Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognise. All hail Hiromu Arakawa.

This is a little companion story to Unforgiven, a little angstier than I hoped. Regardless, I'm crossing my fingers that you'll enjoy it

Tethered

Roy! Roy! Roy!

That voice was familiar, though he can 't place it.

Roy that was his name wasn't it? Roy Mustang! His memory felt fuzzy, but he was sure that was right.

As light as a feather, gravity was no longer an issue. None of this made any sense.

Where am I?

Wherever it was, it was dark. Maybe his eyes would get used to the inky blackness and he'd be able to make out his surroundings.

Am I blind again?

He tried to snap his fingers and call on his alchemy. Nothing happened. Was he even wearing his gloves? No, he realised, he wasn't, because they had been taken from him. The jigsaw pieces started to come together with a foggy memory of a gunshot and a firing squad.

I must be dead.

Roy, you can't escape the truth, all must pass through the Gate.

No, he can't go, there's something he needs to do..

But he can't remember, it hurts to remember. It's something to do with her.

Beautiful. Blonde. Brave. Riza!

"How can I go on without you?" she'd said.

Because she has to, because this isn't some weird out of body experience or drunken hallucination. He's dead and he can't go back. But he can't leave her either...

The last thing he remembered from before he died was an explosion of agony when the bullet hit his brain. He thought he could at least rest in peace even if he never lived with any.

Roy could swear the voice laughed. Roy, you fool! Humans are so very pathetic.

There was one brief moment of agonising pain before everything went black.

When Roy came to again, he could see his body on a slab in front of him. He gazed in morbid fascination at the hole in his head where the bullet went straight through. The kid was a good shot. He had been cleaned up and there was no blood. The walls were white and the lightbulb flickered from its fixture in the ceiling.

The door opened and Havoc and Breda, both in black funeral suits and with matching somber expressions. Neither man blinked an eye at his presence and he realised they couldn't see him as he was now.

Stop fighting me, Roy. Can't you see there's nothing left here for you.

But there is.

Both men were staring at his empty body.

"I'm glad Riza stayed away, she should 't see this," Breda said breaking the silence.

"I'm surprised that she didn't insist on coming," Havoc replied.

Roy, for one, wouldn't have wanted her to see him like that. All the pain, he had brought into her life. He wondered if somewhere out there, there was a world where there was a Roy who had never disappointed his Riza. A Roy who never learned flame alchemy existed, a Roy who never joined the military or at least was strong enough to protest against the genocide of of the people of Ishval. But then who would have helped defeat the homunculus, what fate would have befallen the Elric brothers? Maybe he was destined to do all these terrible things? No, that would be too easy. All crimes were his own, committed at his hand. Blaming fate was a cowardly thing to do. The pain hit again and he could feel a pull on his soul before everything f went black once more.

Black holes of memory followed by moments of intense pain. That was all he remembered when he found himself aware of his surroundings once again. He was looking down on a graveyard, where he knew his body was being laid to rest. His friends and his aunt watched his coffin being lowered into the ground. Knox and Marcoh stood on either side of Madam Christmas, who was crying into her handkerchief, Fullmetal was holding Winry and May was clinging to Alphonse. Havoc and Rebecca held hands, Falman, Breda and Fuery starred at the ground while Gracia and little Elicia had tears running down their faces. And Riza. She looked like she was dead herself, pale, red- rimmed eyes and full of pain.

All this pain and hurt because of him and all he could do was stand here and watch.

"How do you find the wings?"

This voice was different and warm.

Roy whirled around and starred at the apparition. Maes Hughes stood in front of him, a little transparent, but really there. The glasses, the messy hair and the shit eating grin. And wings. what the fuck?

"Hughes, you bustard. Is that really you?"

He'd almost forgotten what that grin looked like and certainly what it felt like to be on the receiving end of one.

"Roy, you insufferable asshole. Who else would I be?"

"But you're dead!"

Hughes' face softened and Roy knew what he was thinking.

"I guess this means I'm dead too, huh?" Roy quirked an eyebrow even as part of him wondered why he was joking about being dead.

His friend nodded, "I'm afraid so, old friend."

The initial euphoria waned suddenly with the reminder that he was the reason for the man's death. Looking at his friend, he was filled with shame.

Roy dropped his head, he couldn't meet the man's eyes. "I'm sorry Maes. It's my fault that your wife was left without a husband and your daughter was made fatherless."

"You don't need to apologise," Hughes insisted. "I died fighting for what I believed in, protecting those I loved. I chose this path and I would choose it again. I didn't want to die, but you're not to blame."

"I wish I could believe that," Roy said softly. "Many lives have been ruined, because of me." He thought of Riza, letting his gaze go back to the funeral below.

"And many more are alive because of you." Maes grabbed him by the shoulders and forced Roy to meet his eyes. "Don't you forget that!"

A warmth and love for his friend filled him and he smiled. "It's great to see you. I've missed you, even missed your damn pictures."

"I was hoping I wouldn't see you for another few years yet," Maes said softly.

The moment lost, Roy looked down once more. Below him Riza was crying at his grave. His other family and friends were leaving, but she showed no inclination to do so. He could feel the pain radiating from her and as always he was inexplicable drawn to her like a magnet. Suddenly, he was next to her, close enough to see the tears on her eyelashes.

"Please don't cry."

Maes put his hand on his shoulder, "She can't hear you, Roy."

Roy kept his eyes on Riza. "You don't need to tell me that!"

As usual, his friend shrugged off his misplaced anger.

"I am here to help you move on," Maes said.

Roy pulled his shoulder free from his grip. "What if I want to stay?"

"You can't stay here."

How can you ask me to leave?

"Try me!"

"Roy, do you honestly think I would willingly leave if there was no way to see my Gracia and elicia? Do you know me at all? You'll be able to see her again, I promise."

"I will?"

"Yes - I watched the day you became fuehrer, I saw you fight the Homunculi." He paused. "You have to come with me, because if you refuse to leave your soul will be twisted, unrecognisable. You won't be you anymore."

It's time, Roy!

"That voice!"

Maes sighed, "You hear is the Truth. It's been pulling you back to the gates for periods of time."

"That's why I black out."

Roy hadn't his eyes off Riza the whole time, "I'll come. But not yet."

"I understand."

Roy didn't notice Maes disappear into thin air as engrossed as he was in watching Riza.

Roy didn't know how long he stood there. He could feel her pain as he watch her breakdown. He wanted to hold her, to kiss her and take away her anguish. How was it possible to feel when he longer had a body to speak of?

She finally got to her feet.

"Goodbye, Roy," she said.

Slowly, she began to walk away. Her gait was unsteady, her shoulders trembled and he could hear her sniffle. He could see that Havoc and Rebecca were waiting a few metres away and that was comforting. She had good friends, they had good friends. She was the strongest woman he knew but she needed her friends now more than ever. His heart ached at the thought of leaving her behind, but he decision was already made when he handed himself over to be tried.

"Goodbye Riza,"he whispered.

Maes reappeared in front of him, "It's time."

"For our next big adventure."

The End

Endnote:

I am presently working on a multi-chapter sequel to Unforgiven. Hopefully, this little piece gives a little solace, because the sequel going to be an angst fest but you'll get to find out what happens to Riza.