Chapter Four:

Alone

After the ten martinis, Mustang was tired. In fact, he slept in until one. All the while, during his sleep, calling out, "Riza...Riza..."

He then woke up, at half past one.

"Jenny?" he called.

"Oh yeah." he said out loud, "She's at school."

He got up. Should he go to work? No. If he went now, he'd only be a mess. And since he had a hangover...

"Might as well go to a bar..." he mumbled.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

At school, things were quiet normal for Jenny. It seemed that few people had heard of her mother's death. And anyone who did must have been told to be quiet about it by their parents.

The only thing different for her was the fact that her science teacher was keeping a closer eye on her. Mr. Edward Elric seemed genuinely concerned.

Maybe I'll ask him why after school. She thought.

She payed attention to Mr. Elric's lesson about Alchemy.

"You see, the fundamental for Alchemy is the 'Equivalent Exchange'. In other words, you must give something up to gain something in return. Isn't this true in real life, as well, though? That in order to get something, you must pay the price And when something is taken, you will always get something in return."

Jenny felt her fists clench. That is not true...Mr. Elric. What have I gained from the death of Mommy? What would you know?

She felt like yelling this, but she didn't She just kept her mouth shut.

Darn it. She thought, tears welling in her eyes, Why...?

"And yet." said Elric, "If a human dies, what is gained?"

Jenny lifted her head up. Huh?

"You see." said Elric, "A person dying does not gain anything, does it? For a murderer it may gain something, but not for the family members. There is also the murderer known as 'illness'...does that gain something from taking the lives of people?"

Jenny noticed that her teacher's eyes were dark and sad. Did he know someone that died of an illness?

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000

When a bell rang to signify the ending of school, Jenny went to Elric.

"Mr. Elric...Ed...why are you so concerned with my mommy's death? I mean...I know that you're daddy's friend and all...but Mr. Havoc doesn't say that I can talk with him..."

Elric smiled. "Well...the reason that I said that you could talk to me about you problems is because I can relate to them."

"Huh?" asked Jenny, "Was your mother run over too?"

"No." said Elric. "My mother was taken by an illness."

"Oh." said Jenny, "So that's why you brought that up in class."

"Yeah." said Elric. "But my mothers not the only one."

"Huh?" Jenny saw that her teacher's eyes were sad again. "Who else?"

"My father...was murdered...and my brother...he died of an illness as well."

"Oh." said Jenny. "That's terrible...I'm so sorry..."

"No..." said Elric, "It's alright. But I'm all alone now, with no other family. Which is how I know how you're feeling."

Jenny smiled. Her first true smile since before her mother died. "Thank you, Edward."

He smiled. "You should go home now, your father is waiting."

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Mustang was in the bar two blocks from his house. He had already drank more than ever before, added to the hangover from the night before...

He was drunk as hell, and he came into the house a few minutes after Jenny arrived.

"Welcome home, daddy." said Jenny, "Where have you been?"

"Nunnayer business where ah been." responded Mustang drunkly, "Now gettoutta mah way."

He then shoved her out of the way, forcing her to fall down onto the ground.

"Ouch!" cried Jenny, standing up again. "Daddy, that hurt!"

"Shaddup!" yelled Mustang. "A whiney little bitch like you don't tell me what ta do! So shut the hell...up!"

To show how much he meant it, he struck her. Punched her in the cheek.

"D-daddy..." whispered Jenny, starting to cry. She had been thrown onto the ground with the force of the punch.

"Nowya got sumtin ta cry 'bout!" exclaimed the drunk ex-general, "Now get up ta ya room! And don't come out 'till school tomorrow!"

As Jenny ran crying up to her room, she couldn't help but think of one person.

Edward Elric.

So you're alone... She thought, Well...now I'm alone too! Alone...

And she locked herself in her room, crying herself to sleep.

0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Author's Note: I know, I'm mean. I'm sorry readers...I really hate making Roy abuse Jenny like this...

Please R&R!