Bullet for my valentine- FMA

by AzureSynergy

Love was in the air and lead was in his lungs. Blood is red and Roy's dark eyes are blue, to be alive next valentines day hope cupid doesn't send a bullet to you. "You've got looks to kill, do you want to be my valentine?" Little did Edward know when he said "Yes."

FMA- Bullet for my Valentine- a oneshot

If he had known what would happen, the mission would never have been posted to the young blond earlier that morning. Despite the military's coaxing (mostly from their one eyed Furher) Edward Elric refused to resign. After the hero of the people had retrieved his brothers body so selfishly from beyond the gate, malnourished and fragile, he took it upon himself to have a strong income to support his baby brother. Roy didn't want to send his youngest subordinate on a dangerous mission into Drachma up North, but his duty as Furher called for his to serve and protect his country.

Sending another soldier would have been as easy as snapping his fingers, but none of them were as qualified. Surely if the Flame-alchemist had sent someone like Armstrong there would be no subtle diplomacy as was required... not that the Full metal Alchemist had ever been subtle... or diplomatic... or peaceful... Actually now that he had the time to recollect himself he discovered his many faults of sending the minor into a full scale riot. Groaning, the onyx eyed male dropped his face into his bloodied hands. His coal coloured locks were messed and his clothes were a dark shade of fire. Not to mention wet.

There wasn't a lot that Roy Mustang wished for, but when he did- it was serious. In moments like these a falling star wouldn't be all that is required to make wishes come true. Why did he have to be so impulsive and sardonic? He had promised the young boy that the mission would be effortless: just like making fun of his size. This goes without saying, but Edward immediately ranted and raved, yelling out infuriated shouts of "Who are you calling so short that Oscar Pistorius looks down on him?!" Obviously the man had no idea what the young teen was talking about- he was probably referring to a person from beyond the gate. Besides, wasn't your enemy supposed to know what you're talking about when you were insulting them?

Recalling that memory brought up a small smile; smiling was a rerate right now.

"Hold on, kid, we're almost there." Mustang whispered softly. He removed his red gloves and raked his fingers through the crimson coated golden hair. A pained moan pitched from cracked lips. Futures were scrunched up in anguish and the elder male could tell that the boy was holding back his pain. Damn that child, even when he was shot in the chest he still refused to relinquish even a single solitary shout of suffering. Little could be seen of the rapidly paling chest- a blue military jacket was covering the cold form and adding pressure to the markedly painful dire wound.

"Bastard, I'm not a kid anymore!" Even when the boy was shot he still had enough strength to insult the Furher. The arrogant short tempered young adult always had an uncanny disregard for the seriousness of a situation. But his reaction was good; it meant that he still had some life in him. "Riza, can't this heavy-metal-car go any faster? Full metal is losing a lot of metal." As a response the car sped up and pressed their bodies further into the plush dark leather backseats. Edward groaned as his position was stirred. It aggravated his wound and having lead pressed deeper into his lungs wasn't exactly one present he was glad to have.

"If cell phones were invented you could have already called the hospital and announced my arrival- they could have readied blood and the operation room, not to mention Al would have heard about all this shit happening." Once again the boy- young adult- spared no concern of talking about things that made no sense. Mustang didn't know if that meant the situation was getting better or worse. Nonetheless he had to keep the male lying in his lap talking- the less slurred his words came out the more reinforced he would be. And his thoughts couldn't dwell.

"Why are your sentences so short, kid, are you having trouble stringing together more words than your vocabulary allows?" Edward's eyes snapped open and gold glared into the dark blue. "What did you-" the car sped over a hole in the road; jolting the occupants. "FUCK!" Edward screamed bloody murder and clenched his reddened teeth. Blood bubbled up and his breathing became heavy. His eyes were wide and seemingly popped out of his head. Mustangs grip around the younger males shoulders tightened. He tried in vain to block the shuddering of the metal frame they rode in.

"What did you fuck? Really, Ed, I thought you already knew of my womanising talents. You probably suspect me of screwing the entire headquarters." Roy responded facetiously, trying to ease the tension with a joke. It didn't work. "Fuck yourself, Bastard." Hurt would have gripped the black headed male, were it not for his understanding. Full metal didn't want to laugh. It hurt too much. Instead he frowned and looked to the driver for info. "Ten minutes, sir." The reserved woman replied, staring with cherry eyes into coal dark through the rear-view mirror. The flame alchemist had a sneaking suspicion that they didn't have ten minutes to spare before their arrival at the medical ward. Ed wasn't looking so fresh and his skin was paler than milk.

Soft lids fluttered like broken butterfly wings over a sea of honey. Roy shook the kids- young adults- shoulders. "Don't close your eyes! Don't give up on yourself, or I'll have to force flames down your throat, so the burn can keep you awake!"

"Or you can shove insults down my throat; the burn would be exactly the same." Came the weak response, though Mustang could argue over if it was strained or not. Blood leaked past his usually white teeth and dribbled down his pasty chin. "But at this moment I don't want more burning fire to fill my lungs, I already have my share." Once again Mustang frowned. A bullet to the lungs was not something someone would wish for. Not ever. Even more so on the day of love. The 14th of February: Valentine's Day. "I swear, Ed, I'll kill the person who did this to you!"

Risa looked at him at those words, then focussing on the road again. Edward laughed bitterly, before stopping abruptly, damn his wheezing lungs. "I would take you up on that offer, but I don't even know what the person looks like. All I saw were holes in the door and then a hole in my chest. "Witnesses say they heard four gun shots, but only one seemed to have hit you. Looks like someone has it in for you." Riza stated, not removing her gaze from the foggy road. "I always knew that I was a hit amongst the people and they wanted to shoot me whenever I got out in the public, I just thought that it would be a photographer who would be doing the shooting." Once again Elric suppressed laughing at his attempted joke.

Laughing now wasn't really an option. "Roy?"- "Yes?" His eyes opened again and the molten honey stared blankly at his commanding officer. "Ed?" No answer. More urgent now, "Edward?!" still no response. "Damn it, Full metal, answer me!" Silence droned on past the hum of a warmed engine against the cold winter night. "RIZA, Are we almost there?!" Roy shouted in panic and shook the young adult fiercely. He would not give up on him! Not after he made the promise! "Almost there, sir!" If it were possible she would have driven faster, but the peddle was already to the metal.

"Wake up, Ed, don't leave me! I need you here with me! How am I supposed to make this country better if I can't even make my own heart better?" Tears were now streaming down his face, but he refused to acknowledge the dampness dripping down his downcast head. His hands hadn't stopped with the shaking. In the spur of the moment he ripped the blood soaked jacket off the pale man's pale chest. The only colour was the angry red of where the bullet was embedded. Slowly he lay the cold body down on the leather and squeezed over his body. He took both his hands and began furiously pumping the young male's chest. Counting in his head until he reached 30, the compression was hard and fast. First aid training rushed through his brain at a rate that would put Oscar Pistorius' records to shame. He then tilted the head back and lifted the Elric's blood drenched chin.

And like a true love's kiss he lowered his lips and started blowing until Edwards's chest rose. This he did two times before continuing with his hard and heavy assault on the unmoving chest. Hoping to high heaven that his body would respond. The wetness of his eyes washed away some of the blood and soot on the younger's face- revealing more of his paper white complexion. "Come back to me Ed, please." He bent down again. The process was repeated four times before the car pulled to a halt and hands reached in- pulling him away from the body. They removed Edward and laid him down of a stretcher. The doors swung loosely on their hinges. Roy tried to grab for Ed. Riza restrained Roy. He was yelling madly at her to release him.

Yet all he could do was stare helplessly as the doctors pushed the Full metal Alchemist inside the white building. Small misty rain sprinkled down onto the hard earth. Riza pushed her commanding officer to the front of the car. "It's alright, sir, he's in good hands- they're going to help him, but you need to calm down before I can let you go!" The female blond instructed him sternly. "How do you expect me to stay calm?! Did you see how he looked at me before he... before he..." Again the Furher shouted in dear agony. "Let me go, Lieutenant!" – "Not until your emotions runs its course."

"I have to tell him!"

"Tell him what, sir?"

"That I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean it- it was an accident!"

"If you're referring to his mission, sir, I'm sure Major Elric already knows how much you screwed up... sir." Hawkeye added respectfully once she noted her mistake. Roy shook his head; like it was needed, seeing as his entire body was shaking. "No, lieutenant, I really messed up this time. And I'm sorry. I really didn't mean it. I had no idea when I... I knew what I had done... I had to help him, because it was my entire fault!" The rain was now pouring down heavily and the air smelled like dust-rain. Hawkeye was left even more confused as her grip on the Furher tightened. "I'm afraid I don't completely understand, sir. Does this have to do with the riot?"

"It has to do with everything! Since the discovery of my promotion to Furher. Since me and Edward started dating. Since his brother was brought back from the gate! Since the Drachmann's wanted to engage in a war of dictatorship. I knew it was dangerous to send him up there, but I sent him anyway! I was just so angry with him. 'I imagine one of the reasons people cling to their hate so stubbornly is because they sense, once hate is gone, they will be forced to deal with pain' James Baldwin said that. Ed got me the book," He laughed gingerly, "The book is called 'The fire next time', after reading it I suspected that Ed didn't even know what it was about, but just got if for me because of its name." All emotions expelled left the man drained.

"I was angry at him for spending more time with that Rockbell girl- now I realize how stupid that was, he was dating me after all- but my jealousy boiled like water left in a pot for too long and the steam just escaped. It's true what people say regret does come too late. And I'm regretting it- truly I am. I wish I could take it all back. Four times over I wish I could take it back."

Those words dawned on her and he grip loosened. No. No. She knew him too well. He wouldn't dare to... but it all made sense. His sudden ferocious urge to follow Ed up north. His blatant disregard for his own safety as he ran unprotected and unsupervised into the fire of the uprising. The missing weight in one of her hip holsters.

"Roy," She began, losing all her formality and looked at her friend with wide shocked eyes, "no..." she whispered so softly the down pouring rain blocked out all sound. She let go of him and took a couple of steps back. She collided with the hood of the car. Her hands reached up and covered her mouth. Lightning crackled in the distance. Red leaked in pink slithers onto the concrete ground beneath two pairs of military grade black boots. No amount of rain could wash away the sins revealed in the darkness of this cold winter night. "Please, Riza, I know what I did was wrong, but I'm sorry! I regret ever sending him on the mission."

Hawkeye didn't respond. She was frozen to the spot in shock. It couldn't be true. How could this man shoot his own lover on Valentine's Day? Was it out of pure hatred and jealousy? Or be it truly an accident as he claimed? Removing her second- and only remaining- Amestrian handgun from her hip she pointed it at the distraught man. Never had she felt more enraged before than now. On previous occasions she had threatened him with a bullet, but now she was actually considering emptying the clip into his chest. All twelve moulded silver casings. She wanted to make him feel the way that Edward had felt- is still feeling. She told herself. Ed is still alive and he will survive!

"Pointing my weapon at you, sir is a punishable crime and I could be court marshalled for it. At this moment I don't seem to care." She flicked the safety off and narrowed her eyes as Roy looked at her with pain-laden orbs. "Now you're going to tell me everything... and I mean everything. If details are spared be assured my bullets won't be." Both were now properly drenched from head to toe in aqua and the wind was picking up- sending shivers up their spines. Water was raining into the black vehicle and wetting the seats- its headlights shone upon the pair. Star-colour hues bathed around them and cast their shadows upon the cold concrete and water dripped in slow torrents down the mud-guards of the small lights up front.

"What is it you want to know, specifically?" His tone of voice sounded defeated and resigned- like he had fought and lost a war. "Tell me about what exactly you were doing at the time of major Elric's... accident." The word came out sounding wrong, like blasphemy being whispered by an innocent soul. Roy cringed and stared at the ground guiltily. "There is nothing much to tell. The building was burning and fire licked against the bricks. It was about to collapse at any moment...

~¤CM¤~

Smoke... there was so much smoke. Not that this bothered the flame alchemist one bit. He was too angry to care about the toxic dust filing his lungs. All his eyes saw was rage. He wanted to teach Edward a lesson. No one cheats on him! That is a lesson he is to prove to everybody out there. So, gun in hand, he stomped past fallen support beams and broken bricks. This building was devoid of all people- they were all outside, fleeing from the fiery flames. Wood crackled and crumpled under the heat and fell to the sodden floor.

He had seen Edward enter the building- probably to evacuate any remaining life from the dangerous construction. Always needing to be the hero... he'll pay. Roy didn't even know why he wanted to kill his lover... he wasn't even the jealous type. That and he knew the young male was gay so his interest in women would be less than likely. Yet his mind told him to abandon all sense of humanity and wipe gold off the face of the earth. Maybe he should lay off the Nescafé gold?

There he was, he could hear him coughing... it seemed he was in the bathroom. Why was he in the bathroom? The building was burning 4 5 6! If a building was burning around you would you a) Run around screaming, b) hide in a bathroom with a window too small to escape through (though with Edward's size he supposed-) or c) Look for an exit and hope for the best? The answer would be: d) get shot with a bullet then burn to a black crisp.

BANG BANG BANG!

Blinking, the smoke in his mind cleared and all evil thoughts washed away. Having just shot at the door opened an invisible cage and his mind was set free, leaving behind a pile of grey putty known as the human brain. The horrible realisation dawned. "No! Edward, are you alright?!" Roy pocketed the gun and rushed to the holed door. He pulled at the handle, flinching and pulling back of the heat. It was locked. Kicking it furiously Mustang panicked. No, no, no, no, nonononono! This couldn't be happening! What had he been thinking when he stole Hawkeye's gun? Was he retarded or something? Wait... all he needed was something to assist him in breaking down the door. It shouldn't be that hard if he had assistance from an inanimate object; the building was practically falling apart so a little extra beating shouldn't be too traumatic.

So with a promised shout over his shoulder that he would return, Mustang rushed into the red sea to look for a pipe or... something... to break the lock.

It didn't take longer than three minutes; he was frantic after all, to find an axe. It was in a glass case that read- break in case of emergencies. And last he checked, shooting your lover out of passionate fury was one big emergency. Bringing the sharpened steel down on the handle again and again Roy began sweating as the heat rose with his combined physical efforts. The smoke hung heavy in the air and even he was experiencing difficulties breathing now. Soot was staining his white shirt and his trousers' hems were slightly smouldering, moisture gathered under his arms and lining his brows.

Crack. CRACK. CRACK!

One final kick sent the wood clattering to the floor. Mustang entered and froze in the midst of the heat. Edward was on the floor- hand over his chest- blood seeping onto the floor through his fingers. Shattered glass gut into his shirt from where he lay in a pool of his own blood. Those gold eyes grind open and turned on the man. A sheepish smile turned his lips as he sung in a broken voice: "Bang, bang, bang; my baby shot me down bang, bang." Edward had meant it as a joke, but the implication those words had on Roy no one could imagine. "Someone shot me and you're just standing there?! Help me you bastard!"

Kneeling down he removed his jacked and quickly pushed it down on the wound. Elric grimaced in pain. Hawkeye chose that moment to enter. She saw the scene and acted immediately. "I'll start the vehicle, grab him and hurry!" Like he would argue with her- even if it wasn't in situations like this he wouldn't dare defy the deadly dame. 'What have I done?'

~¤CM¤~

"I saw him on the floor- bleeding and pale." Roy closed his eyes and his face pinched in guilt. "I felt- feel- so guilty. I can't believe I did that to him. I... I didn't even comprehend what I was doing until it was too late. Please, I need to know if he's alright. Please. Let me see him, Hawkeye." The remorseful rueful look in those dark eyes made her waver. It was the same look he had when Maes died. And despite her dubiousness she holstered her weapon and settled with a smouldering glare. She trusted him, she always had, and she knew that the man before her wouldn't kill if he wasn't ordered to do it. And seeing as he was the Furher, no one could order him to do such things. Something smelled wrong and it wasn't the stench of death lingering in the air.

Nodding his thanks, Roy rushed to the entrance and to the front desk- leaving Risa in the gloomy rain, pondering about the story she had just heard. But the Bullet isn't through the church yet, there is still a slight hope... The rain 'thunked' metallically as it landed on the car- the inside soaked like a baby's diaper. Not much left to do than to lock up and check on any stats about the blond boy. He better be fine or else Roy would pay for it dearly and she dreaded the day she would see her friend die in front of a firing squad. "Roy you idiot, what have you done?"

The morning after the night he shot his lover Roy stood over the prone body. Edward lay motionless in the stark white bed, eyes closed. He gripped the sheet until his knuckles were an even pale colour as both the boy and the bed sheets. This was his fault. It was his fault the doctors had to surgically remove the bullet. It was his fault Hawkeye was watching him like a hawk. It was his fault he shot the only person he had ever had true feelings for and it was his fault that said person was now a sleeping beauty.

He had been kneeling in this position since the late boy had been removed from the ER and placed in the morgue. His breath was forever silent and his golden hair was slowly fading like a fallen star loses its light. "You told me that the loneliest moment in someone's life is when they are watching their world fall apart, and all they can do is stare blankly. I can't remember were you said that came from, but it's true. You are my world Edward, and now it crumbled and broke. And I'm going to make it all better. By killing you I poured salt into the open wound, but I'll heal it." He stood and strode out of the death room. Tears were things of the past and a look of determination clouded his shining globes.

He made a promise, and a promise he made to Edward- he wasn't about to go back on it.

Riza saw him walking briskly out of the room and frowned. They were still inspecting the bullet and analysing everything and the hospital gave him strict orders not to leave until the matter is resolved. Usually the police would have apprehended the suspect of murder by now, but seeing as he was the leader of their country they couldn't deny him of closure, especially when he became enraged once held back from what he wanted. So they entrusted Lieutenant Hawkeye to keep an eye on him. When the man stopped before her, her frown creased her brow and deepened her concern. She didn't expect what happened next either.

Roy kicked at Riza's feet to send her to the linoleum floor, but the woman jumped and punched. Mustang ducked and strikes quickly, like an enraged vipor. Hawkeye yelped as a fist delved into her leg. She grabbed at it. Roy dove and took them both to the ground. He struggled to pin her down. The woman didn't give up easily. "What are you doing?" She didn't get an answer as the man successfully got her onto her back. Her head hit the floor so she didn't even notice when Roy reached for the revolver on her hip. She stared dazedly up at the white wall. She shook her head and scrambled to her feet, feeling drowsy and colours spun in her vision.

Finally she got an answer. "I promised Ed I would kill the person who did this to him." A shot fired. People screamed and the silence was disturbed. Red stained the white walls. A body slumped to the floor. Riza felt fear grip her heart. Twice in two days she saw two people who meant the world to her disappear from existence. And it hurt like Hell. She screamed. And tears flowed down her frozen cheeks like crystal shatters on ground. She had been holding back her tears. She held them back when the doctors told her Ed was dead. She held them when the police told her that Roy was to be taken into custody... she even held them when Hues died. Not any longer- the floodgates open and the words of her soul leaked. The race has run its course and she hated the outcome.

After the funeral a week later the entire military was stumped. None of them knew what happened, they only knew that two of their best officers had died, one of them being their newly elected leader. All they knew was that the Furher had been shot and the Full metal alchemist died saving him. Military cover ups always had a way of putting a shine of grandiose onto any grim situation. Only Mustang's closest friends knew the best, but they didn't speak about it. No one ever speaks about these things. A bucket was placed over the flame and never removed. It was swept under the rug, skeletons in the closet. The whistle was broken so no one could blow it on this situation.

Yet Riza felt this was unresolved. Something was wrong. Evidence didn't match up and nothing made sense. But were she to pursue it any longer the newly appointed Furher would certainly notice and the odds he would like it being investigated was scarce. Which only added on to her pile of suspicion. Archer was always after Roy's position, no matter the cost. But nothing pointed to him. Nothing at all. And the now new leader claimed exactly that, he had nothing to do with Mustang's and his protector, Edward's, death. He did admit that it was a tragedy, but the way he had said those words suggested that he is the snake everyone claims him to be.

Later that night when Riza finally had time for herself, the past week had been hectic after all; she pulled out the files on the autopsy repost from Roy and Edward. She couldn't let this go. She loved them like family. Their deaths just didn't match up. None of the evidence matched up, not even what Roy said made sense. Like that night in the car when they rode to the hospital. If Roy knew he was the shooter, why did he sound as clueless as Edward and why would he say he would kill the person who did this to his lover if he knew it was him who shot the blond? It just doesn't sound like something a killer would say. Maybe it was quilt, maybe it was the adrenalin talking, or maybe Mustang truly didn't believe he shot Edward.

Page 1: In the corner was Amestris' coat of arms and name of the country. Below the paper was the signature and who signed its name...

Surname: Elric. Name: Edward.

Of merit

(Municipality of residence)

I, Dr. Knox, a Coroner of the Amestrian state military, have investigated the death of the above named, which was reported to Coroner Maria Ross on the 14th day of February, and as a result of such investigation have determined the following facts and circumstances:

Gender: Male Female Date of birth: 28th November 1899

Age: 24 Time of death: 02:40 hours

Place/Municipality of death: Amestris/ Drachma

Minicipality of illness/injury: Amestris/ Drachma

Medical Cause of Death

(1)Immediate cause a) No anatomical or Doxological cause of death

of death.

Due to or as consequence of

Antecedent cause if any: b)

Due to or as consequence of

Give rise to the immediate

cause (a) above, stating c)

underlying cause last.

(2) Other significant Person was shot in the chest once with a bullet, puncturing the

Conditions contributing to lung. Internal bleeding was imminent.

death:

By what means: Murder

Classification of death: Accidental Homicide Natural suicide

Date signed: 15th February.

Page 2: Once again Amestis' coat of arms was imprinted on the page along with a final report. But seeing as it was exactly the same as the story Roy gave her, only with a lot more boring words and a lot less emotion she just skimmed over it. Finding nothing of interest she got Roy's autopsy report. The format was exactly the same, only the details changed, like name and surname, age, time of death, manner of death et.

The final report was long and dreary so the woman decided to simply check her guns and check them again. Black Hayate chose that moment to enter the room and lay his head on her bed. She paid the dog no heed. Picking up her gun she removed the magazine and set it down on the mattress. Getting a carton she pulled out four bullets to reload the ones that needed replacing. Before placing then she inspected the casing of the small thing. Small bottle, big poison.

To think that such a small thing could end someone's life could inflict so much pain. It was surreal. Twisting and turning it in her grip she noticed something off about the inscription of the type of bullet it was. It took no longer than a second for her to place the puzzle pieces. The silver dropped softly into the sheets. Hawkeye scrambled for Edward's Autopsy report, flipped to page two and scanned. THERE. The bullet he was killed with... it isn't the same as the ones her guns contain. Dropping the file she lifted her gun and loaded. One... Two... Three...Fou-... The clip was full.

Only three shots were fired.

Roy didn't kill Edward. He was innocent! Ed wasn't shot with any of the bullets from her gun, he wasn't murdered by Mustang. The late Furher was innocent. There were four bullets shot and only one killed the Full metal alchemist... where did the fourth bullet come from then? She had to get a blueprint of that building- the bathroom had to have more than one door. That was where the fourth bullet must have come from- that is the only...

BANG!

Hayate jumped as a shot rung in the air- the window to Riza's room lay shattered on the ground. The dog bent down- nuzzling his muzzle against his master's arm. No response. He didn't understand... why was master on the floor, why wasn't master moving? Was master asleep? If so then he supposed he should go to sleep as well. So the furry animal curled up at his master's side and closed his eyes, unwinding of the wetness soaking into his fur.

The room was lit like shit. And the occupants noticed this. Archer stared at the man from behind his desk, arms crossed and scowl in place. "Did you do it?" He asked in that demanding tone in which he always talked. The second man smiled and turned to his sniper. "Mission accomplished... now where's my money?"

Archer pulled open his drawer and looked at the contents. "Nobody saw you?" A shake from the man's head affirmed his query. "Your weapon is unregistered and comes up nowhere is the book?" The second man hesitated. "I hired you to kill the Full metal pipsqueak to frame that stupid man Mustang. I bought drugs to mess with that idiot's brain and to make him kill in fiery passion. I paid top cenz for the best assassin in Amestris and he's not even sure if his weapon is unlicensed?! If I get caught I'm next to die! Tell me this; did you at least assassinate that suspicious woman who wouldn't just drop the case?"

Another nod calmed him down some.

"Just finished with the hit. Now where's my money?"

"You bringing you murder weapon in here was an obtuse move on your side." Archer pulled a gun from his drawer and without a second thought shot the man between the eyes. "Because now I can claim that I killed you in an attempt of self defence. Two people can, after all, keep a secret if one is dead. The only path to power is to remove all the competition. What better way than to frame and blame... killing is, after all, only a deathly game." He laughed cruelly and sat back down in the big black leather chair.

The moon shone through the large windows and lit the dark room. The wind howled and cried. Winter is cold cruel and uncaring. Somewhere in a graveyard, buried next to each other six feet under the ground were two lovers thought to be separated by death. It only brought them closer. For only in the act of death itself were they released from their leash and able to love without restrictions. Only in the dark afterlife of the human soul were they able to be free of the world's pain, deception and greed.

And only there, six feet under the ground, the day after Valentine's Day metal and flame reunited with forgiveness and unconditional love, because even though Edward had looks to kill he did not receive a bullet from his valentine.

"Roy?"

"Yes?"

"What's more painful than when a person, whom you trusted, hurts you?"

"When the person whom you hurt, still trusts you."

"All stories, if continued far enough, end in death, but happy endings do exist. It all depends on where you end the story."

The End~