I'm soooo sorry I haven't updated in such a long time! I've been sick, had tons of homework, and my great aunt is dying. –sob- Please forgive me for taking so long!

Here we go! (Al is 16, Ed and Ruri are 17)

Two years after Ruri left, during the winter…

Ed sat in his room the military had lent him. His head was in his hands, and he could hear the old springs in the bed groan with protest as he shifted. Al sat opposite him, on the second bed. The pale room was cold, as the measly heater sputtered uselessly.

Ruri hadn't come back yet, though she said she would, and the Elrics hadn't found the legendary Philosopher's Stone. Ed had even tried sending himself though the gate again. Ed stood suddenly, grabbing his new red coat from the metal hook drilled into the wall.

"Brother…" Al raised his head to meet the blonde one. The short braid had grown, and much to Ed's liking, so had the body. Even though there was only about a two inch difference, hey, it was still a difference.

But the elder brother was not what someone would call happy. Ever since Ruri had left their lives, Ed had grown very silent. Of course, Al was sad too, but nothing compared to his brother. He didn't even get mad any more at Winry when she called him short. But she didn't do that very often any more.

"I'm going out for a walk, Al. I'll be back soon. Don't go anywhere." Ed opened the wooden door and left Al sighing.

Ed stepped out into the thick snow. His metal leg quickly froze from the lack of heat resistance. The tip of his boot got wetter and wetter, eventually seeping to his toes. Ed sighed and plopped down in the powdery white mess. "Why," he whispered hoarsely, "why is everything going wrong?"

He turned on his side and sank into the cold. "Mom…" He glanced at his leg. "Al…" His arm. "…Ruri." This time the weary teen had nothing to look at. He knew she wasn't human. He knew the things she did didn't follow the rules, the basic laws, of Alchemy. Why was that? When Ruri had asked him that one day on the field… before someone shot her with the arrow… she had asked him how Caitlin was able to "fly" on the slate of rock. Actually, he had no idea and was utterly perplexed. But he had given her a simple answer that probably wasn't right.

And the one day they came out of the locker rooms, pretending to be each other. He had fallen for it, because they looked so alike. And…

"Caitlin!" It hit Edward. They were identical, they did strange things…. The only person that could tell him about Ruri besides Shiro….

The blonde boy flew to his feet and darted inside, yelling for his younger brother.

Inside, Al heard his brother pounding on the door. "Sheesh, it's unlocked, Brother." He stood and walked quickly over to the knob, twisting it to let Ed in. The hyper teenager knocked into a cold suit of armor, which thankfully brought him back to his senses.

"Al!" he panted, "Do… do you have Caitlin's address?"

"Oh, the Caitlin from—"

"Yes! Do you have it?" Ed was shaking Al now.

"Yeah, I think so… let me check…" Al walked slowly over to Ed's suitcase. He stored all his stuff there since he didn't need a bag for himself. "Hmm…" He checked the top pocket… Then the next one… and the next… Then the main flap. "No… Oh! Wait, it might be…" At this he slid his metal pinky finger into the hole in the seam. It split easily, and revealed a white corner of paper. "Yup! Here we go."

Al handed the paper to Ed, who took it and unfolded it quickly. Aloud he read, "386, Agate Edge, Vale. Hmm. She lives in Vale, huh?" Ed looked up at Al and smirked. "Off to Vale we go then!"

Two days later….

Tch tch tch tch tch! Caitlin's head rose to the knocking on the door. Tch tch tch! Upstairs, her sister's voice rang out. "Get the door, Caitlin; I'm not going down there in a towel!" Tch tch tch tch tch!

"Mmm…" Ruri's friend rolled her eyes and stood. The blanket keeping her warm dropped to the floor as she walked. The knocking grew more furious. "Shut up…" she murmured. Tch tch tch!

"Get the door!" Talia yelled again. Ugh! Shut up! Caitlin thought. Tch tch tch tch tch tch!

Caitlin finally reached the large door. Flinging it open, she screamed, "Shut the hell up!"

Ed stood there with his fist raised. He stared at her in shock. Caitlin glared back, but her angry expression melted into recognition. "Ed…?" He continued to stare. She cocked her head and asked, "What?"

An hour later….

Ed sat on the soft green couch, a black blanket wrapped loosely around his shoulders. Al sat next to him, with Caitlin across from them both. They had sadly been discussing Ruri for the last hour or so. Caitlin nodded. "Yes, I have been able to do strange things. But I have never had wings before. Though…" She trailed off.

"Though… what?" Al questioned.

"I have had dreams."

"Well, duh, everyone has a dream once in a while," Ed said impatiently.

"But their not normal! They repeat over and over, and I see Ruri in them…. I think it's her, at least… I mean, I see it from a different angel, so I don't know if it's one of those where you see yourself, of where you see someone else."

"Wait…" Ed said softly. "Where are your parents?"

Caitlin looked down quickly. A single tear rolled down her cheek. Al looked at Ed like he had said something rude, but the look on Ed's face was different. He had just made a discovery.

"Ruri didn't have any parents. She did have, however, two sisters." Edward Elric looked over at the hurt girl before him. "Any idea," he said quietly, "Who those two might be?"