The Price of Life [Fullmetal Alchemist]

Chapter Eighteen

Take A Life...

"what's gone is forever lost...

•••

Long train rides always gave you time to think. For Sonia, that was both a good and bad thing. She constantly had something on her mind.

'This month has been so crazy,' she thought, looking out the window. 'I guess I get into more trouble when I'm around those two Elric boys.' She took a glance at them sitting across from her and Winry. She averted her eyes before Edward noticed.

'Yeah.' She clutched her scarred stomach from the battle with the Ishbalan. A small frown was placed on her face.  'Lots of trouble.' 

"I have a surprise!" Winry announced suddenly, her expression chipper. Seemingly out of nowhere, she pulled out a circle of pie with a cover on top. Sonia thought it was funny how Ed's eyes immediately lit up when seeing the pastry.

"Mrs. Gracia gave it to me before I left," she explained, folding back the cover to reveal an apple pie cut into slices. Giving Sonia, Edward, and herself a napkin, she handed them a piece.

"Don't worry Al. She gave me the recipe so that when you get your body back, I can make it for you."

"That sounds really nice.' he admitted. "Thank you, Winry."

"Mm, this apple pie is great!" Ed exclaimed, talking with half his mouth still full.

"Yeah!" Sonia agreed. "Back when I was first put into custody of Roy and wasn't a state alchemist, I used to stay at the Hughes' all the time. Gracia would make me whatever I wanted. It was wonderful." She smiled at the memory.

"The Hughes' are really hospitable and nice, huh?"

"Yeah, sure, but the Lieutenant Colonel gets so annoying sometimes," Ed pointed out. No one exactly argued with that. "Plus, his daughter is spoiled rotten because of him."

"Still, he did do his best to visit when he could, brother."

"Okay, you got me there."

"We should do something nice for him when we go back to Central," Al suggested.

"Yeah, we should."

  •••

The gunshot went unheard.

 •••

The ringing phone was heard. He picked it up.

"Sir, there is a Lieutenant Colonel Hughes on the line for you. He wishes to speak to you immediately."

Colonel Mustang sighed. It was the third time today that his so-called best friend had called, and it was only ever to gush about his 'lovely' daughter or his 'breathtaking' wife.

"Put him through."

Any more of this and he would never pick up the phone from Hughes again.

It took a minute to connect, but as soon as he heard a click, he spoke clearly.

"If this is another daughter story, hang up the phone now."

Silence.

"Hughes?"

No reply. He could hear the wind from the night. Or was that... breathing?

"What is it, Hughes?"