I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Alphonse Elric was sitting at the two bedroom apartment he shared with his older brother. His nose was buried in an alchemy book about medicinal usage. He had gotten his 10 year old body back a year ago and he had finally gotten accustomed to it. Their father had given one of his emotions to bring his son's body back. Hoenheim had lost a little bit of what made him human; his lust. Not that he really needed it. He had lost Trisha and had no plans of falling in love anytime soon. Ed claimed that all he wanted was for his brother to have his body back and now that he did, he realized he was okay with automail. After all, he could still function, so why use the energy that many people died to make? This left Al with a bit of guilt in his heart. Why shouldn't Ed have his body back too? Alphonse had since dedicated himself with trying to get his brother's limbs back. He finished the chapter he was on and was about to continue when a metal hand grabbed the tome out of his grasp.

"Hey, I was reading that, brother!" Al cried out to no avail.

"Al, it's a quarter after one. Go to bed." Ed said sternly setting the book on the shelf.

Al looked at the grandfather clock and sure enough, it was quite late. Al sighed and shuffled off to his bedroom.

Al changed into his pajamas and was about to go to bed when Edward came in. Al gave him a very boyish smile and hugged him. Oh, how he missed being able to touch Ed. The years he spent in that suit of armor left him feeling very distant from everybody. At times he carried his brother, but he couldn't feel the weight and it pained him. When Ed was injured, he felt so helpless. Since he had no sense of touch, he couldn't tell if he was being gentle enough. When he first touched his older brother, he was in a hospital bed withered away from malnutrition and barely conscious. He remembered feeling a hand on his forehead and he opened his eyes to see Ed above him smiling. The first thing he felt was his brother's hand and the first thing he saw with his human eyes was his brother's smile. Alphonse strained himself to sit up so he could embrace his brother for the first time in five years. Here he was hugging Ed for the fifth time today and it felt like it was the first time all over again. Ed returned the hug and gave a gentle squeeze. He released Al and grabbed him by his shoulders looking him in the eyes.

"I just got a call from that jerk Mustang, I have to participate in a sting operation for a local gang tonight." This confused Al quite a bit.

"A gang? Why do they need a state alchemist?" Al asked cocking his head to one side.

Ed sighed deeply and gave a small chuckle. "You know, I asked Mustang the same thing. But apparently the leader has begun to dabble in alchemy and I have to be there in case he tries to use it."

Al's eyes suddenly lit up in realization. "But Ed, aren't we going to Risembul in the morning?" Ed nodded apologetically before getting an evil look in his eyes.

"Why, anxious to see your girlfriend?"

Al's face turned multiple shades of red just then and stuttered in denial.

"Don't worry little man, I'll be home in the morning, and we can still catch the 11:00 train." Al smiled and hugged Ed again before laying down on the bed. Ed closed the door after shutting off the light. He listened carefully to his brother grabbing his supplies and winced when he heard the familiar clacking of Ed's gun assembling.

I hope he never has to use that. Al thought to himself as sleep began to take a hold on his tired body.

Ed walked down to the parking garage under the building to his car. His key fob was ruined after dropping it in water, so he had to manually open the door. He sat down and started the engine. He was about to shift into reverse when a steel wire began choking him from behind. Every time he let out a breath, less and less came in. He looked at his reflection in the mirror and saw his eyes getting bloodshot. The man behind him was wearing a ski mask. All Ed could see was the attacker was a Caucasian male. He slid his steel fingers between his neck and the offending wire and pulled forward. With his flesh hand, he reached into his jacket and grabbed desperately for his gun. Unfortunately for Ed, the attacker saw this and hit him on the back of the head, hard. Then blackness.