This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reads this story because reviews motivate me to write this chapter during school. Thank you for your nice reviews.
Disclaimer: As usual. But I would rent Charlotte and her dad. Anyone interested?
And yes: It's still just something I came up with after thinking about Hawkeye's family on her mother's side.


"Dad is coming home," Lynn said and lifted her head. The last three hours they had been talking about nearly everything but now, Lynn's attention drifted away.

Charles sighed and a slight frown appeared on his forehead. "He is late."

"That means that there were troubles…"

"I think so too."

Roy stared at them. "You are very close, aren't you?"

Lynn shrugged. "He is my brother-in-law and Kay and I were always close," she stated but Roy knew that there was something more. Something she wouldn't stay as long as she didn't know him like she knew the other members of their circle.

"Alright," he said.

A red-haired man, a male version of Kay came in. He carried Riza like a doll and sighed.

"You drugged her," Lynn said as soon as she looked at them and added an unspoken again.

"Did I really become this obvious?" he asked and looked down at the floor.

"I know you since I was born," the silver-haired woman said. "Was there a special reason?"

"She didn't sleep properly since Jewel came to East City."

"Alright," Charles sighed and got up. "Kay won't know anything."

"Thank you, Charles. I owe you another favour, I guess. I will think of it before your birthday."

"Which stuff did you give her that she didn't taste it?" Roy asked.

"The same pills Kay always uses," the man said. "Charles, Lynn – could you carry her upstairs?"

"Of course," Lynn said and looked at Charles. "C'mon."

They took Riza's limp form and carried her away.

Roy cleared his throat. "Drugging a comrade isn't good," he stated.

"It was for her own good," the stranger said as he extended his hand. "Peter Victor Hamilton, I am Riza's uncle."

"Roy Mustang, I am her superior."

"She mentioned you lately."

"I hope she also mentioned some of the good stories."

"I like your sense of humour," Peter stated.

"Thank you, Sir."

"No need to be that formal. Whiskey?"

"No, I had already some glasses of wine."

"Lynn and Charles almost never share their wine," Peter stated. "They seem to like you…"

"They are very nice."

Peter nodded. "Well, I missed the East. It's nice down here. I should come to visit Riza more frequently – or transfer her under my command."

"I wouldn't like that…" Roy muttered.


In a bar, somewhere in East City, a small group of soldiers were sitting in a corner and talking.

The other guests avoided them carefully because the huge man with the arm made of automail looked very dangerous. The girl who sat at his side was toying with the automail and didn't seem bothered by it at all. She wasn't talking but she was smiling at him all the time.

"Alright," the older of the two black haired, both glasses wearing men said. "We came together to plan our newest trial to bring them together. Any new suggestions?"

"I still like Hakon's idea, Maes," the red-haired woman said. "To build a cage with alchemy and to change the arrangement of atoms to make it impossible for Flame to escape … that is a great idea, no one can deny this! They would have to sit down and to talk it out."

"Thank you, Kay," the man with the automail said. "But it would be difficult."

"And it would be nothing we never tried before," Maes sighed. "We already used this trick on Phil and Melissa. Roy surely heard of it and he will be very, very careful."

"Drug them both and tie them together into a dark room?" the silent woman suggested.

"We used it already," Kay sighed. "It was how we brought Martin and Lynn together … you still remember the great times back in our youth?"

"I always knew that it was you!" the second man with glasses exclaimed. "You really drugged us?"

"Of course," Maes said. "Did you really think that Kay or I would have watched you dancing around each other until I-don't-know-when, Martin? Really, you should have a little more trust in our awesome matchmaker-skills!"

"You are doing it again," the calm woman said.

"What I am doing again, Serena?" Maes asked.

"You are laughing like the villain in one of these stupid horror-movies," she said and glared at him before she continued: "It freaks me out."

The man with the automail raised his metal limb. "Freak my girlfriend out and I kill you!" he said.

She smiled gently at him. "He won't do it again," she said calmly. "No need to get this angry, Hakon, everything is fine."

"Really, Buccaneer, you always listen to her," Maes grinned. "Why?"

"She outranks me," the huge man said. "And she would kill me if I wouldn't."


Charlotte Llewellyn enjoyed the warm sunlight while she was in the gym to do her morning-work-out. While she stretched her long legs, she thought about their plan. The main problem was to make Riza confess her feelings – but the old lady was pretty sure that her old friend Peter would help them. He knew Riza well, better than most people and he could 'friendly suggest' that she should go on and confess. If this wouldn't work,Charlottewould abuse her powers once more and order them to confess. It wouldn't be the first time …

The door slammed open and Olivier rushed in. She wore sport clothes and had left her sword in the office – or somewhere else, most likely in someone's chest or Miles' capable hands.

"Liv," Charlotte said as she gracefully got up from the floor. She was taller than the Ice Queen who had been her subordinate once and much calmer.

"Jewel." Olivier saluted. "Long time no see."

"It has been too long that you visited me," Charlotte agreed.

"And now you use your skills to help Mustang? What's about me? Wasn't I your most trusted and most loyal subordinate so many years ago?" Olivier complained.

Charlotte frowned. "You need my help to get a man, Liv? That's new. Who is the one you want?"

"You already know him."

"Buccaneer?"

"Mermaid would kill me for even thinking about it," Olivier said. "Try again."

The old lady sighed. "Why is everyone falling for a subordinate nowadays?" she asked. "Have you any idea of how much trouble it is for us to find a way around the damn law?"

"I am sorry for troubling you again, Jewel," Olivier said.

"It's not only you! Golden fell for Mayer – alright, that was when they were thirteen but we had still trouble with allowing this relationship. Silver fell also for someone she knew all along … if Miss Tempest falls for Ben, I will resign from the military to become a professional matchmaker since this is everything I do during my workday anyhow!" Charlotte complained. "Have you any idea of how difficult it is to find a possibility to exempt someone from the frat law?"

"But General Hamilton is the one who holds the power about this law!" Olivier muttered.

"I know … but Peter has more to do than to find ways around this law," Charlotte sighed. "But I have to say that he is really good in finding this ways. Well … I can help you but just because I like you … and because you worked well when you was still my subordinate. How's Briggs anyway?"

"Boring as hell," Olivier sighed. "I mean, Western HQ can't be more boring than Briggs. I mean, you can't even trust Drachma to attack twice per week. Most of the time I walk around and have nothing to do because my staff works hard enough and I cannot tell them to slow down."

"I told you that you would regret leaving the West," Charlotte said. "I am also bored but I can visit the opera at least. You can just read … or paint."

"But since you help me, I will have someone to talk to soon," Olivier said as she dragged the old woman out the room. "Okay, tell me what I have to do. You know that I trust you more than I trust my own mother, Llewellyn so … don't disappoint me."

Charlotteput her hair back up and smiled at her former pupil. "First of all, start to act your age, Olivier," she ordered. "You are no grumpy child anymore, Liv. Act like a lady. My, my, you had a good education but you always behave like a soldier. First lesson: Even men who are soldiers do not like women who behave like soldiers. They want nice girls."

The female major general nodded. "Alright," she said before she froze. "Does that mean that I need a dress or something like that? I didn't wear a dress since … uff … my grandfather's funeral! I don't have a dress and … and I have no idea which kind of dress would work with my body!"

"That's why I will help you, Liv," Charlotte said smiling. "Let me change and we will go into town together. God, I think you are growing up on my. But don't worry, I always were able to make the things work like I want them to be. Alright, Olivier, say goodbye to your ugly all clothes. As soon as I am finished, you will be happy in both worlds."

Olivier smiled at the old woman who was maybe the greatest person she had ever known. The old lady had the same background as Olivier. Charlotte had been born into a wealthy family and she had been prepared to be a lady from her early childhood because her mother had wanted her to marry young and to become a perfect wife. Charlotte's father had seen more in his only child. He had seen her strength and her stubborn pride. And he had been wise enough to show her things her mother didn't agree on. Charlotte had been smart and polite, strong and pretty. She could look great in a dress and she could dance, but she was also a capable commander and no one had ever dared to doubt her orders. She was born into two worlds and she could live with it like no other woman. She knew that Olivier wasn't raised the same way she had been brought up. Olivier had lived the life without worries too long even if she hadn't felt comfortable. Olivier had been a warrior in a princess' life.

"My grandfather always said that I should have been your daughter," Olivier said. "It would have been better for me, he used to say."

Charlotte laughed darkly. "Believe me, I am the worst mother in the whole world," she said while she thought of the last time she had seen her daughter. Leroy hadn't yelled at Elizabeth. It had been Charlotte who had lost the nerves and who had said things she never wanted to say.


Roy was walking around in HQ as he suddenly froze. There were two soldiers walking, side by side, never looking at each other … but they seemed to be bond to each other deep down in their souls. The woman was smaller than the man and her dark brown hair fell down to her slim waist. It was shiny and some blue and green highlights shimmered in the sunlight. Her uniform was stainless and like new. Her partner was tall and his hair was golden, in the same way Riza's or Charlotte's hair was golden. It shone and embodied perfection. Roy didn't know why, but he was bothered. They seemed happy as they walked down the hallway and they carried themselves with a hint of pride and superiority. They knew that they were perfect.

The poor colonel was still staring at them as another soldier came from another hallway and hit him on the shoulder. Roy turned around and his glare became a smile. "Phil," he said amused.

"Long time no see, big cousin," the other soldier said. "We missed you on New Year's Eve, Roy. Mother was thinking about visiting you but I told her that you had paperwork to do."

"Thanks for covering for me," Roy sighed. "Well, how's your mother, Phil?"

"Not so happy … she fell ill last winter and neither Jade nor I could visit her," the slightly taller man sighed. He had muscles and seemed very healthy. His face betrayed his relation to Roy and his messy hair had a single red highlight across his forehead.

"I will write her a letter," Roy sighed. "And now … how is my dearest female cousin?"

"Chelsea is in Lutetia and the last thing I heard was that she is very busy with flirting…"

"I didn't mean Chelsea." Roy shuddered. "I can't stand her. I meant your very own sister."

"Jade? Well … she grew up on me. She works in the military, like you and me, and she found a nice guy. I wouldn't be surprised if she would be married soon," Phil grinned. "I guess you wouldn't recognise her. She has long hair now and she doesn't wear baggy clothes any longer. If she wouldn't be my big sister, I would probably say that she became totally hot over the years."

"Jade … my little Jade has a boyfriend?" Roy looked taken aback. "Last time I checked she still thought that boys are stupid! How could she grow up that fast? Isn't she like fifteen or so?"

"She is twenty-four, Roy. We are just two years younger than you," Phil smiled. "And they are really happy … but did I tell you that I have also a girlfriend?"

"No…"

"Well, her name is Melissa," he started, "and she is really wonderful! She is an artist and I met her when I was buying a birthday present for my mother! She is beautiful and I plan on marrying her! –Roy? Are you okay? You look really pale and … I don't now … bloodthirsty?"


Riza was working on a report as Roy appeared in front of her. "Lieutenant, how old am I?"

She stared at him. "Sir?"

"I forgot my age…"

"You are twenty-six, sir," she said. "Is there a reason why you forgot your age?"

He shook his head. "That would mean that Jade is really twenty-four…" he muttered. "It's not fair! How can she do that to me?"

Riza sighed. "Sir, I hate to break you the news but the world isn't fair," she said.

"Both of my favourite family members are in love…" he said darkly. "And my cousin wants to marry her … he has to be insane! And she isn't better. They are military. They can be killed."

She glared at him. "There is no reason for you to judge this way!" she hissed. "All of my cousins are in the military and they are also married or at least in a relationship. They are happy. They know the risks … but – frankly – sometime you have to risk something if you want to achieve a goal. You should keep that in mind, sir."

He looked at her. "Is there something bothering you, Hawkeye?" he asked.

She stared at him. "It is my job to tell you off whenever you insult officers with a higher rank than me," she said. "And your cousins are lieutenant colonels, sir. And my own family consist of two majors, one major general, two lieutenant generals and one general. I am sorry."


I thank everyone who reviewed and all the people who put this story as a favourite. You are wonderful people and I hope that you still like the story.
I am really grateful for this great feedback.

AvaEobane