Yes, I am alive and I am very sorry I'm taking so long. I work you see (build up some money to go back to Uni with). I also have Uni work that needs doing but after next Monday they will both be done and I will be free for a couple of weeks to write to my hearts content. I have a lot coming up in this tale so prepare yourself. In this chapter we are back to the past with Riza and Roy. FMA isn't mine.


Past

Riza slumped back down onto the bathroom floor and held on to her stomach. She knew resorting to the military canteen would come back to haunt her. Twice now she had been there and twice she had been ill with nothing but a sympathetic dog by her side. She was very rarely ill but it was her own fault for having that chicken yet again.

'Perhaps it's nerves too Hayate,' she murmured to her beloved pet and he responded with a quick bark. Today was the day she was informing Mustang she was leaving. She had already delayed it by a couple of weeks and soon she wouldn't do it at all. She had been organising what she would do with her life and nothing seemed to come up to scratch. At first she thought she would just get a transfer, but then she was reminded she could simply not stay part of the military. She had broken one of the biggest rules as well as giving in to her desires. She has avoided seeing Mustang at all costs for she was far too embarrassed to. He had been in an unstable state and he had only slept with her to seek comfort. She after fighting it for so long had given in to his charms in so quick a night. A smile threatened to creep across her lips and she fought to keep it at bay. No matter how angry she was with herself, no matter how disgusted, she couldn't help remembering just how good it was.


He had been staring at the same sheet of paper now for what could have been hours. The note from Gracier blurred into one mass of black ink. She had written to warn him that Hawkeye was quitting the military to do more with her life. He had been debating whether what they had done was part of this change or this change was because of it. He had never been any good at assessing whether an action was good or not so he always had Riza at hand to help him out. She at least seemed she wanted to do what they had done so he had gone with it. Now it seemed he had made one of the biggest mistakes of his life and this time she really was leaving him. All the things they had been through and she would leave him for something as silly as sleeping with each other. Although, it had been one of his more romantic encounters, perhaps he hadn't gone about things as he should.

There was a knock at the door and his heart began to pound again. His mind had wandered from what he had been preparing himself for and now he was about to face his fear. He took a gulp and scrunched up the note from Gracier; no sense in getting her into trouble when she was just being a good friend.

'Come in,' he called.

She entered rather more slowly then she usually would. She was facing the floor and her shoulders slumped pitifully. He regained his composure and acted as if he knew nothing.

'What is it first lieutenant?'

'I am handing in my resignation sir. I am leaving the military.'

It had been brunt and to the point and certainly not what she planned to say but it was out. She still stared at the floor unable to look directly at him. Partly it was out of shame but also because she did not want to see how he was reacting. He might not care at all, he might be happy but he also might be upset, whichever it was she would only end up crying herself. She threw down the papers in her hand and fled the room before anything else could be said. She fled all the way back to her room not caring whom she passed and what they said. She hadn't been prepared for what she had done and her heart ached all the more for it. Although she hadn't looked at Mustang once she felt his eyes on her and they had burned right to her core. She had explained in her letter it was all her own choice and that he had done nothing wrong but since he hadn't read it yet he was probably blaming himself. He was probably angry with her for leaving him one man short but she could not carry on. Her feelings for him had been love for such a long time now and she was sick and tired of hurting. She was so sick in fact she barely made it to the bathroom before she caved in to her nausea again.


While Hayate whimpered at her ankles Riza packed up all her belongings into one soul suitcase. For the time being she would live with Gracier until she found something more permanent. She would probably have to leave Central but she wasn't sure for where. Perhaps Winry needed some help working on her auto-mail.

It was stressful packing up a lifetime into such little a space. She had much to show in ways of being part of the military but she had little else to show for her life. One heartache, one illicit fling with a superior and a pet dog. Hayate was a delight in her life but it was not much.

Her hand found a photo she had faced downward for the past few months. It was one of the only pictures of her with Mustang out of uniform. She whole body was stiff while he had casually slumped himself over her shoulders. It had been for an undercover mission when they had appeared as a couple. The photo was part of the mission and Mustang had acted better then she did. To everyone else it just seemed she was a hard character but the reason she flinched so much from his touch was because of how much she wanted to feel it. The photo was slammed into the bottom of the case and she quickly piled her clothes on top. She said a mental farewell to her bedroom as she turned her back to the military forever.


It had been two days since her abrupt departure and Mustang had finally decided what he was going to do. He hadn't eaten or slept well since that day but he was going to act that very moment. He swept onto his feet and straight out onto the street, heading in the direction of Gracier's house. If Riza weren't there Gracier would know where she was. He knew what he wanted, nay had to do and Riza would have to abide whether she wanted to or not.

He knocked politely on the door although he wanted to break it down. He turned and nodded to the man greeting him from the street and he hummed a merry tune. It was all out of frustration and he began to worry Gracier wasn't in. But then to ease his stress Elysia answered the door and gave him a beaming smile.

'Hello Elysia, is Gracier here?'

'No she's gone out Uncle Roy but she should be back soon. Come in.'

He laughed slightly at the Uncle comment but he was flattered too. Usually she would have run away from him but now they had both become accustomed to each other. He stepped into the homely house and settled into one of the large sofas. Gracier was sat across the room but she said nothing to him. Perhaps she had been instructed to keep quiet while unaware her innocent child had given away the secret anyway.

'How long will Riza be?'

She looked as if she was going to protest but when Elysia bounced in she had guessed what had happened.

'About half an hour. Why don't you go up to her room and I'll bring you some tea.'


Riza walked with more care then she ever had. She had planned to buy a few things while she was in town but all plans had gone out of the window. All she wanted to do now was run and hide. She burst into the house and didn't give Gracier a chance to say anything to her. On reflection she really should have done because it would have given her more time to prepare.

'Sir? Why are you here?'

She had barely shut her door and got her words out before he pounced. His lips locked onto hers and he kissed her with the passion of a man possessed. For a while she let herself be swept up in the moment before she forced herself out of his embrace.

'Riza you aren't in the military anymore! You have no need to be ashamed of us anymore!'

'No sir you don't understand…'

'Of course I understand. You were trying to protect your career and I can understand that. I have wanted to be with you for so long.'

'I don't think you are ready for this kind of commitment.'

'You sound like Fullmetal. I am capable of love.'

She took a deep breath before she said her next words, 'There would have to be a lot of it. It needs to be shared by two people.'

For a moment he looked puzzled and she knew she would have to say the very words that hurt the most.

'Sir, I'm pregnant.'