MY COMPUTER IS COMPLETELY FIXED!

Sorry for the wait but as I said before, my computer's been busted and I haven't had a chance to really write but now my updates will be back to normal.

Just a word of warning, I did not edit this at all and it's probably bad but I have to be somewhere in five minutes and I'm not even dress!

If the was one word that could be used to describe the mood at the breakfast table that morning, it would be tense. Izumi ate her breakfast, unaffected by the looks that the older teen was giving his father. The father seemed cool and collected on the outside but inside he was a mess while debating over what he should do with his sons. Finally, Al spoke up.

"Dad?"

"Yes Alphonse?"

"Were you planning on…are you going to tell us the rest of your story?"

Hohenheim chose not to look up from his plate for a moment because he knew that he would only meet a pair of glaring eyes that would make him do something he would probably regret.

"I would like to Alphonse," Hohenheim said after a pregnant pause. "But whether that is a good idea or not, I'm not quite sure."

"Why isn't it a good idea?" Ed asked in a commanding voice.

"Because, Edward, there are some things that might just be better left unsaid."

"But what if I need to know what happens? I'm going to guess that Kimblee is involved in the last part right? Well, incase you forgot, I live with him and there are three younger kids who live in the same house as him as well. So maybe I should know if he's going to-I don't know-blow up the house if one of them scuffs up his shoes."

Hohenheim visibly flinched at the last sentence. Did he find out what had truly happened, or was it a coincidence that Ed chose those precise words; Hohenheim had to know.

"What makes you say that Edward?"

"Say what?"

"Never mind."

"No. Why did you ask that?" Ed barked, now almost completely out of his chair.

Al's eyes flew from his brother to his father to his foster mother who appeared to be deciding over what to do. Truthfully, he did want to know what had happened but he didn't want to force it out of his father.

"Come one old man, explain why you asked that. And while you're at it, how about you tell me what you're trying to hide from us. We do have a right. I mean, it's the least you could do after you practically abandoned-."

Edward would not finish his sentence or to be more precise, Edward could notfinish his sentence. This was because Izumi had appeared to have decided what to do and chose to ram her fist into the side of Ed's face. Ed fell out of his chair from both the force and the shock while Al and Hohenheim stood up to peer over the table and see the damage that Izumi had done.

"That should teach you to use a more respectful tone when talking to your elders, runt."

"I am not a runt you-!"

After another few hits to his body from Izumi's powerful fists, Ed submitted and shut up but it didn't stop him from shooting his father looks of annoyance as he pulled himself back into a standing position.

"I'm leaving," he growled while nursing his bruised cheeks in his cool automail hand.

"Where do you think you're running off to?" Izumi asked while buttering a slice of toast.

"My room."

"You haven't been excused. Now sit."

"But-."

"Sit."

"May I be excused then-?"

"No. Sit. Down."

After muttering several profanities, Ed fell back into his seat and turned his glaring eyes back onto his father. Ed would not let this conversation escape; he would find out what his father was hiding, it would take only a matter of time, proper coaxing, and, for once, some patience.

"Hello?"

"Win?"

"Ed! What's up?"

After spending another hour sitting at the breakfast and not eating anything, Ed was allowed to go back into his room and stew in his foul mood. Thoughts of his father, Kimblee, and the innocent foster children kept floating in and out of his brain, leaving him in a thick haze that he couldn't seem to shake away. Finally Ed gave up on thinking things through by himself and decided to actually lean on a friend.

"Um…"

But now that he was actually going to ask for help, he had absolutely no idea what to say to her. Sure they had talked about his home life a bit here and there but…nothing really about his past.

"Edward? Are you still there?"

"Yeah Winry," Ed let out a small sigh and decided to go for broke. "Listen, last night I got a huge fucking bombshell dropped on me and I don't know what the fuck to do and I could use some of your practical thinking."

"Wow, I think you just complimented me," Winry said with fake awe in her voice.

"Shut up. But really, I need to talk to you. Are the others nearby?"

"Ed, think about it; we are in a one room motel room that's about the size of Roy's closet and there are seven people smashed into it. What do you think my answer is?"

"A little less sarcasm would be nice right about now," Ed growled. "Well can you go somewhere that isn't so crowded?"

"Maybe if you said it a bit nicer," Winry muttered.

"Please?" Ed asked in a tone that did not sound remotely nicer than the voice prior.

"Thank you. Hold on, let me get into my car."

"Where are you going Winry?" Ed heard Jean shout from the background.

"Somewhere to escape all of your cigarette smoke!"Winry shouted before Ed heard a distinct door slam. "Okay, I'm in my van. But before you start, I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

"…was that your Dad that showed up here?"

"Actually it was. And that's one of my problems that I have to talk to you about Win."

"Well okay, go on."

Edward sat there in an almost helpless state for several moments. How should he start this? More importantly, what would he even start with? There was so much ground to cover and all of it seemed to be fighting for the top spot of importance. He decided to start as his father had started and recount how his father and Kimblee had been friends at their work some eighteen years prior before his mother showed up. He recounted how his mother dated Kimblee and the said, in minor detail, how Hohenheim had been infatuated with his mother since the beginning and how Kimblee had caught them. Lastly he told Winry how after years of nothing, Kimblee had showed up at the same lab as Hohenheim and acted unusually calm. He mentioned how Hohenheim refused to tell him more and the fight at breakfast but then he couldn't go on any longer. How was he supposed to tell her that Kyle might be missing?

"Well that does seem to be one big bombshell," Winry said after a long pause. "Is there anything else?"

Edward had to try to suppress his grin; she knew him too well.

"Yeah but…"

"Just tell me okay Ed?"

Ed nodded his head but it took him another moment to realize that Winry was on the other line of the phone and not in his room to see this motion. He let out a long breath before he dived back into the conversation.

"I got some calls from Sammy and Terry."

"What's wrong?" Winry asked in an urgent voice.

"There's a problem."

"What is it?"Winry's voice had taken a bit more of a worried tone this time.

"Sammy said that…well, they can't find Kyle."

"What do you mean they can't find Kyle?"

"I-I'm not sure! I think they think he's missing but, but he's got to be at someone's house or something, right?"

"Did you call them back?"

"Yeah I did but they didn't call me back. I was gong to call them after this."

"Well do you want me to get off…?"

"No. I need to tell you something else. My dad won't tell me what else happened with him and I need to know. Sammy, Terry, and Kyle are with him right now. What if he snaps or something?"

"Edward, you should go tell your father this. I'm sure eh would be a little more willing to tell you if he knew and understood what's going on in your head right now."

"I guess but Izumi's always there, watching me like a hawk and punches me if she thinks I'm going to even make a mention of it!"

"Just try Ed. You need to talk to him."

"I'll try."

"Good. But I got to go because I'm sure Roy and Jean are wondering why I left."

"Nosey bastards."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Ed ended the call before he hit the number three speed dial and hoped for Sammy to pick it up; it didn't. After leaving a quick voicemail, Ed tried to call Terry but got the same answer. Feeling a bit of panic squirm in his stomach, Ed checked his voicemails but ended up throwing his phones across the room when he found that he had none.

No news is good news. No news is good news, Ed continued to repeat this mantra in his head for several more minutes. They lost their cell phones. They're out playing and they put them on silent and they can't hear them or something…

Ed's eyes flew back to his phone and forced himself to not check his phone. He had to relax. He was just overreacting like any protective sibling should, right?

"And where are you two going?" Riza snapped when she saw Roy and Jean moving stealthily to the front door of the Motel.

"Going for a smoke," Jean invented quickly, holding up a lighter and a fresh cigarette in the one hand while the other moved towards the door knob.

"Yeah right," Sheska snorted. "You too look guiltier than a three-year-old with a hand in a cookie jar.

"But you see," Roy said, "we aren't guilty. You just automatically assume that we're up to no good when in reality we're just being nice people and choosing to smoke in a less public environment."

"You see Riza, they're just being nice!" Maes exclaimed with a knowing smile. "It's not like they're gonna go and try to sneak in on Winry's conversation or anything."

Roy glared at his friend, who only smiled back in return.

"Seriously, just stay in here alright?" Riza barked. "How would you like it if everyone tried to break into all of your conversations?"

"Actually I wouldn't mind," Roy said. "In fact, I say that from no on all calls are put on speaker."

"Second!" Jean yelled. "Let's go inform Winry of this new rule."

"Good idea!"

The two had barley even set a foot out the door before Riza's hands had gripped onto the backs of their shirts and was tugging them inside and snarling words at them.

"Riza! We were kidding!" Jean cried.

"Do you really think we're that stupid? Don't answer that," Roy added quickly.

"We promise we're just going out for some fresh air and a smoke. We've been trapped in this place for days and I'm getting really sick of the combination smell of B.O., perfume, smoke, and booze that's been ruminating in here."

Riza looked the two teens over, not quite sure if she should believe them or not.

"You'll stand right in front of the window," Riza instructed while pointing to the large dirty window.

"Sure."

"Whatever."

"Go."

The two teens leaned over the metal railings that were directly in front of the large window. Roy and Jean were sure that if they were to turn around, Riza's deadly gaze would be staring right back at them and they didn't wan to chance anything, so they decided to talk in a whisper.

"Can you hear anything she's saying?" Jean mumbled while he pretended to be fixed on his metal lighter.

"Nope. What do you think they're talking about?"

"Probably nothing really important. I mean, Ed asks for help or confides in his friends once in a blue moon and he did that like, three times in the past two weeks. He must just be telling her sweet nothings or something."

"I don't know. I mean," Roy let his voice drop even lower, "Winry's always known about Kimblee and how he'd hurt him and the kids. She's probably the only person here who knows everything that's been going on with his life."

"But why the Hell would they be talking about Kimblee? I mean, what would he have to do with any of Ed's actual family?"

"Maybe he's just worried about the kids. Understandable and all since Kimblee's punching bag is now on the other side of the country; he would want to know if he moved his sights onto another kid and the only person he could confide to is Winry."

"I guess."

The two lite up another cigarette but neither spoke. Unfortunately they're eyes were so busy being fixate on the old red van, that they did not notice they door had been left opened slightly and that someone had just heard everything that had been said between the two.

Sorry for the cliffhanger but I had to end it here.

I'll try to update as soon as I can! Please leave me a review!

-FSK