Disclaimer: I don't own any of FullMetal Alchemist's ideas, characters, and themes. I do, however, own Ocs, made-up characters, and my own ideas and plots.

Chapter 36

They made it to this Dr. Knox Edward mentioned before, who seemed to be a very stubborn man with built-up aggression. When the girl within Alphonse was revealed, Tom freaked out because of two facts. One, that Alphonse was empty, and two, that May (as he called her) was injured. I was touched by the amount of concern on his face, and when the time came for he and the Brothers to leave Dr. Knox to his work, Tom always looked back at the closed door behind which May resided. The worst of the pain had already passed when she came out of Alphonse, and there was no need for me to enter her soul, but I did so just in case. It definitely made the bandaging-business easier for her to endure, and she was soon set to rest. Her past was very much like Ling's, and I discovered that she, too, was a apart of the vast family of the Xingese Empire.

I learned that Lan Fan had been relocated here as well. Alphonse had delivered the scrap of cloth Greed had given him, and the joy that came up on Lan Fan's face... and the way that joy crumbled upon hearing what happened to Ling... I stayed close and took some of her sadness into myself. I was getting better at that, hopefully. She had wondered aloud though, wondered why she didn't feel as deep a sadness as she should, and I felt like a child caught doing something wrong. Alphonse replied with the hope that Ling was going to get his body back, and that Lan Fan knew this deep inside. Yes, that was what it had to be.

Finally, Tom and the Brothers sat down in a room unoccupied by the Xingese patients. It was one large sofa, a low coffee table, and walls of junk surrounding them. This doctor wasn't quite the housekeeper by the look of things, but there may have been a reason as to why that was so. Anyway, the boys fit themselves in that room comfortably enough to start their talk. However, no one knew how to start at first; they sat down, but said nothing in solemnity. It was Edward who first spoke.

"Alright... Tom. Tell us your story."

And so he did. He told us of what happened after our fiasco in Korius, of his pursuits in alchemy, how he lost his ear... Edward was intrigued by this attempt of creating life, a little different from creating a chimaera. Perhaps he never thought of it before. Tom then told them about his journey to Central and how it got sidetracked when he fell into what appeared to be a tunnel. Then—

"Malice?" Edward breathed. He leaned forward and said more forcefully. "You actually saw Malice?"

I didn't quite expect to hear of her so soon, and needless to say, my soul quivered a little, like a shudder down someone's back. Tom nodded.

"Yes, and I spoke to her. It was... frightening. She's so different from..." He shook his head.

He said that in the middle of his and Malice's meeting, a homunculus called Pride interrupted, and my soul shook more violently. So a Pride did exist, one that did not look like King Bradley, who took on that name once. He existed as much as another Sloth did. After Pride's entrance, Tom lost consciousness, and when he came to, Malice had carried him to a refugee village of Ishbalans so that he could recover. Malice had called him a possible sacrifice, and the Brothers looked at each other at the mention of it. Tom noticed, but maybe he was waiting to ask his questions at the ending. He then told them that May had helped him recover with her country's alchemy, and now he was here. He didn't talk about his companions, even though it was already apparent he was in the company of Scar. Perhaps it was his effort to keep them secret and protect them. Edward and Alphonse didn't ask him anything further about that.

"I came here looking for you two, so that I can ask you more about human transmutation. Please, tell me everything you know!" Tom looked pleadingly at them. Edward turned his gaze away, his expression strained painfully. "Please. I want to become a better alchemist to help other people. Perfecting it would be the ultimate test, wouldn't it? Please, tell me."

"You know it already," Edward replied. He shook his head. "You can't bring anyone from the dead, and even if you provide the right price for sacrifice, the result isn't the same as the one who's passed. This was the case with Urami, don't you remember?"

Alphonse glanced at his brother, rather surprised that he was okay with talking about me so openly. It used to hurt him, but now I was no longer a memory. To him, I was still around. Tom hesitated.

"That's true. The girl Malice was transmuted from originally... her name was Margaret. When I met Malice, she was very close alike to her, but at the same time she was different, you know? Like two sides of the same coin."

"Urami, not Malice," Edward corrected. "That's who you mean, right?"

Tom looked at Edward with a puzzled expression. Then his quirked brow loosened, relaxing his face into a lost, distant look.

"So there is a difference?" he whispered. "The two of them existed differently?"

"Yes. They still do."

"How do you know this, Brother?" Alphonse asked slowly. "I thought you didn't believe what Ling told you."

"I didn't. But when I was swallowed by Gluttony and made my way back to... that place," he began. "...I saw her. Urami, I mean. She was the same one we met, Al. The same one I love."

Tom and Alphonse stared at Edward with such bafflement on their faces I had to smile weakly. I knew how hard it would be to believe it, and that was why I was so glad I managed to get to Edward in some way. Much of my thanks went to Ling and all of his efforts. Thinking of him, I really hoped he knew what he was doing...

"I know it sounds crazy, and in ways, it is," Edward continued. "Alchemy mentions absolutely nothing about the spirit. That's something Truth keeps in store for us when we die, and after that, we can't distribute that truth to the living... Urami told me that she's looking for a way to get her body back, the one that Malice is in control over now."

It felt so amazing, to have my problem spoken out in the open like this. It was how I felt when Ling wanted to explain it to Edward the first time. This occasion, there was true comprehension, true acceptance. That kind of feeling made me forget the dismal future, the possibility that I would be locked in this transparent plane of life, where no one could know I was still alive. The boys were very silent as they let the words sink in.

"How can we help her?" Alphonse breathed softly. Edward sighed. "We... don't know anything about this."

"I know... I'm just as stumped as you are. Hopefully I'll see her again and ask."

"How? When?"

Edward shook his head, breathing deeply. He brought his eyes back to Tom. "Tell more about these tunnels you stumbled into," he said, changing the subject. I didn't mind. It was as Edward said; it would just have to wait until the next time we'd speak.

I crossed my fingers that it would be that night.

It took Edward a long while to fall asleep, perhaps because he was anticipating my arrival. Dreams, I heard him think. She told me she'd come into my dreams.

The reason why I could hear him was, for the first and most awaited time, I could finally touch his soul. There was no wall to separate us. I tried it shortly after the boys finished their discussion. I thought Iwas dreaming, when I passed my fingers through his skin, through the barrier that pushed me out. I embraced his soul, and let the flood of memories rush at me. It was second-nature now. I saw everything from the beginning... I saw the Sloth I knew there —Trisha Elric. I remembered what Edward said before, that a homunculus was just an altered reflection. Maybe this was true, but I wouldn't be able to say I knew both sides of the mirror, so I didn't know if Sloth was like her predecessor. I saw the Brothers' sacrifice and meeting with Truth, and then the events that followed their quest for the return of their bodies. With a flutter in my chest, I saw the time when I crashed into their lives, and onwards. It was surprising how all of that flew by so fast. Seeing myself through Edward's eyes was... pretty intriguing. I never saw myself in such a high light as he did, and I felt really modest. Many emotions latched themselves onto his memories, so many you couldn't distinguish them so easily. I felt happiness, sadness, and love. Warm, comforting love, and helpless, heart-wrenching love.

Edward's soul was so precious. I felt that I had a need to protect it, like a mother and her baby. I didn't want to leave him ever again, even though I knew there'd be a time I would need to.

For now, as I patiently waited for him to fall asleep, I sat down beside him with my hand on his soul. I could hear his thoughts while I kept watch over our surroundings, even though there was no impending danger currently. Alphonse sat against the far wall, with the window, sleepless as usual. I looked over to him sympathetically from time to time, tempted to touch his soul and keep him company in some way... but I knew I couldn't risk it. He and his brother booked another room at the hotel while May and Lan Fan rested. They told Tom he was more than welcome to come, but he told them he wanted to stay by May's side, despite the shortage of beds in the house. Knox put up a very intimidating fit about it, but he eventually —and surprisingly— gave in to the determined look Tom gave him.

Edward's internal voice was only a murmur, which I would never have noticed if I wasn't so enthusiastic about our souls' acquaintance. I never heard Ling's thoughts before, so this was definitely new.

You're insane, a voice said in Edward's head. Maybe that was his rationality. I looked down at him thoughtfully. How do you know she wasn't a dream, too? How was all of that real? You didn't see her, or Al's body...

No. Edward turned on his side. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. I saw them. One is all, and all is one. There's more than we humans know...

Soon, sleep finally came to visit, and wrapped him gently in slumber. He looked so peaceful in sleep, which made me happy; he would be a wreck if he had no escape from the hectic events of life around him. He looked so at ease that I, for a brief second, didn't want to disturb him. But the urge was too great, and then I would have no regret for my intrusion.

Like Ling's, Edward's subconsciousness was just black space, dreamless. I believe that, since this wasn't the first time, I would be able to find him faster, but I was mistaken. I kept walking, but it didn't look like I was making any progress. My soul rippled in excitement though, because of the upcoming reunion. What kind of expression would he wear when he saw me? Surprise, that what he hoped for came true? Happiness, the kind that would erase those burdens from his shoulders? Or warm, immortal love? Caught in my imaginings, I started humming to myself. My mood changed the path around me, and without meaning to I made cerulean orchids bloom and wither in my wake.

I stopped humming when I saw the ground below me turn to stone. I felt a strong emotion wash over and everywhere around me, and it took me a moment to recognize it. It was a helpless sorrow, mixed with frustration. I was well accustomed to this feeling... but what was going on? As I kept walking, walls took their place around me, garnished with paintings and pillars. A mansion. The Alchemist's Mansion.

I heard Edward shout, and it made me pause in place, confused. What was going on? I didn't make any of this. But of course... dreams always weaved by themselves. This one was a powerful one, and by the way it was governed by negative emotion, and by the way Edward shouted, it sounded like a nightmare. He shouted again, the words incoherent to me, and I started running, calling his name. The corridors just seemed to keep going, everything looked the same. I couldn't figure out if any of the doors I passed were ones I passed already, if I was only going in circles... Not only did I heard Edward's voice, but there was another. It sounded like mine, but harsher... it couldn't be...

Finally, I managed to distinguish the right way, and I found Edward. And Malice. There was blood, darkness. It was a reenactment, of the time when Malice had isolated Edward and herself from everyone, homunculi and humans alike, to finished the Fullmetal Alchemist off for good. Edward was on the ground, his automail broken to pieces, his face bleeding. Malice was over him, but completely transformed into the Ore. She looked more terrifying... she was going to kill him... but she was speaking lowly to him. Long, low, malicious words, and Edward kept telling her to shut up. I heard him say my name, but she only laughed and continued to slur darkly to him. Edward shouted at her again.

Malice leaned in for the kill... but just like last time, I was the one to stop her. I had no doubt in myself. I was greater than the dream; I would control it. With all my soul, I banished the images before me. Malice, the mansion, everythingwas washed away, so quickly that it looked effortless. All but Edward disappeared. His blood was gone, his cuts were healed, his automail replaced with the limbs he lost, and everything was alright. He shut his eyes closed, so he hadn't seen what had happened yet.

I walked up to him and crouched down before him. I smiled, reached over to him and touched his arm. He flinched and opened his eyes wide to investigate the new terror of his nightmare. But it was only me. Only him and I.

We were together.

"Urami?" His voice was weak, and he reached out to me with his left hand. I leaned my face to it and welcomed his touch.

"I promised I would come here to you," I whispered. "So here I am."

The smile that stole across his features then! You wouldn't believe the level of happiness, so contagious. It brought tears to my eyes. He suddenly pulled me to him, almost making the both of us topple over. I fell into his lap, burying my face in his chest, and he held me tight. It felt like he didn't intend to ever let me go, and I was okay with that. He kept whispering my name, pressing his lips to my hair. Glancing at the dark space around us, I painted the world with colours, so heavily-set that I knew he would remember.

"I knew I wasn't dreaming when I saw you," he breathed. "And you're not just a dream now. You're real. You're..."

I smiled against his chest, and I peered up at him. "Hard to believe, huh? I would never have thought it possible myself. Sounds too 'over-the-clouds' to be true."

As much as neither I nor he wanted to let go, he allowed me to inch away and sit normally in front of him. At least he held my hand tightly, his effort in preventing me from slipping away again. He looked around, at all the flora fields under the last reaches of sunset. After his mind had absorbed its detail, he looked back at me. Speechless, he looked into my eyes. I looked back at him, waiting patiently with a warm smile on my face.

"How... how are you?" he finally said, and then his eyes screwed up and he scolded himself. "Wait, what kind of thing is that to say? I mean...well..."

I laughed softly.

"It's been a long while... and it's really hard to talk about what happened, I think." My brows knitted upward. "Edward... I'm really sorry that things turned out the way they did."

"I'm sorry, too." Edward closed his eyes. "I wish this didn't happen to you."

I squeezed his hand, and he looked at me again. I leaned forward and looked up at him reproachfully. "I had to pay for it. After all the lies, after all the hurt... it's something I had coming to me." I shook my head and let out a choked laugh. "I don't know why you still love me, Edward. Aren't you angry with me?"

"Well... I was," he admitted. "You didn't tell me you were a homunculus."

"I was sent to kill you."

"I know."

I cast my eyes down and leaned back. "And yet you still care. Don't you hate me?"

"How can I ever hate you?" I looked up at him, and his eyes were soft as they considered me. "You didn't even try to kill me at any time. Instead, you tried to push me away, remember? That was your own... well, stupid way of protecting me. You wanted to face the homunculi alone and die, so that you wouldn't have to kill me. That's right, isn't it?" He reached forward and stroked my cheek lightly. "And I would be scared to tell the truth, too... it's okay. It's all so far in the past now, you shouldn't feel so guilty of it."

"Don't tell me that it's okay, because it's not," I sighed. "How can I have treated you like that, and still get your love? I feel like I'm cheating. That's not fair. And why... willingly give your love to a homunculus?"

"Urami, I fell in love with you. My heart belongs to you. All other things are secondary." His one hand returned to the one holding mine, and he ran his fingers across my knuckles tenderly. "You are perfect as you are, and I accept you."

His words stunned me.

"I know you're sorry for what you've done. And look at you now... don't tell me that's something you deserve. You're a homunculus, but that doesn't make you any less human, and any less deserving of affection."

After a long moment, I shook my head slowly and couldn't help but chuckle. "You are really amazing, Edward," I told him. I smiled greatly, and I felt tears run down my cheeks. "In a weird twisted way... I'm glad that I was sent after you."

He grinned at me. "Same here."

Morning dawned, and Edward roused slowly. When he opened his eyes, I knew he was recounting all of his conversation with Urami. He breathed deeply as he observed the ceiling, his eyes shifting here and there as if he could follow the events. He even gingerly touched his lips, where he couldn't sworn he felt Urami's departing kiss like a wonderful imprint. When he was confident enough, he sat up drowsily and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Alphonse perked up when he saw his brother officially get up.

"How did you sleep? You had a nightmare. I was about to wake you, but then you seemed okay."

Edward looked at his brother and smiled. "Urami came by, like she said."

Alphonse gasped. Edward was glad that Alphonse believed that Urami was really still around. He seemed more conscious of what Ling had told them before, when he tried to first explain Urami's situation. He leaned forward eagerly. "So what did she say? How can we help her?"

"For the time being, she doesn't know how either." The excitement in Alphonse's posture faltered. "She says that Malice can't see her, which is different from how it was before. When we find Malice, Urami will try and get into her body and take control."

"So that's our next step, right? Find the tunnels... then find Malice, right?"

"Right."

"What if we get caught?" Alphonse folded his arms. "The military's going to watch us more closely now, and I have a feeling that they wouldn't want us down there..."

"To hell with the military!" Edward threw the covers off of himself and stood up. "And to hell with Father and the other homunculi... we'll just make sure not to create a scene. We're going to 'continue our research'. If we play our cards right..."

Alphonse nodded. "That sounds like a plan."

"Before we go, we need to do a little recon around town. We have to figure out why our alchemy didn't work underground..."

"And then, I think we should wait for Lan Fan and May to heal up. I dunno, I would just feel better if I saw them up on their feet again."

Edward hesitated, then smiled weakly. "Yeah. Yeah, I think Urami would, too."

"If she can only communicate through dreams, then I guess I'm out of luck. I can't sleep." Alphonse sighed. "Next time you see her, tell her hi from me, okay?"

"Well, I'm sure she can hear us."

Alphonse straightened up in realization, and he laughed contently. "That's right! Hi, Urami! I hope you're well!"

They couldn't hear the lighthearted giggle, but it was there.

End of Chapter

A/N: Hm, well then.

Once again I've neglected to write and finish a chapter for this, even though everything's pretty much played out. I am really sorry for that, but I hope to write more. I'll bring my notebook tomorrow and see if I get any dialogue or descriptions out. There's this lovely forest next to the buildings of my classes... oh jeez, I hope it's sunny! It's so nice in there, next to the river! I'm going to take lots of pictures too... -heart-

But I digress. Chances are you're going to wait a long time for the next chapter. SO, I went out and created a forum for you.(well technically, I created it a long time ago, but I, er, forgot to advertize it)

The forum is your opportunity to discuss what you think about the story and characters of I Was Sent to Kill You with your fellow readers. I know it sounds narcissistic of me to create a forum for my own story, but I kinda like the idea of you all talking to one another. I'm not asking you to say how much you like it; I want your input on style of writing, character development, any questions you have, etc. I hope that you do enjoy it in some way X'D You can find it in my main profile.

With that said, I bid you goodnight -heart- Please tell me if you find any grammatical mistakes and spelling errors!

-Vixen