"Bastard," Roy spat. His jaw clenched and gaze hardened as he watched the interview taking place through the two way mirror. He watched as the man stared smugly back at the mirror, as if the criminal knew Roy was right there.

"I agree," Havoc stated. "You want me to take this?" He rolled the cigarette to the other side of his mouth.

"No." As if there was any question. But Roy could appreciate Havoc asking. He knew how hot headed Roy could become when it came to things that concerned Riza. But no, he would face the man who had done this. He would take pleasure in taking control of this interrogation.

It took everything in Roy's power not to lunge over the table and punch the smug bastard in the face as he turned to look at his new visitor.

"Ah, Mr. Mustang," he greeted. His tone oozed over confidence. "What a pleasure."

Roy snorted. He sat on the chair across from him, crossing his legs in an effort to appear as casual as can be. Inside he was a raging hurricane of anger. One wrong jab from this man and he could be across the table in a flash and choking the life out of him. He wouldn't use the gloves. He wanted to watch the man suffer just like he had. Just like Riza had.

Did that make him a monster? Well, he already was one.

"State your name for the record, please."

"Roger Allan."

"Mr. Allan were you present at the Third Street jewellery store, M. Gold and Sons, on the afternoon of the twelfth of August?"

"Yes."

Roy felt his finger twitch at how proudly he stated it. Luckily his hands were hidden under the table.

"What was your purpose there?"

"Target practice."

Roy's eyes shot up to the Allan. He grinned back at Roy the look in his eyes slightly manic.

"Is there any particular reason you were shooting a military officer for "target practice"?" Roy states disdainfully.

Allan shrugs. "The plan worked."

"Oh?" Roy asked, arching an eyebrow. "And what was this plan?" The hurricane was picking up inside him. This bastard's blasé attitude did nothing to help matters.

Allan grinned wickedly. "The plan to draw the Lieutenant Colonel out and give back all the pain and suffering she gave me over the last eight years." His voice was giddy, the manic look becoming more and more crazed as time passed.

Roy remembered Allan now. He wondered why his face looked so familiar. Roy had arrested him years ago when he was still al Lieutenant Colonel himself. Hawkeye had shot him in both legs to stop him from running. That's why he still limped when he walked.

"Thank you for your cooperation Mr. Allan," Roy manages to grind out. "I hope your revenge was worth it when you are rotting in a prison cell for attacking a military officer."

"Oh, believe me, it was," he grins. His wolfish eyes follow Roy out of the room and Allan barks a laugh. "Especially when I get to see you so worked up like this. She must be pretty important –"

Roy slams the door closed before he can hear another word from his mouth.

"Get him to prison," Roy orders.

"Yes, Sir," the MP in charge of the interrogation rooms salutes. Havoc strolls out of the room and tosses the tape recording of their conversation to the man without a word. His only utterance is a thank you and a lazy salute as the two make their way out of the building.

"There is more than enough in that confession to convict him."

"Hm," Havoc hums in agreement. "Where to now, boss?"

"The hospital." Roy heaves a sigh. He finally feels some of the weight of Hawkeye's shooting shift off of him. Not a lot, but enough so that it feels like he can visit her face to face. He and the team had caught the bastard who had done it.

Roy kept his anger on a very tight leash as he thought about how the man he had just spoken to had almost ripped everything he had ever loved away from him. He tried not to dwell on it. There was a more important conversation he needed to have now.

Now that Allan had been caught Roy had spent the past three days in Riza's hospital room. He refused to move. When the nurses berated him for it he eventually stopped listening all together. When Armstrong had tried to remove him physically Roy threatened to set him on fire. The man was sent under orders, of course, but knew when to back down from a losing battle. Smart man.

On the third day, Riza woke up.

It was slow. Roy wasn't sure if he was dreaming or not. The heart rate monitor next to her bed had changed rhythm as she awoke. Roy had been dozing in an armchair when he first noticed it. But she didn't open her eyes right away. Riza had been under a lot of medication so it was normal the doctors and nurses had assured him that she would take a little longer to become fully awake.

At first Roy hadn't been able to bring himself to look at the second heart rate monitor. He felt as though he didn't deserve to. He had let the child down as he had Riza, and they weren't even born yet.

The nurses only connected it to Riza's stomach every so often. It was just to check that her little one was doing all right. But when he heard his child's heartbeat for the first time he couldn't look away. He even requested the machine be left in the room and hooked up to Riza's stomach, but the nurse gently explained she couldn't. They didn't have a lot of them and it was needed elsewhere in the hospital.

When her eyes opened Roy heaved a sigh of relief. He grasped her hand tightly, giving it a quick squeeze. He had done so frequently over the last few days but now it mattered. He wanted her to know he was there.

Her eyes wandered across the ceiling. It took her a few moments to focus but when she did her hand twitched in his, as if finally realising it was there. Her gaze lazily made its way over to him and she offered a weak smile as he greeted her.

Her hands instantly flew to her stomach and she sighed in relief. Then, as if realising what she had done, her hand snapped away, eyes widening. But she knew Roy had already caught her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. His voice was hoarse and not from lack of use.

Her head snapped towards him before she groaned in pain as the action hurt her shoulder. She clenched her teeth but offered no further noise. Her eyes closed and she lay her head back on the pillow.

"Riza?" he tried again. He needed to know. That question had been eating at him for the last three days. He had a child. He should be happy. And he was. But that was not the way he had wanted to find out.

Not only that, the day he had found out it could have been snatched away from him and he would have never known. Hell, three months ago when she sustained a gunshot wound to the leg the techs had told her was lucky it hadn't hit her stomach. It could have ended then and he would have been none the wiser.

A quiet sob left Riza and Roy's thoughts ceased. He pressed a hand to the top of her head, thumb stroking her forehead. Her own hand rose to her mouth, stifling the noise.

"I couldn't do that to you."

"Do what?" he asked incredulously.

"You have worked so hard for this dream of reaching the top." She hiccups another sob. "And this will ruin everything."

He's angry. He can't help it. That is what she is thinking about right now. His fucking dream he had told her passionately about in a graveyard in her hometown? He straightens in his chair.

"For God's sake Riza," he replied, exasperated. "There are more important things in life that that!"

"Not to me."

"This is a fucking child we are talking about!" he exclaims. "A human life! Not a worthless piece of junk with sentimental value!"

He needs to reign in his anger but he can't. He really needs to. He never gets angry with her. Not truly. There was that time she had given up living because she thought he had died. But he had been angrier at the situation and himself more than anything. He hadn't been there to watch her back. He had passed out after Lust left and lost precious minutes. If he had been faster he could have stopped Lust quicker.

Her hand lowers from her mouth. Her eyes move back to the ceiling. He is watching her shut herself off from him. And while he is angry, watching those walls go up stifles it somewhat. He doesn't want her to close off from him.

"I didn't tell you because this could ruin your career. I am the one who is pregnant," she states. Her tone is blank and professional. All emotion gone. His anger simmers and pain shoots through her chest. "I will bear this."

"It is not a burden, Riza," he states.

Her burning eyes meet his. "I will do this. But I will do it alone." He opened his mouth to protest but she shoots him down. "We can't be together and you know it."

"Well it hasn't stopped you these last four months," he growls. "How long have you know," he demanded.

"For a month." Roy pales. "I didn't tell you because I know how close you are to reaching the top. You are the only one who can make a change in this country," she fires back. "You. Not me, not Grumman. You promised me you would and I would help you get there. To atone somewhat for our sins. You are there now. You don't need me by your side anymore."

"Don't ever say that." His tone is quiet but dangerous. "You can't stop me from seeing my child. We both made that choice."

"I can handle this on my own," she bites back.

"This is a child, Riza," he growled. "Our child. Stop acting like I don't have any say in this. I will not live in a world where my child is unable to acknowledge their father because of some outdated, backwards law."

She opened her mouth but Riza had no retort.

He hates this. They shouldn't have to live in secret. They have been together for so long and he is fucking tired of it. He will not be able to dismiss his child and not acknowledge its existence. It is bad enough that he has to hide his relationship with their mother. He will not subject his child to that.

"I will fight you tooth and nail on this, Riza," he warns coldly. "Don't think I won't. I should be ecstatic you are carrying my child but I am hurt because you saw fit to keep it from me."

"To protect you. That is my job, Sir."

"Bullshit. It was to protect yourself."

"Enlighten me."

"You don't think you deserve to have a child." Her mouth flops open. He knew that was the case and she just confirmed it. In truth he had the same fears himself but this was happening now and there was no way to stop it. They would just have to deal with it like they always did.

Together.

His voice softens as he sees the tears form in her eyes. His anger is gone and he is tired. Tired of hiding and tired of being unable to live a life with the woman he has loved for the majority of his life.

"I won't abandon you to do this alone a second time."

"A second time?"

He swallows his shame. "I left you after your father died. You needed me and I left you in that town by yourself to chase a dream. A dream that brought me nothing but pain and sorrow." His eyes met hers, knowing the tired look in hers mirrored the one in his. "A dream that left me loving you but unable to do so."

"I don't want to stop that," she admits quietly. "You are so close and I would never be able to forgive myself if my pregnancy did. People talk and I know what they say already. When they notice I am pregnant you know who all the fingers are going to point to."

"Then I will speak to Grumman. I will state our case. He had mentioned changing the laws before. There was no reason he couldn't do it now."

"He could dismiss you there and then," she warns him fearfully.

His eyes meet hers, his resolve clear. There is no doubt in his mind that the words he is about to say are one hundred percent the truth.

"I don't want to be Fuhrer if I can't be with you, Riza. I don't want to be Fuhrer if I can't be with or even acknowledge my child." His eyes drop to their hands that, despite all the heated words exchanged, are still entwined. Like both their souls. He hears her gasp quietly at his admittance. "Yes, that was my dream. I wanted to make the world a better place for the next generation. However." His eyes flash up, determination coursing through him. "Priorities change and yours should too. Especially now. Stop putting your life and happiness second because of me."

"I don't –" Riza begins automatically, but is cut off as Roy raises one eyebrow doubtfully.

"You two are just as important to me as that dream. And I pick you and our child." She inhales sharply, eyes widening. "I have always picked you, Riza."

thank you for reading! i hope you enjoyed it! let me know what you think! :D