Title: sWitch

Chapter: Lost In the Web of Change

Rated: MA- Contains Explicit Content For Mature Adults Only.

Warnings: Content is only suitable for mature adults. Content may contain explicit language, violence, gore, and adult themes.

Genre(s): Romance, Drama.

Pairings: Roy/Riza, Jean/Sheska, and Ross/Brosh.

Summary: When reality hit's hard Riza's world crumbles. It will take a miracle and a little understanding on Roy Mustang's part to mend her broken heart.

Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that the anime is the property of Bones animation studio and the original manga is the property of Hiromu Arakawa. I do not take credit for ownership or creation of the Fullmetal Alchemist series.

Clarification: Thoughts are in italics.

Authors Note: I had fun writing this chapter and planning the upcoming plot for it. My only hopes are that this hasn't been done before and my plot is somewhat unique. Of course, I also hope my readers enjoy it. Please read and review. Comments are highly appreciated and all criticism, constructive or not, is welcomed and respected. Thank you.

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Chapter One:

Lost In the Web of Change

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It was a Tuesday night in late October and it was not unusual for Riza to be sitting at home with a book on her lap. Today; however, the novel had been abandoned, tossed to the side and forgotten.

Riza was on her knees rummaging around in her closet, throwing various objects over her head, including her leather, black boot which haphazardly plummeted toward her curious cohort. Upon the assault Black Hayate let out a startled yelp before hastily scurrying under his mistress's bed.

"Sorry Braha." Riza smiled lightly, glancing over her shoulder. Hayate cautiously stuck his head out from beneath the bed, glancing in all directions before timidly going to his mistress's side.

Riza moved her hand up to rub behind the canine's ear. "Don't worry I won't let anything eat you." She giggled softly. Black Hayate perked up, tilting his head to the side as though he was trying to comprehend her words. "You know," She said softly, "I'm grateful you came into my life, Braha. I would be so lonely without you."

Her smile quickly vanished as she planted a tender kiss on his muzzle. She stood up and swiftly made her way around the bedroom swiping her possessions off the wooden floor. "I need to change now or I'm gong to be late. You'll be on your own tonight." With one more glance his way Riza hurriedly went to her bathroom.

Riza slipped her navy, uniform jacket off her shoulders, tugged the black turtleneck off her head, and slid down her mandatory pants and holster. Removing the rest of her undergarments, Riza carelessly tossed her clothes into the laundry hamper to be dealt with later. She sat her silver pistol and holster on the vanity table opposite of the shower.

Easing into the shower she moaned as the warm water soothed her slender body. Her eyes gradually closed and she leaned on the tiled wall in front of her, her palms flat against its surface. The water soaked through her golden locks and ran down her frame, cleansing ever inch of her fair skin. Riza took the time to scrub her body and then moved on to her hair, massaging the lavender shampoo into her scalp.

Lavender had once been her favorite scent, but now she preferred the distinct smell of ash and cinnamon that intoxicated her senses whenever she was around the colonel. The invigorating aroma would invade the office once he sauntered through the door. It would wisp through the air and tempt her, tease her, until she forced herself to ignore it. The enticement was extremely difficult to disregard if he was next to her. She would get fidgety and bite the bottom of her lip, anything to keep her focused on matters at hand and not on Roy Mustang.

Riza sighed, the last of the soap suds removed from her skin and scalp.

'I wonder what his skin tastes like…"

That thought in turn reminded her how much she had wanted to tell him everything earlier today. What she truly felt for him. How much she cared for him. How much she needed him.

'But I hesitated….'

She was suddenly aware of the salty liquid streaming down her face and allowed herself to slowly slide down the back wall into a sitting position on the unpleasantly cold tiles.

'Why couldn't I say anything?'

Even as she asked herself that question, she knew the answer. He would never love her. She was nothing compared to the beautiful women that he took home every night. Their long legs and shapely figures made them all the more desirable, especially when their outfits left so little to the imagination. She couldn't top that. Riza Hawkeye was nothing more than a subordinate and perhaps a friend, if she stretched her imagination a bit.

But no matter how much this certainty sunk in she couldn't put aside her feelings or let them go. He had somehow permanently embedded himself in her heart. She couldn't deny that she was hopelessly in love with Roy Mustang.

The chilly tiles against her bare back sent a shiver up her spin. Riza sat there, soaked, disregarding the tremble of her body and instead concentrated on the feel of her muscles slowly unclenching. Her skin tingled as she relaxed and she hugged her knees to her chest. Her fingers brushed the skin of her thigh and she suddenly imagined Roy's hand there. Slowing closing her eyes she pictured him in a crisp uniform, his hair disheveled, and his famous smirk spread across his handsome face.

Riza's breath hitched in the back of her throat as she tenderly ran a hand down her thigh. Gentle fingers went to touch her jaw line and trail slowly down her throat. From there her steady hand seductively traced her collar bone stopping at the top of her left shoulder. Her callused palm ran down and cupped her left breast. Firmly, her fingers kneaded and fondled the soft mound and ran across her chest to duplicate the process on the other nipple. She inhaled deeply as she continued to tease her sensitive flesh with light ghostly touches, gliding her long digits down her ribs and back up again to flicker across a tender nipple. Riza shuddered at the heightened sensations, a soft moan escaping her parted lips.

Once more Riza guided her delicate fingers down her ribcage toward her torso. Her other hand smoothly trialed down her thigh and settled over the space between her legs. Her fingers gently lifted her folds, her thumb tracing her tender spot. Her index finger dived within her. Reflexively she clenched her thighs together and drove the finger deeper, adding another one to increase the sensation. Her free hand went back up to her breast, massaging the mound of flesh as she moaned in pleasure and pain.

Riza's eyes shot open and she gasped when she heard a loud knock coming from her apartment door. Quickly she stood up and turned the faucet off. Stepping out of the shower she grabbed a white towel wrapping it around her frame. She hastily made her way to the front of her apartment where an overjoyed Hayate was barking and scratching at a door.

Turning the doorknob Riza swung the door open. "Havoc, I hope you don't mind if we're late. I'm running a little behind and I…I…" Finally registering who was at her door Riza's mouth stopped functioning and she gaped, wide-eyed up at her superior.

His jet-black bangs seductively fell in his eye as his deep onyx orb penetrated hers. His other eye, covered with an eye-patch, instantly reminded her of her failure. She frowned at the horrific memories before allowing her eyes to wander down his frame. He was wearing a white muslin shirt with three buttons open, giving her a peek at his well toned chest. The shirt was cuffed at the sleeves with two-hole buttons painted silver. He wore an unbuttoned black vest fully lined in beige with nine buttons down the front that were painted with several layers of metallic blacks and gold's to closely represent tarnished copper. He had a red headscarf wrapped securely around his head and he wore black, loose-fitting pants that tucked underneath a pair of black, bell-cuffed boots.

"Good evening, Lieutenant." Roy greeted her, trying to relieve the uneasiness between them.

Riza's eyes went from his feet back to his face and she blinked before responding. "Sir, where's Havoc?"

"Heh, the bastard called me at the last minute and told me you would need a ride to the party, so here I am." He replied coolly.

"And Havoc?" She raised an eyebrow, her arms folded over chest.

"He found himself a date and I guess he didn't want to ruin his chances by bringing along competition. Especially, competition wrapped in merely a towel. I didn't think you would choose a costume so revealing, Hawkeye. I must say I'm surprised to say the least." He grinned at her as a rosy tint appeared on her checks.

"If you didn't hear me before, I'm running a bit late. This isn't my costume, Sir." She stated, pulling the towel closer to her chest.

"Alright, my apologizes. I guess I'll wait out here while you finish up." He told her turning to lean on the wall next to her door. Riza nodded and shut the door, going back inside to dress.

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Several minutes had gone by and Roy was still leaning against the wall in deep thought.

'I never thought the Lieutenant could be so…sexy…'

A blush rose to his checks as he thought back on how stunning she looked with her damp hair plastered to her face, her long, well-toned legs uncovered, her slender form showing from beneath the towel and her fair skin gleaming with wetness from her shower.

He swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat; his mouth had gone dry.

'This is ridiculous…she's not sexy…she's my…I mean she's just a subordinate and a good friend, nothing else. Stop thinking about her…' Roy nearly shot out of his skin when the door flew open and she appeared.

Roy quickly recovered from his temporally paralysis and turned to face her. "You look nice, Lieu…wait what are you supposed to be exactly?" He raised a questioning eyebrow at her costume.

Riza's right eye twitched and she narrowed her eyes. "I'm a midnight …fairy."

His eyebrow arched even further.

"Don't ask." She muttered.

"You really do look nice Hawkeye." He commented, giving her his famous smirk. "We should get going though; we're already twenty minutes late."

Riza shut and locked her apartment door. "I'm sorry , Sir."

"For what, Lieutenant?"

"For making us twenty minutes late." She responded calmly.

Roy started to chuckle causing Riza to stare in confusion.

"Why is that funny, Colonel?"

His quiet laughter abruptly subsided and he studied her for a brief moment before speaking, his expression stern. "Colonel?"

"I…I'm…It…was an honest mistake." She stammered. She wasn't sure why she referred to him as Colonel. Many years had gone by, so many lives lost, when he was last ranked a Colonel. He had successfully risen in ranks over the year from his valiant efforts in destroying the gate with the Elric brothers and helping to reinstate the peace between the people in Amestris. Due to his role in annihilating the corrupted government the higher ups willingly offered him a seat in the recently established parliament. Roy Mustang proudly accepted. Why was she now slipping up on his rank, out of habit, maybe? No, that wasn't it. He became Colonel the same day she accepted her love for him. That had to be it. In her heart he was her Colonel.

"I'm sorry, General." She apologized, secretly praying he didn't take her mistake as an insult.

"It's okay. Just a slip of the tongue." He shrugged it off and started to head down the stairs. "Let's go, Lieutenant Colonel. We wouldn't want Armstrong to think we blow off his party." He called to her when she remained fixed in front of her door, still lost in her thoughts.

She promptly moved forward and down the steps, stopping just as she stepped off the last one. Roy stood, holding the complex door open, waiting for her.

"Ladies first." He gestured at the door, grinning at her.

Riza smiled lightly and stepped outside, the fresh autumn breeze tugging at her loose hair. Roy followed behind her, watching her, as they made their way through the complex parking lot.

He had to admit she was stunning in her Halloween outfit. Her long blonde hair was let down and not up in her usual bun. Her fair skin possessed a radiant glow under the moonlight. Her long legs were exposed, but covered with thin, black nylons. Her figure was clearly visible underneath her knee-length, black dress. The dress itself complemented her figure with a low neckline that allowed some cleavage without being to revealing and silky material that rested snuggly against her hips. The black wings attached to the back of dress were unique in their design. They were made with a translucent, lace-like cloth making them seem more life like and the wings coiled on both ends adding to their beauty.

Roy came out of his thoughts when he noticed her black heals stopped clicking against the pavement. She was turned to face him. "What did you find so funny about my apologue, Sir? She asked him quietly.

He shrugged. "You have no reason to apologize, Hawkeye. I was…well, we were ten minutes late getting here."

"We?" Her eyebrow rose.

Roy pointed in the direction of his car and sure enough Riza's question was answered.

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Authors Note: Anyone lost? I hope not. If so, please drop a note and I will clarify anything you don't comprehend, unless it's meant to be unstated for future chapters. This story was meant to be posted in October because it does take place around Halloween, but school got in the way, so the late posting couldn't be helped. I will try to upload the next chapter as soon as possible. Also, I finally found the reply button, so expect a reply if you review. Comments are highly appreciated and all criticism, constructive or not, is welcomed and respected. Thank you so much for your time.