Inchoate

Ed gasped as he crawled towards Al's listless body. "Al!" he half shouted half coughed. Al didn't respond. "Al!" he shouted again, this time stifling a sob. Ed franticly started drawing a circle on the floor. He stilled his frantic mind and then slammed his hands on to the symbol. A pure note cut through the air, followed by a flash of light. The dust settled and Al groaned.

"Wh…what happened?" Al asked moving toward Ed, who was slumped against a piece of grate.

Ed looked up, a smile ferreting across his features. "I guess I got carried away again, huh?" he said looking up at where the ceiling used to be. Now it was a gaping hole framing a bright blue sky. Al also looked up.

"Aah! Brother you're bleeding!" Al said suddenly moving closer to examine his bleeding shoulder and leg. "Heh, I guess I am." Ed said smiling slightly. "We've got to get your back to Central." Al said, starting to pick him up. "What?!" Ed yelped trying to squirm away. "I'm not going to give Mustang the pleasure of seeing me crawl back to Central asking for help!" he screeched trying to pull away from Al who now was firmly holding on to his good arm.

"Big Brother, stop squirming! I might pull your arm off." Al pleaded.

Ed hated when his brother sounded like that, sad and whiney. Ed frowned and succumbed to Al's pleas to let Al carry him half way to Central. "I can't believe that I'm letting you do this." Ed pouted. Al just laughed. 'Don't worry Ed; I'll put you down before anyone important sees you!" Al said before breaking into a run. "Allll!!" Edward screamed as they ran down the street that ran in front of Central.

"Al if you don't put me down I'm gonna turn you into a kettle!!" Ed threatened. Al gingerly dropped him on the front steps of Central.

Ed righted himself with his good arm then growled, "Al I told you, I'm not going to give Mustang the pleasure of seeing me…" "Crawl back to Central to ask me for help?" Mustang finished. "Grah!" Ed yelled throwing his good hand up in the air then plopping wearily on the steps. Roy chuckled then sat on the steps near Ed.

"So, you need my help?" Roy asked.

"Geez, didn't you just hear what I said?!" Ed shouted jumping up. "I don't need the Military Dogs' help, especially not yours!" Ed said venomously and stalked off down the steps. All of the sudden Ed collapsed.

"Ed!" Al yelped, running down the steps. "Fullmetal!" Roy shouted. "Big Brother? Big Brother, what's wrong?" Al pleaded shaking Ed's arm. Roy took a look at Ed then ran up the steps to the large doors of Central and shoved them open. The doors slammed open, causing a hush to fall over the hall.

"Hawkeye, get a stretcher! Lt. Colonel Hughes permission to use treatment on Edward Elric." Roy said then quickly saluted. He then turned his attention back to making sure Hawkeye and Havoc were getting the stretcher.

"What?! Edward's back already?" Hughes said, peering over Roy's shoulder. "Well sir, under excruciating circumstances." Roy said.