Welcome to the sequel of "I'll Catch a Break Someday"! Thank you to everyone who had read and commented on the previous story. I hope this one loves up to your expectations!

To those coming across this story without having read the 1st one, my suggestion is to go back and enjoy it or else this one will probably not make much sense... :P

Enjoy!

P.S. As usual, unless stated otherwise, the chapters will be from Ed's POV.

Cool.

Laying… Something cool.

But… I didn't want to move.

My body was in pain. Why was it in pain?

What had happened?

Think. Think. Think.

Steve. I remembered Steve. His shield. Red. White. Blue.

Blue sparks.

Wait. It came back to me all too suddenly.

Hydra. Airplane. Red Skull. Cube. Steve. GATE!

My eyes snapped open, blinding light hitting me all too suddenly and I quickly squeezed them shut again, groaning painfully. Too much light… Way too much.

Breathing deeply, I went over the events once more.

The Gate. The Gate took me away, leaving Steve to crash the airplane into the water…

But then… It must have spit me out somewhere else.

Well, not necessarily. I could be back in the in-between, that white, endless space.

I truly hoped not…

Well, one way to find out.

I took another deep breath before slowly prying my eyes open, almost praying that I saw something else than just a white expanse. Anything but that. Any – anything…

Were those cars? So… So many cars and that was just in my direct line of sight.

Where was I?

I lifted my head, easily spotting several more cars all lined up near a wall. The rest of the area though… What...? What the fuck were all those things? They looked like some type of equipment for... something. But everything seemed so much more sophisticated than anything I had ever seen.

Even more sophisticated than what Howard could come up with.

Where did that damn Gate drop me this time?

Gathering my strength, I shakily pushed myself up with only my left arm, biting back a groan at the pain that flared up across my back.

I had forgotten about the abuse it had taken during the fight.

I only just managed to slide my knees under me and I flopped back, trying to find a position that didn't inflict more pain than necessary as I... I...

My eyes widened at what lay in front of me.

Yeah, this place was definitely more sophisticated than anything I had ever seen.

This - this wasn't Hydra, was it?

"Sir, the scan is complete."

I jumped at the sound of that voice, regretting the action almost instantly as pain flared through my body and limbs. Sudden movements were NOT a good idea...

"Don't tell me I'm right. Just once, don't."

Where...? That second voice sounded much more human and it came from a specific point, not like the other one that seemed to originate from... everywhere at the same time.

There. A man was standing on the other side of one of the many tables, leaning heavily against it as he just... stared at me. Studying him, I had this nagging feeling that I may know him but, at the same time, I didn't remember ever meeting him.

I would have remembered that beard that was for sure.

"I'm sorry, Sir, but your assumption was exact," replied that echoing voice. It almost sounded metallic. Where was the other person?

The man breathed deeply, still staring at me before he shook his head, pushing away from the table. "No, impossible. This is just a look a like. He can't be here. He can't be alive."

"Sir, this is the Edward Elric of the Howling Commandos, from 1945."

I blinked, surprised by that response. Not many people knew my name even though I was a part of the Howling Commandos on top of being friends with Steve. I had done it on purpose and had tried to keep it that way so not to involve Edward and Alphonse in the whole mess that was Hydra and the S.S.R. Had the S.S.R. published my name somewhere? Why would they?

So, how did this person know about me?

And how...? What – what the hell was that that just appeared?!

Where the hell did the Gate drop me?

Some type of semi-transparent, bluish screen popped up near the man and it quickly filled with pictures of the missions Steve and the rest of us had been on.

Weren't those CLASSIFIED?!

And how are those pictures even being shown?!

The man eyed the images and then me, breathing deeply as he kept going back and forth several times before pinching the bridge of his nose, squeezing his eyes shut.

"This is a bad dream. I haven't slept in a while. That must be it," he mumbled, turning heel and heading... somewhere.

I blinked, confused. This man seemed to recognize who I was and, for some unknown reason, he didn't look happy about my being here... Wait…

"Where – where am I?" Damn... My voice was weak and it cracked at that question. It felt like I hadn't spoken in such a long time...

I had spoken to Steve before – before the Gate took me away from him.

The man shook his head, walking further across the area – the workshop maybe? His workshop? Lab? I could still somewhat make him out amongst all the tables and equipment and pieces on top of them. What was all this used for?

It didn't matter though. I had other priorities!

"Hey!" Still weak but I cleared my throat trying to find the strength to keep voicing all my hundreds of questions. "Hey, wait, where am I? Who are you? How did I even get here?"

My voice gave out at that last question and I coughed out, doubling over. The pain that had previously subsided came back with a vengeance, spreading once more through my body. Not good... Could things get any worse? It was a mixture of coughing and groaning that came out of me, worsening my condition.

It took a moment but I finally managed to sit back on my legs, breathing slowly, hoping to not start another coughing fit. By then, the man was across the room, leaning against a counter, a glass of... alcohol, strong alcohol, in his hand.

I cleared my throat but decided not to try just yet to talk. Instead, I raised an eyebrow, tilting my head to the side, waiting for an answer to at least one of the many questions I had managed to ask.

"Don't give me that look," said the man, massaging his head once more. "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that the Edward Elric who had last been seen in 1945 got dropped in my basement in 2009."

He took a large gulp of his drink after saying that but I... I was more concerned by... those last words...Were they – were they true?

2009. Was the year really 2009? Did that fucking Gate really keep me... wherever it kept me for - for 64 years?

64 years?

"You can't be serious," grumbled the man and I blinked, focusing on him once more. "That expression you're wearing. You can't actually be the same person!" He almost yelled that out, pointing to the pictures with a wave of his hand.

But… I was still processing… "It's really 2009?" I repeated softly.

Because, if it really was 2009, then that meant that everyone I knew back in 1945 was most likely… Possibly…

Did I just lose them too? On top of Steve? On top of Bucky?

Had that been the price? Was that what that fucking Gate took away from me in order to dump me here? Wherever here was?

The man breathed deeply, catching my attention and it looked as if he was trying to quell his temper. "Yes, it's 2009," he snapped. "You've been missing for over 60 years and somehow, I'm the one that gets stuck with you! YOU!"

I frowned slightly. It wasn't the first time that he had a problem that it was me specifically. Did he know me? Why was he mad? We never met considering he looked in his forties and I've been transported over 60 years in the future…

"I'm getting the feeling you don't like me," I mumbled, already attempting to push myself up. If he truly didn't like me, he could attack and, currently, I was in no position to defend myself, let alone fight back.

"Great deduction," he mumbled, rolling his eyes. "I thought you were some sort of prodigy."

Right, the impression of him not liking me was growing. Better get to my feet quickly, just in case. I somewhat pushed myself up, reaching out to the nearest table to help myself the rest of the way because my body truly didn't seem in the mood to make these movements.

I guess whatever adrenaline I had during the battle wore off A WHILE ago…

"Look, there must be a reason I ended up here," I began, finally standing somewhat straight. The back was complaining but I tried not to show that on my face. "Wherever here is…"

The man just took another gulp of his drink, turning around and pouring himself some more in his glass. Great, this is going to be more complicated than with…

Wait. "Were you here when I arrived?" I asked suddenly, remembering what Dr. Erskine had written to me back then, how the Gate had talked to him, showed him who I was. What the Gate had shown him had gotten the doctor to trust me. If the Gate had done something similar with this man, maybe I can get through to him.

"With the light show and creepy doors? Yeah, still trying to wrap my head around that too. I have enough on my plate without adding you to the equation."

Ok, he saw the Gate! "Did It show you anything? Say anything?"

The man stared at me and I couldn't read his expression. He had a good poker face, I had to admit, almost as good as –

"No. Just dumped you and disappeared."

Fuck…

I leaned heavily against the table, groaning in frustration. "Can you at least tell me where I am?"

The man stared at me for a moment before answering, "Pretty far from where you were last seen."

I rolled my eyes at that ridiculously vague answer. "You're being a real asshole, you know that?"

"No one's forcing you to stay, short stuff."

I froze, eyes wide. He did NOT just call me that! "Hey! Listen you jackass! You – !"

"What is going on here?"

A red-headed woman had walked in from a glass stairwell and made her way between the two of us, looking overly confused and cautious. "Who are you and how did you get here?" she asked, focusing her attention on me.

"Well I don't even know where here is because of him!" I growled out, my patience wearing thin. Especially considering that bastard was being difficult for no fucking reason!

The woman blinked, glancing behind her at the man who just shrugged. "He dropped from the ceiling if you'd believe that," he answered, motioning up with his glass.

"He…? He what?" she sputtered, looking even more confused as she stole a glance at the very intact ceiling.

"A Gate dropped me here," I added, swinging my arm around and regretting it almost instantly. Right, no sudden movements… "Wherever here is. Mind answering that question?"

"Here?" repeated the woman, glancing around the room, perhaps trying to process what was going on. Then her gaze landed on the screen with my pictures still up. The ones that showed me standing next to Steve and the rest of the Howling Commandos. The ones taken in 1945.

She slowly made her way towards the screen, frowning slightly. She looked from the screen, back to me, several times before she slowly uttered, "Are you…?"

I clenched my left fist tightly. "Where. Am. I?" I barely managed to articulate.

"Malibu, California," she answered.

California. The Gate not only dropped me over 60 years in the future, but also across the damn continent! I leaned against the table, massaging my face, processing everything that had happened.

Now what am I supposed to do?

"So, he…? You…?" The woman was attempting to formulate some type of sentence, some type of question. Why wasn't she around when the Gate had dropped me? At least she didn't look like she hated me…

She took a deep breath, raising her hands. "Alright, let's back up. What do the two of you mean by a 'gate' dropping him here?"

She turned towards the man, raising an eyebrow at that question. He waved his hand and another screen just… materialized on top of another table. How did he keep doing that? How does that even make ANY sense?! He fiddled with whatever was on that screen until it showed a filmed version of the room we were in.

The woman walked over as the screen showed the sparks, the Gate appearing and how it just left me on the ground. The man then waved his away and the screen just disappeared.

"So… You weren't making that up," she mumbled, breathing deeply. "But," she turned towards me, studying me carefully, "are you alright? You look like you'll keel over any time soon. And your arm was… is it broken?"

"'m fine," I lied.

She didn't look convinced as she shook her head. "You're heading to a hospital," she stated with finality.

"No!"

"No way!"

The man and I glanced at each other and I was partially surprised by his outburst: I had not been expecting him be so vocally against the whole idea. However, that could just be because he didn't care or just wanted me out of –

"If the press gets even an inkling about him and where he came from, they'll have a field day!" said the man, shaking his head, looking all too adamant.

The press? It felt as if there was something I was missing…

"And I'm not going to any hospital," I added, just to make the situation clear.

The woman looked exasperated as she glanced between the two of us. "Then what do you suggest we do?"

"Let him leave," said the man with a shrug.

I blinked at that response, repeating it in my head and… "Let him…?"

I growled out, glaring at the man.

You know what? Fuck this shit.

Stairs. That should lead outside.

I turned heel, using one of the many tables in this area to support myself as I hobbled towards the stairs. There was glass surrounding said stairs but I guessed one of the panels was a door. If not, I still had a functioning automail leg that could probably break through.

"Wait! Where are you going?" called the woman but she didn't seem to make a move to stop me.

"Away," I growled out. "Somewhere else. Anywhere else. I can understand when I'm not welcome somewhere."

"Amazing that you figured that out all by yourself. Good riddance," mumbled the man.

"But he's in no condition to go anywhere!" sighed the woman, finally making her way towards me but I had reached the glass by then and tugged at the almost imperceptible handle. "If you're leaving, you're going to a hospital!" That part must have been directed at me but I ignored it.

It took a few tries but the door finally opened. Good, I was just about to kick it… I yanked at the handle and continued my way to the stairs. This may not be the best idea with the condition my body was in but I needed to get out. I took a deep breath as I climb the first step. My body was not appreciating this…

Another step. Just one step at a time and then I would be out of here and –

I crashed down hard, probably not having lifted my foot high enough apparently...

Groaning deeply, I… Just breathe. Come on.

"What hit the stairs?"

Fucking… "My body, jackass," I mumbled angrily, not appreciating that the man now decided to care about what happened.

"I know that," he replied, his voice closer. He must have entered the stairwell. "But something metal hit the metal stairs. What was it?"

Stupid, fucking, asshole of a GATE! "You're imagining things." I tried to push myself up with my left arm as it shook immensely. Yeah, adrenaline is completely gone…

I finally managed to push myself enough to at least sit on the stairs, turning my head and spotting the man at the base. He was studying me, his gaze scanning over my body until… until it stopped on my broken automail.

"Is your arm a prosthetic?" he asked, motioning towards it with a tilt of his head.

"None of your damn business," I snapped, frowning deeply.

He looked ready to retort but stopped short, rolling his eyes instead. "He never mentioned that," he mumbled all too softly, turning heel.

"Who never mentioned what?" I said, not caring that I may not have been able to hear those words.

The man stopped, glancing back in confusion for half a second before he nodded towards me, "You answer my question first."

"Fuck you," I replied instead, shakily standing, using the railing all too much for support. "I'm not getting any more answers here so I'm going to find someone who can actually help."

The woman squeezed her way into the stairwell, placing herself between the two of us, her hands up. "Alright, both of you, you're acting like children," she chided before glancing at me in particular. "And what I said goes, you leave and you'll be heading to a hospital. You're in no condition to go anywhere else."

"I'll take my chances," I grumbled.

I heard her sigh as I continued to climb the stairs and it was getting more difficult with every step I took... Why the fuck was there so many…? I faintly heard the sound of heels following me but I resisted the urge to turn around and curse the woman out. She just wanted to get me to a hospital. She wasn't the one who wanted to kick me out of this… this…

Who the fuck designed this house? It was like nothing I had ever seen! Was everything in the future this – this… bland? And where was the damn exit? All those thoughts ran through my mind as I rested heavily on the banister at the top landing, trying to catch my breath.

"Are you really Edward Elric?" asked the woman softly, stopping next to me.

I looked up at her, noticing how she was studying me carefully. She was guarded but still curious apparently.

"Doesn't matter," I replied instead, choosing a random direction, hoping that it would lead me to the front door. Or heck, even the back door would work. "I don't belong here and I don't want to stay here."

She sighed once more, continuing to follow me in my slow progression through the nearly empty room. "Listen, you can stay the night, to at least sleep. You look dead on your feet."

I glanced back at her, my eyebrows raised in surprise. "You live here?"

She looked taken aback by the question. "No, I do not."

"Then you can't offer for me to stay here. That jackass downstairs, the one who probably owns this horrid house, doesn't want me here."

She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, looking like she was trying to keep her cool. "Listen, we may have started on the wrong foot, my name is Virginia Potts. Others call me Pepper though."

My shoulders sagged as I massaged my face. Pepper. Why did her name have to resemble Peggy's so much? That Gate has a sick sense of humour… I shook my head, not wanting to dwell on whoever I knew back in 1945. Not now anyway, it wouldn't do me any good…

"Fine," I finally huffed, lowering my hand from my face. "Fine! Ed Elric. Just Ed is fine."

"So, you truly are from…" She motioned towards the stairs leading downstairs, probably at the screens that jackass had pulled up with my information on it.

"I didn't ask to be here," I whispered.

"No, but you are. So, we need to figure out what we need to do next. Which is probably you getting some much-needed sleep."

I stared at her for a moment, thinking it over. I didn't know her. I knew the man downstairs even less. Why would I trust either of them? Staying in this unknown house with these people? How…?

I bit back a groan. The Gate. That fucking Gate dropped me here for a reason. It had dropped me in Dr. Erskine's basement all those years ago and now, It dropped me with these people…

I needed to figure out why I was here. What made this place so special?

Was it because of my automail? It was broken and useless but… All those tools and parts downstairs. Could that man possibly fix my arm?

Great. Just great. It just had to be the person that hates me for some unknown reason.

"Fine," I huffed. "It's better than being dragged to a damn hospital."

As usual, let me know what you thought! Love you all!

P.S. If some of you are mad at Tony's reactions, please be patient, there is a good reason, I promise! Also, if you're curious as to when this story takes place, I shall try to make it clear soon! No worries!