First attempt in creating a FMA fanfic
Date started Dec. 22, 2005
Time started 9:21 p.m.Title: COMING HOME
CHAPTER 1: ALIVE
"Please go and get out of here rose, bring your baby with you. I'm going to destroy this place." Edward requested. Rose looked at him
with a smile. "After you've destroyed this place, you will come back?" She asked. She hugged her baby close to her. The baby let out a
giggle then held out his little hand to Edward who in turn held it gently then he let go. Edward looked at her with a sad smile. "I'm sorry
Rose, but I won't be coming ever."
Edward sadly contemplated his last words to rose. He stepped onto the transmutation circle, ready to perform what he and his brother did
before but failed. "I'm sorry rose but I have to do this, I owe it much to my little brother Al." He thought, determined. "Promise you'll
come back to me alive and well." Winry's words suddenly came to his mind. He paused. Winry Rockbell, his best friend since childhood.
A vision of her came to picture; she was standing by the gate waving to them, her beautiful long blonde hair swaying with the wind, her
expressive eyes twinkling in delight upon seeing them, her cheerful, welcoming smile that was so contagious, she was always there waiting
for them, Winry Rockbell. The most beautiful person he ever saw, the one who was always there for him and for Al even though they
didn't ask her to… The only person who understood them well… The one who made him his excellent auto – mail… The person who
secretly loved him… The person he secretly loved thought he didn't wanna admit it to her… He will never see her again… Warm tears
slowly flowed down his cheeks. "I'm sorry winry." Was his last thought. He clapped his hands together then placed them on his chest, and
the transmutation circle on the floor and on his body glowed a bright bluish light.
Edward felt a soft warm hand touch his forehead. Then he heard voices, there were two of them. The one talking was a man, he sounded
professional with his deep baritone voice and well – mannered way of speaking. The other was a woman. She sounded so familiar. Her
voice was soft, musical to the ears. It sounded so soothing. She reminded Edward of someone. The woman reminded him of Rose.
Edward couldn't make out anything of what he heard. He felt so tired and sleepy and their voices were a bit hushed. The conversation
ended and he heard footsteps then a door close. Edward lay there for a while, he felt so weak and so exhausted. Then he suddenly
thought. "Rose!" He abruptly sat up but he felt somewhat disoriented and dizzy. He heard the woman say, "Ed-kun please don't get up
yet, you're still recovering" as she gently pushed him back down but he resisted. He turned to where she was, his vision was still a bit
blurry he rubbed his eyes then blinked twice to clear it. Then he saw that it really was Rose, giving him that warm smile of hers. He
frowned, confused. "Rose!" he asked. He sounded so surprised that Rose chuckled. "Yes ed-kun it's me." She answered. Edward was
even more confused now. "what! But I thought – you – Al – "he stuttered. Then at the mention of his little brother's name his eyes
widened and he suddenly remembered the recent events, it was rushing in his mind so fast he was having a hard time grasping everything.
Dante's hideout, his conversation with his father, his fight with envy, his death, Al using his power as the Philosopher's stone to revive him,
his attempt at bringing Al back. It was all coming back to him he was having a hard time breathing. Al! Al! Al! Al! Then he came into
realization. "Al! Where's Al!" He frantically asked. He hurriedly came down the, he didn't care that he was getting dizzy again, he had to
find his brother but Rose held him back. "Ed-kun onegai yamero! You musn't get out of bed yet!" She pleaded as she tried to hold him
down. However, Edward kept on pushing Rose away. "Al! I need to – "he insisted. Tears were now flowing down his cheeks. He didn't
want to think about it, he didn't want it to happen again. He didn't want to know that he failed again, if he did he didn't know what he
would do. "Al – kun is fine!". Edward stopped thrashing as Rose said this. He looked up at her, his cheeks wet from his tears. Rose
looked quite tired from holding him down but she was smiling down at him. "Nani!". He asked confused and a bit disbelieving. In answer,
Rose moved to the side and then turned to the person occupying the bed behind her. Edward didn't know that there was someone else in
the room except him and rose. When he saw who it was, he so shocked he wasn't able to speak. He felt his heart slam in his chest. There
on the other bed sleeping peacefully and undisturbed by his previous thrashing was little brother Alphonse. He wasn't the huge metal armor
where Edward attached Alphonse's soul with a blood seal. Not the empty metal clanking beside him all the time. Alphonse was now in a
real body. Real human body, with skin like his only slightly darker in complexion, with real hair like his only shorter and messier and
darker, real face, real arms and legs… Edward's head was pounding, he had hard time breathing, he felt his chest constrict with emotions
he didn't want to show but couldn't stop from feeling… Rose sat closer to him, gathered him to her arms, and pulled him close to her
wanting to comfort him. Edward couldn't stop himself, he couldn't help it he broke down and cried on Rose's arms. Rose hugged him
tighter and soothed him telling him everything's okay. After a while, Edward fell asleep again exhausted.
Edward was lying on the bed, his left arm, his real arm under his head. He was looking at his auto – mail arm, opening and closing his
hand. He sighed. He sat up, his right leg, his real leg propped up with his auto – mail arm on top of it, his golden locks in disarray behind
him. When he woke up and found out that, his right arm and left leg were still auto-mail he realized that he wasn't going to able to get them
back again, he didn't want to anymore, he already had Al back and that was enough for him. He looked out the window and saw Al
playing with Rose's baby boy. He remembered how Alphonse reacted this morning when woke up, a smile brightened Edward's serious
face that made him look younger and more handsome….
----- FLASHBACK----------
"Nee – san what happened to me! " Alphonse suddenly cried in shock. Edward hurriedly went down the bed and hastily walked to his
little brother. What he saw made him laugh. Alphonse was standing beside his bed with a very shocked face. He was looking at his hands,
his feet actually his whole body! Alphonse touched his face, his hair then his face broke into a wide smile. "I can feel!" he exclaimed.
Alphonse turned to his brother a very happy smile brightening his features making Edward smile himself. "When I touch I can feel nee-san!
And I feel warm!" he said sounding so excited. Edward shook his head laughing. He looked at Alphonse as he was touching his arm, his
fingers, his face, looking at them with awe… Alphonse turned to Edward… He now understood… because he remembered what
happened… he was so happy… "Nee – san, arigatou gozaimas!" he said… Edward just smiled sheepishly in ans. Alphonse walked to
Edward and stopped in front of him. Both were almost the same height but Edward was surprisingly an inch taller. Edward looked at
Alphonse unsure of what his little brother was going to do. Alphonse first touched Edward's hair, he was so amazed at how soft and silky
it felt, then he traced Edward's face with his fingers… Alphonse was recalling and memorizing at the same time how his brother felt… It
has been a long time since he was able to touch anybody and felt something… He then touched Edward's auto-mail arm… He smiled
thrilled… "It's cold and rough and smooth at the same time!" He said, the excitement in his voice was still there. Just then, Rose came in
bringing a basketful of warm bread… She looked up and was surprised to see Alphonse and Edward up and about already. She placed
the basket on the table. "Ed – kun! Al – kun! You both aren't supposed to be up yet!" She gently reprimanded. Alphonse and Edward
smiled sheepishly at her. Alphonse was so happy to see Alphonse doing well. She went to him and gave him a hug. Alphonse was so
surprised at the contact… It has been a long time since someone hugged him. The persons who hugged him were Winry-chan, his oka-san
and sometimes Edward. He then remembered his mother, she felt so soft, so warm when she hugged him and he felt immense comfort
when she did. He felt it now when Rose hugged him, her warmth enveloping him, comforting him. He shyly wrapped his arms around her
and hugged her back. Edward looked at the two with a fond smile. He too missed their mother…
------ END OF FLASHBACK--------
Then Edward frowned, confusion dawned on him. One thing he didn't understand was why was he still alive, why was he still here. Was
he able to do human transmutation defying the basic principle of equivalent trade? Equivalent Trade… "People cannot gain anything
without sacrificing something; you must present something of equal value to gain something." That is the principle of Equivalent Trade in
Alchemy and that was what he and Alphonse believed when they were still young, until now… Edward really was confused… He offered
his body, his soul, and even his life as means of equivalent trade to get Al back. "Why? Why am I still here? What was my equivalent
trade?" He thought. He didn't hear his brother come in for he was so deep in thought. Alphonse looked at his nee-san who was sitting up
on the bed, a frown on his face seemingly lost in thought. He got concerned. "Nee-san." He quietly called. Edward looked up looking a bit
startled then a small smile gentled his features. "Is there something wrong nee-san?" Alphonse asked as he made his way to his own bed
then sat down. Edward didn't answer for a while. Alphonse just sat there, looking at him and waiting for his answer. Edward sighed then
lay back down his bed. "I'm just confused…" he answered after a while. Alphonse also lay down. "About what?" He asked. He placed
both his arms behind his head. Edward was silent again then mumbled… "Equivalent trade..." Alphonse smiled, understanding now. "I
don't understand Al, why am I still here? Why am I even alive?" Edward asked. "What was my equivalent trade? Or was there?" he
continued. Both were silent for a while, contemplating on those questions. Alphonse smiled. "nee-san… maybe…maybe… we've traveled
on a journey in searching for the philosopher's stone, we've had many experiences some hard some easy…we've met different
people…some bad some good…we've suffered a lot…we've understood the value of human life through helping a child birth…(Edward
chuckled at this)…we loved…us and oka-san,us and our friends…you and winry…(Edward looked at him a bit startled)…you and me as
brothers…" Alphonse paused… "or maybe it was your determination…your selflessness…your love for me that you were willing to
sacrifice your own life just to save me…maybe nee-san…maybe that was your equivalent trade…" Alphonse said meaningfully. Edward
looked at his brother at a loss for words. Then he chuckled…"you've matured ahead of me Al". He said. Alphonse looked at him then
both laughed at their silliness. That night, Alphonse was already asleep and the doctor already came in and checked in on them, Edward
was still wide-awake. He couldn't sleep for there was on person occupying his mind right now. Winry Rockbell of Rizenbul… He didn't
know that Alphonse knew about his feelings for her. He wondered what Alphonse was thinking, both of them liked Winry since they were
still children but as the years passed and the times changed and so did they… Winry grew up and the last time he saw her he remembered
that she grew up a very beautiful woman. However, she was still a bit hot – tempered and impulsive but that was winry… and he found
himself getting more attracted to her…especially that beautiful smile of hers that would force one from him and though he hated to admit it
he would blush every time winry smiled at him he only hid it with a frown. He couldn't wait to go home to Rizenbul, back to Winry who
was always waiting for them. A vision of her came to his mind, her glorious long blonde-hair in wild disarray behind her; she was lying
down on a clean white bed, a cute faint blush tainting her smooth soft cheeks, her beautiful blue eyes glazed and there was passion in there,
she was a bit sweaty as if she was doing some exercise, she was moaning and panting and making soft mewling sounds, and…. she was
naked…. Edward shook his head, shocked and startled… He was breathing heavily, his heart pounding, sweating a bit… he felt hot as if
he was on fire… Then he realized that he was damn aroused! "What the f—"he said in disbelief. He placed a hand to his forehead,
frowning to himself. Now, just where the hell did that image came from!
