The silver moon shun on the land. Bathing everything in its light. Two shadows walked along the rails. One figure was armor. Its clanks sounding off with every movement. The other figure was short. He was not metal, but wasn't all flesh either. His metallic arm glittered in the moon light. His leg made a metal clank, matching the rhythm of the other figure. When the light covered the boy it raveled his golden blond hair and beautiful amber eyes. He wore a black tank-top, leather pants, boots, and a red coat. His companion was a suit of armor, which was carrying a trunk that must belong to the other. They walked till the moon was in the middle of the starry black sky. The moon in that position meant it was midnight. The armor stopped, sighing before speaking in a young quite voice. "Big brother, you need your rest. Why don't I just carry you so you can sleep." The blonde turned on his heal. He faced his younger brother, who could tell that his older had to be exhausted by the drop in his eyes. The blonde coughed to clear his throat. Before speaking in a stern yet soft voice. "Al, I'm fine. I'm not the least bit tired. Now come on, we have to get to the next station before morning." "Edward Elric don't you dare try to lie to me. I know you've been pretending to sleep the last four days. I can see you're exhausted." Al snapped. He was right, Ed was exhausted. He had pretended to sleep so Al wouldn't know he was watching him. Ed knew that Al had been depressed for the last few weeks and he was afraid Al would kill himself. Ed sighed, "Al, come on. We don't have time to be arguing. I want to get to the station by morning. I promise I'll sleep on the train. Just please come on." Ed begged his little brother. Al sighed knowing he wasn't going to get Ed to listen. "Fine, but you better start sleeping more." Ed nodded and they continued to the station.
Alphonse Elric never got mad, angry, or furious until now. He and Ed had gotten to the station in the next town that morning. When they got on the train, that's when Ed broke his promise. He sat there talking about how much he hated Colonel Roy Mustang and how he didn't want to have to see his face when they got to Central. Then he'd just set there staring out the window. Al had, had the final straw. He coughed to get Ed's attention. Then when Ed was giving him his full attention Al let loose. "Edward James Elric you promised me that you would sleep on this train ride. Now look you wasted the whole time not sleeping. We're going to be at the station in 5 min. That's it I don't care what you do anymore. Since it seems that you know so much more then I do." Ed started at Al foe a second, before looking back out the train window. "That's nice Alphonse." Ed said dreamily. Al got a little worried, but couldn't do anything. The train had just pulled into the station and people were heading off the train. Al stood and grabbed Ed's trunk form the top rack, Ed stood and they walked off and onto the platform. Al couldn't help but notice that Ed wasn't complaining about being back in Central, and he had a dreamy look on his face. They walked to headquarters and straight to the dorms. Dropping off Ed's trunk, they went to the Colonel's office. It was a good thing that today the office was calm, because that meant that the Colonel was in a good mood. When they got to the office and opened the door everyone looked at them. Ed hadn't noticed, because he was looking around. "Its surprisingly quite in here today. The Colonel must be in a good mood. That's nice." Ed said. Al saw everyone raise and eyebrow. He just shrugged and shook his head. 1st Lt. Riza Hawkeye came up to Ed and felt his for head with her hand. She withdrew it shaking her head in displeaurement. "He has a slight fever and looks exhausted. What happened?" She ordered. Al told her the story.
Roy mustang heard talking and a metal clank outside his office, he stood and walked out. He knew that if there was metal it meant. "Fullmetal." He said earning everyone's attention, except Ed's. Roy walked over to the young alchemist and smirked. "Well you look just as short as ever fullmetal." He chimed. Ed looked at him before saying. "Its nice to see you in a good mood every now and then Colonel. I'm glad your happy today. Also yes, I know I'm short in hight and don't you think it's a little uncalled for to pick on a thirteen year old. If you want to play the bully try doing it to somebody your own age, sir." Roy stud there, mouth agape, in shock. Edward didn't yell, scream, or try to kill him. He just stated an out look on his comment. Roy knew something had to be wrong if he was acting like this. He removed his glove and placed his cold hand on Ed's for head. Ed was a bit shocked, but grateful that something cold was on his head. When Roy removed his hand he was not happy. Roy turned to Riza and Al looking for an explanation. Al told the story again. Roy shock his head in anger. "Why did you let him go this long without taking care of himself? He has a very high fever." Roy exclaimed. "Looks like his fever rose. Al you better take him back to your dorm. Make sure he sleeps and doesn't move till he's fevers gone." Riza ordered. Al nodded and lead Ed out of the office. "Is Chief going to be okay?" Havoc asked. "I hope Jean." Roy said looking at his hand that had been on Ed's head.
"Al, don't I have to give the report to the Colonel?" Ed asked. Al was holding Ed hoping that if Ed didn't strain himself then the fever might start going down. "The colonel told me that you can give the report when your feeling better." Al replied.
They quickly got back to the dorm. Al made Ed change into his PJ'S after her took a cold shower. Ed did so. When he came out Al notice that Ed's eyes looked a little glazed. 'That's why he's been acting so weird. He's half asleep. The fever must have been his body warning him to get some sleep.' Al thought. Ed walked straight to the bed and fell. Already half asleep before his head touched the pillow. Al covered his brother and sat on the floor next to the bed. He stared at Ed for a few hours before removing his chest plate and placing his thumb over the blood seal. 'I bet brother's only been staying up to make sure I don't try and wipe the blood seal off. It's all my fault. Brother keeps pushing himself so far so he can get me back to normal. Doesn't he know that I don't care if I get my body back. I know I miss sleeping and eating, but Ed has to suffer from so much pain with that auto-mail. When ever it rains his joints ache. When he gets sick his auto-mail starts getting hot from his fever. When the nerves connect he tries not to yell even though he's in so much pain. He says up every night to keep me company. He never cries when I know he wants to. He tries to protect me and ends up in the hospital. I wish my brother would stop this. He only just turned thirteen. He just never listens. Maybe if I were to leave earth than he'd have his own life, but if I do leave he might blame himself for it and that would be worse. Maybe if I just talked to him than maybe-" "AL!" Al was snapped out of his thoughts by his brother's panicked voice. He looked up to see Ed's terrified eyes. Ed got up from the bed and slowly walked over to his brother. He knelt down in front of him and looked inside the armor. He's eyes widened in fear again. He saw Al's thumb on the blood seal. If Al had a heart it would have broken after seeing what his brother did next/ The great Edward Elric, Fullmetal Alchemist, Hero of the people, Al's older brother, started crying like a baby.
"Al, you still with me?" Came Ed's sobbing voice. "Yes, brother." Came Al's nervous voice. He saw Ed smile and drop his head to look at the floor. "Good. Now will you please remove your hand from the seal?" Ed asked, his voice scaring Al. Al gulped and did what his brother asked. "Good." His brother repeated. The without warning Ed lifted his auto-mail arm and punched Al's metal head off. "HEY! WHAT WAS THAT FOR!?" Al yelled, about to punch Ed back, but stopped himself when he heard Ed crying again. "Why? Why would try to leave me Al? What did I do wrong? I just wanted to get your body back. Are you tired of being with me? Do you hate me that much? I knew you did. I knew you hated me for the failed transmutation. I knew it, but I didn't want to believe it. I'm sorry Al. I'm so, so sorry." Ed cried hugged Al now. Al knew that were ever his body was his heart was breaking two. He had just made his older brother cry. "Brother, I'm the one who should be sorry. I was thinking about that if I left this world then you would be able to live and have a happy life. I thought I was the one who was making you miserable." Al sobbed. "Al, why would you think something like that?" Ed asked calming down. He was about to let go when Al rapped his arms around Ed's small form. "Because you stay up at night to be with me. You try not to eat so I don't feel bad. You work so hard with trying to get my body back. You just don't understand that you doing that makes me feel worse." Al cried. "Al, I." "No brother. Don't try and say its not true, because it is. Your killing yourself over getting my body back. You should let me worry about getting you back to normal so you can take care of yourself. You need to let me help. Its not just your burden, its mine to. You can't just take this all on by yourself. I'll always be here to help." Al said with a smile in his voice. Al let go of Ed and Ed walked over. Picked up Al's head, and gave it back.
Then he hugged Al and cried again. "Okay, Al. Thank you. I love you. I love you so much brother. I love you brother mine." Ed repeated that the whole two hours he cried. He had finally cried so much he fell asleep in Al's lap. Al mentally smiled, reached over for Ed's blanket, and covered his big brother up. He almost cried two seeing the happy smiled on Ed's peacefully sleeping face. "I love you to brother. I love you to brother mine." Al whispered.
And from that night forward the Elric brothers worked together on reaching there goal of finding the Philosopher Stone.
THE END!!!