Edward had decided to wait for the colonel in his office. He knew he wasn't there yet and he figured that if he waited in his office, he would hear him walk in. He snuck in by manipulating the wood to make an entry for him and then laid on the couch to wait. He closed his eyes to get a little cat nap since he didn't get much sleep the night before. He had had the dream about his mother again but he didn't want to alarm Al with it. He knew Al would get overly annalistic about it and he didn't really want to deal with that.

Just as he was about to drift into deep sleep, he heard the door open in the office but the light didn't turn on.

"I'll need to find the file on the Fountain of Youth serum so you can look over it. I have it in a drawer somewhere." Someone said that sounded kind of like the colonel but not at the same time.

"Shouldn't we turn on the light, sir?" he heard Hawkeye ask.

The lights turned on and hit Edward with a piercing pain in the eyes. He sat up and made a noise as he stretched and turned saying, "Took you long enough, Colonel Bastard."

As he looked though, he saw Riza and a person who looked like the Colonel but not at the same time.

"Colonel?"

The two stared at him as he looked at the younger one with curiosity. He looked like the Colonel, even responded to it, but he couldn't be more than Al's age if Al had a body at the moment.

"Um... No, Edward, this is Chris, one of the colonel's step sibling's sons."

Edward raised an eyebrow. "He never mentioned any nephews or nieces..."

"My uncle doesn't talk with Dad too often..."

"What prompted you to want to come then?"

"I... wanted to see what military life was like. I've always wanted to join but Dad said it was a bad idea and said I should stay with Uncle Roy to get a sense of what really goes on."

Roy nodded to himself in his head. Yeah... this is too easy.

Edward just looked at him and then at Riza, who seemed to be uncharacteristically fidgety. This didn't seem right at all...

"I don't think that's true." The two of them looked at him with wide eyes as he stood up and crossed his arms. "I think you stole some of the experiment, Colonel, and used it on yourself because you were feeling like an old rag. Am I right, Colonel?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about-"

"Give it up, Colonel, he knows."

Roy sighed and deflated for a second.

"Alright..."

"What the hell did you think you were doing?!"

"It's not what it seems, Fullmetal."

"The hell it is!" He went up to him and pointed an automail finger in his face. "You were too set on becoming the Fuhrer so you got a little younger so that you could live past him, right? Are you that proud?"

Roy was pissed about the accusation and stood up straighter, still towering over his subordinate even at his age.

"Edward, I don't enjoy being accused of selfishness. Do I look like I decided one day I was going to grow younger? Huh? Does it truly look like I did this on purpose?!"

"Well what other explanation is there?!"

"How about the two of you just let me explain." Hawkeye said, separating the two with her hands. "Edward, sit on this side of the couch and Colonel on the other."

The two went back to the couch, turning their backs to each other. Riza shook her head, feeling like a babysitter more than a lieutenant. She paced in front of the two for a moment and then turned to Roy.

"Colonel, how about you explain what you know. I only know vague details. Edward, listen closely."

"I woke up like this one day."

They waited for him to elaborate but he didn't and Riza wanted to throttle him.

"Really, Colonel?"

"What other explanation is there?"

"Just tell me one thing: did you take the doctor's serum?" Edward asked.

"No."

Edward sighed and then looked at his superior again.

"How old are you now?"

"About thirteen, fourteen."

Edward smirked. "So... technically I'm older than you. So you have to do what I say?"

"I'm still your superior so I don't have to do anything. I still have the ranks."

"Your uniform says you don't, Sergeant Mustang." Edward teased.

Roy got angry and punched Fullmetal in the face, standing over him. Edward looked at him with a bewildered expression.

"I worked hard for my rank, Fullmetal. I didn't automatically fall into the position like you did. I worked my ass off to be respected by my subordinates and extraordinary to my superiors. I don't appreciate you throwing my title away."

Edward blinked a little and smirked. "Yeah, you're Colonel Bastard." He got up and wiped off his clothes. "Still can't take a joke."

"I am quite capable of doing that."

"You didn't just a minute ago."

"I think," Riza said, grabbing Roy's hand before he punched Edward again. "we can establish that this is an odd situation and even though it's not exactly what we would have expected, the situation is dire. Edward, do you think that doctor would be willing to help the Colonel out?"

Edward rubbed his chin a little and then shrugged.

"I think he would be more happy that his experiment worked but if we threaten him enough..."

"Fullmetal, this is why I'm glad you don't like the military because your methods are anything but ethical." Roy said, yanking his arm from Riza.

"Well then what do you want to do, Colonel?" he growled.

"I think he'll help us without having to threaten him. If I can find my file, I can look through and see if there is something in there that might help me out..."

"I think we should just ask him now. I mean, you're just going to keep getting younger so why not ask an expert?"

Riza nodded. "Edward has a point, sir."

Roy sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, looking at it for a moment.

"Does anyone have a hair tie?"

"You can't just make one?" Edward asked.

"Out of what?"

"I dunno. That's what I would do."

Roy stared at Edward for a moment.

"Fullmetal, if you aren't going to be of good help then you can go do something worthwhile."

"I've been waiting to do something because I need you to go back to see that doctor guy. I can't help that I have to report to you first, ya know."

"That's never stopped you before."

"Boys! Stop it." Riza growled. "Enough of the endless bickering and focus on the problem at hand. Roy is getting younger and younger and we need to figure out why before he's far that we can't do anything. Now, if you will tell me where this lab is then I will drive us all there so we can get to the bottom of this. Okay?"

"Yes, ma'am." The two said, hanging their heads.

***************************

They drove up to the lab and Riza parked the car. Everyone got out and walked up to the gate. Riza glared at the two guards as they passed as Edward flashed his watch at them. Roy gave a salute to them but they grabbed him and stopped him.

"What's your problem?"

"Children aren't allowed in the labs."

"Do I look like a child? I've got a military uniform on! Who do you think you are calling a sergeant a child? Hmm? What ranks are you?"

"Uh, um, uh... we're..."

"Obviously pretty low ranking if you don't even know the symbols of your superiors. I'm going to report you."

"No! No, we're sorry Sergeant uh..."

Roy grabbed the used his thumb to push out the nametag.

"FUERY, idiots! Now, let me pass."

They let go of him as he caught up with Riza and Edward.

"We need to fire those guys. They have been giving you problems since we came the first time." Edward said with a chuckle.

"Well, if nothing else, they've at least been easy to manipulate." Roy said, moving his uniform back into place. "At least they don't know who Fuery is..."

Riza rolled her eyes as she walked behind them as they acted like they knew where they were going. They reached the other lab and the doors opened for them. They saw Dr. Striker yelling at someone when he turned to see them.

"Ah, Mr. Elric, there you are... Where's your superior?"

Edward thumbed at Roy and Dr. Striker looked down and turned his head.

"His name says Fuery."

"No, I'm Roy Mustang."

Dr. Striker looked at him again and then his eyes widened.

"Oh dear me! Oh, it is you! But, how did this happen? You weren't anywhere near where my experiment was exposed without protection."

"We have some questions in regards to why this may have happened." Riza said behind the boys. "Do you have time help us out?"

"Of course! Come to my office."

They followed him into his office that was on the other side of the lab. He closed the door and sat at his desk, staring at Roy with deep concern.

"Tell me when this happened first."

"I think it may have happened about three weeks ago, the first time when you found me in the bathroom, Fullmetal."

"That far back?" Edward asked.

"That's when I took the pills."

"What pills?" Dr. Striker asked.

"These pills." Riza pulled them out and handed them to him. "There is a strange warning on it."

Dr. Striker adjusted his glasses and read over the bottle. He frowned at the warning and then looked at Roy again.

"And you haven't had any contact with any of my experiments? Without protection I mean?"

"Not that I'm aware of..."

"Well, if that's the case then I don't know what could be the cause of this." He looked at the three of them. "How fast are these regressions happening?"

"I can't sleep. When I sleep it happens usually."

"I see... Well, I can see if I have any of my other serums to try and counteract your regression to keep you stable if that's what you would like?"

"I'd like to be my own age."

"Unfortunately, I would have to do some blood work on you to find out what exactly is the cause of your regression before I can give you a guaranteed batch. Do you want me to do that?"

"Sure. If it keeps me from being a baby then I'm all for it."

Dr. Striker made a face that Edward didn't like.

"What's with that face?"

"I honestly can't guarantee that you won't regress that far before we find a way to cure you. In all honesty, it might be easier for us to let that happen so that we can safely get you back to your normal age and not any older."

Roy looked at the doctor, dumbfounded.

"So you're saying it would be best if I turned into a baby?"

"It would, but I know you don't want that. I honestly wouldn't want that for myself if I were in your situation... I will see what I have to help you out. If you'll stay right here, I will try and find one and then I'll bring a syringe to get some blood from you."

He got up to leave and Roy looked at Riza.

"Follow him."

"Yes sir."

She left the room and Roy put his hands in his hair.

"This is ridiculous..."

"It's kind of funny though." Edward said, putting his hands behind his head.

Roy pushed the chair over, toppling Edward to the floor, and he sat up.

"What the hell?!"

"It's not funny at all, Fullmetal." He said softly.

For the first time since he knew the Colonel, he could see the fear in his demeanor. Colonel Bastard was known to be haughty, but never afraid. Edward sighed and put the seat right as he sat down.

"Sorry..." Roy nodded. "So... you're really scared?"

"I'm worried, not scared."

"Bullshit." He laughed. Roy looked at him. "I'm not stupid, Colonel. I see you're afraid. Though you'd never admit it... But don't worry, if anything happens, Hawkeye and I will be there for ya."

"I can't see you changing my diapers; if it came to that."

"I never said I would do stuff for you, I'll just be there for you."

Roy laughed a little, hoping it wouldn't have to come to that.

+++++++++++++++++++++++

there is a recurring joke that people want to see riza/ed changing his diapers. i thought i'd let roy point that out too even though the situation isn't funny to him.

and i figured teens bicker all the time and since he and ed are close to the same age now, they will bicker more.

and he punches ed a lot because the younger boys are, they do things without thinking. they hit and bite all the time without thinking because that's just how they express themselves. at least that's how i see it.