I'm so sorry about not posting for a few days! I started another story and I had a spinal tap two days ago, so I haven't been in the greatest of shape for the last few days.

Other than that, this is a parental chapter, so I hope you'll enjoy!

And once again, thank you all so much for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following this story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter Eight

Roy was worried. Fullmetal should have signed off thirty minutes ago, but there was still no sign of him.

He got up from behind his desk.

"Sir?" Hawkeye asked.

"I'm going to look for him."

"Very well, Colonel."

Roy got out of the inner office, running into Alphonse.

"Colonel? Are you going to look for Brother?"

"Yes."

"Then I'm coming too."

And so they walked over to Schiff's office, only to find that the kid had left at the usual hour.

Roy didn't like this.

And so he went on searching, him and Alphonse splitting up to cover more ground.

An hour later, he went through the same hall for the eighth time, when he turned right, stopping slightly at the sight of the staggering boy with the bleeding nose where the blood had run the whole way down his uniform.

Then he ran towards him.

"EDWARD! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU!?" He stopped in front of the boy, which was when Fullmetal's knees gave out on him and Roy stepped forwards and caught him in his arms.

Roy immediately lifted him up, walking past where the kid had come staggering from. There was a small indentation in the wall as well as a lot of blood. Roy didn't know how he had missed it.

He carried the unconscious child to the infirmary where the doctor looked the kid over, deciding on a mild concussion and a broken nose. Fortunately the nose wouldn't need any surgery as it would just grow back as it should, but the area would both be swollen and sore for a while.

The doctor had learnt his lesson with Schiff, and had already left to deliver a note excusing Fullmetal from work for the next week.

Roy ended up spending the night at the infirmary together with Al. He had no idea who had done this to the kid, but he wasn't going to leave him on his own to be attacked again.

And so he woke up with his neck hurting like hell and his shoulders stiff as he was still sitting in his semi-comfortable chair. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck, trying to make them hurt slightly less than what they currently did.

Roy looked over at the suit of armour, yawning. "Morning, Alphonse."

"Oh, good morning, Colonel!"

"How's he doing?"

"He's still the same as yesterday."

"Right."

Roy looked over at the sleeping boy. His nose looked like hell and he had a black eye. He started stirring slightly, and was soon opening his right eye slowly. His left remained closed because of the swelling.

"Brother!"

"Hey, Alphonse," he said weakly.

"Listen, I don't want to push you, Edward, but do you remember who attacked you?" Roy said.

"Milton. He was angry about me busting him."

"Right. I'll be back later." Roy stood up and knowing that the kid had seen through his plans, pretended not to hear it when he tried to stop him. He stomped through the halls and threw open Schiff's office door. He didn't even bother to knock as he came to the inner office. He slammed his hands upon the desk.

"Yes, Colonel Mustang?"

"Your nephew assaulted Fullmetal yesterday."

"Oh, so that's why he's taking another vacation."

Oh, how Roy longed to hit the man.

"He is not in any shape to go to work because your nephew attacked a higher ranking officer!"

Schiff interlaced his fingers, leaning his chin on his thumbs. "And what are you planning to do with it? Elric has a concussion, many people don't remember the circumstances surrounding those incidents, he might have dreamt it."

"I don't think General Grumman will see it the same way."

"I don't think Elric is the type to report things like this. He seems a bit too stubborn. Might feel that it hurts his pride."

Roy clenched his fists. Schiff was right. With no witnesses, the only testimony that would matter would be Fullmetal's. And there was no way that the kid would admit to being attacked by Milton.

"So you see, Mustang, you've been beaten. No matter how much you may feel that Elric needs to be protected by Daddy Mustang, you need to realise that right now, you are powerless. Elric is my subordinate as is Adam. You can't do anything. Now leave my office, unless you want a beating."

Roy glared at him, then he spun on his heel and marched out of the office. He went back to the infirmary, slamming the door behind him.

"Bad news, huh?" Fullmetal said.

"Yes. Unless you report Milton to Grumman yourself, there's nothing that can be done."

"I'm not gonna do that!"

"When you get back to the office in a week, you're not to go through the halls on your own."

"I can handle myself!"

"I'm not saying that you can't, but if you're unlucky again, in the worst case scenario, you may get yourself killed."

"I won't!"

"Edward, I saw the wall. He smashed your head against it. You're lucky it's only a mild concussion, he could have killed you."

Roy felt his stomach clench at the thought as he said the words. That's right, the kid could actually have died.

And a part of Roy felt panicky and disappointed at the thought.

No, he couldn't think about that right now.

"Listen, I'm calling in sick today. I've got a blazing headache and lack of sleep. I'm taking you back home, and then we're both going to get some rest."

And maybe some Aspirin.

"But – "

"No, Edward. That's how it's going to be. You're my houseguest and those are my rules."

The kid grunted.

After delivering a few messages and helping the kid change into his clothes, Roy was walking through the halls, his right arm linked through Edward's as the kid was walking unsteadily, obviously dizzy. Alphonse was holding his right arm, and so they held him between them.

The kid protested the arrangement and was grumpy, but Roy had ordered him as a superior officer to accept their help.

And so they got back home. Roy was tired and the tension was worsening his headache considerably. He helped the kid up the stairs and into his bedroom. Roy helped him out of his uniform as he hadn't brought any other clothes, and the kid was soon lying on his side in his boxers and tank top and Roy pulled the covers over him.

"I'll bring you some breakfast, what do you want?"

"Toast."

"Toast it is."

Roy guessed that the kid was nauseous, he looked it at least. He went into the bathroom and brought him a bucket just in case.

He could hear him conversing with Alphonse as he left the room, and returned five minutes later with a tray with two pieces of toast and a glass of orange juice. He had also brought a sandwich for himself and sat down on the edge of the bed, keeping an eye on the kid as they ate. Alphonse was out for another walk. He tended to do that when people were eating.

Roy hated the feeling of not thinking of HQ as a safe place to be anymore, despite having his team there. As long as the kid wasn't safe, then it wasn't right.

"Colonel? What's wrong?"

"No, I'm just thinking."

"You don't usually turn pale just by thinking."

So I'm that obvious, huh?

"It's not HQ if it isn't even safe for a fourteen-year-old to walk through the halls on his own."

"Listen, I won't let it happen again! He just caught me off guard. You don't have to follow me through the halls!"

"Fullmetal, everyone has a bad day, the problem is that your bad days go to hell. I don't want something like this to happen again, okay?"

"Why do you even care?!"

"Because I look after my subordinates."

"But I'm not anymore, am I?! You take pity on me for some reason right now and otherwise all we do is fight! I've lost count of how many times I've called you bastard these last two years, so why the hell would you even care? Usually you treat me like a stubborn brat, threatening me with a court-martial if I don't follow your orders, so why did you even invite me and Alphonse here, the moment I get injured? You've never done it before, have you?"

So the kid is getting anxious because I don't insult him?

"You honestly think that I see you as a brat?"

"You've told me plenty of times before!"

"Yes, as a joke. Listen, Edward, you're a kid in a grownups' world. Did you really believe that I would just bring you into the military as a twelve-year-old and not be prepared to look after you?"

"And that's another thing! Since when do you call me by my first name?!"

Roy could sort of understand the kid. He was injured, and had been so many times during the last week. He was embarrassed about it too. He was vulnerable in a way that he hadn't really been before, and so he was lashing out like a trapped dog.

And he hasn't had a male figure looking out for him in this way ever since Hohenheim left them.

That was it. The kid was afraid of getting emotionally attached.

"You're afraid that I'll turn out like Hohenheim."

Edward just stared at him.

Then he threw his blankets off and angrily tried stomping his way towards the door, but was definitely too dizzy for it, and began stumbling after four steps.

And so Roy stood up and moved in front of him, gripping his arms, holding him in place while making sure that he didn't hurt himself.

"Let me go! Don't you dare bring up that bastard's name!"

"Edward, you're not well enough to leave, and I'm not letting you either."

"You can't control me! LET ME GO, DAMMIT!"

Thank god he's only half as strong as usual.

"I'm not going to do that. You'll only end up hurting yourself." Roy spoke in a calm voice. The kid was distraught and in the middle of an emotional breakdown, and he just needed to calm him down.

"I TOLD YOU TO LET ME GO!"

"Listen, Edward, we need to talk about this."

"NO WE DON'T! IT'S NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!"

The kid was getting shaky and Roy made a split-moment decision. He let go of his arms and instead threw the kid over shoulder. Edward instantly began hitting him with his automail fist, shouting profanities, but Roy didn't care. He got the kid back into his bed, and when he tried to move again, Roy simply lifted him onto his lap while holding Edward's arms apart, trying not to cause him more pain because of his back.

"YOU BASTARD! LET GO OF ME!"

"Then tell me why my statement made you so angry."

"NO!"

"Because it's true. You're afraid. You're lashing out, Ed, and the only one you're fooling is yourself."

"NO!"

"And the moment you begin to show any weakness, you shield yourself with anger. You're afraid of trusting me because you don't want to be left behind again, and being reassigned is bringing it all up again, isn't it?"

The kid was growing weaker and weaker, channeling all his energy into being angry at Roy. He had already stopped struggling in his grip, and Roy knew he was getting through.

"Stop it," the kid said.

"You know, it's all right to feel vulnerable. Nobody needs to know. Not even Al."

"Shut up, you bastard."

"I won't give up on you, kid."

That seemed to be the breaking point. The kid was exhausted both emotionally and physically, and he just sunk into Roy's chest, and Roy could feel the wetness of tears soaking through the fabric of his shirt.