For some reason, seeing Edward again was a bit more anti-climactic then Alphonse had anticipated. That's not to say it wasn't emotional or important, but Alphonse had envisioned something a bit more…enlivened.

Edward sneezed and looked at Al. "So what've you been up to?" He asked bluntly.

"N-nothing much, just some medical research," Alphonse stammered.

"Cool." Edward replied.

It was so weird, like nothing had ever happened.

"This is just like brother," Alphonse thought inwardly. "He does something stupid, worries everyone out of their minds, than acts like nothing ever happened."

Alphonse was surprised he could even manage to think about Edward in such a casual way. They should at least hug or something. After all, the last few months had been a living hell for Al.

"I thought maybe there was a way I could help you with the medical alchemy." Alphonse explained.

Edward scowled. "You should've stuck with that. It's stupid to use human transmutation, even if you were trying to help."

"But brother you did the exact same thing!"

"That's different!"

"Whaddya mean it's different!"

"Well I don't know! You were dying! What was I supposed to do?"

"Oh and what? You going brain dead is completely different from an incomplete body?"

"I was going to figure something out!"

"No you weren't,"

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SMALL-"

"Brother!"

"Ok fine, fine." Ed sighed. "We're both idiots." He smiled a bit' when he said that.

"So what've you been doing for the last few months?" Alphonse asked.

"It's been months?" Edward asked surprised.

"Yeah, seven to be exact."

"Really?" Edward seemed to contemplate this for a moment. He looked around at his environment. "To tell you the truth, I don't really know what've been doing. I've been a little scrambled."

Alphonse snorted.

"What!" Ed shouted.

Al raised an eyebrow.

"Ok fine! A lot scrambled." Ed snapped. "My thoughts and memories have been pretty screwed up so I've been trying to get them together again."

"Have you made much progress?" Al asked.

"Some," Ed sighed. "It's been slow going."

"Your personality seems to be coming along quite well." Al commented.

Ed glared. "Don't push it brother,"

"So what are you still missing," Al asked.

Ed gazed around. "Well you see, a lot of it is things like knowledge and memories, specific things I'm supposed to know. I have a basis of what my life out there was like, but a lot of it is feelings."

"Like Envy?" Al asked.

"Exactly, that was a negative feeling of fear, while things like Mom…" Edward paused and thought. "Mom was always…happy stuff, warm feelings."

Alphonse was quiet. "Do you remember a lot about her?"

Edward shook his head. "A few things now and then, but most of it's just the feelings."

"What about Winry, and Aunt Pinako?" Al asked.

Edward stared at him blankly for a moment before something started clicking.

"Oh…those are like images. I can't really put any feelings around them yet."

"All of the stuff we did together, you becoming a state alchemist, searching for the philosophers stone, any of it?"

Edward sighed sadly and rubbed his head. "The most clear memories I have are the night we tried to bring Mom back, and that time under central…you know where I…"

"Blew up your brain?" Alphonse said directly.

Ed flinched. "Yeah…that night."

Alphonse looked at his brother and sighed sadly. "Why did you do it brother? I thought we had a promise."

Edward smiled at him. "Big brother responsibility comes before promises, no way you're dying before I do." Ed smiled. Suddenly he got a very irritated look on his face. "Which brings me to my next point…" he said in a very scary voice.

"Brother, I know what you're going to say…" Alphonse sighed. "I know you're angry I'm here risking my life, but I needed to help you." Al explained. "You always do everything by yourself, and you always end up getting hurt." Al looked down as he said this.

Edward didn't look convinced. "How many times do I have to tell you? You don't need to feel guilty about the mistakes I've made." He exclaimed.

"There not all your mistakes brother." Al pointed out. "Besides," He said, changing the subject. "I'm here now, and so lets find a way to get you out of here."

Edward face fell, and he looked down.

"Brother what's wrong?"

"I'm not leaving."

"What?"

Edward looked Alphonse in the eye. "The only way you could get me out of here, was if you stayed, and I'm not going to agree to that." He said, the fire in his eyes glinting. "If I can pull my memories together, I can move on and that's fine with me."

Alphonse stood in shock. "What?" He stared at his brother. "You just won't to stay here until you die."

Edward didn't respond.

"You're kidding me right? That's your plan?" Alphonse asked.

"Look, I made my choice and that's it." Ed explained. "You should go home."

"No! There has to be some way-"

"There isn't one Al!" Ed yelled. "Don't think I haven't thought of every way to get out of here, and there just isn't one."

"Then I'll make one!" Alphonse yelled.

"Slap!"

Alphonse stared at Edward, then brought his hand to his cheek. He looked at Ed. There was anger in his eyes, but there was also sorrow.

"I lost you once…" Edward hissed.

"Give him back! He's my little brother he's all I have left!"

Alphonse could hear the memory echoing through Edward's mind.

"I don't ever want to lose you again."

"But what about…?" Al trailed off. He could feel tears welling in his eyes.

"You' think this is right? You can't just die!"

"There's nothing that I can do." Edward looked down. "I'll stay here. It was my choice, so I'll pay the price."

Alphonse felt rage rising up in him. This was wrong; this couldn't be the way things were going to end. He came in here ready to throw it all away. But what was he supposed to do? Edward wasn't going to leave, and even if he did all the memories that were still here would be lost.

"You can't do this…" Alphonse cried.

Ed refused to look at Alphonse, his eyes suddenly looked dead again.

"No, No, No!" Alphonse's thoughts were screaming. "What do I do? What do I do?"

"Come on Alphonse…I know you can do better than that."

Alphonse stopped.

"You're a big boy, you can figure it out. Just think about it."

"Mom…"

"Where is Edward hiding."

Alphonse looked at Edward, his eyes suddenly wide. "He's still hiding…"

"I'm not giving up on you brother…" Alphonse shouted. "Not yet."

Edward looked up in surprise. "Al what're you doing?"

Alphonse took a step back, and closed his eyes. The floating sensation came again, but this time Alphonse knew what he was looking for. When he opened them again, he saw a little door. It was brown and had a bronze knob. Alphonse knew it well. He walked over to it and slowly opened it up. The room inside was smoky, electrical currents sparking here and there. Of course this is where he would be. He could say whatever he liked, this was what he had hidden his for so long. Alphonse walked farther into the room. The floor was coated in blood, specks of it were even splattered against the wall. Alphonse could see a suit of armor sitting in the corner. He hadn't been here for this part of the transmutation. The smoke began to clear a bit, and Alphonse could finally see the person who was crumpled in a ball on the floor. He was gasping, and crying, and clutching what was left of his leg.

"He's gone, what've I done?" He sobbed.

Alphonse watched sadly as his brother trembled. He looked over and saw a heap of bloody clothing that was sitting on the floor, right where he had left them.

"Alphonse…" Edward sobbed.

"Brother…" Alphonse sighed as he knelt down next to the little boy who continued trembling and crying. "Why do you have to be like this?"

Edward heaved a giant breath and looked up at Alphonse, tears coming down his cheeks.

Alphonse took his hand and put it in his own. "Your not the only one who made a mistake you know."

"Don't die Alphonse," Edward begged. "Please…"

"I won't." Alphonse said. "But I won't let you die either."

"There's no other way…" Edward said.

"We're brothers…" Alphonse said. "Don't carry the burdens on your own." His grip on Edward's hand tightened. "I'll stay with you, we'll bear the punishment together."

Edward eyes widened and Alphonse could feel the rest of the world coming together. The mistakes began rewriting themselves.

"Alphonse…" Edward said. "I'm sorry…"

"Me too brother…" Alphonse could see his brother was back to himself again; he got to his feet and stood firmly.

"So what happens now?" Alphonse asked. They both could feel it. Edward had put the memories back together, and the Gate was ready to consume what was left.

" I don't know…" Edward said. "Maybe we'll both die."

Alphonse watched the blackness begin to seep in.

"Are you worried?" Edward asked.

"No, are you?" Alphonse asked.

Edward smiled weakly. "There's not much that can scare me at this point."

"Liar."

"Shut up…"

The two stood hand in hand as the darkness enveloped them.

"Hey Al?"

"Yeah brother?"

"I'm glad you tried to find me…"

"Heh, it wasn't that big a deal, it was actually pretty stupid."

"So this is it huh?"

"I assume so."

Edwards voice sounded farther and farther away, and Alphonse felt his mind getting foggy as well.

"I love you brother…" Edward smiled as he faded away.

"I love you too…" Alphonse laughed.

The darkness became darker and darker, and for a moment Alphonse felt wind in his hair.

"That's my boys…"