To Be A Child

Chapter 2

Edward didn't even need to open his eyes to know he was in a hospital yet again. He felt the metal railing of the hospital bed against his left hand, and the scent that only hospitals had was all around him. The annoying beeping of machines could be heard as well, tracking his heart rate and blood pressure and broadcasting it for everyone to see.

The strange thing though, was that Edward wasn't in any pain. Normally his injuries always reminded him of their presence the moment he woke up, unless he was drugged. But his thoughts were clear and he felt perfectly fine. For whatever reason Al had brought him to the hospital for, it was perfectly false. Ed would have to tell him off later.

Ed cracked open his eyelids, blinking quickly in the bright light. Yup, he was definitely in the hospital. He could recognize those white walls, white floors, and white sheets anywhere. He wondered for the millionth time why they wouldn't at least just paint the walls red.

Red was such a badass colour, always helping him to get fired up and giving him the energy he needed to execute his amazing ass-kicking techniques. Red was perfectly suitable for a hospital; patients needed that extra boost in order to beat down their illnesses or injuries faster! He asked the doctors about it every time, but they never listened. Maybe they just didn't like the fact that red went so well with the colour of blood.

Edward glanced around the room; he was all alone. Where was Al? The person who brought him to the hospital for no reason should at least have the decency to stick around. Oh well, he had had a good nap, at least.

Edward sat up and swung his legs off the bed. He found that he was dressed in unfashionable hospital attire. He would have to find his clothes before he got out of here. Ed stuck his feet into some conveniently placed hospital slippers and started to shuffle towards the door.

He had to stop though when he realized he that was still attached to the beeping machines. Ed ripped the wires off him without a second thought. Almost immediately after he did that a nurse walked in. Whoa, did they have some kind of psychic power? Ed recalled that they always got mad at him when he tried to leave early.

The nurse gave a small start of surprise when she saw Edward standing up, the wires still clutched in his hand. "Oh! Mr. Elric, you're awake!"

Edward grinned back at her. "Yup, and I'm feeling as fit as a fiddle! May I have my clothes back?" Maybe if he smiled a lot and acted really polite they would let him leave right away this time.

His hope was short lived.

"Not so fast sir!" the nurse said playfully. "We have to do a few check-ups and then your guardian will come to sign you out."

Edward simply sighed and trudged back to his hospital bed. So much for getting out early. At least Al would probably come see him soon. And Mustang would drop by to sign him out as well. He was looking forward to seeing his superior again.

Wait a second, did he just say he was looking forward to seeing Mustang?!

Edward paled with disgust and sat shock still on his bed. Maybe he did need to have an examination after all.

"I have some interesting news for you, Colonel," the doctor said to Roy.

Roy gulped. He had been in the hospital with Hawkeye and Alphonse all night. He had ordered Havoc to go home and get some rest. He had ordered Hawkeye to go home as well, but she refused to leave his side. Between sitting in Fullmetal's room, staring at the boy and wishing he'd wake up, and pacing the waiting room, he was exhausted. He himself had only gone home once to freshen up and get something to eat, at Hawkeye's insistence.