Sorry, sorry, sorry! I took waaaay to long to get around to writing this... but I've started it at last, and you can expect daily updates from now on unless life gets in the way.

It begins a few months after 'Escaping Yesterday'. I own nothing.

"Pipsqueak, are you coming or what?" Envy yelled. He was rewarded with an incoherent yell about quarks, and he snickered.

Alphonse sighed. "You know, if you bait him, he'll only get distracted shouting at you."

"But it's fun!"

The youngest Elric rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore his eldest brother. "Brother, hurry up, or we'll go without you!" he called down the hall.

"I'm coming Al, just wait a minute!"

It was five minutes when Ed finally emerged, hair in a slightly scruffy braid (his hair had never been long enough to braid when he'd had both hands, and he still hadn't quite mastered the skill yet), his ever-present gloves and long clothes concealing the metal limbs. The Rockbells had, after using him as their guinea pig, made their work public and had been given a grant. They had given him a brand new, more efficient set as thanks for allowing them to test it on him, and he'd had more than one doctor come to see how well he was reacting to the new technology.

"Took your time, shrimp. Come on, we'd best get going. The old man's expecting us."

It was only a short walk to Hoenheim's house. The place was habitable, but that was about all that could be said of it: it was definitely a fixer upper. Still, most of the furniture was unpacked by now, even if everything else remained lost to the endless cardboard boxes that were piled haphazardly around the house.

"Ah! Boys!" Hoenheim said cheerfully. "Is it that time already? I must've lost track..." he mumbled. "Come in."

They were guided through the boxes to the living room. "I'll get you some drinks. Is tea alright? I could probably dig out some lemonade, but it's a little hectic at the moment..."

He'd only moved in a couple of weeks ago, and everything was still rather disorganised. Alphonse had come over most days to try and help out, and even Envy and Edward had chipped in, but it was still in need of work. Hoenheim didn't seem to mind too much though.

He disappeared into the kitchen, leaving the boys perched on a variety of mismatched chairs. He soon returned with a tray of tea.

"So... how are you all?" he asked, a little awkwardly. None of them had quite got into the hang of 'family' yet.

"We're fine," said Al, persevering bravely against the forces of uncomfortable silences. "Ed had another scientist wanting to look at the automail though, he's getting rather tired of that... but Winry says they're installing the first sets on other, um, amputees next week, so they'll probably stop asking then. Envy's feeling better about the... Dante, you know. And Ed says I can get a cat if I want!"

"Really, Edward?" asked Hoenheim, deliberately skirting around the mention of Envy's issues. "I thought you were opposed to the idea."

"I am." Edward said grumpily. "But he kept pestering me about it, so... yeah, we're getting a cat."

"A kitten!" Al grinned. "Right, brother?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure, whatever you want." he grumbled. Hoenheim smiled.

"So, how are you, Dad? Is the unpacking coming along well?" asked Al, turning back to his father, who nodded.

"I found my photographs at last, and I was sorting out the books when you boys got here."

Envy, who had been uncharacteristically silent up to this point, snorted. "You've found books and photographs, but you still haven't got the kettle out yet? Surely you've gotten fed up of boiling water up in that saucepan, old man."

Hoenheim frowned. "Yes, I have no idea where that's gone... but Alphonse found the microwave for me yesterday, and the toaster." he nodded at Alphonse. "Thank you for that, Alphonse, it's really been very useful..."

They chatted inanely for a good while longer, before turning to unpacking some of the boxes that littered the house. Envy uncovered the missing kettle, while Alphonse and Edward dug their way through a few boxes of assorted junk. It was mid afternoon by the time they headed home for a rather late lunch.

Gradually, life was beginning to go back to normal. Sure, they had occasional... problems, but for the most part, they were finally beginning to feel that they could leave the paranoia and fear they had lived with for the past few months behind them.

Edward stood up to put his plate in the sink. "I've got some stuff to do before we get back to school, so I'll see you guys later." he said.

"Whatever, pipsqueak."

"Who the hell are you calling so short they're not allowed to wash up in case they fall in and drown!?" Edward growled, fixing his brother with a glare that could have terrified the very bravest of men. Envy snickered.

Edward snorted angrily, and was about to retort when the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," he said, and wandered down the corridor. He opened the door wide to the three strangers responsible for the interruption- two dark haired men, one with glasses, and a stern-looking blonde woman.

"Good afternoon," said the man with glasses. "Is this the Elric residence? I'm Officer Hughes, and my colleagues here are Officers Mustang and Hawkeye. I'd like to talk to Envy Elric, please... I'm afraid it's rather important."

Edward went white.