The steam from the tea rose high into the air and then faded just before reaching the kitchen ceiling. Roy sat at the table, his hands wrapped tightly around the porcelain mug as he tried to warm up. He was wearing a nice set of night clothes that once belonged to Pinako's son and he was finally dry aside from his thick black hair which still held a little dampness.

The pair sat in silence for a while after the boys had gone to bed and Roy came back from getting changed. It was comfortable, and he liked being able to sit in a warm house with a hot cup of tea and finally relax. They'd not gone far, and they hadn't known the Rockbell's for very long, but this felt like home.

Roy brought the lip of the mug up and took a long sip. The resulting feeling was a deep warmth that spread through his stomach. His shoulders slumped and he rested back in the chair. He even felt a few pops from his joints as his body adjusted to the unfamiliar feeling of being relaxed.

His eyes flickered to the guest room door. "Is she going to be alright?" he asked, his voice just barely above a whisper. Quietness didn't seem appropriate for how homey the old farmstead was, but he didn't want to wake the children.

"We'll see how she is tomorrow," Pinako replied. "But, I would assume so, yes."

Roy would have rathered a much more confident affirmation, but he didn't say anything more about her. Instead, he switched to a much more dire topic.

"How did…" he started, and then stopped, trying to find the right words to ask his question. When he found none after a brief pause, he continued. "How did it all happen?"

Pinako knew immediately what he was talking about. "It was last night, very late. She came to the door posing as a weary traveler. I let her in, made tea, and then when I turned around, Edward was shouting, Winry was crying, and Alphonse was trapped in that armor."

"It happened that fast?" Roy asked, taking another sip of his drink.

"No, no. I assume she placed a freezing spell on me. It felt like no time at all, but it was long enough to ransack the boy's room and turn Alphonse into that… thing."

"I thought Edward did that?"

"From what they told me, she turned Alphonse into the suit of armor," Pinako explained. "Then she left. The suit began to reject Alphonse's soul, but Edward stepped in and was able to tie the soul and body more firmly together." The old woman paused to take a drink of her own tea. "That was probably the witch's plan. Transform Alphonse into something that would reject a soul so he would disappear. If not for Edward…"

She didn't finish the sentence, and Roy didn't want her to. All of this sounded so confusing to the mage. It was diving deep into the intricacies of Magick that even he didn't know much about. For Roy, there were the basics and then there was fire magick. Lore and theory and best practices all meant nothing to him compared to the raw skill. But, from what he'd learned about the Elric brothers, they had spent their short lives studying all the book stuff. They knew the ideas and the forces that drove magick.

His teacher, Riza's father, was a scattered and disorganized man. He had all kinds of notes that Roy never saw, probably explaining all the ins and outs of fire magick. But, when it came time to learn it, Roy didn't study a book. Master Hawkeye just told him to do it.

"Edward," Roy started, deciding to change the subject. "How is he?"

"A pain in my ass," Pinako laughed. "Everyday the first word out of his mouth is surgery. All he wants is automail so he can go and do god-knows-what to get their bodies back. But, he's healing well. A strong boy, that one. Won't drink his milk though."

"Must be why he's so short," he chuckled. "When do you think he'll be ready?"

"In two days."

Roy paused, furrowing his eyebrows together in confusion. He remembered weeks ago Pinako telling Edward it would be months or even years before he would be able to get the surgery he wanted.

"I'm sorry, did you say two days?"

"Sure did." The old woman leaned back in her chair and looked out the window, as though her reasoning for the decision was somewhere out beyond the hills. "That boy, he's something else. I've never seen anyone-not a kid, not even an adult-with injuries like what he has make such a quick and nearly full recovery. The drive to change their situation and now the drive to help his brother is more intense than anything I've ever seen in my life. And, Roy Mustang, I've lived a damn long life."

"Of course," the mage said, jumping a little at the use of his name. "But he's still just a kid. And you said that surgery is really serious, right?"

"Oh, yes, it is. I'll have to bring in another healer to help me. But, I can't keep those kids here while they're chomping at the bit to get out and do something for themselves."

"How long will the recovery process take?"

At that question, Pinako laughed again. "Normally, I'd say a year, likely more. But that kid? There's no telling, none at all."

Roy nodded and drank the last of his tea. Noticing the mug was empty, Pinako wordlessly stood and poured him another cup. She sat back down and he thanked her and took another sip of the piping hot drink.

"That kid might be a pain in your ass, but you seem to really care about him," Roy commented.

"I could say the same of you," Pinako observed.

"True, but you've had to take care of him. Riza and I, we kind of just dumped these two kids off at your place. And you didn't even know us!" He gave her a sly look. "Some would say you're crazy."

"And they'd be right," the woman retorted with a smirk of her own. "But I did what I felt needed to be done. You know, kids often ask what their parents would do in different situations. I ask what my son would do. And, I know he would do this."

"It sounds like your son was a great person."

Pinako didn't respond to that comment, but she smiled contently and let a brief silence linger over them. "You know," she said lightly. "You and Riza remind me of Yuriy and Sarah." Roy shot her a questioning glance. "The two of you put the other first. And then above that, you both put other people before yourselves. I can sense a lot of love between the two of you."

Roy's face turned a bright shade of pink and he sputtered into his tea. "L-love?" he choked. "We're just friends!"

Pinako laughed and raised an eyebrow at his dramatic reaction. "That's exactly what I meant; you two are good friends. Unless, of course, that's now how you see it."

"Of course that's how I see it!" Roy shifted his gaze down so he could study the wooden table intently. He hated the warmth that lingered on his cheeks, but more so he hated what this line of conversation did to his feelings. Something about using the words "Riza" and "love" in the same sentence stirred something within him that he wasn't prepared to confront.

Pinako only hummed in response, as though she didn't actually believe what Roy said, but doesn't care to continue the conversation. Instead, she took a long sip of tea and cupped the mug in her hands. "Humor an old woman, then will you?" she asked. "Tell me about Central."

And so, Roy and Pinako stayed up for the better part of the night as he told her about what his life was like growing up. He felt that she deserved to know the whole entire story, from start to finish, of where he and Riza came from, why they were here, and what they were going to do. Besides, he figured, he had no desire to go to sleep. Sure, he was exhausted, but he couldn't bring himself to settle down.

He told her about studying under Master Hawkeye and about his young, bright-eyed daughter, Riza and how the whole Hawkeye clan died when The Sickness came. He discussed the process of enlisting in the Royal Army and how he came to be a Court Mage. That was how he met Hawk, a stern but sturdy archer who was sworn to protect him and The Crown. He then launched into the decree that Magery was outlawed and how he and Hawk ran away and met Mei, a young healer trying to bring back honor to her clan. It was there he discovered that Hawk was actually Riza, though he didn't divulge to Pinako just how emotionally confusing it was to find out that his bodyguard wasn't who he thought he was and instead was the girl he'd grown fond of years before. Roy then touched lightly on finding the boys, since Pinako already knew the whole story of how they met up with Edward and Alphonse and went straight into what they had been doing the past few weeks. They'd turned up no relevant clues and then ran into Lust.

"We got here as fast as we could," Roy explained. "But I… I couldn't just leave Riza in that river. I had to save her. We've been through so much and I don't know how I could keep going without her."

"You made the right decision," Pinako soothed. "It wouldn't have mattered anyway. It sounds like Lust was here with the snap of her fingers. Teleportation spell or something."

Roy seemed to take comfort in Pinako's assessment. If he hadn't saved Riza, he still wouldn't have made it in time and instead would have lost his best friend. "You know," he said after he finished the last of his tea and waved off Pinako's offer of another cup. "Maybe there is something to that love thing. I don't know. But, this sure isn't the time to figure all that crap out. We have things to do. Besides, it feels stupid, you know? I only start liking Riza like that when I find out she's a girl as if that's her one defining quality. Hawk and I were best friends, but I never thought about marrying him."

Pinako shrugged as she gathered the mugs and set them in the kitchen sink. "Perhaps. But, maybe it's not that you saw her more romantically because now you know she's a woman. You knew her when you were younger right?"

"Well, yeah," Roy replied, unsure of where the old woman was going with this.

"So, perhaps you're just drawn to the potential of a relationship you never got to have with her back then. It's not that you're only attracted to her womanhood. You're attracted to the history you share. That's not stupid."

Roy hesitated for a moment before he stood up from the kitchen table. "Thank you for the chat," he said politely, seeming to ignore what Pinako had just said. "And the tea. I appreciate it."

"Anytime. Sleep well," she said as she waved him off.

Roy didn't know why he felt the need to spill his guts to Pinako. Sure, she was an extremely kind old woman who he owed so much to, but Roy was a private person. He opened the guest room door and slipped inside. Riza was asleep in the bed by the window. She was laid on her back with the covers pulled up to her chin. Even in the darkness, Roy could tell that her hair was still a little damp, but he was glad to see that she was warm and resting.

He slipped into the other bed and rolled over, his eyes resting on Riza's dark sleeping form for just a brief moment before he closed his eyes. He felt lighter. Although he preferred to keep his feelings to himself, talking with Pinako made him feel better. Not to mention, the bed was comfortable and familiar and he breathed in the deep wooden smell of the home. It wasn't long before he was fast asleep.

It was late afternoon the next morning when Riza awoke. The first thing she became aware of was the pain that lingered on her shoulder. For a brief moment, she was confused and wondered where she was, but the events of the previous night swiftly came back to her. A feeling of dread boiled in her stomach as she recalled laying eyes on Alphonse for the first time. They had been too late. They couldn't protect the boys.

She also realized that she didn't remember going to bed, and wondered how she had ended up back in the warm familiar blankets. Judging by the light that tried to poke its way into her eyes, it was sometime in the afternoon, so she had likely been asleep all night and all morning.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and the world came into focus. She was correct in her assumption that she was lying in the same bed by the window in the tiny room that Pinako had for traveling guests who stayed at her inn. Sun came streaming through the window, which was open to let in the mid-spring breeze. Aside from the dull pain and the fever she was sure she had, Riza felt comfortable.

Riza turned her head to find Roy sitting on the edge of the other bed, reading the local paper. Next to him was a stack of what she assumed was two weeks worth of papers. His lips were set in a neutral frown as his eyes scanned each page.

"Hey," Riza whispered. Her voice was hoarse and soft, but Roy heard it and immediately glanced over at her. His face almost seemed to melt with relief and she heard him let out an audible sigh.

"Hey, you're awake," he commented, setting aside his paper. "How are you feeling?"

"Awful," Riza laughed. "I guess I've been out a while?"

"Just most of the day. You passed out last night. Pinako said you have an infection in that shoulder."

Riza shifted to glance at the offending shoulder and pursed her lips in disdain. She rolled it back a little, hoping to loosen it up, but flashes of pain prevented her from moving it more than once. "I'm sorry," she said.

Roy furrowed his brows. "Sorry? For what?"

"For getting hurt. I let my guard down, sir, but I promise it won't happen again."

"Don't be sorry for that. Lust took all of us by surprise. I'm just glad you're okay." He offered her a smile which she weakly returned, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. She still felt bad for her injuries and hoped she would be better very soon.

Roy, meanwhile, was kicking himself for somehow leading Riza to believe he was angry she had gotten hurt. Last night's conversation with Pinako came back to him, though he tried to push it away. Now was absolutely not the time. They had to focus on getting better and helping those kids get their bodies back. Plus, there was the whole magery ban they had to deal with as well. There was a lot riding on their shoulders and they couldn't afford to lose any more time.

"Let me go get Pinako," Roy offered after a silence had fallen over the two of them. "I'm sure she'll want to redress the wound and give you a check-up." Riza just hummed in response and Roy went into the hall to grab the older woman.

In a few moments, the older woman was there checking up on Riza and ensuring her wound was healing correctly. It was then that Riza was told about Edward's surgery, which would happen the next day. Pinako also caught her up on what had been happening since they left a few weeks beforehand. She also touched on the chat she and Roy had last night, but she didn't go into all the details.

Riza spent the remainder of the day resting. Her fingers itched for the string of her bow and she longed to practice again, but she knew Pinako would have her head if she got out of bed. Roy brought her dinner and ate with her in the bedroom. They kept the conversation light and shallow, but there was something different about his demeanor that Riza couldn't quite place. Although he chatted amicably, he seemed to pull away from her. Rather than sit on her bed with her, he sat on the other and made little eye contact. At the end of their meal, the woman chalked it up to the guilt he felt over her getting hurt, but she was too tired to alleviate his feelings. Besides, she figured they both needed to get over their tendency to harbor guilt. It never changed anything about their situation.

The next morning came just as bright and sunny as the last. Light danced on the walls of the old house, illuminating the old wood. Riza was finally allowed up and stood on the porch drinking morning tea. She longed to practice her archery but knew she needed to let herself heal. She gazed over the valley and noticed dark clouds in the distance. Another rain storm would likely approach by that evening.

Edward was buzzing with excitement. He said little but had Alphonse push him wherever Pinako went so he could see what she was doing. The old woman soon grew tired of the both of them and kicked them out of the operating room so she could continue setting up. Edward pouted for a bit before Winry distracted him with some puzzles and games.

Around noon, there was a knock at the door and in walked a dark-haired, gruff faced doctor. He wore a white button shirt and brown pants and carried a large black briefcase with him. When Winry, who had answered the door, called for her grandmother, Pinako came bustling out of the operating room.

"Dr. Knox, thank you for coming by," she exclaimed. "Can I get you a drink? Some tea? I have some bread left over from lunch if you would like something to eat."

The doctor raised his hand and shook his head. "No, I'm alright," he said as he glanced around at the small crowd that had gathered. Roy and Riza, who had been going over local news and gossip appeared in the doorway and Winry, Alphonse and Edward watched on from the top of the stairs. He looked back to Pinako leaned over towards her ear and whispered, "Are you sure about this?"

The old woman nodded firmly. "Yes. Let's get you set up." She led him to the room but not before he stole another glance at the boy who he was about to operate on. Riza noted that he didn't seem too thrilled to be here and felt an air of apprehension from the doctor. Of course, the surgery was going to be dangerous, but she trusted that Pinako knew this was a good time to do this.

The kids came downstairs and Roy and Riza entertained them with a card game. Alphonse sat next to his brother, perched on a small wooden chair. If he had been able to feel anything, he likely would have been severely uncomfortable, but sitting regularly at the table made him feel like he was normal. He was still getting used to his new large body.

An hour later, Pinako emerged. "Alright, Edward, it's time." She paused as Edward turned with a bright smile on his face. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

The smile faded on Edward's face and was replaced by a look of solid determination. He didn't even need to say anything, he just nodded and pursed his lips in a firm thin line. Pinako came over and wheeled him into the room.