Oh man it has been a long week (and it's not over, I still have to work tomorrow) anyway hope you all enjoy this :D

Winry's mobile phone began to ring on her desk and she groaned when she saw the caller ID. She was still reeling from the blazing row that had cut short her briefing, that she was sure had already gotten back to her boss, and she was not prepared in the slightest to deal with a dressing down from Olivier. It would, however, be much worse for her if she didn't answer the phone. She took a deep breath and pressed the answer button.

"Director Armstrong," she said trying to sound cheerful, "what can I do for you?"

"I hear your briefing went down in flames," Olivier said. No point in asking how; Olivier knew everything. Even from Briggs she knew exactly what was going on in Central and who was doing what.

"Well..." Winry began slowly, trying to work out how best to describe what had happened, "it could have gone better."

"I heard everyone walked out and you yelled at a magician," Olivier stated.

"That... is an accurate description of what happened, Winry said, placing a hand over her eyes. Could this day get any worse?

"Do you have anything of use for me?" Olivier asked. "Or would you like to offer an explanation for this latest disaster?"

"I've got all 'The Brotherhood' in one place," Winry said a little defensively deciding to ignore the latter request. There was a soft knock at the door and Winy looked over to see Yven holding two paper cups of coffee. She mouthed 'thank you' at him as he put one of the cups on the desk in front of her and waited.

"You're going to need more than that Agent Rockbell," Olivier stated. "We need results and we need them fast."

"I know," Winry said, "and I will get results."

"Good," Olivier said. "Who knows when Father is next going to strike and we can't afford too have a bank collapse on our hands.

"I'll get right on it," Winry said. She looked up and at that exact moment she saw Ed walking passed the office. She couldn't pass up the opportunity to talk to him on his own. "I'll call you back when I have something more."

"See that you do," Olivier said and put the phone down. Winry sighed and pushed herself to her feet, taking a huge gulp of coffee.

"You okay?" Yven asked as she shuddered.

"That was hotter than I thought," she puffed through the burn on her tongue, "and I've been better." She walked passed him to open the door and stuck her head out into the corridor to see Ed just about to turn at the end. "Excuse me, Mr Elric," she called. "Can I have a word?"

Ed turned and fixed her with a bored scowl; he clearly didn't want to be there and, quite frankly after his earlier outburst, she was surprised that he still was. She walked down the corridor to meet him, Yven at her heels.

"What do you want?" Ed asked when they reached him.

"Listen I think we may have gotten off on the wrong foot slightly," Winry said hoping to try and make amends before cornering him. "Can we have a truce?"

"Sure." Ed said after a longer than necessary pause.

"Great," Winry said smiling. Good start. "So, next thing, this show..." she began tentatively, hoping that now he was alone he would be a little more amenable to the idea.

"Not happening," he said.

"But..."

"Listen I meant what I said; I'm not doing it."

"Give me one good reason why not," Winry demanded, thinking he was simply being childish.

"For a start I don't want to," Ed said. "You never asked me, you corralled me," he added when Winry opened her mouth to protest. "And while we're on the subject you actually blackmailed me."

"Excuse me?"

"You said that if I didn't agree to be in your little gang then I'd be arrested for being a con-artist," Ed said.

"Because I caught you conning people out of money!" Winry cried.

"That's neither here nor there," Ed said.

"No it's precisely here and there!"

"That doesn't make any sense," Ed smirked.

"Oh shut up and get on with your list," Winry snapped.

"Okay, I think it's a stupid idea," Ed said.

"Why?"

"Because this guy will see you coming from miles off and I don't want to be bumped off in a freak accident by a psycho!"

"You'll have the protection of the Bureau," Winry said.

"Like how you protected your last undercover?" Ed asked.

"How did you...?" Winry began, staring at him with wide eyes. How does he know about Hughes?

"Magic," Ed replied childishly. "Also," he added when Winry didn't respond, "I don't want to work with Hoenheim or Mustang."

"Why not Mustang?" Winry asked.

"You've met him," Ed stated, "do you really need an answer to that?"

"Good point," Winry sighed. "Please Edward..." she began in one last ditch attempt.

"I think I preferred all the 'Mr Elric' shit," Ed said glowering.

"Fine Mr Elric," Winry sighed, shaking her head.

"Also the show has already been booked," Yven said suddenly.

"What?" Ed snapped.

"When did this happen?" Winry asked, turning to stare at him in surprise.

"Director Armstrong told us to make contact with a member of Father's team as soon as we had 'The Brotherhood' together so I took the liberty of booking it before the briefing," Yven said giving Winry an apologetic shrug. Just fucking great!

"Well next time run something that important by me before you just go ahead and do it," Winry told him.

"Sorry," Yven muttered and looked at his feet.

"Mr Elric we need you," Winry told him. "Please..." Ed just rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Whatever," he said, turned and walked away.

"Is that a yes or a no?" Winry called after him but he didn't answer, just disappeared around the end of the corridor. Winry sagged and made her way back to her office. "Yven?"

"Yes?" he asked, his face wary as if he knew he was about to get shouted at but Winry didn't have the energy.

"What are your thoughts on drinking at work in the middle of the day?" she asked.

"I would have to say that it was unprofessional and the marks of an alcohol dependency," Yven replied.

"Fair enough," Winry sighed thinking that he was probably right.

"But," Yven continued, "under the circumstances I think it would be understandable."

"Wonderful," Winry said plastering a huge fake smile onto her face and pulling a small bottle of whiskey, that Hughes' wife had given her for Christmas, out of her bottom desk draw. She was just about to open it and pour a large helping into her coffee when the phone on her desk began to ring.

"Shall I get that?" Yven asked.

"Please," Winry said replacing the bottle, wondering if it was Olivier to chastise her for even considering drinking at work.

"Miss Rockbell's office," Yven said. Winry was marginally indignant to the lack of proper title but, seeing as he was already in the dog-house and he had agreed with her that drinking at work was acceptable today of all days she was willing to overlook it. "Okay... yes... I'll put her on right now."

"Who is it?" Winry asked expecting the answer to be Olivier.

"I don't want to add to your list of problems but a Miss Solaris Bailey is on the phone about 'The Brotherhood Of Travelling Alchemists' show at 'The Dwarf In The Flask'," Yven said.

"Great," Winry said even though this was anything but. Could this day get any fucking worse? "Hello Miss Rockbell speaking."

"Miss Rockbell," a lilting voice said down the phone, "it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Solaris Bailey, I'm a representative of Father on behalf of 'The Dwarf In The Flask' Theatre.

"Ah Miss Bailey," Winry said trying to sound as if she knew what was going on, "I've been expecting your call. This is about 'The Brotherhood Of Travelling Alchemists' show, correct?" Yven nodded at her as if in confirmation. Well at least she was on the right track and sounded at least halfway informed.

"It is yes," Solaris said. "When can we expect you for your sound-check tomorrow?"

"Beg pardon?" Tomorrow!?

"Your message did say that you wanted the show as soon as possible when 'The Brotherhood' were all still in one place," Solaris said. Winry looked up at Yven in surprised irritation; he really had over-stepped the mark this time.

"I have no idea," he whispered. "I just told them we would confirm a time as soon as possible, I didn't give them a day."

"Right," Winry muttered after placing her hand over the receiver so that Solaris couldn't hear her, "find out who else has made contact and get them here now!"

"Yes Ma'am," Yven nodded and darted from the room.

"Miss Rockbell?" Solaris asked.

"Yes, sorry, I'm still here," Winry said removing her hand, "just found the memo I sent." Lie, she thought, lie through your teeth now and murder someone later.

"So when can we expect you for sound-check?" Solaris asked.

"Can I say half past four now and if there are any changes I'll get back to you?" Winry asked.

"Of course," Solaris replied.

"And just to check, so that we don't have our wires crossed, the show is this weekend?" Winry asked, the facade that she knew what was happening falling faster and faster.

"Correct," Solaris replied.

"Fantastic," Winr said although in reality it was anything but. "Well I shall call you tomorrow and confirm details."

"Oh Miss Rockbell," Solaris said almost as an afterthought, "one more thing before you go, if possible."

"Yes."

"Father would like to meet you."

Fuck!

"Pardon?" Winry asked once she had managed to pick her jaw off the floor.

"Father would like to meet the woman who has convinced 'The Brotherhood' to perform for him," Solaris said again.

"Oh..." Winry said trying to wrack her brains for a plausible excuse why she couldn't go and coming up with nothing. "When?"

"This afternoon if it's not too much of a bother," Solaris replied.

"No that's fine," Winry said, her treacherous mouth taking over where her brain was failing. "What time?"

"Three o'clock," Solaris told her.

"Okay I'll make a note of that now," Winry said, her hand shaking as she wrote '3PM' in large letters on the nearest blank piece of paper. It looked like a death sentence.

"Don't be late," Solaris told her, "Father is not a man who likes to be kept waiting."

"No of course I..." Winry began, the click and dial tone that indicated Solaris had put the phone down cutting her off.

Winry put her own phone down and was suddenly overcome with the overwhelming urge to vomit. She pulled the plastic bin out from under her desk and placed it on her knees so that she could retch into it. When she no longer felt sick she picked up her phone again and dialled Riza's number. As she listened to it ring she opened her bottom draw and eyed the whiskey, considering taking a swig for the second time that day.

"Hawkeye." Riza's voice startled her out of her thoughts.

"Riza," she said, "we have a problem."

"Aside from the oldest Elric going AWOL?" Riza asked.

"Bigger," Winry replied.

"What's happened?"

"Father wants to meet me," Winry said that urge to be sick suddenly coming back with a vengeance.

"When?"

"This afternoon at three," Winry replied.

"Okay," Riza said after a pause, "that gives us a few hours to get you fixed with a wire and ready for an audience with him. Where are you at the moment?"

"In my office."

"Does anyone else know about this?"

"Not from the Bureau," Winry replied.

"Good," Riza said. "Stay where you are, don't talk to anyone and you and I will sort this out before word gets round."

"Okay," Winry said, thanking high heaven that Riza was as level headed as she was. If anyone would know what to do in a situation like this then it would be Riza, which was a god send as Winry didn't feel as if she could make any rational thought.

"And Winry?"

"Yeah?"

"I'd have a shot of that whiskey if I were you." The line went dead and Winry let out the breath she had been holding. She put the receiver down and picked up the bottle. She stared at it for a moment before opening it. She had been meaning to take it home for months now but she was glad that she hadn't as she opened it and took a large gulp. Well, she thought as she took a second swig, in for a penny in for a pound.