Chapter Five:

Ed sat in the study, one leg over the side of the arm chair, pretending to read a book like he had been doing for the last two weeks while his father tutored Lily. Currently they were working on algebra, something Lily was actually very good at. It was the beginnings of it but still advanced for someone her age. As long as the new formula was explained to her before hand she could wiz right though easily. Ed could have sworn she was human calculator. He and Al had thrown random equations, things like complicated four digit numbers at her and she had the problem solved quickly, faster than any seven year old should, faster than Ed had it figured when coming up with it.

His father smiled softly as Lily completed her last line of problems. Ed didn't like it. He didn't like the way Hohenheim spoke to her, the way he smiled, or any of it. He was too friendly, too nice, and getting too close. Ed didn't even bother to speak to Al about knowing he'd get no help from him, Al was too busy getting to know their father and Ed didn't think Hohenheim should even get that right with Al. But he wasn't going to deny Al. He couldn't.

Lily looked at him from the corner of her eye then smiled, turning her face to him. "How is your book big brother?"

Ed nearly jumped. How did she always know he was watching?! He smiled, scratching his head nervously for being caught. "Uh fine, how's math?"

Lily smirked in that knowing trademark Mustang sort of way. "It's fine too."

Edward couldn't stand it anymore. He snapped his book shut and sat right in his chair. "We need to talk,"

"Who you and me?" Lily asked pointing at herself.

"No, him and me." He replied coldly.

Hohenheim lifted his eyes and adjusted his glasses. "Now Edward?"

Ed nodded. "Roy will be back for lunch in," He fished out his pocket watch to check the time. "Two minutes." He snapped it shut and stuffed it back in his pocket. "Would you mind Lily?"

Lily shook her head and slipped from her chair and ran to him. "Don't kill him okay? I still need to learn stuff." She motioned with her finger for him to lean closer and her soft lips brushed his ear as she whispered, "You can kill him after he's done if that makes you feel better. But I don't think you'd get away with it and I'm too little to help you in that matter."

Ed snorted. She was only teasing and trying to make him feel better. She really was trying her best in her own way to ease the tension when ever she could, a smile, a goofy look when she caught him staring, never talking about Hohenheim unless Roy asked her what she'd learned. "Thanks Lily, go get your Dad."

She grinned and kissed his cheek for the first time. "See you in an hour Ed."

As soon as she was out of the room, closing the door quietly with a soft click, Hohenheim spoke. "You're really good with her Edward and with Alphonse. I'm very proud."

"Cut the crap," Ed snapped with a glare. "I don't care what you think, stopped caring a long time ago." His father's smile fell and he looked hurt, really hurt. Well Edward thought that was good. It was time for a little pay back, time for the bastard to hurt. "You don't get to play father with me."

"You can deny it all you want Edward but the fact of the matter is that I am your father." Hohenheim stated calmly.

"Only by blood relation and if the title is so damned important to you why the hell didn't you stick around?! Why leave us like we were nothing?!" He snapped getting up. "The truth here Dad is that you just didn't give a shit about us. If anyone can rightfully claim the title of father to me it's Mustang! He's actually been there, actually cared."

"Is that why you stay here Edward?" His father asked softly. "Because Colonel Mustang has taken care of you?"

Ed smiled cruelly as he made his way toward the table. "You got it and because of Lily. Mustang's never walked out on us." He set the book upon the table and took Lily's seat. "Where were you when Mom got sick? Not at home. Where were you when Mom died? Not at home. Where were you the day we buried her huh? Oh gee?" He scratched his cheek. "That's a hard one, not at home. No all we had of you were your damned alchemy books, books on human transmutation and soul attachments."

Ed wet his lips really feeling it all coming now, everything he'd wanted to tear into his father about but couldn't until now, was just flowing from his mouth and damn it, it felt liberating… almost.

"And I assume Mustang was there during all this time?"

Ed shook his head. "No, he came later after he found a letter, a letter Al and I sent out looking for you. Let's get this straight right now. I didn't send letters because I wanted you home, I did it for Mom. She called out for you everyday for a year while she slowly wasted away bit by bit, everyday getting worse until she couldn't even get out of bed on her own. And before that she used to stare out the window waiting for you to walk in the damned door! But you never came."

Ed glared. "So after she died…We were kids we didn't…We knew the laws but we wanted her back. We wanted her because she was all we had and I knew you were never going to come back, not if you couldn't even show for her funeral. So here's a little history lesson, something you missed,

"Al and I found a teacher, we learned alchemy from page one and when we thought we were ready we went home and tried to bring Mom back. Al lost his body and I lost my arm and leg and where were you? Not fucking home! That's when Mustang came. I could barely keep conscious while he was there and Pinako kicked him out, but he got me thinking. I had to get Al's body back no matter what; I owed him that much for getting it taken away in the first place. It wasn't like you were going to come home and help.

"So we went to Central, he made it so I could take the test, he helped us and he's still helping us. Every damned time I got hurt he's come to check on me and Al, just to see if we needed anything, make sure we were okay, not you. He opened his house to us with no questions asked. Even his friends have taken care of us, pushed us along, and helped, but not you, it's never been you so what makes you think I'll allow you to do anything now when you're just going to up and leave when you feel like it again?! I won't let you in. You're not even worth being my friend and I'm only sitting in here everyday to watch you so you don't hurt Lily. And if you hurt her I'll hunt you down and make you pay for it, regret it, do you understand?"

Ed got up from Lily's chair satisfied with the pain in his father's eyes, the suffering he'd inflicted and somewhere inside he felt horrible for it, he was better than this and he knew it, but he still hurt so much. "Oh and I don't believe what you told Al and Mustang, I really don't think you're dying. I think you just said that to gain sympathy."

"I'm sorry Edward."

Ed laughed. "Sorry? You're sorry? It's a little late now to be sorry and I don't care. Al might, but not me." He walked toward the door but what his father said stopped him dead in his tracks.

"I'm not sorry for leaving Edward, I'm sorry for the way I've made you feel. You didn't used to be so hateful." He heard his father stand. "Look at me son,"

Edward whipped around ready to kill him. "Don't you dare call me that!"

"Edward come here, I'll show you why I left, show you what I could never let your mother see because it would have killed her."

Ed stood his ground but his eyes watched Hohenheim's hand unbutton his left sleeve and roll it up. He didn't see normal healthy flesh covering his father's arm. What he saw nearly made him vomit and it would take a lot to make him sick after all he'd seen, all the blood and terror he'd seen in the last year working for the state and a little before. His father's skin was rotting, decaying in vivid colors of black, brown, and dark purple, almost flaking. His veins and bones nearly exposed to the air.

Hohenheim didn't stop there, no that wasn't enough. He removed his suit vest, removed his shirt showing Edward the patches of this sickening decay up his arm, covering his shoulder, and splotching his torso and abdomen. "I should be dead now but…It slowed sometime after I left home. If your mother saw and she saw the beginnings of this and she wept…She always wanted to touch me, always wanted to feel my arms around her and it hurts Edward. It hurt us both. There is nothing I can do to stop it. I've looked and tired so many things, all so I could come home. I never really wanted to leave your mother, you or Alphonse. And I didn't do it because I didn't care; I did it because I didn't want you to see this, for her to see this."

Ed blinked in shock for what seem eternity. How was that possible? Why was he rotting while still alive and for that matter how was he still alive and moving around like he was looking that terrible?! His eyes narrowed as a thought crossed his mind. "Did you make her sick?"

Hohenheim shook his head. "No Edward, I didn't." He began to put his shirt back on. "I don't expect you to understand or forgive me. All this time I thought you were all safe and well in Resembool."

"Would you have come to see her if-"

"Yes, but I never received any of those letters you sent. I was always moving, but I never once forgot or stopped caring about my family. I always wondered if you'd finally gotten over your aversion to milk. I wondered if you and Al were learning alchemy, how your schooling as going, if your mother was happy, if you boys were happy, what you did on your birthdays. I never once stopped thinking about any of you. And it hurts more than this," He pointed to his wrist where his flesh was decaying. "To know what has happened to you because I left to protect you. It hurts to know that Al is attached to a suit of armor and you have auto-mail. I can't even begin to imagine the pain and suffering my little boys have gone through, or what you've had to see because I left you alone."

"Why are you still alive?" Ed breathed.

Hohenheim smiled sadly. "I don't know Edward, but I'm not as well as you think. I'm tired, but." His smile brightened. "I am happy that you've done so much and accomplished so much and are still fighting for something. You and Alphonse mean the world to Lily. She doesn't have to say, I can see it every time she looks at either of you. I am happy when I see you play with her because you always smile the brightest then, like you did when you were little. And I am happy that you have some place safe to come to, some place that makes you happy. That's all I ever wanted for you, Al, and your mother."

"We would have been happy if you had stayed, even if…" Edward was not going to do this. It wasn't fair. After all this time it just wasn't fair that he should get to try and sneak in again. "You're not going to hurt us again!" With that he turned and left the study, heading for the staircase and running up to his room.

Once inside he sat upon his bed panting. He didn't want to feel…He didn't ever want to feel anything for that bastard, he couldn't allow it! But what he'd seen. He shivered. It wasn't good enough, it just wasn't, not even what he'd said. How could someone care and still leave his family? How could he go off and live like that all alone? It didn't make any sense to him. Why couldn't he be like Roy and not want to waste a minute? He and Al wouldn't have cared what he looked like. They wouldn't have jumped on him; they would have taken care of him, made him comfortable so why did he have to leave them when they'd loved him so much, needed him so much? WHY?!

Roy frowned as Lily kept looking back in the direction of the study. He knew Ed and Hohenheim were in there, Lily had told him as much and he was a little worried, more for Edward than anything else.

Then they heard the door open and Ed's feet running up the stairs, his bedroom door slamming shut. Why was it all the kids in this house always ran to their room and hid when something was wrong? Even Al had hidden once while being here when he'd been upset but Roy had never known why or asked as it was within the last week.

He sighed, reaching out to tap Lily's shoulder. "Finish lunch poppet." He said softly.

She nodded and turned back to her plate, picking up her sandwich, but she didn't say anything which wasn't very normal for her at lunch time.

"Colonel," Al said softly like always.

Roy nodded and he picked up his glass of tea. "Yes?" He brought it to his lips but waited to take a drink.

"My Dad's sick…"

"No he's not big brother, he's dying. I saw it." Lily said quietly. "He really is."

Al gasped. "What?! Lily how did you-"

Lily reached over to her father's arm and tugged upon his uniform sleeve. "Sometimes when he reaches to show me something I see his arm. He tries to hide it and he doesn't want me to see it, but yesterday he bumped his arm and it hurt him. I don't know what's wrong but people's arms aren't supposed to look like they're rotting. I thought bodies didn't do that until after someone died but his is and he's still alive."

Roy carefully set his glass down. He suddenly didn't have an appetite. Rotting? Hohenheim's body was rotting? Sure the man looked tired at the end of the day but…How… and how did his daughter know about decay?! It was simply too startling. When did this begin? Had the man shown Al or had Al stumbled upon it like his daughter had? Did Edward know too? And more importantly why wasn't the man seeking medical treatment? He didn't want Lily to see something like that, not after…She'd had too many animals die in front of her eyes, never known her mother, and feared losing him, and now she was getting attached to Hohenheim. After Tristan the mouse's death… He didn't want her to watch the man die before her eyes, but… He couldn't turn the man away now. He couldn't take Lily's teacher away and he wouldn't do that to Alphonse.

"What do you want me to do Al?" Roy asked finally.

Al turned away. "There isn't anything anyone can do. That's what Dad said, he knows because he's tried. He just wants to live out the rest of his life quietly."

Somehow Roy found that a little amusing but he didn't laugh, just smirked. "That's not going to be easy with Ed afoot."

"I think Ed might know now." Lily whispered. "He still cares, I know he does, that's why he gets so angry. I know it because I don't like Aunt Anise but I don't want anything really bad to happen to her. If she fell down the stairs and broke her leg I probably wouldn't mind too much but if she were dying I would mind."

Roy quickly covered his smile. When she said the part about her aunt falling down the stairs there was a blasé air to her until she became serious in the death realm of things.

"Lily that's not very nice," Al chided.

"I never said I was a nice person Al. I have bad thoughts like that all the time. Once I wanted to kick her because of what she said about my Mommy. I'm not perfect and definitely not someone without angry or vengeful thoughts. I'm just like everyone else. When I hurt I cry and get angry and sometimes what I think in my head isn't pretty or nice."

Roy smiled a little. That was something her mother would have said and it too was a little startling to hear. She was only seven, just a child and talking like an adult. It was like he was surrounded by little adults. Now why couldn't some of the adults he knew act and think and speak like the Elric's and Lily?

He still didn't feel like he could step in on this territory. But maybe he could look into it, see what and if there was something he could do, at least confront Hohenheim and see if he could get the man to see a doctor. He'd just come back into the boy's lives and if he was in pain…Roy wasn't happy with the man but that didn't mean that he didn't consider the man a friend of some sort or that he wanted him to suffer.

He sighed, running his hand through his hair. "I'll look into Al,"

"Actually I was wondering if you could talk to Edward again. He talked to you before." Al replied. "He looks up to you."

Roy was touched but he felt guilty. It was different when Hohenheim wasn't here, now he felt like he was stealing Ed away from the man. But then again the man hadn't been there for the boys so in some ways he didn't feel too terribly about it and in truth he loved both boys as if they were his own, how could he not?

Lily slipped from her chair and came to him. "I'm going back to study now. I'll see you when you get home okay?"

Roy smiled. "Yes you will," He leaned over and gave her a hug, a warm one and let her go. He watched her leave then stood to clean up their mess.

"I can get that," Al said happily.

Roy smiled. "You do enough around here Al, isn't there something you want to do instead of picking up after us?"

"I don't mind really and it's kind of nice to have a little time to myself once in awhile. You know without Ed brooding around me. His mood swings sometimes drive my crazy."

"You're certainly very tolerant of it." Roy mused.

"That's just the way Ed is, besides as soon as Lily's lessons are over we always go to the park. Then they have to keep up with me."

Roy didn't exactly know what that meant, them having to keep up with Al but it was good to hear and he smiled. "Okay Al, I'll go see Ed then."

Roy sighed, knocking upon Edward's door. He didn't hear anything at all from inside so he gently opened the door. Ed was sitting upon his bed, knees under his chin, staring off into space. Maybe he should leave him alone… "Edward,"

"Why?" Was Ed's reply.

Roy stepped in and closed the door.

"He told me why, but why? I still don't understand." Ed said softly, his voice shaking.

Roy walked over to Ed's bed and sat down. The boy looked ready to cry, his eyes a little glossy, his cheeks becoming a little red. Roy wondered then, just how much more Edward and Alphonse were going to have to suffer before they found happiness. Would they have to watch their father die? How much more would they have to sacrifice before the end? There was only so much he could do for them and not matter what he felt like it was never enough when Edward looked like this. "I don't know Ed. I'm not sure I understand it either. And maybe we won't ever understand but if you look at it this way, you've finally got some answers and he's here now. He is trying isn't he?"

Ed shook his head. "Not really, just letting me alone. He won't even fight me."

Roy smiled. "Then you know that he respects you Ed. He's not pushing you or forcing you, not that I really think he could you're so damned stubborn."

"I don't want him to die." Ed breathed, meeting Roy's eyes. "Did he show you what…"

Roy shook his head and brushed Ed's hair from his eyes. Ed was scared, really scared, hurting, struggling, he'd seen it before and he didn't like it. He preferred Ed in a rant, Ed laughing, anything but looking like this, this lost and confused. "No,"

"It's all over him," A tear escaped Ed's eye and trickled down his face. "Al can't know…"

"Al already knows Ed." Roy said softly.

It was then that Ed really began to cry. "I never…I don't want to feel this. Why can't I shut it off?"

"Because as much as you want to hate him, he's still your father and you still care and love him."

Once again Ed was in his arms and he couldn't help but hold him. "But I don't want to care and he's not my Dad, he's not been for a long time."

Roy sighed, rubbing Ed's back. He's still just a scared child. "You may not want too Edward. Just like I don't want to care about Anise, but I do. After everything she's done to me, to Lily, I still care about her."

"It hurts too much…I can't let him in again. He's just going to leave again. Why can't he stay like you, why can't he be like you?"

"Ed," Roy began. He could hear Al's metal body coming. Of course Al would come to check upon his brother, it was what they did, always caring, loving, and being there for each other.

"No Roy, you're always…Why can't…" Ed buried his face more, clinging tighter. "You be my Dad?"

As much as Roy wanted too, as much as he…"I can't replace your father Edward." He said gently.

"That's not what brother's saying Colonel and the truth is you already did." Al said, poking his head into the room. "That's something even our Dad knows. Because you take care of us, the way you treat us, all that you've done for us…You're our Dad too. Ed's just asking you to see that and accept him."

There wasn't anything Roy wouldn't give for these boys just like Lily but…"I can't help but feel like I'm stealing from Hohenheim, that I shouldn't…" He sighed, closing his eyes. Why couldn't he? Hohenheim had turned his back upon his sons and it didn't look like he had any intention of forcing his way back in so what was wrong him taking over? In some sense he already had. Both boys came to him already, both boys trusted him, and Ed wanted this, needed this. He was the one who had taken care of them for the last two years and it was like Hohenheim was just passing through.

He smiled softly. "Okay Edward, if it's what you want, I can be your dad and Al's if it's what he wants, but you shouldn't forget your real one." The smile and relief he found in Edward's tear laden, liquid amber eyes was enough to light the room. He sighed again. "Now I have to go back to work, are you going to be all right here or do you want to come with me? I'm sure Hawkeye can find something for you to do."

Ed wiped his face, shaking his head. "We go to the park when Lily's-"

"So I hear," Roy interrupted. "Well if you need anything you know where I'll be." He rose from the bed, pausing long enough to rest his hand upon Ed's shoulder then he left the boy's in Ed's room and headed back to work.

When Roy arrived he was assaulted by a very spastic someone he didn't expect to see and one very new photo of this man's daughter. "Isn't she simply adorable?!" Maes asked with a goofy grin.

Roy smiled and nodded. It had been awhile since he'd seen Elicia and she'd gotten bigger. He snatched the photo away to get a better look where he wasn't straining his eyes because it was so close to his face. "Is she talking yet?"

"A few words and phrases, how's your own little bottle of sunshine?" Maes asked thrilled as Roy returned to photo to his hand. "And the boys?"

Roy smirked. "Lily's fine at the moment and the boys…" He walked to his desk, taking his seat and leaning back. "Well not very well. I think I might have really messed up this time Maes, to be honest."

Maes adjusted his glasses and pulled a chair up to the other side of the desk. "How so?"

Roy moved some of his paper work around upon his desk. "I hired their father to tutor Lily during the day."

"You're serious; you mean you actually found Hohenheim?"

"He found me, answered my ad in the paper." He paused. "Not that I'm not happy to see you but what are you doing here?"

Maes smiled and shrugged. "I might have something you need to look at but I'd rather talk to you for a bit before we get carried away with other things. So how's it going with their dad?"

Roy arched an eyebrow. Figures, he thought. "Well," he sighed. "Al's okay I suppose, getting to know his father but Ed's…"

"Still pissed?"

Roy nodded. "He's cried twice and today he asked why I couldn't be his father."

Maes's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really? Wow Roy,"

Roy scratched his head then smoothed down his hair. "Yeah I don't mind but I feel like I'm stealing. If Hohenheim wasn't in the picture it wouldn't matter but he is."

"Roy…I really don't think it's his decision anymore. He did leave them and Ed's old enough now to choose on his own. Personally I don't have any sympathy for anyone who walks out on their family."

Roy smirked. "Really, but you backed me-"

"Now hold on a minute Roy, that was entirely different and you know it. You didn't walk out on Lily; you were trying to keep her safe and thought you were doing what was right. You thought you'd get her back as soon as you were well again. It didn't work out the way it was supposed too, but you never turned your back on Lily and you never abandoned her."

Roy sighed. Somehow the time it took to get Lily back, the seven years without her made him feel like he'd failed her and in some respects he just couldn't help but feel guilty. Not after everything Lily had told him.

"Well," Maes pointed to a file upon Roy's desk. "You'll never guess who's in that. What I want to know is who the man is and what they were doing in Central in that part of town."

Roy frowned opening the file. There was a small stack of five photos with Anise and some man in the slummiest part of Central, a place Anise wouldn't ever be caught dead in. Oh now this was something interesting…

Ed sighed as they all looked up at the sky in the park. It was raining spoiling their afternoon of tag. "So I guess we'll go home now." He muttered.

"Can't we stay longer? I spend so much time at home big brother." Lily asked tugging upon his hand.

Ed smiled. "We'll we can't stay out in the rain, you might catch a cold and if Al gets too wet his blood seal will wash away and he'll be-"

Lily shook her head violently. "Don't say it!"

"Lily it's okay," Al replied. "Where should we go Ed?"

Ed thought about it. He really didn't want to go home either; it was nice to get out of the house. "Hmm," he tapped his chin a moment. "I know let's go see what Roy's doing and if he's busy we can bug Hawkeye."

Lily's face brightened. "Yeah!"

Now who could ever resist such a face? Ed thought to himself as her little hand clasped his tightly and they began to walk. He couldn't, not with that smile or the brightness and excitement in her eyes. He was happy she was his little sister and not just in the friendly way, they were really family now, maybe not on paper but…otherwise they were.

Lily didn't even wait to knock upon the door just ran into Roy's office stopping so suddenly that Ed ran into her, knocking her over. "Ouch! That's the third time today, are you trying to tell me something big brother?"

"Sorry," Ed replied helping her up, he blushed as Roy and Major Hughes smiled at them. "Hi Major," He ignored her question completely. Something Lily would note and bring up later. He'd knocked her over three times, she had to figure out an equivalent trade for that.

"Hey Ed, Al," Maes replied as Al caught up.

"Uncle Maes!" Lily cried running to him. She stopped, looking down at her wet clothes. "Sorry I'm wet."

Maes chuckled and gave her a hug anyway. He always gave the best hugs, like her Daddy. They were always warm and full of love.

"So what brings you here?" Roy asked. "Got tired of the park?"

"It's raining," Al replied closing the door.

Lily sighed and Maes let her go. "I didn't want to go home so we came here, is that okay Daddy?"

Roy nodded. "Yes, I might have to work late again. Sorry,"

She shrugged and slipped away from Maes to climb upon his lap. Her onyx eyes looked at his desk. She knew she was wet but she wanted to be as close to her Daddy as possible so if that meant he had to get wet then so be it.

Judging from the unfinished stack of paperwork he just might be here really late, past her bedtime, but… "Hey why do you have pictures of Aunt Anise and her boyfriend in here and none of Mommy?"

"Her who?" Maes asked. "Lily do you know this man?"

Ed wandered over to Roy's desk to take a look.

Lily blushed. "Yeah, he's always got his hands on her when he's visiting and they always spend so much time in her bedroom. The noises that come from there." She shuddered remembering some of those noises. She didn't like loud noises, never had and those just sounded strange and disturbing. "It sounds like they're trying to kill each other."

"Uh Lily-" Roy began but suddenly Lily shook her head taking a deep breath.

"And one day, the first time I heard that I thought she was in trouble and went to help. She yelled at me! She told me to get out and he had her tied up to the bed, naked! She said she was fine but she didn't look fine!" She still didn't understand that, even now. Her aunt's face had been so flushed; even her boyfriend's face had been as well.

"Okay Lily please don't tell us the rest." Ed pleaded.

Roy covered his face with his hand sighing. "Lily-"

"Daddy what were they doing?!" she demanded. "Aunt Anise won't tell me just glares at me and tells me to go away."

"That's because you're too little to know yet dear." Roy breathed.

"Why?" That was a dumb thing if she'd ever heard it. What was she too little to know, was it something bad?

Maes chuckled. "Oh boy, well this is one hell of an afternoon. I'm so glad Elicia's not this old yet."

"Poppet, can you tell me the name of this uh…boyfriend of Anise's?"

"Oh his name is Mr. Daniel Carter. He's really nice to me, always says hello and even came to visit me in my room when Aunt Anise took a nap one afternoon."

"He what?" Roy asked coldly.

"He came to visit me; said Aunt Anise shouldn't shut me up in my room all the time, that he doesn't mind having me around, that I was a cute kid. He said he works with her sometimes with the very special shipments she has. He really likes her, kind of like you like Riza only he actually tells her so and they go have what he calls alone time." She sighed. "That's when they make all that noise."

"Right, thank you for the name. Now what else can you tell me about Mr. Carter?" Roy asked.

"Colonel!" Ed said in surprise. "You're not actually going to pump her for information are you? She's just a kid!"

"Ed it's kind of serious," Maes interrupted.

Edward frowned. "How serious?"

Lily looked from one person to the other in the room. What were they talking about? She'd tell her Daddy and Uncle Maes anything they wanted to know with no problem at all. She began to get a sneaky suspicion that something was going on, something they weren't telling her. Were Mr. Carter and Aunt Anise doing something wrong? She picked up one of the pictures to see, but nothing looked bad. They were just in a bad part of town somewhere together. She knew she couldn't really ask. Her Daddy had work that she wasn't supposed to know about and she understood that, but Mr. Carter was a nice man, he wouldn't do anything bad.

"As in possible arrest." Maes pulled the file from Roy's desk not hiding the information slip in the least. Oh well Ed knew that Roy knew Maes slipped him information all the time. Roy said nothing just let him read.

"Oh…" Suddenly Ed smiled. "So if this pans out then Anise is gone for good right?"

Roy shrugged. "Depends on how the courts decide."

Ed tossed the file back upon the desk and walked over to the sofa, flopping down with a grin. "Well if they knew that Lily used to live with her…" He trailed off locking his eyes with Roy's. Lily frowned. What was he going on about? What arrest?

"Can't you also bring to light her other crime, Hakuro already knows about it. Major Hughes, Hawkeye, Havoc…"

"But she gave Lily up Edward." Roy replied. "I know you're trying to help but it would be inadmissible in court unless she took Lily away again."

"Well Lily overheard-"

"Doesn't work that way Alphonse," Maes interrupted Al.

"So she gets to get away with everything she did you and Lily?" Ed snapped.

"I'm afraid so, unless she does something to us directly there's nothing that I can go after her with save this. We'll need an investigator to go in Hughes, someone who can watch-"

"We'll go!" Ed announced jumping to his feet. "She said we could go back and visit her any time we wanted right Al?"

"No big brother. I don't want you to leave." Lily cried. She still didn't understand what they were talking about, no one was explaining it to her and with only half of the information…Ed and Al couldn't leave! They just got back; they were only supposed to leave for assignments, no to go poke around in her aunt's business.

"Yeah she did," Al replied. "Let us go for a visit and see what she's up too. Maybe we can also figure out what it is that she's got planned to steal Lily away."

Ed nodded. "Kill two birds with one stone,"

Roy looked at Maes and Maes looked at him and for a long time Ed stood in anticipation. Roy nodded and Lily glared at him though he didn't seem to notice her in the least. "All right Edward, but I want you to be careful. Anise isn't easily fooled. We'll have to come up with something, some sort of cover for you to be in Ariss. Just a casual visit won't be good enough."

Lily huffed and buried her face in her father's uniform and groaned. Then she glared at Edward. She wanted to scream! "You…" she slipped off Roy's lap. "are a brat! You too Al! This isn't work! I'm going to go see Riza and Havoc!" Then she ran to the door and looked back over her shoulder. "And Daddy!"

Everyone looked at her. "Yes?" Roy asked.

"You're grounded!" With that she yanked the door open and slammed it behind her. She stomped down the hall to where Riza worked and pulled the door open then ran to her ignoring everyone else in the room. "Riza!"

Riza like always stopped what she was doing to pick her up and give her a hug. Lily promptly buried her face in Riza's uniform inhaling her soft scent, a scent she'd always loved. Riza always smelled so good, perfect and she often wondered if this was how her mother had smelled. "Ed and Al are leaving and Daddy's going to let them. I don't want them to go and it has something to do with poking around in Aunt Anise's business. They won't tell me what's going on. It's not fair!"

"Chief's got a secret mission for the boss?" Havoc asked lighting a cigarette.

Lily nodded, her voice muffled when she replied. "I don't like it. They should stay home." She felt Riza's gentle hand petting her damp hair.

"You know Lily what ever it is they are doing must be important. Your father wouldn't send them if it wasn't. They will come home."

Lily lifted her head. "But they're my big brothers what if they get hurt. I can't take care of them if they leave."

Riza smiled the smile her father said was so rare and wished he could see more often. "They will be all right and if they come back in less than perfect condition you can take care of them then."

"And chew them out too boot." Breda chuckled. "That should be something to see. My money's on her."

Havoc chuckled. "Me too,"

Riza sighed as Lily frowned. "That's enough gentlemen,"

"Ah come on Lt. Hawkeye Ed wouldn't dare get into half the trouble he gets himself into with the Colonel and Lily waiting to chew him out for it when he got back." Breda whined. He sat forward. "That reminds me, the colonel's teaching you flame alchemy right?"

Lily nodded. "When I get older."

"Not now?" Fury asked.

She shook her head. "No, right now Mr. Hohenheim is teaching me alchemy and regular school things." She perked up. "Ed says I'm a human calculator." She frowned a little smoothing her hair from her eyes. "He muttered something about it being unnatural."

"You're just smart that's all, there's nothing unnatural about that Lily." Riza practically cooed earning a heart melting smile from Lily.

"Well I am my father's daughter." She shrugged. "But I don't think he could do algebra at seven so maybe it is unnatural."

"Algebra?!" Breda yipped. "You're doing algebra already?" the office door opened and Ed poked his head in.

"Lily?" he called. "Are you still mad at me?"

"Ed she's really doing algebra?" Breda asked.

Ed smiled coming into the room. "Yeah,"

Lily sighed shaking her head. "Big brother give me a problem, and yes I'm still mad at you."

Ed winced a moment then asked Falman if he could borrow a pen and a sheet of stationary. Falman complied and Ed sighed. "Okay let's see…Oh," He began to jot down an equation for her. "I won't be gone that long you know."

"You're still leaving when you don't have too." Lily pouted. "I don't like it."

Ed's amber eyes, sun colored eyes in her mind, met hers a moment and he sighed again. "You can hold my pillow hostage again."

Lily narrowed here eyes at him. "I was going to do that anyway."

"You can keep one of my books,"

"You'd leave them behind anyway."

Ed huffed in frustration. "What do you want?"

Lily smirked. "Well that's an interesting question now isn't it?"

Havoc laughed. "You're in trouble now boss."

Ed blinked then muttered something under his breath before turning his attention back to the paper. "Name it,"

Lily grinned. He'd definitely come back for this, he practically wore it everywhere. "Your coat."

"Now hold on a minute, my coat?! It's getting-"

"It's barely autumn brother," She said looking at her fingernails much the same way her father did. "You're not likely to get cold anyway, you're still complaining on days when it warms up." She lowered her hand noting that her fingernails looked okay, no jagged edges. "Are you finished yet?"

Ed arched an eyebrow and brought the pen and paper to her. Once it was upon Riza's desk he began to take off his coat. Then he dropped it over her head. "There are you happy?"

Lily pulled the coat from her head. "What do you think, now I have to come up with something from Alphonse to hold hostage but he really doesn't keep anything."

"He keeps a journal," Ed muttered. "Why are you doing this?"

"Why are you giving in?" She asked smoothly, fully aware that there were snickering spectators in the room.

Ed scratched his head. "Eh what are you planning to do with my coat now?"

Lily grinned. "Well Daddy's been talking about prying it from your cold dead hands so he can get it washed then I thought I'd shrink it and wear it myself."

"Shrink it?!" Ed gasped.

"You can fix it when you get back." She replied and picked up the pen. "Where's Al?"

"Talking with Major Hughes, you can't shrink my coat."

"Mm, it's not like it won't still fit you brother." She said with a smirk. It really wouldn't, she was half his size but her Daddy said her Mommy was a tall person and he was tall too so she'd grow, she still had plenty time. But this was the first time she'd ever said anything about his height. She really shouldn't, knowing that he was so sensitive about it. Her Daddy had teased him he'd blown up one day.

Ed's eyes widened and his fists clenched at his sides. "And he says you're like your mother!"

Lily gave him her most innocent smile and then turned to the equation upon the paper. All she had to do was look at it and her mind was already calculating and solving it, she had the answer before her little hand was finished writing. Then she lifted the paper to Riza. "Here Mom," Lily blinked a moment realizing what she'd said and blushed. "I-I'm sorry Riza, I didn't mean too." She really hadn't it just slipped and she didn't even know why but now she was scared, scared of what Riza might say or do.

Riza shook her head. "It's all right Lily," when she took the paper from her, she smiled a warm smile Lily hadn't ever seen before. Lily turned and ran to Ed, grabbing his hand and turning around with her back pressed against his waist and legs. Then she pulled his arm around her. He might be mad for the short comment still but she didn't care. Ed was safe and she was still afraid.

"It's correct," Riza said with another smile. She passed it down the line of desks.

"Damn munchkin," Havoc said after examining the equation.

Lily only nodded and looked up at Ed. "Can we go see what Al's doing?"

Ed nodded. "Sure,"

Lily waved goodbye to everyone and didn't meet Riza's eyes, she couldn't, then she and Ed left.

Roy frowned as he watched his daughter eat in the mess hall beside him. Usually she was talkative and at the moment, no ever since she and Edward had come back she'd barely spoken a word. Something was wrong and Riza seemed to know she gave Lily concerned looks frequently. Riza had even tried to speak to her but Lily just sat pushing her food around on her plate. Well perhaps she was still angry about Ed and Al's new mission. No there was something else there had to be.

He leaned over and tucked her hair behind her ear. "Not hungry?"

Lily shrugged. "I don't know,"

"Lily?" He asked softly. "What's wrong?"

Lily looked up at him. "When are we going home?"

"After dinner," he replied. "Come on Lily talk to me."

"Not here," she whispered.

Roy frowned. That was odd, normally she didn't' care where they talked. His thoughts were cut short when Havoc got up and came to crouch beside Lily. "Hey kid do you know time of year this is?"

Lily looked at him as if he'd suddenly gone stupid. "Are you insulting my intelligence?"

Roy smiled to himself as he lifted his tea and took a drink. If that didn't piss her off he didn't know what would. She was already in a mood and thanks to Havoc it just might have gotten worse, but he wasn't going to say anything out of curiosity of what the man was about to get at and because Lily was old enough to fight her smaller battles, the big ones, the ones she couldn't handle alone, those he'd step in on.

Havoc smiled. "Never, don't you remember last year, that little promise we made?"

Lily shook her head then paused. "Oh yes I remember."

"Great so how about Saturday I'll pick you up a five?"

Okay so this was something Roy hadn't even heard about and now he wanted to know especially since no one had bothered to ask him. Lily was only seven and his baby girl. "And what is this about?"

Havoc rose patting Lily's head. "We've got a date Chief."

"May I go Daddy?" Lily asked softly. She was looking at him, asking with her obsidian eyes. A date? Well he supposed, she was comfortable around Havoc and it wasn't like it was a real date, just Havoc taking her somewhere and he could trust Havoc with his life.

Roy smiled. "But what about Edward?"

Lily sighed. "I promised Havoc that I would go with him a year ago. I can't go back on a promise."

Ed shook his head. "Nope you can't, it's okay I don't mind Lily. You can tell me all about it later; it's just a friend thing right?"

Lily nodded. "Yep,"

Ed sighed rubbing his forehead. "Well then go, but no funny business." He directed this to Havoc. It was all playful and innocent like it should be.

Havoc chuckled. "No problem Ed, so Saturday at five?"

Lily nodded. "I'll be ready."

"Did I miss something here?" Maes asked.

"I'll tell you later," Roy replied. "So are you going to just push your food around or actually eat it poppet?"

"I'm not really hungry Daddy,"

"Then are you ready to go home?" He asked a little concerned. If she didn't eat now she might wake in the middle of the night hungry or starving in the morning and they needed to hurry in the morning, to get Ed and Al on the 6 am train to Ariss.

As soon as they were home with Maes in tow as he'd be staying in the study while he was here, Lily took Ed's coat to her room. So far she'd managed to con Ed out of his coat and Al out of one of his journals. Roy thought it was adorable how she had both boys wrapped around her little finger but he was concerned about her need to hold their things hostage while they were away.

He followed her up to her room and sat upon her bed while she dug around in her small chest for something. "So why are you upset today?"

"You're letting Ed and Al leave." She replied.

"I know you're upset about that, but what else?" He had to know so he could try and help. She turned around and rubbed her nose.

"Do you think Mommy would be mad at me?"

That was vague. "For what?"

"Maybe even Riza too. It just slipped out I swear! I didn't mean too Daddy."

"What?" He asked calmly. He could guess what she was about to say and he didn't see anything wrong with it in the least. Riza had been so kind, so caring, and she loved Lily, she really did. In fact she was the closest thing to a real mother Lily had ever had. Riza and Sable had been friends of a sort, met a few times and gotten along famously. He couldn't see Sable objecting to Lily calling her Riza 'mommy' or 'mom' in the least

"I called her Mom today." Lily half whispered.

Roy smiled. "No, I don't think either of them would be upset or angry." He held out his hand. "Come here poppet."

Lily left her chest in the corner and ran to him and it seemed like she was always running when she was going to someone who called her. He picked her up and held her close. "Riza doesn't mind at all. She loves you Lily just like I do."

Lily's black eyes looked up into his and she smiled. "Really?"

Roy nodded. "I can't make any guarantees, I don't have the whole world on strings, but what would you say if I went out on a date with Riza Saturday while you're out with Havoc?"

Lily grinned and the whole room lit up so bright Roy almost felt the need to shield his eyes. "You're finally going to tell her Daddy?!"

It was hard, hard to try to move on after the love of his life had been taken from him. Lily was the second love of his life and letting another trespass upon his scared heart wasn't going to be easy but Riza…He was comfortable with Riza, had grown to love her over the last few years, depended upon her, could count on her. She was a good friend and he couldn't imagine his life without her in it. "It's not going to be easy Lily."

Lily gave him a hug. "I know…but it will be nice."

"Mm, so are you about ready for bed poppet?"

"I have to brush my teeth." She replied. "And find a book."

Roy began to lift her from his lap but she clung to him. "Just a minute more?"

Roy smiled and kissed her head. "Sure, want to sleep with me?" She nodded. "So what exactly does this date with Havoc entail?"

"We're supposed to go to the park and have a picnic. We did that once when I lived with Aunt Anise. He came when he was on leave remember?"

Roy had to think about but he did remember vaguely. "Yeah, and this year you'll have Fury to go with you too." Fury had asked to come along as he wanted to spend some time with her too; their fondness for small furry animals had caught his interest.

Lily nodded then sighed. Suddenly she perked up. "I have to go tell Ed and Al goodnight." She slipped from his lap and ran from her room.

Roy sighed and rose from her bed. He went to get the book he'd been reading her and took it to his room. Upon passing he could hear her telling Al goodnight and nearly collided with her as she ran out of Al's room and into Ed's. He smiled and headed down to tell Maes goodnight with one small crisis adverted.