Once Again We Repeat

Authors Note: Chapter 15: Epilogue. The End. Oh my!

Be sure to read the chapter before this! I posted them on the same night.

Chapter 15/Epilogue: Cycle

Life, Death, and Rebirth: a Cycle

.Daddy was off to the side, his body drained, dead. Gone. The thought circled through his head. Life energy given to this last transmutation. He knew this energy – this energy would have given him enough to finish the transmutation. Tris felt his body exploding outward, for a moment fear consumed him, making the transmutation waver. What was he so afraid of? Death. Yes. He knew that. His family dying? Of course. He loved them. What else? He didn't know – didn't want to. He refocused his attentions, as he saw his Dad get sent flying from one wall to another from a well aimed kick, courtesy of Dante.

Father was dealing with Kessler – and fairly well, though it looked as if he wanted to come to Edward's aid.

Somewhere, he hoped, Hughes, Havoc, Hawkeye, Breda, Falman, Fuery, Armstrong, Hohenheim, Brosh, and Maria were holding off the rest of Dante and Kessler's minions. He didn't need the circle to be broken. It had already sucked up so much energy from him and his Daddy.

Another alchemical surge from his Dad as he tried to fend Dante off.

A little more power, a flicker of flame.

A whip of scouring flame carved itself into Kessler as Father finally brought the man down.

Almost there.

His Father was helping Dad, directing flames, fighting for their lives.

So close.

Dad and Father noticed Daddy's gone. A moment's remorse.

All will be fixed soon…so sorry. So very sorry.

The peak's approaching.

You're going to lose everything. Start over. Don't get distracted! She's behind you!

The air visibly shivered as the transmutation exploded. There was no other word, the rainbow colored light expanded, enveloping everything. Everyone. No one in the universe was left untouched.

Within his mind Tris could hear the gate screaming. The desperate cry sounded in his ears.

Why? You could have saved them all!

'No…Dad…he was unhappy. I'm giving him the chance to start over. And Father too. Without your limits.'

Not far…not to the beginning of me!

'It's not far' he told it. 'To just before…before Edward leaves Mustang's car. That moment he could have changed everything. Everything. It's wrong. It's cruel. But the only way…the only way.'

I'm so sorry, he whispered. I'm so, so sorry. You'll have to start your relationship all over again. I love you. He must have said this aloud, as people looked up; saw his Father's desperate grab, his Dad's tormented cry of pain, the tears falling, now.

Now. Now. Now. The world shattered.

Edward glanced towards Mustang before he stepped out the car. His lips thinned.

"Come with me. Please. We'll deal with the Fuhrer after. But Dante – she has my brother; she controls Bradley. We defeat her, we defeat them all."

"Please." In his gut, the sixteen year old felt this was the right thing to do. The only way things could end up. Finally a nod.

"Follow Fullmetal's directions." Mustang ordered.

Saying goodbye to Russell and Fletcher, their calls of to come back alive, down the stairs, through the town, throwing open the doors, Rose dancing, holding the small child, his brother, trapped within the transmutation circle, Envy, Gluttony, Dante.

Dante. The word echoed in his head. Glancing at the floor, he swore he saw a different circle and the name Tris came to mind. Irrelevant, so he dismissed it. He was amazingly aware of Mustang's presence at his side, grateful of it; it gave him the extra strength. Another person to protect. Even if he didn't like this person very much. He glanced towards Alphonse for a brief moment before plunging automail into Envy. He was hardly aware of his battle, as he forced Envy from his various states of forms, Mustang…Hughes…Gracia…his brother…Hawkeye…anyone he had come into contact with. Commanding Envy to show his face, he tried to catch a glimpse; too quick to see, and then…he felt himself jerk back, and yet, Envy's blade-arm still entered him. Swearing he slammed back, coughing up blood. Rose's scream echoed in his ears as the world danced in front of his eyes.

Suddenly, there was that clap.

Everything went still. And his father came through the gate which Alphonse had opened.

The Elric, Mustang and the Homunculus all looked at the gate. Then Edward thought he heard the truth, "Granted."

In a spinning world he felt his eyes widen as Alphonse's body merged with soul, as Dante and the homunculi returned from where they came.

With a slam, the gate closed shut and faded.

Breathing uneven, he looked at his brother, smiling wryly, he had completely forgotten about Mustang his relief was so great to see his brother again.

"Al, you're going to have to carry me." He revealed a wound that barely missed piercing his heart. Envy got me good, see?"

"Brother – I can't. I'm too weak. Perhaps the Colonel can fetch someone…" he trailed off and looked at the older man who shouted orders to Hawkeye who guarded the entrance to the mansion. As people filed in and out, Edward felt as if something had shifted, changed, as if he knew something. However, at this moment, he passed out.

A few weeks later after the Fuhrer was found "dead" and Grumman was installed, the gates voice echoed in his head while sitting in Mustang's office, waiting for his next mission, "Of course you do, recognize the name Tris…the circle. But you'll never know that one." An image of Maes Hughes flashed in his head, a location, an event, but all unclear. "This is the truth. He's alive."

Edward's gasp shook him. "Mustang! I know! The gate!"

"Speak clearly, Fullmetal."

"I saw the Truth. It showed me…give me a week off. And I'll return with the best present, you will ever get."

"Oh?"

"Let me!" Edward demanded. "And I'll do whatever you want, until the moment I turn seventeen."

"Following orders?"

A nod.

"Fine, Fullmetal. You have a week. But this is the first and last time. No exceptions, do you understand?"

Edward scampered out of the office, pulling on a black jacket as he called a "thanks" and gave a mocking salute.

And true to his word, it was the best gift Mustang had ever gotten. His eyes thanked Edward, told him he wouldn't be cruel to him during his servitude for returning his best friend to him.

A nodding acceptance from Edward; and a sweet sigh before he turned. And it wasn't exactly a memory, but it was there, and it caused him to blush as he looked at his commander.

A soft kiss, then a deeper one as Mustang got more into it. The rock by the spring at Risembool, the warm sunlight.

Edward decided that a quest was necessary after his "servitude." Once again, we repeat, he thought before saluting the Colonel and leaving to go on his latest assigned mission and true to his words, he was obedient.

The spring of his seventeenth birthday dawned with a softness. The skies were lighting, and his eyes cracked open slowly as the screeching of the train slowed to a stop outside Risembool station. Both Mustang and Edward stepped off the train walking the well worn path to the cemetery; but Mustang paused and thought for a brief moment - he knew that Edward was going to travel – without his brother, he claimed he needed space and wanted to actually see the sights – not just destroy them. Mustang had laughed at this and gave him a two month leave - as Ed headed up the hill to his mother's grave. And standing there, he looked down at it and towards the Rockbell's where his brother waited with Winry – then to the road ahead of him.

He pulled on his red jacket, and as he headed down the road, Mustang caught one last glimpse of it flaring behind him, so bright against the morning light.

End.

Authors Note: Thanks for sticking with me – over a few months. There is a spin-off/sequel in the works. Here's the too-be description:

An assigned mission. One Edward Elric plus one Roy Mustang equals mission disaster? Maybe. Probably. Definitely. Most definitely. And, is that a ring?