At this point just expect a new a chapter once a year or two.

If you use ao3, I also post this fic there under the username teainthesnow. And seeing as ffn seems to be declining in usability I may stop updating here completely. I already don't post new stories here.

But, anyway, enjoy the chapter!

Alphonse stares out over the snow-covered fields of the North. Mei – and the defeated Envy - have long since vanished from his sight but he remains staring out into the distance. Behind him he can hear the soft murmurs of the remaining group as they discuss their next steps, but he cannot bring himself to join them.

He needs a moment to himself to try and gather his thoughts. It's dangerous, he thinks, being out by himself. There is no one to distract him from his thoughts and to stop him from thinking too deeply. He cannot help but blame himself when he allows his thoughts to wonder. If only he stayed with Ed, if only he left later... If only they stayed together. He has hardly been alone in his life. He had always been surrounded by people he loved and who loved him and even in those long and lonely nights he had never really felt alone. And now, sat in his isolation as he stares into the empty world before him, his solitude has never felt so painful and so apparent.

He lets out another sob.

He hates this.

"Are you Alphonse Elric?"

The unexpected voice jolts him out of his thoughts. He snaps his gaze towards the two figures who have managed to sneak up behind him, immediately shifting his stance into a defensive one.

"Who are you?" He asks, preparing himself for a fight.

It takes a second before he recognises the two people – the two chimeras – who are stood looking strangely relaxed. Kimblee's men.

"What are you doing here?" He growls, raising his voice slightly so those within the shelter behind him can hear. "Where's Kimblee?"

The two chimeras hold their hands up in a show of surrender. Alphonse doesn't relax his stance, wary of just what two could be capable of.

"We left Kimblee." The blond one speaks, sounding irritated at the mention of the Crimson Alchemist. There's silence for a second and then the chimeras face seems to soften, and Alphonse is so taken aback by the abrupt change in expression that he unwittingly relaxes his stance.

"We just wanted to talk to you." The chimera continues, and there is pain in his voice. The chimera seems to struggle slightly, takes a deep breath and continues.

"We wanted to talk to you about your brother's..." He pauses again. "About your brother's death."

Ling stumbles forward, desperate to reach his destination. Greed's confusion had allowed him a brief moment where he had been able to gain control over his body once more.

He had immediately gone to search for Edward, determined to tell him about The Promised Day, but could not find the alchemist. Unsure of what to do or where to find Edward, Ling had wandered, battling to remain in control.

His stomach growls in hunger but Ling ignores it, ploughing forward in his seemingly fruitless search. He cannot give up though, he has to warn Ed, has to let him know about the chance that The Promised Day could create for both him and his brother. He can't lose control. This could be the only chance they could have.

He crashes into a building, the hunger making him weak and uncoordinated. He tries to ignore the voice in the back of his mind that laughs and taunts him. He has to take a moment to try and regain his bearings, leaning heavily against the building as he attempts to control his breathing.

There is suddenly a hand on his shoulder. Ling startles, and then tenses, preparing himself for a fight. He follows the hand upwards, taking note of a familiar blue uniform and dreads just who he might see. His eyes meet familiar dark ones and he relaxes, letting out a deep sigh of relief.

"Ling Yao. Never thought I'd see you again."

"Same to you." He responds, grinning.

Roy Mustang smirks down at him, taking his hand from Ling's shoulder, and crosses his arms. "I heard you've been causing the Fuhrer trouble."

"You could say that."

Ling takes a moment to relax, basking in the familiar company. He takes a moment to compose himself, before drawing himself up to his full height.

"Mustang, I need to find Ed." He misses the pained look that crosses the colonels face. "I need to talk Ed. And Alphonse of course, but I need to talk to Ed about-" He cuts himself off as he finally looks up and takes in the expression on Mustang's face.

"What's with that look?" He questions hesitantly, dead filling him.

Roy clenches his hand into fists and takes a deep exhausted breath. "So you don't know then?"

"Know what?"

Roy doesn't reply immediately, steeling himself for the news that he must give. He doesn't know if he's strong enough for this. The call to Pinako Rockbell had been hard enough.

"Mustang, what don't I know?" Ling continues to ask, desperate and afraid to hear the news that Mustang is so hesitant to give.

"Come on," Mustang says instead, gesturing for Ling to follow. "We shouldn't be standing around outside." He pauses and looks around, looking more tired than Ling has ever seen. "And this isn't a conversation we should have outside either."

"We're sorry, Alphonse."

There is silence. No one speaks, all waiting for what the armoured Elric will say.

"There's nothing to be sorry for. You couldn't do anything, and I don't blame you for that."

The two chimeras stare, speechless, at the boy who stands before them. This was not what they had been expecting. Maybe hatred, or anger, but forgiveness they did not even consider a possibility.

"How could you forgive us," the brown haired one – Darius, he had introduced himself as – shouts. "He begged us to help and we did nothing."

Alphonse shakes his head, ignoring how much it hurts. "You were there for him." His voice is quiet, soft, and full of a grief he tries desperately to control. "He didn't... He wasn't alone and that's what matters. Ed – brother – he wouldn't have blamed you and neither do I."

Darius and Heinkel cannot help but think back to that horrible day, to that mine shaft that changed everything. Heinkel glances at his partner and then over to Alphonse and makes a decision.

"Would you mind, then, if we stayed with you?" He asks. He knows that this may upset the young alchemist, despite the forgiveness they had still been enemies not too long ago.

"We decided that we wanted to help." Darius says.

In repayment to your brother, they both add silently.

Alphonse says nothing for a moment, obviously taking in everything, and both chimeras wait with bated breath.

"Well, we need as much help as we can get." Alphonse finally says. "So sure, why not, you can come." He pauses, and then adds with a tone of amusement him his voice "Though I'm sure that you would have followed me anyway."

Darius and Hienkel grin in response but say nothing. They would follow this boy into hell and back if it meant repaying just a tiny bit of the debt that they owed the two brothers.

Alphonse still isn't sure why he decides to head to Liore in the end. The plan would have been to meet up with Ed, and Liore seemed like the best place, but that was pointless now. Edward wasn't even around to make it to Liore. Maybe there's some small part of him that's still clinging to the hope that everything is a lie, that Ed would just show up in Liore anyway, happy and healthy.

But he knows that can't happen. His brother his gone and he's never coming back.

The harsh thought makes him sob. It's been weeks since Envy taunted him with the news of his brother's death and it still hurts just as much. During their travels – despite not taking any populated routes – Alphonse had heard whispers of his brother's death, of how people mourned and cried over the shock of it. He'd heard of the funeral that he could not attend and it had taken every ounce of strength he possessed not to go running off to Central. And it had hurt his soul not to do so. He feels bitter and angry, thinking how dare these strangers mourn his brother and go to his funeral – to the funeral of a stranger – when he, Ed's brother, could not go. But he knew, in the end, that he had to keep moving forward. Edward would have wanted him to do at least that much.

Out of the corner of his vision he spots the tall spires of the broken and crumbling church of Liore. Standing tall and strong amongst the ruins that surround it, is an unusual statue. It is untouched by the war and the bloodshed, looking almost exactly the same as the day it was created. It is symbolic and painful in a way that Alphonse can't quite describe. His fist clenches tightly at his side.

Edward had been alive the last time they were here.

As if sensing his thoughts, Winry places a hand on his metal arm. "Al..."

"I'm okay." He lies and Winry doesn't look fooled for a second.

"Both of you two are the same." She sighs. "Trying to keep your emotions to yourselves until you break."

He shakes his head, too full of emotions to even begin to try and explain himself. He doesn't know what to do. He's confused and scared and he misses his brother so much that it hurts. This wasn't how things should have gone. He knows that he needs to continue on, but it all seems utterly pointless now. Now that Ed has gone, and knowing that Ed will not get to see their journey end.

He sees Winry give him a sympathetic look. Even in his current body that can show no emotions – something that he hated now more than ever – she still knows exactly what he's thinking.

"Don't give up." She says kindly, walking closer to him - offering a comfort he cannot feel but greatly appreciates. "Ed would want you to keep living and get your body back."

Alphonse shifts slightly, subconsciously leaning away from the comfort Winry is trying to provide. "I know but..." He pauses, trying to think of how to say his next sentence. "Without brother it just seems stupid."

Winry punches his armour and Alphonse cries out in surprise, worried for a second that Winry has hurt herself. But his childhood friend doesn't react to the punch and begins to yell at him.

"What about all the people who are waiting for you to get your body back? Who don't want to see you in this suit of armour for the rest of your life? If you even last that long. You said it yourself, Al. That body isn't compatible with your soul. Soon it will pull you back and you'll be gone forever and I-" Winry takes a shuddering breath and looks up and stares him directly in the eyes. "I don't want to see that happen."

"Winry..."

"I don't want to lose you as well, Al."

They've both long since stopped walking at this point, and if the rest of the group is watching, Alphonse is too caught up in his emotions to notice. When he continues to say nothing, Winry sighs and continues to walk. Alphonse follows after.

They walk in silence for a while. Both lost in their thoughts. It is Winry who, with a determined but shaking voice, breaks the silence.

"Ed promised me that he wouldn't make me cry anymore." She states, and Alphonse startles, taken aback by her sentence. "And he told me once that he refused to cry because you couldn't."

Al clenches his fists together. He had been aware, of course, that Ed never cried, that he refused to. They had never discussed it, however, and the confirmation that he was the reason for his brother's lack of tears hurt. He doesn't know how to respond to Winry so he doesn't say a thing and lets her continue talking.

Winry doesn't turn to look at Al as she talks, choosing instead to stare resolutely forward. Al watches her expression for a second before he follows her gaze and stares back at the statue that his brother made.

"So I promise you, Al, that until you get your body back, I won't cry again either."

Al doesn't say anything, doesn't try to dissuade his childhood friend. He knows how stubborn she is. That nothing will get her to change her mind once she's made it. There's a small part of himself that feels sad that she's doing this for him, that his problems are making her do this. But there's another, slightly bigger part of him that feels warm and happy and loved. If he could, he likes to think he'd be smiling.

He really does have an amazing friend.

He continues onward, each step feeling lighter then it has in weeks.

The rubble of Liore grows ever closer and he can now clearly hear the happy voices of the citizens of Liore and the sounds of a destroyed Town rebuilding. It's almost symbolic as well, he thinks, that something so destroyed can rebuild itself. And perhaps he can do the same.

Maybe he can get through this.

He still feels sad, of course, and he doesn't think he will stop feeling sad for a long, long time.

But maybe, just maybe, tomorrow will be okay after all.

"I'm sorry." He finally says. "I'm not giving up."

Winry nods, satisfied. "Good."