"Are you sure about this?" He held up his arms.

My feet firmly planted on the ground. "Yeah. Give me your best shot. Don't go easy on me."

With those words he charged at me. His fist aiming for cheek.

I scoffed, nothing but a quick side step. "I know you can do better than that Ed."

He nodded, a smirk on his lips. "You asked for it!"

He spun his body around throwing a high kick. I quickly ducked to the ground and swept kicked him off his feet. It worked only for him to fall on his hand and bounce back up. I side stepped my way to him, blocking his punches with my forearms. Each punch I had thrown his way, both left and right punches, were easily dodged and blocked as well.

"You're actually pretty slow." I laughed. "It doesn't feel right kicking your butt."

"Haha, that's what happens when your limbs are armor." He smirked, taking amid kick to the side. "My turn now!" He caught my oncoming punch yanking me towards him.

Before I could pull back and throw a punch in his stomach a voice called out, "Hey what are you doing!? Let her go! Rei!"

"Huh?" I looked to the side to see Damien running towards us with the angriest expression on his face.

I felt the contact of clothed metal into my cheek. My body flew backwards through the air. Everything around seemed to blur.

"Rei! I didn't think it'd- Are you okay?!" I heard Ed stammer.

"Get away from her! You're gonna pay!"

"No wait!" Shuffling of feet. "We were just sparring!"

Armored hands picked me up from the ground and held me, "Can you stand?"

I slowly nodded, "I think I was….knocked out." I stood up after a minute or two holding my cheek. "That seriously hurt."

Damien looked up from the ground as he held Edward in a headlock. "You're okay! Don't worry. I'll take care of him. He'll become slop for the pigs." Ed squirmed more as Damien tightened as he gave him a noogie.

I grabbed his arm and pulled him away. "We were just testing each others' skills. It's fine. I was caught off guard by you."

He gave a sigh of relief, "Aw man, I was worried about you! Now that you're a girl and all you look more fragile. It's like I have to protect you now." He smiled and rubbed his head.

"I'm not fragile." I huffed, "But next time you go after a cheap shot like that Ed, I'll sic my goon on you." I glared.

"I'm not your goon."

Ed dusted himself off, "I wasn't after a cheap shot."

The four of us sat in a circle by the lake. Telling each other stories from our childhood. It was nice. Occasionally I would sneak a glance at Damien. It was weird. In the few months I hadn't really noticed he was…different. He was still his goofy self, but he was different also. Small changes.

He suddenly stood up dusting his pants off, "It's getting late. Natalia invited me over for dinner with her family." Rubbing his belly, "Her mom makes the best beef stew."

"Whaaa- you always have dinner at my house the first night I'm back." I whined shooting up from the ground. "And wait when did you start hanging out with her? You used to call her uptight!"

He started to kick the dirt lightly, hands in his pocket, "I didn't know you were coming back so soon. I thought you'd be back in a week."

The mood shifted to uncomfortable silence.

Edward coughed, "Come on Al, let's go check out that…rock over there. Doesn't it remind you of the ones back home?"

"What are you talking about brother?"

"Come on!" He commanded tugging his arm further away.

Damien's cheeks flushed slightly. He looked down guiltily. "She asks me to help her fish. Teach her how to have fun. Loosen up. She's not as bad as I thought."

"Oh."

"Do…you want me to stop?" he asked, looking at me slightly. Like he was examining my reaction for something more.

I shook my head. "No. You're allowed to have other friends. I thought you didn't like her, that's all."

"You're still my best friend." He assured me. "Nothings going to change that…right?" He glanced at the brothers.

"No. Nothing will." I smiled.

Usually after a mushy moment like this we'd punch each other's arms. Except this time he surprised me by wrapping his arms around me.

"Rei," he paused, "there's something I've been wanting to tell you."

"Oh, um, what is it?" I asked, my hands up against his chest unable to return the hug. "Is something wrong?"

"It's not that. Things have-"

"Hey Rei!" Edward called, jogging up to us. He stopped dead in his tracks once he saw us embracing, "Am I interrupting something…?"

Jumping away I nervously laughed, "You weren't! Damien was just telling me something." Turning back to him I inquired, "What were you saying.

"Oh, it can wait. Nothing important." He began to jog away while waving good-bye; "I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

Upon walking into the house we were greeted by the warm, enticing scent of dinner. On the table were three plates of pork loin chops, a baked potato, corn, and bread rolls.

"Hey kids!" My dad welcomed, "Noel did me the favor finishing out on the workload. I made you a "welcome friends of my daughter" dinner."

"It looks great!" Edward commented, "I'm starving!"

"It smells wonderful. Thank you." Al added slowly.

We all took our place at the table except for my dad who held a two small soup bowls in his hands. "Mom and you aren't eating with us?"

"Sorry, honey." He apologized. "Your mother feels better but I'd rather push her strength right now."

"Okay, I understand." I nodded with small sadness. "Maybe she can eat with us next time."

"You kids enjoy. And behave yourselves. I don't want funny business going on tonight. Edward." He gave a stern look at Ed before smiling, "Goodnight!"

Acting like he had never eaten before in his life Ed began to wolf down his food. "You're old man is really protective you."

"Geez, Ed, don't forget to chew." I chuckled, "Hm, not usually. He's beginning to notice I'm not the son he thought he had."

The rest of dinner was uneventful. Usually when we ate my mom would be with us, or if she was feeling unwell we would all eat together in her room. Damien was the only friend I would have over. It was nice having other people for a change.

Al cleared his throat. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but it looked like there was something between Damien by the lake. Was it bad?"

Ed helped himself to Al's untouched plate. At this point I never bothered to ask why he wasn't eating. After all this time I knew not to question it anymore. It felt rude. "Don't you get it, Al? They like each other."

"No way!" I denied, cheeks flushing. I could feel Ed stare at me skeptically. "Okay, fine. I don't really. I'm just jealous because it always him and me. I literally had to fight him to be my friend. Then it turns out all I had to do was be a girl! She's gonna replace me!" My hands flew up into air, knife and fork in hand. "I learned how to fight for nothing! Totally unfair."

Ed laughed nervously, "I don't think he's trying to find a replacement for you. He might be interested in a romantic way."

I sat back down bewildered, "Oh."

"Does that bother you?" Al asked.

Lost in thought, I responded, "I guess not? As long as things don't change between us."

"You girls are complicated." Ed concluded.

Today had been an embarrassing one for me. Whether my dad had done it on purpose or not, I wasn't sure. Either way he was dead to me. I had never been put in situations like I was today. It was true. It was always being brought up at home. I was changing. Being treated like a girl. I wasn't used to it. The moment Damien said I was more fragile there was no denying everything was different.

'Is this what growing up is like?' I thought. My arms rested behind my head. Looking out the window always helped clear my mind. 'Being treated like a dirty, tough kid was always my identity. What is it now if no one sees me that way anymore? Are they seeing something about me that I don't?'

'Now that I think about it…' I shut my eyes, 'Even Damien is different. He's still goofball, but… we don't act the same as we once did.' A sigh escaped my lips. The sound of a train horn could faintly be heard. 'That's right. They're leaving tomorrow.'

I turned to my side and hugged my covers closer. 'I don't want them to leave. Who knows when I'll see them again? I've been so happy since I've met them. What am I going to do?' I lamented, "These past months have been the worst, but also the best. I wouldn't give them up for anything. I don't want it to end!"

A loud thud brought me out of my thoughts. Rapid footsteps receded down the hall with the clanking of armor following. 'What the-?' I flew out of bed and threw open the door. At the end of the hall lay my mother on the ground. Alphonse and Edward kneeled next to her.

My heart began to beat rapidly. Please don't let this be the moment. Running to her side, I exclaimed, "MOM! What are you doing out of bed?! Are you okay?!" Silence. Her chest barely rising. "Mom, wake up! Please!" I pleaded, the tears welling up.

"Alphonse, do you think you could carry her to her bed?" I asked quietly.

He nodded his head in response. After he gently laid her down in bed, I sat next to her moving the hair out of her face.

"Did you see my dad?" I questioned Ed.

"No." He answered, "He wasn't around when we ran out."

My mother's head moved slightly to look at me, slowly she spoke, "I'm sorry dear." Pausing to take breathes, "I needed to go the restroom." More breathes. "I didn't see you father around."

I shook my head in relief, holding back the tears, "Don't apologize. You scared me. I'm just glad you're okay."

She looked to my side at the brothers, "Hello… Rei has told me… so much about you." Smiling slightly she continued, "I wish it was under better circumstances."

Ed kneeled down to her level, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm glad we were in time to help."

"Rei?" My father asked appearing in the door frame, "I went out because I heard a ruckus outside. What are you all doing in here?"

I explained to him wiping my face, "Mom fell down in the hallway trying to go to the restroom."

As soon as I spoke those words he practically flew to her, holding her hand. "I'm so sorry for waking you kids up. Go back to bed. I got it from here. Thank you."

We didn't even have a chance to say goodnight to her as she had already closed her eyes. Quietly the brothers walked me back to my room. I couldn't help but sit on my bed and sob. Ed sat down next to me and put his arm around my shoulder.

"What am I going to do?" I asked between sobs, "I don't want her to die. I don't want to lose my mom."

Alphonse spoke up, "We know how you feel. We understand."

"Then please tell me," I cried, "what do I do?"

They had no words. Both looked down unable to answer my question. Edward held me till my crying calmed down. I had clutched his shirt close to me, soaking it.

'This is it. It's now or never.'

"There's been something I've been meaning to ask you." I said, letting go of Edward. "Back in the Tucker house when you would study in his library for the Alchemy Exam, I had read about something."

Ed looked at me quizzically, "What was it?"

"In one of the books in the far back of the library. It was hidden in the far back. It talked about he components of a human body. How to bring someone back from the dead if they were to die… I think it was called Human Transmutation." I finished.

Ed looked at me sternly, grabbing my hands and holding them tightly. "Rei, trust me. Don't go thinking about that. That is a taboo alchemy. You need to forget about what you read."

I was surprised, "Wh-what? Why?"

"Just trust me. It would bring you nothing but pain." He vaguely said.

"I don't understand. All I've seen of alchemy is trouble and how horrible it can be… And I finally find something that can possibly bring some good out of it like-like my mother who is going to die! And telling me to forget about it?!" I shouted as loud as I possibly could, which wasn't much since I did not want my parents to hear. "I get that it goes everything I believe in about alchemy. But this is my mother! You have to help me!"

He continued to stare into my eyes, not budging. "No."

Once again tears formed in my eyes, "Please don't say that…" My hands holding onto my covers tightly this time, "I don't want her to die. I can't lose her. Please. Please." He averted his gaze towards his brother. Unspoken words being shared. "…please."