Ed honestly didn't know why he had consented to follow that asshole Mustang - it probably had something to do with the fact that Al had agreed before anything else could be said. It was beyond him to understand why the Colonel would go after prostitutes on a night like this - Ed's hands clenched at the very thought. That jackass was so stupid. It was obvious he had an interest in Lieutenant Hawkeye, and what did he do about it? Nothing helpful, to be sure. Sometimes Ed wondered how much his superior really cared about anything.

That was, however, beside the point. Mustang was leading them who-knew-where and refusing to answer any questions, no matter if the queries were about his previous whereabouts or prospective destination. Ed could tell that they were heading out of the downtown area and its well-to-do houses, even in the deceptive light of the streetlamps in the pre-dawn blackness. On top of it all, the colonel was checking a scrap of paper every few blocks, white blending into the white of his gloves.

It was all too much. "Dammit, Mustang, do you even /know/ where you're taking us? I fucking hope it's not a brothel."

The Colonel paused and looked over his shoulder. It was hard to tell his exact expression in the bad light, but Ed froze nonetheless. He felt, suddenly, that he was wrong, that he was missing something - but Mustang turned away before the blond could pinpoint the feeling, saying flatly, "Yes, Fullmetal, I know where we're going." He did not respond to the second part of Ed's outburst.

They continued on in silence for what felt like a long time to Ed's tired body. The houses got shabbier, the streetlamps making what might have been cheerful gardens into overgrown, weed-filled lots. Al's steps were uncomfortably loud in the dark hour before dawn, and Ed found himself hurrying to close the distance between himself and the colonel, though he'd never admit it. He had no clue where they were going, and he'd be damned if he'd let Mustang lose him and his brother out here.

Grey was beginning to creep into the sky when Mustang finally stopped. Ed nearly ran into him, and would have if his brother hadn't put out a hand to halt his stumbling steps. Blinking eyes heavy with fatigue, the elder Elric looked around him, scowling at the dilapidated houses surrounding him. He opened his mouth to speak, the growl already rising, but the colonel cut him off.

"That one," he said tightly, pointing at a small house across the street. Ed found it comforting to see the familiar gloves flashing white in the pre-dawn, but it didn't stop him from muttering darkly.

"And what's 'that one', anyway?" He had a good idea of what Mustang was leading up to, but he wanted to make sure before he invested his hope in something false. Even so, his heart had started to beat faster, and his words had tumbled out too quickly to be heated.

If Mustang noticed this, he didn't acknowledge it, for which Ed was thankful. He simply looked down at Ed and said, "'That one' is where she is."

Ed was off like a shot. He had no need to ask who 'she' was, but his dash was cut short as the colonel reached out and caught hold of his collar. Ignoring the outraged choking noises coming from the young man, Mustang hauled him back.

"Damn it, Elric," he hissed. "Do you think that they're going to simply let you rush in?" Ed snorted angrily as Al pulled him out of his superior's grasp, but he didn't try to dash off again or hit the colonel. Neither did he say no when Mustang said wearily, "I'll go first."

They made an odd trio tramping up the cracked concrete steps, Al's quietly ringing footfalls bringing up the rear. Mustang reached the door and gently snapped his fingers; neither he nor Ed heard Al's plaintive, "Are you /sure/ this is it?" as the lock melted to slag and the colonel pushed open the door.

He stepped aside as Ed rushed in. The blond was faced with the immediate choice of dashing down one of the hallways on either side, or up the dilapidated staircase right in front of him. The promlem was solved when Mustang pointed up at the next floor. "There's a light up there," he noted, and started forward.

Ed pushed past him roughly and sprinted up the steps two at a time, even as Al cried after him, "Wait - Brother - " and followed. The colonel climbed last, his pace quick and sharp. He reached the top as Ed skidded to a stop before a door open a crack. The blond alchemist was soon joined by his brother, who was in turn closely followed by Mustang. As Ed reached to push the door wider, the whole world seemed to hold its breath.

Light spilled into the darkened hallways as the door creaked open, and for a moment it dazzled the eyes of the two State Alchemists. Al saw what the door had revealed, however, and even as his brother's sight cleared, he shouted, "Ed, don't! No!"

It was too late. Ed's gasp had deafened him to his brother's words, and the image he was presented with blinded him to the rest of the world.

Winry lay on a bed against the far wall of a small room, her eyes closed, her hands folded neatly on her stomach. Her chest rose and fell with slow regularity. Her hair had fanned out around her head, and apart from the small frown on her lips, she looked to be entirely at peace in her sleep. Ed stumbled towards her, reaching out.

Al grabbed at his brother's shirt in a last bid to get his attention. "Ed! It's too /easy/ - !"

"Indeed."

Both brothers stapped moving, their sudden stillness lasting only a second as they wheeled around to the corner the voice had come from, Ed's face and Al's manner a clear expression of their horror. Roy had jumped from where he had been leaning and watching the two, and his features showed nothing but fear.

King Bradley smiled serenely at their expressions and crossed his arms, completely at ease.

--

AN: Edited! Thank you Yellow Mask for beta-ing, and so sorry to everyone for having to post this raw. At least this os one of my better chapters, in terms of number of typos/

Really, I'm sorry about the cliffhanger. Only... I'm sort of pleased with it. Hee. -is bricked-

(Next chapter is the final one. !)

Also, my apologies for Ed's pottymouth. I was trying for the sullen, bitchy Ed we sometimes see... usually around Hoenheim or Roy. Heh.