The Way to a Man's Heart Isn't by Crushing His Ego Chapter 39: Just Because You Won, Doesn't Mean You Followed Orders

"Come on, Mister!" Jazz shouted as she and Roy ran down one of the sandy pathways. She was a good distance ahead of him. "This way! Hurry up, hurry up! Before they catch us!" she called as she looked back and saw Roy following behind her. His pace was not as fast as she wanted.

Roy stumbled after her, going as fast as he could. Sever exhaustion and lack of sleep was winning over willpower at this point. The sun shining down on them felt good after the cold night. Riza lay limp in his arms. His mind numb as it tried to catch up with what was going on, as well as block out the immeasurable pain he felt in his arm and now in his lower back as well. The event that had taken place earlier had shocked him greatly. He felt as if his body could react, but his mind couldn't process what was going on. Everything seemed so far away and in slow motion when it was really right in front of him and happening very fast.

"Come on!" Jazz shouted again as she stopped and waited for Roy to catch up with her. "I know a good place to hide!"

He continued to stumble along; trying to take in what was going on and what had happened to them before in the fight. This had been going on for a few hours. To him it seemed like they had been running for an entirety. They were able to stop every so often. He would lay Riza down and try to examine her wounds as well as rest. But before he was even able to catch his breath they were forced to get up and move, in fear of being discovered and killed.

Roy looked up at the little girl as he began to come back to reality. The wounds on his left arm ached and bled as they were ripped open from the escape. He flinched a little as he looked down at Riza again. She lay in his arms. His left arm throbbed in pain as it supported the weight of her upper body. His good arm held the lower half of her weak and aching figure. He wasn't sure why he had the heavier end on his wounded side, but his mind wasn't really all there, which was probably the reason for it. He often wondered if she was in any pain. He hoped she was too out of it to feel anything. It almost appeared like she was sleeping, but with great difficulty breathing. His dark eyes traced her navy blue jacket as he followed Jazz. Stumbling and falling to his knees, but quickly getting back up and trying again. His eyes widened when he saw the dark red color on Riza's uniform. He had seen it before, but as his mind began to get clearer and clearer he started to realize she had been shot. His arm didn't notice the hot liquid seeping off her body and onto his sleeve from the pain rushing through it, but the right shoulder area of Riza's uniform was covered in hot sticky blood. 'Don't die' was all that ran through his mind as he stared at her. He stopped suddenly and fell to his knees as the battle scene that took place just hours before flashed before his eyes.

"Mister!" Jazz called. Once she saw Roy was not getting back up she ran back toward him. "Come on!" she shouted as she tugged on his right arm. "They're coming! They'll find us if we don't leave!"

Roy's eyes stayed fixed on Riza. They remained wide as shock overcame him. He could hear Jazz yelling at him, but she seemed so far away. Then he heard their voices, he saw the storm raging, and the two women staring at each other.

He saw Grimm and Riza glaring at each other. A smirk on Grimm face as she watched Riza struggle to catch her breath. Both their guns raised. Their target? Each other. The storm raged on behind them. It was all so clear as it replayed in his mind. It seemed just as real as the first time.

/Begin Flashback/ (Sorry, I know no other way to say this.)

"Don't worry," Grimm said with a confident smile, "We'll be sure you won't be alone too long. You can follow all your Colonel's precious orders in the afterlife."

Riza sneered as the lighting flashed, and a single shot was fired.

Bang!

Riza was overcome by shock as her amber eyes widened. Her right shoulder was suddenly numb with pain. Then she felt the heat from her blood begin to consume her uniform.

"MISS RIZA!" Jazz's piercing scream cut through the darkness. Tears in the little girl's eyes as she watched Riza stumble around a bit, and struggle to stay up, aiming her pistol and Grimm.

Grimm smirked. The others stood quietly behind her.

"Ach…" Riza flinched as she felt her blood spilling all over the ground. No. She scoffed as her body slumped forward a little. She forced herself up again. Her eyes saw all the blood on the ground. She knew it was all hers. Her arm was full of immense pain, but she managed to keep her pistol raised. The gun quivered as it was unsteadily held in the hand of her now wounded arm. Riza jeered again as she glanced up. Her pistol began to shake more violently as she tried with all her might to keep it raised. If she failed, then both she and the Lieutenant Colonel would be killed.

"Hawkeye!" Roy shouted when he saw the blood dripping on the ground. He tried to move toward her, but was quickly stopped.

"Don't move," Shadow said calmly as he pushed the blade of his sai farther into Roy's back. It wasn't enough to pierce the skin, but it was very uncomfortable.

A growl escaped Roy's lips as he cursed to himself and his attention quickly went back to Riza.

"Why don't you shoot, Lieutenant?" Grimm asked calmly as she held her gun firmly. "Are you having troubling seeing?"

Some small struggling noises escaped Riza's throat as she glared at Grimm. Her face covered with sweat as her vision blurred. She didn't have enough stamina left to speak.

"Miss Riza!" Jazz cried when she saw Riza begin to slump forward again. She could tell Riza was losing consciousness from the blood lose.

Roy sneered when he saw Riza was losing it as well. He could tell she was really getting bad when her gun fell toward the earth. Her eyes shot open when she felt it falling. She quickly tightened her grip and forced her arm up. She flinched again as the sharp pain shot through her body. She was doing some real damage to herself by forcing her arm around when it was badly wounded.

I get it... Riza said as she held her arm up. Her heavy breathing continued. She shot me in the right shoulder so I couldn't use my weapon anymore. If she disables my arm, then I can't aim my pistol. She scoffed as she felt her arm giving way again. No! She cursed as she forced it back up in the aiming position. I won't let myself be overcome by this. I can't lose it, I can't. She repeated to herself, but to no avail. She slowly and painfully felt herself slipping farther and farther into the darkness.

Grimm and the others watched with amused smiles on their faces.

Roy jeered again. I have to do something. He growled as his dark eyes glanced back at Shadow. He saw the teen had his full attention set on Grimm. This is my chance!

"No! Miss Riza!" he heard Jazz cry from the other end of the room again. The Lieutenant Colonel's gaze immediately went back to Riza long enough to see her fall to her knees. Her breathing was uncontrollably heavy as she coughed and spat, trying to get a clean breath of air.

"Are you giving up?" Grimm asked. The sound of the rain hitting the wood was heard all around them.

Riza lifted her head just high enough to see Grimm's face. Her eyes squinted as she tried to make out the teen's expression though the blurry vision. All she could make out was a satisfied smirk on her face. …no… she thought as she tried to force her arm up again. But she quickly found she couldn't lift it anymore. It felt like it weighed one thousand pounds. She growled and cursed her weakness as she looked down and saw her arm hanging limp off her shoulder. A bead of sweat traveled down her brow as she saw everything suddenly go dark.

"RIZA!" Jazz shouted as tears streamed down her face. Her heart felt as if it had stopped in her chest and her tears flowed faster. She saw Riza fall to the side. It seemed like everything was in slow motion as she watched her body hit the ground.

No! Roy scoffed. He watched as Riza lay motionless. The only movement he detected was her chest moving up and down at a fast deep pace. I have to do something now! His eyes shot back toward Shadow. When he saw the teen's attention was not on him he lunged over to the left side. He rolled and stopped a few feet away. Once away from Shadow he went for Riza. He quickly kneeled next to her. "Hold on, Lieutenant," was all he could think to say. His voice was serious and deep. It sounded as if he was giving her a direct order. He gently slid his hand under her head and lifted it, letting her rest in on his arm, and then with his wounded hand he grabbed her pistol, which lay only inches from her limp fingers.

"Damn you!" Grimm cursed. She wasn't too happy with Shadow at the moment. He'll need more training. She thought as she aimed her dark gun at Roy.

"Hey!" Hell's Fire snapped. "Shadow, watch what you're doing!"

Shadow sneered when he saw Roy had escaped. "Grimm, I got him!" he said trying to makeup for his mistake. "Try getting out of this!" he spat as he threw one of his sais at Roy.

"Mister, what out!" Jazz called when she saw the bladed weapon take flight.

Roy glanced back in the blink of an eye. The sai was right on him. He growled and was about to jump out of the way when he felt the weight on his arm. He glanced back down as saw Riza still passed out and resting on him. He scoffed when the fact that one of them was going to get hit came crashing down on him.

"Mister!" Jazz cried falling to her knees and covering her eyes with her small hands.

Shadow smirked as he watched.

Roy cursed again as he turned back to Riza. He leaned over her. His face was only a few inches from hers as he cradled and protected her.

Then the weapon made contact.

"GAH!" a scream escaped Roy's lips as he felt the sharp blades lodge in his lower back. Dammit. He cursed again as his backside burned with pain. He glanced up at Grimm, only one of his eyes were open as he tried to fight the unnerving pain. His other eye was clamped shut as all his muscles tensed from the pain.

"What's wrong, Lieutenant Colonel?" Grimm asked with a smirk. "Did that hurt?"

Roy just glared at her, hate and rage were plastered all over his face as he reached back with his wounded arm and clasped the sai's handle. Good. He thought as his fingers traced the weapon for a second. The blades didn't go in very deep. The wound shouldn't be too serious. I don't think it even got though the muscle tissue. Then he grabbed the handle again, getting a good tight grip. He hissed again and flinched. He pulled the handle straight back with great force. The weapon burst from his skin, blood oozing out after it, dripping on the ground behind him.

Roy's eyes remained on Grimm, and then they glanced back to Shadow. He saw Jazz behind the boy on the far end of the room. She was sobbing uncontrollably. Then his eyes widened when he noticed the unblocked window behind her. That's it!

"Well..." Grimm began, "It's been fun, but I think this has gone on long enough."

Roy looked back at her and smirked, "I agree."

"Hm?" Grimm's smirk quickly faded into confusion as her blue eyes narrowed on him

"Just hold tight, Lieutenant. We'll be out of here in a minute," he whispered as he shifted Riza head, moving her off his arm and resting her back on the ground. Once Riza's head was on the floor Roy shifted her pistol to his good hand, in his wounded hand he held the sai. So after he was all finished switching, Riza's gun was in his right hand, Shadow's sai in his left.

What's he up too? Grimm wondered. The dark did not allow her to see these small movements Roy made. The Lieutenant Colonel was also very careful at how he moved his weapons. He didn't move them to suddenly, or at a strange angle, in fear the sliver plating would flash in the next lightening bolt.

"Hmmm…" Shadow watched curiously. He pulled out his remaining sai, ready to attack if he thought necessary.

Roy sat still for a few minutes. He learned in training that if you don't attack immediately they will either put their guard down, thinking it was just a bluff. Or they would be too surprised to attack at that very second. His eyes wandered to the men behind Grimm. He saw some of them lying dead on the ground. The rain soaking the bodies and giving them a strange odor. He slowly opened the chamber of the gun and glanced down. Six bullets left. He thought when he saw the chamber was full. Then he glanced around, hoping the enemy wouldn't see him moving. He looked to Grimm, then Hell's Fire, then Shadow. As his eyes darted around the room he remembered Lex. His eyes shifted to the gang leader. He hasn't stepped in yet. I don't think he will be a threat. Why isn't he fighting anyway, usually the leader is the first to fight. Roy wondered. Then he shook his head a bit. Don't think about that, you have more important things to do. He scolded himself as he got serious.

"Well…?" Grimm asked after the extended silence. "Are you going to move?"

Roy smirked, "Yes, but sadly you won't be there to see it."

"What?" Grimm asked and got ready to fire. But Roy was already prepared for this. Before she could fire he pulled out Riza's pistol. He pointed the barrel up above the door and shot.

This better work. He sneered as he pulled the trigger twice. Once on the left, once on the right. Just as the second bullet hit the wood began to creak and crack loudly.

"What did you do?" Grimm snapped as her eyes hit the door frame above her. The cracking got louder, followed by the sound of planks snapping.

Hell's Fire's eyes widened. Since she wasn't directly under the door she could see things Grimm could not. "Grimm!" she shouted when she saw the door frame, and a great deal of wood that was above it begin to break part and collapse.

Grimm's eyes shot to her little sister.

"Watch out!" Hell's Fire shouted as she ran toward her sister. "IT'S FALLING!"

"What?" Grimm looked up at the ceiling again. Her eyes widened when she saw it was coming down on her. The whole front wall of the building was. Roy's bullets had knocked out a valuable part of the support for the door frame. The rest of the wall couldn't support itself, causing the whole thing to collapse.

Hell's Fire's plan was to save Grimm, but it sort of turned out the other way around. "Let's go! Everyone, get away from here!" Grimm instructed. The other men did as told and scattered around outside, a good distance away from the building. Lex ran out as well, not wanting to get stuck in the building alone with Shadow and Roy. Then Grimm turned back to Hell's Fire. The red eyed teen was standing beside her sister, unsure of what to do. She was a great fighter, but in this situation she wasn't so sure on what Grimm wanted her to do. "Come on!" Grimm said as she grabbed Hell's Fire's arm and pulled her out of the building.

"Eh!" Hell's Fire said in surprise as Grimm yanked her out. A few seconds later the wall fell, the loud crashing noise drowned out all the other sounds in the area, including Jazz's cries, and dust appeared everywhere. Roy hunched over Riza's wounded shoulder and stomach. This prevented the dirt from getting into the wounds. He flinched as some of the dust settled in the uncovered wounds on his arm and back.

As the last of the wood fell much of the outside world could be seen. There was a huge mess in front of the military dogs, but up higher on the building it was clear. All the wood that once made up the front wall had fallen down. The rain began to pour in. It landed on Roy, soaking his hair and uniform. The cold drops of water offered the wound on his back a little relief from the burning stinging pain, but it still wasn't enough to show him any comfort.

Shadow still stood behind Roy. His yellow eyes on the floor, his fists clenched with rage. The rain didn't get to him as much as it did to Roy, but it did some. His black bangs began to sink down over his piercing yellow eyes as they were pulled down by the weight of the water. "How… could you…?" He managed to spit out. His jaws began to ache as they clenched with rage. "You could have killed her." He said quietly and angrily as he looked up at Roy. "YOU COULD HAVE KILLED GRIMM!"

Roy heard him, but didn't pay any attention to the teen's shouts. He stared down at Riza. His dark eyes watching her closely.

Riza still lay on the floor. She flinched a little, and a small moan escaped her lips as the cold water hit her pale face. Roy still wasn't sure if she could feel pain. If she was able to speak she could have told him, but probably wouldn't have admitted that it really did hurt. The time-of-the-month just added more to her suffering. All in all, her stomach ached from the wounds she received from both Grimm's and Shadow's blades. Her right shoulder hurt from the gunshot wound. She could tell the nerve was involved in the damage. She didn't know if she had done it while forcing her arm up, or if the bullet had snagged it, but there were sharp, shooting pain running down her arm every few seconds. Her chest was filled with pain. She didn't know if that was from the gunshot wound or just from working over her limit. Her abdomen continued to ache from the never-ending cramps. The stress of it all just made her muscles tense tighter and more frequent, causing the cramps to never cease. She felt sick to her stomach, and her head hurt like anything. That time-of-the-mouth gave her one heck of a splitting headache.

Roy still sat next to her. His face wasn't as it usually was. It was calm, but it held something else besides calmness, a bit of failure lingered there as well. "I'm sorry, Lieutenant," he began. His voice was calm and quiet. You could hear the failure he felt in his tone of speech. "I was under orders to aid and protect you in this mission. I guess it tuned out the other way around, huh? You ended up saving me." he smirked with a bit of a chuckle. "I'm really glad you can't hear me right now, Hawkeye. I guess it's only fair I say this." Suddenly his voice perked up a bit and held some cockiness. He was beginning to come back to his old self. "Actually being able to hear it was never talked about anywhere in the rules. So as long as I say it I have an un-guilty conscious." Then his smirk faded and his voice got quiet and calm again. "Remember that fight we had back in Central? Well, I guess you won. You showed me a woman could do a man's job, if not better. Congrats."

There was almost a dead silence in the room for a few minutes as the people who inhabited it thought over what had happened to them. The only sounds that were heard was the rain outside and Jazz's sobs in the back of the room. Every now and they they'd hear a loud snap, or crack, followed by a curse word. Telling them the gangsters were trying to get back in by climbing over the mess, but so far none of them was succeeding. Roy saw no reason to worry about it.

Then Shadow broke the silence. "I'll kill you! You almost killed Grimm!" he snapped again as he summed up enough strength to swallow some of the emotion. This allowed his fists to relax a little. After Grimm had taken him in out of her own free will, nursed him back to health, and taught him everything she knew. The thought of her beginning killed caused something inside him to snap.

Roy's attention went back to the enraged boy. His face became serious and he tightened his grip on the gun and the sai. "If you allow us to go free, then I will not harm you," he said hoping Shadow would let them pass, but judging by the way the teen was acting he didn't think it was going to happen.

"Don't give me that crap," Shadow replied. He was once again overcome with rage. His fists were clenched so tight his fingernails dug into the skin of his palms, causing them to bleed. "You almost killed Grimm," he snapped again. Then his face met Roy's. "YOU ALMOST KILLED GRIMM! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL KILL YOU BOTH!" he spat as he grabbed his sai and pointed it at Roy.

Roy clenched the sai even tighter in his wounded hand.

"Take this!" Shadow yelled. His voice full of hate and rage. Then he lunged at the military dog.

Before the boy got to them, Roy threw the sai at Shadow.

Shadow's eyes widened and he stopped dead in his tracks. He used his sai to block the one Roy had just thrown. A loud clang was heard as the blades hit each other and began to entangle.

Once Roy heard the loud noise he scooped Riza up and dashed for the back of the room.

"GET BACK HERE!" Shadow cursed as he grabbed the end of the second sai and pulled them apart. "STOP!" he shouted again. He was about to throw the bladed weapon at Roy again.

"Mister, watch out!" Jazz cried. Once she heard the loud clang her attention came back to them.

Roy quickly glanced back. When he saw Shadow about to throw his weapon he stopped and turned to face him. In the blink of and eye Riza's silver pistol became visible in his hand.

"Damn…" Shadow growled. He threw his sai just as Roy opened fire.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Roy contained to fire until Riza's gun was out of bullets. He dodged the sai easily. The blades landed in the wooden floor, leaving the handle sticking in the air. "Sorry, kid," he said as he stared at Shadow.

Shadow glared at him, unsure of what he had done. Just then he heard the wood below him cracking. "NO!" he snapped as he looked down and felt the floor below him give way. Just then there was a loud thud as dust appeared and clouded the air everywhere in the immediate area.

Roy smirked. That trick always works. I wish we had floors like this at home. Then he turned around and ran to the back of the room. "You ok?" He asked as he approached Jazz.

"Uh-huh," she replied with a small nod. Then she looked at Riza.

"Don't worry," Roy began when he saw her worried face, "We'll save her."

Jazz smiled, "Come on! This way! I know where we can go!" she chimed as she ran over to the window and climbed out.

Roy followed. It was a little difficult with Riza in his arms, but after a few seconds he got out.

"Go around the back!" They heard Grimm's voice shout.

"Did she just think of that now?" Roy asked.

"No," Jazz replied, "She was trying to get in the front. That way is a lot faster. The wood usually breaks easy. She was trying to get though it first. Once she saw she couldn't is when she decided to come back here."

"Oh," Roy replied.

"Yeah! Come on, let's go!" she said again with a smile as she took off running.

He quickly followed.

/End Flashback/

"Mister!" Jazz tugged on Roy's arm hard, bringing him out of his thoughts. She was beginning to get very scared and irritated. She knew she really shouldn't, but she was about read to go and yank on his wounded arm.

Roy looked down at her with a questionable expression.

"Come on, they're coming!" she said.

"Let's go this way!" they heard a voice call. It wasn't that far away and sounded like it was heading their way.

"Jazz!" Roy snapped as he stood up, "Why didn't you tell me they were coming?"

Jazz's expression became annoyed, "I di-" She tried to retaliate, but Roy grabbed her arm… sort of… while holding Riza he couldn't really grab her, so he pushed her a little.

"Where's that place you were talking about?" Roy asked as he led the way.

A big smile appeared on Jazz's face when he brought up her hiding place. She quickly ran in front of him. Her body facing him as she jogged backwards. "It's not far! Come on!" she shouted happy then turned around and dashed off.

Roy stared after her. His mind was now clear, clear enough that he could tell what was going on at least, and things weren't in slow motion or far away anymore. All he needed was a little time to rest. He tried to speed up, but was held back when the pain in his back shot though his body. Don't over due it. He scolded himself again. Don't over exhaust yourself. It will only make things worse if you do. He repeated over and over. He was quickly worn down, more quickly then he realized. Before they had made it too far he was stumbling around again, but thankfully his mind wasn't clouded.

"In here!" Jazz said as she pointed into a doorway.

Roy stopped and glanced up at the building. It looked just like any other building. There was nothing special about it. "This is your great place?"

"Yes!" Jazz said with a proud smile and dashed in.

Roy gave somewhat of a sigh. Well… as long as they won't find us. He thought as he looked down at Riza, and then started in.