A/N: Hi guys! I know the previous chapter wasn't much but I hope you'd still appreciate my story until the end.

Hailey has been sleeping soundly for the past 30 minutes, and the cab drive to Christmas's bar would take about an hour, and they've been riding for 10 minutes. Riza couldn't afford to sleep, not that she doesn't want to but she just can't. The past 5 years for her was haunting her dreams and occasionally she would get flashbacks of her and her daughter getting mistreated.

Hailey never got to have a proper childhood too. Ever since she was born, Riza had to be extra careful of her. When one day when she was taking a bath and Hailey was just a year old, her ex-husband sneaked into their bedroom and stole Hailey from her tiny hand-carved wooden crib. It drove Riza crazy. The next day, she overheard her husband talking to a client telling him that Hailey was sold for a very good price, considering her extremely beautiful face which was perfectly matched with her dark obsidian eyes she got from Roy. Riza even went through hell just to get back her daughter, which only led to her raging husband's more outrage.

And so, Riza's resolve was to return to Amestris and start a new life there with Roy with an addition to the family. But as soon as Roy laid eyes on Hailey, he misunderstood everything so Riza's dream didn't go exactly as planned.

Riza thinks that it's better if she would give space to Roy for now until they could settle all their problems.

Riza leaned her head against the icy window, staring at the road and the houses they would pass by. She could feel her eyelids become heavy but she would force them open, scared that she might get another nightmare about her ex-husband.

Hailey stirred in her arms and made a whine followed by a groan escape her lips. Riza slightly jumped at her daughter's movement and looked down at her. Her face was flushed with a deep crimson color and she made some uncomfortable expressions on her face that made Riza worry.

"Hailey?" Riza whispered to her and touched her cheek lightly. To her surprise, Hailey's face was burning under her palm. "Hailey?" She asked again, a little louder.

A groan escaped from her daughter's lips again, then she turned in Riza's arms and cuddled closer to her. "Mommy, I don't-" she burst out a series of heavy coughs, and Riza crouched down and rubbed her back. "I don't feel well." Her tiny voice cracked, then she coughed again.

Riza scrunched her eyebrows together and took a glance outside. They still had a long way to go before they could reach Christmas's bar, and Hailey's condition shouldn't be taken lightly.

"Hailey, I can't get you medicine right at this moment.." Riza whispered to her daughter and closed her eyes. "But I promise once we get to your granny, you'll feel better. I won't let your Christmas turn out like this." Those words soothed her daughter, but only temporarily. Riza noticed her face turn from bright crimson to pale white, and she would cough hard occasionally.

Hailey barely nodded and fluttered her eyes close. She wasn't getting any better. Riza heaved a huge sigh and rested her head on the window. She'll have to sacrifice her share of money for food to buy medicine for Hailey. Also, if her condition gets worse she'll have to be brought to the hospital then Riza would completely lose her share, and lessen the share for Hailey. She held back the tears threatening to form in her eyes. She hated the fact that she had to ask help and the fact that she's useless at such a critical moment.

It was getting dark too. She knew she had to find a place to stay, and she needed food for the both of them.

When she was about to doze off, there was a loud series of thuds telling that a car's engine has shut down. Riza's eyes shot open and eyed the cab driver quizzically.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry I believe my car ran out of gasoline." the driver said embarrassingly.

Riza stared at the road. If they would go on foot, it would take them 20 minutes.

"Don't you have a spare stock there?" She asked.

"Ma'am I just used it before I took you on a ride."

Riza groaned and stared at Hailey. Her lips were quivering from the cold and her high fever. She hasn't eaten anything ever since they left Xing, and she's not used to such high temperatures like those in the great desert and the blizzard in Amestris.

"Can't you find some other way?!"

When he didn't answer, she paid the driver and stormed outside the cab carrying her bags and her daughter. Riza felt like the snowy ground was draining out all of her energy. She has been walking for miles, haven't slept right, haven't eaten well, and everything. She couldn't wait until she arrives at Christmas's bar, and fill up everything she lost.

After a 15 minute walk, her knees gave out and she fell to the ground. Hailey stirred and slowly got up. After several rounds of coughs, she helped her mother stand up and they walked together despite her spinning vision and grumbling stomach.

"Hailey, you should rest. Your fever has gotten higher," As if in cue, Hailey stumbled and fell on her knees, panting hard and clutching her head.

They were almost at the bar but she could hardly muster any strength left. As she shakily stood up, her right hand took her daughter's left arm and slowly held her up. Before Hailey could completely stand straight, she felt her system shut down, went limp in Riza's grasp and her body collided with the snowy ground.

Riza's eyes widened in fear as she struggled to wake up her daughter. When she wouldn't open her eyes, she already knew her condition has almost reached its limit. She carried her again, bore the pain from her already weakened muscles and growling belly.

She staggered a few steps but eventually fell to the ground once more. She firmly held her daughter in her arms and snuggled her close to her chest. She had never felt so helpless and vulnerable in her entire life. She was from the military, dammit! She's the freaking Riza Hawkeye! When she realized her current situation, tears finally build up in her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Hailey," her voice shook. "This is all my fault."

Riza scanned her surroundings and found no one to ask help from. "What, I thought it's Christmas? This place should be filled with tons of people." She muttered to herself. She looked down at her daughter once more and felt for her forehead. If Hailey's forehead was fire, her hand's probably turned into crisp by now.

She raised that hand to wipe away her tears, then buried her eyes into her palm.

Someone from not so far away saw a figure of a person sitting down on the snowy ground. She squinted her eyes and tried to advance to get closer to the figure. She saw a blonde woman cradling another little blonde in her arms, and they had their bags scattered all around them. She need not waste her time. They need help. But as she got closer and closer-

"Riza?"

Riza winced at the sound of her name and looked up at the voice. It was Vanessa. Roy's "sister".

"Vanessa?" She choked a bit.

"What- what in the world are you doing there?" Vanessa asked, extreme worry etched on her face.

Riza sighed. "It's a long story."

A/N: ahhh! I'm sorry if it's short! I was supposed to put the scene in Madame Christmas's bar here but.. Yeah whatever that's gonna have its own chapter. I'll try to update sooner! Finally someone is helping Riza. It won't hurt to post a review, right? *winks*