Yay. Next chapter and I've finished uni for the year. This semester was just as full on but I think I'm getting the hang of things now. Sorry for taking so long but I have done now. Thanks to those who reviewed it really does make my day, its a real confidence boast and makes me feel like people actually care for my work (I always smile like an idiot when I read them). I don't own either of theses shows just this little story of mine. Without further ado I present to you:

Chapter 4: Emotional Whiplash.

"What are you doing here?" said House said.

"She paranoid," Ed said pointing towards the woman.

"I'm Miss Sutherland, Ed's social worker. He's here because he's covered in bruises and he's been vomiting," she said

"Only once and that was because you woke me from a nightmare, that's always a bad idea," Ed half yelled.

"You fell asleep again?" House questioned

"I'm exhausted ok,"

"And more nightmares?"

"They aren't normally this bad, they only get like this when…" Ed trailed off

"So you've had 'episodes' like this before?"

"Yes," Ed's voice was quiet as if he didn't want to be heard.

"Oh dear, you poor thing what would have caused this?" Miss Sutherland said gently pulling Ed into a hug, Ed stiffened and pulled away. She gave the boy a slightly hurt look but made no attempt to hug Ed again. "I've seen things that nobody should see, I watched my mother die, spoken and fought with serial killers meet the worst life has to offer. I'm just thankful that I never had to kill anything human," Ed said his voice barely above a whisper.

"So you've had to kill things?" House said

"I don't want to talk about it," Ed said.

"Not my area expertise but I would think the Ed is suffering from mental illness. PTSD seems most likely. I'd recommend seeing a psychiatrist for him," House said to Miss Sutherland, he turned back to Ed who was starting to drift off again, "Ed is there anything else we should be aware of? Any other pain?" House questioned.

Ed shook his head, "Nothing too bad, I'm a bit bruised but I'll live,"

"Physically you're fine," House said, Ed nodded to that, "get some rest and I'm serious about seeing psychiatrist, Ed it'll help you,"

Ed gave a quiet snort, "Don't pretend you think they can help,"

"They will help Ed," Miss Sutherland said.

Ed rolled his eyes and got up just as he was about to leave the room he turned back to House "I hear those psychiatrists can help with drug addictions," a smirk lit up Ed's face in that instant House knew that Ed was well aware of House's little vicandin problem. He wasn't giving Ed enough credit if he could pick up on that in the less than 12 hours they had spent together.

PTSD wasn't a term Ed was familiar with but House had called it a mental illness. Amestris did know about mental illness but not much interest was ever put into it and people who had one was either ignored or told they were crazy, neither option sounded nice to Ed. Miss Sutherland was guiding him back to the car she had that smile that adults give when they don't want you to know how worried they were. "What does PTSD stand for?" Ed asked trying not wince at the sound of his voice he'd forgotten how high pitched it used to be.

"Post traumatic stress disorder, don't worry we can help you," She said giving that smile again.

"Will it be harder to find me a foster carer?" Ed asked

"Not much most committed foster carers have training, lots of children that come into our care need the same help you do," she said. Ed held back a snort of laughter, he doubted any of the children in their care had come from a life as messed up as his. For starters he doubted any of them were 17 year old ex military in a 10 year olds body, some of the children had probably come from some horrifying situations but none would have experienced what he had.

The next car ride was short and while Miss Sutherland gently probed for answers, Ed didn't give her any answers. He was running around in his own thoughts, PTSD wasn't something that was really ever considered as an actual problem in Amestris but now that he heard of it he could probably name at least 5 people of the top of his head that probably suffered from it. He was drawn back out of his thoughts when he felt the car stop, he looked out the window the building he was in a car park, a big one, and he could see a huge building probably even bigger than the hospital. "Don't worry, we won't be here long, I just wanted to grab you another set of clothes," Miss Sutherland said. She grabbed Ed's hand leading him through the car park towards the shopping centre.

When they entered Ed had to stop himself from gapping at all the sights he saw inside. He allowed himself to smile and increase his grip on Miss Sutherland's hand. He looked on at all the new items before him with wonder and curiosity. So many times he stopped to get a better look at different things, there were even times when it seemed like Winry possessed him and he want to take things apart to see how they worked. Even the clothing was different from what he was used to, he had seen people wearing things different to what he was used to but it wasn't until he was surrounded by clothes meant for his age group did he realise how different.

They didn't buy much considering Ed had nothing other than the clothes on his back (and they weren't even his clothes). In the end they walked out of the store with a pair of shorts, a pair of long denim pants, a couple of plain t-shirts (from experience Ed knew adults didn't seem to mind as much if you ruined a plain shirt), a jacket and Miss Sutherland had insisted she buy him a backpack. It was about noon when they had finished and they finished the shopping trip by having lunch in a small cafe. Ed was munching away at his lunch, he felt good he didn't know why. He should have been worried, he had no idea what had happened after he sacrificed himself, was Alphonse alive? Did Dante escape? What about the homunculus he hadn't stopped yet? Were his other friends from the military safe? The questions were in his head but they didn't bother him the way they should, maybe he was being selfish but he didn't want to be that Ed at the moment. He wanted to be this Ed, this Ed could be happy, this Ed didn't have to worry if people were being kind to him because he was military or if it was an act. "Maybe I am being selfish but I want to stay here just for a little bit longer," Ed accidentally said aloud.

"Ok but we can't stay too much longer," Ed blinked startled at getting a response to the thought, "You're not being selfish," She said giving Ed a small pat on his head.

When they arrived at Miss Sutherland's house, and Ed was shown to a room, that he would use while staying here. They stayed out in her living room for a while, Miss Sutherland presented Ed with some toys, but Ed wasn't to interested in them after all he still had the mind of 16 year old and even if he didn't at this age he had been forced to grow up pretty quickly because of his mother's death. He settled on writing out alchemic symbols while Miss Sutherland went about cleaning up the house. Discretely during this time Ed tried out his alchemy but each attempt failed, with each failed attempt his hope of ever returning home lowered.

"No, no, please work," Ed begged to the transmutation circle, the transmutation circle was meant to transmute the paper but it remained the same. He knew had started crying and that only made him more upset knowing that he couldn't control his own emotions. He was crying and begging for one transmutation, one sign that he could go home and be with people he loved. He wanted his friends, his brother, his whole world but instead he was here stuck in his 10 year old body, confused and alone. Without his alchemy he was beginning to feel as if he had lost a part of himself, he had lived so much of his life upon it, it had been his genius, his mistakes, his answer to nearly everything and now it was gone.

Ed was so lost in his own inner turmoil that he hadn't noticed when Miss Sutherland had picked up the weeping child, she held him tightly hoping to calm him down. He didn't calm instead he kept crying until he exhausted himself. Miss Sutherland tucked Ed into bed and then went to make herself a coffee, she knew it was going to be a long night.

Ed spent a few more days with Miss Sutherland, during this time they had a phone call to confirm that he wasn't on the missing persons list, he had a date and time set for a school placement test since he had let it slip that he had dropped out of school and since they couldn't find his school record and he refused to tell what year he dropped out, they figured it would be the best way to place Ed. Ed had a few more emotional breakdowns and just as many nightmares. But finally a phone call came through to alert the two that a permanent foster carer for Ed had become available.

"She's a lovely woman Ed, she's taken in several children already and all have come out better under her care. I'm sure you'll be happy with her." Miss Sutherland said on the way to his new carers house.

"What was her name again?" Ed said hugging tightly to his meagre belongs.

"Oh, right I'm sorry. I did't tell you. Her name is Ms Mayfield. I don't remember her fist name, oh well it doesn't matter. I'm sure she'll tell you when we get there," Miss Sutherland seemed happy with the new carer so Ed felt slightly more relaxed as they pulled up at modern suburban house.

Ms Mayfield must have been waiting for them because as soon as they had gotten out of the car the door was opening and the woman that stood behind it stopped Ed in his tracks, "Hello, you must be Edward. Most of the people I know call me Dante," Ed knew two of Dante's faces but this one was the one he feared more, this was the face she wore when people in Liore were slaughtered to create a philosopher's stone, the face she wore when she hurt his brother and threatened to basically kill both Al and Rose. It was the face she wore when she allowed Envy to kill him and finally it was a face she had stolen from a mostly innocent woman. Ed could feel himself shivering as he was lead inside.

"Here is the room you'll be staying in. You can leave your stuff here," Dante said. Ed didn't want to leave his stuff anywhere but with the way Dante was looking at him he fearfully obliged. Out in the family room Ed tried to keep himself from shivering in front of Dante. The adults chatted away while Ed's anxiety kept rising for every minute he sat across from that woman. He was so jumpy that every movement Dante made nearly made Ed fall off the couch. He couldn't take it anymore, tugging on Miss Sutherland's shirt he quietly said "I don't feel too well, I think I'm going to lay down for a minute,"

"That's ok sweetie, I'll come say goodbye before I leave," Miss Sutherland said giving Ed's head a quick pat before letting him run off to the bedroom.

Back in the bedroom Ed grabbed his bag not sure how long he had before they finished talking, he had to put as much space between him and Dante. He had consider the fact that it may just be this universe's Dante but either way he couldn't stay there. Thankful that there wasn't strong security on the windows, he was easily able to knock out the fly screen and jump the fence. Then he was off into the early evening, no idea where he was going but to frightened to care. He was used to being constantly on the move, he would make do.

Thank youfor reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it. If you see any major errors give me a shout and I'll try to have the next chapter up as soon as possible. Thank youagain, please do come back when the next chapter is posted.