Free Falling

Chapter 21: Broken Gears

Hughes was happy I was alright. Al was too. I had to explain to Al why Ed had... attacked me. He took it really well. 

Then he hit Ed with his metal fist. Oops... forgot to tell him I forgave Ed for attacking me. Oh well. He's had worse. Especially from Winry. 

Speaking of Winry, Ed broke his automail in a fight with Envy I think. So they had to go to Rush Valley again to get it fixed by Winry. They haven't left yet. I said I wanted to go with them. I wanted to see Winry and my talking dog Jay.

At least this time, Ed's automail wasn't completely destroyed like with Scar. I wonder where he was... 

Doesn't matter. As long as he doesn't try to kill the Brothers, he'll live a little longer. And then we meet Ling in Rush Valley. And Lan Fan. And Fu. That was his name right? Yes. His name was Fu. If we're mostly following the Brotherhood version, we'll meet Ling dying of hunger. 

He eats more then Ed. I swear, if he tries to flirt with me I was gonna punch his face. Then do the same to his body guards. They'll be pissed when they mess me.

Elicia asked me why I had left too. She asked me if it was her fault. I told her no, it was my own decision because Ed scared me. She then talked- no. She yelled at Ed about scaring me and if he did, she'd get Mustang to burn him with his flames.

I loved the kid. She was amazing. And I would totally help hide the bodies. I'm kidding. I wouldn't let her get Mustang to burn him. He has to live to get Al's body back for him. 

He needed to stay alive. And... I kinda wanted him to stay alive too. I've opened up a lot since being here. That was a not necessarily the best thing. I was starting to get soft. 

Ew...

I do not want to become one of those fangirls who are all like "oh my gosh, it's Edward Elric! He's so adorable! I love him with all my heart!" While jumping up and down and hugging a picture of him to my chest.

I would jump off a roof before considering going there. I bet Ed would totally agree with me there. I sighed. We were heading to the freaking train station. Man, these guys do so much more traveling then I thought!

"Anna, are you alright?" Al asked. Holy mother of shit! He scared me! I looked up at him.

"Fine. Why?" I answered. Al nodded and kept walking toward the station. Ed was like a freaking zombie. His eyes were half closed, mouth hung open a little, arms dangling in front of him and he was dragging his feet. He really did hate mornings.

I always praised them due to the fact I got away from the 

Now I couldn't get them to call me Nicole. They wanted Anna. And just so Ed could piss me off, he called me Brianna. Rotten asshole. 

Wait. I just got why they call me Anna. Because they wanted me to try and forget my old life. My name was part of my old life. That, or they think I look more like an Anna.

They're so sweet. Gross. Where the hell did that come from? Ed had bought our tickets and we hopped onto the train. I still hadn't finished that alchemy book Mustang had given me. I named it Schoolwork because it was heavy like my schoolwork was. 

I'm totally kidding. I didn't name it. That would be weird. Who would name a stupid book? Anyways, I was reading my book and Ed had fallen asleep. Figures right? 

"Anna?" Al asked. I looked up at him.

"Yeah?" 

"Do you miss your home?" I visibly tensed. I shook my head.

"Not a bit. There, I was an outcast. My home wasn't a home. It was prison I always returned to. School was the courtyard of the prison. But here, here I'm free. And I guess, I have friends." I explained. "Why do you ask? Do you miss your home?" He nodded.

"Sometimes yeah. I miss mom the most. We just wanted to see her smile again."

"At least you had a mom that smiled. Mine never did. I don't even consider her a mother. And my father isn't my father. They're both people who didn't want to have me." I explained with a shrug. "I wasn't even supposed to be born."

"But you were born. And you've been given a second chance at your life here." I smiled. 

"When you get your body back, remind me to hug you so you can feel it." I told him. He giggled and pulled out a pen and paper. His list.

"I'll put it at the top." 

"I forgot you have a list. Do you have 'kiss a girl' on it?" I asked. He gasped and shook his hands wildly with the pen in one hand and the notepad in the other.

"No! What makes you say that!?" He asked nervously.

"You do! That's so sweet!" I said overly excited. Ugh. This place was changing me too much. Gross. Al started getting defensive about it so I dropped it.

I went back to reading my book with my back against the window. Still like, eight hours until we get to Rush Valley. Soon, my eyes drooped closed and I feel asleep. 

**Ed's POV**

Ed had woken up about an hour before the three got to Rush Valley.

"Hey Al, what time is it?" He asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"It's three thirty Brother." Al said with chuckle. 

"Hey Anna-" Ed started and looked over at her,but stopped when he saw she was asleep. "How long has she been asleep?" Ed asked Al quietly.

"About three hours. Why do you ask Brother?"

"She looks so peaceful in her sleep. Like she doesn't have a care in the world." Ed smiled at the girl. Her head was leaning against the back of the seat and her legs were bent with her feet on the bottom of the seat.

Her face was drained of any fear or pain she would have had if she were awake. Her mouth hung slightly ajar as she breathed even breaths. Her hood was no longer on her head and her hair hung loosely around her head; framing her face.

"She does, doesn't she Brother?" Al asked looking at Anna too. "What's that?" Al asked pointing to the side of her neck. A faint pink line, kissed her skin permanently. Her hair hid most of it, but Ed saw what his little brother was talking about.

Ed gently moved her hair out of the way to reveal more of the pink skin.

"It's a scar." Ed said quietly. Anna shifted in her sleep, sartling the two and making them jump and move back. 

**Anna's POV**

A dreamless sleep. That was heavenly. I've never had a dreamless sleep. I woke up to the clicking of the wheels on the railway. And Ed and Al talking.

"What's that?" Al asked. I felt my hair being moved. Oh no. Oh no no no no no! The one scar that traveled up my neck! I always hid it with my hair! How they never seen it before, I have no idea.

"It's a scar." Ed said quietly. Shoot! To prevent them from looking at it any longer, I shifted in my 'sleep'. I heard the boys scrabble away from me.

"That was close Brother." Al whispered.

"I always think she's gonna wake up and punch me." Ed whispered back. I almost smiled. I probably would.

"We should wake her up now Brother." Al said. I nearly laughed. Were they really that afraid of me?

"Yeah but," Ed paused for a second. "Who's gonna wake her up?" 

A few minutes later, I heard Ed's soft voice.

"Anna?" He asked shaking my arm slightly.  "Anna, it's time to wake up." 

"Five more minutes." I mumbled and turned over. Ed sighed.

"Anna, wake up. We're almost in Rush Valley." I 'woke up' with a sigh and peaked my eyes open.

"Hey shortstack." I said sitting up. Ed fumed making me smile. "We're almost in Rush Valley huh?" I asked pulling my hood back over my head. 

"Yeah. Another twenty minutes or so." Al said holding Ed as he fumed some more.

I smiled. Time to see Winry and Jay.