-0i0-

Havoc sat in his wheelchair, fiddling with a cigarette in his fingers as he watched the Lt. Colonel across the room. Anyone else would have said she was wearing her usual no nonsense mask of determination as she went about her routine. Most anyone else didn't know her like he did.

Sometimes he would wonder when it would be that he began to read her so well. Had it been over night, or had it been a gradual thing? Had there been on particular event, such as when she had saved them from drowning themselves in depression after the Homunculi conflict had ended or when he'd first shared a bed with her on the battlefield, that had caused such a thing to happen? He didn't know for sure, but one thing was certain. Riza Hawkeye wasn't her usual self.

There was an extra tension in her shoulders, the corners of her mouth slightly more turned down that usual and a glaze to her eyes that bespoke of her thoughts being focused somewhere other than the task at hand. Her movements were slightly slower than normal, as though her usual determination to get everything finished on time was somewhat lacking, and a heaviness to her manner that seemed to suggest a deficit of sleep.

"Havoc, can you take this to Communications for me?" she asked as she delivered a sheaf of signed papers into his hands.

"Sure." Glancing about quickly, he added, "Hey, are you ok? You seem tired."

She hesitated, giving him a familiar smile with a shrug. "I am. Things have been difficult with the kids."

Havoc nodded. He had witnessed that himself at the last 'Friday Feast'. Zeke had been moody, and Beth downright withdrawn, refusing to leave Riza's side even for an instant and Elysia brought down because her two friends didn't want to play. Because of them, the entire evening had been off, and no one in the office had received an explanation for the kid's odd behavior.

"Say, isn't Roy staying late for a meeting tonight?" he asked just as she was about to move on. "What if I come over and take the kids off your hands for a bit? Beth may not come, but Zeke'll probably want out of the house for a bit."

"Can you get a ride home?" she replied slowly. "I won't be able to drive you."

"Yeah, I can. Catch a ride with you after work?"

"Alright."

-0i0-

Zeke sat on a bench next to his favorite chair-confined uncle, watching the park's merry-go-round spin and sharing a bag of popcorn.

"Your eye looks better," the older man offered, observing the young boy unobtrusively. "Riza fussing over it like a mother hen?"

Zeke touched the bruise absently and shrugged. "No, she's been good about leaving it alone, actually."

"And the other boy?"

"He's alright. We're kind of talking again; Aunt Riza said it's important to fix things now while I still can. I didn't want to at first, but I think she might be right."

"She usually is, and how's she doing? She looks tired and the office lately."

Zeke shrugged again, scratching his neck absently. "Good, most of the time. Her and Uncle Roy were fixing stuff around the house a lot, so he didn't have as much time to hang out with me, but sometimes they let me help if I promise to be real careful. They finished that about two weeks ago, though."

Havoc nodded. "What about Beth and Elysia?"

"They're always busy doing girl stuff, so I like being with Uncle Roy better," the boy confessed, munching on another handful quietly. "Aunt Riza's alright, for a girl, but she's more like a parent than a friend most of the time."

The chair-confined man laughed. "Well, she is raising you."

The boy gave a soft chuckle of his own. "Yeah, I know. Her and Uncle Roy try really hard, even if they aren't married or even live together; they still do a lot of parent stuff."

"Oh really?" Havoc raised his brows in interest. "Like what?"

"Well, Uncle Roy always helps her put us to bed at night, and when she cooks he always does the dishes and sides with her whenever she puts her foot down about something. Like climbing on the shed, even if he did say he used to do the same thing as a kid. He always opens the door for her, pays when we go out to eat, and helps me with my math and alchemy a lot. And they always talk about the future, money, and me and Beth."

"I see. Anything they've been talking about in particular lately?"

There was a slight pause, and then. "Yeah, Beth wants Aunt Riza to adopt us, and she said she can't right now. Beth's taking it not so good, and I think Aunt Riza's not sleeping because of it. She's always up when I come downstairs at night, and she's been keeping the lights on a lot later than usual."

It took a moment to reply, and Havoc ran a hand over his face as he did. "Wow, that's rough."

Zeke nodded, suddenly looking a lot older than he had before as his shoulders sank with an unseen weight. "Yeah, it is."

-0i0-

The first explosion was heard halfway through lunch, Riza and Roy sharing the leftover chicken and rice from the night before with a chessboard between them in his office. The call came moments later, all units were put into immediate active service and were to report to their assigned station after they were suited up. All of the upper brass were called into an emergency meeting, and what Roy heard there as his men prepared to fight brought many perilously close to thoughts of the Ishabalan war.

Both of the buildings the military had refurbished for the Ishabalan refugees were attacked, one of them entirely in flames already that the fire squads were fighting to control, and the other building had one corner collapsed while the insurgents fought inside. There were hostages that had been taken; all of them Ishabalans living there in the apartment complex, and number dead was growing by the hour.

Havoc, as a non-commissioned officer, was left behind to help the Communications team. Swearing to keep the kids and Gracia updated with what was going on, he also said he'd be pissed as hell if none of them came back and they'd better kick whoever it was in the balls for him.

Roy's team was sent to the front of the lines under the supervision of General Denton, and the Flame Alchemist himself assigned to the make shift headquarters to help Denton keep track of the enemy and their forces. Riza was put in charge of the snipers on the rooftops, a twenty man team over four rooftops besides herself made up of the best shots the military had, including Kants. Their objective: to shoot any terrorist stupid enough to be seen from the windows. Breda, Ross, Brosh, and Falman were quickly put into a squad with several privates and corporals to lead into the building and Fuery was designated as their communications person. Their objective was to establish a communications base within the building itself after securing the front sector. Marshall stayed back, as Alchemists were only used as a last resort and his actual use of alchemy wasn't much good in battle. He was put to work organizing the aides that rushed back and forth between the units and the command center, and seemed to do a fairly good job of it too.

"So, what's the situation?" asked Roy when he arrived in the tent, General Denton already there watching the red and blue markers that were being moved around the various ground plans of the three story building with a basement. Reports from inside continued to change the pattern, representing their forces and those against them.

"Our terrorists are trained military men, who are intimately familiar with our own way of handling a situation like this," Denton said as his eyes continued to trace the movements on the paper. "The chemicals used to set fire to the other building are the same we use in our own battle situations."

"Ex-military men?"

"We had many leave the armed forces in protest when the governmental power was taken from the Fuhrer," Denton reminded him steadily. "And even more after peace was declared with Ishabal a short while later. This latest move by parliament, giving their people Armetris citizenship and encouraging them to join our nation as equals, seems to have sparked a violent streak among our protestors."

"This place is a warren of small rooms and hallways," the Brigadier General grumbled as he eyed the ground plans, the pattern of blue and red shifting once again. "How have they gotten behind us here and here?" He motioned to two areas where the red dots were inside the blue.

"Air vents. The building used to be a storage facility, so the ventilation system is larger than usual to keep the damp and such out. Twice they have come through the vents into areas already cleared, and the men are in the process now of setting traps on the other vents should they attempt to do so again."

"Sir, we have another report from inside, they found another group of bodies here." The Lieutenant pointed to an area on the second floor. "All men and boys, none under the age of ten, sir."

"How did they die?"

The man hesitated before he replied reluctantly. "They were hung, sir, using strips of one of their holy banners."

"Dammit!" The General stared at the building with an intensity that surprised the Brigadier General beside him. "Call Head Quarters, we need more men!"

-0i0-

"What's wrong, Zeke, you don't like my meatloaf?"

The boy weakly matched Gracia's smile and shook his head, putting his fork down by his untouched plate. "I'm not hungry, sorry." The girls had already left the table, and were in the living room playing quietly with their dolls. Neither had been told the full extent of what was happening, only that Aunt Riza and Uncle Roy were going to have to stay late at work for some important business, but the aura of fear and suspense was dampening the mood none the less.

"They'll be fine," Gracia told him with a confidence that didn't quite reach her eyes, picking up his place and putting it in the fridge with a towel over it. "If you get hungry later, you let me know."

"Alright. Are you sure…?"

"Havoc will let us know the moment anything happens," she replied, giving him a reassuring pat on the back. "Why don't you go get your homework and bring it here. I'm not the best at math, but I can probably help you out if you get stuck."

Zeke obeyed, and set himself up at the kitchen table to start, but couldn't even get past the first page of problems. He just wanted the tension to be over, for the waiting to end. Even if it was bad news, just to get some news…

"They'll be fine," Gracia repeated as she put her arms around the boy from behind, handing him a tissue when he scrubbed a hand over his eyes. "I promise."

Zeke cleared his throat and blew his nose before tossing the tissue in the trash. "I hope so."

-0i0-

Stalemate.

Noun.

Chess, a position of the pieces in which a player cannot move any piece except the king and cannot move the king without putting it in check.

Any position or situation in which no action can be taken or progress mad, deadlock.

To bring to a standstill.

Stalemates had never been something Roy had enjoyed. To be free, technically not lose, and yet unable to move for it would result in the immediate death of your most important piece. It was a very uncomfortable place to be. Like having a gun to someone's head while they had one to yours and each of you with only one shot a piece. A very uncomfortable place to be.

Things had been that way for over five hours, and it had taken three hours before that to clear the insurgents out of the top three floors.

The terrorists were now holed up in the basement, occasionally peaking their nose out from time to time to toss a grenade or two at the forces above but other than that entirely untouchable. Gas had already been tried, and the only ones affected were the hostages for they'd been smart enough to bring gas masks along. Explosives were too dangerous, there were hostages in the basement as well, and the only entrance to the basement itself was one staircase that offered no protection to those going down it. Since the ground floor itself was a foot below ground surface, a team of diggers had begun the process of getting enough of the basement wall cleared away to alchemize a way through, but the ground was densely packed clay and little progress had been made since they'd started over an hour ago.

"Go get some food," the General said as he returned from his own short break. "Some of your men are there already, and you haven't eaten since this whole thing began."

"Yessir."

His stomach rumbling happily that it would be filled soon, the Brigadier General was given a plate with something hot on it at the food tent a good ways out from the front itself and a place to sit at a table.

Hawkeye joined him a moment later, eating in the same mechanical fashion as Marshall sat across from them with a mug that smelled strongly of coffee.

"No change, sir?" he asked, looking as tired as both of them felt.

"No change," the Alchemist replied heavily. "Can't go forward, can't go back, and there's at least another two hours before the tunnel is finished. Maybe more."

"All but four of the snipers have been brought down and put into other squads," Riza said after commenting that she was supposed to join them in the command center after her meal. "There's only two entrances to the outside, both are heavily guarded, and the enemy has withdrawn to the basement where we're can't reach them. There was no reason for all of us to still be on the roof."

"I'll be glad to have you at my back again," Roy said as they finished at the same time, Marshall offering to take their plates for them before they headed for the command area. "Was there much success up top?"

"No, they learned after we caught a few of them near the windows."

"I hate it when the enemy has a brain."

Another hour passed, the excavation to get to the basement wall almost halfway completed and Denton pacing angrily when reports of a suicide bomber running up the stairs and managing to take out part of their defenses came in. Mumbling curses under his breath, he declared if they let a second one past them he'd take whoever was in charge there and strip them of their rank for incompetence.

Roy continued to study the ground plans to distract himself when a second report came in, this time over the communications unit.

"Emergency! This is Private Trenton at the Communications Center, they've blown through the traps in the vents, and cut us off from the rest of the force. Three are dead, the Sergeant Major in charge is critically wounded and needs immediate medial attention, we're under heavy fire and our ammunition is low…"

Roy's head snapped up as the list continued. "Fuery!"

"We can't move the people already inside, if we give up the staircase they can take back part of the ground floor, most of the outside fore is concentrated by the tunnel so they can punch through when its finished…" The General paused, then turned to Marshall standing in the doorway. "You, get twenty men ready to go in now from the reserves. Who's next in line in the chain of command to lead?"

"General Denton, that won't be necessary, I'll be going in now," Roy said suddenly, straightening up at the waist as two more of his subordinates were listed among the injured. "Marshall, make sure Kants included."

"They won't be happy if you don't come back," the General commented as Roy brought out his gloves and pulled them on firmly.

"I won't be happy if I lose some of my best to trash like this," he replied flatly. The sound of a gun being cocked brought their attention to Riza, who was arming herself just outside the entryway.

"Don't even try it, sir," she stated the moment he caught her eye, giving him a flat look. "If I stay, so do you."

"Then let's go."

"We'll go in from the basement the moment it's clear, good luck," General Denton said as they prepared to leave, a somewhat amused look on his face. "Try not to get killed. Alchemists are hard to come by."

"I'll do my best, sir."

The inside of the building was smoky and dimly lit, the electricity cut off long ago and only the lamps the military had placed at even intervals providing any light. Kants and Riza led the group, Roy right behind them as the nineteen others brought up the rear. Left at the first intersection, then an immediate right. Roy's mental image of the ground plan kept them on course, and so focused was he on remembering which hallway went where that he didn't see the next of gunners until they were almost on top of them. Luckily, the Hawk's eye missed nothing.

Roy felt a strong hand seize his collar and jerk him behind the edge of the corner as the first bullets flew past, Riza shouting orders as they returned fire and he quickly collected himself once more.

"Please be more watchful, sir," she said as she calmly shot the rifle she'd brought along in spaced intervals. Instinctively he knew each bullet was meant for one person, and that's all that was needed to finish the job.

"How many?"

"Four left, they're laying low behind a couch they've dragged out in the hall."

"Guess it's my turn, then."

The Flame Alchemist stepped out, immediately lighting the couch on fire and as soon as the four leapt away from it extinguished their lives in a rush of flame as well. Quickly the squad reached the flaming furniture piece, Roy putting it out and the rest checking for any survivors. They were about continue down a corridor to the right, which would lead directly to where the Communication Center had been located when they were met with another nest of gunners and this time there was nowhere to hide.

Hawkeye jerked her superior officer behind her and shot off several rounds with one hand as the bullets when whizzing past. Two of their guys went down, and Roy snapped his fingers the moment he had his feet back under himself. The hallways exploded into flames, and after that there were no more gunshots.

Inside the large common room where the Communications should have been they found a nightmare of blazing guns and piled up bodies, at least twenty men using two of the three hallways that led from the large area as protection as they blasted the small group huddled behind the rubble from a partially collapsed wall and several expensive looking pieces of equipment.

Two blasts of flame later, and Riza had little to clean up with Kants and the rest, easily putting down the last few who managed to avoid the initial attack.

"Report," Roy barked as those huddled behind the machinery came out, Falman limping heavily on one let and Breda with blood dripping from a gash in his head. Fuery was carried out on a litter by four others, his face pale as the red spot continued to grow through the clean white pad on his chest and leg. Two others were carried out with similar injuries.

"Seven dead, three critically wounded, only two of us made it out without losing some blood," Ross said as she came to a salute with a beat up but whole Brosh behind her, her uniform coat ripped to shreds but her skin fully intact.

"Knives?" asked Hawkeye as the Brigadier General arranged for the three to be safely transported out of the building.

"Knives," Ross confirmed with a smirk. "They were quick, but I was quicker."

"Good."

"We're joining the force by the basement entryway," the Flame Alchemist said as he rejoined them, Falman being sent with those who were carried because he could barely walk and Breda only staying because his gash was just a shallow scrape along his scalp. "They're breaking through in ten minutes, we're to provide a distraction at the other and, and protect the hostages if we can. Let's move."

The next half hour went by in a flash, the troop storming the stairs with the rest of those stationed above as the force down below broke through the wall and swarmed in through the breach. Mustang snapped his flames right and left, Riza pulled her trigger repeatedly, Ross managed to thread her way through to the hostages themselves and begin to cut the ropes that bound them fast. Breda and Kants helped protect the refugees as they ran for the exit, up the stairs and outside.

When it was finally over, the last of the terrorists rounded up or dead, Roy turned to his Lt. Colonel and sighed. "I hate killing people."

"Me too sir," she replied, pulling out one the bandage rolls they were required to carry at all times and starting to wrap it around her left upper arm. That was when he realized her coat sleeve was soaked in blood.

"Riza!"

"Just a graze sir," she replied, angling her body so it was out of sight. "Nothing to be concerned with."

"But-!"

"Brigadier General, they need you at the command center," a Major said as he came running up, giving a quick salute.

"I'll come by after I visit the med unit," Riza promised, giving him a salute before he left with a short nod.

"Ma'am, I think you need to talk to Marshall," Ross said as she walked up, her skin still intact though it now even looked worse for the wear. "He's looking rather green."

By the time Riza got to him, the Private was bent over a trashcan emptying his stomach, clutching the sides so hard his veins stood out.

"First kill?" she asked, handing him something to wipe his mouth with when he came up for air at long last.

"Never seen…so much blood…" he said between gasps, hawking with a grimace as he tried to rid his mouth of the taste. A glance around proved there were others in the same condition, and Riza wondered how much of their military would be unblooded before long in their peaceful times. She was glad of it, for it meant fewer had to die, but she was still aware of what it meant to have subordinates that had not seen a fresh dead body before. Especially one of their doing. "So much death…"

"Drink," she said, putting her water bottle in his hands. He obeyed, and slowly his shaking stopped and his breathing slowed.

"I never thought it would be like that," he sighed when he handed it back with a nod of thanks. "It was like I was a machine, I wanted to stop, but I just kept shooting and shooting again and again…even after we stopped and waited, I felt like I wasn't even in my own body until after they called for us to stop and the sweeps were finished to check if anyone among the dead really wasn't."

"Can you live with it?" she asked quietly, turning her eyes away as he wiped his mouth one more time. "Taking lives for the good of the people."

"I don't know," he admitted, his voice taking on a slightly hysterical tone. "For people I don't even know…how do you do it?"

"I only kill to protect that which is most important to me," she replied before walking away. "And that's the only reason I'm still human."

-0i0-

"Excellent job, Mustang," General Denton said as the man entered the tent. "A very neatly done job, from what I heard. I need a report, though, along with any particulars you can remember from the fight about the enemy. We've got a few that we've managed to capture, however two of the ten had suicide capsules hidden in their mouths, and the rest aren't being very helpful at the moment."

"I'll tell you what I can, sir."

"Good, begin."

-0i0-

Riza waited patiently as the medic wrapped the last of the gauze over her arm and taped it down securely. She had also taken a graze along her right hip, but the bullet had barely gotten through the fabric and the mark on her skin hardly bled at all. Pulling her coat back on as she was pronounced good, a nervous Breda breathed a sigh of relief behind her.

"The Brigadier General is still in debriefing," he said as the medic moved on to the next person, his own head wrapped in a layer of gauze for his gash. Riza reattached her many firearms with a nod. "He's already dismissed Kants, Brosh and Falman, Fuery's been transported to the local hospital and is stable, and we have the day off tomorrow."

"Good. Go ahead home and get some rest," she said, heading for the designated tent. "Goodnight, Breda."

"Goodnight, Hawkeye."

Her arm ached fiercely, but she had dealt with worse and pushed it out of her mind as she joined the others by the front.

"You should go home," a familiar voice said, the Lt. Colonel glancing down to find Havoc parked beside her. "I'll stick around and make sure he makes it home."

"It's my job," she pointed out, adjusting her uniform as she did. The coat was unsalvageable, but she might be able to fix the tear in the pants. "And you can't drive. How did you get here in the first place?"

"Rode over with the relief team after I called Gracia to tell her you were fine," he replied with a tired grin. "And she can drive me home, she already said she would wait with me." Hawkeye followed the Lt.'s gaze to where Maria Ross was hurrying towards them. Exchanging glances with the now-smiling Lieutenant, she gave a small snort and shook her head.

"When did you give up on Sheska?"

"Before summer, it just got too hard. She needs a bookworm, and that I am not. Think she'd say yes if I asked her out?"

"Maybe. Legal or not, I don't want to see any of it in the office, alright?"

"Yeah, alright. So are you leaving it to us or not? The kids are probably worried sick…"

Hawkeye's face fell as though he'd hit upon a sensitive area, and slowly she nodded her ascent. "You're…probably right. You will be sure to inform him of why I left early?"

"I'm sure he'll understand."

"Alright. Goodnight, Lieutenant."

"Goodnight, Lt. Colonel."

Havoc immediately greeting Ross, who admitted she was impressed that he managed to get the Lt. Colonel to leave before the Brigadier General was out of his meeting.

"You just gotta know which leverage to use," he replied, wondering when it would be a good time to ask as they began to discuss the battle. They were interrupted in a short debate about whether knives or guns were better in close spaces when people began to emerge from the tent, giving the Brigadier General a ragged salute as the man's eyes passed right over them in quest for someone else.

"She left, sir," Havoc said, bring his superior's roving eyes to heel. "Home to the kids. I told her I would watch for you."

"How long ago?"

Havoc checked his watch. "Twenty, twenty five minutes at the most."

"Go home, Havoc, Ross. Be back in the office day after tomorrow."

"Going home, sir?"

Roy traded looks with Jean. "Yeah, something like that."

-0i0-

Gracia dozed in the couch, a single lamp to her right dimly lighting the living room. Elysia slept with Beth upstairs, Zeke in his own bed and Black Hayate laying across the threshold of the front door. The phone sat immediately to her right, she'd answered it on the first ring when Havoc had called to say everyone was safe. Banged up, perhaps, but safe. The clock on the mantel chimed the second hour as the dog suddenly rose to his feet, the woman waking to the sound of the front door being unlocked.

A battered but breathing Riza appeared a moment later, reassuring the sleepy mutt who whimpered at her morosely with a gentle hand.

"Riza?" Graica whispered, sitting up on the couch.

"Yes," the gunwoman replied quietly. "I'm sorry it was so late, were the children…?"

"Worried, but well-behaved. Beth will probably have a lot of questions; we didn't explain what was happening to her. Are you alright?"

"A graze," Riza replied, putting a hand over her wound lightly. "Nothing more."

"Well, I'm glad you made it back safely."

"Aunt Riza, is that you?"

Both women looked up to see Zeke descending the stairs in his pajamas, looking rather awake as he padded towards them.

"Couldn't sleep?" she asked as Gracia helped her out of her coat, his eyes immediately going to the bandage on her arm. "I'm fine, it hardly even hurts."

"I've been awake for awhile," he admitted with a sleepy grin as he stopped in front of her. "Wanted to make sure you got back…"

"I'm here," she replied, running one hand through his hair affectionately. "Gracia, why don't you go on to bed? I'll just tuck him in, get a quick shower, then go to sleep myself. Thank you for watching them for me."

"Anytime," Gracia replied, yawning as she slipped through the door to her half of the duplex.

"Is Uncle Roy alright?" the boy asked as she shed her boots before escorting him upstairs, careful not to wipe the dust and dirt that covered her on anything.

"He's fine," she replied. "He had to stay awhile longer, to give his report. Havoc and Ross stayed to make sure he made it home alright."

"That's good."

"Sleep well," she said as she drew the cover up to his chin, her hands thankfully clean from visiting the med unit. A light kiss was brushed against his forehead, and he smiled.

"Goodnight," he murmured back, soon lost in his dreams once again.

Downstairs she stood in her shower for ten minutes just letting the water wash away the filth from the battle, changing the bandage once she was out and throwing on her loose pants and an old shirt when her usual button up top proved to be in the dirty laundry basket. Funny how terrorists tended to make you forget things like washing clothes.

About to fall into her own bed, she was stopped by a hesitant knocking at the front door and Hayate whimpering before it. Coming into the main room, she switched on a single lamp and checked the peephole, seeing her superior officer standing there still in his uniform and as dirty as before.

"Why didn't you go home?" she asked as she opened the door, her hair hanging wetly down her back. "You're exhausted."

"I just had to make sure you were alright," he replied, stepping inside when she moved out of the way. "I was worried…"

"It's just a graze," she replied, pulling up her sleeve to prove her point. He reached towards her face as though to make sure she was real, and she leaned into his touch briefly and brought up a hand of her own. Giving his hand a brief squeeze, she let go and moved out of reach once more. "You look terrible."

"I feel pretty terrible," he admitted, rubbing a hand over his eye for a few moments. When he looked at her again, she had a towel in her hands.

"Go shower," she said, nodding at the downstairs bathroom. "I'll put some blankets on the couch for you."

"I shouldn't…but thanks."

It only took a few minutes to get the dust from his hair and the sweat from his body, coming back out in his undershirt and boxers to find the couch set up with a pillow and blankets as promised. Turning off the single lamp she'd left on, he laid down and remembered nothing more until the next day.

-0i0-

"Do you think she's awake?"

"I dunno, she never sleeps this long."

"She did get in pretty late last night."

Riza barely cracked her eyes open, distantly registering the quiet voices as two pairs of footsteps edged towards her bed. On her side facing the wall she could not see the intruders, but she had a pretty good guess of who it was. There was a soft squeak as something small crawled up beside her pillow and leaned over her shoulder to peer at her with inquisitive red-brown eyes.

"Aunt Riza, are you awake?"

"Morning Beth," she replied, scooting so she was on her back and smiling as the little girl attached herself to her neck. There was a moment where she had to bite her lip because the little girl unknowingly pressed against the graze, but she shifted the small body with her other arm and sat up in her bed.

Zeke stood about a foot back looking guilty and a little embarrassed.

"Sorry," he said when she caught his eye. "She wanted to say goodbye, I wasn't sure you'd wanna be woken up."

"It's alright," Riza said as she let the little girl curl up in her lap. "I'm sorry I wasn't there yesterday."

"I was afraid you wouldn't come back for awhile, then Gracia told me you always come back, and Elysia spent the night with me, so I wasn't scared," the little girl replied with a grin small. "Are you gonna be home today?"

"Yes, I should be here all day today, even when you get home from school."

"Yay!"

"Beth, Zeke, breakfast is ready," Gracia said as she stuck her head in the bedroom door. "Riza, Roy's still asleep on the couch. I left some pants and a shirt for him beside the couch, and threw his uniform in the wash with yours. And yes, I took off the braids and badges; those are on the kitchen table. I think you're going to have to throw the coat out."

"I know," Riza replied with a shrug, mind wandering off to what Roy could possibly be wearing if his uniform wasn't on him. Jerking herself back to the present, she added, "I have two spares in the closet. Thank you."

"Bye, Aunt Riza," Beth said as she kissed her guardian on the cheek before jumping from the bed and looking at Zeke expectantly.

"Bye," he said, ducking his head as he gave her a kiss on the cheek as well. "Thanks for…coming home."

"Thank you for waiting for me," she replied, waving as they left with Gracia for the other duplex. "I'll see you both after school."

Changing into an old pair of uniform pants and shirt, she padded softly into to kitchen and began a cup of tea for herself. Not too long afterwards she heard someone shifting around in the living room, and after chastising herself for wondering if it would be ok to wander in before he put the pants and shirt on she the had to chastise herself again for wondering if he wouldn't see them and would come in the kitchen without them on at all.

By the time she had finished, he was peering in at her wearing a shirt and sweatpants that were just a little too small (she buried the slight disappointment that he was fully clothed) and giving her a sleepy smile.

"Maes'?" he asked, motioning to the shirt with a bright print on it.

"Probably, Gracia brought it over for you," she replied. "Do you want something to drink?"

He gently fingered the hem reflectively. "It looks like something he would have worn. Just some water, please."

She got him a glass from the tap, setting it on the table before she took a seat. He took the hint and sat across from her, swallowing the cool liquid down slowly.

"Did you get hit last night because I couldn't see the gunners in my blind spot?" he asked after a long while, the woman across from him pausing as she brought her mug up to her lips. "Because you had to put yourself between me and them twice?"

"Sir, that's my job," she replied, somewhat surprised. He had never asked her questions like this before. "I watch your back, without hesitation or regret."

"I see."

Both were interrupted by the buzz of Riza's washing machine, the woman getting up and hanging up the clothes on the line in the back. When she'd returned Roy was making her eggs and pancakes, so quietly the two of them shared breakfast. Once his uniform was dry enough to wear home two chess games and an hour's worth of small talk later, Roy changed clothes and left, citing he needed to report back to Head Quarters to finish up from the night before and that he had a few things to do at home. He would see her Thursday at the office; he hoped she had a pleasant day until then.

If the Brigadier General seemed more solemn than usual, she wrote it off as the effects from the day before. And while company would have been nice, it was also pleasant to have a day of solitude as she for once didn't even touch her guns and instead finished cleaning the house and did part of the laundry for Beth and Zeke as well as herself. Tomorrow she would have to return to work, and for today she planned on enjoying the quiet to the fullest extent.

-0i0-

Fuery lay still on the hospital bed; the monitors around him beeping steadily as his chest slowly rose and fell. He'd been taken out of the ICU some time before and transported to a private room with a nurse assigned to watch him constantly. She actually stood behind Roy a little ways, watching as he gently called his subordinate's name.

Dark eyes opened slowly, strangely darker as the face was far paler than usual.

"Sir?" he asked in a half-whisper.

"How're you feeling?" the Brigadier General asked as he slowly took a seat.

"M'alright, they've got me on some pretty heavy stuff."

"Good. You just take it easy and get some rest, alright? We'll manage without you until you're back on your feet."

"Be back as soon as I can, sir."

"I know you will, soldier. We're all very proud of you, and very glad you're alright."

"Thank you, sir."

"I brought you something." Roy pulled out a book, the newly bound leather still soft as he put it in the Sergeant's lap. "It's a history on those tanks you used to build. I would have brought you a model to build, but I thought this might be easier until you're feeling a bit better."

"Thank you sir…I appreciate it…"

"I know you're tired, but I have a question for you…"

Fuery blinked in surprise as the query was made. His reply was a serial number in the military book of codes. When he asked why the Brigadier General wanted to know, the man shrugged and said it was a bit of personal investigation.

"Well, I better let you rest," he said as he sensed the nurse preparing to intervene behind him. "We'll send someone to check up on you later, and Havoc talked to your family last night. They're sending someone in to see you, but they didn't say who."

"Alright, sir. Have a god day."

"You too, rest up while you can."

"I will."

-0i0-

Well guys, I'm sorry this is a week late, but I do have a good excuse. I moved this last week and was rather busy packing and then unpacking and after I settled in the internet stopped working for a few days and I was forced to wait for it to work before I could post. I hope you forgive me, or at least review. I'll take just reviewing, actually, but you know how it is.

Here's the review replies, enjoy!

Yun Min : Thank you, glad you enjoyed it, and Royai all the way indeed! Thanks for the review, hope you do so again!

Rizalicious : Sorry for the long wait, and you'll find out why soon. Thanks for the review!

Cheeseycraziness : This was one of Zeke's moments to shine, and don't worry, things won't be this dark forever. Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the review!

Causmicfire : Of course you wanna know what the paragraph said, and you will next chapter. I do have to say the scene between Roy and Riza in the kitchen is one of my favorite ever. And of course Zeke was checking, if he didn't who would? Hope the wait wasn't too long, and thanks for the review!

Dennisud : Well, the military doesn't have control over adoption, that's the government. And fraternization is just a military matter. And who's to say about the married person thing, I guess you'll find out later. Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the review!

Free Hero : Wow, two reviews! Definitely a compliment. Hope to hear from you again, and thanks for the review!

Hawkeye Chuui : Sorry, this chapter's not much happier either. And the wait wasn't great, but thanks for the review! Hope you enjoyed it!

angelX20 : Roy and Riza will get together when the time is right, before then you'll just have to wait. Thanks for the review, though!

Momiji-k : Woot, the new chapters of FMA were great! Hope that held you over since it was a longer wait than usual. What can I say; dodging the details is one of my specialties. Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the review!

Jacksparrow589 : Aww, sorry for making you cry. And don't hold your breath, but their troubles aren't quite over just yet. I hope you have that box of tissues, because you're going to need it very soon.

Kurissyma san Tybalt : Sorry for it being so sad, but I can't exactly help it. And marriage isn't on the horizon anytime soon so don't hold your breath. And sorry no one reads the one-shot, Leon Priss is a good couple in my book and more people should think so. Sorry for the long wait, and thanks for the review!

Bar-Ohki : Poor Riza is right, and it only gets right. Thanks for the review!

SxL : You'll find out eventually. Thanks for the review!

Crystal Mage : I believe dragging the kids into it is unforgivable as well. Speculation is one thing, outright damaging someone's reputation should never be done. You'll find out what the paragraph said eventually. And there will be fluff eventually as well, it'll just take awhile. Thanks for the review!

Bizzy : I hope your stomach doesn't hurt anymore, that's not cool. It was sad, and unfortunately the clouds will not part just yet but we're getting there. I promise. Sorry for the wait, and thanks for the review! About your PS, think of it this way. She doesn't want Roy out of her life, but for awhile there was probably nothing else she could imagine to do. Still, she has realized that isn't the best idea after all. And that's what's important. As to your PPS (or is it PSS?) You'll find out eventually. Just like everyone else.

Dailenna : Thanks for the compliment on the name, I'm rather fond of it myself. The slander was horrible, but somewhat expected given their relationship. And Zeke does have several qualities that would make him a good investigator. We shall wait and see! Roy is definitely in full father mode this chapter, and Riza does have a choice to make, but what is it? Thanks for the review!

Kai Isolated : Glad you liked it, and don't worry about it, I missed a week, you missed a review, we're even. The story only has another two or three chapters to go. Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the review!

Winglessfairy25 : Aww, thanks! I love you guys too. Thanks for the awesome review and encouragement, can't wait to hear from you again!

Akane : Eh, sorry, Havoc and Sheska ain't happening no more. Hope you aren't too disappointed. Thanks for the review, though!

Ruki44 : You'll find out when everyone else does, be patient! Thanks for the review!

blaznXrapture : Hope you're enjoying the manga. They just released new chapters, so you'll have even more to read than before. I try and make the characters have layers upon layers upon layers, because otherwise each story is just a repeat of the one before. Hope the wait wasn't too long, thanks for the review!

Greyblue Angel : Sorry for the long update, it happens. And I read through as much as possible before I post, but I did say the last chapter was rushed to get it up on time. That happens occasionally too. Thanks for the review!

Humor Queen Merc : Lol, well, you'll find out eventually. Thanks for the review!

WingedChunsa : You'll find out eventually. Next chapter, everything will be explained. And yeah, this was definitely a good chapter to see another side of Riza. Thanks for the review!

Jennlyn78 : It was a rushed chapter, sorry about the mistakes. Thanks for the review, though!

FFVII : Of course they'd make a wonderful family, it just takes awhile for them to get to that point. And again, you'll find out about the paragraph in due time, you just have to be patient for a bit. Thanks for the wonderfully long review, hope to hear from you again!

Animelover2507 : Thank you, my friend, and welcome to the crew! Hope the wait wasn't long, it's usually only about a week for new chapters, and thanks for the many wonderful compliments. Hope to hear from you again!

Rizasfirstlove : Sorry for the wait. Hope you enjoyed it, thanks for the review!

OTP : Lol, Roy saves the day again, right? Thanks for the review!

That's it for this chapter, guys. Thanks for your awesome support as always, and see you again next week. It will be on time this time, promise!

CB

'Nobody plans to fail, but a lot of them fail to plan.'

-Anon.