Roy glanced around, slightly nervous of this intrusion. He was walking up the path to the Rockbell's home, a place that he frequently visited now but yet it still felt so odd to be in the Elric brother's presence. Not Edward's, he had grown quite used to him, it was Alphonse.

He knocked absently on the door, still amidst his own thoughts when the door quickly opened and there stood a rather ecstatic yet flustered blond with grey eyes. "Oh, hello, colonel!" Al greeted, opening the door wider for Roy to enter. He was covered with flour from helping Pinako and Winry make some bread in the kitchen. "Brother's not here right now, he's probably still on the train coming back from Central. Ever since he's become Lieutenant Colonel he hasn't been here very often, but that's okay, because he makes just as many visits as you do."

"I see," Roy said, grinning at the thought of Ed in his uniform. It was now required for him, since the black leather and red coat would not suit a Lieutenant Colonel. He entered the house, comfortably making his way to the library that Ed had constructed, including all of the books from his father's old Alchemy collection along with new books he had collected along his journeys. Al knew he could allow Roy wander by himself, so he turned to head back to the kitchen. The Rockbell house was like a home for Roy as well, so he was trusted to be alone for as long as he needed.

"Wait!" Roy said suddenly, turning around and seeing as Al stopped abruptly in the doorway. "Did Edward bring any new books home recently?"

Al put a finger to his chin in thought then nodded, pointing to the table next to the rocking chair and lamp. "Yeah, he brought that one home. The last time Ed was here he stayed up late into the night reading and making notes in it."

"Thank you." Roy made his way towards the library and indeed saw the book sitting on the mahogany table. "Hm…" he observed right away that Ed had indeed read the book pretty thoroughly just by looking at it. Pieces of torn and faded paper were sticking out of the pages, acting as bookmarks. Also, bigger pages stuck out among the bookmarks, covered with scribbles that Ed called notes.

Roy took a seat in the rocking chair, and with a snap of his fingers he lit the fireplace. He pulled off his gloves, placed them next to the lamp, and picked up the book. "Alchemy and Equivalent Exchange. Book 245?" His eyes widened. There were 244 I known /I books in the Alchemy and Equivalent Exchange 'series', each with more and more information. Roy had read all of the books, the last one so confusing to understand and comprehend because of just how much you had to study and know about alchemy.

He quickly opened the book onto a random page, his eyes widening even more. Edward's unique handwriting had sketched notes up and down the page, and there were several underlined sentences within circled paragraphs. This was crazy. He read over the page, just for kicks, and his mind came up to a blank. For the first time ever he didn't know what any of these alchemy sentences meant. He flipped through a few more pages and was about to start studying the transmutation sketches that Edward had drawn on one of the added in papers when the front door open and closed.

And there stood Edward. Roy blushed as he looked over the now 17 year old. His blond hair was longer and pulled back into a loose and lazy ponytail. He was taller now, since he no longer had automail limbs and just about Roy's height, and very attractive in his blue military uniform. However, he didn't have his coat on, it was just his white button up shirt underneath, his coat folded in his arms along with a few more books.

"Hello, Lieutenant Colonel," Roy called from the chair, setting the book down quickly and standing up. "How was the train ride from Central?" He asked as he approached Edward and greeted him by taking the coat and books off his hands.

"Not that bad," Ed yawned, sniffing the bread-scented air. "I could use something to eat though. I didn't have any lunch before I left Central."

Roy smiled and set the coat and books down on the sofa. "You don't say? Well, Alphonse, Winry, and Pinako are making some bread, I bet you want some."

"That's the idea, Colonel." Edward said in a very strict sounding way. Roy was impressed. The boy really had learned some things after being a State Alchemist for 6 years. Especially after hanging around Roy for most of those 6 years. Even now, though, as he looked into Ed's golden eyes, he could see strong determination. "Eh, sorry, Roy," Ed said, relaxing his tense composure. "It's hard working in Central with all those soldiers thinking they know what to do and really don't. However, the Fuhrer says that they may transfer me to East City Headquarters to help out with you. How unfortunate, eh? I'll have to listen to orders from you again."

Roy just laughed at the idea and shook his head. "You really have become more mature, haven't you, Ed?"

Ed made a face and started to walk for the kitchen. "I suppose. I'm trying to take on the role of a 'father' per say for my family. Since I no longer have automail for Auntie Pinako and Winry to fix, they can no longer get money off of me. Thus, whatever I get paid in the military or what I already have is mainly for them. And since Al isn't military he's not getting any money either so…"

Winry looked up from what she was doing as the two entered the kitchen. She wiped some flour from her flushed face and giggled. "Worrying about our family again, Ed? Let me remind you I'm just on vacation. Working in Rush Valley has done very good for me and I give most of my earnings to Granny Pinako!"

"Eh, how could I forget?" Ed said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, Winry, do you have some food for this military dog or don't you?"

Pinako tapped the table with her pipe and laughed, "What are you saying? Eating some bread before supper? I'm sorry Ed but you'll just have to wait. Next we'll be making some spaghetti to eat with this bread, be patient!"

Ed groaned loudly and threw his arms up into the air dramatically. "My stomach is so empty it can't even growl from hunger anymore!" However, since he knew it was a losing battle to argue with Pinako before supper, he snatched an apple out of the wooden bowl on the counter and stalked out of the kitchen, Roy following after him.

"What are you going to do while you wait for supper?" Roy questioned, folding his arms. "This is practically a military house, Ed. You never know when Armstrong or Hawkeye might show up for some peace and quiet."

"Well then," Ed supplied, putting his hands in his pockets and walking upstairs, "Let's just pray that they don't show up, eh?" He stopped in the middle of the steps and glanced back at Roy. "And please stop reading my alchemy books. It's really nerve racking thinking of you accidentally moving around my notes without you even noticing."

Roy suppressed his surprised look very nicely as he looked at the Full Metal Alchemist. "What gives you the idea that I've been reading your books?"

Ed pointed to Roy's gloves sitting next to the lamp and now also the book. Roy flushed with embarrassment. Ed really was observant. Was Roy becoming flakey, leaving such clues behind? No, Ed was just getting better.

"Hey, Pinako?" Roy asked, returning back into the kitchen since he didn't want to seem like he was crowding Ed too much upon his return from Central. "Do you want some help with supper?"

Pinako's wrinkles turned up into a smile and she replied happily, "Why yes, I would!"

It wasn't until about an hour later that they had finished making dinner. Winry and Al were setting the table, laughing at each other's jokes, Pinako was getting plates ready and keeping the spaghetti warm, so Roy decided that it was best to go get Ed.

While walking up the steps he started to wonder what Ed had done that whole hour while they were making the nice warm meal. Was he reading? Marking down those genius notes? Was he looking outside at the stars? Or maybe he was talking on the phone in the guest bedroom to Riza or Havoc? The possibilities were endless.

He passed up Winry's room, filled with all of her wrenches and supplies stocked on metal shelves. The whole room was more of a work area, the only thing giving it an idea that it was a bedroom was the bed underneath the windows facing out into the yard.

Then he passed Al's new room, pretty plain yet pleasant with a few alchemy books here and there. It was a shock that Al hadn't considered joining the military. Then again, it was also a shock that Ed agreed to continue to stay in the military.

And finally came the guest room, the room that both Roy and Ed shared. It was the biggest bedroom in the house, containing 4 beds and a wall filled with shelves of books and with desks lined up for any military type person to stay and study or do work.

The door to the guest bedroom was closed however as Roy approached it. On the outside hung a metal sign reading: b Military Personnel /b . Winry had created it with the extra scraps of metal that she had. Roy thought it was cute, Ed didn't really say what he thought, but Roy knew that the Lt. Colonel appreciated it.

"Edward, supper is finally ready!" Roy called into the bedroom, knocking a few times on the door. No answer. "Ed?" Again no answer. He looked at the handle of the door, contemplating if he should go in or not. Finally, he grabbed it, turned it, and let himself in, seeing the semi-dark room. The only light was coming from a candle that was blazing away on Edward's preoccupied desk filled with more notes and open books compared to the other nice and clean desks.

Roy paused as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting of the room, and when they finally did he spotted one of the beds disheveled. Edward lay on top of pushed back sheets, facing the Colonel with shut eyes, sleeping. His arm was sprawled out, loosely holding onto a book, a pencil sitting next to it.

"This guy can never stop and relax, can he? He works more than I do…" Roy sighed and took the book out of his hand, taking a glance at what he was reading. The book didn't have a title but it was clearly old. The cover was leather and wearing down, and some of the pages looked burnt, faded, and some even had water damage. He put the pencil between the pages that Ed had been holding the book open to, and flipped back a few pages, seeing if he could find out anything about what he had been reading. " I November 13th. I skipped work today, making a few people curious, but that's not my problem. Today was Nina's birthday. She would've been 10, so it's the least I can do to visit her grave over in the Central cemetery where Hughes was buried as well. /I " He stopped reading aloud and frowned. "A journal?" He flipped back a few more pages where his eyes landed on the heading of one of the entries.

" I October 12th. Roy. I really appreciate what Roy has been doing, coming to visit Pinako, Al, and Winry whenever he can. It really is very kind of him. Surprisingly, being a Colonel isn't as busy as being a Lt. Colonel, since we seem to be doing everything so that the Colonel doesn't have to. I'm fine with that though, because I like being around alchemy. So, whenever I'm able I make as frequent visits as Roy does, and that's saying a lot. We even come on the same day, as if Roy knows when I'm going to be here or not. It's nice…sharing a room with someone. Al has his own room, and since he's going out with Winry now those two are usually together. And I'm usually doing work anyway so that's fine. However, it's very nice having someone who understands what I'm doing in the house with me. I'll have to thank Roy sometime for that. /I "

Roy looked down at Edward's sleeping form, watching as the blonde groaned and started to open his golden eyes. The Colonel set the journal on the bedside table and sat down next to Ed, running a hand down his warm arm. "Wake up, Lt. Colonel. Supper." He said in a stern, mocking tone.

Ed just groaned and felt his stomach. "Finally you take pity in me," he said without thinking, sitting up and rubbing his eyes. "Meh, I had a dream of Armstrong. No, I had a nightmare of Armstrong. Someone help me."

"Ha, well, come on. Before it gets cold." Roy ordered, pulling Edward off of the bed and leading him down the steps and into the bright kitchen, making both of them shield their eyes for a moment.

"Oh, you babies," Pinako teased, setting the plates full of spaghetti on the table. "Come and eat."

Roy pulled out a chair in front of the plate that seemed to have the most spaghetti on it and was about to sit down when Edward lunged into his place and started to eat like a maniac off the Italian dish. How could Roy forget? Ed was 'so empty that his stomach couldn't growl anymore'. So, Roy took a seat next to Ed and started to reach forward for one of the biggest pieces of bread. However, his hand was batted away as Edward grabbed it and started to pile some spaghetti and sauce onto it.

Alphonse kicked Edward under the table for being rude, getting a glare from his older brother. "Brother, stop being rude to Colonel Mustang! You'll be transferring to East City, no? So then you'll be under his orders. Don't you forget!"

"I won't forget, I won't forget…" Ed said after swallowing. "So," he said, sparking up a conversation, "How's Rush Valley, Winry?"

"It's spectacular!" Winry exclaimed, pouring herself some milk. She went into a long description of her day's work and how nice everyone there is and how much money she got from repairing messed up automail. "You should really come visit me more often, now that you won't get stopped by all the other automail mechanics wanting to fix your automail since we know Ed doesn't have auto-mail anymore."

Ed smiled, then turned to Al. "What have you and Auntie Pinako been up to lately around here?"

Al hesitated, and so did Pinako. They both exchanged glances before Pinako spoke for him, "Al was thinking about signing up to become a State Alchemist and working under you, Ed. He's read all of your books while you've been gone and your notes and he has excelled greatly. Maybe you can take him with you back to Central and let him take the State Alchemist test."

Roy couldn't believe his ears and neither could Ed it seemed as both of them stopped eating to look at the blushing Al.

"Al, you do know what the responsibilities of becoming a State Alchemist are, don't you?" Ed said, setting down his fork. He quickly regretted what he said and shook his head absently. "Yes, of course you do, you tagged along with me for about 5 years."

Roy just sat there, knowing that nothing that he could say would matter right now since the situation was pretty much between the two brothers. He was mostly thinking about how he could make room for another alchemist in his 'gang'.

"It's you're choice," Ed continued, picking up his bread. "Become a dog of the military if that's what you want. I'll be the legal guardian of you then."

Al's grey eyes lightened up greatly and he giggled. "Thank you, brother! Thank you!"

Ed just shrugged and continued to eat. Roy was surprised that Ed hadn't made the speech he did when he was younger about how it wasn't Al's responsibility and yadda yadda. However, now that their bodies were back he guess that was why Ed probably let Al decide what he wanted to do.

"I will also be a legal guardian then. We can go to Central first thing tomorrow since the test is in a week. How does that sound, Al?" Roy supplied, smiling warmly.

"That sounds perfect, thank you as well, Colonel."

Roy nodded and they all finished their supper in happy chattering after that. Tomorrow they would have to wake up early and Roy was looking forward to it.