Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Unknown Sacrifice ❯ A Hitch ( Chapter 10 )

Unknown Sacrifice

AU from Manga chapter 35

Chapter 10 - A Hitch

 

Natasha Mott was trying to stifle a yawn. It always took a lot of effort to stay awake during her midnight shifts at Central's hospital. Nothing major happened this late, or rather early, in the morning and she was looking forward to the fluffy pillow on her bed. And there were only so many solitaire games the nurse could play on the computer before getting that ache between her eyes. But just maybe…her relief was do to arrive in just under an hour. She could shut her eyes for ten minutes, right? The rest of the staff would not notice, as they were doing their rounds to check up on the patients. Ten minutes never did anyone harm.

 

“Somebody help!”

 

The noise caused Natasha to jerk her head up quickly from the desk she was using as a headrest. Looking around, she saw a raven haired colonel holding open the door for the rest of his group. In the lead was the hard-to-not-know-because-he-stood-too-much Strongarm Alchemist. It was the sight in his arms that caused Natasha to fully launch herself out of her seat and press the call button for a doctor.

 

“What happened?”

 

“We're not sure,” the crisp, controlled voice came from behind the large blonde and the nurse looked behind him to see another blonde, female this time, who was guiding yet another blonde, though this one was dirty blonde male teen. Natasha was starting to feel outnumbered with her brunette locks.

 

“Wait right here,” Natasha answered in an equally crisp, professional voice as she turned and left.

 

Roy was about to say, they needed help right now God dammit, when he saw Havoc shake his head as he entered the building.

 

“She's a nurse. Let her do her job. I'm sure she went for help.”

 

Sure enough the nurse reappeared at a slight jog pushing a bed before her.

 

Alex gently placed Edward down on the bed when the sound of running footsteps could be heard. From around the corner came two male nurses in blue scrubs and a graying doctor.

 

“Excessive blood loss, low pulse, shallow breathing, clammy, and cold.” Natasha rattled off the symptoms of the teen on the bed to her fellow health care workers. She had quickly determined them while the boy was transferred on to the cot.

 

The doctor nodded to show he got it, and then ran back the way he came with his patient, so as not to lose precious time. Roy and Al made to follow but the taller of the nurses held them back.

 

“Please stay back. Trust me when I say we'll do everything we can.” Then he too, took of after his coworkers as they passed through double doors label “No public beyond this point.”

 

The entire group watched as Ed was shipped off and it was only after the double doors stopped swinging that the nurse spoke.

 

“You'll need to fill out some paper work.”

 

She returned to her desk and logged into the computer. Roy followed her to answer as Armstrong, Hawkeye, Havoc, and Al took a seat in the waiting area off to the left.

 

“Name?”

 

“Mine or his?”

 

“I only need his information for now.”

 

“Edward Elric.” The nurse gave no inclination that she recognized the name.

 

“Age?”

 

“Umm…Al?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“How old's your brother.”

 

“He's sixteen.”

 

“Sixteen,” Roy repeated for the nurse as she typed it in.

 

“Weight?”

 

“Umm, I don't know,” Roy said after seeing Al shake his head.

 

“Height?”

 

“Five feet, one inch,” responded Al from his position.

 

“K, eye color?”

 

“Gold,” Roy took over again.

 

“Hair color?”

 

“Blonde.”

 

“Blood type?”

 

“Umm, sorry. No clue.”

 

“Occupation?”

 

“…State Alchemist,”

 

“Title?”

 

“Fullmetal,” Roy noticed the slight pause she had in her work. Most people would not think of Ed when hearing the title “Fullmetal”. He could not help but let a smile escape.

 

“Any medical conditions?”

 

“No,”

 

“Anything else I should know?”

 

“He's got automail. His right arm and left leg.”

 

“And your relationship to him?”

 

“His commanding officer, Colonel Roy Mustang, Flame Alchemist.”

 

“Thank you, you can sit down now,”

 

Roy went to join the others with a grim expression on his face. He wished the questions had continued even longer than they had, for they presented a slight distraction.

 

“Do you think Brother will make it?”

 

“Of course Alphonse,” Roy was glad Riza took over him, “You know how tough he is.”

“Yeah, but that doesn't stop me from worrying.”

 

“Everything will be fine,” and in a motherly gesture that was rare to see she placed her arm around the boy. Right away it was evident that he was freezing. Al was after all, shirtless.

 

“You're freezing!”

 

“I'm fine. It's actually kind of nice to know I can feel the cold.”

 

No one had a reply. Not one of them knew the true extent of Al's suffering in his metal body where he had lost all senses but sight, and they would never truly understand. Therefore, they had no idea what to say to the boy.

 

“I thought you might like this.” Al looked up and saw the nurse, Natasha according to her name tag, standing in front of him with a blanket in her arms. Bending down, she wrapped the young Elric in it. She could not help but smile when a look of pure ecstasy appeared on his face.

 

“I put some water on for tea too,” she called as she returned to her place at the registration desk.

 

Al seemed to relish the warmth and feeling of the blanket and Roy hated to ask him, but he had to know.

 

“Al? What happened in the transmutation?”

 

The pause that followed just encouraged the rest of the group to huddle closer.

 

“I ah…um…what I think was supposed to happen was Ed's body was to be exchanged for Envy's. And he had to use his Stone to power the array because of the high gate price. But instead…I got my body back at the expense of Scar's.”

 

Everyone was silent. They were pleased that the alchemist hunter was now out of their hair, but it was evident that the swap unnerved the boy in their midst. Plus, the idea that Ed would have gone the same way if they had not gotten there in time…

 

“Here, this might cheer you up,” Natasha had returned, and this time with a trolley displaying hot tea and hot cocoa selections with mugs of hot water for all of them.

 

“I'm sure Edward will be fine,” the brunette said to break the silence while they waited for their tea to steep. Well, all but Al. He was content watching his mini marshmallows melt.

 

“Dr. Gream is wonderful. He looked after my father when he had his heart attack. Your friend couldn't be better hands.”

 

Hawkeye smiled kindly at the nurse.

 

“So,” Havoc had slipped next to Natasha. “How long have you been working here?”

 

“Not that long, just shy of a year,”

 

As the two of them started on a conversation Roy could not help but watch Al. The delight on his face as he drank the hot chocolate, the way he kept stroking the blanket or feeling his hair, even wiggling his toes for he was lacking in shoes too.

 

Riza meanwhile was watching her commanding officer. Seldom did he express such a kind smile, though she thought anyone seeing Alphonse rediscovering his senses would do the same. Such simple bliss was so rare and powerful that it was bond to spread to the surrounding people.

 

“Oh!” The exclamation drew the attention of all six of them.

 

“Good morning Sam!” Natasha greeted the nurse who came to relive her. “These people here came in about a half hour ago. Dr. Gream is with their friend now.”

 

After exchanging parting remakes, Natasha left for home as Samantha took over. Just as Armstrong laid down his cup of tea, one of the male nurses from before walked over to them.

 

“Will my brother be okay?”

 

The nurse could not help but smile at the young boy before him before kneeling down to his level.

 

“Well, he lost a lot of blood, and some of his wounds are deep. But he's alive.”

 

“I may look young but I'm really fifteen. What's wrong with my brother?”

 

With a sigh the nurse stood up and ran his hand through his hair.

 

“We gave him a blood transfusion, but due to the considerable amount of blood he lost…your brother's slipped into a coma.”

 

“What?” breathed Roy, “What are his chances of waking up?”

 

“Well, most comas due to lost of blood are relatively short. They hardly ever last over a year, but most patients wake up between anywhere from one to seven months. Depending on the trauma associated with the injuries, it could lengthen or shorten the time till his mind becomes active again. If you want, you can see him.”

 

“Yes please!” Al cried, drawing the attention of Sam and a man that had just walked in who appeared to have a broken arm.

 

“Okay, follow me.”

 

Once Al got his body back, he expected Ed's to improve too. Not that he thought his brother's automail limbs would return to normal, but once Al's body was out of the gate the stress on Ed's was supposed to lessen. Edward was not meant to be immobile on a hospital bed with needles sticking into him and in a coma.

 

“Brother! Its not supposed to be like this!” Al rushed to the elder's side, clutched his hand, and proceeded to cry.

 

Riza closed the door to give the brothers privacy. They took refugee in the hallway instead, commandeering a bench.

 

“What do you think he meant, `its not supposed to be like this'?” Havoc said, “It almost sounded like they knew what to expect when Al got his body back.”

 

“I have no clue,” Roy answered, leaning his head against the wall behind him with his eyes closed. “And I'm sure its Ed who came up with the theory, we might have to ask once he wakes up.”

 

“Don't discredit Alphonse Sir,” Hawkeye chastised, “He's almost as smart as his brother. I'm sure Edward explained things to him.”

 

“Hmm”

 

“Colonel,” Armstrong piped up, “We should still get the younger Elric brother to a doctor to make sure everything is alright.”

 

“You're right Major but, just…not tonight. It doesn't seem a pressing issue.”

 

The following week found Alphonse in the waiting room with Hawkeye for a Dr. Fray. A nurse called him, and the two of them made their way into room three. Shortly, the door opened to a voice muttering “Alphonse Elric? But that boy was…”

 

Dr. Fray stood staring at not a suit of armor like he expected, from when he took care of Edward Elric whose armor brother was in pieces thanks to Scar, but a young teen whom he knew instantly as related to Edward.

 

“Weren't you a suit of armor?” he asked as the door was closed behind him.

 

“Yes, but I got my body back.” The boy glowed with happiness and pride.

 

“How's your brother doing? Not messing around anymore laboratories is he?”

 

At the lack of an answer, Hawkeye offered one up. “Edward is currently in a coma.”

 

“Oh, I see. I'm so sorry Alphonse.”

 

“It's all right, it's not your fault.”

 

“So…what can I do for you today?”

 

“As you know, I just got my body back, and I was wondering if you could just…” Al gave a little shrug as if what he was going to say was normal, “just, make sure I'm not missing any organs or anything.”

 

While the request startled Fray, he did not let that faze him.

 

“Okay, no problem. I'll need you to undress.”

 

“Alphonse, do you want me to leave?” Hawkeye asked.

 

“If you don't mind,” Al responded with a slight blush.

 

 

Once Hawkeye was allowed back in the room Dr. Fray summarized what he found.

 

“Well Al, you're a normal fifteen year old boy. A little scrawny I would say and not much taller than your brother, but you have all your body parts and the physique of a fifteen year old. This I must say surprises me. Didn't you lose your body when you where younger? I expected your body to be younger, not age with you as it seems it has.”

 

“Your guess is as good as mine Doctor,” Al said with a shrug.

 

Shaking his head, Dr. Fray opened the door for Alphonse and Hawkeye.

 

“I guess we're at a loss then. Take care, and I hope your brother gets well soon.”

 

“Alphonse,” Hawkeye asked as she walked Al back to hospital where he spent most of his time, “You know why your body grew, don't you?”

 

Al sighed. “Ed had a theory, which I guess turned up accurate. You see, we were thinking, if I didn't have a brain when I was stuck in the armor than how was I storing and recalling memories? It was then Ed remembered that while we were in the Gate together, our brains crossed and linked.”

 

“Wait, so you and Edward…shared his mind?” If this was true and the older brother was already a genius, how much smarter could he be if all of his brain was available to use?

 

“Yes, from what we gathered. And then we got on the topic of him sleeping so and me not needing too…well, we figured out that Ed was sleeping for two. And eating for two too. After seeing how much he can eat I don't think you can argue that one!” Al let out a laugh.

 

“But yeah, Ed was acting as my mind and getting nourishment for my body, enabling it to grow within the gate. It took a toll on Ed's own body. Our father was quite tall, and our mother was not short either. With Ed taking care of both of us, our growth was stunted. It not just the automail like people suggest holding him down, but the fact that he was only able to use half of what he consumed. I assume the automail does have some effect though. I was shorter when we were younger and Dr. Fray said that I'm taller than Brother now, but not by much.”

 

“So now that you have your own bodies, you both should be able to grow, if not to what your final height was supposed to be, than close to it, right?”

 

“Uh huh, but with Brother in a coma…I don't know what will happen. As I said, Ed was the one who had this theory thought out so he if anyone would know. But I don't think he thought about it. A coma would be a side effect of a transmutation, and we hadn't had one figured out yet let alone calculate the risks involved.”

 

“You don't think your brother is in his coma because the link between your bodies was severed do you? I mean, after living connected to your body behind the Gate his could have gotten dependent on it and the lack of the link threw his body out of whack. Is that a possibility?”

 

The boy stopped and pondered this, his face very somber. After a minute, he continued forward and picked up where the conversation stopped.

 

“I hadn't thought of that. I hope that's not the case, that's it just blood loss like that nurse said, but if it isn't…I would send my body through the Gate so Ed would wake up. I wouldn't mind being just a suit of armor if it meant I could spend my time with Brother. The way things are now…”

 

Al broke off, but Hawkeye knew where he was going. The way things were now was not the best of situations.

 

“Alphonse, do you mind if I let the colonel know about this?”

 

“No, he should probably know it anyway. Good bye, first lieutenant.”

 

They had reached the hospital, and Al as always was going spend the rest of the day holding his brother's hand. However, Riza was scared that the boy would over dwell on the possibility that his brother's condition was due to the return of his body.

 

“Alphonse, you should not spend to much time here. How bout you join me for dinner tonight, hmm? I'll come pick you up and we can spend the evening relaxing with a movie or something.”

 

“That sounds nice,” he smiled up at her.

 

“Good. I have to get back to work, but I'll be here around six.” She gave a little wave over her shoulder as she left.

 

Upon arriving back at Central HQ, Hawkeye related the Elric's theory to Mustang. He paced up and down the office while she reported while Fuery, Brenda, and Havoc were able to eavesdrop through the open door.

 

“Sir, you don't think Alphonse would…should we watch him and make sure he doesn't do anything?”

 

“No,” Roy shook his head, “if he really wanted to do it he would, even if we watched him around the clock. We, just have to convince him that it would be the wrong course of action. If Ed's coma is not because the link was severed and Al gave up his body for nothing…well, for one Ed would be pissed when he woke up.”

 

 

“Ed, you don't think you're like this because I have my body back do you?”

 

The blonde boy on the bed next to Al did not move, blink, or even change breathing patterns as a sign he heard him.

 

“Brother, I don't know what to do!”

 

Hello out there! So, slightly modified chapter, but so slight you may not notice it. Sorry it took so long to get up. Its acutally been ready awhile, but while on summer break my mind just shut down... So now I'm back at college and strangly while I have less free time here I work on my stories more in my dorm. Don't me how that works, I'ld like to know myself.

 

As for the ending of this story...the vote is still on for a Bluebird or all is well ending. So far the vote is 1:2 for the happy ending. But you never know which way the vote will swing! Please vote!! I'll writing up the winning chapter in a week or so.