Blood Pride and the Gilded Cage

by Redrose999

Crossover,FMA and Doctor Who, Edward and Al are held hostage in a German castle and forced to make Alchemy work.WARNINGS: Spoilers for series and CoS, EdXHei, EdXNoa, if you read into it Elricest: readers preference. Jack is bi, and likes to look.

23. Chapter 23

Chapter 22

Cardiff

"It's alright, Edward." Alfons Heidrich stood before him. His sky blue eyes glittered in the void of white surrounding them. Compassionately, he took Edward's hands into his own. "You never needed to say anything." He leaned forward, touching his lips on the blond Alchemist's.

Startled, Edward blinked hazily at his friend. The warm tug of arms wrapped around his small frame as the soft press of his mouth over his.

Alfons pulled a way, a compassion on his handsome face. "I'll always be with you, a part of you, it's what I want."

Confused, Edward wrinkled his brow and stepped back. "What the hell are you doing here?" This couldn't be real, not in a million years. Edward stared at the young man. His pale skin his light blond hair glowed with health and beauty. "I mean. I'm happy to see you… And I'm sorry I…"

A finger touched his lips. "No need to apologize, It's just the way you are Edward." Alfons touch tingled his flesh. "I love you too. And I want you to live as much as your brother."

Al? It all tumbled back in a blur of blinding white light and red lightning. Alphonse, looked up at him, face glowing pale marble as his young body heaved in the onslaught of violent winds swirling around him. Wisps of smoke like tendrils wrapped around his young form, stealing flashes of white from him.

Transmutation…

Al, Al what were you using for equivalent exchange? The words echoed in his horrified mind.

Ecstasy overflowed him as he was tossed and tumbled by turbulent streams of light. It penetrated him, and cradled him, rocking his frail body as if he were an infant. Al, he felt Al, saw his gentle smile, and smelled his sweet sent. They were together, bonded by the powers they wielded. Two halves of the same coin…

Yet, another presence was there. Alfons, yes it was Alfons watched and held him flooding Edward with his love. He wasn't dreaming, his friends soul surrendered himself so Edward may live.

Equivalent Exchange…

With a gasp, Edward Elric bolted up. He lay on the floor with his body draped over a small pale form. Dark black lines scored the floorboards, and the furniture was flipped over on its sides or up against the walls. The room was a disorganized mess, but other than that, nothing appeared to be broken…

Alphonse's nude body lay in a twisted heap. He was sheet white with ugly splotches of black and purple down his back and the boy's sweat slick flesh glinted in the yellow tinge of electric light.

Clumsily, Edward turned the boy over, trying to ignore how cold his flesh seemed, and felt for a pulse. It was there, weak, but steady. The boy appeared thinner and very limp. "Damn it Al… What in the Gate's name did you do?" Tenderly, he scooped the boy up, and came to his feet. The boy was going in shock and he needed to get him to bed as quickly as possible.

Gone was the nausea, aches and feeling of weakness that clung to Edward's limbs. He was stronger, and his mind alert as if his illness had never been. It was easy to lift Al, and carry him to his bedroom.

There, Edward placed Alphonse into his bed, and drew his covers around him. The mirror on the wall across from them showed Edward the face of a healthy young man, with a full head of hair, and bright shinny gold eyes. Not even the bruising and swelling from his beating from Hans and Gregor remained.

His body was toned, and once more in shape. Like he was in Armestris. Al succeeded. He healed him.

Edward swallowed, staring back at the boy, aware of his labored breaths. He wasn't a doctor, and had no idea how to treat the child, or even diagnosis him. The only conclusion he came too was: Al used his own body as materials for the healing and that Alfons's soul was used as equivalent exchange.

He needed Al's notes.

Glancing in the other room, he saw the boy's notebook up against the wall. Leaving Al only for a moment, he gathered the book, and returned to the boy's side. He flipped though the pages while sitting on the edge of Al's bed. The boy recorded detailed information on what he was doing. Unlike Edward, Al was meticulous and organized with his notes. It was easy to find what he was looking for, for it was clearly labeled. HUMAN TRANSMUTATION.

Healing.

Al used a variation of Human Transmutation to heal. "Bone Marrow transplant… Used in rats, not successful… Ah blood typing and donors…" Edward lifted a brow. It seemed Al tried to transmute the cancer cells into healthy cells, than transplant Edward's cancer filled bone marrow with his healthy bone marrow. The theory was brilliant, but very difficult in practice. Edward lowered the book, studying his brother. He lost a great deal of weight; apparently Al donated some of his own body to Edward….

Feeling his horror tighten his gut, Edward Elric scanned down the page, his fascination growing. Using what he knew from biology and human transmutation from the world of Alchemy, and combined with the information from the world of technology's medical books, Alphonse calculated Edward's condition down to the very DNA making up his cancer-ridden body.

The creak of the door and whistle caught Edward's attention. Glancing over his shoulder he saw Jack, and Noa. The two of them stood, slack jawed and stunned by the room. Jack ran his hand though his hair, troubled. "Damn, you can't leave these guys alone for a moment."

Edward frowned; wide eyed, Noa stumbled a step, gaze scanning the turned over furniture and clutter.

He should have organized the room before they came. But he had been so vexed, the idea slipped his mind. Holding the book, Edward stepped out of Al's room. "I'll pick things up once I determine what Al did." He informed, waving Al's notebook absently. Without waiting for their answer, he returned to Al's room, scantly aware of the dead silence that followed.

It lasted about the minute before he heard Noa's footsteps. "Edward!" she said, voice flustered. "What happened?" Her hands lifted, and hovered over his shoulders, reluctant to touch him.

Edward bushed his bangs from his face, "Al…"

"You look good." It was Jack's voice. "Al said he planned on helping you…" The man leaned into the doorframe. His attention on the small form nestled under the covers. "Is he all right?"

"How to hell do I know?" Edward snapped. "I just woke up, the room was wrecked, and Al…" He closed the notebook and shook his head. He gestured to the lump in the bed. "Al, Al looked like hell. I don't think he gave himself cancer. But he did use his body as materials."

Understanding, Noa sat on the side of the bed. Her dark eyes shimmer with tears. "Oh dear god…He…"

"I don't know." Edward turned away, feeling awkward. "Being a self sacrificing idiot runs in the family." He folded his arms and disgruntled, he glared at Jack. "And you knew about this? You let him do it?"

The man's features narrowed. Jack Harkness. His sharp blue eyes scanned Edward's body, and met with the Alchemist's disapproving stare. "What do you want me to say, Ed? " He coldly retorted. "Yes I knew about this, no I couldn't stop him. Believe me, if I could have, I would have. The boy's more useful to my plans in the end. Not you, but hey, I'm trying to do the right thing here, so I'll do whatever makes Al happy. The damn kid seems to know very well, what the right thing to do is." He tossed his hands in the air, frustrated. "Be all pissy about it if you want. But it's not going to help Al."

As much as he hated to admit it, the man was right. Being mad at him was only an outlet for Ed's frustration and helplessness. Before the transmutation, Alphonse contained the power to send himself home. Now, he had nothing. There would be no way for them to open the rift. A chill goose pimpled his flesh. He was well, but now Al was trapped. "Jack. He can't stay here."

"I know." Jack lifted his chin with his fingers. "Not everything is lost, Ed." He tapped the Alchemist's nose. "You still got brains, and I promise the rift will open. My abilities are limited in this area, especially now that I can't rely on my bosses for help, but you and Al…." He glanced around the room. "Take it from me, there is more to your power than circles and this gateway. You just got to believe in yourselves."

Edward sighed. He did believe in himself, and he knew his limits. "Heh, believe in myself. This isn't a fairy tale, Harkness."

Jack's face twitched, his gaze roving Edward's nude form once more, sheepishly. "Well, if I improvise, I might be able to do something that might help jump start things." He said, smile spliting his wolfish features. "I mean, it's the least I can do for making my dreams are coming true, but I think you need to get dressed now. Might catch cold."

Damn bastard was fast. Edward Elric grimaced, as Jack Harkness ducked the notebook tossed at his head.

Jack

Jack Harkness heaved a breath, and leaned into the doorframe. Edward Elric sat silently beside his brother's bed, fingers flipping though Al's journal, in a mad search for what Al had done to himself, while Noa dabbed the lad's brow with a cool wet cloth.

There wasn't much for any of them to do, but wait. The ship wouldn't get into port until evening, and Jack cleaned up the room the best he could.

He was nervous, and worried. He didn't like how Alphonse looked. The boy appeared positively horrid, with bruises all over his pale skin and dark circles around his eyes.

To make matters worse, the child only woke up long enough to sip some water, and nibble on a slice of bread then faded into sleep with not so much as a howdy do.

Certainly, the Al knew how much Ed was invested in him so he'd do nothing that would drive the elder boy into behaving irrationally. Al was smarter than that. Still, Jack Harkness was worried. He couldn't shake it now. The boy was too weak, and Jack wondered if he should take him to the ship's doctor or to a hospital when they docked.

Maybe, he'd be forced to transport him back to his own time to help him recover. Jack rubbed his chin, features stern.

"He has a fever." Noa observed, feeling the boy's head and running the cloth down his cheek to his neck. "It is slight, but still…"

Impatiently, Ed nodded. "Any thoughts from him?" He looked guiltily away. "I know you want to avoid it…"

"Silence, Edward. His mind is blank. His sleep is dreamless. It is as if his soul has been drained."

Jack arched a brow. He joined the others at Al's bedside, and exchanged looks. "Don't know if that sounds good…"

"He's a philosopher's stone." Edward said dryly. "The transmutation drained everything from him. I suspect he has his own soul." He looked troubled. "No, from Al's notes, I'm sure he gave one of his lungs, gallbladder, appendix, some intestine and a kidney for materials. I'm more worried about that, than anything else."

"Peachy." Jack didn't like the sound of that all. He dropped a consoling hand on Edward's arm and squeezed it. "Ed, you look tired. Why don't you and Noa rest up. I'll take the helm here. Al would want that." He glanced at Noa, and leaned close to Edward's ear. "She'll only go if you push it Ed, and lead an example. I can't tell her a thing…"

"You're trying to manipulate me." Ed yawned. He wearily closed the book in his hands and came to a stand. The slender blond glanced down at Einstein, who was curled at the foot of Al's bed. "Damn cat will keep an eye on you, I guess…"

"He certainly will." Sitting, Jack was relieved Ed was not arguing with him. It was late and they were all worried. In the end, Al wanted them to get along anyway.

Edward joined Noa, and offered a hand. "Com'on, you look beat, we should settle down."

Weakly smiling, Noa took his hand and came to her feet. Jack, noted the fondness in her gaze as the young couple left the room. If only Ed let himself notice. Damn punk was blinder than a bat, Jack thought. All the girl did was think about him.

Sighing, he looked at Al. "Now, if your bother just got his head on straight, maybe he and the lady would talk about things? But I suppose I'm being unreasonable about this? He is after all, Edward, I know everything and I'm a stubborn ASS Elric…"

The boy in the bed squirmed a little, hands feebly grabbing at his blankets. It made Jack feel a pang of relief at least there was some life in him. He touched the boy's brow, feeling the fever, and pulled the blankets up to his chin. "Damn it, Al. It wasn't supposed to go down like this at all. What happened to happily ever after? I made a career on those words."

The boy in the bed, breathed softly, reminding Jack of just how young he was. Alphonse Elric was only a child after all, just a very powerful one. Well, one good thing after his healing Edward, Jack didn't have to worry about Al causing any more trouble, not for the agency. The boy was no longer a threat. Well, not unless he got juiced again, which was possible, but for now, Jack could easily say, it wasn't possible…

If he was asked.

The man sighed. He really had to get over this conscience thing, he was even starting not to care about what they'd did to him over this. He was after all breaking with policy. Looking down, he saw the boy curl his legs up, hugging his chest. Large golden eyes opened and stared right at him.

"Brother isn't here." Al whispered, his voice painfully hoarse. " He is in his room, with Noa. They are not sleeping. They're talking." He wrinkled his brow, surprised. "I can feel him, it's like he is still with me."

"Ed?" Jacked asked, puzzled. He wasn't sure what the kid did, but it sounded like Al was now "connected" to the other boy. He arched a bow. "No, he is with, Noa. You didn't go and get Psychic on me?"

"No," Al looked across the room, focusing on the dark oak door. "No, it's just brother, it's strange. I heard his thoughts during the transmutation. But its over with, I should be hearing nothing from him now." A moment of self-consciousness crossed his features. "We're both completed philosopher's stones, could that be it?"

"Damn it Al, was that a good idea?" Jack asked. He poured the boy a cup of water and helped him to sit up enough to drink. "I mean, you guys need…"

"Each other." Alphonse said firmly. "Brother had no idea he started the process when this all started years ago. I had to finish it. If I didn't he would have DIED, not of cancer, of something far worse."

The pale terror crossing the boy's face made Jack think twice about arguing. He wasn't an expert in Alchemy and Al appeared to understand what he did and how Edward would cope with it. "I hope you won't regret what you did, Al." Jack said trying not to sound too worried.

"I don't." Al replied, simply. "And, I'll be ok in the morning. Just very tired."

"You look it." Jack studied the pale face. "You know Al, you're body can't take strains like this. I trust you'll avoid it next time. If not, I might be forced to take you home and stuff you in a 51st century hospital or fill you with nano-genes." He explained. "Until your better." He saw the boy pout and advert his gaze to the ceiling. "Brother is taking it that badly? What's a nano-gene?"

"Nah, he'll live, he's just being Ed. He was just really worried, so worried he was running about starkers, not that I minded…" Jack couldn't help but smirk, at times Ed just made being socially obvious a habit, especially when he was entrenched in something. The boy across from him almost smiled. "As for nano-genes, they're little machines that work on repairing the body." He looked away, guiltily. "My people use them. If you want to go back to my world Al, I could have them help you."

"I don't think so." Al replied. He eased himself up, hands propping his pillow behind him. "I suspected you have technology to heal people. "

Was that hurt in Al's voice? He really hated disappointing the boy. But what could he have done? Sure he could have taken Ed to his ship, pumped him up with nano genes, but the damned things were logged in, and the elder alchemist would have been traced. God only knew what the agency would do to the boy if he were infected with their nanotech. It was darned to risky.

But how could he explain this to a boy who came from world where there were no airplanes let along micro machines? "Not personally." Jack said sadly. "On my ship… If things got real bad with Ed, I was considering it… But I'd have to take both of you back then…"

"Brother would rather died, than be a prisoner again." Alphonse said flatly. A hint of understanding echoed in his words, but his face seemed sad. "But I think you understand that." He looked at his fingers. "Besides, I don't want you to get in trouble."

It was sweet. Alphonse Elric didn't want him getting into trouble. Jack stretched and patted Al on the head. "It's little late for that, Al." He refused to lie to the boy; Al was too bright for that. "But I can handle a few bureaucrats. Besides, I wouldn't worry about it. It is all worth it. Look at it this way, they can't do anything to me all that bad, when they realize it was for the better of EVERYONE. Ok?"

Al's mouth became a thin line and his brow furrowed. "Ok"

The kid didn't believe him for a moment. Must have heard the same words from Ed, Jack thought. The time agent exhaled and shook his head wearily. "You don't miss a trick do you kiddo?"

"No." Al replied simply. "You can always come home with us Jack. I'm sure Roy Mustang will give you a job if you need one, and you can try in central or travel the world with Ed and I."

The kid was serious. OF all the silly, naive, innocent kid things to say… Jack stared at the boy's wide dark golden eyes and gentle smile. A part of him really wished he could go with the boy. He cared for the Al, Noa, and even for Edward. They were good kids. Al deserved to be spoiled. But something told Jack Harkness that Alphonse Elric was destined to have a hard life. A life he fully accepted with open arms and a smile, because it was following his brother. Jack pat Al's head. "Damn it Al, I'd love to go with you, but being stuck in one place and one time… That would drive me bonkers. But I appreciate the offer. It's very sweet of you."

The boy shrugged. "It's just I know Brother wouldn't mind, and you do mean well…"

Laughing, Jack tapped his brow. "Well, he just wants to pump my brain for forbidden tidbits."

The boy giggled, the sparkle returned to his eyes and Jack fancied the color was back in his face. "Well, actually. We'd both try. I'm rather fascinated about where you're from. If you're willing to talk about it, I'll listen."

The boy was ever eager to learn. It was nice to see. Children were like sponges. They sucked up information eagerly and quickly. He liked that trait in Al. Even if it did make him one of the most dangerous things in the universe.

"Well, Al. I wish I could tell you more. But you're not going home with me so I can't. Though I will say, life for you , Ed, and Noa in the 51st century would be real cushy. I'm sure my people would give Ed anything he asked for…"

"They wouldn't give us freedom to go anywhere we wanted." Al ringed his fingers. He slipped his knees up, sending ripples of wrinkles down the sheet. "My brother loves being able to travel more than anything. We don't want another cage, Jack."

"I know you don't." Jack pushed Al's hair from his eyes. He came to his feet, stretching his stiff limbs. "Which is why, all the pumping in the world won't get me to talk kid. You don't need to know about the 51st century, ok?"

Einstein yawned and Al cuddled the cat, face nuzzling his gray fur. "Ok."

He wasn't entirely convinced by the boy, Al was sneaky, but he'd let it slid for the moment. "Good, and get well, Ok? That's an order."

Alphonse Elric nodded, innocent face filling with determination. "As quickly as I can."

"Good. Tomorrow we go to Cardiff, you have to be in top form. Ok? We have no time for laying about." Jack replied. By the look on the child's face, he suspected Al wanted to be well enough to be useful. The boy was a trooper and despite the situation, he trusted him. Jack had no clue why, but he was determined not to let Alphonse Elric down. Even if he did have to break more rules than he liked.

If Jack Harkness got his way, Alphonse, Noa I and Edward Elric were going home tomorrow.

"Don't worry about Al." Noa said. Neither of them were able to sleep that night, and after a miserable attempt, she found herself standing on deck with Edward at her side. He was dressed in shirt-sleeves a heavy wool sweater and his frock coat, long hair loosely tied at the base of his neck.

It was good to see him well, but something inside of her said, things had not changed. The fate of Edward Elric appeared to be set in stone, well or not.

She still felt the tides of fate as they clutched his soul, dooming him to death. Heaving a troubled breath, she pulled her jacket close in hopes to stifle the chill crawling over her flesh. Was there something she could do to stay the hand of the devil.

The young man beside her was knot of turmoil. His thoughts were filled with worry and frustration. Not for himself, but for his younger brother.

Noa wiped the sea mist from her face. Edward's distress boiled as like a turbulent sea that washed over her in waves of emotional ecstasy. What would she do with out it? She became accustomed to him and the endless waves of emotion he projected.

It helped her thrive.

The Roma girl leaned over the rail. The cold breeze kissed her features and brushed her hair from her eyes. For now, she'd welcome the bitterness and the taste of salt in the air. As uncomfortable as it was, it reminded her she was still alive and that perhaps there was hope.

Her gift was there for a reason, perhaps she could alter fate.

Edward's warmth radiated as he leaned close to her, his human arm sliding absently around her elbow. "I worry about both of you." He said huskily. "I will not rest until we are all home. Jack has offered to help too. I think he is sincere."

"I suspect he is." She said clutching his arm close to her. "Edward, what is wrong?"

Edward's gaze fell to the sea as it rolled behind them. He was silent for a long moment, and to her surprise, he slipped his arm from her arm, to her waist. "I was ready to die." He said softly. "I have sinned so much, I was sure this was the end, Noa." He gave a short laugh, strains of gold flickering into his eyes. "I was going to give my life so he could crossover, to home. Now I have to live, because Al gave so much of himself to save me. I can't let that be for nothing."

"It would break his heart." She agreed. How could she tell him, his fate was locked in stone, that it wasn't the cancer, it was destiny itself that would take him? She shook her head, heart thudding against her chest. How could she stop it? How could she appease the hand of death? Equivalent exchange, both Edward and Alphonse were fond of the concept. Was the answer there?

Edward wrinkled his brow and studied her. Seeing his concern, and hearing his voice whisper in her mind, Noa offered Edward a tentative smile. "Yes, Edward, I am warm enough. Keep your coat."

Cheeks reddening, he nodded. "You can hear everything I think…"

"Everything you send to me." Noa felt shame. "I'm sorry. I know it makes you feel vulnerable. I try not to read it, but it's a part of me now. You are…"

The young man appeared as if he where to anger, but his face softened and he let her lean against him. "I'm not comfortable with it." He explained honestly. "But I don't want you to hide from me. Ok? You've been hiding too much, not talking, withdrawing… It's not good Noa. You need to be free, not locked inside of yourself because I'm a selfish bastard who wants to live in his own thoughts…"

"I never said you were selfish, Edward." She didn't want him to punish himself. Edward Elric did deserve his own privacy. "You are one of the most giving individuals I l know. Sacrifice is second nature to you. That is why I am glad you let Al help you."

A weak smile crossed Edward's face and he shrugged. "Alphonse is everything to me, if it is important to him, I'll do it." Even if it was a struggle for him to give up the control he had over his life. Noa swooned in his thoughts, trying not to read, trying not to hear his pain. Yet she couldn't help it, she understood Edward's love for Al drove him to let go, to live because he feared his younger brother would have nothing if he didn't continue.

How could anyone compete with Alphonse Elric in Edward's heart? "You need to be selfish Edward. Al wants you to be selfish, he wants you to take care of yourself for you, not him."

"I am selfish, Noa." Edward whispered. He lifted his automail arm, and flexed the fingers. The soft grinding of gears against well oiled joints died in the wind. "That is how I got here in the first place. Being a selfish child." He turned to face her, hand sliding to her hip. His other hand touched her cheek. "It is the sin I will forever have to watch. You need better. Far better than a sinner like me to follow. And I want you to have a choice." He looked down, self conscious of his tearing eyes. "You are welcome to come to the world of Alchemy with Al and I, but you are also free to leave with Jack. Once we are in my world, we don't need a divorce to nullify this marriage. If he is a good man, he'll take good care of you. I am sure he knows of people in the future who can help you control your power, Noa, and let you be free from men like me, who need to control everything around them."

"Trade one sinner for another?" Noa asked. She understood what he was doing, he war trying to release her, so she could find her own way. Yet she didn't want too. "Edward Elric, I don't want to go with Jack, I want to go with you and Alphonse. You are my family now." She placed a hand on his arm. "I like being with you. You think of who I am and what I need. Please don't drive me away because you are frightened of what it is to be human. It's all right to be selfish Edward. It's all right to be Edward Elric. And if you feel it is I who is caging you, just say the word, and I will let go, because seeing you happy, makes me happy, and that is how I am selfish." She leaned over, arms wrapping about him. She pressed her head against his shoulder.

He stiffened as she pulled away, blinking with confusion in his eyes.

"Now, I think I can sleep now." Noa said turning away. "Will you walk me to my room?"

Swallowing, Edward joined her side. He quickly gathered her hand into his. His mind was racing in a desperate attempt to puzzle his feelings, and why he enjoyed holding her so. All that time, he honestly thought she didn't want to be with him, and Edward Elric has no idea how to proceed in any sort of romantic way. "Of course…"

"It's alright, Edward." She said as they walked. "There is no need for you to worry about courting me." Her voice was firm but gentle so not to upset him. "Our friendship is enough and you are comfortable with the idea, so I am. It need not to be anymore than that."

Edward awkwardly cleared his throat. "Ah, whatever."

Noa gave a tiny smile. It was his way of telling her he cared to think on the matter.

And that was enough for her.

&&&&

Alphonse

Jack's Model T made the journey across sea in the hold of the ship. Alphonse was grateful. Upon disembarking, they packed the car, and he snuggled up in the back with a heavy blanket, and Einstein. He was still feeling weak, and moving was an effort. He suspected it would be days before he recovered his strength, but watching his brother behave like his old healthy self made the entire affair worth it.

Certainly, it caused more complications for Jack, but Al reflected it put the man on his toes. It was also rather amusing watching the two snipe at each other. It made Noa smile, and Al missed her smiles.

At first Al was under the impression they were going straight into Cardiff. But after an hour of driving he realized, they were headed out for the countryside. He was tired, and his mind drifted in and out of the conversations, making it impossible for him to pay attention to what was being said.

Nestled against the seat with Einstein, Alphonse Elric faded off into sleep.

He awoke with a start, aware the motion of the car had stopped and Edward's hand was on his shoulder. "Al?" Edward's voice was a whisper, reluctant to wake him.

"We've stopped?" Alphonse felt Einstein slip from his grasp and stretch.

"Yes, Jack wanted to get some equipment." Edward explained. He patted the boy on the shoulder and helped him to sit up. "How are you doing?"

"A little shaky." Alphonse replied honestly. He looked around. Wrapped in blankets, he was sitting hunched up against the car seat and Edward stood in front of the open door looking at him. "But give me a moment, and I'll be fine."

Edward's brow wrinkled and he examined Al. "You didn't have to do this, Al."

"Don't be silly, brother. I did have to do it." Al informed matter of fact. He saw guilt in Edward's gaze. "I couldn't let you just die you know. And I'm perfectly fine, my body is recovering already."

Edward didn't look convinced. He reached in and helped Al to his feet. "You took the disease into your own body, didn't you Al?"

"It's alright, I'm fighting it off, brother. My body was healthy." Alphonse explained.

He saw how his brother's face became very grave. The elder boy lowered his head, hand clumsily pushing back bangs, shame flickering in his gold eyes. "Al… Fucking hell, why? I'm not worth your life…"

How could Alphonse prove to his brother his calculations were perfect and that he would recover in time? Edward must have read his notes. But how could he blame him? The older alchemist was so used to trusting only himself. Alphonse stood, fingers curling around Edward's arm. "Brother, I took a risk, because in the end I knew I couldn't fight the forces that want to stop us from going home."

"I see," Edward nodded, understanding crossing his features. He wrapped an arm around Alphonse's shoulder and helped him to walk. "I would like to get you to a doctor, Al, just in case."

"When we get home." Al soothed him. He leaned against Edward, cheek pressing into Edward's neck, near his ear. "Please brother. The physicians at home can help with my condition. It is Alchemically induced after all."

Edward looked down, his brow etched with worry. "Damn it Al…You just can't dismiss it like that."

"I can and I will brother. Can't you trust me?" Al fixed him with a determined gaze. He hated using guilt on Edward, but at times it was the only thing that worked. "I'll be fine. It's time for you to get me home."

Edward sighed, hugging him close. "How, Al? You just made it impossible."

Al shook his head. "I made sure you would find a way home without dying brother. That's all. I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me."

The color drained from Edward's face. "Al…"

"You can't die now, Brother. You owe me." Al continued. "We'll live for each other, Ok?"

Silent, Edward looked away. His lips trembled and a single tear trailed down his cheek. "Some times I just want to get it over with, Al. I want to be nothing, so the pain stops. Have you ever felt that way?"

"When I realized I was only alive because of people dying." Alphonse said gravely. He felt a flood of pain, mind blazing with images of Scar and Loir. "But than I realized there were more important things than my guilt. Like you, and moving on." He touched Edward's cheek touching the trail of wet. Al suspected Edward had planed on using his own soul in the end to send him home. Now his brother was struggling with the idea of living.

Adoration filled Al, as he snuggled into his brother's warm body. "You taught me how to move on brother. What did you used to say, you have to good legs, use them? Well, that is what I'm going to tell you, use your legs, get over it, live and move on. With Noa and me…. OK?"

"I'll try. " Edward whispered. He hugged the boy tightly, and Al felt Edward's tears against his cheek. "I'm sorry Al, so Goddamned sorry for every fucking breath I've taken in this life. How could you just go and forgive everything thing I've done to you?"

"Because you're heart means well by it all, brother." Alphonse whispered. "I love you, and when you do go to hell, I'll follow, and take you from the devil and bring you to heaven with me, because you deserve to have peace."

Edward Elric held in a sob, and buried his face into Al's neck. There he wept, clutching Al close to him. Wordless, Al held him, tears filling his own eyes. What wouldn't they give for each other's happiness? Tears tumbled down his cheeks, and he clutched Edward tighter. It was unfair the world around them was so against them.

When the moment past, the older boy lifted his teary gaze too Al. "All the fucking demons in hell could never hold me." He said, a familiar cocky smile twitching across his face. "I'm too much of a pain in the ass, they'd kick me out before you even got there, or I'd take over."

The two of them laughed. It was good to see Edward regaining his hope. The gloom hanging over Al's heart lightened and it appeared Edward was less burdened. "Well we don't have to worry about any of that, brother, because you're going to live, right?"

Edward nodded. "Damn straight. And we're going to get you home, I promise, even if I do have to trust Mr. 51st century." He gestured to the landscape beyond. But you've got him wrapped around your little finger, right Al?"

"Just like you?" Al joked.

Edward blushed and tapped Al's head affectionately with a knuckle. "You knuckle head!"

They were parked in a field over looking the rolling hills of the Welsh countryside. Ed led the boy over a hill, a quarky smirk crossing his face. He waved a hand, "I have been told, there is something you've gotta see, Al." It was cool and flakes of snow fluttered down from the sky and onto the long forest covered grass blanketing the landscape. Al inhaled, pressing his small body close to the warmth of his brother.

Noa stood in the field, breath puffing out frozen air. Her gaze focused on the gray cloud covered sky overhead. "He said to look North." She glanced over to Edward. The cool wind tossed her hair into her face, forcing her to shield her eyes.

Edward nodded. "That's what he said. Did you see him disappear?"

"Yes I did, it was all blue and glittery." Noa pointed to the field. "About there I think."

Alphonse glanced to Edward, curious. "Disappeared? Brother, I don't understand, where is Jack?"

Edward peered up, golden eyes glinting in the afternoon light. "Jack wanted to show you something Al. He said it was amazing." He gestured to the sky, "About around there, he told me to tell you. Are you up for it?"

Frigid air bit his nose as Al averted his gaze. The sky started to shimmer and melt away, to revel a metallic form casting a shadow over the hillside. It was sleek, and reminded Alphonse of a very narrow spindle shaped triangle with wings that spanned the sides to the back of the vehicle. The engines were built into the wing designed, and like nothing he had ever seen, some kind of rockets he supposed. Studying the vehicle, the boy realized he hadn't the words to describe such a machine. Not even the fantastic technology of the early 21st century rivaled the amazing device hovering over the landscape. Just that it was beautiful, with a shinny metal body that reminded him of a bird of prey.

"It's sort of like a plane." Alphonse said excitement filling his voice. "But not as clunky."

"It's a time machine." Edward explained. "Capable of traveling though space." He squinted at the ship, and Al could tell he was trying to puzzle it out. "I wish knew more, I am sure it doesn't rely on a Zigma beam, so it must use a time tunnel technology."

"I really have to read that book." Al honestly informed. It must have been filled with countless wonders, yet some how, print would pale in comparison to seeing it. He watched the ship turn in place. Blue energy crackled over it's exterior, than a golden beam glittered from its belly. Jack materialized out of thin air, with several boxes around him.

The man fiddled with the leather band on his wrist and a moment later, the ship winked out of existence. He gave the boys and Noa a broad smile. "The human race has a great deal to look forward too. Doesn't it, kiddies?"

Noa bright eyes, sparkled, reminding Al of a child tasting ice cream for the first time. "Such wonders!"

Predictably, Edward folded his arms, irritation washing away any sense of wonder. Alphonse was sure it was just his brother's way to put Jack on guard. The elder Elric didn't want the man to think he liked or was impressed by him.

Al offered Jack a kind smile. "Yes, Jack, yes it does. Thank you for showing us it. It was amazing."

"Thank you, Al. Just remember, you never saw it, alright?"

"So, do all time agents have a ship like this?" Edward asked. Scientific curiosity filled his words.

Jack waved to the sky. "Not everyone, but I have it on loan to do this job, pretty isn't she?"

Noa smiled. "Yes I think she is. It is hard to imagine this is a ship that flies in the stars as well as time."

Edward shrugged. "I'm not one to judge. But I'll trust you on that one."

Al offered Edward an approving grin. Edward hadn't let his guard down concerning Harkness, but he was at least tying to have good manners on the subject.

Jack shoved his thumbs into his pockets, and looked up at the sky, like a proud father. "Yes, well, you're gonna have to there, Chula ships, some of the best in the galaxy…" he paused, winking at all. "But that could be too much information."

Seeing the ship was too much information, but Al didn't mind. The entire affair seemed to spark something in Edward too. Both young men exchanged glances. "I suppose we'd have to know how something like that worked to make one with Alchemy…." Alphonse said, noting the glint in his brother's eye.

Edward tapped his pocket. "Jack gave me a book."

"On temporal Physics, not engineering." Jack snapped. He shifted worry flooding his features. "You can't make space ships, just…." He motioned a clap. "Poof out of thin air…"

"I bet the truth has something in it about it. And with this book, I can understand the principals to time travel using time tunnels…" Edward said, brow twitching. He was enjoying himself all too much, Al thought.

Jack's brow narrowed and turned away. "Not working Ed… The truth… Can't just tell you how to build a space ship, you need to understand engineering on a very fine level…It's not possible…" He paused sharp blue eyes looking to Al for support.

The boy leaned into his brother's side, and shook his head. He really hated ganging up on Jack. "In all honesty, Jack, I have no idea what the truth can tell us and I have no idea how much of it we can comprehended to use."

"I didn't want to hear that, Al." Jack shook his head, and threw up his hands. "Well not like I didn't expect it!" He shot a glance to Edward, his gaze serious. " No space ships, Ed, can you make me that promise?"

Edward sighed, the mischief leaving his golden gaze, just for a moment. "Hmmm, you really are worried eh? I wouldn't worry Harkness. I would have to know a hell of a lot more about your tech if I were to do it. I don't trust the truth, of anything I got from the gate, so you're little secret is safe with me."

"Good, you have boxes to move." Jack informed. "And work to do, if you want to get home, anytime soon."

&&&&

They wouldn't let him lift boxes, so Al just watched. Not that it mattered though he was weak, and too excited about Jack's spaceship to think of moving things. It was amazing. In a way, he would have loved to visit Jack's world, even ride in the spaceship. It was a shame 51st century politics stood in their way.

Quietly, Al watched his brother, Jack and Noa load the car. Both Jack and Ed were engaged in light conversation that eventually degraded into Jack tossing out innuendoes and Ed snipping back with his own brand of wiseass humor.

Noa pleaded both of them to stop, half hearted, aware that some where inside of both men, they were enjoying themselves and the roles they were playing.

Al hugged his knees. Einstein pounced on a fast darting shape in the grass. The boy was forced to lean partially out of the car to see the kitten was pawing at a large round field mouse he had roused from one of the many burrows hidden in the field.

There was a thump from behind as the boot was closed. "Everything is loaded." Jack said. "Are we ready?"

"I'm ready." Edward replied. "All those boxes, they're filled with electronics?"

"Everything a man from the 51st century needs to help coax open a rift. " Jack explained. "We need to get to the site, and set up the generator and the transdimentional stabilizers, and attach the zigma waves to spit open a rift tunnel…."

"It sounds complicated." Noa replied.

The three adults circled the car. Noa sat in the back, beside Al, and Edward and Jack slipped in the front. "We need to stabilize the rift before poking a hole safely into the dimensional vortex." Jack explained. "Not complicated if you have the proper equipment."

"Or a mentalist." Alphonse perked up. He glanced over to Noa. "According to Dickens, the servant girl, Gweneth was psychic and sensitive to the creatures inside of the rift. She worked and grew up in the Sneed and Companies funeral home and became sensitive to the spirits in side of the house. She was Mr. Sneed's servant. Her mind and soul served as a bridge to contacting it. Noa would do that."

"Yes, I suppose she could." Jack replied, glancing back to Noa. "But the shock is too much to the human mind. To channel that much power would kill her."

Al nodded he touched Noa's fingers. "We'd never ask you to do that."

"I know you wouldn't Al. But it is interesting still." Noa replied. She returned his touch with a squeeze. "Edward and I were exploring that very possibility before he became ill. The sensitivity of a medium to dimensional forces."

Edward looked back. "If Dickens were still alive, I would have loved to discuss it with him."

"I time travel." Jack started the engine. Hearing the engine, Einstein abandoned his quarry and jumped into the back with Al. "As far as I'm concerned the man's a flight away."

"We couldn't." Noa retorted. "You're people are worried enough about Edward and Al living here now…"

Edward and Jack exchanged glances. "Hmmm, you know, pissing people off is one of my specialties."

"It's tempting, isn't it, Ed?" Jack smirked. "You, me, a time machine and a universe of things to explore. Heck we could go to any time and any planet we wanted, including Uranus…"

Ed opened his mouth, and closed it, his gaze narrowing. "Explore my ass…"

"Exactly."

"Well, meeting Dickens could be fun." Alphonse quickly retorted. He saw his brother's face turning beet red. "Wouldn't it brother?"

"Does everything coming out of your mouth have to be subtext?" Edward snapped, staring at Jack. "Why can't you just have a normal conversation without some kind of…" He waved his hands frustrated "Innuendo in it!"

Jack sighed. "You're very cute when you get flustered, Ed. But I'll try and control myself, ok? For you."

"Ok…"Dumbfounded, Ed shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He looked back to Al. "What?"

"You did walk into that one, brother." Al shrugged.

"Yeah, I know." Edward sank down, embarrassment crossing his features. "So, what are these creatures inside of the rift? Souls that escaped the gate?"

"Dickens called them the Gelth." Alphonse replied. "He said they were beings who got trapped there and were looking for an escape by possessing human bodies." He looked away, feeling a wash of unease. If they, the Gelth still existed, they would be dangerous. "But Gwenth destroyed them by setting the funeral home on fire. The fire consumed them, because they were made of some kind of gas."

Jack glanced back to Al, and nodded. "As far as I know, the Cardiff Rift is clean. In my day, we use it as a power source. Lots of energy, so I'm sure we'll be able to use it for your alchemy. So are you guys ready?"

"I think we are." Edward said. Al saw his brother's confidence return. "Al has a few notes that make sense so between the two of us, I think we have the correct formulas to use, right Al?"

The boy nodded. "Right. And don't worry about me I'm up for it, ok, brother? Two Philosopher's stones are better than one right?"

Edward looked skeptical. "Ok, Al, how can I argue with that kind of logic?"

He couldn't, and Al knew it, they did everything better when they put both their heads together on it. Smug the boy smiled, it wouldn't be long before they were in Cardiff and home. They might even arrive in time for dinner with Pinako and Winry…

&&&

Jack

They arrived at Cardiff in the late afternoon. It was decided then, despite the eagerness of the little group to get home, they would stay the night in an inn. Al was exhausted, and Edward was afraid of a fight. The older boy was certain they'd encounter this Envy/Rudolf at the rift.

Of course Jack was concerned. The boy was right to be worried, if he was right. He remembered the day Rudolph beat Al and the look on the man's face when he stopped it. Jack had seen hatred like that before Rudolf would have killed the boy.

The man shifted, hand pushing away the thick drapery back from the window, Jack peered out at the quiet little street beyond. It was a narrow road, with old Regency and Victorian buildings nestled against an occasional ally. He saw the port, just down the road, and on an adjacent street, a battered old warehouse where the Sneed and Company's old funeral used to be.

They would need to set up in the warehouse in the morning. Fortunate for them, the building was closed down, and the windows boarded up. According to rumors in town, folks were still weary about the property, and business there were short lived.

He pulled a flask form his jacket and took a swing. The bitter flavor of scotch washed over his pallet. He needed the drink, it helped him to think and consider his situation.

Looking across the room, he saw Edward pulling blankets about Alphonse. The boy was sleeping already with Einstein laid on his chest. Jack heard Noa moving around in the bathroom, washing her self up and getting ready for bed.

To his surprise, Edward joined him at the window, looking at the flask in his hand. "He's weak, I have no idea how he'll be in the morning." The young man said. He pulled up a chair and sat heavily down.

"Stop feeling guilty about it." Jack told him, recognizing the grief wrinkling Ed's brow. "Al made a choice."

"Easy for you to say, he's not your brother, and you don't need to be responsible for him." Edward reached for Jack's flask. "If you don't mind, I would be grateful for something stronger than water."

Jack handed him the flask. "Be my guest." He watched Edward slug down a gulp and hand him the flask back. On his feet, and completely himself, Edward Elric was still a very intriguing fellow. He was very much a scientist, but an adventurer, and Jack couldn't deny how much he admired that in the young man. He wondered what Ed would think of the 51st century? Or whether he'd fit at all.

The squeaking of hinges turned their attention to the bathroom as Noa tentatively stepped out. Self-conscious, she held a robe close to her body and blushed when she realized the two of them were watching her. Modestly, she gestured to the bed. "Do either of you want to sleep in the bed?"

"You take it." Both Jack and Ed replied simultaneously. The two men exchanged glances and silently communicated their thoughts. No woman should be uncomfortable. It was one of the few things they agreed upon.

Ed gestured to the couch "I'll sleep on the sofa. I don't mind."

"We can both fit, can't we?" Jack teased, looking down at Ed with a half smile.

"What is this another short joke?" Ed bit back annoyed. His long blond hair dripped into his furious golden eyes.

It made Edward Elric, very attractive indeed. "No, it's a proposition, Ed."

"No." Red faced, Ed turned away, his attention shifted to Noa. The woman was fussing over his sheets and climbing on to the soft mattress.

Jack shrugged. Not that he expected Ed to take to proposition, but there was always that off chance and he leaned never let any opportunity of sexual misconduct pass if there is a glimmer of a chance. "Doesn't hurt to ask, right?"

A smile threatened to form on Edward's lips, and he reached up and grabbed the flask of liquor from Jack. "I suspect even if it did hurt, you'd ask." He took another hearty swing, and handed it back to Jack. "God Damn, it Jack I thought you promised not to bother me with that crap."

A moment of shame filled Jack and he looked back to the window. "Flirting is second nature for me, Ed. Where I come from, we have no hang ups, sexuality, other sentient species, open marriages, it's all game. I'm sorry if it bothers you." He could see the transparent reflection of Edward flickering in the dim gaslight lamps. He was still watching Noa, as she curled up in her bed, He had made the promise didn't he? "You love her, don't you Ed?"

Edward blanched. "God damn it, don't you stop?" He asked glaring over to Jack. "It's none of your business, what I feel or don't feel… I'm married to her, I'm responsible for her welfare, until we are home, or get a divorce. I have to care for Noa…"

It was more than that, but Edward Elric was very blind to his own feelings. Jack sighed, deciding the boy would come to terms with what he felt on his own. "Don't wait too long, Ed." He advised, and was done with it. "But, I think I know how you feel. Like it or not, I'm responsible for the three of you." Jack informed. "As of now, you and your brother are most likely the most dangerous men on this planet."

"Hmp, no different from home, I suppose." Edward looked out the window. "So, let me get this straight, Sneed and Company was the funeral pallor in Dickens's book, and the rift, a tear in space time, allowed for alien creatures, like Martians, to communicate to a psychic girl, name Gwyneth."

"Martians again?" Jack side glanced Edward, "What is it with you and Martians? Don't you get it Ed; the universe is bigger than just earth and mars. The Gelth, they're just one alien race of millions"

Edward leaned his elbows on his knees and pressed his face in his palms. His perfect heart shaped face, became very serious. "Martians, Aliens, they're all foreigners to this planet, I suppose they're all the same to me."

"You're the only alien in this room, Ed. I was born here." Jack leaned against the desk next to the window. "But yes, you've got the history right. The basement, according to Al was where it all happened, the break in the rift was there."

"Than tomorrow, we will go into the basement and set up." Edward said, he looked across the room, gaze falling to the boy curled up in the bed. "If we fail, than what?'

Ed was asking him?

Jack studied the young man. He hadn't really thought that far ahead. In fact, he was rather determined not to let them fail if he could. "Mr. I need to control everything is asking me?"

Ed exhaled, and nodded. "Yeah, I'm asking you. Do you have a back up plan? If we fail, how are we going to keep us out of the hands of 51st century time travelers?" Ed sounded a bit lost. He gaze dropped unsure.

Jack rubbed his chin. "Guess we'll have to run. Time machine, remember?"

"You'd toss your career in the can for us?" Edward evenly asked, disbelieving.

Jack shrugged. "For Al, yes. Actually, you've all grown on me. Especially you, Ed, pain in the ass you are, I come to appreciate the times you snipe at me, and alter whatever plans I'm making."

"Yes, well, it's how I work." Ed leaned back into his chair, arms folding. "I'm sorry if it was kind of, disruptive. You haven't told what you plan on doing if things don't work out. Time machine or no, can you guaranteed no one will be able to get Al and I?"

"I can guarantee, they'll have a hell of a time trying, Ed." It was all he could promise. IF something did go wrong, he had a great deal he needed to do, disabling any way of tracing them for one, and reprogramming his ship to accept his new passengers to name a few. "And, I suspect I'll have to trust both of you with my suspicions. That, I can't promise, Ed, is something you honestly want to know."

"What do you mean?" Edward lifted a brow. "Knowledge is power, Jack. It's why we are dangerous, the truth is knowledge."

Jack shrugged. "That's only a small part of it. And I don't know what knowing exactly what the truth is and why you are here, as things you'd want Al to know." It was difficult to keep things secret around Edward, after all the boys' been though, he really did deserve to know WHY Jack was so concerned. He looked at the alchemist, trying to measure his words. How could you tell someone they were the possible product of ancient and long extinct mythic society? He squinted at Edward, trying to puzzled the young man out. Many men would be crushed by the realization.

But how would Edward Elric feel? And was it relevant if they escaped?

Edward's cocked his head, as if he were waiting for something.

"What the hell are you looking at me like that for?" Jack asked.

"You look like you have a lot on your mind." Edward returned his attention to the street. "Connecting with the rift here, will give Al and I power even if it doesn't send us home. We can pretty much defend ourselves."

"I know Ed, I wasn't worried about that. I was concerned that you would want to find out WHY there is a problem with you and Al."

"My choice isn't it?" Ed asked. His expression was of a thoughtful man, and a scientist. "But yes, if we fail, I will look."

Jack nodded, not arguing. "Some how, I thought that would be your answer. Well, I'll tell you this, I'm not standing back and letting you have all the goddamn fun. You'll need help. I have a few ideas. So we'll have to work together on the big Elric brother mystery. But we do it MY way, ok?"

"You have the ship. We're at your mercy." Ed threw up his hands, a smile on his young face. There was a glint in his eye. "So plan B is run like hell, and poke into things that are never supposed to be poked into, sounds like my life won't change any. And you?"

Jack snorted, but smiled fondly at the pale blond alchemist. "Life's an adventure, it just makes things a little more interesting."

&&&&

Alphonse Elric

"It's very dark." Noa said tilting the rim of her kloche. Apprehensive, she looked around.

Al didn't blame her. The warehouse was a dark and gloomy place. Cobwebs hung from the high ceiling and narrow halls were musty from mold and rotting wallpaper. The hard wood flood underneath squeaked when stepped on and the boards were soft as atrophy worked its way into the moist wood. The place had been abandoned for a while from the look of the dust and crumpled newpapers it had been a while. Al kicked a can. It rolled across the floor then dropped out of sight. A rattle and clanking echoed down the hall, as the can hit concrete. "The floor is rotted though, over there." The boy said, indicating where he kicked the can. "Be careful, or we'll be finding the basement the hard way."

Edward lifted his lamp pointing it's light in the direction of the can. The sleek shadow of Einstein darted by, as the nimble kitten played with one of the many mice scurrying about the floor.

The floorboards were broken in several places, and dark holes greeted the dust filled light. "The laws of conservation and entropy are a tough act to fight. "Edward explained. "Especially when no one keeps the place up."

"Lucky for us." Jack replied. "The place is condemned, keeps people away from it."

Alphonse smiled, following closely. "Where we come from, it's an invitation to start a top secret lab filled with scientific atrocities."

Out of the corner of his eye, Al saw Noa flinch. Fear filled her eyes and she leaned into Edward, looking wordlessly around. Absently, Edward wrapped his automail arm around her shoulder. "What is it, Noa?"

"This place is alive." She whispered. "It was seen a great deal of death."

Jack lifted a brow, "How so?" They stopped in front of a door and Jack opened it. A set of stairs loomed in the pitch darkness. Alphonse felt a chill that seemed to go right though his very soul. The boy paused, looking around for anything that might have justified the feeling.

The cramped space smelled of ash, and dust and the dark stonewalls were blackened with soot. It wasn't uncommon for people to reuse the materials from a wrecked building. It must have been the case when Sneed and Company burnt down.

Yet he felt a shiver of excitement as he descended the stairs. A part of him longed for this moment and could feel the very movement of the air and space around him. Long tendril like shadows writhed around him sending waves of horror up and down his spine. The lamp in Al's hand started to shake. It was as if the Gate was looming over him, waiting, hungering for his spirit. Alphonse's steps slowed. His flesh crawled as he felt his stomach twist. It was unnatural, yet completely unreasonable. How could he feel the gate? It wasn't there and they had no intention of contacting it. Alphonse hugged himself and picked up his pace, eager to get out of the narrow stairwell.

Al took careful steps, foot feeling the stone ground as they went. "Jack, you set stuff up already?" He asked as he came to the floor.

Jack pushed open the large wooden door, and fingered the device on his arm. The room suddenly filled with bright light that made the three young people cover their eyes. "That's right, got us a generator, so we can run some lights and the rest of the equipment.

"You could have warned us!' Edward snapped annoyed. Still, he pushed past the man and vanished into the room beyond. "Noa, where is the rift?"

Blinking away spots, Al watched Noa follow Ed. They'd find the rift soon and open it. It made him giddy. Gulping down his anticipation, Alphonse Elric hesitantly stepped up to Jack and looked.

The cellar was large, with flat concrete foundation, and a high boarded ceiling. The walls were dark stone, with iron-gated alcove at each end. Boxes were scattered about, with electronic gadgets Al had never seen before. Some of it hummed, while bright lamps stood in each corner of the room, flooding the basement with bright light.

Noa circled the room, hand running over the blackened walls. Her expression was pained and concentration wrinkled her brow. Coming away from the wall, she made a perfect circle there and came to a stand off center in the room. To Al's surprise, she dropped to the floor, fingers tracing over the concrete. Caked flakes of gray dust stuck to her fingers and she withdrew them.

"You feeling ok, Al?" Jack placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Tired, but ok. I feel strange, I wonder if the philosopher's stone inside of me is reacting?" He watched his brother, examine the floor near Noa. "Do you think Brother feels anything? At home, when philosopher stones were near Alchemist's they'd react. I assumed I hadn't reacted to brother because the powers here work differently, and well, we're both tapped, perhaps I am reacting to the proximity of a power source…" With that thought he rolled up his sleeves and looked at his arms. No red lines, nothing. Than why was he feeling so odd?

Jack shrugged. "I don't know Al. You should ask him."

"This is it." Noa said, standing. "The center, the rift is here." She put a hand to her head, squinting. "It's a horrible cold feeling, like voices calling out."

"It's the Martians." Ed replied folding his arms, but Al got an overwhelming sense of worry from him. "I mean the Gelth."

"I'm sure they'd appreciate your inability to discern between the races Ed." Jack made his way to the electronic equipment. "Ok, you guys do your thing. I'll set up the TDS, ok?"

"Whatever." Edward waved a hand, than pulled out a piece of chalk. "Al?"

TDS, Al wasn't familiar with the term and Jack had gone out of his way to keep any information on his tech from them. It was frustrating, but he forced himself form asking questions, and directed his attention to his alchemy .Al removed his notebook form his pocket and flipped to the page with his dream array. " Brother." He said placing the book on an empty box. "It's going to take some time."

Ed broke his chalk in half and tossed it. "And a lot of chalk. Get drawing Al."

The chalk dropped in Al's hands. He rolled it between his fingers marveling at the dry soft powder. They were doing Alchemy together again. How long had it been? Honestly, not that long, the battle in central, was only months ago, but still, it felt like an age. A faint smile split Al's face and he knelt to the floor. "Ok, brother. I will take the outer circle. You do the inside ok?"

Edward walked around Noa gaze scanning up and down the room. "We the floor is covered with dust and decay, chalk will not be enough."

Kicking the concrete, Alphonse inhaled dust. It tickled his nose and burned his lungs. For a painful moment, he coughed into his hand.

Alarm washed over Edward's face and he ventured a step. "Alphonse, you're lungs are not well… The transmutation you did weakened you… If you must sit this out, I am fully capable…"

Edward was thinking about Alphonse Heidrich. "No both of us are necessary." Alphonse wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "And I will be fine brother. Your friend was dying of a disease of the lungs, I am not."

"If you insist." It surprised Al. Edward hadn't even flinched at his words. It was as if Al had read his thoughts, but the elder Elric hadn't even noticed. Rather, Edward's voice was skeptical. "We'll sketch it out with the chalk, and fill it in with paint. Noa, I will need that can of red paint we purchased."

"I'll get it." Noa turned, and vanished up the stairs.

"All right, Alphonse. Lets get started." Edward announced. "But you will tell me when you are spent. I want you to rest, ok?"

"Ok." And without any more discussion they set to their calculations. It was strange, neither one of them spoke, they just knew what to do and what the other was thinking.

It puzzled Al and he remembered how he could tell where his brother was on the ship shortly after the transmutation. This was the same feeling. It was as if they had become one, in heart and mind. The connection didn't seem to make either of them uncomfortable. Alphonse expected brother to notice or even object to the gestalt and that frightened Alphonse Elric. It was then the youngest Elric had to ask himself in hindsight, what did he do, when he healed his brother and whether he had made a mistake…

&&&

"Always such a pain in the ass." Jack muttered. Transdimensional Stabilizer units were normally shipboard equipment. They were balky, fussy things but necessary to prevent a time or warp-travelling vessel from abruptly taking off down multiple probability paths at once. When you were a time-traveller, the Many-Worlds interpretation of physics wasn't abstract theory, it was a description of how confusing your roadmap was. And without a properly calibrated TDS, you could end up trying six hundred and thirty-two routes to the same number of universes… at once.

Which, of course, meant that about 1/632nd of you would arrive at each destination. Usually spread out over about three cubic parsecs of space. Not a good result.

In this case, the TDS was just part of what he needed. Stabilizing the Cardiff rift was one thing; first he had to open the rift without tearing the fabric of spacetime wide open and causing a continuum eversion or, even worse, a charged vacuum emboitment to open right on the surface of the Earth. The idea of his homeworld being sucked from its native spacetime and deposited, possibly inside-out, in E-space or something even worse wasn't a particularly comforting one – especially since it would represent the greatest continuity break in universal history since the Time Wars, and would, just incidentally, erase Captain Jack Harkness from all time and space, which was to his mind by far the greatest potential tragedy in all this.

The Elrics were setting up their… array, as they called it. The shape of that array was as disturbingly familiar and impossible as the other indications he'd seen. He wasn't a student of alchemy or any of the mystical mumbo-jumbo the Thules went in for. So there was no reason at all he should recognize what they were doing.

But he did. It was a symbol out of legend, to his people perhaps as strong and resonant as the Cross to a Crusader. Or, more appropriately, as the Swastika would be in a few decades to any halfway civilized human beings on Earth.

The nested-figure eight symbols within the circle, with elaborate edgings, was something anyone of the Time Corps was intimately familiar with, even if it was part of something more legend than reality. It was the mark of the Timelords; the seal of Gallifrey itself.

More than anything, this proved his theory. There was no way these backward kids, product of some weird alternate universe, could know that symbol, let alone be applying it now in such a completely appropriate context… unless there really was a connection between them and the ancient Timelords, the race that had ruled the Continuum with an invincible, nigh-invisible iron fist until they and their archenemies, the Daleks, destroyed each other in the Time War whose merest echoes had destroyed worlds throughout time and space and reduced both combatants to shadowy legends, whispers of terror and wonder that no one could be sure had ever existed… except, perhaps, in the person of a mythical wanderer, a single renegade Time Lord mentioned in the histories of every known race of significance in the cosmos.

It made getting the boys home even more important. Jack shook his head and focused on the task at hand. He had to open the Rift. If they were right, that would activate the full power the Elric Brothers had to bring to bear and they'd be able to send themselves home, thanks to a combination of alchemy and good old 51st century technology.

The control panels were set up and functioning. He picked up a fractal space wedge generator and started probing for the Rift. No… no… Ah-HA. There it was. Charged chronons and reverse-phase tachyonic emissions galore.

Hmm. Didn't seem nearly as quiescent as he'd expected. Jack decided he'd better go carefully in the next stage. Another few wedges to widen the dimensional opening a bit and he could get a wormhole probe inside, make sure the rift wasn't unstable or holding any strange matter accumulated just inside, as happened on occasion with an unmaintained tesseract of this class.

"Harkness, how are you doing?" Ed demanded from his side of the array. His voice betrayed more strain than he probably wanted to reveal.

"Getting there. This isn't something you want to rush, Ed. It's not really like opening a door. More like trying to get a glass of water by forcing a very, very small crack open in the sluicegates of Hoover Dam." The probe showed clear, so it was time to really start moving. "Spacetime seems tough to most people, but that's because they just don't have the tools to mess with it. If you do, you pretty soon find out that it's damn delicate stuff and it doesn't react well to people poking at it, sort of like a sensitive woman."

Noa gave a nervous laugh.

Jack grinned at her, then pulled out a Hawking drill. "You boys about ready? I'm going to have the rift wide enough to use in about thirty seconds."

"Just say the word, Harkness. Me and Al are ready."

He felt the singularity penetrate and invert, levering open the rift. "NOW!"

The two brothers – looking very similar in their furrowed concentration – made identical cuts on their hands, placing a few drops of blood into the circle; then both placed their hands together, facing each other across the array, and slammed one hand down onto the circle's edge.

The Seal of Gallifrey blazed to life with a shrieking, moaning wail that made the hair on Jack's neck stand up. Blood-red and brilliant blue chased each other through the array like Möbius worms of lightning and doom. A howl came from the rift, a howl of voices hungry for release.

"Look out, kids! Looks like Noa was right! The Gelth –"

Something blurred across Jack's vision, too fast to follow. Sparks erupted from the TDS and control units, holes appearing in them as if by magic, and then something hit him like a wrecking ball with spikes of acid. If he hadn't been wearing inertial armor it would've splattered him across the room, a bug on a windshield. As it was, he pinballed across the room and smashed through one of the old metal grates, entangled in the ancient rusted iron.

A slender, effeminate figure stood now near the edge of the array, green-black dreadlocks framing a delicate, sneering face whose eyes danced with madness. One arm was wrapped tightly around Noa; the other ended not in a hand, but in dead-black spikes which rested against the girl's throat.

"Long time no see, Fullmetal Pipsqueak!"

Edward was frozen, an expression of loathing and fury balanced by fear for Noa. "Envy, you bastard."

"Oh, we're all bastards here, little Ed. Our beloved father never married anyone, you know that." The smile widened, showing fangs and more than a hint of anticipatory hysteria. "Now, you and Al just be good little boys and step into the circle right in front of you, or …" the homonculus drew one edged finger along Noa's throat, leaving a thin red trail, "… the cow gets turned to meat right here."

"Leave her alone, Envy! Your problem's with me, not her!"

"But SHE is important to you, runt. So my problem's with her too. But that's not why I'm here. I've got much, much bigger plans. Which involve the two of you helping me. Now step into the circle!"

"Will you let Noa go if we do what you say?" Alphonse asked, pleading.

Jack, trying to figure out how bad he was hurt, could see the contemptuous sneer and the narrowed eyes from where he lay. Envy clearly despised any kind of softer emotions, and Al was just going to provoke him without meaning to. "Sure, sure, creampuff. But only if you move your little ass. NOW!"

If Envy had been human, Jack knew, Ed would have taken a chance that he could out-move the androgynous psychopath. But the superhuman capabilities of the homonculus made that certain death for Noa. Glaring hatred at Envy, Edward Elric stepped forward in time with his brother, straight into the activated Seal of Gallifrey.

The Elric brothers blazed, one blue, one red, then the other blue, the other red, then both pure red, shining like stars in the dark underground room. Their features seemed to blur, become sketches of themselves… and then, like melting wax moving at a hundred times normal speed, they seemed to melt into pure light. The light spiralled in along the infinity-symbol core of the Seal, two currents of energy tearing through the Gelth and seeming to absorb them as it passed, accompanied by ethereal screaming, two streams of power that met in the center with a cataclysmic, silent detonation that staggered even the grinning Envy.

Jack took advantage of that shockwave to extricate himself partially from the tangled metal. Envy didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he considered the human beneath his notice. Good enough. Al, Jack's heart lurched sickeningly. The boy was gone, in blaze of light and he felt the agonizing pit of loss fill him. Al had trusted him, and now he was gone. Envy killed him and Edward; Jack intended to make sure this son-of-a-bitch met his maker in about as painful a way as he could think of, and he could think of one hell of a lot of ways.

Then the streams of light met. They boiled up in a spinning twisting column of energy that coalesced, shimmered, condensed into…

A single human figure. Jack stopped, staring, open-mouthed.

The figure was a shimmering shape of energy, red and blue picking out the features. It had a hand that seemed to be both metal and flesh, and eyes of innocence and anger. Noa stared, disbelieving. "Edward? Alphonse?"

"Yes…" the figure answered, two voices at once, from within the depths of the maelstrom of energy and ghostly shapes now pouring from the Rift. But instead of surging outward, the spiralling inward which had begun when Ed and Al… merged?… continued. The energy of a cosmos and the monstrous Gelth was not escaping, but being drained, concentrated, consumed by what Edward and Alfonse Elric had become.

"No…. Not again!" The howling voices within the storm of energy screamed. "Pity! Pity the Gelth!"

"Pity you were stuck in there." Envy said. "Well, you'll be more use this way, powering a Philosopher's Stone. A real Philosopher's Stone. And look, Al, you always wanted to be close to your brother!" The laugh the creature gave was neither warm nor sane. "Well, you will be, for as long as you live! Which will be about another … oh three or four minutes, I'd guess – just as long as it takes for your combined power to awaken the new Gateway within you!"

Horror and understanding crossed the face of the fused Elrics. "What?!?

"Al was the seed, carrying the child. Ed's the catalyst. And this lovely, lovely rift, it's the perfect soil for the seed."

"You're working for the Gate?!"

"The part of the Gate that hates as much as I do, Pipsqueak. I'll live forever doing what I do best – hurting you pathetic humans – and one day the Gate will control all realities, with my help. Fun, isn't it? And the last thing you'll ever see will be my smiling face!"

"Not if you don't have a face to smile with."

Envy turned his head slightly, to see Jack standing, a gun trained right between the homonculus' narrow eyes. "Wow, you're still alive. Great, I get to hurt you a second time. Bonus!" he said, contemptuously. "Even if you're good enough to shoot me without hitting the bitch, do you really think it'll do you any good?"

Jack grinned back. "Welcome to the 51st century."

A sledgehammer bolt of green fire took Envy full in the face, a spasm of agony flinging the delicate arms wide and sending an unharmed Noa staggering nearly to the edge of the array. Jack followed that shot with one from a second gun, this one firing a ghostly blue beam that enveloped Envy in an epileptic nimbus of fire that shimmered from shadowed light to glowing dark like a photographic negative and catapulted him, in turn, through the far wall.

Jack started after the homonculus – after what he'd been told, and what he'd seen, he didn't want to take any chances – but the hoarsely shouted "NO!" from the circle brought him up short.

Noa had stepped into the rift. The Gelth, sensing a true Medium, were desperately trying to reach her, to possess her, but they couldn't fight the draw of … Edal? Alphward? The Elric? Language wasn't meant to deal with these things.

Her power seemed to cause the energies to flow around her, failing to touch her, or to pass through without effect. She was one with the flow, yet apart from it, walking with careful precision along the spiraling pattern until she reached the brothers.

"Noa, get out!"

The beautiful Gypsy girl shook her head. "It is the only way. I should have seen … maybe I did."

She reached forward, and though the figure in front of her seemed composed of nothing but light and smoke, her hands framed its face, brought it forward. "I love you, Edward."

She kissed the brilliantly-glowing energy form that was all that remained of the Elric brothers, and her brow wrinkled for just a moment. Jack sensed that power of hers suddenly reach out…

The energy imploded, then blew outwards. Two nude figures flew out, impacting solidly against the floor. In the center of the Seal of Gallifrey, Noa stood, the Gelth and all the power of the Rift flowing into her.

"NOOOO!" both Ed and Al screamed. They tried to re-enter the circle, but the energies within kicked them backwards.

"I've got to stabilize the rift – seal it off!" Jack shouted to them. "It's her only chance – cut the flow off before it destroys her!"

Control panels wrecked… but not thoroughly. The little monster didn't understand the tech and probably didn't really care to do a thorough job anyway. If I cross-circuit from the TDS remaining control yoke and incorporate a reverse Hawking drill … could probably use the quantum probe to stabilize the damaged inverters… He looked at the indicators. Maybe ten minutes left… might be able to do it. Maybe. "Al! Ed! I need your help here, now!"

The boys hesitated a moment, indecision and anguish on both faces. Then they turned.

Just then rocks seemed to explode from the far wall. Envy staggered out, snarling, burns still slowly healing across most of his body, missing a large chunk from his face that left a half-skeletal grin. "Ooooohhhh, I am SO going to hurt you for… Oh, SH---"

A spear of edged steel impaled Envy in the chest, pinning him to the wall like a bug on a collection card. Edward Elric's automail had morphed into a thirty-foot spear. Blazing red light surrounded him. "You bastard, you wanted a real Philosopher's Stone? I'll give it to you – right up your fucking ASS!"

The two combatants came together with a shockwave that knocked Jack onto his own rear, then took off through the ceiling. He got up, dusting his hands off, and reached into the panels. "Well, Al, it looks like Ed's got things under control for now. Let's get that rift closed, okay?"

&&

A loud thundering echoed in his ears and a shower of plaster, brick dust and chunks of wood flooring rained down on them as Edward Elric and Envy crashed into the ceiling above and out of view.

A moment of confusion washed over him, as he stood staring blankly up, trying to place where he was. He could see Envy facing him and felt an unrelenting boiling anger as he swiped his bladed arm at the mocking homunculus. But that wasn't him ... that was Ed…

Nausea and pain hampered Al's stumbling movements as he sank to his knees at Jack's side. The boy ran his hand though his hair, sorting out his thoughts and feelings in an attempt to separate himself from his brother's driven and dominant force of personality.

"Hey, hey, Al are you with me?" Jack asked, touching his shoulder. "Noa needs you, you've got to focus and stop zoning, ok, kid?"

Shaking away the confusion, Al tried to focus on Jack and the jumbled machinery scattered before him. The man was trying to tell him something, but his words floated over his head, meaningless technobabble that he didn't have mind to understand.

Roaring, screams, flashes of lightning flared around him. Al shivered, gaze shifting to the massive maelstrom hammering the room.

Noa was in the center, a small vessel in a sea of hell. Hadn't Jack said, he needed his help? Why on earth couldn't he focus? That twisting nausea filled him and he swayed against Jack.

"I, I did this." Al whispered, looking at Jack, trying to fight his way back into mental control. "I, I, made us a single philosopher's stone. It… That thing is in me…And it tried to make Brother and I…" He shivered, and found an arm wrapped about him, pulling him close.

"It's ok, Al." Jack's hands held him out and his sharp blue eyes locked on to the boy. "I need that sharp cold head of yours all right?" He gestured to the pile of wrecked machinery. "You have to do that clappy thing, and put my equipment together so we can save Noa. Do you think you can do that?"

Noa, he forced his mind to the man before him, Jack was right, they needed to save her and he needed to use the truth to fix the gadgets in front of him with Alchemy. He tried to direct his thoughts, "What about that thing inside of me." He felt his stomach twist. He had known it the entire long hadn't he? The day he realized he needed to open the gate and face it was the day, deep inside of him, he realized the seed was there. But it terrified him too much to accept it.

Alphonse Elric licked his lips and swallowed. He had been used. He hugged himself shivering and a part of him didn't want to touch the truth at all. "I don't know if I can do it."

"You can do it." Jack informed him.

Out of the corner Al noticed a sleek gray form slipping from the shadows and trotting over to him. He had no idea how the animal survived the fray and the opening of the rift, but there he was. Einstein cocked his head; worry setting back his gray ears. It padded over to Al, rubbing against his hand and purring. The boy felt a glimmer of confidence. He nodded to the man, and kissed the kitten on the head. "Ok, we, I guess I am outnumbered… For Noa… What do I need to do?"

A crash from overhead, shook the foundation of the building as the boy let his mind shuffle though the infinite echoes of creation for any understanding of what he needed to repair….

&&&

A freight train slammed into his chest, driving him up and into the ceiling overhead. The next thing Edward Elric knew he was slamming into a solid brick wall and feeling it buckle under the sheer impact.

Well, that's good, he thought. Brick buckling instead of me, that is. He'd always been able to use his alchemy to reinforce himself, take blows that would shatter ordinary flesh and bone to pulp and powder. Any of the better alchemists could do it – old Armstrong maybe better than anyone.

He tumbled over and over across rotting floorboards and broken brick. Something was moving behind him – I know what THAT is… he rolled aside and came to his feet instantly.

Envy sprinted for him, hands bladed and deadly, a rictus of hatred pulling his mouth into a parody of a grin. "Time to end it, runt!"

The homonculus slashed furiously at Ed, who backed and dodged and blocked. Funny… he looks like he's really trying to kill me, but the bastard isn't moving nearly as fast as he usually does. Still, he was pretty fast, and the problem with a homonculus was that even if you did get in a good shot, they just got back up. If only he could see some vulnerable spot…

Suddenly he wasn't seeing Envy. Or rather, he was. In front of him was a titanic, moving constellation of uncountable particles, suffused and controlled by a matrix of energy, a matrix of mathematical precision.

What the hell?

A bladed wrecking ball ripped into him. "What's wrong, Fullmetal Pipsqueak? Run out of juice so soon? And I thought this might be fun!"

Ed gritted his teeth as he was battered through another wall. This is bad. Just took serious wounds. He forced himself to look down.

That might have been a mistake. It was worse than he thought. Funny how he felt no pain, the moment twisted into a surreal landscape of confusion and fear. If he'd fail here, and Envy would kill everyone. Even as Envy streaked toward him, Ed realized it might already be over. The homonculus' terrible edged hands had opened his gut, impaled one lung, and blood was spurting from a hole in Ed's leg. Too bad you can't just fix THAT like a broken radio, he thought, flashing back to the time he and Al had entered the desert town dominated by the false priest Cornello.

Envy threw him again, inhuman strength crushing the automail arm, sending him tumbling back the way they'd come.

He fetched up against one of the crumbling walls, gazing down at the hole in his stomach. If only he could do something about that…

Suddenly EVERYTHING dissolved into the uncounted, and uncountable, particles and shimmers of energy. But he could count them. Edward Elric in proper health was composed of 1.3681 x 1027 atoms, mostly oxygen and hydrogen with some carbon, nitrogen, calcium, and other materials. The floor under him was composed of several orders of magnitude more atoms, mostly cellulose – a polymer of glucose, C6H12O6. Envy was slightly larger than Edward, 1.6418 x 1027 atoms. More interesting were the energy fields surrounding both Edward and Envy, which permitted them to move as individual units. These were complex fields of multiple energies. Understanding the interaction of that many energies and atoms was…

Trivial. It's all mathematics. Edward understood, suddenly. For a moment, everything was completely clear. He could see himself, and Envy, and the building they were in, the repairs and redesigns and reconstructions of decades, and Jack and Al working desperately on Jack's machine, and Noa…

Noa! His Noa needed him! I have to live so I can save Noa!

Simple. It's all calculations. Just change the equations.

The knowledge came into his head so immediately, so completely, that he didn't even question it. Edit the computational matrix here, add a reinforcing function there, restore base values…

What about Envy? The homonculus was on his way, moving, yet caught in the frozen crystal of this alien perception. Not easy to destroy; energy fields self contained, cannot be directly altered without more work.

But… the Rift...

Vectors were calculated, transmutations of a thousand billion billion billion atoms determined, all in the space of time it took a heart to start a single beat.

No, I can't be like this. It's too much. Was this what the Truth beyond the Gate was? That he and Alphonse were nothing more than mere machines, components to some holdover from an ancient fallen civilization? It's the Truth beyond the Truth and he, Edward Elric, realized how easy it was to let it take him. "I'm losing my SELF, Dammit!"

Then let go. The calculations are complete. No further effort needed. Finish the action and revert.

What…?

Process initiated. Dematerialization and rematerialization begins. Block-transfer calculation finalized.

Time restarted.

Envy streaked towards him, a juggernaut of hate and insanity… skidding suddenly to a halt, an expression of utter disbelief on his face as he saw Edward rising from the wreckage, shimmering blue and red matrices of light appearing around him, erasing his wounds like mist in morning sun, restructuring the automail to full function.

And then the Fullmetal Alchemist brought his hands together and down. "SEE YOU IN HELL, ENVY!"

The floor beneath the homonculus dissolved instantaneously. "NO!" Envy screamed in frustrated rage, but even his speed and strength was useless against remorseless gravity dragging him downward, dropping him directly into the center of the Rift.

A howl of hunger and desperation came from the Rift as the Gelth tore and clawed at this new entry, trying to forge their own salvation from the energies released. But the Rift itself was beyond any control now, save the control of the girl who stood looking down with distant pity at the furious homonculus, the girl who simply shook her head and raised her eyes, dismissing him from her mind; and her mind was the Rift, and so with a scream of real horror, Envy was gone, gone as though he had never been.

&&&

Glassy eyed, Alphonse Elric clapped his hands together, reconstructing the bits and pieces of one of Jack's machines.

Overhead, Edward stumbled his way to the stairwell. The elder boy was pale and his thoughts were muddled. Like Alphonse, he didn't understand what had happened to them and was distressed by it.

Noa swayed in the center, fighting the creatures crawling though the rifts, and embracing the tide of power. She now understood why Jack feared the brothers, and why it was important for Edward and Al to return home.

"Jack! Jack! Goddamn it!" Edward snapped. He burst into the room, golden eyes a blaze with worry. He sprinted over to Jack, gaze only straying to Noa for a moment. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Fiddling with the newly repaired components, Jack gave Edward a fleeting glance. "Nice little trick you pulled there, dropping the old Flaming evil Palm Tree into the pit." He gestured to Noa. "Looks like she's holding her own, but we don't have much time."

Edward knew Jack was busy and he knew she was in danger but Noa saw so many things moving in and out of Edward's mind. The universe, the vortex, time, the truth…. He saw them all, and it was gnawing at him as if it wanted to consume his soul and leave him a lifeless mechanical shell. The older boy shivered arms wrapping about himself as he turned to face the Rift and her. He was helpless and hated it. "Can we save her?"

"Brother." Alphonse's voice shook. He reached out, grabbing Edward's hands and drawing him into his arms. "We're almost there, she's going to be all right."

"I just need one more…" Jack began.

Yes, one more transmutation, but every transmutation brought the Elric brothers closer to accessing the parts of themselves the rift opened. It would inevitably destroy their humanity.

A risk she did not wish to take. But she was different. She had read Edward's mind and in his memories looked into the truth. She felt it's fury, and saw beyond the tide of space-time. She was no alchemist, nor was she designed to channel such forces like the Elric brothers but she felt the rift coursing though her, and could see the world about her as fluctuating currents of energy and time.

Beyond the rift was the space time vortex and the void. Beyond the void were many worlds, including the world of Alchemy. All she needed to do was to let them cross safely, but altering the rift to form a single tunnel leading to their home.

"Edward Elric." Noa spoke, voice echoing with the screams of the Gelth clawing at her battered spirit. "It is too late for me, my dear husband."

"It's not too late, God damn it!" Edward shouted, straining against Al. "Jack, Jack, you tell her, we can stop it, we can free her!"

"And go where Edward?" Noa asked sadly. "Your pride would only make you seek out the forces that will inevitably destroy you."

She felt his heart as it thudded against his chest and saw anguish fill his gaze. Edward Elric despised losing the things he loved. "Noa…"

"Noa." Jack heaved a breath, meeting her gaze. He was confident he was capable of capping the rift. He was ready to run with them. Even he knew once the rift was closed, the Elrics would never return home, where they belonged. His life would change, he'd become a fugitive, and he accepted his fate, in order to save her… "Just a few more adjustments, and we'll have you out of there…"

Al was wordless, he held his brother closer, resigned to accepting the loss of his world. He feared the rift, for the thing inside of him was still there and likely to take hold of him if he was not careful.

"No, our time is short." Noa said firmly. "You must understand, other forces are coming. I can feel them rippling through time. We will not have time to run. Please Edward, trust me, and know this is the only way."

Yes she felt them, breaking the barriers with their great invisible ships, traveling though the wormholes like steamers in a sea of stars.

Yet Ed made no move, he just glared at her, eyes wide and lost. He stared longingly at her, tears trickling silently down his face and at that very instant, Edward Elric realized he was indeed in love with her and that she was forcing him to choose his world over her, and that was unacceptable in his mind. For Edward Elric was about sacrifice, and he'd give his soul for those he loved.

She had been selfish all her life, living in his mind, feeling his pain drinking in his thoughts. All she had ever done was take from Edward Elric, but now, now that had changed. His fate was in her hands, and her gift to him would be life and freedom.

With the power of her will, she commanded the opposing tides around her. "It is time."

&&&

The room around them shook and hot white lightning streaked across the rift. Noa's form, a blazing star in the center of a supernova of twisting hurricane winds. Her hands folded together, and her body washed away into pure white.

He was losing her. Edward Elric shoved his brother into Jack's arms and sprinted into the circle. He was hammered by the screaming forces swirling around him but sheer determination drove him forward. The energy ripped at his limbs, driving him backwards.

Ignoring the powers around him gripping his extremities like fingers pulling on his flesh, Edward trudged on. His body tingled, as the rift threatening to tear him apart. Willpower guided him step by step to the center, until his arms, tingling into blazing red, blue gold energy, wrapped tightly about her. "Noa! God Damn it! I can bring us home! I can do it!"

Her brightly glowing form turned to face him, large eyes opening into hauntingly eerie red pools of fire. "Edward… Don't."

"Without you I can't-- I'll be alone. I need your thoughts, touching my own…" He face twitched as he felt the wet of tears dripped off his chin and sizzled away from the bombardment of heat and lights around him. It was true, he had grown so used to her being there, and only now, he realized if she died, he'd miss her contact.

"Equivalent exchange, Edward." She said ethereal fingers tracing down his cheek. "My life for yours and Al. He can't live for just me. He needs you. Do you understand? This is for the best for everyone…"

"No, damn it, no it's not. I can send us home. I understand everything now. I know what the truth is. I know how I can use it to save us all. We can have everything we want. All I need to do is…"

"Give up your humanity for what lies beyond the truth? Do you want that Edward? Is being God what you really want?"

He couldn't answer. The truth and what lay beyond it was understanding and accessing forces capable of altering reality itself. It was the mathematical code knitting the universe together, a code guarded by an ancient and extinct race.

Yes, Jack was right, they were machines, and as machines he and Al were capable of accessing the truth and understanding and processing it. And with the rift, they could use their powers, to control and guide space in time to their whims. All he needed to do was accept what he was, and become the closest thing he could conceive as a god.

But Edward Elric as he was would need to die.

"Brother." Al pulled against Jack's arms. Tears filling his eyes. "Don't, brother, don't!"

"We could rewrite history, Al." Edward said, voice hitching with grief. "Mom doesn't need to die. You don't need to ever lose your body…Loir and Ishball never needed to happen. Winry could have her parents back! Everything could be perfect, and we could all be happy."

"You can't change time and space to suit your own needs!" Jack shouted. "How many other people will suffer? Time flows the way it does for a reason."

Al's lips trembled as he shook his head. "No, brother, change things, and I won't be who I am. I like who I am… Please don't do this, I need you!"

"But Al…"

"We've played god once, brother, lets not repeat our sins, ok? I love you. I don't want to lose you. I don't need mother, or our home, I need you, Brother."

Noa pushed Edward away, the world around them shifting and changing. "Listen to him, Edward. Our time together is over. This is my fate, one I gladly accept. I have been selfish too long. Go with Al, go home, let go of your sins."

Suddenly he was standing beside Jack and Al. There was a thunderous crash from over head, and Edward saw the hole in the ceiling above was bathed in a blue light and growing.

Einstein hissed, back raised and fur standing and Jack's gaze narrowed. "Damn it!" He released Al, and pulled out the small hand held gun he had used on Envy. "We've got 51st century company, boys. I'll hold them off." He glanced to Noa, face softening. "Make sure they get home." Than to Al, he kissed the boy on the forehead. "Take care of him, ok? Make sure he doesn't go God on us. It's the last thing we need, ok? "

Wiping away tears, Al nodded and swiftly kissed the man on the cheek than backed away. "Thank you for everything. Jack, don't get killed on me, ok? I want to see you again, when I grow up. "

"See you later. Ed, stay out of trouble." Jack saluted, than sprinted to the stairs. Einstein at his heels.

Swallowing, Edward looked down, hands slipping around Al's warm body and holding him tight. Their link had not faded, and he sensed the boy's mind was filled with a mixture of worry and helplessness. The boy loved Jack dearly and was very sad to see the man go. "He's too annoying to die, Al." Edward whispered nuzzling the boy's hair with his nose. "He'll be fine." Resigned, he looked to Noa. His lips parted as if to speak.

But she already knew his words. The world around them bled gold, then twisted, a turbulent centrifuge of colored lights and echoing sound, which faded into pure white, like the void before the gate.

A moment later, they stood in a dark, boarded-up church, with slivers of light burning though multicolored stained glass. The smells of must and rotting boards filled his burning lungs. It was all too familiar. Edward flashed a glance to the darkened pews and wooden altar with crucifix and dying god hanging on the wall.

Noa's form wavered, her features pale as she stumbled. Releasing Alphonse, Edward Elric caught her. Her face was deathly cold, and he felt no pulse. Noa Elric reached up, feeble fingers brushing though Edward's hair. "Please."

She didn't need to finish her breathless words her felt them in his heart. Edward sucked in a sob. "Yes, I do. I do love you…"

She smiled and the light faded from her eyes, leaving his thoughts alone. Trembling, Edward buried his face into her chest, and sank to his knees. He gave a lost sob, clutching the body and rocking her in his arms. He was only vaguely conscious of Alphonse standing near by, hand on his shoulder.

She was gone, taken from him like Alphons, and his father…

It seemed to be his destiny to lose the people he loved.

Trembling, he looked up tear glazed eyes, barely focusing on the boy standing beside him. "Alphonse."

"It is the church, brother." Alphonse whispered. "We are in Central. " He knelt down, gathering both Edward and Noa in his arms, and leaned his brow into his brother's shoulder. He held in a sob, face fluent with grief. "I was fond of her too, brother. Very fond of her, and I feel how sad you are, but, let's not let what she and Jack gave us go in vain. We have a second chance now. We are home. Where we belong…"

"Yes." Edward kissed Noa's brow. He closed his eyes against tears, and shivered. The pain was a dark lonely pain and her comforting touch was gone. Why did something that had threatened him so in the past become so important now? "Home. We have come home, Noa, and I shall take you to Risenbol and put you in the Earth beside my mother." He gave a sad smile, smoothing her hair from her face. She was pale and lovely. He could see peace on her face, peace she only had in life when close to him. "You will like it there, there is a big tree and no one will judge you. I will never forget what you have done for my brother and I. Never…" He looked across the to the alter and the crucifix hanging over it. Hadn't she been Christian, or was it Jewish? He wasn't sure, but this place reminded him of the other world. It was a fitting location for the rift to open up to, he thought, very fitting.

With Alphonse's help, he came to a stand. "I'll be all right Al." He sais, seeing his brother's hollow gaze. "We're together, isn't that what matters? It was important to her, we stay together."

"Yes brother." Alphonse peered around, his brow furrowing. "Einstein was left behind." He said sadly. "I hope Jack takes good care of him."

"I'm sure he will." Edward reassured him. Jack cared for Al. He'd look after the cat for them. With luck, the man would con his way out of the mess he had gotten himself into by helping them. He sighed, and with shaky legs, Edward Elric carried his wife out into the light.

&&&

Epilogue

In the black velvet of night, Alphonse Elric bolted up, body slick with sweat a scream trembling off his lips. He could hear their ethereal screams, clawing at his being, crying for freedom as they spiraled helplessly into his being.

The boy trembled, brain filled with numbers and formula. The truth, echoing endlessly in his mind as he doubled over, panting horror filled breaths.

He felt a stirring beside him, and saw Edward startle awake beside him. The elder Alchemist turned to face him arms pulling him over and rocking him gently on his lap. "It is all right, Alphonse. I am here, it was just a dream." The older boy's words were soft, and lulled him back away from the dark foreboding horrors of his sins. Alphonse Elric shivered, holding tight to Edward, glassy gaze blinking at the starlight shimmering though their half open window. The sounds of crickets and gentle rustle of leaves helped to ease his fears and relax him.

They were home, in Rizenbol, living with the Rockbells, until Edward sorted out his affairs with the state Military.

Weary, Alphonse let his body sag against Edward, and looked up to the young man. Wisps of long gold hair hung in Edward's face, as he gently stroked Al's back. "I was back in the rift." Al said glancing over to the window. "Hearing them, and losing who I was."

"It's over with." Edward said softly, pulling the blankets around them. Alphonse was not sleeping well, and his brother insisted on sharing the room with him until the nightmares stopped. "I know how frightening the memories seem, but it's in the past now. It will be ok."

Al shivered body curling closer to Edward. "But it isn't it still there, that thing, inside of me?"

The older boy was unable to answer him. Rather, Edward looked off toward the window, thoughtful. Al watched aware his brother was incapable of answering him. Neither of them were sure if Al still carried the gate spawn. It was possible, and in the end, neither of them planned on testing it. Until then, Al lived with the nightmares, and prayed for the day for them to fade into oblivion. He knew Edward had them too -- they were so closely linked -- and Al was certain Edward's dreams were identical to his. The older Alchemist just grieved privately for the dreams had a different meaning for him.

"Brother, do you ever wonder what it would be like to let it take you?" Al asked. He drew away, hugging his knees and looking off into the dark shadows of the room.

"You mean give in and become a god?" A faint smile twitched across the older boy's face. He patted Al on the shoulder. "The cost was too great and I would have lost the thing I had been fighting for all along."

Knowing, Al nodded. They had fought for years to be with each other, to have a life of freedom and happiness. Becoming one with the truth would take all that away. In the end being human, vulnerable and finite was what mattered. Even if it did on more than one occasion hurt. "I wonder." Al replied, "But the thoughts, they were so alien."

"Yes, yes, they were." Ed agreed. He stretched, and came to his feet. "It's early, but I'll never get back to sleep." He informed. "I'll make us some coffee."

Grabbing his robe from a chair beside the bed, Al joined Ed. Already the dream was fading. "We'll have to be quiet. We'll wake up Auntie Pinako and Winry."

"Yeh, let them deal." Ed crossed the room to the door. He was dressed in a tank t-shirt and boxer shorts, and appeared not to mind the morning chill.

Slipping on his slippers, Al followed his brother out the door and down the hall. They had been living with Winry and Pinako since they arrived in Rizenbol a month ago. It had been awkward at first. Ed was moody and refused to discuss what happened to them in the other world. He seemed lost when it came to Noa, never once removing his wedding ring, and always gazing into space if Al asked how he was coping with her loss. Still, they were healing, the time home was helping, and Al even thought he and Edward would be ready to move out and make an Alchemy shop of their own in town.

It was something to look forward to and both boys had the support of their friends, which was in the end, very important. "I can make some toast, and there are eggs in the icebox." Al said. "You went to the butcher the other day, isn't there bacon as well?"

"Don't know, I thought it was used last night." Edward he checked his silver pocket watch, brow wrinkling. "We've got two more hours before the milk man comes. Until then, you'll have to use jam on your toast. We have no butter."

"I'll live." Al tiptoed after his brother careful not to talk above a whisper. Winry was cranky when she didn't get her sleep and she spent long nights up working. She had become quite accomplished as an automail mechanic and surgeon and was now in high demand for her work. Neither she or Pinako had changed their lifestyles since the Elric brothers moved in. Rather, they gave the boys space, and encouraged them to take whatever time they needed to heal. All in all, Al was happy to be home. It almost made the complications with the rift worth it all.

Turning up the gas lamps, they entered the kitchen, and Al went to the icebox, opening it and removing the eggs and lard for cooking. He sliced four pieces of bread and placed them into the oven. Edward, boiled water, and hand ground coffee. They both worked in silence, savoring the tranquility of the peaceful morning.

The faint golden rays of the sun leaked though the window, bathing the cool room with it warm fingers. Edward scooped the coffee grounds into a small wire filter and poured warm water into it. When he was finished he had two steaming cups of coffee. He tasted it, and Al saw him wince a little.

"Is it strong?" Al asked breaking an egg into melted lard.

The Alchemist nodded sipping the liquid and sitting at the table. "I need it."

Al grabbed a cup and tasted it. It was robust with a hint of bitterness. Letting the four eggs sizzle in the pan, he grabbed a bottle of milk from the icebox. There was still some cream on top, just enough to add to his coffee. "I miss him." Al said softly, looking over at Edward. "I miss Noa, and Einstein too."

Edward swallowed hard. "Better watch those eggs, they'll be like eating rubber."

He was avoiding the subject. Al expected that. He flipped the eggs and after a moment slid them onto two plates. After removing the last of the toast from the oven, Alphonse placed the plates on the table. "They'll be fine." He studied Edward. He was turning the wedding ring on his finger, looking distracted. "Do you think her soul is still in the rift?"

"It's possible." Ed said. He turned his attention to the food. "But I doubt it. She wasn't designed to channel that kind of power. Not like we were."

"Jack knew it all along too. Or suspected it. What do you think?" Al slathered his toast with Gracia's home made peach jam. When they arrived in central, Colonel Mustang arranged for them to stay with Gracia for a few days until he arranged a leave of absence for Edward.

"I think he was wise to not tell us." Edward replied. "I'm still pissed at him for not saying anything, but…" He dipped his toast into an egg, breaking its flesh and bathing the bread in golden yolk. "I would have done the same thing."

Al dumped several spoonfuls of sugar into his coffee until it was very sweet. "Yes, well, even if he did hide things, I still miss him. You know, brother, good things did happen… Despite the Kaiser, and the cancer…"

After washing his toast down with coffee Edward looked down at his plate. He shook his head, tears rimming his eyes. One hand strayed to the ring on his finger. "That's why I keep you around, Al." He said, voice hitching with emotion. "You always find the cloud with the silver lining."

Al smiled. "Someone has too. If we were both cynics, we'd get no place in life and I for one don't fancy spending my soul existence locked up in a lab and library because I've lost hope in people or the world around me."

"I can't argue with that." Edward agreed, his mood lightening. "I just wish I hadn't been so…"

"Blind?" Al asked, knowing Edward was talking about his feelings for Noa.

"Defensive." Edward said. "I… We had something special, I didn't need to say a thing to her. She knew me, and understood me, and I spent far to much time pushing her away."

"Brother, she accepted that." Al informed. "And, in the end, you did tell her." He reached out, fingers curling about Edward's hand and squeezing it. "She did what she did because she knew it was for our happiness. And you trusted her in the end. You trusted her, and I. That was very important. You did well, brother. I think we've both learned a lesson there and it has made us better for it.'

"You make it sound so simple, Al." Edward sighed.

"That is because in the end it is, brother." Releasing his brother's hands, the boy returned to his meal, swallowing bits of egg, and eating toast.

Edward finished his meal in silence, and dropped his dishes in the sink. "I think I want to visit mom and Noa today." He said leaning against the sink.

Outside Al heard some thumping. "The milk man is here." He said, straying his attention to the toast. "I think I want to have another cup of coffee. Plenty of cream now."

Edward nodded. He grabbed for the kettle and put it back on the stove. "Are you sure? It's too early."

"Positive." Al came to his feet and crossed the kitchen to the door. He opened it, to see a cardboard box, with several books, a phonograph, and a gray kitten cleaning himself on top.

In the distance he heard a low groaning and wheezing, like a needle scratching repeatedly over the face of a record. The boy frowned. Squinting in the morning light, down the porch to something large fading out of sight.

A machine?

"Brother." He said, reaching down and picking up the kitten. He held it up, seeing a set of very familiar green eyes. The animal hadn't changed. It didn't look a day older than the day they left. "We got a delivery." He announced. He hugged the kitten close and turned to face a startled Edward. He held the kitten out arms length, eye moist. "Einstein!"

Einstein purred, and wiggled in Al's hands, tiny claws batting the air. It was a good thing Den was sleeping in Winry's room that morning. Poor Einstein needed a slow introduction to the dog.

"Einstein?" Edward lifted a brow. He pushed past Al looking down at the box and things on top. "My note book!" he flipped though it, scrutinizing its contents. "All my research is there! Everything, including my notes on the rift."

Letting his brother pick up the box and carry it into the kitchen, Al couldn't help but feel excitement. He embraced the kitten, feeling it wiggle in his arms. It was Jack he was breaking the rules again… For them. "Yes, and I bet mine is there too…"

Edward riffled though the box again until he pulled out a large bound book triumphantly. "My Sherlock Holmes collection."

"Yes, well, you definitely need something to complain about. Doyle and all." Al smiled. He let Einstein climb up to his shoulder and settle against the nape of his neck. With his hands free, Al poked into the box himself. He came across a framed photo. It was of Edward and Noa on their wedding day. The boy's eyes filled with water as he lifted it out and studied it. There was an envelope tacked to its back.

"Brother." Al took the envelope and handed the picture to Ed. "Do you want this?"

"The worse day of my life." Edward said, taking the picture and looking at it. "I don't know if I want to remember her that way." He placed the photo down, eyeing the letter in Alphonse's hand. "From Jack?"

"Yes." Al said, scanning the parchment. The handwriting was impeccably neat, and the paper itself was lightweight and smooth. In the corner was an address and date on it: Torchwood December 13, 2006.

"Almost 80 years from now. "Al informed amazed. Jack had returned from the future, granted it was not the 51st century. Perhaps he was on the run. "It says: Al, Edward:

sorry it took so long for me to get back to you. Things got a little complicated when you left. I'm only now starting to remember my mission and the day we met. The time agency erased my memory. They weren't exactly pleased with the outcome and it's taken until now for me to remember everything clearly. But I wanted to let you know, it was worth it in the end.

I hope the two of you are well.

I'm sorry about Noa, she was one hell of a gal. I enclosed her things in the box. She KEPT the wedding picture. I'm not sure why, but it was important to her.

The phonograph and records are there too. Al, I found a good recording of Rhapsody in Blue and some ragtime you'd like to listen to. Enjoy. Miss you kid.

If it wasn't for you, I don't know if I'd ever understand the difference between being good at what I do and being a decent human being…I'll always cherish that.

Ed, your books are there, along with some of the books from the 51st century. I trust you won't abuse them. I'm giving them to you because I damn well know you'll be digging into things on your end, and finding more trouble. You know what they say about the cute ones. They're nothing but trouble. Especially when they're blond.

I'm sorry I can't stay, crossing over is difficult, and without certain powers in place, unregulated and strictly forbidden. It's best your world is left untouched and undiscovered by the other powers existing in our universe. Some things need to stay dead. I'm sure both you and Edward understand that.

I'm not sure about this gate spawn thing inside of Al -- it might have been burned out when Noa blasted the two of you out of the rift. I would have to run a few tests to verify it; but if you're not planning on traveling though rifts in temporal space, I honestly wouldn't worry about it.

Take care Al, I doubt we'll meet again, have a good life, and remember to keep your brother out of trouble.

Ed, we've all learned our lessons, keep in mind you're not the only one in your life. And believe it or not, I'll miss you're smiling face and cute little ass.

Love

Jack Harkness."

Edward snorted, folding his arms. "Damn bastard had to get the last shot in." He looked at the letter shaking his head. He's face was red with a rosy blush.

Al giggled, fingers tracing over Einstein's soft fur. "Well at least we know he's alive and well. Makes me feel a world better." Al folded the letter and shoved it in his notebook. He was less stressed now. The letter gave him some hope perhaps them being happy wasn't a bad thing. "Well, I think we should take this and read it to Noa, now. Don't you?"

He saw Edward smirk. He scruffed Al's head and nodded. "Ok, Al, I'm sure she'd loved to hear it."

"I'm sure she will, brother. It's what she wanted you know. For us to be free and happy…"

Edward Elric lifted his head, peering up, with light glinting in his golden gaze. The young man gave a curt nod and wrapped an arm around the boy. The hurt was still there, but Al could recognize he was healing. "Yes, yes she would, Al. I guess she did the right thing, didn't she?"

"She did, Brother. Really. I believe that. We all need to make sacrifices for love. And Noa didn't think any differently, you know." Al took his arm and led him into the hall. It was time to move on. "We have two good legs, it's time to use them. But until then, I think we have to get dressed!"

"You're starting to sound like Jack." Edward moaned. "Please, knock it off, or I'll have to kill you…."

The two of them laughed, ducking their way down the hall. It was a new day, and for the first time, the nightmares seemed just a little less painful.