Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ A Love Forgotten ❯ Communication ( Chapter 5 )

A Love Forgotten

By Joyfulmusic

 

I don't own FMA

 

Chapter 5: Communication

 

Three weeks later:

 

Dear Brie,

 

I hope everything is doing well with you. Winry received the last letter you sent. I'm glad to hear that you were able to get your furniture moved without too much hassle. And thanks for looking after my cats while I'm away. I told brother that I got a friend to feed them. Like you wanted, I didn't mention who.

 

He's doing well, although he seems to space out at times. I'm never sure what exactly he's thinking of. Sometimes I'm sure it's the thing we're looking for. But other times I think it's probably you. He gets this far off expression that is hard to explain. And it's then that he seems at peace.

 

I'm sorry he didn't want to come back to Central after leaving Resembool. He wanted to pick up where we left off. I know you said you understood, but I'm still sorry. But we should be coming home soon. Brother will be taking the test next week. I hope for all our sakes he passes. If not, all three of us will have to deal with him!

 

Oh and I hope you're feeling better. Have you gone to see the doctor yet? Was it nerves like you said? That's probably all it was. But let me know. Send the letter to Winry and she'll read it over the phone to me. That's what she did with the last one. Well I guess I'll let you go for now.

 

Sincerely,

Alphonse Elric

(But of course you know you can call me Al.)

 

 

She was sitting at the dining table in the lonely little apartment. It was one long room with a kitchen much like her previous one. The only thing that wasn't fully open was the bathroom which was on the same wall at the kitchen. With only a bathtub and toilet, it was small. Beside that was the only closet.

 

The rest was completely open. A balcony and the front door were just opposite one another. It held her bed, which was between the restroom and closet doors. Jacob's desk faced it, on which sat a lone rosebush that had a single red bloom. As for the table, well that was in front of glass doors that led out onto the second story balcony.

 

Shaking her head, Briana re-read the last part of the letter. `They'll be coming back soon. Then it won't be so bad.' She was lonely, though she never told Winry or Alphonse that. How could she after all they'd done for her? And she understood that they couldn't push Edward too much without his becoming suspicious.

 

 

Dear Al,

 

I'm doing just fine. The cats have made my apartment their home. They've taken up sleeping with me at night. That makes the darkness a little more bearable. But you could have told me that they prefer canned milk over the bottled kind! When I ran out of regular I gave them condensed and I thought they never would stop purring! You really should have told me.

 

I'm glad to hear that Ed is doing better. I can only hope that you're right about his thinking of me. I still can't help but wonder if you're wrong. Maybe we're reading too much into all this. Maybe he really doesn't remember me at all. Oh well, I suppose that time will tell.

 

Don't worry about not coming back here quickly. But I must admit, I'm glad to hear that the test is coming up soon. From what you've written me in your other letters, I'm sure that he'll pass. Alchemy seems to be where his heart truly lies. I'm surprised as Jacob, he never realized that. It sure would have helped in the job market!

 

As for the sickness, don't let it bother you. I saw the doctor and he said it's nothing to worry about. It should pass soon. I've just got to calm down about everything. I suppose I'm more wound up than a child the night before Christmas. Only for more somber reasons, of course.

 

Still I try to look on the bright side of things. After all, you have your brother back, and that truly means a lot. Oh yes, and thank you for not telling him about our correspondence. I'm sure he wouldn't like it. But I promised him (as Jacob) that I wouldn't let anything tear us apart. And if that means keeping him from doing it, then I'll simply have to stop him.

 

I do love him so. I hope you know that. I'm always afraid that you feel like you're doing something wrong. If this doesn't work out within the year, I'll leave without a fight. I'm not going to beat a dead horse. I always thought it was an odd saying when my mother used to quote it. But now I think I understand what she meant. If this marriage is dead, then I won't keep trying.

 

Well I suppose that's enough tears for one letter. I'm sorry it changed mood so dramatically. I wish I could find a way to end it on an upbeat note, but I honestly can't think of anything. Well maybe this will help; you're kitten, the orange one, just knocked off the rosebush you sent me! You know the one Ed spent so much time looking at in the store? Well I've got to go see if I can save it before she eats the leaves.

 

Thankfully yours,

Brie

 

 

After picking up the mess and salving the plant, Briana sat back down at the kitchen table. Glancing over the letter she folded it carefully and placed it in an envelope. There was still one more note she had to write before mailing it to Resembool. Pulling out another piece of paper she thought carefully about what information it should relay.

 

The mechanic had become a close friend. They'd spoken on the phone a few times since the blond had left for home. She was Briana's only confidant other than Al. But she couldn't tell the younger Elric everything. It would be wrong to give him too much detail about her life. The facts would only make him feel that he needed to tell Ed, which was exactly what she didn't want him to do.

 

 

Dear Winry,

 

I hope all is going well with you. I just received Al's latest letter. He said that Ed's doing better. I'm sure that has more to do with you fixing his arm than anything else. Even if he doesn't remember me, I'm glad that the pain is finally gone for good. You have no idea how grateful I am to you for that.

 

There were so many nights when I was afraid that the massage wouldn't work. Sometimes it would take hours of rubbing before the ache finally eased. I can remember the first time I tried it. He was in the hospital and I still didn't know him well. We'd only been introduced once before.

 

I was out in the hall with that nurse friend I told you about. We heard him screaming in pain. Looking through the door and seeing his face, all red and distorted really struck my heart. But she said it was normal for him, that there was nothing anyone could do. That was the first time I really connected with Jake.

 

I had to be extremely careful not to hurt him when I took off the shirt to his pajamas. He was a long-term patient so the nurses had given him a pair. Then I rolled him onto his back and saw the connection. I'd known he had a mechanical arm but didn't realize the extent of it.

 

My friend turned away, sickened by the site. I'm not sure why she ever became a nurse. Anyway, to me it was intriguing, the meld of metal and flesh. I'd never seen anything like it before. I don't know how I knew where to press, but I did and he relaxed, allowing it to sooth him.

 

Gently he reached his other hand around to touch mine. In that instant I knew that I loved him. It was without rhyme or reason. I didn't want to believe it at first, tried to deny it. Yet when he turned his head to look up at me, I saw those gorgeous golden eyes and all logic washed away.

 

After that I spent all my off time in the hospital with him. They'd even offered to let me sleep there, although I declined. What must it have looked like to the staff? But I didn't really care. His smile and his laugh were all I needed to make it worth my wild. Nothing else seemed to matter.

 

You asked me in your last letter how we came up with the name Jacob. It was the name of the man who found him. We never knew exactly who he was, just his first name. They said the guy found him in an open boxcar. I suppose that's where he landed after he got knocked out by the explosion. But I suppose Al has already told you all that!

 

I'm sure you're wondering, as Al was, about the sickness. I'll tell you what I'm telling him, don't worry about it. I saw the doctor and he said it should pass before too long. He said that stress was part of the problem, and to just give it some time. It hasn't stopped yet but I'm sure it will.

 

Oh dear, this letter is getting so long! I suppose I really should go. It's getting late out and I need to take a shower. That job your bookwork friend found me is really working out. Thanks for talking to her for me. Although it doesn't pay much, I sure don't mind working for the library. And it'll pay the bills.

 

Thanks again,

Brie

 

 

The mechanic frowned down at the paper she held. There was something Briana wasn't telling her. `What can it be?' Not willing to push the thought aside she picked up the phone and dialed Central Library. “Hello may I speak to Mrs. Everson?” Frowning deeply she asked, “She's not there? Do you know how I can contact her? Yes I have a pen.”

 

Jotting down the number, she wondered why Briana hadn't told her she'd gotten a phone. Dialing she waited as patiently as she could for someone to answer. When they did, she could hear someone clearing their throat before saying hello. “Brie? This is Winry, are you alright?”

 

Sinking on to the bed, the brunette closed her eyes. She prayed that she could make it through this conversation without giving in. “Yes I'm fine. I was going to call you. I just got the phone on yesterday. Nothing's wrong is it? I mean, Ed and Al are on there way back, aren't they?”

 

Twirling a wrench in her hand carelessly, Winry sighed. “Yeah they should be getting there some time this afternoon. I just got your letters so I won't have time to read it to Al before he gets back. I hope you don't mind.” She was biding her time, knowing she'd have to get any real information out of her friend slowly.

 

“It doesn't matter. I'm surprised it didn't get there sooner. I sent it several days ago. Usually it gets there overnight. Maybe it got lost somewhere along the way.” Briana knew what was going on. She realized the mechanic had picked up on something she hadn't wanted her to. “So why did you call? I'm assuming my job gave you my home number.”

 

Dropping the wrench completely Winry looked shocked. Was it that obvious? “Well you know, I just uh… wanted to tell you that you needed to take the cats back to Al's place before they got there. We wouldn't want Ed knowing that you're in Central.” Getting a wicked grin as thought crossed her mind, she asked, “So why aren't you at work today? Haven't you gotten over that sickness yet?”

 

Rolling her eyes, Brie wished she could just hang up. But of course that would be the wrong thing to do. “Look, it's not just nerves ok. I am sick, but it's no big deal.” As if sick was the right word for it. She felt more like she was dying. “I've got to go. Gotta take the cats back. Bye.”

 

The blond's mouth was open in protest when she heard the phone line click on the other end. `She's definitely hiding something.' Thinking back, Winry tried to recall if Briana had been ill when they first met. She'd been so upset, so it would have been hard to tell. `Maybe it's not too serious…maybe.'