A/N So this is it, the last one! Before the disclaimer, I want to once again thank everyone who has stayed with this story, reviewed, favourited and followed, it really means a lot to me! I hope you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, and hopefully, you'll be seeing some more FMA stories from me soon. That being said, I hope you all enjoy the final chapter, and as usual, I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist :)

Ed slowly blinked open his eyes. Everything ached, and it took him a second to realise that the energy that had been a blessing yet a terrible, terrible curse was gone. Was he... finally free?

He was suprised to see that he had company. A lot of company, actually.

Winry, Roy, Al, Hawkeye, May, Lan Fan, Breda, Havoc in a wheelchair, Hohenheim, Scar and so many others that his vision was too blurry to see were all crammed into one stuffy hospital room. And staring at him.

"Hi?" He offered weakly, noticing that his throat was sore, like he hadn't spoken for a week.

Al, looking dazed, reached across, and slapped him. That seemed to snap everyone out of their silence.

"The doctor literally just said that you wouldn't be up for another week." Hohenheim told him, which explained the surprised stares.

Ed was staring at Al. Al, finally in his right body, finally able to cry... which his beloved younger brother was doing now.

"I-I thought that you'd never wake up!" Al sobbed. Ed awkwardly patted his brother on the back, wondering why he had been unconcious in the first place.

"Your body is recovering from the shock of you not being a homunculus anymore." Roy told Ed, smiling. Ed stared at the dark circles under Roy's eyes. Dark circles meant long sleepless nights, full of worry and questions that couldn't be answered.

"So it worked?" Ed asked, voice full of raw, desperate hope. He couldn't feel the energy, but he wanted to know for certain.

"Yes. You gave us all a heart attack, but it worked." Roy said, torn between sounding fond and annoyed, in the lecture mode that Ed hadn't heard since before he became a homunculus. He'd never admit it, but he missed that tone. Because it belonged to the old days that seemed so, so far away, like he'd never go back to them.

But they seemed to be returning. Maybe... Maybe he really had fixed everything...

Then Winry looked him full in the face, and pulled out her wrench... Only to have her hand shake and she dropped the tool, and it fell to the floor with a loud clatter, and she hugged him instead.

"W-Winry?" He gasped, completely shocked.

"Y-you idiot!" She screamed. At this point, most people edged out of the room, wanting to give them some privacy.

Ed held her close, silently apologising for all that he'd done wrong, and apologising for all the souls that he was so, so happy.

Izumi hovered outside the door of Ed's hospital room. Everyone had long since left to allow the poor boy to get some rest. Al had explained in the battle, in short, that Ed never wanted what happened to him, and was honestly not a monster.

But she hadn't believed it. It had just seemd so wrong. Everything about ... not it, Ed, had seemed so twisted and disfigured. In those seconds, one of the pupils that she had grown to care for, so much, like her own children, had been stolen from her by alchemy again.

Like the child in that circle. The child that she thought that she'd caused to die twice for so, so long. The burden that had broken her, chipped away at her soul, only recently lifted and set her free, free from the guilt of the light fading from the child's eyes and knowing that it was all her fault- it had all come crashing back.

She knew all about the dark side of alchemy, what it could do. And she'd seen it once more, wearing the face of someone she loved...

She let her breaking heart rule her and pushed him away. Even if it hurt. Because what little of her pupil was left... She refused to dishonour it by treating that monster like it really was Edward Elric.

But she'd been wrong.

She'd only hurt her pupil and herself in the end. Once again, Ed had proved her wrong, and hadn't become a monster, but remained human through all. Because no monster would go through so much to help his brother. Nothing inhuman would let out such a scream, go through so much pain,just to make their brother feel, cry and be human again.

She'd only hurt him... and now she had not idea how to make it up to him.

"Just talk to him." A voice from behind her made her jump. Izumi turned and met the frosty glare of Colonel Roy Mustang. He looked furious, but he seemed to be containing himself. He looked like an angry parent would, and the thought startled Izumi more than she'd like to admit.

Still, she decided that just this once, she'd take advice from a Dog of the military, and turned and walked into Ed's room without a word to the Colonel.

But she had plenty to say to Ed, and the first words out of her mouth were filled with regret and were a simple: "I'm sorry."

However, that was all she needed to say.

Ed found himself unable to meet the woman's eyes. "Mrs Bradley... I'm sorry," for so, so much... "But could I talk to you for a second?" He'd recently been released with the hospital, and he'd talked to Teacher, and was so glad that one of his bonds hadn't been severed by all that had appened after all.

But now, he had to admit to all that he had done, starting with this, because otherwise, he'd feel guilty forever.

"It's fine..." The woman's voice was scratchy, and it sounded like she had been crying. Ed was glad that the voice of Pride had finally stopped talking, because otherwise, he knew that he wouldn't be able to do this.

"I'm sorry... but the one who killed Pr- your son was me." He blurted, unable to stop, because if he didn't say it soon, the guilt would eat him alive (but it'd never stop haunting him, because in his last moments, Selim Bradley had been so human).

"I know..." The woman took a deep, shuddering breath, eyes watering as if the confession pained her. "I know about what my husband and son were." She began to cry quietly, and silently wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "But to me, they'll always be exactly that, my husband and little boy... I know that they did wrong, that they were lying, but it made me so happy." She whispered.

"So please... Don't lie to me, but please, please... can you tell me Selim's last words?" She sobbed, eyes desperate and flooded with greif.

"Yes... They were 'I'm glad I had a mother'. I really am sorry." Ed whispered, and slowly walked away, pretending he couldn't hear the woman's sobs.

In his mind, Pride's voice whispered for the last time, and instead of malice, the voice sounded sad.

"I really was... so very glad."

"Hey Hohenheim, can I ask you something?" Ed asked suddenly. He'd left central not long after talking to Mrs Bradley, and after reassuring Roy a million times that he'd be fine, had gone for some strained father and son bonding time with Hohenheim.

Except it wasn't really father and son bonding time, more paying resepect to people they'd both hurt.

"Of course, Edward." True to his word, Hohenheim really was trying, trying to be a good father, trying to fix everything.

"Did the souls... did they hate me for what I did?" He asked, because it mattered, so much, because he'd killed them all, in regenerating and fixing his brother, adn he regretted so many parts of it, but not fixing Al, never fixing Al.

Suprisingly, his father laughed, but he sounded sad. "No Edward. I talked to them all, remember? I got to know all of them in detail, and I can honestly say that they all had as much love for you and your brother as I do."

Hohenheim then looked the other way as Ed wiped away his tears.

"It's done." Ed breathed, staring up at what he and Hohenheim had travelled so far to create.

In the ruins of Xerxes, where the King's palace had once been, now stood a monument, a statue marked with each of the lives that had been lost in the tragedy. Now they would be remembered, and their lives -their sacrifice- wouldn't be forgotten. Ever.

"They deserve it." Hohenheim was crying, but he was smiling at the same time. "They always did."

Pinako Rockbell sat at the window, staring out at the path that ended at her humble little shop blankly. She had worried about those kids. Winry, Ed and Al. They were all so young, and not one of them had written once. Either what had happened was so bad that they didn't have time to call or even let her know, or they'd all died, and she was alone with all her loved ones as graves. She didn't think that her heart would take seeing those children burried.

Her pipe fell out of her mouth as three figures started walking towards her. She kicked the pipe into the corner in her haste to open the door, but she didn't care. The kids had finally come home.

Ling sighed, staring at the sky, lost in thought. He wondered how things were in Amestris. He'd honestly been tempted to go back with the ninjas he'd sent, but he was needed here, in Xing, but he felt like a bird in a cage, but now, he was just waiting for the key, and then he'd be free.

What he'd always wanted... So close, he could almost taste it, but it was bitter, so, so bitter because his friends had been abandoned due to this dream.

He should've been there fighting with them, but...

There was a knock on his door. Ling sighed. "Enter." He said sharply, trying to sound full of authority.

One of the Emperor's guards, as always, hidden behind a mask bowed, and read out a scroll, in a clear, cutting voice.

"The Emperor died in his sleep a mere hour ago. Before his untimely death, he named you, Ling Yao as his successor."

Al smiled at May as she looked at him uncertainly. "Are you sure?" She asked timidly, dark eyes wide with shock. Al had thought long and hard about this, and while he didn't want to leave his brother so soon after everything, they had agreed that it would be for the best.

"Yeah!" Al said gently, and took her hand. "Whatever your clan has to say, we'll face it together, okay? And along the way, I can try and learn alkahestry, so I can have an excuse for coming with you."

May flung herself at him, and sobbed into his chest. "T-thank you!" Al closed his eyes, and hugged her back. The small girl had been there for him when he needed support the most, and he refused to let her go through this alone. And it felt so good, because now he could actually feel her hug.

"If you're going to Xing, then I'd like to come too. I'd like to take the time to get to know my son, Alphonse." Hohenheim announced, walking up to them.

"S-sure." Al blinked, taken by surprise.

"And, of course, someone needs to keep an eye on you." Hohenheim winked behind his glasses, making Al turn red at the implications.

"I won't be alone." May whispered happily, Shao May chirped in agreement, and Al couldn't be gladder for the choice he had made, if it made her smile like that.

Ed sat with Winry on a bench, on the train station. Ed stared at the floor, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut. He didn't want to leave yet... But the longer he left this, the more it would hurt in the end. But a little more time, just to say something, anything. He had too much to say, because he hadn't said it before, and now... There wasn't enough time to say everything.

But he was going to try.

Ed took a deep breath, and spoke. "Winry..."

She looked up, but didn't look suprised. "Yes, Ed?"

"I'm not going to quit the military." He admitted, and was suprised by the sudden warmth of her holding his hand.

"I guessed you wouldn't... But I want to hear it from you." She whispered, and Ed smiled because she was just so strong.

"I think I've done too much wrong, with Kimblee and Pride, and I want to make it up in any way I can. I want to help change this country so somthing like that can never happen again." Ed said, trying not to let any of his guilt, his regrets, seep into his voice.

Winry squeezed his hand and smiled. "I thought so."

Ed's heart sped up, because this was the question he wanted to ask all along, and he was scared of her answer. "W-will you... Will you wait for me?"

Winry leaned forwards and hugged Ed tightly. "Always. I'll wait for my entire life if I have to. Do you promise to come back home? Do you promise to come back to me?"

Ed hugged her back, as if he'd never let her go. "I will." He whispered. "Always."

Envy didn't know how long he'd been trapped in that lab for. He didn't know what had been in those needles that had changed him. He didn't know much of anything anymore. He didn't even know himself anymore. He'd escaped, but at a price. The envy that had always controlled him, had always been him- who he was, was gone. Not completely, but it had dimmed, from the bright light that had blinded everything else to a small spark.

Now there were other emotions that he'd never had before, and didn't know how to use. They were uncontrollable, but they were what he always wanted, had always been jealous of. At the moment, he didn't know what they were, what he was feeling. The newspaper clenched in his fist proved that the promised day had long since passed, and the fact that all the humans were still here, leading their suddenly no longer insignificant lives, meant that it had all gone horribly wrong. Despite all the odds, Father had failed, and Envy was glad.

Was that what this warm, pleased feeling was? Happiness? He shouldn't be happy that his father was dead, but the thought that those cold eyes and the pain that came with them no longer existed only filled him to the brim with this warm feeling.

What would he live for now? Whatever was in those needles had weakened him so much. He'd escaped by pure luck. Luck and nothing else. He was weak now, just like a human.

He hated himself for liking it.

He had enough power left for one last transformation. But what would he do from there? He was a homunculus. He could never be human. But the Fullmetal kid had managed it, right? Even though he had been just the same as Envy, his eyes were human. He'd never stopped being human...

Maybe it was time to do some good for a change. Even he could manage that much... Then maybe Envy could find out what being human meant...

With one last flash of light, the old Envy was left behind, and the not quite a homunculus took the first steps to chaning himself. Because being alone hurt.

"Are you sure?" Winry asked, staring at the one-armed man before her.

"If you're willing to do it, then yes." Scar said gruffly. "I can't go around with one arm forever."

Winry nodded, not allowing herself to cry. "Then I'll start on your automail right away." She turned away without another word, still frosty with the man that had killed her parents.

Scar, meanwhile, walked towards the graveyard, intent on saying sorry.

Roy's entire face lit up as Riza walked into his office, fully recovered. "I'm glad to see that you're back." He said gently. Havoc would be back soon, too, and the office would be back to normal quickly. Except it would have an Edward shaped hole in it, because the boy had won. He'd got everything back and didn't need the military anymore.

"Well, someone has to have your back." She smirked, and put a breif, reassuring hand on his shoulder, as if knowing what he was thinking. She really did have his back, in every sense of the word.

He would never ask for anything else.

"Am I interrupting something?" A catious voice asked, and Ed edged into the room, in his blazing red coat, and though Roy couldn't see the symbol on the back, he wouldn't be surprised if Ed's usual symbol was there, not the symbol that haunted his nightmares.

"Not really," Roy sighed, heart heavy because he knew what was coming, "I take it that you're here to hand your watch in?"

"No." The boy blinked. "I was here to see what my duties were, actually."

Roy stared dumbly. "What?"

Ed smirked. "You heard me. You haven't got rid of me yet, Roy." Roy, not 'Colonel Bastard', eh?

"The military is no place for a child. You shouldn't be here." Roy said, because a part of him really did want to send Ed away, to where he'd be safe. Look at the massive mess the poor boy had been dragged into already because of the military.

"I shouldn't have broken Kimblee out of prison." Ed shrugged. "I want to do something good for a change, like drag you to the top."

Roy laughed. "Fine. Your first duty is to visit Madame Christmas' new bar with me... and Hawkeye."

Ed smirked. "That sounds fine with me." Hawkeye raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. Roy swore that this time he'd succeed in protecting them both, because that's what Flame alchemy was supposed to be used for.

Envy joined the military. It was the only thing he could think to do to make up for Ishval, because now he could understand the pain that he caused, it would kill him otherwise.

Fate either loved or hated him, because he ended up working closely with Mustang's men a couple of times.

One of these times, he'd fired a bullet, and saved Edward's life.

He'd laughed and remembered that it had been him firing a bullet that began everything in the first place, and he wondered if he could ever fire enough bullets to make up for it. Even if he couldn't, he'd try. One bullet, one good deed, at a time.

Ed stared up at the stars. The sky would change eventually, away from the anchor it had been for so long, but he was begining to accept change again. It wasn't all bad, there was hope now, hope for his future, and for everyone else too.

Sure, there was darkness behind them, but the stars would work together to light up the night. Even if one was a slightly darker shade of gold, the others would be there beside it, burning bright.