The week passed by quickly and before he knew it Ed was already getting ready to head back to central, and though he had tried, he was still unable to get himself down to 2 cigarettes a day, though he was unsure as to whether or not he wanted to. Ed knew that he had promised Winry and Al that he would try but he didn't want to try right now, he was over stressed and he used the cigarettes to calm down. Though threw his musing he was packing, he had to get to the train in a few hours, and he was wondering how he was going to tell Al what he was planning.

Almost on cue he heard a soft knock on the door, "Come in!" He yelled folding his shirt thinking about the dingy streets he was going to be returning to, His apartment back in central. He couldn't help but think of that as his home, he loved it were he was but he didn't feel like he belonged here anymore. He heard the door open and looked over to see his little brothers face and smiled. "Hey Al."

"Hey brother," Al said brightly looking at the bag that was half packed, "Getting ready to go?"

"Yeah I'm leaving in a few hours." Ed muttered folding his coat and putting it in his suit case. "I have to get back to Colonel Mustang, and give a report plus I have been missing for a while and should get back."

"Well, I should get my things packed then," Al spoke grabbing a book.

"No, Al you're not going." Ed said closing his suit case.

"What!" Al spoke startled that his brother would suggest that he would even stay behind. "I thought I was going with you!"

"No, I want you to stay here; it is too dangerous for you to come along with me anymore." Ed spoke softly as to not anger his little brother. "If you come with me you are putting yourself into danger and with you not being in the military they won't protect you the way they will protect me. I don't want you to do that anymore."

"Brother, I will not stay behind not, what if you get hurt." Al yelled moving closer to his brother.

"Alphones, I can't let you come with me, with everything going on with the homunculi we don't know what could happen." Ed explained calmly, "They could know where your blood seal is and be able to cut it, which would kill you."

"But what would happen if you get hurt without anybody to help you?" Al fired back at his brother his voice betraying his anger, "I don't want to see you hurt about as much as you want me hurt, how do you think I'll feel. I know how dangerous it is, that's why I want to go with you, someone you trust should be at your back, or do you trust the military more than me!" Al yelled advancing on his brother.

"Al?" Ed jumped up meeting his brother in mid stride anger flashing in his eyes. "I don't trust them, that is why I don't want you to come with me. They tried to use Winry against me, if they used you." Ed stopped trying to breathe, angry tears pooling in his eyes. "I couldn't let that happen to you; it devastated me to know Winry was in danger how do you think I would feel if it were you. My baby brother, who I have to protect!" Ed yelled as Winry and Granny came to see what the fuss was about.

"You don't have to protect me!" Al yelled back, "I can help you!"

With a crack Ed's fist met the wall splintering the wood and cutting into his knuckles, startling everyone that was there, when Al stepped forward to see if his brother was ok Ed spoke, "I've had enough, you are not coming, that's final!" The venom in Ed's voice made Al and the others freeze dead in their tracks.

Winry took a step forward speaking softly. "Al has a point; you should have someone who has your back with you."

"It makes since!" Ed yelled looking over to her as though he hadn't seen her, "What point in there in bringing my baby brother into a situation that could kill him. Would you do that if it were your little brother!" Ed snapped looking over at his hand, where the wood had splintered. He hadn't noticed that he knuckles where cut up till just now, so in response to that he pulled his hand off the wall to examine the new cuts, placing a mask over his face to hide his thoughts.

He knew that he was slightly paranoid about this, but something told him that it would be better for him to remain here where nobody could find him. "Edward? What are you thinking about?" Granny's voice snapped him from his thoughts. He was surprised by the fact that she was as clam as she was. "Do you want me to look at your hand?"

"No, I'm fine, I don't want to talk about it." Ed pushed past them and started to the doors, "I'm sorry, just stay here, at least till I can talk to Mustang about all of this, please." Ed continued through the door and stepped outside automatically reaching for his cigarettes that he had in his pocket, lighting one and taking a long draw from the end.

"That's four," he heard sound behind him. He whipped around seeing Winry standing there.

"What?"

"That the fourth one you have had today." Winry spoke again.

Ed raised an eye brow and molded his face into a cocky grin, "Really, wow Winry are you stalking me?" Ed let out a soft laugh and took another drag from his cigarettes.

"Ed," Winry laughed slightly sighing again. "No I don't, but it is not hard to notice that you leave the house at random times, I guess now that I know I notice it more."

"Winry?" Ed sighed not sure what to say and instead took another drag. "I- what do you want me to say?"

"That you didn't mean what you said to your brother. That you want him to help you." Winry Pleaded.

"I can't, I meant what I said it's bad enough that I am a dog of the military. I don't want them taking advantage of him. Kimblee could be in central waiting for you to show up; just so he can snatch you up and use you against me." Ed answered not quite able to look her in the eyes.

"But, as Al said what if something happens to you?" Winry asked.

"Then I either die there or I don't, don't forget that I know how to protect myself and if it helps I have been working on alchemy to heal myself if I need it." Ed smiled touched by her concern but he know that his mind would not change.

"You'll just die!?" Al asked walking in fallowed by Granny.

Ed flinched looking between them, not sure how to cover himself. That was a foolish thing to say. It was a hazard that could happen in his line of work, but he had never really let on that he cared about the fact or that he had come to terms with it. Of course he didn't want to die at least not before Al had his body back, but if he did he could just hope that his brother could go on without him. "Well, die might be a strong word; I don't plan on going out anytime soon." Ed spoke finally.

"Yes, a very strong word, if that's what is going on in your head there is no way I will let you leave here alone." Al's voice was full of convention, when had is brother changed and why had he not noticed till just now.

"You are not coming to Central with me," Ed snapped his anger getting the best of him again. "That is out of the question, I can't have them using you and while I have a bit of trust in mustang and the lieutenant and well major Armstrong I have no trust for anyone else."

"Exactly what if they aren't around." Al yelled very out of character for him he was getting more and more upset by his brothers stubbornness. "If there not around what will you do?"

"Fight like hell, I trust myself as I said I've been working on medical alchemy." Ed yelled vaguely aware that Winry and Granny have been watching the brothers as though they were watching a tennis match their eyes fallowing the brother who was talking at the moment; both were also keeping quite.

"What if you can't?"

"Have a little faith in me; I made it out away from Kimblee's men."

"And you almost died."

"But I didn't," Ed snarled moving away from the three sets of eyes looking at him. Ed stepped around to the front of the house turning around to add, "I'm not dead. Stop thinking that I will die any second. I'm a hell of a lot stronger then you all seem to think I am."

The moment Ed stepped out from around the corner he heard the click of a guns safety, and the shuffle of feet moving into position. Shit what did I get myself into this time? Ed's hands moved above his head thinking looking up to great the men in front of him. Doing a quick head count Ed noticed, that there was ten men all armed with machine guns and probably back up handguns as well, though what really drew his eye was the behemoth of a man that stood in the center of the group, Major Armstrong, the Strong-arm Alchemist. Ed also heard a gasp coming behind him as Al, Winry and Granny tried to fallow him out away from the house. There was no fighting his way out of this one; not if he wanted to keep the others safe as well.

"Fullmetal Alchemist, Edward Elric step forward slowing and keep your hands above your head." Armstrong's voice boomed drawing what little of Ed's attention that wasn't on the big man all toward him.

"Hello Major, to what do I owe this pleasurable visit." Ed smirked trying to mask his racing heart behind sarcasm. He noticed the men move taking better aim at him, and he instinctively moved a step to the right blocking the door from there site will Al to be smart about this one thing and close the door, and to not jump in and save him.

"You are to be brought in for questioning for the disappearance of Major Kimblee, as well as the failure to capture Scar." Armstrong spoke but the determination in his voice didn't quite reach his eyes. Something was off, the major didn't want to be doing this, he was always a softy, Ed smiled at the thought.

"I have nothing to do with either; I was unconscious when Kimblee disappeared and quite frankly don't remember to much about the entire mission because of blood lose. Scar not being captured was the Briggs military's fault, for not taking what I had to say into consideration. You can speak with the General I told them he would not be there; they did not listen." Ed's voice rang with defiance, he may be a dog but he won't just roll over and whine when they tried to pin something on him. Where could this be coming from? He thought just before the answer came to him. He ran, or that's what it looked like, the man was gone and Ed had every reason to hate him. Of course they thought he did it. Damn how could he so stupid.

"Then come with us the furrier will take that into account." The major spoke a sad smile gracing his features. With the sound of their leader's name Ed stated thinking fast, So the furrier was behind everything. Thinking back Ed also remembered that Ling had said something similar before the two got separated. He decided then that he was not going to be going with these men.

Looking around Ed tried to make an escape plan only to stop when he remembered Al , Winry, and Granny behind him. Damn, he thought his options were running very thin. "Is this a promise, why can't you just leave me be, come on Major." Ed asked shifting he weight to his heals.

"Edward do not fight us." The Major warned watching the small boy wearily, knowing if this became a fight it would be an ugly one. "Come quietly with us to central please."

Running out of options Ed glared toward the Major, "Fine only because I am headed that way anyway, though allow me to grab my stuff from upstairs." Ed turned halfway keeping his hands up and eyes on the men. "Come on in Major I assume I can't be let out of your site." Ed saw the Major breathe a sigh of relief when he spoke, so the major didn't like this anymore then Ed.

The major nodded signaling his men to lower their weapons. "Permission granted." He spoke walking up the front steps, with a nod to the stunned trio behind Ed. The major grabbed Ed hands roughly pulling them behind the boys back; Ed also felt a paper slide into his glove. "Go get what you'll need." Armstrong huffed as soon as the door closed behind them. "How have you been madam Rockbell." He spoke again as a clear dismissal of Ed.

Ed wasted no time grabbing his brother and Winry's arm and running up the stairs. By the time they were to the room Ed was using Winry was panting. "Ed, what's going on?" She asked watching as Ed pulled the paper from is glove and reading it with a quick glance.

'Run'

"Damnit," Ed swore grabbing for his signature red cloak pulling it on quickly, reaching for his suitcase where he kept the pistil Mustang had issued to him, Damn he never wanted to carry it. he thought pulling it out along with the small light holster to strap it to his left side. "Let's get out of here." He spoke up clipping the holster into place clipping the weapon into place.

"What are you saying? You're just going to run." Winry almost yelled think at the last second that it may not be the best idea. "And you said you didn't carry a gun!" She snapped watching the weapon with fear filling her eyes.

"I don't not on my person but Mustang and the Lieutenant forced me to keep one, so I put it in my suitcase, since it's not on me, I don't consider it carrying." Ed spoke reaching toward his brother. "My lighter?"

"You seriously want to smoke now!" Al asked shocked; though despite his anger he handed his brother his lighter reaching toward the pack. Stopping when he saw the look of anger and worry on his brother's face.

"No, I want to burn the note, but unlike Mustang I don't know fire alchemy or I would just use that." Ed snapped defensively though now that Al said something yes he did want to smoke. Shaking his head he grabbed the lighter and holding the note in his right hand he lit the note on fire watching the small paper turn into a small pile of ash in his hand. "Look this is bad, the major is warning me to get out, I'm not going to leave you two behind though I'm not too happy about Granny being down there alone. The major should protect her with the way he spoke to her immediately, so she should be ok." Ed muttered thinking aloud while pulling his hand threw his hair. Trying to figure out where they were going to go.

"Why is he warning you to run?" Winry asked watching the boy she'd known her most of her life ramble and fidget like he commonly did that when he was thinking.

"Edward Elric you have 3 minutes left." The Major's voice sounded from the bottom of the stairs. "If you're not down here I will come up there and get you."

Man he sounded angry Ed thought looking to his brother and Winry "One more minuet," Ed yelled turning back to his bag trying to discern what he might need. Besides food there was nothing he could think of, and food they would just have to find as they go along. "Al can you give Winry a lift, Winry you're not as fast as Al and I, and you can't run for as long as we can. Plus if we get shot at Al's metal body will protect you."

Winry walked to Al looking at Ed with concern, "What about you?"

"Don't worry about me I'll stay with Al as best I can," Ed promised at least I'll try he added silently. "Either way let's move fast. We really don't have a lot of time. You'll have to make do with what you have for the time being Al and I can find food as we go.

"I'll be ok, but you owe me an explanation when we are gone." Winry said with a small gasp as Al stooped over picking her up swiftly.

"Good, now let's get this over with." Ed muttered pulling the window open.