Hurray! The chapter is on time. Time is flying by at the moment. Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter.

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Chapter Three: Flames

"So are you a scholarship student too, Roy?" Al asked. It was a week since he'd started school and he was getting used to the new routine. Today it had only been Ed, Roy and himself in the car on the way home. He was exhausted, having so much make-up work to do, the downside of starting a new school mid-term.

"No, why'd you ask?" Roy answered, eyes fixed firmly on the road.

"Just curious, I mean if you and Ed are fostered by the same people then."

"How do you that?" Ed cut him off, a frown creasing his brow as he glared daggers a Roy, assuming him to be the culprit. Al bit his lip realising, belatedly, that that was a silly subject to bring up.

"Don't look at me, do you think I want to fill him in on my sordid past?" Roy defended, before giving an impatient sigh. "It was Hughes, I caught him filling in the kid on us the day after we met him."

"And you didn't think I should know?"

"No, I figured you'd get angry and oh look I was right."

"Smug git."

"Angry shrimp."

"What was that?"

"You heard."

"I'm going to beat your pompous ass in to a pulp."

"Sure you will Shorty."

"Bastard."

"Hey," Al yelled to get the two bickering boys' attention. They both looked at him, although while Ed stared at him Roy merely gave him a glance in the rear view mirror. "I'm sorry," Al added quieter.

"What for?" Ed asked.

"For bringing up your past."

"Oh well, it's not your fault you know and you weren't to know it was a touchy subject. Although to be honest I'm not bothered that you know. He might be though," Ed replied, jerking his thumb at Roy.

"That's ok, all I know about Roy is that he's fostered," Al answered. "But I am sorry about your parents, whatever happened to them."

"Don't be, they're still alive. I think. I don't really care anyway. I don't need pity, neither of us does," Roy answered, that cold hard anger Al had seen before coming back into his voice.

"Okay, I get it though. I mean my past isn't so rosy. I should tell you, equivalent exchange right," Al gave a small grin.

"You don't have to," Ed answered.

"No I want to. It's just been me and my Mum since I can remember. When I was really little something happened, we had to leave our home. My Dad took my older brother and my Mum took me. We were meant to meet up I think but my Dad never did.

"I couldn't figure it out when I was a kid; I thought my Dad had just decided he liked my brother better. It was sad but once I realised the truth I felt better. I can't really miss what I don't remember. There are times I wish I had a Dad or an older brother, like when Kimblee was beating me up, but mostly I'm just happy I still have my Mum."

"Yeah you should appreciate what you've got. You know we're lucky we have Izumi and Sig to look after us; they're good people you know. They're pretty much my parents," Ed said.

Roy pulled to a stop outside Alphonse's house. "Sorry for snapping at you, kid," he said as Alphonse go out the car.

"Sorry for prying," Al replied, nervously eyeing his mother's car in the drive. "Looks like my mum's back from the hospital," he added.

"Is she ok?" Ed asked concerned.

"She's a nurse, she works at the hospital," Al explained, laughing slightly at Ed. I'll see you tomorrow. He called over his shoulder as he jogged up the drive. He turned to wave briefly as Roy pulled away.

"What's got into you, Mr Privacy?" Roy asked Ed as he drove towards their home.

"What?"

"Come on it takes forever for anyone to earn your trust and most your friends have had to force themselves on you. So what's different about this kid, why are you opening up to him so much?"

Ed gave Roy a week glare before sighing and deciding to answer truthfully. "I don't know. I just know I can trust him. You'll laugh but I feel like I have a connection to him."

Roy merely raised an eyebrow at him but let the conversation die.

As they approached their house they noticed a familiar car parked out front.

"Uh-oh, social worker alert," Roy muttered, pulling up into the drive way.

"Man what did we do now?" Ed asked.

Getting out they both entered the house with a slight feeling of trepidation. This was an unscheduled visit from their social worker, they happened to share one, and that meant it wasn't likely to be good news.

"Boys, come here," Izumi called from the kitchen as soon as she heard them come through the front door. Dropping their bags and kicking off their shoes the two boys walked into the kitchen where Izumi sat with Jane, the social worker.

"Hello you two," she greeted. "How are you?"

"Fine thank you," Roy answered, while Ed just nodded his agreement. Both boys pulled off their blazers and ties. Roy's being hooked neatly round a chair while Ed's where just dumped onto the seat of the chair next to the one he sat down in.

"So what's going on?" he asked.

"Actually I am only here to talk to Roy at the moment," she replied.

"In other words you want me to leave?"

"What's the point he'll find out anyway," Roy replied, knowing full well Ed would eavesdrop the conversation if he was sent away, Roy knew he did that because he did it too when Ed had a private conversation with Jane.

"Very well," Jane said, taking a breath to carry on, "Roy, your father has been released from prison." She carefully observed his reaction.

Roy froze, he'd been dreading those words for five years. He'd already refused visitations from his mother. Although she'd never hit him she had sat back at let his father so Roy held her just as responsible for all the hurt. A hot cup of coffee was placed in front of him and he grabbed hold of it, clinging to the hot mug like a lifeline. Ed shifted in his seat next to Roy and Roy noticed his hands were clenched into fists.

For all their fighting and bickering this was something they would always have a united front on. Although Ed did not remember his parents he held them responsible for his missing limbs. He'd also been found with other injuries that indicated he'd been manhandled.

"Roy?" Jane asked concerned for the young man. Roy shook himself slightly and looked up at her.

"What does that mean for me?" he asked in return.

"Nothing really, we had to inform you but nothing will change. We won't tell him where you are and he isn't allowed to see you. Your mother is still asking to see you but I assume the answer is still the same."

"Of course it is I don't need them. I don't want to see them again." Roy said firmly, gripping the mug harder.

"Then that's how it'll stay," Jane replied firmly before patting Roy's wrist and making ready to leave.

As Ed and Roy stood in the doorway waving her off Ed spoke quietly.

"You don't have to be worried you know. If the son of a bitch ever did turn up you could probably take him out on your own but with us together he has no chance."

"Thanks," was all Roy said in reply. It was very rare for Ed to speak his support out loud and Roy respected that, knowing it wasn't the time for smart come backs.

"Come you two, do your homework before dinner," Izumi said from behind them, dragging the boys back to the mundane task of studies.

"Hello Edward, you're going to come live with us now. I'm Izumi and this is my husband Sig. We'll look after you now, ok. We'll get you a new arm and leg if you want and I can teach you alchemy of you like."

Edward blinked large amber eyes at Izumi, he'd woken in this bed, in this strange place with so much noise that was strangely hushed. He didn't like the feeling it gave him. He wanted to leave, and like a newborn child opening its eyes to see its mother he had opened his eyes to see this woman who said nice things in a kind voice.

"Achemy?" he asked, the idea excited him for some unknown reason but when has reason been important to a four year old.

"It's alchemy, dear, not achemy," Izumi said with a smile. Ed nodded like she's said the most profound thing ever to him. He pointed at her.

"Zummy?" he said, frowning when he realised he had said it wrong.

"I-zu-mi," she said, pronouncing it slowly for him.

"I-zummy," Ed tried again, pronouncing the 'I' as if it was a different word.

"Not quite sweetheart, why don't you call me something else. What do you want to call me?"

Edward thought for a moment. "You teach me achemy, al-chemy?" he fumbled once again over pronunciation, a frown forming on his young features as if this fact truly frustrated him.

"Yes."

"So you teacher. I call you Teacher," he finished as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ok." Izumi agreed, quite liking it. Ed then focused on the massive form of Sig, pointing at him he said, "Sig." Izumi laughed, while Sig smiled at her as if it was a triumph for him the boy could pronounce his name first try.

"Where is he?" John Mustang demanded glaring fiercely at his elder sister, having just burst into her bar in a sleazy part of Central.

"Who?" she asked mildly, serving another customer.

"You know who, Roy, my son," he growled.

"Oh why, do you want to put him in the hospital again?" her pretence at niceness gone, now she was showing her anger.

"Look Chris, I want to make amends, I want to say sorry I want us to be a family again," John tried pleading.

"Yeah well I think it's too late for that. That boy finally has a good family so you leave him alone."

"Damn it, he's my son. If I met the bastards who are turning him against me I'll kill them."

Chris Mustang laughed at him, "You should have treated him like your son for the first twelve years of his life. Also know this, if you ever even managed to find him, the couple fostering him would tear you apart before you could so much as put a hair on his head out of place. On top of that the boy is a pretty decent fighter and alchemist now. The only person who turned him against you was yourself every time you punched or kicked that boy.

"Get out, you're not welcome in my establishment anymore, nor are you welcome in my family, don't try to have contact with me or my nephew ever again." With that Chris Mustang, known as Madame Christmas to her patrons, gestured to a burly man who manhandled her disowned brother out of the door.

John angrily kicked at empty beer can across the pavement. He was so caught up in his anger he didn't notice the car that pulled to a stop slightly in front of him until the door opened and he was dragged inside. A large muscular man, with a terrifying face had a strong grip on him and no matter how much he struggled he couldn't get free.

"Quit it, you're not in danger," a voice spoke from the front of the car. It was hard to tell whether the voice was male or female and in the dark it was hard to make out the figure.

"We have a job proposition for you," another voice spoke, this speaker was clearly female.

"I don't need a job," John hissed back, "who are you?" he asked.

"That doesn't matter but really you should at least hear us out before turning the offer down," the female replied.

"But I can turn it down if I want?" John asked.

"Of course, you won't though." Again it was the woman that replied.

"We want you to get something for us, well someone actually," this time mysterious figure spoke.

"Kidnap? I don't do kidnap," John replied.

"Oh? Really, it's just a couple of kids, we want one and you can keep the other, that's your payment." A picture was passed to John who was released by the burly guy. The man flicked on a torch so John could see the photograph properly.

It showed to boys, young men really, probably close in age. The smaller one was blonde, his long hair tied back in a braid and he was scowling at the other boy. John barely gave him a glance his eyes drawn to the taller of the two boys, he was grinning smugly, his short black hair tousled artfully and his pale skin and dark eyes, all so much like John's own. The image of his twelve year old son corrected it's self to the seventeen year old that was in the photo. The woman had been right; he was going to except this job. He'd get his son back and punish the people who'd taken him away by taking their own son.

Al frowned at the meat in the shop window. It was Saturday afternoon and Al was trying to buy something to cook for dinner that night. He decided on getting a couple of sausages because he couldn't be bothered to do anything fancy just for himself since his mother was working that evening. The bell above the door rang as he entered.

Just as Al was passing money over the counter the bell rang again.

"Hey Mason, Izumi says you should come to dinner with us tonight," a familiar voice called.

"Sure thing, sounds good," Mason replied, passing change and a receipt back to Al.

"Oh hey Al," Ed said, realising who the customer was.

"Hi," Al cheerfully said.

"That's not much," Ed commented pointing to the small paper wrapped bundle Al was holding.

"Oh well, it's just me tonight."

"Why don't you come to dinner with us too?" Ed asked as the idea struck him.

"Really won't your foster mother mind?"

"No of course not, hang on a sec." Ed dived behind the counter and got some blank receipt paper. He quickly wrote down his address and a rough map from Al's house to his. He paused for a second and quickly wrote down a number.

"Here you go, that's my mobile number, call me if you get lost ok? Be there around 6:30."

"Ok, thanks," Al replied, happy to be invited to Ed's, he hated eating by himself.

Later that day Alphonse found himself knocking on the pale blue door, nervously wondering what Ed and Roy's foster family were like. The door was answered by a large imposing man and Al almost stepped back but held his ground.

"Alphonse?" the man asked.

"Yeah."

"Come in, Edward and Roy are in the backyard, follow me."

Al was led into the kitchen which was full of wonderful smells. A slim woman stood at the stove stirring a pot, her dark hair was in tight braids and pulled back away from her face except for a few strands which fell forward.

"Izumi, this is Alphonse," the man said to her. She turned around with a smile and came forward to meet him.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you. I'm Izumi, this is my husband Sig," she said gesturing to the man who'd opened the door. "Ed and Roy are through there." She pointed at the back door.

"Thank you ma'am," Al replied, moving towards the door out to the yard. Opening the door he saw the two older boys sparring.

Al leant against the wall and watched them, neither seemed to be able to land a hit on the other. Despite the fact Ed's attacks were fast, Roy was dodging them unable to strike back as Ed never let up his advance. Roy's back hit the wall and Ed's arm snapped out pressing his hand lightly on Roy's throat the same time Roy got an equally light grip on Ed's own.

"Truce," Ed called.

"Nope," Roy replied, using his longer arms to his advantage as he stretched his arm, forcing Ed to step back. An automail hand closed tightly around Roy's wrist. Snarling Roy flung them to the floor using his weight to trap Ed. Light burst around them as they hit the ground, as it faded away from them Al could see the ground had wrapped it's self around Roy's ankles.

"Should have called truce when you had the chance," Ed said smugly, slipping out from underneath Roy who as struggling to break free.

"Not done yet," Roy growled, snapping his fingers, fire flared up in a barrier around Ed.

Al's eyes widened in the display of power shown before him it was magnificent and scary all at once. Suddenly a cry pierced the air and Roy quickly stopped feeding oxygen to the flames but starved them, quickly making the fire go out.

As the smoke cleared Al dashed forward to Ed who was kneeling on the floor cradling his left arm, the bottom part of his once long sleeve was completely burnt away the flesh underneath was red and blistered.

"Ed?" Al asked weakly, shocked by the sight in front of him. Ed ignored him, instead snarling and turning to Roy, whose ankles were still trapped.

"You bastard!" he yelled swinging his automail hand punching Roy hard in the face as the back door flung open.

"What is this?" Izumi yelled, taking in the sight of Ed's burnt arm and Roy's bloody nose. "What the hell happened?" she asked pulling Ed to his feet. "Inside now," she ordered, moving to pull Roy to his feet next, seeing the bindings she quickly clapped and removed them. She supported Roy inside, as they followed Ed and Al.

Izumi pushed a box of tissues towards Roy, who quickly began wadding them under his nose, leaning forward. Gently holding an un-burnt part of Ed's hand Izumi lifted his arm, inspecting the injury. "We need to get you too hospital," she said before turning to Roy, "you too." Lastly she turned to Alphonse. "I'm sorry about this dinner will have to wait."

"That's ok; can I come with them too?" Al asked, wanting to know if they'd both been ok.

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