Hi everyone! I'm sorry for the long hiatus, but I can't help it. I don't have time to write... This story will probably continue to be updated spontaneously until it ends. If there are still any of you following this story, then thank you very much!
RIZA
Riza sat alone by the window in her room. She watched as the snow slowly fell and accumulated on the ground. Once again, she had woken up in the middle of the night and was unable to fall back asleep. I got an hour more of sleep this time though. Still, it was a few hours until sunrise and she would have to wait silently for it to come.
She looked towards her bed and saw Hayate sleeping deeply in the middle of her bed. At least someone's not having trouble sleeping. She loved Hayate and was more than happy to have him following her around.
Having nothing to do, she thought back to what Roy had said to her a few hours ago. 'You begged me to'. It wasn't too much of a surprise. She didn't doubt she'd been capable of asking for such a favour. After such a one-sided massacre, it was understandable that she didn't ever want anyone to have access to the secrets of flame alchemy ever again. I guess I should thank him for that, she thought, then again, I probably have already.
The more she spent time with him and the people around him, the less wary she was of him. That still didn't mean she trusted Roy, but she seemed to be able to trust herself better. She knew her memories were coming back to her, but she hadn't expected them to be so hard to bear. Nevertheless, Roy was always involved in them or somehow related. It was undeniable that they shared a long history together, even if she still refused to acknowledge the the deeper bond between them.
It was there, lingering deep, deep in her heart. Something she dared not pry into, but could still feel its presence. She did not know what it was, but knew it had once permeated every inch of her thoughts. She unconsciously followed her instincts and understood that it was forbidden.
The next time she opened her eyes, she saw the day's first rays peak through the horizon. Finally. She heaved herself up and went to the bathroom to get ready. She wore one of her few pair of pants that fit her, a long sleeve shirt and a white knit sweater over it. She turned around to look at her made bed and saw Hayate still lying down in the middle of it, but this time he was looking at her with bright eyes and his tail was happily wagging away.
"You coming?" she asked with a small smile. He quickly jumped down from the bed and followed her without a sound.
The house was still very quiet. It was five thirty in the morning, so she could only assume that Roy was still sleeping. She put on her coat and her boots on before opening the door to let Hayate out. He ran happily on the fresh new snow, rolling around wherever he deemed necessary. Riza couldn't help but smile as she watched him have fun. She didn't venture outside the main gates, since the Fuhrer's land was big enough as it was. I don't even know if they'd let me out in the first place. She could see the guards at the gate and along the fences looking at her and following her every move. She ignored them and continued her walk with Hayate.
She went back inside after thirty minutes. The house was still quiet. It's six now. Shouldn't he be awake soon to go to work? She decided not to think too much about it since she knew how tired he had looked these past few days. Maybe he's just not a morning person. She went to the kitchen, fed Hayate and prepared herself a small breakfast. Even as she took her time to eat, it was still six thirty when she was done and had cleaned up after herself. Why does the time pass so slowly?
She decided to go sit in the garden and wait for time to pass. She was planning to go visit the Central General Hospital to ask about John's ashes. Ever since Havoc had told her the news yesterday morning, she had been restless about it. She didn't know what to do about it yet, but she couldn't let him be forgotten that way.
She had also planned to pay a visit to Dr Knox to talk about her sleeping problems. She was hoping he could prescribe some sort of sleeping pill for her.
She went back inside when it was seven, but the house was still lifeless. Don't tell me he's still sleeping at this hour. She knew work hours started at eight, but the Fuhrer usually had to arrive earlier. With resolution, she climbed the stairs and steered her way towards his bedroom. She knocked three times on the door and waited. She could hear shuffling noises behind the door, followed by quick, but unsteady footsteps. He opened the door swiftly, sleep still in his eyes, his hair dishevelled and his clothes wrinkled.
"Riza! What's wrong?" he asked, worry quickly seeping through.
She looked at him quizzically and asked, "I was just wondering if you were going to work today."
He stared at her a while, taking in the question. "Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"
"Because it is already seven sir," she stated calmly.
Roy's eyes bulged out and he gasped. He quickly rushed back inside and dashed into the bathroom, leaving her speechless. She decided to go back to the kitchen and prepare him a breakfast. Being a guest at his house, it was the least she could do for him. She had been waiting for him to wake up before she could leave, since she knew he would've been worried to wake up and find her missing. She sighed. Would he have been late if I didn't wake him up? I guess he really was too tired.
The sound of the doorbell brought her out of her thoughts. Looking through the peephole, she saw Havoc standing in front of the door alone. When she opened the door, Havoc had a pleasant look of surprise on his face.
"Good morning Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye!" Havoc greeted her.
"Good morning Havoc." She was confused as to why he was grinning so widely. "What amuses you so much?"
Havoc chuckled and said, "you seem to have comfortably settled yourself in, enough to answer the door too."
Riza frowned at his words. She hadn't intended to give out that idea and was now troubled.
"Ah! Sorry Hawkeye, I was only teasing you. Don't take it in a bad way, in fact, the Fuhrer would be happy to know that you're comfortable here," Havoc said quickly, trying to undo the damage.
"I only opened the door because I saw that it was you. I wouldn't have done it if it would've been anyone else," Riza said sternly.
"Right. Got it." Havoc gulped. He quickly recovered when he seemed to remember something and took out a piece of paper from his coat pocket. "I dug around a bit and found John Turner's wife and daughter's graves."
He handed her the paper and she saw an address on it. Central Cemetery. She look up at him and he had a loop-sided grin.
"Thank you Havoc," she said gratefully.
"If I'm not prying too much, can I ask how you are connected to him?" Havoc tried asking.
"He helped me. If it wasn't for him, I think I would've been lying dead in an ally somewhere. I didn't have anything to offer him and in the end I couldn't repay him either, but he still put a roof over my head and took care of me," she said in somber. "That's why I can't let him be forgotten."
"He'll need a proper burial then," Roy said.
Riza and Havoc turned to look at him. She could tell he had heard everything. She didn't want to drag any of them into this matter, since they weren't really involved and she didn't want to put any more burden on anyone.
"Yes, I'll make sure he does. Beside his wife and daughter," Riza said.
"We'll be there, at his funeral," Roy said. Riza looked up and was ready to retort, but the look in his eyes told her she could never change his mind, so she nodded silently.
"Havoc, we should go before we're late," Roy said.
"Yes sir."
"Sir, aren't you going to eat something before you go?" Riza asked quickly.
"I don't think I have the time. I overslept so I'll have to skip it," Roy said distractedly, not seeing Riza's disapproving look.
"But I made you breakfast." Roy looked at her and gave her a sorry smile. "You tell me to eat three times a day, but you don't even do that yourself?" she questioned him. She knew the game she was playing and was determined to win. She felt bad whenever she saw how tired he was, so she wasn't going to let him have an unhealthy eating habit on top of that.
"You know she's right Chief," Havoc interjected. He looked at his watch and said, "and we have eight minutes to spare anyways."
"Alright, alright. I'll eat!" He followed Riza to the table where toast, scrambled eggs and strawberries awaited him. Despite his initial reluctance, Riza saw how he sat down happily and ate hungrily.
"I'll get you some coffee," she said.
She came back with two steaming mugs of coffee, gave him one and sat down across form him.
"Thanks Riza," he said before he took a sip.
"You're welcome sir," she answered.
She noticed how Roy raised one eyebrow and she looked back at him with question.
He chuckled and said, "what's with the 'sirs' all morning?"
"What?" Riza asked confused.
"You've been calling me sir all morning," Roy said with amusement in his eyes.
"Ah, I didn't notice sir." She looked away when she realized she had just done it again.
"I guess your habits are coming back," Roy said with a smile. "So when are you planning to come to HQ?"
"Around lunch time maybe." That should be enough time for me to finish everything this morning.
Roy nodded. "You have your uniform ready right?" he asked.
"Yes, I'll come back here to change before I head to headquarters."
"Then you'll need this." He extended his hand and gave her a key. "If you're going to come back here, you're going to need the key to the house."
She looked at it and felt stupid to have forgotten about that. She had been used to being dropped off here and having someone else open the door for her that she had forgotten that she couldn't exactly freely go in and out without the key.
"Are you sure it's alright sir?" she asked, just to make sure.
"You don't expect me to have you live here without granting you access to your own place do you?" Roy replied with a smirk.
Having nothing to say, she extended her hand to accept it, "thank you sir". But Roy didn't give her the key just yet.
"Roy," he corrected her.
She signed lightly and complied. "Thank you Roy". He smiled and relinquished the copy of the key.
"I think it's about time I go then." He gulped the last bit of coffee that had cooled down enough and got up. "It's exactly the way I like it," he held up the empty mug. "Thank you for the breakfast."
After Roy and Havoc left, Riza prepared to leave as well. Her first stop was Central General Hospital's crematorium. She put on her boots and coat, tied Hayate to his leash and went out the door. Once outside, she tried the key that Roy had just given her and locked the door. Riza walked quietly with Hayate by her side along the long driveway until she went past the gates. The soldiers posted there gave her a nod and she was off.
The walk to the hospital was pleasant. The last time she had been able to walk around freely had felt like months ago. Roy had been so overprotective that she had never been really alone, even when she was in her own room at the hospital. Someone had always been watching her. I wouldn't even be surprised if I'm being followed now. She didn't care much about it though. She knew he was only worried about her safety. She didn't mind as long as she did not feel an obvious presence around her.
She tied Hayate to a post near the entrance although she already knew she just had to tell him to stay and he would obediently wait for her. "Wait here Hayate," she ordered nonetheless. She entered the hospital and headed to the crematorium.
"Hi, how can I help you?" the receptionist at the front desk asked when she saw Riza.
"Hi, I'm here to pick up the ashes of John Turner," Riza said tentatively.
"What is your relationship with Mr Turner?" she asked after she found his folder.
"I was a friend of his. He doesn't have any living relatives, so I'd like to take care of his funeral arrangements."
After answering some more questions and filling out some paperwork, she was finally given the permission to take his ashes. It was a small urn, carefully sealed. Riza held it carefully in her arms, afraid any little movement would break it. As she was leaving, she evaded going to places where people might recognize her. As much as she liked the doctors, the staff and the nurses, she wasn't ready to see them face to face again. Her time on the streets and her near-death experience had left her feeling ashamed. They had given her so much care and attention to save her and to nurse her back to health and she had almost died again. I promise to come back another time.
Her next stop was the military's hospital. She hadn't made an appointment with Dr Knox, but she was hoping she would be able to find him. She tied Hayate and told him to wait again. Thank goodness he's not cold in this weather.
"I won't be long Hayate. Wait here," she said. He responded with a happy bark and sat down.
Riza went inside and walked to the front desk.
"Hi, can I help you?" the receptionist greeted her.
"Hi, I'd like to know if there's a way to meet Dr Knox. I don't have an appointment with him though," Riza said.
"Well, I know he's working today. I don't know if he has any free time though. I could try to contact him and ask. Can I see your ID please?"
"I don't have it with me. My name is Riza Hawkeye and my rank is Lieutenant Colonel." She hoped the receptionist would accept that since she hadn't had the chance to make a new ID card yet. I have to make sure I get it done today.
"Oh, Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye! I'm sorry I didn't recognize you!" the receptionist said with more enthusiasm. Clearly he remembered her being a VVIP patient with the Fuhrer. I guess the Fuhrer's reputation really comes in handy. "I'll contact Dr Knox right away to see if he has time to see you."
"Thank you," Riza said.
As she waited for him to make the call, she looked around to see if anybody was looking at her. Luckily for her, no one seemed to pay her any attention. She still felt wary sometimes to be alone in an unfamiliar place.
"Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye?" the receptionist called her, "Dr Knox will be coming here to get you. He says it won't be long."
"Thank you."
Riza went to take a seat on the benches and placed John's urn carefully on her lap. True to his words, Dr Knox arrived a couple of minutes later.
"Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye. I'm glad to see you're doing well." He gave a semi-grin.
"Dr Knox, thank you for taking the time to meet me on such short notice. I'm sorry I didn't call earlier to make an appointment with you," Riza said apologetically.
"Don't worry about it, it's been quieter these days, so I have some free time. If you'll follow me to my office, we can speak in private."
Riza nodded, thankful he offered to speak in a more private area. Once they arrived in his office, he closed the door and sat behind his desk.
"So, I supposed you're not here just to visit me, am I right?" Dr Knox asked light-heartedly. Riza looked at him sheepishly. "So, tell me, how have you been doing lately?"
"Well, physically, I'm fine. I'm doing my exercises regularly and I'm eating well." She paused to see if he was listening. "I'm just having a lot of problems sleeping," she confessed. Dr Knox stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue. "I- I get a lot of nightmares. Sometimes I'm not even sure if they're fake or if they're real. I don't know if they're my memories or not. It's just... easier to stay awake, but I know I can't do this forever. I'm really tired, but I'm too afraid to fall asleep."
"When you do fall asleep, how long do you think it lasts?" Dr Knox asks.
"Maybe two or three hours, then I wake up. I can't fall back asleep after that."
"And what of your memories? Have you started getting some of them back?"
" I think I did, but a lot of them are confusing. I don't know if they all make sense too," Riza admitted.
"I think you'd be surprised by all the things you've actually lived through. You haven't exactly lived an ordinary life Lieutenant Colonel. There are many events that you've lived through that have left many others mentally traumatized." Dr Knox explained calmly. Riza wasn't too sure what he was talking about, but she understood him. From the flashes of memories she would have sometimes, she knew she had lived through many things that weren't considered normal.
Riza sighed. "I was wondering if you could prescribe some sleeping pills for me. Something strong enough to knock me out so I can sleep through the night," she asked directly. No use beating around the bushes. He knows why I'm here.
Dr Knox grunted. "I would prefer not to give you any pills. Would you like to try psychotherapy first?"
Riza considered it, but in the end, she concluded that she really wasn't ready to talk to anyone about her nightmares yet. Not when I barely understand what's going on myself. Then again, most of them involved the Fuhrer, so she wasn't exactly sure she wanted to talk about him in detail to a complete stranger.
"No I think I'll pass. I'm not ready yet." She said, hoping he would just give her a prescription.
"Alright. I'll prescribe you something that's not too strong to start off. It'll make you drowsy, enough for you to fall asleep. You should take it only when you need it. It would be better for you to try falling asleep on your own." Dr Knox said as he wrote something down on a paper slip.
Riza had a feeling he stopped prying because he understood her situation. Maybe he knows about me more than I thought he did. She was glad it was over and that she didn't need to continue talking about this.
"Dr Knox, can you keep this a secret from the Fuhrer?" she asked hesitantly.
"I swore an oath of confidentiality when I became a doctor Lieutenant Colonel. Nothing about this meeting comes out of my mouth unless you give me permission to." He smirked at her.
As she was preparing to leave his office, he said "you know Hawkeye, it'll take some time, but it does get better."
She stared at him for a few seconds, considering what he had just said. "I hope so," she answered with a slight hint of a smile.
On the way home, she stopped at a pharmacy to purchase her pills. "Let's go home Hayate." It was eleven by the time she reached the house. She went up to her room and gently deposited John's urn on her desk. It won't be too long now John. I'll make sure you're properly buried beside your family.
After she hid the sleeping pills in the drawer of her night-table, she went to her closet and pulled out her military uniform. She stared at it for a while and considered whether she should go to HQ in her ordinary clothes or in uniform. Maybe I shouldn't even go today. She knew that wasn't an option though because she had told him she would come in the afternoon and if she didn't show up, then he would start to get worried again. I guess I'll go eat something first.
She went downstairs and made herself a simple sandwich and ate in silence. She was lost in her thoughts, imagining all the things that could happen the moment she set foot through HQ's gates. What if they don't even let me through because I don't have my ID with me? What if I can't find the office? I don't even remember anything about the layout. She knew being worried about all these things was useless because anything could happen and worrying wasn't going to help her in anything. However, she still couldn't help but feel a little nervous.
Riza, since when were you nervous for something like this? Come on, toughen up! Encouraging herself as she got dressed made her feel a bit better. Just a bit.
She stared at herself in full uniform in the mirror. Hmm, I actually look good in this. The badges on her shoulders showed her rank. I guess I really was a Lieutenant Colonel. Her finishing touch was to tie her hair in a ponytail. Like this? Is this how I wore my hair? She turned side to side, looking at herself from every angle. Wait, why am I even bothered by these things. It's not like you Riza. Quit it! Hayate was staring up at her, clearly overjoyed to see her in uniform huffed in annoyance, gave her jacket a last tug before going downstairs with her black military coat in hand.
"Sorry Hayate, I can't bring you with me today. Stay home and be a good boy." His tail immediately stopped wagging and he sat down with a whine.
She gave him a last wave before closing the door. Riza made sure to walk with her head held up high, not showing anyone the mixed feelings she was experiencing on the inside. I feel like I'm going to work for the first time. She walked briskly past the gates of the Fuhrer's house, slowing down to salute back to the guards.
After twenty minutes of walking in the snow, she was starting to feel a little out of breath already. Why did it start to snow so much? She checked her watch when she saw the front entrance to Central HQ. 12:14. It must be lunch time. That means less people in the hallways. She walked up to the gate where two officers stood guard to check ID cards.
"ID card please," one of them said plainly.
"I don't have one yet. I have to get it done today," Riza said.
"Name and rank please," he asked again in a robotic voice as he fetched some papers and sorted through them.
"Riza Hawkeye, Lieutenant Colonel"
The moment she finished answering, the officer was staring up at her with wide eyes and alertness. He quickly snapped into a salute.
"Lieutenant Colonel ma'am! Sorry for the wait. You've been cleared to proceed through!" Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the other officer salute her too.
"Thank you," she said quietly and walked through. I guess Roy already informed them of my arrival today.
She took a deep breath and climbed the stairs of the front entrance. A few other officers passed by but they didn't seem to notice her. She also had her coat over her uniform so people didn't exactly know her rank. Once inside, she paused. Where do I go now? She decided to follow her instincts and go straight until she found an elevator. Once inside, she automatically pressed the 6th floor button. Huh? I guess my body knows what it's doing. She waited inside silently fidgeting with the sleeves of her coat. When the doors opened, she came face to face with the Fuhrer.
His eyes lit up the moment he saw her. "Hawkeye! You made it!"
Once she recovered from her shock, she saluted sharply, "Fuhrer sir!" Roy grinned at her and they stood there in silence for a second before the door started to close again. Roy immediately shot out his hand to stop the doors.
"Come out before you go back down again," he said with amusement in his voice.
"Yes sir," she complied and walked out gingerly, making sure to put enough distance between herself and the Fuhrer, who was still holding the door for her. "Sir, what were you doing in front of the elevator?" she asked.
"I came to see you of course. I was afraid you would get lost, but I guess you still remember the way to the office," he smirked.
"How did you know I was here?" Riza asked suspiciously.
"I told the officers at the gate to call me whenever you came," he said triumphantly.
"I see," Riza wasn't sure what to make out of this. He's like a stalker. She chuckled under her breath.
Roy beamed at her. "Did you laugh? Why do you find it funny? I was worried you wouldn't come today."
"I said I would come so I did," she answered simply, ignoring his questions.
"Okay, I'm glad you made it here safely. Come, I'll accompany you to the office."
The sixth floor was more nicely decorated than the first one. She wasn't so surprised since the Fuhrer's office was on this floor. Luckily for her, since it was lunch time, the hallways were practically empty. They did cross a few soldiers along the way that saluted the moment they saw the Fuhrer. Riza didn't miss the curious glances her way though.
"How does it feel to be back here Hawkeye?" Roy asked as they walked.
"I suppose it feels a bit nostalgic."
They entered the office and was greeted by a frantic-looking female officer.
"Fuhrer Mustang! Where did you go?" she asked in alarm as she saw him enter the room first. Riza, still halfway hidden behind Roy, looked at her curiously.
"Calm down Warrant Officer Sakel. I was just out for a bit to go meet Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye." He moved to the side and introduced them, "Hawkeye, this is Warrant Officer Carolyn Sakel. She's one of my assistants with Warrant Officer Michael Royce." He turned to Sakel and said, "Sakel, this is Lieutenant Colonel Riza Hawkeye. She's my aide and bodyguard. She's been away for a while, that's why you haven't met her yet."
Sakel snapped into a salute. "Lieutenant Colonel ma'am! It's a pleasure to finally meet you!"
"Likewise Warrant Officer Sakel," Riza replied.
Roy walked to her desk and picked up some papers. "Falman got you reinstated and everything, so all you need to do is to go take a picture for your new identification card."
Riza was delightfully surprised. She hadn't been sure what she would need to start with so having a step already done for her was a big help.
"I'll have to thank him when I see him," she said as she took the papers from him and flipped through them.
"You should see them. They're really excited to have you back in the office. They're all eating in the cafeteria right now though. They'll be back at one." Roy turned towards Sakel, who was watching them with much interest and asked "did you eat lunch yet Sakel?"
"Huh? Oh, no sir." she muttered.
"Then you can go on your lunch break," he said.
"Sir, I'm not allowed to leave you alone. When Royce is back, I'll go eat," she explained rapidly.
"Who says I'll be alone. I have Hawkeye here with me," He said with his famous smirk.
Hearing her name, she looked up from the papers and stared back at Sakel. The girl seemed to shrink under her gaze.
"Yes sir. I'll go for lunch then. Thank you!" She quickly scampered away.
"What was that all about? Did you give her a scary look Lieutenant?" Roy asked jokingly.
"I did no such thing. She just ran away on her own," Riza said with a frown.
"So, did you eat yet Riza?" he asked her. She noticed how he had switched back to her first name the moment they were alone. She, on the other hand, would do no such thing.
"Yes sir, I ate before coming."
"Oh, I see," he said with a tone of disappointment. "Are you still hungry because I got you an extra sub."
"No, I'm not really hungry anymore. Thank you for the offer though." She knew he had bought an extra one for her, thinking that she would eat with him, but she had already eaten before coming.
"What about desert? I've got pudding!" He said with with excitement.
"Alright. I could eat a pudding," she finally conceded. She didn't understand why he was so adamant about getting her to eat something. Or does he just want company? I guess eating alone all the time becomes boring.
He led them into his office and beckoned her to sit on one of the couches while he fetched his half-eaten sub from his desk and two puddings from the little fridge in the corner of the room. He put them down on the little coffee table and sat on the couch opposite of her.
"Vanilla or chocolate?" he asked her.
Before she could answer, he handed her the chocolate one. "You were going to say chocolate right?"
She was caught by surprised, but said, "no, I was going to say whichever one you don't want."
"Well, I want the one you want less. And I know you like chocolate so I'll take vanilla." He gave her a look that dared her to retort, but she knew he was right. She really did want the chocolate one.
"Well, that's very kind of you sir. Thank you," she said with sarcasm, still too stubborn to admit she lost.
Roy happily wolfed down his sub before joining her with the pudding. She had stayed quiet the whole time, but it was a comfortable silence.
"Is it good?" he asked between bites. She nodded and he smiled. "Isn't it good to have a fridge in the office?"
"I suppose being Fuhrer has its perks," she answered.
Before their conversation could continue, the door to the Fuhrer's office swung open. Riza dropped the pudding on the table, reached for her gun and aimed it at the people coming through the door.
"Hawkeye- woah! Hold on! Please don't shoot!" Havoc's excitement turned to fear. The other men also screamed in terror as they saw her deadly stare.
She put her gun away the moment she realized there was no danger, but the rush of adrenaline was still slowly dissipating. I almost shot them.
"Men, what happened to knocking before entering? Especially the Fuhrer's office!" Roy said with much annoyance. She saw him look at her with a worried expression but she gave him a look to say that she was fine.
"S- sorry Fuhrer sir! We were just so excited to hear that the Lieutenant Colonel came back so we couldn't help ourselves," Fuery said with guilt.
"You didn't even tell us she arrived. We had to hear it from Sakel. What were you two doing anyways?" Havoc asked mischievously.
"Eating pudding. What does it look like?" Roy answered bitterly, which only made Havoc's smirk grow.
The four men came in, stood side by side and saluted her together.
"Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye, it's good to have you back in the team!" They said in unison.
Riza stood up and saluted back. "Thank you. It's good to be back." She really did mean it. She felt like she could trust these men and somehow, it really made her comfortable to be here.
"Do you have pudding for us too sir?" Breda asked.
"No!" Roy said angrily and turned away from them to continue eating his own pudding. Riza smiled secretly and picked up her own to finish.
"Don't be so grumpy because we interrupted your alone time with Hawkeye,"Havoc teased Roy, but shut up when he received a glare from Hawkeye herself.
"We're glad that you're still as sharp as ever with firearms Lieutenant Colonel," Falman commented to relieve the tension.
"I'm sorry about that. I reacted before thinking," Riza said apologetically. She really felt bad to have aimed her gun at them, knowing just how close she was to firing.
"Don't worry about it. That reaction is what saved us a bunch of times, not to mention the Fuhrer," Falman said with a smile. She turned to look at Roy and he grinned to confirm.
"So what are you planning to do now Lieutenant Colonel?" Fuery asked.
"Well, I was planning to go make my ID card first. By the way, thank you for doing all the paperwork for me Falman," Riza said.
"My pleasure. Do you know where to go for the ID card? One of us could show you the way if you'd like," Falman said.
"That won't be necessary men. I'll show her where it is," Roy butted in. He had finished his pudding and stood up.
"Sir, I do believe your afternoon schedule is packed with meetings," Falman reminded him.
"My next meeting is at one. I still have fifteen minutes," Roy retorted.
"Sir, did you read the paperwork to prepare for this meeting?" another voice interrupted.
Riza looked over at the door and saw a familiar face. The young man saluted her.
"Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye. It's a pleasure to see you again."
"That's Warrant Officer Michael Royce, my other assistant I was talking about," Roy whispered to her.
Riza saluted back and turned to Roy, "sir, I think it's best if you properly prepare yourself for the meeting," is what she said, but her gaze said otherwise 'you don't want to embarrass yourself now do you?'
"That's right sir. I can bring her there," Fuery volunteered.
Roy stayed silent and had his back facing the men, but from Riza's point of view, she could see the slight angry pout of his lips.
Suddenly, there was another commotion coming from the common office just outside the Fuhrer's doors. The men turned around to see who was causing such a ruckus, then quickly moved out of the way of the person coming through.
"Move! Where is she?!" Riza heard a familiar voice and she perked up.
Once inside the Fuhrer's office, the intruder locked eyes on Hawkeye's and started to tear up. "RIZA!"
"Rebecca?" Riza asked, bewildered by the sudden appearance of her best friend from the academy. Rebecca lunged herself at her and squeezed her in a bear hug.
"Riza! I was so worried about you! I came looking for you and these guys said you were missing! What happened? Are you okay?" Rebecca sobbed loudly as she continued to desperately clutch onto her friend.
"Reb- Rebecca, could you calm down a bit? I'm having trouble breathing," Riza asked, a bit embarrassed by her friend's behaviour in front of her coworkers and superior office. Little did she know, they were already used to such behaviour from Rebecca.
Roy coughed loudly, getting Rebecca's attention.
"Oh! Fuhrer sir! I didn't see you there." She saluted with her right hand, while her left was still attached to Riza. Roy's eyebrow twitched dangerously.
"Yes, well, it is my office. I would assume everybody would know that by now," Roy said with bitter sarcasm. Everyone except for Riza laughed nervously. "I guess Catalina can help you find the place to do your ID card."
"Yes sir! No problem at all!" Rebecca agreed happily.
"Hawkeye is also supposed to meet with her trainer, Warrant Officer Valery Kuresh. She's a military trained physiotherapist and she's going to help Hawkeye with her physical rehabilitation," Roy informed the two women.
"Oh, I know Kuresh. I'll bring Hawkeye to meet her once we're done with her ID," Rebecca said.
"Very well," Roy said reluctantly.
"Then, we'll be off sir," Riza said. "I'll be back later." Roy nodded and watched them leave.
Once out in the hallway, Rebecca latched onto Riza's arm again.
"I'm so glad you're back Riza. I heard that... uh, that you lost a bit of your memories. Is that true?" Rebecca asked nervously.
Riza couldn't help but smile at her friend. "Yes. My most recent memories are from the academy days." Rebecca's eyes widened in surprise. "That's why I remembered you. I'm happy we remained friends until now."
"Of course we're still friends! I just- I just can't believe you don't remember anything after that," Rebecca said with concern.
"I have flashes here and there. I think they'll come back sooner or later though," Riza tried to explain, although she wasn't too sure about her answer herself.
"I'm glad to hear that." A mischievous gleam passed through her friend's eyes, which made Riza cringe. What now? "You know, you've only been back recently and already you're the talk of the town," Rebecca said, wriggling her eyebrows. Riza wanted to laugh at how her friend hadn't changed one bit since the past.
"What do you mean by that?" Riza asked without showing too much interest.
"Rumour goes, the Fuhrer has a lady lover and I don't see who else could be that lady that just appeared other than you." Rebecca smirked.
Riza sighed. "I don't think you should be listening to silly rumours Rebecca. Especially not when it's about the ruler of your country. And please stop trying to bring me into them."
"Oh come on! They're exciting because it's about the Fuhrer! His personal life is a mystery and you should see how many girls are out there waiting for the chance to pounce on him. This new rumour about a lover is making the headline news everywhere!"
"Well it's got nothing to do with me," Riza gave her friend a warning glance that told her she was done with the conversation.
"I was just teasing you Riza. I couldn't help it. I was too happy to see you again. I was scared that... you wouldn't come back." Rebecca admitted with a sad look.
Now Riza felt bad to have gotten annoyed at her. Rebecca had come close to losing her best friend and she was just trying her best to make her happy.
"Sorry Becca. It's just been hard these past few days," Riza said.
"I know Riza. Sorry for teasing you, but let me warn you about people taking interest in you. Most of them think you're the Fuhrer's lover. I don't think they'll ever ask you directly because they wouldn't dare do that to a Lieutenant Colonel, but you will get some stares."
Riza grumbled and her friend chuckled. Great, just what I need. They arrived at the administration's office and it didn't take long for Riza to get her new ID card. They then headed to the gym on the first floor to meet her trainer. Along the way, Rebecca gave her a quick tour of headquarters. When they arrived at the gym, Riza was amazed by the space and equipment. You can do anything here.
"The trainees come here for a part of they training program. That's why it's so huge," Rebecca explained after seeing Riza's expression. Indeed, she saw some younger-looking people in military sports attire in another room adjacent to the main one.
"Kuresh!" Rebecca called out loudly and waved her hand in the air. Riza spotted a brown-headed lady looking up and saunter towards them.
"First Lieutenant Catalina! What brings you here? I usually see you at the firing range," Kuresh said as she approached them. Riza could tell she was older than them.
"I was told to bring Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye here to meet you. Fuhrer's orders," she grinned and winked.
"Oh, Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye!" Kuresh saluted. "I will be your personal physiotherapist for the next few month depending on your condition. It's an honour to be training with you."
"At easy Warrant Officer Kuresh. I look forward to the training," Riza said.
"The Fuhrer said you wanted to start as soon as possible, so I was wondering if you would be alright to start this afternoon."
"That works with me. I've been told I have to get back in shape before I'm allowed to do anything else," Riza said. "I don't have any training clothes to change into though."
"Don't worry about that Riza. The military takes care of that. We each have a military issued sports outfit. Running shoes included," Rebecca bragged. Rebecca turned to Kuresh and said, "I'll help her get her things and when she's changed, you two can start."
"Alright. I'll be right here waiting then," Kuresh said.
Rebecca helped Riza get her clothes and shoes from the storage room, even though she wasn't supposed to go in there herself to get them. Riza changed by herself in the women's changing room. The issued outfit was a pair of running pants, a black fitted T-shirt and white running shoes. Riza had made sure to ask Rebecca to take a shirt with a high collar to hide her tattoo.
When she came out, Rebecca and Kuresh were chatting.
"Oh, Riza I'll let you two train together then. I'm actually supposed to be at the range right now. I gotta teach a class and I think I'm a little late already. Are you going to be alright by yourself?" Rebecca asked.
"Yes I'll be fine. Thank you for accompanying me Rebecca," Riza said gratefully.
"Anytime Riza! If you need anything, just call the range and ask for me." Rebecca waved at the and ran off.
"Lieutenant Colonel, I've received a report from your doctor explaining your condition a bit, but if it's alright with you, I'd like to start off with a few light exercises for a first assessment," Kuresh said.
"Sure, please call me Hawkeye too. It's easier that way," Riza said.
She led Riza into a smaller room with mats on the floor. There were about a dozen other people inside and she could tell they were trainees. They looked at them curiously and whispered between themselves. Riza ignored them and followed Kuresh's instructions, which consisted of many stretches and other light exercises. By the end, Riza was a little out of breath.
"You've surprised me Hawkeye. From the report I received, I expected worst. We'll need to work on you cardio too, but we'll start with some strengthening and your flexibility."
"As long as I can get back into shape," Riza said as she regained her breath.
Kuresh chuckled. "Don't worry about it. I've got special orders too," she gave Riza a knowing smirk.
"Warrant Officer Kuresh," a man called her from the door. "You've got a phone call!"
"I'll be right back," she said as she rushed out of the room, leaving Riza with the other younger trainees.
Riza sat down on the mat and continued to stretch her legs, her back facing the other group. The moment Kuresh had left, she had felt their eyes on her. It reminded her of her military academy days, which she loathed to a certain extent. Her peers at that time were always jealous of her skills, thus making her the target of their hate and multiple pranks.
Unfortunately, the instructor that switched back and forth between this group and two other ones wasn't present at the moment. She felt them move closer to her until one of them spoke up.
"Excuse me," one of the girls said to get her attention. Riza withheld a sigh and turned to face them.
"Yes, can I help you?" she asked politely.
"Hi, I'm Clare Huffman. I'm a trainee and so are these guys. We're in our final semester and are about to pass the exam soon," Clare said with a big smile. Riza nodded at them, not really knowing what this conversation was about. "Well, we don't get to meet many military officers, not to mention female ones. When we come to train here, there's barely anyone else here except for us. We've always wanted to meet someone and ask some questions."
Riza cursed the fact that she had been that one person here. She didn't really feel like chatting with them at the moment, but their looks were so full of hope that she didn't necessarily want to crush it.
"The name's Hawkeye. What would you like to know?" she finally gave in. Seeing the invitation, the group came closer and sat down.
"What's your rank?" someone asked.
"Lieutenant Colonel."
All of them did a double-take and looked at her with wide eyes.
"A Lieutenant Colonel? You look so young! How did you climb up the ranks so fast!" the guy that had asked that question got hit on the back of his head by Clare, who turned back to Riza and saluted.
"Lieutenant Colonel ma'am! We were not informed of your rank. We apologize for our insolence!" she stammered.
Riza waved it off and said, "no offence taken Huffman. At ease everyone. Although, I would be more careful in the future if I were you. Not every officer will take it well if trainees just came up to ask some questions."
They all apologized, but were out of time when Kuresh came back into the room.
"Hey Kids! What are you doing slacking off? You're supposed to be training! Don't make me call over Pete!" she yelled at them, clearly angered by their misbehaviour.
The trainees scramble to their feet and ran back to continue their training, but not before saluting or waving to Riza one last time.
"Geez, those kids are such brats. I can't believe they'll become officers soon," Kuresh mumbled. "So what did they want from you?"
"They just wanted to speak to an officer and ask some questions, but they didn't have the chance to because you scared them off," Riza said stating the facts.
"Oh well, too bad. They're supposed to be training anyways. So how are you feeling Hawkeye? Still up for some more or do we call it a day?" Kuresh asked.
"I can still go on."
"Okay, but if anything starts hurting, tell me so we can make adjustments."
They continued training together for another hour or so. Riza lost the notion of time as she concentrated on doing her exercises. She liked having a personal physiotherapist because it allowed her to focus on certain parts that really needed to be worked on. They ended the session with stretchings.
While Riza sat on the floor bent in half and trying to touch her toes, she heard some gasp and loud chattering. Oh no, don't tell me... She looked up and saw Roy smirking at her from the mirror.
"Fuhrer sir!" The trainees and Kuresh stood with a salute. Riza huffed tiredly and tried to stand up but staggered a bit. Roy rushed to her side and caught her arm to steady her. Once stable, she saluted him.
"Sir, what are you doing here?" she asked quietly so only he could hear her. Not only was everyone in the room watching, but she was also self-conscious of the fact that her hair was untidy and her face sweaty.
"I just finished my meetings and was passing by so I wanted to come check on your training," Roy said nonchalantly.
"We've also just finished. I was just finishing with some stretches." Riza wiped her forehead with a small towel.
"Oh, don't let me interrupt you then. Carry on, I'll wait for you," he said, but didn't move an inch.
"Do you intend to stand there and watch me sir?" Riza asked in disbelief.
"Huh? Of course not," he said, a bit flustered, "I was just going to ask Kuresh for a report. He turned around and called Kuresh over.
Riza sat back on the mat and continued her stretching routine. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Kuresh give him a report on her training. The young trainees, were nervously occupying themselves in the corner, trying not to seem too obvious when staring at the Fuhrer. When Kuresh was done, Roy glanced at the trainees and asked them a few questions, which they were more than happy to answer.
"What's your relationship with Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye sir?" the same daring guy asked Roy that question. Riza's interest was peeked and she eavesdropped on the conversation.
"She's my aide and bodyguard," Roy stated the known facts. "Don't you know who she is?" They gave him curious looks and glanced back and forth between her and Roy. "She's the military's best sharpshooter. The Hawk's eyes. Haven't you guys ever heard that name?"
Riza's eyes widened in disbelief. Dear god. He's spreading the rumours himself. How am I supposed to live a quiet and discreet life now? Roy was grinning at her with pride until he saw the murderous look that was only meant for him.
The trainees were still looking at her in awe when she stood up and walked towards the door. She gave them a nod and a few words of encouragement before she ignored the Fuhrer and walked through the door.
"Hawkeye!" Roy whispered loudly. "I'm sorry. I got carried away. I shouldn't have bragged about you." At least he knows why I'm mad.
Riza sighed. "It's alright sir. I just don't like having any attention on me. I apologize for glaring at you. It was insubordinate of me."
Roy laughed. "I doubt anything you do could be considered insubordinate. I don't mind Hawkeye."
Riza didn't understand how he could be so tolerant of her, but she appreciated it.
"Are you going to get changed? I'll wait for you," he said.
Riza spotted Royce and Sakel waiting patiently by the gym's entrance doors. Royce smiled at her and Sakel eyed them with curiosity. She's probably trying to figure us out. Too bad for her there's nothing to figure out.
"I won't be long sir." Riza couldn't take a shower since she didn't bring anything. She reminded herself to bring some things for the next day. She changed back into her uniform, hoping she didn't smell too much of sweat, and came out.
"So, how did you find the training? Is it too hard?" Roy asked as they walked back to the office. She had tried to keep at least two pace behind him, but every time she did, he slowed down to be beside her. In the end she gave in and walked by his side.
"It's tiring and difficult sometimes, but it's good. I know I have to work out a lot," she said.
"Kuresh said you're in better shape than she thought you'd be in, so that's good news. She says you work hard and you're determined so your rehabilitation should go well," he informed her. Riza was glad to hear that.
"Fuhrer Mustang!" an older man saluted Roy. Riza immediately slid back behind him and remained quiet. The man glanced in her direction quickly before smiling at the Fuhrer again.
"General Sarzoft. How are you doing?" Roy greeted him politely.
"Very well thank you! We haven't had dinner together in a while. My wife keeps asking me to invite you to supper, but I told her you were very busy," he said in his loud voice.
"Indeed it's been a while. I'm afraid I've been more busy lately with personal matters, so I won't have the time to eat with you and your wife anytime soon," Roy explained.
The general laughed jovially and said, "don't tell me you've been going on secret dates Fuhrer Mustang. We all know how popular you are with the ladies."
Roy considered it for a moment, then showed his infamous trademark smirk. "My heart's been taken by a very special lady for a while now general. I won't go on any dates unless it's with her."
Clearly the general had not expected this response from the Fuhrer. He was almost choking on air from the surprise and his eyes seemed impossibly bulged out. In fact, everyone around them gasped from the revelation.
A special lady? The Fuhrer has someone he's in love with? Riza didn't know what to do with this new information and would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't surprised. It's none of your business Riza. And what did you expect? The Fuhrer obviously has someone.
"I'm afraid I still have some work to finish general. See you next time." He nodded to a speechless general and walked away contently, with Hawkeye, Royce and Sakel trailing behind them.
When they were a little further away, Royce didn't spare a second to question the Fuhrer.
"Sir, why would you say something like that to the general? And not to forget in front of all those people! General Sarzoft is not the quietest guy. Rumours will spread and the reporters will come flocking for a scoop!" Royce said exasperatedly.
Roy stopped and turned to face him. "When I say something I mean it Royce. If I didn't want to share that information, then I wouldn't have said it." Roy stared at him intently before he turned back to walk.
But as he turned, he caught Riza's eyes and smirked ever so slightly. Huh?
A.N.: I hoped you enjoyed this light-hearted chapter. It will get back to a more serious theme a bit later on (I don't know when), possibly with more romance? XD I'm sorry to say this again, but this story is on hiatus with possibly spontaneous updates. Thank you for the support though if you still decide to stick around! I will try my best to finish this story.
D