Not in chronological order, but the boys' ages will be listed at the top of every chapter.

Ling Yao, 19. Lan Fan,19.

Aftermath of Battle

Xing Royal Palace

Ling and Lan Fan's Apartment

Things between the young couple had been strained since Takeshi's attack and Lan Fan's refusal to join their sons and daughter in hiding. They weren't fighting exactly, but there was a coldness around them that had never been there before. Not even when Ling was possessed.

Today was no different. As soon as the children had been collected for their morning lessons, Ling moved to excuse himself. Lan Fan placed a hand on his arm in an attempt to keep him there so they could talk, but Ling pulled back slightly just enough to be out of her reach though he stayed in the room.

He hated the defeated expression on her face. He wanted to reach out to her, to pretend the whole thing never happened. He wondered if he was doing the right thing staying distant from her, she had been his friend for years before she became his wife. He was one of the only people in his life that he had known when he was still just a prince. He missed her terribly.

It didn't change what happened though. She had refused to do what was best for their children. She had defied a direct order of her Emperor. She had asked him to cheat on her! Two of these things had hurt him deeper than he had thought possible, and the third would have caused her imprisonment had anyone overheard her. He couldn't just let it go.

"Will you ever forgive me Ling?" Lan Fan asked in a small voice. "Will you hate me forever?"

"I don't hate you now. I never have. That's the hard part, isn't it?" Ling said just as sadly. "You are my wife Lan, nothing is going to change that unless you were to choose to leave, but I need time. You refused to do as I asked. You ignored the best interests of our children and our people by refusing to leave the palace when I needed you to. I ordered you to leave, you still refused. These things hurt me. Then, you told me to take a second wife. YOU KNOW HOW I FEEL ABOUT THAT. How I've always felt about that. You might as well of slapped me Lan."

"I…I do not know what to say to make this better Ling." Lan said.

"If you can swear to me, and mean it, that should I ever again tell you to take the children and go." Ling began with a deep breath. "I think it would go a long way toward it…and never bring up a second wife again."

"I- "

"I don't want an empty promise here. Take time and think about it. Because I can't go through that again. I had to send my children away with no guarantee they would ever see either of us again or I can't do that again." Ling said.

"Very well." Lan Fan said and Ling nodded before leaving the room. Lan Fan considered who she could possibly talk to over all of this because the truth was the only person, she'd ever spent a great deal of time talking to growing up was Ling, and she hadn't had time to make a lot of friends since then.

Worse, she would have to be careful with whoever she tried to talk to about it or cause the people to think Lan was Ling who wouldn't wish to speak to her about it right now, and her grandfather, who is dead. She can't think of anyone else… then she remembers that Edward's wife is also a young mother, and also devoted her life to helping Edward and keeping him safe. True it was through repairing his limbs rather than guarding him, but it was close enough that the other woman may be able to advise her.

She slipped into her private lounge, knowing that Ling would leave her be for now and the staff knew this area was out of bounds when the family was inside. After searching through the drawers, she found Ling's address book, which included the phone numbers to their homes in both Central and Resembool, as well as their offices. Lan started to dial the number to the mansion before remembering that their fourth child should be arriving any time now, so they were likely in the vacation home like last time.

She understood the desire for privacy surrounding the birth, it was why she had insisted on traveling with Ling when she had been so close to having Tivy. Lan hung up and dialed Resembool.

Edward answered the phone a few rings later, which was unsurprising again. Lan Fan assumed that like Ling Edward was always at work even at home. She politely asked to speak to Winry after informing him who she was.

She heard him set down the phone, and muffled voices in the background while children's laughter drowned out the words. She smiled at the mental image this created, before she heard slightly muffled, Ed promises to hang up once Winry had picked up in the study.

Winry yelled that she had it, and Lan Fan heard a click before Winry said hello. Lan fan greeted her as well, then took a deep breath. "I have to speak to someone on a personal matter, it cannot go beyond this call, not even to your husband."

"As long as it is no threat to my family or country, I can promise I won't repeat anything you say Lan. What's wrong? Is someone else attacking?"

"No, no, this is about the last attack, somewhat." Lan Fan replied, slumping slightly in relief. She was going to have someone to talk to after all.

"Okay?"

"When Ling sent the children away for their safety, I agreed. However, when he attempted to send me away as well, I resisted, refusing to leave him to fight without me. He insisted at the time I was being selfish. I accepted his anger the problem is, he's still angry." Lan Fan said, as Winry supplied occasional sounds of encouragement for her to continue, "He says if I promise next time to leave when he tells me to leave, he can begin to let it go."

"So, promise to leave the next time." Winry said simply.

"I do not wish to lie to him." Lan Fan said.

"why would it be a lie? Promise him you'll leave with the children, and if it comes up again, leave with the children." Winry said.

"What if Edward asked you to take the children and run? Would you be able to just leave him behind like that?"

"Yes."

"You say that with such certainty but- "

"Promised Day." Winry said, then sighed heavily. "I did argue at the time, and I was wrong, I see that now. Just before Promised Day, Edward asked me to take Yuery and run to Aerugo as fast as possible. He said he could not concentrate on what needed to be done if he was worried about me and Yuery. He said that if I truly wished to be his mother, really be his mother, I had to put him first above all else when it came down to it and that Ed needed to know he could count on me to take him and run with just a word. I took him and attempted to leave the country. The border closed before my train could cross over. I jumped out of the train with Yuery tied to me and walked through the forest toward the boarder when I felt my soul being torn from my body. It was terrible and, in that moment, holding that baby I knew Ed was right to ask me to run."

"But this was different we were being attacked by an outside force and- "

"It's not different. Twice since Promised Day Ed has needed me to take the children and leave and both times I left without argument. When it comes up again, and it will, I will take my children and leave." Winry said before allowing her voice to soften. "How you support him now is not from the shadows Lan, it's by his side. Sometimes that means leaving when he says it needs to be done…especially for the children."

"I will think about it."

"Don't take too long, I hate the idea of you two fighting. We all know how short life can be for those on top." Winry said before hanging up.