Riza was very worried. It had been a week since the Colonel had been in the office. He never, in all that she had known him, ever taken so long out of work. Even the other subordinates were beginning to see that he wasn't there. Every time she tried to call him, he never answered the phone and every time she went by his place, he never answered the door. She always took papers there and by the next time she came, the papers were all signed or denied so she knew he was alive but...

"I think we need an intervention." Breda said. "And Lieutenant Hawkeye will do it for us."

"I'll do what now?" she asked, looking up.

Breda smiled sheepishly. "We- we were just wondering if you would mind seeing what's up with the Colonel? Higher ups are starting to talk."

"Lucky for you, I had planned to go to his house today. Is there anything you need for me to take him?"

"No I think everything is good." Havoc said. "Though I think that scientist guy that he and the Chief were working with keeps hounding us with calls."

"Ed said he's been trying to get up with the Colonel as well." Fuery said from his desk. "They've come up at least three times to try and talk to him."

"Hmm. This is all very strange. I'll see what's happened immediately so that we can get back to normal schedule."

They all agreed and Riza uncharacteristically played with her bottom lip in worry. Roy had never been like this and she was truly afraid.

Ed and Al walked in and Havoc greeted them as Edward walked up to Riza.

"Hey, is Colonel Bastard in today? I've been trying to get a hold him. That Dr. Striker won't leave me alone."

"Us too." Havoc said, leaning against his desk.

"Sorry, Ed, but he's not here today either."

"That's very odd for the Colonel." Alphonse said. "He always said he would never leave if there wasn't a need."

"I understand your confusion, Alphonse. I'm going to go visit him today. What do I need to tell him?"

"Just tell him that when he gets over his shy stage that Dr. Striker wants us to come back to the lab for further testing."

"I'll tell him."

"Come on, Al, let's go see if there's something to fix around here since Colonel Bastard isn't here to give us any assignments..."

"Mmm."

They left and Riza grabbed her coat from the rack and threw it on.

"I'm going to go check on the Colonel. Don't screw anything up while I'm gone."

The men saluted and she left to go his apartment.

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

Riza went to the colonel's door and knocked on it. He didn't respond as usual, and Riza knocked again.

"Colonel, I know you're in there. Please let me in." she growled.

"No." she heard softly from the other side of the door.

Riza's eyes lit up, glad that he was alright. She put her ear against the door to try and hear what he was saying.

"Colonel, please. We're all very worried about you."

"Go away."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Please, go away... I... I'll call you later."

Riza frowned. "I'm worried for you. You've been in that house for weeks and that's nothing like you. Fullmetal is worried about you too, even though he won't say anything. Alphonse says he sleep talks... Plus, some scientist guy needs you. Roy, please open up."

He was silent for a moment.

"I can't."

"Why?"

"... You'll be mad at me."

Riza blinked in confusion.

"Why would I be mad at you?"

"I just know you will."

"If this is about those pills then I already know about them. Jean told me you were taking them and Fullmetal was worried that they may have made you sick or something... So if that's it, I'm over it."

"It's... It's kind of like that."

"Well then, like I said, I'm not mad."

"No, it's not exactly like that. Just go away, Hawkeye."

"I'm not leaving until I know you're alright. You can't make me go. I'll sit here all night or I'll blow the door handle off."

He was silent for a moment.

"I... If I let you in, promise that you won't yell at me."

"Yell? Why would I yell?"

"I know you will... Just promise me you won't."

Riza put her hand on the door.

"I promise to try not to yell at you."

The door opened a little and Riza walked in. All the lights were off so Riza fumbled a little trying to figure out what was going on.

"Where are you?"

"I'm here." He said, though his voice was different, softer.

"Why are all the lights out?"

"Because I don't want you to see until I'm ready."

Riza made her way to where she thought the sofa was. She was successful in sitting down and she could hear Roy walking around and playing with something.

"Are you sick?"

"No... well... I don't know anymore. I'm not myself, let's just say."

"Colonel, I can't help you if you are in the dark, literally. I want to make sure you're alright and figure out what's going on. This isn't like you at all."

Roy didn't say anything as he finished doing what he needed. Riza waited patiently for him to do what he needed to do.

"I'm going to show you and... you promised not to yell."

"Yes."

Roy nodded, turning on the light that illuminated the whole living room.

Riza blinked and then stared at Roy. She had no words for what was going on.

"Oh, Roy..."

"It wouldn't stop." He said, looking at her.

Before her stood the man she had known since her father was alive and before her was the same teenaged boy she had begun to love so long ago.

"It just kept happening and so..." he shrugged.

Riza stood up and walked over to him, almost as tall as him. He was wearing baggy clothing from being too young and less muscled to fill out his clothing now. She watched him for a moment and debated on what she should do. For one, she was completely unnerved by the fact that the man she knew was now a teenage boy, but she was also angry because the pills might have had a part in it.

Roy stared at her, wondering what his subordinate was going to do to him. All she did was stare at him for a moment and then she seemed to find a resolve and her eyes gave off understanding, though they didn't look pleased with the situation at hand.

"Did this have to do with the pills were taking?"

"I think so. I don't see how it could have, but it's the only explanation."

"Was this gradual or quickly?"

"Gradual, obviously, since I wasn't at the office."

"I thought you were sleeping."

"No..."

"You're awfully put together for a crisis such as this." She said, surprised that he was so calm.

"I'm not, really... I'm just used to dealing with the unexpected so I figured it would help me not breakdown."

Riza nodded, though she was taking his advice and keeping herself calm. They were silent for a moment as they let the situation sink in when Roy yawned.

"Are you tired?"

"Yes but I can't go to sleep."

"Why?"

"Because if I do then I'll grow younger. I tried sleeping but when I woke up, I was always younger so I figured that being so relaxed allowed my body to do what it needed to. Hawkeye, I can't get any younger." He semi-commanded his subordinate.

Riza knew he was secretly telling her that he needed her help and she saluted to him.

"Of course sir. Out of the question."

"Excellent."

Riza noticed his face was flushed and instinctively reached her hand to her superior's forehead to feel his head. Roy didn't budge but she knew he was uncomfortable as well as seeming to run a small fever.

"Colonel, you should really lie down."

"I can't. I won't grow younger."

"I'll be here to keep that from happening but your health comes first."

"I can't be fucking healthy when I'm aging backwards!" he suddenly burst at her.

Riza blinked for a second until she saw that he was shaking to keep himself from crying.

"I'm growing younger and there is nothing that I can do about it as of now. All I ask of you, Lieutenant, is that you not make this out like I have a rash on my leg or something. This is real and I don't... I don't know what to do."

There, he had admitted it. He was at a complete and utter loss as to what to do. Riza knelt in front of him and pushed his longer bangs away from his face again and then grabbed his hands.

"I promise that I will help you find a cure for this."

"I know you will." Riza smiled when Roy looked into her eyes. "Can I tell you a secret, Hawkeye?"

"Anything, Colonel."

He looked around for a moment and seemed to finally settle back on Hawkeye's eyes.

"I'm scared." Riza smiled a little. "I'm truly scared."

"I know, Colonel, but that's why I'm here. I will make sure everything goes according to plan."

Roy smiled a little and nodded. "Thank you, Hawkeye."

"Now, we'll need to get you some different clothes. You look about Sergeant Fuery's size..."

"I can wear my own stuff, thank you."

Riza looked at him with a disapproving look but let that be for a little bit. She was very worried about the fever that he had though. Roy grabbed a hold of the corner of the table to stabilize himself from the dizzy feeling he was getting. He finally sat back on the couch and Riza walked in front of him and smiled at him.

"You really should get some sleep, Colonel."

He suddenly got angry and looked at her as if she had something horrible to him."

"How can I go to sleep when I look like this?! Huh?! Tell me, Lieutenant! You can say that because everything is fine for you but you aren't going through what I'm going through! You've never been through this!"

Riza stared at him as he shakily ran his hands through his hair.

"I'm... I'm just..."

"Scared." He looked at her as she walked over to him and pulling him into a hug. "You're just scared, Colonel."

He finally let his fear take hold and he gripped her tight around the waist.

"Riza, help me."

Riza nodded. "There is no greater task to have been assigned to."

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

so here we have the colonel finally aging at a good distance from his current age. he tried to keep it in but it was too much and he needed riza to help him. what will happen? how will the others react to it