A fullmetal heart.
Rain was never a good sign.
It usually meant that something had gone wrong.
But for it to rain on Christmas...Something must have gone TERRIBLY wrong.
And it had gone terribly wrong.
Edward Elric had died on Christmas surrounded by his family without his family
even noticing or realizing what had happened for nearly two whole hours after
that they had dinner when he had been completely fine.
And he had died with a smile on his face.
Roy groaned as he put a hand on his head.
Why did they always have such a bad timing?
Last year, they arrived and found Edward laying on the floor, unconscious with
a wrench besides him and Alphonse trying to wake him up after that Winry had
given him a practically strong throw with her wrench. The wrench had knocked
him out cold and had given him a serious concoction and for the entire rest of
the day he had been unconscious, not waking up until a week later.
The year before that, the Mustang's had skipped dinner with Hawkeye's family
and had decided to have dinner with the Elric's instead. Only to find out that
they had just had an early dinner.
But this...This was by far their worst moment when it came of marching
through the front door.
They had walked in on the whole family mourning Edward.
Roy sighted. This was not a good day indeed.
Roy opened his tired eyes and looked at everyone in the house.
If it rained on Christmas, it really wasn't a good sign.
But for Ed to be smiling as he left the world?
Those words where on almost everyone's lips when they weren't weaping at the
loss of a brother, a father, a husband and an uncle.
- Why is he smiling...?Roy had asked from the table, not wanting to risk
walking over to the Elrics, breaking their sanctum.
- We...We don't...know...Alphonse sighted heaviliy and looked at his
brother.
- We don't know why he is smiling like he does...We don't know why he is
smiling...We don't know...We don't know...Alphonse answered with a
heavy sight and sob.
Roy sighted again and massaged his head, fighting against his worst Edward
induced headache in years.
- What kind of...What kind of a father leaves behind a loving wife, a
carring brother and four adorable children without even saying anything to
them, only leaving behind a smile? Roy asked and then regretted it as the rain
returned, but everyone looked at him.
- We have been...Thinking about it...All evening...Ever since we
found out...Al said shaky. Understandably, he was Edward's brother and the
two were almost inseparable.
But now it had happened. They had been seperated.
Roy and Al sighted and slumped back again.
- We...we think...or at least...some of us...Winry started and
looked at her children.
- We think that he smiles because he loved his family. Or atleast...we
did...but we were his pride, but there is more to him then just pride. Winry
said and locked eyes with Maes and Edwin for support.
Riza looked at Mei.
She hadn't even said a word, yet it looked like she was about to burst. Not
just from tears and seeing everyone cry.
- Mei...What is it? Riza asked cautiously and looked at Mei. And that was
all that it took.
- This is might...All of this is my fault...Mei said quickly and then
bursted out into tears.
Alphonse looked up from his palms as he heard his wife cry.
Everyone now looked at her confused and shocked.
- This is all my fault...I couldn't stop it...And now...Now he is
gone...AND IT IS ALL BECAUSE OF ME!ALL BECAUSE I COULDN'T STOP
IT!Mei bursted out into tears and fell back onto herself.
Alphonse looked at her as she cried into her dress.
- Stop what? Alphonse asked concerned and confused moments before Winry asked
the same question.
- His heart...His whole body...Something had gone wrong...The
remains of his...His automail...the remains of his automail had begun
corroding in his body and the rust and metal was slowly spreading through his
blood. He asked me to try and heal the damaged that had already been done last
time he was in Xing...Mei explained, and all of a sudden, Alphonse hesitated
whether or not he should place a supporting hand on his wife's shoulders or
not. Winry had frozen.
- I did the best I could...I did the best that I could...I did my
best...yet it wasn't enough. The damaged had already been done...No
matter how much I tried to heal him or how many healed him...We only
could...could prolong it...We couldn't stop the metal from tearing his
heart apart and making it slow down...I couldn't stop it...No one
could...We could only prolong it...We couldn't stop it...We
couldn't stop it...Mei explained in tears through her dress.
The hand came and she looked up and saw Alphonse's honest eyes.
They weren't judging or blaming her.
They were understanding her.
- Automail...Winry broke the silence.
Everyone looked at her.
She was shacking.
- Automail...My automail...It killed him...It killed
him...I killed him...I killed him...Winry said trembling and
then she just broke down into tears, everyone hurrying to her side.
- No Winry...No Winry...You didn't kill him...You didn't kill
him...You didn't...kill him...Alphonse said warming and soft, his
voice was weak and tired, but it was honest. he slumped down beside her and put
her arms over her shoulders.
- But I did...But I did kill him...Those few bolts that remained in his
flesh...had I ever tried to remove him...he might still be
here...Winry sobbed and she looked at her beloved husband, now gone.
Edwin turned his head from his mother and looked at his father.
A fire in his eye.
Roy noticed it.
- Why are you smiling when mother is crying? Edwin asked sternly. His voice was
filled with spite and anger.
Al, Roy, Riza and Winry looked up and looked at Edwin.
That voice, that tone, that was the same voice that Edward had used in his
younger years when he had talked about or to Hohenheim.
- Why...?Edwin had asked and the fire was gone and it was raining again.
- Are you...Are you...are you happy because you finally got to leave
us...?Edwin asked under his tears.
And Winry collapsed into her hands and began to cry once again.
Edwin had a dark look in his eyes as he looked at his father sitting so calmly
in the chair with the mysterious smile on his lips.
He did not even seem to notice or care that almost everyone had teared up at
the possibility that it was true.
Roy looked at Edwin.
Even when crying, the fire seemed to be there, but burning beneath the water.
The thought that hearbreaking. But could it be true?
- Would he...Would he...Do you think that he would be happy...to
leave us behind...?Trisha had asked and walked past Edwin and put hands on
her father's hands resting over the black leather book.
- Would he?...Didn't Maes say it...That we were his pride and joy?
That...That...That...Trisha whimpered through some sobs and tears
before she broke down and cried on her father's lap.
Maes only nodded as the tears came flowing.
- He probably never told you or any other of us about his condition...because
he did not want you to worry about him...That he did not want you to stop
smiling...Mei said after a stunningly long time of silence.
Al looked.
- That sounds like...He cared more about us then himself. And even when he
probably felt his heart falling him, he probably hid them so that we wouldn't
have to worry about him...Alphonse said quivering, trying to hold back his
tears.
He looked at his brother.
- I don't think he smiles because he had to leave us...Alphonse said afetr
a while and then just slumped together, Mei and their children coming to his
side.
- But why...He could have still told us...Alphonse sobbed under his
breath.
Edwin remained silent.
Edwin looked at his father.
The fire in his eyes nearly set him ablaze.
The next thing he said broke everyone's heart.
- You're a terrible father...dad. Edwin said holding back a sob as it
continued to rain.
- DON'T YOU DARE SAY THAT ABOUT HIM!EDWARD LOVED US ALL
EQUALLY!Winry roared at her oldest son, her rage and fury blazing higher than
even the fire within his eyes.
Then it was gone.
- Then why...Then why did he leave us...Why did he have to
leave...Why did he leave...Me...?Edwin asked, not turning around to
face his sobbing mother as he just fell to his knees without another word.
- He did not want to leave...He did not choose to leave...He tried to
stop it...He couldn't...He couldn't...The metal that earned him
his title took his heart...And it took him away from us...Mei sobbed
under Alphonse supporting gaze as he placed a hand on her shacking shoulders.
- You didn't take him away from us...Nor did his automail...He didn't
kill himself...Neither of you killed him...Time killed him...Time
inevitably kills everyone...Even thou his time was short, he did more in
his time then we can hardly understand...Time takes its toll on
everyone...No one can escape it...No one...Not even...My
brother...Alphonse said trying to sound strong, but the further along he
went, the quieter his voice became. In the end, a darkness hung over him as he
slumped together.
- How can you...how can you say that with such a straight face Uncle
Al...You are speaking about our father and your own brother...And yet
you say...You say it like it is natural...Nina said and faced her
uncle from her father's side, rivers running.
- Because...it is...It may have been a sickness, but time took the
first Trisha, it just helped her on the way. Time took our father...And
now...It has taken brother...Alphonse said and tried to look up, but as
soon as he meet everyone's eyes, he slumped together again.
- Brother may be gone...but...but he is still with us...in
the time we shared together with him...in our memories...Alphonse
said, his voice sounding almost hollow and metalic.
Mei, Winry, Riza and Roy looked at up that.
It almost sounded like Alphonse was back in the armor.
Roy sighted and tried to hold back the overflowing emotions.
It was hard to try and contain his raging emotions behind a cold and
emotionless front.
Riza knew more than well that he was trying to hold it up, but she too was
failing at keeping her own emotions in check.
Their children looked at the group and then their own parents.
- Should we leave? Maya asked, almost too afraid to ask.
- And leave them without anyone to support themselves on? Riza stated sharply
at her daughter and then looked at the mourning familiy.
- No. Roy answered coldly. Everyone looked at him.
Everyone.
That was the voice Roy usually used when he was in the darkest corners of his
mind.
- If we leave them now, history might repeat itself. Roy asked and then sent a
look to Edward's left leg before looking at Alphonse who gasped lightly.
- If we leave them now, they will be all alone...And that is when they need
who they love the most...If we stay, they are not said and looked
directly at the younger Elrics.
His look was serious, stern and cold.
Alphonse, Winry and Mei nodded.
Roy sighted and walked up to Edward.
- Fullmetal...Your wife is weeping while you are smiling. And we are asking
ourselves...Why? Why are you smiling? Why are you smiling about dying? Last
time I checked with you, death was the last thing on your mind. Roy said
sternly, but he tried to sound determined.
Winry looked up at him and Edward.
- You're right Fuhrer...Edward has always been about life and living. He
always has been. Maybe he is smiling for having lived such a good life? He even
thanked Truth himself every morning he woke up...Ever since we last visited
Xing and that was last year ago...He was always happy to be alive and for
being able to live in this world...And for having such caring family...You're
right Roy...He isn't smiling because he had to leave us...He is smiling
because he knew that he had lived a good life. Winry said, the darkness finally
leaving her.
Everyone looked up at her, Roy and then Edward.
The darkness leaved all of them.
The fire calmed down, but it spread to everyone.
- Edward...I wonder...Your family was what you lived for and was
your pride...Yet you are smiling knowing that we were coming...That I was
coming...Roy said softly, even a bit warm.
Riza stood up from her chair.
Alphonse looked at him for a moment.
- Brother may not have stated it openly to you...but he did care alot about
you Roy...He always did...As a friend...As family...As the father
he never had...Alphonse said softly, the hollow cold gone from his voice.
It was a relif.
- He always lit up in some way whenever you came...Like your arrival was his
own personal highlight of Christmas. Trisha said with many found memories of
The Mustang's coming to them.
- Maybe they were...Maybe he lit up because his best friends finally
arrived. That they themselves was his own gift...Winry said looking at the
four Mustangs.
Roy only looked at his former friend.
The next second, Roy just collapsed into a fit of tears and rage.
The mothers and father protected their young ears.
And even thou the words were charged with fire and many foul words, the meaning
was the same.
- Why did you never tell me anything!?Why did you never tell me!?Roy had
screamed with some nasty insults smeared around the sentences and a few
sentences dedicated about what he did not think of the man smiling in the
chair.
The last thing he yelled before his voice was drowned in sorrows was a repeated
question.
- WHY ARE YOU SMILLING WHEN YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILIY IS WEEPING!?
Roy had roared before his voice disappeared in rivers of rain.
Riza went to the place where she would always be.
His side.
Maya and Dan hurried to their father's side, trying to calm him.
To give him strength and support.
But what kind of building could stand without any support?
And when Roy finally managed to swallow some of his tears, he looked up and
glared at the former state alchemist.
- WHY?!He had growled before blasting through the arms and rising to his feets,
his eyes red by tears.
- WHY!?Roy had roared before he noticed the book in the old man's hands and
froze.
The second unvoiced question took Roy's voice.
- What is that book he is holding? Roy had asked, his anger and sorrow
completely gone and walked up to his old friend and looked down at the black
leather book resting beneath his hands.
All of the Elric's answered almost in unison.
- We don't know. The whole Elric family had almost answered in unison.
Roy did not groan, he only sighted. A sad sigh at that.
- What could be more important to Edward Elric that he felt the need to guard
it as he left this world? Roy thought out loud as he approached Edward and
started to move the hands on the book, trying not to change their positions to
much.
Alphonse, Winry and Mei all looked at each other's before turned to face Roy
and answer in unison.
- Probably Alchemy. They all said in unison.
The next second, the book was out of Edward's cold hands and in Roy's warm
hands.
He did not even bother to look at the title of the black book and just opened
it up on a random page.
The next moment, Roy gasped and the book hit the floor.
Roy staggered backwards and fell to the floor.
In tears.
Everyone looked at Roy before turning to the book.
It was a book filled with memories.
Alphonse went up to the book, closed it and then went back to the sofa,
everyone was looking at him, trying to get a good look at the book.
Alphonse turned the book so that the front faced them.
They went silent.
The book's title was written in gold.
And its title was Memories.
