This is an idea I've been tossing back and forth in my mind. I'm not sure if any other Roy/Ed authors would be interested, but I was thinking it'd be neat if a few of us got together and started a fic, and switch back and forth on creating the chapters. Such as Person A does chapter one, Person B does chapter 2, and so on. Kind of working off of each other to create and complete a fic. I guess if anyone's interested in ironing out details, or participating, let me know. We'd probably have to set a participating author limit.. I have one person as of this morning who would like to participate. Naturally my update schedule does not work for everyone, but I was thinking maybe an update once a week at least.

Anyway, if anyone else is interested, drop me a PM, or add me to one of my contacts so we can talk. Thanks for reading!

I'd like to note ahead of time that this chapter is 5 pages on Word shorter than the others have been. I did that for a reason based on what scenes I separated. It flows better this way. I hope you still enjoy it P. The last chapter got the most reviews yet, and I loved them. Paon, I'm glad at least SOMEONE noticed how I snuck in the trip and fall line. You so deserve a hug. Yay for subliminal advertising!

Chapter Seven

When Edward Elric had awoken this morning and stumbled half asleep out into the kitchen Alphonse had presented him with a scheme he'd cooked up. The basics? Get the hell out of Central, let Winry poke at him with a few screwdrivers and wrenches, and see if Mustang followed after him. In his half lethargic state of mind, this idea certainly seemed better than locking himself up for another day, or hopping onto the first train he saw. This idea actually sounded somewhat intelligent and purposeful, and truth be known, he was curious to see the outcome.

So Edward had marched his still slowly rousing self into a very hot shower in which he felt he might be losing a layer of skin. His automail seemed to glow like his own personal heater for nearly ten minutes after he stepped out. Toweling off he'd dressed in all his normal wear before dealing with the disaster that was his hair. He'd not been too nice with it yesterday, all that moping around and rolling about on his bed fitfully. Now it was a tangled mess, and as it air dried it was starting to frizz up. Deciding he'd rather not look like he'd gotten a perm, Edward quickly paired up with his hairbrush and battled for domination over the unruly locks.

He won.

Barely.

Pulling it back into a loose braid and tying it off Ed flicked had off the lights of the bathroom and had gone out to fetch Alphonse.

Ten minutes later, they were out the door.

Edward boarded the train and took his seat beside Al. During the walk here, Ed had decided he had two options:

One, he could remain a sad little mess of Edward who pined over what he didn't have. The Edward who desperately wished for Roy to come back despite what protests he would make, and drag him back to that house where he would do unmentionable things in the bedroom.

Or two, he could pour his efforts into hoping this plan of Al's worked. The plan in which if Mustang wanted Edward back, he would have to chase after him on a red eye train, and arrive to amend what he'd done in the form of some twisted romantic comedy. After which Roy could then drag Ed back to that house and let the fun begin.

Seeing as how he now sat on the train, increasingly looking like he was finally emerging from his ice cube of melancholy, it was easy to see which choice Edward had ended up sponsoring. He just hoped that this would work. He'd decided he'd stay a week in Risembool. After a week if Roy had not come it would be clear that he was not going to come to his senses. He hoped that he would not have to deal with that.

He wanted Roy to come. He wanted to finally go to Roy and finish that damned kiss that had been brewing since Friday. He hoped he'd be able to.

"He'll come." Al told his brother, correctly interpreting the look in Ed's golden eyes. He'd been silently watching the wheels turn in his brother's mind. He knew Edward had agreed this method was for the best.

"I hope so." Edward replied and smiled over at his brother. "It's kind of funny, actually, for once he's the one doing the chasing." It was an ironic little morsel of reality, and it left him laughing lightly. Yet it was a saddened laugh.

"He better, if he wants you back." Al nodded, but still gazed at his brother in concern. For Ed's sake, he hoped that Mustang would come to his senses. "If he does, he'll come."

"You don't plan on making it that easy though, do you?" Edward almost smiled as he watched his younger brother.

Al shook his head, "no. He's probably going to be accosted by both Winry and I." Hey, the guy deserved it.

"That's almost mean."

"Well, the man can march through the fire." Al said firmly and nestled back into his seat. "Don't worry, we won't chase him off though."

"Nothing could if he truly wants me back." Edward laughed softly. "He's much too stubborn to accept losing."

"You're probably right." Al smiled, happy to see his brother looking more cheerful. He knew it would only be a matter of time and a plan of their own before Ed would start looking happier. It would take Mustang to make things completely better, but this was a start.

"Thanks for this, Al. For looking after me." Edward said, directing a smile at his brother. It was strange, to be in the care of Al, so to speak. But it was nice. It was giving him a new appreciation for the brother he once thought would never do anything like this. Certainly he never would have thought before now that Al would confront Roy about his actions.

"Someone's got to when Roy isn't around." Al teased, earning a hesitant chuckle of wry laughter from his brother's side of the seats.

Edward had to admit, Al might have a point there. Sometimes even he needed looking after. As hard a pill as that was for an independent young man to swallow. Looking out the window of the train, off to the landing where the early morning risers still milled, waiting to board or receive, he let his thoughts overtake him once more. He actually hoped they'd lead him into sleep, for he felt he sorely needed some more.

Al watched his brother through half lidded eyes, fingers locked and resting over his chest. He'd been up late last night, and early this morning. He'd had his very own mission to plan to get the newly promoted Brigadier General and his brother heading back towards the ball and chain of matrimony. It was an metaphor he was sure both parties involved would have smiled at. Once the train started moving, he'd get some sleep. He hoped.

Edward yawned, and as if on cue, the train under him began to awaken with clanking of gears and the screech of steel on steel. He'd always been somewhat fascinated with trains, ever since he was a child. They had so much power, yet it all ran on steam. He'd never grow old of being impressed by that. As the train began to move he let his head loll on his shoulder to hit the window and come to a rest.

His golden eyes stared out blankly at the crowds of people they passed as the train began to move from the landing. Even so, they subconsciously seemed to search out for one person among the crowd of the gathering many. It was with a twinge of disappointment in his heart that he did not spot who he was looking for as the train curved on the tracks, pointing his gaze instead towards empty fields. He closed his eyes. He doubted that Mustang would even be up yet, it was way too early for the man. It was silly of him to have expected anything to happen this morning.

With a resigned huff of breath, Ed cast a look over Al's way, and seeing that his brother appeared to be drifting off to sleep, attempted to do similar.

Meanwhile back at the train station…

"Did two young men come here this morning?" Roy was asking the rather dazzled looking woman at the ticket window. "Both blondes, one dark one light. One's kind of short for his age."

"Short…" the woman mused, her eyes on him, "I doubt it's short."

Roy's eyes widened momentarily, before he narrowed them. "Let's make this more specific, shall we? Did you see the Fullmetal Alchemist come by here?" He was aware Ed often rode the trains, and most people in Central knew who he was. How could they not, their beloved hero. The guy was nearly as famous as he was.

The woman smiled at him, "maybe I did. Maybe I didn't. It's hard to be sure… now maybe for a cup of coffee…"

"I haven't the time."

"..I might be persuaded…" she continued, pretending not to hear him.

"Look-"

The cocking of a gun broke into Roy's train of speech, "I think I might be persuaded to show you how big a hole these things can leave, if you don't give the general a straight answer." Riza said coldly.

The woman behind the ticket window gaped at her, and started stuttering.

"Great, Hawkeye." Roy said sarcastically, "now we'll never get an answer at all. You frightened the poor sheep."

"That's what wolves do, sir." Was her abrupt answer.

"I saw him, yeah." The woman finally bit out as she stared down the barrel of the gun in fear.

"Did he get on a train?" Roy asked quickly.

"Yeah, his companion, the other blonde, bought two tickets."

Roy swore something colorful, and almost bashed his head into the nearest wall.

Riza shot him a look.

Composing himself, barely, Roy turned to the woman again who Riza still had at gunpoint. "Where's the train?"

"It left but three minutes ago." She said haltingly, as if unsure how she should safely answer that.

Another stream of curses erupted from Roy's mouth, but before Riza could do more than frown, he turned to other words, "to where?"

"Risembool."

"I should have known. That brat's running home again."

"You have to follow him, sir." Hawkeye told him quickly.

"I know that!" Mustang snapped and rounded on the ticket woman again. "When's the next train?"

"Uh, we have an eight o'clock that goes to Xenotime, a-"

"To Risembool, you useless waste of space!"

"Sir!"

"It's true!"

"Be nice to the poor sheep!"

"You're the one who's got a gun to her head! Don't tell me to be nice to the sheep!"

The woman, at this time, was looking very nervous, and her manicured fingers shook as she typed on her computer. "The next train to Risembool doesn't leave until nine o'clock-"

"This morning?" Roy interjected hopefully.

"Tonight." The woman finished, and wondered if she should consider running for it and testing her luck. At this point she was seriously starting to consider that working at a corner convenience store in the rough part of town might be safer than the train station.

Somehow, to Hawkeye's amazement, Roy managed not to break out into another representation of foul language. "Thanks." He said weakly, and turned to walk away with a slight slump in his shoulders.

"Sir," Hawkeye called after him and trotted in his wake to keep up as she holstered her gun once more. "Sir, are you going to go after him tonight?"

"I've no choice. It'll take me until late tomorrow morning to get there, but it's what I have to do." Roy said as they walked back to the car. "It doesn't matter where he goes, I'm going after him."

"Good."

Hawkeye drove Roy back to his house, and left only after she made sure he'd gotten inside. She knew that right now he needed time to himself.

As Roy reentered his home, he was immediately intercepted by Daphne. "I'm leaving tonight on a train to Risembool. It seems he and Al ran off back home. How could I have hurt him so badly…"

Daphne gave him a reassuring smile and walked forward to usher a squeak from him as she enwrapped him in a bone crushing hug. "You'll make it up to him. I know you will, you care for each other. And he did say he loved you, right?"

"Yes." Roy replied slowly.

Daphne nodded and pecked his cheek lightly. "Then he'll be waiting for you there. Come, we'll get your things packed up now so you don't have to stress. Then I'll pack some stuff as well."

"Huh, why you? You still have a few days more here." Roy said as he walked after her.

She laughed, "suddenly not so eager to get rid of me?"

Roy flushed and raked a hand back through his slightly messy hair with a foolish smile, "I've realized that you're not so unbearable."

"About time."

"So why are you packing?" He pressed again.

Daphne looked over her shoulder at him with a grin, "because, I'm coming with you. I wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Great." Roy grouched, "I really wasn't hoping to turn this into a spectator sport you know."

"Too late for that, honey." She said airily, "it became a spectator sport the minute you asked him to help you fool me."

They entered Roy's room, and he went into his closet to find a suitcase while Daphne walked over to pick up the letter still on his bedside table. "He has bad handwriting…" she muttered as she read.

"Yes he d-hey! That's personal!" Roy exclaimed from within the closet.

"Not if you leave it in plain view for your nosy mother it isn't." She argued, not once lifting her eyes from the short birthday card note, "I thought we went over that when you started having sex and thought I wouldn't question the condom wrappers you left lying around."

"Mom!"

"It's true, don't 'mom' me." She rolled her eyes and set the note back where she'd gotten it. "He's a nice guy."

"I know." Roy said, dragging his suitcase and several changes of clothes out of the closet with him. "He's annoying, insufferable, temperamental, stubborn, but he's nice."

Daphne cracked a grin at the outpour of traits from her son's mouth. "You didn't say them like you hate him having those qualities."

"I don't. Not anymore." Roy said as he stuffed his clothes haphazardly into the suitcase. "Now if I try to imagine him without them… I don't like what I see anymore."

Daphne eyed him thoughtfully for a moment, before suddenly deciding on something. "You need to write him a love letter."

"I need to what?!" He gaped at her.

"I'm serious." She told him with a grin. "Write him a letter, and read it aloud to him."

"He'll be so embarrassed that he'll kick me in the head, and I won't care because I'll be embarrassed enough to want to die."

"I think you might be surprised." Daphne smiled. "But if you're uncomfortable with writing it down, at least memorize what you want to say to him."

"I don't know what I want to say."

"Good thing you have nearly twenty four hours to figure it out then." Daphne laughed as she got up to go pack her own bag of things. "Honestly, you would have been standing in front of the poor guy earlier with your mouth hanging open and making sounds like a wounded monkey."

"I resent that remark!"

"You resemble that remark." She shot back as she let herself out of the room.

Roy glared after her, but got back to work packing his things up.

After he was done and both his suitcase and his mother's bag had been set in the foyer for later that evening, he joined her in the sitting room. He attempted to read a book, but was finding it very difficult. His thoughts kept straying to Edward, and Daphne seemed to have noticed, because she never mentioned anything when he would randomly get up to start pacing the floor.

It was around the lunch hour when the knocks sounded at his door.

Frowning Roy left to go answer them, leaving his mother who hadn't heard them to just shake her head. Walking over he hauled the door open and stared at Havoc, Breda, Fuery, and Falman. "What do you guys want, it's a Sunday." He grumped.

"Someone's a happy birthday boy." Havoc rolled his eyes and held up the package. "We brought your gifts."

"Thanks." Roy sighed and suddenly opened the door wider. "Come on in. You can drop them off and leave, I don't feel like opening them right now."

"Spoilsport," Havoc said as they passed him.

"What's wrong?" Breda asked as they followed the rather tired and withdrawn looking Mustang into the sitting room. All the while trying not to gape at their surroundings.

"Ed's gone. That's what's wrong." Roy said and nodded towards Daphne. "This is my mother. Mom, these guys are part of my team at work."

As they introduced themselves, Roy stacked the presents on the bar. Well out of his sight. He didn't feel like celebrating his birthday until Edward was back. It wouldn't feel right to him otherwise. With a bit of a forlorn sigh he headed back over to the crowd.

"So, Ed's gone? Where'd he go?" Falman asked from the armchair Daphne had waved him to.

"Risembool." Roy said shortly.

"Eh, you sent him on a mission again already boss?" Fuery asked in surprise.

"No. He dumped me and left. I'm going after him tonight on the next train, I'm bringing him back."

"Oh…" Havoc said succinctly.

"Yeah, 'oh' about sums it up." Roy groaned and again had to resist the urge to bash his head into the nearest wall.

"Did you really fall for him then, sir?" Havoc pressed, "we kind of thought you would…"

"He did." Daphne smiled at all of them, and met Roy's look, "I told them already that I know the truth."

"You thought I would?" Roy looked up at them. "Hawkeye said something similar."

"Well sure." Breda said with a bit of a frown. "We always thought you two connected on a different level. It was strange, you two weren't precisely friends, but it was like…"

"Like you had some sort of unspoken communication." Havoc broached. "Almost like you'd read each other's minds sometimes."

"How do you mean?"

"Well," Fuery began, "when you two would argue, all of a sudden you two would just stop. Everything was solved somehow and you two went back to coexisting. It was freaky at first."

"I noticed that too." Daphne grinned, "it's like they bounce back and forth off of each other's emotions."

"We've always been able to make up after a fight." Roy mused aloud, "Ed once said we just stopped fighting like that because we didn't want to waste time being offended."

"It makes sense." Daphne nodded.

"That and you always seemed to know what Ed would do." Havoc said, "even if you didn't have a source to go on."

"He's predictable."

"No he isn't." Breda laughed. "You honestly think he's predictable? None of us ever knew what he'd do next. That temper of his made him anything but."

"Call him short, he freaks. That is predictable."

"It wasn't just that." Falman said with a shake of his head.

"Anyway, I think we're finally glad that you two figured it out. Even if Ed did run off." Havoc said, "so what'd you do to him?"

"The opposite of what I should have." Roy admitted. "I'm going to make things right though."

The six of them sat around and eventually did start talking about other things. It was getting close to the time for Roy and Daphne to catch their train when Roy showed the men out the door.

"Thanks, guys." Roy said with a short smile. "You lot better not skive off work tomorrow though while I'm gone."

"No sir." The answered empathetically and hurried off with waves.

Roy chuckled a bit as they left and looked over his shoulder at Daphne. "Ready?"

"You should be asking yourself that." She grinned and tossed his suitcase at him. "Come on, let's go chase your fiancé down."

"He's still my fiancé?" Roy smiled despite himself and closed the door after them, locking it quickly.

Daphne winked at him. "He loves you, and you love him. He wants you to regain your senses, and you have. Now you just have to prove it to him. Among making him feel like the most beloved young man on the planet."

"He is."

"Think of a more eloquent way to say that, dear." Daphne said as they began walking. "Honestly, how did those girls all fall for you? You can be the most unromantic man."

"My good looks that you claim I don't have, and over the top flirting and courtesy." Roy filled her in.

"I gave birth to a monster." Daphne simpered teasingly.

"Careful, this monster has fire capabilities and does not hesitate to use them."

"He does if he wants to live." Daphne eyed him warningly.

He merely winked at her. "Now would I attack my own mother?"

"Yes, if I didn't have the power to make your life a living hell."

"Good point."

The two of them finished the walk to the train station in silence, but it was a comfortable silence. Luckily the poor woman Hawkeye had frightened earlier was gone, instead a man in her place.

"Where are you headed to?" He asked, typing on the computer to bring up the ticket registry.

"Risembool." Roy said shortly.

"I hear it's hot in Risembool right now." The man said with a smirk.

"No it isn't." Roy frowned at him, trying not to glower his annoyance at how long this was taking.

"It will be when you get there." The man winked.

Roy stared at him, mouth almost agape. What the hell was it with the ticket people today?! However while Riza might not have been there to point a gun, Daphne was. However irritated moms rarely need guns to frighten people.

"Hey, stuff your balls back farther in your pants before I rip them off." She said, glaring at the man, "and let me assure you, I have done that to several hormonal men like you over the years."

The tickets were given to Roy in a flash of movement.

"That was really scary, mom." He said as they walked towards the correct train.

Daphne smirked in a pleased way, and gave a satisfied sigh. "It would have been even scarier if he'd been foolish enough to continue."

"That I have no doubts of, actually."

"Good boy."

The two boarded the train, and Roy led them back to a private compartment reserved for high ranking military officers when they traveled. After sliding the door shut to block them out of view, they sat down to wait, and hopefully sleep the long trip away.

House of Flying Wrenches

Meanwhile Edward and Alphonse had finished the walk to the house where Winry still lived with Pinako. They didn't even reach the porch before Winry came flying out the door. Luckily this time without wrenches. Apparently she'd decided that Ed had suffered enough for right now.

"Ed!" She exclaimed, wrapping him in a hug. "Are you okay?"

"Hey Winry," Ed smiled as he hugged her back. "I'm okay I guess."

"Good." She said, pulling away and then hugging Al. "I'm glad you two made it."

"Any dinner left?" Al asked hopefully, and laughed at the look Ed gave him. "What, even I get hungry sometimes."

"Come on." Winry said, and showed them inside. Nothing much seemed to have changed in the house, it was as Ed and Al remembered.

"So, Al, thought of what you want to do to Mustang when he gets here?" Winry asked him with a plotting smile.

"No, but I need to call him first. Let him know where Ed is."

"That's right, dangle the bait." Winry winked at him and went to fetch Edward who was standing about looking lost. "Come on, Pinako's already gone to sleep but let's get you some food."

Al smiled and went over to the phone. He dialed Roy's number, but when he didn't pick up, he hung the phone up. Either he was out looking for brother, or was on a train already. He'd call back later just to make sure.

The three of them ate, speaking of anything but Roy so as to make Edward feel more comfortable. Both Winry and Al wanted him to be able to sleep tonight. Once dinner had been finished Winry took Edward upstairs, taking charge of the suitcase despite his protests.

Al smiled as they left, before trying to call Mustang again. Again, no answer. Frowning, Al shrugged. He hoped that Roy was actually smart enough to perhaps have figured out where they went. If he had, they could expect him by tomorrow afternoon.

Winry came back downstairs at last with a curious expression. "Well?"

"I think he might be on his way already." Al said and followed her into her workroom. "So, what's our plan?"