Chapter 16

As soon as I stepped off of the train, Edward hooked an arm around my waist and pulled me close to him.

     "Evening," he said, kissing my cheek.

     "Cut it out," I said, a laugh in my voice. He did, and we began the walk back to my house. I was close to exaughsted by the time we got back.

     "This isn't going to work," Edward said as I took a seat on the porch stairs, trying to catch my breath. "you can't walk that far like that."

     "Not my fault," I said, standing up with a firm grip on the railing. "I'm completely fine."

     "We need better transportation," he said with finality. "Tomorrow, I'm going to Central to buy us a car."

     "With what money?" I asked.

     "I still have that whole crap-load of money I withdrew from my research account when I quit the military," Edward said. "I can use it to buy a car."

     "I don't have much money saved up," I said, thinking about how I've spent it over the past two years. First, I bought the house, which costed the majority of the money I had saved, and then the furniture, plumbing, electricity, and then just buying food once a week. I didn't have much left for when the baby arrived. I kind of started to have a mini panic-attack and thought I was going to hyperventilate once again, something I hadn't done since before I found out I was pregnant.

     "It's okay," I heard Edward say. I looked up at him, and he was looking down at me.

     "It's okay," he said again. "you're not going to be bankrupt by the time the baby comes. I won't let that happen. I promise."

     When he said that, I had no choice but to believe him. Then, I wanted desperately to believe that everything would be fine by the time the baby came.

     "Speaking of the baby," Edward said, sitting next to me and changing the subject. "he's a boy. Are you set on the name?"

     "Yeah," I said, a small smile forming on my face. "Asher."

     "Asher....what?" he asked. "What's his middle name going to be?"

     "I...hadn't thought about that," I said. "Does he need a middle name?"

     "I dunno," Edward admitted. "Why don't we each think of something, and then share our ideas over dinner?"

     "Okay," I said. Edward stood up and took my hand, helping me up as well.

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"Aden," I said as I finished my dinner.

     "What?"

     "Asher's middle name," I said. "Aden."

     "Asher Aden Elric," Edward said, sounding it out. He set down his fork and thought about it for a minute, and then said, "Sounds kind of like a tongue twister, but I like it."

     "You do?"

     "Yep," he said, picking up his plate and mine to be washed. "It goes together nicely."

     "Asher Aden Elric," I said to myself, folding my hands over my stomach. "Our son."

     "Our son," Edward said by the sink, agreeing with me.

     "I wonder what he's going to look like," I whispered to myself. Edward didn't say anything to that, he just glanced a bit over his shoulder and sighed. My heart felt like it turned cold, the realization hitting me again that Asher would look nothing like Edward. And it would be a constant reminder to Edward for the terrible thing I did to him.

     It felt like my throat was closing. My eyes were tearing up, like they always did when I thought about it.

     "It's okay," I heard Edward say. I looked at him, his back to me, as he continued cleaning the dishes. He had been saying that a lot lately.

     "What's okay?" I asked, comanding my voice not to quaver.

     "It's okay that Asher won't look like me," he said.

     "You are a mind reader," I whispered, staring at the floor. I heard him set down the dish he had been cleaning in the sink, and heard his footsteps trail over to me. He got on one knee in front of me and took my hands. I stared at my lap.

     "Lucy, look at me," he said softly. I hesitantly lifted my head and looked at him, my eyes locking with his.

     "You're so predictable," he said, trying to smile. "I know what you're thinking, and you can stop thinking it. I know Asher won't look like me. And, yeah, whenever I see him, I'll probably think about that night."

     I felt the hot tears spill over onto my cheeks.

     "But," he continued. "I'll also remember that I love you, and that I love Asher, too. I'm going to be his father, after all. I'm not backing out, I promise you that."

     I didn't say anything. He really was too nice for his own good.

     "Lucy," he started again. "there's...there's something I want to ask you." I looked at him curiously, wondering what he was going to ask. Did he want to get my permission to get work or something?

     "I..." he began, clearing his throat and squeezing my hands. "It'll seem wierd if the baby comes and we're living together, but not a, y'know, official family," he said. "So, even though I don't have a ring, will you--will you marry me?"

     I couldn't piece together what he had asked. My brain didn't register it right away. I barely even noticed the front door slamming open.

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Alphonse

~

1 Hour Earlier

 

He set down his pencil and tried to relax his hand. Colonel Mustang had given him paperwork, of all things.

     Alphonse leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. His mind kept wandering to Lucy and the pickle she had gotten herself into. He hadn't been over to their small home in Resembool for quite a while. What was she now, four months? Yes, Lucy was four months into her pregnancy. She had called him earlier that day and told him that the baby was going to be a boy. She even told him his name: Asher. She said they were still deciding on a middle name.

     Edward was lucky that she didn't completely hate him. Lucy was lucky that Edward was too forgiving for his own good. They were both lucky for being helplessly in love with each other.

     "Going on a break, Alphonse?"

     Alphonse quickly glanced at the door and saw Lieutenant Hawkeye leaning in the doorway.

     He smiled and said, "Yeah, I am, actually. My hand hurts."

     "Have you talked to Lucy, lately?" she asked as she walked completely into the room, pulling up a chair in front of Alphonse's desk.

     "Yeah," he said. "she called earlier today." He tried to bite off his words, but they came out to fast. He remembered that Lieutenant Hawkeye and Colonel Mustang knew nothing about Lucy being pregnant.

     "How is she doing?" she asked. "I haven't talked to her since that day four months back, when she hyperventilated that first time."

     "She's fine," Alphonse said, trying to keep his expression even. "So is Brother."

     "That's very good to hear," she said, nodding her head and crossing her arms. "I think I'll give her a call sometime later just to check up on her."

     "O-Okay," Alphonse said. The door opened, and Colonel Mustang poked his head in.

     "Lieutenant," he said. "I need to have a word with you."

     "Yes sir," she said, standing up and pushing her chair back to it's original position. She left the room, and Colonel Mustang closed the door, but left it open a crack, which Alphonse didn't notice.

     It was open enough for Mustang to hear Alphonse say, "I wonder when she'll tell them about her pregnancy."

     The door flung open once again, Mustang shouting, "What did you just say?!"

     Alphonse jumped, the realization slowly seeping in that Colonel Mustang had heard what he said.

     "Lucy is...pregnant?" Lieutenant Hawkeye asked, thinking it over.

     "F-Four months," Alphonse stammered without meaning too. Colonel Mustang grunted angrilly and said, "Lieutenant, we're going to Resembool. Now."

Author's Note

It took me FOUR TRIES to write this chapter. I kept forgetting to save it. FML.

Reviews

[dachildofevil]

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RUN FOR YOUR LIFE EDWARD! HES GONNA BLAME YOU!!!

[Anonymous]

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