Hope people are liking this so far! I really am enjoying writing these two, and writing a very uncomfortable Roy is hilarious to me.

Also thank you very much for the reviews I get so happy when I see them!^_^ Can't wait to get really into the story, it takes some twists soon enough! The next chapter will be much longer than this, this is the last short one as a starting point:) thank you!-Kittplopter

Roy Mustang had never been one to be nervous about familiarities, he had dealt with terrorists, murderers and mob bosses, but as he sat on an uncomfortable couch in the corner of a room filled with at least twelve dogs sitting like military trained guards all staring at him ready on command, he felt a bead of sweat hit the nape of his neck. It was almost like they knew he didn't know a thing about dogs or how to take care of one. Patronizing in their blank stares. Roy shifted uncomfortably in his seat and cleared his throat. He almost felt like he had to strike up a conversation with them...almost.

Finally after fifteen minutes of being left 'alone', a small rotund, middle aged lady came bouncing confidently through the living room doors. She had a stern but motherly face and wild ginger hair that looked like it hadn't been washed in several weeks. The place and the dogs were pristine, but Mustang could tell it was at her own personal expense. At her side was a pretty, slender little black labrador. She tip toed beside the lady in a delicate manor, obedient and graceful, looking up at her incase there were any instructions to come her way. The young dog was not even concerned with the nervous man in the room, all she was there for was to work.

"Welcome ! I am sorry for keeping you waiting, I hope my children weren't too intense with you? My name is Patrice and I own this establishment" She patted a few of dogs fondly as she walked by, several adoring eyes staring up at her.

"No not at all!" You Liar. "Thank you for inviting me in, and call me Roy, please".

"Alright Roy!" She sat down with a thud on the couch next to Roy, causing him to flinch in fright as her thigh almost sat on his leg. A little close for comfort…skipping any formalities, she began gesturing at the little dog "This is Alex, she's a three year old, purebred Black Lab…" she continued in a chirpy manner, not caring about how close she was to practically breathe on the poor Colonel's neck. "She has been trained since she was two weeks old to obey commands and has been specifically trained to lead a blind person. She is also a stability dog, which means she can help prevent falling and she uses herself as a fall matt incase they do. She is strong and extremely smart, too smart to go to just anyone!" She laughed heartily. "Go on! Say hello!" Roy looked down at the intelligent, brown eyes looking up at him. She nudged his hand on his knee as if to say 'She told you to say hello, come on i'm waiting!'.

Roy couldn't help a smile and reached down to give her a pat on the head "Hello Alex, you are such a pretty thing arn't you?" She wagged her tail in response, looking fully aware of the fact she was being complimented. Patrice smiled affirmatively and nodded as if confirming something in her head. She began talking, a bit more formal and serious now.

"From the forms you filled in about young Edward, it seems like Alex would be the perfect fit for him. You say he struggles with agoraphobia and anxiety attacks as well as full on blindness am I correct?" She continued not letting Roy answer "Alex has some special tricks up her sleeve for dealing with these problems. And for the next few hours, I am going to teach you how to deal with her so you can teach Edward, it would be easier if I could go, but there is no one to look after my children for the next month" She gestured to the many dogs sitting in the room "So it's up to you. Alex should bond with Edward pretty fast as she knows to help the one most needy. Now! I hope you haven't anything planned for the next couple hours! It's going to be a bit intense" She smiled, a determination filling her eyes that made Roy a little nervous. "Um…" had he ever been speechless before? "Sorry but I actually have to get to work after this, I thought it would just be an introduc…" "Are you saying this isn't more important than work Mr. Mustang?" Uh oh..back to formalities .

"N-no I just…"

"Good then! Cancel everything, today you are learning to be a canine master!"

Roy smiled in defeat. There was nothing wrong with a strong willed lady. And the quicker he got this over with, the better for Ed. "Let me just make some calls. Then I'll be back to learn"

Edward had spent most of the day reading the new braille books Hawkeye had discovered in the local library. She always tried her best to find themes and topics that Edward would find interesting, which he appreciated but sometimes there just wasn't anything he liked. He was just not that into some genres, give him science books any day. But there were so little books he loved that were translated into braille, so he settled begrudgingly for the occasional murder mystery and romantic novel. Ed thought he now knew way too much about gooey romance and the inner thoughts of middle aged women than he needed to. 'Of course she'd go for Jack, he's way more genetically superior to Fabian…' Ed mumbled under his breathe, getting a little more into it than he thought. Closing the book and taking a long stretch after concentrating too long, he sat back in his chair by the bedroom window, feeling the breeze blow gently on his face. His thoughts wandered as he let the sun fall onto his pale skin.

His next pension wasn't for another month, so he'd have to wait before he could afford another private investigator to look into Al's disappearance. No one has yet to come up with any lead into his brother's whereabouts. But Edward was not ready to give up anytime soon.

Roy had stopped bothering to argue with him a good while ago, but anytime Edward brought it up, he could tell the Colonel became agitated, as hard as he tried to hide it. He knew full well how everyone talked behind his back about how ridiculous his 'hair brained' ideas were. But Ed tried not to let it get to him, otherwise it might end up with him being alone...after Winry swore she'd never forgive him, he worried about others doing the same thing...

Until then, Ed just decided he would concentrate on other things. It would help if he could go to the market, maybe even visit his old work. Things are dreadfully boring when you find it way too hard to go outside. The last time he attempted to leave the house, he ended up almost fainting from a panic attack. Everything was so intimidating out there, every sound was overwhelming and everything was just so...vast. The world span out of control and he didn't know left from right. No...no he didn't need to leave, not yet anyway.

But some part of Ed nagged as the back of his head. 'But what if you could go out? You could investigate yourself? Why are you so lazy and pathetic? If you weren't so scared your brother might be found by now, he might be scared and lying in a ditch somewhere and you haven't done a thing about it, you are the worst brother in the world! how could you! how could y…' Ed slammed his palm into his forehead, banging hard and knocking himself back to reality. He couldn't let himself get into that state of mind, not now.

Roy would be home late tonight, so he might as well attempt to look after himself properly today. Rubbing his eyes hard with his fists he groaned and decided he would go make some food to get his mind in the present. Maybe there was more peanut butter...