Ling was kneeling beside the bed, praying to the gods she would open her eyes. It had to be her. It just had to be!

As if lightning struck her, she arched off the bed, gasping and staring into space. She suddenly collapsed and rolled towards him.

His hand slowly reached out and touched her upper arm.

She reacted by means of pulling back and then blinking at him. She gave a weary smile. "Young lord." She sounded groggy, like she hadn't gotten enough sleep. Slowly, she reached out and was inches from his face when she flinched to a stop. Her dark eyes suddenly widened with fear. "Ling?"

He gave her one of his natural smiles.

She withdrew her hand. "You're..." She suddenly sat up. "Is the Fuhrer here?" She threw the sheets off and put her bare feet on the floor. "I've got work to get back to."

"You died."

She froze and then sighed. Slowly, she turned back to Ling. "It's not like I asked for this body." She got back onto the bed to sit across from the kneeling prince. Her eyes suddenly grew sad and she reached out. Her finger tips touched Ling's cheek bone before she slowly traced a familiar line across the bridge of his nose and down to his lips until her thumb was on his chin and she slowly lifted her hand away.

It was the same way she used to touch his face after battle. It was as if nothing had ever happened.

Like they were back in Xing.

-Maes-

He touched his face as he fell to his knees near Roy. His head was throbbing, but his old wound hurt even more.

"Hey! Are you okay?"

Maes looked up at Roy. His hazel eyes met with Roy's black gems. The duo stared at each other before Maes felt a nasty throb in his side. He clutched at it. His hand clenched the cloth over his old wound. His body still remembered when it was that he'd been hurt.

"Mister, are you alright? Do you need a doctor?"

Maes reached out and touched Roy's shoulder. "I could use a ride."

Roy nodded and quickly brought his car around. When he opened the door to help Maes in, Maes was already standing again. His left hand still clutched at his right side. He hobbled to the car and slid into the back seat. Slowly, he breathed. "Anywhere in particular?"

Maes handed Roy the address to Aley's place. He leaned back. 'He's safe. I should try to keep by him for now, eh, Kindness?'

Kindness agreed, but whispered; 'I think he recognized you, Maes.'

-Ling-

"So, let me recap your story. You were sentenced to death from the incident where you were accused of harming Mai Chang or Ting La. But right after the execution, you were possessed by this other person?"

Bei nodded. She had no reason to hide and had told Ling the truth. Her real name was Bei Xing. Named after Xing for her "regal" beauty as a small girl.

Ling crossed his arms and lowered his head. "You were considered Patience by a man named Von Hoenheim?"

"Yes."

Ling looked into those mismatched eyes. He leaned forward. "And you're actually dead? Unable to live and unable to die, yes? You're considered immortal?"

"That's right."

"But you've been employed by the Fuhrer for some reason, which you assume is to understand what and who you are?"

She nodded again.

Ling was quiet. He slowly got to his feet. "Does that mean that you're the equality of Wrath?"

She sighed and looked up at him. "Yes."

Ling stared down at her before the boiling question finally surfaced with the right wording. "What does it mean to be the positive energy against the surge of negative energy you mentioned?"

Bei suddenly looked sad. "It's like Yin to Yang. What one gives, the other gives equally. As Alchemists in Amestris say, it's Equivalent Exchange. Alchehysterists say that it's exchanging the energy between here and there." She raised her hand and touched the Ouroboros on the back of his hand. "We're the purple boundary between you and the human race."

Ling looked confused. "What does that mean?"

"You are red, the forbidden and unwanted and untouchable. The humans are the blue, the real and weak and familiar. We're considered purple, bred from the human souls that are trapped but not by Alchemy. Hoenheim paved the pathway back for us. There were six of us, until we completed the circle of seven." She stood up and smiled at Ling. "I wish you would have seen me. I'm a powerful person in combat now."

Ling's eyes softened. "Silly, Bei. I've always known you were strong." He had the urge to put his arms around his old friend and give her one of her old bear hugs. The last time he'd seen her was when she was only ten. Six years was too long.

Bei touched Ling's shoulder. "I have to be going. Something's wrong." She gave him a sad smile. She picked up her coat and slipped it on. "I'm sorry I didn't have much time with you, but I hope that clears up some of the air."

Ling just waved her off. "Go. I'll be fine. That was enough time for me."