A/N: So sorry for another late update. Work's been insane.

Anyway, regarding this chapter. I've gotten quite a few reviews from people saying how they really liked seeing minor FMA characters making appearances in my story, which got me thinking about who else I could include and how. In the end I decided to give our soldiers in the desert a minor break and include a chapter that focused on a few other characters. Hope you enjoy it.

Letters Part 2:

My darling Gracia,

Did I ever tell you how happy I am whenever the mail comes and I get a letter from you? They're more precious to me than all the money in the world. When I open your letter and smell the sweet scent of your perfume I'm reminded of how I'm the luckiest guy in the world! You have no idea how much you mean to me. It's really frustrating knowing that it could be many more months before we're together again. I want nothing more than to have you in my arms, your beautiful lips pressed against mine. Oh how I miss your kisses! Just thinking about them almost makes me want to hijack a jeep and drive it back to Central. Of course, the military doesn't like deserters and I can't let you or my country down no matter how much I question this war.

You'll be disappointed to know that Roy still won't admit his feelings to Riza. I bug him all the time but he just brushes me off and tells me to mind my own business. He really has no idea how lucky he is. The bastard actually has his girl on the battlefield with him yet he still pretends they're just friends. While I would never want you to have to suffer out here in this hellhole I do envy how Roy gets to see Riza every day while we have to settle for letters and photos. I also know he cares for her as more than just a friend because I see it in the way he acts around her. Sometimes I just want to give him a big kick in the rear to get him to do something. Life's too short to be dallying about, especially in matters of love.

But enough about him.

I really hope this war will be over soon. Being apart from you for this long is absolute torture. I don't remember if I've told you this but I carry a photo of you with me all the time so you'll always be close to my heart and so I can whip it out whenever I want to see you or need a reminder of why I'm fighting here. Gracia…I love and miss you so much. I can't wait to see you again and I swear that I will do everything in my power to survive this war and come back to you. Please wait for me.

Forever yours,

Maes

XOXOXOXO

Gracia clutched the letter firmly against her chest, tears seeping out of her eyes. "Please be safe," she whispered. Receiving letters from Maes always brought a mix of emotions: joy at getting something from him, sadness that they were still apart, and fear that this letter could be the last one she'll ever receive. They'd been apart for months yet it still felt like he had boarded the train to Ishbal only last week.

She tried to smooth out the wrinkles on the sheet before re-reading it. There was no mention about the war itself in his letter but that was expected. She knew that Maes deliberately avoided writing about the battles he had been in because he didn't want her to worry but she had seen more than her fair share of badly injured soldiers that were brought back from the front to know that he was far from safe out there in the desert. Several of her friends had already lost parents, siblings, spouses, and or sweethearts in this war so she was all too familiar with the pain and grief the war has caused. She just had no idea how she would react if she ever got the news that Maes had died and she hoped she would never find out for a long time.

"There you are," called out a voice. Gracia looked up and saw Amy standing at the end of the hall with her arms full of white sheets. "Come on, Gracia. We need to finish packing these supplies so we can send them to the front."

"I'll be there in a minute," she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Slipping the letter in her apron pocket, she quickly adjusted her nurse's uniform before running over to her friend.

"Everything ok?" asked Amy as she checked off items on her inventory list.

"Yeah. I just got a letter from my boyfriend," answered Gracia while she began folding the cotton sheets.

"Oh? What did it say if you don't mind me asking?"

"Just a bunch of romantic stuff like how much he misses me and how he can't wait for this war to be over."

"Aww…" Amy gushed. "How long have you two been together?"

"Almost a year."

"How did you two meet?" Amy asked while she placed the sheets into a large cardboard box.

"We met at a dance fundraiser for the war effort." Gracia smiled as she recalled that evening. "He came to my rescue from a mob of soldiers."

Amy raised an eyebrow. "Rescue? What kind of crazy fundraiser were you at?"

Gracia laughed. "Ok. That didn't come out right. It was a dance where money collected would go towards buying supplies for the war."

"But you don't like dancing. So why were you there in the first place?"

"Julie wanted to go and begged me to go with her. You know how annoying and persistent she is so I eventually relented. Anyway, she disappeared almost as soon as we arrived to go dancing with the first uniformed man she saw, leaving me behind. Then a group of drunken soldiers came up to me and wouldn't leave me alone and that's when Maes showed up. He cut through the crowd and exclaimed, "There you are, darling! I've been looking all over for you!" before grabbing my hand and leading me away from the crowd and out onto the patio. When we were outside he introduced himself and apologized for being so brash. He had saw me from across the room and said I looked like I needed rescuing."

"So was it love at first sight?"

She smiled. "I guess you could say that. We ended up talking about random things and I remember feeling so comfortable around him even though we had just met. He has this natural ability to make people feel at ease around him that I love. Anyway, we talked for so long that we lost track of time and didn't realize the dance had ended until one of the organizers came outside and shooed us away." Gracia let out a small laugh at the memory. "Then Maes offered to walk me home."

"Let me guess. After he walked you home you two shared a passionate kiss in the moonlight?"

Gracia blushed. "No. That stuff only happens in movies. Maes just took me home, said goodnight, and then made sure I was safely inside before going home. Then two days later he showed up on my doorstep again saying he happened to be in the area and asked if I'd like to take a walk in the park with him and we've been together ever since."

Amy sighed. "How sweet. You're so lucky to have a guy like him."

Gracia smiled. "He's an amazing guy. I'm crazy about him."

"Does Maes have any brothers?"

"No. Just an older sister."

"Darn." Amy snapped her fingers in disappointment.

Gracia grinned as she folded the last of the sheets and handed them to Amy. She really was lucky to have a guy like Maes. She had dated other men in the past but not one of them could compare to him. Not only was he smart, kind and handsome, he also treated her with the utmost respect and love. 'A true gentleman' her mother had told her after he met her for the first time.

"So do I hear wedding bells in the future?" Amy smirked as she taped up the box and pushed it aside. Gracia couldn't help but blush.

"We've never talked about it and truthfully, all I really want right now is for him to be back in Central safe and sound. I don't want to jinx his safe return by thinking about marriage or our future." She sighed as she grabbed a few rolls of bandages and began packing them. "I'm really pathetic. Just the thought of Maes getting injured already freaks me out. I don't know how I would react if he…he…." She stopped and took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.

Amy gently patted her on the back. "It's ok…I know how you feel," she told her. "My brothers are also in the military. Will is fighting in Ishbal while Tom is stationed down in the South. Mother and I are constantly poring over the newspapers and listening to the radio for any information about them. If anything were to happen to either of them my family would be devastated but at the same time we're proud that they're serving their country and you should be too. Maes is putting his life on the line out in the middle of the desert so you and I and everyone else in this country can live in peace. You should be proud of that."

Gracia nodded in understanding. "I suppose…" she sniffed.

"Cheer up, Gracia. Maes probably wouldn't want to know you've been crying over something that hasn't and might not happen. You gotta be strong for him."

She smiled weakly. "You're right. I'm being silly crying over what ifs." Pulling out a handkerchief, she wiped the tears from her eyes and sighed. "Thanks."

"No problem. Just remember that I'm here if you ever need to talk or vent," Amy replied. Looking over at the mountain of medical supplies still lying around, she added, "Anyway, let's hurry up and finish packing all this stuff so we can send them out today. We can talk more during our break." Gracia nodded in agreement. Putting away her handkerchief, she continued her work all the while thinking about what to write in her next letter to Maes.

Meanwhile, across town:

"We've got mail from Roy!" shouted Vanessa, waving the letter as she came in through the door. The rest of the girls immediately stopped what they were doing.

"Yay!"

"What does it say?"

"Did he like the brownies we made?"

"Hurry up and open it!"

"You know, Ashley, patience is a virtue," teased Vanessa as she held the letter out to Madame Christmas.

"You can read it out loud, Vanessa. I'm busy at the moment," she said as she carefully wiped a wine glass. The bar would be opening soon and she wanted to make sure all the glassware was spotless.

Vanessa nodded and opened the letter. Clearing her voice, she began reading out loud.

Dear Madame,

I hope you are all doing well. I wanted to let you know that I've received your care package. Thank you. The jerky and spices will definitely help make the bland food they serve here much more appetizing and the magazine was an unexpected surprise. Maes took an interest in it and is currently borrowing it so it may be a while before I get it back (assuming I get it back). As for the whiskey, I'm saving that for when the war ends. It'll make a very enjoyable celebratory drink.

Riza also says thank you for her package. She was quite surprised to receive something in the mail yet she really likes the gifts you sent her. She asked me to write that the charm is doing its job quite well and that she's really enjoying the chocolates you sent her. The perfume is also very much appreciated but she said she can't wear it or else she'll attract even more unwanted attention from the men here.

There's been a lot of activity here lately. The Fuhrer recently paid the troops a visit and the brass is pushing to finish this war once and for all. Our clashes with the Ishbalans are still extremely bloody with a high number of casualties on both sides but at the same time they don't seem to be putting up as much resistance as they used to. Maes believes it's probably because there aren't as many able bodied men left to fight or the Ishbalans have realized they cannot win and are retreating. We've been hearing reports that a lot of Ishbalans are fleeing to Aerugo and Xing as refugees. If these reports are true, then maybe this war really is ending.

My squad and I will be going out on a mission tomorrow. I'm not authorized to say what we're doing or where we're going but if all goes well the mission should last only a week. I'll write again once it's over.

Anyway, please tell the girls I said hi and thank you for the gifts.

Sincerely,

Roy Mustang

"Aww…He didn't mention anything about the brownies," pouted Sasha as Vanessa placed the letter down on the bar in front of Christmas.

"He probably didn't think they were any good and didn't want to hurt your feelings," teased Ashley. "Let's face it, Sasha. Cooking isn't your forte."

"Hmph," sulked Sasha, sticking her tongue out at Ashley.

"Why do you think Riza said she didn't want to attract more male attention?" asked Andrea, picking up the letter and scanning it. "I would think it's quite flattering to be surrounded by men vying for your attention."

"Good question. Maybe she's shy."

"Or perhaps they aren't any good looking men there to impress."

"Maybe it's actually Roy who doesn't want her to wear it because he doesn't want competition," joked Sasha. The rest of the girls giggled.

"Well he is the jealous type," admitted Vanessa. "I can actually see him getting upset if another guy were to hit on her, assuming he has a crush on her in the first place of course."

Andrea grinned. "I wonder if he really does have a crush on her. I think I'll have to bug him about it in my next letter."

"He's not going to admit it though. He never does."

"That's ok. I just like annoying him."

Madame Christmas stood there quietly rubbing at a stubborn stain while she listened to her girls' gossip about Roy and his potential love interest. She had told them about the history between the two a while back and they took an immediate interest in Riza. No doubt their interest was partially fueled by the fact that they finally had some dirt on their 'brother' and planned to exploit it in some way. It was rather amusing listening to them debate about his love life but when the conversation turned more sexual she decided it was time to put her two cents in. She coughed to get their attention.

"Going back to the original topic," she said, "I believe that Riza's decision to not wear the perfume is more due to safety than attracting a male." The girls all looked at her, somewhat confused. "Remember that life is different in a war zone. It's nothing like here in the city. If one of our clients get rowdy we can simply throw them out or call the police. Not so over there. Sexual assault is common during war. It's a dangerous place, especially for a woman and I'm not surprised Riza wouldn't want to attract more attention to herself." She placed the wine glass she was cleaning back under the table before continuing. "Don't forget that she is also a sniper in the military. Her work requires her to be hidden from the enemy and smelling of gardenias and orange blossoms that don't grow in the desert would give away her position."

The girls stood there silently for a moment before quietly murmuring.

"I never really thought about that."

"I guess we shouldn't have gotten her the perfume then."

"How do you know all this about life on the front, Madame?" asked Vanessa. "Did Roy tell you this?"

"I get to hear lots of interesting stories, especially from our military clients when they've had a few too many drinks to drink," she answered while wiping the countertop with a rag. "I also had a few friends who were in the military."

"What happened to them?" Vanessa asked. Christmas gave her a sad look and the girl quickly backed away. "Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she told her. "They selflessly gave their lives for this country." She sighed and looked off to the distance. "I hope Roy is right and the war really does end soon," she murmured to herself. She couldn't stand the thought of losing another person she cared about. Shaking her head, she turned back towards the girls. "Come on. Let's get back to work," she ordered them. "We open in twenty minutes and I want this place sparkling by then." They nodded and quickly continued their work.

Sara Rockbell wiped her brow with the back of her hand. It had been another difficult day treating patients around the clock and trying to stave off death with their ever-dwindling supply of medicine. Looking around their cramped makeshift hospital, she felt a sense of frustration. The place was packed with injured Ishbalans lying side by side on dusty blankets on the floor or sitting against the walls. Meanwhile, several volunteers were caring for the injured, feeding them and trying to make them more comfortable. She bit her lip as she wondered how much longer she and her husband could keep this hospital operational. They were already at their limit; they barely had any medicine left and she was exhausted from treating so many patients without break. They really couldn't afford to take in any more patients without jeopardizing the ones currently here yet more and more injured kept arriving every day.

She had just finished bandaging a patient's leg and was about to check on another when she heard a lot of squealing and laughing coming from outside. She smiled. It was nice to hear a child's laughter amidst the chaos of war. Just then, she heard the sound of wheels approaching their building. She frowned. Was it the military trying to force them to leave again? She thought they had made it very clear last time that they were not leaving until there were no more patients left to treat.

"Sara. It sounds like we have a visitor," said Urey who was busy stitching up a patient. "Can you go and meet him?"

"Sure," she replied. She quickly washed the blood off her hands before heading outside. A man with glasses and a ponytail was standing there next to a wagon surrounded by her youngest patients.

"Marcus!" she exclaimed.

"Hello, Sara," grinned Marcus. "Good to see you again."

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd pay you and Urey a visit." Turning his attention back to the children he handed a bag of candy to a young girl. "Here. Share this with the other kids." The little girl smiled and thanked him before running off to the back of the building with the rest of the children following her. "So, how's the hospital?" he asked.

"Not good. There's been an influx of patients lately so we're running out of supplies. We've had to perform surgeries without any anesthetics and make bandages from whatever we can find."

"I guess I came at the right time then," he said, stepping aside to show her several crates full of medical supplies in his wagon. She brought a hand up to her mouth.

"How did you manage to get all this past the blockade?"

"A whole lot of sweet talking and a small bribe," Marcus said with a wink. "Anyway, the medicine and equiplment isn't the only thing I brought. I also have something that you'll probably want to look at." He pulled out a dusty package of letters tied together with a piece of twine and handed it to her. She turned it over and stared at the hand drawn daisies and childish handwriting before shrieking out in joy.

"Sara! What's wrong?" asked Urey, running out of the building and up to his wife. She looked up at him with a big smile.

"It's from Winry," she whispered, showing him the letter. "It's from our little girl."

Urey looked at her in surprise. "Really? What did she write?"

"Hold on." She carefully extracted the letter from the rest of the mail and opened the envelope. She pulled out a piece of paper and unfolded it before reading.

Dear Mom and Dad,

How are you two? Granny, Den, and I are fine. Life really isn't the same without you here. It's a lot quieter in the house for starters. I'm guessing you must be really busy over there. We've been hearing a lot about the war on the radio and in the newspaper and it sounds pretty bad.

Granny's been pretty busy with automail orders right now too. I don't know if you've heard but there was a bombing here at the train station not too long ago. I was at school when the bomb went off and it was really scary. The whole building shook and everyone was panicking because we didn't know what was going on. A lot of people were injured in the blast and many required amputations. Since Granny's the best automail mechanic around here we've had a lot of customers coming in to be fitted with prosthetics. It's been so busy that I've been helping her with some of her automail repairs. Mostly just minor stuff but once in a while she'll let me do some more difficult repairs while she watched. In fact I did some maintenance on Den's automail yesterday. Den was really happy with it and gave me lots of kisses as a thank you. It feels really good seeing how our work can make all these people's lives better.

Al says hi. Ed is being a grouch as usual. They are still constantly poring over their alchemy books studying who knows what. I think they're obsessed. Granny says that they're acting more like their dad every day, which got Ed really mad.

Please come home soon. I miss you.

Love,

Winry

Sara smiled as she looked up from the letter. "Thank you, Marcus," she said. "You have no idea how much this means to us, bringing us supplies and letters from home."

Marcus grinned. "It was nothing."

"Whoa...You brought all this, Marcus?" said Urey as he inspected the crates. "You're a godsend!"

"I actually wanted to bring more but most of the available medical supplies in the area are being sent to the military. I had to practically beg the suppliers to put aside some of their inventory for me and then I had to bribe a few soldiers to get them across checkpoints. But it's a small price to pay for saving lives."

"Well we're forever in your debt. We've been in desperate need of medicine. Let's hurry and bring this stuff inside."

Sara watched Urey and Marcus carry the crates inside the building before looking back down at the mail in her hands. There were about a dozen letters, most from Winry but she recognized a few from Pinako and about two from friends. Smiling, she closed her eyes and clutched the letters to her heart.

Just wait a little longer, Winry. We'll be home soon.

A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. I promise I won't take this long to post the next chapter. Also, thank you to everyone who reviewed.