Previously...

"Let's go Al!" Winry happily demanded as she all but dragged the suit of armor away leaving Ed to wonder how in the hell she had gotten strong enough to do that. His eyes widened as Winry unexpectedly snapped her head back at him, "if you rest I'll bring you back some decent food and a souvenir from the parade!"

Ed masked his overall lack of interest with a forced grin and a small wave, "sounds good!" He laughed as the crowd of people paraded out of the room- including Hughes.

Hm? Maybe he decided to leave with them-no that too lucky.

Sure enough his thoughts served him correctly as Hughes appeared in the door way once more as he happily waved everyone out of the hospital. As soon as Ed heard the double doors close to the end of the hospital hall, Hughes dropped his hand and quietly shut the small rooms door once more.

Ed grumbled, here we go…

Hughes sighed as he reentered the room, his happy-go-lucky features dimming a bit as he faced what would likely be the biggest challenge of his day, he knew that the boy in front of him had been through something more than just a beating. The paramedics had seen abuse before- they had seen rape victims before and they knew the signs and features of it all too well. The main issue as of now was to gauge Edwards memory and mental status of the situation- as well as figure out why in the hell an ex- state alchemist wanted the boy.

When he had first heard the main paramedic give the report exclusively to him at the scene Hughes had to admit that it had been hard not to start an immediate search and kill mission right then and there. Keeping his rage in check he had thought against it- getting Edwards perception of the event was top priority, he only had two choices at this point in order to continue any further with what would turn into a deep investigation. It was quite simple, either get Edward to confess about what had really happened or, the obviously unwanted choice, to seek medical proof.

With all this in mind Hughes put up a slight smile as he approached Ed, rage boiled in the man's chest as he looked at the clearly miserable teen whom had his head down as he fiddled with the loose ends of the hospital blankets that cocooned around him. Ed had gauze wrapped around his still mildly concussed head, many layers of gauze around his chest and torso as more than half his ribs had either been fractured or completely broken resulting in the collapsed lung the boy had nearly died from. Not to mention Ed's heavily bandaged arm which still somehow had a bit of blood seeping through, this was thanks to Sin who had completely mutilated the kids one arm. To top it all off Sin was also very adamant on completely destroying the port sight of Ed's automail arm as the clearly transmuted metal lodge had been bent completely out of place severing each receptor painfully, even now jolts of nerve endings were still firing through the boys shoulder making him cringe every now and then from what had to be unimaginable pain.

Hughes swallowed every ounce of anger as he neared the boy at what he deemed a comfortable distance for Ed's sake. "So! Ed I-"

"No."

"Come on Ed-"

"Nope."

"You have to talk sometime-"

"Absolutely not. You are here to "watch" me, not question me." Golden eyes glared at the equally unique emerald ones as Hughes took a seat nearby.

"Can I at least make an observation?"

Ed thought on that, it didn't sound like he would have to actually talk so, with a shrug, he muttered, "sure."

"You have not eaten- it shows, and that potted plant beside the window in the hallway is not going to hide all your scraps forever you know."

Golden orbs widened at that, "how did you-"

"You can't smell the rotting food until you pass right over it- how did you even get to the hallway?" Mae's questioned, genuinely curious.

Ed shrugged, "the bathrooms in this place are not in each room so Al has to help me to the units bathroom on the end of this hall- I always insist I'll get a nurse to help me back but usually just use the wall railing to limp back and throw the food in. I've got plenty of room to hide stuff in this stupid hospital gown- why do I have to wear this?!"

Hughes smiled a bit, "That's pretty smart Ed- at least the plan to get rid of it is anyways." Letting his smile fall he continued, "But you know as well as I do that you need to eat…you also know that we need to talk."

Ed's eyes down casted as Hughes stared at him, through his lies and mask, "…you said we had to write an incident report but this wasn't even a mission so why-"

"When cases like this come about in more populated areas it is a precaution that Fuhrer King Bradley himself made law that an incident report is put together. I can't do that accurately if you don't tell me what happened that night Ed…"

Hughes waited patiently as the boy's composure melted before him, they both knew that the report could be faked but today that just wasn't going to be the case. Ed fidgeted more and more, suddenly very uncomfortable under the gaze of the man sitting beside him. "I can't tell you- I can't tell anyone, ok?"

"Why?"

Ed closed his eyes, half way out of restraint but mostly out of complete exhaustion, he hated lying- especially about this. "Don't ask me that! Don't- not again."

"I have to ask Ed- I have to ask because I know who the man that attacked you was."

Ed's blood ran cold at that, "what..?"

Hughes eyes narrowed as he finally got a reaction from the child, "Sin, right?"

Ed nodded, his skin getting paler as Hughes continued.

"Sin used to be a state alchemist in the Ishvalen war, we had all assumed he was patrolling the out skirts of the city but that was not it at all…he had been raping and murdering countless children all in your age range. It was not until Mustang caught him red handed that it stopped. Although…apparently, he somehow got away- we had all just assumed that he had been executed like he deserved."

Upon seeing the blondes head fall Hughes reached out to steady the boy until he heard a dark chuckle, his hand hesitating as Ed let his head fall back as he was now facing the ceiling, his laughing going near hysterical. "Of course- that side of the story makes sense!"

"Ed…"

Putting a trembling hand on his now pale face Ed chocked back another uneasy laugh, "So you all got left with that bullshit ending, huh? The great Fuhrer himself is infuriated so he heroically kills the man that Mustang found? Well, Sin let me in on the rest of what really happened."

Hughes moved closer to a disturbingly jovial Ed upon the insulting of the Fuhrer, "Ed- be careful on how you say things- you're in a military hospital. I don't like the Fuhrer as much as you don't but increasing suspicion is not really the best idea, ya know?"

Ed nodded suddenly feeling a strange bond the protective man sitting beside him, whether it was because he actually trusted him or he was just desperate to talk was beyond Ed. He uncharacteristically gulped in masked hesitance as he kept his voice low, "That's not what happened. The Fuhrer let Sin go the next day…he said to never show his face around Amestris again. No punishment of any kind- but they had made a deal. As long as Sin carried out whatever missions the Fuhrer gave him without hesitation then he could live- with the Fuhrer aiding him with as many fake philosopher stones as he wanted as well." Ed stared forward with the utmost hatred as he spoke, no longer caring about the rules Sin had given him for the moment.

"Why the hell….why would the Fuhrer do that? He had Kimblee after all-"

"Kimblee was better known in the war, so he served as a better example as a prisoner. Besides…what better person to carry out the most immoral missions imaginable than a man like that." Ed spewed with hatred.

Hughes did not miss the obvious hatred either, as shocked as he was about the Fuhrer he couldn't risk staying on one topic- especially with Ed finally willing to talk for once. "So…what kind of missions are we talking about Ed?"

Ed looked over at the curious eyes of Hughes and sighed. I'm already screwed at this point- I was definitely not supposed to talk about that so might as well help in any way I can.

"…Do you remember the assassination of the Xing emperor that had happened right after the war? How some "crazy" person from unknown origin just destroyed the emperor and everyone within a three-mile radius? That…that was only a small example of the missions that Sin has carried out. He is responsible for nearly all the catastrophes that happen outside of this country."

Hughes tried to blink the terror away from his eyes- to think that his own country- the country he fought for…his frown deepened as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I get it…if he keeps the other countries busy with their own turmoil then ours doesn't have to worry as much about attacks. That's…sick."

Ed flinched at the word as he looked away, "yea...it's all sick."

Hughes eyes softened as the boy squirmed in discomfort, concern laced with the careful statements that followed, "don't worry about the political mess of all that- I will take care of that myself but for now…can we talk about what exactly happened to you? I mean…like it or not he is very powerful with those stones and his own alchemic abilities…why did he attack you Ed?"

Ed tensed as the conversation turned to him, he had to say something- he just had to, he couldn't take the secrets, but the rules…he couldn't tell or else- no he had to tell, he had other people to protect at this point other than himself. "Mustang…."

Hughes eyes widened, of course! He was Mustangs subordinate and not only that but the kid was a prodigy! Of course, he made Mustang look like a genius for finding him and of course the kid helped him get a promotion, why not attack the very person that helped cause such success?

"So…can you explain what exactly happened, Ed?"

Ed groaned, "Do I have to?" It came out more in poorly masked fear then annoyance, only supporting the concern in Hughes's eyes.

"Unfortunately, yes." It was hard to just sit and watch the boy in front of him, he was the complete embodiment of anxiety at the moment.

"Well… I was going to turn in a dumb report to Colonel Bast- Mustangs office. I had somehow made it out of there without having to talk to anyone but I knew someone was following me- I knew. So I finally looked behind me- he was already there."

A bandaged hand quickly swiped away a single tear as Ed frowned acting as if it was common as he continued quickly, "So we fought- he beat me up and I finally realized that maybe I needed some help which is when I sent the pillar up and collapsed. Then you all showed up."

Hughes narrowed his eyes at the paling boy in front of him as he sighed, that was in no way, shape or form what all had happened- Hughes reframed from asking just what in the heck happened in the other several hours of the night. Edwards story did not match up- but at this point it would just be cruel to bring that fact up and make the exhausted teen in front of him to do any more stressful lying. Now came the hardest part of the night for the man.

"Ed…I know that is not all that happened. You were beaten up badly- in fact I don't think I have ever seen you in worse shape as I did that morning we found you… the paramedics later informed me that your injuries suggested something more. They needed your guardians consent to further examine you- I'm not your guardian but technically, as of right now in your military issued agreement, the person that is best to make that choice is Mustang."

It was as if Hughes was watching a real life human bomb about to explode as he finished, "Roy will be taking my place next to watch over you tonight- I can let Alphonse come with me if you don't want him here when you both talk but- hey!"

Hughes quickly grabbed Ed's bandaged flesh arm as the boy tried to rip the I.V.s and sticker monitors from his body, "get the hell off of me! I'm leaving!"

Warm liquid started to seep through the bandages of his arm at a quicker pace as he tried to rip himself out of the strong grip. Much to Ed's dismay a second pair of hands joined in Hughes's aid in calming the boy, "we need a nurse!" Called out a heavy voice- a familiar voice.

Ed pushed past the nausea as an unnatural and intense pain spread down his back and traveled all the way down his legs as it snaked back and forth making the teen lurch forward unexpectedly. The dry heaving episode did not stop him from fighting- although the coughing did.

"Damnit Ed, stop! You haven't healed from your surgery- your ribs aren't healed they could puncture your lung again and your arm is bleeding everywhere! You need to pull it together!"

Ed refused as Mustangs voice made it through his delirious senses, "I won't let you damnit! It's my body and I should be able to decide!" Hysteria laced through his words as Ed coughed even more.

The two men shared a concerned look as they let the nurse administer what was likely a sedative in the boys flesh arm, as his physical being calmed though his emotions caught up quickly. With the boy finally unable to move as the nurse took that opportunity to begin to rebandage Ed quickly. As she finished she turned to them, "please keep him calm- I will get a doctor in soon to check his lungs- he really jarred them."

Hughes and Mustang nodded in determination as she left, the two turning towards Ed as silent tears streamed down his face, sparing him a glance Hughes cradled his nose.

Ed rubbed angrily at his eyes as reality seemed to dawn on him again, he looked up with confusion but soon understood what had just happened, "d-did I?"

Hughes smiled even though his hand covered most of the expression, "Its fine Ed- I'm going to go get cleaned up." Hughes looked at Roy as he turned to leave, the happy expression long gone as a wary one

Roy knew that look it was a look in which he had grown accustomed to in Ishval from the man, something is not right, be on guard. He nodded in understanding as Hughes continued out of the room, pain now evident in his features.

Taking a breath Mustang started, "Ed. I'm not exactly sure what that outburst was about but if I had to guess it's because the news…"

Trying to turn his head, and failing at that, Ed sighed miserably. He only wished that he could move- that he could run and get away run from this place.

There is no use in trying to get away. I can barely walk short distances: my injuries are severe as it is- and besides…he is out there waiting.

Ed's eye widened at that thought, it was true, he had to be waiting- or maybe he wouldn't even let him recover? Maybe he would wait for an opportunity just like this one when he was so sedated that he couldn't fight- let alone move.

Roy waited expectantly for Ed to answer the question he had just asked but upon seeing the faraway look in his eyes he had to guess that Ed was no longer in mental shape to carry on conversation as he was only moments before. He stepped aside as the doctor came in, stethoscope in hand and a warm smile on his face. "Ah Mr. Elric- I'm surprised I haven't heard more out of you!" The older man laughed, clearly not noticing the lack of reaction from Ed.

"The nurse had to sedate him- he's been pretty quiet ever since. " Roy inquired.

"Hm! That is odd…it was only enough to calm him- not completely debilitate him like this…" The doctor rounded the left side of the bed as he pushed the beds level up to where Ed was sitting completely, checking Eds vitals the doctor sighed, "he is out of it Colonel- and not because of the medication...its really important that we figure out what really happened, we have our suspicions but those don't do any good unless they are fact so we can act on them."

Roy looked at the concerned doctor, his own stomach dropping at the level of seriousness the older man's face held. "I understand, I will be out to talk with you on the issue later."

Nodding the doctor continued as he pressed the cold diaphragm of the stethoscope over the boys chest, the reaction was immediate as the hazy dullness of Edwards eyes lit up- Roy was quick to hold down the automail arm that was already half way off the bed, its destination was likely to be the doctors face had it not been pinned down immediately.

Ed's emotionless face lit up with fear and pain as the painful movement of his automail probably did not help the situation, his eyes still unseeing as he tried in vain to bring his arm up again.

"Fullmetal!" Roy snapped, he hated the look in the kid's eyes- it wasn't the controlled but equally deadly fire he was used to seeing, this was a blazing and uncontrollable flame.

The doctor did not seemed fazed as he thanked Mustang, "He isn't here right now."

Looking at the doctor unbelievably Mustang breathed through the hysteria that threatened his being, "What does that mean?"

"His pupils are dilated…heart rate is above normal... this is classic signs of a traumatic flashback Colonel Mustang. If this boy has truly been through what we hypothesize then as of right now he is flashing back- reliving everything."

Mustang looked to Ed as the child's eyes still blared, the kid was clearly elsewhere but ready to fight, despite all the injuries and pain. He grimaced as he looked away and back to the doctor, "I see, waiting any longer is not going to help his situation… I will allow further physical examination to prove or disprove your hypothesis."

Still not the most active chapter but the next one will be a lot more action focused, it is all coming along fairly well plot wise! Please feel free to voice any comments or criticisms! Thank you!