Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN FMA! (Not at all) :)

The Alchemy Book

About a week after the 'heat incedient', something happened I would have never expected. Ed and Al got to keep most of their father's belongings after he had passed away, since they were the only family he had on this side of the gate. However, even though a bunch of stuff went to some of the people Hohenhiem worked with, everything that had to do with alchemy was to Ed and Al; Like the books and things. On many of the hot summer nights, after we had all eaten dinner, Edward would cuddle up on the couch with one of his dad's old books, while Al would sometimes do the same.

It wasn't the warmest night out of the past week, but still in the high 70's one evening. Al wasn't home yet, and probably wouldn't be coming home until a little bit after eleven. Ed, was of course on one side of the couch reading a book, with a closed one sitting on his lap. I was sitting on the other end of the couch, calculating with a paper and pen the money we had spent the last week, and the money we could spend this week. I had finished, when I peeked over to Ed across from me. He had rested the book over his face, and it looked like he had drifted off to sleep. I starred at him for about five minutes before I leaned over, and grabbed the second book off of his chest. I relaxed, brushing off a bit of dust that had collected on the hard cover. It said 'Alchemy' in huge letters on the front, with a circle below it. I opened it up, to see the pages were withered. They had turned from white to a tan-ish color. I never was interested in alchemy, ever since I was little. But alchemy had changed my life so much, ever since I had first heard of it. Even if I wasn't an alchemist, (and had no intention of becoming one) it had affected me. I remember Ed had always wanted me to stay out of his work, and not get into his mess but still... Even if I had always wanted to help him and his brother, I was 'in to it', since the two had been apart of my life. I was living on the other side of the gate, wasn't I? All thanks to alchemy...

"What are you doing?" I heard Ed calmly ask. For some reason he scared me. I jumped, slamming the book close, wide eyed as he looked straight back at me. Why did I feel suddenly embarrassed?

"N-nothing, I was just looking!" I quickly stuttered. I'm still, to this day not sure why he quietly laughed at my response, but then he sat up, closer to me and gently took the book out of my hands.

"This is one of the first books I have ever read, it's the basic steps to alchemy." He said not taking his eyes off the book. He turned a few pages, and then showed a certain one to me. "See this, do you recognize it?" He asked pointing to a dark outlined circle in the middle of the page. I tried to remember it, but couldn't. They all looked the same to me... I shook my head no.

"It was used as one of Al's and my self's first attempt at alchemy. We made that old doll for you, then. And we made you cry. Do you remember?" I thought back far, to our memories in Risembool. When life was fun, when my parents were still alive, along with Trisha. When the only worry we ever had was if we could make it back home in time before the stew got cold. But, I couldn't remember the one memory Ed was trying to get me to remember. I looked away.

"Sorry, Ed. No, I can't remember..." I saw him look away back to the wooden floor. I let a deep breath out slowly.

"Ahh, it's alright. It was a long time ago anyway..." He sighed, closing the book and placing it back onto my lap as he layed back down on the other end of the couch and closed his deep, golden eyes. I secretly blushed and picked up the book again, concentrating on the cover. I felt horrible. For some reason, Ed for the first time was trying to pull me into his life. Something I had always wanted. But the one thing he asked me to remember, I couldn't. And who knows when that next opportunity would come again.

At least, maybe he was opening up. Just a little.

xxx

A/N: That was my favorite chapter to write so far! I'm not sure why, I felt bad I had to kick Al out for the first time, but... well anyway, you know what to do!