Nine

The next morning, Edward and Alphonse got up early and went straight to Lucy's room in the underground lab. They silently and slowly opened the door to find the room dark, except for the immense light pouring in from the doorway with Edward and Alphonse's shadows in the middle. Lucy was curled up on her side in bed, shivering under her sheet, using her rabbit as a pillow. Edward noticed he could see his breath in the chill air.

     "Why the hell is is so cold down here?" Edward whispered under his breath. They both stared at Lucy, unsure how to approach her. Would she get angry if they woke her? Would she have a tantrum for getting woken up?

     "I'm starting to think we shouldn't get her up this early," Alphonse whispered. But apparently too loud. Lucy's eyes slowly fluttered open, and she sat up, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

     "You fully awake?" Edward asked with a laugh--relief in his voice--as he flicked on the light switch. The bright fluorescent lights illuminated the dark room, and Lucy squeezed her eyes shut saying "Bright! Too bright!"

     "Morning, Lucy," Alphonse said as he and Edward walked over to her. She looked up at him and yawned.

     "It's cold in here," she said. She truly looked miserable.

     "We realized that," Edward said. "When we're out in the city today, we'll be sure to buy you a decent blanket and pillow. Maybe even a rug."

     "You two are going in the city?" she asked.

     "Well, see, that's why we came to get you so early," Alphonse said. "We're going to ask the colonel if you could come with us." She gave them a blank stare, trying to process what they had said; she had never heard those kinds of words directed at her before.

     "You'll take me to see th-the city?" she asked quietly, her eyes getting a little brighter.

     Edward grinned and said, "Heh, yeah. But we need to ask the colonel first. Come with us. Then he might not say no." Edward held out his hand--his human hand--and gestured for her to take it. She tucked her rabbit under her arm and hesitantly reached out and took Edward's hand.

     Edward was kind of surprised at how cold her touch was, and he realized he had never really touched her skin before that morning. She had a smile on her face, and she stood up on her bed and jumped off, her bare feet making a SLAP noise as they hit the cement.

     "Let's go!" she said happily. Edward couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. And even though it couldn't show on Alphonse, he was smiling as well.

 

"You boys want to take her around the city," the colonel repeated after Edward had said it. The two boys were standing in front of Colonel Mustang's desk, while Lucy was standing by Lieutenant Riza, gripping her hand as if she was afraid that it might not work.

     Colonel Mustang looked from Edward's determined face, to Alphonse, to Lucy, who was hugging her rabbit tightly with one arm. He finally sighed and said, "Give me one good reason I should allow this."

     "She's never been outside the command center," Alphonse said. "so expanding her horizons might bee good for her."

     "Plus," Edward continued. "it's freezing down in that concrete room of her's. We at least need to buy her a decent blanket and pillow."

     "I don't like cold," Lucy said, sounding just like a small child. There was a look on Riza's face that reminded Edward of pity.

     "Colonel, I think you should allow this," the lieutenant said. He looked at her, and she followed with, "I agree with Alphonse. She needs to see more of the world out there."

     The colonel was silent. He looked from the lieutenant to Lucy once again, and she whispered, "Please, papa. I want to."

     Colonel Mustang sighed heavily in defeat. "Fine. She can go. But you two boys have to escort her around, understand?"

     "Yes sir," Edward and Alphonse said in unison. Lucy stayed silent, but everyone in the room knew she was happier and more excited than she had ever been in her entire existence.

 

Edward and Alphonse waited outside Lucy's room until she was ready. She couldn't go out in her nightgown, so Lieutenant Hawkeye found some of her old clothes for Lucy to try on.

     "I bet she's really happy," Alphonse said. "I can't wait to see her face once she's outside."

     "She'll probably be terrified at first," Edward said. "I mean, there's a lot of people out there, and there's cars and other things to worry about."

     "I guess we'll just wait and see what happens," Alphonse said, crossing his arms. He paused for a minute, and then said, "Brother, how do you think she's doing inside?"

     "What do you mean?" Edward asked.

     "I mean, all of these years of being tested on, having operations, and then being completely oblivious to things around you, how do you think her mental state is holding up?"

     "She seems fine, to me," Edward said. "but, that first night, I don't think it was doing so well. Have you noticed? She doesn't wander the hallways anymore. She stays in her room. I think she was just lonely."

     "It makes sense," Alphonse agreed. "she was probably looking for a friend. Maybe that's why she always roamed the hallways."

     "Could be," was Edward's reply. There was a knock on Lucy's door--from the inside--and then came the lieutenant's voice: "You can come in now."

     "Ready, Al?"

     "Ready, Brother."

     Edward turned the knob and entered the room with Alphonse in tow. They almost didn't recognize Lucy at first. Her white nightgown was draped across her bed. Lucy was wearing a white collared shirt and dark brown trousers, her hair tied back. She seemed self conscious. Her rabbit was still in her arms, as usual.

     "Does--Do I look okay?" she asked shyly, a tint of red on her cheeks. Lieutenant Hawkeye nudged Edward, and he said, "Uh--yeah, you look fine."

     "I think you look pretty, Lucy," Alphonse said, sounding more natural than Edward did. Lucy blushed even more and kept her head down.

 

Before exiting the building, the lieutenant put a brown coat around Lucy's shoulders.

     "Just in case it's cold," she said. "If you're planning to stay out long, at least make it back before dark," she added to Edward and Alphonse. "Lucy, have fun."

     "Okay, mama," she said, still hugging her rabbit. The trio made it through the double doors of Central Command and out onto the front lawn into the shining sun.

Author's Note

:3

Reviews

[C.S. Posthumus]

I guess I got my wishes for Lucy going out into the city...
I agree, Lucy was cute in this chapter... Edward seems almost intimidated by her, huh? I was glad when the colonel agreed to let Lucy out into the city; this will open up new possibilities for the story... I wonder what her reaction will be to the whole idea of the outside world? Interesting... I’ll keep reading.

[Anonymous]

Awwwwww.... Lucy seemed so cute in this chapter! I really REALLY picture an anime being made from this from this chapter. Well, at least in my head. I think I want to draw Lucy... would that be okay, Miss Author? ;3