1Well, I was listening to my iPod the other day and somehow this got into my head, so I'm doing this to keep myself from going crazy. Lol It's a one-shot song-fic-ish thing, so I'm not entirely sure if this is gong to be any good. Sort of AU-ish. Enjoy!
Disclaiming-ism: Own Fullmetal Alchemist I do not. Own 'Someday Never Comes' I do not. Belong to Arkawa-san and Creedence Clearwater Revival they do. Respectively, of course.
"Look! Herr Elric is outside! Let's go visit him!" One young blonde boy, apparently the eldest and the leader of a group of three, pointed to the ever-aging old man sitting on a crate outside an apartment complex. The other two, a sandy-haired boy and a small blonde girl, looked at one another before shrugging and agreeing. The three children carefully checked for cars before running across the street to the old man.
Edward Elric looked up as he heard shouts of 'Herr Elric!' from across the street. He adjusted the brown hat that was sitting upon graying hair (though if one looked closely, they could see flecks of blonde) to shade his golden eyes from the sun just in time to see three children (they bared so much resemblance to himself, Alphonse, and Winry as children!) running across the street. "Hello, you three," he greeted with a smile that wrinkled his cheeks pleasantly. The children grinned at him and chorused a hello. "What brings you here?"
"We just wanted to say 'hello'," the blonde boy said, putting his hands up behind his head and looking away. The other two looked at him in quick disbelief before turning to the older man and nodding vigorously. Hopefully, the eldest boy knew what he was doing, because he promised that Herr Elric would tell them a story.
"Well, hello, then." Edward smiled at the three again, as if making the greeting the end of the conversation. The children stood their ground. "Something else?"
The girl stepped forward. "Please, Herr Elric…Could you tell us a story?"
"Yeah," the younger boy added. "Big brother always talks about all the neat stories you tell him, but he always messes them up when he tries to retell them!"
Edward Elric smiled. "Alright then," he straightened his back and rested against the wall of the apartment building. "Which one would you like to hear?"
"Tell them the story about how you grew up!" The eldest said excitedly, elated that Herr Elric was going to tell them any story he wanted.
The old man chuckled. "Alright then, have a seat." He patted his knee, and all three children clambered onto the crate, the boys on his knees, the girl between them. All three stared up at him, waiting for the beginning of the story. Edward looked kindly on them before looking up at the sky.
"The first thing I remember, was asking papa 'Why?', for there were many things I didn't know. And daddy always smiled and took me by the hand, saying, 'Someday, you'll understand…'"
Hohenheim Elric stared at the living room floor, fighting tears. Trisha…dead? It couldn't be. Yet it was. His dear wife had died, giving their second son life.
Young Edward Elric looked in on his father, tears running down his face. "Papa!" he cried, running to his father and hugging his leg while burying his face into the fabric of his father's pants. "Why?! Why did Mom have to die? Why? Why?! Didn't she love us?"
Hohenheim smiled sadly at Edward and patted him on the head. "Your mother loved you and I very much. But she also loved your brother, which is why she went through with the birth, even though Granny Pinako told her how dangerous it was."
The boy's tears slowed, and he sniffled. He looked up at his father. "I don't get it."
Hohenheim took Edward's hand and led him outside. "Someday, Edward…You'll understand…"
The three children listened in awe as Herr Elric explained that after that, he became very secluded, and often refused to talk to anyone but his father. He never wanted to even look at his brother, though he knew that it was not his brother's fault their mother had died. How could you blame a baby that doesn't know anything? None of them knew. Edward said he didn't know either. He stopped speaking and stared off into space. The younger two children looked around-what was he looking at?-but the older knew what was happening. Herr Elric was honoring his mother for being so selfless. He bowed his head to honor the far-away woman. The old man began to speak again.
"Well, time and tears went by, and I collected dust, for there were many things I didn't know. When daddy went away, he said, 'Try to be a man and someday, you'll understand….'"
"Edward?" A five year old girl opened the door to her friend's room to see him crouched into a ball, brooding.
"Go away, Winry," he said darkly, not even bothering to look at her.
Sapphire-blue eyes filled with tears. "But…your dad is leaving! And he said he didn't think he was going to come back soon!"
At this, Edward jumped up and rushed out the door, carelessly shoving Winry to the floor. "Papa! Papa!" He ran down the road and towards the figure he recognized as his father. "Don't leave!" The figure stopped and let Edward catch up. "Don't leave, what will me and Alphonse do? Why are you doing this? Don't leave!" He held onto Hohenheim's legs and refused to let go.
It took some time for the older man to pry the child off, but once he did, he bent down onto one knee and looked his son in the eye. "Edward, there is a war, and my expertise in alchemy is needed. I need you to take care of Al, and Granny will need you to help take care of Winry. So try to be and man, and someday, you'll understand." Hohenheim stood and patted his oldest son on the head before turning and walking out of his son's life forever...
And so after that day, Edward grew up and took care of everyone. Alphonse, the brother he grew to love. Winry, his childhood friend who never gave up on him. Granny Pinako, who had to spend most of her time helping residents of Risenbool with their prosthetics limbs instead of cooking and cleaning the way she would have liked to. He taught himself and Winry to cook, clean, and care for Alphonse. And late at night, he read books on alchemy so that he could become and Alchemist of the State. Then maybe he would find his father. Maybe he could find a way to bring his mother back. Then, only a few months after he turned eighteen, he prepared to leave home and visit the country's capital. He was going to become an Alchemist of the State. Winry cried for him.
"Edward?" Winry Rockbell peeked in on her old friend as he packed his bags.
"Yeah?" he asked, not bothering to turn around and look at her.
"You...You will come back…won't you?" At her question, Edward paused and straightened.
"I don't know…" he answered after a long and painful silence.
"Promise me!" Edward jerked around at Winry's words. Was she…crying? "Promise you'll come back! I…I…"
"Winry…do you love me?" he asked her. Winry nodded.
"Yes."
Edward took his old friend in his arms and tilted her head up. "Then I promise. I will come back." He kissed her passionately before making her his that night…
The three children in Herr Elric's lap listened intently, and although they didn't know what he meant by 'and I loved her as I never did before' was supposed to mean, they didn't dare interrupt him. The story was too good.
"And then one day in April, I wasn't even there, for there were many things, I didn't know. A son was born to me. Mama held his hand, saying, 'Someday, you'll understand…"
Winry Rockbell shouted in pain as her grandmother told her to push. She wished Edward was there, but he was in boot camp, conditioning his body for the trials his body might have to endure as an Alchemist of the State.
She heard crying. Granny was telling Alphonse to get more hot water and towels.
"Winry!" Granny called. "It's a boy!" At these words, Winry cried. Tears of relief. She reached out as Granny Pinako handed her the baby. The phone rang and Granny left the room. Alphonse edged closer.
"What are you going to name him?" he asked anxiously. He had never seen a baby before.
Winry had thought long and hard about her child's name. She had consulted with Edward numerous times. In the end, they had both decided that, if it was a boy, they would name him after her deceased father, Elijah Rockbell.
"Winry, Edward is on the phone," Granny called from the other room. Alphonse picked up the phone that was in the bedroom and handed it to Winry.
"Edward?"
"Granny just told me. A boy, huh? I'm sorry I couldn't be there."
"It's alright. Do you think-?"
"No," Edward said, answering the unfinished question. "I called to tell you that I finished-"
"You did!?" Winry interrupted. "Edward, that's great, but I don't understand why…" She faltered.
"I've been assigned to Central Command for the first 6 months. I can't leave until this tour is over. I'm sorry."
"It's…fine. I understand. I'll…see you in six months then. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Winry. I love you."
Winry handed Alphonse the phone. "Is he coming back?"
"No. Not now, anyway," Winry whispered as Elijah started to cry. She held the baby's tiny hand and instinctively knew that her baby wanted not only his mother, but his father as well. "Daddy can't be here now, and I know you're confused, but…someday, you'll understand…"
After six months had passed, Herr Elric came home and saw his son for the first time. He explained to the children how happy he was to see his son and girlfriend. The State had stationed him in Risenbool for the next six years, so he would be able to watch his son grow up and he could also marry Winry.
And so six years went by without a problem, but then Edward was asked to work on a special project for the State. They would not tell him what it was, but he did know that it was very important and that he would have to leave his family behind.
"I think it was September, the year I went away, for there were many things I didn't know. And I still see him standing, trying to be a man. I said, 'Someday, you'll understand…"
"Dad!" Elijah Elric ran after his father as the blonde walked down the road. "Dad!"
Edward Elric stopped and turned to wait for his son, who clung to him as soon as he was close enough.
"Don't leave us! What will Mom and me do? What about my new little brother or sister?!"
Edward smiled sadly at the distant memory of himself clinging to Hohenheim the same way Elijah was doing now. "Son, I have been asked to work on a project that will help protect you, your mother, and the baby. But I must go alone. I wish I could bring you and your mother, but I can't."
Elijah let go of his father and stepped back a little ways. "Then I'll try to be a man," the young boy promised.
Edward patted his son on the head. "And someday, you'll understand…"
The project the Herr Elric had worked on consisted of joining the world they lived in now and the world he lived in then. It had been a success, but Edward had been stranded here, in Germany. And he had never been able to go back. The two boys fought tears while the girl wiped her sapphire-blue eyes with her dress. It was such a sad story.
"Why weren't you able to go home?" the girl asked, much to the astonishment of her male companions. She was usually timid and very quiet.
Herr Elric shrugged and stated that he didn't know, but he had a guess. The children asked him what it was. "Well, I'm here to tell you now, each and every mother's son. You better learn it fast, you better learn it young. 'Cause someday never comes."
The three children thought about the old man's words. They weren't entirely sure they understood, but they had the gist of it.
-Epilogue-
"I told you he told great stories!" The eldest blonde told his companions as they walked home together over the hilly fields of the side country.
"But does he really think that they're true, Ed?" the sandy-haired boy asked his older brother.
"I think so, Al.."
Al laughed, "He must be crazy!" Ed laughed with him. "What do you think, Win?"
Win thought about the question. "I think it's real," she finally said quietly. Ed and Al laughed.
"You must be crazy too!" Ed laughed again before running down the road. Al laughed as well and followed his brother. Win shouted at the two boys and chased after them.
"You take that back, Edward Heindrich! And don't you encourage him, Alphonse Heindrich!"
"Come and get us, Winry!"
The End! It's actually a lot sadder than most of the things I come up with, but still. Well, tell me what you think. Personally, I thought it was kind of halt-y at times, but I wasn't sure how to change it so that it would flow better.