DISCLAIMER: Even after all these months, I still don't own FMA.

A/N: I apologize greatly for the long wait for the newest chapter and I apologize even more for the fact that it's not a very long chapter. To be completely honest, I haven't been able to come up with a way to play out the rest of this story so inspiration doesn't come very often. I am hoping the next chapter is longer and will be up soon!! I promise I won't make you wait so long!

So, without further ado! Enjoy!

Chapter 14: Danger Lurking Around Every Corner

Roy quickly became a very quiet, reserved person. Sometimes, Riza would come home to the house in utter and complete silence and Roy sitting on the couch, staring off into space. Riza began to worry. Roy no longer resembled the young, charming man he once was. His face had grown gray and his hair messier than before.

"Roy?" Riza said one afternoon, peering into the living room from the kitchen. "Roy, dinner's ready."

Roy didn't move. He continued to star at the same spot on the wall. Riza started toward him.

"Roy, did you hear me?" she asked.

He nodded slowly and stood. She was startled when he wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"I love you..." he whispered softly.

That's all he ever seemed to day anymore. She would ask him questions, but all he would do is shake or nod his head in response. Or continue to stare at something Riza couldn't see. The only times she'd hear him speak were when he'd tell her he loved her, or when he bade her good night.

Instead of going into the kitchen, he turned toward the bedroom. Riza followed him. Without changing, Roy flopped down onto the bed. Riza sat down next to him and ran her fingers through his hair. His eyes relaxed shut.

"Roy, please talk to me..." Riza said gently. "Just, please say something..."

Roy remained silent. Riza continued to stroke his head. Without warning, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down beside him. She rolled over to face him. He had opened his eyes and was now staring at her.

"Please don't look at me like that Roy," she whispered. "It makes me sad. What are you think about?"

He looked away quickly. "It's nothing."

"I don't like seeing you like this," Riza continued. "It's not like you. H-Have I done something?"

Roy's focus locked back onto hers. "Of course not," he insisted. "It's not you. It's...It's everything. I don't want to talk about it."

"You can't just go on like this, Roy..." Riza said, sounding worried. "You're going to kill yourself. It's not healthy."

"I'll be fine," he said, placing his hand on her cheek. "As long as I have you, I'll be absolutely fine."

"But-" Riza started.

Roy moved his fingers to her lips and shushed her. "Don't worry about it..." he said, kissing her gently. "Just trust me on this..."

Riza nodded and kissed him back. His lips traveled from hers, down her neck and along her collarbone. She moaned lightly in his ear and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"I trust you..." she muttered.

Roy held her protectively against his chest and kissed her deeply. His hands roamed her back and her sides, as though he were trying to touch every part of her at the same time. It pleased Riza to know that he never seemed to get tired of touching her. Seeing her in her most intimate form. Loving every single inch of her.

xoxox

"Brother?" Al said, peering into the small library. "Are you here?"

Ed was sitting at a back table, his nose buried deeply into a book. Al walked toward him and sat down. Ed didn't acknowledge the presence of his younger brother.

"Where have you been?" Al asked, breaking the silence.

Ed didn't answer. He pretended to be busy with his book, but Al knew Ed wasn't really reading. He hadn't been able to speak with his brother in a long time. He never seemed to be around anymore and every time he showed up again, he'd go straight to sleep. Al wondered if something had happened with that friend of his.

"Brother?" Al continued, sounding more persistent.

"I've been busy, Al," Ed answered shortly.

"Have you been with that Alice girl?" Al asked, determined to get his brother to keep talking to him.

"No," he said bluntly.

"Have you two had a fight?"

"No."

"Then why haven't you been to-"

"AL!" Ed yelled. "Would you drop it?"

Al stared at him, his eyes glowing brighter than usual. He thought that perhaps his brother really had learned something about that girl. Perhaps she really was something to worry about. Maybe she really did have a secret motive to becoming Ed's friend.

"Sorry..." he muttered. "I'll leave you alone now..."

"Thank you," Ed sighed, looking back at his book, the annoyed look still expressed clearly across his face.

Al didn't move from his seat. "If you want to talk about it, you know where to find me right?"

"Al..." Ed said warningly.

Al stood quickly and headed for the door, pausing only momentarily to look back at his brother. Ed had picked up a new book and was hastily flipping through the pages, an intense crease forming on his forehead.

Al wondered what on Earth Ed could be looking for...

xoxox

Riza slipped out into the hallway of her apartment building around three o'clock the next morning. Her jacket closed tightly around her as she clung to it. She wasn't sure where she was going, but her mind was telling her to go anywhere. Anywhere but that apartment.

She didn't leave Roy a note, for she expected to be back rather soon. She planned to be lying beside him once again when he awoke.

But what if he wakes up before I get back? she thought, stopping abruptly. What if he panics and comes to look for me?

Riza shook her head and kept walking.

No, that won't happen. He'll probably sleep past noon. He needs it. He looks so tied.

She wandered the barren streets thinking over everything that had happened to them. They weren't moving anywhere at all. There were no new leads to the Homunculus who'd kidnapped Roy and therefore, Roy was no closer to becoming a living, breathing person again. At least in the public's eye.

He may have to change his name...

Riza didn't like to think like that. If Roy changed his name, their whole life would be secret. They would have to move and break away from the military entirely if they wanted to lead normal lives.

No, Riza couldn't do that Roy. She wouldn't force him out of his dream. They had to get moving. They had to find out who was behind it.

Her pace quickened as her thoughts ran faster and faster through her head. She tried to go over everything Roy had told her and everything she had learned. No matter how hard she tried, none of it seemed to be fitting together. It was a Homunculus they didn't have record of. It was female and the source of it was unknown. Who in their right mind had performed a human transmutation?

Riza tried to change her train of thought. Instead of focusing on the Homunculus, she thought of everything they had together. Everything that had happened between them in the past couple of months. It was strange to think that her body still burned with the hot sensation of Roy's touch. Riza's eyes almost rolled back into her head at the thought of it. Part of her wished she were back in bed, holding him close to her, feeling his breath upon her neck, hearing his heart beat in almost synchronization with hers.

The gate to the park came into view and Riza found herself moving swiftly through it. There wasn't a single soul to be found and the only noises she could hear were the clicking of her shoes and her breathing, so she was frightened when her footsteps were accompanied by another.

The two stopped at the exact moment and Riza didn't dare look up. She had half expected the person to continue walking, but they didn't. She could see a faint shadow in the light coming from above the treetops. The silence was penetrated by the sound of her heart beating faster.

"Well, well, well..." the intruder said. "Who do we have hear?"

The voice was definitely female, and whoever it was, she sounded quite young, though she was attempting to sound older and more intimidating. As much as she failed, Riza was still frightened by her.

"You know," the voice continued. "It's dangerous for someone like you to be out here alone at night. You never know what kind of shady creatures are out..."

Riza nodded and decided to keep walking. It took her a moment to realize she was no longer alone. She stopped once again, still not looking at her companion.

"Why are you following me?" Riza asked, secretly searching her pockets for her gun and cursing herself for not thinking of bringing one beforehand. Then again, who did she expect to come across while walking around at three o'clock in the morning?

"Did you not just hear me?" the woman replied. "It's dangerous out here to be alone. It's better if I come with you."

"I'm going home," Riza said. "It's only a short ways. I'll be fine."

Riza continued on, before the woman could speak again. She had only moved a few feet away when she heard her raise her voice. Riza did all that she could to ignore it, though the woman said something she couldn't quite ignore.

"But you're going the wrong way, Lieutenant..." the woman's voice drawled.

Riza froze suddenly. She could feel the woman's eyes boring into her back. A weird chill went up Riza's spine that she was sure had nothing to do with the cool temperatures of the outdoors at night.

"Your apartment is that way..."

Riza turned slowly. In the faint moonlight, she could see the outline of a young girl. Her long black hair flowed down her back, moving in the slight wind about them. Her eyes glowed as if they were made of some sort of electric bulb, a most peculiar red color. A strange tattoo was drawn across the side of her neck that Riza was certain she had seen somewhere before.

"Silly, Lieutenant..." the girl sneered. "Just like your beloved Colonel..."

Before Riza could move, the ground beneath her began to shake, knocking her aside. Her focus became hazy as she landed hard on the ground. The girl appeared before her, her outline now blurry and hard to make out. She was moving, Riza could see that, but what she was doing was unclear. Something tight and constricting was being bound around her legs. As she felt someone take her hands, a large object came in contact with the side of her head, causing everything around her to fade to black.

A/N: OKay, so I know I totally had a Riza knock-out scene in Crossfire, but that's not the point. This is under different circumstances. I suppose that doesn't change the fact that it's a cliffie though, does it? I apologize for that too. They next chapter will be longer, like I said, so it should make up for it...I hope. Please stay interested and PLEASE REVIEW!! Thank you so much!!