For Her. For Him.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. With the snow, I got stuck where I work and had to get a hotel that had no internet access, so this should have been posted yesterday.

To my reviewers, ExoticRose83, I've made Wrath very differnt in this, as you'll see in this chapter, since his allegience went to Ed before Envy because the brothers didn't try to take back Ed's arm and leg. 4thcry, a lot of your questions should be answered in this chapter, I think. And don't worry about your influence on me. You're not the only one to make me reconsider parts of my story. Hikaru! I made a modification to an earlier chapter, realizing I didn't explain the need for the vehicles (really, I needed something to haul Ed out of the scene of the battle) so, Archer was loading up ambulances and transport vehicles with weapons, which is why they were still on scene for the new rebels to use to leave the scene before Pride showed up. nette, I give no answers as far as the ending of this story. But there should be a hint that I'm planning a sequel that the ending won't be TOO traumatic. TrulyWished, glad you're still reading, sorry about the wait. Bookworm51485, Like I said, I say nothing of the ending. It's only a couple of chapters away, so I'm not being too evil keeping it from you. milky, no, Ed's not running off at the moment, not that he'd be able to go very fast or very far in his state. Amethyst-Eyed Koneko, hopefully you can warm up to Raine. As for Archer, I wasn't sympathetic at all to him in the anime, and even though I don't make him much better here, I think I'm sympathetic to him because I know ultimately, the man dies, and I also have a tendency to like villains and smarmy, nasty characters (in Hamlet, Claudius is still my favorite character) kuragari75, thanks for reading.

Chapter 38

Loyalties

The journey to the tunnels hadn’t taken long, and the vehicles the group had taken proved unnecessary, but from this point, Ed searched the city for any sign of life, any sign that someone had survived. The horrible realization was that no one had, not Kimblee--not that that was any great loss--not Scar, not Marta. Ed had tried to cry. He’d found it so easy so many times before, and though his heart was aching at the number of people he had cared for who had died, it seemed that for once, Ed’s tears had dried up. It was probably best, allowing Ed to move on with the present and mourn the past when there was the leisure to do so.

Going underground with the three homunculus and nearly a hundred troops, Ed was embarrassed to find himself having to be alternated between being carried by Armstrong or tugged on a rolling gurney Ed had created himself. The entire time they walked, Ed constantly reminded Roy he needed to move ahead, to command the soldiers, who were expecting him to be the leader of this revolution. It was not as though Ed was left entirely alone. All of Mustang’s team took careful care of him, while Raine stayed nearby and Wrath was practically unshakable.

It had taken some explaining to the young homunculus exactly what it was that was growing inside of Ed, and the more Ed described it, the more in awe of the teen Wrath seemed to be and the more the child affirmed his belief that if anyone could restore his body, it would be Ed. Without Sloth, Wrath seemed somewhat lost, though he never grew angry with Ed, and actually had attached himself so closely to the teen that even the state alchemist was beginning to feel brotherly, if not parental toward him.

Some strings pulled on the part of both Mustangs and even Ed, a journey that by all rights should have taken well over a week, was cut to a few days thanks to friends in the railroad and those with other forms of transportation. They now were set up a in a undisclosed camp under the shade of a large forest, not terribly far from Central, Roy was standing, pacing, making strategies, while Lust repeatedly inserted her own opinions and knowledge into the discussion. Ed listened from his seated position across from Al, both brothers interjecting where they could, Wrath at his side, currently placing his head on Ed’s stomach to hear the babies move.

“Are you ever going to be less amused by this?”

The two violet eyes looked up at Ed. “No.” Wrath sat up, sitting next to Ed, placing his dark head on the blond’s shoulder. Supposing the hormones and the inevitability of the birth of his own children was having an effect on him, Ed pulled the boy closer to him with his left arm, letting Wrath rest against his body. He knew the boy needed someone to offer him some sign of comfort after Sloth’s death. Little as Wrath wanted to admit it, he had been attached to her, if for no other reason than the protection she had offered him.

The boy needed him, but so did his brother, and it was painful for the teen not to be able to hold him as he was this homunculus, to not even be able to sit beside him and talk for fear of the philosopher’s stone. Ed looked up at Al, mouthing the words, “Are you okay?”

The armor nodded.

Ed smiled sympathetically at his brother, trying to show him that though Wrath has gotten so close, Ed hadn’t forgotten Al. He couldn’t shake the worry or sense of guilt that had plagued him from the time he’d lost his brother’s body, and now that Al’s soul was in danger, the blond had even greater difficulty escaping it. The dark-haired homunculus who was contentedly resting underneath the blond’s arm did little to ease the guilt, as it was a constant reminder of what he had missed with Al.

While everyone talked on strategies, Ed struggled to remain a part of the conversation, struggled just to stay awake.

“Ed,” a voice said, bringing to the teen’s attention that he had fallen asleep, resting on Wrath’s head. Ed felt a gloved hand to his cheek as his eyes gradually opened to see Roy standing over him. “You need to get to sleep. We’ll tell you everything in the morning.”

“You all are still talking. I--”

“Need sleep, Ed. Poor Wrath has been your pillow for going on ten minutes now.” Ed looked down at the homunculus apologetically, though Wrath didn’t seem to mind. Roy offered Ed his hands, bending down to kiss the teen once he had managed to stand. “You are not any use to anyone if you’re exhausted, Ed.”

“Brother,” Al said from his distant spot, “please go to sleep. You’re tired because the babies are sleepy. Give them some rest.”

Ed hung his head, walking to the tent made from the canvas that had covered one of the transport vehicles, kneeling onto the soft forest floor and alchemically transforming the ground into something softer, hardly noticing that he’d had someone follow him.

********

When Roy finally had to retire as well, feeling less than comfortable knowing that Lust and Gluttony were nearby while he prepared to sleep, but he was nearing complete exhaustion meaning he was of no use even if Lust or Gluttony tried anything.

Roy pulled back the flap of his tent, finding, to his surprise, Ed laying on his side, soundly asleep, Wrath laying near him, either in a mimicry of the unconscious state or actually asleep, Roy couldn’t decide. The colonel stepped over the still body of the child and that of his lover, removing his uniform coat and laid against Ed’s back, finding his own sleep coming quickly, hearing his love’s rhythmic breathing.

He only got to sleep a few hours before dawn broke and the flap of his tent was opened, the pink glow of the early morning sun lighting the enclosed area.

“Pyro, you up?”

“Am now,” Roy grunted.

“The kid slept in here too?” Raine knelt down beside Wrath. “Hey, little guy, you awake?” The violet eyes fluttered open. The look on his face certainly seemed to say he’d been as sound as the alchemists. The kid groaned, sitting upright, looking around him. “I didn’t know you could sleep.”

Wrath shrugged. “I just followed Ed’s breathing. The next thing I knew, I was seeing pictures in my head.”

“They’re called dreams,” Ed said, grunting as he struggled to push himself up. “It’s too uncomfortable sleeping on my right side, but damn it’s such a pain pushing up with my left arm.” Wrath moved behind Ed and helped him push himself upright before Roy could even make a move. “Thanks, kid.”

Roy offered Ed a hand to help the teen stand. “Not that the wake-up call wasn’t appreciated, Raine, but why are you here?”

“The other alchemists have arrived. Your army just gained fifty new members, all talented alchemists.”

“Al…”

“Jean and Heymans went with him away from the camp. We didn’t want to risk him accidentally bumping into one of the alchemists.” Raine rubbed Ed’s arm. “There are a few of them out there asking for you. You up to seeing them?” Ed nodded. He noticed Raine looking at his stomach strangely. “Ed, will you let me…” She raised her tattooed hands, and he raised his shirt. Placing her hands on him, the tattoos began to glow.

“Raine,” Roy said, growing concerned. “Is something wrong?”

“They’ve moved,” she said. “They’ve descended. Probably have been moving there for a while, and would have been there earlier if I hadn't moved them.”

Ed looked down at her movements on his body then up into the older Mustang’s eyes. “What does that mean?”

“It means we don’t have long to get rid of the fuehrer.” Raine pulled Ed’s shirt back down. “They’re in place for delivery, Ed.” Roy could feel his chest gripped at the thought and watched as Ed’s own eyes grew wide. “It doesn’t mean they’re going to do it today or this week. It just means they’re ready.” Roy looked at the large belly, noticing that it did appear lower. The idea that his children were so near being born frightened the soon-to-be father, but the idea that Ed might have to deliver out here in the forest or go into labor while they fought against Pride and Dante made him sick. It had always been a possibility, but up until now, Roy had been able to pretend it wasn’t.

The colonel watched as Ed wrapped his arms around the babies still inside him, while Roy walked over to embrace his fiancé, rubbing his own head against the blond hair.

“When I told you to stop treating him like a vessel, I didn’t mean this,” a shadowy figure said, illuminated from behind by the rising sun as she opened the tent.

“Teacher!” Ed said, pulling away from Roy. Izumi Curtis stepped inside the tent, Wrath practically growling at her as she did.

Izumi looked to the homunculus, extending her hand to Wrath, only to have it slapped away. “If you wanted to be a real mother, you wouldn’t have given me to the gate.”

“Wrath,” Ed said firmly. “I know you’re angry, but can you at least try.”

“I’m not attacking her.” Wrath’s eyes narrowed at Izumi. “That’s me trying.”

Izumi seemed to be doing all she could to simply walk by the boy she looked like she wanted to hold close to her and ask for forgiveness from. She went to Ed, wrapping her strong arms around him instead, then looking to how large he’d gotten.

“How did you know to come here?” he asked.

“Those of us who didn’t want to be part of the military or who couldn’t make it made the decision to loosely organize ourselves. Even traveling, I managed to get the message to come here.” She looked down at Ed’s stomach. “I thought you’d have had the little ones by now.”

Ed let out a tired chuckle. “So’d I, but now I hope they can manage to stay put a little longer.”

********

As Ed exited the tent, Roy on one side of him, Wrath, his ever present shadow, on the other, he was faced with a crowd of alchemists and their families--Sig standing a head above most of the crowd. The teen had a feeling that to the consummate scientists, he was an experiment. It angered him a bit, but he knew he’d be gawking just as much as the rest of them.

“Holy shit,” he heard come from the crowd.

“Russell!” a soft voice hissed. “Language.”

“So are you actually going by Russell and Fletcher now, or did you tell everyone you’re Ed and Alphonse again?”
Stepping through the small sea of alchemists, a blond head began to move, though it was Fletcher’s strange green hat that Ed spotted first, poking out between two alchemists Ed had never seen before.

“If I told people I was you,” Russell Tringham said, as he appeared from behind Sig, “no one would believe me.” Ed looked up at the blond who was a year younger than him and a foot taller. “Word is spreading everywhere about this rebellion and the fact that somehow the great Fullmetal Alchemist managed to get himself pregnant.” With a smile, Russell extended his hand. “Aside from the obvious, Ed, how are you?”

“I’ve felt better,” Ed said as he shook the younger teen’s hand.

Fletcher walked over and gaped at Ed, who ruffled the sandy-colored hair that stuck out of the top of the hat.

“Well, now,” a woman’s voice said from the crowd, “I guess it’s no wonder that you freaked out when you copped a feel.” Ed’s gold eyes scanned the crowd for the source of that voice.

“You copped a feel?” Roy asked, his hand on Ed’s shoulder.

“Accidentally.” Ed watched as a tall blond woman walked through the crowd. “Clara, or should I call you Psiren, I thought they locked you up.”

“They had me in captivity for all of an hour before I escaped, Edward.” Clara smirked and looked over at Roy. “Looks like you’ve got good taste, though. He’s very handsome. And leading all of this, I understand.”

“Yes, he is, and you go showing him your alchemy symbol, I will have to hurt you.” Roy looked at Ed questioningly. “It’s above her boobs.”

“We are not the only ones here,” Izumi said. “I have been working with the Ishbalans in rebuilding some semblance of what they had. You and Al especially have garnered favor with the Ishbalan people, and they have come to help as well, though they don’t seem pleased with the leader. There are two boys who are keeping Al company.” Looking up at his teacher, Ed got the impression that Izumi knew the truth about what had happened to Al, but was not saying anything, for fear that one of these alchemists might try to use the younger brother, even if their intentions were good.

“Leo and Rick?” Ed asked. Izumi nodded. “Why are so many people coming here?”

“Because we all want to help you, because you’ve helped so many of us,” Clara said. “Even if you did try to get me locked away. Besides, I’d love nothing more than to get the chance to rob a few things from Central.” She looked over at Roy. “Well, boss, when do we ship out and start this thing?”

“Tomorrow.” Roy looked seriously at the group surrounding him. “We invade Central tomorrow.”

It was then that Ed saw a tall blond standing in the back of the crowd. “Come out here, old man,” Ed said. Roy looked at him strangely. “Not you. I mean my old man.” Ed eyed Hohenheim as he moved through the crowd. “You’re here too?”

“I wanted to see you again.”

“Care about that now, do we?”

“Edward, I’ve spoken to Raine. Dante isn’t dead.”

“We know.” Ed patted Wrath’s head with his left hand. “Wrath told us that.”

“You’ve encountered her already. In Lior.” Hohenheim looked around him. “If I can’t fight her off, it’s better you all know, anyway. The one you call Lyra, she was the last person to see Dante alive? She reeks heavily of perfume? That‘s to disguese the rotting of a body that cannot be maintained by a weakened soul.”

“Lyra?”

Hohenheim nodded. “If you can find some way of giving a picture of her to everyone here, let them know that she is the enemy.” Ed fought not to back away as his father placed a hand on his human shoulder, a sad smile on his face, other hand moving down to the babies. “I hope I get to see them.”

“Why the hell wouldn’t you? I may not like you, but I’m not going to keep you completely from your grandkids.” Ed was trying to comprehend that Lyra was Dante, failing miserably at coming to grips with that, but he was concerned with his father’s behavior at the moment.

“I’m going to find Dante. This is my mess. I need to take care of it.” Hohenheim started to walk away, Ed grabbing the man’s sleeve as he did.

“Bastard, you finally come into my life, Al’s life and you are going to risk your own trying to be all noble? What the hell do you think you’re going to accomplish going there on your own?”

Hohenheim turned back around. “I’m going to try to regain a little of the person your mother loved. I’m going to keep you safe.” He glanced down at Ed’s stomach. “I can only imagine what she wants you for if it’s not as an ingredient for the stone.”

A protective instinct kicking in, Ed wrapped his hands around his stomach. She wanted his babies. She wanted… Aideen. She needed a body, and already, Ed was providing one that had natural alchemic ability that even he couldn’t dream of.

“Take care of your little brother,” Hohenheim said, walking away.