Chapter 18: Neverland
--
As the sun started to set that day, the three exhausted boys finally reached the town called Hugel. They had walked for most of the day since they had gotten away from the grasps of the military, and now it had started to become dark. Al's eyes were drooping shut while he walked. Edward stopped as Al tiredly clung to him and leant faintly onto him to rest.
"Nii-san," he murmured. "Can I sleep next to you?"
Edward smiled and wrapped his arm around him. "Of course you can." Without hesitation, he curved down and lifted his little brother onto his back like he had done when he had carried him out of what had seemed to have been hell. "We'll be there soon," he said, and Al's head rested down on his shoulder, his tired eyes still closed.
Alfons had walked some metres ahead, but now he turned around and looked worriedly at them. "Is he okay?"
Edward nodded. "Just tired. Choose the first and best hotel you see."
Alfons nodded agreeing. They weren't in any state to be picky right now. He continued leading down a street which seemed to be the main street in the small town. There were still some people out, and some of them abruptly stopped by the sight of them. They gave them some curious and several troubled stares, and a number of people even whispered to each other. Alfons thought, they were obviously recognized as outsiders, which made him a little uncomfortable. They probably didn't look so good either, having lived out in the forest for over twenty-four hours. But instead of worrying about that, he kept looking for an inn.
Most of the stores were closed. He had hoped they would get the chance to buy some food. He felt starved. Then his eyes suddenly fell on a small hotel in a quiet street.
"We can try that one," he said, and Edward looked like he would've agreed to anything right there and then.
Alfons held the door up for Edward so he could slide in with Al still on his back. He seemed to be either asleep or unconscious. Alfons figured he must be as hungry as he felt too. He turned for the desk, where the owner stared flabbergasted at them.
"Your little brother looks sick," he said. "Is he okay?"
Edward smiled politely. Just by the look of it no one would doubt that they were brothers. He absent-mindedly noted that this time was the first time ever that a stranger hadn't mistaken of which of them being the older brother. He smiled slightly of that thought. "He hasn't gotten much sleep lately," he explained. "Anything available?"
"We have a twin room left."
"That's fine," Edward said.
The owner nodded and beamed, seeming only glad to have customers. "What's your name, lad?"
"Tringham," Edward said, another grin forming on his lips. "Russell Tringham."
With a light scowl Alfons paid the innkeeper with some of the money Havoc and the others had given him and followed Edward towards the stairs. Their room was on the second floor.
"Does that name mean anything to you?" Alfons asked puzzled. "You got a weird look on your face."
Edward snorted with a smirk. "Long story from the old days."
Their room had two single beds, a small table, a chair and a small bathroom. Edward lowered Al carefully down on the nearest bed, and sat down on the edge of it with a deep sigh. "I need something edible," he mumbled tiredly, turning to Al and started removing his shoes.
Alfons agreed, putting down the backpack, which had somehow gotten very heavy lately. His knees failed him and he ended up on the floor, supporting his back against the wall. He didn't even have the strength to pull himself into the other bed.
"I'm sure something is open," he said.
Edward nodded. "I'll go."
Alfons forced himself back onto his feet, getting a bad conscious. "I can go with you."
Edward shook his head and rose. "Watch him. I think he has a fever. I'll buy some medicine as well." He went to the backpack, digging out some of the money. "That bastard Colonel has surely been generous," he muttered. "This will do well for now. The most important thing is to get the train tickets."
Alfons nodded and stepped into the bathroom, turning on the light. The place wasn't that bad, and not very cheap either. This city didn't seem to have a lot of tourists.
"I'll be right back," Edward said from the hall.
"Alright," Alfons replied and heard the door shut closed after he left. He opened a closet in the bathroom, finding a small cloth. He held it under cold water, soaking it. Then he went back and into the bedroom and sat down next to Al. Very carefully he laid his palm on the little boy's forehead. He could confirm that Al had a fever. He was burning up...
Quickly he laid the cold moist cloth on Al's forehead, making the boy's face stir. Al took a couple of sharp breaths without opening his eyes.
"You'll be okay," Alfons said, a little awkwardly. "Just sleep for now. I'll make sure your brother feeds you later." He smiled.
Al reminded him very much of Edward. Like the man in the reception of the hotel, anyone who saw them together would automatically think that they were brothers. And like Edward, Al was clearly a little shy around people he didn't know. When Alfons had first met him Edward hadn't talked very much. But it had changed after they had gotten to know each other better, so he guessed it would be like that with Al too. Until now Al hadn't spoken to him much, but Alfons understood that he needed some time to adjust.
Alfons yawned tiredly. His eyes suddenly refused to focus on anything and fluttered closed. Then he simply lied down on the remaining space on the bed and was out like a light.
When Edward returned he stopped in the hallway and smiled of the sight that met him. Two Als were curled up next to each other, sleeping restfully on the bed.
Alfons had only fallen into a light sleep and woke up by the sound of rustling bags in the hall. He sat up slowly, rubbing his sore eyes.
"How is he?" Edward asked, approaching the bed with his eyes on Al.
Alfons turned to the younger and turned the cloth on his forehead. "He's still warm. We should wake him so he can eat something."
Edward nodded. "There weren't many stores that were open this late. I found a gas station with a poor variety of groceries, but it was better than nothing."
Alfons stood up slowly and went through the bags, finding bread and honey to go with it. Oh well, eating something sweet might restore some of their energy.
Edward sat down beside his little brother, stroking him gently over his dark bronze locks. "Al," he whispered. "Wake up, Al."
Al didn't react to the touch, and Edward scowled. "Seems like he's sleeping deep." He stood up and walked to the bag and picked up a piece of watermelon. "This should help though. He loved eating watermelons when we were kids."
Alfons smiled.
Edward sat down next to his brother again, continuing stroking him over his head. "Al, wake up and have something to eat."
Alphonse stirred in his feverish sleep, squirming a little on top of the bed. "Stop it," he mumbled. "I didn't..."
Edward frowned, shaking him worriedly. He couldn't remember that Al had ever slept so deeply. He used to wake up from the smallest amount of noise. Neither did he use to talk in his sleep either. "Al?"
"No, no," Al said, shutting his eyes tighter and clutched the covers underneath him. "I didn't do it..."
Alfons frowned and stepped closer in alarm. "What's going on?"
"I don't know," Edward said in a low voice. He shook his brother harder. "Al! Wake up!"
"STOP IT! Let go of me!" Al suddenly screamed. "I didn't--!" He threw himself around, almost falling right out of the bed. Edward threw himself after him and caught him, preventing him from falling and hurting himself. Sitting on his knees on the bed, he pulled his little brother back close to his chest while Al continued to yell and thrash about. "I DIDN'T KILL THEM! I DIDN'T KILL THEM--!"
"ALPHONSE!" Edward yelled.
Al's eyes shot open and with a sharp gasp his body abruptly stilled. Tears were running swiftly from his large dark-gold eyes and he stared confused out in space, realizing that he was lying halfway across Edward's lap, and Edward tightened his arms around his trembling shoulders.
"It's okay," he heard his older brother whisper soothingly. "You're safe now."
Alphonse breathed heavily, blinking bewildered. "Nii-san..."
Edward swiftly stretched towards the fruit beside him and broke off a piece of watermelon. He held it against Al's lips. "Eat," he said.
Slowly, Al opened his mouth and accepted the refreshing piece of fruit. He held it with both hands, eating it leisurely like it was something precious that couldn't go to waste. He gave his brother an uncertain look. "It'll be okay, Al," Edward said. Al didn't seem to know that he had just been screaming his lungs out, but he had figured out that he had done something in his sleep which had alarmed his brother.
Edward watched the smaller one carefully. Why had Al said something like that in his sleep? Obviously he had had a terrible feverish nightmare. But he couldn't help wondering if there was something more to it than just a bad dream. What had happened to Al while he was at Thule Society?
--
Alfons didn't object sleeping alone in one of the beds. It was a quite obvious distribution after all. Edward had still not given any attempts to tell Al about their relationship, and even though he had fallen asleep beside Al earlier that night, it would be unnatural to share a bed with Edward's brother – no matter how much space Edward craved at night. After he had taken a soothing, warm shower he went straight for the other bed without any questions. Edward still sat with Al, speaking soft, comforting words and Al seemed to have calmed down, but was still in pain.
Alfons offered Edward a worried look, and Edward replied with a thoughtful scowl. Alfons assumed that Al hadn't told him anything yet. Obviously he had been through a lot of dreadful things during his imprisonment at Thule Society. Alfons felt useless in this situation. Al didn't take much initiative talking to him in general, and he didn't feel like he could blame Al for that.
Al was probably just shy, and maybe especially towards him since he was from another world and more or less appeared like to be a mirrored image of him. It wasn't exactly normal. Alfons knew he probably would've been fairly freaked out if their roles had been swapped.
He lay down and curled up underneath his covers, grateful for finally sleeping in a soft bed again.
At last Edward convinced Al that a shower would do him good, and supported him into the bathroom. Al stopped in the middle of the small bathroom and let Edward remove his red coat. He seemed to be more himself now. "I'm sorry for causing you so much trouble, Nii-san..." he said in a low voice.
"You're not," Edward said. "But you know I'm worried about you, right?"
"Don't be," Al replied and looked down at his feet. He let Edward remove his black jacket.
Edward smiled softly. "Why do you wear my old clothes, Al?" he asked curiously.
Al lifted his gaze at him, a slight blushing shade of red appearing on his cheeks. "They were the only thing I had that resembled you and the years we were journeying together... While I was searching for you, these clothes would somehow lead the way. People recognized me as you, and it was easier to get information that way, although I didn't pretend that I was you or anything," he added.
Edward nodded. "I understand, Al." It had been a clever move, and he probably would've done the same thing. He stretched into the shower and turned on the water. It would take some time for it to get comfortably hot.
"It's okay now," Al said. "I can manage by myself."
Edward nodded. "Okay." He turned towards the door, only by coincidence seeing a long, red mark on the back of Al's forearm. He stopped in his tracks and frowned, abruptly grabbing Al's arm and inspected the wound.
Immediately alarmed, Al tried to pull his arm back. "Nii-san, let go--!"
"Al," Edward said in a low voice. "What is that wound?"
"Nothing!" Al wheezed, pulling at his arm.
Edward let go of him, his eyes still narrowed. "Show me your back."
Al's eyes widened and he shook his head. "It's not as bad as it looks. I'm okay, I promise. I--!"
"Do as I say, Al!" Edward commanded loudly, making Al stiffen and close his mouth. The younger brother lowered his eyes and slowly pulled off his black tank top. Then he turned slowly around, revealing his sore and punished back.
Edward's eyes widened. He had whip marks all over, running deep into his skin. Slowly, he stepped closer, laying a hand carefully on his shoulder, almost afraid of touching him. Al shut his eyes tightly from the touch, not because it hurt, but because he was ashamed. He had just let this happen to him. It had been his own fault.
"Al... who did this to you?" Edward asked, feeling his anger to start boiling dangerously inside his heart.
Al didn't reply at once. He didn't want to be reminded of it. But he knew Edward would keep asking him until he knew everything.
"Schiller-san did," he replied, his voice tiny and low. "But Eckart ordered him to. If he hadn't obeyed, he would probably have been punished too."
"That's no excuse." Edward gritted his teeth. "That Eckart... I'll fucking kill her."
Al whirled around and stared at him. "I don't want you to do that, Nii-san," he said, his voice rising. "I won't let you! No matter what they have done, no one deserves to die."
Edward stared bluntly back at him, a little taken aback. Then he sighed deep, rubbing his forehead. "Schiller is already dead," he silently said.
Al's eyes widened, and for a second it was like his heart stopped. No... It had to be a lie... Schiller couldn't be...
For a long moment he didn't believe that it was true. But Edward wouldn't lie to him about something like that. "It can't be..." he whispered. He had wanted Schiller to change sides. To live on here.
"Well, that's how it is," Edward replied darkly.
"How...?" Al started. "How did he die?"
His older brother looked away. "He shot himself. In front of me."
"Why?" Al whispered, staring at him in shock. "Why did he...?" His eyes darkened a little. Edward could have told him about this before, but he hadn't. "Why are you keeping things from me, Nii-san? You've been like that ever since we met again."
Edward looked slightly guilty. "Everything I kept from you in the beginning would just ruin our reunion." He then frowned. "And I didn't expect you to feel sorry for Schiller."
Al didn't reply.
"After all he did to you?" Edward asked, a little harsher than he meant.
Al turned away from him and lowering his head. "I didn't appreciate everything he did, and I know that it's probably difficult to understand this... I don't know if even I understand it."
Edward just eyed him carefully, and Al continued as his brother went silent. "But he took care of me. And after spending hours down there in the dark alone, I couldn't help being glad to see him sometimes."
Edward sighed low and closed his eyes. "I think I understand." He looked at his little brother again. "Hurry up and shower now. Your wounds need to be cleaned."
Al nodded slowly, and Edward turned and left the bathroom. Walking back into the bedroom, Edward stopped some metres from Alfons' bed. His lover seemed to be asleep already. He lay on his side with an unruffled face and his eyes peacefully closed. Edward stepped slowly towards the bed and kneeled beside it, resting his head on his arms by the bedside, gazing straight at Alfons' face.
Edward sighed deeply again. "I'm glad you're able to sleep."
"Not entirely," Alfons murmured drowsily with his eyes still closed. "But almost."
Edward winced. "So you're just pretending, are you?"
Alfons snorted softly and shifted underneath his warm and comforting covers. "I guess." He opened his eyes slowly and stared back at Edward's troubled face. He scowled. "What's wrong?"
Edward looked down at the sheet. "It's Al. They've beaten him, and he barely wanted to tell me. He has fucking nasty-looking marks all over his back. I want to--" He gritted his teeth and clutched his fists, digging his face into his arms. "We were too late," he continued, into the sheets.
Alfons sat up, still scowling. "That's awful..." he managed. His hand moved slowly to rest Edward's shoulder. He squeezed a little. Caringly. He hoped it might encourage Edward the same way it had encouraged him when he had been in a difficult situation earlier. "You should just think about Al now," he spoke softly. "We were lucky that we found him when we did. The important thing to do now is to make him feel home again, right? His wounds will heal. With you with him, they will."
Edward looked up from his arms, golden eyes blank and he hurriedly rubbed them off with his sleeve. "Yeah..." he said. "You're right."
Alfons smiled softly, resting on his elbows. He was glad Edward was listening to him and that his words really meant something to him. Alfons had missed those moments when Edward would turn to him like this, and listen to him, and then feel better. It warmed Alfons' heart more than anything. He would always be there for Edward when he needed him as much as he could. He gave Edward a light kiss on his forehead. "You should eat something. I know you haven't had anything yet."
Edward snorted. "What do you not know?"
Alfons lied down again on his side, securing the covers under his arm. "You tell me," he said, almost a little challengingly. Then he closed his eyes again, leaving Edward sitting thoughtfully by his bedside.
Sometimes he got the feeling that there was something Alfons wasn't telling him as well. Edward dwelled a little upon it, but he wouldn't ask when Alfons seemed to rather be sleeping. Instead he sat up and prepared some food for himself and Al. He would stuff it down his brother's throat if he had to. He couldn't live by only eating watermelon.
When Al returned from the bathroom he was wearing his boxers and tank top. He had used alchemy and water to clean them and then dry them.
Edward handed him a plate with food. It was a couple of slices of bread with honey. "Here. We need to patch up some of those wounds."
Al accepted the plate slowly and stared at his food for a moment. "I'm not hungry," he said in a low voice.
"Just eat it, Al," Edward said. "In the last six years I've known you, I've never seen you eat even once." He smiled. "Do it for me."
Al snorted, but a small smile formed in his features. "You're weird, Nii-san." He sat down on his bed, taking the plate obediently with him. Edward clapped his hands and transmuted some parts of the sheets into long threads to create something similar to bandages. Then he picked his own plate and joined him on the bedside.
Al undressed without a word and quietly let Edward dress his long, dreadful wounds. "Does it hurt?" Edward asked.
"A little," Al replied honestly. "But I'm... kind of used to it by now. And you know... I couldn't even feel pain for four years. Now it kind of makes me feel alive."
"Heh, brave words, little brother," Edward replied silently, tightening the band aid a little, enough that it wouldn't be messed up while Al was going to sleep, but not so much that he would have trouble breathing. "There," he said.
"Thank you." Al crossed his legs underneath him and took a small bite of the bread.
"I have something that's yours," Edward said. "I've just forgotten to give it back to you."
"Oh?" Al said curiously. "What's that?"
Edward picked up the small silver watch up from his pocket, holding it up in front of Al.
Al's bronze eyes grew large as saucers. "My pocket-watch..."
Edward handed it to him without a word and silently started to eat. Al held the watch in his open palm, watching it quietly for a long while. Then he said: "I should probably leave my resignation. Although, they would definitely question me about you and how to find you. I wouldn't have told them anything, but I'm scared."
"You should go later," Edward said. "If you don't resign they'll think you've deserted too. I'm not going to let them have any reasons to tie you in as well. But don't worry about that now. We'll go to Rizembool first."
Al nodded slowly. He put the watch on the night table and continued eating his food in small bites at a time. "Nii-san," he said after a small silence.
"Yeah."
"How did you get back?"
Edward lifted his gaze at him while taking a big bite of his food. "Haven't I told you how I got back?" he said, trying slightly to avoid the detailed story.
"You only said that it was difficult to get back."
"Where to start..." Edward sighed. "Alchemy wasn't supposed to work in the other world, but in rare occasions it did. I made the Gate, and after Thule had left... To be honest with you..." he said while chewing. "Envy suddenly showed up and he made me take him through the Gate in a flying machine. He threatened Alfons' life." He lowered his gaze. "My reason for being there at that time was to destroy the Gate, not travel through it."
Al's eyes narrowed, wondering if the disappointment showed in his eyes. "You... Weren't you trying to come back?"
"I had tried for ages," Edward explained. "But originally alchemy wasn't meant to work in that world. Still it worked and dad said it would ruin the balance between the two parallel worlds. People from the other world would be a part of ruining the balance as well." He decided to not tell more than necessary. Al and Alfons were both going to live in this world, no matter what the balance said. "I wanted to make sure no one else could come through the Gate. But as you know now, the plan didn't go that way. And I brought both Envy and Alfons here."
Al nodded slowly. "I see." He remembered what Envy had told him, that bastard. He had said that Edward was dead. To mess up his mind, and take away his hope from ever seeing him again...
Edward put away his empty plate and reached out a flesh hand to gently squeeze his shoulder. "Everything will be okay. I promise."
Al nodded, forcing a smile. "I know."
"I'll go wash. I'll be right back."
"M-m." Still Al couldn't help wondering why it had mattered so much more to his brother to stay in the other world with him. He turned his head, watching the sleeping stranger in the other bed. He had to admit to himself that the thought was disturbing him quite a lot.
Edward went into the bathroom and wrung off his dirty clothes. He took a quick shower, cleaning himself and then he cleaned his and Alfons' clothes. He put his boxers and t-shirt back on and returned to his little brother again.
Al lied on his side at the top of his covers, having already lightly dozed off. His plate was empty, sitting on the bedside beside him and Edward removed it carefully and put it away. Then he gently lifted Al's body up in a sitting position and dragged the covers away underneath him.
"Nii-san," Al whispered, only barely managing to keep his eyelids open.
"Yes?"
"I love you, Nii-san."
Edward smiled and lied down beside him while he draped the covers over them both, just like when they were little. "I love you too, Al."
Al snuggled into him with a small and content smile on his face. At least Edward was with him now, sleeping close to him and not beside Alfons Heiderich. For now he would leave the whole matter aside. He didn't think he would ever grow off sleeping next to his older sibling like this. When sleeping beside him this way, he finally felt safe.
--
When Alfons woke up it was already morning and he wished he could lie there in the comfortable bed for hours, all the rest of the day. But he knew Edward intended to keep them moving and not be on the same place for a long time. Still it was tempting to fall asleep again after seeing the two siblings still lying deeply asleep on the other bed. Edward lay on his back with his arms and legs spread out all over, the covers only halfway draped over him. Alfons smiled. It was typical Edward to end up in that position in the morning, almost stealing all the space. But Al didn't seem to mind it. The younger brother lay curled up on his side, close to his older sibling's side and slept with a peaceful look in his features.
Sitting up in his bed, Alfons yawned drowsily and moved his feet onto the chilly floor. He shuddered from a goosebumps-attack by his feet touching the wooden floor, and he moved quickly into the bathroom. He couldn't help but wish to himself that Edward would just get on with it and tell Al about their relationship already. He wanted to act completely like himself and do the things he would normally do in the morning. Loll close to Edward and greet him with a morning-kiss. But instead he had to keep himself chained.
Alfons looked at himself in the mirror, and sighed as a somnolent face with messy blond hair looked back at him with awfully miserable eyes. He shouldn't look like that. They had succeeded in rescuing Al, after all. He was supposed to be happy, and happy for Edward and his brother. He was. Of course he was. But why couldn't Edward just tell Al the whole truth?
Was he uncertain of how Al would react? Was he unsure how to tell him? If he were, perhaps Alfons could suggest letting him be there with Edward when he told Al. To back him up. But what if Al didn't accept the whole idea? What would Edward choose to do? He would never want to separate himself from his brother again. Would that mean that he would choose to separate himself from Alfons? Why was he always thinking like this?
His breath hitched as he heard a loud scream from the other room. His thoughts were forgotten in the next second as he sprinted one step towards the door and back into the bedroom. He frowned at the sight that met him.
Al was twisting around and kicked to get away while arching off the bed, and Edward held around him trying to calm him down as best he could. Alfons noticed that Al's eyes were still shut.
"I DIDN'T DO IT!" Al screamed. "YOU'RE LYING! GET AWAY FROM ME!"
"Alfons, get some water please," Edward managed in between Al's shrieking voice. Al abruptly twisted out of his arms and down on the bed again, curling up with his arms around his knees.
Alfons stared in shock for a couple of seconds before he realized that Al wasn't aware of Edward at all, and he nodded fast and went quickly into the bathroom again. Then he came to realize that he didn't have anything to fill water in, and went hurriedly back to the hall to get one of the flasks from the backpack.
Edward carefully locked his hand around Al's shoulder. "Al," he tried. "Wake up."
"Open up," Al mumbled into his own arm. "Let me out of here, I don't want to--"
"Al, you're having a nightmare," Edward said out loud. "Get out of it."
Al shifted and twisted around, small pearls of sweat running down his forehead. "Open up," he repeated. "I want to go back, let me go back!"
Edward frowned and gripped around Al with both of his hands, and lifted him up into a sitting position, shaking him. "Al, wake up!"
"Nii-san," Al cried. "Nii-san!"
Alfons got back with the bottle filled with water and Edward quickly snapped it from him and threw an amount directly into Al's face.
Al's breath hitched and his ranting abruptly stopped. Edward then held him close to him while he spoke softly into his ear, rocking him back and forth and carefully stroking his back. "It'll be okay, Al, I'm right here. You're safe now, nothing bad will happen to you."
Alfons' heart stirred from the sight and again he felt completely left over and useless. Of course Al wouldn't just forget what had happened to him, even if he seemed to be all right most of the time. What had happened to him obviously haunted his dreams, and of course it would take a long time for him to recover. Alfons felt suddenly bad for his thoughts earlier. Maybe Edward had understood this from the start, and because of that, his number one priority was to get Al to feel safe and sound again. He wanted his mind to focus on recovering. Of course Alfons couldn't blame Edward for that. It was the only right thing to do. He had even said that to Edward himself last night when Edward had felt down. They had been beating him, how could Alfons already have forgotten about that? Gnarling silently to himself and feeling stupid, Alfons couldn't believe himself for being that selfish.
"I'm sorry!" Al blurted, trying to push himself away from his brother, but the older didn't let him.
"Stop saying you're sorry, goddamn it," Edward hissed, effectively preventing Al from escaping. "I only want to help you, so please tell me what happened to you!"
At that Al dug his nose into his brother's chest, trembling and shaking his head.
Edward scowled down at him, but then he sighed softly and sustained the light stroking over Al's back. Al's breathing calmed down a little and gradually his heart stopped racing at inhuman speed. "They died," he suddenly collapsed. "Because of me... That's why they beat me. I killed them."
"Al," Edward said in a low voice. "Look at me."
Al didn't make any effort to look at him, rather the complete opposite. He hid his face away and refused to look up.
"Al," Edward repeated. "Tell me exactly what happened."
Al was crying. Alfons' heart hurt of seeing him like that. He wanted to do something, but he didn't know what.
"Alfons," Edward said, glancing up at him. "Leave."
Alfons nodded. He had nothing to do with this situation, except being in the way... He left the room quickly and stepped out in the hall. It was probably for the best leaving the brothers alone.
Edward continued to stroke soothingly over his little brother's back. "Can you do that, Al?" he asked again. "Tell me everything."
Al took some sharp breaths. He was glad that Edward had told Heiderich to leave. He felt more comfortable with only himself and Edward in the room. "I transmuted the Gate," he started slowly. "And then... two people... they got involved in the transmutation somehow. I tried to stop it, but Eckart knocked me away from the circle and the two people disappeared into the Gate. There were... black hands."
Edward looked solemnly at him, understanding what had happened. "Al, that wasn't your fault."
"If I hadn't transmuted that Gate--" Al started.
"You didn't mean for those people to get involved," Edward interrupted. "The Gate just took them, didn't it?"
"It had been supposed to be me," Al continued weakly. "But it chose its own sacrifices. I don't understand what happened."
Edward scowled. "It's the balance," he said slowly, and finally Al lifted his head up to look at him. "It means... when the Gate has the chance it takes away people who don't belong in this world."
Al stared horrified at him. "And it returned me after I fell in..."
"That doesn't mean that the two people who were taken made it through alive," Edward said solemnly. "Most likely they didn't."
Al looked away again.
"But as I said, that wasn't you fault," Edward said again and laid a hand on Al's shoulder. "And you know it. You even said it yourself right now. The Gate chose who were to be sacrificed."
"Then why is this haunting me so much?" Al asked in a low voice. "Although, I told Schiller-san that I didn't do it." He looked at Edward again, who was now looking at him with wide eyes. Like he thought all this was totally absurd. But Al wanted Edward to understand. "And he believed me," Al said. "But still he had to beat me. It was painful for him too."
Edward didn't reply to that, just hugged his brother tightly. Somehow Al had developed a strange care for the one who had held him captive, and Edward wasn't sure if he liked it much. But he didn't want to destroy Al's way of seeing it. Maybe he handled what had happened better this way. And Al wasn't entirely wrong either, Edward realized.
"He cared about you," Edward said, feeling kind of strange saying it. "Or else he wouldn't have let me escape so I could return back to you."
Al nodded, pleased with hearing that. "I wish he hadn't died..." he whispered.
Edward sighed softly. "Me too. But we can't change the past. We can only move forward."
"Yeah..." Al said in a low voice.
--
An hour later they checked out of the hotel as soon as they were all ready to go. It was still early in the morning, and still chilly in the air as the sun hadn't risen properly on the sky yet. Alfons had never been such a fan of hiking. Not that he was nervous about getting kidnapped or something like that. There were three of them after all. And Edward could easily take down at least two or three guys, and after all the action, Alfons was sure he could take down someone easily too – just from the amount of adrenaline that was able to flow inside ofhim when he was pressured. He didn't know much about Al's fighting skills, but he was sure the little brother had some guts. At least he had almost knocked him unconscious on the beach.
Al seemed to have recovered from the nightmares as they had left the hotel. But he went never less than a few inches away from his brother, like he would lose him if he fell more than eight inches behind. Apart from that he acted quite normally again, he didn't even seem bothered about the hiking aspect of their trip. Alfons thought hiking was a bad idea simply because of their appearances. Not that they seemed suspicious or anything, but they were quite beaten up and they were three young men who very much resembled each other. No one would doubt that they were three brothers out on a hitchhike, and the generous guy picking them up would probably remember them and where they were going. Since they were on the run, it would be risky to let anyone know where they were going. The military could in fact be questioning people around the country about them. Maybe even publish their pictures in the newspapers. The thought of that was quite disturbing.
If the military or Thule Society found them and picked them up, they probably wouldn't be able to escape again. Alfons shuddered by that thought as well, unable to tell what would be worse.
Now they were heading west, following a small country road and Edward was ready to stop the first car passing by.
"Edward," Alfons said, walking beside him.
"Hm?" Edward replied.
"Shouldn't we just stay low for a while and not talk to people? What if the military questions citizens?"
"That's exactly what we want them to do," Edward said. "Or at least, that's the most obvious thing we should be expecting them to do."
Alfons frowned confused. "Then why? They'll find us."
Edward turned to him with a small smirk on his face. "We'll leave a false trail of course."
Alfons didn't want to be taken as stupid. He had thought of the possibility actually, but doing that and still hitchhiking to where they were going didn't really make any sense.
"How?" he asked.
"Easy," Edward replied. A car was approaching. "Ready Al?"
The younger brother nodded. "Yeah." Then Al simply let himself go limp while Edward hoisted him onto him back.
"Just play along, Alfons," he said. "Stop that car!"
Alfons caught the drift and started waving his arms high in the air towards the car. "Hey!" he called, but still unsure if this was a good idea.
Edward held his brother up on his back. "The story is that he's sick and needs a hospital as fast as possible."
"Got it," Alfons replied timidly. Details later.
The driver slowed down by the sight of them. It was a man in early fifties with a greyish beard. He rolled down his window as he stopped his automobile. "Hello boys, out for a stroll this early?"
"My brother is very sick," Edward said fast. "We need to get him to the hospital."
"It's urgent," Alfons added. "Can you help us?"
The man gazed at Al. Al didn't actually need to pretend to be sick. He was already pale and worn out, and truth is, he probably didn't feel totally fine yet after what happened earlier that morning.
"He isn't contagious, is he?" the man asked disquietly.
Edward looked annoyed. "No. Can you help us or not?"
Alfons thought he almost sounded threatening, so he added. "Please." To make sure Edward hadn't scared the man away.
"Jump in then," the man said. "I'm on my way towards Dublith anyway."
"Thank you," Alfons said gratefully. He really was too. At least he didn't have to walk anymore for a while. Usually he didn't mind walking. But he barely done anything else yesterday, and his legs were already complaining despite of a more or less good night's sleep. He situated himself in at the front and Edward crept into the back with Al. The older blond laid Al carefully over his lap as the driver stepped on the gas and the car moved forward at decent speed.
"You're not from Hugel, are you?" the man asked. "I've never seen you around here before."
"No, we're not. But we have some friends here," Edward said. "Me and Alfred here came to Hugel to get my brother. He visited them alone. He's a terrible troublemaker, running off like that." Edward laughed.
Alfred? Alfons grimaced. Edward was terrible at making up aliases.
"You could say that," the man said in wonder. "And now what's happened to him?"
Al's face stirred and he groaned underneath his breath. For a moment Alfons wondered if he wasn't acting.
Edward gave his brother a truthful look of concern. "I'm not sure. He's having terrible fevers and suddenly collapses like this. Do you know anything of an illness like that?"
The driver shook his head. "Not that I know, sorry."
At least he seemed to buy everything, Alfons thought. Edward continued telling a fabulous story of a town up north-east where they lived, called Lutie. And they were heading straight there as soon as Al felt better.
Alfons wondered if the military would believe this if they interrogated this man. Probably not, but they didn't have to worry about this man knowing where they were going and that was the most important thing. The military had probably already figured out that they were heading towards the nearest train station. The real problem would probably be to bypass them from there.
After a very long drive they finally reached the town of Dublith. The hospital lay near the centre of the city, and the driver stopped outside.
"I hope he'll get better soon," the nice man said.
"Thank you very much for the ride," Alfons said fast, and jumped out of the car. He wanted this to be over with. He opened the door for Edward and helped him bring Al out. With Al between them they carried him inside the hospital doors.
The man watched after them before he started his car again and continued down the main street. A couple of minutes later he stopped outside a grocery store and brought his newspaper with him as he left the car. Heading straight for the telephone box, he put on some coins and dialled the number.
"I know where those boys you're looking for are," he said into the mouthpiece. "The hospital of Dublith."
--
It was kind of hard to convince one of the hospital nurses that nothing was actually wrong with Al after they had brought him in that way.
"He's just dehydrated," Edward explained. "Could we have some water, please?"
Al didn't pretend to be unconscious any longer, but he still looked a little pale and tired. "I'll be fine," he beamed, trying to convince the nurse himself.
"Well, if you say so, honey," she said. "But I could run some tests to be sure."
"That's not necessary," Edward said. "We're in a hurry."
He let Al gulp down the cup of water, and then they quickly found their way back out.
"Now," Edward said, "we're not far from the train station at all. That's why I picked the hospital in the first place."
Alfons agreed that it had been an okay plan. Even if it probably had an equal amount of obstacles as it did consequences, it had surely been better than walking the entire way. Then they certainly wouldn't have gotten there until nightfall and the military would've been even more prepared to catch onto them soon.
Alfons felt so relieved when they finally arrived at the train station that it almost shadowed over his nervousness completely. Trains were something he was used to. He had taken the train many times in Munich, as one of the few ways he had to travel at longer distances there. He had been in Berlin some times, visiting his grandmother when he was little. The last of them to be at her funeral. Alfons thought grimly that he had been attending a lot of funerals during his life. As an afterthought he hoped he wouldn't be associating train rides with funerals for the rest of his life, because riding trains was actually quite nice.
They were standing at the platform beside the train tracks, and Edward gazed at the board.
"The train leaves once a day," Al said. "But I think we've made it."
Alfons hoped so. It would be bad waiting here until tomorrow. Sooner or later the military would come here, probably checking all the train stations around.
"The train leaves in half an hour," Edward said, still gazing at the board. He then turned to Alfons who carried their backpack. "I'll go inside and get us tickets. Don't talk to anyone while I'm gone," he instructed.
Alfons gave him a half-hearted nod and handed him the backpack. Edward took it and went inside the train station, leaving the two doppelgangers on the platform.
Al offered him a look before he went to sit at a bench by the wall. "Do you think... the military will look for us here?" he suddenly asked in a low voice.
Alfons turned to him, a little surprised since Al had barely talked to him since they were out in the woods. "Well... I think they will check every route we could be heading, and the train is the simplest way for us to travel, isn't it?" It was pretty much an answer that spoke for itself.
Alphonse looked concerned up at him. "If... If they catch Nii-san..." he voice was shaky. "What will you do?"
Alfons looked at him for a long time, not sure what to say. In fact, he had no idea what to say. He hadn't really thought that far. He didn't like thinking such way, even if he often did. He always pictured the worst case scenarios. Maybe Al did too sometimes.
Alfons smiled feebly and sat down next to Al on the bench. "I probably would try to negotiate with the military somehow, if I could. But I don't know if they would listen to me. They're after me too now, since I helped him with stealing the airplane. But Mustang would perhaps know what to do."
Al's eyes lightened up. "You know the Colonel?"
Alfons nodded. "He helped me with my records." He lowered his voice. "I'm not from this world, you know, so I didn't have any information about myself. He gave me a life story and all."
Al nodded with a small smile. "Risking his own position like that... The Colonel really is a good person."
Alfons wondered just how much Mustang had really risked for him, despite that he probably had hated that he had taken Edward from him. Sometimes it was probably best just not knowing.
--
As Edward went into the station shop he froze abruptly once inside the door. The door shut quietly behind him as he stared straight at the front page of today's newspaper. His and Alfons' portrait photos from the military records covered almost the entire front page.
Edward cursed in a low voice. Those bastards hadn't been slow with going out in public in order to capture them. He discreetly turned the newspaper the opposite way to hide the front page, before he continued slowly into the store. Luckily there were no other people in there. He quietly pulled out the tie in his hair so his long bangs could fall down in his face, letting them slightly cover his features. There was no turning back now. They just had to stay low. Very low.
He stepped over to the bar. "Three tickets to Rizembool, please," he said, shoving the money towards the woman and was careful not to make too much eye contact.
The lady behind the glass smiled at him. "Of course, darling," she said. "Here you are. Have a nice trip!"
"Thanks," he muttered and left hurriedly out the door. He had been lucky she hadn't recognized him. The paper had said that there would be a price to those who turned them in. There was no guarantee that he would have mercy from people, even if he had used to be a famous alchemist.
He found the two doppelgangers sitting outside on the bench, and made a quick sign for them to follow him. There were some other people on the platform. Anyone could have a newspaper or already having read about them. In towns like this one, rumours and gossip spread like wildfire. He felt paranoid already, feeling people turning around and staring curiously at them.
"Al, pull your hood over your head," he said as they walked. There had been a picture of Al too. He was missing after all as well, but the biggest attention had been around him and Alfons. Still he couldn't take any chances.
"Why?" Al asked, looking concerned.
"They've published our pictures, haven't they?" Alfons surmised in defeat.
"Yeah, shut up and follow me."
Al swallowed and pulled up his hood on his red coat, covering his hair and forehead. "I think some people stared at us on the platform."
"Don't worry," Edward said. "We're going on that train, no matter what."
Alfons felt suddenly very nervous, practically feeling the paranoia grab a hold around his shoulders, breathing at him in the neck and whispering in his ear. People might be calling the military right now. They would add two and two up immediately, and they would wait for them on the platform until the train had left. If they did, they would never get on the train at all.
Edward showed the way through a background passage around the train station, out of the people's sight.
"Where are you going?" Alfons asked.
"Here," Edward said. He knit his fingers and stretched them in front of himself. Then he lowered down his backpack and found one of the bottles with water they had filled before they left the hotel. "What hair colour do you prefer?" he asked with a small smile.
Alfons stared bluntly at him. "I prefer the colour I have."
"Wrong answer. We have to disguise ourselves in some way," Edward explained. "I'll make it brown. Since you have blue eyes black wouldn't seem so natural."
"O-okay," Alfons replied timidly. This was ridiculous. He had never cared much about how his hair looked like anyway, so why start now? And Edward could possibly turn it back to the colour it had been later. He hoped.
He bowed his head obediently down as Edward removed the top if the bottle and clapped. Then he touched Alfons' hair at the same time as he let the water run through it. Alfons shuddered a little from the cold drops running down his neck. He felt the energy of the transmutation flow through him, like the power of Edward's alchemy connected to him and lingered on his skin as a small prickling. Then Edward slowly removed his hand and Alfons straightened his back. He didn't have a mirror, but his contour reflected his Edward's eyes and the blond didn't seem to dislike what he was seeing.
"Not a bad change actually," he commented with a smile. "They won't recognize you from a distance." Then he turned to an expectant Al. "And you..." He clapped his hands again and made Al's hair so dark that it was almost black, with shades of red.. "Put your coat away, Al. The military will know it as soon as they see it."
Al nodded, agreeing. He took off his long red coat that he had gotten after his brother, and stuffed it into the backpack.
"And what about you?" Alfons said. "What if you transmute your clothes and dress like a girl?" He grinned. He thought he heard a small giggle coming from Al as well.
Edward gave him a dangerous look. "When did you become so funny?" He coloured his own hair in a similar colour that Al used to have. Dark bronze. Then he was down to business once again. "Let's change jackets. Then we'll split up."
Alfons nodded and slipped off his jacket. It wasn't as long as Edward's, but he liked it very much. Edward handed him his long, brown jacket and he put it on instead. The only reason why it fit him was because it was too big for Edward. But Edward had never cared about such things.
Edward put on his jacket while eyeing him carefully. "Button it up, at least your braces won't show."
Alfons snorted. But he felt slightly nervous about the part about splitting up. "How are we going to do it?"
"We wait here until we hear the train arrive the platform. While it's crowded we slip in, one at a time from different directions. Just sit down at a random seat. When the train leaves, I'll find you at your seats and we'll move to a less crowded compartment."
Alfons nodded. "Alright."
Edward handed them each their own ticket, and right after they heard the flute of a steam locomotive arriving at the platform.
"Wait here, I'll be right back," Edward said and moved to the corner of the alley they were standing in. He disappeared around it and the two doppelgangers waited nervously for him to return, even too startled to exchange any words.
Alfons breathed in deep as Edward came back, looking resolute. "They're here alright. But they're just walking around, they're not grabbing each person they see and examining their faces. Keep your eyes low."
Alfons nodded nervously, pulling the coat higher around his throat. It wasn't especially cold outside, but it was still slightly chilly. It wouldn't look out of the ordinary. Knowing how Edward's mind worked, he knew he would ask him to be the first one to go. Edward would be going last when he knew they had gotten safely on board, but he wouldn't send his little brother out first, in case the soldiers would decide to check every new person who arrived the platform.
Alfons took a deep breath. He had to hurry if they all were going to make it before the crowd and chaos ended. "What if I get caught?" he asked.
"I'll know if you are," Edward said. "And if you are, I won't let you be caught alone." He smiled.
Alfons huffed, not liking that either. "I'm off. See you later."
Then he went. He was acting much calmer than he really felt as he let his legs walk on autopilot out of the alley and back onto the platform. It was still crowded. People were saying good bye or greeting each other, people were still rushing out of the train, and other people were waiting to get on. He dared to lift his gaze a little, seeing a couple of soldiers standing in groups here and there. They simply observed the area, and the people. Alfons swallowed and felt his neck starting to sweat. He felt their eyes meeting his and he drew his own eyes to the ground.
Finally people had started to enter on board and he was standing in line. He felt a little better as people went to stand in line behind him, feeling that it somehow covered him better from the soldiers' eyes. He stepped up the stairs just as someone bumped into him and he froze dead.
"Oh, I'm sorry, son," a man said apologetically, and continued passed him.
Alfons' heart slammed against the insides of his chest. He had to stop being paranoid. It would kill him one day. He went hurriedly onto the train and turned right, going as far back into the train he as could.
He found an available seat in a compartment with few people and sat down by the window, shrinking down in his seat. Two seconds later his leg was bumping up and down of restlessness, and he was constantly checking his watch and peeking carefully out the window onto the platform with people. He couldn't spot Al or Edward anywhere. Were they okay?
If they were caught and not him, then what was he supposed to do? The thought hadn't had time to occur to him before now, and he was trembling a little, biting his nails and breathing a little unevenly through his nose. This was really torture.
The crowds on the platform had started to calm down. Then the flute was suddenly whistling over the station. A woman with a child was waving enthusiastically at someone in another compartment. Then the train started moving.
Alfons closed his eyes. Let everything be alright. Let both of them be on board. He didn't really know how far the way to Rizembool was, but it was surely too far to hitchhike.
The conductor came by him to piston his ticket. He didn't offer Alfons a second look and went on further without any trouble. Alfons felt slightly relieved, but not enough to be calm within. Why were they taking so long?
After what seemed like an eternity, he finally spotted a familiar face and Al sat down across from him with a small smile, followed by Edward.
Edward slumped back next to Al, grinning at Alfons. "How did it go?"
Alfons could finally breathe again. "Hell, I was worried. But it went fine. With you?"
Edward nodded. "It wasn't any trouble."
Alfons laid his hand over his heart, as if trying to force it to calm down. He lowered his voice. "So... is the military on the train too?"
"I don't know," Edward replied. "They could be dressed as civilians. But we'll worry about that if they find us." He yawned and sunk down in his seat. "I'm kind of tired."
How could he be so damned easygoing? Alfons sighed. "How far is it to Rizembool?" he asked. He realized that they were really on their way for real now. They were really going to Edward's hometown. Actually, he couldn't wait to see it. Ever since Edward had told him stories about the other world, the town called Rizembool had always been mentioned somewhere, and Alfons had always imagined a beautiful and peaceful village with green hills, clear rivers and small pretty wooden houses. He longed to be somewhere pure and innocent, untouched by terror.
"We'll be arriving there tonight," Edward said, with an unreadable dreamy smile on his face.
--
The time was around 10:30 pm when they at last were drawing near the Rizembool train station. Edward was sleeping in sitting position with his neck laid back. Alphonse was curled up next to him, sleeping on his shoulder with his legs tucked up underneath him in his seat.
Alfons smiled. Whenever the brothers were sleeping, he somehow found a peace just by watching them. He hadn't been able to close his eyes himself, but it was soothing to know that the other two were calm enough to manage to rest their eyes. But to be safe, he had decided to stay awake. Keep watch or something.
The train was slowing down and he leaned forward, touching Edward's knee and shook him gently. "Edward."
Edward stirred and let out a yawn. "Alfons? Where are we?" he muttered, moseying at him.
Alfons smiled. "We're here."
Edward's gaze lit up, much more awake than he had just been. "Here, huh..." he repeated softly, and gazed out the window. It was almost completely dark outside. But he knew those hills, those trees and those houses. It didn't seem to even have changed much since he was a child.
The train stopped entirely and they went off. There weren't many other people leaving the train in Rizembool, but they didn't see anyone suspicious either. Still Edward had his guard up as they started following a small road leading in between the hills. No one was following them. Alfons trusted that Edward would've noticed it just like he did in Central if they were stalked and followed. When Edward was sure no one was close by, he alchemized each of their hair colour back to normal. There wouldn't be any point being disguised here, after all.
As they walked Alfons let his eyes wander over the small hills and trees. He felt so excited to finally be here. It felt like a dream. He was in Neverland. A place that had merely existed in stories he had heard a long time ago, until now. It was the place where dreams came from – and it was here their dreams would begin.