Still March 3rd, 1963

Edward wasn't surprised at all to find a massive dinner on the stove when he got home from work. "Expecting an army?" The joke sounded weak, even to him.

Winry turned away from the large bubbling pot of stew. "Shouldn't I be? Sara called a little while ago. They're coming for dinner." With Lia, Ethan, and Tore as well that made nine people.

"So if you talked to Sara, you've already heard," Ed realized.

"That they're mobilizing the State Alchemists and sending them North with the rest of the army to deal with the Drachmans? Yes, I did," Winry replied, sounding almost resigned. "She also told me about the letter from the Drachman government and the newspaper article from this morning."

That information had been recounted during the alchemist's meeting for anyone who had not been invited to the Assembly meeting. There was no need to pass on the information again. Ed didn't even feel like he needed to ask half the questions he had planned to. Winry probably already knew what he wanted to ask. "So, what do you think," he asked simply?

Winry hugged him tightly. "When do we leave?"

What? "We?" Ed had expected discussion, an argument maybe, not this simple acceptance.

"Yes we," Winry looked up at him without pulling back. "They'll need doctors and auto-mail mechanics. This is a war. Unless you're going to try and tell me I can't go?" The dangerous flash in her eyes told Ed that if he had been planning to say no, he shouldn't.

Instead, Ed gave her a tighter hug of gratitude. "No I… I'm just glad I'm not going alone," he replied softly. "They're holding us responsible, directly, and attacking our home. If we don't stop them…"

"You'll stop them, Ed," Winry assured him. "I know you all will. We will. No one's going to invade Amestris and get away with it." Then she smirked. "They'll be sorry they ever messed with us."

"I feel sorry for any of them that get near you anyway," Ed chuckled softly, his expression softening. "Breda told me he'd keep me home if he could, if you said to. Kane said pretty much the same thing."

"But you want to go," Winry completed the thought with conviction. "They're questioning our honor – you, me, Al, Elicia, Roy, Riza – as well as everything you've helped build with the alchemists in this country. They want to destroy our home. I can't let them get away with that anymore than you can."

"You're wonderful, you know that," Ed hugged her again.

"You've mentioned it a few times," Winry replied, tilting her head and kissing him warmly.

Ed returned the kiss, losing himself willingly in the moment. Winry's hair smelled like her favorite Xingese cherry blossom scented soaps. Her warm, familiar body pressed against him, a comfort and welcome distraction from the turmoil he'd been feeling for the past two days.

"Next time I come in I'll remember to bring a blindfold."

Ed let the kiss linger a moment longer before letting Winry break it. With a roll of his eyes and a snicker he turned and looked at his former student. "You could also try knocking," he told Tore.

"Hey, the door wasn't locked," Tore replied with an impudent grin, "And I do still live here." At least until he moved into the NCO barracks, which Ed knew Tore had planned to do as soon as he turned eighteen. Ed had, grudgingly, agreed to keep the cat for him. Though he wondered now when that would happen.

"You're in a good mood," Ed commented cautiously. He didn't know how much Tore had been told yet.

At that, Tore's smile faltered. "I thought I'd give optimism a go. So far I don't think it suits me. I keep wanting to hop a train North and start hitting things."

"You're not the only one," Ed admitted as Winry moved away from him and back to the stove. "You'll probably hear it all soon enough anyway; all the State Alchemists are being organized and sent to the front. The Drachmans are holding up what we did to Tamirov's lab as an example of Amestrian interference, and the bastard's still alive, and now in charge of a large number of supposed Drachman alchemists that they used when they took Briggs."

Tore's expression went stone cold for a moment, then his fists clenched. "Bastards! I can't believe that guy's still around either. I'd like to get my hands on him."

"Get in line," Ed snorted. "Al's about a mile ahead of you. I'd like another shot at him too if there's anything left when Al gets through with him." Not that Ed really thought there was much chance of a direct confrontation with Tamirov. If the man was smart, he would stay behind his lines and command from the back.

"Well I guess he does get first dibs," Tore sighed. "I guess I shouldn't worry about moving my stuff just yet. When are we leaving?"
At least he seemed to be handling the news well; angry but not unreasonable. "We'll start sending people in the next two weeks," Ed replied. "We'll probably all be up there within the month."

"No one's expecting this to be a fast war, huh?" Tore asked.

"Kid, this is a fast war."

It wasn't much longer before Ethan and Lia arrived home from their jobs, and Sara and Franz arrived soon after with Trisha and James in tow. Ed noticed that no one talked much about the news on everyone's minds over dinner. Conversation remained jovial; anecdotes from Ethan's day at the clinic, stories of Lia's students, or funny things Franz had overheard in Breda's offices. Though Franz and Sara's stories were fewer than usual. No one asked why either.

Only afterwards, full of good food and with tea, coffee or other beverages in hand did they all sit down in the living room and bring up the unpleasant topic. Trisha and James were out back with the dogs before it got too dark to play.

"What are you going to do?" Winry asked Sara and Franz first. Both of them had orders to the front. Franz would be going with Breda's office staff, and Sara – of course – in her position as a State Alchemist.

"I'm going to ask Aunt Elicia if she and Aunt Gracia will take care of the kids while we're gone," Sara replied, sipping her tea. She looked concerned and Ed didn't blame her. "If Will and Ren weren't expecting again, we would have asked them."

Winry nodded. "They'll have plenty to do as it is, though I'm sure everyone who stays will help." That was just how their family worked.

Sara gave Winry a suspicious look. "You're going, Mom?"

"Of course she is," Ed spoke up before Winry had even opened her mouth. The truth was, he was relieved. There was no way Breda would let Winry near the front lines again, and Winry would be within reachable distance whenever Ed would have time to see her.

Sara gave him a surprised look, but said nothing. After the events of the Aerugo War all those years ago, Ed didn't blame her. He had learned his lesson. It wasn't even an issue of Winry being allowed to go or not. He needed her nearby; he knew that now. "I guess that will give you some privacy," she grinned at her little brother.

Ethan's expression shifted to one of slightly sheepish embarrassment. "Actually… I'm planning to go myself."

"What!" The word came from several mouths in unison.

"They're going to need doctors," Ethan pointed out reasonably. "And how many alchemical doctors does Amestris have? I can do things others can't; things that will save a lot more lives. Ren certainly can't go."

Ed glanced at Lia, who did not look happy, but she did not look surprised either so he suspected they had at least discussed the possibility on the way home. "You're sure about this," Ed asked, though he didn't feel like it was really a question. Ethan didn't second guess himself often.

Ethan nodded. "I'm positive."

"It looks like almost everyone's going then," Winry sighed.

Lia nodded. "I'll be here," she replied softly. "So I'll help with the kids, Sara. I can't take off in the middle of the semester, and I'm no soldier anyway." She sounded almost as if she wished she were.

"Thanks," Sara smiled, looking relieved.

"Really," Franz added. "When we both got orders, well I wasn't sure what we'd do."

"That's the military." Ed understood completely. Breda and Kane would have conferred. If they needed both Franz and Sara, than both would just have to go. He hoped they both came back safe; for their kids' sake as much as his own love of his family.
"Who else do you think will come for the call for alchemists?" Sara asked then.

Ed pondered that for a moment. "Well given they've hauled Roy and Armstrong out of retirement? It's pretty dire. I can't say for sure. I do know I'm going to be placing a few calls to specific people though; old friends and anyone whose contact information we still have. Other than that I'll be sending out a general radio announcement and putting it in the papers. There's a lot of good people out there we can use even if they didn't make the cut."

"Well I hope they still want to be State Alchemists," Tore commented from his spot sprawled on the floor in front of the fireplace. Rapscallion – Rap, his cat – was curled up in front of him, rubbing frantically against Tore's hand, begging for affection. Tore scratched him absently. "I don't know if I'd feel some resentment if I hadn't made it."

"Some might," Ed acknowledged. "We'll just have to hope that they don't all feel that way."

The meal at Alphonse's house was similarly crowded, and even tenser, than the one at Edward's. Al didn't try and make it that way; but he was sure everyone could pick up on his anger over the entire situation. The announcement that Tamirov was alive, unharmed, and in a position of power and immediate threat had struck everyone. Elicia had burst out briefly in tears for the first time in over a year. Will, Ren, Minxia, and Alyse were all at the house, but the usual cheer was subdued. Even Minxia seemed to know something was wrong. After the meal, she sat quietly and played with the kitties while Gracia did the dishes. The kids – Al still thought of them that way – sat around the dining table talking.

Al retreated out onto the back porch. Being around everyone, all he could imagine was the Drachmans raiding Central, taking Elicia again; hurting Alyse, Gracia, Ren… he could see Tamirov's face everywhere and it made him want to break something.

"If you squeeze that glass any tighter it's going to shatter."

At the soft sound of Elicia's voice, Al looked down at the glass of wine in his hand and sighed heavily. He set it down on the back deck railing. "Sorry."

"Don't be." Elicia's hand settled lightly on his. "If anything, apologize to the food you slaughtered while eating it tonight."

Al didn't smile. He'd nearly cracked the plate at one point he'd pressed down so hard with his knife. He felt full, but he couldn't remember really tasting a bite of what he was sure had been a delicious meal. "Is it all right with you… that I'm going?" He hadn't actually asked her. He had pretty much told the family he'd been ordered to it. While he hadn't really received those orders yet in writing, he wanted to go and he knew they wouldn't hold him back. They needed experienced alchemists to end this as fast as possible.

Elicia leaned against him. "I wish you didn't have to," she replied hesitantly. "But I know why you want to go and… and I want that too."

"You do?" Al looked up at her from where he was leaning against the railing, startled.

"How could I not?" Elicia asked, a wry smile appearing at the corner of her lips. "I'd do it myself if I could. But I know I'd be no good there. I'll stay here, and keep home safe and waiting for everyone else."

"You won't be the only one staying here," Al pointed out, turning to face her directly. He rested his hands on her upper arms. "You'll have Gracia, and Ren and Will, and Alyse."

"Well…actually," Will cut in, clearing his throat.

"Actually?" Al looked at the door to the house, where Will was now standing.

His son looked serious. "I'm coming too. You said Uncle Ed was in charge of recruiting civilian alchemists to join up. Well count me in."

Al had to admit he wasn't sure whether to be surprised or not. Will was hardly the military type, but he was a trained alchemist and he was familiar with most of the fighting techniques even if he was a little out of practice. "Does Ren approve of this?" Al wasn't sure he did. In just about six months they would have a second child. Leaving Ren alone now, and Minxia, going off to war with a definite risk of combat and possibly getting killed; it made Al nervous.

"I do," Ren replied, stepping up beside Will, who moved out onto the front porch to make room and put his arm around his petite wife's shoulders. "I would go myself if I could, but of course that's not possible."

"I should say not," Al replied. "Though given the number of wounded we're likely to have shipped back to Central eventually, you'll be just as busy here and far safer."

"Which is part of how I talked her into staying," Will chuckled weakly. "I need to go, Dad. If Amestris needs alchemists I know I'm qualified, and it's…an issue of family pride."

He couldn't argue that. "And I suppose you're going to say the same thing?" Al turned to look at his daughter who had poked her head out the door now as well.

Alyse shook her head. "Do I look foolish?" She asked the question as if the answer should be obvious. "They won't need me to coordinate events in North City; not unless we're inviting the Drachmans for tea. Even as an alchemist I'm hardly combat trained and ready."

Al enfolded his daughter in a tight, fierce hug. "Thank goodness one of us has some sense."

Alyse stiffened briefly, then hugged him back just as tightly. "Someone has to."

When he stepped back Elicia was looking teary eyed. "Honey," Al felt immediate concern. "Are you all right?"

Elicia nodded despite the tears. "I'm just… proud, and afraid, and worried all at once," she admitted. "I want you both to promise you'll come home safe. It's not worth it if anything happens to either one of you."

Will chuckled and hugged his mother. "I have to, Mom. Ren will find a way to make me suffer for all eternity if I don't. Besides, I've got another kid to meet." He flashed her a grin.

"So we'll make it a quick war," Al suggested, joining in Will's obvious attempt to lighten the mood. It was about all he could do at this point. Soon enough, they would be seeing the ugly reality that Al still remembered face-to-face. The girls didn't need to be scared by it before it was time to say see you later. Al would not contemplate goodbye.

Roy Mustang was quiet as the car pulled away from Maes and Elena's house after dinner. It had been a relatively pleasant night. Seeing his son's family always was, though tonight's conversation had, not unexpectedly, been dominated with discussion of the Drachman invasion and the coming retaliation. That talk had only begun, however, once his grandkids were tucked away in bed where they couldn't hear.

As Roy had expected, Maes – having been at the meeting – had already received orders from Kane by the end of the day. Roy had talked with the Sky Fire Alchemist himself before leaving Headquarters. Being a retired State Alchemist, General, and former President of the Military, he obviously had top pick of assignments and a position at the head of an alchemy unit if he wanted.

The problem was, it wasn't a question of wanting. There was nothing Roy wanted more than to hop the next train to Briggs and burn out the Drachmans and send them fleeing back beyond the walls.

Roy was fairly convinced that the toughest obstacle to that would be the beautiful blond driving the car. Riza had been oddly reticent all evening. She had taken the opportunity to volunteer to put little Roy, Dorothéa, and Rochelle to bed. Still, Roy wondered if she had actually missed out on anything said in that house all evening; knowing Riza, probably not.

It was a quiet drive home. It was dark and misting rain and Roy didn't want to distract Riza from her driving in the weather.

"Did you notice?"

Roy blinked, then turned his head. "Notice what?" Had he missed something on the road? They had just parked in the driveway.

Riza gave him a small, slightly sad smile. "Maes and Elena. I haven't seen them so affectionate since before Rochelle was born."

Startled, Roy realized she was right. "Oh right that," he nodded as if his observational skills weren't in the slightest bit rusty!

Riza obviously didn't buy it, but she didn't comment beyond a knowing look. "Don't you find it interesting?"

Roy had to think about it for a minute. His son's marriage was a topic he didn't prefer to contemplate much. "You think things are actually improving," he asked? "If nothing else, a war is a great way to remind people to appreciate each other." Maes and Elena had fallen in love in a war zone; the chances of getting out of there with both of them alive in serious question. That passion had lasted, honestly, longer than Roy had expected when Maes first brought her home. But it had, through the birth of two children. Everything had, in Roy's opinion, gone downhill ever since the accident that caused Elena's miscarriage, and then the Court-Martial trial. Ever since then, things seemed peaceful on the surface, but Roy didn't see the joy or the contentment he remembered. The youthful passion he had expected to mellow, not die.

"Maybe that's it," Riza agreed as she unbuckled and climbed out of the car. "I know this sounds selfish, but I hope this will give the shakeup in life they need to make things work again."

"You wouldn't say it's working now?" Roy asked curiously as he got out and followed her to the door and inside. It was almost a rhetorical question. Roy wouldn't have said so either, despite the fact that everything seemed fine.

Riza shook her head and hung up her long dark blue coat. "No, I wouldn't. They're so quietly polite to each other all the time in public, and I don't mean that they've simply relaxed or stopped behaving like hormonal teenagers."

Roy stepped behind Riza and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Like this?" He snickered as he kissed her cheek.

Riza sighed, but she was smiling as she turned around within the circle of his arms. She shook her head. "Precisely." The smile faded. "It was such a sudden shift. When I talk to Elena, she's still in love. She wants what they had before, but she's right. Maes has changed."

Roy nodded. "He's afraid." Roy almost didn't have to guess how his son was feeling. "Maes used to do everything full-out, no matter what it was he put everything he had into it. School, alchemy, fighting… love. But he doesn't trust himself anymore. I've tried to talk to him, but I'm not sure anything really sticks with him. He's spent so many years trying to make something of himself, and then nearly ruining his chances on impulses. He was willing to risk everything for a cause or a person."

"That sounds familiar," Riza smiled softly again.

Roy smiled back. "Yeah, doesn't it? But he's afraid now; afraid that another mistake will ruin what he's got left and he's probably sure it's just a matter of time before he makes it." He felt his smile slip as he spoke.

Riza leaned her head gently against his chest. "With that attitude it's almost guaranteed that he'll either make it, or spend so much time worrying about it he misses everything else."

Roy's heart ached as he thought about it. There were some ways in which he wished his son did not share attributes of Roy's personality. "They both need something to shake them out of this; the routine, the rut." Elena was hardly the firecracker Roy remembered either. She had not come out of those difficult times unscathed emotionally either. Her job the last few years obviously made her happy; but it seemed to be doing the opposite to Maes, even though he refused to say a word other than to support her decision. "I don't want to see them fall apart, Riza."

"There's only so much we can do," she replied softly. "We've been supportive as we can be. In the end, it's up to them. It's their relationship."

Roy nodded. "I'm so glad I have you," he replied in a near-whisper, pulling her tightly against him. "You always smack some sense into me when I need it."

Riza chuckled. "I'm just fortunate that still works with you. Why, do I need to do it again?"

"Possibly." Roy straightened up so he could look down at her properly. "Marcus has offered me a unit, if I want it."

The knowing look in Riza's eyes made it plain she already knew his heart's desire. "Is there anything I can say that would convince you not to take it?"

Not an answer that inspired confidence. "You could say no," he pointed out. "You've never had a problem telling me exactly what you think about me when it suits you. I don't care that they're throwing that mess from a few years back all over the news as propaganda and calling us all international saboteurs. But I'm the one who negotiated both of the last peace treaties with Drachma. I feel responsible for what happens to Amestris even though I'm no longer in charge of it. I can't let everything we've given our whole lives worth of work to build get ripped apart."

"You want to re-burn the borderline into their minds with a visual aid," Riza snorted softly. "You're an alchemist, Roy. So was my father. So is my son and so many of our friends."

"So there's some ego involved," Roy smirked. "I never claimed to be completely magnanimous."

"Good thing too; you'd be lying through your teeth," Riza replied. "You know, I had rather hoped you would stay retired. That maybe someday we could relax and enjoy ourselves without you getting into trouble."

"But?" Roy knew that tone.

Riza's slight shoulder shrug was more eloquent than a dissertation on the subject. "But you're Roy Mustang, and that's never going to change."

"Does that mean I can go?" Roy's eye widened in surprise.

Riza nodded, one hand coming up to brush the left side of his face. He felt its smooth skin above strong hands that were still as steady a shot as they ever were. "It means we can go."

Suddenly this seemed like a much more dangerous idea. "You want to go? You hate battlefields. What if-"

"What if something happens to me?" Riza smirked. "Then you'll just have to protect me won't you? I'm not about to let you go out there without someone qualified to guard your back and your blind side."

Roy could see no other reasonable objections. "I guess that does require a rather particular set of skills," he grinned, "Someone clever, capable of keeping up with me; someone who knows her place and can follow orders."

"Hey!" Riza objected, her hand slapping his cheek lightly instead. "I said guard. I'm not your subordinate anymore, I'm your wife. Remember who takes the orders around here."

"Right, right," Roy laughed as he pulled her close and kissed her fiercely. How could I ever forget?

Dinner that night broke up late. When Ethan excused himself to go to bed his father and Sara were still talking organizational strategy for the alchemist units with Franz and Tore playing cards in the room, giving occasional peripheral commentary. Lia had gone to take a bath and his mother was reading James and Trisha a story up in her room on the master bed.

Ethan got undressed, did a few before-bed stretches, and then lay down, closing his eyes and just relaxing while he waited for Lia to join him. It had been a relatively calm day at work considering the uproar the country was in. No matter what happened, sore throats needed to be looked at, busted limbs set and put on the mend, babies delivered. That was the way things went. He and Ren had gone about business as usual aside from Ethan's bringing up the possibility of going to the front and serving as a military alchemical doctor. Even Ren had agreed they could use him.

Lia had been a little reluctant when he brought up the idea on the way home, but hadn't taken much convincing. Though it meant making a few changes in their priorities and a lot of talk before hand. Ethan had every intention of working in a back field hospital and coming home alive and well.

He could tell it was still on Lia's mind too the moment the bedroom door opened. Even without opening his eyes, he could sense her moment of pause in the door, then the door closing and he felt that pleasant shift of the weight of his bed as his wife lay down beside him. "Ethan, are you awake?"

Ethan opened his eyes. "Yeah, just thinking."

"That seems to be a curse around here lately," Lia smiled softly as she snuggled up against his side. Ethan slipped an arm instinctively around her shoulders. They had barely been married six months, and now this. It didn't seem fair, but then life rarely was. "Are you sure about this?"

It was the question Ethan had been waiting for. He drew her closer as he rolled onto his side so he could look into her eyes as he spoke. "It's something I need to do. They need doctors, and in a war an alchemical doctor is even more important. I can do things none of the others can. It's my duty to go, as a physician, as an alchemist…"

"As an Elric?" Her lips quirked into a knowing smile.

"Yeah, that too," Ethan chuckled and kissed her cheek. "They're likely to stick me way back behind the lines in a field hospital. I'll probably never see a bit of action."

"That's not all I'm worried about," Lia admitted finally. "It's cold up north, and if this doesn't end before the fall, it's just going to be even worse."

"I'll have cold-weather auto-mail installed on my fingers," Ethan assured her, "Promise."

"Don't avoid the issue," Lia shook her head. "It hasn't even been two years since you almost died. You could get sick again."

"I'll take care of myself," Ethan promised, his hand playing absently with damp strands of her freshly washed hair. "I'll eat, and rest, and all that other stuff you're always nagging me about."

Lia giggled and kissed him gently. "You'd better. I'll write you every day reminding you."

"The other guys will get sweet romantic letters, and I'll get nagging," Ethan couldn't help smiling at the thought.

"One of the perks of being married," Lia teased.

There were quite a few of those, Ethan had been discovering. "I'm sorry this means putting a delay on our other plans," he added apologetically.

"It's all right, we have time," Lia assured him. "It's disappointing, but it's not like you planned this."

"Still, I feel bad about it." They had only just decided recently after all.

Lia pulled his face to hers for another kiss, this one more heated. "Then make it up to me."

Ethan returned it willingly; tired, but he thought he might have the energy for it. "Yes ma'am."