A/N: Yay, the real plot! The '12 Month' commencement!

Chapter 4

January

"Why does this month seem to last longer than the others?" Alphonse sighed, sitting in a wooden chair next to a window with his head propped up on the glass pane.

Edward, who just arrived at the hospital from work, sat down on a nearby chair in exhaustion. He had been working overtime to pay for chemotherapy, which Alphonse had started a few days back.

"I don't know, Alphonse. It's probably because people don't feel like going out and having fun in the snow. This weather can make people feel tired, bored, and anxious for the warmer months."

"I love to play in the snow . . ." Alphonse mumbled with a yawn.

"You never mentioned that before," replied Edward.

"That's because when we were younger, all you could do was complain about hating snow, so I never asked you to go outside to play," Alphonse answered.

"Why didn't you just go out to play by yourself?" Ed inquired.

"Because I didn't want to go out there without you. It wouldn't have been any fun," Alphonse said, smiling up at his older brother.

Ed stared at Alphonse in surprise. His little brother broke the eye contact and went back to staring out the window.

Suddenly, Edward stood up and declared, "I have an idea!"

Alphonse gave a start at the abrupt shouting and turned his gaze to his brother again, "What?"

"Let's do something we haven't done since Mom and Dad died!" Edward continued, lunging for his old cell phone and rapidly punching a series of numbers on the key pad.

"Do what, Brother?" Alphonse asked, standing up as well and coming over to see who Ed was calling.

Edward held up a hand to silence Alphonse as he spoke into the receiver, "Hey, Winry, it's Ed . . . I was wondering if you still had that sled we used to play with when we were younger. You do? Awesome! Can you bring it by the hospital today? Okay. Make sure you dress warmly, because you are coming to sled with us. All right. Bye!"

Alphonse blinked at his brother as Edward hung up the phone with a satisfied smile on his lips.

"You're taking me and Winry sledding?" Alphonse asked, unexplained emotions constricting his throat.

"Yeah!" Edward replied happily, "I know you just had chemotherapy, but the doctor told me that you can have some time outside today. I figured as long as we pulled you back up the hill that you would be fine!"

"Oh, Brother!" Alphonse cried out and hurled himself at Ed, gathering his elder brother into a hug.

Edward laughed and ruffled Alphonse's hair playfully.

-x-

"It's awfully high, Brother . . ." Alphonse called over the whipping winds at the top of the snowy hill.

Edward shrugged and Winry asked, "Do you think it's too high?"

"Only one way to find out," Edward replied with a devilish grin.

The three bundled-up friends looked down the steep hill Ed had located on the outskirts of town. The drop was like one you would expect to be at an amusement park.

Alphonse gulped as Edward stepped onto the sled first.

"Come on, Al. You'll be in the middle. Nothing will happen to you," Edward said, turning to gesture to the seat behind him.

Alphonse hesitantly stepped onto the sled, "You could have picked a smaller hill to start out with, Brother."

"Aw, come on. Doing crazy things makes life the most fun," Edward reassured him as Winry finally got on the back of the sled.

"Everyone ready?" Edward called.

"Is this a bad time to remind you that you'd never get on any of the rides at Disney Land when Dad and Mom took us?" Al asked.

"That's probably because he was too short," Winry laughed.

"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SUCH A LOUSY PIPSQUEAK THAT HE CAN ONLY GET ON THE KIDDIE RIDES AT THE AMUSEMENT PARK?" Ed shouted with a violent tirade of jerks, making the sled involuntarily lurch forward.

"Brother!" Alphonse screamed, pushing Edward's head forward as the sled dipped over the side of the hill.

"ARGHHHHH!" The three cried out as the sled whizzed down the hill, flying past trees and bushes.

Edward had forgotten up until then how much rides like this turned his stomach. In terror, he backed up into Alphonse as much as possible and he felt Winry's arms wrap around both him and Al.

The ride seemed to last forever as the stinging wind whipped around the little sleigh, but they eventually made it to the bottom of the large hill.

Nausea spiked in Ed's stomach as the sled hit the end of its run. The blonde boy leapt up and ran to the trees, retching loudly.

When he dizzily returned, he saw Winry holding the ropes of the sled that Alphonse was seated on.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked raspily, wiping his mouth.

"Oh, Edo, you brought Al out here to sled. You're not going to let a little nausea ruin the entire trip, are you?" Winry laughed.

Ed groaned and stumbled to Winry's side and grabbed the sled ropes, slowly beginning their trek up the humongous hill.

"Why does the hill always look taller at bottom?" thought Edward grimly.

Many more sled runs were made that day and Edward lost many more lunches. But every time he saw the appreciative expression on Alphonse's face or any time he glimpsed adoration in Winry's eyes, he forgot his minuscule troubles. He didn't care that each ride down the hill made him feel sicker than a dog, he was simply glad that this day made Alphonse happy.

A word from Gabe: I don't what it is with me today, but anytime I write something or look up anything that has to do with Ed, Al, or Winry, I start welling up. Must be the many emotions that are tied in with this story. Lol.

Annie May Detective: Alphonse does care about Edo, but he thinks if he feels sorry for himself and starts crying a lot and stuff then Ed will go into an emotional breakdown. That's why Al took on the happy-go-lucky persona, because he thinks it's easier for Ed. What he doesn't seem to realize is that he looks as if he doesn't care if he leaves Edo, and that's breaking Ed's heart. Don't worry, everything will work out in the end ;)