Sorry guys for the long wait, life's been hectic so if you still think this story exists thanks for sticking it out. Enjoy the chapter and tell me what you think. Also, give a special thanks to Mon Esprit Libre for the wonderful edit! Sometimes my brain doesn't know English so...

Disclaimer: Again and always, even future chapters, Fullmetal Alchemist, sadly will never be mine

Ed could feel his heart beating loudly through his ears, like a head rush as Obito became closer to him. This man was dangerous, unpredictable, and Ed was nearly defenseless. Ed wondered what sort of lengths Pain had allowed Obito to make him talk. They wanted to know about the alchemy, and most of all about the chakra, that Ed had acquired by the evolution from Truth.

But there was no telling what they would do with the information once they had it or what they would do to him.

Obito rested a finger underneath Ed's chin, tilting it side to side, murmuring, "Very unusual eyes, maybe a bloodline like the Uchihas'?"

Ed stiffened at the last name, recognizing it as Itachi's and his brother's surname. They were his goal home, and the more he knew about them, the better chance he would have at finding out what to do to restore balance or whatever the heck Truth was talking about.

"You know about," Ed hesitated, heart pounding, "Itachi?"

Obito chuckled, releasing Ed's chin. "I know everything about Itachi, down to his dirty little secrets all the way up to his obsession to protect his brother and Konohagakure."

Ed tilted his head, information from the scrolls he had scoured filtering through his mind in flashes before he murmured out loud, "The Hidden Leaf Village."

Obito snorted. "Yes, the home of the Uchiha Clan for a long time. Until, that is—" He gave a cold, cruel smirk. "—Itachi murdered them all. Except one, anyway."

Ed's breath stuttered at the thought of Itachi killing the clan, his family, before he quickly put up a passive face on towards Obito. But it was too late. Obito had noticed the slight hitch in Ed's breathing, and he leaned in, whispering, "Yes, your precious keeper is a killer." Obito licked his lips and Ed recoiled with disgust as hot carbon dioxide crawled over his ear. "Even if he did have his reasons."

Ed shuddered as Obito drew away, chains clinking slightly as his hands clenched tight with frustration.

The thought process in Ed's mind was a whirlwind as Obito stared at him unblinkingly, the one eye making Ed's muscles tense up in anticipation.

"Did you enjoy my Sharingan?" Obito gave a click of the tongue, "I'm surprised it's still not in effect, but that could be due to Konan's involvement. That woman has a soft heart for small defenseless children."

Ed snarled viciously at the insult and Obito chuckled. "Now, now, there's no need to be so defensive, Edward."

"The hell do you want, bastard?" Ed said through clenched teeth, the memories from the Sharingan still at the forefront of his mind.

Living it once was enough, but to know that there was such a power in this world that could make him re-live the experience repeatedly, and even possibly for the rest of his life, made Ed's stomach clench in distaste.

Obito reached for his mask, removing it completely as Ed watched suspiciously. The mask then disappeared completely in the man's hand, the man murmuring, "Just a special ninjutsu of mine, but I expect, Edward, that you have powerful abilities of your own."

The man laid his hand above Ed's shoulder, again invading his personal space. "I hope that you don't mind, but I would like to take a look for myself."

Ed's eyes widened as the Sharingan settled over him again, and a wave of helplessness arose inside him again as the familiar scene washed over him.

There they were, young, stupid, and vulnerable. Ed recalled Al's worries, how scared he had been before the ritual, and how terrified Al had looked, and he—he had felt such a piercing terror as Al's body vanished.

Taken by Truth.

Ed watched helplessly as their younger selves prepared the room, and he was pulled out of the moment as a voice, Obito, murmured with a smirk, "Even back then, you were small, huh?"

A sudden sense of panic and dread appeared. Ed tried moving, only to find he was as paralyzed as he had been the previous time.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ed could see Obito watching intently as little Al and his younger self made the final preparations, and once again convinced themselves that it would work.

How wrong they were.

Ed willed himself to move, and somewhere there was an electrical shock of pain. Ed felt something like warm blood dripping from his lips.

"The more you struggle, the more painful it is," Obito commented, not looking at Ed.

Ed's horror grew as their hands touched the alchemy circle, a faint glow suddenly radiating from it. Ed's mind screamed, forcing himself to think about anything, anything but this moment, and suddenly the memory blurred.

The memory that reappeared wasn't any better but at least there wasn't any physical evidence of alchemy.

At the change of memory, Obito turned his eyes onto Ed, and said one word. "Interesting."

Ed focused back on the memory. He remembered tensions were high, along with temperament, but now all of it was like a faded background.

'You can't recklessly jump into battle like that, Fullmetal. They're dangerous. What if they had captured you?' Mustang scolded with his posture stiff, expression grave as the cobalt eyes bore into Ed's heated ones.

'They didn't,' Ed pointed out, his teeth gritted. 'I know what they are. They aren't human but they can die, Mustang. I could have handled it—I did handle it.'

Mustang unclasped his fingers, resting them flat out on the desk. 'That's not what I meant. Why risk your life? You still have something you're fighting for, when Al is waiting for that day—'

'—mind your own business, Mustang, I know what I need to do. You just focus on becoming Fuhrer and—'

'—you are my business, Edward! I'm in charge of—'

'—the hell do you think you are—'

'—don't give me that tone—'

'—I work for the Amestiran military, not—'

'—would you just calm—'

'—a power hungry bas—'

Mustang slammed his hands down on the desk, the noise echoing in the room, and shouted, 'That's enough, Edward!'

Silence ensued, both of them heaving with anger and Ed pulled a crumpled up piece of paper out of his pocket, taking a few steps to place it on Mustang's desk with a fling of his wrist.

'There's the report, bastard. Call when you have another mission.'

With those words, Ed made to leave, but not before Mustang called out, 'Fullmetal.'

Ed stood frozen, rigid with clenched fists, as Mustang said, 'It wasn't your fault.'

Ed's posture slacked, all of a sudden tired, and he left the room, leaving bitter words behind. 'But, isn't it always?'

The sense of being pulled through a centimeter-thick tube left Ed lightheaded and swinging from the chains in dizziness. The memory left a pungent taste in his mouth, and Ed couldn't help but remember how it had all turned out later.

"That was certainly educational," Obito commented, "but not what I was looking for."

Ed raised his head to glare at the man but was ignored as he said, "Oh, well, it'll do for now."

A sense of relief spread through Ed at the words, but before it could fully settle, Obito reached a hand out, caressing one of Ed's cheeks with suave gentleness. "But next time, I'll just have to delve a little deeper."

Ed shuddered, bone tired, but still heatedly glaring at the man. Obito only chuckled, using his ninjustu to retrieve his mask. He headed out the door, calling out, "Sweet dreams, pet."