Lieutenant Jean Havoc looked over at the closed door. The shouts coming from behind it were muffled enough that he couldn't make out the words, but the tone left no doubt as to what was going on in there. Havoc heard a slam, and looked across at Breda. Breda lifted three fingers and began counting down. Sure enough, as soon as the last finger went down, the office door flew open and a rather short and irate blonde boy came stamping out.

"I hate that bastard!" he shouted before flinging himself out into the corridor.

Breda and Havoc both turned to look in the office. Roy was leaning on the front of his desk, arms crossed, a rather amused look on his face. Havoc turned back to Breda and lifted an eyebrow.

"Like hell. I'm not going after a pissed off Ed."

Havoc gave an exaggerated sigh, and stood up.

"I'll go get him then, eh?"

Breda leaned back and put his feet on the table.

"I think that'd be a good idea, yeah."

Havoc grinned to himself as he left the room. He did so enjoy these...encounters.

-------

Havoc slowly made his way up the stairs to his house. He'd spent the better part of an hour searching for Ed. Normally when he'd had one of his run-ins with the colonel, Ed went straight to the disused room at the other end of the building. So, Havoc had gone straight there. No sign of Ed.

In fact, he had been unable to find a single trace of the boy. Anywhere. He hoped Edward was ok. He had a real tendency to try to prove how strong he was. Sure, he had no problems yelling at people, but when it came to really expressing his feelings he was completely hopeless.

It therefore came as a somewhat of a shock to find said alchemist sitting in the middle of Havocs kitchen, knees pulled up under his chin, tears streaming down his face.

Havoc dropped his keys onto the floor and rushed over to the huddled shape.

"Ed, whats wrong? What are you doing here? Where's Al?"

Ed stayed where he was, staring at the floor, but answered Havoc.

"Nothings wrong. I'm here because I had to get away. Al is with Schiezka, doing some research on the Philosophers Stone" he answered hollowly.

"Nothings wrong? Don't give me that bullshit. People don't normally sit on other peoples kitchen floors crying if there's nothing wrong."

"I'm not crying" Ed replied with a little more force.

Havoc reached out to brush Eds face.

"Yeah? Then what's this?" he asked gently, showing Ed the wiped away tears.

Ed looked at Havocs hand, a look of faint surprise crossing his features before he squared his jaw.

"I didn't come here for a lecture, Lieutenant."

"I'm not lecturing. I want to help. And how can I do that if you don't open up, Ed? Isn't that why we started this? So you would have someone you could open up to without worrying about being judged? I haven't changed my mind about that, you know."

Ed looked back up at Havoc, his look a bizarre mix of revulsion and pathetic gratitude. Havoc gave a faint smile, not wanting to provoke Ed any further, but wanting him to realise that he really did mean it when he told him that he would be there for him.

"I'm tired, Jean. I'm tired of having to fight for everything. I'm tired of having to try and work against that bloody Mustang. I'm tired of him wanting me to do what he wants and never letting me do what I want. I'm tired of always having to be the strong one."

Havoc felt like his chest was tearing in two. Ed sounded so miserable. He wanted so badly to fix things for him. All he could do though was take the smaller body in his arms, try to give him some respite from his life, if only for a few minutes at a time. He brushed Ed's fringe out of his eyes, tilted his head up so those gold eyes were forced to look into his.

"It's alright. You don't have to fight here. You don't have to be strong here. Here...you can show me how defenceless you really are. I'll take care of the world outside."

Those eyes, usually so defiant, softened as Havoc spoke, gradually filling with the desperately held back tears. Havoc pulled the shaking boy closer, wrapping his arms around those shoulders, pulling Ed's forehead against his shoulder. After all, what was Havoc if not a shoulder for Edward?

-------

Havoc carried the sleeping body up to his own bed. Carefully, trying not to wake him, he lay him on top of the blankets. He had taken off the ever present red coat and black jacket down in the kitchen, so Havoc took the spare blanket from the foot of the bed to lay over Ed. As he pulled it over his shoulders, Ed stirred.

"Where are you going?" he asked sleepily.

"Nowhere. I told you, I will be here to take care of you."

"Ok..." The head fell back to the pillow, and his breathing evened back out. Havoc lay alongside Ed, stroking his hair.

Yes. He would take care of the outside, so Ed could take care of the inside.