Phase 3

A teenaged, blonde-haired girl drops her bouquet of flowers and gapes in wonder up the hillside. She whirls around to run back inside her house.

"Grandmother!"

"What is it, Winry?" A short, elderly woman in spectacles meets her granddaughter at the doorstep.

"Grandmother, look!" The young woman points a finger towards the hill.

Like her granddaughter, the old woman's eyes go wide.

***

Alphonse held his breath, afraid that any sudden movement would uproot the sight before his eyes. He was standing in the foyer of the house that he surmised would never exist again. Yet here it was. Here they were. It was as though none of them had ever left, for everything appeared to be in order, as though the house was waiting for its owners to return from their long journey.

As the young man's eyes came to rest on his childhood photographs, the sound of heavy footsteps made their way past his ears. He turned and saw his father carrying his injured, unconscious sibling towards the basement. The sight reminded Alphonse of another pressing matter. He strode across the foyer and into the living room, where he gently laid his brother down on the sofa.

Alphonse hoisted Edward's legs up on the sofa to place him in a more comfortable sleeping position. Before there was time to do anything else, there came several rapid knocks on the front door. Alphonse answered the door to find Winry and her grandmother, Pinako.

"Oh, Granny Pinako! Winry!"

A quick glance at her friend caused Winry to be worried. "Alphonse! Are you hurt?" she asked, indicating the dried blood on the front of his shirt.

Alphonse had not taken notice of that. "Oh no. I'm fine. This isn't my blood." Then he remembered. "But I think Big Brother can use your help."

"Edward?"

Winry's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes moved to the couch where the young man was presently resting. After all these months of hopes and prayers, Edward was finally home again.

As Winry stepped up for a closer inspection at Edward, she took notice of his arm and leg. They were no longer automail. A feeling of elation came to her, but that sensation was put aside when the automail mechanic saw that something wasn't quite right. Winry peered at Edward's face. The young man's cheeks were flushed red. A hand to his forehead confirmed her suspicions.

"He's running a fever! Alphonse, help me get him upstairs."

Unbeknownst to Winry and Alphonse -- as they were preoccupied with supporting an unconscious Edward up the stairs -- Pinako headed towards the basement door. She knocked.

"Old Friend, it's me. Are you down there?"

No answer.

"I'm coming in."

Phase 2     Phase 4