Hello readers! Thanks for all the reviews from last chapter! Appreciated it.

So my first full week of school is almost over and it hasn't been that horrible. The only horrible thing is Calculus, but no one has a clue in that class so I'm not alone! I start my english class at my community college next week so there's that to have an anxiety attack over. Whatever.

I really love this chapter and I hope you love it too!

Enjoy

Edward, Winry, and Riza jumped. Jean and Rebecca finally untangled from each other, looking slightly dazed and a little confused as to where they were. They all turned to see Roy standing behind them with his jaw on the ground.

"Seriously! What the hell, Havoc!?" Roy yelled, his eyes popping out of his skull. "Did she drug you or something? Why the hell are you making out with that harpy?! I thought you had some standards!"

Jean's mouth opened slightly but no words came out. He glanced at Rebecca out of the corner of his eye, she too looked as if she had no idea what to say, before he moved his arms from around her and propped himself onto his elbows.

"Well?" Roy asked, sounding unusually angry.

Jean's mouth stayed open as his upper body swayed back and forth. The teens watched as his face slowly changed colors, from red to white to grey, before he leaned to the side and vomited.

"Eugh!" Rebecca cried as she rolled away from Jean.

Winry watched with a feeling of pity as Jean curled up on his side and let out a loud groan. She could still remember Halloween quite clearly and knew just how bad it felt to puke up a bunch of alcohol.

"Jesus Christ, Havoc," Roy groaned, looking at his friend with mild disgust. "Not even midnight and you're already trashed?"

"Sorry…" Jean moaned.

"That better have been worth it, idiot," Roy sighed before he reached down to pull up his friend for the ground.

"No… leave me here to die," he moaned pitifully.

"I'm just gonna drag you into the shed where you can die in peace, not that you deserve it," he said before he yanked up the teen with unexpected ease and began dragging him towards the open shed door. "You three can deal with that one!" he yelled over his shoulder.

"Uh, you two can deal with this one," Ed said before he turned on his heal and began marching in the other direction.

Riza and Winry sighed as they watched Ed retreat before they turned to Rebecca, who was presently trying to sit herself up but was failing miserably at the task.

"So what do we do with her?" Riza asked sourly.

"I'm fine, guys," Rebecca said happily, as she flopped back on the ground. "I jus' need to chill for a mo'ent."

"I give her a minute," Riza sighed as she turned her back on her failing friend.

"'til what?"

"Until she yacks," Riza said bluntly.

"Lovely."

"So what the hell happened exactly?" Sheska asked, looking extremely confused as she gripped Kain's hand.

"Uh, well while you were sucking face with your little boyfriend," Ed said bluntly as he gestured to Kain with his cup, who looked rather embarrassed, "Me and Winry got fucking kidnapped and locked in the shed, Rebecca and Jean got shit-face drunk, and then proceed to molest each other, and then Jean almost puked on her, which was pretty funny."

"What?!" Sheska screeched in indignation. "I miss everything!"

"Well that's what you get for being in a relationship," Roy said as he walked over towards them, looking rather disgruntled. "You tend to miss shit when you're in each other's faces twenty-four-seven."

"Don't listen to him," Maes said with a grin. "Poor boy's jealous."

"Only if in this alternate universe you've created in your mind, jealous means super happy that I'm not roped into a relationship then yes, I'm jealous," Roy said, deadpan.

"Where are Riza and Win?" Sheska asked as she looked around. "It's almost midnight."

"They're probably holding Bec's hair back," Paninya said with a small laugh. "I doubt she can hold out much longer. They'll probably be back in a minute or two."

"Well I can't wait that long!" Sheska exclaimed impatiently as she stamped her foot on the ground.

"Wait for what?" Gracia asked, looking confused.

Sheska turned to look at Kain, who was looking rather red and stared at the ground sheepishly. Roy stared at the two for a moment before the situation hit him like a ton of bricks to the face. He let out a loud, annoyed groan and covered his face with his hands.

"What's your problem?" Maes asked.

"Can't you see it?" he asked, annoyed, as he brought his hands away from his face. "Can't you just… just smell it?"

"Smell what? Jean's puke on your shirt?" Ed asked.

"They're a couple!" Roy exclaimed, gesturing towards Sheska's and Kain's combined hands. "They're coupled together! Disgusting."

"Excuse me! We kinda wanted to say that!" Sheska yelled, looking rather annoyed.

"What, that you're coupling is disgusting? My bad."

"No! I kinda wanted to tell my friends that I finally had a boyfriend, you ass!"

"So you're really together now!?" Gracia squealed, covering her grinning mouth. "Like, you're official?!"

All the annoyance Sheska had been displaying before seemed to have disappeared within a flash. Her face broke into a huge smile and she began nodding her head like a bobble head. She let out a nervous but excited laugh before Gracia attacked her with a hug.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you, Shes!"

"Thanks!"

"There's something about New Years on the island that brings people together," Maes said with a smile as he patted Kain on the back.

"And we technically got together on the thirty-first so it's not like we stole your anniversary," Sheska said, looking and Gracia and Maes. "Since yours is on the first."

"Right at midnight," Maes said as he wrapped his arm around Gracia's shoulders and smiled down at her. "I remember that day like it was yesterday…"

"If you're going to reminisce about that day, then I'm just going to leave for a while," Roy sighed before he turned around and began walking in the opposite direction.

Roy ignored the voices from behind him, marched away from the cluster of people, and moved quickly into the forest, determined to get far away from them all. The party music quickly went away and soon, an odd silence was pressing in on Roy from all directions. Suddenly desperate for some sort of noise, he began to move towards the waters edge. However, before he heard any of the pleasant water sounds, he heard something else: gags and moans and girls voices.

Roy turned towards the noises and saw three small figures. One of the figures was bent over on the ground and the other two stood on either side of her. Blond hair caught moonlight on the two figures who remained standing.

"Riza?" he called out as he began to walk towards them. "Win?"

"Oh, Roy, it's you," Riza said as she looked up at him.

"The harpy looks like she's having a blast," Roy said with a slightly twisted grin as he stared down at Rebecca, who was currently puking her guts out all over the forest floor.

"Don't call her a harpy, Roy," Riza said in a stern voice.

"Right, right, my bad," he said, nodding his head. "She's really a succubus."

Winry giggled while Riza glared at the teen although Roy could have sworn he saw the corners of her mouth twitch, as if she really wanted to smile.

"Are you just mad because you're afraid everyone's going to couple up and leave you alone with no wingman to help you?" she asked in a slightly patronizing tone.

"First off, I don't need a wingman," he said seriously. "Second of all, everyone is coupling up because Sheska and Kain just came out of the couple closet!"

"They did?!" Winry exclaimed with a wide smile as she held Rebecca's hair back.

"Yeah and it was gross."

"I doubt it. Is that why you went running? Didn't want to catch any couple disease?"

"No. Well, yes actually. But also, Maes was about to recount the rousing story of how he first made out with Gracia," Roy said.

"Oh, well, I guess I understand you there."

"I've never heard that story," Winry said as she cringed at the noises of Rebecca puking.

"I'm never ever going to drink ever again…" she moaned from the ground.

"You better get that in writing," Roy advised Riza, who rolled her eyes at him.

"Anyways, the story of them getting together is cute," Riza told Winry. "But after you've heard it a hundred times, it loses its luster."

"Ah," she exclaimed. "Ew! Rebecca are you trying to aim for my feet?!"

"Sorry…"

"Here, I'll take over," Riza sighed as she reached out to grab Rebecca's hair.

"Thanks," Winry said gratefully.

"How about you go back to the party, Win?" Roy asked, motioning over his shoulder with his thumb. "You missed parts already because you were forced into the shed with that idiot. You shouldn't miss anymore just because you're trying to be a good person."

"Really?"

"Yeah, go on, Winry," Riza said after a slight pause.

"Alright then, thanks guys," she said with a smile before she almost ran away from the scene, clearly quite happy to be far away from the scene.

The two were quiet for a while and did not talk until long after Winry's footsteps had faded away. Once Rebecca had finished throwing up, she curled up on an old blanket a few feet away.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Roy asked Riza.

"I can't just leave her here."

"We won't go far," he said. "Come on. I wanna talk to you."

"Alright…"

The two walked around the forest, only ever fifteen feet away from Rebecca in case she needed them, both silent for a moment.

"So what'd you want to talk about?" Riza asked.

"You seemed off earlier," Roy said, stopping in his tracks as he looked at Riza, who avoided Roy's eyes. "I wanted to know what's the matter."

"Nothing's the matter," she said after the slightest of pauses, finally looking up at him. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Mm-hmm," Roy mumbled, clearly skeptical.

Roy watched Riza for a moment, waiting for her to tell him but knowing deep inside that she would not. He opened his mouth to try to get her to tell him but the alarm on his cell phone went off, alerting to the both of them that it was midnight. A smile curled on Roy's face.

"It's midnight," he stated as he held up his phone for proof.

"That it is."

"And you know what you're supposed to do at midnight, right?" he asked with a wider smirk.

"Sing 'Auld Lang Syne'?" she asked with a shrug.

"No," he said with a slight laugh. "You're supposed to kiss someone at midnight."

"Uh, if you desperate or in a relationship," Riza said with a snort.

"No. It's tradition. You have to do it."

"I have to?" she asked with a slight frown.

"Yup."

Riza gave him a hard look but Roy kept his course, trying his hardest to see if he could get her to kiss him. He didn't know if it was the alcohol in his system or if there really was a magic of New Years on this island but Roy was going against his instincts to run and hide from Riza glare.

"Come on, Riza," Roy continued in a softer voice. "It's just one little kiss. No biggie."

"Just a little kiss?" she asked as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Yup. Nothing too gooey. Unless you want to, that is," he added cheekily.

He watched with anticipation as she pursed her lips, threw a glance over her shoulder, probably to see if Rebecca could see them or not, and then turned back to Roy.

"Alright," she said calmly, dropping her arms to her sides.

"Alright?" he asked, sounding and feeling surprised.

"Yeah."

"Um… okay," he said, feeling suddenly nervous.

Riza smirked at him ever so slightly before she brought herself up onto her tiptoes so that they were at eye level. Roy felt chills go down his spin as Riza looked into his eyes and his heart could not help but hammer against his chest as she leaned in. He closed his eyes just as Riza did and felt her warm breath on his lips. But just as her lips grazed his, Riza moved her face and planted her lips right to the left of his lips.

"That's not what I meant," Roy said grumpily as he looked down at Riza, who was grinning evilly.

"You said just a little kiss, Roy but you never specified where," she said with the slightest shrugs of her shoulder. "You should've planned that out better."

Riza clapped him on the shoulder before she turned away and began walking towards where Rebecca laid. Roy placed his hands behind his head, feeling all sorts of pent of energy fill him, and watched as Riza retreated.

"I'll make sure to get it in writing next time!" he called after her.

"You do that!" she called back with a slight laugh.

Feeling doped, Roy shook his head and turned away, ignoring any sort of coupley feelings that wanted to come to mind.

"No matter how many times I am in America," said a voice suddenly from behind Ed, which caused him to jump and slop beer onto his lap, "I will never get used to New Years in December."

"What the hell man?" Ed growled as he tried to blot the rather unfortunately placed stain away; it now looked as if Ed had bladder problems.

"You've been to America before?" Al asked, sounding generally interested while ignoring his scowling and swearing brother completely.

"Many, many times," Ling said with a large smile. "Mostly for business but also sometimes for pleasure."

"What sort of business do you do?" Al asked. "If you're allowed to tell me that is."

"Master Ling doesn't have to tell you anything," Lan Fan cut in harshly, glaring at Al.

"That is enough, Lan Fan," Ling said before he swatted her away like an annoying fly. "Go relax. Get a drink. In fact, get me a drink as well."

"Yes, sir."

"My father is in charge of large cooperation back in China," Ling said once Lan Fan was out of earshot. "He deals with a lot of international work and I am set on inheriting the business once he retires. I come to many different countries with him to learn first-hand."

"Is that why you're here? To work on International business?"

"Yes and no," Ling said. "I did come here with the intention of taking in another culture first hand but also, there are some problems back home."

"Like what?"

Lan-Fan returned with a drink in hand. Ling accepted it but quickly shooed her away. He watched over the rim of his cup as Lan Fan stalked away for a moment before he returned to the question.

"Some of my father's competitors want his business to close because he's doing so well. But unfortunately, my father appears very ill at the moment and some of his competitors believe he might retire soon."

"Uh huh."

"And if my father were to retire, which I don't believe will happen anytime soon, I would be the only thing standing in the way of the company from falling."

"I'm still not getting this."

"Some of my fathers opponents are rather fierce when it comes to what they want," Ling said slowly as he tried to find the correct words he wanted. "And they are not above taking out children for monetary gain."

"You mean… you mean they would kill you?!" Al exclaimed in extreme surprise.

"They are quite fierce," Ling said with a grim smile. "But I do not fear these cowards. Especially not now that I have Lan Fan."

"So, she's you're body guard."

"The best there is," he said proudly. "Her family had been working for my family for decades."

"So that's why you two are here… but what about Mei?"

A slightly sour expression came to Ling's face at the mention of Mei but it was quickly replaced by a slightly twisted grin.

"She is here because she wouldn't leave father alone when she heard I was being sent here," he said. "Tiny brat gets into everyone's business with that rat of hers."

"What do you mean?" Al asked, feeling confused; Mei didn't seem all that bad to him.

"Mei is upset that father does not treat her as equally as he does me. Which is ridiculous when you think about it."

Al did not say anything but his crinkled brow and the confusion he felt must have told Ling he was still not understanding what he was trying to tell him.

"Mei is not only female but I am also older and a completely legitimate child."

"Wait… are you and Mei… related?"

"I am his half-sister," said a quiet but angry voice from behind them; the two turned to find Mei, looking angry, her round eyes sharpened into a glare directed at Ling.

"Illegitimate half-sister," Ling scoffed.

"What?" Al asked, looking at the two as he tried to find any sort of resemblance.

"What are you doing, child?" he asked in a patronizing tone. "Spying on the big kids again?"

"No," she said defiantly. "Not everything is about you, Ling. Just because you happen to think you are the center of the universe does not mean that you are."

"Yes, well, I am closer to being the center of the universe than you would ever be."

"I can't wait until we are back home," she said, shaking slightly with rage. "I can't wait until we are back where so many people want you dead."

"Mei!" Al exclaimed, looking at her with wide eyes.

Mei glanced at Al suddenly, as if she had not realized that he was there, her face quickly turning to the color of a fresh tomato.

"Yes well, even if the hack-job assassins ever did manage to catch me, there are still more people more suitable to the job than you ever would be," he said nastily.

"I don't care! I don't care if I never get to run the company! Just as long as you never get to!"

"Oh, just go and spy on someone else, will you?" Ling said after a moment.

"This is a free country!" she huffed. "I am free to do as I please!"

"I believe Master Ling told you to leave him alone," Lan Fan said from behind Mei. "You will listen to the Young Master and depart. Unless you would rather leave by force."

"Like you could if you tried," Mei sneered up at Lan Fan before she glared at her half-brother, glanced at Al with a softer expression, and then departed.

"Maybe we shouldn't invite those kids to these parties anymore if we can help it," Maes said uneasily as he watched the scene from afar.

"Key words in that sentence are if you can help it," Winry said.

"We should be heading out soon," Maes said with a yawn as he checked the time from his cell phone; it was three-thirty in the morning.

Many of the teenagers were now sitting or even lay passed out on the ground but a few partiers kept dancing and laughing, not wanting the party to end.

Maes glanced at Gracia, who's head rested on his shoulder as she slept quietly. He smiled before he gently nudged her awake and informed her of the time.

"We really should get going then," she yawned.

"This is always the hardest part," he groaned before he stood up and began walking towards the shed.

Once inside the shed, he stepped over Jean's unconscious form and turned off the music and the multicolored lights. He could hear the groans of disappointment coming from the few teens who managed to soldier on with plenty of energy to spare.

"What the hell, Hughes!?" Sheska cried as she continued to pull along a clearly exhausted Kain. "I was still dancing!"

"Yeah well if we don't leave soon we're going to be stuck here until tomorrow night."

"I don't see a problem with that."

"Uh, I kinda need to get going, Sheska," Kain said feebly.

"And we've got a little less than an hour to get everyone onto the rafts, paddle back to shore, hide the rafts, and then sneak back in and if we don't start hauling ass, someone's going to get caught and it isn't going to be me."

"Fine, fine," Sheska sighed, finally stopping her movement. "You win, party pooper."

"Alright, now let's get everyone to the shore and into the rafts," Maes said as he clapped his hands together for emphasis.

As per usual, it took a bit of time to get everyone back to the rafts with all of their belongings and it took even longer to figure out who was in good enough condition to steer the rafts. Once everything was settled, the two rafts set off across the quiet lake and before anyone knew it, they had reached the other side of the lake.

"Who's going to help me take the rafts back?" Roy asked as he pulled on of them from the water.

He turned and saw most of his able-bodied friends were busy with the arduous task of carrying less capable friends.

"I'll go," Riza said, stepping forwards.

"But-"

"Roy, I can manage a raft and no way in hell am I going to get in as much trouble as some of these other people," she said seriously as she hefted the other raft out of the lake. "Now let's go before the guards get here."

The two teens moved as quickly and quietly as one could while carrying a large raft but soon made it back to the hiding spot without reaching any trouble or obstacles.

"Good, now let's get back before we're caught," Riza hissed. "I really need a shower. I'm pretty sure Rebecca got some puke on my shoes."

"I don't smell anything," Roy said, sniffing.

"That's because Jean probably puked on you and you've just gotten used to the smell of puke so you can't distinguish it on me," she said quietly. "And lower your voice. You're too loud."

"Sorry."

Roy stepped out from behind a building and just as his foot hit the ground, a beam of light caught him in the face. Without thinking, he pushed back and forced Riza to the ground. He heard her gasp and squeak slightly as she fell but he could hear her scuttling backwards away from him. Roy knew that Riza was right; she would be able to weasel out of whatever punishment she was given because of who she was but it didn't matter. He did not want to risk her possibly getting in trouble because of him.

He winced as the bright light flashed in his eyes and he stepped forwards, hoping that Riza was not visible anymore.

"What the hell are you doing out at this hour?" asked the man, sounding annoyed. "Little late to be running around."

Roy knew instantly that he was in trouble. The Campus Patrol had probably already caught a good handful of kids sneaking around after curfew tonight and the fact that he smelled of alcohol, cigarettes, vomit, and lake water didn't make anything easier for him.

"I know," Roy said heavily in resignation.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

Roy glanced over his shoulder ever so slightly and then looked the man in the eyes. He knew there was really only one answer in this situation and it tasted like vinegar in his mouth.

"No," he admitted. "I don't really have a good reason to be out. I'm sorry."

"Come with me," he said after a pause, beckoning him forwards with a gloved finger.

"I caught him right by East library, Sir," the officer told Grumman ten minutes later. "He was trying to get back to East. I'm sure he had been out partying though. He smells like a bar."

Roy stared at the floor, not forcing himself at all to feel guilty. There was just something about Grumman that just made you feel like you had wronged a grandparent; it was probably the one downside the man had.

Grumman sat wide-awake at his desk. There were a number of files on his desk and Roy just knew that were filled with student information. Many parents were probably going to get calls home tomorrow morning from the school.

"Thank you for bringing Mr. Mustang to me tonight," he said heavily, sounding much wearier than he looked. "I would like to talk to him in private before you escort him back to his room."

The officer nodded before he left the room. Grumman did not speak until several seconds after the door had closed.

"Sit, please," Grumman said as he motioned towards the couch in front of his desk.

Roy nodded before he dragged his feet over to him and sat down. He chose to stare at his folded hands instead of Grumman. While he still felt nervous and guilty, Roy knew that it was the right thing to do; Riza shouldn't be blamed just because she had some screwed up friends.

"So, Mr. Mustang, would you like to explain what you were doing tonight?"

He spoke as if Roy had an option, which he figured, he really did. Roy could choose to stay silent and take his punishment without a fight. Or he could, Roy thought, man up, confess to his sin, and take his punishment standing straight and tall. It was his option.

"I was… I was at a party tonight, with some other kids. Our party wasn't exactly inside school grounds either… I was putting away some things while the others snuck back to their dorms and I was trying to sneak back when I got caught," he said, finally looking up at Grumman. "I know I was out well past curfew and I know I did wrong and I'm sorry, sir. I don't want to disappoint you."

Grumman stared at Roy with his sharp, pale eyes and Roy stared back, determined not to break the connection. Finally after what seemed like an eternity, Grumman leaned forwards, his hands folded in front of his face while his elbows rested on the desk, and spoke.

"I admire your truthfulness, Mr. Mustang," he said slowly. "I have been forced to talk to twenty-two other children tonight and you were the first to admit that you had done wrong."

Roy nodded his head, not sure of what was coming. It didn't sound like he was going to get punished, or at least, not as harshly as the other twenty-two kids who got caught.

"I'm going to ask for some truth from you," he said quietly. "Could you name the other students you were out with?"

"I'm afraid I can't, sir," Roy said quickly before he knew what he was saying.

"You can't? Or won't?"

"I can't," Roy continued still staring Grumman in the eyes.

Grumman did not ask him to explain but continued to stare at him with a hard look for several more moments before he nodded his head and sat back in his chair.

"I have one last question for you, Mr. Mustang.

Roy nodded his head, expecting the worst, and waited for the punishment that was sure to come his way. He watched as Grumman surveyed him over the tops of his glasses for another moment while his stomach tossed and turned.

"Do you play chess, Mr. Mustang?"

I love the ending of this chapter. And I love writing Grumman.

So, this was a rather busy chapter I feel. Some explanation on Ling, Lan Fan, and Mei, some cute coupling, a rather interesting Royai scene, and not to mention Grumman's weird request. Does anyone think they know who over heard Al last chapter? Message me if you have an idea.

Well I'll try to get the next chapter up soon; I have been updating rather spectacularly as of late so odds are I'll get the next one up soon, but no promises, school can be a time suck.

Please drop a review my way, it'll make me smile.

Thanks,

-FSK