I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist

Chapter 8

Winry sat on the couch. She looked at Ed before releasing a sigh. "I'll tell you what happened."

Ed waited patiently for Winry to start speaking. He knew it must be hard for her to replay that horrible experience. Winry looked at Ed for moment before beginning her story.

"A few days after you left some guy came into my house and took me. They didn't need me, they were only using me to get you." Winry paused briefly. "I was there for roughly two weeks. I lost track of the days, though."

"Is that all?" Roy asked from his desk.

Winry nodded. "That's all."

Ed stood up angrily. They took Winry only to get to me. He clenched his fists and looked at Roy. "I'm going to go after him."

Roy sighed. "Not this again. Fullmetal, he obviously needs you for something, we can't let you put yourself in danger."

"Then what are you going to do about that bastard?" Ed yelled. "He's roaming the streets and you're doing nothing-"

"I've already handled it," Roy interrupted calmly. "I've already sent out a party to hunt him down."

Ed didn't look convinced. "So, are you just going to sit here while you have others doing the work for you?"

Roy didn't answer him, instead he looked behind Edward at Havoc. "Havoc, I want you to make sure that Fullmetal doesn't go off alone. I want someone with him at all times."

"What!" Ed shouted. "I don't need someone following me around everywhere I go!"

"Fullmetal," Roy said, irritation pricking at his skin. "As I've already told you, Daniel Tucker is after you. Do you expect me to just sit around and let you get taken again?"

Edward just stared at Roy. Never before has Roy said anything like that. Ed just couldn't recall a time when Roy sounded concerned for his safety. "Fine, don't expect me to be happy about it." Ed crossed his arms. He swore he saw the faintest smile on Roy's face before he was rudely dragged from the office by Havoc.

Ed yanked his arm away from Havoc's and began to walk at his own pace. Alphonse came running up to him, followed by Winry. "Brother, you're finally listening."

Ed crossed his arms again. "Yeah yeah. I only listened 'cause I don't fell like going on any missions."

Winry looked around. "Ed, Al. I have to get back to Resembool, Granny said that I need to fix someones automail. See you later." Winry ran off down the hallway lugging he large bag that hung on her shoulder.

"Winry, be safe!" Ed called out, but Winry was already around the corner. Ed sighed, silently wishing that Winry would be okay and that Daniel would leave her alone. If he lays one finger on her. Ed clenched his fists. He'll be sorry. Ed walked into his dorm and Al followed.

"Hey Ed." Havoc pocked his head into the room. "You need anything?"

Ed shook his head and Havoc looked around at the piles of books and papers scattered around the room. "Boy, It's a mess in here."

"You can go," Ed said impatiently.

Havoc nodded. "I'll um, be out here then." Havoc went into the hall and shut the door. Ed locked it right after.

"Brother, you're planning something, aren't you." Al crossed his hands. "It better not be dangerous."

"I'm not planning anything." Ed flopped down onto his bed, put his hands behind his head, and stared up at the ceiling. The two brothers sat in silence for a while, the only noise coming occasionally from Al's squeaking armor. Ed glanced at the clock and then out the window. The sun was still fairly high and Ed figured that he still had plenty of day left.

There was a knock on the door. "Edward, someone's here to see you," Havoc called. Ed got up and walked over to the door. He placed his hand on the handle and then remembered how nervous Havoc sounded when he called him. Ed hesitated until Al pulled his hand away and opened the door himself.

"Good afternoon Elric brothers," Fuhrer King Bradley greeted.

Ed stared in shock at the man as he casually approached him. Then Ed noticed something strange, though he couldn't tell what it was and the next second it was gone.

"F-fuhrer King Bradley," Ed said nervously. He followed Havoc example and saluted to him.

Bradley laughed. "No need to be so formal. I'm only here to talk to you."

Ed nodded and Bradley walked over and sat down on one of the chairs. "2nd Lieutenant Havoc, may you please close the door."

Havoc saluted. "Yes sir!" And closed the door with a soft click.

Bradley turned to Ed. "I've heard that you've been in contact with Daniel Tucker. Is that true?" He said it very seriously and Ed felt a slight chill run up his spine.

"Y-yes sir," Ed said nervously.

Bradley stood up and walked towards the door. With his hand placed firmly on the handle, he turned to look at Ed. "And Fullmetal. Don't go after him, that is an order." He opened the door and walked off down the hallway.

Once his footsteps had faded Ed lied back down heavily on his bed. After a while he accidentally drifted off to sleep.

***

"Brother!"

Ed jolted awake and looked wildly around the small room. I swear I heard Al's voice, Ed thought, looking around for Al. Suddenly the door to the room was thrown open and Al ran in.

"Brother, you wont believe this!" Al shouted.

Ed stood up quickly. "What won't I believe?"

"He was caught," Al explained loudly.

"Who?" Suddenly Ed realized what he meant. His eyes widened and his heart pounded. "Do you mean Daniel Tucker?"

Al nodded several times before Grabbing Ed's hand and yanking him out of the room. The two of them began to run towards Roy's office. When they got there they saw Roy sitting calmly at his desk. "You got the news?" He asked.

Ed nodded and walked over to the desk. "Is it really true?" He demanded.

Roy nodded. "Yes, he's going to be put on trial tomorrow."

"What? Shou Tucker never went on trial and he did the same thing as Daniel," Ed protested. He felt the anger he felt when he found out that Nina was merged with a dog, when he found her guts splattered on the wall of an alley. Ed clenched his fists. He wasn't the type of person who thought that certain people should be executed, but he felt that Daniel deserved it. "Why don't you just execute him now so he'll die like his son?"

"We can't execute someone who wasn't put on trial," Roy explained slowly.

"But Shou Tucker was killed without a trial," Ed reminded him bitterly.

"I understand what you're trying to say, Fullmetal, but Daniel deserves to be put on trial," Roy said a bit more sternly.

Ed cat ears folded on his head but he stayed silent. Roy looked at him before turning to the papers on his desk. "I have work to do."

Ed walked from the office without saying another word. Al followed more slowly. When he reached his dorm Ed rudely pushed past Havoc and slammed the door in his face. The door was reopened and Al walked in. He closed the door softly and watched as Ed sat on his bed and glanced out the window.

"Brother," Al asked, nervous about whether or not his brother was going to snap at him. Instead Ed turned to look at Al calmly.

"What is it?"

"I wanted to ask you why you wanted Daniel Tucker to be executed?" Al asked in an innocent voice. Ed immediately turned away from Al.

"It's none of your damn business," He growled. Ed turned towards the window and stared at the birds flying past it. He let out a sigh and stood up. "I need to go somewhere." He turned away before Al could ask him where and walked out the door.

"Hey chief," Havoc called. Ed ignored him and kept walking. When Havoc tried to stop him he pushed him away. "Chief?"

Edward walked down the hallway of Central HQ and walked out the front entrance into the cool air outside. He took in a deep breath and kept walking. He rounded a corner and walked straight down the street. He heard the sound of people talking, but they sounded faraway and Ed couldn't make out a word of it.

That bastard, why is he still alive. Ed kicked at a small stone and sent it flying. It landed with a small pang on the pavement a few meters away. Ed walked past it and looked back. Central HQ was only visible above the rooftops of the many houses and buildings that stood between itself and Ed.

"Big Brother!" Al ran around the corner and stopped when he spotted Ed. "Why did you leave like that?"

Ed turned away from him and shoved his hands into his pockets. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does," Al protested. "You've been acting strange for awhile now."

Ed shook his head and looked up at the sky as it slowly grew dark. "Al, I want to be left alone for a few minutes. Go back to our dorm."

"But-"

"Go." Ed turned away. Al hesitated for a brief moment before giving in to what Ed said and walking in the opposite direction towards Central HQ. Ed began to walk and after a while the sun had set and a single stare shone in the sky. Ed hear the rumbling of a car and headlights were pointed in his direction.

"Fullmetal!" A familiar voice shouted. The door to the car was thrown open and Roy ran towards him. He grabbed Ed's hand and yanked him towards the car. Ed pulled his hand away and took a step back.

"What the hell do you want?" he snarled. His eyes were full of hate as he glared directly at the Colonel.

Roy looked around quickly before grabbing Ed's hand again and pushing him into the back seat on the car. "Hawkeye."

"Yes sir." Hawkeye, who was sitting in the drivers seat, pushed on the gas and sped off down the street as fast a she could go.

"Aren't you going to tell me why you just did that?" Ed asked, angry with Roy for doing that.

"You're right Fullmetal," Roy said. "We should have killed him when we had the chance."

"What do you mean?"

"Fullmetal, Daniel Tucker broke out of prison again. Right before he left he said something about how he needs his chimera." Roy's hands twisted the end of his military coat nervously.

That was when it happened. The car they were in suddenly started sliding out of control on the road that was now covered in ice. Hawkeye tried her best to drive but failed when the car began to spin out of control and eventually crash into a telephone pole.

"You guys okay?" Roy asked. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that his subordinates were safe. Just then a person walked out from the darkness of the streets.

No, It can't be, Ed thought, but it was. Daniel Tucker walked towards the car, wearing his cream coat over top of a prison uniform. He grinned wickedly and his icy blue eyes stared at Ed with a mix of insanity and playfulness.

Ed stared in shock as Daniel inched closer to the car. Roy shouted something and Ed was yanked out of the car. The Colonel pulled on his ignition glove and Hawkeye turned off the safety of her gun. "Fullmetal, stay back."

Ed listened and stood just behind Hawkeye. Daniel smiled. He held up his hand. There was a bright flash and the ice from the street thawed quickly. Roy was splashed and his ignition glove became drenched in the water. He snapped but nothing happened. Daniel Tucker ran over to Hawkeye and knocked the gun easily from her hands and sending it flying across the ground.

"Lieutenant!" Roy shouted. Then it became clear that Daniel's target was Ed.

Daniel knocked Ed to the ground and pulled a small dagger off his belt, which he then pushed against Ed's neck. Ed felt the cold steel against the skin on his neck and he took in an unsteady breath, knowing that if Daniel were to move Ed would be a goner.

"Fullmetal!"

"Decide now," Daniel said coldly. He pushed the blade harder into Ed's neck. "You want this kid dead or alive?"

"Alive," Roy said immediately. Daniel smiled again and pushed harder.

"What do I get out of It?" He asked innocently, his eyes gleaming wickedly in the faint moonlight. "I don't see an Equivalent Exchange if I let you have him?"

Roy didn't know how to answer but when he saw blood drip slowly down Ed's neck he blurted out something he would soon wished he hadn't. "I don't care what I have to do. Just give me Edward."

Daniel smiled and dug the dagger even deeper into Eds neck. A small bead of sweat trickled down Ed's forehead at the thought of getting his throat ripped open by that man. "What I want is for you to give me my Chimera back."

Roy didn't move form his spot. Ed began to panic. I can't go back there. I'd rather have you slice my throat, Ed thought helplessly.

"You can't have him!" Roy shouted. "Now let him go!"

"Let him go?" Daniel frowned. "But I don't wanna."

Roy grabbed the gun strapped to his side and pointed it at Daniel Tucker. "Hurt Fullmetal and I wont hesitate to shoot you."

Daniel glanced down at Ed before looking back at Roy, his eyes dancing with amusement. "If you shoot me this boy will surely perish."

Roy kept the gun pointed firmly at Daniel. "Take the knife away from his neck," he ordered in a voice full of steel. He released the safety on the gun.

Daniel smiled and removed the dagger from Ed's neck. He placed his hand firmly on the top of Ed's head and pushed his face onto the rough cement. Instead of putting the dagger away he stabbed it deep into Ed's side. Daniel twisted it and smiled when he saw Ed cringe in pain. He pulled it out slowly and ran off down the street. Roy began to fire bullet after bullet at Daniel, not a single bullet ever hitting him.

Ed stayed where he was. The wound wasn't that big but it still hurt like hell. His hand gripped his side as blood continued to pour out onto the ground. There was a startled gasp and Hawkeye ran over.

"Edward." Someone was shaking his shoulder. "Ed, answer me."

"What?" Ed grunted. Even saying that simple word had taken a lot of effort. Hawkeye helped him sit up and he noticed Roy coming over with a displeased expression.

"Fullmetal?" His eyes widened and he ran over. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Ed stood up and looked at Roy. Hawkeye stood up as well and stared at Ed.

"Lieutenant, go see if the car works," Roy ordered. Hawkeye nodded and walked towards the car. She started it and the engines roared to life.

Seeing that the car worked, Roy stood up and looked at Ed. "Fullmetal, get in the car."

Ed obeyed and walked towards the car, leaving a few drops of blood on the ground as he walked. He got into the backseat of the car and sat there. He began to feel light-headed and didn't pay any attension where Hawkeye was driving until they were parked outside of the hospitable.

"What, I don't need to go to the-"

"You just got stabbed," Roy pointed out calmly. He looked back a Ed. "The wound's pretty deep isn't it?"

Ed ignored his and pouted, his cat ears folded against his head. By the time Ed was out of the car Roy had a black eye. The Colonel was now holding Ed's arms behind his back to prevent him from using alchemy. Hawkeye walked up to the front desk.

Ed looked up at Roy with a gaze full of hatred. A nurse walked over to them. "The doctor can see Mr. Elric now."

Roy continued to restrain Edward, knowing full well what Ed would do to that nurse. They walked into a small room where the doctor was waiting. Roy quickly warned them about Ed's temper before leaving the room.

It was only a few moments before there was a loud crash coming from the room. Roy looked inside and saw Ed standing in the corner with a chair in his hands as he tried to fend off the doctor and nurse.

"Fullmetal, stop terrorizing the doctor and let them do their job," Roy ordered. When Ed didn't put the chair down Roy walked over, knocked the chair from his hands, and held him against the wall. Ed began to struggle. He kicked and tried to free his arms from Roy's steel hard grip. His movements eventually slowed as he lost more blood. His face paled and Roy called the doctor over.

He continued to hold Ed there as the doctor looked closely at the wound.

"Hmm, just as I thought." The doctor turned to Roy. "He'll be fine. We're just going to give him a shot just in case there was something on the blade.

At the word 'shot' Ed's head shot up and he looked around with wild eyes. "I'm not getting a needle!" Ed managed to slip out of Roy's grip and made an attempt to run for the door. Roy easily grabbed him and pushed him against another wall. A nurse walked in with a needle and Ed's eyes widened. "No, anything but a shot!"

"Hold still," The nurse said but that only made Ed struggle more.

"I don't need one! I'm fine! Not a shot!" Ed yelled. Roy held his left arm still as the nurse quickly pocked the needle into his arm. When Ed saw the needle enter his flesh he let out a small whimper and turned away.

"All done." The nurse put the needle away and Ed ripped his arm away from Roy. "You're free to leave in half an hour."

***

25 minutes later...

Ed stared straight ahead of him. His lower stomach was wrapped in bandages to stop the bleeding and his wound had been disinfected to prevent any infection. Ed looked up at Roy. "I hate you," he growled. "Why'd you have to take me here? That damn doctor said that I was fine."

"How was I to know that?" Roy replied innocently. "You were bleeding everywhere, what else was I suppose to do?"

"You know what?" Ed asked. "This is the second time you took me to the hospital."

"How's that?"

"Remember when I had a tail, whiskers, and fangs?" Ed asked. Roy nodded. Ed continued. "You made me get them removed and I was at a hospital."

Roy nodded. He was about to reply when the nurse walked over. "You're free to leave."

Ed stood up. "I'm never coming to a damn hospital again!" He announce. Ed walked out the front door.

Roy turned to the nurse and apologized for Ed's rudeness and then followed Ed. The blond Alchemist got into the car and they drove back to headquarters. It was a short drive. There was no traffic and they quickly arrived a Central HQ. Ed got out of the car and stretched. His side was only a dull ache and didn't bother him that bad. He followed Roy into the building. As they walked down the halls Ed made a detour to his dorm.

"Where are you going Fullmetal?" Roy asked.

Ed to him. "I'm going to my dorm."

Roy shook his head. "You can't."

"Why's that?" Ed demanded.

"'I'll tell you in my office." Roy turned around and began to walk in the direction of his office. Ed wondered briefly what why he couldn't go in his dorm but followed the Colonel through the empty halls anyway.