A/N: Hi!

We're giving Riza a little break and now it's the turn of giving the spotlight to Al and Ed. We saw little glimpses in the previous chapter so, what will Ed do knowing that he's not Al's brother by blood? D:

We hope that you enjoy the chapter and please, don't hesitate to share your comments, suggestions, hypotheses or anything about our story :)

And thank so much to all the persons that took the time to leave us a comment in chapter 17 :')

Guest: Thank you so much for your review! Since we have not a way to reply you directly we are going to do it here :D The revelation finally happened and now we need to know how Roy and the rest will know or if they will ever know. We hope that you keep reading and commenting.

See you in two weeks!

Golden and Flame

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist characters don't belong to us. We are just having fun with them.

Chapter 19. Brotherhood

Al was sure something was wrong with Ed. Ever since his brother had returned to his room he had noticed him strange but Ed quickly ended the conversation and went to sleep, or at least he tried to pretend to because Al knew his brother had only slept after a few hours of lying in his bed.

If there was one thing Al had learned during his sleepless nights, it was every single gesture and quirk that Ed had when he slept. From the subtle movement that indicated that in a few seconds Ed would move his hand closer to his stomach, to the small wrinkle that formed on his forehead when a nightmare began to create itself in his mind.

Despite having turned his back to him (which in itself was a somewhat strange gesture from Ed), Al noticed that the rhythm of his breathing was not calm and regular but quite the opposite. For several hours his breathing seemed agitated and at times his shoulders tensed, a sign that Al identified as the moments when his brother was trying to sigh without really making a sound.

On several occasions, Al was tempted to interrupt his nightly reading to approach his brother and try to get him to talk about what was bothering him, but he always stopped at the worry of contributing to him not sleeping all night, so he held on to the idea of letting it go for that one occasion in the hope that Ed would get at least a couple of hours of sleep and, although it took much longer than he would have liked, he was finally rewarded hours later when he could hear Ed's breathing indicate that he had finally succumbed to exhaustion.

A small part of him was hopeful that, when he woke up, Ed would be back to normal whether or not he told him what had been bothering him (Ed tended to keep some things to himself like when the automail was causing him discomfort or the real frustration or worry caused by a failed clue though, on several occasions, Al got an idea of what was going through his brother's mind) but, from the moment his brother stood up, Al could tell that his brother's discomfort was still there and even seemed to have increased.

Al asked him what was wrong, but Ed gave a slight smile and told him it was nothing. Al wanted to insist as he noticed that the look on his brother's face completely belied his smile and any trace of reassurance he wanted to feign, but Ed quickly began to prepare to leave, cutting off any attempt at conversation Al wanted to make to him with monosyllables.

Both the ride to the station and the ride on the train were strange. Conversations were sparse and had to be initiated mostly by Al. Ed simply responded with few words and hardly looked at him. Seeing him so quiet was quite strange. While he didn't always make the biggest fuss he was capable of, Edward Elric was someone whose presence was mostly noticed by the noise he made, whether it was his excited chatter about a possible lead or the fuss he created when someone called him little or any other remotely similar adjective. These were all signs that something serious was bothering Ed, but what worried Al the most was that every time he called him 'brother', as far as he could manage to see without having to move his helmet indiscreetly, Ed's gaze seemed to darken.

Even though Ed was someone who didn't easily talk about his feelings or what bothered him, Al wasn't going to let him get away with it this time. He was going to find out what it was that had his brother in this state. He wanted to find out what was wrong with him when they rode the train but, unfortunately, the train was almost completely full and Al knew that this would make it harder to get Ed to talk. Besides, he didn't want people he didn't know to hear what his brother had to say.

After a long train ride, they finally arrived in North City. Ed, who had dozed off a bit during the last hour, woke up and glanced out the window. The landscape he could see was covered with snow and, without thinking, his automail hand came to the glass and clenched into a fist after a few seconds of observation. Al was about to speak to Ed, when the blond quickly pulled his suitcase from under the seat and hurried out of the compartment.

"Brother!" Al exclaimed but Ed quickly got lost in the flow of people.

Being a considerable sized suit of armor, it took Al longer than he would have liked to exit the train. When he finally made it and as soon as he set foot on the platform, he immediately made a visual tour of the whole place looking for Ed's distinctive red coat. He was almost certain that his brother must be in the station or at the station entrance waiting for him, but he was worried that, because of his strange behavior, Ed had gone somewhere unknown without having told him anything. Fortunately, in a few moments his sight could distinguish in the distance the figure of his brother, standing at the station entrance. With his automail hand he was holding his suitcase and the other was in his coat pocket. His head was tilted back, looking skyward as his braid fluttered slightly in the winter wind. As his back was turned, Al couldn't see his brother's face but he was almost certain he must have a thoughtful expression.

He had barely made his way to the ticket booth when Ed suddenly returned his gaze to the front and started walking, disappearing from Al's view as he descended the large steps that were at the entrance to the station. Al made a sighing sound and continued walking. There was no longer any point in calling Ed asking him to wait for him. He only had to dodge a few more people and soon he would be walking down the same steps as his brother.

Moments later Al began to descend the steps at a slightly more normal pace, for he could quickly see that his brother had stopped. Ed was a few feet in front of the beginning of the steps, a place where a general map of the northern area of Amestris rested. His suitcase rested on the floor, while both of his hands were now in his respective coat pocket. He seemed to be quite interested in the map as he was leaning slightly towards it and his gaze roamed curiously over the various towns and roads.

Al approached him and as soon as he was next to his brother, he spoke to him. "Brother, is there somewhere you want to visit?"

Ed was quiet for a few seconds before answering. "No. I was just checking out the road to Briggs."

Al was a little puzzled by the answer. The previous morning they had reviewed and defined the route they needed to take to reach their destination and, with the great memory Ed had when it came to travel, it was quite unusual for his brother to stop and check the way ahead. Ed's intrepid and impulsive nature caused the blond to prefer to explore new places on his own before stopping to ask for directions or verify locations.

Wanting to delude himself under the notion that there was always a first time for everything, Al kept his gaze on Ed for a few moments before diverting it skyward. Despite it being just the beginning of winter, the north was characterized by cold weather so light snowflakes were falling steadily from the sky reinforcing the small layer of snow that covered the streets.

Al stayed watching the falling flakes for a few minutes, casting occasional glances at his brother, who was still looking intently at the map and, by the slight tilt of his body, Al realized that he was looking at the western part of the map.

Realizing that he would have to pull his brother out of his reverie, Al said in an affectionate tone. "Brother." Once again there was that almost imperceptible shudder in Ed that was unsettling Al. "I'm glad the first time I'm seeing snow is being with you."

Ed finally turned his gaze away from the map so he could see Al. Inevitably a shy smile appeared on his lips. "Come on, Al, don't tell me you forgot the snowfall at Resembool?"

"Huh?" Al jogged his memory and vague recollections of when he was about 4 years old came to his mind. Ed, Winry, he and other kids in town were throwing snowballs at each other while laughing uproariously. At the memory, Al's tone became very cheerful. "I remember! The snow didn't last long but we spent all day playing with everyone in town. I even think I knocked you down when I threw the biggest snowball I could make right at your face." He said with a chuckle at the end.

Ed laughed lightly. "That doesn't count. I fell because I tripped over a branch."

"Of course you didn't. Ever since we were little I've always beaten you." Al said with a tone mixed with pride and amusement.

"But I've always run faster than you." Defended Ed with a grin.

"Wanna bet?"

"You dare to challenge me, Al?" Ed said with a mischievous grin. "A race from here to the barn?"

"Fine." Both brothers got into position. "3... 2... 1... Go!"

Ed and Al ran toward their next destination. They both enjoyed the snowy environment around them without caring about the stares they were earning in the process. It was a time when the Elrics forgot about their worries and duties, allowing themselves to relax by enjoying their surroundings and each other's company. They hadn't gone many meters before laughter naturally erupted from them becoming a balm to Al's soul.

Al maintained a similar speed as Ed. Not having a body and not feeling tired, Al was now faster than his brother and could easily beat him but all he wanted was to keep Ed's smile and good humor which he was slowly regaining. Therefore, when they were a couple of meters from the finish line, Al slowed down slightly allowing Ed to win, something that his brother happily celebrated even though Ed was also aware that Al could beat him without any problems.

"I won!" Ed exclaimed excitedly as he caught his breath. "See? I'm still faster than you.

Playing along, Al replied. "Well, at least I'm still a better fighter than you."

"What matters here is that I won the race." Ed said proudly.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, brother." Laughed Al lightly. " Now that I think about it." He said bringing a hand to the bottom of his helmet and lifting it slightly. "We were lucky we didn't slip. Surely Mom would have scolded us." Lost in his memories, Al didn't notice the change in the expression on Ed's face and how his smile quickly disappeared. "When we used to make runs up to the house she always asked us to be careful, but when we got the idea to run under that snowfall she almost forbade us forever from ever going back into Dad's study. I guess it didn't help much that I came back on your back all wet, scuffed and crying." Al let out a chuckle.

To Al's dismay, Ed didn't reciprocate his laughter and the blond turned away. "I'll see if there's someone who can give us a ride. Wait here, Al." He said in a low tone, close to a whisper.

Shocked by his brother's abrupt change of attitude, Al couldn't find words to answer him.

Despite not needing to rest, Al sat down on a small step nearby. Everything had seemed to be going wonderfully and suddenly Ed was back to the same strange state he had acquired since last night. Perhaps it might seem like overkill for him to be so worried when it had all started the night before, but Al knew his brother very well and knew perfectly well that Ed was not someone who showed so easily and for so long that something was bothering him either physically or emotionally. Something was definitely wrong but what was it and why didn't Ed trust him to tell him?

Frustrated, Al clenched his gloves into fists and looked up at the sky. Had he done something to hurt Ed? No. If he had, he wouldn't have gotten such a natural, joyous laugh from his brother as they shared a moment together. Had the colonel threatened to cut their funding or refused to give them fresh leads? No. The colonel wouldn't do that whenever he could help it, and if that were the answer, Ed would be cursing and complaining about Mustang openly. Was he despairing that he couldn't find Xing's little girl? No. Al was sure that, despite the difficulties and setbacks they had experienced in the last few weeks, Ed would not be so easily discouraged as long as there was the slightest trace that would allow them to recover their bodies.

So... what was the matter with Ed?

Al recalled the last thing he had told him. It was just a memory from their childhood. Although after the transmutation certain memories became painful, they both treasured the times they had shared together, especially when their mom was involved. Was Ed just nostalgic? Al wasn't entirely sure. They had both learned to deal with the weight of their sin and the fact that they had lost their mom forever. Ed might have some nostalgia for his mother but was that really what had him so despondent? Al was having a hard time believing it was that because, after the discovery that what they had transmuted was not really Trisha Elric, their spirits and hopes had risen considerably as they were able to shake off the weight of guilt they had carried for so many years. Since then both brothers had been more cheerful and optimistic than usual so Al was still unconvinced that his mother's memory was what had Ed so worried.

Unable to come up with an answer, Al let out a sighing sound. I don't care how stubborn my brother can be, as soon as we are alone in a safe place, I will force him to tell me what is wrong with him. I can't allow him to be suffering in silence when I'm by his side.

A few seconds later, Ed reappeared followed closely by a man who apparently was the one who would get them as close as possible to Briggs with his wagon. Al noticed that Ed wanted to smile at him (surely sensing that Al had noticed something odd) but the smile was very brief and small. Deciding not to press him for the moment, Al simply got up and followed him, trying (unsuccessfully) to make some conversation with him during their ride to their new destination.

The welcoming Briggs gave them was unusual and... scary. Yes, definitely scary. If the mere fact of having mistaken Captain Buccaneer for a huge bear had not been enough, the incredible and dangerous automail he had and the snowstorm that was raging at that moment really inconvenienced them.

Buccaneer's sudden appearance caused Al to be immobilized almost immediately with a net, leaving Ed alone to face the huge soldier. Despite the suddenness of the attack, Al was sure that his brother would find a way to emerge victorious from the confrontation or at least immobilize the soldier long enough to help him free himself from the net. But, if Al still had any doubt that something was wrong with Ed, witnessing his combat with Buccaneer the slightest shred that might remain disappeared completely.

Ed's movements were slow and not as accurate as Al knew they could be. Being inside Briggs, both Elrics discovered the drawbacks and dangers of using regular automail in that snowy region but even that did not reassure Al. Yes, Ed's movements had been affected by the extreme weather but Al noted that it was also partly due to his brother's lack of concentration. As the confrontation progressed he could see that Ed was beginning to resume his normal fighting rhythm (within the margins that his automail allowed him), but it was unusual for Ed to take so long to react while engaged in combat. That was why, as best he could, Al broke free of the net that imprisoned him so he could throw his helmet at Ed. If he hadn't done so, his automail would have been completely destroyed by the soldier's advanced and acclimatized automail.

Although he knew his brother wouldn't like it if he forced him to talk, Al thought he should feel lucky that only he had witnessed their combat. If his sensei had seen it he would have given him a beating as punishment for not defending himself properly and if Winry had seen how close he came to losing his automail arm she would have deformed his head with blows from all the wrenches she could get her hands on.

Yes, he should be grateful. So, if necessary, Al already had new means of forcing his brother to talk.

Once inside Fort Briggs (and after Ed was treated by the on-site doctor and mechanic), Ed gradually regained his usual temper, probably due to the rudeness and coldness of Major Armstrong's sister. During the course of the day, Al noticed Ed calmer but occasionally that which was bothering him would make a fleeting appearance again, darkening his countenance for a few moments. However, those appearances tapered off as one thing and another passed. From their "warm" welcome to the joint confrontation with an unknown homunculus, it could be said that both Elrics had already had more than their daily dose of adrenaline and excitement.

Too bad their "comfortable" and "warm" room for the night was a cell.

With how little time they had treated General Armstrong, both had no doubt that she would leave them imprisoned as long as necessary until they dared to tell the truth of the secrets they had been unable to reveal because of the ever present "casual" threat Bradley himself had made to them. If having collaborated to immobilize the homunculus had not been enough to earn at least a portion of her vote of confidence, they were surely in for a long stay in their cell.

Al was obviously not comfortable with the idea of hanging out in a cell (especially since it would surely be a cold and uncomfortable place for his brother) but, as they were escorted to their cell, Al couldn't help but see the benefits of the place: The cell area was in an zone little frequented by Briggs' soldiers being guarded by a thick iron gate which only had a couple of soldiers performing sporadic supervision of that and other surrounding areas. In addition, the cell section where they were placed was empty. There were no other prisoners in that area, leaving Ed and Al all alone.

Perfect.

It wasn't the scenario he had imagined he would be in when he got the truth out of Ed but there was no other choice. He wouldn't let his brother continue his strange behavior. Not when he could try to help him.

As soon as the door to the cell he was in was locked, Ed resigned himself and lay down heavily on one of the uncomfortable beds. Again he rolled over to turn his back to Al, settling in for "sleep".

Al waited until the heavy iron door that delimited the cell area closed and let a few extra seconds pass until the sound of footsteps had completely disappeared. Slowly, Al walked over to his assigned bed and sat down without ever taking his gaze off his brother's figure.

"Brother." Ed didn't respond. Al waited a few seconds before adding. "I know you're awake. Even you can't fall asleep that fast."

His words had the expected effect, as Ed could not help a slight involuntary jerk. After a few seconds, Ed replied quietly. "I'm tired, Al."

"I'm not surprised. You got very little sleep last night."

Ed's shoulders tensed but there was no response.

Al waited in silence watching his brother intently. He stayed that way for a couple of minutes until Al decided to speak again. "I'm sorry."

The unexpected apology surprised Ed so much that he finally turned to look at his brother. "What?" he asked in confusion.

"I'm sorry. I don't really know what I did but if you're this distant and upset with me I sure must have done something really bad."

Ed's gaze filled with guilt. "Al, you didn't do anything. I'm sorry if I made you think otherwise." He gave a slight smile trying to reassure Al, as he slowly sat up in bed.

"Then why have you been acting so strange since yesterday?"

Ed kept his smile but his gaze still radiated the guilt he was feeling at the moment. "I think you imagined it, Al. Look at me. I'm perfectly fine."

"You're lying." Ed's smile froze. "You're a very bad actor. Besides, even if you could do a decent dissimulation, you could fool everyone but me."

Ed averted his gaze to the floor and tried to maintain his smile, though it was now more of a grimace than a grin. "It's nothing. Really. I've just been thinking about the likely places we could find the little girl accompanying Scar."

"You're still lying." Al noticed how subtly Ed clenched his cuffed hands into fists. Al made a sighing sound. "Well, if you say I didn't do anything... then why don't you trust me?"

"Of course I trust you, Al." Ed quickly replied.

"If you trusted me you'd tell me what's bothering you." Said Al seriously.

Ed bit his lower lip for a few seconds before replying quietly. "I can't."

Unable to help a slightly sad tone, Al said. "Why not? We're brothers, Ed. You know you can count on me for anything."

Although during the day the reactions to being called brother had all but disappeared, Ed ducked his head lower so that his locks of hair covered his eyes, an action that did not go unnoticed by Al. "I... I don't deserve to be your brother."

Leaning in slightly, Al replied. "Sure you do. You're the best brother in the world." Ed's shoulders slumped, showing that Al was getting the opposite effect of what he expected. "Brother, I told you before. You don't have to take the blame all by yourself. We both decided to carry out the transmutation. There is no need for you-"

Al was surprisingly interrupted by Ed. "It's not just that!" Ed had raised his gaze so that he could stare at Al. The younger Elric was surprised to notice the distress and confusion reflected in his brother's golden eyes. "You are too good, Al. I don't understand how you can still consider me your brother after the way I've ruined your life. You should hate me!"

Al wanted to put a hand on his brother's shoulder, but the handcuffs complicated the task so he opted to just speak in a soft, friendly tone. "I would never hate you, brother. We both made mistakes but I truly think you're the best brother I could have had."

"You'd be better off if I never showed up in your life." Ed said in a low but guilt-ridden voice.

"Don't talk like that, brother!" Al scolded him sharply. He was scared. Was his brother in such a severe depression that he wanted to kill himself? "Your life is very precious."

Al felt some relief at Ed's attempt at a reassuring smile. "It's not what you think, Al. Don't think I forgot what you told me after our first meeting with Scar. Besides no matter what, I'm not giving up until I get your body back." Adopting a completely serious expression, he continued. "It's just that I could have spared you all this suffering if I simply hadn't shown up in your life."

Al was still confused. "What's the point now of lamenting about the past? Besides what you're saying is impossible. You're my big brother, it's obvious you would have been there when I was born. It's not like mom would have given you away to a family of sheep even if she had the chance." He joked at the end.

What was a sentence meant to lighten the mood turned out to be anything but. Ed again bent low enough so that his locks covered his gaze and was silent for several seconds. Worrying about his brother, Al wanted to approach him but as soon as his armor began to creak slightly indicating he was about to rise, Ed raised his cuffed hands in a gesture indicating to stay where he was.

Inhaling deeply, Ed finally spoke again. "You're right. M-mom... she wouldn't have given me away even if she could. She was a very good and kind person. She would never have let me go through the same thing again."

Al discreetly leaned to one side so he could see Ed's face. He couldn't see much but he noticed that his jaw was quivering slightly. "I don't understand you, brother, what do you mean going through the same thing again?" He confessed in embarrassment. He really wanted to help him, but he still didn't understand what it was that had his brother in that state.

A few seconds passed that seemed like forever to Al before Ed answered in a soft, broken voice. "I am not an Elric."

Instead of clearing his doubts, Ed's brief reply left him more perplexed and confused. What does he mean by not being an Elric? Was he denying their mother? No, impossible. Their mother had always been something sacred to both of them so they had always proudly carried her family name. So maybe he felt unworthy of the family name?

Deciding on the latter option, Al said. "Brother, I already told you that if you feel guilty about-"

Ed didn't let him finish, replying almost in a shout and brusquely, "I'm being serious!" His eyes widened a bit as he noticed the way he had responded to Al. He closed his eyes for a moment before inhaling deeply and continuing in a calmer tone. "I'm sorry... It's just... Damn it!" Ed didn't give Al time to stop the light hit he gave himself with the handcuffs. "Listen to me, Al." Again he stared him straight in the eye. "I'm being serious. Biologically I am not an Elric. I am not the son of Trisha or the bastard of Hohenheim."

Al couldn't help a sound of surprise at Ed's words. You're really not an Elric? Why?... You're not my brother? Al wanted to doubt the veracity of what Ed had just told him but realized it couldn't be a cruel joke. The very sad expression on his brother's face confirmed it. Besides, it seemed to him more than enough reason to justify Ed's strange behavior all day. It now made sense that most of the day Ed would startle when Al called him brother. As painful and difficult as it was to accept, it all seemed to fit perfectly.

After a few seconds, out of reflex, Al put both hands to his helmet and said in a shaky tone. "What are you talking about... brother?" Al cursed himself internally. He hadn't meant to but the word that had always been so familiar to him had gotten stuck in the middle of his question. His slip didn't go unnoticed by Ed, who ducked his head a little more but looked... resigned.

Ed exhaled heavily. "I found out last night. My own... birth mother told me."

"Who...?" At the shocking truth being shared with him, Al couldn't finish his entire question, but it was enough for Ed to understand.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Al lowered his hands from his helmet and stood up from his bed. "H-how? This is all a joke, right?" He felt it was unnecessary to deny the truth when Ed was in this state, but he was having a hard time accepting it easily. Lieutenant Hawkeye was a nice person but... now it turned out she was her brother's biological mother?

Noticing how Al slowly moved to sit next to him on the bed, Ed averted his gaze to the opposite side. "Everything would be easier if it was just a joke." He said bitterly. He felt his bed sag a little under Al's weight, but continued not to turn to look at him. "Remember I told you I noticed her strange towards the end of our conversation when she told me about Ishval?" He heard the slight squeak that indicated Al had nodded his helmet. "Apparently I was right in thinking I had altered her... but it wasn't because of what I thought." He sighed. "At some point in our talk, I mentioned Hohenheim." In one swift movement, Ed once again whacked himself with the wooden handcuffs. "Damn it! I should have paid more attention. It was because of that stupid name that she started to freak out."

"Brother" The impulse that the blond had managed to control towards the end of the day, came back stronger and more noticeable. Ed flinched again at the word. "Why did the Lieutenant freak out when she heard Dad's name?" In the seconds it was taking Ed to respond, Al's brain came up with a likely answer. "If she just told you, does that mean she didn't know you were her son?" Ed nodded. "But how is that possible? She never gave any indication of having a family and well... she's still very young."

Ed continued to look away from Al, but returned his gaze to the front. Leaning his chin on the handcuffs, he replied. " She had me when she was seventeen. Apparently the anti-fraternization law isn't just for show. She told me she had to separate from me to protect me and my father... You're going to laugh when I tell you, Al. Do you know who my father is? None other than the Colonel bastard." Ed let out a laugh but in his state it only came out as a strange, strained sound that didn't have the slightest hint of mirth or humor in it.

"Brother." Al tried to move his cuffed hands toward one of Ed's shoulders, but the blond quickly pulled away from him a little.

Despite the extra distance Ed put between them, the blond finally looked back at him. Cracking a sad smile, he said to him. "You don't have to call me that. I'm not your brother."

"You're always going to be my brother." Ed ignored his comment and Al made a sighing sound deciding to let it go for now. There were still things Ed hadn't told him. "So... why didn't the Lieutenant know you were her son? Did she... leave you in an orphanage?" He asked doubtfully.

"No. She actually gave me to a couple who had helped her when I was born."

"Mom and Dad." Al concluded to which Ed nodded. "But in that case she must have gotten the idea that you were in Resembool right?"

"Actually I was born here in the North, in a place called Riviere." A memory of Ed looking intently at the map of the area hours earlier came to Al's mind. "Apparently Mom and Hohenheim were living there for a while and just happened to coincide with the Lieutenant when she was pregnant with me. She even told me that they both saved both her and my lives at the time of the birth." Ed sighed. "I just don't have the slightest idea what they were doing there. From Hohenheim I'm not surprised but why would Mom be living in a place so far from our home? She grew up in Resembool and really loved the place. I can't imagine her living anywhere else." Ed let out a frustrated grunt and shook his head slightly. "And now I'm rambling... Damn."

"Be calm." Al said softly. "It's normal for you to have a lot of questions. What Lieutenant Hawkeye confessed to you is something completely unexpected."

Ed dared to look at his brother. "So you believe me?"

Al held his gaze. "Of course. You would never lie to me about something as serious as this. In fact I can't imagine the Lieutenant deceiving you either. Although accepting it... it's complicated." Al began to soften his tone more. "I can't believe we don't have the same blood. I know the truth is there and as alchemists we must face it and accept it but... I've grown up my whole life seeing you as my big brother. In my earliest memories you are ever present. From just imagining what they would be like without you in-"

Before he could finish, Ed interrupted him, "You understand now, don't you?"

"Huh?"

"You don't have to call me 'brother' anymore. I don't deserve it. I just showed up in your life to ruin it. I'm an intruder who destroys everything that surrounds me."

"Stop talking nonsense, you idiot brother!" The change in Al's tone was so surprising that Ed was speechless. "Even if you ignored me, what I said before was completely true: To me you're always going to be my brother understood? I don't care that we're not biological brothers, you're always going to be my big brother and I'm not going to let anything or anyone change that. I have grown up by your side. The happiest moments I've shared them with you and through the difficulties and the sad things we had to face you were always there with me, supporting me." Al clenched his fists and lowered his head slightly, gestures that gave away that he was a little embarrassed at what he was about to say. "I don't know the details yet but I imagine it must have been extremely difficult for the Lieutenant to have to separate from you, but...while it may sound selfish of me, I have to say I'm grateful that she did. Definitely not because of the pain she must have felt but because thanks to that I had and have to this day the best brother in the world." Lifting his helmet again to stare at him, he confessed. "I can't imagine my life without you, brother."

"Al..." A lump formed in Ed's throat. "Why can't you see it? If it hadn't been for my presence in... your family you wouldn't be in that armor now. It's all my fault! If it hadn't been for me you would never have suffered!"

"Edward."

Even though that was what he expected, a shudder and a sense of pain came over Ed. Al hardly called him 'Ed'. Much less by his full name. Al brought his hands up to Ed's shoulders and let his hands rest there for a few seconds. Here it comes. He's finally going to tell me how much he hates me and that, as soon as he gets his body back, he'll never want to hear from me again. Ed thought sadly, prepared and resigned to what was about to happen. Or so he thought. In one swift movement, Al removed his hands from his shoulders and lifted them above his helmet and then dropped them so that the wood of the handcuffs fell directly on Ed's head.

"Ow!"

"That and more you deserve! But not for the reasons you think!" Al exclaimed, after noticing that Ed was going to nod. "Serves you right for being such a stupidly idiotic brother!"

Unlike the last time Al had scolded him in a similar manner, Ed didn't reclaim him for using those words against him, which caused Al to hit him again with his handcuffs.

"What the hell?! I didn't even say anything!" Al gave him a third hit with his handcuffs. "Damn! That hurt!"

"Good, because I'll keep doing it until I get some sense into that big head of yours!" Ed inevitably frowned slightly and Al let out a sighing sound trying to calm himself down. "Brother." He said in a soft tone but one that elicited the same anguished look from Ed. "Stop that, please. It doesn't matter where you come from or who your real parents are. You are Edward Elric. My older brother. We talked about transmutation a while ago and I made it clear to you: I don't want you to take the blame on your own. It was both of our decisions so the blame is on both of us." Noticing that Ed was about to protest, Al again raised his hands slightly in a clear signal that he better shut up if he didn't want to get hit again. "You have this complex of wanting to take all the blame and responsibilities all by yourself but it's time you let it go. I told you that time and I'll tell you again: stop doing it. You sacrificed your own arm to save my life, and for that I am extremely grateful."

"But I put you in a body that can't feel anything! I should have given my life in exchange for yours." Another hit from Al was not long in coming. "Ouch!"

"Do you think I would have been happy knowing you died because of me?"

Ed bit his lower lip before answering. "No." He relented. "But that's not the problem, Al. I really am to blame for everything going wrong." He put his hands in front of him and slightly up asking Al to let him finish. "Ok, yes, we both did the transmutation but there was one big mistake that destined it for failure from the start." Ed pointed to himself with both thumbs even though the wood of the handcuffs was in the way. "Me."

"What do you mean?" Al asked confused and slightly annoyed, realizing Ed kept blaming himself.

"To perform the human transmutation we both gave some of our blood as soul information." Ed ducked his gaze consumed with guilt. "That was a mistake. My blood wasn't supposed to have been there. How were we supposed to call Mom's soul with the blood of someone who wasn't even her son?" Shakily he raised his gaze again. "You see? It's definitely my fault the transmutation went wrong."

Al made a sighing sound and hit Ed again. "You're an idiot, brother! Even if your hypothesis was correct, you didn't even know back then that you weren't Mom's biological son."

"Ignorance doesn't justify mistakes." Ed replied, trying to rub his head with his cuffed hands.

"But your new hypothesis is incorrect and you figured it out yourself." Al told him in a kindly tone. "Human transmutation is impossible. Or rather, one cannot be performed successfully. Human life is very valuable so there is nothing equivalent in the world that can act as a soul's payment. We were naïve and arrogant, we thought we had enough earthly elements to call mom's soul but what we did not know is that our transmutation was destined to fail. And that was from the beginning. Not because we used your blood, brother."

"But, Al-"

"No buts, brother. Stop being so stubborn or I'll have to hit you again." Al threatened but now in a calmer tone. "You yourself proved the truth about human transmutations when you dug up the creature we transmuted that night. Sensei also confirmed it. Besides, you found my body. My body still exists and it is precisely you who is keeping it alive. If it hadn't been for you and your sacrifice I would have died that night, brother." Al tried to move his hands closer to the point where his helmet connected with his body. "Your blood saved me and has kept me alive, brother. That is the greatest proof that, despite the biological issues, you and I are brothers. It's just that simple."

Ed ducked his head slightly and muttered. "All of this would have been avoided if I had never shown up in your life."

"Things could have been different but I would have been very unhappy. If you hadn't been there for me when mom died, I don't know what I would have done. We were both very little but you were there for me. You understood perfectly the pain and sadness I was going through because you were going through it with me too and we got through it together. If you had not been with me I would have been all alone. Not even the Rockbells could have comforted me. What's more, I'm almost certain that, even if you weren't there, I would have tried human transmutation as well. After all, I would have had Dad's books and it would have only been a matter of a few extra years for me to gather the necessary information to do it. The circle probably wouldn't have looked the same as the one we did together but the consequences would have been the same, only now you wouldn't have been with me and I would have died on the spot."

"Al..."

"What's more, I'd rather never get my body back if it meant you'd still be my brother."

"Don't talk nonsense, Al." Ed replied, giving the chest of his armor a thump with his fists.

"It's not nonsense. It's the truth. I don't care what genetics says. You're my big brother and you always will be. Period."

The tension that was in Ed's shoulders disappeared but they began to shake slightly from the tears Ed was struggling to hold back. "How can you be so good... little brother?" A couple of tears escaped Ed's eyes. Noticing the handcuffs in his hands, Ed simply let them run freely down his cheeks.

Hearing the way Ed had referred to him, Al was extremely relieved so his tone quickly turned cheerful. "You're pretty good too, brother, but you're also too stubborn to realize it."

Ed let out a chuckle and this time there was none of the tension and angst that had accompanied his expressions and words for most of the day. "Hey, Al."

"What, brother?"

"Can I... hug you?"

Al was surprised since Ed was not someone who tended to ask for hugs. "Huh? Brother, my armor must be freezing."

"Never mind." And without giving him time to protest, Ed walked over to him and slipped into the space between the cuffs and Al's chest. Ed couldn't hug him either because of his own handcuffs but he leaned as far as he could against him regardless of the great icy sensation that began to run through his body as one of his cheeks made contact with the armor.

Al, for his part, lowered his arms slightly as soon as Ed was near him, wanting to give as much of a hugging sensation as possible but trying not to touch his brother's exposed skin. He couldn't feel anything with his armor but it gave him emotional peace and joy the gestures his brother had with him, even if it was almost always a friendly bump of his fist against his armor's chest.

A couple of minutes passed like that until Ed murmured a 'Thanks, Al' before separating from him.

"Feeling better, brother?" Al asked, when Ed had already returned to his side of the bed.

Ed sighed. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm not going to tell you I feel great but I feel calmer. At least now I know that my little brother doesn't hate me and that he can even be just as stubborn as me when he puts his mind to it." He replied with a slight smile.

Al laughed lightly. "Something had to learn from you, brother."

They both laughed together for a few seconds and then fell silent. Now the silence between them both felt light and soothing, so they stayed that way for a few minutes until Al's curiosity forced him to break it.

"Brother?"

"Hm?"

"So you said Colonel Mustang is your father, right?"

Ed frowned slightly before nodding, which only intensified when Al laughed. "What are you laughing about?"

"Sorry... I can't help it." Al replied between chuckles. "It's just that it all makes sense now. No wonder you two can't be in a room together without annoying each other. Your personalities are the same and with good reason!"

Ed's cheeks tinged a faint red. "That's not true! It's not my fault he's a smug bastard. That idiot always looks at me with a stupid grin before one of his silly jokes."

"Do you mean the same grin you put on when you pull some prank on him?"

"That's not true!"

"Sure it is. You both have the same smile, brother. You might as well accept it and get used to it."

"I refuse to. Besides I don't even know if that bastard wants me as his son." Ed snorted though with a slight sadness in the background that Al could notice.

"He must love you, brother. You're his son and even though you just found out, you two have been spending time together regularly for almost 4 years now."

"The Lieutenant told me that they both loved me." Confessed Ed in an unsure tone. "Although I don't know how to feel about her, I must admit that when she told me the truth and assured me she loved me her look was completely sincere. But... maybe the Colonel sees me as a mistake. He probably lived his bachelor life happily and I was just a nuisance when he found out about me."

"What do you mean, brother?" Al asked in confusion. Remembering something, he added. "Wait, you said the Lieutenant met Mom and Dad, but you never mentioned the Colonel. He wasn't at your birth?"

"That's right. What's more, he never found out the Lieutenant was pregnant until some time later. I'm not sure, because she didn't specify, but she made it sound like it was a few years."

"What?! Years?!" Al exclaimed in surprise.

"The Lieutenant kept her pregnancy hidden from both Mustang and the military. Had she not done so, both Mustang and I could have been in danger. Like I told you, apparently the anti-fraternization law sucks."

"Wow... that must have been really hard on the Lieutenant." Ed nodded at his brother's words. "How was the Lieutenant when she told you everything?"

"Devastated." Ed answered frankly, averting his gaze to the front. "When I got to her house, she was being very nice to me as usual but it was obvious that something was eating her up inside. After prodding her a bit she broke down and started crying." Ed squeezed his eyes shut. Remembering the sadness and regret radiating from Riza made him feel bad. It hurt him. "I... I hugged her. I don't even know why I did it, but at the time it seemed like the right thing to do. Although maybe that was the straw that broke the camel's back and that's why she got up the courage to tell me the truth... Seriously, Al, I've never seen the Lieutenant like that before."

Carefully, Al placed a hand on Ed's shoulder. "She must have been in a lot of pain all these years." Ed nodded. "At least now she must be relieved to have found you."

"Maybe so but..." Ed tried to run his hands over his face but with the handcuffs it was difficult so he grunted in frustration and kept talking. "I don't know what role she's going to play in my life. She told me the decision was mine."

Al gave his shoulder a squeeze. "And what have you thought so far?" Al noticed Ed's jaw tighten and, getting no response, added. "I notice you still refer to them as the Lieutenant and the Colonel, does that mean you're not going to accept them as your parents?"

Ed exhaled heavily and bent down to lean his face against the wood of his handcuffs. "I don't know, Al. They've both supported us over the years and she's always been very kind to us. But... from seeing them as co-workers to parents? Gosh... I can't quite wrap my head around it. To me my mom is... well, mom. It pains me that I'm not her biological son but I don't know if I'm ready to stop calling her that."

Al, who had withdrawn his hand when Ed bent down, said. "You don't have to. I'm absolutely sure that to Mom you were always her son. In fact, I think it would hurt her if you stopped calling her that."

Ed cracked a slight smile. "Even if I'm not an Elric?"

"That doesn't matter. Even if you decided to change your last name you'll always be an Elric."

Ed's smile evaporated. "Hell, I hadn't thought of that. Does that mean I'm a Mustang?"

"You could be, although because of the circumstances of your birth perhaps it would be more appropriate to call you a Hawkeye."

"Better. Either way, surely the Colonel isn't going to be too happy about giving me his last name."

"Again with that, brother?"

"I don't doubt everything else the Lieutenant told me, but as much as she wants to, she can't be sure what the Colonel thinks." Ed dropped onto his back on the bed.

"What was it she told you about him?"

Ed stared at the ceiling, somewhat lost in his memories of the night before. "She assured me that they both loved me. That they both always kept me in mind as some sort of motivator to achieve their goal of improving the country. She even insisted to me that if I should hate or be angry with anyone it should be with her and not the Colonel, since the decisions about me she made them all by herself without saying a word to Mustang."

A little hesitantly, Al ventured to ask. "You don't hate her, do you?"

"No... or at least I think I don't. I'm not sure."

Although it was a somewhat uncertain answer, Al felt he was well served. He didn't want to press the issue because it was obvious that Ed was still coming to terms with the lieutenant's words. Besides, if he knew his brother as well as he was sure he did, under the circumstances Ed's initial denial of hating the lieutenant meant that was how he truly felt. It was only a matter of time before Ed realized his true feelings for his mother. Although, well, if Ed apparently hadn't realized how he felt about Winry, it would probably take a while for him to get his emotions together about his parents.

"I guess she didn't have a choice. She did it all to protect me." Ed added, snapping Al out of his thoughts. Had he had a body, Al would have smiled. He knew his brother couldn't hate the lieutenant.

"Yes, I have no doubt." Al paused before continuing. "You know, brother, if anyone knows the Colonel it's the Lieutenant, so you shouldn't be so suspicious of what she's told you about him."

Ed snorted. "Mom seemed to know Hohenheim well too and we know how it all ended." He said bitterly. "We've already been abandoned by one father... it wouldn't be unusual for someone else to walk away from me."

Al made a sighing sound. Hohenheim had always been a touchy subject for Ed. Al tried to give his father the benefit of the doubt but Ed still rather resented that he had disappeared for so many years just shortly before their mother became ill. He had since become distrustful, which was why Al was sure Ed never talked about how fond he really was of the colonel. The two could argue a lot but he knew they both appreciated and had a special fondness for each other. It was obvious now where the similarity in their personalities and that special connection they seemed to have came from.

"Don't be so hard on the Colonel and don't downplay the Lieutenant's words, brother. I'm sure she knows him well enough that what she claims to you about him is true."

"That bastard lives from date to date. You saw it yourself."

Al was speechless for a moment. He had been very surprised to see the colonel on a date a few days ago but he had to put that thought out of his mind. Things would get worse if he proved his brother right. "Maybe it was just a friends outing."

Ed looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Did it look like they were going out as friends to you?"

"Uh... well... maybe it's a ploy?"

"You don't sound very convinced, little brother." Ed said mockingly.

Motivated by the mild teasing, Al responded. "Wait. Yes! That must be it! It sure is a ploy to avoid endangering the Lieutenant." Ed's eyes widened like saucers. Victory. Ed was coming to the same conclusion he was. "It's just like how she protected you only he has to do it so his relationship with the Lieutenant doesn't get exposed."

Unwilling to relent, Ed sat back down on the bed and replied with a frown. "And that's why the poor guy sacrifices himself by dating every girl that comes his way." Replied the blond sarcastically. "Face it, Al, the Colonel and the Lieutenant are not in a romantic relationship. She told me so herself."

"Maybe they're giving each other some time while the situation calms down. Remember that the Lieutenant is under the direct surveillance of the Führer."

"How can you believe that that bastard and her are having a romantic relationship? It doesn't make any sense!"

At the obviousness of what Ed was ignoring and after a brief sense of dèja vu, Al began to laugh.

"Al?" Ed asked quizzically.

Al continued to laugh for a few more moments before answering. "You're too oblivious, brother. You can't keep denying that the Colonel and the Lieutenant aren't or at least previously have been in love with each other." Al raised his cuffed hands slightly and pointed at Ed with both index fingers. "You are the living proof of their love."

At Al's words, realization dawned on Ed. His eyes widened like saucers and his face flushed. He opened and closed his mouth several times before managing to form coherent words. "The Lieutenant and the Colonel..." He closed his eyes and squeezed them tightly shut, embarrassed. "Ugh! They... Damn!" Ed groaned as he realized how far Mustang and Hawkeye's relationship had gone.

Al just kept laughing as he saw his brother's expression. "Winry and I told you there must be something between them. Now you can't deny it anymore."

"Damn it!" Ed groaned as he strained to bring his cuffed hands to his face trying to push away unwanted thoughts of his birth parents.

Al laughed for a few more moments and then fell silent staring at his brother. Ed was still leaning his forehead against the wood of the handcuffs (being unable to place his hands on his face) when Al spoke again. "Brother."

Ed made a sound with his throat to let Al understand that he was listening to him.

"What's going to happen to you, the Lieutenant and the Colonel? Are you going to go after them?"

Ed dropped the handcuffs in his lap and sighed. "I don't know, Al. Part of me would like to go and talk to the Lieutenant some more, but... the thought of approaching her now that I know the truth... I find it hard." Ed clenched his fists. "She's always been supportive these past few years but from seeing her as the Lieutenant to my birth mother seems surreal. Obviously at some point I'll have to face her again but what should I do? Should I pretend nothing happened? Or should I have to limit our dealings strictly to the military? Or should I have to go around smiling and calling her mother?" Ed snorted in frustration. "It's very complicated. And I haven't even thought about what I'm going to do when I have to see the colonel bastard's face again. Although well, it's even likely that to this day he doesn't know anything. The way things are going it's going to be hard for her to get a chance to talk freely with him."

"When things get better you should go see them, brother. I'm sure what you three need is a good talk the three of you together." Al said trying to cheer him up.

Ed shrugged. "I guess time itself will tell what will happen. Besides everything seems to indicate that General Armstrong is going to keep us here as long as she feels like it." He looked at his handcuffs and frowned. "I hope that we will earn at least a little of her trust so that she will let us take this off."

Al began fiddling with his fingers and lowered his gaze to his lap. "I think that as soon as we get out of here, we should head back to Central right away."

Ed looked at him in confusion. "What's the urgency, Al?"

"We have to do our best not to take too long, after all you have to talk to the Lieutenant and the Colonel."

Ed averted his gaze to the floor. "I'm still not sure I want to do that."

Al continued to play with his fingers. "It's the best thing for you, brother. Besides..." He raised his helmet seeking to make contact with Ed's gaze. "I think we should take a break in our search."

Ed returned his gaze. "What are you talking about, Al? We're so close! I'm sure that that tiny girl's alkahestria can give us an important clue to get our bodies back."

Al was quiet for a few seconds before answering. "I can wait."

"Of course you can't! Your body is weakened, we must get it out of the portal as soon as possible!" Ed exclaimed starting to get upset.

"But you have other things to do. You have parents who are waiting for your return."

Ed was puzzled for a few moments. Al's tone wasn't reproachful but Ed knew Al didn't want to get in the way of something so important to him.

"Idiot." Ed said as he gave a swat with both hands to the upper chest of Al's armor. "You're my priority. I told you that didn't I? I'm really looking forward to getting to see your smile again."

Al stopped fiddling with his fingers. "But-"

"No buts. There'll be time for me to fix my own mess." With a tone somewhere between serious and joking, Ed added. "Besides that way you'll give me more time to get ready." A certain uncertainty appeared in Ed's eyes. "Unless of course you're having second thoughts about seeing me as your brother."

"Of course not! Don't make me repeat the whole speech I gave you earlier."

Ed laughed lightly, relieved. "Then don't talk nonsense, Al." With a determined look, he added. "I'm not going to break my promise. I'm going to get your body back and I'm not going to rest until I accomplish it."

With a more cheerful tone, Al replied. "And I'll get yours back, brother."

Despite the expressionlessness of his helmet, Ed sensed that Al would surely be smiling in the same way he was doing at that moment. Without adding any more words, both brothers bumped fists as a seal to the renewal of their promises. They might not be bound by blood but other than that they were still brothers. They were soul brothers and would remain so for life.