DISCLAIMER: -spokesperson reads a scrawled note on a Tim Horton's napkin- "Hiromu Arakawa owns FMA. Not me." I think there's a little frowny face drawn next to it too...there might be a tear...or a coffee stain...
A/N: OKAY OKAY! I GET IT! No more cliffhangers! That's why I posted so soon again. (I really hope you don't consider this ending a cliffhanger.) Uhm, don't hate me for some of the stuff that happens in this chapter. It's kind of a tease, I know...but trust me, what will happen, will happen, okay! (And let me remind you this IS a RoyxRiza fic!) Anyways, I hope you're happy. I wrote this just five minutes ago, even after I had to work all morning (it was supposed to be my day off...but I got called in.) My friend kept threatening to send me really graphic H/D scenes from other fics too, if I didn't post this afternoon...so that caused me to write faster. I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 10: Troubled. G.
Black Hayate didn't bark when someone knocked on the door. Nor did he bark when that someone entered the apartment and approached Riza's bedroom. The two of them stood in the doorway, gazing at the tangled mass of blankets that was Riza Hawkeye.
"Good morning, Lieutenant," the intruder said, sounding a bit relieved.
"Mm...Good morning, Colonel..." Riza's muffled voice emitted from the sheets.
He smirked and she suddenly shot up in bed, staring straight at him. She held the blankets tightly to her body. A large bruise was forming just above her right eye.
"Colonel! What are you doing here?" she yelped.
He frowned and walked across her room. "You didn't show up at work this morning and when you didn't answer your phone, I -we- panicked. I came to see if you were okay."
"Oh..." she said. "What time is it?" She held a hand to her forehead and cringed in pain.
Roy turned to her, still frowning. "Actually, it's two in the afternoon." He stared for a moment, eyeing the blanket suspiciously. "Are you naked under there?"
"Colonel!" she said, turning red.
"I'm kidding," he said quickly, though if anyone had known Roy Mustang for more than 2 minutes, they'd know he wasn't. His disposition turned suddenly serious. "Hawkeye, where were you last night?"
Riza didn't move or say anything. If he hadn't seen her at the restaurant, which she was sure he did, she didn't want him to know that she had been there.
"I was out, sir..." she answered vaguely.
Roy sighed. "I need to know your exact whereabouts."
Riza stared at him, unsure of why this was so important to him. Something about him seemed nervous and worried, and yet he sounded entirely professional.
"A man was killed last night, Hawkeye," he continued. "In a back alley. He was shot several times with extreme accuracy."
Riza swallowed hard. She couldn't remember anything after the restaurant. She didn't remember even leaving. Avoiding Roy's gaze, she did her best to try and figure out what had happened.
"Hawkeye, I'm going to need to see your gun," he said, focusing on her. He was frowning and she didn't like it.
Her eyes scanned the room. She had no idea where her gun was. She was only beginning to remember some of the night's events. How much more could he ask of her? And what was he trying to get at?
"I-I don't know where it is, sir," she answered honestly. "Try my purse. It's usually over there." She pointed across the room to a small desk. Her work jacket hung on the back of the chair.
Roy walked over to it and picked up Riza's red handbag. He shuffled through it for a moment and pulled out the small handgun. She watched him carefully as he checked for bullets. Slowly, he looked at her over his shoulder.
"It's empty." he said simply.
Riza didn't know what was going on. "Sir, I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't even remember coming home last night!"
Roy didn't put her gun back, but walked over toward her. "Hawkeye, this is serious. You have killed an innocent person and there's not much more I can do to protect you from that. The Führer wants to speak to you when we get back to headquarters."
Riza's hands began to shake. What was going to happen to her? Suddenly, as worry took hold, everything seemed to come flooding back. Visions of the night before flashed before her eyes like a silent film.
A sob was caught in her throat as she tried to regain focus. "He wasn't innocent..." she muttered, staring wide-eyed at the floor.
"What?" Roy asked, jumping lightly at the sound of her voice.
"He wasn't innocent, Roy..." she said. "He-He tried to kill me. H-He said that he had direct orders to..."
Roy's eyes relaxed and he moved closer to her bed. "I know..."
She looked up at him. "You know?"
He nodded. "Last night, I realized something was wrong. I saw you at the bar and saw the man you were with. He had the same tattoo that that Vasperez girl had. As soon as I noticed that, I went off to find you. I had to make sure nothing had happened." he took a deep breath and continued talking, his voice a bit hushed. "I didn't know what I'd do if I found you d..." he couldn't seem to find the strength to finish his sentence.
Riza stared at him, feeling her eyes grow wet. "I guess I made some pretty stupid decisions."
He sat down next to her and smirked. "Yep." he said bluntly, nodding shortly. She glanced at him and he laughed. "But then again, we all do."
Riza smiled weakly, but it faded quickly. As she thought about what she would have to face later, a strange emotion swept over her, causing her to lose control of her tears. Roy took her into his arms and held her tightly. She clung to the front of his jacket.
"What's going to happen to me?" she asked.
"I don't know," he answered, rocking her slowly. He breathed in the smell of her hair as it brushed against his nose. He loved that smell. "But no matter what, I'm going to defend you. No matter what, nothing bad is going to happen to you."
Roy didn't let her go. He held her even tighter as she began to cry into his shoulder, causing the blankets to fall away, proving to Roy that she was fully clothed. They remained together until the moment when they decided it was best they didn't keep the Führer waiting much longer.
XXXXX
Later that afternoon, Roy and Riza were alone in Roy's office. They had successfully cleared Riza of all charges, by explaining that the man she had killed was involved in the murder case they had been working on. It had been odd how quickly he had believed them.
"So, that's three down..." Roy said slowly. "Ed said there were nearly twenty of them."
Riza nodded. "Yes. But there may be more that we don't know about."
"Or less," Roy pointed out. "They've already killed one of their own. Who's to say they won't do it again? This leader of theirs might be planning on finishing this alone."
"True..." Riza agreed, sitting on the edge of Roy's desk.
They stared at each other awkwardly for a moment and she moved away. It was strange how they had been acting toward each other since they'd returned to headquarters. All formalities had been dropped and they always seemed to be together. They were usually inseparable, but now it was even more obvious.
"Did you enjoy your date last night, Colonel?" she asked in a slightly bitter tone, calling him "Colonel" for the first time since that morning.
Roy watched her as she made her way over to the bookshelf. She ran a finger along the spines of several books, not really looking for one in particular.
"Not really," he answered, staring at her back.
Riza froze and turned her head slightly.
"She's not my type," he explained, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. "And besides, how old is she? Nineteen? She's almost as young as the kid..."
Riza smiled to herself and Roy peeked at her out of one eye. Her back was still turned to him.
"Yep..." he said slowly. "Guess I'm going to be a bachelor for the rest of my life."
Finally, she turned around and smirked at him. "Oh, you poor thing, you..."
He chuckled and returned to his usual sitting position. Riza sauntered over to his desk and picked up the paper in front of him, looking it over, not really interested in what it said.
Roy stood and read it over her shoulder. It was some report for something Havoc had looked into. Riza felt her heart race as he placed his hands on her shoulders. She started to look back at him and he turned her around slowly.
Staring into his stony dark eyes, she saw what she wanted. Everything she ever wanted. Ever since she met him as a kid, she knew there was something about the man before her that was different. She saw him in a different way than any other man she ever met. When he had left for the war, she never thought she'd see him again.
But then, by some strange force, Riza liked to think of it as fate, she met up with him again. She had saved him and Hughes from an Ishbalan ambush attack. They began talking again and rarely were seen apart ever again.
Roy brushed Riza's bangs out of her eyes and smiled. She blinked very slowly, wondering how long they were going to stay that close. She wasn't complaining, but it was becoming increasingly more awkward.
Riza's eyes fluttered shut and Roy's face moved toward hers. Before anything could happen, there was a knock at the door. Riza's eyes popped open and the two of them swore under their breath and glared at the door.
A moment later, Havoc entered and the pair broke apart hastily. Riza tried to busy herself with the file and Roy cleared his throat. Havoc eyed them curiously.
"Sorry to interrupt the little love-fest..." he said furtively. "But the Führer's on the phone. He wants to speak to you, chief."
Roy nodded. "Thank you, Havoc."
Havoc smiled devilishly and nodded toward Riza. He winked and Roy shot him a dangerous look. He left before Roy could possibly hit him with a fireball or something.
Sitting back down at his desk, he picked up the phone. "Hello, sir..."
As his voice trailed off, Riza crossed the room, placing the file down on a chair. With one last glance back at an irritated looking Roy, she left the room and decided it was time she checked on the Elrics. It had been a while since she'd seen them.
XXXXX
"Is that so, my dear friend?" the drawling voice said.
"Yes, my liege..." a red-haired woman knelt before the throne of her leader. "I've checked it with everyone I thought would know about it. They all agree."
"Hmm..." the leader thought for a moment. "That certainly does change things, now doesn't it?"
"Yes it does," the woman said, nodding. "It changes them greatly. We have a new goal now. The rest of us believe that-"
"SILENCE!" the leader's harsh voice cut through her sentence. "The goal has not changed. Ve are still going to kill them. All of them. Except her. She vas going to be important already, but now she truly shows her vorth. I am liking vat I am hearing."
"But, my liege, we-" the woman butted in.
The leader held up a hand. "No! You vill do as I say."
"But-" the woman continued.
"Do you dare disobey me?" the leader's voice rose.
The woman bowed her head quickly, "No, no, no! Not at all, oh great one. I would never disobey you. You are too powerful, too dangerous, too-"
"You fear me?" the voice asked.
"Oh yes..." the woman said. "We all do. You are the most powerful of them all. No Military Alchemist would stand a chance against you."
"This, I know..." the voice said. "And you haff more than good reason to fear me. I plan to kill all of you vonce this is over. Vonce I am done, vonce all the Alchemists are gone, I vill be all powerful. No vone vill be able to stop me."
"Yes, my liege..." she said softly. "We all know this. We understand. What must be done, must be done."
"Everything is almost finished..." the leader said after a moment of silence. "Ve just need vone more piece, then it vill all fall into place, nicely..."
The woman stared up at her leader, awaiting orders.
"Everything remains as before. Let no Alchemist go free, but now, vhatever you do..." they finished slowly. "Do not kill the First Lieutenant. Ve need her."
A/N: Okay, so that's the end of this chapter. It's a bit shorter than some of my other chapters, but hey, I try. I'll update soon...I hope, but I have to work a couple hours tomorrow and I still have to finish a bunch of things for school. So, yeah. REVIEW! Oh and, just for reference, the Elrics will be back in the next chapter. Believe it or not, I'm starting to miss the shrimp (and his awesome braid!)
