DISCLAIMER: As usual, I do not own the FMA characters or anything else relating to it. I did plan on stealing Roy for myself, but feared that Riza would not appreciate it much.
A/N: Okay, here's chapter 3. Again, I'm sorry for the slow-ness of the story. Trust me, next chapter will be a lot more interesting. Still trying to set a foundation for the story. From now on, updates will be spread out a little so I can focus more on the storyline to come. Chapter 4 will be up ASAP.
Chapter 3: "A Stone To Die For". RM.
"So, you did some research yourself, eh Fullmetal?" I said slowly.
He smirked at me, knowingly. I hated that look more than ever, especially when it was coming from him. I hated feeling inferior to a fifteen-year-old.
"Yeah, I guess I did," he replied smugly. "Bet you're glad I did, too, eh Colonel? Or you'd still be back at square one."
I kept my cool. He was only stroking his own ego, which I had certainly gotten used to. I glanced back toward Hawkeye, who was watching me carefully. The look on her face was unreadable.
Why is she looking at me like that? Stop it! Look away!
I had to force myself to look back at Ed, who was continuing to look like he was sitting on top of the world. Maes sat in the other chair, trying to look innocent. Finally, I spoke up.
"I guess the real question now is," I said calmly. "How did you find out about the murders? They were supposed to be kept secret."
I glanced at Maes, who was looking at the floor. Ed turned toward him and then looked back at me. Hawkeye took her gaze off me to look at him. I could tell that she had been wondering the same question.
"Lieutenant Colonel Hughes, told me..." he said matter-of-factly. "That's when I took the list of victims and cross-referenced it with some names I found in an old record book."
I stared at Maes. "Maes," I started. "What did I say shortly before you left?"
"Sorry, Roy..." he said. "I couldn't resist."
"You're lucky I don't write you up for disobeying orders," I said seriously.
He knew I wasn't really serious, but I had to keep some sort of authority around the kid. Maes had covered my ass so many times that it wouldn't be fair for me to get him for something so small.
Or at least, it was small now. If Ed was already interested in helping, he was more than likely to get even more involved and possibly hurt along the way. We didn't know what we were dealing with.
"Why are you even interested in this?" I said, focusing back on Ed.
"You didn't let me explain yet, Colonel..." He said, losing the smug look.
"Explain away..." I leaned back in my chair and folded my fingers together. Watching him with interest. I was keen to hear what he had to say. It was my turn to wear a smirk.
"Each and every one of the victims on the list had something to do with the research of the Philosopher's Stone." he stated ardently.
Ah, of course...
He was only in it for the stone. I knew it. Well, not completely. I had no idea that they were involved with it. This would certainly make things more interesting.
"Lieutenant Hawthorne was involved with the stone?" I asked, eyeing Ed. "I didn't know he was a specialist in that field."
It wasn't Ed who answered. "It was undercover work. He was one who was to keep an eye on the Homunculi. Disguised mostly as a citizen, he could overhear conversations easily." Maes answered.
"Had he learned anything?" I continued.
Maes shook his head. "I don't know, sir. The Führer is looking into it, to see exactly what Hawthorne was working on."
I looked at him quickly. "You've already told the Führer about this?"
"Yes," Maes answered briskly. "We figured it was something he would like to know about."
I frowned and looked down at my desk. The papers from earlier were still there, but several of them were missing. I chuckled under my breath.
"Clever, Maes..." I muttered. "You sneak back in here while I'm gone and go through my work." I looked up at him. "You know, that kind of stuff will get you into trouble some day."
He smiled wryly. "It's my job, sir."
I shook my head slowly, becoming more serious. "From now on, any information you obtain about the Philosopher's Stone or about the murder victims or the alleged Alchemist killer stays between us. I don't want anymore people involved. Any information passed on to the Führer will be given to him by me. Is that understood?"
They all stared back at me, unmoving. Slowly, I saw Hawkeye nod her head. Maes followed, however Ed remained still. I knew he would never tell King Bradley about anything, but he couldn't resist telling others of his great discoveries.
"Ed..." I said warningly. "Is that understood?"
He nodded shortly. "I can tell Al though, right?"
I sighed. Of course he could tell Al. Al would probably be the one to keep his head in a situation like this. "Yes, Ed. You can tell Al."
"All right." he said. "Cause he already knows..."
I sighed and looked at Hawkeye for help. She caught my eye and turned to the others.
"Well, the Colonel has a lot of work to do, so I think it's best the two of you got back to work." she told them.
Standing, they headed for the door. I knew they would continue talking in the hallway about it, completely disregarding my orders, but frankly, I didn't care at the moment. I looked at Hawkeye almost pitifully.
"Thank you," I said quietly.
"No problem, sir..." she replied.
I watched as she walked over to my desk and picked up the folder containing the information on the murder victims.
"Do you think it's true?" I asked.
"What?" she said, looking over the papers. "That they were all involved with the Philosopher's Stone?"
I nodded. "Yes."
She glanced over the top of the folder. "It's possible. Edward does know a thing or two when it comes to that topic. I do believe he knows what he's talking about."
I nodded again, this time a lot slower. She flipped through a few pages, looking very solemn.
"So many people have died looking for this stone. I wonder why anyone even bothers anymore..." she said.
"It's a stone many would die for," I told her quietly. "It gives you unlimited power. Power to bring back the dead. Power to restore even the worst of fates. Power to do anything you've ever wanted. So many would give anything to possess it, do anything..."
She watched me, as I thought for a moment. I had a sneaking suspicion of who might be involved in the murders, but it didn't make much sense.
"Are you thinking of the Homunculi, sir?" she asked as if she could read my mind. I wondered sometimes if she honed that particular skill.
"Yes..." I answered.
"Do you think they're behind this?" she leaned against the desk lightly.
"No," I said honestly. "It doesn't sound like them at all, but I wouldn't put it past them to be in on it somehow. After all, they do know everything there is to know about the Stone and they don't want anyone else to know about it."
"I agree, sir..." Riza said, looking back at the papers. "But why would they leave such a clean trail? It's not like them."
I leaned further back in my chair, tempted to kick my feet up onto desk. I could tell that this was going to cause me to many long nights of restless sleep. It was growing increasingly more difficult to sleep at night with the million and a half thoughts racing through my head.
Not to mention I hadn't been on a date in over two weeks...
"I don't know, Hawkeye..." I said wearily, glancing at my watch. It was only noon. I was in for a very, very long day, which I hoped would not be filled with even more paperwork.
As if the world were out to get me, there was a knock on the door and Fuery entered looking hesitant.
"Lieutenant Colonel Mustang," he said nervously. "I have some papers for you. They're from the Führer , sir."
"What are they?" I asked, eyeing the several folders in Fuery's hands.
"Just some reports you need to fill out, sir, I believe." he answered, looking down at them. "He says he wants them back to him before tomorrow morning. All of them."
I rolled my eyes and motioned for him to bring them over to my desk. "Next time, Fuery, do me a favor and burn them."
He looked nervous and I smiled reassuringly. I hadn't been kidding, but it was best to make it look like I was. When he left, Riza smiled at me.
"Why tell him to do it when you can do it yourself, Colonel?" she asked slyly.
I moved back into my relaxed position and laughed. "Then I would feel guilty. If Fuery did it, I wouldn't feel so bad."
"Even though you were the one to tell him to do it in the first place?" she continued, placing the folder in her hands on top of the pile.
"He doesn't have to listen to me," I answered, shrugging and closing my eyes.
I heard her laugh quietly. "But then you would have to write him up for 'disobeying orders' now wouldn't you, Colonel?"
I opened my eyes and sat straight up. She was staring at me again. It was starting to make me nervous. Though, of course, I would never in a thousand years admit it.
I looked away quickly and grabbed the nearest folder, which happened to be the one Hawkeye had just put down. She reached out for it and grabbed it out of my hands, moving across the room. She looked at me sternly.
"You have other work to be dealing with, sir," she said. "You should finish that first and then move on to this."
I watched her as she busied herself with a few of the papers. She was reading over then, chewing on the end of a pen she had picked up. It took me a moment to realize that several minutes had passed and I had been staring.
Get yourself together, Mustang!
I pulled the top folder closer to me and opened it, picking up a pen and beginning to write. I was certainly right when it came to one thing. It was going to be a long day.
I awoke to the sound of someone saying my name. I looked up and saw Maes standing in front of me, bent over slightly to peer into my face. I noticed that Hawkeye was no longer in the room.
"Roy?" he said, "Roy?"
"Huh?" I said drowsily. "Oh, Hi. I was just looking over some-"
"You're working yourself too hard, Roy..." he told me slowly, pulling the folder from underneath my hand.
Rubbing my eyes, I leaned back in my chair. "And you don't work nearly hard enough..."
Maes merely smiled. "I'm taking a break, like you obviously just did."
"I was just relaxing," I said defensively. Certainly I hadn't been asleep for very long. "What time is it?"
"Nearly 6:30," he answered, sitting down in a chair.
Damn, I had been asleep for a while. Why hadn't Hawkeye woken me up? She would never have let me fall asleep on the job.
"Where's Lieutenant Hawkeye?" I asked, sounding grumpier than I had intended.
Maes took off his glasses and wiped them with his sleeve. "She was returning some papers. She said something about going to the shooting range to work on her shot afterward. I believe she'll be back soon, no need to worry." He replaced his glasses and threw me a very wide grin.
"Work on her shot, eh?" I said. "As if she needs to. What is she really doing?"
"Beats me," he answered, shrugging. "That's just what I heard."
I sat for a moment, staring at a report in front of me. I read the first line twelve times and still had no idea what it said. I wished Maes would leave so I could finish up what I had been working on.
"You know, I spoke with Hawkeye yesterday," Maes said abruptly.
I looked at him over the top of my paper. "So? I speak with her every day. What's your point?"
He shook his head. "Nothing, really. She's a rather lonely person, don't you think? I mean, I've never once seen her go out on a date."
I scoffed, "Don't be ridiculous, Maes, she...she..."
I fell silent. I had never seen or heard of her dating before either. I had never really given it much thought, but now that I noticed, I-I...
How could I not have realized it before?
Maes continued to smile at me, as if he knew something I didn't. I hated it when people gave me that look. "You can't think of a single date she's ever been on, can you? Don't you find that a bit strange?"
Honestly? Yes. Very much so.
"No," I lied. "She's obviously too busy to date. It must be working for her, though. I've never heard her complain."
"Work? You think it's work?" Maes shook his head slowly. "I don' think it's work, Roy. You're twice as busy as her and still manage to date every woman in sight. I think she's waiting for someone." His eyes flashed furtively. "You know what I mean? Someone she cares about more than anyone else..."
"That's enough, Maes..." I said resolutely.
"Roy, I've been saying it for years," he continued. "Hawkeye is a great-"
"I said that's enough!" my voice rose, but I was certain I had no part in the matter. It just sort of happened.
Maes stared back at me, blinking slowly and quite aware that he had hit a nerve. We had gotten into arguments like this on so many occasions, but they never seemed to let up. He wasn't going to stop badgering me until I settled down and got married, which I had no intention of doing. At least, not at the moment.
And I had never even met a woman who made me feel like I...like I...well...like I was really in love.
Hawkeye...
No! I shook my head furiously. I wasn't thinking straight. There was no way there were feelings between Hawkeye and me. It was just impossible. We'd known each other for far too long.
Trying to shove the idea of her to the back of my mind, I turned back to Maes.
"I think I should get back to work," I told him. "I've fallen behind. Maybe you should go as well."
Maes nodded and left without another word. I found it difficult to focus on the reports in front of me after that, even more so when Hawkeye returned.
"Enjoy your nap, Colonel?" she asked, smiling.
I tried to stay focused. "Why didn't you wake me? Now, I'm even more behind than before."
She frowned and stopped in front of my desk. She didn't answer, but continued to stare at me. I avoided her gaze.
"And where were you? Don't tell me you were at the shooting range, because I know that's not true," I said very quickly.
She was quiet for a moment, but finally spoke. "I was at the shooting range, sir." she said. "But, I spoke with the Führer first. I was buying you more time for those reports. You have until Thursday for them to be finished."
I stared back at her in shock. She was certainly amazing, there was no doubt about that.
"I didn't want to wake you, because you seemed so worn out," she added softly. "You might want to turn in early tonight. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to speak with Lieutenant Havoc about something."
She turned swiftly and headed for the door, leaving me to feel extremely guilty. Just before leaving, she glanced at me over her shoulder.
"Oh and...you're welcome, sir."
A/N: Like I've said before, REVIEW! More to come, I promise. I'm working on a hundred different stories at once, (Not all fanfics, which explains why they're not on here) and I've pretty much dropped everything to write this, so I've got to get back into my others while trying to work on this one. If you've already reviewed...um...review again! I like feeling special!
