Fandom: FMA
Title: A Second Chance

Pairings: Elricest, OC/Al

Rating: NC 17
Warnings: Incest, angst, violence, yaoi, lemon

Author's Notes: AU, OC

Word Count: 21, 554
Status: Incomplete

Disclaimer: Not mine, too bad. Not mine, so sad.

Summary: When Al smiled the same smile he used to give him, when he reached out to Sam the way he used to reach out to him, when his lips met the other man's, Ed felt a shock of jealousy that gave way to nausea.

A Second Chance

Chapter 3

Before returning to Al's workplace, Ed took precautions. He'd carefully made his flashy way out of town, then ditched his coat, bought some nondescript clothes, tucked his bright hair under a cap and donned a pair of sunglasses. Looking at his reflection in a store window, he nodded. No one would recognize him now. Oh, Al might, if they ran into each other. But the rumors would say the Fullmetal Alchemist had left town.

He carefully stayed away while Sam was there. He didn't want to see any more kisses, hear any more declarations of love, hear anymore about his own stupidity. He knew he should leave. Let Al be. He was happy. He'd found someone to love that wasn't ashamed of him or what they had. He should go. Mustang was right. But he couldn't. When Sam finally left to return to his own job, Ed breathed a sigh of relief, and went back to watching his brother through the window of the shop.

Al didn't wear a uniform, because he didn't need one. He didn't get his hands dirty. When someone came in with a broken tool or appliance or anything, his brother clapped his hands and used alchemy to fix it. He kept all sorts of materials on hand for this, in case the owners had lost parts. The store stayed busy all afternoon long, and the cash register rang almost constantly. When the shop closed for the day, the owner praised Al, thanked him for the increase of business. Yes, Al had found himself a niche, one he filled all by himself. He was Alphonse Elric, repairman, citizen, and friend. Not the Fullmetal Alchemist's little brother. Occasionally, the patrons mentioned that the famous Alchemist had come to town. But Al simply smiled demurely and said 'no relation'. The Elric name was unusual enough for people to make the connection. And Al did resemble him. One sweet old lady laid her gnarled hand on his, smiling up at him with rheumy eyes and say it was a fine thing that he wanted to prove himself on his own merit, but the resemblance as well as the unusual surname was a dead giveaway. Al simply sighed sadly when she left.

After the owner departed, Al closed shop. He dropped the metal bars across the plate glass windows, but didn't lock or barricade the door. He was waiting for his lover. And while he waited, he cleaned the shop. He was in the back, when another young man approached, so stealthily, that Ed was alerted. This one was a blond, almost as bright as Ed's hair. But his eyes were green, and he was quite attractive. Not as beautiful as Al, of course, not even as good looking as Sam, but attractive. When the unknown man slipped into the shop and followed Al into the back, Ed scowled. Something was amiss.

"Hello, darling."

Al looked up in dismay. "Nick, what the hell are you doing here?" He set aside his broom and moved towards the young man. "You should not have come here."

"How could I not? You won't answer my calls, my letters. Why??"

"Nick," Al said with gentle patience. "I told you from the beginning, I'm not interested. I'm sorry. But I never led you on. Never made any promises. Hell, we never even went on a date. I left my job because you wouldn't leave me alone. Why are you bothering me?"

"Because I love you!" Nick cried, eyes filling with tears. "Why wont you love me back?"

"You don't love me. You just tried to hook up with me because I'm the Fullmetal Alchemist's brother. Please. He's all you ever talked about. And I told you, we're not brothers anymore. Being with me will NOT bring you to his attention. Quite the opposite. It will only earn you his scorn. I've told you a hundred times how he feels about me. Why can't you get that through your head?"

"Look, Al," there was a desperation to Nick now. "Maybe that was true when I met you. But now I know you. And I fell in love with YOU. I don't care about Edward Elric anymore. The man's a fool for not wanting to be your brother."

"YOU don't know what you're talking about. And Fullmetal may not want to be my brother anymore. But he's still mine, and I'm proud of him. Keep a damn civil tongue in your head when you talk about him. You know nothing of what happened between him and I."

"It doesn't matter. Look, Al. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I lied to you. But I was desperate. I thought he could help me. But I realized when I finally got to know you, I didn't need help. I love you. Let me make it up to you. I'm ten times the man Sam will ever be. I can show you real pleasure." He reached out for Al.

Al danced back, his eyes hardening. "You're barking up the wrong tree, Nick. I love Sam. I don't love you. Get that through your head. And yeah, the Fullmetal would not have helped you, but you do need help. Serious help. I've been as patient with you as I can be. Leave. Leave now. Stop pestering Sam."

"Fullmetal's in town, Al," Nick said slyly. "If I tell him your fucking a man, he'll be livid."

Al sighed. "Nick… I've told you. Fullmetal doesn't give a shit about me. If you go to him and talk about me, all you'll do is piss him off. That's something you don't want to do. And Fullmetal wouldn't give a shit if you told him I was fucking men, women, children, sheep and small woodland creatures. He. Just. Doesn't. Care. About. Me." Al punctuated every word as if Nick were retarded. "Now get the fuck out. I'm sick of your shit. I'm sick of you bothering Sam. I suggest you stop. I'm not a very pleasant person either when I'm pissed. And I'm now way past that stage with you. Get out while you can."

"Oh, Al, my love," Nick just shook his head as if Al was a beloved but naughty child. "I was afraid you would feel that way. You really leave me no choice. I love you. I want you. But if I can't have you… I sure as hell wont let Sam have you. If I can't have you… no one can." A gun appeared in his hands.

Al stood his ground fearlessly. "It'll take more than that to scare me, Nick. But you can't say I didn't warn you. You're pathetic."

Nick gave a cry of rage and opened fire. Al nimbly flipped to the side, but Nick kept tracking him. One of the bullets nicked his shoulder. There was a spurt of red, and Al gave a sharp cry, but kept rotating away from him.

"FUCKING BASTARD. I'll KILL you for this! You wanted the Fullmetal Alchemist? Well, you've fucking got him!"

Al stopped rotating in surprise as Ed came out of the doorway of the front like an avenging angel, arm blade extended. His hat had flown off and he'd discarded his sunglasses. He wanted the little fuck to know who was about to kill him.

"Niisan! What…." He realized his brother was about to kill Nick. "No, Ed, no!" A quick dart and he caught Ed's arm as it was falling, managing to deflect the deadly blow. The blade dug into the wood of a crate. Spinning gracefully on his toes, Al confronted Nick, who was staring at Ed as if seeing a ghost, gun lowered. Al drew back a fist and slammed it into Nick's face. The man whimpered softly and felt to the ground in a heap.

"What the hell did you do that for, Al?" Ed ground out, yanking the blade free and retracting it. "He was trying to kill you. He shot you!"

"I'm fine Ed. It's… a flesh wound." Al gave a wry smile to be the one saying that instead of his brother. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving your ass, that's what!" Ed would never forget the fright he felt seeing the blood spurt from Al's shoulder. "God, you're bleeding. Here…" He reached for his brother.

Al danced away, eyes remote. "I'm fine. Thank you. Why are you here?"

Ed dropped his hands, heart twisting at Al's evasion. "I came looking for you."

Al looked stunned. "Why would you do that?"

"What the HELL is going on here?"

Both men turned to see Sam in the doorway, looking at Ed and Nick with an ashen face. Then he saw the blood on Al's shoulder. " Al… you're hurt!" Ignoring Ed, he sprang past the alchemist and reached for Al, who went into his arms willingly.

"It's just a glancing blow, Sam. I'm fine. I didn't move as quickly as I should have." Al said gently, taking his lover's hands.

"Glancing blow, my ass! You're bleeding like a stuck pig." He ripped Al's sleeve right off, and blood was running in rivulets down his arm. "Fuck. Al… you need to see a doctor." Sam's face was even paler.

"Shhh…" Al gently laid a finger on Sam's lips. "I'll be fine. Just get me the first aid kit. Okay?"

"Al…" Sam sighed and went back out front, leaving Ed alone with Al reluctantly.

Ed stood there, vibrating with pain, and rage. Oh, yes, he really did hate Sam. Al would let that man touch him and not him. But he said nothing, just relaxed his fists. "What can I do?" He half expected to hear Al tell him to just go away.

"Go out and lock the front door for me, will you? I have to figure out what to do." Al wasn't looking at him.

Ed did so gratefully, passing Sam on the way back in, the latter shooting him a poisonous look as they passed.

Sam set the kit down and quickly rummaged through it. "Al… are you really alright? God, you… him… Nick… FUCK. I hate him!" And none of them knew exactly who it was that Sam was speaking of just then. He quickly daubed the blood from his lover's arm, and slapped a pad on it, then bandaged it carefully, his eyes suspiciously bright.

"Sam, baby. Come here," Al said softly when he was done. He pulled Sam into his arms, holding him tightly. "I love you." And he kissed him, slowly, tenderly. Sam leaned into the kiss gripping Al tightly.

"Why is HE here?" Sam hissed when Al finally released his lips.

"I don't know. Nick was… shooting at me. And he was just suddenly there. I had to keep him from killing him. What the hell are we going to do?"

"SHOOTING AT YOU???" Sam shrieked. "I TOLD you he was bad news. I KNEW I should have killed him when I had the chance. But no, I let you talk me out of it. You are too nice, Al. Some people are better dead, and Nick is one of them. Why didn't you let Fullmetal kill him? He'd have actually done something useful for a change."

"Sam…" Al said warningly.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I know you still love him and can hear nothing bad about him. But I can't help how I feel. I Love you. I told he would come for you. I told you."

Al sighed, running his fingers though his hair. "It's not like that, honey. I don't know why Ed is here, but I can assure you its not to steal me away from you. Anything but that. I disgust him like that. You have nothing to worry about. Okay?" And Al kissed him again, even more deeply than before. When they finally broke apart, both were breathing unevenly.

"So now what?" Sam asked quietly.

"I have no idea. I guess I need to talk to him and find out what he wants."

Just then, Ed came back in, and managed to keep from scowling to see Sam in Al's arms. He walked up to Nick and squatted down. "He's starting to come around. Want me to kill him?" Ed really didn't like killing people, but he was always willing to make an exception when Al was involved.

"For gods sake, Ed. No. I do not. I just have to think."

"For gods sake, Al." Sam mimicked. "Let him. Hell, let me. You know he will just keep after you if you don't."

"I don't want ANYONE killed on my account. Do you understand? Both of you? There's been enough dying for me. I refuse to let it happen again. Have I made myself clear?"

This new forcefulness in Al was more than attractive, Ed thought. He liked it. Obviously, so did Sam, even if he disagreed on why Al was forceful. For a moment, Ed and Sam's eyes met, and for just one instant, they were in agreement. Nick really needed to die.

Then Nick began to moan. Ed curled his automail hand and slammed it into the hapless man's face again. There was an unpleasant crunching sound, and Nick was quiet again.

"ED!" Al bellowed.

"What?" Ed gave him an innocent look. "I obeyed you. He's still alive. I didn't kill him." Yet.

Al sighed. "Sam. Would you get the constable on the phone? I need to put him in jail, if only to keep him safe from you two blood thirsty people."