/AN

Happy Christmas all! Here's the next chapter.

NOTE: I DON'T OWN FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST! No matter how much I wished I did.

AN/

Fullmetal found himself standing in front of the Gate, The Truth smiling like him like it always did.

So, how are you liking your new life? The Truth asked Fullmetal.

Fullmetal stated, "Why am I here? Haven't you done enough?"

Now, is that any way to treat me? The Truth retorted. I just thought we'd have a little chat. You found out about the world you ended up in, but you are curious about how that transmutation circle sent you there, and why the rebellion had you activate it in the first place.

Fullmetal had to admit, he was curious about the transmutation. The Truth went on without waiting for his answer. So, in return for telling you about what happened, sacrifice someone. Anyone. I don't care who it is.

Fullmetal stared at The Truth, aghast. He did want to find out about what happened, but he wasn't willing to risk someone else from either Amestris to get the answers to his questions.

It'll just be a little pain, The Truth continued. Nothing to worry about. Why don't you have your double go through the pain you had to go through?

"Because, he's been through just as much!" Fullmetal shouted without thinking. His hands were shaking, more out of anger than fear. "If you really want to put someone through the torture, then why don't you just put me through it?"

The Truth laughed, but said, As you say. The Gate opened up and again, the Fullmetal Alchemist found himself being pulled through it. The pain he experienced went on for what felt like ages, and was very similar to what he went through after the failed human transmutation that landed him with the body he had.

After what seemed to be a century, Fullmetal finally found himself standing back in front of the Gate, covered in numerous cuts and bruises from the pain he experienced.

Now, where should I start? The Truth asked Fullmetal.

"From the beginning, like why the rebellion had me activate that transmutation circle in the first place?" Fullmetal stated, gripping a stitch in his side. He was grimacing from the pain, but didn't let it overcome him.

I thought that would be obvious, The Truth said. It grinned at him and explained, The rebellion didn't want to deal with an alchemist that could get his state certification at the age of twelve.

"So that's it then? They simply did it to save their own sorry hides?" Fullmetal retorted.

The Truth laughed. No. It's so much more than that. They did that to protect you. The people's alchemist. They didn't want to harm the one alchemist that hadn't sold his soul to Amestrian military. They did what they did to get you out of their line of fire.

Fullmetal was glaring at The Truth by this point, trying to decide if he believed The Truth or not. "Ok, so how did they manage to make a transmutation circle that could send me to a different universe?"

Extensive research, The Truth clarified simply. A lot of it came from notes made by one Nicholas Flamel. You know of him, of course.

Fullmetal smirked. "How could I not?"

A voice drifted over both of them. "Hey, you up yet? Geez, you sleep more than you can handle," the voice stated. Fullmetal realized it was his alter self, but before he could say anything, The Truth laughed and Fullmetal found himself waking up in his bed.

"I'm up," he grumbled.

Edward nodded. "Sorry to wake you up like that. I've got breakfast ready for you. It's on the table." Edward turned and left.

Fullmetal sighed, thinking about the information that The Truth gave him. If it was true that the rebellion got the transmutation circle from Nicholas Flamel, then there might be a way to use his notes to get back.

But why would you want to go back…? A voice snaked through his head.

Fullmetal growled, Shut up! Alphonse and Winry and Granny Pinako and everyone else are there.

He got up and dressed, leaving the spare room and heading for the kitchen. There was a plate of bacon and eggs sitting on the table, steaming hot and waiting to be eaten.

Edward was standing at the stove, making some more eggs and cooking more bacon. He looked up when Fullmetal walked in. "Listen, I need to head to the debriefing about the East before I head out on my next infiltration," Edward explained. "While I'm gone, I need a few things for dinner." He nodded to a piece of paper on the table. "Would you mind picking them up? You can get everything in the market down the street. Mention that you're doing it for me while you're paying. Everyone there knows me and gives me discounts on what I need."

"Yea, sure," Fullmetal stated. He picked up the list and looked at it. There was the usual flour, carrots, and chicken, but Fullmetal had to wonder what some of these other things were for, like avocados. He didn't point it out, though, and instead sat down at the table.

"Oh, and while you're at the dairy picking up cheese, please tell them that I don't need milk," Edward grimaced.

Fullmetal nodded. "Thanks for warning me about that."

"You don't like milk either?"

"How could I like something like that?"

Edward laughed, saying, "Yea, you're me all right."

Fullmetal couldn't help it, he laughed also. "Well, looks like we do share some personal preferences," Fullmetal stated, starting to eat through the bacon and eggs. Edward sat down a few minutes later with another plate of eggs and bacon. They ate in silence and once they were both done, they left.

"Oh, almost forgot," Edward stated as they were heading out the door. He pulled out some money and gave it to Fullmetal. "For the groceries."

Fullmetal nodded, taking the wad of money. "Thanks."

"And don't forget you're Matt Simmers outside The General's office and here," Edward reminded Fullmetal.

Fullmetal sighed. "Yea, I know. Remind Envy to think about coming up with better names. I mean, seriously."

Edward laughed. "Like I said, you get used to Envy." They left the house and walked a little bit together.

The moment they departed, Fullmetal into a store and Edward for HQ, Fullmetal felt like he was being watched. His first stop was the produce shop, where he grabbed what he needed and paid. He quickly got use to the hustle around the market and even made some friends with the local shop owners.

At the dairy, he explained that he was doing this as a favor to his other world self (reminding himself just in time to call him Edward), and was told that he should take some milk home and made the poor kid drink it.

"Edward reminded me to tell you guys he doesn't need it," Fullmetal stated as he paid for the provolone. What Edward needed all these items for, he didn't know. He left the dairy and started heading back to the house, with that same feeling of someone watching him. He turned back many times, but didn't see anyone following him.

He was almost to the end of the road when a couple of kids squealed ran up to him. "A cat!" They cried, trying to catch the cat that strayed towards Fullmetal.

The mother of the apparent kids showed up, scolding them about running off like that. "I'm sorry," she told him. "Is that your cat?"

"Mew?" the cat looked up at him, pitiful. Now that Fullmetal knew the cat was there, he realized that's what had been watching him while he was in the market. The cat was gray – a similar gray to Alphonse's armor – with black stripes running along it's back. There was a scar on its left shoulder, leaving the place barren and red.

Brother, why can't we keep him? Alphonse's voice shouted in his head. Fullmetal could remember having that argument so many times.

"Yea, he's mine," Fullmetal finally stated, making up his mind.

"Can we pet him?" the little girl asked.

Fullmetal smiled. "As long as you're careful." He nudged the cat towards them, and, after a moment's hesitation, the cat purred and started licking the little girl. All of them laughed and started petting him, making sure to be careful.

It took a while for them to leave, but once they did, Fullmetal found the cat followed him even after he left the market. He got back to the house and realized he didn't have anyway inside. He looked at the list; double-checking to make sure he got everything, and found that Edward had written Look underneath the flowerpot underneath everything. He looked around, finding a flowerpot, and found a key underneath that.

Fullmetal managed in opening the door, putting the key back under the flowerpot, and getting the groceries into the kitchen. Once he put them away, he found that the cat had followed him in.

"You know," he told the cat, looking at it again. "You remind me a lot of my brother…"

The cat purred, rubbing against his hand. The cat wasn't very big, but it wasn't a runt either. It was more like a teen cat – not quite kitten, but not quite cat.

A few hours later, Fullmetal heard Edward come in. "I can see you found the key," Edward stated, walking in. Then his eyes fell on the cat Fullmetal had.

"Where'd you find him?" Edward asked, not sounding real concerned.

Fullmetal explained, "He was watching me the whole time I was at the market. Wouldn't leave me alone. You don't mind keeping him here, do you?"

Edward smirked, but it wasn't unkind. "Guess not. You have a name for him yet?"

"Alphonse," Fullmetal replied. This made both of them fall silent. Edward looked slowly from the cat to his alter self and back. He didn't say anything about it, though.

He pulled out a bowl and got some water and placed it near Alphonse the cat. Alphonse started drinking, mewing in delight when he had his share.

"What made you convinced to keep him?" Edward asked.

Fullmetal smiled. "Alphonse would always find stray cats. He would hate abandoning them. I guess part of him rubbed off on me, in a way."

"What do you mean?"

"I always told him that we couldn't keep the cats he found because we traveled too much…now I have to wonder if we would have one if we didn't travel so much."

They fell silent again, Fullmetal occupied with his thoughts. Edward brought him back again, asking, "Why'd you think of naming him Alphonse?"

"His fur, right down to the mark on his shoulder," Fullmetal explained. "It reminds me of what Alphonse is trapped in."

Edward didn't push it, seeing that the topic was sensitive. They stayed silent throughout dinner, and Alphonse followed Fullmetal right into the bedroom, where he fell asleep with a purring cat by his side.

Alphonse…Winry…

/AN

So, who likes the kitty Alphonse? I know I do!

R&R Please!

AN/