A/N: Well this one's short, sorry there's not much Ed and Al. As this is my second fic I'm still trying to get the hand some some of the characters, so sorry for the OOCness. Just let me know how bad it gets and if you life, haite, toss it to the cats down the street (and at the risk of stepping out of FMA... Na No Da).

Chapter Two: Let the games begin

By the end of week one Roy was beginning to run out of ideas. One he had been loaded down with massive amounts of paperwork, paperwork Heidi offered to help with, at least sorting into piles of what just needed his signature and what actually had to be read. She read the ones that had to be read then summarized them for him when there was too much for him to get done in one day. She did all of this and still managed to get her paperwork finished, attend meetings, and run a few errands. She was always working and working hard, even during the 'free time' when no one else seemed to be working.

Two he was feeling Hawkeye's eye upon him from this distance. In her letter she told him to behave and that if he waited and just got to know her replacement, he might find that he actually liked them.

And lastly, damn Hawkeye for being right. Roy really did find that he liked Heidi. She was sarcastic, nice when she wanted to be which was most of the time, did what ever he asked with out question even when she thought there had to be some kind of mischief behind it, and when there was she only smiled.

What was really interesting was that while he'd never seen her perform her alchemy, or really had the time to or remembered to go do some research on it, was that Heidi simply had a wonderful set of vocal chords. Out of no where, while doing work she'd hum some little tune in her head. Sometimes the tune was haunting, sometimes cheerful, sometimes sad, sometimes it sounded like a love song and several he'd heard on the radio or owned records to. He didn't mind of course, in fact he rather enjoyed listening to her. There always seemed to be some melody playing in her head and always made its presence known to him when she absently hummed it. Once he'd actually her head sing the lyrics to one song he'd never heard before. It was kind of sad, about someone who felt the other person in the song wouldn't miss them at all even if they bled, dreamed of them. She always apologized for interrupting him… after she noticed she was humming of course.

There were some annoying things that she did though like chewing on her pens and she always had a pen on her. Whether or not it was in her hair or in her pockets. She wouldn't open a conversation, just answered questions and never asked any of her own. She always avoided her personal life, sidestepping it with ease and skill. She always wore her hair up and never down and that he did want to see. He figured if he was going to have little strands of golden hair in his office, not that there were many, he should at least get to see it down once.

Friday brought a lull in the paper work and Heidi had finally finished working. Today during the 'free time' she was reading some novel she'd brought, minding her own business. Roy had been watching her, pretending not too of course by looking like he was doing something important. In the last hour he'd seen more facial expressions from her than he'd seen in one whole week and wouldn't you know it she laughed too. He wanted to know what was so funny, but refused to ask.

He tapped his pen upon his desk thinking over all the little 'childish' pranks he'd played on her this week. He'd glued some of her paperwork together on Tuesday. That she fixed alchemically but had waited until he was out of the room for a walk before lunch then glued his together, all of them, every single sheet. He thought that was just damn sneaky.

He'd taken all the staples from her stapler and pretended not to have any in his on Wednesday. So she made an errand to the supply station on the first floor, then not given him any when he'd run out until he'd asked her nicely.

Thursday he'd locked the women's bathroom on this floor alchemically so she had to either use the men's restroom or go down a floor. It was a good thing she was the only female on this floor. Sadly she'd figured that out and unlocked it. Her revenge for that was to wet the floor under his desk and leave some toilet paper around so that it stuck to his shoes with out him noticing. When he'd gotten up to leave with Havoc in the room, no less, she'd ever so kindly mentioned it to him. Havoc seemed to think it rather amusing, he did not.

And today he'd been brave and pulled two pranks. The first was to make her coffee for her. He'd learned that she wasn't most alert person first thing in the morning, at least not until she'd had a cup of coffee. She'd sat at her desk and picked up the heavily sugar laced cup and taken one huge gulp. The expression of utter horror had him snickering so badly he'd had to leave the room so he could laugh. When he came back she glared poison daggers at him, but little did he know she'd switched their cups. That was the most god awful coffee he'd ever made, but his Major was very awake and ready to go.

The second prank he'd played was to salt her food excessively during lunch when she wasn't paying attention and deeply lost in a conversation with Fury about the new radios they were due to get next week. That had her gagging and drinking not only her water but his tea. A fair trade, he supposed since he'd gotten to see yet another uniquely mortified expression. She however topped him on this one hands down. While he'd been distracted by some lower ranking female officer, she'd poured hot sauce under his meat loaf which he always smothered in ketchup. He'd not even noticed and since he had nothing to drink at all it made it a little worse. But she'd been nice enough to get him some milk and then some water to sooth his burning mouth.

Rumors of all these pranks were circulating around Eastern HQ and he'd heard that there were actually bets going on to see who could come up with something better. It had started in his own subordinate's office down the hall. He didn't mind at all, they were getting work done and still managing to have some fun even if it was rather childish and out of proper military behavioral conduct. It was a good distraction for everyone really since nothing was going on, which was a blessing, but took away from the dull atmosphere.

But what was troubling him was what to do next week. Should he up the steaks or continue with way things were. He knew he couldn't get too carried away else someone might get hurt or least of all risk news reaching Central or worse, Hawkeye. Yes he wanted to see her, have her back at his side, but he didn't want a surprise visit with raining bullets at his head either.

"Colonel Mustang," Heidi said softly.

Roy looked up from his scribbling. "Hm?"

She smiled, walking toward his desk with her small brief case in hand. "Thanks for an interesting week; I'll see you on Monday."

Roy glanced at the time. Was it really time to go home already? Sure enough it was. "What are you doing this weekend?" He asked. He'd been wondering what exactly she did in her free time, no it had been bugging him.

"I thought I might walk around and see East City, write a letter to my parents, finish getting my apartment in order. I left my coffee maker in the north."

Roy smirked. "You don't like my coffee?"

She laughed, "No," Her smile faded and she looked toward the door.

"What's wrong?" He asked getting up. He'd never seen her do this and she looked tense, her hand easing toward her pocket.

"You can't hear that sir, it sounds like someone running," She turned her head. "One foot heavier than the other, and clanking?"

Roy listened already knowing who it was. Fullmetal was back from his latest mission. Now he heard it and sighed retaking his seat. "It's just Fullmetal and his brother Alphones, it's okay he usually enters like this." The heavy foot falls became louder and suddenly his door burst open.

"BASTARD!" Ed snapped his usual greeting as of late. "Why did you send me there!" He frowned seeing someone new in the office. He pointed at Heidi. "And who's she?"

Roy waited until Alphones had caught up. "Brother! Sorry Colonel."

Roy watched Heidi, trying to decipher her expression. She looked thoughtful then she smiled. "Fullmetal, Alphones, this Major Heidi Kruger. There were some transfers while you were away. She replaced Lt. Hawkeye. Major these are the Elric brothers."

"Riza's gone?" Al asked downheartedly. "I didn't even get to say good bye."

"She left an address for you both if you want to write." Roy said with a smile. It was nice that Al and Ed liked Riza and went to her for advice or just to talk.

Ed looked the newcomer over with interest and suspicion for a moment obviously more interested in her at the moment than what he'd wanted to yell at him for. "Hi," He said finally.

Heidi's smile grew. "It's nice to meet you Edward, Alphones." It was as if Ed's height and Alphones being in a seven foot suit of amour didn't faze her in the slightest. "If you'll excuse me I believe I have to plan for next week and win that bet sir."

Roy gave her a smirk. "I'm looking forward to it Major, good night." Before she was out the door Ed picked up right where he'd left off in his tantrum and suddenly Roy wished he could call her back in.

Roy sighed beginning to pack up his desk.