September 19th, 1996

If anyone had told a teenage Minxia that marrying Thrakos would put her on the path to standing on the steps of the Cretan capital building in a formal dress-suit—in a tasteful burgundy that matched her husband's tie—in front of thousands of people and a news crew for the announcement of the results that would determine if Thrakos—of all people—would become the next President of the Cretan government, she would have laughed in their face. The teenage boy who had become her good friend, and eventually won her heart, had wanted nothing to do with the politics that had been the life of his father, and his grandfather before that. He had been perfectly happy to follow her around the world, assisting on adventures of archeological significance. Okay, he had been happy because he was with her. He had not been entirely happy until she had finally agreed to actually marry him.

Now he stood beside her, in a well-tailored suit, looking strikingly handsome, and not at all unlike earlier pictures of his father. He smiled with an easy confidence out at the crowd, acknowledging those who waved or called his name with appropriate nods, but—like Callius and his wife on the other side of the podium, where the Secretary of Cretan Internal Affairs would soon come forward with the election results—did not try to speak or address them.

Minxia was grateful she had paid attention to Cretan politics when she started living in the country, and to the nuances that her in-laws discussed over the dinner table as a matter of course. Her mother-in-law had patiently answered dozens of questions on etiquette and protocol not only before she had married Thrakos—when only a few had really mattered—to more recently, when her own actions were suddenly being watched with nearly as much close attention as those of her husband.

The election campaigns had been a fascinating experience, seeing as she had never before lived in a country that openly elected a head of state. Still, she was just glad this part, one way or another, would soon be over. If Thrakos won, he could get on with the business of fixing everything Callius had mucked with in the past several months. If he did not, well, there were other ways of fixing a government.

Her in-laws were here, of course. They had all come in on the train from Pylos for the announcements, and her children were sitting with the former president and his wife in the first row of the crowd.

Both of the major parties had receptions planned for tonight which would go on, regardless of the results. The only question left was, which side would be celebrating?

Not that Minxia felt much like celebrating. In Amestris, her family was struggling, and her grandfather was gravely injured. Or at least, that was the information from a private call late in the night from her mother. Given the vague news reports coming out at the moment had her grandfather and great-uncle missing and possibly dead, only that call had kept her from panicking. It was the reason she could focus at all on tonight's events. The situation in Amestris was, ostensibly, more under control than it appeared, and she would have to trust everyone to handle it themselves. She had Creta to handle.

The clock struck seven, and the doors of the great large-pillared marble building opened. The Secretary of Internal Affairs, Mariliza Lambrou, a woman about a decade older than Minxia wearing a dress-suit of dark green, stepped purposefully up to the podium. Cameras started snapping like crazy, and it was time.

Minxia wished she had an inkling as to what words were about to come out of the woman's mouth. The polls for the past couple of months had implied an incredibly close race, and while they couldn't certainly be off, they weren't to be taken for granted.

Secretary Lambrou looked out at the audience with a calm that gave no clue as to which way the vote had gone. "As of this hour, let it be known that the votes in the election of the next President of Creta have been tallied, confirmed, counted, and re-counted to assure accuracy. Creta, I introduce to you tonight, your newly elected President with a result of fifty-five percent, to forty-five percent of all votes… Thrakos Argyros."

Minxia had only a moment to see the brief, and quickly covered, look of surprise on Callius' face across the way, before she was focused on Thrakos, who crossed the marble stair to the podium. She clapped as hard as anyone else, and couldn't help beaming with pride.

Thankfully, by tradition, the acceptance statement of an incoming president was kept brief. There would be plenty of time for longer speeches in the near future. The swearing-in ceremony would happen in only a week. Of course, not unlike the elevation ceremony of a new emperor in Xing, the tradition had not changed in generations. Though Creta had not had Presidents as long as Xing had Emperors.

Thrakos looked out over the crowd. "Tonight, is one for celebration, as it would be however the events turned out, for once again the Cretan people have had the opportunity to speak their will over the governance of their country, and my opponent in this has been a worthy and honorable man. It is my humble honor to be the recipient of the trust of so many of my fellow Cretans, and I will serve you to the best of my abilities for as long as I am in office. Thank you."

He bowed his head briefly, and the applause erupted again. Then Thrakos turned and rejoined her. He took her arm, and leaned in for just a moment. He said nothing, but she could see relief in his expression. Minxia smiled. "Shall we go to dinner?"

Not that going to dinner was anything other than a huge affair now. They were escorted—even though it was only a walk to the next building over on foot—by a full security team that had been waiting. Though they were also joined by Thrakos' parents, and their own children who were very excited that Daddy was now going to be President, even though Damien insisted that he had known it would happen, because that's just what happened in their family.

Minxia might have corrected him, except that so far it was absolutely true. There was no reason to think that Damien, or his sister, couldn't also run Creta someday, if they wanted to. As for herself, Minxia just hoped she was up to the tasks that went traditionally with the role of being the spouse of the President of Creta. More similarly to the royal duties of a wife of an Emperor of Xing than that of the wife of the Amestrian President of the Military, there were actually expectations and duties that went with the position she now found herself in.

Still, as they arrived at the banquet that was now a celebratory one in Thrakos' honor, Minxia could not help but hope that this removal of one obstacle to Continental cooperation would help the lands of her birth, and of her birthright, as much as the land she now called home.

September 20th, 1996

As far as Cal was concerned, the return trip to Central from North City took too long, even though they were on an express train with minimal stops that only took a couple of days. As understandably upset and shaken as his wife was by the near loss of her father and the tragedy in Resembool, at least the last couple of days of their stay with Gloria and Alexei had given her some comfort, and the distraction of her granddaughter.

On the train, with no one but himself for company in their private berth, Alyse had given in to her anxieties, and Cal had done everything he could to console her and assuage her fears. Not that he had anything more than hugs and words. Alyse was not the type to be distracted by a few kisses or—Cal's preferred method of distraction—sex. She was not at all in the mood, and Cal couldn't blame her.

He wasn't handling it all that well himself, useless as he was in this situation. Ironic, that once he was fully out of combat for life, he wished he could dive back in. His few sessions back at Headquarters to help with training the State Alchemists had shown him he was not as out of the game as he had appeared, but he was retired now; a private citizen.

Alyse had barely slept on the train. She had paced their quarters, or sat for hours staring at a book with her eyes barely scanning. It might be half an hour before she read an actual page and turned it. Sometimes she wanted to talk, and others she didn't. The only news they got was the morning papers available for sale, and they knew it wasn't accurate even if they didn't have real updates. Only the call from Charisa Closson telling them that the story out was that they were missing and possibly dead kept her from completely losing it the first time they saw the story on the news, and in the papers, before they left. They would have to act like it was true, too, and that was the hardest part.

Though Cal was beginning to think that might not be true. He had always been able to lie about his own feelings if he had to, but Alyse's obvious anxiety would have been just as convincing if she thought her father was actually dead. Not that his condition was, by all reports, much better than that.

Cal might have fared better, if he hadn't immediately felt the need to calm his own nerves in the one way he couldn't. He would never have asked at Gloria's. Alyse would have been upset. Gloria would have refused. He had a feeling Alexei would have declined more politely, but just as much, out of a wish not to antagonize Alyse. The past few days had simply reinforced his realization that his body's trained response to inordinate amounts of stress was the desire for a good stiff drink… or a few of them.

It wasn't easier on the train. Difficult as it was to move up and down the train in his chair, and the distance from their car to the dining car, Cal hadn't tried to leave their berth except to reach the communal bathroom at the end of the car. That didn't keep the craving in his bones from creeping up on him whenever he wasn't focused on Alyse. It didn't seem to matter that it had been weeks since he said he quit.

By the time they reached Central it felt like he was crawling out of his own skin, and he hated it. It was worse, far worse, than when he'd quit smoking.

Cal had no idea what method had been worked out for getting visitors in and out to see Edward and Alphonse without their identities or location being revealed, so he just had to trust that there was a plan.

As it turned out, the driver of the car that met them at the train station was Will. Cal didn't mind waiting as Alyse hugged her brother tightly right there on the platform, though none of them did more than make very generic small talk until they got back to Will's car, and pulled away.

"Are we going to see Mom and Dad?" Alyse asked the moment they were out of the parking lot.

Will nodded. "I can take you straight there, unless you want to go home first."

Alyse shook her head. "No. I need to see Dad for myself. Have you seen him?"

"No, not yet. Security is insane. Mom was supposed to be, and is if anyone asks, staying at Ethan and Lia's with Aunt Winry until your return. In reality, I haven't even seen her. She hasn't left Dad's side."

Cal refrained from grimacing visibly. "Any new details on his condition? Or anyone's?"

"Uncle Edward's as cantankerous as ever, if that's what you mean," Will answered. "He saved Dad, and wiped out his own reserves doing it, but he's recovering faster than Dad according to Ren."

"Has she seen him then?" Alyse cut in again anxiously.

"More than once a day. She's been splitting healing sessions for both Dad and Uncle Ed with Ethan, so Lia doesn't kill him from stringing himself out too far, which he's done again. Lia's mad at him over it. I…can't help but be grateful, since it all went into saving Dad."

Which meant that the information they were getting was as direct as it could be, though they could talk to Ren and Ethan anywhere in town and it wouldn't seem odd.

"So, what's our story for showing up at the hospital right off the train and possibly being followed by Arsenic spies?" Cal had done enough sneaking in his life, but there was no sneaking in his chair, and he didn't have the stamina to walk into the hospital, even if they took an elevator, and make it to a patient room. It would take too long.

"Oh, that's easy enough." Will actually smiled. "You've got an appointment to see Ren because, reportedly, your back was giving you trouble on the trip, and since she's been incredibly busy over at the hospital this week, she scheduled your appointment to be there instead of at the clinic, in case she needs to do some x-rays."

Well, that was a pretty sound plan. "Clever. I like it, as long as no one's actually trying to x-ray me today."

"Not unless your back is actually giving you trouble."

"No more than usual."

"I'm sure Ren will be glad to hear it."


Alyse barely managed to refrain from tackling her mother the moment she came into the incredibly well guarded hospital room that housed her now reportedly missing or dead father and uncle. It was still an incredibly tight squeeze. One that Elicia returned with equal vigor. "I've been so worried about you," Alyse whispered in her mother's ear. "All of you."

"Well, we're here, and mostly each in one piece." Her mother stepped back and gave her a small, almost reassuring smile. "I'm glad you made it back from North City safely. How is my new great-granddaughter?"

"Almost too well behaved to be real, just like her mother was." Alyse couldn't help smiling at that. "Of course, she's tiny yet."

"You were also a very easy baby," Elicia reminded her. "Your brother wasn't much harder."

"Thanks for that," Will quipped from the doorway.

Alyse moved so he could also hug their mother, and turned her attention to the rest of the room. Aunt Winry and Uncle Edward were both awake. Edward was actually sitting up on the edge of his bed, looking as if he had just been up. Maybe for a shower, Alyse guessed. His hair was damp, and freshly combed.

But she went to her father's bed first, her eyes brimming with tears even before she enfolded him in a gentle but fierce hug. "Oh Daddy…" words failed her. She had never seen him look so frail.

"It's all right," Alphonse whispered as he hugged her back, though with less energy. "I'm still here, and I'm not going anywhere for a while yet if I can help it."

"Good. I won't let you."

"That's what your mother said."


Tore would never be ready to admit to Edward and Alphonse what he knew about his own plan's unintentional part in the destruction that had occurred in Resembool. The fact that the town proper itself had been spared was entirely a function of the location of the festival grounds, and a lot of quick thinking and good training.

Still, he couldn't put it off forever, and he couldn't imagine things moving forward past this first conversation if he didn't admit it right out. He wouldn't be able to face them again if he lied, even by omission. He knew how mad that made Edward. He could only hope he might be forgiven.

He had timed his visit to be at a less noticeable time of day, coming in as the last thing on his schedule for today. Charisa had insisted on coming with him. It wasn't all that odd really, and no one would make too much of it, but she wanted to be there for him, and she was also dying to see everyone.

While Tore knew that Alyse and Cal had returned to Central today, he was not prepared to hear their voices down the hallway as he passed the security and walked all the way down toward Edward and Alphonse's room at the very end. The one right before it was Hrafn's. Both doors were open, and Tore felt his stomach sinking as he realized that there were far more members of the extended Elric family present than he had anticipated.

I really wanted to do this in private. Too late now.

Coran, Gale, Ian, and Ted were in Hrafn's room when he walked by, and he knew they saw him.

"I didn't realize I was late to the party," Tore quipped, trying not to sound nervous as he looked around the very crowded hospital room. I want to know how security is explaining this. At least Hrafn's presence wasn't all that secret. So, there was no reason for a lot of the Elrics actually to have reason to come visit, especially his aunts and uncles. Ren and Ethan worked in the hospital, and both were here at present. Winry and Elicia hadn't, or had barely, left since arriving so they weren't a surprise.

Will, Alyse, and Cal had clearly not left since arriving earlier that afternoon. Though someone had gone out, or gotten a food order on their way in, because everyone was eating Cretan take-out.

Smiles broke out around the room.

"We're having a little belated celebration over my son-in-law's political victory in Creta," Will said, grinning. "Dad insisted."

"It's not every day we have two Presidents in the family," Alphonse pointed out from where he was sitting up in bed, smiling. "Your timing is perfect. Come join us. There's plenty of food. Have you eaten dinner?"

"We… haven't yet," Tore admitted.

"We'd love to join you," Charisa chimed in with her usual charming smile, as she moved past him and went straight to Edward, Winry, Elicia, and Alphonse and gave them each hugs, then set the gift she had brought on the table between the beds, which was a basket that contained flowers, but also snacks. Knowing Edward and Alphonse, the snacks were the most appropriate part of the get-well gift. Tore knew that they'd both devour them.

Tore wasn't sure what to think of the fact that they didn't ask him many questions as he and Charisa took food from the take-out containers, and were given two of the chairs, while the family perched around in extra chairs and on the edges of the beds. It was almost a regular family get together.

Except for everything about the circumstances.

Tore tried to enjoy the food, but it seemed to stick in his throat as he thought about what he was going to have to say, and apparently with a much larger audience. Especially when the rest of the Resembool-born Elrics joined them for dessert. Even Hrafn came in, though the hospital was making him use a wheelchair until he had healed some more. His legs worked, he was just still exhausted from his own healing, and his balance was off with half his arm missing. He had to be pushed in the chair.

He supposed he should just be grateful that it wasn't everyone in the family. It would have definitely been noticeable beyond coincidence if too many had shown up at once. Sara and Franz, Trisha and Roy, James and Krista, and their kids, were elsewhere tonight. Anika and Bonnie hadn't come or brought the children. Michio, Kamika, and Minxia lived out of country and could hardly hurry back to see Alphonse without looking horribly suspicious.

It just felt like everyone, because as soon as this room knew, everyone would know. He just hoped some of them would forgive him. Tore wasn't sure he dared hope for understanding.

Eventually, the conversation turned from everything they knew about what came next for Thrakos and Minxia in Creta, and it got quieter.

"So, is there anything you can tell us about the investigation and what it's turned up?" Edward asked him, straight to the point.

Tore swallowed, trying not to choke on his dessert. "Well, most of the analysis we have on that alchemic fire is what we could get from Urey and Yurian, because they did such a good job of breaking it down that even by the time the State Alchemists got to the remnants, there was very little left, but we have a good idea of exactly what all went into it, which means I have a lab working on new agents for safely putting out that kind of fire, as well as other ways to combat it with alchemy in a crowded space. Not that it will be ready for immediate deployment, but we have to start somewhere."

There were a lot of nods around the room.

"If we'd known how sooner, it would have made a difference," Alphonse agreed reasonably.

"No one could have expected that attack, Dad," Will replied insistently. "And everyone did what they could."

"The only people to blame are the ones who planned and carried out the attack," Coran added.

"Do we have any idea where they made it? Or where they got the ingredients?" Edward asked again, astute as ever.

"We've raided more than one small, hidden lab in recent weeks," Tore admitted. "But we didn't find anything like what you fought."

"Could they have gotten the materials from the same sources as what you've traced so far? Or was this something different?"

Damn it, Ed, stop being perceptive. Tore swallowed his pride. "Actually, we have a pretty good idea and, it's not going to happen again but… it's my fault."

He hated quiet rooms. He also hated confused expressions on people who trusted him.

"What do you mean?" Edward asked the question.

"I can't go into too much detail, because it involves classified investigations, but the materials used were taken from military storage, by one of our own undercover agents… as a way of getting trust to spy from inside Arsenic directly. It worked… but our agent didn't know what it was used for. Given what little we've been able to analyze from the fire in Resembool… we're at least partly responsible for what happened."

Tore refused to look down, or away, from the family, but he had never felt worse about admitting anything in his entire life, not even when he'd told his first fiancée that he didn't want to marry her.

There were a lot of stares, but he was shocked that there weren't as many shocked or angry faces as he had anticipated. Of course, he couldn't see behind him, but the emotional temperature of the room had definitely dropped.

Tore looked at Edward, then at Alphonse. Surely, if anyone understood, it would be them.

Alphonse nodded, even though his expression was grim. "You have to make decisions and take risks in situations like these. Getting someone on the inside you can trust was important. There's no way you could have known what any of it would be used for, and as best I could tell, nothing in there was honestly all that hard to come by, at least not in smaller quantities. You didn't know. I'm going to assume if you're telling us, your spy didn't know."

"She didn't." Ted startled them all by speaking up.

Tore looked at him, wondering what Proteus was going to say.

"I was part of the mission to get her planted," Ted admitted quietly. "If anyone is at fault, we all are."

"No, you're not," Edward cut in. "I'm with Al. Everyone in the military has had to make decisions or follow orders that might get people hurt if things go wrong. If you hadn't done what you did, they would have just gotten the components somewhere else, or come up with a different attack." He looked at Tore then, his eyes as focused and intent as ever. If there was one thing about Edward that never seemed to age, it was his eyes. "The only person or people to blame are the ones who decided on us as a target. Or, if you want to keep tracing that line of thinking back, if they have a legitimate reason to hate Al and I, then it would be our fault for doing something they wanted to retaliate this badly over. But that doesn't excuse those really culpable. No one in this room killed anyone. All I see is a lot of people who risked quite a bit to try and save lives."

"Can I say something?"

Hrafn was perhaps the last person Tore had expected to interject himself into the conversation, but if anyone had the right, he did.

"Of course." Winry smiled encouragingly at the young man.

Hrafn's expression was particularly focused. The boy had grown up a lot since Tore had seen him last. It hurt to know why. "I think, in the long run, all that matters is that it happened, and how fast the people responsible are stopped, and required to pay for their crimes. This can't happen to anyone else."

On that, Tore could wholeheartedly agree with him. He nodded. "That's the plan. We're working as fast as we can to get them, but the one thing we have learned, is that they don't have one central hub, or one central leader, so we're having to take them down one small group at a time, one source at a time. We have a few, but not all of them. Though we have a lead on the most dangerous now, we think. I promise, we're doing everything we can."

"Of course, you are," Winry replied, with a sympathetic expression. "We'd never expect anything less of you. We know you."

Tore felt some of the dread seeping out of him. Maybe he should have expected them to understand. At least they didn't blame him for what happened. "Thanks, Winry."

And that was it, at least until family members finally started to leave. Coran, Gale, Ted, and Ian left first, since Hrafn was a normal patient with normal visiting hours. Will took Alyse and Cal home. Elicia went with them, though with a promise that she would be back first thing in the morning. Alphonse did not seem stressed about her leaving.

Tore and Charisa stayed until Ethan and Ren finished the last sessions for the evening on both Edward and Alphonse, and then left for the night. Neither had a night shift this evening. Winry went with them, though not before giving Tore and Charisa each another warm hug and insisting that they needed to have dinner soon.

Charisa stepped out to use the restroom, or so she said. When her last comment was that she would meet him in the waiting room, Tore knew she was giving him a moment alone with Edward and Alphonse.

A rare moment. Tore couldn't remember the last time he had been really alone with the two men, but it might have been as far back as his teens. Not that he felt much older in this moment. "I'm still sorry," he admitted.

"And it's still not your fault," Edward cut in before he could start talking about how worried he had been ever since getting the news. "These are complicated, dangerous times. Al and I have been targets before, and people have gotten hurt before, because of us. It's all about calculated risk. You sent help faster than any President of the Military has ever been able to, and Charisa told us about the additional aide coming from the Assembly. Your quick actions saved a lot of lives, ours included."

"Ed's right," Alphonse nodded. "You made a decision, and we still can't say that it was a poor decision. Every military leader has done things that haven't turned out as planned. You're engaged in combat with a complicated enemy, and we won't really know who is winning until you've got them in hand and standing trial."

"You seem awfully confident that I'll win this," Tore pointed out. More confident than he himself had been feeling the past few days.

Edward's grin turned smug. "I didn't train you to do less, did I? For all the missions you've survived, and enemies you've taken down, you've never lost in the long run. Depending on how you play the us missing and potentially dead angle, this may be the best outcome you could have managed. Though I'd have preferred a high-end hotel if we had to hide somewhere for a few months and play dead."

"This was easier," Tore admitted. "Especially since Ethan assured me that if I let Al's guts fall out after he went through all that effort to put them back together, he'd never forgive me."

Alphonse chuckled. "I don't mind. This is probably the nicest hospital room we've ever been in, and as long as we're allowed outside food, I have no complaints. At least, not about the accommodations. I might like to extend the warrantee on a few body parts."

Tore couldn't help a smile. "I'm not sure they do that here, but you can ask Ethan about it. I am so glad you guys are both okay," he let out then in a rush of breath. "Though I'm sorry we have to keep you up in here."

"Hey, we agreed to it." Edward shook his head. "If we hadn't, even military security couldn't hold us. I don't think you want to know how many times I've snuck out of this hospital."

Tore shook his head. "Actually, that sounds like a really good story, or a few really good stories."

"Well, we've got time," Edward pointed out. "Next time you come visit, I'll tell you a few."


Ted had come over to the hospital in the same car with Ian, Coran, and Gale. It had made it easier to arrive and leave as a group, and attract minimal notice. It also left Bonnie and Anika with vehicles in case of emergencies.

While he had been only a little shocked to hear Tore admit to even a small portion of what had occurred regarding the fact that they had a spy operation going—which really should have surprised no one—he had been a little stunned to hear the older alchemist admit to any feelings of responsibility. Not that he didn't think Tore would take responsibility, but Ted hadn't really felt that Tore should shoulder any of the blame. Clarina had brought them information they sorely needed. The supplies had been a means to an end. Ted had helped set it up. He hadn't been willing to sit by and let the family take any anger out on Tore for what Vera had done to Resembool.

He had expected more anger, and while he was relieved that there hadn't been a big ugly scene in the hospital room, Ted had a feeling that had more to do with no one wanting to upset or contradict Grandpa or Great-Uncle Alphonse after everything that had happened. Or Hrafn. And if Hrafn didn't blame anyone but the enemy, then who was going to argue?

But he wasn't at all surprised that Coran was frowning as they walked back down to the car, got in, and drove away.

They were out of the parking lot before his oldest brother opened the vents. "You knew about this?" he snapped quietly. Thankfully, Gale was driving.

Ted winced. "I knew about the spy operation. I'm a State Alchemist. We do this kind of stuff all the time. Did we know they were planning an attack on Resembool? Of course not. If we had, we would have done everything we could to thwart them before it happened. And if we couldn't, we'd have had more security there to minimize the damages. They killed both of the State Alchemists assigned there anyway, Coran. These aren't amateurs."

"If you didn't have that information what good is your spy?" his brother retorted hotly.

Ted understood that his brother was upset, and understandably so. Still, it rankled to be questioned… doubted. "We've gotten a lot of other useful information. It takes time to insinuate an agent far enough into the ranks to be trusted with the real secrets. We're working as fast as we can."

"How do you know your agent hasn't turned on you? Or that they weren't already working for Arsenic?"

"Because I know her, all right?" Ted snapped back, before biting down on what he wanted to say next. He couldn't give away that information; not even to his brothers. "You don't have to trust who I work with, but you're going to have to trust me on this one, and trust Shock. This isn't some nice cut-and-dry schematic we're working from. There isn't a foolproof method for dealing with terrorist groups. So, unless you think you can do better, just shut up."

For a moment Coran turned red, though he didn't quite get to purple. Then he averted his eyes. "You can be the one to tell that to Art. See what he thinks about how you couldn't keep them from blowing up a stage with his son on it."

Ted swallowed, but he nodded. "I plan to." Better his brother heard it from him; especially if the alternative was Coran, who clearly did not see them as being without blame in this situation.

He looked over at Ian, who had been very quiet through the entire interaction. Ian sighed. "How about we all sleep on this?" he suggested calmly. "It's a lot to take in, and we're all running a little hot this week. No one is happy about what happened, but I think Grandpa's right. It would almost certainly have happened no matter what. The outcome could have been worse. The might-have-beens won't get us anywhere."

"A very reasonable take," Gale commented from the from seat. "Thank you, Ian. Us fighting about it isn't going to improve the situation, and it will just put more stress on everyone."

Ted felt appropriately chastised, though he noticed that Gale, up front beside Coran, was looking briefly sideways at her husband as they sat at a stoplight.

Coran looked like he wanted to disagree, but he nodded in silent acquiescence.

Ted tried to relax back into the seat. He was used to not seeing eye-to-eye with his oldest brother. They were very different men, and they had been since they were boys. While the age gap between them meant less now, their life experiences had not bridged it. Not entirely.

Still, Coran's doubts hurt more, in some ways, because they were coming from family.

Ted, Shock, and Genesis trusted Clarina to do this mission, so that ought to be enough for his brother. Ted trusted Clarina entirely… didn't he?


Cal was happy to listen to Alyse, Will, and Elicia chatter as Will drove them home. Reassured that Alphonse and Edward were out of immediate danger, Alyse was peppering her brother for informational details from Minxia on what was going on in Creta now that Thrakos had won the election. They were taking up residence in the Argyros' capitol mansion, which was where Thrakos' parents and grandparents had lived during their Presidencies. It wasn't as large as the Pylos Estate, but it really didn't need to be. It also meant fewer staffing needs. Still, it was a grand house, and apparently Minxia had said the children were much more excited about the move to the capitol after getting to see and spend the last few days in the house. It was much grander than their apartment. Minxia had said that, for now, they weren't selling the apartment. Since they owned it, they were going to be renting it out to a family friend who had been looking for a new place, and could be trusted to take good care of it.

The conversation didn't end until they arrived back at the house. Cal was sure he could make the short walk from the car to the house, so he opted not to get into his chair, even if he couldn't really help carry much of anything. Between the three of them, there was no difficulty getting their bags, and the chair, inside the house.

As always, security had arrived with them. Cal had gotten used to having them around, so he didn't think much of it other than a respectful nod as they went inside. He recognized the young female officer as one on their regular rotation.

He was barely in the door before the cats bowled into his legs and stood up, pawing at his hands and mewing plaintively.

Alyse chuckled. "Well, we know who they missed, don't we?"

While Cal was sure they had been well taken care of, he felt a little silly at how heartwarming it was for Butterscotch and Molasses to welcome him home. He bent over as far as he could safely to pet them. With the cane to balance, it was doable. They arched backs and stood up to meet his hands where they stopped. "All right. Let me get stuff settled and I'll pet you," he promised gruffly, ignoring the rest of the family smiling at him. At least I'm not as bad about cats as Al.

Fortunately, there was enough to do that no one paid him mind for more than a minute. Will put their things in the bedrooms, then excused himself to go back to pick up Ren from the end of her shift.

Elicia vanished into her room to get settled, and Alyse went to take a shower.

Leaving Cal temporarily alone in the living room. Well, alone if one didn't count the young cats frolicking. "Let me get something to drink, and your treats, and then I'll sit," he promised the cat. He would have felt silly talking to the cats if not for the fact that they were incredibly smart and had learned certain words.

Instead of tangling him up underfoot—they had learned early to avoid wheels and feet—they scampered over to his favorite chair and jumped up on it, staring at him eagerly. Treats and sit always meant chair time.

So, Cal made it to the kitchen without falling over a cat and breaking himself. He fetched a glass, and then went to the refrigerator to see what might be available. They hadn't left anything immediately perishable in the refrigerator while they were gone, so there wasn't much. A bottle of a clear soft drink, and one of an orange soft drink, was it aside from the water from the sink.

Cal wasn't sure what he had expected. He knew there wasn't fruit juice, milk, or anything else. He could always make a cup of tea or coffee, but he wasn't sure he wanted the caffeine right before bed.

Hells, what I wouldn't give for a nightcap. He was grateful Alyse had calmed down, but his nerves, and the overhanging threat, did not make for a relaxed evening. He wondered, just for a moment, if Alyse had found or removed his little secret stash. I'm not going to drink it, he told himself as he opened the lower counter and reached his hand in. It's just curiosity. A few seconds later his hand closed on glass. So, she hadn't found it. Cal didn't pull it out, but he shook it, and heard the slosh. Probably still about half full.

"Mreow?"

Cal looked over at the chair, where the cats were watching impatiently. It was Molasses who had meowed at him. She had the slightly more inquisitive voice, that always had a hint of a question to it.

"I was just looking," he replied to her, feeling foolish that he sounded so defensive to a cat. He let go of the bottle, and left it there, closing the cabinet. "Give me a minute." He filled the glass with water, pulled out a few cat treats from the bag in the pantry, and made his way to the chair. "I'm coming. Here, this is what you really want anyway." He gave each kitten a treat as they jumped up on the arm rests, leaving him room to sit down between them. "Just don't tell your mom, okay?"

Two purring balls of fur hopped into his lap, and snuggled into his chest. Almost immediately he began to feel a little more relaxed. Cal had no idea how they did that, but he was grateful that they did.