Hospital

Rei opened her eyes, an annoying "beep, beep, beep" sounding somewhere above her head. She was not sure where she was, but she knew that it was very white. As her eyes came into focus, she realized she was in a standard hospital room, complete with white walls, white curtains, and an obnoxious creature that beeped every time her heart beat.

"Interesting how I went from a carnival to the front lines to the hospital bed," she muttered.

A loud ruckus ensued as footsteps neared Rei's room. Sounds fo metal carts banged against the walls.

"Where is she? TELL ME NOW!"

A nurses voices instructed him towards the next room on the left. Before entering, Des punched a hole in the wall then calmly entered the room.

"Rei! Are you alright? I am sorry for what happened a week ago. You have to understand it is my duty. Please forgive me. These hospital nurses were being hesitant with giving me your room number. I'm here now. Anything I can get you?"

Des approached her cautiously then examined the machine above her. He fiddled with a few buttons and the beeping noise grew quieter.

"There we go, that thing is sooo annoying. NURSE GET ME SOME FRESH PILLOWS AND BLANKETS IN HERE NOW!"

The startled nurse behind him jumped and rushed out of the room.

"Des," Rei muttered as he rushed about her room, yelling and causing a general ruckus. She rubbed her temples with her left hand. The automail was somewhat annoying, but it hurt to move her right arm and she was in no mood to be tough and deal with the pain.

"Des," she repeated calmly when there was a lull in his activity. "Why would the resistance have had Creta attack your soldiers if their goal is to stop the wars? Why did you kill so many of their people for killing a few of your men? Why kill a defenseless man tied to a chair? Is there logic behind any of your actions?"

Rei looked at him with her red eyes. She was not angry, simply sad, questioning. "Why?"

Des looked at her and frowned, he noticed the sadness in her eyes. He snapped his fingers and a nurse rushed in with a chair, he snatched it from her and took a seat next to Rei's bed.

"Rei. I wish you would understand. I follow orders given to me. When I got a call back at the carnival, my boss told me to get down to Creta and stop the Resistance movement. Nothing else was said. His final words on the phone were 'KILL THE LEADER.'"

Des slumped his head down and rubbed his temples. He felt a tear trickle from his eye and wiped it away quickly before Rei caught glimpse of it.

"It is never my will only my duty. I pledged my loyalty to the military and that's how it will always be. Understand?"

Des reached out his hand and gently stroked over the bullet wound which was now patched up.

Rei flinched and pulled away from his touch. She stared at her left hand in her lap, automail shining dully in the florescent lights. She flexed it, watched the mechanical parts move according to her will. She clenched her fist, blanket wrapped tightly in it.

"It's not right," she whispered. "All this death and fighting. Amestris is fighting the world, the resistance is fighting the government. It's just not right."

"You must get used to it. The world never acts accordingly. We will get you better and out of this bed. Ready for more adventure with me?"

Des stood up and clenched his hand smiling slightly. He pointed at Rei then gave her a thumbs up.

Rei looked at him sideways, sizing him up. There were too many thoughts running through her mind to give him much of a response. She gave a slight nod. "But if you drag me out on the front lines again, so help me, you won't be able to feel your body for a week," she said, holding up her metal fist.

Des smiled more at the words she just threw at him and chuckled a bit. He walked over to her and held his out for a firm shake.

"Partners? Not all military personnel are bad. Where do you want to go next? The hospital bored me."

Des looked out the door to see the nurses slacking and sitting down conversing with each other. He shook his fist at them and forwned then turned his attention back to Rei.

"So you feel confident enough to get up and walk outta here? Or do I have to carry you out?"

Rei rolled her shoulder, flexed her arm to test the muscles. It was somewhat painful, but she could deal with it. "Let's see, be kidnapped by Mr. Military Man or walk out of here and accept the consequences for whatever you decide we're gonna do? Tough choice," she said.

She began pulling the tubes and needles out of her arm. One of them was connected to the heart rate monitor, causing it to let out one low beep. Frustrated, she found the power button and hit it, making it stop.

"You know, I'm gonna need some normal clothes instead of this hospital garb." She smiled her crooked smile.

Des blushed with her words echoing through his head about real clothes. He backed up and waved his hands in a frantic manner.

"Uhm, yeah real clothes. Where would those be? Should I leave the room? What am I saying of course I should. Let me know when you are dressed."

Des hussled out the room and shut the door behind him breathing a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat droplet from his brow and leaned against the wall across from the door.

Rei smirked and climbed out of the bed. One of the nurses had been kind enough to wash and mend her clothing for her during her stay. She quickly changed her clothing and opened the door.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be. Where do you plan on going?"

Des was shocked to see her dressed so fast. He blinked a few times and chuckled.

"Wow that was fast. This hospital is a bore. Let's do something you want to do?"

Des placed his hands behind his back and awaited for Rei's response. He knew she never liked to decide on much but this time he was going to force her to choose a place to go.

Ace walked around with his stash of flowers and peaked his head inside a hallway with a woman and military man. "Hello! Can you guys point me towards the Amnesiac ward? I am planning to convince one of the beauties I'm their long lost husband."

Ace jumped back when he realized he recognized the two of them. "It's you guys!"

Rei stared at the man with the flowers, then grinned. "Ace! Good to see you!" She rushed over and hugged him. "Aw, are those for me? How nice of you to bring me flowers! They're gorgeous. Where did you get them from? Ah, whatever." Rei released Ace from her hug and turned him toward Des.

"Des, Ace. Ace, this is Des. He's in the military."

[ Rei, Des, Q ]

Des gave a small salute to the Suave man now known as Ace. He grunted a little. He then extended his hand to ace for a firm shake.

"Nice to meet you Ace. The bookstore yes I remember. Dangerous times. Me and Rei were just about to head out."

Des noticed Rei give Ace a hug and take the flowers. He scratched the back of his head and chuckled.

"I didn't know you two were to-gether like that. When did this happen? After I left the bookstore? Oh well congrats!"

Des patted them both on the back and smiled. His hearty laugh filled the halls with joy, even the nurses started to smile.

Ace hugged the girl back and nodded. "Absolutely those flowers are for you, how did you know?"

Ace shook Des's hand and smiled. "I remember you from the bookstore. You were big and scary then. So where were we headed to?"

"Oh, no, we're not together," Rei said, winking at Des. "He and I have been friends for years and years. I haven't seen him in forever. Well, excluding the bookstore of course."

Turning to Ace she said, "Sorry about ignoring you back there. I was a little distracted." She frowned and stuck out her bottom lip as though that made everything better. "To make up for it, I think you should take us somewhere. We'll go wherever you want to make up for us being so rude to you."

Des look perplexed, he swore they acted as a couple but guess not. He also raised an eyebrow at Rei's decision to let Ace choose the place to go.

"You sure Ace should chose Rei? He doesn't seem all there in the head. Just saying."

Des turned his head away and grunted softly. He awaited for Ace's reply on where to go. The hospital bored him, but knowing him and Rei have been friends for a long time concerns him more.

Ace didn't know what was going on but his heart had long melted at the sight of the woman.

"Ah, fair lady! Please, it was clearly my fault for whatever happened at the book store. Worry not! I do believe we should head to my store. For I just opened it."

"Oh, I didn't know you opened a shop! That sounds like a wonderful idea," Rei squeaked, bouncing once and grabbing Ace's wrist. "Come on, let's go!"

She grabbed Des' wrist as well and ushered them out of the hospital. "You'll have to lead from here, Ace. I don't know where you set up."

[Exunt Ace, Rei, and Des~]

(enter Des in an Ambulance)

Des' eyes slightly opened as he watched the ceiling tiles pass by quickly. He turned his head slightly and saw a few nurses pushing him on a cart towards the ER. Inside the ER, Des noticed the surgeon removing the small rag he tied to his thigh. He overheard the doctor talking briefly. He heard him say; 'By tying this rag to his thigh, he cut off circulation and the blood stopped flowing and he passed out. He head the right idea but executed it sloppily. It seems as though, the Carotid artery was severed slightly..' That was all he heard before a nurse placed a mask over him and he fell asleep.

When Des awoke, he was in a hospital johnny in a plain white room. He heard the annoying beep of the heart monitor and looked all around. He couldn't believe he was taken out so easily by them. Every now and then he would fall asleep and awake to nurses changing various things on him.

It seems as though days went by, but by the time he was fully conscious, it was only 7 hours later. He looked around some more and noticed it was night time. He looked down at his thigh and saw the dressing on it.

"Cursed. How dare I fall to Resistance members, they will pay."

His phone shortly rang after, the nurses would've turned it off but realized since he was military, that was not such a wise idea. He answered the phone and heard his commander on the other end.

"Yes sir. No, i'm in a hospital. Yes, well no but...yes..of course...right away."

He hung up the phone and his look brightened up slightly. He explained what had happened to the commander and he arranged Des to be transported to the medical bay at Military Hq. It was only a matter of time before he was out of here.

Des fell asleep to pass the time...

(exit Des)

Keixth entered the hospital. His nose scrunching at the smell of hospitals.
"too bright"

As Resha and Keixth arrived at the hospital, she began telling the nurses to accommodate the patients.

Quickly, she grabbed Keixth's hand and brought him to a room. She made her sit down by the bed. "So mister Keixth, if you have any other wounds, please tell me now."

shocked as he was being pulled into a room.

"uhmm none actually just slightly burns in my arm. thats all"

As he told miss Resha while looking around the room filled with cabinets with medicines and random bottles in them. Clean white sheets and all.

"Burns are no good!" she turned serious. "It's my job to keep the military personnel in top shape." She turned to get a bandage and some medicine and ointments, just in case he had worse burns he hadn't noticed.
"Besides," she pulled out a gauze. "Wouldn't it be better if you meet the lieutenant in good shape? I'll be scolded at if I don't treat you."

She applied pain reliever ointment. "No second degree burns?"