Once again I have to apologise for the lateness, thank you for your reviews and kind comments, it makes it all worth the while :)

There was a smack, and Frank Archers left cheek began to burn, the print of a metallic fist began to form on his porcelain skin. It appeared FullMetal wasn't finished just yet, even if it meant injuring himself in the process to get the job done.

Roy couldn't count the number of times Ed had been in and out of hospital. It was impossible to tell from the top of his head, either that or his age was catching up with him.

It was the teen's stubborn attitude that was always getting him into trouble. Edward pushed himself well beyond his limits and continued to batter and abuse his poor body until it couldn't fight any longer. He would always keep going no matter how long it took. His excuse was that he was used to dealing with pain, and that he could withstand it to a higher level than most people.

It had been that way ever since Roy could remember.

/ Once again the Colonel found himself waiting patiently in a hospital ward. The air reeked of disinfectant and a large concoction of various chemicals used to cover the hideous odour of sickness and death.

No matter how far the medicine world had come, hospitals were still and always would be associated with the loss of life. People who went into these places were in far from fit condition, it was understandable why Ed wasn't too keen on spending the night in these places. The thought of masked doctors and nurses butchering an unconscious victim like a piece of meat wasn't flattering in the slightest.

Roy wasn't squeamish in the slightest. He'd watched people become severed by bullets, he'd felt the splatter of someone else's blood cling to his cheeks, but that was mild. Mild compared to the prodigy awaiting him. He couldn't imagine what it was like to raise the dead, feel your own limbs being torn from you one by one. It was unreal.

Edwards life was like fiction, a twisted tale that should stay written and bound safely in a book. How many people could say they attempted human transmutation as children and survived? State alchemist at the age of twelve? The military certainly was no preschool. The Elric had been judged too many times to count because of his young age. It had been jealousy. Many people still couldn't accept a child had taken and succeeded at a job they'd trained years to get.

The ward was silent. Roy's boot steps echoed off the tiled floor, the white walls blinding his eyes. A quiet blond alchemist lay still beneath the thin covers, the bulge of his prosthetics as clear as the summer sky.

It wasn't natural. The boy looked tiny compared to his limbs, the large bulk of metal looked as if it could break him in two. However his muscular chest showed he was more than capable of using automail, even if he was just a child. Not all kids could say they were this ripped.

Ed didn't even glance at the man as he stood at his bedside, looming over him with a familiar stern expression plastered across his face. Roy's narrowed onyx eyes gave nothing away, accept perhaps he was tired and wanted this to be over.

"Are you going to bother reading my report or skip straight to the lecture?" the Elric muttered, gazing out of the window and watching the day unfold. It was the peak of summer in Amestris, and the sun was scorching the earth like hot coal. All the other kids Ed's age were running wild in the unbearable heat, while he was stuck in hospital, an IV taped to his wrist.

He watched the clear liquid bubble through the clear tube. It passed the time, and that's all that mattered. It was obvious to anyone that the young alchemist was itching to get back on his feet and cause havoc once again. Not that he intended to cause trouble of course... The blond was a magnet for bad luck, whether he wanted to be or not.

"This is the last time FullMetal," the Colonel warned sternly, "This is the last time I cover your back, do you understand?"

"Never asked you to in the first place..."

"That's not the point; you could at least show some gratitude."

"I'll show you fucking gratitude you-"

"Enough."

The stubborn raven reached for the clipboard perched at the blond's bedside and began to skim through the pages with a single gloved hand. It was all too familiar, bruising, lacerations, internal-

"Internal bleeding? I only asked you to lay low and do some research!"

"It's hard to 'lay low' when you're a walking freak show..."

Roy knew better than to dig any deeper. He felt a pang of sympathy for Ed.

"Why can't you just stay in one piece for more than five minutes?" the Colonel sighed, and ran a hand through his black hair. "Edward."

Ed looked up from the bed at his superior's unusual choice of words. It was rare for the man to call FullMetal by his first name.

"I know it might not seem like it at times, but I do care you know."

A faint blush tinted Roy's cheeks as Ed's lips curled into a smile, a cocky grin. He was certain the blond wasn't going to drop the incident anytime soon. It was perfect blackmail material. Who knew the Flame could be so caring?

Ed remained silent. He didn't have to say anything; the smirk plastered across his face said it all. /

Archer's eyes narrowed dangerously as he began to fume with anger. He'd stayed patient for far too long, now, his temper was wearing thin. Extremely thin, like a fragile dam about to break. All it took was a small push from the blond to release the floods that came surging like a wild beast through the man's veins. He could feel it in his blood, pumping vigorously around his body beneath the porcelain skin holding him together. It was the most Frank Archer had felt alive in years.

He felt brave and... powerful. Powerful enough to conquer the world if he wanted to. The pain in his cheek began to numb, all that remained was the growing bruise that burned to the touch.

Archer climbed to his feet and turned to the window. The night was almost over. All that separated night from day was the cloudy concoction of light and dark, the blues and pinks of the sky were beginning to dominate the thick violet coat and shield it from view.

Time was of the essence. He had to do it now, before it was too late.

"Such a shame I have to do this the hard way," he growled with irritation, "the others were much more cooperative."

Edward laughed in repulsion, images of the deceased flashing through his mind. The innocent victims like lambs to the slaughter. Of course they'd given in. They were so young and naive.

"You make me sick," he spat, "They were just kids!"

"Not much older than yourself I believe."

"I see you did your research," Roy glared, returning the evil glare the man was casting in his direction. "I guess you had something to do with the trainees that went missing."

Click. A flame sparked from his gloved fingers, narrowly avoiding Archer and catching the hem of his shirt. It was risky getting close. He was a madman, and his combat skills weren't bad either, enough to do damage at least. But he could never give Roy a run for his money, even if it was tough competition.

"They were far too good to be dogs," Frank locked eyes with Edward and began to walk closer, talking between each slow step, "I remember the screaming-and the pleading...-cowards. Wouldn't have lasted a minute anyway, I did you all a favour!"

He swung at an unsuspecting Havoc, who was rummaging his pockets for bullets. Before Jean knew what hit him, a fist did. The blond stopped himself from crashing to the hard floor by clinging to Breda, nursing his freshly bleeding nose. Frank smiled.

"I hear ice is good for the swelling."

Jean winced at the feeling of blood trickling through his fingers, the bone moved beneath his touch. After all the years he'd spent serving the state, he'd never broken anything, just the occasional bruise or cut. Tonight, it appeared luck wasn't on Jeans side.

"They weren't like you..." Archer purred looking back to the blond alchemist, "Too noisy... too weak. They surrendered so easily..."

Ed had heard enough of the man's sickening flattery, and gave him a well deserved and unexpected kick in the shin. The raven growled as the metal collided with his leg.

Even such a minimal attack left the Elric feeling drained. He felt tired and heavy, but there was no pain. Not even a sting as his lungs heaved, jerking his ribs with each ratting breath. Ed was running out of energy, drastically. Each attack was getting sluggish and weaker, less and less enthusiasm behind it. It was becoming a chore.

It was odd. Archer wasn't fazed in the slightest when the blond delivered another blow to his shin. The pain should have been unbearable. He didn't flinch, not even a hiss or a yelp escaped his lips.

Roy watched carefully, thinking. All it took was brief observation for him to reach a conclusion. Frank wasn't dodging. Not even a flinch as he saw a metallic fist inching closer and closer to his already bruised face. Flinching was a natural reaction, it just happened. It wasn't something you were supposed to think about first.

The Colonel wondered how it was possible to switch it off so easily, like a light. Archer didn't even care that he was being thrown around like a lifeless doll, not even as his skin began to blacken and swell. There was something, something Roy had to check.

Click. A flame for distraction, a weak ball of flames to catch him off guard. With a thump, Frank hit the wall, arms pinned above his head and a pair of curious black narrowed eyes looking deep into his.

"You've taken something." The Colonels subordinates looked on as if the man had spoken a foreign language, and Jean... he wasn't really concentrating. He appeared to be occupied with the task of fixing his nose.

"Look at his eyes!" Roy insisted. The man's blue eyes were different, pupils as wide as dinner plates. They were darting from one side to another, cloudy and sharp.

"I see your age has finally caught up with you, you delusional-"

Smack. Roy smiled with satisfaction as he gave Archer another red cheek to match the other. Frank returned the smile and escaped the Colonels grasp, elbowing him in the stomach.

It happened too quickly for Roy Mustang. Before he could move, the glimmer of steal caught his black eyes.

"EDWARD!"

The blond turned as he was called, greeted with Archer wielding a Swiss army knife. Blasted things, useless at everything else accept this. There was no scream. Not a single sound.

Ed looked down at the crimson pouring from his thigh. He hadn't even felt it go in.

Roy looked. A pair of wide golden eyes looked back. Cloudy and sharp.

This was really late wasn't it? I've never left an update this late before. I apologise for any mistakes in advance. Next chap will have more action from the others. Thank you for staying patient : )