The return trip to Briggs had been a somber affair. Neither Mustang nor Edward spoke very much; at least not with Al who was beginning to feel more and more like a traitor despite his constant silent reminders that he hadn't done anything wrong. His own resentment towards Edward and Mustang's ingratitude was mounting as the minutes passed. He wished they weren't all stuck in the same truck. Edward wouldn't look at him and Mustang wouldn't stop glaring. Havoc and Richard looked uncomfortable and like they would have preferred to walk back.
Edward at least allowed Al to help into the fort. He refused to be checked over by a doctor and didn't say much but to take him straight to Elysia. Olivier Armstrong led the way as a medical team rushed Mustang to surgery to reset his broken leg and designated officers led Havoc and Richard to rooms of their own to rest. Leaving Edward alone with his wife Al gently closed the door. Armstrong then showed him to his own room. Once there the first thing he did was reach for the phone and called up the switchboard to connect him to Resembool. He needed to talk to his own wife.
He wasn't as cheerful as he would have liked. There was a lot weighing upon his mind. He would have loved to tell Gloria everything but stopped short when he heard her anxious, relieved voice over the line, so he had to at least sound cheerful and refrain from venting like he wanted. He spoke to all of his kids, one after the other made him more homesick and ready to put the whole ordeal behind him.
He holed up in his room for two days. He ventured out a bit to stretch his legs. He would have liked to check on everyone: Lin, Fletcher, his brother and even Mustang. But Mustang's explosive anger and clear resentment over the agreement he accepted with the Gate made him think twice and retreat back to his room.
He didn't feel like eating and he barely slept. But on the second day he realized something. He was brooding! He shouldn't hide. He didn't do anything wrong. He sat up in bed, thinking he was acting too much like Edward and had to stop before it got out of hand. Just as he stood up there was a knock at the door. When he opened it Richard was there grinning at him.
"Dad wants to know if you want to spar."
Al wasn't sure he heard his nephew right. "What?"
Richard just smiled at his uncle's confusion as he took Al by the arm. "Come on, he's waiting."
Al looked at him suspiciously as he closed the door behind him. "What is Ed up to?"
"He just wants you to help him work out his arm and leg," Richard said sounding and looking innocent.
"And you can't?" Al questioned. "You two should be spending time together. I've known him all my life."
"He said you'll help whip him into shape faster," Richard replied with a ready response.
"All right," Al sighed but Richard's explanation did little to quell his suspicion. But what he was suspicious of he had no idea.
Richard led Al into the gym. It was quiet and empty except for Edward who was sitting on a bench with a small five pound weight in his right hand. He set it down awkwardly, grinning at Al.
"Good, now I can get a real workout."
"Ed, don't you think you should slowly build up the muscles in your arm and leg?" Al questioned. He really wasn't in the mood and he was still tired. He hadn't been sleeping well the last two days, his mind replaying the scenes with Edward and Mustang over and over again making him angry and moody.
"That'll take too long," Edward said slowly standing up. He was a bit wobbly but he did it on his own. But he still needed help to walk. "Richard, help me to the mat please."
"Sure."
Richard left Al's side and helped Edward limp to a mat at the far end of the gym. He left Edward in the middle and got out of the way.
"Come on, Al!" Edward beckoned across the room. "I don't have all day."
"Ed, really…" He tried to argue before Edward interrupted.
"What? Afraid I'll beat you?" He taunted with a cocky grin. "You've never gone easy on me before Al, why start now?"
"I'm really not in the mood…"
"Look, Richard, you're uncle is afraid. Does Gloria know you asked Winry to marry you?"
"We were kids!"
"And that you had a crush on Mei?"
"You're acting like a child!"
"And that you're brooding like me?"
"Fine," Al said stalking over. It wasn't the taunts; it was his resentment had finally blown past his control that moved his legs. "Anything to make you shut up," he growled.
Edward smirked as Al took his place in front of his brother and settled into a fighting stance. Edward did the same but nearly fell over. Al relaxed his guard and sighed. "This is ridiculous."
"No," Edward said righting himself. "I need to be prepared for anything even in this condition."
Al rolled his eyes and took up his stance again. They circled each other, Edward limping and nearly falling a couple of times, glaring at his brother whenever he relaxed. Edward came closer and Al backed away.
"Do I really scare you that much?" Edward asked disgustedly.
Al stood his ground. Edward swung and he ducked.
"Well, at least you're humoring me," Edward said trying desperately to maintain his balance.
"How much longer are you going to keep this up?"
"Until you hit back."
Al wasn't paying attention, too irritated with his brother that he barely ducked in time. Edward's left fist grazed his jaw then he saw another fist coming towards him. It was instinctive when fighting with Edward, not wanting to take an automail fist to the face or gut. The only way to block – more so since he regained his body - was to sweep Edward's right leg out and that's what he did. Normally it would knock Edward off balance and he would just fall back and flip over coming back to his feet and retreat a bit before attacking again. Not this time. He fell backward with a loud thud and didn't get up.
In that split second Al had forgotten Edward no longer had his automail. For a moment he felt as Edward did, like the wind had been knocked out him. He recovered his senses quickly and went to his brother.
"Ed, I'm sorry," he said as he helped Edward sit up.
He chuckled, eyes shining with amusement. "Now try to tell me that didn't feel good, knocking me off my high horse."
Al stared at him confused. Then it dawned on him and he smiled. "Why didn't you just ask me to hit you? I would have been happy to oblige."
"I did in a way," Edward said with a smirk. "I figured this way I'd get in some practice while you let me have it for the way I've acted towards you. I wasn't lying when I said I need to be prepared even like this."
"So you're not mad?"
"No," Edward reassured. "I was shocked. You can't blame me for that. But I remembered some good advice I once gave and it knocked some sense into me."
"That's funny. I don't remember you ever giving good advice."
"Look, just because I let you knock me down doesn't mean you can continue doing so verbally," Edward said with mock indignation.
"All right," Al laughed but sobered up quickly. "But what about Mustang? He wasn't too happy with me. I doubt he'll ever speak to me again."
Edward snorted. "Why should that bother you? You should celebrate the fact that ass hole has stopped talking to you."
"Edward," Al said exasperated.
"You're too much of a softy sometimes, Al. But I've thought about that too. Jean told me about the way Mustang tore into you and I think I've got something the Fuhrer will agree to."
"What?" Al asked anxiously.
"Remember the school you've always wanted to open?"
"Yeah," Al said his face lighting up.
"I think we should do it."
He blinked. "We?" Al asked looking at Edward skeptically almost afraid to hope.
"Yes, we," Edward emphasized. "After all this I realized I'm tired and need a break but I don't want to just resign from the military and not do anything. We can teach alchemy together. Real alchemy," he stressed happily. "Besides, if I stay in the military and Richard joins, he'll have it too easy. No Elric has ever had it easy in the military and I don't intend to change that," he added jokingly looking at Richard who just rolled his eyes. "He doesn't need me breathing down his neck."
"You would really do this?" It was too good to be true. Al was really hoping he wasn't imagining this. Edward out of the military and starting the school he had always dreamed about.
"Of course," Edward said. "I'm dead set on this, Al."
"Then I know it'll happen," he said smiling but it faltered. "But what about money? I don't have nearly enough saved…"
"I don't plan on either of us putting our hard earned cash into the school."
"But who would…?"
"Someone who owes us quite a bit," Edward interrupted with a smug look, "even though he doesn't know it yet and has been pouting like I have been."
"Do you think Mustang would do it?"
"Yes, and Jean let me in on a bit of juicy knowledge that will guarantee it."
"I think I'm going to cry," Al said already feeling his eyes tear up.
"Don't you think you're too old to be crying?"
"No," his younger brother said hugging him. After a minute he pulled away and looked Edward in the eye. "You really want to do this and you're really not upset with me?"
Edward knew he couldn't fool his brother. "It will take some getting used to," he looked down at his right hand and flexed his fingers. It was getting easier to control his movement. "I've always been the Fullmetal Alchemist and it was because of the automail that Bradley gave me the name. But Bradley is gone and the name should have gone with him. It's time for a new name. When I think about it, Professor Elric has a better ring to it," he said with a lopsided grin.
"You know you will always be Fullmetal," Al said seriously. "It doesn't matter where the name came from. All that matters is what you did for the name."
"I know," Edward said quietly proud of what he had accomplished through the years, minus his off duty activities before he was married. "But it is time to move on."
"Are you really ready for this, Brother?" Al asked again just to be sure.
"Yes. Nervous but ready," Edward answered honestly.