Stand by You

V

"Evelyn? Evelyn!" Someone shook me awake as they called my name to wake me up.

I woke up, dazed. I was resting my cheek on my hand as I stretched, wiping the drool that formed in the corner of my mouth. "What did I miss?" I yawned, smacking my lips.

"You fell asleep?!" Edward cried.

"Hey, I went on a early train and didn't come back until late at night!" I whined. "Cut me some slack from falling asleep!"

"Evelyn, couldn't you slept on the train?" Alphonse asked.

"Right...why didn't I think of that?" I laughed dryly. Trains frighten me and make me anxious, especially after what happened with Grace. When I went home on the late train last night with the Colonel Mustang, I kept asking him if the train was okay every time there was a turn, which, he annoyingly replied with yes each time. It's worse when I'm alone. I cling to my seat for dear life and clench my teeth, holding my breath wth every turn. Because of my anxiety, sleeping on the train, no matter how tired I am, is impossible unless someone drugs me.

Edward, Alphonse, the Colonel Mustang, and I were in a car. Colonel cleared his throat. "As I was saying, Shou Tucker was an alchemist who could make Chimeras," He explained. "He also claimed that he made a talking Chimera."

"Is the talking Chimera still there?" Edward asked.

The Colonel shook his head, "No. The first and last one he made, which he presented at his exam, said 'I want to die'. It refused to eat, and its wish came true."

"Why are we going to this man's house?" Edward asked. "I thought we had tickets to Liore until we got sidetracked with Freezer."

"While you were on that mission, I sent Clockwork to that desert city and investigate it herself," the Colonel stated, nodding at me. "Clockwork, why don't you explain what you found?"

"The man there who supposedly had the Philosopher Stone had plans behind it," I shrugged. "But it turned out to be a fake. Going there would of been a waste of time for you two."

"Aw," Alphonse an Edward dropped their heads in despair, another lead leading them to a dead end.

We arrived at the Tucker's house. Once we stepped out of the car, I gawked at the "house". Rather, it was more like a mansion. "This house is huge!" Edward gasped.

The Colonel rang the doorbell, "Fullmetal, are you just going to stand there? Come on."

"Right!" Edward said, taking a step forward. A big shadow loomed over him and he looked up. A huge golden retriever jumped onto Edward. He screamed in shock.

"Brother, are you okay?" Alphonse asked.

"I'm fine," Edward choked from underneath the massive dog.

The door opened. A little girl with light brown braids was at the door. "Lots of visitors!" She laughed.

Shou Tucker appeared behind her, "Nina, this is why I tell to keep Alexander tied up," He scolded.

*~*~*~*~*~

When we managed to get Alexander off of Edward, we entered the house. In the kitchen, I could see the growing mountain of dirty dishes, which reeked even where I was standing, the bookshelves in the living room were jam packed with books in a not so organized fashion with books even piling up beside the shelf, and a thick layer of dust covered everything. "Ah, sorry about the mess," Tucker apologized sheepishly. "Ever since my wife ran on me, the house has been like this."