Why have I been gone so long, you ask? Well it's simple- I didn't have a good way to end the story. But now I do. So yeah, I'm back, and you're gonna hate me after this chapter, but I don't mind. Just leave a review!

They were running down the street, Ed trying to keep pace with his whirling thoughts and Lucy trying her best to match his stride with her shorter legs, holding a half-full bottle of whiskey.

Alcohol to accelerate the flame. Lighter for the spark. I remember Mustang's array, I can manipulate the oxygen to make it burn faster... Almost there. Three blocks until we reach the field.

Ed stopped in his tracks, frowning and looking over his shoulder. He had a nagging feeling that just wouldn't go away.

Why didn't you come to me first? Mustang's voice was echoing around in his head, though it wasn't wanted or needed. Since when had that bastard started to live rent-free in his mind? Probably around the same time Ed had started living rent-free with him, but still...

"Screw it. Lucy- we have to stop for a minute." Lucy nodded, and they ducked into a phonebooth. It was dark, but they were in a relatively safe neighborhood, so Ed stuffed a few coins into the phone and dialed the number of someone he knew would still be in the office right now...

"Hey. Scheiska. Yeah, it's me again. Listen- I need you to tell Mustang that I'm going to burn down a building in the middle of the woods due to the mental anguish it's caused me. He'll know the place. Hell, EVERYBODY probably knows the place. And he's welcome to come along, but don't try and stop me, because I need to do this. It's... therapeutic. Thanks, bye!" he slammed the phone down quickly on the hanger before she could reply, heaving a sigh.

There. Now Mustang would know where to find them, and be able to catch up to them, but he wouldn't arrive in time to stop their master plan. But at the same time, he wouldn't be able to punish him as harshly for running off alone, because this was sort of like leaving a note. Almost.

"Alright, kid- let's get going.".

At this point, he could've made the trek through the forest blindfolded. He'd spent so much time here- physically, mentally, emotionally. It was still there sometimes, when he closed his eyes. It was easy to lead Lucy through the leaves, and he found himself unconsciously leading them on a winding route to steer clear of traps, even though the military had already come through and removed them...

They slid down through the ravine and made it through the clearing where Red's tree was, turning right and continuing on. The breeze rustled and Ed felt cold- a flutter of something a memory, maybe- just just for a moment, he'd thought he'd felt someone's cold hand taking his own.

He shook his head. He was imagining it. Red had crossed over. But he still paused for a moment anyways, looking over his shoulder at the large tree shrouded in the moonlight and feeling a pang in his chest. So long, old friend.

It was easy to find the factory.

It was even easier to duck underneath the yellow crime scene tape that was around every doorway.

Ed exhaled in the cool fall air, letting out a breath. "Let's do it. Let's burn this hellhole to the ground."

Lucy nodded, holding out the half-full bottle of liquor they had to him.

A moment later, footfalls on the metal stairs made them realize they weren't alone.

Ed whirled and froze, going pale. His heartrate sped up at the sound of boots on the metal catwalk, and Lucy's hands went slack. The bottle of alcohol hit the floor and shattered into a million pieces.

"I'd prefer you didn't." a calm, intelligent voice drifted down the stairs. The man- he was a man, about six feet tall, with dirty blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. "I don't know where you children get the idea to play with matches from, but this place is still useful to some of us.".

BREAK

"He's what? I need you to slow down when you speak, Scheiska." Roy said seriously.

Scheiska was twitching nervously, and she took a deep breath, and, for the third time, tried to explain what she was trying to say.

"Edward called. He said to tell you..." her words started coming faster in her anxiety, and she forced herself to pause and take a breath, steadying her speech "that he's burning down a building that's caused him traumaand..." her words tumbled together and she once again stopped, squeezing her hands into fists before she kept speaking, once again slowing her speech "that you'd know which one it was... and not to try and stop him.".

"He's going to burn the factory to the ground." Roy came to the stark realization.

"But then why go running of without telling anyone?" Lucy's father looked perplexed.

Roy sighed. "Because- he thinking the military would try to stop him. It IS technically arson... But if he'd asked me first, I would've told him that the damn place has already been condemned and gone out there with him to destroy it." he ran a ahnd through his hair, frustrated. "Right. Well, get the cars everyone- I swear, that beansprout is going to be on latrine duty for a week this time...".

"He did call us to leave a message, Sir. That's more than he usually informs us about. It's progress." Hawkeye tried to placate him as they all trooped towards the parking lot. "Besides... I can you really blame him for wanting to get rid of that place? After all that's happened?".

Roy paused. "I don't hold that against him, no. But this charging off on his own all the time might just land him in trouble someday. Someday, he might get in too deep, and we might not make it in time..."

There was silence for several moments, as both of them simply stared at the man halfway down the stairs.

"What's the matter- cat got your tongue?" the man asked lazily, sounding bored.

That broke Ed from his trance. "Who the hell are you, and why are you here?" Lucy had stepped closer to him, grabbing his hand, and Ed moved to push her behind him.

"Don't you think I should be asking you that? Two children, out in the forest alone, in the middle of the night. That would concern any adult. Respect your elders." the man spoke easily- it was obvious he was intelligent.

Ed snarled. "You're on the grounds of one of the worst crime scenes in the city. I don't care if you're an adult- how do I know you aren't involved in this? Now tell me who you are, and then I'll answer your questions!"

The man shrugged. "Testy, aren't we. Well, you are an adolescent. Fine. My name is Gean Bagum, and I'm a geologist. There's a unique cave system in the ravine nearby here I've been visiting for the past few years. When I stopped by this year, I found an entirely new tunnel, so this is my camping spot. It's close to the ravine. I didn't even know of these murders until I'd come to town, and even then- I'm a man of science. It doesn't scare me, being here. But it obviously frightens you children a good deal." the man observed, looking at their stances.

Ed frowned. "Why camp here? Why not just get a hotel? That would be the logical thing to do."

The man sighed. "I'm from a small university in the east. I don't exactly have a lot of research funds. At this point, it's more of a hobby than a livelihood, but my discoveries here might change that. Now. Who are you? Or should I just take you to the police and call your parents for trying to burn down a building?" the man had started to come down the stairs, now.

He noticed the way Ed shrank back and frowned, stopping when he reached the ground and looking... remorseful? "Listen- I'm not going to hurt you. I don't read much, but I know some awful things happened here. I'm not involved in any of that. I'm just trying to figure out who you kids are.".

Ed stepped forward into a sliver of moonlight that was filtering in through a broken window. "The name's Edward Elric.". he admitted. "This... is my cousin, Lucy.".

The man sucked in a breath and took a step closer, eying the silver pocketwatch chain in Ed's pocket. His eyes widened. "Are you... is that really a military pocketwatch?".

Ed paused. "Yeah. How'd you know?".

"Can I see it?" the man took another step forward, and Ed stepped back.

The man frowned, stepping back and holding both of his hands up placatingly. "I'm not going to take if from you and I don't want to frighten you. I've just never seen a state alchemist's watch before. I've dabbled in alchemy myself.".

Ed withdrew his pocketwatch, dangling it and showing it to the man, before he was stuffing it back into his pocket.

The man looked at the insignia on the front and inhaled sharply. "So you really are the Fullmetal Alchemist.".

Ed nodded. "Yeah. I am. I have more military rank and power than you, and I've got orders to burn this building down. So don't try and stop us." he was bluffing, lying through his teeth, but this man couldn't have been older than twenty five. And he seemed to swept off his feet by Ed's pocketwatch, maybe he'd believe it.

"You can't! At least, not yet- if you burn this place down, it'll ruin all my research... You have to understand, you're an alchemist too!" the man looked crestfallen.

"I'm an alchemist too, you know." Lucy stepped into the moonlight beside Ed, pulling a piece of chalk from her pocket.

The man blinked. "Really? But you couldn't be more than eight..."

As he watched, Lucy sketched out a rough transmutation circle and knelt. A moment later, the cement below her hands was reshaped into a stone flower.

The man clapped his hands together in delight. "Oh, a prodigy! Look at us... a man, an adolescent, and a child- it's like fate destined all of us to be here tonight...".

Ed frowned. "What the hell are you talking about? Get your research notebooks and get out of here- we're burning this place to the ground.".

"Alright." the man looked mournful. "But will you at least let me show you my research? I'm a bit of an alchemist myself, it's so rare to find someone to have intellectual conversations with... You can help me carry it all out of here."

"I wanna see it!" Lucy looked excited.

Ed frowned. It seemed illogical, that the man wanted their help. When he was a child, his mother had said- "If an adult ever asks you for help, run away. Adults ask other adults for help, not kids.". And there was still a feeling of... wrongness about it all, but maybe it was just the fact that they were in the factory again, and the fact that he could still see the bloodstains on the floor...

"Listen- with all of us together, it'll take one trip. I have several heavy boxes of research, once it's out of the building I'll let you two torch the place. I promise."

Lucy was already walking behind the man, and Ed frowned. "I guess. But then we burn this place.".

"Of course."

They mounted the stairs to the second floor, and then the third.

"So- what's your research about, anyways? Geological alchemy?" Ed figured it couldn't hurt to try and make conversation.

"Hmm? Oh, yes- geological alchemy! So I used to study shales and mineral transmutations, I graduated form East City University and did a thesis on alchemical construction of low cost concrete. But now that I'm a professor, I've been working on more precious research about precious stones..."

The wind blew open a nearby door that slammed into the wall, and Lucy flinched, grabbing onto Ed.

The man frowned. "No need to be frightened- it's just the wind. I have a lantern in my makeshift study here, I'll light it so you can relax a little." he promised Lucy, who nodded but still didn't let go of Ed's hand.

The frown hadn't left the man's face. "I did manage to snag a local newspaper in town. I didn't get details, but from what I read- some horrible things happened here. And you were very involved in this case, weren't you? I read about the Fullmetal Alchemist being involved."

"Yes. I was." Ed said, voice stony. They entered a room with mostly intact windows. The moonlight wasn't as bright in here, the roof wasn't in as many pieces above them, and the man lit his lantern as promised and handed it to Lucy.

"Right. You probably don't want to talk about it." the man said, sounding apologetic.

But Ed hardly heard him over the sound of the blood rushing in his own ears- because this was the room, this was the place where he'd found the girl's body chopped up on the table, her decapitated head between her spread legs, her carved out eyes and severed tongue and fingers canned and pickled in jars in the cabinet...

"Something wrong?" the man asked, looking at Ed, concerned.

The table the body had been lying on was now pushed into the corner, covered in books and papers. The cabinet that'd held the teenage girl's pickled remains was open, and a few label less tin cans of provisions poked out. The pile of bone that'd been in the corner and that he'd moved onto the floor was gone, and the stove was cleaned up slightly, looked like it'd been used...

"You... this is the room you do your research in?" Ed asked, finding it hard to formulate words for a moment.

The man nodded. "Yes. It's quite nice. I've even managed to get the stove working..."

Ed felt nauseas. "Don't use the stove. Just... something really bad happened in this room."

"Oh. Oh." the man frowned, looking a bit squeamish. "Right. When I got here last week, the military had already cleaned things up, so I really had no idea..."

"I get it. Just... get your research so we can get out of here." Ed said, tone clipped.

Lucy was already pawing through one of the cardboard boxes of papers, glancing at the articles.

The man strode over, smiling at her in a brotherly way.

"You sure are a curious one. Find anything you like in there, little alchemist?"

"This is a book on the philosopher's stone." Lucy said seriously, holding it up.

Once again, Ed's world stopped, though it was for an entirely different reason.

"Very astute. Yes, I enjoy reading about the myths and folklore occasionally." The man took the small book from her hand, handing her a piece of paper happily. "This is a transmutation circle of my own design. It's a bit advanced, but I think someone as smart as you may be able to figure it out..."

"It's complicated." Lucy remarked.

"Yes, it is. But see if you can puzzle it out for yourself."

Ed was too busy staring at the small book in the man's hands. A book on the philospher's stone.

"What do you know about the philosopher's stone?" Ed asked seriously.

Gean's lips quirked into a small smile, though his brown eyes were shining. "About as much as you do, I imagine."

"Do you... do you know how to make one?"

The man nodded. "Yes. Truthfully- when I was doing my research- I was after only one precious stone. The philospher's stone. Like so many of us."

Ed wanted to plow forward. He wanted to ask him ten thousand and one questions, he wanted to get that book, he wanted to call Alphonse... Could the solution to all his problems be sitting right in front of him?

But there were alarm bells going off in the back of his mind, because hadn't this guy lied to him, he said he was a geologist looking for minerals in a cave nearby...

"I may have told a few mistruths to you when I first met you." the man admitted, seeing Ed's hesitation. "I thought you were just children. Not fellow alchemists. And besides- bad things tend to happen to those who openly seek the philosopher's stone."

"I know what this is." Lucy spoke up from where she was sitting in the corner. Her eyes darted over to Ed, and she looked... frightened?

"This is the taboo. This is a human transmutation circle, isn't it?" Lucy had set down the paper and stepped away from the boxes of research material, and her eyes darted to Ed.

"Clever girl!" Gean didn't look the least bit bothered by her discovery.

"Now that you know, I might as well show you the rest of my research. Come here." he motioned them out of the room and onto the catwalk.

Ed, wanting nothing more than to get out of this room and get the book in his hands and get out of here, followed suit, with Lucy beside him.

Gean leaned over the catwalk to look at the floor below, and from three stories up, Ed saw, with a sinking certainty, the massive transmutation circle sketched on the floor. A variation of a human transmutation circle, but with sigils and symbols he couldn't quite understand...

"You're going to bring them back? Bring all the children who died here back to life?" Lucy looked up at him with hope in those impossibly wide silver eyes...

"No. But I could." the man said seriously.

"How?"

"This is a variation of a human transmutation circle. It's my own design. It's designed to turn tragedy into something good- it's designed to turn suffering into the philosopher's stone. Come back into my study, I'll show you..."

Ed's legs moved against his will, and Lucy was eagerly at the man's heels. He couldn't leave her alone with this freak, but he couldn't stay... He went back into the study anyways.

"I'm also a bit of a history buff. This factory was abandoned due to a machinery malfunction about one hundred years ago. All sixty people working here suffocated.".

Lucy blinked. "That's terrible."

The man nodded. "It is. The city was quite busy laying them to rest. And then... this maniac came along and slaughtered all those children here. More lost souls."

"They're not lost. They're at peace now. They've been returned to their families and laid to rest." Ed spoke quickly.

Gean nodded. "Right. That's true. I'm about to say something that might be very hard for you to hear, but I need you two to keep an open mind. Some say that the philosopher's stone is made of human souls. My goal- this modified human transmutation array- isn't meant to transmute people. It's meant to transmute souls. I plan of harnessing the souls of all the poor people who've died here and foraging a philospher's stone. The stone that can bypass the laws of equivalent exchange. And then- with such a stone- you might eb able to bring back the children who died here."

Lucy's eyes had gone wide. "We could bring back Jake?"

"Maybe.".

Ed's hands were shaking. "You're wrong. This is wrong."

"But Ed- we could bring back Jake, we could bring back everybody!" Lucy was looking enthralled.

"No, we can't!" Ed said seriously. "Equivalent exchange, Lucy. If you use the souls of your dead friends to make the philosopher's stone, then how can you bring them back? Their souls would be sued to make the stone. Even if it bypass the laws of equivalent exchange, all you could do is bring back a body- and a body with no soul is worthless..." unless it belongs to Al. a horrible, twisted voice in the back of his mind whispered.

"And besides that- your theory is flawed. These souls- the people who died in this factory a hundred years ago, and the souls of the kids who died here- have all crossed over. You can't harness them to forage the stone because they're not here. They've gone beyond human reach."

Gean looked personally insulted. "And what the hell do you know about this, anyways!?"

Ed tore off his shirt to reveal his automail arm, rolling up his sleeve to reveal his automail leg. "I know everything about this. I was eleven years old when I attempted transmutation with my little brother to try and resurrect my mother. It failed. There can be no equivalent exchange for human souls- and they aren't to be played with. It cost my brother his whole body, and it took my arm and leg. This is madness! You can't try and do this!"

Gean blinked, looking at Edward in awe. "you killed your little brother doing a transmutation?"

Al was a walking suit of armor. But for some reason, Ed didn't want to tell Gean that, not with the way he was looking at him like he was some sort of specimen to be dissected...

"You tried human transmutation? What array did you use!?"

"I used a similar array to yours, but it doesn't matter! It won't work!" Ed said seriously.

"Two children attempted human transmutation and one survived. Imagine what we could do- all three of us, as alchemists- if we worked together. If we did this transmutation together, we could forage the stone and bring your friends back..." Gean was looking at Lucy, now.

"There's nothing to bring back! They're gone, if you try and play God, you'll just end up maimed like me!" Lucy was looking back and forth between Gean and Edward anxiously. "Lucy- Jake wanted you to survive this hellhole, not die trying to bring him back!"

What am I saying? What if he's right? What if this works, and what if I could bring Al's body back from the other side of the gate? What it I'm damning him to a life in that suit of armor by not listening to his nutcase?

"We could do it. All three of us. I just need you to trust me." Gean said seriously.

Oh god, Al, what do I do? What would you want me to do?

He was a million miles away in his own head.

"The three of us- if we foraged this thing- we could share it's power. All of us. Money, power- maybe Ed's right, maybe you can't bring back your friends, but wouldn't you like to be able to have wealth unimaginable?" Gean was asking Lucy, who was looking nervous.

The answer to his mental question rose up from all those years ago, taking Al's voice. It's been just after they'd activated the human transmutation circle, but before it'd all gone to hell.

Ed... something doesn't feel right.

"Don't you want to be Gods!?" Gean was looking at them both like they were mad for not being enthusiastic.

"I think we should go now, Ed." Lucy said quietly, looking to him anxiously.

But Gean had pulled something from his backpack, now, and he pointed the pistol at Ed. "Move and he dies. I wanted you two to work with me, but since you've refused- you'll become two more sacrifices for the stone. It's unfortunate- I was hoping to be able to do this using the victims of other maniacs and fate- but now I have to get my hands dirty too.".

"Wait. I'll help you! I will!" Lucy shouted.

Both Ed and Gean looked at her in shock.

"You will?"

"Yes. I will. Just... don't hurt Ed." Lucy said seriously.

"You have my word I won't hurt him. But he can't be allowed to leave. He knows too much. He has to stay here... and if we're going to do this together, you'll need more alchemy skill than you've got. Come here. Sit in my lap." Gean ordered.

Lucy swallowed, trembling, but obeyed. Gean fished around in his backpack, pulling out a pocketknife.

Ed's eyes widened. "What are you doing!?"

"Hush. Listen to me very carefully, Edward. Any alchemy you do in this room might activate the array downstairs below us. So no transmutations. If she's going to do this with me, then she needs alchemical enhancement. I don't have the tools to tattoo her, so it has to be this. You of all people should know an alchemist's transmutations are stronger when they use their own blood."

"Stop it! Don't kill her!"

"I'm not going to. I'm going to carve symbols into your palms. They;ll make you a stronger alchemist. This will hurt- you may cry and scream, but try not to move- I'll be quick." Gean said, looking a bit wary.

"Just... just do it. I can handle pain." Lucy said seriously.

Gean jerked the knife, and Ed watched, powerless, as he slit the flesh on her palm open. The blood that wept out of the skin obscured the design. Lucy's breathing picked up, but she didn't flinch. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't move a muscle.

"Impressive. Almost done, I promise you, your loyalty will be rewarded..." Gean quickly got to work carving the symbol into her other palm.

"Can you stand?" he asked her, almost sounding concerned. Lucy nodded, getting to her feet, wiping her eyes with her bloody hands.

"Show me your palms. I know that hurt, but look- it's the flamel symbol. Edward wears it on his coat. It's an alchemical enhancer, when you do the transmutation with me, you'll be stronger than every before..."

"Lucy! Please listen to me! He's killing you! He's killing himself and you, human transmutation doesn't work!" Ed was on the verge of tears.

"Quiet. She made her choice. You're just a sacrifice now. Move- downstairs, both of you.".

Lucy didn't look at him as they were headed down the metal stairs, and he could feel the gun in his back, so he didn't dare move...

He couldn't stop the tears prickling at the corner of his eyes. They were going to die, all three of them, in that hell of a gate...

They reached the base of the stairs, and Gean shoved Ed forward. "Get in the circle." he ordered. In the silvery moonlight, Ed could see it clearly, and bile rose up in his throat at the sight...

"Please, don't do this... we're all gonna die!"

"My theory is without error!" Gean thundered.

But in the split second he'd been distracted by Ed, Ed saw movement form the corner of his eyes. A moment later, the breeze rustled, and Lucy was gone.

"Shit- the little brat ran for it." Gean swore, looking upset. "She lied to me."

"You carved the flamel symbol into her hands!" Ed's hysteria was getting the better of him, now- he was five feet away from a massive human transmutation circle, there was a gun in his back, and he couldn't do any alchemy without risking setting off the transmutation circle carved into the floor.

"You're doubting my research! This is flawless, Edward, why can't you trust me!?"

"I've seen hell, Gean! It won't work and you'll die! You're a brilliant alchemist- I don't doubt that- but this is a fatal mistake! Just... just put down the gun and we'll go to the military together. You're a brilliant alchemist, you haven't done anything you can't take back yet- maybe we can work together!"

Gean shook his head. "No. No, it's too late. The girl is gone, the military will be here soon- I need a philosopher's stone to repel the forces that will try to jail me. And that means I need you. Get in the circle, Ed.".

Team Mustang was making their way through the forest. They'd just passed Red's tree when there was a noise, an almighty clattering in the woods, and everyone stopped.

A moment later, a little girl in white came thundering into the clearing- face scratched by thorns, branches in her wavy hair, silver eyes full of hears. Her hands were dripping blood into the leaves.

"You have to save Ed!" she shouted to the closest military personnel.

"Lucy!" Lucy's father ran forward, embracing her, and everyone tared.

Roy was the first to recover. "What's going on? Your hands..." he could clearly see Lucy's hands dripping blood onto the leaves.

"There's a mad alchemist in the factory. He's planning on doing a human transmutation of the souls there, but Ed said it won't work, and he's going to kill Ed! The only reason I got away was because I told him I'd help him and ran the first chance I got! He carved the flamell symbol into my hands!" she held out both her open palms, and everyone gasped.

"He said it would make me a better alchemist! You have to find him and stop that guy, or they're both gonna die!" Lucy wailed.

Roy had been slack-jawed for a moment, but he straightened his back drawing himself up to his full height.

"Take your daughter and get as far away from here as you possibly can. Furey go with them and radio for backup- I need Armstrong out here. The rest of you- take up perimeter positions around the factory and keep your radios on."

"You can't expect us to let you go in there alone." Hawkeye was looking at him in disbelief.

"The less people that are involved in this, the better. Human transmutation is unpredictable. If he activates the circle and the entire team was in there- we might all be lost. This is a job for an alchemist."

"But should you really go in all alone, Sir? At least let one of us go with you, for tactical advantage..." Falman looked upset.

"My decision is made, Lieutenant." Roy said firmly, pulling on his gloves. "Don't look so worried. I'll be back with Edward shortly." but the pounding in his heart and the way his palms itched beneath his gloves made him realize that he might be coming out of that building alone. He had to get there in time.

Ohh! The trauma! Let me know what you think in a review!