To all my reviewers- a very big THANK YOU:) For your reviews! If any of you have any constructive criticism, further thoughts on any aspect of this story, that's what the review box is all about and I welcome, though perhaps I don't listen to them all!;) See the AN at the bottom of this chapter. Also, I'm trying to divide POV shifts with XWXWXW It may or may not work..

That said, on to the bit you've been waiting for!

Supporting Fire

Riza had always liked the design of her CFP Officer's Special, it was an easy gun to like, easy to clean, easy to buy ammo for, and very nearly indestructible, nothing like her first gun, she thought, loading it. But there are three parts to every shot, the shooter, the weapon and the target, she mused, gingerly rubbing her injured arm. Though it would heal, she knew that that if she did nothing, one day she'd have broken bones, if not worse. Riza looked at her note, neatly folded up on the table. She'd finally committed that mistake to paper, everyone would know what she had done, but she wouldn't be alive to face it or them. She'd written down everything that Nialsen had said and done to her or to Farman that she could remember, anything and everything that could see him hang were he ever to go to trial. Every trick he'd used on the books went down in that letter too. She'd apologized to Farman and Captain Hughes who had tried to help her. After she'd written it, she briefly debated going to the opera and killing the man Nialsen had ordered her to go out with, but had decided against it. I am not a tool of vengeance, of retribution, she thought tiredly. That is not my job and that would be giving them something they don't deserve, a quick death…

She stood, and walked to the north wall of her apartment. There was no window on that wall. She knelt, handgun in her lap. All I can do is set myself free. Riza picked up the Special, it had never felt so heavy before. She put the barrel to her head, but her hand was shaking. She sighed and tried the breathing exercises to calm herself before she put her finger on the trigger. Someone was knocking on the door, she tried to ignore it. Just breath, be calm…if that's my 'date' he's in for one hell of a shock, she thought and the thought made her smile slightly. So why are there tears in my eyes?

XWXWXW

Roy pounded on the door. "Lieutenant Hawkeye? Open the door! Open the door, or I will!" Maybe she's just out. But a strange gut instinct, similar to the one he got with Maes sometimes was insisting otherwise. If she is out, I'll apologize to her later, he decided, snapping his fingers, and incinerating the lock. He kicked the door inwards.

XWXWXW

Riza gasped in surprise at the noise of the door swinging back and hitting the wall. Instantly, she spun to face the intruder, Special in her right hand.

"Don't shoot," Captain Mustang said, holding his hands up.

Riza sighed in relief. "Captain," she stood. "Why are you here, and what did you do to my door?"

XWXWXW

Somehow that wasn't the response Roy was expecting. He wasn't quite sure what he was expecting, but that hadn't been it. He felt curiously out of place for a moment, like a little boy being scolded for breaking a neighbour's fence, then he noticed that Hawkeye had been crying. Awkwardly, he began speaking. "Sergeant Farman told me you'd called and he was worried," Roy explained. "He would be here too, but he has an inspection."

"He shouldn't have said anything," Hawkeye sighed. "There's nothing wrong, sir," she said, holstering her weapon.

Roy saw a nasty bruise on her left arm. "Lieutenant, you didn't get that from your slip in the corridor, did you?" he frowned. No one does that and gets away with it! The momentary intense anger he felt was almost frightening. It's horrible, but why is it affecting me like this?

"I'm clumsy, sir," Hawkeye said in response to his question.

"Does your clumsiness in any way relate to why you've cleaned your gun?" Roy asked, gesturing to the little kit that Hawkeye had left out on the table by the note- addressed "To Whom It May Concern" in fine, neat handwriting.

"All weapons should be properly cared for," she said easily. "Now, if you'll excuse me, sir," she said.

This could all be a coincidence, Roy thought. Just habit that she cleans her gun every night, just a bad fall that gave her those bruises... but his thoughts were drawn to that neatly folded little note. And that? No, that's pushing coincidence too far, he thought. But if she won't talk to me... "Lieutenant, he has to be stopped." A hit, he thought as Hawkeye stiffened almost imperceptibly. Encouraged by this small sign, Roy continued. "I want to stop him, but I can't do it by myself. You can't stop him by yourself, and if he is not stopped, Lieutenant, someone else will be in the same position you are now."

She flinched at these words as though at a blow.

"You're not a coward, Hawkeye, don't act like one. If we work together, we can bring him down," Roy finished. For a second, he thought he'd pushed too hard as Riza closed her eyes and Roy prepared to be thrown out or threatened with the gun. But Riza did neither. Instead, had Roy not slowed her descent, she would have collapsed to the floor. "Lieutenant!" Roy called, alarmed.

She opened her eyes. "Sir?" she whispered.

"What's wrong?" Roy asked quickly, pushing the fact that they were in very close proximity to each other to the far back of his mind.

"I...I'm just dizzy," she insisted.

"You didn't take any medications?" Roy demanded to know.

"N-no sir...just need to sit down for a minute."

Roy helped her sit down on the floor, propped up against the side of her bed, then crossed the room to her kitchenette, poured a glass of water and went back over to her. "As I recall, you said this helps," he smiled slightly.

"So does remembering to eat dinner," Hawkeye said after she'd taken a sip. "Sir... what you said- it made sense. I was about to do something selfish," she looked ashamed at this and would not meet his eyes. "I don't want anyone to go through what I did," she said, studying the wooden floor intensely. "And..." she hesitated. "I don't care what happens to me. I'll face my mistake, if it kills me. It would be worth it to see Nialsen pay."

"Are you being selfish again?" Roy asked.

"Sir?" Hawkeye looked up at this, confused.

"I'm sure there's someone who would care what happens to you," he said.

Hawkeye only smiled bleakly. "Yes, sir. I think I'm recovered enough to start making some dinner if you'd like to join me- if you can stomach dinner after reading that," she nodded in the direction of the note.

XWXWXW

After he reads it, my career and probably my life will be over, Riza thought grimly as she began putting together a simple meal for two. But somehow this is supposed to be worth it. Months of trial, retrial and testimony, rather than a quick exit...I can't watch him read it... I can't... she thought desperately, concentrating hard on her task at hand.

PLEASE REVIEW AND MAKE MY MUSE VERY HAPPY!

A/N: To all those of you who took the time to tell me about rank structure, thanks for the thought. However, I will invoke my neat-o little artistic liscense and perhaps I should add a little note about such things in this story at least, being a bit AU. Although I have been informed that Major is the defacto rank of any/all National/State Alchemists, I will not be altering the story with regards to that for several reasons. 1. At the beginning I was unaware of that fact and now, I am not willing to change horses in midstream. I've never tried it but it sounds timeconsuming and possibly useless. 2. Even though I know this now, it will take a little while for my poor little brain to grow comfortable with the idea that Alchemists start out at major whereas all other officer types have to start out at 2nd Lt. 3. Unless there is a canon rank chart that people are referring to, I'm going to DIY it with my prior experience. The list that was given to me was extensive and exhaustive, very helpful, but not entirely put together. For example, I believe both First Sergeant and Sergeant Major were listed as ranks, when in fact, they are position. Using the positional rank logic, I can justify Alchemists being paygrade Majors, positional Captains. Kinda the reverse of me being a paygrade E7 and PR 'Officer'. Also, for future reference, should anyone read any more of my (soon to be published) FMA fanfic, I will be meddling with things slightly, ie, more sergeants, fewer warrant officers, adding 'Sublieutenant' and that's basically it.

So, if you're hugely offended by my detail error, feel free to rant/gripe about it, but I will not listen and will continue to wave my little artistic license.