Hey! How's it going? Hope you're liking the story so far! It's in parts, BTW, b/c it's pretty long, but not long enough to be put into actual chapters… so yeah… here's Roy-Fan-33's site! B/C is bad about links, I'm going to do it in "line" format... so please, bear with me, and try your best to put the puzzle pieces together!

freewebs dot com slash roy-fan-33

Get it? Got it? Good! Now, please read and visit her site:)

I do not own FMA – but I did e-mail Vic Mignogna yesterday! He says he loves FMA to death! Eeee!

"It Takes Love to Live, Part 2"

Roy Mustang stood next to Maes Hughes, doubled over and gasping for air – he had just run the entire way from his office to the military parade grounds and was absolutely winded. Maes looked down at him in mild amusement.

"So, Roy, what's this all about then? Finally realize just how big of a mess Fullmetal is in?"

Roy jerked his black-haired head up at the comment. He stared Hughes dead in the eyes. "Do you think I'm actually that dense?" he spat.

Hughes gave a goofy grin and waved a hand in the air. "Sorry, I'm sorry! Geez, Roy, I knew that, I was just having a little bit of – "

"Don't you dare say it, Hughes!"

"… fun…" Hughes finished, deflated. He pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and looked curiously at his best friend, who was now taking stock of the soldiers around him, making sure that only the best of the best had been assembled… Hughes knew that Roy cared deeply for all of his subordinates, but still… Roy had been acting very strange these past few days… first, he sends the Fullmetal Alchemist, the very person Roy had always been so protective of, out on the most dangerous undercover mission Central HQ had seen in years; next, he seemed to pay almost no attention to the report that had been sent in almost two days ago stating that gunfire had been observed in the area under surveillance, and that the Fullmetal Alchemist had been taken prisoner; finally, Roy comes running out the way he does, filled with terror and regret. Hughes narrowed his eyes, thinking hard. It wasn't like Roy to regret anything, much less have an emotional reaction towards one of his subordinates all at once like that… he cared for his men too much to ignore their plight… perhaps he didn't care?

'No, no, that can't be it…' Hughes thought as he observed Roy shouting out orders, fire burning in his onyx eyes. 'Unless…' Hughes stopped breathing; his eyes grew wide. 'That's it!' he thought excitedly. 'That's the reason! That explains it all! Why he sent Edward, of all people, on such a dangerous mission! Why he seemed to refuse to believe at first that Ed was in trouble! Why he's acting the way he is right now! It's not that he doesn't care enough! It's that he cares more than he used to! Roy Mustang is in love with Edward Elric!'

"Wahahahaaaa!" Hughes laughed out loud, excited at having finally solved this "riddle."

Roy turned and looked at him, fear and confusion written plainly on his face.

"Alright, men!" Hughes shouted at the assembled soldiers, who, before turning towards the laughing Hughes with looks similar to Roy's, were about to get into the military vans. "MOVE OUT!" Hughes bellowed.

A cheer rose up from the soldiers as they quickly loaded into the vans, their blood pumping and adrenaline rushing at the thought of going into the mission.

Roy stood there, dumbfounded, as Hughes climbed into the back of the last van.

"Well, Roy? Are you coming or not?" Hughes asked with a smile as he stretched out a hand towards the Colonel.

Roy stood for a moment, then gave a large smile as he took Hughes' proffered hand and climbed into the back of the van. As the vehicle's engine roared to life, Roy looked back at the Military Headquarters building, shining brilliantly white in the early morning sun. "I'm coming, Ed…" he whispered as the van rumbled down the road, heading south towards Edward Elric…

…

Wow! So, how do you guys like so far? Sorry it's a cliffie! But… As we speak, I am typing up part 3! Should be the final part, but I'm really not sure yet… No more than 5 parts though, any more would be simply ridiculous… Please R&R!