Yo! I'm back from my absentence. Sorry if you've reviewed one of my stories and wanted an answer. I've been super busy. Anyways, this is my new story. I'd like a beta, but I'm fine without. Anywho, full summery!

Alice Cutridge lost her father and her brother with the ultimate taboo. She meets Mustang and his guards at the inn she works for. What will happen when she meets Ed and Al? Will love appear, or will enemies arise? Edward/Alice and Alphonze/Winry Rated T for language and violence in later chapters. If lemons/limes blossom, then the rating will change compeletly to M ;-) If you wanna costar on a story (maybe a T&D?) pm me and we'll work something out.

ENJOY! :D

Alice's P.O.V.

"Father!" I woke up screaming.

It was too late. He already died. 4 years ago. I tried to bring him back. I tried! I used all of his research to make the circle to bring him back. It backfired so badly. The creation wasn't even human.

I lost everything, including my only brother and my left leg. I wasn't strong enough to bring anybody back!

I slapped myself, bringing me back to reality. I looked at the clock: 4:52. I looked out the window to see the sun peaking over the horizon in orange and pink hues. If I didn't just have a nightmare about Father and Sam, I would've said that it was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. Then again, I could say that, but it wouldn't feel right to just say it.

I sighed and shook my head. Nothing could fix what happened. I got out of bed and hopped over to my cane. It was going to be another long day. I hobbled down the stairs to the main lobby to see what I could help with today.

I help at a hotel to work for board. It was growing colder each day as winter neared and they could use any help they could get to help prepare for it. Marvin, the receptionist, was helping people with luggage.

"Alice! You're up early, ain't ya? Care to help a bit?" he said, noticing I was up.

"Not really, but if I want a place to stay then I should," I reply.

I pick up a piece of chalk in the pocket of my pitch black trench coat and draw a circle. I didn't want anyone staring at me because I didn't need a transmutation circle. I concentrated on a conveyer belt. I set my cane down. I clapped my hands, and then slapped them on the floor. Bright blue light erupted from my circle and after a few moments, the belt appeared in front of me.

"Marvin! Got it covered!" I yelled. He ran over to pick it up and smiled greatfully.

"Thanks again, Alice! You saved my back for the 3rd time this week!"

"No problem," I sighed.

Lucy came running out from her room. "Alice!" she cried, "Come to my room. Someone important is here to see you!" she ran back into her room and I followed as fast as I could on 1 foot.

I hobbled in to see 3 men, tough men, dressed in officer uniforms. My eyes went wide when I saw Colonel Mustang was standing among them. His black eyes showed no emotion.

"Alice. Sit down." he ordered.

"Yes, sir," I replied rudely.

"Do you know why we're here?" he asked.

"I believe I do. You're here to wring my little neck for getting free food and shelter while you have to pay for yours," I commented wisely.

1 of the other officers stated, "Wise cracks will not be tolerated, Miss." He was nearly bald and very muscular.

"What happened to your leg?" Mustang asked, ignoring my smart-ass attitude.

I smirked. I knew where this was going. "Lost it, can't be found again." I answered. I wasn't going to make this easy for them.

"What did you do to lose your leg?" he pressed. Arrogant bastard, trying to weave his way around me to find answers.

"Wouldn't you like to know? Or do you already know?" I just love pushing people's buttons. It's so fun! My cocky attitude was awesome at its best.

"I'm not sure," he paused for several moments, as if trying to collect his thoughts. "Let me ask you this; do you know the Elric Brothers?"

"Not that I know of. Grew up here and never left I did."

"They lost their mother and tried to bring her back."

My eyes grew very wide and my jaw hit the floor. "Did it work? Did they bring her back? Was she human?" I couldn't believe it. Somebody else who knew my problem.

"No," he replied, "the younger, Alphonze, lost his body and the older, Edward, lost his right leg. Edward grieved and bonded Alphonze's soul to a suit of armor in exchange for his left arm."

I frowned. This wasn't getting me anywhere anytime soon. "You know what? Screw you! I don't need somebody who keeps tabs on me just because I committed the ultimate taboo!" I clamped my hand onto my mouth. I did not just say that, did I?

Mustang just looked at me, as if he wanted me to continue.

I sighed. "Fine. When I was 11 or so, my father died suddenly and my mother ran out on my brother and me. We didn't have any family to go back on, so we researched everything we could on bringing Father back to life. We found the circle after 4 months of searching. Brother found some money hidden under Mother's favorite chair and he went out to buy what we needed to perform the transmutation at the market down the street. He came back and I had just finished drawing the circle. We placed everything into a box and set it exactly in the center. We placed one of Father's pictures in the box for memories and we cut each of our fingers so that a few drops of blood fell into it. We then stepped back to perform the transmutation. Blue light formed all around the circle and I smiled at him, thinking this was going to work. Suddenly, the light exchanged blue light for an evil purple. Brother looked confused before he realized that his body was deconstructing before his eyes. He screamed and reached for me. I screamed at him back as I tried to grasp his hand before it deconstructed away. Tears sprang in my eyes as I fell unconscious.

"When I woke up again, it was dark outside. I glanced over to the box that was supposed to have Father standing gratefully. I saw nothing of the sort. The thing had three arm-like things sticking out of something, no legs, its skin was dark brown (almost like it got burned) and the face; oh the face was horrible. It was of a woman's with long gray hair; Father had black. I was so upset that I had failed that I couldn't even bring myself to cry over my lost.

"That's when it tried to speak to me. 'Uhhhhhh ahhhhhhh ummmmm ahhhh,' it tried to say. I was so horrified that I couldn't blink. I dry sobbed as it tried again. 'Daaaahhh keeeeeee iiiiihhhhh gaaaa-' it stopped. I looked up to see it frozen a foot or so out of the box. Its face became distorted suddenly and its 'eyes' rolled back into its head. It spit up blood from its mouth and flopped to the ground with a wet slap. I watched terrified as it slumped to the floor. I screamed before I realized that I was in pain.

"I looked down to see my left leg had been severed. I looked at it as if wondering how it had happened before I saw my brother's clothes beside me. I sobbed for the loss of my brother, the loss of Father, the loss of my pride," my eyes teared up. Halfway through my story, my voice started cracking and I couldn't stop it. My body wouldn't let me tough it out.

The three of them were speechless. I looked down at my watch to see I had talked for 2 straight hours. I sighed, feeling mentally and physically exhausted.

Mustang shifted uncomfortably before clearing his throat. "I had already guessed that. Maybe not that exact way but through an alchemic accident. I had to have you speak the reason why so it could clear any suspicions that we had."

One of the other guards stepped forward. "We have some good news though," she said. "Edward and Alphonze know an automail engineer that could let you have a left leg again." She smiled, trying too hard to look friendly.

I narrowed my eyes at the both of them. "Who is he or she; how old are they? How long have they been in automail and where do they live? And where are these so called 'Edward and Alphonze'?" I asked. I know when something sounded too good to be true.

Mustang and the woman beside him smirked. "You know when something sounds too good. Her name's Winry. She and her grandmother have been working in automail for 5 years in Resembool. She's 16, your age I assume. As for Edward and Alphonze, they're here somewhere. You can't miss Al. Ed is a different story. You can lose him in a crowed if you don't know what to look for."

I smirked back. I knew he was telling the truth. "Take me to see them. I want to meet them."

Mustang turned to face the woman officer next to him. "Hawkeye, show Alice the Elric brothers."

"Yes sir," she replied. She walked over to me. She offered a hand but I hit it away.

"I've had no leg for 4 years. I can do just fine," I remarked sharply. I hated it, HATED it, when someone tried to help me out of pity. It makes me sick.

Hawkeye looked surprised, then softened. "My apologizes, Alice. It won't happen again."

I was taken aback by what she said I wasn't expecting for he to be so, what's the word… formal! That's it, formal. "Whatever I don't need help anymore," I snapped.

She waited for me to get up and get my cane at the door. "Whenever you're ready," she said quietly. So formal, it hurts.

I eyed her. She really doesn't like me but she's trying either for my sake or for Mustang. I really don't know.

We walked out the door, her leading me out front to the entrance of the inn. "FullMetal! Where are you?" she yelled. A blue light appeared and then a block of metal and a boy, no more than 17, standing on top.

"Here I am!" he yells. This 'FullMetal' person hits the metal block with his hands and it glows blue again. The block moved to his will and traveled towards us. He leaped off it and landed right in front of us. "Yo, what's up"?

"The colonel wants you to meet someone," she answered, and gestured to me.

He looked at me with curious eyes. "Hey! I'm Edward. You?"

Phew. Done at last! Wrote this out on paper before typing with extra, extra detail. this used to be 1,312 words, now 1,746. I wanna thank my loyal fanfic fans (I may not have any, but a girl can dream!) and my friends for proofing, reading, and supporting me. :D Chapter 2 up soon! I want 3 reviews before then, though. Happy Thanksgiving!