AdventureAddict: Okay, this is a little something stuck in my head, so I'm just going to get it out now, even though I have my other story to work on. A softer side of Ed that he tries to hide comes out in this. I don't own FMA, blah, blah, blah, just get on with it.

Crowd: Yea, get on with it!

PpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPp

What Alchemy Cannot Achieve

Ed gazed down at the tiny baby clutched in his arms, slowly trying to shift so she wouldn't be lying uncomfortably on his automail arm. She was so tiny and fragile, and very sleepy after her long delivery. She was only a few hours old; too young to even have a name yet. He held out his right pointer finger, and she grabbed onto it tightly with her tiny hand. Ed smiled down at her. It was so much easier to enjoy life now that Al had his body back. Ed knew that he would never be able to completely erase the guilt he felt for what he did to Al, but at least now he didn't feel as guilty as when he first joined the military.

Ed wondered if he would ever get to hold Al's child in the same way. Probably, since now Al had the girlfriend that he had always wanted. Her name was Hanna. She was very sweet, and she and Al went together perfectly. They had been together for a while now, and about a week ago Al had pulled Ed aside, and blushing madly, told Ed that he was planning to propose to Hanna. No longer confined to a suit of armor, Al was finally able to move on with his life. But could Ed move on with his?

Ed looked down at the baby again, and realized in amazement that soon she would be saying her first words, taking her first steps, and later she would learn how to makes things herself, running to her mother to show them off like Ed and Al once had with alchemy. Then she would go off to school and start making friends with kids her own age, and eventually she would start developing curves and putting on makeup, which would then end up with her getting her first boyfriend. And eventually, she would grow up, move out and have kids of her own, starting the cycle all over again. Ed couldn't believe that he and Al had once been this small, carefully held in the tender embrace of their mother. Ed still remembered the first time he had seen a newborn, and the one word he had used to describe it.

Awesome.

She really was awesome. There was no other word Ed could use to describe the tiny perfection he held in his hands other than awesome. She was an entirely new person, the one thing that alchemy would never be able to do. It was a little scary holding something so precious in his arms. She was even more precious than the philosopher's stone that they had tried to find for so many years. Ed was so scared that he would drop her on the floor and crack her skull. But he didn't want to hold her so tightly he hurt her either.

Ed wondered if this small innocent child would ever make the same mistake that he and Al had made. He wished with all his heart that something so pure would never have to go through that mach pain, but then realized in dismay that she would probably have something hurt her someday. Maybe someone she hated, maybe even someone she loved.

A small squeak from the door jolted Ed out of his thoughts. Al stood in the doorway, (with Hanna by his side) and even though he didn't say anything, Ed could tell from the way he looked at him that he wanted to hold the new baby. Ed took one last look at her before handing her carefully to Al.

As her tiny amber eyes gazed up into his, Ed knew that he would never be like his father.

PpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPpPp

AdventureAddict: Well, there you go. A nice short little oneshot for all you big softies. Come on, I know there were a few 'Awwws' out there. Hope you liked it, now I can get back to writing my normal fanfic.