A/N: Sorry for the long delay. I had two big midterms and a practical from hell. Point of interest—If I failed my practical I get kicked out of my program for a year. Wish me luck!

Also, I don't think I'll be able to update in November as I'll be participating in Nanowrimo. (It's a great experience, and I'd suggest everyone give it a try). That's also why this chapter is short. I'm getting out what I can before I'm buried under a heaping pile of original fiction (can you hear the screaming?). It's possible I'll manage an update or two, but no promises. Sorry guys. :(

Summery: She would wait for Roy for as long as he needed, but that didn't mean Riza couldn't do something in the meantime… Riza Hawkeye turns thirty. Horror ensues.

Roy sighed and rested his chin in his palm as he stared down at the latest form waiting to be filled out, then let his eyes trail dejectedly to the small mountain piled in his in-box.

It was staring at him. He was sure of it.

"What did I do to deserve this?" He whined sadly to himself.

"I think that would be the whole 'decided to take over the world' thing, boss," Havoc drawled as he pushed the door open with his elbow.

"Only the country!" Mustang protested lightly before asking, "But why the visit?"

The blond man hefted the stack of paper in his arms. "Delivery!" He sang brightly as he crossed the room and plopped the papers on top of those already in the in-box. They tottered there for a second, gallantly fighting to hold their ground, before they finally bowed to the odds and quietly toppled off the side of the desk and onto the floor.

Roy stared for a minute. "Kill me now," he moaned piteously as his head dropped to the desk.

And then the window exploded in a shower of glass.

"Well, shit," Richard cursed, pulling back from his scope to peer at the scene taking place through the window. There was paper flying everywhere and what was left of the cracked glass impeded his view, but he knew he had missed—damned bastard moved at the last second!—and it was dead silent in there. A sure sign the soldiers inside had taken cover.

He mussed his hair in aggravation. He didn't think he was going to get another good shot now—The target was military for a reason after all.

Best to get moving...

"Boss!" Havoc hissed from his position crouched behind the desk, pistol already out of its holster and ready for action, "You alright?"

The colonel smiled grimly from where he had pressed himself against the wall under the window, carefully out of view, "That's one way to get out of paperwork."

"I don't know," Havoc said as he slunk slowly toward the edge of the desk to peer out the window, "I don't think the Lieutenant will let you get off because of a little assassination attempt."

"A man can dream," Roy sighed, eyes incongruously hard. As Havoc made to stand and get a shot off, Roy waved him down, raised a single hand above the windowsill, and snapped.

The gout of flame that bellowed from the third story military office engulfed the roof across the way. It flared hot and bright for several long seconds before petering out, leaving only scorched ash behind. Anything living up there wasn't anymore.

So it was a good thing Richard knew when to make with the get-away, he thought contentedly as he stared up at the flaming wreckage and tore open his bag of chips. Garlic flavor, his favorite.

"That's what second attempts are for," Richard mused before turning on his heel and walking down the road. He could really go for a soda about now...

TBC.

A/N: See you in December! Oh yes, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN! (^.^)