Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Eye of the Beholder ❯ Chapter Seven ( Chapter 7 )

Eye of the Beholder

 

LadyMad

 

Seven

 

Xandyr stopped when she caught sight of Edward. He opened the pill bottle and swallowed what had to be half of it. She wanted to scream but didn't want to startle him. Tears filled her eyes when she saw him get on the rail of the bridge.

 

“Ed.” She said quietly to herself. He said something and then dropped down to the water. “NO!!!!!!!!!!!” She heard herself scream while running to him. She threw off her trench coat and jumped into the frigid water after him. When Xandyr came up, she looked around. “Edward!” She screamed her voice frantic. “Ed!!” From beneath the water, she spotted a glimmer of golden hair and dove back in.

 

The cold water stung her eyes and froze her body but she paid no heed to it. She only watched him, only saw him as she swam closer to him. His eyes were closed and no air-bubbles came from his partly closed lips. Her hand finally grasped his and she tried pulling him to her, only pulling herself down closer to him. Closing her eyes tightly and gritting her teeth, she pulled him up and threw one of his arms over her shoulders and swam to the surface.

 

Xandyr burst out and put her hand on Ed's chin to keep his head above water. She tried swimming to shore but he was too heavy. She suddenly spotted a couple: A boy somewhere near her own age and then a child boy at his side. The older boy turned to the younger boy and told him to run for help before running to the river side and jumping in.

 

“Is he breathing?” He asked.

 

“I don't know.” Xandyr replied anxiously. The boy came out first and half dragged Edward onto the grass, laying him down gently. Xandyr put Ed's arm down and ran to get her coat, draping it over him. She pinched his nose together and opened his mouth, breathing deeply into his lungs. After breathing into him a few times, she checked his heart. “He's not breathing and his heart has completely stopped.” Her voice was choked and she tried to hide her tears. The boy put his hands over Ed's heart and pressed down several times. Edward attempted to grasp air but took more water.

 

“Ed!” Xandyr breathed into him again when the child and a group of men ran to Xandyr's side and one of them picked Edward up.

 

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

Xandyr stayed at Ed's side as he was rolled through the hospital and then into the emergency room.

 

“We have to pump his stomach.” A doctor said to Xandyr. “It's the only way we're going to get the water out.”

 

“He's also just taken sleeping pills and a lot of them.” Xandyr said, not exactly knowing how to fully interact with mortals, this being her first real time.

 

“Christ. We've got a suicide attempt!” The doctor screamed as he turned around to the nurses surrounding Ed. He looked back at the anxious Xandyr. “Get her out.” Two male nurses went up to her and began gently leading her out of the room.

 

“No. You don't understand. I need to be in there with him!” Xandyr said, fighting against them to be back in the room with Edward. “No!” She jumped up only to have the men pull her back down and struggle to get her across the hallway. “Ed!” She screamed over and over fighting against them until one slammed her into a waiting chair across the hall.

 

“Look, we can't have any distractions right now. You can see him when we're done.”

 

“But you don't underst…”

 

“Yes, you saved his life but now it's our job to keep him alive.” The nurses then turned and walked back into the room with Ed.

 

“Getting too caught up.” Xandyr turned her head and wiped the tears from her face.

 

“Zaine, what the hell are you doing here?”

 

“Checking up.” He looked around and then peeked inside the emergency room. “You know, Pet, suicide is a sin in the eyes of your God.”

 

“So.”

 

“I'm here to collect him.” Zaine said his expression suddenly serious. Xandyr suddenly realized what he'd meant.

 

“Zaine, no. You can't take him from me. You can't.”

 

“I'm sorry. He can't cheat death three times in a life time. Two was already overboard. Both were from his former occupa…”

 

“Zaine! No! You cannot take him from me!” She jumped to her feet and walked to him. “I won't let you take him from me!”

 

“I don't have any other choice. This is my job.”

 

“If you take him, I'll never see him again.”

 

“Xandyr…”

 

“I love him, Zaine.” She looked Death straight in the eyes holding back her tears. He looked away, hiding her felt pain. It was the first time in history that a guardian angel had ever fallen in love with the mortal they were sworn to protect. He couldn't interrupt that. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

 

“If you tell anyone, anyone that I let him go a third time…I swear I'll rip off your wings feather by feather.” A huge smile suddenly played on Xandyr's face. She took Zaine into a hug and squeezed the air from his lungs.

 

“Thank you, Zaine!”

 

“Don't get too worked up. Besides, I need to go. Need to get back to work.” Xandyr let him go and nodded, wiping more tears from her eyes. He kissed her forehead, turned around, and walked away. She closed her eyes and sighed, walking back to the waiting chairs.

 

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

Edward's eyes fluttered open and instantly closed because of the bright light overhead. The lights were suddenly dimmed. He opened his eyes again and looked around the white room. It felt like he was fifteen again. His entire body hurt like hell and, to boot, he had a pounding headache.

 

“They said that they hadn't put you under because of the pills already in your system. And then the alcohol. They hadn't wanted to jeopardize you more than necessary.” A seductive voice said.

 

“Who's there?” He asked his voice hoarse. His brows came together and he put a hand over his eyes. He put his hand down and turned to face the door. The cloaked figure stood there but the cloak suddenly faded and revealed a young girl with blood-brown hair and shimmering green eyes stood in the doorway. Her skin glowed white in the dimmed light of the room. She wore black pants and boots but a white peasant blouse under a white vest. Her hair was down and looked like it was drying from being wet. Her face was angelic but rigid; her lips were full and arched but rounded. Her thin, slightly arched brows were hidden under locks of hair.

 

“I'm Xandyr. Would you believe me if I told you I was your guardian angel?” Ed's eyes went wide for a moment and then back to being halfway closed.

 

“Would you believe me if I said yes?” Xandyr smiled and, for some reason, Ed's heart was squeezed tightly.

 

“I suppose I wouldn't.” She took a few steps toward him and bowed her head. From behind her appeared two white, feathered wings as tall as her. They spread out and filled half the room. They came back and folded behind her. “Do you believe me now?” The wings suddenly disappeared again. “I have to have them like this because mortals aren't supposed to know of our existence. Me being here right now without cover is bad enough. And then I saved your life. I'm sure I'll hear about that later, too.”

 

“You saved my life?” He asked.

 

“I'm your guardian angel. That's my job. Well, I'm not supposed to directly save you…which is what I did. I jumped into the river after you. You're not as light as you look.” Ed couldn't help but smile at that. She sat down on the edge of the bed and moved a few strands of his hair from his face. “The doctors said that you could go home after tomorrow but home hasn't been at the front of your mind in eight years, huh?”

 

“Yeah. I'd kinda like to go back.” He took a deep breath and stretched his arms. “Roy was right. I have been running from my life. I've been running from it for so long I forgot I was.”

 

“Want to go back home?”

 

“Yeah.” His eyes fluttered and then closed. He took a deep breath, his body calming and relieving itself from his `swim'. It wasn't long before he fell asleep again. Xandyr tucked more of his hair behind his ears and kissed his forehead.

 

“You have no idea how precious you are to me.” She whispered before laying her head on his chest and closing her own eyes. “I love you, Edward.” The beeping of the machines around her finally put her to sleep. Before she lost consciousness, she felt his hand gently move over hers. She smiled and drifted off.

 

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

A/N: Finally a peaceful ending to a chapter. So, he's finally, officially met her. Where's their relationship going to go from here? I'll update as soon as I can.