while I was sleeping

Characters: Roy Mustang, Jade Tempest

Summary: She had everything prepared.

He wakes up and everything is different.

His sight is restored and the first thing he sees is his lieutenant, sitting by the window and dutifully goes through reports. She looks peacefully for once and he refuses to disturb her and so he averts his gaze – to see someone he has never expected there. Two women sit on the deserted bed, both tired from the journey and he knows that they have travelled because one of them is stationed in South City and the other one has the entire Western Military Hospital to take care of. And yet, it makes sense for them to be in the capital.

Doctor Force who also goes by Major Force and the Silver Hands Alchemist is an expert when it comes to rebuild something from nothing (that is also why he has pencilled her name on the list of potential supporters of the rebuild of Ishbal) and since Grumman is a smart man, he has invited the minds who can easily organise the reconstruction of everything that has been destroyed. The other woman makes even more sense to him as soon as he gets over his initial shock because she looks so much older now and so pale that his heart nearly shatters. But under the pale skin is still the heart of a lion and his cousin has always had a way of keep going when everyone around her has long given up on her.

"Jade," he whispers and she moves her head. "Why are you here?"

She laughs lightly. "I got your message," she replies. "You told a certain someone to tell everyone that you are going to be busy again and so I felt free to follow your invitation. I also got Lynn here to supervise your surgery. According to her and Crystal, there won't be any complications."

"I feel bad for saying this to you but I was going crazy when I saw nothing at all," he admits.

She rolls her eyes. "I am not blind, Roy-boy," she says and he sees how Riza's mouth twitches in amusement. "Sure, I don't see like a hawk but I see more than enough to work properly."

He nods and looks at her before he raises his voice. "And now, Lieutenant Colonel Tempest, why don't you tell me why you believe that you might be a valuable part of my plan."

"First of all, it's Colonel," she corrects him smugly. "I caught up with you for the moment. Secondly, if you are too stupid to realise why you need me, I should really reconsider whether you are really worth my support, Roy-boy."

"You are still the big mean bully you always were," he sighs. "But well, I will need someone who has worked in all the important headquarters. I have Grumman behind me and Armstrong will begrudgingly support me as well but I am not so sure about Llewellyn and Hamilton – they were both reinstated, weren't they?"

"First order from Grumman, yeah," she says. "They were also both promoted to general but this has been long overdue anyway. Talking of promotions, there will be many more in the next few weeks. At the moment, it's only for people who have not been promoted in five years and who have had nothing to do with the rebellion."

"That explains Llewellyn and Hamilton," he mutters as he rubs his temples. "So, did you complete anything important or why are you so … bouncy?"

She glares at him. "Oh, I only finished the translation of the entire scripts written by our ancestor George Mustang but if you aren't interested, I won't tell you anything about this."

"This is hardly everything you have been doing lately," he sighs. "Tell me."

"Okay," she smirks. "Since you asked so nicely, I signed up for a job in International Relations. I will be replacing Kay who will be replacing you here in Central since you will be replacing Grumman in the East. And I am saying this because this means that you have someone in International Relations for the very first time and because I can advertise your single status in Aerugo or wherever I will be stationed for the next few years."

"I thought that you were aiming for a position in Central City. I had counted on that a little bit."

"We both know that you haven't counted on me when it was important for years now, Roy-boy," she tells him. "Plus, I thought further ahead than you. When you will be chancellor in a democratic Amestris, you will need someone who knows the people of Aerugo. I am volunteering."

"We both know that I will be never chancellor of a democratic Amestris."

Her slap resounds in the silent room and Riza averts her gaze from her reports.

"Don't mess with me, Roy Mustang," Jade snarls. "You aren't thinking far enough and this is why I came here in first place. You haven't paid attention to the parliament lately, did you? They passed a few laws that might interest you – like the one that concerns the abolition of the death penalty. I think that this is something very beautiful."

"Why did you interfere? Why did you ask your mother to suggest this law?"

Her eyes, darker than his and deeper than the sea, become harder than steel. "Maybe because I care enough about other people to realise that so many people would suffer if you are selfish like that. Did you consider that not only you would have to face that punishment? I was in the Cretan War – and unlike you, I like being alive … thank you very much, Roy."

"Selfishness is nothing like you."

"It is not selfishness when I want to protect my mother from losing the only living reminder of her twin brother," she replies. "I have been there as well. I know what it feels like when you see blood and the life in the eyes of a beloved person as it disappears while there is nothing you can do. I said this before: if do anything that is against the interest of the family, I will stop you."

"You worded it differently then."

"I will hardly murder you with my own hands if death is what you are striving for, Roy. Give me a little more credit, will you?"

"You do remember that I am still outranking you, promotion or not?"

"You are talking to Grand's successor," she snaps at him. "You can't pull rank on me right now, Roy. Don't think that I didn't plot this neatly."

"You and Grumman would be a dangerous team – the only ones who are trickier than me," he says slowly because this makes sense. Jade is famous for making no mistakes and he should have found a way to control her better because now he has indeed a problem. "Why?" he asks.

She sighs. "Can't you just believe that I actually care?" she asks back.

"You have never cared about anything, Jade. Never."

She laughs mirthlessly. "Maybe this was my way to protect what I can protect, Roy," she tells him. "I refused to let you down so many times, I always came back for you after you sent me away – and now, you doubt that I cared? You are ridiculous."

"You didn't even wait for Phil's surgery before you boarded the train to South City."

Suddenly, he feels an impact on his cheek and as he opens his eyes, the silver-haired woman stands in front of him, blushing in embarrassment but with dangerously glinting eyes. "You … you have no right overall to speak like this," she hisses at him. "That night, we all suffered and we all lost a big part of something we took for granted: our companionship. We were ripped apart and after that night, nothing was the same anymore. Yes, Jade left the group. But so did I because all of us made a mistake and we all had to deal with it on our own. Serena and Phil fought it out in the gym that had to be closed afterwards. I concentrated on healing and I worked afterhours to the point that I collapsed from exhaustion. And Jade … she felt guiltier than Serena and as you might remember: Rena was the one to actually cut off the hand."

Jade gently grabs her friend's hand and pushes it down. "Calm down, Lynn," she says softly.

"Jade … why do you let him kick you around like that?"

"Because they are one and the same," Riza remarks drily as she pushes away another bunch of paper. "Well, Colonel, you should still tune down the insults a little bit, okay?"

"You are my bodyguard, Hawkeye, and I was just slapped twice," he complains.

"And both times, it was deserved," she replies. "Plus, I am off duty right now … and anyway, could you come to an end soon? Visiting hours are nearly over and I would like to get back my bed before the doctors come to check on us."

"That won't be a problem because for the moment, I am your doctor," Silver Hands states drily.

"Jade," Roy nods in her direction. "It's time that we check on Aunty, wouldn't you agree?"

"She and dad are in Creta for their anniversary," she replies with a soft smile and he feels the familiar sting of guilt because no matter how much he throws at her, no matter how many times he has stabbed her into the back, she has always smiled and ignored everything because – and he should have remembered this – she would always care enough for him to keep from lashing out at him. She is his mirror, someone he cannot break because it would mean to destroy himself and he could never do this.