Chapter Two
Confrontations and Secrets

'In the part of this universe that we know, there is great injustice, and often the good suffer, and the wicked prosper, and one hardly knows which of these is the more annoying.'
-- Bertrand Russell
"It's a nice place you've got here Hawkeye. Or – wait – Mrs. Mustang." He grinned cheekily at her as she led him into the rather large house. "So, it's just the two of you here?" He asked slyly and she nodded.

"And Black Hayate of course." She replied.

"Of course. When does Mustang usually make his grand appearance?" Ed asked, rolling his eyes and dropping his light suitcase on the spotless floor and looking around. The house was indeed beautiful, and he wondered how they had been able to afford it. Last he had known the both of them were living in shabby apartments. Well, Hawkeye's was considerably cleaner, but still shabby.

The hallway was painted white, with a decorated rug continuing down the corridor. The lounge was luxuriously furnished, with black leather seats and a glass coffee table – the seats looking as though Mustang had snitched them from work while the higher ups weren't looking. There were paintings that were hung on the wall, mostly scenery views; and a considerably large bookshelf, with what looked like a lot of stereotypical alchemic texts. There was a large window that over looked a veranda with a pool in the back yard.

"Once he's finished his paperwork he should head home, sometimes he does head out, but I think he'll be coming earlier so he can question you." She answered, setting the groceries they had picked up on the way in the kitchen.

"The only thing you're missing in this house is a Television." Ed sighed wistfully. "Maybe I could make one." He pondered aloud, "But then there's be no stations, I'd have to make a camera too, and I don't know how they work. Damn."

"What are you going on about Ed? A television?" Hawkeye stared at him. "And we've plenty of cameras that Hughes had given Roy." She said.

"Not moving ones." He said, thoughtful. "Hey Hawkeye?" he asked. She looked over at him curiously.

"D'you think you could show me where they buried him, I haven't been yet…" She nodded.

"I wasn't aware you knew he had passed on." She said quietly.

"Scheiska kinda let it slip when we were hiding out in Risembool, gotta remember to punch the Colonel for that. I don't care what his reasons were." He said before she could begin to defend him. "So I know the Colonel was promoted what about you lot?" he asked conversationally.

"I've been promoted to Colonel." She replied.

"Ooh, you beat me now. What a shame." She smiled at him.

"I'll still call you 'sir' if it will make you feel better."

"Nah, Ed's good."

"Fuery and Falman were made Lieutenants. And Havoc and Breda are Majors. Armstrong quit the military to help rebuild Lior and Ishbal."

"He quit, huh?" Ed mused. "Can't say I blame him; I'm surprised you lot are all still in the military. But, there you go rising through the ranks, and I never got higher than the lowest a State Alchemist can be." He said with a grin. "Am I even a State Alchemist anymore?" He wondered aloud.

"Well, Roy's sorting that out at the moment. You were labeled MIA for a while. That's Missing in Action, by the way."

"I know what it means, Hawkeye." Ed said, rolling his eyes. "I'm not that unknowledgeable in the area of military terms." She didn't say anything, merely smiled softly at him and turned to start preparing the evening meal. "Need any help?" He offered.

"I don't trust Alchemists' in my kitchen." She answered. "When I said flame grilled, I didn't mean set the kitchen on fire. Because of that, no one is in the kitchen but me when I'm cooking." Ed laughed and brought a chair over, sitting himself down so that he could see over the bench-top. "Winry won't be arriving until tomorrow morning sometime; I've organized for Mrs. Hughes to pick her up from the train station and she'll either stay with them, Scheiska or Alphonse."

"Okay."

Shortly after everything was cooking away in the kitchen Hawkeye showed Edward to her room in that efficient manor that just seemed natural to her. He thanked her, and flopped down on the bed while she attended to other things. He took of his boots and his coat and sighed heavily, withdrawing from his pocket an old photograph. He stared longingly at the picture for a moment, before he heard approaching footsteps, and hastily stowed it away.

Riza appeared in the door frame again, stating that dinner was almost ready and she suggested he wash up.

"About this argument between you and Alphonse," Hawkeye begun later that evening when they were eating the meal that she had made. Ed had to admit, she was an accomplished cook. "Care to enlighten me with what happened?" She asked gently, and he sighed.

"I don't know," He admitted. "I went to visit him after I got the address from a phonebook." He laughed slightly. "I'd wanted to see him for so long, just to make sure…that he was alright." Hawkeye knew the look on his face, that sad smile he used to wear when he always spoke of his family, most of the time when they weren't around. "We hugged and all that kind of stuff, and then we started talking and well…one thing led to another and when I wouldn't tell him where I'd been we started arguing." He sighed again. "He changed a lot, although I can't say I shouldn't have expected it. 15 years is an awfully long time…"

"Alphonse was the first person you saw?" She asked, and he nodded, taking a bite of his schnitzel. "I suppose no one's told you yet then, that he doesn't remember those four years he spent in the armor?" Ed shook his head.

"No, he told me." He said, pieces of broccoli flying everywhere. He sent her an apologetic look.

"Don't talk with your mouth full." She scolded and he rolled his eyes and swallowed.

"I just…I thought it shouldn't have made too much of a difference. But I was being hot-headed again. I can't say I remember all the details of out childhood before the transmutation as well as I'd like to. And if he doesn't even remember the moments after…it's as though we didn't spend much time together at all. All those things that affected the both of us, no longer affect him, and he doesn't know why I'm always so…" he searched for the right word. "Different. I'm just different then what he would remember."

"He remembers you." Hawkeye said. "He spent most of the first few years looking for you. He even approached Roy about becoming a State Alchemist, but I suppose Roy was feeling guilty about what we'd assumed had happened to you and wouldn't let him."

"Damn straight!" Ed said. "First thing the bastards done right. He knows I'd smash him to a pulp if he let Alphonse join the military." Hawkeye laughed at him and he grinned. But then the grin faded. "I suppose its better he doesn't remember." Ed said and Hawkeye frowned slightly. "A lot of it wasn't pretty." She gathered up their empty plates, putting them in the sink of water.

"Would you forget it? If you had the chance?" she asked. Ed smiled.

"No, I suppose not." He replied. "Thanks for the dinner, delicious!" She thanked him and noticed that he was right. The young boy she'd known had grown up.

He got up and took over the chore of doing the dishes. "I've done it before; I'm not going to blow up the kitchen." He argued when she protested, and she took the same seat that he had dragged over to the kitchen. "I just…" He began hesitantly, his back facing her. "He's happy." He said finally. "He's got a wife and they're expecting a kid. I don't want to ruin that with my problems, so I decided then and there to keep it to myself. And despite that, the argument broke out so easily. I'm not sure if he wants me there."

"Of course he wants you there." Hawkeye reasoned. "Didn't I just say he spent most of his time looking for you? You're brothers; nothing's going to change that."

"Hmm, maybe so. Either way, I suppose things'll work themselves out in the end. Maybe he just needs some time to process it all. Maybe I need some time to process it all. Everything here is so different then to what I've become accustomed to…" Hawkeye was left to wonder at the question, and Edward finished the dishes, leaving them to dry on the rack and opting to have a shower.

"We're all practically family, Edward. No matter how much you've changed. Just announce things like the boys do." He smiled at her again, and she noticed that they were all indeed sad smiles, and that saddened her. Once again, her curiosity was aroused, but once again, she opted to keep her questions to herself until he was ready to share. She'd already gotten plenty out of him tonight.

"Thanks." He said quietly, and she could tell he meant it. "Could you look after my arm? Actually, if Winry's coming tomorrow, throw it out." He said, popping the arm – much to Hawkeye's surprise – right out of its socket. "Plastic." Edward explained. "Best artificial limb technology that there was."

"That's not technology." Hawkeye argued, looking at the flimsy arm. Ed laughed.

"Try living with it." He replied.

"What about your leg?" she asked and Ed pulled up the bottom of his pants, revealing the flesh beneath.

"Good as new." He replied, heading out to have a shower. Riza stared at the arm in her hand for a second, then laughed, and tossed it out for Black-Hayate to chew on. He barked happily at her, and turned to bury it in the lawn.

By the time Edward had returned from showering and re-dressing, Mustang and Hawkeye were sitting on the lounge discussing something he didn't care about. He walked in and winked at them. "Having some 'alone' time huh?" He asked slyly and Hawkeye chose to pretend she hadn't heard.

Mustang raised an eyebrow, then suddenly threw his arm around Hawkeye's shoulder and pulled her closer to him. "Jealous, Fullmetal?" He asked. "That I've found a way to pass the time?" He smirked and Ed merely rolled his eyes. "You owe me Fullmetal, do you have any idea how much paperwork I had to do to get your records to say 'alive'?" Mustang complained.

"Good, I hope the pile was as high as Mount Everest." He replied cheerfully.

"What?" The both of them replied in unison.

"Really big mountain…ah never mind." He said, waving his arm at them.

"What happened to your arm Fullmetal?" Mustang asked, cocking his one visible eyebrow.

"I gave it to Black-Hayate." Hawkeye answered instead.

"I'm surprised that dogs still alive, it's like," he paused, doing the math in his head. "130 something in dog years."

"He's a survivor." Hawkeye answered fondly.

"Look, Fullmetal, we need to talk." Mustang said shortly. Here we go. Ed thought. "First things first, how have you been doing?" He asked, much to the surprise of Ed.

"What?" Ed asked, looking at him incredulously. Then he narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "Hawkeye told you that I wasn't going to say anything, didn't she." Mustang smirked, but before Ed could add in another 'predictable' he nodded.

"Yes, yes. But I can't say I'm not curious about other aspects of you absence." He replied. "So, how have you been?"

"Alright, I suppose," He said, trying to ignore the awkwardness associated with discussing feelings and well-being with Mustang of all people. "I've run into a bit of trouble here and there, but I appear to have a knack for attracting it." He said slowly. "And well…life's been a bitch as it always was." He said and Mustang rolled his eye.

"Always the optimist." He said sarcastically and Ed sneered at him, in a friendly way. "Riza tells me you're already filled in with Alphonse's situation. I suppose he also told you that he returned to Dublith to study with your teacher. He studied for a bit, traveled around, and when I wouldn't let him become a State Alchemist I heard he went to the other foreign countries."

"He met Michelle, his wife, in Drachma." Hawkeye added. "Once you get over your spat you can ask him about it yourself."

"After Fürher King Bradley was defeated, the military handed over control to the assembly. It's been governed like that for a long time, the small wars stopped years ago, though I think there's still a few going on over by the Eastern Borders. Needless to say, the change definitely was for the better." Mustang remarked.

"Awww! I know you're trying to hide your disappointment at never realizing your mini-skirt dream Mustang." Ed said, in an annoying mocking tone. Mustang smirked.

"I won't deny it." He said and Ed scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Riza and I were married almost 6 years ago, and I believe Alphonse has been with Michelle for 2 now."

"Winry went and studied in Rush Valley, she and Alphonse made a promise about something, but I'm unsure what it was. I know that…Pinako passed away." Hawkeye said hesitantly.

Ed sighed. "Yeah, Al told me. I expected that, she was old after all." He said quietly.

"Scheiska continued doing work for the military, but she quit a few years ago. She helps Gracia run a small hotel-like thing near their house." Ed laughed at that, and Hawkeye regarded him curiously.

"Nothing," He said, "I just…never mind. Just reminded me of something. Inside joke." He said, trying to brush off their strange looks. Hawkeye continued.

"The Ishbalan policy was reversed, and the city was rebuilt as well as Lior. I believe Rose moved back there for a while, but decided she liked the country better. She's living with Winry in Risembool now with her boy. I think he's Winry's apprentice."

"That sounds right; Winry would drag someone else into her crazy obsession. She can't help herself." He replied, before letting out a yawn.

"Look, Fullmetal." Mustang said and Ed resisted the urge to sigh, believing an argument was about to break out.

"I'm not goi–" He began, but Mustang cut him off.

"Go to bed, and try to think up some kind of believable explanation for where you've been." This time, he actually sighed. Mustang noticed he'd been doing that a lot as of late. Since when did Edward sigh?

"If I didn't tell Al, frankly, you've got no chance in hell. Don't start meddling in things you don't understand." He said, somewhat coldly, before standing up and deciding to take Mustang's advice and go to sleep.

"Hey!" Mustang replied loudly. "15 years is a long time Fullmetal!" He argued. "If I'm a little concerned about whatever the hell kind of mess that you've gotten yourself into, then it shouldn't be that big of a deal. If you tell me what's going on then maybe we can help." Ed ignored him and turned to go to the room Hawkeye had shown him.

"Edward." Hawkeye said and he stopped, growling in annoyance.

"You can't help." He replied at length. "What's done is done, and nothing's going to change that. You and I both know that we can't turn back time. If I don't want to talk about what happened, than that's my problem; and that should be good enough for you." With that, he headed into the guest room, muttering under his breath in German.

"Is that English?" Mustang asked Hawkeye shook her head. (1)

"No," She sighed. "I don't like this Roy, I didn't want him to come back and be like this." She said quietly.

"I don't think anybody did. I'm getting answers." He said determinedly.

"Be careful, I don't want to scare him away."

'I dream of a better tomorrow; where chickens can cross the road without having their motives questioned.'

(1) Yes, I realise their main language wouldn't be called English due to the fact that England doesn't exist, but…oh well.