The Pack

by Mistclaw

When rogue alchemists abduct both Edward and Mustang for their chimera experiments, will Alphonse and Mustang's crew be able to save them in time? Or will they lose their final shred of humanity and become one with the pack? Chimera!Ed and Chimera!Roy as well as a lot of parental Roy!Ed scattered throughout. Rated T for violence, torture, language, and dark themes.

21. Chapter 20: Reunion

Chapter 20

Though Alphonse was physically unable to feel just how rough the makeshift road they currently traveled down was, the way his hollow armor body clattered at each and every bump told him that it was far from the smoothest of rides. From where he sat in the large back compartment of the transport van Al could see Hawkeye and Havoc bouncing wildly in the front seat as they drove, the second lieutenant biting down so hard on his still smoldering cigarette that Alphonse thought it'd snap in half at any moment.

"Are you sure we didn't happen to take a wrong turn?" Havoc asked in a tense voice that was cut off as the van was violently jostled by a deep indent in the already rugged terrain, nearly causing the man to smash his head against the vehicles roof. "Vance said that it should take about five minutes to get through this part of the road, but right now it feels like we've been driving down it for closer to ten."

Al was able to hear a growing sense of frustration to Havoc's tone, the man still clearly annoyed that not only was the journey taking longer than anticipated, but that Vance himself had not come along with them to personally give directions. While Alphonse knew that Vance's sudden, last minute decision had not been completely accepted by some of the crew, he himself understood the red haired man's reasoning and harbored no anger towards him.

That morning, half an hour or so before they were to set out, Vance had hesitantly handed Al a map with various roads and trails highlighted alongside another paper with detailed directions. He had then nervously told the crew that he was still too anxious to return to the scene of such terrible memories and that he didn't want to leave his ailing sister's side just yet to help guide their search personally.

Alphonse had been more than sympathetic and kind about Vance's decision, as had most of the group except for Havoc and Breda, who'd scowled disapprovingly at the young man with narrowed eyes. Al knew all too well as to what Vance was currently feeling, and it hurt him to know that his friend was suffering through such conflicting emotions.

Now without Vance to serve as their guide, and not wanting to be distracted during the long drive, Hawkeye had assigned Havoc to accompany them and be their navigator. Though the second lieutenant had cast an annoyed glare towards Vance, causing the younger man to flinch, he had agreed to come along and even offered up his limited medical knowledge if they were to need it.

As the small group of three had decided that they should leave a bit early, to compensate for any time lost if they were to misread the written directions, Vance had stopped them and asked for them to give him a few minutes. The young man had raced off and disappeared into his hotel room, leaving the group confused yet curious. Vance had quickly returned with an armful of pillows as well as a few thick blankets draped over his shoulders, explaining breathlessly that Edward and Mustang would more than likely be grateful for their warmth and comfort on the long ride home in the back of the cold van.

Truly touched by Vance's gesture, Alphonse had taken the offered bedding with a thankful nod before walking towards the van with the young man following close behind. There had been sorrow and remorse in Vance's voice as he apologized to him and both lieutenants over and over; wishing them luck as they finally reached the transport van.

Knowing that his metal body was far too big to even think of sitting up front with Hawkeye and Havoc, Al had settled himself down into the rather large and spacious back cabin instead. He'd set the bedding down before reaching over to close the vehicle's back doors, seeing Vance looking back at him with a silent apology in his wide green eyes.

The young man once again wished them all well as Alphonse reluctantly slammed the door shut in his face, hearing the booming echo of the others doing the same with their own doors. Then the van had roared to life, slowly gathering speed once it had left the hotel parking lot to set off on their long journey, with Havoc grumbling over Vance's sudden and somewhat suspicious change of heart from the passenger's seat.

"I trust in Vance completely." Alphonse was suddenly brought back to the present by Hawkeye's calm and simple response, her eye never once straying from the winding, snow covered trail just beyond the windshield. "He has absolutely no reason to mislead us in any way, what could he possibly get out of it? It's just a few extra minutes; he probably misremembered this part of the road."

Al returned his gaze back down to the small bed he had made for his brother and the colonel on the long drive towards the lab, absentmindedly fiddling with a fraying thread on the thick gray blanket next to him as he waited for Havoc to respond. They had been driving for well over an hour, and Alphonse had hoped that they would have reached their destination by now. He knew that this place was buried so deeply in this vast, frozen wilderness for a reason…if these scientists truly had been conducting such terrible experiments upon humans, then they'd have to hide far away from any sort of prying eye.

Apparently Havoc thought they should have reached the lab as well, letting out an annoyed huff as he attempted to straighten his now bent cigarette with no success. "Well if Vance could forget about something as important as this, then what else could he have forgotten? Are we even going in the right direction? Does this road lead to the lab? Or maybe he also conveniently managed to get that wrong too?"

Hawkeye remained stoically calm in the face of Havoc's growing irritation, seeming unmoved in the slightest at the faint hint of hostility that had seeped into the second lieutenant's tone. "I trust Vance and I'm sure that we'll be there soon."

Havoc let out a frustrated sigh as he finally seemed to realize that Hawkeye would not budge on the matter, turning his head to look out the passenger side window instead with a scowl on his face. While he had already known that it was very unlikely, Alphonse was relieved that the two had not gotten into a full on fight, solving their disagreement with words rather than actions…he guessed that he was still too used to his brother's way of handling things…

As Al moved to carefully rearrange a displaced pillow next to him he foolishly allowed his mind to wander, doubt slowly beginning to creep into his thoughts. Was his brother still even the same person that he had once been before everything had gone so wrong? What if there was no saving either Edward or the colonel's brilliant minds now…had they been completely taken over by the beasts they'd been forcefully fused with?

Was there even anything left to save?

What if Havoc was right about them being given incorrect directions as well? How long would it take for them to eventually find out they'd been misled…whether on purpose or by accident. Maybe they were just on some random old road in the middle of the forest, and not on the one they had hoped for.

Would they ever end up finding Ed and Mustang in time? There was still a very good possibility that either one, or both of them, had already…

"No, they are not dead," Al thought sternly to himself with a firm shake of his head, causing his hollow metal helm to rattle from the motion. "That strange voice, it told me that they were still alive…to hurry and save them…and I need to hold onto the hope that they're still waiting for us…"

While it made Alphonse feel a bit crazy and foolish to believe in a random, disembodied voice that had spoken to him only in his mind, it had all felt too real to be just a random day dream brought on by grief and desperation. Al had not heard the strange voice or felt it's unexplained presence since then, and he had a feeling that it was actually for the better that this entity was gone…Maybe it had done what it needed to do and simply faded away into nothingness…

As Al's mind wandered from hopeful thought to worried musing he was once again snapped out of his own psyche when he heard a gasp sound from the front of the van. He quickly raised his head to gaze at Hawkeye and Havoc, seeing mirrored looks of amazement and relief on their faces. Alphonse craned his head to look past them and out of the windshield to see what had caused such a reaction.

Growing increasingly more and more detailed as the van drew closer was a dilapidated concrete building, once a solid fortress that held gruesome secrets within now slowly being overtaken by nature. While he knew that this place had brought about great suffering and fear, Al thought that he would simply die of relief at the sight.

The rough, light gray stone exterior was an exact match to what Vance had written down for them, there was even a very small gravel parking lot set off towards the right side of the entrance. Everything they were currently seeing was just as the young man had described.

"I can't believe we finally found it…" Alphonse breathed out in awe, his gaze raking over the building to take in every detail as a hesitant hope fluttered like a caged bird within his very soul. They were actually here…Edward and the colonel were either somewhere inside the building or were hopefully holed up nearby.

They'd found them, after all this time…Al would finally get to see his brother again. Everything would be alright.

Hawkeye carefully pulled into the opening to the parking lot, making sure nothing happened to damage the van in any way as the engine grew silent. For a few moments no one moved or talked, seemingly speechless at the sight before them until the lieutenant finally moved to open her own car door.

Once she had stepped out onto the gritty soil below, Alphonse was quick to join her, practically flinging his cold and unfeeling metal body across the back cabin of the van in his haste. Then he was standing by the lieutenant's side, the two of them looking the building over as Havoc got out and slammed the passenger side door shut.

"So this is where everything happened then?" The second lieutenant asked in a low and disturbed tone as he remained standing by the other side of the vehicle, warily eyeing up the looming building. "Do we go and check the inside first? Or maybe we should search the perimeter for any signs of…"

Alphonse unconsciously tuned out the world around him as he began to think of all the horror his poor brother and the colonel had suffered through in the very building before him. He had once begged Vance for details on what exactly had been done to the two, but the young man's gaze had gone dark with fear as he refused to speak of what he'd seen. The pure anguish in those green eyes had said more than Al had ever needed to know…

The crackling of dry branches and frost wilted leaves sounded from a small copse of bushes just a few feet away and Alphonse turned his head quickly towards the noise. Both Hawkeye and Havoc seemed to be preoccupied with forming a solid plan that they had failed to notice the haggard creature emerging out into the open.

It was a large black dog with a mane of darker fur running from the top of its head to end in a long, sweeping tail. The only parts of its pelt that weren't the same shade of charcoal were its paws and a small patch of fur on its chest, being a dulled and dusty white instead. The creature's equally as dark eyes were wide and sunken into its skull as it hesitantly began to approach Al.

As the suffering beast limped closer Alphonse was easily able to see and count every rib, its back a skeletal ridge of jutting vertebrae underneath a ragged and torn pelt. It looked so painfully thin and frail that he darkly wondered just how it had managed to survive out here on its own for so long. Was this really a chimera though? Could it possibly be…Edward?

No…this creature was the exact opposite of his brother's golden splendor, looking more like a shadow as it drew nearer. Al could now see that one of its hind legs was crudely bound up in dirty bandages and pity sliced like an icy dagger through his heart as the creature stumbled, letting out a low whimper as its injury was jostled.

Somehow this battered dog managed to remain upright upon its trembling legs, standing a foot or so away from Alphonse to fix him with an intense yet hazy stare. It blinked its wide eyes, a faint spark of hope gleaming in the onyx depths as it opened its mouth as though to speak.

"A-Are they here to help?" The creature's voice was warped and heavily distorted, the unnatural sound alerting both lieutenants who didn't hesitate to gasp aloud in shock. The doglike creature seemed completely unbothered by their reaction, its eyes locked onto Al as it spoke in a steadier tone. "They are friends, yes?"

Still too stunned by the thought of holding a conversation with a talking dog, Alphonse took a slow step towards the chimera and was relieved when it didn't flinch away from the sudden movement. As he crossed the short distance between himself and the creature, Al caught the cold glint of a metal dog tag on a collar around its neck. Kneeling down in front of the chimera Alphonse hesitantly reached for the silver tag as the creature remained still and calm, wagging its tail faintly as though urging him to read the engraving.

A mixture of crushing grief and horror slammed down into Al's hollow body, freezing him in place as his armor began to tremble against his will.

"H-Hawkeye…this dog tag…it…it has the name 'Roy Mustang' on it…" Silence met his anguished voice as the chimera that had once been Colonel Mustang let out an affirmative bark, his cloudy gaze never once straying from Alphonse.

"Yes, name is Roy." Mustang said in an almost dismissive tone, shaking his head before a sudden urgency shimmered in his onyx eyes, that once familiar clear and calculating look now long gone to be replaced by a hazy sheen of bestial stupidity. "Roy needs help. His pup is hurt very bad…Pup is very sick and weak now…friends will help him, yes?"

"O-Of course," Al was caught a bit off guard by this sudden desperation, wondering if this 'Pup' he was referring to was actually Edward. The dark pelted chimera seemed to relax a little at the simple answer, though his body still seemed tense as Alphonse went on. "If you take us to him them I'm sure that we can help."

Roy dipped his head low in gratitude before turning around to limp back through the bushes he had emerged from minutes ago, beckoning them along with a flick of his long tail. Something about the simple gesture reminded Al so much of the colonel he had once known that he nearly laughed aloud as he stood to follow. Behind him Alphonse heard the sound of frozen gravel shifting as Hawkeye and Havoc moved to join him on either side as they were led into the wilted undergrowth.

The small group walked on in silence at first, simply staying close behind Roy as he limped his way around the left side of the building, moving as fast as he possibly could as the weakened chimera began to pant heavily from the exertion. A curious thought passed through Alphonse's mind as he watched Roy, remembering that the chimera had shown no fear at the sight of Al's imposing form…perhaps…

"Do you recognize us at all?" He kept his tone light and friendly as he wondered how much of the old Mustang was left buried beneath the beastly visage. Roy stayed silent for moment, never once breaking stride before he looked back at Al from over his boney shoulder and nodded.

"Yes, Roy can remember his friends still." The dark pelted chimera responded a little breathlessly as he returned his attention back to where he was currently leading them. "But Roy can't remember any names…he can remember Armor Brother…"

Hope blossomed deep within Alphonse's soul, if Roy knew him as 'Brother' then surely Ed must still be alive. He felt a strange sense of happiness flow warmly through him as he decided to probe a little further. "And what about these two, who are they?"

"They are…Gun Lady and…Cigarette Man?" From Al's left side Havoc quickly moved a hand over his mouth to prevent himself from laughing, and on his other side Hawkeye's lips parted in a faint smile. Roy turned his head to regard them all with a confused look as he limped on. "Roy is wrong then..?"

"It's close enough for now." Alphonse soothed, receiving a small smile and a nod from Roy. All the joy quickly rushed from his body as the chimera's unsteady paws suddenly gave way from underneath him and he landed partially on his side against the snowy ground.

Al immediately darted forward to check on Roy, both lieutenants moving in a similar manner to kneel in a loose circle around the exhausted and heavily panting chimera. Up close Alphonse could clearly see just how weak and frail Roy was, and he did his best to hide his ever increasing sorrow.

"Are you okay?" Al asked as he placed a gentle hand to Roy's trembling shoulder, sympathy coursing through him as the poor chimera weakly shrugged him off and attempted to stand once more. Roy's onyx gaze was bright with pain and a near heartbreaking amount of desperation as he finally managed to sit up, his body seeming to not completely obey him at that moment. "We could always—"

"No! Roy is fine!" The chimera hissed, not even letting Alphonse finish as he hastily stumbled to his paws with a low growl. Roy lowered his head and gritted his teeth against the pain in his injured leg, voice low and full of a growing fear as he went on. "They need to help Pup first…he is hurt so much worse than Roy…"

Roy quickly gathered himself as he began to limp forward at a faster pace, wincing each time his bandaged leg bumped against the ground. They continued to follow close behind in relative silence with only Roy's panting to fill the empty air, any small amount of amusement having been shattered like glass.

Soon the group was able to see an empty, overturned barrel with a plank of old and weathered wood leaning against the rusted metal side just a few feet away. The sight seemed to calm Roy as he slowed to a stop beside it, looking back at them with his head tilted towards the structure and an anxious gleam in his eyes.

Before any of them could voice their confusion the dark pelted chimera suddenly ducked down and slipped easily into the small gap between the wood and the barrel. As Roy's black fur brushed past a makeshift entrance made of thin hospital blankets and disappeared into the shadows beyond, Alphonse knew for certain they had reached their destination.

Knowing that the three of them were far too big to think of fitting through the gap, Havoc nodded and moved to the other side of the structure. With a small grunt the second lieutenant lifted the thick wooden plank with ease, pulling it away from both the side of the cold concrete building and the hollow barrel.

As soon as the board was lifted away to expose the previously hidden space to the open air, Alphonse couldn't hold back a gasp of pure horror.

"Brother!" He wailed when he took in the sight of an even frailer, sick chimera lying limp and deeply unconscious in a small bed of blankets. There was absolutely no doubt in Al's mind that this golden chimera was indeed Ed, his very soul feeling as though it was roughly being torn to shreds as he knelt down next to the suffering form before him.

His poor brother was so painfully thin, looking more like a pile of bones covered by ragged honey colored fur than a real, living creature. Ed's eyes were closed, eyelids flickering slightly as his breath came out in uneven and labored gasps. Even though Alphonse could not feel the fever radiating from Ed's fragile body he could easily see that his brother was clearly suffering from a currently unknown injury that was hiding beneath the hastily wrapped bandages around his neck.

"Pup was bitten in the throat by Anna when she attacked them…" Al suddenly noticed Roy crouching down beside Edward's body, eyes full of anguish as he turned his helpless gaze from Ed to Alphonse. The dark furred chimera shifted slightly to the side, giving Al room to lift and gently cradle his sick brother close to his chest in his unfeeling, metal arms. "Roy tried to keep the wound clean…but the bite was too dirty…a-and it made Ed get very sick…"

At that moment Alphonse was unable to offer up any comforting words to Roy as fear slowly began to take its hold over him. Ed was in very, very bad shape, worse than he could have ever thought…would his brother even manage to survive the drive back towards the hotel and to the local vet nearby?

"Roy is so sorry that he let his pup get so sick…Roy did all that he could…and it still wasn't enough…" Roy's sorrowful tone snapped Al out of his dark thoughts as the black pelted chimera leaned forward to nuzzle sadly at the top of Ed's head. "Roy should have done more…"

"No, none of this was your fault." Alphonse heard himself speak in a grief hollowed voice as he gazed down at Roy. Those once clear and intelligent onyx eyes were now hazed over from pain and a deep exhaustion, yet he could still see a faint spark of the old colonel buried beneath. He knew how Mustang had used to put the wellbeing of his crew over his own, and Al could see that this guilt was slowly eating away at him. "You did all that you possibly could, and now we'll take care of the rest."

A brilliant shimmer of hope flickered in those dark eyes as Roy leaned closer to him, a sudden eagerness to his once weary tone. "So they can really save Ed then?"

"We will certainly do our best." Hawkeye's voice sounded from beside Alphonse, her tone soft and gentle as she attempted to soothe the worried chimera. "But first let's get you both out of here."

As Roy turned his attention to the lieutenant, Al slowly stood up with his brother safely gathered in his arms, the gaunt and suffering chimera showing no signs of regaining consciousness any time soon. He still couldn't believe that he had his brother back, but how long would it last? Ed looked to be on the verge of death, as though any labored breath would be his last…could he even be saved at this point?

Alphonse backed out of the dismantled structure, keeping his brother's weak form close to his chest as he watched Havoc hesitantly kneel down in front of Roy.

"Here, let me carry you to the van. I can see that you're still hurting…you don't have to limp all the way back." The second lieutenant held out his arms, looking a bit awkward to be addressing his former boss in such a manner. The dark furred chimera eyed him warily for a moment, almost as though he was putting aside any remaining pride before nodding gratefully and allowing Havoc to hold him and lift him from the ground.

With both chimeras now safely secured, and knowing that time was of the essence, the group made their way back to the van as quickly as they could. It was a brief journey, made much easier by not having to follow an injured and exhausted Roy, but most of it had still been a worried blur to Al. The only things he was truly aware of was his brother's weak form lying limply in his arms alongside the occasional, concerned whimpers from Roy whenever Ed was moved too far out of his line of sight.

Through the haze that had descended over his worried mind, Al saw that they had made it back to the van, the doors to the back of the vehicle being opened for him as he carefully ducked inside to settle down where he had sat on the long drive up to the lab. As his senses gradually returned, Alphonse watched Havoc gently load Roy into the back as well, the dark pelted chimera limping over to him as his weary gaze landed on the makeshift bed.

Once Roy had gratefully flopped down into the soft warmth by Al's side, the doors had been closed quickly as the engine roared to life. As they began their return to civilization and out of the vast, frozen wilderness, Alphonse turned his full focus to the two chimeras now in his care.

He could see that Ed had begun to tremble weakly in his arms, more than likely caused by prolonged contact with his cold steel body, and Al hastily reached over towards the mound of bedding next to him to grab a stray pillow and blanket. Alphonse put the pillow down into his lap before gently bundling his brother up in the thick blanket and setting him atop the pillow.

Al watched as the golden chimera's shaking started to ease as he warmed up and then turned to look at Roy, wondering if he was in need of any assistance. The dark furred chimera was lying on the pile of blankets, propped up on his elbows as his worried onyx gaze rested on Ed. Alphonse decided to place another blanket over Roy with a gentle hand before moving a pillow in between himself and the chimera, propping it in a way so that Roy could rest his head atop Al's leg and keep an eye on Ed.

Roy blinked gratefully up at Alphonse in response before setting his chin down on the pillow, burrowing deeper into the blankets with his muzzle just an inch or so away from Ed's head. The tired chimera let out a sigh as his eyes closed for a long moment, looking much more relaxed now.

"Roy wants to thank Armor Brother and the others for their help." Roy's warped voice rasped as his eyes slowly opened once more, a deep gratitude shining in their depths. "Armor Brother is very kind."

"You can just call me Al, if you'd like." Alphonse's voice was a bit hesitant as he looked down at the chimera, unsure of how he should be speaking to the colonel even if he was mostly dog now. He didn't want to seem disrespectful… "Armor Brother seems like quite a mouthful."

Roy's wide eyes shimmered with warmth and amusement as he let out a small snort of laughter, looking less awkward as Al regarded him in a light and friendly tone. "Okay. Then Al it is."

Though Alphonse wished that he could smile back at the chimera he instead fixed him with an intense, yet hopefully amused stare from soul fire eyes. All laughter faded from the two as Roy gazed back towards Ed, who had stopped trembling and now lay limp and alarmingly still in Al's lap with only his ragged breaths to show he was alive.

"Will…will Ed really be okay? Pup is just so sick…w-what if he is too far gone?" The dark furred chimera's voice was a near whisper full of fear as he cast a fleeting glance up at Al. "Can medicine still help?"

"I'm sure that the doctor will be able to treat the infection, and that will make Ed feel much better." While Alphonse had his own lingering doubts about Ed's current condition he somehow managed to keep it from entering his voice. Was there really any hope to be had? Did this poor suffering creature that was once his brave and stubborn brother have enough strength left in him to pull through this?

It seemed as though Roy shared his doubts as he turned his sorrowful, dark gaze back to Ed, pressing himself against Al's thigh in clear search of any reassurance. Alphonse cautiously pulled him closer and rested a large leather gauntlet atop the chimera's spine in response, hearing a small and worried whimper from below.

"Roy tried his best…Star even showed him which herbs to use…but Roy still couldn't save his pup…" Roy's voice was quiet with sorrow as he looked up at Al with an apology in his gaze. "Roy should have done more to keep his pup safe…he is so sorry that he let Ed get so weak…"

"None of this is your fault at all. You did absolutely everything you could, I'm sure." Alphonse reassured him in a firm yet gentle tone, desperately wanting Roy to know that he harbored no anger against him in the slightest. "And now we'll take both of you to a real doctor. You both are going to be fine, I promise."

While the dark furred chimera still looked absolutely miserable he nodded once and was able to meet Al's steady gaze. With his onyx eyes glistening with unshed tears Roy moved to softly nuzzle at Ed's cheek, slightly surprising Alphonse with such a loving and tender gesture.

It seemed as though a lot had changed between his brother and the colonel since they were captured…He had no clue how much they had suffered through in that time, but it had forged a strong bond…perhaps one so unshakable that it was how they'd managed to survive out on their own for so long.

As Al pondered over this new relationship between the two chimeras, Roy suddenly let out a long yawn. The poor chimera looked so terribly exhausted as he struggled to simply keep his eyes open, his head bobbing as he forced himself to stay awake. It was clear that Roy was just barely holding onto his rapidly slipping consciousness and Al couldn't help running a soft hand down his back in sympathy.

"You should get some sleep," Alphonse suggested gently as Roy turned to regard him with tired yet hesitant eyes. "I'll keep an eye on both of you while you rest. It's a long ride back; you'll have plenty of time for a good nap."

Roy's wide eyed stare returned to Ed, fear gleaming in his dark gaze, looking torn on what he should do. Al had a feeling deep down that Roy had more than likely stayed awake for so long for his brother's sake, and he longed to repay just a bit of the debt he owed to the tired chimera. "But—"

"No, you will get some sleep now." Alphonse said in a sympathetic yet stern voice that left no room for argument, doing his best to give Roy a fierce yet warm glare. "Both of you are going to need all of your strength to make it through this. You'll be completely safe with me, I'd never let anything happen to you."

Reluctant yet deeply relieved eyes stared up at Al, the dark irises clouded over with exhaustion. Alphonse ran his hand reassuringly down the black furred chimera's spine in a silent response, repeating the motion over and over until Roy's eyelids began to flutter before sliding shut.

"O-Okay…" The chimera's voice was a quiet hum as his body slowly relaxed and grew limp, leaning heavily against his thigh. Al could see that Roy was on the verge of finally succumbing to his exhaustion, letting out one last, rasping mumble before falling unconscious. "Roy trusts Al…"

Then Roy was asleep with his nose pressed firmly against the side of Ed's cheek as his breathing grew slow and even. Without Roy to talk to, Al was suddenly made aware of Hawkeye and Havoc talking to each other in hushed tones from up front, both seeming to not have been paying much attention to Alphonse's conversation.

Al kept his unblinking gaze on both slumbering chimeras, watching them closely as worry began to tug harder and harder at his weary mind. Would the two of them really be strong enough to make it through such a daunting recovery? Or were they both too far gone to be saved, not only physically but mentally as well?

For now Alphonse focused on the present, pushing the murky future to the back of his mind as he watched over his brother and the colonel, relieved that they were safe now. While this wasn't the reunion that he'd had in mind, Al was just grateful to have not only Edward back, but Mustang as well, and he'd do all he possibly could to ensure that they pulled through this.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Slowly Roy pushed through the light haze of a dreamless slumber to hear the sound of faint, muffled voices that were almost drowned out by the echoing barks of nearby dogs. There was a strong, almost sterile scent to the stuffy air that began to tug at distant and unpleasant memories he'd tried so hard to bury. Still a bit disoriented and confused, Roy realized that the dull ache in his injured leg was now gone and he was warmer than he had been in a long time.

As Roy swallowed back a growing sense of fear, memoires from earlier in the day slowly trickled back into his groggy mind. Through the fog that lingered over his thoughts Roy remembered that he had been lying beside Ed in their nest, hidden away from the frigid world beyond the makeshift den walls. He had remained awake all through the night and well into the morning in order to keep a close eye on his sick pup.

Nothing had changed for the better though in the time it had taken the moon to fade away and the sun to rise in a hazy blue sky. Ed was still unconscious and oblivious to the world as an almost unnatural fire burned from deep within his fragile body. There wasn't much he could have done to help Ed, not daring to try and give his pup water again for fear of only causing him more unneeded suffering.

In that moment Roy had come to the realization that Ed wouldn't survive until nightfall with how weak he had become…his dear pup had only a few dwindling hours left…

As despair threatened to completely consume him, Roy had suddenly heard the distinct sound of a car engine echoing throughout the frozen forest, the ever increasing roar making a fragile bud of hope blossom in his heart. He'd realized then that rescue had indeed arrived alongside the rising sun…just as a ghostly Sammy had foretold the night before.

Roy had quickly sat up in their nest, eager to head towards the car and the help that awaited them there, but as he carefully got to his paws he froze. Unease crawled beneath his pelt at the thought of leaving his sick and helpless pup behind, though he knew that Ed would be fine on his own for a little while. Still he was reluctant to leave the feverish chimera there in their den all alone…

"Roy promises that he will be back soon." Roy had said in a low voice as he cast a regretful yet determined glance down at Ed, who remained completely oblivious to his words. "He will bring help for his pup, and then Ed will feel better…"

With the engine's roar growing ever closer Roy had nuzzled at his pup's ears before hauling himself from their nest, leaving the den and Ed behind. He limped as fast as he possibly could through the frostbitten undergrowth and around the concrete building, assuming that the rescue party would be heading for the lab's front entrance first. Roy knew that he had to get there before the group delved too deeply into the building, not wanting to experience the horrors of the lab so soon after his last encounter.

The brief journey felt as though it had lasted a lifetime, but Roy was finally able to make it to his destination just as the engine went silent. He'd warily watched from the surrounding foliage as two humanoid figures clad in deep military blue exited from doors at the front of the vehicle. As the two officers gazed uneasily at the looming building, the back door opened and a huge, imposing suit of armor got out to stand a little bit away from the others.

Immediately Roy recognized him as Ed's armor brother, and as he looked closer at the other two he was greatly relieved when he managed to remember them as well. After suffering through many long months of abuse and unimaginable pain, Roy's human friends had finally come to save them both.

With this renewed hope flowing through his tired body, Roy slowly limped over towards the suit of armor, hobbling upon three weak and unsteady legs as he let out a low whine. The quiet, rather pathetic sound had gotten the armor's attention though as bright and fiery red eyes came to rest upon Roy.

After that the rest of his memory grew muddled, his exhaustion and the deep, throbbing ache in his hind leg drowning out most of what happened next.

Distantly Roy could recall leading the group around the outside of the building and towards the den, the hollow suit of armor letting out an anguished wail as he laid eyes upon his sick brother's body. Then he had been carried back to the van alongside Ed and he remembered settling down onto soft blankets, burrowing deep into their warmth.

The armor's soft and echoing voice had given his name as Al before quietly urging Roy to get some much needed rest, running a large yet surprisingly gentle hand along his back. He remembered the soothing motion being repeated over and over…placing his head beside Ed's on a pillow…then his memory completely failed him.

Roy was somewhere different now, in a place with scents and sounds similar to the lab he had been trapped in for so long…had he actually been brought back? Was this some sort of sick and twisted betrayal?

This didn't feel like that cruel hell though; it felt warm and safe despite what his confused mind was trying to tell him. Someone had seemingly tended to his injured leg and Roy felt much more comfortable than he had ever been in the lab…but where exactly was he?

Very slowly Roy opened his eyes, now ready to take in his new and unfamiliar surroundings only to tense up when he saw that he was back in a cage. This time was different though, and while this place reminded him a little too much of the lab, it had a soothing quality to it that kept him from panicking.

Through the bars of his new cage, one that was a few feet higher off the ground than his former one in the basement, Roy saw another line of cages stretching along the opposite wall. They housed a variety of dogs, as well as the occasional cat, and it was very clear that these creatures were not twisted monstrosities like him.

While a few of the dogs were barking it seemed more from boredom than fear, and these sounded nothing like the warped howls he had constantly heard in the lab. In fact these animals looked well taken care of and were much more at ease than what he remembered. Roy finally allowed himself to relax, settling down deeper into the warm, soft blankets that lined the bottom of his own cage.

He was safe here.

From out of the corner of his eye Roy suddenly noticed Al's large metal figure standing at the end of the opposite row of cages, and at his side stood the pretty blond woman that he now recognized as his closest confidante in the military. The two of them stood off to the side and seemed to be talking to someone that he couldn't see from his current position. Roy propped himself up onto his elbows and pricked his ears in an attempt to listen in on their conversation.

"So will they be okay then?" He could hear the faintly scared yet hopeful voice of Al sound from farther away as a completely unknown voice replied to him.

"Well they're both severely malnourished and were badly dehydrated, but we've given them fluids and will continue to do so until they wake. If tended to carefully this shouldn't be too much of a problem to treat in the long run." This new voice spoke in a friendly tone that was very different from the ones Roy had heard speaking in the lab. "The black one only had a sprained leg, which should fully heal up in a week or so. The other one though…"

Dread formed like a heavy pit in Roy's stomach at the darkening of the man's voice, and he assumed that they must be talking about Ed. Had they managed to get to him in time?

"The golden one's condition is much worse. His wound was badly infected and had nearly gone septic…if you had waited another day to bring him in then he would have died. Even now he's still not in the clear, but at least he has a fighting chance."

"He…H-He will make it though…right?" Al's trembling tone echoed his own sense of fear and panic that was steadily growing from deep within Roy's heart. What if Ed really had been too far gone for even medicine to help? Would he still die despite all Roy had done to try and save him?

"Right now he's on some very strong antibiotics, and we've also cleaned the infection from his wound as best we could and stitched it up…but he was already very sick when you brought him in. These next few days will be crucial to his survival, but until he wakes up I can't give you a definitive answer."

"Would it be possible for us to see them?" Al's meek voice was full of hope; clearly he wanted to see his brother and Roy as soon as possible, no matter what state they were in.

"Of course," The doctor's tone, while still grave, held a hint of warmth to it as he answered the armor boy. "But if they're asleep then leave them be. Rest is one of the best things for them right now. Also remember that they're both extremely weak, so be gentle with them."

"Thank you very much for your help, Doctor Mateo," The blond woman's voice was curt yet filled with a deep gratitude. As Roy watched, she dipped her head to the doctor he was still unable to see. "We'll be sure to keep that in mind."

Al had already turned his head to look in Roy's direction, those soul fire eyes glowing brighter when he saw that Roy was actually awake and watching him. As the doctor's quiet footsteps faded in the opposite direction, Al rushed eagerly to stand before Roy's cage, stooping down slightly to get a better look at him.

"How are you feeling?" The armor boy asked in a soft tone full of relief as he gazed steadily back at Roy, almost as though he were searching for an answer in the onyx eyes in front of him. "Does anything hurt?"

Roy had a deep, almost instinctual feeling that told him it wouldn't be wise to speak much in this place. The people here had no idea as to what he truly was, and they'd be very unlikely to understand all that had happened for him to be reduced to such a disturbing state. Instead of directly answering back, Roy simply shook his head.

This answer seemed to please Al as he let out a quiet sigh, looking more at ease as he continued to stare warmly back at Roy. "That's good, you're going to be just fine now, I promise."

Slowly those glowing eyes began to wander along Roy's battered body, more than likely taking in his current condition before Al's shoulders suddenly stiffened. The armor boy raised a hand to carefully thread two large leather fingers through the bars of the cage and rested them on the collar still fixed around Roy's neck. The troubled look in Al's fiery gaze told Roy that he was unnerved by this lingering remnant of the lab still attached to him.

"Here, let me get that for you. It looks very uncomfortable." Al said softly as he pulled his hand away in order to undo the latch on the door to Roy's cage. Once the door had been fully opened a gentle hand felt softly around Roy's neck, searching for the clasp that held the leather binding tightly in place as the blond woman approached and curiously watched on.

The sudden snap of weathered metal and damaged leather seemed to echo in Roy's ears as the collar was finally removed. Al pulled his hand back with the collar now held in his grasp as he gazed uneasily down at it. Roy slowly touched a paw to his throat, finding it strange to not feel the thick leather pressing into his flesh. While he'd grown used to it from his time spent trapped in the lab and all through his stay out in the forest, the sensation of air brushing through the thin fur that had once been hidden felt wonderful.

The lab and those monstrous men that had warped and changed his body into its current shape had no hold over Roy any longer. Finally he was free from that cruel, hellish place.

"I'm sorry," Al whispered as he quietly closed the cage with his free hand, looking up from the collar in his tight grasp with regret in his gaze. "I broke the name tag off but forgot to remove the collar before we got here…and I thought that the doctors would have…"

"Roy thanks Al very much." Roy cut off the armor boy's unneeded apology as he smiled reassuringly at Al, reaching a paw towards him in a soothing gesture. "Roy is just happy to have it gone…he is no longer an experiment."

Though Al couldn't physically smile back, Roy felt a mixture of relief and joy radiating from the armor in waves as Al pushed his fingers back through the bars to gently place them atop Roy's paw. Roy let out a small sigh as he closed his eyes, pressing his nose into the cold leather and breathing in his comforting, somewhat familiar scent.

When he recognized the distinct scent hidden beneath the stronger ones of leather and steel, Roy's eyes snapped open and his muscles tensed up as he stared desperately at Al.

"E-Ed…" Roy risked letting out a low whimper as the armor pulled back in shock at this sudden, intense reaction. Roy looked frantically from Al to the blond woman, growing more alarmed when he saw sadness and pity gleaming in her wide tawny eyes. His body began to tremble as dread once more settled deep within his stomach. "Ed is…is Ed alright? Did he make it too? Is he safe?"

For a moment that stretched on for a lifetime Al said absolutely nothing, seeming a bit unnerved by the question as he averted his gaze to instead stare towards the cage right next to Roy's, a dark glow in his fiery eyes. The blond woman seemed lost for words as well as she gazed back at Roy with sorrow written clearly on her features. Roy felt pure despair slam heavily into his body when he realized what they were trying to hide from him.

"Oh…Ed…Ed is dead then…isn't he?" His voice was a faint breath full of anguish as Roy pulled away from them to bury his head in his paws. Tears began to flood his eyes, turning the world around him into a grief hazed blur. He just couldn't believe that this was actually happening… "Oh Pup…Roy is so, so sorry that he let this happen…He…H-He…"

"W-What? No! Ed isn't dead Roy!" Al was quick to cry out in shock as his gentle fingers brushed through the fur of Roy's shoulder. Roy immediately raised his head; tear filled eyes locking firmly onto the armor boy as he went on in a rushed voice. "He's actually in the cage right next to yours. He…he's still very sick, but he's alive."

"H-He is?" Hope suddenly soared in Roy's chest like a bird taking flight as he gazed eagerly at Al. "Can Roy see his pup?"

Instead of speaking, Al leaned forward to examine the metal wall next to Roy's head closely, placing a cautious hand to the outside portion of the barrier. After looking at it, Al gave the divider a hesitant tug, the metal trembling from the force as it budged just an inch. With a small huff he then pulled at the barrier once more, easily sliding it out from in between the cages as Roy's hopeful gaze flew eagerly towards the occupant a foot or so away.

Immediately Roy recognized his pup's golden pelt gleaming faintly through the shadows of his cage, and relief flooded through his still trembling body like water through an open sluice. While Ed was still unconscious, this time he seemed to be resting peacefully as his hollow flanks rose and fell with each soft breath.

As Roy began to drag himself closer towards his pup he let out a surprised yelp when he felt an unpleasant, somewhat painful tugging sensation at the back of his left paw. Roy looked down to see a needle embedded into his flesh, attached to a long, clear tube that he recognized as an IV line from his time spent in the basement.

At the sound of his cry, Al quickly grabbed Roy's IV bag in one hand before giving an encouraging nod for him to continue on. Roy nodded back in response as he crossed the short distance between himself and Ed to look down at his sleeping pup, taking stock of his injuries. Roy was relieved to see that the badly infected wound to Ed's neck was now bandaged properly with clean white cloth, and though his fever still stubbornly remained it was burning much less intensely than it had been earlier that morning.

Roy settled himself comfortably next to his slumbering pup, lying beside him as he placed his head atop Ed's neck with a small sigh. It was then that he saw that his pup also had his own IV line attached to the back of his left paw as well, which had no doubt helped to finally quench the blazing fire that had raged uncontrolled through Ed's frail body.

"See? Ed is going to just fine now." Al's voice was soft as he gazed warmly back at him, having placed Roy's IV bag on the same hook that also held Ed's. It seemed like he wanted to say more but was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.

A female nurse with long and curly brown hair walked into the room through a nearby doorway, her curious gaze wandering around the room before coming to rest upon Roy. The woman's deep auburn eyes widened as she let out a small joyful sound before walking over towards the group.

"I see that one of them is finally awake!" The nurse said in a gentle, melodic voice as she came to stand in front of Roy's cage. She frowned slightly for a moment before she caught the gleam of the metal divider Al had moved, the barrier now leaning against the bottom row of empty cages, and she lightly sighed before giving a good natured shrug. "And I can also see that they just can't stay separated! Oh well, it's for the best in the end I suppose."

Roy was immediately soothed by this woman's presence, liking her upbeat and carefree attitude that was a complete opposite from the ones most of the doctors in the lab had displayed towards him. She didn't want to keep Roy from being at his pup's side and seemed to encourage it instead. He wished he could have told her how much this meant to him but Roy stayed silent as the nurse smiled at him, her brown eyes alight with warmth as she looked him over.

"How is the poor love feeling?" She asked, though Roy knew better than to answer as she instead turned her attention to Al and the blond woman. "Has he been showing any signs of distress?"

"No, he seems to be doing fine at the moment." The blond woman spoke up instead of Al as she glanced fondly at Roy. While her real name still sadly eluded him, it was very clear that she still cared deeply for him despite his current state, and Roy was very grateful that she was there. He attempted to return her gaze but she had already settled back into her usual professional demeanor as she stared steadily at the nurse.

"The poor little dear must be hungry though." The female nurse responded as she looked back at Roy, seeming to take in his gaunt form with a small frown. "Let me go and get him something to eat and drink, that will probably perk him right up!"

With that the nurse quietly left the room, a purpose to her light footfalls as she disappeared from sight while Al and the blond woman shared an uneasy look. Roy had no clue as to why the two looked so unnerved, having seen no threat posed by the friendly woman, and he longed to ease their worries in any way.

"Roy likes that nurse." He whispered calmly, gazing reassuringly at Al and the blond woman with a faint smile. "She is very friendly and nice too. Not like any that were in the lab."

Instead of soothing them as intended, this statement seemed to make the two look even more disturbed and Roy frowned at their unexpected reaction. What was the cause of this uneasiness? Was it something he had said or done? Could he even make them feel better?

Roy cocked his head to the side in confusion, but before he could try to uncover any sort of answer the kind nurse returned with a metal dish in each hand. As she got closer Roy caught a strange, meaty scent rising from one of the bowls and his mouth began to water almost out of instinct. He was surprised that his appetite had returned so suddenly and he wondered just how long he had gone without eating while his pup was sick.

"Here we are." The nurse said in a gentle tone as she came to stand before the cage, giving Al a grateful look from shining eyes when he opened the cage door for her. She stretched her arms into the cage, placing both bowls inside and near Roy's head so he could easily reach them.

"We'll give him just a little bit of food for now," The female nurse continued on cheerfully as she turned to talk to Al and the blond woman. "If we give him too much too soon then he could get very, very sick…and I'm sure that no one wants that to happen!"

As the nurse began to go into more detail as to what could possibly happen if her advice was ignored, Roy began to examine both dishes. Suspicion lingered deep down when he realized these dishes were very similar to the ones used in the lab…was this all just an elaborate trap? Were those doctors lurking here now, ready to strike again? Did they want to perform more terrible experiments on him and his pup when they were at their weakest?

Roy looked at the water dish first, relieved to see that the liquid within was clear as crystal and had no strange scent to suggest that it had been tampered with. In the other dish was an odd pile of soft brown meat that also appeared to be safe to consume. Roy first lapped up a mouthful of water, happy to taste nothing odd, before warily dabbing at the food with his tongue.

A primal, almost animalistic hunger blotted all rational thought from Roy's head as he practically attacked the food within the bowl. Hardly stopping to even chew, he gulped the meat down quickly and with great fervor, his empty stomach growling ferociously as the dish was emptied. Roy heard a small chuckle come from the nurse as she watched him continue to lap at the bowl even after the tiniest amount had vanished.

"He may still look hungry, but don't let him fool you!" The nurse let out another light laugh as she placed a gentle hand to Roy's back. "For now, and once they're both well enough to go back home, you should split a watered down can of wet dog food between them every few hours so they won't get sick and wind up here with us again!"

Once Roy had finally finished with his meal he let out a small sigh as he turned his head towards the second bowl and lapped up a few more mouthfuls of water. The hunger that had steadily gnawed away at him for so long was gone and it felt strange to not feel it's sharp, stabbing fangs dig deep into his stomach, but Roy was grateful that his hunger pains had come to an end at last.

As he pulled his head away from the water dish, his thirst now sated as well, Roy felt the nurse's hand gently move up along his pronounced spine to settle atop his head. With a soft humming noise the female nurse began to scratch behind one of Roy's ears, his tail wagging slightly as his eyelids grew increasingly heavy.

"Yes, that's a good little dear. He's such a good boy, isn't he?" Roy's drowsy gaze came to rest upon Al and the blond woman as the nurse continued to murmur soft words to him. They wore similar, deeply disturbed looks as they watched on in silence, and Roy grew confused by their strange reactions once more. Couldn't they see that nothing bad was happening? This nurse was treating him well and had even fed him…why did they appear so unnerved?

"So…can you tell us a little more about Ed's condition?" Al spoke up in a quiet, trembling voice as the nurse reluctantly ceased in her gentle caresses. She leaned out of the cage and away from Roy, grabbing up the empty food dish with one hand before carefully closing the cage door. For the first time since meeting her, the nurse regarded the nervous armor boy with an uncharacteristically somber expression.

"There isn't much else I can add that the doctor didn't already tell you." Her once cheerful tone was gone, a deep sense of regret in her voice as she carried on. "Though I can tell you that if he doesn't wake by sometime tomorrow…then his prognosis is grim. While rest is a good thing, it could also mean that we treated him too late…that he may never wake up again…"

With dread weighing heavy in his heart and his fur beginning to bristle from an ever increasing fear, Roy gazed down worriedly at his sleeping pup, watching the simple rise and fall of his boney flank. Ed was looking much better than he had just mere hours earlier, though he was still no doubt very weak as the embers of his fever continued to burn.

It felt almost impossible for him to die now, not when they were surrounded by proper medicine and doctors that seemed more than eager to help…and yet all of that still might not be enough…this could very well be the end…

"No…Ed can't die now…not after all we've suffered through to even get here…" Roy thought miserably to himself as he lightly nuzzled at his pup's cheek before placing his chin atop Ed's golden head. The thought of his beloved pup never waking again…dying without even being able to see his brother one final time made Roy's heart crack like brittle glass. Surely those brilliant amber eyes would blink open at any moment now…they just had to…

"If only we had found them sooner…" Roy's bleak musings were interrupted by the sound of Al's trembling voice. He raised his head to look towards the armor boy, watching his metal shoulders slump in despair as he sorrowfully carried on. "Then it never would have come to this…they'd be in better condition than they are now…"

Roy gazed at the armor boy with a mixture of pity and a deep sense of gratitude budding in his aching heart. Al had done his absolute best for them, there was nothing more that he could have done. Even if Ed were to die, he'd never blame Al for it…this was the fault of the cruel scientists that had brought the two chimeras to this point of seemingly no return…

"From what little I've been told it was the people who had them before you that caused this mess." The nurse voiced Roy's thoughts in a stern yet sympathetic tone as she gazed warmly at the armor boy. "None of this is on you, love. You brought them here just in time…you saved them. They have a good fighting chance now, so don't yet mourn for those who are still among the living."

"She's right, Alphonse." The blond woman quickly chimed in as she placed a gentle hand to Al's shoulder, compassion glowing brightly in her tawny eyes. "Please don't shoulder this all on your own, don't continue to blame yourself over something uncontrollable. They have a chance now when they didn't have one before."

While Roy still longed to tell Al in his own words just how grateful he was for all his help, to be taken far away from that frozen forest and the hell that lay hidden deep within, he remained silent. There would be time later to tell the armor boy everything, so for now Roy settled on trying to catch Al's eye with warmth shining in his own gaze.

He watched Al let out a sad, resigned sigh as he seemed to take in what these two wise women had said. As his empty metal helm rose he caught Roy's eye, dark onyx meeting with soul fire red, and he tried with all his being to convey all of the gratitude and pure relieve that soared within him in that single look. Al seemed to regain some strength from their shared glance, nodding slightly to him as he stood taller and turned toward the kind nurse.

"Can I at least stay here with them?" The armor boy's voice held a newly found determination, hope glowing in his gaze as he continued. "I can keep an eye on not only them but the other animals here too. I…I don't want to leave them just yet…and I want to be here if…if the worse were to happen."

The nurse looked thoughtful for a moment, though Roy already knew what her answer would be as she smiled softly before nodding her head in affirmation, her voice sounding a bit relieved. "Of course you can stay with them, and I'm sure that the other patients will enjoy the company as well. Though I don't know where we could possibly fit a cot in here for you…maybe…"

"I can take care of that, so there is no need to worry." Al interrupted the nurse in a grateful tone as his gaze landed back onto Roy and Ed. "Whatever happens I'll be fine, as long as I'm with them. They…they mean a lot to me…and I want to help them in any way I can."

As the blond woman turned her attention to the nurse and began to work out the details of Al's stay, Roy looked back down at his slumbering pup. Sorrow and hope warred within his drowsy mind as he lapped fondly at the top of Ed's head. Roy felt so tired at that moment…all he wanted to do was close his eyes and rest for a little while…

"Roy knows that his pup will be alright." He breathed quietly into Ed's ear before burying his muzzle deep into his pup's fluffy mane of golden fur. "Ed is strong and very brave…he can pull through this."

With his heavy eyelids starting to droop Roy felt a gentle pressure come to rest on the top of his own head. He lazily looked up to see that Al had threaded a large finger through the cage bars once more, softly stroking behind one of Roy's ears as he gazed at the chimera with warmth in his eyes.

"You're both going to be just fine now." Al's soothing whisper seemed to echo through Roy's hazy mind as he let his eyes finally slide shut, a faint smile on his face as he was greeted by the comforting embrace of slumber. As Roy allowed the peaceful waves of darkness to whisk him away into a blissful oblivion he heard Al's voice once more before he fell unconscious.

"I promise."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Though Ed was unable to move a muscle or see anything but inky blackness, he could still somehow feel faint sensations from the waking world reaching out to him through the dark haze in his mind.

The first thing he was physically aware of was that he was feeling much better than he had been in some time. The deep aches and various pains in his body had faded, the burning itch of his neck wound nearly nonexistent and his fever had most definitely gone down. Though the weakened embers that had once been a raging fire within him still stubbornly lingered beneath his flesh, Ed no longer felt nauseous or disoriented.

As he relished the feeling of peace that had settled over his body, Ed gradually began to take stock of what he could feel all around him. He knew that he was lying atop thick fabric that was wonderfully soft and cozy, an all-encompassing warmth easily breaking through the bitter, frigid ice that had once found its home in his very core. The bedding was much more comfortable than anything he'd experienced in either the wilderness or the lab, and Ed allowed himself to burrow deeper into its warmth.

Gradually, as his senses began to branch out a little more, Ed became aware of a firm and steady presence curled lightly around his body. Warm breath rushed softly through the fur at the back of his neck as something fluffy gently caressed along his flank. While both of these actions soothed Ed, it also left him a bit confused.

Where exactly was he now, and where was Roy? Was his guardian here with him? Were they safe now? Had their human friends finally found them?

Ed tried to remember the events leading up to this point but his memories were a confusing and chaotic cacophony of sights and sounds. Sometimes it felt more like a strange dream replaying in his mind's eye at points, but he knew deep in his heart that all of it was real.

He recalled lying beside Roy in their new den near the lab, the icy chill of the forest blocked by his guardian's warm body. There was pain and fear as Ed felt his body slowly begin to fail on him…his mind growing dark as his fever left scorch marks beneath his skin and clouded all though in a murky haze…Through it all though, Ed could hear Roy's voice murmuring soft words of comfort to him, never once leaving his side…

With his memories failing to give him any clue as to where he currently was, confusion slowly started to give way to panic. Before he could lose himself in terror, Ed felt a soft pressure against his cheek as an achingly familiar voice whispered in his ear.

"Everything is alright, Pup." His guardian said in a faint tone as a paw pulled him closer to the presence lying against him. "Roy is right here, waiting for him to wake up. He knows that Ed is strong enough to make it through this…"

The pure warmth and affection to Roy's soothing voice reached deeply into Ed's very soul, giving him just enough strength to try and open his heavy eyelids. A tiny whimper escaped his throat as he fidgeted in a feeble attempt to move his body, struggling to return to the waking world and his awaiting guardian.

"E-Ed?" The body next to Ed tensed in an almost fearful manner as Roy spoke on with a desperate hope in his tone. "C-Can…can he really hear Roy?"

Not attempting to give an actual answer, Ed continued to fight against his body's urge to simply give up and slip back into the darkness of sleep. Though he was feeling much better now, he knew that his body was still very weak in the wake of all he had suffered through out in the forest…and for a moment Ed wondered if he was only inching closer to death.

Struggling to not give in to his body's bone deep longing for slumber, and mustering up all of the strength left within him, Ed continued to fight back for what felt like a lifetime. Eventually he grew aware that his limbs had come back under his complete control, and heartened by this knowledge Ed was soon able to slowly open his eyes.

The first thing he saw was the silver glint of cold metal bars before him and Ed flinched out of fearful instinct. Had he been returned to the lab and the stone hell of the basement somehow? How had the doctors managed to capture him and Roy again? Had they been secretly hiding nearby, ready to strike when the two were at their weakest?

None of this felt like the bowels of the lab though…it was pleasantly warm and peaceful here with none of the tortured howls of his fellow chimeras…but what if all this was just a terrible ruse?

Before Ed could be fully consumed by dread, a familiar scent touched his nose as dark fur flashed at the corner of his eye. He relaxed out of instinct as he felt a soft lapping at the top of his head, bringing him back to himself.

It was at that moment that Ed knew he was finally, truly, safe.

"R-Roy…" Ed rasped in a rough, tired voice as Roy went completely still beside him. His guardian pulled back slightly, craning his neck so he was able to meet his gaze. Hopeful onyx eyes met exhausted gold as pure joy lit up Roy's face and he began to lap frantically at Ed's cheek.

"Oh Ed!" Roy cried out in delight as he spoke through his desperate licks, tears slowly forming in his dark eyes. "Roy was so, so worried…h-his pup almost didn't m-make it and they didn't know if h-he'd live…but Ed is awake now and everything will be fine…"

Silence then settled over the pair as they simply basked in the others presence, grateful beyond words that they had both somehow managed to survive the harsh wilderness. Gradually Roy slowed in his lapping and instead buried his nose deeply into the fur of Ed's shoulder, his guardian's body trembling with relief. As a muffled sob managed to reach his ear, Ed felt a sharp pang of guilt pierce his heart like sharpened claws at the thought of all the stress his injury and illness must have caused…

"Ed is very sorry that he made Roy worry so…" Ed whispered in a frail voice as he let his still sleep heavy head rest softly atop Roy's paws. "But Ed is feeling much better now, so Roy doesn't have to worry about him anymore."

"Roy will always worry." His guardian said as he lifted his muzzle from his pup's honey colored fur, and for a moment Ed worried that Roy would break down once more. When he next spoke though, it was in an amused huff of breath. "At this rate Roy's fur will go gray from all the stress Ed causes him."

Ed let out his own quick bark of laughter as his guardian cast him a loving yet exasperated look before settling his chin atop his pup's head. With a small sigh Ed relaxed deeper into Roy's embrace, savoring the warmth of his pelt as he let his eyes close for a heartbeat. They snapped open once more as a sudden question pushed itself to the front of his mind.

"But where are…" Ed's voice trailed off as clattering metal sounded from a nearby doorway, a huge suit of silver armor emerging from the shadows beyond. Its helm was lowered in a dejected manner as it slowly shuffled into the room, misery radiating from it in waves. Ed felt his heart skip a beat at the sight, eyes going wide in amazement as he instantly recognized this hulking shape's identity…one he could never have forgotten.

All the words that he wanted to say died in his dry throat as the armor looked up towards the cage, freezing at the sight before him. Red soul fire eyes glowed brighter with shock and joy as the armor rushed towards the cage at a speed that contradicted his body's size.

"ED!" Al cried out in an overjoyed wail as he practically flung himself at the cage housing his brother, his hollow armor rattling loudly as he began to shake from relief. "You're finally awake! Oh, thank god! I was so scared t-that you…that w-we were…"

Al grew silent as Ed lifted a trembling right paw and stretched it as far as possible through the cage bars, overcome with emotion as his brother swam before him through the joyful tears welling in his eyes. "A-Al…Ed is so, s-so happy to see him…his l-little brother…Ed missed Al so m-much…"

His brother stooped down slightly to return Ed's gaze, carefully taking the offered paw and cradling it with both large leather hands. As the brothers stared at each other, both now rendered speechless at their bittersweet reunion, an echoing sob rose up from Al's armor body.

"Oh Ed…I am so sorry that I didn't get to you in time to prevent this…" Al's voice shook with pure sorrow and regret as his soulful gaze flickered from Ed to Roy, who was still curled protectively around his pup's body. "I-I…I let both of you down so badly…you both nearly died because I took so long…I will n-never be able to forgive myself for this…the two of y-you must…"

Doing his best to hold back his own sobs, and wondering how his brother could be so damn foolish, Ed pulled his paw from Al's weak grip to gently hit him on the head. Al froze, flinching slightly from the sudden action as he went silent once more and gazed fearfully back at Ed.

"No. There is nothing for Al to be sorry for…nothing at all…Ed is just so happy to see his brother…he thought he'd never see Al again…" Ed closed his eyes as tears sluiced from beneath his eyelids, trying and failing to reel in his own emotions. How could his brother even think that he was to blame for any of this? Ed loved Al far too much to even dream of hating him, and he was sure that Al had done absolutely everything he could to find them.

"Roy doesn't blame Al either." Roy's voice was soft and full of gratitude, and as Ed opened his eyes in order to look back at his guardian he saw those familiar onyx orbs glimmer with affection as he gazed at Al. "Al saved Roy and his pup…they would both be dead now without his help. Al is a hero, not a villain…so please hold no blame."

While Ed could tell that his brother was still unconvinced, Al bowed his head in acceptance, averting his gaze to look intently at the tiled floor below. With pity twisting like a coiled snake in his heart, Ed attempted to say something to soothe his distressed brother, but Al suddenly looked back up at him and Roy with determination blazing like fire in his eyes.

"Thank you both for trying, but I think that I'll always feel guilt over this…that is my burden to bear for my mistakes…So to atone for it, I'll take care of you two until I can fix absolutely everything. I will keep you safe now, no matter the cost."

Before Ed could even think of a response to Al's impassioned declaration he was distracted by a low gasp and a small clap that sounded from the doorway his brother had emerged from earlier. His gaze quickly darted towards the person who had made the noise, battered muscles tensing from dread as he pressed closer to Roy in search of reassurance.

Standing in the doorway was a younger looking woman with her dark curly hair tied back in a loose bun, her wide brown eyes shining with delight. Neither Al nor Roy seemed alarmed by her presence in the slightest as she walked farther into the room, heading gracefully towards the cage with a smile parting her lips.

"Oh, he's finally awake now, isn't he?" The woman's voice was full of warmth as she gazed at Ed, seemingly giving off an aura of kindness that soothed him and made his tense muscles relax. "It's so good to see him with his eyes open…and my, what beautiful gold eyes he has! He sure is such a pretty little thing, yes he is!"

As this mysterious yet friendly woman drew closer, cooing compliments to him the entire time, Ed felt Roy's warm breath against the back of his head as his guardian whispered in his ear. "That is Gabriela, and she is the nurse taking care of Roy and Ed. She is very nice, a lot like Vance was, and Roy thinks that Ed will like her…But she doesn't know they can speak human, so Ed needs to be careful when talking…"

"Those two sure like to chatter to themselves, don't they?" Gabriela interrupted Roy's warning with a melodic voice as she smiled at the two chimeras, clearly unable to understand what had just been said between them. Ed felt relieved as she stretched a hand through the cage bars to gently scratch his chin. "The poor dear is probably very hungry after sleeping so long, and it seems his fever is nearly gone as well. Roy is due for his meal anyway, so let me go and get them some food and fresh water really quick. I'll be back in a moment!"

As the kind nurse left through the same doorway she had come from, Ed felt a small surge of confusion rush through his mind at her words. He turned his head to give his guardian a baffled look before asking a single question. "H-How long was Ed asleep for?"

"Ed hasn't woken up since he and Roy were rescued from the forest…that was about a day or so ago." Roy shifted his paws and averted his gaze, brow furrowed with distress as the fur along his spine bristled nervously. "The doctor here was very worried that Ed would never wake up…s-said that Pup might be too far gone to be saved…Roy and Al were very scared that they would lose Ed forever…"

A chill ran through his body, causing Ed to shiver uneasily. While his days spent unconscious had been a blur, passing quickly for him, it hadn't been the same for Roy or Al. Roy had probably wondered if he could have done more to help Ed, no doubt racked with guilt over something out of his control. As for Al, his poor brother had been unable to escape from the harshness of this current reality through sleep, having to stay awake and just hoping that Ed would wake soon…

He'd inadvertently caused the two he loved most so much grief and heartache…how could he even begin to make up for all he had put them through?

"Ed is very sorry…" Ed whispered in a voice that trembled from guilt as he turned his head away from his guardian, scared to possibly see anger blazing in Roy's eyes at his pitiful attempt to apologize. "H-He never meant to…"

"Idiot," The soft affection to Roy's voice shocked Ed and he flinched as a gentle paw came to rest on the top of his head. Ed warily turned to see his guardian smiling at him; dark eyes alight with a mixture of love and relief. "Ed is awake now, and that is all that matters. Roy has his pup back with him and his very, very happy."

As Roy nuzzled at Ed's cheek and wrapped his fluffy tail tighter around his pup, Ed too felt a growing sense of relieved joy. Somehow he had survived through near deadly hardships, able to beat the odds stacked against him to make it back to not only Roy, but Al as well. Ed hadn't left his brother or his guardian all on their own, and he was grateful to simply be alive in that moment, no matter what the future held.

Before either chimera could speak Ed heard the sound of soft footfalls tapping lightly over the tiled floor below, and yet he still jumped when the door to the cage opened with a faint click. Ed quickly returned his attention to the opening of the cage, seeing a smiling Gabriela looking back at him as she placed a metal dish in front of his muzzle.

"Aren't they talkative today? I could hear them barking from the waiting room." The nurse turned her friendly gaze to Al, who had moved off to the side and out of the way as she set another bowl down closer to Roy. "I wonder what they're saying to each other…oh, if only they could simply talk to us."

Ed did his best to hold back a laugh at Gabriela's words, hearing Roy let out a quiet snort of amusement from beside him. As the nurse gave them both a curious look, Al fidgeted uneasily next to her, seeming as though he longed to tell her the truth. Ed wondered just how she would react if either chimera granted her request, though he imagined it probably wouldn't end well for any of them in the long run.

Not fond at the idea of testing his theory out, Ed instead turned to look into the dish just an inch or so away from his nose. Inside was some sort of mashed up brown sludge in the middle of a small puddle of cloudy water, and for what it looked like the substance smelt much better than he would have thought.

While Ed hesitated he saw Roy begin to eat out of his own dish, which no doubt contained the same thing, with no such pause. Though his fever still remained, now just the faintest of flickering flames, Ed realized that his appetite had returned just enough so that the smell of food didn't make him sick. Figuring that the substance was safe to ingest Ed dabbed it with his tongue, shocked by how good it tasted to him.

Then Ed was eagerly wolfing down his own portion alongside Roy, hearing a light chuckle sound from somewhere above him as a second dish was placed into the cage and well within reach of both chimeras. Ed paused for a moment to inspect the new dish, grateful to see clear water held within as his dry and aching throat cried out for any sort of relief.

Abandoning the remainder of his meal Ed quickly lapped up a few mouthfuls of blissfully cold water, a quiet sigh rising up from his chest at the sudden dulling of his pain. Once the dryness in his throat had been completely driven away, Ed returned to his food without missing a beat, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Roy seemed to have finished his own meal and was gazing at his pup with an amused expression.

"If he's able to keep food down, and continues to drink water on his own, then we should be able to remove his IV soon." As Ed too finished his own bowl, lapping up any remaining traces of food possibly left behind, he froze when he registered what Gabriela has just said. With a twinge of unease, Ed looked down at his left paw, dreading what he would see.

Just as the nurse had said, Ed was hooked up to an IV drip, and he winced when he saw the needle embedded into the back of his paw. How had he failed to notice the damned thing? The simple thought of a needle sticking through his flesh and into a vein made Ed want to vomit up everything he'd just ingested.

Ed let out a quavering moan before burying his muzzle deeply into the soft blankets beneath him, trembling as he tried to keep himself from passing out. The gentle and reassuring sensation of Roy lapping softly at the top of Ed's head grounded him, and as he let out the faintest of whimpers he felt a large, cool leather hand settle atop his shoulder.

"It's alright Ed, just try to ignore it." Past the dull roaring in his ears he heard Al's soothing voice, the sound giving him just enough strength to raise his head from the blanket to see his brother gazing sympathetically at him. As Gabriela gave Ed and his brother a quizzical look, Al offered up an explanation in Ed's place. "He can understand a few human words and their meaning, IV and needle being two. He…he doesn't like needles at all."

The nurse nodded as her confusion quickly changed to understanding and she stooped down slightly to meet Ed's gaze with an encouraging smile. "Aw, there there love, everything is alright. There's no need to be scared, I'm sure that the doctor will have it removed very soon!"

As Ed finally managed to control his breathing, the worst of his anxiety fading away, Gabriela fixed Al with an almost awestruck look. "I'm absolutely amazed that he's smart enough to understand us like that! You must be an excellent dog trainer to be able to teach him something like that! You have to tell me how you do it!"

Al pulled his hand from the cage to rub at the back of his head, replying to the nurse in a hesitant yet humble tone. As his brother regained control over the situation Ed felt Roy's paw take the place of Al's hand as he pulled his pup closer to whisper in his ear. "See? All is well. Gabriela is a nice nurse, and Roy and Ed have Al to speak for them. They are finally safe now."

Ed let out a small sigh as he watched Al talk calmly with Gabriela, relieved to see that his brother appeared to be a little less anxious than he'd been a moment earlier. It felt strange to be relying on someone other than Roy for the first time since they'd been captured, but it was a welcome change that now both Ed and his guardian could finally let their guard down and rest.

"Now that Ed's awake, do you know when they can be released?" Al asked the nurse in a hopeful tone, his soul fire eyes glowing bright as he eagerly awaited her answer. Gabriela went silent for a moment, seeming to give the question some thought before responding.

"Well we need to keep them here for another day or two, just to be sure that they are really well enough to go home without much medical care. Sadly I can't give a solid answer until I talk with the doctor tomorrow morning." The nurse gazed kindly at the two chimeras, reaching her hand into the cage to grab up their empty food bowls. "They look well enough to me though, and I know that with you to care for them then they'll be fine."

"Thank you," Al said with a grateful dip of his head as he glanced at Ed and Roy from out of the corner of his eye. "Those two mean a lot to me, and I'd do anything to make sure they fully recover. They've suffered through so much…it's the least I can do for them."

"And you're doing an amazing job, darling." Gabriela said in a voice full of warmth as she removed the empty dishes, leaving only the water bowl behind before she closed the door with a faint click. "I think the doctor will agree with me. You should be able to take them both home in three days at the most."

Al nodded his head in gratitude once more as the nurse smiled fondly at him before turning to leave the room through the same entryway she'd used earlier. The three of them watched Gabriela until she completely vanished from their view, and once she was gone Ed felt Roy give him a good humored nudge with his muzzle.

"At least Gabriela took Roy's IV out this morning…" Ed turned his head slightly to look at his guardian, noticing an almost mischievous gleam in his onyx eyes. "Ed has to keep his in for another night…serves him right for scaring Roy and Al so badly."

Ed let out a low, mock growl as he nipped softly at Roy's paw that still lingered on his shoulder, laughing when his guardian playfully yelped at the contact. "Maybe Gabriela can give Roy another one…after all, the old dog needs his medicine more than Ed does right now."

"How dare!" Roy sputtered as though deeply offended by his taunt, though Ed could clearly see the amusement and relief shining brilliantly in his gaze. "If Roy is an old dog, what does that make Ed, a tiny puppy?"

As Ed growled in mock anger again he heard a light, echoing laugh and turned to see Al shaking his head as he giggled at the chimeras antics. "It's so good to see that you two haven't changed all that much…at least personality wise. Though I do wish that Hawkeye had stuck around just a little longer to see this for herself, I guess she'll just have to wait until tomorrow to see how well you're doing."

Ed once again felt a sharp pang of guilt slice through his heart like a dagger when he thought about all the worry and grief he'd brought upon the two he cherished most. As regret only continued to sink its fangs deeper and deeper into his chest, Ed fixed Al with a remorseful gaze as he attempted to apologize one last time. "Ed is very sorry for all the pain that…"

"Honestly brother, no one is mad at you." Al said with a sigh as he carefully threaded a finger through the cage bars to give Ed's nose a light tap. "You always try to take the blame for everything, no matter the situation. There was nothing you could have done to prevent any of this, so stop beating yourself up over it."

Just like earlier, both Al and Roy seemed to casually wave away any attempt at an apology. His brother gazed back at him with nothing but love in his soul fire eyes, looking completely unbothered. With a low, wordless whine Ed rested his head forlornly onto his paws, still not fully convinced that he was truly forgiven.

"Al is right, Ed did nothing wrong." Roy's voice was a gentle murmur as he nuzzled fondly at his pup's cheek before settling his chin atop Ed's head. As his guardian drew him as close as he could with his long, sweeping tail he continued on in a soft yet slightly teasing tone. "And if Ed tries to apologize one more time then Roy will bite him, hard."

"I'm just so happy to have you back with me, brother." Al interjected in a voice full of pure relief as he gazed happily back at Ed, moving his finger so that it rested on Ed's unfeeling right paw. "And now that you're awake we can all finally start to recover from all that has happened over these past few months."

Ed let out a quiet, slightly resigned sigh as he did his best to relax his tense muscles, trying his hardest to allow the deep and painful weight of his guilt to lift from his heart. While Ed knew that it would take some time for him to completely come to terms with the thought that he had caused the two so much pain, it helped to know that neither of them held a grudge.

As Roy lapped softly at the top of Ed's head, he allowed his still sleepy eyelids to fall shut, relaxing against the steady warmth that radiated from his guardian's body. Through his rapidly darkening mind, Ed heard the faint yet wonderfully familiar clattering of empty metal nearby as his brother shifted positions…a sound he'd feared that he would never get to hear again.

"Ed is very happy to be back with Al too…" Ed mumbled as he moved his head so that his chin was now resting atop Roy's soft paws, basking in the presence of not only his guardian but Al as well. Though the reunion between the three of them was terribly bittersweet, having them both by his side made Ed feel that things would finally be alright. "L-Loves Al very much…"

As the thick yet soothing shadows of slumber swept over him, Ed felt pure joy surge blissfully alongside it. He could hardly believe they'd both actually made it…and Ed was forever grateful to be alive and with Roy and Al once again.

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And so Ed, Roy, and Al have finally been reunited! The hardships of the wilderness are now long behind them...but I wonder how long this peace will last..?

I'm so happy to finally have this uploaded, this chapter felt like it went on forever but that's what happens when you start work on a chapter like this during the holiday season. I'm happy with how it turned out in the end though.

At the moment the only thing I have done of the 21st chapter is the rough outline, so I can't give an accurate release date for it at this time. I'll keep you all posted on my profile though, so check there every week or so for updates!

A small note is that the doctor and the nurse's names (Mateo and Gabriela) follow my naming tradition as well, since they are named after Saw characters from the newest movie (which was really good by the way, even though I almost passed out from one trap that I was too squeamish about lol). They won't really get a reference drawing though since they're very minor characters in the grand scheme of things.

I also had a Q&A up on the 20th chapter, but seeing as no questions were asked there will be nothing posted here. It happens, I'm not upset or embarrassed or anything, sometimes people just have nothing to ask and in the end it saves me a little bit of time lol. Though if you do have any questions about the plot and whatnot, feel free to leave them here!

And so that's it for now, I want to thank everyone who has already followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. I'm glad everyone is enjoying it and I hope you like this chapter as well. I'll see you all in the next one!

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This chapter is dedicated to my snake, Legare, who died on January 20th. He was the best little noodle friend I could have asked for and I will always miss him.

Legare
2012-2024

May you find rest among the sun warmed rocks of the afterlife. Until we meet again, my dear friend.