A/N: Last part! Not much to say, it's kind of sad... happy sad?

Part V

At the sight of his two sons, smiling, surrounding by friends and finally, at long last, returned to their bodies, Hohenheim found himself smiling too. His heart swelled with pride and happiness, and then, suddenly, a hard jolt.

Not long left now...

It was time to go home.

With one last, long look at his boys, Hohenheim turned from then for the last time, confident that they were going to be fine. A part of him wanted to tell them what was going to happen next, but he knew that he shouldn't. They didn't need him now; they were happy. He wasn't going to do anything to spoil that for them.

It was a long journey back to Resembool, but it seemed to fly by. He stared out of the window the whole time, gazing at the sun-kissed fields of home and remembering all the happy times he ever had.

Each and everyone of them seemed to involve Trisha and the boys.

He was asking her to marry him, mumbling his words and messing them up. She was laughing in reply at his nerves, saying she couldn't believe he'd even think she'd say anything but yes.

She was walking up the aisle. It was a simple ceremony- only the Rockbells there. Urey was his best man, Sara the maid of honour. Pinako was giving her away. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. Four-hundred-and-fifty-years old, and his life hadn't begun until that moment. He remembered thinking, "I can never love anyone but her."

She was handing him Edward for the first time, and he found himself falling in love all over again. His life changed once more, irrevocably. He had a son. He was a father.

They were by the river bank, lying on a picnic blanket under the shade of tree. Trisha was playing with Edward in the river, while Alphonse napped on his chest. He could pick the little details out of that memory, the heady summer scent of hot air and late blossoms, the weight of Al's tiny little body rising and falling on his, his miniature fists curled around his father's shirt.

And the dark hem of Trisha's dress heavy with water, her hair unbound and flowing. Ed shrieking and flinging droplets of water everywhere, wearing the biggest smile he'd ever seen.

Memories, so many memories.

All leading up to this one.

He found himself sitting in front of Trisha's grave once more, this time, knowing that nothing in the world could tear him away. He wondered dimly how much time he had left. He could feel his joints slowly stiffening, his skin beginning to crack. There was no pain, there wasn't even much discomfort- it was like old age creeping up on him all at once.

"I'm back, Trisha," he said defiantly. And I'm not going to leave your side again... "Edward... called me father. He did say, 'shit of a father' though."

His hands began to crystallise, the transmutation marks etching up his arms. He did not notice, and continued to talk to her, almost as if he expected her to talk back.

"I used to think that living a life longer than normal was nothing but tiresome, but since I met you, Trisha, and our sons, for the first time, I felt glad to be alive from the bottom of my heart. It's been a fulfilling life." he stopped for a moment, dropped his gaze and smiled. "Yeah. It's enough."

Another flash of memories. Lifting Ed up to meet his brother for the first time. Sitting down to eat dinner as a family. Watching from his study window as the boys played in the garden with little Winry. Winter evenings at the Rockbell house, sipping wine by the fire with his friends and family all around him, the kids curled up with the dog by the hearth.

It's enough.

"Thank you, Trisha."

He could feel it now, the rest of his life, trickling away like water running through his fingers. He couldn't hold onto it even if he wanted to. Mere moments, a few seconds maybe, remained.

"Ahh, but," his own voice sounded far away. "In the end... I don't really want to die. I really am hopeless."

He smiled, ignoring the creep along his flesh, the feeling of something tightening round his heart. He thought of his family. There was a moment of pain, of fear, of dread for what time come after, and then-

Nothing.

His limbs no longer felt stiff, his skin no longer stretched. The heavy feeling on his back and shoulders lifted, floating away. Where darkness had been creeping into his vision merely moments ago, there was light now, soft and orange, like the setting of the sun.

It was so quiet, with a silence that seemed to stretch out across the world, across the ages. No a bird made a sound, not a tree rustled in the breeze.

A shadow cut across him. Hohenheim opened his mouth, intending his last words to be of ushering this unwanted visitor away, but when he look up, he fell silent. No words would ever take this visitor away of him, and nothing would incite him too.

It was Trisha's face that smiled down at his, Trisha who stood behind her own grave, as warm and welcoming and beautiful as she had been in life.

"I told you I would wait for you."

"Trisha..."

"Although... you do know how to keep a girl waiting!"

"Trisha..." it was all he could say, all he could think to say. He wanted to apologise, to beg forgiveness, to profess his love, to weep, but he couldn't. Nothing would come.

And one look at her face told him everything he needed to know. She held out a hand.

"Ssh, now, it's OK," her voice. It was as soft as she was, as soothing as cool water on a hot day. "It's time for us to go now."

Hohenheim reached out and clasped her fingers. Her touch, the feel of his skin of hers, was like rain on a parched plant. Everything, all the pain, all the sadness, all the guilt and blame, the regrets, the unhappiness, everything... all washed away until there was only him, and Trisha, and all their happy times left behind.

He stood up, not looking back, as she pulled him away. The light, the warm glow of sun, intensified until the graveyard melted away around them.

Nothing now. Nothing but the two of them.

Trisha turned to him and smiled, as something, the shape of some place or building, moulded out of the light. "Come... it's time for us to home."

.o0o.

A/N: Aaaaand that's all folks! Thanks for all the awesome reviews, please tell me what you thought of this last little bit! Poor Hohenheim... ah, well, at least he's with his wife now.