A little more about Ed's 'experience' will be revealed. This is also the last chapter. Hope you enjoyed it! The ending kind of sucks, but I always suck at writing endings…

For the next few days, Ed drifted in and out of consciousness. He was, however, growing stronger by the day, even if that amount was barely noticeable. Al and Winry rarely left his side.

Every now and then, Riza and Roy and other officers came by to see him as well. After a few days, they took out the stomach tubes and started feeding him intravenously. They also took him off life support. After about a week, a miracle happened.

He opened his eyes.

At that time, Roy ad Riza were there. All 4 occupants were chatting, standing near the bed, when they heard a raspy voice. "Goddammit. The first thing I have to see when I wake up is you, bastard?" Roy turned and saw Ed was staring right at him.

"Edward. Glad to see you've recovered." He just stared at his subordinate.

"Oh, Edward, I'm glad you're alright!" Riza managed a smile.

"Big brother! I knew you'd pull through!" Al was right there, and received a weak fist-bump from his sibling.

"ED! I'm so glad you're ok! What the hell were you thinking, going into a collapsing building all by yourself you could have been killed you jackass! Think first next time because there are a lot of people who care about you and if you would've died-" Winry was shouting so loudly that nurses were pausing outside the room to stare and her face was turning colors.

Suddenly, Ed's eyes rolled and his head fell to the side. Winry stopped dead in her rant. "Ed? EDWARD!" She looked about to cry. Then Ed opened his eyes back up.

He was still hoarse from screaming. "Dammit Winry, shut up will you? Or I'll keep faking you out until you freak out and leave." That got a chuckle out of everyone but Winry.

"Hey, brother, how did you come out of the coma so quickly?" Al interrupted the laughs with a question that stunned everyone.

"Now, Alphonse, how would he know? He was unconscious. He probably doesn't even remember-" Riza was interrupted by Ed coughing. He grabbed a small tray and coughed up blood.

"Oh, I was supposed to tell a nurse when you woke up!" Al shook his head and walked out to the nurse's station. A few seconds later, he returned with a nurse.

"So glad to see you're awake, Mr. Elric. How do you feel?" The nurse smiled and proceeded to check Ed and see how he was. "You seem to be doing fine. You'll probably couch up a little more blood, so that's nothing to worry about. You've been through a lot. Take it easy!" She smiled and walked out.

"Riza, I do remember. All too well. I woke up buried in rubble. There was blood everywhere, and a pole sticking through me. I could feel my skull through the gash on my head, and my arm was missing. It was horrible. I… I was really scared. I actually started crying." He turned his head away in shame.

"Edward." He turned his head to look at Roy. "Don't be ashamed. You almost died. If I was in your situation, I might have cried too. Probably not, but don't be ashamed, nevertheless." He smirked at Ed.

Ed actually smiled back a little. "There was something else though. After I passed out in the factory, I remember waking up in a hallway. I was wearing dress shirt and nice pants, but no shoes. At one end of the hall I saw you guys, along with most of the other officers, like Havoc and Hughes. At the other…" He looked right at Al. "I saw Mom."

Winry's eyes widened. "That means… you were dying, doesn't it? Your mother was 'the light'…"A single tear fell down her cheek. Ed reached up and wiped it away.

"Yes, it does. She was in a field, surrounded by light. Below her, there was a black hole. I tried to walk back to you because Al, you were losing your body again. I came close enough to stop that, but then Mom started talking about if I didn't join her in heaven, I would go to hell. The hole swallowed me… I fell into a dark pit of fire. But I thought of you guys and made it out. You started fading, so I ran towards you. When I reached you, I was wearing my old clothes, and I was covered in blood. I dashed to this room and collapsed. Then I woke up, like this. Here we are." He looked around at them and smiled to himself.

"Remember this day, for I, Edward Elric, have seen Heaven, been in Hell, and made it back!" He lifted his arm like he conquered something, then fell into a coughing fit.

Roy laughed. "And yet, O Mighty One, you're STILL a midget!" He started shaking with laughter and slapped his knee."

"WHO ARE YOU *cough* CALLING SO SMALL *hack* THAT HEAVEN WOULDN'T LET *wheeze* HIM IN?" He hacked up some more blood, and flipped Roy off. This made everyone laugh all over again.

A nurse came in carrying a tray with food on it, and a water bottle. "Here, Edward, take a drink of this. It'll help you." The bottle was opaque, so he just assumed it was water. He took a sip and spewed it out, coating Roy in his spit-out beverage.

"DAMMIT I WILL NOT DRINK MILK!" He threw the bottle into the garbage.

"Why, you little-" He glared at Ed and looked like he wanted to explode him.

"Ah ah ah, Mustang." Ed sneered the name. "I'm in the hospital. You wouldn't want to put me back into a coma, would you? Colonel?" He smiled evilly, because he knew he could get away with this.

Roy opened his mouth to speak, then shut it. He raised his hand and pointed at Ed, but he was unable to speak. He just flapped his mouth a few times. "Damn you, Edward." He walked out.

"I'm glad you're ok, Edward. I must be off, to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone." Riza smiled and walked out after her commanding officer.

"So, Al, you ready to get back on the trail of the Philosopher's Stone?" Winry looked shocked. Then Ed coughed up more blood.

"Brother, you just went through a major injury. You can't leave." Al cuffed his brother gently on his left shoulder.

The three friends laughed. Another nurse walked in. "This is from one 'Colonel Roy Mustang' to one 'little blond guy'." She handed a box to Al and walked out.

"Uh oh. I'm afraid to know what this is…" Ed grabbed the box from Al and ripped it open with his left hand. He slowly opened the box.

"No way. No freakin' way. What the hell kind of sick joke is this?" He pulled out a baby bottle with milk in it. A note was attached that read:

Dearest midget:

This is a get-well gift for you.

The bottle is what I deemed appropriate for someone of your stature,

and the milk is a little gift from myself.

Hope you're well soon.

Cordially, COLONEL Roy Mustang.

Ed threw the whole box into the garbage and shook his fist in the general direction of headquarters. "DAMN YOU MUSTANG!"