Return:

I've failed them.

The thought was heavily rooted in his heart and no matter how much people consoled him he knew it would stay until they found his son. He often wondered if having alchemy would have changed things. It was moments like this he thought maybe he owed his own father some kind of apology. It was terrifying not knowing where his son was or if he would ever see him again.

"Brother, you awake?"

Edward sat up quickly, squinting into the light. "M'wake." He mumbled.

"You're going to want to get dressed."

He was on his feet in moments, his brothers face telling him all he needed to know.

He stormed along in his brothers footsteps, flinging open the canvas flap of the tent to reveal a dimly lit row of cots. It took seconds but the walk felt like an eternity as he tried to focus on the body his brother was pointing towards. Was it breathing? Were there two legs, two arms? He felt prepared for every possibility when he finally approached his son's side. Eddy's hair was long, falling in waves around his face and while he looked worse for the ware he was alive and grinning.

"Dad."

A million words spilled out, a lot of them foul, but he was kneeling when the anger finally left him and vaguely aware of how close to weeping he felt.

"I'm okay dad." Eddy repeated, his eyes wet.

Alphonse read off the chart. "Looks like he has some broken ribs and a little bit of frostbite. They're sending him home."

Edward couldn't speak so he just nodded and patted his son on the head. Wiping his face he grinned at his oldest son. "Winry will be happy to see your automail is in good shape."

"Mom." His sons face grimaced, "How mad is she going to be?"

"She won't stay mad for long." Edward appeased him.

"Are you mad?" Eddy asked, his voice soft.

In that moment Edward appreciated that this was his son. At that age he had been fully distanced from his own father and off gallivanting around the world. How strange that he should be mad at his own son for making choices to do the same. "Relieved." He admitted. "Scared. I thought we might have lost you."

Al cleared his throat. "Eddy, now is probably the best time to tell your father."

Eddy fidgeted the frayed ends of the blanket in response.

Edward frowned, "Tell me what?"

"I met someone." Eddy said abruptly.

Met someone? Edward wasn't sure what context this would apply to. "Who did you meet?"

Eddy looked nervous. "A girl, she took care of me, helped me get here."

Edward looked around half expecting there to be a young lady waiting in the dark. "Where is she now?"

His face was red and it couldn't be blamed on the cold. "They took her to the female wing, wanted to check her for frostbite too."

Of all the stupid things.

"I love her." His son blurted out, though his half lidded eyes betrayed his exhaustion. Edward didn't expect the full story and was relieved when his son fell asleep shortly after starting his tale. He had a phone call to make and he wasn't sure knowing the details would help his son's case. So when he called home to the family he told of Eddy's return and managed to leave out that somewhere between disappearing on the front and returning home his son had found himself engaged to the enemy.