Disclaimer: DON'T OWN IT…simple as that…wow isn't it nice to be an original?

-- Well anyway this takes place after Roy and Riza's little scene in the very last episode. INCREDIBLE SPOILERS IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST EPISODE!...-ahem-Just thought I should let that out…but yeah…Thank you for reading :)

Riza cleared her throat, breaking the melancholy silence. "Well, I think your well enough to feed yourself…There are a few matters that need to be taken care of." She said, placing the plate of apples carefully atop Roy's blanket covered lap. Roy stood silent watching her carefully, still smiling slightly as if he knew something she didn't. Riza, noticing this, looked away and stood up abruptly, smoothing down her knee high black skirt. "Call for me if you find there is anything else that you need." With that she nodded, heading towards the bedroom door only to be stopped by the sound of Roy's worn voice. She turned her head slightly in response, waiting for him to speak. "Yes?"

Roy's arrogant smile faded as he rubbed his head nervously, much like a child would when about to make a presentation in front of a class. He cleared his throat looking back up to her. At his steady, now confident gaze Riza couldn't help but notice her heart skip a beat. Roy's smile returned, though still keeping a firm sincerity in his voice. "Thank you…for everything..." Riza blinked, finding herself, for the first time in all her years working with Roy Mustang, at a loss for words. Unable to find her voice, Riza merely nodded, going against every muscle in her face to keep from smiling with joy. With that she quickly exited the room, closing the door behind her, slightly leaning against it. She closed her eyes.

Thank you… Never….in all her years with Roy…never had she heard those words escape his mouth. Never directing towards her anyway…And it was just those two words that seemed to grab her heart with the most rigid hands and tug at it. Even Riza, as proud as she may be, felt every once in awhile he could show her even the slightest bit of gratitude. And there it was… Even after the events of the last previous weeks….the downfall of the Fuhrer, who had turned out to be a homunculus…the loss of the eldest Elric and the absence of the youngest Elric's memory… and Roy's promotion to General. It had all happened so quickly yet…she had been there right behind him all along…never once asking for gratitude…yet still, silently, longing for it…

She had even found herself, feeling rage and even (God forbid) jealousy, because of her silent longing… When the colonel had noticed this she assured him that she wasn't angry. And so she continued following, the plague of buried feelings drowning hopelessly inside of her…Anger, annoyance, longing, sadness…jealousy…

But in a moment, all those feelings enveloped into three single words. She had lost sight of these feelings at the sight of Roy's mangled body at the steps of the Fuhrer's mansion. She ran to him, hating herself for not getting there on time. She had screamed his name, half deliriously, leaning her tears stained face into her blood drenched shoulders. And in that moment she had realized. She had closed her eyes, the tears rolling simultaneously down her face as she combined the plague of feelings into three words…

"I love you… I love you more then I have ever loved anyone Roy Mustang…" She whispered the words into his turned torso, in between sobs, as they repeated themselves over and over in her mind. It wasn't until later when the East Central command center medical team arrived that Riza realized what she had just said. The following day, having received news that Roy was slowly recovering, Riza had proudly, yet quietly, requested form the higher –ups, including her grandfather (General Grumman), that she take the responsibility of nursing the colonel back to health…

-FLASHBACK-

"Please, Sir. I think this is what the colonel himself would prefer as well…he doesn't like being in secluded places, such as the hospital…" She said keeping steady eye contact with the older man. The man returned her gaze, his eyes twinkling with aptitude.

"I see…and it is the colonel's best wishes that you take care of him?" He asked. Riza blushed slightly, looking away briefly. "I don't know for sure…sir but…." He interrupted her, lightly placing a gentle hand on her chin lifting her head up gently.

"Riza, my dear granddaughter….can you tell me the specific reason why you feel the need to nurse Roy Mustang yourself?" Riza looked at her grandfather, knowing that there was no escaping his perceptive eyes. She swallowed hard as she felt the tears forming at the back of her eyes again.

"Because, sir….none of this would have happened if I would've gotten there on time to see to it that nothing happened to him… I should've been there to protect him yet…" She stopped, unable to continue. Her grandfather, seeing this merely eyed her carefully then let her go, placing a hand on her shoulder. "So…you think Mustang's injury is due to your delay?" Riza said nothing. He lingered his eyes on her momentarily then nodded, more to himself then anything. "I am permitting that you nurse the colonel until he is well enough to return to work. As for you…" Riza looked up at him surprised to find him smiling childishly. "I want you to be happy…and to know that I'm not dying until I see my eldest granddaughter get married." And with that, he nodded in a salutation, exiting the hospital lobby, leaving Riza to wonder what the hell he was talking about…

-END OF FLASH BACK-

Riza sighed standing upright again and smoothing down her hair. When she had, rather bluntly, addressed the matter of her feeling like it was her fault the plan didn't go as well as hoped to the colonel, he had responded in a way that tugged at her heart.

The Riza Hawkeye, the ice queen with a 50 foot stone wall around her heart, found herself at a loss for words, even more so now at the two words that had just moments ago escaped his mouth…"Thank you…" Riza suppressed a giggle. Now she knew that that must have been hell for the arrogant Roy Mustang to say thank you to another human being…yet…he did it. Riza sighed again, beginning to walk down the hall until she realized she had left her bag with the grocery list in it in her room. She turned on her heel walking back, bracing herself at the door. With a deep sigh, Riza opened the door, half surprised to find him asleep.

She smiled lightly walking towards the bed and lightly placing a hand on it for support as she leaned over, searching under it for the crimson bag, until she felt a light touch on her hand. Her heart skipped a beat as she slowly stood up, to find Roy eyeing her. She cleared her throat, returning his gaze vacantly. "Sorry to have waked you…is there something that you need?" He shook his head serenely, still eyeing her in away that made her flush a violent red. "Then is there is something else?" He nodded, grinning roguishly.

"Yes…there is a matter that I would like to speak with you about…if you have enough time to sit and listen." He said, gesturing to the chair placed at the side of the bed. Riza nodded, managing a weak smile in response to his impish one. She sat herself down once again, steadily returning his gaze, silently ordering herself to keep from blushing. Roy, having her full attention lowered his gaze slightly. "General Grumman let it…more or less slip out the other day at the hospital that…you had specifically requested that I be personally nursed by you…is that so?" Riza found herself turning a bright pink at this. Having seemingly noticed her reaction Roy laughed slightly. "This isn't an interrogation. I'm just keeping up with fact. And if that truly is the case then I thank you again… I couldn't stand being in that military medical facility…smells like old people…" With that Riza couldn't help but smile. Roy noticed this and slightly tilted his head watching her. "I like your smile…you should do it more often…" Riza quickly looked away turning red again. She stood up, brushing herself off and leaned over to retrieve the bag.

"Excuse me but I should be heading to market before it begins getting too crowded. And I suggest you finish eating. Is there anything else?" Roy's eyes lingered on her momentarily until he shook his head. "No…that will be all, lieutenant." Riza nodded and began to walk back towards the door until she stopped again, turning around.

"Riza." She stated. Roy raised a questionable eyebrow at this.

"Excuse me?"

"My name is Riza…I find there no need for such formalities in such a casual environment. And last time I checked you were on temporary probation and seeing such it is fit that I call you by your first name, and as such I find it only reasonable that you call me by mine, which happens to be Riza, incase you had forgotten." Roy blinked, at a loss for words he merely nodded. Riza, seemingly have made her point, nodded as well, turning back around only to be stopped once again by the sound of Roy's voice. She stopped, waiting for him to speak not even bothering to turn around this time.

"I love you too… I love you more then I have ever loved anyone Riza Hawkeye…" Riza stopped her breath for a moment. So that night…when I was speaking over him...he had been conscious enough to have heard me…And that was it…with those words Riza let the tears that had endlessly threatened to escape, finally roll down her cheeks and rest teasingly on her high chin. She turned around to find Roy already out of the bed and walking towards her. She bit her lip as he approached, lightly placing his hand over her face and wiping the tears away.

"I love you." He repeated, searching her eyes for some kind of response. Riza breathed in between tears as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a tight embrace. She buried her face in his firm shoulders as she closed her eyes, the ice queen in her wanting to throw him off and slap him silly for always making her worry and the woman in her… wanting him to never let go.

Roy stood silent, caressing her hair fondly. She didn't have to say anything…he knew her response having heard it the day he was half unconscious. Truth was that he was scared to death that what he had heard had merely been a hallucination of his poor state but now…he was convinced.

"Thank you Riza Hawkeye…thank you for everything…"

A/N: Wow…that was incredibly too sappy for my taste…it totally went in a different direction then the one I was heading for but…egh…what can you do? Well this was a one shot but I just might make another one with Roy's POV…maybe…depends on the reviews for this one…PLEASE REVIEW!