Hi there! Ready for the next Chap? We're getting a little closer to the part with Catherine in it.

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The phone was ringing. The damn phone. Was ringing. He cracked his eyes open. Why was there a phone in his room? Should he pick it up? It must be for Roy, seeing as it was his house. Rrring! If he did pick it up, his arm would start to hurt again.

Oh who cared? Anything to shut that perky little piece of-

"Hello?"

"Colonel Mustang?" Ed paused.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry to call you now, but you need to be informed of the current situation."

"Which is?" The guy sounded serious. Ed hoped he wouldn't get in trouble for relaying the message to Roy instead of calling him. He didn't have the energy right now to fight. Oh sure, he'd put on a show at the hospital, but that was it for now. He was pretty well down he had to admit.

"A subordinate of yours, one Elric, FullMetal Alchemist, has recently been terrorizing a small town called Risembool to the East." Ed's eyes bugged out. 'What the heck? I haven't been home in months!'

"It was said he stole from several shops, then disappeared. He was believed to be hiding out in a resident's house, but by the time a search warrant was obtained, one of the occupants had fled, probably taking FullMetal with her. She should arrive in the Central train station in just a few hours. We hope to intercept them there, but in case FullMetal gets away and goes to you, you are required by military law to turn him in." Ed's jaw was hanging. 'What the hell? Ohhhh no. Winry. They're after Winry.'

"Uh. Thanks for you report sir. I'll keep an eye out. See that you do the same."

"Yessir!" It would have been fun pretending to be Roy on the phone, except that what he'd just heard was a complete lie, and Winry was in danger. He needed to get to the station and stake it out before she arrived and see where the military personnel would be. Then he'd have to bring her back here. 'Wait. No, that'll get Mustang in trouble.'

Well, he'd think of where to take her while he staked out the station. Time to get up.

Roy opened one eye. He'd forgotten to pull the blinds last night and here was the sun to wake him up. 'Might as well get up. I need to check on Ed and see if he ever drank that shake anway...' Roy seriously doubted it. Then he remembered how tired he'd been and how willing to drift off in Roy's lap. It was a good thing his mechanic would be here today. He stepped out of his room and went to knock on Al's door. "Alphonse? You should leave soon to pick up Ms. Rockbell at the station."

"OK! I'll go now. Watch brother for me." Roy nodded. As Al headed out the front door, Roy turned the doorknob on Ed's room. He switched on a low lamp and peeled the covers back.

Roy repeated every foul word he knew 3 times. Ed was gone, replaced by some pillows.

Al sat down on the bench at Central station and looked at the big, shiny wooden clock overhead. Plenty of time. It'd be at least another 20 minutes before Winry arrived.

After 5 minutes, he began to fidgeting nervously. He couldn't control his thoughts no matter how badly he needed to stop thinking a bout Ed. He was so sick. The Colonel had been holding his big brother in his lap last night, something Ed would never have let happen if he was his usual self. Even their mother had never acted this sick..."No!" he was startled from his thoughts by crashing all around him and gunshots. Armed military personnel were suddenly appearing from every direction and some were already shooting at something.

A person! Al realized.

A short person.

A short blond kid in a red coat who was pulling another person along with him as he ran.

"EDWARD!" Ed didn't hear Al. all he heard were the gunshots. He clapped his hands, putting a rock barrier between them and the military forces, and the energy from it slammed in a wave up his arm to squeeze pain from his shoulder.

"AAAAGH!"

Winry was paralyzed by Ed's scream. Ed never screamed. Not like that. He let go of his right shoulder and grabbed her arm, pulling her into a run again. "Ed! What's going on?" she yelled. Ed shook his head and when she looked at him, she knew why he couldn't answer. Jaw set, teeth clenched, Ed wouldn't let himself cry out again. He couldn't open his mouth though, or he might. The alchemy had stung and burned his shoulder and his leg cried in dismay at every step.

Ed knew he was doing damage to himself, but if it had to do with his automail, then Winry could fix it for him. He hoped. If she couldn't, well, he'd just have to work harder to get their bodies back.

"Almost there, Win." He could see it. Just 2 more blocks to the insanely tacky flame-painted mailbox. It had surprised him when they first arrived. Pyromania c or no, Roy always seemed to have at least some taste. He doubted he was the first to notice how well the blue couch in Roy's office went so well with everything else. The light wood desk, the spotless white floor...Roy's uniform. It was almost disturbing.

So what was with the mailbox?

Ed slammed his hands to the door, knowing it was locked. Roy's private car, that big, black shiny monster was gone. Ed didn't really wonder why.

He shoved his way in and locked the door again, then lowered himself to the floor gently and lay on his back, letting the pain ease as much as it would. 'Oh yeah. Roy's gonna get in trouble...I forgot.'

"Ed? Are you okay? What happened back there? Is someone chasing us?" Winry demanded in a panicky voice.

"I'm sorry Winry. I don't know all of what happened. I got a phone call this morning-uh, well it was for someone else and anyway they told me that I had been terrorizing Risembool. They thought I was hiding at your house. They searched, but you'd already left. They knew where you were headed. I came to get you because I knew. Al didn't..."

Oh. He'd probably left poor Al at the station- "$#! I left Al there! If they capture him it'll be all my fault."

"What?"

"Al was supposed to pick you up, not me. Dammit! How many times can I mess up in 2 days! I don't know how, but I put you in danger and then when I try to help, I put Al and Mustang in danger."

As Winry was about to question him further, Roy and Al burst through the front door. Roy hauled Ed up to his feet, ignoring Ed's surprised protests.

"WHAT. IS. Wrong with you?!!!" It was the closest thing Roy had ever done to howling.

Ed looked, strangely, genuinely sorry as he tried to explain.

"You picked up my phone? You didn't tell me?" Roy roared.

Winry stepped in front of Roy as though she could protect Ed from him. "Stop! He's sick, it's probably the fever!"

"Well now thanks to Ed, we're all going to be in the hospital soon. We've got troops on our tail."

"Brother! Why didn't you tell me? I was at the station! And you shouldn't even be out of bed!"

"That's right Ed! Why would you be so stupid?" Winry added.

His mind was too fuzzy to retaliate and besides, they were all ganging up on him. Well, he'd just have to fix everything. 'Or die trying.' Wait, where had that thought come from? Oh well.

Ed dashed out the door and left three enraged screams behind him. He saw the troops marching his way. He charged them.

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That chapter was a little shorter, but I'm working on the next already! R&R please! Arigatoo gozaimasu!