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A Little Light of Love	By : squallstorm Category: Fullmetal Alchemist > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 7987 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Disclaimer:
I do NOT own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters.....I'm just
playing with them.

Author's
note:

Thanks
to ZaKai for reading through this chapter and finding all my many
mistakes.

This
chapter was almost entirely written in the Chapters/Starbucks near my
home...if you've never tried writing in a cafe or coffee shop...try
it! I highly recommend it...it's so fun.

I
also want to mention that I've gone back and re-worked all the
previous chapters from chapter 1 to 7, for sentence structure and
punctuation. I hope you can find it within you to maybe take a look,
I know that for me it reads way better now. Enjoy!

Oh!...P.S.
I didn't alter any plot points, so it's unnecessary
to re-read it, it more for myself then anything. Okay, shutting up
now...enjoy the chapter.

Chapter
16

“So,
since we're here, let's cause some trouble,” Ed suggested as
they continued to wait for Al's return.

“What
sort of trouble? Aren't you in enough trouble already?” Roy
asked from his position on the floor. He had tried to stand earlier
but dizziness had threatened to overcome him, so he decided to remain
on the floor until they had to move out. He cradled his wounded arm
in between his chest and his bent leg.

“No.
I think we should muck it up some. You know, destroy stuff. Can't
let the Americanxs have all the fun,” joked Ed, wincing
mentally at the bull's eye Roy had flung at him unknowingly. Edward
Elric...trouble magnet. He was please to note, however, that his
tone of voice hadn't changed at all.

“Well,
we do know how to blow stuff up,” Roy returned, smiling up at
Ed, joking easily with the blond.

“So
where should we begin? This looks like the room for all the air
exchange equipment and over there looks like it might be a power
plant or some sort of battery thing...y?” Ed pointed to the
just visible towers at the very far side of the chamber.

“And
I think there was some heating and plumbing back there, too,”
Roy added, pointed in the direction they had come from with his good
arm.

“Great,
so it's all here. We could really fuck up this place then.”
Ed scratched at his emerging stubble as he studied his surroundings.

“Eddie,
I'm tired,” whined Isabella, tugging at his shorts, and then
held up her hands to be held. Without thinking, Ed reached down and
swung the girl into his arms, and continued to look around.

“But...you
know, we don't have any way to destroy any of this,” said Ed,
sucking on his bottom lip in thought. Isabella laid her head on Ed's
shoulder as he talked, yawing into his neck. “Maybe we should
just shut off any switches we find, or something.” Ed turned
back to look at the man on the floor.

“Well...”
began Roy, he looked up as Ed stopped his survey of the surroundings,
and couldn't help the smile that spread across his face at the sight
of the small girl tucked into the crook of the blond's neck looking
like she was about to drop off to sleep in moments.

“What
are you smirking at?” Ed asked, noticing Roy's gaze at the girl
he looked down at his chest. Just as he was going to question Roy
further, half the overhead lights went out, creating odd shadows.
“What the...”

“Power
outage?” Roy suggested.

“Ed...”
Noa, fearful of the unexpected change, hovered by his side, chewing
on her thumb nail.

“But
some of the lights are still on,” Ed pointed out, raising his
right hand towards the remaining lights.

“Edward,
we should go look for Al, I don't like this,” said Noa, turning
away to stare out into the gloom.

“I
got a bad feeling about this, too,” Roy murmured. He reached
back and pulled out his gun. He could fire it left handed but he
would rather not. He didn't trust himself to be anywhere near
accurate. The most he could do would be to provide cover fire.

“Edward,
I'm really worried about Alphonse,” said Noa. She moved away
from the comfort of her friend, and looked towards the direction they
all thought Alphonse would be coming from.

Sighing,
Ed looked towards Al's suspected path as well. “I am too. Do
you think you can stand now?” he asked Roy, coming to stand
beside him so he wouldn't have to crane his neck over the girl to see
him.

“I
think so, if Noa will help me.” Roy folded his feet under him,
in preparation to stand. He replaced his gun in his holster, and
looked at Noa.

“I
can do th—” protested Ed. Taking a step closer, and
adjusting Izzy to lay in a more comfortable position.

“I
think you're currently doubling as a mattress right now.” Roy
smirked at the indignant humph from Ed, before mentally preparing
himself for more pain.

Noa
came around behind him, placing one hand under his good armpit and
the other wrapped around his chest. Heaving the captain to his feet,
Noa steadied Roy as he scrambled to get a purchase on the floor.

Roy
gritted his teeth in pain as his shoulder was jostled with the
movement. Once on his feet he swayed only slightly before feeling
alright with his new elevation. Clasping his arm to his chest, Roy
closed his eyes for a moment as the pain burned through his body,
throbbing in its aggravation. “I think I need a sling,”
he said through clenched teeth, blanching slightly.

“Are
you all right?” Noa asked, coming around to support him on his
good side.

“Yeah...”
said Roy, through clenched teeth.

“How
about a belt?” Ed suggested. He felt pretty useless now that
he couldn't help out while holding Izzy. At least he could try to
think for Roy while he was dealing with his pain. “Are you
wearing one?”

“Yes,
but this uniform it a bit too big. I'll need it...”

“I
got one,” Ed said. “But I..ah..can't get at it right
now.” Ed felt the heat rise to his cheeks once again, as he
pictured Roy taking his belt off. In the half gloom, Ed didn't
bother to hide his blush. He was pretty sure that Roy couldn't see
him.

“I'm
going to need something...agh...a little longer,” grimaced Roy,
in pain.

- - - -

Trailing
behind his prisoner, Al carefully watched the Seniore in case he
tried anything physical, but he was so confused about what the man
had told him. Not only that, he was starting to doubt his ability to
read people. He used to be really good at that when he was back
home. What happened that he could no longer understand anyone
anymore. He was no longer sure what was right, what were truth, or
what were lies. Was any of it lies?

As
they entered another cone of ugly, yellow light, Al could just make
out the sound of voices. They must be getting close to Ed and the
others. Resisting the urge to sigh aloud, Al poked the gun into the
Seniore's back to make him pick up the pace. He just wanted to get
out of here and go home. He had enough of this particular adventure,
and he never wanted to see another German officer—or Italian
for that matter—and he was going to suggest that they immigrate
to some other country before things start getting really bad in
Germany.

“Ah!
There's the 'captain' now,” the Seniore drawled, a smirk
tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“Quiet...”
Al warned.

“Hmmm...”
the Seniore hummed in response. His eyes danced as they continued to
walk towards everyone else making Al suspicious of what was going
through the man's mind. He looked side long at his face to see him
staring at his brother intently.

The
Seniore frowned as he saw Edward step closer to the captain with a
obvious look of concern on his face. He'd have to work on that as
well, it seemed. He could recognize the infatuation for the captain
within the blond. He wondered if his blond knew what it was. Did he
really know what being with a man was all about?

“Ed!”
Al called out as they were within ear shot, letting his gaze slide
away from the Seniore. Ed turned at the sound of his name, relief
evident on his face.

“Al!
'Bout time, we were getting worried,” Ed called back. He
tired not to look at who was with Al, focusing instead on his
brother.

“Sorry,
we came the long way,” said Al, his voice was hard and
strained, but he was glad he was back amongst friends. He was also
anxious to get Ed alone so he could talk with him about his concerns.

“Figured
that,” said Ed, shifting the bundle in his arms to rest higher
on his hips.

The
Seniore stopped a few feet in front of Edward, and smirked as the
blond shied away from the intrusion into his personal space. He was
not going to be the 'willing' hostage. He planned to get under each
and everyone's skin, turning them against one another. Now that the
younger brother was having doubts, it was time to make Edward doubt
as well. He switched his attention to the glaring captain, and was
pleased to note that he was injured.

“Captain,
I'm glad to see you again. I so wanted to catch up with you at the
pyramids,” said the Seniore, letting his voice show how
disappointed he was that they lost that chance. He nodded his head
towards the man in question, and smiled wide in greeting.

“Excuse
me?” Roy frowned at the Seniore, clearly puzzled. “I
don't know you,” Roy said, his voice flat and devoid of
emotion.

“Don't
tell me you've forgotten already? That time in Munich and again in
Rome, we were both there,” the Seniore lied easily, and without
hesitation.

Ed
glared at Roy, a silent question on his face. Are
they...working together?
Ed thought back to their first meeting on the sands near the
pyramids. They hadn't seemed to know one another, but could that
have been an act? Roy shot him a glance, raising an eyebrow. It
seemed that he was just as perplexed at the Seniore's implication of
friendship.

“I
don't think so, we
...have never met,” said Roy, squeezing the wrist on his
injured arm as he cradled it against his chest.

“What
are you saying, captain?
Surely you remember me.” The Seniore's voice was full of hurt
and disappointment.

Al
watched closely how Roy reacted to this, and either he was a really
good actor or he was genuinely innocent. His face was clearly
showing his confusion, and Al noted a hint of anger in his face.
Could that because his cover was blown? He definitely needed to talk
with Ed now.

“I
would think so too, since you're so...unusual.” Roy narrowed
his eyes at the man, remembering what Ed had alluded to in the
medical/rest room mere hours ago. He was still puzzled about what Ed
could have meant. 'Everyone saw' what?

Noa
watched the power struggle taking place between the Seniore, Ed, Al
and Roy. She wanted to suggest that she could easily solve this but
was afraid to announce her power in front of strangers. Maybe if she
could get close to the Seniore and touch him... When she was tending
to Roy's wound, she had seen many things, but just because she didn't
see anything about betrayal didn't mean that it wasn't there. If
only she could see his dream, then she'd know for sure.

“This
is ridiculous,” Ed snapped at the Seniore turning away from
Roy's face. He saw the anger there, in Roy's face. Was it for what
the Seniore had said? Could it be for some other reason? He just
didn't know. For now he decided that'd he'd trust Roy, he wasn't
willing to give up this chance so easily. He really hoped that he
wasn't making a foolish decision.

“We've
got ground to cover and this isn't the place for this,” Ed told
everyone. Turning towards his best friend, he asked, “Noa can
you take Isabella?” He transferred the sleeping girl to Noa's
chest before she could answer. Isabella whined her displeasure at
being disturbed, but quickly quieted again as she burrowed into the
woman's chest.

“Ed—”
Al began, wanting a chance to talk with him alone.

“Later!
Let's start up. I'll guard this 'thing'; Al you leads us back the
way you came,” said Ed, pulling out his own gun, he leveled it
at the Seniore's chest. He stilled his face from expressing any
emotions when the Seniore smiled at him. His heart beat fast in his
chest as he stared at the man. He couldn't seem to get the memory of
what was done to him out of his head. Every touch was remembered,
every word, every sickening, excited breath from the fucker, played
through his mind. He couldn't show how much this was bothering him,
it'd only fuel the man's comments.

The
Seniore smiled wider at him, making the dried blood crack and flake
off. “Al, get us moving,” ordered Ed, tearing his eyes
away from his prisoner to look at Al.

“But
Ed--” Al tried again, looking worriedly over at Ed.

“Now!”
Ed barked, furious at the Seniore for causing him to doubt Roy for
even a moment, furious that he had to remember every detail of his
vile touch. He was also pissed that they now had to travel with the
fucker.

Al
reluctantly turned away. “This way,” he said. This
wasn't what he had hopped would happen. Ed was acting very weird,
very tense, even for Ed. He just hoped that he'd get a chance to ask
him about it soon. Re-tracing his steps from moments before, he led
them towards the metal stair case. Looking back over his shoulder,
he made sure that everyone was following him.

Behind
him, the Seniore was being escorted by Ed with a gun at his back.
Ed's face was grim and hard as he met Al's gaze. Roy came next, with
his open jacket draped over his shoulders. He looked pale and waxen.
Al didn't even have a chance to inquire about his ability to travel,
and bringing up the rear, Noa carrying a sleeping Isabella. Both
woman and child look tired. Al hoped that they could get out of here
without too much trouble.

- - - -

“Alphonse,
we need to stop.” Noa's voice floated out, weak in the
vastness of the chamber they were in.

Al
turned back to see what the problem was. Roy was leaning against the
railing on the landing, sweating, while Noa hovered around him,
holding onto his arm as if he might topple over the side and down the
many flights to the bottom. He noted the smirk sliding across the
Seniore's face and frowned. That's not how someone should act if
they're working together. There should be at least some concern,
right?

“Al,
can you...” Ed waved the gun at Al, he really wanted to go to
Roy's side and lend support. Handing his gun over to his brother, Ed
nodded to Noa and took her spot. Roy panted into his own chest, as
Ed came along side of him. Ed studied the color of Roy's waxen and
clammy looking skin. He didn't look good at all.

“I'm
okay, really. I'm fine,” Roy said, looking into those golden
eyes of Ed's. Ed frowned at him, not buying it at all.
“Really...it's just throbbing somewhat.”

“He's
trying to hold you up,” the Seniore told them, his voice
smoothly cutting across the ambient noise in the room. “He's
probably got a small detachment waiting for you at the top. I
would.” Both Ed and Al shot him a warring glare which the
Seniore ignored.

“That
would be hard since I've been with him the whole time. When would he
have been able to notify anyone?” Ed questioned, peeved that
the bastard was trying so hard to play this angle. Until he had more
to go on besides the Seniore's word, Roy was innocent.

“I'm
sure there must have been moments, where you weren't together, or you
were separated.” the Seniore smiled, cracking the blood that
had dried on his face to resemble a baked river bed. His smile fell
somewhat when the blond's face seemed unaffected by his taunt.

“Ed,
its okay, you don't have to defend me,” Roy whispered so that
only Ed could hear. Taking a deep breath, he squared his shoulders,
grimacing a bit as he tweaked his shoulder.

“But
Roy, that guy—”

Squeezing
Ed's shoulder with his good hand Roy stepped past the blond to stand
in front of the Seniore. All signs of his earlier exhaustion seemed
to vanish. “This won't work,” Roy began. “As soon
as the Americans rush this base your whole attempt to discredit me
will be for naught.”

“I'm
sure Schreck will be sad to hear you say that.” The Seniore
countered easily. He smiled wider at the flicker of annoyance across
the captain's face.

Roy
caught Al's thoughtful stare from the corner of his eyes and returned
it easily. Al was having doubts apparently. He would see soon
enough that he wasn't associated with these people, but Al's opinion
of him wasn't as important to him as Ed's was. As long as Ed
continued to believe in him, he wouldn't get too worked up about it.

“I
don't think you have anything on the table, you're bluffing,”
challenged Roy, still looking at Al.

“We
shall see about that,” the Seniore smirked, bringing Roy's
attention back to the man in front of him.

Roy
frowned, wondering what he meant by that remark. Did he have
something in the works? Could Ed's assumption that the Seniore
hadn't alerted anyone to their presence be wrong? He looked over his
shoulder at Ed standing where he left him. He was watching the
exchange intently, and met his stare. Ed's gaze was even and full of
trust for him, which made him glad, and he smiled at him slightly.

Turning
back to the Seniore, Roy hardened his face, glaring at him in the
half light. Tugging his jacket on his shoulders more firmly around
him, Roy brushed past him and looked up to the flights still left to
climb. This was, unfortunately the only way up, but it was wearing
him out too much. He wanted to destroy this facility before they
left, but if he didn't have anything left, how would he be able to
use it.

“We
should keep moving.” Roy broke the tension, turning back to
the wary and silent group behind him. “Unless you don't want
to trust me,” he said directly to Al making the younger of the
Elrics frown at him.

“No,
we trust you, don't we Al?” Ed stepped forward, holding Roy's
gaze as he did so, overriding Al's continued silence with his promise
of trust. He didn't wait for Al to respond as he walked over to the
next of many stair cases, and Roy. “Let's go,” he
commanded softly.

“Ed,
wait.” Noa crossed over to his side, bouncing the small girl
into a more comfortable position as she went. “Roy, you still
need a sling,” she said to the softly panting man.

“Right...Al,
give me your belt.” Ed strode over to his brother and held out
his hand, totally ignoring the Seniore's leer as he stood near him.
Keeping his gun on the Seniore, Al unbuckled his belt one handed and
pulled it though the loops, relinquishing it to Ed's waiting hand.

Walking
back to Roy, Ed also unbuckled his belt and pulling it through.
Working the buckle of one belt and the tongue on the other together,
Ed made a longer belt and stepped in front of Roy. When he looked up
into those unfathomable dark eyes, he paused.

There
was...what? Something in Roy's face... The Mustang he knew would
never have looked at him like that. The closest he ever got was the
last time they'd seen one another. Mustang was going off to deal
with Bradly, and him off to find Al. If anything it was a look of
friendship or acceptance that Mustang had given him. That he was
perhaps now a man. Who knew. He'd never find out now. Shaking his
head, he reached up and slipped the longer belt around Roy's neck,
and closed the open ends together.

“What?”
Roy wondered as Ed shook his head. He threaded his hand through the
leather sling, letting his neck take the weight of his arm. He
sighed as his tense muscles were able to find a bit of momentary
relief. He was very grateful that this man was offering him his
trust even though they barely knew one another.

“Nothing,”
Ed mumbled, reaching up to adjust the belt to lie further down the
other man's neck.

“Aw,
how touching,” the Seniore sneered. The jealously he was
feeling right now was enough to make him choke. “You know, of
course, that the blond is mine.”
He addressed this last statement to the captain, but his eyes were
locked onto Ed's with a smoldering intensity.

“I'm
not yours and never will be, so SHUT THE FUCK UP!” Ed roared,
his patience wearing extremely thin. He opened his mouth to say
more, but Roy placed a placating hand on his shoulder.

“Don't
play at his level,” Roy murmured, finding and holding the
frazzled gaze Ed shot at him. He could feel Ed's suppressed anger
thrumming up through his hand as it rested lightly on his shoulder.

Keeping
his gun pointed at the Seniore, Al stepped to his brother, lending
him support with his presence. “Ed...” he murmured.

“Aw,
how touching. Brotherly love. I have two brothers; twins...you
should meet them.” The Seniore smiled. His twins...they
should be out looking for him by now. They were pretty good at find
him too. “I can still smell you Edward...” The Seniore
made as if to lift his cuffed hands towards his nose from behind his
back. “If my hands were free...”

“Shut
up!” Ed snapped, and took a threatening step towards the
Seniore, breaking out of Roy's hold. His fists clenched and shook
near his thighs, as sweat broke out over his forehead. He could feel
the blood rushing to his face in anger and embarrassment.

“I
know you liked that show we put on for my men, didn't you?” the
Seniore drawled suggestively. His eyes swept all the way down Ed's
body in a possessive manner, and then slowly back up to meet the
blond's dark glare. He licked his lips at the delicious shudder that
racked Ed's body.

“SHUT!
UP!” yelled Ed, his fury mounting by the second. He took
another threatening step towards the Seniore, and bared his fangs at
his antagonist.

“We
could do an encore. Right now if you like. I'm sure the captain
would love to see me--”

“SHUT
UP, YOU GOD DAMN SICK FUCK!” yelled Ed as he sprang across the
distance separating them as if on springs. Pulling back his right
hand, he smashed it into the left shoulder of the Seniore, so furious
was he that he missed hitting the head that he was aiming for. The
Seniore stumbled and collapsed to the ground, with Ed towering over
him, fists clenched and breathing hard. “Go on, say some more,
see what I do to you,” he taunted, his voice dropped
alarmingly, laced as it was with the promise of more pain.

“You
liked it when I touched you, didn—” The Seniore began,
smiling. It would be so worth it to break this one. The pain now
was worth it.

Ed
reached down and fisted the man's shirt with his left hand, and
cocked his right, choking the rest of whatever it was he was going to
say. Ed was close enough now that he would not miss hitting that
smug, ugly, scared face. He wouldn't hold back either. If his
auto-mail should happen to make it's way out the back of the other
side of the man's head, then so be it. The world wouldn't miss him,
and neither would he.

Roy
shoved his hand into Al's back pushing him towards Ed. “Get
him before he kills our meal ticket,” Roy shouted. He'd seen
that look before. That killing intent when soldiers were pushed too
far and stopping thinking clearly.

Pushed
out of his daze, Al rushed forward, but as soon as the Seniore said,
loud enough for everyone to hear, that Ed had enjoyed what the
Seniore had done to him, Al staggered to a stop, horrified. He could
hear Noa yelling at Ed to stop, but it seemed to come from long away.
Ed's hand hovered in the air, shaking, and Al couldn't make himself
move to stop him. He wasn't sure he wanted to stop this. Pay back,
he deserved it...right?

Mumbling
to himself about blonds and their crazy ways, Roy reached across his
body and pulled his gun free of its holster. Holding it over his
head, he fired a shot into the large steam pipes two levels up.
Thick, billowing clouds of water vapor came hissing out and down,
creating a solid impassable curtain just feet from the prone body of
the Seniore and his attacker.

Jumping
backwards, Ed scrambled to get out of the way. He blinked
uncomprehendingly at the damage pouring down through the metal grates
to the levels below. His eyes narrowed as he watched Al rush over to
pick up the prone man and set him back on his feet away from harm.
His anger was still coursing through his body, but the distraction
had ebbed his desire to punch that face into a bloody pulp, a
little...

Whirling
on ball of his feet, Ed faced Roy, who was just lowering his gun and
was now watching him carefully, with what looked like pity for him on
his face. His jaw worked, as he clenched his teeth. He didn't need
pity, he didn't want
it! He just wanted to make sure this bastard-fuck didn't ever
think about him like that again.

“Ed...”
Roy mouthed silently, and frowned. Roy looked away as Ed's face
darkened further. He would not set him off if he could help it.

Al
left the Seniore's side and slowly, as if Ed were a rabid animal, and
approached his brother with his hands open and out to the sides, palm
up.

Ed
swiveled his head to silently watch as Al stepped closer and closer.
His body tensed, he bent his knees, resting on the balls of his feet.

“Ed,
easy,” said Al softly. He stopped five feet from his brother,
giving himself enough room to maneuver just in case. 'In case' what,
though, he didn't want to think too hard on that at the moment.

Ed
growled, his eyes flickering past Al's shoulder to settle on the
Seniore again. Peeling back his lips in a toothy, silent sneer, he
glared at his molester, and felt the rage return.

“Ed...”
Al said again. Had he ever seen Ed act like this? He couldn't
recall a time when Ed had been consumed by anger and hatred. He'd
been angry before, of course, but it was always controlled by his
ability to reason...somewhat. This was pure emotion and it was
written in every line and gesture, every flex of muscle and tilt of
his head Ed made. He must have been more affected by the Seniore's
presence then he first realized. “Ed, hey, you got to relax
before you do something you'll regret later.”

Ed
took a step towards the Seniore.

This
is crazy,
Roy thought as he moved around to stand in front of the Seniore, he
had to stay alive. He was their way out of here and their insurance
policy in case they ran into any soldiers. He had to stay alive. If
only for the moment.

“Move...”
Ed looked up through his bangs as Roy turned his gun on him. His
hair slid forward, framing his face in its tangled mess, making him
look more deranged.

Al,
aghast at the captain's attempt to protect the Seniore, figured that
this was proof of duplicity. Roy was working for the enemy.

“Major
Elric, please stop,” said Roy, reverting to his formal title,
hoping it would snap some sense into to him. He lowered his gun, but
kept it ready. If only he could stun him for a bit.

Forgotten
by the men, Noa had awakened Isabella and placed her behind a
concrete pillar. Making sure that her steps would not be heard, she
crept up behind Ed. Every line in his body screamed pain and hurt,
and with the need to expel it and return it to it's source. She
didn't know if this was going to work, but she was going to try to
take those feelings into her self, leaving Ed empty. If she could
just touch him...

Breathing
hard through his nose, Ed was torn. Roy was protecting that guy who
had humiliated him in front of his brother and his best friend, and
Izzy too. His feelings of hurt began to override his anger, and his
face mirrored his confusion. He sucked in his bottom lip to chew at
the side of it.

At
that moment of indecision, Noa reached her hands towards either side
of his head, gripping his temples, and focused.

Startled,
Ed began to turn, but then his whole body arched away from Noa's. He
bit down hard on the lip he was chewing on and drew blood, which
dribbled down his chin, unnoticed. His eyes rolled back into his
head, and Noa made the space between them even smaller. She pressed
her head to the back of his. Focusing.

Al's
eyes went wide.

Roy
stared, and lowered his gun.

The
Seniore stepped to the side and watched, slack-jawed.

Moments
passed and still Ed's body was in that bowed position with Noa at his
back. Suddenly, Ed gasped and his eyes flew open, staring unseeing
at the pipes and wires above him. He gasped again, and then crumpled
to the floor, with Noa following him down.

Al
blinked, and drew air into his lungs. “Noa?” he
whispered, and took a step towards the still bodies.

“Jesus,
Mary mother of Christ, what was that?” Roy asked, and looked at
Al, his face full of shocked wonder and fear.

“I...I
don't know...” Al frowned and then rushed to Noa's side,
turning her over, he brushed the soft brown hair off her cheek and
noted with a frown that her face was contorted in a grimace; she
looked to be in pain.

Al's
action unfroze Roy's own stupefied body and he rushed to bend over
Ed. His eyes were open and dull as Roy turned him over. Roy snapped
his fingers across his line of sight, watching for a reaction. There
was none. “Shit...I got nothing here. You?” Roy looked
across at Al bending over the woman.

“She's
breathing. Check for a pulse,” Al told Roy.

“Noa
hurt?” Isabella slowly approached Al.

Al
arranged Noa's body to lay flat on her back. “I don't know,
baby. Come here and hold her hand, okay?” Al didn't wait for
the girl to respond, already on his feet rushing over to his brother.

“I
can't find a pulse,” Roy informed Al as he crouched on the
other side of Ed.

“Okay...okay...I'll
listen for a heart beat.” Al laid his head directly over Ed's
heart and held his breath. After what seemed like an eternity, Al
heard a slow thump, and then another slow thump. Lifting his head,
he held his hand just above Ed's mouth and nose and waited.

“Well!”
Roy asked, impatient.

“He's
breathing.” Al sighed and sat back on his haunches, running a
hand through his hair.

Roy
slumped over Ed, closing his eyes in relief. When Roy opened his
eyes again, he noticed that Ed's gaze was no longer focused blankly
on the ceiling, but on him. “Ed?” Roy whispered. Al
scouted closer and looked down as well.

Frowning
at the lack of response, Roy snapped his fingers across Ed's line of
sight again. Ed flinched, and squinted his eyes. “Thank God,
I was beginning to wonder...” Roy moved the hair that was
pooling around the front of Ed's neck off to the side. Roy glanced
up for a moment when Al stood and moved back to tend to Noa.

Ed
blinked at him once more, before his tongue snaked out to lick at his
punctured lip and the blood there. His whole body felt heavy and
slow, like he had to tell his tongue three times to lick at the blood
before it did what he wanted.

“What
happened? Are you okay?” Roy asked, stroking the hair closest
to him.

Ed
just closed his eyes, the thought of speech making him more tired.
He opened his eyes when he felt a hand on his forehead. What
was I doing just now?
Ed wondered, looking up into Roy's dark eyes. Roy's hand left his
forehead and reached over to wipe off the small trail of blood on his
chin. I
was going to do some...thing?

Roy
looked over at Al, as he helped Noa into a sitting position. She was
holding her head and leaning into Al's chest. He wasn't able to
catch what they said to one another, so he turned his attention back
to Ed. “Can you sit?” Roy asked. Ed just blinked
slowly and then turned his head to the side. “I'll help you
then.” Bracing his foot, Roy leaned down and lifted Ed's head
one handed.

“Roy...”
Ed croaked. His throat was suddenly raw and scratchy.

Roy
paused and looked into Ed's eyes. “Yes?”

“What
was I going to do just now?” Ed slowly brought his right hand
up from the floor and held it in front of his face, as though seeing
it for the first time.

“I
don't know, buddy. You were pretty angry.” Roy looked at the
hand Ed was holding up, studying it as well. It was an amazing piece
of engineering. Roy wondered yet again how it was able to move so
much like the real thing.

“I
was?” Ed tongued his lip again, deep in thought. He searched
through his memories of the last few moments. He could see that he
was angry at the Seniore, but didn't know why he reacted the way he
had. It no longer seemed logical.

“Hey,
that man is running away,” Isabella yelled, pointing up the
stair case where the Seniore was taking the steps two at a time.

“I'll
get him,” Al volunteered, his eyes followed the Seniore for a
moment before looking back at the woman in his arms. “Will you
be okay?” he asked, Noa looked pale to him. He hoped that she
would be alright. For some reason, it seemed to be really important
that she was safe.

“Yes,
go.” Noa pushed at him and then held her temples.

“Don't
do anything stupid,” Roy called after Al's back.

Ed
pushed on the floor and sat up, looking across at Noa. “What
did you do?” he frowned at his friend.

“I
took your hate.”

“Forever?”
he asked, surprised now that he noticed, just how empty of that
particular emotion he now felt.

“I
don't know.” Noa looked back into Ed's steady gaze. “I
didn't know I could do that.”

“Do
what! What are you talking about?” Roy looked between Ed and
Noa, trying to figure out what she had done.

“Noa
can see into a person's heart by touch,” Ed told him, his eyes
locked on Noa's.

“I
drew out Edward's pain, and took into my body,” she finished.

“I
don't understand any of this. Why were you freaking out like that?
What did he do to you?” Roy ran his good hand through his hair
in his frustration.

“Al's
gone off, we should follow in case he gets into trouble.” Ed
folded his feet under him and stood. His limbs felt sore and slow.
“I don't think you should do that again,” he said over
his shoulder. He flexed his left hand, trying to dispel the weakness
he felt. Noa nodded her agreement.

Ed
reached down his hand for Roy, pulling him to his feet. In his
weakness though, he stumbled, causing Roy to falter and hop to remain
upright.

“You
didn't answer me,” Roy badgered. The grip he had on Ed's arm
tightened in his frustration, trying to hold Ed from withdrawing yet
again.

“And
I wasn't going too. Noa, can you stand?” he asked his friend,
yanking his hand out of Roy's sharply. Despite that fact that Noa
had released him from his anger for who knows how long, Ed still
couldn't tell Roy what was done to him. He would never tell him.

Noa
stood stiffly and waited for Edward's direction as to their next
move. Isabella came along side her and slipped her hand in to Noa's.

“Let's
go.” Ed led them over to the next flight of stairs.

--
To be continued –

Bribes
(reviews) are welcomed. Needed. And loved.

Also
just a reminder...Roy
Taylor
belongs to me as well as his background, heritage and anything else
concerning him. Steal and die!

P.S.
This is now beta'd. Thanks ZaKai!
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A Little Light of Love