Pinako didn't pause as she passed the old burned shell of the Elric home; didn't even slow her step. It wasn't in her nature to brood about the past or give reverence to old useless things. It would lead most people to think the word sacred had never ventured into her vocabulary, but those folks would be wrong. She held a few items in important respect and understood the importance of things to look back on.

One would suppose that was why a few days after Winry left she hired the Henderson boys to paint the house its usual yellow, even though that was two months earlier than usual. Or maybe why in her weekly parts order she continued to stock the machine oil her favored customer was known to use. Or perhaps that's why she religiously put out twin bowls of milk and table scraps for the hungry neighborhood kittens.

She smiled in her musings, remembering how a young Al was constantly scolded for feeding strays at his home. One day she found him curled up with Den in her basket, snot running from his nose and eyes swollen almost shut with tears.

"Al, what happened?"

His chin had quivered as he looked up at her before he scrambled up, burying his sad little face in her apron. "Mommy, mommy said that I couldn't feed the kitties anymore. She –She says that they make a mess and scratch Ed. I don't want for the kitties to be…to…be…" He sniffled hard before finishing his sentence, "to be hungry!" He had burst into a fresh round of tears and she rolled her eyes as she patted his head. She waited until the sobbing had died down to hiccups before she spoke.

"How about if you feed the kitties here?"

Glassy eyes full of hope, tears still dripping off the long eyelashes, looked up at her. "Really Granny?"

"Really Al."

"But, how will they know to come over here?"

"Mmm…I'll tell you what. You go git Winry and tell her to help you round the kitties up. I'll put out food. That way they'll know and be fed."

"Okay!" He had jumped away, running for the stairs. "Winry!" "Oh, but Granny, what about Ed?"

"You tell him I said to help."

"Yay!" She shook her head as his little boots thundered up the stairs.

"Hey, Dr. Rockbell!" A voice calling out snapped her from her reverie. Nodding her chin back in reply she pressed her lips hard together. Enough reminiscing, old lady. Tobacco and beer were waiting to be sampled and bought. After all, there were some things she considered sacred.