The Art of Love:

Simone’s Notes:

When individuals use the framework of dating for purposes other than assessing their date's suitability for them, misunderstandings can arise. One or both partners may initiate or accept dating invitations due to peer pressure, attention, a desire to escape from a social environment which they find stifling, a desire for acceptance, or a desire to humiliate; these motives can be strong enough to cause the person to deceive themselves and others when challenged, claiming and believing that they are mainly acting in good faith. This can lead to being "stood up". Many kids have short relationships because they are not mature enough to handle the responsibility.

The morning after the first bloodlust and the same day that Alphonse met Molly was a crammed-hectic one. The day started off with a murder investigation. The dogs were investigating the murder of Edward’s pleasure victim. Hughes, Price, and Floyd were looking over the girl’s young already.

“Club owner found her this morning while he was taking out the trash,” David summed up. “No id on our Jane Doe. Nobody remembered seeing her last night.” Hughes looked at the girl’s purse. Her wallet was spilled out on the ground inches from it.

“All of her money is still in it,” he said. “So we can rule out robbery!” Brandon looked up from examining the girl. His face looked very grim.

“She was raped!” he said in trembling voice. “Her five, six, and seven o’clock areas are badly damaged. She looks about seventeen years old too.” The other two men were shocked.

“Well,” Maes managed to speak at last. “How long has she been like this?”

“Liver temp says she died around nine or ten at night.” Brandon said at last. “But that’s not the strangest thing.” The other two men looked at him confused.

“What do you mean?” Price asked trying to stay calm. Floyd took in a deep breath in order to talk again.

“There isn’t a single marking on her body,” he announced at last. “No knife wounds, no bullet holes, not even a mark strangulation.”

“Drug overdose, maybe?” Hughes asked. Floyd just shrugged.

“Could be,” he replied. “Could be.” Both men looked down at the dead young angel. All three were sick to their stomachs thinking about it. What kind of monster were they dealing with here? Did they act alone? Why would they do should a young and innocent girl?

Meanwhile above, Edward was looking down at work gloating. Usually, he would feel guilt and remorse for what his crimes. But not this time, buddy! All that he was feeling now was satisfaction! “That was a great night!” he thought to himself with a perverse mind. The alchemist began to relive last night in his mind. Her fear, the feeling of her wet walls around his harden member, the sweet taste of her blood in his mouth, hearing her heart beating for the last time in his ears, the last moment of her life in his arms. Edward couldn’t help but to smile as they zipped up the body bag they had placed his girl in. It just made him hungrier for more.

“Come here to gloat, eh?” a voice asked him from behind. Edward whipped around behind him. Azrael was standing on the bar roof with him. His fellow incubus smirked at him.

“But of course,” Edward replied. “But… I could stand for some more!” Azrael smiled at him wickedly.

“That we can work out!” he said. “Come with me!” Then, the incubus disappeared through the portal riff that he created. Edward followed behind excited. But, not before taking one last look at the men as they were carrying away the girl’s dead body. It was a good night indeed!

At the apartments, Ella’s back-up help came in the morning. A man and a young girl stood at their apartment door. Both looked like normal people at first glance. The man looked to be in his twenties. He had short brown hair to his ears. His eyes were a heavy maple black. This man was dressed to kill with black leather boots, long black pants, white t-shirt, black gloves, long black cape, rice hat, and a samurai sword at his side. The girl on the other hand, looked a little too girly for fighting. Her hair was a light cinnamon blonde with the ends curled to her petite little shoulders. She obliviously had make-up her face. She looked about seventeen years old. Her skirt was long and lacy black. Her blouse was short-sleeved and white. Her heels were velvet and black. The man knocked on the door. The girl looked at him.

“Is this the right place, Leon?” she asked. The male deity turned to her smiling.

“Of course it is, Gemma.” he replied confidently. “Ella wouldn’t deceive us in a time of crisis.” The girl thought about that and nodded in agreement.

“True…” she said. Leon just smiled at her kindly. Then he turned to the door and knocked on it.

“Ella!” he called out. “We are here!”

“Coming!” a woman’s voice called from inside. Her friends waited outside patiently. The door opened wide. The duo looked up. Ella stood before them smiling.

“Great to see you guys!” she said aloud. “Come on in!” The duo did so gladly. Ella closed the door behind them. Syd was watching from the kitchen. He was glaring at the extra help coldly. “Why did she *have* to call them?” he thought annoyed. “I hate when she takes control!” The deity shook his head annoyed. Then he headed into the living room to talk to her old friends.

Nately was making tea for himself when there came a knock on his door. He looked up confused. “Huh?” he thought. “Who could that be at this hour?” Then he set down the teapot on the counter and headed straight to the door. Kathleen was standing on the other side. She looked a little worried. Reed was in complete shock. He wasn’t expecting this at all.

“Kathleen,” he said in surprise. “What are you doing here?” The heiress didn’t answer at all. She just rushed forward and kissed him deeply on the lips. Surprised but happy, the lt. col. kissed back happily.

“Kathleen…” he began again. The heiress just kissed him again. He kissed back again.

“Kathleen…” the guy started up again. She just kissed him once again. After four more kisses, Nately just gave up talking all together. When she was done, Kathleen leaned her head on his chest. Nately looked down at her confused. He lightly ran his fingers through her blonde hair.

“Okay,” the lt. col. said at last. “What’s this all about? What is the problem?” Kathleen just laid her head still against his strong chest. Her eyes welled up with tears.

“Just say you love me!” she exclaimed out loud. Nately was really bewildered now. He had dreamed over this moment for a whole year now. But something didn’t exactly feel right at the moment. The lt. col. found himself in a slight trap. He didn’t know what to say at all. But then the impossible came out.

“Yes!” Nately said out loud. “I love you Kathleen. I always have and I always will!” The heiress looked up at him with big eyes. Her mind seemed clouded with love and desperation.

“Do you really mean it?” she whimpered out. Nately nodded slowly. Kathleen just cuddled up to his chest again. The lt. col. was still slightly confused, but happy now. So what if there was now going to be trouble to follow them? But who cared? They would have to work with that later after she gained a cool head again.

Jakob and Riza made it back to Central in the morning. They held each other’s hand the whole train ride. The excitement was intense. They had gone over what they would say to their over and over again in their heads from the time that they left the B&B up to this point. Now they were ready. Riza turned to her husband smiling.

“You ready to do this?” she asked him trying to keep her excitement down. Jakob turned to her smiling as well. His ocean blue eyes twinkled with joy.

“Just as ready as you are!” he told her. They shared a little kiss just as the train pulled right into the station. The newlyweds walked hand in hand together on their way home. Alice followed behind in silence. She knew that telling their friends would be easy. But, Esther and Mustang were a *huge* problem. Esther she couldn’t work with, but Roy was worth a shot to try. And her plan wasn’t breaking protocol at all. So there would be no harm done at all. Alice held up two fingers and began chanting to herself lightly. The love deity slowly faded upwards. She would do something that she hadn’t done since Ai-Oni left the academy. Alice would talk to Mustang in his dreams!