i'm alive... i'm sorry that it's been so long since an update but i think this should satisfy some people. again, i apologize!

~*~ROY~*~

Reading the files of what happened to us at that shed makes me want vomit or at least kill someone. The horror and disgrace that that man had given to us as military agents of Amestris makes me want to take his face and blast it to flames. I go over Sergeant Fuery's file once more and the sheer accomplishment of what has been done to him gives me a headache. How in the hell do those boys think they will be able to fix him? They couldn't even fix Tucker's daughter and dog when he fused them together… If they couldn't save them, how do they think they are going to save Fuery?

I pinch the bridge of my nose, wondering where those boys think they have the capacity to do such an elaborate thing and set Fuery's file aside. I already know what's happened to him… For god sakes I was there when it happened… I shake my head, not wanting to remember that horrible memory and sighing, looking around my room. I have never hated these four walls more than I do now. I have been kept here like some sort of prisoner in my own home because everyone is afraid that I can't walk. Well I have news for them: I'm Colonel Mustang, dammit! I don't need a wheelchair or the help of anyone!

In fact, I think I'll go downstairs and get myself some coffee. Hughes visited the other day and had to audacity to tell me that coffee was bad for people in my situation. I told him as kindly as I could where he could shove his information… or rather, I wrote it. All the screaming I did at that facility still has my voice really sore, but either way, I don't care what coffee does to me or not. I was experimented on without my consent and am left with… well, whatever this is. I am not pleased one little bit that I have to be treated like an invalid because of this stomach... with god knows what is in there.

I swing my legs off the bed and put them on the floor. They look a little swollen. I wonder if I can get my feet into my military boots? I sigh and look around to make sure that I'm not being watched secretly and embarrassingly put one hand on my ever growing abdomen and gently push myself off the bed with the other. I teeter for a moment as I almost lose my balance from the new weight but get my bearings quickly. I begin to walk to the door and open it up.

I listen out for Ed and Al and smile when I hear neither rustling nor Edward's snoring. For a little kid, that boy could wake the dead with that snore of his. I head to the kitchen and begin to make coffee when I hear someone putting keys in the door. I curse but continue with what I am doing.

"Do you think the Colonel will like that though?" I hear ask.

"I dunno what that jerk likes. He'll eat what we give him." Ed says as he walks in with a bag of groceries.

"Brother, this isn't even our house. You can't just do that." The armor says as he walks in behind his brother.

Al looks over and gasps.

"Colonel!"

Ed looks up and then his eyes narrow.

"What the hell are you doing down here, Colonel? You know you're not supposed to be about without supervision."

I grab paper and write on it.

I can only take looking at those walls for so long. Besides, you are both lousy at guard duty. I'm glad your status was bumped to a major and I didn't have to rely on you early on.

Edward grinds his teeth as I hear the coffee stop brewing. I go and pour myself a cup when I see them both looking at me.

"What?" I force myself to say.

"Um… Lieutenant Colonel Hughes said you shouldn't drink coffee if you're pregnant, sir." Al says in his polite voice.

I look at him and take a sip of my coffee defiantly. As I suspect, Ed understands immediately and smirks at me.

"Alright then, drink your coffee. You'll be sorry when it keeps you up or if something happens."

I shrug and continue drinking my brew as the boys walk in and begin to put the groceries up. Edward throws me a can and I catch it, looking.

"I knew you would still drink it so I got you some more."

I smile, feeling tears brim my eyes but I quickly get them to stop as I sip some coffee and start to write on my paper.

I was looking over Fuery's records and I need to know what you have in store for him. What do you think you're going to do to get him back?

Edward looks at his metal hand and opens and closes it.

"I have a theory but I don't know if it will work. I'll need some of Tucker's… other things for me to see if this is even possible. I'm not going to mess with a life but I will try to reclaim it if I can. I have more faith that I will be able to do this now that I have Tucker's notes and I think there's a higher chance of being able to fix Fuery."

I nod, liking that he looks confident and not just spouting pretty words to me. I got my subordinate in this position and by God I'll get him out of it.

Tell me what you need and I'll have Maes try to get clearance for it. If not, I'll get the clearance for you myself.

I could feel the smile coming from Alphonse.

"Thanks! Um… Colonel, we talked with Lieutenant Hawkeye and she wants to know if you're alright with this…"

"What?"

Edward massaged the back of his neck and then messed with the end of his braid.

"Um, she said that the military wants you to come in and give a full report about what happened. They also said that it would be in your best interests to be treated as an um… expectant mother."

I narrow my eyes at the boys but I can tell that they are not trying to pull a joke on me. They are serious about it.

How am I supposed to give a full report if I can hardly talk?

"That's what I said. Hawkeye said she'd see if she could get the Fuhrer to accept your papers if you wrote them right there in his office as testimony or if he wants you to speak. She said she'd come by."

I look at my stomach and pull the shirt that is sort of riding up over it.

"No."

"But Colonel-"

I don't want her to come here… I'm not ready for that yet.

Ed and Al look at each other and Ed lifts his golden eyebrow.

"Are you embarrassed for her to see you? I mean, Hughes comes and sees you all the time."

Maes and I have been friends for a long time. He's seen me at my worst and has picked me up from the depths of despair. My lieutenant… I don't feel comfortable with it yet.

"You'll have to convince Ms. Riza of that." Alphonse says with a giggle. "If she wants to see you, she will."

I smirk. "I know."

The excursion to downstairs was good for me but it tired me out since I am carrying extra weight around. Ed helps me get upstairs again and I lay on the bed, moving the files over so that I can get some proper sleep. He turns the light out and I fall asleep almost immediately.

I could feel the cold metal on my mostly naked body. My arms were tied up over my head and I could hear Tucker moving about the room. He has been keeping me sedated so that I don't struggle but today he decided that I needed to be awake for whatever he had in store.

"Hello, Colonel. So nice of you to join me here. I'm sorry that it had to be your crew but I need specimens for the new experiments I'm working on."

I looked around at the shabby place that I was at and Tucker smiled, holding out his hands to the area.

"Isn't it great? It's just like the lab of a mad scientist! I have decided on what I want to do to each and everyone one of you but I haven't decided who I should match the experiments up with… What would you choose, Colonel?"

I didn't care but I wanted the worst thing done to me. It was my fault that my men were here and there was no reason why they should suffer the worst of what this crazy man was going to do. I would take the worst of the punishments.

"Don't hurt them… They haven't done anything. Please, just use me."

Tucker laughed a mocking laugh. "Wouldn't you like that, Colonel? I'm sorry but one experiment for one person. I can't let them think they are missing out on the fun, now can I?"

"Then… then do the worst to me. I'm sure you have one that is worse than the others."

Tucker smiled a wicked grin.

"True. But my true passion is chimeras, of course. I don't want you to be one but I do have something in store for you –since you're going to be the hero and all- and I think that besides turning into a chimera, this could be the worst."

He walked over to a shelf where there was a lot of different liquids of different colors and pulled out a syringe. He looked around and finally found the bottle he was looking for, sticking the needle in and sucking up some of the blue contents. He only filled the syringe half full when he went to another table and picked up a flat dish. He then filled the syringe with whatever was in it and turned to me, eyes flashing evilly in the dim light of the shed.

"I think you're going to find this very interesting."

He walked toward me and although I knew I could go nowhere, I tried to pull away.

"Don't touch me. Don't touch me! DON'T TOUCH ME!"/i