Chapter 1

"I wonder, when I die, will people cry?" I thought out loud with a morbid curiosity. I'd been thinking about my funeral. I realized how depressed I sounded. The strumming of a guitar in the background stopped. I looked down from my perch in the tree at a familiar mop of dark hair shaking, as if angry or sad.

"Don't say things like that Lynn," he muttered.

I slid down from my perch to sit next to him, leaning my head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Zane, you know I am... I can't help but think these thoughts. After all, you heard the doctors." I thought back to that day in the office, it was just supposed to be a checkup. I was supposed to be on my way to a healthy start, before the doctors broke the news. The cancer had spread too far, too fast.

Zane set his guitar aside and started playing with my hair. It felt weird to have him play with my hair when it was so short, but the cancer had decided to have a war with my dark red hair. He untied my bandanna, wrapped around my forehead as usual.

"Lynn, there's still a chance..."

"No Zane. You and I both know I'm done for. Just... can we spend these last months like this? Just us, best friends, spending time together?" I swallowed thickly, not wanting to cry.

"Sure Lynn. Whatever you want. I'll always be here for you. You know that right? But... can't we play pretend for just a little while longer? Pretend you'll always be here... with me?" He asked, looking into my clear grey eyes.

"Yeah Zane I know. You've been there for these past 8 years haven't you?" I chuckled at a distant memory. "You remember when we first met?"

Zane gave a big laugh, making his chest vibrate. "Yeah, I remember. You were still so tiny," he said looking down on my small frame.

"Eh, I fit in small places, what do you got?" I said looking at his massive height.

"I can reach the books on the high shelves," he teased me.

"You win this round," I muttered darkly.

There was a pause in our antics. We enjoyed the silent company while I retied my bandanna. It was broke when Zane said, "Are you sad? Of... well you know?"

I sat there thinking as I looked into his bright green eyes. "I'm sad that I'll have to leave you so soon. I'm sad that I'll never get my license, or a job, or get married and have kids. But, I'm happy with what I did while I am here. I'd like to believe I've helped someone at least just a little bit. That I've accomplished something in my 16 years. That I mean something to someone." I felt a tear roll down my cheek.

Zane said, "If you're so happy, why are you crying? You know you've always been important to me. And think of all those kids at the orphanage. They loved it when you would take them to the playground. And that boy you tutored in writing. And your brother, who looks up to his beautiful, strong sister so much."

Lynn whispers, "I'm crying because I'm with you. You make me happy and you always know what to say... You really think I'm beautiful and strong?"

Zane said, "Of course..." then notices the darkening sky. "I have to go... my mom is expecting me home." He leaned over hugging me, and then gave me a quick kiss on the cheek before grabbing his guitar and running off.

I touched my cheek, remembering the kiss. Then I shouted after him, "I love you! You know that right? And I always will!"

Zane turned, "I'll always love you too." Then he disappeared into the darkness.

I looked down at my locket, remembering when Zane had given it to me.

"Hey Zane guess what!" a tiny Lynn says.

Zane yells, "What?"

"Today is my birthday!"

"It is...?" he said, and Lynn's face fell. He pulled out a small, wrapped box. "I'm only messing, of course it is."

Inside the box were two matching lockets, both with long thick chains. The locket itself was engraved like the Irish Celtic designs of her ancestors. Inside was a picture of the two children.

"I love it, Zane!"

Zane smiles, "I filled one side with the day we first met! The other side can be a favorite memory! Deal?"

"Deal!" Lee said. They put the locket on the other's neck.

I opened my locket, seeing that old picture, and then beside it, a new one. It wasn't a great picture but it did prove how good a friend Zane was. The picture showed me with my head resting on his shoulder. My hair was thinning, showing in clumps around me. My hair was cropped short. I remembered it was my first chemotherapy. I cropped my hair short because I refused to let the chemo take it. Just as I refused to let cancer take away my life. Zane had called me strong and stubborn after watching me cut it.

I walked back into my house. My little brother was sleeping, and my parents were falling asleep. I walked into their room, "I love you, forever and always. Good Night."

My parents kissed her cheeks telling me they loved me as well.

I went to my brother's room and moved his shaggy hair out of his eyes before kissing his forehead. "I'm sorry I'll never see you grow up. I love you." I then walked to my own room.

As I entered through the doorway covered in drawings of anime I stopped. I could almost see the memories of this room, the scenes passing through my eyes. Homework studying with Zane, cutting my hair, story writing. A tear rolled down my cheek. My fingers brushed against my collection of books... noticing the paper in my writing journal sticking out like bookmark. I was hoping Zane would find it someday. I looked at the corkboard above my desk, noticing the pictures scattered across it. Zane was in every single one.

"I guess its time to go," I muttered.

Opened the window and began my walk towards the river.

I noticed the bridge in the distance, crossing over a river I knew too well. I had almost drowned in this river as a child. Many people swam in the summer months, but it was still spring. No one swam now, not only because of the cold, but because of the flooding from the melted snow. The river roared, as if a great beast possessed it.

I thought to myself, "I'm just as stubborn as usual... I can't let myself slowly and painfully die like that. I'll make it quick. I refuse to let it take me..."

I stepped onto the ledge, my eyes closed.

"I love you everyone... Zane..."

And then I jumped.

This story is dedicated to everyone who has had to deal with cancer, or any other deadly disease. It's also dedicated to the friends and family of them. I hope someone reads this and gives a little of their time or effort to such a cause.

On a lighter note, what do you all think so far? Right now it looks very sad, but there are good, funny, wacky, crazy times to come. Evelyn is actually a very spirited girl. She has a good sense of what's right and wrong, and she took martial arts. (It allows her to remain in control of her body and strengthens her mid and body) So with that kind of attitude, plus the fact that she can be semi- aggressive, who knows what's to come? oh wait, I DO! muwhahahahaha! Oh, and there's this shiny button at the bottom of the page that says review and if you touch it magical things happen! XD like more chapters perhaps? ;) too long too short?

Special shout out to:

chibimaker and AdvetureAddict! Both are amazing writers helping me, and they have amazing OC's of their own! Read their stories, I know you want to!

Also, I do not own anything FMA, only my OC characters and plot idea. So ya I don't own Ed or Al... even though they didn't even appear in this chapter.