The sun was setting on the Promised Day and the Elric brothers had just been admitted to the hospital by major Armstrong himself.

Ed and Al were given a joint private room so that they could be treated and recuperate together. Everything seemed to be happening so fast, it all seemed like a blur and Ed was having trouble accepting any of it as real. The one thing that kept him going was the recurring thought of Al is back, Al is back, Al is really, really back and that was enough to keep him trudging forward, past all the rubble and babbling spectators as he followed the paramedics that first carried Alphonse on a stretcher, then pushed in a wheelchair when he insisted he was not injured, and finally relocated him into a clean bed.

They had attempted to get Ed to follow them to the emergency clinic to inspect and treat his wounds but it was quickly made apparent that nothing short of death would get him to leave his brother's side and so he sat cross legged on his bed while a nervous looking nurse dabbed his cuts with antiseptic and prodded his ribs to see how many were broken.

Finally, after a lot of hemming and hawing that Ed didn't find necessary they were left alone, at least for a moment.

Ed grumbled something about the medicine really stinging when he finally looked back at his brother and saw him smiling. Ed cut himself off and couldn't help but grin back- Al was back, and actually smiling. He looked emaciated, with sunken eyes and was in desperate need of a haircut and yet still, the boy smiled.

"We really did it," Ed said solemnly.

"Yeah. We did," Alphonse replied. His gaze dropped but his small smile never faltered. Ed could see his thin arms shake a bit as Al began to rub his hands across the soft, seafoam green blankets. "So soft…," he muttered quietly to himself.

Ed's smile fell as he saw Al's eyes fill to the brim then spill over in fat heavy tears.

"H-hey, what's wrong… are you hurt…," he was at his little brother's side in an instant. Alphonse reached up to wipe away his tears but they just kept coming. He pulled a hand away and looked at the moisture there, as if marveled by the sight alone.

"No, I'm not hurt…," he didn't sob, and despite the tears his voice sounded anything but sad. It was strained and low from disuse but if anything it sounded happy beyond belief. When he looked up he was still smiling, despite the tears that streaked his pale face. "It's just… everything! It's so warm, and soft, and fuzzy and-" his voice broke and he lifted his arms to flex his hands in front of his face, "I'm back!" Finally, the sobs started and he leaned forward to press his face into his hands. "I'm really back!"

Ed smiled and pulled his little brother against his chest in an awkward side hug, letting him sob into his soiled shirt. Even though he was crying, the sound of Alphonse's sobs was like music to Ed's ears- he knew his brother had probably been crying without truly being able to for a long time. It was time he finally let it all out.

Seeing Alphonse cry did not bother him, but the first time Al fell asleep scared the shit out of him. It had happened so suddenly, one second Ed was wondering aloud what kind of gross food they probably had here, the next he was turning to face what for all intents and purposes was a dead Alphonse.

He had just been speaking a moment before, saying he was pretty sure they couldn't put in a special request for apple pie in the kitchens, when there was suddenly silence and when Ed turned he was all but sure Alphonse had died. Laying on his back against his pillows, arms lightly crossed atop his chest, cheeks hollow, eyes sunken, body like a skeleton- he was dead. The fates were cruel and had gifted him the return of his brother only to snatch him away as some sick, twisted divine punishment.

"Al," Ed's voice started off low and watery but quickly grew into a hoarse yell as he leapt to his brother's side, "Alphonse! Are you okay! Al!"

He shook the young man almost violently, jarring him awake. Alphonse's gold eyes were dim and muddled with confusion, heavy with fatigue.

"Wha-... What-? Brother, why are you yelling?"

Al lifted a hand to rub at his eyes instinctively, and when his vision cleared and his thoughts reformed into something coherent he was stunned to see that Ed was the one crying now.

"You dummy!" Edward yelled, making Al flinch. "Don't do that, you ass!"

"Wha- what did I do!"

"I thought you were dead," Ed barked back, swiping at his eyes. He was trying to reign in his temper but his heart was still beating at a million miles a minute.

All the ruckus caused a couple of nurses to scurry in and ask what was going on.

"Nothing, it's fine. Al… Alphonse fell asleep. I panicked. Sorry," Ed finally managed. Al looked guilty.

"Did I? I'm sorry…," Al muttered, sounding somewhat confused and somewhat in awe. He hadn't actually slept in several years- the feeling felt altogether foreign to him.

The nurses, who had been quickly briefed on the situation, said that given Mr. Alphonse's condition, sleep was probably the best thing for him, and that if Mr. Edward could refrain from shaking him, that would be preferred. They left with promises that they would have dinner ready for the brothers soon.

And so Ed settled back into his bed and for a while he just listened to the sound of Alphonse's breathing. He lifted his right arm and stared at it as if it were an alien being. It was strange- being able to feel with his right arm again. He could only imagine what Al was going through, experiencing that with his whole body. This new-but-old arm was slimmer than his left and was in severe need of a pair of nail trimmers, but it was definitely his.

Now that his adrenaline had worn off, his right arm was beginning to ache tremendously. He tried not to move it too much. He knew in part this was due to over exerting muscles that had atrophied, but another part was due to the metal junction and bits still embedded in his shoulder. That would require surgery to fully remove. He didn't look forward to that but even so he knew he had drawn the long straw when it came to recovery.

Since Al was snoozing and no one was around to see, Ed clapped his hands together in a futile attempt to see if his alchemy was really gone. He pressed his hands to the steel bed railing, waiting for the familiar crackle of energy and was not surprised when he felt nothing but the cold steel bite into his hand.

He sighed but then smiled as he looked up at Al's peaceful sleeping face. He felt no true regret.

It was worth it.

"I'm sorry your first real meal is this crummy, lukewarm hospital soup," Ed said after the nurse dropped off their dinner trays. Al smiled despite his brother's apologies.

They were each in their own beds, Alphonse still a little groggy from his sleep, but he managed to look excited at what Ed deemed to be "crummy."

Despite Alphonse's long list of various foods he was excited to get to eat, the hospital staff insisted that his first meal be something simple and easy to digest. So in front of him was some creamy tomato soup, half a loaf of bread, and a glass of milk.

Despite them offering Edward something more substantial to eat, he had insisted on eating the same thing as Al (mostly so as not to tease the boy with something he couldn't have, even though Al insisted it was fine).

A nurse had offered to help Al eat but he had refused with a light blush on his cheeks. Ed teased him a bit about it but was actually glad to see some color on his brother's ragged face.

So even though it was slow going, Alphonse devoured the plain soup all by himself, and claimed it was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted.

Ed laughed at that as Al broke off small pieces of bread to dip into his soup, savoring each morsel as if it were the finest chocolate that he wanted to make last for as long as he could.

Alphonse downed his glass of milk in one swig and Ed balked.

"Slow down, or you're gonna vomit!"

"I'm fine," Al said as he gasped and wiped away a milk mustache. "I've gone five years without eating, I'm not about to waste any food now by getting sick."

"In that case," Edward chuckled, reaching out to hand over his bottle of milk, "here, take mine."

Alphonse shot him a glare. "You'll never get any taller like that brother."

Once again, the nurses had to run in and check on the source for all the yelling.

It was late evening when they were finally truly left alone. After his nap and dinner, Alphonse seemed to be full of energy, glancing around at everything and finally really observing his body. Ed watched as his younger brother tested out the mobility of his arms and legs and attempted to stretch a bit.

He knew Al was always the optimistic type but it made his stomach twist when he saw his brother's joyous smile slowly settle into a disgruntled frown. They had both seen Alphonse's wasted form in the isolated world of the Truth, it was a form that had haunted Ed's dreams for months, but he knew that actually being in that body was totally different than just catching a glimpse of it.

Al's hands opened and closed. His nails were still long and ragged. His hair spilled down his back where it ended in straggly ends at his waist. The pajamas the hospital had supplied hung off his thin frame and practically drowned him. Ed could see the long painful journey the boy had in front of him and felt another stab of guilt and the old fear resurfaced once again.

It's my fault he's like this, Ed thought to himself. Will he resent me for this?

Alphonse finally looked up and fixed his brother with a stern gaze. Alphonse opened his mouth to speak, hands clenching atop his thighs.

"Brother…I-," He began, low and serious. Edward braced himself for the worst. This was it, he was going to react with disgust, with anger, Alphonse was surely going to hate him this time.

"I need your help." Alphonse's voice faltered and became tinged with the whine of embarrassment. "I… I think I have to pee."

Edward almost fell off the bed.

The first couple of days after the Promised Day and the fall of Father were surprisingly peaceful for the Elric brothers. At first they assumed it was because everyone wanted to leave them alone and let them recover but they soon realized it was because everything in the outside world was in chaos and at the moment they weren't exactly the center of attention. Not to mention, they weren't the only ones recovering. They somehow managed to hear through the grapevine that Mustang and Lt. Hawkeye had also been admitted to the same hospital, along with many others who had suffered grave injuries. The boys were glad to hear that Izumi and her husband would be staying a couple days as well, and frowned when they heard their father had disappeared but did not question it.

Of those who were able to leave mostly unscathed, many were attempting to set things to rights and establish a new pecking order after the fall of the Fuhrer and the destruction of the city. Major Armstrong, despite his own injuries, stopped by with Maria Ross (whose position had been reinstated in full immediately) and filled them in on all that they had been able to glean after the first 24 hours.

"My sister and her men have retreated and are returning to Briggs as we speak," the Major went on, rattling off a list of accounts. "There's been a city wide call to local alchemists to try and help repair the destruction of the city as quickly as possible. As I'm sure you've heard by now over the radio, civilians have been instructed to give the Central Military area a wide berth; it's been debated how much to truly reveal to the public but so far it has been announced that there was a coup that involved improper alchemical practices and that more will be announced in the future and for everyone to keep to themselves for the time being."

"Speaking of which," Maria Ross was quick to pick up, "that last part goes double for you two. We have direct orders from Col. Mustang that you two are to stay put and not worry yourselves with anything other than recovering for the time being."

Ed and Al both gave reluctant, guilty grins- they couldn't deny they had a reputation for poking their noses into stuff and getting into trouble.

"That's fine, I doubt I could move too much anyway," Alphonse said sheepishly. "I'm supposed to start physical therapy soon, though."

Ross smiled. "That's good to hear. I'm glad to see you're doing well after everything that happened."

Alphonse gave a small smile in reply and Ed said, "Thanks for keeping us up to date. Has there been any development with Pride? Er-...Salem?"

"Mrs. Bradley has gratefully taken the child back into her care, though he has been assigned an around the clock surveillance. Right now, the only thing of note is that the child seems to be growing at an alarming rate but has as of yet done nothing to cause any suspicion. For all intents and purposes Selem Bradley is a normal human child."

Ed nodded solemnly. He had expected as much. He wasn't sure how the whole homunculi thing worked but he knew he had destroyed the being that was "Pride"- hopefully all that was left was the poor soul that the homunculus had acted parasite to. He couldn't bring himself to destroy the child completely- murder just wasn't something he was capable of- but he was glad to see his decision to spare the homunculi vessel had been the right choice.

Ed and Al shot a few questions after that mostly about different military personnel and what was going on outside.

"Oh," Ed said as an afterthought and had a sheepish grin, "is there a phone I can use here? There's a certain automail mechanic that's probably going nuts wondering what's happened to us."

Armstrong's eyes sparkled as he smiled. "Way ahead of you, Edward. Miss Rockbell has already been contacted and informed of the situation at hand and that you are both taking time to heal here at the hospital. I am under the impression that she would willingly be on a train to Central as we speak if it were not for the current travel hiatus into or out of the city."

"Damn! I was hoping to break the good news to her," Edward said with a mock sigh as Alphonse grinned sheepishly. "No idea how she'll react to this, though…" he said as he lifted his now normal right arm.

"I'm sure she'll forgive you, brother," Alphonse said with a light chuckle.

"Well, I'm sure she would love a phone call from both of you," Maria said with a smile, "so feel free to use the phone down the hallway and feel free to put any charges on the Major's personal tab."

Neither the Elric brothers could tell if she was joking and judging by the sweatshops forming on the Major's shiny head, neither could he.

"Call her as soon as you can," Maria was saying as she and Armstrong were seeing themselves out, her hand on the doorknob. "It's not nice to keep ladies waiting when they're waiting to hear from you."

"Oh! Wait," Alphonse sat up suddenly as if he had just remembered something. "Ling, and his group. Have you heard anything from them? Did they really leave already?"

"The Xingese prince?" Maria asked, she tapped her lip. "I believe there have been a few reports that say he has already left the country, but we don't know how much is truth versus rumor. Was there something you needed to say to him as well?"

"Ah, no, just… a girl he was with was hurt during the fight with Father and…", Alphonse rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I didn't really get to say bye before they left."

Ross smiled again. "I see. Well, I managed to make a few connections in Xing. I'll see to it that we get a hold of your friends somehow."

Ed watched Al's face fall into a pensive frown after they left.

"You're worried about her, huh?"

"I just feel like I asked way too much of someone, you know," Alphonse admitted sheepishly. "Thankfully it all worked out, but… if it didn't…"

"Yeah, I know what ya mean…" Ed recalled the heartbroken girl in the moments between Alphonse sacrificing himself and Edward retrieving him, the way she had cried at his side. He decided he wouldn't mention it to Al.

"Everything happened so fast after I came back, and they left so quickly. I don't even know why Mei was there! She was gone and then she was there and then she was gone again!" Al was starting to sound exasperated and frustrated.

"Gone? Wasn't she with your group before you were grabbed by Pride?"

Al shook his head. "We all split ways in the North. She was supposed to take Envy back to her country to present to the Emperor."

Ed gave him a dumbfounded look and Alphonse realized he had a lot of explaining to. He went over how he had passed out in the snow, been disassembled, deciphering the meaning with Mei and then how she attempted to teach him Alkahestry. After that, Scar had insisted they part ways.

"Hmm. And that's it? She left like that?"

"Erm, well, no, she said goodbye…"

Ed was at a loss at why his little brother was suddenly looking so flustered and wouldn't make eye contact. He finally managed to wheedle it out of Alphonse how the girl had pulled him into a big hug before giving him a heartfelt goodbye.

"And it seemed like she had more to say but I kind of cut her off and- wha- why are you looking at me like that!"

Edward had sidled his way closer through the tale with the look that could only be dubbed the "you-like-Mei-Chang-don't-you-Alphonse" look (which, little did Alphonse know he was going to be subjected to that look countless times over the next few years, or he might have permanently transmuted it off his brother's face right then) and was prodding him with his elbow in his boney ribs.

"So what you're saying, my dear younger brother, is that you think she came back to see you, huh, huh, huh," Ed began to dog him as he poked him in the ribs with each "huh." Al grumbled in anger and attempted to push his brother off him (though his attempts were pretty futile given his state).

"I don't know! Maybe," Alphonse said, redder than before. He finally managed to nail Edward in the face with a pillow. Ed whined an annoyed "heeeey" but finally backed off and retreated to his side of the room. "But if she did, then what I asked her to do is, like, ten times worse, isn't it?"

Edward crossed his legs on his bed.

"You did what you had to, Al. She's an alchemist, too, she knows that. So don't be so hard on yourself, whatever her reason was, you didn't force her to come back."

"Yeah. You're right…," Al trailed off, and that was the end of the conversation for a while.

Ed flopped backwards on his bed, legs still crossed and arms out at either side. His ponytail spilled off the other side of the bed and stray hairs fell in his face.

The room was silent until Al finally said, "I wonder where Dad went."

Ed blew a wild hair out of his face. "Dunno. Guess old habits die hard, huh? Leave it to Hoenheim to just up and vanish in the nick of things."

"Brother!" Al scolded. "You're being a bit harsh don't you think? He fought alongside us til the end, he could be gravely hurt."

"Yeah, you're right," Ed said laboriously as he hefted himself back onto his elbows. "I'll try to hunt the old geezer down once we're released. I got a few things I need to say to him, anyway."

Al smiled. "It'll be nice to finally spend some time with him."

"Yeah," Ed agreed. A second later he hurled a pillow at Alphonse's head. "Enough about the old man, we gotta make a phone call."

Shortly after, Ed helped Al into the nearest wheelchair and wheeled him down the hallway, riding recklessly on the back.

They had a mechanic to call.