Chapter 4, enjoy!

Chapter four: Going up in flames

"Let her go!" Someone shouted as Kate started to lose consciousness. The hand loosened and she was thrown to the ground. Her head hit concrete and she blacked out.

The man turned to look at the new comer and his eyes widened in shock.

"Well, well. If it isn't the Fullmetal Alchemist. Couldn't resist helping a damsel in distress eh? How noble. But that just got you caught."

"You haven't caught me yet." Ed grinned and clapped his hands together. Placing one hand on the wall he transmuted part of it. The man just had time to look round and see a large brick fist before it hit and knocked him out cold.

Dashing forward Ed rolled Kate over and lifted her up so he could rest her head on his knees.

"Kate, can you hear me? Kate wake up, please." Ed tried to rouse her. Slowly opening her eyes she focused on him.

"Edward? What are you doing here?" Her voice was rough an weak.

"Saving you. Can you walk?" Kate nodded in reply to his question and he helped her up.

"You're freezing, here." Ed shrugged off his coat and helped Kate put it on; she winced as she moved her shoulder.

As they started walking Kate stumbled. Ed caught her as she started coughing, he was alarmed to find tears streaking down her face. Then she passed out.

Ed lifted her so he cradled her to his chest and went back to her house as quickly as he could.

Ed kicked the door closed behind him.

"Al!" He called out as he headed towards the stairs. As he reached the second floor, Al appeared at the bottom of the secret staircase.

"Brother, where are you?"

"Up here, find some bandages or something. She's hurt. Oh and bring some water."

Al grabbed what he could find then climbed the stairs and found Ed in Kate's bedroom. He gasped as he saw Kate lying unconscious on her bed. He dress was wet and dirty .Her hair was loose of its grip and tangled up. Her face was bruised and tear streaked, a small cut had clotted above her eye but what stood out most of all were the livid bruises around her neck.

"What happened Brother?"

"Some military guy attacked her, know one I recognise. I got there just in time, I think he might have killed her, or done other things. But I've been seen Al, we have to go. When I know she's alright we'll have to leave." Ed explained as he pressed a plaster over the already closed cut.

The first thing Kate felt was pain, in her shoulder and her neck. Suddenly the memories crashed down upon her and she jolted upright in a panic.

"Easy, you don't want to do anymore damage." Ed said steadying her.

"Wha-" she tried to speak but instead chocked.

"Here." Al passed her a glass of water. Stretching out her arm she winced in pain. She took the glass with her other hand and took a few gulps before handing it back.

"Thanks." Her voice was still rough. Gingerly she prodded her bad shoulder a winced again.

"Let me see." Gently Ed pulled the coat off her shoulder, then sucked in his breath as he saw the huge purple bruise.

"Looks bad. Al pass me a sling."

"Er, I don't have one."

"I think there is a couple in the cupboard above the sink in the kitchen." Kate said

"Oh right I'll go get one." Al left the room.

Kate swung her legs over the side of the bed and Ed sat next to her.

"Why were you gone so late, and why didn't that bastard walk you home."

"I left him Ed. All through the date I couldn't really concentrate on him, there was someone else in my mind." She stopped and looked down.

"When did you leave him?" Ed asked unaware of the awkward pause.

"Erm about 9:00 I think."

"What? Where'd you go?"

"Nowhere, I just wandered around, I had to think."

"Idiot, you should have just come home." Kate put her head in her hand and started sobbing.

"I'm sorry"

"Hey, don't cry. Sorry I called you an idiot." Ed tried to calm her down, lamely patting her good shoulder.

Kate stopped crying and sniffed. She rubbed her arm across her eyes then looked at Ed. He pulled his sleeve over his hand and used it to dry the remainder of tears.

"I hate making girls cry."

"It wasn't your fault." Kate caught his hand as he pulled away.

"Thank you Edward." She smiled at him and before she could think about what she was doing she leant forward and kissed him.

Realisation of what she was doing crashed onto her a second later. She pulled back embarrassed.

"Sorry." She turned away from him and hid her burning face in her hair.

"Kate. I..." Ed started then stopped.

"Look at me." He asked. Kate didn't answer and didn't move. Sighing Ed stood up and moved in front of Kate, dropping down on his hunches so he could look up at her.

"Kate, Al and I have to leave, we were seen. They'll come here soon to look for us. I won't let you get caught up in our mess. Tell them I bought you here and left. Ok?" Kate didn't say anything.

"You understand why we have to go don't you?"

"I wish you didn't have to. I told you when I was on that date I couldn't stop thinking about someone else, it was you Ed, I was thinking about you." Kate looked him in the eye then. Ed looked troubled. He sat back and fumbled in his pocket. Pulling out a length of chain he considered it.

"What's that?" Kate asked.

"It was part of the chain that went with my state alchemist pocket watch." He placed it on the floor and clapped his hands together before touching the chain. A flash of blue light came from it before he picked it up and showed her the newly transmuted chain, it was thinner and more delicate now and had a clasp. Gently Ed clasped the bracelet round Kate's wrist.

"This is my promise to you. My promise that when...if I can I'll come back for you, because, you know, the truth is when you said you had a date I was jealous."

"You were?" Kate felt her heart leap for a second before she remembered he was saying goodbye. Ed stood up and pulled her to her feet. He wrapped his arms carefully around her injured body and hugged her. Then pulling back slightly he kissed her.

The next second the house shook with the force of an explosion that knocked them both off their feet.

"What the hell?" Ed yelled scrambling to his feet and pulling Kate to hers.

"Brother." Al called out for Ed from somewhere in the house.

"Al, where are you, what happened?" Ed called back, opening the door and walking out to the upstairs landing.

"Broth-" Al was cut off by another bigger explosion. Ed threw himself backwards into the room and slammed the door shut as a fireball shot up the stairs.

"Ed?" Kate's voice sounded small and scared.

"Al." Ed yelled for his brother. There was no answer, he opened the door a crack then shut it again.

"Damn. We're trapped."

"What?"

Ed moved across the room to the window and pushed the curtain back slightly so he could look outside.

"Bastard Colonel. I should have known this was his doing."

"What? Ed, tell me why the hell my house is on fire." Kate pulled him away from the window.

Ed sighed and hugged her again.

"I'm so sorry Kate; I can only save your life by giving you up to the military. That man out there, Colonel Mustang he was my superior, he's the flame alchemist and now he's found me. This is my fault. Sorry."

Kate opened her mouth to reply but another explosion interrupted her. It took off the door the room and blasted them with hot air. Kate watched in horror as her bedroom went up in flames, she didn't have long to stare before Ed picked her up and sat her on the wide window ledge, he'd ripped the curtains down.

He used his metal arm to smash the window, drawing the military's attention to their presence. He transmuted a rough stone slide and pulled Kate onto it as quick as he could. But not quick enough she screamed as the flames caught on Ed's red coat, that she was still wearing, it burned her skin but the fire was put out quickly as they started an uncontrolled roll down the slide.

Ed grabbed the side, alarmed by how thin he'd made it and slowed their descent. They landed in a heap at the bottom. Ed got up quickly and checked Kate was ok. When she was standing, albeit shakily on her feet he quickly kissed her cheek.

"I'm going to get Al."

"Ed no, it's too dangerous." Kate grabbed hold of him, but he just smiled and whispered,

"I'll be back, promise." Then he disappeared into the burning house.

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