Everyone was waiting for Ed as he stepped off the train back in Resembool—even Khana, standing on her own and looking strong as ever. Ed showed off his pocket watch, but no one was really thrilled about the result. He knew most of them were probably hoping he'd fail, not for lack of skill, but because maybe—just maybe—he'd somehow found another way to get Al's body back to normal. But no—this was it. This was the only way he could think of to really drive forward in their ambition. Khana was the quietest out of all of them, but he couldn't tell if it was just because she was worried, or sick, or because she hated what he'd become.

But on the way back, in the back of a buggy with everyone, she asked the brothers, "You're really leaving, then, aren't you?"

"Yeah," Al answered.

"When?"

The brothers exchanged a look, and Ed sighed as he answered, "Probably tomorrow morning, honestly. I just came to pack up, and then we have to go back to East City to report to Mustang."

"Ah. Mustang." Khana huffed. "Tell him I say hi, when you see him—and Hawkeye. I liked her."

"We will." Ed frowned at her. "You want us to tell him about the other stuff too?"

"He's probably already heard," Khana sighed. "He's best friends with Mr Hughes—though I don't know how. They're so different, I don't even know how they met."

The day passed quickly. Ed packed as many of his clothes and toiletries he could fit into a single traveling trunk, and tried to stuff some books in there as well—but could only take so many.

A knock on his and Al's bedroom door made them turn, mid-conversation, to see Khana holding something in their doorway. She stepped in and, without a word, handed a leather-bound book to the brothers. Al took it and looked it over gingerly before looking back up at her.

"It's all in Ishvalan," he commented, and she nodded.

"It's for both of you. In case you forget. There's phrases in there—and words, and the alphabet, too. And I added pronunciation guides."

"Wow." Ed marveled at it. "You put that together yourself?"

"It wasn't hard." Even so, she blushed at his amazed tone. "It's just what I know—I've had a lot of time on my hands lately. And … I wanted to thank you two, for helping me understand a little more of what my brother wrote. I, um… I'll miss you."

"We'll miss you too," Alphonse replied in earnest, but Ed scoffed at her playfully.

"Come on—you talk like you're never gonna see us again. Don't be dumb, we'll come back eventually. And Al and I will have our bodies back to normal again."

"And we'll find someone to heal you. For good," Al added. "So you don't have to live with this anymore."

Khana just stared at them, then swallowed as she looked down at the floor. "Just … be safe, okay? And don't forget the Ishvalan I taught you, or I'll kick both your asses."

The brothers chuckled, but nodded. Ed replied, "You have to promise us something in return."

Khana smirked and muttered, "Yeah, yeah, equivalent exchange. What do you want?"

Al was the one to answer, his hands curling into fists on his lap. "Don't die. We know you're sick, and you can't control it—but if you can help it…"

"Don't die," Ed repeated.

She inhaled deeply, but that didn't stop the tears from falling down her face. She huffed out a sharp breath, controlling the stream, and nodded firmly. "I won't. I promise."

When evening rolled around, the whole family went to the old Elric home, and the others waited as Ed and Al said their goodbyes to everything still remaining inside. They counted their memories and packed them away, then started on what they had planned from the beginning, even before Ed left for his test in Central.

Together, they drew a transmutation circle by the door, with flint as the trigger, and stepped outside to activate it. They both held their hands above the matrix and, with one mutual look of understanding, lit their childhood home aflame. There were cries of surprise from behind them, but they turned to soothe the others.

"It's okay," Al told them, "It's what we've been planning on doing."

Ed nodded. "So that no matter what, we can't turn back until we get our bodies back to normal."

The five of them stood outside the burning house, watching it be devoured by flame, and for each of them it really settled in now: Ed and Al were leaving. Really leaving. And the next time they saw the brothers, they could very well have their bodies back to normal, and Khana could be completely healed.

This fire seemed like it was marking the end, but in truth, it was only the beginning for them.

The next day, when they were leaving, Khana managed to push herself to go to the train station with everyone. She stood on the platform with Pinako and Winry in the early morning, watching Edward and Alphonse board the train with what little they took with them, with no idea when any of them would see the brothers again.

Until then, all Khana had to do was keep one promise. Just one.

Don't die.