moonstone: Roy could always turn that office into a playroom for Hazel... and of course he'd have to visit.

Vermilion: You'll be finding out soon what it all means. And I agree, Ed really needs a hug after all he's been through. It's the least Roy could do.

Koorii: Oh just you wait until you meet my other pets. Not Kedder's pets, my pets XD. You sense plot advancement? Eww! Why ever would I want that? -runs around laughing-

secret25: Luckily that white world is a cliffhanger that will soon end. As for Al and Winry, they will be appearing later on, so we'll get to see how Ed's death affected them and where they are now.

Eli: Roy needs a crystal ball at this point. Fluff and pinning Ed to a couch... hmm... that's a lovely image.

Mary: Scary, isn't it. XD Have you ever read Good Omens? I just think of Roy as one of the horsemen of the apocolypse who traded in his horse for a motorcycle.

Twisted Vixen: With me it's kind of difficult sometimes to tell whether it's good or bad... so I'll just let that river run its course. I definitely will be including Roy's mom, my version of her specifically. I just can't leave certain people out of a story like this. Roy's mom, Al, Winry...

anmb: Yes... the ball-less king has been captured XD. English/German dictionary... you're so sweet... -studies it intensely-

Rei-chan: Hah! Ed with a sharpie against a tied up Roy. Oh the possibilities. Evil, lovely possibilities.

Chaos Valkyrie: Thank you! That makes me so happy. A motorcycle ride with Roy in the future... oh the romantic possibilities. But for now my lips are sealed XD.

MandaxPanda: Hi there! I love meeting someone new, and I adore your username. I have a weakness for pandas. And Hazel's about to explain all of that, good squirrel that he is. I hope to see you again!

crackedmind: Yeah, I have to pace the flirting for right now. Too much too soon just wouldn't be right for them considering the circumstances. That is so cute and ironically awesome that you foster squirrels. I can't imagine the cuteness. My heart would go on fluff overdrive just cuddling them. And I live to add unusual pets to stories, so if you have any requests that maybe one day you'd like to see in a story, let me know.

blackrose: Kang would hump all my boots until I brought him back, the tyrant. -hits Ed over the head with Hazel's trail mix- He's not every observant lately, is he.

The Lone Eagle: Thank you! I hope you enjoy his reactions.

GreedxEd: You're such a romantic. And there is one thing Roy won't do for Ed... arrange for Greed to come over for a threesome... -flees-

Kiss4theRain: Thank you so much! This is one of those ideas that it's good to hear feedback like that on. And the entrapment idea carries throughout much of the story in various ways. At first I wasn't planning to let it, but I think it's just too central to shed.

Sailor Silver Rose: I have not gone to a convention. Some of the other author/esses I know and readers are planning to go to Ycon in October at San Fransisco. I may yet go with them, we've been discussing it together. But I need the money first.

Tana: Fangirling in the corner? We're going to need more corners... all the fangirling the other readers are doing XD.

haganeno: Roy Mustang plus a motorcycle does equal badassery. And he would know how to pull it off too. Flame Alchemist in tight leather on a motorcycle... I'm sold XD.

kazuko: Those dogs are very pretty. I have a love of Irish Wolfhounds, which are pretty to those who love them I've found out. Everyone else seems to think they're ratty ponies. And yes! That ice cream is enough. You do not know how badly I have craved some.

E: Roy's going to get a lot of smacks this series from you I have a feeling XP.

Akira: Knowing Roy? Nope, he hasn't a clue. -hits him over the head with a clue-

Cheru-chan: Yes to the Daphne. I am far too fond of her to replace her with another mom now. And this is the type of story where I don't feel she can be left out. How long will it be... hmm... are we talking minutes, days, weeks? XD

Paon: Al will definitely be making an appearance. I can't reasonably leave him out. I have him scheduled for a few cameos already.

mutantpenguins: Aww thanks! That's so sweet of you.

Okay, I am back from vacation! It took me, yes, until Friday to recover from it. But only because I wore myself out having tons of fun. My body finally stopped aching everywhere when I move, and my sunburn doesn't hurt as bad. I spent three days in the ocean with a surfboard, and one day at Seaworld. Now let me just say I can't actually -surf-. I do that... what is it... bodysurfing? Where you lay on it and have the ultimate roller coaster ride? Yeah. Did that for three days, and on the last day before I drove home I was completely wiped out by a wave. Hence the aching I was suffering. But even getting wiped out like that was fun. I came up laughing my head off.

So now it's back to the stories... and I can't even say how glad I am to be back to them. I didn't work on them at all over my vacation, but I did come back with a few more ideas. And that's never a bad thing.

I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Six

The familiar feeling of paws running through his hair caused a still sleepy Roy to groan and reach back in an attempt to fend off his furry alarm clock. Instead said furry alarm clock was suddenly clinging to his forearm, long bushy tail wrapped around and cold nose nuzzling into his wrist. "Agh!" Roy jolted awake and whipped his arm forward so he could open tired eyes to glare at Hazel who was running his cold nose back and forth along his wrist. "Stop that."

Hazel only clung tighter and began to lick at his human's wrist.

"Hazel…" Roy groaned and began to shake his arm up and down in an attempt to dislodge the fur ball. "It can't be time to get up yet. Go hide an acorn or something."

Hazel began to chatter indignantly at this shaking treatment, turning accusatory black eyes on Roy as he informed his human all about what he thought of being shook like that.

Roy listened for all of three seconds before he interrupted. "Okay! Okay, I'm awake." And he used his free arm to push himself up so he was sitting up in his bed, the covers falling around his waist. "See?"

Hazel hopped off of his human's arm to sit nestled in the hollow formed by his legs under the blanket, and held up his front paws while fluffing his tail out behind him and chirping demurely.

Roy snorted, a smile he couldn't help sneaking onto his face. "Cute little terror of an alarm clock." He said affectionately and reached out to take Hazel's paws gently in one hand. "You're lucky I love you." And he ran his free hand back through his hair while letting his head clunk back against the wall above the headboard of the bed. "Ed was right though, I'm going to look terrible today. But who was I to turn down twins? Those don't exactly come around often. And they were feisty."

Hazel, having no clue what his owner was going on about, recognized this lethargic state. It wasn't anything to worry about, for his human always snapped out of it. But it worried him when his human wasn't always happy. So he pulled his paws free of his human's hand and leapt up onto his shoulder to butt his head against Roy's cheek much like a cat might.

Roy smiled and reached a hand up to stroke the rust-colored fur. "Don't worry. It is Friday, I'll be able to sleep over the weekend as much as I need." And he tossed the bedcovers aside with one hand so he could ease himself out and up. He wavered unsteadily for only a moment before padding towards the bathroom. "Go get some food or something so I can pee in peace."

Hazel knew the sound of a dismissal when he heard one, and with his human awake and out of bed, he would obey this one. So he hopped from Roy's shoulder and bounded off down the hallway.

"Friday…" Roy frowned to himself as he took care of his bladder business. And that single word hung like a metaphorical cloud of concern over him as he waited for the shower water to warm.

By the time Roy was ready to go to work, missing only his breakfast and coffee and a certain squirrel, he still hadn't really shed that cloud. But there really was nothing he could do. Right? They both knew the length of a work week.

Pouring himself a cup of coffee from yesterday's pot, he reheated it with a snap of his fingers. It wasn't as good as fresh, but it was passable. And he sipped on it as he rummaged for some food. He came up with a bagel and marmalade. He ate it in all of a minute, and washed it down with the remainder of his cup of coffee. He wasn't running late to work, per se. But he wanted to get there just a bit early considering that he would be sneaking in Hazel for Edward to see.

So he cleaned up after himself, grabbed another bag of trail mix, and then began to walk over to the front door while unbuttoning the first few buttons on his uniform coat. "Hazel!" He called out, and set the bag of trail mix on the floor as the rust-colored ball of fur streaked towards him. In the middle of straightening up, Hazel had jumped and clung to his shoulder. Now he reached around to take the squirrel in hand.

"There's someone who wants to see you." Roy told him. "I don't know if the rumors are true… that animals can see ghosts as well… but he can see you at least."

Hazel began to chatter happily, tail bouncing in his excitement. He knew he was about to go with his owner somewhere.

Roy smiled, and tucked the squirrel into his jacket carefully before redoing the buttons. "Just stay very still and quiet until I let you out." He cautioned, and bent to retrieve the bag of trail mix.

And so Roy left his house, knowing he was not only about to break the rule barring him from taking Hazel to work – again – but also his rule of not showing Hazel to anyone that wasn't of his team or their immediate family. But he supposed the argument could be made that in some unorthodox way Edward actually was part of his team now. For all the ghost was there and present every day.

Edward was awake and still pouring over a book when he heard the office door open a second time. And he looked up immediately, not even caring that he hadn't finished the sentence he was on. "Roy!" He greeted cheerfully, and the book was set aside so he could float over to the man.

Roy smiled back at him. "Good morning, Ed."

"You look terrible." Edward noted matter-of-factly as he looked the man over.

Roy snorted, and held out the bag of trail mix which Edward took without question. "I had fun last night, so I'll live with the repercussions. All I need is a bit more sleep and I'll be fine again."

Edward pursed his lips. "If you say so." And he looked down at the bag he held. "What is this, anyway?"

"Food, for Hazel." Roy said, and began to unbutton his coat. "Do you know if animals can see you? I know it's a rumor that they can."

Edward shook his head. "I've not seen an animal since I died. So I wouldn't know." And he watched curiously as Roy reached inside his jacket.

Roy grasped Hazel around the middle, and hoisted the squirrel carefully out. And once Hazel was free of the jacket, he turned the squirrel to face Edward. "Meet my Hazel."

Edward's face lit up in delight. "A squirrel! Oh he's cute!"

Roy laughed, "you sound just like a girl."

"Shut up!" Edward glowered at him, and raised a hand as if to touch the animal. As he did so that awe coming back onto his face. "I can't believe you have a squirrel."

"Sometimes I can't either." Roy admitted, and peered round at Hazel. "But he and I get along."

"Where did you find him?" Edward asked and moved his hand around in front of Hazel's face.

"Plucked him out of a storm drain a few years back. Since then he's never tried to leave me." Roy said, and suddenly was forced to let Hazel go as the squirrel struggled from his grasp. Only to have him leap in Edward's direction.

Edward watched, startled, as the squirrel passed right through him. And he turned to see the small creature land on the other side of him looking very perplexed. "I don't think he can see me… but I think he can sense me."

Roy was believing he had to agree. Hazel had done nothing when Edward had his hand near him. Didn't follow it like would have been expected. But Hazel's leap had definitely implied the squirrel thought something was there. "Odd. See if you can't get him to follow you or something."

Hazel was rubbing at his whiskers in his confusion, self-consciously trying to act as if he hadn't leapt and missed. But then it was there again. He stopped pawing at himself, and stared straight ahead. His nose worked overtime to try and pick up a scent, but he couldn't. Yet… he scampered forward as the presence faded backwards… there was something here. Something he couldn't see.

Edward was slowly beginning to grin as he got Hazel to chase him all the way to Roy's desk. "He definitely can sense me. But he can't see me. He's looking through me. His eyes don't focus on me like yours do, even if he is only staring at my legs right now."

Roy smiled, chuckling as an idea came to him. "We could always throw a sheet over you. It's inanimate. And then you'd have some sort of form again."

"Oh yes, that would work really well. I'd love to see you explain that to whoever walked in and saw a sheet floating around on its own." Edward snickered to himself. "I wouldn't be able to see out of it. And Hazel would still pass through me."

"I'd just accuse them of being the insane party." Roy smirked and walked over to where Edward had stopped at his desk. "But at the risk of you not being able to see, we'll forego that idea."

Edward grinned, and floated over towards Roy more. "So, can I play with him?"

"Of course. You have his food too still." Roy nodded at the bag.

Edward let the bag thump onto the floor, and immediately engaged the squirrel in some strange version of tag that no one would ever win. But he was having fun. And he floated off as fast as he could around the office while Hazel bounded after his presence eagerly.

Roy sat down in his office chair to begin to work, laughing quietly as he watched the two playing together. It was one of the most childish things he was sure he ever had seen, but it was endearing all the same. It was hard to focus on his work, but he did his best in between sneaking looks at his two companions.

When Hazel had begun to tire of racing around after him, Edward swiped a piece of paper from Roy's desk to ball it up. And he sat on the floor, tossing the paper ball out and letting Hazel go get it and bring it back to him to do over again. It was less strenuous of an activity, and Hazel was more than happy to engage in dog-like activities.

"As long as he can sense you, I suppose it doesn't matter that he can't see you." Roy said quietly to himself as he watched Hazel bound back with the paper ball to drop it in front of Edward's left knee. "Animals aren't as easily ruled by just what they can see."

Edward threw the ball again, and looked over at Roy, feeling the eyes on him. "What?" He asked with a smile. "Want to play fetch too? I can make a ball for you."

Roy chuckled, "I think I'll pass, but thank you for the offer." And he continued to meet that silvery gaze, neither of them noticing that Hazel had brought the ball back again. "I was just thinking… I'm really glad you're happy. Still lonely?"

"No." Edward said after a moment, "I don't believe I am." And his smile grew more thoughtful. "I'm happier now, thanks to you."

Roy wanted to act nonchalant, maybe wave a dismissive hand, or tell the ghost it was nothing. But it wasn't any of that. And around certain individuals, like Edward, when they were alone his mask was gone. "I'm glad. I want you to be happy." And he meant it.

Edward flashed him a grin, and turned to Hazel with a conspiratorial chuckle. "Your owner is a softie at heart. Feared Flame Alchemist my ass. He has a cute squirrel and wants me to be happy."

Roy snorted, and balled up another paper to toss it at Edward's head. Knowing it would just pass right through. "Shush, you."

Edward smiled as Hazel chased after the thrown paper ball, and looked back at Roy. "Books and chess, even squirrels, they're not… it's you… never mind." He looked away and picked up one of the balls Hazel had brought him. "Thanks for doing all this for me."

Roy frowned. It didn't take a genius to realize he was missing something. And he thought about it for a moment as he watched Edward return to his games with Hazel. Until it dawned on him. "Edward, you can tell me that I make you happy. I won't take it the wrong way."

"You make me happy." Edward smiled, and tossed the ball for Hazel again. "And I still think you're a softie."

Roy smiled and turned back to his work. Yes, he had a soft side. So sue him. But it was a side few ever discovered. A side he'd given Edward since the very first, something he'd done to no one but his mother.

And so Edward continued to play with Hazel while Roy worked, until the squirrel finally curled up in front of Edward looking ready to fall asleep. But Edward didn't mind. He merely left the squirrel to it while he floated over to sit on the edge of Roy's desk. "What's the weather like today?"

Roy gave a small grunt to show he'd heard, finished what he was doing, and then turned to look out the window. "Right now it's sunny. Which is frustrating, because I honestly thought when I went home last night we'd have come cloud cover."

Edward looked over at him, raising an eyebrow in disbelief. "You actually went home before midnight?"

"I didn't mean last night literally." Roy faced him with a smirk. "I got maybe three hours of sleep this morning. I was busy way past midnight."

"Spare me the details." Edward shuddered, and looked over to where the picture of the sunrise was framed and mounted to the wall.

Roy tapped a finger on his desk curiously. "Ed? Did the previous occupants of this office do stuff like that in here?"

"I was forced to grow up rather fast." Edward made a face, and looked back at him. "Between that and other things. But yes, they did. And while it wasn't as bad as it could have been, considering I clearly do not have the tendency to like to watch, it was still enough to make me ask you not to continue that routine. Because I didn't know them, not really." And his silver eyes searched the black ones watching him. "But I know you. And I just don't even want to have to go back to that with you."

"I promised I wouldn't, and I won't." Roy reassured him, "but for what it's worth, I'm sorry about that stuff you had to see at such a young age."

Edward shrugged, "I'm fine. It's not like it damaged me or anything. I've just grown up a lot being here, even if I am relatively sheltered."

Roy wanted nothing more than to rest a hand on that knee, but knowing he couldn't, he kept his hands where they were. "If only you'd had a choice of what to be sheltered from." He replied as he tilted his head a bit to consider the ghost.

Edward pondered that, nearly about to agree, but then he frowned. "No… not exactly."

Roy's expression grew instantly curious, and a little confused. "No?"

"It would be nice, nicer than I can probably explain to you, to have been able to be free of this office for these seven years. To have my freedom to go where I would. Keep an eye over my brother if I wished. To leave when I didn't want to see or hear any longer." Edward was speaking rather quickly now, but he didn't care. "But then I wonder if that might not have been even lonelier." And he stared deeply into Roy's eyes. "All the space and people in the world, yet completely alone. At least here the loneliness is more limited. And if I had been free in that world, how am I to know that I would have ever found you on my own?"

Now Roy understood.

"I think I'd rather this place, and you, for however long you're able to remain with me. That's worth a lot more to me than my freedom of choice. And I believe a lot easier to bear over the course of eternity." If only he could stay with Roy. His only want to leave this place now rested firmly on the reason the man sitting with him symbolized. But however long or short a time they could stay together, he truly was beginning to believe it was best this way.

While Roy understood, how was one supposed to answer such an admission? He wasn't sure that while he understood, he could ever fully comprehend Edward's situation. Ever fully appreciate it. "You're the most surprising individual I believe I have ever met."

Edward winked at him. "Being a ghost has its merits. Including that we can sometimes see our fates differently."

"Do you like being a ghost?" Roy asked, knowing that it could be termed a stupid question. But where Edward was concerned, one could never tell.

Edward shrugged, "as I said, it has its merits. I may not prefer being dead, but the Gate doesn't seem to be one to listen to my preferences. There are worse fates than my own, Roy Mustang." And he slipped off the desk.

Roy watched as Edward began to pace through the air. "Did I upset you?" He asked gently.

"Upset me?" Edward turned to him with a frown. "About…? Oh! No." And he gave Roy a wry smile. "You can't upset me about my death. I've accepted and come to terms with it."

"Then why are you pacing?" Roy pressed.

"Because Hazel is asleep," Edward began to tick off on his fingers, "you really should get back to work, I feel too energized to sit quietly and read, and there's nothing else to do." But he smiled at Roy. "Don't worry though, I'm perfectly fine."

Roy pulled open one of his desk drawers, "I think I've got a few extra pens and pencils. Do you want to draw or anything? Write?"

"Write what?" Edward laughed. "My memoirs? Not the kind of ghost story people usually think about reading."

With a smile, Roy pulled free an extra pen. Edward already knew where the paper was. "Sometimes the truth is a lot more fascinating. But you could draw too… alchemy circles or whatnot. Blueprints for bridges, sheep, a self portrait, my portrait."

Edward laughed, "neither active enough for me right now. But thank you for the ideas. Don't worry, I'm fine just pacing around for a bit until I settle down. However, if you don't finish your work at a decent hour so we can play chess I will be most displeased."

Roy grabbed his pen up again. "Dually noted. Carry on."

Edward smiled as he watched Roy quickly begin his work again. And he resumed his pacing as he waited for either Hazel to wake up, or Roy to be done. He'd really worn the squirrel out, and as for Roy… well, Roy had been worn out last night and was now moving at a barely respectable pace with those documents. He might be pacing a while.

As it turned out, Hazel was awake before Roy finished. And the squirrel cleaned his whiskers frantically before scampering around the office to first seek out disturbing his owner's papers before bounding away once he caught that strange invisible presence again. The one that played with him like another squirrel.

"How sweet of you, Hazel." Roy ground out with a roll of his eyes as he tried to salvage the scattered documents on his desk.

Edward laughed, and floated up to be on eye level with the squirrel who was now perched atop the shelf that had been installed and recently started to be filled with books. But there was still room enough for the squirrel.

"Now see, Edward, here's the deal about animals like Hazel. The only reason there are so many of them is because they're too damn cute. You can get mad at them and threaten to cook them in a pot pie all you like, but at the end of the day when the cleaver is in your hand, you can't swing." Roy muttered darkly.

Edward laughed, knowing Roy hardly could mean he'd been so close. He got the feeling that Roy loved his pet very much indeed. "You can't fool me."

"No? Damn." Roy chuckled and turned back to his work. "Just try to keep him from coming over here again. Else the chess game will be pushed back again."

"I'll see what I can do." Edward promised, and floated down to the floor where the paper balls were.

Hazel soon bounded after him to resume playing.

And Edward happily continued tossing the paper balls for the squirrel. He'd never had a pet before. Not that this was his pet. But Roy had brought Hazel here for him to meet. And he was filled with an odd contentment to be wanted unconditionally by an animal. Even if just for play. It was nice to retreat into a more childish side of himself, a side of himself that had been lost a long time ago.

It was nearing four o'clock in the afternoon, an hour until the workday was over, when Roy finally finished his work. And he gathered it up in his arms so he could take it out to Hawkeye. "Ed?"

Edward looked up from where he'd been laughing over Hazel cleaning himself after eating some of the trail mix. "Yes?"

Roy stepped around the desk, paperwork in his arms. "I'm done, just need to drop these with Hawkeye. Would you like to set up the game?"

Edward immediately floated to his feet. "Yeah!" And he zoomed past Roy eagerly, somersaulting through the air to halt himself abruptly and whirl around to grab the chess game from where Roy kept it stashed.

Roy chuckled as he turned away and let himself out the door. He didn't believe he'd ever tire of seeing Edward happy with something he'd caused to happen. Even if that little shred of doubt in his mind still lingered, questioning whether or not he should have so much control over Edward's happiness. It wasn't like he'd rather that the ghost were upset and unhappy with him all the time. "Here you are."

Riza looked up in surprise as Roy set the stack on her desk. The entire one. "I realize we were only here a few days this week, but you having all your work completed by the end of it is very odd. Are you sure you have the stamina to keep this up?"

Roy quirked an eyebrow at her. "Do I have a choice?"

"You have a choice between life and death." Riza informed him sweetly.

Roy frowned, "I wouldn't speak so lightly of those two ultimatums if I were you." And leaving Riza to blink after him in surprise, turned to go back to his office.

Hazel immediately jumped up onto his human's shoulder as Roy reentered the office. Deciding that his human needed some cleaning too he began to paw through Roy's hair fastidiously.

Roy smiled faintly, and reached back to caress Hazel's head in affection. "You're a good squirrel." He whispered and slipped a smile into place as he walked over to join Edward.

The white side was facing his desk chair, as was now expected.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked as he looked at Roy sharply. He'd had plenty of experience observing people, and something was off about his companion.

Roy shrugged as he sat down. "I'm fine. Let's just say that being around you has had an effect on me that I didn't realize until just now." And he moved a white pawn forward. "But it's unimportant."

Edward wasn't quite sure of that, but he let it drop. "I think it's your turn to ask me a question now." And he moved one of his own black pawns forward.

Roy felt Hazel settle in to drape over his shoulder, tail curled around his neck as an anchor. "Lemon bars?" He asked casually, feeling certain this time. Both about his guess and his next chess move.

Edward blinked, and it took him just a moment to understand what Roy was referring to. And when he did, he grinned. "No. But I do love lemons. Not as a dessert though."

Roy groaned, and gave the ghost a suspicious look. "You're not yanking my chain, are you?"

"I didn't know you had a collar." Edward replied back sweetly.

"Not one of my kinks." Roy grinned back just as sweetly.

Edward laughed, and rolled his eyes. "On that note, my question will not be about what your kinks are." He said through his laugh, and ignored Roy's disappointed noise. "Instead I'd like to know if one of the rumors I once heard about you is true."

"Oh?" That had Roy's interest.

"Well, of the Flame Alchemist." Edward corrected needlessly. "I didn't know it was you until you told me, but anyway," he ignored Roy's smirk, "did you once run naked around some park singing a song about fairies?"

Roy snorted from pure shock, and then with a wicked grin he kicked one leg over the other haughtily. "It was not about fairies. But yes. I did once streak through a city park while singing. I'll have you know that I blame Hughes for that one, he never should have let me get that drunk."

Overcome by laughter he was trying to stifle, Edward took a goodly minute to pull himself together enough to move another pawn, much less be able to speak without cracking up midway through. "I wouldn't think you'd want such a thing on your reputation and known to the public."

Roy's wicked grin only grew in strength. "I have no shame of that night. But they will if they ever mention it to my face. It may be known, but it hardly affects my reputation. Seeing as how that's the only form of blackmail they have on me… and it's elementary at best."

"And what wouldn't be elementary blackmail?" Edward grinned.

Moving a rook forward to capture one of the black pawns, he replied with a smile. "That I speak to myself and call myself Edward." And he glanced up to meet Edward's silvery eyes. "I believe with all my heart that very few people would be willing to believe me about you. Even with a demonstration on your part that you exist. The janitors are a special case."

"I'm flattered." Edward smiled, deciding that he'd trust Roy to his earlier word that he'd not give anyone any reason to admit him to a psychiatric facility.

"You should be." Roy toasted him with the newly captured pawn, wagging it around a bit. "Not everyone can claim they're my greatest strength or weakness in regards to my job."

"I carry the honor proudly." Edward tried not to glare at the brandished pawn.

Roy smiled and set the pawn aside. "Now then… my turn." He thought for a moment as Edward considered his next move. "What's your favorite way to have chocolate?"

Edward smirked, not at all about to fall for that. "On my lover." And was rewarded with the choke he'd been hoping for. "Oh pull it together, you know I've never."

Roy spent the majority of the rest of the game trying to recover from that, even if he didn't give any outward sign. It was coming to his attention very swiftly that prying for hints wouldn't come easily. Edward was a close-mouthed minx. Emphasis on minx.

By their third game, and increasingly becoming the last one of the day, Edward had won the previous two and was going for his straight third. And Roy was becoming increasingly adamant that he wouldn't lose a third straight game against a ghost.

"I'm getting much better. Soon you won't even have three pawns moved out onto the board and I'll have trapped you in a checkmate." Edward informed him cockily.

Roy sniggered, "that's logistically impossible. But keep dreaming."

"Oh it's not a dream, it's a coming reality." Edward promised.

"Just like me kicking your incorporeal ass this round is a coming reality." Was his return promise as Roy moved a knight in for the metaphorical kill. "Check."

"Until the check is mated don't celebrate." Edward chided with a smile, and moved his king out of danger.

"Oh I'll mate that check." Roy grinned and moved a rook in to try and prevent further escaping on Edward's part.

Edward snorted as he considered the board. "Yeah, good luck with that." And he moved his remaining bishop to dispatch the rook.

In five more plays, Roy's check did mate, and he celebrated whilst Edward groaned.

"Well, at least this means my little coming reality will occur." Edward sighed as he leaned back in the air as if reclining.

Roy shot him a deadpan look as he packed the set away. "Can you manage it without cheating somehow using your ghostly powers?"

Edward flashed him a grin. "My ghostly powers? I have no idea what you mean."

Chuckling, Roy didn't believe him for a snowball's second in a volcano. "Listen, I need to talk to you before I leave…" and he slid the game where it belonged before looking over at the curious Edward. "Do you know what today is?"

Edward's mouth opened in a silent 'ah' of understanding, and he smiled serenely. "I can guess. Don't worry about it. I'll be fine. I have books and all. I've spent a lot longer a time alone with less than that before and been just fine."

It didn't do much to banish the shadow of guilt that was tapping about inside his head. But if Edward was fine, he wasn't going to press the issue and cause something out of nothing. So Roy nodded. "Okay. I'll bring more books back to you."

Floating over to Roy, Edward quickly moved as if he were going to place his hand over the man's mouth. But his fingers never quite touched. "I understand." He said quietly with a tilt of his head.

Roy smiled at him reluctantly, but nodded. "I'll see you on Monday then."

Edward smiled back, and moved his hand to move it over Hazel's fur as if he could actually pet the animal. "Softie." And he flashed Roy another smile before floating away. "Sleep well tonight, Roy."

Roy finished tucking Hazel away into his jacket, and grabbed up the bag of trail mix. "I plan to. Since I have the whole weekend ahead of me to have fun, and Sunday night to catch up on sleep."

"Manwhore." Edward muttered under his breath, not really caring if Roy overheard him.

Stepping over to the door, Roy caught Edward's gaze as he laid a hand on the handle. Yet this one lasted longer than those before it. And finally he eased open the door a crack. "Goodnight, Ed."

Edward's hand twitched as if he wanted to lift it in a gesture of goodbye, but was uncertain anymore as to the movement. "Goodnight." And he watched as Roy eased the door open, and turned to step into that white world.

The next thing he knew he had plummeted to land hard on the floor, clutching at his head as he stared after Roy. Roy and that white world… the one that was jerking violently in front of his eyes like a movie reel gone bad. "Roy!"

Roy startled at his name being called out like that in such a panic, and he looked around to see Edward there on the floor. "What the-"

"Sir?" Hawkeye frowned, "everything okay?"

"Yeah." Roy said hurriedly. "You all go on ahead. I forgot I had a last minute phone call to make." And without further waste of breath, he had closed himself back in the office, locking the door for good measure before he hurried over to Edward's side. Kneeling down beside him he realized he had no clue what to do with his hands. Not being able to touch the ghost was infuriating right now. "Ed! What's wrong?"

Edward slowly lowered his hands as his breath came to him shakily. "It felt like I was being split apart." He whispered as he stared at his hands.

"What?" Roy frowned, and reached for Edward anyway. Towards his shoulder to try and gesture the ghost to look at him. "By what?"

Edward looked at him, and then pointed towards the door. "By that. When you opened the door… do you remember that white world I told you about? The one I can't penetrate?"

Roy nodded quickly. "It was doing something? Something that caused you pain?"

"Yes." Edward nodded, and sat back to bring his knees up closer to his chest in an unconscious protective gesture. "It knocked me down it was so painful. But it was so strange… it kept flickering, spastically. I could see lines of color in it."

"I take it this has never happened before." Roy observed in concern.

Edward shook his head. "If it had, you wouldn't catch me looking anywhere near that door. It hurt." And he studied the look of genuine concern on Roy's face. "I think… will you try something for me?"

Roy's acceptance was without hesitation. "Anything."

Edward snorted, "careful of promising 'anything' to anyone."

"You wouldn't bring me any harm. I trust in that." Roy argued lightly. "So I repeat, anything."

Edward worried his bottom lip between his teeth for a moment before he looked towards the door again. "Open it back up again. But this time… ask me to come with you." And catching Roy's expression out of the corner of his eye quickly added, "no questions."

Roy slowly stood. "You're sure? The pain?"

"I'm sure. Now no more questions. If what I am thinking will happen does, or even if it doesn't, I'll explain at that time." Edward said as he stared at the door, unwilling to get off the floor again until he knew for sure. It wasn't a fun feeling, falling like a rock to the ground when you were supposed to be able to hover with effortless ease. He'd only known that nightmare of the Gate to do it to him, and he didn't like it one bit.

Roy walked over to the door, intending to shut it again the instant Edward looked even the least bit in pain. Flipping the lock he pulled the door open a crack to see that everyone else was gone and the lights out before he turned back to the ghost. "Okay…" and he took a deep breath before stepping aside so he could ease the door open wider. "Edward, will you come with me?"