Pain. His head pounded, like an anvil to the skull. Everything ached, especially his arm. What happened? Think. Assess. What did he last remember? It was blurry. Slowly Ed sat up, rubbing his forehead with his flesh arm. All he could remember was flashes. Hawkeye, the sound of a gun, pain, then he was falling. A free fall. He shouldn't be alive, but he was. How was he alive? Think Ed, think.

Voices in his mind, remnants of a memory.

"I'm sorry Ed." That was Hawkeye, Riza. She had shot him.

"Fullmetal, cooperate or else we'll bring you in by force." Mustang, Roy. It was a command, an order. He hadn't listened. So Mustang had Hawkeye shoot him.

What had even happened? Ed stumbled to his feet, peeling off his red cloak and dropping it to the ground. It was wet, with his own blood. A quick glance down at his arm confirmed it. The bullet was lodged where his flesh turned to automail. A little to the left… it would have killed him. Ed felt sick covering his mouth. He stumbled over to a rock and doubled over, retching. They had tried to kill him.

"What did I do…?" Ed asked the world, thinking hard. Everything was fractured.

Assess, his internal Mustang ordered. First check your injuries, label them from worst to do what you can to fix them.

The bullet in his shoulder, it would be too risky to take it out without the help of a mechanic. Having another doctor there would be smart as well, just in case there was more damage to his non-mechanical self. His head, Ed reached up and prodded it with a wince. There was definitely an injury there, and possibly even some blood. That wasn't good. Probably a concussion. Ed wouldn't be able to check more until he got a mirror of some sort, or even another person. Leg's, fine other than a repair needed on his automail. It seemed it had taken the brunt of the fall, if the dents and scratches and some missing pieces were any indication. He'd definitely need a mechanic for that. Torso, bruised (possibly cracked) ribs. Definite swelling and pain there. Already it hurt to breath. Back, bruising and some swollen areas. There was no way he could check for sure.

Think. Internal Mustang continued his input. What happened? Who were your aggressors? Find somewhere safe.

Where would safe be? The Rockbells would be where they'd check immediately. All his safe places were places the military knew about, that Mustang and his team knew about. They were the ones to attack him. Where could he go? Where would be safe? Especially with the Homunculi around.

Calm yourself. Internal Mustang demanded. Panicking won't do any good. Be logical. Outthink your opponent. Its like chess.

Ed remembered his response to the advice, back near the beginning of his military career, "I'm not any good at chess." There had been a gleam in Mustang's eye, as though he knew something Ed didn't. With a deep breath, Ed closed his eyes and gripped his flesh hand into a fist. It was a game of chest. What did the military have to gain by getting rid of Ed? Why send Mustang's Team to do it?

The answer hit Ed like a ton of bricks. Loyalty. Mustang and his team needed to be in the military, that was the only way their plan could work. With Ed it wasn't such a big deal. Even all the research in the world wouldn't, couldn't, get their bodies back. It didn't mean Ed wasn't trying. But he could continue that outside the military. And, with Ed out of the way, it'd be one less adversary for them. There was only one issue with this conclusion. Ed was a sacrifice.

Maybe… Ed sat down on a rock in contemplation. Maybe Mustang and his team weren't supposed to kill him. He thought back to Mustang's words, one of the only things he could remember from the confrontation.

"Fullmetal, cooperate or else we will bring you in by force."

By force. He never said anything by killing him. But then why would Hawkeye shoot him? And the apology? Hawkeye apologized before shooting.

"Dammit," Ed groaned, head pounding even harder.

He needed to get out. Eventually someone will come looking for a body. Speaking of…

The red fabric caught his eye. He had to make it seem like he was actually dead. With a muffled curse he clapped his hands together, transmuting the automail arm into a blade. Then he cut away at the fabric. There were wolves in this area, Ed had heard them a few times while he was here. All he had to do was make it seem like his body had been dragged away. Now he needed blood. A little rabbit hopped into his view.

"I'm sorry…" Ed whispered.

It was over quick. With blood sufficiently on the gashes on his clothes and even some smeared on the ground into a random direction, Ed stood up. He needed to get out of here before someone came along. Slowly Ed stood up. A message, for Al. But also a way to try and communicate with Mustang's Team. No matter what he couldn't believe that they had actually betrayed him. Hawkeye never missed, but yet she did on Ed.

Iris, bay leaf, bugloss, purple columbine, and purple hyacinth. In a nutshell it came out as: I have a message for you, I am not dead, that is a falsehood. Things have changed, but we will win. I'm sorry. It was a risky move to leave a message, much less so close to his supposed death scene. But hopefully it would get overlooked by the enemy. Otherwise… otherwise he had messed up big time.

-ALittleMore-

"Did we do the right thing, sir?" Hawkeye asked. The gun was still by her side, the same gun she had just aimed at Fullmet- Edward a few hours ago.

Mustang steeled his eyes, not looking towards his Lieutenant. The rest of his Team had been unable to look at her either. They all knew the plan, the incredibly risky plan. But they had never thought Ed would fall. None of them had been able to convince themselves to look over the edge, not even Mustang himself. Now they were going down, an order to retrieve his body or take the boy in.

"We can't think that Lieutenant," Mustang replied stiffly. "We can only move forward."

"Yes sir," Hawkeye said after a moment's hesitation.

There was a dangerous pathway down to the bottom. On the way down Mustang couldn't help but lament that Al had refused to even talk to them after he heard what had happened. The younger Elric hadn't even allowed them to explain their side of it. Not that Mustang could blame him. Yet it would be easier to have Al here, if only to widen the walkway. Immediately Mustang brushed the thought away. If Ed was at the bottom, bloody and broken, there was no way he would want Al there.

"Careful!" Mustang called back. "It gets narrow here!"

Only a few moments later they were at the bottom. It was Falman to give them their bearings, pointing in the direction of where everything went down. The earlier minimal chatterings became non-existent the closer they got to where Edward would've landed after the fall. At first they didn't see anything. But then Mustang stepped on something. Removing his foot he caught sight of a bolt.

"From his automail," Fuery spoke up, gently taking it and looking it over. "I'd guess from his leg or foot."

"We're close then," Breda murmured and gripped his fists tighter.

"Fan out." Mustang ordered, "Stay in pairs. If he's alive he'll put up a fight. Even injured he's a capable opponent."

He left out the last part. But the others were solemn enough that they didn't say anything. Once they were in pairs, Hawkeye sticking with him, they continued on. More and more automail parts started appearing. Hands were tight in a fist, unable to wrap his head around the fact this had been Ed's wrecked automail. Then he froze. Red fabric, the bright red of the coat Edward had been wearing when he'd fallen.

"Ed…" Hawkeye whispered, but didn't continue or rush forward.

Mustang picked up his pace and came up to the fabric. It was torn up, as though Ed had been attacked. Blood stained the cloak, but there was no sign of Edward. Though some more blood littered the ground, as though Ed had been dragged away. Some more automail pieces continued on that way. Mustang inhaled a shaky breath, looking over at Hawkeye. Her face was pale but otherwise no emotions graced her features.

"Sir?"

"Call the others back." He demanded.

"Sir?!"

"This is enough evidence, correct? It looks as though Edward had been attacked by a feral creature and dragged away to its den." Though it was difficult for Mustang to believe. Edward, even hurt, would have escaped such a creature. But if he hadn't survived the fall, the far likelier option, he would've easily become food for one of the wild animals.

"They will want a body sir," Hawkeye reminded him.

"Then they can search for it themselves!" Mustang raised his voice, before lowering it and his defenses. "I can't search for him Hawkeye, I can't see his dead body."

"I understand sir…"

Then she walked away, going to gather up the rest of the team. He could hear her voice calling out for them in the background, drowned out by his thoughts. One hand reached out and picked up the red fabric. It certainly looked like it had been destroyed by an animal. But most of the rips looked deliberate, too meticulous for a hungry animal. Not to mention there would have been more blood if it had been a human to be attacked. A quick glance around further confirmed Mustang's suspicions. If Ed had been dragged away the earth would be disturbed. It was unlikely that Edward had survived the fall but… if he had…

"Sir!" Hawkeye announced their presence.

Smoothing out his expression, Mustang stood up with the red cloak tight in his grip still. His entire team's expressions crumbled, as though the last of their hope had been crushed. Yet Mustang couldn't bring himself to tell them his suspicions. There were ears everywhere. It was too dangerous to say anything. Later perhaps, and definitely to Alphonse. But only somewhere that was secure.

"Is that...?" Havoc hesitated, expression guarded, before continuing. "Is that Ed's…"

"Yes."

"He's… he's dead?" Fuery gasped.

Mustang didn't respond, he didn't even know. However they all took it as confirmation. All their expressions fell, before smoothing out until they were once again professional. It wasn't difficult for Mustang to see that each and every one of them were mourning internally.

As they left Mustang couldn't help but look around one more time. There had to be a clue. Ed wouldn't disappear without leaving Al a clue, at the very least. Out of the corner of his eyes he caught sight of something somewhat out of the ordinary.

"Lieutenant, take them back to the car." Mustang ordered.

It said a lot of their mental states that no one questioned him. Not even Hawkeye. They made their way back up the path. Once they were sufficiently up Mustang made his way over to the bright flowers. Blues and purples, with some bay leaves scattered around them. Iris, bay leaf, bugloss, purple columbine, and purple hyacinth all lay on the ground. It was far enough away from where Ed's cloak was that the search perimeter wouldn't find it, and in the opposite direction from where the smears of blood went. Iris, insinuating that there was a message in the flowers. Bay leaves, a change in death. Bugloss, falsehood. Possibly referring to the falsehood in Ed's supposed demise. Purple Columbine, a resolve to win. That meant Ed was going to fight back, against him or the military was left as a question. And lastly the purple hyacinth, an apology. Most likely aimed towards Alphonse.

"Can't kill you huh?" Mustang snapped, the flowers getting surrounded by flames, all except one and a leaf. Then they turned to ash. A wind swept up the remains. Mustang tucked the leftover flower and leaf in his pocket.

The biggest question… if this was a message from Ed how had he survived? No one could've survived that fall. Something else was going on here. But what exactly could it be?

-ToTheLeft-

Alphonse sat at the fountain, the same one that Ed had told him to wait for him at before the incident. His brother couldn't be dead, their souls were bonded together. Therefore Ed would come back for him. So he had to wait for Brother. As long as he stayed here, Ed would know where to look for him. Night fell and still Alphonse waited. And waited. And waited. Daybreak peered over the hills. People left their houses and began to walk around, going about their business. Still Alphonse waited.

Mustang's team returned, without Ed. If Alphonse had a heart it would've stuttered in his chest. All he felt was the world slowing down. They exited the car, standing besides it. The look on their faces. It just wasn't possible. There was no way… Ed… Mustang climbed out of the car.

Time stilled, Alphonse's entire world collapsing around him. Mustang stopped in front of him. Out of the entire group, Mustang didn't seem to be upset. Alphonse felt anger surge up, but pushed it back. Later. He couldn't become emotional now.

"Alphonse…" Mustang swallowed, as though choosing his words carefully. "I'm sorry."

"No."

"Alphonse," Hawkeye spoke up, but silenced at a hand from Mustang.

"There was no body. But we found his cape and… there was a lot of blood. It seemed that he had been taken by a wild animal," Mustang continued.

"You're wrong!" Alphonse demanded. If he could cry, he would be.

"Alphonse, please be reasonable."

"Be reasonable?" Al's voice was strangled. "You… You're the reason he's dead!"

"I'm sorry." Mustang grabbed Alphonse's hand when he went to run.

He pressed the flower and leaf into Alphonse's palm. Alphonse gripped them tightly and yanked his hand out of Mustang's grip. Then he run off. No one followed him. As soon as he was deep into the city, he opened his hands. There lay a bay leaf and bugloss. It took a few moments for Alphonse to understand the meaning behind it.

"Brother…" Alphonse whispered. He was alive.