Chapter Fourteen "One More Time."
Rated: R
Warning: Heated Moments, Cursing, Violence, and MAYBE a couple lemons…
Disclaimer: I own nothing. The people who work and make Fullmetal Alchemist own it.
(Sequel to Confessions of a Brigadier General)
She'd found him under the large oak tree outside in the middle of their expansive, huge back yard that sloped toward the lake. He was sleeping as Elicia watched the twins and William swim in the lake. She smiled as she sat down beside him, and kissed him sweetly on the lips, her eyes bright. His eyelids fluttered open, and he sat up a bit straighter, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"How was your day?" he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep. She kissed his cheek, snuggling up to him closer. "Never mind about my day." She whispered, kissing him on the lips again. "What's going on?" he asked, laughing as she ran her fingers through his hair, an excited look in her eyes.
"We're having a baby. I'm pregnant, oh god Roy, I'm pregnant!" she said happily, smiling. His eyes widened, and he looked into her eyes, his own midnight blue ones dancing. "We're having a baby?" he asked, kissing her happily. "We're having a baby." She confirmed it once more, kissing him back.
"It's so much fun to be buying all this stuff again. Maybe we shouldn't have given away all the baby stuff we had from when Will was a baby." Riza mused as they browsed through all the baby stores.
"It was for charity, and you wanted to do it." Roy smiled, an arm around his wife's waist as they looked at cribs. "Why are we here again?" Edward said lazily, giving his own son, Evan a piggyback ride. "To keep them company, to be included in their lives. Duh." Havoc said, checking out the cashier. 'She's a beauty.' He thought.
"I thought it was because they wanted our opinion on whatever they chose." Amaya said, leaning on Eve, who was leaning on Alphonse. "Al, I'm tired." Eve muttered, her arms wrapped around his arm, and he smiled down at her. "That's your fault, Eve, you wouldn't go to bed last night." He laughed, kissing her forehead.
Riza looked at Roy, and smiled. "Okay, okay. Anyways, what do you think of this one?" she asked, her hand on a wooden crib that was beautifully polished and intricately carved. "I like it. It's got plenty of room too." He said, looking at all the details.
"Let's just get it…" Edward sighed, yawning a bit. "Didn't any of you sleep last night?" Riza questioned in a bored tone. "No not really, seeing as I was pouring over an investigation of murders in the south." Edward said. "I was worried about Trisha…she has a slight cold…" Eve said, yawning.
"Well, let's get this one then." Riza said, walking up to the counter where a stroller, a ton of baby clothes that would be ideal for a baby boy OR girl lay piled, and several other things they would put in the nursery.
"Mommy, what are you doing?" Caitlyn asked, sitting beside her mother in the garden. "Picking out all the weeds so the pretty flowers have room to grow." Riza explained to her daughter, putting two weeds into a plastic bag beside her. Roy had taken their two sons, Jonathan and Will to the park and then for ice cream. Elicia was a friend's house for the weekend, and Caitlyn had wanted to stay with her mother.
"Oh. Are weeds really bad for the plants?" she asked, watching her mother pick another weed out. "In a way. If you go without weeding your garden for a long time, they'll grow over all the other plants and kill them." She replied lightly. Caitlyn made an "Oh" sound, and pointed at a plant. "Is that a weed, Momma?" she asked, looking up at her mother.
Riza smiled, and nodded. "Yep, that sure it. Want to get it for me? I can't reach." She said. Caitlyn nodded enthuastically, and pulled up the weed, root ad all, and handed it to her mother, who deposited it in the plastic bag. "Well, that looks like all the weeds. Let's go throw these in the garbage can, then go have some lemonade." She said, standing up, and Caitlyn picked up the bag, handing it to her mother.
"Can we have cookies too?" Caitlyn asked as they went into the front yard and began walking down the driveway to main lane where their trashcans and their mailbox were. "Of course. Chocolate chip or sugar?" she asked, smiling down at her daughter. 'So this…after all those years of not having it…this is what happiness is like. This is what it's like to have a 'perfect', happy, normal life.' She thought as Caitlyn jumped up and down saying she wanted chocolate chip cookies with her lemonade.
"Daddy! Daddy! Watch me go down the slide!" Jonathan called down from the top of the metal slide that was in the middle of the playground. Hoisting his youngest son, Will, on to his hip, Roy Mustang turned to watch his older son slide down the slide.
"Good job, son. You ready to go get some ice cream?" Roy laughed, watching his son run toward him. "Yes, sir! Can I have blue cotton candy with a ton of gummy bears in it?!" Jonathan asked excitedly. Roy chuckled, taking his son's hand as they walked towards the car. "Of course you can. Should we get your sister and your mother some too, while we're at it?" he asked the two boys.
"Yes! That way Mommy will let us have it right after supper." Jonathan said, pulling open the door to the car, and hopping in. Roy laughed again, and buckled Will into his car seat before settling into the drivers seat himself and driving towards the ice cream parlor.
"So you want it in to-go cups, so we can have it after dinner?" Roy asked his son as they went to the drive-in portion. "Yes." Jonathan said, looking delighted. "Fweezar!" Will laughed from the backseat, clapping his hands.
"We're home!" Roy called as he set Will down and Jonathan came running in. "We're in the kitchen, daddy!" he heard Caitlyn call. He smiled, following the boys into the kitchen. "What did you get?" he heard his wife ask as he stowed the Ice Cream in the freezer.
"Mommy! We got everyone ice cream to eat after dinner! Can we eat it after dinner, Mommy?" Jonathan asked, looking up at her pleadingly. Riza, who was standing by the island counter, placed a hand on her stomach, glancing at her husband. "Well…I suppose if you all eat all of your dinner, no matter what I decide to make, then yes, we can all eat ice cream after supper." Riza consented, ruffling her son's hair.
"Jon-Jon, let's go play on the swing set!" Caitlyn said, tugging on her brother's sleeve. "Take Will." Riza said lightly. "Yes, ma'ma." They said, taking their baby brother by the arms and rushing out to the backyard.
"You got ice cream." She stated, smiling as she walked into his arms, and he rested a hand on her slightly protruding stomach. "Yes, and I got you plain blue cotton candy, because I know you love the stuff." Roy said, kissing her softly. "You are a sweetheart." She said, wrapping her arms around him.
"Riza…there's something we need to talk about." Roy said, frowning a bit, but looking serious. "No. I'm not resigning from the military." Riza said, stiffening. "Darling, you're on your third pregnancy, and the children need you. We'll manage without you. And I hardly ever slack off anymore. Besides, you can always check in on us from time to time." Roy said in a soothing voice, running his hands up and down her back to calm her.
"But…I…oh fine. I'll resign…" Riza said, sighing and leaning against him. "I know it's going to be hard, sweetheart. But you'll have plenty to keep you busy. And I've been Fuhrer for a good while now. I know my job, I know what I have to do." Roy continued, kissing her cheek. "I'm not used to anything else. I always thought I'd be in the military all my life…" Riza mused, walking towards the living room.
"But now you have a family, and without the extra stress of a military career, you'll be great." Roy replied, sitting next to her on the couch. She put her hands on her stomach, looking at the fireplace. "What if somebody attacks you, and I'm not there?" she asked, looking over at him. He smiled, caressing her cheek. "I have Edward and the others there to protect me." He said.
"I guess I'm just used to being the one protecting you." Riza said, looking down at her stomach. "Now you can protect the children, Riza." Roy chuckled, and she looked up at him smiling. "When's your next doctor's appointment?" he asked. "In a couple days." Riza replied lightly.
"Is this the one where we get to hear the heartbeat?" he asked, nuzzling her neck. "Yes. Roy…do you think we've finally found peace? I mean…do you think there'll be anymore disturbances country-wise?" she asked, looking at her wedding band. "I do. I hardly doubt anyone's going to do anything anytime soon, at least. Yes Riza, I think this country is finally at rest." Roy replied, closing his eyes.
A/N: Next chapter is the last chapter, thank you all for your support and for your reviews. Sorry it took so long to update.