Mustang did not remember what happened after he left Hawkeye in the lab; he was overcome with pain and rage. Everything was just a blur of agony, rasping breaths and the smell of burnt flesh.
He barely remembered Alphonse Elric and Jean Havoc rushing to his side and lowering him to the floor. Havoc would later tell him that he was begging for someone to check on Hawkeye in the lab. He did not know that Fuhrer President King Bradley had been there and taken Hawkeye to the ambulance.
An eternity later, Roy Mustang opened his eyes. A bright, searing artificial light assaulted his eyes and he closed them. "...aarrgh...!"
"Colonel Mustang--?! Nurse!!" A familiar voice cut through Mustang's haze. "Mother of God, sir, you had me worried!"
"...turn off the fucking lights...!" Mustang grunted through clenched teeth. The lights dimmed until they were not painful and he opened his eyes to see Jean Havoc leaning over him. A thought suddenly struck Mustang and he sat up. Almost as quickly and not as quietly, he fell back against his pillow, clutching his injured abdomen. "...Lt. Hawkeye...?" he asked through gritted teeth, fearful of the answer.
"Right next to you." Havoc's voice went solemn; he pointed and Mustang followed the other man's finger.
The other area was darkened. Havoc moved aside the curtain separating the portions of the room and Mustang saw her. She was lying facing away from him, an IV hooked up to her arm, steadily dripping. Havoc was speaking, but Mustang barely heard him. "She was on the brink when the ambulance got to her; she still is. Cauterizing her wounds was a good move on your part, sir; she would have either bled to death or from both lungs being punctured before the ambulance got to her. Doctor says it's going to be touch and go for the next few days; she's lucky to be alive now. Sol--Lust did a number on her--Sir, have you lost it?!"
Before Havoc had finished his description of Hawkeye's wounds, Roy Mustang was out of bed and pinning him to the wall by his throat, squeezing with all the strength he had to muster--which wasn't much. If Havoc wanted to, he could have restrained the injured colonel; he didn't.
"What the fuck is your malfunction, Lieutenant?" Mustang half growled, half wheezed into Havoc's face. "You were DATING that... that THING..."
"Sir, I did not know." Havoc's face was straightfoward, regretful and mournful.
"So help me, if she dies--" Pain seized Mustang as a series of coughs immobilized him. He released Havoc and dropped to the floor, holding the left side of his chest.
"If she dies, sir, I will give you my head on a platter." Havoc knelt down and put his hand on Mustang's shoulder. "I swear on any and every holy book that I DID NOT KNOW she was a Homonculus."
"... get the fuck off me..." Mustang coughed again, bringing up a tiny amount of blood. "...should have gone alone...I shouldn't have let her come with me..."
"Sir... I'm going to lift you up... you need to be in bed." Mustang did not resist as Havoc slipped his hand under his right shoulder and one on his back. The younger lieutenant lifted the injured man to his feet and supported his limp back to the hospital bed. "Get some sleep, sir."
"Wait--I'm... I'm sorry, Lieutenant." Mustang held out a hand to halt Havoc's leaving; Havoc turned and smiled, then winked.
"You don't have to explain anything, sir; I would have done the same for any woman I cared for."
Mustang blinked. "...uh...um... Why are we in the same room together? Isn't that... frowned upon?"
Havoc's face went serious. "Because there might be more attempts on your life. We put you two together MORE so security wouldn't be an issue. Security's stretched tight as it is for President Bradley. Do you know he was in the building at the same time?"
Mustang's eyes narrowed. "Oh really."
"Yeah, he was the one that called the ambulance for you and Lt. Hawkeye; he carried her to the ambulance himself."
For the second time, Mustang jolted from his bed, this time, nearly yanking the IV drips from his hand. He staggered, nearly falling, to Lt. Hawkeye's bedside and tore back her covers; the woman flinched in her drug induced sleep, but did not wake.
"Sir--what the HELL?! What are you DOING?!" Havoc rushed over as Mustang checked her over with his eyes, then hands through her thing hospital gown. "Jeez, sir, I know it's been awhile, but NOW??"
"Shut up, Havoc. Did you see him put anything on her?"
"No. I had eyes on the whole time; nothing. He put her on the stretcher, whispered something, then left."
"Did you hear what he said?" Mustang whirled on Havoc, then gasped in pain and grabbed his side. He slumped into the chair next to Hawkeye's bed as Havoc replaced the covers.
"Something along the lines of 'Stay alive for him'. That's all I heard, I swear it. Sir, you really need to be in bed. I swear, I'm going to have them tie you down..." Havoc again helped Mustang to his bed; this time the wounded man stayed there. "I swear, sir, I'm going to tie you down. I'm getting something to eat; the nurse should be in shortly."
Sometime later, Mustang was unsure of when, he woke again, with a start. The lights were out save for a soft lamp near Lt. Hawkeye's bed. He looked over in that direction; she was still there, breathing slowly. He slowly got out of his bed, ignoring the pain in his chest and stomach, and limped over to her side.
She looked so peaceful, beautiful lying there, her honey blonde hair in a halo around her head. An image flashed in Mustang's head... Riza in his arms, moaning, not in pain, but in ecstacy. Sweating, naked and holding him against her, kissing his neck and face while he continued to thrust into her... Mustang shook the image out of his head. Not now... not while we're still in the military... not while we're still in danger. His pants swelled in discomfort and he looked down: a massive erection tented the hospital issue slacks. "Won't you be a sight to see when the nurse comes in..." Cold showers, Major Armstrong in a thong, Mom in a two piece...that old granny Ed works with in her skivvies... Finally, it went away.
Without thinking, Mustang put his hand over Lt. Hawkeye's and squeezed it gently; she squeezed back barely. "She's dead, Lt. Hawkeye; she's not going to be any more of a threat." he whispered without realizing it.
He limped back to his bed, but not before seeing a familiar figure standing outside the door. "Armstrong?"
"Yes, Colonel." The head peeked in. "Are you feeling well, sir?"
"I feel like I've been stabbed numerous times, Major."
"I have dinner for you if you're hungry, sir." The low lamp illuminated a meal of chicken, rice and peas with a glass of juice on the table near him. Mustang realized that he was famished.
"How long have I been out, Major?"
"From the time you were brought in? You were out for about a week. My understanding is that you woke again about three days ago and pinned Lieutenant Havoc to the wall." Major Armstrong sat down in the chair nearest the door.
"So I've been out for three days...? Has she...?" Mustang looked over at Hawkeye.
"...no, sir. She's lucky to be alive as it is; she's been out for about two weeks. The doctors are unsure, but she is a strong woman; she'll make it through." Armstrong winked. "She'll make it, sir." he said again, more emphatically.
"She will indeed..." Mustang murmured