ZOMG! I may actually finish this thing...o_O

Roy woke with a start, without knowing what had woken him. He felt adrenaline surging through him, his heart was pounding; he must've had a horrible dream…but he couldn't remember it. He put a hand to his head. What had happened? He had been chasing down an Ishbalan…in Ishbal? No, that couldn't be right. It was here, in Central that he met the Ishbalan. Wasn't it? He remembered Marcoh, Gran, and Kimbly, but that too was impossible for all of them were dead. The only thing he was sure of, was that he had fired on the Ishbalan.

Roy felt a rush of guilt. He could say that he had only used alchemy on the Ishbalan to capture him, but it wasn't true. He had been angry.

Roy tried to shake off the feeling of guilt, and pushed himself up to get a better look at his surroundings. As he sat up a thick, purple, down comforter flopped off him. He had been sleeping on a couch in a completely unfamiliar apartment. There was a coffee table to his right that held a steaming cup of green tea. Next to the fireplace, a wooden stand supported a radio that was at least ten years old. A clock on the wall told him it was a quarter past noon.

Roy blinked a couple times and stared at the clock for a few seconds. Then his heart started hammering for quite a different reason. He was unbelievably late for work. Roy looked down at his garments. The last time he checked, he'd been wearing his uniform, but now he was clad in pinstripe pajamas. Franticly wondering where he was going to find a uniform Roy swung his feet on to the floor and jumped up—

"AYE!" The floor gave a tremendous yelp and ran out from under Roy's feet. He fell back against the couch.
"Hayate!" Roy cried in alarm. Riza's dog, Hayate was crawling into a corner of the room, looking offended and hurt. But what on earth was Hayate doing in such a strange place?

You idiot…said a voice inside his head. He must be in Riza's apartment. If that was the case, then she had gone to work without waking him. He had to find a phone, call the office, and admonish her for leaving him. How dare she leave her commanding officer asleep while the country was in such a state! He put his feet on the floor again (more carefully this time) and made to stand up again, but before he was halfway up, the door opened with a bang.

"Sir, I know you're frustrated but there's really no reason to take it out on my dog!" said Riza sharply as she entered the room. So sharply in fact, that Roy lost his balance and fell back down.

"I didn't mean to, I didn't see him!"

"In that case maybe you'll think twice the next time you wish to make a rash movement, now that you know how it can hurt innocent animals." Riza gave Hayate a consoling glance. "But," she said, turning to him, "I am glad you woke up. You were in a sweat most of the night."

Roy's ears had been filled with a buzz. Riza was out of uniform. He'd only ever seen her out of uniform once before, and it was as strange and unnatural now as it was then. Her long hair hung loose about her shoulders, and she wore denim pants, a dark green button up shirt, and pink slippers. She was also carrying a tray of food. It was just so weird.

"You're not going in and neither am I! There are plenty of officers and workmen to clean up the city and handle the prisoner while you rest up. Central is not going to benefit from the leadership of an exhausted president! Now eat!" Riza thrust the tray onto his lap. She had arranged two overeasy eggs and a strip of bacon into a smiley face. A glass of orange juice and a bowl of soup also stood on the tray. Roy almost laughed. Of all the things that would surprise him, he never would have expected Riza to give him a smiling breakfast.

"Yes ma'am," he said, and began to eat. "So, we have a prisoner?"

"The one you shot down." Roy paused, but quickly stuffed more egg into his mouth.

"Is he hurt?"

"He's a bit charred around the edges, but there's no lasting damage."

"Was it him?" asked Roy.

"He's claiming innocence. He says he moved here to start a new life." Guilt prodded Roy again.

"I'll want to speak with him."

"You'll have the chance"

"Also, what am I doing here?"

"The hospitals are all filled up, so I graciously brought you to my home."

"You didn't have to do that, thank you." All of a sudden, Riza's face split into a wide grin.

"I know something you don't know," she said heartily.

"I'm sure. What is it?"

"The top military generals had a meeting last night. They've decided that this country has gone too long without a leader. They elected you president." Roy stopped sipping his soup. He thought that even the soup itself halted halfway to his stomach.

"They what?" Riza nodded. Roy's mind spun to process this information. He always thought he'd be prepared, and this is what he wanted but…

"How am I supposed to make things better when I just shot down an Ishbalan who was innocent?" Riza's smile faded.

"Roy, he was running."

"Everybody was running. I burned him because he was Ishbalan. I was angry with him for killing all those innocent people. I swore I'd never hurt another Ishbalan." Roy said this all very quickly. Riza touched his shoulder.

"Roy, you will do what is necessary. That's why you were chosen. There is no right or wrong."

"Yeah, well…"

The phone rang, for which Roy was thankful. He hadn't known what to say. Riza answered. The person on the other end of the line must have been talking quickly, because Riza had barely said half a 'hello' before falling silent.

"It's for you," she said, holding the phone out to Roy. "It's Al." Roy took the phone curiously.

"Hel—"

"Colonel!" Al's voice bursted in his ear, "Have you heard from Ed?"

"No, he's investigating a case up nor—"

"I know! That's just it, we were supposed to rendevous three days ago. It doesn't seem he's even been in this town and I haven't heard from him at all!"

"That doesn't mean anything, it's only a few days, give it a little more—"

"But I called Gracia too, and she hasn't heard anything either! I know he wouldn't have gone more than two days without calling Anna and Ryan, but Gracia says the last she heard of him was when he dropped the kids off with her. He was up in the mountains, but he wasn't supposed to be there for very long."

"What? Al, which mountain range was he investigating?"

"Burrus."

"Where are you?"

"A town called Yaxel."

"Ok, stay there."

"Stay there!" Roy repeated. "I'll be there by morning with as many officers as I can find."

"What's going on?"

"I'll tell you when I get there." Roy hung up. He set his breakfast tray on the coffee table.

"Everyone's out helping to clean up the city and restore order," said Riza seriously, "It'll be difficult finding people."

"Call Breda, Fuery, and the others. Armstrong too. Tell him to round up fifty of his best." Roy stood up.

"He won't be pleased."

"Also call Briggs and tell them they can take a break from guarding the north border. I want all the information and maps they have of the Burrus mountain range. Have them start studying the maps, tell them they're looking for any trails that a wagon could possibly travel, or paths that lead into caves. If anyone complains, tell them that this is a direct order from the President. Do you have any clothes that might fit me?"

"Yes, sir. May I ask what's happened?"

"Fullmetal's been captured."