On time update, just the way you like it! Thanks for your many reviews, here's the chapter as promised. Enjoy!

-0i0-

Riza looked a bit surprised as she peaked in to Fuery's room, a young woman perched beside his bed who also wore similar round glasses speaking with him quietly.

"I hope I'm not interrupting," she said when the pair caught sight of her and paused in their conversation.

Fuery shook his head, giving her a weak smile. "No, ma'am."

"Kate Fuery," the woman said as she extended her hand carefully. "I'm Kain's sister."

"Riza Hawkeye," the Lt. Colonel replied as she shook the hand firmly. "I work in the Brigadier General's unit along side your brother. How are you feeling, Fuery?"

"Better, ma'am," he said as a placed a hand on his chest. "I got lucky, the doctor said, real lucky."

"That's good," she replied with a faint smile. "We're glad."

"Havoc came by last night, he said you got hit too…"

"Just a graze," she replied with a frown. "Enough that I won't be sparring for awhile, but nothing more serious than that."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"I have to go, but it was a pleasure meeting your sister, and I hope you feel better."

"Thank you, ma'am. Goodbye."

"Goodbye Fuery, Miss Fuery."

"Good day, Miss Hawkeye."

-0i0-

Roy came in fifteen minutes late, went directly to his office and shut himself inside on Thursday morning, Riza giving him a glance in passing to find him still more solemn that usual. The determined line in his jaw was something he reserved for when he was about to roast someone with his flames, the steely glint in his eyes for when someone's blood had to flow and it wasn't his.

Nobody heard from him until lunch, Hawkeye only leaving him alone because Havoc had to go in and get some papers signed and mentioned on his way out that the boss was working through his papers like a demon.

"I wonder if he has a date tonight," he commented, giving Riza a sly look.

"I wouldn't know," she replied flatly, and he laughed and said he could take a hint. "He didn't say anything, did he?"

"Just that he needed to finish early," Havoc replied with a shrug. "I'm going to drop these file copies off in the mail room for Eastern, you got anything you need sent out?"

"Not right now, thank you."

"Alright."

Riza was just completing a particularly complex report involving some investigation Marshall and Brosh had carried out at one of the outer posts when Roy appeared beside her desk, his hands in his pockets.

"Lt. Colonel, can I have a word with you?"

The sharpshooter nodded, and waited for him to start speaking.

"In my office, if you don't mind."

Riza actually looked up in surprise. "Sir?"

"Please, Lt. Colonel."

Hawkeye obeyed, and leaving the report open on her desk entered the office as the Brigadier General closed the door behind them.

"Please have a seat, Riza."

"What is this about, sir?" she asked as she did so, watching him take his seat as well behind the large and imposing desk. The furniture did not impress her, but the man behind it always had.

"Something has come to my attention, recently," he said solemnly, picking up a stack of papers and he did so. "I'm not quite sure how to approach this, so perhaps being direct is the best approach. Riza, have you considered retiring from the military? From being a commissioned officer, I mean."

The Lt. Colonel stiffened as though she had just been impaled on a stake of cold iron. "Sir?"

"I did a little bit of research yesterday," he went on, pulling out a paper from among the sheaf. "Chapter V of the Military Articles, subheading C, paragraph 4, dealing with the rights of women in the military. No mother or adopted mother is allowed to be on active duty, because of the ramifications of their death in their children's lives until said children are more than eighteen years of age, providing the mother is still under the age of forty and still able to perform the necessary maneuvers according to standard procedure…"

"What is your point, sir?" Riza broke in coldly.

"You lied to them," he said, putting the paper back down as he refused to meet her gaze. "You lied to them so you could continue to protect my back."

"It's my job, my mission," she replied flatly. "You have entrusted me with your back, just as I once trusted you with mine."

"I'm not as important as those two; my well being shouldn't be placed above theirs. You should have resigned that position, given it over to someone who doesn't have your responsibilities…"

"And who would watch your back?!" she demanded, taking a breath before she continued at her normal speaking level. "Sir, I have watched your back for almost ten years. I have never failed to protect you when it was within my means, put your life before mine countless times, and have only lost hope twice when I thought you were dead. I have faithfully supported you through your campaign, followed your orders to the letter even when I didn't agree with them, pushed you to the top when you couldn't push yourself, kept your men together when you voluntarily left them on their own for two years, I have done everything in my power to make your dreams come true…"

"That doesn't change the fact that you lied to the children," he cut her off shortly. "Kants has done very well under your tutelage, given time he would make a suitable replacement…"

Riza's head snapped as though he had dealt her a physical blow. "Then…I am replaceable, sir?"

The Brigadier General froze. "That's…that's not what I…"

"But that is what you said, sir." There was a moment of silence before Riza saluted sharply. "Thank you, sir, for making your position clear to me. Am I excused now?" She left before he could reply, heading into her office where she promptly pulled out a file from the bottom drawer and stuck it in her purse. Pulling out a second, she filled it out, signed it, and headed for the main room where the others were.

Havoc, about to wheel into her office and ask if the boss was alright, he'd been awful quiet all day, stopped when he saw the dead look on her face.

"Havoc," she said, handing the signed paper to him. "I know its short notice, but I'm taking the rest of today, tomorrow, and Monday off. Please hand this in for me. Also, we'll have to cancel for Friday. I've decided to surprise the kids and take them to the mountains, so we won't be home. If you would inform the Brigadier General of these developments, I would appreciate it."

"Yes, ma'am," he said, understanding immediately as he gave her a slow salute. "Travel safely, Lt. Colonel."

"Thank you, Havoc."

-0i0-

Roy was sitting completely still when the door to his office cracked open.

"Sir…?"

"Go away, Havoc," he said as he turned his chair away from the door, running a hand over his face.

"Sir, I think…"

"I said go away, Havoc."

"With all due respect, sir…"

"Dammit, I know I screwed up! Now leave!"

There was a silence, then, "As long as you know, sir."

"Havoc…wait…"

The wheelchair bound man paused, giving his superior officer a cool look. "What?"

"Bring me the rest of her paperwork. I'll finish it before I go home."

"Alright." The Lieutenant took the paperwork and handed it over. "She's taken time off, sir."

"I guessed that she would."

"Are you going after her, sir?"

Roy paused, before he shook his slowly. "I don't think she wants me to."

-0i0-

Beth and Zeke's teachers were more than a bit surprised when Riza showed up at lunch to pick up both of her charges, but when explaining the surprise she had planned for them and that she would help them make up all their homework upon their return the children were set free without complaint. Upon arriving at the house, it was just a matter of packing each of them a small bag, loading everything in the car, and leaving a note for Gracia to find her kitchen later on. The weekend vacation place the men had purchased her birthday present from was called, their reservation booked, and off they went to the mountains.

The drive would be close to three hours long. The train would have been a bit shorter, but when Riza explained that Hayate would have to ride in a crate in the back, and that they would have to walk everywhere they wanted to visit the kids agreed that driving would be much better. Books, snacks, drinks, and the radio were brought out or turned on and everyone settled in for the long drive. If Riza didn't say much, or her smile wasn't quite as genuine as usual, the kids were too excited to notice and Black Hayate took up most of their attention in the back seat anyways.

With one stop halfway through for gas and a potty break (humans and animal both being in need of one) the trip went by smoothly enough, and upon arriving were assigned a small cottage much like the rest, with a small garden that backed into the woods and had a nice view of the valley below. Out of the car they piled and into the small house they went, Beth and Riza sharing the double bed in the room while Zeke would have the folding bed out of the couch. The kitchen was fairly well set up with plates and cookware, so to the local grocery store they went and picked up enough food to last them for the few days they would be there.

Dinner was chicken baked with cheese and tomatoes, a family favorite, with rolls and steamed veggies on the side. They ate together at the table, Zeke complaining only once that he wished Roy could have come along and Riza reminding him that the Brigadier General was a busy man and could hardly take so much time off on short notice. Black Hayate seemed to bark in agreement and happily explored their new home after Riza showed him where he could do his business outside.

Cleaning up and helping Zeke set up the bed he would sleep on that night, they then pulled out the brochures for the local sights and sprawled on the freshly made bed together with Black Hayate playing with anyone who would pay attention to them. There were trails they could hike, horses they could ride, there were two or three historical landmarks that might be interesting, like a field where a famous battle had been fought and other interests like a plantation that showed how maple syrup was collected and refined into the bottled substance that was sold in stores.

It took the better part of two hours for them to plan out exactly what they wanted to do, although it was more like what Beth and Zeke could agree on doing because Riza honestly didn't care as long as they were together. After that there was a small bowl of ice cream and strawberries for each of them, except the dog of course, and then it was to bed.

Beth snuggled up in Riza's arms while Zeke claimed Black Hayate to keep him company outside. The house was quiet, the children given over to pleasant dreams, but Riza just stared at the ceiling and prayed for the morning to come.

-0i0-

"Sir, don't you think you should be heading home?" asked Kants carefully as he paused outside his superior's office door, the rest of the group having headed home already. His own practice hours were strange, and he had stopped by to make sure he had all his filing finished before he headed home for the night. Winry would be arriving the next day for her next two-week stay and he wanted to be sure he was well-rested.

"I just have a few more things to finish," the Alchemist replied, not even bothering to look up from the paper he was signing. "Go home, Kants."

"Yessir."

Pausing at Ross's desk, he scribbled a note and left for the night, hoping his intuition was wrong and yet instinctively knowing it probably wasn't.

When Maria arrived the next morning, the first person there with the Lt. Colonel gone from the office, she picked up the note and immediately headed for the Brigadier General's office. Inside she found her superior office asleep at his desk, deep rings under his eyes and stacks of finished paperwork surrounding him on all sides. Carefully, so as to not wake the man who was a notoriously light sleeper, she carried all the paperwork to the main room where it could be filed before pulling out one of the spare blankets from the closet and settling it over the sleeping man's shoulders.

Havoc found her sorting through the paperwork a little while later, growling a few crude oaths under his breath when he peeked in at the snoozing man.

"She's the only one who can snap him out of it when he's like this," he grumbled once he was back in the main room. "Damn it…"

"He's the reason she left," Ross commented as she paused in her work.

"And her leaving is why he's like this," Havoc finished with a snort. "Now I really wish we had locked them in a closet months ago and not let them out until they worked it all out."

"She would shoot anyone who tried," Maria pointed out with an amused look.

"And he would roast whatever was left," he added lightly. "But at least we wouldn't be dealing with this headache. Go get me a copy of the days of leave form; we need to get it filled out before he wakes up. Falman."

The tall man paused in the doorway, still rubbing traces of sleep from his face. "Hm?"

"Go get me a train ticket, around this evening, heading to the mountains."

"Yessir. Military business?"

"Close enough. Call Breda, he probably hasn't left yet and I need him to make a stop along the way."

-0i0-

Zeke woke up at the crack of dawn, sliding out of his bed and letting Black Hayate out for a bit before he walked into the room Beth and Riza shared to wake them as well. The prospect wasn't as scary as it would have been had he been walking into Riza's actual room, and since Beth was there he figured he was safe from a gruesome and terrifying death.

"Aunt Riza," he said as he plopped down beside them on the bed. "Wake up, I'm hungry."

"Zeke, what are you doing awake?" she mumbled as she cracked one eye open blearily and read the clock that said a quarter past six. "The trails don't open for hikers until eight."

"I'm hungry," he repeated, his stomach growling emphatically. "Besides, we're on vacation; you're not supposed to sleep in on vacation."

"Really?" Riza gave an amused chuckle as her eyes closed once more. "Who told you that?"

"Nobody, I thought of it myself."

"Go let Hayate in," she sighed as she heard something scratch at the back door. "I'll get up in a minute."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise. Go get dressed after you let him in."

"Alright."

By the time Zeke had finished pulling on his clean shirt and pants, Riza had roused herself enough to get some eggs and sausage started on the stove top with French toast beside it. Beth stayed in bed, curled up in the warm indentation Riza's body had once occupied, until Zeke carried her to the table when the food was ready, but even with a hot plate of deliciousness and some orange juice in front of her it was awhile before the little girl really woke up enough to enjoy the meal.

The dog stayed under the table, not whining a bit even with the tantalizing smells coming from over head, and Riza was sure to leave out a bowl for him before sitting down to eat herself. Together they ate, comfortable in the silence that surrounded them until Zeke gulped down the last of his juice and bolted from the table to pull on his tennis shoes and go sit by the front door.

"I'm ready!"

"Did you brush your teeth?" asked Riza, not even bothering to get up from her seat quite yet. The park wouldn't open for another hour or more, there was no reason to hurry along just yet.

"Drat."

He hurried back, the sound of running water coming from the bathroom for a couple of minutes, along with the sound of something hitting the frame of the door loudly and the muffled grunt of pain that followed. A moment later Zeke appeared, rubbing his head carefully as a lump that hadn't been there previously began to form. "Ok, now I'm ready!"

"Did you remember to make your bed?" asked Riza as she slowly finished the last of her tea, Beth watching with an amused smile as Zeke rolled his eyes as went to the couch, leaving the sheets on the fold away bed but removing the blankets and folding the blankets as quickly as he could without doing a sloppy job. Carrying them to the left side of the couch, where they'd been stashed originally, he forgot the bed was still down and banged his shin against the edge of the metal frame.

Yelping as he jumped around on one foot, the blankets were dropped to the side as he grabbed for his shin and held it in an attempt to sooth the pain. By the time he regained control of himself, the blankets were once again in disarray and he had to refold them once again, this time taking care to stay away from edge of the metal frame. That didn't stop him from pinching his finger when he then began to the task of refolding the bed into the couch, but Riza just watched from the kitchen where she began to wash off the breakfast dishes in the sink.

"Ok," he called when the last couch cushion was in place. "I'm-"

"Will you fill Hayate's bowl with fresh water? He's out."

Sighing, the boy did as he was bid, in his carelessness dropping the bowl on his foot, which made him yelp again. Beth chuckled from the bedroom where she and Riza were getting dressed, the two of them emerging in their pants and shirts with shoes on to find Zeke sitting on the floor nursing his poor toe.

"We're ready to go," Riza said teasingly. "Are you?"

"Yeah, yeah…"

-0i0-

The four of them piled out of the car, Black Hayate submitting to his leash as the rules required he be on one at all times and Zeke holding on to it faithfully as they left the parking lot for the local trails. Checking in at the front building, they picked up a map and choose an easy route along the edge of the lake to start with. Less than a mile long, it was fairly easy with only the occasional slight rise up or down as it wound around the shoreline.

Beth trooped along merrily, Zeke and Black Hayate running in front and then running back to report what was coming up before running in front once more. Their pace was slow, but there was a great deal to see with the stunning view of the mountains in the background and the many forms of plant life surrounding them. Huge pine trees several stories high towered overhead, and occasionally another hiker or group of hikers would pass them on the trail.

Zeke paused to rest on a boulder as Beth and Riza still trailed a bit behind, Black Hayate lying obediently beside him as he panted slightly. The day was relatively warm for fall, but in the shade of the forest with a slight breeze it was easy to stay cool and he wasn't sorry he'd worn his longer pants in the least.

Getting out of school for two whole days, not having to share Beth or Riza with anyone else, spending the weekend in a cool little cottage, and Black Hayate coming along, it was all great. It only got better as the day went on, Beth was hungry and Zeke getting there after they finished a second trail that strolled through the woods for about another mile. The trail park didn't sell food, but there was a small settlement not five minutes away, and there they feasted on freshly grilled hamburgers, home made fries and cookies still warm from the oven for dessert.

Beth wanted to ride in one of the pony carts that took you on a tour along the local river bed, so Riza got them tickets and together rode in the back of the cart while the driver told them the history of the area for their two hour ride. Back in town they got off the cart, and Zeke noticed the sign for the fair that was going to be town that night. It only took a moment for Riza to agree to go, and so back to the cottage they went for a short time of rest before the evening festivities.

There, Black Hayate and Beth sprawled on the couch asleep for awhile, and when Zeke asked Riza if she would play chess with him for awhile she agree and immediately helped him set up the board. She let him play white, since that was the side he always took against her grandfather, and in the time they rested three games were played, one a tie and then a win on both sides. When she told him she was very proud of him for having improved so much in such a short time he accused her of going easy on him. She laughed, and asked if he thought she really would. Grumbling, Zeke shrugged and muttered probably not but she was still really easy to beat for once.

To the fair they went that night, Black Hayate unfortunately left behind as dogs were not allowed, and the moment they reached the lane where the food was cooked and all the delicious smells assaulted their noses their stomachs growled as one.

"Gotta pick, what do I want," Zeke murmured as he looked from sign to glowing sign. "Ribs, no fried corn! Oh, they have sausage on a stick, and I really love those fries…"

Riza seemed to consider them for a moment, Beth drooling in the direction of the funnel cake sign. "Why not…a little bit of everything?"

"What?!" Zeke looked at her in surprise, blinking in amazement. "But you never let us have it all, you say it's not good for us."

"Well, I don't think it will hurt, just this once," she amended with a guilty smile. "Besides, I'm an onion rings fan myself, and those turkey legs are calling my name too."

And so they embarked on their quest, up and down the lane as they stopped at every vendor that caught their eye and ordered the smallest portion possible of whatever they were selling. Sausages, fries, turkey legs, fried pickles and onion rings, ice cream sodas, frozen slushies, candied apples, funnel cakes, ribs, roast pork, maple syrup candy, pop corn, they bough more food than they could ever possibly eat, but the attempt to consume it all was most rewarding. Or at least for Zeke and Beth it was, though Riza would have a bite of something occasionally, Zeke would swear she hardly ate anything at all.

Afterwards, nibbling on a bag of cotton candy, they came to rides, both of kids immediately mesmerized by the bright, flashing lights.

"What would you like to ride first?" asked Riza as she bought some tickets from the counter. "The Ferris wheel?"

"Yeah, let's ride that!" said Beth, and as they clambered aboard and reached the top, they weren't disappointed. The sun was setting over the mountains, the lights in the towns below just coming on and lighting up the country side with hundreds of little dots of light. Beth clung to Riza out of fear of the height, but the older woman just held her tightly against her chest and in the end it was a most enjoyable experience. To the merry-go-round they went next, then some of the faster rides that Zeke wanted to go on alone. Riza let him, and he spun and twirled himself until his stomach was about ready to pop and he actually began to look a little green around the gills.

Helping him walk off his dizzy head, they came to the games, and immediately the pair pointed to a large stuffed version of their favorite canine friend back at the cottage. Riza had laughed and let them both try to knock down the stacked milk bottles by themselves. Beth wasn't even close, but Zeke managed to knock off the top one once, and the second time almost clipped the bottom left corner. Riza then picked up the ball when they told her to try, and after studying the bottles for a minute aimed for the bottom two pitches to the left. It took two tries, but she managed to clear the stand in one hit much to the children's delight.

The man, obviously impressed, pulled down the large dog they pointed to and Zeke proudly carried it for the rest of the evening under his arm. Together they went through the other games, losing most of them but adding to their winnings with a gianormous teddy bear Beth fell in love with at a shooting game and after a lucky toss with a ring Zeke presented his two favorite females with matching gray tabby kittens with blue button eyes.

It was late when they finally went back to the car, Riza carrying a sleeping Beth while Zeke juggled their various winnings. With the stuffed animals and small girl in the back, Riza expected Zeke to drop off to sleep in the front on the way back and was surprised when the boy sat up straight and gave her a hard look.

"Something's not right," he said as he watched her drive, noticing the way her mouth pressed into a firm line and her eyes gave him a guarded glance. "You're being too nice."

"We're on vacation," she reminded him with the 'voice of logic' than only an adult would use. "The extra money spent is something that will not happen often, I suggest you enjoy it for the time that it lasts."

"Yeah, but you never let us have everything we want," he pointed out with a memory only children can possess. "Even at the beach, we out to eat a lot and stuff, but you always reminded us that there was only so much money to be spent."

"This is different," she pointed out slowly. "It's just us, and it's only for a few days."

"You're hiding something, too," he added, using his fingers as he went through his reasoning process. "This was thrown together at the last minute, and you never do that. The plan for the beach was checked, and double checked three or four times before it was even close to happening. This you made the reservations on the way out the door, took me and Beth out of school without prior warning, and you never smiled with your eyes the whole way up or most of today. You didn't begin to relax until we got up to the cottage, and it wasn't until halfway through today that you really paid attention to what we were doing. So, what happened?"

"I was going to wait until we were ready to head back to have this discussion," she said, eyes focused on the road as her shoulders sagged slightly in defeat.

"You're not getting rid of us, are you?" he asked softly, eyes focused on his hands as he tried very hard to keep the tears out of his voice. "You said you'd keep us forever…"

"I'm not getting rid of you," she promised, glancing over and putting a hand on his shoulder. Zeke scooted closer, letting her put an arm around him as they both stared out the front of the windshield. "I will never, ever get rid of you."

He sighed shakily, leaning against her as her solid warmth provided a comfort he couldn't describe. "Then what?"

"I've done something horrible to you, something you and your sister never deserved."

"When?" Zeke asked, honestly confused. "You've always been nice to us…"

"I lied to you."

"Adults always lie about something," he reasoned with a slight shrug. "Even teachers, they don't mean to but it's usually to hide something they feel we're not quite ready for yet."

"About the adoption policies."

The car was silent for a long time, Riza prepared herself for the explosion she was sure was about to come. When the boy didn't pull away and instead laced his hand with hers, she was stunned into a continued silence.

"It's because of Uncle Roy, isn't it?" he asked after a long while, the entrance of their staying place coming into view. "He's the only thing you care about more than us."

"I don't care about him more, just differently…"

"Well duh, it'd be weird if you cared about us the same."

Silence fell between them again, Riza glancing down at the boy who looked back up at her expectantly.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to let this wait for another time?" she sighed, pulling into their parking spot carefully.

"No."

"Go put the kettle on for tea; I'm going to carry Beth in. The rest can wait for tomorrow."

"Ok."

Beth was put in the bedroom, Black Hayate dutifully lying next to her as Riza tucked the small body underneath the covers. Back in the kitchen she found Zeke taking a whistling kettle off the stove and laying out a cup and a tea packet for her. Sitting with a cookie from the package Riza had brought along as a snack, he watched her expectantly as she prepared her hot drink. Sitting next to him, she cleared her throat and took a small sip with a sigh.

"So," she said after yet another awkward silence. "Do you remember when I went to find the information on adopting you both?"

"Yeah," he replied, scrubbing the crumbs from his mouth as he finished his cookie. "You said you couldn't because of some legal mumbo-jumbo."

"Well, I wasn't lying entirely," she admitted with a grimace. "There was a waiting period, but we were within weeks of qualifying, and the fees and paper work would not have been as much as I implied."

"Then what was it?"

"There is a law I was made aware of along the way," she replied carefully. "Chapter V of the Military Articles, subheading C, paragraph 4, dealing with the rights of women in the military. No mother or adopted mother is allowed to be on active duty, because of the ramifications of their possible death in their children's lives until said children are more than eighteen years of age."

"Active duty…that means if Uncle Roy had to fight, you couldn't fight with him, right?"

"Exactly."

"Aren't you supposed to protect him, though? He told me, once, you were the only person he would trust to watch his back."

"Yes, I am."

The silence was very heavy this time, and lasted several minutes. Riza slowly finished her tea and got up to put the mug in the sink. When she turned around Zeke had already gotten up and headed for the other room.

"Do you mind if I sleep with Beth?" he asked, keeping his eyes on the floor.

"No," she said with an understanding nod. "Good night."

"Goodnight."

Riza took herself to the couch and turned off the lights, staring out the window over the star lit valley as she wondered if things would ever be the same again.

-0i0-

Roy thanked the bartender as the man poured him another whiskey, sipping the cool liquid as it burned a path down his throat to his stomach and settled there sullenly. He had been awakened by an all-too cheerful Havoc that afternoon, informed that he had a trip he had to make and was handed a train ticket, a packed bag of his clothes, and a fresh change that wasn't his uniform for him to wear on the train itself. Obeying more because he was too sleep-befuddled to do much else, the alchemist had changed and let himself be driven to the train station without comment.

His mission was some sort of check up on a local group he had once had contact with, Havoc had explained as he handed him a manila envelope that supposedly held all the details of what he was to do. The men knew him too well; he waited until he was on the train and halfway to his destination to open up the envelope and a find a note written in Havoc's thin scrawl.

Have a nice trip, sir. Hawkeye and the kids are staying at the Alpine Lodge, cabin number 23. Your reservation there is in one of the small suites, number 14, your keys can be picked up at the front desk and you're not supposed to be back until Monday night. Don't worry, we've got things covered on this end.

Havoc

The said cabin was less than twenty yards away if he walked out off the doors to his right, a car had pulled in less than two hours before, and the last lights had been recently turned off. What was he doing here? He couldn't fix things now, not like this…

Paying his bill, he got up and headed for his suite, a small three room affair with its own bathroom and a small sitting room with a desk. The bedroom had a queen sized bed, and as he laid himself down to sleep he hated how empty it felt.

-0i0-

Beth woke up unusually early, her poor little bladder protesting as she slid from the bed and went to use the bathroom that adjoined the small bedroom. Heading back to snuggle with Black Hayate for awhile, she started in surprise when she realized it was Zeke who had been lying on the other side of their furry friend.

"What're you doing in here?" she asked as her brother watched her with an unusually solemn face. "Where's Riza?"

"Riza said I could last night," he said by way of explanation. "She's probably on the couch. I got a question for you, Beth."

"What?"

"You know Riza protects Uncle Roy, right?" he said carefully, letting her move into his lap when she crawled up next to him.

"Yeah, that's why she's got all her guns'n'stuff."

"And you know she wants to make you happy by adopting us, right?"

"Yeah, that's why she went out and found out how."

"Yeah. Well…what if she had to choose between protecting Uncle Roy and adopting us? Like, we could live with her and stuff as long as we wanted, but if she adopted us she couldn't carry her guns anymore, or help out Uncle Roy when he got in trouble."

The little girl was quiet for a long time, her fingers fidgeting as they played with the edge of her blanket.

"Is that why she wouldn't?" she asked after awhile, looking up at her brother who nodded slowly. "That's…really hard…"

"I know."

"What would happen to Uncle Roy if…if she stopped protecting him?"

"I don't know," the boy admitted slowly. "Uncle Roy seems like he can take care of himself, but Aunt Riza doesn't practice all the time for nothing…"

The silence stretched on longer than before, the young blonde's fingers working themselves deeper in the folds of the blanket her brother had draped around her shoulders.

"I don't…"

Zeke waited patiently as he ran his hand along his sister's back, holding her all the tighter when she threw her arms about his chest.

"I don't want anything to happen to Uncle Roy," she said after several moments of heavy breathing, scrubbing the back of her hand over her eyes furiously. "He's a nice man, he's always there for us, but if she doesn't adopt us…!"

"Beth, Zeke, are you awake?"

The door opened slowly, a solemn Riza poking her head in to find the pair sitting on the bed.

"Zeke?" she asked quietly when Beth refused to look at her, the small child's eyes clouding with tears once again.

"I told her," he replied, setting his mouth in a firm line. "She should know."

"I was going to regardless," she replied with a sigh, sitting down a little ways away. "I suppose the real question now is if you two can forgive me."

Neither Zeke or Riza was quite sure how Beth managed it, but the small body launched itself across the bed and dragged her brother along, both of them falling into the sharp shooters lap. Burying herself into her guardian's chest, the young girl shook her head vigorously as the tears began to fall.

"No!" she cried, the word muffled as Zeke awkwardly tried to situate himself around her. "I'm not gonna forgive you 'cause there's nothing to forgive!"

"But…" Riza put her arms around the small girl as she pursed her lips. "I lied to you, Beth. I should never…"

"It's hard, choosing between things you love," Beth whispered as she pulled away and rubbed at her face with balled fists. "Very, very hard…"

"It's not my choice anymore," Riza replied as she pulled the young girl's chin up slowly. "Maybe this is just as unfair, but it's now up to you and Zeke. Whether I adopt you, whether I remove myself from active duty; that is now up to you."

"But why?" asked Zeke, clearly surprised.

"I can't be trusted to make a fair decision," Riza explained as though it were the only possible way. "I am biased, unable to put that which should be most important first."

"But we're just kids!" Zeke protested as Beth simply stared at the woman in silence. "We can't possibly…"

"You don't have to decide now," the Lt. Colonel added as she got up from the bed, bringing Beth wit her as the small girl was still attached to her body. "But, before we get home, I will have to have an answer from you."

Beth's stomach growled right then, and the sharp shooter seemed to give a dry chuckle.

"I made breakfast, we'd better go eat it before it gets too cold," she said with a finality that both children recognized. "We can talk about this more later, when you're ready."

Zeke watched as she left, running a hand through his hair as Black Hayate jumped up next to him and put his head on the boy's leg. "So she says," he grumbled as he scratched the dog behind the ear. "But I don't think I ever will be."

-0i0-

Hm, not the greatest ending yet. Guess you'll all have to wait for the next chapter to see how it ends. Mean? Perhaps, but it was either stop here or you'd be waiting an extra week for the update. That's the way it goes, folks.

Here's the review replies, thank you for your many, many wonderful comments, and please review, it makes your author's day!

Jacksparrow589 : Well, I'm glad you didn't cry during the previous chapter, but this one might have made you. If that's the case, sorry. Happier times are ahead, I promise! No more battles, either, so no more getting sick. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for the review!

SxL : It happens. Unfortunately, Roy doesn't do much better this chapter either. Thanks for the review!

-Kai Isolated- : Let me just say leaving the HP spoiler in the review: not cool. I didn't get to read the book until two days ago, and I spent the whole time wondering what was going to happen to Lupin. No Roy getting hurt, but someone had to and Fuery makes a good guinea pig. Thanks for the review!

Causmicfire : Yeah, Havoc is probably the one person who knows Roy and Riza better than anyone else besides each other. Of course Riza saved Roy, she always does. And I did the dialogue between her and Marshall because Marshall doesn't get a lot of story time, and it seemed appropriate (and ironic) that the one he fears is also the one who comforts. Thank you for the wonderful review, hope to hear from you again!

Jennlyn78 : Next chapter, right on time! Hope you enjoyed it, thanks for the review!

OTP : Now you know. Interesting investigation, ne? Thanks for the review!

Winglessfairy25 : I think has a hiccup or something because my chapter update and all the reviews didn't appear until some 12 hours after they'd been put up. Hopefully it won't happen again. The real Royai is still to come, so stay tuned for next week! Thanks for the review!

Cheesycraziness : That does seem appropriate. I think you found out about Mustang's question, if you were paying attention. I guess we'll never know about that slight disappointment, hm? Oh well, maybe next time. Thanks for the review!

Aindel S. Druida : More! Glad you enjoyed your morning because of the chapter, I hope this one was just as wonderful. Thanks for the review!

Dailenna : I think if there was a reward for most lengthy reviews, you would get it. And that makes me very, very happy. Gotta love midnight reads, they make the story that much better. Glad you enjoyed the action, sorry it's only in one chapter but this really isn't an action oriented story. Don't worry, Fuery will be fine, and I suppose now you know what Roy was asking about. Glad to know I'm forgiven, and thanks for the great review!

Yun Min : Glad you enjoyed it, we're on time this time, and thanks for the review!

Rizalicious : I was moving last time, however now that I'm unpacked things are back on schedule. Thanks for the review!

Humor Queen Merc : Awe, thank you! Keep up the good reviews!

GreyBlue Angel : Gees, will you people stop dropping hints about the Potter book! Someone of us didn't get to read it right away, and getting spoilers, even hinted ones, is very irritating! Glad to enjoyed the chapter, though, hope this last one was just as good. Thanks for the review!

Kurissyma-san Tybalt : Yay for not missing the bus! Here's to you making it once again, hope you weren't forced to run! Thanks for the review!

Bar-Ohki : Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for the review!

Momiji-k : Glad to know the update came at a good time. It certainly got heated this chapter, it just wasn't the kind of heat most of you were hoping for, probably. Next chapter maybe, we'll just have to wait and see.

Crystal Mage : A battle there must in the FMA world, at least once during the course of the story. Here is my one, so don't expect another anytime soon. And I like what Riza says too, it says something about the self-sacrifice others make for those they love. I don't think I address what the kids thought, yet, so you'll have to wait on that one. I miss Maes too, thought it would be nice to have a little reminder of him. And now you know what the paragraph says. Hope you enjoyed it, thanks for the review!

blazenXrapture : A little bit of action never goes a miss. Thanks for the wonderful compliment, I like to experiment from time to time and it's nice to know I wasn't far off the mark. Wonderful review, hope to hear from you again!

Bizzy : Yeah, Zeke being concerned about Riza definitely shows how the relationship has progressed. Thanks for the review!

FFVII : Only two weeks, but stuff happens. This update was on time, at least. And please, Roy's a sexy beast, what unmarried lady with a healthy libido wouldn't want to see Roy in his boxers and undershirt? And yeah, there's people in the world who enjoy killing a little too much for their own good. I'm more for the 'bomb them in their sleep' tactic, but whatever floats your boat. Hope you enjoyed the chapter, thanks for the review!

Ruki44 : And it hasn't let up by much. Thanks for the review!

JenovaJuice97 : Welcome to the story, new friend! Glad you enjoyed it thus far. Yes, Havoc being in a wheelchair has to do with the manga. If you want to read it, it can be downloaded for free at www dot narutocommunity dot net . Things I made up are things like Zeke and Beth being there. Most story events come straight from the anime or manga. No the manga is not yet finished, but it is closing towards the end.

That's it for now, folks! Thanks again for your many kind words, and see ya next time! If you're wondering there's about two chapters left, maybe three if things get stretched out.

CB

'Death is just another journey we take on this path of life.'

-Anon