Fullmetal Heart

Chapter 7

Alison was greeted by a bright light. A doctor was above her shining a flashlight in her eyes and moving it back and forth.

"Alison? Can you hear me?"

She could hear him faintly, but her eyes and ears were still adjusting.

She could make out his facial features: A mustache, white lab coat, and the light that Was still shining in her eyes.

She squinted an groaned. Her head pounded and she felt like hell.

"Welcome back." He said with a smile.

"H-how long have I been out..."

"Oh, a few days. But that boy stayed by your side the entire time. Heh, barely even moved an inch-"

"Wait.... A boy?"

"Yeah. Short, blonde hair, went by the name of Edward if I believe."

Just then, the same alchemist made his way into the room.

"Hey, doc. I just came to say goodby-.... Oh."

She had been out for 3 days, Ed wasn't expecting her to be awake this quickly..

"I'll uh, leave you two alone." The doctor said.

Before Ed could protest her was gone..

Alison looked down at the blanket, and she had just now realized that Eds coat was around her.

"So... How ya feelin?"

Ed wanted to make this as not awkward as possible, but he didn't exactly have the words to say anything...

"Uhm.. Fine, I guess... I'm guessing you want your coat back."

"No, its fine. Keep it, you can give it back later."

She noticed his arm was still broken, and the sleeve of his black shirt was limp.

"How did you get the arm?"

As much as Ed hated to tell her this, she deserved to know...

"Human transmutation..."

"You transmu-"

"Failed transmutation I should say."

"Why?"

"Our mother died when we were kids.... I thought that maybe we could beat death.... I had no idea what I could've been thinking... Al lost his body, I lost my arm and leg...."

He pulled up his pant leg and revealed a shiny, automail leg.

"Why didn't you tell me...?"

"I don't want to be known as the idiot who thought he could play god..."

".... I don't think of you any different..."

Ed was relieved that she accepted what had happened. As much as he hated to admit it, she was starting to grow on him...

"I think we should start fresh.... We didn't exactly get off on a good note..." Alison said.

This surprised Ed, but he couldn't turn it down. She held out her hand and they shook on it.

"Fullmetal, sir?"

A man in an amestrian military uniform stood in the doorway.

"Your brother told me to inform you that your train is leaving soon."

"Oh... Yeah thanks..."

The man walked back into the hallway and disappeared.

"Where you off to?"

"Resembool. I need to visit my mechanic."

"Well, considering what you did to it, I'd think that they'd be pretty pissed at you."

"Heh, hopefully she doesn't kill me this time."

"Well... Good luck, I guess I'll see you when you get back."

"Yeah, don't do anything reckless."

"I should be saying the same thing to you."

Ed chuckled and waved goodbye. She wasn't so bad after all, she was actually quite nice...

.............................

Later that day, Maes decided to pay his daughter a visit.

"ALISON ROSE HUGHES YOU'D BETTER NOT DO ANYTHING RECKLESS AGAIN!"

"Easy dad, my head still hurts..."

"Sorry. But I'm also not sorry! You could've been killed! Or worse!"

"What could be worse than being dead..."

"Multiple things, Alison!"

"Look, I didn't die. I'm not even terribly injured. Its just a small wound, it'll heal."

"But what happens next time? What happens when you're alone in a situation like that? I would never be able to forgive myself if you got hurt..."

"And that's why I've been sent to work with Ed and Al. I need field training and tagging along with them is more than enough."

"I don't know... Maybe this whole thin isn't the best idea..."

"You've gotta be kidding me... I've worked years for this, I want this more than anything. I can't just throw it away because it's dangerous!"

"I know.. I know... But if anything horrible ever happened to you... I wouldn't be able to forgive myself..."

Maes loved his daughters more than anything in this world. He wanted the bet for them... But he knew that Alison wouldn't change her mind.

"....dad... Nothing is going to happen to me. I'm gonna be here for a while. I'll be there to visit you and mom in the nursing home." She teased.

She took her fathers hand, "I promise..."

...........................

Ed and Alphonse boarded the train set for Resembool. Alphonse was kept in a box in the cargo room, considering that he was in pieces...

So ed sat alone in the crowded train. He let his mind take him and envelop him.. And the only thing he could think about was her...

He had watched over her for days. Not wanting to leave her side.. He felt that he owed it to her considering it was his fault that she was injured.

The way she laid there... Almost lifeless... The look she gave him when scar was about to kill him... The fear in her eyes, in her voice....

He remembered what he felt like when he did human transmutation. Everything seemed to go in slow motion and never end...

He could still feel the pain of loosing his limbs, the fear of loosing Al.... How he was stuck in a state of nothingness afterwards...

Ed felt the stub that was now his broken automail. He moved down to the hard metal of his leg.. He regretted it all, he wanted all of it to be a bad dream. To wake up tomorrow and be with his brother and mother... Even his father...

As much as he hated his father.. He wanted one so badly..

He could feel his stomach flipping with anger and anxiety.. All of those memories he has tries to push back always end up breaking out again..

A tough as he acted and looked, he was still just a scared kid... He was always scared when a fight broke out, even a minor one. He never knew if this would be the time he died, or if Alphonse would die...

They had both cheated death so many times.. And yet somehow he was still scared of dying...

Ed leaned his head against the window. He let his bangs fall in front of his face and block his vision.

He closed his eyes, and fell into a deep sleep...