DISCLAIMER: I don't own FMA. Also, be warned for mentions of detailed gore.

"Big sister makes the prettiest drawings! Right?! Big sister can you draw Elicia and me a drawing? Pretty please?"

I balked under the combined puppy-eyed look from Nina and Elicia. I turned to Ed, seeking some sort of help, but he pretended to not notice. That traitor. If Al were here, he'd definitely help me. If only he didn't come with that stupid excuse of studying.

"Please big sister?" Elicia asked, tugging at my sweater.

"S-sure," I replied, regretting it immediately as the two little girls squealed in happiness.

I ended up drawing a unicorn, which they enjoyed immensely. Then again, all kids liked unicorns. Except Kate.

"Hey, Hughes, why are we here?" Edward asked in annoyance as the two girls continued their shrieking.

"No reason. Just thought it'd be nice for you two to get out of the house once and a while," he answered, giving a large toothy smile to the boy. I didn't believe him, but I didn't have the energy to confront him either.

"Do you two mind spaghetti for diner?" Gracia asked, poking her head through the kitchen doorway with a smile.

"I don't mind," I replied, while Ed just gave an affirmtive grunt.

I liked Gracia. An air of calm and comfort radiated from her and her motherly smile as she retreated back into the kitchen.

There was no doubt that the household was the picture perfect loving family. Hughes and Gracia were the most kind and loving parents to their daughter, Elicia, the four year old full of curiosity and laughter. I tried to stay away from her as best I could, but it was a bust.

I was not good with kids.

"Why does little brother have a braid?" Elicia asked curiously with a pout, tilting her head to inspect the blond. He grunted in annoyance and tried to move away from her, but she merely climbed the couch and onto his shoulders to my amusement. She began to tug on his hair with giggles of, "Up, horsie! Up!" forcing him to comply lest she rip his hair off, which lead to him jumping around the living room with a shrieking Elicia.

"Now, now, settle down. Time for dinner," a grinning Gracia laughed delightfully, interrupting Edward as he ran around. He flushed under her gaze, and though he tried to deny it, he had been having fun.

Dinner wasn't something I was used to. Back at my home, dinner was going to the kitchen, getting your food and then moving to some part of the house to your own devices. I wasn't used to the chatter or the conversations mixed in with the squeaking of plates or the sound of glasses being placed back on the table, or Gracia's soft chiding of, "Don't talk with your mouth full," to Elicia or Nina. In the end, though, I couldn't help but smile. It was... nice.

"So, Madison, where did you grow up?"

I froze, my fork halfway to my mouth (this spaghetti was the best I ever had). I noticed Ed turn to me in worry, but I avoided looking at him. Placing my fork back down on the plate with a cough, I chuckled, "To tell the truth, I can't quite remember."

Hughes raised an eyebrow at me as he added more than enough salt to his plate. "What do you mean?" he inquired, his eyes never leaving me.

Fidgeting under all the attention, I quietly wished I were Nina or Elicia, who chatted away without any inquiry to the suddenly tense atmosphere that surrounded the table. I laughed again, my defense mechanism, as I added, "Well, it's all kind of fuzzy." I swallowed a sip of water to calm my nerves and to delay further questioning.

"What about your family, dear?" Gracia, while, bless her, was only trying to be kind, I was silently cursing at inside my head.

Shrugging, I tore at a bun and ate it even though I hated the decision after. I didn't even like bread why did I think that was a better alternative? "I can remember bits and pieces like family and friends, but my home and where I lived is all a blur."

"You poor thing," Gracia gasped, looking at me sullenly and I tried not to scowl. I didn't like pity.

"There's not much I can do besides try to get my memory back and push forward," I replied, going back to my food and hoping beyond all belief that the conversation would just drop. Thankfully, it did, and the table went back to its comfortable atmosphere that had been present earlier.

Dinner ended and I offered to help take the plates to the kitchen while Ed went to bed and Hughes went to tuck the girls into bed. Gracia declined at first, but I eventually persuaded her since they had so gracefully (ha) took us in for the night.

The kitchen delved into a quiet, comfortable silence with the sounds of running water and dishes clanking. I dried them as Gracia washed them in the sink, and it wasn't too long before they were done.

"You know, Madison, you're always welcome here."

I paused in the middle of wringing the dishrag I had used to dry the dishes, and turned to a sullen Gracia. Tilting my head, I said, "While I appreciate the sentiment... what do you mean?"

She turned to me, and I nearly backed away in shock at the tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry," she sputtered, wiping them away, "It's just... I can't imagine how it must feel, to not remember your home, or where you're from."

It tore me up inside to know that I had lied to her. That I made her this emotional and I couldn't even tell her the truth. That I did know where I was from but I had just made up some half-baked excuse so I could travel with the brothers for my own selfish reasons.

Despite this, she wrapped me up in a hug, and it took everything in my power to not flinch away. "So I just want you to know that even if you can't remember your own, you'll always have a home here, okay?" I nodded against her shoulder as I returned the hug, silently hiding the tears that came to my eyes from her kind and compassionate voice.

Gracia backed away and let out a choked laugh, grasping my shoulders. "Well, enough of that. You should be heading to bed! A young aspiring alchemist needs her sleep!" I nodded with a smile, warmth enveloping my chest.

I found myself walking into mine and Edward's shared bedroom for the night five minutes later with a yawn. He grunted in annoyance when the light hit his face, making me snort. "Baby," I teased, flopping down on my bed.

"Jerk."

"Psh, you can do better than that."

"Spawn of Satan?"

I nodded. "Better than assbutt."

"I don't understand you sometimes."

"That makes two of us." I laughed as he halfheartedly threw a pillow at me. "Jokes on you 'cause now I have another pillow," I sang, snuggling closer to it. He merely snorted in reply.

Morning came with bad news.

Ed and I tumbled out of bed when we heard commotion outside, only to find Hughes frowning as he talked to another officer. He spotted us, and he nodded in a mute greeting. "Wish I could say good morning," he said with a grim face.

"What happened?" Edward questioned.

Hughes' frown seemed to deepen. "Get changed. I want to show you the work of being in the military."

We found ourselves in the back of a military car heading down the streets. Hughes was up in the front, his frown still marking his face. Both Ed and I tried hard not to fidget, but eventually my curiosity got the best of me as I asked, "So where are we going?"

Hughes looked at me from the rear-view mirror, before looking forward again. "A murder scene."

My body chilled.

"Lately, there have been a string of murders happening around the city of Central," he continued. "Woman of all ages have been the victims of the murderer, whom we have decided to name Barry the Chopper."

Barry the Chopper? God, why did that sound so familiar? Is it part of my lost memory? Maybe if I went to the crime scene I would regain some of it, as much as I dreaded to do so.

Edward's grip on his knee tightened considerably as he croaked out, "And I don't suppose his name is due to the fact that he chops up his victims?"

Hughes nodded. "Right on the dot."

My throat tightened as I gulped. The car was filled with a tense silence as the driver continued on.

We arrived at the crime scene far too quickly for my liking. My hands shook as I opened my door, and I tried not to flinch as the heavy sound of a child sobbing assaulted my ears. Officers were looking mournfully down an alleyway, spaced away so they wouldn't step on the trail of fresh blood that lead to it.

My hands found themselves wrapped around my arms for some sense of comfort, but I still found myself shivering at the sight of a crying child holding tightly onto the bundle of cloth placed over what I assumed to be the victim.

I barely noticed Hughes place a hand on my shoulder.

"Mama! Mama! Wake up mama!" the child, her son, cried mournfully over her body as he shook with sobs. God, I wanted to wrap him up in my arms and protect him from the sight so bad. My throat tightened from my own sobs just watching.

I should have noticed Edward flinch beside me.

"Please, Henry, you have to let go," another officer whispered to the boy, an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

Henry began to scream harder. "No! Let me go! I want mama!" he shouted, struggling against the officer and tightening his hold on the sheet.

The officer sighed. "Forgive me," he said, placing his hands under Henry's armpits despite him beginning to scream louder and tugged him up.

Henry screamed bloody murder, refusing to leave his mother as his grip held on. Bringing the sheet with him.

I've seen blood before. I've seen broken bones and bruises and cuts. I've seen pictures of horrid injuries late at night for research to a story. What I haven't seen is a dead body. I've never seen someone's blank eyes, stuck in horror of their last moments before death. I've never seen a body so horridly ravaged and broken or bloody. I've never seen so much blood surround a person or their limbs strewn about drenched in red with bones and guts in view for all to see. I've never ever seen something like this. And I wish I hadn't.

My hands flew to my mouth in horror. God, God it was awful. Why? Who would do something like this? Why would someone do something like this?! And oh God the smell, I hadn't noticed before, holy shit the smell, I was gunna-

I fell to my knees and retched.

Numbly I felt Hughes hug me so I wouldn't see the body, but it was too late. It was etched in my mind, her numb eyes and her guts spilled out across the ground. I wanted to cry so bad. I was crying. Why would Truth throw me here?! Why would it put me here in this awful, awful place?!

There was a thump, and a sudden cry of, "Mr. Elric!"

Hughes shifted and I could suddenly see a passed out Ed, sweat covering his forehead with a pained expression on his face. But why would he faint? He was so much more tough-skinned than I was, so why- oh no, his mom. He was thinking about that night.

"Get these two back to Shou Tucker's house," Hughes ordered two officers, who gave a shaky affirmative. He sighed, turning to me. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought you two here."

I didn't have the energy to reply.

"He has a small fever, but it should go down soon. Give him some time to rest and he'll feel better," Tucker told Al and I as he rested a bowl of water on the bedside.

"Thank you, Mr. Tucker," Al said, and Tucker smiled as he moved out of the room. Al let out a metallic sigh as he turned to Ed. "What happened?" he asked me.

"We saw a chopped up dead body," I replied quietly, dipping a rag in water to place on Ed's face. Al let out a quiet, 'oh,' and if I had the energy I would have chuckled.

We sat watching over Edward, and he tossed and turned, muttering words like, 'Mom, I'm sorry,' and, 'I didn't want this,'. Each mutter was a punch to the gut, because I knew I would have to ask so they could trust me, so there wouldn't be boundaries between us, but it didn't mean I had to enjoy it.

"Why is he saying that?" I choked out, refusing to look at Al.

Al tenses beside me and I try not to sigh in guilt. "I, uh..." he shifted, looking away. "Our mom died."

Though I expected it, it didn't hurt any less. "I'm so sorry," I muttered with genuine pain, clenching my jeans tightly as I washed Ed's forehead. Al sighed, and I bit my lip as I asked, "What does he mean when he says, I'm sorry?"

Al doesn't look at me.

I decide to make it somewhat easier on him. "...It's okay. You only had the best intentions." He turns to me in confusion, and I continue dabbing away on Ed's face. "You committed human transmutation, didn't you...?"

Al's armor tenses up, and he looks like he wants to run away as he asks quietly, "How did you know...?"

"I saw it in a book..." I say, which isn't exactly a lie. "About how it was taboo and there's no equivalent price. And... well mixed in with Ed's mutterings, his automail and the fact that you never take off that armor well..." I shrug, "it all just kinda added up."

He lets out a sound like a sob to make up for his lack of tears. "We just wanted to see her again..." he cries, and I tear up. Why was the world like this? Why did so many people have to go through so much pain?

"Al," I say, putting on my award winning smile. "It's okay. No one is blaming you. I'm not blaming you. Okay?" He sobs, and before I know it I've got a face full of metal and probably a few bruises, patting his back as he repeats his thank you's over and over again.

"You!"

"Yes, Ed?" I yawn, not looking up from my book on the spot in my bed. I hear his teeth grit and him storming up to me, and I smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"How did you know?" he growls and I slam my book closed.

"With my own genius and intellect, my dear Edward, I was merely able to put the pieces in place! Please, do hold your applause," I say dramatically, bowing. I spot Al in the doorway and I grin. "Now, while I do love a good audience to inspire, I was just in the middle of studying, and I must get back to it. Ta-ta!" I wave, and turn back to my book.

He points a finger in my face, which I swat away. "You better not tell anyone."

I snort. "Please, Edward. I'm an amnesiac, what do you take me for?"

He huffs and tumbles down into the chair I used for my desk Tucker had been so gracious to lend, and remained silent as I continued on my reading. Though I had tried to portray being calm and collected, my eyes couldn't focus on the words from the amount I was freaking out.

Ed continued to stay silent and I can actually feel his stare on my face which further prompts me to continue ignoring him lest I get a fist to my cheek. His leg is tapping up and down and I want to physically scream when Al abandons me, closing the door. Thanks for sentencing me to my death, Alphonse.

"Why aren't you disgusted?"

I scrunch up my face and give Ed the most incredulous face I can muster because what the fuck, but I'm cut off when I catch Ed's genuinely confused face as he stares at the floor. He actually thinks I would be disgusted.

I sigh and close my book, preparing myself for yet another sappy one-on-one (I've had a lot of those these past few days), before resting my hand in my palms and turning to him. "Have I told you about my mom?" I hum.

Looking up, he raises an eyebrow. "No?"

I nod. "Well, for starters, I always call her 'maman', which is french for mom. She's compassionate and funny, even when she can be sarcastic," I smile when he chuckles. "She has red hair and freckles just like me, and she gives great hugs just like me too. She's a first grade teacher, she likes coffee, she can be grumpy, we make pizza on Fridays and I always tell her I love her." I swallow back the sudden lump in my throat thinking about maman because this is about Edward, and not me. "I love her a lot." Nothing will change that. "I miss her." God do I miss her. "And I can't imagine life without her." I may have to. "So believe me when I say I understand why you and Al tried it. Believe me when I say I don't fault you for it either."

Seeing him grit his teeth and turn away makes my gut churn, so I let out a shaky exhale and tap his head. "Don't worry, pipsqueak, I don't hate you."

Despite the way he glares at me and growls, "Well I do," we both can't help but laugh anyway. He taps his leg as he stand up to leave, halting before the door. "Madison?" I hum in acknowledgement. He hesitates, before muttering, "Thank you," and leaving.

I run a hand through my hair, my nerves all of a sudden too shot to continue studying. So instead I reach over to turn the lamp off and dive under the blankets.

I won't admit that I cried myself to sleep.

I blink.

So does Edward.

I blink again.

"Holy shit I did it!" I scream, jumping to my feet to do a little jig, beaming down at the tower of metal I had created. My first alchemist reaction and I succeeded and it was beautiful and I was going to cry.

"Big sister said a bad word!" Nina cries from a top Al's shoulders, looking horrified at me causing me to slap my mouth as Ed howls (I plead neither innocent nor guilty when he finds himself over on his side on the ground).

"I'm so sorry Nina," I stutter as I wave my hands frantically to her frowning face. "Please don't be mad?"

She huffs as she turns away from me with a pout, refusing to even see to reason. "No! You said a bad word, which is bad! Daddy said never to say those words or you'd be in big trouble!"

I flush as both the brothers begin to snicker at me with glee because we all knew Tucker had some rather... interesting punishments (I shudder thinking about the hand-holding one). Frantically, I place my hands together as I cry, "Please Nina! I-I'll bake you brownies, how does that sound? Delicious, chocolaty goodness just please don't tell your dad!"

She peeks an eye open to me, her lips tugging up in a smile as she beams. "Yay! Okay, I won't tell daddy!" Thank god, crisis averted. Alexander barks as Nina begins cheering a top a laughing Alphonse as they begin to run around the yard.

A recovered Ed from his earlier tumble walks up beside me as I'm weeping from relief, grinning like the bastard he is. "You sure you don't wanna give up Alchemy for lying and bartering?" He lets out an oof as my elbow connects to his gut.

"Lean down, spread your legs apart. Stop being so tense."

I can't help the snort that escapes me, nor the mutter of, "That sounds so wrong."

Ed ends up kicking my legs out from under me, and though I'm wheezing on the ground, my chuckling of, "Totally worth it," makes him sigh.

"Madison?"

I look up groggily to the tired Nina as she clutches a teddy bear in her arms. Tears had been running down her face which makes me sit up immediately. "What's wrong, petite etoile?" I ask, rubbing my eyes to try and wake myself up.

Her lips pucker and wobble. "Scary dream."

I nod and pat my bed so she'll sit down beside me. She succeeds with a bit of difficulty, and before long I'm running my hands through her hair as I hum to calm her down. "Madison?" she calls out sleepy.

"Mmh?"

"Can I stay with you?"

Once upon a time I would have scowled and probably stuttered out some poor excuse so she wouldn't have. I hated kids. Nina, however, was different. She was sweet and endearing and she had wiggled her way into my heart. So I smiled, stuffling her with a hug that made her giggle as I said, "Of course, etoile."

"Madison, no!"

"Madison, yes!"

"It says two caps not two cups you dolt!" Ed screams, tugging the sugar from my grasp as I frown, continuing to struggle against Al's hold on my arms.

"But Ed!" I whine, pointing to a happily oblivious Nina as she played with Alexander. "Look at her! She needs all the sugar she can get!"

"Are you sure the sugar is for her and not for you?' Al questions, making me glare up at him.

"Wow, Al. Real cold. I thought we were friends. How could you betray me like this?"

"Wait we need milk?!" Ed nearly shrieks, giving an incredulous glance to the recipe. "Why the hell do we need that accursed poison in the cookies?!"

"Because, Ed," I sing, pouring the milk into the batter despite his shrieking behind me. "Some foods actually need it. And you need it to grow!"

"Why you-"

"Besides, Ed!" Al chips in, ever the mediator. "Aunt Pinako's stew has milk in it!"

Ed huffs, turning his nose up in the air.

Block, evade, right arm, right leg, parry, right arm, block, jump, left leg, evade, parry, block, right arm, left arm, jump, evade, parry-

In the recent months we've been at the Tucker household, these thoughts have become much more frequent in my mind the more spars Ed and I, occasionally Al share. It wasn't easy at first, and the bruises and cuts I've acquired from them prove that, but slowly I was able to go up against Ed better. I'm still no where near where Ed is, but I'm definitely no pansy either.

If only Kate could see me now, I think to myself.

"Madison! Brother!"

Al's call distracts me and soon enough I find myself on my permanent home on the ground. I wheeze and glare at the hand Ed gives me, but nonetheless accept it.

"You're getting better," Ed says as I dust off my shorts. "But you keep leaving your left side exposed, and you rely too heavily on your right."

I roll my eyes, throwing my hands in the air. "I know, I know."

Al chuckles as he walks toward us, throwing us each a towel to which I'm grateful. I was sweating like a pig. "You're doing really well, Madison!" he cheers, causing me to smile in pride.

"This is why you're my favourite brother, Al," I sing, knocking on his chest plate, causing Ed to seethe next to me.

"I see you're all busy at work," Tucker says, announcing his presence, We smile and offer our greetings, which causes him to nod back. "Are you all ready for the exam today?" he asks, which sends a rush of nervousness flooding through me.

"As I'll ever be," I mutter, the brothers adding in their own two cents.

"Though the exam can be difficult, I have faith in your abilities," Tucker smiles, causing a flutter to appear in my chest at his praise.

Today was the day. The day where I would see if I had what it took to be Truth's little puppet. I would pass this exam, just you watch me. And I was going to get back home no matter how hard it got. I was going to do it, and I would succeed.

AN: Scratches head, looks at update. Looks at chapter. Did... did I update in three days?

You bet I did!

Okie-doki, so. This was mostly a filler chapter to establish Madison into the universe and for her to bond with the characters a bit more. Sorry that not a lot happened. Also! I felt that I should begin replying to reviews in case anyone had questions that I answered for someone else. These reviews also mean so much to me and replying makes me feel closer to you guys!

Guest:

Sorry, but I'm gonna have to take you up on that offer. I will defend Madison's honour! (ง'̀-'́)ง

A fan:

Unfortunately, no. Commander duck was a nickname Madison had given to me, and I'm also short as hell, so ;-;

That's it for now! Until the next chapter!

-Adios!