Chapter Nine

Ruby waited until after dark before returning to the house. She knew they would get suspicious if she came back so soon with Amber, after all, Dantè wouldn't just hand her over without a fight or striking a deal, and Dantè's deals were never good. Then again, neither were the homunculi's, but at least she knew she could trust Envy to keep his word. I'll have to wait until they're all asleep. She thought, walking back to the house. The mud that had been there earlier wasn't as bad, but she would still have preferred a different route if only time would allow it.

Once she reached the house, she saw few lights were on and guessed Pinako was already in bed. She could just make out the shape of someone sitting in the window of Ed and Al's room, and guessed it was Ed, waiting for her to return. Another shape appeared next to him, this time it was probably Winry. Once she reached the door, Ruby noticed a small box. "What's this?" She wondered. She shrugged it off. There was no time for this. She had until morning and she still didn't even know where her daggers were. Once she was inside, she was greeted, for lack of better word, by Winry.

"Where were you?!" She asked. Ruby held up Amber.

"I thought I told you, I went to get Amber." She answered. She tried to continue toward hers and Winry's bedroom, but Winry stopped her.

"You could've been killed! What were you thinking? You didn't even have your daggers!" Winry pointed to a shelf where Ruby's glass dagger was sitting, her wooden-handled one behind it.

"Look, there's no use arguing now, we'll wake the whole house. Let me go put Amber to bed." Ruby said bitterly. It's not like Winry's her mother, after all, so why does she need to know everything? Pushing past her sister, Ruby went upstairs. Winry followed, keeping her voice low as she continued arguing.

"You made him cry," She said. Ruby turned to look at Winry. "He was worried, but he couldn't speak. He even tried to go after you, but Al had enough sense to stop him before he got hurt again."

"Do you think I meant to make Ed cry," Ruby said. She went into the bedroom and laid Amber down on the bed. "I'm going to bed now," She found her nightgown. Before undressing, she remembered what the homunculi had said. They were always watching her now. Looking around cautiously to see which one was watching and from where, she noticed a puddle of water on the ground near the open window. Sloth. Quickly changing into there pajamas, the two girls got into bed. Winry fell asleep quickly, making it easy for Ruby to slip downstairs and get her daggers.

Before she got to the shelf where they were, she heard something moving. Looking around, she saw what looked like Alphonse, pouring milk into a bowl. She watched curiously as he then went outside, leaving the door partially open. Before he came back in, she grabbed her wooden-handled dagger and slunk back into the shadows. She decided she would see what he was up to before carrying out her final mission. When he came back in, he was carrying the box she had seen earlier. He opened it, taking out two kittens and placing them by the bowl of milk. Once Ruby realized what he was doing, she went back upstairs. She made sure Winry and Pinako were still asleep before going to Edward's room. She could tell by Pinako's snoring she was out, and Winry was quietly asleep, not making a sound.

"Now it's time," She said. She went to Ed's room, her dagger in hand. She opened the door and crept in. Ed was still awake. She froze.

"Ruby..?" He muttered. She smiled. His injuries prevented him from talking much, so she wouldn't have to worry about him yelling for help. She came up to his bed. He looked at her dagger, then back to her. "What's that for?"

"Oh, it's nothing," She soothed. "I heard a noise out by the door but it was only Al feeding some kittens." She hated how easy it was to keep a straight face, to not shake, when he was so clearly clueless as to her true intentions. She sat on the edge of the bed, putting her arm around his shoulders, her dagger in her other hand. Ed nuzzled his face against her shoulder, attempting to let her know he was worried about her. Ruby put her other arm around him, her dagger still in her hand, and put its blade to his back. He tried to push her away when he felt the blade but she got on top of him, pushing him back against the dagger's sharp edge. He moaned as it cut deeply into his flesh.

"Why... Ruby..?" He gasped. Ruby sat up and put the dagger on the bed side table. She leaned over him, kissing his lips gently as she felt his blood seeping onto the sheets of the bed. He turned his head away, facing the dagger.

"I'm sorry Ed," Ruby whispered. She laid her head on his chest, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I had to. I had to to save Amber." She buried her face in his shirt, slowly sobbing as his life drained away in front of her. Ed reached his arm out, picking up the dagger. Ruby looked into his eyes, seeing a look of betrayed trust reflecting in them. "I'm sorry Edward, I'm so sorry!" She cried. He forced himself into a sitting position, propped against his pillows.

"I'm sorry too," He said. Ruby watched as he got out of the bed, falling to his hands and knees. He crawled out of the room, stopping to catch his breath. Ruby stood up, about to go after him, when a voice called to her from near the window.

"What is he doing?" Ruby turned to see Envy and Sloth standing there. "Why didn't you just finish him right away?" Envy asked. Ruby shook her head, her whole body shaking.

"I couldn't! I couldn't!" She cried. She turned back to see Winry standing there holding Amber, Edward still on the ground, gasping for breath.

"Ruby, what's going on?" Winry asked. Ed grabbed her arm, using her for support as he stood up. She looked him over, noticing the wound on his back. "Ed, what-" She was cut off as Ed took Amber in his arms, falling back to the ground. Ruby stepped closer.

"What are you doing?" She asked her as her heart pounded. Ed turned to look at her, then at Envy.

"How can I," Ed started. Blood came out of his mouth as he coughed. "How can I know she's mine... And not... His..?" He asked. Everyone seemed frozen in time for what seemed like years before an answer came.

"You can't know," Ruby said. Winry looked at her sister in disbelief. How could that be..? Ruby looked from Envy back to Ed. "But does it really matter?" Ed lifted the dagger.

"This dagger won't be the death of me, Ruby." He said. Ruby stared at him with wide eyes. What was he going to do? Envy stepped forward, a smirk on his face.

"Well Ed, it seems you're a little late on that one. You've lost so much blood by now; you'll drop dead any minute!" He kicked Ed's head, knocking him to the ground. Ruby fell to her knees. What have I done..? She crawled over to where Ed was lying and put her arms around him.

"Ruby... Make... Circle..." Ed rasped. Envy's kick weakened him. He didn't have much time left. "Or... Amber... Dagger..." He closed his eyes and his whole body slumped over, crushing Amber under his weight.

"Amber!" Ruby rolled Ed over. Nobody made a sound at the sight. Ruby's dagger had pierced through Amber's neck when Ed had collapsed on her.