Al woke up fidgety and elated. Today was the day Ed came home. He quickly got ready for the day, and checked soon-to-be Ed's room. He was happier than he had been since Ed's suicide attempt.
He was practically running when he left the house, taking the shorted route to the hospital. He made his way directly to Ed's room, only to find it empty. He shrugged and sat down on the newly made bed. Ed probably went to the bathroom or cafeteria or something. He knew Al was coming at this time. He would be back soon.
Minutes passed until one hour had passed. Al had been pacing for the last half hour, his apprehension cumulative. He finally hailed a nurse and asked if she knew where he was. She said she didn't, but gave him a list of places to look. Al checked all the bathrooms, checked the library and the cafeteria and the gift shop and lobby. His pace increased with every room he checked and every person he asked. He called Mustang who promised he'd get there as soon as possible.
Suddenly it occurred to Al to check the garden, Ed's favorite place. Al wandered around, looking in every hiding spot he could find. His search was ineffective and he sank under the tree he and Ed had spent so much time together. His head sank to his knees as he started to feel sick. The worst of possibilities came to his head, but only one seemed likely.
With the garden nearly empty, it wasn't difficult to hear the sound like a coin hitting the ground. But this was much louder than a coin. Al got up, curiosity getting the better of him. When he reached the spot where the object landed, his heart sank. It was a State Alchemist pocket watch. Feeling even more sick and even more apprehensive, Al looked up. One the roof of the four story high Building C, Ed stood, holding something that Al could not make out. It took a moment for Al to find his voice but when he did he screamed. "BROTHER! NO! PLEASE DON'T DO IT! YOU PROMISED! ED! BROTHER! DON'T!" He repeated his plea over and over again, the commotion somehow going unnoticed. Al looked around but found no one there, no one coming. It occurred to him that the people in Building C probably screamed many things out their windows. Al continued to scream until another object fell. He heart lurched before he realized it was a notebook, not a body. It had Ed's name scratched on the cover. He dropped it on the ground, and saw Ed waving slowly. He mouthed something that Al could barely make out.
Then, Ed walked off the edge.
Time seemed to slow as Ed fell towards the ground. Once he hit, Al wailed, and stumbled toward Ed's body. He hoped that Ed that still alive, but that fire died the moment he saw the blood and the angle of Ed's neck. A haunting smile was frozen on Ed's bloody face, and his golden eyes were still open, but staring at nothing.
Mustang and Hawkeye finally burst through the door Al had come through. They bolted across the garden, followed by Armstrong and the others. Hawkeye grabbed a struggling Al, dragging him away from the lifeless body, while Mustang checked for a pulse. He slowly turned towards Al, tears beginning to fall, and Al howled loud enough that a crowd finally started to form. Armstrong gathered Ed into his arms, not even noticing the blood soaking his chased after him, having escaped Hawkeye's grasp.
The world disappeared around Al as he touched his brother's precious braided hair, the hair that had matched his eyes perfectly, but was now stained with red. He didn't even realize he had hit the ground, face first, until Ed's eyes were replaced with concrete and his hair was replaced with grass. Hawkeye grabbed him once more, and pulled him into a tight embrace. After what seemed like forever, and Al's wails turned into sobs, Mustang slowly ambled forward, holding the near-forgotten notebook in his hand. He kept his arm extended towards Al until he was ready to take it. Not trusting his voice, or his ability to read, Al handed it to Hawkeye who read softly and tearfully from what seemed to be Ed's journal.
