Disclaimer: I do not own Chrono Crusade or Fullmetal Alchemist. Obviously.

Chapter Five

From his place behind Rosette (who was in turn behind a tree, which was behind Winry, who was behind Roy, who was behind a bush), Chrono barely caught Al's quiet murmur of, "Dad!" Figuring it was safe to assume the person he was referring two was the man Ed had just attacked, Chrono mused on the short alchemist's earlier statement.

"You're gone ten years and I come home to that!"

Chrono could only guess what was going on between the two. He could tell that from Ed's side there was hatred, and, although it was faint, a slight joy. From his father's side… regret: choking, killing regret. Obviously, this man had done a great sin against his family in the past. Chrono could relate to him: the pain of causing pain to the one you loved is worse than if you yourself had had that pain inflicted upon you.

It seemed as though Ed and his father would have many issues to work out…

It was only in that moment that Chrono realized just how little they knew about Ed and Al; they had placed their hope of ever getting home in the hands of these two boys, trusted them with their entire life's story, and yet they still knew almost nothing about the Elric brothers.

Chrono's thoughts were interrupted when he heard the loud clanking of Al's armor, signaling the youngest Elric was on the move. Chrono watched with pity as Al's run slowed, as he must have realized there was almost no chance that his father would recognize him in his current form.

"I know you might not recognize me, but…" said Al.

"Alphonse," said the man with a smile, "you sure have gotten taller."

Sighing happily, Al fondly said, "Dad…"

………………

"Hey, Chrono," Rosette said, turning to look back at the small demon. "What the heck's going on?"

Chrono shrugged. "I don't know any more than you do," he told her.

Rosette sighed angrily. "That's one more thing to put on my list of things to beat out of the Mighty Midget later…" she muttered to herself.

"What?"

"Nothing!"

………………

Later that evening, the table was stacked with delicious looking food, and many hungry people were sitting around it; only Hoenheim (whose name Chrono had picked up from random snippets of conversation) wasn't present, as he had been banned from the house by Edward.

"I still can't believe you were flirting with him," Ed said.

"I was doing no such thing!" Lieut. Ross insisted, blushing madly while fingering her bread. "I was simply having a polite conversation with that man!"

"You sure looked like you were enjoying it," Winry said with a small laugh.

"Uh, it was just the cologne he was wearing," she said, face still flushed. "No soldier I know wears cologne…"

"Maybe the soldiers you know don't want to smell like flowery sissy boys!" Sergeant Bloch said from his position next to her, sobbing pathetically.

"And just what's wrong with you?" asked Ross.

Bloch simply broke down the on the table.

………………

It was cold. Around her she could see small dancing figures, and they taunted her, coming closer to her so they were just close enough to scratch their small clawed hands across her skin. It was then she realized the cold was her terror, chilling her from the inside so that even the blood that ran down her arms and legs seemed frosty.

"Help me," she whimpered. "Somebody…. Anybody... help me…."

………………

Ewan Remington stood silently in front of the alter found in the Magdalene Order's New York branch's church building, staring at the large crucifix that was behind it, showing the pained face of Christ as he breathed his last on the cross.

"What are you planning?" he asked quietly. "And now, what will your will cost humanity? The economy is failing, and soon the tension will cause friction between the countries. War is on the horizon….

"When the time comes, will humanity survive the chaos? Or have you finally decided to abandon your people. We are missing our strongest allies, and soon even our Magdalene Order will fall to pieces."

He turned his eyes down, clenching his fists. His fingernails cut into his palms and blood dribbles down his fingers, dripping down onto the white tile floor. "The devils will rise, and soon all people will die…. We need them…."

Gathering his courage, he looked up and stared the image of Christ in the eye. "I no longer have you grace, but please… give me one more hint…. Let me find them!"

His voice echoed through the room, and when it finally ceased, it left a crushing silence in his wake. Ewan hung his head. It seemed he had been ignored once again.

He turned from the alter, and headed down the small isle between the rows of pews. He opened the doors to the church, and stared out and the night sky sadly. It was only then that he noticed….

Above him in the sky he saw the Astral Lines, pulsing and swirling around in irregular and erratic patterns. His eyebrow furrowed together; normally the astral lines flowed along smoothly in a predicted course, almost like a river follows its carved path to the sea, but now… it was like wild currents, a whirlpool that had been formed unnaturally, being sustained by a different source.

Ewan's eyes widened, before his face lit up with his first true smile in months. "Thank you…" he murmured. "Thank you…."

………………

A/N: I am so sorry! I haven't updated in so long, and this chapter is so short! I'm posting it now (when it's really only half done) to remind people I haven't abandoned it and that it does have a plot.

Okay, I just have one other reason to post this: you now have three choices for the final Ed pairing:

EdWinry

Ed-RosetteChrono (as in Ed loves Rosette, who is and always will love Chrono- not Ed)

EdRoy (which I'm only keeping open because people have asked for it, and I like it)

If you want any of these to be the final pairing, inform me in a review, and that's how I'll write it- majority rules.

I'll try and update much faster (and with a much longer chapter) next time. R & R!