Author's note: This is the first of twelve Christmas one-shots for your reading pleasure. I realize that technically there isn't a Christmas holiday in Amestris, but I couldn't help myself. I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or its characters.

The Trials and Tribulations of Finding the Perfect Christmas Tree

It started with a hysterical phone call. Roy had not been expecting it, but then if he had been, things would have gone much differently. Gracia had called him a week before Christmas in tears.

"Elysia wants to go get a Christmas tree. Maes promised her she could come along this year. And I don't have the time! It means so much to her, but I just can't do it. I know it's a lot to ask, but could you please help me with this? I just don't know what else to do or who else to--"

"Gracia, it's all right. I'd be glad to help. It's the least I can do. And Elysia is my goddaughter after all. Just let me know when."

"Thank you so much. I'll drop her off sometime tomorrow afternoon."

He hung up the phone feeling slightly bewildered and trying to figure out what exactly he was going to do. He hadn't actually bought a Christmas tree since Ishval at the very least, maybe since before that. Roy sighed; he was going to need help with this.

"Hawkeye?"

She peered into his office. "Yes, sir?"

He sighed. "I'm going to need some help."

"Sir?"

"I just agreed to take Elysia to pick out a Christmas tree tomorrow afternoon."

"I see."

"I haven't picked out a Christmas tree since we were children."

"Neither have I."

Roy sighed again. "We're going to need help, aren't we?"

"We, sir?"

"We, Lieutenant. You are her godmother after all. Besides, it your job to protect me."

"You need protection from a shopping trip?" She turned slightly. "Edward and Alphonse are here. They have Winry with them."

Roy sighed a third time then an idea occurred to him. "Send them in."

Hawkeye raised an eyebrow, but ushered the three teens in.

"Miss Rockbell, Alphonse. Fullmetal, I have a new assignment for you. Your brother and Miss Rockbell are welcome to help if they wish."

"What? That's not fair. It's almost Christmas."

"It won't take you long. Your assignment is to help Elysia, Hawkeye, and I pick out a Christmas tree for the Hughes household tomorrow."

The look on Fullmetal's face was definitely worth it.

"It's so nice that you invited us along, Mister Mustang. I'd love to go. What time tomorrow?" Winry Rockbell neatly solved his worries about Fullmetal refusing. If she was coming the he would come as well.

"One-ish I think."

"Great. We'll see you then. Thank you, Mister Mustang."

Fullmetal and Alphonse followed in her wake. Hawkeye remained. However, the look she was giving him was part reproachful and part amused, so he wasn't too worried.

"I'm sure there were easier ways of making sure that those three had some fun during the holidays."

He shrugged. "True, but this is more fun for me."

She sighed. "Finish your paperwork, sir. I'll try to get as much of tomorrow's ready as I can, so you don't have to worry about getting behind."

"Thank you, Hawkeye."

He spent the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening dealing with paperwork as a result. It wasn't too much of a price to pay he supposed, and at least the company was good. By the time he was done, there were flurries of snow falling. He and Hawkeye walked to his apartment in companionable silence. She left him at his door.

"I'll see you tomorrow, sir."

Roy went to bed in a good mood and wasn't even that grumpy when the people in the next apartment woke him at four in the morning again with their rather incessant music. He actually arrived at work on time which seemed to be scaring some of his subordinates. Hawkeye had brought Black Hayate in to work, so Roy spent the morning filling out paperwork and letting Hayate demolish his entire stock of pencils.

By the time Gracia arrived with Elysia, Roy was definitely ready to go. He had even planned out trip. He had done a little research last night in to where he could find a Christmas tree, and he had some ideas about where Elysia would have the most fun picking out her tree. The others were prompt as well, and before he knew, Roy was leading the whole troupe out to the truck he'd rented for today. After all, there was no way that all six of them plus a tree would fit in a car.

He gave Hawkeye the directions and let her do the driving. About a half hour later, they had reached the Christmas tree farm on the outskirts of Central. They piled out of the truck, and soon Elysia was leading them through the trees. Roy took a moment to find out what she wanted in a tree.

Elysia had insisted on a big tree, and one that was, as she put it, "bushy". The little girl had rejected at least half a dozen trees out of hand and was now was dragging them all deeper into the farm. Roy had been rather amused to find that part of Elysia's criteria for the perfect Christmas tree was that it had to be taller than Alphonse.

"What about this one?" Winry indicated an Eastern Red Cedar.

Elysia gravely considered it. "No. It's too bushy."

A half hour later everyone except Elysia was beginning to tire. One could only look at so many trees before they all started to blur together.

"Uncle Roy, I found my tree!"

Elysia stood in front of a Noble fir that had to be at least ten feet tall. She smiled up at them. "I want that tree."

"Are you sure this is the tree you want, Elysia?" Riza asked. If the girl changed her mind, it was going to be a headache.

"Yes, Auntie Riza."

Then they had to cut the tree down. It looked like an easy enough task, but in the end, it took the three guys and several arguments to actually get it down. At one point Riza was afraid she was going to have to fire shots at them to break up one of the more heated arguments. They had made it back to the main staging area when Elysia decided they also needed a wreath for her front door and mistletoe.

It was nearly dark, but Elysia insisted, so they started looking through the wreaths. Riza was shivering and her nose was bright red. She had never been good with the cold despite growing up fairly close to Northern. Mustang had noticed her shivers and quietly wrapped an arm around her. By the time Elysia pronounced herself satisfied with her choice of wreath, the sun was down.

Riza took charge of the mistletoe to keep it from causing any problems and got Winry Elysia settled in the truck while Roy, Edward, and Alphonse secured the tree in the truck bed. Elysia was half asleep by the time the boys were finished, and then came the drive home. The fact that the heater in the truck was not working didn't help either. They were all tired and hungry, and the cold wasn't helping.

Elysia was asleep by the time they reached the Hughes residence. Once they arrived, Riza let the boys handle the tree and herded Winry inside to warm up. Gracia took Elysia from her at the door.

"There's hot chocolate and gingerbread in the kitchen. I'll send the boys in once they've got the tree set up, so leave some for them." She smiled at her sleeping daughter. "Thank you so much for this. I just couldn't do it without Maes."

"It's not a problem, Gracia. Do you want me to put Elysia to bed for you, so you can make sure the boys don't destroy your house to get the tree inside?"

"That would be wonderful."

She turned the mistletoe over to Gracia and took the sleeping child back. By the time Riza had Elysia tucked into bed, the boys had gotten the Christmas tree set up in the living room and retired to the kitchen for hot chocolate and cookies. Winry and the Elrics were staying the night on Gracia's invitation, so that just left her with the colonel to get home.

Roy had to be pried away from the cookies, but he was exhausted enough to want to get home and just rest. They said their goodbyes to Gracia and headed out the door, but not before she stopped them with a smile reminisant of her husband.

"You two are forgetting something." At their blank stares, she pointed up at the mistletoe above their heads. "It is tradition."

Roy and Riza stared at each other while Gracia tapped her foot impatiently. Roy offered her a lopsided smirk. "She's right, you know."

Riza sighed but leaned up to press a kiss to Roy's cheek. "Goodnight Gracia."

"Come back tomorrow, and we can decorate the tree."

Roy laughed. "We'll see. I have to recover from tonight first. Goodnight Gracia."

They headed back to the truck through the snow. Roy grinned at her. "See that wasn't so bad."

"Next year you can do it by yourself, sir."