Price of Happiness

Life is the essense of death and it is how you embrace your own death that truly determines your strength in life. -Cristina McBeth-Dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Harry Potter Series . . .

The Price of Happiness

Chapter 1

Edward hissed as the doctor stitched his cut, it was only a graze he had said, nothing serious. Ed growled at the last tug and then the doctor tied up the stitches. He then applied an anestetic and a bandage and said breifly, 'You may want to take it easy, it was very close to your internal organs and if you strain yourself too much it will do some severe damage. Don't go lifting anything or the such.'

He then handed the anestetic to him, 'Apply that at least once a day and it will help it heal faster. Now off you go Mr. Elric, wouldn't want you to miss your final exam now.'

Edward smiled and stood putting his shirt back on, then his brown vest, then his jacket, making sure not to stretch his arm out too much. He nodded to the doctor, 'Thanks Doc'.'

He sighed, 'Yeah, yeah, I will see you the next time you need another fitting for your limbs. Take care and try not to be late for Jason's physical this year.'

Ed laughed, 'Yeah, I will be sure to remind Ry as well.'

Ed walked out of the doctors office and crossed paths with Officer Hues. Ed smiled and said, 'Hello their Hues.'

The man smiled, 'Ah, Edward, how are you today/'

Ed smiled and they stopped in front of one another Hues brandishing a picture of his daughter; ironically named Elysia, she looked just like her as well and Ed laughed at the flashbacks from his friend Maes Hues as Officer Hues talked feverishly about his adorable daughter.

Ed glanced at the pictures and cutting Hues off said, 'I told you that it was going to be worth it.' He then reached back and took out his own wallet and brandished a picture of Jason, himself, Al, Noa, Trinity, and Ry standing in the park; 'Now, you have to agree that my niece is even more adorable.'

Hues laughed whole heartidly, 'Not possible, adorable yes, but not as adorable as my daughter.'

Ed laughed and tucked away the picture starting to walk towards the university. Hues followed him saying, 'See, you did yourself some good settling down and having a family of your own. Your little brother has an uncanny likeness to Alfons Heidreick though, are you two related/'

Ed scoffed at the frequently asked question, 'Not that I know of, me and Al have the same parents and I don't really know if we have other family members. I have to be getting to school, I already missed the schelduled morning exam and have to catch the afternoon one in an hour.'

Hues nodded, 'That's true, but that still gives you at least fourty minutes, it isn't far to the University. How about catching an early lunch with me, or late breakfast in your case, since I heard you didn't eat anything this morning.'

Ed hunched his shoulders and flushed when he stomach growled loudly in hunger. Hues laughed and with a slap on the shoulder, one that made Ed hunch and wince in pain he put his arm over Ed's shoulder and led him to the nearest diner.

Hues sat him down at a small table outside the diner and sat down across from him. He studied Ed for a moment before saying, 'So, Edward, what have you been up to lately/'

Ed shook his head, 'Always so casual even when you have a hidden objective Hues. And nothing really, except my niece Trinity said her first word this morning.' Ed had completely forgotten about that after that nightmarish vision. His mind was relieved and filled with that happy moment; 'I may have aquired a nickname from her rendition of my name, Ed-wood, she said.'

Hues laughed, 'Ed-wood, that is absolutely adorable. That should be your new nickname, it is so catching.'

A slim, tall, young, blond haired, blue eyed waitress came to their table with glasses of water and bowed her head to them then looked at them saying; 'What can I get for you gentlemen this morning/'

Hues smiled at her, 'Well, a glass of milk for me and the normal breakfast special please.'

She smiled weakly, 'I am afraid all we have this morning is grits and bacon. The flour is in short supply and the last of the eggs were given out three hours ago.'

Hues smiled, 'That is quite alright young lady, that will be fine.'

She nodded and looked to Ed, 'And for you Sir/'

Ed shrugged, 'I am okay with that as well, but I will stick with the water thank you.'

She nodded again and then turned and entered the diner. Hues glared at Ed, 'You and not drinking milk.'

Ed flared at the remark, but then recalled that he stood at five foot eleven inches now and dismissed it saying, 'I can't stand that vile drink.' Hues had noticed the hiss in his tone and smirked. He then looked at Ed seriously, 'Noa sounded worried about you this morning when she came down to help Gracia. She said something about you feeling out of it or something.'

Ed shrugged, 'I have been feeling a little paranoid is all, probably due to the test for school. College is stressful and this exam can fail me.'

Hues laughed, 'Fail you, a student with a four point oh average with six classes in all. That is hysterical, you shouldn't stress too much.'

Ed recalled Mustang saying that to him once, 'Don't fret the small stuff so much Fullmetal . . . ' Ed sighed and shook his head, 'It's nothing to worry about Hues, finals just make me ancy is all.'

Hues laughed, 'Yeah, if you say so Edward. But you should try and make it home before dark, it's been getting dangerous out there and they say the Nazi's were spotted in Dublith only two weeks ago. Then we lost touch with them. They may show up in Munich anytime now.'

Ed scowled, 'I don't see why . . . this war is so pointless, and shouldn't the local officials be able to take care of them if they do show up/'

Hues shrugged, 'I don't know for sure, no one does. There is no telling how large the group has grown since no one has contacted us after the attacks. I am just warning you because the Thuel Society knows who you are, and Noa is a gypsy after all. Not to mention that your are listed as a disability. Only those with blond hair, fair skin, and blue eyes are truly safe around here.'

Ed looked at him, 'Shouldn't you be worrying as well then/ And if they are such a threat why hasn't anyone left yet/'

Hues sighed, 'They don't have anywhere to go. We can't pick up and move like you can, not everyone here has a background as drifters you know.'

Ed shrugged and then their breakfast arrived . . .

Ry was in her and Edward's room tucking in Jason for his afternoon nap. The room was a good size, a queen sized bed up against the middle of the left wall from the door. Jason's small child's bed at the foot of their own. There was also a small desk across the room and rocking chair a few feet from their closet. The room was normally decorated with light blue, and navy blue colors, but looked shadowed by the cloudy weather outside and the absense of the light being on. She quietly made her way to the door and shut it as she walked out of the room. She then ascended the stairs and stopped in the doorway of the small living room where Al slept on the couch with Trinity in his arms sleepin soundly on his chest.

Ry looked at Noa as she came in through the front door, 'Hello,' she whispered. Noa smiled, 'They must all be asleep again.'

Ry nodded and said, 'I am going to go down to the market, we are out of milk again.'

Noa nodded with a whisper, 'Alright, Ed should be home soon, he told Hues that he had to take the afternoon test, but the other exam had been canceled.'

Ry nodded, 'Alright, I will be sure to escort him home then, after I make him buy some more milk.'

Noa laughed softly and stepped inside all the way to allow Ry to leave. As Ry stepped through the threshold Noa tapped her lightly on the shoulder saying with a smile, 'Watch out for Hues, he is showing off his pictures of Elysia downstairs.'

Ry shrugged, 'Thanks for the warning,' then she closed the door silently behind her and smiled wryly as she walked out of the building. Noa waited until her footsteps faded and ran to Al shaking him awake.


Ed sighed in relief when he looked at the paper he had demanded his professor to grade right after class. He had gotten a perfect score, which he was relieved by. He tucked the paper into one of his books as he made his way to the apartment. He still wasn't in view of the apartment, but it was only two blocks up and then he would be walking down his street.

He caught a glimsp of Ry in his mind and sure enough she had rounded the corner and was making her way to him with a smile on her face. She ran to him and embraced him throwing her arms around his neck, 'Edward1'

Ed hugged her back in good spirits because of his test, he kissed her on the lips when she let him go. She blushed, 'You had a good day I take it/'

Ed smiled, 'Yes, I got a perfect score on the exam.'

She laughed, 'Of course you did,' she embraced him again, this time wrapping her arms around his mid-section. She knew about the cut and heard him hiss in pain, a curt smile curling her lips. She squeezed him tightly and he grabbed her arms and pulled her off of him, his face slightly pale with pain. She met his eyes that were glazed as well.

Ed looked into her eyes seeing the smile in them and stepped back from her, 'Ry/'

She cocked her head to the side, 'Is something wrong,' she looked at her right arm and saw the blood that had seeped through his clothes, 'Are you alright Ed, what is this/'

Her face appeared concerned, but Ed kept his gaze on her eyes, they weren't concerned at all. He felt his own warm blood on his shirt, he had felt the stitches ripping, suddenly remembering what the doctor had said as the pain became more than what it had been that morning.

He looked at her as the blood became heavier, it must have stretched, he thought to himself. 'Shit, this is bad,' he hissed under his breath. He backed away as he saw her move towards him again. He shook his head as a wave of dizziness hit him for a moment. She ran to him and he tried to back away, but she had her arms around him before he could do so.

Ry took the small dagger from under her right sleeve and held it firmly in her hand as her arms were wrapped around his mid-section tightly. She brought her hand away from him and then thrust the dagger into his lower back on the left side.

Ed jerked from the sharp pain in his back, he let out a breathless gasp of pain and felt her twist the blade in his back. He grunted in anger knowing that he was in no condition to do anything in his condition. But he still managed to grab her arms tightly in his hands.

She withdrew the blade his hold releasing, then she let him go and stepped away. His golden eyes were glazed with pain, betrayal, anger, and hatred as he looked at her. She smiled tilting her head to the side, 'You were the reason he died, now you have to pay for his suffering. Equivalant Exchange, wasn't it/'

Ed looked at her shock passing through his expression at her choice of words. He felt weakened due to the blood loss from both wounds and fell to his knees with another pain laced gasp.

'Brother1'

Al came running up to them and Ry moved to kneel behind Ed holding her dagger to his throat while her other hand gripped his long hair tightly, forcing his head to tilt back.

Al stopped where he was the threat on his brothers' life making anger rise in his normally calm, kind eyes. He glared at her saying, 'Ry let him go1'

She laughed pressing the already bloodied knife to Ed's throat. In his daze he couldn't do anything to stop her. He felt the blood from both wounds warming his legs and the blood loss was blurring his vision as well as making him loose his coherency. He could hear Al's voice, but he wasn't sure what he was saying, nor could he catch all the words that left Ry's mouth.

Ry leaned down and whispered in his ear, 'Alchemy is different here, but it exists and the power comes from the same source. I wonder if your Winry is the life force in someone's alchemy/'

Ed flared, heat rising through him in outrage, he had snapped when he heard her speak Winry's name. His right hand gripped hers and he twisted her hand forcing her to drop the dagger and without feeling the pain or exhaustion in his body due to his outrage her stood and still gripping her hand he used that to push her by her shoulders to the ground releasing her hand at the same time as she fell.

He picked up the dagger and in his blind fury he threw the dagger at her right hand causing her to scream in pain. Then he felt another wave of dizziness followed by light-headedness and felt himself fall backwards. But he didn't hit the ground, Al caught him before he did.

Al had fallen to his knees under Ed's weight and looked at his brother feeling the blood on his hands and lap as he held him. He tried to get Ed to move, but his eyelids' slid shut, his eyes glazed in pain and exhaustion.

Al looked up just in time to see Ry deliver a swift blow to his head knocking him out. He slumped over to the ground and then the humonculi Ed had seen in his vision appeared beside Ry.

She looked at him stroking his cheek lovingly, 'Pick him up, leave Al here, I only want Edward.'

He nodded and did as she said then faced her, 'What about your son/'

She sighed, 'I shall leave him in Noa and Al's care for now. The war should be coming this way soon. Let's get going Pride.'

He nodded and then they ran back down the street disappearing around a corner. It was nearly dusk when Al awoke, his head throbbing and a trail of blood on the side of his face from the blow to the head.

He held his head in his hands and blinked his head hazy for a moment before everything came back to him. He looked around him, 'Brother/' He stood up a little dizzily and leaned back against the wall of the small shop. He looked at the ground before him his eyes glued to the blood that had smeared on the ground from Ed's wounds and then his sudden movement when Ry had whispered something to him.

Al wiped the blood from his face only to find that he had Ed's blood on his hands and arms from when he had caught him. Al closed his eyes knowing that he had to be calm before doing anything. He whispered to himself, 'I have to remain calm, rushing in blindly will get me nowhere.'

He took a deep breath and then he looked around for any sign of his brother. He then took notice of small blood spots on the ground. He didn't notice if it was Ed or Ry, but there were about three spots of blood on the ground, all in a different trail. Al ran as he followed the spots of blood. He rounded the corner at the end and then ran down the street about four blocks before the trail ended.

Al knelt down on the curb of the sidewalk where the blood was. He reached down and touched the road then wiped it with his fingers then brought it to his nose, he could smell the distinct scent of gasoline. He cursed under his breath, 'Damn, they took a vehicle.'

He stood up and took in a deep breath then looked down the road silently wishing the roads weren't paved. He looked at the darkening night sky, 'Brother, hang in there, I promise I will find you, no matter what . . . '