Chapter one: Transfers

Colonel Roy Mustang stared at the letter he held in his hand for a long time. He blinked a moment and reread the words typed out so nicely upon the official military stationary. He still couldn't believe it. This had to be some mistake, it just had to be. Why would they do this? Why?

"Sir?" Lt. Hawkeye asked softly from her desk.

Roy glanced up in dismay seeing one single box already packed. One box was all she really needed since she never really kept anything that wasn't useful to her job in that desk of hers. Why was she already packed? They had just received this startling terrible news half an hour ago. The office was silent as the grave, her voice being the only thing that disturbed the silence. No one else dared to speak.

He sighed. "Yes Riza?" He felt he could get away with calling her that since she was no longer his subordinate. The thought struck him like a wave crashing upon a rocky cliff. Riza, his friend, his confidant, his ass rider, his crutch, his right hand man, she was leaving him, this office, for what? Some post out in the boondocks? Okay granted he felt that East City was like a demotion but this place, this southern command center was worse. Still he had to be happy for her, she'd gotten a promotion.

She smiled a rare smile. "Just do your paperwork sir. I'll keep in touch."

Roy stood slowly. "You're leaving us already?" He asked sadly. "But you can't."

Riza whipped her gun out for old time's sake. "Sir that paperwork is due in two hours." She sighed as he sat back down. "Really Colonel it's just a transfer, it changes nothing between us. Just because I'm miles away doesn't mean that we're not still friends. Does the distance change your friendship with Major Hughes?"

Damn her, he thought, always the voice of reason when he wanted to pout. He was really going to miss her. "No,"

"Good," she said holstering her gun. "I'll be sure to inform my replacement of your habits and how things are done under your command so things run as smoothly as possible. It's not going to be easy for them."

Roy frowned at that. It almost sounded like this office was a burden for her and would be for the one taking her place, but no one could really take Riza's place, it just wasn't possible. He wouldn't let it happen. So what if he seemed childish, he wanted Hawkeye, no one else. This replacement who ever it was would never be able to live up to Hawkeye. "Humph,"

Riza smiled glancing at the others. "Take care boys; don't let the Colonel alienate anyone."

"Yes sir," they replied. "Good luck,"

"Thank you," She said and lifted the box. Quietly like always she left the office closing the door behind her.

Havoc was the first to speak. "So when's this new person suppose to be here?"

"In three days," Roy replied grimly. He glanced at the letter. "Some Major H.L. Kruger." He dropped the offensive letter to his desk and sat back in his chair.

Fury smiled. "Major Kruger sir, really?"

Roy frowned in distaste at the sound of the name. "You know them?"

Fury nodded. "Yes, well sort of Sir, I met her, worked with her for a week. She's nice, really and she's an alchemist too."

Roy's attention was caught. A female? A nice female and Fury liked her? Hmmm. Fury was such a mousy young man and generally liked most people. "An alchemist, what's her title?"

Fury frowned. "Uh…" Roy watched as the younger officer tried to remember. "Oh now I remember Echo, the echo alchemist. She was one of the officer's at yearly training two years ago, came in from the North I think. She was in charge of the weapons class then on the new radio operation's class. She was really great and no one fell asleep."

Roy found that a little hard to believe, no one falling asleep during a lecture. What was interesting that Fury seemed to have a small case of hero worship, kind of like he had with him. A woman who knew her weapons enough to teach a class, radio operation, and was an alchemist. Hmm, still not Hawkeye.

"What's she look like?" He asked looking at his fingernails. Damn woman had better be pretty to look at.

Fury shifted in his seat. "Well she's taller than me,"

"Fury most people are taller than you, save for Edward." Breda said with a light chuckle.

Fury didn't seem to take notice of the comment and pressed on. "Long blonde hair, longer than Lt. Hawkeye's, green eyes, light skin, she's really pretty, has a nice smile."

Roy's eye brow rose. That was it? That's all the man had to say about this woman, this woman he thought was so great? What about breast size, did she have a nice body, nice rear…where were the details! Still Fury thought she was pretty…wait a minute come to think of it he'd never seen the women Fury dated if he did date. Their standards might differ. The woman could look like some ragged old hag for all he knew. "Define pretty?" he demanded.

All of his subordinates looked at him. "Sir?" Fury asked.

Did he stutter? "Define pretty," Roy repeated. "Classic pin up or run of the mill country girl?"

Fury seemed perplexed by that. Still he spoke. "Well I suppose you might date her. I know some of the guys I was talking to thought she was really pretty, someone near me said they were going to ask her out after class. She heard him and only smiled, shook her head, and went on with the lecture."

Okay so maybe not old hag. Well he'd find out in two days when she arrived. "I don't have time for this," Roy muttered and got to signing his paperwork.

Three days later, Monday, found Roy Mustang agitated and antsy. He'd been trying to picture this Major Kruger and every picture of her…He sighed for the twentieth time in the last hour. He'd only been in his privet office for an hour, only one. He wasn't sure when this Kruger woman was to grace him with her presence but he wished she'd hurry up and get here.

Also over the last two days Roy had come up with a plan. He was miserable with out Hawkeye. So if he could piss this new woman off enough he might be able to get her to demand a transfer and he could get Hawkeye back… hopefully. He'd been devising ways to get on someone's nerves. The first was to make her sit in here with him. He'd had a desk moved in here yesterday just for that.

A soft knock upon the door broke into his current thoughts of the best ways to get rid of someone. "Come in," He said fixing the most cold, calm expression.

Slowly the door opened and a young woman walked in, dressed in a state military uniform. There was no way this woman could be Kruger. No the Kruger he'd imagined didn't look like this at all. Just for spite he'd pictured her looking like Breda, but this was no female version of Breda. First off she wasn't over weight, she was thin, had a rather nice looking rack if he did say so. Roy Mustang felt he was a pretty good judge of women's breasts since he'd seen his fair share and Kruger's weren't too big or too small. She was well built or as near as he could tell through the inform.

The next thing he noticed was her face…Classic pin up to be sure, definitely one of a kind but he got the feeling he'd seen her before somewhere. He wouldn't doubt it, she was military and an alchemist so maybe meetings in Central command's auditorium or some place like that. That nose, those slightly thin lips, the shape of her eyes…those big blue eyes…now that was a shade of blue that put a cloudless spring sky to shame. He wanted her to take off those glasses so he could get a better, clearer look. Still her features reminded him of someone. It just gave him an uneasy feeling but he didn't know who she reminded him of.

Then he noticed her hair and her perfectly shaped, slightly arched eyebrows. Her hair was a beautiful shade of golden honey, her eye brows however gave her away. They were a dark brown, too dark for her to be a natural blonde. Still the color looked good on her, made her complexion look more tanned than pale.

Okay, he thought, pushing the unrest away, so she is really pretty, pretty enough to date. Well damn. She waited at the door in silence, holding a file, expectantly almost.

"Not that I don't mind looking at you, but are you just going to stand there all day?" He asked a little coldly. One eye brow lifted and a very pretty soft smile touched her dark crimson painted lips.

Her eyes remained locked with his as she crossed the distance from the door to his desk. She handed him the file she carried and saluted. "Reporting for duty sir."

"Mm," Roy said waving her off as he placed her file upon his desk. Damn she had a pleasant voice too. "Take a seat," He listened to her walk to one of the sofas and sit down. "So you're Major Kruger, Master Sergeant Kane Fury's a little excited that you're here." He lifted his eyes to hers catching another small smile.

"I didn't know he was stationed under your command Sir."

"So you remember him?" Roy asked.

She nodded. "Of course, he was the most avid listener in a class I taught two years ago. He was adorable," She frowned slightly. "A little shy though. At least I won't have to go very far when the new radio's come in." she crossed one leg over the other and folded her hands in her lap.

Fury was mousy, not adorable. Roy dropped his eyes to her file, a small tome of information. He opened it and read it out loud. "Heidi L. Kruger," He paused. Heidi was a nice name, sounded rather pretty. "Born in Latak in the northern territories. Latak, that's near Drachma." That was interesting considering that the North wasn't exactly State friendly.

She nodded. "I know,"

"You're twenty two, female, well that's obvious." He muttered.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked softly.

Roy wasn't expecting that at all. Still he smiled. "Well we could always find out." Heidi chuckled, glancing at him and he looked back at her file. Should he mention her weight? That made most women cranky. "Weight, 120 pounds, height 5 feet six inches." That was two inches shorter than him. "Blonde hair, blue eyes, left handed, and current rank of Major. Alchemy title echo alchemist."

Roy frowned. "What does that mean? Do you annoy people to death by echoing there words back to them?"

"Sound alchemy, sir." She replied dryly.

"Sound alchemy," he repeated. He didn't know much about that; he'd have to hit the library to do some research on it. As far as he knew no one ever used sound in alchemy. It sparked some interest to say the least, in his curious mind.

"Moving on, service record. You started out in Central in the armory and research offices. Were you under Gran?"

"No, Tanaka, but he died in Ishbal." She replied.

Roy nodded, he remembered hearing about that. He hadn't know or met that man personally but knew he was highly respected and very picky about who he had working for him. "Then you were in the Eastern Rebellion." That realization made him pause. He could have seen her there and not really remembered her since there were so many soldiers fighting, coming and going. Still knowing she'd been there…She would have just been a kid and probably not too far out of basic. With her status of state alchemist and the Military calling all they had, it explained why she would have been there.

He shook his head with disapproval. "After the rebellion you were stationed at the Northern command center under a Colonel Michael Stein and then transferred to me." He noticed more sheets of paper under the top and lifted it. "Back ground information?"

Heidi nodded. "I figured it would just be easier on the both of us if I gave it to you willingly instead of you snooping around to find it. I know that Lt. Hawkeye is your right hand man and has been for several years Sir. So naturally you'd be suspicious if anyone coming into fill the position she left when transferred. At least I would be."

Damn, he'd have to call Hughes back and tell him to quit looking. Sighing, Roy began to read. It had her birthplace, who her parents were, and…"Your parents worked in a button factory?" That had to be one of the dullest jobs in the world.

Heidi grinned chuckling a little. "Is that so hard to believe? I worked there too before I came to join the military. It's not so bad as long as you've got a good book with you."

"Isn't it noisy?" He asked. He didn't know a lot about factories, but he'd always imagined them to be.

"In some places yes, after awhile you get used to the noises and can tune them out, kind of like people."

Roy was sure that statement had a hidden meaning. His eyes narrowed and he read on. From this it looked like she was exposed to alchemy through her uncle who knew enough to dabble but not enough to join up with the state. The last bit of information was that she'd been wounded in Ishbal in an explosion, had burn scars. So she probably didn't like fire too much. Too bad for her he was the flame alchemist. Well he could keep that in his back pocket for later. Now it was time to get things rolling.

Roy closed the file and rested his elbows upon his desk, chin upon his hands. "Mind answering a few questions? I'd like to get to know the person I'm going to have to rely on."

"Not at all," She replied turning on the sofa to face him. She draped her arm over the back and gave him a smile that said 'I'm ready, so bring it on'. Huh, interesting, she was ready to play ball in his arena. Good, but how long could she last? Today was just the beginning.

Roy gave her his trade mark smirk. "Let's start with interests that you have, likes."

Heidi sighed. "Well I like a variety of things, probably too much to list. I'll start with the easiest. I like rain and snow, cold weather in general. I love music, listening to it mostly. Uh… small animals, mystery novels and films, sitting outside doing absolutely nothing at all, coffee, tea, and sleeping. That's what's on the top of my head other than alchemy. Oh and flowers, but hey I'm a girl."

Filing all of that for later use Roy moved on to the next. "Any dislikes?"

"Well that's easy since I don't have that many. Hot weather, can't stand it I think I decided I didn't like it in Ishbal. I don't like flies and someday like to rid the world of them. I hate oranges and orange juice, anything too sweet food wise. I don't like staying in my apartment for too long, dreaming when I sleep, and talking about myself too much especially when my superior has a slightly evil grin upon his handsome face." The last part she said with a fantastic smile.

Roy's smile broadened. She called him handsome, well it was true. He was glad she noticed. He thought over her dislikes. He could definitely do something with the food bit and he agreed with her on the flies. He hated them too and he might just have to help her eradicate the world of them. Dreaming when she slept he could understand all too well unless it was a good dream. Nightmares left over from the war still plagued him and it was good to know that someone else didn't like dreaming either. From the sound of it she wasn't a home body. That was good, but then what did she do with her free time?

"I saw in your background information that you were in an explosion, is my being the flame alchemist going to make you uncomfortable?"

"No," She replied. "You're not planning to burn me are you?"

Roy shook his head. "No, just curious." He paused. "Are you married?"

"No,"

"Engaged?"

"No,"

"Dating someone?"

"No,"

"Planning on dating someone?"

"Not really but then again it depends on who's asking." She replied.

"Children?"

She chuckled. "No, someday maybe,"

"Siblings?"

"No,"

"Parent's or family still alive?"

"Yes, parents, cousins, no, and no aunts or uncles. It's just me and my parents left." She replied taking on the next string of questions he was going to ask.

He stood slowly, pushing her file aside. "Want to go meet the others?"

"If that's what you want me to do sir." She replied getting up.

Roy came around his desk and rested his hand on the small of her back guiding her to the door. "Oh I almost forgot, that's your desk." He pointed to the small ratty piece of junk in the corner. She nodded with no complaints but she did give him a stern look. "What's wrong?"

"You're touching me sir, that's another thing I don't really like."

He smiled. "And why is that?"

"Because I haven't let anyone touch me in three years, my reasons are my own and not open for discussion." She replied coldly. Her tone was dark enough that Roy took his hand away and slipped it into his pocket.

"This way Major," Three years, well that could be a result from a lot of things. Still three years! Man she must be frustrated.

Roy opened the door to the office housing his personal subordinates. He cleared his throat and they stood, saluting. "This is Major Heidi L. Kruger." Roy lifted a hand pointing to his men as he introduced them. "This is 2nd Lt. Jean Havoc, Master Sergeant Kane Fury who you've met, Warrant Officer Vato Falman, and 2nd Lt. Hymens Breda."

Roy watched the woman nod to each of his men with a smile. She said nothing at all. "Falman,"

"Yes sir?"

Roy smiled. "Why don't you show Major Kruger around HQ for me, tell her where everything is and pick up the mail while you're at it. Make sure not to leave out any details." He noticed Fury's shoulders slump a little.

"Yes sir," Falman replied and looked to Heidi. "Sir,"

Roy waited until Heidi and Falman were gone before taking a seat at Riza's old desk with a triumphant smile.

"You do realize if Falman takes her it will be half a day right?" Havoc asked, tapping the ashes of his cigarette in his ashtray.

Roy nodded. "And she'll be bored out of her skull, that's the plan."

"Sir are you trying to make her mad?" Fury asked sitting down.

"Not at all," The flame alchemist replied innocently.

"Uh huh, you want to get rid of her so you can try and get Hawkeye back." Breda said with a chuckle.

"Don't you think you should at least give Major Kruger a chance sir?" Fury said. "She can be really nice."

Well, Roy thought annoyed; Fury wasn't going to be of much help with his plans. "I am giving her a chance."

Heidi was smiling when she reentered Mustang's office by late afternoon. Falman had given her plenty of information about the eastern command center and told her that Mustang wasn't particularly happy that Hawkeye had been transferred. Still the man seemed to have a high regard for his commander. She did too; he just didn't know it yet. She owed him a lot and just from this mornings observations of him…He was going to make things interesting, challenging. She had to admit she was going to love seeing what he threw at her.

"We're back sir," Falman said placing the mail upon Roy's desk. Roy only nodded waving Falman off while he listened to his best friend rattle on about his daughter.

Heidi smiled able to hear the voice on the other end, but not what was being said. Quietly she eased over to her desk and sat upon the edge folding her arms over her chest to await her orders.

She cast her eyes to the ground letting her mind wander. She picked up on Roy's side of the conversation. "No I don't need that, but thank you. Sure Maes, yes well no, but…Alright bye." The phone was hung up and his char creaked. "Enjoy the tour?"

"It was most informative, thank you. Falman certainly knows a lot of very interesting things about this place." She smiled at the twitching eyebrow of her superior. Oh she knew what he was doing and if he thought that a long asinine tour with a man who clear had less of a life than she did was going to send her packing, he could think again. She was here for the long haul; she was stubborn and would take everything in stride with a smile. Besides two can play the childish game he was playing.

"By the way I tend to like mass amounts of seemingly useless information. You never know when you might need it. Now is there something you'd like me to do?"

He sat back in his chair looking at his desk then frowned looking up at her. "Heidi, I can call you that right?"

"You can call me anything you want sir, with in reason." She replied.

He nodded with a contemplative look. "Tell me something, is the reason you won't let anyone touch you because of the explosion in Ishbal?"

Heidi froze, she was completely still, not even breathing. In the last few years she had become rather good at lying, dancing around touchy subjects such as this. Some how she just didn't feel right about lying to the man, but she already had in a way even if it was to protect herself. A small smile broke out upon her face. "I said that subject wasn't open for discussion, think what you will."

He sighed. "You know I think everyone came back with scars from that place, visible or not… Look-"

"Forgive me ahead of time sir but the war; I can't talk about it…" she finally looked at him seriously. "I mean I really can't talk about it, not even with you. It's not that I don't think you wouldn't understand. It's just that-"

"Even thinking about it brings nightmares?" He asked softly. "Nightmares of things you saw, felt, and did?"

"More than that," she replied almost a whisper. It brought back the memory of a betrayal that ran so deep it was like poison in her veins searing her heart. The pain never went away, never lessened, it was always fresh. Even now that night played in her mind. She could see his face looming over her, feel his hands upon her body, tearing at the uniform, and hear his insane words.

"Heidi!"

Heidi lifted her head aware that he must have been speaking to her for a few moments with out her hearing him, lost in her tomrment. "Sorry sir,"

Roy shifted through some of the mail and held up three letters. "These are yours." He smiled lifting an eyebrow. "Who's Ivan, a boyfriend?"

She grinned getting off her desk and going to retrieve the letters. "No, a friend, a good friend."

Roy held the letters back as she reached for them smirking. "A good friend huh?"

"Yes, could I have it please?"

"Tell me why you won't let anyone touch you?"

Heidi shook her head. "No,"

"Then I'll keep these, besides one's from Lt. Hawkeye probably warning you about me, we can't have that now can we?" He opened his top desk drawer and placed them inside, then closed it.

That was illegal and he was playing dirty…She kind of liked it. Okay Roy Mustang, two can play that game. She picked up his mail, looked through it finding more than one from random women. Ivan had warned her about Mustang's flirtatious nature and his reputation for being a ladies man. Still she found one from a man named Hughes and Lt. Hawkeye. She tossed the 'fan' mail upon his desk and slipped the important ones into her pocket.

"You'll get these, the ones from Hughes and Hawkeye when I get mine."

"You can't do that it's illegal!" He snapped.

"Just as illegal as holding mine." She replied calmly.

"I'm your superior."

"Only in rank sir." She said with a light giggle. "Other than that you're my equal."

He sat still seeming to contemplate this next move. Before he could speak Heidi came around to his chair and leaned against his desk. She sighed, taking his hand in hers. The thought of touching someone, letting someone touch her terrified her beyond words. Normally one thing led to another and things progressed to deeper things and soon there was disgust, looks of revulsion, pain, and suffering. Heidi was no fool, she knew she was a monster, she knew no man would ever want to look at the mess that was her, and no one could ever get passed the wounds even if they had some of their own.

Still… there had to be some sort of middle ground where she and her new superior were concerned. Trust had to be established and it looked like she was going to have to be the first to give if she was to receive. She was the one who'd have to begin what was necessary to make a successful working relationship.

Her hand trembled as she tugged his white glove from his hand. "I'll only let you do this once and no more. Once your curiosity is sated I want you to never again mention it to me. I am trusting you with this and it's not something I trust anyone with." She held onto his hand for a moment to prove her point. He nodded, saying nothing.

Heidi swallowed steeling herself for the look, maybe a few words of disgust, and placed his hand upon her wrist. She watched his eyes leave hers, felt his warm fingers slip under the material of her sleeve and up her arm. For once in her life there was no horrified look, just a calm, thoughtful one. He pulled her sleeve up and shook his head and she thought that was it. His fingers traced the lines of the scars, the pinker colored skin and it hurt, the way he was so gentle.

He turned her arm over but didn't let go when she tried to pull away. She couldn't take it anymore and she wanted him to stop right now. Why wasn't he repulsed? She was so use to this, her body; the scars were all over marring her and made her what she was now. Everyone else was sickened by her why couldn't he be too? She didn't understand, just didn't get it.

"Heidi this is just skin, nothing more."

She said nothing and met his obsidian eyes. She couldn't say anything, if she did she might cry and she'd not cried for years, not over this and she had vowed she never would again…not even when the nightmares came leaving her screaming into the open night air in agony, not even when her skin ached with the memory of the event. She just couldn't let anyone see how much it hurt or let anyone in to walk the path of that pain. Only Ivan knew the truth, Ivan had been the one to save her, Ivan had seen the damage. At first he'd been horrified, scared for her life, not of her. That was why he was the only close friend she owned. He didn't care as long as she was alive and trying to be happy.

"I understand that it's much more, hurts much deeper than flesh can go." He sighed frowning thoughtfully as he pulled her sleeve down. "I can't believe that you're not afraid of fire, how can you not be afraid of me since it's my trade."

"It wasn't the fire that did this." She smiled. "You're just the man who plays with fire, not fire itself. So you won't ask anymore, it hurts sir, to be touched. I hope you can understand that."

Roy nodded. "I won't ask, and I won't tell anyone if that's what you want?"

Heidi nodded reaching into her pocket. She pulled out his mail, pulled her hand from his, and placed his letters there. He gave her an honest smile and retrieved her mail. She snatched them away and went to her desk with out a word, satisfied that at least one small link of trust had been established on her end. It was a sacrifice she'd had to make and got the feeling there would be many more before anything of value would come of it, but she was content with that.

"I just have one last question before we close this subject." His voice said softly from his side of the room.

Heidi looked up from the letters she held in her hand. "Yes?"

"Did you really think me so shallow to care what you looked like in this instance?" He almost seemed hurt.

Heidi shook her head. "It's just when you're use to people looking at you with pity or revulsion, even your own parents it's a little hard to expect anything else. It's…" She trailed off. But the Kruger's were not her real parents, not by blood anyway. They were adopted parents, people who'd kindly taken up the task of playing her parents.

"Painful," He replied.

She nodded. "I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again." She gave him a smile. "Thank you for not-" He held up his hand silencing her.

"Like I said everyone came back from that place scarred, some more than others, but you know something I think you're a very beautiful woman and I'm not just saying that to make you feel better. It's true, now have you unpacked yet?"

"Nope, I did make arrangements before I came for an apartment and my things were sent there."

"Then go unpack. Just be here tomorrow morning at nine am, well have a staff meeting." He said with a smile.

Heidi nodded. "Thank you sir," With that she left him alone in his office.

When Roy was sure he was alone he sighed sitting back in his chair. Damn that had been hard, really hard, seeing damage that bad done to a person. She was just a kid when it happened. Who knew how deep the emotional scarring ran. He left Ishbal with only a few small scars upon his body and larger one's to his heart that would never heal. From what he could feel and see, those scars couldn't be the only ones, and the blatant fear in her eyes…He'd seen enough of that in his life time. It must have taken a lot for her to let him see that when she'd made it clear she didn't want him too. Now he knew why and he'd never ask again out of respect. And he did respect her for being able to keep going on, moving forward in some respects. Heidi wasn't passed it in the least and probably would never be.

It was best to just put it behind them, but he'd remember and never forget that she'd been the one to take the first step toward trust. He smiled, remembering the letters in his hand. She'd taken them from him; hit him with his own game. He'd not been expecting that and of course he didn't know he even had letters from Riza and Maes. Well this should be interesting to say the least. With her giving as good as she got this should be fun. Hawkeye had never tolerated this kind of behavior from him and he wondered how long Heidi would before getting fed up.

Roy grinned setting his mail aside to start planning the next small courses of action. Oh how he wanted to see what pushed Heidi's buttons.