Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist in anyway.

When Fever Strikes

Edward woke me up at eight in the morning. I was surprised he had gotten up before I had. His sweaty hand relaxed on my arm as my eyes slowly opened, back to reality. The sun was shinning brightly through the window, forcing me to squint.

"Winry, is it hot in here or what? Do you think you could get me some water or something?" There was something about his voice that seemed different. It was raspy, and soft, and that wasn't like him. Then I focused in on his face. He was... He was sweating. Sweat was running down his forehead fast, pouring out of every pour in his body. His eyes weren't golden and bright like they usually where, but instead an extremely pale yellow. Not to mention, it wasn't that hot in the room, actually.

"No it's not hot in here, I think it's comfortable... Why can't you get your own water?" I yawned rubbing my eyes as I sat up. He let out a deep breath wiping his forehead with his hand.

"I don't know. Can't you just get it?" He lied. So he was keeping something a secret, but it wasn't that easy to hide. I could tell right away something was wrong. So since he wasn't telling me the reason he couldn't get his own water, why not argue?

"Well yeah Ed, I could get it, but you have to tell me first why you think it's right to wake me up so I can get it for you when you have the power to do it yourself." He looked at me strangely.

"Geeze Win, fine I'll get it." He tried to get up, but I could see it was taking a lot of energy to do so. He struggled to get on to his feet, and once he stood up, I swear he almost fell back down. It took him a second to stand up straight as he began to walk toward the sink. Then I saw it, he was seriously about to fall. What the hell was wrong with him?! I jumped up, grabbing his arm, just as he regained his balance again.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Are you alright?" I asked guiding him back to the floor. He collapsed back onto the sheets on his back lookings straight up at the ceilling as he let out a deep breath.

"You seriously don't think it's fucking hot in here?" I shook my head no, then sighed in defeat as I walked to the sink to grab him a glass of water.

"Are you feeling ok, because your sweating like a dog Ed, plus why are you awake this early? It is early for you, you know." I stated handing him the glass. I didn't like where this was going, to the looks of it, he was on the urge of a horrible fever.

"Nah, I'm fine. I just think it's hot in here, that's all." But that's what he would aways say when he wasn't feelings good. Even if he had been puking all day long, he would still say he felt fine. So with out warning I reaching my hand up to his forehead, slightly catching him off guard. He gasped as I touched his burning skin.

"Damn it Ed, you have a fever. Where the hell did this come from, we have absolutly no money for medison, or-"

"Would you relax? I'm fine, I feel fine..."

"No you don't, you look horrible."

"Well thanks, Win." He grunted. "Do you think it's because of the mail?"

"I could check but I doubt it. I guess you should try and get some rest while you can. If it really is the beginning of a fever, it's only going to get worse. You know that we can't afford a hospital room or-" A hospital? Where was I going, and hospital means death. Oh god, my dream! No, shit. My dream shouldn't have anything to do with this. Now I was thinking too hard, Ed would be fine, it's a simple fever that's all.

"Alright, but stop freaking worrying, I'm fine! Just try not to wake Al..." I nodded as he crawled under the sheets and shivered squeezing his eyes shut.

"Edward?" He opened his eyes slowly and nodded. "Maybe you should go an' sleep in my bed-"

"No, just drop it Winry! I'm comfortable here!"

"Please Ed. Don't be so stuborn, your sick." The dream was really on my mind, I felt responsible for everything. This fever was the last thing we needed. I looked deep into his eyes as a hard pain suddenly pounded in my heart. "Just use my bed and sleep, please?" And even through those sad, sick eyes I got through to him. But he didn't respond, or nod or anything. Only slowly got to his feet, walked over his still sleeping brother to the bed, and collapsed onto the mattress, pulling the sheets up over his head. But at least he listened.

xxx

Author's Note: Ok, not my best chapter but it was an important one. Things will start to pick up again soon