March 26th, 1949

"Five in the corner pocket," Ed called as he sank his next shot easily. Then he moved around the table. "Eight ball in the side."

"You win again," Al laughed as Ed made the shot with little trouble.

"Yeah well, I'm not getting much competition tonight," Ed admitted with a smirk then glanced over at Roy who shrugged from his seat and sipped his drink. "Though I'm enjoying the company." The last didn't have its usual sarcastic bite though. Roy was the one who had called Ed and Al and invited them out for one of there still-occasional games of pool that had resumed with his retirement. They weren't top secret anymore, but then they didn't have to be. "What's up Roy?" he finally asked right out as he and Al sat down at the table. Roy had been quiet, sullen really, all evening and even his sarcastic quips had been less frequent than usual. Ed was actually worried about him. Roy hid it better at work, but there was something definitely wrong when Roy Mustang actually looked his age! In truth though, Ed had his suspicions.

Roy drank again, looking for all the world like he didn't want to say what he had obviously come here to. "I'm worried about Maes," he said finally.

Ed exchanged a look with Al and knew they had both expected that answer. "We've heard the gossip," Ed admitted, sipping from his own glass. It was just club soda tonight; he'd driven over through the pouring rain when Roy had called unexpectedly. "I take it this means a lot of it's true."

Roy nodded. "He's been different for a while. I couldn't rationalize it at first, but now that he's home it's a lot more evident." He shook his head, staring into his glass. "Riza was worried when he stopped calling. He almost stopped writing all together. I told her he was just busy, he had other things to focus on besides writing home."

"That's true though usually," Al pointed out rationally. "It's the nature of the job."

"And the people who tend to take it," Ed added. "Present company included." He and Al hadn't written home for four years when they left Resembool. Now Ed felt guilty about it, but at the time had thought almost nothing of it. His one attempt at a letter home had been pre-empted by Winry's showing up in Central.

Roy sighed. "I know. So that's what I kept telling myself."

"But it's not the truth," Ed hazarded.

"He's a lot more distant," Roy admitted, looking up at him. "Maes moved into the barracks on base finally after he got back. He only comes over if we invite him most of the time. He's dropped by only once or twice on his own initiative, but otherwise we can almost never get a hold of him unless it's at HQ during the day. He's out every night."

"New girlfriend?" Al suggested.

Ed watched as Roy shook his head. "More like several," Roy replied. "He was always so well behaved, so calm and put together, like Riza. I forget sometimes that he's my son too."

"Which explains why he's starting to get your reputation," Ed said what he knew they were all thinking.

Roy winced, and Ed knew he'd hit the mark. "I could live with that, if it were that simple. It doesn't bother me that some of the junior officers don't like him, that he enjoys showing young ladies a good time. It's his attitude about it, and the frequency that make me uneasy."

"So I take it you have talked to him," Ed asked, looking for clarification.

"I tried," Roy fell silent for several moments. "He was very cavalier about the whole thing and told me I was over-reacting and asked me if I even remembered being his age and being wanted by women."

"Ouch," Al winced, and Ed agreed. That really didn't sound like Maes! "That's unkind." Especially, Ed thought, as something to say to Roy of all people. There was no way Maes was unaware of Roy's days as a younger officer. The statement had obviously been meant to sting. The boy just wasn't naturally that callous.

"He sure sounds like you," Ed replied with a shake of his head. "And that's troublesome."

"Tell me about it." Roy's lack of consternation at Ed's statement was just as disturbing. There was normally – pun intended – more fire to him. "I don't like it; the change bothers me. I just wish I understood the cause."

"Then at least we'd know if it was something normal or something that can be fixed," Al nodded, looking contemplative.

Ed had a sudden thought, and it was one he didn't like, but remembering past conversations with Sara and Winry he couldn't discount it, though it made him very uncomfortable. "Is he still upset about Sara?" he asked.

Roy rolled his eyes and snorted dismissively. "Still upset about a fight that happened more than six months ago?"

"In public, after he told her he was interested in her," Ed replied pointedly. "I don't know about you Roy, but I'd find that embarrassing and pretty hard to forget."

"No offense Ed," Roy replied. "But no woman is worth that kind of long term distraction; not even your daughter."

Ed scowled. He hated it when Roy got stubborn. The man wasn't listening to him! But then, some things were old habit. "I'll make sure to tell Riza you said that," he replied harshly. "I'm sure she'd find that pretty interesting coming from you."

Roy stopped mid-retort, and turned his head, a flash of guilt and annoyance in his eyes. "He's just a boy."

"Which makes him that much more vulnerable," Ed kept pushing. "Though I don't recall you making that excuse for me when that was true. Maes isn't a kid; he's a grown man and a State Alchemist. You wouldn't waffle on this if he was anybody else."

"So what would you recommend?" Roy asked sardonically. "Since you seem to be the expert on the subjects of denial and repressed teenage sexual desires."

"Watch it, Mustang," Ed snarled; then forcibly reined in his temper. "I didn't say I had a solution. I just said I think that might be a cause. It doesn't make much sense to me as a reaction either, but then I've never exactly had the experience of being turned down by a woman I was interested in." Not that he had ever particularly wanted that honor. "And if it's that distinctively not a normal behavior pattern then that implies that the problem's emotional. Right?" he glanced at Al then. His brother was the one who was better read up on psychology.

"Usually," Al agreed. "It's not like Maes just suddenly decided he was interested either." They had all known – except Sara apparently – that Maes had a massive crush on her for years. "It's very possible that it's a lot more than just a childhood crush, Roy. How would you have taken it if Riza had reacted that way?"

Roy scowled at both of them for a moment then drained his glass. "Well shit."

June 18th, 1949

Aldon didn't bother to hide the appreciation in his eyes as he watched Cassie and Kit splashing at each other in the little rocky stream near Briggs. Cassie's rich brown hair had grown out just long enough that she had started plaiting it back against her head, with the short braid tail reaching to above her shoulder blades. She was wearing fitted black knit pants rolled up to keep the hems dry, and a white collared shirt that ended down near her hips and nicely accented her slim figure, the sleeves rolled up past her elbows. Kit wore a similar ensemble, but the shirt was much tighter in the bust and a bright shade of green, the pants a darker green – she always seemed to be in bold colors. Aldon definitely preferred his girlfriend's subtler tastes!

It had taken a little doing, but he and Ollie and both girls had managed to get the same day off so they could enjoy the spring that had finally come to the mountains around Briggs! They had decided to test the rumors that there was still gold and the occasional gemstone in some of the streams up by long abandoned older mines and do a little panning just for fun. Really, it was an excuse to breathe some fresh hour and spend a few hours in real sunlight!

Fortunately, they had been blessed with a sunny day, cool, but not overly so. Warm enough that the cold water felt good on bare feet, if still a little brisk! Aldon's shoulder had healed up months ago, the last muscle twinges fading with the warmer weather, and he felt good.

A small spray of cold water in his face made Aldon jump, and he noticed Ollie smirking at him. "You'll never find your fortune staring at Cassie's backside all day," he laughed. "Or maybe I'm wrong in thinking what kind of treasure you were really after in suggesting this little excursion."

Aldon blushed, but rolled his eyes. "I don't need an excuse for that," he pointed out. After the first time, there had certainly been others, and almost certainly Cassie would end up sleeping in his bed instead of going back to hers. Some nights they would fall asleep together without doing anything other than snuggle up innocently and talk until they fell asleep – with their schedules that was the case more often than not – but Aldon was finding it harder to sleep on the nights he slept alone than when he had Cassie snuggled up against him on his narrow one-man bunk.

"True enough," Ollie grinned. "But if the girls find something and we don't they'll never let us live it down."

"We're not going to get rich out here," Aldon laughed as he crouched down and returned to panning. The girls had settled down as well and gotten back to business though they were still chatting animatedly. "Are you making any progress with Kit?" For some reason, his friend was still entirely absorbed in pursuit of the bubbly, energetic red-head.

Ollie sighed but grinned anyway, his frustration vanishing in a moment. "I think I'm wearing her down," he replied. They were all good friends at this point, but it was obvious that Ollie's pursuit-because-she-was-playing-hard-to-get had turned into more on Ollie's part.

"Well that doesn't sound promising," Aldon chuckled even as he smiled sympathetically. "If you two ever stop playing games, maybe you'll get somewhere."

"You think?" Ollie gave him a slightly skeptical look. "Do me a favor and tell her that. I think she's just scared of getting close to anyone that way you know? Maybe she had a bad breakup or something, I don't know, but she plays the flirt and she's a lot of fun; it's never serious though."

"All the more reason to cut out the games," Aldon replied. "Maybe she just thinks you're playing; that you're not sincere."

Ollie snorted, but he was obviously listening. "Wow, you start getting laid and suddenly you're a relationship expert."

"Hardly," Aldon shook his head. "I just pay attention."

"All right," Ollie shrugged. "Maybe I'll give it a try. Nothing else has worked so far." He sifted through the bits of rock and such in his pan, then started over again. "Though I think you should know," he commented a minute later. "I've found a way to pay you back."

"I told you," Aldon sighed, shaking his head. "You don't owe me anything." The sand and bits of rock in his pan held nothing of interest. He dumped it out and started over again; glad he wasn't relying on this as a way of making a living!

"Wait till you hear the offer before you go turning it down," Ollie chuckled, sounding rather smug. "I had a word with the guy in charge of lodgings. There's a two roomer open."

"Your ditching our room is thanking me?" Aldon looked up at him, slightly amused, but also confused.

"It's not for me, idiot," Ollie laughed. "For you and Cassie; don't tell me you wouldn't like the privacy and a bed actually meant to hold two people? No worries about getting walked in on or putting anyone else out."

"That would be nice," Aldon admitted, sure he was blushing from the top of his head down to his feet at the suggestion of officially moving in together. They had actually discussed getting married at some point, but in the future, maybe in a couple of years when life was a little more settled. Hell, he hadn't even actually proposed! Though he thought about it often enough. The idea gave him stomach flutters; both nervousness and excitement. Cassie was his only serious girlfriend, but he couldn't imagine falling for anyone else. "I'll have to talk to Cassie about it."

"Well I figured as much," Ollie's grin just got wider as if he had known what Aldon's response would be, which was kind of pathetic really. At least he certainly thought so. "As soon as you make up your mind about it, it's yours, but only if you do so soon."

Aldon understood that. The two-room places meant a separate bedroom and sitting area, not including the fact that they also had private bathrooms. Except for the lack of a kitchen, it was almost a complete apartment; and the beds were bigger. "I'll ask her about it tonight," he promised.

"I'll start packing your things," Ollie chuckled, bending over his pan again.

Aldon chuckled a little too as he picked through the pan in his hand, sifting out the wet bits of stone. Ollie seemed so sure and, Aldon had to admit, as big a step as it was – and how it would pretty much openly declare to anyone who hadn't already figured it out that they were more than serious – he also thought that Cassie would say yes if he asked her.

His eyes caught a glimpse of something in the pan. His attention turning more fully to the work at hand, Aldon sifted more gently, uncovering what he had spotted moments before. Carefully he picked out a very small emerald from the bits of dirt and grit; it shone in the sunlight, almost exactly the color of Cassie's eyes.

Aldon didn't really believe in signs or portents, but for once, he liked to think that maybe this was one.

July 22nd, 1949

After Ishbal, Sara had stopped in Resembool for a couple of days to give herself a needed rest. It wasn't home, but since her family had gone out there several times over the years, it was almost as good. Of course she had been recognized on sight and there had been lots of well wishes for her and to send on to her family, especially her parents and uncle. Sara was glad for it though; it gave her something else of interest to put in a letter home. There were words from the Ishballans Rick and Leo as well. It would be a full letter.

She stopped by the grave yard to pay her respects to the grandparents she had never known. Still, the way her parents spoke about Tricha Elric – whose name Sara carried as her middle name – and her first-name sake Sara, and Urey Rockbell, she felt like she knew them and wished they could have met and talked. She thanked them, quietly, and almost cried when she left flowers on Great-Granny Pinako's grave. She was the only one Sara had been fortunate enough to ever meet. There was also now a small memorial to her other grandfather, Hohenheim, that her father – of all people – had transmuted with his own hands on one of their visits. It was no fancier than any of the gravestones; but that he had done it at all had been a surprise. Her mother's reaction, and Uncle Al's – both full families had come on that trip – had been her biggest clue as to how monumental a statement that was, how indicative of how much her father had grown and changed and perhaps, Al suggested, it was Ed's apology and thanks. No one had asked Ed about it at the time as far as Sara knew, but she resolved to ask when she did finally get home.

Sara slept in the old house and took the time to write and mail letters to her parents and Aldon, and brief ones to Franz and Mars – both carefully just friendly in their cases – before heading on. She already had another mission; she wouldn't be coming home just yet. Only this time she was headed north-east again. Kane had actually apologized on the phone for giving her yet another assignment, but Sara had told him not to worry about it. She could handle it.

Besides, from Hayes – who liked to talk a lot – and running into other State Alchemists over her travels, Sara still got the gossip from Central. Her reaction to what she heard though told her she wasn't ready to go back to Central just yet. The rumors about Maes Mustang bothered and irritated her; what made her confused. Sara hadn't entirely determined why Maes' behavior with women irritated her so much, aside from the fact that most men who behaved that way pissed her off. That her friend would do the same infuriated her! She'd always thought he had more sense. The flirting had been bad enough, but the rumors that came now bothered her a lot more, especially after her own brief interlude.

Since when had Maes started actually sleeping around?

August 6th, 1949

It was a quiet night in the bar. Maes Mustang nursed his beer and looked around. On most nights where he hadn't already scored a date earlier that day, if he felt like going out – it was rare he couldn't find someone – he came here. More often than not some lonely girl would be more than happy to talk to him, maybe go out for dinner instead of sit here all night.

Part of him was disgusted by just how easy it was; all he had to do practically was smile and ask. Of course, that had been the case in school too. Now though, he had discovered that about two in every ten was willing to do more than just eat out and allow a few kisses. If he wanted a little all-night company, he knew who to ask out on a date. A nice meal and good conversation was hardly even a price really if it meant a few hours of distraction from his thoughts. He appreciated the girls, whether or not they slept with him, for their individual personalities and interests. However, none of them was Sara; but really, wasn't that the point? Not a single word from her in a full year. In his mind, that definitely counted as rejection. It was time to move on.

Maes was scanning the room to see if there was anyone even worth asking out tonight, when a familiar and not particularly welcome figure dropped onto the bar stool two spots down and ordered a drink, laughing at something one of the guys' he'd come in with had said; Calvin Fischer. Oh, Cal was all right Maes supposed; he was a decent alchemist; but he made no bones about the fact he wasn't overly discriminating when it came to women, and he and Maes had never really had the same philosophies on life. Cal was always telling him to lighten up and stop with the 'perfect little wind-up-toy officer' routine, and Maes though Cal was a tasteless cad with little class and no appreciation for the girls he seemed to set out to sleep with just because he could. Cal needled him and got on his nerves at every opportunity.

He cursed silently as Cal noticed him and grinned in that way of his that was just a little too friendly. "Hey there, Mustang," he said casually. "I heard you saw a little action out in West City."

As if that wasn't a loaded statement. Maes chose to keep the conversation on the work level. "You could call getting shot action," he commented, sipping his drink and hoping Cal would get the hint and go away. He wasn't in the mood for bantering with the egotist. "Wasn't much of a wound," he shrugged casually. It had hurt like hell, but his arm had healed up in a few weeks. Maes expected he'd be handed another mission soon enough. That was good. He needed to get out of Central. It was harder here to keep his mind on business, especially with little to do other than paperwork while he healed.

"Funny, Firebrand," Cal chuckled. "There are some pretty sweet little honeys around Western Command from what I hear, though I haven't been fortunate enough to get sent out that way recently. I hear the gardens are lovely too; lots of flowers worth picking."

Maes felt his face going red. Cal was trying to irritate him; he knew that; he always did. Maes had done the same to him on occasion. It wasn't a new game, but he was pushing hard tonight, hitting what he knew would be the most sensitive subject. "I was too busy to do much sight-seeing," he replied.

"I'm sure you were," Cal laughed aloud. "At least it's warmer out there. I've been up north – east and west- for a lot of it. Oh," his eyes lit up then and he grinned at Maes. "I ran into a friend of yours a while back."

"Oh really?" Maes didn't really much care who Cal talked to. Obviously he got his gossip from somewhere.

"Don't sound so disinterested," Cal smirked. "I'll bet ten thousand sens you haven't heard a word out of the Twilight Alchemist since she left Central."

Now that was a sum; Maes was almost tempted to lie, but he suspected his face gave him away. Well, Sara had been up that way he recalled hearing, and they had been classmates and passed the State Exam the same year. "So why are you telling me?"

Cal shrugged. "I thought you might like to know she was okay. At least, last I saw her, that was months ago. Too bad," he added with a little grin as he drank. "She made one of the worst missions I've seen more than bearable."

He couldn't be insinuating what it sounded like. Maes scowled. "What do you mean?"

"No need to get hostile, Mustang," Cal's grin turned smug though. "Though I can see how she got under your skin so easily. She's such a giving, passionate person," he accented the second adjective, giving it more weight.

Damn it! He was dancing around the subject with phrases like that. "What did you do to her, Fischer?"

"To?" Cal asked. "I didn't do anything to her. With now, that's a different story." There was no mistaking his tone this time. "I have to admit, while she's not my usual preference that fiery personality of hers makes for one heck of a night. Combined with her body, well," he shrugged and drank. "That's one serious win of a combination."

Maes was floored. It had been torment enough that he couldn't get Sara's image out of his mind; she followed him to bed at night, and greeted him every morning – at least by the time he'd gotten out of the shower if not earlier. It was enough to drive a man mad; and now the very idea of Cal Fischer putting his hands on Sara – he didn't want to think about the rest – made his blood boil! "You're an ass, Whitewater."

"Is that the best you can do?" Cal asked casually. "Don't get so uptight, Mustang. It's not like I forced her to do anything she didn't want to." There was a knowing glint in his eye. "And it's not like anyone's got a claim on her. Sara's too independent to put up with that isn't she?"

"What would you know about her?" Maes snapped. The statement was true, but coming from Cal Fischer it made him want to punch the man's face in just that much more!

"Obviously a few things you don't," Cal didn't seem upset by Maes' ire in the slightest. He finished his drink and looked at his friends. "Come on guys, there's pool tables open in the back. How about a game?"

That was it? Maes hated just being dismissed. "We're not done here yet," he countered angrily.

"Oh?" Cal looked back at him. "And here I thought you wanted me to just leave you alone. Catch you later, Mustang. If I see Twilight again, I'll tell her hi for you."

Maes didn't dare start something in here, not this close to HQ, but he wasn't drunk, and he really didn't need to get into more trouble. He swallowed his pride – it stuck in his throat – and went back to his beer.

Why the hell would Sara have slept with Cal Fischer? As far as Maes knew, they were civil to each other but not even friends. It just seemed so inconceivable he was having trouble wrapping his mind around it. Sara hated fakes and flirts; they annoyed her… didn't they? She'd complained about it, even when she teased him about his flirting with girls in high school.

He had been, in this back of his mind, a little worried about what she'd have to say to him the next time they met. Maes hadn't exactly been celibate. Not that he'd been looking for it at first; but one date had ended up with him taking a rather willing girl up on her offer. For a few hours, Maes had completely forgotten his misery and Sara. That had been an unexpected perk, and worth it. They had gone out a few more times, but then she was off after someone else, and Maes had decided simply not to take it personally. Girls like her weren't the staying type anyway. So he had just moved on; not necessarily looking for girls with that inclination, but he certainly hadn't turned them down.

But apparently Sara might not care as much as he'd thought. Not if her own standards were that low. Maes was a little surprised, even after how long it had been since they had talked, just how much it hurt to know that she had actually chosen someone else instead of him, and that someone wasn't even someone she had stayed with. Cal had made that pretty clear from the nature of his conversation. It had just been a fling to him, nothing more. Maes would have loved to dismiss the entire thing as a lie; but that was the problem. As much as he disliked the man, Cal had a reputation for being almost brutally honest.

Well, if that was Sara, maybe he really shouldn't be wasting his time mourning the loss of his daydreams and his best friend. Was she really worth it? Maes ordered another drink and looked around the bar one more time. As he did so, a tall brunette that was all legs – and very short miniskirt – stepped inside and came towards the bar. Maes caught her eye, and she gave him a once-over and then smiled, heading his direction.

Well, it looked like tonight wasn't going to be a total wash after all!