The train was off and the moment she couldn't see Edward, Aiden slumped to the right and lent against a lamppost. She took a deep breath and glanced up at Maes who had a worried expression on his face.

"You okay there Aiden?" he asked.

"Honestly? No. I think I'm sick due to exposure to the sewer and the rain, just like Roy predicted."

"Hmm. Well we'd better get you back to your hotel room."

No sooner had they gotten in the door had Aiden booked it to the bathroom and heaved up her breakfast. Maes grimaced and followed, patting her back in pity. Aiden sighed and sagged into the wall, a migraine began to work it's way to the front of her mind. She raised a hand and brushed away a few strands of hair.

"I hate it when he's right," Aiden mumbled.

"No you don't. You usually laugh and give a sarcastic comment," Maes corrected easily.

"Yeah," Aiden laughed. "I really do, don't I?"

"Sorry to have to leave you like this but I do need to go to work." And he really did sound sorry too.

Aiden nodded and waved her hand in a go motion. "Sure. Just don't forget about little old me, dying on the floor."

"You're being dramatic again."

"And if you don't leave you may catch what I have and bring it home to your girls. You don't want that, do you?"

In a flash Maes was gone from the bathroom and peeking around the doorway. He waved at her, "Bye Aiden!" Then he was out the door.

Aiden stared at the spot where her friend had just been. "Savage," she whispered.

It was funny how fast your friends would leave you behind. She began to laugh only for another wave of nausea to pass over her. Seconds later she was heaving up whatever contents was left in her stomach. Aiden could tell it would be a terribly long day.

Hours passed and Aiden dropped in and out of consciousness while she rested against the tub, which sat right next to the toilet. When she determined that she could move a little, Aiden stood up on wobbly legs and made her way out of the bathroom, past the living room, and into the adjoining kitchen. Her stomach flipped and flopped in protest of her movements, but otherwise stayed silent. Not without a false alarm that had Aiden leaning over the sink.

Aiden grimaced and grabbed the phone off its nearby hook, barely noticing her shaking hands as she dialed a number. The operator asked for a verification code when she told him to connect her to Central Command, and then to Jack Lee, her First Lieutenant.

"Lieutenant Colonel Wilson?" Jack asked, clearly surprised that he was receiving a call. Aiden never called whenever she was away, and if she did it'd only be to remind him to sign his papers at the bottom of the page, not the top. "Aren't you supposed to be in the East?"

Aiden laughed lightly, but she stopped when it jolted her stomach. She grimaced and held a hand to her stomach. "Ouch," she whispered. "Jack, I need to ask a favor of you. I know we all just got back from the North, but I need you to head to Resembool for me. Long story short, Scar attacked the Fullmetal Alchemist, the Flame Alchemist, and the Strong Arm Alchemist all in one day. We were all there and he escaped by blowing up the street and finding his way through the tunnels.

"Fullmetal and I were almost dropped into the sewers and the kids automail was destroyed. He's headed to Resembool with his brother and Armstrong as protection. I'm stuck at East Command because I have stuff here to do and I'm sick."

There was silence on the other end of the line as Jack slowly nodded, thinking the story through. "So I'm guessing the favor you need is me to go to Resembool for extra protection in case Scar comes back, is that right?"

"Yes, that is correct. I know you hate traveling frequently and I would send Erwin, but she's off doing that case in the South."

"Well actually-" there was the sound of papers shuffling around and Jack talking to someone else, "- it looks like it's my lucky day. Erwin just got back."

"Great! Put her on."

A shuffling noise came over the receiver until a female voice sounded out: "Wilson?"

Aiden laughed at her luck. Major Katy Erwin, the Blue Devil Alchemist, was one of the few people she let call her by her first name. The two had met a few years after the Ishvalan War as none of the other commanding officers wanted anything to do with her. They said that her behavior was too erratic and unbecoming of an officer of the military, so they dropped her from their teams as quickly as possible, none wanting to have such a terrible officer under their command that they had to take responsibility for.

When Katy was transferred to Aiden's team, Aiden shrugged her behavior off and gave her free reign to research whatever needed, with a limit of course. Katy found her commander strange and fought with her over everything, but when Aiden didn't transfer her after two months of non stop arguing, she settled down and became a rather peaceful and quiet person with enough quick-witted responses to match Aiden's. With their similar personalities, Katy being less mature only due to her younger age, both women got along well.

Maes was thrilled when he found another person who didn't mind him oversharing his pictures of his wife and daughter. The man took one look at Katy, gushed over his pictures for weeks, and when she didn't show any outward signs of annoyance in any kind, decided she would be a great person to have on his team if she ever got bored of Aiden. Which he told her. Repeatedly. Aiden had to remind Maes at least five times a year that Katy was her subordinate, not his, as he would often take the two of them captive when working on a case together.

Through trial and error, Aiden found out that Katy was a really good person to have on one's team, and to never make her angry (which only happened twice, both times the actions of a murderer). The alchemy she wielded must have been another type of flame alchemy, like Roy's. Whenever she got the chance Aiden would ask about the blue flames and why her alchemy worked even when wet. The only answer she would receive was a laugh and then a remark saying that Katy was using magic. Aiden got the same answer when she asked about the angel wings that would appear as shadows on the wall every time Katy used her alchemy. She could see why she was known as the Blue Devil Alchemist, blue hellfire, black, shadowed wings, and a temper to match Satan himself when angered.

And while Katy was a good subordinate, who hated paperwork with a passion, Aiden couldn't help but think that there was something off about the girl. The way she would speak was as if she was plotting something because half the time Aiden would hear Katy mumble words like: "Now's not the time" and "Soon I'll be ready" and "I will save him". Aiden wasn't sure if Katy was meaning to assassinate someone or if she was doing an undercover job that even she didn't know about, in which lives were at risk. The latter of the two was the one she believed in.

Aiden quickly went over the story once more with Katy, shifting uncomfortably in her seat as she did so.

"Anyway, that's what happened. Think you're up for it?"

Katy shrugged before she realized Aiden couldn't see her. "Yes, I'll do it. You know how I love travelling."

Aiden breathed a sigh of relief only for her breath to hitch when her stomach curled in on itself. "Good. Fullmetal, his brother, and Armstrong left this morning. The train makes a stop in Central in..." she glanced at the clock on the wall, "about an hour and a half. Make sure to get on it. If you can't, get on the next one and ask for directions to the Rockbell's. Armstrong knew I might send someone along so don't freak out if he's waiting for you. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Thank you, and good luck."

Aiden hung up before Katy could reply, groaning in pain as her stomach spasmed. She glanced to her left and noticed the bread sitting by the toaster. Her stomach growled and an idea struck her.

When Roy walked in the hotel room late that night he found Aiden laying on the floor, staring rather pitifully at a piece of toast on a plate. She glanced up at him, eyes half closed, and then looked back at the toast.

"Please don't say 'I told you so'. I don't have the energy to kill you," she mumbled.

"So you're sick then?"

"Maes didn't tell you?"

"No." Aiden hummed at his answer and nodded. Roy hesitated, "Laying on the floor isn't a good thing to do while sick."

"The toast doesn't agree with me. If I move then the first place I'm going is the bathroom."

Roy stared at the pitiful woman on the floor. It wasn't his job to take care of her, but he was her friend and he supposed it wouldn't hurt to make sure she got a little help. Plus it'd be rude to leave her lying on the ground alone. He sighed.

"I'll be back, don't go anywhere."

True to his word Roy had left and come back within forty minutes. Only this time he carried food. He glanced at where Aiden once was only to find her gone. A retching sound confirmed his suspicions as to where she went. The food was set on the coffee table before Roy walked to the doorway, staring down at Aiden's form resting against the tub.

"I told you not to move."

"The toast looked so yummy. But my tummy didn't like the yummy," Aiden whispered.

Roy's eyebrows rose and he stared at Aiden in astonishment. "You're completely delirious."

"Whatever you say, Colonel Flame."

"Well at least you know who I am," Roy deadpanned. "Come on, I brought something for you."

"I can't keep anything down, sorry Roy."

It seemed to him like Aiden was switching between delusional and her regular self. Roy might have found it funny had he not felt her forehead. She was burning up! No wonder she acted like this.

"Let's go," he said as he pulled Aiden into his arms. Roy lifted her and brought her into the living room before setting her down on the couch. "Stay," he commanded when she went to stand up.

Roy grabbed one of the bowls of soup he had brought back and handed it to Aiden. Then he turned to his own and began sipping away as he watched her. Aiden grimaced at the rumbling of her stomach and stared down at the soup.

It looked good and the smell was heavenly now that she had sniffed it. Small chunks of meat and vegetables floated around in a dark liquid that made up the soup. Aiden wasn't sure what kind of meat it was and she didn't care, she was starving!

"Are you sure I can keep this down?"

"No, but you do need some nutrients in you. And it should help, somewhat."

"Thank you."

Roy nodded, knowing very well she couldn't see him while she stared at her food. As it turned out, the soup was rather good, and it helped settle some of the nausea. Aiden sighed in relief when she was able to swallow about half of the soup before she sensed a hint of wanting to puke her guts out.

Roy was slowly nodding off right next to her. He'd taken off his uniform coat and set it on the hanger next to the door. He looked rather relaxed in her presence, Aiden smiled.

"Why did you come here if you didn't know I was sick?" Aiden wondered aloud.

"I needed your report on the Scar incident," Roy answered, not opening his eyes. "Maes said it would be here."

Aiden frowned and couldn't help but stare at the man, even if Roy didn't notice. Maes knew that she almost never took paperwork home, especially not when she was away from Central. So he also knew full well that her papers would be sitting in her desk in the office she'd been given. Aiden laughed lightly, Maes was trying to check up on her without actually catching what she had - if it was transferable. Then she smiled once more.

"Thanks again, Roy."

Roy hummed in acknowledgment. "Call this a thanks for letting me stay with you when I was last in Central."

"And here I was thinking you were a nice guy helping his friend out."

"I'm a nice guy."

"Yeah, you are."

Aiden's head shot up and stared at Roy who didn't reply. She sighed when she noticed he had actually fallen asleep. She got up, fighting the wave of sickness and turned out the lights in her motel. Aiden frowned at her bed, it would be too soft to lay on. Then she grabbed a pillow and a blanket from her bed, intent on sleeping on the other couch. Without thinking she grabbed a pillow and blanket for Roy as well.

She tossed her stuff onto the couch opposite Roy's and gently laid the extra blanket over him, carefully moving his arm out from under his head and replacing it with the pillow. Then Aiden crawled under her own blanket and fell asleep quickly. But while she felt at ease and safe, her mind had other ideas.

Deep within her dream Aiden laughed heartily as she swung Tristan around in her arms. Tristan giggled and screamed in delight as his mother tossed him up and down. Then they both crashed to the ground with smiles.

A blue sky shone above them, fields of flowers surrounded them, and a forest lay just beyond that. There was a small cottage only a little ways away. It had a homey feeling to it, the place belonged to Aiden's parents. She'd spent a lot of her summers at the cottage when she had been growing up.

Aiden smiled and pulled her son to her side.

"Mommy you're squishing me!" the four-year-old protested, still laughing.

"Well of course I am!" Aiden gasped, as if the very idea of her not squishing her son was blasphemous. "I have to make sure I squeeze out every bit of happiness I can get out of you! Then I know I'm parenting right."

She grinned down at her son who grinned back and stuck his tongue out at her. Aiden gasped, sat straight up, and held a hand to her chest as if Tristan had struck an arrow through her heart.

"Oh dear!" she gasped as Tristan giggled. "I have fallen! My son, how evil it was to have stuck your tongue at me. You have vanquished your own mother!" Aiden collapsed on the ground and didn't move for a second.

"I have killed the beast!" the four-year-old cheered.

Aiden poked an eye open, "Well that's rude. I have to be a princess beast at least."

"You're so weird mom," Tristan laughed.

"And you wouldn't have me any other way."

Suddenly Tristan wasn't at her side anymore, he was standing and skipping to the forest. "Bet you can't catch me!"

Aiden laughed and walked quickly after her son, keeping the distance between them but making sure to slowly catch up. "Princess Beast wants round two with Sir Tristan! He will not defeat her again!"

"You'll have to catch me first!"

The chase was on, Tristan laughed and skipped between the trees. Aiden was just a few feet behind him when she grinned and made her best impression of a dragon roar. She scooped up her son and laughed just as he did. Then she set him down and they began their trek back to the cottage with the promise of lunch and 'yes Tristan, I'll cut the sides off your PB and J'.

Aiden smiled and glanced around at the peaceful scenery. The birds in the trees singing songs, hummingbirds flying by red flowers, the occasional bunny hopping across their path, and so much more. Something white glanced her eye and she looked over, stopping to stare in awe at a white unicorn that was passing by. There was an ethereal look about it as it turned and stared back. She wanted to get closer but something was holding her back.

"Truth is often thought of as pure," a voice echoed in her mind. Aiden blinked in shock and the unicorn was gone.

"What..." she whispered, trailing off.

Aiden shook her head and looked back to the path she had been following only to find it gone, along with Tristan. She frowned as worry settled into her heart.

"Tristan?" Aiden received no answer so she tried again. "Tristan, where did you go honey?" Then she noticed how the birds had stopped singing and how the world had seemed to go quiet. "Tristan!" she called, turning in circles. Panic seeped into her veins.

Aiden took off in the direction she best guessed the cottage would be, calling out her son's name with every breath she took. Suddenly she stopped at the flower meadow. A sense of foreboding washed over her as she took in the wilting flowers and darkened skies just waiting for the signal to drown the earth. Thunder rumbled dangerously, like a warning signaling Aiden's doom. A hand touched her shoulder and she jumped, spinning around with her arms up ready to fight.

The face made her pause and Aiden sighed. "Maes?" she gasped.

"What are you doing here? You look worried," Maes asked concerned.

"I-I'm looking for my son. His name's Tristan."

"I didn't know you had a son," Maes said thoughtfully. Then he glared at her. "But then again, we don't really know anything about you, do we?"

Aiden froze as terror gripped her and didn't let go. Suddenly she was surrounded by those she knew, all glaring down at her in anger and disgust. They circled her like hyenas did their next meal.

"Were you ever going to tell us?" Maes asked, his voice harsher than she had ever heard. "That you're not from this world. That we're just a story."

Maes spat the word story at her and Aiden flinched back. She went to say something but she was cut off.

"Perhaps you don't really care about us," Edward said. "You just want to help the homunculi burn the world!"

"I wouldn't! You're my friends and -" Aiden began.

"Friends?" Kain laughed darkly. "Friends don't keep secrets Aiden. You know the future, you could have stopped it from happening by now and yet you did nothing!"

"I -"

"What about Hughes' death?" Roy asked coldly. The cold hatred in his eyes struck her core. "You've had plenty of time to plan and help him, and yet even as it draws near you do nothing! You know how I'll end up after this, does that mean nothing?"

"Roy, please!" she tried.

"Well of course she hasn't done anything! She's just along for the ride. I gave her my journal of the events and all she's done is copy it and watch as everything unfolds."

"Jess -"

"Maybe you don't even want to help us get our bodies back."

"Al!"

"You left me mommy! Now I'm all alone with no mom!"

"Tristan!"

Aiden was in tears as the images of her friends and family circled her. She closed her eyes and clapped her hands over her ears. Then she fell to the ground shaking as sobs wracked her body. Suddenly their screeches were gone. Aiden slowly looked up from her curled position to notice the white surrounding her. She quickly sat up and wiped at the tears that fell freely.

"Hello," a familiar voice echoed.

Aiden's head jerked toward Truth who sat on the ground only feet away. "I swear if you made up that nightmare just for me, I will sucker punch you so damn hard you will feel it for the next millennia!" she shouted at the figure.

"That was of your own creation, not mine." Truth shrugged as if her threat had no meaning. It probably didn't.

"Is this real?" Aiden brushed away the last stray tear.

"Yes."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"To remind you that you are here for entertainment purposes. You have not done much since you were sent."

"The plot just started - which reminds me. Thank you for the extra help with transmutations." She hated thanking him, but Truth did save her and Edward from a really bad situation. She had to thank him at least once.

"The transmuting without a circle was not what your extra became," Truth said. "It was an unintended side effect of sending you through the gate."

Aiden gaped at the figure. "So that wasn't you? Then what did you do with my extra?"

Truth grinned a creepy grin, "All in due time." Suddenly he was inches away, his grin only seemed to grow and Aiden shivered. "That is all, young world traveler. The clock is ticking."

As soon as the words left his mouth Aiden sat up gasping. She glanced around, happy to find herself back in her hotel room in the East. Guilt filled her as her eyes lingered on Roy's sleeping form. He had no idea that his best friend was about to be murdered, his country turned upside down, and the lies he would uncover. None of them did.

Aiden sighed and let herself sink into the couch, her posture tense. She dropped her head into her hands as she silently shook, still slightly traumatized from her dream. But the dream versions of her people and Truth were correct; Aiden had been slacking off. She'd grown too complacent in Amestris.

Aiden's hands dropped from her face to her lap and she glared at the floor. She'd been doing nothing her entire time spent in Amestris. It had to change! She had to!

Quickly, Aiden made her way from the living room to her bedroom. She threw open her suitcase and harshly dug through it until she found the journal. Aiden tossed it on the bed and stared. That thing had the future written and if she was careful enough, Aiden could change things. For better or for worse, if push came to shove.

With newfound determination, Aiden spent the hours before dawn reading and planning. She committed the timeline to memory if she ever had to burn the book. Then her plans were written on the blank pages left. Each being thoroughly thought out, given an okay if Aiden thought it would work, or crossed out if it'd fail. The most pressing issue she had was Maes, but she was confident she'd found a solution, even if the answer bordered on human transmutation.

Aiden never noticed when the sun had risen, but she did notice when reality suddenly warped into rainbows and unicorns. Not that she minded, they were great company. So it was safe to say she'd fallen asleep writing during the early morning.

Roy was slowly coming back to the waking world when he noticed the small weight on his body and the fluffy thing beneath his head. Had it not been for the stiffness of the couch beneath him, he would have believed he was back in his own bed. Which meant he wasn't in his own bed. Roy sat up and looked around. His eyes were immediately drawn to the slumped over form laying on the coffee table.

Aiden had fallen asleep writing on the coffee table. Roy leaned forward and peered down at the journal only to notice it was in a different language. He assumed it must have been her home language. Some of the words were in Amestrian, as he also noticed familiar names written. Including his own.

"Now why am I in your journal?" Roy mused quietly. He didn't expect an answer, so he was surprised when Aiden replied.

"Because," Aiden sighed dreamily. Then she mumbled something incoherent.

Roy stared at the sleeping woman, eyebrows raised. Then he grinned, so she talked in her sleep, did she?

"What was that?" he asked. "I couldn't hear you."

"You belong there."

"Where?"

"In my journal."

"Why?" Roy could see a small smirk crawl onto her face.

"It's a secret," Aiden whispered, giggling.

Roy rolled his eyes, that was going nowhere. A thoughtful look came crossed his face as he remembered a moment a few years ago, and a smile slowly spread. "Hey, Aiden. Annie once called me Hot Man, did you ever call me that?"

"Yes."

Roy chuckled and shook his head. It appeared Aiden wasn't immune to his charms after all. His mind drifted back to when he had first met her on the battlefield of Ishval and how she seemed like an endless source of light in the dark. Of course, the rest of his friends were like that as well, but she shined the brightest. He hadn't meant to snap at her that one day, hell he didn't know why he did. But seeing Aiden's light darken and twist itself... well he didn't like it.

It concerned him how fast she could go from the happiest person he knew to the darkest psychopath he'd seen - aside from Kimblee. Aiden had told them about the humor she'd been wearing, almost like a mask. He'd never really given it much thought. Now that he did Roy could see that the darkness was almost like his own. He had changed after the war, there was no denying that. The blackness within himself had become a part of him, showing only when his rage got the better of him. Aiden had jumped from her darkness and hid it away behind her mask of sarcasm and fun. And yet as far as he knew, all that sarcasm and fun was the real Aiden.

So while their darkness made them alike, it was the way they handled it that set them apart. Roy integrated it into his life, and Aiden ignored it like one does Maes Hughes.

Roy smiled as he looked down at the sleeping woman. She was a little childish, he mused, but she could be mature and counted upon when it really mattered. A sigh from Aiden signaled that she was waking up and Roy casually laid back down as if he hadn't been awake the entire time. Or staring at her like a stalker.

When Aiden rolled herself into the conscious realm, she really wanted to go back to sleep. Or at the very least adjust her body to a better sleeping position. Tables and floors didn't make for good beds. Aiden yawned as she looked up from the table. Her journal was open and one of her hands was laying on it. In front of her, she could see Roy asleep on the couch, his blanket having fallen from his form and laying on the ground.

Aiden gave a sleepy smile and stood up, making her way around the table to pick up the blanket. Then she turned and put it back on him, doing her best not to make much noise with her movement. She smiled down at Roy and laughed lightly.

"Even while sleeping you're handsome," she whispered. "And for once you don't look like you carry the weight of the world."

She grabbed her journal and pen, along with her blanket and pillow, and made her way back to her room. The bedding went back on the bed while she tossed the pen in her bag. Aiden changed her clothes and left the room, grabbing the pen as she did so, her eyes focused on what she had written only hours ago. She brushed her teeth with one hand, held the journal on the other as she read, and would only stop brushing when she needed that hand to grab the pen and make a note. Although, as she neared the end of her nightly writing, even she couldn't decipher what "semi-bullet", "cabin in the woods", and "dogs" meant. Although she did have a rather good guess on the second note, there being only one option to think of.

"I'm going crazy," Aiden mumbled as she made her way from the bathroom.

"You already are crazy," Roy said. Right next to her damn face.

In all honesty, she could've reacted worse. Aiden screamed and punched Roy. She would feel guilty about it later but at that moment Aiden felt that Roy deserved it. Well, only a little. "Oh my god - Roy!" Aiden's hands flew to her mouth as she stared at the man. Roy had staggered back a few feet clutching his jaw in pain. Oh look, here comes the guilt train. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm good," Roy slowly massaged his jaw. "That was one hell of a right hook."

"Sorry!"

"Don't apologize, I scared you."

Let it be said that punching your friend - Aiden refused to say crush - was not a way to move on to a better relationship. Whatever that relationship entailed. Aiden laughed nervously, looking away from Roy.

"Anyway, uh. Bathroom's open!" Aiden quickly stepped around him and made her way into the kitchen. She'd made it around the corner just as a blush covered her entire face. "My god I'm an idiot," she said.

Aiden sighed in annoyance; not at Roy but rather at herself. Then she got to work making breakfast. It was a simple meal of coffee, bacon, and toast, so when Roy commented that she shouldn't be working after just getting over a sickness she shrugged and continued. He didn't have anything to say about receiving the food however, because he scarfed it down like a hungry dog.

"You know," Aiden began as she washed a dish, "I could teach you how to fight."

"What?"

She turned around and folded her arms, "No really! You're terrible at everything else when you don't have your alchemy - no offense."

"Oh come on! I'm not that useless!" Roy countered.

"You're right, you're not," Aiden agreed, surprising him. "But you need help either way."

Roy sighed and his head drooped. "Fine. What do I do?"

Aiden thought for a moment. What would he do? She had no plans for the next week so that was a start. Going back home to Central could wait a few extra days and besides, by her count she had at least two weeks before she had to be back. This country had weird rules.

"Well how about this. I'm free for the next week or so, I can help you out any time during then."

"I have work."

"The only thing you have left to do is turn in your report on the Scar incident."

Roy nodded, seeing no way out. Even if he only had one chance. He held out a hand, "Alright then Aiden. Let's see what you can do for me."

Aiden smiled and took the offered hand. "Awesome."

**********

Aiden: You suck. Allow me to train you.