After a forever train ride that ate a hole in his savings, Edward, along with Alphonse, finally arrived at Western Command. It had rained the last day on the train and by the mist about the street; the brothers could tell the rain had just left here. The two stood at the beginning of the main road that would take them anywhere in town. The weather made it look dreary and the population of the passerbys was few. Like a ghost town, Edward thought.

Now that they were here, where to begin?

Edward began walking with out a word and Alphonse followed.

"I think," Alphonse contemplated aloud, "if I was someone with white alchemy, I'm sure I would avoid the public. Especially if the military is combing the country looking for me."

"Stop," Edward halted and flung his right arm in front of Alphonse, "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what, Brother?" He leaned in close to Edward's level.

Edward didn't answer but continued to stare at the alley to his left. He knew what he heard; there was no mistaking. Again, he walked ahead, speechless, into the alley.

"Brother?" Alphonse started after him when a sudden, close, blood-curdling scream screeched behind them. They whipped around to see a small boy standing there with his head back, screaming to the evening sky. Then, out of air, he began to bawl in his hands. He looked about five or seven with black hair and white skin.

Alphonse inched away out of habit, he figured he probably frightened the boy by simply moving. Edward breathed a sigh of relief and squatted in front of the crying child.

"Hey," Edward softened his voice and tried to smile warmly though it felt weak to him, "It's alright, he's not going to hurt you, he's not even that scary."

"Brother!" Alphonse's voice was urgent and Edward spared his attention from the boy.

Down the way they were headed on the street, Alphonse pointed, was some sort of a brawl. Edward had been distracted by the boy's crying that he didn't hear the noise behind him.

The struggle contained two policemen, Edward could see by the uniforms, and a civilian by a police cruiser. The civilian fought against their grasp, shouting something. He didn't hear it clearly at first until the man practically screamed.

"I'LL NEVER TELL ANYONE WITH THE LIKES OF YOU! LEAVE ISHBALA ALONE!"

Edward was stunned and slowly, his focus slides from the Ishbalan to his running brother. It took him half a second to tell his feet to run after Alphonse.

"Al!"

"Ed, we have to stop them!" he shouted over his shoulder, "Please!" Alphonse called after the men, "Stop!"

The policemen continued to seize the protesting Ishbalan. Then one of the policemen withdrew a fist and took a blow up the Ishbalan's ribs. A loud grunt echoed dully in the street.

"Stop it!" Alphonse finally reached them and pulled them apart from each other. The Ishbalan man found enough breath to get up and run.

"Al!" Edward began to scold and the policemen started to lecture after but another scream shrieked behind them through the ending silence.

The brothers recognized it immediately as all eyes focused on the little dark haired boy. After the air to his scream ran out, he went on crying loudly.

The few passerbys in the street had all become a silent audience through all of this as Edward's mind raced. He could use this as a distraction to grab his brother and the boy then escape. If he didn't do this , his identity as a State Alchemist would be revealed. This reality drummed up the adrenaline into his senses and his mind directed all attention to his plan.

A soft hum slowed his thinking and he noticed that the boy ceased his bawling. Instead, he was half turned around towards a brown cloaked figure.

Edward relaxed some, as did Alphonse and the officers, and followed the floor-length brown cloak upwards. The wide hood shadowed the eyes and nose as the figure stood half bent over the child.

"I'm sorry he distracted you, please forgive him." a woman's angelical voice seemed to hum a musical behind her soft words.

Edward realized she had something else a few seconds ago but the adrenaline made her perfect voice a hum to his ears.

"It's…alright," Alphonse spoke first, of course. Edward was always grateful for Alphonse's voice when his failed him.

"Are you sure?" her sweet voice was still calm and it seemed to increase the tension throughout the street as everybody relentlessly went back to their own business in attempts to appear casual.

"Yes," Alphonse answered, "it's just fine."

The woman cracked open the lower part of her cloak and the little blue-eyed boy tucked himself underneath her.

"Well," the woman sighed and covered the boy beneath her, "I wish you well with your major case, you know, with this young woman you're trying to catch." A sweet sincere smile curled her lips.

"Yes," one of the police officers answered, "and what may your name be?"

Edward's head slowly started to tilt, attempting to peek under her hood. Something about her…

Her responding giggle was mature and it flittered like humming bird wings. "Do you wish to remember me, sir?"

"Answer the question," the other older officer ordered, "Who are you?"

This woman reminded Alphonse of someone but he couldn't place it. She seemed familiar, her aura felt like a forgotten lullaby that only his heart could identify. There was something very fragile about her.

"You ask for my name or who I am?" a crooked smile lightened her obvious teasing and it seemed to have a brilliant affect.

The police officers exchanged glances before the senior man answered. "What is your name?"

"Sara," her body bounced a little in a sort of curtsy beneath her cloak.

"And who are you?" the younger officer blurted out; apparently that wasn't part of their silent agreement by the expression on the senior's face.

"A civilian, a worker, a helper-you name it." her full smile returned; dazzling the men.

"Very well," the senior officer pinched the brim of his hat, "carry on. But you two," he turned to Edward and Alphonse, "who are you two."

"Dear Sir," the woman chimed in again, "don't worry about them, they're with me."

The officer rubbed his mustache and eye-balled her suspiciously.

The woman kept her smile, "Ed and Al, they were doing a good service of helping me find this boy." She flashed a short exposure of the little child under her cloak, clutching onto her leg.

Edward's eyes widened but he quickly composed his face. She was helping them or was this some trap?

"Sure," the officer waved and got back in the car with the younger man. In seconds, the cruiser was gone and Edward and Alphonse watched it go around the corner on the right side of the street.

"Hey thanks-" Edward stopped the second he saw she was gone.