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Disclaimer: I don't own FMA or How To Save A Life by The Fray

I was recently informed that song lyrics are not allowed to be posted in a fanfiction.

I suggest listening to How To Save A Life by The Fray before reading this, or after you have finished it. It will make the story easier to understand. Thanks.

The radio played softly in the background of the colonel's office. Ed immediately recognized the song. It was How To Save A Life by The Fray. It was a new hit in Central.

"Roy..." Ed called out to the man standing before him. "We need to talk." Roy nodded and as the younger blonde started walking in front of him, without a word the colonel followed behind. Silently Ed sat on the black leather sofa in Roy's office.

"Come on, sit down. It's just a talk." The blonde said, but his tone was softer than usual. The dark haired man remand silent, but did as he was told and sat next to Edward, the couch sinking under the extra weight.

Roy smiled. It wasn't a genuine happy smile. It was polite. That was all, it was simply a polite didn't know what Roy thought he was going to say but Ed stared politely back gave a soft smile.

A window. Edward loved the windows in the colonel's office, they were big and you could see far into the distance. They were always clean, Roy made sure of that.

The blonde knew they weren't the most compatible people. But they loved each other. Loved. Ed wasn't sure if they both still felt the same.

Ed was beginning to wonder why he came, he didn't know. Why did he come here? Why did he come all they way to Central Headquarters? To see Roy? Why did he come here?

'Where did I go wrong?' Ed couldn't figure it out. He had lost a friend, he had lost Roy. Caught up in all the missions for the Philosopher Stone, the bitterness that came with his goal. He lost Roy.

"Roy... I know whats best. For you. For me. For us." Ed spoke without hesitation. 'Its for the best...' Ed repeated as a mantra in his prodigy mind.

"What's best, Fullmetal? Do you really know whats best?" The tone Roy used was cold. Ed was shocked. They hadn't called each other by their titles for a while now... when they got together, they went by first names. As much as the blonde hated to admit it, he was hurt Roy just reverted back to calling him Fullmetal.

"Yes... Mustang. I know best." Ed could tell that the colonel's wall of defense was crumbling. The emotionless mask Roy always wore was cracking.

"Mustang, you know we don't act the way we used to. You know this isn't... what we thought it would be... I know that you still have one night stands with different women when I'm on missions. I know that..."

The dark haired man seemed shocked. Why did everyone forget that Edward's a prodigy of course he would figure out if his boyfriend was cheating on him.

Roy stayed silent. Ed continued speaking.

"I told you that I knew you weren't ready to give up your precious one night stands or your beloved bachelor status. You said you were more than ready, because you loved me. I wanted it to be true... I've known all along. I told you, you weren't ready."

Roy was still at a loss for words. Had he been that obvious? When Ed came back to Central... Roy always got rid of the evidence in his apartment. Always... how did Ed find out? Who was he kidding... of course Ed knew...

Ed didn't believe in God. Never has, never will. But if he did, he'd be asking that this was all over soon. He just wanted to go home.

They shouldn't have rushed it. They should have stayed friends, gotten to know each other better, before taking the next step. Ed thought that all along. He barely knew anything about Roy, and that always bothered Ed. He thought they should know everything about each other... but the older man insisted that they would be fine. As long as they loved each other.

"Ed, I don't know what you're talking about! I haven't looked at anyone else since we got together! It's just been you... I never slept with any women while your gone..." Roy's voice was growing louder with each word.

'Lies.' Both of their minds echoed. They both knew Roy was lying.

"Roy... I'll give you one last choice. You can stop lying, and be with just me and no one else... or you can forget about me and what we shared and continue to lie to me, and yourself." Ed's voice on the other hand, was quiet and almost gentle.

Ed was driving, since he turned seventeen, he's been driving himself everywhere. He switched on the radio, the song from the office was continuing. How To Save A Life... Ed wished he knew how. But for now, he was just driving. As the rain pattered on the windshield. The blonde didn't want to think about what just transpired in his superior's office.

Roy could have done two things, he could admit to everything... or he'll just say he's not the same.

Ed found he was thinking about what Roy said anyway.

Roy had thought about the offer. He could do option one or two. Ed or no Ed... Roy decided.

"Fullmetal... I've decided." The dark haired man paused, looked Ed straight into his golden eyes and said "I've decided that... I'm just not the same as I used to be..."

Ed looked at his feet. Once again he was wondering why he came.

And that ended what they had together.

Ed couldn't help but think about it. Why did he agree in the first place? He should have known it wouldn't work out. Instead, he risked the friendship they had, and now he lost everything that was between them... Where was the equivalent exchange in that?

He realized it. Where the equivalent exchange was. He lost the romance and friendship he had with Roy, but he had some memories he would never forget.

Ed pulled his car into the driveway of his small apartment. Closing the door behind him he looked at the sky to see it had darken considerably. He'd been driving around for hours. Driving around like that helped him to relax.

Walking to his front door of the apartment he lived in by himself, now that Al lived in Risembool, He unlocked the front door.

Ed pushed open the front door, it was cold inside. Ed walked into the living room and turned the radio on. The song had not yet ended. The blonde lit the fireplace. He recalled how much Roy used to love to show off by snapping to light it.

Staring at the flames, Ed sat in front enjoying the embracing warmth it gave off.

The blonde only now realized how hard it was to look at fire and not think of the Flame alchemist. His mind wouldn't stop wandering to Roy, no matter how many times Ed scolded himself for it.

Edward had one question left... 'Where did I go wrong? When did I become not enough?' Ed pondered. He'd been thinking about it for a while. He just couldn't come up with an answer.

Ed might not be able to save the entire world, but he could save a life at a time. And right now, he needed to start saving his own.

It just hurt that Roy wasn't there to save him like he used to be.

But Edward knew he could still save himself.

He knew how to save a life.

To Be Continued