Disclaimer: I don't own fma

Warning there are suggestions of adult situations and some swaring.

It was a week before Roy went back to work, he walked into the outer office and noticed that no-one was there. "I guess that they haven't arrived yet." He said he walked into his office and started on his work. It was three hours later that he had a knock on his door.

"Come in." He said in a tired voice.

"General Mustang, sorry to disturb you." Riza said standing near the door. Roy just nodded and signalled her to sit down on the couch.

"I just wanted to apologise, I should have known better then to attack you like that." Riza said in an timid voice uncharacteristic to her. Roy had never seen her sound so timid, he stood up and sat next to her, given her a hug.

"Of course I forgive you." Roy said. "And I hope that you can forgive me for my stupidity."

"Um I don't know...I suppose I can, if you manage to convince me that you are worth forgiving." Roy cringed, he didn't like where this was going.

"I won't have to walk around in a mini skirt again sing will I?" He asked Riza laughed.

"No no nothing like that, though now that you mention it that could be fun." Riza said giggling, she still remembered the last time they had made him do that, she wasn't even able to look at him without laughing which caused a lot of people to wonder what Ed had done to her.

"Ed needs someone to demonstrate some fighting moves with and Al is in Rush Valley and unable to come due to a job that he is currently doing." Riza said with a smirk Roy paled, he had seen how well Ed could fight and didn't want to be on the receiving end of it.

"Is there anything else I could do? Work in the kitchen? Do your and Ed's laundry for a month? I will even walk around HQ in a skirt again." Roy begged which was something that he swore he would never do. Riza was amused, she had always wanted to see Roy beg and at her mercy, if she had known that it was this easy she would have done it a long time ago. In the other office Havoc and the others was watching through the door as Roy throw away all of his dignity, trying not to laugh because they didn't want to be caught they stood and watched waiting to see what Riza would do.

"Sorry Roy but it isn't me that you should be talking to, though I do appreciate the other suggestions." Riza said with a smile. Roy bowed his head in humiliation, there was no way that she would ever let this go and he was sure that Havoc and the others where watching the show as well. 'There has to be a way out of this.' He thought looking around the office, he stopped when he noticed the paperwork on his desk.

"I'm afraid that I may not be allowed to assist Fullmetal even if I wanted to, I have my own responsibilities you know and I wouldn't want the Fuhrer to get angry with me because I have been shirking my own duties to help out someone else on a whim."

"Oh don't worry about that Ed went over to talk to the Fuhrer when you was 'on leave' last week, it will only be for an hour a day. Though you will still have to have the work finished before the end of the day." Riza said with a huge grin on her face. Roy sighed in defeat, there was no way that they where going to let him out of this easily, all he could do was allow himself to become Ed's punching bag for an hour a day and hope that he wasn't too badly hurt in the process.

"OK what time does he want me?" He asked her slouching into the couch. "Not until four, so I suggest that you get that paperwork finished and handed in by then." She replied she turned and faced the door ready to leave when she said. "And that goes for the rest of you, get back to work." There was the sound of rushed feet and men sitting down in a hurry before she opened the door and left the office, Roy sat back at his desk and started reading he had four and a half hours to get his work finished and handed in.

At four Ed and his men stood in the court yard waiting for Roy to arrive so that they could start the training, though his men didn't really need to be shown a demonstration to help them train, it was a good excuse to throw Roy around without being sent to the court marshals office. He noticed Roy walk out of the locker rooms and tried to hold back the laughter, Roy was wearing white millatery shorts that looked like they where a size to small and a pink t-shirt with the words 'I love dogs' written on it. Underneath the writing was a cute little puppy with big eyes. All of Ed's men couldn't take it they all bust out laughing and was rolling around the ground, Ed had a wicked grin on his face, it had took him three days to find that t-shirt and now he was glade that he had made the effort. Roy walked over to where Ed was standing with a massive blush across his cheeks. Ed ordered his men to stand up and get into line, causing them to instinctively jump up of the ground and stood to attention.

"All right team I want you all to take close attention to what I am going to be showing you today because the slightest mistake could cost you or your team mates lives." Ed said in his 'I'm not taking any crap' tone, everyone just nodded.

"I am going to be demonstrating to you some moves with the help from General Mustang." Ed explained, Michael, Nelson and Susumu all sat on the ground at a safe distance so that they wouldn't be in the way. Ed told Roy to stand behind him like he was going to attack from behind. Roy did as he was told as stood behind Ed, with out anything instructions Roy went to grab Ed and pin him to teach him a lesson for the whole swapping his millatery training uniform for a girlie one. He grabbed Ed on his shoulder to pull him down when he realised his mistake and was thrown to the floor with his left arm in a tight arm bar, Roy could feel all of the muscles in his arm tense and he thought that his shoulder was going to be pulled out of his socket.

"Did you see what I did there? The General was foolish enough to think that he could grab me and pin me from behind, but with the position that he was in put him in a disadvantage." Ed explained. "Now I would like you all to practice doing that on the crash mats that have been provided for us." Ed said pointing to the mats that had been brought out for them. Roy glared at Ed, who gave him a evil smirk back. He helped him up and took him over to Nelson.

"Because there are only three of you and for obvious reasons you can't train with Emily the General here will be your partner." Ed said, he sat back and watched as Roy got thrown around by the Second lieutenant with glee. 'This will teach him to hurt Riza and her family.' He allowed them to practice and helped when needed before moving to the next move he wanted them to learn. By the end of the hour Roy ached all over, he had been thrown around that much that he back and shoulders hurt and he was sure that he was going to have bruises. He went home that evening exhausted and had a long hot bath to help with his aching muscles, wondering what Ed would do to him the next day.

The week went by slowly for Roy as he went throw the torture of being thrown, kicked, punched and put in to submission locks. When Friday was over he went home and rested his poor abused body, having had Hughes drive him home because his legs wouldn't work, he sat in his chair and relaxed with a glass of brandy that Maes had returned to him. "Here you are Roy I have but everything so that it is in reach for you, is there anything else that you needed me to do?" He asked concerned that his friend may try to get something himself and causing more damage to his already pulled muscles.

"No thanks Hughes you have already done enough, why don't you go home to your family I bet that Gracia has dinner waiting for you at home." Roy said reassuring his friend who didn't want to leave him.

"But what if you try to get up for something and end up pulling an ligament or something. It's not like you don't exercise a lot or anything so you body isn't used to it like Ed's is." Roy gave Hughes a shocked look. "Are you calling me fat?"

"No I'm just saying that it has been awhile since you have had to do this kind of training and I don't want you to end up in the hospital with a long term injury." Hughes explained.

"Thanks for the concern Hughes, but I don't think that Fullmetal would be stupid enough to put me in the hospital." Roy said, Hughes gave Roy a worrying look.

"I don't know, he could do it and say that it happened when a move went wrong when he was showing it to his men, and that you didn't fall correctly." Hughes said, Roy thought about this for a moment and went completely white.

"Oh no, Hughes I think that Fullmetal is trying to torture me to death." Roy said panicking, Hughes patted his shoulder and tried to calm him down.

"I don't think Ed would do such a thing, I think that the most he will do is try to put you in the hospital for revenge for sending him and his brother on all of those dangerous missions that used to get him sent to the hospital and getting attack by Winry for his auto-mail being broken." Hughes replied saying his thoughts out loud.

"It's not like I did that on purpose you know, he was the one who wanted thoughs missions." Roy argued.

"But your the one that wouldn't give him the correct information, and lets not forget all of the short jokes you used to do." Hughes replied. "Come on Hughes you know as much as I that we weren't always given the correct information our selves, it wasn't my fault that I could give him the info he needed."

"What about the..." Hughes was cut off by the phone ringing, he picked it up so that Roy didn't have to strain himself and answered.

"Hello this is Maes Hughes speaking." He said like he was in his own home, Roy frowned at him and tried to get the phone of him but found that he couldn't move.

"Yes he's here. It's for you." Hughes said with a smile on his face. "Of course it's for me this is my house." Roy said before taken the phone. "Hello?"

"Roy it's Lisa." Roy was shocked he thought that Lisa wouldn't talk to him again, not after what he did.

"Hey Lisa this is a surprise, I thought that you never wanted to see me again." Roy replied wondering why she was calling him. Maes left the room to give Roy some privacy.

"Riza called me last week and told me what happened." Roy's heart sunk to the pit of his stomach. 'Is she going to have a go at me for what a did to Riza?" He thought.

"She told me that you was helping the woman, that she was a friend of yours from West City and that she was the one who was trying to seduce you. I'm so sorry that I wouldn't listen to you." She said with regret in her voice. Roy was once again surprised, he had never thought that Lisa would apologise.

"That's OK Lisa, I should be the one who should be apologising, I didn't exactly..."

"I know and that's why I want to talk, is it OK if I come over?" She asked interrupting him, Roy smiled for the first in a week. "Of course you can, I will have Hughes leave the door unlocked so that you can let yourself in." He said goodbye and hung up so that she could get ready to come over. Thirty minutes later there was a knock at the door, Hughes had rang Gracia and had told her that he would come home once Lisa had arrived so that he could keep an eye on him, which annoyed Roy to no ends.

"Good evening Miss Swan." Hughes said as he was leaving the house to go home to his family.

"Good Evening General Hughes." Lisa replied bowing her head. She went in side and saw Roy sat in the chair with a table that had a fresh pot of tea ready that Hughes had prepared for when she arrived. Roy slowly tried to get up so that he could pour them both a cup but Lisa stopped him and poured the tea instead.

"Riza told me about the 'training' that you are going through right now, are you alright?" She asked with her voice fall of concern. Roy just nodded looking into her beautiful hazel eyes he had almost forgotten how beautiful her eyes were.

"Roy?" Roy snapped out of his stare and took the tea that was being handed to him, Lisa smiled at him and sat down on the couch.

"So does your dad know that you are here?" Roy asked, Lisa sighed she wished that her father would just let her get on with her life.

"No he doesn't, and he doesn't need to know. This is between you and me and I don't know about you but I'm getting tired of having to talk through other people to communicate." Lisa replied.

"I am, and I want to make things right." Roy said trying to get up again and this time managing to succeed, he limbed over to the couch and sat down next to her so that he could cuddle up close to her.

"Lisa I'm sorry about what I did, I should never have allowed her to..."

"It's aright Roy I know that it is difficult to change who you are, and I don't want you to, just try not to flirt with every girl you see OK." Lisa said cutting into his sentence, Roy smiled at her.

"Lisa if we are going to be in a relationship then I feel that I need to be completely honest about my past." Roy said bowing his head, he wasn't proud about what he had done, but he had to tell her so that he knew that he wasn't hiding anything from her and that he could be truly honest.

"Roy what is it, there isn't someone else is there?" Lisa asked worried, Roy shook his head. "No nothing like that, it's just something that you are going to need to know if this relationship is going to work." Roy answered, he took a deep breath and finished of his tea before continuing.

"After the war I was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and posted at Eastern Command as the superior officer, everything was going great the war was over I had a new team and I was the youngest officer to be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in Amestrian millatery history. Then I met Marie, She was beautiful with wavy brunette hair and emerald green eyes, she was the first girl that I ever fell in love with and the first to break my heart." Roy said, he reach over to the table that had been moved closer to the couch by Hughes and poured himself a drink. Lisa sat there not saying a word she wanted to hear the full story before she said anything. Roy drained his glass and poured another two glasses and handed one to Lisa.

"It all started out with a few dates everything seemed like nothing could go wrong until we started living together, I have nightmares about the war and one night I wake up and found Marie on the other side of the room scared out of her mind, she had told me that when I had started flaying my arms about she was afraid that I might hit her and moved, but her eyes said differently, so I told her everything about what had happened in the war and all the horrible things I was forced to do. She was disgusted, she left the house calling me a monster saying that I should be executed for what I had done not rewarded and branded a hero. Three days later there was an article in the paper about me, Marie had gone to the Eastern express and told them that I was a murdering monster that beats and abuses woman and uses my power to get what I want. It almost destroyed me, if it wasn't for the fact that I had a few superiors that believed in me and helped chase the rumours away I would have probably ended up in prison with all of the soldiers who did murder on the battle field." Roy continued.

"I found out a week later that Marie was using me and had used the money she got from selling my story to go away with her 'real' boyfriend. That's why I act the way I do around woman, why I won't open up to much." Lisa nodded it all started to make sense now.

"So you don't go away hitting woman?" Lisa asked, Roy looked at her with regret. "No Riza was the first woman that I had ever hit and it will be the last. I never meant to hurt her."

"I believe you, and thank you for telling me this it means a lot to me to know that you trust me enough with this." Lisa said smiling at him, she put her glass down and gave him a hug. "Don't worry I won't ever do anything like that to you, and we don't have to rush into anything."

"What about Matthew? He seems to like you a lot." Roy asked, he knew how it sounded but he had to make sure, he had been screwed over too many times and he wasn't going to take any risks.

"Matthew is just a friend and nothing more, you have no need to feel threatened." Lisa reassured. They sat there and talked for most of the night until Lisa decided that it was time to go home, she help Roy up the stairs and to his room before leaving the house and locking the door with the spear key that Roy had given her.

At Ed's apartment he and Riza was sitting on the couch quietly talking to each other. "It was a delicious dinner, I should make you cook more often." Riza said smiling at her future husband, Ed laughed.

"That was nothing you should try my brothers cooking he makes my meals look and taste like crap." Ed replied.

"Speaking of Alphonse have you heard anything from him?"

"Yea he called the other day apparently my dad was over there a few days ago surprising him, he said that he is coming here to Central to stay since there isn't anything left for him in Resembool." Ed said.

"So it seems that he is finally settling down." Riza said pouring them a glass of wine.

"Yea, it kinda feels strange three years ago I would never of pictured myself here with you, I always thought that I would have to sacrifice myself in order to get Alphonse back to normal."

"But you didn't." Riza said smiling at him.

"Thanks to my dad, he did the one thing that I had been trying to do for four years, and I never thanked him. Even when he was living with us here to help me take care of Al I didn't say it, I guess my pride wouldn't let me." Ed replied with the hint of regret in his voice. Riza looked into his bright golden eyes and gave him a reassuring smile.

"It isn't too late you know, you can still tell him." She said, Ed blushed no matter how many time she did this he always blushed, he leaned forward and kissed her softly. Riza put her right hand on the back of his head and deepened the kiss flicking her tongue on his bottom lip asking for entrance, he opened his mouth and allowed her to explore inside with her tongue before doing the same with her until they needed air and pulled away panting. Ed's blush had become a darker shade of red and his pants where feeling a little tight. Riza noticed Ed awkwardness and smirked, she always knew how to get him going.

"Ed you know that there isn't anything to be ashamed of, we have been going out for two years now, don't you want to go to the next level?" She asked, Ed's blush became even deeper as he turned to look away from his fiancée.

"It's not that I don't want to, I just want to wait until we are married. You know do things the traditional way." This causing Riza to look at him in surprise.

"Since when are you into traditions?" She asked a little confused, it wasn't like Ed to follow traditions, he usually did things his own way not wanting to be like everyone else.

"I don't usually, but it was the only thing that I was brought up to believe in, I don't believe that it is right to do that kind of thing with a girl if your not willing to spend the rest of your life with her." Ed explained, now it was Riza who was blushing she knew that Ed was a gentleman but she never expected him to have those kinds of morals, especially with the way he grew up.

"Ed I never knew that you felt like this, I'm so sorry if I have been making you feel uncomfortable." Riza said looking away "But you know that we don't have to..."

"I don't want to do anything like that until are wedding night, that way it will be even more special." Ed replied turning Riza's head so that she was facing him again. "I love you Riza and I will treat you with the respect that you deserve." He hugged her and kissed her on the cheek. They both noticed the time and decided that it was time for them to go to bed, Riza stayed in the spare bedroom whilst Ed went into his room, it might have seemed odd to other people who if they had been watching but Ed didn't care, their relationship would stay like this until they had said those two every special words that proved their love to one another.

A week later Roy and Lisa was officially back together again to her father's horror, they had spoken about what had happened and about their pasts and now thought that their relationship was a lot stronger now than it ever was, Roy had even invited Lisa and her parents to his house so that they could try and resolve any issues that they may have with one another. Lisa's father had straight out refused saying that no amount of bribing was going to convince him that he wasn't a murderer, but Lisa's mother had argued with him saying that he will never be able to allow their daughter to live her own life because he couldn't let go of his hatred for alchemists and pointed out that it was Berthold that had allowed his sister to die not Roy. It took some convincing but eventually he agreed saying that he was doing it for his wife and daughter and if Roy did anything wrong he would never let Roy forget it.

This had made Roy nerves, he wanted to impress Lisa's parents and was afraid of doing the slightest thing wrong. He had asked Lisa what her father's favourite dinner is and asked Al for the recipe. Hughes knowing that Roy would became so nerves that he would most probable cause something to go wrong offered to help Roy make his home look presentable, he and Elisha tided up the house whilst Roy went to Ed to ask if he could fix the statue that he had broken the night he had gotten drunk and smashed everything, he had been meaning to get it fixed but didn't want to go to Ed and have to owe him a favour but it turned out that Ed wasn't like that any more and fixed the statue with the aid of a picture of it so that it didn't end up looking demonic.

"Here you go Mustang, good as new." Ed said handing Roy the now fully repaired statue. "Thank you Fullmetal, I very much appreciate it." Roy said putting the dragon statue away in a padded box that Ed had also made for him to keep it safe.

"That's OK General, I now how important this is for you." Ed replied with a smile.

"Well I have to go now, I'm sure that you have some more training to do." Roy said heading towards the door to leave.

"Actually...I have something that I want to ask you." Ed said nervously sitting down on the couch. Roy turned around and sighed.

"I knew that it was to much to hope for, what is it that you need?" He asked standing near the couch.

"It's nothing like that I just what some advice about something that's all, you don't even have to give it me if you don't want too." Ed replied bowing his head, Roy sighed again and sat down next to him.

"OK Ed what's the problem? You know that you can talk to me." Ed snored at that, it was true that Roy was like a father figure to him when his dad wasn't around, but it didn't mean that he felt comfortable talking to him. "Well...you see...I..."

"Ed just spit it out, it can't be that bad can it?" Roy said becoming annoyed, Ed took a deep breath.

"I wanted to ask you about sex." Ed said, Roy looked at him like he had two heads.

"Ed your twenty-one you can't tell me that you don't know anything about sex?" Roy said, this caused Ed to blush. "Well...I..."

"OK Ed, I'll tell you, when a man and a woman love each other very much..."

"I KNOW THAT YOU BASTARD, I JUST WANT YOU TO JUST HELP ME WITH SOMETHING OK." Ed shouted in annoyance. Roy giggled, he couldn't believe that Ed hadn't done that with Riza yet, it looked like he had lost that bet.

"WHAT ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?" Ed screamed, causing Roy to laugh harder.

"You...you mean that you...and Riza haven't..."

"No we haven't, unlike you I have morals." Ed replied causing Roy to stop laughing and glare at him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked in an angry voice.

"I mean that I intend to wait until we are married, unlike you who just treat woman like your play thing." Ed replied angrily, Roy was furious how dare he judge him after the sins he had committed himself.

"Oh really so that means that I don't have morals does it, well I admit that I USED to treat women like that, but I'm a changed man now." Roy said standing up to leave again. "Besides you can talk last time I checked you didn't have morals either, or was it some other Elric who committed the ultimate taboo and costed his little brother his body." Roy said, Ed was now seeing red he grabbed Roy shirt collar and went to hit him when he stopped and let go to Roy's surprise.

"I may have made a mistake, but a fought and made everything right again unlike you who just wallows in self pity and drinks himself blind." Ed countered, he walked over to his desk and sat down pretending to work whilst waiting for Riza to meet him for lunch.

"You mean your father fixed it, if it wasn't for him you both would probably be dead now." Roy said, he wasn't going to let Ed get the better of him, but Ed just ignored him. Roy wasn't going to stand around and wait for Ed to apologise for what he had said, he walked out of the door and slammed it shut causing Ed to jump. "Bastard."

On the way back to his office Roy realised that he had left his dragon statue in Ed's office, sighing he turned around and headed back to retrieve his property before it was destroyed again. He walking into the office and went to knock when to heard Ed sobbing in the the room.

"Stupid bastard, why did he have to go and bring that up, it's not like I haven't suffered enough and I thought that he understood. But I guess I was wrong and to think that I was going to ask him about how to..." Roy was in shock, he had only ever seen Ed cry once and that was because of what Tucker had done to his dog and daughter. He contemplated leaving and asking Riza if she could bring the statue back for him saying that he had left it there, but that would lead to questions and he didn't want anyone to know that this had happened, but he also didn't want to walk into the office and get it himself in-case Ed got embarrassed because of him walking into the office and seeing him cry.

'What do I do? Either way I'm going to make this situation worse.' Roy thought, he decided to leave and talk to Ed about it later but stopped when he heard footsteps heading towards the office. 'Shit,t that must be Riza coming to meet Ed for lunch if she sees me leaving and then notices that Ed's been crying then she will know that I have done something.' Panicking he turned towards the door and acted like he was going to knock when Riza walked into the room.

"General I wondered what was taking you so long, I hope that you will be making up the time." Riza said frowning at him, Roy straighten up and looked at her with a look that said 'sorry I need to deal with something.'

"I was going to come straight back but Ed said that he wanted to talk to me about something in private." Roy said in explanation.

"Oh is something wrong?" Riza asked concerned.

"No it's um...he wants to have a man's talk you know?"

"OH in that case I will leave you two to talk, let me know when you have finished OK." Riza said leaving the office again. Roy stood near the door for a moment knowing that Ed would have heard his voice outside the door and would be composing himself. He knocked on the door then walked in giving Ed time to put up his mask.

"Hey Fullmetal about before..."

"Here this is the reason you came back isn't it." Ed interrupting handing Roy the box with his dragon in it. Roy was lost for words he should have known that Ed would have figured out why he was there.

"Yes (sigh) but I also wanted to apologise for what I said, I shouldn't have never..."

"No you shouldn't of." Ed said interrupting Roy again. "Will you stop interrupting me, I know that I crossed the line but you shouldn't of said what you said either."

"Do you even know how childish you are sounding right now?" Ed asked, Roy frowned.

"Look I'm just saying that we where both to blame." Roy replied trying to prevent another argument.

"Well thank you for the apology." Ed said sitting back down at his desk and looking out the window. Roy didn't know what to do, before they would get into and argument Roy would throw in some short jokes and it would turn into a game of who can annoy the other the most, but now that the situation had changed, he couldn't call Ed short because he was the same height as him and he would be calling himself short which wouldn't work as well.

"Was there something else General?" Ed asked noticing that Roy was still in his office. Roy blinked he didn't realise that he had been staring.

"Well actually Edward there was, I just wanted to let you know that where to find me if you want to have that talk, and I'm sorry for laughing earlier that was very immature of me." Roy replied, he checked to make sure that he had his box before heading to the door.

"Actually General I would it be OK if we have that talk now? Seeing as you told Riza that you would be." Ed said causing Roy to turn around and smile.

"Yea sorry about that, it was either telling her or lying to her and at the moment with everything that has been going on I'd rather not piss her off by lying to her." Roy explained, Ed nodded in understanding. "I know what you mean." Ed and Roy had there talk and after an hour Roy had to go back to the office before Riza came looking for him again. Ed had apologised for what he had said earlier and Roy told him that if he ever wanted to talk again that he shouldn't hesitate to ask.

When Roy was finally allowed to go home, he was surprise to see what Hughes had done to his house.

"Uncle Roy look what I got you." Elisha said running up to him with a picture frame that she had bought herself, Roy didn't know what to say she had bought him a gold frame with silver indentions of dogs on it, for the second time that day Roy was speechless. In the kitchen Maes was making Roy a cup of coffee.

"Elicia sweetheart Uncle Roy has only come home from work, why don't you let him have some coffee before we start showing him what we have done." Hughes said to his excited daughter.

"But daddy you said that I could show him when he gets home." Elicia pouted.

"I know, but Roy has had a busy day, we need to let him rest first." Hughes reasoned with his eight year old daughter. Roy smile fondle at his best friend. "Thanks for this Hughes I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't of helped."

"No problem, How was work? Did you managed to convince Ed to fix your ornament?" Maes asked.

"Yeah though I had to work over time to finish my dead line for today." Roy said sitting down at his kitchen table.

"Riza made you stay behind did she?"

"Yea and it was her fiancé's fault, Fullmetal wanted me to have a private chat with him. I was in there for an hour before I ran back to my office and begged her not to shoot me." Roy replied Hughes was shocked.

"You mean that you and Ed sat in the same room on your own and had a talk with out you two killing each other?" He said not believing his ears.

"Well not exactly, we ended up in a fight to start with but then managed to sort it out and have a adult conversation."Roy said Hughes thought he was dreaming he placed his hand on his head to check for a temperature.

"Nope you aren't sick, now who are you and what have you done with the real Roy Mustang?"

"What? Is it so hard to believe that Ed and I can have a adult conversation without trying to murder each other." Roy asked, Hughes shook his head. "No I was just surprised that's all, so what do you think?" Roy looked around the his kitchen which was now sparkling. He then stood up from the table and walked into the living room which looked a lot different from when he had left for work that morning, there where photo's on the walls of him and his team, everything was now clear of dust and his once dull greyish carpet was now cream which was it's original colour. Elicia walked over to him and handed him the frame that she had saved up to buy him. "I was going to give it to you on you birthday, but when daddy said that you needed us to help clean your house because your girlfriend was coming for dinner with her mum and dad I thought that now was a good time, do you like it?" Elicia asked, Roy took the frame and smiled at her.

"I love it thank you, and I know the perfect picture to put in it." Roy said walking over to his desk in his study and pulled out a photo of him with the Hughes family a little while after Jake was born. He took the back of the picture frame off and placed the photo in it before placing it on the top of the fire place. Hughes smiled he had always known that Roy cared but was to proud and ashamed to admit it. They looked around the rest of the house to find that everything was in immaculate order except for his room that hadn't been touched.

"Thank you both for doing this, it means that all I have to do is worry about the dinner." Roy said given Elicia a pat on her head. "That's quit all right Roy, anything to help you get a wife." Roy smirked at his friend. "Well if you ever need a favour then let me know."

"Well actually...I was planning on taking Gracia out for our anniversary, I haven't been able to for a few years and I want to make her feel like she isn't just a mother and house wife but also the love of my life and that I haven't forgotten." Hughes said a little embarrassed.

"I'm sure that she doesn't need reminding, but if you would like I can look after Elicia and Jake for that night." Roy said given Elicia a smile.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to put you out." Hughes said concerned for his children if Roy was looking after them.

"I'm sure Maes, and don't worry about my capability neither it's not like it's the first time I've looked after a child." Roy replied, Hughes shivered at the memory.

"Don't remind me, that terrified me to death." Hughes said given Roy a wary look. Roy Frowned back at him.

"That wasn't my fault, how was I supposed to know that she was allergic to peanut butter?"

"She was two, your not supposed to give a child nuts of any kind until they are at least four or five." Hughes said wondering if it is a good idea to allow Roy to child mind his children.

"Look Hughes if it will make you feel better, I will ask Lisa or a friend of mine if they can help me." Roy said trying to reassure his friend, Hughes agreed.

"Well I had better let you get the cooking started, you wouldn't want to keep your guest waiting too long." Roy smiled, he said goodbye to his best friend and "Niece" and went to start on the dinner that Al had sent the recipe for.

At six there was a knock on Roy's front door, he put the shove on low so that the food wouldn't burn whilst he wasn't watching it and opened the door.

"Hey Roy, I hope that we aren't early." Lisa said given Roy a kiss and causing her father to frown. Roy just ignored it and allowed them to enter his home.

"No not at all, I was just cooking the vegetables to go with the beef." Roy said, he helped Lisa and her mother with their coats and hung them up on the coat peg, whilst Lisa's father took his own off and hung it up checking for dust first.

"Roy this is my mother and you have already meet on my father." Lisa said introducing them all. "Mother this is General Roy Mustang the Flame Alchemist." Roy offered his hand and gentle shock her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs Swan."

"It's nice to meet you too General Mustang, Lisa has told us all about you."

"All good I hope, and please call me Roy." Roy said with a charming smile. He guided them to the living room and sat them down on the couch and offered them some wine.

"Um Domaine font de Michelle, good choice of wine Roy." Lisa complemented.

"Thank you Lisa, well if you will excuse me I will finish of cooking the dinner, it shouldn't be too long now." Roy explained leaving them to set the table and check on the food. The beef looked like it was cook to perfection, he had checked it by sticking a skewer into it to check the juices which was clear and left it to stand for forty minutes just like Alphonse had instructed. The vegetables where cooked and the potatoes where roasted and crisp, the Yorkshire puddings where ready and the gravy just needed doing. Roy was pleased with himself he didn't think that he would been able to prepare and cook a meal like this, he started serving the meal and when the gravy was ready but it in a jug and put it on the table with the salt and pepper. He walked into the living taking off the apron that he was wearing and announced that dinner was served and guided them into his kitchen, Lisa sat down next to Roy and her dad whilst Roy was next to her mother and opposite her father who did seem to look impressed though he wouldn't openly admit it.

"Let's all say grace." Her father said as Roy picked up his fork to eat. Lisa frowned at him. "Dad I told you that Roy is a atheists, and besides this is his house..."

"I don't mind, besides you all are my guests it would be rude of me to ignore your traditions." Everyone was shocked they had never expected Roy to allow this in his own home. He put his hands together and bowed his head to prey.

"Lord thank you for the food that we are about to receive and for the wonderful company that I have with me tonight. Amen." Roy said, he looked up at Mr Swan for approval who nodded at him. "That was very nice Roy, thank you." He said, they all started eating and was amazed with how great the food was including Roy.

"Wow Roy this is amazing, I didn't know that you could cook." Lisa said eating a piece of beef.

"Neither did I, you know Edward, his brother Alphonse has agreed to help me improve my cooking skill since I'm not used to cooking for more than one." Roy said jokingly, Mr Swan gave him a suspicious look.

"You mean that you have never had another girl here for a candle lit dinner? I find that hard to believe, from what I have heard you are quit the ladies man." He said causing Roy to became uncomfortable.

"Well you see I have had a girl come over for dinner once but my food was so bad that I ended up giving her food poisoning, and back then I didn't know the Elric brothers so I couldn't ask for advice." Roy nervously explained, Lisa's mum put her hand on his to try and calm him.

"Don't worry Roy, we understand don't we dear?" She said turning to look at her husband who was squiring like a fish caught on a hook.

"Yes we do, it can't be easy trying to learn how to cook with all those hours you have to work."

"Yes it is quit difficult but now that I know Alphonse he has been sending recipes that are writing in steps that are easy to follow, once I have mastered the basics then I will ask him to send me harder recipes." Roy explained with pride.

"It's good to see, not many men are willing to learn these things for a girl, they expect to find a woman that will do it all for him." Mrs Swan commented. They finished their dinner and Roy took the plates and put them in the sink ready to wash up later.

"Would anyone care for some apple pie?" He asked pouring his guests a cup of coffee.

"Oh yes please, did you make it yourself?" Mrs Swan asked, Roy brought the apple pie to the table and cut everyone a slice.

"No this was made by the my best friends wife, who is an excellent cook." Roy explained they all sat and ate there desert in silence, once they had finished Roy put the plates in the sink and put the rest of the pie away before guiding his guests into the living room again. He poured them all a glass of wine each and went to sit down next to Lisa when he noticed that the fire had gone out in the fire place, without thinking he put on his gloves and snapped his figures relighting the fire and causing everyone else in the room to look at him.

"Wow that was incredible, is that the special alchemy that your famous for?" Lisa asked, she had never seen Roy use his alchemy and didn't know that much about it.

"Yes it is." Roy replied with sorrow in his voice, Lisa remembered what Roy had told her about the war and how ashamed he is with himself.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to..."

"You have nothing to be apologising for." Roy said interrupting her with a smile.

"I hear that alchemists train for several years with a teacher and then once they are skilled enough they go and create their own type of alchemy." Mr Swan said now being a little more relaxed from the wine he had been drinking.

"Yes in a lot of cases that is true, but not for me. I receive my alchemy from my form teacher who died many years ago." Roy replied sitting down next to Lisa.

"You must have had a very skilled teacher then, who was he?" Mrs Swan asked curious, Lisa gave Roy a worried look she already knew that Roy's old teacher was her uncle but was afraid that her father would think badly of him because of the fact that Roy knew her uncle.

"His name was Berthold Hawkeye." Roy replied causing Lisa's father to jump up.

"You mean that bastard was your alchemy teacher?" He asked furious, Roy nodded.

"Yes he was the one who tort me alchemy, though he wasn't the one who passed on the fire alchemy it was Riza who did that." Roy answered honestly, he didn't see the point in lying to them since the truth would come out eventually.

"Berthold Hawkeye wasn't the kindest person in the country and the way he treated his daughter was disgusting but he was the only person that I could find who would teach me alchemy, when he died I tried to help Riza by paying for the funeral and helping her find a place in central to live." Roy continued, Mr Swan nodded it did make sense since it was true that Hawkeye was a very skilled alchemist and Roy did take care of Riza after her father's death, but there was one thing that he wanted an answer to.

"Did you help Riza get her job in the millatery?" He asked, Roy shook his head.

"No and I was very surprised when I found out that she had, if you want the reasons for her joining then it would be better that you ask her." Roy said, Mr Swan nodded and held his hand out to him.

"Thank you for your honesty, it is obvious that you care for my daughter very much." He said giving Roy a smile.

"I thought that it would be rude of me if I wasn't Mr Swan."

"You can call me Christopher." Christopher said. The rest of the evening went well and soon it was time for them to go.

"Thank you Roy for inviting us to your lovely home, maybe you would love to come to have dinner with us sometime?" Katherine, Lisa's mother, asked.

"I would love to and once my cooking has improved I shall invite you all again with Edward and Riza." Roy suggested, they all said goodbye and Roy went into the kitchen to do the washing up before he went to bed. Once again Roy would be able to have a peaceful night without nightmares.

Yay I finally finished this chapter, please R & R. It's a little longer than what I intended, I hope you all enjoy. I coudn't help the I love dogs joke it is one of my favourite scene from the last fma show lol.