Fullmetal Alchemist

Roy Mustang the colonel with a god complex balanced his pen on his face. He was thinking of an excuse or explanation for his lieutenant for when she arrived. No doubt was in his mind that when she walked through that door and noticed he hadn't started on his paperwork she would scold and watch him sign every single damn paper. He looked at the huge stack in his office and if he didn't get started soon he would be getting an ear-

The opening of the door announced the arrival of the lieutenant. Black Hayate pranced proudly by the side of his mistress. Riza Hawkeye was the embodiment of perfection not to mention an overachiever. She sat at her desk and everything was fine except that he wasn't being scolded for not starting his paperwork. "Colonel, you should start on your paperwork before you have to do it all in one sitting," Riza coldly scolded.

'Dang so close,' Roy thought. He pulled a piece of paper and started to read and sign it. Cough. Roy took another piece of paper and read it and signed it. Cough cough. Roy stretched and yawned and took yet another paper and signed it. Cough cough cough. An angry mark appeared on Roy's head. "Whoever is coughing stop it now!" Roy yelled. "Sorry sir," a hoarse female voice replied. The other men looked up from their paperwork to see Riza with a pale face.

Everyone in the office stared at her even Black Hayate. She coughed again, "What?" The glare on her face said it all and everyone except the Colonel gulped and began their paperwork again. "You're sick," Roy commented staring at Riza's slumped posture and pale sweating face. "With all due respect sir, I am not sick and even if I was you need not worry about my health if you want to make it to the top," Riza replied coldly while turning to glare at the colonel. Even sick and glazed over eyes her glare with full force scared Roy and he began sweating but he held his ground. "You are my adjutant Lieutenant Hawkeye and your aim must be off if your sick." Riza continued to glare but Roy could see he hit a weak spot in her resolve. 'Logic you are my best friend,' he thought with confidence.

Kachak. Riza was standing and had her gun pointed at Roy. "Would you like to test that theory sir?" Riza asked her glare back in full force. Roy lifted his hands in the air. "Not really. You've made your point Lieutenant," He said sweating profusely and paler than a vampire. Riza smirked but it was short lived as her knees became wobbly and she had to hold the desk to steady herself. The bout of weakness was short lived however and she regained her balance and sunk back into her chair to continue her paperwork.

Roy remained rigid as well as the rest of team. They learned the lesson for today. Don't ask Lieutenant Hawkeye if she was sick.

When lunch time came around the team stood up and stretched. Conversations of where to eat lunch came up and all decided to eat in the mess hall on the military grounds. Riza walked next to Roy on the way to the mess hall when her vision cleared and blurred continuously. She put a hand up to her forehead to help clear her mind and had stopped walking. "Lieutenant? Did you hear me?" Roy asked looking behind him to see Riza slumped against the wall holding her head and her knees pulled up to her chest and her hand still on her head.

"You need to go home Lieutenant," Roy said in a stern voice. 'No matter how scary she glares at me and no matter how many bullets are shot in my direction I have to hold firm,' Roy thought fisting up his hands and narrowing his eyes. "I am fine sir," Riza replied her voice barely above a whisper. "No your not you are to go home," and before Riza could object Roy added, "That is an order Lieutenant Hawkeye."

Riza sighed and with help from Roy she was able to stand up even though the whole time she was glaring at Roy to make him change his mind in fear however when she saw the look in his eyes she knew it was futile. "Yes sir."

"I'll file the paperwork," Roy said. Riza nodded and began to walk towards the exit of the building when her knees buckled under her and she collapsed in a breathing sweating heap. Roy whom was about to fetch the paperwork for her sick day, had run over to her side. "Lieutenant!" Roy exclaimed. He lifted up her upper body. The lieutenant did not respond. "Come on Lieutenant Hawkeye open your eyes!" Roy yelled. The only sound he heard was Riza's labored breathing.

Roy picked her up bridal style and headed for the car. He needed to get her home and he knew where she lived and where she kept her keys. Roy set Riza in the passenger side of the car and started to drive to her house. Riza grunted in pain and in a strained voice said, "Colonel, please pull over." Roy did as he was asked and before he knew it Riza had gotten out of the car and was heaving on the curb.

Roy had gotten out of the car and was gently rubbing his subordinate's back. "Ssh. It's okay Lieutenant," he said soothingly. "Sorry sir," Riza apologized as Roy helped her back into the car. "Did you eat this morning?" Roy asked looking at Riza leaning on the window her eyes closed in pain. "Yes sir," Riza replied, "I tried soup this time to see if I could keep it down." Roy widened his eyes at his Lieutenant. "When was the last time you kept something down?" Roy asked turning to look at the road.

"A few days ago sir," Riza replied. Roy slammed on the breaks. "What!" he screeched and lowered his voice when Riza bent over in pain. "Can't keep anything down sir," Riza explained. "I can see that Lieutenant but if you couldn't keep anything down how did you get to work. This car is enough to make your stomach queasy." "I walked," she replied leaning her head back on the window when the pain in her stomach ceased. "You walked!" Roy exclaimed and had to stop himself from slamming on the breaks again.

Riza nodded in confirmation. "You shouldn't have come at all," Roy growled Riza's house in sight but instead of taking her to her house as planned he sharply turned around and sped to the hospital.

"Sir?" Riza questioned weakly. "You're going to the hospital," Roy responded coldly. He put a hand on her forehead to check her temperature. "You're burning up!" Roy hissed. "You are the one with the flame alchemy sir," Riza replied. Roy glanced at her in shock. "Riza?" Roy swallowed his panic as he saw Riza go limp.

When he got to the hospital he frantically called for nurses and explained that she had passed out. He took Riza bridal style and set her on the stretcher that the nurses had provided. "Identification?" one of the nurses had stopped Roy. "Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye." He replied. "Your identification?" "Her superior officer Colonel Roy Mustang." If the nurse knew who he was she didn't show it. "Wait here while we operate," she commanded disappearing behind the door that the other nurses had rolled Riza in.

Roy paced back and forth. After an hour one of the nurses came back a frustrated look on her face. "Colonel Roy yes?" she asked looking at Roy with irritated eyes. "Yes?" "You brought in Riza Hawkeye correct?" "Yes." Roy was getting more and more nervous. "She is malnourished, dehydrated, and has a high fever," the nurse explained. Roy clenched his jaw. "Finally, you should just see," the nurse continued who turned and started to walk into Riza's room.

Riza was awake and was refusing the IV. "She won't allow us to insert the IV," the nurse explained irritated. Roy walked up to Riza, "What's wrong Lieutenant?" Riza looked at Roy with glazed eyes and looked down. "Lieutenant?" Riza picked at the hospital gown. "Lieutenant Hawkeye." Riza wrung her wrists. "Riza!" Riza looked up a little surprised to hear her name. "What is the matter," Roy asked and turning to the nurses, "could we have a little privacy?" The nurses nodded and left the two alone.

"Why do you not want the IV?" Roy asked his eyes gentle. "Tattoo," Riza rasped weakly and it took all of Roy's concentration to hear what she said but when he heard her answer he sighed in relief. "Is that it Lieutenant?" Roy asked and before he knew it Riza had hold of his uniform and her bang's covered her eyes. "No tattoo," Riza said meekly. "There won't be it will just be real quick," Roy promised.

Riza lifted her face and nodded and when the doctor came in she buried her face in Roy's chest and her arm hung onto Roy like a lifeline. The doctor took her other arm and inserted the IV. "That's it Riza, your done," Roy said soothingly stroking her hair. The doctors had untied her bun. Riza nodded but didn't move.

"She needs her rest Colonel," the doctor said his voice gentle but firm. Riza shook her head. "No," she said her voice muffled by the Colonel's uniform. The doctor sighed but smiled. "Very well."

Roy removed Riza's face from his uniform and held her like he had when her throat had been slit. Her eyes were glazed and sleepy. "I'm here," Roy whispered to his lieutenant and began to rock her back and forth like a little child and he began to hum a soothing lullaby. Riza's eyes began to droop and as Roy hummed her breathing though raspy slowed down and she was asleep.

The door slowly opened to reveal his team. Havoc slipped out a camera and began to silently take pictures of Roy holding Riza.

A/N

This is kind of a mix of my own and that other story called "Sharp" by Flower in the River. A very good story by the way. If you've read it you can see the similarities in my story. I actually didn't mean to make it so similar it was supposed to be a completely new version by me but unfortunately I had just read the story "Sharp" and out came the similarities.

Ja ne

Kitsuma