Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ The Way Home ❯ A story for the sick. ( Chapter 1 )
[ A - All Readers ]
By: Lonely_1 
Alphonse asks a favor of Lieutenant Ross to sooth his sick brother.
Anime/Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 11.19.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.2K | Visits: 775 | Status: Completed
Alphonse asks a favor of Lieutenant Ross to sooth his sick brother.
Anime/Manga: Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 11.19.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.2K | Visits: 775 | Status: Completed
Roy sighed as he massaged his temple.
It had been an increasingly long night, Ed was due back anytime now and he anticipated his report.
It was one of the highlights of the job, to torture the poor boy.
Roy loved it.
As he stared blankly out the window at the rain pelting down, an overly loud rap sounded upon the door. Roy jumped slightly at the harsh sound, as he called back “Come in”
A disheveled sopping wet military man entered, panting, he limply held his right hand to his forehead in an exhausted salute. “Sir-It’s-Mr.Elric-he’s-fallen-ill”
Roy stood “Is he here?” the soldier nodded, regaining his breath “In the- infirmary.”
Patting the man on the shoulder, Roy headed for the door.
Edward wheezed for air as a nurse held a stethoscope to his chest. His face was pale and his skin was damp to the touch.
He gazed blankly into the light above, his eyes were heavy and dull.
Alphonse held Ed beneath the arms, supporting his brother’s tiny shivering body and remaining quiet as the nurse worked. When Ed turned to look at Al, his gaze was unfocused and his eyes barely open, he smiled weakly as he spoke in mumbled words “Al, I’m-just-so-tired. Would you tell mom I want to go to bed?”
Alphonse strained to hear his words and inwardly winced when he finally understood him.
He decided to play along with his brother’s delusions “Yeah, I’ll tell mom, she’ll want to read you a story and kiss you goodnight before you go to sleep.”
A dreamy gaze fell upon Ed’s face as his eyes fully closed “Thanks Al.”
When Roy arrived Ed was lying in his bed, shivering despite the large amount of down comforters layered upon him. Alphonse sat at his side.
Awkward looking in the small hospital chair, yet his worry was so evident that nothing looked more fitting in the room.
The younger brother looked up when Roy entered, he stood quickly “Ah-sir, I was wondering if I could talk to you outside for a moment.”
Roy nodded, and stepped out of the room, Alphonse ducked through the doorway as he turned to the colonel.
“I was wondering if Lieutenant Ross was around. I-um-wanted to ask a favor, for my brother.”
Roy’s brows furrowed in slight confusion.
“A favor? Well, I could summon her. I suppose if it is for Full Metal, though may I ask the nature of this favor-I mean, I’ve spoken with Lieutenant Ross about that sort of thing and she seems to have a moral standing on that-”
Al waved his hands frantically and would’ve been scarlet if he could blush.
“N-No - nothing like that-It’s just-He’s sort of hallucinating and thinks our mother is still alive. He’s been asking for her constantly, he’s so delirious-I haven’t got the heart to tell him the truth.--He-still thinks I’m the old me. Keeps asking me when we’re going to play with Winry again-”
Al paused and Roy nodded slowly, now solemn as the young boy’s pain shone through so clearly.
“I just was hoping she could talk to him, read him a story or something. She’s been so kind to us in the past. I thought she might be the best one to try.”
Roy smiled weakly
“I’ll summon her immediately.”
Thirty minutes later Lieutenant Maria Ross sat beside Edward’s bed holding a battered leather bound book titled “The Way Home”.
Al sat beside her and Roy stood calmly on the opposite side of the bed. Edward stirred in his sleep, mumbling something about “-should’ve held on-I’m sorry-”
Ross looked to Alphonse and he nodded, she reached out and stroked Ed’s hair, he relaxed into her hand and turned drowsy golden eyes upon her “Mom, you finally came. I’m so tired.”
She smiled kindly at him “I know Edward, I’m sorry I took so long. I thought I’d read you a book to help you go to sleep.” he nodded as he snuggled into her hand, seeking the touch.
Without urging from Al, Ross helped Ed over onto her lap, so that he was still completely covered by blankets, but his head and shoulders lay comfortably upon her.
Opening the book, Ross spoke softly and slowly, reading the title “ The Way Home. A book dedicated to the two sweetest hearts, My precious Edward and Alphonse.”
She paused and looked to Al, he nodded for her to continue and for a moment she could see the sweet young boy within the armor.
“ Once there were two brothers, one was brave and adventurous, the other was sweet and kind.
They lived together with their mother, who loved them both more then life itself.
She watched over them as they adventured across the land.
One day the two boys wandered deep into the woods, they played until the sun set and the trees grew dark and scary. Shadows flitted in the darkness and the little brother grew frightened, the big brother was frightened too, but he knew he had to be strong and brave like their mother told him to be.
They wandered in the shadowy forest, searching for a way out, until they grew very tired.
The Big brother told the little one to sleep while he kept watch, yet he got so drowsy he drifted off too.
It was not until very late that he woke to find a bright light shining in the distance, waking his brother they wandered towards the light to find their house sitting before them and that only an hour had passed.
Dashing towards the door they saw that their mother was flashing a lantern in the window.
Running to meet them she hugged them tight, promising that she would always be there to show them the way home.
The end.”
Closing the book, Ross looked down to find Ed sleeping peacefully at last.
Stroking his hair she leaned down to kiss his forehead as she eased him off her lap, tucking the blankets around him.
Standing to leave, she froze when he spoke “Good night mom, I love you.” turning, she smiled a genuinely loving smile as she bent to caress his cheek “I love you too, Edward.”
The next day Ed was already doing better, active and feisty enough to battle Roy when he mentioned his lack of stature.
Alphonse never did tell Ed what Lieutenant Ross had done, and Ed didn’t mention the occurrence.
Al kept the wethered book close, safely tucked in the small suitcase that contained their most precious possesions, all that
was left of their childhood and fleeting days of joy.
Laura
It had been an increasingly long night, Ed was due back anytime now and he anticipated his report.
It was one of the highlights of the job, to torture the poor boy.
Roy loved it.
As he stared blankly out the window at the rain pelting down, an overly loud rap sounded upon the door. Roy jumped slightly at the harsh sound, as he called back “Come in”
A disheveled sopping wet military man entered, panting, he limply held his right hand to his forehead in an exhausted salute. “Sir-It’s-Mr.Elric-he’s-fallen-ill”
Roy stood “Is he here?” the soldier nodded, regaining his breath “In the- infirmary.”
Patting the man on the shoulder, Roy headed for the door.
Edward wheezed for air as a nurse held a stethoscope to his chest. His face was pale and his skin was damp to the touch.
He gazed blankly into the light above, his eyes were heavy and dull.
Alphonse held Ed beneath the arms, supporting his brother’s tiny shivering body and remaining quiet as the nurse worked. When Ed turned to look at Al, his gaze was unfocused and his eyes barely open, he smiled weakly as he spoke in mumbled words “Al, I’m-just-so-tired. Would you tell mom I want to go to bed?”
Alphonse strained to hear his words and inwardly winced when he finally understood him.
He decided to play along with his brother’s delusions “Yeah, I’ll tell mom, she’ll want to read you a story and kiss you goodnight before you go to sleep.”
A dreamy gaze fell upon Ed’s face as his eyes fully closed “Thanks Al.”
When Roy arrived Ed was lying in his bed, shivering despite the large amount of down comforters layered upon him. Alphonse sat at his side.
Awkward looking in the small hospital chair, yet his worry was so evident that nothing looked more fitting in the room.
The younger brother looked up when Roy entered, he stood quickly “Ah-sir, I was wondering if I could talk to you outside for a moment.”
Roy nodded, and stepped out of the room, Alphonse ducked through the doorway as he turned to the colonel.
“I was wondering if Lieutenant Ross was around. I-um-wanted to ask a favor, for my brother.”
Roy’s brows furrowed in slight confusion.
“A favor? Well, I could summon her. I suppose if it is for Full Metal, though may I ask the nature of this favor-I mean, I’ve spoken with Lieutenant Ross about that sort of thing and she seems to have a moral standing on that-”
Al waved his hands frantically and would’ve been scarlet if he could blush.
“N-No - nothing like that-It’s just-He’s sort of hallucinating and thinks our mother is still alive. He’s been asking for her constantly, he’s so delirious-I haven’t got the heart to tell him the truth.--He-still thinks I’m the old me. Keeps asking me when we’re going to play with Winry again-”
Al paused and Roy nodded slowly, now solemn as the young boy’s pain shone through so clearly.
“I just was hoping she could talk to him, read him a story or something. She’s been so kind to us in the past. I thought she might be the best one to try.”
Roy smiled weakly
“I’ll summon her immediately.”
Thirty minutes later Lieutenant Maria Ross sat beside Edward’s bed holding a battered leather bound book titled “The Way Home”.
Al sat beside her and Roy stood calmly on the opposite side of the bed. Edward stirred in his sleep, mumbling something about “-should’ve held on-I’m sorry-”
Ross looked to Alphonse and he nodded, she reached out and stroked Ed’s hair, he relaxed into her hand and turned drowsy golden eyes upon her “Mom, you finally came. I’m so tired.”
She smiled kindly at him “I know Edward, I’m sorry I took so long. I thought I’d read you a book to help you go to sleep.” he nodded as he snuggled into her hand, seeking the touch.
Without urging from Al, Ross helped Ed over onto her lap, so that he was still completely covered by blankets, but his head and shoulders lay comfortably upon her.
Opening the book, Ross spoke softly and slowly, reading the title “ The Way Home. A book dedicated to the two sweetest hearts, My precious Edward and Alphonse.”
She paused and looked to Al, he nodded for her to continue and for a moment she could see the sweet young boy within the armor.
“ Once there were two brothers, one was brave and adventurous, the other was sweet and kind.
They lived together with their mother, who loved them both more then life itself.
She watched over them as they adventured across the land.
One day the two boys wandered deep into the woods, they played until the sun set and the trees grew dark and scary. Shadows flitted in the darkness and the little brother grew frightened, the big brother was frightened too, but he knew he had to be strong and brave like their mother told him to be.
They wandered in the shadowy forest, searching for a way out, until they grew very tired.
The Big brother told the little one to sleep while he kept watch, yet he got so drowsy he drifted off too.
It was not until very late that he woke to find a bright light shining in the distance, waking his brother they wandered towards the light to find their house sitting before them and that only an hour had passed.
Dashing towards the door they saw that their mother was flashing a lantern in the window.
Running to meet them she hugged them tight, promising that she would always be there to show them the way home.
The end.”
Closing the book, Ross looked down to find Ed sleeping peacefully at last.
Stroking his hair she leaned down to kiss his forehead as she eased him off her lap, tucking the blankets around him.
Standing to leave, she froze when he spoke “Good night mom, I love you.” turning, she smiled a genuinely loving smile as she bent to caress his cheek “I love you too, Edward.”
The next day Ed was already doing better, active and feisty enough to battle Roy when he mentioned his lack of stature.
Alphonse never did tell Ed what Lieutenant Ross had done, and Ed didn’t mention the occurrence.
Al kept the wethered book close, safely tucked in the small suitcase that contained their most precious possesions, all that
was left of their childhood and fleeting days of joy.
Laura