All you've forgotten
Rating: T
Summary: Al and Ed have been surviving on the street that is until they are picked up by the police and placed in a foster home, Al adapts quickly but can Ed forgive all those in the past who hurt him and move on?
Author Note: Major AU! No Alchemy but Ed does have automail. Also I do not own FMA, I wish I did but sadly… I don't.
Chapter Two (I just realized that I forgot to put chapter numbers!)
The police station was packed, quite a few familiar faces, people I've seen out on the streets before. My eyes swerve around, taking it all in as Al and I are directed to sit at a desk. Behind us some guy is screaming at the top of his lungs that the Ultimate Shield will prevail and that he was impervious to any kind of pain. Rolling my eyes I turn back around and loom over the officer's desk, finding multiple pictures of a little girl. Al is seeing them too and shakes his head, turning to look around the station, eyes wide. Across the room are the arresting officers, staring at us like their waiting for us to make a sudden movement so they can pounce. I slowly lean back in my chair and close my eyes, sighing slightly; I'm so damn tired…. Wrapping my arms more firmly in my coat and huddling into myself I just rest my eyes for a few minutes
Hughes
It's been a busy day today, Grand has officially launched his 'how to make the officers insane with extreme paperwork' campaign, and the result is that as of one thirty I've booked twenty-six suspects, some of the worst smelling, bad tempered people I've ever seen. Glancing around from the small break room I look at my desk and find two boys sitting there. The darker haired one is watching a man wearily, the man is offering him things and smiling, showing his dirty teeth and stingy mustache. The other is passed out in his chair, asleep obviously and cold from the way he'd huddled in his light coat, too light of a coat for the early winter weather. Heading back over to the desk with two cups of steaming tea I smile at the darker haired boy, finding bright bluish-grey eyes watching me worriedly as I take my seat. I cast a glare at the regular sitting across from the boy
"Loki, cut that crap." The man instantly goes back to sitting perfectly straight as the officer cuffs him to prepare for transport to his cell.
"Hello, I'm Maes Hughes." I introduce myself, Grand frowns on this but I don't see the harm in telling a very scared young man who I am. This seems to relax the child and he offers a small smile
"Alphonse Elric." He introduces and I quickly write that in my pad, to be later input into the computer system. I have found that typing while speaking to a criminal makes them nervous, puts them on edge.
"And how old are you Alphonse?"
"Thirteen, sir." He says, respectfully. I cock and eyebrow, for being a street rat this kid's got manners and is quite pleasant. Wonder what the other one is like…. He must have not been out there too long.
"And this is?" I ask, pointing to the slumbering body, now leaning on my desk
"Oh, that's my brother Edward." He says, smiling slightly.
"How old is your brother?" I ask and am taken aback by the cough coming from the other boy, glancing at the dirty child I find two golden eyes peering wearily at me through half-lidded eyes, eyes sparked with fever and pain.
"He's fourteen." The raspy voice responds before the boy pushes himself back into a seated position and wrapping himself more firmly inside his coat. The teen sniffles and brings one hand up to wipe at his nose and I'm shocked to find the limb is metal.
"Stay here for a moment." The oldest sighs and croaks
"You think we'd be able to move with that pack of wolves watching us?" he asks, sarcastically and I nod, risking a glance at the patrol officers gathered not too far away. Getting up I head for the Police Chief's office, knocking politely.
"Come in." comes the response and I push open the door, finding Chief Bradley in a meeting with no one else but Captain Grand.
"Sir, I would like authorization to set the two boys I have at my station up with a foster home for the night." I blurt out and brace myself for the burst I know is coming from Grand. The man has no soul, no regard for human life. It makes me sick just looking at him.
"That's absurd! Those boys are criminals, the eldest…" I work up the courage and cut the larger man off
"Is extremely sick and in need of rest, not interrogation. All I'm asking is to send him to some friends of mine for the evening or at least until his court date. He's not well."
"What if we send the younger one, since he is only up on suspicious behavior and keep the older one?" Grand suggests and I risk a glance at the Chief
"I think splitting them up with is detrimental, who knows what they have been through and what might happen if they were to be split up. Please I'm only asking to send them to Hawkeye and Armstrong's place, you both know them." I plead and watch as Grand goes to shoot something back but the Chief shuts him up
"I'll agree to it, call them and I want to see either Armstrong or Hawkeye." I smile and nod
"Thank you sir." I am about to head out to the office area again when the chief says something oh so true.
"If he spent a night in jail the others would kill him for sure, he's such a young boy, it'd be cruel." Thank the Powers the Be that the Chief has enough common sense and decency of soul to see beyond the fact that the boy is a criminal.
"Good news!" I announce to the boys, the younger turns to stare at me and the older one only shudders
"I'm going to set you two up with a place to stay, because Jail isn't the right place for either of you tonight." The older one cocks and eyebrow before snarling
"It always was before." And I shrug
"Well, tonight it's not." I smile and head off to call the foster home. After about three rings the strong voice of Alex Louis Armstrong comes over the receiver. I quickly explain the situation to the larger man and he agrees. Hanging up the phone I head back to the desk, to find both boys asleep now. Smiling slightly I rouse them and direct them over to the break room, the pack of arresting officers quick to move. Writing a quick note incase either wakes up in the meantime I exit, closing the door.
I hope this update was fast enough for people, and to answer a few questions, there will be no pairings in this story, nto that I'm against them but I just don't write that kind of stuff well. I'm more of the abuse and torture kind of person. The reason for Ed's automail will be revealed eventually and no, there isn't any alchemy in this AU. Please do keep reading, coming home from work and finding reviews makes me very happy! also I know my chapters are a lot shorter than those who ahve read my stories before are use too but I'm now writing them in a limited time space, so bear with me.