The Wants of the Few

Disclaimer: Don't own anything

Author's note: Takes place about an hour after the previous chapter.

Chapter 4 – Miss Riza Why?

Hawkeye lifted the small girl out of the tub and wrapped a big towel around her. Elysia breathed in the towel's aroma, it smelled like lilies. Riza picked her up and carried the child to her room, wrapped like a butterfly in a cocoon. Riza set her down on the bed and hunted through her drawers to find something for Elysia to sleep in. "This should be fine." She said out loud as she grabbed an old t-shirt. "All right, arms up." She said to Elysia. The little girl reached for the sky and Hawkeye put the shirt on her. Elysia stood up to look at herself in the mirror. Riza couldn't help but smile uncontrollably. The shirt was way too big. It not only reached the floor, but had a few inches to spare. The collar of the shirt was stretched out and it kept falling off one of Elysia's shoulders. To say the least the little girl looked like a midget in giant's clothing. "Maybe it won't be fine." Riza said, suppressing a small laugh. "Let me see what else I can find." She looked a little longer and happened to find an old jersey she still had from secondary school. She'd dated a boy on the football team for a little while and he'd given it to her to wear to one of the games. It was so comfortable she'd never had the heart to throw it out. She switched the shirts out on the little girl and while this one was big, it paled compared to the other. The biggest shortcoming the jersey had was that the arm holes were huge and they hung around Elysia's waist. "Sorry, but I think that's the best I can do." She said to her.

Elysia smiled wide, her outlook on the night seemed to have improved a great deal since dinner. "I like it!" she said looking at her reflection proudly, "It makes a pretty dress!" She twirled making the shirt bottom fly out. As she did she accidentally got a little too close to Riza's nightstand and she knocked one of the pictures off. "I'm sorry!" she gasped as she picked it up. "I don't think I broke it."

"It's okay." Riza said taking the frame from her. "Accidents happen." The frame and glass were intact so she gingerly put it back on her nightstand. Elysia took the moment to take a closer look. "Miss Riza why do you have a picture of Uncle Roy? And who are these other people?" she ask innocently.

The picture was of Mustang's unit, Riza was, as always, by Mustang's side in the picture. "That's Lieutenant Heymans Breda," she said pointing to a red haired man on the left. "Next to him is Vato Falman. The blonde haired man is Jean Havoc, and the man with the glasses is Kain Fuery. Then of course there's Mr. Roy, and me-"

"Whose the man with the sparkles?" Elysia asked interrupting.

"Major Armstrong. And then there's-" Hawkeye paused, there was one more person in the picture…Maes. He wasn't as noticeable sitting down in the corner of the picture…she hated herself for not thinking.

"That's my daddy!" Elysia said. Her face wasn't sad exactly…but it wasn't exactly happy either. It was more of just stating the facts. "Mommy keeps lots of pictures of daddy around the house. I have a really pretty one next to my bed. My mommy is all dressed in white and my daddy is wearing a bow tie." She explained looking up at Riza.

"That does sound pretty." She replied back. Something in her mind couldn't help but be amazed. This little girl cried for a half hour about her mother, but talking about her father didn't seem to phase her in the least. There was a slight sadness that was in her voice, and her eyes fell a little, but other than that there was no indication that she was upset. 'Children are strange things' Hawkeye thought to herself as she watched Elysia look at the other photos she had by her bedside.

"Is this Mr. Roy too?" she asked holding another picture up. It was Roy, a much younger Roy, giving the camera his trademark smirk and holding out his State Alchemist's pocket watch.

Riza nodded. "That was taken when he passed the exam to become a state alchemist."

"Miss Riza, why do you have so many pictures of Uncle Roy?" she asked.

"I'd hardly say that two is many." Riza countered.

"Its many when there's only two pictures." The little girl argued. It was true, there were only two pictures. Not just in Riza's room, but in the whole house.

She sighed, she didn't have much family left, only her grandfather. Her military unit was the closest thing she'd had to family in a long time. "Mr. Roy's my friend. Don't you like to have pictures of your friends?"

"When are you and Uncle Roy going to get married?" Elysia asked boldly.

Hawkeye's mouth hung open, and her eyes widened. That was certainly unexpected. "I-we-um. Mr. Roy and I aren't getting married. What gave you that idea?"

"Well you've got lots of pictures of him, and you are always together…my daddy said it was just a matter of time." Elysia replied matter-of-factly.

"I can assure you Elysia. Mr. Roy and I aren't getting married."

"Why not?" Elysia said, seeming a bit put off that her idea of them getting married was being pushed aside so easily.

"The rules say we can't get married." She explained.

"Well that's a silly rule. If you love someone you should marry them." The girl said using child logic.

"I-we-Mr. Roy doesn't love me." Riza said, feeling herself blush a little. This whole conversation was getting all too personal. 'Now I remember why I don't have kids…they ask too many awkward questions.' She thought, 'On the bright side at least she hasn't ask me where babies come from…yet'

"Why not?" Elysia asked her eyes widening. "Do you have cooties?"

Riza couldn't help but crack a smile. She hadn't heard the word cooties since she was seven. "No, he just doesn't like me like that. I'm sure you'll understand when your older. Now, how about we tuck you in?" she said changing the subject and escorting the little girl into the guest room.

lol, cooties...

Thank you everyone that reviewed. I had a really horrible dream last night that I got a report card back saying that I had the writing skills of a 2 year old and that I had buck teeth. It was horrible. :P (I don't have buck teeth by the way) It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside to get to my mail and see that you all are enjoying the story. In fact, it made me feel so good, you get an extra chapter today ;)