A/N: Sorry for the late update but the good news is I am currently working on the beginning of chapter 13. So with that said I'll try to post a new chapter ever few days. I am hoping to finish this story up by the time finals start and if I don't get there I promise to finish as soon as finals are over. Also I have been talking to my beta and there might possibly be a sequel. Here's to hoping those ideas cook up nicely on the back burner. And once again thanks for waiting and reading!

Chapter Eight: Orange glow

Roy smiled as he sat beside Lily in the study for her lessons two days later. She'd begged Hohenheim to come and start her lessons again now that she was home. She said she couldn't fall behind and both men took that as a good sign she was really on the mend.

Hohenheim opened her history book as she opened her notebook to take notes. He smiled not in the least bothered by having Roy here as Roy had promised to take one more day off to spend with her. Lily in her own 'like her Daddy' way, had skillfully manipulated her father into staying home, said it wasn't fair that he'd been with her and she'd not been awake to enjoy his company and since she'd been asleep for so very long she'd missed him terribly and would cry if he went to work.

Lily looked up at him, smiled and slipped her arm around his, picking up her pencil in her left hand. It was then that Hohenheim began and no sooner did the man open his mouth to speak that the phone rang.

Roy sighed and leaned over to get it. "Mustang," He said quietly as Edward's father continued, picking up where he and Lily had left off before she'd gone into the infirmary.

"Why are you being so quiet?" Ed asked with annoyance.

Roy eased away from Lily and she whimpered but reluctantly let him go. He stood and pulled the phone over to his desk. "I'm in the study with Lily and your father," he replied catching Lily's head pop up and her eyes. He motioned with his finger for her to turn around and pay attention. She sighed and did as asked with a pout.

"You're my Dad,"

"Okay," Roy replied a little uneasily. This whole thing, Ed calling him father, was unnerving and in the same moment it was comforting, endearing and he did love Edward and Alphonse, loved them like they were of his flesh and blood.

"Is Lily home yet," He heard Al insist in the background.

"Yes she is, give me a minute," Ed muttered and Roy could see him waving his brother away. "So think you can get a warrant for Anise's arrest by tonight?" Ed asked.

Roy perked a brow. "Well it depends on what it's for, what do you have? Oh and by the day Maes is on his way to you now, should be there in about," He checked his desk clock. "Oh two hours."

"What?! Al go to the train station and wait for Major Hughes," Ed gasped.

"What why? I'm not leaving you here alone brother." Roy heard Al say sternly in the background.

"Just go will ya, I'll catch up. Someone has to catch him before he goes Anise's."

"Anise?" Roy asked with a frown. Ed sighed and Roy could just see the boy scratching his head trying to come up with a logical explanation that would keep him out of trouble. "What happened with Anise?"

"Huh oh nothing-"

"Edward," Roy warned and once again he had to motion for Lily to turn around and pay attention.

"Look you want what we got or not?"

"I want to know why you're not staying with Anise."

"I'll tell ya later, promise." Ed replied. "So I got a lead and found her warehouse. We did some digging this morning and found opium. And there's supposed to be a shipment or a trade tonight, looks big."

Really opium, so Anise really was trafficking drugs like Maes's source suspected. "Alright Hughes will be there soon. I'll have a warrant ready at the police station as soon as possible. Hughes, work with him and the police then I want you on the train home."

"Got it… Um so can Lily talk, I mean is she feeling well enough too? We've missed her and don't think I'm going to let you get away with not telling me she was sick."

Roy smiled despite Edward's reluctance to tell him everything he wanted when he wanted it. He thought briefly about calling Anise to enquire as to why the boys weren't staying with her now but he didn't want to risk their work either, especially if it was of something she'd done. He'd get the information as soon as they were home.

He sighed and caught Lily looking away quickly. He also caught Hohenheim's knowing smile. "Alright Lily, someone wants to talk to you."

Lily beamed and tossed her pencil and notebook aside, then slipped off the sofa, running toward him. She slipped upon the carpet and almost fell but caught herself just in time upon the desk. She looked up at him panting as she was still getting better.

"Careful wouldn't want you back in the hospital poppet, just think of how many more night's I'd have to stay late to clear my desk."

"Phone Daddy," she persisted and lifted her hand.

He chuckled and placed the receiver in her hand, patting her head gently. "Don't talk to too long, you still have lessons."

"Okay,"

Roy sighed and returned to his seat upon the sofa after first picking up Lily's note book and pencil. "They must be fine if they're taking the time to talk to Lily." Roy said hopefully.

"I'm sure they are. Lily's told me stories that Edward and Alphonse have told her of their adventures. Somehow they always manage to come out alright or nearly alright." The man said with a pained smile.

Roy nodded, tuning out Lily's chatter behind him. "So you really can't do anything about," he nodded to Hohenheim's arm.

"No,"

"Mind if I take a look?"

Hohenheim hesitated a moment then unbuttoned his shirt sleeve, allowing Roy a peak at the deterioration. If he'd not been to war, not seen so many terrible things he'd have been sick. It looked gruesome and terribly painful.

Roy sat back upon the sofa trying to think of something, anything that might at least ease some of the man's suffering. He could think of nothing but that didn't mean he'd give up trying to convince the man. He'd do it for Al and Edward. "Do you know the cause?"

Hohenheim shook his head and re-buttoned his shirt sleeve. "No,"

Somehow Roy felt he was lying. "Could you at least go to a doctor, anyone, just so we can put Al at ease a little? He's asked me to help and frankly I don't know a thing-"

"No, I know and no doctor I have been to can explain it. All I can come up with is maybe it's about my time and my body just can't sustain me any longer."

Roy would have questioned that as it just didn't seem… right when Lily's voice cut in.

"Midget King? You mean you really found someone shorter than you in this world that isn't a little kid or a baby?"

Even Roy caught Ed's rant from where he sat and he turned just in time to see his daughter pull the phone from her ear, a wicked smirk upon her face, and hear a little evil giggle so like his own. A midget, it'd have to be a midget besides Pinako Rockbell to be shorter than Edward.

She turned to him. "Daddy, Ed has a new friend and he says he's shorter than he is. Must be pretty short don't you think?" Oh that grin, it was priceless. He couldn't help but think, 'That's my girl,' at the moment of course that was all while he snickered.

Suddenly she gasped. "You wouldn't!" There was a pause. "Daddy you'd better get a fish bowl Ed says he's going to turn me in to a fish!"

"He will not," Roy chuckled.

"I don't know he seems pretty mad at me. Maybe I'll do something cute and he'd forgive me."

"Okay, hurry up." He replied and shook his head, turning around.

Lily's conversation was indeed short after that. She filled them in on her current condition, asked them to hurry up and come home, told both boys that she loved them and missed them, and hung up.

When she crawled back upon the sofa she smiled and curled up against her father. "Ed said they found a mouse in their hotel room and Al named it Tristan the second after my mouse. But they decided that he'd be a lot happier where he was because he already had a nice mouse hole."

Roy smirked. It was more likely Ed putting his foot down and reasoning that Al couldn't save as many kittens or cats if they brought it home. That was just fine with him. He wasn't about to discourage Lily's small obsession with small furry creatures but he didn't exactly want a mouse living in the house pet or no. He wouldn't mind something bigger like a rabbit or gerbil but he preferred a dog or a cat to all. God help him if she took to birds.

As Roy tucked her in his bed that night after her bedtime story, he found himself very impressed with Hohenheim's teaching methods and Lily's understanding of them. He smiled down upon her as she pulled Bandit close for a hug then lifted the small stuffed animal to him. "Will you hug him too?"

Such a sweet and innocent question, Roy thought, taking the toy and hugging it for her. "As much as I like hugging Bandit, I much prefer hugging you."

Lily gave him a grin and sat up, wrapping her tiny arms about his neck. "I love you Daddy."

Roy kissed her soft black hair. The relife to have her here, home again, smiling and laughing was more than he could have hoped for. He'd never let her fall that ill again if he could help it. "Love you too poppet and I'm very proud of you for being so good today during your lessons. I know you grew tired after awhile and that's fine, even expected."

"I can't disappoint my big brothers. They're so smart. I want to be just as smart as they are." She smiled, pulling back. "You gave me big shoes to fill."

"You don't have to, just be you. That's all I ask."

Lily blew her bangs from her eyes. "I am me, how else would I be?" She sighed and lay back down, looking at her fingernails. "And people love me for it."

Roy snorted. That was so very like him it was amazing. "Yes, they do." He rose. "I'm just going to change and then I'll be right back."

"Afraid I'll disappear?" She asked, propping up on her elbows.

Roy tried to smile as he reached for his pajamas at the foot of the bed. "Always,"

Lily's smile fell as she lay back down. "I won't Daddy, promise. I wouldn't let anyone take me away without one hell of a fight first. I can bite, just ask Aunt Anise."

The use of the word 'hell' from her mouth was a little unnerving but he just stood there a moment blinking when he heard her confess to actually biting her aunt. Then he smirked. "She must have made you quite angry."

"You have no idea, hurry up Daddy. I won't be awake all night and I don't want to go to sleep without you."

When Roy returned she snuggled up to him, practically molding her tiny self to his body. Gently he pet her hair. Her little fingers toyed with a button upon his top. "Daddy, in the infirmary, do you remember what I told you?"

"About what poppet?" He asked quietly.

"Mommy, that she came to see me."

Roy remembered alright. He remembered all too well and even though he didn't believe in a god anymore let alone the supernatural, he couldn't deny what she'd told him. No one he knew that knew him and Sable had told Lily of how they'd met. It was… eerie that she woke and told him such a thing. He couldn't explain it and some part of him didn't know if he wanted to even try. He was afarid if he did he might have to admit that his baby girl had been very close to death and that was something he didn't think he could handle.

"Daddy?"

"I remember,"

"Do you believe me? She was so real, smelled so good, and so very nice, so pretty. I thought I was dying or dead, but she said I couldn't because I had to help take care of you and my big brothers."

Roy smiled. That would be something Sable would say, the caring person that she'd been. Even now he didn't know what he'd done to ever deserve her. "Yeah,"

"Really?" she asked timidly.

Roy kissed her head. "Yes, I can't explain it, but I do. I know you wouldn't lie to me."

"I wouldn't," She replied with sigh. "Are you mad that I saw her and not you?"

"No baby, never." He said holding her tight. A dream or real it didn't matter she'd seen her mother. "You deserve more than anyone in this world to see her."

"Daddy,"

"Hmm?"

"I can't breathe so well, you're squishing me."