Chapter two! Malcom was brought in for the purposes of something much later on. DO NOTE THAT HE BELONGS TO AND ALWAYS WILL BELONG TO YUKI. I borrowed him. It's been changed a bit, unfortunately, from her luffly one, but, I had little choice, since I added him in the last minute. I had no idea what I was going to do, and then I knew I had to get another character in. So, I borrowed Malcom. Luff the Malcom!

Anyway, yeah, the rest of the chapters throughout this fic will have Maes' POV of something that happened in the beginning in bold, and Roy's at the end in italics. That's just the reason for the title really. I have it planned out, and it's going well. Already on Chapter four. Just had to work out the kinks.

Fushigi Rockna -- xD Why thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I enjoyed writing it. It's good that I have a nephew about Royce's age. Everything was taken from him. I hope you have more of those moments as this continues.

Ryopon -- Of course! It wouldn't be a Fullmetal Alchemist fic without everyone's favorite Flame Alchemist! And thank you. This is one that I want to work hard on.

Maes Hughes's Lover -- Really? I've always wanted to write one, but I didn't have a reason to. I'm glad this one worked out to my advantage. Glad you like it, as well. Perhaps I will. THough they probably wouldn't have such intricate plots as this one.

Warning: This contains HyuRoi, made-ups, and MPREG. If you have a problem with any of them, do leave right now. You've been warned.


I found him in the rain. It was a cold night, and I couldn't stand to be at home at that time. How could I? It was a harsh reminder of what had been taken from me, and at the moment, I didn't much care to remember it. The only thing I wanted was to feel the blood of some fool who dared to think they could challenge me. Running through my fingers, dripping to the ground, mixing with the rivulets of water that poured from the sky…

I left the baby somewhere…I couldn't recall at the time. The only thing I knew was that it was being cared for, so that was good enough for me. I could have left it with some wench on the corner, and as long as it was being watched, I didn't care. I never was much of a guy for kids.

Sad wasn't the word for what I was experiencing. I wasn't feeling any pain or sorrow. It didn't matter any more. He was gone. Sobbing…over something so little was kind of pointless and wasn't going to bring him back. So, what better to do? There was a reason Roy was dead. So…I was going to find the bastards who caused that reason. Fun.

Of course. I could smirk at it all, watch the people try and scramble from the horrible weather while I stood there, comfortable, drenched, manic. It wasn't that I wanted to be like that, but I no longer seemed to have the restraints Roy had made. Those chains that had made it so I seemed 'tame', though, I never was, had dissipated.

My stance was a usual one. An aloof one, hands in the pockets of the black trench that Roy had left behind, though a bit small on me still something I couldn't seem to take off for long periods of time, followed by some clothing that I had recently bought. I suppose that was just to make me feel a bit better about the things going on. Well, I had to say, that I did. It felt damn good to worry about myself for once!

It took a moment, before I realized that I could see someone, someone who struck an uncanny resemblance with him…I had stopped walking and was staring at this small, pitiful form on the ground, soaked even more than I was. I hadn't even realized I had done any of this until I saw his eyes move up to mine, not full of fear, or resentment, but full of curiosity. For a moment…I saw the same eyes that I saw on him, the day my mind was fully capable of understanding things, the day he gave me his weakened smile…the day I can say we officially met.

For reasons beyond my control, I couldn't leave him there. He was too much like him. Those beautiful eyes…the only difference…I could not care for him as I did Roy. That part of me died when he did. "What's your name, kid?"

The boy blinked, staring up at me with that same gaze, though he was a bit confused. "M-My name?" He stuttered, from what I assumed to be cold. "Malcom, sir."

How was he supposed to be able to sleep with that noise? What the hell /was/ that noise, anyway? It proved to be a nuisance…How could anyone sleep through that incessant banging, and the whining? Honestly, the neighbors had little consideration before, and that took a bit of persuasion from Maes to get them to shut up when Roy was having another one of his rough nights, or he himself was enduring trouble as he tried to rest. Damn humans…if Royce—

As if on cue, the baby's cries rang throughout the almost empty home, the homunculus burying his face in the pillow for a moment, not to block out Royce's cries, but to restrain himself. No matter how much he wanted to march over to the party house next door and break a few necks of the annoying teenagers, he couldn't. Hawkeye promised that if there was one death that could even /remotely/ be brought back to him, she'd take little Royce away, and that was a fate much worse than being chased after. He wouldn't allow that woman to take him. Especially since he didn't like her to begin with. The kid just liked her pillows and the fact that she gave him milk.

After another moment, he groaned, sitting up. Sometimes he hated to have the kid around. He cried so much, required unlimited care, unconditional love…Hughes may have been able to do those things with Roy, but that had taken everything. Maes had patience for himself, and that was about it. It took everything he had not to strangle Roy's former subordinates. Maes was tired of trying, he supposed.

Still crying. Damn, that meant he had to get up and find out what was wrong. Food, changing, comfort…things that Maes was too lazy too offer at the moment. He cared a lot about Royce, how could he not? But at the moment, he just couldn't be bothered. With a heavy groan, he fell back to the pillows.

Hughes laid there for what seemed like hours, when it was only about five minutes, listening to the now screaming child across the hall. What was wrong? Why was he reacting so badly to all of it? He didn't want to think. If someone was going to take him, kill him, perhaps it would have been best. He wouldn't grow up knowing what Roy suffered through for only a few years, he'd be better off than with a father like Maes…However, the moment he heard the cries stop and the rustling in the next room, he shot up, already in a defensive stance and grabbing the knife he kept by his beside, slowly making his way into the room.

"Sir!"

A young man stumbled backwards, narrowly avoiding the blade that threatened to dig in between his shoulders. The black hair that rested in a neat, but diverse manner so similar to the photo that rested on the dresser besides Royce's basinet, the boy's eyes staring up, not in fear but in question. He was never afraid of the man, even in the short time that he had known him. Something about him stuck out. He wasn't the big mean man that he wanted everyone to think he was.

Maes sighed, watching the youth pull the baby from the tucked in position to cushion him from falling. Hadn't he just thought about letting someone take the wretched brat off of his hands? But that was Roy…Roy's flesh and blood. Nothing he could say or do would change that, and as long as he still cared for Roy, he would protect the child. "Sorry…" He mumbled.

The young man stood up, cradling Royce to him as he gave a small grin. "It's okay. He was crying and I thought you were resting, so I thought I would look after him. This is the one the military seems so interested in, hm?"

Maes narrowed his eyes, staring at his companion with distrust. The…military? Was that why Hawkeye and the others were so focused on helping him take care of Royce. That was one thing he would be damned to let happen. No one was going to make an experiment out of his son. "What are they saying, Malcom?"

The dark haired boy blinked, bringing Royce up so his head could rest comfortably on his shoulder. "Of course. They were too late to get whoever his mother is, but they said that you had the son. You're quite famous around Central. I didn't mean to startle you, sir. The soldiers keep driving by, as a matter of fact…"

Maes turned to the window facing the street. Of course. They wouldn't let him get away either. "Well, I guess I'll just have to kill some idiots." If they came into his home to take what was his, not even Hawkeye could hold it against him. He had a right to defend his home. "You're back early." He commented casually.

Malcom sighed, nodding slowly. "Yes. It wasn't working out there."

Maes crossed his arms; gaze still focused on the window. There was nothing to look at, since the drapes had been pulled over the windows to maintain privacy. There was nothing to see but the occasional vehicle or the rare pedestrian going by, runners who liked to go before dawn. But…to look at Malcom at the moment would prove to be disastrous. At the current point in time, Hughes just was not in the mood to deal with anyone.

"Besides, you could use the help. What's his name?" Changing the subject was good, right?

"Royce."

"He's hungry."

Maes lifted a brow, turning back to Malcom, trying to stay mad, but rather curious as to how he knew right off. It took him at least fifteen minutes to figure things out, and he had him for three months. Malcom had just met him and he was already able to read him. "How'd you know…?"

Malcom gave a small smile. "Well, when I picked him up, he was still fussing. That meant he didn't just want attention. By the sounds of his little cries, he wasn't wet, and his diaper is light. And…he's trying to eat my shirt."

Damn. This kid knew Royce better than he did. That was wrong…on so many levels. He was supposed to be his father. Refusing to show him anymore emotion on the matter, Maes went and heated up the bottle, setting it in the pot of water on the stove to warm it to the perfect temperature. "So you'll be staying here again?"

Malcom nodded, walking out and bouncing the malformed baby as he approached his guardian. "I plan on it. You're going to get yourself into trouble…I don't understand what's going on, but I'll help out…"

"I don't want you to. Stay out of it." Maes answered quickly and coldly.

Malcom knew that was coming. Maes never did let him in on anything, though he hadn't known him for very long. This was no exception. He probably would let him take up Royce's care, because it didn't seem to be something Maes was very good at. Then again, what could you expect from such an anti-social person? Taking the bottle from the pot and testing it upon his wrist, he gave a small grin and sat down at the kitchen table, leaning Royce back in his arms to cradle him, putting the nipple of the bottle to the 'o' shaped lips that had been searching for sustenance since he had awoken. He had to admit, the little kid was cute, but that still didn't mean he necessarily liked it. He was the reason that Maes had sent him off in the first place, even though it had only lasted for about two weeks before he managed to come back.

"I'm going to bed…" The homunculus informed the two, though Royce had no idea what that meant and Malcom merely nodded, showing he understood. He would allow Maes to be himself and in return, he might have been allowed to stay. That was all he wanted right now.

"Lieutenant Hawkeye?" Hawkeye stood from her desk, offering a quick salute. Just another day at work, or at least, that was what she thought when she came in this morning. The sun had risen, Black Hayate had awoken her…the same routine. Then again, when you worked in the military, things could never be predicted. You had to live day by day, and Riza…hated to have things messed up when she had them perfectly organized.

So, when General Hakuro came to see her, she was awfully surprised. If anything, she thought he would go to the new Colonel, but no…he was here, disrupting the order she had put into place when it came to the schedule she had placed her and all of the lower ranks around her on to keep it running as smoothly as possibly. For now, though, she would brush it off. Spending several years under Roy Mustang made you wary of all your actions around a higher up, even when you no longer served under him. "General Hakuro. It's a pleasant surprise."

"Colonel Turner is out on business today. So, I thought I would see you personally." He gave a small grin, nodding to her. "At ease."

Hawkeye's hand fell, watching him curiously. The orders had come from him to take Royce out of Maes' custody, and she, Havoc, Fuery, Falman, Breda and Armstrong had all been chosen for the mission. Falman refused. He was facing discharge for it. Of course, the most he would get was a suspension. Armstrong had better duties. Being a Lieutenant Colonel gave him a bit more to do. Breda was unable to follow the simple order as well. However, Riza had a deep connection to Roy. She would not betray him. If she happened to go through with the plan, she herself would take Royce, leave Central, and elude the military as long as she could. To run tests on a child…a child barely three months old, no less. "Yes, sir?"

"Your progress, Lieutenant."

Riza knew that was coming. Why else would he want to see her personally? "There hasn't been any."

"You /did/ take Fullmetal with you, didn't you?" His golden eyes narrowed in suspicion. There should have been no problem with completing it yesterday. Then again, he knew of the loyalties. He had expected some resistance, but they were the few that would be able to get close enough, so he had little choice…

"We did. However, the target and specimen were too close to get near enough to take it. Besides, Fullmetal was not allotted enough time to draw the circle. Not to mention we are not allowed to dig up the remains…"

Hakuro raised a hand. "It's fine. I will handle it from here."

"But, sir—"

"Dismissed, Lieutenant."

Riza's eyes narrowed as she watched him walk away; hand back up in a salute. Well, she was going to take an early lunch today. Maes had to be warned. No matter how much she despised him, hated his methods, she had morals.

"I need you to take care of him."

"Who, Taisa?"

A small chuckle. "As much as I worry about the little one…Maes will need much more looking after."

'Taisa…' Hawkeye's hand fell, the blonde woman shooting a glance at Havoc, silently ordering him to follow. There was little time. Hakuro would instantly launch troops, and if what Roy had said was true, they would already be prepared to at least immobilize him while they took what they came for. They had to put their differences aside to make sure history did not repeat itself, that Royce wasn't made another casualty of the very humans that made his existence possible.

Malcom frowned, staring down at Royce. He was fed almost an hour ago, he had changed his diaper, and he fussed even more when he was picked up. No matter what he tried to do, it just seemed to bother him even more. "What…do you want?" He tapped his foot lightly on the plush rug that the basinet rested on, running his finger on the edge, thinking of everything that could possibly be wrong.

"You don't want me, or him, you can't be hungry, I burped you, I just changed you…I really don't know what you want. You don't have a fever…" He sighed softly, running a hand through his dark locks. Babies were so hard. Not to mention Royce wasn't exactly a normal child. What could have possibly been the result? He was kind of curious to know how it even happened. The other night had been the first time he had saw the little one, and Maes never spoke about himself, or about where the kid even came from. There had been times he heard crying, especially at night, but he shoved them aside. They didn't seem relevant at the time. Though…Maes had threatened him to stay away from the locked door. He just put it in his mind that it was nothing to worry about, no matter how curious he had been at the time.

"Are you in pain, then?" He asked, reaching down and rubbing the kicking legs. Ebony fur covered the limbs; small, far from human…what exactly was his mother, and what had happened to her?

Royce wiggled, reaching out with a tiny fist; almost see through nails more in the shape of claws, staring up at Malcom with a rather frightened look in his eyes. No longer was he crying, or even whining. "That feels better?" his flailing stopped, though he still reached for the current caretaker, as if he wanted to be held.

Malcom gave a small grin, reaching down to pick him up, holding his head against his heart. He was jealous, who wouldn't be when you had a small baby to come home to, that had been there before you? Sure he hadn't known Maes that long, but the baby was his. Not much room for him. Shy, perhaps…"That's all you wanted…" He muttered, rocking him. The baby's legs were just bothering him, it could have been a number of things…he doubted that Maes had enough knowledge to take the boy to a hospital.

"I guess I'll have to talk to him. You need special care…" Malcom sighed, running his fingers through the soft locks of hair. "Suppose I should get everything else ready while I wait. It's almost like a cycle with you." No matter what was said about the little boy, Malcom thought he was rather adorable. Then again, what child wasn't?

"What are you doing here?"

He raised a dark brow, pulling the bottle from Royce's mouth. Who was here? Maes didn't get many visitors, and anyone who did come by to complain or otherwise didn't do it a second time. Hadn't the thought spread to the other neighbors yet, or were they really that stupid?

"Move aside. Where is the boy?"

What was going on? Malcom frowned, lifting Royce back up to his shoulder and stepped closer to the door of the nursery, listening to the words that drifted through the house, sending him warning signals to stay put, and wait for Maes. Then again, after what he had told the homunculus, Hughes was rather cautious around visitors, and kept Royce from any doors, windows, or any opening that would allow someone to easily find him. He highly doubted that they would be looking for him.

"It's all right."

Malcom blinked, coming to sit out with the small group that had gathered in the living room of Maes' place, setting himself in a chair and returning to what he had been doing before the loud voices had called him away from his duty, so to speak. Royce eagerly took the bottle, clinging to Malcom as he took sight of the blonde woman who seemed to be glaring in his direction.

"It seems our time has run out." She stated calmly, auburn eyes lifting from the raven haired boys to their 'father'. "He can't stay here anymore."

Maes snorted. "So your bosses are making a move. Doesn't surprise me, I've known for a few days now. I did my own snooping. I don't care what they have; they aren't going to take him. I don't like idiots. I'll kill every bastard that walks through that door wanting to take Kitten's gift away."

"I'm sure that they have realized who you are by now. The military will come prepared. They won't hesitate. I'm sure if they can persuade someone who has knowledge of the homunculus, you'll be sealed." Hawkeye was not going to let him do this his way. It'd only lead to more problems all around. This was not what any of them wanted and she would not permit it. "You came in so many times with the Taisa; I'm surprised they haven't hunted you before now."

Hughes snorted. "Do you /know/ why? He wouldn't hunt me because of what I am. The Fuhrer isn't afraid of me, he probably /needs/ me. I wouldn't be surprised if he was planning to come here and take Royce just to see what I would do. I'm not some damn pushover, Blondie; I'm not going to sit here."

"Sir?" Malcom had spoken up for the first time, pulling the empty bottle from Royce's lips, the little child still wanting, not to drink from it, but to suck on it. He gained a soothing action from it, calmed him, distracted him from the sight of the woman who looked to hate his very appearance, for reasons he did not understand. He clung to Malcom's shirt, not understanding the conversation, but Maes' raised voice told him something was wrong, and the urge to cry started to become overwhelming. Not only his heightened senses as a baby told him that, but the strange animal instincts that had consumed him as well had. He wanted to get away, and the only refuge he had was Malcom's shirt.

Hughes stood. "When?" He asked. There was no need for explanation, he decided, reaching for the fussing boy, pulling him away and lifting him to his own arms, gently rocking him to lull him to sleep, making sure Hawkeye was not in his sight.

"They could be here within hours…" Riza replied, standing as well.

"Then." His gaze fell to Malcom. "This is what we will do."

How long had it been? At least a week, no more than two. I couldn't discern between the marks I had made on the wall in my haste to count the days. Hell, I couldn't even be sure that the days had passed. A day could feel like an eternity, the constant pain flowing through me, consuming my desires, hate, love…there was nothing there but the despair of being caged like an animal, and the shame that I felt that I had been reduced as such.

I had been able to move a bit more, to allow the pain to subside long enough to look over into the cell next to mine. I suppose…the only thing keeping me alive was the pain, so I reveled in it, and I used that as an excuse to meet your eyes, another caged animal, just like me…

"Stop staring." You stated coldly, and the only thing I could do was to continue. You weren't half as annoyed as you sounded, though, at that time; I had no idea what you were. I just knew that the crunching sounds of whatever they fed you helped bring you to the handsome man I saw beside me.

My former life was a great blur. I couldn't remember my own name, why I was dressed in loose military clothing, or even why I had been called 'Taisa'. The rank of a Colonel, the stripes and stars upon the uniform I wore. They meant something, I knew as much, but I could not say what they had meant. When I tried to think about it, I drew a complete blank…

"His didn't turn out at all…"

"What do we do with it?"

"The result from the transmutation was horribly malformed."

"Do we leave it?"

"It'll be dead soon on its own. Just last night it had a seizure. I'm surprised it didn't stay dead when its heart stopped."

"And if it doesn't?"

"We'll study more into it. But for now, keep up with the usual tests."

Those voices that drifted through the door…I wanted to think they were talking about someone else. I even pictured that they were talking about you, but though my memory had been horribly these past days, I knew the blank in my memory from meal time yesterday to early this morning was not just a memory lapse. I was falling apart, wasn't I? And no one there to offer me the comfort I wanted most of all.

But you…you made me grin. You, almost grudgingly, pushed a bowl of water in my direction. "Drink."

That one word, and the way you said it…it was all rather hilarious to me, and though I could not find my voice to laugh out loud, I gave you a small grin. I could not resist. You looked so adorable there, your lips formed into what looked like a permanent pout as you looked away, a cold stare in your eyes as you glared at the yellow eyes staring in our direction.

Forcing my sore, fatigued limbs to carry me over to the bars, I pulled it as close as I could, staring down in repulsiveness at what I /knew/ had once been a hand with five fingers, strong hands that had a purpose, now in the form of a rather strange looking paw, claws unable to retract in a mixture of pain, the inability to pull them in, and the fact that they were my only defense. No longer worried about it when the thoughts drifted away to what every creature needed, and the call of the water before me, I reached, scooping up some of the water, and licking it from the fur and the pads there, noting the sandpaper feeling of my tongue.

I couldn't help it. I choked. I wasn't human anymore, and the more I thought about it as I drank, the more I had to fight back the overwhelming fear and anxiety that began to override the bit of glee I had felt when you offered the rather cool water to me.

"What's wrong?"

I blinked, looking up. You still held that same look in your eye, merging with the curiosity that leaked through. What was wrong? I lost my humanity. I was trapped here. I was alone…Instead, I put on a smirk. One that felt so familiar to me. "Don't worry about it. It's my business."

You turned your head, snorting softly. "Then stop your whimpering."

I sighed, allowing my gaze to return to the water. The lights above were dim, and it did not prove enough light to allow me to see myself, for which, I was glad for. "What is your name?"

You scoffed, your arms wrapping around to embrace the bars of your cell. "I don't have one."

How…could he not have one? Sure…I didn't remember my name, but that didn't mean we didn't have one. "You just don't know what it is."

"Shut up."

I realized then there was no use in continuing. You seemed much too cold at the moment to carry a decent conversation with. "Thank you…" I muttered meagerly. I may not have wanted to, but I could feel myself growing attached to the stone wall you had seemed to be. Out of all those I had seen…you seemed to be the only one who could penetrate to my core with those piercing violet eyes of yours.

"For?"

What was I thankful for? It wasn't just the water. Little did you know, looking at that face kept me alive. You seemed to be a friend of sorts, even if you did seem to hate everything that moved and breathed. "Thank you…for everything."


Nah, it was shorter than I would have liked, but longer than the last chapter. Hope you enjoyed!