Author's Note: Okay guys I literally just uploaded chapter five and I can't wait for the reviews! I'm writing this in advance because I already have some ideas that I didn't put in last chapter because I wanted to make it available for my lovelies!

Chapter 6

Ed tried to sleep in his hotel room, but the phone kept ringing. Over and over again, every ten minutes or less. At one point the hotel manager had come up to his room and told him a man called for him from the hospital. Ed lied and said he had no idea who it could be. The phone continued ringing throughout the night, no doubt Mustang desperately trying to lie his way out of his actions.

Giving up on sleep, Ed started drawing out experimental transmutation circles based on his research. He'd have to wait until he could show them to Al to see if they worked, but it kept him busy. Eventually the phone stopped ringing around four AM. 'Finally,' he thought. His relief didn't last long. Within an hour of the last phone call a loud knock came from the door to his room. 'Bastard! I'm gonna punch him right in the throat again.' Well, that's what he thought.

Upon opening the door Ed was surprised to see Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye standing at his door with tired eyes. "Fullmetal," she said, "have you seen the Führer? A nurse called me to tell me he was leaving the hospital, but he hasn't shown up anywhere. I thought if anyone knew where he was you would." The look of concern in her eyes was surprising.

"No, Lieutenant," he responded, "I haven't heard from him. I'll let you know if I do." She nodded and walked away briskly to continue her search. Did Roy actually run away? Like a little kid? 'Ha! As if. He's just playing a game again. He always plays games. Well he won't win this one, not with me.' Ed sighed and lay back in his bed. It worried him that Mustang was missing. It wasn't because he cared, exactly, but rather that if he didn't know where Mustang was he could appear at any moment.

The rest of the morning was peaceful and void of interruptions. Ed waited until the last possible moment before he had to get out of his bed and head to the train station. If everything had gone as planned Al should already be back in Resembool with Winry and granny. Ed caught his train at the last minute as always. The train had plenty of empty seats. Not many people traveled through Resembool from central.

Ed opened his eyes at the sound of the train whistle signaling they were stopping. He hadn't realized he had fallen asleep, but he was glad he got the rest. The station at Resembool was quiet except the sound of the train leaving behind Edward. 'Finally home,' he thought. He traveled down the hard dirt road, enjoying the scent of his small town. The sunlight seemed stronger here than it was in the city; uninhibited by the musty haze of factories. 'Finally home.'

When he arrived at the building he called home, though, he was surprised by the welcoming he got. Al, Winry, granny, and even Den were there to greet him. "Wow," Ed said once the hugging and greetings were over. "How'd you guys know I'd be coming?"

"Well we were supposed to meet back here a few weeks ago, brother," Al said with a smile. "It was only a matter of time before you showed up!"

"Yeah," Winry chimed in, "that and Roy told us you should be coming soon!" Both Granny and Al shushed Winry.

"Mustang… is here?" Ed asked with a nervous swallow. "Like… in the house?" Winry nodded excitedly.

"Yeah!" she said. "He's got a big surprise for you! He's waiting upstairs, but I think he's asleep so you might have to wake him up."

"Hush up Winry!" Al said to her. "We weren't supposed to say anything. Now you've as good as ruined the surprise!" Winry looked down sadly. "Aw, I'm sorry Win." Al wrapped his arms around her comfortingly and kissed her cheek. 'When did that happen?' Ed supposed he had been gone longer than he'd intended, and Al might have gotten back a little early. It was bound to happen. Winry had to give up on Ed sometime, and it looked like she finally had.

Ed gazed at the stairway that led up to the bedrooms. 'He's here…' the thought sent shivers down his spine. Mustang must have gotten on a train as soon as he'd stopped calling Ed's hotel room. "Oh, I forgot something," Ed said. "Al I need your help carrying some things I left down at the train station. Mind helping me?"

"Sure!" Al said excitedly. "We can bring Mustang to help, too!"

"No!" Ed exclaimed instantly, receiving several confused glances. "I mean… it's not a lot, two people can handle it. No need to wake him up for no reason." 'And I need to talk to Al and find out what this surprise is.'

Al nodded. "Okay brother, let's go." He headed out the door with Ed right behind him. They started walking down the road and as soon as the house was out of sight Ed stopped. "Brother?" Al asked worriedly.

"Al," Ed began, "What is this surprise the he has for me?" Ed's face darkened as he spoke, a scowl taking place on his normally indifferent features.

"I'm not allowed to say," Al responded. "Brother what's wrong? You look really upset." Ed sighed and walked over the sit on a fence post of the field by the road.

"You tell me what the surprise is," he said, "and I'll tell you what I'm hiding. Deal?" Al nodded and smiled.

"Sounds good!" he said happily. "You're not going to believe it, but Mustang says he thinks he can get you your alchemy back!" Ed's breath caught. How could that be possible? Even if it was, why would Mustang bring it up now? 'It's just another trap,' Ed thought.

"That's not possible," Edward said grimly to his brother. "I've tried every way I could think, but there's still the rule of equivalent exchange. I traded my alchemy to get you back, Al, so now the value of my gateway is a human life. The only way to get it back is by trading another human life."

Al smiled broadly. "Mustang came to the same conclusion," he said with a surprising enthusiasm. "He thinks he's found a way around it, though. You see, he still has a small amount of Marcoh's Philosopher's Stone. The stones are made with human lives, so using that should be the equivalent of exchanging a human life. You can get your alchemy back, and nobody else will be hurt in the process!"

Ed looked at the ground. "Mustang still has the Stone," he said, more of a statement than a question. "and he's offering it to me? Why?"

"I dunno," Al said with a shrug. "I guess he's grateful for all your help over the last few years." Ed sighed and shook his head. "Brother… I told you, now tell me what's wrong. What happened?"

Ed took a deep breath. He couldn't tell his brother the truth, but he had to. "Al," he began, "Mustang… Mustang isn't who you think he is. He did some really bad things… things I can't forgive him for." Al looked shocked.

"Ed what are you talking about?" he asked. "Did you already see Mustang before you came here?"

Ed nodded. "I was in Central to submit my research and he stopped me while I was walking on the street." Time for it all to come out. He didn't know how Al would react, but he couldn't go back now. "As you know he has become the Führer. When he stopped me he asked if I would be his assistant. I thought it was crazy, I prepared a speech about how ridiculous that would be, but when it came time for my answer I just said… yes, sir."

Al tilted his head to the side in confusion. "Okay, so then that means you're his assistant?" he inquired. Ed shook his head.

"I was," he continued, "but… the first night after he had become Führer, Grumman and Hawkeye had left us alone in the office. He made me do things… did things to me… it was awful." Ed saw the still confused look on Al's face and took a deep breath. "Mustang… he raped me Al."

Al's eyes went wide and he clenched his jaw. "No," Al said in denial through gritted teeth. "That can't be true. You wouldn't let him." Ed looked down so Al wouldn't see the tears in his eyes.

"I couldn't stop him," he said in a tight voice. He fought back the urge to sob, if just barely. "I have no alchemy, and he's bigger and stronger than me. I tried, god damn it, I tried, and had I been able to stop him he would have burnt me. Even if I had… had avoided that, he's the Führer now. He could have hunted me down and arrested me for god knows what reasons he would make up." Ed buried his face in his arms. He finally gave in and started sobbing.

In an instant Al's arms were around him. "I'm so sorry brother," he whispered. "I guess… the reason he's blind again… that was you?" Ed nodded and continued crying. "He deserves worse. He's going to pay for hurting you." Ed hugged his brother tightly, not wanting to let go. They had set out on their separate journeys so soon after Al had gotten his body back. He'd never had much of a chance to embrace the warmth of his brother's body through a hug.

"Al… I want to take him up on his offer," Ed said as he wiped his eyes. Al still held him tightly, and he opened his mouth to protest. "I want to use the stone," Ed continued before Al could object, "but I want you to transmute me, not him. I don't want to be there alone with him. I'll get my alchemy back, and that bastard will pay. Can you help me do that, Alphonse?"

"Of course brother," Al said and squeezed his brother one last time before letting go. "I guess we'd better get back and get this done. I want to see him pay as soon as possible." Ed nodded and started walking back toward the house with Al. After the first few seconds Al grabbed his hand and squeezed it tightly, giving him a confident smile. 'You can do this,' he seemed to say without moving his lips. He could do this. With Al's help, Ed could do anything.

End Note: So typically I wait for a few more reviews before I post a new chapter, but I'm at a crossroads and I need your help! I'm considering pairing Ed and Al up in the next chapter, but there's still a possibility for reconciliation between Ed and Roy. I'd love to hear your opinions and arguments! I'm not going to be going off of most popular, but rather which reasoning I find most compelling. I hope you enjoyed it definitely a few more chapters to come before an epic conclusion!