I realized I didn't put an Author's Note in my previous chapter. I guess I was too excited to update it that I forgot. Haha. Thank you for continuing to support this story. It means a lot to me, and I hope you like this chapter.
Riza woke with a chill running down her spine. She shivered and pulled the blanket to cover her bare shoulder. She shifted a bit and lied down on her tummy. Something didn't feel right. Or smell right. Her bed should smell like her perfume, but this one didn't. When she realized she wasn't in her own bed, she shot up, and held the duvet to cover her bare body. Her mind started racing, trying to recall what was happening.
She was in someone else's hotel room. She looked around furiously for her belongings. Riza took the robe hanging from a chair and draped herself. She collected her things and surveyed the room once more. There was no one there.
She looked out the window momentarily, and noticed that it was still dark out. Her head was pounding slightly, but it was bearable. Riza heard someone's footsteps approaching her. She turned swiftly and punched the person approaching her, followed by a roundhouse kick, making him fall over. She took her small gun from her handbag and pointed at the man on the floor, holding his bleeding nose.
His frame was well-built and his complexion was quite tan. He had wet black wavy hair and he was only draped with a towel covering his lower body. He was groaning in pain.
"Who are you, and why did you bring me here?" Riza asked, harshly.
"Good morning to you too," the man groaned, while trying to stand up.
Riza cocked her gun and clicked the safety off. This sound alerted the man and put up both his hands. Riza didn't need to speak a word to get the message across.
"Okay, okay!" The guy was waving his hands frantically. "I'm Aaron Morris. And-and I didn't bring you here."
"What?" Riza asked, squinting her eyes at him. She came closer and threatened to pull the trigger.
He kept waving his arms around. "I-I found you here! After I came back from the party, you were already on my bed!" He said frantically. "I left my door unlocked. I guess you wandered into my room by accident."
Riza's eyebrows furrowed to the center and shouted, "liar! I would never do such a thing." Although she was trying to recall how she got there, and she vaguely remembered wandering around the hotel floors to find her room. She didn't know those sweet drinks were backstabbers.
The guy was irritated now. "Well," he huffed and helped himself up. He wiped his bleeding nose and bloody hands with a towel. "You did." He said firmly.
This set Riza off a bit, but she never wavered. Her arm was set in a firm line, with her gun still pointed at his face.
He stepped closer to her and realized he was a whole head taller than her. His eyes were a bright and clear blue. His tanned skin and dark hair framed it even better. He held her gun and pointed it at his chest.
"I don't know how you got here, but I didn't touch you in anyway. I thought you had a rough night, and you needed a place to sleep. Seeing your gown on the chair," he nodded towards the chair and table in the corner of the room, "I knew you were from the party. So I was just being kind." He shrugged.
Riza looked angry, her lips were pressed into a tight line. She didn't know what to say.
"I know you're with the Mustangs. The dress is unmistakable. And I noticed you with his children and chatting with Mrs. Hughes." His keen observation of her made Riza feel threatened. "Though after I saw you on Mustang's arm by the dance floor, I did not see any of the Mustangs since." He shrugged again. "I thought you all decided to head back to your rooms." He seemed honest and harmless. But Riza learned that when you're dealing with people with power, looks are more than deceiving.
"That's none of your business!" Riza shouted. "And why were you observing us?" Her eyes were sparkling with anger.
He paused for a while, and then did the unthinkable. He laughed. He slowly let go of her gun. He laughed even louder, and held his stomach. This confused Riza and made her stick her gun closer to his body.
"I guess they were right, you're not his girlfriend." He laughed more. "Anyone associated with the Mustangs that close would know that they are always at the center of attention." He looked at her smugly. Her eyebrows twitched a bit, but it was hardly noticeable.
He smiled smugly at her and told her, "well, miss Hawkeye, it was a pleasure to meet your acquaintance. But I'm sure it's best you be going. I'm sure we'll meet again."
(((-)))
During breakfast, Roy was nowhere to be found. Edward and Alphonse were eating their usual favorites from the breakfast buffet and as expected, Micha was sitting with her friends. She looked rather troubled, but Riza decided to let that pass for now.
Riza found it difficult to eat. She didn't have an appetite, even if she was always looking forward to breakfast because of their menu and food choices available. Their tea was also delicious.
Gracia sat down with Riza and the boys, along with her two girls, Winry and Elicia. "Good morning, Riza." She smiled.
"Good morning," Riza replied. It was not half as cheerful as Gracia's greeting and this worried her.
"Is something wrong?" Gracia asked, quietly. "The boys told me you didn't go back to the suite last night. Neither did Micha or Roy. Maes had to walk the boys back. Where were you?"
Riza was shocked to know that Roy didn't come back to the suite. But it made her feel guilty knowing that the boys had to spend a night in a large hotel room alone.
"I'm sorry, I guess I got caught up," Riza replied. She looked at the boys, but they seemed to not care that she didn't come back last night. They were too preoccupied with their food and chatting with Winry.
Maes approached their table and set his plate down in front of his wife. He grinned at the children. "Winry, baby, would you be a peach and go sit on the other table?" Maes pointed at a four seater table across the hall, but it was still very much visible from where the adults were seated. "We have to talk about some grown up stuff." He whispered.
Winry looked up at her father. Her big blue eyes were full of confusion but obeyed nonetheless. "Okay, papa." She looked at the two other boys and dragged them to the next table with her. Edward and Alphonse were pretty quiet the whole time and followed without a single complain or comment. Something was up and these three knew about it.
Maes sat down across his wife, and took his plate. He looked at Riza rather seriously and let out a sigh. Gracia looked worried, and tried to hide it by taking a bite of her bread.
"What's going on?" Riza finally asked, though her voice was soft and undemanding.
Maes sighed again and mumbed, "honestly, it's really rather complicated and tiring."
Gracia looked at Riza and smiled weakly, "you see, Riza, Roy and Rachel met up last night and, well—Maes and I were hoping it wouldn't have to come to this again."
Riza's brows furrowed slightly to the center out of confusion. She looked at Maes for further explanation.
"Well, I'm sure you're aware that Roy has an ex-wife—she's Edward and Alphonse's biological mother." Maes explained. He looked at Riza gingerly, trying to decipher her feelings. He continued, "as Gracia said, it seems they met up last night."
"Yes," Riza confirmed. "I met her briefly."
Maes and Gracia's eyes grew wide in shock. "Really?" Maes asked, "how did it go?"
Riza looked uncomfortable. She looked at her plate and all the untouched food gathered there. She wanted to reach out for her tea, but she thought it would look silly just holding it, without bothering to take a sip. "Like I said, I met her briefly. She introduced herself as Rachel and asked if she could borrow Roy for a while." She stopped to look at the couple and then continued, "so I let her. I thought it would be rude not to."
Maes leaned back on his chair and put a hand to his chin. He seemed to be deep in thought. Gracia touched Riza's arm and smiled warmly at her. "We're sorry she interrupted you two. You both looked like you were having a marvelous time."
Riza felt alarmed and embarrassed at the statement. She shook her head from side to side, "it-it's okay, really!" Riza sputtered. It was so unlike her but the comment caught her off guard. "I don't mind one bit." It's not like he was my date for the night, anyway. She thought.
Maes rolled his eyes and sighed loudly. "Well, Roy's just being Roy. And I mean he's being stupid." He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. The two ladies were now looking at him. "I'm just more concerned about how the children will react. Rachel was never the motherly type."
"Please don't leave them, Riza!" Gracia cried. Her green eyes reflected her genuine concern and worry. "They'll need you now more than ever!"
Before Riza could react, Maes leaned forward with both his hands firm on the table. He lowered his voice so only the three of them could hear. "She's right, Riza. She'll take Roy from them, and convince him to take her back." Maes' voice sounded so grim it scared her. "Once she sees how much Roy's changed—how much his children have influenced him—she'll want to stop that. You can't let her know how much the children adore you. And you most certainly cannot show her that you care one inch for this family."
Her heart stopped for a moment, and ugly feelings started to well up in her chest. She felt heavy and sad. Riza brought a hand up to her chest, a weak attempt to make the pain stop. But she looked over to the children's table. She saw how they laughed with Winry, but there was some pain hidden behind their golden eyes. It was breaking her heart. It hurt her to think what kind of pain these sweet, innocent, children will have to experience—will have to endure.
"Where is he?" Riza asked through gritted teeth. She watched her hands form fists on her lap.
"Well… He didn't come back to the hotel room." Gracia answered.
Riza looked up, her eyes were fierce and she looked directly at Maes. "Where is he?" She asked again.
Maes was sitting upright. His back was straight and his posture, perfect. His strong arms were crossed against his chest once again. His eyes matched the ferocity in Riza's eyes. "He's with her."
Riza immediately stood up, and left the mess hall without another word.
Introducing a new character wasn't originally part of the outline, but I thought it would bring a nice addition to the plot. He'll play a pretty important role later on! I'll probably write a backstory kind of chapter soon to bring more light on the whole Rachel issue.
If you guys want more updates about this story and it's progress, don't hesitate to PM me, or better yet, come and talk to me on my tumblr account: .com I reply faster there, and I also put in some updates and tidbits about this story there!
I hope you liked the chapter, and please do drop a review my way! I love hearing (or reading) what you think about this story!
