Hey readers, happy Super Bowel Sunday (if you happen to be into that...)

My lovely editor Dani just finished up on this chapter so here it is for you all to read. Thanks for all the reviews I got from last chapter, they were greatly appreciated. :)

So let's find out what's gonna happen to poor old Trisha.

Edward opened his eyes and stared at the linoleum flooring of the hospital waiting room, his hands and bangs shielding his face from view. Alphonse sat next to him, in a state of almost catatonic worry. Hohenheim was not with them, he was wherever Trisha was, in some hospital examination room. Ed and his brother had been sitting, waiting, for over two hours and even though it was already well past midnight, Edward did not feel remotely tired. Edward covered his face with his hands for a moment before he rubbed his face and lifted his head to stare out into the near-empty waiting room.

Soon after Edward had found his mother, lying unconscious, his brother and father were at the scene in a flash and within minutes, Trisha was on her way to the hospital in an ambulance with their father. Only a few minutes after the ambulance left, Ed and Al were in Ed's car, driving to the hospital. They knew that there would be no news for hours but if something were to happen, at least they would be nearby. And besides, it's not like they would be doing anything different if they had stayed at home.

Edward turned to look at his brother and felt his heart give an uncomfortable squeeze. Al looked so lost and upset, his big golden-brown eyes staring blankly ahead of him. He had not really said anything since he had first seen Trisha on the floor and he didn't look like he would be up to speaking for a while.

What was he, the older brother, doing? Ed wasn't doing anything helpful for his younger brother and he was probably looking just as scared. He needed to be stronger for Alphonse.

Letting out a shuddering sigh, Ed sat up in his seat before he wrapped a supportive arm around Al's shoulders. Al, slightly shaken out of his stupor, turned and looked at Ed. Ed tried his best to give his younger brother a reassuring smile but he was pretty sure the expression he had managed was more tired than anything.

She'll be fine, Ed wished he could say to his brother. This has happened before and she's be fine afterwards before. This isn't any different from any of those other times. Mom will be fine. In a few hours, everything will be better.

Edward wished he could have believed the words himself but he knew that it was too naïve to not think that maybe this time, things would go horribly wrong, that everything wouldn't be fine, that their mother might not pull through. At this thought, Edward felt sick and let himself collapse again with his face in his hands.

So much for being strong for his brother.

"Honey, honey, wake up."

Hohenheim jumped slightly and looked up at his wife, who was looking very tired but was still smiling. Trisha was sitting upright in her hospital bed and was staring down at her husband, who had fallen asleep sitting by her side. His upper half was sprawled over the bed with his head resting on her left thigh while his hands gripped onto her left hand. Feeling slightly disorientated, Hohenheim forced his spine to straighten and sat upright again.

"I told you, you should have gone home and come back later," Trisha said, looking sad as her husband rubbed his back in hopes of relief. "It's not good for your back to be sleeping like this."

"I'm fine," Hohenheim said, yawning slightly. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Trisha said, bringing up her right hand to stroke his face slightly. "I just got a bit over worked today and that's why I collapsed. I can go home in the morning."

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked his wife again. "You didn't get hurt from the fall or anything?"

"I'm as alright as I can be at this point," Trisha said with a kind of hollow smile. "You should go get the boys so they can see me and then go home."

"Are they still here?" Hohenheim asked, glancing at the clock; it was now quarter to four in the morning.

"What do you think?" Trisha asked with a fuller smile. "I'm sure they haven't left the waiting room for more than a few minutes since they got here."

"I'll go and get them in a minute then," Hohenheim said with a nod.

Hohenheim gripped his wife's small hand tighter before looking back up at his her. He let out a heavy sigh, causing her to frown slightly. Trisha moved her right hand and placed it on his own hand.

"What is it, dear?"

"Nothing…" he lied, looking away from his wife.

"Sweetheart, you've never been very good at keeping secrets from me," Trisha said, smiling once more. "What is it?"

"I was just thinking, about the boys," Hohenheim said.

"I think about them constantly," Trisha said, but her tone seemed to suggest that she was talking more to herself than to her husband. Hohenheim seemed to realize this for himself, since did not say anything to it.

"I tried to talk to Edward the other day."

"Yes, you told me."

"So you'll remember how he could hardly talk to me for more than five seconds before wanting to escape?" he asked bitterly.

"Yes," Trisha sighed.

"…I just wanted to tell him the truth," Hohenheim said after a second. "I wanted to tell him why we really sent him and Alphonse away to school but he just wouldn't listen to me."

"Well he is your son after all," Trisha said with a shrug before adding, with a tiny smile, "Very stubborn."

Hohenheim made a face that once might describe as a pout.

"Why is he my son when he's being stubborn?"

"Because as I remember, you were once a very stubborn young man, just like Edward," Trisha said. "You two are basically the same person born into different generations."

"Not quite," he sad quietly. "He's a very caring person, just like you."

"And you're not caring?"

Hohenheim smiled lightly at his wife before he returned back to the original conversation.

"We need to tell them, you know."

"I do know but getting through Edward will be a tall order."

"It would be easier if Alphonse knew Edward's suspicion; Alphonse could be easily talked to."

"And why do you think Alphonse does not know Edward's thoughts?"

"Because Alphonse still talks to me," Hohenheim said heavily. "He doesn't seem to doubt a single thing about me while Edward… well, doubt is the only thing I get from him. That and hatred."

"He doesn't hate you!" Trisha exclaimed. "He's just upset at the thought of you hating him, which is understandable."

"I don't hate him at all…" he muttered. "I love him very much… I love both of my sons very much."

"I know you do."

The two were quiet for a very long time, both apparently lost in thought, before either one of them spoke.

"Maybe… maybe it's for the best if they don't know the truth," Trisha said quietly.

Hohenheim didn't day anything but stared at his wife instead.

"I know you don't like to bear Edward's anger but, maybe it would just upset them more if they knew the truth," she said. "Seeing as it would mean that their whole reason for going there was kind of redundant."

"There was a purpose for them to go to the Academy," Hohenheim said, his gold eyes shining as he looked at this sickly wife. "Even if it wasn't the purpose they thought it was. It was a good idea to send them there. They've benefited from it more than they could ever know."

"So… should we not try to tell them?" Trisha asked. "I don't want you to have to deal with Edward being so upset with you but-"

"No. I agree with you, it is for the best that they not know right now," Hohenheim said steadily. "They'll know the truth eventually but not now. I can deal with Edward for now."

"Alright then," Trisha said. "Then please go get our boys… they must be so tired."

"Mom, are you alright?" Alphonse asked, looking close to tears, as he hugged his mother.

"Yes, I'm alright," she said as she kissed her younger son on the check. "The doctors will let me go in the morning."

"What time exactly?" Al asked eagerly.

"Oh, I'm sure sometime when the sun's up," Trisha said with a smile. "But for now you need to get back home and get to bed. You look so exhausted."

"I'm not that tired," Al lied, failing to stifle a yawn. "I've stayed up later than this before."

"While I don't doubt that, you still need to get some sleep. Growing boys need plenty of sleep."

"Right," Al said with a nod before he moved away from his mother and turned to look at his brother, who was standing in the doorway of the room.

"Ed?"

"I think your brother might want to tell me something," Trisha said. "How about you wait outside with your father?"

Al nodded and then walked out of the room. Edward sighed as he moved forwards and then sat down in the seat that was previously occupied by his father. Trisha reached out and placed a hand on top of Ed's head. She then ran her fingers through his unbound locks and smiled.

"I think your hair needs a trim," she said, smiling warmly.

Edward looked up at his mother and let himself smile half-heartily at her. He was very happy about his mother being fine but whenever she collapsed or something else happened to her, Edward always thought of how he had to work to find a cure before it was too late. Truthfully, he was already thinking of books he should reference once he got back home.

"I'm glad you're alright," Ed said heavily.

"Me too," she said, smiling. "You need to get back to bed now. You look as if you haven't slept in weeks."

"I'm fine," Ed lied.

"All three of you boys, lying to me, saying you're alright when you're clearly not," Trisha said with a small shake of her head.

"Sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Edward. I just wish you all would feel better."

"I'll feel better when you feel better, mom."

Trisha tilted her head and gave her eldest son an odd yet unreadable expression. Edward had the feeling there was pity mingling somewhere in there but he couldn't pick out what else. Her expression bothered him none-the-less.

"I think you would also feel better if you didn't work so hard, Edward."

"I have to work hard," Edward said stubbornly.

"You have to?"

"Yes," Ed said, as if it were the most obvious thing on the planet.

"Says who?"

Edward was a loss for words. Says who? What was the supposed reason he and Al were sent away to Amestris Academy? It was because his mother and father had said that it would be a good idea to search for a cure there. She was not making any sense to him.

"Says who?" Ed repeated, looking and sounding utterly confused. "Wasn't the whole reason for going to the Academy for us to work hard at finding a cure for you, mom?"

"Hmm… I don't know if that was the entire reason," Trisha said cryptically. "Maybe it was just the incentive."

Edward scowled and scrunched his brow in confusion.

"Just do your old mom one thing Edward?"

"Anything," Ed said quickly.

"Relax."

"Okay… what do you want me to do?" Ed asked which caused Trisha to smile.

"No, I want you to relax. Take it easy. Stop working so hard."

"But-"

"Don't worry about me right now, Edward," she said, holding up a hand. "Worry about yourself. From what Alphonse tells me, you stay up half of the night working. That's not good for you."

Edward would have loved to have fought his mother on the subject, tell her how he was perfectly aware of what his body was capable of and that it was all for her that he was doing this, but he held his tongue. His mother was probably the only person on the planet who could make him keep his opinions to himself. So instead of fighting with her, he shrugged and moved forwards to hug her tightly.

"I'll talk to you more in the morning, alright?" Trisha asked.

"Alright, mom," Ed sighed.

"Now, go home and I want you to go straight to bed. No if's, and's, or but's, about it," Trisha said sternly. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good," she said before placing a kiss on his check. "Now get to bed. I'll talk to you later."

"Alright. Bye, mom," he said as he got up to leave.

"See you in a bit," she said with a little wave.

Edward left the room and found Al and his father sitting in plastic chairs near the nurses' station. Seeing Ed, the two men got up and together, the three Elrics walked towards the exit.

"Thank you for inviting me to your home, grandfather," Riza said, smiling slightly as she and Grumman drove back to the Academy. "I'm glad I stayed there."

"As am I," Grumman said, smiling widely at his granddaughter. "I hope you'll also accept my invitation to come and stay with me at Christmas."

Riza blinked, slightly surprised. While she had always stayed at the Academy over Thanksgiving, she had always gone home for Christmas. And even though her father usually pretended that she was nothing more than an unwelcome mouse that had scurried into his home, Riza didn't know how her father would do with her gone.

"I'm sure your father would not mind if you stayed with me," Grumman said, as if he had read Riza's thoughts.

I think my father would very much mind, Riza couldn't help but think, remembering how, on the few occasions that the two men were in the same room, there was always a horrible tension and how her father always glared daggers at the lovely man.

"I can talk to your father if that would also help," he added.

"I think… I think that I would like to stay with you for Christmas," Riza said after moment of thought.

"Lovely," he said, smiling warmly. "And I'm sure you'll be back at school for New Years so you can have fun with your little friends."

Riza smiled at him sheepishly before turning to stare out of the car window. For the first time in a very long time, Riza thought that she might act like every other student around this time, anticipating the break from school and the return to a place where they were loved.

"Winry, if you're not down here and in the car in three minutes, you're going to be late for your flight back to school!" Pinako yelled up the stairs to her granddaughter. "Hurry up!"

It was Saturday morning, her Thanksgiving vacation would end the following Monday, where Winry would be thrown back into school and finals at Amestris Academy. Now she was struggling to finish packing her things before her plane left without her. She had been planning on doing it the night before but Paninya and Winry chose instead to have a scary movie night the night before and they fell asleep in the living room.

"I'm coming!" Winry yelled back as she shoved downwards on her suitcase, which refused to close. "Come on," she growled to her suitcase. "Close, dammit!"

"Need some help?" Paninya asked, appearing in the doorway of Winry's bedroom.

"Yes," she said. "Sit on this while I close it."

"Can do," the girl said before she hopped onto the bag and smiled. "Who said sitting never accomplished anything?"

"I wouldn't know," Winry said as she zipped her stubborn suitcase closed. "But I'm sure whoever said it was wrong because I think there's a lot of things you can do while sitting."

"Yeah, like… talking," Paninya said, getting up.

"Drawing," Winry said, lifting the case up off of her bed.

"Eating," Paninya said, lifting up another bag of Winry's belonging.

"Changing government policies with sit-ins," Winry suggested, throwing Paninya off guard.

"Whoa, that's like, a real thing," she said. "I thought we were just coming up with random shit."

"Sorry," Winry said as the two walked down the steps. "But I have my Government final in two weeks and I think that might be on there."

"Whatever, ya weirdo."

"All packed?" Pinako asked once the two girls had reached the front door. "Not forgetting anything are you?"

"I don't think so," Winry said truthfully. "And if I did forget something, I'll be back here soon so… oh well…"

"Yes, well, we need to get you to your flight," she said, smiling slightly.

Winry nodded and followed her grandmother out of the house and down the front steps. After taking a few feet steps from the door, a large black dog ran towards them and knocked Winry to the ground.

"Den!" Winry yelled, annoyed with the dog's goodbye. "Get off of me!"

Den was a large black dog with white paws and a white mussel. She had been hiding somewhere on her grandmother's couple acres of land during the majority of Winry's visit and only now, when she was covered in mud and dirt, did she decide to come out and say hello to Winry.

"Den!" Pinako yelled, causing the dog to perk up and stop her attack on Winry. "Get off her! Go away! Shoo!"

Den barked loudly in reply, and went to jump as Paninya passed by Pinako shooed her away again. As the three women got into the truck, the dog sat on ground, looking forlorn. Winry waved at the dog and smiled, wishing she could play with her for a little longer. Unfortunately, she had a plane to catch. Fortunately, it was a plane taking her home… well, her temporary home, she guessed. It felt more home that this place did at least.

"I'll be back soon, Den!" Winry called as Pinako started the car.

Winry watched through the rearview mirror of Pinako's truck as Den raced after the truck and she felt her self wanting to smile and cry at the same time. At the moment, Den reminded her of herself. Running after something that she wouldn't be able to stop, just like how she had tried to stop her parents from leaving her behind but in the end, their minds were already made and there was no stopping them leaving.

Knock, knock, knock.

Roy looked up from his seat on the living room couch, where his sisters were sitting around him, enjoying the last few moments of Roy being home.

"Someone get the door!" Ms. Mustang shouted from down the hall.

"It's probably Jean," Roy muttered, glancing at the clock on the VCR. "Excuse me, ladies," he said as he slowly disentangled himself from his clinging sisters so that he could answer the door.

"What's up, man?" Jean asked as Roy opened the door to reveal his blond friend.

"Nothing much," Roy responded, clapping Jean on the shoulder. He then backed up and let Jean through the door.

"Jean? Gross!" Vanessa shouted at the sight of the blond teen.

"Same to you, twerp," Jean said with a roll of his eyes; Vanessa responded with sticking her tongue, to which Jean flicked her off.

"Roy!" Vanessa yelled, scandalized. "Did you see what this idiot just did?"

"No but I'm sure it was lovely," Roy said dryly before turning to Jean and saying, "I'm gonna go grab my bags. I'll be back in a second. Behave. Both of you."

"So," Jean began, leaning against the nearby wall, "I heard you want to come to the Academy next year."

"That's the plan," Vanessa stated, glancing at Jean from over her shoulder. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing, nothing," Jean said. "I'm just looking out for you is all. Just want to make sure you know what you're getting into. Don't get high hopes though. Not everyone gets in, you know. They really check the grades."

"Well seeing as you got in and you're about as dumb as a post, I doubt they're checking the grades that hard," Vanessa said, earning a chorus of snickers from the girls and a scowl from Jean.

Jean opened his mouth to retort but with the arrival of Roy and his aunt, he seemed to think it best to swallow the thought. Vanessa smiled brightly at Ms. Mustang and Roy, which only caused Roy to wonder what the two were thinking about.

"So, you're taking a taxi up to the airport?" Ms. Mustang asked, as she lit up a cigarette; Roy smirked at Jean, who looked like he was about to jump on the woman for a chance at a smoke.

"Yes," Roy answered because Jean was too preoccupied; he gave the teen a firm shove with his elbow, breaking him from the spell.

"Um, yeah, the cab's waiting out front," he said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.

Ms. Mustang angled her head to the left and glanced out of the nearby window, probably to see if the taxi was still there or not. She then graced the two with a thin smile.

"Well, get there safely," she said. "Call me when you get to the school, alright?"

"I got it," Roy said, grinning, before he allowed her to hug him.

"Alright girls, come say goodbye to your brother."

"AH!" Roy yelled as five girls launched themselves on him at once. "Okay! Yeah! I love you guys too but I really gotta run!"

"Have I mentioned before how I'm so freaking happy that I'm an only child?" Jean asked as he watched the scene with mild amusement.

"Shut up, Havoc," Roy growled as he pulled the youngest girl off of his leg. "Well, I'll see you all in about three weeks for Christmas, I'm sure you can all hold out until then."

With the help of Jean, the two picked up Roy's belongings and walked out of the house and towards the taxi.

"I'm so pumped to get back to school," Jean said after he had given the taxi driver directions on where to go. "How about you?"

"Ehh, I'm not so pumped about the exams that'll be here soon," Roy muttered, staring out of the window.

"Shit…" Jean whispered, looking horrified.

"… You totally forgot about exams, didn't you?" Roy asked, feeling slightly exasperated about his friends lack of memory.

"Perhaps…" he said weakly.

"Are you about to start panicking?"

"Nope," Jean said with a shake of his head as he pulled out his cell phone and began banging at the keys.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

"Seeing if Al can help me study for Algebra as soon as I get back."

Oh Jean, you silly idiot. :P And some more Riza and Grumman. Also, what is up with those Elrics? Ed better listen to his mommy and go play nice with his friends... or not.

I hope you all stick around and keep reading. :) I'll try to get the next chapter up soonish.

-FSK