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June 1943

I couldn't concentrate on the book in front of me. The doctor had pulled out the bullet yesterday and I was stuck in one of the medical rooms at a S.S.R buildings. I thankfully managed to avoid taking off my pants for the doctor, resorting to just rolling the pant leg up high enough for him to work.

Even though it annoyed him. I didn't care. I wasn't taking the chance.

But… Since then, I've been stuck here, with the same book to keep me company even though the words just blurred together on the page. I couldn't focus on it. I just couldn't… Not when Dr. Erskine's face kept appearing in the forefront of my mind, reminding me constantly that I wasn't strong nor fast enough to save him…

He didn't deserve to die! He didn't! He…

With a frustrated cry, I hurled the book across the room, letting it smack against the wall and go crashing down in a flutter of papers.

I tried to take a deep breath, to calm myself. Crying wasn't going to do anyone any good… What happened is done and…

It was then that I spotted an envelope on the ground beside the book. Was it in the book this whole time?

I reached for my crutch and hobbled towards the fallen book. I leaned against the wall and slid down, never taking my eyes off the envelope.

I hesitantly reached for it, picking it up and glancing over both sides. In the front, only one word was written.

Edward.

Okay… I ripped open the envelope and pulled out the folded piece of paper, a letter. To me? Who would…? The answer was right there, at the bottom and my breath caught.

Dr. Erskine.

Why would he write me a letter?

Dear Edward,

I am writing this letter in case something happens and I do not get a chance to tell you face to face. I'm sorry if it has come to this but, with Hydra constantly on my tail, I did not know how long I had left before they finally caught up to me…

I know this world is different and strange to you, especially with the lack of familiar faces. If you are to trust anyone apart from myself, I hope it is Steve Rogers, Agent Peggy Carter and Howard Stark. I hope the time you have spent with each of them has given you the sense that you can confide in them because they have confided to me that they trust you.

I had to put the letter down for a moment, swallowing the lump in my throat. Damn it, Erskine… And the fact that they trusted me… That made me think of Amestris, of Mustang's men… Yeah, we talked but, I now realize that as much trust they placed in Mustang, they placed just the same in me and Al. Did I trust them as much? Probably not as much as they deserved…

Did – did they know I trusted them too? Even if it wasn't fully? And, thinking back, why didn't I? What made hesitate to giving them my full trust?

I massaged my head, not really knowing the answer to that question. They knew about my limbs and about Al's body all because of Scar…

I sighed, glancing at the letter again. It shouldn't be of much concern now… I can't go back, not yet. But, once I do, I'll need to figure it out and start trusting those men more.

Also, I know you constantly pestered me about the serum and I know how disappointed you were each time I did not tell you anything. It was to protect you, Edward. The secrets of the formula are so valuable, Hydra is willing to kidnap and kill to obtain it. I did not want you to get tangled in that mess. The less you knew, the safer you were.

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply and leaning back against the wall. Yeah, I know very well the dangers of knowing too much… The Philosopher Stone, for example, and everything that followed… Even Winry got dragged into our mess because we knew too much…

So, I guess, thanks Dr. Erskine…

However, there is something I never told you about the serum… And about the night I found you in my basement.

That caught my attention.

I was actually present when you appeared, when a large circle with symbols etched along the perimeter and geometric shapes inside flashed along the ceiling. A pair of doors then opened and long tendrils descended from them, reaching to the floor. When they began to recede, you were there, unconscious and bleeding. I could feel a pair of eyes on me and, when I turned towards the doors, something was staring at me. And then it spoke. "I will give you the information needed to complete your serum on the condition you use your knowledge to heal this alchemist."

As you could imagine, I did not understand at first but, with our conversations, I do believe that was the Gate you had mentioned once, no? But, at the moment, I agreed and the entity shared its knowledge…

As well as the knowledge it had of you, Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, soldier of the country of Amestris.

I nearly tore the paper in my hands so much they were trembling. Why? Why the hell did the Gate want to save me? A pool of dread settled in my stomach. What did it take so that I was sure to live? Al? Did…

"NO!"

I pounded my fist on the ground. Al couldn't, he wouldn't! Then… Did my transmutation fail? Instead of letting Al live, it let me live instead? No… No! NO! That's not what I wanted!

I pounded against the floor over and over again, releasing all my pent up frustration and fear. Why? Why?!

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, making me freeze, my fist about to slam once more against the floor.

"Edward?"

With a sigh, I stuffed the letter into my pocket and reached for my crutch. "Coming," I called weakly, hauling myself to my feet and hobbling towards the door. Just before opening it, I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

On the other side stood Peggy. She took one look at me and I faintly heard a soft sigh from her.

"How are you holding up?" she asked cautiously.

I shrugged, readjusting the crutch under my arm. "Alright, I guess. You?"

She nodded. "The S.S.R. is being sent off." What? That was sudden… "To London, tomorrow. Mr. Stark and I are going with them."

"And Steve?"

She shook her head. "He's staying here, as are you."

I clenched my fists to keep them from shaking. This didn't make any sense. "So we went through all that trouble, went through Dr. Erskine getting killed, for nothing?" I growled. "Steve was supposed to be the answer! Why the hell is he staying here?!"

"Colonel's orders," replied Peggy, unfazed by the tone of my voice but I did hear a bit of disdain to the idea. She paused, clasping her hands in front of her and, dare I say it, she looked a little nervous.

"Edward? May I ask something of you?"

Okay, this is weird. "Yeah, of course. What is it?"

"Could you stay with Steve? It'll be good for him, for both of you really, to have someone you know with you. A lot has happened in such a short time…"

"Yeah, I don't exactly have anywhere else to go anyways," I replied, not really taking the time to think it over because what I said was entirely true: I had no idea what to do or where to go now that the only person that had known my secret is gone.

"I greatly appreciate it, Edward."

"Don't mention it."

There was a brief moment of silence as we stared at each other until Peggy cleared her throat, nodding towards me. "I guess this is goodbye, Edward."

"For now, hopefully…," I muttered with a sigh. "Safe trip and don't get killed out there, alright?"

"I'll do my best. The same goes for you as well, understood?"

"Yes ma'am," I replied, even adding a mock salute to her which drew a small smile on her face.

She nodded towards me, giving me a small wave that I returned as she walked away. I watched her leave for a moment before closing the door and leaning against it.

I guess I just went from following Dr. Erskine around to following Steve around. Well, hopefully that will be able to help me get back home…

Home! Amestris!

I reached into my pocket, pulling out the crumpled letter and unfolding it once more.

As well as the knowledge it had of you, Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, soldier of the country of Amestris.

I knew then, I knew I had to save you, Edward. You had done so much and had sacrificed so much for your brother, friends and country that I could not let you die on the floor of my basement.

That is why, with the knowledge from that entity, I modified the serum and inserted some in your system.

What. The. Fuck.

I reread that line over and over again, trying to process what he had done. There – there was part of the super-soldier serum in my blood?! Thinking back, my wound had healed amazingly fast for being a hole on the side of my stomach… It could also explain how my hearing had gotten much better as well as my physical condition during the training.

But, I guess with everything that had gone down since then, I haven't given it much thought.

You don't have the full capacities of the serum but there is enough for your wounds to heal faster as well as your body being more enduring. That is why I pushed for you to be the candidate for the full test: because I knew I could trust you with this power. However, if it wasn't you, I am glad that it was Steve Rogers. Keep an eye on each other. For me.

I trust you know to burn this letter once you've read it: no one, and I mean no one, can know you have part of the serum in you or you will be considered an easier target to kidnap to extract the secret from and I cannot even imagine anything like that happening to you.

Please be careful, Edward. I hope you find a way home but, if ever you do not, please do not shut the world out: it is quite big, with many things to discover.

Good luck.

Dr. Abraham Erskine

I leaned my head back against the door, staring at the ceiling.

What have I gotten myself into?


Short chapter I know but the next couple of ones will have some original content set into the story line of the movie! Yay!

I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Let me know if you did! I always love reading your wonderful reviews!