Disclaimer: I in no way own any rights to FMA and it's characters

Chapter 1

Edward

I rolled over and groaned. It must be raining out. The stumps of my old limbs are pounding in agonizing pain. I shut my eyes and tried to block out the constant throbbing ache.

"Brother," a voice echoes. Alphonse. "Are you up?"

"Mhmm," I groan, rolling over and burying my head in the sheets. I'm up but I definitely wish I wasn't. My body wouldn't ache as much if I was asleep.

"Brother," Alphonse sighs. "You have to get up; you have a meeting with the Colonel in an two hours." He attempts to rip off the sheets but too little success. I have an iron, death grip on them and the pillow.

"Just five more minutes, Al." I say, voice muffled by a fluffy pillow.

Al's having little of this today. Roughly, and painfully, he wrestles the sheets and pillow away from me and unceremoniously pushes me off the bed. I groan either from annoyance or pain. Probably both.

Al hucks a pair of pants and a tank top at me. He doesn't need to say anything, I get his silent message. Get your lazy ass out of bed and get dressed. He's such a loving brother.

I somehow manage to walk to the washroom and pull on the pants and shirt. I look at my hair in the mirror. It's a tangled rat's nest. Irritated I braid it and tie it off with a black ribbon.

My stomach rudely growls and I glare at my reflection. "Hey Al, we gonna go get breakfast in the Mess?"

"Sure thing Brother, give me a moment," comes the distant reply from my brother.

Stumbling, still half-asleep, I grab my coat and shrug it on. Then, I grab my glove and boots and forcefully put them on. Maybe a little too forcefully, my shoulder and leg scream in pain as I push them into the boot and glove.

I clench my teeth in annoyance. Damn it they're sore today!

Al joins me at the door and hands me an umbrella. I raise a quizzical eyebrow and he simply says "rain." Gratefully I take it.

We exit the dormitories we're staying in and I see the source of my agony. Rain. Or should I say, thunderstorm with torrential downpour? God-awful mother nature. Why couldn't it just be nice and dry today? Not only do I have to deal with that bastard Colonel but now I also have the ache in my automail ports.

Sometimes, I think life likes pushing me down to see how many times I'll keep getting back up.

"Come 'on Al, I'm starving." And we brave our way across the Military Grounds towards the main building.

I eat the "nutritious" breakfast they serve in the Mess. My scrambled eggs leaked grease through the paper plate… Sure, nutritious my ass.

"Brother, if you don't hurry we're going to be late for Colonel Mustang," Al says for the sixth time.

I glance at my pocket watch, we still have seven minutes. If we sprint we'll make it.

Okay so maybe I was wrong. Sprinting was a bad idea. A very bad idea. Each step sent a shock of pain through my automail leg that vibrated up my entire body. So after about ten feet of sprinting I was ready to collapse and sleep the pain off.

Unfortunately that was a no-can-do, Al was insistent that I had to keep my appointment with Mustang.

I kick open the office door in my typical fashion, yet another bad idea. I'm just full of bad ideas aren't I?

A chorus of "Hey Ed" comes from everyone in Mustangs little crew. Everybody's here today, as usual. Hawkeye comes out of Mustangs office looking her usual, stern self and smiles in my direction.

I saunter towards the Colonels office, each step screaming at me to turn around and leave before the verbal abuse begins. I ignore it and slam open his door and walk in, slamming it shut as I do so.

"Fullmetal, temperamental as usual," that bastard smirks.

I glare at him and throw my report on his desk, like it burns to hold it. He quickly scans through it and I clench my teeth, holding back my anger.

"Badly written as usual," he says. Keep calm, I tell myself, clenching my teeth harder. "What exactly does this mean though? "-the moronic idiots had no idea who I was or what I was talking about. They were quite startled when I alchemised a purple polka-dotted robotic chicken that I then let run loose. The chicken then proceeded to run around, seemingly terrifying the citizens, and laying polka-dotted eggs.""

I growl in my throat, unsure whether he's messing with me or serious. "Are you sure it says that Bastard?" I ground out and spit at him venomously.

He rereads it again and nods at me, smirking arrogantly. "Then that's what it says. Don't question my own report, Mustang," I hiss.

"A robotic purple chicken," He asks calmly.

I smirk this time. "Purple, polka-dotted, robotic chicken," I say, like this clarifies everything.

At this moment Al pokes his head in the room. "Brother I'm going to the Mess with Falman, Feury and Breda."

I nod telling him I'll meet him there after I'm done here. I turn my attention back to Mustang whose acting like nobody interrupted us.

He scowls at me, irritated with what he would call my-know-it-all-attitude. "Who lays polka-dotted eggs?"

"What's so hard to understand here? The report clearly tells you," I roll my eyes, annoyed at having to repeat myself.

"I didn't send you there to terrorize the citizens with a chicken, shortie," he says, purposely pushing my buttons.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO SEE HIM IF HE WERE STAND ON YOUR NOSE AND WAVING HIS HANDS IN THE AIR, YELLING YOUR NAME!?" I explode.

"I never said any of that Fullmetal," the Bastard says, reverting to my title.

"Whatever you say you womanizing-flame-throwing-monkey," I say smugly.

His eye twitches in irritation and I resist the urge to grin. "You. Are. Dismissed." He says, trying to keep his cool but not succeeding in the slightest.

I turn on my heel and exit his office and burst out laughing as I close the door. "What's up, Chief," Havoc asks lazily, a cigarette hanging out the corner of his mouth earning a disapproving glare from Hawkeye.

I grin, about to tell him when an explosion shakes the floor. Hawkeye, Havoc and I look at each other with wide eyes. A door bangs into my back, causing pain to shoot up my sore body and making me stumble forward.

I turn around and look at Mustang who looks just as shocked at the rest of us do. "Everybody okay," Mustang asks and we just silently nod. "Good, I'm going to go figure ou-"

He's cut short by another explosion that causes everything to tremble. A piece of ceiling plaster falls off and hits me, making me stumble yet again and fall on the floor. I swear as the impact throws shocks of pain through me.

"Chief you okay," I hear Havoc ask.

I don't answer and try to stand but my leg gives out under me. "Shit," I hiss. "Fucking piece of shit." Karma really doesn't take time off cause at that point a book decides to fall off the shelf behind me, landing on my bad shoulder.

Hawkeye crouches in front of me as another explosion shakes the building dangerously. "Are you okay Edward?" She says it so calmly like nothing's wrong, like there are no explosions.

I nod, not trusting myself to speak. She holds out her hand and I take it gratefully. She helps pull me up and I quickly place all my weight on my right leg.

"We should get out of the building," she says while studying me.

Mustang, Havoc and I nod in agreement and the others begin to leave the office. I slowly limb when they look back at me, concerned.

"You sure you're fine Boss?"

"Yes I'm sure Hav-" at that point my leg decides to give out on me again and I crumple to the ground.

Havocs quickly at my side, lifting my into his arms bridle-style. "Havoc, I'm fine! Let me down!"

He ignores my struggles and continues walking, tightening his grip on me as he does so. He press to hard against my leg and I hiss in pain.

"You okay," he says, slightly loosening his grip. I nod. "You're heavy you know that? Jeez, remind me to never offer to carry you again."

"Hey! It's not my fault automail's heavy! Complain to Winry about it! And you forget, I get to lug it around every day, twenty-four/seven."

Havoc glances at my face sheepishly. He did forget that I have it all the time, not that I really care, I'm used to it now.

"Havoc! Fullmetal! Hurry up," Mustang calls from ahead.

I'd like to say that Havoc really did try to move faster. Honestly he did, but carrying the extra weight of me and my automail made it difficult.

The building shook with another explosion. This time it was clear the buildings supports were failing as everything shook from the shock of the blast.

Rubble now fell from the ceiling, creating obstacles. Havoc tripped and fell, bringing his full wait onto me. I groan through clenched teeth. "Sorry," Havoc mumbles picking me up again but it's not working.

I look at him and his arms bent at a funny angle. "Leave me Havoc, I can walk." He shakes his head, clearly reading my lie.

There are now cracks in the ceiling and rain is seeping in, bringing that damn humid air with it. I can feel the building shifting even as I sit here. We have to get out, and quick.

I stand up, a painful process, and grab Havoc's good arm, tugging him along with me as I stumble forward. If I was lucky we'd get out of here with only minor injuries. But when am I ever lucky.

The building suddenly shifts, sending me and Havoc off balance and toppling to the ground like a pair of dominoes. I swear loudly as the familiar pain thrums in my body.

Hands are on my, yanking me up and off the ground. "Damn it Fullmetal, Havoc was right, you are heavy," the person now carrying me says.

I don't have the energy to retort, my whole body echoing with pain. I can hear Hawkeye helping Havoc, holding him steady. I look back at him and see he has a gash on his head and his eyes look hazy.

It's at that point I realize who's carrying me. "PUT ME DOWN, MUSTANG!"

"Snap out of it Edward, it's faster this way," He says haughtily.

I grumble but stay quiet; we both know it'd be a long and painful process for me to get out myself.

The ground shifts again and Mustang stumbles and behind us I hear Hawkeye grunt as Havoc stumbles into her. Its then we see flames. We stop and stare. There are dead body's littering the ground occasionally too.

"The stairs, sir," Hawkeye says, always her calm and collected self.

We move faster now, the urgency of what's going on setting in.

"Mustang, stop for a moment," I say.

"Not now Fullmetal," He grunts.

"Stop," I say more urgently.

He does and sets me on the ground. I listen in silence. Then I hear the faint tick tick tick. "Fuck, move," I say.

Mustang moves to pick me up but I distantly hear the ticking increase so I use every ounce of energy I can muster and tackle him to the ground.

The bomb explodes and the heat it radiates with flames nears us. Everything in me hurts now. The pain is never ending and I swear it might kill me.

My vision is freckled with white dots and my head swims. Distantly, as if from far away, I hear Mustang calling me. I'm barely aware of my body being lifted.

"Damn it, Edward! Open your eyes and look at me!" The Colonel? Why does he sound so panicked?

"Havoc? Jean! Come 'on Jean, it's going to be okay! Sir, I'm losing him!" Hawkeye? Where are Hawkeye and Havoc? "Stay awake Jean!"

"Mmm…" I mumble, trying to force the words out of my mouth. It feels like sandpaper. "Whereis Havoc? S'he okay…?"

"Edward," Mustang asks, sounding hopeful. "Keep talking, I need you to keep talking!"

"Mhm…wuhy? I'm s'okay… S'where Havoc," I have to focus on forming the words in my mouth.

"Havoc's with Hawkeye, she's taking care of him Ed." Dimly I feel Mustang lay a hand on my forehead. "Ed, does anything hurt?"

"My automail portz… but s'they've been a-aching all day… S'from the rain and huhmidity," I say dreamily. "My heads s-sore… and my side s'all numbly…"

"Your side, are you sure," Mustang asks. Is he a moron? I just told him my side hurt, obviously I'm sure.

I feel my red-coat being removed and then my tank top being lifted. "Ehh- personal boundaries…isn't shis violating s'some rule…?"

Mustang ignores me and I hear him hiss in a breath. Under his breath he mumbles to himself. A sudden pressure pushes into my side and I whimper in main. My vision fuzzes over and I feel myself being pulled into a dark abyss.

"Edward? No Ed, stay awake! Open your eyes! Talk to me! Anything!"

I let the darkness over power me and I slip into the numb darkness .

Authors note: I have no idea how successful this story will be. I was bored last night an unable to use the internet(stupid thing), so I wrote this and decided to post it since I have an account and see how it turned out. I'm pretty proud but that's just me. Anyway, just a warning that I use the Canadian spelling of words so if you see that some have some random 'u' in it that's probably why.

ENJOY AND PLEASE REVIEW! I'd love to hear some feedback!