AN: last chapter! i apologise for any tears but hopefully... this makes up for it...? :D

Roy's back protested in pain as he sat in the uncomfortable chair by Riza's bedside, staring at his sleeping wife in the bed. Her heart had started beating again hours ago and he refused to leave her side. Not after that.

Maes lay curled against him, sound asleep. His thumb was perched on his lower lip. Roy ran a hand through his hair absent-mindedly, noting how Maes hadn't sucked his thumb in about two years.

His stomach twisted painfully as it had done so often over the last four weeks. It was almost unnoticeable at this point.

Almost.

Maes stirred in his sleep, his legs curling even further into his body. Roy pulled his body closer to his, loath to let him go. The nurses had very kindly brought in a spare patient's armchair for his son to sleep in, but Maes had just protested sleepily, clinging to his father's neck when Roy tried to move him.

"That's okay, kiddo," Roy told him, getting as comfortable as he could in the god-awful chair. "You get comfortable. I'll still be here when you wake up."

Hearing his son talk about how terrified he'd been when he thought Roy wouldn't return to him, just like Mummy hadn't, broke Roy. It was something he didn't think he'd ever be able to admit to Riza. It would increase her guilt tenfold and Roy knew she would be beating herself up enough about being kidnapped in the first place.

Roy still didn't even know what had happened. Another team had been dealing with the case. Roy was only focussed on finding her. No one argued with a General, so Roy used that to his advantage and commandeered the search operation. Of course, he wanted the bastards found, but Riza was his top priority.

Keeping his promise to his son was top priority.

He'd hated how he'd lied to Maes, but he couldn't tell Maes the truth. He couldn't. Roy already felt like a failure, not being more clued into what was going on that allowed Riza to be kidnapped in the first place. He didn't need Maes to think him a failure too. It was to protect the boy – he was simply too young – but it was also to protect himself too.

Having Maes think his father was a failure would be too much, however there was a niggle in the back of his mind that Maes would find out eventually. As part of his new education plan, he'd proposed that the true history of Ishval – and the other battles around Amestris that the homunculi had played a part in – was taught to children in order to educate them and – hopefully – prevent history from repeating itself. Roy wrote the material himself, with input from Riza and Major Armstrong.

It painted both he and Riza as the criminals they were, but that was the price he was willing to pay for what he'd done.

Roy had often thought of the moment Maes would reach that year of school, and hear the teacher read out his parent's names and explain their involvement in the genocide of the Ishvalan people.

That day would crush Maes.

They would explain to him beforehand, of course, but it wouldn't stop the little shits in his class from tormenting the boy for what his parents had done.

Roy bowed his head. It was what he deserved, but not what his boy deserved.

The beeping on Riza's heart machine changed and Roy's head snapped up.

Not again. Not again!

She stirred, her legs moving under the thin sheet, face contorting in pain.

"Riza?" Roy whispered in disbelief. "Riza," he called slightly louder, sitting up and leaning forward, bringing Maes with him. He clasped her hand in his, giving it a squeeze.

He couldn't believe it.

Roy held his breath as she opened her eyes.

He'd never been so happy to see her eyes before. The moment he regained his sight after the Promised Day came second to this moment. For sure.

She was awake. She was alive.

The doctors had been unsure when she would awake. The mind had gone through a great amount of trauma and it needed to heal, just like her body. Roy had prayed constantly to a god he didn't believe in to bring her back to them.

They couldn't do it alone.

She was the glue that held them together. Her family, and the team at work. Fuery had left shortly after Riza flatlined. He was a mess. Roy had ordered Havoc and Breda to go home too, asking if someone could call Falman and Armstrong and inform them of the situation. They had all worked as tirelessly as Roy had and the deserved the rest. The worst was over for now. They just needed to wait on her to return to them.

"Roy?" she rasped.

"Oh my – Riza," he breathed, tears filling his eyes and falling down his cheeks. Face crumpling, Roy lifted her hand to his lips, kissing her fingers in his relief.

"Roy." She said his name like a prayer and Roy let it wash over him. "And… Maes." This time, Riza joined him, bursting into tears. Roy lifted Maes up – who was now half asleep as he whimpered and wrapped his legs automatically around his father's waist – and perched on the edge of Riza's bed. Around the tangle of cables, he smoothed down her hair and leaned forward, kissing her forehead.

"I missed you both," she cried quietly. "So much."

Roy shushed her gently. "It's okay," he soothed. "You're back now."

"Daddy?" Maes mumbled tiredly.

"Maes? Wake up, Maes. Mummy is awake."

Maes turned his head and opened his eyes, facing his mother. It took the boy a moment to realise what he was seeing and when he did, his head snapped up and he gaped.

"Mummy!" he cried excitedly. "You're awake!"

"Maes," Riza sobbed, opening her arms for her son. "Come here."

"Are you okay? Your face is hurt. What happened? Are you still sick?"

"Be careful, Maes," Roy warned him interrupting his excited babbling. Their son picked his way carefully over the cables on his hands and knees and curled against her side like a cat. Riza's arms wrapped around his small body tightly, tears falling down her face. Maes' hands fisted in her hospital gown, gripping it tightly as he cried.

"Why are you crying, Maes?" Riza asked, sniffing and brushing his fringe off his face, cupping his face in her hands.

"Because you are," he mumbled.

"These are happy tears, sweetheart," Riza reassured them. "I missed you. So much." She brought his face closer, kissing his cheek before enveloping their son in a hug again.

"Okay, that's all right then," Maes reasoned. "You came back to us," he sighed happily. "Just like Daddy always said you would."

"Maes, give your mother a minute to get settled," Roy scolded lightly. Their son was bouncing from foot to foot, desperate to show Riza the picture he'd drawn her. "She's tired and needs to sit down first."

Maes stopped shifting and finally stood still, watching anxiously as Roy helped Riza over to her armchair in their living room.

Roy had filled her in on what had happened while she was away. Maes thought she'd been ill in the hospital – something she was glad about. Riza knew Roy hated to lie to the boy, but how could he tell their son she'd been kidnapped. He was only five. There was no way he could have.

She'd been in the hospital for another three weeks. The wound on her side had been infected, like she'd suspected. The infection had run its course and she was on the mend. Her knee pained her when she walked, but it was better. She just needed to do her exercises from the physiotherapist, and she would be right as rain once more.

But she had plenty of time. She wasn't due to return to work for another month thanks to her injuries.

"Okay, go and get it."

Maes face lit up and he raced up the stairs of their house.

"It?" Riza asked.

"The picture he drew you," Roy explained, perching on the arm of the chair and wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

Maes came barrelling back into the living room, skidding to a halt with a proud smile on his face. The paper in his hands was folded, like a card, and Riza could see a drawing on the other side.

"I made this for you, Mummy," Maes beamed. "It was to help you feel better. I couldn't give it to you while you were in the hospital because you were sick, but Daddy said it would be a good idea to save it for when you came home so it could make you feel extra better."

Riza felt tears welling in her eyes.

It was typical child's drawing, the house, the stick people labelled with "Mummy", "Daddy", and "Me", the sun shining brightly in the top corner wearing sunglasses and a large smile. The message inside was what overwhelmed her.

To Mummy

Your not feeling well now but Daddy sayz youl be beter soon.

I made this to make you feeel beter.

Lov Maes

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Riza hugged her son so tightly he begun to squawk that he was being crushed. Laughing, she dropped him and ruffled his hair.

At his worried face – his smile dropped when he saw her tears – she grinned. "Happy tears, sweetheart. Don't worry. Well done, because this has made me feel so much better."

Maes beamed.

"I'm sorry –"

"Don't apologise for what happened," Roy murmured as they walked up the stairs to their bedroom. "Please, don't. It wasn't your fault."

"But –"

"Riza." He suddenly sounded very tired. "Please," he whispered.

They were quiet as they passed Maes' room. Riza knew better than to talk about it with him in earshot.

Once the door was closed, she tugged her husband back as he begun to walk towards the bed. Looking at her expectantly, he waited for her to speak.

"I missed you," she whispered. "So much."

Suddenly, her face was cupped in both his hands. Riza grasped his wrists lightly, holding on, anchoring herself to him.

"I… I missed you too."

"I didn't think I would make it out. I couldn't think about you or Maes," she admitted quietly. "If I did, I would break."

Roy hushed her, sensing the emotion beginning to overtake her. He pulled her close and Riza buried her face in the crook of his neck. "It's okay. You're safe."

They held each other for a while. Riza relished in the contact, something she'd missed dearly for over a month. It had been bearable in the hospital, resulting mostly in just hand holding. Maes was small enough that he could give her a cuddle in bed when the doctor or nurses weren't looking, but Roy couldn't. Seeing them for hours every day and unable to hold them both properly ate at Riza. She had longed to be held by Roy again. It was impossible with her in a hospital bed. Tears sprang to her eyes as they remained in place, content.

"When you phoned… I couldn't believe it. I thought it was a prank at first."

"That was when I broke, hearing your voice again," she admitted. "I didn't want to do it in that way but there was no other choice. And, of course, it would be you. I just hoped you all hadn't left the office for the day yet."

The look in his face told Riza that he would have been there for hours every day.

"You did it, though." He pulled away, the two gazing at each other. "You found your way back to me. To us."

He kissed her and Riza sobbed in the back of her throat. She crushed his face against hers, the hands on the back of his head holding him in place. She never wanted to leave this moment.

"Come on," Roy urged softly once they were apart, giving her an eskimo kiss. "Let's get you comfortable."

Roy helped her ease into bed just as there was a quiet knock at the door. Roy opened it, revealing Maes on the other side. He never said a word, just clutched his little rabbit close to his face as he looked between his mother and father.

Riza hadn't seen him sleep with that rabbit in months. Apparently, he was "a big boy now" and didn't need to sleep with a soft toy. Her heart clenched when she realised that he probably only did it to give himself comfort while she'd been away.

She'd been the one to give him that rabbit for his birthday two years ago.

"What is it, Maes?" Riza asked as she got comfortable. It felt so good to be in her own bed again. It felt so good to be home, full stop. She knew that once she returned to work things would be different. She'd been missing for three weeks and that would need to be wrapped up. She'd need to give a statement and fill out a report on her kidnapping.

She'd yet to tell Roy that the reason she'd been taken was for them to interrogate her about flame alchemy. He didn't need to hear about that right now. They were home, they were safe, and that was all she was concerned about. There was no way she was breaking this bubble they found themselves in. Not tonight.

"I was… I was wondering…" He looked helplessly up at his father.

"Of course, bud. Come on." He was lifted into Roy's arms and he closed the door behind them.

Maes curled against his mother's side, his rabbit toy clutched against his chest. Roy turned off the light and climbed in beside them, wrapping an arm around Maes. Within a minute, Maes was out like a light.

"We slept like this almost every night," Roy murmured, smoothing down his son's unruly hair so it no longer tickled his face. "We both needed the comfort. I don't think he's ready to give it up yet, and to be honest, neither am I."

Riza's chest was pained, but at the same time she was relieved. It made her happy to think her two boys had been looking after each other while she was away.

She turned onto her side, facing Roy and Maes. Watching them both they were identical. Roy's eyes were closed, and he wore the same relaxed expression as Maes. The dark circles under his eyes had grown fainter over her time in the hospital, but they were still there.

Riza moved her arm, linking her hand with Roy's. His eyes opened sleepily, and he smiled at her. She returned it before cuddling in close to her son. She kissed his forehead and sighed, content, happy to be back with her family.