Sorry for the long wait. Work's been crazy. hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

Chapter 11

Alphonse checked his watch again. Ed had promised to pick him up from the station at four and it was almost four thirty.

"Al!" He turned and suddenly had his arms full as Edward tackled him. After his moment of shock was gone, he hugged back. "It's great to see you Ed," he said.

"You too," Ed said and stepped back to look at her brother. "Wow. You've filled right out. You get taller?" Alphonse seemed to have gained a few inches since they'd last met, and his chest had filled out with muscle. She gave his arm a squeeze and found it firm in response.

"Ah yeah. I've been working a lot," he rubbed the back of his head. "The shops been doing good, and I've been doing a lot of manual labor for Winry."

Ed grabbed several of Al's bags and helped him over to the taxi she'd rented. "How's that been going?" she asked as they climbed in. The sting of her separation from Winry had subsided, and it made her happy to think her brother and best friend were making each other happy.

"Really good," Al said. "We've gone out on quite a few dates and we've been working together and uh…" He blushed. "We kissed."

"Oh?" Ed smirked. "That's good. I'm glad you two are doing well."

"What about you?" Alphonse asked as they pulled up to the apartment and exited the cab. "How have you been doing?"

"Alright," Ed responded quietly helped carry the luggage inside. "Hey, you haven't seen the shop. I'm doing like art alchemy." She pointed to the vases lined up along the wall. Below them were several statues that she had created the day before. There was a dragon, a cat, and a hummingbird drinking from a lily.

"I love the kitty," Alphonse gushed, temporarily distracted by the little rock statue. But only temporarily. "So you have anyone?" He shrugged and off-handedly wondered, "You said something about Mustang."

Ed's eyes went wide. "Mustang?!" She laughed humorlessly. "Yeah right like…I…would…" Her sentence drifted off as Alphonse gave her his patented Ed-stop-lying-and-tell-the-truth glare. Even though he wasn't in a six foot tall metal suit anymore, her brother still had the ability to make her feel incredibly tiny. She pursed her lips and looked away from him. "We might have gone on a date."

"Ed…" Al warned.

"A few dates."

"And what happened on these dates."

Ed huffed. "It's none of your business Alphonse. They were dates, we went out, and had dinner. He took me to a movie, which I kindda wanna take you to while you're visiting."

Al rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Ed of course it's my business. I'm your brother. Whom you date, especially when it's the Colonel, is definitely my business." He picked up his suitcase. "Well I want to have a talk with Mustang then before I leave."

Ed grabbed the other bag and started lugging them up the staircase with Al on her heels. "Aren't you taking this 'protecting your sister' thing a bit far? It's Roy for pete's sake. Not to mention that regardless of my physical appearance I am still your big brother."

"Ed that is exactly why I want to talk to him," Al said and dropped his suitcase when they'd reached the landing. "I mean what if you got pregnant or…"

"We haven't done that Al!" Ed practically yelled as a huge blush hit her face.

"I'm not an idiot Ed. I know how things work," Al argued.

"Oh like you and Winry have…" Ed started to say and Al suddenly got red very red. He gave her a sheepish smile before his eyes looked away in embarrassment. Ed's jaw dropped. "Alphonse! You didn't!"

"Maybe," her younger brother mumbled.

"I'm calling Winry," Ed said and stomped over to the phone. "A few months and you're already corrupted."

"Ed wait…"

After a long argument about the birds and the bees and the fact that a certain bee and bird had been very busy, Ed decided not to call Winry nor rant anymore at Alphonse about safe sex, responsibility, and other things that made them both want to crawl under a rock and blush themselves to death. Yet despite the awkwardness of their first conversation, the two managed to get Alphonse settled and order pizza. As they easily devoured a large, Ed took the time to fill Alphonse in on all that had been going on in Central.

"I'd read in the papers they'd closed the State Alchemists," Al said over a bite of cheese and pepperoni. "Believe it or not, Granny wasn't thrilled about it. She said it sounded like there was a rat in Central."

Ed nodded. "Yeah and I think that rat is Olan Harbring. He's the ambassador for Drachma, and apparently this is all in compliance to some treaty they offered Amestrias." She took a sip of her drink. "Roy actually asked if I could tell a few people the truth and get a spy network going. He's watched but I'm a citizen. I'm nobody as far as the military is concerned."

"You mean tell people that you're not dead?" Al wondered. "Ed what if the wrong people find out?"

"It would only be people I trust completely. Like Roy's team, Armstrong, and Teacher's husband, Sig," Ed explained. "I was hoping you and Winry too. All we're looking for is people to keep their ears open. Do some digging if they can."

"What could Winry and I do all the way out in Risembol?" Al wondered.

"You're my brother. I might be dead, but the name Alphonse Elric is one the military remembers. They could seek you out," Ed told him. "With this bomb their building I don't think Risembol is going to be as isolated as it once was."

Alphonse tapped his fingers on the table. "Do you think Winry and Granny will be safe?" he asked anxiously. "Maybe I should move here."

"Al," Ed tried to reason. "It will seem suspicious if you leave your girlfriend to come and live with your cousin." She smiled. "Plus who better to keep them safe than you?"

"And is the Colonel going to keep you safe?" Alphonse wondered cheekily.

Ed choked on her drink and started to cough. "Yeah right," she wheezed out after a moment. "At the moment he can't legally have those gloves he's toting about. Oh that reminds me…" Ed got up and jogged down to the shop. In a moment she had returned with a wide metal bracelet around her right wrist. "This is steel, but I've been fiddling with the chemical composition to reinforce it." She clapped her hands and slid her hands over the metal, transforming it into the familiar blade that was once part of her automail. "I figured with the weather getting colder I could hide it under long sleeve shirts. I need to test it out though." She smiled at her brother. "You wanna spar?"

The evening had subsided to a cool breeze and the trees were already starting their slow turn to orange. After another long and fruitless day at the office, Roy had decided to check up on Ed before heading home. She'd told him several days ago that Alphonse was visiting, and he planned to give the siblings some much needed bonding time. However, a quick hello seemed appropriate, especially considering the relationship he was hoping to foster with Ed.

It still felt odd to think of Ed as his girlfriend, although he wasn't opposed to the idea. Quite the opposite considering how many times that kiss had replayed in his mind the last few days.

He poked his head into the shop. "Ed! Al!?" Roy called out as he stepped in. There was no response and Roy jogged upstairs to find the apartment empty. Al's bags on the couch and an empty pizza box were evidence the siblings had been around…but where…

A loud shout of joy caused him to check the window above the kitchen sink. Behind the shop was a small lot squashed between the surrounding buildings with a small alley that led to the street. It was a rarely used strip of dead grass that looked to be more of a catch all garbage dump for the nearby tenants. However, it seemed the optimistic siblings also saw it as a good place to tackle each other.

Ed was sporting a blade that looked familiar to the one she'd created from her automail and Alphonse had transformed a garbage lid into a fashionable shield. It was amazing to watch them fight, almost like a dance. Ed was all about acrobatics and swooping high kicks that had her leg muscles lashing out like vipers and her toes glancing the ground before she was up flipping backwards to land like a crouched cat. Alphonse was the exact opposite. He was planted, like a rock taking beating after beating and using his larger size and strength to push Ed back into a corner. Instead of using a series of fast kicks and punches, he stood his ground until the moment he could unleash one strong devastating punch that would send Ed careening back.

Yet despite the ferocity of their battle, they were both smiling, taunting each other, and laughing in response. Roy watched them for a while before heading back downstairs. He would come back another time when he didn't feel as if he would be interrupting something so sacred.

"I am so curious to try this," Alphonse said. Ed and Alphonse had been invited to Gracia's Wednesday night for supper and the woman had created a feast. There were pork chops, mashed potatoes, carrots slathered in honey glaze, and an endless supply of warm biscuits covered in butter and jam. They had rarely talked the whole meal if only to express how delicious it was and to ask for seconds.

But now came the crescendo of the meal. Gracia's peach pie.

"It's really really good Alphonse," Ed told him.

"Yeah it sounds it," Al said, completely unaware of how Elisia was looking at him. She had a cute little pink blush on her cheeks and she kept glancing at him and tripping over herself when he talked to her. Ed had to admit it was kind of cute. The five year olds first crush, probably so new strange the little girl wasn't even fully aware of why she was acting this way.

A knock came at the door and Gracia poked her head out of the kitchen, her hands busy whipping some cream.

"I got it," Ed said and hopped up. She peeked out the window and was a little surprised to see Mustang standing outside. He was dressed casually and warding off the rain with a large black umbrella. Ed opened the door and raised an eyebrow at him. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Gracia told Riza and Riza told me. I'm not staying for long. Just wanted to say hello to Al while he was in town," Roy explained.

"Who is it Ed?" Gracia called from the kitchen.

"Colonel Bastard," Ed yelled back.

"Tell him to make himself at home, I'm almost done," Gracia returned, a hint of laughter in her voice.

Alphonse perked up as Roy followed Ed into the dining room. "Colonel," he greeted and Roy didn't miss the cool tone he used or the fact that he crossed his arms like a disapproving father.

"Alphonse," Roy replied as he settled himself at the dining table. "It's nice to see you."

Al didn't respond although he noticed the little pink blush on Ed's cheeks and the way she kept glancing at Roy. The colonel caught her once and winked causing Ed's face to flare even more. A moment later there was a thump under the table and Roy jumped before glaring at Ed. "If you want to play footsies can you please not use your automail," Roy said as he messaged his shin and Ed gave him a very smug smile.

Alphonse was taken aback by the display, feeling like he was watching the playful flirting of a seasoned couple versus his sister and the colonel. But then, as he thought about it, hadn't Ed and Roy always acted like this?

"Colonel," Alphonse asked and folded his hands on the table. Elisia mimicked him, even giving Roy an identical stern glare. "You and my sister are…dating? Correct?"

Roy settled his arms in front of him as well. "Yes. Are you okay with that?"

Ed scowled at her brother. "Alphonse I already told you it's none of your business."

"After you gave an hour long rant about…" Alphonse peeked at Elisia. "…certain mature things about my relationship, I think I can ask the colonel if you guys are dating."

At that Roy started to smile. "Why Alphonse I never thought you'd beat your sister to that particular punch." Ed hit Roy hard in the shoulder causing the older man to wince.

"How's that for a particular punch," Ed muttered.

"Your brother is just curious about my intentions Ed." That received another punch. It was probably well deserved considering those intentions were far from pure.

"And you're okay with this Ed?" Alphonse asked, not bothering to hide his surprise.

"I…uh…"

Ed was saved from answering as Gracia dramatically brought in the pie and placed it in the center of the table.

She glanced over at Roy. Was she really okay with it? Was she really okay with being intimate with Roy?