Some time in the early hours of the next morning long before the sun was due to rise in the east the beach house lay silent and cooled thanks to the ocean breeze coming in through the open windows. Hohenhiem had not moved since falling asleep his long dark blonde hair still pulled back into a pony tail and his glasses on the bedside table. Alphonse had tossed and turned crumpling his sheets around him softly breathing his mouth open slightly as he slept deeper now his door still open. Edward had not even gotten undressed he had just laid there on his bed before dozing off still wearing his shoes as he lightly snored turned on his side. Jessica had her shorts and tee pj's on as she lay half covered up on her back moving every so often as she dreamt, that night's tragedy haunting her. Jennifer was moving a lot as she was caught in a nightmare and suddenly woke sitting bolt upright, her face soaked from the tears she had cried while asleep.

"AAIIIEEEEE!" She screamed out eyes starring forward breathing fast.

"UH! JENNY!" Alphonse was up like a shot and heading for his door.

"Jen! Oh god!" Jessica jumped out of bed hurrying to her sisters room almost being run over by Alphonse on her way out the door. "Whoaa!"

"AH!" Edward had woken also getting off his bed to investigate he made his way out the door just catching sight of Alphonse as he vanished into Jennifer's room. "Al?"

"DADDY! DADDY!" Jennifer was shouting as she cried a river of tears gripping the sheets tightly.

"Jenny! It's ok I'm here I'm here." Alphonse rushed to her side taking her in his arms and holding her tight.

"What's wrong?" Jessica had made it into the room to see her sister hysterical and Alphonse holding her. "Uhhh...Jen..."

"Is everything alright in here?" Edward said standing behind Jessica. "Did she have a nightmare?"

"Daddy! Why! Why did he...why did he have to die!" Jennifer sobbed clinging to Alphonse.

"Shh shhh it's ok. It's all ok. I'm here now ok...shhh shhh." Alphonse rubbed her back as he held her close.

"So it was a nightmare huh? Poor Jenny." Edward said lowering his head.

"...mmnnn.." Jessica was finding this hard to see and her hands curled into fists before she turned and barged past Edward running down the hall.

"AH! Jessy?" Edward turned to see her heading for the living room. "Say Al you got things covered here?"

"Yeah brother I do. Go on ...go to her." Alphonse said him nodding to him.

"She's too ..." Jennifer sniffed in coughing a little and looking at Edward. "She's too stubborn to let others help her. Please..help her."

"I will Jenny. You just focus on yourself ok. I know Al won't leave ya." Edward told her as he headed for the living room to find Jessica. "Jessy? You still here?"

"Y-yes." Jessica's voice came from the back veranda just outside the sliding door where the curtain was blowing.

"Hey what's going on? Why did ya run off like that?" Edward asked walking towards the door lifting his left hand to pull the curtain aside.

"I...I couldn't handle it. I'm so..useless." Jessica kicked the small table over with her right foot. "I'M USELESS!"

"No your not!" Edward walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. " Your hurting inside and ya have no idea how to cope."

"YES I AM!" Jessica began to sob her hands gripping the railing of the veranda fence. "I..can't even comfort my own sister Ed! What good am I to anyone?"

"Jessy stop it! Listen to me...she has Al and you have me. Ya both have my dad too. Your not alone ok..do ya hear me...your not alone." Edward insisted.

"Jenny are you feeling a little calmer now?" Alphonse asked her softly as she began to quiet down.

"A little bit." Jennifer answered in a small voice she gripped him more. " Al...thank you. Thank you for being here with me. I feel safer with you."

"Hmm I'm just glad I could be of comfort to you Jenny." Alphonse replied sighing and pulling her into the hug tighter.

"It's more than that Al. Your my best friend and my boyfriend...without you I'd be a real mess right now." Jennifer told him burying her face against him.

"Your my best friend too Jenny. I really care about you and all I want is to keep you safe." Alphonse placed a hand on the back of her head holding it softly.

By now Hohenhiem had gotten up after hearing the screaming and made his way to the room it had come from stopping by the open door listening to the two youngsters talking. He smiled to himself feeling proud his youngest son was being so kind and comforting to Jennifer knowing he got it from his mother. Hohenhiem turned and walked toward the living room to locate his eldest son, entering the room he noted the sliding door was open so he moved closer to it hearing voices outside. He stopped just short of the door as from there he could clearly make out Edward's voice and the sobbing of a very upset Jessica, he listened to them talk for a bit.

"Please Jessy stop trying to hold it in. I'm right here..you can lean on me. Alright?" Edward told her softly still holding her from behind.

"I...I...don't know if I can Ed." She sobbed softly hanging her head.

"Try..for me?" Edward tried to encourage her gently.

"Mmmnn...I..." At last Jessica's tears came flooding out and she turned grabbing hold of him, placing her head on his left shoulder.

"Ok..it's ok. Let it all out. I can stay here with you for as long as ya need me to ok." Edward held her close and rubbed her back to comfort her as she cried on him.

It tugged at Hohenhiem's heart to hear both these girls crying but at the same time he was relieved that they were at last letting their bottled up emotions out of their systems and that his sons were both being the pillar of strength for them. He turned walking back into the hallway that led to the bedrooms and made his way to his room going inside closing the door after him to leave the young people alone. Jennifer and Alphonse stayed sat on her bed the room silent except for the shiffing sound of the curtains being moved by the breeze. Jennifer was slowly falling asleep in his arms after crying for some time and her grip on him was loosening by the minute. Alphonse simply cuddled her lightly stroking her hair as she drifted off, his eyes closed breathing slowly with his face softly leaning on the top of her head. As she finally fell completely asleep Alphonse laid her down and covered her up with the blanket, kissing her forehead, he settled himself on the chair by the window shutting his eyes to sleep a bit. Edward and Jessica were still outside on the veranda as she slowly calmed down, being held by Edward in a protective embrace, her head still on his left shoulder. By now his shirt was soaked on that shoulder by her flood of tears but he honestly didn't care about that right now, his only concern was her letting go of the bottled up hurt, so he just held her till she was done letting it all out. He felt her slip down a bit as she began to fall asleep from so much crying and he picked her up in his arms carefully, walked to the large seat on the veranda, then sat down placing her on his lap. He sat there cuddling her close as she lightly slept in his arms and dozed a little himself feeling the air cooling a bit more he pulled the blanket, that sat beside him, over them to keep the chill off them. He felt her soft hair against his chin and breathed out slowly feeling very relaxed as the breeze floated over them.

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Several miles away from the beach front safe house, deep in the Florida Everglades, the small shack was a buzz of activity as Max Rygger and his men prepared for the next assault. Max sat at the small table cleaning and polishing his guns picking up a glass of whiskey every so often to gulp down a mouthful before returning to his cleaning. Within the room there were only two of his team loading many weapons and placing them into duffel bags with dozens of extra ammunition clips. All of a sudden Max's cell phone rang making the two men jump a bit and look up at their leader stopping what they were doing to give him some quiet to take the call.

"Talk to me." Max said upon flipping the phone open.

"Sir we have completed out reconnaissance." One of his men told him.

"And what have you uncovered?" Max asked swigging his whiskey again.

"The Taylor girls are being kept at a safe house. It is secluded, average number of guards and it is far enough away that no one will notice us." He said.

"Very well we go in tonight. Myself and the rest of the team will meet you there. Keep them in your sights at all times. Understand?" Max told him firmly.

"Yes sir! Understood sir!" He replied ending the call.

"Get everything into the truck men. We move out in twenty minutes." Max stood up and holstered both his guns in one motion. "Our prey has been found."

"Sir yes sir!" The two remaining men said together before continuing with the work.

Max Rygger walked to the door opened it and stepped out into the heavy heat of the morning sun, taking out his cigarettes and placing one between his lips, lighting it he took a long drag of it then let the smoke out slowly. He looked around thinking to himself how this time he would get the information he sought and after that he would never have to see this hell hole again. As he stood there deep in his own thoughts his two men were hurriedly dashing in and out of the shack bringing out bag after bag of weapons,ammunition...and grenades. He watched them load up his Hummer truck covering the items with a black tarp and securing it to the edges of the truck bed to prevent it coming off during the drive. Once that was done Max ordered one of his men to torch the shack to eliminate all trace that they were ever there, he got into his truck the second man getting in the back and they watched the other man dowse the shack in gasoline from a spare can. Once empty he tossed it inside the shack doorway lighting a road flare and tossing it inside as well. The shack burst into flames as the man rushed back to the truck and got in, all three sitting in the safety of the truck to watch the shack go up in flames. Once Max was satisfied that the fire was advanced enough he started the truck and drove off down the dirt road heading for the highway, heading for the secluded beach front safe house.

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