A/N: Here we go! Diving into the world of Alchemy! Technically I'm already drowning ever since I saw the 2009 series :3 So a little bit about this fanfic. Its an oc fanfic and the pairing is Alphonse/oc. Edward/Winry and of course Roy/Riza. It follows the 2009 series and I hope that you enjoy it.

PS: The cover was made by a very good friend of mine and it is an alchemic circle which will be explained later in the story. Meanwhile all credit for making the cover goes to Emmy :) Love you!

Diclaimer: I don't own anything except for my own OCs and the things you did not see in the series FMAB.

Prologue

This was certainly not how Berthold Hawkeye had envisioned meeting his niece for the first time. Truth be told, he had never brought himself around to envision it seeing as his sister, Felicity, was not on speaking terms with him.

Not after the death of her best friend and the mother of his daughter, Victoria.

Felicity Hawkeye and Victoria Berkley had been inseparable since the day they met. Through thick and thin they held on to one another. And with the amount of times Victoria would come over to their house, and the times Berthold would be forced to walk her home with his sister after dark, it didn't come as a surprise when he started to fall in love with the golden haired girl. Victoria too had begun to develop a certain affection for the secluded young boy who, despite his cold and rude exterior, would dote on his younger sister and show kindness in the most surprising of ways especially when he would use Alchemy to help the townspeople.

It took quite a long time for them to admit their feelings for one another, and it took a huge amount of effort from Felicity who had recognized the feelings well before either of them had and had made it her mission to bring them together. When asked why she would go to such lengths she had simply shrugged and replied, they make each other happy.

And they had been. Victoria had changed him for the better and she had loved him before that change. When they were blessed with a little baby girl, with hair as bright as sunshine, Berthold couldn't believe how lucky he was.

But then a dark cloud overshadowed their happiness. And it all began with Victoria fainting in the middle of the day for no reason.

The doctors tried everything they could. But the sickness spread, till one day, with a peaceful smile on her face Victoria Hawkeye died with her husband, daughter and best friend at her side.

The man sighed as the sadness and ache of losing his beloved wife settled into his heart. Nearly ten years had passed, yet he still missed her. Grieved for her. Every single day. It was that grief that made him throw himself into his research for Flame Alchemy. It distracted him from the emptiness that was inside him. Made him forget about everything and everyone else. His sister had left a week after Victoria was buried. And then it had been just him and Riza.

A daughter he hardly paid any attention to.

Why?

Because looking at her, he was reminded of the wife that had left him.

Left them.

And his heart couldn't take it.

So when he received the news that his sister and husband had died in an Ishvalan attack, leaving behind a daughter who was barely a few months old, he had decided to take her in his home. Perhaps Riza would not be so lonely with a little sister to play with. Sure his apprentice was living with them, but the man doubted the boy had anything better to do other than to study.

Besides, the Master had told his Apprentice the day he started that there was to be minimum interaction between him and his daughter.

Little did he know the seeds of friendship had already been sown between the two lonely children.

Berthold glanced down at the birth certificate, barely glancing at the name before shifting his gaze on the date of birth. 12th February 1901. Only three months old then. How young to have lost both parents in a single night.

"Riza, please see me in my study."

The fourteen year old nearly dropped the cup she had been washing, her eyes wide as she turned to glance at her father. But he had already disappeared and judging by the slam that followed, he had gone into his study.

Something was wrong.

Her father almost never asked her to see her in his study. The last time that had happened was when he had decided to take on Roy Mustang as his apprentice. Quickly drying her hands the girl walked out of the kitchen and down the corridor, pausing when she saw Roy standing outside the door as well. He cast her a confused look as she joined him, to which she only shrugged. Roy knocked lightly.

"Enter."

The door squeaked as it was pushed open by the sixteen year old boy. Roy paused at the threshold to let Riza walk through first. The girl gave him a small smile before entering the study, Roy closing the door after him.

Her father was standing with his back to them, looking out of the only window in the room. There was nothing out of the ordinary in his study though. The books were in haphazard piles, papers were trailing off various tables with alchemy circles and scribbles drawn in various sizes. The only thing out of place was a basket sitting on top of his desk.

"It would seem that we will be having a new person joining us." He spoke, still looking out of the window.

Roy glanced at Riza, their confused expressions mirrored one another. There was a beat of silence, before it was broken by a soft cooing sound coming from the desk, along with a chubby hand being waved from within the confines of the basket.

A baby!

Without a second thought Riza strode forward pulling the basket towards her to peer inside. Sure enough a baby lay swaddled in blankets of a pale pink, indicating to her gender. The baby stared up quizzically at the new face, just as Riza stared back.

"She is your cousin. Daughter of your Aunt Felicity. My sister." The man explained, the heaviness of his tone making his daughter glance up at him.

"Her parents died in an Ishvalan attack. And I adopted her out of the duty I have to my sister." The man explained. Roy kept his distance, watching everything carefully. This was a family matter and he would not interfere. Another beat of silence.

"Whats her name?" Riza spoke softly, her eyes training back to the baby who was still looking at her. With a jolt Riza realized why her eyes looked so familiar. They were the exact color and shape of her own eyes. The tuft of light brown hair was unlike her own blonde locks, but there was no mistaking those eyes.

"Willow Hawkeye." The man responded, now turning around to watch his daughter and niece meet for the first time.

Tentatively Riza reached out to the small hand that was reaching for her, small coos echoing in the otherwise silent room. Tiny fingers grasped her own, the grip firm. The baby girl seemed to find this amusing because she gave Riza a gummy smile.

"Willow." The girl whispered, carefully lifting the baby out of the basket and after a second of fumbling was holding her in the crook of her arm, supporting her head and keeping a firm grip on her small body. Instantly the baby snuggled closer, seeking out the warmth her body provided.

"She is family Riza. And since I have taken an apprentice to teach, it will be up to you to care for her." Perhaps they would be able to form a bond strong enough to withstand anything. There may be a big age gap between them, but with the way they seem to have taken to each other, the old Alchemist knew these two would stand by one another through thick and thin.

The young blonde nodded. "Yes, Father." With that, she placed Willow back into the basket, and carefully picking it up in both arms walked out of the room.

"Roy!" The man barked, sensing his apprentice was about to follow after his daughter. The young by winced at his tone.

"Yes Master?" The respect was ever present in his tone as he turned to the man.

"See that you don't let helping my daughter with my niece get in the way of your studies."

Roy stared, eyes wide. How had he known….

"Leave."

The young boy did not need to be told twice. With a backwards glance he was out of the study, the door closing behind him. Without a second thought he raced off to find Riza and the newest member of the Hawkeye family.

Little Willow Hawkeye.

A/N: So I figured there was never any mention of Riza's mother so I kind of made it all up. I'm going purely by what I saw in the 2009 series so please do not compare it with the earlier series, manga or any of the movies! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. And please leave a review telling me what you think so far!

Please excuse any mistakes! I don't have a beta-reader :/

Till next time! - Hestia28