"Why...?"
"Excuse me?"
"WHY!"
The girl stomped her foot on the ground hard, splashing mud everywhere. As she stomped, something in the mud was kicked up and hit Riza in the leg. The cloaked child stared at the object before picking it up and staring at it.
"After pushing me away only days ago, why come to me now? After ignoring me, why do you want to find me now? After THIRTEEN years, why did you come to my home and ruin my birthday? The very day you tossed me away!"
The child removed her hood to reveal Alexis. Her long brown hair and silver streaks clung to her face as the rain drenched her from head to foot. Riza stared at the child in shock. For some reason, Alexis looked different then the times before. She looked more real. Like now because Riza accepted her mistakes, Alexis seamed more real. Riza now knew those were tears running down her face, not rain drops.
"I'm sorry..."
Is al Riza could mutter out.
"Your sorry? After all of this...?"
"I know it's not much, but it is all I can give you. After thirteen years your father is right. It's too late to come back. I can't erase the past and all my mistakes. I'm sorry I came here tonight..."
Riza turned around and began to walk away. Riza felt something hit her in the back of the head. She stopped walking and bowed her head.
"Why... why did you not keep me? Why?"
Riza couldn't answer. All she could do was stare at the puddle she stood in. Alexis must o picked up the necklace again. She tossed it at Riza once more, but this time, Riza turned around and caught it. Alexis stared at Riza in shock as the quick movements. Without any more words, Riza fell to her knees in the mud and placed her hands on the ground.
"All these years I tried to ignore the feeling in my heart that bugged me every second of my life. And after telling myself over an over that what I did was nothing. I began to believe myself. Then you came to Central and everything changed. The feeling returned, but I labeled it as something else. You approached me in the park, and I ignored you. Only after looked into the face of my newborn baby did everything come back to me. All those emotions I felt thirteen years ago rushed back to me and crushed me. I couldn't hold them in any longer. I cracked. Forgetting how much time has passed, I came back here to beg for your forgiveness. but now I see to much time had passed..."
Riza sniffed once and felt a set of small arms wrap around her neck. the sound of crying entered her ears as Alexis fell to her knees and hugged her. Riza wrapped her arms around the child and held her close.
"I'm sorry Alexis, I didn't mean to hurt you."
Alexis continued to cry on Riza's shoulder. Her arms tightening around her neck. She sniffled once, then twice and then pulled back.
"I forgive you. Just please, are you willing to be my mother?"
"Yes..."
Riza didn't even hesitate as she smiled into the face of her long lost daughter. Riza removed her hood and hugged her daughter as the rain poured down.
The following day, Riza returned to Ishbal under the cover of darkness, this time no rain. She approached the house and before she could knock, the door was opened. Rose greeted Riza and allowed her inside. Kendra was playing in the corner with a doll and Scar was entering the room holding a small bag. Riza pulled off her hood. Scar handed Riza the bag and she took it. Through a mutual agreement, Alexis wanted to live with her mother, but return to visit her father now and then. Riza took the bag and looked at it with a raised eye brow.
"Is this all...?"
"Nope..."
Rose smiled as she watched Alexis come walking out of the room she shared with Kendra. She carried two larger bags full of clothes, books, and other stuff. Riza smiled at Alexis whose hair was back to blonde. The silver streaks were tied into their own individual pig tails while the rest of her hair hung down her back. Riza took those two bags and managed to hold them all. Rose escorted Riza out of the house again.
"Please, if you see Edward Elric, tell him hello for me."
"I will, rose, and thank you for being a great mother to Alexis."
Rose smiled as Alexis exited the house wearing her brown cloak. Kendra approached teary-eyed and hugged Alexis.
"Bye , bye..."
"Bye Kendra. Be good."
Kendra smiled a small one and Alexis pulled up her hood, turned to follow her mother. She took one of the bags to help and together they headed home to Central. In Central city, Roy and Ryan greeted Alexis at the door.
"Welcome to Central Alexis."
"Thanks."
Roy took the bags and placed them by the stairs. He took Ryan into the other room while Riza an Alexis got warmed up. Alexis walked into the house and looked up. It was huge. Riza approached from behind and placed her hand on her shoulder.
"You okay?"
"Yeah... it's just gonna take me a while."
"Maybe this will help."
Alexis looked at Riza and Riza smiled. Coming down the stairs were two kids her age, Bri and Joe. Alexis got all excited and ran to them, hugs all around.
"You guys are here?"
"Just for a week to help you get settled in."
"Thanks."
They smiled and Riza watched as Joe managed to grab Alexis' hand. Alexis only smiled and held his hand. Riza crossed her arms over her chest and smiled at the friends. Quickly, the tree grabbed her stuff and ran upstairs to find Alexis' room. Riza watched them go as Roy came back out.
"This a good idea?"
"It was her idea. And I believe it is a good idea."
"Now I have a younger sister AND an older sister?"
"Yes."
Riza picked up Ryan and smiled.
"Just watch yourself, when Emiko gets older, you will be out numbered."
"Don't tell him that, Roy."
"Girls have cooties..."
Roy and Riza laughed at their son's recent discovery. It was going to change allot of things having Alexis around, but maybe the change will be for the better.