A/N: Many thanks to all who reviewed Chapter One! Just to let you-all know, in this fic Al is seventeen; Ed would've been eighteen. (I know, in the manga Al is 14 and Ed is 15, but this is post-FMA ') 'Kay, that's all for now, onto Chapter Two!

Disclaimer: I don't own naught related to FMA :P

Chapter Two: Broken Promises

[Won't you look down upon me, Jesus
You've got to help me make a stand
You've just got to see me through another day
My body's aching and my time is at hand
And I won't make it any other way]

"It can't be!" I felt the word explode from inside of me. I felt dizzy, even though I was lying in bed. "He could have transmuted his soul..."I checked myself, "...no, he couldn't, but then, he just can't be dead, he—"I broke off. "Please tell me this isn't true. Say this is some sick joke or something! I don't want it to be true!" I could feel tears coming into my eyes. I looked up at Roy and the others, and felt as though I had been ripped in half. "It can't be true, it just can't—"I suddenly found myself gasping for air.

"Alphonse, come to grips with yourself, it's the truth," said Riza sharply. Then, in a calmer voice, she added, "I feel as sad as you do right now, but put it in perspective for a moment. Please calm down."

I glared up at her. "Calm down?" I spat, "what's there to calm down about?!" Yeah, I'm sure it's easy for you to say it, but you're not the one who just lost a brother! What the hell do you know about death? Have you lost the one person in the world you're closest to?!" Tears fell unchecked from my eyes, but I didn't care. I sat up and tried to lift myself out of the bed. I couldn't believe I'd allowed myself to be shackled to it while my brother, my best friend, gave up his life. Suddenly, everything seemed unreal. It was like a nightmare, and I just wanted to wake up from it.

"Stop, Al! Don't make any sudden movements, or you'll hurt your body!"

"To hell with my body!" I roared. "Niisan is dead, and it's all because I wanted us to restore our bodies!"

"Al, listen to me!" yelled Winry. "Edward made the decision, you didn't have anything to do with it—"

"THAT'S NOT TRUE!"

From out of nowhere, I felt a needle being injected into my left arm. I heard a familiar voice behind me; Armstrong's voice. "I'm sorry, Alphonse, but Roy gave me the order to give you this sedative. Please calm down, if you know what's in your best interest." I tried to fight off the fast-acting sedative that was now seeping into my body, but it was useless. My mind began to grow foggy and my eyelids were quickly closing. I tried to speak, but I couldn't even make any noise. It's my fault. My fault Oniisan is dead. Those were my last thoughts before I fell into a dreamless sleep.

Where am I? Why...am I here? Where...is...Ed...ED!!!

My eyes snapped open. My eyes met with complete darkness, and I panicked. Then I realized there was a small light on one of the walls. I blinked a few times, and I could see it was a nightlight. As I looked around the dimly-lit room, everything came back to me: the transmutation, the hospital, Ed...At the memory of my older brother, I felt a whimper rise in my throat. My last thoughts before I'd been put down with the sedative: 'It's my fault Oniisan is dead." Cold sweat tricked down my neck and back. It was true. I remembered encouraging Ed to pursue the Philosopher's Stone in the hopes that we could restore our bodies. This time around, we were certain we'd found the true Philosopher's Stone, and we' yanked it from the very hands of the Sins, that notorious band of homunculi. It was a fluke, if the transmutation had, once again, failed. Ed, who had gained knowledge of the true nature of things, lost it all for me. And yet I felt unworthy and unclean.

I knew I couldn't stay here in the hospital. What were the doctors going to do with me, anyway? Would the military treat me as some type of experiment, and examine me as a "perfect example of a restored body?" The idea of becoming a human guinea pig was sickening. I had to leave, but how? Then, as I looked towards the window, I had a memory of one time before when Ed and I had to escape without anyone noticing...

About a half-hour later I sat on a bench in the park across from the hospital in the cold blue light of dawn. It must have been about 5 in the morning, but already the sky was growing lighter. I shivered a little in the cool autumn air, another sensation which was new and unexpected to me. It hurt, somehow, to be able to do all the things I'd been unable to do for the past seven years. Maybe it was because Ed wasn't there.

I thought about what he might say about my escape from the hospital. I'd opened a window in the ward I was in and snuck out down the fire escape, like Ed and I had done once before when we slipped out of Central to investigate the fifth warehouse, where a Philosopher's Stone had been created. Likely, Niisan would just shrug his shoulders and say, "They just never learn, not locking the windows like that." Then he'd smirk and say, "Of course, you never really can trap an alchemist..."

I sighed, watching as my breath formed a cloud. Maybe it was part of being restored to my body, but I hurt like hell. I knew I couldn't stand in the park shivering; I had to move out of Central and fast. I didn't have any money, but all I wanted to do was go back home...or as close to home as I possibly could. I wanted to be away from everyone. Guess I'll just have to walk, or else hitchhike, I thought. I turned and walked out of the park, away from the hospital.

Hi, it's Neko Majin :3 If you've got something to say about my story, please review it! There's more coming up...