Author's Note: How many times do I have to say this? Fullmetal Alchemist and its characters are NOT mine. Even if you did sue me, all you'd get is some lint and a penny. However, Alliana Gray and Benjamin Halsey are owned by Miss Alliana Gray.

Roy Mustang, formerly known as the Flame Alchemist, sat at his desk. His small home creaked and groaned while the snow storm around him raged on. His wife, Riza Hawkeye, still one of the best snipers he has ever known, sets a mug of hot chocolate at his desk. The former Colonel growled slightly, pulling at his eye patch.

"Damn thing itches," he mumbled. Riza rapped him on top of his head.

"Don't touch it, Roy." Roy rubbed his head, mumbling incoherently. He went through his papers while Riza sat at an armchair curled up, sipping at her own hot chocolate. They suddenly heard the ring of the telephone, and Roy pushed his papers away.

"Where is that damn phone???" he asked to himself agitated. Riza came over and lifted up a logistics report and lo and behold, there was the phone! Roy picked it up, answering with a wearisome voice,

"Mustang."

"We. I. MUSTANG!-" Roy pulled the phone away from his ear and held it at an arm's length as Major Gray continued yelling. He rubbed his ear and asked, still holding the phone away,

"What? Undercover mission? You? Ben? Married?! No! Really? Yes I know Major but-tomorrow? Damn. I don't know, you're just going to have to do it. Yes, I've no doubt he'll be calling soon. All right. Good-bye Major." Roy put the phone back down on the receiver and he stared incredulously at it.

"Roy? What was that about?" Riza asked confused. Roy scratched his head and said,

"If I understood the Major correctly…Ben and she are going on an undercover mission to Linor to overthrow the insurgents. They're supposed to live together, and they're aliases are married. The Major isn't all too pleased as you can tell. And they leave tomorrow." Riza's mouth was agape. Roy leaned back in his chair and mused at the ceiling.

"Poor Major. Or is it poor Ben?"

Second Lieutenant Halsey tamped the last of his clothes inside a suitcase with a broomstick. He sat on it while he zipped it up and growled angrily. I am so fucking pissed, he thought. He had packed the last of his things and was just about to call his parents. He picked up the phone and slowly rotated the dials to call his parents.

Ring...Ring...Ri-

"Hello?" said a concerned male voice. Ben didn't even notice his father hadn't replied with a cool 'Mustang' as he always did.

"Hey Dad..." he said weakly. He cleared his throat than began to speak,

"Look, I know this is a shock but...I'm going on an undercover mission to Linor...it's supposed to be a way of redeeming myself or some crap like that. I have to infiltrate the insurgent government and find some way to reinstill military protocol. But the thing is..." Ben sighed as he pushed his blonde locks out of his face.

"Major Bi-, I mean, Major Gray is supposed to escort me. We're supposed to live together and we're supposedly Mr. and Mrs. Matal." Ben stuck out his tongue in disgust at the names the Parliament had chosen for them.

"This could be a year long mission...I just had to call you, 'cause I'm just pissed off and confused as hell." Ben heard some scuffling and suddenly his mother came onto the phone.

"Ben? Okay, look, yes it's a very big mission. You need to redeem yourself though. Try to get along with Alliana. She's not that bad of a person. You guys need to ACT like a couple too, or otherwise your entire cover will be blown. Try to keep a clear head all right honey? We're going to miss you while you're gone. Best of luck to you okay?" Riza said anxiously.

Roy managed to wrestle the phone away from his wife and he spoke quickly,

"Do everything your mother says all right? This will be a smooth mission if you don't end up decking the Major okay?" He heard his son murmur a yes.

"Anything else you wanted to talk about?"

Halsey sighed and rubbed his temples.

"No, Dad. I feel somewhat better now. Love you. Tell Mom I said 'I love you' too. All right. Bye." Halsey settled the phone back onto the receiver and sighed again.

"This is going to be one hell of a year."

Alliana had finished packing all her civilian possessions. She hid her State Alchemist's watch in a secret compartment of the suitcase. She hoped she wouldn't be caught with it. She took off her military uniform and folded it neatly, setting it on top of her dresser. She looked around her luxurious room and sighed. She was going to miss her home terribly. dressed in only her lingerie, she crawled into her large bed. BUrying herself under the blood red silk blankets she stared at the ceiling. She had no one to call before she left. No one who would be worried or care for her safety. Well, except the Mustangs that is, she mused. She set her biological alarm clock to 4 in the morning. She planned on bringing her bed sheets with her at least. She would fall into a troubled sleep, wondering what her life as Eva Matal would be like.

Author: Another chapter, has came and went. -sigh-

Riza: -watches as the author zones out into a deep depression, and she pulls out her gun- review for Alliana-chan, or I'll shoot you.