Again (Fullmetal Alchemist)

Chapter One

White. That's all that surrounded Edward at this point. Somewhere, deep down, he knew what had happened.

He had heard the gun, heard the shouts of alarm from bystanders, felt the twinge of pain in his back and a tearing sensation as something travelled at high speeds through his body, rupturing his heart.

Killing him instantly.

He was dead.

But why was he here? His gate had been taken in return for his brothers body, gone forever. He shouldn't be here, it should be impossible. With the slightest turning of his head, he was able to see the usually grinning shade solemnly looking at him, head tilted to the side.

"Alchemist, I have looked forward to this moment. You have done the extraordinary, several times, and lived to tell of each experience. Sit, we have much to talk of." Truth's multilayered voice echoed.

Edward hesitated, before slowly bending his legs and sitting down, legs crossed as he rested his hands in his lap. "I'm dead, aren't I?" He queried calmly, vaguely surprised at how calm his voice was.

Truth nodded. "Yes. You are taking it far better than most. Many cry, others are too caught up in disbelief to even understand what's going on. You however, Edward Van Elric Hohenheim, do not seem surprised." That was a statement, Edward knew, and yet he could almost sense the pondering behind it.

Edward merely smiled slightly. "No, I am surprised. It is merely that I have nothing I left unfinished. Al has his body back, the bastard made the Führership, Ishval is rebuilding itself, Ling is emperor of Xing, and I am satisfied."

Truth seemed to consider this. "You are not wise, alchemist, but you have more sense about you than most."

Edward raised an eyebrow, but deemed to change the subject. "So, how am I here? I gave my gate up for Alphonse, this shouldn't be possible...unless..." Edward tilted his head to the side.

Truth grinned. "Correct. You see, Edward Elric, many people who were supposed to live died, and I simply cannot allow that, now can I? You have a choice. Pass on, to the next life, and see your mother and all those you've lost again, or restart. Save everyone. Do better."

Ed closed his eyes, tilting his head back slightly. "Would there be a cost?"

"Now, it wouldn't be equivalent if there wasn't, now would it?" Truth leaned forward. "The thing is...what should the toll be? You could be born without the limbs you lost during the transmutation to bring your mother back, you could be blind, mute, deaf, anything really." Truth smirked. "So what will it be?"

"Very well. If a toll is the price I need to pay, then i choose-"

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Light. That was what surrounded Edward as a cry tore from his throat.

He couldn't help it, really, the cry was instinctual. It was silent, however, and he was all too aware of that fact as he was handed into soft, comforting arms.

His mother.

He had traded his voice and half of his life span in order to come back, to start over.

And here he was, an infant with the mind of a twenty eight year old man.

Gentle fingers prodded at his neck, and murmurs were exchanged. Ed could only just make them out.

"Trisha...he...he has no voice box."

His mothers voice, weary and worried, came through to him. "So...he'll be..?"

"Indeed. He is, and always will be, mute."

His moms arms wrapped themselves more firmly around him, and he allowed one, admittedly, tiny fist to her chest. He could feel her heart, beating strong and proud, and he allowed a smile to cross his face.

A knock was heard on the door, soft, but Ed knew who it was.

He had heard that same, tentative sound all throughout his childhood, until he had left that is.

Hohenheim.

His father.

Almost immediately after Hohenheim entered the room, Eds face screwed up, the silent wails he let out no more than gusts of air.

A large hand rested on his head, and a feeling of calm washed over him. Damn it, the bastard was cheating, somehow.

He could tell it was Hohenheim by the familiar yet almost forgotten touch of a rough, slightly callused hand.

His mothers voice floated to him through the lull that Hohenheim was inducing on him. "He has your hair, definitely. I only hope he has your eyes...I do suppose we'll find out in a few months. What should his name be?"

There was a small pause. "Edward." Hohenheim finally said. "Edward Van Elric Hohenheim." He felt himself being passed to Hohenheim, and once he felt himself being rested against his father's chest, he raised his small fist and gave the man a half assed punch, heart not really going into it.

He didn't hear, not necessarily, but rather felt his fathers laugh, reverberating in his chest. "Feisty already..." Edward opened his eyes, acutely aware of the fog like quality to his vision. He shot his father a quick glare before closing his eyes again. With a soft sigh, he let himself relax in his fathers arms, a blanket being swaddled around his body.

Things would he different this time. He would make sure of it. Mother wouldn't die, he thought, and da- the bastard, wouldn't leave this time. Alphonse...Alphonse would have his body, and...perhaps, he wouldn't join the military this time.

Xing, perhaps. He could train in both Alkahestry and alchemy, and be even better prepared for the promised day.

Fu...

Fu could live this time.

So could Maes.

Maes!

And as he thought about all of those he would save- Nina and anyone else along the way, whose names escaped him at the moment- he found himself falling asleep.

As he allowed himself to calm further, breath evening out, he heard something truly rare.

His father, humming. It had happened occasionally, yes, maybe a few times a month or two before he had left, but Ed had never really listened.

Now he did.

Hohenheim voice rose and fell in a murmur, baritone voice finally lulling Ed to sleep.

It was strange, he thought as he succumbed to sleep, to be cradled in the arms of the one you vowed to never trust again...and yet, some small, longing part of Ed yearned to trust the man who was his father.

And, for just a while, he supposed, it wouldn't hurt...

~1081 words~

So...I have never seen a fan fic in which Hohenheim had a genuine chance to start over with Ed, and I've also never seen one where Ed goes back to his birth, with all of his memories, to save everyone he can. If anyone else has seen FF's like this, please comment their names down below so I can go check them out. Stay creepy, my nightmares~!