Chapter Six: To Love Again

It's been two months since Ed came home with his daughter, Nina, and in those two months, Ed has began to come out of his shell, out of the sadness and pain that consumed his heart. The kind smile that once touched everyone's hearts returned, as well as the warmth and love in his eyes, the happiness, yet that was only during the day. Once the sun set, and the moon began to rise, he would sit on his bed, looking down at Nina, and cried as he watched her and remembered his wife, Noah.

At night, time seemed to freeze for him, and try as she might, Rose could not get it to move forward once again. It pained her to hear the sadness in Ed's voice as he told the story of how he and Noah met, became friends, and eventually fall in love and marry, and of how they spent there finally moments together, just before she died, a day after Nina was born.

Flashback

"I'm sorry Mister Elric, but your wife's heart was to weak, she will die," explained the doctor sadly. I could not believe his ears, nor the doctors words. "Mister Elric?"

"I'm sorry," I replied, as I looked towards Noah, sleeping peacefully with their daughter, Nina, in her arms. Even now, as I was looking at them both, somehow I, knew that, that I would never forget how beautiful and happy Noah looked was she held Nina in her pale and fragile arms.

A tear slipped passed my eyes, "How long does she have?" I asked the doctor, not looking away, afraid that if I did, she would disappear before my very eyes.

"Normally, with a heart as weak as hers, they would of died soon after the baby was born, yet she has a strong will to live. I give her a day or two at the most."

"Thank you, Doctor, for everything," I thanked the doctor, turning just for a moment to look at him. The doctor just nodde and said that he was sorry one last time, before he turned and left, leaving me alone. Alone to cry my pain.

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"Edward..." a soft voice called out into the darkness of the night.

"I'm here, Noah," I whispered as he took her hand. After the doctor had left, and after I had shed my tears, I brought a chair near the bed Noah and I shared, and just watched her as she slept peacefully. Her long brown hair framing her beautiful face like a halo.

Earlier on, I moved Nina into her crip, so that Noah was free to move around in her sleep, yet she didn't. She only moved once and that was so she could get comfortable.

"Where's the baby?" she asked, her brown eyes searching his face. Ed smiled.

"She's sleeping in her crip," I answered sadly.

"What did you name her?"

"Nina."

"Nina...that's a beautiful name."

"Yeah, do you remember that little girl I told you about, I named her after her, if that's okay."

"Yes, for both."

Silence filled the room. Noah closed her eyes in pain, yet she still smiled, a sad smile.

"I want to see the stars, Edward, can you take me to see them?" she asked, her voice in a soft whisper. I just sat there, my eyes searching her own.

"Yeah, I'll take you," I replied after a while.

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After grapping my jacket from the closet, I helped Noah sit up, wrapping my jacket around her shoulders and lifted her up from the bed and carried her to a small hill, not far from the house, but far enough to see the stars.

We sat in silence, it wasn't awkard silence, but a comfortable silence. My legs were spread apart and bent with Noah inbetween them and in my arms, her head resting on my shoulder, as she looked as the stars and at the full moon. After a while, her soft voice broke the silence.

"I'm going to die, aren't I?"

I didn't answer right away, I couldn't. More tears began to fall from my eyes and down my cheeks, and disappear in her brown locks. I tighted my hold on her, as I buried my face in her neck. Her hand came up to and held the back of my head and cried silent tears, while my tears were loud and I shook with each sob.

We stayed like that, neither of us wanting to break apart or speak, in fear of breaking this moment, the last moment together before everything came crashing down.

"I'm not of afraid to die," she said after a while, " I have no reason to be. I've lived a happy and wonderful life by your side. Each day filled with love and compassion and kindness. Each new gift, new flower, new surprise, you gave to me brought joy into my heart, for I knew that you loved me with all of your heart."

I stayed silent as she continued.

"No matter what happens, I will always love you and I will always be watching over you and Nina from the skies above, just like the stars and the moon watch over us when we dream, I will be watching...I promise you that I will never leave your side."

"How can you promise such a thing, when your body won't be here, in my arms to hold and never let go?"

"Oh, my darling Edward, my body won't be here, but my heart, my love for you and my memory will live on inside your own heart. I want to live my final moments in happiness, with you and Nina, by my side. I want to be held in your arms, enjoying the silence, or as you make love to me one final time. I want...I want to see your loving smile in the morning, with you beside me. That is what I want more than anything in the world right now...will you grant me my wish, my darling Edward?" she asked, stroking my arm, for surpport, for comfort.

I kissed her neck, before raising my head and putting my chin above hers.

"Yes," I whispered silently, more tears falling from my eyes.

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I made love to her many times that night, held her in my arms, woke up to see her smiling at me, as I returned her smile and made love to her once more.

I walked through the door that led to our bedroom, breakfast and flowers in hand, to see her feeding Nina.

"Thank you for the flowers. There lovely, " she thanked me, as we sat on the bed in the same position as last night, when we were looking at the stars. "Thank you for everything, not just for today and last night, but for the last two years, for saving me from those soldiers, for allowing me to live with you and Alphonse, for returning, for loving me and for giving me so much happiness each and every day. I want you to promise me something?"

"Anything."

"When I die, I want you to take Nina to your world, and fill her life with love and happiness. Where she will not be hated because her mother was a gyspy..."

"Noah," I said, trying to interrupt her.

"No, let me finish please..." she pledded, her voice filled with tears, as real tears began to fall from both my eyes and hers. I closed my mouth and waited for her to continue, watching as she moved her small, fragile hand over mine.

"I want you to promise me that you will not cry for me and that you will find someone else to love and that you will love them, the same way you loved me. I want you to love someone that will stand by your side, someone who will love Nina as if she was her own daughter. But most of all I want you to promise me that you will be happy, even if I'm not there physically. Please?"

"I promise," even as I said those words, I knew that I would never fullfill them. That I would never be able to love another the same will that I loved her. But I will make Nina happy, and I will take care of her. But love someone else, never. Yet as I spoke those two little words, I knew that both her heart and mind were at ease.

"Thank you."

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She died that night, holding my hand, as my other arm held our daughter.

She stroked Nina's face and hair one last time, before her hand moved to hold my cheek and wipe away my tears with her thumb, and as I leaned my face into her palm, she smiled one last time, before her hand fell down onto the mattress, and that was when I knew, that she was gone and soon after her eyes closed, did the rain begin to fall, sharing in my sorrow.

"I love you," I whispered into the dark night.

End Flashback

Soon after he told us his story, he walked into his room and remained there all through out the night and the day after.

"Will his heart be able to love again?" Rose asked, her brown eyes turning to look out towards the moon.

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Sorry it took me long time to update, is just that I didn't know what to write for this chapter until recently. Again I'm so sorry and I hope you like this chapter.