Aftermath
Aftermath
En Route to Resembool
9:45am
They had gotten everyone on board quickly and were underway as soon as the door was closed of the private car that always sat at the station in case of a need to bring back passengers. It had been attached to the train when the call to stop their departure came through after the explosions.
Inside the car carried all eighteen residence of the compound. Breda and Broch were both in stable condition as far as Winry could tell, though both had suffered serious injuries. Falman and Ross were both close to death, Winry hated to move them, certainly in better circumstances, she would have insisted on them being kept as still as possible in a sterile environment. She never would have allowed the movement of most of the injured in better conditions. Not without careful planning and stretchers.
Winry refused to leave the patients, though she did finally allow Hawkeye to look at her own injuries and clean her wounds at Ed's insistence. Roy and Ed were each holding one of the boys, Ed ,William and Roy, Yuery, to prevent them from moving around too much until a doctor could look them over. Fletcher and Russell sat huddled together, neither seriously injured but both deeply shaken.
Miles had considered staying behind, as an Ishbalan he would have been a good placement, however the tension was high, it was better to leave and come back later. There was nowhere for him to stay tonight at any rate, every building in the compound was gone, and he wouldn't risk safety of himself or the civilians by staying elsewhere until it was confirmed he was not a target.
Riza and Jean both had some experience first aide for field injuries during the war. It was coming in handy at the moment, with so many injured. Winry was primarily focused on Falman and Ross after her own injuries were treated. Breda still had not left Falman's side, had refused the entire process from moving him to the cart to moving him onto the train. Winry was concerned about Breda, his breathing was still labored and it was a rattle in such a way then indicated severe pain but was refusing any further examination at the moment, more focused on talking quietly to Falman.
Roy was concerned, Falman was not in great shape, they all knew it. He had lost a great deal of blood, and though Roy had cauterized the wound, he may have just delayed the inevitable. He had no way of knowing if there was still internal bleeding, but Roy feared there was judging by the change in Falman's already grey complexion is growing worse.
Ross is doing terribly as well, he knows. Between the blood loss, that was thankfully controlled with a tourniquet made from a transmuted belt, and the severity of her burns, he worried she was not going to survive this either. She had fallen into unconsciousness when they moved her and had not woken. Brosh, who was also severely injured, refused to calm until they placed him next to her. His legs had been crushed, he was unable to move on his own. They were forced to lay him on his stomach because of the burns across his back, and the others were concerned about his head injury, but he was so busy trying to wake Ross, keeping himself awake in the process.
Edward continued to hold Yuery still, with Staph offering to hold William, freeing Roy to help with first aide so Winry was free to look after the more seriously injured, and finally receive treatment herself, along with the Tringham brothers. Luckily they were all relatively unharmed. Havoc, Miles, Catalina, and Hawkeye were helping care for the injured.
Fuery had taken up the spot next to Sheska Harris, who was also burned and bloody, her wrist and leg were both clearly broken, and the soft spoken woman had been trying to avoid making any complaints as they moved her gently, but it hurt a lot.
None of them said much yet, as they tensely rode through the countryside, it took twelve minutes to arrive in the Resembool station, where there was a crowd on the platform, being organized by Pinako Rockbelle. She had managed to recruit several people to both help carry the injured off of the train, and several carts to get them back to her house quickly.
Doctors and nurses both from town and the nearby area were on stand by at the house, awaiting the arrival of the injured parties. Someone had called ahead to warn them that Falman, Ross, and Brosh were going to need immediate care, and possibly surgeries. Winry felt numb to the entire process, that this was so different than she had dreamed for her children and far to similar to the way things were when she was growing up.
Rockbelle Automail Outfitters
They arrived cart by cart, Vato Falman, Heymans Breda, Abraham Miles, and Gregory Staph in the first cart. Maria Ross, Denny Broch, Riza Hawkeye, and Rebecca Catalina next. Then, Sheska Harris, Russell and Fletcher Tringham, Roy Mustang, and Kain Fuery. Finally, Winry Rockbelle, William and Yuery Elric, Edward Elric, and Jean Havoc in the last cart. Doctors and Nurses rushed out to the carts as they arrived to help carry the injured inside. Vato went straight to surgery, as did Maria. Then Sheska, Denny, and Haymans Breda were treated next, as those who were in immediate need.
Pinako took the time to look over the babies, and wrap Yuery's leg in such a way as to prevent any movement of the joints. All other injuries were minor enough to check on the others and keep everyone safe, Winry also finally permitted her wounds to be treated mostly because her grandmother refused to allow her to continue helping until she was looked over herself.
None of Winry's cuts were deep enough to require stitches, though the burn on her right arm did get a salve and wrap. She washed all the dirt off in a quick shower before that, and changed into her coveralls, which was the only clean thing she had at her grandmother's.
Edward and Roy were each holding a baby as they wandered between the rooms the injured had been placed, checking in on all of them. Ed came into the room housing Heymans Breda and eventually, Vato Falman once he was out of surgery. Jean Havoc was already in the room, so Ed started walk back out when he noticed how agitated Breda seemed. Havoc was standing over Breda, refusing to let him out of bed. Breda was clearly angry, but both had frozen when Ed had opened the door. "Is everyone alright in here?" Ed asked.
"This idiot keeps trying to get up, I told him that doctor said he needs to stay in bed. They're pretty sure his ribs are just bruised but they don't want him moving around in case there's any injuries they missed. He wants to go check in on Falman." Havoc said, frustration clear in his voice.
"I was just down that way," Ed said as he shifted William from his left hip to his right." Falman is still in surgery. Actually, Havoc, I was looking for you. You have the office records, so you remember what Falman's blood type is? Granny needs to know."
"B positive" Breda said before Havoc can reply, though Havoc was shaking his head, so it was unlikely he had known. Ed nodded, and turned to leave the room. "When will they put him back in here?"
"Normally, he'd be kept in post op for a couple hours, but we have so many in here right now, I think they plan on moving him back in right away." Ed said. "He will still be completely out though. I wouldn't expect him to answer you or anything for at least the rest of the day, Granny had to use the good stuff, it knocks you out hard."
"Okay, thank you." Havoc says as Breda finally sits back and Havoc relaxes his hold. "How's Ross?"
"Also still in surgery, she should be done any time now." Ed said with a frown. They'd had to amputate, Winry had informed him, but it had otherwise gone well. "She'll be across the hall with Harris. I need to see if someone will sit with her. Broch is in surgery as well, the doctor's pretty sure he may have an injury to his stomach."
"I think Mustang was taking care of that, at least he asked that I sit in here with Breda and Falman, but I told him I was already on my way in here. " Havoc said, "Fuery was going to go sit with them, I think. Have you informed Central of what happened yet?"
"Miles is in Granny's study now talking to Central. Hawkeye took Catalina and Staph into town to buy supplies so we can feed everyone." Ed said with a frown. "Okay I have to go give them the blood information and check on the others, I'll be around if you need anything, okay?" As he left the room, Maria Ross was wheeled by still completely unconscious. He followed silently until the doctor from the next town had her settled in her bed, and IVs started. Sheska Harris was in the next bed, Kain Fuery sitting with her in a chair between the beds. The doctor and his nurse rushed out without a word in search of the next patient. Ed addressed them instead. "She should be out for awhile, just keep an eye on her and if she looks like she's having any trouble breathing or gets any paler yell for one of us okay?"
Ed then tracked down the Tringham brothers, who were sitting in the parlor, trying to stay out of the way. He reluctantly asked them to watch William while he went to the supply room to retrieve the bags of blood they would need for Falman and Broch. Edward had never been interested in medicine himself, but he had hung around enough as a young orphan to know where everything was kept, and how to scrub before entering the room to deliver it.
Front Porch
6:00 pm
Mustang, Hawkeye, Miles, and Edward are all standing on the front porch, waiting for Fuery, Catalina, Havoc, and Staph to join them. Normally they wouldn't have a meeting this out in the open, but as crowded as the house is at the moment it is actually quieter and more private than anywhere inside.
All of them are still dressed in their uniforms, now covered in blood and grime, but they have no luggage with them. Miles had mentioned earlier that the next train would include a couple of new uniforms for each of them. Edward was already planning on sending Winry to resupply her and the children on the next train as well, he was thankful that he had had very little in the way of personal items in the compound, and photo albums had been copies. The originals were right here in Granny's basement.
Really, the only thing that he'd had there that he wasn't sure could be replaced were his birth father's journals and the magic books Snape had given him. He was trying not to think about that at the moment, but the thought crept back in again as they were standing there waiting. He wanted to bring it up to his parents, but Miles was also standing there… He would just have to word it carefully. "Dad, Ji Mu, do you remember how many of the books from the private collection were in our apartment?"
"We may be able to find some of them when we go over the site." Riza said with concern.
"You only had of the foreign books with you, but I believe we had all thirteen journals." Roy added with a frown.
"How far did you get and remember?" Ed replied also frowning. "They may have partially survived as well. I think He mentioned something about extra protection on them."
"Are these books important? I can ask that those who Sham asked to try to dig out our things keep a look out for them." Miles said, frowning at everyone's concern and remembering how big of an issue journals could be for alchemists.
"That would be helpful yes, but don't open them, just…anything that appears to be a journal should be collected and brought to us." Edward said. "Some journals are more important than others but all of them are important. Research and such."
The others step outside then, and the subject shifts to work related. Miles begins with informing them that Central has decided in light of today's attack no one was going to be stationed directly in Ishbal. Rather, a few of them would remain in Resembool and ride in on the train to help with construction. Mustang and Miles would stay for certain, but everyone else, it was up to Mustang who stayed.
Mustang in turn, said he would be speaking to everyone individually to decide who was staying and going. They were already essentially a skeleton crew, the majority of the staff from all four offices had remained behind to run the offices while they were stationed out here. There was also the issue of their three critical patients, none of the three of them were stable enough to transfer to East City yet, but once they were Mustang intended to do just that.
The biggest problem aside from that was both Heymans Breda and Denny Broch, who should be transferred, were currently resistant. Sheska Harris was being taken in the morning, As were Fletcher Tringham, Rebecca Catalina, Kain Fuery, and Winry Rockbelle. Though Catalina and Rockbelle were only expected to be gone a few days, while they bought supplies from the city including clothing for them all.
Fuery had asked permission to go with Harris, to stay with her at least until she was released from the hospital, and Fletcher was to run some errands for his brother, though they hadn't said what those errands were, nor did Ed push the subject. He assumed if it was something illegal he wanted to keep his plausible deniability and if it was legal it was not military related. Either way Russell and Fletcher didn't bother to let them know how long the younger would be gone. Ed decided to go ahead and send Russell as well, with a list of supplies to gather for Edward.
Havoc waited until the meeting was over, and Miles, Fuery, Catalina, Staph, and Hawkeye had walked back inside, before he called Mustang and Edward back. Once he was sure the others were out of range he leaned against the railing. Mustang and Ed came to stand or either side of him. "Heymans and Vato wouldn't like me to talk about this but-"
"If you're going to tell me that they are involved, I am aware." Roy said with a sigh. "I became aware of it before we were transferred out of East City."
"Wait, seriously." Ed said with a frown. "How'd you know?"
"I have excellent observation skills. How long have you known?" Roy asked curiously. Ed wasn't known for noticing office gossip, not that there had been any gossip.
"Since I was what thirteen? I think. I walked in on them kissing at some office thing." Ed said with a shrug, "Figured it was like you and Ji Mu, no one's business but theirs."
"How long have you and Hawkeye been together anyway?" Havoc asked with a smirk.
"Not as long as many believe." Roy replied as he frowned at his son.
"They just got together for real on our trip to Xing, but Dad's been in love with Ji Mu since they were kids." Ed said with a shrug " I knew and I was a child. Everyone knew, but them apparently."
"Like you and Winry." Roy said in return and laughed at Ed's blush.
"I still acted sooner than you. I win." Ed said sticking his tongue out.
"Actually, we dated briefly before the war." Roy said and laughed at both Ed and Jean's expressions.
"Anyway." Jean said before the conversation could further confuse him. "I felt you should know because there is no way Breda is going to let us send him away while Falman is so unstable. If you push further it's going to come out and I know Hawkeye won't say anything, but Miles might and then they'll want them on separate teams and none of us want that to happen to them. They were already separated before Promised Day and I know you two both know how that felt."
"They have easily kept private and professional lives separate. I see no reason for that to become an issue now and should anyone attempt to say otherwise I will be forced to speak to Grumman on the matter. Breda is Ed's Falman is mine at any rate, and no one has complained that Hawkeye or Ed is working this closely with me," Roy said as he stepped away from the railing. "Now, I am going to gather William and head to bed for a few hours. Winry is still with the patients, an I think Yuery could use some just Dad time after today."
"I agree. I'm going to go snag Yu and take him to bed, but let me know if anything changes with the patients, okay Havoc?" Ed said, knowing that Havoc would end up staying in Breda's room as his best friend, The doctors weren't concerned but it was still stressful." Try to talk Winry and Granny into sleeping when they come around to the room again please. Oh and since we're on the subject, Maria Ross and Denny Broch are going to be just as difficult to separate. If that came out it would be a bigger issue since they are on the same team, mine. I really do not want my team restructured."
"Really?" Havoc asked, surprised. "I mean I knew Broch liked Ross but it seemed one sided."
"Some people are better at hiding things than others. Take you and Becca. Most assume you just have a crush." Roy said, and Havoc pouted, but they separated there.
Winry's room
Ed, Winry, and the boys were to sleep here whenever they were in town, and Granny had added a larger bed to the room in consideration of this. Ed was thankful for that as he gently laid his injured toddler in the center of the bed, before stripping off his uniform and laying down himself. He was also thankful his dad had taken the younger child for the night. The boys kicked each other a lot at night, and normally it wasn't an issue either of them noticed, but right now with Yuery injured it could be a problem. Ed briefly wondered where the dogs had wandered off to, they were likely huddled with Den. The cat was on the end of the bed, having stayed with Granny when they moved she was hiding from the commotion
Yuery was more clingy than normal, but Ed expected that. Yuery cuddled up to his side as soon as he laid down, so Ed sang his favorite lullaby as he gently ran his fingers through the child's hair until Yuery fell into a light sleep. Ed knew he wasn't going to sleep himself for awhile. There was still so much running through his mind, including- especially- how close he had come to losing his family today.
The worst part was he knew that just quitting wouldn't keep his family safe. They would still be the children of Fullmetal, grandchildren of Flame. All quitting would accomplish would be cutting himself off from the resources he needed to help keep them safe. No he wasn't going to quit, but he also wasn't taking his children back out to the desert.
They could stay right here with Granny. As discussed earlier, he and the other soldiers could ride in every morning and ride out in the evening. Winry joined him a few minutes later, laying gently on Yuery's other side and looked over at them both with a frown. She could tell Ed was planning, but hadn't gotten it together enough yet to talk about it out loud.
Just when she started to drift off he spoke quietly. "Don't take this wrong, or get mad at me, or anything… I don't want you or the boys anywhere near Kappa until we figure out exactly what happened."
"Okay." Winry said, Ed was surprised expecting more of a fight and it showed on his face. "A few months ago, you told me that being his mom meant putting him above me and what I want and I agree. I don't want to stay away, but I will because the scariest moment of my life was this morning Edward. I thought I had been scared before, but nothing NOTHING compared to shielding my injured babies to me as the buildings around us blew up not knowing if someone was going to start shooting or something. Nothing is that scary Ed. I have never been more afraid. I thought I knew fear, I was wrong."
"I know." Ed said, reaching over with his free hand to brush her hair off her face. " I've been there, and nothing is scarier than the fear of something harming your child."
"I can't imagine how scared your Dad was through all of that today." Winry said. "I half expected him to be camped out on my side of the bed cuddling all three of you to him."
"He probably would have if he hadn't been worried about Yuery's leg. We'll work out the details, maybe I can rebuild a house on the foundation of Mom's house."
"That would be nice, then when we move back to Central we still have a place to stay when we come back here to visit Granny." Winry said. "So we don't crowd her out with all the kids."
Journal Six
1710-1715
12/12/11
He has been busy. He doubled
The area this country covered.
Bloody war after bloody war,
But to what end? I need to
Determine what he is planning.
He created a being, an offspring.
I can sense it even from here.
It is truly unfair that he, a monster,
Was able to bring forth life,
When it was denied both of my
Perenelles.
I celebrate our anniversary alone,
It is the only way I can truly honor
The women who shared my life and bed.
_T.B.V.N.F.H
12/12/12
I see what he is planning
I think I do at least. It
Appears he intends to
Recreate Xerxes. I cannot
Allow him to do this. I am
Going to have to stop him
Somehow. I know the best
Solution.
Morally it is a terrible plan.
It lowers me to the level of those
I have avoided so long. Logically
It is the only solution. I am going
To need help if I want to stop him.
He has been creating help of his own.
But to intentionally become a parent,
To create a child for the purpose of
Defeating an enemy? It sours my
Stomach.
I will need a new Perenelle. I
Loathe the idea. I loved my first
Perenelle, but could never find
More than affection for my second.
It is our anniversary. I should not think
Of such things today. It is cruel to them both.
_T.B.V.N.F.H
12/12/13
I am returning to Europe. I must
Find a way to merge magic and
Alchemy, and Europe is the best
Option to find what I need to manage
To create a child capable of both.
It is time I find a new Perenelle at
Any rate. I need to not allow so
Much time to pass between them.
Too much time alone is not good
For me, the voices grow bolder alone.
My latest student is nearly done with his training.
I will be leaving for Europe as soon as he is done.
I asked Anton if he would be willing to remain here
And tend the house while I'm away and did
Mention I do not know how long that I will be gone.
_T.B.V.N.F.H