AN: I don't like spelling out "Grace" because my hands can't comprehend it for some reason, so I'm modernizing her name to be "Grace".

Silver

Maes Hughes was not exactly the supermodel that Roy Mustang was, but that didn't mean that the newly-wed Grace Hughes could not appreciate her husband's half naked body in front of the mirror that morning.

He was wearing his uniform pants, with his boots laced to the top and his pants tucked into the lip of the boots, but he was shirtless. She mewled something about how unbelievably attractive he was, and he turned to look at her. "Grace, not now, I have to go to work." The silver of his dog tags clinked as he turned to look at her.

She frowned and climbed off of the bed, closing the distance between them. As she touched a scar on the right side of his chest, a shiver rippled through his muscular body. "That's too bad, because tonight is going to be a good night."

"You're going out drinking with Amy, I hardly call that a good night. I always get stuck as your designated driver." It wasn't as if Grace was a lush, she didn't drink as often as he implied to strangers, but there were times where she would be falling-on-flat-floors-and-blaming-a-fold-in-the-rug drunk. He turned so that her eyes were dead center with his chest and wrapped his muscular arms around her small body. "How did I ever get so lucky as to find you?"

She lay her head against his left side of his chest, listening to his heartbeat, savoring the moment. "As I recall it had something to do with Roy Mustang coming in to the flower shop to order a bouquet of roses for his then-girlfriend and you spotted me from afar," She gave a whimsical look. "And you immediately swept me off of my feet and we got married the next day…isn't that how you tell it at work?"

He blushed a soft shade of red and held her tighter. "I'll be home later tonight. Whatever your news is, I can wait until then."

"Oh, somehow I sincerely doubt that," She smirked and kissed his lips passionately, reaching behind him to open the dresser drawer and pull out a shirt for him. "Might want to hurry, it's almost six."

The sandy haired woman sighed as she stared up at the ceiling from the bed. It was as if being married took away any time they had together. When they were dating, he was always around, but as soon as they shared vows, he never had time. She sat up and looked at the vanity mirror across from the bed, staring at her reflection. "I'm going to surprise him at work." She murmured to no one in particular. "That'll show him to ignore me."

As she tilted her head to the side, she absently noticed the small sliver of silver sitting on the top of the table. The woman unfolded herself from the bed and padded over to the dresser, picking up the piece of metal and staring at it. So he already had regrets about marrying her? Maybe he just forgot… She peered at the metal for a long time, looking to the ring on her finger. "He regrets it…" She whispered sadly. "I knew he was miserable at the wedding!"

Sliding the ring into her pocket, she looked up into the mirror, wiping her eyes so it didn't look as if she was crying. She would end it before he had a chance to, only because she didn't want to deal with the horror of finding him gone one morning. She would be happy, with or without him, but she had hoped that happiness would include him!

Tugging her long hair back into a bow, tying it in place with a ribbon, she looked at the mirror again. Maybe this all started because of the fact that she mentioned how sexy Roy was the other night over dinner…why would she say something stupid like that? She could barely imagine her husband shouting at her; well if Roy is so sexy, why didn't you marry him!?

Pausing just long enough to put on her jacket, she exited the apartment with every intent to make him miserable.

Sheska stared out the window of the library, seeing the angry woman approaching the office. Something told her that this woman wasn't here to deal with her, but as the librarian, it was her job to keep anyone from going back into the Investigations department without the consent of the head of department.

When Grace entered the office, she gave a very shy, enigmatic smile. "I'm here to see Major Hughes. Might he be available? The secretary in the front office said I might find him in the library around this time…"

Startled, Sheska picked up the phone and dialed the extension for Hughes' office. When he picked up the line, Sheska spoke quietly. "Major Hughes, there's a woman here to see you." She paused and nodded slightly. "Perhaps you're right, maybe she is the woman you sent for."

Sent for?! Anger bubbled at the top of Grace's chest. She wanted to yell at him, but she would remain calm for now. She didn't want to appear out of place or be escorted out permanently.

"He'll be right out," Sheska murmured softly. "Would you like anything while you're waiting?"

Grace shook her head and waited for him. She wasn't sure where he would be coming from, but when she saw him walking easily down the office hallway, adjusting his glasses and generally acting nervous, part of her died a little. He'd only ever acted that way on their dates. What other woman could possibly leave him so nervous? When Sheska pointed over at Grace sitting at one of the tables, he stopped dead in his tracks. "G-Grace? I told you we would talk when I got home. Is everything okay?"

Finally, all of the resolve she'd been holding onto just snapped. She couldn't take the lies anymore. Reaching into her pocket, she slammed the wedding band on the table. "If you're so ashamed of me, you could have just said so! I get it, you don't want me coming here because you don't want people knowing about me! Is that why only Roy and Riza were present for the wedding? Is that it, Maes? Because you don't want everyone knowing you only married me out of loneliness? And then I come to find out that you're hiring escorts and having them sent to your office? No wonder you're always working late!"

Maes stood, staring at his wife in disbelief. How could she assume he was cheating on her? He quietly looked down at the ring and reached down to pick it up, twisting it between his fingers. She continued to yell obscenities at him, drawing quite the crowd in the library.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" She screamed, finally coming to a close in her argument.

The man silently looked at her, his voice low. "I have lied to you, Grace, but not what you're thinking. My job…it's risky. It would be the last thing on my mind to find out someone got to you. I would be very upset if I found out that you were targeted because of my job. I don't do what you think I do. You always believed I worked here, in the library, and I never had the heart to correct you. If that was what you believed, I didn't want you to change your mind about me. The truth is, I work in investigations, which is just down that hall there. I work as a…detective, as you will. And it gets dangerous. It gets really dangerous, and that's why I kept it from you. I never wanted you to have to worry, I never wanted you to have to cry, I never wanted you to wait up for me and find out I wasn't coming home." He set the ring back on the table, quietly watching her fidgeting. "The woman I asked to come here was an informant, someone I needed to speak to about a case I'm working on. Nothing more."

Finally, Sheska found the nerve to speak. "It's true. He has your pictures all over his office. He shows me them every day as if they're new."

Maes nodded sadly, jamming his hands into his pockets. "If you want a divorce, I can't stop you. The last thing I ever wanted to do was upset you or see you cry. I guess some things just can't be helped in this profession." Mossy green eyes searched her aqua orbs for answers, hoping she would change her mind. Instead, the blonde stared at the floor, her body trembling. He broke the silence and enveloped her in his arms. "It's okay. I understand if you're not happy with me."

She hiccupped a few times, crying softly against his shoulder. When she finally found it in her heart to calm down, she looked at him. "Why don't you wear your ring?"
"It's one thing to let my coworkers know about you," He whispered with a small smile, "But it's another to let my enemies know about you."

She was silent for a long time. Words failed her. Finally, comfortable in his arms, she spoke up again. Her voice was just above a mere whisper in what seemed like the loudest day in history. "I'm pregnant."

His arms stiffened around her body and the world went silent again. He had to fight to breathe, his heart wanting to burst suddenly in all the excitement. "You're sure?"

She nodded and looked up at him with red-tinted eyes from all the tears she'd been crying. Grace was usually one of little words, but for once, she had nothing but a book to say. "I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid you would want to leave me because I thought you were cheating on me, and I guess that's just the hormones talking, but I love you, Maes Hughes."

A small smile played at the edge of his lips. He shifted his arms so that they were down a little lower on her hips and swept her up into his arms, much like he had on their wedding day. "Aren't you just special."

"Huh?"

He smirked and kissed her hair. "I have never met a woman who could make my heart hurt like you do. And then, you come here and throw this news at me. I don't know what to say, Grace. I wish I had the words for you so I could share your excitement."

"You're…you're not happy?" She inquired softly.

He laughed softly and set her down. "On the contrary. I'm overjoyed, but I'm at work right now and it doesn't permit me to get excited about such things. But tonight, my love, I plan on showing you just how happy I am to have gotten this news." He kissed her hair and brushed back a strand from her eyes. "I have to work a little late, so don't wait up for me. If I'm not home by noon, go to bed. We don't want you getting sick with a little one on the way."

She nodded and tugged his shirt so he'd lean over. He knew she was going to whisper something, so he leaned in close. "You have my permission to brag."

He ruffled her hair and kissed her lips softly. "I don't need your permission, sweetheart. I was going to do it anyway."

And as Grace blushed upon leaving the library, the small crowd formed around her husband, congratulating him and shaking his hands. She stared from the window with a smile. He smiled back, happiness written all over his features, dancing in his eyes. He was just as happy as she was. As he absently reached down for the ring, he stared at it for a moment before slipping it onto his finger.

Oh yes, he did enjoy her mood swings very much so. Never before had he met a woman who could put him in his place.

I don't feel like explaining where I got the idea from. =O All I know is that I had a discussion with someone about how Maes wasn't wearing his wedding ring when he died, and then it was revealed to me that he doesn't wear it at work. o.o

Also, you'll notice I switched interests. Royai is old news. I'm obsessed with Macia now.