Disclaimer: I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist

Ed was sat in his office thinking about Riza, it had been two days since Riza had last been in work and it wasn't like her to take time off unless it was for holiday leave. Ed had tried to call her but she wouldn't answer the phone, something had to be wrong and Ed was going to find out what. He thought about going down to see Riza but decided that he probably should wait till after work, so instead he went down to see Mustang to see if he knows anything about Riza being off work. He walked to Roy's office and found Havoc in there organising the papers on Roy's desk.

"Hey Boss, what brings you here this morning?" Havoc asked Ed who sat down on the couch.

"I've come to speak to the General." Ed looked around the room noticing that Roy wasn't in the office.

"Where is Mustang?"

"He's gone to a meeting with the other General's." Jean said sitting down next to Ed and having a drink of his coffee that he usually has in the morning. "Apparently there could be some promotions being given and the General could be one of them with all the hard work he's been doing recently." Ed didn't bother to say anything, it was true that the General had been working harder since Armstrong resigned as the Fuhrer, probably because he knows that Grumman doesn't have anything against him.

"When do you think the General will be back?" Ed asked Havoc who looked at the office clock.

"Not until lunch I would say, why has something happened?" Havoc knew about what had happened with Ed and his team on the mission they had done and knew that something must be really wrong if Ed wanted to talk to Mustang.

"Nothings happened I just wanted to know if he had heard anything from Riza." Havoc shook his head.

"Not that I know of, though he could have check up on her on his way home from work." Everyone knew that Roy and Riza had known each other for along time and where good friends, so Jean wouldn't put it past Roy to go to Riza's apartment to check up on her. Ed stood up from the couch and headed to the door.

"OK well I had better get back to the office, tell Mustang that I may come to see him later." Ed said before leaving to go back to his office.

In his office Ed thought that since Riza wasn't in again today it would be safe to make the phone call his been meaning to make, he went into his draw and pulled out the small piece of paper that Emily had given him and dialled the number.

"Hello" Answered a feminine voice. "Hello is this Sophie Thomson?" Ed politely asked the woman, outside the office Riza was standing by the door she had been at home for two days trying to get over the shock of finding the number on Ed's desk. She felt ashamed of herself for being so foolish, Ed would never do that to her he loves her too much. Riza was about to knock on the door when she heard Ed talking to someone.

"Hello Miss Thomson this is Edward Elric, I understand that you spoke to Miss Knotts a few days ago regarding the request of you services." Ed said to the person on the phone, Riza was shocked 'the request of her service?' She thought confused, interested in hearing more Riza slightly opened the door so that she could hear better and see the look on Ed's face as he spoke to the girl.

"I was just ringing to confirm that you are able to still meet me and discuss thinks feather in private." Ed said in a kind and polite voice, Riza couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was Ed asking to meet a girl for a private discussion? Why would he need to? Was he hiding something from her? 'He must be hiding something from me, why else would he want he meet her for a private chat?' She thought the emotions from the other day coming back and she had to quickly compose herself as Ed's subordinates where in the room and watching her with suspicion.

"You are great, when will be a good time for you? Saturday two o'clock at the silver moon café. OK I will see you there, thanks Sophie for your help, goodbye." Ed hung up the phone and put the number back into his draw.

'Sophie? That's the name that was on the piece of paper I found the other day on Ed's desk.' Riza thought, she nearly turned to leave the office but stopped herself. 'I'm not a coward, I will go in there and confront Ed about this and get some answers' she composed herself again and knocked on the door before entering the office.

As soon as Ed saw her he jumped up from his seat and ran to give her a hug. "Riza, how are you? Are you feeling better?" Ed asked worry showing in his voice, this made Riza even more confused, if he was cheating on her or keeping something from her why would he be this concerned about her? Is it guilt? Ed gave Riza a hug showing how worried he was about her.

"Riza I was so worried I tried to call you but you wasn't answering your phone and when I came to visit you, you wouldn't answer your door." Ed said wondering why she would do that unless she was seriously ill.

"I'm OK Ed, I was being really sick and I couldn't get to the phone or door. I'm sorry for worrying you." She lied, too ashamed to admit that she wouldn't answer her phone or door because she didn't want to see anyone.

"That's OK it's just that it isn't like you to be off work for this long." Ed said happy to see that she was all right even though she did still look a little pale.

"Are you sure that you are OK to be in work? You still look a little pale." Riza nodded. "Yes Ed I'm fine I just need to have something to eat that's all." Ed smiled he guided her to the couch and cuddled up to her.

"So who where you talking to on the phone?" Riza asked which made Ed panic slightly before relaxing again.

"I was talking to someone who has a interesting alchemy theory and wants my to have a look at it so I can deicide if it could help the millatery." Ed replied thinking on his feet, Riza wasn't fully convinced.

"Then why all the secrets? Why don't you just talk to them openly?" She asked Ed who seemed a bit worried. 'How much of the conversation did she hear?' He thought.

"I haven't told anyone about this because she asked me not to, she's worried that if someone else was to find out then they would try to steal her research." Ed said once again thinking on his feet. Riza seemed to buy this, 'that seems reasonable all alchemist are edgy about their research falling into the wrong hands, my farther was so paranoid that he tattooed his on my back.' She thought, at first she was worried about showing Ed her back but knew that he wouldn't use the research and would love her even if she didn't have the tattoo.

They sat their in silence for a while just enjoying each others company, after half an hour Riza looked at the office clock.

"I should be heading to Roy's office, they don't even know that I'm in and I didn't ring in this morning." Riza said standing up, Ed gave Riza a passionate kiss.

"I've missed that." He said when they parted slightly breathless, Riza left the office to let Roy know that she was in.

When Riza got back to the office she noticed that everyone was sitting around talking and joking instead of doing there work, Riza not being in the mood to be messed around moved so that she was standing behind them and fired her gun which had blanks in them. Everyone stopped talking and turned around to see Riza standing there in a bad mood.

"Oh hello Lieutenant we didn't know you was coming in today." Havoc said rushing to get his work done.

"How are you feeling today Lieutenant?" Fuery asked looking at a broken radio, Riza just glared at him.

"I'm fine, though I don't appreciate coming back to work and finding you all slacking off." Everyone gulped, it had been along time since Riza was in a bad mood.

"We are sorry Lieutenant, we was just waiting for the General to come back from his meeting." Breada said flinching, Riza cocked her gun again causing everyone in the office to start working. She went into Roy's office and checked to see how much of his work he had done in her absence and noticed that the desk was almost clear of papers.

"Well I guess that someone has been doing their work." She said turning and heading to her desk to do the paperwork she needed to catch up on.

In Ed's office Major Wright was talking to Ed about his alchemy research. "I'm trying to find away to mend broken bones with alchemy but I can't think of the right elements to use in the transmutation circle." Susumu said looking through his notes, Ed nodded thinking of what he could use.

"Well bones are made up of calcium, phosphorus, sodium and other minerals, as well as the protein collagen." Ed said thinking out loud.

"How about an array that has calcium as it's main element and then have other elements to help with the healing of the bone as well?" Susumu asked, Ed looked at Susumu's notes.

"I don't really know that much about bio-alchemy but I do know someone who does." Ed said passing Wright is notes back. "His name is Dr Marco and he is an expert in bio-alchemy and would be more than happy to help." Susumu gave Ed a smile and stood up from his chair.

"Thank you Sir for your help." He said saluting, Ed waved it off. "It's know problem I'm happy to help a fellow alchemist, I will ask Marco if he can meet you somewhere where you two can discuss your research." Major Wright bowed and left the office to go and file some reports for the Colonel. Ed sat back in his chair it was lunch time and Riza hadn't been over to see him like she normally did.

'Maybe I have upset her somehow, she did seem like she was in shock the other day when she went home sick, and the piece of paper with Sophie's number on was on the desk when I know that I had left it in one of my folders.' Ed looked out of the window at some of the soldiers shovelling the snow of the path. 'Come to think about it my desk looked really tidy when I got back and she looked like she was surprised like she was doing something she shouldn't of.' The more that Ed thought about it the more it looked like that Riza had found the piece of paper and had come to the conclusion that he is cheating. 'Riza wouldn't think that of me would she?' Just as Ed was thinking someone knocked on the door, he asked them to come in and saw Roy walk into the office.

"Hello Colonel Elric." He said walking in and sitting down on the couch, Ed looked at Roy in surprise.

"What are you doing here?" He asked him picking up a form that was on his desk.

"What? Can't I come and see how you are doing?" Roy said looking a little hurt, Ed gave Roy a suspicious look. "You can but you don't usually." Roy pouted at Ed making him grin.

"I'm actually here because Havoc said that you was looking for me this morning." Roy said, Ed sighed.

"I was looking for you because I wanted to know if you had heard from Riza, but she came in to see me this morning so I don't need to ask you now." Ed said signing his name on the bottom of the form. "How is Riza? She looked a little pale this morning when a saw her." Ed asked concerned, Roy smiled at him.

"Other than being in a bad mood because she walked into the office to find Havoc and the others playing around whether than working she seems OK, though I did just have to tell her to go and get some lunch because she working non-stop trying to catch up on her work." Ed nodded that did sound like Riza, she never did like to fall behind on her work.

Ed looked at Roy from his paperwork. "Roy I have a favour to ask you."

"What would that be?" Roy asked, Ed shuffled in his seat.

"Well you see I think that I may have somehow upset Riza without realising it and I was wondering if you could tell me what types of flowers I should get her to tell her that I'm sorry and still love her." Roy frowned, he knew that something was bothering Riza when she came to the office asking if she could go home early because she was feeling unwell. Riza never took a day off even if she had a really bad cold.

"What did you do?" He asked glaring at Ed who bowed his head. "I don't know I just came into the office the other day and she was sat in here like she normally is waiting for me, I noticed that she looked a little pale and asked if she was all right but wouldn't say much other than she was going to ask you if she could go home and left." Ed said he wasn't going to say to much because he wanted to keep what he had planned a secret from everyone so not to spoil it for Riza.

"All right, well roses are usually good, I would probably go for red and pink roses since red mean love and pink means please believe me, alstroemeria's mean devotion so they would be good to put in a bouquet but that is up to you." Roy said Ed looked at him in astonishment.

"How do you know all of this?" He asked, Roy taped his nose. "That is for me to know and you to never find out." He replied standing up and walking to the desk, he picked up Ed's pen and wrote down the number of a good florist that he knows. Roy went to leave the office but stopped as he got to the door. "Oh and Ed?" Ed looked up at him. "Make sure that you don't hurt her again, she's been through enough already, I would hate to see her heart broken." Ed nodded promising that he wouldn't hurt her before Roy left to get back to his office, Ed picked up the phone and dialled the number that Roy had just given him to order his flowers.

The next day Riza was sat at her desk working when someone came into the room holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. "Is there anyone in here called Riza Hawkeye?" The woman asked looking around the room, Riza looked up from her work.

"Yes that would be me." She said standing up and walking up to the woman who handed the flowers to her. Riza looked surprised, she never expected to ever get sent flowers at work. She signed the form that the woman asked her to sign and put the flowers on her desk. "It's a shame really that I don't own a vase." Riza said sitting down again and looking at the beautiful flowers.

"I could go and find you one if you would like?" Havoc said walking up to her also looking at bouquet, Riza smiled at him. "Thank you Jean that would be nice." She said, Havoc saluted and left to find Riza a vase for her flowers. As Riza looked at the flowers she noticed that there was a note in the centre of them.

'Dear Riza,

I know that I haven't been completely open with you the last couple of weeks and I am sorry for that, I didn't mean to cause you any pain and promise that I love you with all my heart. I hope that you can forgive me for being a fool for hurt you.

Love Ed.'

Riza was almost in tears, she never realised until now how foolish she had been for doubting him, she picked up the flowers and went to see Ed to thank him for the beautiful flowers.

In the corridor near the entrance to the playing grounds stood Ed as if he was waiting for someone. She slowed her pace and watched as Lieutenant Knotts went up to him, they looked like they were talking about something private, she stopped and watched them not wanting to interrupt when she noticed Ed handed her a brown envelope, Emily looked inside of the envelope as if to check the contents of it before putting it in her pocket. Ed then thanked her and walked of back towards his office. Riza was fuming first Ed sends her flowers apologizing to her and then she sees him giving his female subordinate a brown envelope that looked to have money in it, 'What is he up to?' She thought as Emily walked towards her seemingly not seeing her.

"Lieutenant Knotts." She said in a stern voice that made Emily jump to attention.

"What where you and the Colonel doing just now?" She asked with anger and jealously in her voice, Emily was shaking with fear.

"The Colonel was just lending me some money so that I could help my brother, you see he needs to have surgery on his leg and he needs to be moved to a different hospital." Emily said hoping that Riza would believe her, it wasn't like she was lying because her brother did need to have surgery on his leg but he didn't need to be transferred to a different hospital, Riza gave Emily a sceptical look.

"So why is he doing it in secret? I know about Sophie so please don't lie to me."

Emily bowed her head. "I promise Major Hawkeye that I am not lying and neither is the Colonel." Riza glared at the Lieutenant making her squirm.

"Well you had better hope that he tells me the same thing." She said walking off he confront Ed about her suspicions, in the office Ed was on the phone with Al.

"So Al are you still coming for the Christmas party?" He asked leaning back in his leather chair.

"But Brother I thought that only millatery personal could go to the party unless they are on a date with them?" Al said not wanting to get Ed into trouble.

"Don't worry about it Al I asked Fuhrer Grumman and he said that he doesn't mind since everyone knows you anyway." Ed replied, when Riza knocked and opened the door Ed signalled her to come in and sit down.

"Yes Al Riza is OK, she's hear right now." Ed said smiling at her. "How are you and Winry doing? She did? That's great. Yes I know that I need to have my annal check but I can't get any leave at the moment. You will? Thanks Al, well I have to go now OK I will speak to you soon, yeah OK bye." Ed hung up the phone and went to sit next to Riza.

"I didn't expected to see you just yet it's not even lunch time." Ed said giving her a kiss.

"I wanted to thank you for the lovely flowers you sent me." She said holding up said flowers.

"Well I noticed that you seemed a bit upset with me so I thought that I would get you some flowers, though I did have to ask Mustang's advice about what type of flowers to get. He seems to be an expert or something, must be all the girls he's been out with over the years." Ed said giggling, he imagined Roy standing with a florist and talking to her about flowers and other feminine things, Riza didn't look to amused.

"You know woman love a man with a soft sensitive side." Ed was still giggling.

"Yeah I know but it's still fun imagining him doing that kind of thing, especially with the way he acts at work." Ed stopped giggling seeing that Riza wasn't to happy with him.

'She's in a bad mood again, but why? What have I done this time?' He thought to himself.

"Riza is everything all right?" He asked her with concern, he didn't like seeing Riza like this.

"I just saw you and Lieutenant Knotts near the playing ground doors. You gave her something in a brown envelope." Riza said giving Ed a questioning look.

"I was lending her some money so that she can transferrer her brother to a different hospital so that he can have his operation." Ed replied, Riza started to feel guilty.

"But then why all the secrecy?" Riza asked confused. "Because she doesn't want anyone else to know, she's afraid that if people knew then she would be treated differently and she doesn't want to be pitted." Riza nodded in understanding, she was the same, she didn't like to be pitted about anything that has happened to her.

"OK Ed I'm sorry for questioning you, I don't know what's been wrong with me the last couple of days." Ed gave her a reassuring hug.

"It's OK I would probably act in the same way, I know that I have been secretive and I know that I have been making you feel a little insecure. That's why I sent you the flowers to ask if you would forgive me." Riza gave Ed a passionate kiss. "Yes Ed of course I will forgive you." Ed's smile grow, he was happy that Riza was happy.

"Oh I almost forgot, Winry and Al are coming to the Christmas party next week and Winry was wondering if you could take her shopping on Saturday for dresses whilst Al and I go to see Sophie about her alchemy?"

"Yes I would be happy to, but why is Al going with you to go see Sophie? I thought that she didn't want anyone else to know."

"She doesn't but when I told her about Al she was more than happy to allow him to come as well, and it means that you do n't have to worry about me being alone with her."

"I see it could be because you two were both famous back when you used to travel." Riza said, she held up the flowers and smelled them.

"So do you like them?" Ed asked looking at them. "Yes I do Ed they are lovely. What is this flower called?" She asked pointing to one of the white and pink flowers.

"Those are called alstroemeria's according to Mustang they mean devotion." Riza gave Ed another kiss this time more loving and soft. They where sat there cuddling when Havoc came into the office.

"Ah there you are Lieutenant, the General was wondering where you had gone." He said seeing the two, Riza stood up and walked to the door.

"Don't wait up for me later I will probably be staying a little later tonight so that I can catch up on my work." Riza said as she left the office, Ed went and sat back at his desk and finished of his work before heading home at the end of the day.

"Good work everyone I will see you all tomorrow, I will give Dr Marco a ring when I get home for you Major, and can let me know when you have got what I asked for Lieutenant." Wright and Knotts nodded as Ed left the office leaving Major Wright to lock up.

In Roy's office Riza sat at one of the small tables in his office and went through the work she needed to get done, Roy smiled a Riza's devotion to her work. "You know Riza you can finish them off tomorrow, no-one is going to blame you for being off when you where sick." He said putting his last form on the complete pile, Riza shrugged.

"I know but I want to get it done." She replied sorting through her small pile of work, Roy shook his head. "Riza what's wrong? You aren't usually like this, I know that you like to keep you with your work but you aren't that behind." He said concerned, he knows that Ed had upset her but he didn't know what he had done. Riza put her pen down and sighed, she knew that Roy would keep asking her until she told him.

"I found a piece of paper with a girls name and number on it on Ed's desk, when I asked him about it he said that she is an alchemist who wants his opion on her alchemy to see if it could be used for the millatery." She said looking at Roy with sad and confused eyes. "When I reseved his flowers I went to go to thank him for them and found him standing near the playing ground doors talking to his female subordinate Lieutenant Knotts and giving her an envelope with money in it. When I asked them both about it they said that she needed the money so that her brother could be transferred to a different hospital but I'm not fully convinced, I think that they are both up to something." She continued, Roy frowned deep in thought.

"It does sound suspious but I don't think that Ed would do anything like that, he isn't the type." Riza looked Roy in the eyes. "How can you be so sure?" She asked surprised that Roy was defending Ed. "Because I know those types of guys, not forget at I am a womaniser, I know had to spot it when people are cheating on their boyfriends or in this case girlfriend and Ed isn't. I mean do you think that I would allow Ed to do that to you?" He asked Riza who shook her head, she knew that if Ed it do anything likr that that Roy would be the first to teach him a lesson.

"Don't worry about it, I sure that he is telling the truth, ad if he isn't then maybe he might be planning a surprise for you."

"Your right Roy thanks." Roy and Riza finished what they where doing and headed home for the night. Riza got home and took Hayate out for his walk looking forward to seeing Winry and going shopping with her.

Thanks hope you enjoyed. Has anyone figured out what's going on or are you as confused as Riza? If you are then don't worry all will be revealed soon. Please review and let me know what you think.