Chapter Twenty-three

Keir, Lytia

June 28, 1309

The TARDIS landed in the desert.

Al had a bag packed with clothes. The Doctor had provided him with a full wardrobe, including a light green cloak. He and Aravis stepped out into the desert, the sun setting against the white pyramids.

"I guess I should do the transmutation now," Al said.

"Good idea," the Doctor agreed. He stepped out, in his customary suit and red shoes. Aravis gripped Al's arm tightly.

"If— if you lose a limb?"

"I've got a good supply of nanogenes," the Doctor assured her, "We'll get it back."

"Good." She nodded nervously. Al hugged her.

"I'll be ok," he promised.

"You had better be." Al laughed a little at Aravis' pigheaded determination.

"I will. I promise."

"If you are not, I shall kill you." She smiled at him.

"I know." He smiled back. She nestled closer, closing her eyes.

"I really should do that transmutation..."

"I know." She leaned up and kissed his forehead. "I will be here for you."

The Doctor watched as Al kissed Aravis on the cheek and did the transmutation.

The Rockbells' House

June 26, 1916

Ed tapped against the table while the storm went on outside.

Thunder crashed. Winry furiously tinkered with something that looked spiderish. Den tried to climb into Ed's lap.

"Where's Kessy?" Ed asked.

"I don't know." Winry picked up a wrench with a menacing air.

"I'll go look for her." Lightning lit the room as Ed stood up, and he walked away with the thunder.

Near the door, there was a note. Three words. Atrocious handwriting.

I shuld'nt stay.

Ed stuffed the note in his pants pocket and ran outside, not bothering to pull on a coat. She'd be on the way to the train station. He was soaked within a few feet, not even bothering to think.

He wanted her to stay. He didn't know why, but he did. If she left...

He had to find her. He couldn't just let her go. The rain streamed down his face, his bangs plastered to his face.

A tall figure stood within sight. One arm. Kessy.

"You idiot!" He started to slow his run as she turned toward him. She'd better not run. If she did...

He managed to catch up. She didn't run.

Keir, Lytia

Aravis grabbed Al the second she saw him again, holding him as tight and close as she could manage.

"Are you all right, Alphonse?" He appeared to have all his limbs. That was good. But then, what—? "Alphonse, what did you— lost?" She quietly cursed her ungrammatical hybrid of two phrasings.

At least there wasn't any blood. She might have fainted, which Aravis found rather embarrassing and undignified. And if she'd fainted, she wouldn't have been there for Alphonse...

"Aravis?" he asked, sounding unsure.

"Yes! I am here, Alphonse... are you all right? Should I get anything?"

"I..." He moved his hand to her face. "I can't hear you, Aravis..."

"You... Philosopher's Stone— but not— Doctor!"

"Plenty of forms of deafness can be cured," he said, "We'll take a look."

Aravis nervously got to her feet and helped Al up. She put her arms around his waist, his uncertainly around her shoulder. "I know you cannot hear me, Alphonse, but I— I have to— talking, I— I'm sorry! Oh, Alphonse... I love you..."

"It's ok, Aravis..." They quietly walked into the TARDIS together.

The Doctor had already gotten out a piece of medical equipment. He gestured to a chair, and Al sat in it. "This is really weird..." Aravis squeezed his hand.

"I know, Alphonse... I should stop talking shouldn't I— I just feel so horrible— Oh, Alphonse..."

"Don't cry..."

"I am not crying..."

"Yes you are." He smiled a little. "You denied it, right?" Aravis nodded with a frantic grin and kissed Al on the forehead.

"Oh dear." The Doctor waved a thing that went click over Al's head again.

"You cannot..?" Aravis nervously clung to Al's shoulder.

"No. I'm sorry— I am so sorry..."

"I'll always be deaf, won't I?" Al asked. Aravis slowly nodded. He quietly held her.

It finally sunk in how much his life had changed. But she was worth it.

Risembool

"I should go." She stared at the ground, trenchcoat from the TARDIS closet unbuttoned, right sleeve flapping in the wind.

"Don't," he said.

"I'm the one who's not worth it." She looked up at him with a fake nervous smile. "Don't worry about me."

"Shut up." He grabbed her forearm. "You're an idiot."

"I'm a lot of things. Useless, for one." She stared at his shoes.

"You did get us out of that basement..."

"Which got you shot."

"Oh, come on. Takes more than that to kill me."

"You'd have figured it out yourself anyway..."

"Recognized Ling Gray."

"Luck."

"What about the train? And the bear?"

"Stop it!" She pulled away. "I know I'm worthless..."

"Well, you're wrong." He pulled her into a tight hug.

"You're better off without me," she whispered.

"No."

"I... I'm scared..." She closed her eyes. "Of hurting you... losing you..."

"You won't. I promise."

"It's always happened before..."

"Not this time."

"I need to go." She was crying. "I can't let anything happen to you..."

He paused. "Then stay."

"What?"

"I want you to stay."

"But..." She pulled away to look at him. "Why?"

"You're tough, you're smart... you get it..." After losing Al, the idea of losing her too...

"I..." She stared at the floor. "I love you."

Ed stared at her for a moment. "I know," he said, awkwardly, pulling her into a hug again.

He hadn't quite admitted it to himself yet, but since she'd said it... He did. He'd known it for a while without admitting it. It frightened him a little. But at the same time... well, he loved her.

"I love you too," he whispered.

"Let's go home," she said, smiling.

Keir, Lytia

Al turned a page of the sign language dictionary the Doctor had lent them.

Al and Aravis were sitting next to each other, trying to deal with everything.

Aravis looked at the page, then looked at Al. She folded down her middle and ring fingers and held the others up.

I love you.

Al smiled and did the same. "Things are going to get really complicated once the TARDIS isn't here..." Al tried to cope with the fact that he couldn't hear himself talk. It was weird.

Aravis flipped through the dictionary. Things will be good. She gave Al a sheepish look.

"I know." He smiled at her. She nestled up against him and took the book.

We will manage, she signed.

"Is anyone hungry?" the Doctor asked, poking his head in. Aravis glared, flipped through the book, and relayed the message to Al.

"Actually, I am... Aravis?"

"Yes," she said and signed.

"Hmm... There's a Chinese place in New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York..." The Doctor took a breath.

"Where?" Aravis asked, relaying this to Al simply as Words.

"New New New New... It's a place. On a planet."

"So we are to have lunch... on another planet?" Aravis flipped through the book and sighed. "Doctor, would you give me some paper?"

"Thought I might as well give you two a glimpse of the universe." The Doctor shrugged. "Unless you don't want to..." He handed Aravis a pen and paper.

Lunch on another planet? she wrote.

"Sounds like fun," Al said.

The Doctor grinned. The day was saved. Hopefully everyone was going to live happily-ever-after.

"Allons-y!"

(A/N: Wow. This is actually finished. Cookies for everyone who's been reading. I'm planning a sequel or two, and actually have one started, but for now... The End.)