April 16th, 1958

Edward really didn't know what Breda had in mind when Ed got the notice on his desk that morning that Breda wanted to speak with him sometime that day. Still, he didn't have to teach for an hour so he headed up to Breda's office to find out. Why wait?

Fortunately no one else was taking up Breda's time this morning either and he grinned when Ed entered. "Thanks for coming in," he nodded and gestured for Ed to take a seat. "I wanted to ask your opinion on something."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Ed asked, dropping down into the chair on the other side of Breda's desk.

"My replacement," Breda replied.

Ed paused, caught off guard by the topic, and wondering just a split-second later why Breda wanted to discuss the subject with him. "Finally planning to dump the job on someone else?" he asked.

"That's the plan," Breda chuckled, "In the next year or so anyway. Relax Ed, you're the last person I'd ask to take my place when I resign."

That was a relief, but Ed couldn't let the comment slide. "What, you think I can't handle it?" he asked with a half-offended smirk.

Breda shook his head, grinning. "I know you'd never take it."

"Well you have that right," Ed smiled. "Resigning; so you're not retiring on us."

"Not entirely," Breda confirmed. "But Roy was right; it's a job that wears you down. It's about time I handed it off to someone else, but I wanted your opinion."

"Why me?" Ed couldn't help but wonder.

"Because you know all of the people I'm considering," Breda said, leaning back in his chair. "And I can trust that your opinion will be honest."

"When did I get a reputation for honesty around here?" Ed laughed. "It's a bad rep I really need to do something about."

"Too late," Breda snorted. "Your big mouth gets you in enough trouble. Or are you telling me you don't want some say in who takes over around here?"

"I didn't say that," Ed shook his head. "I just had to give you a hard time. So, who are you thinking about?"

Breda nodded, clearly glad to get to the business at hand. "That's part of my conundrum. When I think about who's best for the job I come up with four names."

"That's a lot more than you need," Ed agreed. "Who are they?"

"Kane, Rehnquist, Brewster, and your brother."

"Al?" Ed hadn't expected the last one. "You'd really consider Alphonse for this?"

"He's got all the qualifications," Breda pointed out. "He's experienced, diplomatic, patient, good with details, and no pushover. Plus, no offense, he has better knowledge of military tactics and rules than you do."

"None taken," Ed shrugged. He knew the military inside and out too, but Al knew all the finer details, even the ones almost no one needed to know. He'd studied up when he got his commission. "I was just curious. It's an interesting group."

"They all have a lot in common too," Breda sighed. "Perhaps most importantly, relatively recent active service. You saw them all in the field during the war in Aerugo, especially Al and Hal. That's why I really want your opinion on this. Who do you think could do the job, and who do you think would take it?"

Ah, so that was the real question. "I think they could all do the job," Ed replied almost immediately, though he had to contemplate the second question a little longer. "Al might take it if he had a little time to think about it. You know he's not the type to jump into anything and I doubt he's ever given it much thought. Marcus might or might not. He's pretty happy with where he's gotten the State Alchemist offices at this point. I'd say you'd have to ask him though, and then be in for a more Mustang-style regime," he smirked. He liked Kane a lot, but there were occasional similarities between the two that couldn't help but be noticed.

"I've considered that," Breda smirked. "But it worked out well enough didn't it?" Then his expression softened. "I have to admit, my biggest hesitation with either is the fact that they're alchemists. Nothing against them for it obviously," he said hastily, "Just that I saw what that did to Roy, what that work has done to all the people I know who've been State Alchemists. It's partially the job but also part of the type of personality it takes to do the work you guys do. I don't want to see anyone else worn to the point of breaking in this job."

Ed wasn't offended. How could he be? He had the same criticisms about the military and being a State Alchemist. There was a reason they had been dubbed the military's dogs so long ago. Even now they were the ones who often had the unpleasant work no matter how much better it was handled. "You have a point," he replied simply. "Still, if you decide that's a critical enough distinction, that would leave you with Hal and Alan; neither are alchemists, both have families but their kids are grown. Now, Armstrong and Kane both worked with Alan more than I did, but I certainly have no complaints about his work; he was an excellent war general and he's pretty flawless as far as military personalities go. He's not overly charismatic, but then that's hardly a necessary quality."

Breda smirked, "Tell me about it."

Ed chuckled. "No offense, but you weren't who most folks expected Mustang to pick either."

"He sure surprised me with it," Breda admitted. "So what you're saying is no one of them jumps out at you more than the others either?"

"Not particularly," Ed admitted with a sigh. "I guess that's not much help is it?"

"Oh it is," Breda contradicted him. "You've said a couple of things that give me a different perspective in a couple of places. I'm not counting anyone out yet, but then there's no deadline for this either."

"That's true." There was no term limit on being President of the Military, at least not that the Assembly had been bold enough to try and set yet. Not with the relative stability within the state that they had enjoyed for the past forty years. "So what made you decide it was time?"

Breda smiled. "Other than the fact I've been at this too long already? Honestly, I want to spend more time at home not working. I seem to do that more than Roy ever did, but then I'm not the masochist he is."

"That's the truth," Ed chuckled.

"Charisa's about to turn thirteen; Niam's ten already. I'm about to have two teenagers to keep up with," Breda smiled. "Well behaved or otherwise, I want to be around more. That and as much as I hate it, I'm starting to feel my age." Charisa's birthday was only a few days after Tore's, and Ed's student was turning thirteen tomorrow.

Ed didn't make the smart-ass comment he might have a couple of decades ago. Breda, like so many of his friends, had made the over-seventy break in the last couple of years. No matter how much they all joked from time to time, a lot of them couldn't even claim to be middle aged anymore. Even he wasn't entirely sure how thrilled he was to be turning sixty next year. "Can't help you there," he said instead. "But I understand. Keeping up with teenagers is like running a marathon; even when its going well it can be exhausting."

"Hopefully I have a better chance of keeping up with my kids than surviving a marathon," Breda smirked. "I've got a reasonable chance of seeing grandkids someday at this rate."

"You'd better stick around that long," Ed chuckled.

There was a knock at the door, and an aide stuck his head in. "I'm sorry, Mister President, but Assemblyman Marks would like a few minutes to discuss the agenda for tomorrow's session."

Breda sighed. "All right. Tell him I'll talk to him in a few minutes."

"Yes, Sir."

When the man was gone Ed stood up. "I should get down to my class."

Breda nodded, looking like he would much rather have kept talking to Ed. "Thanks for stopping in, Ed. I really do appreciate the input. Oh, please don't mention this to anyone all right? I don't know when I'm actually going to make a decision."

Ed smiled as he headed for the door. "Don't worry, Breda. I won't say a word."

April 17th, 1958

Alyse was rather preoccupied as she sat down at one of the few empty spaces in the middle of the HQ Mess, setting down her tray and pouring over her planner as she started to eat. She would have preferred to work late this evening on the scheduling details for the luncheon the President was having with the Aerugean embassy in two days, but she had promised to be at Uncle Ed's this evening for the picnic dinner they were having for Tore's thirteenth birthday, and Alyse wouldn't miss a family event, not even if it was for an unofficial cousin.

"Would you mind if I joined you?"

Alyse looked up at the unfamiliar voice and paused as she looked past the uniform up into a friendly pair of deep, steel gray eyes topped with dark wet-sand blonde hair that was kept trimmed reasonable short, but still managed to look uncontrollably curly. "I suppose not," she remembered her manners.

The soldier offered a friendly smile as he put his tray down. "Thanks. I'm afraid there are almost no seats left. I suppose that's what I get for showing up late."
Alyse looked around and realized that was true. She had been so wrapped up in her planning she had been there for quite some time. "It does seem that way," she chuckled. "Are you new to Central? I don't think I've seen you before."

"Good eye," the handsome man – a Captain by his rank – grinned. "Captain Vince Miller, recent transfer from Southern Headquarters."

"Alyse Elric, I work in the Events office," she smiled back, aware that since she had no rank he would have no way to place her specifically, which seemed a little unfair.

"A pleasure to meet you," Vince replied as he picked up his fork and started eating. Alyse couldn't help notice that he ate neatly, without hurrying or stuffing his face. It was quite the contrast compared to some of the other men in the room. She tried not to look, and went back to work, remembering to take a few more bites of her salad. It was a couple of minutes before she noticed that Vince kept stealing glances in her direction.

"Is something wrong?" she asked, wondering if maybe she had something on her mouth.

"What? Oh no I…" Vince paused, startled, then chuckle. "I'm sorry. How crass of me. I guess I should admit that part of why I chose this seat was the company."
In other words, he thought she was cute. Alyse smiled, relaxing. This she was used to, though it was a refreshing take for a guy to take. At least there was sincerity in it. "I hope I haven't disappointed you then," she replied. "I'm sorry I'm not better company. It's just that I need to get this finished."

"Working over lunch," Vince shook his head. "Devoted perfectionist, work-a-holic, or both?"

Alyse smirked slightly. "I have a family engagement this evening."

"So a master of time management," Vince nodded just a little too seriously, though a grin broke out again a moment later as he couldn't hold the expression. "I suppose a date tonight is out of the question then."

"You suppose a date at all would be possible," Alyse countered, allowing a slightly haughty expression to cross her features, though it wasn't easy to keep it there. She was enjoying the interplay.

"A guy can hope can't he?" Vince retorted without hesitation. "I don't stand a chance of getting anywhere if I don't ask, and the worst you could do is say no."
He had a point. Witty, straight-forward; it had been some time since any of the men who asked her out had been either, at least naturally, and she hated forced wit. Alyse took a couple of bites as she contemplated her response. "I'll tell you what, if you're brave enough to pick me up at my Uncle's this evening, you can take me out for coffee after I'm done with my cousin's birthday party." Uncle Ed had said the official party would be over by eight.
"That seems fair," Vince nodded. "So, who's your Uncle?"

After last year, Tore was not surprised that the Elrics threw him a birthday party. He had lived with them long enough to understand that they really did like and appreciate him, no matter how they had met. They cared, and they were the closest thing to a family he had now. Unlike all the foster families before, he actually felt at home with them and with each passing day the fact that he could feel at home somewhere without his mother bothered him less. He could be safe and happy and know that she would probably be happier knowing that he liked where he was living.

So he was glad to just kick back and enjoy his first day as a teenager. School had been good today, hanging out with friends at lunch and he was pretty sure he had done well on the history test. The party this evening was more than he'd had before, even last year, though he suspected it was just because the Elrics hadn't known him as well yet. This year they knew all his favorite foods and his interests. It was mostly the family, but also a few friends from school including Charisa and her brother. So her parents were there too.

There was a huge cake Gracia Hughes had made, chocolate cake with rich frosting, and Fullmetal manned the grill, chatting with his brother and President Breda as they made hamburgers and grilled sausages.

When he had been a kid, Tore had always been thrilled to have one or two presents. Usually he just got one from his mother each year. She had never been able to afford many, but he had always appreciated it. So it was still a little overwhelming to get several, just as it was to have a big party. From Fullmetal he got a couple of alchemy books that were his own copies to keep without having to borrow Fullmetal's, which was great! Mrs. Elric had already taken him shopping a few days ago and let him pick out a few clothes that weren't hand-me-downs and were also to his own tastes. He wore clothes out fast enough that he appreciated those gifts maybe more than most kids his age seemed to.

He had actually gotten packages in the mail from Ethan and from the Elrics in Resembool. Ethan had sent him a book too; but this one a translation of the history of Xingese alchemy. As much as Tore had talked with Ethan about how he had started learning alchemy hoping to find a way to help his mother, he knew that the Xing had more medical alchemical knowledge than anyone, and it was all he could do not to run upstairs and start reading immediately. From Resembool he almost laughed; Coran and Art had definitely been involved in that project though he suspected that Cassie had done most of the work; it was a handmade stuffed sheep-dog and a couple of toy sheep to go with it. Those items were already up in his room with his own belongings that he had rescued from the storage area where the city had been keeping all of his mother's belongings, which were now stored carefully away in the Elrics' cellar until they figured out what happened to his mom, or she returned.

So open presents consisted of a smaller pile from guests, though it was still a little overwhelming. From the True Soul Alchemist and Miss Elicia he got a small radio that he could have in his room and listen to whatever he wanted. Alyse got him a poster of one of his favorite bands. Will and Ren had sent a package from Creta – that had beaten them here since they were coming back through this week – and that present was something even cooler than Tore could have imagined. It was another book, but this one was a catalog of the alchemical artifacts in the museum at Pylos!

"Isn't that the one you're quoted in Ed?" Alphonse asked as Tore flipped the book open and looked briefly through it.

"That's it," Edward chuckled. "That's the one with the section on the Urn of Andrixos. Though their collection is a lot more extensive than that. Most of the artifacts in Creta seem to be related to water or electricity."

Electricity? Now wasn't that interesting? It was all Tore could do to make himself put that book down too and finish opening his gifts. It was only polite to his guests though!

There were a couple of other posters, a murder mystery novel, a deck of cards, comic books, a new baseball glove, a model car kit, and another surprise; a pad of good paper and a set of drawing pencils. Those were from Charisa, who smiled at him. "Well you're always doodling in your notebooks in class, and it's not always transmutation circles. I thought you might like someplace better to put your ideas than mixed in with your math notes."

Tore managed not to blush or look embarrassed at having that fact mentioned out loud as he thanked her. He had an A in his math class, so it wasn't like anyone could complain right?

No one did, and after everyone was thanked for the presents they all dug into the cake and ice cream! Overall, it was definitely one of the best birthdays Tore had ever had.

Edward was glad to see Tore enjoying himself. The kid was, like most boys his age, temperamental at best, and mercurial at worst; swinging from happy some days to intense and focused beyond his years others, to hormonal and sulky, and sometimes all three sets of emotions and responses in the same day. Now Ed thought he understood why his colleagues in Roy's office had wanted to throttle him so often when he was a teenager. None of his own kids had been quite this bad. Still, Ed schooled himself to patience. Tore'd had a rough time of it before he ran into Ed, and he was still just a kid.

Now, at least, Tore wasn't actively fighting him or the world. He was living in it again, learning alchemy, studying and doing well, all for a mother who might be dead, but also because he seemed more settled. The State had almost not believed Ed's reports of Tore's progress when he reported in as a foster parent was supposed to, but after a few visits and the usual necessary checking up, for the most part they left well enough alone. Obviously Ed and Winry had managed what the other families could not, and one troubled kid out of their hair was fine with them.

Days like this made it worth it to watch his student have a normal, happy experience, the kind Ed had always made sure his own kids had when he and Al hadn't. Right now he and his friends were hanging out, talking over food, laughing and just having a good time.

Ed wasn't surprised when he heard the doorbell ring about seven thirty, but only because Alyse had informed him that someone would be coming by to pick her up, and that it was a new potential boyfriend. He looked over at Al. "You want to come to the door with me, or should we grab Breda and make it a triple threat?" he grinned.

Al shook his head. "I think two of us is more than enough," he replied.

"Then let's go," Ed chuckled, heading for the door. "Though I have to say, this is a mean thing to challenge a guy with for a first date, especially for Alyse."

"It must be the your niece part coming out," Alphonse smirked.

"As if you aren't going to enjoy this," Ed shook his head and opened the door. He didn't recognize the young officer standing on his doorstep on sight, but he was new and Alyse had given Ed his name. "Good evening," he said simply, and waited to see how the guy would respond.

Vince looked at Ed – and briefly at Al – before turning back to Ed. "Good evening, Sirs," he replied respectfully. "I'm Captain Miller. Alyse asked me to pick her up here this evening." Ed was actually pretty impressed with the guy's ability to at least seem calm, though there was just a hint of nervousness underneath.

"I'll find my daughter," Al replied coolly, with a glance at Vince before turning and heading back into the house.

Ed had to fight back a snort of laughter. Fortunately he managed to keep it inside! "You're new to Central." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, Sir. Transferred in this week from Southern Headquarters," Vince nodded.

"That might be a record for asking out my niece," Ed replied. "You met today at lunch?"

He watched for subtle signs. Vince didn't know how much Ed did or did not know about his conversation with Alyse, and while he hid it well, it did make him uneasy. "Yes, we did. She's a charming young woman."

Ed didn't hold back the smirk that came to his lips. "That's what they all say."

Vince's expression blanked for a moment then he surprised Ed by smiling back. "Well then it's got to be true, doesn't it?"

"You're here," Alyse smiled as she stepped up into the doorway then, Al right behind her.

"I said I would be," Vince clearly relaxed as Alyse joined them and he focused on her. "And I don't break my promises."

"I'm glad," Alyse smiled back before turning and giving Ed a quick hug. "Great party. See you later, Uncle Ed."

Ed hugged her back. "Thanks. Have a good time."

When the door closed behind Alyse and her newest date, Ed turned to Al. "So, what do you think?"

"Well he didn't melt into the ground the moment we looked at him," Al shrugged. "And he didn't try and butter up to either one of us did he?"

"Nope," Ed shook his head. "Respectful and he didn't cower or show fear; he seems to be the clean-cut type."

Al nodded. "You're right. I guess for now I'll let him live."