One year later...

Hey guys! I'm really sorry for the silence- the year has been rough and I hope you've all been safe during these times. I'm hopefully going to be able to write more consistently now.

Enjoy the chapter!


Chapter 14

Zack slammed his fist into the wall, hard.

Ed jolted beside him, and he turned to look up at him, blinking. Zack stared at the wall, scowling.

"Are you really going to listen to that little prick?!" He shouted, and Ed frowned.

"Zack, don't-"

"Oh, why don't you be quiet!" The little kid, Eddie, shouted from the other side of the wall. "You're ruining our moment!"

"Shut up, I'm not talking to you! Hey!" Zack banged on the wall a few times. "Little bitch! Can you hear me?"

"...Yes."

"Zack, what do you plan to do?" Ed whispered, but Zack quickly glared at him.

"You shut up for one second, too!" Zack pointed a finger in his face, and then turned his attention back to the wall. Ed huffed, glaring at him, but he crossed his arms and remained silent beside the killer.

"You would have a lot of nerve if you go through with that stupid ass offer, Dead Eyes." Zack growled out. "What the hell would our deal mean if you went off and died on us? They'd just be bullshit! Our deal was if you still wanted to die by the time we got out, then I would be the one who did it! And what about Gold Eyes, huh? He promised to protect your ass, didn't he? He's over here making a fuss about keeping you safe and getting you help, and you're just gonna turn around and throw all of that away when some weird little kid comes around with creepy ideas in his head? What kind of stupid dumbass does that?"

Ed stared at Zack, honestly stunned at his words. These did not seem like the words of a killer who was only interested in saving himself. He could understand Zack's frustration as Rachel's smarts were a valuable asset to their little team, but Zack seemed to be speaking from a more emotional standpoint on the matter. Hell, he even seemed to prioritize Ed's feelings on the subject, as well. Was Zack not as heartless as Ed perceived him to be? "Zack..." He whispered, too soft for the other to hear, and the killer continued.

"We're the ones who came to this floor together, and we're going to be the ones getting off of this floor, and out of this fucking building, Dead Eyes. We're going to get out of here together whether you like it or not!" Zack shouted, slamming his fist down on the wall again, and Ed lightly flinched at the harsh impact. "I swear to God, kid. I'm not lying to you."

"...You swear to God?"

Both Ed and Zack looked at each other with wide eyes, hearing the change in Rachel's tone- It was not the dead monotone they were so used to hearing. It was instead tentative, but they could make out some emotion, something akin to curiosity, or maybe even hope. Zack's words had gotten through to her.

"Damn straight!" Zack replied, looking at the wall again.

"...Break the wall."

At the command, Zack grinned, and grabbed Ed by the shoulder, pushing the blond behind him. Ed almost stumbled, staring with eyes as wide as saucers as Zack raised his scythe.

"Here we come, kid!" Zack said, and with a great swing of his arms, he thrust the scythe towards the wall.

Ed instinctively closed his eyes as contact was made, and he opened them again to seeing the brick wall crumble and break apart. Rachel was standing on the other side, her eyes just as wide as she stared at Zack.

Zack stepped over the rubble, crossing the border between rooms as Ed followed him, quickly passing him to reach Rachel's side. He touched her shoulder as he checked her over, his eyes scanning for any signs of injury.

"You didn't get hurt, did you?" Ed asked, his eyes meeting hers.

"No, I'm okay." She reassured him, nodding her head. Ed visibly relaxed and let go, smiling at her now.

"Good."

"...Why, Rachel?"

The voice of Eddie echoed around them, and in an instant, Ed and Zack's guards were raised. Zack gripped the snath of his scythe, and he moved forward off of the bridge and into the center of the room. Ed stayed near Rachel, taking a protective stance as his eyes surveyed the dark room.

"Where are you, ya little shit?" Zack growled, his voice reverberating off the walls.

"Do you really want to leave your death in their hands? With me, your death is promised."

Ed gritted his teeth, letting out a shout, "Just leave her alone, you freaky kid! She's not interested!"

"Annoying..." Eddie spoke disdainfully, before he took on a lighter tone. "Rachel, I will be the one to kill you, and I'll make it a beautiful death. I'll wait for you, okay?"

A click reached their ears, and just like that, Eddie's voice disappeared as the lights flickered on.

Ed looked around for any signs of the child before allowing himself to relax once more, and he turned to Rachel. "Thanks for choosing us." He said softly, catching the attention of Zack.

Rachel blinked, and she tilted her head slightly to the side. "What do you mean?" She asked.

Ed just smiled, closing his eyes for the briefest moment. "Well... I know that... right now, death is something you really want, and, well... Eddie was practically offering it to you on a silver platter. Yet, you still chose us... You chose to live longer, Rachel. Thank you."

Rachel stared at Ed silently, as he then turned his golden gaze onto Zack.

Zack tensed a bit, narrowing his eyes. "What?"

"As for you," Ed started, his voice starting as a firm scold, before his demeanor softened. "You... Maybe you're not as lousy as I thought you were. You do seem to care, at least a little."

Zack balked, staring at Edward as if he just sprouted a second head. "The fuck is that supposed to mean?! Are ya callin' me soft?"

"I'm just saying, you don't seem to be as cold as you make yourself out to be."

"Bullshit!" Zack spat, glaring at Ed. "You want me to kill you right now?! That'll show you how much I care!"

"Yeah, sure you will." Ed rolled his eyes and turned his back on Zack, making the killer glare daggers at him.

"Oi! Don't ignore me!" Zack grabbed Ed's ponytail and yanked him backwards, causing the blond to yelp, and Rachel watched as Ed whirled around, engaging in an argument with the killer.

Their voices melted away as Rachel lost herself in her thoughts, her gaze drifting from her companions and resting on the floor beneath her feet. She couldn't explain it, the feeling in her chest at Ed's gratitude. He seemed... happy at her decision, the smile on his face warm and radiating light. For a moment, she almost thought she was looking at a genuine angel made of molten gold.

She shook her head lightly, and she recounted Zack's words to herself. She didn't want to break her deal with them, and she would be lying to herself if she said that she would feel at peace if she died without ensuring Ed and Zack were able to escape first. What really filled her with the conviction to go on, however, was what Zack swore to her...

"I swear to God, kid."

Rachel linked her fingers together and brought her hands to her chest as if she were in prayer, and she lifted her gaze to Zack and Ed, seeing them glaring at each other and slinging insults in each other's faces. Zack, despite how tightly he was gripping the snath of his scythe and the threats spewing from his lips, he didn't seem intent to use it on Ed in the slightest. Ed could apparently tell this, as he had his arms crossed and a defiant stare in his eyes.

Rachel let a slight smile cross his face, squeezing her hands. If they felt strongly about her survival enough to swear to God, then she would live. She would see it through that her companions escape this cursed place, and make herself useful to their case, up until the very end. She hoped, that the very last thing she would see, would be Zack and Edward on the outside of this building.

"We should continue on." Rachel spoke up, breaking Zack and Ed away from their insults as the smile left her face. "I heard a click when Eddie left... it sounded like a door."

Ed nodded, frowning a bit. "Right... well, there was one door we haven't tried yet. Better now than never." He said, heading back towards the break in the wall. Zack begrudgingly followed after him, with Rachel close behind.

The three left the freezer and morgue room behind them, and returned to the first grave room they had encountered on the floor, moving to the only door they hadn't yet tried. Ed reached out, and he tried the doorknob, finding it unlocked. He pushed the door open, and gestured for the other two to follow him through. On the other side was a long hallway that turned to the right. Zack took the lead now, letting Ed and Rachel trail along side by side.

"...Oi, what's your names again?" Zack asked after a long, tense pause.

The blonds glanced at each other, questioning looks in their eyes, and they looked at the back of Zack's head as they walked.

"What, did you forget already?" Ed replied sarcastically.

"Shut up and tell me your name, God damn it." Zack snapped at him, looking over his shoulder to glare. As the silence stretched between the three of them, Rachel spoke first.

"Rachel Gardner." She said softly, and Ed sighed a bit. He averted his gaze away from Zack for a moment, before he looked at him once again.

"Edward Elric."

Zack looked ahead as the hall opened up into a room, and he smirked a bit. "I decided to keep you two around 'cause ya may be useful... now's the time to prove that."

Before them was a set of stairs what looked to be a maze, and the sound of water rushing filled the room. Standing there on the steps was Eddie, the burlap mask obscuring his face looked as if it were frowning. He was holding his shovel in front of him, the spade glinting dangerously in the dim lighting of the room.

"Hey. We meet again."


I'm back lmao, I'm sorry for posting this so inconsistently guys, but I hope you all know I really have no intention of dropping this fic. It's going to get done, and then maybe get a sequel? We'll have to see haha!

I was intent on finally getting this chapter out to you all, and I do hope you've enjoyed it. My writing feels a bit rusty from not having written for this in a long time and I am sorry that the chapter is short, but I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things. I love you all and it makes me happy to know that this little idea I had two years ago is enjoyed by the people who take the time to read this little crossover fic. I appreciate all of you! 3