February 17th, 1996

"Nice of you to let me out of my cell," Edward teased as he sat at the breakfast table, eating sweet rolls dripping with honey, and fresh bacon with coffee. It had been a relief when Cassie finally declared him healthy enough that he was no longer forcibly quarantined in his room for his own sake, as well as the rest of the house. "This is delicious, by the way."

"Glad to see you back to your usual gluttonous appetite," Winry replied with a chuckle. "I was beginning to worry."

"Well, when people keep feeding you the equivalent of baby food for almost two weeks—and your beautiful wife shares her cold—it's hard to work up any enthusiasm."

"I'm sorry about that part. It was a pretty miserable one. Next time I'll try and keep it to myself."

Edward grinned. "Don't try too hard. I'll get lonely."

Winry rolled her eyes. "Do you need anything else?"

"More coffee, but I think that's all. I'd like to get dressed and go spend some time catching up on being nosy." Alphonse and Elicia had already finished breakfast before he came down for the morning, and he was highly curious about what Alphonse was up to with his student. Danielle was supposed to come by for the first time since he had passed out and Cassie and Aldon had ordered the entire house on mandatory rest and relaxation.

Now that everyone in their family had been found alive, the anxiety levels in the house had dropped markedly. Edward had been told that he might be allowed to watch the news again. This morning, he was perusing the newspaper Alphonse had left on the table.

"I think there's a little left in the pot." Winry kissed his cheek, took his empty cup, and went into the kitchen. She was half-way there when the phone rang. "I've got it!" she called out, detouring to the phone on the wall just outside the kitchen. "Ethan, hello! It's so good to hear from you."

Edward's ears perked up, and he stopped reading the article that had caught his attention about the agenda for the next town meeting. Not that he got a lot of information out of Winry's half of the conversation other than, as he had surmised, Eamon's wife had delivered the baby that Ethan and Lia had gone to Creta specifically to be there for the birth.

"Ed, Ethan wants to talk to you." Winry said when she finished.

Edward stood and went to the phone, taking the receiver from Winry. "It's a bit early for you to making calls, isn't it?" he teased. "It's still the middle of the night for you."

Ethan chuckled. "As if that makes a difference. I knew you would be up. We're all about to head to bed, but we've been up all night."

"Judging from your mother's sounds of delight, everything went well the delivery?"

"Viviana did great, and there were no complications whatsoever. I was wonderfully unnecessary."

"Glad to hear it." Edward smiled at Winry as she handed him his refilled mug of coffee. "So, fill me in on my latest great-grandchild."

"Well, I'm sure you'll be shocked to hear that it's a boy. They've decided to name him Matteo, after Viviana's favorite great-uncle. He's a solid eight pounds, twenty-inches long, and at least for the moment he's got a thick head of brown hair that definitely comes from Viviana's side of the family."

"Matteo Elric, I like it. How are the new parents holding up?"

"You'd think Viviana's done this before. She stayed calm through the whole thing, and hasn't let a nurse step more than three paces from her holding that baby. Eamon was a great support. I think he's still just too busy being enamored with his son to panic about the next eighteen years yet."

"There's plenty of time for that." Edward laughed. "Well, congratulations on being a grandpa again. It's certainly been a while." Lily and Randy's twins were nine now. Edward had seen them when the couple had come down from East City for a visit last year. They had chosen not to have any more after the first two.

"Hey, I'm all for people responsibly planning families on their own time," Ethan replied with a note of amusement. "I'm glad we got to be here. It's been a nice trip… aside from the trauma of being out of the Country in the middle of a family crisis."

"At least this one wasn't entirely my fault," Edward replied, though he absolutely understood. "Thankfully, everyone in the family turned out to be fine, and your brother and sister-in-law haven't let me do anything interesting for days. I only got out this morning for good behavior."

There was a moment's quiet on the line. "I'm really glad you're doing better, Dad."

"I plan to keep kicking around here for a while yet," Edward assured his son. "You enjoy the rest of your time with Eamon and his family and then, if you're feeling guilty and need reassurance that I'm still a cantankerous old cuss, you and Lia come on down and see me again yourself when you get a chance."

That got a chuckle. "We'll do that. I need to get going. Lia's giving me that glare that says if I don't get sleep soon, she'll find a way to make me regret it."

"Good to hear she still loves you that much. Sleep well, son."

"Have a good day, Dad."

Edward hung up the phone, and took a drink of his coffee as he turned back to the table to finish his breakfast. "Sounds like everything's going smoothly somewhere."

"I hope we get to see Eamon sometime. Maybe we should plan a romantic getaway to Creta," Winry suggested, though Edward was fairly certain she was teasing. They didn't travel all that much anymore, and two weeks on a train each way sounded more like a nightmare than an adventure.

"Or we could just make a point of hosting another huge family get-together here and abuse our rank in the family," Edward countered as he sat back down. "Maybe in the summer. Give them time to get used to parenting an infant."

Winry shook her head, but she smiled. "Definitely an abuse of rank… but probably still the more sensible option."

The first day of the Summit was a hectic one for Tore, even though he wasn't actually likely to be sitting in on many—if any—of the meetings. With the arrival of all of the government representatives from the different nations involved, security had been ramped up to an all time high, with his State Alchemists at the lead. Planning was over, and now they were implementing his plans, and hoping they worked. Better yet, Tore would have preferred them to be unnecessary, but he wasn't about to count on that. No one had claimed responsibility for the attack on the train yet, and while Investigations was working on it, no one had any answers.

So, they had to presume that, whatever the enemy's agenda, it had not yet been met, and everyone was in danger until they could rule out who was not in danger.

Today's meetings were all in the Assembly Hall, to accommodate the number of people involved from each country. The preliminary introductions of the major ideas that would be discussed, and hopefully agreed upon in new treaties, would be introduced. Tore didn't know all of the details, but he did know that the discussions would include a consideration of continent-wide trade agreements regarding import and export tariffs, and what would be permittable regarding the development and use of aircraft. That would then have to include laws regarding crossing borders in the air.

The evening would culminate in a dinner and formal welcome reception held in the ballroom of the old Presidential Estate, right there on the Headquarters property. While it had been remodeled decades ago, and mostly used for offices, the grand dining room and ballroom were still in pristine order. It wasn't a Drachman Palace, but it was one of the most beautiful rooms in Central.

It also simplified the security needs by keeping everyone safely within the towering walls of Central Headquarters. The Embassies also had security, though it was mostly provided by their own nations. Additional escorts for the cars had been assigned to make sure travel between locations was secure, and State Alchemists had been assigned to supplement the existing security.

With everyone in place, Tore's work for the day was mostly keeping an ear open and waiting to see if anything happened. Communications officers were monitoring the security radios, and Tore spent much of the day in that room, even though he knew they would summon him immediately should any real emergency arise.

Mostly, it gave him something to do. The paperwork on his desk was not pressing, and it wouldn't have held his attention at the moment in any case.

Tore was expected to be in attendance at that evening's banquet. He didn't mind, not really. It was an excellent opportunity to get a first hand feel for how things were going. The only downside was the fact that he should have been attending with Charisa, who was still in the hospital in North City. This should have been her moment. While he had managed to talk to her each day in the two days since she had called him, he wasn't sure he would be able to do so tonight, since he would be at the banquet.

When he had suggested skipping it to call her instead, he had gotten the sharp side of his wife's tongue insisting he was going, because she expected a full report back from him on every single detail.

So, he was going, but he wasn't going stag. Tore had gotten permission for Camelia to be added to the guest list as his plus one, since Charisa could not attend. His daughter had been delighted, and assured him she did own an appropriate dress. Tore decided not to ask why she did, or where she had gotten one. He was just grateful she was coming. At least one of them would have a good time and, as he had pointed out when adding her to the list, it would be a clear vote of confidence in the security team if he was willing to allow his daughter to attend. If he had honestly expected it to be dangerous, he would not have added her.

He had also found out that Sara would be attending under similar pretenses. Franz with his ankle and nose, was not going to be in attendance, and when Sara had offered to stay home with him in solidarity, he had been totally against the idea. So, Sara would be attending. So would Ted and Anika, Trisha and Roy, and James and Krista. Rosa and young-Sara had offered to babysit since she didn't have a shift at the fire station that night.

Ostensibly they were just babysitting Aithne, Jeremy, Nikolai, and Eurion. Really, they were also going to be there to keep an eye on Franz. Not that anyone in the family had told him so outright. Tore certainly wasn't going to say anything if they thought he wouldn't be able to get by on his own for an evening. It wasn't as if the man hadn't gotten on fine for years, but without his glasses, and with the ankle, his mobility even in the familiarity of his own home was challenging to navigate.

Tore hadn't seen Franz yet since their arrival home, but he hoped he was doing better than it sounded. At least he knew he was in better shape than Charisa had been. They were still planning to release her in a couple of days. He just hoped they could get clearance for Dare—or any pilot—to fly her back to Central. Charisa was getting more frustrated with missing out on the Summit, and not being home. While Tore felt reassured that she was getting better and she was coming home to him, he still wouldn't be able to relax until she was safe at home where he could take care of her himself.

By the end of the day, nothing at all interesting had happened with security, which was exactly how Tore wanted it. He left with just enough time to go home, shower, change into formal dress—the uniform was always easier than a suit—and picked up his daughter at her apartment.

Camelia seemed to float down the stairs in an evening gown that reminded him of the flower after which she was named. In a vibrant Xingese red, the dress had simple sleeves and a modest neck, fitted to the waist, where the skirt flared in layers that looked like the blossom in question. The very edges of each petal were slightly lighter than the rest, and they seemed to shimmer subtly. A matching wrap around her shoulders as a nod to the season completed the outfit. It was bold, but tasteful.

I have made a terrible mistake. Half the eligible officers in Central are going to be after my daughter.

Half, because not every one of them had been invited.

Camelia smiled. "Acceptable for a diplomatic banquet?"

"More like exceptional," Tore grinned. "You look lovely, Cami."

"Remember, you promised me you wouldn't be overprotective tonight."

"And I intend to keep my word," Tore assured her. Difficult as that might prove to be, he would never embarrass his children in public, at least not on purpose. He also trusted her judgement. Somehow all of their children seemed to have gotten their common sense from Charisa, even the two she hadn't born. Thank goodness some things could be taught. "Shall we go?"

Camelia pulled on her sensible, red wool winter coat, and followed him to the car.

Sara had not expected to be able to relax and enjoy herself tonight, so it was a pleasant surprise to find that she was not as on edge as she had expected to be. She was not on duty tonight, but that had not kept her coming prepared. While she was not in as fancy a dress as she had worn for the final night in Drachma, she was wearing the jewel-studded hair clip Franz had given her for her birthday. The one with the alchemy circle worked into the silver. Just in case.

Thankfully security seemed to be doing their job beautifully, being unobtrusive, but just visible enough to make everyone feel safe after the incident with the diplomatic train.

The Drachman Ambassadors, thankfully recovered from the ordeal, seemed to find the guards a definite comfort, though they were already settling in and deep in conversations with a wide variety of Amestrian Assemblypersons, Diplomats, and Military Officers. There would be other dinners during the visit, with a wider variety of personages. Sara wondered if Ian had agreed to come to the one in which a selection of distinguished professionals in the arts had been invited. Apparently, he had quite a lot of fans in Drachma. Given Bonnie's condition, she didn't know if he would come, but she was certain his wife would decline. Which, in itself, might be the reason Ian would.

The big surprise of the evening was two familiar faces she had not realized would be attending. "Maes, Elena! I didn't know you were back in the country."

Her long-time friend and his wife both smiled back as they crossed the floor, and formalities were thrown to the wind as they hugged her. Elena, looking stately and elegant in a cream-and-red gown, and Maes in a stylish suit in more Aerugean fashion. He had aged well, she thought, looking very much like his father, but with a little less gray in the hair yet, and much more tanned from living a good portion of the time in Aerugo.

"Anastas thought it might be politic to call us in," Maes grinned. "Well, call Elena in. I'm just here to hang on her arm and be admired."

Elena had a light, pleasant laugh. "We came up with Ambassador Theron. This is his first mission to Amestris, having previously dealt mostly with Creta, and we all agreed he would appreciate someone to help him navigate Amestrian ways and protocols, explain finer cultural points. He's a bit nervous about making the perfect impression."

"Which I am sure he will do swimmingly well with both of you to assist. Have you made plans to see the kids while you're in town?" She presumed so, but she hadn't heard a word about their arrival from Roy or Trisha.

Elena nodded. "As soon as we had a schedule, we made some calls, though for security reasons our itinerary and arrival date were not advertised. We will see them as we can during the Summit, but we plan to stay in town for a few weeks while we're here. Anastas has some work for me before they send us back to Aerugo."

"Have you ever considered retirement?" Sara asked with a knowing smile. Maes had retired from the military years ago, and had found his own contentment in supporting Elena in her career as a diplomat. He was much more stable and happy doing that, than he ever had been as a State Alchemist. Ironic that, given how much he had put into it.

"Someday soon," Elena replied with a little shrug. "It has not been all that complicated lately, and I am still enjoying the work, though we would like more time to travel, and visit family."

"Would you settle back in Central, do you think?" It would be nice to have them nearby more regularly again.

"Possibly. It would be appealing to spend more time with the children, and grandchildren, besides when they can get away."

"And with old friends," Maes added, his smile slipping just a little. "How's Franz? The news in Aerugo wasn't very detailed concerning injuries. I thought he might be here."

"He's recovering just fine," Sara assured them. "He broke his ankle, and his nose, and he decided he would rather not hobble around half blind, looking undignified. His words."

Maes grinned. "Well, that's certainly fair enough. I wouldn't want to do that either."

"We should have you over," Sara suggested. "After the Summit is over and we all have a little time to breathe."

"Of course," Elena agreed. "That would be delightful." Then, for a moment, her eyes averted past Sara. "Excuse us. Ambassador Theron is requesting my presence. From his expression I think he's stuck trying to understand Amestrian humor again."

"You should definitely save him then." Sara let them go, turning her attention back to the rest of the dance around her.

"I'm pretty sure it's a crime against Amestris for you to be standing here as a wallflower."

Sara turned around quickly, then relaxed when she realized it was Tore approaching. "Not as much of one as the fact that Charisa isn't here. So much of this is her victory, and her work."

"Then I suppose we can stand here and be dateless together."

"Cami found someone more fun to hang out with?" Sara asked, looking for Tore's daughter. She was not hard to spot, in that vibrant dress that stood out against a crowd heavy in blacks, grays, blues, and greens. There were a few more vibrant shades, but not many. At the moment, she was waltzing across the floor with a tongue-tied looking major. Her professional dance training was evident in every moment.

"I swore to her I would not ruin her fun tonight," Tore responded, also watching. "She's a grown woman, and I do remember how much I hated adults butting into my personal life. If she didn't have Charisa's talent for reading people, and her common sense, I'd be worried. Fortunately, she's not me."

"You weren't so bad… usually." Sara smiled at her foster-brother. Despite the age difference between them, as long as they had worked together as State Alchemists, she had gotten to know him well, and consider him as much a brother as Aldon and Ethan.

"That may still be the most ringing endorsement I've ever had."

"Fortunately, I'm no longer your superior." Sara turned to him and held out a hand. "And you're right, this is not the night for wallflowers, and Charisa and Franz would both be mad at us for not enjoying the event. Shall we dance?"

Tore grinned, and took her hand. "I'd be delighted, Twilight."