It was only way to protect them, Roy thought as the car pulled up to the Rockbell house. They would be safer here, and besides people were starting to get suspicious. Roy walked up to meet Pinako in front of the house, carrying an infant in one arm and a small black haired three-year old in the other, both sleeping. "Don't worry, we'll take good care of them." Pinako said and Winry nodded in agreement as she walked over. Roy handed the boys reluctantly to Winry but as the car pulled away he could feel nothing but regret.

Nearly two years later...

Edward cursed as he ran to keep up with the little boy running ahead of him. Edward's own small son was spending time at his grandfather Hohenheim's place. The boy Edward was currently chasing was very young but as Ed ran furiously to keep up he thought the little one was too goddamn fast. "Aw c'mon Randy! Winry's gonna kill me if I don't bring you home." The boy paused for a moment, turning to look at Ed with a smile on his face. Randall Mustang looked exactly like Roy Mustang in miniature, Ed thought the boy had to be the spitting image of the Flame Alchemist at that age. "But I wanna play more Edward!" the little boy cried out, still half-smiling. Edward was torn between the choice of it, despite the fact he could usually not be convinced by a mere child, the Fullmetal Alchemist could not bear to say no the boy. He had an astounding ability to charm people and his voice sounded like the voice of a young angel.

"If Winry wakes up and finds us gone she's gonna tear me to shreds!" Edward exclaimed, waiting for the little boy to stop and say something. When he did stop Edward rushed forward and picked him up. The little boy smiled up at Ed still and Ed messed up his hair, feeling slightly flustered and not because of the boy. It was just downright sad that the little boy didn't know his own mother or father; Edward himself as a child had been pained by his father's absence. Edward could recall the pain that something like that had caused to him and Alphonse. Ed sighed. Time to take this little guy home. The only home he had ever known...the Rockbell home.

Alphonse had woken up to check on Den when he heard crying. "And that would be Rory's cue." Al said cheerfully. Al liked Rory Mustang. Nearly two years ago when Rory first came here as an infant Al was still soul bound to a suit of armor. Even then Rory had liked Alphonse, which would have brought the tears to his eyes. Al was fifteen now, and back in his old body. Though he still looked like how he had when he had lost his body in the first place, Alphonse did not care. He was just glad to be able to feel warmth again.

While Edward was usually responsible for watching the older of the two little boys...if the word responsible ever applied to Ed in the first place, Alphonse took great pride in being responsible for the younger brother. Already he and Rory had something in common. Rory was two years old and calmer than his older brother Randy. Rory had fair hair, a hair color similar to that of Second Lieutenant Havoc's. While Randy possessed the eyes of the Flame Alchemist himself, Rory shared his mother's brown eyes. Rory's hair was not very neat but short and it stuck up; but despite the wildness of it, Rory's hair was very pleasant to the touch. Alphonse thought Rory's hair felt like the fur of a small soft animal. Rory was a quiet but kind boy and very intelligent. Alphonse noticed the striking differences in the two boys to each other. Randy was quite similar to their father while Rory was anything but. Rory was also very obedient and also a dog lover, but the boy seemed to have compassion for all types of animals.

Alphonse walked upstairs and into the spare room which had been converted into a room for the boys. As soon as Rory saw Alphonse he stopped crying at once. "Al!" the little boy cried happily and reached his arms out towards Al. Al smiled and picked the little boy up. Suddenly realization washed over him. It was Randy's fifth birthday today! Alphonse went down the stairs as fast as he could without being at an unsafe speed, little Rory still in his arms. "Winry it's..."

"I know!" Winry interjected frantically. "We're baking the cake right now. Have Rory watch TV and help us with the house. I cannot believe we forgot and I invited everybody too!" Winry cried. Al could see he had no choice but to help or face Winry while she was in hysterics, which was never a good idea. After Al put Sesame Street on the TV and Rory watched intently. Winry shoved a box of party decorations in his arms. When Ed came walking up to the house with Randy, Winry yelled at him to keep playing outside and to stay away from the house. Ed shrugged and he and Randy left to play some more while Al hung up a birthday banner. The backyard was set up by Al and Winry with all sorts of fun games and even a bounce house that Maes Hughes had managed to get them. Just as Al was thinking about Hughes there was a knock at their door, which Al had to rush to answer. Sure enough it was Maes himself, with his wife Gracia and daughter Elicia in tow. Five year old Elicia smiled at Al and waved and while Hughes held Elicia, Gracia held a small black-haired boy similar in every which way to Hughes. "You brought Michael too?" Alphonse asked and Hughes nodded happily. Alphonse let them in and Gracia placed Michael on the couch beside Rory; the two of them were the same exact age and best friends.

"So where's the birthday boy?" Hughes asked merrily. "He's outside with Ed...we couldn't afford ruining the surprise." Pinako explained. "Daddy I want to play with Randy too!" Elicia cried out quickly. "Well I guess we're going outside too. See you all in a bit." Hughes said with a smile, escorting his beloved daughter outside with pure joy. Gracia supervised Rory and Michael and Al couldn't thank her enough. The house was finally fully decorated and the cake cooking when Scar showed up with his own son, Sagan. Sagan was five years old as well and while Al was still not entirely sure as to who Sagan's mother was, Al knew it could be anyone's guess. Sagan had longer and somewhat thicker hair than his father, which tapered down in a tail that ended just above the collar of his shirt. His hair was white as snow and he had his father's dark complexion and red eyes too. Sagan was a calm little boy but not above playing tag or a sport with the other kids. Scar dropped Sagan off with the other kids and returned inside to help. Al crept away to the phone for a moment. He dialed a number, a very important one. The Flame Alchemist himself answered. "Bring Lieutenant Hawkeye and come to Winry's house. You should be here." Alphonse said quickly before he hung up.

Edward and Maes Hughes played with the kids a distance from the house, but close enough to see the house. They were playing with Randy, Elicia and Sagan when another car pulled up and a muscular man and a small boy exited the car, which then pulled away. "I know that figure anywhere." Ed said. It was indeed Alex Louis Armstrong and his four year old son Sammy. More guests arrived by the minute. Next Jean Havoc and his sons Jacob and Jaden arrived. Jacob went to play with Randy also but Jaden joined the other two and three year old children inside. Denny Brosh arrived and Ed smiled, as he saw Maria exit the car two, each of them carrying a child. David was four and Derek was two so neither of Denny and Maria's boys joined Ed, Hughes and the older children. Heymans Breda, Vato Falman and Kain Fuery also arrived soon after. May Chang and Xiao Mei arrived, followed by Ling Yao, Lan Fan and their twin infants Weizhen and Ru.

Within ten minutes more guests arrived. Mrs. Bradley came with little Selim, who was a friend of Rory's. Sig and Izumi arrived as well, and just behind them came the Tringham brothers and it seemed that was all who was coming. Alphonse was sent out to tell Ed and Hughes to bring the kids in. "Hey kids it's birthday time!" was all Hughes had to yell for a stampede of kids to run to the house, followed closely by Ed and Hughes himself. Randy lagged behind the group, interested in a car that pulled up. Roy Mustang and Riza Hawkeye got out of the car.

Roy was a bit nervous. His sons were here somewhere. Riza took in a deep breath. Roy walked forward a few steps and froze. There was a boy to his right staring at him and Riza. Riza noticed him too, a small boy that looked like a child version of Roy.

Randy stared at these strangers. He could swear that they were familiar and important to him somehow. "Randy!" A voice cried out. It was Alphonse. "How'd you wander off? Come on Randy it's almost time for the cake. Oh General Mustang it's good too see you and Lieutenant Hawkeye here too. Come on in." Al said, taking the five year old by the hand. Roy held Riza's hand for a moment and then they followed Alphonse, closely watched by Randy who kept staring at them. Riza knew it...Randy had to be theirs.

The adults talked happily but Roy and Riza kept glancing towards where the kids were playing in turns. Roy turned to look again just in time to see a small fair haired boy fall off the couch, and not feet first either. The little boy landed with a thump on his head. There was silence for about two seconds before a piercing scream filled the house. Roy rushed over and picked the little boy up, examining his head which was thankfully uninjured. The little boy looked curiously at him, no longer screaming but tears still coming out of his eyes. Roy was surprised. This fair haired boy had Riza's eyes. The little boy grabbed onto Roy and started crying. Everyone seemed to understand that Roy was handling the situation and continued what they had been doing. A shadow spread across them. Roy looked up and saw Randy staring at him. "My brother likes you." Randy said, in a very sweet angelic sounding voice. Roy stared at the boy now. Randy grinned back. "Thank you for helping my brother." Randy said, very sweet and sincere. "Uh..." was all Roy could say. Randy walked over and hugged Roy. "I like you too." Randy said quietly.

In his own head Randy was wondering about the man. He was very familiar and Randy himself thought that the man looked like him. As he hugged the man a thought crossed his mind very rapidly...that he didn't want him to leave ever. And the lady too...Randy liked her and she was very pretty and her eyes reminded Randy of Rory's eyes. Pinako and Winry had once told them that no one in that house was their real mommy or daddy but this never occurred to him.

It was time for the cake now and everyone gathered around to where Randy sat at his table. The kids were seated variously, with younger kids at one end of the table and the kids Randy's age sat near him. His friends Elicia, Sagan and Jacob sat closest to him. Randy grinned at everyone, scratching the back of his head in a way that every adult in the vicinity seemed to find irresistible. "Okay get ready!" Hughes cried out, he was the child's birthday expert in the area. Once the candles were lit Hughes let out a "One...Two...Three!" and then everyone began singing. "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Randy. Happy birthday to you!" Some of the younger kids were a bit behind but everyone sang. Randy grinned and Riza was strikingly and forcibly reminded of Roy. "Randy when you blow your candles you make a wish and it will come true!" Elicia whispered loudly to him. "Oh okay." he said. He paused with a serious look on his face and his eyes closed for a moment before he opened them and tried to blow out his candles. He took in a really deep breath and finally managed to blow the candles out all the way on his own. Then everyone had cake.