Chapter Twenty

The Train to East City

February 18th, 1914

Eastbound Train, skirting the southern border

11:15 am

Edward was done with his brother's sulking. He knew Al wanted to visit Resembool. Ed wanted to visit too, but he wasn't going to leave his son longer than he absolutely had to. That's why he took this stupidly long train anyway, because it would get him back to East City two days faster than the more direct train. It wasn't like he enjoyed fighting with his brother, either. He wasn't going to just give in to him either.

He was willing to compromise however, because Alphonse pouting tended to make him eventually give in. It was just the way things were. With a heavy sigh he finally said. "Fine Al. I'm not getting off this train before East City, but if you want to spend a few days with Granny and Winry, I can take care of the furball for you… as long as you promise to not tell about Yuery because I still want to tell Winry about him in person, preferably with him with me at the time." Ed said in a resigned tone.

"Really Brother? You wouldn't mind?" Al asked hopefully.

"Nah, go ahead and visit awhile. Tell them I had to get back to do my report, but I should be able to take some vacation time in the next couple of weeks and I'll come out and see them then." Ed said with a handwave.

"Okay, thank you." Al said simply, but his entire demeanor improved now that he was no longer pouting. "How long before you head over to Liore?"

"It isn't pressing at the moment, and Mustang mentioned some sort of other issue he had heard of so it may turn into a few weeks." Ed said, secretly hoping a couple of weeks would be enough time to get Yuery feeling better so he wouldn't as guilty over leaving the baby behind. "I hope this lead works out though Al, then I can retire, and we can settle down the three of us."

"I'm sure we'll find it soon Brother." Al said. "Why don't I go get you something from the dining car?"

"Sure okay."

Al wandered slowly through the train, barely watching where he was going as he lost himself in his thoughts. It felt unlikely that Ed intended to talk to the Rockbelles about Yuery anytime soon, though Al had promised not to mention it himself, and he had never broken a promise to Ed. Ed had never broken a promise to him either, and he had promised to tell Granny and Winry about Yuery. It was a matter of when more than anything else.

Alphonse was also concerned that Ed would start to forget about him. He tried really had but he admitted to himself he was a bit jealous of his nephew, who was suddenly here to divide his brother's attention. Even now Ed was willing to let Al just wander off on his own, rather than stick with him, because Ed wanted to get back to the kid. Al then deflated, feeling guilty for thinking so hatefully about his nephew. No matter how inconvenient it was that Ed had managed to make himself a single teenage parent, there was nothing to be done about it now, and everyone including Al loved Yuery.

AL decided to stop thinking about it before he started yet another fight and instead challenged his brother to a poker match when he returned with Ed's lunch.

February 19th

3:00pm

Both brothers were pouting, and not speaking to each other, when Al accidentally discovered that Edward had been cheating. Ed still refused to admit that he had cheated, and Al still refused to return Ed's luggage until Ed admitted it. They had been at a stalemate for the last six hours.

They were also rapidly approaching the Resembool station. Alphonse had called ahead at the last station to let Granny know he would be visiting, by himself, after he had shoved Ed's suitcase under his chest plate and refused to speak again. Ed continued to grumble, but in truth he didn't actually need anything that was in the case since he had his journal, his watch, and his ticket in the pockets of his coat. Al was simply being petty, and so was Ed.

When they slowed again, Al said. "Oh, look Winry's on the platform, here's your chance to talk to her in person."

"I already said I want Yuery here with me when I talk to her about it. Besides, I am not risking missing this train to listen to a lecture that at some point is likely to end with a head injury. It will be fine, I'll talk to her soon and meanwhile, I need my suitcase."

"Too bad, you'll just have to go on without it, unless you're finally ready to admit you were cheating?"

"I was not!"

"Okay then, you can have it back when I get home." Al said smugly. He stood as the train stopped and Ed growled. He knew Al was trying to trick him into chasing after him, to make it so Ed would have to talk to Winry, but he wasn't falling for it.

"Go ahead and keep it, it's just some clothes and some cards in there anyway. I have more at our place. There's nothing in there I can't live without."

Without another word Al left the train, and even though Ed stayed neatly hidden instead of at least waving, Al managed to drag Winry close enough that Ed would hear the conversation. Al then berated his brother for cheating, and for refusing to at least waive. Never one to be out done, Ed stood up and half hung out of the window to scream red-faced. "I TOLD you I didn't cheat! Hi Win. If you are going to keep lying about me brother, at least tell a good lie, because I am perfectly honest and do not cheat. Ooops the train is moving again. Bye Winry. Keep an eye on Al for me, I call when I get back to my place, Bye Al. You're still a sore loser."

As they waived as the train pulled away, Winry said. "Was he cheating?"

"Ed was trading out cards from his sleeve and I only noticed because he was lecturing some random guy that he was being rude, and cards flew out of the sleeve. Ed locked himself in the washroom reopened the door only because they started serving food again." Al explained as they headed toward the house. "How are you and Granny?"

"We're okay. How are things going with you guys?"

"Slow as usual these days. It's too cold for too many emergencies right now. Thankfully."

"So why did Ed have to rush back then?" Winry asked with a frown. "If there's nothing for you to do he could have stayed for a few days to catch up."

"Oh, um. He needed to pick up Cobalt. We left her with a pet sitter, but Brother doesn't like relying on sitters for too long." Al said, telling a half-truth instead of a lie though irritated that he had to hide anything from the Rockbelles even by omission.

"I see. So, what is really going on with you guys?" Winry asked sensing Al's discomfort.

"Really you should ask Brother about it." Al said. "Oh, have I told you about Cobalt? She's a great cat, but Brother keeps saying her real name is LazyCat and that she's tricked me into thinking it's anything else. He always calls her that no matter how many time I point out she's my cat because he says since he buys all her food and it's his apartment and his… well everything, then he can call her that if he wants. She comes to him too." Al hoped Winry didn't notice his stumble, because he had almost mentioned the baby. This was going to be a long four days.

Winry, for her part, decided that whatever was going on, Ed had clearly made Al promise not to talk about it and while this was frustrating, she wasn't going to badger him about it. No this was one of those things that she would have to get out of Ed. Hopefully he came home for a visit soon, or she would just have to pay him a surprise visit in East City.

They made it back to the house and Winry announced to Granny they were back. Granny appeared in the doorway before looking around. "Where's that brother of yours?"

"He couldn't stay, he had to get back to the city." Al said, as they all sat in the living room. "He had to collect our cat and he has to be back in the office Monday."

"How did you manage to talk him into getting a cat anyway?" Winry asked.

"Well, after we ended up in an apartment instead of the dorms he didn't see a reason to continue to say no about it, plus the lady downstairs said that the building gets mice and a cat would keep them out and Brother decided it was for the best as long as I kept to the ground rules."

"He gave you rules?"

"Yeah, I have to take care of the cat. I have to arrange pet care when we are out of town, and I can't pester him anymore about some stuff."

"What stuff would that be?"

"Um, just some work stuff."

"Ugh. It's always work stuff. I think he just likes hiding stuff from me, and you help him."

"No, that's not true. Some of the stuff at work can't be talked about, but Ed plans to come see you guys soon. He promised me, and he always keeps his promises."

"That's true, he does. Okay enough just sitting around when there is work and chores to be done." Granny said as she stood up and walked back out of the room.

East City Train Station

February 20th

1 am

Havoc was waiting at the station to pick him up as he deboarded two hours late thanks to a delay in some town when some cow decided to block the tracks. Havoc was half asleep leaning against a pillar, luckily Ed spotted him and poked Havoc's shoulder when Havoc continued to stare dazedly at the schedule board. "Oh. Sorry, I think I was sleeping with my eyes open." Havoc said to Ed grunt and led the way outside. "I'm taking you right over to the Colonel's then. Hey where's your bag?"

"Yeah, Gotta see Yu. Al has it, I don't need anything inside it before he gets back from visiting." Ed said as he leaned his head against the window. "I hope Mustang's awake or wakes up at least."

"Oh, he's still up. I talked to him not that long ago to update him on the delay and he said he was going to wait up, so you weren't stuck waiting on the porch all night." Havoc said, as he turned the final corner before reaching Mustang's place. "You want me to wait for you guys or are you crashing here tonight?"

"Probably crashing here, no point in getting Yu all worked up just to try to get him back to sleep."

Havoc nodded and waived before pulling away, Ed then knocked on the door and unsurprisingly it opened a moment later since Mustang had been in the living room. Like Havoc he asked where Ed's suitcase was, though his was more concern that Ed was going to try to carry the baby home in the middle of the night. "Al has it and said I don't get it back until he gets home because he decided I cheated him at cards… I probably should have stopped by my place and picked up some stuff. Are you still okay with me and Yu and LazyCat staying with you until we have to leave for Liore?"

"I am sure. Did you eat? Do you need anything? I can make some tea." Roy said, fretting over Ed like an overprotective hen.

"I'm okay, just going to grab Yuery and get some sleep since you don't mind." Ed said as he headed toward the stairs after kicking off his boots next to the door. Mustang followed him up, insisting that the baby should just sleep with Roy tonight and Ed get some sleep. After a brief debate on the matter and Ed had peeked in at the baby he finally agreed.

Roy then went down to make the young father a cup of tea and make sure everything was locked for the night as well as feeding the cat once again. A few minutes later he makes his way upstairs with the mug, only to find his houseguest already passed out sprawled across the guest bed.

With a sigh he set the mug on the dresser before grabbing the spare blanket off the foot of the bed and tucking it around the boy. As usual Ed had managed to strip down to his tank top and boxers and undo his hair before collapsing on top of the bedspread in a manner that suggested he had had no intention of falling asleep. In moments like these it was hard to believe he was anything other than a young teen, in need of adult care. The world had not been kind to the Elrics, and there was only so much he could do to ease their burdens. Especially with Ed's tendency to cause himself more trouble.

With any luck, Mustang thought as he settled in himself, Liore would be a solid lead and Ed could spend the rest of his contract on deskwork. Mustang would do everything he could to keeps these boys safe, because he was finally almost ready to admit to himself that he considered them his kids.

To Be Continued…