I felt anger spread through my body, and my plate suddenly snapped, cutting my hand. I hissed in pain as I dropped everything on the floor.
        "Oh shit, I'm sorry! Here, let me help!" The guard grabbed my wrists and pulled my bloodied hand up to see.
        I tried pulling my hand back, but he had a firm grip on me.
        "Do you not know who I am?" I asked through gritted teeth as the cuts on my hand healed almost instantly; a wild smirk grew on the guard's face, and he finally let me go.
        "You miss her, don't you?" He asked, completely ignoring everything I had just said.
        I didn't respond and knelt to start cleaning up the mess I had made; he followed me and tried to help me.
        "Have you thought about trying to bring her back?"
        I instantly froze up as he continued talking.
        "Yeah, I think I've heard of something called Human Transmutation! If you're successful, you'll have your sister back! You'll be able to do the thing you've been trying to do for the last two years! And if you fail, well, you'll still end up with your sister." He chuckled.
        "Just who the hell are you?! Get out, leave me alone!" I yelled as I threw a piece of the plate at him.
        He easily dodged, and the piece shattered against the wall behind him; he smirked at me again before taking the mess of ceramic and food and walking away, seemingly vanishing into the dark hallway.
        I stayed on the floor, trying to control my breathing. Frantically looking from my trembling hands to Nina's urn and back, on the verge of having a full-blown panic attack.
        Sure, the thought crossed my mind. Hell, I even looked into attempting it when I lost my mom, but with it being taboo and strictly forbidden, plus all the risks involved, I just couldn't risk anything happening to me and leaving Nina all alone. But seeing how Ed and Al survived their attempt... Maybe I could try? Maybe with my medical knowledge plus knowing Alkehestry, I'll have a better chance of it succeeding?
        I quickly pushed the thought out of my mind. There's no way I could do it, not when I have people who still need me... Death is permanent, and I can't fix that... But then again...
        I continued to go back and forth in my head, the reality of everything weighing heavily on me. At just 16 years old, I'm officially and completely alone. My father didn't have any more living family members, and my mother's family completely cut us off after my father told them she had passed. The only people I have known are a select few in the military, and I don't know if I could even really call them "family."

~~~***~~~***~~~

        I watched as the sun started to peek over the horizon; I didn't even realize that I had sat for so long... I forced myself to get up off the floor and grabbed a few little things before saying goodbye to Nina one last time. I kept my hand placed on the top of her urn for a little bit; I felt my sense of purpose slowly depleting as I finally left her room. I placed my hand on the door and used my alchemy to seal it shut so she could never be bothered, then went to my room.
        With how many times I've been sent outside of Central, I have a go bag already made up and ready to go. I stopped to look in the mirror as I started to get ready for the day. I looked at myself and saw that the red splotches had healed up and gone away, but I noticed that a weird-looking rash had broken out in the middle of my chest. I just assumed that it was a stress rash, but when I looked at it a bit closer, I noticed that it wasn't puffy, the skin wasn't raised, and it wasn't itchy, unlike any normal kind of rash, but I couldn't think of what else it could be... I shook my head and quickly changed into my uniform, making double sure I had my pocket watch before grabbing my bag and heading downstairs.
        "Ah, morning, sleepyhead!" I saw my bodyguard waving towards me from the dining room. "Figured we might as well have some breakfast before we head to HQ and give you another chance to try my cooking since you didn't get to last night!"
        I could feel my stomach practically eating itself. I gritted my teeth and joined him at the table; he slid a plate full of food towards me.
        "Try not to break this one, 'kay?" He chuckled as he ate.
        Oh, how I've come to loathe this man... I quietly ate, keeping my composure even though I wanted to start wolfing it down; it was just that good.
        "Thank you for breakfast; it was really good," I said, taking his and my plates to the sink to wash them.
        "Thanks! And hey, I'm sorry for what I said last night; I realize I may have crossed a line." I heard him say it, but I didn't bother turning around.
        "Yeah, you did. But we're just going to pretend that whole interaction didn't happen and get to HQ so you can go back to being Bradley's pain in the ass."
        I heard him chuckle and get up from his chair. "So, you're not going to go through with what I had suggested?"
        I kept my mouth shut as I finished cleaning the dishes and put them away. I blew past the guard and went to the sitting room to wait until it was time to go. I pulled my pack closer as I sat down and started to go through it, just to make sure I had everything I needed before I left the house.
        While I was doing this, I could see the guard out of the corner of my eye leaning his back against the doorway; he was staring at me, and I could just tell he still had that smug look on his face. I did everything I could to avoid looking his way.
        "It's a good thing you've decided against it, with it being forbidden and everything. See, I was just testing you." He started running his trap again: "Plus, even if you did and you did actually die this time, that would be just a tragedy! What would we do without the Healing Alchemist? We simply couldn't go back to how we were before now, could we!"
        I could hear the condescending tone in his voice, but I wasn't about to play this game with him. If I give him a reaction, that's just more fuel for the fire. I'm about to be rid of him anyway; I just need to suck it up for a little while longer.

~~~***~~~***~~~

        The guard and I didn't speak a word to each other the entire way to the Command Center, and for that I am very grateful. I went in and filled out a bit of paperwork before going to check in with Col. Mustang, since he was technically my superior.
        "Good morning, Healing Alchemist!" A voice called from behind me just as I reached Mustang's office.
        I turned to see Fuhrer Bradley walking towards me with that asshole bodyguard in tow.
        I immediately saluted, "Good morning, sir. I was just about to check in with Colonel Mustang before leaving."
        He saluted back and started to guide me away from Mustang's office.
        "He's in East City at the moment; you'll be able to check in with him there. If you've got everything in order, I'll have Sgt. Douglas here will escort you to the train station."
        'So that's his name; he refused to tell me,' I thought to myself. "That's all well and good, but I would think you'd like to have your bodyguard back, sir. If Lt. Col. Hughes or Major Armstrong is around, I'm sure they wouldn't mind taking me!"
        "Are you disobeying me, Healer?" He asked as he glared down at me.
        His gaze sent a chill down my spine. Knowing I shouldn't have backtalked him, I swallowed the lump in my throat and shook my head. "No, sir! I'm so sorry, sir!"
        "Another hour or so without him won't kill me. Besides, you just missed Hughes, and Major Armstrong is going with the Elric brothers while they go get their bodies repaired down in Resembool. If you get there quick enough, I'm sure they wouldn't mind having a friend tag along for a little bit before you part ways."
        I quickly nodded and saluted him, "Thank you, sir. I hope I'll get to see you again soon!"
        He smiled and waved me off, and I immediately bolted back outside, right to the car that was left out front. How Sgt. Douglas got out there before me, I don't know, but I wasn't going to question it either!