Author's Note: M rating again in this chapter.

Coming Undone

Gritting her teeth, Riza slammed down the phone – a little harder than she had intended. If she hadn't had Havoc's attention before, she most certainly had it now. By the time she had arranged her features into a neutral expression and turned around to face him, he was already on his feet.

She had considered bending the truth a little but had decided against it. He knew her well enough to realise the truth and besides, they were both well aware that here, in Central Command – they had no leg to stand on when summoned by a higher-ranking officer. Not unless you wanted to be written up for insubordination.

And that wasn't worth doing. Individual repercussions aside, it would come back to her commanding officer, making it appear as though he had no control over his poorly trained subordinates. And she couldn't have that.

Unfortunately, Havoc caught on pretty quickly.

'Don't tell me …' He growled. Fists clenched at his sides, his expression conveying his anger and shock.

'Fine.' Her response was clipped, her warning look doing nothing to discourage him. 'I won't.'

Any semblance of composure and professionalism was cast aside as he rushed to her, placing his hands on her upper arms – a firm indication to stop, his actions reminiscent of hers earlier that morning when she had tried to stop him from storming out.

'You don't have to do this, Riza.' Despite his urgent tone, his gaze was gentle – beseeching, almost. 'You can't go – I won't let you.'

'Second Lieutenant Havoc, please stand down.' She hated having to resort to using rank – it made her no better than him – but she couldn't afford to have Havoc worked up, much less interfere. That would only draw attention to themselves. It was fortunate that they happened to be alone in the office.

Her words had a sobering effect on him and reluctantly, he moved his hands away from her, giving her a salute and a sheepish look. 'Sorry, Lieutenant. Still can't let you go.'

'I don't have a choice!' Riza hissed. She wanted to get this over and done with before the Colonel came back. If he found out that the General was toying with her again, he would be furious. She knew how close he had been to using his alchemy before when he had walked in on them in the office. There was no telling whether he would be able to restrain himself if he discovered Kaiser was still tormenting her.

'Listen, Havoc.' Riza spoke to him in a low, calm tone. 'We can't afford to waste time like this. The Colonel could be back any minute and I don't want this to be more complicated than it already is. Besides,' she bit her lip, knowing full well how far the General was willing to go. 'I'm going to his office – what can he possibly do there?'

'Five minutes.' Havoc finally relented, grimly. 'If you're not back, I'm going to kick down his door.'

'Make it ten and you've got a deal.' Riza gave him a small smile before exiting the office.

As she made her way down the hallways, Riza could feel the dread beginning to build within her, slowing her usual brisk pace into a trudge. She felt as though she was walking through mud – each one of her steps heavy with resignation. But then another idea struck her.

What if she managed to walk into the Colonel? He would surely question why she was wandering the hallways especially when he had asked her to finish cataloguing the recovered items by the end of the day. Nor did she want him to return to the office and find her gone. And then there was Havoc …

Having him storm into the General's office was the last thing she needed.

These thoughts made her quicken her pace. And soon, she was standing in front of General Kaiser's office door. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she willed herself to adopt her usual air of formality and reservation. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her rattled. Not there, not like this.

'You may enter.'

Riza could hear the smugness in his words. That same smugness was mirrored in his gaze when she finally opened the door and stepped into the office. Despite herself, she was taken back by how gloomy it was inside. The layout of the room mirrored that of the office she shared with her team. The contrast between the two offices was immense.

Riza was used to working in a bright and open space – with sunlight spilling in from the two large windows behind the Colonel's desk. And then there was the noise. Idle chatter, the Colonel teasing Fuery, the banter between Havoc and Breda or even Falman getting up to make some coffee and tea for the rest of them.

Kaiser's office was shrouded, all shadows and silence. The heavy drapes were closed behind him, blocking the sunlight entirely. The only light source came from a single lamp on his desk, illuminating him in a sinister fashion. The room was completely still, the desks empty. Even though she knew that the building was crawling with officers, right there and then, she felt as though she and the General were the only two people in the building.

By stepping into his office, she felt as though she had stepped into his fortress. The sound of the door closing behind her had an air of finality to it, which she didn't like. She stayed close to it, already calculating how long it would take him to reach her from his desk. Ten seconds, maybe? Plenty of time for her to turn around, wrench it open and get out of there.

Instinctively, she saluted, despising him more with each passing moment. When she spoke, her voice was clear and calm, betraying nothing of her disgust and fear. 'You called for me, sir?'

Instead of replying or even offering a salute of his own (which would have allowed her to bring her hand down), he simply sat there and watched her, his grey eyes piercing through the gloom. He still wore that same smug expression, his lips pulled back in a toothy smile as he slowly looked her up and down in a way that made her feel as though she was naked.

'At ease, soldier.' Kaiser finally, drawled. 'Come closer, Riza. It's not like I bite.'

The words caused her to flinch. The bite upon her collarbone felt as though it was burning. She flushed, a mixture of humiliation and pain. Her discomfort evident in the way she stiffened, her jaw clenching. Finally, being able to drop the salute, she moved her hand back down to her side. It took a great effort to edge closer into the room, especially when all her senses were telling her to leave.

Kaiser laughed at her, clearing amused. He had her trapped, after all – caught up in a web of rules and regulations. The joys of being a General when one's prey was a lowly Lieutenant. Riza knew full well that he would certainly use that to his advantage. She eyed him carefully, ready for any sudden movements on his part, but he seemed content to lounge in his chair behind the desk – a fat cat, lazily toying with its prey.

'I called you into my office today, Lieutenant Hawkeye – to remind you of one very simple fact. Fraternization is not only against Military regulations, it's illegal.' Kaiser paused for a moment, drawing out her discomfort. 'Being as beautiful as you are and bearing in mind the reputation – ' the word was made to sound dirty – 'of your commanding officer, you can see why I would be concerned, right?'

But he already knew – he had heard their conversation while he had been hiding in her bedroom last night. He had heard her begging her commanding officer to make love to her. Riza tried to keep the surprise and embarrassment back, keeping her expression neutral. She would not allow him to elicit a physical response from her – any tell-tale sign of her distress would not be given. Instead she gazed steadily back at him. What sort of response was he expecting?

There was no point in lying however, she couldn't bring herself to admit the truth either. Feigning ignorance was also out of the question. Her pleas to the Colonel last night had left very little to the imagination. Brushing aside what it had been for something else entirely would only infuriate the General.

'Whatever … unfortunate choices that you have made in the past are done and dusted.' Kaiser continued, his voice becoming lower, more hushed – as though he was talking to a child. He watched her, unblinking. 'You wouldn't do that to me again now, would you, Riza?'

She suddenly understood what he was getting at. Not only was he threatening her with the information he had acquired, he was also giving her a chance to move past it. He wanted her to cut off all personal contact with the Colonel. And if she didn't … well, she could only imagine.

'Would you, Lieutenant?' This time there was a hard edge to his voice. The use of her title making it painfully clear that she didn't have any other option.

'No, sir.' She managed to choke out.

'That's a good girl.' Kaiser purred, beckoning her a little closer.

Riza's feet moved on their own accord – three steps closer before he dug her heels in. She would not be venturing any further in. How long now? She tried to calculate – it would take him about five or six seconds to get to her. She would just barely make it to the door and then there was the time she would need to open it …

This was dangerous.

She couldn't rely on the fact that he wouldn't do anything to her in the office because he had already crossed that line before.

However, the General seemed in no rush to advance on her. He remained as he was – the only movement was that of his arm, snaking down behind the desk. He seemed to take his time, watching her in silence, his gaze ever calculating. Riza resisted the urge to fidget, to shift from foot to foot. She was getting restless. This had never been an issue in the past however, Kaiser's lecherous gaze made her want to squirm.

'Tell me,' Kaiser breathed deeply, 'do you ever think of me and touch yourself?'

Riza blinked. Had he just asked her that …? She couldn't quite articulate a response, the words sticking in her throat. This was wrong. He had summoned her here, he was holding her here as a higher-ranking officer, purely so he could take advantage.

This time, her hesitance didn't seem to bother him, he continued talking in low, measured tones.

'I think about you all the time. I think about what you're doing when you're not here. I think about you in the shower – all soapy and wet. I think about …' He allowed his words to trail off as he looked her up and down suggestively. 'I can't help but think about what you may be wearing under that uniform.'

'If there is nothing else of importance of discuss, I should be going now, sir.' Riza said with diplomacy. The best thing to do would be to ignore that bit of information. She certainly didn't want to know that he thought about her while he touched himself. The idea was absolutely revolting.

'What are you wearing under that uniform today, Riza?' Kaiser asked, leaning further back in his chair, ignoring her previous statement.

She remained silent, clamping her lips together. She would not play this game.

'Lieutenant.' He growled. 'Answer the question!'

Again. He was using his rank when she didn't comply. Never had she come across an officer who had stooped so low, Solf Kimblee aside.

'… Underwear.' She finally muttered.

Kaiser laughed, thoroughly amused. 'Oh, you're going to have to do better than that. Describe them.'

Riza's cheeks were burning. Here she was discussing her underwear with – not only the man who had assaulted her, but a General, no less. She clenched her fists at her sides. Irritation, fear and disgust tumbling around within her, making her feel sick. The best thing to do would be to give him what he wanted – get this over with quick.

'Matching set – white, cotton, plain.' Despite her shame, Riza held her chin up defiantly. 'Anything else, General?'

'That's no good. That doesn't do a thing for me.' Kaiser tutted, seemingly disappointment. His lips soon curled up in a smirk. 'I think I can offer some inspiration …'

Suddenly, he stood up – his movement instigating a fight or flight response within Riza. Of course, it would be the latter. Although she was skilled at hand to hand combat, the sheer size and strength of the General would have been no match for her. She was light of her feet, ready to run but what she saw made her stop short – a deer in the headlights.

Kaiser's pants were unzipped, his thick shaft was poking out. And even though he had his fist curled around it, she could still see its engorged head, the tip purple from the strain. He remained where he was, more concerned about touching himself than getting close to her – for now. Riza gasped, involuntarily. She hurriedly averted her eyes to his face instead and he laughed.

'Don't be shy. It's not like you haven't seen it before.' He licked his lips slowly as he watched her. His voice starting to become raspy as he continued to pump himself. 'Tell me how it felt when I fucked you that first night. I know you liked it. You were so wet for me – so soft and inviting. How could anyone blame me when you were lying there with your legs spread open? Do you want it again, Riza?'

This was disgusting and wrong, so wrong. The sight of his member brought the memories from that night screaming back. She remembered watching as he had released himself from the confines of his pants. She remembered pleading with him as he had yanked her legs apart and ripped away her panties before positioning himself at her entrance. And she remembered the searing pain when he had driven himself inside her with no mercy.

Shaking her head frantically, she couldn't help the whimper that escaped her lips as she backed away from him.

'Do not move, Lieutenant Hawkeye. Do you understand?' He was using that tone again, playing the General.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, Riza recognised the order and her feet glued themselves into place. All those years of training and blind obedience hadn't been for nothing. Her first instinct was to follow orders – even while every fibre in her being was telling her to run.

But the General hadn't moved towards her the entire time. He was still behind his desk, seemingly content to watch her from afar as he toyed with her. And so, miserably she stayed where she was, hating herself for being so weak.

'Call out to me, Riza.' Kaiser crooned, his hand moving faster. 'Say my name.'

Riza couldn't believe this was happening – she was watching a superior officer masturbate in front of her. If she dared to speak of this, who would even believe her at this point? This was ridiculous and she was trapped. And they both knew it.

'Address me by name, lieutenant!' He suddenly demanded, the build-up of pleasure inflecting his tone despite its harshness.

Before Riza could open her mouth to speak, they were interrupted by a loud knocking sound – three times on the door behind her.

Havoc.

Her ten minutes were up.

She wanted to weep in relief and yet all she could feel was panic. She couldn't let him get into trouble for her sake. She glanced at the door behind her and then back at Kaiser who was muttering profanities as he hastily zipped himself up.

'What is it?' He barked in irritation. 'Come in!'

Riza held her breath, waiting for the door to open. But it didn't. And there was no answer.

'I said, come in!' Kaiser tried again, only to be met by that same silence. After a few moments, he glared at Riza instead. 'Lieutenant, open the door and see who it is.'

Obediently, she moved to open the door, welcoming the cool rush of air from outside. She hadn't realised how warm and stuffy it had been in the office. Stepping forward enough to look out, she was relived to find the hallway deserted. The person had fled.

'There's no one there, sir.' Riza informed the General. She stayed as she way, hovering on the threshold, hoping he would dismiss her. But he did no such thing. With a growl, he instructed her to get back inside and close the door. Her heart sank as she obeyed, feeling as though she was her turning her back on her freedom.

So close and yet, so far.

The General's mood had turned darker in those few moments. He was obviously upset at the interruption. She could see his erection straining against his pants.

'Get over here, Lieutenant.' He snarled at her, all pretences gone. 'I want you on your knees with your mouth open.'

'No!' Riza's response had come without warning, surprising even her. Her fists were shaking by her side. She couldn't believe that he actually wanted her to walk over to him for that – there was just no way. She couldn't.

'You don't have a choice.' His voice possessed a quiet fury, his eyes burned with intensity as he glared at her. 'Don't make me drag you to the floor and fuck your mouth by force.'

Riza's breaths were coming out in short little spurts, her chest tightening with blind panic. She found herself edging away and then jumped violently as three deafening crashes sounded against the door, making it shudder under the force.

Havoc, she realised – was he drop kicking the door?

'WHAT DO YOU FUCKING WANT?!' Kaiser roared, losing the last bit of control he had.

Without warning, he stormed over to the door, making Riza hastily scamper to the other side of the office, in an attempt to get as far away as possible. She watched as he flung it open and glared up and down the hallway. After a few tense moments, he retreated into the office, closing the door behind him.

'When I find out who's been fucking me with, I am going to kill them.' Kaiser growled at no one in particular, his face like thunder. His attention then suddenly landed on Riza and he rushed up to her, pinning her against the wall.

He had moved with such speed she hadn't had time to react and because she had already been at the far end of the office anyway, near the wall, it hadn't taken much to shove her up against it. She tried to struggle against him but it was no use – his grip on her was iron-like.

'Mark my words.' Kaiser hissed, his face so close to hers that she could feel his breath, hot against her face. 'When it comes time for me to fuck you senseless, I am going to make it hurt.'

Bringing his hand up, he forced his fingers into her mouth, caressing her tongue. She could taste something on them – something salty and wet. She realised what it was; pre-ejaculate. She remembered how the head of his shaft had been glistening with moisture when he had been stroking himself. It made her want to be sick and she found herself gagging against his fingers. She tried to pull her head away but he was holding it tightly in place.

'Don't worry,' he crooned gently to her, almost as though they were lovers. 'You'll get used to that taste soon enough …'

Riza could feel his hand move down to touch her between her legs but before his fingers could make contact – there was another interruption. This time, one almighty crash, following by smaller sounds of things toppling over and rolling across the floor.

This time, Kaiser didn't bother to address the person outside nor did he move to open the door. Instead he glared accusingly at Riza. She knew that he blamed her for the interruptions, that the person responsible was an ally of hers. What else could it be?

'Next time, there will be no one to save you.' He threatened, his face so close that their noses were almost touching. Violently, shoving his hips against hers, he pressed his erection into her hard, driving home his final point. 'I'm going to impale you.'

Terrified at the prospect, Riza bit her lip to keep herself from crying out. Her entire body shook and she found herself sinking to the floor at soon as he released her.

'You're dismissed, Lieutenant.' Kaiser was already walking over to his desk. 'Now get out before I change my mind and fuck your throat raw.'

Jumping to her feet, Riza rushed out of the office, her heart thundering in her chest and on the verge of tears. She knew the only reason why he hadn't carry out his threat was due to the incessant banging on the door. He was afraid that on one of those occasions, somebody would walk in on then.

When she finally stepped into the hallway, she was astonished to see a trolley lying on its side, cleaning supplies scattered all over the floor. It looked suspiciously like the ones the maintenance crew carted around. Somebody must have driven the thing straight into the General's office door, resulting in that colossal noise. Carefully stepping over a bottle of bleach, Riza marched down the hallway and back to her own office.

Havoc was hanging around just inside the door when she stepped in. She had entered in such a rush that she found herself caught off balance as she tried to stop herself from mowing him down in her haste.

'Woah.' He held on to her shoulders to steady her. 'You all right?'

Riza was breathing hard. She shook her head mutely. And then nodded. The enormity of her situation finally sinking down on her. She was suddenly finding it hard to breath. She felt herself being led further into the office. It was stupid, she thought vaguely in the back of her mind, to have a meltdown just inside the doorway.

She caught Havoc's kind gaze and realised exactly what he had done. He had found a way to save her without drawing himself in. It had been a juvenile plan however, it had been effective. It had saved her from real harm. The thought of Havoc – a soldier from the Amestrian army, kicking and hurling trolleys at doors before fleeing made her want to giggle.

It was so silly and so pathetically needed.

If she didn't laugh now, then she would cry. Gradually her giggle turned into full-on laughter. Through her tears, she could see Havoc watching her with concern before he too, joined in, realising the absurdity of the situation.

'What's so funny?' A familiar baritone interjected between their laughter.

Riza turned around to see the Colonel standing in the doorway, watching them both. He smiled at her, clearing mistaking her near hysteria for amusement. Riza brushed away the tears from her eyes, resisting the urge to run into his arms, begging for comfort and confessing her secrets – anything to tear down the wall between them.

'I'm sorry, sir.' Riza regained her composure, before giving Havoc a glance.

'Yeah.' Havoc grinned, giving the Colonel a lazy, half-assed salute before continuing dryly. 'Guess the Lieutenant found my knock-knock joke pretty damn funny.'

Havoc's word play made Riza stifle a giggle. She could feel the Colonel watching her carefully and she schooled her features into her usual reserved look. 'Joking aside, Havoc,' she began, in her normal authoritative tone. 'Has that report been completed?'

'Yes, ma'am!' Havoc gave her another lazy salute before holding up a sheaf of papers in proudly. 'All done.'

Before the Colonel could question either one of them, Fuery came bounding in through the door. Upon seeing the Colonel, he saluted smartly before handing over a small tape.

'That's the conversation that took place at the bar, sir.' He beamed. 'I made an extra copy for your records. Oh! And I bumped into General Grumman on my way up here. He asked me to inform you that he would like to see you.'

'Good work, Sergeant.' Roy pocketed the tape, glancing at the clock on the wall – it was nearing six in the evening. 'And thanks for the head's up. Now go home already.'

The last part was directed to all three of them.

They each wished the Colonel a good night before he left to see General Grumman. Fuery had scampered of immediately after a cheery goodbye. Riza slowly tidied up her desk, all the while aware of the concerned looks Havoc was throwing her way. She knew at that moment that he was someone she could confide in. He had kept his word by keeping her secret to himself and he had found a way to help her without complicating matters or putting himself in danger of being discovered.

Yes, it was about time.

As soon as they got back, she would tell him everything and hope that he would continue to be a steady source of strength and support he'd always proven to be in the past.

It was nearing nine in the evening when Roy finally finished. It had been a hell of a long day. Of course, he had known this would be the case, the moment his alarm clock had jarred him out of sleep in the morning. He'd woken up bleary eyed and hungover. It served him right for drinking well into the night.

The day had kept him busy, delegating tasks to his team and running in and out of meetings. He had been most preoccupied with Decker. There was something clearly wrong with the picture. Upon questioning, he had sung like a canary and yet, something was missing. Looking at the man, Roy found it difficult to believe that he was the mastermind behind the entire operation. Something didn't add up. But they had just begun to scratch the surface and there was still plenty to do before they uncovered every little secret.

What plagued him the most was what he had done to Riza. He didn't remember the mark of her collarbone looking so painful the night before – or so large. He must have bit and sucked hard on her to have caused something like that. The thought of her in discomfort or pain at his hands made him feel sick with guilt. He would never hurt her and the fact that he had – along with his own obliviousness,was hard to take. It hurt to see her jump and pull away from him as he had tried to sooth her inflamed skin with his lips.

Almost as though she couldn't bear to have him touch her.

Running a hand through his hair, he sighed, closing his eyes for a moment. How did he manage to keep fucking up? It had never been an issue with other women. But he tried so hard with Riza, because she mattered – she wasn't just a way to spend the night. And despite the care he took with her, he kept on accidentally hurting her. He'd hurt her when he had declined her invitation last night – when she had been aching for him, begging him to take her. He'd hurt her again, when he had roughly grabbed at her and kissed her and then there was the bite mark he had left on her body.

She deserved better.

Swearing softly under his breath, he tidied up his desk half-heartedly before pulling on his black duster over his uniform and exiting the office. It was late and the building was hushed. Walking down the hallways, he mentally made plans for the night ahead. He would break open that new bottle of scotch and sleep. Sure, he would probably wake up hungover in the morning but even that was better, than lying in the darkness, staring up at the ceiling and feeling like shit.

Or worse.

Thinking about her, getting hard and feeling guilty for it. And then forcing himself to have a cold shower when the temperature outside was already in the minus digits now. Winter was fast approaching and it was freezing. There would be no cold showers. He would just have to keep his thoughts in check.

A movement to his left caught his eye – the door to the ladies' room. He watched as a familiar figure slipped out, its head down as it shuffled closer to him.

'Cassandra?' Roy was surprised at seeing her there so late. He watched as she looked up, startled. Evidently, she hadn't noticed him. She immediately looked away, bowing her head.

'Good evening, Colonel Mustang.' It came out as a near whisper.

'Are you all right?' Roy asked gently, lowering his own voice.

Cassandra looked up shyly – her gaze meeting his for a moment or two before she looked away, addressing his chest instead. 'Yes, sir.'

He couldn't help but note her appearance. Hers eyes were red-rimmed and her lips were swollen. Her usual tidy uniform was rumpled. Her knees were red as though she had spent hours kneeling in from of a filing cabinet and her small fists, which were clenched by her sides were trembling. A stray tear dropped to her cheek and she hastily brushed it away.

She was obviously upset and had been crying at some point. He reached out to gently take her by the arm and she flinched, suddenly beginning to tremble.

'Easy now,' he soothed. 'I was going to ask you to come back to my office. You're in no shape to be going anywhere.'

She tried to speak but only succeeded in whimpering at him. She didn't pull away, however. That was a good sign.

'It's pouring rain outside.' Roy remarked, glancing out of the window in disgust. His voice turned gentle, coaxing. 'Let's wait it out for a little bit and then I'll drive you home, okay?'

He led her back to his office, ushering her inside and closing the door behind them. The closed door seemed to make nervous, her expression taking on the look of a frightened rabbit. Roy gave her plenty of room and chatted to her about this and that to make her feel a little more at ease as he made some tea.

When the tea had been poured into cups, he turned around to find her perched in Havoc's chair. It was one of the closest to his desk – the other being, Riza's of course, which happened to be positioned opposite Havoc's.

Placing the cup of tea in front of her, Roy moved back to his own desk and took a seat. He merely nodded as she offered him a small, grateful smile before taking a shaky sip.

'Thank you, sir.'

'You're welcome, Cassandra.' He flashed her one of his charming smiles. Despite her initial uncertainty, he could feel her warm to him as she leaned forward, watching him intently.

'… I'm sorry to hold you back, Colonel Mustang.' She began. 'It was kind of you to offer me a ride.'

'There's certainly no need to apologise – or thank me.' Roy brushed away her words smoothly. 'I was concerned about you. Are you all right – really?'

She shook her head.

'Tell me what's going on.' He asked firmly.

Roy watched as she glanced fearfully towards the door to the office, before giving him a meaningful look. That said it all. She was afraid to talk here. The fact that she had shaken her head to let him know she wasn't okay indicated she wanted him to know but not here. He could accept that. He would have to try another way, get her comfortable first.

'Just pressures of work.' Cassandra lied, giving him a sad smile.

It was late by the time Riza and Havoc settled into their respective beds. On Havoc's insistence, she had taken the bed while he took the couch. She felt guilty for it. Not only was she intruding but she had kicked him out of his bed. He had cheerfully brushed her off, claiming that he'd slept in worse places in the past. A lumpy couch was no problem.

After work, they had stopped off at a grocery store to pick up a few things for dinner before making their way back to Havoc's apartment. He hadn't been kidding, Riza had noticed as she put away the meat and vegetables into his fridge, when he said he had nothing but beer and noodles in his kitchen. They'd made dinner together, working side by side. It had been easy – Havoc's cheery personality taking away any awkwardness she may have felt.

They'd eaten dinner whilst chatting, Havoc taking on the lion's share much to Riza's relief. She enjoyed listening rather than talking and found herself laughing at some of the stories he told her. The one about Breda's blind date had been especially hilarious and she mentally reminded herself to tease Breda about it when things were back to normal.

If they would ever be normal again.

But she tried not to dwell on that. She had to take it one day at a time. She couldn't bring herself to tell Havoc her sordid tale over the dinner table so she had waited until they were both settled in for the night and cloaked in darkness. That way, he wouldn't see the shame in her eyes nor the tears on her cheeks as she revealed all.

Riza started at the beginning. Her voice was calm and steady as she spoke, talking almost clinically – as though she was a doctor describing the events of someone's life leading up to an accident. She explained how she had first met the General, how he had invited her to dinner and how she – thinking his intentions had been innocent – had accepted without any mistrust whatsoever.

She kept her eyes trained on the ceiling, ignoring the lump in her throat as she explained the next part – what had happened back in her apartment. How he had suddenly turned and attacked her. Her voice didn't betray her jumble of emotions and thankfully, Havoc kept quiet throughout, simply listening to her secrets.

Then came the part that was a little easier to talk about as Havoc already knew most of it. The transfer request and the fact that the flowers were from Kaiser. She couldn't bring herself to tell him what the note had said.

Riza then went on to reveal how he had bent her over her desk in the office, how he had hurt her and how the Colonel had reacted when he had walked in on then. She made sure to emphasize how close he had been to using his Flame Alchemy and the possible repercussions for that split-second loss of control.

The only information she omitted was that of her personal relationship with the Colonel. It was one thing telling Havoc what the General had done to her, what he was doing to her but her relationship with the Colonel wasn't just her secret to share. It wouldn't be fair to reveal it so easily.

Riza talked about the three days she had spent away from work. How she had tried to rest and heal and put the past behind her. She then followed this with what had occurred last night before she had come running to him. And then finally, what had happened in the office today and how he had saved her from a worse fate than having the taste of him on his fingers shoved into her mouth.

By the time she had finished her story, her throat felt parched and she had trouble seeing. Her vision was blurred and she realised, she was crying. Not just crying – her entire body was wracked with sobs. She suddenly flinched as she felt a hand on her shoulder in the darkness but it was only Havoc, come to kneel by the side of the bed.

'Shhhh, it will be all right, Riza.' His voice sounded hoarse as he tried to comfort her. He patted her hand, his voice becoming firmer. 'That's never going to happen again. I'm going to follow you like a fucking shadow in that building, okay? I won't let you go anywhere alone. He won't get a chance to do anything like that ever again.'

She had been afraid he would react as he had the night before. She didn't think she had the energy to get up and stop him tonight but he surprised her – keeping his anger in check and choosing to comfort her instead. How she wanted to believe his words. He made it sound so simple.

'I can't believe you kept this whole thing to yourself for so long. But you can stop worrying so much now.' He murmured, his hand warm on hers. 'I'm on your side. And I'll be damned before I let that bastard do anything like that to you ever again'.

Riza wasn't sure when she fell asleep but when she finally woke in the morning, she was both surprised and touched to see Havoc asleep, slumped next to her bed, his hand still on hers. He had spent the entire night beside her bed.

She glanced at the clock – it was still early, four in the morning. But she felt oddly refreshed and wide awake. Carefully she slipped out of bed and encouraged Havoc to roll into it instead. In his sleepy state, he complied without question. Soon he was snoring away. Smiling down at him, she covered him with a blanket before she went to take a shower.

She had a lot of thinking to do before she went to work today.

It was clear she needed to make a big change – whether she liked it or not.