A/N - This is written some time after the events of the manga, probably about two years. So there are some spoilers! There have been some rank changes to take that kind of stuff into account, but this is a little bit AU. Also, I love Riza.

"Shit."

This wasn't how Maria had planned this moment, standing in a dingy official bathroom, watched by the wary eyes of the portraits installed above the sinks and the weary ones of Riza. It was meant to be a grand revelation, perhaps surrounded by friends and family, in her home, without a care or a worry in the world. Instead, a million problems had begun gestating in her mind.

They'd been so careful, she'd known that. It was more than both their jobs' worth if they were discovered, if they let one tiny thing slip. Only Roy and Riza knew about their relationship; only Roy and Riza understood the risks they were both taking. Maria couldn't help wishing Roy would hurry his quest to become Fuhrer and lift the laws keeping everyone apart.

So they kept to themselves, meeting only every few weeks outside of the office, under the pretence of delivering important documents and discussing military plans on the doorstep in case they were watched, even talking up the stairs to her flat, wary of nosy neighbours. She had even started placing blankets around the door and her bed; her walls were far too thin, as she'd discovered after a neighbour had nearly knocked her door down from fright, when they'd been a touch too loud.

But then, two months had come and gone, without the familiar feminine aches, and she had known, instantly, that her cover would be blown.

She had gone to Risembool, under the pretext of visiting Al and his new happy home. Taking Pinako aside, she had asked whether there was a doctor nearby. Pinako had simply looked at her, felt her stomach, and said there was no need for a doctor.

It wasn't religious guilt; Maria had never set much store by that sort of thing, and nobody yet knew that a priest had blessed their union when they had "investigated" his house in the mountains last spring. He had insisted; he had lost her before, he had argued, and would not lose her again. Once the laws were lifted, he promised, they would do things properly.

He would understand, she knew that, but the upper echelons (with exception to Roy) certainly wouldn't.

"Riza," she said quietly, and Riza looked up at her face, which was glistening with tears in the lamplight, "help me."

Riza looked right into her eyes and nodded almost imperceptively.

"Of course."

Riza was struggling with herself.

She was just about to tell Maria her news, life changing news, and Maria had torn it apart with her announcement.

Laws took months to pass in Central, they both knew that, but in just over seven months the fraternisation laws would be lifted, due on no small account to Roy's endless badgering in council sessions. Luckily, it was common knowledge that the current Fuhrer and a secretary were falling hard and fast for each other, and that it was only a matter of time.

Until that time, Riza was going to say, they both needed to be careful, to not let anything slip, and then they could both be happy in the knowledge that their love and their jobs could coexist.

This changed everything.

Maria was married. Maria was pregnant. It was enough for the military tribunal to fire her, possibly even court martial her, and they were feeling bitter enough from this blow to their power. Riza had seen the fate of pregnant soldiers before; outcast and downtrodden, a few had been ordered to give up their children to the military base for training, and she had a suspicion this was where they obtained the children all those years ago during the Experimentation. If what Maria said about her pregnancy was accurate, her baby would arrive almost a week before the laws were dissolved; the tribunal would leap on this, throw her out, and take her baby as the last rule breaker.

A little part of her was hurt that Maria hadn't mentioned the marriage sooner, but she supposed there was a lot that Roy and her had been hiding; truth be told, she was amazed Denny hadn't spilt any information. Evidently his love (and Maria's rather powerful methods of persuasion) had stopped him doing anything too foolish.

A thought struck her.

"Does Denny know?"

Maria shook her head, slowly, biting her lip to stop a cry bursting out.

"Wait here. Don't go anywhere, don't go with anyone."

Riza turned on her heel, marching out the toilets, leaving a stricken Maria. Her boots stomped on the floor as she walked to her office. She opened the door, surveying her surroundings. Breda and Falman were playing chess; Denny was watching, mouth wide open, at the speed and skill of the two soldiers.

"Brosch. A word."

His eyes flew up; his mouth stayed open. Without batting an eyelid, Falman reached out with one hand and pushed it shut, the other capturing a knight of Breda's.

She grabbed his arm, practically dragging him to the bathroom.

"Um – ma'am – Riza – I can't go in here – "

"Oh, for god's sake," Riza snarled, trying to suppress the anger that had been building up inside her, "shut up and move, Denny."