Chapter 1: Family
As the Elrics made their way down the dirt path that lead to the train station, the Major took one last look at the Rockbell home. He found it sad that what he saw didn't surprise him.
The smile that had once been on Miss Rockbell's face had vanished, and in its place stood a sad frown and tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. She was heartbroken to watch them leave. But just a second ago she had been waving them goodbye with an open smile on her face. She watched them leave from the balcony that leads to her room. Her dog, Den, circled around her legs and she rubbed the dog affectionately, as if it were the one that needed comforting. Winry Rockbell was a truly stunning actress to have just been happily waving them goodbye a second ago.
The children's "grandmother" made her way up the wooden steps of the front of the house, extra precaution put into each step she took. She kept a sturdy hand on the railing; the steps creaking under her weight. She was an old woman, and one day she just may not be able to make it up those steps. Complications with arthritis seemed to cause many injuries old people suffer. And with old woman like her, a fall would lead to disaster.
But if the Elrics were aware of the sight behind them, the girl nearly crying out of sadness to see them go and the old woman who had taken care of them when their mother died, who was now struggling to make it up the steps of her house, they showed no sign of it. They just continued on their trek to the train station, completely obvious to the people they were leaving behind. Major Armstrong said nothing as he followed them down the road.
-X-
"Are you okay Major? You're really quiet." Alphonse asked the older man. Edward muttered something under his breath about "not ruining one of the few moments the Major had finally shut up."
Armstrong looked at the boy for a second before deciding to speak. "Why I'm sorry if I was concerning you Alphonse, I'm absolutely fine, thank you. I was just thinking that I need to send a card to my sister, who works in the Briggs Mountain Range. I send her a card every two weeks and I think I missed the deadline while here in Risenbool. I will have to send her a card immediately once I get back to East City. It would be rude to wait any longer, wouldn't you agree?"
Only silence followed what the Major had said. Alphonse turned to look out the window and Edward stared at his lap. Armstrong watched the guilt wash over them through his eyelashes. But he acted oblivious to it and turned to look out the window. Eyes taking in the passing scenery. The sat there for the rest of the train ride in silence.
He had meant to make them uncompterble. He hadn't missed Miss Rockbell's comment that they hadn't heard from the brothers in full year. His two week comment must have hit the cord because he knew that the Elrics didn't try to remain in any contact with the Rockbells. And a full year had passed without a single notice from the Elrics. For all the Rockbells had known, the Elric brothers could have been dead.
He knew the brothers were busy finding ways to get their bodies back and all, but he hoped that they would take into consideration what he had said. The Rockbells wouldn't wait on them forever; time would catch up to them. And Edward and Alphonse didn't need to add to their growing list of things they had lost over the past years. Family was just too important to push away.
A/N: More to come later.
