I've had a few people requesting that I get Al more involved as well, and I'm working on it, it's just that for some reason I find him harder to write. I hope to include him more and more, but I just have to get comfortable writing him first, otherwise that loveable kid is going to give me a writer's block.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist.

Chapter twelve

Roy woke up around eleven that night, needing to pee something bad.

Really, really bad.

Ed was still curled up against his chest, sleeping peacefully, not a care in the world. Roy really didn't want to let go of him, but he had to, and so he sighed deeply and snaked his way out from Ed's sleeping form and tucked him in before he practically ran for the bathroom.

Having relieved his bladder, Roy decided that getting out of his uniform was really a good idea at the moment, and so he went inside his room and found his pyjamas instead. He hung the uniform up carefully before he pulled on his chequered green and grey pyjamas bottoms and a white undershirt. He was thirsty as hell, it had been quite a few hours since the last time he drank something and so he went downstairs, figuring that bringing a glass for Ed was pretty much a must. He filled his water to the brim, practically drank it all in one gulp, filled it again, drank that up too and filled it for a third time, finally ready to bring it upstairs with him.

Then he heard clanking from the basement and decided that he should really have a talk with Alphonse. He had talked a lot to the older Elric, figuring things out, but he really needed a longer talk with Al too. He was just as important after all. He went down the stairs and into the basement, knocking slightly on the wall as he entered the room.

"Oh, hi, Roy. Is there something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted a word with you, Al." Roy went over to the couch facing where Al was sitting on the floor, four books spread around him. He sat down with a sigh, wondering where to start. It was an odd thing. He had generally thought that he sort of liked Alphonse better these last two years, seeing as how the kid was well behaved, had a much better sense of time and was all in all a lot more reliable. Yet now, Roy couldn't really get himself to deny that him and Ed had not only bonded over their differences, but also their striking similarities. Which meant that Roy was afraid that he was sort of leaving Al behind. Question was, what was he supposed to say?

"Roy? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, Al. It's just hard for me to figure out what to think right now. I've had a lot of thoughts and feelings popping up that I haven't really considered before ... How do you feel about how things have gone?"

"Well, I'm really happy that Brother has a grownup looking after him. He needs someone like you. I think that you understand how Brother feels better than most, you just haven't considered it before now."

"Maybe ... Listen, Al, about the pizzas … I hope you didn't feel like we were pushing you away … Or that we were being inconsiderate."

"Oh, no! I always leave when Brother is eating because otherwise he feels bad about it. I don't want him to feel guilty for eating, so I leave him alone. I don't mind the fact that you two can eat. I always tell Ed that he should enjoy things for me because it makes me happy to see him happy."

Roy couldn't help but chuckle slightly. It was such an Al thing to think like that. The boy was such a compassionate person. "That is a very mature and kind way to think."

"Thanks."

Roy sighed as he scratched his head awkwardly. "Uh … So, Al … how would you like it if I got a bit more involved with you and your brother's life?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well, for one, you two are welcome to stay here with me as long as you want. And I'd like to help you out some more. You know, working a bit harder on finding leads on the Stone. That sort of thing. And I'm always here to talk, you've got my home number, right?" Roy felt awkward as hell about this. He was basically imposing on their lives. Maybe they didn't want anything like that? Maybe Al was content the way things were and Ed would be too embarrassed about today to ever admit to actually have said the things he had done? What if it was all just a moment of weakness and Roy was putting much more into it than he should? Maybe he had destroyed their working relationship completely and had purely been selfish?

"That sounds really nice, thank you, Roy."

Roy had hardly registered the answer, he was so caught up in his worries. "It does? You're sure?"

"Yes, and I'm sure Brother feels the same way."

"Oh, good. Thank you Alphonse."

"For what?"

"For giving me a chance. I mean, I know that with your history, trusting a male figure must be hard."

"Honestly, Roy? You got Brother to finally open up for the first time in years. I could see he had been crying and rather a lot. I'm happy you made that happen. I've always thought Brother to be an idiot for just closing himself off like that, so thanks."

Roy didn't really know how to respond to that.

"Oh, and no, we don't have your home number," Alphonse said, giving Roy something to do. He stood up and went over to his desk, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote down the number and handed it to Alphonse. "Right, there you go."

"Thanks."

It was about an hour later that Roy went back upstairs with a new glass of water for Ed. He had had a nice long talk with Al and was pretty pleased with how the day had gone considering the way it had started out.

Thump.

Roy froze, his hand on the doorknob. There was another thump and then Roy heard muffled shouting. He slammed the door open, finding three people in the room, one of them holding a syringe, the other one sitting on Edward's back, revealing Ed's wrists duct taped together in a way that prevented him from clapping his hands. The man was holding his hands in front of Ed's mouth in order to silence him. Both attackers were wearing all black and had their mouths covered.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM HIM!" Roy shouted, running forwards and smashing the glass of water against the head of the intruder with the syringe. The man went down, but the other one had already lifted Ed up on his shoulder, heading for the open window. Ed was shouting profanities at the top of his lungs. Roy leapt forwards, tackling the guy to the ground, hoping that Ed didn't get hurt as he came crashing to the floor. Roy felt something sharp pierce his right calf and he whipped around, finding the second assailant having stabbed the syringe into Roy's leg. Roy kicked the guy in the face, knocking him out. He felt his senses dulling and knew that whatever was in that needle was supposed to knock him out. The other attacker was getting up again and moved towards him. "You're not taking Ed," Roy slurred, covering the swearing boy with his body, already feeling his eyelids getting heavier as he glared up at the attacker.

Roy heard clanking coming from the stairs and the last thing he saw was the assailant lifting his unconscious comrade onto his shoulder before disappearing out the window.

Then everything turned black.

Snap-burn-kill, snap-burn-kill, snap-burn-kill.

That was the way it went. All the time. It was all just snapping and burning and killing.

Over and over again.

Roy's uniform was soaked with blood, making him smell of iron. Everywhere around him was screaming. Always screaming.

The flames were eating up the corpses around him, turning them to ash.

Snap-burn-kill.

Men, women, children, they were all dead. All running. All dying.

Roy was killing them.

A boy was fleeing ahead of him, screaming for his brother. His right arm and left leg were missing and the boy was hopping forwards with the help of a crutch. Roy kept following him. The blonde plait was bouncing on the boy's back with each hop.

"Alphonse! Alphonse! He's gonna burn us! We need to get away!"

Roy didn't want to kill him, he really didn't.

Yet he kept following him.

He followed the boy all the way into a blind alley where he leaned against the wall, watching Roy with scared, golden eyes.

"Please! Please don't kill us! You said you'd look after us! You said you cared! We trusted you!"

Roy watched as his hand moved upwards. He couldn't control it.

Snap-burn-kill.

The boy was lying on the ground, charred beyond recognition.

There was an enraged roar behind him, and suddenly he was slammed against a wall to his right.

Roy turned around. There was a suit of armour walking towards him. It picked Roy up by his throat and slammed him against a wall. "YOU KILLED BROTHER! YOU SAID WE COULD TRUST YOU! YOU SAID WE WERE SAFE WITH YOU!"

He hit Roy again and again until he was sure he would die. He lifted his hand and snapped.

But something was wrong, Roy was being engulfed in the flames too. He too was screaming in pain and in fear. It was agonising beyond belief.

SMACK.

Roy woke up with a start to find himself lying in his bed, his left cheek stinging. Ed was leaning over him, looking worried and a little bit angry. "Finally! I thought you were dying or something!"

Roy looked up at him groggily. "Wha-what happened?

Roy moved to rub his eyes, but noticed that Ed was leaning his hands on his shoulders and thought better of it. Roy got a bit of his bearings and noticed that he was covered in sweat and that he had what felt like a washcloth on his forehead.

"You got drugged and you've been having fevers and nightmares all night! Al ran off to get Lieutenant Hawkeye when you started screaming just now."

The night's events came back to Roy in a flash. His eyes slammed open. "What happened to you?! Are you alright? They didn't hurt you, did they?"

Satisfied that Roy was properly awake, Ed sighed and removed his hands from Roy's shoulders. "You stopped them. Don't know who they were or what they wanted with me, but they were professionals. Grabbed me while I was sleeping and duct taped my hands and feet before I knew what had happened. They didn't get to hurt me because you showed up. How did you know what was happening? They hardly made a noise."

"I was bringing you a glass of water."

"Oh." Ed seemed surprised.

"You thought I just left you after you fell asleep? I said I wasn't going to just leave you and your brother."

Ed looked a mixture of relieved and embarrassed.

Roy just sighed and sat up, pulling Ed into a hug. After a few seconds, the hug was returned a bit awkwardly. "I'm sorry I scared you. I should have told you when I left even though I was coming back." Roy put a hand on Ed's head and the boy relaxed into the hug.

The bedroom door was opened and Hawkeye peeked inside. Ed froze. Hawkeye closed the door quickly with a knowing nod.

"Who was that?" Ed said.

"Hawkeye, she won't tell anyone."

Ed slid out of the hug, blushing.

Roy sighed and put his hands on Ed's shoulders. "Listen, she won't tell anyone and judging from her expression, she knew already. Remember that she probably knows me better than I do. She already knows how I care for you and Al, so it doesn't matter."

"But still. I fucking hugged you in front of her!"

"Ed, it doesn't matter. She's dangerously good at keeping secrets and she won't tell a living soul."

"But I don't wanna seem like a little kid that goes running to the nearest father figure he can find!"

"Ed, you don't. You and your brother are probably the strongest people I know. You're not weak for wanting to relieve yourself of your burden from time to time."

"Ah, fuck. Now you're starting with that psychology crap again? I've had enough of that for a month." There was a little bit of a teasing smile on Ed's face though.

Roy smiled knowingly and slumped back onto the bed. He looked up at Ed and sighed. "Come here."

Ed raised his eyebrows. His face was still a bruised mess and it made Roy's stomach clench. It was very easy, really: someone had hurt Ed = Ed was hurt = Ed should get a hug. Roy guessed it was a parental thing.

Ed got off the bed however and instead went over and locked the door. He then went back to the bed and lay down next to Roy, accepting the hug and giving one back. It was a bit funny the way Ed was acting more like they were having an affair rather than a budding father/son relationship. But then Roy guessed that it would probably feel like he was cheating on his anti-father instincts that he had had for the last ten years, so maybe it wasn't that far off in a way.

"Well, Ed, would you mind telling me what's been going on these last few hours?"