"Everyone has their reasons for wanting to learn." Roy said. "Maybe she'll want to learn for the same reason as you...though of course anyone she brings home is going to have to get through me before they can date her."

Gemini chuckled and patted his hand. "Yes, it's time for dessert now." She said, getting up. "Wait here." She headed to the kitchen and came out a moment later with a plate of chocolate chip cookies, still warm and gooey from the oven. "Here we go. I hope you like them."

"Those poor boys." Lori laughed. "She's never going to have a boyfriend."

"Cookies!" Al grabbed one and shoved it into his mouth. "Hot, hot!" he grabbed a glass of milk. "Much better."

"Not as long as I can help it." Roy said protectively.

Gemini laughed. "I should have warned you, they're fresh out of the oven."

"Oh Roy don't be so protective. If my dad had protected me like that I wouldn't even be here." Lori rolled her eyes a little. "Relax a little."

"Its ok." Al chuckled. "I would have eaten it even if you had said it was hot. I haven't had cookies in forever."

Roy pouted. "Fine...but I'm still going to protect her from the bad ones." He said.

"I'm glad I decided to make them, then." Gemini said, picking one up for herself. "There's plenty, so have as many as you want."

"That we can agree on." Lori smirked. "If they try to hurt her just save me a piece."

"Thanks." Al smiled then swallowed. "I think mom was the last one to give me a cooky." he took a cookie and with a slightly sad smile he ate it slower.

"Deal." Roy agreed.

Gemini nodded. "Actually...I got the recipe from Winry's grandmother. It's the same one your mom used to use." She looked nervous about telling him this. "I...wanted to give you something special. So that maybe it would be like...a memory of your mother that you can access whenever you want."

"Thank you Gemini." Al pulled her in for a hug. "Can we stay like this for a while?" he asked hugging her tighter.

"Your so amazing." Lori grinned. "We're lucky to have you. Aren't we May?" May cooed at them seeming to agree.

Gemini sighed inwardly, relieved that her decision had been a good one. "You're welcome." She said, nodding. "Yeah, sure. I like hugging you."

Roy blushed and smiled. "And I'm even more lucky to have both of you." He said.

She could feel his shoulders shaking a little. Al gripped her tighter as he realized this was the first time he was crying about his mother.

"Yes you are lucky." Lori smirked and then sighed. "We should head to bed." she blinked. "or just me because I'm beat."

Gemini took it in stride, rubbing his back gently. "It's alright. I'm here, and I'm not going to judge you. Cry if you need to. I'm here." She whispered.

Roy chuckled. "Go ahead. I'll clean up from dinner and get May to sleep, then join you." He said.

Lori kissed him gentle. "Alright if your sure." she stretched and headed off to bed yawning softly.

Al nodded against her shoulder taking deep breaths. After a while he pulled away wiping his tears away. "I didn't mean to break down like that."

Roy gently took May and placed her in her bouncy seat while he cleaned up. After that, he picker her up and rocked her to sleep, then gently put her in her crib and crept out of the room. Exhausted, he went back to his and Lori's room to get changed, then climbed into bed, careful not to jostle Lori too much.

Gemini gave him a firm squeeze before letting him go. "It's alright. I get the feeling this was something you needed to do for a long time." She said. "Grieving is okay. It's good for you, even. Necessary to help you move beyond the pain." She spoke from experience. "You can always come to me, Al. With anything, for any reason, even if you just need someone to hug for a while. You don't ever have to hide or be afraid in front of me."

"I didn't even realize I needed to do that." Al smiled shyly. "I had forgotten what it was like to actually cry." he paused. "It was nice and its good to know that I can come to you." he kissed her gentle.

Slightly startled by the kiss, Gemini hesitated for a moment, then kissed him back. Pulling away for air, she smiled at him. "I promise I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

"Even if we wind up not being together? It would be nice if you stayed my friend." Al smirked. "Not that I'm letting you go without a fight."

Gemini nodded. "Even then. Whatever else we might be, we'll always be friends." She smiled. "Though I'm not giving up on us anytime soon, either."

"Good." Al smiled kissed her cheek gentle then began to clean up eating cookies as he went. "Your a great cook." he smiled at her.

Gemini glanced up from putting dishes away and smiled. "Thank you. It's really just what I could pick up from the women in the town where I grew up, and whatever I could make up. I read books whenever I could, and...I have just a few memories of my mom's recipes."

"None of that is what makes a good cook. If you've got the skill you got it it not." Al shrugged. "Look at me. No one taught me how to cook and for most of my life I couldn't taste food but I made a decent meal the first time I tried it."

Gemini blushed slightly. "I never thought of it that way." She said. "But that means that you've definitely got a talent for it!"

Al blushed softly. "We both have a talent for it. Which means we are going to be spoiling each other for a long time."

Gemini smiled. "That sounds good to me." She said. "I hope we do spoil each other for years to come."

"One more year and then we can think about getting married.' Al grinned. Neither of them where old enough plus with the baby to think about Lori would be to busy to help them.

Gemini nodded. It was hard to believe they were already so close to adulthood. "It seems so close, but so far away at the same time." She said. "And in the meantime, Ed and Winry will be getting married. It's going to be a busy year."