Fever

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Author's note: I know that Riza seems a bit out of character toward the end of the chapter, but believe me you'd be just as pissed off if the same thing happened to you. People get really paranoid and very moody when they think the world is against them.

Zamnandi - Yay! I'm glad someone understands. You should see the Teen Titan's section. Anyone that writes a Raven fic always makes her practically suicidal, while she's not sad, she just isn't able to express her emotions. :P

Scar's fangurl: blushes thanks ;)

Chapter 13 – The Best Laid Plans

It was good that Riza's little show was on Friday, it gave Hughes and Mustang a few days to scheme a way to keep her from shooting them on sight. Hawkeye was a proud person, and something like this was more than an injury to her pride…it was personal. This couldn't be fixed with a little 'I'm sorry'. This needed more…

"I don't know about this Hughes…" Roy said uncertainly. The plan they'd worked out was pretty good, but there was humiliation involved and he wasn't too sure he wanted to participate. Particularly because it involved humiliating himself.

"Look, if you want to make this up to her it's going to take a lot more than an little apology, besides Gracia said that'd it'd work." Hughes said trying to help convince his friend.

"Wait, you said that this was your plan."

Hughes shrugged, "My plan, her plan, whatever. As long as it works, who cares?"

Mustang threw his friend an unsure look. "All right. What do we have to do first?"

Hughes smiled. "Well we know that Hawkeye left without being paid, so she'll want the money…especially after Black Hayate suddenly needs surgery that will incidentally cost exactly $700."

"But I don't want to hurt Hayate-"

"Don't worry Roy, we won't. We're just going to give him a little something to get him to throw up a bit. I've already worked it out with my friend over at the vet's office. When she brings Black Hayate in, the vet will just tell her that he needs surgery. After that she'll have no choice but to go back to the club and get the money."

"What are we going to give him?" Mustang asked.

"You leave that to me. I'll make sure she gets where she needs to be, when she needs to be there. You just make sure you rest those pipes, my little canary." Hughes said with a wink. Mustang could feel it already…this was going to be a long week.

Monday morning rolled around and the entire office was more quiet than usual. Hawkeye could only imagine it was because they were all laughing at her behind her back. She wasn't usually this paranoid, but humiliation can do that to a person. Roy walked in a few minutes late. Usually she would have scolded him, but she refused to even look at him. Roy looked at Hawkeye in the silence. Even with her brow furrowed and her negative mood radiating into the room, he still couldn't help but admire her. She was beautiful. 'Why did I never see it before?' he wondered again. It was something he'd been asking himself a lot over the past few days…ever since he'd heard her sing. Now every time he saw her, he wasn't seeing just a soldier, he saw a woman that was beautiful and capable. Every time he looked at her, no matter what horrible stare she was throwing him, he couldn't help but smile as he thought back to that night when he got to see a real fantasy Riza. As much as he hated to admit it, he was falling for her…which was one more reason that he had to make her forgive him for this whole mess.

She wished he wouldn't stare at her like that. That ridiculous smile made it hard for her to hate him. Usually she would have just thought that he was mocking her, but something behind that smile made him look so goofy she just couldn't hate him. 'I sound like one of those stupid bimbos he dates.' The thought only made her hate herself even more. It continued that way all day. She refused to look at him, and only obeyed his orders if they could be carried out without speaking to him. Finally around 4:00 Mustang couldn't stand it anymore. He chose his time wisely, making sure everyone was gone.

"I didn't tell anyone." He said, breaking the silence.

'Sure you didn't.' she replied in her head, 'you didn't tell just anyone, you probably told everyone!'

"Come on Hawkeye…talk to me." He said. He wasn't quite pleading, he was still a little too proud for that. He threw her one of his trademark smirks, "You know you want to."

Hawkeye looked up at him. There was no mistaking what she was thinking, 'DROP DEAD.' Roy backed off a bit. He'd pushed her a little too far with that last remark. He quickly tried to make up for it. "I thought you did really well. I liked your last song the best." She continued to ignore him and pretended to read a report. "Fever has always been one of my favorite songs." When she didn't look at him, or pull out her gun, he gave up. There really was only one way to make this up to her…

The week dragged on and eventually everyone began to notice the tension between the colonel and his lieutenant. Havoc and Breda made a few bets on what they were fighting about. Fuery on the other hand actually tried to patch things up between the two. 'Flowers will fix just about anything.' He thought as he laid a rose on Hawkeye's desk Friday morning. Hawkeye strolled in moments later. Her heart jumped as she saw the rose laying on her desk. Cautiously, she walked over to it and opened the card that Fuery had tied to the rose. It was short and sweet and to the point.

"Riza, I'm sorry. For everything. Please forgive me.

Roy"

The last few days had been fairly calm and she was actually beginning to forgive Roy and Hughes. It didn't seem as if they'd actually told anyone, but she couldn't help but narrow her eyes at the words in the note. 'Roy, asking for forgiveness? That's not his style.' Annoyed she threw the rose and the note in the trash. 'Roy wouldn't ask forgiveness from God!' Unfortunately for Roy, he took just that moment to walk in. Still irritated, Riza couldn't keep her silence any longer. "You know, it would have been more effective if you were actually being sincere!" she said meaning the rose and the letter.

"I was being sincere!" Roy said, completely taken off guard. Naturally he thought she was talking about their conversation on Monday.

"Ugh! You make me sick. You think you can throw around that stupid charm, and a few roses and you think everything will be all better. Think again. I'm not like your little girlfriends. I don't fall for that fake bullshit you like to spread around." Riza said, completely losing her cool. She couldn't remember the last time she'd broken ranks so forwardly. She was never like this, but just the fact that she was having to spend all day locked in an office with someone that had completely humiliated her—well it was finally starting to really take it's toll. Especially considering it seemed that he wasn't even really sorry…she didn't need mockery right now. "Couldn't you just let it go?"

"Me let it go? Me? I wasn't the one that strolled in here kicking and screaming about being insincere!" Roy yelled back at her. 'What the hell is wrong with her?'

Hawkeye's eyes narrowed and her mouth pursed. "I'm taking the day off. If I have to spend one more moment in a room with you, I know I'll do something you'll regret." She said as she stormed out of the office. The door slammed soundly leaving the men stunned. "What did you do?" Havoc said directing everyone's attention to Mustang.

"Nothing!" Roy said, defending himself. "I haven't even said anything to her since Monday!" Fuery uncomfortably shifted his weight from one foot to the other. Cautiously he cleared his throat. Everyone's eyes slowly turned to him. "Fuery?" Roy said warily.

"Flowers will fix just about anything…?" Fuery offered guiltily. "I was trying to help."

"I think you just helped me right into my grave." Roy said massaging his temples. Silently Roy tried to reassure himself. 'Don't worry, you've still got an ace up your sleeve…hopefully.'