So... Many of you were upset about lack of Ed and Al, or that I went with the first series of FMA, and not the Brotherhood version. Well folks, this is where I decided to go with it, so deal. Of course it was well before the show ever aired, and the manga was only on like book 11... So opinions changed, I like both equally well, and won't argue one way or another. So I'm posting again, the chapter after this might be some time... I don't want to post it until I've got the 50th chapter edited for you guys too.

Can you all believe it's been five years since I started this journey with no editor, horrible grammar and a vague idea of where I wanted to go with this? A lot has changed, and five years has also passed in the World the way I've planned it. So, without further adeau, READ, REVIEW, ENJOY!

I stood on the train platform feeling lightheaded. It had been nearly five years since the first time I'd stood on this platform. Back then I'd been sixteen and annoyed with Mustang. Hell, I'd been angry with the world. I still found Mustang a pain in the ass, but I understood him a bit now. I was still getting used to his new title, General was just a bit of a stretch for me. Genz place his hand on my shoulder, he was carrying his fiancée's luggage. When he'd found out he was being sent to central he'd proposed to her, after all they'd been dating for two years. Right now he looked like a mixture of happy and worried

I smiled at him, "Take care of your stuff." I ordered, "You have to move into your new home. I'm just going to go in and see Mustang, the love birds can take me." I shoved a thumb at Jacob and Lam, they'd been dating for six months, as far as we knew. Byan had resigned becoming a photographer so he could marry Ami. He still acted as a soldier sometimes though. That and he had published a photography book of all the pictures he'd taken over the years and it had gotten him privately hired to photograph the military.

Genz looked at me again, then nodded turning back to his wife to be. I touched Ami on her shoulder, "Help them out," I gestured to Genz and Carla, his fiancée. "We won't have offices for a couple of days so when I finish with General Mustang, we'll all meet at Genz's new place."

Ami nodded. Her husband was driving to central, with the rest of their things and some of Genz's and Carla's. Next I tapped both Jacob and Lam on the elbow, they flanked me as I passed. It was impressive, seeing me in my white uniform, Lam and Jacob following three steps behind to either side. I felt like royalty, my personal knights trailing behind me. Lam was still a good three inches taller than me, but I'd out grown Ami some time ago. And Jacob was just an inch or two taller than Lam. I was tall still, the others were just taller than me. Last time I'd seen Havoc, two years ago, he'd been just a bit taller than me, and when I'd seen Mustang, three days ago, I'd been taller than him. I'd long out grown being able to have Genz carry me around on his shoulder, though he often slung me over one of them when I was being stubborn.

It was the summer of my twentieth year. I had let my hair grow out, only ever cutting my bangs. Even with it pulled back into a tight French braid it extend to the middle of my back. I'd lost my baby fat, and gained a soldier's muscles due to Genz's constant obsession with keeping me in shape. I could fly for the whole day without wearing myself out, or I could fly at my fastest for five hours, before I became too tired to move. My white outfit, the same I'd had since my alchemic test, now fit me like a glove. The pants were just baggy enough to give me easy movement. The top showed off the narrow waist I'd gained, without hindering my shoulders. My dark braid was like a black rope against the white fabric and my still pale skin. Strangely enough even down south I'd never gained a tan.

I glanced over my shoulder, Jacob still sported his sun bleached hair, though the dark tan had faded. He'd filled out, no longer the string bean I'd first met when he was twenty-one. Lam hadn't changed nearly at all. Light laugh lines had begun to touch her cheeks, her eyes had lightened a bit to a dark brown instead of the pure black I remembered them being. Her hair was still in cornrows that went down to her shoulder blades and was pulled back into a horse tail. She was large breasted, and large hipped, but with a narrow waist. It all suited her long legs.

They both had their weapons. Lam's hand guns tucked firmly into the holsters under her uniform tails, and Jacob's rifle in its case at his side, a knife and light gun hidden in his tails since that mission we'd gone on. I carried all of my weapons, except the rifle that had been issued to me. My guns mirrored Lam's, hidden under my tails. My sword hung from my hip clearly visible with a large knife on the other side. I had five throwing knives on a wrist guard, a hidden knife in my bra, and one ankle knife in my boot. Ami, the blade expert, said I was going overboard with that many, but I didn't feel comfortable without their constant weight.

Central was in ruins. The Germans that had come through a week ago, had destroyed half the city. It wasn't practical to drive a car in the rubble filled streets, so we walked. I'd sent Gracia and the children out to Resembool to stay with Granny until the capital could be put to rights. I didn't want any of them near this danger.

The three of us walked for an hour, in full uniform as far as anyone else could tell, towards the center of the city where we knew the Headquarters were. In the West the summer had been a muggier heat than in the south, but here in Central it felt like fall was coming early. Jacob remarked on that about fifteen minutes into the walk, saying that if we'd been at west HQ we'd be sweating by now. Lam and I smiled, humor was something we all needed after the attack.

Central Headquarters had seen better days. The flag and the stone building were sporting bullet holes. Suits of armor were still being cleaned up and Sand bags moved back into storage. I noticed several people; including Armstrong, who had retired, Breda, Fuery, and Fulman, moving equipment, and Havoc leading a group of men in fixing holes. They didn't notice me, and I made no attempt to catch their attention.

Inside the front desk was still as carefully maintained as ever. One of the front clerks was directing the Janitors in cleaning the dust covered area. The only thing that marred the marble area was a thick layer of dust that must have come from the ceilings during the attack. I asked the clerk who was trying to reorganize the desk where I could find General Mustang and Captain Hawkeye.

She blinked at me, "I'm sorry Miss. They're in a meeting with the Fuhrer. As are all the other generals." She reached for a phone, "I can have a message left with the Fuhrer's secretary if you'd like to wait."

I nodded, "That won't be necessary, If you'll just point me to the Fuhrer's office I can wait outside for him."

The woman cleared her throat, "I'm sorry Miss, but all guests require a military escort in Central Headquarters. We don't have anyone available to take you up there."

Lam had been standing a few feet away. She'd overheard most of this and moved to stand next to me, "Listen Corporal, this is Lieutenant-Colonel Dalka Hesperus, the Angel Alchemist. I am first Lieutenant Lamya Jones. If you still don't think my commanding officer is who I say she is, I can act as her escort. Now give her directions."

The woman looked terrified.

Lam was pissed, she rolled her eyes, "Don't worry. Dalka's too nice to report you're disrespect, but I'm not. Directions. Now."

The woman gave them quickly, nearly stuttering. As soon as we had them, Lam led the way. Jacob walked next to me a lopsided grin on his face, "I love it when she's bossy. She's got such power…"

I rolled my eyes and elbowed him. "It's illegal," I reminded him softly, "To date within the military."

Jacob shrugged, "We're still trying to figure out which of us can quit without causing major problems."

I gestured with my head as we got closer to the Fuhrer's office. Several Generals were just coming out. Lam slowed until I passed her then they both flanked me again. I walked right through the crowd of generals to the Fuhrer's secretary. She was the same one that had been Grumman's secretary three years ago, "Is General Mustang still in with The Fuhrer?"

I could feel the angry glares of the other generals as I stood in front of her desk. I had no rank on my shoulders yet I'd had the audacity to push past them without saluting or bowing. The woman looked up and smiled, "Your the Fuhrer's Grandniece right? Dalka?"

I thought about that, "Um… I am Dalka, Dalka Hesperus."

The woman nodded and smiled picking up the phone, "Fuhrer Grumman? Lieutenant-Colonel Hesperus has just arrived… Yes sir, I'll tell her." The woman carefully hung the phone up, "He asked you to leave your escorts here and to leave everything but your sword with them." She giggled, "He also said that if you gave me any trouble about the weapons I was to ask one of the generals you insulted to turn you over his knee."

I gave her a grin, my eyebrow twitching, "Who? Me? I'd never insult someone worthy of their rank."

The woman hid her smile behind her hand and I turned back to Lam and Jacob who had finally saluted their way through the crowd. Lam crossed her arms, "I am not carrying all your weapons." She looked at the secretary, "Do you mind if she leaves them on your desk?"

The woman nodded, and I made a big show of pulling the weapons out. I unbelted my dagger, leaving it in its sheath, then pulled out my guns, if I'd removed that belt my pants might have fallen off. Next I took each of my throwing knives out before taking off the wrist sheath. I opened my hands, signaling that was all.

Lam cleared her throat.

I rolled my eyes, and put my boot on her desk pulling the ankle knife out, "Happy?"

Lam raised an eyebrow.

"That one I'm not removing," I said giving her a look. The generals had stayed, their jaws going slack as I had pulled knife after knife out.

Lam returned the look, and Jacob spoke up, "Let her hold on to that one. It saved our lives, remember."

Lam sighed and gestured shooing me into the room. I nodded to the secretary and went in without knocking. Hawkeye was standing behind the chair Mustang occupied. He'd lost some of his better looks when he lost his eye. The black patch made him look darker and older. Grumman looked small behind the desk with the flag pulled up behind his chair. I smiled at him, then bowed, "Fuhrer Grumman. You look well."

"Dalka," He sounded tired, "Please I have enough people to salute and bow to me…"

I stood and smiled at him again, he'd aged more. I walked around the desk and bent to hug him, he welcomed it, "Hi, Uncle Grumman."

I pulled away looking at him carefully. He was wearing thick glasses, and his hair line had receded a lot. His mustache was thicker than ever, and I wondered if some of that was nose hair too. I squinted at him, "When'd you get all those wrinkles, old Man? And are those liver spots? Ewww…."

"Hesperus!" Mustang barked.

Grumman stopped him with a laugh. He patted me on the shoulder, "I've missed you, Child."

I smirked at him, "I've missed you too."

Grumman looked at me again and sighed, "You are too much like your grandfather. You'll have to come by and have some tea with me after you've settled in."

I nodded, "I'll come once I've moved in to my new place and I've gotten my office set up. Speaking of which…" I looked to Mustang, "How come you told me not to find an apartment?"

Mustang looked at Hawkeye and she handed me a folder. "That contains all your information about your apartment." Mustang said, as I opened the folder, "I heard you bought a house for you subordinate, it's his wedding gift? So I got you an apartment. It's on the top floor at Murph condos. It's a three bedroom, two bath, with a kitchen and a living room. It might be more space than you're used to but it was the only one in a safe neighborhood. It's too far for you to walk if it's raining or snowing, so Hawkeye will pick you up when it is, other than that it's a twenty minute walk from there to headquarters. Hawkeye furnished it for you, but you'll need to put in your own little touches." He reached into his pocket and pulled out two keys on a ring, "Here's your keys. The office your team will be in is on the ground floor, north side. Ask the front desk for the keys. I'll be coming by tomorrow afternoon to give you your first assignments. Any questions?"

I looked from the keys in my hand to him, to the folder, "Yeah, what is it we're doing?"

Mustang shrugged, "A lot of it will be paperwork. Some specialty work for you. Your sniper and big brother may be asked to help with security for parades and the like. The gunfighter, Lamya Jones I think, is requested to train a new group of recruits at the firing range. You'll also be on call as an elite team in the case that we need you."

I looked at him, he wasn't telling me something. I turned to Grumman and gave him the same look. "Riza," Grumman asked, "Could you step outside for a moment?"

Riza nodded, giving a little bow before walking out.

Grumman turned back to me, his face serious, "Mustang's told me about how you knew about Havoc and the Elrics, not to mention how you knew when the… Na-zees...? came. I want you here, were that ability can be used to its full power."

I stepped back looking at both of them. I thought carefully before I said anything, "It doesn't work like that. I get fuzzy feelings, like something's going wrong. I can't tell what's happening exactly until it does. Last week I felt like I was back at the front lines expecting an attack at anytime. Then I felt like I got hit with the image of Ed coming back through the portal, it happened almost the same time as my vision came." I took a deep breath, "I've had other visions… but their like snatches of time. I see a small part of the whole image, a boy with a gun, somewhere that's too hot and too sandy, pain shooting through my wing. Those were all from different things that I went through. I can see what might happen to me, but I can't foresee what will happen to others, just what is happening to others." I looked up at them, "Does that make sense?"

Mustang shook his head, but Grumman sighed, "I thought that might be the case… Some of your duties will be to respond to emergencies, especially ones at the hospital. We're not at war anymore but there are still ways to use your powers."

"I can't heal someone dying of a disease," I said bluntly. They both looked at me blinking in surprise. "Wounds, broken bones, internal bleeding, I can fix those. But I can't even cure the common Cold. I can't fix brain damage, the price for spinal repair is too high for you to expect of me, and nerve damage is iffy. Sometimes I can do something, sometimes I can't." I shrugged.

Grumman stood, "I'll tell that to the doctors. Go tell your people what they need to know. I don't expect any of you to do any work until tomorrow."

Mustang joined him, "Work starts at eight in the morning, you leave when whatever's on your desk is taken care of."

I smirked at him, "Does that rule apply to you, or do you ignore it?"

Mustang frown, "Wear your uniform tomorrow." He ordered, "Dismissed."

I saluted them both before turning on my heel and strode out. Once Hawkeye had re-entered the room and the door was firmly shut I started laughing. The look on Mustang's face had been priceless.

So... Next chapter is 49, some fun stuff is going to happen, and... I can't remember the rest... I'll post it when I have the chance, but Reviews always help me along. Reviews, not just Favorite listings. Having said that, PRESS THE BUTTON!