Hi, bit of a mission getting this chapter out. Couldn't upload this chapter had to copy and paste it over a chapter of I Want You that was still lurking in my DM. Anyway sorry it's a couple of days late. (I realise I never said when I would get this out but I trying to keep to a weekly schedule.)

So thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, I loved to response I got.

Someone asked if there were definite pairings and I realised I forgot to write that. Pairings are mostly canon, EdxWin, HughesxGracia, possiable AlxMei and RoyxRiza (They are canon in my mind)

As for other questions I got asked, they all involve spoilers so you'll have to read to find out. Talking of reading you probably want to do that about know.

Chapter Two: Making Friends.

Roy was leaning against the counter in the kitchen, a coffee cup in one hand and a slice of toast in the other, when Ed stumbled down stairs the next morning. As usual Sig was already in the butcher's shop the Curtis's owned.

"Where's teacher," Ed mumbled, sleepily, using the title he'd given Izumi long ago.

"Didn't get up this morning," Roy replied, passing a mug of coffee to Ed who took it gratefully. The two young men shared a look, if Izumi didn't get up it meant her illness was particularly bad. "She's been pretty bad lately, how long before someone decides she can't look after us anymore," Roy said quietly. Ed's cup slammed onto the counter.

"Shut up," he hissed, his sleepiness disappearing in his anger. Roy put down his own empty cup and finished the last of his toast before holding his hands up in surrender.

It wasn't as if he wanted to leave Izumi's but he didn't really agree with Ed's deny-it-and-it-won't-happen strategy. Ed scowled and gave him the finger before turning to storm away. To Roy's surprise he stopped at the door, scrubbing a hand over his face he turned back to Roy.

"If you can keep your mouth shut can we go pick up Alphonse?" Roy blinked in surprise before raising an eyebrow and letting his familiar smirk grace his face.

"Unless you have his phone number he'll probably have gone to get the bus before we get there."

"Well then let's drive past the bus stop and pick him up if he's there."

"Fine then, let's move."

Al almost jumped when the old beater pulled up near the bus stop and hooted at him. Tugging the earphones out of his ear, he grinned and got in, greeting Ed and Roy.

"Is this going to become a habit, you picking me up at bus stops?" he asked.

"Nah, might as well just wait at your house for me to pick you up in the morning and meet us in the car park after school," Roy replied.

"What? Really? Your offering me lifts every day?"

"Why not? You live pretty much en route anyway."

Ed twisted round in his seat to talk to Al.

"Ok kid, here are the rules to surviving this school."

"There are rules?" Al asked sceptically.

"Yes, now listen carefully. Amestris South Academy, is one of the best schools in the country. Which means it full of snobbish brats -"

"Hey," Roy cut in.

"apart from a few good people. Winry and Hughes, who you met yesterday, are two of those people. We'll introduce you to more tonight. My friend, Ling, has a sister in your year."

"Not to mention said sister has had the biggest crush on Ed from the stories her brother told, that is until she met him." Roy laughed.

"Do you remember the part about keeping your mouth shut?" Ed hissed at him.

"No," Roy said. Ed chose to ignore him.

"Anyway, people like Kimblee think scholarship students are weak and pathetic, I proved him wrong but he's still a bastard. Got that?"

"Yes, I already worked that out. What happened to those rules?"

"Oh right yeah. One, avoid Kimblee and his goons as much as possible. Two, keep your head down and your grades up. Three, don't act like a scholarship student, I don't actually know what that means but it sounds good. Got it?"

Al was frowning by the time Ed finished; unable to get over the fact this boy in front of him was crazy. Looking up he caught Roy's sympathetic look in the rear view mirror.

"Erm... yeah?" he replied to Edward.

"Good," Ed said with a satisfied grin, the scowled as Roy started laughing at him.

"So are you picking Winry and Hughes?" Al asked.

"No I'm not," Roy replied. "They live within walking distance. Hughes has a habit of distracting me so I don't realise he gets in the car. Of course I do notice but I can't be bothered to care anymore. As for Winry I guess sometimes she and Ed want more time together." Ed made some non-committal noise from where he was slumped in his seat.

There was something distinctly satisfying sitting down with friends on your second day at a new school. Ling was currently talking Al's ear off. Al was only catching half of it but he almost spurted his drink out of his nose as one comment managed to make it into his head.

"Sorry did you say prince?"

"Oh yeah didn't I mention he was a prince?" Ed asked, looking up from the book he'd been reading.

"No," Al spluttered, taken completely off guard.

"What is it with you two; your reaction is almost as bad as Ed's was. Is it honestly so hard to conceive?"

"In a word, yes," Ed answered before he and Al burst out laughing. Once he'd caught his breath, Ed explained to Al.

"He may be a prince but he'll never by emperor, he's like two hundredth in line or something."

"Twelfth actually and I will be emperor one day, that's why I'm here getting connections in Amestris. Of course my little sister had to follow. She's from a different clan see, actually last in the line. I'm looking after her to get favour too."

Al slumped in his seat and laid his head on the table.

"You people are crazy," he mumbled.

"Don't worry Al, you've got me," Winry supplied cheerfully, scowling when Ed snorted.

"Oh yeah, the wrench wielding mechanic who always checks the automail first if her boyfriend gets injured."

"Do you think I don't have a wrench in my bag, alchemy boy," Winry replied with a thinly-veiled threat. Al sat up again at the word alchemy.

"You're an alchemist?" he asked eagerly.

"Yeah, why?" Ed replied.

"Me too, I'm not great though, I haven't got a teacher. I learnt some stuff from library books but that's it."

"Maybe Ed could teach you, he's meant to be a real genius," Winry told Al. "Or if he's too stubborn to teach you Roy's also an alchemist," she added.

"Really? Cool," Al replied.

"Don't ask him to teach you, it's not worth it," Ed cut in stubbornly, his didn't meet Al's eyes instead looking at the table.

"Why isn't he that good?" Al asked.

"Ed doesn't approve of his type of alchemy," Winry informed him.

"Of course not, alchemy is meant to be used to help people right?" Ed looked at Al, who nodded quickly at him agreeing whole-heartedly with that statement. "Well that bastard's alchemy doesn't help anyone, it's just a weapon, that's all it is and he'll regret it when he hurts or even kills someone with it one day." Ed was panted slightly after his rant; fists clenched looking for all the world like he wanted to kill someone himself, probably Roy.

"He specialises in manipulating fire," Ed added, seeing Al's startled and confused face.

Winry and Ling quickly changed to conversation and Ed deflated slightly, slumping down and grabbing his book. Al bit his lip, he really wanted to discuss alchemy but he didn't want to bring that volatile temper back up. Sighing Al joined Winry and Ling's discussion about a popular TV show.

Al hurried through the corridors trying to remember his way back to where he was meeting his friends for lunch. He exited the building and rounded a corner. There was a corner of a field created by a wing of the school stretching out a right angle. Sitting in the corner were Ed and Winry, leaning on different walls. Ed's legs were stretched out over Winry's and his right hand was held up by her left, while she manipulated his metal digits. Ed was completely ignoring this, reading from his book which he held up in his left hand.

Al couldn't help but stare, despite having felt the odd quality in Ed's hand the day before he hadn't realised Ed had the advanced automail prosthetics. Ed's blazer and hoodie lay discarded beside him and his shirt sleeve was rolled up to his elbow.

A hand grabbed Al's shoulder and squeezed comfortingly, making him jump.

"First time seeing automail?" Meas Hughes asked sympathetically. Al just nodded in answer, though questions were rapidly forming in his head. "That's Ed, one of a kind. He doesn't usually let people see it but I guess Winry wanted to check it." Hughes grinned at Al, who was frowning at him.

"The Rockbell's are one of the best automail makers around, Winry's a protégé, everything she works on is brilliant but that nothing compared to the care she puts into Ed's arm and leg."

"Leg?" Al asked weakly.

"Yep, his left leg, to the knee I think and his entire right arm. He lost them in some horrid accident when he was just a kid, as well as memories of before then. All he knew was his name was Edward, though he could've made it up. The authorities never found his parents. He was taken in by a couple who couldn't have children of their own. Ed's the son they could never have." Hughes was looking fondly at the couple, still oblivious to their presence. Ed finished his page and tried to get his right hand back to turn the page, without looking Winry flipped the page for him and he held the book back up and small grin gracing his face.

"Roy's fostered by the same people, his parents were-" but Hughes was interrupted. The voice making Al start guiltily, though he'd been doing nothing wrong.

"Shut up Hughes, I don't think Ed would appreciate you blabbing about his past and neither do I," Roy was glaring at Hughes, who merely shrugged it off as if he was used to such looks. Al was slightly shocked, every time he met Roy previously he'd been open and friendly, now he looked angry and Al thought back to Ed's words about him hurting someone with alchemy.

"Oh come on, the poor kid would never learn anything if we waited for you two to tell him," Hughes said.

"Don't you think that's our prerogative," Roy replied.

"Hey Al, why you hanging out with those losers," Ed called finally noticing the other three. His shirt sleeve was rolled back down and he'd put his glove back on. Al jumped at the chance to get out of the way of the steely tensions coming from Mustang. With a quick wave he ran over to the other two.

Roy turned on his heel and walked away, Meas ran to catch up.

"Hey wait Roy, calm down."

"Do you always have to poke your nose in everywhere Meas," Roy asked stopping and rounding on Hughes. Meas raised an eyebrow at Roy as he answered.

"Kinda yeah,"

"Oh go find Gracia or something," Roy bit out, exasperated.

"What's up with you," Riza Hawkeye asked as Roy slumped down in the seat next to hers.

"That damn Hughes," Roy hissed back. Riza raised an eyebrow at him. Roy only ever complained about two people to her; she was beginning to think of it as a sign of affection.

"What did he do now?"

"He's blabbing about mine and Ed's past to that new kid."

"Is that all?"

"What do you mean is that all? He has no right to tell my secrets to a kid we've known for a day."

"Secret? Roy your past is no more a secret than your love life," Riza answered back.

Roy groaned again and slumped further in his seat not liking the fact his love life was brought up. He had a long string of girlfriends behind him and many more girls hoping they'd be on his arm at whatever social was coming up but he never stayed with any of them. All those girls had the same problem, they weren't Riza Hawkeye. The one girl in the school he wanted but was afraid to ask out. When you're sure of always having a date the possibility of being rejected is more than just daunting, it's downright terrifying. So he kept his feelings inside, not telling anyone.

Setting foot outside the jail for the first time in five years was brilliant, being able to hold his wife in his arms again was even better.

"I'm going to make everything up to you two babe," he whispered in her ear, referring to her and their son. "I got my anger under control and we're gonna be a proper family now. Where's my boy?"

The woman looked down, sadly.

"I don't know," she answered, "they took him away. Told me I weren't fit to raise him. Like they know, I'm his mother. Now they won't tell me where he is. They say I can visit if he wants me too but he doesn't."

"Don't listen to those bastards, they probably never even asked the kid."

"I miss him, my little Roy," the woman sobbed into her husband's arms.

Trisha Elric gently ruffled her son's hair, reaching up to do so. "Have a good day sweetie,"

"Yeah actually I did," Al replied with a grin, before launching in to stories of the friends he'd made that day. "Oh and Edward's an alchemist too," he finished enthusiastically.

"Really that's nice," Trisha replied, hugging her son, genuinely happy he'd made new friends. She'd been worried when she'd moved them but Al was bright and if he had the opportunity to go to such a good school she was going to let him go.

Al hadn't missed the small look of pain that had crossed his mothers face when he'd first mentioned Edward. He didn't mention Edward's appearance, or his past. He frowned at the picture of his brother that hung on the wall. True the Edward he knew know was blonde and had those rare golden coloured eyes and maybe he didn't know his parents but they could all just be coincidence. Al was unsure what to do, there was a small possibility that this boy was his long lost brother but Ed's story didn't quite match up to Al's brother's. If Edward Curtis really was Edward Elric then what had happened to their father. Al needed proof but he was clueless on how to get it.

The car doors slammed shut as Ed and Roy both got out of the old beater, now parked outside their house. The two boys walked to the front door, bickering as usual, unaware of they were being watched by two sets of eyes. A camera clicked capturing a shot of Roy grinning because he'd managed to duck a swing from a furious Ed.

Well hello plot! Please review you know I love 'em.