AN: I would keep apologizing for my fantastically late updates but I'd be writing that far too much.

All I can say about this particular chapter is that I can not and do not make any excuses for Sarah's actions. As far as I'm concerned now is the time to send her off to the funny farm before she decides to cause any more trouble.

Also this is the longest chapter in the story so far ^_^

Thank you: Mellowwy, YesMyLord666, MILL Q, writer's legend, xXRedPokerGirlxX, Nini97, XxXPeaceReaperXxX, Sniper Riza Hawkeye, Guest

Three Weeks Later…

Riza sat at her desk; her brown eyes were fixed with intent upon her daily work. The sound of pen hitting and dashing across the once blank lines of military documents, were all that was to be heard from her and the others in the Mustang Unit.

Not even the Colonel made a peep….or a yawn. All was quiet and tense.

Roy and Riza were, of course still dating in secrecy, though the notion of having someone out there watching had made them guarded, even when they were supposedly alone. They had held together strongly through far worse, though.

The true terms of their relationship were ambiguous at best and in a way they always had been. What they knew was that they were in love, that the military would terminate both them and Roy's dream of becoming Fuhrer if they were caught, and that a love struck stalker was on the loose and prying into their personal space.

With this there existed the very real possibility that this stalker may in fact only be toying with them for a time before working to their overall goal of exposing Roy and Riza's relationship to those in a higher command. It was something that neither of them wanted to openly acknowledge but Riza being the pragmatic one was forced to bring up the matter.

She had told him, against her own inner desires, that they should end their private relationship until they were certain that their voyeuristic stalker was no longer a threat.

Perhaps it was because it was all to clear that Riza was not committed to her words, that Roy was easily able to push such thoughts from her mind. Her job was to protect him; to protect his dreams and because of that she would have said or done anything to keep him safe. Even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness, which it usually did.

She was stubborn and Roy knew this all too well. The trouble was that he to was very stubborn. He assured her that they would eventually find this stalker and that their secret would remain just that.

Until he becomes Fuhrer. After that he'd let the whole world know just where they stand. As husband and wife.

Though that last bit he kept to himself.

Riza had informed Roy about having an idea as to who her stalker might be but she did not give a name. Riza had been making an effort to spot and chat with Sergeant Colt and she did her very best to gear the conversations away from the military. This was easier said than done. For some reason of which Riza could not understand, she didn't wish to know much of Sarah's life, despite how knowing more of her would aid in her finding out whether or not Sarah was her stalker.

There was something so frighteningly familiar about Sarah and it bothered Riza immensely. Instead they talked of simple things, very simple things. Through these talks Riza found that Sarah was a sweet but highly guarded individual.

Sometimes she wondered if she was even looking at the right person. The letters were sad, the person was violent, and the suspect was oh so timid. If they were all truly the same person, then they must be a terribly complex person or perhaps one of these roles was an act or perhaps Riza really was no where near to the truth.

What kept Riza believing that Sarah was still to be considered dangerous was the look that Sarah was constantly giving her. With most who smiled at her and seemed intensely fixated upon her words, it was because they were in awe of her skills as a sniper and of her high rank or on occasion, it was because of the man she worked for. When Sarah smiled and watched her, it was like the others only somehow different. It was a look similar to awe, though not over Riza's rank or skill. Riza felt that when Sarah looked at her it were as though she were picturing Riza as a finally sculpted piece of artwork or some heaven born miracle bestowed upon the Earth.

To say that Riza was made uncomfortable by this look on that young woman's face was the understatement of the century.

The built up tension in the room had been only recently brought on in these past three weeks as not a single anonymous letter had been sent to Riza. On the one hand this was to be seen as a good thing but on the other…

Havoc opened up the door and for the briefest of moments everyone stopped what they were doing, turned, and looked up at him with quizzical expressions.

"Well?" asked Mustang

Havoc shook his head lightly "I don't know what to tell you chief. The only mail we got today is a package for Fuery." He stated as he haphazardly swung a small box up and down.

"It finally came?"

Havoc handed Fuery the package. "You mean to tell me that this is what you've been waiting for this whole time?"

Fuery nodded enthusiastically. Havoc turned to Hawkeye. "I guess whoever it was isn't interested anymore."

Mustang folded his hands and let his chin rest idly on top as he thought, 'This doesn't make any sense. He went through all that trouble of burning up my car and he suddenly just stops. There's something I'm not seeing…"

As if Riza could hear his thoughts, she turned to him "I don't think the stopping of the letters are a good sign, sir."

"Nor do I." he half-audibly replied

Later that night…

Sarah awoke with a sudden start. Her eyes were wide with terror and her arm was outstretched above her head, as though she had been attempting to cling onto somebody. She remained frozen like that for a time, until she felt something crawl down her arm and hit her cheek.

"Not again…"

She removed herself from her bed and wandered over to the bathroom sink. Sarah's arm was open again. Once more she'd dug at in her sleep, which meant that once more she had dreamt of her father; of her home in Pendleton.

She turned the faucet on and stuck her arm underneath the water. This nervous habit of hers extended to her dreams and when she dreamt of things that bothered or frightened her she had the same reaction as she had in a conscious state.

As Sarah cleaned and wrapped her wound her thoughts were taken back to her home. She wandered if the town had changed by much since she left and she wandered about silly things to, like did that stray cat that used to follow her around ever find a home…was it even still alive. It did look pretty old when she left four years ago.

And her father…

"Ouch!"

Without noticing she had turned the faucet handle far too much and the water was now scalding hot.

After that she made her way into her living room and sat down on the couch. It was late but she didn't feel much like going back to bed. Instead she just rested her head against the back of the couch and tried to get her thoughts to do the same.

It really didn't matter what her town looked like and who the hell cares what happened to that stupid cat? Someone had abandoned it for a reason. She had left it all behind her and if she had any sense left she wouldn't make the mistake of returning.

Guilt had kept her there long enough. If it hadn't been for Christine, she'd probably still be there, living in a constant state of guilt and fear. Things were better now.

It was a shame that she couldn't tell Christine that…it was a shame she couldn't say anything to her anymore.

Things really were going good. It was true that the woman she loved still desired another; no matter how useless he was but in these past three weeks she and Riza had been talking more and that was a start.

Sarah was unsure as to why Riza had become so friendly but she wasn't complaining. It was wonderful really. She had stopped writing her letters because there was no more need for that. They were getting closer now and they were talking. Really communicating!

A smile grew on her face at the thought.

Sarah still wanted with a great deal of desperation to permanently severe both Riza's private and working relationship with Mustang. After all Riza didn't need him. She could be a Colonel herself with her work ethic. If it wasn't for Riza's presence Roy would have been killed ages ago.

His over confidence got him in trouble all the time and he was deserving of any and all consequences for his narcissistic attitude. That chauvinist!

Sarah was feeling incredibly agitated as her thoughts spiraled back and fourth from Pendleton to Mustang to Christine.

"Christine…maybe I should go back for a visit…at least to leave flowers on your grave…"

That was it Sarah realized she couldn't just sit their thinking and working herself up. She returned to her room and began to dress. She needed to get out of her apartment and find someplace…safe.

For a long while there was no safe place which existed for her, until Christine showed up. For a time she would spend time with her in her home, while her husband was away. She was a good friend. Though at the time when they knew each other Sarah was only 16 and therefore unwilling to call an older woman "friend". She wasn't sure what to call her really. Looking back on it now she might have called Christine "mom", had she been around longer.

Five years ago Christine made a foolish mistake and was killed for it. The only safe place left in the world for Sarah, was with Riza.

Sarah couldn't really explain what it was about Riza but there was something so familiar and comforting about her. Perhaps it was her protective and determined nature. Maybe it was simply the look in her eyes.

Whatever it was, it was certainly an added plus to Riza's charm.

Although Sarah had halted the sending of letters, she continued to maintain her watch over Riza. It had become like an odd hobby of hers. Through her surveillance she had found out where Riza lived and that tonight Riza was to be attending a rather important dinner meeting with Mustang and a Brigadier General Richter.

The fact that the meeting was strictly business calmed her a bit but she still didn't like the idea of having Riza anywhere near that schmuck.

Sarah did not care to witness another dinner between Riza and Roy. That one instance with them kissing was more than enough. No her best bet was simply to take it easy inside Riza's apartment.

It would be yet another bold move on her part but her new found boldness had led her to some interesting and grand places so far. What was the harm in going a bit further?

After having read The Art of Lock Picking, she was certain that she'd be able to get into Riza's apartment with no problems.

She eyed the book, which rested on her living room table. She'd have to return it to Sheska soon, along with that other book.

The one possible trouble in trying to enter Riza's apartment was Black Hayate. He was a well trained watch dog and if he had the slightest inkling that Sarah wasn't supposed to be there he'd start barking and that would cause the neighbors to take notice.

An idea came to mind. It would take a few minutes but she had to at least try something. Even if it was something this simple.

In Riza's apartment building…

It had taken Sarah quite some time to walk over there. Unfortunately she lacked any other means. Being a Sergeant didn't pay for very much and so a car was something she'd have to wait and save up for.

She liked walking, though. It was a nice night out too. She could see dots of lights in the sky but not much more than that. The street lights prevented people from seeing much more than a few specks of light. It was a pity that those who had been born and raised in Central would never truly experience a starry night.

Back in Pendleton on a clear night you just had to look up to see a whole landscape of stars and meteor showers.

She had passed through the building's lobby and up to the third floor where Riza lived. She took notice of how oddly she was feeling. She wasn't as afraid as she should have been. The concept of someone catching her didn't phase her one bit.

She was inching closer and closer to the apartment door and already she could feel Riza. She knew that she had been standing there. She removed from her purse a tension wrench and pick and set to work.

That book had been right. This was surprisingly easy work.

She held her breath in anticipation. Her hand shook a bit as she went to turn the door handle. It would have been better had Riza invited her but Sarah's home wasn't safe right now and even being this close to where Riza had been made her feel safer already.

She opened the door. It was pitch black inside, until a pair of eyes came darting towards the door and a young pup stepped out into the light.

Immediately Hayate was suspicious as to why Sarah was standing in the doorway instead of his master. He sat up and looked as though he were giving her his version of an interrogation.

Sarah knelt down in front of him and in her own way, asked to enter. Sadly it seemed that Hayate had not received the answers he was looking for and so he began to growl at Sarah.

She signed "For such a cute dog you can make some very ugly faces."

She opened up her purse once more and removed from it rolled up tin foil. Hayate raised a brow and began sniffing at the tin foil and wagging his tail excitedly. He knew very well what was inside.

Sarah stroked his fur, "You're such a good boy, Hayate. You've done a good job at protecting your master's home but you can let me in, right? After all I'm your master's friend."

Although Hayate was smart for a dog, he was still a dog and easily tempted by kind words and what lay inside that tin foil made his mouth water. He let her in thinking he was being a good dog, after all only good dogs get treats.

Once Sarah turned on the lights, entered the apartment, and shut the door, she unfolded the tin foil and allowed Hayate to help himself.

She knew that no dog could resist bacon. Besides in all likelihood Riza had not taught him about keeping people out of her home while she was away. The only people Hayate would have snapped at and attacked would have been strangers who had come in to steal something. Sarah had no intention of taking anything out of the apartment.

She stood upright and took it all in. She was giddy with excitement at being this bold and getting into here. Here! Right in Riza's home. Sarah began to have look around, curious to see the rest of the apartment.

The entrance was cluttered by boxes. This was due to the fact that Riza had but months ago begun renting there. Undoubtedly the heavy work load that Roy was constantly leaving her with was to blame for her inability to finish unpacking. Had Sarah been invited in, she would have gladly assisted her.

Hayate had happily wolfed down his treat and began following Sarah around the small apartment as she walked from room to room talking to Hayate.

"Do you promise not to tell her, Hayate? I wouldn't want her to know that I was here. I mean it's not as though I'm going to steal anything, now that'd be bad. It's just…I like being around her. I really care about her. That's why I don't trust Colonel Mustang."

Hayate's ears perked up at the sound of Mustang's name.

"Please don't tell me you like him? He's a horrible person, you know?"
Hayate wagged his tail in firm disagreement with Sarah's belief. Sarah shook her head.

"You don't know what you're talking about. Riza doesn't know either. What does she see in him? He's lazy, egotistical, manipulative, and worst yet…" she got really close to Hayate and whispered "he's a womanizer."

"How on Earth does someone as intelligent and as wonderful as Riza fall for a guy like that?"

Black Hayate shot her a look

"I'm not going to say that I'm perfect or that we'd have the most amazing relationship but I know that I'd never purposely hurt her. I know I'd treat her the way she deserves to be treated."

Hayate shot her another look, this time it was as though he were asking "How do you know?"

It was true that there were many things that she had not known of herself. She hadn't known of her hidden bold nature or of just how far her jealousy could take her. Still she could never picture herself doing anything to harm Riza.

"I…I just know."

Sarah wandered off into another area of the apartment, "It's not as though it matters. I could never be with someone that wonderful. She deserves only the best and I can not give her that."

She stopped in front of a closed doorway. She opened it and found that inside was Riza's bedroom.

For a moment she simply lingered in the doorway. She saw the neatly made bed, a dresser, a desk, a chair.

it was all very plain; very ordinary. Riza had within her the ability to live a rather lavish lifestyle and yet she chose to live a rather frugile and simplistic one. Sarah thought that perhaps she had gained this thought processes from living with her poor alchemist, Father. Riza had spoken of him once, briefly.

Sarah was torn between her boldness and her quiet nature. Going into someone's apartment was one thing but entering into their bedroom was quite another. One's bedroom is meant to be a place of privacy and security. The only people who are allowed into someone else's bedroom are friends, realitives, boyfriends...

"Hayate?" Sarah asked the small pup by her feet "Mustang...he...he hasn't been in here, right?"

The dog gave no reply.

"Nevermind..." she said as she turned on the lights and walked inside.

Sarah moved towards the bed. Why? She was not sure but she did. She felt over the soft covered with her hand before sitting down. There she sat for a long while, just sitting.

Hayate whined a bit and moved towards the bed himself as though he were about to jump up on it.

"Hayate? Are you allowed on the bed?" she spoke as if talking to a naughty child. Hayate refrained from moving any closer.

"Humph. I though so."

Sarah was about to make her boldest move yet and lay down but as she did she felt something very hard underneath the pillow. She lifted up the pillow and found a large book.

It was an old leatherbound book and there were pages falling out of it. Sarah slowly opened up to the first page and there she saw the words, Dear Diary

"Riza keeps a diary?" Sarah couldn't help but grin at this new found fact. Every question she ever had could be found within these pages. Every ounce of this book oozing the life story of Riza Hawkeye. Sarah could not let such an opportunity go to waste and so she began to read.

Dear Diary, March 5th, 1895

"1895? Riza would have been six. She was smart even then. I mean most six year olds can't even tie their own shoes and here she is writing."

Dear Diary, March 5th, 1895

I'm going to start writing down my words because there is no one around to hear them. Something bad happened. I don't know what but it must have been really bad. Two months ago my mom died. She'd been sick for a long time and then one day she didn't wake up. My father has been acting strange ever since her death. I feel sorry because I don't know what to do. I miss her too but he's in so much pain and I'm the only one who can help him but I don't know how.

Two weeks ago my father locked himself in his study. My mom taught me how to make simple things like scrambled eggs but he wouldn't eat. Then two days ago he came out covered in blood and he was different. He wouldn't look at me. He just kept saying "I know what I have to do."

He was scaring me. I asked him what he was talking about and he only said, "There is to be a great fire." He won't look at me. He won't talk to me. He gives me nightmares.

I want my mom back.

Love,

Riza

"She felt bound to her father as well? And here I thought my Father was the only crazed parent out there." mused Sarah

She skipped a few pages.

Dear Diary, September 12th, 1895

Father has shown no signs of change but he did do something odd. He's taking on an alchemy apprentice. His name is Roy Mustang. He is four years older than me and from Central…

At this Sarah nearly dropped the book. She had to reading that wrong...it couldn't be. No! Never! Riza and Mustang...

"They grew up together...?"

Completly bemused by the text in front of her, Sarah felt compelled to continue reading. At first Riza hated him and she made several rude comments to him that drove Sarah into fits of laughter. She was quite the clever writer. Then something changed but it was not writen as to what the cause was but one day Riza started helping him with his studies and they began playing together.

They became friends. Sarah couldn't believe it. They had been friends and now they were dating and still Mustang made her stay late to finish what he was meant to have done hours before. What a jerk!

Sarah skipped ahead, again.

She found a page then that she wished she had not found. It was dated in early spring of 1903. It was troubling from the very start for there were water marks dotted all about page, like someone had been crying heavily.

It said that Mustang , who had turned 18, left the Hawkeye mansion to join the military. It went on to say that Riza's father had asked her to preform a favor for him. She was happy because he looked at her in the eyes when he asked and he said that no one else could be trusted with such a task. That's why she agreed. Because she was young, because she thought he really needed her.

He used her to hold and protect his alchemy, which he carved into her back. Her words alone to describe such a horrendous pain brought tears into Sarah's eyes and a sudden rafe towards Berthold Hawkeye for tainting what was left of Riza's ability to trust.

She flipped countless pages ahead, not wanting to look back.

She come upon a page that was dated November 6th, 1905. Berthold Hawkeye was dead and Mustang had returned to arrange and pay for that bastard's funeral arrangements. Riza had shed no tears and Roy told her a story of his dreams for Amestris and she ate it up. He then told her that he'd be in the miitary for the rest of his life.

She then said that she had something to show him. Sarah was about to flip the page, not wanting to think about them becoming intimate. Then it mentioned that horrible day. She showed him her tattoo, the one her father had cursed upon her back.

The secrets of Flame Alchemy

"Her father planned this...he planned it all. He sold her to him..."

She couldn't stop reading.

Dear Diary, January 23rd, 1908

So this is it. After putting two years worth of work at the Amesrtian Military Academy, I am to be sent onto the front lines. I'll be leaving my diary with my friend, Rebecca along with my other personal items.

As dear of a friend as she is, I wish she wouldn't keep reminding me of my mortality. She is fearful that I won't return and knowing full well what a bloodbath Ishval is, she may be right. Still I am hopeful that I will find Mr. Mustang before that. I wonder if even in this chaos, his dream has remained unchanged. If it hasn't changed, then I'll gladly defend it. It's good to have dreams. They give you something to look forward to, even when the world in font of you seems so bleak. It is doubtful that he will even remember me.

Love,

Riza

"That bastard! She was looking for him! He lead her right into that war!"

There was a long skip. The next page was dated May 10th, 1910

It began very plainly...I am now a Second Lieutenant and I am working under Lieutenant Colonel Mustang. I am to guard him as I did during Ishval, to preserve both his life and his dreams for Amestris...

Further down lay the line that made Sarah sick to the pit of her stomach.

I still can hardly bring myself to gaze at my back in the mirror. My father's research permanently scarred by the alchemy he had spent so long perfecting. I know he didn't want to but it had to be done. It was the only way to free me. Roy had to burn my back…

That was it. Right there. Sarah dropped the book with a heavy thud to the floor.

"Her father branded her and sold her. He lead her into a war and then he disfigured her back...that...that...bastard..."

She picked up the book and stuggled to maintain a hold on it with her trembling hands.

"It all makes sense now. She was bound to her father and now she's bound to him. She's trapped, just like I was."

Ok maybe you are wondering "why on Earth would Riza leave that thing so out in the open? Is she stupid?"

Of corse she's not stupid! She's Riza Fucking Hawkeye. She's not very analytical but she isn't stupid.

"Then this must be a plot hole!" wrong again.

Stay tuned for the next chapter: Shit hits the fan! (pardon my french) Riza and Roy have something in the works but will it be enough to put an end to this crazy chick?

*cue dramatic music*