Hey everyone! Firstly, I just want to take a minute to thank everyone who's read/reviewed/etc. this story. Your guys' encouragment has helped keep me from getting bored and dropping it. So thanks guys!

'anything like this' is the thoughts of the person who's perspective is being used.

written in Ed's perspective.

Summary: Time has passed and everyone is on the mend. Ed too has had his wounds healed, but now finds himself suffering a different kind of pain. In which Havoc and Mustang again find themselves whole, and Ed remembers the encounter at the gate.

Chapter 7: Whole but still not Well

Three weeks later

Silverware clacked against the porcelain of the dishes as Ed set the tray of food down before Al. It was meager by his standards, but he knew his brother couldn't handle much other than broth and applesauce as of yet.

"Alright Al, eat up! The doc even let me bring you dessert today." He made a grand motion at the muffin in question before falling into his seat next to the hospital bed.

"Thanks brother!" Al grabbed his spoon and started in on his meal, turning to Ed as he did. "I saw Havoc while you were down in the cafeteria."

Ed straightened. "He's here?" Already he added mentally.

Al nodded. "He left just before you got back actually…"

Ed frowned, standing.
'So they're doing it today? Shit, I was hoping I would have more time! Why that bastard colonial couldn't wait another week…'
He looked back at his younger brother, who was giving him a worried look.
'At least Havoc didn't know what Mustang has planned, or he would've told Al…Damn it, if only I'd had more time to tell Al everything! But noooooo, Mr. I'm a freaking doctor had to forbid me from telling him all the important shit. 'For his health' my ass…'
He flashed his little brother a reassuring smile. "Why don't I go find him and teach him some manners hm?"

"Brother!"

"I'm just kidding!" He held up his hands in surrender. "I only want to say hi to the guy! I swear!" With an 'ok-fine-go' gesture from his brother, Ed was out the door. He tried to keep his pace fast without actually running, but was doing a horrible job of it. The various nurses and doctors he'd had run-ins with for the last three weeks threw disapproving looks his way as he swerved in and out of people.

Finally, after what seemed like hours(but was barely 2 minutes), he came to Mustang's room. The door was closed and locked, so he banged on it with his good arm. "Hey open up in there!" After a few seconds the door opened, the person behind it just barely avoiding having being hit.

"Hey, watch it there Chief!"

"Oops, sorry Breda, didn't see you there." Ed rubbed the back of his head sheepishly as the 2nd lieutenant moved to let him in the room.

"Ah, Fullmetal, I was wondering when you'd show up."

Ed looked over at Mustang, who was smirking in his general direction. One look at the colonel's eyes and he knew he'd made it in time. "What, don't tell me you've actually been sitting around waiting for me, colonel."

Roy crossed his arms. "Actually, we have. Fortunately you managed to show up faster then we expected. Which reminds me." He held out a hand, palm up. "I believe you owe me 10 cenz, Breda."

"You bet on when I'd get here?" He deadpanned, trying to decide if, and who, he should be angry at.

Breda pulled out his wallet and put the money in his commander's hand with a sigh. "Yea. When we heard Havoc was coming today, we made bets on how long it would take you to realize he was here without us telling you."

"I uh, think I might've dropped the ball on that one."

Everyone, including the sightless Mustang, looked over at Havoc, who was grinning sheepishly from his wheelchair.

"Havoc!"

"Sorry guys."

Ed just sighed, knowing that at that point getting angry would only call on a headache sooner than he wanted. The whole point of this little get together was headache material enough.

"Hey Havoc, long time no see." He threw on the most sincere smile he could muster for the sake of his friend.

"Hey kid, glad to see you've managed to get a rein on that temper of yours."

Ed's eye twitched. "WHO'RE YOU CALLING SO SMALL HE COULD PASS OFF AS A KINDGARTENER?"

"Looks like I spoke too soon.." Havoc patted the air in a gesture of surrender.

"What's all the yelling? Ed what're you-DIDN'T I JUST TELL YOU NOT TO SMOKE IN HERE?"

Havoc grinned sheepishly before making a show of snuffing out his cigarette. "Sorry Doc, old habits…"

Dr. Knox glared at everyone in turn, including Fuery, Hawkeye, and Falman who'd been so far quite, before turning towards the door. "Well, it looks like everyone's here." At his words, two more people entered the room, the last closing the door with a soft click.

"Hello again Ed." Ross smiled warmly at him.

Ed returned the 2nd lieutenant's smile before turning to the hooded figure at her side. "Doctor Marcoh."

Marcoh put the hood of his cloak down, revealing his scarred face now that he was in the presence of his comrades. "Edward."

For a moment everyone was silent, before Havoc interjected. "So, now are you all going to tell me what this is about?"

With a sigh, Ed stalked over and snagged an empty chair near the window. He'd be damned if he was the one that was going to dole out all of the explanations.

"What if I told you that after this meeting, you'd be able to walk again?" Mustang's voice was soft, but carried wonderfully in the dead silence.

"I'd tell you to lay off the booze, boss. Unless you think the gathered willpower of everyone here could fix me, then I'd just call you a nutter."

Roy smirked. "Quite true. However, we have something a bit more substantial than willpower."

Havoc stared dumbfounded at Mustang for a moment, before his eyes roved over everyone in the room. They landed on the two doctors and held.

Dr. Knox huffed and crossed his arms. "Don't look at me boy."

"Dr. Marcoh, if you would."

At Mustang's prompting, the disfigured man pulled the object of their discussion from his pocket, holding it out for everyone to see. The light reflected brilliantly off the ruby red stone, making it shimmer and sparkle like the innocuous jewel it wasn't.

Havoc's eyes widened as his mind registered what he was seeing. "Is-is that?"

"A Philosopher's Stone. One I created during my time in Laboratory Five." Marcoh eyed the thing in his grip sadly.

Havoc's eyes swung back to Mustang. "Roy, you can't be serious!"

"Unfortunately, I am." His voice softened. "With this stone, you will walk again, and I will see again."

"But sir! Those stones are made with people's lives! I can't-"

"Don't."

"But sir-"

"Listen to me Jean, I know how you feel. I'll admit the thought of it still bothers me. However." Mustang shifted his eyes towards where he knew Ed was sitting. "The lives we'll be able to make better, the wrongs we'll be able to work on righting…We can't do it as well in our current conditions then if we were at 100%. And if we have to use this stone to do that, to help others, then I think that the men who died to create it would be willing to do that for us."

Ed just frowned at his reflection, knowing that the speech was just as much for his benefit as it was for Havoc's. Even though he'd watched the entire exchange via the window reflection, the fact that Mustang's eyes had stayed in his direction wasn't lost on him, even if they were half closed.

Havoc sighed, rubbing his eyes. "I don't know Roy…"

"Just do it." Ed watched as all eyes went to him. He pointedly ignored them, continuing to pretend that something outside had his interest.

"Ed.." Hawkeye's soft voice.

He ignored her, watching instead the way Havoc looked between him and everyone else in the room.

"Did I miss something?"

"Ed." Mustang this time.

With great reluctance, Ed shifted until he was again facing the room, glaring at Mustang as he did. He'd known from the get-go that he'd be called upon to say something, to voice out loud what he'd done. He just didn't think it'd be so damn hard, with all those eyes on him, friends or not.

"You saw my brother." His gaze was now on Havoc. It wasn't a question.

"Yea."

Ed's gaze shifted to the floor. He may have done it, may have been able to rationalize it, but it still nagged at his conscious. "I used a stone."

Silence, then: "You. You used a stone? Even though you were so adamant that you wouldn't?"

He refocused his gaze on Havoc, locking eyes with the former 2nd lieutenant. "Yes."

"Why? What made you change your mind?" His voice was strained and disbelieving, but otherwise calm.

Ed ran a hand through his hair, messing up his braid in the process but not giving a damn. "I guess…I was given a different point of view. And at the time, it seemed logical. Right, even. Now…Now I still think that." He left out the fact that he felt torn up inside about it, that he couldn't even bring himself to tell his little brother, when he'd always told him anything medical advice be damned. And since Al didn't remember much from the time he sacrificed himself to the time he woke up on the grass, well, that made it all the easier to just not say anything.

"A different point of view." Havoc looked around at his gathered friends for answers. They in turn kept silent, making it clear that Mustang wanted this to be Ed's tale.

"From 'God'."

Havoc's eyes went wide, dumbstruck. "'God'?" He bust out laughing, startling Fuery, who toppled over from atop the pile of books he'd made his perch.

"Sorry Kain…" Havoc cleared his throat, attempting to regain an air of seriousness. After Fuery had righted himself, Havoc motioned for Ed to continue.

"Yea. Although I don't think he really was God, he even said as much…" At the look on havoc's face, he sighed, resigning himself to the role of storyteller. He settled back in his chair, getting comfortable, before summarizing everything that happened in the courtyard, automatically slipping into report-giving mode.

By the end of it, Havoc looked as if he'd been hit by a car. Repeatedly. "That's…wow." He looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling, automatically going for his cigarettes. He'd managed to stick one in his mouth and fish out a lighter before Knox caught him.

"So…How did Alphonse take it?"

Ed cursed under his breath as he felt his face grow hot, averting his gaze back to the floor. He decided they really needed to get a new tile pattern so he'd have something to pretend to find interesting down there.

"He hasn't told him."

Ed sent a scowl in Mustang's direction. "I will! Eventually…I just…haven't gotten the chance…" He cast a glance at Dr. Knox, hoping he'd cut in with something about nerves, or recovery, or other doctor bullshit. Sadly, he was left hanging. 'Figures. The one time I wouldn't mind his 'medical advising' he decides to shut up.'

"Hm." Mustang gave Ed a long look, and even though he couldn't actually see, Ed felt every second of it. Once he'd deemed he'd gotten his silent point across, Roy turned back to Havoc. "Although the man was…questionable, he made a valid point."

Havoc ran a hand through his hair, the other tapping absently against the arm of his wheelchair. "Yea, I guess." He slumped back, blowing air out of his mouth as he did. "Alright, let's do it."

Mustang nodded. "Doctor Marcoh, if you would, please."

Ed cringed, torn between wanting to flee, and feeling a need to stay and bear witness. He wrapped his fingers tightly around the arms of his chair, forcing himself to stay still. He'd promised himself he'd be here, and he knew if he changed his mind, he'd come to regret it.

Dr. Marcoh moved to stand before Havoc, and without any preempt, went to it.

The sight of the red energy arcs sent a chill down Ed's spine, and it took all his conscious effort to smother the memories that tried to resurface. Now wasn't the time to take a trip down memory lane.

As quick as they'd come the energy arcs where gone, leaving a furiously blinking Havoc in their wake. Ed watched as his eyes slowly went down to his legs. With great care, he moved first one, and then the other. His gaze shot up, looking around at his friends. "I-I can feel them…" He set his feet on the ground, gingerly moving forward to put weight on them. Falman and Breda immediately moved to his side, each offering an arm to help him stand. With a little help, Havoc was on his feet, testing his new found strength and trying to re-find his balance. When he was certain he could stand on his own, he nodded, and Breda and Falman let go, ready to grab him if need be.

The sight made Ed's gut clench. Seeing Havoc standing on his own, the sheer joy and disbelief in his face sent so many emotions cascading through him that he couldn't have said how he felt even if he tried. For the first time in weeks, he felt better about what he'd agreed to, both with Al, and with the people crowded around him.

Havoc laughed, stepping forward to pat Marcoh on the shoulder before walking(albeit a bit unsteadily) over to Hawkeye's bed where he promptly sat down. He shot her a winning smile, jiggling his legs as he did, before turning to look at Roy. "Alright Roy, you're up."

XXXXXXX

Ed sighed, leaning back against the cool brick wall of the hospital. He'd stayed long enough to see Mustang get his sight back before it was too much for him. He'd politely made his exit amidst the laughing and celebrating, but not before making sure that none of them would mention any of it to Al. He knew that now more than ever he needed to tell his brother the truth, no matter how much he wanted to hide it from him. 'He's not some little kid that needs to be sheltered, but damn if I don't feel that way.' He shifted, gaze moving up to where he knew the stars would have been if not for the city lights. 'In the morning' he promised himself. 'I'll tell him in the morning.'

He pushed away from the wall, continuing on his aimless path around the building. Before hand he'd popped into Al's room to tell him he was going for a walk so he wouldn't be missed. He needed time alone, time to think, to reevaluate both his actions and his beliefs. Even with all the good, the memory of what a Philosopher's Stone was still weighed heavily on his mind. The bottom line, no matter how he rationalized it, was that he'd still used other people's lives for his own end. And more importantly, had gone against both his and his brother's beliefs without even running it by him first.

He pushed away his misgivings, focusing first on his brother's smiling face, then Havoc's as he stood on his own two legs for the first time in what felt like eons. For a moment the image held, bringing a sort of relief to him before shattering, replaced instead with an image of flashing red arcs that danced in and out of his vision. Before he could smother them, the memories of the day in the courtyard where on him…

xxxx

"I'll be right back."

His palms stung from the force of his slamming them together, but he ignored it. Ignored too the blue arcs of energy, the feel of the concrete beneath his palms and the sudden weightlessness that came with crossing over. He closed his eyes and waited.

"Hello, Mr. Al-che-mist."

Ed opened his eyes to the sea of white, gaze drifting down to fix on the being seated before him.

"Here to bring your brother back, are you?"

Truth's eerie voice reverberated in the nothingness, crawling over his skin like a hoard of insects.

He didn't wait for an answer. "But how are you going to pull a whole person out of here? What price will you pay? Will you offer your body?"

Ed pulled the vial from his pocket, holding it up so his counterpart could see it and it's contents.

Truth chuckled, a sly grin on his face. "Ah, a Philosopher's Stone…Are you sure? Yes? As you wish, Mr. Al-che-mist. One life for many, then."

Before Ed could comment on the statement, the stone in his hand activated, red arcs dancing to and fro. Ed could hear Truth laughing over the sound of the reaction, saying something that Ed didn't manage to catch. He searched for the being, but couldn't find him.

"Until we meet again, Edward Elric…."

The vial in his hand shattered, startling him. He looked down at his hand, watching stunned as the cuts there slowly healed over as if they'd never been. The liquid stone was gone as well, completely used up.

Ed lifted his gaze, to find an almost identical pair of golden eyes staring back at him. "Al…"

xxxx

Ed sighed, again stopping to rest against the wall. He'd walked both him and Al through the gate, that was all his brother remembered before waking up to sunshine warming his face and grass tickling his skin. He didn't remember Ed offering up the stone, and Ed hadn't yet been forced to tell him. In fact, by the time Al had woken up and Ed had bothered to look, Alucard had disappeared as if he'd never been. And without the Nosferatu there, well…

"How sweet, the mighty child prodigy thinking of me of all people."

Ed jumped, practically tripping over himself as he moved away from the wall. He instantly hated that he felt as though he'd been caught doing something wrong.

"A-Alucard?"

The Nosferatu just smiled at him, leaning his shoulder against the wall Ed'd just vacated.

He wouldn't have recognized him at first, had the man not spoken. Instead of the peculiar black straight jacket jumper thing he'd been in the day they'd met, he was now sporting a flashy red coat, hat, and circular sunglasses that looked more orange than red. Ed wasn't sure which look unnerved him more, but at least the charcoal grey suit and boots beneath were normal.

"What're you doing here?" Ed had, quite wrongly, assumed that if he ever saw the man again it would be quite a bit further into the future.

Alucard held out his hands, one side of his upper lip lifting to reveal an overly large canine. "Curiosity, of course."

Well there you go. No worries, Alucard will have plenty of screen time next chapter. As for where he dissapeared to for those three weeks, well, I'll guess you'll just have to wait until he decides to spill to find out! Until next time!

deadpan riot