"Nii-san?" Al's armor clanked as they walked back to the Rockbell's house.

"Hm?"

"I wonder about Lucy-san. Is she really alright? She looked so sad when we arrived here. And when she complimented how quiet it is, she sounded really melancholic."

Ed turned towards Al. "I noticed it too. But it's her life and we don't really have any say in it. We only need to find out how she can transmute without any circle or formula and keep an eye on her. I don't know why she's traveling with us now, but she knows about our past and our research. And I sure don't like it."

"Nii-san." Al softly reprimanded him at his angry tone. "She promised me not to tell any one about it. And she may even have some leads."

Ed harrumphed. "We'll see, Al. We'll see. For now let's go back."

…

After dinner was over, Lucy asked Winry to show her some things about her work and explain the auto-mail in the rough.

Grandma went out with Den and the brothers situated themselves in the guestroom – Lucy had been put to Winry's room, the girls readily agreeing to sleep on the same big bed.

But Ed impatiently waited in the hallway until they exited the work room.

"Can I talk to you, Lucy?"

Lucy nodded calmly. "Sure. I'll come later, Winry."

Winry nodded with a yawn and disappeared into her room.

Ed led Lucy into the guestroom where Al was waiting.

"Colonel Mustang told us something about your practical exam." Al began cautiously.

"The Colonel bastard said you didn't use any formula. That can only be possible if you saw the truth. The big gate." he made those weird arm motions.

Her eyes were closed and both brothers noticed her clenched fists.

"I did." she softly said, the neutrality in her voice dangerously close to breaking.

"But there is nothing missing on you." Ed concluded. "It should have required a toll."

"It did require a toll." she answered even softer, her voice more emotional. "But it's not something you can see."
"You lost some organs?" Al asked cautious as ever.

She shook her head, her gray eyes still closed.

"What then? What did you lose? It's only fair we get to know your story, because you know ours."

A soft – but weary – chuckle escaped her. "That's right. You deserve to know. At least that part of the story."
The boys waited. The sun had set and the room was filled with the artificial light of the lightbulb above their heads, her small figure seeming somehow non-human. The soft light made her eyes flicker with an unnatural light.

"I don't want to lie to you and you deserve the truth but I don't know if you can take it." she looked up and Al was slightly spooked by her flickering eyes.

"Lucy-san..."

"We can take it. Spit it out."

She smiled sadly. They hadn't really changed at all. Opposed to her... "I attempted human transmutation. My toll was..." she shook slightly. "...was a great toll and one I will never get back. Not even with the Philosopher's Stone you search for. With it I lost my future."

"Losing... a future?" Ed asked uncertainly, thrown off his anger and irritation by her soft voice and the many deep emotions in her eyes.

"How can someone lose their future without dying?" Al asked softly, hesitating.

"I am bound to a certain dark path because of my toll, to a sad destiny that leaves me no room to breathe, a sorrowful destiny that will only lead to misery. In a way, I died." she chuckled brokenly. "I will never be who I was before."

That shook Ed to the core, although he didn't show it. She really could be Elena. And her toll – he somehow could understand that she didn't want to tell them – was the cause of her changed person. But human transmutation? How had she come to that? How had she strayed so far from her good path?

But he couldn't help her. That was what scared him the most. She was in a sorrowful situation and he couldn't even comfort her, ask her about details. Nothing.

Al had similar thoughts, wanting to help. But both brothers knew that she abhorred pity. She didn't tell them because she wanted to be pitied, but because they asked her to and it was only fair.

She shook her head and her fists unclenched, leaving her hands loose. "It's a sad story. And something that cannot be changed."

Now she sounded resigned and Ed somehow knew she had gotten over it long ago. She had to live with what she had, nothing more. And it was near to nothing she had. Not even hope anymore.

She smiled softly, warmly. "Good night you two."

Several minutes after she had closed the door behind her, Al began.

"Nii-san?"

"Hm?"

"She's Elena-san, isn't she?" Al shuddered.

"I think so." Ed nodded, sitting down on the bed, deep in thoughts. "But we can't do anything. And we can't show that we know it. Until we find a way to help her."

"Do you think we can?"

Al noticed how his brother hesitated. And for nearly a minute said nothing.

"I hope so, but I don't know." a deep sigh left Ed's mouth.

-...-

The next morning Lucy was up early. The sun had barely risen and she stood outside, slowly and gently petting Den who stood next to her.

She looked into the distance, seeing nothing but fields and solitary houses, a few streams and dirt roads. One farmer was up early and waved over as he passed the road near the Rockbell house.

She waved back and smiled softly. It reminded her of the good times. The rural areas she had passed in her early travels, the homy atmosphere of those places. And the feeling of being safe she always had when she visited Izumi and Sig. She sighed and Den whined.

"It's alright, Den." she smiled lightly. "It's just hard to let go of those memories."

Al had heard her small comment and Den's whine. He would have gulped if he had a body. Then he heard her steps and Den's soft woof.

"I'll be back soon. Keep an eye on the brothers for me, will you?"

…