Chapter 3, hope you like.

Chapter 3: Attack

Kate woke up sore from sleeping on the floor. Disorientated she rolled over to find a figure next to her. She smiled and sat up looking at Ed's sleeping face. It had been nearly a month since the brothers had come to her house, every evening she cooked a meal for her and Ed and they ate together and chatted into the night. She must have fallen asleep before she could go to her room. Flinging the blanket off she casually wondered who had put it over her. She felt guilty because a pillow had also been placed under her head meaning Ed had slept using his coat as a pillow with no blanket.

Ed rubbed his face with his hand signalling the fact he was awake.

"Good Morning." Alphonse greeted the pair, feeling relieved that another night alone was over with.

"Morning." Ed muttered sleepily pushing himself in to a slumped by vaguely upright position.

"Good Morning." Kate answered with a surprising amount of enthusiasm for someone who had just woken up.

"Ed if your quick you can use the bathroom before I open the shop."

"Urgh!" was all Ed could reply as he got up properly.

Kate was in the middle of the cooking breakfast when she felt someone's presence behind her. Spinning around she saw Ed and relaxed.

"What are you doing down here?" she looked at him as he put one arm behind him to stretch it. His hair hung loose and wet, a towel was draped over one shoulder.

"Aw come on, I've hardly been able to stretch my legs."

"I'm sorry, because you'll have loads of time to walk about when you're arrested by the military, fugitive."

"Alright, alright. I get your point. I'm going back."

"Well now your here you might as well eat down here. No one's going come. Where's Al?"

"Here." Al walked into the kitchen.

"You two don't hide very well do you?" Kate laughed. Ed grinned as he pulled out a chair at the table and sat down, Al giggled as he sat down next to Ed.

Kate placed a plate of food in front of Ed then sat down to her own meal.

"Ed, why'd you join the military so young?" Kate asked the question that had been bugging her for a while.

"I told you we lost our Mum."

"That's not a reason, you didn't join till after you tried to bring her back."

Ed sighed and looked at her, trying to decide how much he would say to her. He decided to trust her with the truth.

"I wanted to find a way to get our bodies back to normal. Being a state alchemist gave me access to information I would otherwise be unable to get."

"But you never found a way."

"Actually we did the philosopher's stone."

"That's just a folk tale isn't it?"

"No, people have been trying to make it for a long time, imagine it a way to ignore the law of equivalent exchange. Only thing is to make it you have to use human lives, lots of them. So we stopped going after it, the cost was too high. We looked for another way but before we found it we had to go on the run. So now, I don't know what, we just stay as we are." Ed looked down.

"Brother." Al voice almost cracked. Reaching across the table Kate placed her hand over Ed's automail one and placed her other hand palm up in front of Al, he put his hand in hers and she closed her fingers around it.

"You'll be ok as long as you have each other." She said to them both. Ed looked up and smiled at her.

When Ed and Al returned to the secret room Ed said.

"Al, I'm sorry, I broke my promise to you. I can't get your body back."

"Brother-" Al started to answer but Ed cut him off.

"Buts she right, at least we still have each other." Ed placed his hand on Al's arm.

"Yes." Al agreed then after a second he added

"But who does Kate have?"

"We can't stay forever, Al. We should move on soon."

"I know, I just wish there was something we could do for her."

"Me too."

Kate looked up as a young man walked into her shop.

"Hello Jasper. What can I do for you today?" she smiled at him.

"Well...um...I was wondering if you'd like to have dinner with me on Saturday." He smiled sheepishly looking down as a tinge of red appeared on his cheeks. Kate was surprised she'd grown up with Jasper, he was a nice boy, one everyone would approve of.

"Sure, that'd be great."

"Really. Wow, ok I'll pick you up about six."

"See you then." Kate smiled as Jasper walked out the shop with a huge grin on his face.

"A date?" Ed asked sounding shocked. It was the evening and Kate was playing cards with Ed, while Al watched him to make sure he didn't cheat.

"Yes, don't sound so surprised." Kate replied flicking a playing card in his face.

"Ow, ok sorry, it's just I can't imagine you on a date." Ed laughed.

"Brother don't be rude. I think it's great Kate." Al said shooting what would have been, if he had a face that showed emotion, a disapproving look at Ed.

"Thank you Al." Kate got up and grabbed the pillow throwing it at the still giggling Ed.

Saturday evening came and Kate walked up to the secret room to find Ed with his nose in a book and Al reading over his shoulder. Ed glanced up as Kate walked in then looked back, a second later he looked at her again as he took in her appearance. She wore a knee length pale blue dress with short sleeves, the neck was low trimmed with lace. A pink ribbon was tied under her bust. Her hair was pulled back into an elaborate bun. A white bag hung over one shoulder and a white shawl was draped over one arm. She wore pale blue, high heeled shoes to match her dress.

"Do I look ok?" Kate asked nervously as Ed stared for just a little too long.

"Why you asking us?" Ed asked her back.

"Well it's not like there's anyone else to ask."

"You look great." Al answered.

"Fine." Ed answered grumpily.

"Fine? Is that all." She asked seemingly oblivious to Al's comment.

"Sure you look ok, now he'll be here soon, hadn't you better go." Ed snapped at her.

"Ok well I'll see you later then." Kate sounded hurt.

"Have fun." Al called out after her as she left.

"Brother, why were you so mean?" Al asked Ed.

"Who'd want to go on date? It's stupid she shouldn't worry about the way she looks it's not important." Ed said as he looked back down at the book.

"You did like the way she looked though didn't you?"

"Don't be ridiculous Al." Ed got up and moved to a corner, hiding his face in his book. Al thought he saw a tinge of red in his brother's cheeks.

Ed paced back and forth down across the room. He checked his watch for the hundredth time. 11 0'clock.

"Damnit, she should have been back ages ago."

"Maybe she was, maybe she didn't want to see you because you were so rude." Al answered trying to be reasonable although he was equally worried.

"Fine, I'll go check the house."

"Apologise if you find her." Al called after Ed as he stalked down the stairs.

When Ed reappeared he look genuinely worried.

"She's not here, I'm going to go look for her." he said grabbing his coat and gloves.

"I'll come too." Al stood up.

"No Al, your too noticeable the military is still around."

"Ok, be careful." Al sat back down, resigned to waiting.

Kate cursed herself for staying out so late, now it was dark and cold. She pulled her shawl around her.

"Hey there miss, you're out kind of late." A drunken man in a blue military uniform stepped out in front of her. She tried to doge him but he grabbed her.

"Come on, don't be frightened let's play." The man slurred his words as he tightened his grip on Kate. She could smell the alcohol on his breath. Struggling Kate tried to wriggle out of his grip.

"Let go of me." She kept struggling but he wouldn't let go. She screamed as loud as she could but was only rewarded with being thrown against a wall. Pain exploded in her shoulder as it wacked into the bricks and she crumpled to the ground. The man kicked her and then grabbed her by her hair and pulled her up. She screamed again in pain but he put his hands around her neck and starting choking her.

"If you won't stay quiet I'll make you." He hissed at her, this time he didn't slur his words. Kate had time realise the man wasn't that drunk before her vision started to narrow.

O.o Cliffhanger. Please review.