Wow, I just realized I only responded to one review last time. Whoops…I'll have to make sure to respond this time. Anyway, welcome to the next chapter! I tried to get it up on Friday, but my computer decided it didn't feel like cooperating with me and then there was that weird error thing yesterday. On the plus side, graduation is this Friday so updates will start coming closer again! And, like I said, something will actually happen in this chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I'd only own Fullmetal Alchemist if I lived in Wentworth.

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The night remained uneventful, and morning quickly came. Roy slowly opened his eyes as a stream of light made it into the room. He lay there for a moment before glancing at the calendar. He didn't know whether to cheer, sigh, or groan.

He had reason to cheer because he didn't have to go into work for four days. The sigh was for Hughes. Every year, Hughes and his family would drag Roy with them for their annual vacation at a cousin's lake house in the east. It was a good way to spend a vacation, but Hughes always went overboard with the camera. The groan was for, of course, the extra guest this year…not to mention that with all the excitement the day before, he'd forgotten to pack.

Roy got up to make a simple breakfast of toast and eggs. He set two places and went to wake up Ed. He opened the door to see Ed sprawled across the bed with half the covers kicked off. Some things never changed.

"Time to get up," Roy said, the annoyance from yesterday at having to take care of Ed coming back.

Ed didn't move. Roy sighed and stepped to the side of the bed.

"Get up," Roy said, shaking Ed's shoulder.

"Go…fway…" came the incoherent response.

"Get up so you can eat. We don't have much time to pack."

"Pack?" Ed asked, opening one eye.

"We're going with Hughes and his family during my vacation time. Now, get up so you can pack."

"Never unpacked," Ed said into his pillow as he closed his eye.

"Good, that gives you more time to eat."

"Don't want to."

Roy bit his tongue to contain his anger. It hadn't even been twenty-four hours, and he was already sick of Ed. How long was he going to be forced to watch the kid?

"Up!" Roy spit out without even trying to hide his anger. He pulled the pillow from under Ed's head. Ed glared but sat up. "The food's getting cold. Hurry."

Roy left before he could fully lose his temper. He went to pour himself a glass of milk and was about to pour another when he remembered Edward's dislike of the stuff. Not wanting any unnecessary drama, he filled the glass with water. He was just sitting down to eat when Ed walked in not looking particularly happy.

"See," Roy said without looking up, "it's not so hard to go to other rooms of the house."

Ed merely frowned as he sat down. Breakfast was mostly quiet until the phone rang.

"Hello?" Roy asked. He finished the last bite of his eggs and set the plate next to the phone.

"Yo, Roy!" came the voice of Hughes. "Hope you didn't forget about our annual trip to the lake house!"

"I didn't. I was just about to pack."

"You tell Ed?"

"He's already packed."

"Great! I'll be by to pick you up at nine so be ready!"

"We will."

Roy hung up and sighed. Four days trapped at a lake house with Ed and Hughes. He was thankful that the ride there wasn't too long as they would be going by car. He went back to the kitchen.

"Hughes will be here in forty minutes so be ready," Roy said.

"And if I don't want to go?" Ed asked looking like he wanted to do nothing more than go back to bed.

"You weren't given a choice. I'm going to pack. Be ready."

Roy glanced quickly at the knife drawer, decided he trusted Ed enough, and left. Rolling his eyes, Ed got up and threw his half-eaten food in the trash. He went to sit on the couch, and before he knew it, he was once again asleep.

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"You guys ready to go?"

"Almost. Ed fell asleep on the couch. Wake him up while I go get his suitcase."

"Yo, Ed, wake up!"

Edward's eyes fluttered open, and it took him a moment to remember where he was. "What now?"

"Time to go," Hughes said using a much kinder tone than Roy.

"Don't wanna go," Ed said even though he sat up.

"And deny Elysia the opportunity to play with her big brother? Not a chance!"

Edward winced slightly at Hughes's choice of words but didn't let it show.

"Come on, it'll be fun. You can swim."

"Can't swim."

"We play volleyball."

"Hate volleyball."

"We roast marshmallows."

"Too sticky."

Hughes looked dumbfounded. "Well, what do you like to do?" Edward stayed silent. "Well, don't worry. We'll find something."

Roy entered carrying Ed's suitcase as well as his own. "Are we ready now?" he asked looking far more exhausted than a man should.

"Ed's up. Everything's packed." Hughes looked around. "I'd say we're ready so let's go! Gracia and Elysia are waiting in the car. Oh, and Roy, you'll have to sit in the back with Elysia and Ed. Ed, you can sit in the middle."

Ed responded only with a grunt but walked past the two toward the door. They followed. Ed waved slightly when Gracia and Elysia waved at him, and he slid into the middle seat next to Elysia. Roy joined him on the right, and Hughes, after stowing the suitcases in the trunk, took the driver's seat.

"Ready to go?" Hughes asked happily.

"Yeah!" cheered Elysia.

The ride started out quiet enough, but there's only so long that a three-year-old can quietly sit still. Hughes couldn't help but smirk at the identical looks of torment on Ed and Roy's faces as they were forced to play game after game with Elysia over the course of the four hour drive. Both let out a sigh of relief as they pulled into the driveway.

"Yay!" Elysia cheered once again as she scrambled out of the car.

Ed stepped out and looked around. It was just a one-story, wooden house next to part of a lake and surrounded by trees, trees, and more trees. The lake had a small, sandy beach with a dock sticking out into the water. Chained to the dock and pulled up on the beach was a very ancient looking canoe. Close to the start of the beach was a fire pit. All in all, it didn't look that great to Ed.

"You're in the same room as always, Roy," Hughes said as he unloaded the trunk. "One of the other beds in there should have sheets on it. Ed can have one of those."

"Share a room with him?" Ed asked bitterly. "Isn't it bad enough that I have to share a house with him?"

"No complaining," Roy said, equally as bitter. "Unless you want to sleep outside."

"Be better than sharing a room with you."

"Okay, that's enough," Hughes said. "It's only for a few nights. That's the only bedroom with more than one bed so you'll just have to deal." Hughes watched their backs as they walked toward the house. "How did we ever think it was a good idea sticking those two together?"

Ed looked around the house as he was led to his room. He still didn't see anything special about it. It was bigger than Roy's house but not by much. He just couldn't see why anyone would want to spend four days out here in the middle of nowhere.

"Here we go," Gracia said as she opened the door. "Make yourself right at home. If you need anything at all, Maes and my room is right down the hall."

"Thanks," Ed muttered, making sure that Roy heard. If it bothered Roy at all, he sure didn't show it.

"As much as I'd like a break from your attitude," Roy said as he set his suitcase on one of the beds, "don't think that you're going to spend the entire trip locked up in here."

"I believe I quit the military," Ed said also setting his suitcase on one of the beds. "You can't say what I can and can't do."

"For the time being, I'm your legal guardian. I believe that does mean that I can say what you can and can't do."

"I don't need a guardian, and I don't want one. I can make choices fine on my own, thanks."

"If you could make good choices, then you wouldn't be with us on this trip anyway, and I wouldn't be forced to take care of you." Roy turned his attention away from Ed and started unpacking. He could feel Ed's eyes drilling holes into his back.

"Nobody's forcing you do to anything. If you hate me so much, send me somewhere else…or is that why I'm stuck with you? Because everyone hates me?"

Roy stopped unpacking and turned around to look Ed straight in the eye. "No one hates you, Ed. We're all just a little stressed right now, including me…especially me. Everything just sort of happened all at once. Everyone needs time to adjust, including you. You don't have to like me, but do keep in mind that you aren't the only one that's being affected by this. You don't always have to be the center of attention."

Ed turned his back to Roy and started unpacking. "D-dad used to say the same thing all the time."

Roy was startled. He'd never heard Ed mention his father before. He looked at the boy whose shoulders were shaking as if he were forcing himself not to cry. For a moment, he wanted to put his arm around him and comfort him until he felt better, but he forced himself against it. Instead, he returned to unpacking.

"Just know," Roy said without turning around, "if you ever need to talk, about anything at all, I'm here." Roy finished and walked toward the door. He stopped just before leaving and turned around. "Whether you believe me or not, I will listen." Edward turned around to look at him. He studied him for a second before nodding slightly. Roy gave a quick nod back and left.

"Thanks…"

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Ed was sitting on the beach watching Gracia trying to put up the volleyball net all by herself. Hughes had been helping, but Elysia must have done something absolutely adorable because he'd run off to get the camera and hadn't come back. Ed had been playing with the thought of getting up to help her, but he really didn't feel like doing much of anything at the moment. He hadn't slept well the night before, he was forced to get up way too early, and any attempts he made at taking a nap were defeated by the ever watchful Roy who seemed intent on making Ed join in the activities.

"Ed!"

Ed looked around. Everyone was either busy or inside.

"Ed!"

Ed stood up and looked around again. It was a girl's voice, but Gracia was busy and Elysia was nowhere to be seen.

"Ed! Over here!"

Ed looked toward the woods and saw a hand waving him over. He glanced at everyone to make sure no one was watching and ran over.

"K-Kayt!" Ed said startled as he saw who it was. She shushed him and led him a little further into the woods. "What are you doing here?"

"Making sure you're okay, of course," she said matter-of-factly. "How cruel, making you stay with that idiot colonel."

"W-wait…Kayt, you don't have to follow me everywhere. I'm fine on my own."

"Really?" Kayt asked doubtfully. "I can definitely see that. God, you're such an idiot sometimes."

"And why's that?" Ed asked angrily.

"Really, Ed, they don't care about you. Not one bit. But you're letting them get close! Don't you know what happens when people get close? You get hurt! Or, maybe in your case, they get hurt."

"I'm not letting them get close. They're no closer than they've ever been."

"Maybe not the doting daddy and his family, but that other man is."

"Mustang? It wasn't my choice to stay with him if that's what you're thinking! I hate him!"

"Do you now?" Kayt questioned as she started circling Ed. "I don't understand why I always have to explain everything to you…but you sure seemed pretty chummy with him a little while ago."

"Why are you spying on me?" Ed asked obviously annoyed at the circling.

"To protect you," Kayt answered with concern in her voice. "So you never get hurt again like the day your dear old daddy left. I just want to help."

"Help? You're ruining my life!" Ed looked startled at his own outburst at his old friend. He looked down guiltily.

Kayt looked hurt. "Ruining your life? That's what you think? After all I've done to try and help you? If anyone's ruining anyone's life it's you ruining mine! I've spent so much of my life giving up the things I want to do so I can help you! I thought you were my friend!" Tears started forming in her eyes, but she kept her face angry. "Why don't you just go die! See if I care!"

She started to run away, and Ed was about to follow when a hand was placed on his shoulder.

"What are you doing out here, Ed?" Roy asked. "You need to let someone know if you're going somewhere." Roy noticed how distressed Ed looked. "Is something wrong?"

Ed looked back to where he'd last seen Kayt, but she was gone already.

"No…Nothing's wrong…"

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Finally! Something actually happened! In fact, a lot happened! Go me! Uh, yeah, anyway, I realized I seem to have a little problem. I've noticed that every time I try to type Roy, instead I type Toy. I usually catch it as soon as I do it, but let me know if I missed one. I've also noticed that I tend to feel the emotion that I'm typing. Like when I was typing Kael, I felt a bit insane, and this time, I feel really sad. This happen to anyone else? Anyway, that's all for now. Until next time!

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