I'm back! Sorry for the long wait, had a writer's block. Other than that, this has a lot of Winry in it because there are certain parts that I needed to address before the next chapter. And seeing as how I'm including Doctor Knox and his family in this one, and none of them had their first names revealed canonically, I have given them names of my own. Also, as Doctor Knox is based on Doctor Robert Knox, I just let him be called "Robert" here too.

And so I hope you people will enjoy this update!

Part thirteen: Advice

Roy was surprised when Doctor Knox plumped down on the other end of the waiting room couch. Al was off fetching Roy some water because his son was still coddling him, and Winry was at the Hughes house, playing with Elicia.

And Roy was sitting with a book on his lap about spinal chord injuries, with his right leg over his left knee, his shirt around his shoulders. His IV stand stood next to him, the line connected to his right arm, making bending it rather uncomfortable.

"You know, I thought there was something fishy about the way that you burnt that girl... Had it been anyone else, you'd have been in a lot of trouble, Mustang," Knox said quietly and grumpily.

"I had my plans, don't worry... I read in the papers about that military building that was burnt down, and which had had a lot of bodies to be examined..." Roy told him smoothly and equally quietly.

"And so you figured that once I had been working on one charred corpse, they'd use me for yours too? You're a bit too confident in my willingness to cover for you..."

"...I figured that you would be more happy that I'd let a woman that we care about live, rather than snitch on me to my superiors..."

His statement was met by a sigh. "And by "we" you mean the fact that you've adopted a kid with a broken leg?"

Roy looked over at him at that, feeling his parental instincts blooming when it came to acknowledging both his kids. Especially when Al was the one being left out. Because you didn't exclude him just because he didn't have a flesh and blood body. "Two, actually. Not both of them with a broken leg, of course... Edward and Alphonse Elric Mustang. Fifteen and fourteen. It's been one and a half years ago now."

"So the notorious womaniser of the Amestrian military decided to adopt a couple of kids out of the blue?" Knox sounded slightly interested and a bit confused, but mostly just grumpy.

Roy sighed, still not entirely happy about the reasons behind it. "It's a complicated story... Ed's the Fullmetal Alchemist and he got reassigned to another CO... The bastard wanted to turn my subordinate into a mindless puppet for him to earn himself promotions and power for being the CO of this young, talented human weapon... And because Ed was under eighteen and his CO automatically became his temporary guardian, the guy decided to use his power to have Ed stay with him, just so as to crush his spirit on a 24/7 basis..."

"...Still doesn't explain why you'd adopt them rather than ask for permanent guardianship. The latter's more your thing, isn't it?"

Roy closed his book at that, still feeling that wave of nausea at the memories of Ed's flogging. "Not when I had a young child who was my fourteen-year-old subordinate, whom I had to watch as he got flogged for punching his new CO. I took care of the boys and helped Ed with his bandages as he was continuously having his will crushed... Those boys needed a father, because the one that they had, had also left them while they were still just toddlers. And at the time, they were also at the lowest point of their lives... And so I chose to adopt them because that meant that it wasn't all just a necessity. And I don't regret it."

"So you're actually a family man now? Because that kid of yours looked really pissed off."

Roy just raised an eyebrow at him. "Because I had to send him away for a fortnight together with Major Armstrong after acting like I was a complete bastard who had broken his trust..." He sighed, still getting that lump in his stomach at the memory of Ed in the alley. "...And putting on a convincing act can make things feel very real when things like these happen... Especially as I already went too far once and Ed had to watch as it happened."

"You're an idiot, in other words. A young, foolish idiot." Doctor Knox then sighed himself. "But I suppose that you're hurt badly enough for your kid to come home early to forgive you?"

Roy nodded. "Especially as he ran into that bastard of a biological father and let me shout at him to the point that I reopened my impalement wounds..."

Knox scoffed. "You're the protective kind of father, then?"

"Very much so. They're my kids and I have a reputation and a lot of enemies that I want to know that they don't get to mess with my sons. And seeing as how pushing them away to protect them hasn't been an option for the past one and a half years now, keeping them close is the only way to go. And that means keeping them close enough to keep them away from the flames, rather than in the line of fire."

"...That's a hard task. Suppose you being a stubborn fool is your greatest asset in that aspect."

"I suppose so, yes..." Roy sighed and leant back into his seat. "And so my life has become fairly ironic. The Hero of Ishbal is the father of the Hero of the People, and my honorary niece is the daughter of a couple of heroic field surgeons in Ishbal."

Doctor Knox froze. "Don't tell me that you're talking about the Rockbells?"

Roy paused, thinking back to what Ed had said that Marcoh had told them, and about how there "wasn't a single doctor in Ishbal who didn't know about the Rockbells," like Marcoh had said. "Yes, I am... You see why I say it's ironic?"

His question was met by a grunt. "Yeah, I do... So how did you end up as a general? The most likely conclusion would have been that you'd threatened to resign, but that's not really your style."

Roy looked down, getting that sort of phantom head on his shoulder. "I shot a four-year-old girl after her father turned her and their dog into a talking chimera so that he could pass his assessment. And I did so without consulting anyone about it. I got arrested, funnily enough... But then Ed called the Führer because he was afraid I'd get thrown into prison for not letting a child live in torment for the rest of her life as a lab specimen. And apparently I showed great integrity and that I was someone that the Führer could trust to act on what was right and never become corrupt. And so I was promoted to Central and took over for General Grand because he had been killed a few days before that."

Knox studied him for a bit, frowning at him with something akin to surprise in his eyes. "You know, Mustang... Fatherhood suits you... It seems to have brought some life back to your face, especially your eyes..."

Roy looked at him and saw some pain in the man's own eyes, and paused. Because he was beginning to realise just why Doctor Knox was being so interested in Roy's family situation. In a way he seemed to be subconsciously trying to have Roy give him some sort of pep talk. "...You should give it a second go yourself, Doctor Knox..." he said in a low voice. "...Because if the Hero of Ishbal is capable of making himself be with his family, then I'd say that you should do it too... You should at least check with them if they want to talk to you." Then he sighed, but gave him a slightly stern and challenging look. "Because, like I said: Ed and Al's biological father left them when they were just toddlers. Never had any contact with them for all that time... And if you care about your family, then you at least owe them to let them know that you do."

The man frowned, looking awkward and grumpy and slightly like Roy had slapped him. And obviously a bit relieved that his name was being called at that moment. "Well, Mustang, I guess I should wish you a speedy recovery," he said as he stood up, not looking at Roy.

"Thank you... But one last thing, Doctor Knox, what are you here for?"

"Back problems, comes with being a coroner," the older man replied, still not looking at him, but taking some time to straighten out his jacket.

Roy smiled slightly, opening his book again as he spoke. "Well, then I'll wish you a speedy recovery and take care of yourself, Doctor."

His words were met by a predictable a grunt and nothing more as the man left.

Roy still smiled to himself, having a feeling that he had just done the man a favour in return for not snitching on them about Ross.

...Just a simple display of equivalent exchange, in other words.

Then he smiled openly as he turned around at the sound of some very familiar clanking footsteps. And Al's extended absence was quickly explained by the small paper cup with a spoon stuck in the two scoops of ice cream in addition to the cup of water. Sometimes having a hand that was large enough to hold two cups at the same time was rather practical at times.

And Roy could tell that Al's soul was smiling too, even if his head didn't allow for any sort of expression.

...Although, now with the missing jaw covered up, Al reminded him a fair bit of Slicer. Which in turn brought Roy some satisfaction. Lust had killed the Slicer brothers and almost Al as well... And Roy had burnt her so that nothing remained. So in a way, even if she wasn't the one who killed Maes, at least Roy had been able to avenge them. Because even if the Slicer brothers had tried to kill him and had been mass murderers, their last acts in life had been two things; trying to help Roy take the homunculi down, and being devastated by the loss of their brother. And now Barry too had been killed by Lust.

The homunculi had no respect for life. No respect for souls...

And Roy hated them so intensely for it. Loathed them. Despised them. And so much more. And that was without even adding in the fact that they had most likely been involved in Maes's murder.

But Al, his kind, brilliant boy with his occasional dark side, was bringing his father ice cream on a whim for his weekly allowance.

And so Roy couldn't help but smile.

Doctor Robert Knox stood before the building that he hadn't been in for over five years now. And he was standing there with something as stupid as a bouquet of tulips and a joke book. Last time he'd been inside the place, he had carried a box stacked with books and the lamp from his desk.

And he truly had no idea how this was going to go. But at least, should it fail, then it would at least be himself that got the cold shoulder and not his family. Because Mustang was right.

At least probably.

Possibly.

Or the man was just a lucky fool.

And Robert might just be poking fun at his wife and son by what he was about to do.

...But he wasn't going to risk hurting them by not having them know that they were worth more than his own self-pity. If they hated him, then he wouldn't blame them. Not at all. But then they also had a right to tell him that face to face. Because Mustang's expression had made it very clear just how much leaving without checking up on his family would hurt those that were innocent.

And so he knocked on the door with the hand that was holding the book.

And then he waited.

...Waited.

...Heard footsteps approaching.

...And found himself with his son looking at him with his eyebrows raised and obviously very surprised. And his kid had grown. He had grown a lot, making it clear to Robert just how long he had really been away. "Dad?"

"Hi, Thomas... You've grown quite a bit." He felt awkward. Very awkward. But just a bit relieved that there didn't appear to be a burning hatred in his son's eyes. He supposed that that was a good start. "You're looking well..."

Thomas took one look at the book that was wrapped in a red bow, Robert not having wanted to risk making too much out of a single joke book, before taking in the bouquet of tulips, obviously a bit torn as to what he should do. Also because there was still a bit of resentment in his eyes. And enough for him not to know if he should invite his father inside without his mother approving it. Robert didn't blame him much. Both Vera and Thomas knew about what he had done in Ishbal. And they all knew exactly why Robert had moved out and divorced his wife. And they weren't happy about his choices regarding his profession either.

However, the answer to his dilemma came soon enough in the form of Vera walking out of the kitchen, pausing slightly with a little, confused "oh". But then she walked over and looked up at him after taking in the tulips, and she smiled weakly. Even just a bit fondly. "I didn't expect you here, honey..."

Robert had to say that he found the pet name encouraging and so he sighed. "Neither did I, to be honest... But I think you could say that I'm sort of once again dissecting what's left of Mustang's work..."

Their faces paled in confusion and a bit of fear, and so he continued. "Because I met him in the hospital earlier today... After he had got himself impaled... And he mentioned how he had earlier reopened his wounds by shouting in the phone at the original father of his adoptive sons... Because, believe it or not, the Hero of Ishbal now has a couple of kids, one of them the Hero of the People even... So it sort of got me thinking..."

He meant to say more, but then Vera smiled at him and stepped back slightly to let him past her. "Why don't you come inside? It's getting chilly out here... And those tulips should get themselves a vase and some water instead."

Robert paused. "Are you sure? I-"

"I'll go make some coffee," Thomas said, smiling, as he headed further down the hallway.

Robert just looked at his son's back and then turned to Vera, holding out the bouquet of tulips, once again being interrupted as she took them in her hands. "Just come and have a cup of coffee with your family... I think it's more fitting that we sit down by the kitchen table as we talk." And so she gave him a kind smile as her eyes told him that it was also non-optional.

Which meant that Robert took off his shoes and followed her down the hallway that it had been a very long time since he last walked through. "You've changed the wallpaper... Looks nice..." he commented, not really knowing what else to say. Because he supposed that this was going pretty well so far and he didn't want to risk ruining it.

"Thank you... And thank you for the flowers, they're lovely."

"I think it's the least I could do, considering... But I still don't really understand why you'd let me inside like this..."

"Because you didn't come here as a pathologist, but as my former husband with a joke book and a bouquet of tulips... Which means that you're actually here to try to be with your family rather than pushing us away... And so we'd like to have a cup of coffee with you and hear what you have to say."

Robert honestly had no idea what to say to that, and so he just sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, watching as his son prepared the coffee and Vera fixed the flowers. And soon he found himself with a coffee cup in front of him and with a bouquet of flowers on the middle of the table. Robert suddenly felt rather uncomfortable as he tried to find out where to begin.

Then sighed heavily. "So... I suppose that I should start by saying that Mustang told me something very important... About how his kids had had their father run out on them when they were toddlers... And that I if I cared about you two, then I should at least let you know that I do... And I think he's right. Although it also means that you're free to slap me and throw me back outside at any time you like, just so you know."

The two people before him looked a bit uncertain, yet patient. And so he held his cup between his hands, drawing strength from it in a way. "And I have to say that it was in many ways a wake-up call. And an inspirational one at that... Because he said that I should take care of myself after I told him I was there for my back problems that come with being a coroner... And he more importantly mentioned how it was ironic that he was now the honorary uncle of the daughter of the Rockbells..." He took a little sip before putting his cup back down again, not failing to notice how Vera and Thomas were looking slightly hopeful and slightly confused. Robert just looked down into the brownish black liquid in front of him, his stomach still clenching with the memories of what he had done. "They were field surgeons during the Ishbalan Massacre, and there really wasn't a single doctor who hadn't heard of them back there... I remember talking with another doctor about them... Told him how there were doctors who killed people to follow orders, and then you had this couple who sided with the weak and powerless to save lives... And now their daughter has made the Hero of Ishbal her uncle... So I think that all in all, I really have no reason to keep saying that I have no right to treat the living now, after hearing that..." He looked up at the two in front of him, seeing that Vera had her eyes shining with tears, and Thomas was looking overjoyed. "...Because it seems to me that talking with a live patient for once did me far more good."

Roy received yet another disapproving frown from Beatrice Stone as he walked through the corridor. He was on his way back to his hospital room after having had some supper in the cafeteria, accompanied by the Lieutenant. He had had the Führer himself order Beatrice Stone to give him some space and freedom to move. But it was definitely worth it.

Yes, he was using a cane because he was being coddled by Alphonse and Winry, but he wouldn't complain. No complaining meant less worry, and less worry meant happier kids. And Al had taken it upon himself to cheer Havoc up by playing board games with him. Winry would be heading back to Rush Valley tomorrow evening, her stay having been expanded until Ed's return in the morning as a part of her giving emotional support to Al. Plus, she had wanted to make completely sure about Roy's continued recovery. And so Gracia was currently making her a big portion of pasta per Roy's recipe. She would be coming back to Central in four weeks to do maintenance on Ed's automail and the Fracturer, and both her and Pinako would be coming to Central to celebrate New Year's with them. Hopefully that plan would be able to actually be followed through on.

He felt his stomach clench at the thought. It was less than two and a half months until that time, and Roy had no clue about just how much trouble and danger they would be facing during that time. Considering just how much had happened for these past few months, things weren't exactly going in the right direction.

There was suddenly a group of five security officers running out of the corridor about forty metres ahead to his right, looking worried and carrying guns. To say that they peaked Roy's curiosity was a given. "I'm Brigadier General Roy Mustang, what's going on?" he said loudly when they were about twenty metres away from him, the five officers running at full speed.

"Sir, there is an intruder who is menacing the building with an unknown vehicle and has already nearly driven over thirty patients at high speeds without listening to anyone. We suggest that you return to your roo-"

"That's my damn son and the Fullmetal Alchemist!" Roy said sharply, feeling more than a little panicked at the fact that people were preparing to shoot Ed. "NOW TELL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR COLLEAGUES OVER YOUR RADIOS NOT TO SHOOT AND INSTEAD GUIDE HIM HERE!"

The five men froze.

Roy had zero patience with delays at this point, and grabbed the radio of the broad-shouldered ginger that had spoken to him, and barely kept himself from yelling into it. "This is Brigadier General Roy Mustang, and you are not to shoot my son, the Fullmetal Alchemist, but lead him directly to room 409 B. I repeat: do not shoot!"

Understandably enough, there came a chorus of "understood, sir!"s from a large group of officers over the radio in his hand. Roy sighed with relief, before looking to the five security officers in front of him. "He's got perfect control of that thing and it's a custom-made disability vehicle due to his broken leg. And he's not a menace, he's just pissed off with me for almost getting myself killed just a few hours after he left for his hometown."

"I see, sir..." the five now blushing officers said solemnly.

It only took thirty seconds for Ed to come zooming out of the nearest lift. And he wasn't exactly happy.

At all.

Actually, it was very clear just how happy he was before he even opened his mouth.

"YOU DAMN IDIOT!" Ed yelled furiously.

Roy couldn't help but smile fondly as he sat down with a small grunt of pain, crossing his legs, hoping for a hug, and very happy to have him back with him. "You got me there, Ed..." he said with a sigh as Ed drove up to his right side, opened the lid...

...And smacked the back of Roy's head with his left hand.

And again.

And again.

And then twice more for good measure.

"Mister Elric! Do not abuse my patients!" came Beatrice Stone's very stern voice.

Roy sighed, turning his head to look at her, deciding against rubbing the back of his head so as to give her zero reason to berate them about anything. "Miss Stone, it is very much within his rights to do so, and he has my approval as both his CO and as his father. And besides, he's purposely avoiding my injuries, so it really shouldn't pose any danger to my health... But I would like to request that we could borrow an empty office or similar so that I can talk things out with my son, in private."

Five minutes later, unsurprisingly, Ed was steering Roy inside an office on a small cart. A small cart that he had transmuted from the floor that had been below Roy where he had been sitting.

...And which he was steering around by pushing on it with the front of the Fracturer. Ed was frowning and had told him about how there had been a rockslide that had blocked one of the train tracks in an area at the border between the Eastern and Central Areas, although not one of the tracks that Ed had needed to travel on. The damage had been substantial as it had not just blocked the tracks, but had also destroyed an area of about half a kilometre and had even buried a lot of the tracks in the lake alongside them. As a result, the military had needed to put in another few trains on the remaining and open tracks, making it a detour for most people. Which in turn had made it so that the military had used a few of their express trains.

Which meant that Ed was here about twelve hours earlier than scheduled. And both Ed and Major Armstrong hadn't told him about it because they had wanted to surprise Roy. And so Ed had waved the Major off at the parking lot outside the hospital with a "thanks, Major, but I really wanna meet Dad alone."

Major Armstrong had apparently shed quite a few tears and had given Ed a homemade get well soon card. Said card was currently being brought to his room by the Lieutenant.

Once they were inside the office, Ed closed the door by reversing into it and then transmuting the floor and the door to make the room soundproof. It was of course just so that they could talk it all out without it needing to contain anger at Roy's "murdering Maria Ross".

Roy just gave him a warm smile, his stomach clenching at the thought of what meeting Hohenheim must have been like for him. "Ed... I'm glad to have you back home," he told him softly.

He was able to predict what Ed's next move would most likely be, but it also depended on just how angry Ed was with Roy's homunculus hunt.

When Ed drove up beside him, looking exhausted by his emotions, Roy felt a sort of happiness mixed with guilt, sadness and anger at Hohenheim. Because Ed lifted the windscreen again and awkwardly climbed out of the Fracturer, before sitting down on the floor next to Roy's right side, facing him. He hadn't said anything as he had moved, but now he was just looking at Roy with his lips quivering slightly.

Then he pressed his face into Roy's chest and began crying silently, his left hand clutched around the back of the shirt around Roy's shoulders. Roy just put his right arm around him properly, whilst placing his left hand at the back of Ed's head, his wound hurting some, but not enough for it to matter. "Why the hell did he have to act like that, Dad?!"

Roy sighed heavily and kissed the top of Ed's head, realising that his son definitely needed a hair wash after the limited showering options aboard the trains. But it didn't really matter much, considering the situation. And so he just spoke gently into his hair, his anger still flaring. "Because he's a bastard who doesn't deserve you two..."

"I-I found out some stuff... I-important stuff... We need to talk with Al about it..." He sniffed and clutched Roy's clothes harder. "...But could we just... Just wait like this for a few minutes?"

Roy was strongly reminded of the time that his fatherhood more or less began. Then too, had Ed been injured and distraught about having Hohenheim brought up. Although that had been Roy's doing because Ed had been scared of trusting a male authority figure and getting emotionally attached. And Ed had been pissed off with Roy and then some... Had been angry with him for not treating him like a brat... Had shielded himself through his anger so as to having pushed Roy away... And then Roy had just held him on his lap...

...And then he had spoken those magic words.

I won't give up on you, kid.

And Roy was still happy and honoured that now that Ed had met Hohenheim, he didn't seem at all to be afraid of Roy turning out the same as that bastard of a father. And so he kissed his son's head again. "Of course, Ed... Of course we can..."

He could understand why Ed wanted to be alone with Roy at first. After what he had been through with Hohenheim, Ed was still a bit too prideful to want to cry and hug Roy in front of his brother, but he still needed to cry and hug his father.

"Th-thanks, Dad," Ed whispered tearfully.

He felt a lump in his stomach. "There's nothing to thank me for..."

"L-love you, Dad." His voice was barely audible as he said it, but Roy could tell that he had also needed to say it. Like a way to sort of confirm who his father was. And which one it was that he hated.

It was in many ways heartbreaking.

"Love you too, Ed."

Winry found Uncle Roy waiting for her in the waiting room, as soon as she opened the double doors to the reception area. Riza, as she had told Winry to use her first name and first name only now, had picked her up at the Hughes house fifteen minutes ago. She had said that Ed had turned up early, but had gone off to spend the night at their house, Al following him and Lieutenant Breda providing them with protection. It made sense, considering the fact that Maria Ross had been brutally killed by their father, that Ed wasn't quite ready yet for spending all hours of the day around Uncle Roy.

...But when Uncle Roy hadn't actually killed her, that really only made her sad and little else. Which meant that Winry was spending the night at the hospital again to give Ed and Al some space to talk alone about their dad. And Winry just didn't want to leave Uncle Roy alone like this just because Ed was back.

She still felt that stab of fear at the sight of the hospital clothes and the cane in his hand. To her, an injured Uncle Roy with a cane in his hand meant a form of vulnerability and danger. Danger of someone getting hurt, just like it had been with Mister Hughes. Because he couldn't protect himself like he should be able to. He could get killed for real. Which was why she had worked so hard on the Fracturer to keep Ed from having his leg slow him down. Because she just wanted to help. To help them reach their goals so that they could stop leading such recklessly dangerous lives and thereby stop needing extra help. Because she hated just sitting still when the others kept putting themselves in dangerous and life-threatening situations.

But despite the lack of his sons, Uncle Roy still smiled at her as she walked towards him. Ever since he had been admitted to the hospital, Winry had spent her nights in an additional bed that had been brought inside the room for her. They had also been given a mattress on the floor for the too large Al, meaning that at nighttime, they had cleverly transmuted the mattress and duvet themselves, and had made it look like a large boy had been lying on the floor, next to the suit of armour each night.

Although Winry had still spent a few nights with Uncle Roy's shoulder as her pillow instead. It was odd how much the man before her had changed. How domestic he had become.

But she loved it.

She hadn't actually had an uncle before, what with how Van Hohenheim had left as early as he had done.

So now she had found herself an uncle in one of the most unlikely people there had been, considering their first meeting four years ago. She hadn't even said "hello" to him at that time. She had just been drinking tea with Riza. And the impossibility of it hadn't just been based on their first meeting either. His reputation, occupation and title had made him even less likely.

And yet, now there was the smooth-talking Flame Alchemist Brigadier General Mustang standing in front of her, looking very happy to see her once again.

She couldn't help but feel like he was also happy to see her just because he needed a bit of comfort after everything that had happened. And the way that he couldn't just offer as much comfort as he wanted to to his sons. Just because they still had to pretend that Maria Ross was dead.

Which was why it helped that people knew that she was an orphan and her parents and grandmother were doctors.

...Plus, they had put on quite the show of her having yelled at Uncle Roy during the lunch hours the day after he had been admitted to the hospital. After all, it had been so late when she had arrived, she hadn't been able to have given him the full talking-to when so many of the patients had been asleep.

And so Winry just walked over to him, taking his free left hand in her right, before poking him in the chest sternly. "Your pasta is the best, no matter how delicious the one Gracia made was. You definitely owe me next time, Uncle Roy."

He looked both fond and guilty at the same time, and he sighed heavily. "Duly noted... And sorry once again, Winry."

Winry gave him a small smile and squeezed his hand. "Come on, let's get you back to your room... You still need to rest."

He gave her a weak smile and a squeeze of her hand and nodded.

A sudden idea struck her, wanting to both cheer him up, but also just to sort of know what it felt like. And so she walked over to his right side, took his cane in her right hand and linked her left arm through his right. "You don't like that cane after all," she said, giving him a smile.

He looked down at her for about three seconds of confusion, before he chuckled slightly, and tightened his grip around her arm in turn. "Sounds very good, thank you, Winry."

Riza was immediately taking the cane from Winry's hand, before stepping back to let them lead the way as they began walking. Uncle Roy was limping slightly, and was using her for support, even if only a bit.

However, it put a small smile on both their faces, and that was really all that mattered.

And so they made their way towards the hospital room, only to pause at the sight of a crying woman and a soldier that she had never met before, walking out through the doors.

"Uncle Roy, do you know them?" she asked quietly, leaning in slightly as she spoke.

"No, I don't, actually..." He sounded confused and concerned, and they both began walking a lot quicker towards the room.

"Who...?" Uncle Roy began as they came in through the double doors.

"My mother and an officer from the discharge office."

Winry froze with a gasp, as did Uncle Roy, although without gasping. However, he had a look of angry horror upon his face as Winry released his arm to let him move freely. She was intruding upon something that she didn't feel like she should. But she couldn't just leave either.

Jean spoke up before Uncle Roy had had the time to do so. "My family owns a general goods shop in the Eastern Area countryside, I can at least answer calls for them."

She just tried to keep back her tears as Uncle Roy began speaking, his voice slightly strict. "But the doctors still aren't sure that you can't be cured..."

Jean had that look of fearful determination of someone resigning to their fate. Winry had seen it before. Her parents and grandmother were doctors, after all. But this was the opposite of automail users. Because they got them to get back to how their life was supposed to be.

...This was someone who had found themselves with life as they knew it, being ripped away from them violently. Who had their plans for the future turned uncertain and completely changed.

And Winry felt tears stinging in her eyes.

"I'm not so stupid, General... The military has no use for pawns that can't move, and you know it."

Uncle Roy strode right over to the bed, his frustration practically glowing around him. "So you're just giving up?"

Jean closed his eyes, clenching his fists, obviously nearing a significant outburst of frustration and torment. "What exactly am I supposed to do with these legs, sir?"

"But...!"

"Don't you look at me like that!" Jean said through clenched teeth.

Then he suddenly reached up and grabbed Uncle Roy's shirt and pulled him down towards himself. He had obviously reached his breaking point as he began yelling in a way that sent tears streaming down Winry's cheeks. "JUST FORGET ABOUT ME! YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO WORRY ABOUT A LOW-RANKING SOLDIER LIKE ME! SO MOVE ON!"

Winry couldn't just stand there and watch any more, and so she ran forwards and grabbed him to hold him back, trying at least to keep him from adding further damage to his wounds. She could barely keep herself from sobbing, and Jean didn't even seem to recognise her as he continued yelling at Uncle Roy. "YOU'VE GOT A PROMISE TO TO FULFIL TO GENERAL HUGHES AND KIDS TO CARE FOR! SO DON'T YOU DARE SPEND YOUR TIME PITYING ME!"

His voice turned quiet, his breathing shaky as he seemed to take her in, his eyes betraying both hurt, desperation and a hint of guilt. He was still looking straight at Uncle Roy, though, "You've already got one subordinate with both flesh legs out of commission, you don't have time for someone who can't get back on his feet... So please just cut me off... Don't waste any more time on me..." He looked down, his hand still gripping Uncle Roy's shirt. "Please, General..."

Uncle Roy locked eyes with her, obviously getting the fact that she was already making plans for creating some sort of electric wheelchair. And so he took advantage of Jean's still bowed head and quickly mouthed at her, "I'm paying." Then he returned his focus to Jean and took his wrist, removing his hand from his shirt. "All right... I'll leave you behind." He let go of his wrist and looked down at him sternly. "I'll leave you behind so that you'll have someone to catch up with." Then he turned around and strode in the direction of the double doors, both needing some time alone, and probably also to give Winry some time to talk to Jean. "I'm moving on..."

He opened the door, his voice still stern. "I'll see you at the top."

Then it swung shut behind him, leaving Winry with her stomach clenching and tears streaming as she looked at the place where her uncle had just disappeared.

She suddenly felt someone grabbing her right wrist, and she looked down to see Jean looking pale, shocked, but also with a brave smile and an apologetic look. "Hey, Winry... You're raining on me..."

Only then did she notice that his right cheek was wet from her tears, rather than his own. "I-I... Sorry..." she said, letting go of him, only to have him grab her wrist tighter.

"There's enough room for you to sit, you know," he told her gently, pulling her towards him so that she ended up sitting on the edge of the bed right by his thigh.

She just nodded and began wiping away her tears with her sleeve.

"You know, your uncle's a soft-hearted fool... He's never gonna reach the top when he's not even capable of giving up on one crippled subordinate."

At that, they suddenly heard a small snicker from Riza, and both Jean and Winry froze and looked over at her. She was actually standing there with her hand in front of her mouth.

"Lieutenant?" Jean asked cautiously, obviously a bit unnerved by her sudden burst of laughter.

Realisation struck Winry, and she couldn't help the small smile making it to her lips as she remembered the exact words that Al had told her about.

Hawkeye removed her hand from her mouth, having collected herself, but the corners of her mouth were tilting up just a bit more than usual. "Well, Lieutenant Havoc... Seeing as how the last crippled subordinate whom he swore not to give up on, was the one he adopted about a week after that, I'd say that you got off easy."

Roy sat in the corridor on a sturdy enough dustbin that he had found. His stomach was clenching, whilst his mind was full of far too many thoughts about far too many matters that all made his stomach clench like it did. That included the fact that healing Havoc wasn't an option at all, what with how Breda had stopped by Marcoh's clinic on his way back from Resembool, only to find the man gone.

...And having three kids to look after added into everything else made things a lot more complicated.

And his stomach was also just hurting in general, which was why he was pressing his right hand on his injured side. In fact, his plans from this point on were most likely foolish to the extreme.

Logically, that was.

Emotionally?

Not so much.

He heard footsteps to his left and looked up to find Winry walking towards him with his uniform over her right arm.

To say that he was surprised was an understatement. "Winry?"

She sighed, and Roy didn't fail to notice just how her eyes were a bit too puffy and red for his liking. "Don't get me wrong, Uncle Roy, but you and Ed are very, very similar at times..." Then her eyes filled with a fair amount of sadness. "And I have a feeling that leaving would actually benefit your psyche more."

Roy looked at her with a sigh of his own, feeling guilty as she walked the last three metres towards him. "How did it go in there? ...I wasn't completely sure if leaving you alone was the right move, but I just..."

She smiled sadly at him, before leaning down and actually planting a kiss on his cheek, making him pause. "It's perfectly all right, Uncle Roy... And it went well... Although we needed to call the nurses when we saw that he had laughed so hard that he had reopened his wounds."

Roy looked at her in confusion. "You made him laugh? How?"

There was a little smirk on Winry's lips as she helped him to his feet. "We just began drawing parallels between Jean and the last crippled subordinate you swore not to give up on."

Roy froze, his mind steadily filling with some highly ridiculous things. Most of which made him blush and feeling horrified. Although the thought of working alongside General Grumman so as to adopt Jean Havoc was a bit amusing just because of the ridiculousness of it.

Especially if he turned it the other way around, what with having Ed turn up in the office with a ridiculous fringe and calling Roy "Boss".

Then realisation struck him, and he knew right away that he would make it very clear to Ed that he wasn't allowed to start smoking, even if it would, strictly speaking, be legal for him to do so once he turned sixteen.

Winry sneaked in under his right arm so as to support him as they walked towards the nearest bathroom. Then he sighed. "Winry, I don't want to have the boys worrying about me while Ed is in need of being alone with Al anyways... Would you be all right with us just checking in to a hotel instead? We could order some room service."

She smiled weakly at that. "Okay... That sounds good."

Roy squeezed her shoulders a bit, earning a look at his own shoulders in turn, but she didn't seem to think that something was wrong about them.

And so thirty minutes later, he was sitting in the back seat of a military car after having signed the papers freeing him from the clutches of Beatrice Stone. Winry was sitting opposite him and Lieutenant Hawkeye was currently borrowing Roy's pocket watch for identification, which allowed her to pick up some of Roy's prescriptions at the pharmacy that they were parked outside.

Roy sat there with his arm around his injured side, just as Winry once again looked at his shoulders. It was the fifth time that he had noticed her doing it since she had brought him his uniform, and he was beginning to grow concerned about it. "Winry, is there something wrong with my shoulders?"

At that, her eyes widened and she blushed, shaking her head vigorously.

...Which, of course, wasn't suspicious at all.

And so Roy looked at her scrutinisingly. "Please tell me. I'm good with secrets and if you need to talk, then I won't tell anyone. Because right now, you're just making me uncomfortable and too curious for my own good." A small, small part of him was getting a bit afraid that Winry was beginning to like him a bit too much. It wasn't uncommon that girls her age would be a bit confused and develop unfortunate crushes that they wouldn't do anything about. She couldn't exactly control that part much if so... And with Roy being an emotional support that was considered attractive and whom she cared about and whom also cared about her in turn...

...Well, he really hoped that if that actually was the case, she'd still be able to talk to him about it. Growing up in a hostess bar had taught him a lot about hormones and attraction and so he wouldn't exactly berate her for it. It would make sense if Ed, whom they were pretty certain that she had a crush on, was so much like Roy that it got her a bit confused. After all, Roy was currently the one who constantly showed her affection back. Plus, he didn't carry that biological block by having a scent that would be off-putting, because of his honorary uncle status.

Still, he really, really, really, really hoped that that wasn't the case here.

She bit her lip, looking down, mumbling quietly as she nervously kneaded her hands in her lap. "You swear you won't tell anyone?"

That sounded a lot more promising, and Roy sighed inwardly in relief. "I swear, Winry. I won't tell a living soul."

"...It's just that... When you left the room after telling me that you'd be paying for what I'll make for Jean... I couldn't help but begin thinking about how you're Ed and Al's dad and how they're growing up and how you're already a grownup and how they won't be growing up to look like you, although... Although you and Ed's got the same haircut for the back of your heads and I suddenly realised that..." Her voice turned into a barely audible whisper, but Roy was mentally cheering loudly. "...Last time I saw Ed's back, his shoulders seemed to be broader than usual..."

He couldn't help but chuckle, although he stopped quickly at the sharp stab of pain and Winry's horror and anger at being laughed at. And so he held his side even harder as he looked at her threatening glare. "Sorry... I'm not laughing at you, Winry, I swear..." He shook his head a bit and then gave the blushing girl a warm smile. "I've known about you two ever since the adoption... But I also knew of course that you'd be the one to realise it first, so it's nice to see that I was right."

She just stared at him, blushing and wide-eyed. "You mean to say that... That Ed...?"

Roy smiled wider at that. "Yes, I am definitely sure about that. Like I've already told you: I grew up in a hostess bar. I know a lot about how budding attraction looks like, but Ed's just being too much of an embarrassed teenager to realise it yet... But Al and me have been discussing it a lot." He cut her off so as to make it clear just what he meant. "It hasn't been like we've been talking behind your backs and making fun of you, of course. More like theorising and trying to unnoticeably nudge Ed in the right direction. But don't worry, Winry, I won't breathe a word of what you said, not even to Al."

The young girl obviously didn't know how to respond, and so she just looked down, her entire face having reddened substantially during his explanation.

Roy reached forwards and grabbed her shoulder gingerly, his wounds protesting the movement even if it was his right hand that he used. "Winry, I just want you to know one thing, okay? I have absolutely no trouble with you and Ed getting together."

She didn't even have time to reply, before none other than Major Armstrong turned up, looking at them through the window to Roy's left.

Roy froze and gulped, Winry yelping in terror.

Then the man cautiously opened the door and whispered into Roy's ear, telling him something that made his stomach clench with fear. Also because it meant that Roy not being in the same building as Ed and Al was the safest thing to do.

He was a major target, and if Scar was back... Then the Hero of Ishbal shouldn't be severely injured and spend too much time around the Fullmetal Alchemist or either of the two youngest Mustangs.

Ed knew that Dad wouldn't be happy.

Because Ed had pulled rank on Lieutenant Hawkeye for the first time in his life.

Dad had ordered her to guard them, yes...

...But Ed had ordered her not to let Dad know about how she would be guarding them as they lured out and captured homunculi with their Xingese freeloaders.

And, as Dad hadn't given either of them any specific orders about not going out to chase Scar, she had no contradicting orders from a higher-ranking officer than Ed himself.

And so she wasn't too happy about any of it.

Breda just stood there, frowning deeper than Ed had ever thought possible.

Ling was grinning excitedly with a chicken leg in his left hand.

Lan Fan was being solemn and stony.

Al was worried about what Dad would say and that they might get grounded for a very long time with no allowance.

...Dad's gonna be so pissed off tomorrow.

And so it's review time!

Foxfollower: Thank you! And I have a few plans for Roy and Hohenheim, but I won't give away any spoilers ;) I hope the chapter lived up to your expectations :)

wardenprincess: Thank you! I hope you will keep enjoying the story!

And thank you so much to all of you readers, favouriters and followers too!