A Boy Named Ed

Ed knew he was different. It wasn't just that he was smarter than the other kids or even that he had automail. No, it had more to do with the way people would occasionally look at him, like they were expecting somebody else. It was the way his mechanic cried the day she met him. It was the way his dad would sometimes slip – and call him Fullmetal.

A.N. Alright – back to work! I am several days behind on my word count. Don't know that I'm going to make it to fifty thousand this year but I'm going to try. This is the home stretch for NaNoWriMo. Not for the story though. No… we're just going to start a new little side plot here. This ought to take us a few chapters and then we can start on the home stretch for the main plot. Just so you know… it's going to be a long home stretch too. This mini plot has been a long time in coming. I planned it forever ago. At the time, I had no idea that it would take this long to get there, but as I start on it, I find myself wanting to delay. Did I cover everything else I needed to cover before I got here? Yes? Maybe? Let's just go with it.

Also! Sparky! This note is for you. I don't often reply directly to reviews but sometimes I do, only I couldn't PM you about this since you're not logged in. I had to say something though because you are the only person who caught the Titan A.E. quote at the end of Chapter 4. Yes, that's in there on purpose. Also Kale is named after Cale from Titan A.E. As for the Lilo and Stitch quote… I don't remember. If there is one (you'll have to tell me where it is because I couldn't find it) it may have been on purpose or it may have been accidental. I wrote that over a year ago and I throw quotes in randomly all the time. I usually don't make it obvious. I try to fit them into the story so that they make sense and don't stand out too much, but I do like it when people catch them so kudos to you.

Disclaimer: Ed, Al, and all their friends are the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I do not own them, but am grateful for the opportunity to use them in the unleashing of my own imagination.

Rating: This story is rated K+

Chapter 37, in which thirteen isn't going on thirty

"Lilyate!" Ed whistled sharply for his dog as he bounced on his automail foot to keep his balance while his bare right foot avoided touching the icy sidewalk. "Come on, Lily! Get inside!" The dog came barreling towards him a moment later, having finished doing her business and eager to eat breakfast. "Good girl." Ed hopped up the stairs after her and gratefully wiped his cold foot on the warmer mat waiting just inside the door. "Brr… it just figures – we get a warm December and then an icy February."

"Did you go out without your shoes again, Edward?" his mother chided, joining him in the entry hall. She took her uniform coat off of its hook and then turned to the mirror to make everything was in place as she put it on. Unfortunately, the mirror also revealed another of her son's errors. "Or your jacket?" She frowned disapprovingly.

"Just for a minute to walk Lily. I'm fine," he assured her quickly. "Are you leaving already?" he asked, redirecting the conversation and assuaging his surprised curiosity. His parents usually didn't leave the house until seven even on their early days. It was only six thirty.

"In a few minutes. Your father has an early meeting which he needs to finish paperwork for."

Ed snickered. "I can't believe he ever made it to General with that kind of work ethic. Just imagine the headache this country is in for when he gets elected Fuhrer."

"The country will have no idea," she corrected him without turning away from the mirror.

"What? That the ones really running this country will be a sniper, a sharpshooter, a strategist, a walking encyclopedia, and an RTO?" Ed's mom didn't answer. She didn't have to. The smirk on her reflection betrayed her.

"You forgot the dashingly handsome figurehead who can make things happen with a snap of his fingers." General Mustang himself stepped into the foyer to grab his own coat off of its hook. Ed scooted his way into the living room so that his parents would have space to finish getting ready.

"Just so long as it doesn't rain," Ed quipped back. Then he frowned. He had been hoping to catch a ride with them this morning but there was no way that he'd be ready to go in time. He'd barely spent any time with his parents over the past few weeks. Sparring practice with his dad was on an indefinite hiatus. The alchemy lab hadn't been touched since Al left – Ed just practiced alkahestry in his room. His mother had been present enough during meal times and such, but her spot on the couch in the evenings was left unoccupied while Ed read or listened to the radio. Oh, they checked in on him frequently enough. They asked about his day. They became understandably upset when they noticed the bruise on his shoulder that he got during his accident with the zipline – he downplayed that incident as much as he could. They'd even taken him out to the malt shop on two occasions and apologized for being so busy lately. They didn't need to do that. He understood but he appreciated the attempt anyway, even if it didn't change anything. At least they knew and acknowledge the fact that they hadn't been around for him much.

Still… he had started to look forward to the ten minute ride to school with his parents in the morning. In the car, they weren't distracted by work or missions or the election. They could talk about anything – from the weather to the latest radio drama – his parents were way behind but they didn't mind the spoilers. Of course, Ed's favorite way to pass the time was by passing friendly barbs back and forth with his dad while his mom interjected as needed to keep the peace.

But then, sometimes it was nice to just be there with them and not talk about anything at all. Those were the times he missed the most – those quiet bonding moments when nothing needed to be said. So often lately, they felt as though they had to talk when they were together just to catch up on the things they missed when they weren't. It felt rushed. It felt forced. Ed couldn't wait till whatever was going on was over.

"You'll be alright walking today?" His dad asked, peering out the window. As cold as it was, the sky was clear and there wasn't a strong wind.

Ed shrugged and swallowed back his disappointment. "Yeah. That's fine. I could use the exercise." This last comment earned him a snort from his dad but it was his mother who spoke up next.

"You'll wear your coat – not just a sweater."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"And drink your milk."

"Of course."

"Be safe." She kissed his forehead and Ed smiled.

"Love you, Mom."

She left to start the car while his dad paused at the door. He lifted one finger and opened his mouth to say something… then closed it and put his hand down. "Yeah. I've got nothing. She stole all my lines."

"Sure she did." Ed smirked. "Go get your paperwork done, old man."

A warm, gloved hand rubbed the top of Ed's head, mussing his hair. "See you later, Shrimp."

Ed didn't even bother getting upset. He just watched his parents drive off with a sad smile. Everything was fine. He'd see them after school.

Turning back into the house and shutting the door, Ed quickly fed Lilyate – who was anxiously waiting by her bowl – and then went back to his room to get dressed. Fifteen minutes, two slices of buttered toast and a big glass of milk later, he locked the house behind him and started off, wearing a thick jacket over his uniforms and thanking his platform boots for the thick layer of warm protection they provided between the frozen concrete and his poor flesh foot.

He caught the sense that someone was following him about five minutes into his walk. The feeling came as a surprise and he didn't quite recognize it at first – like a skill long forgotten from disuse and yet… still so ingrained within his very his very being, like instinct. He ducked at just the right moment, as his pursuer made a grab for him. Spinning about, his feet carried him several paces away before taking a defensive stance and locking eyes on his opponent. "You didn't really think you were going to catch me off guard, did you?" he asked with a smirk.

"I thought it was worth a shot." The man laughed and then lunged forward with a right hook. Ed sidestepped and cut in close, eager for a workout. He hadn't sparred in weeks. Mentally cursing his uniform and jacket for constricting his movements, Ed compensated with strategy. He was smaller and faster. He could win this.

Or not.

A low sweep caught Ed in the foot and he went down. "Beat you again, Brother," his opponent called out cheekily.

"You got lucky. I can't move right in these clothes."

"Excuses. Excuses." Al offered him a hand up and then pulled him into a tight hug.

Ed returned the embrace whole-heartily. "I missed you, Al." Pulling back, he eyed his brother up and down with a grin. "What are you doing here, anyway? You didn't say you were coming today."

"I told you I'd be back in a few weeks. Besides, I couldn't very well miss your birthday now, could I? We've got a lot of years to make up for."

"My birthday?" Ed raised his eyebrows in confusion. "Al, we already celebrated my…" but Al just shook his head with a huge grin. Ed stopped and thought about the date. He hadn't actually looked at his calendar that morning so he had to think back to his classes the day before and what had been written on the chalk board. "It's… February second." He concluded and then broke into a wide smile of his own. "Hey! It is my birthday!"

Al laughed and clapped him on the back. "You forgot? Seriously – what kind of kid forgets his own birthday?"

"The kind that hasn't celebrated it in thirteen years. How old am I?" he asked.

"Twenty-nine."

"Wow! And I still feel so young. Hey! Does that mean I can drink now? What about driving? Think I could get a license?"

"Try growing a few inches first. And maybe a beard."

"You want a rematch or something? Cause I'll beat you this time, Al. I swear I will."

"Anytime, Big Brother. It's your day after all. You get to decide what we do."

Ed pulled up short from preparing to spar again. "Wait, you're serious?" Ed sighed at Al's eager nod. "Al, I can't. I've got school."

Al seemed to deflate, as though he'd only just realized that this would be the case. It didn't last long though. "So skip." He shrugged.

Ed didn't think it was possible for his eyes to actually pop out of his head but it sure felt like they might. "Wait – what? Are you feeling alright? Who are you and what have you done with Al?"

His brother just laughed. "I'm me, Brother. What's the matter?"

Ed stared incredulously and shook his head slowly. "I just can't believe that you, Mr. Always-gotta-do-the-right-thing, Mr. Super-polite, Mr. I've-gotta-keep-brother-out-of-trouble, are actually telling me to skip school."

Al shrugged again. "Why not? We skipped all the time back in Resembool."

"Ye-ah…" Ed started slowly. "We skipped so that we could spend the time with our noses buried in alchemy books. We learned more academics while we weren't in school than we did when we actually bothered to show up."

Al nodded. "Right. And what are you learning now?"

"Well, I'm actually about three months ahead of the rest of my class but –"

"Exactly." Al cut him off. "You can afford to take a day off and have some fun with your brother. It's your twenty-ninth birthday, Ed. You're thirteen going on thirty. You should get to enjoy it."

"You're… really serious about this, aren't you?" Al's nod transformed Ed's skepticism into a bright smile. "Well alright then. Just let me go back to the house and change. Then we can see what this city has to offer."

"Now you're talking."

One stack of paperwork and one too long meeting done, Roy sat down behind his own desk for the second time that day and prepared to start on the next heaping pile of papers which had been calling his name all morning under threat of gunfire. Even with everything else that was going on in their lives, Riza still wouldn't let him slack off. He supposed he should be grateful though. Ed had a point that morning – Roy never would have gotten this far without his team. Now he just had to make sure they stayed his team as threats closed in around them. He couldn't afford to let them be separated again.

And… his mind was back on Selim Bradley – as though they hadn't spent enough time trying to riddle out that puzzle and getting absolutely nowhere. They couldn't actually talk about it at work or keep any of their notes in a place where the shadows might potentially see them. So he had invited his whole team out to play pool one night at Madame Christmas' establishment. They had enjoyed that and several more "pool nights" planned for the near future.

But how did an immortal homunculus who didn't age at all for well over fifty years, suddenly undergo a growth spurt? Could they control things like that? Or was this even really Selim Bradley? He certainly fit the part but the possibility of an imposter had crossed the General's mind more than once. If they were dealing with a doppelganger it would certainly take away the stress of running against a homunculus. But how to prove it? Without evidence they had to run on the assumption that this Selim Bradley was, in fact, the same Selim Bradley who had once threatened Riza with blades made out of darkness.

"Sir."

Roy blinked and spotted Riza standing across the room, next to the filing cabinet. He hadn't even noticed her coming in. He hoped that it wasn't an indicator of his level of distraction. Surely he would have noticed immediately had anyone other than his wife entered his office. He was simply accustomed to her presence, coming and going peripherally for the last twenty-five years, always watching his back. He trusted her so implicitly that he didn't need to be on guard when she was there. His mind caught and tracked her subcociously even while his conscious mind was thoroughly occupied elsewhere. He certainly wasn't surprised to find her standing there.

She nodded to his desk and Roy grimaced at the reminder. He hated paperwork. And it wasn't just about laziness… this time. He had so many more important things to think about at the moment. He just couldn't attend well to the task of reading and signing the ridiculous load of reports he got on a daily basis.

Nevertheless, his every vigilant wife was waiting for him to pick up his pen and get to work. So Roy picked up his pen and selected the first report off of the stack in front of him, giving Riza a look which clearly read: yes, dear.

Ten forms later, he paused. Having just finished signing his name, his pen hovered over the place where he was meant to indicate the date. He had written it so many times that day already and yet… only now did he actually acknowledge what he was writing.

"Sir?" Leave it to Riza to catch him the moment he became distracted.

"Riza… What is today's date?"

"February second, Sir. Have you written the wrong date on all of those papers?"

"No." Roy finished jotting the date and put his pen down. He fished his State Alchemist watch out of his pocket and flipped it open. The minute hand had just ticked past six while the hour hand lingered between one and two. He cursed under his breath and shut the watch, then hurried to pick up his pen and get back to work.

"Roy? What's wrong?" Riza stepped over to stand next to him, a slight frown marring her face.

Roy shook his head and squeezed her hand in apology for causing her worry. "Nothing. I just need to get this done by three. Today is Ed's birthday – I was planning to take him out for some father/son bonding. Of course, that was before everything…" he sighed and moved on. "I'd forgotten. But I still want to do something for him. Especially with the way things have been lately."

His wife nodded her agreement. "Of course. I'll make sure things are taken care of here so you can leave early. Just finish that stack and then you can go."

Roy nodded and set to work once more, with purpose. He wasn't sure what he and Ed were going to do that afternoon but he was bound and determined to find some way to make the day memorable. After all, how often did your thirteen-year-old turn twenty-nine?

He finished the next twenty reports in record time and was out the door after agreeing to tell Ed that his mother was making stew for dinner. That would certainly make the boy happy. Roy was considering having Ed pull out his old red coat and wear it all through dinner just for old times' sake. Today wasn't Ed Mustang's birthday. This was all about Edward Elric – the Fullmetal Alchemist. Roy had at least three unacknowledged birthday's to make up for from the time Ed was his subordinate. He'd known Fullmetal's birthday at the time. How could he not? It was on all of the boy's personnel forms. But somehow February second always managed to pass without anyone making mention of it – not even Alphonse – though Roy assumed that Ed had requested his brother not tell anyone. It certainly seemed to fit Fullmetal's attitude at the time. Well, he wasn't going to get away with it this year. Roy wanted Ed to know just how important he was and had always been to them.

He pulled up outside the school to wait for his son just as the final bell rang and throngs of students came pouring out. He didn't expect to see Ed in the initial rush. Chances were, his boy was lingering in the hallways to talk to his friends. He didn't have steelcore today – Roy had double checked that with Riza since she knew the boy's schedule better than he did.

The crowd died down quickly, teenagers heading home or to whatever activities would occupy the remainder of their day. Roy scanned the heads of uniformed bodies for blonde hair and golden eyes. He didn't want Ed to slip past him on his way out. Five minutes passed – then ten.

Roy was about to get out of the car and head inside to look for the boy when he spotted two familiar figures coming out of the building. Unfortunately, his son was not among them. But Brianna Knox and Kale Turing would probably have a good idea as to where Ed actually was. Roy leaned out the window and waved them down.

Brianna spotted him quickly and adjusted their course to meet him at the car. "Good afternoon, General Mustang." She began politely before reaching into her bag and withdrawing a stack of papers. "We were just about to bring these to your house for Ed, but I guess you came to pick them up."

Roy took the stack automatically even as his brain struggled to understand what the girl was saying. He frowned slightly. "I'm sorry. For Ed?"

Brianna nodded but it was Kale who answered. "Yeah. Is he feeling alright? We were worried when he didn't show up for class this morning."

Something clenched itself tightly around Roy's chest. He couldn't breathe. "He… didn't come to school today?" That didn't make sense. Ed had been fine that morning. He'd been joking and laughing the same as always. And even if he had suddenly become ill or been beset with pain around his ports due to the cold weather, he would have called them at the office to let them know. No… surely Ed had left the house that morning. But what could have happened between their home and the school? What if he got hurt somehow – tripped and took a bad spill, didn't look both ways before crossing the street, got in the way of a bike messenger? Or what if he'd been kidnapped? Roy had enough enemies who might want to use his only child to seek revenge. But worse… what if it had nothing to do with Roy? What if the homunculi discovered who Ed really was and decided to take him for their own purposes?

Roy's heart raced as his adrenaline surged. Brianna and Kale exchanged worried looks. "No, Sir." Brianna confirmed. "Like Kale said – he didn't show up for class this morning and he didn't come later either. We just assumed that he was sick."

An endless stream of terrifying possibilities swarmed Roy's mind as he struggled to keep a calm demeanor in front of the teenagers. He shook his head. "No. He's not sick. Something must have come up. I'm sure he's fine." He tried to sound convincing, but that was difficult when he couldn't barely keep himself from panicking. "Thank you for this." He lifted the stack of papers briefly. The kids nodded, still looking concerned, and started to step away from the car so he could go. "Ah, wait. Miss Knox, Mr. Turing – if could, please don't mention this to anyone." The last thing he needed was for the wrong people to find out that Ed was missing. On the off chance that this was nothing, he didn't want anyone to try and take advantage of the situation.

Having received promises from the kids to keep the information to themselves, Roy started the car and sped off. He'd go home first. Surely Ed was there. Surely he'd actually started feeling ill that morning and simply forgot to call. As odd as it seemed to be hoping that his son was sick, that's exactly what Roy kept telling himself as he drove through the streets and cursed the afternoon traffic.

"He's sick. He's just sick. He caught a cold or his ports started aching. Or maybe he just got distracted by some random thought about alchemy or alkahestry and had to check it out. Yeah. That's it. I'm going to light that kid's butt on fire if I find his nose buried in an alchemy book."

By the time he pulled up to their house, Roy was ready to snap. Frustration and anger felt a lot better than the gut clenching worry which was threatening to overcome him. Surely Ed was inside the house and in for a lot of trouble for not calling when Roy found him. He'd chew the kid out till he was blue in the face… and then take him out for ice cream. Yeah, that sounded like a good plan. He hadn't yelled at Fullmetal for not thinking things through in years. The kid had it coming.

He unlocked the front door and stormed inside, shouting for the boy as he went. "Ed?! Ed, are you home?" Lilyate answered him with a bark, rushing forward to bounce and yip at his feet. "Sit." He ordered but didn't bother looking to see if she had obeyed. Breezing through the living room after a quick peek into the kitchen, he came to the basement door first and swung it open. The alchemy lab was dark. Flipping the light on, Roy did a quick scan to see if anything was out of place. Finding nothing wrong, he returned to the hallway and proceeded on to Ed's room.

Ed wasn't there either, but Roy had already stopped expecting the boy to be somewhere in the house. However, Roy did find one clue in the room. He found Ed's school uniform strewn across the bed – as though he was going to put it on and changed his mind. Or maybe he'd gotten dressed and then took it off to put something else on. His pajamas were on the bed as well and his brown phoenix sweatshirt was missing from the closet, so at least the boy was wearing something other than his bed clothes. He had his shoes on too if the absent platform boots were any indication.

The front door had been locked – another clue. Roy started putting the pieces together in his mind. Ed had left the house of his own accord. The uniform indicated that Ed had intentionally decided not to go to school. But then… where could he have gone? Had he run away again? Had something triggered another flashback and sent him spiraling down a river of depression and self-depreciation? Had Roy and Riza's distraction over the last few weeks somehow contributed to their son's feeling of dejection?

Roy cursed himself for not being there for his son. They knew that the boy suffered from sudden boughts of melancholy, brought on by difficult memories from his past. They had tried to hard over the last year to be aware of when Ed was suffering. Had they been so distracted this month that they had missed something? Roy didn't think so. Ed had been happy and indicated that he understood and accepted that his parents were busy. So then… why would he take off again now?

Now – of all times! Didn't he realize the danger he was in? Didn't he know what could happen to him out there? The homunculi were… but Ed didn't know about the homunculi. Roy had decided to keep that from his son and spare the boy some extra worries. Was that a mistake? Was his son now in danger because Roy had failed to warn him?

Roy shook his head to clear his thoughts and marched back into the living room before picking up the phone. Panicking and playing the blame game wasn't going to help them find Ed any faster. He dialed the office.

"Kain. Let me talk to Riza."

"Aw! Come on! Why would you do that?!" Ed sputtered and pushed the chocolate ice cream off of his face. The majority came off in one solid clump which plopped onto the sidewalk with a fat splat. The rest dribbled down his chin before creeping under the neckline of his jacket. Ed shivered and wiped his sleeve across his mouth.

Al clutched his sides and bent over with laughter. "You're the one who said it was too cold to finish eating."

"So you thought I should wear it?! It's freezing!"

"Well whose genius idea was it to get ice cream in the middle of winter?"

"Just you wait, Al. I'll get you back for this. You won't ever see it coming."

"Excuse me? That was me getting you back for the popcorn at the theater."

"Popcorn brushes off. I'm going need a shower now. And you'd better hope this doesn't stain my sweatshirt."

"It'll wash out." Al waved his hand dismissively. "If soap won't do it then I'm sure alchemy will."

"Yeah, right." Ed rolled his eyes and stepped over the plop of ice cream which was currently freezing to the sidewalk. The temperature had dropped dramatically over the last hour as the sun went down and Al knew that his brother was anxious to get home and curl up in front of the fire. His ports were likely starting to bother him – not that Ed would ever say anything about it and risk spoiling their day together.

Having started the day with a sneak attack and an impromptu sparing session, Edward Elric's birthday had continued in much the same manner. Prank had piled on top of prank as they made their way through town, visiting such various locations as the zoo – where most of the animals were either hibernating or simply hiding from the cold, – the flea market – which they ended up getting run out of for asking each and every shop owner where they were keeping all of the fleas – and, finally, the theater – a real treat for Al who hadn't been to see a moving picture before.

"So do you think they're going to find a way to add sound recording to the movies soon?" Al asked, changing the subject and jogging to catch up with his brother, who had marched ahead.

Ed shoved his hands in his pockets casually, though Al recognized the signs that he was feeling cold, even with the gloves on his hands. "They've been talking about it on the radio. It would definitely make the show more interesting. I mean the orchestra is great but the intertitles really slow down the action."

"Agreed. It'll be nice to see what they come out with in the future. I enjoyed going to see that with you."

"Me too. Mom and Dad have only taken me to a few movies but I still can't believe that this was your first time." Ed paused in front of his house looked up at Al.

"There wasn't a theater in Raverk." Al shrugged. "There certainly isn't one in Resembool either."

"Right." Ed shivered suddenly. "Man, I wish we could be in Resembool now. I bet it's nearly Spring there, right?"

Al nodded. "Just about. We'll have the sheep shearing festival soon."

"Oh, yeah. I'd forgotten about that. Maybe I can go down and join you guys for it. That should be fun." Ed took his hands out of his pockets, only to wrap his arms around his torso and tuck his fingers beneath his elbows. Al rolled his eyes and reached around his brother to open the front door.

"Honestly, Brother. Get inside before you freeze."

"Where have you been?!"

Al and Ed both looked up in surprise at Roy Mustang's angry tone. For the moment, the older man didn't seem to even notice Al. His eyes were locked on Ed.

Ed stood frozen in the doorway with his mouth hanging open and his eyes wide. For several seconds, nobody moved. No one said anything either. Then Riza stepped into the foyer. She seemed to take in Al's presence where her husband had failed to do so. "Alphonse, close the door please."

Al blinked and noticed suddenly that the cold air from outside was sweeping into the room passed his still shivering brother. He pushed on Ed's back to move him out of the way and then shut the door behind them.

Roy's gaze didn't waver from his son. His eyes roved over the boy's body, as though searching for injury or illness. They narrowed as Ed clutched the jacket tighter around his form. Roy was mad but he was also worried. Or he had been. The worry seemed to be dissipating quickly and leaving only anger in its wake. The gentle hand which Riza laid on his arm didn't seem to do anything to calm him either.

"Where were you? Why didn't you go to school today?"

Ed blinked and opened his mouth to answer. "I –"

"It was my fault, Roy." Al cut him off, realizing too late that skipping school might actually get his brother into trouble. He hadn't considered the possibility that Roy and Riza might get upset over something like this. They were usually so easy going about Ed. But Al wasn't about to let his brother take the fall for this. "I asked him to –"

Roy lifted a hand to stop Al from talking but kept his focus on Ed. Al glance between the two of them, then over to Riza, and then back at his brother.

Ed licked his chapped lips but met Roy's eyes evenly. "Al showed up this morning and wanted to hang out – for my birthday." Roy's face softened briefly but it was gone in an instant at Ed continued. "We went to the zoo and to the movie theater." Ed sounded like a soldier giving a report. It was both strange and familiar to Al's ears. Suddenly, Ed's eyes flicked toward Al with a hard look. "It wasn't Al's fault. He just invited me. I'm the one who decided to skip school."

"We're not so much worried about you missing a day of school, Edward," Riza began. "…as we are upset that you didn't bother to call and let us know about your plans."

Ed's eyes dropped to his feet at his mother's words. "I'm sorry," he muttered.

"We've been worried sick about you." Roy continued harshly. "I've got half the team out scouring the city for you."

"I'm sorry." Ed said again.

"Do you have any idea what we've been through this afternoon? Don't you ever do something like this again! Is that clear?"

"Yes, Sir." Ed bit his lip. "I-I'm sorry, Dad."

Al frowned sharply. How many times was Roy going to make Ed say it? He was sorry. Why couldn't they just move on? It was his birthday, for goodness sake. So he forgot to call. It was an honest mistake. Couldn't they give him a break? It's not like he was a little kid who needed twenty-four/seven supervision. Ed could take care of himself. They didn't need to get so worked up about something like this.

Before Al could speak up in his brother's defense, Roy started talking again. "You're a mess." He said sharply, obviously noting the streaks of ice cream still stuck to Ed's face – another thing that was Al's fault. He really wished that Ed would let him take the blame. "Go get cleaned up." The General ordered.

Ed nodded and quickly inched his way out of the foyer before disappearing down the hall. For several moments, the three adults stood still, not speaking. Al noticed some sort of silent conversation going on between Roy and Riza, but he couldn't for the life of him make out what they were not saying. Then Roy sighed and turned suddenly to follow his son down the hallway.

Al didn't know if Roy was going to continue berating Ed or what, but he didn't like how things had just gone down and he wasn't going to stand there and let it continue. He was just about to head after Roy when Riza stopped him with a gentle hand on his arm. "Give them a minute." She requested. "It's good to see you again, Al. I'm going to start on dinner. I hope you're hungry."

Al nodded. "Yes. Thank you." She left and Al lingered in the living room – for the first time, feeling awkward in the Mustang home. He tried to occupy himself by looking at the pictures on the mantle but his eyes kept drifting over to the hallway, where his brother was probably listening to another lecture in his room.

How many times had Al been stuck in this position – lingering outside Mustang's inner office while the man berated his brother for things that weren't his fault? Back then, Al couldn't do anything about it. Ed was Mustang's subordinate in the military and Al was just a civilian. He didn't have any jurisdiction over what the military could and could not do when it came to military matters.

Things were different now. Mustang might be Ed's adoptive father but Ed was Al's brother – by blood and by so much more. After everything they had been through together, after all the years Ed had spent taking care of Al and doing everything he could to keep his little brother safe, it was Al's turn to do the protecting. It was his duty – even if that meant protecting Ed from his own father.

A door opened down the hallway and Al turned to see Ed step out and head towards the bathroom, a towel and a change of clothes under his arm. Roy followed shortly after but didn't come into the living room. He turned and went into his office instead.

That wouldn't do. Mustang wasn't going to escape hearing what the other Elric brother had to say this time.

Al took a deep breath and marched towards Roy's study with determination in every step. He wasn't a boy in a suit of armor anymore. He was a man – a man who protected the ones he loved.

"Roy?" He stepped into the room and found the General sitting down at his desk with a familiar bottle of brandy. Suddenly, the drink didn't seem as warm and comforting as it had during his late night talk with the man several months ago. Was this how it was? Did Roy drink when he was upset? Did he allow the alcohol to affect his actions? Was this really the man Al had trusted his brother's care to? He narrowed his eyes and fixed his resolve. "We need to talk."

Roy didn't respond right away. He poured himself a glass of brandy and, for half a moment, Al thought he might offer him one as well – not that he would accept at a time like this – but he didn't. Roy just swirled the amber liquid in his glass and then set it down without taking a drink. "You're right. We do."

Al nodded and opened his mouth to say what he'd come in there to say. But he didn't get the chance.

Roy rounded on him suddenly. "What on earth made you think that this was a good idea?" Al was taken aback. Was Roy really going to lecture him now? Yes – yes, it seemed he was. "Don't get me wrong – I think it's great that you wanted to spend the day with Ed and take him out for his birthday, but you might have bothered to check in with me first. I had a few plans in mind for the day myself – but all of those were thrown out the window when I went to pick him up from school and discovered that he hadn't been there at all today. Put yourself in my shoes, Alphonse. What if it were your son? What if someone convinced Edmund not to go to school one day and didn't bother to tell you? Friend or not – you would have been worried sick."

Alright… he had a point there. Except that – "Edmund's five. He's not old enough to take care of himself. Ed is. And I'm not just a friend. I'm his brother."

"And I'm his father. Ed knows the rules around here. He knows that he's supposed to call and let us know what he's doing and where he's going and who he's with. Yes – he forgets sometimes. But I trusted that you, of all people, would look out for him and make sure he doesn't forget those rules."

Al frowned sharply. "Who's trusting who here? Ed's my brother. You may have adopted him but that doesn't give you the right to dictate how our relationship should be. Ed doesn't need me to look out for him. He's twenty-nine years old. He can make his own decisions and live his own life. And he certainly doesn't need you to berate him like a child just because his decisions don't mesh up with your ridiculous rules."

"He's thirteen, Alphonse. He's just a boy. It's not safe for him to be out there wandering the streets on his own when no one knows where he is."

"He wasn't on his own. I was with him. And you have no right to talk about keeping kids safe when you were the one sending him out on all of those dangerous missions back when he really was thirteen." Mustang look like he'd been slapped but Al didn't care. He powered on through. "I don't recall you ordering him to check in every few hours back then. We went weeks without communicating with headquarters and Ed was in a lot more danger chasing rogue alchemists and terrorists all over the country then he ever could be just by spending one day visiting the sites right here in Central City with his brother."

"Alphonse, listen. You have no idea what's –"

"No! You listen to me!" Al cut the man off before he could finish speaking. "I couldn't say anything back then. I was just a kid myself and we needed the military – we needed you – to get our bodies back and make up for what we'd done wrong. But things are different now. Ed's not in the military anymore. You can't keep treating him like he is."

"He's a child!" Roy interjected. "I'm not treating him like he's in the military. I'm treating like he's a boy."

"But he's not! Maybe he was – Back before he got his memories back, maybe I would have accepted that. But Ed's twenty-nine years old and he knows. He may only look thirteen but he's been through more in his life than most men his age ever have. He knows how to make decisions for himself and he certainly doesn't need you to dictate how he should live his life." Al took a breath and continued as every half-formed thought he'd ever had about this whole messed up situation came spiraling to the surface. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. Ed had given up everything for Al and what does he get in return? Nothing. He just gets to put up with everyone treating him like a child for another eighteen years, as though he hadn't already lived through enough childhood hardship. Well Al wasn't going to be one of those people. He knew what his brother was and was not capable of and he wasn't going to talk down to him or make him do things he didn't want to do. Ed was his big brother.

"And who cares if he skipped school? He doesn't need it. He's never needed it. He's smarter than any of the kids there. He served in the military! He faced down chimeras and homunculi! How could you possibly think that he'd want to go from that, back to listening to boring teachers talk about a history they know nothing about?"

"He has to go to school, Alphonse." Roy tried to interject. "The truancy laws –"

"Only apply here in Central. If he were in Resembool, he could stay home and no one would have a problem with it. He'd be free to focus on alchemy and alkahestry and do the things he wants to do instead of following the path that other people set for him."

"Just what are you saying?" Roy's expression hardened and his voice turned cold. "You think he should go live with you?"

Al didn't pay any mind to Roy's change in demeanor. "That's exactly what I think. He doesn't belong here. He's never belonged here. He's from the country and that's where he should be – not in this big city with all of its pointless rules and truancy laws. We never planned to stay here. We were always going to go back to Resembool and its high time we did – both of us! Where we belong."

Roy didn't say anything for a long moment. The room sounded too quiet in the absence of speech and Al idly wondered just how loud their conversation had been. Surely not too loud or Riza would have heard them and interrupted by now.

"You think you can take him from me?"

Al gasped, suddenly realizing what he'd implied in the last part of his rant. He could say all he wanted about pointless rules and laws, but when it came down to it, those laws firmly established that Roy and Riza had full custody over Ed. As far as the law was concerned, Ed was still a minor and Al was the one with no say over where his brother went and what he did. And that wouldn't change unless…

Was it even possible? Could Al go to court against Roy and Riza Mustang and try to claim custody over his own brother? He'd asked himself that same question years ago –when he'd first discovered Ed's fate. The answer was still the same. A court battle like that would only serve to tear his family apart. Ed would be caught in the middle and end up getting hurt. Al didn't want that. Besides, with Mustang running for Fuhrer, the press would be all over the case. Ed would become the center of the world's attention. He'd be in danger of having his identity discovered. And Mustang's chances of winning the election would drop dramatically.

No. Whatever happened now needed to remain private. The rest of the world had no say in this. It was a family matter.

"I'm not saying that." Al admitted quietly.

"Then what are you saying, Alphonse?" Roy sighed and took a long drink from his glass. Al felt a new bubble of anger well up in his chest at the sight. Alcohol was the last thing the man needed right now. While Al didn't have any personal experience with it, he'd heard plenty of stories about fathers who drank too much and ended up hurting their families because of it. He didn't want Ed to be here if the stress of this election, or whatever else, was going to drive Roy to become one of those dads.

"I'm saying, that I think Ed should come live with me."

"I won't let you take him." Roy ground out before draining his glass and slamming it down on the desk. He looked furious and Al checked his hands quickly to make sure the ignition gloves weren't in place.

"That isn't my intention." Al breathed deeply and struggled to keep his voice calm. Most of his anger had passed. Now he had only his resolve. "Ed's not a child. We shouldn't treat him like one – regardless of what the law says. He should get to decide for himself where he wants to live. Can we agree on that?"

Roy didn't move. He sat frozen in place for almost a full minute with his mouth open slightly as though he were going to say something, but stopped. When he finally spoke, the anger was gone from his voice. In its place was something that Al couldn't even begin to identify, but it was the words which shocked him. "You would ask him to choose between us?"

"What?! No! That's not what I'm saying –"

"That's exactly what you're saying."

"This isn't about you and me, Roy. It's about Ed and what's best for him."

"I think I know what's best for my son."

"He knows what's best for himself. He knows where he wants to live. He should be allowed to choose."

"You can't give him a choice like that."

"I can and I will. And I'll be okay with whatever he decides. Are you really going to stop him if he says he wants to live with me?"

"Alphonse… don't do this." Roy pleaded with him and the sound of his voice forced Al to pause and look at the man. Gone were the anger and frustration. The hard set of his jaw had smoothed into a worried frown. He looked… almost desperate.

Al shook his head. He couldn't let his resolve falter now. He knew what was best for his brother. Ed would be out of the shower soon. He'd ask him then.

Roy watched Alphonse leave the office and shut his eyes in pain. How had it come to this? He'd never imagined that Al would come between them like this, and yet – here he was, threatening to take his son away.

Oh – Al didn't see it that way, of course not. But what was Ed going to think? What would Ed choose?

Roy didn't want to think about what kind of fallout would come from this. Al was going to ask, no matter what Roy did to try and dissuade him. And then what? Someone was going to get hurt – and this after he'd just finished apologizing to Ed for yelling at him too. This was not how he'd wanted to spend the evening.

Al said he'd be fine with whatever Ed chose, but would he really? And what about Riza? She had no idea what was going on. Roy's office was virtually sound proof - even with the door open, exact words were muffled by the padding he and Riza had recently installed on the walls as further precaution against eavesdropping. There was far too much sensitive information being passed between them to take the risk.

When it came down to it, Roy realized he was going to have to tell the boys what was going on. They needed to know about the danger. Ed wasn't safe just wandering about Central anymore and Roy had more than enough reason to be concerned or scared out of his wits for his son's safety. But now Al wanted to take him to Resembool – as though giving Ed that option wouldn't tear the boy apart.

Al wasn't thinking straight. How could he not realize the pain this would bring to their whole family? Roy wanted to say that he knew what Ed would choose – that he'd stay here. Ed had made that choice back in September, when Al had first decided to stay in Resembool. There was no reason for his decision to have changed. Ed wasn't going to see it that way anyway. Ed would see it the way Roy saw it – as a choice between his father and his brother. And if Roy had to take a guess as to how this would go down…

Ed was going to get mad. He was going to get mad at Al. Perhaps at Roy as well for a bit, but it wouldn't take much for Ed to realize that Al was the only one really asking this question. Then they would fight and it wouldn't be just a typical, friendly spar in the back yard. No. This was bigger than that.

Ed had told him once that Al used to go sit by the river after they had a big fight. But Roy got the feeling that Al would run back to Resembool if things went the way he imagined they would. He wasn't a kid anymore… and adults always run farther. This had the potential to place a rift between the brothers. That would be bad – very bad. Roy needed Al to be close to Ed. He needed to know that Ed had a safe place to go if things get dangerous here in Central. They couldn't afford to have a rift between them.

And Roy didn't think he could bear to watch the pain his son would feel after fighting with his brother. Those boys needed each other. He had to stop this from happening. Even if it meant… Resembool.

Ed needed to go to Resembool. And really, he'd be safer there anyway. Safe and far away from anyone who might want to hurt him. This was the solution he and Riza had been searching for. They'd already discussed sending Ed away when things got too dangerous. Now they just had to let him go earlier than they wanted. He'd be safe in Resembool. He'd have Al and May and Edmund. He'd be safe and he'd be happy. That was all that mattered.

With this thought in mind, he stood and went into the hallway where he found Al waiting for Ed to get out of the shower. From the sound of things, the water was already off. Ed was going to come out at any moment.

"Alphonse." He started.

"You can't stop me, Roy. Ed deserves to make his own choice." The young man had his face set like flint.

"Al – please. Just wait. We need to –"

The door knob clicked and a waft of steam poured out into the hallway, followed by a short figure clad in clean pajamas and in the process of towel drying his hair. Ed stopped short when he noticed his brother and father standing in the hallway. "Hey guys? What's up?" he eyed them both suspiciously.

Al apparently decided not to waste anymore time. "Brother, we need to ask you som –"

Roy made a split second decision. "Go pack your things, Son."

"What?" Ed asked.

"What?" Al echoed.

Both of the Elric brothers had their eyes locked on Roy now. "Pack your things." Roy repeated, ignoring Al and focusing all of his attention on Ed. He was still mad at Alphonse for starting this whole mess. "Whatever you think you'll need to get you through a few weeks. You're going to stay in Resembool." Two pairs of golden eyes blinked back at him in confusion but neither was able to come up with a response right away.

"Alright boys. Dinner is… what's going on?" Riza paused at the threshold to the hallway and stared at the odd gathering of men in her house.

"I'm going to Resembool?" Ed finally questioned.

"Resembool?" Riza repeated, surprised. Roy turned to meet her eyes for a moment, conveying silently that he would explain later.

"Yes." Roy addressed his son once more. "Al's invited you to stay with him for awhile."

Ed frowned and furrowed his brow. "O-kay. What about school?"

"You're ahead in your studies, aren't you?" Ed nodded and Roy continued. "I'll take care of the school and send you any additional work you need to complete."

"What about steelcore?"

There was a tough one. How could he convince the boy to give up his favorite sport for a few weeks? He finally smirked and played it off. "Why don't you give the other kids a chance to catch up? They don't know they're playing with the original steelcore champion. It's not like you're going to fall behind."

For a moment, Ed still looked uncertain. Then he glanced at Al and shrugged. "Alright. Sounds like fun. I wanted to go to the sheep shearing festival anyway. It's a lot warmer there too. When do we leave?"

Roy left that one to Al, who stumbled through an answer of sometime tomorrow morning and then watched his brother dash into his room to pack.

After a few moments of silence in the hallway, Alphonse turned back to Roy. "Thank you." He said softly.

Roy couldn't stop the glare which overcame his features. He didn't need Al's thanks. He didn't want this at all. Yes, he was going to work it to all of their advantage but he was far from happy about it. "I'm not doing this for you." He ground out between his teeth. "I'm just not going to force my son to choose between his father and his brother."

Al made to protest but Roy didn't give him the chance. He spun around and went back to his office, beckoning Riza to follow so he could explain to his wife exactly what was going on