Caroline: ok.. u goddamn BETTR review 4 this chaptr if uve read up 2 this far becuz I wrote THREE chaptrs in ONE itsy bitsy teeny weeny little nite & I am goddamn tired! So 4 gods sake REVIEW! (unless ur like summer on the oc 'I kno how u feel.. I just don't care.')
Chapter 25: Dad
Riza tied the girl's hair tightly.
Hey dad
"There," she said. "All done."
She leaned down & looked at the girl.
Writing to you
Not to tell you that I still hate you
"You okay?" she asked.
Just to ask you ow you feel
"Never better," she answered through rather large yawns.
"You know you can't use alchemy, right?" Jordan asked, leaning on the windowsill.
"Yes, Jordan," Caroline answered. "Now quit rubbing it in."
"So what if you come to an enemy?" Roy asked.
"Simple," the girl muttered, closing her eyes. "You kick their goddamn ass."
"What if they use alchemy as a weapon?" he continued.
"Then I'm screwed," she answered.
How we fell apart
How this fell apart
Those memories replayed through her mind as the girl slept throughout the early morning on the train. The call of the train coming to a halt woke the girl from her slumber. She stood up, grabbed her coat & walked out.
Are you happy out there in the streets out cold
Do you think about your sons
Do you miss your little girl
She sighed as she knocked on the familiar door. A few minutes later an older girl appeared, a red bandanna covering her blonde hair.
"Rockbell Automail Engineers. How may I help you, little-" she stopped herself, her blue eyes running over the girl. "No… way. Caroline, is that really you?" she asked.
"No," she said. "It's Edward Elric with dyed hair & a younger, girlier voice. Of course it's me, Winry!"
When you lay your head down how do you sleep at night
The two girls hugged.
"So what do you need?" Winry finally asked.
Do you even wonder if we're alright?
"Well… I sort of need…" Caroline's voice became barely audible after that.
But we're alright
We're alright
"An automail replacement!"
It's been a long hard road without you by my side
Why weren't you there all the nights that we cried
You broke my mother's heart, you broke your children for life
It's not okay but we're all right
Iremember the days, you were a hero in my eyes but those are just a long lost memory of mine
I spent so many years learning how to survive
Now I'm writing just to let you know I'm still alive
The day passed quickly for the two. As the arm was the only replacement needed, Winry assured that if she took an all-nighter, she could have the procedure done by the next afternoon. Winry kept her promise, & the next morning the girl was getting the replacement.
A knock came on the door. Another knock. Before his hand hit the door once again-
"Coming!"
Winry appeared in the doorway, multiple tools in her arms, her hands, some even in her mouth.
"Can I help you?" she managed.
"Yes," the man said. "I was looking for an old drinking buddy of mine, Pinako Rockbell."
Winry looked over her shoulder.
"Well, sir," she said. "I'm afraid we both have a patient right now. Can it wait?"
The man nodded. He had a long coat on, a golden beard, the rest of his hair being pulled back into a ponytail, & wore glasses. He looked vaguely familiar to Winry, but she couldn't just quite place him.
"Make yourself at home," she said through clenched teeth, before running off to another room.
The days I spent so cold, so hungry
The man walked inside, sitting in a chair close to the room he thought the girl had ventured off to. He heard a girl try to stifle a scream.
I was so mad
I was so angry
"I'm sorry, Caroline," he heard Winry say. "But we're almost done."
The scars run deep beneath this tatooed body
"Well what's taking you so bloody long?" he heard another reply.
He chuckled to himself. It reminded him of when he was a kid. He also remembered Caroline. That was the name he had given to his daughter, right? The only daughter he had ever had. He remembered now. He wondered how she must look now. How she must be living now? Had Mustang abandoned the girl, & left her onto the streets? No, he thought. Mustang was a man of word, & he knew that for a fact. So she must still be living with him safely, correct?
There's things I'll take to my grave
"I can't believe her & Ed both take this so well," he heard one say, concluding it was Pinako.
& Ed, that was the name of one of his sons he had left with Trisha. No… there was no way…
The door opened. Pinako stepped out.
"Who are y-" she stopped. "Ho… Hoenheim?" she asked. "Is that-"
The man made his way into the room. He looked down at a girl sleeping on her side. She had light brown hair, the same as his little girl, close facial features, & slowly, her tired eyes fluttered open.
But I'm okay
Brown. Yes, brown. The same eyes he knew his sons had.
He stared as her eyes remained halfway opened.
"Who… are you?" she asked.
He took a deep breath. "Do you answer to Caroline Elric?"
Her eyes blinked, but remained still only halfway opened. "What's it to you?" she asked.
"I'm…." he took a deep breath, & stared at the ground for what seemed like forever. "Hoenheim Elric."
Her eyes opened wide, tears already forming in them.
"No," she said. "No you're not!"
"I'm sorry, Caroline, but I am," he said.
She sat up on her arms, both shaking in fear of what she knew was the truth. "No you're not," she repeated. "You're not! You're not! You're not!"
He grabbed her right shoulder. "If I told you your mother's name was Trisha Elric, & each of you brothers were Edward & Alphonse Elric, would you believe me then?"
The girl looked down as the man hugged her tightly.
I'm okay
"You're not him…" she repeated quietly over & over again, tears flowing down her face.
It's been a long hard road without you by my side
Why weren't you there all the nights that we cried
You broke my mother's heart, you broke your children for life
It's not okay but we're all right
Iremember the days, you were a hero in my eyes but those are just a long lost memory of mine
I spent so many years learning how to survive
Now I'm writing just to let you know I'm still alive
------
The sun was beginning to rise over Risembool. The girl slowly walked through the hallway. She began to open the door quietly.
"Caroline…"
"Crappit," she muttered. "Leave me alone," she said loudly. "You left me that way once anyways."
The man appeared behind her. "Well I'm not prepared to do that again."
Caroline frowned, understanding the concept.
Sometimes I forgive
"You're not getting my forgiveness."
The man followed her. She expected for him to speak up once, or do something, but he never did. He just followed along quietly. He bought a train ticket, & even rode the train with the girl.
She looked down at the empty table. She reached into her pocket & pulled out a handfull of grass, & sat it down.
"What's that for?" Hoenheim asked friendlily.
Her brown eyes looked up at him, narrowed. She clapped her hands together & in a flash, sat bread on a table. She tore some off, & began looking out the window, acting distracted.
"I see you're quite skilled with alchemy," he said.
She shrugged. "Some say so."
"I bet you're a real hit with the other kids in town," he continued.
"They used to beat me up," she said.
He was silenced.
"Because I was an orphan, as they called it."
"Look," Hoenheim said. "I just wanted to-"
"I don't need an explanation," she said.
"But you need a father," Hoeneheim said.
"Lived without one," Caroline retorted.
"Well, I'm prepared to be it," he said happily.
"Go ahead, & try."
Yeah & this time I'll admit that I miss you
Said I miss you
Within the next few days in the next few 'detours', Caroline found herself to becoming somewhat more attached to this man. She was fnally becoming close to him, but one day he looked up to the sky, looking scared.
"What is it?" she asked.
The man suddenly began looking around quickly. Then, he leaned down & grabbed the girl by the shoulders.
"Caroline," he said. "I know I haven't been that great of a father & that I've broken this family, but if you'll keep in touch with me I'll-"
She cut him off by placing a hand in front of his face.
It's been a long hard road without you by my side
Why weren't you there all the nights that we cried
You broke my mother's heart, you broke your children for life
It's not okay but we're all right
Iremember the days, you were a hero in my eyes but those are just a long lost memory of mine
I spent so many years learning how to survive
Now I'm writing just to let you know I'm still alive
"You're... leaving?" she asked.
"Well," he said, his voice trailing off.
"Dad," she said, looking down. "If you're leaving now," she said, and then looked him straight in the eye. "I want you to leave & never come back."
& sometimes I forgive
The man thought, then nodded. He reached out his arms, but the girl turned & ran off.
& this time I'll admit that I miss you
Running away from him. Running away from goodbyes.
I miss you
Tears of her own fear running down her face.
Hey dad
To be continued…
Caroline: aw… that chaptr makes me sad….ecspecially w/ the song... (yawn) its on the first good charlotte cd... reminds me BUNCHES of the elrics... neways its 12:39 nite & im really tired so I must GET SUM SLEEP. R&R... OR ELSE!