She whimpered when she saw the blood leaking through the bandages. "Make it go away . . . please. . ." "What's your problem?!" Edward stood there looking at her with an extremely annoyed look. "It's scary. . ." "What is?" She sniffed and more blood oozed through the bandage, "Blood. . ." Ed re-bandaged her, she smiled.
Ed was pissed off; he didn't know how to take care of kids. Now there was this nine-year-old kid sitting on Alfonse's kitchen counter swinging her legs and singing, terribly. He paced back and forth. "When are they coming back for you?" The girl sighed and hopped off the counter, "I've told you a thousand times, when our honor is restored." Ed sighed, 'How long might that be?"
Bai thought about it for a few seconds, "Well, when my brother Yue ran into a Gypsy woman and knocked her over, Papa left him with her for a year. . ." "Wow, you guys have one screwed up culture." "Well, it's not really our culture; it's the way our family is."
" . . .It's the way my family is . . . what about yours and Alphonse's I heard you met your dad a while back. . ." Ed shook off the weird feeling of Déjà Vu. "How many brothers and sisters do you have?" "Well Papa had quite a few mistresses, so I think twenty-six or twenty-seven." "Twenty-seven. . ." "Mama only had Zi and Qiu Yue; she's not really my mother. . . She just pretends 'cause she thinks I'm too young to know." The girl smiled innocently up at him ,her dark brown eyes were not participating in the smile.
There was a crash in the living room. Bai snapped out of her fake smile and ran towards the room; Edward couldn't pull her back in time. In the living room Alfonse had knocked over the coat rack into a vase and the vase had fallen. Bai stood there stifling a laugh. "Alfonse, are you alright?" Edward asked leaning over to poke Alfonse who was face down on the carpet. "Mmmph mmph" "Mr. Edward do you think he's dead?" Edward rolled Alfonse over, to see his face flushed, "Edward I got accepted to be one of the scientist's aides in a project." He grinned his flushed face reddening, "I start tomorrow." Edward felt Alfonse's head , "You have a fever, stupid." "I know, but I got the job." Edward picked up the 14-year-old boy who was nearly limp. His head rolled over to face Bai "Who's the girl?" "Long story I'll tell you tomorrow. . ."
Hours later, Bai was sitting in one of the living room chairs with one of Edward's shirts as a nightie. Edward was in the other chair reading a book about chemistry. Bai was staring at Edward making him feel uncomfortable, "Excuse me, do you mind not staring?" "I'm bored. . ." Edward sighed and put down the book, "Then go to bed. . ." "I can't not until you tell me a story." Ed rolled his eyes and the girl ran ahead of him to her make-shift bed made of sofa cushions and an extra blanket.
He sat down cross-legged with an annoyed look plastered on his face. "What kind of story do you want to hear?" "The good kind . . . obviously" He sighed, "Aren't you a bit old for bed-time stories?" She shook her head vigorously, "Never in a million years. . ." He took a breath and started
Alright, now sit the hell down Bai, This starts off in an alternate universe . . . An alternate universe is a place not quite like the ones you know. . . . .
The girl was asleep before Ed finished telling her about how he and Alphonse made Winry a doll using Alchemy. He realized that this girl was this world's Alex, maybe now that he had found this world's Alex he would find this world's Winry. He got up and stretched out his legs, he walked to Alfonse's room and checked on his temperature before collapsing on his bed next to the boxes with his prosthetic limbs.
The Next Morning
"Mr. Edward!! Come quick!" Edward's eyes opened and he jumped out of bed and ran, he saw Alfonse fighting Bai to get out of bed, "I need to go to work!" "No you're too sick!" Edward let out a deep breath, "What's going on here?" "Mr. Edward He's too sick to go anywhere! His fever is one hundred and two degrees!" "I can still go to work it's very important that I do!" The girl sat on top of him pushing him down "No! Stay in bed!"
Alfonse threw the girl off him, she hit the bed post as she fell getting cut just below her eye. Alfonse stopped thrashing and looked at her lifting a hand to touch her face. She looked at her blood gushing out and started to bawl uncontrollably. "I-I'm sorry! Are you okay?!" Alfonse worriedly leaned over the bed and Edward jumped down to her level to take a look at the wound, "It just missed her eye. . . Alfonse apply pressure to her wound while I get a bandage!" Alphonse lifted the girl back onto the bed and clamped his hand over her eye. She didn't fight him but she was still sobbing. "I get it . . . you're afraid of the blood. . ."
Edward returned and bandaged the little girl. She stopped crying after the blood was washed away. "She's afraid of blood. . ." "Alfonse lay down I'll call your boss for you, you're too sick to go in today." Alfonse jumped out of bed, but was too lightheaded and fell back, "That's what I thought, get some rest."
"Bai, do you think you can run to Alfonse's work for me and tell his boss he's sick?" "Sure Mr. Edward!" She got up and ran out of the door.
Wow she's such a good kid; I don't know what her sister's problem with her was. . . . Oh Crap! I didn't tell her where he worked!"
Amestris
3rd Person POV
Alex was staring at the ceiling, coughing. Alphonse was sitting at her bedside, "Alex, I love you. . ." "I know Alphonse . . . I love you too, you're the little brother I never wanted, heh. Just kidding." Al sat there looking at his friend, "Alex I love you more than that." Alex stared at him awkwardly for a few minutes Alex was pretty average looking, one really had to look to find her redeeming qualities, but to Alphonse at that moment she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen., "Al, I'm three years older than you, It's wrong. . ." Alphonse shook his head, tears rolling down his cheek, "I know, but Alex I've always loved you."
"Alphonse, you heard the doctors, I only have a month or so to live, I'm too much older than you, and even if I did love you I'm too different. I'd hurt you Alphonse." Alphonse's brown eyes were driving her insane as they slowly filled up with tears. "Alphonse don't cry, seriously. I'm not joking . . ." The eleven-year-old boy wiped away his tears and tried his best to smile.
"Alphonse, are you going to be okay?" He nodded, "Alex I have a question, Why are you using my whole name? I've never heard you do that." "I don't know, just trying it out I guess." They sat there in silence for a long time, Alphonse was getting sadder but he stayed there by her side. She went to sleep after a long while.
"Goodnight, Alex. . ." He bent down and kissed her cheek.
Germany
Bai was walking circumspectly through the streets, she was lost. "Why didn't that dummy tell me where Mr. Alfonse works. . ." Her head was getting sore, Bai doubled over in pain in the middle of the crowded sidewalk. She started to cry. Then she heard a calm sweet sounding voice in her head
Hello? Is someone there?
I'm Here
Who Are you?
Bai. . . . Wait why are you in my head?!
I'm not in your head you're in my head. . . .
Who are you?
Alex. . . (A/N: I know how many people hate these interruptions but seriously how many of you were expecting that *watches as everyone raises their hands*) You sound really far away, where are you?
Germany
Where's that?
I'm not really sure.
The voice kept talking to her calmly, in her head.
Why were you crying, Bai?
I'm lost. . .
Look around you, what do you see?
I see . . . a shop . . . a policeman . . .
The girl continued to name off things she saw and Alex listened, this girl wasn't very old. She'd take a guess at about eight or nine. Maybe Bai was a hallucination brought on by her illness; she kept her company while Alphonse was off training.
Alex . . . Are you still there?
Yes, talk to the policeman maybe he can help you get home.
Policemen don't like Chinese immigrants
What's Chinese?
Were did you grow up, in a cave?
I grew up in Amestris, Me and my sister were the victims of an attack on our country, Xing.
Where's that?
Now who's grown up in a cave?
Amestris
"Alex!" Alex was shaken awake by Alphonse who was on the verge of tears, "Wha?" Alex sat up in her hospital bed, disoriented. "You weren't responding, you were just staring up at the ceiling." Alphonse buried his face in Alex's blanket, his tears seeping through the thin cloth, "Alphonse, c'mon! Boys aren't supposed to cry!" "I thought you were dying, I've been trying to get you to respond for half an hour. . . ." "So Bai was a hallucination . . ." "Bai?"
"Nothing. . ." Alphonse stood up, his eyes were puffy and red, "I miss Edward" Alex smiled empathetically at Alphonse. So that's what's been bothering him. . . . "I know you do. . . Me and Winry miss him too." Alphonse climbed into Alex's bed and lay down next to her, just like he used to when Edward kicked him out of his bed.
7 Years Ago
"Alphonse! Get out of the bed you're going to wet it again!" Ed pushed his younger brother out of the bed they shared. Alphonse's eye welled up and he shoved Ed and ran. He jumped out of the window, scratching himself on a nail. The seven year old boy ran to Winry's house and climbed through the window.
"Who's there?" A small scared voice called out from the back of the room. "It's me Alphonse . . ." "Oh. Ed kicked you out of bed again?" "Yeah, can I sleep in your bed again Alex?" The girl shifted to let him have some room.
The Elric Home
"Goodnight my Ed, Prince of Cool" Trisha Elric stoop in the dim light of the door way. Edward yawned, "Night Mom. . ." "Goodnight Alphonse, my little sweetheart. . ." Trisha waited for her son's usual response of, "Night mommy, I love you!" She got a little worried and walked to her son's bed. "Edward is Alphonse asleep?" Trisha Elric let out a loud scream when she realized Alphonse wasn't there.
The Rockbell Home
"PINAKO! ALPHONSE IS MISSING!" Pinako Rockbell was on the telephone talking to a hysterical Trish Elric "Calm down Trisha, how long ago did he disappear?" "I haven't seen him since dinner time! I thought he was out playing!" "Check outside and I'll call Melanie to check the mine. . . Don't panic I'm sure he's around somewhere."
Upstairs, Alphonse was unaware of his mother's frantic search. He was fast asleep in Alex's bed, breathing deeply. Pinako ran into the girl's room and flicked on the lights, "Girls, Alphonse has gone missing we have to go look for. . . . ." She saw the boy in Alex's bed and smiled. She went downstairs, and called Trisha back. "Trisha he's here in bed." A sigh of relief washed over Trisha Elric's face half a mile away. "Thank you, Pinako. I'll come to pick him up in a few minutes." "Don't worry about it Trisha, I'll send him home in the morning."
Present Day
Alphonse fell asleep clutching Alex close to him, Alex was breathing deeply, and mumbling in her sleep. Izumi walked in on the odd sleeping arrangement looking for Alphonse, who hadn't shown up to training. She stood there, unsmiling, at the children. She walked over to Alphonse shook him awake, and sternly glared at him. He let go of Alex slowly so she wouldn't wake up and walked away with his teacher.
"What were you doing with her?" Alphonse shook his head, "Nothing teacher we were talking and then I fell asleep. . ." Izumi glared at Al, "Why didn't you show up for training?" Alphonse took a deep breath, "I wasn't feeling well."Izumi looked at Alphonse up and down and slapped him, "You're coming to live with me if you want to learn alchemy. You will not be allowed unsupervised visits with Alexandria until you learn." She slapped him again and his eyes welled up, "Yes, Teacher."
3 years later
Alphonse was at the hospital, talking to the doctor about a patient in the room across the hall. "It's a miracle she's survived this long Mr. Elric, but it may just be time to let go. Her lungs are failing and she has no appetite." Alphonse Elric from a distance looked exactly like his elder brother. Closer up, his eyes and hair were darker, and he was taller than his brother had been at his age. "Thank you for everything doctor, I'm going to go in and visit her."
A frail looking teenage girl was looking at the ceiling. In her mind she was talking to a twelve-year-old girl in Germany, to everyone else she had cracked years ago from her illness. Alphonse was the only who wasn't convinced she was insane. "What does Bai have to say today?" he asked as he sat next to the seventeen-year-old girl
"She's helping Alfonse at work, she's twelve now and they let her be a messenger for the scientists. Al, what did the doctor say?" Alphonse smiled sadly and tried to feed her the candied plums he'd snuck in specifically for her, "Start eating Alex or you'll never get better. . ." She rolled her eyes, "I think everyone lost hope in me getting better when Bai started to talk to me. . .Do they still think I'm insane?" Alphonse nodded; Alex tried to eat the plum but threw up immediately after.
Alphonse waited outside while the nurses cleaned up the mess. He looked at the ceiling Maybe it is time to let her go. . . When the nurses left he walked back in, Alex's face was contorted into a weird shape. "Bai is in trouble. . ."
ALEX!! Help! I'm going to fall
Bai, where are you?
A man chased me into an alley I climbed a fire escape and it's breaking.
Bai, how much further is it to the roof?
Two stories maybe three. . . It is five stories to the ground.
Find a window, break it and climb through.
"Alex. . . . Is Bai alright?" Alex shook her head, worried. "A man chased her up a fire escape five stories up and she's about to fall." Alphonse sat down and tried to run his finger through Alex's hair, a clump of it fell into his hand. Even her hair is weak. . . He threw her hair to the side. She hadn't felt her hair fall out. "Alphonse, why can't I breathe?" Alex started to panic and thrash around. Alphonse screamed for a doctor.
She was gone before the doctor got there; when the doctor ran in he took one look and walked slowly to the girl. Alphonse already knew she was dead, the doctor only confirmed it. He fell against the wall and slid down. Her body was cooling, and Alphonse let out a large sigh. He and Winry were the only two left from their childhood. Edward was gone, Alex was gone, Kara was a sociopath, and everyone else was dead or insane. Alphonse threw his head back to look at the ceiling, tears rolling out his eyes. He remembered the days of their youth, playing Kagome, cops and robbers, hide and seek.
He sat there staring at the hospital bed he had neglected to visit for six months. He imagined how lonely she must have been, lying there dying, for three years and spending most of that time alone. He wiped his eyes. It was his fault, if he hadn't tried to bring his mother back to life she never would have turned into a chimera. Ed wouldn't be dead either. They'd all be at Winry's house; Ed would be there with his arm and leg. Alphonse would have his 17-year-old body.
Alphonse let his imagination take hold. He would smile at a healthy not dead Alex, she would smile back. Winry and Ed would be fighting in the background. Alphonse might've kissed Alex gently and she wouldn't have rejected him, he would have his old body. They might have even had kids someday. It didn't happen like that. After Trisha Elric died they tried to bring her back and Alex ran away when she saw the aftermath. She got kidnapped and turned into a chimera, contracted a deadly disease and they kept her alive as long as they could. Ed got Alphonse his body back by sacrificing himself.
Al dragged himself to a phone and tried to call Izumi to tell her the news. He got Serge, "Alphonse. I'm glad you called. . . Izumi died this morning. . . "
Author Note: I know, it kind of sucks . . . kind of but if you want to help give me some constructive criticism I can work with. I want to know what you guys want, okay?
