Ok! Here's my very first posted Fan Fiction story! Hope you all like it!

If you would be so kind as to review, I hope you will also vote on the pairing. There are two main options: RoyEd or EdCatherine.

Catherine Elle Armstrong is the Major Armstrong's younger sister. She shows up in a side story in volume seven of the manga. I don't know if she's in the anime. Also, I want to know if anyone would like a Winry/Russel paring.(Tringham is his last name, right? The imposter from the anime, not seen in manga so far)

Thank you for reading!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"!#." Roy put a hand to his forehead. Ed tensed. Things were starting to get seriously freaky.

At first when Breda and Fuery had come to formally escort him to HQ, he'd just been irritated. But to arrive and have the Colonel swear like that was starting to make him feel on edge as he searched his memory for any crimes or trouble he'd caused or committed recently. He was drawing a blank.

Alphonse was starting to fidget behind him.

Finally, Mustang spoke. "Breda, Fuery. Escort Alphonse to the library where Edward will be joining him soon." Both Ed and Al jumped. Ed couldn't tell if maybe Mustang had meant to say 'prison' instead of 'library'.

"Wait! Why won't you let me hear what you're saying to Brother?" Al protested.

When Breda gave him a gentle push, Ed bristled.

"Leave my brother alone!" he yelled. He turned on Breda and Fuery, only to have Mustang grab his wrist.

"Wait! I want to stay with Ed!"

Ed snapped, lashing out at Mustang with his other hand, knocking him down and then pushing Al out of the room, the two brothers fled.

Catching their breath behind some bushes outside, the two shared a guilty, apprehensive look.

"I'm sorry. I should have just gone. I know I was being childish, but I get worried about you here. Usually I know you can take care of yourself, but here you're under their control." Ed shook his head. "I'm not sorry I didn't let them take you, Al. It felt wrong to me too, but I'm sure in trouble now. I feel so stupid for snapping at the Colonel like that."

After a moment, Ed straightened and spoke again.

"You stay here, okay? At worst, if they throw me in jail you'll be free to rescue me, right?" he laughed.

Hawkeye and the Colonel himself met a very tense Ed, marching toward the office, in the hall. "FullMetal. Where's your brother?" Roy could've brandished a handgun and Ed would've felt less threatened. "None of your damn business." Ed bristled in return. "My office. Now." Mustang snapped. Ed just barely hung his head and slunk toward Roy's office, trying not to jump every time Mustang's foot smacked the floor. He slunk into Mustang's office and pushed himself into the couch, wondering how much room was between the cushions and the frame. Not that he would ever stoop to hiding from the bastard Colonel he so despised. Or at least acted like he did.

Roy sat down at his desk and stared aggressively at Edward, who shrunk another inch to his later chagrin.

"Edward. I'm giving you a choice. Shall we discuss the original reason you were retrieved, or the consequences of your recent actions first?"

If Ed hadn't been so nervous he would have been mad at the Colonel. That was like choosing which leg you wanted amputated.

"Fine. What are you going to do to me?" Ed slumped. Mustang had only threatened a court-martial before and Ed wondered if this time he'd get it for real.

"Let's see...Disobeying a superior officer, attacking a superior officer, fleeing the scene..." Roy ticked off on his fingers.

"What I'd really like to do is slap you." Roy mused, looking disappointed. Ed looked up, a little confused. It might hurt, but it would probably be better than a lot of other things the Colonel could do to him. Riza looked disapproving but kept quiet, getting on with her paperwork in her adjacent office.

Roy stood, smirking sardonically. "Come here FullMetal."

Ed instantly felt like a kid again. Making Al do his chores, teasing him, his mother finding him and...Ed slunk over in front of Roy. He caught Hawkeye's openly disbeleiving gape before the other side of the room burst into stars and little dancing lights. Ed staggered backwards, slightly disbelieving himself. Meaning to sit on the couch again, Ed toppled backwards onto the floor. "Colonel. You could get in trouble for this. You should try to refrain from being so rash." The first lieutenant shook her head.

"Maybe you're right...Maybe I hit him too hard. Edward stand up."

Ed pushed himself up through the rocking room confusing him. Roy pushed him back onto the couch. His reddened cheek was starting to swell. Hawkeye left for a stated reason Roy didn't pay attention to.

Mustang let her go before putting a hand on Ed's shoulder. "Edward? Perhaps we're both being rash today." he sighed when Ed didn't look up. "Edward?" a little louder: "Can you hear me?" Ed nodded his head barely. He wasn't used to taking blows like that to the face. Under any other circumstances, it would have been easy to avoid.

"Edward look at me." The room was still populated by a small amount of stars and Roy's hair was sparkly, like glitter. "Can you see alright?"

"Yeah." Ed replied quietly.

"Ed I'm sorry. I understand your reactions, but you're going to have to learn some self control."

Ed looked away when Roy said that. He suddenly remembered Roy's hand on his shoulder when it came down to rub his arm in a small gesture of comfort. Ed twitched at his own reaction to that. He wanted to throw his arms around Roy and hold onto him. Just let Roy protect him for a little while. Roy wouldn't let anything happen to him.

Roy's hand disappeared and Ed shook his head hard, despite the few stars that were still exploding in front of him.

---------------------------

The chill of the ice Roy pressed to his head was shocking. He jerked away from it, but Roy held his shoulder. The Colonel started to push him down. Ed's immediate reaction was to press forward. Roy pushed harder. Ed met his strength and matched it. Roy put the ice down and shoved Ed with both hands, pinning him firmly to the couch. "Let me up, dammit!" Ed struggled. Once again, the subject leering ahead of them poked Roy's mind like a pin, reminding him just how hard this was going to be. Ed was always so nervous. It wasn't a wonder to Roy that Al was such a pushover in comparison. When it came to Ed, it looked to Roy like there were two options: back down or dominate. And Roy was never one to back down. "Edward lie still." Roy affected his 'military superior' tone of voice. "Let me up." Ed protested. "Or else." he added ominously. Roy knew very well from his tone that it was not an empty threat. He pressed Ed down harder as a reply.

Ed was as flexible as a cat. Even though he'd been expecting something, Roy was still surprised when Ed bent his spine and wrapped his legs around Mustang's neck, trying to pull Roy backwards.

"FullMetal. I am your superior commanding you to lie still." Roy pulled his hands off Ed's rock-hard chest quickly and watched his amusing look of momentary confusion. Ed grunted and rolled onto his side, facing the back of the couch. He grinned as Roy sighed hopelessly. Roy slapped the icepack down on Ed's cheek. Ed grit his teeth and left it alone.

"FullMetal." Roy finally addressed him.

Ed opened his eyes and rolled over, holding the icepack and looking at Roy from an odd angle. Something welled up in Roy. 'Adorable. He looks playful that way.'

"Yeah Colonel?"

"I have called you in to discuss something disturbing. I hope you will be mature about it and hear me out." Roy paused.

"Hmph." Ed told him.

"The thing is Edward, even though the Fuhrer wields the most individual power in the military, there are other powerful, highranking personnel who, when in a group, can sometimes pressure the Fuhrer into things." Roy explained patiently.

"Get to the point. I know how corrupt the military can be. I've beendealing with it for almost 4 years now."

Roy rolled his eyes.

"In short, there are some high-ranking officials who believe I was in the wrong for ever putting the notion into your head that you cold be a state alchemist. Some also say I'm exploiting you because of your age, or that I could if I wanted to. And then there are the ones who think I taught you all you know in a rush so I could recruit you and make myself look good."

"WHAT? YOU WISH YOU COULD DO WHAT I CAN!" Ed jumped off the couch.

"Sit, Ed. You think I started this?"

Ed grumbled and plopped back on the couch.

"This has been going on for some time now, and if you will cooperate, the Fuhrer and I have discussed how best to, uh, well, put to rest some of the rumors. That last one's going to be hard to disprove publicly, but right now it's not our biggest concern. Right now it's your age that's getting to everyone. How I'm using a kid."

"What's this plan of yours?"

Roy sighed heavily.

"A charade. One in which I pretend you are my adopted son."

It took almost 25 seconds for it to really dawn on Ed what Roy had just said.

"No. Friggin way. No no no."

"Edward. Not permanently. It would just be a charade. All that would happen is we would be seen in public together to give credit to our rumor, and you would 'crash' at my house while you were in Central."

"I'm never coming back to Central again."

"FullMetal--" Roy warned him.

"As your superior and the one of us who cares about his reputation, I'm ordering you and Alphonse to come to my place tonight. That's an order. You will also sign this paper."

Roy slid an adoption form over the desk. Ed's eyes bugged out.

"I'm serious. I will court-martial you for resistance."

"B-but you said it was a charade!" Ed was heating the entire room with his singular embarassment and fury.

"It's a fake Ed. Hawkeye made this up for me. A real one has little stamps and seals and some other colors of ink not commonly found in a military office. It's a fake. Look at the date. According to this, I adopted you when you were 8. A judge would be able to see that it's a fake, but most won't."

Ed looked at the paper, then at Roy, then at the paper, then at Roy...

He wouldn't kidding about a court-martial, but...

Ed shrugged his shoulders. "Fine. But the only thing that's gonna hapen is what you said before. Al and I will sleep at your place and I'll take a walk with you or something when we come back." Ed scritched his name gracefully onto the fake form, then stood. "We're heading out." he said matter-of-factly.

It would be another two weeks before Roy saw the boys again.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was raining again, dammit. It had been off and on all day. Roy sprinted from the cab and fumbled with the keys before letting himself into his house. "Finally home" he groaned.

He'd only just finished buttoning up the top of his loose pajamas when he heard a knock on the door. Growling, he donned his wet military jacket and opened the door. It wasn't what he expected to be out there. A 7-foot suit of armor and a small blond boy. The armor was standing in the doorway fidgeting, but the boy was slumped against the door frame looking down.

"Hello Colonel, um, Edward said we should stay here -if you don't mind, but please, my brother's really sick." Al was more than a little flustered. Slightly so himself, Roy motioned them in.

"I'm fine Al." Edward staggered inside, then stood, soaking wet and swaying slightly. In the light Ed looked flushed and gaunt. "Wait here." Roy told them.

He quickly went upstairs to start running some bathwater, then ran down with two towels. Al accepted his with thanks. Ed nodded, then put his down. Pulling Al's towel away from him, Ed ignored his protests and took his head off to begin carefully drying around the blood rune. After a bit, he gave the towel back to Al and sat down against the wall. "Bath should be ready now." Roy told him. Ed nodded, eyes closed, and paused a moment before pushing himself to his feet. He tripped on the stairs, banging his metal shin on the stair above. It sung. That's exactly what it sounded like to Roy. Al ran to help his brother, ignoring , as he had, his brothers protests. Al came down a moment later and went to sit at Roy's table, where the Colonel was sipping some tea.

"So Al...How sick is he?" Roy asked.

"Brother tries to act fine, but he can't keep food down and he cries in his sleep..."

"For how long?" They'd only been gone 2 weeks, so it couldn't have been that long, right?

"And when did he last eat without bringing it back up?"

"Um...the first time he threw up was on the train the day after we left Central. The next day he got a fever." Roy stared at Al. Al shifted uncomfortably.

"Do you mean to tell me he hasn't eaten in 2 weeks?"

"Pretty much...It was really bad, but Brother kept saying he'd be okay until we came back to report. That it would be a short trip."

"What about liquids?"

"He's been living on them for two weeks. He only throws up solid food."

"Whew..." Roy shook his head. "He probably needs to go to the hospital." he mused.

"Brother?"

If Al hadn't been so nice and polite all the time, Roy would've been tempted to point out that yes, Edward was in fact, the one who was sick. Instead, Roy just nodded. After a few moments spent sipping tea, they heard a clank from the stairway. Roy had never seen Edward wear pajamas before. It looked so comical Roy had to chuckle behind his hand.

"What are you laughing at you bastard?" Ed surged forward and promptly collapsed into another chair at the table.

"Al tells me you've been throwing up." Roy commented.

"It's nothing. I'm fine."

"Edward, tell me the truth." Roy growled.

"So what if I have been?"

"For two weeks?"

"...Yeah. Whatever." Ed admitted.

"You need to go to the hospital."

"It's just a bug, I'm not hurt."

"Just for a check-up. Just in case."

"No."

"FullMetal.Why not?"

"Um." Al interrupted.

They both turned to stare at him.

"Well, Ed is af-" Ed, sick and dizzy as he was, tackled Al in his seat.

"Brother!"

"Shut up, Al!"

"You're being immature!"

"You're telling people things you shouldn't!"

"Would you rather go?"

"I'm not going!"

"What if I help the Colonel! We're both bigger than you!"

"Don't call me small!"

"But it's true!"

"NOT IT'S NOT!"

"YES IT IS!"

"NO I'M NOT!"

"YES YOU ARE!"

"I'LL MAKE YOU PAY!"

"NO YOU WON'T!"

BANK, CLUNK SMASH CRASH-

Roy seared Al's face, not hurting him, but surprising both boys. They'd forgotten he was there and both stared at him.

"Settle down. Especially you, FullMetal." Ed's face darkened.

"I think Al has a wonderful idea. We'll head to the hospital tomorrow."

And without another word, Roy marched up the stairs to bed.

He was woken by somethings cries. It was still dark. He turned on the light and followed the noise to one of 3 guest rooms. Al emerged from one, following Roy into the first.

"AAAAH!" Roy and Al jumped back in the doorway. "It's Brother!" Al pointed out needlessly. Roy turned on the light. Ed looked as though he was strapped to the bed by invisible ropes, flat on his back. Muscles bunched and tense, he flailed suddenly "RAAAGH!" Ed sent a pillow all the way to the opposite wall. Roy ran over and grabbed his shoulder, Al's "No!" coming too late, around the same time Ed's right fist knocked Roy back onto the floor. Al grabbed Ed's hands and ignored his kicking. Roy took hold of his automail leg and held it to the bed. Even the automail was hot. Ed was really burning up. "No!" Ed pleaded. "Brother wake up!" Al yelled. "Colonel! In my wrist joint!" Roy grabbed the chalk he saw poking out of Al's arm and drew a ragged circle on the blankets, confining Ed's limbs.

Letting go of Ed, Al yelled "Brother!", then slapped him. "NO!" Ed screamed, eyes bursting open. "Brother!"

"Al...Mustang? I'm fine. I'm not sick. I'm okay...it's nothing...I'm not going..." he relaxed and closed his eyes. Roy didn't know if he was asleep or not. Al undid the crude transmutation and pulled the covers over Edward. Ed curled up in a ball.

Roy noticed Al motioning him out and stepped back into the hall, turning the light off as he went. They stood awkwardly in the hall for a moment. Then Roy shook his head and walked into his bedroom saying "First thing in the morning and he better not resist." he snapped his bare fingers and shut the door.