The day before her grandfather's birthday, Riza felt distracted and disoriented all throughout their last-minute touches and changes. The people in charge of the menu already got started on anything that would have to be prepared way ahead of time, and a lot of people were eager to help. Most of them insisted on keeping her out of the kitchen, as she had already done enough.

That left Riza waiting for the afternoon to end and make way for night. She took yet another walk to burn some time throughout the streets of Trissamé, deliberately taking a long route towards the park in the outskirts of town. The sun shone brightly, trying to make the most out of its last few hours (or minutes) and danced about her blond head, giving her something like a halo.

From the corner of her eye, she checked to see if anyone she knew – Hughes, in particular – was around, readying an excuse in case they got just a bit too curious. But nobody came, or at least showed any interest in where she was going. She found Falman standing outside a bookshop talking to a young woman with mousy brown hair and glasses, her arms full of books, but he merely waved to her and went back to his conversation. That must be Sciezka, the librarian, she thought with a little nod to herself. And whatever they're talking about, he looks like he's enjoying it.

Riza continued on her way, trying not to remind herself that this was her second to the last chance to meet Roy…before she returned home. And who knew when they would meet again? Sure, it still wasn't the last time, but…

The sunlight started to change from its usual to a mix of several hues of red, orange and yellow. The sun had begun to set a bit earlier than she had expected, and she was now in the park. A fountain splashed nearby, and Riza saw (with a slight pang of disappointment, regret and reminiscence) that it was the same one they were seated beside when they almost kissed. She attempted to smile, remembering how they had bumped into each other and Roy fell into the fountain, how she had helped him out and wiped his face…

And almost kissed…

She sat down on the edge, watching the horizon welcome the sun. Any moment now, he would come, and when she had to return to the inn, that would leave them with one last meeting…

When I came here, all I wanted to do was to visit my grandfather and celebrate his birthday. Getting to know a vampire wasn't in my itinerary. Then again, you didn't always have to go by the rules…

Riza rested her head in her hands and let out a long, low breath. It was darkening rapidly, purple and blue joining the warm colors in the sky. In Amestris, she wouldn't have to await twilight so eagerly…no longer would she have to watch the sunset and expect a burst of flame beside her and a vampire emerging from it unscathed, as though he were born of fire…

The sun was completely gone, leaving nothing but a tenebrous shroud of blue, black and purple. Still, there was no sign of Roy, not even a bit of fire. She heard a splash behind her and entertained herself with the possibility that he could have accidentally fallen into the fountain again, but when she turned around, Riza found nothing but a fish poking its head out of the water. Another fish leapt up and dived back into the pool, ripples spreading out across the surface. The incipient grin on her face was instantly wiped away.

She could feel her heart sinking as the sky became blacker and blacker with every elapsing moment. What if he decided not to come tonight?

As though trying to comfort her, a bit of wind blew past. It was neither warm nor cold, and it gently passed over her, rippling her blouse and skirt, and lifting the bangs from her eyes. As always, it couldn't do much against her tight bun.

That is, until she saw a sea of blond unfold before her – her hair. Riza's hand flew up to the back of her head and groped for her clip, only to find nothing but hair. When she had gotten much of it away from her face, Roy stood before her, a figure almost all in black, grinning as he tossed her hairclip into the air and caught it with one gloved hand. But judging from the way he smiled, it was obvious that he felt the same way she did and was only striving hard to look cheerful.

The wind bypassed them again, toying with his cape. When it settled, Roy took a seat beside her.

"My lady…it won't be the same without you." He handed her the clip. Something about it felt different, but she didn't think too much of it as she took her clip and started fixing her hair again. "You have listened to my stories, kept me company every night since we first met, never ran away at the sight of me…even caught me when I fell." Roy looked down into their reflection in the water before facing her again, pushing away a bit of his dark fringe.

Riza shrugged and smiled as much as she could. Now that he mentioned it, she noticed his fangs less, the only real sign that he was a vampire. After all, he wasn't as pale as she thought vampires were. Maybe it's because he's trying to learn how to become human again, she speculated to herself.

"I will never forget you, Riza. This has been the best week I've ever had in my life as a vampire."

"I'll still see you tomorrow night," she replied. "It's…not yet the last…time."

"What about your grandfather's birthday? You will need to be there for him…just as you were for me." Roy laid a warm hand on hers, and Riza didn't want him to take it away. She knotted her fingers with his.

"After the dinner…I promise." She felt her voice catch in her throat and felt a lump rising in it. Her vision started to blur with tears. "I…I…"

Roy wrapped his arms around her, one hand patting her back. Riza stayed silent, his breath on her face as warm and as comforting as it had always been. She felt something else…a tear, chased by a couple more. Without a word she buried her face into his shoulder, drenching it as she sobbed quietly. She didn't know why or how…but hugged him as tight as she could, her eyes still not drying up. But after a while and much to Roy's surprise, Riza suddenly pulled away from him, drawing a handkerchief and wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she began, her voice wavering. "It's just that…"

"It's all right. I understand."

Another tear seeped out from Riza's right eye. Roy took her handkerchief and swabbed it gently away.

"As much as I love the way you smile, I know there are times you just have to cry. I guess this is just one of those times. Oh, my lady…"

He took her into another embrace, clasping her close, a wayward strand of her blond hair tickling his nose.

"You need to get ready for your grandfather's birthday tomorrow," he whispered into her ear. "I will be waiting for you tomorrow night."

"I won't forget," said Riza, nodding. "Roy…"

"I know you won't, my lady." Riza gave up on constantly reminding him to stop calling her "my lady", probably because, a part of her mind insisted, she liked how he said it.

---

Roy surveyed Riza as she walked away, taking the cobbled path back into town. He glanced up at the moonless, starless night sky and frowned, deep in thought.

Riza never saw him snap his fingers and curse, gritting his teeth in annoyance.

"Damn…I forgot."

With a little extra power than was needed, he left the park by his most favorite means – fire.

---

"Excited about the big day tomorrow, Miss Hawkeye? Don't worry – Kain and Heymans have volunteered to get Grumman in here tomorrow afternoon so he'll see the surprise. Then from there…"

Riza barely listened as Hughes rattled off their plan. She was toying with her fork after finishing her dinner, and thinking of other things – like vampires – besides her grandfather's birthday. In fact, she didn't even notice that a strange expression suddenly clouded his excited smile; the kind of look people often wore whenever they knew what others were thinking of – or at least, thought that they knew.

"Miss Hawkeye?"

She shook her head, getting back into reality. "Oh…yes, of course. I'm sorry…I guess I drifted off a bit. I must be quite tired."

Hughes nodded, drumming his fingers on the table. "What were you up to awhile ago that's got you tired?" He arched an eyebrow.

Riza shrugged. "I don't know…I mean, I just went to…"

"Visit your friends, I know," he said, continuing to nod. "You must have had a good time. You know, Falman dropped by while you were out for a bit of coffee, and he told me that ever since you've arrived in this town, there haven't been any vampire sightings. This is the longest we've gone without a peep from the guy, or so we know. Would you happen to have any theories on that, Miss Hawkeye?"

Already wearing a mask of indifference, she shrugged. "Wow, I haven't noticed. How would that have anything to do with me?"

He raised his shoulders as well and leaned back in his chair. "Well, it could be possible that you may have something to do with this. Possible…but there are other factors we have to take into consideration…"

Riza almost dropped her fork. Could he finally have the puzzle all put together already, or was he just throwing random bits of conversation around? And if Hughes did know what was going on with her and her nightly visits to see Roy…

"If you have any theories on the vampire missing in action, maybe you should take them up with Falman," she said calmly. "After all, he's the one obsessed with keeping tabs on him."

"Good point," said Hughes with a grin. "Ah, heck, I'll go check on Elysia." He stood up, and Riza stifled a sigh of relief as he walked away. She wondered if he was just naturally curious, or had some other motives up his sleeve.

I'm just glad he's decided to do something else besides try to figure out if I've got a connection with the Flaming Vampire, she thought, leaving her table as well and heading upstairs to her room.

By the time she was ready for bed her thoughts were drifting back to Roy again, and she never realized how much she wanted to see him again, at least once before she returned home. It took a while for her to finally fall asleep, and she spent several minutes lying awake in bed half-wishing that Roy would suddenly burst out of nowhere and drop by her bedroom for another visit.

---

At last, Grumman's birthday came – not to mention Riza's last day in Trissamé, as she would be leaving early the next morning. As much as she shoved that fact into the very back part of her head, she often failed and would often be seen around the hall of The Gracious Angel wearing an anxious, contemplative expression. Sometimes she paced the reception area, and other times she just sat away from everyone else. Either way, she was very quiet, only speaking when asked, especially about the upcoming celebration.

And as Hughes was too busy showing off Elysia's new dress and gloating about how pretty and immaculate she looked in it, he didn't spark up another interrogation session with Riza, who still watched herself carefully whenever he was close by, just in case.

Eventually, the morning faded into noon, which also passed in a blink of an eye. In no time at all, Kain and Heymans burst back into the inn after having left several minutes ago, bringing a rather confused and semi-formally dressed Grumman with them. Nobody knew what the chef and the waiter told Grumman to persuade him to go to The Gracious Angel, but whatever it was, it worked, and he was definitely caught off-guard at the sight of all his friends, family, and most of all, his granddaughter, resplendent despite wearing only a simple sleeveless red cocktail dress that only brushed her knees, with a darker silver-buckled belt that was slightly lopsided around her waist and black, high-heeled sandals with straps that ran around her ankles and were studded with red rhinestones. Her hair was worn down except for a few hairpins that kept any extra strands in place.

Time seemed to flow even faster as everything actually began – tables were filled, waiters rushed all over the place, and conversations were sparked up here and there. And Hughes continued to table-hop, with his daughter Elysia in tow, beaming with fatherly pride that seemed to be the constant fuel for his unending escapades.

---

"So, Riza, how do you like it here so far? I may also have to leave soon as well…there's work, after all," said Grumman. He was seated at a far-off end of the hall with Riza, the two other guests who had been sitting with them having decided to leave early.

"It's…nice." She chose a safe answer, and from the corner of her eye she could see through the window that gave her a clear view of the rather woodsy area at the back of the inn. Long shadows were cast all over, a sure sign that the day was about to end, coupled with the all-too-familiar reddening of the sunlight and sky. "I'll miss it," she added. Especially Roy…

Riza looked around. It was as if time was suddenly warped and went full speed ahead – many tables were now empty, Elysia was asleep on a nearby sofa under Gracia's watchful eye, and Hughes was now talking quietly with Falman and Sciezka. Other people were scattered here and there, either still engaged in their last few bits of conversation, or ready to leave. It's strange…when you want time to go faster, it seems so slow, and when you want it to slow down it goes by in the blink of an eye…

"Well…that's good," said Grumman, nodding in approval and adjusting his glasses. Riza snapped out of it and glanced back at him. "Anyway, thank you so much for this…it was a great birthday, one I will definitely never forget." He patted her on the shoulder. "Unfortunately, I must go now…see you soon, Riza. Thank you once again."

He stood up, brushed something off his jacket, kissed his granddaughter on the cheek and was gone. Looking at the window behind her, Riza saw the sky finally succumb to the night, and thought she saw something move outside. No…it can't be. If it is, then he's right on time, right when everything's done…but…

Without thinking, she left the table as well, rather grateful that nobody noticed, not even following the clicking steps her sandals made as they stepped across the hall and towards the back door of the inn. It was open, and she gently turned the knob, walking out into the star-studded night and the clearing punctuated by several flowering bushes and tall trees. She thought she caught the faint whiff of rain, but didn't dwell too much on it.

Her ears picked up the sound of something crackling, and whether it was fire or just some dry leaves, she couldn't tell.

"Roy?" Riza called softly. "Is that…you?" She trod through, careful not to accidentally get any part of her snagged in the foliage. But she made it without a single scratch, and came to a more open area, ringed by rose bushes and emphasized by a single tree bending over a man all in black underneath it. He raised his head, eyes sparkling at the sight of the woman looming before him.

"My lady," he whispered, tossing back his cape and making his way towards her. Roy opened his arms, and she swooped into them, and they embraced, living in the moment and trying hard not to think of how they may never see each other again after tonight…

"Won't anyone…see you?" she asked, her voice muffled in his shoulder.

"No. I've been here a few times before, and nobody has seen me. But enough about that. There is something I forgot to do – tell – say to you last night."

Their eyes bored into each other's. Riza nodded; her arms tight around his shoulders. But she was unprepared for what was coming, and nearly lost her balance as Roy inched as close as he dared towards her face, his lips so very near to hers…

And then they touched.

A curious, sensational feeling blazed through Riza as though she were being set on fire. But she held on and never moved, as she enjoyed that feeling, as her heart beat so loud and so fast, as her knees seemed to turn into jelly…it took her several seconds to realize that he, Roy, the Flaming Vampire of Trissamé, admired by women and feared by the townspeople, was kissing her.

---

I apologize; I was writing this at 2 in the morning. XD This is the second to the last chapter, guys. Yikes.