Tenth chapter, guys! Big landmark! I may end up doing a crap chapter to throw in there, so if you want me to, just send Riza and Roy a few questions. Or Ed and Al, if you prefer. Hell, I'll answer them for Hayate! =3 I would post it on the same day as a regular update, so don't worry about it cutting into your daily dose of 'How Much?'. XD Thanks so much for reading so far, I seriously appreciate it.
To those who want the damned story about Riza's past and for Falman to come back, I'M GETTING TO IT. XD I have to establish the foundation first, then we can get to the heavy plot. XD SO MANY PLOT ANGLES.

I know I'm confusing you all. I'm sorry, I just lost the whole bar angle on another bit....The story had to move on....^^;

Oh and holy crap, did anyone else like...want to cry when FMA 106 was released on Monday?

I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist or any of it's characters

If you just realize what I just realized,
Then we'd be perfect for each other
and will never find another
Just realized what I just realized
we'd never have to wonder
if we missed out on each other now.

Realize, Colbie Caillat

Chapter 10 - Old Times

".....Please repeat that, Kayla, h-hon." Roy said into the phone, the shock setting in like a winter breeze, cold and slow, seeping through his skin.

"Repeat what?" Came across the speaker loudly. He didn't appreciate her annoyingly bubbly voice.

"What you called me to say....sw....sweetie." He forced out, stickily sweet. Like the girl would notice, she was an idiot.

She'd been a one-night stand, but he was used to those. Especially maybe two years back, when Hughes had died. This girl had been the first moderately cute female in that bar he could see through his drunken haze. She had a barbie face, but when he'd woken up(usually he sent them home, this one refused to leave) He realized it was a filled out barbie face. She wasn't exactly the skinniest woman he'd brought home. Hell, when he was that drunk, if a guy walked in in a skirt and was sort of cute Roy would bring him home. When he realized his mistake he'd kick him out, but still.....

The only thing that kept him from a beer belly and alcoholism was his First Lieutenant constantly riding his ass about it, in the least literal of descriptions of the phrase. He still visited the bar on a regular basis but had kept himself to one drink per three hours. Riza had had to pick him up more than once when he'd broken her rules and become drunk.
He didn't know why she came to his rescue. Roy figured she wanted to prove herself still.

"Oh, that! Silly, I'm pregnant!" She squealed in her annoying voice. Roy got a migraine from everything about her.

That time it hit him like a ton of bricks. As if Riza had actually shoved her gun in his face this time and fired. He frowned, scowled, and wanted to kick the woman in the stomach. She couldn't be more than 20, but she was so damned annoying, and so much of a roadblock now. He couldn't have a kid! He could see the headlines. 'Fuhrer Mustang exposed! One-time fling ends in illegitimate child!' and then a picture of him holding the baby to his chest surprisedly.

"But I want to abort it." She said, in a slightly lower voice. "It'd be too much of a pain. I wanted your opinion. You are it's papa!"

'Then why did you call me! I can't tell you to kill a baby! You should've just gotten rid of it....... DAMNIT!'

"Kayla, sweetheart, you can't really kill a baby...."

"It's not a baby yet, Roy! It's in my tummy! It's like....food!" She giggled obnoxiously.

Roy twitched. ".....I'm sure you know the birds and the bees talk. I'm not going to discuss this with you. Don't kill the kid....I'll pay child support...."

"Sorry, Roy. I'm not gonna take care of a baby, and I can't have a child with someone I don't love." Her voice was the same authoritative tone Riza used, it was her voice, and suddenly he felt half the man he used to be.

Roy's heart froze, and he jolted awake. That was one helluva dream.....

"DAMNIT ALL TO HELL! HAWKEYE!" He bellowed, infuriated he'd gotten spit all over his papers.

"Sir, this is the fourth time." Riza mumbled with a frown as she walked in, staring at the puddle of drool and the spit still hanging from his mouth.

Again.

"I'm sorry, Lieutenant. Go get some copies from HR.....Paperwork is hell....." Riza didn't look happy, but she didn't normally, so Roy didn't take it hard. She started off to fetch copies, and Roy had to force himself not to watch her butt as she walked away seriously.

Riza had been intruding on his thoughts again ever since he'd gotten her promoted to his office five or six months before. That had been hell, too, getting the paperwork approved, even though it busted some laws and rules all to hell. He didn't exactly care. Now his office was in order, everyone saw him as an improved person, and Riza was in his patrol. One did not become a First Lieutenant after a year and a half, no matter how good they were at thier job. Most of the other officers envied Roy's perfect little dog, and wished they had spotted thier talents before he. Like they could have.

It wasn't that he really loved, or even liked Riza, he admired her determination and was angry that she turned him down repeatedly, so his subconscious was full of her when he saw her. Every time he'd screwed up, made her angry, or blown his chances(most of them were the same picture for all three). She wasn't one who could be charmed so easily, which gave Roy another goal. To force her to realize he could be worth her time.

He knew that her father's reaction toward him had really meant something to Riza, by the way it registered in her eyes. He'd start with that, and he'd had enough time for her to forget all of his faux pas, so he had a relatively clean slate. That made Roy happy.

What didn't make Roy happy was seeing the subtle disappointment and even fear that flickered in Riza's eyes as she handed him a sheet of paperwork that he knew he hadn't had before.

"......Vato Falman.....has returned.....?"

Her head nodded slowly, and she walked out somewhat still shell-shocked.

'Well, hell. I didn't see that coming.....'

Roy saw Falman for the first time in two years when he walked to the Fuhrer's office.

"....realize we can't let you back into the military, right?" Bradley said, as Roy took a seat farther back in the middle of the Fuhrer's sentence. The door closed without a sound.

"Yes, Fuhrer." Falman murmured. Roy could tell he wasn't exactly in the best mood.

"In fact we will have to jail you for desertion. Did it ever occur to you to resign?"

"No. I was fairly sure my letter wouldn't be accepted." Roy frowned.

'Of course it wouldn't. It's not like you were crippled....Hell, you're not allowed to resign if you ARE crippled!'

"Well, you're probably right. Still, desertion has a heavy price, and unless someone is willing to take the hit for you-"

"Fuhrer Bradley?" Roy spoke up. Falman turned, surprised to see his former commanding officer.

"Yes, Colonel?"

"Would it be possible to let him make up for his transgressions some other way? I'm sure coming back to working under me could be payment enough...." Roy could feel the grin playing on his lips. 'You're gonna pay for leaving my team, Falman....'

The Fuhrer frowned. "Colonel Mustang, you know that's against the law."

"Still, Fuhrer. Just for a week to see if he could make up for it. I guarantee I can make him." Roy smiled devilishly, and Falman's face fell further.

Bradley still didn't look completely sold, but said, "In light of your recent improvements, Colonel, I will allow your subordinate one week to prove he can be trusted again. Both of you....don't screw it up"

"Thank you, Fuhrer." Roy said happily, and Falman followed suit a little less than enthusiastically.

"Dammit, Falman, I just saved your ass from jail. You could be a little happier about it."

"But, Sir, I-"

"Shut up. You have a new First Lieutenant. I'm sure she'll be incredibly happy to see you...." Roy muttered, knowing Riza would be nothing of the like. He remembered all too well how she'd responded after his news that he'd been the one to rescue her. He opened the door and they walked through.

"Where's Vato, Roy?"

"Probably with his girlfriend Rebecca....."

"I'll kill him!"

"Why? Don't do that, he works half the time....."

"Right after I get the bastard that killed my mom and tried to kill me...... Whoever Jo-anna is, I hope she's dead, and if not, I'll get to kill her myself!"

He was right. Riza shuddered slightly as the Warrant Officer sat next to her, and Vato looked shaken as well. Her eyes pleaded to no-one, 'save me.....' Unfortunately, Roy could not. He promised to look after all his subordinates before himself, and either he made Riza upset, or Falman would be arrested. Honestly, he preferred the first choice.... Maybe she needed a shoulder to cry on? No, not Riza. But she might need Roy somewhere, and that was enough for him.

The two were completely and totally uncomfortable around each other, wanting to use thier first names and fight it out. It was disappointing to actually see emotion on Falman's face; it didn't show much and when it did, his face was awestruck and upset. Riza's usually composed straight line of a mouth quivered every now and then when Vato would move, and Roy felt for her. He blew his paperwork off more than usual, simply watching them. On the bright side, however, Jean stayed quiet and Breda kept his sandwich eating to a minimal.

"Va-.....Warrant Officer, you, uh, dropped a paper." She said, obviously unsure of herself.

"Thank you, Ri-....Lieutenant." He said in a like tone.

Roy frowned. Well, this didn't bode well.

Most of the day went fairly well, if quiet, and Roy was proud that his subordinates could get along even with thier messed up and mixed pasts. He wondered exactly how long Vato and Riza had known each other, and envied Falman the slightest bit. As had become usual for Riza, she stayed after work and helped Roy with his last few papers. She seemed incredibly intent to prove herself a good military dog to Roy, but she didn't have to, he knew already. Riza acted as if she were cornered that night, though.

"....Sir?" Riza's voice was weak and scared, she sounded scared and sad as he'd ever heard her. Worse than when she spent the night at his house.

"Yes, Lieuten-?" Roy was interrupted as Riza flung herself against his chest, not hugging him but obviously needing one. He wrapped his arms around her until she backed away, frowning, unsure.

".....Colonel, that doesn't leave this room." She said, having gained some of her usual demeanor back and giving him the face that meant 'screw with me and see what happens'.

"Never expected it to." Roy smirked, watching as she took over half of his papers and signed twice as fast as she usually did. His plan was kicking into action faster than he thought. Better yet, the Falman envy had gone.

I'm not really happy with this chapter. So chew me out as much as you like....

I hope that tides over your insatiable Royai appetites. Honestly, I think this Falman thing is comparable to the Pride thing in the manga, for those of you that read it. I can imagine her needing a hug, someone to get close to, after that. Hopefully you can too.