Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Replacement ❯ Goodbyes ( Chapter 14 )

Disclaimer: I do not own FMA, but I do have several naughty ideas to be done to/with/by Roy.

 

~*~

 

 

14 - Goodbyes

 

 

~*~

 

 

“Al, I'm fine,” Ed chuckled nervously as Al placed his lunch in front of him. Ed tried not to gag as he saw the large cup of milk on his tray.

 

“No, Brother, you're not. The doctors said you were malnourished and that you suffered a large amount of atrophy,” Al stated, pulling a chair next to the bed.

 

“You're worrying too much,” Ed sighed. “Did they say when I could have my arm and leg back?” Al looked down, it was bad news.

 

“They said they wanted your mechanic to look it over before reattaching it. They suspect that Mrs. Woodgrove might have done something to it,” Al said quietly.

 

“Oh man, Winry is going to be mad,” Ed whined.

 

“You bet I am, Edward!” a familiar voice cried and Ed looked up quickly to see Winry, followed by the group of military men and women. “I swear, Ed, you must think you're indestructible.” Ed smiled and rubbed the back of his head.

 

“Well, I have the best automail in the world, I don't have to worry,” he said and Winry glared at him.

 

“Ed, that won't always be enough!” Winry cried before Maes placed his hand on her shoulder.

 

“Winry, we need to talk to Ed, why don't you check out his automail while we talk?” Maes explained and slowly the two left while Tom stepped up to the side of the bed.

 

“Edward, I'd like to apologize for what happened to you on behalf of my entire family. I am so sorry, but you have to understand, my father and brothers were great men, to have this announced, it would ruin their memory,” Tom explained and Ed nodded.

 

“I understand, I mean, she was crazy but the rest of you…Marcus even…I don't mind keeping my mouth shut over all this,” Ed stated and Roy nodded in approval. “I just ask one thing in return.”

 

“Anything, Edward,” Tom stated and Ed gave his a cold, golden gaze.

 

“I want to know how Detective Woodgrove is doing,” Ed stated and Tom raised his eyebrows.

 

“I'll have you updated by her nurse,” Tom stated. “Also, I'll let you know how she's doing when you return to Central.” Ed's brows lowered and he scowled.

 

“I'm not leaving till I talk to her,” he stated and that took everyone back a step.

 

“Edward, I don't think you understand the magnitude of Miss Woodgrove's injuries,” Hawkeye stated and Tom held up his hand.

 

“No, I'll take you to see her, Lieutenant Havoc, could you have the nurse bring in a wheelchair,” it was and order and Havoc quickly returned with the wheelchair. Al placed Ed in the chair and Tom rolled it out of the room.

 

 

~*~

 

 

There was a woman and already in the room when they arrived and Tom left Ed by the door as he walked over and kissed the woman on the forehead before ruffling the hair on the boy's head.

 

“Catherine, Markie, it's good to see you,” Tom said and the little boy looked up.

 

“Uncle, Uncle, Auntie Angie won't wake up,” the child whined, his green eyes brimming with tears as his cheeks were flushed. The woman behind him stroked his cheek, her dark hair in a tight bun and her other hand on her large belly.

 

“No, Auntie is very sick, Markie,” Tom whispered and the little boy whimpered.

 

“I want Auntie to play with me. She promised to play with me,” the child sobbed before burying his face into his mother's shoulder.

 

“How is she?” Tom asked and the woman named Catherine, who only had the same hair as the woman in the bed, shook her head.

 

“The last surgery went well enough, however, they don't know if she lost too much blood or not. If she makes it through the night, they're sure she'll recover,” the woman began to sob, it was a harsh noise. It was the type of noise that came without practice, as if crying was something this woman had never done before.

 

Al thought that Detective VanBuren had not been through much in her life that made her cry, however, when Detective Woodgrove had cried with her son, that was a practiced and well worn sound of agony. Al liked Miss Woodgrove much more than her sister.

 

Ed looked at the woman that had saved him, her skin was much too pale, her lips were the same color as her pallid cheek, the one that wasn't bandaged. She looked like a mummy, what he could see of her shoulder was covered with white bandages, speckled with red-brown spots and bright red ones too. Her face was contorted in pain as she gave shallow gasps. Her hand was fisted in the sheets and her eyes were moving under dark purple lids.

 

“Go home, Catherine, Jordan will take care of you, besides, all this worrying will cause you to go into labor,” Tom said and the woman sniffed.

 

“Two months early isn't that bad, this one's big anyway,” she stated and Tom shook his head.

 

“Go home before I force you,” he stated and the woman took her son's hand and exited the room. It was quiet as Ed stared at the woman, she looked so frail, as if the slightest pressure would cause her to crack and break. “Do you understand what you are asking, Ed? There's a chance Angel might never wake up.” Ed looked at him.

 

“Angel? No, she'll wake up, I know she will,” Ed stated as he looked at her. “Can you move me closer?” Ed was next to the bed, he reached out his hand and took hers.

 

“Detec….Angel, thank you for saving me. I'm not going to leave the hospital until I can say thank you to you and have you tell me I'm welcome,” Ed stated and for a moment, he could have sworn that the unconscious woman squeezed his hand.

 

“Ed…” Roy started but stopped as he looked at the boy. Sometimes, he truly forgot that Ed was a child and this was a child's most serious request. “…get better.”

 

“Colonel Woodgrove, I swear that I will not say a word of this to anyone if I get to be here with her,” Ed stated and Tom nodded.

 

“That can very easily be arranged,” Tom stated.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Ed smirked as he stood up on his own for the first time in nearly four weeks, his automail had not only needed to be repaired, but it also needed a diagnostic badly.

 

“Ed, just drink it,” Winry growled and Al snickered at the looks on their faces.

 

“I don't want it,” Ed snapped and Winry pulled out her wrench.

 

“I think you've healed enough for me to remind you who you're talking to!” she cried and the nurse walked in.

 

“Miss Rockbell, if you don't mind, some patients are trying to rest, besides, Mr. Elric requested to visit Miss Woodgrove today,” the nurse stated and Winry felt all of three years old.

 

“Come on Winry, I saw a great automail shop in town. How about it? Anything you like, Ed's treat,” Al suggested and Ed glared at his brother while Winry did her best imitation of Major Armstrong.

 

“Yeah! Come on, Al, sunlight's wasting!” she cried and practically dragged the armor behind her.

 

“Brother!” Al managed to cry before vanishing with Winry. Ed smirked. He would be paying for his stubbornness through the nose, but if it meant he could see his rescuer without those two hanging over him, he'd pay it without complaint.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Woodgrove had improved, the doctors said that she could have automail installed at anytime…if she would regain consciousness. That's what worried everyone, Angel Woodgrove had been unconscious for over a week.

 

The nurse left Ed's wheelchair in the front of the room, the young alchemist walked across and sat in the chair next to the battered woman. Her eyes twitched and Ed could see she was dreaming…violently almost. Ed gently stroked the back of her hand with his real one.

 

“Matt…” a voice hissed and Ed quickly looked at the woman as her head moved to the side. Ed was about to go get the nurse when Woodgrove's hand clamped around his, not hard enough to hurt, but not loose enough for him to pull free. Ed began to panic as the first tears slipped out from under her eyelids. “Matthew…I'm….”

 

“A-a-angel?” Ed asked and the woman shook her head.

 

“Sorry…” she sobbed and Ed froze as he watched her cry, names and broken phrases fell from her lips. It was like a train wreck, you don't want to see the mess of human and metal frames, but you cannot pull your gaze away once you've seen it.

 

“Baby…” she sobbed and Ed tightened his grip on her hand. Deep down, the young alchemist knew what the woman was searching for, he himself was searching for it too.

 

“Mommy?” he asked in his gentlest voice and her whole body froze. Ed wondered if what he was doing was going to result in more damage, he knew what he wanted to hear, so he'd tell her. “It's okay, Mommy. I forgive you.” Her hand held his tightly and slowly her eyes opened, just a slit of gold on her ashen face.

 

“Matthew….my baby…” she whispered and moved her body, as if reaching for him with an arm she no longer had. Ed moved closer to her, keeping his automail out of her sighed. Her hand moved up his arm, pulling him toward her, forcing him to practically lay over her as she hugged him. “I'm sorry, Baby, I'm sorry I ruined your life.”

 

“No, Mommy, you were great. I love you, Mommy, I forgive you. It's okay now,” Ed whispered, trying to sound like the creature his captor created. The woman under him sobbed. “I love you, Mommy. It's okay.” Ed looked at her face to see tears on her cheeks, not from her, but from his eyes.

 

“I love you too, Matthew, I'll always love you. You were the baby I always wanted,” she whispered, her hand moving up and down Ed's back, the way only a mother's can. “I will miss you, you were so handsome…like my own personal angel.” Gold eyes closed and her hand fell from the half embrace. Ed couldn't let go, not yet, there was something about the warmth of her hug that made him ache. The empty place where his mother's loss had made seemed to want to crawl into that warmth.

 

Ed pulled back and shook his head before he walked over to the door and knocked.

 

“She was talking in her sleep,” Ed whispered, keeping his head down so his tears wouldn't be seen.

 

“Talking? Quick, get Dr. Ackley!” the nurse cried and Ed was taken back to his room.

 

~*~

 

 

“Brother, it's time we head back to Central,” Al stated and Ed shook his head.

 

“I want to talk to her,” Ed stated stubbornly and Al sighed, this was one of those battles he didn't want to be in.

 

“The doctors said she couldn't have visitors outside of family yet,” Winry added and Ed glared at them, not very intimidating while he was still in a hospital gown.

 

A nurse suddenly rushed into the room and smiled at Ed.

 

“Miss Woodgrove requested to see you,” the nurse panted, something about the smile was forced.

 

“I thought she couldn't receive visitors,” Ed said as he looked at the nurse and the smile faltered.

 

“She was quite insistent, so much so that the doctors believe she can see other guests,” the nurse stated and Ed smirked as he headed out.

 

“I swear, Al, he's like a child sometimes,” Winry sighed as they followed him and Al nodded.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“I don't care! I want to see that boy with my own two eyes!” a voice yelled and there was the sound of something breakable meeting a wall. Two doctors dove out of the room, one covered with what looked like the mashed potatoes that Ed had with lunch, the other one smelling of lemonade.

 

“Ah good! Mr. Elric!” the Lemonade doctor cried grabbing Ed by the real arm as the other doctor wiped potato off his glasses.

 

“You others might want to wait out here,” he grumbled, realizing he was smearing it more than cleaning it.

 

“Miss Woodgrove, we've got Mr. Elric here,” Lemonade doctor cried.

 

“Send him in and then stay out!” the voice cried and Ed was shoved through the doors, surprised to see quite a mess, it made him think a bit about Izume. Sitting up, propped by several pillows was the woman that rescued Ed. “Are you going to stand by the door or are you going to take a seat?” The smile on her face was gentle, making it hard for Ed to believe that she had made such a mess.

 

“I'll sit down,” he stated as he walked around piles of broken ceramics as well as a tray of needles. He sat down and looked at her. It was amazing, while she was still pale, it was a natural pale, like Mustang. Her eyelids were no longer purple and her lips were now a shade of pink that spoke of good health. Her long hair was wavy, falling around her head in a swirl of a dark red-brown.

 

“I see you've recovered,” she stated, smiling slightly. “Do you feel better though?” Ed stared at her a moment.

 

“I've been better,” he replied and she nodded.

 

“I know that feeling,” she sighed and Ed watched as she stroked the edge of her shoulder. “I hope you don't hold it against my family that my mother was insane.” She wasn't looking at him and Ed slowly reached out, finding it much harder to do so now that she was awake. Ever so slowly he wrapped a hand around hers, looking at the floor.

 

“I wanted to thank you, for everything. I don't care why she did it, you gave up an arm and a leg for me and…I think that's more than enough,” he whispered and then the feeling of a thumb gently running over his hand brought his eyes to her. She was looking out the window.

 

“No, mental wounds are the kinds that are hardest to heal, Ed, I want to make sure I saved you from that,” she sighed and looked at Ed. She looked so much like his kidnapper, but the light in her eyes was sad, mournful.

 

“You did,” Ed stated, in reality the whole thing was starting to feel like some horrible nightmare that would soon be forgotten. “You made it in time.” She smiled as she looked out the window.

 

“You know, it's harder from my end, Edward,” she sighed, her hand closing around Ed's, trapping him. “I know what you did Edward. The moment I saw your brother, I knew.” Ed looked down.

 

“Most alchemists do,” he stated and she nodded, not looking at him.

 

“It is possible, but the cost is far too high,” she explained and Ed looked up. “Any alchemist that has lost someone they loved has researched the taboo. I did it when Allan left me after Matthew's death.”

 

“You tried to bring him back?” Ed asked and she shook her head.

 

“No,” she sighed and then looked at Ed, golden eyes glazy and tired. “No, I knew I was in no state to try human transmutation and I destroyed my research. It is called taboo for a reason and no matter how much I hated it, the Alchemic rules cannot be broken. You must give something of equal value and the only thing I had was my life.”

 

“You did the right thing,” Ed stated and Woodgrove nodded.

 

“Still, it is not the way of the world for it to happen like it did for me,” she sighed, releasing his hand and stroking his cheek. “The children are meant to bury the parents, not the other way around. We who give birth know this. We know that we pass on our strength and knowledge to our offspring so that they may use it because as age claims us…we have no more use for it,” she sighed, looking out the window and reclaiming Ed's hand. “She would not have been happy if she had come back anyway. She wanted you to grow, not all of life is flowers and sunshine, Edward. Life is dealing with death and the negatives.”

 

“I know that now,” he grumbled and there was a laugh.

 

“I know you do,” she chuckled. “I know, I tell you this now, so you know what a childless mother has to say. Alchemy is a great power, but if you spend all your time chasing it…you forget the other great power you've been granted.”

 

“Life,” Ed nodded and Woodgrove patted his hand.

 

“So, do you know a good automail engineer, I'm in desperate need of one,” Woodgrove stated and Ed smiled.

 

~*~

 

 

“How is she?” Ed asked and the doctor outside the door just shook his head.

 

“Miss Rockbell told us to stay out here and that is what we're doing,” the other doctor stated and there was a cry of pain.

 

“Brother, it will take some time,” Al stated and Ed shook his brother off. Ed knew that automail ports took a long time to implant, he had the same damn operation performed.

 

“I know, but did it take this long for me?” Ed asked and Al shook his head.

 

“It was several more hours, Brother,” Al explained, wishing his brother would sit down and stop wearing a hole into the carpet.

 

“Seemed like days in that chair,” Ed muttered as he continued his pacing.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“She made me think of you, Ed,” Pinako stated as she wiped her forehead free of sweat. “She didn't let out a scream, but her pain was obvious.”

 

“Is she done?” Ed asked and Pinako nodded.

 

“However, Ed, she's been given a lot of painkillers, she won't be up till tomorrow afternoon, at the earliest,” Pinako stated and Winry sighed.

 

“Don't worry, Ed, we gave her the best we have to offer, it's a lot like yours but not as light weight,” Winry explained. “I'm just surprised that she insisted on tipping us after the procedure.”

 

“She's a Lady, Winry, she wanted to make sure we were rewarded for our work,” Pinako explained. “Some women, a dying breed really, want to make sure everything is taken care of in the most courteous manner.”

 

“Madam, could you please smoke outside?” a nurse asked and Pinako chuckled before heading out.

 

“That must have been some tip,” Ed muttered as he watched the Rockbells exit the hospital.

 

“Come on, Brother, you can't stay here any longer. We'll come by and visit Miss Woodgrove tomorrow,” Al whispered and Ed sighed before allowing his brother to usher him out of the hospital.

 

 

~*~

 

 

She was reading the newspaper when they came in, her hair hanging around her head as she smiled at the boy.

 

“Hello Ed, good afternoon Al,” she said, folding the paper and waving with her new arm. “What do you think? Was it worth the arm and leg I paid for?”

 

“Let's see it,” Ed stated, plopping down on a chair while Al gently took his seat. Woodgrove removed her blanket, exposing a leg that became metal above the knee. She stepped out of bed and stood up.

 

“That's nice, Winry must have made it,” Al chirped and Woodgrove chuckled as she kicked the leg a few times before moving the arm around in the socket and a bending it a few times.

 

“Still, I'd have preferred to have kept the originals, but these aren't half bad,” she laughed. “They say I can leave in a few weeks.” Ed smiled.

 

“That's great, you'll be back on the force in no time,” he laughed and there was silence. Woodgrove was standing by the window, leaning against the wall with her new shoulder.

 

“No, Ed, I'm not going back,” she sighed and then looked at Al. “Al, could I have a word with your brother alone?”

 

“Of course, Miss Woodgrove,” Al stated before leaving and closing the door.

 

“Miss Woodgrove?” Ed asked and she sat down on her bed, indicating that Ed sit next to her. Slowly, he joined her and she wrapped her real arm around his shoulder, pulling him in a half hug.

 

“Call me Angel, Ed,” she stated, running her hand up to force his head against her shoulder. Her head rested on his as her fingers played with his bangs before moving down to trace his automail port. “I'd have never let you get this if I had been your mother.” Ed didn't move, but he stiffened.

 

“Why not?” he asked and she chuckled, rubbing his back in that soothing mother-motion.

 

“I did research when Matthew's arm was amputated. Automail is efficient, but it's also heavy. This stuff is great, but I bet when you first got it, it was heavier. They've recently gotten into using lighter metals for it,” Angel explained, her hand back in his hair. “The poundage caused a stunt in size. You'll never reach your full potential, Ed, not physically anyway. The automail slowed you down.”

 

“You'd have kept me crippled?” Ed asked, not accusingly, but in the pouty manner of a child.

 

“No, I'd have made you use wood,” she sighed before turning toward him and giving him a hug. “You don't strike me as the type to cry.” Ed then noticed the dampness in his hair.

 

“No…I don't really,” he whispered as he moved into the hug, his arms not around her, but hers holding him to her, his head under her chin.

 

“There's no shame in it, Ed,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “In a way, you make me think of Matthew, he never cried. Not even as a baby. He'd wail, but he didn't cry. I want to ask a rather large favor of you, Edward.” Ed slowly pulled back, enough to look up at the flushed face with the tear-trails still on her face.

 

“What, Angel?” he asked as she reached out with her flesh hand and caught his cheek.

 

“Cry with me,” she whispered. “Cry with me for those we've lost.” Ed looked at her and for a moment she wasn't herself anymore. She was still pale, but her eyes were a soft blue, like the sea, her hair a rich brown, like healthy earth, and her face was that of the one he called…

 

“Mother…” he whispered before embracing the woman in front of him, his face buried in her neck, the scent of roses and lilies soft and cushioning. Her arms were around him as her cheek rested on his skull.

 

“Let it out,” she whispered, the dampness in his hair increased as he was certain the dampness on her neck had.

 

Automail and flesh wrapped around them, their pain echoing the others. Winry stood in the doorway and silently closed the door, once again she had intruded in a part of Ed's life that was not for her to know.

 

“What is it, Winry?” Al asked and Winry shook her head. Al looked in the small window to see the Detective holding Ed, his head on her breasts as he sobbed. “Oh.”

 

“Let's go, Al,” Winry sighed and Al nodded. Ed wouldn't want them to see him weeping, Ed was too introverted to let those he loved see the pain he carried, he was only able to share such pain with another like him.

 

Angel Woodgrove and Edward Elric remained in their embrace for over an hour, but the end, Ed had fallen asleep and Angel had tucked him in. She washed his face in his sleep and then cleaned herself up.

 

This kind of grief was only to be shared with those few others capable of understanding it.

 

 

~*~

 

 

“Al, are you ready yet?” Ed asked as he looked around their hotel room, gathering the last of his things into his case.

 

“Brother, I've been ready for a week now,” Al sighed from the door and Ed nodded with a smirk.

 

“We'll stop at the hospital to say goodbye to Angel and then we'll go to the train station,” Ed stated as if Al didn't already know the plan.

 

“Alright, Brother, but try not to take too long,” Al teased, over the week Ed had taken a liking to the soon-to-be ex-detective.

 

The day was bright and shiny, birds singing and Ed couldn't help but smile, it was like a storm had passed, leaving the land stronger and more full of life.

 

“A penny for your thoughts, Brother,” Al said and Ed just smiled. How could he explain the feeling of life, being alive, being glad to be alive. Ed was also trying to fight the sadness that was building. The week with Angel had been…therapeutic. She was like Maes in a way, a person that gave him a feeling of…completeness. She didn't treat him like a child, nor like an adult. She mixed it and made him feel just right.

 

Ed thought about all the things she had told him, about working with his father, about getting herself thrown out of the military, about her husband, her son, and her siblings. He didn't want to admit it, but the stuff she told him about working with his father were impressive. Their work on the photo-processes of alchemy were amazing, no wonder his father was titled Light. She also spoke about working with a young alchemist by the name of Nash Tringham. Ed bet his automail that Fletcher and Russell would give a lot to talk to Angel about their father.

 

They entered the hospital and waved to the nurse who waved back, they all loved the two brothers, babying Ed, which he could barely stand if it wasn't for the amount of junk food they gave him, and giggling over how polite and sweet Al was. They pushed open the door to Angel's room to find Detective VanBuren sitting on the empty bed.

 

“Where's Angel?” Ed demanded and VanBuren simply sighed.

 

“Gone,” she stated.

 

“But she was perfectly fine!” Al cried. “We talked with her yesterday and she was good and healthy!” The horror at the thought of their new friend's death obvious in Al's voice. VanBuren laughed before shaking her head and massaging her large stomach.

 

“No, Mr. Elric, she's gone. She…checked herself out early,” VanBuren grumbled. “She'd been cleaning out her apartment since she woke up through friends and such. I guess she figured two weeks in the hospital was enough.” Ed blinked as he looked at the empty bed. She was gone…

 

“Can she do that?” Al cried and VanBuren shrugged.

 

“Not legally, no, but she did it,” the woman sighed. “Just like her to vanish like that and leave those of us who worry about her behind.” Ed was facing the window, his back to the other two.

 

“She…she didn't even say goodbye,” the betrayal in Ed's voice was obvious and Al froze.

 

“Brother…” he started.

 

“No, Mr. Elric, she didn't, but that doesn't mean she didn't leave one behind,” VanBuren sighed. Ed whipped around to see a white envelop in her hand, his name on the front in a very…alchemist script. “I always hated her handwriting, but she never cared what I thought.”

 

“See, Brother, she didn't forget you,” Al stated with a smile that only he could give.

 

“Don't be insulted, Mr. Elric, that's just the way, Angelina works. When she ran away with Joshua to join the military she did the same thing,” VanBuren said as she stood up and handed the letter to Ed. “Angelina was never one for saying goodbye and watching someone leave her behind, even before Alan left her. She's more the type to leave you and give you the choice of going on your way or following her.”

 

“Thanks, Detective,” Ed said as he looked at the letter in his hands.

 

“Think nothing of it, have a nice trip, and if you see her, tell her I'm not talking to her for this stunt,” she headed out of the room.

 

“Goodbye, Detective!” Al chirped as he looked at the letter. “That's pretty thick, Brother.”

 

“Yea,” Ed stated as he looked down to see a small note on the back.

 

`Save this for the train ride.' Ed nodded and placed the letter in his pocket.

 

 

~*~

 

 

The station was crowded with people boarding and exiting the two trains and the Elrics pushed their way onto the train to Central.

 

“Brother, do you think Miss Woodgrove will be alright?” Al asked as he took his seat and Ed sighed as he looked out the window into the next train as it started to move. His eyes widened and he stood up, trying to look through the windows better. Sitting in the opposite direction was a woman with dark red-brown hair in a loose ponytail at the base of her head, gold eyes on the book in her hand, her automail hand. She looked up and as she was pulled out of Ed's view, he was certain he saw her smile and wave. “What is it, Brother?” Ed slowly sat down, pulling the letter out of his pocket.

 

“Nothing. I'm sure Angel will be fine…wherever she's going,” Ed muttered.

 

 

~*~

 

 

Al was reading a book when Ed pulled out the letter and began to read.

 

 

`Dear Edward,

 

 

I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye, but I'm just not good at them, especially with people I care about. Forgive me for just vanishing, but that's just how I am, I'm sure you understand the need to shed the old life for a new one. All the things from my old life have been put away and hidden, as I'm sure all the things from your old life are.

 

I don't want you to think that our time together wasn't special, it was, but I found myself thinking of you as a son and the last thing I want is for you to think I was pulling a move like my mother. I wasn't thinking of you as Matthew, no offense, but you could never replace the spot in my heart that my son held. No, my heart was telling me to take care of you, something I know I shouldn't do. You're on a mission, I can tell, I gathered from our talks that you were searched for the Philosopher's Stone. If I treated you like I would a son, I would prevent you from trying for that.

 

Yes, I know of the Philosopher's Stone, a lot of my research went into it after the loss of my family. I learned enough and abandoned the stone. I would advise you to do the same, but I know you won't so I will not waste the time. Instead I will give you this, speak to an alchemist by the name of Marco. I don't know if this is old news or not, but Marco and I came to the same conclusion on the stone.

 

How I wish I could help you, Ed, how I wish I could erase the pain you've experienced in your short time on this Earth. I can't, nor should I. Your pain is what has made you strong and molded you into the man you are now. It hurts to see you lost in this world, without your parents, you are like a ship lost at sea, no home port to keep you safe in time of trouble. If you ever decide to give up on the stone and when your contract with the military is through, feel free to find me. My door will always be open to you and to your brother.

 

I wish you success, Ed, but only the success that will bring you back to, wherever you call, home save and sound. I have heard of a village to the north, near the Briggs mountain range, it is small, but that's what I'm looking for. I'll be there, if you ever do come searching for me, Edward, contact Tom, he'll know the exacts, seeing as I'll be sending him a letter not long after I settle down.

 

It was a pleasure getting to know you Ed, you are an amazing young man and your future is bright, no matter what you decide. I can feel the potential in you and I know, you will one day succeed, I only hope the price isn't too high. Even with the stone, the price of what you're asking for is astronomical. I hope to see you again one day.

 

Goodbye, Edward Elric, I will pray that you are always protected. And I mean it, come to visit me.

 

 

Love,

 

 

Angel'

 

 

Ed smiled before folding the letter up and placing it in his jacket. It was better that they hadn't seen each other for the goodbye, Ed wasn't certain he would have cried, but the tingle behind his eyes said different. He would visit her…one day, when they were whole.

 

 

~*~

 

AN: Not quite The End, I have an Epilogue in progress, but it will contain MAJOR SPOILERS!!!! So if you don't want the end of the series ruined for you, I would suggest we call this the end. Of course, if you must know the conclusion be my guest, but I did warn you. Also, I would ask for some reviews on what you think of this. I'm not sure it's the best, but I wanted time to seem surreal, my personal near death experience in the hospital (a total of 13 days) felt like the days simply melted into each other (I'm actually missing at least five days in my memory). Anyway, what did you think? Did you like it? Do you want the Epilogue? Anything specific you want to know in the Epilogue? I'm open to a few requests.