Chapter 44: Battlefield (Jordin Sparks)

A/N: Ishbal. 'Nuff said.

"You shouldn't be here! This is no place for someone like you! What were you thinking?"

Riza sat on the cot, shoulders hunched and eyes downcast. She wouldn't dispute that Ishbal was no place for her; war zones were no place for anybody, but bringing that up wouldn't help.

Roy sighed. "Look, Riza, it's not safe for anyone here, I know that. But I just didn't think… I don't want this for… for someone like you. Why would you come here at all?"

"Because I want to support what you're doing." Riza was suddenly sitting up, back ramrod straight, shoulders back, jaw set.

For a moment, Roy was speechless. He started backward, reminded very suddenly of Mr. Hawkeye. "I appreciate that," he said finally.

Noticing his uneven tone, Riza prompted, "But…"

"But I don't like it," Roy said after a moment of deliberation. "You shouldn't have to live this life in order to support me."

"Then tell me, how should my life be?" Riza wanted to know.

"You… you could've given me someone to come home to!"

Riza sat still for a moment, then stood so that she was more or less on eye-level with Roy. "First, that's not the sort of person I am. Second, you can't save everyone, and third, you need people who will support you from within. From what I know, that's not just going to happen." She sighed. "Your heart is in the right place, but I wonder about your head sometimes."

That's normally on properly, too. Just not when it comes to people I care about doing things they shouldn't on account of me. Roy shook his head. "Could say the same thing about you, coming out here."

They were silent for a while. It was Roy who finally spoke again. "You put up a good argument. I concede this round, but I reserve the right to say that I told you so. I just hope it never comes to that."

Riza shook her head. "I don't even know why you're trying to convince me that I'm wrong—if it's some misguided sense of nobility, or just that you feel you have to fight this alone—but I'm not going to give up on you even if it comes to the point where you're right. After all, you wouldn't." She had him there. "And it seems to me that we should be on the same side. Arguing won't do anything except make things worse."

"You've really thought about this, haven't you?" Roy wanted to know.

"Since the day you said you were joining the military. After my father died, there was no reason to stay. I would've been fine on my own, but it wouldn't have been right, knowing what I did. I'd thought on it too much."

Roy sighed. Riza really had grown up far too fast. He'd always thought that, but there were certain things she said and did that reminded him. Truth be told, he was sorry for her, but guilty just as much. There had to be something that would convince her, even if it took a lot of searching to find. In the meantime, whatever Riza meant to him, she was too precious to lose for his own selfish gains. He'd do what it took to keep her safe, even if it meant that his goal took a little longer to reach.

"You're making me nervous. Please stop staring, Sir."

"Sorry."

Riza was drawing a line now, but Roy supposed that it was better than arguing. He didn't like how much she was shutting herself off, though. It was a remnant from their former time together, and it made some things a lot harder to figure out.

Someday, when this is all over, then I'll ask and maybe she'll explain. Until then, well, maybe these arguments really are my best bet at figuring her out. Roy sighed. He really didn't like it, but what choice did he have?

He couldn't think it was all hopeless, though. He just had to take it one battle at a time, starting with the most important, and hope that when all was said and done, he'd have the chance to fight the others.

A/N: Wow. Took me FOREVER to write this one. I got about three-quarters of the way through, then realized I had no idea how to end it. I just had to ask myself how to make it tie into both the story and Second Chances. I hope it worked!

Also, starting around the end of September, I might drop off the face of the Earth for a while, as I will be off to University, but I'll make every effort to get at least 50 chapters in before I either deem this collection complete or put it on a rather long hiatus. We'll see. Wish me luck!