Chapter 11 "Too Close."
Rated: R
Warning: Heated Moments, Cursing, Violence, and MAYBE a couple lemons…
Disclaimer: I own nothing. The people who work and make Fullmetal Alchemist own it.
(Sequel to Confessions of a Brigadier General)
(Couple months after the anniversary honeymoon)
It was like an ice cold bucket of water had been dumped on her. Her expression of shock was stuck on her face. "Roy…" she whispered, putting a hand on the door frame to hold herself up. "He's okay, Riza. Havoc got him there on time, but the doctors said it was a really bad heart attack." Edward stated numbly, hardly believing this either.
"We'll go get the kids from school, but they need you over at the hospital, now." Amaya put in. Riza nodded, grabbing her coat and rushing out the door. She was out of breath by the time she rushed into the front doors of the hospital, where a nurse quickly directed her to a room.
"You'll have to wait here for a doctor. He's in surgery right now." The nurse said quietly, leaving Riza in the room. She sank into a chair, still in a state of shock as she heard footsteps out in the hall. A doctor entered quickly, and began telling her all the details.
"He'll be okay, but it will take awhile for him to completely recover. He's had a lot of stress lately, being Fuhrer and all. I'm sure being a parent has a lot to do with it too. He should be almost finished in surgery, if you'll follow me, I'll direct you too his room." The doctor finished up.
Riza stood, following the doctor in a dream like daze. When they finally entered the room, he was already in there, still sleeping from the anesthesia. She sat down in a chair directly by the bed, and thanked the doctor quietly. She heard the monitors beeping, and the other machines whirring. She heard the drip of his IV. She put her hand inside his to let him know she was right there beside him.
40 minutes or so later, he was blinking awake, and she was still there. "Roy, darling, you're okay." She whispered softly, standing up, and kissing his forehead. He nodded his head, and put his head to the side. "They said your heart attack was pretty bad. They don't want you to go back to work for at least two months. I'm having the others run your affairs for you." She went on, pushing hair back from his face.
She bit her lower lip, tears welling up in her eyes as he looked up at her. He'd never been so helpless. "You scared me." She whispered, letting her hand drop as he nodded solemnly. She poured him a cool glass of water, helping him drink it. "The doctor said to tell you not to talk. He doesn't want you to stress your body, and neither do I. You'll have to communicate through writing things down." She said, wiping away a tear.
He gave her a look with his eyes and she laughed half-heartedly. "I know you hate to see me cry. I can't help it." She said. He rolled his eyes, trying to smile but failing. She kissed his hand and moved to the door. "I'm going to go tell the others you're okay. I'm not letting the children in until tomorrow when you look like more like yourself. Get some sleep, please." She said, blowing him a kiss and walking into the hallway.
"He's fine. The doctor said he'll be just fine." Riza informed the waiting room party. The kids were crying, and she immediately took them in her arms, hugging them tightly. "It's okay." She said when they all burst into tears. She closed her eyes, and fell onto the floor completely, just holding them, and making soothing noises.
"So what are you going to tell the press?" Amaya asked softly as they sent the children off with Edward, Alphonse, and Eve to go home. "Just a few facts. Not enough for gossip, however." Riza answered curtly. "Good. That's the last thing we need is a revolt." Maria said, biting her lip. "I doubt they would revolt because their Fuhrer had a heart attack, Maria." Havoc said, leaning against the wall.
"You never know…" Fuery said, looking down at the floor. "I think we should all just go home and go to bed." Amaya said. "You guys go ahead, feel free to stay at our house. The kids will need company." Riza muttered, walking back towards her husband's room.
"Poor Riza…" Falman muttered as they all walked out the doors after the kids, Ed, Al, and Eve. "She'll be okay. She always is." Amaya said confidently.
Riza sat down in the chair next to her husband's bed. She smiled at his sleeping face, and looked out the window at the city lights spread out before the fourth floor of the hospital. She'd have her work cut out for her. Her husband would need a lot of taking care of from now on. 'I don't think he realized how he's getting on in his years…' she thought, her face sad looking.
The whole crew that worked in the same office as him would have to pick up the slack work now, and not to mention she'd have to start keeping track of bills for the house and such. And the children's education. Joy's baby would be due before long too…
She sighed, leaning back in the chair, intent on getting some sleep. She hadn't even bothered to change out of her uniform.
"Haha, look here it says if you can climb two flights of stairs you're healthy enough to have sex." Havoc and Edward laughed as they read Roy's recovery book. Roy chuckled, shaking his head. "I can climb four, right now." He said. "See, he's getting healthier every day." Eve said confidently.
"Of course he is." Riza said, arranging flowers in vase. Cards and get-well wishes were piled up on all the tables, and balloons floated loosely in the air. "I want to go back to work…" he fretted, looking down at the white sheets across his legs.
"Soon enough. When the doctor says so." Riza said, running a hand through her hair that now went to her waist. "Will you ever cut it again, Riza?" Alphonse asked, going through cards. "I'm not sure…" Riza mused, pouring Roy a glass of water.
"We should get back, lunch is almost over." Amaya said, standing up. "Yeah, and lord knows Breda and Falman can't handle Fuery and the rest of the military by themselves." Edward said, walking towards the door after they said bye. "Too true, my friend. Armstrong's sparkles will crush them." Havoc chortled down the hall.
"I hate being stuck in this room most of the time…" Roy muttered, sipping his water. Riza sat on his bed beside him. "I'll have you home soon, darling." She said, kissing his shoulder. "I'm getting old." He said, stating it clearly. "You're only 33." Riza said, tracing patterns in his hand. "You're 29, you'll be 30 in October…" Roy said, smirking at her. "Don't remind me." Riza said, rolling her eyes.
"You're still the most gorgeous woman I've ever seen." Roy said, kissing her neck. "Oh no you don't." Riza said firmly. "You still have that little trim figure even after giving birth to three children. Though some still think Elicia and Joy were birthed by you as well…" he said, frowning at the last part.
"Which reminds me…Joy wants to move in with your parents. They phoned yesterday, said they'd be happy to have her and the baby when it came. Your mother seemed a little too thrilled." Riza said, closing the currents over the window. Roy sighed. "I don't have any problem with it. I'll miss her, but another baby in the house…well we have enough stress as it is. Elicia's going to be in high school soon. The other two in first grade, and Will in pre-school." Roy noted.
"I don't think another baby would be all that bad." Riza said, pushing him back onto the bed as the lunch cart came in. "Oh? Are you trying to tell me something?" he asked, raising an eyebrow as his lunch was put in front of him.
"No, I'm not pregnant. I'm just saying, it wouldn't be so bad to have a baby in the house." Riza said, thanking the nurse quietly. "You want another one, then?" Roy asked, his eye twitching at the nasty hospital food he had to eat.
"Well, what if I do?" she asked, looking at him. "You deserve another child. I have no objections to it. We should shoot for another girl. Make it even with our biological children. Cait and Jon need a little sister to go with their little brother." Roy said, starting to force the nasty food into his mouth.
"What would we name her?" Riza prodded, putting her head on her chin. "Grace. I like that name. Grace Anne Marie Mustang." Roy said. Riza stared at him, "It's gorgeous. And you name her all on your own. I knew you still had brains." She teased, kissing his cheek. "I had a heart attack not a brain tumor." He laughed.
"I wanna see my daddy." Caitlyn protested as Eve tried to get her to eat her dinner. "You'll see him tomorrow." Eve promised. "I wanna see mommy." Jonathan pouted, crossing his arms. "You'll see her tomorrow too." Alphonse said, smiling. "Dabooga." William said, smashing his peas with a spoon.
"When will dad come home?" Elicia asked, eating her dinner carefully. "In a couple weeks. He still needs time to recover." Amaya answered, coming in with desert. "I miss him…" Caitlyn whined, looking down at her pork chop. "He'll be home soon, don't you worry." Edward encouraged her lightly.
A/N: Short, brief chapter. More to come. Tell me what you think. And if I got anything mixed up, like age, or whatever please tell me.
