My P.O.V.
I ignore my uncle, looking out the window at the still cloudy sky instead. "Why are you even still here?" I ask finally, breaking the annoying silence.
He shrugs. "Hawkeye won't let me leave."
"That's a bull answer." I say, turning to him finally. I ignore the sharp pain in my shoulder.
"Jeez, you're just as fiery as the pipsqueak." He smirks.
"Ed is not short!" I shout, crossing my arms. "I pity him, working under you."
My uncle frowns at me then. "Listen Jade-" He begins, but I cut him off.
"I don't have to listen to a word you say."
He sighs, holding the bridge of his nose. "I'm your uncle, Jade. That right forces you to listen to me."
Does he even know what he's saying?!
"You lost all privileges that came with being my uncle the day you sent me away." I say, my voice filled with spite. "You had your chance, a chance to raise me, a chance to have that special bond family members should have. You're the only one I have left, but you killed those chances in one fell swoop, and burnt the remains. That small ember that wants to reach out and join with the blazing fire? That's me. I'm all that's left, and I'm afraid to reach out to you. I'll say it, I'm afraid to trust you." I look at my uncle seriously, and I swear sadness flashes across his eyes.
"I didn't mean to burn any chance at a relationship between us, Jade. I didn't want you to get involved with alchemy. It's so dangerous, and I wanted to protect you from that. I've realized I could've protected you while raising you, so do you want to know the real reason I couldn't raise you?"
I look away for a moment. "Didn't know how to raise a baby?" I ask sarcastically.
"Well, yes, but I could've learned. No, there was a different reason; one I'm not proud of." Now he can't meet my eyes.
"Well?" I ask impatiently, not understanding how this could be hard for him.
"You looked- still look- so much like your mother, my sister. I know it was selfish of me, but I had just learned that you parents died, and that you were the only one left as my family. I could've done it Jade, I could've raised you. But you looked so damn much like your mother, and I couldn't do it."
He looks up at me and his voice, his gaze, softens. "You still look so much like her. So beautiful." His faint smile leaves as he becomes serious again. "I don't know if you can ever forgive me, but I'm here now, with an open mind and outstretched arms. I want you to be able to trust me Jade."
After hearing all this, I'm silent. I want to hate him, to be mad at him for what he did. I want to be like ice and freeze over, not trusting anyone. I guess I got a small part of his flame after all, because I can't bring myself to hate him.
Instead, and much to my surprise, tears come to my eyes. I can feel the small sobs racking my bod, and I see my uncle's surprise. "I-I f-forgive you." I manage to whisper, biting my lip softly to hold in my tears. It doesn't work. He walks over to my bedside and pulls me into a gentle hug. "We're all we have left." I whisper and he nods.
"I won't leave you alone again, I promise." He says softly.
Al's P.O.V.
I wait with Lieutenant Hawkeye down the hall a bit from Jade's hospital room as Brother goes to get some of the alchemy books Jade's been studying. Colonel Mustang suddenly walks out of Jade's room, straightens his jacked, and walks down the hall towards us. He nods to Lieutenant Hawkeye, and then walks past.
She smiles softly to herself. "They made up." She says and I'm amazed.
"Whoa, how did you know…? What?" I'm so confused now and this is when Brother comes back.
"What's up with you?" He asks, seeing my state of confusion.
"Oh, nothing Brother." I sigh, giving up on trying to understand what just happened. We give Jade her books and help teach her alchemy as she recovers.
It's been two days, and Jade was just released from the hospital today. Brother is buying tickets to our hometown of Resembool so we can have Winry fix his automail arm. Brother has his usual outfit on and Jade has her dark suit with blue hoodie combo.
"Ed, the train is leaving soon! Do you have the tickets or not?" Jade calls over the blow of the rain whistle.
"Yeah, yeah! I'm coming!" He yells back to her, running over to us. We all just make it on the train, and I sit on one side of the cart as Brother and Jade sit on the other.
"So, what's your hometown like?" Jade asks suddenly.
"Quiet, peaceful." I say, remembering our old home.
"The opposite of Central." Brother jokes, smiling.
"I see." Jade says quietly, looking out the window at the passing trees.
"Is something wrong?" I ask her, concerned at her behavior.
"No, it just sounds like you had a good childhood in a good place." She sighs, still looking out the window. I share a look with Ed.
"Yeah, it was good." Ed murmurs.
"Until she died." I add quietly.
Brother and I both agreed. It's time to tell her the truth.
My P.O.V.
"Until she died." I hear Al say, and I turn to face the two brothers.
"She?" I ask quietly, sensing that this is a sensitive topic for the two of them.
"Our… Mother." Al continues. "She died of a disease, and our father had left us years before. We… we did something terrible."
I stay silent, letting them take their time.
"We committed the ultimate taboo Jade." Ed whispers.
I can't help but gasp. I read about the taboo in the world of alchemists, human transmutation. "You tried to bring your Mother back, didn't you?" I whisper, unable to meet their eyes.
"Yeah, and I lost my leg as a result." Ed replies.
"Jade." I hear Al's voice as I look up. "I have to show you something." He takes his helmet in his hands and removes it. Where I expected a body to be, there was only emptiness. Then I see the blood seal.
"I gave up my arm to bond Al's soul to this armor." Ed says and Al puts the helmet back on.
I imagine this would be the point when the person would freak out, or laugh at their foolishness. "I'm so sorry." I whisper, and I can tell that's not what they expected me to say. I touch Ed's left hand gently and I turn to face him. "I can't even imagine what that must've been like, or how that feels even now." I take one of Al's hands in my other. "And I'm sorry this had to happen to you."
I see Ed's lip quiver and I pull him into a hug as he cries softly. "Shh… It'll be okay." I whisper softly, rubbing his back gently. When he pulls back, he nods in thanks to me as he wipes away his tears, too sad to speak.
Now I know that Al can't really cry, but his armor is shaking like he'd be crying if he could. So I hug him too.
"Oh, Alphonse." I hug the armor tightly. The poor thing; I wish I could help him, but I have no power here.