Tough Love

It was a long journey, not as long as it used to be thanks to advancements in technology, but it was still a trip and he was tired. He had wanted to bring his wife along with him but travel didn't really agree with her at the moment. She was just barely showing but he was nervous enough as it was without worrying about her traveling the distance too. No, it was better if she took this time to relax.

With a heavy sigh he looked up the path towards the familiar house, it hadn't taken more than a single call from Winry to pull him out here. He had heard her upset, sad, happy or mad but the way her voice lingered made him falter, it felt like she had given up the fight and that had him scared. She was asking a lot of him, but this was Winry and he knew she wouldn't ask if it wasn't bad.

"Uncle Al? Uncle Al!"

His mouth dropped open in surprise as a beautiful young girl came running down the path and into his surprised arms. Her sunny blonde hair cascaded down her back, a pretty white sundress making him swallow back a different name from his tongue. Letting his bag drop he picked her up letting the strange feeling of déjà vu pass him by. He shook his head, "My goodness Sara, when did you grow into such a pretty young lady?"

Her cheeks flushed with pride, "I turned 11 this year."

He did not envy his brother. From the looks of it they were going to have to beat the local boys off with a stick much sooner then they knew. "Where is everybody?"

Her smile sort of slipped before regaining its former place. "Mom took Eddy with her to help with Mr. Tanski-"

"Uncle Al!"

He felt another wave of disbelief wash over him. Of course he had seen pictures and talked to his youngest nephew but the last time he had seen Alan was before he could talk. He held out his arms grateful that despite the distance they weren't strangers. Ruffling the boys hair he smiled, "I heard you guys have a new puppy?"

Alan grinned widely showing a few missing teeth. "Yeah, he's a big dog now"

"You don't say...well how about you two go take him for a walk so I can talk to your dad?"

Alan nodded his head enthusiastically as he called for the dog. "Alchemist!"

Sara's expression fell, her eyes big with a hurt he knew she couldn't quite place. His brother was a real idiot sometimes. She tugged on his arm pulling him back from his thoughts. "Please help him."

Before he could say anything in response she was already walking away, Alan and the dog close at her heels. Shouldering his bag again he took a deep breath, there really was no time like the present.

He let himself in the house pausing only to admire the new pictures that littered the board in the hallway. His brother was easy to find, sprawled across the couch with a book over his face and from the sound of the snores it had been for a while.

Al stood there for a moment before dropping his bag and heading into the kitchen. Filling a pitcher of water he ignored common sense and did what he felt needed to be done. Pulling off the book he poured the pitcher of water onto his brother.

Edward sat up sputtering his eyes wide and his limbs flailing.

"Good." Al spoke harshly. "You're awake."

"What the-? Al? What the hell was that for?" His brother stood up his wet clothes sticking to his body which Al noticed actually looked a little thicker than usual.

"You needed a wake up call."

Ed pushed the wet hair from his face, his expression traveling quickly from surprise to anger. "So you traveled all the way here to throw water on me?"

"No." He amended, "I traveled all the way here because you, out of all people, should know you just don't quit on your family."

Red flared across his brothers cheeks. "What are you bitching about? I'm here aren't I?"

"Your oldest son won't speak to you, your daughter is scared for you and your wife called me crying so you tell me brother, are you really here?"

"That's not fair." Ed snapped.

"I'm not here to fight brother." Alphonse had always felt like the older child. "I'm here to figure out why you're letting the guilt of your past define your present. I thought you knew better, I thought Dad was a good enough example."

"Don't you dare compare me to that bastard!"

Al didn't back down. "Can you not see yourself right now? You're hurting them…I thought you were determined not to make Winry cry anymore."

His brother stared at him, the stubbornness in his jaw muscles clenching and unclenching. Edwards's eyes closed and then reopened. "Winry called you crying?"

He knew Ed hated when Winry cried. "Still think things are okay?"

His older brother shook his head looking like hell. "I know they're not. But what do I…how do I even begin to…?"

"I think you need to find a new purpose and I think it's time Eddy heard the real story of our past."

His brother looked down at his wet clothes, his expression unreadable. "What if I can't give them that?"

Al sighed because this was a conversation their father should have been having with his son. "Then you don't deserve them."

There was a horrible silence, a pause in which he swore every noise and ever movement became larger than life. He waited and when the tears began to roll down his brother's face he felt his throat clench tight. There was hope after all.