Note:

Here is the new chapter. Thank you for the reviews, everybody is so kind to me:) I love you:) :

Manga-animelove

Alchemist of Steel

floutistvivi: it's a great honor to be your first. I will try to keep up your interest:)

The Snow Crystal Alchemist

Kitsura E.

Speed Alchemist

Raqueel

Phoenix07

Dreamweaver56

Wishfulliving89

Bgranger1990: really? I don't know Soul Eater, but if it has these kind of characters it must be good:)

russletringhamlover

Red

Edward woke up at the singing of the birds and the shining sun. He sat up, rubbed his eyes and shook his head at the too peaceful morning. Last night he went to bed early, the Colonel didn't let him out of the flat. He was grateful for that favor but he felt himself tired nevertheless. He was hardly awake and he really needed to go to the toilet. So he stood up and dragged himself out of his room and nearly blindly walked to the bathroom. He didn't bother to switch on the light. It didn't matter because he couldn't open his eyes. He found the handle with his fingers and opened the door without a second thought. He went in and pulled down his trousers. He tried to find the toilet and finally he had to open his eyes at least half way. He found what he was searching for and rushed to it. He was just about to repeat his previous movement with his boxers when two facts hit him at the same time. First, the light was on. Second, he heard the sound of water gurgling. His eyes snapped open and suddenly he stared right at somebody with blonde hair. Somebody in the bathtub. Somebody without any clothes. And this somebody was definitely a woman. He blinked than the reality hit him. He was standing before a very naked Hawkeye with pulled down trousers and stared right at the woman's chest. His face became red like a tomato. He squeaked than grabbed his pants and turned around violently to flee for his life. He was so dead!

"Edward" Hawkeye's voice stopped him and his face became more and more flushed. "If you tell anybody about this, then I will make sure that you will never get the chance to be a man, is it clear?" he gulped audibly. He felt his face burning and his arms trembling.

"Yes madam." He answered in a really high-pitched voice. He couldn't deny it, he was scared shitless. He ordered his feet to start walking but Hawkeye stopped him again.

"And Edward." He nearly turned back at her somewhat amused voice. But he realized at the last moment that then he would stare at the woman again so he resisted the urge. "That is a very cute underwear" he became deep red at this and stormed out from the bathroom, pants in his hands with a very unmanly squeak.

Roy walked into the kitchen with a yawn. He looked at the table where Edward was sitting with a somewhat disturbed face. Did the boy have another nightmare? When he woke up he thought for a minute that he heard a scream. But then there was silence and he couldn't force himself to go out of bed. He was up late thinking about this mission, about Fullmetal and so on. Maybe he should have checked on the boy.

"Good morning, Fullmetal!" he greeted him, but the boy only groaned something in response. Then Hawkeye also came in and she also sat down to the table and watched surprised the prepared breakfast. She looked at the brat who blushed and turned away his face. What the hell? Did he miss something?

"You made us a breakfast, Edward?" Hawkeye somehow sounded frustrated and content at the same time. The boy nodded in response. "A toast?"

"I… I thought that you like it. You ate toast before." Fullmetal wanted to be nice with Hawkeye? Why? Roy didn't understand what was going on between his two underlings.

"Yes, I like it. Thank you, Edward. But how could you make it without you use anything?" she pointed at the too clean kitchen. "You couldn't have the time to wash the dishes. You only had around fifteen minutes and you also had to change." Roy finally realized what was Hawkeye's problem.

"You didn't use alchemy, did you Fullmetal?" he asked the boy warningly. The brat just bit on his lip and didn't turn toward them. Roy also became angry at the boy's another recklessness. That brat never learns!

"Edward, we have already told you that you mustn't use alchemy" Hawkeye was now clearly angry but tried to remain patient.

"But nobody saw it. The curtains are drawn and nobody can see inside the flat. And it was only a tiny transmutation and…" but Roy stopped him

"But a breakfast wasn't worth the risk." He said fretfully. "Don't do it again" Edward turned toward him clearly surprised.

"Is this all? No long speech about how irresponsible I am?" Hawkeye also looked amazed. Roy just shrugged. It was too early for this. And he needed a coffee. He looked at the prepared one on the table. The brat made him a coffee? Would he die in food poisoning if he drinks that? But somehow it was a bit touching. The boy made that only for them. But of course it was for Hawkeye. For some reason the boy wanted to please the lieutenant.

"No. I trust you that you won't be so stupid to repeat it" Fullmetal was clearly flabbergasted but he didn't speak again and luckily they could quietly eat the breakfast. But the tension was palpable. Something has happened because the boy seemed to be afraid of Hawkeye. He didn't look at her and tried to move as far away from her as he could. Roy watched them suspiciously, but neither of them seemed to be willing to let him in on their secret. The boy was clearly embarrassed but Hawkeye seemed to be completely at ease. But she surely knew what the problem of Fullmetal was. He pondered a bit about whether he should ask them but then he decided that if it was something important Hawkeye would have surely told him. So he let Fullmetal go to school without interrogating him. Maybe he will ask Hawkeye later.

Ed was relieved after he left the flat. He couldn't help but felt embarrassed around Hawkeye after what had happened in the bathroom. And the Colonel watched him the entirely time with predatory eyes so the whole breakfast was really unnerving. That's why he left earlier than he needed to. At least he didn't have to rush. He arrived to the school at the same time as the school bus. He went into the building with the others and he got many curious looks, some glares and some muttering.

"Look at him, he has an automail."

"I wonder what happened to him."

"I don't think I saw him before" Edward speeded up his steps so he could arrive into the library as fast as he could. Usually there were much less children there. And at the time of the classes he could be alone. It was his shrine. He sat down to one of the tables and he just rested for a moment. In the end he was nearly running. He breathed in and out to calm himself and at the same time he looked around. He wasn't alone in the library this time. The librarian was there and a little boy was also sitting two tables away and watched him with wide eyes. As he realized that Ed saw him he turned away quickly and fixed his eyes on the bookshelves. Ed smiled as the boy stole another glance at him. He was around five years old and he seemed to be a shy but curious kid. Ed thought for a moment then he stood up and walked next to the boy. His days were terribly boring in the school so he could talk a bit with the kid. He didn't have better to do until Charles show up anyway. And the kid somehow seemed lonely. Maybe he could cheer him up.

"Can I sit here?" he asked him. The kid looked at him with wide eyes, before he nodded. Ed smiled at him. "I am Edward. What's your name?"

"I am Liam."

"And what are you doing in the school, Liam? Aren't you a bit too young?"

"My dad works here" Ed nodded understanding. So the kid was the son of a teacher.

"How old are you?" he asked curiously. The boy seemed to be smart. He spoke better than most of his age.

"Five" he showed him five fingers. Three on one arm and two on the other. He had to chuckle at this.

"Are you drawing something?" he pointed at the pencils on the desk.

"I want to, but don't know what" Liam said with a sad smile.

"Why don't you draw down your family?" Ed asked him encouraging.

"I only have dad" Edward gulped audibly. He was thoughtless again.

"I am terribly sorry, Liam. I…" he nearly said that he also lost his parents, but then he realized that he couldn't say it this time. Somebody could hear him and it could cause trouble.

"I don't remember mum. Daddy says that she was an angel. She is in heaven now with the other angels" Ed didn't answer to this, because he couldn't say anything comforting. "But I can draw down my dad. Do you also draw down your family?"

"I…" Ed wanted to refuse, but Liam looked at him with a pleading face so he couldn't. "Fine. But only once" the kid nodded enthusiastically and grabbed a red pencil. Ed got a paper and black pencil and then he stopped for a moment. Should he draw his real parents? No, he was on a mission. So he swore inward, bit his lip and fumingly he started to draw Mustang's black hair. If he ever saw this picture then Edward will have to kill himself, he could never live with this shame. And the man would surely laugh his head off. He drew silently and after he finished the Colonel he started Hawkeye's blond hair.

"You look like your mum" he raised his eyes to Liam who seemed to have already finished his drawing. "Maybe I also look like my mum." Ed put down his pencil.

"Don't you have a picture of her?" the kid shook his head.

"Dad said we don't have one. He is angry if I ask him" Ed looked at the picture.

"Can I see him?" Liam nodded so he picked the drawing up and took a look at it. There were two figures on it. One small and one huge. The proportions were clearly wrong but it wasn't so surprising since Liam was very little. He used red pencil to draw his father and black pencil to draw himself. Not that there would have been any human in the figures. Ed was always amazed by the childish drawings. There wasn't any recognizable in them. He smiled at Liam.

"You have a tall father" the kid nodded seriously.

"Yes he is big and strong. He is the strongest father." Ed just continued smiling.

"You are surely right."

"Finish your drawing, please. Where are you?" Liam asked him so Ed picked up his pencil to finish Hawkeye, but the kid started to speak again.

"Do you think that I will see mum again?" Ed bit his lips. He really wanted to say no. False hope can be dangerous. Al and Ed have already learnt it. But how could he explain this to a five years old?

"You know it is a difficult question."

"Dad always say that if I will be good then I will also become an angel and I can meet her in the land of God" Ed was speechless. He really didn't want to get into this conversation.

"Yes it can be possible."

"But it is so difficult!" the boy nearly started to cry. Ed looked at him questioningly. "To be good. I really try to, but… but… I…" Ed really pitied Liam now.

"That's enough."

"What?"

"It's enough to try. I think if you do everything you can then that's enough" in his head Ed screamed at himself. "You liar! You don't believe your own words!" But the kid's face lit up immediately so he didn't mind his own skeptic self.

"Will you draw yourself now?" the kid asked smiling. Liam was a strange kid that was sure. He started to draw again, but then suddenly someone came in the library. He raised his head up and looked surprised at Charles.

"Hello, Ed. Do you have a time for a tea?" Ed looked apologetically at Liam.

"I will finish this later, okay?" the boy nodded a bit sadly. "I left this here, please guard it." Liam smiled at this and nodded enthusiastically. It was so easy to please a child. Ed was a bit jealous of them.

"I am glad you got a friend, Edward. But he is a bit too young, don't you think?" Charles teased him but Ed just smiled calmly. In fact he was very nervous but he tried to hide it. What did Charles want from him?

"Very funny. He is cleverer than some adult I know."

"Point taken, Edward. Tea?" Ed nodded and he bought the usual drink. They sat down and remained silent for some moments. Charles didn't seem like he wanted to speak and Ed didn't know how to ask. Then the man suddenly opened his mouth.

"We should investigate a bit, don't you think?"

"About what?" looked Ed at him perplexed. The man just rolled his eyes.

"Of course about Mr. Smalt. He is suspicious, we agreed on that. I got the information about where he lives. We should visit him." Ed eyes grew bigger. Was it a trap? Did he try to allure him to a dark place and kill him? Anyway it was certain that he had to go with him. The others watched him anyway so they could help him if anything would happen. Not that he couldn't protect himself.

"I am in" he said without hesitation.

"I knew that you are my man, Ed" smiled the man at him. "I have to repair a tap and then we can go. When will your parents come for you?"

"I go home alone" Charles frowned at this, he was clearly unhappy about this. Or he was a really good actor.

"Fine. I will accompany you home after this. It won't take a long time. I just want to now that whether that man was at home."

"And what will be my job?" he asked excited. Charles chuckled at his enthusiasm.

"If he wasn't at home, then I think I have to look around in his house to find out if there was anything suspicious. And you will have to keep guard during this. I don't want to be arrested for burglary." Ed glared at him disappointed.

"So I can't go in?" Charles shook his head.

"You don't need to."

"And if he is at home?" Ed asked confused. "Then what will I do?"

"Nothing. Stay out of his sight. I will ask him some question, and that's all" Ed looked annoyed at him. He really didn't understand why the man needed him. It seemed more and more sure that it was a trap. And he had to be so stupid to walk into it.

"Fine. I will cover you and save your ass if something would happen" Charles chuckled again. And Ed forced an excited expression on his face.

"You really shouldn't talk like this with one of your possible future teacher." The man shook his head but he was smiling. "You can go back to your little friend until I finished my job here.

Roy looked at his men annoyed.

"Why are you all here? I told you before that don't come here at the same time. It can be suspicious and you leave Fullmetal without a cover."

"Come on, Roy. Fuery is watching him" Hughes smiled at him brightly.

"So he is without protection. I said you before that at least two people watch him. Our culprit is an alchemist, not some amateur" his friend's smile grew larger.

"But, Colonel. He will be in the school for some time. He won't go anywhere and the murderer won't kill him there" Breda said while rubbing his face.

"Oh, you are becoming a more and more overprotective daddy. I am so proud of you!" Hughes shouted.

"Just shut up or I will turn you into ash" Hughes finally stopped his bouncing and looked a bit more serious. "So do you have any new information?" Roy asked them.

"No. We found nothing. And that's the most bothering about this. There isn't any empty spot in his life, anything suspicious. I don't even know when he could learn alchemy. He learned physics and chemistry, but there isn't any data on whether he ever tried out alchemy or not. Maybe he did. These subjects aren't too far away from each other." Roy nodded at this.

"So that's everything you wanted to tell me?" he asked Hughes.

"No. I found it interesting that he started to investigate about Shaun Smalt. But the man hasn't been seen since the last murder."

"Yes I was about to ask. Have you found anything about him?" Hughes nodded.

"He was fired from his last workplace because some parents complained about him. They said that he punished their children with violence and hurt them. He resigned from there, but I don't think it was of his own free will. From his file he clearly doesn't like children" he said disdainful. "I wonder why he became a teacher." Roy nodded.

"Havoc did you or Fuery saw something?" the man shook his head.

"We followed Patterson everywhere. He is in the school now. We didn't see him do anything suspicious" Roy nodded again, this time a bit disappointed.

"Falman have you found out anything new about the victims?" the man just shook his head. "Fine, then continue your work" Roy instructed them. "At night I want to send Fullmetal out again. Everybody will watch him. And you will also accompany him home."

"Yes, sir" they answered in union.

"Breda. I want you to check every known alchemist who used water as his element regularly. Or blood" he added darkly.

"Yes, sir" he saluted.

"But, please, don't leave Fullmetal alone again. We can't miss our chance to catch the murderer. Come here one by one and do the investigation the same way. Or when Edward is at home" they saluted again, but Hughes grinned annoyingly. "If you say something I will burn you and all of your pictures." Roy threatened him.

"You wouldn't…" Hughes looked terrified but Roy just smiled menacingly.

"Don't try me."

"It's a nice house" studied Ed Mr. Smalt's house. "I didn't know that the teachers get this much money. Maybe I want to be a teacher." Charles chuckled but he didn't sound really honest. He was visibly nervous. Ed was nervous a bit too and he stayed focus and alert the whole time. Maybe Charles would drag him in the house and try to kill him there? Or in the garden? He waited for the attack the whole time while they had been coming there but it hadn't happened.

"You stay here behind this tree and don't let him see you if he come out" Charles ordered him and went toward the door. Ed watched him puzzled. If it was an act it was really a good and planned one. Charles knocked on the door but he didn't get an answer. He knocked again without any success. The man tried out the bell as well but he got the same effect.

„Smalt!" he shouted but there wasn't any answer. So finally Charles gave up. He nodded to Ed and pointed at his eyes to tell him to keep his eyes open. Ed didn't need to be told twice. He became more and more tense. Maybe Charles will call him in? Or was he innocent? He didn't know what to think anymore. The man started to do something with the door but Ed didn't see what. Perhaps he tried to open it. He kneeled in front of the door and Edward quickly looked around. If anybody saw them now they would think that they were common burglars. He imagined the face of the Colonel if he had to come for him into the prison. But luckily there wasn't anybody around. After some minutes the door really opened and Charles went in without glancing back at him again. Ed felt his heart beat like crazy. He hated the waiting. He wanted to go in, but he wasn't sure what he should do. He turned around and tried to find Hughes and the others but they didn't give any sign that they were there. He turned back and slowly but determinedly he started for the building. There wasn't any use in waiting outside. He couldn't get any new information and if Charles was the murderer then they could catch him only if he attacked Ed. And if it was Smalt then perhaps Charles could use his help. He got near the house but he was still hesitated a bit. But then he heard a shout and the last of his staggering vanished. He rushed into the building like a madman prepared for anything. Maybe it was a trap maybe it wasn't but he had to go in. He ran through the house searching for Charles when he stopped abruptly as he arrived in the bedroom where the man were standing numbly and stared at something in the bed. Ed looked that way and all of the blood ran out of his face. Mr. Smalt was in his bed and he was clearly dead. The originally white sheet and pillow were crimson red and his eyes were open and glassy. His face stayed in the horror of his last minutes. He stared at the dead body dizzily. There was some strange spot on it besides the paleness. He felt sick. Really sick. He looked at Charles who looked back at him with terror.

"Edward. You… Why did you…?" but Ed stopped him.

"Did you… did you find him like this?" it was Charles chance to attack him. He backed away a bit from him and didn't dare to turn his eyes away form the man. Charles looked taken aback for a minute before he answered.

"Of course. You wouldn't think that I… that I could kill him, right?" Ed didn't answer just stared at him with terror. Should he attack him before Charles could take the first step? Or should he wait? "Besides, he is dead for some time. Don't you smell the stink?" as he finished the question the odor finally hit him and Ed had only time to bend over and avoid puking on himself. It was too much: the sight, the smell and the blood in addition with the stress. He felt himself horrible. Ed retched for some time before he could stop throwing up into the corner. He was aware that he was very vulnerable before a possible murderer but he couldn't help it. The stink was unbearable. "We should go out. You need some fresh air." He heard the voice of Charles. Was he honest? Or did he want to kill him? He jumped as the man touched his shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" he screamed warily. Charles looked back at him calmly.

"I am sorry Edward, it would have been better if you hadn't seen this. It's understandable that you became sick" Ed didn't feel himself better now. He still didn't trust Charles. And he didn't even trust himself at the moment. He was too weak. If Charles decided to attack him he wasn't sure that he could defend himself. He really wanted the Colonel right now. Even with his smug smile. He was an alchemist and if Charles was one too then he was the only one who could help Ed. He would even deal with his arrogant remarks too. Suddenly Charles grabbed his arm and Edward felt his brain go blank. He kicked the man. Hard. Charles fell onto the floor gasping and Edward stared at him panting. Charles stood up with some difficulty. Edward was about to use alchemy and chain the man somehow. If it hadn't been an emergency then nothing was. He had some idea how to catch the man. But he had to be faster than him.

"Don't panic, Edward. Just breathe in and out slowly. In and out. Do you hear me?" Edward didn't answer he pondered whether should he attack the man or wait for the enforcement. The first seemed safer, the second looked more calmer and professional. "Please, Edward. I understand that you are in shock. That you are afraid. But I won't hurt you. I won't touch you. Just please, follow me out." And he started for the door backward slowly watching him. Edward shot another look at the dead man in the bed and his stomach protested angrily against the sight. He had to get out. Immediately. First slowly then much more rapidly he walked out from the house. Charles made sure that he was always before him where Ed could see him. He could catch the man outside too and there the enforcement would surely intervene so he tried to stay calm. He survived worse situations too. He shouldn't let the panic win against him. "Just breathe slowly Ed. It was a shocking sight, but you will be okay. Now I have to go back to call out the police. Don't worry. Just stay here" and Charles rushed back in. Ed was trembling but finally he could slow down his breathing. He was surprised that Charles left him in front of the house alone. He clearly didn't attack Edward. He didn't even try. Moreover he seemed genuinely worried. Ed calmed down at this thought. Charles couldn't be the murderer. There wasn't any sign of his guiltiness. But then who killed Mr. Smalt and the children? And why? Did the teacher know something? He tried to warn Ed about something. But what did he know? It seemed that the teacher brought his secret with himself into the grave. Ed felt like he didn't know anything anymore. And where the hell were the military when he needed them? He will kill them for this. The Colonel Bastard had assured him that this mission will be totally safe even if he was the bait. He had said that he will be under constant surveillance. Then where was the enforcement? They had to see that something was wrong. He trembled like a leaf and he was sure that he looked like crap. Just as if he had seen a ghost. He nearly saw one. And they had to hear the shout before. Yes Ed will surely kill them.

I am happy that I finished this chapter. Somehow it was a bit difficult. I hope it can't be seen:). The next chappie will come next week with the reactions and consequences. I already like that more and I haven't even started yet:) I am a weirdo:)