"Ah, there's just something about the way the old woman makes them," Edward sighed, flexing the spare leg Pinako had given him. He flexed the foot of the simple prosthetic, no doubt reveling in being able to us his leg without pain anymore. The new port had been attached the day before, and Pinako had dubbed his injury stable enough to walk on, as long as he didn't try to run or anything. The swelling had gone down drastically, and while the nasty bruise was still a deep purple in the center, the edges were receding. Edward was finally on his way to being one hundred percent again.

I smiled lightly in his direction from my lazy position against the side of the Rockbell house. The sun was against us, keeping the mild winter wind at bay, and I was thoroughly enjoying the moment of peace.

"Still, I can't help but think we are wasting too much time here," he said, frowning and looking down the road, as if longing to leave.

"Brother, they are already rushing. They said it would only take four days, so just give them time," Alphonse said reasonably.

"Aaah, I know," Ed said petulantly, waving his arm in the air, "but knowing that Marcoh's research is just sitting in Central waiting for us is making me all fidgety." Tactfully, he didn't mention the other reason we had to hurry back. And for that, I was grateful. I really didn't want to think about it right now…not when the sun was warming my skin so pleasantly, and the clear air was rustling my hair gently.

It was one of those rare warm days in winter, one of the first warm fronts that would bring on the spring. But that was still almost a month away…I tried to coax Jäger into joining the land of the living, but the stubborn reptile still seemed insistent on sleeping the winter away. I wondered vaguely what it would be like to have him around once it was warm again. Maybe I could convince everyone he was an exotic breed from Xing and carry him around with me openly…

"Hey, that reminds me," I said suddenly, although we weren't actually talking about anything. My two brothers looked over to me. "Isn't it almost your birthday, Ed?"

Edward looked up and rubbed his chin. "Oh yeah, I guess it's actually in a couple of weeks."

"So you'll be fifteen now…" I said. "Wow, it really has been a long time, hasn't it?"

"Yeah…I guess it has."

Another thought occurred to me. I looked over at Al. "Hey Al, I've never asked, but when is your birthday?" Actually, I kind of felt bad about that. I'd been traveling with them for so long, and I never bothered to celebrate Al's birthday. In fact, we hadn't really celebrated anyone's birthday since that incident with Elicia. They had just kind of passed by without acknowledgement. I frowned, thinking that was just a little bit sad.

"Oh, I guess mine was in the fall," Al said thoughtfully.

"What," I exclaimed, sitting up. "Does that mean we are already fourteen?"

"What do you mean, 'we'," Ed said, raising a brow. "Don't you have your own birthday?"

I fell back on my back and looked at the sky. "Not really. I mean, I left that body behind remember? And the day I was born here…well, it's not exactly a day I like to remember." A moody quiet set over the three of us for a moment, and then I broke it with a light smile. "So, I just kind of share my birthday with Al, you know?"

Edward was looking at me with a thoughtful frown, but I avoided his eyes, a bit depressed. Suddenly, he smiled and rustled my hair. A spark of emotion passed between us, and I hardly reacted, already quite used to the feeling. Edward, however, gave a startled grunt at the brush with my consciousness. He snatched his hand back. "Damn, I forgot about that…" I looked at him with a worried frown, half sitting up, but he just shook his head and plastered the grin back on his face. "We could choose a birthday for you. That way, Al gets to keep his all to himself, and you get your own day."

I brightened a bit at the thought. "Yeah, that sounds like fun!"

"Let's see," Al jumped in, looking up at the sky. "Why don't we make it in the spring? That way, we'll each get our own season."

I crinkled my nose. "No way! That would make me still thirteen."

"What's the sudden rush to grow up," Ed said, laughing in my expense. "I thought women didn't like growing older."

"Hey!" I said, trying to smack him but aborting the movement at the last second. Judging by his expression, Edward had not missed my avoidance to touch him, but continued to laugh, clearly deciding that now wasn't the time. "I'll have you know that I was in the prime of my life! Not a wrinkle on my face." I crossed my arms petulantly. "But that's not important! I just don't want to be a kid any longer than I have to."

"You want to get married or something," he continued to rib.

"No! I just want to be able to drink again, is all."

"Well, we can legally drink at age sixteen," Al said, chuckling as well. "Why don't we say your fourteen now, and fifteen in the spring? That way you're still older than me and younger than Ed, but you'll only have to wait one more year."

I paused for a minute, considering, then smiled brightly, liking that idea a lot. I wondered if I could make it official somehow, like convince Roy to put it in my forged records. That would be pretty cool.

"It's not like your apparent age has actually stopped you from drinking," Ed muttered. "Alcoholic."

"What was that, shrimp!"

"Don't call me small!"

We argued playfully as the sun drifted lazily across the sky, and eventually quieted back down to silent companionship. Ah, yeah. This was what I had missed.

Al broke the silence first. "Brother, I've been thinking. Why don't you go visit mom?"

"…You mean her grave," Ed said softly, his face a bit solemn.

"I've already gone. I know she would want to you visit as well."

The blond sighed and lifted himself from the ground a bit clumsily. "Yeah, you're right. It's been too long…"

I glanced between the boys silently and then closed my eyes, feeling as though I was intruding in a private moment. I heard the crunch of Edward's feet as he paused beside me. I squinted up at him, the sun bright behind his head. "Would you…like to come too? In a way, she was your mother as well."

Surprised, I propped myself on my elbows, looking up into his solemn expression. "Do you really mean that," I said, uncertain. I had to admit, I was curious. I wanted to see the grave of the woman who these boys had sacrificed so much for. It wasn't like I could actually meet her, so this was the closest I could get. But still, I didn't want to intrude. After all, she never meant as much to me as she did to them.

Ed nodded with conviction and offered to help me up. I glanced down at his proffered hand in surprise, and then looked up at him worriedly. "Ed, you do realize…"

The young alchemist sighed, but did not retract his hand. "I know. But," he glanced at his younger brother, who watched us silently, "if Al can handle it, then so can I." He smiled down at me, just a tad uncertain but still determined. Slowly, I took his hand, and he hoisted me to my feet.

My bond with Edward, unlike the masses whom I could only get the gist of their emotions, was clear as crystal, and as clear as my connection with Alphonse. Whatever had happened in Central had unlocked my mind to him, and although he put on a brave face, there was no hiding what he really felt from me anymore.

I felt fear, mixed with trepidation and an equal amount of determination. He was smiling at me weakly, but it was strained, and I could feel his hesitation and dislike of the contact, despite his brave face. He pulled his hand away from me just as soon I was balanced again and turned to walk down the road, shaking his hand out sharply. I frowned sadly and glanced at Alphonse. He could only shrug and offer me a shake of his head. Give him time, he seemed to say to me.

My shoulders slumped and I turned to follow Edward down the road. I don't know how it happened, but for some reason I had developed a bond with Edward just as I had with Alphonse the first time I met him. I didn't know why, and it was eating me up. The only thing I could figure was that I seem to connect with people after receiving an extreme influx of power. But why hadn't I first bonded with Pinako? Or with Lust? I shuddered at that particular thought. Was it that there was something special about the two boys that connected me to them? But how could that be? The only thing that connected us was the night they tried to bring their mother back…I just didn't know, and I was threatening to give myself another headache just thinking about it. Perhaps once we returned to Central, we would find out more…

Resentment filled me at the strange turn of happenstance. All I knew was that this meant no more easy touches, no more close contact and playful shoves with someone I loved dearly. And I hated it. But more than that, I was afraid that Edward would eventually hate me for it, as well.

We trudged along in silence for a few minutes. Every once in a while, Edward would stop and say hello to a local villager, but spoke not a word to me until a little while later. Suddenly, he stopped and sighed. "Look," he said, looking over his shoulder at me. "I know I'm not handling this very well…"

I shook my head. "It's alright. It took me and Al months to get used to the bond."

Ed scratched the back of his head and blushed charmingly. "Aah, I just don't want this to change anything between us."

"But it has," I said despondently.

Ed turned fully around and ruffled his hair in irritation, looking at the ground. "It hasn't! Look, I know I suck at talking about mushy stuff, but if it had to happen with someone…I'm glad it was me who touched you first." He was blushing deeply, and I gaped at him charmingly. "I mean, what if it had been that bastard Mustang or something," he waved his hand in the air absurdly, "or a fly!"

I gaped for a second, then a laugh bubbled up in me. "Pft. Heh. Ahaha." I giggled into my hand, bot believing what Edward was saying. "I'm not really sure it works that way but…thanks." I looked at him gratefully. Ed avoided my eyes, trying to will his blush away. "I guess, if it had to happen…I'm glad it was you."

The young man smiled , and then turned away abruptly, looking at the sky. "Anyway," he huffed, putting his hands in his pockets and continuing to walk. "It might come in handy some day. Like a secret code or something."

I just shook my head, following him down the road. I didn't think it would ever exactly be easy with Edward's emotional constipation and volatile mood swings, but at least he didn't seem to want to avoid me. I could live with that.

Edward led us off the dirt road after about five miles and stopped in front of a modest grave, unremarkable amongst the tombstones. I looked at it curiously. It was a plain stone, smoothed and polished, and on it was Trisha Elric's name and the years she lived, engraved in shallow etches. Resting against the bottom was a wreath of flowers, no doubt left by Alphonse.

Edward was looking down at the grave sadly, as if it was the most precious treasure in the world. I wondered how wonderful such a woman must have been to get such devotion and love from her two sons. "Hey, mom…"

o-0-o

Alphonse watched his retreating brothers, slightly worried. Alex looked so sad when Edward snatched his hand away. He remembered how hard it was for himself and Alex to adjust to the bond in the beginning, and he hoped that Edward would eventually get used to it. He really didn't want to see their easy friendship fall apart…

"Where are they going," Winry yawned, walking around the corner.

"Just to visit mom," Al responded, pulling his eyes from their retreating backs.

"Oh," Winry huffed, sitting beside Alphonse exhaustedly. "Man, I'm beat. I really need a break…"

They sat together for a few moments, and then Alphonse spotted a girl wandering down the dirt road. She was young, about their age, and had long brown hair.

"Hey, Winry, who is that," Al said. Maybe someone new had moved into town. It wouldn't surprise him, seeing as they had been gone for so long.

Winry opened a tired eye. "Oh, that's Emma. You know her, we used to play together all the time as kids." Emma waved cheerfully at Winry, and with a small smile, Winry waved back.

"What…?" Al looked at the girl harder, but her face sparked no memories for him. "I don't remember that."

"Well, she has changed a lot since then. Maybe you just didn't recognize her," Winry said tiredly.

Alphonse gazed at the girl, her form now retreating into the distance. He tried to remember playing with her, but he couldn't. Something felt off, and his heart sank a little. Shouldn't he remember someone he used to play with all the time…?

Winry's deep sigh broke Alphonse from his thoughts. With a groan, the young woman got to her feet and massaged the small of her back. "Alright, time to get back to work." She stretched her arms above her head. "With any luck, we should be able to attach Ed's new limbs in the morning."

Winry retreated into the house, leaving Al with an unsettled feeling in his soul.

o-0-o

We returned to the house an hour later, my step both lighter and more solemn than it had been before. Edward had seemed to also have fallen into a dim mood, and we walked together in comfortable silence. Al was sitting right where we left him, and he waved at us briefly in greeting.

"Hey, Al," Ed said, still seeming to be in his own head. Al grunted in response.

"Winry came out. She said they can attach your automail tomorrow morning."

"Finally," Ed groaned, flopping back on the ground. "I thought they would never finish."

"Maybe you should just sleep for the rest of the day," I suggested. "That way, tomorrow will come faster."

"Good idea," Ed said, making a show of closing his eyes and snoring. I laughed a bit, but looked at the house in worry.

"Guys? I think we should tell Winry…about me."

Ed sat up, suddenly serious. "Alex, you know why we can't. I don't want her involved in all of this."

"Yeah, but…I owe her some kind of explanation. I can't imagine what it would be like if I was left home by myself while my family was going through something so dangerous. Besides, Russel already kind of spilled the beans," I grimaced, again resolving to slap him the next time I saw him. "And she already noticed that I'm…different. In fact, she practically already knows."

Ed glared at the ground for a second, then grunted in consent. "Fine, just…don't tell her too much. I don't want her to be trapped here worrying about us all the time."

"She already does that," I mumbled, almost too quietly for him to hear. I walked slowly back to the house to find one of my only female friends in this world.

o-0-o

I found the young woman in the living room. Her back was facing me, and she was standing in front of Edward's discarded coat, holding something tightly to her chest.

"Winry," I said uncertainly, sensing the dark mood about the woman. She turned to me, and I was startled to see tears in her eyes. "Winry! What is it," I said instantly concerned. I stepped forward and reached out to her, but she only shook her head.

"…I'm sorry," she said despondantly. At first I was confused, having no idea why she was apologizing, but then she slowly extended her hand, revealing Edward's silver pocket watched. I furrowed my brow.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I opened it. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to see…"

"See what?"

She opened the watch and I stepped forward, looking into it. "What…" I squinted , and I could make out something etched into the silver lid. It was a date, and over it was the inscription 'Don't forget'.

"What does it mean," I said, looking up into her sad eyes.

"It's the day Edward and Alphonse tried to bring their mother back…He's been carrying a physical reminder of his guilt, as if he refuses to heal…"

"Oh," I said softly, not sure how to respond to that news. Was that what he was telling himself not to forget? Or was it something else?

"You three have to promise me that you will always come back," she said, looking me straight in the eye and snapping the watch closed. "Promise."

I frowned, and then sighed. "Winry, I've been meaning to tell you…I'm not human."

Her blue eyes widened in surprise. "Is that why your eyes have changed color? Why you seem so…different?"

I looked down. "…Yeah. And in trying to get our bodies back, we've run into a lot of trouble that is beyond our control. I'm not going to lie to you. We are leading dangerous lives." We locked gazes, and I tried to convey to her my feelings. "I promise to always come back, both stubborn boys in tow, if you promise to always be here to greet us." I may not have been from this world, but I had become part of the Elric family, and by extension, the Rockbell's too. And Winry would always be a precious friend to me. I hoped she felt the same, despite knowing the truth.

Winry started at me with her wide eyes, and for a moment, I feared she would reject my request. But then she smiled, tearing up a bit. "Silly. What is family for?"

Elated by her response, I smiled widely. "Aw, Winry, only family? I think Ed would cry if he heard he's been regulated to the bro zone."

Blushing cutely, the young woman just shook her head. "Shut up and hug me, you moron."

The next day, after Edward's automail was fitted and we said our goodbyes, my brothers and I stepped out of Winry's life once more, military escort in tow. We had lingered long enough. It was time to get back on track.

o-0-o

In Central, Mustang stared out of his office window into the gently falling snow. Unlike the calm weather outside, his mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, all coming down to one thing. There was someone out there pulling all of their strings, and he wasn't entirely certain it wasn't coming from the military itself. Something was stirring in Central, but he just couldn't figure out what. Strange orders and questionable shipments had been reported more often of late, and though he already had Hughes investigating, it still felt as if he should be doing more.

A soft knock on his door interrupted his thoughts, and he turned as his best friend entered the room without announcement.

"Maes. What is it."

"Well, you're in an awfully bright mood," Hughes said, shrugging his hands, depressingly cheerful as always. Mustang looked back out the window, not even bothering to roll his eyes.

"Have you found out anything?"

The family man sighed and leaned against Roy's desk. "Not anything more since the last time you asked. An hour ago. Really, Roy, you need to relax a little. Maybe get yourself a wife."

"Hughes."

"Alright, alright. I just thought you might like to know that Lieutenant Barret has returned, and he has quite the wild tale to tell. Also, we just received word that the boys are on their way back to Central." Hughes looked over this shoulder at the suddenly interested colonel. "So, should I send him in?"

Mustang lifted an irritated brow and Hughes chuckled a bit. And then his face turned serious. "I don't think you are going to like what he has to say, Roy. Just a warning."

The black haired man nodded, and Hughes opened the door, allowing the investigator's serious subordinate to enter. Lieutenant Barret snapped a salute, and Mustang nodded in acknowledgment.

"Report."

Hey all! Back to Central we go, woohoo! Heh, despite my earlier pessimism, I think I resolved all of that quite nicely, so we can get back on track. And get this story moving again!

For those of you that are wondering, I did not burn down the library. Why? Because Sheska is annoying, and I don't want to write her. And plus, Lust didn't find out that they found Marcoh's note since she nabbed him a little earlier this time, so there is no reason for pyromancy.

Hey, guess what, guess what! I wrote a little companion fic for Subsoul called Undesired Desires. For those of you that were wanting a little romance, I wrote a one shot that is a little funny, a little awkward, and definitely rated M. So if you have virgin eyes, please feel free to skip it. If you don't, I hope you will all check it out and leave me a nice note!

Next chapter: the search begins, and Alex has a drink with a friend.

See you guys next time!