A/N: Sorry I haven't updated, I really am. I've been so busy adjusting to college life. I really hope you don't hate me, but my lack of updating will just be something you'll have to get used to.

Chapter Four

My eyes fluttered open to see a white ceiling above me, and I heard a machine beeping near me. Before I even had the chance to look around, though, I was greeted by the worried voice of my brother.

"Tea! What the hell happened? Are you okay? Who did this to you?"

"Sir, with all due respect, shut up and leave her alone!" I looked over to see Riza Hawkeye giving him a disapproving look. "She just woke up."

Ignoring them, I struggled to a sitting position. To my relief, it didn't hurt to sit, I was just sore.

"How long have I been out?" I wondered aloud, mostly to myself.

"A couple days," Roy said, a little less anxious. "How do you feel?"

I paused, considering the question seriously. "Better. A little sore, but I think that's from not moving a few days." I adjusted my sitting position and a sharp pain exploded in my stomach, causing me to buckle over. "Or… maybe not."

"Who did this to you?"

"The woman… the woman who Tanya is working for," I said, breathing hard as the pain slowly subsided.

"Do you know her name yet?" I shook my head. "Where is she?"

"I found her in the sewers, bellow an abandoned bar. Roy," I looked up at him. "She told me to tell you 'You are done'."

He sighed, looking away. Finally, he said, "Hawkeye, I want guards at their hotel immediately. Also, inform the team that their shifts are about to get much longer. We'll have a meeting shortly to discus new shifts. No one will be killed or injured on my watch."

"I need to go talk to Tanya again," I said. "I'm going to get something out of her, one way or another."

"I want you feeling better first," Roy said. "Those are doctors orders, too, I'm just relaying them."

I sighed. "Fine. I guess I can't argue with the doctors." I lay back down in the bed, a little put out that I couldn't leave yet.

"Hey, don't look so upset," Roy said. " Knowing you, you'll feel better in no time. Just get some rest."

I gave a slight smile, but it disappeared after a moment when I remembered the last time I had seen Ed, and how worried he had been. "Where's Ed?"

"He's out in the waiting room. He's been her the whole time you were out. I don't think he's slept, either."

I wasn't sure why, but I felt my heart flutter a bit.

"Did you want to see him?"

More than ever. "No, tell him I'm fine and he should go back to the hotel and sleep."

"Okay," Roy said, and he turned to leave. He looked back at me over his shoulder and said, "You should get some rest, too, Tea."

I nodded, but said nothing. From my peripheral vision, I saw Roy and Riza leave.

I lay in the hospital bed, alone in the room, the only sound the beeping of the machine hooked up to me.

I wasn't sure why, or when it started, but I was falling for Ed. It wasn't the cliché romance story where the girl falls for the boy the moment she laid eyes on him (or vice versa). Maybe it was when I went back to his town. I wasn't sure. But I knew that it was a pointless and stupid crush. We had a job to do, and, at any rate, Ed had Winry. He wasn't about to go for another girl. But you couldn't blame a girl for trying, could-

The door was suddenly slammed open, interrupting my train of though. I bolted into a sitting position, ignoring the pain in my stomach, coming face-to-face with Ed, who had just charged in.

"Edward, you're in a hospital!" Riza called from behind him.

"Elric, get out of my sister's hospital room! You need to go sleep, and she needs to sleep, too!" Roy called from right by Riza.

Ignoring them, Ed just stared at me, and I thought I saw something in his eyes. Compassion. But it was more than that. Before I could name what it was, though, it was gone. "I just needed to make sure you were alive," he said. "It only seemed right since I was the one who found her."

"Ed, you need to sleep," I said. "I'm fine, you don't need to worry."

He sighed. "You didn't look fine two nights ago. What the hell happened?"

"I found the woman Tanya is allegedly working for," I told him. I sighed. "Ed, I promise to tell you about this later, but right now I need to sleep and get my strength back."

"Fine," Ed said. "Jut get better soon." He turned on his heel and pushed through Roy and Riza who quickly followed him out. No doubt to make sure he actually went back to the hotel.

I lay back down on the bed and closed my eyes, not really focusing on anything, and I was out in a matter of minutes.

My eyes fluttered open, and I bolted upright in my bed. I had no idea what day or time it was, or where I was. I stopped myself before I bolted out of the room and looked around.

A hospital? I thought to myself. I'm in a hospital? Why?

The door slowly creaked open, and I tensed, ready to jump out of bed and fight. I relaxed when Roy stuck his head around the door.

"Tea, how are you?" He asked. Hearing his voice, and those words made me remember what was going on.

"How long have I been out?" I asked. I hesitantly swung my legs over the bed and stood, feeling now pain.

"A couple more days."

"I'm feeling a lot better. I think I'm ready to talk to Tanya again."

"About that," Roy paused. "I'm still waiting for approval from the Fuhrer for you being head of security. I assure you she is under maximum security, and, right now, I'm head, so if he doesn't approve it, it won't matter, you can still get information out of me."

"How long will it take him to approve this?"

"I'm not sure," Roy admitted. "He wasn't to meet with you as soon as possible, though. Do you feel up to it?"

"Get me some clothes and I will," I said, noticing for the first time I was dressed only in a blue hospital gown.

"Over there," Roy nodded his head to a table at the end of my bed. "I'll wait outside for you."

I waited before the door closed behind him before I quickly stripped the hospital gown off. I stared at my stomach for a moment, admiring my new scar. It still looked fresh, and I still had stitches holding my skin together, but part of me was proud. Proud that I did what I did, all alone, and still came out alive.

I dressed quickly in the black shorts and black tank top, and slipped on my black boots.

I walked out the door and looked at Roy. "Lead the way."

Instead, he pulled me into a hug.

"Please, don't do something like that again," he said. "I was so scared that I lost you."

"Something had to be done, Roy," I said.

"I know, but I've lost enough family."

I wasn't really sure what to say. Until recently, I was sure that he didn't care about our parents death. "Roy, can we just focus on the job at hand?"

He hugged me a moment longer before pulling away and putting his hands on my shoulders. "Yeah, let's go." With that said, he turned and led me out of the hospital, through Central, and back to Central HQ. We wound through the corridors and up stairs until we came to two large, oak double doors.

"You ready?" He asked, glancing down at me.

I took a deep breath and nodded, pushing through the doors ahead of my brother.

The room was large, with a large, circular table in the center of the room, and a large, oak desk behind it, closer to the window. A woman with short, blonde hair, with streaks of gray through it, sat behind the desk.

"Tea Mustang, I assume?" She asked in a no-nonsense-all-business tone. It wasn't mean, or, I assumed it wasn't intended that way, but it was curt and intimidating. I had never been so grateful to have my brother behind me than I was in that moment.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, hoping I sounded confident and unafraid.

"Please, have a seat," she indicated the seat in front of her desk. "Brigadier General, you may leave now."

"But-" he started, but stopped at the look on her face. "Yes, ma'am." He saluted her, then, to me, said, "I'll wait outside for you," and he took his leave.

We were both silent for a moment after the doors echoed after my brother's exit.

"What do you know about this Tanya, Tea?" She asked me.

"Honestly, not much, ma'am," I started. "I know she attacked my village first, though I'm not sure why. I know she kidnapped Al, and I know she's taking orders from a woman who is very much a threat." I paused to think, and, before she could say anything, I added, "I also know that, though I know very little, I know much more than you, and, with all due respect, ma'am, you need my help. I'm not sure what, but something bad will happen to this city, or my brother, or both."

"You bring up a good point," she said, a slight smile playing at her lips. "But answer me this: why would you do better than Brigadier General Mustang? I assume he knows as much as you, him being your brother, and he's one of my men, so I know I can trust him."

"Because, ma'am, I'm a detective; I'm trained to interrogate people by any means necessary. I honestly don't think Roy would do a good job at that," I said. "I can also assure you that you can trust me. I'm his sister, I wouldn't do anything to hurt him or the military he serves."

"If I asked, would you be willing to swear into the military to prove your loyalty?" She asked me.

Without pausing to consider which answer she wanted to hear, or how it would effect me in the long run, I blurted out, "Absolutely not! For these reasons: if you trust Roy, you can trust me, and on top of that, my home town needs me more than your damned military will ever need me!" As soon as I said that, my hands flew up to cover my mouth.

Shit, did I really just say that?

To my surprise, she smiled. "You really are Mustang's sister. I like your attitude, and I like that you were willing to stick to your standards, even if it might have cost you the job. I'll approve Mustang's request. Although, I would like you to report back to me every once in a while, this does, after all, involve my men and my city."

"Of course, ma'am, thank you so much!" I stood and bowed, and the hastily stood and saluted her, unsure how a civilian should treat the Fuhrer.

She just smiled and held our her hand for me to shake. Slightly embarrassed, I shook her hand, and she handed me a signed piece of paper. "Mustang will take you the prison we transferred Tanya to. Show this to the guards there, it's permission for you to replace Mustang as head of security, and it gives you free reign to come and go in the prison as you please. Good luck, Tea."

"Thank you, ma'am," I gave a salute, not feeling embarrassed this time, and turned to leave.

"How'd it go?" My brother asked the second the door closed behind me.

I smiled up at him and showed him the paper. "You're supposed to take me to the prison she's in, and then we can really start this investigation."

"Good job." He ruffled my hair, and I glared at him, but that quickly melted into a smile when he turned his back on me to lead me to the prison.

"Hey, Roy," I said as we left Central HQ. "I think we should go get the others. Ed, Al, and Winry, at least."

"Whatever you want, sis," he said.

A/N: I do apologize again for the late update. I've been so busy and stressed lately. But I'll do my best to update when I can.