AU: I don't own it…

DECEIT-

The bell echoed harshly through the empty street and was replied with an annoyed answer.

'Just how,' Mustang wondered, 'did I get into this situation?'

That's right… Ed had told him to come here. To an automail shop on the west end of Central with little explanation as to what (or who) was inside.

All Full Metal had told Roy was that the girl who ran it was the one who gave him his steel limbs.

Her irritated cerulean eyes glared at him when she literally flung the door open. "What do you want? We're closed." Apparently, she was quite blunt.

"My name is Colonel Mustang. I am currently working on a case concerning someone you're acquainted with. I required information and he sent me here." Roy professionally said his well rehearsed speech. Her stare flickered from annoyed to confused. "Edward Elric?" He offered. And for that was violently pulled into the building.

A flustered Winry Rockbell handed a steaming cup of coffee over to her visitor and sat across from him. "You got him to talk to you?" She asked disbelievingly.

"It took me a few days but yes, he is speaking now. I've found that he can actually be quite loud when he's called anything near short." Oh yes. Mustang had unfortunately crossed into that forbidden territory. His ears were still ringing.

The girl laughed, "Sounds like Ed…" Mustang noted the tears coating here eyes, but decided not to press on it.

"Would you care to tell me how you know him?"

Winry reached up to a shelf behind her and from a dusty box produced a picture. Five people sat at a round table with a huge candle-covered cake. A short old woman held a smoking pipe and a young blond girl on her lap. A smiling brunette sitting next to a sandy haired grinning boy. And at the head of the table, a golden eyes child holding a large gust of air in his mouth, just waiting to unleash it on the unsuspecting flames.

"His mother and my grandmother were friends a long time ago. Ed, Al and I always used to play together when we were younger."

Roy gazed at the photo and smirked at the childish expression on Ed's face. "Do you know why he joined the military?"

"Well, Ed told us that he was going to apply about six years ago. It was just after his mother had died. Al was going to go with him too, but when Ed found out he went straight to the military base and demanded that they take back the request."

'The request however, we denied.' So Full Metal must have not wanted his younger brother to get into such a complicated mess at the military. But that still didn't explain why Edward himself wanted to.

Mustang was jarred out of his thoughts as the girl spoke, "I just can't believe that you actually got him to talk. Grandma and I were trying for three years. The doctors said that it was hopeless, that he wasn't going to come out of the depression." She chuckled, "Guess I should have remembered that Ed's stronger than that."

Roy slowly leaned forward and placed his now empty mug on the table. "What happened to his brother?"

"I don't know. One day they both left telling me that Ed had a mission in the east. A week later Ed was escorted by military officials to a hospital and no one would say why. Al was no where to be found. He always used to stick by Ed like glue. But when I went to visit Ed to ask what happened he wouldn't talk to me or even look at me. In his sleep he only said the word, 'Envy.'"

Mustang decided that his meeting with the Rockbell girl had been indeed fruitful. She may have not known some information, but what she didn't; he could get out of Full Metal.

That is, if the boy would actually cooperate.

"For the last time Full Metal, what happened to Alphonse?" Roy had entered Ed's room remarkably patient, and he had lost it within ten minutes.

"You're getting angry; it only helps what they want!" Edwards's vivid eyes glared.

"Who are they?!"

"The bastard's that slaughtered Al!" Ed screamed to a shocked Mustang. "That fucking Envy killed him straight in front of me! Is that what you want to hear Colonel?" He sneered, "You are only helping to further their goals. The day you signed up for the military was the day you condemned yourself and your friend to hell!"

Roy choked considerably. How had Full Metal found out about Hughes? The man had died before Ed had been hospitalized.

"Thought I didn't know Mustang? That you were just using me to further what you wanted? You're just like that damned Archer! Always using me for your own ambition." With a sadistic smile to Roy's struck horror, Edward leaned forward to him. "I heard about Maes Hughes. I know that the Homunculus ended his life. But you should understand Mustang, when one gets too far into the secrets of the military; the need arises to get rid of them."

Ed's strong arm gripped the Colonel's uniform collar and he pulled forward, "Don't worry Mustang, we all get punished for coming too close to god."

"And," Roy was roughly shoved back into his chair, "I won't allow you to use me to further your own agenda!"

This was what the… seventh cup of coffee he had drunk this afternoon? Surely it wasn't healthy.

Colonel Roy Mustang had become a little skittish after Full Metal's outburst. He had wanted to tell the boy that he was wrong! Well, not entirely…

Initially Roy had thought of Ed as a means to an end. He admitted that he was going to use the boy to find Hughes' killer. But, it was different now.

Just after a short week of knowing him, Mustang felt himself actually enjoying the blonde's company. Even on the days when Edward would only sit and stare out the window into the distance. He even dared to say that he might like him.

Who was he kidding?

Roy had been looking for an excuse to hold Ed as he did when the nightmare occurred. Any pitiful reason at all managed to enter the Colonel's mind at least once.

And here Ed though he was being used?

Ha. It was more like Roy was being used by Ed as he blindly toyed with emotions.

When Mustang swallowed the last drop of caffeine he made his choice, he was going to tell Edward.

Right now…

Quiet.

Simply peaceful silence.

Edward let his mind roam in the peace and found himself drifting in and out of sleep.

He barely even heard his nurse enter the room.

Click. Click. Click.

Her heels however, were irking him out of his bliss. But still, he refused to open his eyes. She could do whatever the hell it was she wanted and then leave him alone.

That was his mistake.

As he felt the sharp blade pierce his flesh shoulder his eyes did snap open. Only to stare in horror at the woman's amethyst orbs.

And he felt his stomach give an uncomfortable lurch when she melted away to reveal someone else entirely.

A shiver flew up his spine at the greeting of, "Hello chibi-san."

All this time… Four years… He had been here the entire time.

'Al, help me…'

AU: Dun-dun-dun!