(Ahem...I don't feel bad for Chibii-san at all. Picture is above is Alec.)

Ed froze in his tracks.

For a moment the man who stood across from his father reminded him of Mustang.

Tall build, dark, narrow eyes and the same midnight black hair.

The only difference was the more feminine curve to the mans face and lighter tone of voice.

The man turned, as if sensing Edward in the shadows. "So this is him?' The man said, not commenting on the knife in Ed's hands. Hohenheim nodded, not mentioning it either.

"Yes. Edward, go put your knife away then come back. Alec here is going to try and see what's wrong with your chest." Hohemheim's voice was weary, and Ed looked between his father and the man, Alec, before slowly nodding and moving back up the steps.

The knife was replaced on his dresser, and Ed moved back downstairs after putting his hair in a in a low ponytail in a practiced move.

It had been annoying him.

Hohemheim nodded. "Should I leave?" He said, looking at Alec.

"Please," Alec said smoothly. "This could be painful to watch if I accidentally set off another fit."

Ed already didn't like this man.

Hohemheim nodded in understanding. "I'll be on the porch if you need me." And with that, he exited the room, the front door opening and closing could be heard a moment later..

Alec turned to Edward, crouching down to his height. "Alright. I understand that you had a bad pain earlier, right?"

Ed nodded, gold eyes staring defiantly into Alec's black ones.

"Can you take your shirt off for me? I need to be able to see the spot."

Ed really didn't like this.

"Edward, or Ed, if you're fine with that, please. I'm going to see what I can do for you."

The light shirt he was wearing came off slowly, and was draped carefully over the back of a chair.

He wanted to hide.

This wasn't right.

Alec's voice cooed from in front of him. "There we go. Do you think you could lay down on the counter?"

He felt a sense of foreboding. Why had his father brought this man here?

Apparently he hadn't moved quick enough for Alec, as he was picked up, none to gently, and placed on his back on the counter, legs dangling off.

"See? That wasn't so hard. Now, your father told me the pain was coming from your heart, is that right?"

Ed nodded.

Alec pressed none too gently down on his chest, and Ed screamed silently, tears pooling in his eyes.

Lips were on his suddenly, rough, chapped, and with an awkwardness that the man easily corrected. Weakly, Ed tried to kick out, to force the man away from him, but he couldn't. The pain was too much and he was, in his four year old body, no match physically for a man at the age of twenty or so.

The tears fell, and Ed's mouth opened as if in a sob, only for Alec to take the opportunity to further violate him. His stomach dropped as Alec's hand teased at one of his nipples, the other pinning his arms above his head.

Ed wished more than anything he had his voice back.

Something fractured in him when he heard the clinking of a belt being undone, soon followed by that of a zipper.

Something shattered when he was violated to his core, unable to do anything.

--

No smiles.

No silent laughter.

No tapping.

Ed sat alone, usually curled up in a ball on his bed or in the corner of his and Al's room.

He was sore.

Broken.

Hurting.

Crushed.

And he could tell no one.

He could write it down, of course, but to do so would require remembering.

He didn't want to remember.

He never did.

And he had no one to blame for his weakness besides his self. He hadn't been strong enough. What had happened to him? When had he gotten so stupidly pathetic? Why..?

Tears pooled in his eyes, and he willed them not to fall. They did not listen.

His parents had been informed that there was nothing that the bastard could do, and that it was shock that was causing Ed's continued self enforced isolation, and his continuous shifting and terror when a loud noise sounded, or, hell, even when a man touched him.

He flinched violently, relaxing when he saw who it was, but he could tell that his mom and dad were worried.

Al, thankfully, remained blissfully unaware of his brothers problems.

A soft knock was heard on the door. Mom. He rapped on the wall behind him thrice to let her know she could come in.

She took one look at hi tearstained face and immediately crossed the room, picking him up to cradle him in her arms as if he was a baby again.

"Shh, hun, don't worry. It'll be fine, it'll all be fine. Relax." She murmured, rocking back and forth as Ed cried into the soft material of her dress. "It will all be fine...it'll get better. I promise."

And slowly, ever so slowly, he calmed.

His eyes grew heavy from exhaustion, and sleep took over, wrapping him in a dark blanket.

He vaguely registered the sound of the door closing as he fell into a deep sleep, curled up on his side.

--

It was still dark when Ed woke, panting from a nightmare.

Pathetic. Thirty-two years old and he was having nightmares.

And then he realized his lower half was soaked, and that the smell of urine surrounded him.

His face flushed in shame, tears pricking at his eyes as he stood in his soiled pajamas and tried creeping towards the door, ignoring any discomfort he felt from his rear as he moved towards his parents room.

Knocking, he had to wait a moment before Hohemheim opened the door blearily, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

He took one look at Ed, before scooping him up, ignoring the wet fabric against his bare chest as he moved Ed to the bathroom. "Bad dream?" He murmured, voice scratchy from having been woken.

Ed went to nod, then hesitated. Someone needed to know.

Someone who had secrets of their own.

He traced out letters, one by one, on his fathers chest.

M

E

M

O

R

I

E

S

Hohemheim looked saddened.

"How old are you, really? I've had my suspicions...you've always known more than you should." He sighed. "The chest pains only furthered my thoughts."

Faltering once again, he let out a quiet sigh and traced the numbers out.

3

2

"Thirty-two?" Hohemheim said, eyes widening slightly.

Ed nodded as Hohemheim absently reached to turn the water on, putting the plug in the tub so that it would fill rapidly.

A-n-d  y-o-u-r-e  a-r-o-u-n-d  f-o-u-r  h-u-n-d-r-e-d. He drew, letters coming faster as he grew more confident, even as his father helped him peel off his spoiled clothes and help him into the bath.

"You know, huh?" Hohemheim murmured. "Then you'll know I have to leave soon as well."

Ed gripped at his fathers arm suddenly, the letters digging into his skin.

D-O-N-T.  M-O-M  D-I-E-S  A-N-D  A-L  A-N-D  I  T-R-Y  T-O  B-R-I-N-G  H-E-R  B-A-C-K.

"You did that last time?" Hohemheim said, shock flitting through his eyes.

Y-E-S.

"What was the toll..?" He said weakly.

M-y  l-e-g  i-n  t-h-e  i-n-i-t-i-a-l  t-r-a-n-s-m-u-t-a-i-o-n, A-l  l-o-s-t  h-i-s  b-o-d-y.  I l-o-s-t  m-y  r-i-g-h-t  a-r-m  a-t-t-a-c-h-i-n-g  h-i-s  s-o-u-l  t-o  o-n-e  o-f  t-h-e  s-u-i-t-s  o-f  a-r-m-o-r  i-n  t-h-e  b-a-s-e-m-e-n-t.  I  g-o-t  a-u-t-o-m-a-i-l  f-r-o-m  W-i-n-r-y  a-n-d  P-i-n-a-k-o  a-n-d  j-o-i-n-e-d  t-h-e  m-i-l-i-t-a-r-y  a-s  a s-t-a-t-e  a-l-c-h-e-m-i-s-t.  T-h-e  p-r-o-m-i-s-e-d  d-a-y  c-a-m-e a-n-d  I g-o-t  A-l-s  b-o-d-y  b-a-c-k,  a-n-d y-o-u  d-i-e-d  s-o-o-n  a-f-t-e-r-w-a-r-d-s  f-o-r  t-a-k-i-n-g  a  h-i-t  f-o-r  m-e.

"And your shakiness lately..?"

...

He paused, trembling.

R

A

P

E

.

.

.

"Alec?" Hohemheim whispered in horror.

Ed nodded, sinking deeper into the water.

"I...I'm sorry, Edward...he said h could help and we were desperate...I'm so sorry..."

Ed had no response, only to flinch when his father pulled him close in a hug, and, even as awkward as the move was, he could practically feel the sincerity behind it, even as his father whispered sorry for having had made him flinch.

--1611 Words--

Another chapter?! Only, what, a week a after the last?! It's madness! Also, in case any of you died, I have some comic relief here. I hope you enjoy! (Also, do you have any idea how much of a pain it was to do Eds little *letter*-*letter* thing? It. Hurt.)



Enjoy.
                      ~The_Sin_Pride