And-What's this? ANOTHER CHAPTER?

Ahahaha. Do I rock or what? (Just kidding --;;)

Hope you like it!

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Roy was edgy as he sat down in between Alphonse and Edward, who was next to Jean.

"This is a nice new couch, Teach." Ed was being awfully casual, Roy thought.

"Yes, well the old one finally got one-too-many bloodstains on it..." The entire room fell silent.

"Now. Explain to me why all of a sudden you've taken to traveling with two men who are about twenty years older than you."

"Fourteen." Roy snapped. "And he didn't ask us to. I came after him because I knew he was in danger. My subordinate," he gestured at Havoc. "Followed as backup."

"How did you know he was in danger?"

When Roy didn't immediately answer, Ed piped up.

"Roy was the one-"

Roy cut Ed off with a sharp wave of his hand and Izumi's eyes narrowed.

"Edward. You're coming with me." She snapped. Ed looked up helplessly as she put her hands under his arms and lifted him off the couch.

"T-Teacher-"

"Hush."

"What are you doing with him?" Roy snapped, ready to jump off the couch in the blink of an eye.

"Interrogating him without interference." She slung Ed over one shoulder and Al stood up.

"Stay there, Alphonse. You're next."

"But Teacher!"

"Hush. You've always been harder to drag information out of, especially with that painless body. I"ll do Edward first."

Ed squirmed on her shoulder, chewing his lip. He tried to slide off, but she grabbed the back of his jacket, pinning him in place.

"No one move, this will only take a minute."

Roy tensed even further as Izumi disappeared into another room, slamming the door shut behind her. For a few moments, all was silent and then a sharp "NO!" from Ed could be heard, obviously denying some whacked accusation from Mrs. Curtis. Al was suddenly very fidgety.

A few minutes passed before Izumi suddenly yelled "Damn right!" and Ed protested with a less forceful, more pleading "NOOO!"

Roy chewed the inside of his cheek, Havoc puffed on his cigarette, Al fiddled with his gloves and the rest of the house was silent.

"Will she really hurt him?" Jean finally asked Alphonse.

"It depends. On how much she suspects, and on how embarrassed Ed is. She gets even angrier when you try to keep stuff from her that she's already asked about a few times. That's why she thinks Ed's easier. Because if I don't give an answer the first time she asks, I won't give it period. But Ed keeps everything to himself until he feels threatened and then he'll spill." Al's cold, monotone voice let Roy know the boy was trying not to think about his brother right now.

"No! DON'T!" Ed's cry was helpless and pleading and Roy stood abruptly to pace the room. The damn alchemist was hurt badly enough from his encounter with Envy. He didn't need to be beaten now. The only thing keeping him from burning down that door right now was the fact that Al was trying to keep calm, silently saying that Izumi had a right of some kind to do this. Roy had learned that while interpreting Edward's actions could be easily goofed up, Alphonse was usually much clearer. If he wasn't protecting his brother right now, there was a reason and Roy always made a point of knowing the owner before treading on the toes.

"OK, then." Izumi opened the door, a limp boy slung over her shoulder. Ed sighed tiredly as he was set back down on the couch, eyes half-closed, but obviously not unconscious. Roy leaned forward and Ed met his gaze, smiling sadly.

"Alphonse," Izumi put her hands on her hips and Al seemed to grin. "Your turn."

"Teacher, you know you could've just asked me."

"You're too good at lying, Alphonse. Edward had to go first."

Ed smiled weakly at that and Roy filed that interesting piece of information away in his mind.

"How much did you know about the fake adoption?"

"I'm pretty sure I know everything. We just slept at the Colonel's house, he had a certificate made up and that was it."

Izumi nodded. She turned toward Roy. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to ask you a question. Alone."

"Try to interrogate me and you'll regret it." Roy warned as he rose and followed her into the little room she'd dragged Ed into. He heard Ed whine something as Izumi shut the door and both Jean and Alphonse started talking to the blond. Izumi turned to face Roy.

"So. It seems Edward has become quite fond of you." She said. Roy didn't react. "I want you to tell me exactly how you feel about him. And you'd better be honest. I can't give orders, or win any kind of lawsuit against you, but I can sure as hell make sure those boys never come near you again, do you understand me? When Edward made the decision to join the military, I couldn't make him quit because it was his decision alone and he was determined to be a State Alchemist. But I'm their teacher and if I tell them not to go near you ever again, they'll listen. So. Tell me what Edward means to you."

Roy blushed slightly. He knew how he felt about Ed and it wasn't anything that should have been shameful, but he felt guarded against this woman.

"Well...I want to protect him." It was awkward at best. Izumi sighed loudly.

"Why?"

"...Because. He needs it." Roy looked away. She was asking him to put some very private feelings into words right now.

"You don't want to explain?"

Roy looked up.

"If you refuse to tell me in words, I'll force you to show me."

"Show you? Show you what?"

"It's simple. They way two people interact, touch eachother and that sort of thing, is all you need to see to know how they feel about each other. Some people subconsciously see those touches and mistake it for simple intuition. But what I'm talking about is putting the two of you into situations that will force you to reveal your deep dark secrets about your feelings." She cackled and Roy stared.

"You are seriously enjoying the thought of that, aren't you?"

"Ahahaha. Shall we put a blindfold on Edward and have you direct him through a mine field?"

"WHAT?" Roy glared his most venomous glare, trying to convey how much he was not amused.

"I'm kidding. I'm just going to ask you to do little things. No risk."

"Uh. What are you gong to make me do to him?" Roy growled.

"I can't tell you exactly or you'll have too much time to think about it. Don't worry."

"But-"

"No buts. We'll do it tonight when he's more relaxed."

"But what if HE doesn't want to?" Roy managed to snap out.

"Edward doesn't have a choice here." Izumi countered, turning to the door and exiting the room.

"You didn't hurt Mustang, did you?" Ed watched Izumi return from her little conference with Roy.

"No." She snapped. "Now come help me in the kitchen. It's almost dinnertime and you'll have to stay here for the night."

"J-Havoc and Mustang too?"

"I suppose. But they'd better be ready to pull their own weight.

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Ed was put to work chopping vegetables, Al was boiling chicken broth, Havoc was chopping more firewood and Roy was rolling out noodles, which was a very tricky job indeed.

First he had to take the lump of noodle dough and roll it flat, then roll it into a nice log shape. After slicing it into inch-thick circles he had to unroll them, which was the hardest part because the layers of noodle often wanted to stick together. Once finished, he gave the noodles to Al to cook with Ed's vegetables.

Jean came in with the wood and was put to setting the table. When Sig came in from the meat shop out front, everyone snacked on cheese cubes while waiting for the soup to cook.

It seemed a bit awkward to everyone else, but Roy did note that Ed seemed to be mellowing out a bit. He was the only one leaning back in his seat. Roy was stiff and Jean was keeping his head down, while Al couldn't really have relaxed if he'd wanted to. They ate in partial but cozy silence, smattered with Izumi's, Sig's and Mason's inquiries about the brothers' adventures.

After dinner, everyone helped to clear the table, Ed simply handing whatever he could reach to Al, before Izumi set Ed on the couch with his foot on a pillow to keep it elevated. It was still badly swollen. She then asked for a word with Roy and as the colonel rose to follow her, his stomach started to tighten.

Jean and Al watched with interest as Roy followed Izumi into that little guest room for the second time that day, and shared a look.

Ed yawned loudly, ending it with a sigh and a few blinks of his now half-closed eyes. He was almost asleep, unconcerned by anything around him.

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Uh-Oh. What is Izumi planning for Roy and Edward? Will they survive?

LOL, I made Izumi a little goofy there in the middle, I hope no one minds. It was fun.

R&R Please!