Title: Rescue the Fallen

Summary: A follow up piece to Strawberrywaltz 'say anything' one shot. Ed's concern for Sam is something he can't keep hidden; especially when his friend and team mate threatens to leave the SRU to appease his dominant father.

AiP A/N: Okay so this is a FIRST for me! My friend Strawberrywaltz wrote a very angsty Sam/Ed OS and although I BEGGED (like on hands and knees hehe) she insisted she wasn't going to add more to her's but then 'nudged' me to write a follow up piece from Ed's POV on what Sam's secret is about his father. So this idea was born.

Strawberrywaltz A/N: I approve of this story. lol All the credit for this installment goes to Andorian Ice Princess-AIP! You rock!

~Dedicated to Strawberrywaltz – hope you like it~

~The ending to Strawberrywaltz's 'Say Anything'~

"Sam," Ed spoke after a beat. "You are not cursed and you are not alone."

It wasn't the first time the General had used his son as a punching bag, but it was the first time in a long time that Sam thought that things might turn out okay.

XXXXXXXX

That night Ed had stayed with Sam longer than he had anticipated when he first arrived. He had sat in silence with Sam pressed up against him, trying to coax the younger man on his right to talk about the motivation behind what just happened. Silence. So Ed tries again this time getting an answer he didn't really want to hear.

"It's okay Ed…I've been through this before," Sam whispers with a small wheeze, a slight huff to his battered chest not lost on his friend and team leader.

"It's not right," Ed whispers in return as his fingers tighten into angry fists. "I coulda thrown him out the window when I first opened the door and saw you on the floor like that."

"Woulda been something to see," Sam simply mentions as he tries to shift to a slightly better position, once again wincing and then quickly retreating back to the same place he was before. "But he wasn't entirely wrong in what he said."

Ed's mind ponders what Sam had told him earlier about blaming himself for being the reason people around him got either hurt or killed; none of them, however, justifiable by unreasonable physical force. "Sam don't…don't defend him. What he did was wrong. No matter what…he was outta line. I'm not gonna sit here and try to force you to see all the ways the deaths and such happened beyond your control…"

"Am tired of all this."

Ed hears the almost defeated tone in Sam's few words and frowns before he twists his head to the right and looks at Sam in concern. "Time for you to get some rest."

"No I meant of trying to justify it in my mind. Maybe he's right. Maybe if it just go back to the ar…"

"No. What he said was wrong, end of discussion. His actions were uncalled for and out of line and if I see him around you again, I will take action. He has no right Sam…no right to come in here and treat you like that…he has no right. Now as a member of my team, I'm gonna make sure that you are in top shape and if that means protecting you from him then so be it. Now come on…time for rest."

This time there was no protest, at least none offered audibly. So taking that cue, Ed slowly stands up and then helps Sam stand upright also, his heart uttering an internal groan as Sam's face winces heavily as his ribs start to knit upon movement. That helpless frustration is further emphasized when Sam's lips utter a painful gasp as Ed's arm tries to wrap around his waist and offer some added support.

"Okay hold on…I got you here," Ed states gently as he pushes past Sam's soft whimper, gets his arm around his waist and helps the younger man to his bedroom; easing him down onto his bed and looking at him in worry.

"I'll be okay Ed…really thanks."

"Yeah I don't mind staying a bit longer," Ed insists as he eases himself down on a small nearby stool and looks at the almost defeated expression on Sam's face. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No," Sam simply replies and Ed nods; knowing he wasn't exactly the pour out your heart even in a tough situation kinda guy either; both Sophie and Greg sometimes at their wits end in trying to get him to open up after a tough situation; knowing it would be good for him to do so.

"Okay. Well I'm just gonna sit here until you fall asleep okay."

"Ed…" Sam tries to protest once more, a slight lick of his dry lips; his throat dry and unable to swallow.

"Just don't argue okay?" Ed counters. "Just rest now."

Ed watches Sam's eyes struggling to stay awake and wonders just what kind of inner emotional war he was now waging? He didn't have to wait too long for the answer to his own question – Sam's next words settled that score instantly.

"What was it like?" Sam wonders, his voice barely about a deft whisper.

"What was what like?"

"Growing up with a father that loved you?"

Ed's tormented sapphires lock with Sam's anguished ones, the two of them connected for a few seconds; Ed's heart starting to be painfully faster. How could he answer? His father was strict but never laid an unjust or uncalled for fist upon him or his brother; not that they didn't deserve it at times, but their punishment was always fair and well reasoned. It hurt but he never felt fear or hatred toward his father. It was unfair to Sam. He wanted to take the younger man's pain away; not add to it.

"It um…it wasn't perfect Sam."

"Your father ever hit you for no real reason? At least none you would call justified?"

"No," Ed replies simply, knowing Sam already knows the truth and it wasn't his place to lie; no matter how much it stung. Ed looks down at his hands and then back up at Sam watching him with slightly watery eyes. "Just rest now."

Not really wanting to close his weary eyes, but feeling the pull of inner fatigue, Sam's eyes finally close, dirty blond lashes resting on slightly flushed cheeks. Ed studies the young man before him and frowns. Sam's father was careful not to leave anything in the way of open physical evidence; the bruises carefully hidden by layers of clothing, so that Sam could offer any excuse he wanted. His mind starts to piece together patterns from the past few months and years, times when Sam would avoid the showers, miss morning workout or say he was suffering from food poisoning from the night before in order to cover up the general's nasty handiwork. Sam might be brash and certainly cocky at times, but that confidant swagger never warranted an unjust bout in the invisible boxing ring. This was his father; Sam didn't even try to fight back.

A few moments later, Sam's lips utter a tormented groan and Ed feels his fists tighten and his head shake in anger. Why the hell didn't he fight back? The question of course is rhetorical as Ed knows the answer; Sam's mind had reasoned that he was to blame for his friend's deaths and that the general's anger toward him was justified. But that ends tonight; the words Ed had spoken earlier were true, he wasn't alone and would never have to face that cruel punishment again.

Ed's mind starts to wage another war – to stay or leave. It was already late and he had promised Sophie that he wouldn't stay out until the wee hours; just drop by to check on Sam and then head straight home. He looks at Sam's almost innocent expression and frowns; he wanted more than anything to spare the nightmares and physical pain that he'd have to endure during the night. But much like he knows he wouldn't want to be mollycoddled and with much regret, Ed carefully pushes himself from his chair, turns off the small bedside light and then quietly starts to exit the room.

"Ed…" Sam's soft voice quickly halts him in place. "Thanks."

"See you tomorrow Sam," Ed whispers softly, getting a small 'okay and goodnight' in return before all goes quiet once more and Ed takes his invisible walking papers and heads for home; wondering what Sam would say the morning after.

XXXXXXXX

Having survived an unsettling night, due in part to his mind wondering how Sam was faring, Ed heads into the barn earlier than usual, telling Sophie he wanted to be there early to catch Sam and talk to him before anyone else got in, wanting to preserve his privacy but also to ensure that he was fit for the day's rigorous routine. He waits in the corner – quietly, hoping Sam would be early so they could talk. He inwardly snickers at his mental reasoning of the word 'talk' knowing how it was like pulling teeth to get him to do the same. Finally Sam comes in but this morning something was different. Instead of heading toward his locker, he heads for Greg's shoves a small folded up piece of paper between the slots and then quickly leaves the room, not having seen Ed in the corner watching.

Ed hurries toward Greg's locker and pushing past the word 'confidential' opens the slip and then curses as he balls up the white note in his thick palm and hurries after Sam, catching him in the parking lot heading for the bus stop. "Sam!" Ed calls out, making the younger man halt in his tracks but not turn around.

"Damn it Ed you weren't supposed to find that," Sam grumbles as Ed nears him with a wondering expression.

"I won't let you do it Sam…I won't let you quit this team. You do that and he wins."

"Yeah but I'll have peace and…it's not quitting okay," Sam huffs as he turns around to face Ed with an anguished look. "He's my father and I can't…look Ed, I hafta do this."

"Why?" Ed asks flatly.

"He pops by…"

"Don't open the door."

"He'll come by the barn…"

"Good then he'll hafta face me."

"I can't not visit my family," Sam finally trumps Ed's verbal comebacks. "There will be times I hafta see him Ed. I can't not see my family."

"And I get that okay…I get that but Sam. You chose SRU for a reason and you're a damn good cop…I won't let you just turn your back on all that for…nothing."

"For this?" Sam half shouts as he lifts his sweatshirt, unveiling the ugly aftermath of his father's rage the night before. Ed's heart sinks in that instant as he gingerly reaches out and pulls the shirt back down, uttering an angry curse under his breath and looking away a few seconds. "I go back to the army and the pain stops."

"Are you sure? Because you told me he reminded you about Matt. Don't delude yourself into thinking that…"

"I'm not deluded Ed. This pain is very real!" Sam snaps in frustration.

"Fine okay so I don't have all the right words…but Sam you can't quit," Ed implores. "This…" he shows up the crumpled piece of paper, "is you saying your father is right and you accept what he does to you. Well I don't. It's wrong and I don't accept it and if I hafta not accept it for both of us then fine. It won't stop Sam. You're human…you go back to the army and you make a mistake and he's there…just to keep you in line. Don't give him that power."

"He's my father."

"I know. And I know it must hurt. Sam I can't imagine…okay I can't imagine what you must be going through inside because of him. I never faced that okay…I never did and neither did Roy. Sure we pissed our old man off but we never felt his anger like that. Never."

"You don't know what it's like to live in fear of the other person that helped give you life!" Sam states in utter frustration.

"I know," Ed merely replies. "But I want to help and I don't want you to quit. You deserve better and here you get that. Okay? You get that here. The team is family. We're your family Sam. Don't go."

Ed studies Sam's face, his eyes searching Sam's expression, praying for some kind of internal leniency for his friend that he'd make the right choice and not give in. They put their lives everyday on the line to rescue the fallen; but what good would all those years of training be if they couldn't rescue their one of their own?

"Please Sam…" Ed lightly begs once more as he extends his hand for Sam to take. "Don't let him win."

Sam looks at Ed and feels himself wanting to give in. In all honesty this was the only place he felt wanted, needed, accepted and valuable. The only people he knows he could turn to if all others around him, his own flesh and blood included, turned against him or abandoned him. The strength he knows he needs from a father figure or even a brother he sees in the man before him; a man coming to his aide and offering unconditional support and caring concern, not mentally browbeating him as would his father. Ed's close friendship and guidance would help him endure the storm coming for the general would be back; but at least this time, Sam knows he wouldn't be facing him alone. To turn his back on Ed's help now would be to write his own emotional obituary, something the general would happily sign.

"Okay," Sam nods as he clasps fists with Ed and happily accepts a warm, tender hug before breaking apart a few seconds later.

"Okay," Ed nods as he shoves the unnecessary resignation note in his coat pocket and they head back toward the barn. "Now first thing inside, we are gonna put the gloves on you and work out all that inner frustration. Only cool heads in the field."

"Trust me, I don't mind hitting something that can't hit back," Sam quips, drawing a small smirk to Ed's face. Ed allows Sam to enter the building first and then follows, his mind still uneasy and on edge. When would the general show up? What would be the catalyst for the next visit? He knows he can't watch Sam every minute of every day, but knows that if a call for help is sent forth, he'll be the first to answer.

THE END!

AN: Okay so hope you all like my little offering to her amazing idea and yes I am planning a General's return follow up b/c Stawberrywaltz has given me the green light hehe so stay tuned and please do review before you go.

A note to my regular Ed/Sam readers…a sequel to A Taste of Vengeance is also planned so never fear I haven't forgotten that one also!