Chapter 3: Just One Date

Princess Sango

Maes woke up in the middle of the night, hearing Rachel crying. Maes stretched and then heard Roy's heavy footsteps and his mumbling as he walked to the crib. Maes wished he could go look in on the two, but that would totally blow his cover. He heard the creaking of the door and heard Roy's heavy footsteps in the kitchen, "Shh…I'll feed you Rachel…I'll get you what ever you need, just don't wake Maes up, please."

Rachel seemed to settle down, and Maes smiled to himself, Roy was going to do just fine. Riza shouldn't worry now; he'd tell her tomorrow when he got the chance. Closing his eyes, he allowed himself some rest, because tomorrow he'd have to deal with the whole family.

Next day…

Roy woke up and saw the crib, remembering why it was there. He sighed and stretched before looking over into Rachel's crib, where she was staring up at him intently, not a word of complaint. Roy smiled and picked her up, "I'm glad that if I was to have a child in this house, she would let me sleep a little while. You did cry in the middle of the night though…"

Rachel made some gurgling sounds from her mouth and Roy sighed and walked out of his room, "Maes, you up?"

Maes blinked his eyes and smiled from the where the coffee machine was, "Yeah, just thought I'd make some coffee. How did you sleep?"

"Well, kind of okay, Rachel woke me up around one and I guess you know how it goes…" Roy answered him, rocking Rachel slightly.

Maes nodded in understanding, "Well we should probably get going…" Roy nodded and handed Rachel to Maes before disappearing back into his bedroom.

With Riza…

Riza sighed as she drank down her third cup of coffee, because that seemed like the only thing to keep her sane and awake. Her nightmares are worse as the time got later. Last night, Riza ended up giving Hayate a walk at nearly two a.m! Hayate rubbed against her uniformed leg and she pet his head gently, "Ready to go to work boy?"

Hayate barked in response, and Riza smiled gently to him before setting her cup in the sink and walking out the door. She found her car and opened the passenger side for Hayate before going around and jumping in the car herself. Starting the car she sighed and hummed a tune to calm her nerves. She noticed in the mirror that she had rings starting to form under her eyes and shook her head.

"Remain strong," she murmured and soon ended up parking her car and entering the building. Getting out and letting Hayate out too, they both entered the building just as Roy and Maes were entering too. Roy was getting Rachel out of his car, and Maes gave her a smile of reassurance. He knew something with that smile, and she'd get it out of him later.

Roy smiled to her as soon as Rachel was safely out, and she gave him a smile, "Hey."

Roy nodded to her and she wanted to confess then, that she was the one leaving him with the responsibility for him. She shook her head of those thoughts and turned into the building. Roy turned to Maes, "She's been acting weird since she got back or is it just me?"

"Just hormones Roy, she's probably afraid that you don't want to be with her anymore," Maes told him, and the thing was that it wasn't a "probably" it was more like a "definite." Now that she has done what she had done, she had all the emotional problems to deal with.

Roy sighed, "Maes…I know I never get to see you, but can you watch Rachel so I can take Riza out?"

Maes shifted the weight on his feet, "Yeah, go for it."

Roy smiled, "Let's go in…" They both entered the building, and Rachel remained quiet the whole time. When they entered the office, everyone but Riza left the room, and he sighed. They were the few witnesses who noticed his growing irritation over the last few months, now I think they're waiting for someone to calm him down, and they're leaving Riza to the job.

Riza noticed they were leaving every time Roy entered the office. Kind of think of it, they left the day she came back, but when she showed up they were only talking, laughing, having a good time still, but being respectful they all saluted. Some came and asked her what took her so long, and Riza would make small talk.

Yet, every time Roy opened the door and stepped in, they dispersed from him, as if he had the plague. Riza pretended not to know what was going on, but figured it had something to do with when she left the area for a bit. Roy tapped her shoulder, "Hey Riza, I was wondering, if you'd like to go out tonight? I know I have Rachel and Maes here, but I need just one night with you, okay?"

"Roy, that would be rude," she pointed out, staring at Maes, hoping he would back her up, but Maes shook his head.

"No, Riza, he said he would watch Rachel so we could go out. I've missed you so much these last couple of months, and I just want one night with you," Roy begged, all he wanted was one night…

Riza smiled and nodded, "If all you're asking for is one date, it seems harmless." She was smiling, and was happy but her insides were starting to tighten in a wave of nausea.

Roy smiled, feeling like he was himself again, "Alright, I'll come get you at eight?"

Riza nodded, "That sounds good, eight it is." She hid her nervousness, but smiled and turned back to her paperwork. She minded her own business, and when someone came inside the room, she'd watch them talk to Roy. When Rachel started crying, Roy stopped whoever was talking or what ever document he was going through and checked to make sure she was okay.

Riza watched this from her desk, and smiled at the sweet moments. Somehow, she ended up helping with certain things concerning Rachel, but mostly she sat by and watched him. When the end of the day came around, she was almost reluctant to go home. Roy left the room for a minute, and then she was left with Maes for awhile, and she confronted him. "What did you tell him?"

"Nothing Riza honest, can't you trust me? He doesn't know anything but trust me, you won't regret a date," Maes answered, and then just hugged her, "It can't hurt you."

Riza sighed and pulled away, "I'll live, and yes I know I'll live."

Roy came in that minute and told Maes it was time to go home, as he gathered Rachel's stuff and then gave Riza a smile and reminded her to be ready by eight. She saluted almost with sarcasm or just trying to mock him, "Yes sir."

Roy nodded before being ushered out by Maes, and Riza sighed. Moving to the window, Riza looked out the window and sighed, One date…I… part of me doesn't want to go…part of me is scared…

Riza shook her head from those thoughts and turned to Hayate, "Ready to go?" Hayate's head moved from between his paws and stared at her, Riza smiled, "Okay then, let's go." Leaving Riza and Hayate soon were home and Riza was hurrying around, trying to make herself ready.

When Roy knocked on her door at couple minutes early, she smiled and answered the door. She had put their daughter out of her mind, and was looking forward to something normal. Smiling at him, she grabbed her purse and closed the door.

Roy took her hand, "The world is all ours, at least for awhile."

Riza smiled and squeezed his hand, "Yes, all ours." Roy smiled and soon they were out eating dinner, not either of them mentioned the touchy subject of her going away, all they talked about was light subjects. Then the restaurant was closed and they drove back to her house.

Riza and Roy got out of the car and soon were in her room, on her bed, making out. She leaned down and allowed his hands to roam her upper body as they kissed, but the moment he touched her skirt, she stiffened and stopped. Pulling away she tried to sound casual, "Roy, maybe now isn't the greatest of times…"

Roy cocked his head, "You're time of the month?" He sat down beside her now, "I guess I should've asked…I mean if you got pregnant, it would ruin us. I mean, a child would be great, but not right now, not until I become Fuhrer and set things right again…"

Riza soaked in all his words and whispered, "I agree, it would ruin us."

Roy hugged her close and sighed, "I missed you, I missed holding you, I missed kissing you, I missed being able to hold you."

"I missed you too, but I was trying to figure out what I was doing with my life. Please understand, it had nothing to do with you," Riza gazed up at him and kissed his lips gently, "I love and missed you so much, I was figuring myself out."

Roy sighed in relief, "The way you were so remote and quiet, I was afraid you hated me."

Riza shook her head, "Roy I could never hate you, and I thought…I thought you would hate me, for leaving so suddenly."

Roy continued to hold her tightly, and they were both lying down on the bed, "I could never hate you, even if you got pregnant and then we had to let the whole secret out to the public. I love you like no other, even if that meant giving up my dream to be with you."

Riza smiled sadly, "But then I would feel like the woman who held you back."

Roy shook his head, "You'll never be able to hold me back. Riza, to love you make sacrifices, you know that right? I mean, I love both you and Rachel but I need to make sure both of you get attention. It's like that, but I hope, just because I'm a father now, that you and I could still be together. We can, can't we?"

Riza's eyes watered with relief, "Yes, we can be."

Roy smiled, "I'm so glad that we understand each other now."

Riza giggled and nodded, "Yes I am too." She twisted her body slightly until she could kiss him, "I love you."

Roy sighed, it took all his strength not to give in to every desire he was feeling but then he shook his head and continued to kiss her. He behaved himself, straying his hands away from her skirt and kept them at her waist. Suddenly though, the phone in the kitchen rang, and Roy and Riza jumped away.

Riza slithered off the bed and walked to the phone. Picking it up, she answered it, "Hello, this is Hawkeye speaking."

The voice on the other line was Maes, "Riza, I know you two are together and stuff, but it's getting late. What are you to doing, are you having sex?"

Riza blushed, "No, no, I'll tell him to get going. I'll send him, bye."

"Who was that?" Roy asked.

"It was Maes, he told me to tell you it's getting late and you need to leave."

Roy sighed and stood up, his shirt was wrinkled and he was tugging at it, trying to make himself look presentable. "Well, I guess I better get going." He walked to the door with her and before he left, he planted one more kiss on her rosy lips, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes…" she whispered, and watched him leave through the front door and into the night.

Closing the door, Riza felt in total calmness. She felt like she could sleep happily. All she kept thinking about how happy he had made her, saying what he had said. She felt healed in his presence now, knowing he could never hate her. Smiling to herself, she went into her room and changed, still smiling when she fell asleep.

With Roy…

He pulled up to his apartment just as the clock stroke ten. Coming in, Maes gave him a smirk, "Get lucky?"

Roy scoffed at his friend, "Come off it, Riza and I just saw each other after what, seven months? We're more mature than that."

Maes smiled, "Alright, alright we can sleep for now. Rachel is all in bed, she was very good. I have to leave tomorrow, and you need to go to work, rest now."

Roy rolled his eyes, "Yes daddy." Roy then told him goodnight and they parted. Roy changed his clothes and then he fell on his bed, and into an easy sleep.

TBC…