Roy Mustang sighed as he watched cows,and horses flash by.
Everywhere he looked there was nothing but green fields,fences and every so often a small farm house. Glancing at his lieutenant to his left, he rested his head in his hand.

No, she was not his lieutenant today. They were simply two regular people, Riza Hawkeye and Roy Mustang. Two friends, and co workers driving out into the middle of no where.

He studied Riza while she drove, everything from her clothes to her posture.
The one word to describe her was perfect. She wore a light green three-quarter lengths shirt, that rose and fell in time with her tan strappy sandles.

The light brown skirt she wore was neither reaveling, nor 'old fashioned'. Needless to say, it cut off evenly just below her knees.
Her feet rested lightly on each of the pedels, her legs were tightly squeezed together.
And that honey blonde hair of hers was flowing gently to her sholders like a wedding veil.

A wedding veil.
Now that's what Roy wanted to see her in.
Screw all the tiny mini skirts he could force on her, a veil was what he wanted.

One that was white,and clouded his vision of her facial details.
He sat up shaking his head.
What in the world was he doing? This was Hawkeye,er..Riza he was thinking about.

The same Riza that had stood by him all this time,supported him, waved her gun in his face until his work was done. He grimanced, 'I wonder where she's keeping that gun now' he pondered.
His glance swept over her, from her skirt to her...He coughed. He suddenly didn't want to think about it anymore.

Turning his face back towards his window he heard a soft sound.

"Sir, are you not enjoying the ride?" her gaze never left the road but he could have sworn that her steely stare was upon him.

"Should I turn back?" she softened her tone and prepared to put on the brakes.

"No, keep driving" he gave her no expression in neither his face or voice.

"And it's Roy today. Got it Riza?" he stressed Riza.

"Um, yes" she cut off just in time,"Roy"

Making sure he wasn't looking at her,a smile appeared on her face.
It had been quite a while since she had called him by first name.
She allowed her gaze to shift to her right,falling on him.
He really wasn't doing much, it didn't surprise her though.

His mind was probably on one thing, Maes.
She wouldn't press the subject, she was simply there to escourt. As the car started to swirve off the road Riza gasped and jerked the wheel hard to the left.

The car began to steady itself once again,and her raspy breaths slowed.
Roy simply sat there as though nothing had hapened.

With a raised eyebrow he questioned,"What's the problem? It's not like you to slack off" he ran a hand through his midnight black hair.

Trying to hide her blush, she tilted her head so hair covered the flush. "It was nothing. Just a stray cat I didn't want to hit"

Roy sat up as she said this. "You never were a good liar Riza"

She mumbled somthing and looked at him. "You say that like it's a bad thing" he laughed at her responce.

Before Roy had a chance to say anything else Riza informed him that they had arrived at the cemitary.
She gently guided the car through the open gates.
Nodding to say he had heard her,he reached in the back seat and pulled out a small bouqe of flowers.
Turning off the car Riza went around to open the door for Roy. The cool metal made her shiver as her hand made contact with the handle.

Not a word was exchanged as she watched him get out of the car,shuting the door behind him. He smoothed his navey blue pants,and fixed the collar of the white shirt he wore.Walking slowly, he could hear the leaves crunch under his footsteps as he went to visit a friend.
Riza slowly turned to walk back to the drivers seat,and wait for Roy there.

"Well" he kept walking not slowing the pace,"Are you following?"

Riza stepped back,hand to mouth. Had he,Roy Mustang,just asked her to acompany him?
Indirectly of course,but it was close enough for her.

"Of course Roy" she didn't stumble over his name this time.

Quickly she caught up to him,he could tell by the number of 'crunches' he heard from behind.
They walked side by side to the grave of a close friend.

Maes Hughs

"hum?" a soft murmur escaped her.

She saw him looking around with dully painted eyes, as though they were searching for somthing.

"It's to the path on your left" she reminded him gently,and pointed to a small walkway.

His gaze was still full of the same lost feeling she knew he was hiding on the inside.
She could always tell his mood by his eyes.
They were like mirrors into his soul.
When he still hadn't made a move, Riza gently placed her hand on his arm.

"Come on. He's waiting" she tightened her grip urging,him to follow.

With a thankfull smile Roy started to move down the path,with Riza at his side. Neither spoke for several minutes as they walked.
When Maes' tombstone came into view at the top of the hill,Riza stopped. Letting go she gave him a reassuring smile that seemed to say,'I'll be right here waiting for you'

With a nod he turned on a heel,and made his way to the grave.
As he neared Maes' grave he held his breath.

"Hey" he greeted,placing the bouqe of paperwhites on a mound of earth.

"I brought you some flowers." he sighed not knowing what to say.

"You should be here Maes. Your little girl is looking cuter every day" he flashed his trademark smirk at the headstone.

Now he was rambling, he came here to talk to his friend. Well to think about him, but the pain he still felt was blocking Roy from doing so. Mustang clenched his fists. He wanted nothing more than to go his and Maes' favorite bar,drink the night away.

Maybe meet some girls, and have Hawkeye pick him up at closing times.

He and Maes used to do that. Looking towards the sky he started again,"You and me had some times huh?" he was still looking up as old memories flooded back.

Now that his best friend was gone, Roy Mustang stood alone.

Bright and early, Colonel Mustang's heavy footsteps could be heard echoing through the empty hallways,leading to his office. He yawned not bothering to cover his mouth,his hands instead glued to the inside of his pockets.
He made a sharp turn to the right,his office door was at the end of the corrider.

'Hum' he thought. "What's this?"

A small poster in blue ink had caught his attention.

Fighting back laughter he read the ad:

-4 Puppies-
-6 weeks old -Needs good homes - Please contact Kain Fuery!

Roy shook his head. Yet again Furey had gotten himself into another bind because of his big,dog loving,heart. Becoming thoughtful,he curled his fingers around his chin.

Maybe he should take one of the pups, he did like dogs.
Stealing a glance at his watch,he shook his head.
Bah, well he'll think about it later.
Right now he need to get to his office.

Ruffiling his already messy hair he slipped on his blue uniform jacket,hiding the wrinkled shirt. He looked as if he had just rolled out of bed,in fact he had. It didn't really matter,he was here early so he could always clean up a little before people showed up for work.

At least that had been his reasoning. As he turned the knob to his office and peered inside,he relized his plan hadn't gone quite right.

"Oh, Lieutenant!" he couldn't weed the surprise out of his voice.

"Sir!" she wasted no time in saluting,"I decided to come in early to get a little work done. You know,to make up for lost time on Friday"

Roy looked at the floor while walking to his desk. That's right. He had ordered Hawkeye to go pick up the car before their little trip on Saturday.
Friday afternoon was the lastest time to pick the car up before the weekend.

"Thanks for picking up the car" he had forgotten to thank her.

Pulling her hand away from her eyebrow,Hawkeye sat back at her desk.

"Long night sir?" she asked a sleepy Mustang.

His feet were upon the desk,and he reclined in his chair.

"I don't sleep well anymore" his face full of gloom as he spoke.

"Oh i'm sorry sir" she returned to her work.

"Any new reports Hawkeye?" he was dreading the mountain of folders that surely awaited him.

"No sir" she calmly replied.

Roy cocked his head to one side. Had he heard her right?
No paperwork to be done?
Still sitting within his thoughts, he watched his lieutenant work for several minutes.

He enjoyed the rhythmic 'scritch,scratch' of her pen,and the way she would wrinkle her nose when she made a mistake. Then Hawkeye,herself,actually gave a yawn that couldn't be hidden.
Turning around so he couldn't see her,she told him she would be back.
He nodded in dismissal.

Giving a quick salute,followed by a quiet whistle,she and Black Hayate left the room.
Door closing behind them.
Mustang rocked back and fourth in his chair for a moment,then someing caught his gaze.
His eyes narrowed.
What was all that on her desk?

Standing to get a better view,he dragged his feet while aproaching her station.
Shaking his head,his lips curved upward in a slight smile.
Why hadn't he seen it before?
No paperwork,a sleepy Hawkeye, it all added up.

She had completed the reports for the both of them,by herself. Turning toward the window,to the north of the room,he looked at the sun.
He knew he would have to turn Furey down again, he already had a dog.

A dog of the military some would call her.
But that didn't matter to Roy,just as long as she was beside him.
Standing at the window he finally realized somthing.
He,Roy Mustang,no longer stood alone.

He had never stood alone.