Present

There weren't any lights on but with the last bright rays of the sun filling up the small room it was more then enough light. Two beds sat on either wall of the room, one made perfectly and on the other all the blankets were pushed away. Between them was the door to the room that was apprehensively eyeing from across the room a big desk in front of the room's only window.

Alphonse attentively fiddled with the off white envelope as he slid out a seemingly tarnished letter. He dropped the envelope in the center of the desk in front of him which was smothered with letters and books. Carefully he slowly smoothed out its creases and laid the letter on top of it's envelop. He didn't bother to read it and looked out at the rising moon in mid air. A little smile came to his face as he read over the words in his head.

Pushing the letter to the side, he reached back in the envelope and pulled out the old picture. Words he could memorize but the picture he would stare at for hours. The older man's glasses gleamed in the camera's flash; the boy beside him had a giant smirk covering his face and was holding a small girl in his arms. Al flipped over the picture and written on the bottom were the words, 'This was one of our favorites. We'll miss you Alphonse. Come back anytime, you know Elicia would love it. –Gracia.' He smiled and slid the picture back inside, next slowly picking up the letter and folding it considerately before placing it as well.

As he looked back at the desk he couldn't help but groan and shift through a couple more letters. He pushed back some sweaty hair that had been plastered to his brow and picked up the alchemy book lying off to the side. Al was some what amused when he then noticed the harsh criticism that was offensively written all along the sides of the pages.

The wooden door creaked open behind him and his eyes went up from the book. He heard the door slowly close and light footsteps walk up behind him, but by then he knew it was just Winry. "It's time to eat." Her voice was rather dull and the warm air seemed to go cool after she spoke. Al leaned his head back so he could catch her face if possible. She was pale and the dull intensity of her voice matched her eyes. Seeing him lean back however a smile appeared across her face immediately, but Al had already seen it. Something was wrong. He frowned looking back down at the alchemy book.

Winry saw Al fidgeting with a book in his lap and came around to his side kneeling down, "What's that?" His eyes looked to hers and a slight smile came back around his face. Closing the book in his lap he held it up for her to see the front. Al expected her to groan or roll her eyes like she normally did when it came to alchemy, but surprisingly she smiled and took the book from him opening it up to a random page. Her eyes traveled from word to word and the smile on her face showed she recognized the hand the scribbles had come from as well.

Al took the book from her quietly and closed it on the desk. He pushed his chair away from the desk and spun around quickly now facing the door. Winry stood silently and waited for him to talk but he said nothing. He starred at her anxiously trying to figure out what could be bothering her. Finally she took a heavy sigh and sat on the edge of his bed where the sheets had not been mangled, "Alphonse are you okay?"

Al raised his eyebrows in surprise. The thought hadn't occurred to him that he could be troubling her. He placed a hand to his chin thinking carefully about his health and decided he was fine. Smiling he reached over and touched her hand, "I've been doing great, aside from…well you know. I'm still sleeping a lot but the doctors all said that was normal." He paused a moment and looked up as if the thought had just occurred to him, "I am hungry though." Winry's hand tightened into a fist under Al's comforting touch. Her head lowered as her lips pressed together into a frown, "That's not what I mean Al…"

His smile fell faster then rain and he leaned back into his chair sighing heavily. The light left his grey eyes as he looked down at the dark brown floor boards, "So that's what's been bothering you." Winry shook her head and pressed the palms of her fists into her eyes trying not to cry. Pinako had warned her about crying in front of him. But Al only starred at the floor half upset with them all still trying to be careful with him, as if he was still the child he was before.

Winry looked up at him with moist eyes, "You act like nothing happened, yet you barely talk to me! You need help Alphonse! Everyone's just worried about you…I…" She covered her mouth with her hands still trying not to cry. Al looked at the window and took a deep breath. It was astonishing to him still how much a single breath could bring him so much joy he sometimes felt like crying. He smiled and when he spoke it was deep, controlled, and soothing, "Breathing is amazing. Everyone should try it."

Winry looked up as Al slowly began his journey to the door. He glanced back at her with a small and simply smile, "Winry, I have my body back…yet I'm still hollow inside. A part of me is missing and no one is ever going to change that. I'm going to be incomplete the rest of my life, I've faced the facts already. The truth is I'll never be able to cry just enough or to mourn just enough to feel better. So instead, I'm going to live…" Al reached out and pulled open the door. He glanced down the dark hall and frowned, whispering softly while leaving the room, "…the way he wanted me too…"

Winry slid off the bed and let her knees hit the floor with a hard thud. Her heart felt like lead sinking her through the body. There wasn't anything she could do for him, all she could do was watch him everyday and hope he was alright underneath his smile. She looked across the room at the other bed and shook her head again, this time her tears escaping. Her lungs burned and felt hollow as her voice came out in a weak helpless whisper, "Please help me Ed… I don't know what to do?"

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