So…the last chapter. EVER. T-T I know I haven't been the most active updater, but I'm still going to miss this fic. Special thanks to Shadow-senpai for brainstorming with me on it, even though she doesn't remember we pretty much planned half the angst out over a month ago. }:D/^.^

Anyways, looking back at my last chapter, I think I'm going to have to go through and do some serious editing. I was rushing at the end last night because I was up late and didn't want my mom to walk in and get mad at me. D8

As far as I know, this'll be my last fic and update until November/NaNoWriMo ends. After that, we'll see what I come up with, I guess. :P Aaanyways, thanks to all of my readers and everyone who reviewed and stuck with my story from the beginning! You guys don't know how much that means to me, even if it only took you a few minutes to write down a comment you might've thought wasn't very helpful, because it really brightened my day. ^.^

Onto the chapter~!

"Wait up, Rain!" Allan called after his older sister.

"You should just run faster, Al," Raihna yelled back, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Now, now, both of you calm down," Winry scolded them gently. "This is no time to be playing games."

"Sorry, Mother," they chimed, running back to her.

"Mother, where's Father?" Raihna asked.

"He'll already be there, I'm sure," Winry answered, taking both of her children by their hands and leading them along a small stone pathway, winding its way up a rolling green hill. They walked until they reached the shade of a towering old oak tree, its branches swaying gently in the soft breeze. Ed stood there, his back to them as he gazed down at two plaques set in the ground.

"Father!" Raihna greeted happily, running over to him. Allan stayed with Winry, looking sadly, almost comprehendingly, even, up at her, as if he had personally known the two people that they were here to grieve for.

"Hello, little Rain," Ed replied, smiling slightly down at her.

Raihna's grin disappeared as she saw the seriousness of his expression, despite his attempted smile. Glancing at the plaques, she kneeled down in front of them, clasping her hands together and closing her eyes. Allan quickly went to join her, taking up the same position at her side. His light brown hair fell into his eyes, eyes a shimmering blue. Raihna's hair was as golden as her eyes, looking so much like her father it made Winry's gaze hurt sometimes.

Winry stood next to Ed, leaning against him gently. "Al, Rain, why don't you two go play?" Winry suggested after some time had passed.

"Okay," Raihna agreed readily, scrambling up. "C'mon, Al, I'll race you to the bottom!" Without waiting for a reply, she ran off, laughing happily.

"Hey, no fair!" Allan called after her, racing to catch up. But he would let her win in the end; it was just like him to do that to make his sister happy, Winry observed quietly.

"I can't believe it's already been nine years," Winry murmured softly, gazing at the plaques. The words Alphonse Elric and Rina Glass were inscribed on them, respectively. The words Died in service of the military were written on both of them, and they had each been promoted two ranks.

"Yeah," Ed sighed. Winry could tell from the blank look of his face that the passing of time had done nothing to soothe the pain of losing his brother.

"Mustang, Armstrong, and Hawkeye stopped by earlier," Winry went on. "They said they stopped here on the way, but they couldn't stay for dinner. Apparently they had business elsewhere."

"Yeah," Ed repeated. Winry gave him a sympathetic look; he was always like this on this day every year. "They never even found the bo…Al and Rina."

"Ed, there's no way they could've made it out of there," Winry told him, the same thing she said every year. "The building was left alone, too; for all we know, they are still in there. Besides, if they were alive, they would've come home, don't you think?"

"Yeah," Ed sighed again. For a long moment, he just stood silently looking at the graves. Allan and Raihna's shouts from the bottom of the hill floated up towards them, reminding Winry of how little the world really did notice Al and Rina's deaths. Then again, the world stopped for no one. It wasn't their time, anymore; it would all be left to the next generation soon. They would think and act differently, but their actions, their mistakes, would all be repeats of the past.

Al, Rina…if you can hear me, then I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything that day to help you. I wish…I wish I could change those few moments. I wish I could've done something. I'm so, so sorry.

"Winry, let's go home," Ed said, glancing over at her.

"Mmm," Winry agreed.

Together, the two of them walked down the hill, leaving the sorrowful past behind them to embrace the new future. The future of the new generation.

For as excited as I was to write this epilogue, I really hate how it turned out, both lengthwise (most of the words are the ANs D8) and quality wise; especially since it's the last chapter. D8

Anyways, I have some good news! Both goals were met: There are more words in this fic than any of the other ones I've written (though it wasn't 50K like I'd hoped) and I finished it before November started. Woot! And I realize this chapter might've been a bit confusing, so if you have any questions, ask me in a review or PM or something and eventually I'll probably add another sort-of chapter that answers all of the questions asked.

For those of you who are thinking "Yes! There's still a chance that Al (and Rina) are still alive!" don't get your hopes up. I added that so that you can think whatever you want, but unless I ever do a sequel, they probably won't be coming back. Even then it's doubtful that they will. =\ Oh, and some more news (sorry, I know I'm bombarding you with my super long ANs *-*)! I've decided that when I make my next fic, it'll probably either be Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles or a sequel to this one. I think that's all, so now I'll let you all go on with your merry lives. :P

Thanks for reading~! ^.^