Here we are, Chapter Five!

And thank you so much guys once again for your response to this story, it means the world to me! You people rock!

And I hope that you agree with my portrayal of Granny Pinako in this chapter, because I can only imagine her to be rather cold and angry towards Roy, which is explained quite quickly.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.


Chapter Five

"Maes? We found Ed." Roy was speaking into the phone, fulfilling his promise about telling the man when they knew something. His knuckles had been bandaged by Hawkeye and Ed bot, seeing as how the kid was very interested in learning how things worked.

"What's wrong, Roy? He's not …"

"No."

"There's something wrong, I can hear it in your voice, Roy, tell me."

"It was all about adopting Ed, the other kids were the lab rats. They transformed him back into his five-year-old self."

"They what?!"

"They kept experimenting on him for four days, trying to sort of reset his memories. They kept injecting him with different sorts of substances, basically torturing him. They didn't even give him anything to drink or eat. Just a fucking IV."

"They did that to a kid?!"

"They kept him tied up and, god, Hughes, seeing those needle marks on his neck and down his spine, it's just sickening. There must have been about thirty of them up and down that small back."

"God, how is he?"

"Doing surprisingly well, but he is terrified of needles."

"Of course. Is there any way to turn him back?"

"No … Fullmetal's gone."

"Roy, I know you, you can't blame yourself for this."

"How can I not, Hughes? We failed him. All because we didn't think that there were two of them!"

"Roy, blame the bastards that killed over twenty children."

"Thirty-four."

"What, Roy?"

"It was thirty-four children. Grant Penton told me. We managed to capture him after they came back for Ed, but his wife is still at large."

Hughes cursed at the other end. "So what are you going to do about Ed?"

Roy sighed, not because he didn't like Ed, quite the contrary. No, because Hughes would immediately turn into "Superdad" the moment Roy told him. "He's going to live with me. Him and Alphonse. That way I can make sure to protect him from the people who won't mind getting back at the Fullmetal Alchemist whether he's five or fifteen."

There was a sharp intake of breath. Then. "That's so amazing, Roy! I always told you that you were cut out for fatherhood! Congratulations! Now all you have to do is hook up with Riza and – !"

Roy hung up the phone.


"So I guess you're my big little brother, then?" Ed said to Al.

They were sitting cross-legged on the floor and Ed had finally decided on what he was going to view Al as.

The armour chuckled. "So you still see me as your little brother?"

Ed crossed his arms. "Yes."

"Then I guess you're still my big brother, although I'm really your older brother now."

Ed felt horrified at the thought.

"No, because I've still been alive longer than you."

Alphonse chuckled again.

"Are you humouring me?" Ed asked, suspicious at all the chuckling and smiling that he was receiving.

"No, Brother, it's just that you're a lot different from how you were at fifteen."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you swore a lot. And you kept calling the Colonel "bastard." You're just not so hardened by the world, I guess."

Ed honestly didn't know what to think about that.

Then Roy came back inside the office. He looked surprised to find Ed sitting there. "Edward? Should you still be awake?"

"I didn't wanna sleep without knowing where you were." Ed was scared when Roy wasn't there. He trusted Al and Riza and the rest, but Roy was the one who had said that he'd always be there to protect him. And so Ed didn't want to fall asleep not knowing where to find him. Also, Roy was the closest thing to a parent that Ed had right now, and he needed that.

Roy's face softened slightly and he came over and lifted Ed up into his arms. Ed put his arms around his neck, hugging him. "Then we're both going to get some sleep right now." He carried Ed over to the couch, and then he lay down, still holding Ed to his chest.

Ed heard clanking and soon had a blanket covering him and Roy. "Thanks, Al."

"Good night, Brother."

"Good night, Al."

Ed snuggled up against Roy's chest, ending up with resting his head against his right shoulder. Roy held him tightly and Ed felt warm and safe, and so he soon fell asleep.


Roy was slightly confused when he woke up. Why was there a child lying on his chest?

Then he remembered.

Then he felt the pain of losing his youngest subordinate settle in his stomach.

Edward shifted where he lay and a small, warm hand was placed on Roy's neck. The little boy was truly a sweet kid. And such a big comfort to Roy right now. He was a reminder that Fullmetal wasn't dead. Gone, but not dead.

And I think I sort of became his father yesterday…

Roy felt a bit panicky at the thought.

But then he felt that warm little hand on his neck and knew that it would be alright.

Well, at least he was going to do a damn better job than Hohenheim.

For both boys.

They deserved that.

Then suddenly the office door was slammed open and a blonde girl was standing there with a wrench in her hand. "I WANT TO KNOW WHERE THE MAN WHO DID THIS IS!"

Ed had woken up and was clinging to Roy's shirt, obviously afraid of another attack.

The blonde locked eyes on Roy, and on the shivering bundle on his chest. Then tears began streaming down her cheeks. Roy quickly recognised the symptoms of teenage heartbreak. Add in the fact that they had been childhood friends, and there was no wonder that she fell to her knees, looking lost.

A tiny, old lady came into the room, and Roy recognised her as Pinako Rockbell. She put a hand on Winry's shoulder before she looked over at Roy and the frankly terrified boy still clinging to his shirt, his head still turned away from the incoming threat.

Pinako smiled sadly. "Hello, Ed."

The boy stopped cowering and turned his head around slowly. "Granny?"

"Yes."

Ed sat up and slid down to the floor before he walked over to the old woman and hugged her. Then he turned around to the sobbing girl, tapping her shoulder. "Winry?"

She turned around quickly and stared at him. "Hi, Ed," she said, holding back tears.

"Why are you crying?"

"It's just … a lot … to take in, you know." She started drying her tears away.

Roy stood up and nodded at Hawkeye, knowing that it was probably a good idea to leave the four of them alone. They left the inner office and stood waiting outside, where Fuery, Breda and Falman were working. Or trying to.

Roy sighed deeply, but that was all the emotion that he showed. Fact was, seeing the two Rockbells was hard. Pinako was keeping up a strong façade for Ed, but Roy could see how much it had hurt her to see him.

Roy knew that the old woman had known the Elrics since they were born and was something like a grandmother to them. She had been their guardian since their mother died. Then Roy had been supposed to look after them for the last two-and-a-half years. And look where it had brought them.

And so Roy just stood there, leaning his back against the wall. He must have been standing there like that for at least an hour when the door to the inner office was opened and Pinako came out.

"I'm going to fetch what I need in the infirmary," she stated.

"I'll take you there," Roy offered.

"If you wouldn't mind, I'd rather go on my own."

"You sure?"

She turned and looked directly at him, and Roy could see the anger that the woman held. "You know, Colonel Mustang, I ought to slug you. When you came to our house four years ago, you remember what you said? You said that the military would give them an opportunity to get their bodies back. Instead he lost the last ten years of his life and the ability to help his brother. When he joined the military, he was dead set on it because of your little speech, and look what it got him. That boy trusted you to look after him, trusted the military, and he's just lucky he didn't have the same fate as my son and his wife."

"Miss Rockbell, I – " Roy didn't even know what to say, but he was cut off.

"And now he tells me that he's going to live with you, because, for some unknown reason, he still trusts both you and the military. If you fail that boy again, I –"

"I won't. Never."

"I have a hard time trusting you, but it's the boys' choice. And Al needs his body back. But if any of them get hurt, then I don't know what I am going to do."

"I won't let it happen, you have my word."

The woman scoffed. "Ed asked me to get you. I suggest you go inside and keep your promise to that boy. You owe him that." Then she walked off.

Roy felt horrible. And it was completely deserved.

"Sir? Are you alright?" Hawkeye asked.

"She's right, you know. I'm the one that got him in this mess in the first place."

"Sir – "

For the first time in his life, Roy ignored Hawkeye's words. He just went back into the inner office, finding Ed Al and Winry sitting on the couch, looking at pictures. Ed looked up at Roy's entrance before he jumped off the couch and went over to him, staring up at him with those golden eyes.

"You're sad again."

Usually Roy would have been mortified by having someone point out a thing like that, but Roy had sort of let go of his pride in favour of making this kid as happy as possible. "Yes. But it'll be alright."

Edward looked down. "It's about me again. I'm sorry if Granny made you feel bad."

Once again, Roy was reminded of how different this child got from losing his mother and the events that followed. Roy kneeled down in front of him. "It's okay. She's allowed to be sad too."

"But I don't like it. I don't want you to be sad." He stepped forwards and placed his hands around Roy's neck, hugging him. "Please don't be sad."

Roy hugged him back. "Sometimes people are sad because they need to be so that they can be happy later."

"Oh. I see. Then I hope you get happy soon."

Roy was a bit amazed at the fact that the kid didn't question his statement. Surely most five-year-olds would have asked how that works?

Yes, but this is a boy that already knows how to transmute. He's got an enormous intellect already.

Edward pulled out of the hug and placed a small hand on each of his cheeks. "You need to shave."

Roy couldn't help but laugh slightly before he hugged the boy again. Edward hugged him back, his round, soft cheek resting against Roy's surely itchy one.

"Will you hold me when Granny takes the blood sample?"

"Of course." So that was why he had asked for him.

"Thanks, Roy."

Pinako returned. Roy stood up, lifting Ed in his arms. The boy had his arms around his neck, getting tense and breathing slightly faster. Roy had to say that the old woman scared him, also because he felt like he was suddenly intruding into their lives because of his connection with Ed. He felt uncomfortable around her. He was in some ways stealing her grandson from her, but at the same time, he would just comply with whatever Ed wanted. Right now, making him feel better and feel safe were the most important things to him.

Roy sat down in the chair in front of his desk. He held Edward in his arms, still hugging him. "Edward, it's okay, it's only Miss Rockbell."

The boy was sitting down on his lap, Pinako was standing before them, the needle and a few small test tubes placed on the desk next to her. She was smiling reassuringly at Edward before she gently rolled up his right sleeve. She then fastened a strap around his upper arm. Edward was flinching slightly, head turned towards the needle on the desk. Roy made a split-moment decision. "Alphonse? Please tell Hawkeye to go and buy another sundae. Ed deserves that."

"Yes, of course."

Pinako gave a grunt that Roy thought had a hint of approval to it.

Roy hugged Ed tighter. He had his arms around his waist, holding his left hand with his right, squeezing it reassuringly.

Pinako seemed to have found a vein and was preparing the needle. Edward was whimpering on Roy's lap. "Hey, Ed, it's going to be okay. It's only Granny Pinako, right?"

"Mhm," the boy said nervously.

Ed was gripping his right index finger tightly.

"Okay, Ed, you're going to feel a little prick," Pinako said in a professional manner.


Ed was scared. He was terrified, actually. Even though he knew that Granny wasn't going to do anything like Lillian and Grant had done. But it was still a needle. And they hurt.

But at least Granny kept professional. He had told her and Winry about how Lillian and Grant had always been stroking his face and hair as they "prepared" him. Telling him how he was "their darling little angel" as they stuck the needles into him.

When nobody told him that, it was easier to believe that it wasn't going to hurt like it had.

And it was good to have Roy there. To have him tell him that it was going to be okay. Lillian and Grant had never done that. They just said that it was "necessary" for his new life to begin. But he didn't want that. And they didn't care. They told him he was "silly" and that he didn't "understand". But they were the ones who didn't understand him. But Roy understood and Granny understood.

And so Ed closed his eyes when the needle stung in his arm without crying like he always did when Lillian and Grant jabbed the needles into him.

He just held onto Roy's finger, squeezing it, using it to remind himself that he was safe. That he was free. That he had a couple of warm hands holding him instead of the cold ropes digging into his wrists when he tried to get loose.

Remember the ice cream. Grant and Lillian never promised you ice cream. There is power in ice cream, Riza told you so.

And so Ed whispered it to himself as Granny changed test tubes, trying to calm himself down. But he couldn't help his fast breathing or the way he kept clutching Roy's finger harder and harder as his mind kept expecting to feel pain in the rest of his body any moment or the extra stinging that came as the drugs were injected into him.

But it didn't come.

And all of a sudden, granny was pressing a small cotton wad against his skin as she slid the needle out and then fastened it with some tape, stopping the bleeding. Lillian and Grant never did that. They would just clean his back and neck once in a while, usually when they let him out of the chair so that he could pee in the bucket. Then they put him back in the chair again. Always back in the chair and always the needles. He hadn't even told Roy everything about it, because he didn't like to think about it. Also, the things he had told Roy always made Roy sad and angry with himself and Ed didn't want that. Not when Roy was in pain because of what had happened already. Roy was kind to Ed, so Ed was being kind back.

And so when Granny removed the strap around his arm, Ed turned around and hugged Roy, just because it was over and Ed could breathe again. And Roy hugged him back.

"You did really good, Ed. I'm proud of you," both Roy and Granny said at the same time, making Ed laugh because Roy got a funny look on his face.

Ed was actually a bit confused about Roy and what he thought about him. But just a bit.

Because Hohenheim left two years ago, or actually twelve, and Ed didn't really want a Dad after that, but Roy was so much different than that bastard. Roy didn't seem to be afraid to hug him. And that was good. And he was kind and he understood Ed even though Ed obviously hurt him because he reminded him of the old one. He seemed to find Ed to be a comfort though, and so Ed felt like they would help each other instead of Hohenheim's way of distancing himself from him as he got older. So it felt safe to trust Roy. He liked Roy, and Al had seemed positive to living with him too. And Ed valued Al's opinions very highly.

And so he hugged him tighter, pressing his face against his warm chest, receiving a warm hand resting against the back of his head.

And then the phone on Roy's desk rang and Roy picked it up. "This is Colonel Roy Mustang."

Then he suddenly stiffened. "Yes, Sir … Of course, Sir … We will do so … See you then, Sir … Have a good day, Sir."

Roy put down the receiver.

"Who was that?" Ed asked, looking up at him.

"Führer Bradley has requested a meeting with you, me and Alphonse. We're taking a train to Central tomorrow."


And, just as an author's note here at the end, I just have to add that I'm writing this on my iPhone, so it keeps suggesting words based on the first few letters that I write, and so I find it both highly amusing and slightly unnerving that it keeps suggesting Granny Piñata instead...

And it doesn't really help that she's only about a metre tall...