The Family We Have

More time passed. More specifically, a week passed by. Seven days. Over that time, Winry got set about her work again, working on Lucy's new limbs, but she knew all too well that it would be a few weeks before she could use them. But that didn't stop her. Combined with that, she was trying to figure out a way to improve her current limbs at least so they wouldn't fall apart, and her other experiments, she had very little free time. She was almost grateful that Lucy had turned up unexpectedly the week before and almost forced her to take time off. Her customers were as numerous as ever.

Alphonse threw himself into his studies, now comforted by the fact that his knew found friend had settled into life a little more than she had done the week before. He still met up with her breaks, visiting the restaurant quite often.

Edward would report back to head quarters almost daily during that time, catching up on his paper work, trying to forget the nagging feeling about the strange girl. The annoying thing was, Mustang had been asleep or busy every single time he was there, unable to give him a straight answer. To make matters worse, Sheska could find nothing on the Chemical Alchemist. It was as though he had not existed. He instead had to rely on Lucy's replies to his questions.

As for Lucy herself, she had settled into her job quite easily. She worked from about nine to four during the week, the breakfast and lunch time shifts, giving her time to find her own home and time enough for another part time job if need be. She was happy in her job. The regulars came to like her quickly, the staff found her entertaining and her services around the kitchen and on the floor were spot on. No one questioned her use of sunglasses even inside, accepting her explanation of having weak eyes, nor did they mind the fact that she was one of the only girls who worked there who wore jeans, long sleeved tops gloves. All for which she was grateful for.

But seven days had passed. Which means so had seven questions. Now on the seventh day, Lucy had already used up her 'three time refusal' embargo. She had rejected 'what colour are your eyes', on the grounds that they were what linked her too closely to a bad past. Another was 'what is your father's name?'. Here she challenged him to find it out himself, saying it was more fun to make him do that. On those same grounds she rejected the question 'who is your uncle', but she did admit that he had died four years previously.

But she did answer three other questions. She confirmed his suspicions of being biracial, half Armestrian and half Ishballan. She explained her reasons for choosing Central, over Lior or Rush Valley, for example, to settle in, explaining what it had to do with her father and uncle like she had with Alphonse. Finally she explained that her family had no idea of her existence because her father had never had a chance to tell them. He had explained that it would be hard for them to accept them anyway, but he wanted his family to meet his wife and daughter before they complained too much. But he had died before that could become a reality, and she was going to tell them now, even if it was too late for them to accept her. Though she also admitted that her uncle's wife, and probably child, were aware of her existence, simply because he insisted on her coming home so often.

His final question of the week was due that day. Sunday.

While Mondays to Thursdays she got the Breakfast and Lunch shifts, Friday and Saturday she had landed the Lunch and late shift (meaning from one to ten or eleven but she got paid justly for it). As such, Sundays she started at twelve and finished three. Which was when Edward met her waiting at a table near the counter.

"Hey Luce," said Marie, one of the waitresses, a woman Lucy got on very well with, "your boyfriend's waiting for you."

"Really? Which one?" she asked grinning, coming through t the cashier leaning on the counter, "I can't see him,"

Marie laughed. "Are you sure he's not your boyfriend?" she asked on a more serious note, "he's here everyday."

"Believe me, I've certain," she said rolling her eyes, then smirked, "besides, I know the girl he's in love with."

"Really?" asked Edward, leaning on the counter, "I'd love to meet her."

Marie chuckled and shook her head. "I'll see you tomorrow Lucy. And you mr. Elric."

Edward smiled. "Of coarse miss Marie."

Lucy paused to hug Marie briefly, then left calling her good byes to her friends at the back.

Outside she dropped her bag and stretched. "Ah feels good to be out of that uniform."

"It's an apron," Edward said flatly, standing beside her, hands in her pockets. "Besides, I swear you defy all the rules with your clothes."

"Nuh uh," she smirked, "they don't care. Just because I'm a girl, doesn't mean I have to wear a skirt."

Edward mock gasped. "You're a girl!"

"I hope that isn't your question…"

He smirked. "You wish. C'mon, we'll go somewhere quieter."

It was her turn to laugh. "Oh mr Elric, you're not trying to seduce me are you?"

"If I was," he said sullenly, "you'd have figured it out by now."

There was a moment's pause. "You do realise that could be an insult…"

Edward looked at her. He hated it when she could come back at him with one as good as his own. "Shut up and come on," he snapped, grabbing her bag, and walking off.

"Wha- wait! Edward! Wait up!" she called after him, jogging to catch up with the young man, she reached out and grabbed his leg elbow, pulling him back. "Fuck it… you don't have to walk so fast," she complained, not letting go.

"Not my fault your slow," he snapped, shaking her off and grabbing her wrist. "C'mon."

Soon they were in a park. It wasn't big, but it was nice. Small, thoroughly green with benches scattered bout the place and a few fountains here and there. There were couples and families about the place. Edward and Lucy looked a little out of place. But from the look on Lucy's face, she didn't really want to be there.

Edward spotted a bench, pulled her over and sat her down.

There was a moment's quiet, then Lucy shook herself back to reality, and the smirk she only ever showed him was back. "So… what sort of question today? Who I am? Or what I am?"

"More like a… who you are," Edward replied blandly, looking up at the sky.

He could practically feel her eyes narrowing at him. "Fire away…" she said slowly."

"What was your childhood like?"

"What?!"

He looked at her, she looked utterly startled, like he'd never seen before.

"What was your childhood like," he repeated, "you know… what were your family like… what friends did you have… that sort of thing. I mean you said that you weren't accepted in Ishbal… so I guess I'm kinda intrigued."

Lucy stared at him. He couldn't see it, but her eyes were wide. There was very little way of not giving a lot of information up. But then again… childhood was the time period when one could be a child… that hadn't lasted very long. Not for her.

"Besides," he looked away, "it's good for psychological profiling. I like to know the sort of person I'm investigating."

There was another pause, making him look at her again. Then she smiled. Really honestly smiled. It was usually an expression only aimed at Winry or Alphonse, never him. It was strange for him… a girl who could just as easily be his enemy as his friend… smiling at him. Then again, she was strange which ever way he looked at it.

"Where to start…" she murmured to herself.

*

The little girl had long black hair with a shock of silver already running through it. She didn't mind, she liked it. Besides she was only three, it made no difference to her. Her mother was still in Ishbal with her, but her father was making arrangements for them to leave and live safely, but in secret.

She sat outside, looking out on the city… it was a mess. It felt like the end of the world was coming. She sat outside with her eyes unadorned. She hated wearing sunglasses. She didn't care what anyone else thought of her.

"Hey! Look! It's the demon!" yelled a few children.

She ignored them purposefully.

"Hey demon- go back to where you came from, you're not welcome here!" jeered the children.

She continued to ignore them. She was only three but she was used to the name called and the teasings. She didn't care any more. She turned to leave them, to go back in the house, but their calls carried after her.

"Demon demon demon demon," the children chanted.

"I'm just different," she said to herself, putting her hands over her ears, "different different different."

She was. Her father had pale skin and eyes like the sky. Her mother had dark skin and eyes like fire. They both said she was a perfect blend between the two of them.

But her father could do alchemy… something she loved and adored, but everyone else hated and feared. The elders said that it was bad, and was scared of it- calling it blasphemy. As such, her father stopped practising it in public when he came to see them. He was far more accepted as one of them. But in the privacy of his own home… with his wife and daughter, he practised. He made toys for his little girl. Mended things for his beloved. And entertained them with tricks.

He brought his cousin, to come and see them. After seeing her at the age of eighteen months, he (the cousin) had obsessed about his niece ever since. He spoiled her, paid all his attention to her, treated her like his own daughter.

Some would say this could have unbalanced the girl. The sad thing was, such attention from someone so distantly related was what balanced her.

Her mother had more or less rejected the child. Of coarse she loved her daughter, but she did not like her. She never tried to get on with her, or talk over her problems. They lived in the same house, but even from a young age, the little girl more or less brought herself up with as much input from her father and uncle as they could possibly give.

When her father and uncle were there, her mother hardly acknowledged her at all. It was as though she ceased to exist. But she was loving toward her husband. It had always made the little girl sad… but she always knew that her mother would always be there for her.

Two years later. The little girl was five. The whole town had rejected her, she was no longer one of them, children jeered at her, adults ignored her, she was not one of their people. Still she would not wear sunglasses to cover her eyes. Her mother had become more protective of her daughter, doing everything she could to look after her, but she could not like her the same way her father both liked and loved her.

More than that, her father practically lived with her. Uncle was always there talking about his work. They talked about their childhood, their work and their city… Central. It was the little girl's happiest time.

It was then the tragedy happened. Her uncle had just left, the little girl and her father had seen him off. He had swung her up onto his shoulders, and complained about how heavy she was, only to have her pull on his dark hair in reply angrily.

As they turned down a side street, a short cut to their temporary house, they were only days away from moving somewhere safer, they were suddenly cornered by men.

The little girl ever afterwards could only remember one of them men there clearly. Her father had swept her up into his arms, hugging her close, protecting her with his own body. His face pinched and hardened, his silvery sky blue eyes hardened and angry. The little girl clung to his shirt and stared out. That's when she saw him. The long thin man… long limbs, sharp nose… sharp chin, long black hair, and fathomless black eyes. He scared her. He terrified her.

"Let her go, Chemical Alchemist," he said, teasing the father, "it's you we've come for."

"Why?" he snarled in reply.

The man snorted. "You shouldn't need to ask… your holding why," he pointed at the little girl, "you knew all too well there were problems here, and you still coupled with one of them and had that brat."

"Keep her out of this- she's my daughter."

"Mores the pity."

"Leave us alone, Kimblee… there's nothing you can do. I don't have to return to the army- leave me here at the mercy of the Ishballans. They don't like my family either- I am aware of that."

"There is something we can do," the Crimson Alchemist smirked, "you were killed, honourably in battle, defending your darling daughter against the savages who would not accept her. That's how you'll be remembered… on state records anyway."

His eyes widened, his grip on the little girl tightened. "You wouldn't…"

"My dear Alchemist… my old friend… I have been instructed to… by the fürer himself."

"That bastard," growled the father, "I swear- if you touch-"

"The girl? There was nothing regarding the girl," shrugged the thin man, "unless she gets in the way she won't get hurt."

The father's eyes widened, he looked at his daughter. But the five year old understood.

"NO!" she screamed, arms around her father's neck. She screamed. She screamed for help, from anyone and anything. She begged and pleaded. To no avail. The crimson alchemist's goons surrounded father and daughter trying to separate them. Clearly they all had issues about killing a child.

The father hugged her tightly, kissed her forcefully, stared into her face accepting the frenzied kisses from her five year old lips, then no longer resisted holding onto her.

A large forceful man pulled her away and refused to let her go.

He tried to cover her eyes, but the girl was too desperate to get back to herself. She still witness his death…

*

"What happened?"

"Well… I'm not sure exactly. Dad accepted the hands Kimblee put on him, and he… sort of exploded in the middle."

She shrugged, then smiled mirthlessly.

"I witness my father's murder…" A single tear crept down her face, but she did nothing to wipe it. "Weird thing is, he smiled at me. Just before he died, he smiled at me. I smiled back, there was nothing else I could do… so I smiled back. He never once took his eyes off mine. Weird… I think we both got strength from that… dad accepting his fate, me still kicking and spitting at everything that came my way."

She looked down.

"Dad was sent back here, to be buried with the rest of the military. Mum and me weren't allowed to come and see him be buried. But we got to say good bye."

She looked at him side ways, her hair falling away from her face.

"After that mum decided to take better care of me. She spent more time with me, talked to me more." A dry laugh issued from her throat. "But by then, my childhood had disappeared in all aspects but age and physical appearance."

Edward shook his head sadly. "Five years old and no longer a child."

"It happened a lot in that time… I mean at twelve you were a state alchemist…" she leaned back in her seat pushing her hair away from her eyes. "It was a strange time in history…"

"That's true."

"You know…" added Lucy suddenly. "The strange thing was… the man holding me… he wouldn't let me see the body straight afterwards. I wanted to go straight to what was left of dad, but he carried me away. Took me home, knocked me out and left me at the front door." She smiled to herself. "He didn't have to help me but he did… I'll never forget his face…"

"What did he look like?"

"Oh broad… very strong… greying hair, beard and sideburns and all… strange hair style, but there was a lot of it. He reminded me of a kind bull or something."

Edward sighed heavily. Matched the description of Greed's murdered comrade, Law. "No more story?" he asked.

"Depends on tomorrow's question."

"Good thing you get off at four then." He paused.

"Yes?" she asked.

"One more thing… it's still related…"

"Go on…"

"Was there anyone at all who didn't treat you like a… a demon?"

She nodded. "Of coarse. Not everyone's the same. Some people weren't as open as others, it was the only way mum and me survived. But there was this one old man… I used to call him grandpa… he wasn't related by blood… but he said in the eyes of Ishbal we are brethren… no matter the colour of skin eyes or otherwise. He accepted me, saying that I was the embodiment of the winds of change and should be cherished rather than ostracised."

"Who wa-"

"Nuh uh uh!" she teased, wagging her finger, "too many questions, master Elric, want to know more- ask away tomorrow… but I might refuse your question."

"You're a cruel woman, Lucy," he grumbled, leaning back in his seat, as she stood up, and retrieved her bags.

"Oh I know, but most people take less time in figuring that one out."

Edward silently grumbled to himself.

"I'm off," she announced, "I've got to freshen up a bit- I'm meeting more of your family today."

"Really?" he asked, distracted, not looking at her, his eyes were fixed on the sky again, "who?"

"Rose and Leo… they wanted me to meet a couple of other people too… Maria… Grace… something like that, and Ellie."

Edward frowned. Maria? Ellie?

"Anyway, they're out of town at the moment, so that'll have to wait till later," she grinned at him, "I'll see you later Edward."

"Yeah yeah," he waved at her as she practically ran out of the park, to the hotel. "Hey Mustang!" he called once she was out of ear shot, "you suck at hiding! Even she noticed you."

Mustang stepped out from behind the tree in front of the bench. "How could you tell."

"Her eyes were fixed on you the whole time she told the story."

"You can't see her eyes," reasoned Mustang, leaning against the truck of the tree

"No… but you get a sense for their expressions if you spend enough time with her. Almost solidly for two weeks? You kinda have to… Besides, you were standing behind a damn tree… it's just a little bit obvious." He looked at Mustang. "Nice to finally see you. It's been a while."

"I've been busy," the older man shrugged, coming to sit beside Edward.

"You got anything for me then?"

He shook his head tired, running a gloved hand through his hair. Edward looked at his superior. His skin was paler than normal, his eyes had deeper bags and he looked generally exhausted. But there was something else there. Something was bothering him. Something more personal… but he wasn't about to spill his guts to Edward of all people.

"I have a little… to begin with her name isn't really Lucy."

"I know that, I want her real name."

"Still working on it. But she's wrong about her father's name."

"What? She lied?"

Mustang laughed dryly. "Not exactly, mostly likely she isn't aware of it…" Edward frowned. "Chemical Alchemist was the nick name for the rather more known Azure Alchemist, specialising in chemical alchemy. His way with chemicals was more interesting than actual chemistry. He wasn't high ranking, he wasn't famous, but he was known, liked and is still missed even now."

"Which explains why there was nothing on the Chemical Alchemist… is Sheska looking up Azure Alchemist."

"She will once I tell her to. She's been snowed under with other stuff, but her timetable's freed up a lot more now."

"Anything else?"

"We have one lead… but we'll have to be gentle about it… take our time. But I'll fill you in once we know more." He heaved a sigh. "I need to be getting back to the office."

"You look like you need to be getting back to bed," commented Edward.

"I will… eventually."

"I'll see you tomorrow, if you're awake."

The two men stood, shook hands and went their separate ways. Edward's thoughts turned to lunch, while Mustang had more worries than anything else consuming his mind.

*

In Winry's shop, Lucy sat on a stool staring at what appeared to be an automail eyeball. She kept turning it around in her fingers, staring into closely, figuring out how it worked. It was a beautiful piece of equipment… if it worked that is.

"How'd you come up with this?!" Lucy asked astounded, looking up at Winry finally, who was working on another client's limb (a dancer's leg had to be removed, and she had invested money into buying herself an automail leg so she could continue dancing, the problem was the technology had to be exact, so it was a test for Winry's skills). "Your biological knowledge has to be exact to get it so… so… perfect!"

"Yeah I know," blushed Winry, putting down her screwdriver, "Ed introduced me to a bio alchemist, we started talking, and I told him I had a vague idea about wanting to expand automail to other than just limbs. Maybe not internal organs just yet… but eyes or noses or something. So he invited me to a few of his lectures and seminars at the university, and I stuck it out." She grinned, "it was fascinating, but I still like automail more."

"It's amazing… no alchemy involved, pure manual labour- science is still there…" she peered into the eye again, "you've got all the chemicals and the concave of the retina and everything!" She paused. "This is a bit… you know… big isn't it?"

"That?" Winry laughed, for some reason Lucy sounded a little like Alphonse. Getting excited by something new, and taking a while to notice something a little odd. "It's meant to be, it's an example to show people how it works. Wait a sec, I'll get you a real one." She hopped off the stool and made her way over to a draw, it was steel and needed a key to open it. Clearly one of the draws for her experiments. She picked one out and grinned as she made her way back to Lucy.

"Latest model," she beamed, putting it in the waiting girl's hand, "well… latest prototype."

With a grin on her face, Lucy judged the weight of the eyeball, checked the connectors to the nerves and peered inside, looking at everything. The body of the automail eye was metallic, but where the eye focused was blue, like the iris of an eye, letting in enough light to be able to focus properly. Similar to a camera.

"It's light, you've added focus to it… it looks great!" beamed Lucy.

"Yeah but I've got a long way to go," sighed Winry, running a hand through her hair, "the nerve connectors aren't quite right yet, and the focusing doesn't work properly, it's still fuzzy." She brightened. "But I've had a lot of support for this project. The local hospital has let me work on a couple of their kedavas, insisting it would be a medical break through if I managed it."

"Kedavas?" Lucy shuddered, "I don't like the idea of working on that…"

"I know I know… but I keep telling myself that these were once people too, and it was their choice to give their bodies to help people long after they die. It's the only way I can get through it."

"You end up talking to them don't you," Lucy replied dryly.

Winry blushed. "Sometimes… I can't help it! It makes it easier, like it's a volunteer not a dead body."

Lucy laughed. "Hey, do you have any volunteers?"

"Loads! I was so surprised when I first advertised it, so many people was to be able to have their vision back, even if it means loosing what they already have. It won't kill them, but if it doesn't work they have to have a glass eye for the rest of their lives."

Lucy sat back, putting the automail eye down gently. "That still amazing… you're making a breakthrough when it comes to automail and medical procedures! Everything goes through this process… making mistakes, getting it right… getting it right through mistakes… I mean- how do you think alchemy started?! Its the same here… even if your attempt doesn't quite work, you've sparked off the idea! Even years down the line, it would be because of your attempt that peoples lives have changed!"

Winry stared at her. "You know… I don't quite understand why you didn't become a mechanic."

"I don't have the concentration for it," she shrugged, "and I never stayed anywhere long enough to be able to be an apprentice to anyone."

"But you clearly love it."

"Yeah… but I kinda have to with a left arm and leg missing. I couldn't even learn to hop around! I'd have no balance!"

Winry laughed. "Yeah that's true. Guess automail does change lives… never thought of it like that… it was just incredibly interesting to me." She paused suddenly, and started playing with her fingers. "Uh… Lucy…?"

"Yeah?"

"Do… what hap…"

"What happened?"

Lucy grinned as Winry blushed bright red and nodded, still looking at the floor.

"It was an accident. There were robbers on the train we were on, and something went wrong in the boiler room… the train exploded. Mum and me were thrown clear. I think the only reason I survived was because mum sheltered me as we fell. I would have been fine, but a large chunk of the train had come after us and landed on my side, crushing my left arm and leg beyond repair. They amputated right on the spot I think… I can't remember much, I hurt too much. But when I woke up again, they told me they had one victim that no one had identified, so I had to go and identify my own mother as being dead."

"Oh… Lucy…" Winry looked as though she was about to cry.

At that Lucy snapped out of her revere and looked at her friend. "No wait, Winry," she started, "don't cry. I was seven, it was twelve years ago. I cried at the time, she was my mum. And I miss her and everything… but she'd never want me to give up my life missing her… so I don't cry, not so much any more, and I remember her in a good way. You know? Same with dad. And you do the same right? Like Al and Edward do too…" She paused, then chuckled to herself. "The one thing the four of us have in common, but probably the one thing we always over look… all of us are orphans."

Winry paused, frowning, then started laughing. "I never thought of that. For some people, that's all they need, I didn't even think of that till now."

Lucy grinned. "Weird isn't it? Better this way too. And besides, I think the parents would rather we find other things in common rather than 'we're orphans' you know?"

"Very true," nodded Winry.

"Anyway, hows your plans going for my arm? Coz the last time I looked, it looked like you wanted to add too much."

"What? No way! Look it'd be fun to-"

"No, no fun, just practical."

"Lucy!"

"No!"

They suddenly heard a laugh from the door way. Alphonse stood there grinning. "Give it up, you two," he giggled, "we've got company you know."

"Oh I'm used to it," came a gentle voice, "though I have to admit, it does tend to be Edward arguing about such things."

Lucy looked at the girl who was standing beside Alphonse. She was a pretty girl, with dark hair and pink bangs. She had dark skin, similar to her own, but the shade was different, and she was darker.

Her build was as slender as Lucy's own. Her eyes were a sort of dark purple, instead of red, counting her out from being an Ishballan. She was from Lior it seemed. Despite her seemingly innocent expression, and the fact that she looked only a little older than Lucy herself, she had a child at her hip, he looked about four years old.

His large eyes were purplish brown, his skin was a dark, but far lighter than his mother's. He seemed shy, clutching to his mother's clothes, looking at her with large eyes.

Without meaning to, or even thinking, Lucy reached out and pulled on her gloves again. She never minded so much with Winry or Alphonse, she was fairly sure they hadn't noticed her scar, but at the same time she didn't mind if they had. Yet out of habit, in front of a new person, she pulled on her gloves, pushed her glasses up her nose, and stepped down with a shy smile on her face.

"Rose right?" she asked, walking towards her, then bowed at the waist, "I'm Lucy, it's nice to meet you."

Rose stood for a moment, stunned, then walked forwards. "C'mon Lucy," she said kindly, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I'm not that much older than you."

Lucy looked up, her eyes still hidden behind those dark glasses, and smiled sheepishly. "Habit… sorry."

"Don't worry about it," laughed Rose, "it's good to finally meet you, Al's told me a lot about his newest lost kitty."

As the girls laughed, Alphonse's cheeks flushed bright red. "Do you mind!" he complained, pushing his hands in his pockets and looking away.

As Rose told him that it was nothing to be ashamed of, Lucy turned her attention to the child as Rose's hip.

"Hey kid, I'm not scary am I?"

The little boy shook his head, but his wide eyes told another story.

"So why are you hiding?"

He shook his head again.

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him. "Your chicken!" she accused, "chicken chicken chicken!"

"Not!" the little boy burst out.

"HA! There you go… maybe you're not," she grinned at him, "whats your name?"

"Leo," he muttered.

"Leo… Leo means lion… well… you're not allowed to be a chicken, because lions eat chickens… so you'd have to eat yourself. See?!"

The little boy stared at her. "Then what are you called, big sister?"

"Don't be rude," she retorted, the little boy scowled, she winked at him, "I'm Lucy, but you'd better call me big sister, otherwise your mummy might get a bit angry with you. You have to be respectful."

"I don't have to be to a silly," he replied cheekily.

Lucy's eyes widened and she gasped. "Hey! You watch it!"

Around her Rose, Winry and Alphonse had started laughing. Leo was usually such a shy child when he first met anyone. Especially anyone so much older than him. But now it was like watching two children tease each other. Lucy and Leo bantering with each other.

"Winry was right," beamed Rose, "she said you two would get on."

Lucy looked up surprised. "Huh? Oh I just like kids… though I was once told it was because we have the same maturity levels…" she made a face. Rose just laughed, handing Leo over to her. Surprisingly, Leo did not seem to mind a bit, it was easier for him to tease her. Instead he started laughing from her throwing him up in the air as 'punishment' for him being rude.

Just outside, Edward had made his way back to the shop. He had watched the proceedings between Lucy, Rose and Leo, watched her greet Rose and tease Leo. She looked happy. The people around her looked happy.

He watched on as she caught him again, only for another small argument to ensue from Lucy stealing Leo's nose. He had never seen her so relaxed before. No… that wasn't true. What he was seeing was her settling into his family, becoming one of them. Something he had to accept… but her relaxed? He'd only seen that when she was with Alphonse or Winry. She no longer worse gloves around them, she could wear short sleeves around them, she even took her shoes off when she entered Winry's apartment without even thinking.

But when it came to Edward… it was like she was indifferent to him. She neither cared whether he saw her automail limbs or her scar. It wasn't that she liked or disliked him. But she was colder… stiffer with him. For good reason too, he had to admit.

And yet there she was, playing with a child who rarely liked anyone new, from a mother who hated to hand her child over to anyone any more. Rose had developed a good sense for who was a threat and who wasn't. While Leo was still a child and his instincts tended to warn him off anyone who meant him harm.

Then again… this meant nothing. She may not have been a threat… but that did not mean she was not dangerous. And a dangerous person could become a threat, he was not about to let that happen.

He walked forewords, calling a greeting. For a moment he wished he could see Lucy's eyes. Her smile seemed to falter, but not for long. She was soon distracted by Leo tugging on her silver lock of hair, begging for his nose back. Rose enveloped him in a hug, and Alphonse complained about too many studies.

Winry announced it was time to go upstairs, time for some lunch. Edward hung back for a moment watching them go up. Rose had taken Leo back, who was looking pleased with himself for getting his nose back. Winry had already darted up the stairs ahead of them, leaving Alphonse and Lucy discussing what he had been studying.

It was odd to think how neatly she had fitted into their lives. For him it was a little to neat-

"Edward come on," a voice cut through his thoughts. He looked up to see Alphonse and Lucy waiting for him on the stairs, it had been Lucy who had spoken, "I'm hungry, and I know you are."

"I'm always hungry," he shrugged, catching up to them, "doesn't take a genius to figure that out."

"Yeah yeah, just come on!"

A little too neatly…