Edward

The scrape of chalk drawing on wooden panels.

The surge of light as our hands touch the floor.

The eagerness held in our hearts: It's working! We'll see her again!

Until…

"Brother! Help!"

Pain like nothing I've ever experienced before. Reaching for my brother with every ounce of strength I have.

Lightning.

Bird feathers fluttering.

Wooden boards ripped to shreds.

Flames engulfing everything.

Destruction everywhere...because of alchemy.

Even as the thunder roars, all I can hear are my brother's cries, drowning out all else.

Alphonse

"Brother!" I call out into the shadowy hallway outside our room in Central. "Edward, where are you?" I had woken up in the middle of the night to notice that Ed was no longer in the room, and my mind immediately started generating worst case scenarios.

Was he kidnapped?

Is there another murderer out to kill State Alchemists?

Is there anyone else who'd want to kill him?

Maybe he's just in the bathroom.

Nope. No one in there.

Where could he be?!

I'm getting frantic now, and if I still had a heart, I'm sure it would be pounding. I can't lose him. He's all I have left.

At this point , I've searched just about everywhere in the building, and I'm getting really worried. But then, bursting through the front door, I see him.

"Ed!" Just as I'm about to sigh in relief, I notice that something's up. He's sitting on the front steps with his head down on his knees. Oh, brother. I hate seeing you upset.

Edward

I had awoken with a start, bolting upright in bed, sweat beading on my forehead. I looked down at my automail arm and over at Al's body of armor. A nightmare. Just a dream. Trying and failing to fall back asleep, I got up and went outside.

It's cold and drizzling, but all I can focus on are the screams still resonating in my mind. I put my head down and cover my ears, but I know it won't help to stifle the internal noise.

Then I hear the sound of metal footsteps clanking on the ground, and soon after, I feel a presence next to me. "It's raining," Al says. "You must be cold." I can feel my red cloak being draped over my shoulders. "I'm glad I grabbed this."

I clutch the edge of my cloak to keep my hand from shaking. "Thanks, Alphonse."

"You had me worried. I didn't know where you were. I was afraid that you were…" My brother's voice sounds so innocent and forlorn.

I look away as tears start to form in my eyes. "I'm sorry, Al," I say, and I know that he can hear that I'm crying.

He puts a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay. I would've found you one way or another."

"No, Al. I mean for everything." I let my head fall into my hands. "For insisting on trying human transmutation, for the situation we're in, for losing your body. I just wanted so badly to see her again; just to see her face one more time." By now, I'm sobbing. "I'm really, really sorry."

Al is staring off into the distance. Suddenly, he sighs. "Don't beat yourself up over this, Ed. We've been over this. It's not all your fault." He pulls me into a hug, and his cold metal armor actually feels good against my hot, tear-stained cheek. "It's okay, brother. We'll find the Philosopher's Stone and get our bodies back to normal. We just have to stick together. We're all we've got."

More tears flow down my face, and I know that if he could, Al would be crying, too.

I'm just so glad to have my brother to lean on.