AN: I'm back! *cheers* And I am finally better! This chapter is shorter than I normally write but I felt it worked well to end it where I did. I've tried to keep it as canon as possible but I've had to move some things around to make way for other story developments. This flashback happens more recently than the last ones (obviously) but the chapter starts off in the present. Please keep the reviews coming, it's so nice reading them and we really appreciate it. Sorry for the long wait but I hope this is worth it! ~EmpressofBread

Mustang looked down at the book in his hands, his fingers absent-mindedly tracing the cursive handwriting of his Lieutenant, although she wasn't when she wrote it. He looked across at Hawkeye, guilt heavy in his gaze.

"Riza I'm so sorry. I honestly didn't know."

Hawkeye turned away from him and spoke with the emotionless tone she adopted to shut herself off from the world, to hide her true feelings behind her stone-cold exterior. "It's fine sir, I gave the book to you after all. It's not my place to tell you what to do with it."

Mustang winced at her choice of words and placed a hand on her arm, turning her round so he could look her in the eye.

"Don't put yourself down like that, just because this military dictates that you are my subordinate that doesn't mean your place is below me," He spat the last words with bitterness lacing his tone. "You deserve better from me after everything you've done." He placed a cold hand on the side of her face and stroked her cheek lightly with his thumb.

Hawkeye tried to keep her voice steady as she looked at him with what she hoped was a stern expression. "Sir, it's not appropriate for you to be acting like this, we don't want a repeat of what happened when Edward came in earlier."

Mustang grinned slyly but did not remove his hand, "Oh come on Riza, you have to admit that was quite funny; the pipsqueak had no idea what was going on!"

Hawkeye resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him as she peeled his hand off her face and threw it back to him, "I'm sure I don't need to remind you Colonel that calling me by my first name is highly inappropriate and you should be thankful Edward didn't realise or else you and I would have landed ourselves in hot water. You know how useless you are when you're wet." Hawkeye couldn't help the smug smile that graced her features after teasing the colonel, that argument always left him stumped, but she was surprised when she noticed the sly look still on his face as he gave her what she was sure he referred to as 'a sexy smoulder' that would make any other girl weak at the knees.

"So sorry Lieutenant but if my memory serves me correctly I believe it was you that made the first move on me; I was simply returning the favour." Mustang raised an eyebrow at her as he waited for her response.

Hawkeye tried but failed to stop the blush that crept up her face as she recalled the memory; of course that was the part he would remember first. Her eyes fell on the book still held in his hands as the events leading up to their…um…encounter resurfaced in her mind's eye.

It had been about ten minutes since Roy entered her father's study, wearing that uniform, with that determined look in his eyes. When he entered the house they locked eyes for a while, not saying anything before Roy looked ashamed and broke the eye contact, heading upstairs. Riza stared after him before collapsing at the bottom of the stairs, her head in her hands.

"What have you done Roy?"

She sat there in silence, waiting for him to come back and explain to her what was going on. Why had he joined the military? Surely he knew if he did her father would never give him the secrets.

"Well," Her hand subconsciously ran across the small of her back "They're not just his secrets anymore." She picked up her guns from the box in the kitchen and made her way to the back door. Just as her hand touched the handle she heard shouts from upstairs. She froze in place, unsure what to do. But the shouts grew louder and without thinking she dropped the guns and ran upstairs. As she entered her father's room she saw Roy crouched on the floor, her father's arm wrapped around his shoulder, a pool of blood on the floor.

"Riza, he collapsed, I don't know what to do. I'm so sorry." Roy's face was panicked, his eyes were wide and he was beginning to hyperventilate.

Riza crouched down beside him and took his face in her hands, forcing him to look into her eyes. "It's okay Roy, he's gone. There was nothing you could have done."

Roy nodded and tried to steady his breathing. "I'm sorry."

Riza shook her head. "Don't be. I lost both my parents a long time ago."

Roy said nothing, just lifted his late Master onto the bed and closed his eyes. It wasn't until after the body had been taken away and the house fell silent that they had time to talk.

Roy spoke softly, even though there was no one around to hear them. "He told me to look after you."

Riza laughed bitterly "Did he? And what did he say next?"

Realisation hit him and a wave of sadness washed over him "…'she has the secrets.'"

Riza looked blankly at him. "Exactly."

Silence filled the room until Roy cleared his throat nervously. "I never explained."

Riza didn't have to ask what he was talking about. She had tried to avoid asking but the blue uniform had been bothering her all day. "Why did you do it? You knew he would never give you the secrets after you joined," She tried to stop her voice shaking as the next question left her mouth. "Is that why you befriended me? Just so when my father refused to teach you you would have another person to turn to."

Roy couldn't help the anger that laced his words. "What? Of course not! You know I hate what he did to you!"

Riza sighed. She was being so stupid. "You're right, I'm sorry," Her voice was barely above a whisper when she spoke next. "When do you leave?"

Roy's response was equally quiet. "In two months."

There was silence again as Riza thought over his words. In two months Roy Mustang would be gone and she would be alone is this big empty house. It seemed everyone around her had something to work for, an ambition, but without Roy or her father she was lost. Her entire life had revolved around looking after her father and his students. But they were gone.

Riza gasped as Roy's voice suddenly broke the silence. "I never answered your question," She looked puzzled but he didn't pause for her to interject. "I joined the military so I could use flame alchemy to make this country a better place. After all the work your father did into developing it, it's only right that it should be used for the good of others. The motto of the alchemist is 'Be thou for the people' and I can't think of a better way to do that. You have to know I'm doing this for the good of the whole country; your father's alchemy could really help people."

Riza was shocked; she never knew Roy had such ambition. She could hear the passion in his voice, hear how true his words were. How could she refuse him something for the greater good? Her frown deepened as she sifted through her thoughts, trying to find a reason not to do this, a reason not to trust him, but when her search came up empty she made her decision.

"Two months huh?" She turned to Roy with a sly smile on her face. "We had better get started."