Hi everyone! Can you believe that we're already to story #13? I can't thank you guys enough for all the support and the suggestions you've been leaving me. I love it so much! It just makes me want to write for you guys all day! Anyways, I'm really excited because I'm going to be getting my first drawing tablet (graphics tablet) soon, so I can't wait to start drawing with that instead of with a mouse! If you guys are interested, I can link my Deviantart page here, if you wanna look at my artwork. It isn't all that great, but, I like drawing so, eh. Anyways, onto the story! This is a suggestion by Emily (sorry it took so long!).

Summary: It is the day of Trisha's birthday and the boys are having a hard time dealing.

Idea Came From: Emily who suggested it

Timeline: Edward is 15 and Alphonse is 14

Rated: T for language

Notes: review replies at end

Story 13: Happy Birthday, Mom

"Mom'll love this!" A little Edward exclaims as he picks up the carefully crafted wooden horse from the floor. Alphonse picks up his own creation, a wooden bunny. They had just finished transmuting the wood to little sculptures to give to Trisha for her birthday.

"Yeah!" Al agrees with a nod, an excited smile on his face.

The boys make their way out of Hohenheim's old study, which their father hasn't touched ever since he left. Ed tries to push that thought away, though he can't help but feel angry. Their mother is still waiting for him, even as she lays sick in bed, probably dying.

The last thought causes Ed to completely stop in his tracks, right in front of Trisha's door. Al turns and looks back, one hand on the door handle as he stares at Edward curiously.

'No, she won't die. She can't.' Ed thinks bitterly to himself, shaking his head to clear the thoughts away. He looks up at Al, smiling and the younger sibling turns the handle and pushes the door open.

"Happy birthday mom!" They both exclaim in unison as they run into the room, laughing happily as Trisha looks over at her boys, smiling sweetly at them. She is sitting up, an open book sitting on her lap.

"Oh boys, you didn't have to do anything for me," she says as they hold up the two creations, eyes sparkling. She takes them both, smiling down at them. "Thank you though, they are very lovely. You boys are doing really well with your alchemy."

"We know you can't come over to Granny Pinako's house since you're sick," Al says shyly, looking to his brother. "So we asked her to come here instead."

"I don't know what to say," Trisha says, smiling brightly. She sets the creations on top of the book and ruffles both their hair before pulling them into a warm hug. "Thank you, boys. I love you two so much."

Today. A day both Edward and Alphonse dread each year. A day which, despite their best efforts, never ceases to bring up buried memories, both sweet and depressing.

Trisha's birthday.

And they know, without even having to look at a calendar, that today is it. Because it's just a feeling they get, something so strong it pulls at the strings of their hearts, an unwelcome reminder that they will never see her bright smile again. They will never hear her gentle voice as she sings them to sleep. They will never get to feel a hug quite like hers again.

Edward lays in his respective bed of the hotel room while Alphonse lays in his. Ed is laying on his back, arms behind his head as he stares up at the ceiling with a mix of pure grief and self hate burning in his eyes. Grief at the fact that their mother isn't there, at the fact that all they have left of her are memories he so desperately tries to block out. Self hate for failing in bringing her back. Self hate for getting them in this mess in the first place.

Alphonse is laying on his side, back facing Edward. The occasional whimper, hiccup, or sniffle can be heard from the younger as he shakes, desperately trying not to cry. But the hurt in his heart can't be ignored as the memories of their mother burn strong in his jumbled mind.

Today is their one day where they are vulnerable. A day where not even October 3rd can compare to. Because it is the day their world turned gray. The day where all they had left was each other.

A loud ringing cuts through the bitter silence, like an unwanted touch, screaming for attention. The phone rings on the hook for half a minute before growing silent once more, leaving the brothers in the coldness of the hotel to wallow in their grief. Like pigs in the mud.

At least, it stays silent for two minutes before it starts ringing again.

"Damn it!" Ed can't help but shout as he pushes himself up into a sitting position. Al half rolls over, turning his head to look at Edward over his shoulder with puffy, bloodshot eyes. There are fresh tear streaks down his cheeks, a harsh reminder of what they are currently going through.

"Well, are you going to answer?" Al asks, voice sounding wet from the congestion his crying has caused.

"Why the hell should I?" Ed shoots back, his golden eyes glaring at his only family member.

"Because it's probably the colonel!" Al shouts, sitting up. "Who else would it be? Use your mind for once!"

"Oh, because the colonel calling is my fault?"

"Yes! Now answer the damn phone!"

Ed pauses, staring at Alphonse with mild bewilderment. Had his brother just...cursed? The thought brings renewed rage as he stands, continuing to glare at Alphonse with anger. But deep down, he knows it's not his little brother's fault. They're just hurting, and what better way to let it all out by yelling at one another all day? It's what they've done before. It's what they'll do now.

Edward picks up the phone and says tightly, "what?"

"Fullmetal?" Roy's somewhat surprised voice says on the other line. Ed feels himself tense as he glares back at Al, who quickly returns the glare. The atmosphere of the room is tense.

"Who the hell else would it be?" Ed snaps, not taking his eyes away from Al. "This better be good you bastard, it isn't a good day for-"

"For your height? Well, if you didn't want me making fun of your height then you should consider growing."

"I TOLD YOU I'M NOT IN THE MOOD!" Ed shouts, looking back to the phone hook.

"Right, well," Roy awkwardly clears his throat. "You're late for our meeting. You were supposed to turn in your report three hours ago."

"Can't it wait?"

"You know the answer to that."

Edward resists the urge to stop his foot against the floor, throw the phone, and flat out start having a tantrum. Instead, his automail hand clenches into a fist as he says, "I'll be there in a few."

"You better mean it Fullmetal, I don't want you-"

Ed hangs up the phone by slamming it down onto the hook. He runs a hand through his hair, turning to glare at Al. "That was the colonel. I need to go meet with him."

"Okay, I'll stay here."

"No, Al. I don't want to leave you alone. What if something happens?"

"I can take care of myself!" Al snaps, but instantly looks away when the look of hurt flashes through Ed's golden eyes. He knows the reason Ed wants Al to come with him. It's because he's scared that Al will never be there when he comes back. "I'm sorry, it's just..."

"Yeah, I know." Ed whispers as he swipes the room key up off the nightstand by his bed. "Let's go."

"Okay."

Within the first few seconds of the outer office door being slammed open by none other than Edward Elric, it is obvious something is wrong. With both of them.

Edward's muscles are tense and he has a strong mask of anger, tilting on the line of rage. Alphonse is tense as well, though he doesn't look mad, more like defensive.

"Hey chief!" Havoc says cheerfully, cigarette in his mouth. "I see you've brought Alphonse. What's the occasion?"

Ed's eyes harden and he turns his glare at Havoc. "Do I have to have a reason for bringing my brother?"

Havoc raises an eyebrow and shares a look with Breda before looking back at the two Elric's. "No, not really."

The room is silent, save for the beeping from a radio Fuery is trying to make work. Every time the thing is turned on it makes a horrid beeping nose.

"Would you shut that thing up already?!" Ed shouts, causing Kain to jump with surprise and then shrink away from Ed's fiery glare. He quickly flips the switch, turning it off.

"Put that thing out Havoc, it smells the room up!" Ed continues as he verbally attacks the team. Alphonse stays quiet, guilt clouding his eyes as he watches his brother freak out. "Breda, chew with your mouth closed! Falman, stop writing so heavily! Hawkeye, stop looking at me like that!"

"What's going on out here?" Roy says as he opens the door to the main office. He stops when he sees the looks of shock on his team's face as they all stare at Edward like he had grown two heads. Al stands off to the side, small tremors running through him as he looks down at the floor.

"Sir, Edward lashed out at the team." Riza explains calmly, and yet the surprise is shining in her eyes.

"I knew short people have small fuses, but I didn't know-"

"STOP!"

The shout causes Roy's mouth to hang open as he stares, flabbergasted, at Alphonse. "Excuse me?"

"I said stop!" Al repeats, hands balling into fists. "Haven't you teased brother enough? I heard him tell you over the phone that he's not in the mood so why do you keep pestering him? Is it because you have nothing else to do? Is slacking off not enough? Just leave us alone! For once in your life!"

"Alphonse, what the hell has gotten into you?" Roy snaps, but now it's Ed's turn to explode.

"Don't talk to him like that! None of you know what we're going through! None of you understand what it's like to lose someone!"

Ans then it clicks. And Roy remembers the importance of the date, something that's been nagging at the back of his mind since the second he woke up this morning.

Trisha Elric's birthday.

"Fullmetal. Alphonse. I want both of you, as well as Hawkeye, in my office. Now." Roy says strictly. He turns and enters his office once more, the three following behind. Riza shuts the door.

"What?" Ed asks vehemently, glaring.

"That was unacceptable." Roy says as he turns to face the boys, eyes narrow. Ed scoffs while Al looks away, guilty. "You have no right to tell people that they don't understand what it means to lose someone. Because I can guarantee you that they have all lost at least someone in their lives. Hawkeye and I included."

"Boys, it's okay to hurt." Riza says, her gaze soft. Ed tenses and Al looks up, surprised. "I still remember what it felt like to lose my father. I lost my mother, which was really hard on me because I reminded dad and even myself of her. And then when my father died, it reopened a lot of old wounds for me."

"I lost both of my parents at a young age. Granted, I was young, but that doesn't mean it hurt any less." Roy says, his own voice softening as he stares at the two shaking teens. "I had to be raised by my aunt, so I know how you guys feel."

"I'm sorry!" Al cries as he finally breaks, bursting into tears. A guilty look crosses Ed's face before he quickly hides it again. "I-I didn't mean to lash out it's just...I miss her!"

"And that's okay." Roy says warmly.

"This is stupid!" Ed shouts, shaking his his head as he glares defiantly at his superior. "It's been years since she's died! It-I don't care-" Ed abruptly breaks off, voice cracking as his bottom lip starts to quiver. The two adults smile sadly as Edward stumbles back like he's been shot. "I don't care! I shouldn't care! She..."

And finally, Ed breaks as well. He shakes his head as he continues repeating to himself "I don't-I don't care." Tears stream down his cheeks as his knees buckle, a sob escaping his lips. He slowly sinks to his knees, freely crying. Al drops down beside him, pulling Ed into a tight hug as he, too, starts crying.

Both Roy and Riza move forwards, the two adults kneeling down beside the grieving boys. They quickly wrap their arms around the teens, Roy on one side and Riza across from him. Like a family.

It doesn't exactly feel like Trisha, but there is something familiar about the embrace. A warmth that blankets around them, bringing them closer together. Almost like Trisha is holding them all.

"It'll be okay," the two whisper as the boys continue crying. "It's all okay."

"Boys, what's wrong?" A gentle, soft voice asks as she descends from the sky above.

"We-we miss you!" They cry in unison, no longer the teenagers they are. Instead, they are young children once more, desperately trying to live in the memories they have of their mother.

A bright, golden light surrounds her as she slowly depends towards them. A sad smile plays on her lips as she gently embraces her golden boys.

"It's going to be okay," she whispers softly. "It's all okay."

And she opens her mouth, and starts to sing all the grief away. And the boys cherish it, even if it wont' last that long. Because it's still something, and no matter how small it is, it's still something to hold onto.

"If you'll be my star

I'll be your sky

You can hide underneath me and come out at night

When I turn jet black

And you show off your light

I live to let you shine."

And that's it! This one was a little more sad, sorry about that. Anyways, I hope you liked it Emily! I forgot to mention something, it's Thanksgiving break! Which means I'll have more free time to write and everything! Now, onto the review replies!

Patsy Koala- thank you so much! I'm so glad that you like this story, I'll continue working hard!

Guest (Nov. 15)- I'm glad that you like it! Thanks for the suggestion, I'll get right on that!

That's all! Thank you everyone that is reading and enjoying this! Don't forget to leave suggestion for future chapters you want me to write! Thank you, and have a good day/night!