disclaimer! I do not own FMA or any of its characters!

I'm sooooooo sorry for the late update, but senior year has been way more hectic than I thought it would be. I actually had to finish this on a sick day from school... ;) I hope you like it though and I appreciate the interest that people have in my story! enjoy!

CHAPTER 8

I awoke to the sun shining on my face. I wondered if the sun had found another hole in my tent as I sat up. Blinking, I realized I wasn't at home. I was confused until I recalled the events of the previous night.

I had explained most of my situation to the Hughes family. I left out the two transmutations my past kept locked away, but told them the rest of my story. They had been amazed that I had taken care of myself for so long and had taught myself a bit of alchemy from the books my father owned. They insisted Kida and I stay the night, and in the end we did, but it took a while of convincing and one unfair challenge.

~The Night Before, near the end of the discussion.

"C'mon. All you're going home to is a tent. You helped us capture a dangerous criminal, consider this a reward." Maes Hughes grinned broadly, he seemed to enjoy the playful argument he was having.

"Please? We would be so happy if you could. I'm sure Elicia would love to see you in the morning, too." His wife joined in, using their daughter to guilt me into it.

"No thanks. I have to be leaving." I strode for the door only to have Hughes stand in front of it.

"You're staying." He put simply, and was encouraged by a nod from his wife. He stayed where he was, not budging despite my best efforts to politely sneak by.

"I don't want to inconvenience you. Let me through." I gave up politely pushing and tried to be convincing instead. "I would rather just go home and sleep in my tent. I need to redo some of it anyway, I can get that done tonight while I have time."

"Fine, you can leave." Hughes said with a huge grin and mischievous eyes. This earned him a confused look from his wife that he didn't acknowledge. "You can go, only if you can get passed me and through the door. Windows are off limits but you can use any force necessary, including alchemy. It shouldn't be too hard for you, I only have a desk job in the military after all."

I looked at him, wondering if it was a trick. I ruffled through my pages of transmutation circles. I chose one and put it in a separate pocket from the rest along with a piece of chalk. It would be my back-up if I couldn't force myself passed him.

I started trying to push him, but didn't get anywhere. He didn't budge at all. I looked at Kida, who had gotten comfortable by the fireplace. He wouldn't be any help.

"Care to help?" I tried anyway, hoping he would get off his lazy ass and be of use. My plea went unanswered as he just huffed and watched me with amusement, however. "Fine, I'll do it myself." The look I received from him after that seemed to say, 'uh huh, yeah, sure you will. I'll just fly away on my purple unicorn now too.'

Undiscouraged, I began the attempt. I tried every technique I knew of, but he either didn't move, or deflected it. Only a desk job my ass.

I was about to create my circle when he spoke.

"Oh and another rule. No waking the baby." He smirked. Transmutation was out then, and I had already tried everything. I resigned myself and sat on the sofa.

"Why did you let me try if you knew I couldn't win?" I asked, defeated.

"You had a chance. You have to try, even if there seems to be no way. I'm sure you understand." There was no trace of his former smile as he sat down on the couch and gestured for me to sit in a chair facing him. "Honey, why don't you head to bed now. I'll be there before too long. I still have a few things to speak to Lyra about first."

His wife nodded, kissed his cheek and went upstairs. Once she was out of sight and the sound of the door closing was heard, he continued.

"So, why don't you tell me what happened to make you lose your arm?" Damn. Straight to the point. Definitely a military man.

After a several minute staring contest (You'd think the military had classes on it if you saw him) and one very intense inner battle later, I told him everything I had kept secret previously. After I was finished he simply said that he was intrigued but glad I hadn't told his wife. He explained that as his not wanting to scare her. I was giving a blanket and the couch was forfeited to me with a simple, thoughtful, "Sleep well."

~Back to the present morning

A sloppy, wet tongue pulled me from my thoughts. While I had been recalling the evening both Kida and Elicia had climbed in my lap without my noticing.

"Well aren't the two of you sneaky!" I said laughing, causing Elicia to laugh and Kida to huff contentedly. I decided not to worry about the evening. If Hughes decided to turn me in to the military, so be it.

I was about to play peek-a-boo with Elicia when Hughes' wife rushed into the room and scooped her into her arms.

"You need to leave. Now." She looked out the windows nervously. When she noticed my hurt look she quickly explained. "Maes called. Apparently they know who you are and are interested in your recent hospital visit. Ordinarily they wouldn't be concerned with a small scale thief, but someone high up is watching the Elrics and has questions for you. Not friendly ones either. He said something about how if he could figure it out so could they. I was told not to ask and so I won't, but we don't have time even if I wanted to."

I nodded. I suppose they can't experiment on the boys with them being known, but me on the other hand, I'm just a no family low-life thief. The perfect target.

"Alright, Kida, ready to go?" He sighed in an aggravated manner but got up anyway. "Yes I know, this was a very nice sleepover. Now get moving." I smiled weakly at my savior. "I don't suppose we'll see each other again will we?"

Smiling, she responded, "Maes usually finds a way. I know that we'll meet again. Now, the second floor window in Elicia's nursery looks out at the neighbors roof. It's maybe 6 feet to their gutter. I'm sure you two can make it. The ground floor exits aren't safe if they're coming for you. Go. Good luck."

"Thank you." I ran up the stairs with Kida on my tail. He really shouldn't worry about her. She's a very strong and kind person. I couldn't shake the feeling that she would need to be, however.

Once I reached the window I snuck a quick look down before opening it. It was a good thing too, as a militarily dressed man slunk around the house looking in the windows as he went. I waited several seconds after he went out of view before throwing open the window and leaping with all my might to fully land on the next roof. I made it most of the way, but smacked my left shin against the aluminum gutter. The THWACK! It caused was sure to get their attention. I got up and limping momentarily started moving. I heard Kida land behind me and was quickly passed as he is much more graceful and able to jump without smacking anything. Lucky dog.

"I see her!"

SHIT. Not cool. I looked around. If I could keep moving and leap two more gaps, I could jump down onto a tree branch and lose them in the residential housing. Kida was ahead of me and had already leapt the first gap. I didn't have far and so I tried to build up speed before attempting my second jump. Unthinking I jumped with my left leg and didn't get as much distance as I had wished for. I landed in a roll this time though to avoid another injury. I hadn't gone more than two feet on this new roof when I stumbled and fell. The pitch on the roof made me roll towards the side. It apparently looked intentional as the officer pulled his gun and squeezed off a shot landing behind me as I tumbled. I caught the gutter on the edge of the roof just to slow myself before dropping. I am no use against a gun. I imagined the ground and grass being a soft bed of moss and taking a chance, attempted something stupid. Such is my forte. While thinking I had my hand near my head with my index finger outreached and touching my forehead. At the last second I touched the ground. After all what did I have to lose? I would either be shot or taken for experimentation. Having a broken arm shouldn't add too much to either option.

Expecting a crack and pain I had closed my eyes tightly. However, when I saw the flicker of red through my closed lids I gasped and whipped them open. I landed safely, sinking a foot or two down in the pool of moss I created in this poor person's backyard. I climbed out to the surprised exclamations of both the owner of the now moss yard and the officer giving chase. I took the opportunity to sprint off into the next yard and begin to zigzag through the neighborhood. It wasn't too long before I had lost my pursuer and found my dog again.

"Well, that was fun." I said collapsing against the side of a building. Kida grumbled in response and stood restlessly staring at me. "What?" He whined and moved off into an alley near by. I realized that we were close to home. "Oh, you want to go home boy?" He whined louder. "I suppose I can make it that far." I stood once again and tottered after my jumpy dog.

He continued whining and urging me onward.
"What's wrong with you boy?" I said staring at him intently, "Do you know something I don't-" I stopped short as I glanced down my alley. My tent was in shambles. Everything I owned was strewn throughout the alley with one word carved into the wall at the alley's end.

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~I hope you liked it! I know its not the best chapter so far, but I wanted to give you guys something... Please be patient with me, I do plan on continuing this story for a while! Thanks for reading and PLEASE! review!