A Whole New Life

Dara woke up to find herself in her husband's arms. She smiled and snuggled down into the thick comforter relishing the warmth and security of her husband's body that was pressed against hers. He had been home for two weeks. The doctor had cleared him as of yesterday to go back to all normal activities including work. He was not so thrilled actually about going back to work but it was nice that he was physically able to do so. She had been worried about him the past few days because he always seemed to be lost in thought, pondering something like he was trying to find the answer to an unanswerable question.

"Dara," Jean whispered, kissing the back of her neck. "I've missed you."

"Oh!" she gasped when he rubbed against her and she felt something long and hard across her back. "I can tell. Are you sure you want to?"

"Oh, yes, I definitely want to," he replied, moving against her again. "I have no doubt that I can."

Dara turned into him, sliding her fingers through his hair. Her eyes met his momentarily before they closed when he kissed her. She moved her hand along his chest while he kissed her tenderly, holding back from giving her the rough consuming kiss he wanted to. She could feel him holding back so she grabbed his face pulling his lips hard against hers while her tongue thrust into his mouth. His moan of surprise and pleasure excited her so much she reached down to seize his throbbing member.

"Oh, honey," he groaned against her mouth. He pulled up her nightgown, pushing into her fast and hard. "Oh, Dara, oh god, I've missed you."

Dara felt the heat deep inside of her grow and get stronger from his enthusiastic declarations. She pushed him over onto his back, straddling his hips. Her body tingled as he cried out with pleasure and joy from her astounding boldness. She moved tentatively on top of him until his large hands completely engulfed her rear to hold her and move her faster across him. Leaning forward and pressing her hands to his chest, she thrust her hips harder, making them both cry out with ecstasy. The wondrous thing called an orgasm swelled and surged over her like and ocean wave, dousing her from head to toe with a warm, tingling feeling.

"Dara!" he yelled, thrusting into her one last hard time when his orgasm discharged and made him convulse beneath her with several loud moans of pleasure. He pulled her down beside him, kissing her as he held her close.

Dara tucked the covers back around them as they kissed and hugged each other in the fabulous afterglow. She did not realize how much she had missed their intimate moments until now. Her eyes trailed down his neck, watching the big artery there throb with his blood that pulsed through it. Pressing her fingertips to it, she thought about how thankful she was that he was still alive. Her fingers trailed down to his chest where they traced the round, concave, dark purple scars that were each about two inches across.

"What happened?" she asked, raising her eyes to his. Dark blue eyes held pleading brown ones for a long silent moment.

"It's a long story. I'll have to begin from a ways back before I got hurt," he said, running his fingers through her hair. He held quite a few misgivings and a lot of trepidation about telling her any of this, but she needed to know. She was his wife, and she had almost lost him. She deserved to know why.

"Where else have I got to go? I'll be right here with you. Tell me," she encouraged him, giving him a brief kiss on the lips.

Dara listened intently as he explained. She occasionally she would interrupt to ask a question so he would clarify the things she really did not comprehend at all. From what she understood there were these things, people, that were brought back to life using something called a philosopher's stone. These people were called homunculi. The stone was made up of the souls of many dead people and that was what reanimated these so called homunculi and gave them their incredible powers and abilities. They were named after the seven deadly sins. There were very powerful people behind all of this which ultimately led up to one person and they were trying to discover the identity that person. There were many people shielding him, weaving a tangled web of deception to keep him hidden so that the task to find him seemed overwhelming, hopeless, and impossible at best. Jean had been attacked by a woman named Lust. Her hand had transformed into long round knife like things that she used to puncture her victims and kill them. He had sustained several serious but not life threatening wounds when she had him trapped and was going in for the kill. Alphonse had appeared and shielded Jean which is how got the big tear in his armor. Despite the presence of the suit of armor, he had still gotten stabbed. If Alphonse had not been in front of him, he would have been pierced clear through and his spinal cord severed. If he had survived, he would have been paralyzed.

Dara fought to hold back the tears. She did not want to appear weak or unable to cope with the startling truth. If she broke down, he might not tell her anything else. Laying her head against his chest so he could not see her face, she fought to control her fear and her tears.

"What is this about you babysitting Selim Bradley?" he asked, running his hand up and down her arm. He kissed the top of her head, content to have her nestled in the crook of his neck and tucked firmly against his body.

"The Fuhrer offered me job to help take care of his son. I get bored sitting around here all day and I thought I could help out a little by doing that," she replied, feeling the tears dissipate since they had changed subjects.

"It's too dangerous. Don't go there again," he ordered her in no uncertain terms.

"But why?" she inquired, sitting up to see his face. A strange combination of fear and sadness was evident in his blue eyes.

"We think he's part of this," he answered bluntly. "We're not sure exactly how he's involved, but we're pretty sure he's one of the bigger players in this game."

Dara closed her eyes, pressing her hand against her forehead. That alone would have been hard to process but it was an overload of information when coupled with the other revelations.

"Are you all right?" Jean asked, pulling her hand away.

"I'm okay," she replied, opening her eyes to look at him. "It's a lot to think about."

"Dara, I'm thinking about resigning from the military. Would you mind being a shopkeeper's wife? I want to move back East and help my parents run the store. I want to take you away from all of this. I want to come home to you every day. I-I want to leave so I don't have to worry each morning if this will be the day I die and leave you alone," he said, stroking her arm. He thought she would be happy. Instead she appeared to be upset and distressed. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"You won't be leaving your friends when they need you most? They won't think you're running out on them?" She had unknowingly pierced his heart by questioning his loyalty.

Jean sighed heavily and stared at the ceiling. He had thought about that. He did indeed feel like he would be abandoning them. His need to protect her and be with her was stronger. Surely they would understand. His thoughts were broken by her suddenly clambering off the bed to run to the bathroom.

"What the…" He could hear her vomiting profusely and wondered what the heck could be wrong.


Dr. Marcoh smiled broadly when he reentered the room. He looked at the nervous couple holding hand while waiting for answers. He had one for them, and it was a great one too.

"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Havoc, I'm proud to inform you that you are going to parents. Congratulations, Dara. You're pregnant," he announced, shaking the stunned father's hand when he stood up.

"Th-thank you, Doctor," Jean stuttered, still too shocked to say anything else. His brain immediately kicked into gear with one thought. Grabbing the hand of his wife and the mother of his child, he set out for Mustang's office with determination.


"You want to do WHAT?" the Colonel bellowed, standing up behind his desk. He was so angry his ivory skinned face had turned a pink color.

"I'm resigning Colonel Mustang. I'm moving back East with my wife and child. I have to stay alive for them," he said with stubborn resolve.

"Havoc, dammit!" he yelled, shoving the huge stack of papers off his desk. He was so upset Riza's startled cry went completely unnoticed. Havoc's reasons for wanting to go were valid. He understood them completely but he would be losing a valuable subordinate. Then it struck him how close he had already been to losing a valued soldier and friend. His eyes landed on the pretty wife that had almost been made a widow and that took away his righteous indignation. Falling into his chair heavily, he hung his head in apparent defeat. "Go file the necessary paperwork and bring it straight back to me. I'll sign it today."

"Thank you, Colonel Mustang," Dara said happily. News of the baby had changed her attitude about the whole matter as well. In her delight, she rushed forward to the saddened man, lifting up his head. She pressed her lips to his for a brief kiss to show her gratitude. "Thank you."

Colonel Mustang smiled at her as she backed away to once again stand beside her husband, his soldier and friend, holding on to him tightly. He could make him stay; he could force it with the threat of court marshal and time in the brig, but he would not. Letting him go would give Havoc the chance to have something he would never get – a happily ever after with a family.


Jean's parents were understandably upset with him for not only finding the woman he would marry, but marrying her and getting her pregnant, before he even introduced them. However, they were exceedingly glad he would be coming home so they would be able to see their grandchild grow up.

Moving day was a terribly sad affair with much weeping; mostly on the parts of Hughes and Armstrong. All of their friends were happy to be seeing them go to a much safer place where they would be able to raise their child in a modicum of peace and safety, much more than they would have in Central City. With promises to write often and visit when possible, they were on their way to a whole new life.

"This is it?" Dara asked as they approached the stucco building with a red roof at the end of the street. She was glad he did not make fun of her because there was a huge sign over the door that read in big bold letters: Havoc General Store.

"This is it," he repeated, but drove past. He was taking her to the home he had bought for them first.

"Oh, my, and this is our home?" she inquired with childlike wonder.

It was a plain structure with cream colored stucco walls and large windows. There were three bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen. A large porch ran the full length of the house on the back that overlooked a big yard complete with a huge oak tree that was in need of a swing. A white picket fence surrounded the whole property. It was the perfect home to raise a family.

"It's so wonderful," she gasped, throwing herself into her husband's arms.

"Whoa! What's all this?" he asked when he heard her sobs.

"I'm just so happy!" she wailed tearfully.

"I'll never understand you, but I love you anyway," he chuckled, stroking her hair and back. "Are you ready to meet my parents?"