"

He looked up at him sharply, his red eyes on fire. "Maybe," he snarled, "look- you've just ruined everything! Bombing that place is going to ruin Ishballans like me. Haven't you thought of that?"

"I'm supposed to care?" Theodore shrugged, "why would I care? One of your people ruined my mother's life."

Zarraq stared. For the first time he saw how his little sister must have seen him. Violent, pathetic, vengeful for no real reason… he's let his little sister be put through so much? Regret washed through him. His little sister… his little sister…

Anger flushed through him, without thinking he grabbed the other man by his collar, and pulled him to his feet.

"You fuck- you stupid fuck!" he snarled, "you're going to regret this- I swear to you you're going to regret thi-"

"Haven't you forgotten about her? Our little sister?"

His eyes widened. "What have you done to her?"

"I dunno… she went back to the bombing…"

Zarraq stared, then his eyes narrowed, he lashed out a punch getting the fair man in the face, dropped him and ran, grabbing his coat on the way out. He didn't look back once.

Theodore paused, rubbing his jaw. Zarraq hadn't held back. It felt almost broken. Things had suddenly taken a turn for the worse. He thought that Zarraq would have taken his side. Seen what he had done was the best to get rid of that waste of space, the reason their families had been ruined. Apparently the Ishballan had seen something else. It made no sense to him.

Now that Zarraq had turned on him, there could have been enough evidence to bring him in. That was something he would not stand for. He'd have to leave. There was nothing for him in Central any more anyway… his mother no longer needed his help, she had moved to the country for a reason.

He got up, and brushed himself off. He'd leave.

*

Lucy had been put into hospital. She had inhaled a lot of smoke and the metal where her skin and automail met was burned quite badly. She was still out.

As doctors and nurses slipped in and out of the hospital room, Edward, Winry and Alphonse stayed by her side. Winry never taking her eyes off her as Alphonse sat with her right hand in his, half sleeping with his head on the bed and Edward staring out the window, arms crossed scowling. The doctors had tried to see to him, but he refused all help, insisting he was fine.

"Is she ok?" asked Winry when a nurse walked in again.

She nodded. "She'll be fine. Her body's just repairing itself. She'll be up soon."

Winry nodded and returned her attention back to her friend.

"What about the others?" asked Edward, not looking at the nurse, eyes fixed outside, "from Charlotte."

"They're… recovering. They'll be all right."

"Have they brought in Harry Davis yet?"

"The fatality from-"

Edward looked at her, his eyes flashing. Fatality? No… he was Harry. Friend to Lucy. Friendly acquaintance to them. A good man. An irreplaceable man. Dead… his blood on the hands of those terrorists.

"He's been brought in… and identified."

"Was he-"

"No- his clothing protected his face. He died of haemorrhaging…"

Just as Edward has suspected. The beam had killed him. The fire hadn't touched him. That was nice to know… it was a fast death… not the sort of death that made one feel ill at the sound of it.

He nodded curtly. "Thanks."

The nurse nodded and left quickly having checked Lucy's vitals. Edward's eyes focused on the outside again, while Winry and Alphonse focused inside. Each other with their own torments. Going over what they had seen that day. Thanking what ever benevolent being for letting Lucy live.

After a few minutes Edward pushed himself away from the window.

"I need a drink," he grumbled, "anyone else want one?"

"Just water," Winry replied absently.

"Something to eat brother?"

Edward smiled and ruffled his little brother's hair. "Guess I can manage that."

"We'll get you if anything changes."

He nodded and left the room.

Outside his expression changed. He had seen an Ishballan enter the hospital. A tall built man, about ten years older than himself with a shock of silver on the right side of his hair. Lucy's older brother? Perhaps… it seemed to be a family trait on her mother's side after all.

With conviction, he stormed towards the reception on the ground floor, waiting to head her brother off there. He was probably there to gloat over her misfortune. He wasn't about to have that… not while she was down and out.

An ugly thought crossed his mind… her brother… he was an Ishballan… he had a personal vendetta against the Armestrians… and Lucy herself. He could have attacked the streets… indirectly attacking Charlotte so as not to be caught out. It was feasible. It made sense. It gave a reason for why it happened. It made sure that Lucy was no longer the blame, her brother was, for being so petty. And now he was here to rub salt in the wound?

He was not about to let that happen.

Edward arrived at the reception to find Lucy's brother arguing with the receptionist. It stopped the Armestrian boy in his tracks. Why did he look so desperate? Why did he look so scared? It didn't make sense… should the man have been more confident?

Nevertheless he stormed forwards, trying to ignore the niggling feeling that maybe he had jumped to conclusions.

"Lucy then?" the older man said desperately, "just Lucy- she came in from the terrorist attacks! Please I have to see her-"

"Why?" Edward had spoken before he had realised he had arrived at the desk.

The man turned around, he was surprised to say the least to see that the man looked genuinely scared and worried. His red eyes were showing, his every emotion depicted. Somehow Edward did not think that this could have been faked… it was far too convincing.

"Who are you?" he asked, clearly attempting to calm his voice and failing miserably.

"Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist… friend to your sister?"

The next moment Edward felt his arm being gripped tightly, and being forced to look the man squarely in the face. His hands were tight around his upper arms, almost to the point of shaking him. Edward could visibly see the man shaking by this point.

"Where is she? Is she all right? What happened to her? She is… she is…" he trailed off, but his red eyes never left Edward's gold for a moment.

"She's alive," said Edward coldly, "no thanks to you."

All of a sudden the man relaxed. Alive. The word alive seemed to take all the tension out of his body. He bent over, his neck drooped, head resting a little on Edward's shoulder as though using him for support. His hands still gripped Edward's arms, but the had loosened. He had started laughing a little, hysteria?

"No thanks to me," he said through his laughter, only Edward could hear him, "never thanks to me… that brat's always one step ahead of me… my little sister… she's alive… she's alive… thank Ishbal she is alive!"

He was worried about her? But what about that night? Leaving her beaten in the cold? What the hell had happened?!

"What's your name?" he asked gently, putting a hand on the man's shoulder, pushing him standing, "Lucy never told me."

"Zarraq… Zarraq Nabeel."

His surname checked out… from what Edward was told anyway. Lucy's surname was Fuller-Nabeel. The young man nodded curtly. "I need to talk to you."

There was a moment's confusion, then understanding on the Ishballan's face. He nodded, pulling himself straighter, though he hardly seemed in a good enough state to stay standing.

Edward turned his attention to a passing nurse.

"Excuse me miss," he said politely, "is there any where I could talk to this man in private. His sister's been in an accident and-

"Oh yes of coarse," the nurse smiled, "on the second floor turn left there's an empty room, it's the smokers room really but it should be empty, all the staff are working after the attack."

"Thanks," Edward grinned at her, then nodded for Zarraq to follow him.

The tall man seemed to be brooding as the two walked up the stairs. He ignored everyone who passed him and made no attempt at making conversation.

They reached the second floor, found the room, after asking another nurse, who looked a little more suspicious of the two, and sat down. The room was spacious, but not large, with a window in the wall opening out onto the street. There was uncomfortable chairs and sofas scattered about the room, with a radio playing in the corner. On the counter was a stove, a kettle with jars of coffee, tea, hot chocolate mix and sugar. There was sink a little further a long, and a tiny fridge beneath it all.

Edward took it all in for a moment, before looking at Zarraq.

"You didn't do the bombings."

Zarraq wasn't looking at him. His gaze was lost in the distance. But when he shook his head, Edward thought him too dazed to lie to him. "How did you know?"

"What bomber comes to the hospital to check on the victims."

A smile cracked on his lips. Only for a moment. "True."

"It was Lucy's other brother, Theodore Fuller wasn't it?"

Zarraq looked at him. An eye brow raised. "You've been doing your research. Yeah. It was that prick…"

"How would you know that?"

"Because the bastard came looking for me… to find a way to get to Ch- Lucy."

"Chaandi."

Zarraq hesitated then nodded. "Chaandi… it means silver you know… like her hair… but she was named after mum's sister who died when mum was about ten… Chaandi our aunt… she was about sixteen… seventeen…" he trailed off, then snapped back to the present.

"Fuller told me he just wanted to scare her… shake her up a bit you know… something like how I do… I figured I'd get some money for it…"

He scowled.

"Then the bastard came back today and told me what he did… bombing Charlotte?! It makes things worse for us! Us Ishballans! And there were good people in that damn shop… none of them treated Chaandi badly, they all thought of her as one of theirs… they didn't care about dark or light… red or otherwise… I don't get it! Yeah sure I treated Chaandi pretty badly for a… a big brother, but I never wanted to break her. I could have if I wanted to, but I never did. She needed that… that light she's got. Otherwise she'll never survive."

His fists clenched, his eyes were boring holes in the floor. He looked ready to kill. For a little sister he abused over the years. But he was right. He had never broken her… if anything it had made her stronger. Without meaning to, Zarraq had made her resistant to being broken.

"You treated her badly," Edward said, "she needed her big brother. But you weren't there."

"I know… I blamed her for everything. I thought that if mum and Blake didn't have a child their marriage could never have survived." He smiled faintly. "I was so wrong… I saw that when Blake died… mum cried so much. Every night she cried. Never let Chaandi see though… That's what made me leave, made me hate her… Chaandi I mean."

"So what happened? You're here now because you wanted to check up on her. I don't get it."

Zarraq shifted his eyes to meet Edward's gold. He studied him closely. Almost calculating. For a thug, Zarraq appeared surprisingly intelligent. Something Edward expected of Theodore Fuller, not Zarraq Nabeel.

"You really are her friend," Zarraq said, "I thought you just said that… never really thought of State Alchemists having real friends… but you really mean it don't you."

"Yeah," Edward replied shortly, "sort of why you are not my favourite person."

Zarraq barked a laugh. "Understandable…" He trailed off, thinking about what Edward had said. "I guess… I finally saw in Fuller what she saw in me… childish… pathetic… violent with no reason. Just general stupid. Taking out my anger on her for something she could never have controlled. It was never her fault. Possibly Blake's, but even then you can't control who you fall in love with."

Edward thought about Winry, and grinned to himself. That was true. He never did see himself falling in love with his childhood friend, but now it was undeniable.

"I don't hate myself for what I've done… but I think I was stupid. I wish I had gotten to know Chaandi better… now maybe I can. Now that I know she's alive…"

He suddenly gave into some emotion that Edward couldn't decipher. His hands covered his face, and his shoulder's shook, but he wasn't crying.

"I've never been so scared in my life. Not for another person. I never thought it would happen for Chaandi… never Chaandi. She was the bastard child of my mother and her lover… that's what I thought. But the moment Fuller told me she had gone back to Charlotte… I dunno… something snapped."

Edward didn't know what to do. He stood suddenly and paced for a moment. Thinking things through. "Nabeel," he said suddenly, "do you want to see her?"

"She won't want to see me-"

"She's not conscious."

Zarraq looked up. The fright was everywhere about his being.

"Not a coma. She's just not conscious. Her body took a lot of harm… she went back into the restaurant… trying to save a friend."

Zarraq stared for a moment. Then started laughing again. "Somethings never change!" he howled, shaking his head, "she did that for me you know? She did that for me! Ran back into a collapsing building and pulled me out. I never found out from her, one of my… my colleagues told me. I hated her for it, owed her a debt." He shook his head. "Fucking ridiculous little shit that girl…"

"Do you want to see her?"

"Yes." Zarraq stood, immediately calm. "Very much so."

Edward nodded for him to follow him.

*

"Where the hell is he?" sighed Winry, looking around, "he's been gone for ages."

"I did ask for food," muttered Alphonse, "maybe he got caught up with that."

Alphonse looked at Winry and smiled. She was looking at the door, waiting for Edward to come back, her arms crossed and her left leg over her right. She always worried about him. Always. Ever since they were children. Alphonse was seen as the more sensible one. The one who could look after himself. Edward was reckless, he needed looking after. The evidence of that was the automail, though Alphonse was, and always would be, grateful that his brother gave up so much for him.

"I will skin him alive when he gets back," Winry said mildly, "he needs it. I'll use his automail for Lucy's when she wakes up. It's finished now- maybe I can reinforce it with his."

Alphonse looked at Lucy… no… Chaandi. Chaandi Natsha Fuller-Nabeel. Natsha was apparently the name Blake and Maes chose together for the little girl. Her nick name at home was Tash, simply because ever since she could talk she never liked the girliness of 'Tasha'.

But as he looked at the dark face of his friends for the past few months, he could not help but think of her as Lucy. To him, a name was a name, it was a label, it meant nothing. He didn't care that she had kept her name secret. But… when he looked at her, he saw Lucy, the girl cursing outside the library who just needed a meal. Who befriended him despite the large age gap and put up with his brother's attempt to find out her secrets. She was Lucy.

"Maybe try asking Lucy first," yawned Alphonse, "she might not find that idea very appealing."

"What? Reinfor-? oh right… Ed's automail…" Winry chuckled, "perhaps not."

She knew there had been a friendship struck between Lucy and Edward, but it was a shaky one from the looks of things. They argued constantly, they fought on and off and they barely seemed to get on. But the friendship was there, the understanding was there. They cared for each other a lot, Winry could see it, and she was grateful for it. Lucy had found her place with them, and for the first time Winry had a girl her own age she could talk to.

As she mused she suddenly became aware of someone coming towards them. She looked up and was immediately defensive. Following Edward was a tall built Ishballan… with a shock of silver through his hair. Just like Lucy's. Her brother? What was Edward thinking?!

"What the hell is he doing here?" demanded Winry coldly, her hands in fists by her side, she wanted her spanner all of a sudden.

"Winry Rockbell, this is Zarraq Nabeel, Lucy's older brother by her mother," Edward was perfectly calm, "he is not the culprit. He heard what happened and rushed over here to see his little sister."

Winry eyed him coldly. "I saw what you did to her the last time you saw her… did you have to go so far?"

Zarraq frowned. "What di-"

"You broke her ribs."

To Winry's utter shock, Zarraq's eyes opened wide, he looked genuinely shocked and surprised.

"But I didn't… I couldn't… there… no wander she didn't curse me as I left…" he mumbled, "I thought she'd…" He suddenly looked at Winry and bowed at the waist. "If you looked after her then I am in you debt."

Winry looked shocked. "Edward what's going on?"

"He's learned that he a pathetic looser and wishes to change himself," said Edward, his tone still dry, as though he was watching Zarraq closely, trying to monitor him. Monitor his movements.

Winry looked at Edward. He was by the window again, looking out. What was he up to? What was he thinking? She looked at Zarraq who was still bowed.

"Get up," she sighed, not all that kindly, "I'm Winry Rockbell, Lucy's friend. Since she arrived in Central."

Zarraq stood and nodded.

"Alphonse Elric," said Alphonse as the man turned his attention to him, "I found her, she's been with us ever since."

"Ah… your her family here then."

Alphonse and Winry looked at each other and smiled. "Yeah… yeah I guess so," nodded Alphonse.

"She's never had a family… since mum died," Zarraq said thoughtfully. Winry was still shocked at the fact that he sounded as though he was damning himself. "Thank you."

Alphonse got up, let go of Lucy's hand. He gestured silently for Zarraq to take his place. Zarraq looked surprised and hesitantly came forewords. His eyes never turned to Lucy. Not till he reached the side of her bed. His eyes were fixed on her right hand. He frowned. He reached out and touched it, then picked the slim hand up and turned it over in his own. He smiled sadly. His finger traced the alchemy circle on her palm.

"I did that…" he muttered, "to remind her of what she is."

"I guessed as much," muttered Edward, almost angrily.

"The strange thing is… is she's used it to her advantage."

The three of them looked at him sharply.

"Once her hand healed properly, I didn't do a very good job of doing it myself really-"

He did it himself? Winry was getting more and more confused. This man was like Lucy… an enigma swaddled in riddles upon riddles.

"Once her hand had healed… she put another circle on her automail hand." He paused. "Now she just needs to clap her hands to perform alchemy… I've never forgotten that. How resourceful she is… how she always makes the best of a bad situation." He shook his head. "No thanks to me though…" He wrapped his larger hands around hers and sat down, finally looking at her face. "She never did look innocent when she's asleep," he said suddenly.

"What?" Winry looked at him sharply.

"She never looks innocent when she's asleep. People say others look peaceful or angelic when they're asleep. She just looked pissed off."

They looked at her properly. There was a crease in her brow, as though she was concentrating on something, or thoroughly pissed off.

Alphonse was the one who started laughing, followed by Winry's giggles. Soon Zarraq was chuckling, and finally Edward who tried to hide it. Lucy was stubborn as ever even in her sleep. It was a sort of sweet trait for her to have. Even if she didn't look innocent, she certainly looked cute.

It was due to this laughter that no one noticed her stirring.

*

Lucy was lost to the darkness. She wasn't sure how long it had been like that. But what she did know was that now she was conscious of it, she wanted to get out of it. She felt as though she was swimming around in the darkness. It was frustrating her.

Soon she decided to think about things logically. It had to be a dream of some kind, her being trapped in this darkness. So… it made sense for her to try and wake up. Even if she was knocked out, maybe if she concentrated enough she could force herself to consciousness.

She wasn't sure how long she tried. Could have been hours, could have been minutes, could have been seconds. But strangely… she eventually managed something.

In the distance she thought she could hear laughter. Laughter? What laughter? Why was there laughter? Not that it was important… She forgot about why and she aimed for it. The laughter. Slowly… painfully slowly, it got louder and louder. She became aware of someone hold her hand, the presence of four people around her and the laughter.

Soon, she was blinking awake. The laughter had lulled, but the people were still there. She blinked in the light and looked around. No one was looking at her, they all seemed to be lost to the world.

Edward was looking outside where the sun was disappearing to storm clouds, and rain was beginning to fall outside. Near him was Alphonse who was looking up at the ceiling, smiling faintly. Winry was to her left, frowning in confusion. And holding her hand… her right hand.

Zarraq? Was the really really him?

"B- brother?" she stammered out in a horse whisper. He stirred, surprised, "brother?" Her voice was stronger. He looked at her, his eyes wide. He almost dropped her hand, but she held on. "What's wrong? Why are you here?"

"I- I- I came as soon as I heard," he replied.

Immediately everyone was aware that she was awake.

"LUCY!" shrieked Winry, all her attention on her friend, "are you all right? Do you need anything? Alphonse get a nurse!"

"I just want some water…" she said softly.

Alphonse was already running off to get a nurse, while Edward looked at Lucy as though he was looking at a new person.

"Water? I'll get you some I'll be back in just a moment!"

As she sped off, Alphonse returned with a nurse, who proceeded to reel off a list of questions. A moment later Winry was back with the water. Edward was talking to the doctors.

All around her there was a flurry of activity, everyone doing everything. She couldn't keep track, she was still drowsy, she couldn't think straight.

But all the while she clung to her brother's hand. The brother she had never really given up on, the man she always hoped would one day come to her side when she needed him. He was there, he was with her. And he was holding onto her just as tightly as she was holding onto him.

"Don't leave me…"