Still March 10th, 1964

"Well that was a near disaster," Sara grumbled as she bandaged a thin bleeding gash on Kane's upper arm. It wasn't like they had been ambushed by the Drachmans – though it could have been if they had been tracking their progress through the countryside, despite the plain-clothes approach – but it was embarrassing to have possibly stumbled over the attack force on accident.

Or rather, if they had not gotten the notice of the Drachmans in the first place. She tried not to glare across the small clearing to where Cal, Maes, and Lyssandra Fines were working on a temporary camp for the night. There was no way to know for certain who had been spotted first, but Maes and Derrick had drawn the first fire and been the furthest out when it happened.

"We got out reasonably unscathed considering," Kane commented wryly, wincing as she tightened the bandage and considered it done. Then he began to roll down his shirt sleeve and reach for his warm coat. "Any sight of Shock?"

"None," Will commented, coming back through the trees. "The Drachmans have moved off. They brush threw them off. I'm beginning to think maybe they just thought they'd have fun with us because we looked suspicious." He looked annoyed. "Can you imagine if they do that to the civilians up here? Some poor farm kids trying to get into town to find relatives?" He dropped down next to Sara on a broken bit of stump. "I don't think they took prisoners, but there wasn't a body, or any signs of someone struggling. He could have gotten into the city. At least, I think so."

"Maybe," Cal commented as he turned the canvas that had been stuffed into his and the Emerald Alchemist's packs into a lean-to with ropes and rocks. Sara wasn't looking forward to cold weather camping, but it was the best they could do tonight. The Drachmans had to know there were alchemists hiding out in the hills now, but they didn't seem to dare coming to look for them just yet. "We were close enough to the gates he might have made a break for them."

Sara began to put the medical kit away. Other than Tore missing in action, there had been surprisingly few injuries. Kane's arm was the worst of the lot and he was still functional. Derrick had a solid knot on his knee from scrambling in the rocks, and Lyssandra was limping a little, but her ankle only appeared to have been mildly twisted. They were tired, sore, and more than a little shaken perhaps, but fine otherwise. If we couldn't handle things like this, we'd be lousy State Alchemists.

"Dinner's almost ready," Maes commented without much enthusiasm. He was sitting over a flat rock, heating military rations with sterno cans. They didn't want to risk a fire.

"Good," Kane stood and went over to join them. Sara stayed where she was next to Will. The entire clearing in which they were hiding out among the rock and pines was barely twenty feet across, and maybe that wide. "We'll eat, camp here for the night, and continue towards our objective in the morning."

"Won't they be guarding it even more now?" Derrick asked.

"If they realize that's our objective," Kane pointed out, sitting down again on the end of the fallen log that looked to have been not so long ago part of the tree whose stump Will occupied. "We're still a few hours from it. However yes, we should assume they will be on alert and looking for alchemical attacks, as well as trying to track us down when we break cover."

Sara wasn't looking forward to that, but there was really nothing to be done for it. They had to succeed in this mission as far as they could. Destroying the munitions depot would put a big dent in immediate Drachman movements. It would also deprive them of one solidified, well-established supply base. "How do we plan to come at it then?"

"We may have to change tactics," Kane admitted, picking up a stick and beginning to sketch a series of squares, the buildings presumably, and a line for the road and then marks that seemed to be for the mountains around them. "Scratch that. We'll have to shift tactics to take into account losing Shock."

"He might still be alive," Cal pointed out. "Is it worth taking the time to at least find out if he's dead before we write him off?"

Loyalty from Cal; that was one thing Sara had to admit she liked about her long-time colleague. Anyone he worked with, or genuinely cared about, could count on him. "If he's hiding and can get to us, he'll find us before tomorrow," Sara suggested. Tore was a much better woodsman now than he had been three years ago. They were also planning to keep watch all night to make sure the Drachmans didn't ambush them again. "If not, we can assume he is at least pinned down or wounded and will be safer if we finish the mission and come back for him." They would, of course, make an attempt to find him.

That seemed to mollify everyone, as Kane nodded. "We will locate him after we succeed in the mission. However, that does mean accounting for a lack of bolts-from-heaven on our side," he actually chuckled slightly at the comment.

It did help. People relaxed a little and gathered around, sitting to discuss strategy and sleeping arrangements. Sara edged in a little closer, eyeing the drawn buildings set too far into the open for her tastes, and wondering just what they were going to have to do in order to remove them and come back alive. Failure is not an option. Neither is death. Let's just hope the old Elric luck holds out on this one.

March 11th, 1964

Tore woke slowly. He was tired, his head ached, and his arm felt oddly muffled. He did not have to remember why. He hadn't slept deeply enough to forget. Anytime he moved, he woke from the discomfort. It had taken everything he had to strip down to his shorts the night before and lie down. He had slept on his back.
It was morning. Weak sunlight peaked through the small window in the room, and he heard people moving about. He thought he heard kitchen sounds, and his stomach grumbled in response. Dinner last night had been tasty, but he hadn't been very hungry. Now, he was famished! He hoped they brought him something soon.

The door to the room opened slowly and Noelle entered, her body stiff and distaste written all over her face. She didn't even look Tore in the face as she muttered, "I've got breakfast for you and Uncle says you have to eat everything here. So can you get this over with so I can go do something else?"

Tore looked over at her. Well he had certainly seen more welcoming nurses. "Are you always so sour with patients?" He asked as he started to sit up. He grimaced, rolling away from her first so he could use his good shoulder. "Look, if I offended you yesterday I'm sorry. You looked like a woman capable of taking a little innocent jest."

Noelle put the tray of food down on a small bedside table with so much force that the dishes rattled. "You know, I might have been able to take that jest a couple of years ago. But, and I wish this was an exaggeration, every soldier I've run into since the Drachman army invaded has only wanted my body in some way. I'm not some camp whore and I don't appreciate you men assuming that I would enjoy nothing more than a few kisses."

"Well I don't appreciate the assumption that I was serious," Tore snorted as he managed to get upright. "I certainly never implied you were a whore. Even if you were that's not automatically an insult. And no, before you sneer, I've never slept with one." He had to turn and put his legs over the bed to reach the food. He still had to reach across his body with his good arm to do it too. "But I feel sorry for anyone who feels that's their best way to make it in life." His voice softened as he picked up a fork and skewered a bite of pancake.

Noelle's eyes softened a little as she held her hand out, "Fork please. That just looks awkward."

Tore looked down at the bite on his fork as if considering it. Then he went ahead and handed it to her. It was probably her way of apologizing. "I really am sorry."

Noelle took the fork and sighed, still not making eye contact. "I'm sorry too. I'm really jumpy about this stuff." She offered a small smile, "I'll agree not to stab you with this fork if you'll agree not to joke about kissing?"

"Then I promise not to bring up kissing again unless I'm serious," Tore smiled genuinely. She was pretty, but obviously light flirting was a bad idea at the moment. "I appreciate the not stabbing. Right now I wouldn't like to try fighting you off."

She chuckled a little as she offered another bite, "What do you think you are, injured or something?" She seemed to be trying to smooth things over. "So, you're a State Alchemist?"

Tore chewed the bite and swallowed before answering. "Yep. Shock Alchemist, Major Tore Closson, at your service," he grinned.

"Shock Alchemist?" Noelle raised her eyebrows as she speared another bite of pancakes for Tore. "Like static electricity type of shock? My first thought was what happens when you drag your feet across carpet and then touch someone. It doesn't seem like that would be very effective on the battle field."

"It is if you use a lightning bolt," Tore replied casually before biting willingly into the next chunk of food.

"That would be quite effective," Noelle agreed.

"It is," he replied, wishing that eating this way wasn't so slow! His stomach rumbled loudly in complaint.

Noelle snickered, then looked apologetic. "I'm going to slow for you, aren't I? Should I get you larger bites? I tend to give patients my size bites without even thinking about what they would prefer."

"You nibble like a doe," Tore chuckled. "Yes, please. Bigger bites would help, and you might as well order up another plate," he added, looking at the one on the table. "Cause I'll probably take at least twice what you've got here."

"At least I don't eat my food fast enough that I just swallow instead of tasting it," Noelle countered with a grin as she stabbed a section of pancakes more than twice the size of the last bite she had offered. "Is this more like it? Although, I have to wonder how you'll get it all in your mouth."

"I'll taste it when I'm not weak from hunger," Tore winked at her. "That's perfect." He opened his mouth and downed the chunk easily.

"I couldn't imagine eating that big a bite," Noelle chuckled. "You keep surprising me. You can shoot lightning bolts, eat huge bites of food, what's next? Purple bunnies out of a hat? You've shook the president's hand? Flowers grown in snow?"

"I haven't ever made a purple bunny," Tore replied casually. "As for the President, which one? I've met three." He kept eating.

"Cute, but I was only joking," Noelle shrugged. "Really though, a purple bunny wouldn't be that hard with alchemy, right?"

"Not a fake bunny," Tore replied. "Or a real one if you're just dying a rabbit. I wouldn't try making one whose fur grows purple though. Messing with life isn't a good idea." He ate another bite. "And I wasn't joking."

The fork paused in mid-air and Noelle giggled, "Promise to never ever tell my mother that you've met President Mustang. She was such a fan girl and said she cried when he announced his retirement. Dad got to the point of just sighing if his name was ever mentioned."

Tore almost choked on a bite of pancakes. "I promise," he snickered. "Fortunately Flame's nowhere near here right now. So he won't be showing up looking for me. Not sure who will to tell you the truth." He supposed it depended on who survived the mission.

"Is there someone you hope will come, or are you sure that the person you least want will come for you?" Noelle asked, grabbing the last bite of food on the plate.

"The person I least want would be any Drachman," Tore pointed out, taking the bite and swallowing. Yes, he was definitely going to need seconds. "I'd be happy to see anyone from my unit, or the unit that came with us on this mission. Anyone who comes looking who knows my name is likely a friend." None of the Drachmans out there had any real information on him or reason to have identified him. "Though I hope the Sky Fire and Emerald Alchemists don't skin me for this." Of the two, Brigadier General Kane's name was certainly the more well known, given its prominence in the Aerugo War and his current position in charge of the majority of alchemist operations in Amestris. If anyone bothered to pay attention.

"No reason for commanding officers to skin their subordinates for getting injured," Noelle reasoned. "People get hurt all the time and this is a war. It's amazing everyone doesn't get injured with all the projectiles flying around." She held up the empty plate, "You said earlier that you'd want more when you were finished. You still holding to that statement?"

"More the getting separated and missing out on the mission than the injury," Tore confessed. "Though I should have seen him before he shot at me." Or so it certainly seemed as he thought back on what had happened. "I'm trouble to locate now. And yes please," he added with a firm nod. "I could definitely finish at least another plate. If… you have enough in the kitchen and you don't mind," he added with a sheepish smile.

"I'm sure we could spare another plate for seconds. Thirds however…" Noelle gave a grin that was half impish and half serious before exiting. She returned quickly with the plate full of food and a cup of coffee. "I hope you drink coffee, but Auntie assures me that most military men do. I wasn't sure how you liked it so it's just black for now. If you want though, I could go doctor this one."

"Doesn't everyone drink coffee?" Tore teased, eyeing the plate with interest. "Doctored huh? I don't suppose you've got anything a little… stronger to doctor it with?" He suspected she was thinking cream or sugar herself. What he wouldn't give for a drink right now though. It might help the constant throbbing of his head after getting it smacked yesterday.

"Well, I have known a few people who don't like it," Noelle shrugged. "My best friend refuses to drink it, says it stains her teeth and that stained teeth don't make a good impression on the boys. Noelle smiled a bit at the memory. "Stronger?" she asked arching an eyebrow. "If you want that kind of stronger, I'd suggest talking to Uncle. I don't know where he keeps his stash."

"What are the chances he'll say yes?" If he had to ask the Doc, Tore had a pretty good idea he knew what the answer was going to be.

"Not good," Noelle answered truthfully without hesitation. "He's been nursing the one bottle for awhile now." She suddenly cut off her sentence and color bloomed on her cheeks, "Just don't tell him that, please? I don't think he knows that I've noticed that he's been rationing his stash. It's been awhile since we've gotten new stuff, you know?"

Tore did not ask if he would be drinking it faster if it was more readily available. That seemed tasteless. "Then don't worry about it. I'm ready for the food," he added, gesturing with one hand towards the plate. "Oh, could you check my back left pants pocket?" If he couldn't have a drink, there was something around that wasn't a blood thinner that would take the edge off… if they weren't ruined.

"Do you want food or whatever's in your pocket more?" Noelle said in a light tone. "Wait a minute," she said without giving Tore a chance to answer. "I might have a solution!" She sliced off a huge bite of pancake. "Chew on that while I go check." She barely gave him time to take the bite before she stood and headed to the opposite corner of the room. It only took her a moment to fish through Tore's pocket. "I thought as much," she muttered, sounding disappointed. She held up the smashed and damp pack of cigarettes. "I hope this isn't what you're looking for, unless you're willing to suck on something that won't light."

Tore ignored the disappointment. It wasn't her business. He swallowed the large bite in his mouth. "Yes, it was," he sighed. So much for that idea. "Some of them might be salvageable if they dry out."

Noelle eyed the pack, "Doubtful. That skirmish you were in must have been rough for all of these to be smashed like this." She shook her head slightly, "I must really have your age off. I thought you were a bit young for a State Alchemist, but addicted to alcohol and cigarettes already? You going to ask for some weed next?"

Tore felt his temper flare up. "Now hold on a minute!" He growled. "Where do you get off making judgments on people? A shot in coffee doesn't make a man a drunk, and a smoke after getting shot at all day and watching guys get their heads blown off next to you seems to me a better way of dealing than some of the alternatives."

"Look, you work here as a nurse, right? Surely you've seen people die. Have you? Have you had them bleed to death all over you? Have you seen your friends, comrades, anyone, blown to bits so close you got their insides all over you?" He picked up the fork and stabbed it into his pancakes. "For your information I've been a State Alchemist since I was seventeen. I'll be nineteen next month." He stuffed a bite of pancakes into his mouth to keep himself from continuing his tirade.

Noelle was looking to the ground by the time he finished, tears at the corners of her eyes. "You think you're the only one who has it rough? You think I haven't had to deal with death? There was a horrible car accident last week just around the corner and the man we treated bled to death on the table, nothing we could do to save him. Or how about two weeks ago when Auntie and I made a house call to deliver a baby, only to deliver a stillborn? The mother went into hysterics, screaming about how we killed her son. Two days later, the four year old daughter Annika rings us saying, 'Mama has lots of blood and won't wake up.' We get there and find that the mother had cut her wrists, committed suicide. Auntie cleaned up while I had to explain to Annika and her two younger sisters how her Mama would not be waking up. Thank goodness the Khorkina's next door took in the girls, or I don't know what else we would have done with them, since the father was nowhere to be found. I know I'm no soldier, you've probably seen worse, but I've had nightmares full of blood for weeks now, so I think I'm beginning to know how to deal by this point" Tears were now rolling freely down her cheeks.

Awwww shit. Tore stared at her for a moment, stunned that such a stubborn, strong-willed woman had just burst into tears. He let her for a minute. "Are you mental?" He asked the question with surprising softness. "Or did you just want to pretend I didn't already say I was sure you knew what I was talking about?"

"No, I heard you, it just all spilled out," Noelle sniffled. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be doing this to you. I mean, you're the patient, I'm not supposed to be falling apart here. Fiddlesticks, I'm just messed up right now, this is so embarrassing." She kept scrubbing at her eyes.

Tore sighed. "It's all right," he replied. "Everyone's been through a lot lately."

"Right," Noelle took a deep breath, wiping the last of the tears away. "I really am sorry. What I said was out of line. I'm still working on my mouth not running away with me, not always with the best results though, as you've obviously seen. Did you want more help with the food, or I could just leave if you want."

"No, you don't have to leave," Tore managed a smile, trying to put things a little more at ease. He ought to be more grateful for her help anyway. "I'd rather have company… in case I need help," he admitted with a boyish grin. "These pancakes are amazing, by the way."

"Thank you," Noelle cheeks tinged pink and she finally smiled a little again. "I'm glad you like them. It's good to know that my cooking skills haven't gone away with all the crazy stuff going on."

"Not if these are a sample," he agreed, taking another big forkful. The second plate was going to be empty in the next minute at this rate.

Noelle grinned, "Pancakes aren't even the best thing I can make. We'll make sure you get some of the zucchini pie Auntie and I made later today. Don't be put off by the zucchini part though, you'll think you're eating apple pie. You an apple pie kind of guy?"

"Most are," Tore pointed out with a chuckle. "I love apple pie, but after the last few months I'll eat just about anything that isn't lukewarm porridge or burnt."

"Then maybe that's a good thing that came from getting injured," Noelle pointed out. "You finally get something edible for a change!"

"You won't hear me complaining," Tore assured her, polishing off the rest of the plate. "Alchemists get rations-and-a-half because of all the energy we use, but it still seems like nothing when the food's that bad."

"Hopefully we won't offer you anything near as horrible as your rations," Noelle said. "You sure you don't need any more help? I feel kind of funny just sitting here."

"You sure you're not looking for an excuse to get close to me?" Tore didn't mean to flirt, really, but the words slipped out anyway. He winced as soon as he said it. "Sorry… habit."

Noelle stiffened slightly, then burst out laughing, "Good grief, I've been a terror this morning, haven't I? It's not really fair that I get to blurt everything but you have to be careful with what you say. You said earlier that you're not serious, right? I'll just keep reminding myself that and hopefully I won't bite your head off again and serve it for dinner."

"There's an image," Tore chuckled, relieved she wasn't angry. "I don't think it would taste very good. It's just tough not to be complimentary to a pretty girl."

"You'd still compliment the girl who keeps snapping at you all morning?" Noelle asked, blushing.

"If she deserves it," Tore grinned. The pancake plate was completely clean now, and he was half way through his coffee. "I only give compliments if I mean them."

Noelle put her hands over her flaming cheeks, "Stop it, I'm blushing enough already." She looked pleased with the compliment though.

"I…. I'm not sure how," Tore admitted with a laugh. He set down the plate. He was still hungry, but he didn't want to push it. His stomach, however, had other ideas and continued to grumble. "You're the first girl in a while who's told me not to, besides Charisa Breda of course."

: "You mean the other girls actually like blushing until their face catches on fire?" Noelle tried to joke, then stopped suddenly. "You actually know Charisa Breda? I mean, know her, not just met her. I mean, you said that you've met the last three presidents and I don't want to assume again, since assuming has done nothing but get me in trouble today."

"Sure," Tore shrugged. "She's my best friend. We went to school together. We ah… we used to go out, but that was a while ago," he admitted sheepishly. "We're still friends though." He didn't want to go into the details of that however. It got too complicated!

"How do you know all these people," Noelle murmured with wonder. "I heard you, you went to school with Charisa Breda, but that's not even something anyone around here would even dream of. You haven't just met President Breda either, you actually know him. I can't even imagine seeing him in person, let alone having an intelligent conversation."

"I'm from Central," Tore shrugged. He barely remembered when he had found living with the Elrics unusual. "Most of the kids go to Central High, even the military brats. Not that I'd say my last conversation with General Breda was intelligent conversation either," he admitted. They had crossed paths since the day he and Charisa had gotten in trouble, but the conversations were brief and professional. "I guess it's just kind of normal now. I've been living with Fullmetal since I was eleven."

Noelle's jaw dropped, "You live with…" She cut herself off and gave an incredulous chuckle, "Are there any other Amestrian heros that you know personally? I feel like my shock meter is full to the brim so now will be the time to drop any more names. I don't think I could get more surprised that I am right now."

"Well you could just count the entire Elric family and everyone they know," Tore pointed out with a shrug. "I'm a State Alchemist, Noelle. If they live in Central and show up around military HQ, I probably know them, at least in passing."

"Well, I live in Buzcoul and went to the high school here, but that doesn't mean I know the mayor or his family. Most of the rich kids in town attend a private school so I don't have much opportunity to rub shoulders with them," Noelle pointed out with a smile. "Gosh, you must think I'm such a country hick by now."

"Not at all," Tore shook his head. "I spent a lot of time traveling a couple of years ago, and I've been out to Resembool a couple of times. I kind of like smaller towns. I was born in Central though, so I'm kind of used to both now I guess."

"I'd like to get out to Central some time," Noelle said softly. "I know I want to go definitely to visit, but maybe I could work in one of the hospitals too."

"We've got a good one," Tore replied. "You should definitely get down there sometime when this is over," he smiled. His stomach growled again. "I ah… don't suppose you've got anything else?"

Noelle considered the question for a moment before answering slowly, "Sure, I'll see what I can find. More coffee while I'm out scavenging up more food for you?"

"Yes, please," Tore nodded. He had the feeling it was the strongest beverage he was going to be allowed for a while. Well, it would have to do.

She was gone longer this time and when she returned, she looked a bit contrite. "Sorry, but this was all that was left," Noelle apologized, holding up a half-sized serving of pancakes. She gave a small smile, "At least there's plenty of coffee still."

"I can live with being jittery," Tore teased as she handed them over. "And thanks again for the pancakes. I look forward to your culinary expertise while I'm here."

"Don't think too highly of my cooking yet," Noelle smiled. Her stomach growled loudly.

Tore froze, fork halfway to his mouth. "Have you eaten?" He suddenly felt guilty.

"I, I had something earlier," Noelle stammered as she looked away.

"Obviously not enough." Tore put the fork down, ignoring his own stomach. It wasn't loud now, but it was still not full.

"Look, just eat it, ok? I've caused you enough trouble this morning and you need it more than I do and I really did have a few bites earlier…" she started to babble.

"Nope," Tore shook his head resolutely. "What position am I gonna be in if my nurse passes out from hunger? I'm afraid I'm going to have to insist that you swear you'll eat something else, then come in here and eat it with me, or that you eat those pancakes."

"You insist?" Noelle asked with a slight smile. She still looked embarrassed. "There isn't any other way to get you to eat those?"

"I insist," Tore couldn't help grinning. He would have crossed his arms if he could have used his left, the sling made his shoulder immobile.

Noelle looked uncertain for a moment more then she gave a nervous smile, "You want to split it? That way I feel better about being awful and I still get to eat?"

"Sure," Tore agreed, picking up the fork again. His conscience was assuaged for the moment. "It's been a while since I got to share a meal with a woman." Gah, he did it again!

Noelle chuckled as she moved closer to Tore "Your face is cute when you catch yourself flirting." She clapped a hand over her mouth.. "And saying things like that is likely to just encourage you to keep going, isn't it? Goodness, we make quite a pair right now."

Tore managed to stop himself from making a comment about maybe later too. Instead he took a bite of pancakes first. She was cute, and while they clashed some, that didn't mean she might not be a fun date. He already was certain though, that any questions in regards to the bedroom would get him slapped. "We do," he agreed simply after swallowing. That was, he surmised, the safest thing he could say at the moment!