Alright, so this is a bonus chapter, telling you what happened to Al after Mustang found Ed on the island. It is much shorter than the other ones, and does kinda end abruptly, but the last chapter will be up in a few days, so don't worry.


Chapter 3

He had been trying to restart their fire when he heard the cry of his brother. Immediately, Al was up on his feet, knife in hand as he began racing through the trees. "I have to stay here!" he heard Ed say and, for a moment, Al paused. Was he speaking to someone? Was someone else here? Sensei wasn't due for another few days. What was going on?

He crept through the underbrush, following what sounded like someone taking his brother back towards the beach. When he reached the treeline, Al froze at what he saw. There was a man in military uniform, holding Ed securely by the arm, and a woman also in uniform beside him. There was a boat half pulled up onto the beach, with an old man smoking a pipe sitting on the bench. Words were exchanged, Al couldn't quite hear, and then the man lifted Ed into the boat. He and the woman then pushed them off and jumped in as the man began rowing, taking his brother with them.

Al felt tears spring to his eyes. He desperately wanted to race out onto the beach, call for his brother, make them bring him back. But then they'd probably just take him too! Why did they want his brother anyway? Granny Pinako and Sensei both say that the military aren't anything good. He has to save his brother from them. But how?

Al was openly sobbing by the time the boat was just a small speck on the lake. He was all alone, his brother had been taken by the military, and there was nothing he could do about it. All day, he sat on the beach, his tears slowing to a trickle, his sobs becoming hiccups and then sniffles, red eyes becoming crusty as they dried and dirt smears on his cheeks.

There was a cut on his arm he got when he was running through the brush that became prominent to his senses. It was nothing more than a faint sting, so slight he really shouldn't have felt it at all. But there, sitting on the beach, the sun getting lower and lower, it was all Al could focus on. He glared at the little red line, as if it were to blame for those people taking his brother. When he realized he could no longer feel any sting, he rubbed at the cut stubbornly, pinching it with his nail until a little drop of blood appeared. It sat there, red and bright and glimmering, until eventually gravity took its effect and slowly, ever so slowly, it began to roll down his arm, coming to a stop at his elbow and staying there until Al wiped it away. He brushed away a tear from his cheek next, leaving a faint smear of red, but he didn't care.

When night fell, it was the fierce shivers that eventually drove Al to return to their little campsite. He built up the fire and huddled next to it, missing his brother's comforting presence. When he lied down and tried to sleep, all he could think was that there was absolutely no one beside him, snoring softly, mouth open and his shirt probably pushed up. It was the first time in his life he'd ever had to sleep without Ed.

Al wasn't sure if he ever actually fell asleep or not, but he did not rise until his stomach was screaming at him to do so. They still had some nuts they had collected the day before, which he ate half-heartedly. Wearily, he grabbed the knife and approached the tree where they had marked their days. After making another notch, he very slowly counted the days, counting each line individually rather than going by fives. Twenty-seven. Yesterday was twenty-seven. So, today included, he had three more days. And then Sensei would come. And then maybe she could rescue Ed. Al hoped she wouldn't be mad that he didn't complete her test. It wasn't his fault. The mean military people did it.

The thought that Sensei would fix everything cheered Al a bit. Of course, he wasn't sure if she would, but if anyone could do it, it was her. He hoped Ed was alright, wherever he was. He didn't think the military would mistreat him, but then again, he had no idea why they took him in the first place. Al spent a lot of time thinking about that, but still came up with nothing.

He went fishing, because it was the only way he could get food and still let his mind wander. A part of Al wanted to go running through the trees, chasing down a rabbit to at least take his mind off his brother. But at the same time, he just wanted to sit and mope and hope that Ed would magically return, a grin on his face and an amused twinkle in his eye. "What, you didn't think I was gone for good, eh?" But that wasn't going to happen and Al knew it, so he went about the day, trying to make it pass as fast as possible, but it was probably one of the longest days of his life.

The next one was no better. Long and dull and alternating between Al trying to keep his mind off Ed and sitting on the beach and staring out at the waves, a million thoughts racing through his head. Silently, he sent out a wish of well-being for his brother, wherever he was, whatever he might be doing, and prayed for him to return, whole and unharmed and a story or two to tell.

Finally-it felt like forever-the third day rolled around. Al waited by himself on the beach, relief spreading through him when he spotted the little boat on the water, waiting anxiously as it slowly approached. The moment Sensei's feet were on the sand Al was running toward her, tears coming once more to his eyes. He threw himself at her and she caught him with surprise, her mask of angry indifference melting away to worry.

"Al? Al, what's wrong? Where's Ed? Al?" She pulled him away so that she could kneel down to his level, her hands on his shoulders as he managed to quiet himself to whimpers.

"There were these people," he hiccuped, rubbing away the tears from one eye. "They were wearing military clothes, and I don't know who they were or what, but the man had Ed and put him in the boat, and then they went away." He sniffed as his bottom lip trembled, threatening more tears.

Sensei's eyes widened. "How long ago?" she asked, harsh, but Al knew it was because she was just as worried as he was.

"Th-three days," he replied wiping the snot that was running from his nose and holding back another sob.

Sensei nodded, a look of purpose in her eyes. "Alright Al," she told him gently. She glanced up at her husband, who nodded, and she stood. "Come on. I'll find Ed. Don't worry." She helped him into the boat and pushed them off, holding him close as he let the tears from the past two days fall. "Don't worry," she repeated, stroking his hair. "I'll find him."

A day and a half later, a very angry, thoroughly upset Izumi Curtis barged into the office of one Colonel Roy Mustang, the man who, according to his file, was in Dublith just a few days ago, and apparently left with a certain someone in his care.