The Blade Alchemist: Father Returns

Telling The Kids

Jess POV

I managed to fall asleep, but only for a few minuets. I woke right back up and just layed there. I turned around and grabbed my husband in a hug. But something was wrong. I looked at him and saw that he was very pale. I quickly sat up and tried to wake him. "Honey!? Wake up! Wake up, Drake!" I quietly yelled. I pressed my ear to his chest and heard him still breathing and his heart still beating. But he was pale and his body was cold. I started crying, and then I remembered something. This had happened before. The day he got his sense of touch back, he said that 'Truth' was going to pull him to the gate. When that happened, his body just fell limp and went cold, just like now.

'Truth' must have taken him again...but why?" I then heard knocking on the bedroom door. "Mom? Are you okay? I heard you yelling and crying." I wiped my tears away and walked to the door. I opened it and found Justin and Sarah standing there. "I'm fine sweety. Your dad just had a bad dream. And he's not feeling well right now. We just need to let him sleep. Go ahead and get dressed. I'll start breakfast in a minuet." Sarah shook her head. "No. We can get it mom. You can stay with dad. Would you like us to bring something for him?" I smiled and a tear came to my eye. "Thank you sweety. But he'll be okay. It's just a cold is all."

"Okay mom. Love you." I nodded. "Love you guys too. I'll be down in a minuet." I closed the door and turned back to my husband. "Please...come back soon honey." It was at that moment, that he bolted up and gripped his chest. I ran to him and rubbed his back. "It's okay honey. Just breathe. Take it easy, you're safe." He turned to me and started to calm down. After a minuet, his breathing was normal again. "I hate that freak." he finally spoke and I chuckled. "Me too hon." We sat there for a minuet, then he looked to the door. "Sounds like the kids are awake. When do you think we should tell them?" I sighed and thought about it for a minuet.

"Do you think we should today hon?" I asked and he lowered his head. "I….think we should. You?" I thought about it, then nodded. "Yes, we should. If they're going with us, they need to be prepared for it." He nodded and we both got up and changed. We then walked downstairs and into the kitchen to see all three of them at the table. "Kids. We all need to talk." Drake started and they looked at him. We walked over and sat down in front of them. "There is something you all need to know. And I want you all to keep silent and just listen. Understand?" They all nodded and we both sighed.

"You know about your mom and where she came from, but we have never told you about me." He looked up at them. "I am not from this world." They all looked at each other confused, then back to us. "What do you mean dad?" Liz asked and I sighed. "Your dad is not from this world guys. We are, but he is not. He is from another world, and was brought here, to this world." I explained. Now they were really confused. "We still don't understand mom. What do you mean 'a different world?" Sarah asked. Drake scratched his head and sighed. "I really can't explain it that well." He then held up his hands and bounced his left up and down.

"This is 'this' world. Creta, Drachma, Amestris, Xing, all of it. All of it is in 'this' world." He then waved his right hand. "And this is the world I came from. I can't tell you anything about it cause….I don't remember it." I lowered my head at that. "Dad..." We both turned to Justin. "I think I understand a little. But...if you're from that world...why don't you remember it?" Drake let out a long sigh. "Because my memories were taken from me." They looked at him with worried, but confused faces. "Taken? How can your memories be taken?" Sarah asked and Drake shook his head. "I can't go into detail. But between the two worlds is a portal, or..'gate'. There is a being that lives there. And...I guess you could call him 'God'. He is the one who took them. I can't explain anymore than that."

They were still confused, but I saw tears come to their eyes. "Why….did he take them dad? Why would he take your memories?" Justin asked. "I can't explain right now son. I will someday, but not now." Liz glared at him. "Why didn't you tell us before dad? And why tell us now? What made you decide to tell us now?" I glared at her. "Liz! That is your father!" Drake stopped me with his hand on my shoulder. He then sighed again. "I wanted to tell you guys, I really did. But it would have made no difference either way. And the reason I'm telling you this is….because I have to go back." They all gasped.

"Your….your leaving us!?" Sarah asked in tears and we shook our heads. "No sweety. I'm going too..." I lowered my head and sighed. "...And so are you three." They looked at each other, then back to us. "You mean….we're going to the other world?" Justin asked and we nodded. "Yes. I can't tell you much, but a great evil has gotten loose and is now in my old world. Me and your mother have to go and stop it. But you'll be coming as well, and staying with your grandmother, my mother." They all gasped again. "But...you said your mom died years ago dad! Way before we were born!" Liz demanded and Drake shook his head.

"No Liz. As far as I know, she is still alive. And while me and your mother are dealing with this evil, you will be staying with her." Liz lowered her head and nodded. "Yes, dad." she said in a sad voice then left the table. She walked upstairs and we heard her door open and shut. I turned to Drake and he was in tears. "Just give her time hon. It was a lot to take in, and she just needs time." I stated. "Dad.." We both turned to Sarah. "Thank you for telling us. I'll go talk to Liz." She got up and walked up to her sisters room. "And what about you Justin?" Drake asked and he shook his head. "It's a lot dad. You always say I'm the calm one, but this was a lot, even for me. I...I think I need time as well." We nodded and he walked up to his room.

Drake then leaned forward and placed his head on the table and I rubbed his back. "Honey? Are you okay?" He sniffed and a tear fell from his face. "They're mad at me hon. And they have the right to be. I hid everything from them, and it was wrong." I layed my head on his back and sighed. "You are right, but you are also wrong, hon. You should have told them at least some things about your past. But it was also something that could also have hurt them. You were just trying to do the right thing." He sighed. "Why does the right things always have to be the ones that hurt?" I sighed as well. "I don't know hon. I really don't."

Drake POV

The kids spent the whole day in their rooms and never said a word. That night at dinner, Liz finally spoke. "Dad...I am mad at you for hiding all those things from us. But….I also know you were trying to keep us from worrying. So...I can't stay mad at you. Just please don't hide anything from us again. Please?" I lowered my head and sighed. "I'm sorry guys. I should have told you. Unless it's something that you should not hear because of your safety, I won't hide anything else. Promise." They all nodded and we continued eating, until a pea hit my cheek. I turned to see Liz with her fork, aiming another. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Payback dad." she stated and flung another pea. "Okay, you payed me back. Now stop that." She smirked and readied another. "Liz, I'm warning you." She flung another and I glared at her. "This is your last warning, Elizebeth Ganters." She grinned and flung yet another. I grinned. "Fine." I grabbed my glass of tea and splashed it all over her. She then stood up and yelled. "Your dead, dad!" She grabbed a handful of peas and threw them at me over and over. I then took a piece of ice from my tea and stuck it down her shirt. "AH! COLD! COLD!" She danced around and tried to get the ice out of her shirt. "I warned you." I stated.

"Fine! You win! Just get it out!" I chuckled and grabbed the ice from her shirt. "I hate you dad!" she yelled with balled fists. "Maybe. But you do love me, don't you." She yelled again and slapped my arm. "Yes." Jess and the others were basically on the floor laughing. Me and Liz picked up our expended ammo, threw it away, then got more food. "Love you dad." Liz stated and I kissed her head. "Love you too Liz." We enjoyed the rest of our dinner in peace. After cleaning up dinner, I walked out to the porch, lit a cigaret, and enjoyed the night breeze. "May I join you hon?" I turned around to see Jess walking out the door.

"Of course wolf. Why not?" She lightly slapped my back and stood next to me. "It's a nice night hon." I drew from my cigaret and exhaled. "Yes. Yes it is. Roy, Riza and Armstrong should be here sometime tomorrow." She sighed and turned to me. "Do you think they will go too?" I shrugged my shoulders. "No telling hon. I really hope they do. We need their help." She nodded and smiled. "Dad.." We turned to see Liz standing in the doorway. "What is it Liz?" She sighed and lowered her head. "Why...why are you taking us? I thought that something like this would cause you to want us to stay back. But you are taking us, why?"

I sighed and knelt down next to her. "To tell you the truth. I want to leave you guys here. I have no idea what it will be like over there. And I know you guys can take care of yourselves." I sighed again and thought for a minuet. "What do you want to do Liz? Stay, or go?" She looked at me shocked. "You're asking me what I want?" I nodded. "Yes. You and your siblings are thirteen, almost fourteen. You can make this decision on your own. So what do 'you' want to do?" She lowered her head and thought it over. Neither of us said a word for a few minuets. "I want to go." I sighed and lifted her chin. "Are you absolutely sure that's what you want Liz?" Tears came to her eyes and she nodded.

"Yes, dad. I want to go." She then grabbed me in a hug and we both sat there. "We want to go too dad." I looked and saw Justin and Sarah standing just inside the door. I gestured them to me and we all held each other in a group hug. "Then we'll all go, as a family." We all sat there on the porch into the late hours of the night. We later sent the kids to bed while me and my wife stared into the sky, looking at the stars. After a minuet, she kissed my cheek and walked inside. I stood there and continued with my thoughts. That's five. Just five more, and we're ready to fight you, 'Father'!