Cost of a Secret

Review Replies: Makoto, thanks so much. kikiko, well, as far as Roy talking to Ed, you'll just have to wait. radcat, it's a twin bed, not twin beds, so you don't have to worry about another person as a surprise. You'll have to see as far as whether Ed might be needing saving.

Chapter 6

Father

Ed had never really broke down in front of his brother, but when he’d gone upstairs and finally saw that damned little bed, he just couldn’t help it. He wanted to destroy the little pine bed with its blue mattress and set of “complimentary” white sheets. He wanted to just rip it all to shreds, send the springs flying, but he couldn’t.

He couldn’t because every time he threatened to, Al grabbed him and held his arms to the sides. Really, with Ed’s automail, there was no logical reason why his younger brother should still be able to do this now that he was flesh and blood, but he could. He could and he did it with ease. And when Ed finished ranting and raving, struggling to free himself from his brother’s bear-like grip, he finally started to cry again.

It started because he realized that a tiny, almost insignificant part of him wanted to hope that the bed was a misunderstanding and Roy would come back home, telling Ed that the company had delivered the wrong thing. That all of this secretive behavior had been because he was getting something for Ed, though another part of his brain argued Ed really had no need for anything from a furniture store.

“What do I do?” Ed asked his brother. “I have to leave, but I don’t want to.”

Al turned him and held Ed the way their mother used to do. He even began rubbing his back, making Ed feel like the biggest heel in the world. He wanted to tell Al that he’d given him a poor recommendation in his permanent record to protect him. His little brother wasn’t a killer, and if Ed could keep it that way, he would.

But Al would argue with him and try to convince Ed to change his permanent record again, to allow him to join. The thing was that Ed, in his state of mind now, would probably give in, just to make Al happy and ensure that he didn’t lose one more person now that the person who’d kept him sane over the last few years of near silence from Al.

Now, with Ed here and Roy gone, Ed didn’t think he could manage to do or say anything that might make him lose Al again.

********

“Dad,” Liam said, looking up at the man. At nearly eight, he was varying more between the two forms of his name for Roy, “how come you’re here? I thought that you had to stay in Central for another month.” Roy lifted his son, knowing it shouldn’t still be this easy to carry the boy.

“I’m here because I’m going to take you to Central with me.”

“Mom won’t like that,” Liam said, with the slightest flash of fear in his brown eyes.

“Maybe not,” Roy said, “but I want to keep you with me from now on.”

“So the people, the ones that you thought might hurt me, they’re gone?” Liam asked, his arms wrapped around his father’s neck.

Roy had been as honest with the boy as he could. Between the danger Liam was in because of the fuhrer and then the fuhrer’s supporters after the homunculus’s death, he had been forced to keep Liam as close to a secret as possible. He had told Liam honestly when he was about five why Liam couldn’t come to Central with him.

“They’re gone now,” Roy confirmed. “And you are going to come to Central with me. You’ll get to pick out what you want your new room to look like, and I’ve already ordered you a brand new bed of your own.”

Liam squeezed Roy’s neck tighter to hug him and hold on at the same time. “Thank you, Daddy.”

The sheer gratitude in his son’s voice made Roy’s heart ache. What had Karen been doing to the boy? “I’m going to need you to go in the house and get the things you want most. Okay, buddy?”

“Can Ed come?”

Roy stopped for a minute and looked at the little boy. Ed? But Ed was in Central, probably already trying to find another place to stay. Maybe even destroying a good portion of Roy’s home. Why would Ed come?

“I can’t take my cat?” Liam asked in a way that made Roy thankful that the boy was past the age of pouting.

“Do you have a carrier for him?” Roy asked.

“Yeah. For when we take him to the vet,” Liam answered. “Mom hates taking him though. He said the expense for him is your fault since you gave him to me. She doesn’t like his name anymore either.”

No, Roy guessed not, but he’d only named him Ed because the finicky little thing had been part of his bet with the teen, and he reminded Roy a little of him.

“Can we take his bed too?” Liam asked. “I really like the bed.”

Roy nodded. The bed, he imagined, had been Ed’s design to console Al. He knew the younger brother didn’t want to leave the cat behind without a home. “Don’t worry about too many clothes,” Roy said. “I will get you new ones.”

Liam nodded as Roy put him back on the ground. “Does this mean I don’t ever have to come back?”

“It means you never, ever have to come back.”

Liam grinned. He was missing two of his teeth, it seemed, since Roy last saw him. “Do I have to… go in alone?”

“How are you going to be able to carry all of that by yourself, silly?” Roy asked, trying to keep the tone light. “I’m going in with you. But you’re going to have to handle Ed. I don’t think he likes me much.”

Liam nodded and headed into the house. Roy watched as he followed behind. He wished the only change in his son were the two baby teeth missing and the added inch or so in height. Those were natural, not like the dark circles beneath the dusting of freckles on his cheeks.

He passed by the basement door, which Roy knew led to Karen’s laboratory. She was muttering to herself as she worked, it seemed. And as long as her voice was louder than they were, he hoped he would not have to face her. He was about to tell Liam to be quiet, but it seemed his son had noticed him opening his mouth to speak and had raised a single finger to his thin little lips.

“Shh…”

Roy nodded and headed up the stairs to his son’s room, passing by his son’s sole companion, as of late. Ed only looked up at him and growled quietly, but didn’t seem to have the energy for his regular hiss and attack—thank goodness the obnoxious thing was declawed. He had to wonder if even Liam’s cat had become part of whatever experiments Karen was performing.

He knew the woman was bitter and didn’t have a single good word to say about him, but why she would take this out on her son and his pet, he didn’t know.

********

“Roy, listen,” Maes’s voice said from the other line, “you know that I, more than anyone, wouldn’t ask you to miss that, but… there’s been an incident.”

Roy could hear Karen screaming from the other room. He was being called various names that were even more inventive than she managed when she found out she was pregnant. “It damned well better be big, Maes.”

“It involves Edward Elric. Military police just arrived at Shou Tucker’s place, the sick fuck,” Maes said. Roy was shocked to hear his friend use a word he’d only heard once or twice from the older man’s lips. “He used his daughter to make a chimera, Roy, and Ed reacted. Hit him a few times.”

“Good for him,” Roy said.

“That’s not all, Roy. Ed is making a scene because he doesn’t understand how this military works. He wants to save the girl, and the military—”

“Wants to study her,” Roy completed for him.

“It could cost him his job in the military. Maybe even lead to dishonorable discharge and investigation. Roy, this could cost him.” Maes had a good indication of what Ed and Al had done, thanks to Roy’s own studies into human transmutation. If the military investigated those two boys, it would mean their lives, even his career. He needed to be there for his child’s birth, but he also needed to ensure he could provide for the baby after he or she was born. “I’ll be there. I’ll take care of the situation.”

********

There was a knock at the front door.

“Brother, let me get it,” Al said.

Ed shook his head. “No, I’ve got it. Besides, it isn’t like it’s going to be another damned bed.” He went to the door and opened it, finding Jean Havoc standing there. “Did the bastard send you?” Ed asked, immediately.

Havoc shook his head. “I came because I heard he hadn’t told you before he left and that you probably wouldn’t want to stay here.”

“Did you think he’d offer you a spare room or something?” Ed asked, though his suspicious little mind was thinking more along the lines of offering Havoc Ed’s space in bed.

“No,” he said. “I’ve got a place of my own.” His blue eyes narrowed. “And a love life of my own that involves only women.” He started to flick his cigarette away.

“Don’t bother. For at least another few days, this is my place too, and if the bastard doesn’t like the smell of cigarettes, let him deal with it. Come in,” Ed said. He stood to the side and folded his arms, looking up at the first lieutenant.

Havoc must have caught sight of Ed’s bags, because he immediately looked back at the young man and asked, “So you’re leaving him?”

“Of course I’m leaving him. The son of a bitch bastard didn’t even talk to me before he left. He just left a damned note telling me he’d gone.”

“Where are you going?” Havoc asked, releasing a puff of smoke.

“I… I don’t know, but I’ll find a place,” Ed said, determinedly. “I mean, just because I can’t go to the dorms doesn’t mean I can’t find someplace.”

“Hotels can get pretty pricey, Boss, and apartments are hard to find.”

Ed took a few quick strides to the older man and pointed his index finger into Havoc’s face. “If you think I am going to just stay here after he’s been keeping something from me—”

“I have a spare room,” Havoc said, not flinching.

“Are you offering it to Ed?” Al said from the doorway.

Havoc quickly turned his head, brushing the tip of his cigarette against Ed’s automail hand. “Hey, watch it!” Ed yelled. “That could have been my real hand you know.”

“But it wasn’t,” Havoc responded back, unfazed in a very un-Havoc-like manner.

“Have you been taking lessons or something from Hawkeye?” Ed asked, but was ignored.

“Al? You’re here?” He went over and shook Al’s hand, receiving a half-hug from the taller teen. “When did you get in?”

“Just a few hours ago. I’ve already heard about everything,” he said. “So, are you offering my brother to stay with you?”

“I don’t want to smell like cigarette smoke,” Ed said, almost immediately, wondering why he said it. He had never cared about that in the past. But Roy did, his mind supplied.

“It isn’t allowed in the complex. The smoke detectors are very sensitive.” He shrugged. “So if you want to… The room’s there. You can say it’s temporary until you figure out something better if you want. You’d still have to help with rent, though.”

Ed’s eyes narrowed. “Are you asking me because you need help with rent?”

Havoc chuckled. “I’m asking you because you’re in a shitty position and I think we’re friends.”

With a single bob of his head, Ed agreed.

“Let me know when you want to start moving in. I’ll have to clear out the room first. My last roommate was Breda. So you can kinda imagine what it looks like.”

Ed twisted his face up at the thought. He was disorganized, but clean. Breda was… a slob.

“Well, anyway,” Havoc said. “I’ll start clearing out the room, if you want to make sure you’ve got everything you want to take with you. And Al, you’re welcome to my sofa. It pulls out, though you might have to fight with Kain if he gets in another fight with Shezka.”

Al chuckled and nodded. “I understand.”

Ed just headed upstairs, prepared to finish packing his things, even if he didn’t want to do it.

********

Roy helped Liam up the high steps to the train. His legs were getting longer, but it was still a little bit of a struggle for him.

“And you’re sure they’ll take good care of Ed?” he asked.

“Very good care of him,” Roy said, mussing Liam’s straight black hair. “Come on kiddo, this way to our compartment.”

“I still wish he didn’t have to ride in the back with the luggage.”

“I know, but you’ll be able to see him first thing when we get off in Central, and he has plenty of food and water to get him through the train ride.

Liam nodded and headed down the narrow aisle to their room as Roy kept a hand on his little boy’s shoulder.

“Dad, what did Mrs. Jonas mean when she said it was about time I stayed with you?”

Roy opened the door to the sleeper he’d reserved for them both, where their luggage was already waiting. “Well, she thinks I should have taken you to stay with me at least for a few weeks a long time ago, but she doesn’t understand that I was trying to keep you safe.”

Unfortunately, Roy was sure that even at that he had failed. He shut the compartment door, almost to terrified to see Karen or police officials bursting onto the train to really even speak to Liam. He stood at the tiny window and waited for the train to leave and give him the head start he needed. He’d already called Riza to let her know he was on his way, so she would file all the paperwork for the custody hearing. The question now on Roy’s mind was whether or not Falman had been right in the library, but he didn’t want to start off with those questions now. He had a two and a half day train ride to find out.

He saw to his left as Liam happily flopped down on one of the sofa’s. “I’ve never been on a train before,” he said. “Not that I can remember.”

Roy took a seat next to him, hearing the whistle sounding to signal the train was leaving the station. “I know,” he said, running a hand over Liam’s hair. “Your mom was transferred from Central right after you were born.”

Liam nodded. “You were transferred when I was little, too,” he said.

“Yes. I went to East Headquarters, and then went back to Central when you were about four.”

“I liked that. I got to see you all the time,” Liam said. He leaned against Roy, who braced him as the train started. “And I’ll get to see Lt. Hawkeye, Lt. Breda, Lt. Havoc and Sgt. Fuery again.”

Roy nodded. “And you’ll get to meet Lt. Falman. But Hawkeye is a captain now and Fuery is a lieutenant.”

“And you’re a major general,” Liam said, his brown eyes gleaming with pride as he smiled up at his dad. Roy leaned down and kissed him on his forehead. He was still surprised each day he spent with his son how naturally loving him came.

********

“I yelled at him, Maes,” Roy said when he returned to the private birthing facility. “He was crying, absolutely horrified by what he’d seen, and rightly so, and I yelled at him.” He looked in at the tiny baby in the blue blanket. “How the hell am I supposed to be a father when I took out my anger at the military on a kid today?” He’d been so furious, not only with the military for what they’d done with Tucker, but because it had taken him away from one of the most important moments in his life.

“You told him what he needed to be told, you know,” Maes said. “He’s in the military now, Roy. He has to know how this all works.”

“And do you know why he’s in the military? Why a twelve-year-old joined a grown man’s military? Because I let him. Some shit like me could come along in twelve years and let him” He pointed to his son behind the glass. “join, maybe kill or at least see death himself.”

“This whole thing changes your perspective, Roy, you know that. Maybe now, you wouldn’t offer Ed a position in the military. But he’d have joined anyway. Under someone like Basque Gran, maybe? Or perhaps that schmuck Archer in Southern command? Roy, he’s here, he probably would be regardless of what you did. But you can protect him, watch over him. Be responsible like you’d want the man watching over your son to be responsible.”

Roy looked over at him and nodded. He was right. That prodigy would have been discovered by the military at one point or another, and at the hope of getting his brother’s body back, he’d have joined.

Maes’s arm wrapped around Roy as he rested his forehead against the cold surface. “How am I going to do this, Maes?”

“You’ll do fine, Roy.”

“You saw what I did with Ed.” Once more, he was back on that subject.

“Well, surprisingly enough, most kids come in much smaller packages. To let you get accustomed to them before their teenage years.”

Roy just sighed as he again looked at the sleeping bundle in the room just beyond.