an: remember when i said i was sorry...? welp.

song for this chapter: within temptation – mercy mirror

1914

so look in my mercy mirror

i need you more than i have known

so look in my mercy mirror

'cause i'm not ready to let you go

After storming out of his house Roy walked around the city for about an hour before he found himself at the office. He made his way straight there and changed into his military blues. His arms were jerked roughly inside his shirt and jacket. His trousers were yanked up his body, tightened with more force than was necessary from his belt. Roy angrily shoved his feet into his boots, tying them so tight he was sure he was cutting off the circulation to there and would lose all feeling in his feet soon. He didn't care. He was too agitated.

She didn't get it. Nobody did. Everyone said the same thing. The pity, the forlorn looks, the sympathy in their eyes was driving him insane. He didn't need it. He needed action. He needed people looking for Hughes' killers, not offering him their kind but meaningless words of sorrow.

Maes Hughes' killer still walked free and Roy wouldn't rest until they were brought to justice.

Roy flung himself into his desk chair. It almost fell back with the force. He threw himself into his work, going over and over in his mind the report of Hughes' murder, looking for the tiniest details that would mean anything. After an hour of fruitless searching Roy stood without a word and stormed out the office again, but this time to the murder scene. He shoved the tape out of the way and strode inside, glaring heatedly at the guard who tried to stop him. The man lifted his hands fearfully and in surrender, backing up.

Roy was too angry to care.

His mind was on this case, and this case only. His brain power didn't spare another thought for anything else. It was too bad he was too far gone to notice it was beginning to chip away at everything he'd built around him.

"You all right, boss?" a voice asked with concern.

Roy's head jerked up as someone shook his shoulder. Havoc was looking at him with one eyebrow raised. Roy cleared his throat and looked around the room, realising it was suddenly light outside, not dark like it had been two minutes ago. He'd fallen asleep at his desk. Disorientated for a moment, he wondered why he'd woken up there.

Hughes.

Dead.

Roy swallowed thickly and rubbed at his aching neck. "Fine, Lieutenant," he stated, clearing his throat again. "Just fine." Hescoffed internally at how bad that lie sounded.

Havoc eyed him carefully but didn't comment further. Roy appreciated it. Havoc was never one to hover, and that was what Roy needed right now. He needed purpose, action, direction…

Roy yawned loudly, uncaring at who saw him. It was only Havoc in the room anyway. He felt so tired. The feeling had dug itself into his bones, taking refuge and overwhelming him with the urge to return home and sleep –

Home.

Riza.

Guilt flooded him as he picked up Hughes' casefile and read. He'd been such an ass to her. He'd been worse than that, actually. He'd been cruel. Roy had thrown baseless accusations in her face, lashing out unfairly. She didn't deserve that. She'd only been trying to help. Roy groaned, feeling the urge to cry creeping up on him.

What had he done?

Roy lunged for the phone on his desk and dialled home. There was no answer. It just kept ringing and ringing, the noise bashing off his skull like a drill.

She was probably out with Mia. Not that Riza would want to talk to him anyway, Roy reasoned. He felt dirty. What he'd done was weighing heavier and heavier upon him, that by the time lunch arrived, he bolted out of the office with a mumbled excuse for going out for the hour.

He needed to go home. Riza had no work on the weekend and obviously, Mia was off school.

The thought of his daughter drew Roy up short. Did she know what had happened? Had Riza told her? Anxious energy fluttered around inside his stomach at the thought of Riza having that conversation with Mia herself. He should have been there for support. Instead, he'd been on the warpath the whole day yesterday, barking orders for anyone to find out what had happened to his old friend.

How did Mia react? Was she okay? She was far too young to deal with this.

He should have been there.

You should have been there to save Hughes, too.

Roy scowled and with a low growl, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket and strode towards his car. He was too busy battling with his inner monologue – and losing – to pay attention to the fact that someone was shouting his name.

"Roy!" Vanessa called out to him frantically. "I've been looking all over for you," she cried. Her tone was desperate, almost verging on the edge of tears.

"Vanessa?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion. Why would she be acting like this? Did something happen? Was she all right? Was Christmas?

His sister caught his bicep in a death grip, struggling to catch her breath.

"What?" Roy asked, resisting the urge to shake her. If she'd been running all over town looking for him then something bad must have happened.

But what was it?

"Vanessa," he commanded. "What happened?"

"I've been calling all morning and I tried coming to your office, but they wouldn't let me up –" She caught herself again, gasping for air.

"Vanessa," he growled, glaring at her to shut up and tell him what was wrong.

"It's Riza." Vanessa's tear stained face looked up at him. "Roy, she's in the hospital."

Mia jumped at the sudden loud clatter. She was rudely roused from sleep earlier by a loud noise but was half asleep so didn't fully register it. Mia thought it had been in her bad dream. But then there was a second set of loud noises, like someone breathing really loudly then a thump. This time she was awake enough to be afraid. She automatically pulled her duvet right up to cover her mouth and nose. If she was covered, the intruder or the monster couldn't get her, right?

Her heart was racing inside of her after the fright she'd gotten.

"Mummy?" she called out after a few minutes. She didn't really call Mum that anymore, but Mia forgot because she was scared. The house was silent, so she reasoned there was no one in her room who was coming to get her. Mia tried calling out again, a little louder this time, but there was no reply. "Daddy?"

Mia crept out of her bedroom and wrung her hands together as she looked down the hall. The light was on, thankfully, but she didn't hear any noises or see anyone.

Where were they?

Mia crept quietly into her parent's bedroom. She'd done this many times, but this was the first time in the new house. She'd just jump into bed and crawl in between them. They would protect her and keep her safe from the monsters that were coming to get her thanks to her imagination.

She froze when she opened the door. There was no one in the bed.

Terror consumed her. If Mummy and Daddy weren't here, then who would save her from the monsters? Mia bit her lip, trying so hard not to cry.

"Mummy?" she whispered. "Daddy?" The second call was louder. Mia was so terrified she was past the point of caring that someone bad would overhear her and take her away.

Mia stood in the centre of her parents' bedroom and began to cry. Loudly. She'd never felt so alone and scared before. She screamed for them so loudly her throat hurt. "Mummy! Daddy!" Her voice wailed throughout the house as she spun inside her parent's bedroom, trying to find them. But still, there was no reply.

Her eyes popped open wide for a second as her breaths heaved inside her little body, and Mia noticed there was light coming from underneath their bathroom door. Mia ran over to it, hoping to find one of them in there.

There was her mother.

Mum was lying on her side on the floor. Mia stood frozen, staring at her in shock. Her eyes were closed and it looked like she was sleeping, but Mia knew what was sleeping, and what wasn't. Mummy wasn't sleeping. She had a faint bruise on her forehead and there was a cut. Blood was oozing down her forehead and into her hair.

Mia saw a flash in her mind. It was an image of Mummy dying like Uncle Maes. Mummy had explained there would be a funeral for Uncle Maes. He'd be put in a special box and would be buried. That meant he would go underground, and a gravestone would mark his place on the grass. Mia saw it like a tomb from a cartoon she'd watched with Daddy. People being buried underground, terrified and alone, and left there. The thought made her sick. All she could see as she looked at her mother on the floor was Mummy being lowered into the ground in a special box too.

"Mummy!" she screamed, lunging over to her. Mia shook her shoulder roughly, but she got nothing.

No! Mummy had to wake up. Mia wouldn't let them put her in a box underneath the ground. She wouldn't!

Wait… Daddy… Daddy would help Mummy. Where was he?

A memory from a few weeks ago suddenly came to her.

"If anything bad ever happens to you or Mummy, phone this number, okay?" Dad handed her a piece of paper. Mia held it ever so gently, afraid that the quickest movement would ruin it. "You'll get through to me at work, and I'll come right home and help. All right, Mia Bear?"

"Yes Dad," she replied.

"How about we put it in here?" Dad asked. He picked up her favourite book and slipped it inside the cover. She was too old to have a bedtime story read to her now, but Mia still enjoyed that one. Putting it in there meant she'd remember where it was.

"Good idea, Dad."

He grinned at her and kissed her forehead. "Get some sleep, Mia. I love you."

Mia yanked the book off her bookshelf. She fumbled it in her haste, and it dropped to the floor, the piece of paper fluttering to the floor. Grabbing it quickly, Mia sprinted to the phone and dialed the number. That meant going downstairs and leaving Mummy alone, but Mia grit her teeth and ran. On the third last step she tripped in her haste. Her tears had made it too hard to see and she landed at the bottom of the stairs in a sore heap. She cried out, a wail leaving her as her knee hit the floor painfully. Hauling herself to her feet, Mia limped over to the phone.

The shadows in the hallway by the front door were terrifying. It felt like there was a monster or a bad person waiting for Mia in the darkness, biding their time until she walked close enough that they could grab her. Resisting the urge to freeze in terror, Mia reached up high for the light switch, illuminating the room and banishing anyone, or anything, waiting to grab her from the darkness.

She had to get to the phone. She had to get help for Mummy.

The phone rang, and rang, and rang.

"Dad," she whimpered as the tone dragged on, uncaring that the five-year-old was distraught on the other side. "Daddy," she warbled. "Please pick up," she begged. Her sobs grew louder. She didn't know what to do. Daddy wasn't here to help Mummy. Uncle Maes was gone. There was no one to help Mummy –

Grandma.

Mummy had told Mia that Grandma's phone number was at the back of the address book on the table next to the phone. Fumbling and with shaking hands, Mia managed to find it. Her hands were trembling uncontrollably as she dialled it.

"Hello, Christmas' Bar," a ladies voice stated happily. Mia didn't recognise it. "This is Vanessa speaking, how may I help you?"

"Grandma," Mia gasped. Relief flooded through her entire body because she'd finally been able to get through to someone.

"Pardon?" the lady asked, sounding confused.

"I need my Grandma," Mia sniffed. "I need her. My Mummy is hurt, and I can't get through to my Daddy, and I don't – I don't – I –"

"Mia?" the lady – Vanessa? Was this Aunt Vanessa? Mia was too upset to remember. Vanessa sounded very shocked. "Mia, Sweetheart, is that you?"

"Yes," she sniffed. She wanted to scream. She wanted to cry out in happiness. That would do nothing, however, to get Mummy help. She'd watched her mother when it looked like she was worried. Mummy was always brave and worked out the situation first before she allowed herself to relax, so Mia tried to do just that. She'd tell Aunt Vanessa everything, then she could cry.

She just wanted a cuddle.

Mia wanted her Mummy to wake up and cuddle her. She wanted Daddy to appear and smile, telling her not to worry and that everything would be fine. They'd wrap their arms around Mia in a big bear hug. They would protect her.

But Daddy wasn't here, and Mummy was lying, very hurt, upstairs in her bathroom.

"Where are you?"

"At home."

"Where's your father?"

"I don't know," Mia whispered.

That scared her. When he'd come home from work, he'd never even said hello. Mia had called out to him because she wanted to give him a cuddle to make him feel better. His hugs always made her feel that way, so she'd wanted to do the same for him. She still didn't really understand what it meant for someone to die, but Mia was old enough to know that she would never see Uncle Maes again. That made her very sad, and probably made Daddy even sadder because they were best friends.

"I tried phoning the number he gave me for his work but there was no answer."

"Where's Riza?" Mia blinked. Who was Riza? "Mummy, Sweetheart," Aunt Vanessa asked again. "Where's Mummy?"

"She's… She's –" Mia started to cry again, unable to stop herself this time. "She's upstairs in her bathroom. She looks like she's asleep, but I know she's not, and she won't wake up. There's blood on her forehead too. I don't know what to do." The last statement was stuttered. She'd tried being brave like Mummy, but her bravery had run out. She was ready to wail into the phone, begging her Aunt to help her.

"Mia, Honey, listen to me." Aunt Vanessa's voice was warm… Just like a cuddle. It made Mia pause for a second and calm down enough to listen to her. "Grandma is already on the way, okay? She'll be there in ten minutes."

Mia nodded along, letting out a gasp of relief that someone was coming to help.

"It's the bathroom in Mummy and Daddy's bedroom isn't it?"

"Yes," Mia whispered.

"Okay. Now, you can go upstairs and wait beside Mummy if you want, or you can stay on the phone with me. I can wait here with you until Grandma arrives."

"I want my Mummy," Mia answered instantly. She hadn't wanted to leave her for this long, but Mia needed to get help. Now it was on the way, she wanted to sprint back upstairs and hold Mummy's hand tightly, never letting go.

"Okay, that's fine. You've been amazing Mia, okay? You did the right thing and we're all so proud of you."

"Thank you," she whispered. It made her feel a little bit better.

"Go and see your Mummy, okay Honey? Grandma will be there soon."

"Thank you, Aunt Vanessa."

Mia sprinted back upstairs and sat by her mother's side until help arrived. Mummy's hand felt colder than usual, but it was cold in the house tonight. Mia shivered as she sat on the stone tile, her chin on her knees with one arm wrapped around them. Her knee was still really sore but her body was shaking so much that she didn't really notice it anymore. Her free hand was tightly in Mummy's hand, gripping it so tightly her hands began to hurt.

The front door banged downstairs, making Mia jump.

"Mia?" Grandma barked. It was like the tone she used when Mia misbehaved. Her spine straightened automatically, her body turning cold in fear. "Mia?" This time, it sounded desperate, like Grandma was looking for her so badly.

"I'm here," she called, her voice cracking.

Grandma appeared in the doorway and froze for just a second. Mia looked up at her, feeling her tears threatening to take over her again. Mia's body began to shake again and this time it wasn't from the cold.

"I didn't know what to do," Mia warbled. Grandma stepped into the room and hoisted Mia into her arms. It was such a surprise, Mia let go of her mother's hand. "No!" she cried out in protest, reaching down for her mother.

"Mia, I need Aunt Roxy to take a look at your mother all right?" Aunt Roxy was crouched over Mummy and pressing her fingers against her neck and wrist. "We'll let her do her job then you can hold her hand again, all right?"

Mia looked at Grandma. She was propped against her waist, so she was eye level with her grandmother for the first time in her life. She looked worried. And a little scared. Mia felt gooseflesh cover her whole body. If Grandma was worried, then it must be bad. Grandma was just as brave as Mummy. Nothing scared her.

"Okay," Mia whispered, looking away. She didn't want to look at how scared Grandma looked anymore.

Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.

That word pounded in Roy's head in time with his footsteps as he thundered down the corridors of the hospital. He was furious, but with no one other than himself.

You idiot. You weren't there.

Vanessa hadn't told him much, just that Riza was in the hospital. Or rather, Roy didn't give her a chance to. All his anger from the past two days left him like a toilet flushing, and terror overtook him like a tsunami wave. It crashed into him so hard that he stumbled and almost took Vanessa to the ground with him.

His mother's glare was positively frigid as he entered Riza's hospital room. Christmas was sitting by Riza's bedside with a sleeping Mia in her arms.

Oh shit. He never even thought about the fact Mia went through this too. Idiot. Idiot. Idiot.

"Sit," Christmas barked, readjusting Mia in her arms.

Roy sank into the chair anyway, not hearing Christmas' order. All he saw was the purple bruise on Riza's forehead peeking over the top and bottom of the bandage on her head.

What happened?

"What –" Roy whispered but was interrupted by the door opening. Not that he could get the words out anyway. They lodged themselves inside his throat, making talking and breathing difficult.

A doctor walked in with a clipboard tucked underneath his arm. His salt and pepper hair was slicked back off his face, the colour matching the state of his beard. The man spoke but Roy wasn't even listening. He couldn't pull his eyes away from Riza's face. He'd caused this. Whatever had happened was a result of him lashing out in his grief. Dread was a lead weight in his stomach and Roy felt like he might vomit.

"Mrs. Mustang will be all right," the doctor revealed. That was the only news that got through to Roy. He let out a sigh of relief. "She suffered from a minor concussion when she fell and hit her head."

"How?" Roy asked. He almost grimaced at the sound of his voice. It was completely hollow.

The doctor glanced between him and Christmas. "I'll be back soon," he excused himself.

"She fell and hit her head," Christmas explained, fixing him with a sharp stare. "The doctor was unsure initially how she passed out. Every test on the baby was normal." Roy's heart thudded in his chest. "So, it wasn't because of that. You got any ideas?" she asked harshly.

Roy shook his head. "No." It was probably because of him. Then he'd left.

"Vanessa," Christmas called, motioning for the woman to come over to her with her head. She held out Mia as Roy watched, handing Vanessa the sleeping child. Roy's chest burned already with guilt, but it hurt anew while witnessing the exchange. It should be him who was comforting Mia. Hell, they shouldn't even be in this mess. He'd been so focussed on Hughes that he'd neglected his family.

How could he accuse Riza of not caring about Hughes' death? Hughes was like a brother to him, and by extension, Riza too. Bastard.

"Come with me," Christmas commanded. Steeling himself for the verbal battering, Roy followed his mother, but not before casting one last glance behind him to look at Vanessa. She'd occupied the Madame's chair and was holding a sleeping Mia close to her body. His sister nodded to him, signalling she was all right. Even still, her gaze was hard. Roy didn't blame them both. He wanted to kick his own ass for being so stupid.

"What happened?" Christmas barked once they were in the stairwell and away from anyone overhearing.

Roy swallowed. "We got… We got into a fight."

"What about?"

Roy didn't want to tell her but there was no escape. Admitting it out loud would make him feel even worse, which he deserved, he supposed. Plus, there was no escaping his adoptive mother's question. She would get it out of him one way or another.

"About Hughes."

"What did you say to her?" Christmas' voice was almost a growl. "Did you lash out?"

Roy nodded.

She snorted. "Idiot."

"I know," Roy muttered. He fell back against the wall in defeat, letting it take his weight. "Will she be all right?"

"It was a panic attack, the doctor thinks. Mia described hearing loud breathing, followed by a thump."

Roy froze. His head whipped up in fear. "Mia heard it?" he whispered. Oh God, no. Not this. No, no, no.

Christmas nodded.

Roy felt his face pale and he looked down at the floor, his mind running a mile a minute as it recreated what Mia must have gone through, finding Riza having a panic attack.

"She did very well," Christmas stated, her voice losing its bite when she talked about her granddaughter. "She phoned you first at the office but got no answer, then she phoned the bar. She handled herself very well."

Roy was proud of Mia. She remembered what Roy had told her to do if anything bad ever happened at home.

But one fact still remained. "Yeah, but she shouldn't have had to."

"No, she shouldn't." Christmas' tone was agreeable, the edge to it gone. "She reminded me a lot of her mother." There was a painful pang in his chest. "Go in and get her. Vanessa and I will give you all the time you need."

Roy nodded, numb. He straightened from slouching against the wall.

"Just remember one thing, Roy," she added. Glancing up, he saw that edge back in her expression. "She will blame herself for this, the way you acted and what happened as a result of it. I know Riza, and she will. Don't let her. It will destroy her, and you both in the long run. Make good on that promise and look out for her instead of blaming her for not understanding what you're going through."

"I didn't –"

"You lost a friend," Christmas interrupted. "And I'm so very sorry about that Roy Boy," she continued, her voice even turned soft. "I'm sorry for your loss and the pain it has caused you. But Riza does understand, so don't think she doesn't. She's lost almost every family member she's ever had, and it happened when she was only a child."

Roy felt realisation settle uncomfortably in his stomach. Christmas was right.

"Then, she lost you for a while after finding out she was pregnant."

His stomach twisted painfully. Guilt ground up that feeling of realisation so hard it felt like he couldn't breathe properly.

"Don't think for a minute she doesn't understand loss or what you're going through. She's the most qualified out of all of us when dealing with loss."

"I know," Roy swallowed, because now he did know. He'd been selfish. He'd been unfair. He'd been cruel.

"Don't let her lose you too. Because that will break you both."

Without another word, Christmas walked away.

Riza awoke to a pounding headache. She was completely disorientated, unable to remember where she was or why her head hurt so badly. Lifting her head, Riza noticed she was in a bed – a hospital bed. The white sheet felt scratchy on her arms and crinkled like paper as she moved. Shifting into a sitting position, the first thing she noticed was it was daylight outside. Her body flushed with dread. The last time she'd been awake was night. How long had she been out for… Mia!

Looking to her right spotted the reason for her panic. Mia was sleeping in her father's arms, who was also out for the count and looking incredibly uncomfortable sleeping in an armchair by her bedside.

He's probably only here because of Mia.

Riza shook her head then hissed in pain as the sharp movement made her head pound. Taking a deep breath, Riza barely managed to stave off the tears that threatened to fall because of her train of thought. No. Deal with the now. Why was she in the hospital? What had happened? Thinking back all she could remember was… Panicking. Then falling. Shit.

Roy stirred, his body jerking slightly when he awoke. Blearily, Roy glanced around him while placing a hand on Mia's back to keep her from falling off the chair. His eyes eventually settled on Riza's and he froze, mouth parted, for just a second. That second, however, appeared to stretch so much, elongating into what felt like forever. Riza couldn't breathe. She felt like a deer caught in headlights. All that rattled around her head were his cruel words from the night before. Was it the night before? Or had she been out of it for so long? Fear blossomed over her skin when he sat up in a rush, jostling Mia so much she almost fell. Half asleep, her hands gripped onto Roy's shirt tightly as she whined in protest.

"Riza," he breathed. His expression looked regretful, but she couldn't shake what he'd said out of her head. What if it was an act? What if that was how he truly felt, but took so much pity on her after all she'd been through, that he was just playing house?

Stop it Riza! Roy loves you. He does. He does, he does, he does!

"You're all right." His tone was one of wonder, blanketing her warmly. She wanted to give into it, to have him crawl in the bed right here next to her and hold her close.

Roy stood carefully and placed Mia on the small cot that looked slightly out of place in the small hospital room. Once relieved of his charge, Roy strode over to Riza with purpose. She almost flinched and recoiled. Gently, Roy placed his hand atop of hers, snaking his fingers in between hers so they were entwined tightly.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. Their eyes met, but Riza was the first to glance away. Her grip on his hand loosened, which Roy noticed. His own grip loosened slowly as well. "Riza…"

She still wasn't ready to look at him. He'd been so unfair. Granted, he'd lashed out in his grief, but words said in anger were generally true.

"I'm sorry too," she murmured. Sorry for not being good enough for you. "I should have been more understanding, and for that, I apologise –"

"You have nothing to apologise for," Roy interrupted vehemently, the grip returning to their joined hands. Riza's hung limp inside of it. "And don't you dare blame yourself for this. I was the ass. I was the one who unfairly lashed out with lies. I was cruel to you," he finished, his voice lowering to just above a whisper. Roy closed his eyes and Riza heard him take a deep breath. "I… I can't believe I said those things to you. In my head I knew it was wrong, but I was so angry at the world. Taking it out on you was so, so, wrong. I'm sorry." His apology was whispered. His eyes were wide and earnest.

Riza almost wanted to fall into his arms there and then, but she held steady for a moment. She couldn't forget that he'd made Riza doubt their relationship and the bond they shared. They were supposed to work together. That's what they both agreed on. That night he was putting words in her mouth and twisting them for his own purpose – to hurt her.

"I understand if you want time," he murmured, dropping his gaze and slipping his hand out of hers. "I'm… I'm not doing so well right now."

Riza slowly turned to look at him. It was very rare he admitted anything like that to her. He kept it bottled up until it exploded – last night a prime example. Riza did too, she was not perfect either, however with Roy… His emotional stress always seemed so much worse than Riza's. She hated to burden him with it when he had his own problems, and Riza supposed he probably felt the same way.

"I lashed out at you, and I'm so sorry about that," Roy repeated. "I… I said…" He trailed off, closing his mouth with a snap. He took a deep breath and hung his head

"Roy?" she whispered.

Roy's shoulders tensed, his head dipping to hang lower. His hands formed fists on the hospital mattress.

She spoke his name once more. Slowly, Roy lifted his head and looked so desolate it took Riza's breath away. She grasped one of his hands in hers, unable to let him suffer alone in this. His head hung once more.

No one spoke. No one moved. Her own mind was whirring, unable to pick out one single thing to focus on. Watching Roy carefully, she saw how his gaze was on the bed beneath her, his hand gripping hers tightly. She could hear him thinking, but the room was filled with a deafening silence, save for Mia's gentle snore.

"What are you thinking about?" he murmured into the silence, not looking up.

"I'm wondering how I ended up here," Riza stated slowly, a shuddering sigh leaving her. "Did… Did you call…?"

Roy shook his head and Riza froze. "Mia did."

Fear coursed through her veins. Glancing across at their daughter sleeping peacefully, Riza was petrified. She'd heard their argument. She'd found Riza… Vomit crawled up Riza's throat, threatening to spill forth.

"Oh God. She must have been terrified."

"She called my office like I told her to, but…" Roy trailed off. He cleared his throat. "I wasn't there."

Riza's eyes closed as a tear fell. Her body shuddered. Mia must have been terrified. She wanted to march over to that couch and wake her up just to give her a cuddle and say how sorry she was.

"Then she called Christmas," Roy added.

That was very quick thinking of their daughter, and Riza was proud of Mia for it, however she should never have had to do it in the first place. Riza should have been better at keeping her emotions in check. She shouldn't have let it escalate that much.

I'm losing him. That was the last thing she remembered thinking before everything went black. She didn't think that was the case anymore… But it could have been. That thought still terrified her to her core, increasing her heart rate even now.

"We need to be better," Riza stated firmly, her voice still holding a hint of her fear. "For her."

Roy nodded. Finally, his head lifted, and he met her gaze. "We do."

before you hate me forever... i have my reasons