A/N: This is a three part songfic that is dedicated for Maes Hughes. This might not be the best but I'm proud of this work of mine. I admit that I cried a lot when I'm doing this. It sounds so stupid I know, but I admire Maes Hughes. He's a great man,a good friend and a loving husband and father to his wife and daughter.

Disclaimer: I don't own FMA and the song I used on this first part fic.


A Maes Hughes Tribute


Chapter 1

Gracia: How Can I Not Love You

The morning is here, the sun is slowly engulfing the eastern sky. The birds are chirping loudly outside her bedroom window, welcoming a new day ahead. It's such a beautiful morning.

She's already awake but she can't have the courage to open her eyes because the moment she opens it, tears will brim up. The second reason is she doesn't want to see the empty space beside her. It's been empty and will be forever empty. She wanted to stay into this darkness, not seeing anything that might remind her of him. But someone needs her. Her daughter Elicia needs her.

Slowly, she stands up and she tried her best to stop the tears from falling. She needs to be composed when facing her daughter. When she told her last night that daddy will never come back home, she started asking her questions. Her daughter can't seem to understand, especially when she started crying.

She went to her daughter's room. Elicia is still asleep, clutching the teddy bear her father gave her on her last birthday. She smiled at the sight despite the tears that are starting to fall. She quickly wipes her tears and she turned to her daughter's closet. She looked for some dress, when she finally found it; she pulled it out and laid it on her daughter's desk. It's a small black dress with a big black bow on the back. She left it there and she went back to her room to find her black blouse and skirt. She'll need it later for her husband's funeral.

After a while, Elicia woke up and they started eating breakfast. She doesn't feel like eating but she knew her daughter will probably ask her why she isn't eating. After eating breakfast, she went to her daughter's room and she showed her the dress.

"Why mommy? Are we going somewhere?" Elicia asked as her mother helped her get dressed.

"Yes dear." She said shortly.

"Are we going to daddy?" her daughter asked again.

"Yes, we are." She answered her voice slightly cracking. She cleared her throat before facing her daughter with a smile, "That's why you need to look beautiful."

Elicia smiled back at her.

A moment later, two soldiers from the military came to their house to accompany them to the place where his husband's body lies.

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They arrived there shortly afterwards. People from the military are already there. She descends the car, carrying Elicia with her.

"Mrs. Gracia Hughes." Someone called her. She turned around to see Colonel Roy Mustang.

"I'm sorry for your loss. He's inside, his body that is." Colonel Mustang said.

Gracia followed him inside a room. A couple of military personnel are there, once they saw her, they quietly leave the room to give her some privacy. Colonel Mustang left her and Elicia too.

She walks slowly towards the casket, not taking her eyes of it.

Cannot touch, cannot hold, cannot be together

Cannot love, cannot kiss, cannot love each other

Must be strong and we must let go

Cannot say what our hearts must know

Maes looks like he was only sleeping a clear glass was separating her from him. She loved to touch him, feel his face again and kiss him for the last time because she knew that she can't do that to him again. They can never be together again, she can't believe he'll be gone like that.

She starts feeling that lump on her throat again as she hinder herself from crying.

"Mommy, why is daddy sleeping?" Elicia asked innocently. "Can't you wake him up mommy?"

Hearing those words, her eyes starts to shimmer.

"No, baby. We can't." she said shortly, afraid that her voice will crack up.

"I have to be strong" she said to herself.

"Mrs. Hughes, it's time. We need to go now and put him on his final resting place." A man said as he entered the room.

She nods her head then she turned to face Maes again.

"Say goodbye to daddy, Elicia." She said to her daughter. "We're going out now."

"Okay." Elicia said then she looked at her daddy. "Bye daddy, I can't understand why, but I'll see you again later, right daddy?"

Gracia felt the lump in her throat became more painful after she heard that from her daughter.

"We must let go of him, Elicia." She said once more to herself.

The casket was finally closed. Some men put the flag of Amestris and over her husband's casket then his husband's military hat. Then they carried the casket outside.

Gracia, with Elicia followed them.

How can I not love you?

What do I tell my heart?

When do I not want you here in my arms?

Her husband, Maes Hughes died in the line of duty. Her beloved husband died for them.

She looked again at the casket where his body is as it is being carried out to the graveyard. She loved her husband so much, and her daughter, more than anything in the world. She can't believe that she'll loss him that early. He's really a good man, the best, loving husband. She really wants to feel his last hug. His warm, loving hugs that always make her feel so secure.

How does one walks away

From all of the memories

How do I not miss you when you are gone?

Remembering those moments with him tortures her heart more. She knew she can't forget that easily, no, she knew she will never forget. She doesn't want to forget. Her Maes will always be in her heart. She'll miss him so much. There are times that she already misses him even though he's just going to work. But now, it's different. She'll miss him terribly, now that he's forever gone.

Cannot dream, cannot share sweet and tender moments

Cannot feel how we feel, must pretend it's over

Must be brave and we must go on

Must not say what we no longer long

She already is missing him, specially his warm hugs. His sweet kisses. She remembered the night before her husband left. He kissed her goodbye. She told him to be careful. He said he will, but now…

Gracia starts gulping; hoping the lump on her throat might disappear. It was becoming more painful.

They can never share their dreams together anymore, especially those sweet moments. Her husband has the ability to make her day the way she wanted it to be. He was always there, to understand, to comfort and to love. She's trying her best nor to tear up, as she thinks of those days when Maes was still courting her, the first days of their marriage, their moment with Elicia. Maes is very proud of her and their daughter. He always plays with Elicia, always taking pictures of their daughter and her. She will definitely miss that.

She has to be brave, now Maes is gone. She must continue on going. She has to accept the fact that she will never see him in person anymore. All she has are those memories of him.

Must be brave and we must be strong

Cannot say what we no longer long

The men started laying down Maes' casket on the ground and covering it with dirt. All of the military soldiers are with them. The Fuhrer, Colonel Mustang, and all of those who are close with his husband are there to witness this sad event.

That's when she felt Elicia tugged her hand.

"Mama… Why are they burying papa? Why are those men burying papa?"

"Elicia…" she said while looking at her.

"Don't…don't… Papa can't go to work if you do that…" she heard her daughter plead.

She can't take it anymore. Her tears are now overflowing. The pain is too much to bear.

She knelt down to hug her daughter who was still pleading.

How can I not love you?

What do I tell my heart?

When do I not want you here in my arms?

"Papa always said he has lots of work! Don't… Don't bury him! Papa!" Elicia said, she's starting to cry now too.

"Elicia…" she said again.

It's too painful… how can she not love that man? That man who became her friend, her lover, her husband, the person who loved her so much, the person who always is smiling, who is so kind and loving. Why is fate so cruel?

How does one walks away

From all the memories

How do I not miss you when you are gone?

She knew she can never walk away from those memories Maes left her, those precious memories. It will be painful without him but those memories will never change, like the love she has for him. She knew her heart will never be whole again because Maes took the other part of her heart with him. He's gone but her memories of him aren't.

That day, they went home to the house where she and her daughter will never see the smiling face of the man they love and will forever miss...

How can I not love you,

When you are gone

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A/N: The song I used is titled: "How Can I Not Love You?" by Joy Enriquez. I saw this video about Maes Hughes and this is the song used in that video. That's what inspired me to write this. if you had time and you want to listen to it, visit my profile and look for the link there. Please drop your REVIEWS if you like. Thank you again for reading. ^^