Thanks to all my reviewers and to those of you who added this to your story alerts.

I got an interesting question from RedHerring1412 . Danny will not be a homunculus. He didn't die (not completely anyways) and nobody tried to bring him back from the dead. He had to pay the "price" just like Ed, Al, and Izumi (add Roy if you follow the manga). I hope that doesn't disappoint anyone. Also, Shadow was right and I was wrong. I've corrected chapter 1.

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Dad and I picked up the larger sandy haired teen, while Jazz and Mom grabbed the smaller one. It looked like it was all Jazz could do to lift the blonde. Mom had a hold of his feet and she kept losing her grip.

We made it halfway up the stairs before Jazz folds into the wall. "Wait, wait. Stop," she wheezes.

Mom helps her gently lay him on the stairs. "Okay, just for a minute. He's heavier than he looks."

I scoff, "What? He's maybe 5 feet. How heavy can he be?" (1)

"Then you take him," gasps Jazz.

"Go," Mom says, cutting off Jazz's tirade. She glares and points to the door. "Jack. Lay him carefully on the floor near the couch, until we can treat his injuries. Danny, make sure you get the medical supplies out of the upstairs bathroom."

Dad and I rush to follow Mom's instructions. As soon as we lay the strange boy on the floor, Dad heads back to the basement stairs while I go to fetch the medical supplies.

I come back downstairs to find Mom stripping down the smaller teen with a clinical proficiency. "Metal prostheses," she gasps. "No wonder he's so heavy. I've never seen anything like this."

Mom continues to go over the teen, looking for injuries. "One maybe two cracked ribs, dehydration, an assortment of bruises and abrasions," she mumbles as she works. "He'll probably be out for a while. Some of these cuts will need stitches. We'll wrap his ribs and set up an IV. "

Mom moved onto the second boy still lying on the floor. He didn't look nearly as bad as the first, so Mom didn't bother to undress him. "Let's move him to the spare bedroom. There are a few cuts that need to be cleaned and bandaged, but nothing too serious. Danny, do you think you can bandage his cuts while I finish with the first boy? Come get me when you're finished and I'll set up an IV line for him."

I nod silently. Honestly, I was still in shock from seeing his prosthetic limbs and accompanying scar tissue.

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It had been twelve hours since the strange boys arrived. Mom treated their injuries as best as she could. But despite that, the boys were still unconscious in the guest bedroom. Since its Saturday night, Mom has Jazz and I taking turns monitoring the boys. Dad isn't taking any chances, though; Jazz and I are armed to the teeth with ghost weapons.

Walking into the guest room, I nudge Jazz awake. "Wake up, Sis. It's my turn."

Jazz mumbles a quiet thanks and shambles back to her room. I place the Fenton bazooka on the floor next to the armchair and tuck the Fenton thermos conveniently out of sight. I pull a borrowed Nintendo DS out of my back pocket and settle into the chair. I switch on the DS and start playing Mario Kart, which I had also borrowed from Tuck. The game was mind-numbing, but strangely addictive.

"What? Where am…Brother?"

I nearly jump out of my skin when I hear the voice. I was so wrapped up in my video that I didn't notice the sandy haired boy waking up. He was tangled in the blankets and trying to sit up.

"Calm down," I say in placating tones. "Your brother is on the bed next to you."

The boy examines the second bed carefully and lets out a relieved sigh. "Thanks. Is everything alright? Why is he asleep?"

"He'll be fine. He's dehydrated and has a few cracked ribs. I'm Danny, and you're safe in our home. My mom patched both of you up."

A look of surprise crosses his features. "Cracked ribs? Oh brother, why didn't you tell me? I'm Alphonse Elric, this is my brother Edward. Has he said anything to you, yet?"

"Sorry, but no, you've both been out since you fell out of the Ghost Zone."

Alphonse gives me a confused look. "There are no such things as ghosts," he says in a very matter of fact tone. "How long has that been?"

"Half a day." I let out a short chuckle, "You were inside the Ghost Zone. What did you think those creatures were if not ghosts?"

"Ed said that the Gate must connect a variety of alternate worlds. This 'Ghost Zone' is just another world that happened to develop very differently from our own. Each time he's passed from our world through the gate he's come out in a different place. The first time it was London, then Munich, and now here. Where is here?"

My breath catches in my throat as soon as he mentions the Gate. A flood of images, each more confusing than the last, overwhelms me. Glimpses of flower filled meadows, familiar faces in strange attire, war torn worlds, futuristic buildings and machines, aliens, post-apocalyptic landscapes… Infinite diversity in infinite combination (2).

"Danny? Danny! Can you hear me? What's wrong?"

I can hear Dad's heavy footsteps pounding up the stairs, but I don't care. "I thought I was mad," I whisper. "You've seen it too? The white room and the door?"

Al features harden, "I think we should wait until Brother wakes up. He knows more about it than I."

I open my mouth to protest, when Dad throws open the door and charges in, Mom following close behind.

"Honey, why didn't you tell us that he was awake?" Mom asks moving to check on Alphonse.

"I just woke up," Alphonse says in my defense. "My name's Alphonse Elric this is my brother, Ed. Danny told me everything that you did for us. Thank you."

Mom blushes a little as she unhooks the IV. "I'm just glad you kids are alright. Why don't you come downstairs and get something to eat, Alphonse. We can discuss what you two were doing in the Ghost Zone over dinner."

"Please call me Al. Thank you for the offer, but I won't leave my brother." Al's stomach chose that moment to let out a protesting growl.

I couldn't help but laugh. After a few seconds, the rest of the room joined me.

"How about I bring some food up here?" Mom offers.

"I'll get the fudge!" yells Dad as he races out the door.

"Ummm. Thank you?" says Al, clearly thrown off by the fudge.

"Don't think that this gets you off the hook. As soon as I get back with the food, you're telling us everything," Mom threatens.

"Yes, Ma'am."

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The author makes it a point not to tell us how tall Edward is exactly. I can only guess.

IDIC-Yes, I'm a Trekkie.