Free Falling

Chapter 39: the Difference Between Life and Death

**Eds POV**

"YOU BASTARD!" Ed screamed and lunged at After who dodged his fists. Al, Mustang and Hoenhiem ran to Anna's aid.

"Ed..." she murmured. "I need Ed..." Mustang and Hoenhiem stood up. Hoenhiem distracted Father while Mustang dragged Ed back to Anna's bleeding body.

"You need to be with her Fullmetal!" Mustang growled. Ed narrowed his eyes and knelt by Anna with Al. 

"E- Ed. A- Al." She said weakly as her middle flinched every now and then.

"We're here Anna." Al said. It sounded although he was crying even though he couldn't. 

"There's, some- something I need to- to tell you." She sputtered through the blood lightly running out of her mouth.

"What is it?" Ed asked.

"You were right." She said simply. She closed her mouth and swallowed as tears filled the brims of her eyes. 

"Right about what?" Ed asked quickly.

"Right about- about caring. I know now. I was- blind." Ed and Al gasped. "You do care about- me." Ed and Al each grabbed one of her hands. "And I love you too. Both of you." She said weakly. Ed's eyes filled with tears and Anna smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" Ed asked as the tears rolled down his cheeks.

"It's raining hard isn't it Edward?" Anna told him as tears rolled down her own cheeks. "And if Al had a body he'd be crying too."

"I'm crying on the inside." Al said with sadness dripping in his voice. Anna smiled a bit bigger.

"Thank you for not," she took a shaky breath in. "For not giving up on me." Anna closed her eyes slowly.

"Anna! Don't you close your eyes!" Ed shouted. "Anna! Open your eyes!"

"I'm sorry..." Anna took in one last shaky breath before she stopped breathing altogether.

"Anna." Ed said shaking her. "Anna! Anna!" Ed yelled as the tears fell from his eyes. "No." He said cupping her face in his flesh hand. "No!" He yelled leaning his head on her bloodied chest.

"Ed, she's gone." Mustang said kneeling next to her. Ed stood up with his bangs covering his eyes. He stalked towards where his father was keeping Father busy.

"You bastard killed her!" Ed yelled as he clapped his hands and looked up. He created his arm sword. Ed then ran at the unsuspecting Father and slashed at him. Father dodged until Envy slammed into the blond; Sending him flying across the room.

"Pipsqueak! You're pathetic! She was never yours so why do you care!?" Envy sneered. 

"She was like a sister to me! And you killed her! She's dead because of you bastards!" He roared standing on his feet again. 

"How else were we supposed to get her blood? What we did was humane." Envy said smirking. Ed growled then remembered Anna's sword she had given him. Ed ran at Envy as he laughed at his small form and cut his throat. He then ran over and grabbed her sword. 

"What the hell!?" Envy yelled as he regenerated. The blond alchemist clapped his hands and made a thin spear from part of the sword and threw it at Envy. It lodged itself in his forehead and part of the spear came out the back of his head.

Ed then ran as fast as he could over to Envy and plunged the sword into his chest; destroying the philosophers stone that was his core. The green haired homoculous fell to the ground as his body started to disintegrate into sand.

"That was for Anna before you killed her." Ed growled and watched him fade into nothing. A small evil chuckled that dripped with poison sounded behind him. Ed turned.

"That was entertaining Edward Elric." Pride said laughing. "Avenging someone who was destined to die anyways. What a shame we lost Envy. I thought he would put up more of a fight." Pride gave an evil smirk. 

"And I'll do it again because you're the one who killed her! I'm no idiot!" Ed yelled.

"Wrath is taking care of Roy Mustang. Father is taking Hoenhiem. Gluttony was taken back into Father. Hm. I guess it's you and me Elric." Pride said smiling. Ed growled and ran at him. Blood smeared his face and clothes. Pride smirked again and sent his shadows towards Ed. 

**Anna's POV** 

Where am I? I can't remember anything. Wait. Pride. Pride had stabbed me with his shadows. Was I... was I dead? I opened my eyes and was met with pure white. I squinted and looked up.

I gasped at what I saw. It was me. Me traveling with the brothers. Coming to this world. Meeting Hughes and Elicia and Gracia. When we went to Rush Valley. Izumi teaching me alchemy. Then I realized they were walls around me. Bright white walls with black painting the image.

"What is this place?" I asked looking around. It had every event that happened since I got here. Even Ed and Al trying to stop Envy after they found out where I was from. 

"It's the doorway between heaven, hell and the center." A voice rang out. I turned and saw Truth.

"Am I dead?" He nodded.

"Yes. But you won't be for long." He said. I tilted my head to the side.

"But, I'm dead. How can I revive?" I asked. He chuckled.

"I told you. I was letting you start a new life in this world. How are you going to do that if you're dead? And, you've done so much good I can't let you pass to heaven or hell."

"Your just gonna let me live?" I asked and he nodded.

"Yes. The difference between life and death, is love. And my dear, you have more love then anyone else I've ever seen. Their mother didn't have as much love as you do right now." He explained. "You deserve that love."

I smiled. 

"Thank you Truth. You have no idea how much this means to me." I said standing up. Yes I was still on the floor. I don't care.

"Yes well, you changed my heart Nicole." He told me and opened a portal. I went up to it but didn't jump. 

"Oh and Truth?" I asked looking over my shoulder.

"Yes?" 

"It's Anna now." I said smiling and hopping through the portal. Truth wasn't that bad of a guy. 

We were all wrong that he was evil.