I am back with the last chapter =D

Sorry I think I am 2 days late from the planned time, but anyways ...

I tried my best to make the ending satisfying enough so hope you like it.

*I want to thank everyone who followed and favoured this story and specially those who spared their time to drop a review.
Pastel P0cky, ally(guest) and emmahoshi(guest). Thanks a bunch for your reviews, they really motivated me :)

*Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or the characters, I don't own the cover image, all I own is the plot.

Enjoy!

The Most Unfortunate and Unexpected Encounter

Chapter 3: The bitter and sweet truths

The three of them entered when Edward opened the front door. Winry was waiting in the living room and immediately rushed to them as they entered.

"Ed, you idiot!" she yelled as she threw her wrench at him.

"Calm down Winry! What the hell was that for?!" he exclaimed while rubbing his head.

Winry skillfully ignored Ed's complains and turned to the other two men who were about to leave.

"Mr Hughes, Mr Roy, please come in" she smiled and motioned to them to sit in the living room.

"I will get you something to eat" She stated.

"Oh Winry, you don't really have to" Hughes said with his usual smile.

"Thanks Winry but we will leave so as not to intrude your personal discussion" Roy added.

"No no, that's not a problem you can stay in the living room, we can't just send you back after you came all the way to drop Ed. I am sure that he caused you lots of trouble being the annoying brat he is, so this is the least we could do for you. And thanks for your concerns" Winry said leaving no room for arguing.

"I am not an annoying brat, you gear head" Ed mumbled.

"Shut up Ed, we all know you are a trouble maker!" she replied and hit him with her wrench again.

"It's okay Winry. In fact, surprisingly Fullmetal didn't cause that much trouble this time" Roy said as he smirked at Ed.

"You-" Ed started but was cut off by Winry's death glare that meant 'Say another word and the next hit of my wrench will be the last thing you see'

Then she went to the kitchen and came back after a moment with two cups of coffee and a plate of pastries.

"Here, please help yourselves" she said softly.

"Thank you" the men replied in unison as they went to be seated on one of the couches.

"Come on Ed. Al and your dad are waiting in the next room" she said and dragged Ed into the room.

"Oh Edward, it's good to see you" Hohenhiem spoke.

"Can't say the same to you bastard" Ed hissed and went to sit by his brother.

"Brother, I am sorry" Al whispered.

"It's okay Al. We will talk later" Ed said smiling warmly at his brother.

"Now, what's the important discussion you wanted us for? – Oh actually first, do you care to tell me why the hell did you leave?!" Ed managed between gritted teeth.

"Believe me Ed; I left you for your own good. I wanted to protect you as I was being chased by a dangerous terrorists group for secret information. Later when they were captured and executed, I was completing some research and decided to look for you"

Ed looked at him skeptically before glaring at his supposed-to-father.

"A research more important than your family, right?"

"Edward, please understand. You're the most important thing in my life. I didn't even complete the research yet, I made you boys my first priority and I am considering taking you back to Resembool"

Meanwhile in the living room, Roy and Hughes where patiently listening to the conversation in the room next to them. In fact, they were relieved and glad for being able to at least hear what was going on.

"Wait a second. I have a question" Ed sighed nervously then continued.

"Did you stop your research or where you stuck somewhere?"

"Why do you want to-"

"Answer me!" Ed demanded dangerously.

"Well, I got stuck at some theory, what's with it?" Hohenhiem looked confused.

Ed tensed even more if that was possible as his suspicions seemed to be more realistic after hearing that answer.

"Now honestly answer me. If you didn't get stuck, would you have come for us?"

Winry and Al froze. Roy and Hughes gasped realization hitting them too.

Silence.

"Speak up, damn it!"

"N…no… I would have completed the research first. But believe me Ed, I would have came for you after that" he admitted.

Winry worriedly glanced at Al who now wore a grim and betrayed expression on his face.

"Shut up! Don't give me that crap!" Ed yelled and furiously punched the coffee table in front of him.

"So that's it for you bastard?! You heard your sons are prodigies so when you need help you thought 'why not use them'. I bet that you want us back in Resembool to help you, isn't it?!"

"Ed, that wasn't my only motive… I-"

"Like hell it wasn't! Who do you think I am? An idiot? Get lost you bastard I am not going back with you and I sure am not going to help you!" Ed stood up glaring daggers at Hohenheim.

"Edward, you and your brother are minors. I am your father and I legally have the right to force you out of the military and take you with me" Hohenhiem now spoke sternly in a commanding tone that made Ed even angrier.

"Damn that bastard!" Roy groaned under his breath and his hands balled into fists.

"Calm down Roy" Hughes draped a hand over Roy's shoulder and went on.

"We can't do anything right now" He sighed looking worried and …angry.

"So what do you suggest? We sit here and see him force them out of the military and take them off when we know that he don't even care about them? Is that what you want?!" Roy asked in the most annoyed tone he could master.

"No Roy! But whatever we do will make things worse. He is their dad and that's a fact whether he acts like it or not and we have got no legal right to tell him anything or stop him and you know it" Hughes spoke.

"Let them resolve this issue between them. It's personal" he added.

"I hate this" Roy sat back and sighed heavily.

They turned to look back at the room's door.

Ed was aggravated and felt like destroying everything but barely held back.

"You think I am afraid of that. You got it wrong bastard. Threatening me won't be of any use. Do it, I dare you! So what after you take us back, you can't force me to help you in the research, can you?" Ed smirked at him.

Hohenhiem was pissed.

"ED you listen to me! I am your father and you have to do as I say -" he yelled but before he could complete his sentence he was met by his son's fist for the second time.

"Shut up! You don't call me Ed! And you think I have to listen to you? In your dreams" Ed shrugged.

"You better know where you stand because you aren't my dad. You stopped being one after leaving us and you proved that you can't be one now either. I would rather die than help a person like you!"

Ed drew in a deep breath and spoke calmly.

"I am not coming with you and if you force me, I won't help you anyways. If Al and Winry want to go back with you to Resembool then I won't stop them, it's their own choice but Van Hohenhiem you mean nothing to me" Ed said with an emotionless tone and eyed all the three room occupants.

Al started "Sorry but I don't want to come with you father. I don't want to help you either. I am staying with Edward" Al spoke, his voice barely audible with a mixture of sorrow and anger. He had hoped that his dad actually cared about them. He had wished to just live with him and settle, to at least have a part of his old life back but everything shattered into pieces…

Ed noticed how depressed his brother was and all he wanted was to beat up Hohenhiem as much as he could for breaking his brother that way.

"You've got no power over me and you know that I can't help you anyways. Whatever I am staying with Ed and Al" Winry replied, irritation evident in her voice, even she hated Hohenhiem for making her childhood friends, those she considered brothers, suffer so much.

Hohenhiem sighed, he knew that he was defeated and that taking them back won't help him, in fact it will just slow him down. He didn't want more 'burdens'.

Hohenhium stood up and walked to the front door. He shot them a cold look and left the same way he had abandoned them as kids – without looking back, without saying goodbye just a bitter glare defining the bitter truth.

The room was once again filled with an uncomfortable silence. Winry was looking down at the floor tiles, Al doing his best to hold back his tears and Ed standing in the middle of the room, hands still curled up into fists.

"Damn it!" he yelled but his heart was torn apart upon hearing his brother's sobbing. He turned to see his brother quivering violently and clutching his knees.

"Alphonse" Ed murmured softly as he walked towards his little brother.

"Everything is going to be okay" he said and drew his younger brother into a strong embrace, gently rubbing the back of his head.

And Alphonse cried out like the child he was; a betrayed and broken child. He pushed his head into his brother's chest soaking his shirt and clutching it strongly.

"I… I am so..rry… brother"

"No Al, you didn't do anything wrong" Ed reassured.

"But…"

"No Al"

He held his brother tighter.

"No matter what, I will always be here for you" I will always protect you.

By that time Roy and Hughes had already walked into the room and just stood by the door watching the brothers comforting each other.

'It's unfair that everything is so hard for them' Roy thought sympathetically.

After a moment Al started calming down. Edward squeezed him gently before releasing him.

"I will get you some water" he smiled and patted his head before walking out of the room and to the kitchen.

"Here" he came back and offered his brother a cup of water.

Al drank it and took in a deep breath.

"Thank you brother" he smiled wearily.

"Not at all Al" Ed replied with his own smile before looking at Winry who still looked gloomy and tears where threatening to spill over her cheeks.

"Hey Winry, don't worry" Ed ruffled her hair.

"I am not worried Ed" she said in a frail voice.

"You think you can fool me?" he smiled at her, resting his hand atop her head.

"With that mind of yours, anyone can" she tried a cocky grin in a vain attempt to lighten the mode.

"Sure they can" He chuckled slightly.

After a moment of unsettling silence Roy and Hughes made their way to sit on the bed across the room.

Hughes cleared his throat before speaking softly.

"Hey boys… Well, I understand the way you're feeling right now but we need you to know one thing" he glanced at Roy to signal him to continue.

Roy was nervous. He was never good in such things.

"Uhm… You guys need to understand that you aren't alone and that we're all here for you"

"Colonel-" Ed tried but was cut off by Hughes.

"Don't argue the point Ed, just listen to us, all three of you"

The said three shared glances among each other and nodded, waiting for the inevitable, they stared at the adults in front of them.

"I know that you might feel that you've nothing left, that you can't rely on others but that's not it. No matter how you look at it, you guys can't just be totally independent you know. At times, things might get really hard and kind of unbearable; you would feel that you need comfort, an adult comfort. You seem to think that you don't have it and so you try to convince yourselves that you don't even need it. But it isn't the case here; sometimes you need help no matter what you think" Hughes said and Roy took over.

"The other problem is that you're oblivious of the fact that you do have people who care about you, people who love you and are willing to provide you all the comfort you need"

He was met by unreadable expressions that he couldn't quite identify but went on nonetheless.

"You know Hughes, Hawkeye, Hovac, Fuery, Breda, Fallman; we have all been each other's support for a long time and we care about each other like a family. And the moment you joined our team, you became an irreplaceable part of that family too, a special one though Edward can be annoying at times but you always helped us when we needed and didn't want any harm to befall us. So you know, these folks back in the office are your siblings, they love you way much and feel the urge to protect you and ensure your safety. We just wish that you guys would see it and seek our help and comfort when you are down because it hurts us to see you in pain or grief. You've went through so much for you ages and you deserve to have us with you" Roy finished and looked at the kids, who were overwhelmed and dazed. They didn't seem to register what was being said as if it was a façade or a hallucination.

"Trust us, Ed, Al, Winry. We really love you and would do anything to put you guys at some ease and lift off some of the weight you are shouldering" Hughes smiled softly at them.

"We will always be there for you and won't leave, no matter what. Not every adult figure would betray you so you can rely on us" Roy added firmly as he knew that they have always been haunted by the people they loved leaving them.

"Y..you mean it?" Al asked weakly.

"All the way Al" Roy replied with a tender smile.

"…Thank..you.." they replied.

"Not at all" Hughes beamed.

"Oh by the way! Roy forgot something in his speech" Hughes grinned evilly, which set Roy into uneasiness again.

"I don't think I did Hughes" Roy mumbled.

"Well kids, Roy forgot to mention that he thinks of you as if you're his own children" Hughes said and patted Roy who literally chocked up at his friend's words. The three of them looked stunned but you could see the glimpse of joy glittering in their eyes.

"What the hell Hughes?! I didn't tell you that!" Roy tensed; which Hughes actually found funny.

"Hehehe, you don't need to tell me, I know everything!" Hughes replied chuckling.

"Hughes-"

"Can you deny it then?" Hughes asked.

Roy turned to look at the three in front of him. He knew that Hughes was right. These kids have greatly affected him; especially Ed and Al, although he met them around 4 years ago but he admired their strength and courage, their resolve and determination and the way they come off their way to help others whether strangers or friends despite being children. Yes they meant much more to him than he had ever thought possible and he could and would never deny it.

"…No…" he replied and looked away as a slight blush covered his face.

"See!"Hughes giggled.

And for once since years, the three teenagers shed tears of joy, laughed out of sheer happiness, finally feeling whole again by being a part of a real family and finding a place they can truly call home.

Ha! I am finally done with my first ever fanfic :)

I know Hohenhiem isn't that bad in the anime but this is my fanfic so it's my choice XD

This was the honestly the best ending I could come up with.

I tried to keep the characters from being OOC ...

But I honestly think that Roy would act like that if the incident happen, I mean he is protective on the Elrics right? Like the way he was shocked when he knew that they may be hunted down by Scar or the fact that he wants to make them strong to face the outside world though he might be harsh sometimes but still :p

Anyways I want to know your opinions about this fiction! And as always Compliments and criticism are equally welcomed ;)

I would also like to get suggestions and ideas from you guys about what you want me to write next (About fma tho because I am in the mood for that!)

So till next time! See ya!