Chapter Ten

A Few Hours Later (It's about nine o' clock now)

"You are going to see him, right?"

Ed glanced at Jean, knowing exactly who 'he' was. "Maybe. Right now, I need to see my brother."

Jean nodded, driving slowly. "He's in the hospital right now. Nothing serious, but more serious than he wanted to believe. He was ready to come get you, but the doctors wouldn't let him."

Ed smiled softly. "I suppose he didn't take that well?"

Jean laughed. "To quote directly, 'what's a couple of broken ribs, more or less? I'm fine!' They had to put him in a chemically induced coma until I picked you up."

"Will he be awake when you get to Central?"

Jean nodded, "They pulled him back after I got to Caros, said that Roy's not so stupid as to order me to come back without you just so he could get you."

He thought for a moment, then added, " I guess he'll be back in his office, now that I think of it."

Ed chuckled softly, feeling the fatigue from the past few sleepless nights. "How much longer til we hit Risembul?"

"According to that sign," Jean said amusedly, "We'll be hitting it if I don't turn right now."

Ed blinked, realizing Jean was right. There was the general store, the pub...Risembul...

"Hey, isn't that Mr. Havoc? Who's that with him?"

Ed followed he voices, recognizing some of his friends from grade school, and suddenly, he was much more tired that he thought. Too much, too fast.

Jean glanced at him, then smirked. "We'll be at Al's soon."

La la la la la...Oh, wait, you're still reading? Then I'll keep writing!

Al let out a slow breath. Back at the river, at the bridge he and Ed used to play when they were kids. Many, many years ago.

"I can still remember the day we built this. We had to ask Pinako to help, since Mom didn't want us to nail our hands down. Winry kept asking us why we were building it, but we wouldn't tell her. Mainly because it was for her. It was almost a year before she took swimming lessons, so whenever we wanted to go across this river, we had to go all the way down to the crossroads. We finally finished it, and Winry was the first one to stand on it."

He smiled softly, remembering how, when he and Ed had joined her, she had pushed them both off and laughed when Ed came up with a fish on his head.

He turned suddenly, hearing a car approach, something surprising as the bridge was in the middle of no where. Even more surprising when it stopped right next to the bridge, and Jean Havoc smirked at him from the driver's side. Someone got out, walking towards him.

"Can I help you?" Al asked politely, thinking maybe they were lost.

"I'm looking for someone, I think you can help me.." Came a tired voice from a shadowed face, due to medium length black hair. He walked towards Al, then turned and looked at the river.

"I'll try." Al said cautiously. "Who are you looking for?"

"My little brother." The voice said, looking towards him.

At first Al was confused, then he saw golden eyes. The pair that had laughed with him when Winry didn't get her answer, the pair that glared when Winry laughed, and the pair he never thought he'd see again.

"Ed...?"

"Hey Al." Ed replied with a smile.

Al walked over to Ed, blinking emotionless, then he punched Ed in the jaw.

"OW! YOU BASTARD, WHAT'D YOU DO THAT FOR?"

"Wanted to make sure I wasn't imagining things." Al said, walking over to where Ed was now on the ground. He helped him stand, saying, "Unless we're both dead. Are we?"

"NO!" Ed said gruffly, nursing his jaw.

He looked over to Al with a look of frustration and confusion. Only to be met with Al's smile and tear filled eyes.

"Brother...What happened to you?"

Ed blinked, then smiled as well. "It's kinda a long story, but I can shorten it."

Al nodded, not sure what to say to his (dead) brother.

Ed waited a moment, then rolled his eyes. "We're both idiots." Then embraced Al in a crushing hug.

"So you were at the funeral?"

"Yeah." Ed said softly.

He and Al were now leaning against a pair of trees near the river. As one tends to do when one cries, they were tired.

Suddenly Al smiled, asking wryly, "Ever think I'd get the chance to ask you if you went to you're own funeral?"

Ed smiled then added, "Well, usually, you make sure a person's at their own funeral, or there'd be no point."

Al nodded, then asked, "When are you going back to Central?"

Ed flushed suddenly, saying defensively, " What makes you think I'm going back?"

Al gave him the look; You know, the 'try denying it, you know I'm right' look.

Ed sighed, saying, "Probably when Jean goes. Just for a while, though. I'm coming back to see everyone. Right now, you're the only one who knows."

Al smiled, saying, "Well, hope it works out for you there." Pause, then, "Are you going to move back to Risembul?"

Ed thought a moment, then said, "I think I'm going to stay in Caros."

Al glanced at him, then his eyes softened. "Too close to being home now?"

"Something like that." Ed replied, glad Al understood. "I was always afraid to get too close to anyone, I might let it slip who I really was. I couldn't even think about seeing anyone for-- numerous reasons, but mainly because I didn't want to have to deal with someone I cared about calling me something else. It's passed, though. I can tell everyone that I've basically lied to for the last two years."

"It wasn't your fault. I'm sure they'll understand." Al said, his voice only slightly sarcastic.

Ed smirked, saying, "Hope so."

"Here comes Jean."Al said suddenly.

"I know. I heard him a bit ago--" Ed's eyes widened slight, then he turned to Al. "You're paranoid too, aren't you?"

"It's not paranoia if they're really out to get you." Al said seriously.

Then they both burst out laughing.

Ed left with Jean that night, off to confront Roy. With a promise to return in five days or less, Ed waved good-bye to his younger brother.

As Al watched him drive off, he pulled out his cell.

"Winry? Remember the old bridge Ed and I built?