(Lyrics in italics.)
Summery: Al has his body back but at a price greater than he can imagine and that only Ed knows about. (Note that this is an alternate ending fic. 1st chap is singfic)
I don't own someday by Nickelback. Also, I don't use all of the song.
Note: In this chapter you come in part way through. There is a reason for this however. All you need to know is that only the first chapter is a songfic and that this is a different ending from the anime. Al has his body back but something else has gone wrong. The rest
you find out as you read the story.
Chapter 1Ed sat outside the small room he and Al had rented at the inn. Hesitating at the door, debating whether to enter or not. He had the plan set in his head but putting it into action was more difficult than even he had anticipated. He hung his head and sighed. With any luck Al would be asleep by the time he got the note he wouldn't be able to stop him. He wouldn't put his younger brother in danger anymore. He had messed up Al's life enough as it was. He shouldn't have to deal with this as well. Ed had kept his word. He had gotten Al his body back. But for now it would be best, he had decided, if he just faded away. He had started planning this as soon as he had made the discovery.
Ed's point of view
How the hell did we wind up like this?
Even though I know what happened I still ask myself this question more than is probably healthy. How did our lives get so twisted? People have asked me about all the things we've done. I can't answer them. Hell, I wish some one would explain it to me. Then my life might make a little more sense.
Why weren't we ableTo see the signs that we missed
And try to turn the tables
We? Al saw what might happen. Yet he still payed the bigger price. While all I lost was my leg, and then my arm bringing him back. He lost his whole body.
Al clenched his now-human fist as he sat at the edge of his neatly made bed and stared at the wood floor. He and Ed had had yet another argument. It seemed as if they argued at least once a day now. He knew there was something wrong with his brother. Yes, they had argued before, but not like this. It was almost like Ed wanted Al to hate him, Al reflected.
'Right now I'd give up having my body back just to have things go back to how they were before and to have brother tell me what's wrong.' Al glared at Ed's neatly packed suitcase. That had been what started it. He thought back on the fight they'd had before Ed had stormed the room, leaving Al frustrated, confused and hurt.
Flashback
"Brother? Why is your suitcase packed? You said we were going to stay here for a few more days." Al asked cautiously. Ed had been distant and unpredictable lately and Al didn't want to start yet another quarrel with his brother. Ed sat in a chair facing a window between the two beds. He didn't turn to face Al, only clenched his fists as if trying to control his temper.
"I wish you'd unclench your fists
And unpack your suitcase" Al voiced his thoughts meekly.
"Why do you care?" Ed asked, his voice tight. He continued to look out the window. It looked almost like if he looked at his younger brother his carefully maintained control would snap.
"Lately there's been too much of this." Al replied his voice firmer. He walked over to Ed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Please brother. We've never fought this much before. Please…tell me what's wrong." His voice was pleading.Ed shrugged Al hand off his shoulder and looked at the floor.
"Don't think its too late" He heard Ed whisper to himself." I can't…" he whispered even more quietly. He closed his eyes, stood up and turned to face his brother.
"Leave me alone Al. All you ever do is pester me. Would you shut up? I'm tired of hearing you whine. I don't need or want your help so bug off." With that he walk purposefully towards the door.
"Brother…please…talk to me…" Al pleaded again"Nothing's wrong
just as long as
you know that someday I will" He barely heard Ed and was sure that Ed hadn't realized he had said it out loud. With that Ed stormed from the room.
end flashback
Ed's whispered words still puzzled him. Al sagged and lay down. Perhaps some sleep would help.
'Well, now or never.' Ed thought and opened the door only to see Al asleep on one of the beds.
'Someday, somehow
gonna make it all right but not right now
I know you're wondering when
Someday, somehow
gonna make it all right but not right now
I know you're wondering when'
Ed looked at Al sadly. He would miss his brother but Ed saw no other choice. He sighed and found a sheet of paper and a pen before beginning to write the note he planned to leave for Al.
Every so often he would cough or wheeze but he finished his note several minutes later. Just as he signed his name he broke into a massive coughing fit. He crouched on the ground as his body shook both from the coughing and from cold. He saw blood on the floor and felt it drip from his mouth.
'Shit' he thought, eyes widening. Ed could see Al starting to stir, disturbed by the deep dry cough he was emitting. Not only would Al see him, he would see the small puddle of blood on the ground. He wouldn't be able to lie his way out of this.
He tried to control the coughing but as he got less and less air and started to feel colder and colder he found himself caring less. As his head hit the floor one last coherent thought went through his head.
'Please forgive me…'
Al woke to the sound of coughing and lazily he looked for the source of the sound before hearing a soft thump and then silence. He rubbed his eyes and looked around the room before his gaze stopped on Ed's prone figure. His eyes widened as he took in the image.He lay there, eyes closed and shivering slightly. There was blood running down his chin, coming from his mouth and a sheet of white paper was clutched tightly in his hand.
"Brother!" he rushed towards Ed and turned him on to his back and shook his shoulders, half-hoping it was a joke. He ran out of the room and down the stairs to the main room of the in, tears coursing down his face. He burst into the room and cried "Please, help! My brother! He needs help!"
A group of four stood and started issuing order. The leader of the group, a middle-aged red haired woman ordered the innkeeper to phone for an ambulance before ordering him to lead them to his brother.
They ran up the stairs and through the open door before clustering around him. The rest was a blur of yelling and sirens as Al cried silently.
After Ed had been loaded into the ambulance the blond woman from before turned to him and handed the piece of paper Ed had been holding to him.
"He was holding this. Your Al right?" she spoke calmly and evenly. She reminded him of Izumi in a way. He nodded and she gave him a sympathetic look before saying. "You can ride in the ambulance with him if you hurry. They're loading him in now." And then walk away. He ran from the inn, to the street and explained that it was his brother they were loading into the ambulance. He was hustled inside to vehicle and shoved into a corner. He looked at his hands and noticed that he still held the note.
"Might as well read it." He muttered and unfolded the paper. It read:
Hey Al.
By the time you read this I'll hopefully be long gone. I know you won't understand why I left and I'm not going to explain. I can't tell you how long I'll be gone or where I'll be as I'm not sure myself but I can tell you this. I'll see you again eventually. I'll come back. I promise
Nothing's wrong
just as long as
you know that someday I will
Originally I was planning to make you hate me so you wouldn't want me to come back. It would have been easier on you. That's why I've been acting like I have. For that I apologies. But you know me too well. I couldn't fool you.
Someday, somehow
gonna make it all right but not right now
I know you're wondering whenSomeday, somehow
gonna make it all right but not right now
I know you're wondering when
I'll miss you Al. See you when I get back.
Your brother, Edward.
P.S. Please forgive me for leaving like this but I can't have you following my. Sorry Al.
Fresh tears ran down Al's face.
'Your so stupid brother. I already told you. I could never hate you.' He looked at Ed. There were wires hooking him to strange devices Al couldn't identify. He was still unconscious, though to Al's relief his breathing was even, partly thanks to the oxygen mask covering his mouth. Al moved to sit next to his brother and held his hand before falling asleep. One hand gripping Ed's note the other wrapped around his brother's hand, as if afraid that if he let go he'd try to leave again.
Fin
End of ch.1!
Don't worry you do find out what happened to Ed and how Al got his body back. I t is all revealed later. Anyway. I'll probably post the next chapter in the next week or so. R&R please! I'll give cyber muffins to the first person that reviews!
