Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of the characters associated with the series and the ones mentioned in this story…expect for the landlady in the previous chapter…Sorry for not putting this in the past chapters, but I forget and this to make up for those chapters.

The train ride from Ishbal to their next destination was as silent as a graveyard as everyone seemed to keep their eyes cast down as they were all still mourning the loss of Marcoh and Shesca and the pain and suffering they had faced and seen was too much to bear as the silence was bound to drive them mad to where they would turn on each other. Russell was still suffering from his fight with Envy where as with Al, he was having a hard time wrapping his mind around what Envy had said about his father, he didn't know whether to believe the lies or to forget about them and move on with life. Rose kept a watchful eye on Al where Mustang had been watching Hawkeye as she slept with her head on his lap as she slept through the train ride. She was as well still suffering from the dagger that had pierced her shoulder above her heart and she still had a limp to her from the gunshot wound to her leg.

"I never should have brought you with me Lieutenant," Mustang said as he watched Hawkeye sleeping on his lap and watched her chest rise and fall with each breath.

"Don't take it out on yourself Colonel," Hawkeye said as she opened her eyes slightly as she sat up slowly from where she had been resting her head and gave him a small kiss on the lips.

"What was that all about?" Mustang asked quizzically.

"I told you not to do anymore stupid stunts; it seems that that goes for me as well because for as long as I could remember since you lost your eye….I've felt this feeling of wanting to be closer to you…"

"Riza, please…just be quiet for now," Mustang said as he ran his right hand through her hair as he unclipped her hair.

"You know superiors shouldn't have any forms of relationships," Hawkeye started to say as Mustang started to run his hand through her hand once more as it ran down to her face.

Mustang shushed Hawkeye as he drew her closer and their lips interlocked for what seemed to be an eternity as the officers embraced each other as they shared a moment of passion. Armstrong found himself sitting with Russell and Lust and as he looked around the silent car he could tell that everyone was still mourning the departed, but as he looked around the train, he could see the faces of Marcoh and Shesca as they talked secretively.

Al's youthful face was now the face of a man who had been used as another person's punching bag. Rose seemed to glow with an aura of kindness and care for Al as she tried to help Al through the tough times, but nothing that she could say to help him were not getting through to him. Russell and Lust seemed to be becoming more than two people seeking out Fletcher as Lust seemed to be showing her affection for Russell, but he didn't know the signs of her affection towards him.

"Al…is there anything I can do to help you…" Rose asked as she slid closer to the young Alchemist as he looked out the window.

Silence

"Al….please…talk to me!" Rose said as she tried to get his attention.

"I wish to be left alone," Al said somberly as he continued to watch the countryside as Xenotime started to come into view.

"AL!" Rose shouted as she pulled him from the window and she came face to face with battered and bruised face of Alphonse Elric.

"I want to be left alone and I want to be left alone with my pain," Al said as he tried to hide his tears as he buried his face in his hands.

"Al…"

"You don't understand the pain I've caused to all of you… Scar is dead…Marcoh and Shesca have died…Lt. Hawkeye and Russell are both hurt along with Colonel Mustang…I've ended the life of a young man from Ishbal and his brother now wants to bring him back… I can't live with the guilt of the sins I've committed!" Al shouted as he fell to his knees and pounded the floor.

"Alphonse…it's not your fault what has happened in the past…Envy is a cruel and heartless and he is only out to destroy as many lives as he can before he succeeds at what he has planned for young Fletcher. You are not the reason that those have been destroyed or for the battle scars that we have all endured," Mustang said as he stood near where Al was on his knees.

"You have done what no one would have done and that is by continuing on, no matter the cost of your own self," Russell said as he walked up near Mustang.

"We are proud of you Alphonse," Armstrong said as he placed a hand on Russell's shoulder.

"Be careful Major," Russell said through clenched teeth as he tried to bear the pain.

"No matter what happens…we will always be with you Alphonse," Lust said as she sat back in her seat.

Al felt moved by the many people that stood by his side at this moment and he could feel that they all cared about him and as he stood up he could feel the presence of his brother in the room with him and he knew that he could carry on, no matter the consequences that lay ahead in the next town.

"Thank you….thank you all for your help and support," Al said and with that the train continued to roll on towards Xenotime as night was setting on the friends.

Night had fallen upon the train as it rolled on down the tracks towards Xenotime, but as it rolled on; a mysterious figure and its captive got off the train from the boxcar as it made its way towards the small town of Xenotime. Through the night the figure moved as fast as he could before Al and the other's got to the town and spotted him and the dawn was almost upon the town as the figure made it's made towards the location of where Mugiar's mansion once stood. The dawn rose over the remains as it cast an eerie shadow upon the town as Envy and Fletcher rounded a corner as they came upon the ruins of the old mansion.

"Home sweet home my young prisoner," Envy said as he snuck into the back of the ruins and proceed to rebuild the mansion to its original form.

The house regained it original structure and detail as the sun rose above the hills and the villagers started going about their day, blissfully unaware to the evil that now lurked within the city walls. The hustle and bustle of the marketplace was a buzz with the days work as they went about their day as Envy worked within the mansion to restore it and to begin work to bring the Gate to life, but it was going to take time to bring it into the world and time for Al and the others to catch on.

Al and the others arrived in Xenotime after the sun had been up for a long time and as they pulled into the town they were soon met by the face of a man that still rang true as Al and Russell got off the train before the others.

"If isn't Alphonse Elric and Russell Tringham," said a familiar voice from the crowd as the voice got closer to the train station.

"Belsio…is that you?" Russell asked as he hobbled down the platform towards the voice.

"Who else would it be?" Belsio said as he hugged Russell, but Russell grinned and bared through it all.

"Hello Belsio," Al said as he put his hand on the man's shoulder.

"Alphonse Elric….boy how you have changed; the last time I saw you were nothing more than a suit of armor," Belsio said as he embraced the boy.

"May I ask who this man is?" Mustang asked as he helped Hawkeye down the stairs.

"My name is Belsio….I own the local lemon grove on the edge of town and Russell and his young brother have been working for me, but lately they've been missing in action…speaking of such, Russell….where is your brother?" Belsio asked as he looked for Fletcher in the group.

"It's a long story involving many miles traveled and many lives destroyed or killed," Al said as he hung his head.

"Where are you planning on staying for the night?"

"We haven't planned our plans that far," Hawkeye said as the group followed Belsio towards his home as Al and the others took chances telling what happened and what they were planning on doing next.

Back at Mugiar's mansion Envy found that Fletcher had woken up during the day and when he saw that he was awake, he took the chance to punish the young boy.

"What do you think you were doing back in Ishbal! Don't you know that your futile attempt at trying to kill me wouldn't have worked because I can't be killed by weapons? The only thing that can kill e is by an act of alchemy and there is no chance in HELL that that will ever happen," Envy said as he ran Fletcher into the wall with a dagger at Fletcher's throat.

"You've forgotten Envy, my brother and I are Earth Alchemists and you fell into my trap!" Fletcher said as he finished his transmutation circle on the wall as the wall protruded out and slammed Envy into the other wall.

Before Fletcher could even reach the door to escape out into the streets of Xenotime, he was stopped by the Earth breaking out from beneath him as he looked back to see transformed into Edward and was trying to make it into a moving walkway to bring the boy back toward him.

"You forget BOY, I hold the power to change your transmutation and use it against you for my own advantage by sampling changing it," Envy said as he picked himself up off the floor and then he kicked the boy across the room, "Play time is over!"

Al and the others spent the night at Belsio's house, but for the young alchemist Alphonse, he couldn't sleep as he tossed and turned in his sleep as he dreamt that they should be out looking for Envy's hideout, but he knew that it was dark and the night was going to be their disadvantage. The next day the friends awoke and decided that they would seek out the place where Envy was hiding out, but as the friends split to look for Envy, the day was getting shorter and the hope of finding him before he did something evil was wearing on the friends as their hope was fading for the possibility finding him as they started to head back to Belsio's house as the sun started to set behind the mountains.

"Don't worry Russell…we'll find your brother," Mustang said as they returned home.

As the friends sat in the room pondering over what to do next when the day came upon them once more, Al kept away from everyone as they planned the next day's events and as he hid himself in his room he pondered what they had been through and the events of his past that he had faced in this mountain city. Xenotime held memories of the search for the Philosopher's Stone and the struggle he and his brother had against Russell and Fletcher due to mistaken identities upon their first visit to the town and the secrets they had learned about the boy's father and his connection with the stone.

"I have caused pain to my friends and I feel that there is no way out from the pain I know feel from what has happened and the guilt I feel for the pain I have inflicted," Al said as he looked out his window, but as the moon rose higher in the sky, he made his way to bed and laid down as tried to sleep away the guilt he felt.

Ed had been spending the past weeks looking for the Gate and studying alchemy to use as a last resort in case the Gate failed at the last minute in case Greed caught on to what he was doing and he had to get out of this world in a split second. Alphonse and Hohenheim had left Ed alone because they were busy with other things, but in the shadows Greed was constantly watching as he watched Hohenheim and Alphonse but he tended to watch what Ed was doing and each day he was inching his way into fighting Ed so that he could turn them all in for their work. Hohenheim kept his eyes on every corner of the house with every move he made through the house because he could sense Greed's presence throughout, but whenever they sat down for dinner; Greed was always present while during the day he would be missing.

"Edward, how are your studies coming along?" Hohenheim asked as he kept his eyes trained on Greed.

"It's going okay…I feel I'm getting closer to the point of begin finished," Ed said as he realized what his father was doing.

Ed could feel his father trying to tell him something with his eyes as he decided to excuse himself from the dinner table and headed back towards his room to continue his studies, but not far behind was Greed watching him as he left.

Ed walked toward the study room and closed the doors as he looked around for certain papers, but he stopped when he heard the sound of the study room doors opening and closing the doors behind him as he heard the heavy footsteps of Greed as he heard him getting closer to Ed.

"What's the rush Fullmetal Alchemist?" Greed asked cockily as he place his hands on Ed's shoulders and spun him back around and hit Ed in the stomach with his knee.

Hohenheim sensed something was wrong as he placed his napkin on the table and asked Alphonse to clear the table as he moved toward the study slowly as he leaned his ear against the doors to listen to the two enemies.

"What's the matter Professor?" Alphonse asked nervously as he took the dinner plates to the kitchen.

"Something is a miss in this house and I'm going to find out what his going on," Hohenheim said as he stood closer to the study room doors, but he detoured towards Ed's room to see what he had been working on lately .

"I don't know what your problem is with me Greed, but whatever it is; don't drag my father and Alphonse into our fight!" Ed said as he found himself cornered against the wall.

"Whatever gave you that impression," Greed said as he grabbed Ed by the throat and forced Ed up to the wall.

"If my father could see you now," Ed said as he struggled to get free as Greed tightened his grip on Ed's throat.

"You worthless worm….don't you remember our last fight?" Greed asked as he glared with fire in his eyes and a tone of evil in his voice.

"It's vague at the moment, but here is what I REMEMBER!" Ed said as he kicked Greed in the stomach and sent him flying into the wall.

Hohenheim opened the door to Ed's room and on Ed's desk sat papers related to alchemy formula's and drawings of the Gate that brought him to this world along with journal writings that told of his want to return to Al and everyone he loved.

"Edward," Hohenheim said as he touched the papers, but he was soon distracted by the sound of something crashing downstairs.

"Oh no, I left Edward downstairs with Greed!" Hohenheim said as he ran for the stairs and toward the study where Ed and Greed were fighting.

"For a pipsqueak, you fight like someone with flesh and blood," Greed said as he wiped a small trickle of blood from his mouth.

"That's funny; no one has called me that in so long…I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be called that!" Ed said as he massaged his neck.

The two enemies were about to face each other once more, but they stopped once Hohenheim threw open the study doors to find Greed holding a pistol.

"Greed….Edward….what is going on here?" Hohenheim asked as he looked to the two enemies.

"DAD, Greed's been working against you with secret police of Hitler and he's not to be trusted," Ed said as he pointed at Greed who had an evil grin upon his face.

"Is this true?" Hohenheim asked as he looked to Greed.

"I warned you Edward Elric! I warned you what would happen if you didn't stop with the nonsense of your rocketry and your alchemy!" Greed said as pointed the gun still at Ed, but Alphonse at this point walked into the room.

"What does he mean Edward?"
"He found me and Alphonse working on the rocket behind his back and he thinks that I plan to use to stop Hitler," Ed said as he tried to catch his breath.

"It should be no surprise to you and no matter what you say or do, they will be here whether or not you comply with what I have to say next," Greed said as he started to slowly move from the room.

"What do you mean?" Ed and Hohenheim asked simultaneously.

"Stop the project and whatever else you are working on and I'll tell my little friends that it was a mistake of miscommunication and I will mention someone else to take the blame that has no connection with your work."

"And if we don't?" Ed asked as he watched Greed walking towards the front door.

"I warned you Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist, I warned you of what would happen and if you continue with you are doing then you will leave me no choice then to turn all of you in and well, let's just say you'll be looking at the back of a truck, handcuffed and on your way to a work camp!" Greed said as he opened the door and ran into the streets towards his secret hideout.

Hohenheim and Alphonse were shocked at what they had just heard and they were stunned at what Ed had gotten them into and now there was no way out of the trouble they were into, but time seemed to slow down as they stared at each other as the obvious was revealed to Hohenheim and Alphonse.

"May God have mercy on our souls if we are to die….may it be quick and not in pain," Hohenheim said as he walked from the study and headed up the stairs to his room.

"Father….please…you must understand what is going on," Ed said as he chased his father towards the stairway.

"EDWARD, you don't understand the complexities of what this world is like and there are more people out there like Greed and they are just as bad as he is, but you….I don't have anything to say to you tonight. I want to be alone and I want you to find something else do besides alchemy," Hohenheim said as he walked the stairs to his room in tears, but Ed would never see the tears.

Once Hohenheim was in his room, he openly wept as he buried his head in his hands and cried out for help and he cried to his departed wife for help on what to say to their son and how to face after what had just happened.

"God, if you're there….I can use your guidance at the moment…I find myself in a tight spot with my son and I need your help to say the right words to him so that I can face him and to face another day without fear of what has happened and what the man I believed to be a friend has said, please, help me," Hohenheim said as he got on his knees and cried out for guidance.

The night was silent once more as Alphonse and Ed put the study back together and they went their separate ways to their rooms after they put the house back together after what had happened during the night. No words were exchanged as the two boys went to their rooms and as Ed sat in his room, he buried his hands in his face as he tried to put together what could be done to save the ones he had hurt.

"What am I going to do now?" Ed asked as he lay down onto his bed and placed his pillow over his face.

Everywhere I turn, I hurt someone

But there's I can say to change

The things I've done

Of all the things I hid from you

I cannot hide the shame

And I pray someone, something will come

To take away the pain

There's no way out of this dark place

No hope, no future

I know I can't be free

But I can't see another way

I can't face another day

Tell me where, did I go wrong

Everyone I loved, they're all gone

I'd do everything so differently

But I can't turn back the time

There's no shelter from the storm

Inside of me

There's no way out of this dark place

No hope, no future

I know I can't be free

But I can't see another way

I can't face another day

Time is slowly slipping away for our friends and their search has seemed to have hit a dead end and Ed has found himself in a tight spot with what he has done to get his father and Alphonse in to trouble….will our friends find Envy and will Ed get out of the tight spot he is in? Read and Review. Two more chapters left till the exciting ending and it's an ending that will send you for a loop!