To Be A Child

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Legendarily Quiet does not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

"Would you like one sugar with your tea, or two?"

"Two please."

Anna dropped some air into Al's pink plastic cup and stirred the emptiness inside it with a small spoon. She handed it to Alphonse with both hands.

"Thank you very much." Alphonse took the cup delicately and pretended to sip from it. "This tea is delicious!" He placed the cup back on its saucer and placed both of his hands on his lap.

Anna turned to her pink rabbit. "How many sugars would you like, Mr. Rabbit?" She waited for the soundless answer, and then went about fixing a cup for him as well.

Alphonse did his best to hold in a sigh. It wasn't that he didn't like the girl, not at all. She was as much of a darling as Elicia was. Anna was a fine little angel.

It was her mother that had Al in a twist.

She had introduced herself as Cassandra Bell, and Al had to say that he didn't know what to make of her. She had said that she didn't mean any harm, but how could anyone kidnap and drug a minor with no ill intentions?

And how could anyone have made such a large error as she did?

"It's been pleasant having tea with you, Miss Anna and Mr. Rabbit, but I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself now."

Anna gave a wave of her hand and took a sip from her cup. "We must do this again, Mr. Alphonse."

"Of course."

Alphonse stood up and gave a short bow. He left the room and wandered down the hall. He came to a door that was slightly ajar and peeked in.

"Hello Ms. Bell. Have you made any progress?"

Alphonse stepped into the room as the redhead looked up from her microscope and swivelled around in her chair to face him. She wore a white apron over her outfit and had her short hair in a ponytail.

"A little bit, Alphonse. I'm really sorry about all of this, but I promise that everything will be fine in the end."

Al wanted to believe her, he really did, but she had taken things too far to earn his trust. What gave her the right to think she could mess with his brother's life like this? Anger bubbled deep inside him, but all it really covered was his despair.

"I wish you had just left us alone," Al said softly. He couldn't help himself, even though he generally didn't like to blame anyone for anything, Ms. Bell was clearly at fault here. Even she didn't know what was going to happen to his brother!

During their talk yesterday, the woman had kept saying not to worry, and he had asked her why. Ms. Bell had said that she had only given his brother a small dose, and that the effects would be starting to wear off already.

With a sinking feeling, Al had told her that the report from the doctor said that the effects were long-lasting, and maybe even permanent. Apparently that had not been part of her plan, and now Ms. Bell was trying to create a counter to the drug she injected in Edward. The woman hadn't said what would happen to Edward if they didn't do anything, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that Ed was now in very real danger.

Ms. Bell looked at Alphonse with something like regret in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said. With a final comforting look, Ms. Bell turned around and went back to peering through her microscope.

Alphonse turned around and left the room without another word. He couldn't go to the military with the new information he had, for they would surely arrest Ms. Bell and then she wouldn't be able to work on a cure for Edward.