Forgive my babble. I decided writing drabbles, oneshots and short stories would be a safer route for now. (But I suppose I should just stick to calling them short stories, seeing how my drabbles always exceed what a drabble should be. -laugh-) Anyway, this is my first time posting for FMA... And I haven't looked at any of the fics here....So I have no idea what kind of stories are floating around in here. I plan on writing my random little inspirations, and I'm hoping that they will turn into an actual story. So if there's a drabble here that you really liked and would like to be made into a full story..Lemme know. -smile- This will be random pairings and situations, btw. And I've been a little obsessed with RoyAi (Roy and Riza)...So my first little story is for them. -smile- Anywho, I'll quit babbling now. I just really wanted to say that. Enjoy!

One.

Sleep Walking Past Hope.

She couldn't get her eyes to adjust to the dark. Maybe because of the rain that was steadily flowing onto her face. It was late at night (or perhaps early in the morning) and Riza Hawkeye found herself standing outside in a thunder storm; alone. And it was that sensation that made it hurt so bad. She wasn't afraid of anything. Not the lightening or the thunder. No, that's not was drove her out of her warm bed and into the cold dreadful night. It was the feeling that no matter how hard she tried, he would never belong to her. And she wasn't sure why she felt that way. She had no guarantee from the beginning, and there was no real sign that told her 'No, it could never be'. So what made her feel like the hope was draining away from her? Part of her wanted it all to be a dream, and at any moment she'd find herself waking up, realizing she had been sleep walking and was now caught in a horrid storm.

The rain fell down faster, and soon that was the only sound that filled her ears. The tiny water droplets clashing with the pavement that was close to her. She wasn't sure if she had started crying or not, and some how it was more comforting that way. She thought she heard noises near her, but she had no motive nor energy to see if an enemy had spotted her. The rustling stopped and she heard a voice say,

"Lieutenant?"

Riza's head jolted up. That voice was all too familiar. Her eyes landed on the Colonel's. They looked dark and tired and his wet hair fell around his face. She wanted to curve her lips into a smile, but then that sensation from earlier came digging back in to her again.

Riza said nothing. She couldn't think of the words to say. Just looking at him tugged at something deep inside of her. Like it was constricting her lungs and throat; so if her mind could piece together mindless words into a sentence, it would only hurt her.

"What are you doing out here?" The Colonel asked her, "If you stay here, you'll catch a cold."

He said and reached his hand out for hers. Her eyes brightened a little, but not much. His words pulled at her insides, and she felt a delicate sense of freedom break within. She wanted nothing more to grab his hand and walk away with him, but there was still a part of her brain that was telling her the impossibility from before.

But she ignored it. His words had made her too happy. Riza gently grabbed his hand, and together they headed into her little piece of Heaven.

End