A/N: hey guys!

It has been a while on this story and I just want to thank all of you for all the reviews and pms you guys have sent me. I love hearing from you guys.

I am sorry about the long wait and finally here it is.

Hope you guys enjoy this chapter.

Oh! And a little warning is needed here. There is in this chapter past abuse references I think is the way to put it. What I mean is that a character was abused in the past but none of it happens in this chapter thankfully. Or maybe not since it is still abuse and I hate it with a burning passion.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Roy peeked out of his room and looked around carefully around the hallway.

Good everyone was asleep.

Not to be surprised really considering it was near midnight.

Edward had told them that they were staying at a hotel that the military had so happily supplied for them and therefore they were going to stay there.

It had been…one weird day that was for sure. Once Edward had dangled Jean and Breda out the window and pulled them back in those two had continuously hid behind the four of them shaking like a leaf. Edward seemed to be sorry and tried to get on their good side again by buying all of the ice cream but Roy didn't think that would work so easily.

Kain had kept crying and saying that he wanted his mommy. Falman said that he used to being sent to a babysitters while his mother worked, sometimes days on time, so this wasn't that much of a big deal for him. Riza…

Riza had followed Edward dutifully, smiling at him, and she even somehow got him to hold her hand. And when they had gotten to the hotel and it was time to sleep she immediately claimed the room closer to Edwards room. And when Jean, who seemed to never learn his lesson, said that he wanted it she beat him up.

Badly.

That kid just never seemed to learn.

Roy licked his lips as he carefully walked to the bathroom trying to avoid putting any weight on either of his legs. They had been walking all day and the bruises on his legs hurt a lot that he almost came close to crying from it.

But he was used to it.

He quietly crossed the hallway and entered the bathroom. He closed the door behind him and started to rummage through the medicine cabinet. They had to have a…ah! There it is.

Roy pulled the first aid kit out and opened it. He took out some antibacterial wipes and rolled up his pant legs. There on his pale skin stood out the bruises and cuts on them. Biting his lip he took a wipe and tenderly laid it across his legs.

He started heavily and bit his lip in order to keep from crying out. Turns out the cut was deeper then he first thought.

He couldn't however stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks. He let out a slight whimper and hoped that no one was awake to hear it.

Edward yawned into the back of his hand as he walked down the hallway. Something in the back of his head wouldn't let him sleep until he looked over all the kids. Some sort of instinct in him (1).

At least tomorrow his brother and Winry would come from Resembol to help him with the kids. He had called them and before he could ask them to come Winry had said "There is no way I am trusting you to the welfare of six kids all by yourself. We're coming to help you." Their help would be a big relief to him to say the least. The kids are a handful.

The kids have been…interesting to say the least.

Kain kinda acted the way he expected, small, scared. The kid mostly just wanted his mother. Ed could sympathize with that sometimes.

Falman was…weird. He seemed to be friendly with Kain the most; it seemed like he almost adopted Kain as his younger brother and looked after him the entire day. He was also entirely different then when he was an adult. This one actually seemed kinda…cool. (2)

Jean and Breda were the biggest brats he had even seen, and he remembered his own small childhood. They had constantly tried to run away from him, not that he really blamed them considering he dangled them out the window, and they hadn't stopped until Edward had tied them up and held onto them like they were on a leash. Well some people do see all military personal as 'Dogs of the military.'

Riza was absolutely nothing like her old self at all. This one was bubbly and giggly. And Ed knew which one he preferred.

Also that look she had in her eyes reminded of him whenever Al had pointed out girls that were looking at him in Central.

Roy had been the biggest surprise he had had in his fifteen years.

The arrogant, self-centered, bastard he had known had disappeared. Instead in his place was a quiet and closed boy. He seemed to just try to blend in with the background and try to keep as much attention away from him as possible.

Ed shook his head. Time to check on 'his' kids.

He first checked on the bedroom where Havoc and Breda were sharing. They had become fast friends and almost inseparable from the other. They were both sleeping soundly; Jean was asleep with his mouth open and drool running from the corner. Edward chuckled slightly at him.

Breda had kicked his blanket halfway to the floor. Edward picked it up and straightened it on him before leaving the room.

Next was Kains room. The kid had fallen in love with a stuffed dog from a street vendor and wouldn't go anywhere until he got it. So Ed had bought it, and not to be considered that he was picking favorites he also bought some stuffed toy for the other kids as well.

And as for the dog he was in a death grip in Kains arm as he was fast asleep peacefully. The same with Falman who seemed to be in the middle of a dream where he was running as his legs moved around on the bed.

Ed let himself laugh for a moment before entering Rizas room.

She had insisted on getting a lion saying that it reminded her of himself. Something to do with the hair or something. Either way she was sleeping with it in her arms peacefully and with a small smile on her face. Edward looked over her for another moment before leaving the room.

Ed was about to open the door to Roys room when his ears heard something.

Crying?

He turned and looked around the empty hallway. It was empty so where…

There. The bathroom.

He walked over to the door and quietly opened it. What he saw there caused his eyes to open wide.

There was Roy sitting on the toilet seat, with his pant legs rolled up, and bruises coloring his skin. Roys eyes were closed and he tears were rolling down his face.

Edward entered the bathroom as quietly as he could without startling him. It didn't seem to work because his head shot up in horror.

Ed knew his eyes were filled with sympathy and his heart seemed to clench in pain for a moment. Roy began to breathe heavily.

A few moments passed in silence before Roy hurriedly rolled his pant legs down and tried to run out the bathroom.

Edward gently caught his arm and steered him back. He picked Roy up and sat him back on the toilet seat. He kneeled down to Roys eye level and stared into Roys panicked eyes.

"Roy" Edward said, in a gentle tone of voice. "How did you get hurt?"

Roy licked his upper lip. Ed could see he was doing some fast thinking when he said "I fell."

Ed smiled slightly and said "Kid. I've gotten hurt before. You don't get hurt all over your legs for falling."

A thought occurred to him. He bent his head to Roy and asked softly "Did your father do this to you?"

Roys eyes widened even more and his body began to shake. He shook his head sharply and nonsense words started to stammer from his mouth. "No…it's…it's…well."

Edward placed his hands on Roys shoulders. "You can tell me Roy. There's nothing to be scared of."

Roy slumped on the seat and shook his head "He said if I tell anyone he would kill me."

This time Edward shook his head "Roy I swear to you. No one is going to hurt you. You see this?" he asked holding up his right arm.

Roy nodded his eyes on the metal.

"My mechanic made this out of some very strong metals. Nothing can break it and if they can then my mechanic will break them." he said. "Now I swear on my arm that he will not hurt you. Now please tell me. Who did this?"

Roy shuddered slightly and with his eyes closed tightly he whispered "My father."

Why was it always the fathers that did something horrible, excluded Hughes of course.

Ed nodded and tried to put a smile on his face to help comfort Roy.

He straightened up and spotted the first aid kit on the counter. He opened it and pulled out some bandages and ointments and commenced to tending to the wounds on Roys legs.

Roy sat there quietly as Ed worked on his legs until he finally bandaged them . Ed looked Roy in the eyes.

"Now before we go anywhere, are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked.

Roy was silent for a moment before saying "My arms and my shoulders feel weird."

Wordlessly Ed pulled Roys shirt off and his eyes widened at the litter of bruises on the skin. They were almost everywhere.

'Bruises on the legs make them stiff.' Edward realized. 'They cause you to walk stiffly.'

That's why the way Roy was walking seemed familiar. They reminded him of himself whenever he had gotten hurt on his missions and didn't want anyone to notice. He was such an idiot for not realizing.

He growled softly and saw Roy shrink back with his eyes clouding in fear. Edward swallowed the growl coming out again and adopted another smile.

"I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself." he told Roy.

"Why?" Roy asked cocking his head to the side.

"For not noticing that you were hurt." he told him concentrating on bruises.

Roy looked down on the tiled floor. "Not your fault." he mumbled.

Ed sighed and gently turned Roy around so that he his back faced him. The bruises caused anger to run through him but he made sure that it wouldn't show through his touch as he applied the ointment to help bruises and heal cuts.

"It's my fault anyway." he heard Roy say.

"What do you mean it's your fault?" Ed asked puzzled.

"It's my fault. I'm a bad boy and I deserve to be punished." Roy said. Ed could almost feel the tears running down his face again.

Ed closed his eyes for a moment fought himself. Half of himself was a monster calling for blood and revenge on someone who would dare harm a child while the other half of him knew that Roy needed comfort right now and to be set straight.

"Tell me Roy how do you do in school?" Ed asked.

"I always get straight A's and the teachers call me one of the best students." Roy answered.

"Do you have chores at home?" Ed asked again putting on the bandages on his shoulders.

Roy nodded. "As soon as I get home."

"Besides your father does anyone else call you a bad boy?"

"…no." Roy answered quietly.

Ed nodded his head. "Well then Roy I can't see how you're a bad kid."

Roy looked over his shoulder at Edward and Ed almost flinched at how hopeful he looked.

"I'm not?" he whispered.

Ed smiled. "Your not." he said firmly.

Roy smiled then. He hopped off the toilet seat as soon as Ed put the shirt back on him and waited as Edward put the remaining bandages and ointments in the first aid kit and back in the medicine cabinet.

He then picked up Roy and started to walk towards his assigned room.

He stopped however when Roy grasped his shirt and looked at him with a question in his eyes.

"What?" Ed asked.

"Can…can I sleep with you?" he asked timidly.

Edward blinked in surprise before smiling and nodded. He changed course and instead entered his own room and placed Roy on his bed.

"Do you want me to go get your hawk for you?" he asked.

Out of all the toys at the store vendor Roy had picked a golden hawk (3) and nodded eagerly at that.

Edward went back to Roys room to retrieve the fallen hawk, which had landed on the floor when Roy did his little escapade to the bathroom, and quickly walked back to him.

Ed handed the hawk to Roy and crawled into the bed and under the covers himself. He sat up for a moment to make sure Roy was okay and had plenty of the blankets as well.

He was surprised however when Roy crawled onto his lap and snuggled into his chest before seeming to get comfortable and fall asleep right there on Eds lap.

He sighed for a moment before rubbing Roys back in a soothing pattern. Without knowing why he started to hum one of the lullabies his mother had sung for himself and his brother. He didn't know why he felt so inclined to do this with kid Roy but he went with it.

His own eyes drooped slightly and slowly he also fell asleep.

"…ther…Brother. Brother."

"Is he even awake Al?"

"I don't know. Do you think he knows that he has a miniature Roy mustang on his lap?"

"Don't know but either way."

There was a sound of a camera going off.

Edward groaned and opened his eyes. There standing in front of him were none other then his brother Alphonse and his mechanic and childhood best friend Winry Rockbell.

And in her hands were a camera. Why would she be holding a camera?

"Winry? Al?" he asked sitting up slightly. He felt movement in his lap and arms and looked down. There was Roy still asleep in the same position as last night.

Winry giggled slightly. "Aw doesn't he look adorable." she said.

Ed rolled his eyes and got up careful not to disturb Roy. He laid him back on the bed gently and stretched his arms out.

"You guys have no idea how glad I am that you're here." he said, looking at them.

(1) Yeah Ed, that's your fatherly instinct kicking in.

(2) The way I see it Falman was a cool and semi-wild teenager then settled down as he got older. [Insert fan-girl sigh.]

(3) I'll give you guys three guys to this. If you don't get it at the first well then I will be very disappointed at you.

I was going to end this chapter at Ed and Roy falling asleep but then decided to add that little part.

And Eds poor brain hasn't realized that Winry took a picture of him and Roy yet.

I don't know what the next chapter will have or even when it's going to be up next, school is a killer and so are mid-term exams ugh.

Well I think that's all to say except that I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter, leave a review, and I hope to see you soon.

This is Phoenix-Fire Power over and out.