The journey to Briggs was a long one. My two children were fighting and grandmother was sleeping away. I drove into the city of Briggs and had to get directions on how to get to the wall like Alphonse had explained. I was so confused. If Edward was dead then why would people be coming after me? It made no sense.
Eventually, night fall hit. I was driving up a mountain in pitch blackness. It hadn't snowed so the usual path was visible and my headlights were faint. After hours of driving up that hill, I made it. The wall was huge. The gate opened and we had some soldiers greet us. I told them Alphonse Elric told me to come here, and that my location had been compromised. They took us in welcoming.
We were shown to the dorms. They gave us two rooms, but I let granny take one for her. In the other room, there were two beds where Edison and Allison would sleep. I just took the blankets off of the other bed and laid them on the floor in between the two beds. I then tucked in my children. As I kissed Allison on the head she looked at me.
"Mommy, tell us about daddy. Eddie and I want to know about him." She grabbed my face and looked into my eyes with the pout that she had inherited from her father. I stood up and sat on my blankets.
"Well what do you want to know?"
"Everything!" She got out of bed, walked over to me, and plopped down on my lap. Edison just turned and faced the wall. He must of thought of Edward like Ed thought of his father: a damn bastard who left his kids at home.
"Well your daddy was very handsome. His hair was long and blonde and he usually braided it so it wouldn't get in the way. When he was 12, he became the youngest state alchemist Amestris has ever seen."
"Really?" She perked up. I smiled and could feel some tears fall from my eyes.
"Yep. But he traveled a lot. With Uncle Al. When they were little, Al had lost his body and your father made sure to get Uncle Al's body back. And he did. But your father would be gone years at a time. He was such a gifted alchemist and everyone needed his help. As well as the fact that he was trying to protect his family from harm."
"You mean you and gran-gran?" She had started to fall asleep and said that groggily.
"Yes. Now doze off and sleep well my little angel." I picked her up and walked her to the bed where I placed her into it carefully and kissed her forehead.
That night was hard.
"Daddy why did you leave us?" I heard Allison's voice ask some man. He picked up my daughter and smiled.
"I had no choice. I promise I will come back soon." Edward's voice rang out. He then turned and smiled at me. He carefully set Allie down and walked over to me. His hand grazed my cheek. "Winry…" he had lowered his voice to a whisper. "Don't give up on us. I haven't left this world and I am fighting to get back to you. Just be safe, and I promise we will be together soon."
I just nodded. He then kissed my cheek. His warm lips held there for a second. The he pulled away. "Oh and don't worry about Alphonse. I promise he's safe with me now!" He then started to back away slowly. "Bye"
"NO DON'T GO!" I had shouted. I was sitting straight up awoken from my dream. Edison was snoring loudly and I saw Allison sitting and looking out the window. I walked over to her and sat next to her.
"Daddy's coming back soon. I know it." She said as she continued to look out the window.
"Allie…" She seemed so determined.
"Mommy I can feel it. He's not dead. I know that. It's like he's communicating with me in my dreams. I see him every night. He walks up and gives me a hug and kisses my cheek and says everything will be alright and to be strong for mommy and Eddie. Except this time, he said he would see me soon."
"Allison…" My daughter had more faith in the situation than I did. I just started crying. I couldn't hold it in anymore. I hadn't ever felt like this. As if this despair seems real. We are in trouble and all I can do is protect my children and I barely have the strength and training to do that.
"Mommy?" She had placed her hand on my cheek. I ran my fingers through her hair.
"Allison I want you to know that I will always love you. And when I tell you to run, run. And take Edison with you."
"Mommy…"
"And I promise that I will find my way back to you." I wrapped my arms around my three year old daughter. I never thought I would be telling a three year old this. But she isn't a normal three year old. She is the daughter of Edward Elric. She IS and Elric. And I know she can take care of herself and her brother.
"I promise mommy. I will do whatever you tell me to do."
"Then go to bed. Come on. I sleep next to you." We then returned to Allison's bed and a peaceful slumber.
"General, what should we do with the prisoner?" One of the majors had asked me.
"Put him in the interrogation room. I will be there soon." I was shaking. I was hoping Alphonse would not have been there. That he would have left sooner, but he was just a stubborn as ever. I had to make this seem convinving. But I had made the interrogation solid brick with only one door. As I entered the room, I told the guard that I should be fine and to go get a coffee. He did as he was told. I then shut and locked the door.
"God damn Al. Can you be any more of a bastard? Why didn't you run when you had the chance?" I hadn't faced him because I really didn't want to have a yelling conversation to be the first one I had with my brother in three years.
"It's nice to see you to Brother."
"Well how are you?" I sat down and looked at him. He then smiled.
"Good. Brother you've changed. And you have a beard. You look a lot like father."
"Shut up. Don't relate me to that son of a bitch. Now how's Winry and Pinako?"
"Good. I got them out right before you and your men showed up. I'm a good liar huh?"
"More like Cretan soldiers can't tell the difference between a regular wall and one that had been created my alchemy. How has Winry been?"
"Well as good as she could be. Edward I need to tell you something. I mean Winry should but you need to know. Winry has two children. Your children. Their twins."
"What?" My mind stopped working. Winry had kids. I have kids. Two of them. Twins. I couldn't wrap my mind around it. How could I have gotten her preg…. Wait. That night at the dorm before we parted. She was so sad, and asked me who would ever care about her and I had kissed her and one thing led to another. SHIT!
"What are there names?" I whisperd.
"Edison and Allison. Edison looks just like you and Allison like Winry. She's more like you and she can talk in complete sentences. It was their third birthday yesterday." He had a smile on his face. He was so proud of his niece and nephew.
"What about Edison?"
"Well he keeps to himself. Hasn't talked yet. I know he can. He whispers to himself sometimes. He got a hold of our old alchemy stuff and he is trying to learn it. He can make a horse like we use too."
"Really? That's amazing. Alphonse, I am supposed to go capture Winry this weekend. I can't is she has two children to take care of. I will just have to hurry up the plan. Get the alchemists released faster than projected."
"What?"
"hey forgive me for this." I paused to get my tough guy act on. "LISTEN YOU BASTARD. YOU BETTER TELL ME WHERE THAT BLONDE BITCH RAN OFF TOO OR YOU WILL GET MORE THAN JUST A FEW SCRATCHES!"
"What the hell brother?" He looked so pissed.
"I have to do that. Make 'em think I am getting info out of you. Where's Winry and my children?"
"Briggs. But they are going to be in Xing soon."
"THANKS FOR YOUR HELP INFIDEL!" I than lowered my voice. "Alphonse, I promise to protect you while you're here. I mean it. And I promise that you will be out of here soon. And this time I should be coming with you." I saw him nod then I turned and slammed the door open. "We got what we needed. Now take him away to the cells." I turned and had to watch my younger brother being carried to the cells with the rest of the alchemists. I gripped my hands and thought back to the conversation. Winry was fine in the shelter of Briggs and I had two three year old kids. I found a small smile was on my face. I had to get out of this situation. I wasn't going to turn into my father. I will be there for my kids and Winry. I will get my job done and return to them so we can be a family.
