Joanne didn't wake up.

Or, at least, the first time she woke up, she didn't wake up.

Her eyes flickered open. She wasn't as exhausted as before, but her body was still heavy and her head felt as though it was stuffed with cotton. She sat up and tried to register where she was. She felt the plush cushions of a couch under her, and the glare of a light source blinded her for a moment.

I'm in…Colonel Mustang's office…?

She sat up slowly, wincing at the ringing in her ears. Yes, this was it, all right. But…why? What am I doing here?

It took her a moment to realize someone was sitting in the chair. They were turned away from her, but she could tell that whoever it was, they weren't Mustang.

Then the chair turned.

Joanne's heart skipped a beat. That face, she knew it well…

"A-Aria?" she gasped. No, but this was a woman, tall and beautiful, her wavy hair cascading around her shoulders, red and gold.

Like royalty fallen from the throne…

Yes, Joanne remembered this woman. She was the one she had seen that fateful day of the car accident, when she had grabbed Aria's tiny body from the wreckage, and abandoned the woman's.

"You're…you're Aria's…" she couldn't finish the sentence. She couldn't even meet the lady's eyes; would there be anger? Hate? Joanne had stolen her child and left her body…she had to be mad…

"Joanne."

The voice was so warm, so sweet, that Joanne instinctively looked up into her viridian eyes. They were as brilliant and sharp as Aria's, standing out against her eerily pale skin.

Against her white wings.

"W-whoa! Wait, where am I? How are you here? Am I dead?!" Again, Joanne had a very late reaction to her surroundings, and again, she thought she deserved some credit.

But…what had she been doing before this? She couldn't remember.

"No, Joanne, you're dreaming."

"D-Dreaming?" she asked warily, still staring up at those big eyes.

"Yes. I'm sure you've figured out by now, but I am Aria's mother."

Joanne felt a shiver go down her back. "I-I'm sorry," she got out before thinking. "I-I should've—gone for you too, I should've asked for help, not just—"

Aria's mother kneeled down and placed her finger on Joanne's lips. Her finger felt solid and soft at the same time, gentle and…what was that aura she was emanating? Joanne had never felt it before. It was like being wrapped in a warm blanket, but with something more.

"You have nothing to be sorry for. By the time you came, it was…already too late." her eyes softened. "I don't have much time. So I want to say what I came to say, before you go…"

Joanne blinked. Was she this close to death? That she could speak to this woman before she awoke…?

"Joanne Kaiser, I want to thank you. You raised and took care of my daughter excellently for someone so young. You shielded her and provided care even if you were broken. You saw to my daughter before you saw to yourself…and for that, I thank you for all of eternity."

"M-Miss…" Joanne choked out. No, she didn't deserve thanks—

"Miss Matrem."

"Matrem?" she echoed.

"Yes. That's my last name. Feel free to tell her."

"Aria Matrem Kaiser," Joanne said aloud.

"I like it," Miss Matrem said with a smile on her face. Then she stood up. "I have to go soon. So I want to do one last thing."

"Y-yeah?" Joanne asked warily.

"I'm so proud of you, and you deserved better," she said gently, then she hugged Joanne.

It was like fire and water combining forcefully into magma, crushing and explosive, but it immediately sweetened. Yes, there was that aura again. Joanne just barely recognized it…what was that feeling?

Blue eyes

Joanne's eyes widened as she remembered…

Tan skin, black hair

This feeling…it was…

Unconditional love.

Her eyelids slipped shut as she remembered, being held like this. Someone had loved her like this once…but they threw her away…right?

I'm too young to take care of her

What were these memories flowing into her head?

I can't feed myself and this little one, too

She recognized those words, too. Those were her thoughts when she found Aria.

I can't leave someone so tiny out in the streets

But no, they had a different voice to them. Someone else had said those words once…

What can someone like me do?

Could it be…?

I suppose I'll take her for now…

Her mother. Her mother had said those words.

But her mother couldn't do it. She couldn't take care of a child who had no pain receptors, who could destroy herself at any moment.

And then Joanne was aware of the hug again, which was sending colors swirling up her mind…soft pink, like her baby blanket, and blue of her nursery walls…

How can I remember all these things?

But it didn't matter, because someone loved her…cared for her…was watching out for her.

Before she could stop it, tears slipped out her eyes. They fell down her cheeks, plump and wet, and she started shaking. The arms around her squeezed harder, but somehow softer at the same time. She reached up and hugged back, letting out loud, ugly sobs, but it didn't matter, this woman cared for her….

It ended all too soon. She felt it fading, like an earthquake shuddering to a stop; she grasped for the warmth, but it was leaving.

"I'm sorry, I must go now," she vaguely heard.

No, Joanne thought in fear. No, she couldn't go back, not after experiencing that. This was an angel, and now she understood why the belief of Heaven was clung onto so faithfully. If it was filled with people like this, then…she could get used to it.

"Please tell Aria that I love her," she murmured. The light filtering in from the large window behind her suddenly brightened, forcing Joanne to squint. Miss Matrem turned into a silhouette, outlined against the liquid sunlight as she began to fade.

Joanne reached out one last time. What word should she say in goodbye? There was no time. She had to say something…

"I will," was all she could say. She detected a ray of happiness from the hovering shadow before it vanished.

"I mean—thank you! Thank you!" Joanne cried. Could she hear? Was it too late?

"Th-thank you…thank you…"

"Nerve, you've been mumbling in your sleep for the past few minutes. Are you awake yet?"

Her eyes slowly slid open. She could immediately tell that she was in the real world now; everything was sharper, more focused. And what was that feeling in her neck? It…hurt?

"C-Colonel?" she croaked sleepily. Had it all been a dream? No, that wasn't just a regular dream. It was stuck in her head, every detail clear, like a real memory.

"Finally, you're awake. Before you ask, you're in my house. You weren't in any shape to go back to your apartment."

"Aria!" Joanne gasped before he'd even finished. "Where is she?"

"Aria's sleeping in another room."

Joanne sighed in relief and slid down to go back to sleep. Yes, she could feel it—aches in her joints. What on earth had happened?

"Hey, this isn't like the other times. You can't just confirm your sister's okay then fall asleep every time you wake up. There's stuff that needs to get done."

Stuff that needs to get done, huh?

"Yeah," Joanne murmured, forcing herself up again, frozen by the feeling of pain in her body. "We have a lot to do."

That's the end!

I know, it really doesn't seem like an ending, but this story was never supposed to go any farther than this. This story wasn't a slice of life, rather a story zoomed in on one moment in Joanne's life. I hope you guys enjoyed it! Thanks for all the reviews, favorites, and follows!