-1Best-Kept Secret

Author: MoonStarDutchess

Chapter 25 : Vacation Pt 2

AN: Thanks so much to all the readers for the support. It means the world to me so thank you all for sticking with this story. Thanks to Drex for betaing for me again. I am glad you got your computer fixed. Laptops tend to be a pain. This is the beta'ed version.

Vacation Pt 2

Roy and Riza rushed through the crowd, trying not to push people down as they kept their eyes on the man wearing the green coat. Roy was having a hard time but he knew that Riza, with her eyesight being what it was, wouldn't lose sight of him. The man ran across the street resulting in the sound of honking horns and the screech of tires skidding on the road. The cars stopped and their drivers were yelling as Riza and Roy ran across the road. They followed the man into an alley and Roy couldn't help but think about how people always ran into alleys when being pursued, his mind didn't have time to linger for long as Riza grabbed a metal pipe and threw it. Roy winced when it hit the back of the man's head causing him to fall to the ground, Riza ran over to him when he suddenly flipped up and punched her across the face, into the wall. Roy saw red after that and snapped, using much the same force as he did when Bald tried to attack him at the station a while ago.

The man moaned as Riza walked over to him, he pulled his gun and Riza pointed hers but before she could fire he turned the gun on himself, a bang rang through the alley and he fell back, the blood gushing from his fatal wound.

Riza lowered her gun and turned away from the man, Roy walked up to her, glancing at the man before turning his attention to her face. It was red where he had punched her and a bruise was just beginning to form but the worst injury was to her lip which was bleeding quite badly. He took out his handkerchief, and proceeded to wipe the blood from her lips.

"You all right?"

"Yeah, I've had worse."

After wiping the blood away he bent and kissed the cut softly. When he pulled away she grinned slightly for a moment before her face turned serious once more.

"What do you think he wanted?" she asked. "Other than to kill you that is."

"I don't have a clue," he said.

She raised an eyebrow. "He's not one of the boyfriends whose girl you took away from is he?"

"Like I pay attention to their boyfriends?" Roy said before thinking. He turned to see Riza with a rather pissed off look on her face, she knew Roy didn't take them intentionally nor did he really care for the girls but to hear him talk about it so nonchalantly angered her.

"We should call the police and notify military command."

"Right but we need an excuse for being here together first just in case they ask."

Riza sighed. "Maybe Hughes has an idea," she offered. "He is in charge of investigations so wouldn't he be investigating this?"

"Good idea, let's call him first."

"You go, I'll stay here with the body."

Roy nodded and made his way to a phone booth.

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"I seeeeeee…… so you and Riza were on vacation together huh?" Maes said in that tone of voice that made Roy want to fry him.

"Maes, the only reason we met up here is because it's a popular vacation spot and Riza was visiting her hometown nearby. She just happened to be here to pick up a few things. But do you really think the military is going to believe only that?"

"So you met merely by circumstance?"

"Yes," Roy stated with a sigh.

"I see," Maes stated. Roy knew from that tone that something was coming, he braced himself and held the phone a bit away from his ear. "FATE IS TRYING TO TELL YOU TWO SOMETHING!" he shouted enthusiastically into the phone. Roy grinned at missing the volume of the piercing scream entering his ear but he still heard what was said. He put the receiver back up to his ear.

"Maes," he said in a warning tone, even thought he was quite amused at the outburst. "Frat laws remember?"

He heard Maes sigh and mutter something about damn laws. "I'll be there in the morning Roy. I'll call the local police and tell them what happened. What's the address. After Roy gave the address and heard the standard last line from Hughes about "get yourself a wife" he hung up and made his way back to Hawkeye.

"Hughes has it covered," he stated. "He's going to contact the cops for us and explain what is going on, with any luck the higher-ups won't even ask why we were together. Hughes has an excuse planned if they do."

"Bet you he asked right?" she questioned.

"More like he jumped to a bunch of conclusions," Roy said.

"And got why we were here exactly right?" Riza said.

"Yea," Roy said with a frustrated sigh, before smirking at her. "If I didn't know better I would believe that man was psychic."

"What excuse did you give him?"

"That you were visiting your hometown nearby, and we ran into each other when you came here to pick up a few things. But what are the odds of the higher-ups believing that, so he came up with something."

Riza nodded. "That was pretty good for a spur of the moment excuse."

"What spur of the moment? It took me ten minutes before I even called Hughes to tell him what was going on."

"Roy, with your sex craving brain ten minutes is spur of the moment," she replied, Roy was extremely intelligent of course, he wouldn't be an alchemist otherwise, but it was fun to tease him about his intelligence capabilities.

He opened his mouth to reply but nothing came. He cursed to himself, his wife had out witted him again!

The cops soon came and got a statement from them. True to his word, Hughes had called and explained. After the coroner got the body, Roy and Riza left and went back to their hotel room, where Riza flopped down on the bed.

"It can never be normal can it?" she sighed as Roy sat beside her.

"Sorry," he said.

She sat up and shook her head. "There's nothing for you to be sorry for. There's nothing for either of us to be sorry for in that aspect. We just don't lead normal lives. We have greater goals to accomplish right now."

He turned to her and hugged her, falling onto his back with her head resting on his chest, cuddled close to him.

"Maes is going to be here in the morning," he said.

Riza nodded her head; she was comfortable and didn't feel like speaking. Roy pulled her close and sighed. "What do you want to do?"

Riza cuddled even closer to him and kissed his neck once before laying her head back down, "Riza?" he asked and looked down at her. She was just laying there, eyes closed and her hands playing with the buttons of his shirt. "What do you want to do with what little is left of our vacation?"

She finally moved to stand up, grabbing his hand she led him over to the couch. Handing him his gloves she went over to the phone. He looked at his gloves then the fireplace, hearing her order wine, he knew what she wanted. He put on his gloves and lit the fireplace, as she hung up the phone and walked back over to him. He took off his gloves and laid them on the table then she took his hand and pulled him on to the couch, cuddling up to him once more. He couldn't stop the stupid grin from appearing on his face.

Though she could make the strongest men in the military piss themselves in fear with one look, she could also melt the heart of anyone she directed a smile towards. She was a gentle woman who loved to act as such anytime she had a chance. She couldn't show this side often out in public because of her job. As much as he hated to say it, men in the military didn't take well to women in uniform; women had to work so much harder than men to be taken seriously. As a result, she put on the tough, cold demeanor so she would be respected in her own right.

He knew she was one of the most well respected snipers/gunners in the military, and he had quite a few general's tell him how lucky he was that Hawkeye decided to go the career route that she did and how she would make a hell of a sniper commander. He'd also noticed that when the sniper groups came into headquarters she would always go to lunch with them. She didn't go to lunch with coworkers unless it was business so he reasoned that they were friends, perhaps she had served with some of them in Ishbal.

A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts, Riza started to stand but Roy stood first. "I'll get it," he said and walked to the door. Riza watched as he went to the door. He'd been deep in thought before the knock, she'd felt him tense up quite a bit then relax, only to tense up again. She offered him a smile when he came towards her wheeling a cart. He opened the wine and poured it into the two glasses, handing her one, he took his previous position on the couch, as did she.

"You all right?" she asked, tilting her head to look up at him.

He looked surprised at her question. "Yeah, I am fine. Why?"

"You were deep in thought before room service came and I felt you tense up."

"Oh," Roy said with a chuckle. "It was just random thoughts. I was thinking about how hard it is for a woman to be in the military."

"Very difficult indeed," she acknowledged.

"You seem to be well respected."

"Only because of Ishbal and I made quite a few friends that weren't sexist. Poor Maria Ross had it tough."

"What do you mean?"

"She was a year behind me at the academy. They gave her hell and there wasn't much I could do for her. Everything that her class did, they blamed it on her."

Roy cringed.

"How'd you get to thinking about that anyhow?"

"I was thinking about how you seem so tough at the office and a bit in public but when we are alone you like to cuddle and read romance novels."

Riza blushed. "So you were thinking about me and my quirks?"

"I am always thinking about you Riza. You should know that."

She laughed. "Here I thought you only liked me because I gave you good sex."

"Sex? What's that?" he asked. She grabbed a pillow and hit him with it. . .

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"The higher-ups just told me to handle it," Hughes said, the next day. The three of them were having lunch at a small café in the middle of the town. "No excuse needed."

"That's a relief," Roy said.

Riza just stayed silent and sipped her tea. She was running her heeled foot up Roy's leg by instinct. When she was worried, she would always do that. Roy was used to it so it didn't bother him as long as Maes didn't see it. He didn't need to be teased about Riza playing footsy with him.

"How many days left in your vacation?" Maes asked.

"Two," Roy said.

"Perfect!" he exclaimed.

Riza put down her tea and raised an eyebrow. "Perfect for what?" she asked before Roy could.

"You can come back and stay with Gracia and I! She would be happy to see you!"

"But. . ." Roy started. Maes stood, effectively cutting him off.

"Great! I'll call and tell her!" he said and walked toward a phone.

"He doesn't let anyone answer does he?" Riza laughed.

"How do you think he gets his way all the time?" he replied, before looking under the table at Riza's foot still running up and down his leg. "Why are you nervous?"

"That man always makes me nervous," she joked, then told him the real reason. "I was just worried about the higher-ups inquiring as to why we were here together."

"You heard Maes though. They just told him to handle it. So why are you still doing that?"

"You don't like it?" she asked and moved her hand down under the table to trail across his thigh as she moved her leg higher.

"Riza!" he whispered, shocked she would do that in public, especially when the ever observant Maes was in the same general location. She removed her hand quickly and picked up her tea when Maes walked back to them.

"It's settled!" he said, the excitement evident in his voice. "You guys will have to share a room though. I am sure that won't be a problem right? You do share rooms sometimes when you are on missions right? We have a very comfortable roll away to put in the room. "

The two stared at him like he'd grown a head. Of course this was pure acting, they had no problem with it.

Maes grinned inwardly. After what he'd seen in Ishbal he knew it wouldn't be a problem. Plus, his friends Mr. and Mrs. Buttkiss were sharing a room at the very moment anyhow. He knew the roll away wouldn't be put to use. He would play along with the rouse though, after all, if they got caught fraternizing they would be court-martialed and Roy's goals would go down the proverbial toilet.

"I'll meet you two at the train station in two hours," he said and left the café.

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Riza and Roy went back to the hotel and packed their things. Just as Riza snapped the fasteners on her suitcase she felt an arm around her waist. Soon, she had been spun around and her back was against the wall. Her wrists were now firmly against the wall as well, on each side of her head and lips were kissing her neck.

"Roy," she groaned as he nipped at the skin.

"Just a quick one," he stated. Lifting her skirt and pulling her underwear away her. She heard his belt loosen and felt him lift her, her legs wrapped around his waist and he entered her. He stared into her eyes. "No protests?" he questioned. She answered him by grabbing the back of his head and pulling his lips down to hers.

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"It's good to see you again," Gracia said. Roy and Riza smiled at the heavily pregnant woman, before Maes kissed her and rubbed her stomach.

"How's the baby?" Roy asked.

"I think it's going to be a soccer player the way it likes to kick," she laughed. "Let me show you to your room."

"I'll do it. You sit down and rest!" Maes stated and took Roy took Riza's suitcase. "I'll take it. You can keep Gracia company," he added.

"Thank you sir," Riza said. Roy had to hide the cringe of hearing her call him sir. He and Maes went up the stairs as Gracia and Riza went into the kitchen, where Gracia began to open the oven.

"Here, let me help you," Riza said, grabbing the pot holders and lifting the roast out of the oven, Gracia watching as Riza moved it on to the top of the stove. Something on the left side of Riza's upper back near her shoulder caught her attention as Riza's shoulder length hair moved. The collar was just low enough to reveal a bit but what she saw made her cringe, there was a horrible burn scar on it. She'd noticed that Riza had a few scars on her arms and hands but this was beyond what she thought the young woman had gone through, Gracia decided that she wouldn't ask about it. It just hurt her to see that Riza had gone through something that would cause her such an injury.

Riza turned around and smiled at Gracia. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

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"Wow, you are quite a cook Gracia," Roy said.

"She is isn't she?" Maes said proudly. "Doesn't it just make you want to settle down Roy?"

"No, not really," he growled.

"Maes!" Gracia scolded. "He'll settle down when he's good and ready." Gracia turned to Riza. "How about you though?"

"What about me?" she asked.

"Do you want a husband and family? Women tend to settle down when they are younger."

"Are you calling me old?" she joked.

"Of course not. I'm just saying. . . " she started, alarmed that she had insulted the blond.

Riza laughed slightly. "Calm down. I was joking. No, I'm not ready for that yet. I already have an office of babies to watch, I couldn't handle dealing with my own yet."

Roy chuckled at Riza's answer. "I wouldn't laugh sir, you are included in that little group." Roy instantly stopped laughing as everyone else at the table started to laugh.

Gracia stood, placing a hand on her stomach. "I should do the dishes then I can get us all some coffee. You all can go in the living room."

"I'll help you Gracia," Riza offered.

"Thank you," she replied.

"You need me to help as well?" Roy asked.

"You'd end up breaking something," Riza stated. Roy frowned and Maes dragged him into the living room for a drink.

Gracia and Riza were soon finished with the dishes.

"Unplug the water. . . Broke."

Riza stared down at the water. "What is the water broke?" She figured a water broke was a new term among house wives at first before she put two and two together and stared over at Gracia wide-eyed. She grabbed Gracia and led her into the living room.

"We have a problem!" Riza stated, noting that the two men were playing chess.

"You're telling me. I can't move without Roy taking my queen," Maes said.

"I DON"T MEAN THAT!" she snapped, as Gracia lay down on the couch. "Gracia's water broke"

"Then get her another glass," Roy stated and made a move. Suddenly both men realized what Riza said, and started to panic.

"What are we going to do?" Roy yelped.

"Boil water!" Maes yelled. He suddenly stopped and grabbed Roy by the collar. "You are an alchemist! Can't you just alchemistize it out of her?"

"Alchemistize? That isn't even a word Maes!"

Gracia couldn't help but laugh at the two men, then she groaned. "Don't make me laugh."

"You heard her! Don't make her laugh or it might shoot out of her like one of those cannon balls!"

Finally Riza had enough. She drew her gun from her thigh holster and fired into the air, effectively silencing the two men. They stared at her, wide eyed. "Major Hughes. . . Go get a doctor!" she growled.

"Why don't we just take her to the hospital?" Riza pointed at the window where a blizzard was wellk underway. It may have been warm where they were vacationing but it was winter in central. She narrowed her eyes at Maes. "GO!" she snapped. He grabbed his coat and rushed out the door.

"What can I do Riza?" Roy asked, letting her name slip from his lip, as he knelt beside her.

"Go warm some water, get me wash cloths and some towels and then a bottle of the strongest alcohol they have with a glass."

Roy nodded. He grabbed some water but instead of heating it on the stove he slipped on his gloves and snapped at it, effectively heating it. He sat it down beside Riza and went to get some cloths and towels. After doing that he sat beside her. She rung out the cloth and wrapped Gracia's face with it.

"Her contractions are ten minutes apart," she said.

"Is that good?" She glared at him. "You are a scientist and you don't know about contractions?"

"I studied alchemy not child birth!"

"I didn't study science at all other than chemistry and I know about it!" she snapped.

"Well you have the same equipment as a woman? There's no need for a man to know about it!" he yelped.

She growled at him. "You are the one that pops the baby in there! You should take some responsibility for it you jerk!" she snapped.

Gracia couldn't stop laughing at the two, at least it took her mind off of the pain. "You two fight like a married couple," Gracia said before pain racked her body once again.

"Where the hell is Maes?" Riza snapped.

"He's probably lost in the blizzard, it's getting pretty bad out there," Roy said, pointing to the window. Riza looked at the window then back at him.

"Thank you Mr. Positivism. . . That was a rhetorical question you jack ass."

"Are you sure Gracia is the one in labor?" Roy questioned, earning the millionth glare from Riza since Gracia's water broke.

"I feel the head coming!" she yelped.

"What in the hell does that mean?" Roy questioned stupidly. Then when Riza growled he said, "Never mind. I said that in the heat of abject panic."

"Where's my alcohol?" she asked. Roy looked around and then stood. He walked over to the bar and the strongest they had was Vodka. "Vodka work?" he asked.

"Yes," she stated. He took it and a glass and walked over to where she was kneeling at Gracia's feet.

"I know what the alcohol is for but why do you need a glass with it."

Riza took off the lid and chugged half the contents of the bottle causing Roy to sweat drop, before she set the bottle beside her. "I don't need the glass after all."

"Damn Riza, I thought you were going to use it to sterilize," he said.

"No," she said simply and went about getting to work.

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"The mom and baby are just fine," the doctor said, coming out to a waiting Roy and Maes.

Riza walked out of the room, Vodka bottle in hand. She chugged down the rest and went up the stairs without a word to anyone. "She did an amazing job, all I had to do was cut the cord and take care of the afterbirth. You can go in and see your wife and daughter."

Maes smiled widely and turned to Roy. "We are going to take Gracia to the hospital. The ambulance managed to get here. You two can stay here if you like." Roy nodded. "Take care of Riza!" he added. Roy nodded again as Maes ran into the room where his wife and daughter were, followed by the EMT's. Roy turned and started to walk up the stairs when the doctor grabbed his arm then handed him a bottle. "She's going to need those. I don't know how she's still walking after consuming that much alcohol."

"She has a tolerance to alcohol," Roy said.

"That doesn't mean she won't have a hangover in the morning," the doctor replied, Roy nodded and took the pills.

"Thank you doctor," he said.

"Tell her excellent work and that if she ever wants a job I could use an assistant at my office."

Roy nodded and made his way to the room they were staying in. He heard the people downstairs leave and went inside the room. He walked into the bathroom where Riza was soaking neck deep in a tub of water, her arm over her eyes.

Roy sat on the edge of the tub and grinned, she moved her arm and gazed at him. "I've been through special forces and sniper training. I made it through Ishbal and tend to get shot at about twice a month."

"Yea?" he prompted.

"That was the most terrifying thing I've ever done. I mean, I drank an entire bottle of Vodka."

"Not an entire bottle, there was about a glass worth emptied out of it," he said with a smirk.

She laughed at his joke and leaned her head against the tub. He bent down and brushed his lips across hers. "You never cease to amaze me Riza," he said when he pulled away.

Soon, they both got ready for bed and as they lay there Riza sighed. "Even though that terrified me, it was also the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I must admit that I envy her."

"Envy?"

"That she's had a child," she said, Roy turned on his side facing her.

"Do you want a child?"

Riza nodded. "But it's not possible right now," she said. She looked down at her hand when Roy threaded his fingers through her own. "We are still young. We will have a child someday Riza. I just have a feeling about it."

"You think?" she asked. He nodded. "Hopefully by then I can be a good father that a child will need."

She cuddled up to his chest. "You'd already make a good one Roy," she said before drifting off to sleep. Roy looked down at her and kissed her head. "Someday Riza. I promise."

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AN: This was very fun to write. I hope you enjoyed it.