Hello y'all!
Here's chapter 5! At last, Riza will become herself again! And Roy will discover some things...
This chapter is the longest of the fic, I hope you'll like it!
For the entire trip to the prison, Riza glanced at Roy many times. He was driving, looking focused, but she knew that behind this apparent calm, he was excited, eager, and couldn't wait to express his joy. He'd shown his enthusiasm the previous day when he'd understood like her that clocks and watches would play an important part in getting her back to normal. Thanks to what Roy had said about his research she'd been able to think about Meredith Hubert's alchemy and the way it worked. The matter about the gone watches had raised her suspicious, and she'd soon made the link between both issues.
The next problem had been to get Roy to explore that connection. She'd got the opportunity when he'd come to lay with her as she was trying to develop her motor skills. She'd seen that he always kept his alchemist watch with him, even in civvies, and the chain often swayed outside his pocket. As she'd been laying on his stomach, trying not to fall asleep because of his body warmth, she'd pulled the chain to take his watch and present it to him.
He'd understood two things. One was the plausible existence of that link, the other was that she was maybe more than just a baby. She knew it, especially after his remark. She looked through the car window at the buildings outside and sighed. She would have to give him some explanation and tell him she'd listened and understood each of the words he'd said for the last few weeks, when he thought he was chatting with a six-months-old baby.
She was as much eager as Roy to be back to her normal age. At twenty-five, she was free to move, to speak, to act as she wanted. She'd never thought she would live the same things her mother had done when she was too young to remember it.
It was the first time since the beginning of the investigation that Roy brought her with him to East City prison. The other times, one guy on the team was with him or he went alone. She knew it could be strange to see a baby in a State prison where only delinquents and criminals were detained, and some of them ready to kill said baby without a second thought. Prison guards were reluctant to let her inside at first, but Colonel Mustang insisted, and they gave up. They even placed another chair in the interrogation room for him to place her cot.
Meredith Hubert entered with a plain face that was likely a part of the character she played in front of the military. Somehow, she looked a bit baffled when she glanced at Riza, who glanced back at her. She sat on her chair and waited wordlessly for Roy to speak.
"How many clocks do you need to look twenty-five years older?" He asked softly.
Telling Riza was surprised was below what she really felt. She'd never heard him speaking in such a way to suspects of their cases. Maybe it was the best way to get Meredith to confess what she knew without provoking her. Or he didn't want to frighten her baby-self.
Meredith still had the appearance of a teen, so she hadn't had the means to make her circle work properly.
Roy pulled out the paper Falman had given him one hour earlier. The detailed list of all clocks and watches Meredith had stolen was written on it. The thief raised an eyebrow at Roy's question, before taking the sheet and eyeing it. Roy leant on his chair back, waiting for her to speak. She put the paper on the table and stared at Riza. A knowing smile appeared on her lips.
"Can you guarantee that I'll get my appearance back too?"
Roy nodded. "Not only you'll get back to normal, but we may negotiate to reduce your sentence, ensure that you'll be out of prison for good conduct, reintegrate into society, and maybe help you to gain justice for the wrongs that had been done to you. I even have an idea of the way you could use your alchemy once you'll be out of prison."
Meredith kept a deadpan face, and Riza couldn't tell if she was interested by Roy's offer. She crossed her legs.
"Clocks count for one year, watches for one month. Don't forget them to gain years, or you can suffer disastrous consequences." She replied, her voice full of sadness.
She might have lived such consequences, because of her errors when testing her alchemy.
"Since the new appearance gets older at the same pace than the usual one, you don't have to change anything to the array to gain or give up years." She said in a firmer tone.
"You need to change the evolution factor," the Colonel added.
"You do need to change the evolution factor, indeed. And I'll need to change my research code to prevent anyone else from discovering my work. You're talented."
"I'm used to decode messages and research, and I got my State alchemist license thanks to that. I guarantee that nobody will see your discoveries as long as you are in prison. A few people know you're an alchemist, and in your interest, mine, and Lieutenant Hawkeye's, I wish it stays that way. As soon as you'll be out of prison, I'll introduce you to someone I trust, who will harness your talent for a great cause."
He was thinking about Madame Christmas, Riza realized. Meredith Hubert could infiltrate various organizations without being recognized, and Roy knew how precious her potential was.
He planned her transmutation for a few days later.
"I can tell you'll get her to her real age," the Transformer said, pointing at Riza. "I know a bit of your reputation, and I think people might have been surprised not to see your loyal adjutant by your side all this time."
Riza saw Roy hesitating to reply, and his eyes hardened. It might have been a sensible subject in HQ, but no one in the team had spoken about it, nor any visitors in the office. Eventually, Roy rose and took Riza's cot. He knocked at the door to tell the guards his interview was done. The key turned in the lock, but before the door opened, Meredith's easy tone of voice rang in the room.
"By the way, whatever our apparent age is, our memory and mind stay the same."
Roy turned swiftly to Riza, as guards entered to escort Meredith back to her cell. Riza tried to keep an innocent face, a bit sleepy, but his stunned face was golden. She couldn't keep a straight face and let a laugh escape her mouth. She stopped quickly and hid her smile behind her hands. But the harm had been done. Roy frowned and glanced at her with severe eyes, raising the cot to his face.
"Lieutenant, we'll have to speak about all the things I said these past weeks."
Riza's throat tightened. Would he reconsider all he'd said, thinking she couldn't understand? Would he stop talking to her? These weeks had been enlightening, and she knew she would keep a precious memory, whatever could happen once she would be back to normal. A sudden light in Roy's eyes reassured her. He looked appeased.
"For now, you stay Mini-Riza," he said. "I would be too cruel for you, and I would hurt myself if I'm harsh on you. I don't want our relationship to be damaged because of that."
He resumed his walk in the prison hallways. As he reached his car, all the feelings in Riza's mind overwhelmed her. Her chest was warm, and relief tears flooded her eyes. Roy saw her as he put her cot on the passenger seat. He took her in his arms.
"Hey… Shh…" he whispered. "I'm sorry if I was too harsh to you."
He stroked her back to appease her, and Riza calmed down. As a baby, she voiced her feelings more easily, more strongly too. She couldn't hide her feelings, when usually she would keep them inside her, behind a deadpan face. Roy laid her back on her cot and fastened the belt.
"All the things we've lived may change how we are together, but I want to wait for you to be back to normal before speaking with you about it. You'll be free and fully conscious then."
He settled in his seat and drove to HQ. The following days were the same as before, only that Riza felt how impatient the guys were to see her again. It seemed that Roy hadn't told them she'd kept her conscience and her baby body had an adult mind, since they were still acting like she was a baby.
At Roy's place, he spoke more about work and the current files and cases. Even if she couldn't reply, Riza thought about the important points, the requirements, the deadlines… It would be less work for her when she would return to the office, after three weeks away, and Roy seemed to be aware of that.
He prepared all the things needed for the coming transmutation. He managed to put fifty secondhand clocks in the expense account for the investigation. After all, it was part of the investigation Grumman himself had ordered them to lead. He bought a big white bed sheet and spent an entire evening carefully drawing the array on it. Seeing so focused reminded Riza of these evenings he'd spent deep in alchemy books, or busy copying numerous circles until they were perfect. In these moments he would be so absorbed by his task he would always forget his surroundings. However, he would always snap his attention away from his work when she asked him if he wanted some tea, and they always finished talking about his current work until she left him alone. He had this ability to focus on anything catching his attention, without derailing his train of thoughts.
She knew how important this array was, so she stayed silent all the time he spent above the bed sheet with a charcoal.
On the day Meredith Hubert had to get back her real appearance, Roy let the team take care of Riza. The atmosphere was cheerful during his absence, and the men joked together.
"I'm eager to see the lieutenant again," Falman said. "We've worked more than usual, but I still feel like we miss some work well done."
"She's the one who corrects my errors," Havoc added, nodding his head. "I've been extra careful these last weeks, but I'm sure the records are full of files stuffed with errors I haven't seen."
Fuery smiled, beaming. "We've got so many things to tell her! And we don't even know if she'll remember her days as Mini-Riza."
"We gotta ask her, then." Breda joked. He bent over Riza, who was looking at the men, smiling. "Lieutenant, are you here?"
This was way too funny, and Breda was so serious. Riza giggled. To the team's bewilderment, she couldn't stop laughing. She might regret this moment later, but her instinct as a six-months-old baby won over her adult reason. When had she last laughed like that? Could she laugh like that once she would be back to her normal age and her rank of lieutenant?
Because of her happy laugh, the men laughed with her, forgetting for a moment their duties. Then, the door opened, stopping them in a second.
"General Grumman!" They exclaimed, greeting the old man.
"At ease, gentlemen." Grumman waved to them and they dropped their hands. "Colonel Mustang's not here, as I can see."
Havoc explained why their superior officer wasn't in his office, and Grumman nodded with a knowing look. He glanced at Riza in her cot.
"Does it mean that Lieutenant Hawkeye's permission is over soon? When she'll be back, can you tell her I would like to speak with her? I'll book my schedule as soon as Mustang tells me she's back."
He looked serious, and Riza knew he wanted to speak about their family tie. Did he wish to make up for the lost years? Riza had had some time to think about what she wanted. For years, her only family had been her colleagues and her friends, and she hadn't imagined her maternal grandfather could still be alive. She wanted to know him, know how he'd lived these last years, speak with him, and ask him for advice. She hoped her career and Roy's wouldn't suffer if they got too close. Other officers weren't really happy with Roy being Grumman's protegee, but if the general added her to the people he was close with, the brass would talk about it.
When the men promised him they would pass on his demand to the Lieutenant, Grumman left the room. Then, they sat on the couch with conspiring looks.
"Could it be possible he knows about Hawkeye's situation?" Fuery asked.
"It wouldn't be surprising that the Colonel told him when he had been summoned that day." Falman replied.
"You know, the old man is smart enough to stay quiet when he knows something," Breda said.
Havoc nodded. "He's likely to keep his intel for himself until it's useful."
"I hope he won't blackmail the Colonel and the Lieutenant because of that." The Sergeant's worry was moving. The men of this team were among the best persons she knew. Even if she didn't show often how much she cared for them, she knew they cared about her. However, they didn't know she would be fine with Grumman.
Roy came back less than an hour later, looking relieved. The transmutation had been successful and Meredith Hubert was back to her real appearance. He wasn't worried when Havoc told him that Grumman had been in the office to ask for Hawkeye. He dismissed his subordinates' worry. "It's only an interview to know her point of view on the case. He hasn't got to ask her about it these days." He called Grumman to set the meeting on next Monday morning.
That evening, they gathered all six plus Black Hayate in the old warehouse where they used to store the team's equipment. It was a discreet place, where nobody would go at this late hour. They'd stored all clocks there to avoid suspicious travels. As Havoc, Breda, Falman and Fuery stayed on the side with the dog on his leash, Roy prepared the array. Meredith Hubert might have given him precise instructions because he placed all twenty-five clocks on specific places before setting Riza in the center. He'd taken her clothes off and covered her with another sheet to avoid her being stuck in too small clothes or exposed to the others' eyes.
Roy gazed at her. The affection she could read on his eyes hit her. Could their relationship be back to what it had been before all this had happened? Had the latest events changed the way they worked together? Riza had only one way to figure it out. She had to get her body back.
"I promise all will be fine," Roy whispered. "I can't wait to see you again."
He kissed her forehead tenderly. When could he do it again? Riza had got used to it and she knew she would miss it.
Eventually Roy stepped back and knelt beside the circle. After a last glance, he put his hands on the white sheet. Green lightnings rose all around her. Unlike the last time, Riza wasn't knocked out because of the shock. Her limbs tingled, her body grew up, and even her head felt different. Light disappeared, and she shivered. Even with the sheet covering her, she felt the coolness of a spring evening on her skin. She tried to move her fingers, and her muscles moved without any pain or problem. She arranged the sheet on her - they shouldn't see her tattoo or scars - and tried to rise.
"Lieutenant! Are you all right?" They stepped toward her, but Roy moved faster than them. He held the cloth while he helped her to get on her feet. Riza shuddered at their sudden closeness, and she turned her head to hide the blush on her cheeks. Remembering she'd spend almost three weeks in a baby's body, she pretended not to know where she was.
"What happened? Where's the Transformer?"
All four men glanced at her, embarrassed. They told her reluctantly about the array that had given her a baby's body. The case was almost closed since the culprit was in prison and would be tried next week. Riza did her best to look shocked, certain that Roy wasn't fooled by her acting. He knew she hadn't lost her memories.
"We'll let you get dressed, Lieutenant," he said as he stepped away from her.
His warmth on her elbow faded away. Even the sheet couldn't trap it. "Thank you," she replied.
Fuery let Hayate go. He'd become more and more noisy, even if he weren't barking, and pulled on his leash. He ran to Riza, who welcomed him with a bright smile, letting him jump around her, expressing his joy to see her again. He'd looked after her when she was a baby, but he might have missed his adult owner.
Once alone, Riza took some time to think. They would have to talk. One day or another, it would become necessary. However, she didn't want to ruin what Roy had said during the last days by running too fast to him. Would she seem cold if she didn't talk with him? She was afraid to mess up with their current relationship, to divert him from his goal, not to be able to atone for her crimes in Ishval. The time would come. For now, she would have to resume her life, while knowing some things had changed. One of them was what Grumman had said two weeks prior.
While dressing, Riza realized Roy or one of the guys had gone in her flat to take some of her clothes. It was her skirt, her sweater, those she liked to put on her days off. She felt glad. Even if she could seem harsh to the team's men, she helped and supported them. They'd seen that. She'd witnessed it when they'd complained about her absence. They had managed, though, and she promised herself to tell them she was proud of them, to thank them for what they'd done for her.
Once she was fully dressed, she stepped out of the warehouse with Hayate. They were all next to the door, chatting, eating, or smoking.
"I must admit, I'm happy to see you again Lieutenant," Havoc said, smiling, a cigarette between his lips.
The feeling was shared by all the men, she could see it in their eyes. Breda frowned. "Are you sure you don't remember anything?"
Riza decided to play her part to the end. She would tell them the truth when they would be back in the office.
"Well, I was about to arrest the Transformer when I got caught in a green light. I think I got knocked out. I don't remember anything until when I woke up in a transmutation circle. Are you sure I have been a baby all this time?
"We are," Breda replied.
"You were a beautiful baby, by the way," Fuery said.
"Really calm and perceptive." Falman told her.
"We should have taken some photos."
"Havoc, you know well why we couldn't take photos…" Roy sighed as Riza smiled.
She'd seen they'd managed to work well without her, even if she'd been a distraction for them sometimes. "Thank you for taking care of me all this time."
"Actually, it's the Colonel who did most of the job." Falman said. "He took care of you outside of work hours, and apparently it wasn't a bother. He did well I think."
Riza turned to Roy and couldn't hide her genuine smile. "Thank you, sir. I hope I wasn't a burden for you."
"Don't worry, you've been the best baby in the world! Now I'll know how to take care of my own children when I'll get to have some."
Riza maintained her eyes in Roy's, but she felt a lump growing in her throat. If he were to have children, it would be with her. For now, it was impossible. They didn't even know if it could be possible one day.
All the equipment used for the transmutation was put away in a matter of minutes. All clocks had disappeared, and Roy burnt the sheet with a snap of his fingers. He'd promised to erase all traces of Meredith Hubert's research, so he was keeping his word. Eventually they didn't take a lot from the warehouse, and Riza picked up her baby clothes in a small bag.
The team scattered at the entrance of the warehouse zone. Falman and Fuery returned to HQ dormitories, Havoc had a date and Breda wanted to pack his things to visit his grandfather in the countryside. Since Roy and Riza stayed together, he offered to escort her back to her home. Riza accepted and they walked beside one another in silence. Riza didn't dare to glance at her right, where she felt Roy was looking at her. Instead, she focused on her dog who was enjoying his walk. He never wandered too far away and came back to ensure his owner wouldn't change into that wriggling little pink being who couldn't give him food or take him out.
Riza enjoyed the golden light of the sunset on the city. She welcomed its last rays that were still bringing some warmth of the day. Some people passed by them without a glance, busy with their own problems. However, silence had grown too thick for Roy and her, so he decided to break it.
"So, you've decided not to tell the guys you'd kept your memory?"
His question surprised Riza. "I want to make them wait for my real answer," she replied. "I think Breda doubted but he couldn't think about it too much."
Grumman's entrance in the office had been a relief. But Riza would never forget her laugh a few seconds before. She wanted to laugh again like that with close friends. "You're the only one to know I haven't forgotten."
She turned her head and met Roy's tender eyes. Because of the depth of the feelings she could read in his black pupils, her heart somersaulted in her chest. She hadn't forgotten about his most secret projects, the ones he'd told her about when she was living in his flat. She hadn't forgotten about how happy she'd felt back then too. Would these projects become a reality someday?
"All I said these nights is true." Roy diverted his head, his cheeks blushing. "I won't ask you to answer… I know we have too much work, and many other objectives are prime over the rest. I don't want our professional relationship to be disturbed because of what I said."
"They won't be disturbed." Riza weighted her next words, wondering if it's worth it. She stopped and Roy turned to her with an interrogative look. She tried to keep her face straight as she fixed her eyes on his. "However, I think it'll be harder for me to stay stoic in front of you now."
His eyes widened. He was wondering about what she meant so she allayed his doubts. "Will we find it different, maybe harder to work together, now that we both know our feelings are reciprocated? Absolutely. But I think we have to keep them for ourselves." Riza hesitated, her eyes still on Roy's. "I'm ready to wait, as I already waited all these years for our situation to allow us to express our feelings."
Roy stepped toward her and hugged her without any warning. Riza froze. It was unexpected, but she could feel his warmth again. The warmth he'd given her these last weeks, the warmth she was now used to. She wanted more of this warmth. She'd thought herself able to stay straight in front of Roy, but his sudden burst of emotion had caught her unguarded. She held his uniform jacket, her face on his chest.
"Sir, I don't think here's the best place…" She protested in a muffled voice.
"I don't want to wait anymore." Roy replied in a soft and deep voice. "Not after what I heard. You're in your civvies, so people would only think that you're one of my dates."
A few months prior, Riza would have been offended. But she knew Roy, she knew when he was being genuine. She felt good in his arms, she didn't want to get out of his embrace so soon. She knew it wouldn't last, it was only a respite between two storms and wanted to enjoy it to the maximum.
Because Black Hayate kept nuzzling Riza's legs, they parted. Riza knelt and caressed her dog. She'd missed his soft fur; she'd missed walking him. For once, she allowed him to lick her hands when usually she didn't. But it was an exceptional situation, so she could break some rules with him.
She raised her head to see Roy watching her, amused, an affectionate smile on his lips. She gave him back his smile. Rules applied to them too. To which extent was she ready to break them for love? He wanted to take over the power and make the rules himself, but before that they had many things to do, many laws to respect.
As they resumed their walk to her flat, they were closer than before, her hand in his. The trip seemed too short for Riza, who wanted to enjoy this calm interlude. But good things always end, and that end came too soon. In front of her building's door, Riza glanced with uncertainty at Roy. If she invited him to enter with her, they would go too fast, too far.
"We'll have to take some time to speak," He said. He might have perceived her hesitation, she realized. "Even if we know what we haven't said, I believe we must speak it out." He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. Riza's heart jumped in her chest, and although she was trying to hide her embarrassment, she kissed Roy's cheek. She'd often did it in her baby body, but this time it felt different.
"Have a good weekend, Lieutenant."
"You too, Colonel."
Riza looked at Roy as he walked away and turned to glance at her every now and then. She'd never thought of herself being one of these lovers who couldn't part and spent hours to leave each other, to stop looking at the other. Even after Roy had disappeared at the end of the street, she stayed for a moment in front of the door. Hayate was sitting next to her, waiting for her to enter.
Her gratitude for her colleagues grew more as the weekend passed. They had been shopping and filled her fridge, renewed Hayate's food and cleaned her flat. Riza took her dog out for a walk on Saturday morning, and when she recalled about the incoming gala, she asked Rebecca to come with her to find a dress. She still didn't want to go, but she had to make a good impression and wear something fit for the occasion.
Rebecca found her at their favorite café, and they strolled in the streets, looking for the shop where they would find the perfect dress.
"By the way, I know where you were these last weeks," Rebecca said while they were trying some outfits. "Grumman told me what happened, so I've come often to see how your Colonel managed with you. To be honest I didn't trust him first, but now I think he really did take care of you. And your team did well with all these files."
Riza watched her reflection in the mirror of the fitting room, hesitant. She replied eventually, smiling. She would tell her later she remembered her visits and would keep an undying memory of how caring she had been. Maes Hughes was the only other person she knew for being that caring.
"Thank you for caring about me. As you can see, I haven't been traumatized by this experience. Everyone watched after me, they even walked Black Hayate in turns and cleaned my flat, so I didn't settle back in a dirty place."
"How gallant of them! I think I'll add that condition for the man I'll marry!"
"If you have too many conditions, it'll be harder for you to find the perfect man."
Riza heard Rebecca laughing, replying she would find the real gem one day or another, and then leave the military. They got out of their fitting rooms, comparing their outfits. Rebecca shook her head. "That's too short for a military ball. Are you sure you don't want an open back dress? You could cover your tattoo with makeup."
Riza dismissed her proposition. Rebecca knew about her tattoo, but still wasn't aware of the burn scar that defaced her back. She didn't know how she could react if she was to learn Roy was the one who'd burnt her.
They managed to find a good dress. "Your Colonel will have to refrain himself when he'll see you in that," Rebecca said with a knowing glare. Then, they spend some time at a tea salon.
Once home, Riza realized that she had spent these few hours with Rebecca without thinking too much about Roy. But for the remaining time of the weekend, she couldn't read as much as she wanted, spending most of the time lost in her thoughts, her book lying forgotten on her knees.
Roy loved her. She loved him. It seemed so simple, but it was so much more complicated. She sighed. For two weeks, she'd grown used to Roy's presence, to the care he'd for her, to his one-way conversations, to the games he'd played with her. Now, her flat felt empty and cold, silent and dark. She glanced too often to the phone, wondering if she'd to call Roy. Would he call her?
On Sunday evening, she had to face reality. Neither had dared to take the first step and called the other. On Monday morning she woke up aching. Her baby state hadn't been good for her muscles, and she needed to get back into shape. However, walking Hayate did some good, relaxing her before she saw Roy again and spoke to her grandfather.
When she entered the office, at the same time as usual before her misadventure as a baby, lights were off, although the door wasn't locked. A sweet fragrance could be smelt in the room. Riza pushed the switch, her other hand ready to take her service weapon out.
"Is there someone here?" She asked in a suspicious tone.
"Yes, we're here!"
To her greatest surprise, all her team rose from behind the desks with big smiles on their faces. Even Rebecca was there.
"Welcome back, Hawkeye!"
Breda gave her a bag full of pastries and Riza gladly took one. She wouldn't show her colleagues how moved she had been to see them and their joy to see her back to work. She knew it wasn't only her professional skills they'd missed. What had happened during these weeks proved it. She thanked them and her eyes crossed Roy's for a few seconds. She realized that if she managed to hide well some of her emotions, others were too new, harder to conceal. For the remaining time of this surprise meeting, she tried to avoid looking at the Colonel's face so that wouldn't seem strange to others.
Convivial time ended soon after and everyone got back to work diligently. Riza took the file from the Transformer case, but more to do corrections than to keep up with the content, since most of what her colleagues had said in the office to Roy was in there, along with reports of interrogations of Meredith Hubert, that they'd debriefed out loud with the others after coming back from East City prison.
"Lieutenant." Riza raised her eyes at Roy's deep voice. Her heartbeat grew faster, and she hoped she was looking professional while she waited for him to continue. "You've got a meeting with General Grumman in half an hour. He wants to know your point of view on the case. By the way, you should add it to the file."
"Of course, Colonel. I won't forget."
"I'm glad of it." With a last smile, Roy turned around to go back to his desk. Riza kept her eyes on him, before realizing that Havoc was peering at her, while chewing his pen.
"Do you have something to say, Second-Lieutenant?"
"I was telling myself that you were as efficient as always. You got to work as soon as you stepped in here and haven't even asked about what had happened."
Was it the best time to tell the truth? That she knew all this time? Riza pondered the pros and cons. "It's because you speak about the cases and reports together, and I've heard most of that, except when I was napping."
The other men of the team raised their heads, all looking bewildered. "How is it possible?" Havoc asked, confused.
"Breda had some doubt, and he was true," Riza replied. "I had the body of a baby, but my mind and my memory didn't change because of the transmutation. I've heard all of it and remember all the things that happened in this office. I must thank you all four for taking care of me. Fuery, thank you for the advice you gave the Colonel, they've been really useful. Havoc, you've been mindful not to smoke in the office, I'm glad of it. Falman, thank you for keeping the light and temperature of the room to the best for a baby. And Breda, thank you for thinking about bottles and compotes."
"How could we miss something like that?" Havoc exclaimed when Riza finished to thank them all.
"Were you making fun of me?" Breda faked indignation.
"Colonel, were you aware of it?" Falman asked.
All turned to the Colonel, who'd stayed silent for all conversation but listened carefully.
"I've known since the last interrogation. Hubert told me that memory isn't affected when she uses the array to take a younger appearance." Roy's voice sounded plain, but Riza heard a bit of tension in it.
"I hope you haven't said or done anything compromising, Colonel."
"Havoc, you know me well enough. I'm always polite, how old the lady is. About other subjects, Hawkeye isn't the kind of people who'll shout on the rooftops what I could have said."
Roy knew her well, and Riza was relieved he hadn't said more. In the end, he'd said many compromising things. And their future relied on their ability to keep them secret. She looked at the clock and told the others she would be absent for a moment.
"Will you tell me what you'll say, Lieutenant?"
Riza nodded and left. The anxiety lump that had settled in her stomach when Roy had reminded her the time of the meeting grew as she approached Grumman's office. She didn't know if she would be able to tell the General that she already knew what he wanted to confess.
He invited her to enter and sit, then offered her some of the tea steaming in the teapot that had been prepared especially for this meeting. Riza accepted and realized, amazed, that it was her favorite. The warmth of the porcelain cup soothed her, and when the old man began to speak, she knew she wouldn't wait.
"Lieutenant Hawkeye, I spoke about something important with your superior officer during your... 'absence'. I think I should have told you sooner, before such circumstances forced me to do it. You'll be surprised, maybe shocked, but you need to know…"
"That you're my grandfather."
"Yes. But… How?"
Riza couldn't forget Grumman's shocked face. One way or another, even if he'd his reasons not to tell her earlier, she felt a tingle of satisfaction. Surprised Grumman wasn't a sight she was used to, and she enjoyed it.
"Mustang told me he wanted me to tell you this story!" Grumman's exclamation made Riza smile.
"I can swear to you he's got nothing to do with that. I've learnt about our family ties at the same time." He was surprised, so she told him what had happened, and how she had reacted to his story. "I've been surprised. To be honest, it was unexpected. I'd made my mind with the thought that I had no more family. That I was alone."
Riza lowered her head. Being alone after her father's death had been one of the worst times of her life - except Ishval. At least, when he was still here, she could maintain herself busy with care, house cleaning and groceries. She knew she didn't do it for herself and it kept her rooted. But once she was alone, when Roy had left for East City, she had lost these anchors. Only her desire to see Roy again and protect him to help him reaching his goal had preserved her. "You've never been alone." She emerged from her thoughts at Grumman's affectionate tone of voice. What did he know about that?
"Mustang and his subordinates are more than a team. You've managed to balance your personalities in a way that I'd never seen before. In most teams in this Command Center and many others there's always tensions and conflicts. But all six of you give the others more strength than you realize. You're a home, a family where everyone is important, and where every guest feels good. I know that young Fullmetal often complains about Mustang, but he always comes back, and I don't think it's only because Mustang is his superior officer."
Grumman was a perceptive man, Riza couldn't oppose it. "And… I've seen how you work together, Mustang and you. I think he'll do anything to make your future the best possible."
Riza crossed Grumman's eyes and noticed an understanding light. "He takes care of all his subordinates," she opposed him anyway. "I've promised him to follow him, to help him reach his goal, and I'll go all the way as long as I'll be able to do so."
"Even if it implies to set your feelings aside?"
Yes. Riza almost replied. Either way, she was already doing that for nine years now since the day she'd decided to trust Roy and reveal the secret on her back. But she decided to change the conversation.
"I want to know more about my mother. I've only known for seven years, it's less than you."
During the next thirty minutes, Riza learnt lots of things about Elizabeth. She loved children's books, spent most of her free time for her hobbies more than her homework, but she'd never struggled at school, where she was the best in most subjects. Riza found herself in that description, even if she'd spend more time in her homework or advanced books about the subjects she liked, because she enjoyed understanding how things worked, implications and consequences. She spoke a little about her life with her parents, her father, her father's apprentice, but she didn't feel ready to tell Grumman her feelings about her life. She only spoke about the facts.
"What do you expect me to do?" She asked. "We've got a family tie, but its existence could penalize us both. And even Colonel Mustang."
"Do you want to know me better?"
Riza nodded. In the end, she knew the General only by what Roy had told her about him. However… she was his granddaughter, and that could give her another point of view on the man. She wanted to know him, she wanted him to tell her his own story, so she could understand where he came from.
"I think we could try to meet from time to time. You'll get the opportunity to visit the house where you mom grew up." In the end all had gone fine, Riza realized. She'd got some time to accept the idea that Grumman was her grandfather, even if she didn't feel ready to call him like that.
"I've got another thing to talk about. I can tell you hadn't taken the time to reply to the invitation for the commemoration day."
Riza stiffened a bit. She hadn't thought about that for weeks after she had received the letter. She already knew she would go, but she hadn't wondered about who could go with her.
"If an old General like me can be accompanied by a promising officer, it could be a good idea, couldn't it?"
Grumman's offer was unexpected. Riza hadn't considered that possibility. She thought she would go alone, or with Roy.
"Mustang told me a few days ago that he wanted to invite you. But if a commanding officer attends an official gala with his adjutant, it could… make some waves in Central command."
"People could wonder about our relationship."
Grumman nodded.
"You're seeing your own interest here, Sir," Riza declared. "If you attend that gala with the Hawk's Eye at your arm, people will speak too, but for another reason. And you'll be sure to have a moment to speak with me."
Riza wouldn't be fooled. She knew Grumman wanted to speak with her about their relationship for a longer time. Whatever she wanted, whatever he wanted, he would speak about it with her one day or another. And the way to Central could be a good time to do so. Five hours in a train could seem much shorter when spent with the right person and the right conversation subject.
"I see your interest too. To both of you." The General's serious tone granted him Riza's full attention. "I'm closer from retirement than you, but I can see clearly on many subjects. The talk I had with Mustang after the arrest and when you've come to the manor proved to me that you're sharing a bond that's not really well-seen in the military. If it is known…"
"Nothing happened," Riza interrupted him. "We've never said anything to the other. Except last Friday, but we haven't promised anything, we haven't even taken the time to speak about it. We know what the other feels, but expressing it is more complicated, because of what we've done, because of the military, because of our goals that are not compatible with what we could live together." Riza's voice broke on her last words, and she lowered her head to hide her emotion.
She hadn't told anything clearly, but Grumman would know perfectly. On that subject, Roy and he were the same. They could understand a situation, a hint, a hidden message, an unfinished sentence in the blink of an eye, and act or speak accordingly. Saying out loud that nothing was settled between Roy and her had affected more than she would have believed. She knew from the beginning that her feelings couldn't be anything else than hidden deep in her. Even if Roy felt the same, and that was the case, they couldn't do anything.
"I want us to be happy so much, but I feel like that we don't deserve it."
"Riza."
She raised her eyes to meet her grandfather's. It was the first time he called her by her name, and the lump in her throat grew again.
"One day you'll be happy, you won't fear anything. One day you'll deserve it fully. It's possible, don't doubt it. I've understood many things when I looked at you, and I wish you the best. I know I don't know anything, and that you will never tell me, but I support you."
Tears burned her eyes. Riza wiped them with the back of her hand. Grumman's words had moved her, but she didn't want to break in front of him. She knew he could be trusted, but she wanted to be sure to tell him her feelings. She thanked him.
"That's what I'll do as your grandfather. It's for you both that I'll come with you to the gala for that commemoration in Central. That way, I'll be able to find a moment for you to speak in peace there. Because the next weeks will be occupied by all the preparations for the parade."
They stayed silent for a moment, looking at the other. Riza could see the mischievous light shining in the old man's eyes. He'd a plan, for sure. Thanks to Roy, she knew him enough to say that he would manage to reach his goal.
"All right," she admitted, smiling. "I'll go with you to Central. In exchange, I want you to grant us at least fifteen minutes alone together. We'll need to speak a lot after all that happened." Of course, she wouldn't tell him all the things she'd lived during these weeks as a baby.
"Deal," Grumman said, and he gave her his hand to shake. "I'll let you tell Mustang that he would have to find a partner who won't draw attention to you."
Riza left the office of the General, with the certainty that she had an ally.