A/N: Thank you LonelyFairy! You're review seriously made my day! Hehe... her name... ah we shall see. As for Ed =____='' I'm beginning to wander if I've made these character's compatible at all! Ah well :P Such things cannot to revealed too quickly ;] I hope you enjoy chapter eight!

Life Goes On

A month passed. Slowly. Summer had well and truly arrived, the days were now hot instead of pleasantly warm

Lucy's injuries healed, but she was still on edge. The fact that she knew her brother was in town scared her worse than she would ever admit. But he never showed his face to her again. The problem was she didn't believe that meant anything when it came to him.

She had managed to find a place to live… with Winry, until she found her own place. The best part of that deal was the fact that Winry said the only payment she wanted for the room (that had been vacated the week before Lucy's time in the hotel had run out) was her help in the shop when ever she could give it. Which generally meant after her work at the restaurant during the week she worked afternoons, Fridays and Saturdays, she worked mornings and sundays she was given off.

Over that time, Winry and Lucy became closer than either of them had thought possible in such a short space of time. Even after finding out about her past from Edward, she felt she could trust Lucy. Especially after she told her the story behind her left side.

Meanwhile Edward had kept his promise about not investigating her through interrogation. Instead he began to get to know her as a person, someone he could consider a friend. Despite their obvious friendship growing closer, they bickered worse than Winry and he had. Half the time people weren't even sure what had sparked off the argument. Yet the two of them had grown closer without even realising.

As for Alphonse, he was feeling rather pleased with himself. He and Lucy had always been friends, and pretty good friends despite the large age gap. But now his two best friends, Winry and Edward, were friends with the new comer too.

The Tringham brothers had hung around for a further two weeks after the attack. Russell and Lucy found a lot of common ground with each other, while poor Fletcher was still rather scared of her. At the same time, the younger Tringham found himself admiring her as well. She could be soft and gentle, but at the same time loud and intimidating.

The only problem Edward was having, that seemed to have taken up a lot of his time, was trying to keep Gracia and Lucy from meeting. And life had become much harder since Lucy had moved in with Winry. He was just grateful she worked rather long hours.

One morning, about a month after Lucy's attack, Edward ended up at the office looked exhausted. Havoc immediately cracked up laughing.

"C'mon then, what's happened today?" asked Falman good naturedly.

"Please don't ask," grumbled Edward, slumping at a desk, "last night was the hardest night I've ever had to put up with."

The night before, Gracia had gone out with a few of a friends to the same restaurant that Lucy was working in. By chance Edward had been sent there to pick up some food for himself, Alphonse and Winry. When Gracia had walked in, Edward had spent the next hour trying to distract Lucy by going to the back repeatedly. He even had to enlist the help of her closer friends of Marie and Harry.

"What are you doing here anyway?" demanded Mustang, "shouldn't you be on your mission."

"Look… it's Saturday, and Lucy got off late last night, she's got the morning off. Even if Gracia does turn up, that girl is dead to the world until about twelve."

A muscle twitched in Mustang's forehead, his teeth gritted. Edward being smart arsed again.

"What you doing here anyway?" asked Hawkeye.

"I've just got a lead on Maes Hughes' mother's maiden name."

"How?"

"Sheska tracked down his parents marriage certificate," shrugged Edward, "but it's kinda now my problem to find out any more. But it looks like I'm going to have to go to a registration office. They don't have anything in the records room."

"So why are you here?" asked Mustang, irritably.

"To pick it up," he picked up a photocopy of a document and waved it in the air, "and don't burn it, I've got another three copies with Sheska in case you did that."

"You've definitely been working with me for way too long," grumbled Mustang.

"No really," muttered Havoc, "we've been doing that since we first met him."

Edward snorted and got up. "All right, I'll see you guys later. I've got work to do."

"No- you're just being nosey," Mustang said, casually.

"And damn proud," retorted Edward, walking out of the room, "and don't make a short joke- it doesn't work on me any more."

"Sure, short stuff, keep telling yourself that."

Edward froze mid step, muttered darkly and moved on, his shoulders hunched. He wasn't sure why, but hearing any references about being short to him still got to him. He wasn't even that short any more!

As he walked out of the room, Mustang smirked.

"Still got it."

"Sir," said Hawkeye suddenly, "might I ask… what have you told Mrs. Hughes about Lucy?"

Mustang stopped, and made a face. "That I had a lead on her where abouts," he shrugged, "I'm not lying."

"Yes sir… keep telling yourself that," Hawkeye said dryly.

Mustang looked up at her in surprised, she just went back to keeping Black Hayate entertained. He shook his head. Hawkeye's wit was the same as ever.

*

He went to three registration offices. Nothing was turned up. He was getting annoyed. It was getting close to lunch time, and he'd had nothing to eat but for an orange he'd stolen off Georgie at the desk.

He arrived at the fourth. It was a simple affair unlike the grand halls he had been to before. He frowned… from what he had seen of Hughes, he thought it unlikely that his parents would have married somewhere so quiet. But then again… he knew very little of what his parents were like. He never talked about them apart from saying his mother never liked him joining the military.

He walked in, and found himself at the reception desk. The woman behind the desk was a brunette, who looked incredibly bored. He walked over to her putting his hands on the table in front of her. She looked up, and sat straighter suddenly looking far brighter.

"How many I help you?" she asked happily.

He pulled out his Alchemist watch and put it on the table. "Access to your records room please?"

She stared at the watch then at him, and her eyes widened. "Yes mr. Elric, right away," she managed to get out, standing up, "Susan! Come watch the desk!"

"All right!" a faint voice called from the back.

"Come this way Mr. Elric."

Edward smirked. The perks of being a famous alchemist… they didn't have to know that he had more or less no jurisdiction over the registration records.

"In here," smiled the girl, opening a door.

"Thank you," he said shortly, "I'll call if I need any help."

"But I-" he just looked at her, "yes mr Elric… sir." She left very quickly.

He grinned. Fourth time that day. It did not get old. Right, he put his hands on his hips. Maes Hughes' mother's full maiden name was Freya Patterson. All he had to do was look up up the the married registration for a Patterson that wasn't to a Hughes. Then find the birth certificate, which should have been there, to make sure it was the right woman, then head back to head quarters to get more information on Blake… what ever he found out the surname was.

It was a plan… and if it worked, he'd probably be able to find out her full name as well. That is… if she took her father's surname… finding an Armestrian and Ishballan marriage certificate would be much harder to do.

He was there for an hour before he found Patterson. But it was a birth certificate. Of Freya and Desdemona Patterson, identical twin girls. Born about seventy years previously.

Well… he was on the right track. But in the wrong file.

Grumbling to himself he moved on. Another hour passed. With a lot of him complaining and cursing. Occasionally kicking things. Outside the woman at the desk Rebecca and her friend Susan pressed their ears against the door, jumping back when he kicked something.

"What's he looked for?" asked red headed Susan.

"I dunno," Rebecca replied, "he's been in there for hours!"

"AHA!" cheered the Alchemist inside, the two women turned their attention back to eavesdropping.

There were two certificates in his hands. One was of Freya Patterson to Fredrick Hughes. The other of Desdemona Patterson to… He looked at the name… Zackarius… Fuller. So… Lucy's grandparents were Desdemona and Zackarius Fuller.

It was strange to think of her in those terms. At least he now knew her surname… at least it was if she had her father's surname. Blake Fuller. The Azure Alchemist.

It was a start.

He glanced up at the clock in the room, and muttered a curse. He had promised Lucy he'd go pick up some food off her at two, it was now half past. She was going to kill him. He put the file back and ran out of the room. Knocking over the two unsuspecting receptionists.

"Thank you!" he called over his shoulder, "you were a great help!"

Susan and Rebecca rubbed their noses, looking confused.

"What did we do?" asked Susan.

"I have no idea…"

*

Edward arrived at the back way to the restaurant where Lucy was standing, cigarette in hand looking annoyed. She scowled as she saw him approaching.

"You're late," she snapped coldly.

"I know, I'm sorry, research," he gasped, bending over, his hands on his knees.

"On what?"

"You what else?" he complained, "gimme a minute!" He fell back on the ground, catching his breath, "I ran here!"

Lucy smirked, pushing her glasses up her nose. "I can see that Elric," she retorted.

"Oh what? You're not that annoyed with me! I'm not that late!"

"Almost an hour," she replied, "it's cold now."

"I'll heat it up."

"What ever, she pushed the boxes into his hands. "Marie said you'd be late, I should have listened to her."

"It's not like you cooked it."

"I did actually," she snapped, "we're low on cooks at the moment, I'm doubling up as one for the day." She shrugged, "though it does mean extra pay, coz we've been doing so well recently." She grinned quite happily.

Edward looked up at her. Lucy Fuller. He couldn't think of her in those terms. It would always be Lucy to him… but he'd like to have known her real name.

"Hey Lucy, can I have my question of the day?"

"Yeah sure, it's been ages since you asked," she shrugged, not wanting to remember the circumstances for the last question.

"Your father's name…"

She looked at him sharply as he got to his feet, dusting off his leather trousers. "Yes…?"

"His name was Blake Fuller right?"

She didn't move for a few moments, then smirked. "That took you six weeks," she said, sounding almost proud, "that's not bad. Yep, the Azure Alchemist's name was Blake Fuller."

"So… if your surname is Fuller?"

She grinned, almost wickedly. He could almost imagine her with her red eyes twinkling mischievously. "Part of it…"

He stared at her. "You have a double barrel surname?"

"Yep," she nodded, "have you found out who my uncle is yet?"

He hesitated. Then shook his head. "But I know his mother's name was Freya Patterson."

She stared at him. "You found out by birth certificates?"

"Yep, more or less."

"You idiot!" she snapped, "why didn't you just look up Azure Alchemist?!"

"Because the record of his name was destroyed idiot," Edward snapped back, "why'd you think I took so long. I had to come up with another way. I just got lucky Blake isn't a common first name." He was making things up on the spot now, though it was true that his real name had been destroyed off the document, and Sheska hadn't read that file. "And I read the report to do with your father's death."

"It says was killed by insurgents doesn't it?"

He nodded, looking annoyed. "It's bureaucracy though, the new government can't change what's written there without a court case. And with most of the witnesses but for you dead… it'd never make it to court."

She sighed. "I guess… well… I know the truth… I guess that's all that really matters."

Edward put a hand on her shoulder. "True, and he probably thinks the same way."

She grinned. "Well I take after him, so I should think so!"

Gracia had been right, Edward realised in surprise. That grin… it was just like Hughes'. It was strange seeing a dead man's smile on a live young woman.

He shook his head. "All right, I'll see you tonight all right?"

"You staying over?"

"Well not exactly. Al's been complaining about my food again, so we're coming over for dinner Winry's cooking tonight."

"All right, see you then."

Edward waved as he ran off again. Grateful he had gotten away with that lie. Most of the time Lucy picked up on his lies faster than anyone else he knew. Most of the time, not all the time. He guessed it helped when it was at least partly true.

Now he had to give Winry the lunch for herself and Al, eat himself and go research more on Blake Fuller. Maybe find out who he married in Ishbal.

He could not help but grin to himself as he ran back to Winry's shop. The investigation had changed dramatically from researching a possible criminal to playing a sort of hide and seek with a friend. The more clues he got to uncovering who she was, the more proud of himself he got and the more he got to know the girl in question.

Though he did find it annoying having to keep Gracia and Lucy apart all the time. More recently Gracia had begun looking off into the distance more and more. It was obvious she was thinking about someone far away. She had more or less gotten over Maes Hughes death, that wasn't to say she didn't miss him, she could just live now. She was clearly thinking about the member of her family that she had never met, but wanted to.

Edward looked foreword to the day that he would be able to do that. Reunite niece and aunt… reunite a family.

Lucy watched Edward run off, then shook her head.

"Stupid stupid," she muttered, dropping her cigarette, "forget about it…"

"What's with you?" asked Harry, as he backed out of the door, carrying a ton of garbage.

"Nothing," shrugged Lucy, smiling, "I've just had to drop some food off with Edward, the bugger was late."

"Ooo Edward eh?" Harry waggled his eyebrows at her, as he dumped the trash can on the floor.

"Ah shuddup, ya moron," grumbled Lucy, "we've got work to do. Has Laura come in yet?"

Harry sighed. "She's called in sick… we're desperately under staffed here."

"Yeah- I dunno why, this joint is one of the best known on the street! We can easily afford to hire more help."

"Try telling that to the management…"

Their voices trailed off as they re-entered the restaurant kitchens, complaining about the state of their management. Hidden in the shadows a man chuckled to himself, dropping his own cigarette.

"Found you…" he murmured to himself, his dark glasses glinting in the dim light filtering through to him. He glanced back at the door, and turned and left. He had want he needed.

*

Lucy ended up with the night off. The management decided to call it a night when that evening only a couple of people turned up for the bar. Lucy and Marie were given the night off, while Harry stayed on to play bouncer for a few hours.

"You'll be all right won't you?" Lucy asked as she bade him good bye at the cashier.

"You worry too much," he grumbled, "come on, this is me- no one can touch me."

"Yeah but… some people are more dangerous than others."

"You talkin' about yourself there?"

"No… I'm harmless."

Harry burst out laughing, laying his hands on her shoulders. "Lies all of it," he told her gently, "go on, get home, I bet Eddie's waiting for you."

Lucy stared up at him then sighed. "Be grateful I like you…"

"See what I mean," he teased, "dangerous."

"Sweetheart," she smirked, he could imagine her winking at him, "you have no idea."

"All right creepy, get out," Harry sighed, pushing her out of the restaurant, "I don't want to see you until one tomorrow all right?"

"Yes sir!" she beamed, suddenly becoming more innocent. She waved as she ran off into the night, heading towards Winry's.

Which is when she met him again.

She was at the beginning of the street, the sun was setting, everything was in silhouettes. She paused at the start and smiled to herself, satisfied. Two months… nearly two months and she had made Central her home. She had a few things she needed to clear up… she had to visit her uncle Maes, and her father. She had to meet her aunt Gracia and her little cousin- no, little sister, Elysia. Then she'd be well and truly at home.

The she spotted them. One was the dirty blonde haired young man, Ace, leaning against a wall, sunglasses perched on the bridge of his nose. The other a brunette male, stubble covering his chin. She had never met him before… but he looked vaguely familiar.

"Ah… little miss Lucy, all alone I see," Ace sounded smug. But it was only him and that… guy.

"Yeah yeah and you're utterly surrounded by your army," she rolled her eyes as she crossed the street to talk to him. He was harmless while he was on his own. "What do you want?" she asked, putting her hands in her pockets, watching the blonde closely.

"It's not what I want, doll," he shrugged, "this guy wanted to see you for himself."

She looked up at him. He was tall, broadly built, square chin, covered in dark stubble with dark hair. He looked at her with green eyes, tinted with a little yellow. He did look familiar. She didn't know how or where.

Unless…

"You're from the military aren't you?" she asked him, "you've worked with Edward Elric or Roy Mustang… right?"

The young man shrugged. When he spoke, he spoke with a deep soulful voice. "Once or twice, yes I have. I do remember Fullmetal when he was a pip-squeak."

Lucy laughed to herself. "Don't let him call you that… last time I did I ended up in a cage of cement."

The young man looked at her, studied her features. "I'd heard of you," he stated, "the young biracial girl… caused a bit of a stir in the brigadier general's team from what I remember."

She frowned. "Humm," she nodded curtly, "Roy Mustang made a mistake, he retracted it and apologised to me personally."

He snorted. "I wander why…"

"Who are you anyway? A military man like you shouldn't be hanging around with scum like him," she indicated to Ace violently.

"Why you-"

"Artemis," snapped the young man forcefully, "Lucy wasn't it? Don't cause trouble where trouble isn't necessary."

"Pointless telling me that, trouble comes my way like I'm wearing a fuckin' magnet."

To her surprise that cracked a smile from the stranger. Which he tried to cover up immediately. "That aside… Artemis here is an informer… a spy if you will."

Lucy stared at him, Ace just grinned back at her. "Hey, you wanna make a home? So do I, Rush Valley did me no favours."

"I can see that…" she looked at the stranger, "look, you could take on anyone, but you want to take on this moron? You have to be kidding me- he can't look after his own damn secrets! Forget about an investigation units secrets!"

The man, it seemed, could not stop staring at her. It was as though he was in shock of some kind. He physically shook his head, then smirked. That smirk looked strangely familiar too. "Sounds like your offering your services."

"As a snoop? You have to be kidding me… I like my job thanks, and I liked my way of life. I don't feel like being tethered to anything."

"I see… Artemis, it appears you were right."

"I told you, Ted, the girl's a menace, why you wanted her…"

"He's gotta put up with you," shrugged Lucy, "who'd blame him."

Ace developed a twitch in his eye. He lunged at her only to have the young man pull him back. "You little-!"

"Artemis, calm down," snapped the man, "from what you've told me she could snap you in half without breaking a sweat."

"He said that?"

"He tried to play it down, but that's more or less what he meant," the young man nodded curtly.

Lucy chuckled. "Guess I made an impression. It was nice to meet you both, but I have to get going. Thank you for the offer sir," she added, "but I'll be keeping my post at the restaurant."

"Come to the office if you change your mind, ask for Ted, everyone knows me as Ted."

She nodded. "Ted? All right. Thank you sir." She bowed at the waist quickly and left, heading straight to the shop. The two men on the corner watching her.

"So that's her…" muttered Ted.

"The one and only- why are you so interested in her anyway? She's a problem in my books."

"You'll see," shrugged the young man turning on his heel and walking away.

*

Watching his friends, his little family around him, Edward suddenly felt like an old man. He was happy and contented. Lucy and Alphonse were sitting on the floor playing cards while Leo and tried to learn the game, occasionally having his nose stolen by Lucy. Winry and Rose stood in the kitchen cooking that evening's meal while he sat and watched all of it.

When Lucy first arrived, he'd half expecting things to never go back to normal, having a new comer disrupting everything. But it didn't seem to be the case. She fitted in. Maybe it was because she was related to Hughes, or because she was similar to each one of them in some way. But it was as though they had found a long lost cousin that they never wanted to let go.

"Uncle Ed?" a voice came from about knee height, "uncle Ed?"

"What's up kid?" he asked, picking up Leo.

"Auntie Lucy stole my nose!"

"I told you it's big sister!" snapped Lucy, holding up a fist with Leo's 'nose' held firmly between her fingers, "and until you start calling me that there is no way you're getting your nose back."

"Awwh be nice, Lucy-sis," teased Edward.

"Don't you start," growled Lucy, "I'm younger than you!"

"You're still my auntie Lucy," grumbled Leo, "your the same age my mummy!"

"I am not, I'm about five years younger actually."

"Close enough for me," the little boy blew a raspberry.

"Dinners ready!" called Rose, "Lucy please give Leo his nose back- he won't eat with out it."

Lucy growled, laid her cards down and crawled over to Leo as he sat on Edward's lap. She pushed her thumb onto his nose and pouted. "There you go, you have your nose back."

The little boy cheered and threw his arms around her neck. "Thank you auntie Lucy!"

"You won this round, kid," chuckled Lucy, grabbing the small boy off Edward's lap, "but not next time!" She picked him up, swinging him into the air and caught him again as he started laughing. She put him under her arm, carrying him like a sack of potatoes to the kitchen. The adults laughing.

At the dinner table Edward looked around again. Alphonse had his alchemy book, Winry and Lucy were discussing automail and her progression with her new limbs, Rose was trying to feed Leo.

"Leo come on, eat would you," sighed Edward, "I'll fix your train with alchemy if you do."

The little boy gasped. "Really!" Edward nodded seriously. "Ok then!"

Lucy laughed at the reaction. "You're not bad with kids," she commented, "though I still pity yours."

He flushed red and growled. "Why's that?"

"They're spawned from you… they'll probably all turn out to be shorties."

"I WAS NEVER A LITTLE RUNT THAT YOU COULD BARELY SEE THROUGH A MICROSCOPE!" snapped Edward.

Lucy stared at him. "You know… that never fails to entertain me…"

Alphonse was in hysterics. "You know brother, your not that short any more."

"I never was…"

The conversation progressed. Life went on. It was calm, peace and quiet. Just like it had been two months before. But this time it involved a new person. Not that it was a bad thing. Edward smiled to himself. Life was good.

The question really was… was this the calm before the storm that they all secretly dreaded?