A/N: I told many of you who reviewed that I would update on the fourth of July. I was planning to, until my computer decided to catch a virus that made it unusuable. I managed to remove it, thank goodness, but the document for this chapter was lost, and I had to rewrite it from memory! So, if it seems a little rushed, it isn't intentional, I just couldn't remember all the wonderful detail and vocabulary I used before... :( Any way! Happy reading! Don't forget to review! Sorry it took a little longer than expected. Many of you also asked for more RoyAi romance. Ask and you shall recieve. I hope I did their love justice, since I'm not very good at writing romantic stuff. I don't have much experience with romance. In writing and my personal life, so there is no writing from experience in that part. Ha. ANYWAY! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Nine

"Rapture"

The day Roy lost his sight to truth was the first day in his adult life where he was truly frightened. He was sure that he would never see Riza again, never be able to look into those chocolate eyes and see her smile. When Riza told him she was pregnant, he had felt that fear again. He couldn't be a father with the future he had in mind. And yet here he was, with the woman he loved, and a daughter. The only thing that was missing was their son.

He had just come home from another long day. The State Alchemist exams were tomorrow, and he wasn't nearly prepared as he should be. He managed to bring home the files on the people who had signed up, to go over before tomorrow. Placing the folders down on the desk in the living room, he heard soft humming and clanking in the kitchen. A small smile formed on his lips, as he removed his uniform jacket, and walked into the kitchen.

Riza was cooking dinner, her hair pulled back in its usual style. She spotted him out of the corner of her eye, and smiled.

"You're home late." She said.

"I was lucky to get out when I did." Roy sighed. "Where's Lily?"

"She's sleeping over a friend's house." Riza answered, putting something into the oven.

"So we have the whole night alone, huh?" Roy said slyly. He grabbed Riza's hand, and pulled her towards him. He put his hand on the curve of her back, holding her against him. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Not now…" Riza laughed. "Dinner will burn!" She tried to push away from him playfully. He finally let her go.

"But that's not a 'no' right?" Roy said.

"Maybe." Riza smiled.

"Hey…" Roy mumbled.

"Hm?" Riza turned back to him. He walked over to her place at the kitchen sink, and tucked a stray strand of hair that had fallen out of the clip, behind her ear.

"I didn't forget that tomorrow is our anniversary, just in case you were worried." Roy mumbled. "But I don't think we'll be able to do anything, because of the exams."

"It's okay…" Riza turned back to the sink. She felt Roy's hand caress her shoulder, and she turned back around.

"No, it's not. So, why don't we do something tonight?"

"But dinner…"

"We don't have to go out. I can help you with dinner." Roy smiled, rolling up the sleeves of his dress shirt.

"You want to help me?" Riza said in disbelief.

"Of course! I don't know how much help I'll be though." Roy's smile slowly became a frown.

"I love you." Riza said, catching Roy a little off guard. He found her standing closer to him than before… All he had to do was lean in a little to kiss her. The kiss held as much passion as it had 16 years ago. He stopped kissing her, unable to stop smiling. She looked up at him.

"I love you too." He whispered. He went back in for another kiss, but found Riza's finger standing between them.

"Dinner will burn, Roy." She laughed softly. "I promise we will finish, but not now."

"Oh fine." Roy sighed. "I have some files to go through anyways. Unless you really do need my help."

"I'll be alright." Riza said.

Roy brought the files into the kitchen to keep his wife company. He sat at the table, flipping through the alphabetized exam entries. All he was really looking at was names, ages, and alchemic types.

Ian Adler – 24 years old; environmental-based alchemy

This kid didn't seem to promising.

Dennis Cavalier – 31 years old; unspecified alchemy

Boring.

Todd W. Fox – 26 years old; unspecified alchemy

Didn't anyone specialize in an alchemy type anymore?

Josephine Leclerc – 21 years old; biological alchemy

A girl, huh? He should keep a close eye on her.

Kelvin C. Marder – 20 years old; unspecified alchemy

Again with the unspecified?

Roy picked up the next file, and was just about to open it when he heard Riza clear her throat. He looked over at her.

"Have you heard anything about him?" she asked quietly.

"No. I haven't." Roy shook his head. Riza had never really noticed it before, but his jet black hair was beginning to gray on his hairline. She sighed, and went back to cleaning some of the dishes she had used. Roy couldn't help but smile.

As Roy stated to flip through the next file, his heart sank into his stomach and his smile quickly faded. He dropped the folder onto the table. He stared at it like it was on fire. How did this happen? Wasn't the military supposed to stop this from happening?

Riza noticed her husband's sudden silence. He had said something about every other file, but he remained silent with this one. She walked over to the table, and saw the file and admission form lying open. He looked at her for a moment before looking back at the file.

Everett A. McCay – 16 years old; water-based alchemy

Everett quickly realized that there were no calm moments in an Elric household. Even with Al, which he and Sam both found surprising. Trisha and Lin were complaining about who was bothering who, May was telling them to be quiet, and all Al could do was try to calm everyone down.

He and Sam were sitting on the couch in the living room. They looked at each other, and then looked away. Sam was tired from his first week as an apprentice, and Everett felt like his skin was crawling, he was so nervous for the written exam tomorrow. He couldn't believe he was this close to his dream. It scared him more than anything. It was just beginning to get dark now, and dinner would be ready soon. Everett wasn't particularly hungry, since his nerves were making him nauseous.

"Did you hear anything about that apartment yet?" Sam asked.

"No. I don't think that land lady was thrilled about two sixteen year old tenants." Everett sighed, slumping down on the couch even further than he already was. "Do you want to get out of here?"

"To do what?" Sam mumbled.

"I don't know, walk around? We've only been here for five days, and we haven't just walked around yet." Everett said.

"Sure. It's a little crazy in here anyway." Sam nodded once, as he stood. "Uncle Al, we're going out for a little while!"

"Want us to save some food for you?" Al's head poked out of the kitchen. Sam looked at Everett.

"We'll eat somewhere else tonight." Everett answered.

"Okay. See you later." Al smiled.

"Daddy! Come here!" A little golden haired girl with black eyes appeared. She pulled Al back into the kitchen.

"Hold on, Lin!" Al said, as he disappeared.

Everett and Sam grabbed their coats and opened the door. Both were surprised to see Genny, who looked as if she was just about to knock.

"Roy, slow down!" Riza exclaimed from the passenger seat of the car. Her husband was speeding through the streets of Central. He was convinced that Grumman had something to do with Everett being allowed to take the alchemy exam. That man always had a hidden agenda. "Roy!"

"Sorry." Roy grumbled, pressing the brake pedal lightly. "This shouldn't have happened, Riza."

"I don't think they're going to let you anywhere near the Fuhrer's estate when you're like this." Riza said calmly.

"Well, we'll have to find out." Roy said, as they arrived at the towering fortress that was Central Command. On the way to the Fuhrer's estate, Roy got several confused looks from officers that were still on duty. He was off duty for the day, and he wasn't in his uniform. They were probably wondering what the hell was going on to make him come in dressed casually, and dragging his wife with him. They walked up to the estate, the Mustangs were stopped by security.

"I need to speak with Fuhrer Grumman!" Roy shouted.

"General, I need to ask you to calm down!" the young officer said.

"Well, General, what a surprise." An old voice said from the main doorway. Grumman motioned for the young officer to let Roy and Riza by. "Come in."

"No, first you need to answer something for me!" Roy growled.

"About?" Grumman asked, smiling like he usually did.

"My son!" Roy shouted. Several of the officers guarding the door looked back at Mustang, wondering what the hell he was talking about.

"Roy, I suggest we talk inside." Grumman said. Riza couldn't agree more, but when she took Roy's hand, he pulled it back.

"No!" Roy said angrily. "You let him sign up for the exams! You told us when he was born that we couldn't have any contact with him, unless we wanted to be court martialled! We've been good this long! So I'm asking you, why allow him to become a state alchemist, where I have to deal with him directly!"

"Your wife is no longer in the military, Mustang." Grumman looked over his glasses. "I will overlook what I said. I know the pressure and hurt caused by not being able to contact someone you love, only having to watch from a distance as they grow up having no idea of who you are. I don't wish that on anyone."

"What?" Riza asked, neither of them knew what he was talking about.

"He's your son. I will no longer hold that threat over your head." Grumman said.

Riza felt like she was set free. Her son was now within her reach. Roy, however, felt worried. Not because he could talk to his son without fear of court martial, but because he now no longer had a reason to refuse Everett the State Alchemy title. If the kid was any good, and being his son he probably was, he would be the second youngest State Alchemist. Roy would have to grant his son's request to become a dog of the military.

"Good night, sir." Roy said quietly, as he turned to leave. Riza stood there, watching him walk away for a moment. She knew why he wasn't as happy as she was. She didn't like the idea of her son becoming a state alchemist either. She said good night to Grumman, and caught up to her husband.

"Roy…" she said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Roy nodded. "You must be happy, huh?"

"Yes, but a part of me is terrified. Even though we are now allowed contact with him, how are we supposed to tell him?"

"He'll probably figure it out on his own." Roy mumbled. "It won't take a genius to figure out we're related. The kid looks just like me when I was sixteen."

"He's a bit taller though." Riza said softly. Roy smirked, as he started the car.