AN:The characters and concepts of FullMetal Alchemist belong to Hiromu Arakawa. This story revolves around the first anime of FullMetal Alchemist, not the manga. Do not flame because of that small difference, I've read the manga and seen the real anime that follows it, but the first anime is what captured my heart about FMA, so this story is tribute. Enjoy the story. The lyrics are from "Not Good Enough For Truth In Cliché" by Escape the Fate, I do not own the lyrics to the song.- Carrie.

"Hurtful words, from my enemies of the last five years.

What's it like to die alone?

How does it feel when tears freeze, when you cry?

The blood in your veins is twenty below.

Sitting in this room playing Russian roulette,

Finger on the trigger to my dear Juliet.

Out from the window see her back drop silhouette,

This blood on my hands is something I cannot forget."

"No."

Pinako took another sip of her coffee before resting the mug on the table, looking across the room at Carlina. The pinkette held her gaze unwaveringly, cupping her tea in both hands. They stayed like that for minutes, the brothers and Winry nervously glancing back and forth from one to the other. A few more minutes passed before disbelief crossed over Carlina's face, quickly replaced by anger as her hands tightened around the mug.

"You can't just tell me no, it's in my blood to be an Alchemist," she hissed, gritting her teeth as Pinako shook her head. "I told you, no. You're not about to run off and join the military, you'll get yourself killed-" "-No, no. That's not the real issue, is it Auntie? Spit it out, admit it. You think that the second I perform alchemy again I'm gonna have a breakdown and get someone else killed." The room was silent for a few moments as the elder Rockbell sipped her brew, still meeting the eyes of the feisty young girl. "If you must know, that's precisely my fear," earning a snarl as Carlina's shoulders began to tremble.

The Elrics looked as though they were still processing that the previously mute girl could even perform alchemy, eying her pink hair and wondering how she would harm someone else. Winry was visibly green, obviously wanting nothing to do with the conversation taking place.

"You can't tell me what to do," the girl exhaled, calming herself a bit but still trembling slightly. "On the contrary, dear, I am your Guardian. Legally, I can until you are old enough to leave me-" "-then fuck it, I'll run away," the calm was gone again and replaced with more anger then before. Winry gasped at the declaration and Pinako stood, the Elrics still flabbergasted. "You'll do no such thing," Pinako declared as Carlina shook more, a hand leaving the mug to run through her hair. Raking through the locks, she breathed through her teeth, chest heaving.

"Sit, finish your tea, we can find you another job-" Pinako was cut off as Carlina flung the mug against the wall, tea and ceramic exploding across the paint and hardwood.

"You listen to me and you listen to me now. I am not going to get another job and I am going to become an Alchemist, even if it kills me-" "-young lady, we've already determined you-" "-God can you just SHUT UP." The room fell silent as Carlina chuckled to herself, running her fingers through her hair and shaking with laughter. "You couldn't stop me if you tried, God, I can speak now. I'm not your treasure anymore, I'm free. You can't tell the officers 'she just wandered from the garden and she gets lost frequently' because now I can tell them I want to go to Central and they can take me," she was cut off by Pinako clearing her throat, looking into her eyes.

"You've been through a lot, and I know your voice is a shock. It must feel good to shout for the first time in years, to speak. Let me know when you're done and I can start dinner; we'll forget this silly Alchemist business and find you a different job," she spoke slowly, smiling at the girl as Carlina stiffened and a sweet smile spread across her lips.

"Of course Auntie. Let me just wash up," she trilled before leaving the room, the sound of the washroom door closing. Ed and Al released their baited breath, Winry looking as though she was on the verge of tears. "Now, now dear-" "-no! You shouldn't let her get away with that, even if she did just get her voice back," Winry protested, looking almost as livid as Carlina had minutes before. "She sure calmed down quickly," Al observed as Winry cleaned the tea cups, fetching a wet rag and pan to clean the mess at the foot of the wall. "Always been a temper in her, but she recovers quickly," Pinako chirped, Ed still sitting deep in thought.

"Ed," Winry called, snapping her fingers in front of his eyes. He jolted, realizing the three others in the room were staring. "I was just wondering…What did she mean it's in her blood-" he was cut short by the sound of feet scraping against wood, a thump, and then silence.

The group went to the washroom and opened the door, finding the window ajar and no sign of the teen girl. "Dammit Lina-" Winry was cut off as Pinako put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her head. "Don't. You know where she's headed, even though you can't remember how to get there." Ed and Al looked at Pinako until she relinquished, "Graveyard. Winry is horrible with the directions still." Exchanging a look, the brothers silently questioned if they should go and retrieve her. "Edward, you go. She'll hear Al from a mile away," Pinako advised, shoving him out the front door before he could protest and locking it. "Women," he muttered, jogging toward the cemetery.

Sweeping her arm through the flower field as she ran past, she closed her fist around some stems and pulled. Carlina grinned at the wide array of flowers in her hand, sniffing them as she continued sprinting toward the Graveyard. She vaulted over a headstone and cartwheeled over another, earning a disapproving glare from an old couple leaving a small white tombstone.

She stood still until they had left; walking to the grave they had been visiting and splitting her bouquet in half. "Hey….uh, let them know I'm sorry for that," she whispered laying half the flowers on top of the grave and thoughtfully running her hand over the stone. Shaking herself, she walked through the rows until she saw the site she was looking for. Kneeling in front of the grave, she placed the flowers and wrapped her arms around the body of the slender grave marker. "She tells me I can't become an Alchemist…you know what that means to me, don't you kid? I know, I was harsh but, God I want it so bad."

Tears rolled slowly down her cheeks as she closed her eyes, Ed leaning against the trunk of a tree to observe from a distance. He couldn't hear what she was saying but now she was chuckling, his eyebrow rising as a ginger teen made his way deliberately through the graves toward her.

"Been a while, hasn't it? Since you've heard my voice. I mean-" "-It has, you should sing." Carlina tensed, her arms dropping from around the grave and finally noticing the shadow behind her. She turned and felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her.

A gangly boy, a year younger than her, stood awkwardly in front of her. He had flaming red hair, crystal blue eyes and various freckles smattering his skin. Carlina slowly rose to her feet, the twelve year old's head only reaching the middle of her chest. Before she could ask questions he had his arms wrapped around her waist with his head buried in her chest. "I'm sorry Lina I didn't mean to make you cry that night," he wailed through his tears, Ed watching as Carlina stiffened but did not comfort the child. The hell is going on here, he thought, watching as she shook her head.

"Jeremy, what did you just call me," she spoke slowly, the small boy stiffening and raising his head. The blue eyes flashed violet for a second before he whimpered, "I'm sorry Big Sis, I didn't mean to make you lose your arm."

Wrapping her arms around the boy's shoulders, Carlina locked her arms together. The boy whipped his head up in time to see her smirk. "Hello Envy," she cackled, smashing him over her shoulder face-first into her brother's tombstone. The sin rapidly began melting into his real form, forcing Lina to jump back as Ed sprinted down the hill, his automail transmuted into a blade. Envy lunged for Carlina, grabbing her shoulders and flying back while convulsing. Ed's eyes widened as he looked at Carlina, seeing the sparks of electricity flying off her skin. He looked for her array gloves, the circle she had used, and felt his blood freeze when he saw nothing but her bare hands.

Envy stood and looked from one Alchemist to the other, shrugging his shoulders and looking faintly pissed off. "No matter, Lina. We'll have you someday soon." With that he disappeared, leaving Ed to stare at her closely.

"You didn't use a circle-" "Come on Ed, we're gonna be late for dinner." He only shook his head, mouth slightly agape as they jogged back to the Rockbell residence.

AN: Hoping to update weekly or every other week through the summer, to make up for lost time. Hopefully some are still interest. Apologies for the long hiatus- a lot has happened. – Carrie.