Hello everyone! Thanks so much for reading! I'm going to try to promise a chapter at least by the end of every month, but my goal is once every 2-2.5 weeks. My writing time for this chapter was broken up a bit, so continuity might suck. I'm sorry! Thanks for reading, though, and I hope you enjoy!


May opened the door to the guest room to find Al sitting on the bed. She was surprised. "I put all your clothes away for you," he said, offering a plate to her. "And I made you a sandwich," he gave a small smile. May could see the sincerity in his sparkling golden eyes. She was somehow reminded her of his gaunt face when he had just returned in his body, his cheeks sunken in, but those bright eyes were always full of life.

May reciprocated the smile, "Thanks." She sat next to him on the bed and began to eat. Al put his arm around her. "May," he started. "It's okay, Alphonse," May looked up at him with new understanding. He looked at her questioningly. Perhaps her conversation with Winry helped her understand. "We can take it slow," she tucked her head under his chin, pressing her ear against his chest to hear his wonderful heartbeat.

Winry gulped the satisfyingly cold water down, looking around the kitchen. Home didn't seem so different with Al and May here. She wasn't sufficiently stressed out yet. She supposed that it was because they were upstairs talking instead of lounging downstairs. She'd let them have their space. They could all talk at dinner.

Ed walked up to the front desk. "Ed! You're back!" Erika was surprised. He was walking from the direction of the rooms. "Yeah, I came in late last night," he rubbed his eyes. "What happened to Daniel and Toby? Did you find them?" she asked. This was the brilliant plan. The three of them spent the whole morning on it. It was shortly after lunchtime, and they were going to execute it.

"Yeah, I did, actually. But they're not safe to return here," he leaned in and started tow whisper, "I'm going to send them southward to live with some friends of mine so they can be safe, you know?" He retreated to see her reaction. She raised her eyebrows and gave a slow nod, "Do you need me to fix things up around town?" "Well, I'm going to the train station now to get their tickets. Word'll spread around town slowly," he responded, "Don't worry. I'll get them somewhere safe." She nodded, "Okay. If you need anything though, just let me know!" Ed headed out the front door.

He looked around him carefully while approaching the train station across the square. There were a few people bustling around, but that was it. He went to the first booth at the ticket counter. He knew the guy, so he was to be trusted. "Kenny," Ed smiled genuinely, "How're you doing?" "Edward? Wow, it's good to see you! I hardly recognized you. Time sure has passed," he replied, "How's the wife back home?" "She's well. She's with child too," Ed replied. Kenny laughed, "Good for you, Ed. Good for you!"

Ed continued talking jovially, "I picked the short end of the stick earlier today with my buddies, so I'm here to buy lots of tickets. I need 3 tickets back to Central, and two of my buddies are going down to Weipo for some reason. They said they're going to go camping, but I don't even know what would be there down in Weipo." Kenny smiled, "Yeah, I didn't think there was much to do in the south. There's still some upset over there with politics or something. Tell your camping buddies to watch out." He slid all 5 tickets over the counter, and Ed smiled. "Will do. Thanks, Kenny!"

Ed returned to the room and gave Daniel and Toby their tickets. "Did your end tie up nicely?" he asked Daniel. He nodded. "We're all set to go. Well, all we have to do is lay low until 5am tomorrow. That's when the train's leaving," Ed nodded. Daniel had called Toby's school to inform them that Toby and he were going south for refuge. There were orders for all of it to be hushed. And it seemed like it was going to work out.

Erika would spread the word around town slowly that they had gone south, and the school knew, and Kenny didn't know who was going south because Ed made no mention of it. The southbound tickets were for tomorrow mid-day, and those tickets could have been for anyone. Anyone who noticed the tickets never showed up in passenger's hands on the train would think that the people with the tickets just didn't end up going.

"You're okay with slow?" Al wondered aloud. They had been beating around the bush for the past six months before a few weeks ago when they had dove in, and now they were just going to wade in the water. "You only want the best for me," May answered. She would just have to be patient.

Al smiled gratefully. He kissed the top of her head, "Winry made sense to you after all." "You heard us talking?" May instantly retreated.

"I was making sandwiches in the kitchen, and I heard talking in the workroom. I didn't listen, I just knew you two were talking," Al admitted, his face growing pink for no reason at all. His body was his enemy sometimes. "Oh…" May realized she had overreacted, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"It's a good sandwich," she complimented. "Thanks," Al smiled, sitting up a little bit taller, proud of his sandwich. She gave him a kiss on the cheek, standing up quickly to take her dishes to the sink. Alphonse was turning red. "Thank you for preparing my room," she smiled, watching him blush. "You're welcome," he stood up too, wishing his face would cool down.

Dinner was early because Winry had to go to class, and Winry cooked a vegetable medley with pasta. "Dinner!" she announced into the living space where Al and May were lounging on the couch. May had brought some materials to practice Alkahestry on, and she was trying to teach him. The two entered the kitchen, smiles growing on their faces.

"This smells really good, Winry," Al focused on the table where the skillet was. "I'm going to class tonight at 6, and Major Armstrong was nice enough to give me a ride. He's going to pick me up at 5," she explained why dinner was so early. "We don't mind," May sat in the chair Alphonse pulled out for her, "We're hungry."

After everyone was seated and served, the conversation picked up. "So, Alphonse is getting the basics of Alkahestry now, but there are certain materials that are stubborn with him," May said. "It's great that you're getting the Alkahestry stuff, Al!" Winry was genuinely excited. "Yeah, May's a good teacher. It's a different way of thinking when you are using Alkahestry. Ed and I are translating alchemic notes from everywhere, and after you translate the journals, then you have to decode them," Al said. "We use Alkahestry for healing," May took a sip of water, "But Al's reading up on people you use a form of alchemy as an art form, and a way of worship."

"There sure is plenty out there," Al nodded, "The art one is particularly interesting to me. It involves something besides your energy or your chi. It's something I'm not sure I have or could do, that's for sure." The conversation drifted from topic to topic, first Al's progress with Alkahestry, then to alchemy in general, then to Winry and Ed, baby names, and general business with customers of Winry's.

Before they knew it, Major Armstrong was there to pick up Winry. "Does Ed need a proxy tonight?" Al asked her at the door. May and he had volunteered to clean up the kitchen. "Umm," Winry thought about it, "No, you just got in town. I don't want to drag you to some meeting. Just relax here at the house with May." She gave a smile before heading out to the car. "I'll be back before you know it!"

With the dishes done and the kitchen clean, Al hung the dishtowel on the oven handle. He turned to May. She was smiling at him with this tender look in her eyes. "It's hard to take things slow," she said. "Why do you say that?" he took her hands in his, reminding himself that she was a princess. She was fragile and to be protected. He took a step closer to her, and she looked up expectantly.

They stared each other down. Al, looking into May's deep, swirling brown eyes, and May searching Al's eyes which seemed like lights to her. It seemed like forever. Al longed to taste the tangy taste of May's lips which reminded him of citrus fruits. He wanted to kiss her so gently, hold her so dearly as if she would disappear.

May let go of his hands and put them around Al in a hug. He put one hand on her back, the other on her head as he kissed the top of it and held her close. He took a deep breath in, smelling the flowery perfumes of the princess. He could drown in it. May was doing the same, inhaling his scent. Al wondered if time had stopped, but the phone rang.

May almost jumped out of her skin, it surprised her. Al hugged her tightly, "It's okay." He gave her another kiss on the top of the head before disappearing from her arms to get the phone.

"Mustang!"

"Alphonse, you made it," the brigadeer general sounded well on the other line.

"Yeah, May and I arrived this afternoon. How've you been?"

"I could ask you the same. Central HQ is just like it's always been. I just have a bigger desk is all."

Al laughed, "We're doing well. Winry's feeding us pretty good food since we got here. I tell her not to fuss over us, but she's a good host."

"Is Winry there at the moment?"

"No, she had to go to class. Major Armstrong came by maybe 10 minutes ago to pick her up for class."

"Oh, okay. I was just going to ask her something."

"Is it urgent? I can take the message."

"Not really. It's okay. I'll catch her another time."

"Okay," Alphonse thought he sounded busy. He probably had lots of paperwork to do before going home again. "Well, I'll let you go, Mustang. Have a good night!"

"You too, Al. Talk to you later."

"Thank you again," Winry was getting out of the car with an apologetic look on her face. "No problem at all, Winry!" Armstrong exclaimed. "I'll see you after class," Winry said, still feeling apologetic, shutting the door. Armstrong nodded from behind the wheel before driving off. Winry hung her purse over her shoulder, noting that it was getting chilly. She walked through the doors quickly, finding relief in the warm building.

She felt lonely as she sat at the table alone, but she didn't have long to think about it as the meeting started. "Hi everyone," Tim announced from the small stage. He was quite a cheery man, very optimistic. He had shining white teeth and thin eyebrows. Winry looked at him like it was the first time she had seen him. She never really looked at him when they had first met. She was sitting at a table closer to the stage too. Perhaps that interfered with her perception of him.

"Today we're moving away from the topic of emotional support for a little while, and we're going to talk about the physical support. We're going to listen to a speaker and then discuss at the tables the proper things to do when labor starts," he held up a green folder. "Everyone has their folders, right? There's a blue sheet on the left side near the back. We're going to be using that today," he waited for everyone to shuffle their papers around and get the blue sheet out.

"Alright," he transitioned, "Everyone give Dr. Bowler a big round of applause." Everyone clapped, and Winry took out her pencil to take notes. It would have been beneficial to have Ed here, but she'd take good notes for him.

By the time the speaker was done, Winry's hand was cramping. The nice doctor was a slow talker, but everything seemed really important to write down. The group discussion was about to begin. The crowd clapped once more for Dr. Bowler, and Winry was glad to use her hand for something besides scribbling notes. "Alright, everybody. We're going to talk in groups at the tables, and the discussion questions are on the back of the blue sheet," Tim announced, "After this, I can set you all free to go home."

Winry turned to the couples at the table. There were two couples, and they introduced themselves as Stan and Jenna, and Bruce and Jessi. Winry introduced herself too, and soon they were answering the questions. It was a group quiz, somewhat, asking questions regarding the importance of counting between contractions and breathing exercises.

"I wonder what time classes get out," May thought as Al concentrated on his breathing. "It should be soon," Al replied, taking a deep breath in. The two were sitting on the couch in the living room, relaxing. Al's mind kept wandering to Ed, and suddenly, he was thrust into the world of energies. He blinked at May's pink energy beside him, and next he was flying out the door.

The orange energy of Ed was calling to him, and he could feel the energy growing weak. He was pulled to a foreign place, underground, where Ed's energy was strongest. Al's mind was spinning, his own energy draining. He jerked back to his physical self, a metallic taste in his mouth. He remembered to exhale, but the shock shook his whole body.

"Al!" May noticed his breathing had stopped. Al inhaled quickly, the feel of air in his lungs was so relieving. "Ed," he whispered as all the muscles in his body relaxed. "What happened to Ed?" May asked quickly, scooting closer to Al and taking his hand in hers. "I don't know," he whispered slowly. "What happened to you?" May's eyes were frantically scanning Al's face, "Your hand is cold." Al noticed that he was pretty cold.

He looked at May, her concerned eyes constant. "I was just focusing on the dragon's path, the energies, and I felt Ed's energy, I think. He's underground," Al explained slowly, as if he were trying to grasp what had happened to him.

"I'm okay, though," Al tried to blink a few times and swallow the metallic taste. He put his hand over hers to comfort her. "I always thought my energy was tied to Ed's," he added, "He brought be back from the gate, and I'm not sure why I think we're linked, but we've been through a lot together." "Your energies couldn't be tied together, I've felt both of you before," May reasoned. "I guess so. I was thinking about Ed. Maybe that triggered it," Al said.

"You don't think something bad's happened to Ed, do you?" May asked. "I hope not," Al replied, adjusting his seat to concentrate again on the energies. But before he could start again, May cautioned him, "Al, be careful, you've used up a lot of your chi. Just relax for a while." Al smiled, feeling tired, and slouched on the couch.

Al was actually asleep when Winry came home. May got up from her journal and greeted her at the door. "How was class?" "Good, it's a shame Ed wasn't there. There was a guest speaker and everything. I took notes for him though," Winry replied with a smile, "How're you and Al coming along?" She asked a little bit softer, in case Al was around.

"Al's asleep, actually. And we're doing okay. Your advice was helpful," May watched Winry get her coat off and hang it in the closet. "I'm glad," Winry said, the two heading to the kitchen. Winry was grabbing a snack. "Oh, by the way, Brigadeer General Mustang called for you while you were out. No message, but he said he'd call back later," May remembered. "Oh, good. Thanks!" she pulled out a spoon for her applesauce and sat down at the kitchen table.

"Why did Al go to bed so early?" Winry wondered, checking the time. "He exhausted his chi while doing Alkahestry," May wasn't sure if he wanted Winry to know that he had sensed Ed or not, so she left it at that. "Is he okay?" she asked. "Yeah, he'll be okay after a nap. He'll probably wake up in the middle of the night and be wide awake," May assured her. "Well, we should bundle him up on the couch then. He'll get cold," she rose to get blankets.