Chapter 4: Invitation

Sila took care of her primary duties, and at lunch time made her way to Lieutenant Colonel Archer's office. He had left a folder of their work on her kitchen counter. When she entered Archer's office the secretary was not present at her desk. Sila knocked and entered and found Archer in his dress uniform. 'Take my breath away!' she thought.

He was standing in front of a full length mirror and nodded to Sila. She entered and said hello to Galit, the secretary, who was standing next to the mirror. Archer thanked the secretary and she left. "Lieutenant Colonel, What's the occasion?" Seeing Archer dressed so nicely brought out her affection for him and reminded her of when she first saw him.

"The officers' ball Captain. I ordered a new dress uniform. What do you think? The tailor will be here in the hour to make it perfect."

Sila said "They should take it in at the waist. It fits nicely at the shoulders, but the waist line is too big."

"Mmm. Honest appraisal. Galit said they were perfect as they were. I agree with you. I guess my extra sit ups are helping" he said to himself. "Come closer."

Sila obliged. He took the hat off his head and placed it on her. It was a little large on her and flopped down covering her eyes. He stole a glance of her while she couldn't see then went back to fixing his collar. Sila took the hat off and was a little irritated he was treating as a hat stand. 'At least Mustang would've had a roguish smile for me after I took the hat off! Why am I comparing them like that?' "Lt Col., here is that last file" she said as she put it on his desk.

Still admiring himself in the mirror Archer asked "Are you sure we went through that one?"

"Yes sir. I put a little red check on the ones we finished."

"Efficient." He responded, taking a step back. He looked at Sila and asked "Can you dance Captain?"

"Yes sir. Can you?"

"Of course" he said checking his profile.

"Who are you taking to the ball, Lieutenant Colonel?"

"There are a few women I have thought about asking. I'm sure one of them will be more than happy to escort me."

Sila thought 'I wonder who Mustang is taking.'

The next day Riza Hawkeye was at headquarters early to make up for time lost the day before. She came in and stumbled upon Fury, Breda, and Falman talking conspiratorially. Riza narrowed her eyes at the three stooges and they stopped talking immediately. Fury decided to intervene before she asked any questions "Not driving the Colonel today?"

"I don't do it everyday" she said. "What are you guys up to?" she asked without a skip of a beat.

Falman stood and rubbed the back of his neck "Honestly? We were talking about Havoc." The other two men looked a little embarrassed.

Fury volunteered "We were trying to figure out how to get Sila Wellbrick to go with Havoc to the officer's ball."

Riza scoffed and said "She can't stand him! Good luck with that!"

The three men looked at each other then at Riza with a look of slight confusion. Breda asked "Why? What do you think is wrong with him?"

Riza was about to try and answer when the Colonel burst through the door with Havoc in toe and said "Alright, let's get this meeting over with. I've got deadlines to meet today."

'Of course, you're a procrastinator. I handed that pile of papers to you the other day! But you were too busy trying to flirt to finish signing them!' As Riza used her inside voice she took a look at Havoc not quite sure what Sila saw as so objectionable about him. 'He's not bad looking, actually he's pretty cute. Loyal, not a total numbskull – only when it comes to his personal life, apparently. Even then it just seems just to be bad luck.'

Riza shifted her attention to the Colonel who was giving another talk about something she'd just review later. She found her attention kept shifting back towards Havoc. 'That sweet guy is chasing after Archer's little henchwoman. Sheesh. He's so cute, I'm surprised he is heartbroken as often as he is.- Wait! Cute? What! What am I thinking?'

After the meeting Mustang went to his office and left his subordinates on their own. Fury picked up where they left off. "So Lieutenant what do you see when you look at Havoc?"

Riza didn't know how to answer. "I see a fine soldier."

The rest of them rolled their eyes with an air of knowing. 'Of course she would comment on his service.'

Wanting to buck against their preconceived notions about her she finished saying "…and a fine looking man." She left for the Colonel's office and left the four young men in a frenzy.

Archer sat at his desk gripping the decorative phone receiver in his hand with a tight lipped anxious expression 'All three? Not one of those women were available? Who should I take?' He considered Sila but was irritated because she wouldn't be as impressive as another women. He wanted to protect the perfect image he portrayed to his superiors. He liked Sila, and found her to be an attractive, though klutzy, woman, but she was not the type to know how to hob knob with generals. 'Well, I guess she would be better than no one. As far as my luck stands I should just be safe.'

When Sila arrived that afternoon Archer asked her to take a seat in a similar manner to the way he dispensed orders to his subordinates. Archer said "My plans have fallen through for the ball. I want you to accompany me."

Sila saw stars. "Yes sir, if you like, sir." 'Where did THAT come from?'

"I suspect you will find something suitable to wear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. You are dismissed."

Sila walked into the hallway and realized she had no idea what would be suitable. She walked towards the exit and Lieutenant Hawkeye popped out of one of the doors. "Captain Wellbrick" said Hawkeye with unease. The captain greeted the Lieutenant with a big smile and told her the exciting news.. "Archer? Asked you?" said Riza with surprise.

"It's not THAT outrageous" said Sila, defensively.

"How many turned him down?" asked Hawkeye knowingly.

"Three" said Sila feeling her ego deflate. Then the young captain perked up and asked "Can you help me find a dress?"

"A dress? Is that suitable? You're an officer, Captain. Don't you have a dress uniform?"

"Is that what I should wear?"

"Isn't it?"

"Is that what you wear when you go to the ball, Lieutenant?"

Hawkeye sighed a bit and said "I haven't been to it in past years."

"Oh" 'Hmm. I'm surprised.'

"It kept overlapping with duty." 'and the lack of a date.'

Sila wanted to ask but she stopped herself before she put her foot in her mouth "Oh I see. Let's do an investigation" Sila winked "into the appropriate attire for female officers to the officer's ball."

Hawkeye still couldn't get over Frank Archer asking Sila Wellbrick. 'I know for a fact that they work late – are they a secret couple?' She tried to picture Archer as a secretive romantic and couldn't maintain such a ridiculous picture.

Sila was a pretty, tall and slender, but not very high in status or rank, nor sophistication. 'Why would Archer be interested in taking her? Also, what is it that Sila dislikes so much about Havoc? I would be more than happy to go to the party with him.'

After checking a few regulations at the library the women found a clause stating that ball gowns indeed were appropriate attire for female officers. Riza accompanied Sila to a store in town to look at some dresses. Sila tried on a few and settled on a lavender dress that left her shoulders bare. Riza felt a bit of a pang in her heart wishing she had a reason to try on the dresses too.

The store wasn't fancy, it was a second hand store, but the dresses were charming. She really didn't have a lot of friends who were girls anymore and the softer side of herself had gotten lost a while back.

As Sila twirled in front of the mirror Hawkeye smiled crookedly and thought 'At least Archer produces something good; he makes someone happy…not me, but someone.' Riza's eyes landed on a yellow gown. She fell in love with the dress and thought 'maybe I should ask Roy. He won't be asking me.'

Sila purchased the dress and made an appointment to have it fit.

Later in the evening the Elric brothers returned from their latest journey. They returned and learned of Archer's latest activities.

Al said "I figured Archer, but Major Armstrong? I would never have guessed!"

Ed the older and more jaded brother responded "Nothing seems to shock me anymore."

Ed flopped down on his bed and sighed. Al said "We should tell Mustang."

Ed sat up with an angry start "What for? He probably knows already considering where we heard it from."

Al pleaded with his brother to come to his sense "Brother c'mon! You know the Colonel has resources to exploit this information."

Ed begrudgingly agreed. He pulled out the papers and said "I'm just sorry Armstrong might get burned in the process."

Al chuckled and said "He's a big guy I'm sure he can take care of himself."