Ed slept for twenty four hours, not moving except to turn his head every once in a while. Alphonse and Winry checked on him every quarter hour, just to reassure themselves that Edward hadn't left them once again. Izumi, though, had suspicions that when the boy woke up, it wouldn't be Ed.

"Ehh... Ehhh..." he breathed. "Eh-Dehh..."

"Ed?" Izumi guessed. The boy nodded.

"G-guuh.. gun..."

Ed's Gone. She was sure of it. The Truth personality, still unable to speak normally, had tried his hardest to get a message through to her before losing conciousness. Now they had even more to worry about. The possibility of Ed being mentally damaged was going to be a problem enough on its own, but dealing with a generally unresponsive personality that had suddenly managed to manifest itself as the dominant personality?

And what if Truth wasn't a personality? If Truth really was the Truth, what did that mean for Edward? He could be trapped in a different dimension, swallowed up by the Gate. Or, as Ed had called it, Eliminated. He could really be gone this time.

"Teacher?" Izumi looked up from her spot on the couch. Al was in the doorway. "Ed is still asleep. Aunty says he's just asleep." Winry appeared behind Al.

"He'll be okay, Al. He always is," she said as she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Al's face darkened, and he flinched away from her.

"Like hell he is! Look at him! He isn't okay! And he sure as hell wasn't before! He was gone for three years, Winry, and even before that! You weren't ever there to see how okay he wasn't!" the younger boy yelled. Winry frowned.

"Al-"

"You have no idea how many nights he spent, screaming and crying from night terrors. I saw it all! And I couldn't even help him because I was stuck in that blasted tin can! He hasn't ever been okay, neither of us have!" he cried, big tears welling up and rolling down his floushed cheeks. He turned to run out of the house, but barrelled right into one Mr. Maddison.

"Goodness, boy, watch where you're going," the man growled. Al sneered at him, pushed past, and disappeared through the doorway. Maddison glared after him, then turned to the women. "I was hoping to inquire about Mr. Elric's health," he grumbled.

"Edward isn't awake yet," Winry told him. The man raised an eyebrow.

"Have you tried to wake him up?" he asked monotonously. Both Izumi and Winry scowled.

"The seizure Edward has experienced was very taxing on his body. We think it is better to let the boy sleep," Izumi told him. The man 'harumph'-ed and spun around, exiting the sitting room.

"They're a strange family," Winry commented absently as they watched him go.

xxxxx

Truth wrapped is arms around himself as he walked through the vast plane of darkness towards where the Guardian resided. It was quiet, a silence Truth hadn't had to deal with since Edward had joined him in the Gate. The blonde man was always talkative, purely to fill the unending silence they were both uncomfortable with. Now that that silence had returned, Truth was reminded of just how unpleasant it was. To be all alone, with no noise and nothing to look. Truth could always summon a visual of what was going on beyond the Gate, in the real world that Edward had come from, but that was taxing and it was disheartening to watch people experience what you couldn't. It made the loneliness overwhelming.

A small light appeared in the distance. He was getting close to the Gate's entrance, where the Guardian would be waiting for him. As he drew closer, the light grew, and soon he could he an outline of the Gate's massive doors. And standing in front of them..."I've been waiting for you," the Guardian grinned. Truth scowled at him. "What, I can't be happy to see my favorite little-""Stop, be quiet," Truth cut him off, trying to put an edge in his voice.

"Aww, c'mon, Truthie," the shorter spirit laughed. He bared his sharp teeth. "What can I do for you, old friend?"

"I need to knnow what happened just now," Truth told him.

"Whatever do you mean?"

"You know what I mean! Edward was ripped away from me! I can't find him, I need to know that he's alright! His family is worried about him!"

"I don't have anything to do with that! I warned you! I warned you, when you two idiots came begging me for his body back, that I didn't know if you could successfully share a physical body between two souls! You both were obviously unstable and the body fixed itself. I warned you both, and now you come crawling back to me-"

"It wasn't our body that did that, it was something else. He was torn out, not pushed away! And now I need your help!"

"I gave you help already, and not even for a price! If you want any more help, it's going to cost you!" Guardian snarled. Truth glared right back. "No more freebees."

"Fine." Truth crossed his arms, standing his ground. "What could you possibly want from me that you can't get yourself?" he asked. Guardian's mouth widened in a frightening smile.

"Hmm... what do I want..." he laughed, stepping closer to Truth. He lifted one hand and reached toward the taller being's face. One small finger poked him in the forehead. "What do you think I want, Truthie?"

XXXXX

"Oh, Edward," Winry gasped when the young man appeared in the doorway, rubbing his eyes with the thumb and forefinger on his human hand. "Are you feeling alright?" she blinked at her for a moment, then nodded. "Well why don't you come and try to eat something. I know you don't like food right now, but after an episode like that, you're going to need it." She ladelled some beef stew into a bowll for him. He took a seat at the table where Izumi, Al -who was looking worse for wear, and Sonia Maddison were slowly spooned a few mouthfuls to his lips, swallowing as if he was trying to down a ball of cotton.

"We were worried about you, Mr. Elric," Sonia spoke up. Edward didn't spare her a glance. "My mother told me she has seen people never wake up fro something like that. They just sleep for the rest of their lives."

"That'd be a horrible way to survive," Izumi growled. She turned to Winry."Would you let Pinako know that I'm going into town with Sig today? I don't want to wake her up. If she needs anything, she can call the butchershop, we'll be there for a while. sig wants to speak with the owner about business," she said. Winry nodded.

"If you wouldn't mind picking up some coffee grounds, we'd really appreciate it," the girl replied. She was moving dishes from the table to the sink. Al silently stood up to help her wash them. Ed was staring distastefully into the half-eaten bowl of stew.

"I wish I could be of some help to you," Sonia said quietly. She stared down at her missing appendages.

"Oh, don't you worry about it, Miss Sonia," Winry assured her. "We have plenty of helpers around here, you just relax." Sonia blushed, still looking down at her hands. Izumi eyed her from her side of the table for a moment before standing up."Miss Sonia, would you like to accompany me into town? I could use some companionship while my husband talks shop," she asked. Sonia's gaze jumped up to her.

"Oh, oh yes, I'd be happy to," she nodded, smiling. "I'll just grab my hat!" Izumi returned the smile half-heartedly. She turned to Edward."Edward, you need to keep resting. Alphonse, make sure Ed stays put!" Al nodded, looking determined. Ed didn't even look up from his bowl of stew. Izumi sighed. Sonia stood and hurried up the stairs to the room she and her parents were staying in.

Fifteen minutes later, after Sonia had had to borrow a hat from the Rockbells when she couldn't locate her own, they were on their way down the road. It was a half hour walk into town, and the buther's was about ten minutes down the main street. Sonia and Izumi made small talk on the way there, and decided to get some lunch while Sig was occupied. Izumi chose a cafe' nearby with an outdoor seating area.

"This is such a nice place," Sonia gushed, looking around. "The town is wonderful, and the Rockbell's farm is beautiful."

"Yes, I do enjoy coming out here. The people are nice as well," Izumi carried on. Sonia nodded. A young busboy brought water to their table. Izumi waited for him to be a good distance away before turning to Sonia. "It would be a shame if something bad happened to those nice people," she said to the younger woman. Sonia blinked at her.

"Are they in danger?" she asked. Izumi tilted her head slightly.

"Why don't you tell me? We know that there's something that... stinks... about your family," Izumi told her. The color drained from Sonia's already pale face.

"I-I don't-"

"You do. You do know what I'm talking about. Edward himself has told us to be wary of your family, and he isn't usually a very good judge of character, so if even he can see that something is off with the Maddisons... something is very off." Izumi stared her down. Sonia looked frightened, but then her features shifted as if she was trying to put on a brave face.

"That's absurd, we've done nothing wrong! And Mr. Elric has been sick! It must be paranoia-"

"You couldn't remember how old your son was!" Izumi cut her off. She flinched. The older woman carried on. "When you first came here, you said your son was six years old when he died, but then you told Edward that Kale was four years old when the accident happened. So which is it? Did you lose a four-year-old or a six-year-old, or did you even lose a child at all?" Izumi had to restrain herself from shouting. Tears were welling up in Sonia's eyes.

"My son died-"

"I'm beginning to think you don't even have son."

"I did have a son!" Sonia shrieked, standing up so abruptly her chair fell over. "I did have a son and he died and the Maddisons told me they would help me get him back!" she cried. Izumi frowned up at her. Tears spilled down the woman's face, and she began to sob. Some of the other patrons in the cafe' were glancing over at their table. Izumi sighed.

"Sit down," she instructed gently. Sonia righted her chair while rubbing the salty water off of her face. A sniffle escaped her.

"I r-really, really-" she gasped, trying to speak through her sudden crying."You really did have a son, and the Maddisons have promised you'd get him back if you helped them? You're probably not even related to them." Sonia nodded, fingerless hands pressed to her face. Izumi leaned back in her chair, taking pity on the woman. "So why don't you tell me exactly what's going on."

Sonia had to sip at her water for a few moments before she could speak."My son... his name was Kale, really. He wasn't a baby, though, he was fourteen when he died from pneumonia four months ago..."

"Then why would you tell us that he was-"

"Stuart said it would help us gain sym-sympathy...if I'd lost a baby... That Mr. Elric has a soft-spot for kids..." she sniffed. "And he said that it would h-help if Kale had been k-killed in an accident..."

"And what about your husband?" Izumi asked. Sonia shook her head.

"It was only ever me and Kale, I never had a husband... " she whispered. "I had Kale when I was eighteen, and his father left a few weeks later. K-Kale was all I had..." Izumi sighed sadly.

"I know what it's like to lose a child. But bringing him back with alchemy-"

"I never tried to bring him back with alchemy," Sonia interrupted. "I was born with these hands, my fingers weren't taken from me. That's another reason Stuart wanted me to help them so badly..."

"Wait a minute. If you never tried to bring your son back with alchemy, then why is the Maddison family trying to convince the Fullmetal Alchemist to help you get your son back?" Izumi asked, eyebrows furrowing. Sonia sighed.

"Stuart Maddison lost his own son two months ago when they tried to use alchemy to make a human. A human transmutation, right? He lost his son when Stuart himself got scared during the process and quit. But his son kept going, and he disappeared. Now the Maddisons are doing what the can to get him back." Sonia sighed, sniffling a bit. "Even if it means forcing Mr. Elric to help them..."

The two women were silent, Sonia sulking in her chair and Izumi mulling over what she had just been told. The same waiter came back to take their orders, then left with a smile. Izumi finished drinking the water in her glass before speaking again.

"Why Edward? Why are they so insistent on Edward's assistance?" she asked quietly.

"Stuart said... that someone spoke to him, while he was in the middle of the transmutation. A strange person in front of two big doors..."

"The Gate..."

"The person had told him to get lost, and that only one alchemist had ever gotten in and out, and that he wouldn't let anyone past ever againal. That alchemist was apparently Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist. So Stuart made it his mission to find Mr. Elric and make him help him get his son back.

I met Stuart's wife, Jeanie, at the market in Central one day, she helped me pick up a bag I had dropped. She offered me a ride home, and I accepted. We got to talking, and they asked for my help. Stuart told me I would see Kale again... As soon as he got to see Henry again..."

"Do you know who the Maddison's were trying to bring back before Stuart's son was taken?"

"They weren't trying to bring anyone back," Sonia said quietly. "Jeanie said... Jeanie said they were trying to create somebody..." Izumi groaned. Sonia glanced up at her, confused. "Is that really so bad? Surely it would be easier than bringing someone back to life-""Human transmutation, any form of it, is monstrous and incredibly dangerous. A soul cannot be created, or recreated, or pulled back from beyond where it has gone. It creates monsters. And if the Maddisons were trying to create something, it means that we have a group of lunatics on our hands." Izumi trailed off as their food was delivered. She sighed. "Edward shouldn't be dealing with these people right now," she said once the waiter had left again. "He was missing for three years, we thought he was dead. Now he's back, but he's not the same. He has some emotional damage, and this kind of thing might have a negative effect on his healing. Not too mention these people might be dangerous..." Two of her fingers pinched the bridge of her nose. "When we get back to the farm, I'm going to have to speak to the Rockbells about the Maddisons staying there." She looked up at Sonia.

"We can arrange a trip for you to get back to Central. You don't seem to be a threat, but since you lied to us, I won't have any choice but to let you leave quietly, or have the Rockbells throw you out.""...I... understand..." Sonia told her softly, picking up her fork to pick at her food.

XXXXX

Al led Edward back up to the bedroom once his brother had managed to stomach almost the entire bowl of stew. Edward looked exhausted and absent, like he was stuck inside his head. Al didn't think was an improbable possibility. He sat the older boy on the bed and told him to take off the shirt he'd been in for the past day and a half. Ed did so numbly, then lifted his arms when Al asked him to. The new shirt slid on, catching on the grooves of Ed's automail.

"I wish I could help you more, Brother..." Al whispered. Ed's head lifted at the sound of his sibling's voice, but he didn't respond, not even smiling one of his calm smiles he had taken to doing whenever he wanted to acknowledge someone who had spoken to him. "I just don't know where to start," Alphonse continued. "Winry is really worried. She's trying to be nice, but I can tell. You probably can to..." He lifted his hand to Ed's hair, trying to straighten out the tangles. "Teacher thinks you might be damaged. Especially since you won't tell anyone where you've been. But you know... If someone hurt you, we'll find them. We'll make them take responsibility for what they've done..." His fingers caught in a partcularly tight snarl. Ed squeaked when it pulled. Al jumped.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to, I'll try to be more gentle..." They sat in silence for a while. Al was mostly through Ed's hair when the older boy turned to face him.

"Eh-d..." Alphonse's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected Edward to try to talk when he was like this. "Huh... Rrr..." he coughed.

"Hey, shh... if it's hard to talk, do you think you could write it down?" Al asked, brushing Ed's overgrown bangs away from his face. Ed shook his head. "You don't know how to write? How about... alchemy? Could you use that to communicate?" Al suggested. Ed's tired eyes widened. "Yes? We could go outside, you could use the ground like you did when you first showed us your alchemy." Ed looked confused at that, but he nodded anyways. "Okay. Why don't you rest a bit longer, and then we'll go. I don't want you to pass out again or anything," Al told him with a small smile. Ed nodded again, returning the expression. He lifted his arms and leaned towards Al. Alphonse stared at him blankly for a few seconds, then realized the older boy's intentions. He leaned in and wrapped his arms lightly around his brother. Ed squeezed him gently, burying his face in Al's shoulder.

"I... I really did miss you, Brother... and I'm sorry for being a jerk," he whispered. Ed hummed lightly, tightening his hug.

Does this sound choppy? Sorry if it's choppy.

Also the format might be weird. This is typed on my tablet using a sketchy word program lol.

Enjoy.