May 21st, 1984

Trisha was waiting on the train station platform with a little anxiety and a lot of anticipation. The two most important grown men in her life, her husband and her father, were somewhere on the train that had just pulled up in front of them.

Rosa and Gabriel stood beside her, eyes wide with excitement and none of the fear. Gabriel was bouncing on his heels trying to see over the crowd. Slightly calmer, Rosa managed to keep her feet on the ground, but she was still straining her neck.

"Stop it, Gabe," Rosa grumbled as her brother bounced into her. The eight-year-old reached up and straightened the dark-blond braid behind her head. She had just turned eight while Roy was away, and clearly wanted to show her father that she was a big girl now.

"But I wanna see Dad!" Gabriel complained. "I can't see anything!" Only being four-and-a-half, Trisha's son didn't much care what anyone thought of him as long as they were nice.

"That's because you're short."

"Rosa," Trisha cast her daughter a stern look. "Be nice to your brother."

"Sorry." Rosa's tone didn't make it clear which one of them she was apologizing to, but Trisha chose to take it as both. She was also distracted as men and women in uniform began to pile off the train. She doubted that Roy and her father were together on the train, but after having them gone for so long, she was in agony from waiting. The fact that they had stayed longer, while others had been coming home for weeks had only made the waiting more difficult to bear.

Roy found them first, and Trisha had to restrain herself to let the kids tackle their daddy first. Gabriel and Rosa hit his legs in unison with equally joyous squeals of delight. Roy bent down and hugged them both, grinning and answering their babble of questions with some kinds of answers. Trisha wasn't really paying attention. She was too busy drinking in the sight of him.

Then those deep, dark eyes caught hers, and Roy straightened up, children still attached, and pull her into his arms. "I hear you've been busy kicking ass," he whispered into her ear.

Trisha sniffed, stifling a snort. "I hear you've been pulling crazy stunts."

"That was Ted's idea."

"Lucky for my cousin you're almost as nuts." Trisha kissed him then, cutting off any clever reply Roy might have had. He didn't seem to mind.

It was Rosa who finally interrupted with, "Mom, when are we going to introduce Daddy to Ruby?"

Roy broke the kiss off. "Who's Ruby?"

Rosa beamed. "My guinea pig! I got her for my birthday."

Roy gave Trisha a startled look. "Our daughter has a guinea pig?"

Trisha smiled. "She wanted a pet of her own and I told her she couldn't have a snake."

"She asked for a snake?"
"Yup!" Rosa nodded. "But Mom pointed out how smart and sweet and fluffy guinea pigs are."

"I see. Well then, I certainly look forward to meeting Ruby." Roy slipped his arm around Trisha's shoulders, then –with his duffle still on- hoisted Gabriel up onto his shoulders before putting his other arm around his daughter. "Your Dad said not to wait for him. He's got to report in to HQ with the rest of his staff."

"Oh." Trisha felt a mild twinge of disappointment. "I hope you told him I expect him to have dinner with us."

"I did, in fact, anticipate that you would have that preference, yes," Roy smiled.

Trisha kissed his cheek. "Good. I knew you were a mind-reader." Though it took you long enough to figure out how.

"Welcome back to Central City," Will grinned as he stepped out of the train followed by his wife, Michio, and Mao and Jiu, who were dressed in casual civilian clothing that made them look like any other Xingese couple coming to Central. Which was good, since the last thing they wanted was a big scene.

Ren looked so happy to be back home, and Will –as always- felt a bit of relief and happiness that to her home was here with him, in Central, even more than her own childhood home had been in the palace. Their life was here, even if their family was more scattered.

"It's different without the entourage," Mao chuckled, speaking in Amestrian, something he had insisted he and Jiu wanted to do as much as possible to practice the language and fit in locally. "I think I like it better this way."

Jiu nodded and smiled. "I do too."

"That's good," Michio grinned at his aunt and uncle. "Because it's a very different life down here among the rest of us average folks."

"There's nothing average about you except maybe your height," a voice quipped.

Will turned as everyone else did, and his heart jumped a little as his youngest daughter pushed through the crowd into his waiting arms. Then she hugged Ren, and despite giving Michio a dirty look, hugged him too.

"You've grown, little sister," Michio hugged Kamika back.

"You've been gone since winter break," Kamika reminded him before turning to Mao and Jiu and hesitating, as if deciding if she should bow. Instead, she tackled them with hugs too. "I'm so glad you're here! I thought it was so unfair Michio got to see you without me and I'm so glad everyone came home safe!"

Mao laughed. "It's good to see you too, Kamika."

Will glanced around the rapidly emptying platform. "Who came with you to meet us, Kami?"

"Grandpa Al and Great-Uncle Ed are waiting with both cars in the parking lot," Kami smiled. "They said we wouldn't all fit in one."

"That's probably true," Ren nodded. "Not with all of our things." She glanced playfully at her brother.

"We didn't bring much," Mao argued. "It's not as if we had many things appropriate to life here anyway."

Will chuckled, picking up suitcases with everyone else as they headed towards the parking lot, Kamika chatting the ears off anyone who would listen. It was true, all things considered, that his brother-in-law and his wife hadn't brought an unreasonable amount of stuff with them, given they were planning to live here for a few months. They fully intended to buy more locally appropriate wardrobe in Central, so general outerwear was at a minimum compared to other needs and personal items.

"So are you taking us home or hijacking us for dinner?" Will asked his father as they met up with Al and Ed in the lot.

Alphonse chuckled. "Taking you home first, then hoping you'd like to come over for dinner. Gracia and Elicia will be very disappointed if you don't. They've been cooking all day. Alyse and Cal are planning to join us as well."

Will had wanted to see his sister since he'd heard of her injuries. The idea of someone leaving gaping holes in Military Headquarters still stunned him. The fact that he had nearly lost his sister in that attack was not at all lost on him. "What do you think?" he asked Mao and Jiu mostly. It was their first day after all and it had been a long trip.

"I am looking forward to trying their food," Jiu said, "And to seeing them again. It has been a long time."

"Well said," Mao grinned. "Tonight, we feast, home-cooking style!"

Will refrained from rolling his eyes, but his smiled. This was going to be a very interesting family visit.

Tore got home later than he wanted, having reported to Headquarters with Franz, being the highest ranking Alchemist left on his staff who had still been on-the-ground in Xing until they pulled out all military aid. Civilian volunteer agencies would be assisting for some time to come, but they had all decided it was for the best –and would show their reliance on the strength of the Imperial Army to keep their own peace – for them to not prolong their stay.

The meeting, thankfully, had not been long, and he had time on the walk to Rehnquist's office to absorb the reality of the fact that his office was temporarily non-existent. He was also suddenly grateful that all of his records had copies kept in the general records repository down in the basement at the other end of the building.

Rehnquist had seen them right away, and while Franz had done most of the reporting, Tore had been asked various questions as well about his part in various missions, insight into the situation, and what he thought might happen in the future in Xing under the current political situation.

Afterwards Rehnquist had sent a car to drop both Franz and Tore at their respective homes. Tore appreciated it, given he had done more than enough walking the past few weeks.

His family was waiting with a mob of hugs, kisses, purrs from the cat, and best of all, a home-cooked meal.

"It wasn't all my doing," Charisa assured him afterwards as they sat in the living room, everyone huddled around a board game. "Dare did at least half the work before I got home." They had let Camelia pick the game, so Tore found himself playing Candy Castle Quest, but he didn't mind since it meant he got to watch his children getting along. Even Dare was putting on a good face about playing a "little girl's game."

Dare shrugged. "I had time. I'm glad you liked it."

"It was fantastic," Tore replied with complete honesty. "Where did you get that marinade for the meat? I've never tasted anything like it: tangy, just a little sweet…"

"I just kind of tossed it together," Dare admitted, though now he looked pleased but also slightly embarrassed.

"Dare likes to practice cooking for Lorraine," Brandon piped up with a teasing note in his voice.

Dare shrugged. "And what's wrong with that? It's a good skill for anyone to have."

"I have it on good authority women like a man who can cook," Tore agreed with his son, grinning across the table at his wife as he did so.

Charisa smiled. "It's a very important quality."

"Like when?" Brandon asked as he rolled the dice and took his move, landing on one of the rainbow colored challenge question squares on the board.
Tore watched as Dare, as the next in line, picked up the card to read. Dare grinned. "Oh, like now? Your challenge question –and may I remind you if you get it wrong you have to go back ten spaces- is this. When Prince Cocoa makes fudge for his mother, Queen Gumdrop, which ingredient does he need: vanilla or flour?"

Brandon's face went blank.

Camelia giggled, and Tore wondered if this question ever stumped little girls.

"Flour," Brandon guessed.

"Wrong," Dare dropped the card on the discard pile. "You go back ten spaces."

"That wasn't fair," Brandon grumbled, but he did move his piece back. "That was a hard one."

"It wasn't hard," Dare disagreed with his little brother.

"You wouldn't have gotten it if you hadn't seen it," Brandon challenged.

"Sure I would." Dare grinned. "I could probably answer almost every question in the deck."

"Could not!"

"You want to bet on it?" Dare asked.

Charisa looked at Tore with a should we let this continue expression.

Tore shrugged.

"Yeah!" Brandon took the challenge.

"Good. Then if I answer, let's say, eight of the next ten cards right –you can pick the cards- you have to clean the cat box and my room for a month."

Brandon hesitated a moment before he nodded and stuck out his hand to shake on it. "Deal."

Tore sat back to watch the show as his youngest son was about to learn a hard-won lesson in both humility and gambling.

There was no better way to settle back into the real world than being surrounded by family. That was Franz' thought all through dinner at Trisha and Roy's. Rosa and Gabriel had pounced on him as he came through the door, jabbering excitedly every little thing they had done while Grandpa had been away, and wanting to know all sorts of things about Xing that apparently Daddy hadn't filled them in on enough for their own personal satisfaction.

"I wanted to leave a few things for you to tell them about," had been Roy's smiling answer.

Thankfully none of them had been difficult questions. Most of them revolved around 'do they really have this thing in Xing? Did it snow? Did they really have to live off nothing but rice while they were there?

Franz answered their questions between bites of a delicious, and entirely Amestrian, home-cooked meal: smoked sausages, mashed potatoes, buttered green beans, and hot, crusty garlic bread. Franz felt no guilt over how much food he ate. Roy ate more, and what was the point of cooking a huge meal if the people eating didn't enjoy it? Trisha certainly seemed to have been expecting hearty appetites.

James, with Krista, joined them as they were working on dessert, and Rosa and Gabriel bombarded their uncle with questions too until Trisha finally told them it was time to get ready for bed. The pronouncement was met with several groans.

"Don't you want me to read you a bedtime story?" Roy asked.

That sent two children streaking upstairs.

Roy chuckled. "Glad to know I haven't lost my touch."

"Sorry, Dad," Trisha smiled apologetically.

"It's all right," Franz assured her as he stood and stretched. "I should get home. Who knows what state the house is in after being empty for months."

"Not entirely empty," Trisha replied. "I did go over and clean, and get your mail out of the mailbox."

Franz smiled and hugged his daughter. "When did you ever find the time?"

"Oh, here and there between rounding up the bad guys and driving to play dates," Trisha chuckled. "Be safe, Dad. See you tomorrow? They did give you leave right?"

"They did," Franz nodded. "I'll come by in the afternoon."

After the usual round of hugs and see-you-laters, Franz walked the few blocks between his house and Trisha and Roy's place. The weather was warm and soft, dramatically different from what he had left back in February. While it had warmed during his last weeks in Xing, he had barely noticed the weather. Now, surrounded by a riot of familiar flowering plants, and without more important work to do, spring seemed to be everywhere.

Yet here he was, walking alone. Maybe I should get a dog, the thought came to him. At least then he would have a companion at home, instead of going back to an empty house that had once been full of life. His kids were grown, moved out on their own, living their lives. Their childhood pets had passed.

Or a cat. There was something to be said for both, though he'd be more likely to take a dog running with him. Cats were easier to leave alone for hours at a time. Well, he could think about it.

"Good evening, Franz."

Startled out of his reverie, Franz looked up from where he had been doing little more than watch where his feet hit the pavement. Glancing left, he saw the woman who had spoken to him; Wendy Gartner, who lived three houses down on their block. She was standing at her mailbox, clearly in the act of bringing in the day's mail.
Franz smiled. "Evening, Wendy."

"I heard you just got back today," Wendy smiled gently. The light of the streetlamp nearby caught on her silvering-gold hair. "My brother called and said his son was getting home."

Franz vaguely remembered knowing that her nephew was in the military, but he hadn't realized the man had been with him in Xing. There were too many men to keep eye on each one personally. "I'm glad he came home safe," he said honestly.

"It's good to see you," Wendy nodded as she closed her mailbox. "The street's been awfully quiet the past few months."

"Are you saying I'm the rowdy neighbor?" Franz asked with a slight, lopsided smile.

"No," Wendy chuckled. "I only mean that we've had too many gone, and you do get the most enjoyable visitors when you're home. Watching your grandchildren play on the sidewalk is nice, since mine live so far away."

Franz tried to remember what he knew of Wendy's family. He knew she was widowed. Her husband had died over ten years ago of an illness, though he couldn't remember what it was at the moment. She had a grown daughter who had moved out a couple of years before Trisha had –the girls had played together every so often when they were younger- who was married and living in a suburb of West City. At least, that was what he remembered. "How old are they now?" he asked conversationally, trying to cover the fact that he hadn't been a very good neighbor the past year-and-a-half.

Wendy, however, either hadn't noticed, or didn't mind. She smiled, leaning against her front fence in conversational fashion. "Well, Kevin is ten, Harold is five, and little Emma is almost two."

Franz tried not to sound embarrassed as he said "That's great. I didn't realize you had a granddaughter now, too."

"No reason why you should," she said, with more understanding than Franz thought he deserved. "We haven't talked much recently. You should come by for coffee sometime and we'll catch up."

"That would be nice," Franz found himself saying. He was surprised to realize he meant it. "I have a little time off before it's back to the office."

"Wonderful. I'm off early on Tuesday. How does four sound?"

"Sure."

"I'll see you then." Wendy straightened up, and covered her mouth with the back of her hand as she yawned. "Oh, excuse me. It's getting pretty late. Have a good night."

"You too." Franz watched her turn away before he continued down the street. It was only as he put his hands on his own door that it occurred to him that he had just been asked to coffee by an available woman. No, there's no way she meant it as a date. They were just neighbors.

She's as lonely as you are, the thought came unbidden. Her husband's been gone for years. She knows what you're going through.

Franz went inside, noting that Trisha had been kind enough to leave the entry-light on. Wendy knows what I'm feeling. That's why she wouldn't do it.

Would it be so bad? asked the voice. Maybe what you need is human companionship, not a pet.

His stomach twisted at the suggestion. Sara's death-

Was over a year-and-a-half ago. Before that you hadn't been alone since you and Sara got together.

I have plenty of people to keep me company.

Not the same way, and you know it.

Franz went into the kitchen and pulled out a glass, pouring water from the sink. I'm not drunk and I'm having conversations with myself. This does not bode well for the rest of the night.

Well, if Wendy's hitting on you, than you might not have to worry about lonely nights.

Shut up.

You know I'm right.

I said, shut up. There's nothing more to it, and that's that.