I'm Sorry
It had only been a few weeks since Izumi Curtis dismissed Edward and Alphonse Elric as her students and they left her home for the last time. She still remembers to this day watching them leave, standing next to her husband Sig Curtis. Two shadows, one small and one extremely large, against the orange setting sun background, searching for answers to their problems.
Now, weeks later, Izumi was having problems of her own. She was ill, and her condition was not getting any better. In fact, it was only getting worse...
"Izumi...?"
A large man about 6'10", with black hair covering his head and his face walked into a small room. Due to his large size, this oversized muscle man turned sideways and ducked to get through the small doorway of his meat shop. He left the store front, already passed through the storage room and was heading now into the house part. He passed into a small kitchen-like room where he found a half empty glass of water on the counter. He stared at the glass for a moment, when it hit him. He put that glass there almost thirty minutes ago for his wife to take her pills with. She was never late with her pills.
"Izumi?"
He called again, only this time louder and with more concern in his voice. He continued through the house, checking all the rooms from the bathroom, to the living room and even the bedrooms, but no luck in finding his wife. He stopped for a moment and closed his eyes, trying to remember if she mentioned going somewhere today. Nothing crossed his memory, so he opened his eyes and headed back to the store front. As he was about to close the shop, the bell on the door rang and he looked up. There, standing in the open door, was his wife. Long black dreadlocks, white sleeveless duster and black pants. In her right hand, was a book, what book, he could not yet see.
"Izumi..."
She looked up at him and managed a small smile. Sig put down what he was working on and approached her.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes... I'm fine..."
She smiled and placed a small hand on his large arm and walked passed, heading for the house. As she walked away, he noticed light faded red spots on the hem of the front of her white duster. This morning they were not there when she put it on. He knew she had one of her coughing spells and attempted to hide it by washing the duster. He watched her walk into the kitchen where he heard the sound of pills rattling in a bottle and the sound of an empty glass being placed on a counter top. He followed her into the house and stood in the doorway of the kitchen as she leaned on the counter.
"Izumi..."
"It's getting worse. I can feel it. The medication isn't strong enough any more."
She continued to stare at the counter top as he approached her from behind and placed a large hand gently on her shoulder. They both knew she wasn't going to live to an old age, she had lost allot when she attempted human transmutation almost ten years ago. And everyday, when ever she used alchemy without an array, she put a strain on her body and always ended up on the floor in a fit of coughs that always brought up blood, making her weaker. Each day, Izumi Curtis was dying.
"I'm sorry..."
Her voice was quiet and calm. The way it always was when ever she apologized to Sig. And Izumi rarely apologized to any one. So for her to do so, it meant she really meant it. Izumi took in a deep breath and straightened up. She fixed the wrinkles in her duster and then pushed a few loose black locks behind her head. After a moment's more hesitation, she turned around and looked immediately up into the face of Sig. They stared at each other for a moment more before Sig placed both his hands on her shoulders. Izumi knew this was hurting him more then it was hurting her. She leaned her head into his chest and just remained motionless.
"I'm sorry..."
Sig looked on the counter behind her and saw her book. "Easy Cooking". He never questioned her about the book, he knew what it was. It wasn't your normal cook book. It was one of her alchemy books. And when ever she came back from one of her 'alone trips' with that book, it meant more alchemy, more blood loss, more pain.
"Izumi..."
He didn't know what to say. There was no words that could heal her. No words to express his feelings to her. And no words of comfort for the both. Her fate was inevitable, no way to avoid. Then, the unexpected happened. Something that has never happened in all the years Izumi lived. Not even when she lost her only child. She broke down. Letting her whole body fall into the arms of Sig, silent tears running down her face. She was a strong girl of only twenty-nine. When ever something was amiss, she fixed it and moved on. But there was no moving on any more. This was it. Tears continued to silently roll down her cheeks as she felt the strong arms of her husband wrapped around her tiny form and hold her close. One of his hand was placed atop her head, letting her know he was always there for her.
He knew this was the beginning of the end. After remaining motionless for a few moments, that seamed like hours, Izumi was able to end her tears and look up at him with a small smile on her face. A bell rung out in the shop and their heads both turned to look at the shop. For a moment more, they remained motionless, until finally...
"You'd better, go get that."
"Yeah..."
And they parted, Sig heading for the store front and Izumi standing, leaning backward on the counter. Her book inches from her hand. She sighed, looked up at the ceiling and rested her elbows on the counter top. Her head slowly turned to the side and she stared at her book. All these years, Alchemy was her life, next to Sig. And in the end, it was going to be her demise. After another sigh, she stood up and walked away, leaving the book where it was. She decided to go out front and see if there was anything she could do. At the counter was a young couple ordering some meat. The girl had long blonde hair that shined whenever the light hit it. Her eyes were a deep blue and she was perfect in every way possible. The man next to her was the same. Short black hair, deep green eyes and perfect. She watched at first from the door way as the two stood next to each other, smiling and ordering meat.
After a moment more, Izumi approached her husband from behind and placed a hand on his arm as he began to write down the order on a note pad. The girl opened her eyes and stopped her giggling. She looked at Izumi with a smile. Izumi was the total opposite of this girl. Her hair was black and in dreadlocks, her eyes were dark violet and her body was weak. One would think this would have bothered Izumi, but she only smiled back. Soon the couple left and the shop was empty again, leaving Izumi and Sig to themselves. A few more hours later and the shop was closed. Night fall had come and they were eating dinner inside their house. Izumi was feeling sick so she ended up skipping the meal and just sat with her elbow on the table, her chin resting in her hand smiling. She was lost in thought, thoughts even herself didn't know what they were.
Soon, they were sitting outside on the sand, staring off across the waters at the uninhabited island that Izumi owned. The same island she sent the Elric boys off to for two separate months of training. The same island she attempted human transmutation on ten yeas ago. The same island that was going to be where she was buried, and later on, her husband right next to her. As the sun was finally set, a beautiful crescent moon hung over head with millions of twinkling stars accompanying it. Izumi looked up at the sky, her arms hugging her bent knees. Sig sat next to her, legs spread out in front., and his arms behind him propping himself up. This was something they found comfort in doing every night before Izumi got sick. After that, she spent her nights reading and he cleaned up his shop. But tonight, they sat outside, enjoying the cool night atmosphere.
Later that night, they were lying in their large bed. Sig took up most of the bed, and Izumi had a small space, but she always leaned onto him like a pillow any ways. She had one arm bent slightly across his chest and his arm was holding onto her, half making sure she didn't fall off the bed, half just wanting to hold her. Izumi was long asleep but Sig couldn't even close his eyes. He stared up at the ceiling, like he was staring into the heavens. The silence was deafening, but nice. But his thought were interrupted.
"Izumi..."
Izumi had erupted into a fit of coughs and blood was spilling from her mouth. Sig pulled her up into a sitting position. The coughs slowed down, but didn't stop. Quickly, he jumped from the bed and picked her up. He ran from their house and ran across the cold dark night landscape making his way to the only lit building in town. Actually, it was in the next town. He entered the hospital and two nurses looked up.
"It's Izumi! Call Dr. Morton, quick!"
One of the nurses yelled as the other nurse picked up the phone. The first nurse came out with a stretcher and Sig placed Izumi on it and the nurse began to wheel her out back. Shortly, the doctor entered wearing a robe and ran past Sig, following the nurses. A third nurse appeared and requested that Sig remain in the waiting room. Usually he followed them, but this time, he wasn't allowed to. Time went by and nothing was heard. Silence was deafening and it wasn't nice. The doors opened and a nurse exited and approached him.
"Mr. Curtis..."
The nurse led him to the room Izumi was in. She was lying on a bed covered by a white sheet. A single chair sat next to the bed, ready for him to sit. The doctor came up from behind and touched Sig's arm.
"Her condition has worsened. She may not make it though the night. I request she stay here for the night for observation, but it's your call."
Sig stared at the sleeping Izumi on the bed. Her eyes were closed a her breathing was slow. He approached the bed side and sat down. His back to the door. The nurses and doctor watched in silence. They too knew this day would one day come. They soon took leave and left the two alone. Sig just stared at her while she slept. Watching her chest rise and fall with each breath.
"...Sig..."
Izumi's mouth parted slightly, she was weaker then he has ever seen her before. The loss of blood was taking a toll on her.
"Rest..."
He replied, taking her hand in his.
"I don't... want..."
She couldn't finish her sentence, but he knew. He stood and picked her up gently and walked from the room. He kept her head propped up on his shoulder as he supported the rest of her body in his arms. The sheet was still covering her frail body as he walked room the hospital. The doctor and nurses stared, then bowed their heads knowing this was the end.
Sig made his way back to the house and walked out onto the sandy ground at the edge of the water. Her eyes opened slightly and looked up at the sky, then at him.
"I'm sorry about..."
"Don't be, everything is okay Izumi..."
He finally was able to counter her apologies. She smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. Soon, her eyes fluttered closed. A tear slid down Sig's check and he stared at her, then the sky, then back at her. She looked peaceful, like she was dreaming of something... or someplace wonderful.
Days later, five or six boats sat docked to the small island. Adults and children stood in black as a preacher said a few words over a grave which was covered with a single red and white flower wreath. A stone sat upright behind the wreath with a Flamel engraved above the name, Izumi Curtis. As the preacher left, others that remained grabbed a flower and placed it on the stone, or around it. Finally, all that remained was a small blonde girl, her grandmother and Sig. The sky opened up and seamed to cry for their loss. The young girl opened up a black umbrella and held it over her and her grandmother. Soon, they left, leaving Sig alone in the rain. His hair stuck to his face as he stared at the stone. The name on the stone looked foreign to him. She was gone. And there was nothing he could so anymore. He did all he could, and now, she was finally at peace, no more suffering. Before he turned to leave, he took one last look at the stone...
"I'm sorry..."
A/N - Angst, I know. But I really don't believe there are enough Izumi fictions online. Hell, her name isn't even one of the options for characters. I mean come on. She is very important. Without her, Ed and Al never would of been good alchemists, Ed probably never would of become a stare alchemist and the show's title would have been... "Edward The Wanna-Be Alchemist". So come on people, let's give Izumi Curtis and her husband Sig some credit!
Please review. No FLAMES (Thats Roy's job only). Please look in my profile oo0AnimeChild0oo for all my other stories. And again, thanks for reading.
"Write a wise saying and your name will live forever"
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