I love reading everyone's reviews, especially when they all are about the same thing. You guys are great, really. Thank you so much for your constant love of the story and interest in what's happening. I just want to say to everyone that I did end up breaking forty chapters... so you've a while to go yet, maybe another week at most.
I have a new story in the works as far as ideas, I have to fine tune things but that's all. I'm still planning on keeping a strong, older Ed. It suits him. But do you know how hard it will be to leave behind the "Trip-and-Fall" line? Seriously! I didn't think it would stick as well as it did. I'll have to think of something else...
So,
Welcome back the return of the complete Roy, who has his sights set on the top and will let no one stand in his way to get there. And by the way, every time I make mention of Ed's hair and it being down, for whatever reason it is that I wrote it, I always picture him as Fabio. It's really making me laugh, because when I picture Fabio, I picture him getting hit in the head with that duck on that rollercoaster. I can just see Ed on a rollercoaster getting hit by a duck.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
"Havoc, Breda, go find Fuery and Falman! Meet me by the gate." Hawkeye said the minute she hung up the phone, and then on second thought picked it back up again. "And Denny Brosh too."
"Who're you calling now?" Havoc asked, pausing at the door in his rush to go gather who she'd asked.
"Maria." Was her succinct reply.
"But Maria's in hiding!" Jean protested.
"She made a pledge to Mustang when he sprung her and staged her death that she'd come back if he needed her. He's coming back as we speak, and I know what he's going to do. We need her back, and he'll be able to clear her record when he becomes Fuhrer. Normally I might say we'd be enough on our own… but it's time the entire group dedicated to protecting Mustang and Edward comes together again."
Havoc and Breda nodded to each other before hustling down the hall as Hawkeye tended to the phone call to Maria Ross.
As soon as Riza had hung up the phone she stood. Maria was on her way, it could take several days, but this wasn't something that would blow over immediately. They'd need her here to help guard those who were on Mustang's side of the playing field. Actually Maria had sounded eager to come and rejoin the group once more, and had been overjoyed to hear Ed was back. Riza knew that the woman had developed a sort of maternal affection for Edward.
Riza took only a few minutes to check and make sure her revolvers were loaded and that she had a good store of extra ammunition. She was about to turn away from her desk when on second thought she pulled out a heavier bottom drawer. From it she drew out a much larger, and much heavier gun. After checking to make sure it was loaded, she belted it as well to her waist by its holster. She might need some heavier power. She was sure the sudden departure of Mustang's team wouldn't go unnoticed, and she'd been told not to let themselves be followed. She'd obey those orders with heavy fire if necessary.
She caught up with the men outside the gate. "Hi, Denny." She greeted him with a smile.
"Nice to be working with you again." Denny said with a grin and saluted Hawkeye.
"Keep an eye out, we're not supposed to be followed. If anyone does try and follow us… Denny, I see you brought your guns, good." Riza said and quickly went over to one of the cars that were waiting for them. "Havoc, you drive the other. Let's go."
They all piled into the black cars and pulled out of the gate to slip onto the road smoothly and head for the train station. Again, Riza utilized her more accelerated driving skills to get them to the train station as fast as possible. All a pale Havoc had to do was follow in her wake as she plowed the path for them.
They reached the train station in record time, pulling into two empty spaces right next to each other.
"Denny, Fuery, stay here and guard the cars, keep a lookout." Riza said and tossed Denny her car keys. "There should be flare guns in the glove box if you need to signal us. I'm not sure I'd be able to hear gun shots over the station noise."
"She's really planning for the worst, isn't she." Denny said to Fuery.
"Yeah." Was his succinct reply, and the two men stood on alert to keep watch while they waited.
On the train, Edward and Roy were both staring out the window as Central came closer and closer.
"Roy, are you sure you want to go alone?" Ed asked at last of the man still sitting beside him, even though he already knew the answer.
Roy looked sideways at him, and reached over to take his hand and squeeze it gently, "I'm sure. I promise you, I will come back for you, and I'll have succeeded. I won't break a promise to you, Ed."
"I know." Ed sighed. He couldn't help but worry, he supposed it was natural though. Roy was the only constant left in his life that he cared so deeply for. To lose it would devastate him, and Ed wasn't sure how he'd be able to handle it.
Roy understood Ed's concern, and it made his chest feel clenched. More than anything he didn't want Ed to be worried about him, but that would have to wait for a while yet. "Ed, I-"
"We're nearly there, sir. We should get the others up." Armstrong said as he suddenly walked over.
Roy had released Ed's hand in a flash of movement that Armstrong had been unable to see. He just had naturally quick hand reflexes from all the snapping he was accustomed to doing. A talent that had pleased many a woman in his past, and one he planned to put to good use with Edward. The thought nearly made him smirk in a pleased manner, however he somehow managed to restrain himself. "Off you go then, Ed."
Edward shot him a glower and stood up, shaking his mane of blonde hair back out of his eyes and pulling his clothes straight. He said nothing as he left to follow Armstrong, leaving behind a Roy who was trying to decide whether or not he'd drooled.
Ed walked over to where the pepper haired alchemist lay on one seat. Kneeling down Ed rested his flesh hand lightly on the man's shoulder. "Are you awake?"
"Yes…" Came the raspy reply.
"We're nearly there, I'm going to help you up now." Edward said, and after much shifting around, sliding, and groaning on the others part, Ed managed to get him to his feet. "What's your name?" Ed asked as he draped the man's left arm around his shoulders, and gripped him around the abdomen with his automail hand to provide sturdy support.
"Roger." Was the reply.
"Keep hanging in there with me, Roger." Ed said as he slowly guided the man towards the exit, the train was minutes from stopping at the station platform.
"I don't plan on dying just yet." Roger gritted out as he took slow and jolting steps while leaning on Edward for support. "I owe you and Major Armstrong too much now."
"Don't tell me you're going to go into some long winded speech about repaying the debt or something."
"No." Was Roger's pain stricken reply, "but I sure as hell know where my allegiances lie from now on. If you ever need anything… ask."
"I need you to stop talking again." Edward said, but not unkindly. "You still need to save your strength, as much as you can."
Roy watched, trying to ignore the pit of envy growing inside him as he saw Roger hanging onto Edward, and Ed's arm around him. He knew it was silly to be envious, Edward was only helping the man, but Roy would be lying if he said he wouldn't rather be the one who was in Roger's current position with Ed. At least now it sounded like they had a new ally, once he healed.
As the train came to a stop, and the doors opened, Edward exited first after checking to make sure there appeared to be no danger to them. Really, word shouldn't have gotten out yet that the alchemists pitted against them had all been killed. Yet Edward still would rather stay on the side of caution. He helped guide Roger down, and didn't waver as his dead weight came down on him. "Okay?" He asked as Roger stabilized on his feet again.
There was a slow nod.
"Edward!"
The blonde looked up at the sound of the voice calling his name, and smiled in relief.
Havoc, Falman, Breda, and Hawkeye were hurrying towards them.
"General!"
"Major Armstrong!"
The reunion was brief between all of them, they were all just mutually glad to see each other again. Roger, and the man Armstrong had been in charge of were transferred off to Breda and Falman now to give Armstrong and Ed room to breathe freely again.
"Ed, are you okay?" Riza asked, having already made sure Mustang was fine.
"Okay as I can be." Ed smiled at her. "Winry and General Bastard over there have put me through worse."
"You look awful." Havoc observed.
"Thanks, Jean." Ed remarked sarcastically.
"No problem sir."
"Were you followed?" Mustang asked quickly.
"No." Hawkeye said, and looked around at the stares the injured alchemists were attracting. "But we'd best get you all to the hospital."
There was an agreement to that, and the group began to walk off back to where the cars had been parked. They were halfway there when Roy suddenly reached out to seize Ed abruptly by his jacket sleeve and tug him into a small empty alleyway between food shops at the station. He gave Ed no time to question him as his mouth claimed Edward's in a deep passion driven kiss. He pulled away though before he had truly needed to, leaving a slightly dazed looking Edward in front of him. "Wait for me, Edward. Look after the others."
"Look after yourself." Edward said with a smile, dragging his coat sleeve across his mouth to erase all evidence of their tongue filled kiss. He gave him one last wistful look before hurrying out of the small alley and after the others.
The others who were alert had noticed that both Ed and Roy had vanished suddenly, all but Armstrong and the wounded alchemists they were toting appeared unconcerned. "Where'd they go?" Armstrong asked, following after the others who didn't seem concerned to look for them.
"They'll be back soon." Hawkeye assured him, and shared an amused smile with Havoc.
"Can't believe they'd find a secluded enough place here, but I guess they did." Havoc muttered to Riza.
Edward caught up with them, falling into step beside Havoc.
"There you are, but where's the General?" Armstrong asked.
"Yeah, what'd you do to Mustang?" Havoc asked suspiciously.
Edward rolled his eyes, "not enough." Was the answer that all but three of the people got, and smirked at. "He's going off alone now."
"You sure you're okay with that?" Hawkeye asked him.
Edward nodded after a moment. "I am. He promised me he'd come back. I know he'll keep his word."
"He has a good reason to stay alive and come back." Breda hinted with a wolfish grin.
"Shut up." Was Ed's smiling reply.
"Yes'ir."
They made it to the cars without incident. It appeared that it was not known yet they were back. Edward helped load the injured alchemists into the backseats of the cars, before sitting gratefully in the front seat of one. He ended up in the car with Fuery, Denny, Roger, and Hawkeye. He'd been glad to see Denny again, and had been shocked to hear about Maria's disappearance. Riza didn't mention her call to the woman, it would probably not be what Denny needed to hear right now. She'd tell Ed later about her phone call to the woman who had once partnered with Denny to protect him.
"What happened out there, sir?" Hawkeye finally asked the question that had been on all of their minds.
"The Fuhrer wanted Mustang and I dead, all the alchemists but the two with us now were against us from the start. They got hurt trying to defend the military soldiers. Apparently all the evidence was wanted erased. That's where Roy's going now, he's going to go make the Fuhrer admit what he did, and then kill him."
"But how will he be able to prove it to everyone else?" Fuery asked from the backseat.
At this, Edward smiled, "it's something we planned on the trip back. Don't worry, you'll all be able to hear the confession when it happens."
"None of the other generals would dare dispute a claim to the rank." Riza noted, "they all respect him, and after this I doubt anyone will try and cross him again."
"I hope not. The list of idiot butts that I need to kick is finally getting shorter." Ed grumbled.
"You all are very loyal to General Mustang, aren't you…" Roger's voice was like a crackling old radio from the backseat, and he took his time forming his words.
"Yeah." Denny said with a smile.
"What did I tell you about talking, Roger?" Ed barked, turning in his seat so he could stare at the elder man.
"Sorry, sir." Roger said, and fell silent again.
Edward smiled and turned back around, settling into his seat before looking down at himself. "I don't get it…" Ed muttered under his breath as he clapped his hands and placed them upon himself. In a flash of blue light his clothes were whole once more, and looking as clean as if they'd come straight from the washer. It was the quick fix for when you didn't have access to the real thing. But how could Roy have even been remotely enticed by the sight of him looking like a hobo? Maybe the man needed to have the one eye he used checked out.
"How is it you don't need a circle?"
"I just don't. No more talking, Roger." Edward said calmly as he leaned back, his still unbound hair bunching around his neck. Only a few people knew the entire story behind that ability, and he didn't want to give anyone else the desire to obtain it for themselves. He was done with homunculi. He could honestly say he did miss Lust, for she had not been so different from himself in the end, and he'd been sad to hear she'd been killed. But he didn't want to repeat that chapter in his life.
The hospital finally came into view, and it took Ed a moment to focus himself on what he had to do now. Getting these two other alchemists inside and treated, and having himself looked over was top priority right now. He wanted the doctors to okay him for release as soon as possible. But it was hard, for his thoughts continuously wanted to drift off to where a black haired alchemist was about to take what he wanted, and secure their relationship from ever being jeopardized by the military world.
"We'll go get wheelchairs, come on, Fuery." Denny said, and the two hurried into the hospital to fetch wheelchairs and nurses.
Meanwhile the unloading of people from the cars began.