RECURRING NIGHTMARE

It had been a recurring theme for him.

Those he got close to were always hurt…some of them, in the worst cases, had died for him.

What kind of brother am I?

What kind of son am I?

What kind of friend am I?

The first had been his brother, Alphonse. Losing his brother's body to the Gate, his original sin-committing the taboo of human transmutation to bring back their mother…

Then, there had been Nina Tucker… The child's voice still echoed in his mind years later as she asked him why it hurt. A sister, she had been; and not only had she been tortured and fused with her pet, but Scar had blown her apart.

Later, it was Maes Hughes, the light-hearted joker of Mustang's command, the father Edward and his brother had never had. The man had died, trying to keep the two boys safe from the homunculi. He kept the information that he knew away from them to protect them and Envy killed him for it.

Then, there was Roy Mustang. The man had assumed the position of surrogate father since Maes was no longer around. He lost his eye and almost died trying to kill the secrets that the boys had uncovered. Edward hadn't even been there to help…

After years of not seeing his real father, Edward finally caught up with him. Yet, the man only left again, this time for good, trying to send his son back home.

And oh, dear Alfons… Alfons had been such a good friend to him, but in the end, Edward had hurt him. The young man died, sending Edward back home and allowing Alphonse Elric to stay in the world so different from his original…

Will it ever be over? This torturous, reoccurring nightmare that threatened to destroy his life…

Will it ever be over? You darling, darling boy, you… What could you have possibly done to deserve such a fate…