Hi guys

Sorry for the late update been feeling a little under the weather lately, well rather a little Ill but no worries I'm alright.

Tthanks to the three wonderful people who cares for this story to continue, but I'll keep the rule up 2 reviews or no next chapter, i do this to see the interest from people at least on this one.

NatualaX - no sadly it is no one of relation to Lucia but he is revealed in this chapter.

Just Passing by (Guest) - Hey there glad you like my story(-ies if you have read more)

terisu-seifa - thanks for the follow by the way that will be reveal sometime later in my story so I hope you'll hang in there

anyways onward!

The healing Paces

Lucia thought ,she would wake up in front of the gate, but instead she found herself, before she reclosed her eyes, looking into a woodened ceiling with a warm cloth on her forehead, which was removed. She heard the sound of it being put down into water and then replaced cold on her forehead.

"Wha…" she began, but found her throat dry.

"Wait a minute," she heard a male voice say, she heard the sound of running water, before the steps came closer again. She opened her eyes, making her try to see where she was, but her vision was blurred, "here" she was helped up to sit, before a cup was placed on her dry lips. She took a few sips, before greedily beginning to drink, only to find the cup removed, "easy, you are still recovering" the cup was placed again, this time Lucia drank it slower and finished it all.

"Thanks," she said with a hoarse voice, "where am I?"

"Someplace, where you can rest"

Lucia snorted, "It's only a matter of time before my heart gives out. I can't use my alchemy properly; somehow it goes in affecting my heart. I have tried everything, nothing can be done," she looked to the ceiling feeling tired, "I'm a walking time bomb and I know it…"

"it affects your heart…" she heard the man muse, "how do you perform Alchemy?" Lucia tried to lift her hands, but found them too heavy to lift, nonetheless it was enough for the man to conclude, "you clap your hands…" she nodded, "rest for now you will feel better soon."

Lucia heard the man come closer, making her try to focus on him, but her consciousness was once more slipping, "everything will be alright" he said placing a hand on her shoulder, as she was finally out like a light again.

.~*~.

When Lucia came about again, she felt better; her body wasn't as pained as before. She placed a hand on her face feeling a sort of relief, "did I die?" she wondered out loud, her voice having regained much of her strength.

"Almost," the male voice came, Lucia removed her hand turning her head to see a man with golden hair and eyes, which were framed by a pair of square glasses, "it was a close call, but you should be able to use your alchemy without straining your heart."

"Was it part of my price in the gate?" Lucia asked, even if she inside knew the answer.

"No, your left arm was. Your heart seemed to have been strained a long time ago and your Alchemy was confused about something," he sat down on her bedside looking at her, "do you know, what has happened to you, for you to see the gate as well?"

"I don't, I can't recall my memories from before I was eight," she said, looking away waiting for the never ending questions, "I have heard flashes of a voice a few years ago, that I should know, but I can't"

"I see," he folded his hands looking at her; "you know Edward and Alphonse Elric?"

Lucia looked at him in surprise and at the change of subject, normally people tried to get her to recall, what the voice had said and further tried to make her focus which never worked, "yes, I travelled with them for a short time," she turned her head away blushing.

"You are in love with one of them," he smiled at her his face very gentle, he reached behind her ruffling her pillow, while lifting her up very gently, "Nice to know someone has some affection for one of them."

"I have affection for them both," she said, as she was now sitting up and able to see him in further, recognizing features in one person she had talked to before, "you look awfully like Edward, are you related somehow?"

He looked away a little, as if it was a painful memory. Lucia calmly clapped her hands not to heal, but do what she always did; memorize the person's signature. She placed a hand on his arm, making him look at her with surprise, then his eyes widened a bit, as if he felt what she was doing.

She closed her eyes letting her Alchemy work. She felt the waves go across him, she frowned at what she sensed, removing her hand fast, "what are you?" she moved backwards, she had been able to sense the same familiarity as Edward and Alphonse, however also something more… "You have souls inside you" she whispered careful not to scream. The souls had felt a bit hostile against her, but done nothing to her, as she had moved herself away from the man.

"You know how a Philosophers stone is made."

Lucia nodded. She had heard from Alphonse not long ago on one occasion, where they had been alone and she had asked about a transmutation circle, she had come across, "you don't mean, that you are…" she gaped as he nodded at her, "oh my good…"

"I used some of that power to fix your problem, someone has used Human Transmutation on you for some reason, that I can't see or you were somehow affected or possibly drawn into it," he said tilting his head "now that I remember; what is your name, I don't believe you told me."

Lucia was busy holding a hand in front of her mouth, as she began to feel bit nausea, "Lucia Misère" she managed, "I'm a State Alchemist, specialized in Medical Alchemy"

"I see, that's how you met my sons" the man smiled, "my name is Van Hohenheim, I'm Edward and Alphonse's father."

"Nice to meet you," Lucia said a bit shocked at the situation, any other way and she would be overjoyed to have been saved, even hearing the Colonel complain on the days…

She stopped her thought, "how long have I been here?" she suddenly asked, he looked at her.

"A few weeks"

"Argh! They are going to kill me"

"They're not, I had someone call the Headquarters, that you were injured and being treated" Hohenheim said watching Lucia, "you should also rest for a few days more, then you can return to what you were doing."

"How much do I owe you for saving my life?" Lucia said, reaching over for her bag, where her wallet was in.

Hohenheim shook his head, "you owe me nothing young Lucia. Just knowing that my sons have a passionate friend, who is there for them is enough," he rose to enter, what Lucia suspected to be the kitchen.

"Thanks Van Hohenheim, I owe you so much I don't know where to begin" she said gently, he stopped but said, nothing entering the room with Lucia looking as he left the room she was in.

.~*~.

Lucia and Van Hohenheim exited the small cabin they had shared. Lucia felt the wind grab her Jacket and Hair, as she looked at the Father of her two 'friends'. She weren't sure that they were completely friends, but she had by now decided to trust the Elrics.

"Well, I suppose, I'll be seeing you around," he said leaving her; Lucia stood still following him with her eyes.

"Mr. Ho," she called "Thanks again for saving my life"

He waved a hand at her, she had tears in her eyes for some reason, and she dried them, before running towards the village Ehre nearby. She had heard Armstrong was there, she would gladly risk a hug from him as long as she could get back to her duties. However she dreaded the questions on, who had healed her and how she could use her alchemy more freely now than before.

But that was a concern she would push aside and leave for later.

.~*~.

She came running into the city of Ehre, looking around for any signs of soldiers, "have I missed them?" she wondered, since there was little to none to be seen. She decided to take a right trying to locate someone, where she barely stopped, as spikes came out from an alley. She looked around the corner seeing hurt soldiers and Armstrong, who was fighting to protect them being hurt as well.

"you are a hard nut to get down you brute" he said to a man in front of him.

Lucia shook her head, she took notice of the surroundings, before clapping her hands touching a wall, she was looking at a flowerpot higher up. The villain was standing directly in its path, if it was to fall and with a small nudge, it tilted over falling down into the head.

"How?" Armstrong looked upwards, before looking down at the now downed man.

"Major" Lucia said, coming forward, he turned fast seeing her

"Lucia, we have been wondering where you were taken" he said, coming over giving her his famous bear hug and Lucia found herself hugging the large Major back, "I'm so glad you're alright" he whispered to her.

"Thanks Major now let me go so I can take a look at your injuries" Lucia said with a smile before the Major Lowered her to the ground, allowing her to do her duty.

.~*~.

Mustang turned to look at her, "you say, that you took a while to heal, because you were doing it yourself?"

Lucia hesitated a bit, trying to avoid telling the truth to much, "not all some of it. Someone healed my heart but oh...! I don't know…" she said, not hearing the door getting opened, "but his name was Van Hohenheim."

A strangled sound came, making Lucia turn. She saw Ed stand in the door looking at her, she placed her hands on her mouth, "brother" a second voice came; Lucia's shock became bad, so bad that she ran pushing past the brothers.

She felt so horrible; she knew how much Ed hated the mentioning of his father. She had seen it and here she mentioned it so carelessly. She had only wanted to tell Mustang about it, never had she thought that they would step in.

"Lucia, wait!" Lucia heard running behind her, looking over her shoulder, she spotted Al. She ran faster trying to lose the younger Elric; she got her chance as she found a park, one she knew like the back of her hand. She managed to lose Al, who had stopped trying to spot her.

"Lucia!" he called, trying to locate his wayward friend, "Lucia, you have nothing to worry about!"

Lucia could hear him from her place in the tree, she had gotten up in, but she was crying, holding her hands in front of her mouth keeping her from sobbing to loudly, how could she have said that name out loud?!

After a while and not hearing Al's voice, Lucia sat down on the ground, after having sit in the tree for what seemed like hours, with her hands in front of her face, "Lucia," she removed her hands looking at the ground and metal legs.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have just said the name"

"I'm actually glad you did," she looked up at Al, his red eyes seemingly smiled at her, "come on, I want to hear about it."

They found a quiet spot in the city, where they sat down. Lucia looked around making sure Edward wasn't close.

Lucia began from when she arrived in Kirche, where something had exploded and many had been injured. Few had recognized her as the Medical Alchemist and she had practically forced herself, even when she was there on other business, into healing those most wounded, but forced into healing lesser wounded as well, she had felt her heart begin to ache and had tried to use her alchemy to stabilize it, but they had pulled her up and away from what she was doing.

"So they ignored how you felt?" Alphonse was shocked, Lucia nodded.

"I was a State Alchemist; 'Be thou for the People'. I was a tool in their eyes," she said placing a hand over her heart, "my heart began to fail, when I finally managed to get away and it was serious this time, I would have died. But a man came when I had collapsed, I was in and out a few times having flashed of memories. When I came to for real the first time, I don't know how long had passed. We talked shortly about my heart, before I fell out of it again he told me that everything would be alright."

"And it was?"

Lucia made a face that told him, it was hard to explain, "I can only say, that I felt better, than I had in the longest of time, it wasn't until then I saw the resemblance, that I suspected some connection and when I touched him, I felt something that made me let go of him," she shook her head trying to think if what to say next but failed, "we then talked about human transmutation a little since someone seemed to have used it on me, or that I have been one to help with it like I talked to you about. I told him my story that's when he asked for my name and I for his."

"You learned, his name was Van Hohenheim," a familiar voice came, Lucia looked over at Edward, who came walking looking calm. She nodded at him, "second time we hear about the bastard, did he say anything about us?"

Lucia gaped a bit like a fish, trying to find the right words, "he said he was happy to know his sons had such a good friend and also…" she blushed brightly.

"Also what?" Ed said, Lucia looked at him for a second.

"No nothing, it is nothing" she bit her lower lip. She sat a little closer to Alphonse, hitting the armor flashing bright red, was she falling so bad for both of them or had her heart shifted?

Edward then suddenly bit his lip like she had and was looking around, "Lucia may I ask you something?" he asked a bit nervous, trying to make sure that they truly were on their own, but somehow by Lucia's calmness, that there wasn't anyone that she didn't know, made him feel somewhat safe. She did have an uncanny sense of things and people around her.

"Sure, if you find it to be told?" she said.

"How deep are you into Medical Alchemy?"

"Deep enough," Lucia replied, she took a small book forward, which showed a few circles, "some techniques, I have looked into were too close to human transmutation. They tried once to get me into something else, but I declined with a vengeance. I have no heart for other things, than those I put myself into."

"What did they try to get you into?" Al asked.

"Making humans artificially, when they tried, it was still in theory. I told they I wanted to help people, not create them, they wouldn't even be real humans" Lucia looked at them, "what would one call them? I think I have come past it, when I read up on something, but I don't know what it was."

"Homunculus…" Ed said.

Lucia tilted her head, "you sound so sure, and how can you be sure?"

"I can't tell you, but if you know that much and the way that you use your alchemy, you have a use for them too," Edward said, looking sadly at Lucia, "if only we knew the full reason for everything, that has happened."

"I know," Lucia then mused a bit, wanting to find something out; she looked between them, hoping they would be able to help her with, "hey, you guys know anyone, who used to work in the first branch of the library?"

Ed looked at her "sure we do why?"

"I need to get confirmation on something," Lucia replied making the brothers look at each other.

.~*~.

Lucia found herself outside an office, she had found herself a long time ago when she visited Hughes. She entered, finding a woman with glasses, who looked up at her as she entered, "excuse me for intruding but are you Miss Sheska?" Lucia asked, walking closer her coat flying behind her.

"I am," the woman asked, "and you are?"

"My name is Lucia Misère, the Medical Alchemist" Lucia said, while she walked, she placed her hands on the table in front of the woman, "I heard you used to work at the first branch of the library, am I right?"

"yes, you are why?"

"I wanted to know, if you have come across a book or books by someone known as Edward Misell." Lucia asked her heart hoping. Sheska looked thoughtful, replying the name to herself, "I believe that his research at some point had taken the interest of the Military, but I haven't been able to find it."

"Oh, Yes I did!" she said happily, Lucia's heart went fast, "it was a book, which was wrongly placed"

"Did you ever read it?" Lucia wanted to know, Ed and Al had told her all about the woman, "Please, I need to know."

Sheska looked thoughtful again, but smiled at her, "I did It was a diary of sorts, it was a strange thing to place in the first branch."

"A Diary?" Lucia wondered, then it hit her, as if she had forgotten it completely; the first branch was only for State Alchemists, "wait a minute, so this Misell… he was a State Alchemist?"

"yes, Misell was his work name. I don't think, I know his Alchemist name, but if his diary was in the first branch, then he most like was a state alchemist," Sheska said, Lucia bit her lower lip.

"Can you reproduce it for me?" Lucia asked, Sheska nodded with a smile.

"I can sure" Sheska looked at Lucia, who seemed like a great deal of hope had come into her eyes at that simple hope.

"How long will it take?" Lucia said a hint of agitation in her voice, as that hope began to fill up inside her.

"A day or two? Depending on all my work here" Sheska answered.

Lucia nodded, "when you're done sent a message to this apartment" Lucia wrote down a number, "I'll make sure you are paid properly for it."

Lucia left Sheska, who looked a bit owlish after her, before looking at the numbers. Lucia's hair flowed as she was walking fast away from the offices and out the building. Perhaps now there would be some clarity over why she remembered an Edward Misell.

Okay remember Guys 2 reviews for the next chapter!