Alrighty! Another long and drawn-out story!

This is my new fixation, as I told Melly…but, well…yeah. The family thing is over!

You: rejoicing

Me: GLOOM I kinda liked Sorrow and Comfort…but I know I didn't finish Visitation! runs and cries

Anyway, the poetry isn't bad poetry, it's just free verse! SO THERE, STUPID CHEERLEADERS!

Well, I suppose it is bad poetry…

Anyway, forgive the absolute OoCness of EVERYONE, but mostly just Riza. But, if you're looking at it logically, she would've changed after--counts on fingers-- four years! Especially the way I had her change!

ON TO THE OOCNESS!

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I don't know how to say this, but I'm leaving.

So she had, without so much as goodbye

The note was all she left

Four years of waiting, and he hadn't seen her since

He had put his best men on the case

"Find her for me"

But they hadn't.

Of course, they hadn't,

He reprimanded himself

She knew how to stay in hiding when the need would arise.

I'm leaving

So the years had gone by,

Some fast, and some slow

But he had always remembered her

How could he forget?

He had hoped for the best,

But knew for the worst.

Don't know how to say

He thought he had once seen her

Watching him discreetly from an alley

But upon further inspection

There was no one there.

So he would try on this date tonight

To forget the time they had

For she was gone,

Never to return.

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Roy strode out of his apartment, looking snazzier than usual in his black shirt and pants. He was on his way to his date, the first one he'd had since Riza had left. Really and truly left.

Shaking the recurring thoughts from his mind, he focused on the girl at hand.

Marisia, he recited to himself. 23 years old. Clerk in a fabric store. Enjoys outdoor activities such as riding horses, swimming, hiking, and camping.

He opened the door to the restaurant and found her sitting at a table looking at the menu. Her resemblance to Riza was striking. Her blonde hair was up a loose bun, strands of hair trailing loosely from their bonds. Her face was shaped the same as Riza's, and her hazel eyes carried the same level no-nonsense attitude. Roy swallowed the lump in his throat and strode over to the table.

"Miss Marisia, I presume?" His voice deepened a few levels as she looked up at him.

Her chocolate eyes swept up to meet his; and he saw a note of recognition in them.

"I'm sorry, but you have the wrong person," she told him with a gentle smile. Roy blinked; even her voice was the same as Riza's. "Marisia's over there." She pointed over her shoulder and Roy saw a distinct lump under her jacket as the fabric was pulled tight.

"I'm very sorry, ma'am. Thank you for your help." He bowed quickly to her and hurried over to where she had pointed. That had been Riza, there was absolutely no doubt about it.

But now a million questions whirled through his head, distracting him from Marisia, who was an absolute stunner. His mind, focused on Riza, processed absolutely nothing she said to him. Luckily, during the meal he had positioned himself to sit so he could watch Riza over Marisia's shoulder.

Roy saw a man come in and kiss Riza's cheek before sitting down across from her at their table. Jealousy erupted in him, and he nearly stood and tackled him.

What was Riza doing here?

Why is she with him?

Why did she leave me?

Why didn't she tell me?

WHY?

The old questions arose in him, and eventually Marisia shut up.

Roy was looking at his hands when someone laid their hand on his shoulder. Roy looked up to see the man Riza was with standing next to him.

"Come with me," he rumbled.

Roy looked across the table at Marisia; she was gone. Roy stood and followed him to their table, where he sat with Riza's escort standing behind his chair.

"For heaven's sake, look casual, Roy," Riza murmured to him, leaning across the table to reach the salt.

"Why should I?" he challenged. "You left me four years ago, without so much as goodbye—"

"You need to think about others, sir, not just what you want," Riza interrupted softly. "I didn't want to leave you, but things—came up. They were more important than you."

"More important than me, Riza?" he hissed. "You told me nothing would ever be more important than me except for our—" He stopped cold.

"Yes, Roy. Don't say it aloud. We're being watched at tables four and seven." She nodded her head subtly in the direction.

"What's with this setup? I feel like we're in the mafia." Roy sat back against his chair.

"Things came up, Roy, I told you." She sighed. "I really am sorry, but I can't tell you anything else right now."

"Why not?"

Riza doubled over in pain, and she coughed up some blood. The man standing behind Roy's chair rushed to her, holding up a napkin to her mouth. Roy watched, horrified, as the blood rushed from her face as she coughed, a deep, racking cough.

A few minutes passed as Riza's spasm slowly ended, and she sat back up, swaying slightly in her chair. She smiled weakly at him.

"Riza, what's wrong?" Roy demanded, tired of keeping his voice down. "You're in here and I haven't seen you for three bloody years, and all of a sudden you tell me I'm a dad, and now you're sick? Goddammit, Riza, I want to know what's going on!"

The restaurant quieted at his outburst, and heads swiveled to face them, followed by the low buzz of whispering.

"I really wish you'd keep your voice down, sir," she sighed. "It's quite unbecoming."

"Riza, he whispered urgently. "You need to tell me what the hell is going on. I don't want to do this."

"Neither do I, Roy. Neither do I."

She motioned to her guard before standing. Roy immediately stood to go with her, and took her by the elbow after slinging his coat around her shoulders.

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They walked down the main street, which was oddly silent in the nighttime.

"I'll tell you when we get to my house" was all Riza had said in the entire walk. Roy continued to support her; still unsure of what was wrong.

"We're here," she murmured in his ear. She unlocked the door, and was hit by a rush of color.

"Mommy's home, Mommy's home!" two kids yelped.

"Brian, Allie, dears, keep your voices down—"

"Mommy's home, Mommy's home!"

"Shush!" Riza's voice rang out over the barking of the dog and the yelling children, all of which immediately fell silent.

"Mom's not feeling well." The kids groaned, and Riza continued over them, "Mommy wants to talk to your father."

The kids blinked at her, before leaping onto Roy. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" They chanted.

Roy was taken aback. How did they already know him? Did Riza still keep pictures of him? Nonetheless, he smiled at the children, and, kneeling down to their level, told them, "Listen to your mother."

They groaned, and Riza ushered them upstairs with a sudden cough. Roy waited downstairs until she returned, changed out of her clothes and with her hair down. Still standing, she bowed to him.

"I really am sorry I left," she said softly, still bowed. "I really didn't want to, but when I found out—there really wasn't any other choice, you see." Her voice choked. "I-I'm sorry. I hope you can forgive me."

Roy stood, stunned that she would apologize to him. He went to her and gathered her in his arms. "There's nothing to apologize for," her murmured into her hair.

"Yes, there is!" she cried, shaking violently. "I left you all alone after I promised I would stay by your side! And now you're in love with other girls—"

"Riza. Riza, look at me," he ordered sternly. "That was the first time I had even attempted to go on a date since you left."

She stared up at him. "I don't believe you, sir."

Roy kissed her. "You'd better."

After they had settled comfortably on the couch with hot chocolate in their hands and Roy had started a fire in the fireplace, Riza leaned against him with a sigh.

"This is nice," she murmured.

"Almost like old times, isn't it?" he answered, his voice equally soft.

Riza sipped her cocoa, and tucked her legs under her. "I suppose I should begin." She coughed slightly before setting down her cup on the coffee table in front of the crackling fire.

"Three years ago, when I found I was pregnant, I knew I had to leave. So I did. I resigned from the military and went to my family, where they kept me safe. I had the twins there. I nearly contacted you, but my family wouldn't let me. I did send you a letter, but they intercepted it.

"Some time in the process of having the children and being stressed about not being able to tell, I developed this cough. It hasn't gone away since.

"I stayed there under the supervision of the town doctor until a couple months ago, when I moved back here with Brian and Allie. I've been traveling around the town, trying not to be noticed by anyone from the military. You saw me the other day, actually, but thankfully you didn't follow me."

"But why, Riza?" Roy asked pleadingly.

She wordlessly picked up her cup and sipped the cocoa, gazing over the rim into the fire. "I don't know," she said quietly. "I left because I didn't want to endanger your position. I didn't contact you because I didn't want to get you overexcited."

"What about—"

"James?" She laughed, her cough making it harsh. "An old friend of the family, really. All the people watching us were just some people from my old university that all joined in to help when James asked them to."

Roy watched her. "You've changed," he said finally.

Riza looked somewhat surprised. She stirred her cocoa. "Having all this can do that to you," she replied quietly, closing the subject.

"Now that you're not in the military, though, we could get married," said Roy thoughtfully.

"What am I supposed to do for a living, sir? I'm not suited to this easy lifestyle of being a mom."

"Become a secretary." He couldn't keep the grin off his face.

She slapped him lightly on the arm. "Don't even suggest that, sir."

Roy pulled her against his chest, and she sighed. "I need to take my medicine," she told him reproachfully.

"I haven't seen you for three years, Riza, medicine can wait," he murmured into her ear.

"It can't, Roy," said Riza firmly, pushing him away. "Skipping it would mean near to certain death for me." She stood and strode purposefully over to the kitchen.

"Haven't you gone to a doctor here in East City?" asked Roy as he followed her into the kitchen.

She shook her head. "Haven't the money, honestly. Kids are expensive." Riza felt around the inside of the cupboard.

"Why didn't you leave them with your family?"

She fished what she needed out of the cupboard and turned to face him with a smile. "They look just like you." Her smile faltered as the blood rushed from her face and she doubled over in pain.

Roy moved to catch her, concern apparent. "Riza, are you okay?" he demanded. "Riza, answer me!"

Riza shook her head in answer as she started to cough again, splattering blood onto her hands and the floor. She groped blindly for a towel, which she pressed to her mouth to catch the blood she coughed up.

Roy could do nothing but stroke her head and smooth the hair away from her face until the coughing finally lessened a few long minutes later. She stayed bent over for a while, trembling from the exertion.

"You okay?" Roy asked, knowing full well she wasn't.

Riza shook her head again before leaning against the counter, still holding the towel to her mouth. He smoothed the hair away from her sweat-beaded face, forcing her to look at him.

"You need a doctor," he told her softly.

She washed the towel and her hands off in the sink and took the pills with a glass of water before finally answering him.

"Nonsense," she replied with forced cheeriness. "I'm perfectly fine as long as I take my medi—" Riza started to cough again and she quickly downed the glass of water Roy handed her.

He looked at her reproachfully, and she chuckled. "All right, I know I'm not in the best of health, but I can't leave the children alone. They're number one priority until I can find a good sitter for them. Even you should be able to understand that, Roy."

He smiled at her, and she hugged him. "I do." He embraced her, and they relaxed as Black Hayate was heard trotting upstairs.

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Well, another foray into the fandom of Royai. Hope you enjoyed reading it, although I despise the ending. I despise it horribly.

Review please. I will love you forever! Even you flame me! PLEASE! REVIEW! FLAME ME! SOMETHING! I NEEEED FEEDBACK!