Hello all! I wanted to thank you guys for the reviews I received. I already love you! Sorry about the last chapter! I hated my writing on the other account, so I'm starting anew!

Thanks for your patience. They will gradually get longer over time.

Disclaimer: Does not own.

NOW, ON WITH THE STORY

Of Shattered Glass and Broken Masks:

Chapter Two: A Heart That Beats to the Sound of Silence

Trisha Elric lied in bed, unable to move her fragile body. The only things she could hear were the music, the thumping on the wall and the muffled screaming of her second child. She couldn't accept it.

She wouldn't accept it.

Her husband would never…

This was her last thought before drifting into unconsciousness, closing her from the much needed rest.

Alphonse lied in his bed peacefully, but afraid to go outside of his room. The music surrounded him as it blared from the stereo. He sat up and turned his light on, deciding to do his homework that would be given the next day. He had to keep himself busy. 'Brother wouldn't want me to worry,' Al thought. 'And tomorrow is brother's birthday.' It wasn't until later the boy fell asleep to the music a smile on his face.

As the other two people in the house were asleep, Edward's stepfather Charlie was kneeling down on the bed, watching the blonde boy as he panted heavily, tired and afraid.

Afraid.

"Edward," Charlie called out to him.

Edward looked up at the man, his eyes pleading. "Yes, papa?" he replied, his voice hoarse.

Charlie looked down at his son, fake sincerity and care gleaming in his blue eyes. "You know your papa would never hurt you right?" he asked.

The blonde boy looked down. 'Papa loves me, he would never hurt me,' he thought. Edward nodded slowly, numbly.

His father smiled down at him. "Daddy loves you," the brunette hugged Ed tightly.

Edward shivered at the contact and wanted to scream, but that thought soon went away. Instead he hugged his father back, his small arms wrapping around hit neck. "I love you, too, papa," he said as a small smile appeared on his young, delicate face.

Charlie set the young boy down into his bed, pulling the covers over his son. The tall man left the room, looking back to see his son's chest rising and falling slowly. He smiled sinisterly to himself as he closed the door behind him.

Edward opened one of his eyes before opening both, his golden hues gleaming in the moonlight. He arose from his bed, walking over to his closet, seeing the door on the other side. He ignored the pain in his backside and kept walking. The blonde opened it, seeing his younger brother lying asleep under the covers. Ed smiled softly at his innocent younger brother. He then walked over to the stereo turning the music down and turning the light off. He exited quietly as to not awaken his younger brother. He went into his room closing the closet behind him, entering his own bed. Sighing softly to himself he lied awake in his bed, facing the plain white ceiling. 'He wouldn't hurt me…papa would never hurt me,' he thought with a soft smile, closing his eyes.

'He would never hurt me…'

The next day Alphonse woke up with a major case of bed head, but ignored it as he rubbed at his blurry vision groggily. He arose from his bed walking slowly to his door before unlocking it. He walked down the stairs to his mother's room, his hand about to knock on the door before he heard a loud coughing fit coming from the roof. Alphonse cringed before opening the door, seeing his mother hunched over in her bed coughing. The war had been going on for years now and her body was slowly, painfully dying. She had inhaled too much smoke from the fire and bombs. The pale woman began to lie down once again after her coughing ended. Her chestnut hair fell softly on the pillow. She smiled at her youngest son.

"Alphonse," she called out to him, her throat sore and her voice was hoarse. The brown-haired boy walked over to his mother so he could here her better. "Call your brother in here, would you?"

The little boy nodded and left the room in search of his older brother. Al then stopped to think.

Where was his father?

The hazel-eyed boy soon remembered the walk home with his father.

"Daddy's going on an away trip to East City Command for awhile, okay. Keep an eye on your brother, and make sure he doesn't get into any more trouble. You two boys take care of your mother for me."

Forgetting his previous thought, he walked to the other side of the house, opening his brother's door.

He looked at the small form of his older brother, curled into a ball and shivering despite the summer heat. Al heard a whimper come from the blonde. He closed the door behind him and walked up to Ed's bedside.

"Brother?" Al asked worry etched into his hazel eyes. It wasn't until then he saw his brother was sweating heavily and his golden hair stuck to his face. "Brother, wake up. It's only a dream," he said as he gently touched Ed's shoulder.

The blonde whimpered and curled tighter into himself. "Stop," he whispered, "please."

"Nii-san, get up!" he said as he ripped the blanket from over his brother's body. He gasped at the amount of bruises the older had on his body. They covered his arms and legs in large, purple splotches across his skin from what the clothes did not cover. Alphonse gasped, waking his brother.

Edward opened his golden eyes quickly, looking around nervously. He saw his younger boy on the floor covering his mouth. He then looked down at his exposed body. He jumped down from his bed, his feet landing on the wooden floor. He knelt down to his brother's level.

Alphonse was now on his knees, his hands covering his face as he silently cried, a sniffle or two coming from his trembling form. He felt a hand on his head, petting it softly. He removed his hand from his eyes and looked at his older brother. Ed was smiling softly at him, his golden hues showing the concern and love he had for his brother. "Brother…what happened to you?" he asked in a quiet voice.

Ed smiled at him, trying to not make his brother worry for him. "Relax, Al, it was just some of the other kids at school. Its really not a big deal, I'll be fine."

"But, brother, we need to tell-!"

"No, Al, no one needs to know. No one can ever know, Alphonse. No one," he said, "Promise me, Al."

Alphonse looked at the serious look in his brother's eyes. His head fell and he nodded, "Yes, Nii-san."

"Promise!"

"I promise, brother."

Ed smiled reassuringly at him before changing the subject. "Now," he began, "what brought you in here?" he asked, rising from the floor to find clothes to cover his broken and bruised body.

"Mom wanted to see you."

The golden boy arose and held out his hand for his younger brother to grab. The brunette looked up and smiled softly, still unsure if his brother as fine as he was telling him. Al quickly shook the thought away and grabbed the extended hand.

With that the two young boys made their way to their mother's room, opening the door.

"Edward," Trisha said as she smiled softly.

Edward walked over to her bedside, smiling brightly. "Yes, mother?" he asked.

"Happy birthday, my little man," she said, "I have a gift for you, well for both of you."

The boys' eyes brightened tremendously, excitement filling their very beings. "I'm allowing both of you to use your father's study to practice alchemy."

The two boys' cheered, hugging their mother tightly, "Thanks, mama!" they exclaimed.

The dying woman smiled at her two sons fondly.

That was the last time Edward remembered being happy.

It was only an hour later the two boys went out to the story by themselves. The two walked through the streets laughing and playing. Poisonous gas hit the streets of Resembool, attacking those around them, affecting the eyes and lungs.

"Brother!" Edward heard. He tried to reach out to his brother, the toxins entering his lungs. Ed's vision was getting blurry. He reached desperately for his brother who was writhing from the pain that hit his eyes. The last thing they heard was an explosion near them. Edward felt so much pain.

Agonizing pain. It was nothing like he'd ever felt before. He couldn't scream, he couldn't breathe. His head hurt, his own blood running down his face.

The last thing he saw was his brother lying on the ground unconscious. It was then the boy fell into his own abyss.

YAY! IT'S LONGER! YES! IT'S STILL KINDA SHORT, SORRY. I'LL TRY TO UPDATE EVERY WEEK.

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