It's seven in the morning, and Ed was just awake. He didn't know why he woke up that early, and he couldn't go back to sleep. So he decided to jump out of bed and went to the kitchen to steal some cookies again, but instead he met his father, reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee on his other hand. Just as Ed about to walk to him, Roy saw Ed and put down his mug.

"Morning, goldilocks"

"Morning, daddy…hey, wait! Why did you call me goldilocks? It's sissy!" Ed protested, as he ran to Roy and jumped to his laps. Roy turned his head down and kissed his son's forehead before continuing to talk.

"Well your hair's getting long now, son. People often mistook you as a girl. I think you have to go for a haircut soon" Roy let his fingers went through the golden strands of his son's hair, and kissed his forehead again.

"No! I don't want to cut my hair…I hate haircuts!"

"Why did you hate it? It doesn't hurt like a trip to the dentist"

"I…I just hate it! I don't wanna to cut my hair! And I hate dentists too!"

Roy sighed. "Oh well, up to you" then he took another sip of his coffee, then continue reading.

Ed then climbed onto the table and grabbed the jar of cookies, then stuffed them into his mouth. He thought Roy would scold him because he hadn't eaten breakfast yet but he didn't do anything. He continued reading even though Ed was really sure that his father sees him and the cookies in his mouth. When Ed moved closer, he saw thick gray marks below his father's eyes. And his father's eyes were a bit red. Was he crying? When Roy stood up to make some more coffee, Ed jumped down and suddenly clinging onto his father's legs.

"What is it, shrimp?"

"Daddy Roy, are you sad about something?"

"N-no…nothing for you to be worried about, Ed. I just…I just can't sleep last night"

"But why did you look sad?"

"W-well…it…it's something that you won't understand, Ed. But thanks for worrying about me, I'm okay"

Ed knew that Roy wouldn't say it no matter how much he begged when it came to the part 'something that you won't understand'. But it doesn't mean that Ed's going to let him like that all day. Ed released his grip, ran to his bedroom and went back with a piece of paper, a set of crayons and a lump of green clay. He put them down on the table and grabbed a purple crayon. He then carefully draws a transmutation circle on the paper, put the clay on the middle and started the transmutation. Roy was just done making another cup of coffee when he saw the blue lights of the reaction, and wonders what kind of thing his son would transmute in this early morning. He walked towards the table, but Ed already grabbed whatever he had transmuted from the table and went to him.

"Here, dad! I transmuted this for you!" Ed said, smiling wide with all of his teeth shown, putting the transmuted object in his palms onto his father's. Roy opened his

"A four-leaf clover?"

"Yep! Aunt Gracia told me that it would bring good luck and make people smile! I…I heard from Havoc-niisan that recently you're having a lot of work and I know you must be tired...but you still teach me alchemy and take good care of me! So…so I think I should give you something that will make you happy in return! That's equivalent exchange, right?"

He worried me that much?

"Well, thanks! I'm going to keep this in my pocket, okay? Hope this'll bring good luck for me, lil' shrimp!" Roy then smiled, and Ed smiled back.

"Anyways…the weather forecast says that there'll be no rain today" Roy said, smirking to Ed.

"So?"

"Well, how about if we go out to the lake for a picnic today? Just you and me"

"Picnic? YAY!" Edward cheered and rushed to his bedroom.

Oh well, just in case if this becomes the last day we spent together…

Roy might not be ready, but Monday morning already came. He woke up at six and get dressed, then went to Ed's room to wake him up and helped him dress. They fix a quick breakfast then got on the carpool to the HQ. Ed, feeling a little tired after their trip to the lake yesterday, fell asleep on his father's laps. Roy was staring blankly at the window; watching sceneries of Central City in the morning go by. His face was tense, feeling nervous about the test. Ed didn't know about this for sure, because Roy didn't want to make him confused and being nervous that he cannot perform alchemy at all in front of the Fuhrer.

"Roy, did something happened?" Maes asked. He was watching Roy through the glass from the front seat. Roy turned his face to the front, and sighed.

"Hey Maes, remember when we kidnapped this little guy from the lab?"

"Uh-huh…why?"

"Today is the day when I have to fulfill my promise to His Excellency"

Maes and Havoc turned their faces to the backseat, shocked.

"Havoc! Focus to the front when you're driving!" Roy scolded. Havoc quickly turned his face to the front again and focused on the road. Maes turned his head down, staring at the face of the sleeping innocent child.

"Is…is he ready?"

"Well, he knows basic alchemy now at least. Maybe he's not a top-notch, but for a kid his age he's too good to be true"

"If he really becomes a state alchemist when he's all grown-up, it'll be like father like son, alchemy legends of Amestris!"

"Maes, you know I don't want him to become a state alchemist! Okay he can be an alchemist, but surely not becoming a military dog"

"Yeah, yeah, I know…you just don't want him to end up in a place like Ishbal"

After that, the rest of the trip to Central HQ becomes uncomfortably quiet.

It's been a long time since they saw the infamous chibi Mustang in the HQ. As Roy walked through the corridors with Ed on his arms, people stopped by to say hi to Ed or to pinch his cheeks. Ed himself was still woozy, half-asleep and hugging his favorite teddy bear tight. He always loved it when he got to go to the HQ with his father, but somehow he got a weird feeling today.

Roy entered his office, greeting his subordinates and put Ed on the sofa. Just after he put away his coat, the phone rings. Riza answers the call, and told her superior that the Fuhrer wanted to see Ed immediately. Roy sighed, grabbed Ed back and walked out to the Fuhrer's office.

"Daddy, where are we going?" Ed asked

"To the Fuhrer's office. He wants to see you" he said, still pacing to the Fuhrer's office.

"Who?"

"The Fuhrer"

"You mean the pirate?"

"Yes, but do not call him pirate. Call him Fuhrer King Bradley, Ed. Show your respects"

"Foo-ler? King Bladrey?"

"Not fooler, Fuhrer!"

"Fyoo-ler?"

"Almost, Ed. Fuhrer"

"Fyoo-rer?"

"Yes! That's it! Fuhrer King Bradley!"

"Fuhrer King Bladrey?"

"No, it's Bradley! Braaad-ley!"

"Blaaaad-rey?"

"No! Not Blad, Ed! Brad! Brad-ley!"

"Uuumm…B-brad…rey?"

"Not 'rey' but 'ley!' Brad-ley, see?"

"Uuumm….B-brad…lee…uhhh…Brad...ley?"

Five minutes after walking through the corridors and stairs of Grand Central HQ while practicing how to pronounce "King Bradley" properly, they arrived in front of the door of the highness's office. Roy put Ed down and he gussied up his son as tidy as possible, and brushed his golden hair fast with his fingers. He then kneeled down and put his hands on his son's tiny shoulders.

"Okay, now when we go in there, I want you to be a good boy and be polite to the Fuhrer, and do what he told you to do. Promise me you'll behave and I'll buy you the giant chocolate sundae at Madame Snow's after office hours ends"

"Really?"

"Really"

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now let's go in, shall we?"

Roy gave a kiss on his son's forehead and tapped on his shoulders twice, before standing up and grabbed his hand. Then, he knocked on the big white marble door and waited until the secretary opened the door for them. To tell the truth, Ed was feeling nervous and scared. He never liked meeting with the guy with eye patch that somehow makes him shiver even though he didn't believe in monsters under beds or even ghosts anymore. But for now, he has to be brave because daddy Roy told him to behave and do what the pirate – or Fuhrer told him to do. He could just cry and run away, but seeing his father being a bit more nervous than usual, Ed somehow knew that they both would be in big trouble if he didn't behave.

After two minutes of waiting, the door opened, revealing the Fuhrer's secretary who let them in. As they feel the scent of her lily perfume entering their noses, Ed gazed in amazement to the lady, which somehow he liked so much. He blushed and kept his golden eyes locked on her gentle face.

"Juliet…Douglas" he read out the nametag pinned on her chest. The lady smiled, and bowed to see the young boy more closely. "That's right, boy. Are you reading my nametag?" he nodded shyly, and quickly stepped back to hid behind his father's waist cloak. "Oh, your son is a shy one, I see. But I believe he is very smart, for the Fuhrer wants to see him and his alchemy personally" Roy smiled, "It's not really his nature to be shy. I guess he is just nervous to meet the Fuhrer. Edward, where are your manners? What did I tell you about being nice to the ladies? Now, be nice to Ms. Douglas and introduce yourself properly." Reluctantly, he stepped away from his father and moved himself forward towards her and raised his hand.

"My name is Edward Mustang. Nice to meet you, Ms. Douglas"

She shook his hand and smiled "Nice to meet you too, Edward" he somehow can't stand her smile that makes his heart beats fast, so he ran back to his father and hid behind his waist cloak again. She giggled along with Roy, but then stopped soon after he felt that Ed is gripping his waist cloak too tight that it almost fell off its latch.

"Ed, stop it! You're going to pull off my waist cloak!" Roy took his son's hands away from his waist cloak and pulled him forward to his side. Ed obeyed, but he looked down to the floor with a blushing face.