14

"Mel!" Shane shouted, said girl turned around and saw Shane and Winry walking over. "What's up? Finally decide to get some grub?" Melody smiled.

"Just finished actually." She said, "How about you guys? You done, too?" Winry smiled.

"Yeah!" Winry said, "I was about to go and do Ed's maintenance, you wanna come?" Melody shook her head.

"No, thanks," She said, "I've had a bit of a day and I'm ready to call it in." Shane looked over at her, suspicious.

"Alright, Shane said he was going home, too." Winry said, "I gotta go, I'll see you later!" Winry waved at the two as she walked in the direction of the hospital. Melody looked over at Shane as he kept waving. She nudged him.

"What?" Shane asked.

"I happen to recall you saying you didn't like blondes." She said. She playfully jabbed him with her index finger, "So you had a preference change while I was gone, or you're trying to mess with Eddy, fess up!" Shane raised his eyebrows.

She remembers that! "Uh, yeah, you got me." Shane lied, "I was trying to screw with Ed. Figures you'd see right through me." Melody smirked.

"I knew it." Melody said, she and Shane walked over to the Hughes' residence. Melody had met Elysia the other night, Hughes was right about her being cute, and she really seemed to like her back. She and Mrs. Hughes got along pretty well, too. The two of them walked in silence for a few moments. Until Melody decided to break it, "I almost told Hughes about dad." Shane turned sharply at her, gaping.

"You what!" He asked, Melody didn't look at him, "What the hell--! Why!" Melody shrugged.

"Well, seeing him act all obsessed over his kid, I couldn't help but think about dad." She said nonchalantly, "So I asked him a question, there were a few tears, I got my answer, and I left. He's suspicious now." She glanced at him, "He's probably going to ask questions when we, or he, gets home, whoever gets there first." Shane put a hand on her shoulder.

"I won't tell him anything if you don't want me to." He said, Melody nodded.

"Then don't, I'll talk when I'm ready." She said, Shane nodded. He kept his hand on her shoulder, she didn't remove it, and she didn't stop him when he put his arm on her shoulders, walking beside her.

Melody watched as Elysia blew out her candles on her cake. Everyone said, "Happy birthday, Elysia!" and clapped. Melody stood next to Shane, Winry was on her other side. After cake and other refreshments were handed out. Winry stood next to the window, Melody stood next to her as Shane had gone to get a refill on her drink for her. Melody looked over at her.

"Al told me you lost your parents, is that true?" Melody asked, Winry looked over and nodded.

"Yeah, they were doctors in the Ishballan war and--" Winry was cut off by Melody.

"I asked if it was true, I didn't ask how they died." She said, Winry looked at her, "I know how painful those kinds of memories can be, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Winry's eyes widened. "I lost my dad a few years ago, it's been a while, but it still hurts." Winry's eyes softened and she smiled.

"Thanks." She said, Melody shrugged.

"No problem." Shane came over and handed Melody her drink, "Thanks, blood-boy." Shane thumped her forehead, "Ouch!"

"I told Hughes to stop callin' me that, now I'm tellin' you." He said, Melody stuck her tongue out at him.

"You're pretty." The group looked down to see Elysia was complimenting Winry. Winry smiled and knelt down to meet her eye level.

"Hey there, Elysia." She said, "Can you tell me how old you are today?" Elysia counted on her fingers.

"One, two… I'm four!" She said proudly.

"Right! You're so adorable!" Winry pulled her into a hug.

"Winry? Know what?" Elysia asked, Winry looked at her.

"Hm?"

"Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations." Elysia said, "Know why? Daddy says when you tell someone congratulations, good things will happen to them. So I'm telling you!" Winry smiled.

"Thank you, that's sweet." Winry said.

"My, my." Hughes said as he came over, "If I didn't know, I'd think the two of you were really sisters."

"You think so?" Winry asked, she patted Elysia's head. "I always wanted a little sister like this. I'm just an only child, after all."

"You have brothers." Hughes said, "Two great ones." Winry looked away from him, her smile turning sad.

"No I don't," She said, "Real brothers would tell me things and let me into their lives a little. But those two have always kept me at arms-length from anything that actually matters."

"Sorry, can't help that." Hughes said, he took off his glasses to clean them, "Guys like them, they always speak more with their actions than their words. They like people to be happy, they do dangerous work and they don't wanna burden anyone else with their problems, or make them worry about them, so they keep quiet. But, despite all that, when the pressure valve breaks and they have to talk, you're the one they'll go to." Winry looked up at him, "Right? You're the one they can count on when they need to, and that in itself says a lot." He put his glasses back on, "But for brothers to count on their older sister, she's gonna have to be there, and be strong." Winry smiled.

"That makes sense." She said, Gracia came over with a white box wrapped up with a ribbon.

"Here ya go." She said, Winry stood up, "Thanks for waiting, it's Edward's birthday cake, fresh from the oven. I hope he likes it!"

"It's Ed's birthday, too?" Shane asked, Melody nudged him.

"I remember this story, Al told me when he was celebrating Ed's birthday at Hughes' place, when the Missus went into labor. They had to keep an eye on her until the doctor got there to help out." Melody whispered. Shane snickered.

"I'll have to hear that story sometime." He whispered back.

"Go on, go see 'em." Hughes said.

"Here." Gracia handed Winry the cake.

"Mr. Hughes, don't you have a present for Ed, too?" She asked.

"What's the point?" Hughes asked, picking up his daughter, "There's not a gift I could give that wouldn't dull in comparison to your smiling face." Winry blushed. Shane looked around.

"What the… Has anyone seen Mel?" He asked, Hughes looked around, he didn't see her. "She was here a second ago…"

"I know where she is!" Elysia said, "She went up to the old music room!" Shane cocked a brow.

"The old music room?" Shane repeated, "Where's that?"

"It's this way," Hughes said, "Come on."

Melody's fingers skimmed over the violin sitting on the desk in the room Elysia had showed her the other day. Melody picked up the dusty thing and blew some of it off. She plucked each of the strings, it was perfectly tuned, surprisingly enough.

"I didn't know you played." She heard Hughes' voice from the door. She gave a small laugh and turned around, she met the faces of Hughes, Gracia, Shane, Winry, and Elysia.

"You never asked." She said.

"Why not play something?" Shane suggested, he turned to Hughes, "She knows her way around a violin, sir." Hughes quirked a brow.

"Is that so?" He asked, "Let's hear something, then." Melody mock-glared at Shane.

"You are awful." She said, Shane waved it off, Melody brought the chin rest up and got in position to play, "Forgive me if I'm a bit rusty, I haven't played in a while." She started up the tune for 'Rocky Top' and soon, she began singing the lyrics to it.

"Wish that I was on old Rocky Top

Down in the Tennessee hills

Ain't no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top

Ain't no telephone bills

Once I had a girl on Rocky Top

Half bear the other half cat

Wild as a mink but sweet as soda pop

I still dream about that

Rocky Top you'll always be

Home sweet home to me

Good ole Rocky Top, Rocky Top, Tennessee

Rocky Top, Tennessee

Once two strangers climbed old Rocky Top

Looking for a moonshine still.

Strangers ain't come down from Rocky Top

Reckon they never will

Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top

Ground's too rocky by far

That's why all the folks on Rocky Top

Get their corn from a jar

Rocky Top you'll always be

Home sweet home to me

Good ole Rocky Top, Rocky Top, Tennessee

Rocky Top, Tennessee."

As Melody played, some of the other guests from the party heard her and came up to listen. A few of Elysia's friends were dancing to the song, as was Elysia. Melody didn't notice, she was too caught up in playing the song.

"I've had years of cooped up city life

Trapped like a dog in a pen

All I know is it's a pity life

Can't be simple again

Rocky Top, you'll always be

Home sweet home to me

Good ole Rocky Top, Rocky Top, Tennessee

Rocky Top, Tennessee

Rocky Top, Tennessee…!"

Melody drew out the last note, she opened her eyes as she heard applause. She looked and saw most of the party had come up to hear her play. She blushed from all the attention. "Well! I think we found our party's entertainment!" Hughes said as he walked over, Melody's blush deepened as she shook her head.

"Oh, no. I-I'm not good with big audiences, I didn't even though there was one until--!" She was cut off by someone tugging on her pants, she looked down and met the happy face of Elysia, "Y-yes? What is it?"

"Can you play another song?" She asked, "That last one was really fun!" Melody got slightly flustered.

"Um, well…" She put her hand behind her head, "I dunno, I mean…" Shane put his hand on her shoulder.

"If you play the fiddle, I'll find a guitar." He said, Melody smiled at him.

"Well, if someone's playing with me…" She said, Shane smiled. Hughes put a hand on both teen's shoulders.

"Aww, I knew you two had something going on!" He said, Melody's blush covered her whole face, as did Shane's. "Now you're going to play instruments together at my Elysia's party! That's one heck of a present!" He turned to Shane, "I bet we have a guitar lying around here somewhere for you, blood-boy." Shane's embarrassment turned to rage.

"For the millionth time, stop callin' me that!" He yelled. Hughes laughed, as did Melody and a large group of the party. "Okay, I'm not playing, even if it is for your daughter."

"If he's not playing, I'm not playing." Melody said, Hughes sighed.

"You sure?" He asked.

"Yes." Melody held up the violin, "This surely has a case, doesn't it?" Hughes nodded.

"Yeah, I'll get it for you." He said, he walked off to another room. Winry came up to her and Shane.

"Well, I'm going to go get started on fixing Ed." She said, "Want me to send him your regards?"

"Yeah, tell him I said 'happy birthday.'" Melody said.

"I'll go with you, Winry." Shane said, "I wanna try some of Mrs. Hughes' cake." Melody playfully punched his shoulder.

"If you keep eating like that, you're gonna be a great big fatty." She said, Shane ruffled her hair.

"Not before you, Ms. Chocolate-lover." He said, Melody smacked his hand away. He smiled, "I'll meet you at the hospital, then?" She nodded.

"Yeah, sure." She said, Winry and Shane waved goodbye as they headed out. Hughes came back into the room when everybody had left. Melody looked over at him, he had a serious look on his face, she sighed. "I'm pretty sure there's a reason you took so long getting a violin case. What is it?"

"I want to talk to you about yesterday." he said, holding his hand out for the violin, Melody huffed.

"Figured this was coming." She muttered as she put the violin in the case, "I shouldn't have said anything yesterday."

"But you did." Hughes said, putting the case on a nearby table, "Talk. What did you do that was so bad?" Melody sighed and leaned against the table, crossing her arms.

"It's not a subject I like to talk about…" She said running a hand through her hair.

"Tough." Hughes said, "What was so bad that you think your father didn't forgive you? You said he loves you so why wouldn't he--"

"He's incapable of forgiving me." Melody said. Hughes looked at her, surprised.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I mean, he cannot say 'I forgive you.'" She said, "His mouth won't work anymore." Hughes raised his eyebrows.

"Why? Is there something wrong with him?" He asked, Melody shook her head.

"No, he's dead, and it's my fault." She said, Hughes' face softened, "The official record of his death says it was an accident, mostly because they didn't want to put a twelve-year-old on the bench."

"What happened?" He asked. Melody let out a shaky breath as she remembered her father's last moments.

Four years ago

"Come on…" He muttered. He turned the key in the ignition again, but the machine wouldn't start up. He hit the top of it. "Come on! You're supposed to be the best crop cutter on the market!" he yelled. He ran a hand through his fiery red hair.

"What's wrong with it, Dad?" Melody asked her father, he turned and looked at her with a smile on his face.

"Something's probably gone an' jammed the blades again." He said, he patted her head, "Nothing to worry about. We'll just get rid of whatever the problem is." He jumped off of the machine. "When I give the okay, start it up, would ya, darlin'?" Melody's eyes went wide.

"Really! I can start it!" She asked excitedly, her dad smiled up at her.

"Sure can." He said, Melody squealed in delight. "But wait until I give the okay, got it?" Melody nodded her head vigorously.

"Uh-huh!" She said. Her dad went to the front of the machine and stuck his head between the blades; he looked and saw an old boot stuck in between a couple of the upper blades of the giant machine. He reached in and grabbed it.

"I got it!" He yelled up, Melody nodded and put her hand on the ignition key.

"Okay!" She yelled back, she turned the key. Instead of the machine started up like normal, a red liquid came out and splattered itself over her shirt and overalls, as well as other parts of the barn. She quickly turned it off, "Oh, gross! You sure you got it, Dad?" She asked trying to wipe off some of the stuff, she didn't hear anything, she turned her head in his direction, "Dad? Did you hear me?" She asked, still no answer, she climbed down from on top of the old machine and went up to see him, "Dad…?" She was more timid this time. She looked at the beat up, sliced up sight before her and screamed.

Present time

Melody felt a warm tear travel down her cheek. She brought her hand up to her face and wiped it away. Hughes put his hand on her shoulder, "I'm sorry." He said, Melody waved her hand.

"Don't be, it was four years ago." She said, "I-I'm used to not having him around anymore…" His grip tightened slightly.

"But it still hurts, doesn't it?" He asked, Melody put her head down. She shivered slightly and wrapped her arms around herself.

"You have no idea…" She muttered, Hughes pulled her into an embrace. Melody stood completely still.

"If I was in that position, where my own daughter had been responsible for my own death," Hughes said, "I would still love her, even from the next life." Melody's eyes widened, she let out a sob and buried her face in his chest, crying out her worries and miseries, and shedding tears of joy from the thought that her father still loved her in the afterlife. She and Hughes stayed in that position for a good half hour before Melody calmed down and pulled away.

"Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel." She said, wiping her eyes.

"You're welcome." Hughes said, smiling at her before walking to leave the room.

"Really." She said as he left, "Thank you." Hughes smiled again before walking out the door. She smiled and left to go and visit Edward.

Shane walked behind Winry as she headed to Ed's room, when they reached the door, she opened it and rushed inside, holding the cake behind her back. "Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations, Ed." She said, hiding her blushing face behind her bangs, Ed looked up at her with a slightly surprised and confused face, Winry looked at him, "Know why? Because the more people tell you congratulations on your birthday, the more good things will happen to you." She smiled at him, and handed him the cake, "Here, it's from Gracia."

"Okay, thank you." Edward said as he took the cake. Shane plopped himself down at the foot of Edward's bed.

"It's a cake, and it smells like a good one, too." Shane said as Ed unwrapped the box.

"I copied the recipe from her," Winry said, turning to Al, "When you get your body back, and you can eat, Al, I'll make one for you, too! Kay?"

"Whatever." Al said.

"Alright! It looks awesome!" Shane said looking at the cake.

"Oh yeah, the three of us always used to eat cake together on our birthdays, didn't we?" Edward asked, reminiscing.

"Yeah," Winry said, "Remember when Den ate Al's cake? We knew because of the paw prints made with the frosting, Al cried." Shane chuckled a little as he was handed a slice of cake.

"Hehe, yeah that's right." Edward said.

"How old were you guys? Five?" Shane asked.

"That happened to me?" Al asked, the group looked over at him.

"Yeah, you and the dog were both pretty little, then." Edward said. "Why? You don't remember it?"

"No…" Al looked away from them.

"Something the matter, Al?" Winry asked.

"I'll be outside on the roof 'till you're done repairing." Al said. Shane looked over at him, then back at the other two.

"Al…" Winry muttered. Ed sighed.

Shane sat in a chair in the corner of the room, watching as Winry did her repairs.

"Ed?" She asked, "Something happened between you and Al, didn't it?"

"I…" Ed looked away from her, "I did something awful to him, Winry." She looked down at him, Shane looked over at him, too. "I had the chance to do it, to change him back to normal, and I hesitated."

"How come?" She asked.

"Because in order for it to work," Edward said, "I would've had to sacrifice some other people…" Winry's eyes went wide in shock. "It all would've been for Al, compared to him, those other people shouldn't have meant anything to me. But I… I just couldn't do it, not with him watching me, my conscience got in the way." Winry turned back to the repairs.

"It's a good thing it did." She said, "After all, Al is a selfless person, he wouldn't have been happy in that body. Even if it's what he wants most, how could he take that burden, seeing the ones who died every time he looked at his skin?"

"I promised." Edward told her.

"Think about it, maybe there's another reason." She said, "Maybe he's upset because he saw the brother he idolizes even consider taking someone else's life." Winry brought her hands away from his arm and Ed sat up. "All done! Come on, now, let's have you go take care of Al." She said packing up her tools.

"Yeah, but…" Edward started, "I have no idea what to say to him." Shane came over and flicked his forehead. "Ow!"

"Just say sorry, ijit." He said. "It's an apology, it ain't that hard."

"Yeah, Ed, you rant for hours and you can't say two words?" Winry joked. Ed looked at the smiling faces of the two and smiled back.

"Yeah, let's go." He said.

Shane opened the door for Ed and Winry as they came in carrying small wrapped bundles. Ed stepped in front of Al with a small smile in his face. "Listen, I'm sorry." He said, "And I'm gonna fix you right now." The two of them put the bundles down to reveal random scrap pieces of steel metal.

"I brought these parts from Resembool," Winry said, "They should be enough."

"Trust me." Edward said, "I'm not gonna give up on this yet, Al." He started rearranging the pieces so he knew what he was working with. "We're gonna do this, but we'll do it the right way. And we'll be normal again, I'm sure." Al watched him for a moment.

"Maybe you can go back to normal, brother," Al said, "And I hope you do, but I'm not sure I ever can." Ed stopped for a second, he looked up at his younger brother.

"Ah, what are you talking about?" He said, "Of course you can, Al." He stood up, "Here goes." He clapped his hands and placed them on Al's armor. Al began to glow as he stood, his arms and legs rematerializing themselves into his old form. Winry and Shane watched in awe of the alchemy process. Al stood a seven foot tall suit of armor yet again. "How's that?" Ed asked him. Al brought up his fist.

"That's how you made me this way when you attached my soul to this armor in the first place. Isn't it?" Al asked.

"That's right." Edward said.

"Along with my memories." Al said. Shane cocked a brow. "After all, memories are just information you can reference, like a cabinet of files. As skilled and alchemist as you are, you could've created any memories you wanted me to have."

"Fake memories?" Shane asked.

"Don't tell me that's what you're upset about." Edward said.

"Why shouldn't it be?" Al retorted, "A while back in Resembool, there's something you wanted to tell me, but you couldn't. You said you were afraid of how I'd react, you remember that don't you? I can't remember parts of my past because they never happened! My memories, and my soul, are fake! Something that you created! Isn't that what you wanted to say!" Ed's eyes widened in fear.

"No!" Winry yelled, "What Ed wanted to tell you was that--!"

"Stop lying to me!" Al yelled, swiping at her with his hand. Shane caught her shoulder as she went back. "I know what the truth is, the person named Alphonse Elric never existed at all." Ed kept staring at his brother.

"That makes no sense!" Winry yelled, "You and Ed have always been together, I knew you when you were a boy, my grandma did too! We're friends, Al, you can trust me!"

"Can I?" Al asked, "Really?" Winry gasped, "How can I believe anyone, when there's no way to prove it? When I'm just a hollow shell, all three of you can be in on it, together!"

"Alphonse, that's a bloody lie, and you know it!" Shane yelled.

"Shut up!" Al swiped at him, Shane stepped back.

"So…" Ed started, "You've been sitting on those thoughts all this time…" His voice cracked slightly, "Is there anything else you're hiding… that you wanna say?"

"What about you, my so-called brother!" Al yelled, "Answer my question, why won't you say anything? Unless it's true!" Al turned to leave, but Ed grabbed his arm. "Let go of me. What's the point of living this lie!" He flung Edward off his arm, he turned to leave again, but Ed charged back and held onto his arm with both of his.

"You idiot!" He yelled.

"Let go of me! Let go!" Al struggled against his hold.

"Al! Stop!" Ed yelled, Winry and Shane stood there, not knowing what to do.

"I won't stay here!" Al yelled, he took his arm away from Ed, and hit him down in the process.

"Edward!" Winry said as she ran to his side. Ed got up slowly. He looked at his little brother with his slightly bruised cheek and bloody mouth. Eyes glistening.

"Alphonse…" He said.

"Stay back…" Al said, stepping back.

"Hold on." Ed told him, but Al didn't listen.

"Just stay back!" He yelled, "Keep away from me!" He ran to the railing on the roof.

"Please, Al!" Ed called after him. Al jumped over the railing of the building, "AL!" Ed yelled as he, Shane and Winry ran over to where he had jumped. Shane got there first and he saw Al get up. "Wait!" Ed yelled as he got ready to jump over after him.

"Ed, no!" Winry yelled as she and Shane held him back.

"Are you nuts!" Shane yelled.

"Al! AL!" Ed yelled after his younger brother.