Alphonse opened the door as Edward walked in with Roy on his back. Alphonse looked at the colonel in concern.

"Brother, is he alright?"

Edward moved to the couch and let Roy slide off onto it. He squinted his eyes tightly as Edward grabbed his red jacket and threw it over Roy's small body.

"He complained of a headache all the way home. I'm going to get some aspirin for it in a moment. Could you call Hawkeye to let her know I got him?"

"Yeah..."

Edward left the room as Alphonse turned the dial on the rotary phone.

"Hawkeye."

"Hey, Ms. Hawkeye, this is Alphonse."

"Oh, hey, Alphonse."

"Brother wanted you to know he got the colonel... He's not looking well though."

"How do you mean?"

Alphonse watched as Edward knelt next to Roy on the couch, holding a pill out to him and then holding his head up to drink the water.

"He has a very bad headache. Ed's giving him something now."

"I'll come see him after I get off of work. Just make him eat something at least..."

"Mmm."

He hung up and turned as Edward put the hood of his jacket over Roy's face.

"Did he die?!"

"Of course not. The light is bothering his eyes. What kind of guy do you think I am?"

"Sorry..."

Roy moaned under the jacket and moved a little. Edward ran his fingers through his hair and Alphonse could tell he was concerned for his superior, even if he didn't want to admit it.

"Ed, you're worried about him, right?"

"Yeah... Al, I think he'll revert even more into a baby. I don't think we have the technology to stop this and that stupid doctor keeps giving us bogus mixes of stuff to use for him! Dammit!" Edward growled, clenching his fists. "Why can't that bastard just give us something to help him not revert or do anything?! Why does he have to keep playing games with us?"

"I wish I knew, Brother... What will you do if he does revert back to a baby?"

"I already told him that he has my promise that I will take care of him. Stinky diapers and bottles and all that stuff, I'm willing to do for him. He's been there for us many times so now it's time to be there for him."

Alphonse nodded. "That's very chivalrous of you. I'll help too in whatever way I can."

"I know you will, Al... I just hope we can get him back to normal..."

Alphonse nodded and went over to Roy, lifting the hood a little to look at his superior. He was breathing quickly, his eyes clenched shut. If Alphonse had had a face, he would have frowned in sympathy for the colonel.

**********************

Later that night, Riza came by and knocked on the door. Edward opened it and smiled, letting her come in.

"How's he been? Did he eat anything?"

"We tried to get him to eat something but he's been nauseous all day and the headache hasn't gone away. The light really hurts his eyes so he's been sitting under my jacket all day."

Riza walked over and touched Roy's shoulder softly, shaking it a little. He moaned and she pulled hood off of his face as he squinted his eyes at her.

"Riza..."

"The boys said you've been nauseous all day?"

"Yeah... I feel like I'm going to puke..."

"Well, I'm going to take you back to my place-"

"No, I mean I feel like I'm going to puke now."

Riza looked around for something to catch the vomit in when she saw Roy's face pale. She quickly grabbed Alphonse's helmet and made it just in time for Roy to vomit into it.

"Hey! That's my head!"

"I'm sorry, Al, but I needed it." Riza said as she rubbed Roy's back and he vomited even more. "I'll take you back to my place and you can rest in the bed, alright?"

Roy nodded and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Riza stood up and went to the sink to wash Alphonse's helmet out but she motioned to the boys for them to follow her.

She turned the water on and emptied Alphonse's helmet into the sink.

"I'll take him home from here and keep him at my place. I asked to take some sick leave that I've never taken in order to care for him and have time to look more into this. The doctor from the hospital called me today in regards to Roy's results."

"What did he say?"

"He said the blood had something to do with the regression that was happening at the same time as vomiting. Something to the effect of his organs growing smaller at the same time or whatnot. As for the regression, the bio-alchemy that is being used is attacking the cells in the body. We need to get Dr. Striker to give us a good serum that will actually do what it's supposed to do and fast. Roy could die or revert back... revert back into an embryo and have to be implanted into someone to survive. That's how serious this has gotten, boys."

Edward nodded and looked at Riza.

"What will we do if it actually came to that point?"

Riza poured Alphonse's helmet out of water and used a towel to make it dry again. She handed it back to Alphonse, who gladly stuck it back on his vacant armor hole.

"I... I have decided that if it actually came down to that, I would let them use me. I don't think we will have to worry but I couldn't trust anyone else with this secret and I'm the only woman who is in the know."

"You'd do that for him?" Edward asked, surprised at how deep her loyalty went for him.

"He would do the same for me. He'd figure out a way to make sure I was safe and knowing him, he'd even use his own body if he had too. Our bond is a little bit more than a usual unit would be but..."

Edward nodded, understanding. "I don't think you'll have to worry about that either. I'll help in any way I can though."

Riza nodded and they walked back into the living room. Riza touched Roy's shoulder again as she knelt next to him to look at him. He turned back to her and she smiled.

"Hey, Colonel, I'm going to pick you up now and take you to my house."

He nodded and she gently lifted him up, letting him wrap his arms and legs around her as he laid his head on her shoulder. She went to the door and turned back to the Elrics.

"Tomorrow you and I will go to Dr. Striker's and demand that he fix Roy."

"But the doctor said to make sure he didn't get in contact with him."

"That's fine. We'll leave him with someone but we have to get him back to normal."

Edward nodded and Riza left.

*******************

Riza carried Roy up the stairs to her bedroom and laid him down on her bed. Black Hayate followed her, whining the whole time. When she had laid Roy in the bed, Black Hayate got on the edge of it, looking at the young colonel in confusion. The scent was the same but different at the same time and the poor dog was confused. He looked up at Riza and whined, not understanding.

Riza pat him on the head then rubbed Roy's face gently. He opened his eyes a little and Riza smiled.

"Go back to sleep, Colonel. I'll be along shortly."

He closed his eyes and Riza got ready for bed, feeding the dog and then taking him out and then brushing her teeth before bed. She put her nightgown on and slid into bed, looking over at Roy who was sleeping soundly. She reached over and slid his body to hers, her arm protectively around his, and went to sleep.

********************

Roy opened his eyes and looked around. He didn't recognize anything. He looked behind him and his eyes widened. Who was that? He scrambled from the arms holding him, which prompted the woman to wake up.

Riza yawned and looked over at Roy, who was staring at her with wide black eyes.

"Oh, Colonel, you're awake. How's your head?"

"M-my name's not Colonel... Who are you?"

Riza blinked at him. "What do you mean?"

"Who are you?! Where am I? I want my mommy!"

"Roy, what are talking about?"

Roy gasped, shuffling away from Riza on the bed.

"How do you know my name?"

Riza frowned deeply and sat up, turning to look at her superior.

"Roy, how old are you?"

"I'm not supposed to talk to strangers. Where's my mommy? I'll cry if you don't tell me."

As not funny as the situation was, even though he didn't know who she was, Riza had to keep from letting out a chuckle since even at a young age he seemed to try to manipulate people.

"Roy, it's me, Riza Hawkeye, your lieutenant. We've been in the army together for ten years or so..."

"Kids don't go to war." He said with a frown. "I want my mommy."

Riza sighed, not knowing what to do. She hadn't expected this when she heard sniffles and looked over. She hadn't expected him to really start crying.

"Um... I don't know where your mother is but she put me in your care for the time being-"

"Hawkeye?" Roy said, looking up at her a tearstained face.

"Do you remember me now?"

Roy's lip trembled and then he burst into more tears.

"I'm forgetting everyone! I can't remember people anymore! Help me. Riza! I'm scared!"

Riza grabbed him and held him close as he cried on her shoulder in uncontrolled childish tears.

++++++++++++++++++++++

for the record, there will not be an unbirthing in this story. that's a little too much for me. i was just showing the amount of loyalty she had for her superior if it got that far but that's it. if you don't know unbirthing is then all power to you.