A/N: I'm really sorry about the delay. It took some time to get the atmosphere right, plus studies have been piling up :( Hope this chapter makes up for it. I will definitely be posting more frequently after exams.

Disclaimer: FMA does not belong to me, but the OCs do

"Mei, I need to speak to Al. Now." Ed wasted no time with pleasantries, snapping out his message as soon as the dial tone ended. His brother could be in grave danger. He was not about to risk Al's life by acting like a bloody housewife.

"Nii-san, what's wrong?"

"Al, are you alright? Is your body fine?"

"I'm fine, Nii-san. What's going on?"

Ed heaved a sigh of relief. "It's nothing, Al. Just checking in."

"Nii-san, don't lie. You wouldn't have called so urgently if it was nothing." Al sounded worried. "Is everything okay? How's Winry?"

"Yeah, yeah, Winry's fine, Al. So is Baa-san."

"Then is it something to do with the army?"

Ed sighed and massaged his brow. Alphonse's intuition was right on the mark. "I'm in Central now. Mustang has a job for me."

"The Colonel? What kind of job?"

"He's a Brigadier-General now" Ed scoffed. "Though he hasn't changed a bit."

Alphonse chucked on the other line.

"Anyways, I just wanted to check on you, Al, and let you know where I am. Say hi to Ling for me, will you?"

"Wait, Nii-sa…"

Ed quickly hung up the phone before his brother asked any more crucial questions. He could not have avoided them much longer.

"So, where is your brother staying?"

Ed spun around to see Carmen, the housekeeper, sitting at the dining table, smiling gently.

"Were you listening?"

Carmen shrugged her dainty shoulders and stood up. "I was told to escort you back to the drawing room when you were finished. I had nothing better to do, so I waited."

"How much did you hear?"

Carmen chuckled warmly. "There is no need to be so defensive, Mr. Elric. I did not hear anything of import."

Edward shot suspicious looks at Carmen's back as she led him back to the others. Was it normal for a simple housekeeper to eavesdrop on guests' conversations? Was it possible that she was a spy? If so, for whom? His stalker perhaps? Ed's whirled dizzyingly as he tried to make sense of all the day's events. So much had happened in the last couple of hours, for more than he had expected. It almost felt similar to the events from two years ago.

"Mr. Elric? The Captain has brought a car. Would you like me to guide you to the front door?"

Carmen's voice broke through Edward's thoughts abruptly. He glanced up, surprised to see that he had been standing in the centre of the living room, staring intently into the fireplace.

"Oh… uh, sure. Thanks" he replied absentmindedly, nodding to the housekeeper. He turned towards Mustang and Raveneye. "When do I report for duty?" he asked.

"Tomorrow is fine. You will still report to Brigadier-General Mustang as his subordinate. If there are any significant updates, Mustang will report to me. I've arranged a room for you in the dorms for as long as you need" Lieutenant-General Raveneye answered. She smiled gently. "It will be a pleasure to finally work with you, Fullmetal Alchemist."

Edward grinned, an action which brightened his face considerably. Mustang could almost see the mischievous boy Ed had once been in those few seconds of openness.

"The pleasure is all mine, Lieutenant-General Raveneye." He held his right hand out confidently, his grin widening into a full smile as Tara Raveneye shook it warmly.

"Goodnight Fullmetal."

Ed echoed her greeting and then followed Carmen to the front door. Bidding her a quick farewell, and throwing a few heated glares in her direction, he stepped outside and walked to the waiting cab.

"Where to, Edward?" Captain Broadstone asked from the passenger seat.

"The military dorms, please, Captain."

Edward relaxed back into the cab seat as the Captain relayed the destination to the cabby. It had been a long day and he looked forward to the comfort of a bed. Granted, the dorm beds had nothing on his bed at home… Ah, shit. Edward groaned. He had to call Winry to tell her about the change in his plans. She definitely would not be happy – in fact, he was glad that he would be telling her over the phone. News of this sort usually warranted a blow to the head, with a wrench.

"Edward, we've reached."

Ed looked out the window to see the familiar brickwork of the dorm. "Thanks Captain." Ed routed around in his pocket for change to pay the cabby.

"I've already paid. You go on in and get some rest. I'll send for the rest of your things from home. They should arrive within a week." Captain Broadstone gave a small smile and tipped Ed a salute. "Goodnight, Edward."

Ed watched as the cab drove away, and then turned to go inside. He signed in at the front desk, got his keys and went upstairs to his assigned room. Without even removing his boots, he flopped onto the bed with a sigh. He was asleep before he could even remember to call Winry.

Edward groaned blearily into his pillow as the noisy sound of the telephone permeated through his sleep-fogged brain. Throwing aside his sheets, Ed stumbled to the phone and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" he mumbled.

"Ed, what's happening? Al just called; he said something seemed off. And then the army called to tell you that your registration has been completed! What registration?"

Ed winced at the shrill tone Winry's voice took and sighed. "Winry, can I talk to you later? It's…" he glanced quickly at the clock, "3 o'clock in the morning…"

"Ed!"

Edward muttered some obscenities under his breath and moved back towards the bed.

"I'm a State Alchemist again" he stated bluntly, in no mood to coddle his friend.

"What? How is that possible? Your alchemy…"

"Apparently it came back. Don't ask how, 'cause I don't really know myself. That's one of the reasons why I was reinstated. Also, something's happening again in Central. Mustang needs my help."

"There are plenty of other people Mr. Mustang could ask" Winry huffed with barely contained rage. "Why you? You're retired!"

"Winry…" Ed sighed, running a hand through his loose hair. "It wasn't his fault… at least not entirely" he added under his breath. "I was already involved before he sent for me."

The other line remained silent.

"Winry?"

"I'm just worried, Ed. So much happened last time… I just don't want you…" she cut herself off before she could finish her thought.

"I can't promise that I won't get hurt."

Something that sounded suspiciously like a sob came through in a cloud of static.

"But, I will promise that I will come home… Soon, if possible. For now, I need to stay in Central. It's better for everyone this way."

Winry chuckled wetly. "You never change. Be careful, you idiot."

Edward grinned, and got up to return the phone to its receiver when he heard the dial tone. Winry had taken the news much better than he had expected. She was probably used to the Elric brothers' habit of getting into trouble. Regardless of what she or anyone else thought, they would continue on the path of their own design. Feeling in a much better mood, Edward returned to bed, taking time to remove his shoes and jacket before sliding between his rumpled sheets. Not before long, the sound of quiet snores indicated he had once again fallen asleep.

In another part of the city, a lone figure meandered through the empty lamp-lit streets of Central, having no particular destination, just travelling where his feet took him. Charles Broadstone could not sleep. He had woken up several times this past night in a cold-sweat, his heart pounding for no apparent reason. He could not remember having any sort of nightmare, but it had gotten to the point where he could not lie down for more than ten minutes before waking up in varying states of panic. So, in order to soothe his agitated body, he had decided to go for a nighttime stroll. The captain had spent a good portion of his life living in the lawless regions between Xing and Amestris and had no qualms walking alone in a city in which the army's main base was located. Even at his old age, he would be more than enough against even a group of muggers. Captain Broadstone sighed and pushed his hands even deeper into his greatcoat pockets. He was probably just restless after today's strange events. Accompanying the Elric boy to Central had seemed like a fairly simple task when first assigned. However, over the course of the day, he had seen a great many things that had surprised him. First, the boy's unusual breakdown at the Central train station. He had told the Lieutenant-General exactly what had happened to Edward, but chose to neglect his side of the story. Right at the moment when he had touched Edward's arm, he had felt a connection between the two of them. Well, not a connection, per se. It was something deeper, stronger and more powerful than a mere connection. In those few seconds, Captain Broadstone had felt his very being merge with that of the alchemist. It had not lasted very long, in fact he had originally though that he had imagined the whole event. However, after hearing Edward's side of the story, he became more and more convinced of it. Something had happened back then; something that the Captain could not understand. As a soldier, a man bound by principles and duty, he often did not contemplate the reasons behind things. He was a man of action. Despite this, he liked to have complete control of his surroundings. His shirts were ironed to perfection, his moustache waxed and trimmed to the right length. All of his buckles practically radiated light from being polished so often. Captain Broadstone did not like the feeling of being at something else's mercy. Which is exactly how he felt at this moment. The Captain was distracted from his inner musings when he bumped shoulders with a passing drunk. Apologizing to the happily inebriated man, Captain Broadstone continued his stroll, now contemplating on the second issue occupying his mind: Lieutenant-General Tara Raveneye. Charles Broadstone had been a recently promoted officer when he had first met the girl now known as the Wind Alchemist. Awed by her fierce determination and courage, he had vowed to follow her until the bitter end. When she was reported dead during the beginning of the Ishbal skirmish, her entire team had been broken up – assigned to obscure and remote military posts. He had expected to die out there, buried beneath the sands, forgotten by all. However, eleven years later, he had received a summons that had set his weary soul on fire. Lieutenant-General Raveneye had survived, and was reforming her team. Unfortunately, all the other members had either died in minor border conflicts or had been killed during the Promised Day fiasco two years ago. Captain Broadstone had mourned their deaths, but rejoiced at the chance to be of use to the Lieutenant-General once again. Then, unexpectedly, she had assigned him permanently to the team of Brigadier-General Mustang. The Captain was not sure of the relationship between Mustang and Raveneye, but he knew better than to argue with the Lieutenant-General. Mustang had welcomed him to the team and definitely treated him the same as the others, but he still felt a bit abandoned. Did the Lieutenant-General no longer trust him? Why was she relinquishing control to someone else? Captain Broadstone could not begin to fathom what his former commanding officer was thinking.

"Are you Captain Charles Broadstone?"

Startled out of his inner musings, Captain Broadstone flinched a little at the sudden question. Turning around, he saw a short figure, wrapped in a dark cloak, standing behind him.

"Are you Captain Charles Broadstone?" the figure repeated.

A small, niggling part of the Captain's brain protested the title, but he ignored it and answered in the affirmative. "Indeed, I am. May ask as to who you are?"

"Prepare yourself."

With surprising speed, the figure leapt towards him and, relying completely on instinct, Captain Broadstone fell back, one arm held up in defense. He never saw the blade that slid effortlessly through his hand into his heart. He did not feel the mysterious figure rip the sword out of his body and toss his ground onto the cobblestones. Nor did he feel the gentle drops of water that began to fall onto his face. The good Captain was dead.

Please review! I like to know what my readers think :)
Ironically, the 2nd OP of FMA:B started playing when I posted this XD