Al was up late once again. It was something his wife, Gloria, had gotten used to long ago and learned to take advantage of. Since Al didn't seem to require a lot of sleep he often took care of crying, in-need-of-a-changing babies in the middle of the night throughout the years, allowing Gloria the rest she needed since she was with the children during the day while Al worked. But he didn't mind.
He loved walking up and down the hall with a sleeping infant in his arms. He felt so at peace, admiring the tiny life he had helped create, that was a little piece of him.
Al loved the evenings the most, right after dinner. There was free time before changing into pajamas, washing teeth and faces and bedtime stories, where Al and Gloria would sit in the living room - Gloria knitting and Al reading - while the children burned off the rest of their energy before settling down for the night. Al couldn't get enough of the sound of stampeding children running up and down the stairs and through the halls; the banging of doors, the squeals of laughter and the beginnings of arguments quickly shut down by Little Ed.
He was so grateful to have these moments. He tried not to think about it but the hopelessness he felt when he was trapped in the armor made him feel that this would never happen for him; that he would never know the joy of having a family of his own. Whenever he felt dragged down by those painful memories one of his children would do or say something to bring him back to the present, to help him forget and bring a smile to his face. It didn't matter that his babies were growing so fast; he loved every minute of it, watching them grow and learn, seeing each one develop their own personalities, their likes and dislikes; their stubbornness which he liked to blame on his brother.
The three girls, thirteen year old Trisha, twelve year old Gloria and seven year old Jessi, banded together quite a bit. They were three girls surrounded by five boys; they were in the minority and if you messed with one you messed with the other two and eventually the younger boys learned to keep their distance… sometimes. Alphonse Junior was nine and kind of stuck in the middle. He worshipped his older brother Little Ed - who was already counting down to his fifteenth birthday – and wanted to be like him, yet he was still finding it hard not to tease his sisters with the help of the twins, four year olds Sean and Samuel, who were the real troublemakers of the bunch. Michael, only two, was enamored by the twins and their antics. He followed them wherever they went, watching curiously. Little Ed was getting too old to participate – and was thinking about dropping the 'Little' from his nickname and just go with Ed - with the rambunctiousness of his younger brothers and sisters but he accepted the role of big brother and was not burdened by it. He was very protective of everyone and had come to be the one who got the others to quiet down if Al and Gloria were finding themselves ignored; the children deciding to group together and make their stand against their parents as children will often do to test their boundaries. But none of them would dare ignore Little Ed. He was a lot like Al, in appearance and temperament, but his loyalty and willingness to protect his family and friends were very much like Edward, his uncle. Al had it too but the fierceness and bull headedness reminded him so much of a younger Edward.
Al would not change a thing when it came to his family.
Michael had just moved into the same room with his older brothers, Sean, Samuel, and Alphonse Junior. Al had been reading when he heard his youngest son's whimpers and Alphonse Junior comforting him. Al was quick to get to Michael before he woke Gloria and the rest of the children. He went in and took Michael allowing Alphonse Junior to return to bed. The twins - who had inherited the ability to sleep through anything - slept on undisturbed. With the toddler's face buried in his father's neck hiccupping, Al went downstairs to the living room to calm his youngest son and get him back to sleep.
He walked along, humming, feeling little Michael relax and drifting back to sleep. He didn't want to go back upstairs and disturb the other boys who shared a room with Michael so he sat in a comfortable recliner and cradled his son in his arm. He sat there rocking, falling asleep himself when he thought he heard a soft knocking. He ignored it at first, being half asleep and dismissing it as was one of the kids tossing in bed, hitting the wall as they shifted in their sleep. But it happened again and it was louder. He realized there was someone at the door. Sighing he lifted his son and got up to see who it was.
It wasn't usual for them to get visitors so late at night. If there was some emergency from the mines out of town, it took time for someone to come and retrieve Al to help out, being the most reliable alchemist in the area. But something about this knocking didn't feel like an emergency but there was still a sense of urgency to it. When Al opened the door the younger man standing before him seemed familiar, like he'd met this person before but he couldn't quite place the face.
"Alphonse Elric," the young man said hesitantly. He stood slightly shorter than Al and looked a little thinner too, with gray eyes and dirty blond hair.
"Yes," Al said looking at him, still trying to remember where he'd seen this man before.
"You might not remember me. But we met years ago, though not under the nicest of circumstances..."
Then it hit Al, "Fletcher Tringum!"
"Yes," Fletcher said with a relieved - and embarrassed - smile.
"It's been a long time," Al said wondering what made the younger man come out all the way to Resembool after all these years and why he would do so this late at night. "What brings you out here?"
Fletcher looked perplexed. "Well," he began then looked behind him then back at Al. "Can I come in? I'd like to talk to you in private."
"Sure," Al said stepping aside to allow Fletcher in. "Go ahead and make yourself comfortable while I put Michael back to bed."
"Okay," Fletcher said coming in but staying in the foyer as Al closed the door.
Al walked by and took Michael back to his room. When Al returned, Fletcher was still standing by the door.
"Please sit, Fletcher," Al urged, always a polite host even when it came to unexpected visitors. "Would you like something to drink?"
"No," Fletcher answered starting to look impatient but moved away from the door as Al sat down.
"How is your brother?" He blurted out suddenly.
"He's fine," Al answered surprised by the sudden interest in his brother. The question worried him a bit. Edward had stayed out of trouble since marrying Elysia but he was a magnet for it. "Why? Do you know something?" Al questioned worriedly. "Is there something I should know about?"
"Well," Fletcher said, hesitating again, looking very worried and uneasy. "It's just... I don't know what to make of it... its Russell, he has me worried..."
"Russell?" Al asked still confused as to why Fletcher would be visiting so late at night, asking about Edward then switching the conversation suddenly to his older brother. "Why would you be worried about your brother?"
"He's just been so different lately, ever since the war."
Fletcher began to pace.
"That's understandable," Al assured, hoping to ease Fletcher's anxiety. "It was a long war, those on the front lines saw a lot of things they won't ever be able to forget," he added thinking of his brother.
"I know that, I've read the accounts but Russell didn't or at least he claims he didn't see enough. I think that's what worries me about him. That he wanted to be at the front so bad; that he wanted to stay there."
"Oh," Al said quietly.
"You would think he would get over it after all these years but he still talks about it. He still thinks Ed had him transferred out of the unit."
Now Al was getting suspicious. "There's more to this," he said roughly. "You're not telling me everything. Is Russell up to something? Does it involve, Ed?"
"I don't know," Fletcher said pitifully, his lip starting to quiver making him look more like a scared boy than a grown man. "I want to believe that my brother wouldn't do anything but I can't convince myself..." he added, looking like he hated himself for doubting his own brother.
"What's he doing, Fletcher?" Al said starting to lose his patience.
"I told you I don't know," Fletcher said regaining some composure. "It's just that since the war he's been so secretive and moody and he's held onto this grudge against Ed that got worse when you're brother was promoted to Brigadier General when he returned from Xing. You know..." he paused shaking his head, "Russell actually resigned because of that."
"I had no idea," Al said sympathetically. "I knew there were bad feelings between the two of them during the war but I didn't get the impression from Ed that it was much of a big deal. Even now he just regards it as two dumb kids who had a petty rivalry with each other."
"I wish Russell thought that way," Fletcher said sadly.
"Fletcher," Al sighed. "I know you're worried about your brother, I feel for you but you asked about Ed. Why would you do that?" He would not be distracted from anything that concerned Edward.
"Well, I must have imagined it," the younger man said looking confused and unsure of himself.
"Imagined what?"
"Russell went to Xing about a month ago, when I heard he returned I went to see him. His car was parked in front of his place but he didn't answer when I knocked. I went around the back to see if he was asleep and didn't hear me knocking. The curtain was drawn over his bedroom window but not completely. I saw someone lying down on the bed. It was hard to see but it looked like their hands were tied. I thought it was Russell and he was in trouble but then he appeared around the corner, surprising me. I asked Russell who that was and he said it was a friend passing through. But that friend, from that quick glance, looked a lot like Ed..."
Al's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "When was this?!" He asked urgently.
"Two days ago."
Al relaxed. "Then it wasn't Ed. I talked to him this morning, or rather, yesterday morning." He added indicating how late at night it really was.
"Then he really is alright," Fletcher breathed, sounding relieved.
"Yes," Al smiled.
"I just had to be sure," Fletcher explained. "I thought if something had happened it would have been in the newspapers and broadcasted over the radio. I didn't want to go to the military with wild conspiracy theories and thought you would know for sure. Then if it turned out to be just my imagination I could at least talk to you. I know it's been years since we last saw each other but both our brothers fought in the war. I thought maybe you could give me some advice... like how I can get Russell to..." he said trailing off.
"To what?" Al asked.
"To stop scaring me," Fletcher finished, looking like he was on the verge of tears. "I feel like I hardly know him anymore; that he's not even my brother. I don't know what to do. And the way he looked after he returned from Xing... he looked at me like he had no idea who I was at first..." He stopped and fell into a chair, sitting down for the first time.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you," Al said wishing he did. Fletcher looked so distraught and scared, it was contagious and Al couldn't help a shiver that ran up and down his spine. He shook it off. This was really none of his business... he hoped. Edward had done many things that worried him but he'd never been scared of his brother. Since Edward married Elysia he'd been so happy there was no need for Al to worry anymore. He actually began to feel a little guilty for his brother's happiness when he knew he shouldn't have to. It wasn't his fault - or Ed's - if Russell couldn't move on.
Fletcher sighed. "I should be the one apologizing. I shouldn't be here unloading my troubles on you. I'm sorry, Al. I should leave now." He got up and headed for the door.
"You don't have to go," Al said getting up to stop Fletcher. "Stay the night. We have a spare room."
"No, thank you. I appreciate the offer but I've inconvenienced you enough."
"You haven't inconvenienced me. You'll always be welcomed to stop by anytime. Please, stay."
"I can't; at least not until I know what's going on with Russell. I won't be at peace until I do."
"Sure," Al said nodding his head. "I understand."
Fletcher opened the door and took a step out then paused. "How many kids do you have, Al?"
"Eight."
Fletcher's mouth dropped open in surprise. "Wow," was all he could say.
"Do you have any children?"
"Uh, no," Fletcher said recovering his senses. "I am engaged, though."
"Congratulations," Al said smiling.
"Thank you," Fletcher acknowledged with a shy smile. "I don't know when we'll get married. I've been putting it off in hopes of Russell..."
Al looked sadly upon Fletcher understanding. "You shouldn't put off your own happiness for someone else."
"I know," Fletcher sighed. "Well, thank you, Al. Maybe we'll see each other again under better circumstances. We don't exactly have the greatest track record so far."
Al chuckled. "I'd like that. How about we meet again at your wedding?"
"Sounds good," Fletcher said grinning for the first time. "I'll be sure to send an invitation for you and the family. Bye, Al."
"Bye, Fletcher," Al said watching Fletcher walk down the porch stairs and off into the night.
Al wanted to help but knew it wasn't his place to get involved. Fletcher could come to him for advice anytime but eventually the Tringum brothers would have to work through this on their own. Al remembered his own estrangement from Edward, his anger and disappointment that Edward hadn't recovered his arm and leg. But they had moved past that and Al felt their relationship was stronger than ever. He hoped for the same for Russell and Fletcher.
Even though he was sure Edward was fine, Al called his brother several hours later just to be sure and to hear his voice.
The call produced the usual results: family is fine; all is well… nothing out of the ordinary. After a week and no further word or late night visits from Fletcher, Al dismissed the entire episode being too busy with eight kids to really give it much thought or maybe not wanting to... that he didn't want to disturb the peace with unfounded suspicions.