RE-UPLOADED 10/12/08

Chapter 1 A Broken Home

First Lt. Riza Hawkeye was walking down the darkened sidewalk heading home for the night. The Colonel hadn't finished his work on time and she had to stay to make sure he finished it…again. They didn't finish until 1 o'clock in the morning.

It was nearly half past now and all Riza wanted to do was get home and go to bed. Riza was annoyed with the Colonel, "Why can't he finish his work on time instead of waiting till the last moment to start it? Argh, the man is so frustrating!" she thought with a groan.

She turned onto the path that lead to her house and pulled out her keys. The moment her foot touched the first step to her porch, the hairs on the back of her neck rose. She paused and pulled out her gun, "Something's wrong…"

Riza cautiously opened the door and her eyes widened in shock. The walls were scratched, tables and chairs were flipped over or broken, the furniture was ripped, and stuffing was strewn all about the house. She slowly stepped forward and something crunched under the weight of her foot.

She looked down and saw a broken picture frame. The Colonel's unit was all there and you couldn't see Armstrong's head, he was too tall. She looked up and her hazel eyes scoured the area, "Who the hell would do this to my house?" she asked herself as she examined all of the rooms at gunpoint to make sure that the perpetrator was long gone.

Riza found no sign of life and sighed. Her house was a complete disaster and it would take weeks to repair it.

Then she realized something was missing, "Where's Hayate?" she immediately went through her house again and called for her dog.

She heard a whimper from her bedroom and ran in to find Hayate cowering under the bed.

When he saw her, he ran out, huddled next to her, and licked her hand. Riza breathed a sigh of relief, he had only a few scratches, but other than that, he was unharmed.

She raised her gun and searched for her phone. She found it strewn across the floor in the hallway.

"Damn, what do I do now? I know that no one is going to be at the office at this time of night and I shouldn't involve civilians. Hmmm…I can't stay here, that much is certain." She walked back to the entryway and picked up the broken picture frame, gazing intently at the people in it.

"Hmmm…I can't go to Fuery or Falman's, they're in the dorms. Breda and Havoc are out of the question. Definitely not Armstrong's. That only leaves Maes and the Colonel." She groaned. She would much rather stay with Maes, but the Colonel's was closer and he was probably still awake.

Riza bent down again and deposited the picture back on the floor. Standing up, she walked back into her room to see if anything could be salvaged.

Black Hayate sniffed the photo and barked. Riza poked her head out of her room to see what he was barking at.

"What is it Hayate?" she asked as she walked over to him.

He barked again and nudged the picture with his nose. Then he rested his paw on the Colonel's profile.

"I seem to have a very smart dog or the Colonel has been giving him too many treats." She sighed and picked the dog up.

"I guess we're going to the Colonel's house." He barked happily in reply, but Riza frowned. She still didn't know why someone would destroy her home and not take anything.

Riza cautiously walked out of her house with her gun in one hand and Hayate clutched securely in the other. Her hazel eyes moved among the shadows, searching for any signs of movement. She saw nothing but darkness and she became even more alert.

The feeling of being watched never left her and it stayed with her throughout the journey to the Colonel's.

The walk there was uneventful and her footsteps echoed in the deserted streets. This only made her more nervous and she quickened her pace. Even Hayate sensed her nervousness and stayed quiet.

Soon, they had reached the Colonel's door. She looked around once more, still feeling somebody's eyes on her, but she still saw nothing.

She knocked on the door and waited for an answer. Nothing happened.

Riza tried again and with the same result. She frowned and added her voice to her tirade.

"Colonel Mustang! It's Hawkeye! Please open the door!" she stopped and waited for an answer.

A small thump came from inside and then she heard the scrapes of locks being undone.

Before the door opened, she saw something move out of the corner of her eyes. She had yet to notice that Roy Mustang had opened the door.

"Lt. did you need something?" he yawned and leaned against the metal doorframe.

Riza turned and dragged him back into his house and shut the door. She let Hayate down and then proceeded to redo all of the locks.

Roy gazed at her incredulously, "Mind explaining what's going on here Hawkeye?"

"Sorry sir, you'll have to forgive my intrusion. Something has come up." She said. She gave her superior officer a salute. Roy looked down at his attire and winced. He was wearing boxers and a T-shirt.

Then the words 'something has come up' infiltrated his brain. His black eye narrowed, "Did something happen, Lt.?"

"My house was broken into and nearly everything was destroyed. Nothing was taken though, so…"

"Your house was broken into?! Are you hurt?" he said in an anxious tone.

She shook her head, "Yes sir, my house was ransacked and…"

"You didn't answer my question Riza. Are you alright? And why would anybody try or want to break into your house?" he asked in a concerned, but firm voice.

Riza was surprised he had used her first name, but she let it slide, "I'm fine and no, I don't know why anyone would try to break into my place. Let alone destroy it."

Roy thought for a moment, "Do you think it might have been someone you know?"

She shook her head again, "No, I don't know many people outside of the military and the ones I do know wouldn't try anything like this."

Roy frowned at her comment, "I think someone is watching you. Have you been feeling like your being watched lately?"

"As a matter of fact I have, quite a lot actually." She said offhandedly.

"Damn!" Roy ran over to the front window and quickly jerked the curtains closed. After that, he went over to the door and pulled out a piece of chalk. He began to draw a transmutation circle on the door.

When he finished, he tucked the chalk away and touched the circle. There was a flash of red light and the sides of the framework were soon welded together.

Roy stepped back to examine his work, "That should hold for now. We can't do anything about this guy right now, but we can at least make sure he can't spy on us for a while."

Riza agreed with his reasoning, but she was a little startled by his concern, "I can see your reasons sir, but why are you doing this?"

"I don't like it when someone threatens my friends." He said simply. He bent down and gave Hayate a soft pat on the head. "Judging by your attire, you just got home and haven't had a chance to feed this little guy, am I right?"

She nodded, "Yes, I haven't fed him yet, let alone getting changed."

Roy scratched his chin, "Hmmm…I'll be right back with something more comfortable for you to wear. Then I'll get something for Hayate to eat. Do you want anything?"

She shook her head and Hayate barked at Roy who stood up and walked down the hallway to his room. Riza walked over and sat down on the couch. She closed her eyes and felt Hayate jump up and join her.

She sat there resting for a few minutes, thinking about what she was going to do about her current situation.

"Here, these are by far more comfortable then what you're wearing now." She almost pulled up her gun to point it at him, but she was too exhausted.

Roy tossed her some grey sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt that said 'Fire is my friend.'

Riza smiled half-heartedly, "Thank you sir. Do you have somewhere I can change?"

"Down the hall, second door on the left." He pointed and headed into the kitchen with Hayate trotting happily behind him.

Riza got up and headed down the hallway, "I hope the guys at work don't tease us about this… I'm going to be wearing his clothes and I'm in his house, of course they're going to tease us about it."

She found the right door and was about to go in when she heard Roy's voice, "Feel free to take a shower Riza! There are towels in the cupboard next to the sink!"

"Yes sir!" she blushed some more, 'Now I'm taking a shower in his house. Damn, if they make a crack about any of this, I'll shoot them.' She thought. Riza sighed and closed the door.

Roy was in the kitchen getting two bowls for Hayate. He filled one with water and the other with some scraps of meat. Then, he set them on the ground for Buraha. The dog

eagerly dug in.

He smiled and gave him a pat on the head. Roy stood up and heard the sound of running water. "I guess she took my offer." He frowned as he thought of what had happened.

"Why would someone break into her house, destroy everything, and leave with nothing? She will not stay at her home while she is being watched and I wouldn't allow her to anyways. I won't let anyone hurt her. Maybe I should call Maes; he's in the investigations department…"

Roy walked over to his phone and dialed Maes' number. He waited for an answer.

A sleepy voice answered him, "Hughes speaking."

"Hey Maes, its Roy."

"Why are you calling me this late at night?" Maes groaned.

"Something's come up Maes."

The tired tone disappeared, "What's happened Roy?"

"Someone broke into Riza's house and destroyed everything but didn't take anything."

"What?! Who would be stupid enough to do that to Riza?! Is she ok?!"

"Yeah, she's fine. She's over here with me right…" Roy realized his mistake too late.

"Riza's over there at your house? I knew you loved her! You sly dog." Roy was twitching.

"Shut it Maes. She told me she has been feeling as if someone has been watching her. She felt it when she was walking over to my house."

The serious tone was back, "She's being watched? Hmmm, I can't do anything about this until morning, so she's going to have to stay with you for a while."

"That's obvious Maes, I'm not about to let her stay at her house alone. I'll just have to get the spare room ready for her."

"Good. Well, some of us need some sleep and you need to get a wife! Bye!"

Roy slammed the phone down, "Shut up!"

"Go easy on the phone sir. I'm assuming you were talking to Maes?" Riza had finished and was standing in front of him with his clothes on and her hair down.

Roy stared, "Damn…this is going to be a long night."

Riza caught him staring and sighed, "Sir, if you wouldn't mind, may I have a blanket?"

He snapped out of his fantasies, "Wha? Oh, yes. Here, let me go and get one." He ran off and Riza smiled.

Black Hayate strolled up to her and barked. She looked down and picked the dog up.

When Roy came back, Riza was sitting on the couch with Hayate dozing on her lap.

"Here, I brought you a blanket and a pillow." He said softly, offering her a light blue blanket and pillow.

"Thank you, sir."

Roy frowned, "We're no longer in the office Riza, you don't have to call me sir."

Riza turned away, blushing slightly, "Of course…Roy."

He mentally jumped for joy, "Good, do you need anything else?"

She shook her head and watched as he scratched at his eye patch.

Her expression softened, "Does it still hurt? It's been two years." She said softly.

Roy flinched and sat down next to her on the couch, "Not so much as before, but it still gets sore and itchy now and then."

They lapsed into an uncomfortable silence. Roy didn't like it and he decided to do something. He stood up and walked down the hallway. Riza watched him go, confused.

He soon came back with a chessboard. Roy grinned, "You want to play a game?"

Riza smiled and carefully lifted Hayate out of her lap and set him next to her.

Roy came over and sat down on the other side of the couch. He opened the chessboard, "Black or white?"

She shrugged, "Whatever."

"White it is." Roy said comically and he began to set up the board.

They soon had a very competitive game going and Riza was winning.

Roy was caught between a rock and a hard place. He could sacrifice his queen and get her king in check or keep his queen and lose the game.

Riza waited patiently for him to make a move. He finally moved a piece and sat back with a sigh.

She moved her knight, "Checkmate. You could have won if you sacrificed your queen." She said calmly.

He picked up the black queen, "Yes well, it's my favorite piece. I can't seem to give it up."

"Oh really?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

He shrugged and yawned, "Yup."

They played a few more games and Riza spoke up, "By the way, what did Maes say?" she said and moved her pawn.

"He told me that he can't do anything about your house until morning." He captured her bishop.

"I see, so I can go back home soon?" here is where Roy faltered.

"Ah yes…about that. Do you have any family members you can stay with until we catch this guy?"

Riza shook her head, "The only family I have is my grandfather and he lives in the east."

Roy sighed and leaned back on the couch, "In that case, you'll have to stay with either me or Maes. We aren't letting you stay alone at your house when someone is after you."

She frowned, "I am perfectly capable of protecting myself. I…"

"I am perfectly aware that you can protect yourself, but I'm not willing to take that risk. You will stay with Maes or me. It's your choice." He said firmly.

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I will have to order you to stay here and you don't get a choice."

Her eyes flashed and she glared at him, "…Fine, I'll stay with you. Do you have a guest room? I don't think I want to sleep on a couch while I'm here."

He almost cringed, "All I have to do is get the room ready."

She yawned, "Good, we have work in the morning, so let's get some sleep."

Roy nodded and picked up the chessboard and set it on the coffee table.

Hayate had moved onto Roy's lap. Roy looked down in surprise, "Ummm…Riza…can you get him off? I don't want to wake him up."

Riza grinned, "Here, this is how you pick him up without waking him up." She reached over and gently picked him up. He watched as she placed him back on her lap.

Hayate quickly snuggled up to Riza and curled up into a ball.

Roy reached over and gave him a gentle pat on the head, "He's a good dog."

Riza was smiling softly and she yawned, "Yeah, I'm glad to have him around."

"You should get some sleep. We'll deal with these issues in the morning. Good night Riza." He got up and walked down the hallway, turning out the lights as he went.

Riza curled up and went to sleep with a smile on her face.

Two violet orbs narrowed as they watched the house.

"I will make you pay Miss Hawkeye." They thought maliciously. Then, they disappeared into the shadows.

Otp: There you have it. angsty and everything. I hope you liked it

Roy: 'cackles' Riza…in my house…wearing my clothes…priceless

Riza: 'pulls out nerf sniper rifle and shoots at Roy'

Otp: Hope everyone liked the first chapter and please review! I love you all 'glomps'