A/N: Heh. A year later and I finally finish the last chapter (a week after I decided I wasn't going to do the third part). I've been rewatching Brotherhood and just got the urge to write! This chapter is separate from both the first and second, and the previous ones have no bearing on this one.

If We Were Stronger

Lan Fan would give her life for Ling. Now unabashedly immortal, he is afraid his body will betray him and destroy her.

T for language and themes.

Ling/Greed x Lan Fan

x x x

To even look at her was painful. But there was a moment after Gluttony's defeat and the shock of Pride dismantling him that he regained true control. The homunculus inside was wide eyed in horror and silently burned to flee. While the demon watched Pride, Ling watched her.

"Young Lord," she barely breathed from a good dozen feet away. Her face was impossible to read from behind the mask, and her eyes were too dark even against the fire to see properly.

"A moment, if you don't mind," Ling murmured, streaking past her while the others continued to stare at Pride's gall in chopping his brother in half.

They stole well into the forest together; Lan Fan flew over trees while Ling weaved around their bases. Finally the girl dropped to ground level when that evil chi just started to lessen; they were already likely a mile into the woods. The air around them remained entirely silent for a long, heavy moment, and then he bowed his head.

"You came," he began.

"Always, young Lord," she replied without missing a beat.

Ling, his face a sheet of strain and stress, relaxed into a smile.

"If I were stronger, I suppose I wouldn't need a team chasing after me all the time," he added.

Lan Fan nodded automatically. She watched his eyes glance over her, clutching her metallic fist as the slightest pain and shock flittered past his gaze. "Sir, don't…" His eyes returned to hers, "…don't worry about me. Are you…okay?" She knew what lurked inside, but had not truly seen it up close yet. A shudder tore down her spine and threatened to rock her knees as she listened to what her senses truly told her.

Run. Leave him. He reeks of malice and death.

But her heart beat defiantly. The man standing before her was the young Lord. Albeit taller, broader shouldered and a bit more lined, it was him. She felt normality and familiarity beneath the dark glow and its allure was positively tantalizing. Suddenly she realized she had been staring and flushed profusely, thanking the heavens she was still wearing her mask. At least he wouldn't see her shame.

He offered a slight smile in response. He was sharper than she knew. "I am…"

Something inside caught him in the gut. It was just a feeling, a sinking, towering wave of a feeling that unsteadied him.

"No," he breathed.

Despite his low tone, Lan Fan stepped forward and uttered in a tiny voice, "My Lord?"

Ling was quick to straighten, despite the inner turmoil raging within him. "I am happy to see you doing alright, even without me," he said quickly. It wasn't a lie. But to speak the whole truth of the matter would surely mean surrendering control. He wanted every minute with her. He wanted an eternity with her, but he knew better—

His shoulders shook and a voice cracked through that wasn't his. "What is this?" it was like ingesting poison to listen to his words. "Stealing away at the height of the battle? Who the fuck do you think you are, kid?"

Ling gnashed his teeth. Lan Fan's eyes had barely changed—Greed was speaking in his head, good.

But the monster was tearing away at his insides. His eyes flashed sharply to her face. "Can't see it. I'm sure she's a beaut…" The ultimate shield crept up his left hand. Ling's shoulders sagged and he clamped a hand over his face. If Greed wasn't bad enough, the grief washing over him was just insurmountable.

"Lan Fan," he whispered, craning his neck to the sky, forcing himself to stand straight as the shield crept over the skin of his arm. "I haven't much time…but please, your face…" The man managed a slight smile, "I haven't seen it in so long."

She immediately tore the mask away, watching the pain subside as his hand slipped to cover only his mouth instead. Then she opened her mouth and his heart started tearing to pieces again.

"Young Lord, please, fight him. I know you can!"

But feeling…feeling anything at all set Greed on fire. Ling struggled to speak over his thoughts.

"Oh, damn, isn't she just the picture of innocence. Badass and beautiful? Just take her now."

"Lan Fan…I promise you…the moment I fix this," Ling uttered, "the first person I want to speak to is you." He hadn't the strength to speak of such things now.

Suddenly it was like a train slamming into him. He staggered backwards a few steps, and Lan Fan immediately jumped to take up the distance. Her eyes wide in the dark, she couldn't stand to watch him tear away again. "Please," she whispered. "Please, he is a good man with a country…"

"And a woman waiting, too," Greed purred. Ling snarled at him. "Please," he scoffed inside, "you won't take any of the women I come across. And by God, the way you're fighting me…I know you want her too. Just let go, it'll be short and sweet and tragic all at once." Ling pulled back from Greed, still fighting for control but unwilling to continue the conversation.

"You can't tell me you don't want her. I'm inside your head, remember?"

Lan Fan's hands were hovering just out of reach of the young Lord. She wanted to do something, anything to help him.

"Come on."

"Not like this," Ling growled. "You want to make her into something to be had. She's a person…she's a human being with a life and feelings of her own. I care for her…I want to be with her and I want to love her, but I want it done right! She's not an animal…and neither am I."

"Young Lord!" Lan Fan cried. He dropped to his knees. She caught his arms.

His head low and heart humming, Ling whispered, "Lan Fan, I love you. But please—"

She threw her arms around his middle and clung so tightly that her head slammed against his chest and knocked the breath out of him for a moment. The way his heart beat, though, said more than words could.

"I'm not strong enough…"

She watched the shield creep up his opposite arm. If she clung tighter…if she could just stay with him, she knew she could keep him there…

"If Greed comes for you…" He pressed his lips to the top of her head, knowing that this was all the time he could buy. "Run. Run unless you know you have the strength to cut him out of me."

"I make no promises. I will be there for you, young Lord," Lan Fan replied lowly as her eyes burned and her throat constricted. If they were stronger they might have managed more time together.