A/N: Chapter TEN?! Holy cow, will it ever end?

Chapter Ten:

Reality

The roar of rain hitting the pavement slowly melted away as Al came inside. A bag of groceries clutched in one hand- a hot mug of soup in the other. As odd as it sounded, the soup kitchen was one of his favourite places. When he had tried to tell this to Ed he explained that it was 'because of the crowd'. The eldest raised an eyebrow at that one and continued on with his breakfast; not bothering to think about it any further. But it was only a matter of time until he actually understood exactly why Al liked crowds.

It was only now- after so many years of being numb- that he was able to touch an object and feel it. Often when Ed handed Al the newspaper or asked for him to pass the salt, the boy would pause and stroke the object curiously. There was also an incident with the stove, but there's no need to explain the event in detail. You can probably imagine what happened.

Alphonse stood still on the threshold for a moment, looking for some sign of life. The lights were on only at the front desk, but the chair behind it was empty.

His wandering gaze lingered on the abandoned wheelchair at the foot of the stairs.

"Herr Hauswirt?" the boy called to the empty foyer, hoping for some kind of answer. The soft hiss of someone drawing in a startled breath weaved through the dead air from upstairs. Al moved towards the sound with his brows raised innocently.

As he turned the corner, he was suddenly embraced by a woman. It was Noa. Holy hell I'm being hugged by Noa?! His wandering mind was cut off by her cupping his face in her hands.

"Oh Alphonse!" she cried, tears in her eyes, "I'm so sorry, he-- I couldn't!" Her speech was in bits and pieces, broken up by frenzied breaths. Had Al been thinking clearly and not been shocked by Noa's disheveled appearance- maybe he would have handed her the paper bag he was carrying.

Her hands were slightly wet, and it was only when she drew back that he realized that it was blood.

"Edward... your brother. He's... he's uh... dead." She said this bluntly; to the point. There really was no need to beat around the bush. Though you could tell that it was incredibly hard for her to do so.

Alphonse's shoulders shook, the weight of her statement not entirely reaching home. It was too bizarre, it couldn't happen! Not in a million years!

It took him a second to realize that he was actually laughing at her. A cracked, nervous giggle.

"Don't joke around Noa, come on."

The cold, bitter stare she gave him next was truly the stuff of nightmares, and he instantly knew then that she wasn't kidding. It was as if his own heart had frozen in his chest, becoming nothing but a dead weight pressed to his lungs. She moved aside to the wall, revealing the macabre scene behind her to the young teen.

Immediately, denial sank it's claws into Al's sensitive heart, but the facts were all there. This was no illusion.

He felt the groceries slip from his hands, and set his mug down shakily. It was as if his entire body refused to respond, probably because he refused to believe it.

Edward Elric lay still as stone on the landing, his face was blotched with browning blood and the wood boards upon which he lay were stained a dark crimson. Yet the expression on his face looked almost... happy.

Al stumbled forward like a drunk, his feet shuffling in the dust and his eyes wide with disbelief.

There's no way this is happening... it can't! Ed said he would always be there for me...

...And I told him that I would always be there for him

The younger kneeled by his brother, watching numbly as the wind ruffled his golden hair. A moment of tense silence passed before he turned back to face the gypsy, his face was contorted with grief.

"What happened?!" he demanded, tears finally spilling over.

Noa smoothed a pleat in her dress; her face looked incredibly calm in spite of the overwhelming scenario. She was utterly spent, there was no more energy left in her for tears.

"I... I don't know," was the quiet reply, "but it was too late to do anything when I found him. There was nothing we could have done Al. I'm sorry..."

Al collapsed against the wall, burying his face in his arm as sorrow engulfed him. Noa's faltering voice nothing but a fading whisper to him.

"...I'm sorry."

.Risembool.

"...Edward?"

He smiled, his golden eyes looking almost watery.

"Is it really... you?" Winry was tentative now; she didn't want him to disappear like every other time. So she simply sat where she was, trying (with much difficulty) to not make a move towards him. Winry swallowed hard, wanting nothing more then to help him. But there was a constant dread in her mind that he wasn't real- that he was just a ghost; a memory that would simply vanish at her touch. It was terror that held her frozen, forcing herself to just sit back and watch as Ed struggled towards her.

Ed nodded, still smiling weakly, and attempted to take another step forward. But the task was too much for his frail body and he sunk to his knees. His shuddering breaths filled the dead air. Winry could feel his burning gaze on her face, even though his eyes were veiled by bangs.

"You're afraid..." he drew in another rattled breath, "but Winry! Don't you realize? I remember everything!"

There was no reply.

Winry felt detached, as if she were watching this scene from a higher place. It was too surreal. Ed pulled himself forward as far as his strength would allow... outstretched arm reaching forward.

Only when cold metal brushed her cheek did she come back to her senses.

...He was real.

A/N: to be perfectly honest, I have very little idea how I'm going to end this. So, I would like you to help me out with what should happen next I have my own ideas, but the well is a little dry lately. I need some suggestions.

So review! Your ideas could decide the fate of who Ed falls for in the end. Winry or Noa? -evil laugh-