Months have passed. Six months and twenty-seven days to be exact. Six months and twenty-seven days since I last saw her. Her eyes. Her smile. Felt her soft hair between my fingers and her soft, velvety skin. Six months and twenty-seven days since I kissed her. God, did I wanna kiss her again, wrap my arms around her, make her smile.

"Colonel, have you finished those reports General Lockert asked for?" a soldier asked as they walked in.

I growled, nearly throwing the report to his face. Paperwork. That's all these people liked. Not protecting the innocent like Kenzi. What was even worse was that I was taken from Mustang's supervision and placed until General Lockert's. The more I looked at the guy, or thought about him, the more I wanted to kill him. It was increasingly obvious he hated the sight of his daughter. But trying to get rid of her?

"Take it! Tell him he's lucky I did the minimum, and call him a fucking greedy bastard while you're at it!"

The soldier looked almost scared. "Yes, sir."

I scoffed. Maybe it was a good thing that the solder was merely an enlisted man. I sighed as I looked to my desk drawer and carefully opened it. I lifted the fake bottom and took out the single piece of paper in it. I knew every detail of this paper. I knew what was on it. Every crease, where it was worn, everything. The slowly fading colors of the things on the thickened paper. I sat back in my chair as I turned the paper over, waiting for the impending heartache to follow. The image on the paper did exactly what I thought. The stabbing hurt was instantaneous as soon as I saw it. Her blonde hair, her eyes, what she was wearing. I grimaced a little as I continued looking to her. But a mere picture wasn't the same as the real thing.

That hurt even more.

I was on the verge of getting up and kicking the shit out of General Lockert when there was another knock on my office door. I composed myself, putting her picture away, and straightening my uniform. I kicked my feet up onto my desk, just in case it was Lockert himself.

"Enter."

In stepped the mailroom officers. This girl was a cute girl, I'd give her that. Her brunnette hair was about the same length as Kenzi's. But this girl's hair was pin straight. Her eyes weren't as vibrant. Even her chest wasn't as big as Kenzi's. I pinched the bridge of my nose at what I was doing. I was comparing every girl to Kenzi. I can't do that. I need to move on.

"Colonel Elric, there is mail for you."

"Thanks."

That was all I said to her before she left. Thumbing through my mail, I ignored memos from the top, the impending State Alchemy exams letter, and the letter from Winry and Aunt Pinako. The only one I was interested in was Alphonse's letter. I was glad he was sending more. I missed him. I tossed everything else to the side of my desk, memos in the trash, and opening the Xingese envelope. I quickly read the letter, hoping it wasn't another one of his "this is what I am doing in Xing for the country of Amestris" letters.

"BROTHER,

HOW ARE YOU THESE DAYS? I'D IMAGINE YOU'RE GETTING BORED WITH THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER AGAIN AT CENTRAL HEADQUARTERS, ESPECIALLY SINCE HOW WE LIVED FOR A WHILE THERE TOGETHER.

XING IS THE SAME REALLY. LAN FAN IS TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH LING'S DAY-TO-DAY ACTIVITIES IN THE PALACE. ONE TIME, HE ASKED ONE OF THE MAIDS TO COOK FOR HIM AND IT WAS AN AMESTRIAN DISH. SHE WAS SO CONFUSED. I'VE BEEN HELPING WITH BEING AN ABASSADOR AND HELPING MEI LEARN MORE OF OUR ALCHEMY. SHE'S STILL NOT TOTALLY GETTING IT, BUT SHE'S TRYING HARDER. HER AND LING'S RELATIONSHIP IS STILL THE SAME: LIKE BORHTER AND SISTER. AT LEAST LING ISN'T TRYING TO KILL HER CLAN. WHICH IS A GOOD THING.

THERE IS ANOTHER REASON WHY I AM WRITING TO YOU BROTHER. I WANTED TO TELL YOU MORE OF WHAT'S BEEN GOING ON HERE. TWO AMESTRIANS ARE HERE; STAYING IN THE PALACE WITH LING. THE ONE GIRL IS A COUSIN OF THE OTHER. LING HAS ALREADY ATTEMPTED TO ASK BOTH OF THEM TO BE HIS WIVES. BOTH DECLINED. ONE WAS MORE POLITE ABOUT IT THAN THE OTHER. THE OTHER ONE PRETTY MUCH TOLD HIM TO GO TO HELL; SOUNDING JUST LIKE YOU. THE ONE GIRL, THE YOUNGER ONE, ARRIVED WITH THE WORST CASE OF THE FEVER I'VE SEEN HERE IN XING. SHE'S A LITTLE YOUNGER THAN US AND WAS OUT FOR DAYS. IT ALMOST REMINDED ME OF WHEN YOU'D GET SICK.

SHE'S BLONDE LIKE WE ARE, BROTHER. STICKS OUT A LITTLE LIKE ME, BUT SHE'S BECOMING A GOOD FRIEND. SHE ONLY OPENS UP TO ME, BUT I THINK THERE IS SOMETHING MORE SHE WANTS TO TELL ME. WHAT REALLY SETS HER APART FROM HER COUSIN IS WHEN SHE WAS SICK. SHE WOKE UP, WHICH SEEMED TO BE A MIRACLE, IT WAS THE HOTTEST DAY OF THE MONTH, AND CALLED ME YOU. I HAD TO CORRECT HER. SHE DIDN'T SEEM TO LIKE IT TOO MUCH, BUT WHAT ALL WAS I TO DO?

BROTHER, I KNOW WHAT YOU HAD TO DO EARLIER IN THE YEAR. I KNOW ABOUT BRIGGS, AND SHE DIDN'T TELL ME. SO BEFORE YOU DECIDE TO JUMP UP AND GET YOUR TICKET FOR THE NEXT TRAIN BOUND FOR XING JUST TO SEE IF I AM LYING TO YOU OR NOT, JUST REMEMBER THAT SHE'S SAFE HERE. LING'S PROTECTING BOTH OF THEM.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, BROTHER.

LOVE,
AL"

I sighed, sitting back in my desk chair. I wanted to smile but I couldn't bring myself to. At least I knew Kenzi was safe. That's all I wanted to know. Her and her cousin were safe. I reread the parts about Kenzi, feeling my heart sink when I read the part about Kenzi getting sick. It made me want to be with her all the more even if she wouldn't remember it. Something relieved swam in my head, knowing Al was there with Kenzi and her cousin. Al could protect her like I wanted to.

"So she mistook you for me, Al, how nostalgic," I said as I set his letter down to work on my own.

"AL,

NOTHING'S CHANGED AROUND HERE. NOTHING'S CHANGED SINCE I WENT TO BRIGGS. I WISH I COULD TELL YOU MORE, BUT I FEAR WONDERING EYES MIGHT READ THIS BEFORE IT REACHES YOU, HENCE THE ODD LAST NAME. HEY, AL, YOU'RE RIGHT, I'M GOING NUTS HERE, BUT NOT BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU THINK. WELL, KNOWING YOU, YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT'S ON MY MIND AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE HERE.

GLAD TO KNOW ALL IS WELL IN XING. I WONDER HOW YOU'RE DOING SOMETIMES. BE SURE AND TELL MEI I SAID HI. DON'T FORGET THAT PRINCE AND HIS MINION.

AS FOR THE TWO AMESTRIAN GIRLS, ONE OF THEM, THE OLDER ONE, WAS IN THE MILITARY, SO SHE MIGHT HELP WITH AMESTRIAN-XING AFFAIRS WITH YOU IF SHE HASN'T RECOGNIZED YOU YET. AS FOR THE OTHER ONE," I stopped and looked at what I was writing. The other one? Kenzi wasn't the other one to me. She was THE one. I sighed, looking down to what I was writing. Did I really want to tell him that I loved her just yet? Or perhaps he'd already figured it out. At this point, I didn't care. I wanted to get this out before other news reached them. I had to tell him. I scratched out 'as for the other one' and put something different. "AS FOR HER YOUNGER COUSIN, KENZI, SHE WAS THE REASON I WENT TO BRIGGS. I WAS THERE TO PROTECT HER. AL, IT'S BECAUSE OF HER FATHER THAT SHE'S THERE. PLEASE, DO ME THIS FAVOR, PROTECT HER FOR ME. I WANT HER SAFE. HOW IS SHE ANYWAY?" I wasn't even going to touch that she was sick. That thought just made my stomach churn. "AS FOR ME DOING SOMETHING STUPID, I WON'T. I'M UNDER GENERAL LOCKERT'S COMMAND. I WAS TAKEN OUT OF MUSTANG'S CREW ALMOST AS SOON AS I GOT BACK. THE BASTARDS. DON'T TELL KENZI THAT. PLEASE. I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE'D TAKE IT. BUT THANKS FOR BEING HER FRIEND, AT LEAST SHE'S FRIENDS WITH ONE ELRIC, HUH?

GLAD TO KNOW YOU'RE WELL, AL.
-ED"

I sighed, knowing that was as good as that letter was going to get. Al knew better than to expect me to write down everything, what I was thinking is definitely included. Knowing my younger brother, he knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Elric! What the hell are you trying to pull?"

I sighed as General Lockert purst through my door, as pissed off as ever. Perhaps it was over my paperwork this time. I hoped it was. I have been meaning to deck the slimy bastard ever since I found out what really happened with Kenzi.

"I've no idea what you're talking about, Lockert."

"Start addressing me properly, Colonel!" he yelled. I think steamy was ready to blow out his ears. "What's this about doing minimum paperwork? You may have gotten away with it when you were under Mustang's supervision, but it won't fly with me!"

Even though Mustang may be a total bastard sometimes, I still did all the paperwork properly for him. What was even better for Mustang was the fact that I secretly had respect for the man. I've never had, and will never have, respect for Devon Lockert. Especially after this whole thing with Kenzi and Taylor.

"Again, you're blowing it out your ass," I said, keeping my feet on my desk, still not bothering to treat Lockert with the "respect" he thinks he deserves.

Lockert growled. "You're treading on thin ice, Elric."

I gave him a cool glare. "Good. Just be glad I haven't tried kicking your ass."

"That would be grounds for court marshall," he said, as if it were a threat to me.

"Careful, Lockert, a court marshall for me, might end up in an attempted murder trial for you."

"Why do you say that?"

I smirked, still keeping the same glare. "I know you hired an assassin to kill Kenzi, your own daughter. Wouldn't THAT look bad on your "spotless" record?"

He growled, glaring to me. "Watch your mouth, Elric. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Are you sure about that? It was me who went with her to Briggs. Going to kill me too? I have those who will miss me. Lots of people. People would notice if there was another gone and they had contact with you."

Lockert growled again. "I am watching you, Elric."

I smirked. "You're just starting to? I am surprised, Lockert."

He growled again, walking through my office door. I sat back in my seat, knowing I just did something incredibly stupid. But it wasn't like I was afraid of death. I sighed as I looked out the window to the courtyard, remembering sparring with Kenzi almost instantly. The pang in my heart came back.

"I think I wanna annoy Mustang," I uttered as I got up and started for his office.

The walk wasn't far, and I was glad. When I reached his office, I walked in, not bothering to ask permission. When I walked in there, Mustang was sprawled in his chair. One leg was on the desk while the other planted him to the ground. His arms were dangling on either side of the chair. I sighed, shutting the door. I knew he was drunk, or hungover.

"Mustang!" I yelled as I stood at his desk.

He jumped, nearly falling out of his office chair with a shout. Then he glared to me. "What do you want, Ed?"

"I want more things to do."

He groaned. "I am not your superior anymore."

"Don't care. Give me something. A mission. An assignment. Anything!"

"As General Lockert."

"Hell no."

He groaned again. "Ed, I'm way too hungover for this."

"I know. So give me your paperwork, and I will be on my way."

"I can't do that."

"Sure, you can. Just don't tell anyone."

"Ed."

I pressed my hands to his desk. "Mustang, listen, I am going nuts here. Please give me something. I can't let my mind wander when I get bored."

"You're bored?"

"Yes."

"How do you know?"

"Because I am thinking about my mission I had in Briggs seven months ago."

"Why are you doing that?"

"Why the hell do you think?"

He groaned. "Fine, take whatever paperwork you want. Just make sure it's done properly and give me a full report just in case someone asks me something about it."

"Mustang, thank you," I said as I gathered his day's work and started back to my office. I shut the door and locked it, not wanting anymore distractions. Distractions like some girl running into my office thinking it was a closet.