A/N: New chapter. Its a pretty long one and brings with it the intro of Greed! Enjoy!

Chapter 37: Burdens to Bear

I avoided Ed's eyes, staring instead at the ground but I could feel him scrutinizing me. I was sitting on a log, he and Al stood over me. No doubt Ed was angry. I didn't really care about that. I was used to anger. But I still couldn't meet his eyes. Betrayal was betrayal, and the judgment and hurt in his gaze was a nearly palpable thing. Usually I would get angry at him in return. But in this case I knew I had been keeping one too many secrets from them.

"Explain" Ed growled. "Why didn't you tell us about the boy turning psycho or Envy being here before we rushed in? Why did you side with that boy over us? We're your partners. Your friends. You've known this boy for a week."

"Liz we trust you," Al pleaded. "But you need to tell us the truth. Please."

After a long pause I made myself look up and stare Ed down "I didn't know the boy was psycho. All I knew was he was still attached to me. He still cared enough to defend me. Envy said that... he would be a psycho now that he had been reminded of what he was. But I don't make a habit of trusting Envy. As for me siding with Wrath." My eyes narrowed. "How many times have you killed Edward Elric, and felt happy about it after the fact, tell me that."

Ed's breath hitched but he recovered quickly "That's not the point here Liz. That kid isn't human! He has no soul!"

"Your right." I stood to see eye level with him or as close as I could come to it. "But let me know when you have the guts to let someone who trusts you, who calls you their big brother, someone who likes you... be killed when you had a chance to stop it." I stalked past them.

"So what else are you hiding from us Liz" Ed asked through gritted teeth from behind me.

I froze "What are you talking about?"

"How did you end up in Dublith?" Ed asked.

There was the big question wasn't it? I closed my eyes.

"You knew that was our cover destination. We weren't actually supposed to meet there. We got thrown off course. But you didn't know that," Ed took a step forward. "So what happened? How did you end up here?"

"Train broke down," I murmured. I knew I should tell them about Hughes. But I couldn't bear it. I didn't want to see the looks on their faces. And I didn't want to see them give up their current goals for revenge. Not like I did. Like I almost did again. Every part of me wanted to kill Envy when he shot Hughes. In a way, I was fortunate that he couldn't die. Or I would have broken my rule. Being a homunculus didn't matter. Killing him was still revenge and I couldn't go down that path again.

I couldn't let the brother's go down it either.

I tried to keep walking but Ed caught my arm and pulled me back. "That's bullshit, Liz. You're not that great of a liar and you know it."

"I dunno. I made up a pretty convincing religion on the spot," I said dully.

Ed's grip tightened on my arm.

"Please Liz?" Al pleaded. "Please."

I sighed. I could still get out of this without telling them about Hughes. I just had to say I was out on a normal night time walk. They would believe that. If I didn't breathe a word of the murder, then they wouldn't know.

I should tell them the whole truth. But at that moment, the truth felt too cruel.

"I... had a run in with Envy back at Central." I managed.

Both Ed and Al inhaled sharply.

"And you're alive?" Al was obviously concerned. "Are you hurt?"

"No." I leaned against a tree, facing my friends. "I got dropped on my bad shoulder several times and Envy came really close to killing me one time. Maybe a couple. But I'm ok." I sighed. "Apparently their master wants to see me, alive... that's the only reason I'm in one piece. I ended up getting knocked out. I woke up in a train car. Envy took my gloves but I managed to get one of my knives back." I fingered the knife in my belt. "Then, of course, I decided to irritate him. That ended with near death. He apparently does not like being called a puppet." I shrugged. "Fortunately he left the train car. And I jumped out of the train. I just happened to end up here."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Ed demanded. "Now the homunculi are after you and we don't know why. What if something had happened to you?"

I stared. He was actually concerned for me. "It's my problem. Yours is finding the philosopher's stone."

"And you've been helping us all this time. So we should help you with yours!" Ed shot back. "We're friends. Your burdens are ours too!"

"Don't try to go giving stuff up for me," I said. "It won't turn out well and I can't watch you guys get hurt."

"And what about you?" Al asked. "Envy almost killed you! You don't think that's important to us?"

"STAY OUT OF IT!" I yelled tears suddenly flowing down my face. I slid to the ground. "Please. Don't risk your lives for me. If one of you died I couldn't... I couldn't deal with it! Too many people who've helped me have gotten hurt!"

"Liz..." Al murmured.

Ed stared for a long time before he sighed in exasperation "Damn it Liz." he dropped to his knees and pulled me into a hug. "You're so stupid! You've been risking your life for us all this time haven't you? This world is equivalent exchange!"

"But..." I mumbled.

"No but's." Ed helped me to my feet. "Don't hide this stuff from us anymore okay? We're here. And we're going to help you. End of story."

"Fine." I managed a grin "Are you actually concerned about me pipsqueak?"

"You wish!"

Things didn't go quite so smoothly afterwards. Being forgiven by my friends was more then I could've ever hoped for but then Izumi told us she no longer could be our teacher because she had made "the same mistakes as her students". Dwelling on the past and performing human transmutation namely. Now we were getting ready to leave at the train station.

"Take care Sig" Ed smiled.

"You too." Sig nodded. "And be sure to stop by next time your here."

"But... I don't think we're exactly welcome" Ed looked confused.

"Idiots!" Sig's eyes narrowd and Al and Ed froze. I just sighed. "Now that you're no longer Izumi's students you're free to have a real relationship with her."

"What?" Al and Ed stared.

"That's right!" Winry beamed. "You guys don't have to feel constrained anymore! She can be your friend now!"

"You mean I can actually treat her like she's my aunt?" I stared. "That's weird..."

"Aw damn it." Ed sighed. "We can't leave yet."

Confronting Izumi usually doesn't sound good when you say it so actually doing it can be terrifying. But we did... because we're either suicidal, crazy, just that damn determined or possibly all three... any of them could work.

"Teacher we need a lead and we know you can help us!" Ed slammed his fist to the ground.

"We won't take no for an answer!" I said equally firmly... God I was gonna be killed.

"Leave!" a knife embedded itself between Ed and I's head. Where had that come from! I know it was a butcher sho but does she seriously keep them in the bed with her!? That's just scary! I feel sorry for whoever has to wake her up in the morning!"

"We're not leaving!" Ed said stubbornly.

"Not without knowing how to make a philosopher's stone without human sacrifice!" Al put in.

"LEAVE!"

"WE WON'T LEAVE!"

"Then I'll cut you up!"

"Do what you will!"

"We're not leaving."

"We came here with a purpose. We have to find the philosopher's stone. And there has to be a way to send the homunculi back to the gate," Ed said.

"The child is my responsibility." Izumi's eyes narrowed.

"I protected him so he's mine too!" I shot back. "And there are other homunculi who need a one way ticket to the gate as well."

"We're willing to bear your sins with you!" Ed said with equal vigor, reminding me of the incident in the forest that day. "So that you can help us bear ours!"

There was a long pause before Izumi sighed "Persistent brats."

We grinned. Our victory was clear.

"Very well. Al you say you have no memory of the gate... and it's possible your memories are there with your body" Izumi's brow furrowed. "Though it will be very difficult for us to retrieve them now."

"We know that but we might be able by pass the laws of equivalent exchange." Ed said and I nodded supportively.

"Hmm... equivalency. Tell me... do you really believe in that principle?" Izumi asked.

"Of course. It's not just the law of alchemy it's the law of the entire world," Al exclaimed.

"No..." Izumi sighed. "My son lost his life before he was born and what did he get in return? There was no equivalency. Liz saw her family murdered in front of her eyes and what did she gain... besides a streak of thoughtless revenge?" She sighed. "Mason!"

"Yes!" the idiot appeared by the window where he, Winry and Sig had been listening in.

"Show them the way to Dante's house." she said calmly. "They're making a trip there tomorrow to pick up my medicine. Enjoy the trip, you three. It should be… educational." The sides of Izumi's mouth quirked.

I saluted her "Yes aunty!"

"Don't call me that again."

"Uh… yes ma'am."

The next day we left for Dante's house. It was a lengthy walk and I kept looking around every ew seconds to make sure the homunculi weren't following me. Fortunately, I had finally gotten around to making myself new gloves and replacing the knife Envy took from me. When you have bad luck like I do, it's always best to be prepared

At last we reached a huge mansion, tucked into the forest on the outskirts of Dublith. It was a beautiful place, and definitely fancy living for a woman living alone. I wondered who this Dante was.

The door opened revealing a young woman with dark brown hair and violet eyes. She was probably a few years older than me and very pretty. "Welcome to my master's house," she said politely. I opened my mouth to respond in kind, but the brothers didn't have the same reaction.

"LYRA!" Ed and Al exclaimed in unison.

"Uh… who?" I blinked.

As we moved into the house, Ed and Al explained to me the Youswell situation. I knew some about the incident. It was, after all, the job that made Edward famous throughout the country. But Lyra had played a part in it as a young alchemist serving the state at the time. Naïve perhaps. And clearly she hadn't left the best impression on the brothers.

"I apologize for my actions when we last met." Lyra said in a very polite voice.

"Yeah," Ed said. "But tell me, what are you doing here?"

"Dante has been kind enough to let me stay here as her apprentice." she answered. "One day I hope to be a great alchemist just like her."

"I didn't know Dante was an alchemist," Al said.

"Yes the best." Lyra suddenly smiled "And after I met you two in Youswell I knew I had to improve my skills and become a master alchemist."

"You can find better models than them I'm sure," I grinned. "Your form of alchemy sounds different than theirs anyway."

"Like yours perhaps?" Lyra glanced at me. "They called you the Lightning Alchemist?"

"Yeah, I guess it's similar. You deal with air compression but on a projectile level, it has similar concepts." I nodded. "I can give you the name of a few good books."

"I'd like that." Lyra stopped outside the parlor and knocked on the door.

"It's open" a soft voice came from inside.

We entered the room and Lyra bowed. "The Elric brothers and their friend have arrived."

"Ah yes." an old woman stood from her chair. She looked pleasant enough. "I've been expecting you Edward and Alphonse. And... Elizabeth right?" she smiled at me "I've wanted to meet you too."

"It's Liz" I muttered. "And uh... thanks?" I didn't like the way this woman looked at me. I knew I shouldn't be worried about an old lady but something about her made my skin crawl. I couldn't say what.

"So you're Dante are you?" Ed asked.

"That's right" she nodded. "And you must be her students. Come, I'll prepare her medicine."

"What's your relationship with Izumi?" Ed asked suspiciously.

"Simple." Dante smiled. "A long time ago, I was her teacher."

"Huh." I cocked my head to the side. "That's kind of cool... though I don't see where the viciousness came from."

"Oh that was of her own personality" Dante chuckled softly. "She always was a spit fire... not much different from yourself I suppose." There was that look again. I didn't know how I felt about this old woman. Maybe it was just a deeply rooted fear of Izumi. The woman who taught her to be dangerous had to be dangerous herself.

But now… it was more than that. The hairs on the back of my neck raised when she looked at me. A distinct warning to run.

Thank god I was always so good at ignoring those.

Much later we were watching Dante prepare the medicine when Al asked "Uh... Dante? What do you think of the philosopher's stone?"

"Why? Are you two looking for it?" she asked not seeming surprised at all.

"No I-I was just curious," he stuttered.

Alphonse Elric. Master of deception.

"Everyone who has gone looking for the stone has found nothing but unhappiness in the end." Dante sighed. "I wonder if mankind is truly ready to possess such a powerful thing."

I glanced at Edward. In truth I wondered the same thing myself. The philosopher's stone was so powerful, it would probably be better if it didn't exist. And yet… they needed it.

"You know you look very much like your father Ed," Dante said.

Ed stiffened and I raised my eyebrows. Ed's father had never really been mentioned... he just left, that was all I knew.

"You knew our father?" Al leaned forward eagerly.

"I knew him very well" Dante smiled. "Hoenhiem of Light... he sought after the philosopher's stone as well... would you like to know where he is?"

"I don't care what happens to him" Ed growled suddenly getting up and stalking from the room. I followed after him... anything to get out from under Dante's unnerving stare

"Why do you hate him so much Ed?" I asked when I caught up to him in the garden.

"No reason." Ed muttered stubbornly.

"Hey if you're baring my burdens with me let me bare yours with you... what is it?" I stood in front of him blocking him from continuing to walk.

"He just left." Ed looked off to the side. "And mom died waiting for him to come back."

"Oh," I replied eloquently. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Its not like I knew him that well," Ed shrugged it off. "Its better I never meet him again. Otherwise I'll have to break his face."

I bit my lip. "Still—"

I heard something small hit the ground and I turned toward it on instinct—just in time to see a small pebble explode. Edward and I jumped back. A man stood at the edge of the trees, tossing another pebble in his hand. He had a smile like that of a snake and narrow golden eyes.

"You again." Ed's eyes narrowed.

"Who's that?" I asked. I had never seen him before.

"Zolf J. Kimblee. The Crimson alchemist," Ed replied.

"What?" My eyes widened. "But he should be dead after what he did."

"I know. I said the same thing." Ed said.

"I'm not to blame for my not being dead." Kimblee shrugged. "Let's just say the higher ups meddle with a lot of things behind the backs of their country."

"Like that surprises me," I said. The hair raised on the back of my neck and I turned in time to see another man about to attack Edward from behind. "Ed look out!" I yelled and Ed moved out of the way in time to avoid being clubbed in the back of the neck.

Ed skidded back on the ground and glared at the man. He was muscular and war a leather vest with a fur collar. His brown hair was spiky and his teeth seemed slightly sharp when he grinned.

"Lucky the girl was watching out for you, kid," the man said.

"Damn you!" Ed charged him and punched him with his automail fist... he didn't even flinch. Ed came away, flexing his hand and glaring.

"You surprised?" the man grinned. "I never did bruise easily." Then he punched with such speed that Ed didn't have time to block it. The fist hit his cheek and sent him flying a few feet before he hit the ground. He twitched. No way he was getting up soon after a blow like that. But these guys still had to deal with me.

"HEY!" I lunged at the spiky haired man and he dodged looking slightly surprised.

"Hey now. I don't like fighting girls." He frowned

"That's too bad!" I glared. "Because this girl really wants to kick your ass!" I lunged again kicking and punching as fast as I could. All of my blows were blocked by his arms which just weren't bruising. It was beginning to annoy me.

"Alright fine." He sighed. "If that's the way you want it." He threw a punch but I clapped my fortunately gloved hands together, slamming my right foot against the ground. My energy shield expanded between me and him, deflecting the blow and causing him to stumble back with surprise.

"Not bad kid." He grinned. "A shield of some sort? I guess we have that in common.

"Don't call me kid." I glared. "Someone else I really can't stand calls me that and it puts me in a really bad mood!" I was about to charge when I saw a group of people carrying off a suit of large suit of armor. Shit. "Al!" I called out and took a step toward him.

Suddenly, two arms hooked under mine, forcing my arms apart and lifting me off the ground. Kimbley, the crimson alchemist, had snuck up behind me. "You shouldn't let your guard down, Lightning alchemist," he said with a snake like smile.

I struggled but he clapping his hands together and brought them toward my head.

"Hey now," the other man said. "Don't explode her Kimbley."

I froze in mid struggle and stared at the hands inches from my head.

"He's right though. You should always keep your guard up." The man leaned down so that he was looking me in the eye. A lazy smirk spread across his face. "I guess if you're so persistent we'll just take you with us, doll."

Kidnapped again, huh?

I wish I could even be shocked anymore.

A/N: Liz is kidnapped again. Shock and aw. Hope you enjoyed the chapter and see you next week!