Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.


Chapter Nineteen

Roy had thought a lot about what Ed had said to him about Mr. Tucker, but he honestly couldn't see anything wrong with the man. He still kept his eyes out, though. He wasn't going to let Ed's suspicions just pass. If the boy had picked up on something, then Roy would be damned if he let another child get tortured.

Today, too, Ed refused to let go of Roy as they went through the house. It had been like that for three days now, and Ed just grew more and more scared of Tucker for each day. He had suggested that they stopped researching, but Ed refused. He just wasn't going to let go of him. He wanted his protector to be there with him.

"Hey, Ed, Dad! Why don't you take a break and come play with us in the garden?" Al asked.

Roy thought that was an excellent idea, also because Ed needed a break from his nervous reading. "Yes, let's go, Ed, okay?"

Ed didn't answer. He was completely focused on his reading. Roy slowly began closing the book, making Ed look up. "Daddy? What's up?"

"We're taking a little break and are going to play with Nina in the garden."

"Oh, sure."

And so Roy stood up, carrying Ed on his arm. They went out into the garden and Roy thoroughly embarrassed himself and would have lost all credibility at HQ had anyone witnessed him, dressed fully in his uniform, playing horsey with Edward. Yet, as he walked forwards in the grass on all fours, he couldn't help but smile because of Ed's gleeful laughter. Hawkeye was thankfully not saying anything.

But honestly, Roy had seen Ed's disappointed face as Nina raced around the garden on Alexander's back, so Roy had made him an offer and the boy said yes. He should learn to say no to those boys of his, but he just couldn't. Besides, they were both very well behaved and Ed never demanded anything, but just sometimes made the occasional request, so Roy wasn't really over-indulging them, was he?

Ed bent down forwards, putting his right cheek next to Roy's left, hugging him. "Thanks, Daddy!" Then he planted a kiss on Roy's cheek before he kept hugging him.

"You're welcome, Ed."

Then out of the blue came a white blur headed straight for them, and Roy instinctively tilted sideways, letting Ed fall behind his back before he twisted around and hugged him against his chest, dreading the incoming attack. That dog was huge after all and Roy guessed those paws would hurt a lot. Ed was laughing against his chest. Next moment, Roy had the enormous dog lying on top of him and Ed, and Ed yelped as the large dog covered his head.

"Daddy? Heeeelp!" came a muffled voice.

Roy was panicking slightly, his arms were locked in place after all. Then Nina was calling Alexander to her, making the dog bark excitedly before he let go of his prey.

Roy looked down and met a pair of startled golden eyes. "W-was that Alexander?"

"I believe it was."

"I don't like him anymore."

Roy didn't even know what to say and stood up, watching as Nina and Alexander ran around the garden, Ed on his arm once again. He couldn't help but smile as Nina used Al's back as a slide, although Ed had lost his nerve with Alexander running loose and was content just sitting there, watching.


When they got home that day, Roy found an official-looking envelope inside the mailbox. Roy grinned, flipping it over and seeing that it was indeed from the office of the Führer himself. "Ed, you might want to open this one."

Ed took it and tore the envelope open, and inside were four pieces of paper. Two for Roy and two for the state. Ed's eyes grew wide and then he shouted in happiness at Hawkeye and Al in a not quite articulate fashion.

The first thing Roy did was sign the adoption papers, and soon he had two sheets of paper stating that Ed and Al were his the moment the copies were registered back in Central. Roy felt a big surge of pride and joy, as well as the hugs from both his boys. Soon. Very soon, he was officially a Dad.


It was two days later and they were sitting by the dinner table, sipping tea and hearing the story about Tucker and his wife, and Ed's nervousness was at its worst.

"Hey, Nina, you wanna play with Daddy tomorrow?" Tucker asked, smiling.

Nina began smiling and jumped into her father's arms. "Really?!"

"Yes."

"Alexander! Daddy's gonna play with us tomorrow!"

Alexander barked in confirmation.

Roy smiled, reminded of how things had turned out for him recently.

"NO!" Ed shouted, struggling out of Roy's grip before he climbed onto the table and crawled over to Tucker, pushing Nina out of his arms.

"Ed!" Roy said, shocked, standing up.

"NO! YOU'RE NOT GONNA DO THAT! I WON'T LET YOU! YOU'RE NOT KILLING HER!" Ed was gripping Tucker's collar with both hands, his voice terrified and angry.

Roy stopped.

Everything just stopped.

"I hate perceptive brats like you…" Tucker said.

Roy felt his blood freeze. "Lieutenant, Alphonse? Please take Nina and Alexander outside," Roy growled.

They did as they were told, his voice so dangerous that they didn't even dare question him. Right now Roy knew he couldn't remove Ed without emotionally scarring both Ed and Nina, so he would just have to let him stay.

Ed was shaking.

Tucker was staring at Roy and then back at Ed. "Damn you …"

Then he slapped Ed, making him release his shirt and fall back on the table.

Whatever there had been to make Roy stand frozen in place disappeared in a flash. He roared and strode around the table, grabbed the front of Tucker's shirt and slammed him against the wall. "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU GOING TO DO TO HER?!" Roy demanded.

For some reason, Tucker laughed. "Come on now, Colonel Mustang? I deal with chimeras. It must be obvious to you."

Then something clicked. "That human speaking chimera was your wife?!"

Tucker laughed again.

Roy hit him. "AND NOW YOU WERE GOING TO DO THE SAME TO YOUR DAUGHTER?! YOU THINK YOU CAN PLAY AROUND WITH LIVES LIKE THAT?!" Roy was reminded too much of what had happened to Ed.

Tucker laughed, his lip bleeding. "YES! PLAYING WITH LIVES! JUST LIKE YOU DID WITH YOUR SON OVER THERE! EVERYONE KNOWS THAT YOU RECRUITED HIM BECAUSE IT HELPED YOU TOWARDS A PROMOTION! YOU BROUGHT A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD CHILD INTO THE MILITARY OUT OF YOUR OWN SELFISH NEEDS! HOW MUCH HAVE YOU BEEN MANIPULATING HIS LIFE FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS?!"

"DON'T YOU DARE, YOU MONSTER!"

Roy punched him and he punched him, but he kept laughing.

"NOT TO SPEAK OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU DID IN ISHBAL! HOW MANY DID YOU KILL? HUNDREDS? THOUSANDS? THAT'S PLAYING WITH LIVES TOO! WHAT SORT OF A MONSTER DOES THAT MAKE YOU?! HOW MANY CHILDREN DID YOU KILL?!"

Tucker just kept laughing through each punch, his face a bloody mess.

"I BET YOUR SON DOESN'T KNOW ABOUT THAT! WHY DON'T WE LET HIM DECIDE WHO THE MONSTER IS? TWO LYING DADDIES! WE'RE JUST THE SAME!"

"NO, WE'RE NOT! I WOULD NEVER USE MY CHILD LIKE THAT!"

Roy hit him, yet he kept laughing through his broken face.

"DADDY!" came a heart-rending scream. Roy stopped, panting heavily. He let go of Tucker, letting him slump to the floor. He turned his head around slowly, looking at Ed. The boy was just sitting there on the table, tears streaming down his face. He was absolutely horrified. "Please stop it, Daddy. Just please."

Roy's instincts were screaming at him to hug Ed, but with what Tucker had told him, he didn't feel like he deserved it. He couldn't really see Ed wanting to be hugged by him after what he had heard.

"Daddy, I wanna leave," Ed said, stretching his arms out for him.

That was it for Roy and he strode over to his boy and hugged him tightly and Ed immediately began sobbing.

Roy carried Ed out of the room, leaving the now unconscious Tucker on the floor. He would have to talk to Ed. Only when they were in a hallway far away, did Roy slide down the wall and sigh. He didn't know what to say to Ed. He didn't know how to begin to explain.

And he had been so happy. He had been so god-damned happy! He had thought that Ed and Al would be his salvation and instead they would most likely want nothing to do with him now. He would have explained it to them eventually, of course, he just needed Ed to be old enough first. And now Tucker had ruined everything for him! He would have to call off the adoption, everything. He was going to lose his sons because of this.

DAMN IT!

Roy felt a tear running down his cheek.

Ed began wiggling to get free. Roy let him. If he wanted to leave him, then he was allowed to. Roy was a monster after all.

Instead Ed just stood up and walked over to Roy's right side, before he put a hand on Roy's cheek and dried away his tears. He then kissed Roy's forehead and hugged him.

"You're hurting again."

Roy couldn't understand this, he really couldn't.

"You're not a monster, Daddy. You're a soldier and the way you're hurting from being reminded of it, you're ashamed of what you did, and you only did it because you were ordered to. Besides, Al already told me how you and me used to fight. Trust me, Daddy, you're not a monster, and I've met three of them, so I know how to recognise one. Please don't hate yourself because I don't wanna lose another parent."

Roy couldn't keep himself from hugging him. He wanted Ed to forgive him, but this easily? "How can you not hate me knowing what I have done?"

"Because you're my Daddy and if I felt like hating you then I wouldn't have given you that title. I love you, Daddy."

And Ed hugged his arms tightly around Roy's chest.

"So you actually still want me as your Daddy?"

"Yes. Now stop being stupid."

"Yes, sir," Roy said, hugging Ed tightly. God, how he loved those boys.

"Daddy?" Ed said after a few minutes.

"Yes, Ed?"

"I wanna change my name."

Roy was surprised. "Okay? To what?"

"Elric-Mustang."

Roy felt his heart clench. This sweet, innocent boy wanted to take his name?

"You really want that?"

"Yes, Daddy. Then I'm both yours and Mom's. And it's hyphenated."

"You sure?"

"I've been thinking about it for a few days now. I'm sure. Which means you have another call you need to make."

Roy hugged Ed as tightly as he dared, feeling, for the first time, happy tears forming at the corners of his eyes.