This chapter is dedicated to everyone who reads this story because reviews motivate me to write this chapter during school. Thank you for your nice reviews.
Disclaimer: As usual. But I would rent Charlotte and her dad. Anyone interested?
And yes: It's still just something I came up with after thinking about Hawkeye's family on her mother's side.

Some hours later, Roy came back to his house and slipped on his gloves as he noticed that the door was already open. He sneaked in and searched the intruder. He found his cousin sleeping on his couch. She looked peaceful and calmer than he had seen her in years. He took a blanket and covered her before he sat down with a book and watched her while she slept. Jade was one of the few woman Roy ever told that he loved them. (Her mother and their aunt were the other two – and Riza would be the fourth.) Roy could remember a time when he and Jade had had no secrets, when they were always a team (together with Phil, of course). But now? Jade was already engaged and Phil had mentioned that he also wanted to marry soon. Roy knew that they would always be siblings for him … but it wouldn't be the same. He wouldn't be able to call Jade during the night when everything was cold and dark and solitude was killing him from the inside. He told her that she should move on, that she should forget what happened in the West, that she had done with her pale hands … but he knew that she would never forget … like he would never forget. They had been children but they had been sinners all along. They had blood on their hands since they had been young. And they would never stop to regret their decision.

Roy lifted his gaze and smiled at her as she stirred a little bit before she awoke. She smiled at him but she was still tired. He could see it in her dark green eyes. "Phil was in a meeting and he has the keys," she explained before she lay down on her stomach once more. "You shouldn't have the keys to your house under the mat, Roy. Everyone has it there."

"That's why I still remember them when I am drunk," he said and looked down again.

She frowned at him. "Since I stopped to put scars on my forearm, you could stop drinking, Roy," she said darkly. "We are killing ourselves. And I want to live, to move on."

"You finally took my advice, Jade?" he asked.

She sighed. "Well, I hadn't much of a choice, had I?" she asked. "And before you can ask … yes, I got the intelligence about Riza's perfect ring." She grinned at him. "I asked Lynn who asked Rena who asked Kay who actually knows stuff like that," she stated smugly. "And if intelligence comes from Kay, it's always right. She is pretty famous for being well-informed after all…"

Roy sighed. "I don't plan to marry," he said but took the notebook from her.

"One year ago I said the same thing," she grinned, "and now? I will marry next summer!"

"You are Jade – which means that you are famous for changing your opinion at least trice per year," he said amused. "Well, do you want something to drink? I bet that I still have juice and cookies for you … since you hate alcohol more than you hate Hakuro."

She nodded and smiled at him. "You know that you can't lie to me," she stated smugly before she got up and caressed his smooth hair. "And still … you try so hard to make me believe that you don't love her … but I won't humour you and play along. You should know me better than that."

He stared down at her before he collapsed into his chair. "Your advices do not help me, Jadelina," he said and sighed. "I prefer some real information … and you were always better in understanding strong women since you are one too. Any tips or tricks, dearest cousin?"

She sighed. "Lynn told me that you failed with flowers," she grinned. "Well, try a nice compliment on her hair or something like that. I know you; you just say something about her work or the coffee she makes. And even if I have to admit that the coffee is great, but she could assume that you are too dumb to realise that she is a woman. And women like compliments about their hair."

"Even women like Riza or you?" Roy asked and frowned at her. It wouldn't be the first time that she pulled a nice little prank on him. He was always cautious with her around.

She smiled brightly at him before she nodded. "Of course," she said. "And I thought you would give me something to drink,Roy. I am very thirsty right now and I would prefer apple juice."

He sighed before he left the living room to get her the juice and some cookies before he sat down again. "And you are really sure that she will like to hear something nice about her hair? Wouldn't she think that I am trying to use her for a one-night-stand or some plaything for the office?" he asked while he took a cookie. "I mean, even you have heard of my reputation by now, Jadelina."

She threw a cookie at him. "And it gives Phil lots of trouble, dearest cousin!" she hissed. "You don't know how many women are trying to get him into their beds because they assume that he is like you since you are related? I remember how we were sitting in a restaurant since we had a day off and some random women came and asked my poor little brother if he would happen to be interested in a one-night-stand! Roy, Phil was scared afterwards and I had to chase them off."

Roy rubbed the back of his head and tried to hide his embarrassment. "I am sorry," he said.

"No, you're not – and that is exactly the problem we have if you!" she shouted. "If you were truly sorry, you would apologise to Phil and you would stop such behaviour since it just hurts the woman who truly loves who. Can you imagine how Riza feels when you come late to work?"

He frowned at her. "I never had the impression that she would actually care…" he muttered. "She seemed angry because I was too late but she never mentioned that she was unhappy with my … ehm … late-night-missions. She should have said something if it truly bothers her…"

Jade stared at him in complete disbelief. "You know how much I would like to slap you right now, don't you?" she hissed. "Just in case that you never noticed – she isn't the type of girl who would say that something bothers her. My guess would be that she accepted it long ago as a part of your ridiculous idiocy and that she suffers silently. She is like Lynn in that aspect; she also never says what exactly bothers her. It drives Martin crazy since she is mad with him for unknown reasons and does this typical woman-thing…"

"You are aware of the fact that you are also a woman?" Roy asked amused.

She glared at him once more. "Of course," she said, "but I never do this Oh-I-won't-tell-you-why-I-am-mad-at-you-thing because it's just plain stupid. Men are no mind readers – and that's good. I would die if Ben would know my mind. But … well … you really should compliment her."

"Can it be that you consider yourself an expert for romance since you are engaged?" he sighed.

She grinned at him. "At least I understood the concept of love at the age of eighteen while you are much older than I was back then and you still didn't get it," she said annoyed. She always got annoyed with him when he didn't understand the things which were so easy and clear for her. If she loved someone, she told him or her. (She told her mother and her aunt Chris that she loved them. She told her brother, her father and her stupid cousin that she loved them. She just opened her mouth and told them. It was no big deal for her and she always had felt better afterwards. She was slightly frustrated with him but she smiled. She always smiled when she wanted to kill him in a very slow and painful way.

"Well, you are a girl," Roy said and pouted.

She reached out and slapped him. "Foolish boy!" she said. "You are really a failure when it comes to love, aren't you? You should be happy that I am here to help you."

"Hey there, Lieutenant!" Roy smiled brightly at Riza when he saw her the next morning. Jade kicked him behind the desk and he glared at her before he looked back at Riza. "Your hair … it is really shiny today," he stated before he looked away to hide his blush.

"Thank you, sir," Riza said before she took some reports and left again.

"That's everything you could come up with?" Jade chuckled. "Your hair … it is very shiny today? Are you aware of the fact that you looked like a moron? Really, I am ashamed of calling you my cousin! It's pathetic that you can't even make a proper compliment!"

He glared at her and his hand covered her mouth again but this time she bit him. He yelled – more because he was surprised than from pain before he glared at her. Most of their conversation consisted of glaring and hissing at each other.

One hour later, Riza came back and put down another huge stack of papers. "I need them until three o'clock," she said.

"Alright, Hawkeye," he said. "I will do it – just for you, Lieutenant."

"That would be something new," she muttered and left.

Jade who barely recovered from her first laugh-attack after the shiny-line started to laugh again and this time harder than before. Roy glared at her and leaned back. "If you don't stop laughing right now, I swear, I will slap you, Lieutenant Colonel."

She looked at him and tears of joy ran down her face. "I … I am sorry."

"Don't laugh if you are sorry!" he ordered.

"I can't help it; YOU ARE RIDICULOUS!"

"Did I just hear insubordination?" he asked.

"It's just one rank, Roy-Boy, and we are old friends … and family."

"It's still very wrong! You need punishment!"

Riza came back half a minute later and froze. Jade was still laughing at her cousin but this time, she was lying on the floor while Roy stared at her in complete disbelief. "Calm her down, First Lieutenant Hawkeye!" he said. "It's not normal for her to be that … hysteric!"

Riza barely nodded and bent down to shake Jade who stopped instantly. "I … I am sorry," the higher-ranking woman said, still amused.

"You really should be, Jade," Roy said. "Well … thank you, Hawkeye."

"No need to thank me," she replied and saluted. "Well … you already finished the reports?"

"Yes!" he smiled. "Everything is done! Should I take them downstairs when we go to lunch, Hawkeye?"

"I can carry it," she said.

"They are really heavy." He took the files. "Let's go!"

She frowned slightly before she followed him.

"You look really nice today, Hawkeye," Roy said as they sat down in the mess hall.

"Thank you, sir," she muttered and her face betrayed her confusion. She wasn't used to any compliments and she wondered whether her uncle talked with him. (She would die from embarrassment if Peter would have told him.)

"Really, do you use something special to make your hair that shiny?" he asked.

"I just use shampoo," she shrugged. "Nothing special. I need my money for more important things, you see? And I am not the kind of woman who spends all her money on her hair."

He leaned over to touch a strand of her hair. "It's so soft…" he muttered.

"Sir?"

"Don't mind me," he said.

"How could I not mind that my superior suddenly became very involved with my hair?" she asked while she frowned at him.

"You really should wear it down more often," he said and smiled at her.

"It would just get in my way."

"But it would look great!"

"I could get myself killed!"

"I wouldn't allow that." Roy leaned back. "I need to make a law that woman with golden hair like yours should wear their hair down as long as they are in the office as soon as I am Fuhrer. Even Olivier never restrains her hair!"

This very second, the Ice Queen herself entered the room and her blond hair was up in a tight bun which made her face look even more elegant than usual.

"I hate her," Roy muttered and glared at her.

"Don't talk that loud, sir. She could hear you and since this feeling is most likely mutual, she would kill you," Riza advised while she allowed herself a rare smile.

"You are right," he sighed. "Like usual."

Charlotte smiled happily as she saw her granddaughter. "She looks happy," she stated while she looked at her own lunch partner. "Really happy … she glows in happiness … that's nice…"

Peter smiled as he stared at his niece. "She looks much healthier than yesterday," he agreed.

"I couldn't agree more," Brigadier General Bendix Hughes said. "And does he always smile that much? He looks like someone hit his head hard enough to make him go dumb…"

"Your wonderful fiancée could have done that," Charlotte grinned.

"You got Lieutenant Colonel Jadelina Christina Mustang-Tempest?" Peter asked.

"Yup."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you very much, sir."

"Alright…" Charlotte nodded and looked into another direction where Major Serena Hamilton and her boyfriend, Captain Hakon Buccaneer, were sitting on a bench while they smiled lovingly at each other. The old woman smiled before her smile became a grin. "They look so happy," she stated. "I guess that Serena really loves him despite his automail."

"My daughter sees more than just the surface," Peter said and frowned at her. "You should never underestimate my girls, Charlotte. All of them are strong women."

Phil was amused when he met his sister for lunch. "He didn't!" the younger one snickered.

Jade nodded seriously. "He did," she said and was still pale from anger and embarrassment. "He really tried to use the shiny-hair-line. He gets more pathetic than I could ever imagine."

"But I really cannot believe that he used that line!" he said and shook his head. "It's Roy, the master of sweet talk. He would have come up with something better."

"I really hate to break you the news … but Roy is clueless like no other man I know when it comes to love," Jade sighed. "Well, I really want to now what he will do next. Maybe he should try to buy her flowers. But … wait a second …Lynn told me that he already failed that too. How can a normal man with average intelligence fail with flowers? And he calls himself a state alchemist! How can that be?"

"It's still Roy and we know that he isn't the brightest one out there, is he?" Phil smiled.

"I shudder to think what he will try next," she said and downed her coffee. "Well, let's get back to work. I bet that all the reports you had to read are still not signed."

Roy was working in the office – oh miracle! – as the door opened and Kay rushed into the room. She seemed to be in a hurry and looked around to find Riza. As she couldn't find her, she made her way towards Roy's desk and stared down at him. "I would like you to inform Riza that I won't be in for the next three days because of a meeting in Central. Tell her that I will take Charles with me and that I ask her to take care of Laila. Tell her also that she has to get Laila at six o'clock in the evening at the train station. Well, that would be all for now."

Roy wanted to ask who this Laila-person was but the female major general was already gone by the time he opened the mouth. He sighed before he got up to search Riza. He knew that she was most likely somewhere at the shooting range but by the time he got there, she emerged the area and looked really worried. She went faster than usual and put her shiny hair back into her usual hairstyle. She saw her commander and saluted before she lowered her arm again. "I am sorry, sir, but I have to leave earlier today," she said.

"To get Laila from the train station at six o'clock," he assumed.

She nodded. "I guess that Kay already informed you. I am really sorry but I haven't seen Laila in three months … and well, I missed her a little bit. Can I go, sir?"

He smiled at her. "Move right along, lieutenant," he said and stepped out her way. "And be cautious. Scar is still out there … and I don't want to attend your funeral."

"Roger," she said before she took her coat and rushed away. Her hairclip was broken and it fell down when she nearly ran down the stairs in front of the Eastern HQ. Roy smiled at her back before he bent down to get the hairclip. It would be his excuse to check on her later. He went back to the office and signed reports like he was supposed to do but as soon the clock reached seven, he took his own coat and nearly fled his own office. He took his car and drove to Riza's house which wasn't as full as it used to be and some cars in front of it were missing.

He got out off his car and knocked before he waited for Riza. She came three seconds later and on her hip sat a little red-haired girl with huge green eyes which hugged the woman with the shiny hair before she buried her little face in Riza's shoulder.

"Good evening, sir," Riza said calmly. "Is there a reason for you to visit that late?"

He held out a new (and more expensive) hairclip. "I saw that your old was broken today and I bought you a new one!" he explained and smiled brightly at her before he looked at the child. "Is this Charles' infamous daughter?" he asked.

Riza nodded. "Yes, that's my goddaughter," she smiled and rearranged the girl's hair. "Laila, be a nice girl and greet the guest. I know that you aren't shy. Come on, darling."

The girl raised her head and smiled brightly at Roy. "Hello!" she said. "Are you an alchemist like my mommy? You have the same watch…"

Roy looked at Riza. "She is very smart," he stated surprised.

"Of course she is," his aide said. "You should expect that from a girl which happens to be my father's grandniece and Kay's daughter. You are cursed with huge intelligence, aren't you, Laila?"

The girl smiled at her and grabbed her collar before she buried her face in Riza's shoulder again.

"I am an alchemist," Roy said hesitating before he stared at Riza. "How old is she?"

"Three," the blond woman said. "Laila is about half a year older than Elicia. The Lieutenant Colonel and Charles were terrible during the first year. I can remember that they called me way too often at night to tell me how great their girls are. Well, you went through the same hell."

"That's why I used to rob my phone off all electricity before I got to sleep back then," Roy said. "Well, can I come in for a second? I won't stay long but I am slightly worried since Scar is still out there." He froze. "Lieut- Riza, why are you so pale?"

She nearly fell down the very next second but he caught her in time. She panted slightly and her eyes were widened and she nearly panicked, something, she never did before. "Something is very wrong…" she whispered. "And I guess it concerns Lynn… where is she?"

I thank everyone who reviewed and all the people who put this story as a favourite. You are wonderful people and I hope that you still like the story.
I am really grateful for this great feedback.

AvaEobane