Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ A Love Forgotten ❯ Lunch ( Chapter 31 )

A Love Forgotten

By Joyfulmusic

 

I don't own FMA

Note: May contain spoilers!

 

Chapter 31: Lunch

 

Tossing the folder onto the table, Briana leaned back in her chair. Throwing back her head she gave a long and heavy groan. “You realize these documents are an utter mess? Nothing is where it should be and some of the numbers don't even add up! How on earth, did you manage getting this far?”

 

Shrugging her shoulders Andrea smiled. “With a lot of luck I guess.” She'd always had problems with things like bookkeeping. “That's why I needed you here. Other wise I'll just jumble things up further. I'm so glad Jacob… I mean Edward, let you come and help me.”

 

Brie nodded, grinning with the thought that had just entered her mind. “Yeah but I don't think he's very happy with the way I acted on the phone this morning. Many more calls like that and he'll keep me locked in the house from now on. I'd never see the light of day!”

 

“That's not true.” The women turned when they heard the male voice from the front room. Through the door stepped the alchemist, holding a bouquet of flowers along with a small paper bag. Making his way to stand behind his wife, he wrapped his arms around her, kissing her temple.

 

Alphonse wasn't far behind, bringing in the rest of the food they'd bought. “We thought you two might enjoy having lunch brought to you.” His words were directed toward the artist, who was watching him. She blushed and turned away when she realized he'd noticed. Stepping forward, he placed the groceries on the table. “We got hamburgers. I hope that's alright.”

 

She nodded before peering back up at him. “Yes, thank you.” She found herself getting lost in his eyes. `What is it about him that is so different? He is just a man after all… isn't he?' Yet some how he seemed like so much more. There was an aura about him that was different from all others.

 

Briana's arm was looped up so that she was rubbing the back of her husband's neck. But her gaze was on the two others in the room. `They just seem to click.' It was exactly as it had been when she'd first met Jake. It was an attachment that simply couldn't be explained by logic.

 

Edward was watching them as well. To him it resembled the connection he'd felt toward Brie that morning when he'd first gotten his memory back. Something had drawn him to her, even though he denounced it to others. Finally breaking the silence he asked, “How's it going so far? Any luck getting things ready.”

 

Sighing, his wife held up one of the documents she'd been working on. “Well it's going to take longer than I figured. Things are an utter mess.” She smirked toward her friend who was frowning in return. “But we should be able to handle it. How bout you? Is the Colonel abusing his power?”

 

Al snickered, pulling out a chair and taking a seat. He refused to look at his sibling who was glaring at him. Instead he chose to busy himself with passing out the hamburgers. “He gave us an office of our own so that there won't be too many questions asked by the other officers.”

 

“Questions?” Andrea gave him a quizzical stare, noting how much he seemed to tense with her interest. She didn't understand why. “What would they be asking questions about?” The air seemed to become thick with anxiety, each Elric waiting for the other to answer.

 

Clearing his throat, Edward sat down. “About me. People have heard rumors about what happened with Brie and Mustang knows I don't want to be bothered with them.” He didn't elaborate further. The fact that he'd gotten his arm and leg back, along with Alphonse's body was the real issue.

 

Bowing her head, Briana said a quick prayer. Afterwards she opened her lunch. “Well I'm glad he's doing what he can to help out.” She caught the glower the alchemist shot her and scowled. “You don't have to be like that. Would you rather be sent on missions out of the city?”

 

That did it, his demeanor was enough to send the wrong message. Anger began to build up inside her when he didn't deny it. “Oh I see, you'd rather run off and get yourself killed!” Tears welled up in her eyes. “Fine then, go do whatever you want. Leave, I don't care.”

 

“Brie…” Ed was kneeling at her side in an instant. He felt horrible, mostly because she was right. He did want to go on assignments so he wouldn't have to be behind a desk. “Please don't. Darling please…” He fumbled when she shook her head, shifting away from him to stand. “Let me help you.”

 

“No!” She shouted, shrugging off his hand when he tried to take her arm. “I don't want your help. Just…” Sobs began to break thorough. Her mind screamed at her to get a hold of herself, but she just couldn't. Finally getting up she made her way to the back door, and opening it, left.

 

Glancing back over his shoulder to the others, they saw the pained expression etched on his face. “Wait here.” He murmured, before following after her. Just outside was a little enclosed area with grass and an old shed. A stone wall surrounded the yard, on the back part of which, she sat, her curls covering her wet cheeks. “Brie…”

 

Shaking her head, she had her face buried in her hands, refusing to look up at him for even a moment. “I didn't mean it.” She moaned, feeling his arm wrap around her. He'd taken a seat beside her. Leaning against him she shuttered, literally. “Please don't leave me.”

 

Sighing, he pressed his lips against her hair. His heart broke with her plea. “It's alright Darling. I'm not going anywhere.” All he could do was let the wave of depression pass. It had hit her hard this time, and it was his fault. “I'm sorry, Brie. I won't ever leave you. I swear.”

 

Sobbing, she clung to him for all she was worth. “But you hate what you're doing now. You hate it and it's because of me. I'm the reason you won't go out on missions.” Pulling him closer she felt sick, trembling with the force of her own words. “I'm nothing but a burden to you.”

 

“No.” He breathed, willing her to overcome whatever had taken hold of her heart. `It's not her talking. It can't be.' Kissing her head again he realized her tears were already staining his shirt. “Don't ever think that. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

 

Closing her eyes she tried to believe him. What made it so hard? She felt as though she were loosing her mind. “I'm so scared… so afraid that if you go anywhere you won't come back. I couldn't live if anything happened to you. To loose you the same way Mrs. Hughes lost her husband…” She trialed off, not being able to finish the statement.

 

Apparently she'd been speaking with Sheska who still wanted to look into Maes' death. Alphonse had already informed him on what the military had found out. The bookworm was kept in the dark for her own good. “Nothing like that is going to happen.” He lied, knowing it very well could.

 

He leaned back, grinning at her like he had as a young teen. “I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist! I'm invincible, didn't you know that?” She giggled, smiling through the salty droplets. Brushing them away he added, “Besides, you could survive anything. Just look what you've done so far.”

 

Shaking her head she frowned. “I couldn't have done any of it without you. I'm not that strong, not really.” Sighing she scowled, turning away as the dark thoughts began to return. “It's just an act I put on. I pretend to be someone I know I never could. Pretend to be what people want me to be.”

 

Taking hold of her shoulders he forced her attention to return to him. In a stern voice, he told her what he felt was true. “You, Briana, are much stronger than you think. Maybe it started as an act when your parents died, but I know you. You're a pillar of strength like no other.”

 

The edges of her lips quivered so he wasn't sure what to expect for a reaction. Slowly they lifted, her face becoming somewhat serene. “Maybe.” She mumbled, turning so that she was pressed against him once more. “It was so hard and I was all alone. I had grandma but… it wasn't the same.”

 

She seemed to be recalling that day so long ago and he didn't dare to interrupt. It was the first time she'd truly spoken of it, other than a passing comment here or there. “I can remember that it was during the first grade. I'd just started and was having a hard time with addition…

 

 

“Briana would you come here please?” Glancing up from the equations, she saw the young teacher standing at the door that led out into the hall. Her mind raced with what she could have possibly done wrong. It was close to lunchtime and she could feel her stomach churning against itself.

 

Placing her pencil in the cut out grove at the top of the desk she stood. Slowly walking across the room she kept her head bowed. She'd learned that when in trouble it was better not to make eye contact. In that way she would be able to avoid the expression of disappointment. “Yes Miss?”

 

With a hand on the child's shoulder, the educator led her just outside the class, closing the door behind them. Standing there was the principle, a middle age man who wore a suit. He was lucky enough to still have his hair, which he ran his fingers through. “This is her?”

 

Receiving a nod, he led the small girl away without another word. Peering back over her shoulder, Brie's fear began mounting. She could see that her teacher felt sympathy toward her which only made things worse. `What did I do? I wasn't cheating… I spit out my gum…'

 

Once they'd made it to the offices, she saw her grandmother was there. Only children who had been really bad had family members called up to the school. But she hadn't done anything that she knew of. Her grades were good and she hadn't been the one to dump all the paints together.

 

Grandma knelt down, spreading her arms wide. “Come here my baby.” Her voice trembled with the words. Rushing into the embrace Briana could feel that the cheek against her own had been recently wet with tears. “Oh my poor baby… my poor, poor baby.”

 

 

“She held me there for the longest time, just repeating that phrase over and over.” Shaking her head, Brie tried to erase it from her mind. “She didn't tell me until we got home. She never knew what really happened, not even when she died. No one ever told us what the reports said.”

 

Salty droplets streamed slowly down her face. Her chest ached with the memory she'd buried long ago. “My poor baby… my poor, poor baby…” Closing her eyes she clenched her teeth, groaning with the pain. “Why wouldn't they tell us? Why? It was the same for Mrs. Hughes, and it will be the same for me.”

 

“No.” Edward breathed, realizing where this was going. Her parents had died due to the research of her father and the same thing had happened to Maes. Hugging her tightly he set his jaw on her head. “I'll find out. I swear to you Brie that I will find out what happened to them.”

 

Shuttering against him she let out a sob. “But I'll loose you too. I won't know why but I will. They'll think they're protecting me but they won't be. They always think that. Can't you see? I'll have no one if something happens to you.” Under her breath she gave way to the darkness, “I'll kill myself.”

 

His eyes widened, hearing what was not meant to be heard. Jerking her back, he took hold of her chin. His eyes bore into hers, searching her soul. “You will not commit suicide. Do you understand me? Even if something does happen you will go on and you will live.”

 

Blinking she looked at him blankly. “What are you talking about? I would never…” Her own words came back to her in a haunting whisper. Had she truly said that? Trembling she moved away, scooting down the wall. Speaking to herself rather than him she mumbled, “I'm loosing my mind.”

 

Reaching out a hand he touched her shoulder, causing her to jump at the contact. Moving closer to her, he looped an arm around her waist. “We'll get through this together. Alright?” She nodded, allowing him hug her closely. `Somehow I've got to find out what happened. Maybe it would explain what she's going through now.' He was too caught up in his thoughts to realize, she did not return the embrace.