New Goals

Part 3: In With the New

Author: MoonStarDutchess

Disclaimer: I don't own Fullmetal Alchemist and gain no profit from this fanfiction.

In With the New

Riza felt a lump form in her throat, blocking any words that she may have spoken aloud in response to his comment. Confusion attacked her mind and her thoughts had never been so melted together and unreadable. Was it his touch that was causing this, or the recent events surrounded them, or was it everything piling together and mixing like a giant gumbo of perfunctory possibilities for the future. If he really wanted her to stay with him then why didn't he disagree with her words about parting at Madam Christmas's place? She swallowed and took a deep breath before reaching up to his right hand. "But you don't need me anymore," she said.

"I never once said that to you. No matter what Riza I always wan…no…I always need you around. You've been in my life for years. Do you really think I could live separated from you?"

"But you don't have any more goals. I'm not useful unless I'm helping you. Now there's nothing I can help you with."

Riza frowned but didn't move her gaze from looking into his. It was a pathetic unpleasant fact. She was so used to helping him with something that she really wasn't used to doing much else. She didn't know what else she could possibly do. She'd been with him her entire life and it never once occurred to her that she might not have a life that revolved around him. Perhaps it wasn't completely healthy but being useful to the man she loved made her extremely happy. She laughed inwardly; most of the feminists' organizations springing up around the country would throw a fit if they heard her thoughts.

"Riza, you can do anything you want. You are good at everything. Perhaps I've been too selfish using you so much. If you want to separate from me to find out who you are, if you feel the need to live away from me, I'll make that sacrifice though it would be the toughest one I've ever made. I couldn't blame you if you did but," he took a deep breath, "I don't think you do, do you?" The last two words of the final sentence of his speech were spoken with a hopeful lilt coupled with subtle hints of pleading.

The corners of Riza's mouth moved up just a margin to create a soft serene smile on her face, but that did little to convey how happy she was with his statement. It was all in the eyes. Everything they'd ever spoken to each other could be determined as a truth or lie just by a short, direct gaze. "No, I don't want to leave you," she said.

Roy moved his hands from her face to wrap around her body before pulling her into a hug tightly. "Good, because you know what?"

"What?" she said, as her arms reached around him to return his embrace.

"I'm so damned selfish that I'd end up trying to find you. I'd end up trying to bring you back in my life no matter what."

"You'd go through all that trouble?" She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, relishing everything from the warmth of his body to the sound of his heart beating steadily in his chest.

"I would," he said, then laughed. "I feel like one of those over acting heroes in the movies."

She pulled away, her hands still resting at his sides, and furrowed her eyebrows at him. "So you are just acting?"

"No!" Roy protested, his face flushing. "That's not what I meant. I'm always sticking my foot in my mou-" She put a finger over his lips and grinned.

"I was kidding," she said, but the furrow of her brows didn't straighten.

"Oh," he said, the red tint of his face increasing in shade.

"It stayed quiet between the two of them for a few moments before Roy cupped her face once more and stared into her eyes."I have…a goal so to speak."

"Really?"

Roy nodded and grinned. "I don't think there's anyone in the world that could possibly help me with this goal other than you."

"Well, what is this goal?"

"A family," he said.

Riza's eyes widened and her mouth dropped a fraction displaying her surprise at his response. She thought it would be something business related instead of something so personal. "A…a…family?"

"Yes," he replied as if what he said shouldn't have been surprising. "Me and you having a family to be more precise."

Riza removed his hands away from her face, jumped off the car hood she was sitting on, and walked a few paces away from him. She absently noticed Hayate bound past her as her mind suddenly opened with possibilities of having a life like the way she wanted. She never really wanted to be in the military and always envied women like Gracia with caring husbands and children. Obviously, she didn't envy Gracia's loss of the man she loved. She'd come so close to losing Roy a few times that she could intimately relate to the woman's heartache. When she thought Lust had killed Roy, her entire world had caved in.

"Me? A wife?" Riza spoke as if it seemed like an extortionate possibility.

Roy smiled and nodded, even though she wasn't even facing him. He was nervous at throwing such a desire at her but he wanted nothing more than to have her as his for the rest of his life.

"Are you sure about having a family? With me?" She turned around to look into his eyes, making sure he wasn't just joking and trying to make an idiot out of her. She knew it wasn't likely he'd do such a thing, but the current events seemed so surreal to her.

"Yes," he said, no hesitation in his voice.

Riza couldn't even think of a way to express how excited she was upon hearing the single affirmative word from him, so she opted to place a mischievous grin on her face. "A goal like that takes time," she said, walking past him and over to the driver's side of the car. She opened the back door to let Hayate in the car before shutting it back. She opened the front door and grinned. "I mean, you haven't even asked me on a date yet and you expect marriage." She kept the humor in her voice so that he would know that she was joking.

"Does that mean then, that you will work with me toward that goal?" He turned around and folded his arms over his chest. His face was serious but he had an air of mischievousness about him like a thin evanescent vapor.

"Yes," she said.

"You'll stay at my side forever?" He questioned, the right side of his lip twitching as he attempted to hold down a smirk.

"Yes."

"And you'll stay under me when we work on the family part?" His face developed from a serious look to one of utmost amusement as her skin deformed from its light peach to crimson. She rushed into the car, shutting the door.