A/N: Do you know the song "Next contestant" by Nickleback? It's great, and in fact it was that what inspired me to give the previous chapter this title. If you haven't come across it, go and download it. It's worth listening to.

Anyway, I guess that the seventh chapter wasn't much of fun or anything, so I post the next chapter. It's better, I promise. And you have your jealous Rioy, whom you seem to like so much :)

In this chapter Riza hesitates between the two men… Just like a pendulum. Hence the title. But before that, we're going to have some nice argument there…

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The pendulum

Riza Hawkeye was a pretty woman. Well, she wasn't maybe extremely beautiful, but still a good-looking one. If you saw her on the street, you'd think, "Hey, that's a nice chick there," (provided you are a man, of course). However, she wasn't that popular with the men. Well yeah, there had been some who developed crushes on her, but she wouldn't pay much attention to that. In fact, she was hardly interested in those men. She'd had some boyfriends in the past, of course, but they couldn't count that much. She had been waiting for this particular one, in a shape of a raven-haired soldier with deep, dark eyes.

So, as mentioned, men had been practically non-existent in Riza's life. Until now, that is.

When Riza entered the office the next day and was unexpectedly faced with two beautiful red roses, she was astonished and intrigued. Something was wrong. And she meant it.

"I managed to keep them safe," whispered Breda, stealing glances on the right and left and holding the flowers protectively. "You know, to save them from being destroyed. Fortunately, they have both survived, and what's more, in one shared vase."

"Could you explain to me what is going on here?" she whispered back.

"Well, these," he pointed at the roses, "are from Havoc and the colonel. And, you know, they weren't happy seeing that the other one had done the same thing, so…"

"Where are they now?!" asked the lieutenant, slightly frightened. You can never know what kind of stupid ideas they may have.

"I don't know. And I think it's better not to," he conceded.

Riza looked at him, at the flowers, and finally she raised her gaze to the ceiling and sighed heavily. This is going to be a real hell.

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Her predictions were just as accurate as ever. It was like a competition. Both Jean and Roy wanted to spend as much time with Riza as they could, humiliating the rival all the while. As for their 'prize', she was getting more and more impatient by the day. She didn't like being treated like that. And she hated the men's behavior. They were like little children arguing over a toy. And Riza Hawkeye was no toy.

The whole office watched their actions, curious of what would happen. There had even been bets on who would win the lieutenant's heart. Most people believed it to be Roy, but there were also some who supported Havoc. The argument was, "Riza and Jean had been really close lately," they were saying. Though the others would simply say, "Yeah, but Hawkeye is never going to leave her superior."

The whole thing started the day Roy asked his aide to eat lunch with him. Since then, every day was a race. The one who won would have lunch with Riza; the other could only watch in shame and promise to himself that the following day was going to be his turn. Finally, Riza started preparing her lunch at home and bringing it with her to work. Then she could eat peacefully in the office, meanwhile doing her paperwork. This would cut out their constant nagging…but just for a little while. There were other ways of competing, after all. So then almost everyday Riza was being invited for dinner. She eventually grew so tired of this that she announced she didn't want to have anything in common with their rivalry and politely (with the help of her gun, that is) asked the men to leave her alone.

Havoc was virtually furious. Did he not tell the colonel not to interfere? Mustang had never really noticed Riza, why would he suddenly want to be with her? He was being a hindrance, not to mention that he was a damn tough opponent. Jean knew about Riza's crush on Roy, still he believed that she got it over with. Or at least he hoped for that. His recent relationship with her seemed to confirm that one. But nevertheless he didn't want to risk an open war with Roy. It might ruin this fragile thing which had just started to grow between him and Riza. So he remained silent, but inside he was boiling.

Roy, on the other hand, was boiling inside as well as on the outside. He had realized his biggest mistake of not treating Riza properly, and it made him feel guilty. He let out all of his remorse competing with Havoc to get her back, but since she cut it off, he had to suffer in silence. He was afraid that his aide would choose the second lieutenant, and truth to be said he wouldn't blame her for that. But the thought was unbearable. If she did that…he wouldn't know what to do next. Maybe he would go and drown somewhere…

Nah, not drown. The water is cold, and wet, and all…No, it's far much better to jump out of the office window. Yeah, that's a good idea indeed. Sounds like a plan.

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The exasperation that had been accumulating in both males for several days now had eventually to find some kind of exit.

So, when it was lunch time (the best time to talk in the office alone, you know) and everyone left (even Riza; she decided to eat her lunch outside, to have some fresh air and rest from this whole chaos), the colonel started:

"You're very persistent, aren't you?"

"Like hell I am," replied Havoc. "I thought I told you to leave us alone. I don't understand why you won't."

"Because," Mustang leaned forward over his desk, "it's me who's telling you to leave my aide alone. Am I making myself clear?"

"And why should I listen to you?" Jean frowned.

"Since I'm your superior."

"This is a private matter and you have no jurisdiction over me here."

"So do it just because I say so. I want you to leave her."

"And take her for yourself?"

"If you prefer to say it like that."

"That is never gonna happen."

"Wanna bet?"

"What are you going to do? Force me?"

"Maybe."

"You've had your chance. You've wasted it, so let some other try. I'm not as stupid as you were."

That hit the bull's eye.

"You'd better shut up, or else…"

"Or else what?" asked the second lieutenant daringly.

Roy raised his gloved hand, "I don't think you want to know."

"Oh yeah, flame me," said Havoc sarcastically. "Let's see what Riza would say about that. Unless you don't care, of course."

"Don't pull my leg," Mustang threatened.

"Don't stick to my girlfriend," he fired back.

"She's not your girlfriend!"

"Did I hear a faint shade of panic in your voice?"

"SHUT UP!" Mustang stood up rapidly. Havoc watched him, smirking triumphantly.

"I'm sorry, but this time it's me who is going to win," he announced mockingly.

"I'm sorry, but this time there will be no winner," a female voice interrupted.

Both males looked towards the doorway only to find Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye standing there. They shut their mouth immediately and stared at her with fear of what she would do.

"You know what," spoke Riza in a you're-pissing-me-off-and-it's-no-good-for-you voice, "I'm tired of all this. I'm not a prize in a competition, and I don't like being treated like one. I have warned you, but you wouldn't listen. Your constant arguing is making me crazy and I don't want to hear any excuses now!" she added, seeing that they both started to open their mouth. She turned towards the colonel and pointed a finger at him. "You, sir, should rather be doing your paperwork, because apparently you haven't done anything for three days now. I believe work is a far more important thing to you, as it has always been."

Roy gasped at her comment. She was right, she was damn right, but to hear her say that…

"And you, Jean," she faced her subordinate, who immediately stopped smirking, "I thought you would know better than to fight with the colonel over me and that you would have more faith in me. I thought we were friends, after all. Shame on you."

Havoc opened his mouth, but no sound escaped it.

"I've had enough," Riza announced.

She glared at both of them and left the office, shutting the door behind herself.

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Riza sat down in her bedroom, resting her forehead on her palms. She had had enough. How could they do this? It was just plain ridiculous. Two grown men fighting over a woman like children…And she couldn't do anything about it. She tried, she really did, but it had no effect. And, at the top of all this, the whole situation was confusing to her. Because, truth to be said, she had now to choose one of them. It was no longer a simple bet, because the colonel had interfered. She would be playing with Havoc now, but Roy got involved and it really became a contest…A rough competition between the two men, both of whom aimed at being with her. So she was to choose now. But whom?

On the one hand, there was the colonel. The love of Riza's life, her ideal, her dream, whatever you call it. She had never imagined any other man to be with. He was the one that she had wanted for so long… But, it might be true that he was just trying to get her back…no, not 'her', not 'Riza', but 'his aide'. That was what it was all about. The aide. After all, she had never been anything more to him, why would it suddenly change? It didn't make sense. And Riza was afraid. Afraid that if she chose him, things would go back to normal. Everything would be the same…and she wouldn't be able to stand it. Not now, not after all this. So maybe she should…

…choose Havoc? Ok, but…you know, it was just Havoc. A friend, but nothing more. Still, it was Jean whom she was in love with now. But it was a fake love. But it worked; they had been getting along very well until the colonel interrupted. But she shouldn't give in to a fake feeling. But it didn't feel that fake at all. But it was, no matter how hard she tried to believe that it wasn't. But what about it? They loved each other, who knows if there wouldn't be anything real between them if they give it a chance.

But…

"AGH!" Riza groaned, running her hand through her blonde hair. "What should I do?"

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"What should I do?" Havoc was in his flat, walking in circles around the room. "She feels offended, she won't talk to me, and I need to apologize…I hope she'll listen to me…Please, Riza," he sighed to no one. "Please, don't turn me down…"

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A/N: So that was it. Yes, I know that I promised you the Great Trial, but…who said that it would be in this chapter:) Hehe, don't worry, it's going to be in the next one. Who will Riza choose? Her beloved colonel or her loving friend? What do you think? ;P

Anyway, I hope you liked the argument between Roy and Havoc. Well, it's something new. I've never read a Roy/Riza/Havoc fic where the two men argue this fiercely. So I wrote this to be original. I hope it didn't turn out lame.

As always, review (I think I'm a bit boring, aren't I?).

You know that if you review, I'm going to update faster :)