Again I worked very hard on this chapter so please review. In case anyone has noticed, or if anyone cares, every couple chapters or so I'm taking an episode and writing it down, that's a lot of work but I feel personally gratification from it; I don't know why. The song is Heaven by DJ Sammy but is based on the candle light remix, very beautiful version of the song but I still like the techno version too.

"So boy's, you really think you're ready to take the alchemy exam?" Roy asked from behind his desk. Ed, Al and Sayla sat across from him comfortably.

"Just tell me what to wear to graduation." Ed stated with a smirk. In return Roy smiled back.

"Careful Ed, I'd hate for you to get cocky." He said sliding a clip board across his desk to Edward. Ed picked it up flipping the pages reading.

"As you know you find your own training. I suggest him." Roy said.

"Sewing life alchemist huh?" Ed asked

."Shou Tucker, practically wrote the book on bringing things to life." Sayla said glancing at Edward and smiling a little at the shocked look that suddenly made its way across his face. A few minutes later the three found themselves in the back of Roy's private car as he explained Shou Tucker's background.

"Two years ago Mr. Tucker made a chimera using alchemy that could actually speak our language." He said lowering the clipboard he held in his hands.

"Quite a feat." Sayla said quietly as if to herself her eyes just as wide as Edwards.

"How the heck did he do that?" Ed questioned.

"Beat's me." Roy replied. "I guess it was some kind of composite of several animals with different genes, got the brass in an uproar. Needless to say he passed the exam."

"Sounds awesome." Ed said amazed.

"Yeah." Al agreed. The car came to a stop and the passengers made their way out to stand in front of the gates to the estate.

"Now it's not just the three of you, Mr. Tucker has a four year old so be polite." Roy said glancing at Sayla as he gave a small understanding nod.

"What about his wife?" Al asked.

"Let's go in." Roy said walking to the front door with Sayla close behind not answering the question. Ed and Al stopped dead in their tracks staring up at the mansion.

"That's his house?" Ed asked amazed. "It's sooo..."

"Yeah it's pretty big." Al finished as Ed trailed off. Roy rang the bell that hung by the front door turning around to face the Elric's.

"Come on boys, the door's over here." He said. The two promptly snapped out of their daze.

"Right." Ed said making his way to the door with Al by his side. A sudden stir in the bushes caught their attention as a large white dog jumped out with a howl landing on top of Edward whom when down with a yell face first on the ground. The dog looked up at the others happily panting.

"Guess everything's big here." Sayla said that was slightly laced with a giggle. The front door opened and a little girl stood her long brown hair braided. Behind her stood an older gentleman who looked just as surprised.

"You know that's bad Alexander." The little girl said.

"Oh my, I'm sorry." The man apologized. Ed looked up the look of shock slightly wearing off.

"No prob, just don't say; roll over." He replied. Mr. Tucker grabbed the dog off of Ed and invited them inside. He walked in ahead and began picking up books that lay on the floor scattered and piled in every corner.

"Sorry about the mess." He apologized again. "We just lack a women's touch. Oh, I'm sorry my dear that was sexist wasn't it?" He said glancing back at Sayla slightly embarrassed.

"I've heard worse." She replied with a small shrug. Mr. Tucker seemed to relax a bit as he stood back up.

"I've been so out of sorts lately." He said his arms full of the books he had managed to grab. The small girl ran over to Alphonse and grabbed his hand tugging on it. She gave a small awe of amazement before looking up at him.

"Hey daddy, bigger brother's clothes are funny. Their like our pot's and pans." She said. "Aren't they heavy?" She asked Al. Al gave small laugh.

"That's okay. Bigger brother is very strong." He said.

"Oh." She said. Al felt someone looking at him and found Mr. Tucker actually staring at him. He knew instantly what that look meant, he knew about Al's body and his soul. Al panicked for a moment before Roy intervened.

"Mr. Tucker, I'm sure you'll have a chance to talk to these boy's about their unusual traits. Until them please, just take them as they are. Sayla will be staying as well to keep them in line." Roy said glancing down at her. Sayla caught his gaze only looking for a moment before bringing her attention back to Mr. Tucker.

"Keep us in line? Can't you give us a little credit?" Ed asked bringing a hand to the back of his head as a small smile crept across his lips. Inwardly he was celebrating. Mr. Tucker turned his attention to his daughter that still hung onto Al's hand.

"Nina, why don't you go play in the courtyard for a while." He said. The little girl looked at him vocalizing her disappointment. "I bet Alexander's lonely." Nina knew this was a sign to leave the room.

"We'll play later, okay?" She said to Al giving him one last tug before running off.

"Sometimes I wonder if I have the vigor to raise her right." Mr. Tucker said once she had left the room. "You're so young to be taking the exam. I'm happy to help." He said turning his attention to Edward and Alphonse.

"And we thank you for it Mr. Tucker." Ed said politely. "To start we'd love to see that chimera you created."

"The talking one!" Al said excitedly. Mr. Tucker's friendly smile turned to one of slight shock before he looked down at the ground.

"I'm sorry you've come too late. It died shortly after it was made." He said with a slight hint of sadness in his voice. The three gasped as the words fell from his lips.

"Besides, studying for the exam comes first. It's a monster." He said his tone lightening. "You'll need much more than an overnight cram session to pass. Come now I'll show you to the room where you'll find helpful reading material in your studies." They walked up a flight of stairs and down a hallway. Mr. Tucker opened the door at the end and turned on the lights.

"Wow!" Ed and Al exclaimed in unison.

"This is the reference room, you're welcome to it and that goes for you as well Major Hosner." Mr. Tucker said. She looked up at him smiling slightly embarrassed.

"Please just Sayla." She replied. Mr. Tucker nodded.

"I've never seen so many books and their all about alchemy?" Al asked as Ed ran over to a shelf excitedly.

"This collection is nothing really." Mr. Tucker said.

"You should see the alchemy floor they have at the national library in central. Now that can just get you dizzy." Sayla said with a smile. Edward ran his fingers over the bindings before resting on one and grabbed it.

"Books are the greatest tools us alchemist's have." Mr. Tucker said. "Pass your exam and you'll have access to dozens no hundreds more times more knowledge."

"Really? Brother we should get started." Al said turning to his brother. Ed's attention was fully engrossed in the book he had just grabbed.

"It looks like he already has." He said. Sayla walked out of the room down the hall to see Roy standing at the bottom of the stairs. She walked down slowly as their eyes locked.

"You know what you have to do right?" He asked as her feet touched the ground.

"Of course, do all the work and let them get the credit for it." Sayla said with a slight nod.

"Sayla…" He said his voice lowering slightly reprimanding her but held amusement behind it.

"I was just kidding!" She replied. Sayla grabbed his hand shaking it briefly before letting go. Roy simply looked at their hand shake then back at her.

"What was that? Get over here." He said lifting her off the ground in a hug. She giggled wrapping her arms around her 'big brother' before he put her back down.

"Report to me once a week to let me know how their doing and keep in mind that this is official military business major so not too much goofing off right?" Roy said with the smile that made his coal black eyes sparkle. Sayla smiled back.

"Of course not." She said. Roy nodded and let himself out. Sayla thought for a minute before running to the door.

"Can you have my mail forwarded here?" She asked. Roy didn't reply simply put a hand up in acknowledgement that she had been heard.

A few hours later and everyone reconvened at the dinner table.

"Edward are you progressing well in your studies?" Mr. Tucker asked.

"Some but I've got to speed up, there's so much I don't know." He replied.

"Yes the more steps we take forward the longer we see the path is ahead but you're so young, you needn't worry about taking the exam this year." Mr. Tucker said.

"No." Ed said much to the man's astonishment at his defiance. "I don't care what the odds are. I don't care how long the path is. I don't make excuses." Nina suddenly gave a small cry causing everyone to glance at her.

"Bigger brother isn't eating his dinner." She said. Al simply sat with his hands in his lap staring at the table.

"Uh, well you see Nina bigger brother isn't hungry right now." Sayla said from her seat next in between Ed and Al.

"That won't do you have to eat to get grown up." Nina reprimanded handing Al a piece of bread.

"I think I'm plenty…" He gave in before he even tried knowing well from being four at one point in time to how stubborn that age can be. Ed sighed as well looking down at his plate. Al took the bread from Nina and looked at it for a moment.

"Thanks." He said. Sayla glanced at Edward from her meal to see the look on his face. Sadness was the most prevalent but she knew she saw guilt and self loathing as well.

"Wow it sure looks delicious." Al said catering to the little girl just to get her off of his case.

"Make sure you chew." She reminded him. Al lifted up the bottom part of his helmet dropping the bread in.

"Uh, yeah this sure tastes great." He said trying to sound as if he were eating.

"Good, now eat your steak." Nina said causing Edward's pained look only to deepen. Sayla sighed placing her utensils down and taking Ed's hand.

"Mr. Tucker may we be excused for a moment?" She asked politely.

"Of course Sayla go right ahead." He said the slight amusement that had shown across his face quickly vanishing at the quick glance he caught of Ed's expression. Ed hadn't even noticed Sayla had grabbed his hand, since she took hold of his left one.

"Ed." She said touching his right shoulder gently. His attention snapped to her as she grabbed his right hand this time. "Let's get some air." She said. Ed's expression turned to that of a small forced smile grateful for the offer.

"Yeah." He said with a slight nod as he stood up and was led to the door that led to the patio outside. The summer air hung around them heavily as the last rays of sunlight streaked across the sky illuminating off of the small pond that comprised this part of the grounds.

"Wow." Sayla said admiring it as they made their way to the patio's edge. Ed tucked his left hand in his pocket watching the light fade quickly as crickets began to chirp noisily soon joined by a frog chorus. His right hand still held onto Sayla's not willing to let go of her grip any time soon.

"You said that as if you've never seen the sun set before." Ed said. Sayla glanced back at him.

"Well no, not really." She said. "I'm always so busy with everything…"

"So how old were you when you became a state alchemist?" Ed asked his voice still soft and low.

"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you." She said.

"Go for it." Ed replied.

"I passed the alchemy exam a couple months before my fifth birthday." She said softly. Ed whipped his head to stare at her his mouth working to speak but no sound came out.

"What are you some kind of a genius or something?" Ed asked. Sayla gave a small smirk lowering her gaze to the ground.

"No, no where near it. To be honest I'm not really an alchemist." She said. Ed's eyes glanced to the side a couple times quickly confused.

"But if you're not an alchemist then how did you..."

"Pass the exam? Well the written part was easy because I sat next to Roy he let me cheat off of his paper. They interviewed me too, asked why I wanted to work for the state."

"That is..?" Ed asked.

"To help people, that's exactly what I told them. I didn't understand the magnitude of that back then but now…" She said with a sigh. "They also have skills testing to see basically what you're capable of and I passed that no problem."

"If you're not an alchemist then how did you pass that part?" Ed asked.

"Because of my talent; I can't use conventional alchemy like you or Al mine is specific, it's complicated to be honest I don't even understand how I do it." She replied.

"The singing alchemist, it's your voice isn't it?" Ed asked as pieces began to click together in his head. Sayla nodded.

"Yeah it's my voice." She said.

"Well if you show me then maybe I can tell you how it works." Ed said with a smile but it was quickly discarded as Sayla's eyes widened in a look of almost fear. She shook her head quickly.

"I can't, not here, it's too…dangerous." She said. Ed's mouth stayed slightly agape as his eyes narrowed.

"Dangerous? How so?" He asked. Sayla didn't answer only stared straight ahead towards the pond her friendly hold on his hand suddenly a vice clinging to as if her life were at stake. They stood like that for a moment, Ed's mind working on more than just one possibility for her sudden out burst before he broke a smile.

"Well how about just regular singing? Is that dangerous?" He asked. Sayla shook her head once slowly still lost in thought seemingly.

"Good." Ed said pulling her back inside.

"Wait! Where are we going?" She asked panic thick in her voice.

"We're both clearly upset. I think it's nothing a little after dinner entertainment can't cheer up." He said smiling widely. Sayla's eyes grew large and fearful again.

"You think I'm the entertainment?" She asked her voice choking as she did so.

"Well you sure as heck aren't dinner." He said laughing slightly at his own joke. Before Sayla could utter another word of protest they were back in the dining room. Mr. Tucker was clearing the plates as the two walked back in.

"Did you both enjoy the night air?" He asked his tone light. Ed nodded.

"Yup so much so that Sayla is going provide us with some entertainment. You don't have a piano or anything in this house do you?" Ed asked.

"Yes right down the hall to the right." Mr. Tucker replied.

"Great we'll be down there. Come on Al, walk with us." Ed said dragging Sayla out of the room.

"Ed, I don't play the piano." Sayla said.

"I do." Al spoke up happily.

"I can't…" She said bringing a hand to her flushed face. "I can't sing in front of people." Ed opened the door and turned on the light.

"I leave her to you Al. You're the musically inclined one after all." He said sitting down heavily in a chair.

"Let's see what there is for music here." Al said flipping through some pages examining the notes carefully.

"What songs do you know Sayla?" Al asked.

"Not many that are published." She said glancing at Edward as he sat smugly in his chair.

"I didn't ask how many you knew just which ones?" Al asked with a slight laugh as he handed her some of the pages. She flipped through them as well before pausing on one.

"I know this one." She said softly after a moment's hesitation. Al took it from her reading it.

"I've never heard it but it seems simple enough." He said sitting down at the piano running his fingers over the keys.

"It's been a long time since I've played. I hope I don't screw up on you." He said beginning from the left of the piano quickly playing to the right.

"You won't be the one too." She replied. Mr. Tucker and Nina soon joined them sitting down on a small sofa that adorned the room. Al ran through the practice one last time as Sayla stood nervously wringing her hands.

"Ready?" Al asked. She glanced at him then to his brother whom gave her a slight nod accompanied by a smile. Sayla nodded to Alphonse.

"Yeah I'm ready." She said. Al began to play the cords as Sayla shut her eyes letting the song flow through her brain, feeling it in her veins; touching her soul before letting the words escape her mouth.

'Oh, thinking about our only needs.

There was only you and me,

We were young and wild and free.

Now nothing can take you away from me.

We've down that road before

But that's over now.

You keep me coming back for more.

Baby you're all that I want

When you're lying here in my arms,

I'm finding it hard to believe we're in heaven.

Love is all that I need and I found it there in your heart

It isn't too hard to see, we're in heaven.'

As the first few words escaped Sayla's lips everyone in the room gasped. The richness of her voice as it blended perfectly with the notes that Alphonse played resounded in the room that soon had it's listeners in an almost subdued state. Ed sat with his eyes wide staring at her as she sang. Her eyes were closed as the melody seemed to flow out of her with the least bit of effort as if it were second nature for her to be singing. Edward felt himself drawn even closer to her as every verse she uttered held such conviction as if she related to the music and could feel it in her soul. Even Nina quieted down to listen entranced by the angelic voice.

'I will turn your world around

Pick you up when you're feeling down.

Now nothing can change what you mean to me

That's love I could say; I'm just hoping now

Because our love will light the way.

Baby you're all that I want

When you're lying here in my arms,

I'm finding it hard to believe we're in heaven.

Love is all that I need and I found it there in your heart

It isn't too hard to see, we're in heaven.'

Ed sat stoic as he was entranced by the way that the light hit her flawless features and enhanced the red in her hair. Slowly her eyes opened capturing Edwards and held onto his gaze.

'I've been waiting for so long

For something to arrive; for love to come along.

Now our dreams are coming true

For the good times and the bad I'll be standing there by you.

Baby you're all that I want

When you're lying here in my arms,

I'm finding it hard to believe we're in heaven.

Love is all that I need and I found it there in your heart

It isn't too hard to see, we're in heaven.'

As Sayla held his gaze and spoke the last verse any doubt that Edward had had was banished. Sayla Hosner was the girl that Ed was going to marry one day.

Later that night Ed and Al lay in two twin beds across from each other.

"You still up?" Al asked after Ed had quieted down for a few minutes.

"Yeah my head is still full of all the stuff I learned." He replied.

"Ed, get some sleep. You're smart and determined, you'll pass." Al comforted.

"Maybe." Ed said.

"It's nice here though isn't it." Al said changing the pace of the conversation. "Kind of like before."

"Yeah, kind of." Ed said before turning over and succumbing to sleep.