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Chapter Twenty-Six - Hohenheim's Revelation

It had been a little over three weeks since Nick had left his world and ended up stranded in London and the boy had once again vanished. Hohenheim was exasperated when he went to awaken Nick only to find that the boy's bed was empty. This was the second time that it had happened and the last time he did it the boy had overexerted himself and pulled loose a couple of his stitches, thus slowing his recovery.

The first time that Nick had disappeared Hohenheim had went searching for him however this time he decided against that course of action. It was highly unlikely that he'd be able to find Nick this time since the boy's wound was less of a hindrance and he would therefore be able to travel much further than the few blocks that he'd made it last time.

Shaking his head Hohenheim closed Nick's door and walked down the hall to his study. He'd just have to wait until the boy came back, if he did come back. Hohenheim sat down in his armchair and attempted to read a book but he found himself unable to keep his mind on the words he was reading. It kept wandering back to the boy.

Ed's son.

It still amazed Hohenheim even three weeks later, that Ed's son, his true grandson, had traveled through the Gate and emerged, unharmed on the other side. And it was more amazing still that Hohenheim had been the one to find the young boy.

Hohenheim was still in his study, lost in thought, when he heard the sound of the front door opening. He waited for a few minutes and then called out, "Nicholas?"

A few moments passed and then the boy stuck his head in the door. "You called?"

"Where have you been?" Hohenheim asked the boy.

"Out," Nick replied casually.

"That's not an answer Nicholas," Hohenheim said. "Besides you shouldn't be wandering around by yourself. You're still a stranger in this world, not to mention the fact that we're in the middle of a war."

That comment, although harmless enough, struck a nerve. Nick stiffened. "I know you took me in and probably saved my life but that doesn't give you the right to boss me around."

"You are JUST LIKE Edward," Hohenheim said, shaking his head.

"And yet again I get the distinct impression that you don't mean that in a good way."

"Stubborn," Hohenheim said. "Runs in the family, apparently."

"And what would you know about it?" Nick wanted to know.

"Sit down," Hohenheim said, gesturing toward the sofa, although he made sure to make it sound like an invitation rather than an order.

Nick sat down without protest but the boy didn't look happy about it.

"You've been calling me Gramps for nearly a week," Hohenheim said. "All the while not knowing how close to the truth you really were. I think it's rather amusing actually."

"Where are you going with this?" Nick asked impatiently. "If it offended you then you should have said something about it sooner."

"No patience," Hohenheim said with a chuckle. "That's genetic too, I think. I wasn't offended Nicholas. I just thought it was funny that you'd choose to call me that even though you didn't know who I was."

That statement confused Nick for a moment but as he stared at the man named Hohenheim a light bulb went off. The man knew about the other world, knew about the Gate and alchemy, which Nick knew for a fact didn't work in this world. And on top of all that he knew Ed.

Nick's jaw dropped. "You can't be."

Hohenheim smiled at the boy. "Figured it out have you? I knew you could solve the puzzle if given all the pieces. You inherited your dad's genius as well as his attitude."

This time Nick knew he was being given a compliment, albeit an unusual one.

"I'm not surprised your dad didn't tell you about me," Hohenheim said, a sad expression on his face. "I wasn't exactly a model father."

"You're wrong," Nick said. "Dad did tell us about you but I was young and only half paying attention. I remember now."

Hohenheim smiled, pleased that Ed had spoken of him. Then he remembered something else that Nick had said. "Us?"

Me and my sisters," Nick clarified.

"You have sisters?"

Nick nodded and reached into the inside pocket of his shirt. He pulled out the photo that he always carried over his heart and handed it to Hohenheim.

Hohenheim took the picture that Nick offered him and when he gazed down at it he saw that it was a family portrait.

Nick stood up and walked over to stand behind Hohenheim's chair. He leaned over and pointed out his family members one by one. "That's dad and my mom Winry."

Hohenheim nodded. "I knew Winry when she was young, as well as her parents and her grandmother Pinako."

Nick pointed to his twin sisters, who were standing in front of him with their arms around Keeva. "That's Aiya and that's Harmony. And the big furry monster in the center is Keeva. Of course this picture's nearly seven years old but we haven't changed all that much."

Hohenheim gazed down at the picture of his eldest son, with his arm around Winry and the three children plus a shaggy white dog standing in front of them. He had grandchildren. The thought of that was amazing to Hohenheim and he stared down at the photograph for several long moments. How he wished he could see them. But seeing the picture and meeting Nick were the next best things.

"Listen Gramps," Nick said softly. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I know you were just worried."

"It's okay Nicholas," Hohenheim said, handing the photo back to Nick. "You had a valid point. I don't really have the right to boss you around."

Nick shook his head as his grandfather tried to give him back the picture. "No, you keep it. I can always get a new one when I go back home."

"Assuming I can ever find my way back," the boy thought to himself sadly, as a sort of after thought.

Hohenheim saw the look of longing and despair on the boy's face and he stood up and placed a hand on Nick's shoulder. "Don't worry Nicholas, you'll see them again."

Nick looked up at Hohenheim in surprise. How had the man known exactly what was troubling him?

"Your eyes gave you away," Hohenheim said in answer to the boy's unspoken question. "I've noticed during your time here that you express ninety percent of your emotions through your eyes."

Nick was surprised by his grandfather's statement and wondered whether or not it were true. He'd always tried to hide his emotions and up until now he'd thought he'd done a pretty good job but if what Hohenheim said was true then he was mistaken.

"Don't make that face," Hohenheim said. "Showing your emotions isn't a bad thing."

Nick thought otherwise but chose not to prolong the discussion.

A/N - and there's another chapter and now Nick knows exactly who Hohenheim is. This one was really short but oh well. That happens sometimes.