an: hey all! sorry it's been a while for this next chapter. life started to get a little more hectic there, and will be from now on! so i'll try get updates out as often as i can, but it may be anywhere between 1-2 weeks, maybe even longer, before they're uploaded.
also, if any revelations about characters (ie what the homunculi really are) are revealed earlier in this story than they are in canon, remember this is an au and canon divergence, so i'm taking a little bit here and there to work with the story. because if i wrote a fanfic that was exactly the same as canon then what would be the point, right? ;D we could just go watch/read it instead! that being said, i've tried to keep it relatively close because that's what i wanted to do but sometimes things need tweaked here and there in aus!
anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter. see you for the next one and thank you always for reading!
song for this chapter: susie suh – here with me
1914
so many miles between us now
but you are always here with me
Riza took Mia to Chris' once more, on the day Roy was going after the people with the Ouroboros tattoo. Her heart felt like it was constantly in her throat throughout the day, and there was a lead weight nestled uncomfortably in her stomach with her worry for what "going after" these people would entail, but she knew Roy and his team would be able to handle it.
"We're going to Grandma's again?" Mia asked as they walked to Chris' after school.
"We are. Remember, Dad is working late tonight, so I thought it would be fun for the two of us to go and visit."
"Oh, yay! I do like Grandma's cooking. What are we having for dinner?"
"Steak pie."
Mia gasped excitedly. "With mashed potatoes?"
When Riza confirmed it, Mia skipped happily alongside Riza, their joined hands swinging high in the air between them.
Rebecca was meeting them there too. It had been a while since they caught up with one another, so she would come after work and sneak in the back. She and Chris got on extremely well. It was fascinating to watch and made Riza wonder if Rebecca would ever venture into the same business as Chris Mustang. It certainly seemed like it would be a possibility, but Rebecca was also content in the military.
As the evening wore on and there was no news from the team, Riza became more antsy. She knew they would be fine, but it didn't settle her nerves. At least she didn't have to worry completely about Roy. He was holed up in one of Fuery's safehouses, directing the plan of attack. However, her worry for her friends still unsettled her, and it turned out her worry was warranted.
They were all having dinner with Chris when the phone rang in the background. Vanessa entered the dining area.
"What?" Chris' question was sharp as she stood from her chair.
Riza's fork was halfway to her lips when Venessa entered, but was now poised in mid-air, frozen. Her thoughts were no longer on the piece of food though because Vanessa's gaze wasn't directed at Chris. She was completely focussed on Riza. Her expression looked slightly pained. Her perfectly painted lips were pressed into a thin line, her eyes worried.
"It's Falman on the phone," she whispered. "He - He wants to speak to you, Riza," she added, clearing her throat to make her voice stronger. "It's about Roy."
"What happened?" Rebecca asked from Riza's side. She too had risen from her chair. However, where Chris had stopped in her tracks, Rebecca pressed forward to get the information she needed. Always the practical and efficient soldier.
But… He'd been in the safehouse. No one knew its location, so he was going to be safe… Riza's mind was stopped in its tracks as images assaulted her mind. Roy, lying on the floor, bloody, while an unknown threat stood over him. Roy, buried in the ground like Maes…
Riza stood and passed by Chris and Rebecca, ignoring what they were talking about. Taking a deep breath, she lifted the phone to her ear.
"This is Riza." Her greeting felt like it needed to be forced out of her throat. She held her breath, waiting to see what news Falman would give her.
"Riza," Falman answered. He sounded regretful. It caused her to grip the phone tighter. "It's Warrant Officer Falman here. We're at the hospital with Colonel Mustang and Lieutenant Havoc. There's been an incident, and the two have sustained some injuries."
"Is he all right?"
"The Colonel is stable," Falman answered. "The doctor is in the room just now with him. We're outside while we wait, and this has also been the first opportunity to call. Once the doctor comes out, we'll have a better idea of how he is then. Lieutenant Havoc is in a similar position."
Riza nodded. Fear gripped her heart and the weight in her stomach that had made itself comfortable was now churning inside, making her feel slightly ill.
"Okay." Her voice caught in her throat. "I'll be there soon. What room?"
He gave her the details she needed then bid her a quick farewell.
"Roy and Havoc have been hurt in an incident," Riza announced quietly to the room. Rebecca froze, simply staring at Riza, while Vanessa gasped. Chris took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Falman doesn't know yet how they're doing, but he said they were stable."
"I'll watch Mia tonight," Chris told her, glancing to her right where Mia was playing with her Aunt Roxy in the family area, through a door ahead of them. Mia laughed happily, lifting the toy car into the air, completely oblivious to the mood of the room not ten feet away from her. "You look after yourself and him, all right?"
"Right," Riza nodded, swallowing past the lump in her throat. She grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair.
"Keep us updated," Chris added.
Riza's stomach was tying itself in knots at the unknown. She didn't know what to expect. Surely, though, if it had been fatal, Falman would have either come in person, or told her immediately over the phone… Right?
He has to be okay.
"Come on," Rebecca urged, shrugging on her military jacket. "I'll drive you there."
"Thank you," Riza replied, grateful for her friend.
The drive was tense, both clearly worried about what would face them when they arrived at the hospital. Riza's stomach was roiling still, not giving her any reprieve. The lovely dinner Chris had prepared was threatening to make an appearance again. Quietly, she hoped and prayed that he'd be all right. Tipping her head back against the headrest, Riza closed her eyes and tried to calm herself.
"Thank you for driving me," Riza murmured, breaking the silence that had been suffocating her. "I know you were expecting a stress-free night –"
"Of course, Riza," Rebecca interrupted, eyes never straying from the road. "I wasn't going to make you walk."
"I know, but still, I appreciate it." Riza stole a quick glance at Rebecca, noticing how tightly she was gripping the steering wheel. Her eyes were hard, brows furrowed into a frown. At first, Riza had thought it was in concentration, but she bit her lip. There was a hint of concern in there too…
"Roy and Havoc have been hurt in an incident."
Havoc… She remembered seeing him and Rebecca sneaking out at the military ball a few years ago. Riza hoped for both their sakes, their men were all right.
Riza walked as quickly as she could up the corridor of the hospital. It felt like she couldn't move fast enough, like it took them both forever to walk the length of the ward. Riza's eyes scanned every board in every doorway, looking for her husband's name, but never found it.
"Can I help you?" a nurse asked kindly.
"I'm looking for my husband," Riza quickly answered. "Colonel Roy Mustang."
The petite woman cocked her head for a second in thought, then nodded, ushering the two women forward. "He's further along. Follow me, I'll take you there."
"What happened to him?" Riza asked.
The nurse turned and looked at Riza over her shoulder, her face full of sympathy. It did nothing to alleviate her worry or the dread settling over her. "I'm afraid I don't know all the details," she replied. "However, I just saw the doctor leave, so you'll be able to get more information from her once she's written up a report of their condition. The Colonel's men are there too. They haven't left his side since he was admitted," she added, giving Riza a comforting smile. "He's been in good hands."
"We were told there was a Jean Havoc admitted too," Rebecca cut in. "Any news on him?"
"Afraid not," the woman replied, shaking her head. "But they're in the same room. Once I drop you off, I'll go and find the doctor so you can get a proper answer," she offered with a reassuring smile.
Riza watched as her friend's face fell slightly, the concern replacing the hope in her eyes. Riza grasped Rebecca's hand tightly and gave it a squeeze.
The relationship between Havoc and Rebecca was a mystery to Riza. They'd slept together the night of the ball, when Riza had met the team, but whenever pressed about it, Rebecca would shrug and tell her they were "keeping it casual". After a few weeks, there was no more mention of their relationship, so Riza dropped it. They still seemed close though, every time they were in the same space… Perhaps there was more going on than Riza thought, but for whatever reason, they were keeping it to themselves. Not that it was any of Riza's business. Rebecca was clearly worried, though, which led Riza to believe there was more going on than she thought. She gave Rebecca's hand another squeeze for comfort, which she returned this time.
Entering the hospital room, Riza stopped in her tracks. Roy was unconscious in the bed. His skin looked pale but covered in sweat. His face looked slightly pained, even in sleep. The nurse had explained they were both sleeping still, but they could get a quick look inside and see them. Havoc was in the bed next to him, his face much more relaxed. He looked almost peaceful. His face was turned towards the door with the blonde mop atop his head falling over his eyes.
"Riza," Falman greeted. He'd been leaning against the wall opposite the door, next to Havoc's bed, with one foot propped against the white paint. When he saw Riza, that foot dropped, and he stood straight. He wasn't in his uniform. He wore grey trousers and a green pullover.
Fuery was also in the room, sitting next to Roy's bed, but also not in his military garb. He was dressed in black trousers and a plain white t-shirt. He stood when they entered, his eyes sympathetic. "Here, takes a seat," he offered, but Riza ignored him. Not on purpose. She didn't even hear his kind offer. Riza only had eyes for her husband.
"What happened?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. Out the corner of her eye, she noticed the two men shift in place, sharing a look with each other. "Please don't keep things from me," she added, her voice gaining strength. She looked at both in turn, her eyes daring them to do it.
"He was stabbed," Fuery explained after taking a deep breath, but his voice was still quiet.
Riza froze, but before she did, she noticed they were watching her carefully, gauging her reaction.
"It was by the ones who are trying to stop him, isn't it? The ones you went after tonight?" As she stood there, her body had become slightly numb – Roy had been stabbed – but she needed information and she needed it now. She wouldn't sit at the side, helpless anymore.
Her eyes returned to Roy, scanning his body for anything that looked out of the ordinary. There was nothing obvious she could see, except his clammy skin. Her fingers looped into his, gripping them tightly. Even his palm was sweating, but his touch was cool.
"It was, yes," Falman replied. His tone was firm and sincere.
Taking a deep breath, she let it out shakily and felt her body tremble. He's alive. She didn't know what condition Roy was in, but he was breathing, and right now, that's what mattered to her the most. One step at a time.
"What about Havoc?" Riza asked, glancing over at the blonde Lieutenant.
"Stabbed too," Falman replied. "By the same person."
"Who?" Rebecca hadn't looked at anyone else but hadn't moved any closer to his bed. It was almost as if she wanted to but was holding back.
The two men shared a look. Fuery nodded, and Falman answered Rebecca's question.
"It was a creature called a homunculus," he explained. "They're synthetically made humans, powered by a Philosopher's Stone."
"Synthetically made?" Rebecca sounded doubtful, and Riza didn't blame her.
Falman nodded. "The Colonel told us before he passed out that their attacker was called Lust. Alphonse confirmed it. We met Gluttony earlier on in the night," he added, nodding towards Fuery. "There are seven deadly sins, so we're assuming there's seven homunculi."
"The Colonel and I dealt with Gluttony earlier," Fuery piped up. After he spoke, Riza noticed for the first time how off he sounded. His voice sounded hoarse.
"Are you all right, Fuery?"
"Fine, Ma'am," he replied. Despite her reassurances, he still insisted on being so formal with her. "Gluttony got me for a second, but the Colonel saved my life," he stated, glancing towards Roy. Riza did the same. "I was being strangled and the Colonel saved me." He looked up at Riza, his eyes earnest. "I'll be forever grateful to him for it."
He'd left the safehouse early that evening...
"Yeah," a new, raspy voice chipped in. "The bastard is crazy for pulling that stunt." All heads whipped around to face Jean Havoc as he groaned in pain, lifting a hand to his head. "Fuck, it hurts."
"Lieutenant Havoc!" Fuery cried out in relief, his voice cracking. He stood from his chair, expression happy and with a grin.
"You're all right," Falman smiled.
"Of course, I am," Havoc grumbled. "No bitch with freaky nails is going to take me out so easily," he grumped, trying to shift in place, but he couldn't go far. Falman approached quickly and helped him. Out of the corner of her eye, Riza noticed Rebecca step forward, then hesitate.
"Welcome back, Sir," Fuery grinned.
Riza was relieved. That was one patient awake and accounted for. Now, they just needed Roy to wake up.
Havoc opened his eyes blearily and properly looked around the room, tensing when he noticed both Riza and Rebecca were there too. However, his attention was on the latter.
"Rebecca." Havoc sounded like he couldn't believe she was there. His eyes widened slightly, his tone taking on a wondrous quality.
"Good to see you awake, Havoc," Rebecca replied. Her tone was firm, but there was relief in there too. Riza scrutinised her friend closely. It certainly looked like she wanted to say more but held herself back. Again.
"Thank you," Havoc replied, a soft smile on his face.
There was definitely more than meets the eye there.
A knock on the door interrupted any further conversation. A head poked through the door. "My name is Doctor Jones," the woman introduced. "Is now a good time to talk?"
Riza nodded. "Please," she almost pleaded.
The others in the room had eased her worries for a brief moment, however now that the doctor was here and she could get some answers on Roy's condition, the uncomfortable knot in her stomach returned. It twisted painfully as she became anxious.
"Good to see you're awake, Lieutenant Havoc. I will go over the extent of your injuries with you now, if you'd like?"
"Uh, later," he replied. "Yeah, do it alter," he muttered. He lifted another hand to his head and rubbed one of his temples.
"All right," the doctor nodded. She flipped the page over on her chart and turned to the expectant faces. "Colonel Mustang will make a full recovery." That was all Riza needed to hear. The grip on her husband's hand tightened subconsciously and Riza felt her knees shake. She straightened them, forcing herself to remain upright in her relief. "He lost a lot of blood, so that's why he hasn't woken up yet. His body is still healing from the wound he sustained, but we anticipate he will wake tomorrow morning, at the latest."
"What wound?"
The Doctor paused and met Riza's eyes. "Are you his wife?"
"I am," she confirmed with a nod.
"A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Mustang. If you would walk with me outside, I can give you the full report?"
"Whatever you have to say can be said in front of the people here," she explained to the doctor. Roy's men were just as important to him, and if they knew the full extent of his injuries, they'd be able to help him in the field once he recovered. "I don't mind."
The doctor paused, looking around the room at their faces, then nodded. "Of course, Ma'am. The burn wound on the skin will heal nicely." Burn wound? "One thing to be wary of is infection, so we will monitor it closely and keep him in for longer than we normally would with this kind of injury. There will be a large scar, however, but it shouldn't affect his physical movements too much with the correct amount of physical therapy. That, of course, will be established once the wound has healed significantly."
"Okay, thank you." If possible, even more questions were swirling around Riza's head. The men had said he'd been stabbed, so where had this burn wound come from?
When she voiced that thought out loud after the doctor left them, they all looked as clueless as her, except from one soldier lying in a bed similar to Roy. His eyes were on his legs and didn't lift.
"Lieutenant Havoc?" Fuery prompted, noticing his silence and his posture like Riza had.
"He…" Havoc swallowed. "He tried to use the homunculi's stone to heal me, after I was stabbed. She reformed around it and then stabbed him with her nails. Then, he…"
"What?" Riza asked fearfully. She was glad Fuery had lifted a chair over to her. She still hadn't let go of Roy's hand, and refused to do so, but now she was sitting down by his bedside, she knew she wouldn't fall as her knees shook.
"He cauterised his own wound closed so he could do the same for me, then go and get help." Riza's heart thudded in her chest as Havoc's hands fisted in the bedsheets. "Crazy bastard," he spat bitterly, but Riza saw in his expression there was a lot of love and respect there for Roy "Should've left me and just gotten out, but he didn't."
"He'd never leave a man behind, and you know that," Fuery replied gently.
"But he didn't need to do this to himself," Havoc challenged, gesturing towards the man lying unconscious in the bed. "He didn't need to burn himself just so he could get me help. I didn't mind him doing it to me. It saved my life," Havoc continued. "But…" He let out a tsk and turned his head away.
"He did it to help Alphonse, too," Flaman supplied. "Respectfully, Sir, you know as well as I do that he would rather die than leave you behind. He'd never forgive himself if he did."
Havoc scoffed again, but from his expression and posture, Havoc knew Falman was right.
After witnessing the exchange, Riza glanced down at her husband. He'd put himself in danger to try and save Havoc. He… Riza felt tears creep up and into her eyes. He was crazy, but Falman was right. Roy would never have forgiven himself if he left Havoc behind. And what had happened to Alphonse? Was he all right? Was Edward?
"Oh, Roy," she whispered quietly as the rest of the room continued to discuss what had happened, but Riza had heard enough for the moment. She just wanted Roy to come back to her.
He had been reckless, and that terrified her. She could have lost him today. Again.
It's the nature of his job.
Riza knew that, and understood that, but it didn't mean she had to like it. She shut her eyes briefly, then opened them, a small smile appearing on her face. She brushed his fringe off his forehead gently, shifting the hair that was almost identical to Mia's.
He would do anything for those he cared about, and while that comforted Riza, it also scared her to death. Still… He was alive. He was breathing.
He's going to recover.
She took another deep breath and got comfortable, settling into her chair as she listened to the team discuss things further behind her.
"Would you like a lift home?" Falman offered Riza before she left for the night.
She shook her head. "Thank you, but Rebecca has already offered to take me home."
"Not a problem." He paused for a moment, suddenly unsure about something. "Give me a call when you get home, just so I know you're safe." He handed over a piece of paper with his number on it. "The Colonel made us promise to look out for you if he was unable to," Falman explained further. "Despite that promise, I'd request this of you regardless. I know you'll be with Lieutenant Catalina but just… if you could let me know. Please."
"I will. Thank you." She was touched by his care and concern.
"And let us know if there's anything you need, okay, Ma'am?" Fuery piped up, appearing from behind Falman. "Just give the office a call any time and we'll be over as soon as we can."
Riza appreciated all their concerns. It was nice to know the backup was there if she needed it, but she'd be fine. She just wanted to get home and hug her daughter.
Ideally, she would have stayed in the hospital until Roy woke up, but the nurses said she couldn't. Had she just been by herself, Riza may have fought it, but the stress of the situation, combined with her pregnancy, had left her feeling exhausted. Sleeping on chairs in the hospital was far from ideal for her and the baby, plus she'd sworn to herself after the fall she'd do everything in her power to protect her baby. Sleeping uncomfortably wasn't the way to do that.
"Where's Daddy?" Mia asked, brow furrowing when she noticed Riza had come home by herself. Chris had taken Mia to their house and gotten her settled for bed, but apparently their daughter refused to go to sleep until her mother came home. Her eyes were drooping as she greeted them, but Riza knew she would be fighting like hell to stay awake.
Chris glanced towards Riza, her mouth parting, but hesitated. She wasn't sure what to tell Mia, and was leaving it up to Riza, which she appreciated. However, she'd never lied to her little girl before about what was happening in her life. Riza didn't hold back about Maes and she couldn't lie and pretend her father was okay when he wasn't.
"How about I take you up to bed, Mia?" Riza offered. "You must be sleepy."
"I'm not," she argued, but she rubbed her eye at the same time.
Chuckling, Riza pressed a hand to the top of Mia's head, ruffling her hair. "Let's go."
Mia grumbled, sounding so much like her father, and trudged through to the hall to walk up the stairs.
"Thank you for looking after her." Riza waited until Mia was out of earshot before speaking, but also kept her voice low.
"Don't mention it," Chris waved away. "Is he all right?"
Riza swallowed. "He's been stabbed." Speaking it out loud made her tongue feel like lead. "He –" Riza cleared her throat. Retelling what happened made it a lot more frightening. "Havoc has also been stabbed. Roy cauterised the wound so he could help Havoc, and then go and assist Alphonse."
"Where did this happen?" Chris asked.
Riza shook her head. "I don't know. No one mentioned it."
"I'll do some digging myself," Chris nodded. "See if I can find out what's going on."
"That would be great, thank you." Relief settled in her bones. Again, it was a large comfort to have that backup behind her.
"Get some rest, Riza." Chris pulled her in for a quick hug, which Riza returned eagerly. She took solace in the gesture, drawing on Chris' strength. She would need it until Roy was awake and able to tell her he was okay.
After a quick call to Falman, Riza locked up the house and went to see her daughter.
"Mia?"
Riza entered Mia's room quietly. There was movement in the bed and Riza closed the door behind her.
"Mummy?" Her voice was so small and quiet. Riza almost ran over to her there and then. Hayate was already by her side, curled between Mia and the wall next to her bed.
"I'm here, Sweetie."
"Where's Daddy?"
Riza climbed into Mia's bed and pulled the sheet over them both. Instantly Mia cuddled into Riza's side and it was a welcome feeling. Wrapping her arms around her daughter, Riza settled into the bed to get comfortable. She would sleep in there that night, Riza decided. She wouldn't be able to sleep in their bed without Roy there. Riza would just toss and turn all night but she'd need to be at one hundred percent to deal with tomorrow and to visit Roy again.
Bracing herself for the reaction, Riza gave Mia a squeeze.
"Now, I know you're going to feel scared and upset when I tell you, but I'm right here for you okay?"
Mia nodded. Her eyes were wide with fear.
"Daddy's in the hospital."
Mia's body jerked up and out of her arms. "Is he hurt?" Despite the blatant fear, her voice was steady and even.
Riza nodded. "He is a bit hurt, but he's in the hospital so the doctors can make him feel better."
"Why?" Mia's voice wavered.
Riza observed her as she spoke, noticing how scared she looked. However, she didn't cry. There were no tears in her eyes. Riza had mentioned it to Roy before, and he'd proclaimed that was because she was so like her mother. Roy was adamant about that fact, stating their little girl was so brave because she'd spent so much time watching and learning from Riza. But she was still a child. She didn't need to know someone had tried to kill her father.
"He's okay right now, I promise," she soothed Mia, cupping her face in her hands. "He's doing really well, and he will be all better soon. The doctor told me that herself. Dad has a lot of very good people looking after him."
"Did you see him? Is that why you disappeared?"
Riza nodded. She should have known Mia would pick up on that, no matter how much Chris tried to reassure her. "I did. He wasn't awake yet, but the Doctor was very happy with how he's doing. Daddy is doing a lot of resting right now."
Mia was silent once Riza finished speaking. Opening her arms, Riza didn't even get a chance to gesture properly for Mia to hug her. Before she could, Mia launched herself at her mother. Her fingertips dug into Riza's back, desperate for comfort.
"He'll be fine," Riza murmured, running her hands through Mia's hair. "Dad will be home before you know it."
"I want him home now." Mia's fingers dug in deeper to Riza's skin, and Riza felt the same sentiment.
"I do too, Bear. It will be a little while. He has to get better first, but he will be soon."
"I don't like the hospital," Mia muttered.
That surprised Riza. "Why not?"
"Because that means people are hurt and I don't like it when you or Dad are hurt."
Riza swallowed. "I know," Riza reasoned. "I don't either. However, it's important for him to be there because that's where people go to get better. Dad's in the best place right now."
Mia removed her arms from around Riza and placed them on the mattress. She pushed up, moving to her knees, and looked Riza right in the eye.
"Do you think a cuddle will make him feel better so he can come home quicker?"
Riza chuckled. She couldn't help it. Her little girl was so sweet. Riza cupped her cheek gently. "It will definitely make him feel better. He might not be able to come home quicker, but it will make him extremely happy."
"Okay," Mia sighed. Her body flopped down onto the bed. Mia would take that compromise, so long as her hug made Roy feel better.
"Do you want to go and see him tomorrow after school? Then you can give him his feel-better hug?"
Mia bit her lip, then glanced over to her mother. "Can we?"
"Of course," Riza reassured her. "But sleep first. The sooner you sleep, the sooner you can go see Dad."
"Okay." Mia curled back into Riza's side. She placed a hand on her daughter's head, running her hand through her hair one last time before bending to kiss the top of her head.
"Get some sleep, Mia Bear. I love you, and so does Dad."
"I love you both too, Mummy," Mia yawned, her voice already clouded with sleep.