Stand by You

XVII

"Major? Major Joyce?" A soft hand shook my shoulder.

I snapped awake, drooling. I closed the book on my lap and got up to stretch. Outside, Miss Sheska stood. Colonel Mustang was just getting up as well, taking the book off his face as he sat up. He stretched, cracking his old bones on his back. During the last ten days, he dragged me into the archive room and made me help him research what Hughes was looking up before he died. Thanks to the map and drawing Edward drew, we were one step forward into finding out what it was.

"How long have I been asleep?" He grumbled. "I think I know how you feel now Joyce when I wake you up during emergencies."

"About ten minutes, sir," Miss Sheska replied.

Colonel opened his pocket watch before closing it, sighing. "There's no time left before the council meeting."

"Perhaps it's none of my business, but maybe you shouldn't push yourself so hard and you should get some rest," Miss Shedka suggested as Colonel and I stepped out of the archive room.

"Yeah, I'll be back later," he waved his hand. "I'm heading to the bathroom to wash up. Joyce, wait outside nearby."

I stopped by the bathroom as Colonel went in. Lieutenant Hawkeye, holding meeting papers, stepped beside me. "Are you waiting for the Colonel?" She asked.

"Yup," I nodded.

"Huh? Lieutenant Hawkeye? Evie?" A voice asked.

I flinched at my nickname and Lieutenant Hawkeye and I looked to see Edward and Alphonse coming up. "Oh, long time no see," she smiled.

"Hello, Ed, Al," I waved.

"Wait, Lieutenant, Evie, if you're here then..." Edward muttered to himself.

"Thanks you both for waiting," a voice said.

Edward groaned as Mustang appeared, exiting from the bathroom. "Hello, Fullmetal," he smiled tauntingly.

"Colonel, what are you doing here?" Edward popped a vein.

"I was assigned to Central last month," he stated. "What about you? What brings you here?"

"Well, just a little information gathering," Edward shrugged. "After that, we were thinking of saying hello to Colonel Hughes."

Colonel gasped and Hawkeye deadpanned. I struggled to keep a straight face. "How's the Colonel doing?" Edward ignorantly asked.

"He's not here..." Colonel muttered.

"Huh?" Edward tilted his head to the side.

I sucked in a breath, waiting for Colonel to announce his death. "He retired out in the country," Colonel lied. "He took his wife and kid and said he was taking over the family business. So, he's not here."

"He's not?" Edward frowned. "That's too bad."

"We were hoping to see him," Alphonse sighed.

Colonel began to walk away before stopping himself. "Fullmetal, don't get ahead of yourself and do anything crazy."

"Yeah..." Edward trailed as Colonel walked away and Hawkeye and I followed him.

We walked in a awkward silence. Hawkeye cut the tight tension, "You're going to treat him like a child?"

"There's no need for him to find out now," Colonel stated. "The fewer obstacles those brothers have to block their progress fight now, the better."

"But they are going to find out someday," she chastised.

"I'm in no position to call Major Armstrong a soft touch," he sighed, stopping himself.

I tilted my head to the side. Armstrong saw the brothers? "Are you sure ethics is a matter that calls for a soft touch?" Hawkeye asked. "It's cruel."

*~*~*~*~*~

I stood outside the meeting room, rocking back and forth of the balls of my feet, sleeping softly. Lieutenant Hawkeye had left to tend other matters. The door slammed open, scaring me. Colonel Mustang stepped out and I followed him. Lieutenant Hawkeye approached us. "Sir, I have news," she announced. "They have found the supposed murderer of the late Brigadier General Maes Hughes. It's Ross. However, Lieutenant Maria Ross herself is pleading not guilty."

Mustang skimmed the papers Lieutenant Hawkeye had handed to him. "Gather all the materials you can pertaining to her," he ordered. "Be quick, but do it secretly."

"Yes, sir," she stood back the files and hurried off.

Colonel grabbed my arm and dragged me. "C-Colonel!" I cried, trying to dig my heels into the smooth floor but made no progress. "Where are we going?"

"Can't say," he stated simply, ignoring my pleas to stop as he made his way, eyes concentrated as a plan was formulating in his head.