Wow! I was so thrilled to get back from class and find two reviews and a favorite story rating waiting for me! I'd only posted moments before class started, so I'm terribly flattered. Just for that, I'm posting the 2nd section of the story (by the by, there are only 4 sections)! Oh, and thanks again to my reviewers who let me know that the website addresses I'd added had been erased. They are now posted with spaces between in the Chapter 1 author's note. The disclaimer applies throughout the whole story, so with no further ado...

Update again! To my reviewers, I'm sorry! I was trying to fix the first chapter mistakes and pushed the wrong buttons! So I had to completely reload my whole story again, and your reviews were deleted. However, I've already replied to two of you, and I have copies of all the reviews in my personal email! Thank you so much for reviewing though!

To Mage of Dragons: Thank you for reviewing! The reply link became invalid after I messed up the upload, so I wanted to let you know that I recieved your review and an so glad that you like the story. And so, for my lovely readers who made me feel so flattered with their praises, here's section two!

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Herding the last student out the door, Al breathed a soft sigh of relief as he turned the lock. Even though their enthusiasm was invigorating, they had a lot of work to do. Looking at his brother, Al almost snorted. Ed was no help. He was still buried in notes, scribbling theory and attempting to reinvent the entire field of chemistry (or something like that).

Looking at the clock, Al sighed. It was already after five. He'd have to cancel, again.

"Alphonse, hasn't Ed pulled his head out of that theory yet?"

Al shook his head, turning to face Mustang.

"Well, pull him out. I have a special job tonight."

Unwillingly, Ed was forced to put down his research. He scowled, looking at the chemicals and equipment spread out on the table.

"Wait, aren't these the lab experiments you were supposed to start fixing weeks ago?" he asked, glaring at Mustang.

Roy shrugged and smirked.

"Guess it slipped my mind."

Ed snorted.

"Yeah, sure. So, what, you want us to do them for you?"

"Why Ed," Mustang smirked, "You're too kind. I was only going to ask for some help, but if you insist…"

"Ha ha, very funny, Mustang."

Ed picked up a summary sheet, scanning it briefly.

"Hmm, okay, this is doable. So, when do you need the results?"

"Oh, by Monday."

Two blonde heads turned and gaped.

"Monday?!?"

Looking back down at the sheet, Ed did some swift mental calculations. Frowning, he looked up at Mustang.

"Don't you know how long all of these take?"

Mustang nodded.

"Yes."

Ed exploded.

"But to get the results you want, I'll have to start now and stay here all weekend!"

Mustang leaned on one hand, his expression bored.

"I admire your immediate grasp of the situation, Ed. You'd better get to work."

Ed crunched the paper in his hand.

"Damn it, Mustang, I'm not your slave!" he yelled, barely keeping himself from punching the man.

Mustang's bored look sharpened slightly, then he offered an almost-smile in commiseration.

"Ed, don't worry, you're being paid overtime for any work you do. Besides, with two people working…"

"No!"

Mustang's expression was surprised as he looked down at Ed.

"No! I'm not making Al stay here all weekend! He has his own life!"

"Brother," Al interjected, "I really…"

"Of course not," Mustang said. "In fact, if your brother isn't cleaned up and out of here in the next ten minutes, he just might not have a job to come back to."

Turning to Al, Mustang added, "You need to tell me when you have plans, Alphonse. You shouldn't have to cancel because I keep you here late. I trust you to finish your work. Now, go before your date decides to murder me."

Al gaped at Mustang.

"How did you…?"

Mustang smirked.

"I'm omniscient, Alphonse, haven't I told you?"

When Al's face remained blank, Mustang sighed.

"It's called a telephone, Alphonse," Roy chuckled. "Your girlfriend is quite adept at using one."

Ed had remained silent throughout the exchange, but he was finally jerked into action.

"Girlfriend?" he asked incredulously, "You have a girlfriend?"

Al nodded sheepishly.

"Winry and I have been dating for a while now. I'm sorry for not telling you, Broth…umph!"

"My little brother's all grown up," Ed growled proudly as he suffocated Al in a hug. Drawing back, he reached out and punched the younger man's arm. Hard.

"Ow!"

"Hmph, that's for keeping secrets from me," he added with a smirk. "Always knew you liked Winry."

Looking back at Roy, who merely tapped his wristwatch, Al grinned brightly, grabbed his things and ran for the door.

Stopping in the doorway, he turned back.

"Thank you," he breathed emphatically, and then he was gone, running down the hallway.

Ed watched fondly as his brother left, and then turned to Mustang.

"You said 'two people.' So, who'd you get to help me?"

Mustang smirked at him, gesturing with his arms.

"You know, Ed, becoming a teacher requires more than learning to stand up front and look good," he paused while Ed snorted. "It also requires at least a rudimentary understanding of one's topic. I think that I'm perfectly capable of 'assisting' you."

Roy watched as golden eyes widened and the color drained from Ed's face.

"Crap. Crap, crap, crap! No! Not in a million years! I am not spending the weekend in a lab with you!"

A noise from the doorway made them both turn.

"I thought you were leaving, Alphonse," Roy said, rather glad for a distraction. He didn't feel like being killed by a raging Edward.

Al nodded.

"I am leaving, but I forgot something."

Turning to Ed, he scowled.

"Brother," he said, in a tone that made Ed wince and shrink back, "Just because I'm not here doesn't mean that you don't have to behave. You are not allowed to kill, maim, or otherwise injure Professor Mustang."

Stopping he thought for a moment, then added, "And watch your language."

Roy chuckled, until Al turned to him.

"Professor," he said, his voice stern, "I respect you greatly, and am extremely thankful for the chance you've given us, but it is my brother you're messing with."

Al glared a moment longer before his expression turned sly.

"Be gentle," he added with a smirk. He let one eyelid drop lazily.

Roy's eyes widened perceptibly. 'Who has Alphonse been talking to?' Either his sweet TA wasn't as innocent as he had thought, or he'd been talking with…Hughes.

Ed, confused, looked back and forth between the two, as Roy's smirk turned slightly homicidal, and Alphonse grinned cheekily even as he edged toward the door.

"'Bye, professor, 'bye Brother!" he called, "Don't kill each other!"

Ed waved half heartedly, grumbling to himself as he turned back toward his earlier experiment. Turning off the gas valve, he jotted down notes while the beaker fizzed and cooled. Slowly but surely, each piece of equipment was measured, catalogued, emptied, cleaned and put neatly in its place.

Ed was extremely neat in the lab. If Roy hadn't heard Al berating Ed for his "pigsty of a room," he would've assumed the man lived in a completely sterile environment. It spoke volumes of his dedication to his science, and made him the perfect aid. Roy himself was not a naturally neat person. He had a tendency to let things wait before cleaning them up. Ed hated that. He always cleaned up Roy's messes, yelling at him the entire time. Not that the scolding helped though. Just the opposite, in fact. After all, who could resist getting Ed worked up? His cheeks would redden and his eyes would flash, and he would growl and yell and flail until somebody heard him. It was almost as amazing as the moments when his genius came out, when malice and dislike were dropped, when his mind would open, taking in any and all information, and you could almost see the equations and theories running through his eyes, which were lit with a fire entirely different from the fire of his anger. Everything about Ed was fire; a fiery passion for science, and a fiery temper to match. Roy didn't mind. He'd always been a bit of a pyro, anyway.

"Hey, old man, wake up. I'd like to finish this before I grow a beard."

Blinking, Roy looked down at a pair of sarcastic golden eyes. Lifting an eyebrow at his TA, he turned away to grab his lab gear. He was almost to the closet when Ed's comment hit home.

"Who're you calling old?!?"

It took some time, but eventually their bickering halted as they each became wrapped up in their work. By some unspoken agreement, they kept going through the night, taking shifts and catching a few hours' sleep on the sofa in Roy's office (which really was too comfortable to resist). Roy cleaned up and disappeared for an hour or two, calling out, "Staff meeting," by way of explanation as he shut the door behind him. He had to say it again when he got back and Edward attacked him for slacking off.

Roy smirked to himself. His swift rejoinder ("Why, Edward, did you miss me?") sent Ed sputtering back to his work ad left them in comparative silence. At least until lunchtime.

The third or fourth time Roy was startled by a fierce gurgling, he looked up at Ed. Completely oblivious, the young man toiled on.

"Edward."

He turned at the sound of Roy's voice.

"What?"

Roy gave a tired smile.

"Go get some lunch. I can hear your stomach from here."

Ed turned away.

"You go," he muttered. "I'm not hungry."

Moments later, there was a hand on his brow and another checking the pulse at his wrist. He glared and jerked away from Mustang's grasp, seeing the amusement in artificially-amazed eyes.

"Who are you and what have you done with Edward?" Mustang asked, jokingly, "Because I know for a fact that Edward Elric is never 'not hungry'."

Ed just glared, his frown deepening as his stomach piped up again and disproved his words. But there was nothing he could do. He hadn't brought money for more than yesterday's lunch.

Roy was a little worried. Usually when one of the boys refused food they were sick or couldn't afford…oh. His smirk came back to cover his moment of revelation.

"Actually, Edward," Roy started, watching Ed's eyes snap up to his, "If you could bear the indignity of doing me a favor," ah, and there was the incredulous snort, "I'm feeling a bit hungry myself. You could pick up lunch for me when you're out as well."

Ed hissed at him.

"I'm not your personal servant, you lazy old man!"

'Gotcha!' Roy thought, pulling out his wallet.

"I wasn't insinuating that you were, Edward. In fact, how about this? If you're willing to get my lunch while you're out and bring it back, provided it isn't poisoned or something equally disagreeable, I'll pay for both our lunches."

He decided to throw in the clincher.

"Unless, of course, two whole lunch boxes are too large for you to handle?"

"WHO'RE YOU CALLING…?"

An exceptionally loud protest from his stomach stopped Ed's rant before it began. With a venomous glare, he snatched the proffered money and stomped out the door, leaving Roy chuckling in the lab after the door slammed behind him.