AN: I'm back! I'm sorry I got a little distracted with my new story.

This chapter is kind of short but the next will be much longer. I was just trying to establish the fact that this story is still active.

Thank you: AndAPartridgeInAGrapeTree, Mellowwy, elevenzombiezz, cool story bro, Axel19, YesMyLord666, Nutella Alchemist, xMORIARTYx, Sira-the-Awesome

Three Days Later…

Sarah sat at her desk; her back was perfectly straight as she tended to her work. Every now and again she would secretly pull back her right sleeve and scratch at her wounded wrist.

It had been trying to heal its self last night, again. Once more Sarah's nails had dug unconsciously at the scarred flesh and reopened it. She had wrapped it up in bandages and her jacket and long-sleeved shirt covered it nicely. Still she could not stop picking at it.

Her scar started at the top of her right shoulder and it traveled down to the back of her right wrist. She did everything she could to hide it from view; it was most unsightly. A mark from her father; a wound that would never heal. Unfortunately, her superior had noticed her odd fidgeting.

"What's the matter, Sergeant Colt?" It was a booming voice, which was coming from above her. It was Major Alex Louis Armstrong; the muscular bleeding heart of the Amestrian Military.

She looked up at him but found it difficult to maintain eye contact. She felt as though she'd been caught committing some heinous crime. "There's nothing wrong, sir."

He eyed her suspiciously.

'Please don't strip, please don't strip…'

Sensing that the Major was about to act on his habit of removing his shirt in his strange way of trying comfort those around him, Maria Ross stepped in.

"It's alright, Major. I'll talk to her."

Sarah did not wish to speak to Maria as she feared another lecture, but if she didn't follow her out into the hall then she'd be left to talk to Armstrong. She didn't want to speak to anyone. She wanted to go home.

Sarah stepped out into the hall, closing the door to the office behind her.

"Are you alright?" Maria had noticed that she had been behaving oddly all day.

"I'm fine, Lieutenant." She offered her a small smile as she positioned her foot to turn and head back into the office.

"Please tell me you haven't…done anything foolish." There was no getting out of this one and so she refrained from moving any nearer to the door. Maria was hesitant to ask but her worry was genuine.

"No, nothing's happened."

"But do you still wish it would?"
Silence was her only answer. She could wish and wish all she wanted to but nothing was going to happen, that was precisely what was troubling her. Foolish letters and pathetic attempts at conversation were her only connections to Riza. Sarah lacked the gusto to make anything happen. She wanted Riza as much as a person can ever want anything in their lives but at the same time she feared the prospect of a real relationship. Fear had always held her back. Riza had no fears; she was perfection incarnate.

"I can't stop you but I want you to try and think about what you'd be giving up if something went wrong and you were caught. You're an amazing sniper and Amestris needs your skills."

'Riza is better…Riza will always be better…'

"Thank you for your concern, Lieutenant. I sincerely doubt that they feel the same way that I do but even if that small chance exists, I have to try. I promise you that if anything should go awry, that I will take full responsibility for my actions."

This was far from the response that Maria had hoped to hear but it would be the only one she would ever get. The military had simply been an escape from what was; Riza was a chance for something new.

It was the end of another long day at Headquarters. The sun was beginning to slink off into the distance and the Mustang Unit office was painted with a wild array of oranges, yellow, pinks, and reds. A Crow sounded off as it flew from one tree to another.

Breda cracked his neck, Havoc yawned, and Fuery clicked off his radio. Roy seemed well prepared to leave as well. With a casual smirk he removed himself from his chair, grabbed his coat, and…

"Sir, where do you think you're going?"

Riza eyed him crossly and while Havoc and the others knew what was coming next, Roy acted completely oblivious to it. Ever since Hughes had let the word "girlfriend" slip his tongue, Havoc and the others had begun to take serious interest in the interactions that took place between their 1st Lieutenant and her Colonel. There was something that had always existed between the two of them but it had suddenly developed into something much stronger; something much too obvious.

They knew better then to say such things out loud but those tiny gears in their heads never stopped moving. Lately Roy and Riza had been playing this sort of game with each other. Around the time that they were all about to pack up for the day, Roy would attempt to leave even though he clearly knew that he had yet to finish his work. Riza would then scold him, he would throw a hissy fit but it wouldn't work, he'd then try to subtly charm her, and then she'd give in and agree to stay behind and help him finish it up.

That's exactly what was happening then. How daft did they think they were?

Riza sighed heavily "I'll stay behind and help you finish up."

Roy smiled like a kid does when their parents give in and buy them that new toy.

"The rest of you can go home."
Fuery tried to get up but Havoc pulled him back down. "Oh no it's ok, chief. We'd love to help out too."

"It's alright Havoc, you should go home." Said Riza as she tried to ease him and the others away.

"Hawkeye, I'm ok with helping out. In fact we all are, right?"

Breda nodded but Fuery just sat there feeling put on the spot. Havoc nudged him slightly and he responded with "Uh-yeah that's right. It wouldn't be fair for you to get stuck here for another night."

Riza knew that the ring leader was obviously Havoc and so she turned to him and said "I said that it's fine. You can go home." She shot him her best death glare and the message was received by the group rather quickly. Without another word the trio grabbed their things and bolted out the door.

When they were certain that they had indeed left, they turned to one another; things had gotten far too palpable.

"Roy…"

The way she spoke his name made it sound sacred as she only dared to utter it when they were in private. It was only then that they could truly be themselves, removed from duty and titles, they became simple people.

"Roy, they've already caught on. If our relationship is that evident then others will soon begin to notice as well."

The trouble was they were not simple people, if anyone outside of their office were to catch wind of what they were doing it would coast them everything. Years of work could be destroyed in a matter of minutes, should they dare throw caution to the wind.

"I guess we'll have to find another reason to leave together."

It was a shame because this way was the most convenient.

"Well shall we?"

"Sir, I think you're forgetting about something." 'Sir' meant that it was back to work. She was pointing over to a stack of unfinished forms. He grumbled slightly. It was always work first and fun afterwards. At least he had company.

Sarah waited outside the Investigations Department office for Sheska to come out. She shrunk under glances of those who passed her by. Unconsciously she scratched away at her wrist and only stopped when she felt warm liquid seep out of her now irritated flesh. She tightened her bandage around the open area. Then she saw Sheska exit the room.

"Hello Sheska."

Sheska was startled to hear her name called as she had not noticed Sarah's presence.

"Oh! Hello Sergeant Colt." She saluted her instinctively. Sarah made motion for her to stop.

"I told you before, you can call me Sarah."
"Right, Sarah"

"Would you mind if I walked with you?"

"No, no, not at all."

Sarah allowed Sheska to lead the way while she tried to get her thoughts in the right order.

"I wanted to thank you for the writing tips that you gave me."

"It was nothing really, just something I picked up from a book. Did your writer friend finish his book yet?"

Not yet but things are going much better for him, lately."

Sarah had lied to Sheska about why she needed writing tips. She had told her that her friend was a struggling novelist, who had been suffering terribly from a case of writer's block and that he was in need of some helpful tips to get his writing to flow better. She bought every word of it and oddly enough the same tips for writing a novel also work well with writing letters.

"I want to ask you for your help again."

"My help? All my answers come from books."

"How many books do you have?" asked Sarah, half jokingly.

Sheska stopped walking as she mentally made her calculations. Sarah watched her incredulously as she replied "2,670. I used to have so much more but I was forced to sell them because my small home can only fit so many." Her sentiment of loss was sincere and it made Sarah laugh.

"What? Was it something I said?"

"You're a very interesting person, Sheska."

They continued to walk down the hall together, and then they passed by Mustang's office. As they strode by Sarah heard something faint but still present. She stopped for a moment. It was a laugh; no, it was more like a giggle. It was Riza. Then it was followed by a deeper chuckling sound. It was Roy.

It was innocent enough, really. They were just laughing, talking, and smiling. Still she could not see behind the closed doors and that alone was enough to trouble her. Why were they still in the office? Why were they alone together? Why were they laughing?

Sarah was tense and her fists clenched and all at once she became filled with such rage, jealousy, and hate…sheer and undying hatred towards this man who could make her Riza laugh so sweetly. All she had to do was bust open that door and whip out her gun from her holster. She could do it. She could kill Mustang so easily. Alchemist or not he was still only human.

"Uh…Sarah?" Sheska called her timidly.

"Yes?" She said, not moving away from the door.

"I…was saying that if you wanted to you could come to my house and barrow some books. They might have the answers you're looking for."

Sarah closed her eyes and counted back from 10. The laughing had stopped and all she could her now was a pen signing away on papers. She reopened her eyes, calmer now.

"Yes, I think that be good idea."

EN: In the next chapter Sarah get's the answer to her question (you'll find out what it is) and takes it a little to far as her curiosity gets the better of her. She's about two chapters away from being ready to go to the looney bin.