Chapter 11: Grant and the Letter

Tristan and Jean both fell to their knees but only Tristan fell on his face. Jean looked back up on top of the pile of debris and found a new soldier on it, the soldier was wearing the same uniform as Jean so Jean knew that the soldier was on his side. Or at lest he hoped the soldier was on his side. "Who are you?"

"The name's Sergeant John Grant." The soldier said as he raced down the pile and over to Jean, "Did I get you?"

"Yeah, in the arm." Jean said as he looked down at his left arm at the spot of new blood rushing down his arm.

"Sorry about that." Grant said.

"At lest you didn't shoot my face off the picture in my pocket." Jean said as he lifted up his shirt sleeve to look at the wound better.

"Here," Grant removed his back pack and pulled his first aid kit out of it. "I'll get that." Grant started to wrap Jean's arm up and pulled it tight to stop the bleeding. "There." Grant placed the first aid kit back in his back pack and stood up. "So wait, who are you?"

Jean started to pick up his items off of the ground and shoved them back into his pockets before he stood up next to Grant, "2nd Lt. Jean Havoc." Jean stated before he walked over to Tristan's body and grabbed his and Tristan's guns. "More ammo?" Jean asked as he held a pack out to Grant.

"No, I'm fine for now." Grant said as he walked over to Jean. "We better get out of here before some one comes back for him." Grant joked as he kicked the dead body's shoulder.

"Yeah, let's go."

-----

Riza walked into the military command center and went down to Roy's office. "Roy?" She asked as she peeked in, only to find Roy folding his paper work up into paper planes and shooting them across the room. "Roy."

Roy looked up and spotted her. "Oh, hi Riza. When did you get here?" He asked as he unfolded his last paper airplane.

"I just got here. Could you give this to Jean." She asked as she placed the envelop on Roy's desk.

"Not personally, but I could send it in for you." Roy teased.

"Not funny." She said as she took her old seat on the coach Roy kept in his office.

Roy sighed and looked at her, "I'll fill you in on every little thing I know about the war if it'll make you happy."

Riza looked up at him, "You have news already?"

"I have some new news about the war, but none of it has anything to do with Jean." Roy stated as he placed his elbows on his desk and placed his chin on his fists. "The enemy line has moved in towards our base, they haven't found it yet but we have a feeling they have a general idea as to where it is. On the list I got this morning from Falman, about 15 of our men were pronounced dead before reaching the medic-tent at the base. That's not counting the men on the field, it's only the ones that were close enough to the base to be recorded." Roy stated. "It has the name of the soldiers and Jean is not on the list."

"Can you find anything about Jean?"

"I don't have any records saying anything about him, but I'll double check what I have and make Falman and Feury dig some more things up about the war."

"Thanks Roy."

"Anything for you Riza."

"You're just saying that."

"I know, it's mostly for the twins."

"You are a sucker for the twins, that reminds me. Do you get off work at six today?"

"Yeah, why?"

"I have to take Troy to the hospital after I take Faith to dance, and seeing as Max and Seth won't hold still long enough for any of the things I just said, I was wondering if you'd like to watch them tonight." Riza said as she watched joy fill Roy's eyes and him try to hide the smile growing on his face.

"...Yeah I'll watch them."

"Thanks Roy." Riza said as she stood up. "Sorry to chat and run but the twins get out of school early to day." Riza fixed her purse over her shoulder and headed for the door.

"A Riza,"

Riza turned around to face Roy, "Yes?"

"You know I don't have work tomorrow and sense the boys are coming over. I was thinking that maybe they could spend the night then I could take them to the zoo."

Riza studied him then dropped her shoulders. "You knew that Jean was going to take the boys to the zoo tomorrow didn't you."

"Yes, Feury told me." Roy stated.

"Sorry Roy, but the boys aren't ready to stay anywhere." Riza said.

"Oh," Roy fixed his shirt caller then lend back in his chair. "I'll tell you if anything about Jean comes up."

"Okay." Riza said before walking out of the door and down the hall.

-----

"Okay class, it's time to get cleaned up and get ready to go home." Max and Seth's teacher announced.

"Max, book." Seth said as he handed Max his math book.

"Pencil." Max said placing the math book and a pencil in his back pack. Max and Seth shared one bag and took turns carrying.

"Book." Seth said again as he passed Max a book for their writing.

"Letter." Max said as he placed the letter him and Seth wrote for their dad.

"Yay letter!" Seth cheered.

"What you boys doing?" Max and Seth's teacher has been helping them a little more after they told her that their father was at war.

"Nothing, Mrs. Careman." They said together.

"Do you have your letter packed and ready to go?" She asked them.

"Yup."

"Do you think daddy will like it?" Seth asked as he passed Max another pencil.

"He'll love it." Mrs. Careman said with a big smile on her face. "You better hurry, your mom will be here soon. Do you need a stamp for it?"

"No, Seth drew one on." Max stated as he pulled the letter out and showed her.

"Oh." She giggled at the site of a pale blue smile face in the spot labeled Stamp. "You two better hurry so you can send it off to your dad." She said as she helped the two place their last items into their bag.

"Thank you Mrs. Careman." The said as Max threw the back pack on his back then followed Seth out of the class room and out to the parking lot, where they found Riza waiting in the car with Troy and Faith. "Mommy!" Seth shouted as he ran over to the car and opened the door.

"Did you boys have fun?"

"Yeah." The said at the same time. "Look what we made for daddy." Max said as he pulled the letter out and handed it to Riza.

Riza read the sloppy letters that said 'To daddy From Seth and Max' "Your father is going to love this." She said as a small tear rolled down her cheek.