******So... this part is kind of short, I know, but it's really just something to lead you into the next part, which is SO worth it, I promise! Don't hurt meh!
EXPECT A FLASHBACK! :D******

As soon as Mustang came home from the office (which was MUCH earlier than usual-about five o'clock in the afternoon instead of nine or ten) Riza had already packed their bags full of clothes, and other necessities for the long road trip. She wasn't looking forward to being in the car for a long period of time, especially on a bumpy road. Being on smooth roads for any short time span already made her head spin, and a queasy feeling arise in her stomach, but she knew that the destination would be worth it. It felt like forever since she had seen the boys or Winry, and visiting them would be beneficial to everyone involved.

Not to mention, that the recent phone calls Riza and Winry had been having were suggesting that Al's recovery was going downhill. She didn't really talk about it much, knowing that Riza didn't need the extra stress, but once or twice she mentioned that when he first came to the Rockbell house he was using crutches, and was walking almost everywhere with the help of her or his brother. Now, she said that he hardly ever stood up from his wheelchair, and lately he hadn't been eating much at all so he was starting to lose weight.

It was also worrying that every time she called, she would only hear Edward's voice calling a greeting of some sort at her, but she had NEVER heard Alphonse in the background.

If nothing else, it would put her mind at rest knowing he was alright with a firsthand account. If there were another problem… well… at least she and Mustang were going to be there to help. Two kids couldn't take proper care of another sick and possibly depressed one.

Leaving in a kind of haste, they ate a quick dinner of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before stuffing everything, including Black Hayate, into Roy's surprisingly small car where they very much drove off into the sunset.

Riza was already starting to feel ill with the very first bump the car hit, and it was only fifteen minutes in.

It was pretty silent for the first hour, Mustang a quiet driver (he didn't like driving anyway, but he couldn't get anyone else to do it for him, because Riza was the one who usually drove him places) and Riza trying as hard as she could not to look out the window and also attempting to keep her nausea a secret.

The sun was still out, but it was about five minutes from setting, illuminating the moving road in gold and red. She knew Mustang probably hated it even more, having to drive right now, but there was also no one else going anywhere on the road they were driving on, so it could have been worse.

She looked up weakly at him, probably thinking she was asleep. Outside the driver's side window, she saw a leggy brunette woman with big green eyes dressed in her regular street clothes standing by the side of the road, and she couldn't help but watch as Mustang's eyes followed as the car past her.

"Sir, I'm sure you haven't forgotten, but I'm still sitting right next to you," she said grumpily, her stomach ache aiding to her discomfort. He glanced over at her with a smile on his face and then repositioned his eyes so they pointed out the windshield.

"I know," he replied. "I love you very much, and I would never leave you for another woman, but remember I'm not dead either!"

She turned away, feeling a bit hormonal, and propped her head on her hand as she closed her eyes. She wasn't going to risk having to have Mustang pull over on the side of the road so she could throw up from all the buildings passing by her at too fast of a speed. The bumpy road was almost too much as it was.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked innocently.

"Sure about what?"

"Please," she began impatiently, "be honest with me, sir. You can't tell me you don't miss your exaggerated love life from when you were a bachelor. And now you're stuck with some fat lady for life, who's probably never going to bounce all the way back from this," she exclaimed gesturing down at her inflated stomach. The truth was, lately she had felt a little bit insecure with her body from all the changes she had been going through. Maybe Mustang wouldn't love her as much anymore… "Why wouldn't you want to be with another woman?"

"You're making me out to be some kind of man whore, Hawkeye," he chuckled.

"Forgive me for being insecure about things but…" she began turning back around to face him, still staring out at the road, "weren't you?" He almost laughed out loud.

"I haven't been with quite as many women as you would think," he said still laughing a little. "Would you like to know how many?"

"Only if you want to tell me," she said. He grinned over and casually held up three fingers at her. She rolled her eyes in disbelief as he focused back on the street in front of him. "That's a number I can't believe, sir" she blurted out shaking her head.

"Oh?" he exclaimed raising his eyebrows, "and when do you think I've had the time for a long term relationship while I was first becoming a state alchemist, later fighting in the Ishbalan war, trying to find and kill the thing that murdered Maes, and then helping fight the father of all Homunculi? Oh, and not to mention that in between all my down time, I was also in the military sitting on my hands and waiting for the next war to break out."

She scoffed in disbelief. "I was there. You had a date almost every week."

"Well, of course I dated!" he exclaimed. "There had to be some part of my personal life that I could still call my own, and I'm not going to lie, I had some fun times, but I only actually slept with three different women. And yes, that does include you."

"Really?" She was more than surprised hearing that there were only two other women out there who had been with him like she had. For all she (and everybody else) knew, he had a new woman in his bed every week, and he could have if he wanted to. Any woman who liked men wanted him, and every man who liked women wanted to be him. Riza couldn't find an actual reason he wouldn't take advantage of his blessed looks and smooth demeanor to have some fun with a random girl. He didn't seem to have many morals, so why not?

"I grew up in a whore house," he stated. "I've learned to respect women, and have also learned that in most cases, sex should come after love, not before." She looked at him crooked headed; she was learning so many new things about him lately.

Black Hayatai yawned from the back seat and repositioned himself so he could sleep more comfortably.

"I've only loved two women in my life; my first from academy, don't worry, it was a stupid little thing that only lasted less than a month. But then… it was you."

"What about the other one, sir?" He cleared his throat and breathed out loudly, his eyes turning a little angry as he peered out at the road, now intently.

"Remember when I was drinking a lot after Maes died?" he grunted. She nodded at him, dreading the thought of how destructive he was then. It was definitely a dark place in his life. "She's the reason I stopped drinking all together, let's put it that way."

She sunk down in her seat, figuring she had said too much. She didn't know what it was like to wake up next to a random person and not know where they came from, but figured it must have been traumatizing if it made him actually change his behavior. He was so god damn stubborn, almost nothing could make him change his ways! Now if there were only a way to make him actually do his paperwork…

She reached over and laid her hand on his knee, supportively. When he seen it there he took one of his hands off the steering wheel and placed it on top of hers.

"I don't mean to be too sentimental, but I think I might have been waiting for you," he said, making her blush just a little. She was finally starting to see what other women seen in him. He was always sure and smooth with everything he said. She was starting to find that it wasn't only just a good thing when it came to the battlefield, it also made him undoubtedly attractive. He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead when they came to a red light.

"You know, I knew I loved you from the first moment I laid eyes on you," he whispered.

She thought it was just a crush…