Girl

"Now, be nice, Ed. My sister isn't really used to the big city. She's a farmgirl and almost painfully shy."

"Sounds like Al."

"She's ten times worse," Havoc remarked, grinning. "But I think you'd like her."

They heard a distant train whistle. Ed looked at his watch. "Ten minutes late. The train service is going down the tubes."

"Quit griping. You're the one that volunteered to keep me company."

"No, I volunteered to come to keep Mustang off your ass and to satisfy my curiosity about your family. I guess it's too much to hope that they're even slightly saner than you are?"

"Shut up."

After a few more minutes of waiting, the train slid to a halt with the ear-rattling screech of ungreased gears.

"Finally," Ed muttered, and Havoc bopped him across the head.

"Mind your manners."

"Owww..."

"Jean! There you are!" A rather thin blond girl in a dark blue jacket ran up to them. "I'm sorry about being late, but there was a problem with the engine or something... I hope it didn't annoy you..."

Havoc grinned. "Emily, stop being so insecure. Trust me, I have a lot of time to kill."

The girl threw her arms around his neck. "I missed you, Jean. Are you really and truly coming back to the farm?"

"Really really. The papers were in yesterday morning."

"And?"

"Well, verification takes time, spratling."

Emily rubbed her face into Havoc's shoulder. "I hope you come home soon. Daddy's getting sicker and me'n Mike are getting worried. Mom's out in Risembul talking to Auntie and Will."

"I'll be home before Yuletide, even if I have to go AWOL. I'm sure my superiors won't mind."

That earned a snort from Ed, who had been quietly waiting in the background. Emily peered over her shoulder. "Oh, you're so adorable! You must be Ed."

Ed's eyebrow twitched. In his book, 'adorable' was synonymous with 'young' which was synonymous with 'small'. But Emily had swept him up in an enthusiastic hug and Havoc just grinned in the background.

"Jean's told me so much about you, like you're his little brother! I'm so glad you took care of Jean while he was hurt!" Ed got treated to the feminine version of the Havoc family smile.

It almost gave him a nosebleed.

Havoc (being the jerk he was) just laughed. "Well, come on you two. Let's go get something to eat. I'm starved."

Emily quieted immediately. "Um, maybe I should go back to your apartment while you get food," she quavered. "You know I don't like Central."

"I know, kid. Ed, do you mind being helpful for once and escorting Emily home?"

"Sure. No problem."