That was until the train went around a curve. As we rounded it, I heard the deafening creak and the snap of metal.

The metal railing was falling from under me. I gripped the metal tighter like it was going to keep me up on the train without me falling to my death on the rails. My legs untwisted from being wrapped around the metal bars that held the railing together. I saw my feet all too quickly. I thought for sure I was a goner. My heart pounded in my ears, all I saw was white. It wasn't from the shining sun.

That was until a hard right hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me onto the caboose platform, crushing me against his body. My arms latched around him, making sure I wasn't going anywhere. Involuntarily, tears ran down my cheeks onto the shoulder of him. My heart still pounded in my ear but not as much. My breathing came in smothered gasps.

Metal rattled and clanked against the metal rails of the train tracks. I gripped his shirt tighter in my fists. Realizing I was an inch from death, I was still human who could die at any moment. I felt his arms press protectively around my body, calming my pounding heart and ceasing my tears. I loosened my grip on his shirt but kept my face buried into his shoulder. I shuddered when I heard him speak.

"It's alright, I have you." I was waiting for the 'I told you so' to come out his lips. I knew it was coming. He told me to get off the railing before that happened. "It's going to be okay, Mick. I promise."

I couldn't calm down enough to look at him. If I wasn't waiting for those four words, I would've been calmer. But I wasn't calm anymore. As much as I felt safe in his arms, I couldn't bring myself to calm down. My mind was still reeling, trying to grasp what just happened. As soon as the rest of my mind replayed and realized who was hugging me this close, I stopped acting weak and looked up to face him.

"Why?"

"Because no one deserves to die by a train railing."

I narrowed my eyes to him, letting him know I was unamused. He did have a certain way to piss me off quickly even if he did just save my life.

"Thanks and now you can stop talking to me," I said as I pushed myself from his warm, protecting, muscular arms. As much as I wanted to be in them, I knew I had to keep up this facade of cool. After all, it was Mustang who personally requested that I babysit him. It shouldn't be the other way around.

"What. The. Fuck?" he asked as he stared at me. "No, I am not just going to accept that!"

"Yeah, well, you're gonna," I said back to him as I wiped the remaining tears that the wind didn't instantly dry off. "And don't even think about telling Al or I will kick your ass. I don't need some wrench to do it."

Thank you Al for telling me that bit of trivia last night.

Edward's face was a mixture of both confusion and pissed off. Yeah, I have a way to piss him off easily too.

"Don't bring Winry into this too! How'd you know anyway!"

"Al told me last night while you were passed out. That's nice leaving your brother hanging like that!" Now I was in for the guilt trip of a lifetime. I knew I somehow cared about Alphonse more than my own assignment of babysitting Edward.

While Edward's face started getting flustered with guilt and frustration, I took that opportunity to get back into the car. Al was probably wondering where Edward was more than me. After all, I left him in charge. Just as I opened the door to walk into the caboose, I felt that same strong hand grab my wrist firmly.

"Let me go, Edward, or you'll get a right hook to the face."

"No."

"Yes." My tone sounded dangerous. I was prepared to carry out my threat.

Edward hesitantly let go of my wrist as I jerked it away. "I won't tell Al if you stop giving me God damn guilt trips. I know what I did was a sin. I am still fucking paying for it. Al got the worst of it. Got it?"

"Fine," I said. "Whatever. But listen to this, if you don't follow what I say, I will give you a guilt trip. I'll make you regret pulling me from that railing." I paused, letting it sink in. "Besides, I know how well you are at fulfilling orders."

Edward growled. "So it is true that Colonel Bastard assigned you to me. I didn't believe it at first. Now I know. Only he would say that."

I smirked. "Then prove me wrong."

I turned from him, making my way back to where we were seated. Al's aura felt like he was hiding something. I was pretty sure it was to do with short, tanned, and cocky. I smiled to him when I saw him from across the car. I walked to him, my anger rushing away. Al really did have it tough, but he never complained about it. Hell, he made it sound like it was better than breathing. Al made it look easy.

"Al, what's wrong?" I asked sweetly. Al was the nicest guy I've met.

"I...I..." he started, his voice giving off the aura of him getting flustered. He finally said after the metaalic twinge sighed, "I misplaced Brother momentarily. I'm sorry, Mick."

I chuckled. "It's alright. We didn't stop, so we both know he's on the train unless he's stupid enough to jump off a moving train."

Al chuckled. "Brother would if it was going slowly."

"I heard that!" Edward's voice boomed from the back of the car.

"Keep it up, Edward, and we might stop and see your teacher, Izumi, while we're in Dublith," I said. Oh the things you learn from the younger brother while the older is off dreaming he was taller than others.

"What are you talking about, the lead isn't in Dublith!" Edward sounded as annoyed as I felt. I was ready to tranmute him down to the train seat and restrain him there, completing the transmutation with something over his mouth.

"No, but we are stopping there over night until we can board the east bound train tomorrow morning."

"Teacher's house?" Now Edward sounded annoyed and scared.

"Yeah, Izumi's," I said. I smirked, knowing this was causing some internal pain. "I'd love to meet her."

"Hell no," Edward said suddenly after an elongated pause. "There is no way in hell we are stopping in Dublith and seeing Teacher. She still wants to kill us for performing a human transmutation."

"But, Ed, she's glad we're still alright and we have each other," Al said, cutting in.

"Come on, Ed, it can't be that bad," I said as the town started to come into the clearing.

"WHAT HAVE MY STUPID APPRENTICES DONE THIS TIME TO EARN THEMSELVES A BODYGUARD?" the rather pretty, but pissed, woman asked as she threw a meat cleaver in the direction of Edward and Al, narrowly missing both. Both brothers screamed in fear.

This is when my babysitting duties came into play. "They haven't done anything, Mrs. Curtis, ma'am. Colonel Mustang merely wants to ensure Edward's safety. Since letting him go off on his own has failed a few times, many of them landing Edward in the hospital and Al in shambles, he's asked me to make sure they can get through an assignment in one piece." I was as calm as I could be with the present fear of having something thrown at me.

Izumi smiled gently to me, still prepared to throw a butcher knife at someone. "Thank you for that explaination. It was all I needed, but didn't get from my apprentices." I hope I see the day when my mood can be like that. Raging anger one moment and a gentle woman the next. This woman was my new hero.

"You're welcome, ma'am," I said with a smile.

"And who might you be?"

"Mickaela Anderson," I said as I held out my hand. "I am contracted to the military but not enlisted." I tried to be as careful as I could with my words, making sure she knew I wasn't enlisted. She had a reputation for telling military personel what she thought of them, Edward included.

"So, what ranking did they give you?"

"Captain," I said, my voice unwavering like Edward or Al's were just two minutes ago.

"Pleasure to meet you, Captain Anderson," she said as he shook my hand. "You're welcome in my home."

"What the hell?" Edward groaned as he watched it unfold.

"Thank you, ma'am," I said to her with a smile. "I would love to stay here with you tonight, if it's alright with you."

"No way in hell," Edward said.

I snapped around to him. "Shut it, Edward."

Izumi laughed. "Of course you three can stay until your train. Anyone who is brave enough to be assigned to those two have my respect. I know how they can be."

I smiled wider. "Thank you again, ma'am."

"Please, Captain Anderson, call me Izumi."

For once, it felt like I had a motherly figure around me. I havent' felt that in a long time.

"I will," I said, a softer smile on my lips. "Please, Izumi, I am only seventeen. Call me Mickaela."

I felt Edward and Al freeze behind me. I told them to call me Mick. Now I wanted their teacher to call me Mickaela. I knew they were beyond confused. Al knows, but Edward doesn't know that I've been without a motherly figure for a long time. They had Izumi and Pinako when I had no one. I was a loner because of it.

Izumi smiled softly, like a mother would. "Mickaela. Such a beautiful name. Well, come on in you three." I walked in, forcing Edward and Al to get the luggage. Izumi started laughing as they walked in. "Oh, Ed, Al, you'redoing work while you're here."

"Yes, ma'am," Al said knowing that physical exertion would have no effect on him.

"What the hell for?" Edward asked in complete protest.

"Because I am still your teacher and it will give Mickaela here a break from you. I am sure she needs it after a train ride here."

That woman understood me more than I thought.

"Come on, Edward. Listen to her, it's an order," I said. He gave me a glare. "Besides, you always have to listen to your elders."

Just as Izumi and I walked away, I caught what Edward muttered, "You're not older or taller, so does that mean I don't have to take orders from you?"

I wanted to turn around and deck him if I didn't have to call Mustang and tell him I got the boys to their teacher's house without a hitch. Once we were in the rest of the house, and I was near a phone, I called him.

"This is Mustang," his deep, resonating voice said. I could tell I was in the middle of his paperwork that he was putting off until the last minute.

"Colonel, this is Captain Anderson, I hope I am not interrupting anything," I said. Even if I wasn't contracted, I still wanted to give him his proper honorific.

"Not at all, Anderson, what do you need?" he asked, his voice getting a litte lighter.

"I just wanted to tell you we're in Dublith with their teacher, Izumi Curtis."

Even I heard the pen drop onto his wooden desk.

"How the hell did you manage that, Mickaela? Miss Rockbell couldn't get them there if she tried. Just answer me how the fuck you managed it."

I smirked. Oh, so there was something that Rockbell girl can't do. From the stories from the both of them, she did nearly everything.

"Simple, I guess," I said. "I just told Edward we were going there. After some groaning, complaining, stalling, more complaining, and a few swear words directed toward me, we got there."

There was a long pause. I was positive Mustang stopped breathing.

"Remind me to promote you," he said proudly. "Now, Captain, promise me something."

Oh, here we go, Mustang sticking his nose in to make sure things went his way.

"Yes, Colonel?"

"No in-military relationships, okay?"

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. "Yes, sir."

Why the hell would I fall for Edward? He and Alphonse were the only ones in the military close enough to me. Why would he need to tell me that? My mind hazed to the brief time when I was in Edward's arms, feeling safe. I widened my eyes, maybe my body was already do the falling part and I was fucked. I shook my head, putting the thought out. Edward wasn't my type.

I felt Mustang smile. "Now, was there any incident?"

Yeah, I almost fucking died if it wasn't for Edward for stalking me.

"No, sir," I said. I didn't have to know Mustang for long to know when to lie to the guy. He maybe a superior officer, but if he's sending me out to protect Edward and Al, he must care deeply for them.

"Good," he said. "Call back in a few days, or on your way home. Thank you."

"You're welcome, sir," I said.

Mustang chuckled. "You can call me Roy," he said. "After all, we're going to be dealing a lot with each other as long as you're still working with the Elric brothers."

"Yes, sir," I said. I looked around. "I have to go. Talk to you soon, sir." I couldn't bring ymself to say his first name without feeling like I was disrespecting him.

"It's Roy," he said as I hung up.