p class="MsoNormal"strong style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"AN: Sorry for the time it has taken to add to this story. Life has been both kind and harsh to me over time and though this story has forever been on my mind I have not had the time to work on it until now. Without further ado please enjoy the newest chapter. /strong/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Edward what is taking you so long?" Major Armstrong yelled followed by the pounding of his feet on the stairs./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Ed ignored the Major and hurried Winry into Al's armor. Practically pushing them both out the window. As soon as his brother was out Ed turned grabbing the extra ammo that he almost forgot out of his suitcase and just as the door opened to the room jumped out of the window landing like a cat beside his brother. Ed whispered, "East now."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Both Ed and Al bolted across the yard with the Major yelling in the background. Ed noted without slowing that the Major had not gone to chase them thought the man could have easily made the jump. He had been right the Major wanted them to get away; if he joined, they would probably not escape. Just as they got to the tree line the first shot rang out from the men that had accompanied the Major the bullets clanking off Al's armor as he positioned himself so that he was running just behind Ed, using his body to protect his brother./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Ed heard Winry cry out in shock at the sounds as he and his brother moved to both scatter and use the trees to cover their retreat. "Al, head to the dessert," Ed panted and angled his path pushing his brother slightly so the were heading into the dessert. "They will not be able to fallow us."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Got it." Al spoke calmly not effected the same way as his brother and added to Winry, "You alright? Sorry about the noise."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Winry spoke a small word the could have been construed as an affirmative just as both the brothers heard another shot grazing Eds left arm./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Brother!" Al yelled seeing his brother stumble a tad from the sudden pain./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Move, keep running!" Ed slowed his stride and moved to make a wall behind them, they were being chased to the clearer part of the forest meaning there would be less cover for them. "Cover your ears Winry there may be more." Ed warned running as soon as the wall was built./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"The brothers continued running using the trees and a few hastily built walls as cover till the gun fire died away. Ed slowed but continued to run panting to his brother, "Keep going we will stop at the abandoned tree house." Ed was referring to the tree house that the boys had built with there mother's help that was quite a few miles from the house they had grown up in. That was another reason that Ed chose to run to the east, the house that they lived in was to the east of granny's house and the tree house was a good place to regroup and figure out what to do next. Plus, there was no way that anybody else would know about it not even Winry./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Al nodded not wanting to encourage his brother to continue talking, his brother was having enough trouble breathing as it was./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"It wasn't until they reached the tree house did Ed allow there pace to slow to a stop holding up his hand, he silenced his brothers voice. He tilled his head to listen and see if there were anyway the men had fallowed them but thankfully, he and his brother were faster then most people and could run far longer. Ed wanted to send his brother on ahead of him, but he knew there was no chance that he would leave anymore then he would have before. Ed Sighed certain that there was no way that the men could have fallowed then this far out and final spoke, "Okay seems like they haven't fallowed us." Turning to the tree house he started to climb, followed by his brother./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Al pulled his breast plate off letting Winry out of his armor and looked around the disheveled place. "It looks a lot like when we last played here does it not brother?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Yeah it does," Ed answered laying down on the floor panting heavily to catch his breath as Winry took the time to look around the small house./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Wow were did you boys find this place." Winry asked sitting on the floor beside Ed watching as his breath slowed to a more normal level. "Where are we exactly?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"It was Al that answered, "We built this place with a little help from mom years ago, when she died, we never came back I had forgotten about this place actually."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""I figured it was a safe place to rest, neither you or Granny know about it and its miles away from the house." Ed spoke finally his breathing under control again. Wincing as he put weight on his arm./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Winry's eyes grew wide as she noticed the blood staining his red jacket darker. "Ed your arm," She yelped and moved immediately to grab his jacket. "Remove your shirt and let me take a look at it."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Ed sighed doing what he was told pully his cloak and jacket off leaving his tank on, not that he cared that if he was topless, but because he wanted to shield the small pistol that now rested on his hip from Winry. It was deeper then he thought and with the adrenaline running low the pain was threatening to make him pass out. Winry's hand moved skillfully as she patched up the wound. "Its worse then I thought. I never noticed the pain till now," Ed muttered resting his head on Winry's shoulder without thinking. His head was swimming and his chest was still tight. He was in no condition to heal the wound and without any supplies he doubted he could do a good job. Though he knew some medical alchemy it was not his focus. span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""You should be fine though I wish we had some water for you to drink it might help you clear your head." Winry spoke calmly trying not to move much with Ed resting on her shoulder./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Al stood and headed to the stairs grabbing an old wooden bucket they had brought to the tree house all those years ago along with cups and a few bowls for when they wanted to stay in the small house during the summer. "I'll go get some water, I'm in the best shape and I'm the least vulnerable." Al jumped down before Ed could argue though Ed had made no move to even try to argue./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"When Al had left Winry looked down at Ed who hadn't moved. "Will you be alright? Talk to me Al is not here."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Ed shook his head, "I'm sorry to drag you into this, all I wanted to do was keep you safe. Al to, I'm so sorry." Ed was almost crying. "All I do is worry you and now I've gotten you shot at. You could have been hurt or killed it would have been my fault." Ed rambled pulling Winry into a hug./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""No, Ed its not all your fault," Winry spoke softly rubbing his back slightly surprised that Ed was acting so vulnerable. She had become so accustomed to his sarcasm this was unusual for him. "Al's coming back."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"When she spoke, Ed sat up slightly removing his head from her shoulder the silent tears disappearing from his eyes when he met hers. Whatever moment they had shared it was over. "Thank you." Ed looked over as Al joined them in the tree house and smiled, "that wasn't long did you run into trouble?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""No trouble, the river is closer then I thought." Al spoke watching Ed, "You gonna be okay?" He asked finding two cups and filling them with water handing them to the others."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""I'll survive," Ed remarked taking the water and taking a sip. The water was cool and tasted slightly of dust and dirt, but it was refreshing. He looked at his companions and wondered what to do next. "Did you see anyone?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""No."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""In that case I think we should be okay to rest here, I think there are some berries around we could eat but we'll need to find them." Ed stood up swaying slightly from the sudden jarring of his arm. "I can go look."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""No, you need to rest if something happens you are in no condition to fight, I will go and find you guys something to eat." Al interrupted leaving the tree house before Ed could argue./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Ed sat back down looking out the window taking a deep breath. "I know that he is just worried about me, but he isn't much better off then me, his body makes it hard to hide. I suppose he can handle himself with Alchemy."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""You worry so much Ed." Winry smiled, "Al will be okay, maybe you should get some sleep."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""I'm alright," Ed muttered though a shiver ran threw his body. "It's gonna be a cold night. You wear my cloak I will be alright." He tossed his red cloak eyeing it ruefully and put his black jacket on. "Sorry about the blood but it's warmer than this." He indicated to his flimsy jacket. "By the way how are you doing getting shot as is not something that happens every day?"/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""No, it's okay it is getting cold," Winry muttered span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spananswering his first question while thinking about his second she had been so worried about his wound that she had not even thought about her own nerves. She absently put on the warm cloak adding quietly, "I'm good, you were right Al's body was able to protect me, it was loud and my ears ringing but I am okay."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""That's good," Ed sighed closing his eyes and relaxing fulling for the first time since they left the house taking stock of his and Winry's conditions knowing Al would be able to move at a moments notice. He was okay or would be, but he needed a way to get supplies for the road a bag and food would be nice. With his affinity to getting hurt some more bandages and things for medical alchemy. Winry bless her was as strong as ever and normally had nerves of steel. Ed smile remembering the time she had to deliver the baby back in Rushvalley, and the moments that she hardly showed her fear up in the north./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""What are you smiling about Ed." Winry looked at her friend he was calmer then most of the time./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;""Just thinking about what to do, I know your tough, but I still want to get you to someplace safe, though I don't know if there is such a place anymore." Ed smiled noticing the sun was starting to set, looks like he was going to miss his train. He picked a late one in order to have the time to sleep on the train. Winry looked tired though she was trying her best not to show it. "Get some sleep, I'll keep a look out till Al gets back."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Winry yawned and laid her head absently on Eds right leg. "That sounds good, night Ed."/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"Ed smiled as Winry fell asleep and looked out to the setting sun. "Night Winry." No matter what he tried his own exhaustions from the running was setting in and he soon fell asleep./p