Yay! New chapter! This one is the longest one I've published for this story, though this chapter is much happier than the last one.

Anyway I'm going to be taking a small break, so next months chapter has been pushed to September. I need to take some time off so I don't get burned out with this story. I hope to have the next chapter done by the middle of September.

Anyway I'd say that there are, at most, three combined chapters left (nine in total that will be combined). This depends on certain things, like if a topic needs to be carried over into another chapter and what not. There will be at least two more combined chapters and then the story will be finished! Depending on how the story ends I may make a short oneshot of the events that take place after the last chapter, but that may not happen as I may be able to squeeze that content into the actual story.

Anyway, thank you all so much for reading. I also want to thank you for all the favorites, follows, and reviews. They really brighten my day and I love hearing that you guys are enjoying the story! You guys are awesome and don't you forget it!

Love you all and see you in the next chapter!

:3

Chapter 13

The span of a week had never passed so slowly in Alphonse's life. Everyday seemed like a month, the days dragging on for an eternity. Still he bore the burden and pain of time well; he was used to it after all. Though when thinking back to Edward's automail surgery, which seemed like a lifetime ago now, he could confidently say that this wait was far worse. Back then Ed had been conscious, at least long enough for him to talk to Al between rounds of treatment. Now, as he gazed forlornly at his brother, he desperately wished he could speak with him, even for a minute.

In the days after Edward had been brought back, at least physically, from the realm of the dead he had yet to awaken. Alphonse hadn't left his brother's side once in that time. The hospital staff had quickly let on that they knew he wasn't truly human, but they remained silent about the matter. As the kind nurse, Julia, had told him once when she was checking in on Ed, there was no need for the hospital to worry about it. The hospital staff had no real ties to military command, though Mustang had tried to issue a gag order to stay safe. The doctors had just shrugged it off though, what good would it do them if they told anyone? They didn't mind as long as Al did nothing to harm the staff or patients, which they knew he would never do.

Needless to say Al was grateful for the hospital staff, especially Julia who he now considered a friend. She was always the first nurse to check in on them in the morning, always offering up hopeful encouragement and support. Though, on occasion, he would see her gaze gravitate towards Mustang as she spoke. Her eyes would seem to glitter with a gentle longing, a small blush to her cheeks. Al would laugh to himself that even when the colonel wasn't trying, he still seemed to have a charm to him that Julia obviously couldn't resist.

Though Alphonse wasn't too sure if Mustang even really noticed, he had been keeping as close of an eye on Edward as he possibly could. The colonel barely left his brother's side and Al was starting to worry about the man as well.

He could see the toll that this stressful situation was taking on his body, the colonel looked like he should be in a hospital bed of his own. He looked to pale and thin, dark shadows under his eyes only adding to his ghostly appearance. Alphonse had been trying his hardest to get the man to rest or eat, but Mustang was almost as stubborn as Edward. Even during the occasional times he did get the colonel to eat something he would only take a few bites, seemingly too worried about Ed to keep focused on anything for too long.

While Al did silently agree that Edward looked far worse than Mustang, he still worried that the man would run himself into the ground. If he fell ill Alphonse didn't know what he would do, though he also conceded that if he still had a living body he would probably do the same thing. Still he worried about the colonel almost as much as he worried about his brother.

He and Mustang had grown closer in the past week, so much so that Al almost felt like the man was truly his father. Often the two of them would talk about anything ranging from trivial old memories to the complexity of alchemy. They had heeded the one nurse's advice and would occasionally speak to Ed, knowing that they wouldn't get an answer but silently hoping he might rouse slightly if the right topic came up. Alphonse had also given up on asking Mustang to tell him about the promise between him and his brother. Every time he would ask it seemed like the weight of the world was crashing onto the colonel's shoulders. His eyes would go wide, seeming to hold back tears as a horrible shadow passed over him. Alphonse was scared when he saw that fearful look on his face, almost like someone had taken a knife to his heart. He secretly wanted to know what caused the man to react that way, but he figured it might be for the best if he didn't know.

Though Al did find some comfort in the fact that Edward was improving, as slow as it still seemed. His fever had broken a day earlier, a good sign that his body was almost through in its fight against the infection. The tube the doctors had inserted into his right lung still occasionally leaked fluid but even that was easing, though it would stay in place until they were sure his lung had healed enough to remove it. It seemed as though his brother's condition had improved almost immediately after the removal of his automail, though Alphonse knew Ed wouldn't be too happy about losing his arm. The doctors had told him that his brother would most likely need to wait a while to reattach it, at least until he was stable enough to handle the strain.

In the meantime Mustang's team was slowly getting closer and closer in their search for Edward's attacker. The only time the colonel left his brother's side was to call Hawkeye to receive any updates on the case. The man had yet to be caught but with a description of him they were getting farther along in the search. The police had reason to believe the man was behind a recent string of robberies and it seemed most of East City was on the lookout. Al and Mustang were hopeful that the man would be caught soon; it was only a matter of time until someone found him.

A gentle rustling broke Alphonse's reverie. At first he thought the sound had come from the colonel, who was leaning back in his cot with his eyes lightly closed. But when Mustang also stirred, seemingly surprised as well, Al looked towards his brother. He nearly began to cry when he looked at him.

Edward was slowly moving in his bed, his brow furrowing as his hand clenched at the sheets beneath it. Quickly the colonel grabbed Ed's hand, holding it gently as his eyes seemed to glow with a desperate hope.

"Brother?" Alphonse leaned closer to his brother, feeling hope soar in his soul for the first time in over a week. "Can you hear me?"

"Edward," Mustang's voice was edged with desperation. "Edward, if you can hear us, please open your eyes."

They watched as Ed's eyelids began to twitch, the task seeming to take almost all his brother's strength. His grasp on the colonel's hand tightened as his eyes slowly opened. Golden orbs stared at nothing for a moment as Edward blinked against the sunlight that flooded the room. They roamed the room for a moment before widening as his gaze darted from Al to the colonel.

Alphonse could see the hopeful excitement he felt reflected in Mustang's eyes. It seemed like Ed could actually see them.

The happiness that gleamed in his brother's eyes quickly turned to confusion as he tried to talk, the tube in his throat making speech impossible.

"It's okay," The colonel said gently as he gazed warmly at Edward. "The tube is helping you breathe, we can see if the doctors can remove it though, now that you're awake."

Ed's gaze rested on Mustang for a moment before he looked towards Al, his eyes seeming to glisten with unshed tears as he smiled around the ventilator.

"Is he finally awake?" They turned to see Julia standing in the doorway, her eyes glowing as she clapped her hands together happily. "I'm so glad!"

"Do you think it would be possible to remove him from the ventilator?" Alphonse asked as the nurse crossed the room. She stood by his side, brow furrowing as she mulled over the request.

"I'm not too sure, let me ask your brother a few questions and we can go from there." Julia knelt down so she was face to face with Ed. Al moved over slightly to give her room, never taking his eyes from his brother. He could see the colonel gazing at Edward, his eyes glittering with a mixture of hope and worry.

"Hello Edward, my name is Julia." The nurse spoke slowly, her voice gentle as she continued. "I'm going to ask you some simple yes or no questions. Please blink once for yes and twice for no, do you understand what I just said?"

At first Al began to worry when he saw the blank look in his brother's eyes, but he nodded his head slightly before blinking once, his gaze fixed on Julia.

"Very good! Now do you remember where you are?" The nurse looked eagerly at his brother, getting another blink in response.

"Good! Are you feeling any pain right now?" Another slow blink, "Is the pain in your chest?" Another yes.

"On a scale of one to ten how bad is it? Blink the amount of numbers it is on the scale." Edward paused slightly, seeming to think about the question for a moment. Alphonse watched, anxiously, as his brother blinked five times in a row.

"Okay, do you feel pain anywhere else?" Julia received another silent yes. "How bad is it on a scale of one to ten?" Four blinks this time.

"That's good; we can give you some medicine to help with the pain if you need it. Are you feeling anything else, like a headache or nausea?" A silent no, "Good, that's all I need to ask you at this moment. I'm going to quickly check your vitals and then we can see if we can get that ventilator removed."

Al and Mustang looked at Julia as she looked closely at the machines that Ed was hooked up to. After a few moments she nodded her head and looked back at the two of them eagerly.

"I think it will be safe to remove him from the ventilator." The nurse said enthusiastically, smiling when she heard Alphonse and the colonel sigh in relief. "We'll still have to monitor him to make sure he has no trouble breathing on his own, but I wouldn't worry too much about that."

As Julia took a pair of gloves from her scrubs Al looked over towards Mustang. For the first time in a little over a week he was smiling, his dark eyes shining with relief. Alphonse returned his gaze to his brother, seeing that Ed was staring intently at him. Once his brother had gotten his attention his gaze returned to Mustang's a few small tears leaking from the corners of his eyes.

"Okay Edward," Their attention was returned to Julia, who knelt next to Edward's head. "This most likely won't hurt but it will be pretty uncomfortable. Are you ready?" She gazed at the boy sympathetically as he blinked at her. Fear glittered momentarily in his eyes before determination hardened his gaze.

Very gently, and slowly, Julia began to pull on the ventilator, eliciting a low groan from Ed. His grasp on Mustang's hand tightened as he closed his eyes. Seconds seemed like minutes before the tube was finally pulled free.

Edward took in a quick gasp, keeping his eyes closed as he began to take deep breaths. Julia was looking intently at the machines; Alphonse could see her smile in relief.

A small cough brought his attention back to his brother, who was looking at the colonel with tears in his eyes. He slid his hand from Mustang's grasp and he held it gently to the man's face.

Al watched as Ed smiled, tears now freely flowing as he spoke. His voice was gravelly and rough from lack of use, but he could hear his words clear as crystal. Mustang smiled for a moment before he leaned into Edward's touch and began to sob. Alphonse let out his own small cry of relief at his brother's words.

"It's good to finally be able to see you two again."

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The world that surrounded Edward was bleak and plain, nothing but a vast expanse of white reaching out in every direction. It looked like it went on forever, reminding him of the world that the gate of truth inhabited. "I have no clue where I am." He thought as he took in his surroundings, "I don't even really know how I got here."

All Ed could remember were vague fragments of memories. He knew he had fallen, been pushed over the edge of a towering building, injured, and was in the hospital. He remembered that Alphonse and Mustang had been by his side during some of the darkest moments of his life. Those memories were just sensations and sounds though. The gentle murmur of his brother's voice and the warm, sturdy body of the colonel beside him flooded through his mind.

Then there were the painful and unpleasant sensations. The feeling of mending bones and the burning of his lungs as he struggled for breath overtook him. Ed put a hand to his chest as he remembered the pain, the feeling that his lungs had been full of hot ash. He could remember that he felt way too cold as fire raged beneath his skin, it seemed as though all that heat had radiated from his chest.

Ed could remember Al's voice talking to him, and Mustang's voice that sounded gentler than it had ever been. He felt sudden warmth at the thought of the colonel staying by his side; it reminded him vaguely of his father. But he respected Mustang much more than he ever could his own father, the colonel had promised to stay by his side. That was something the man he once called father would never have done.

It was peaceful here though, despite itself. He felt no pain, which made him wonder if anything around him was truly real. This strange place reminded him nothing of the waking world, but it seemed too vivid to be just a dream.

At the thought of dreams the world around him seemed to darken. Ed looked on in horror as the memories of his nightmares overtook this once peaceful place. He felt the pain return for a moment, a painful flicker in his chest as he gasped for air. As he doubled over in pain he became aware of another presence nearby.

Edward turned his head and began to panic when he saw the man who had pushed him standing beside him. The man grinned, his blue eyes glowing brightly in the darkness as he gazed towards him. Ed wanted to run or lash out at him but he was frozen, locked in place as the man loomed over him.

"Edward." A voice echoed around him, making the man freeze. The voice was calm and almost welcoming. He couldn't put a face to it as the voice was a mixture of male and female. "You are safe here; your nightmares hold no power."

Before Ed could ask what the voice had meant the world around him started to melt away. The man faded as a bright, white light took his place, enveloping Edward in its soft glow. He felt like tiny, pale hands were grabbing at him, pulling him deeper into the light. He felt no fear as they dragged him in, calmly closing his eyes as the world faded away.

When he opened them he was shocked to see he was in a hospital room. Edward was even more shocked when he recognized Alphonse's bulky form and the significantly smaller form that was Mustang. Al sat on the right side of a hospital bed while the colonel lay next to the still form that occupied it.

"Al?" Ed spoke as he drew nearer to the bed. "Colonel? What's going on?" They didn't seem to hear him and he let out an annoyed huff before he recognized the body that lay lifelessly between them.

It was his body. Edward was looking down at his own body in the hospital bed.

"W-W-What is this?" Ed looked from his brother, to Mustang, and then to his body. His body looked terrible, nothing but pale skin and bone. It looked too frail to function, and a tube that emerged from its throat seemed to prove this point.

"That can't be me…" He whispered, looking down at his hands before letting out a small scream. Instead of one metal and one flesh hand, both were the same pale shade of skin. Ed backed away in horror, his fear only growing when a nurse seemed to walk right through him.

"Am I…Am I…D-Dead?" Edward asked himself, knowing he would get no response. The nurse that had walked through him began to look at the monitors that were hooked up to his body, a frown on her face.

"No, you are not truly among the dead yet," The voice from before said calmly. Ed looked around the room, watching as the nurse rushed from his bedside and out the door. He began to panic when he saw a white, humanoid form standing in the far corner of the room. At first he thought it was truth, but this form seemed to change before him. It became a man, then a woman, and then a small child, switching between forms so quickly with ease that Edward had no clue as to its true identity.

He let out a gasp as a sudden, agonizing pain came from his chest. Ed froze in fear as he heard a shrill mechanical shriek, knowing at once what was happening.

His body had died. He had no clue what would happen now.

"Do not panic," The figure stepped closer to him, reaching out a hand as though to calm him. "You have been fortunate enough to choose what happens next."

"What do you mean?" Ed tried to back away from the figure, but as it placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder peace seemed to flow through his entire being

"You must make the choice. Life or death, only you can make this decision."

The world around him seemed to slow as Ed gazed back towards his body, a sudden almost numbing calm taking over. Two doctors had entered the room, one of which was straddling the lifeless form below him. He could tell that the man was trying to bring him back, but did he really want to return?

"My body felt so horribly broken…I couldn't see anything…Do I really want to go back and suffer more? Maybe death is the better option…" Edward took in the hectic scene before him, suddenly his gaze focused on his brother and the colonel.

Alphonse was leaning heavily against Mustang; he seemed to be sobbing as his body violently shook. He thought back to when he had last seen his brother cry, the night of the failed transmutation that had taken his real body away. Ed could remember his own feelings of fear and sorrow, all of which Al seemed to be feeling now. How could he leave him to suffer alone? Would Mustang take care of him and help him through the pain?

Edward recalled they had made a promise; that if he died the colonel would keep his brother safe. Surely he'd keep the promise, he was a man of his word and Al would be in much more capable hands than he had been before.

One of the doctors cut away his body's shirt, seemingly alarmed by the automail. Ed looked down at his own hands, knowing that if he returned to the living world he'd lose his limbs once again. He liked this feeling of his body being whole, something he hadn't felt in years.

Then he focused on the colonel, shocked when he saw that the normally stoic man was crying. Ed could see pain glittering in his dark eyes, something he had never seen before.

Edward broke the contact between himself and the figure, walking slowly until he was staring into Mustang's eyes. Even though he knew that the man couldn't see or feel him, Ed placed his hand against his cheek. He could feel warmth flow into his body through the touch; he could even feel the pounding of Mustang's heart. The tears streaming from his eyes passed quietly through his hand like they were nothing but air.

Edward then looked back at Alphonse. His brother was shaking and seemed to be speaking, though he couldn't seem to hear the words. As Ed looked between Al and the colonel he felt as though his heart would break. His own silent tears began to fall from his eyes as he thought of leaving them both behind.

"No." Ed straightened, suddenly filled with determination. "I can't leave them; if I leave it would only hurt them more…I can't let them go through so much pain. My body will mend with time…The pain will not last forever. They need me and I need them, they haven't given up on me so I shouldn't give up on them."

Edward felt a sudden, unbearable pain in his chest that forced him to his knees. It felt like his chest was burning, the pain seeming to pulsate through his whole being.

"You must choose now, Edward. There is not much time left. Will you return to the world of mortals or remain here with me?" The figure was beside him now; he could feel the weight of its gaze resting on him. As Ed looked up at the two people who meant the world to him, feeling sorrow and desperate hope radiating from them, he knew his answer.

"I want to go back." Edward looked up at the figure, watching it closely as he went on. "Those two need me, I can't die yet."

The figure smiled, reaching out a hand towards him. "You've made a brave choice. Know that this decision is something you will never regret."

As Ed took the figure's hand the pain in his chest flared one last time. It eased away, leaving behind a warm sensation as he felt his heart begin to beat once more.

Then he was falling, memories flying past him like photographs caught in a gale. He saw his mother's gentle smile, then Al and Winry running ahead of him through a windswept field. Then there was the transmutation, the automail surgery, and his state alchemist exam. As Mustang looked back at him from across his desk, declaring he was now a dog of the military, the feeling of falling suddenly stopped.

Edward was aware of the world around him, even though his eyes were closed. He could feel the dull ache of his healing bones and the strange feeling of air being forced down into his lungs. His throat was sore and the sensation of the tube lodged deep within him did nothing to help.

He began to move his fingers, slightly dismayed that his right arm was no longer there. He was happy, though, to find that both his legs worked, though the right one was in a cast and didn't have much feeling or movement. When Ed tried to open his eyes he hesitated, fearing that his vision still hadn't returned. As he clenched at the sheets with his remaining fist he felt a warm hand grab his. At first the touch shocked him, still not too used to feeling anything other than pain.

"Brother?" Edward was overjoyed to hear Al's voice again. "Can you hear me?"

Before he could even think of answering, Mustang spoke, "Edward?" Ed had never heard the colonel's voice sound so desperate. "Edward, if you can hear us, please open your eyes."

"I can try, but no promises on that though." Edward wanted to say, but instead he focused on the seemingly simple task at hand. Even though he still feared that his vision was gone he knew he had to at least try.

As his eyes slowly began to open he tightened his hold on Mustang's hand, seeking any form of comfort. He opened his eyes and almost panicked when all he saw was bright white, fearing that he had suddenly been returned to the strange world he had just escaped. When he blinked the light dimmed enough so that he could see the blurry outlines of two figures.

Ed felt his eyes go wide as his gaze darted from his brother to the colonel. He could actually see them! Never had he felt such relief in his life, but as he tried to talk it was replaced with confusion. The tube in his throat seemed to make it impossible to speak.

"It's okay." Mustang said in a gentle tone, his gaze full of warmth as he looked at him. "The tube is helping you breathe, we can see if the doctors can remove it though, now that you're awake."

Edward kept his gaze on the colonel; the man's dark eyes seemed to sparkle with happiness. As Ed looked towards Al he felt tears prick his eyes. He was just so happy to see them again.

He just kept switching his gaze between the two of them, marveling at the fact that he could actually see. Though everything was a little blurry around the edges Ed was just amazed that the world around him was no longer one solid color.

Suddenly a strange woman was looking closely at him. Her hair was the same shade of brown as his mother's, though her eyes were sky blue instead of light brown. The gentle look on her face reminded him so much of his mother that he felt like crying.

"Hello Edward, my name is Julia." Her voice was soft and slow, putting him at ease. "I'm going to ask you some simple yes or no questions…"

Ed answered her questions as honestly as he could, taking a little time to think between each one. He could tell Julia was happy with his answers as she began to look at the various monitors that surrounded him.

"I think it will be safe to remove him from the ventilator." Edward felt happiness course through him. Hopefully he'd be able to talk with this damn thing out of his throat. He heard his brother and the colonel let out a collective sigh of relief. As the nurse pulled a pair of gloves from her pocket Ed looked at Mustang. The man was smiling at him, another sight he had never seen. His eyes were warm and glowed with relief, making him feel at ease.

Next he turned his gaze towards Alphonse, gazing at him intently until he was sure he had his brother's attention. Though most would have a hard time seeing any sort of emotion on Al's face, the glow in his eyes was pure joy. Ed looked back at the colonel, feeling tears once again prick his eyes when he saw the look in the man's gaze.

"Okay Edward," He looked towards Julia, who was giving him a sympathetic look. "This most likely won't hurt but it will be pretty uncomfortable…Are you ready?"

At first all Ed could feel was fear, worried that the nurse was lying in order to keep him at ease. Then he remembered the pain he had felt earlier, the horrible feeling of his heart stopping and starting again. He fixed her with a determined gaze, the same he had given the figure when he had made his decision.

Julia slowly pulled the tube from his throat. While it was indeed uncomfortable he was relieved that there was barley any pain. Still the motion caused Ed to groan and close his eyes tightly, instinctively tightening his grip on the colonel's hand in search of any form of reassurance. After what felt like an eternity the tube was free.

Edward gasped for air, the sensation of having to breathe on his own for the first time in who knew how long, scaring him slightly. He kept his eyes closed until he was confident he was able to breathe for himself. When he opened his eyes his gaze sought out the colonel as he let out a few quick coughs to help ease the dryness in his throat.

Mustang was looking at him with a gentle smile on his face, his eyes glittering with affection. Ed freed his hand from the man's grasp and, like he had done during his out of body experience, placed his hand to the colonel's cheek.

Edward smiled, tears falling from his eyes when he saw Mustang lean into the touch. He was happy the man could feel it this time. For the first time since the plunge that had taken him from that rooftop Ed felt truly happy and at peace.

"It's good to finally be able to see you two again." He said; his voice rough and ragged. The two of them seemed to be able to hear what he had said, as Al let out a quiet cry of relief.

Mustang leaned deeper into Edward's touch, placing his own hand over his. The man's face contorted as he tried to hold back the tears glittering in his eyes. The colonel lost his fight though and began to sob freely into Ed's hand. He looked so relieved, like he had just seen a glimpse of the sun between the dark clouds of a storm.

That was another first, not just for Edward, but for the colonel as well.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

As Mustang's sobbing began to ease he looked back up towards Edward. The boy's hand was still placed gently against his cheek, his eyes glowing with fondness. He was almost taken aback, never had he ever expected to see that look in Ed's eyes, much less to have it directed towards him.

The old Edward, the one before this horrible accident, would never have looked at him like that. He would have been mocked and teased instead, probably some talk about how real men didn't cry like children. At the very least the boy would have been embarrassed or annoyed by his response. But the gentle warmth that glowed in Ed's golden gaze was something he had never imagined to see from him. It felt nice and he could tell that he most likely was looking at the boy with a similar expression.

"Brother, I'm so glad you're awake!" Alphonse's voice almost startled him and he felt a small twinge of embarrassment at the thought of the younger brother seeing him break down. Mustang knew though that Al would never tease him about his reaction. The armored boy didn't seem embarrassed or concerned either way, he was just genuinely happy that his brother was finally awake at last.

Edward looked up at Alphonse, a gentle smile on his face as his hand slowly dropped back onto the bed. The colonel could see a small blush on the boy's cheeks and he knew that he must be embarrassed that his brother had seen their exchange. "I'm glad to be back, how long was I out for?"

As Ed tried to sit up, as best he could with one arm and a tube embedded in the skin of the side of his bare chest, Mustang and Al shared a concerned glance. Neither of them knew how the boy would react to the answer.

"You've been out for a week now, Edward." Mustang said in a gentle voice as Ed looked over at him in shock. He began to shake slightly, his gaze dimming as he stared into space.

"Wow, a whole week?" He said, his voice sounding distant as though he were remembering something not particularly pleasant. "It doesn't feel like it though…"

"Never mind that," Al said as he placed a hand on his brother's automail shoulder. "We're just glad to have you back."

Edward looked down at his brother's hand, noticing for the first time that his right arm was missing. His eyes were then drawn down to the tube sticking out of the side of his chest, widening as he took it all in.

"They had to remove your arm; it was putting too much strain on your body." Alphonse began to explain in a calm voice, trying to keep his brother from panicking and hurting himself in the process. Mustang's thoughts began to wander as he watched the world around him gradually go out of focus.

He wondered if Edward would still want him around now that his vision had returned. The boy had wanted the colonel by his side because he had feared being alone in the darkness, he had wanted to feel someone beside him. But now that Ed could see again, maybe he didn't need Mustang anymore. Al was here and always would be, the two of them were almost inseparable after all. What if the boy no longer wanted his help?

The thought of being tossed aside hurt him more than he had ever thought possible. In the weeks he had spent at Edward's side, even if the boy had been unconscious for a fair amount of that time, his fondness for him had only grown. Sure he had always looked at Ed, and in turn Al, as though they were his distant sons. They were the only two children he had ever really interacted with, the only two that looked to him for guidance. While the colonel had originally tried to distance himself from them, to try to keep as much space between them so that he would never truly get attached, his plan had failed.

Now Mustang viewed both of them as his children. He had been there for them during this hard time, had grown attached to them in a way he never knew he had truly wanted. The thought of the two of them leaving him, to never be this close with them again, almost physically hurt. Right now he needed them, and he hoped they would feel the same way, if only for a little while longer.

The colonel's train of thought was interrupted when he felt a hand gently squeeze his own. He looked up to see Edward looking at him, ashamed when he saw the boy's eyes glitter with concern. Al was still talking, though the conversation had moved onto another subject entirely. Mustang had no clue how long he had zoned out, lost in his own thoughts.

"Al?" Ed interrupted his brother, looking towards him apologetically. "Do you think you could get me some water? My throat feels like someone shoved sandpaper down it."

"Of course," Alphonse straightened up, not seeming to mind the interruption at all. "Is there anything else I can get for you?"

"No, water will be just fine." Edward gazed fondly at his brother as the armor boy nodded and headed towards the doorway. Julia was standing there as well, and when Al approached her she whispered something to him and they both left. Ed kept his eyes on the doorway a moment longer before he turned his attention to the colonel.

"So, why do you look so upset?" His question caught him off guard and he looked at the boy in confusion.

"What do you mean?" Mustang asked almost defensively, hoping that he didn't sound irritated. But if he did Ed ignored it, his eyes still glittering with worry.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so quiet, or sad for that matter. The whole time Al was talking to me you looked like someone had died." The colonel mentally kicked himself for making the boy worry about him, when he should be focused on himself.

"It's nothing really. Did Alphonse tell you about the chest tube and how long you'll have to have your automail removed?" He watched as Ed gave him a curious look, knowing full well that the man was trying to change the subject. But the boy seemed to humor him as he let out a quiet sigh.

"Yeah, while I'm not too happy about it I understand that it needs to be done. Al was talking about how he would check in with the doctors about getting the chest tube removed." Edward shifted slightly as he looked down at his chest. The colonel noticed the boy was sitting in an awkward position and he felt a twinge of worry for him.

"Here," Mustang said gently as he sat next to Edward on the bed. "Let me at least get you into a more comfortable position." As he began to adjust the pillows behind Ed he became aware that the boy was watching him closely. "Are you in any pain?"

"I won't answer any questions until you've answered mine." He said with a defiant gleam in his eyes. The colonel was so relieved to see at least a little bit of the old Ed surface but was still caught off guard as the boy continued. "What's wrong colonel? You're not feeling sick too are you?"

"No, nothing like that, don't let it worry you." Mustang said as he finished rearranging the pillows and gently pushed Edward down into their soft depths. "I'm fine."

Ed resisted his touch until he realized his body was too weak to fight back against the colonel's steady hand. He fell back against the pillows with a sigh, his gaze never leaving Mustang's. "Are…Are you mad at me?"

The broken and sad tone of the boy's voice made him instantly feel guilty. "Of course not…It's just…" He trailed off, for once lost for words. But as he gazed into the boy's golden eyes and saw the genuine concern he relented, however reluctantly. "I'm worried that now that you have your vision back you won't want me here anymore."

Edward looked at him in shock, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Why would I make you leave because of that?" Now Ed seemed lost for words as a slight blush crossed his face. "I-I need you here still…Unless you really don't want to be here…"

Mustang felt a gentle warmth as he gazed at the flustered boy. He clearly wanted the colonel to stay but his pride seemed to have returned, at least long enough that he was having trouble telling him this.

"Do you remember hearing anything Alphonse and I were talking about while you were unconscious?" He knew he was, once again, changing the subject but he was truly curious if Ed had heard an important thing the colonel had said to him.

Edward looked at him in confusion for a moment before he seemed to think hard for an answer. "I can remember you two talking about various things, but it's mainly all a blur of noises." The boy looked at him with a sad resignation in his eyes. "I'm sorry colonel, was there something I was supposed to remember?"

Mustang felt an unexpected ache in his chest as he let out a small sigh. "No, I was just curious if anything had reached you."

Ed gave him an apologetic look, opening his mouth as though to speak before he went still. His eyes glazed over and a faraway look took over his gaze.

"Edward?" The colonel began to panic when the boy didn't answer him. Was he about to have a fit of some sort? Before the man had a chance to cry out for help Edward seemed to snap out of his trance. His eyes once again became alert to their surroundings before looking into Mustang's.

"I can remember something you told me…" Ed seemed almost unsure though as he continued. "It was right after I coughed up blood. You told me something…something about…you loving me like a son…" The boy blushed and looked away in embarrassment.

Mustang felt such fondness towards Ed, such a pure and raw feeling of love that he had never felt before. It was now that he understood Hughes's constant talking about his family, about how his daughter was the light of his life. It seemed as though a long buried paternal instinct had awoken within him. Now he felt like he could understand, at least a fraction, of the love that a father felt for his child.

"I meant it when I said it." The colonel said softly, seeing Ed tense slightly. Before he could begin to wonder if that pause was good or bad the boy had turned around to face him. Edward's eyes glittered with tears as he hugged Mustang as tightly as he could.

"T-Thank you…" The colonel wrapped his arms, tightly, around Ed. As he buried his face against the boy's tangled hair he felt himself holding back his own tears once again.

They stayed that way for a long moment, both of them taking silent comfort in the other's embrace. Then Mustang pulled away, just enough that he could look into Edward's eyes. "Whatever happens next, I want you to know I'll be there for you every step of the way."

Ed returned the colonel's loving gaze, smiling as he sat back slightly. "The road ahead may be a long one, but I think we can both handle it together." He glanced at Mustang, taking in his similar thin and pale appearance. "We both need to get well enough to face it first though."

The colonel smiled back, knowing that the boy was right. In the week Edward had been unconscious he had taken poor care of his body. He could tell from the worried glances from Alphonse that he looked as weak as he felt.

"I think we can manage that." Mustang pulled Ed into another tight embrace, feeling the boy bury his head against his chest.

He knew now that, while both brothers looked nothing like him, he could never have hoped for a better pair of sons. Edward and Alphonse truly were the light that now warmed Mustang's once cold and dark life.