Author's Note: Here's the next chapter: Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own FMAB.

Chapter Three

Ed choked on her words. I'm bringing Hohenheim home.

"Ed? You're bringing Hohenheim home? You mean… dad?" Al asked.

Ed was at a loss for words. "Uhh… yeah." She stammered.

"He was at the other side of the gate?" Al asked excitedly.

Realizing that the possibility of Al accompanying him to Central to do research with him was very high, Ed interjected his thoughts.

"It's something that I need to do on my own." She said.

Hurt and pain flashed through Al's eyes.

"Yea, I was just… happy that you and dad are getting along." Al said, avoiding Ed's and Winry's eyes. "Look, it's pretty late so I'm going to be heading to bed first." Al quickly left his seat and scurried to his room.

Ed was hurt. She bit the inside of her cheek just to keep from screaming at Al. She was doing this for his sake, even if he refused to understand that. Their journey to recover their bodies involved the both of them so Ed wasn't too bothered that Al accompanied her on it. But this time was different. Al was innocent. He doesn't remember their journey, their pain and their suffering and she wasn't planning on letting him ever find out. She wasn't going to hurt Al again.

Ed looked up to meet Winry's eyes. "You've changed, Ed." She said before leaving just as quickly as Al had and ran after him.

Ed was left alone in the living room feeling guilty. After Al had done everything he could to bring Ed back, Ed was ungrateful and treating him like crap. She sighed. Would it have been better if Ed didn't return at all? She scoffed at herself for thinking of that. She was glad to be back, but this time, Ed promised to herself that she was going to protect Al, even if that meant that he was going to hate her for the rest of her life.

"Mom! Mom! Look at what Sister and I found!" Al was shouting while running in the house. "Mom!" He excitedly bounced towards his mom who was in the kitchen preparing some food.

"What did you and Ed find?" Trisha kindly asked in her soothing voice. She bent down low to reach their heights. The siblings handed over the metallic object over to the open and pale palm of their mother's.

Her eyes grew big, like she was surprised.

"Where did you find this?" She asked. "Do you know what it is?"

The siblings shook their heads. "It tells time when you press that button." Ed pointed at the watch.

"Yes, it was your father's. It's a pocket watch." Trisha looked sad, but she still smiled.

Worried, Al approached their mother and rested his petite hands on hers which were encasing the silver watch.

Angry, Ed stomped off. She hated their father. He left them. Mom was sick and he couldn't even pay a visit.

"Who needs him anyway?" He harshly whispered seemingly to noone.

Ed opened her eyes. She was back. No matter what, she will always be shocked and grateful to be back. She sighed. She had changed a lot over the years. Even as Al tried to convince Ed about her opinions on their father, Ed would never listen. She laughed half-heatedly to herself. Maybe she changed too much.

Getting stuck at the other side of the gate was tough. She will never tell others how it was. Seeing familiar faces in a different environment, seeing familiar faces of dead people. Her relationship with her father didn't exactly grow, but Edward did feel some sort of connection to him, even though she would never admit it.

"Breakfast!" Winry called from downstairs.

Edward took her time to dress and prepare for her day before going down the steps.

"Morning!" Al happily cheered. There was no remnants of sadness from the night before. Ed felt weary and sad. How many times has Al ever tried to cover his hurt feelings from her without her ever knowing?

"Morning..." Edward replied, trying to sound as lazy as possible.

"Did you sleep well?" Al asked.

Ed nodded, shoving her face with the food.

Al chuckled.

"Wh-ar-t?" Ed asked through her mouth full of food.

"You haven't changed Sister!" Al laughed.

"Close your mouth Ed! Geez, someone would've thought that you learned some type of mannerism while you were gone." She chided him.

The tension made it's way onto the table.

Ed quickly swallowed the food in her mouth in one gulp.

"Should'nt've expected anything." Ed gave Winry her shit-eating grin.

Winry blew it off and the rest of breakfast passed in a comfortable silence, with Edward trying to look respectful while trying to ea the whole table.

"Al." Ed addressed her brother in the living room. They had to talk, and Winry was finally away, cleaning and putting away the dishes.

"I need your research. The one that you came up with when you brough me back." Ed said.

Al looked tense. "..." He didn't say anything.

"Al?" Ed called out. "Did you hear me? I need it because it might give me more clues to get back Dad." Ed said.

"Ed, you don't want to know what I did to get you back. Just find another way." A said.

"Al! If this is about me yesterday rejecting you from coming with me, then fine. But this isn't about that, it's something bigger. It's about Dad, not me." Ed summed up.

"It's not that..." Al said.

"Then what is it about Al? If you really wanted to help me, then give me your research." Ed said. "It's not that hard."

"I can't. You should really find your own research Ed..." Al still refused to hand over his research papers.

"You're being selfish Al." Ed said.

"..." Al didn't say a word as he left to his room. Frustrated, Ed sat on the couch, her head rested on her palms. I need to get to Central. It isn't working out with Al. Ed thought too herself.

"Here..." Al's shy voice reached his ears. Edward looked up to see her brother at the bottom of the stairs.

"Al...thanks." She said. "I didn't mean what I said before. You care for people alot, it's just that I was frustrated and I couldn't sto-" Ed was interrupted.

"Don't thank me. You won't like it." Al said.

Confused, Ed prodded further. "Why? I'm here, aren't I?" Ed asked. Did Al regret bringing her back? Was that it? Was I being too selfish? Am I wrong to not bring Al over to Central? Ed clenched her jaw.

"No!" Al didn't have any doubts. "I wouldn't want it any other way..." Al said.

"Then, why?" Ed asked.

"Check it..." Al said.

Ed massaged her temples. "Tell me now, Al." She said. What is he trying to hide from me? Ed thought.

"I...to bring you back, I didn't know how." Al started. "I searched and I went everywhere. I met people who knew me but I didn't know them." Ed was listening intently. "They refused to tell me what I did, what we did. No one speaks about your disappearance. It was really hard for me." Al said.

"And then when I finally found a solution, I knew that it was the only solution. I'm not skilled enough to fin something else. Time was running out and I needed to see you again." Al said.

"What was the solution?" Ed asked. She felt a heavy weight settle in her stomach. It couldn't be.

"It was that, wasn't it?" Ed asked.

Al looked to the floor as he slowly nodded in shame.

"Al!" Ed shouted. "I... I can't believe...Why? Didn't you find out what...that was made out of? Al, how could you..." Ed's voice trailed.

"I knew. I always had my suspicions, but when no one told me about you, I had to find out somehow and even now, I wouldn't go back and reverse what I had done." Al said, trying to be stern.

"Al! People died for that. Are you telling me that I'm worth that many lives?" Edward was upset. Al could've gotten hurt, and it was wrong what he did.

"I know Ed! And I wouldn't go back in time to change what I did. You even said it yourself before, people died Ed. They were already dead, so I used them." Al said.

Edward was frustrated. Her naive brother. Should she have wished differently that he remembered their journey? No. She wouldn't wish that. She only wished that he knew the severity of the situation.

"What about Central? Do they know?" Ed asked.

Al shook his head.

"No one believes that you are alive and no one knows yet." He said.

"They will be suspicious." Ed said. "If they find out, you'll be kicked out of the military."

"It's alright. The only reason I went there was to find a way to get you back. Unless I have another reason to go, I won't. And since you're so adamant to get Dad back by yourself, then I will serve no use to you if I accompany you there. Maybe for a visit, but I won't be joining them any longer." Al said.

There was a lump that was beginning to form in Ed's throat. She finally came back, but her brother won't be with her anymore and that is because she is being selfish. She bit her lip. "Okay." Ed said.

"I don't regret it." Al said.

Ed didn't say a word as she dropped the briefcase of notes and research by Al's feet and headed to her room.

The two siblings didn't talk for the rest of the time that Ed had left with them. It was the final day and Winry had finally finished with her leg.

"Lie down over there." Winry instructed Ed to lie down on a bed that was pushed up against a wall.

"Ready?" Winry held the mechanical leg in place, ready to push it in. Ed grabbed the covers. She nodded.

An intense pain shot up against Ed's leg. Her back arched against the bed as she clutched the covers. She refused to cry.

"It's finished. You know the drill. Rest and relax for three days, but knowing you, one day will be fine. But since you haven't been familiar with this ina while, it's best if you stay here and actually take the three days to relax before dong anything else." Winry said.

Ed's leg was tingling. She could still feel the lasting pain. "Hmmm." She hummed.

"I'll be back in a while to check up on you, but get your rest." Winry left the room.

Ed had already prepared to leave to Central. Since it was a long trip, her resting will be during the train rides. So to save time, she would ride the train the next day. She'll have to elt Al and Winry know first though. She wondered if Al was still mad at her. She at least hoped that he realizes his mistake and that he'll never do it again. She will not allow him to go through anything as severe as that now that she's here.

Ed's vision went blank as her head hit the pillows.

Author's Note: So how was it? Ed is going to make it to Central next chapter and meet the others. What will they think? Will they accept her back? Will she ever find a way to get Hohenheim back? What is going to happen between her and Al? Ahhh so many questions, all that will be answered, hopefully and soon, in the next chapter.

Sorry for the late update! I didn't mean to put it off for so long, it's just that I've been so busy lately... But thank you for those who reviewed, followed or favorited! It means a lot to me.

Please review, constructive criticism much appreciated!