Yay, chapter four. I wrote this story for a buddy, which is why I haven't stopped. I know there are OCs in here, but I swear they aren't mary sue's. Really. No romance here, I mean it. Come on, just give it a try?

©Yakubi

Only Human: Chapter Four

Catherine softly put the girl down onto one of the many beds in the small clinic. She was so small. Catherine wiped off a smudge of dirt from the girl's face. The girl stirred. The young girl, Emily, had cried herself to sleep in Catherine's arms on the way to the clinic. Catherine leaned down and whispered to the girl. "It's alright, go back to sleep." The girl seemed to understand, as she rolled over on to her side, her golden red hair spread out around her.

The girl brought her knees up as Catherine covered her with a blanket. "…mommy…. Please don't go…"

Catherine froze, her entire body seemed paralyzed. Don't go…? Images of a mangled corpse entered her mind and attempted to pull her into the past. Catherine shook herself of these thoughts, there was no time to reminisce, Marcoh would be arriving soon with the girl's parents. Sarah stepped beside her as Edward and Alphonse took seats at the small table near the front of the clinic.

Sarah stayed as silent as a ghost next to her. Catherine looked down at the girl, for the first time realizing how small she was. The brunette's head barely made it to her nose, and seeing how she was only a little bit taller than Edward that meant something. Catherine returned her gaze to the sleeping girl child. "Do you have any siblings Sarah?"

"Many." Sarah answered cryptically.

"Really? I'm an only child, but I swear sometimes Ed and Al behave just like younger brothers." Sarah said nothing, seeming content just to stare at the little girl on the bed. "So, do you have brothers and sisters?"

"I have one brother… but from where I am from everyone is considered family, blood related or not."

"Okay, well, I'm going to go see how Ed and Al are doing…" Catherine felt a little awkward as she walked back towards the front of the clinic, but not before turning to look at Sarah. The dark girl stayed silent by Emily's bed. It was almost as though something had entranced her. Cat made her way to Edward and Alphonse. "Is Marcoh here yet?" Catherine asked with a sigh.

"No." Edward said. "But he should be here any moment."

As if in answer to Edward's comment, muffled sounds came from the other side of the clinic's door. Alphonse got up quickly and opened the door for Marcoh. The graying man was followed in by the hysterical woman from the town square, obviously the girl's mother. Behind her was a large man, and if you tilted your head, you could see a small girl standing behind him. The small child's hand was clutching tightly at the hem of her father's shirt.

"Where is my Emily?" Though the woman was not as loud, there was still a touch of panic in her voice.

"Don't worry yourselves." Marcoh said in a voice that told everyone that he was used to consoling hysterical mothers.

Catherine stepped forward. "Marcoh, I put her on one of the bed's back here." Catherine gestured to the back of the small clinic and then led the doctor and his followers to Emily's bed.

Everyone was soon gathered around the bed of the girl. Everyone watched as Marcoh gave her a check up, bandaging her wound and making sure nothing was broken, the doctor looked over to the girl's family. Marcoh smiled lightly. "She'll be just fine. A few minor scrapes but nothing that won't heal with a few days of rest."

"...can I touch my sister?" The small girl that had been holding on so tight to the father's shirt spoke so very quietly.

Marcoh turned to her. "Of course you can."

The father picked up the small girl and then placed her beside her sister on the bed. The two seemed to instinctively curl up with each other.

The seven people walked back to the main area of the clinic, leaving the two small siblings curled up together on the bed. The mother was crying, but it was no longer the crocodile tears the group had seen before. Marcoh, the parents, and Edward sat down at the table. The husband had an arm wrapped protectively around his wife. The wife calmed down enough to speak. "Emily is my daughter… thank you, thank you so much for saving her. My name is Mary."

The husband rubbed his wife's shoulder reassuringly. "My name is Mark. Our little Em' there is very precious to us you see. Our youngest, Kate, was born blind so she's really attached to Emily. If something had happened to Emily…" The father sighed. "We're just glad she's safe."

Catherine smiled. "It was no problem, besides, who wouldn't help a kid in need?"

Everyone smiled (except Sarah of course), Catherine's mood lightening the atmosphere.

"Are you all members of the military?" Mark asked.

Catherine and Edward exchanged a look. On their travels, they had learned to be very cautious when asked this question. However, seeing as there seemed to be no point in hiding it at this time they exchanged a nod. Edward looked to the two parents. "Yes, we are state alchemists, excluding my brother." Edward motioned to his large metal brother. "Why do you ask?"

The family smiled. "Thank God you're here! We've been waiting!"

Edward raised his hands. "What are you guys talking about?"

Mark spoke up. "We called the military weeks ago and they said they'd send out help!"

"Help with what?" Sarah's pointed glare told the man to get to the point.

"Well…you see… this town is usually so quiet. Everyone knows each other and pretty much everyone trusts each other…. But recently…."

Catherine tried her hand. "What's been happening here to make you think that you need military help?"

Mark and Mary lowered their heads. Marcoh spoke instead. "I was against calling the military, but it was not something I could deal with on my own. There has been a string of murders in this area, usually young children. No one has any clues…" Marcoh bowed his head.

Alphonse gasped. "That's terrible!"

"We couldn't catch the murderer, and everyone's tense. We don't usually let our kids out without us right there with them. Still, we keep finding the bodies of children. I've had to look at the bodies to find out the cause of death." Marcoh shuddered. "Every single one of them died of blood loss."

"Blood loss?" Sarah mumbled, before turning to the doctor. "How was the blood removed? Were there any other injuries on the victims?"

Marcoh leaned back in his chair, not liking how close the dark girl was to him. "There was two circular puncture marks on the neck, sometimes identical marks were found piercing the femoral artery. Some of the children looked like they fought, others had no other wounds." Marcoh's voice shook.

Edward placed a hand on Sarah shoulder. She turned her head to face him. "Do you know something about this Sarah?"

Sarah's expression was slightly different than usual, but Edward didn't know the girl well enough to figure it out. "No, I don't know anything about this."

"Are you sure?" The blond boy could tell she was hiding something, feel it.

Sarah shrugged off Ed's hand. "It's nothing." Edward's eyes burned into her. "Look," Sarah looked up sharply. "If it had anything to do with your search you'd know. As it is, it does not. Leave it be." Sarah stayed silent after that.

Alphonse spoke up. "Let's just leave that alone for now." Al turned to Mark and Mary. "I'm sorry, but we aren't the ones you're waiting for." The parent's faces suddenly looked down cast. "But if we can help we will. We'll be sure to keep our eyes open during our stay." Alphonse sounded like he was smiling. The man and woman just held onto each other. Alphonse turned to his brother. "Brother, I think it's time we went back to the hotel, don't you?"

"Yeah…" Edward sighed, and then turning to Marcoh, he spoke. "Marcoh, if you don't mind, we'll be back tomorrow." Edward turned around to face the rest of the group. "Let's get going then you guys." Edward turned sharply towards the door, Alphonse and Sarah following him out.

Catherine turned to look towards the two curled up girls on the hospital white bed. Catherine smiled and then turned back around and ran to catch up with her companions. Those girls would be fine.

Everyone sat in the hotel room doing various things before they went to bed. Edward was oiling his automail joints, Winry was likely to murder him if he didn't start taking better care of his prosthetics. His eyes wandered to Sarah. The dark girl was sitting on her bed, a large book in hand. Her eyes moved back and forth surprisingly quick as she read the text, Edward had yet to see her blink. He couldn't help the gnawing feeling in the back of his mind that whatever she knew about the murders was going to become very important. Edward looked back to his arm. She had been right back at Marcoh's clinic though. If it had nothing to do with the Philosopher's Stone than she had no reason to tell him, he had no right to dig into her personal life, they were simply working together, it didn't make them friends. Edward sighed; he still hated the thought of not knowing something. "Cat?"

Catherine looked up from the small alchemy book she had been reading. "What is it?"

"When does this place start serving dinner? I'm starving…" Edward moaned.

Catherine laughed. "Just another thirty minutes, then you can gorge yourself."

"I don't think I can wait that long…"

"Oh, Brother." Alphonse shook his metal head. "I'm sure you can wait a half hour, you're not going to die."

"You don't know that!" Ed groaned. "I'm wasting away to skin and bones here!"

The three shared a laugh. Catherine held her stomach. "You remember back in Resembool how Pinako would always make stew and you would complain about the milk in it even though it was your favorite food?" Catherine said light heartedly.

"You bet I remember." Edward smiled. "I also remember how she made me go and walk down to your house to get you."

"Hey!" Alphonse stood up from his seated position against the wall. "You always made me go! You told me Auntie Pinako wanted me to go get her!"

Edward smiled slyly. "Oops." Ed laughed as Al proceeded to chase him around the room, Cat laughed so hard her stomach cramped, and even Sarah couldn't stop a tiny smile from stretching her lips.

Night sneaked into the hotel room and the alchemists worked their way into their beds, Alphonse sitting on the floor.

Sarah got up from her bed and, still fully dressed, she moved towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

Sarah startled as she turned around to confront whoever had addressed her. Alphonse stood before her. It was surprising how quietly he could move when he tried. "Just out for a bit. I need some fresh air is all."

Alphonse opened the door for her. "Alright, just be careful." Sarah said nothing as she walked out of the hotel. Edward lay awake in his bed and listened, but did not move.

The sun rose from the horizon, its bright rays temporarily fighting of the darkness. Catherine turned in her bed and pulled the blankets over her head in a futile attempt to stop herself from waking up. Unfortunately for her, her bladder was in no mood to let her return to her carefree slumber. Catherine smiled a bit in memory of last night. At dinner she had ordered a huge glass of milk and drank it right in front of Ed, just because she thought his reaction was hilarious. Cat groaned as she got up from the bed, what goes in has to come out. Stumbling into the bathroom Cat saw herself in the mirror; her hair was standing in all directions and completely defying gravity. Putting her palms on the sink, the cold sending a shiver down her spine, Cat let her head lull forward. Catherine gasped.

In the sink, bloodstains ran towards the drain as though trying to escape her gaze.

Catherine moved back into the main area of their hotel room, she ran to Edward and pulled the blanket off of him, her eyes ran down his body looking for wounds.

"Cat... what the hell are you doing?" Edward mumbled, sleep slurring his speech.

"There's blood in the sink, I had to make sure you were alright." Catherine felt her speeding heart begin to slow.

"Oh, you wake me for a little-" Edward shot bolt upright, his eyes wide. "Blood! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine I was worried about you!" Catherine said.

"If you two are done I brought breakfast."

The two blonds turned to see Sarah, two trays of food in her arms. "Sarah-" Catherine began.

"It was a nose bleed."

"What?" Edward looked confused.

Sarah turned her head to the side, her cheeks coloring slightly. "It was just a nose bleed, I said. I just forgot to wash it all down, it was late."

"It was just a nose bleed? We were worried about that?" Edward felt a smile tug at his lips.

"For the final time, yes!" Sarah grumbled as she walked towards them and handed them their food. "It's nothing to get excited about so just eat your food so we can go back to Marcoh's."

The door of the hotel opened and Alphonse walked in. "Oh, good morning." Everyone exchanged the greeting. "Good to see you back Sarah, are you feeling better?" Al's voice sounded cheery.

"Getting back?" Catherine asked.

"Oh, Sarah just said she wasn't feeling well last night and went for a walk, you were asleep at the time of course. Then again, not many things can wake you up." Al laughed.

"Hmph, see the next time I'm nice to you Al." Catherine did her best to pout, but she couldn't stop herself from smiling. She turned to Sarah. "Maybe we should take you to the doctor?"

"No!" Sarah's face colored more at her sudden outburst.

Catherine laughed. "Afraid of the doctor?" Sarah said nothing. "Don't worry about it." The blond gestured to Ed. "This one's so scared of getting a shot he once ran a couple miles just to get away from the doctor."

"Hey!" Edward shouted. "Don't say that!"

Catherine leaned forward as Alphonse laughed. Cat pinched the skin of Ed's arm and smiled as he yelped. "Oh please, you can't even handle it when I pinch you Ed." Catherine stuck out her tongue.

"Alright you two." Alphonse stepped in the middle of what he knew to be a brewing fight. "Enough of that, we all need to get ready to walk to Marcoh's, remember? We still haven't gotten his research notes."

Ed smiled darkly. "Oh don't worry, we'll get them."