Fullmetal Alchemist Fan Fiction ❯ Times Never Forgotten ❯ Unequivalent Exchange ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

“Wha-What was that?!”

Blood soaked the wood floor and eased in between the cracks. Ed and Kate stood shocked, staring at the dead man in front of them. Kate hugged Ed's arm in terror as she sunk her face into his shoulder, looking away from the bloody sight. It was a terrible sight indeed. It seemed that he was shot twice: Once in the back and once in the head. As Ed looked a little closer, he found that the man had a necklace in his hand. The Star of David: He was a Jew. He heard an army of German soldiers run down the hall. He was beginning to run, but was stopped by a tall, slender man. He had a small mustache upon his lip. A German Soldier: The man who ordered his men to kill the Jewish victim. “Young man,” he said quite loudly. “You are not one with the Nazis nor with the Jews. You are not one with the perfect either, for you have blonde hair but no blue eyes,” he said before looking over to Kate, who flinched and gripped Ed's arm tighter. “And you… You have the blue eyes, but your hair is not blonde. Neither of you are perfect; you are insulting the pride of Germany. I'll have to lay you to your fate right here,” he said pointing a gun to them both.

Kate screamed and Ed shouted. “No!” he screamed as he put his right hand on the gun. The gun fired, but backfired and blew the gun smoke out of the opposite side. The soldier dropped the rifle and Edward and Kate took off running. Edward kicked open the door that led to a porch. He planned to lock them all inside with Alchemy. He clapped his hands together and slammed them on the door. Nothing happened. He tried one more time, but again, there was no response. Ed cursed out loud and began to run again, grabbing Kate's hand. Alchemy doesn't exist in this world? He thought to himself. Then what happened to the equivalent- Ed's eyes grew wide. He gasped to himself and remembered something: When he brought Kate back from the dead, there was no equivalency. Instead of bringing Kate to him, it brought him to Kate. They were both alive and well, other than being chased by Nazis. What was the Equivalent Exchange?

As they ran further, they found themselves running in a town with many other people running as well. Munich was taken over by Nazis and everyone was looking for a place to hide. Ed noticed a small shed made of concrete. He turned, making Kate trip and almost fall. He slammed the wooden door shut after going inside. It was dark and had only one window. “I know it's crowded,” he said to Kate, hugging her close to him, “but at least we'll be safe in here.” Ed put his back up against the outside wall and peered next to him out the window with Kate under his arm. He watched all the Germans outside run in blinding speed, some of them getting shot by Nazis. Kate was snuggled tight beside Edward, holding on to his chest. She moaned a short frightened cry when she heard a man right next to the shelter scream as the bullet entered his chest. Edward closed his eyes in shame and rested his forehead on Kate's head. Kate cried softly, wanting out of the horrible place and back home. If Ed wasn't there, she wouldn't have been able to make it this far.

“I'm sorry Edward.”

“Aww, for what?”

“I should have never have been mad at you.”

“Kateland,” he said kissing her head, “you had every right in the world to be mad at me. You were right; I should have told Al about our pregnancy. There isn't a reason to feel guilty for being mad at me for less than a day.”

“No Ed, you don't understand. I love you; I love you so much…” she said sniffing. “If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be who I am now… I would've been dead in both worlds.”

“But,” he said pausing, “I'm the reason you were dead in our world. You died from having the baby at a young age…”

“No, you weren't…” Kate looked up to Ed and smiled warmly with tears rolling down her face. “Edward… the night we got pregnant… no one can ever change that…”

Ed smiled back at her. “I love you,” he said before wrapping his other arm around her. Kate smiled and hugged him back. “I love you too…”

The moment was broken by loud pounding on the door. Kate and Ed hugged each other tightly, cowering in terror. Ed led them out the back door, trampling into more people running and shouting. Edward grabbed a piece of chalk out of his pocket and hastily drew a large transmutation circle. He drew it line per line; word for word. “Kate!” he shouted. Edward hugged her close, standing in the middle of the circle. He closed his eyes and fell silent. Kate did the same. “I don't know if this'll work,” he said, “but it might just bring us home.”

Edward cleared his mind and sunk his nose into Kate's bangs. Kate buried her nose into his shoulder. Within a moment, light rose from the circle, a magical glow that buried them in the blinding light. The crowd stood still. Ed and Kate slowly meditated into the air, hair flowing on each side. Within a flash, they found themselves rushing uncontrollably toward the gate. It slowly approached them. When they finally came to the doors, they opened, flashing a big purple eye at them. Before they knew it, they found themselves flying out the doors, Kate being pulled by the little black hands. They wanted the equivalent exchange. Ed shouted. “NO WAIT!” he screamed, “I'm the one who did it! Please don't take her from me again!”

“ED!” screamed Kate.

Ed grabbed her hands and pulled with all his strength. He took his hands and pulled the hands off of her arms. He finally pulled the last one, ripping it apart. Kate came flying toward him and sent them backwards, Kate landing on top of Ed. The gate closed fiercely. Kate looked down at Ed, who was unconscious. “Ed! Ed, talk to me! Ed?”

Edward squinted his eyes and let a painful groan. He opened his eyes and looked up at Kate, who had her hand on his face. Edward smiled and tears of joy ran down his sweaty dirty face. Kate bent down and hugged him, crying tears of joy also. “My dearest…” she said.

Edward noticed that he was back in his original clothes. His hair was back in its old braid. He sat up and put his arms tightly around his love.

“What was all that?” she asked kissing his cheek, tasting his salty skin.

Ed smiled. “Even I can't explain that… I have no idea what all that was. All that matters is that we're safe… and home. And you're alive… that's the best anyone could ask for.”

Kate sighed and kissed his lips passionately. So passionately that Ed let a small moan of pain for bruising his lips. Ed picked her up and kissed her temple of her head. “Let's go home,” he said smiling warmly.

The sun set over the horizon and seeped behind the mountains as Ed continued to carry Kate along down the dirt path to the Rockbell's. She had her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, constantly kissing his neck showing how much she missed and loved him. Her waist-length brown hair waved with every step they took.

Finally, after moments of walking and kissing, they finally reached the Rockbell's house. Kate smiled and wondered what everyone would think to see her back from the dead. She leaned her head on his chest and sighed, not knowing how to put her feelings in words.

Ed knocked on the door. Pinako, with a glass in her hand, opened the door. As soon as she did, it slipped from her hands and shattered into small slivers. “Oh…My…” she was speechless.

“Good evening, Pinako,” said Kate with a wide smile on her face.

“But… but how did you… WINRY, AL! COME HERE!” she shouted upstairs. They both came running down, wanting to know what the fuss was all about. They both gasped at the same time as they saw Kate wave at them. Ed set her down and Alphonse came running, wrapping both arms around her tightly.

“Oh, Kate! How'd you come back?!” asked Alphonse.

“Edward… did something that no one in the history of the world has ever done before. He made a complete human transmutation…” said Kate, hugging a crying Alphonse. Winry stood speechless. She suddenly smiled as she brought her her son. “My baby…” she said quietly, taking him from her arms and holding him close. Edward rubbed Kate's back with his left hand.

“Kate,” Edward said, “Maybe you should get some rest. I mean… after all that had happened and all. We've had a long day. What do you say we head on home?”

“Kate smiled weakly. “Okay,” she said faintly.

Ed and Kate said their goodbyes to everyone. Kate carried her son out to the car, holding him closes to her as he slept. Ed started the car and pulled out of the driveway. They were heading home for the night.

After a few minutes passed, it began to get dark. Ed pulled into their driveway and helped Kate out of the car. Walking inside, Kate laid Ed jr. in the crib next to their bed. Kate dressed into her pajamas as Ed slipped into a black shirt with white boxers. Ed flopped down on the bed and yawned. He motioned Kate to come over there. He put both hands in hers and kissed her passionately, dragging her down beside him. Kate got under the covers along with Ed, smiling warmly as she did so. She stared dreamily into his eyes and kissed his cheek. “Goodnight Edward, my love…”

Ed wrapped her in his arms, scooting them closer to each other. “Goodnight Kateland…” Ed sighed. He was thankful that she was back in their own time. He closed his eyes and sighed once more, eventually falling asleep.

About in the middle in the night, Kate still laid sound asleep when she felt a head rest softly upon her. The head was Edwards. It shook a little as small sniffles came out of it. She felt the tears roll down her chest. “Edward dearest, what's wrong?” she asked in a soothing voice, soft and sweet.

“I don't know what I'd ever do without you,” he said in a teary voice, “I'm just thankful you're home and safe…”

Kate smiled and cradled his head, giving it a soft kiss. “It's okay,” she said laying her head on his, “I'm right here with you…”