OwlCookies: If you are disturbed and/or get all queasy when it comes to this chapters topic, I'm sorry… And I'm very sorry if it's really cheesy… I'm sorry…
This chapter was rewritten so many times because I couldn't decide what to put here… I originally made a chapter plan, but I guess I'm not following it anymore. I tried to make it 10 chapters but it seems to be getting hard… I'll try though.
Oh! And also, America is mentioned in this chapter. Brownies to whoever can find it!
And again… This is funny…? O_o …Really…?
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"Ho, ho, ho!" Grumman laughed, patting his belly joyfully. Hawkeye stood next to him. Why she was still standing there, she had no idea. All she knew was that she had too. Grumman was on the phone, laughing like the world's funniest joke has just been told to him. "Yes, yes. Alright. I'll be right there. But are you certain that's the right idea? Where did this come up all of a sudden?" His loud and booming laughed turned quieter as he conversed. "Oh really? Ahh, they do make such an inspiration don't they? Yes. Alright. On my way. Goodbye." Grumman hung up, turned to Hawkeye and grinned childishly.
Hawkeye sighed in irritation. "Please don't tell me what I'm thinking."
Grumman chuckled. "Why such a grim tone, captain? This should be great news for you! Go on now, this isn't a joke this time. Corporal Jones even admitted to me how you and Mustang had your lovey dovey moment against my orders."
Hawkeye tried to keep her annoyed expression but no amount of self control could have stopped the blush that had spread across her face.
"Ah see?" Grumman began laughing again. "Go on now, tell him the news. He'll be thrilled I tell you. Thrilled!"
"Please don't place all your bets on that," Hawkeye groaned.
Grumman patted her back. "Come one Hawkeye. Do your old man a favor! It'll make this man really happy."
"Fuhrer sir, that's highly inappropriate." Hawkeye looked down to hide how much she was actually blushing.
"Right. Like I care. Now you two go along and get married. If you don't I'm going to force it on you."
Hawkeye groaned and walked away leaving Grumman to laugh loudly once more.
"Mama." Sophie tugged on Hawkeye's sleeve. "What's he talking about?"
Hawkeye shook her head wearily. "Don't worry it about it. It's adult business." She smiled slightly as Sophie huffed at that.
They walked out of Central Command. It had become a familiar routine for the two to do. It had long passed the time when soldier starred at them strangely for they were never accustomed to Hawkeye with a child. Now they would wave a friendly wave, happy to see them healthy and well. The soldiers were especially happy to see Sophie, a fresh face that would brighten up their day and to fill in the lonely gap that they were missing their family at that time.
Because of orders from a superior, no matter how stupid it was, Hawkeye was one of those people who would follow those stupid orders. So if Grumman had told her to tell Mustang about the broken fraternization laws, she would do so. Even if it was completely stupid.
"So I heard the news."
Hawkeye stopped walking, still looking straight ahead of her she said, "What are you talking about?" It sounded more like a statement than an actual question.
A woman stood in front of her with messy brown hair clipped to the side of her head. She crossed her arms, looking angry.
"Shouldn't you know by now?"
"I don't know what you are talking about." Hawkeye tried to keep her cool.
The woman tapped her foot against the ground impatiently.
"Alright then," Hawkeye said. "How old are you?"
Sophie tugged on Hawkeye's sleeve, looking afraid and worried. "Mama…" She seemed to have sensed the anger radiating from the stranger. "Mama…" she repeated.
The woman stopped tapping her foot and clenched her fists angrily.
"I see," Hawkeye said, putting her arm in front of Sophie to protect the girl. "So she's yours all along. What is your last name… Ella?"
Ella trembled in anger. "WHO ARE YOU TO ASK ME THESE PETY QUESTIONS!" she shouted, pouring out anger. She began to advance toward the soldier only to have Hawkeye back up as well.
"Do you plan to hurt her?" She had to relax. If she showed any sign of fear, Sophie would be afraid as well.
"Mama…" Sophie whimpered, tugging on Hawkeye's sleeve once more.
Hawkeye shook her head. "Not now Sophie."
"Why do you think I would hurt her! I love her! She's mine! Not yours! Not theirs! Mine!" Ella shouted. Tears streamed down her face as she reached out and roughly grabbed Hawkeye's shirt collar. "Why? Why do you get someone to love and have a child to keep? Why can't I?" Ella slumped down onto her knees, trembling. "You and that other soldier man can love each other freely because everyone else supported your relationship! Then, then you got a child even without that love! It's not fair!"
Hawkeye relaxed realizing how tense she was. She crouched down and placed a hand on top of the younger woman's head.
"I can never say that I understand, because I don't. But I can tell you, that even though you make think I got off this better than you did, I didn't. To even get this far, for this to happen, I had to go through war and kill so many children like her. To me, maybe to have her, whatever god there is, is trying to make me remember those painful memories by giving me her. So don't go around telling me that it's not fair because life itself isn't even two fucks near fair." Hawkeye stood up and took Sophie by the hand. "Let's go, Sophie."
Sophie grinned. "OK mama! Are we going ta see papa?"
Hawkeye nodded. "Mama has to tell papa something really important."
Sophie grinned wider.
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"So… You're not joking right? No joke? This is serious?" Mustang was twitching anxiously.
"Sir… I don't joke around," Hawkeye plainly stated. "Why would I joke about this?"
Mustang smirked. "So if I were to kiss you in the office…"
Hawkeye rolled her eyes. "No. I'm not going to let you."
Sophie kicked her feet against her chair impatiently. She didn't like the fact that she didn't understand what they were talking about. What they were saying went through one ear, attempted to process in her brain, but then it sadly flew out the other ear. Occasionally, she understood a few things like, kissing mama in the office but, why wouldn't she let him? And about not joking about some law thing, what did that mean? Her legs kicked against the chair harder in frustration.
"Sophie, is something wrong?" Hawkeye asked.
"Huh!" Sophie blinked and shook her head. Then she smiled. "I'm ok."
Hawkeye held out and hand to the girl. "Come here," she said lightly.
Sophie smiled widely and crawled onto her lap as Hawkeye embraced her.
"OK fine… let's say that question was hypothetical…" Mustang mumbled.
"I still wouldn't let you," Hawkeye teased and a humorous smile.
Mustang pouted. "So you say."
Bored and still not able to understand what the heck they were talking about, Sophie stuck a thumb into her mouth. "Mama?" she asked. "Who was that person we saw? Why was she crying?"
Mustang raised an eyebrow as Hawkeye bit her lip.
"Her name is Ella. She's crying because she lost her baby…" Hawkeye murmured quietly.
Concern flooded Mustang's eyes. "You ran into her?"
Hawkeye nodded.
"What happened to her baby?" Sophie asked curiously, her eyes blank and not really caring. She just wanted the attention.
Hawkeye looked down awkwardly at Sophie. "She's with someone else's family now." Obviously, telling Sophie the truth wouldn't be that good of an idea, would it?
"Hmm…" Sophie chewed on her thumb slightly.
Mustang shot Hawkeye a glance. Is it really coming to that time now?
Hawkeye shrugged in defeat. It was time.
"I'll confront them about it later," Mustang confirmed. "They already know that we're onto them so it shouldn't be too hard. Maybe this will put the case to rest."
"…Take a nap?" Sophie asked giggling.
Mustang smirked and patted her head. "Yeah, I guess you could say that."
Hawkeye stood up with Sophie, still giggling, in her arms. "I should probably go now then. Unlike you, I'd rather get my work done on time."
Mustang sprang up at she began to walk away. He put an arm around her neck. "I'll come join you. The more the merrier right?" He smirked.
Hawkeye sighed. "I suppose so, sir."
They walked out of Hawkeye's apartment. Mustang, no caring who actually saw (even former girlfriends), walked around with his arm around her neck and little Sophie bouncing around next to them. If someone looked at him strangely, he would smirk mischievously causing them to walk away feeling an awkward silence.
"You're making a scene, sir," Hawkeye commented.
"Like I care."
Hawkeye rolled her eyes and continued walking back to Central Head Quarters. As much as this annoyed her, she kind of felt a sense of happiness that he was with her and that they no longer had to hide any affection toward each other whatsoever. No, not kind of… She was overjoyed at the thought. But of course, she would never show that.
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OwlCookies: I had to add that moment with Ella. You know, for the end :3
