A/N: Yet another drabble from our pal the desk phone! Please review!

26. Tales From a Desk Phone III – Freedom?

It was the dead of night when she came, dressed in all black with a mask hiding her delicate face. Even in the absence of the light, I knew who it was. I knew who had come to save me.

She had a bag in one hand - dark-colored soft cloth. Cushiony. It made no noise as she manuevered through the empty office.

I watched and waited with bated breath, holding Miss Paperwork – her name was Penelope, I soon learned – close underneath my receiver. I remember whispering, "There's nothing to be worried about, Penelope. This is not Master Mustang…"

The woman who was not Master Mustang then knelt down in front of us and stared at us with her beautiful amber eyes so full of love. I smiled, and she smiled back, reaching out a gloved hand and gently caressing my spine. Her touch sent shivers throughout my entire body, and I arched back, gasping. Such a soft caress… so much unlike Master Mustang's… I felt safe in this woman's hands.

"I'm going to get you out of here," she whispered to me as she picked me up, gently tearing the wires from the wall, and placed me into the soft, cushiony bag. Penelope tumbled in after me, and I caught her in my waiting arms. Both of us were speechless. Was this really happening? Were we really being saved? Was this the end of all the torment Master Mustang has put us both through? Was this finally the beginning of the long road to recovery?

Riza Hawkeye cinched the bag shut, enshrouding us in pitch darkness. Her shoes made no sound as she exited the office and walked along the empty, deserted hallway, leading us discreetly to our longed-for freedom. I could smell it: the open, night air, fresh and crisp and lightly scented like daffodils.

And she pushed open the door, about to welcome us into the real world at last…

We dropped, clattering to the ground.

Master Mustang was standing right in front of us.

We were doomed.

Reviewer Responses!

Fading wind: Oh God, I hate to see how scared you get when Drabble… 37, I think, comes up… o.o hee hee hee. But anyway, I'm glad you liked the last one. Whew, yay. Thanks for the review!

Blackrose Kitsune: Heh, well, that's one less flame I have to worry about. n.n Hmm, I'd make a part 2, but all of the drabbles in this series are already pre-written (I have all 50 done out already, and I've started its "sequel" on my computer). T.T But I'll think about doing something like that for my next series of drabbles! Thank you very much for the review!

Valen aka Backstreet: Yup! Heh heh, I like that "close one eye and squint the other". Hell, it could even be considered… Roy x Ed if you look at it! Wait, no… that's not right. No Roy x Ed in there. T.T Anyway, thanks for the review, Valen-sama!

--crazykitsune17--