Trust
Part One

It was unfair, really, thought Roy for the tenth time that hour alone. He was perfectly capable of doing this own work in a timely manner, and honestly didn't need any assistance at all. Especially if said assistance came in the form of his hard-eyed subordinate somehow finding a good reason to take out her gun and clean it anytime his pace slowed. Or in the form of discovering one of his men stationed outside his office door. Anytime he even dared peak outside, there but not only the distinctive 'click' of a gun being cocked, but also at least one person good-naturedly calling out "How goes the work, Colonel?".

Absolutely unfair.

It didn't help that this was perhaps one of the driest mission reports he had ever read in his life. If the other hundred in the pile were anything like this, he'd probably leave his office, Hawkeye or no. A noble death was preferable to the absolute shutting down of his mental capacities. He'd prefer to die with some dignity intact. What was worse, the coffee wasn't even helping. What an awful day... and it wasn't even noon yet.

On horrible days like this, he really missed having the Fullmetal around. Sure, he was cocky, rude, and loud... but he was amusing. The older alchemist really was fond of him. Ed was hard not to like-- his determined, earnest, intelligent, and secretly kind-hearted nature really grew on a person. Not that Roy had any plans to tell him that.

He had been content enough to help the boy the best he could. To watch and listen to Edward as he rushed about base, ranting about something (or, often, someone, usually the Colonel himself) or excitedly chattering on about some new book he read.

Edward's own mission reports were probably the most unprofessional ever to grace the desks of the military. Or at least Roy's. But they, too, were fun. He'd always locate Edward's report right off the bat, then slip it strategically to a point half-way into his pile of work. That way, when he was close to nodding off... or ready to strangle someone... there the report would be.

Said reports were always a highly enjoyable experience, if one could ignore the bragging, the hiding of information, the insults, and the swearing. It was the other parts that Roy enjoyed the best. Strange and often utterly hilarious pointless anecdotes about the damnedest things. Rants about how the quality of food in town wasn't quite as good as so-and-so town's. Alchemical theories and half-complete arrays drawn in margins. One time, there was a play by play of a puppet show Edward and Alphonse had seen. Another time, a cookie recipe.

Roy had never been good at Intelligence; that had been his good friend Hughes' forte. But, he knew one thing: One could not read those hastily scribbled pieces of paper without getting a very good idea of who and what Edward Elric was. It took no skill at interpreting data, Fullmetal's personality was so overwhelming that somehow it spilled onto the paper. Hardly surprising.

Smiling fondly, Roy took a sip of his coffee and then grimaced. It was getting cold already. He probably should be paying better attention. Hawkeye was due to stop by with his lunch (usually his favorite, on these busy days) in several hours. She'd notice if he fell behind, and he really didn't feel like explaining it was because he was daydreaming about Edward.

How amusing, even gone Edward somehow still made trouble for him. The boy would be proud, Roy was sure. He could almost hear him now, laughing at the older alchemist even as he asked if all old people let their minds wander. The word 'senility' probably would be brought up. At least five times. In as many minutes.

Roy really did miss him.

It was a selfish thought. Ed's reasons for not being active in the military were excellent and wonderful ones. The brothers had accomplished what the Flame Alchemist still could not... they had made their dream-- their goal-- reality.

Roy had seen the results for himself. After an excited phone call, he had rushed over to the abandoned warehouse the boys had used for their little experiment and found a miracle. A shyly smiling boy had greeted him from the floor, flushing in embarrassment. Edward had been kneeling by the young-- now human bodied-- youth, his arms gently wrapped around pale flesh like he never wanted to let go. Ed had grinned proudly when Roy entered.

"We did it."

It was one of the happiest moments in their short, painful, lives-- and it showed. The sense of relief in that dingy room that day had been palpable. Just the memory of it lightened Roy's expression.

He and the others in the military and been almost as ecstatic-- Fury and Armstrong were unable to work for days without suddenly bursting into happy tears, and the others were just as prone to suddenly laughing happily like idiots.

Thus, they had no problems doing whatever they could to assist and protect the Elrics. Edward had asked for time off in order to help with his brother's adjustment period and physical therapy, and Roy had given it to him without hesitation, throwing in a safe-house for the boys to do it in as part of the bargain. Their dorm room was no place to stay in full time, after all.

That wasn't the half of it, either, but it was all the boys had needed to know. The Colonel and his men had made other arrangements. The Elrics were naive, and had no idea how vital and therefore watched they were by the higher-ups. Excuses had to to be made for Edward's leave of absence. A single slip up about what really had happened... and the newly restored Alphonse and also his skilled older brother would have been thrown into jail, blackmailed, or worse.

It had taken days of work and months of little sleep to get it to work. They had to set a lot of false clues and leads, use copious amounts of distraction, and do more paperwork then Roy cared to imagine... but they had been able to keep the Brass off the trail. The boys were safe, happy, and, of course, better off.

They were also gone now.

Sighing, Roy picked his pen up and returned to the paperwork. He might as well be practical. If he hurried, he'd be able to catch up to where he should be right now.

He was a good third of the way into the pile when he heard it. Outside, it suddenly become noisy-- many voices were chattering at once, sounding loud and happy. Something obviously had happened. Curious, Roy stood up, intending to exit and see what it was.

"Hey Colonel! How's it going?"

His door was now open, and framed in it was one familiar looking figure. As usual, his visitor stepped into Roy's office without permission and with no regard to proper protocol. He was grinning widely as he did so. Gold eyes were flashing, a curious expression was present, and blond hair was tied back in its usual semi-neat braid.

The Fullmetal Alchemist.

How ironic.