#fevers r bad. get your shot…ok goodbye

[rexroads]

flu bad

[queenwinry]

In the Line of Fire-Part 2

Pairing: Royai

Rating: K+

Words: 3088

Summary: Part 2 of this oneshot I posted not too long ago. Riza comes home from the hospital on New Years Eve

A/N: Happy almost 2020 everyone! This has been a pretty decent year for me and I know 2020 is going to be crazy so I wanted to leave everyone with one last little Royai ditty (and it still is 2019 here so I count this as my last fic writing of the year!) I hope you have all had good 2019′s and that your 2020 will be fantastic! 

---

“There you are, Lieutenant. You look as though you were never even in the hospital,” a cheerful Nurse Alicia said as she helped Riza pull on the last of her civilian clothes Havoc had brought in a duffle bag a few days ago, in anticipation of this very moment.

Riza smiled gratefully at her favorite nurse (who had pulled some strings to be transferred up temporarily to work Riza’s floor, if only to boss around her teammates some more) before she managed to turn with only a slight twinge of pain. “The bandages and wheelchair would suggest otherwise, but I appreciate you helping me get dressed. I didn’t realize I would miss wearing actual clothes.”

Alicia stood to her full height to admire her handywork. “Yeah, I hear that a lot. Anything is better than hospital gowns...or those godawful blue uniforms.”

Riza smiled further at that comment. Before she could say anything else, the door opened and a few familiar faces greeted her, led by a certain dark-haired colonel, who was already flashing his ‘lady-killer’ smile the minute he saw the nurse by Riza’s bedside. “The car is ready and waiting downstairs, Lieutenant.” Placing his hands in the pockets of his black overcoat, the colonel rounded the bed to where Riza was sitting up in a nearby chair. “Will you be sad to see us go, Alicia?” he asked cheekily.

Being one of the very few women immune to the handsome colonel’s charming smile and voice, Alicia placed a hand on her hip and narrowed her eyes. “I’ll be sad to see the Lieutenant go. Good riddance to the rest of you. You men have been a thorn in my side for the last few weeks.”

From behind where the colonel stood, Havoc spoke, “Damn, has it really been that long?”

“Feels longer to me,” Riza said in a quiet tone as she thought back on her time in the hospital. She had hoped to be home, or at the very least in some kind of rehab facility, weeks ago, but her course had been complicated by a bad case of postoperative fever that had only extended her stay. She was incredibly thankful to finally be cleared for discharge, especially given what day it was.

Alicia turned back toward her and gave Riza a gentle smile. “Well, good thing you’re on your way out. And just in time for the new year too. Any fun resolutions?”

“Get shot less,” Riza replied, in an uncharacteristically sarcastic tone. She heard Mustang’s low chuckle as he moved behind the waiting wheelchair and grasped the two handles.

“A resolution I can get behind,” he commented before turning back to the nurse. “Is she all set to go?”

Alicia nodded happily. “Pretty much. Let’s just get you over into this chair, Lieutenant. Yes...just like that. Nice and slow...there you go. Now, let me go grab the paperwork and you’ll be on your way out.”

“Thank you, Alicia. Thank you for...everything,” Riza spoke gratefully once she had settled herself gently onto the wheelchair.

Alicia winked at her. “No problem, sweetie. It’s been a pleasure helping you get better,” she spoke meaningfully before she made her way out the door.

None of the remaining occupants in the room had even a moment to blink before a blur of a human rushed through the door the nurse had just closed. All eyes widened as the figure stopped suddenly, their breathing hard and fast and their face contorted in a mixture of worry and fear.

“R-Rebecca!?” Riza let out with a small gasp as her frazzled friend rushed to where she sat.

“Riza!” Rebecca Catalina shouted desperately as she kneeled in front of the chair and began inspecting her friend’s body as best she could. “Jesus Christ, are you ok!?” she exclaimed. She didn’t even let out a breath before her forehead furrowed and her eyes flashed. She stood to her full height and pointed an accusing at the colonel.

“You! You bastard colonel, how dare you not try and contact me sooner. Here I was, away for a few weeks on a training mission, only to come back and have General Grumman of all people tell me that my best friend was shot!”

Riza looked mortified to hear her friend’s blatant insubordination, but Mustang appeared almost bored, as if he was used to the other lieutenant’s outbursts. “Excuse me for letting it slip my mind. We all had other things to think about.”

Rebecca’s hands went to her hips, not at all happy with the colonel’s explanation. “This happened weeks ago. You really mean to tell me you were all so busy during that time that no one even thought to contact Riza’s best friend? It wasn’t like I was in Briggs, for Christ’s sake!”

“Rebecca,” Riza began in an appeasing tone. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way, but it’s alright now. I’m getting better and better by the day. I was just about to leave the hospital before you got here.”

Lieutenant Catalina huffed. “I know. General Grumman told me that too, which means if he knows all the updates then Mustang should’ve taken the time to give them to me too.”

Before Riza could say anything else Rebecca and the colonel entered into a heated staring match the likes of which had never been seen before. The recuperating lieutenant could merely sigh and let them go on, knowing she wouldn’t be able to stop either one of them before Alicia reappeared.

“Yeesh, what’s all this shouting I hear? Today’s a happy day. It’s New Years Eve, the lieutenant is leaving the hospital, I don’t have to deal with all you worried men anymore and I...oh...great, there’s more of you?” she asked with a small groan once her eyes found those of Lieutenant Catalina.

Rebecca lifted an eyebrow at the tone of the nurse’s voice and crossed her arms indignantly. “Hey, don’t lump me in with this crazy lot. I’m only here for Riza.”

Alicia weighed that response for a moment before she merely rolled her eyes. “Right. Well, anyway, here’s all your paperwork, Lieutenant. You’re free to go now, but I better not be seeing you around here for a while. Same goes for the rest of your team.” Her eyes flashed warningly toward everyone in the room but Riza before she gave one last smile and led them out.

Rebecca said nothing as they all walked together, the colonel pushing Riza’s wheelchair down the hall, but the lieutenant could sense the steam practically pouring from her friend’s ears. Truthfully, she herself had thought about making sure someone notified her, but with the hecticness of the last few weeks it had always slipped her mind before she could do anything about it.

And honestly she could understand why Mustang hadn’t called Rebecca himself. She could only imagine how that phone call would’ve gone.

They finally got outside to where the colonel’s car was parked and Riza took a minute to inhale the chill, late December air. She hadn’t been outside since she was shot and it felt incredibly refreshing to be out of the stale atmosphere of the hospital.

It took a bit of time, maneuvering, and flashes of pain on Riza’s part, but eventually they loaded her into the front of the car. Alicia said one last goodbye before she turned and walked back into the hospital, claiming she still had plenty of ‘lives to save’. Mustang was about to walk around to the other side of the car as Havoc got into the back before Rebecca stopped him.

“And just where are you planning on taking her now?” she asked in an accusatory tone. The passenger side window was rolled down so they could both hear Riza’s exhausted sigh.

“To her home,” the colonel answered simply, daring Rebecca to question him further.

A foolish move, it seemed, as the brunette lieutenant immediately shook her head. “And just who’s going to be playing nurse? She was just in the hospital after being shot, she needs someone to take care of her. Don’t give me that look, Riza, you can hardly sit up straight.”

Despite the many protests she wanted to voice, Riza wisely kept her mouth shut.

“Everyone on my team, myself included, has agreed to help the lieutenant out. We were already planning on doing most of the cooking and the cleaning,” Mustang spoke in an exasperated tone.

“Yeah? And who’s going to help her shower or go to the bathroom? If you still think that’s going to be you or your team then we need to have a very different conversation.”

Riza let out another sigh.

“Catalina, if this is your request to join us, no one is stopping you,” Mustang pointed out.

“Well, obviously I’m going to join you, but Riza’s apartment is tiny and the heater hardly ever works. You’re going to stuff her and the rest of us in an area that small? Plus, it’s New Years Eve! I can think of much better places to spend it, no offense Riza.”

The lieutenant responded by simply rubbing her temples, not in the mood to even attempt to stop her friend’s antics.

The colonel’s eyes narrowed. “And just what alternative did you have in mind?”

Here, they all watched in dread as Rebecca’s face became sly.

“Well, you make the big bucks don’t you? Surely someone at the rank of colonel has a few spare rooms.”

At this, Riza’s eyes widened and she spoke from her place inside the car. “Rebecca! You can’t just volunteer us all to stay at a superior’s home.”

“Why not? Superiors are the ones with the big houses. Plus, the colonel has always struck me as the kind of man to have a few bottles of some nice champagne lying around. We can make the most of our New Years, though we’ll have to get something nonalcoholic for you, Riza, since you’re still on meds.”

“Rebecca!” the lieutenant exclaimed, unable to stop her ambitious best friend from more of her plotting. She had to wonder if this whole line of thinking was just some way to get back at Mustang for not telling her what happened earlier. She certainly wouldn’t put it past her.

The colonel sighed. “Lieutenant Catalina, I will not host a New Years Eve party at my house,” he said resolutely as Rebecca crossed her arms and tried not to pout. “However,” he added in a put upon voice that made everyone pause. “As much as it pains me to admit, you might have a point about Hawkeye’s apartment. It is awfully small, and with you helping out, it would get pretty crowded.”

Riza looked at him with disbelief from her spot in the car and he gave her a placating glance. “My place has always had more space than I know what to do with. I don’t get the opportunity to host that often. I’m sure you’d be more comfortable there with the team for a few days while you adjust, then maybe you and Rebecca can go back to your home.”

“Are you actually agreeing with her, sir?”

Mustang heaved a long sigh. “I suppose I am.”

“Ha! Maybe you’re not always that clueless, Colonel,” Rebecca goaded in victory, causing Riza to shoot her another admonishing glare, which she of course ignored.

Happily appeased, Rebecca walked around to the other side of the car and slid into the backseat next to Havoc (without asking, of course), as the colonel got behind the wheel. Riza shot him a look while he turned the key in the ignition.

“Following along with her antics only encourages her, Sir,” she spoke in a quiet voice as Rebecca started berating Havoc for also not bothering to share the news with her.

Mustang sighed. “I don’t think I had a choice. I probably should have notified her sooner, so I guess this is my way of seeking some kind of peace.”

“I hate to be the one to say it, but you might be doing so in vain. Besides, do you actually have bottles of fine champagne lying around your house?”

The colonel couldn’t help the lopsided smile at that question. “Does whiskey count?”

Riza’s glare became even more pointed. “It does not.”

---

Later that night, Riza watched as her friends and coworkers joyfully waited as the clock counted down to the new year. She supposed they were all lucky they hadn’t managed to get too intoxicated, only running off whatever minimal alcohol the colonel did have in his shockingly tidy and spacious townhome. They had spent the evening laughing, conversing, and playing a few rather heated rounds of chess (that either the Colonel or Breda always won). Despite her initial trepidation, she was feeling rather content with the sudden change of plans.

Their team had truthfully gotten even closer after what happened to her, the shooting serving as a wake-up call, reminding them all of their mortality. Riza was grateful she didn’t have to recover from such a traumatic event (both physically and mentally) by herself, though she wasn’t quite sure she was ready for Rebecca to help her bathe.

Riza’s attention was drawn away from her inner thoughts when a glass of amber liquid was placed in front of her. She was about to give whoever was trying to serve her alcohol a look that would kill when she noticed the colonel’s satisfied grin as he sat opposite of where she’d stationed herself at the table. He had a matching glass of an amber-colored drink, though his was a slightly different shade.

“It’s apple juice,” he commented, reading her thoughts perfectly.

Her annoyed look fell and she tried to not shake her head at him. He lifted his glass and she did the same, before they clinked them both together.

“Happy New Year, Lieutenant.”

“The same to you, sir,” she replied, raising the glass to her lips and taking a dainty sip of the juice like it really was champagne.

She watched as Roy’s eyes drifted over to Rebecca and the rest of the team. “It doesn’t look like it will be much longer before those hooligans go off to bed.

Riza smiled softly. “To be fair, they didn’t get quite as bad as I imagined.”

The colonel made a noise of agreement. “Mm, I guess I should thank my unusually small supply of liquor for that.”

“Have you been drinking more of it lately, sir?” The pointed question caused Roy’s grin to fall slightly, as he lowered his eyes.

“Can’t lie to you, can I?”

When his eyes eventually met hers, she was surprised at the emotion she saw behind them. “Sir,” she spoke softly with only a hint of admonishment behind the word.

“Regardless of what you say, it’s difficult for me not to blame myself for what happened. Those first few nights of your hospital stay were the hardest.”

“Colonel, you can’t make me promise to not be so reckless when you go and do things like that.”

Mustang sighed. “I know, Lieutenant. But I tend to be rather selfish.”

His eyes darkened and the sounds of the others began to fade away as she again picked up on his hidden meaning. They had been doing a lot of this silent communication lately, and it had nothing to do with some secret mission or military agenda. It was becoming exhausting.

They lapsed into silence after that as the others scoped out places to lay their heads for the night, the fresh beginnings of the new year quickly losing their draw. Riza attempted to smother a yawn, which apparently was the colonel’s cue.

He pushed back his glass and stood to his feet. “Come on, I’ll help you up the stairs. I made sure to keep the others out of the guest bedroom. Not even Catalina will bother you unless you need something.”

“Sir, you don’t need to roll out the red carpet for me. If others need a place to sleep, I don’t mind sharing. I feel bad taking up so much room.” While she protested, his strong arms came to grasp the back of her own as he helped her gingerly stand. She was sore, but thankfully still able to move around.

“Please, Lieutenant. It’d be inappropriate for the men to share with you and Catalina would probably wind up kicking you in her sleep. There’s plenty of room. I’m pretty sure no one’s stepped foot inside the guest bedroom since I moved.”

She wanted to object more, but his logic was actually quite sound. She had shared a bed with Rebecca before and it had not been a pleasant experience in the slightest.

She stayed quiet as she let the colonel slowly walk her up the stairs. It took some time, but eventually they were able to make it. As her superior showed her around her temporary room, she thanked him again for offering up his home for everyone, which he of course waved away as no big task.

“Happy New Year again, Lieutenant. You better not be lying about that resolution to get shot less. I don’t think any of us could handle another extended hospital stay.” His tone was lighthearted, but she could feel the concern still dripping off his words. She knew what had happened had taken its toll on all of them, but her original purpose was still true.

“I’ll do my best, but I’d go through this all again to protect every one of my teammates.”

Mustang let out a huff of air and shook his head, but still smiled nonetheless. “You really do have trouble following orders, don’t you?”

His smile was contagious and she couldn’t help but join in. “I’m as stubborn as my commanding officer, I’m afraid.”

His laugh was soft and familiar. “No kidding. Sleep well, Lieutenant,” he said with one last grin before he left the room and closed the door behind him.

“You too, sir,” she whispered into the dark room. She moved the sheets around and attempted to get comfortable in the foreign bed.

It wasn’t exactly the most picture perfect way to end the year, but she was still eternally grateful for the people in her life who made it better. She didn’t have many lofty resolutions, but she knew protecting and fighting alongside her superior and her teammates was at the top of the list.

And getting shot less. That was a good one too.