Wow! I can't believe how many reviews that last chapter got! Thank you! I love you all! (Sends hugs and kisses out to everyone.) This is absolutely incredible. People have always told me "Write what you know." Well, this is the first time I've actually taken that seriously, and I can't believe the response! Wow! (Yes, it is strange that what I happen to know is metaphysical stuff, heh. I'm just weird is all.)

Anyway, sorry that this chapter's a little bit shorter than most. It's not terribly short, just a little shorter, like Ed.

Ed: Hey!

Me: Oh, sorry buddy, I didn't mean to be rude.

Ed: Well, don't call me short!

Me: Why not? I'm short, and you don't see me getting upset about it. You're actually lucky, because at least you still have some growing to do.

Ed: Haha! Shorty! Shorty! Shorty!

Me: Hey!

Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I still don't own FullMetal Alchemist. I don't think that Ed would want me to own him anyway, would you, Ed?

Ed: What, are you crazy? Nobody owns me!

Me: Well, your original creator does.

Ed: Well, maybe she does, but you don't! HA!

Sigh. Enjoy the story everybody. What am I going to do with this guy?

I had been having difficulty deciding what to spend my Christmas gift fund on, since I didn't have enough to buy any really great presents. After last night's enough with Edward, however, I knew. I had to buy the materials that would make up his body. Being reunited with Edward would be a gift enough for the three of us. It was priceless, as a matter of fact. I just hoped that I could pull this off.

I went downstairs after I got out of bed, and found my mother standing over a pot on the stove. "Mother?" I asked.

"Yes, sweetheart?" She turned and faced me.

"You had told me that I could take a week off from school if I needed to, since my best friend died. I tried to get through school without doing that, but my grades are starting to suffer. Would it be alright if I took that week off now?" I asked.

My mother stared at me for a moment, and then said, "Of course you can take a week off from school, sweetheart. The death of a loved one is one of the hardest things to deal with. I'm surprised that you didn't ask to stay home before now."

I managed a weak smile. I was really lucky to have such and understanding family.

After I ate breakfast, I announced to my mom that I was going for a walk.

"Where to?" she asked.

"I don't really know," I said, "Wherever I end up, I guess."

"Just be careful, sweetheart," my mother said, and then kissed me. "I love you very much."

"I love you too," I said as I hugged her. I then turned and walked out the door.

"Let's see," I mused to myself, "I have the rest of the week off from school, and then two weeks for Christmas break. That should give me enough free time to try and attempt this."

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. Edward had scribbled the materials that make up a human body and their exact amounts on this scrap of paper sometimes after I had gone to sleep.

"I think that I can at least get some of these things at the drugstore. I also have some connection with some of the staff at the local high school. Maybe I can get them to let me borrow a few things from their chemistry lab," I said to myself.

I walked into the drugstore. Some of the materials were indeed easy to find, such as Iron and Potassium. Others were not quite so easy. I prayed that the people I knew in the high school staff were in a good mood today.

I paid for the items I found up at the cash register. "Here's your change," said the cashier. Hmm, ninety-five cents. There wasn't much left. I hope that I could get the rest of the materials soon, somehow. After all, I had yet to learn about alchemy.

I decided not to go directly home, so I took an alternate route which took me past the library. It had been a long time since I'd even gone to the library, so I decided that I'd just go inside and see what was new.

I browsed the suggested reading for my age group. No on writes anything good for my age group these days, I thought. Okay, maybe I do have strange tastes, but still…

I decided to take a look in the adult non-fiction section. There were usually one or two books that interested me there. Like I said, I have an unusual taste for books.

I was looking in the religion and philosophy section, when I felt something brush the back of my neck. I jumped and spun around, but saw nothing. A book fell off the shelf.

I'd better put that back, I though. I picked it up and read the title: Meditation. Ok, that's weird, I thought, why did that fall off the shelf? I was about to replace the book when other hand shot up.

"What the…?" I said. When I saw where my hand was resting, my face turned white. It was resting on a book about alchemy!

"E-Edward, are you here?" I asked. No response. I shrugged it off. I grabbed the book on alchemy, replaced the book on meditation, and turned to leave. Then, I heard something fall off the shelf again.

I turned back to see what it was. It was the same meditation book as before. Strange, I though, I'm sure that I put that on the shelf properly last time. I picked up the book and put it back on the shelf a second time.

Right before my eyes, the book slid off the shelf all by itself and fell to the floor. I got the message.

"You want me to read this, don't you, Edward?" I said, "But why? What does meditation have to do with alchemy?" No response. Fine, I'd check out the book.

After I left the library, I started just walking aimlessly. I had no where I needed to go right now, after all. I was carrying the two books in my right arm, with the meditation book on the top.

Suddenly, the meditation book opened by itself. I read the first line on the page, "Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed."

I sighed, "Very well, Edward." I headed for the park, since it was nearby. There was a secluded spot right next to the creek, so I sat down there.

I opened the meditation book and read the first couple chapters. The second chapter had a meditation exercise at the end. Ok, I'll try it, I thought.

I read the excerpt from the exercise, "Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed. Sit in a comfortable position, and close your eyes. Take several deep breaths and clear your mind. Say a mantra ever few seconds, concentrating only one the words you're saying. Just about anything will do for a mantra. Some good mantras are love, all is one, one is all, and reciting the alphabet. Of course, the most popular mantra of all is 'om'. If your thoughts wander, just bring them back and continue. With practice, you'll be able to keep your thoughts focused for longer periods of time."

"Love" seemed the easiest of the various mantras mentioned, so I picked that. I got into a comfortable position, closed my eyes, and began chanting, "Love…love…love…"

It was no more than a few minutes after I started when a voice resounded through my head, "Katie!"

I came to with a start. Edward was trying to talk to me?

"You get distracted when the light is on."

I understood now. He had only been able to communicate at night because I got distracted when it was light. That was why he wanted me to meditate, so that he could communicate.

I began to meditate again. "Love…love…love…" After a few minutes, I heard Edward speak again. "Katie, can you hear me now?"

(Yes, I can hear you,) I replied back telepathically. I wasn't sure if Edward could still pick up telepathic transmission, but I had to give it a try. Speaking aloud would have broken my trance.

"Good," said Edward, "I was worried that you weren't going to figure it out."

He understood my telepathic communications. That was a good sign.

(Edward,) I said, (Why do you still understand my telepathic communications?)

"Because I'm spirit," said he, "Psychic ability functions on a spiritual level, so it comes naturally to me."

(Will you still be able to communicate this way when you come back to life?) I asked.

"I don't know," said Edward, "A material body tends to hinder it somewhat."

(Why didn't you just communicate this way with me before?) I asked, (Wouldn't it have been easier?)

"I tried, but you don't receive telepathic impressions very well unless I'm inside your body," said Edward.

(I see,) I said, (So what do you want me to do now?)

"Read that book on alchemy," said Edward, "It's primitive, since it was written on this side of the Gate, but it'll give you a good foundation. I'll teach you more about it when you get more advanced."

I could feel that Edward was about to leave. (Wait,) I called, (When will I hear from you again?)

"I'll come and visit you tonight," he said, "Take care until then."

(Thanks, see you…er, uh, hear you then,) I said. Edward chuckled, and then left.

Heh...some people actually think that one can't get a book on alchemy at the library, but did you know that you actually can? It won't have anything about transmutation circles in it (that's an Arakawa creation, clever I'd say), but it'll have other stuff that's kind of interesting. Mostly philosophy though.

I'm only a tiny bit Clairaudient, so I don't fully understand what it's like to be that way. Since I can only hear anyone when I'm in that trance-like state just before I fall asleep, I would assume that one would probably need to put themselves in a trance in order to hear effectively. Of course, if it's a person's main psychic skill, then they might not have any problems whatsoever with hearing someone, but it's not Katie's main psychic skill. That's why she has to meditate.

Oh yeah, maybe some of you are wondering why I made up that "keeper of the Gate". Well, I needed some sort of omniscient person for Ed to talk to from time to time, and that seemed like the best way to have it. Hey, if the Lion King can have an omniscient baboon, why can't I have an omniscient keeper of the Gate? Heh, okay, I'm just being silly now. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please review!