Title : Whispers of a Nightmare

Genre : Anime/Manga

Category : Full Metal Alchemist

Disclaimer : Nope, this one belongs to someone else as well.

Summary : Takes place after the incident with Nina. Something's wrong with Ed, and Al just can't quite figure out what it is. Serious situations and angst ensue.

Warnings : Angst, mild language, violence, and other issues that shall go unnamed for now. I don't want to give away too much of the plot just yet, now do I? ;)

Rating : T

Chapter : As My Heart Gently Weeps

A light drizzle danced before his eyes, inwardly knowing that he shouldn't be out in it, but he was anyway. And if Mustang were to discover him out, he'd never hear the end of it. He shook the thought away, gazing up to the bleak horizon that lay out before him. The grey clouds seemed to go on forever, the rain a permanent river of tears from the heavens, seemingly never ending. It truly did reflect the way he felt inside.

He was trying so hard to hide his pain, to hide everything. He didn't want Al seeing him so weak, especially when he was supposed to be the strong one. Even though they'd only walked a few blocks, his legs felt heavy and the need for rest crept across his back. But he wouldn't have it. He had to hide it from Al, no matter what, though that was becoming increasingly difficult as well.

The State alchemist clenched his jaw, feeling a tickling in the back of his throat, knowing what was coming. He immediately clamped his automail hand over his mouth, though the fit continued, the cough growing deeper, more from his chest. Edward could feel his face redden, knowing his little brother witnessed the whole thing, and also knowing that Al would be worried about him, something he didn't want his little brother to be concerned about.

After the fit fizzled out, he tilted his head slightly, giving the suit of armor a sideways glance. "Are you okay, Al? You're awfully quiet," he stated, trying to force a smile, knowing it wouldn't work. Alphonse might have been younger than him, but he sure as hell wasn't gullible enough to not see through the facade. He gave a sigh as silence entertained the space between them.

They continued to walk, Edward in a slight lead. He decided that they should go back to the last crime scene, hoping that perhaps there might be someone who witnessed it besides himself. But even if someone had, it didn't necessarily mean anything either.

He'd been going over the scene once more in his head, feeling even more ashamed of himself when Al's soft voice cut through his train of thoughts.

"Brother, why don't you tell me anything anymore?" the innocent voice echoed through the suit of steel, basically shooting Edward straight in the heart, guilt recoiling through his system.

"What are you talking about, Al? I tell you stuff all the time," he replied with an unsure smile, hating himself for even pretending that everything was alright, when he of all people knew it wasn't.

"No you don't," Al replied matter-of-factly, hurt still hidden away in his voice. "You keep things to yourself, all the time. I know sometimes, you want to say something, but instead, you just get this look on your face and act as though nothing happened. It's like you're pushing me out, bit by bit. What's wrong, Ed?" he asked, knowing the fact that he used his brother's first name would surely catch his attention, though he had already had it with his first question.

The small blonde was quiet for a moment, Alphonse's words sinking in underneath his skin. He hadn't realized his little brother felt that way; but then he had to remind himself that just because Al wasn't made of flesh and blood anymore, didn't mean he was soulless. Hell, that was all that was left of him. He could still feel pain, though it was a deeper pain than any physical he ever could have felt.

"I…I honestly don't know, Al," he replied, a wistfulness in his tone. "A lot of things, I guess," he added, instantly regretting letting out too much. His problems belonged to him; they were his burdens, not Al's, and he wanted to make sure it was kept that way.

"Like what? I mean, are you still upset over that dream you had, because if you are, you shouldn't be. You and I both know that wasn't Mom. She'd never say anything like that to you, ever. You're not letting it get to you, are you?" he inquired, looking down at the elder Elric, somehow knowing Ed would come up with a sure-fire response to keep what he was really feeling under wraps.

"Of course not, I know it was just a figment of my imagination. Even if it did seem real," he mumbled under his breath, Al still catching the last words.

"But it wasn't, and you have to remember that," Al replied, gazing down at his smaller brother. He didn't like the way Ed was looking, nor the way he was walking. His face was taut, his eyes weary. Alphonse didn't like the way he was shivering either, making him long for his body again just so he would be able to hold his brother, do something to keep him warm. And there was something wrong with his legs too. It looked as though he was struggling to take each step, his legs trembling below him. Worry snaked through the back of Al's mind, trying to remember that Edward had said he was fine, even if he didn't look it.

"I know that, Al. It's just--" His words were cut off by another bout of coughing, this time forcing him to lean on the nearest wall so that his knees wouldn't give out. He stood there shaking, the fit seemingly not wanting to end. It took a few minutes, but it finally stopped, and he continued as though nothing had happened. "It's just…some things are more difficult to remember."

Al let his brother's words sit in the air for a moment, unsure of whether he just wanted to pick him up and take him back to their room at the inn; or let him go on, hacking up his lungs one at a time. He shook his head, feeling slightly angry at his older brother for agreeing to go with him, even though the elder Elric should be resting instead of out trying to catch a killer.

"Yeah," Al mumbled, a tinge of bitterness laced in the short return. "Whatever you say, Brother." It was apparent that whatever he had to say obviously didn't matter to Edward at the moment, thus, leading him to remain quiet, much to Edward's dissatisfaction.

The blonde alchemist slowly gazed up at his younger brother, knowing that if his suit of armor could reflect his emotions it would be pouting or scowling down at him, something to that effect. He knew he'd made him mad, but he couldn't help it. Edward Elric was just too stubborn for his own good, and he knew it.

Edward sighed, his thoughts now competing for his attention. But Al still preoccupied the back of his mind, making him feel all the worse. As if watching a blind man get murdered over and over again wasn't enough. His shoulders would have slumped in defeat had they not came across the long-cleared crime scene, his eyes widening as the memory became even more fresh and vivid in is eyes.

"This is it," he confirmed, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes were caught between fright and an unknown worry that rooted itself deep within his soul, now having second thoughts about coming back to the place.

Everything looked nearly identical to that day, though the rain was not coming down as hard; and the coughing fit that his body was forced to subside to was a different variable as well, though thoughts and emotions still tortured him. He didn't even realize he'd been staring at the same spot until Al's voice cut through his torrent of self-deprecation.

"Brother," Al started carefully, temporarily letting go of the anger he felt moments before. "Would you mind telling me what happened? If I could get a better understanding of what you saw, it might help."

"Yeah, sure, Al," he replied, still lost in the daze of the eerie recollection. He took a few steps forward, lightly touching the wall that he had been hiding behind, the cold hand hitting him like a ton of bricks. He could feel tears immediately threaten the edge of his golden eyes, his lips quivering miserably in reflex.

"Brother, are you alright?" Al questioned, worry heavy laden in his tone, immediately taking his place at his brother's side.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little cold," he whispered, watching the scene play out for the umpteenth in his head. He recalled how he had felt at that time, and then the fear that had instilled itself deep within his spine as he heard the blind man's cries and attempts at pleading. He watched as the man tripped and stumbled through the pouring rain and fall atop the cruel stone underneath his feet. He saw his eyes--those terror-filled eyes, that even though they actually couldn't see what was going on, they still knew what was going to happen. Edward felt his blood run cold as the other set of footsteps melded into his eardrums.

Al continued to watch him, fear rising in his soul. He'd never seen his brother look so frightened before; it was as though he was reliving his nightmare over again. Only this time, their mother was replaced by the murderer. He was just about to reach out to the trembling blonde when a dry sob escaped his brother's lips, sending his gloved hand back.

Edward stood there, hanging on to the brick wall for dear life as the cloaked figure crept around the corner. The trembling only grew worse as he watched the steel arm makes its way out from underneath the cloak and onto the moaning man's chest. He heard him utter his last words, and then watched yet again as the man's heart was turned into metal, blood creeping from the corners of his open mouth. Then he saw those eyes--those gleaming emerald eyes gaze into his. The feeling of death crept upon his shoulders once again, even though it was just a memory, and he succumbed to it, feeling just as weak as he had that day. He couldn't help but scream when he thought for sure the ice cold hand had made it to his chest.

"Brother!" Al exclaimed, placing both of his gloved hands on his older brother's shoulders. "Brother, it's okay…just…tell me what you saw," he offered, his grasp firm, though he could still feel Edward shaking violently, even if it was involuntary.

It took a minute for the twelve year old to react, his vocal cords choosing to remain quiet. Slowly, he opened his mouth, his eyes still watery.

"I was resting right here, and that's when I heard the victim's footsteps. As soon as I saw his eyes, I knew he was blind," he recalled, trying his best to sound more adult and less scared. "He was crying and pleading, but then he slipped and fell…and that's when I heard the other footsteps." He hesitated for a moment, the feeling of cowardice striking his pride. "All I could do was watch…" he trailed off, his eyes on the verge of spilling more unwanted tears.

"It's okay, Ed," Al tried reassuringly, though inwardly feeling helpless. He wanted so badly to be able to hold his brother, to comfort him. But he couldn't, he was stuck in that empty shell, his soul being its only light.

"No, it's not okay, Al…It's not," he whispered, clenching his jaw, his hands balling into fists at his sides. The blind man was just one person to add to his list of people he'd let down, done nothing for. He shook his head, trying to concentrate on what they were truly there for, knowing that what was done was done, and no matter what, he couldn't change it. Determination settled itself within his blood, though moping was something he'd much rather be doing. "Okay, we've got three clues, Al," he started, turning away from the faded scene. "One, the murderer's name is Kania. Two, they have automail, just how much, we don't exactly know. And three, they have green eyes. Let's get started," he stated, pushing himself away from the desolate street corner and making his way over to a nearby shop.

"Right," Al nodded, following close behind. He watched his brother, praying he'd last throughout the day. The blonde alchemist still appeared as though he was having trouble keeping his balance, and the coughing fits were only growing worse. Plus, it didn't help matters much that the air was getting cooler and more chilly.

"Excuse me, sir?" Edward asked, looking up at the shop owner.

"What can I get ya, kid?" the man behind the counter replied, a butcher's knife in one hand and a bloody towel in the other. "I've got a special today, five pounds of the finest beef you can find for thirty cins; or how 'bout--"

"Uh, no thanks, none of that," he cut the middle-aged man off with a wave of the hand and a sheepish grin. "I-We're actually looking for someone, a Kania," he stated, a glimmer of hope running through his golden orbs. "About this tall," he motioned above his head, "and green eyes."

"Sorry, son, don't know 'em. You could always try the tavern just down the street. They get a bit more of a crowd than I do here. I'm sure you'll find whoever you're looking for there," the salt-and-pepper haired man replied with a smile.

"Thank you for your help, sir," he nodded and went out. It didn't take long for them to find the place, though it looked as though the whole town had managed to fit themselves in there. "Oh, just wonderful," Edward mumbled, trying to fit between the bar patrons. Between hearing Al say that he was sorry about ten times and people telling him to "watch out kid", he'd almost pulled his hair out when he finally made it up to the bar. "Don't people know how to sit down around here?" he blurted out a little too loudly, most of the crowd turning to stare at him.

"Brother," Al warned, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Sorry everyone," he apologized, bowing. "Just a little misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding my ass," Edward whispered, taking a seat at the bar. If he'd waited a second later, he was sure his knees would've given out. He was growing more nauseas by the minute, the urge to regurgitate burning the back of his throat.

"What'll you have?" the bartender asked, grabbing a glass from behind the counter.

"Water, thanks," the blonde alchemist answered, feeling more and more out of place as he looked around. "Looks like you get a lot of business, a lot for a small town anyway," he observed, his eyes falling over the loud group.

"Yeah, I get a fair share," the grey haired man replied, setting down the filled glass in front of the twelve year old. "So what brings you here? Awful young to be going around by yourself, aren't you?" he questioned with a raised eyebrow, suspicion in his tone.

"Business," Edward replied, reluctantly taking a sip of water. His ears were ringing, and his head was pounding, his vision trying to double. He gripped the glass tighter, so tight it almost cracked.

"You? Business?" the older man laughed, his equally grey eyes twinkling. "That's a good one kid. Ha, business," he chuckled, filling another drink.

"Yes, business," the State Alchemist answered, his brow declining a bit angrily. "I'm looking for someone," he stated, giving his pocket watch a tug, making sure the barkeep could see it. "Have you heard of a Kania? Green eyes, with automail?" he asked somewhat casually, a slickness to his voice.

The bartender caught sight of the gleam of silver, making way for his reply. "You're a State Alchemist," he said, curiosity in his tone. "Wait, you said you're here looking for Kania?" he asked, his eyebrow raising.

"Yeah, you know them?" both Ed and Al asked in unison, Edward spilling his water all over the counter, not even bothering to wipe it up.

"Well, knew him 's more like it," the thin man replied, a spark of sadness in his eyes. "Kania was a bright kid, it's just a shame what happened to him," he added, shaking his head.

"What are you talking about?" Ed burst out, almost standing up on the stool. He was so close now. This man knew who Kania was, but what was up with this knew stuff? Those were not the words he wanted to hear.

"Well, about a year ago, there was a terrible storm, tore down most of the homes around these parts, 'cept for a few. Anyways, his father was very ill, needed some medicine, so the kid went out in the storm to get it for him. He was on his way back when the old Hase bridge collapsed, taking him right into the river. They said his mother found him, poor woman went hysterical after that. Never really seemed right in the first place, but after that…"

Edward took it all in, disbelief written all over his face. More questions than he could count raced through his head, he trying to understand and sort them out as best he could, to no avail.

"He's dead?" Al asked, sadness in his tone.

"Yep, his father went not too much later. But his mother still lives in that same house. Doesn't really get out much. I see her every now and then, but she's more of a recluse, if you know what I mean," the older man answered, scratching an eyebrow.

"So, was this Kania pretty popular?" Edward questioned, biting back the bile that had risen in his throat. He could feel sweat starting to trickle down his temples, and his undershirt stick to his skin. He was almost at his blowing point.

"Oh, yeah! He was one of the nicest kids you could come across. Always had a smile on his face, doing something for someone else. But you know, come to think of it, he didn't have…what'd you call it? Automail?" he asked, answering his own question. "But he did practice that alchemy stuff," he added with a smile. "Always fixing things too. I think I remember him saying something about wanting to become a State Alchemist, though I don't think he took it too seriously. He was too close to his parents to want to go to Central. More content at home, you know?"

"Um, yeah," Edward gave a faint reply, memories of their old town weaving through his mind. Not wanting to grow even more angry at himself, he put those thoughts on the backburner, saving them for another time when he felt like blaming himself for all the things that had went wrong in their short lives. He knew he needed to focus on the present, not the past, though it stuck to his back, haunting him like a shadow at night.

"If you don't mind me asking, why were you looking for him?" the bartender inquired, staring down at the crestfallen alchemist curiously.

It only took a second for an adequate excuse to befall his lips. "My superior officer heard about him back in Central. He sent me here to see if he'd come take the test back there, you know, become a certified State Alchemist. Sir," he continued, trying not to lose all hope. "Would you mind giving us directions to his mother's house? I've got a few things I'd like to ask her."

"Oh, no problem, but good luck though. They've repaired the bridge, but when it rains, especially like it has been, there's a good chance it could be flooded, so be careful." When he had given them the specific directions, he added, "And you two might want to be careful out there. It's getting pretty late and there's a killer on the loose, so watch out."

"We'll do that," Edward nodded, leading the way out of the much less crowded bar and out into an impending storm. "Something's not right here, Al. It just doesn't make sense. How could the killer be dead? Even if he was an alchemist, there's no way he could bring himself back," he stated, eyebrows narrowed in confusion.

"So what do we do now? It is getting late. Maybe we should just go back to the inn and start again tomorrow. Maybe we'll have a little more luck," Al offered, looking down at his older brother, worry hitting him more than ever as he watched his brother lean over and throw up. Though it was only water, it still wasn't a pleasant sight to see. "Brother?" he asked cautiously, glad that he couldn't smell the putrid substance that was laying on the ground.

"I'm fine," came Edward's small reply. He knew it would happen sooner or later, though later rather than sooner. "Let's go," he whispered, pushing himself in the direction of Kania's mother's house, his jaw clenched at the bitter taste in his mouth, completely ignoring the heavy drops of rain that were starting to fall.

"Brother, do you really think that's wise? Look at you…you're sick. We need to go back to the inn so you can lie down, or before Mustang realizes we're not there. You know he's going to get suspicious, if he isn't out searching for us already," he added with a touch of concern.

"Screw Mustang," was Edward's blunt reply, entering the forest that surrounded the edge of the town. He tried to take in as much air as he possibly could, though the chillier it was getting, the more it was burning his lungs. Every breath was beginning to sting, though he continued forward. He wouldn't rest until he got to the bottom of it, regardless of how much Al was worried about him.

"But Brother--"

"Look, Al, we're definitely on to something here; and I'm not going to run back to the inn just because of a little cold. I'll be al-" His futile attempts to speak were rendered useless once again by another round of nausea, more bile coming up and out of his throat. He fell to his knees, coughing, his vision fading before him.

"We're going back," Al stated firmly and picked the blonde alchemist up, ignoring his pleas through his coughing fit and the sound of thunder rumbling through the trees. He'd almost made it back to the edge of town when another noise caught him by surprise. "Did you hear that?" he asked, stopping dead in his tracks.

"No, but I bet I could hear it a lot better if you put me down!" Edward whispered loudly through gritted teeth.

"No, listen, Ed, seriously. It's coming from over there," Al whispered back, his steel legs moving towards the origin of the noise, though second thoughts wondered around his mind. He hated it when curiosity got the better of him. As they got closer to the high pitched sound, an eerie red light began pouring through the thick trees and across the small river that rose in front of them.

"That's the bridge, Al!" Edward exclaimed as quietly as he could, scrambling out of his brother's arms.

"Brother! No!" Al shot back, going after him. He could hear the rushing water, and it definitely didn't sound good. "Brother!" he called after Edward, but the twelve year old had already disappeared across it. Al stopped, staring down at the wavering wooden mechanism. He knew he shouldn't do it, but he had to go after his brother. There was just no telling what kind of trouble Edward could get himself into if he was alone. Reluctantly, he started across it, trying desperately to ignore the creaking and moaning of the wood at his feet.

He could hear Edward shout his name, he barely able to make out the outline of the small alchemist waiting on the other side through the sheets of rain and wind gusting around him. Alphonse repeatedly told himself to not look down, it wasn't as though it was that long of a drop, but falling in wouldn't be too pleasant either. He could feel the wood tremble beneath his weight, surely not a good sign; but he was almost there, almost.

He had no time to react when he felt the bridge give one last shake before it broke apart, sending him into the icy waters below. The current immediately pulled him under, hearing Edward scream his name one last time before the black waters consumed his vision.

Author's note : I apologize if this chapter totally sucked or didn't make any sense. I've got it all planned out in my head, it's just going to be a long road getting through it all, so I'm sorry. And I know the ending was probably the biggest cliché possible, so I apologize for that as well. Alright, enough of that. I want to thank all of you that reviewed or put me on your story alert list. Thank you to all of you who are supporting this story and I hope you decide to stick with me until the end. Until next time.