Now Roy was pissed. Some higher up asshole was playing with his men without so much as a please or a thank you. Some ignorant bitch was playing god. Some heartless bastard had sent Edward Elric, his, Alchemist, out into the field without so much as consulting him first?

Roy snapped his fingers furiously, watching as the alchemic presence within the air died off beneath his fingertips. He was lucky the boy had been so wet, lucky he had taken it upon himself to render his gloves useless in a moment of pure rage.

He wanted to break things, to burn Headquarters to the ground just to get to the bottom of this horrendous offence. Someone was going to pay for this, someone was going to pay for meddling with his officers.

It was at that moment a knock fell upon his door, the large, heavy oak presence shifting to make way for a pretty pair of cinnamon eyes and blonde hair. "Everything ok Sir?" came the wary voice of one Riza Hawkeye. Her obvious understanding of the situation almost eerie in its perfection; voice laced with a cautious caring.

Roy's dark eyes, black marbles of pure range and angst turned upon the woman as he threw his prized alchemy gloves to the floor in a huff of annoyance. "I want to know who was responsible for sending Edward Elric out into the field..." Roy ordered venomously, his feet carrying him back to his desk in few quick steps.

"Sir?" Hawkeye questioned.

The Colonel merely threw himself into his seat, the chair allowed to roll a few inches before the man deemed himself calm enough to respond. "The names Hawkeye, the names!" he demanded furiously, fists colliding with the wooden surface of his desk. A small cup containing various pens and other stationary supplies tumbled over as Roy piteously fumbled with what few shard of sanity he had left.

Hawkeye merely blinked a few moments, her weight shifting to the other foot as she moved to close the door behind her, allowing a moment of privacy to over take them. "Permission to speak freely sir..." she paced gently, watching Mustang as he allowed an exadurate huff to escape him.

This she merely took as a yes, as he never silenced her before, "Whoever ordered Edward on that mission had to have been an officer of greater or equal rank to you... Sir..."

"Then I hope it's the latter, I need to hurt someone..."

"I shall send in Havoc if that's the case sir, I cannot let you squander your title over some silly mission... sir..."

Roy went wide eye, drawing Edwards report off his desk. "This... lieutenant is unacceptable..." he bellowed, tossing the document onto the floor inches from her feet. The paper slid across the floor in a quiet hiss, covering ground with out so much as mixing up the pages. "This, this is..." he fell at a loss for words, watching as Riza loyally plucked the papers off the floor, tapping them into perfect alignment, "he's just a boy Riza..."

A smile fluttered onto the woman's professional persona. She shifted and then moved to place the folder back against Mustangs desk. "We tend to forget that sometimes... don't we..."

"Even me..." Roy didn't want to admit it, maybe he was just angry for all the times he had sent Edward off on those dangerous mission, or those which lead him no where. Maybe he was angry because he had lost control over the situation and didn't realize the pain and hurt that could befall the parentless child. Maybe he just cared too much.

"You care for those boys sir, more then anyone, more then they realize, I understand you're angry, but he is going to fall down sometimes, and you can't always pick him back up again. He has to do it on his own..."

Now what Roy wanted to do was scream. He wanted to grasp a hold of his hair and scream bloody murder until his throat was dry and his vocal chords fell off. Instead he treated his officer to a bitter smile, fingers rolling against the paper stack placed in front of him. He wanted to burn the report, but he needed it less they send Edward out again. No, he couldn't have that happen. He wouldn't allow that to happen again, not like this.

"Do you have children Hawkeye?" he asked boldly, though knew the answer off the bat.

"No sir, only a niece and two nephews, my experience, as you know, is limited..."

A nod, a quiet misplaced smile, "Me either, no extended family yet either, just an older sister..." he sounded off randomly, "but those boys, Edward in particular, he acts so tough..."

"We all want to protect him sir..." Riza cut in.

"It's more then that lieutenant, far more," was he crazy for trying to explain these mixed up, upside down, twisted through a cork hole feelings wracking his insides mercilessly? "I'm responsible to him... being here..." but it was too hard to explain. The burning within his chest as he imagined Edward screaming and crying as he was forced to take the life of some pitiful transmutated soul. He'd probably tried to separate them, tried to save their lives and failed miserably. Roy had been the one to suggest coming to the State. He had been the one encouraging the boy to take his state alchemists test, the reason he ran all over the world trying to find some stone Roy knew would only hurt him in the end. It was his fault and he was paying for it in the heavy ache, the way his stomach lurched whenever the young man entered a room. The undeniable pain which surged through his every waking thought process when the young man frowned. He didn't want Edward to know pain, he wanted to help, gaining a few ranks in the process, maybe do a good thing or two... now this...

Could Hawkeye even understand?

"All he wants is to get his brothers body back; he hardly cares what happens to his own body in the process so long as Al's whole again..."

"Can you blame him sir?" Hawkeye pondered aloud.

"Maybe not, he just doesn't seem to realise that the reckless way he barrels through life is only going to hurt people, hurt Al... in the end." Roy's attention focused on the rain drops slowly slipping down the window pain. He hid his deep invested emotions from the observant Hawkeye and played it all off on the protective commanding officer card. He knew in the end that she knew, maybe not the full course of his feelings, but she was wise on to the emotional investment he had staked into the boys.

Hawkeye sighed softly, crossing her arms impatiently against her chest. There was no winning with Roy Mustang; he was as pigheaded as Edward when he wanted to be. "But Sir," she pressed further, "It's his decision..."

"And the rest of us will be left to lie within the wake of a life forfeited before it even had a chance to get off the ground. He hasn't lived lieutenant; I want him to have a chance..."

"Forgive me sir, but it's not your place..." The brazen soldier burst through the Colonels selfish tirade, "Edward may not be a full fledged adult yet but I would place him against you any day sir. You two are far too alike for your own safety, I suggest you let things rest and apologise to Full Metal. You're right about a few things, you had a hand in getting him this far..." her voice softening a few notes, "he needs you, Roy..."

A smug smile tugged at the corners of Roy Mustangs lips. She was right of course, Riza Hawkeye and her never faltering words of wisdom. But where had Full Metal run off to in this weather?

A/N

Thank you to all those who read and reviewed!!
your encouragement was, is and always will be appreciated!
This chapter is a little short, more with Ed next!!!