Chapter 5: Ghosts of the Past

Raeluvs

"Hello, Edward; this is Gracia Hughes." Edward was taken aback; why was the late Brigadier General's wife calling him?

"Ms. Hughes, hi…" he said, respectfully. "It's good to hear from you." He heard a soft chuckle from her end of the line.

"It's good to hear from you too." Although talking to her again was nice, Edward knew that she had other reasons for calling. Why speak to Edward rather than the Colonel?

"Is there something I can help you with?" he asked politely. Another light laugh came from the other end of the line.

"Actually, I want to help you." She replied. "I just received a phone call from Sciezka. She told me that you were headed to Dovries upon sparse notes regarding Omegas Glyph, right?"

"Yes, that's right." Edward replied, intrigued. "Why would Sciezka call?"

"She thought that I could be of some assistance. Edward, don't forget that Maes was head of the investigation committee." He tried to ignore the wistful sigh in her tone. "We have a whole room full of leftover case files. I haven't moved a thing since…" there was a pause. Edward's eyes slid closed; Gracia cleared her throat slightly. "I haven't moved a thing. They're yours for the taking." She finished evenly. Edward nodded, eyes narrowing with awareness.

"Yeah, I'd like to check it out." He said, interested. "May I stop by now?" he asked courteously.

"Of course."

"Thank you, Ms. Hughes."

"My pleasure, Ed."

Edward pulled the phone from his ear, holding it in his hand for a moment. A slight sigh escaped his lips, caught by the ever precise ears of Roy. Edward turned, handing him the phone. To Edward's surprise, Roy didn't inquire as to what the call entailed. His face was stony, and firm, eyes still cast about the ground. Ed's lips pressed into a thin, sympathetic smile; his hand rose once more in a last salute.

"See you when I get back, Colonel." Roy's gaze swiveled to Edward's; he returned the salute.

"Hey Fullmetal," he called, as Ed strode toward the door. Edward turned, poking his head over his shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"If you're looking for a way to die, this is it." Edward was taken aback; his face grew startled. The edges of Roy's lips twitched with a smile. "But it won't help Al." Ed's face grew placid again, catching his meaning. He nodded and closed the door firmly behind him, slinging his bag over his shoulder. He cast a glance at the wooden door down the hall. Dim silence greeted him, the new doorknob sparkling in the foyer light.

'I promise, Alphonse.' Ed thought, determinedly. 'I will fix what I have broken. One more time.'

"Ms. Hughes? Hello!" Edward called, banging impatiently on the door. He was eager to get started toward Dovries; he hadn't even looked over the list of things he would need to compile to create the Omega. Actually, the Omega had strayed from his thoughts; he had managed to become preoccupied with other things. Now, however, the Omega was the primary thought on his mind.

"Ms. Hughes!"

"Coming!" he heard a distant voice from inside. Hollow footsteps echoed through the hall, growing louder as they approached the front door. After a moment, the door was pulled back, Gracia emerging from behind. A tired smile upon her face, she seemed older, yet still the same woman that Ed had known for years.

"Good to see you, Edward." She said cheerfully, coming fully from behind the doorframe. Edward froze in his reply, eyes widening considerably.

"Your stomach's a melon!" he exclaimed without thinking. He realized that that was exactly what he had said when she had been pregnant with Elysia. Gracia chuckled softly, her hand running over her stomach.

"Yes. You haven't been around for six months or so… I found out shortly after Maes passed away." She said softly. Edward's face grew serious; he nodded regretfully.

"I never stopped in to tell you how sorry I was…" he said quietly. "I apologize." She smiled, closing her eyes.

"There's no need for that, Ed. Come on in." She pulled the door back, leaning against it. Edward stepped inside, drinking in the homey feel of the place. He had always felt so comfortable here, as though he too was part of the perfect family that had been the Hughes. Pictures of Elysia, Gracia, and Maes, in group shots lined the walls, some silly, others simply beautiful; genuine and glowing smiles gleamed down at him from the halls. Edward could feel his eyes brim, but he blinked back persistent tears.

"Where's Elysia?" he asked, noting that he hadn't seen the little girl. Gracia indicated the hallway.

"Probably in her bedroom, drawing again. She's got a real knack for it. Feel free to say hello; the case files are in the room across from hers." Gracia started off toward the kitchen. "I'll fix some tea." Edward couldn't help but laugh; the last time Gracia had served him tea, she had gone into labor. Gracia grinned, remembering as well.

"Elysia?" Edward knocked softly on her door. A little voice bade his entrance; he pushed the door open gently. A gasp escaped his throat at the sight of the child's room.

Thin, white sheets of paper lined the walls, all drawings of a smiling man in glasses, laughing, jumping, and crying. A child's scrawl of color was scribbled for hair and uniform, straying from the lines here and there. Elysia had depicted the many faces of her father, embedded in her memory forever. It took Edward's breath away.

She sat at a little desk near her bed, in a little pink chair, hard at work on another drawing. Edward approached her almost tentatively, placing a small hand on the back of the swivel seat.

"Hey, you." He said, smiling. Elysia turned her head, blonde ponytails whirling. Her little face broke into a smile, arms reaching around Ed's neck.

"Edward!" she squealed excitedly. "Mommy told me you were coming." She informed him pleasantly. Edward feigned surprise.

"Did she now?" he asked. Elysia giggled and nodded happily. Ed was glad to see the four year old happy; she reminded him so of Nina. Despite the sadness and the pain, the little girl held a bright, beautiful smile that always managed to put a grin on his face as well.

"Elysia, I have to go look at some papers now. Go help your mom, okay?" he said, standing and ruffling her hair. Elysia nodded vigorously, and raced out the door, calling her mother's name the whole way. Ed smiled, glancing around in wonder once more before leaving the child's room.

"You woulda been proud of her, you know." He whispered, pulling the door closed behind him.

Striding across the hallway, Edward pushed the opposite door open. To his surprise, the room was organized; Brigadier General Hughes was notorious for being a slob; never shirking from work, but eluding precision. The papers were neatly organized on bookshelves or in filing cabinets that lined the walls, labeled alphabetically one by one, A-Z. Edward walked over to a dusty bookshelf, running a gloved finger down the ridge, noting the grime that rubbed off onto it. Gracia hadn't touched even the doorknob to this room, he was certain. He sighed, moving toward the O section.

Pages turned rapidly; Edward tore through book after book, flipping page after starched page, drinking in the vast orb of information that surrounded the Omega. Stacks of books raised around his head as time passed, the ever distant sound of his pocket watch; a barely audible reminder that life existed outside this room.

Facts, figures, names, numbers, dates, times, places… Edward scribbled furiously in the margins of Sciezka's neat, primly written notes. An hour or so later, Gracia knocked softly on the door.

"Edward?" she called. Hearing no reply, she tentatively turned the knob, poking her head inside. Sitting upon a stack of books, Edward's nose was buried in a thin guide book that mentioned the Omega and its near creation by Glyph. Gracia smiled gently, watching golden eyes thirsty for knowledge skim over the words, as a bee hovering from rose to rose.

"Ed, I've made the tea." She said with a grin. Edward looked up, startled. He smiled tiredly.

Ed sat at the kitchen table, sipping the tea with a little smile, remembering his 12th birthday, the last time he had sat there. Gracia sat opposite him, while Elysia played on the floor.

"Find everything you needed?" she asked casually. Edward nodded, swallowing.

"Everything the military knows and then some. There are, of course, a few things that are left unclassified, but I'm sure Hughes knew that." He said simply. "Everything I needed was there, and I'm set to haul about a hundred pounds of this crap all over creation." He chuckled lightly.

"Thank you, for letting me use his stuff." She nodded, smiling.

"It's what Maes would have done." She said lightly. Edward cast an apprehensive stare, looking over the woman he had come to know in four years. Her face was tired, older. Her stomach was, of course, much larger than he remembered it. But her eyes, like Elysia's, were still alive, gleaming as they always had. Edward smiled; Gracia was strong; she, her daughter, and her unborn child were going to be just fine.

After lunch, Ed made his leave. At the door, he gave Gracia a brief hug, and swung Elysia in a circle before gently plopping her on the ground once more. He smiled, and turned to leave.

"Ed, wait!" he heard from behind. Elysia raced up behind him, a piece of paper flailing between little fingers. "I… I drew this for you." Edward took the picture into his hand, staring at it affectionately. It was a simple drawing, colored over in a child's hand, of Maes, Gracia, Elysia, Alphonse and Edward, all smiling and happy. She had written in wobbly letters at the bottom, "My family". Edward could only stare, smile quivering. He bent down on one knee and took the child into his arms.

"Thank you." He said softly. Elysia smiled and giggled into his shoulder. Ed straightened up once more, turning to Gracia.

"Yes?" she asked, catching his glance at her stomach.

"Boy or girl?" he asked quietly. She smiled gently.

"Boy." She whispered. "I can tell. The new member of the family will be a boy." His kind gaze gleamed.

"And I wish Maes Jr. all the luck in the world. He's gonna be just as goofy and obsessed as his dad." He said quietly. "In other words… he'll be a hero too." Gracia smiled, her eyes filmed over with tears, nodding.

"And I'm sure he thanks you." She whispered. "As I do."

Edward heard the hollowed door close behind him; he stepped down the stairs with a new feeling of determination. Golden eyes flashing, his face was set indomitably, his old reckless grin latched onto his face.

"All right." He said aloud. "Next stop, Dovries."

A/n: All right! This isn't really relevant to the actual storyline, but that's okay, because Edward reconnects with people who care about him before he leaves, and he gets some information. Don't worry, I won't side track you anymore. Now, on with the action.

In the next chapter, Edward will encounter some trouble. I won't elaborate on the trouble, but remember, this isn't just a shopping trip and some alchemy alone. This is hard work, forming the one thing all alchemists fear more than anything, and Ed has to take on every crisis along the way. But when the going gets rough, will Edward back down?

More soon, hope you enjoyed.