OK, LOTS of drama in this one, so I hope you're prepared!!

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When all present had caught their breath and Ed had reattached Al's legs, Ed and Al were made to sit up against one stack of hay bales, Roy and Havoc opposite them. Both men looked equally scary, although Ed was fairly sure he was stronger than Roy while knew Havoc could easily overpower him.

"OK, Edward. Alphonse." Roy said as if calling a meeting to order. "Let's go over what just happened. You read my notes behind my back, found out something I was trying to keep from you, and then ran straight off and got into serious trouble, taking serious physical punishment you were at it. Just like I thought you would. So. Maybe a little more is in order?" Roy was downright pissed and Ed was trying to distance himself from the flame by discreetly backing further against the hay bales.

"Maybe another slap would do it?"

"Wait, Boss. Shouldn't we think of something better?" Havoc interrupted.

"I'm serious, Jean. We are not plotting a practical joke here, we are discussing the punishment for-"

"That's not fair." Al's cold voice filled the entire car. "You hid information from us. Stuff that you knew we would care about. Just because we're kids doesn't mean we automatically need physical rebuke. It's not as if we're automatically programmed to obey if punished. And we're not the only ones at fault here!"

Ed curled his knees to his chest, but whether in reaction to Al's words or simply of his own will, none could say. All three other occupants of the train car could clearly see the blond was blocking out all conversation.

"You're right, Alphonse, except that I hid that information specificly because I knew how you would react to it. I was trying to protect you."

"We were upset when we found out, because you'd been hiding it from us all along! That's why we went even though-"

"You would've gone anyway because of the homonculi sightings!"

"That's not true!" Ed suddenly came to life from his huddle.

"How could you not tell us...Liore...Liore-" Ed choked for a moment. " I told her-she's probably dead now-" Ed grappled with some inner demon and Al frowned. He didn't know who the hell Ed was talking about.

"After I went and told her but-..." Ed paused for just a moment and all three other boys in the car leaned forward. They hadn't a clue what Ed was talking about or why he was so upset.

"IT'S NEVER ENOUGH TO WALK ON YOUR OWN TWO LEGS IN THIS DAMNED PLACE!" The blond stood suddenly, tripping out of the train car and onto the metal connection between it and the next car. Roy, Havoc and Al shared duplicate looks of shock before heading out after the upset alchemist.

"...I took everything she had left and told her to stand up and walk. But she's trapped in there now and she's probably dead or lives on the streets or-"

Havoc, ever the sensitive confidante, clapped a hand over Ed's mouth while balancing on the connector.

"Easy there, Kid. It's not another genocide campaign. What's her name?"

"Mmph." Ed said. And then, once Havoc released his grip- "Rose."

"Then there's no need to worry." Roy broke in. Ed raised his eyebrows, pleading hope in his expression.

"Believe it or not, she joned the military. She's currently stationed in Liore, acting as a temporary 'colonel', watching over her people. No need to be upset, OK? It wasn't your fault she got pulled into a religious scam and I'm sure what you gave her was good advice." Roy gentled Ed, trying to settle him back down to a point where he would be cooperative and come back inside the train of his own will. Ed looked at him, lip trembling ever so slightly.

"Are you upset because you feel like it's as hopeless for you as it was for her?" Roy said carefully, recalling the first few pages of the parenting book he'd found hidden under a dishcloth on the counter after Hughes' last visit. 'Be understanding' it said. He felt 'stupid' right now.

Ed frowned, shaking his head with a deep breath.

"No. I've got Al." He said, carefully stepping from the car's connector toward his brother in the car doorway. Al pulled Ed into the car and they both settled back down in the straw, Ed leaning heavily on Al's cold body. Al wasn't sure what to do. Ed hadn't tried to cuddle him ever since his body had become a suit of armor.

"I really did feel sorry for her, but there was nothing I could do. I thought she might be alright if she were allowed to live a peaceful life in her hometown, but then when I read your notes, I wondered if she was going to be OK..." Ed rubbed his face gently into Al. Roy crouched down next to the boys then, feeling sympathetic.

"Alright. I guess I really can't blame you both now, eh? Let's make a deal then, alright? This time I really will tell you everything I find out as long as you two both promise not to run off or take action without discussing it with me first, OK?"

Both Ed and Al looked up at Roy, then at each other, silently communicating.

"OK." Ed and Al both reached out their hands and Roy shook each firmly before sitting back in the straw. Ed slid off of Al and spread his jacket to make a bed in the hay before lying down and snoozing. Havoc stretched out with his back up against a hay bale and began to doze lightly.

A few minutes later, Roy whispered to Al "You were right, Alphonse. About punishment and hiding things from you. I was the one being immature."

And with that, Roy lay down on his side and went to sleep as well.

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There we go!! Whew, I've got a lot of chapters! And this story isn't anywhere near done!!

Anyone who can guess what happens next gets to request a free fanart drawing from me! But it has to happen before chap 25 is posted, alright? No guarantees on what that will be, either!

R&R Please! See if you can guess what will happen next!!