A/N: Okay, the next chapter is here, but there are some things I would like to clarify before I continue. Mainly regarding the reviews. To clarify that I'm not stupid and I know what I'm writing about.
One: I KNOW you can't catch a lung disease. That's why it's fiction. I couldn't think of a better way to have her get it.
Two: The reason Al yelled at Ed in the earlier chapter because I wrote Ed as an annoying idiot at the time. I had to get him to shut up somehow. (I know Al swore at after he said, shut up, but that was a typo, I swear!)
3: AL AND WINRY ARE NOT BEING PAIRED IN THIS STORY! I wanted to have Al have a strong, major role in this story as much as the other characters. And Al's matured, so he might have done things you normally wouldn't have thought he would.
That's all I wanted to say, so no one thinks differently. Now onto the chapter. And sorry for the EXTREME (echo echo echo) update, but I've been EXTREME (echo echo)ly busy.
Chapter 7
Al's POV
I awoke to abrupt shaking, "Al, wake up! Please!" I heard a voice speak worryingly.
I muttered, "Come on Winry, what's the matter. It's still early."
"Alphonse, you have to wake up!" She stuttered again, "I can't find my pills!" I sat up slowly.
"Fine, I'll help you find them," I told her rubbing my eyes. "So, where did you last have them?" I asked her, standing up and stretching.
"I had them on my nightstand and they aren't there, Al. I swear, I put them there and you know I wouldn't forget. Especially for something like this!" She worried. I could tell she was really stressed over this.
"Maybe it fell on the floor or something. It's gotta be around here somewhere," I suggested. I started looking around her nightstand. After long searching, we reached the conclusion that it was most definitely not there. "Winry, we should really ask Ed. He may know where it is," I told her, thinking of what to do in this situation.
Her eyes went big, "No Al, we can't do that! We just can't" She started to tear up.
"Here, we'll go ask him if he's seen the bottle. I'll hold your hand if it makes you feel better," I told, trying to get her to smile a little.
She nodded and I grabbed her hand, leading her down the stairs. We went to the kitchen and saw Ed at the table with a piece of toast. Along with the toast on the table were a small, orange bottle and a piece of paper. He looked at them sorrowfully.
"Hey Ed, you haven't by any chance seen a little bottle around have you?" I asked him straight out. He turned to look at me and then noticed Winry behind me.
He still had the sorrowful face on. "You mean this one?" He said slow and in monotone.
He held up a small orange bottle that had small writing on it. I looked at Winry and she nodded a little.
I looked back at Ed, "Yeah, that's the one. Can I have it back?" I asked him. He put it back on the table and spoke quietly.
"How long were you planning on keeping this from me Winry?" She gasped a little. I turned to her and hugged her shoulders, just to try to make her feel better. She had her hands up to her mouth and tears were going down her cheeks.
"Winry, I haven't even been here at least 4 days and this is what happens…" He said quietly, standing up. He continued,
"Never to return, my sweet farewell,
His love never to be returned to me.
The voices captured are like a spell,
My gentle heart is bloomed and free.
My love, my life, my family lost,
No one else but me.
All paid with a reasonable cost.
No longer known as three."
Winry… Do you think I honestly didn't notice?" He asked.
She remained silent and I felt like a 3rd wheel stuck in a horrendous battle.
"Winry, why did you hide this from me?… Did you think I didn't care? I couldn't understand enough? I need you to tell me Winry… Because…" He paused.
Her tears continued to trickle down her face.
He sighed, "You thought I wouldn't understand. You say that you're no longer known as three, but you meant that since Al and I weren't here, we could be together, all of us. And you say that your life, love and family are lost, but you still have Al, Aunt Pinako, me, and you still have your valuable life. They aren't all lost. And you said that his love would never be returned to you. But…"
He paused. "I never said I didn't love you."
She shook her head, burying her face in her hands. She turned to me more, but the more Ed spoke, the more I wish that I could be here for Winry, but still let them speak to each other without me being here.
He walked over to us and she seemed as if she were more frightened than ever before.
"Winry, you need to listen," he spoke persistently. He grabbed her wrists and she started to cough horribly.
"Ed, the bottle, NOW!" I yelled to him, even though he was standing a few feet away from me. He quickly scattered back over to the table and brought back the pills with him.
"Here Winry, take some," I tried to offer her some, but she didn't take any. She just kept coughing. Her tears started getting mixed up with the blood she was coughing up and it was a horrendous mess.
"Winry," Ed tried to speak to her, but as soon as she finished coughing, she fell asleep.
I was holding her in my arms for a few moments until Ed spoke to me, "Why Al?… Why didn't she tell me?"
I looked at him sternly, "Brother, I'm sure there's a deeper reason to it."
He nodded and said quietly, "I'll take her to my room to get more sleep." I cautiously handed her to him and he picked her up and put her on his back. He went up the stairs until I couldn't see him anymore. I whispered quietly to myself.
"An unfound and undefined power(check chapter four)… What is your mind thinking of Ed?"
HUUUUUUURRRRR!!! Such a short chapter... Sorry, but I'm seriously tired and I have school tomorrow. The only reason I posted this next chapter was cuz needed to make an update, but I didn't have much time so... This was a little update for it.
It was around 1,000 words, and I have a break coming up soon(four day weekend), so I'll try to use that time and create another update.
Sorry for all the quickness of things. Ed was bound to find out about it eventually, so better now than never. Read and Review, thanks for reading!
