It seemed as though Roy had just barely sat down in the waiting room after taking Edward to the back when a nurse came running up to him. "Colonel, sir! Please come quickly!" she gasped, hair flying in every direction.

Alarmed, Roy stood and jogged behind her as she flew back down the sterile halls in the direction she had just come from. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's the boy you brought in, Edward Elric." She opened the door to his examination room, and no further explanation was necessary.

Three doctors circled the bed warily, while a third was sitting on his rump, having been just placed there by a vicious kick from Edward's automail foot. Each of the standing doctors held needles, and Roy had a sneaking suspicion that they contained something a bit more powerful than your typical anesthetic. Edward himself was red-faced, panting, limbs tensed and ready to strike again if necessary.

"What's going on here?" Roy demanded.

The doctor on the floor spoke up in a gasp. "We went to treat his wounds, when he started screaming at us to not touch him. We tried to explain that we wanted to help, but he was getting violent, so we brought out a tranquilizer. Then he kicked me in the stomach!"

Roy sighed, placing his fingers on his forehead. "This boy has been held against his will in a whorehouse for the past three months. How do you think he would react to people prodding at him?"

The doctors remained silent, shuffling in embarrassment at being told of their collective mistake. He signaled for them to leave. They could come back after he calmed Edward down.

"Hey, Ed. Is it okay if I sit here, on the edge of the bed? Just sit here, that's all."

Wary still, the boy nodded. Roy sat, careful not to touch him. "You're hurt, Ed."

"No shit," he whispered back.

Roy couldn't help but admire the fact that Edward could still have some attitude, after what he had been through. "I meant physically. You've got cuts and bruises everywhere and…I know you're bleeding rectally. I saw the stain on the sheet in that place, not to mention it didn't stop when I picked you up—my gloves are covered in blood. We need to fix you up so it doesn't hurt as bad, or become a serious issue." He dared to bring his hand up and place it on the blonde's shoulder. Edward flinched, but did not shy away.

"Look," he murmured finally. "I—I know they at least might want to help me. But I'm so scared…so scared…" he looked about to cry, and with good reason.

"What are you scare of, Ed? I know you've been through some terrible things, but you should know these doctors aren't like the people who did that to you."

Edward turned over, grimacing as he did. A faint cry escaped his lips as he tried to settle in a position that wouldn't harm his damaged rear-end. Looking out the window, he spoke. "You know, sometimes you just can't tell…" he sighed. "Roy?"

"Yes?"

"I have to trust someone at some point again, don't I?" Ed didn't wait for a response. "If I'm going to be able to trust anyone…it'll be you. If I can't trust you, there's no one I can turn to."

This was surprising. "What makes you think that?"

Edward was shaking now, and Roy rubbed his back, just the upper portion, slowly, but all the boy would do was shake his head. "You're a jackass, but you're kinda like a mentor. You've been there since I got in the army, gave me the idea of becoming a State Alchemist in the first place, and—it doesn't matter," he whispered, cutting himself off. "You're sure the doctors won't hurt me?"

"I promise they will take good care of you."

Edward grabbed a pillow and buried his face in it, breathing deeply before letting out a mumbled, "Okay."

Roy got up, and was crossing to the door to admit the doctors back in when Alphonse came through. "Hello, Colonel. Might I have a minute alone with Ed?"

Frankly, Roy was impressed that he had even asked, considering how happy he must be that Ed was back. However, the blonde's health had to come first. "Al, he's about to see some doctors. Maybe after?"

"But," Alphonse pouted, "I just want to see my big brother!" With that, he gave Ed a close-eyed, million watt smile. Roy turned to the boy on the bed, startled by the look of sheer terror on his face.

Despite this expression, Edward, voice shaking, said, "It's okay, Roy. Just for a minute."

Without a word, Roy left the room. He stood outside the door, but could not make out any voices inside.

Something was very wrong. Ed should not have looked that way when he saw Al. And the whole building should be able to hear Alphonse crying in delight at having his brother back.

Roy would have to look into this.

Once Roy left, Alphonse dropped his innocent brother act.

"Hello, Brother," he said nastily. "You know, you weren't supposed to be found."

Edward couldn't help but shiver, clutching his blankets. What he was experiencing in that moment was beyond fury, beyond terror…beyond comprehension.

"But, what's done is done…" Al sighed, glaring at Ed. He strode toward the bed, grabbing him by the throat. "Listen to me. You tell anyone, especially Mustang that I was the one who sold you, and I can personally guarantee that you will disappear again. And you will go through that torture again, only a hundred times worse. You've heard the expression, 'rip someone a new asshole?' One more hole means one more man at a time, Brother. And I'll make sure you have a ballroom full of hungry, lustful men—women too, if they like—to cater to if anyone finds out." Edward didn't answer, so Alphonse shook him. "Are we clear?"

Ed nodded frantically. Of course he wouldn't tell anyone. He would never go through that again…

Al released him. "Good."

Roy popped back into the room, taking in Edward Elric's face as he desperately tried to hold back tears, and Al's careful expression of sorrow. "I think it's about time Ed got himself fixed up, Al," he said slowly.

"I agree, Colonel," Alphonse said, voice trembling. "Poor Brother is really traumatized, and the first step to fixing that is healing his exterior wounds."

And Al left, throwing one last threatening look back at Ed when Roy couldn't see.