I don't own FMA. I only own the OCs and the plots.

Hawkeye hurriedly stopped the car in front of her town home. She didn't bother killing the engine. She jumped out, and raced for the door. She felt a cold chill run up her spine once she noticed the door was ajar and it was dead silent. She cautiously entered her home with her gun in hand. She first went over to the kitchen. Riza felt her whole body go numb when she saw blood splatters and claw scratches on the walls and cabinets. Hayate was limping towards her, whining in pain.

Riza kneeled down to examine her dog. The poor creature had scratches and open wounds everywhere. He most likely broke a rib and a paw. Hawkeye patted his head and told him to stay put as she proceeded to the second floor to find the intruder.

"Lieutenant!" Johnny cried from the living room. Hawkeye dashed down the stairs and pointed her gun, but the scene she saw broker her heart.

Her giant book case had fallen over. To make matters worse, she saw two bodies under it.

Johnny and Riza carried the book case off them and tossed all the books and broken pieces of ornaments off of them. They were bleeding and there were deep scratches, wounds and bruises all over them. They both lied on their bellies, as if they were pushed and the book case tossed over them. Daniel covered two-thirds of Micha's body. Johnny hurriedly checked for a pulse.

Riza noticed that Micha was clutching on to something. It was a black silk chocker necklace with a silver cat's bell attached to it.

"Thank god. They are just unconscious." Major White announced and called for an ambulance. Riza was too deep in thought and busy thinking of who or what could have done this.

(((-)))

Micha woke up when she felt something warm touch her hand. She slowly opened her burgundy eyes. The light temporarily blinded her, but her eyes were able to adjust. She saw her aunt holding her hand.

"Au-Auntie Riza?"

Riza gave her niece a tight hug before giving her a firm slap. Her actions shocked Lieutenants Breda and Havoc. Johnny and Feury gasped.

"How could you disobey a direct order? I told you to stay inside head quarters! But did you listen? No. Now look at you!" Riza yelled. Her voice was shaking from worrying over her.

Micha had broken her left arm and she was covered in scratches and bruises. "I'm sorry… this is all my fault. I deserve more than a slap." She admitted weakly. But then her eyes grew wide with worry and anxiety. "Where's Daniel? What happened to him?" She was almost shouting.

Johnny opened the curtain to Micha's right and revealed a badly beaten up Sergeant Daniel Fritzer. He was covered in bandages and broke his leg and left arm. He also broke a few ribs. Covered in cuts, wounds and bruises, Micha was speechless.

(((-)))

Riza and the rest of the officers were planning inside their hospital room. Micha was listening in and as soon as she heard that she was being invited into a dinner by the bad guy, she spoke up. "Ummm… About this dinner, Auntie Riza, you can ask Leila for help. She can set you up with a dress that you can hide your gun in properly, tear easily and all that. I'm sure she can get a blueprint of the restaurant easily as well."

"I already have it." Riza answered. "And I don't want to ask for a civilian's help. We can do this on our own."

Micha let out a tired sigh. "You can always use all the help you can get. A true soldier knows when to ask for help." She stated feebly.

"And a soldier should also know when to follow orders!" She chided her. "If you didn't have to go out and disobey my orders, none of this would have happened! You would still be able to go to school tomorrow, walk properly and maybe even help in this case— Not only that, you placed Sergeant Fritzer in danger as well." Hawkeye's cheeks were flushed with emotion and her niece couldn't do anything but keep her head bowed. "Pride brings many people down, Cadet. Remember that. Reflect on what you've done and stay out of trouble. Understood?" She said that last word very firmly.

"Yes, ma'am." Micha's voice was feeble and cracked at the slightest. It almost sounded like she was going to cry.

"Let's go. The guards will take care of them." Riza stood and so did all the men. Everyone gave the young cadet a look of compassion and comfort before heading out the door. Johnny touched her arm and gave her an apologetic stare. In return, Cadet Hawkeye gave him a feeble smile. As soon as the door clicked shut and their rhythmic footsteps were too far to be heard, she felt a stream of warm, silver tears slide down her pale cheek. To cry and mourn over your parents is one thing, but to cry out of guilt is completely different.

(((-)))

Daniel awoke to the sounds of beeping. His vision was hazy, but as soon as he smelt the sterile air, he knew he was in a hospital. The bed next to him was empty, but obviously has been in use. He looked over to the monitors and saw how the graph reflected his steady heartbeat. He saw two ivies next to his bed, but only one was attached to his arm. He then took notice that Micha was asleep on a chair, her head rested on her good folded arm on the space to his right. She had been crying. The tears were not completely dry on her cheeks and her lashes stuck together and shone under the fluorescent lights.

He tried to lift his right arm to touch her, but then he felt a sudden jolt of pain. It streamed down to his ribs, pooling there and making it burn and ache further at the ribs and gut. Daniel cussed inwardly at the pain. He tried again, straining a bit. He slowly and gently stoked her cheek, wiping the tear away. Her burgundy eyes slowly opened and gazed at him.

Immediately, Daniel retracted his arm, hurting himself in the process. "Sorry… I didn't mean to wake you."

"Why are you apologizing? I should be the one to apologize." Her voice was feeble and tainted with and unseen pain.

"Why would you apologize to me?" Daniel asked with a little humor in his voice.

My gosh, he was being unserious about this. "Have you seen yourself lately?" There was a bit of sarcasm and even more hurt in her tone. She motioned to the dark glass that reflected their reflection to his left.

Daniel looked over to the glass and back at Micha. She was right. He was covered in casts and bandages, and ivy connected to him and a monitor to watch his heart beat. He looked pitiful. He did this three times before he finally rested his gaze at her and said: "Well, I've been sexier."

A slow smile formed on Micha's face and gradually became a snicker, then a giggle. "What was that about?" She laughed softly. She quickly stopped when her ribs started to hurt. "Ow… Ow… Ow…" Micha placed her good hand over the broken rib and closed her eyes at the pain.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

"Will you please stop apologizing? I'm the one who should be apologizing to you!" Micha exclaimed, tears were brimming her angered and guilty eyes. She bowed her head and whispered: "I'm so sorry…" she was silently sobbing next to him, wishing she could turn back time and prevent any of this from happening. "I'm so, so, so sorry."

Daniel cupped her face and looked at her softly. "It's not your fault."

"It is!" she snapped. "Can you please stop telling me it's not my fault when you, me and the whole damn world knows it is?" Micha started trembling in her chair. Daniel wiped the tears away with his thumb.

"Ok, it is your fault, but I'm not blaming you. In fact, I should be blaming myself. I shouldn't have let you go home or left you to grab some extra clothes." Micha looked up and opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off. "But it's ok. At least you're alive... and here with me." Daniel offered her a small smile.

"I'm such a coward. I keep crying all the time." She laughed bitterly.

"No, I think you're brave. You're not afraid to show anyone how you feel." Daniel offered her the best smile he could muster from the pain. She had her head bowed, her dark bangs covering her eyes. "The least you can do is give me a smile." He muttered.

She tried, but failed. It was too forced.

"A genuine smile." He said, while showing her how one was supposed to look like: straight from the heart.

Micha snickered and did as she was told. That very moment, he felt the bones in his body mending itself, including his heart.

(((-)))

Roy still hung on the chains and was dreading with weariness. He wanted to get out of this cold and unforgiving place, get back and hug Riza tightly until they fell asleep together on his warm bed. Though obviously, before that happened, he had to get out of here but the bigger question was, how?

He heard screaming, shouting and cussing from afar, and Eloise's silent whimpers. Roy strained his ears to hear anything else.

Courtney then came into his room, enraged by what Eloise has reported. "Mustang!" She shouted. "Do you know what your little brat did to my boyfriend?" She glowered at him.

"I don't know… Banged him before you did." He replied sarcastically. Because of this, Courtney angrily punched him in the gut, causing mustang to cough.

"Your little brat got him hospitalized, not to mention she was too. And now, the place is crawling with soldiers that not even a thousand deranged men with guns can penetrate!" She yelled.

"That wasn't her fault that was yours. You sent Eloise, not her." Mustang glared. "Just what are you up to, exactly? Revenge on Micha? Power? What?"

Courtney had a sly smile on her face before she answered. "Well, let's just say that my boss wants something of yours, so he told me to go get it for him."

Mustang's face crumpled to the center, not following what she had just said.

"Oh, come now! Don't tell me you don't know who we're after." Her tone was mocking and very smug. Roy just wanted to kill her right there and then. "We are after… oh, what do you call that piece in chess again? That's right!"

Roy felt all his blood fall to his feet. "No." He whispered.

"That's right." Courtney's face was wrapped in malice, and her voice, mocking. "We're after your queen." Right at that moment, Roy thought he saw the face of the devil.

(((-)))

Riza felt a cold jolt ride up her spine. It chilled her brain and made her feel uneasy. Why can't things just get back to the way they were? She asked herself. Why does everything have to be complicated and inconvenient? She wanted to scream at the world. No, Riza. You're better than that. She told herself.

Things only got worse when the whole country found out that Colonel Roy Mustang had been kidnapped by the same gang that tried to kill his group earlier. Mixed emotions started to fill the country. Debates: about if he was really that pathetic or if the gang was really that good. Either way, Riza didn't like it one bit. She wanted this whole thing to remain quiet. The Fuhrer himself wanted a special unit to find Mustang, but Riza insisted that her unit do it. Screw this. She cussed inwardly.

Falman came in with a folder, looking fatigued. "Lieutenant, I have a lead on who T.A is." He reported while he handed the folder to Hawkeye. Riza gently took the folder from him and opened to browse. A picture of a devilishly handsome young man came to view. He had thick, wavy, chestnut locks, and evident blue eyes. He had a smug smile on his face, for some reason. This photo was taken a few weeks ago when he was coming out of his office.

"Who is he?" She asked.

"Taylor Anderson. Twenty-seven years old. He's a young and wealthy businessman. He was an alchemist, but when this profession failed him, he resorted to the industrial world." Falman answered.

"What do you mean failed him?" Hawkeye asked.

"He failed to pass the State Alchemist test." Replied the Warrant Officer.

"So he's bitter about it…" She mumbled. "What's his relation with the Colonel?"

"I… Haven't found anything yet. But I have found a connection with him and Major Isaac…"

Riza looked up from the papers and stared at her comrade. "What does my brother have to do with this?" Her voice came out cold, shutting out the worry that was threatening to build up inside of her.

"He was his mentor, Lieutenant."

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. Oh my. His mentor? Why haven't I heard of him, then? She asked herself. "That's insane. I have never heard of him." She spoke firmly.

"It was short lived, and apparently Taylor Anderson is not his real name. It's Trent Harrison. He studied in Central University for Alchemic Arts. Like I said, he failed as an alchemist." Falman said.

Riza nodded her head and dismissed him. "You can have a break. Tell the others too." She turned around and went inside her office and shut the door quietly.

(((-)))

Back in the hospital, Micha was getting bored. She refused to sleep and sleep and sleep some more even though the nurses were more than willing to give her meds to make her fall asleep. She tossed and turned. She stopped, lying down on her good arm, staring at Daniel. At least someone here is sleeping. She thought. She still couldn't get over his injuries. He would have to use crutches or a wheel chair… Micha shut her eyes tightly and tried to shoo away a picture of him all injured up and trying to walk.

"Are you awake?" A gentle voice asked her. Her burgundy eyes flew open. Daniel gave her a sleepy smile and attempted to stretch. It didn't turn out so well. He winced in pain and slowly, slowly, went back to his original position. "Having trouble sleeping?"

Micha looked away from him and slowly nodded her head. "I don't really want to sleep." She said softly.

Daniel looked at her with a soft and solemn expression on his face. "Do you want to go out?" He asked.

"I don't think we're allowed. There are guards outside our door."

"Come on." He chuckled. "What harm could come out from just taking a walk around the hospital? It's not like we can get out of here, anyway." Daniel called for the nurse and she came with a wheel chair for Daniel. "Can you walk?"

"I'd rather walk." Micha laughed. The nurse placed her cast in a sling and helped her get off the bed.

"Where will you two be going?" Asked the nurse.

"Just around." Daniel offered her a smile. Micha took a hold of Daniel's wheel chair. But before she could push, he was already pulling himself to move.

"Hey, don't do that!" Micha caught up with him and held on to the handle. The two guards by the door stopped them.

"We have direct orders from Lieutenant Hawkeye," Said the first guard. "Not to let you two out of the room."

"It's just a stretch." The nurse came out with a clip board. "They should be back in a while." She smiled at the two men.

"But… Lieutenant Hawkeye's going to shoot us…" The other mumbled.

"Don't worry; I'm sure she's not going to kill you two." Micha smiled. "We'll be back before she does!"

Wow… It's been forever since I've updated. _ I'm terribly sorry. Inspiration escapes me. I already have some ideas for the next few chapters, but it will take me a while. I still have to take my makeup exams since I was terribly sick. =_=

This chapter is… so… never mind. I'll let you all decide. XD