She is MY little girl
'He agreed!' shouted fourteen-year-old Roy, running into his parents' flat. 'Hawkeye sensei agreed to teach me!'
'It's so good, Roy.' His mother stroked her only son's hair. 'You're so clever boy, he'd agree anyway!'
Roy sighed. His mother always reacted like this; he was either clever boy or silly bastard. Black and white, no grey.
'I'll go and tell Nancy!' He shouted and ran back. Nancy was his older sister, already married, and a State Alchemist. She lived in Resembool, not far from East City, so Roy was allowed to go see her by himself. There were rumors that she had children, but no one saw them. It wasn't even possible for her to have any children; both she and her husband (soldier, too) were workaholics.
She didn't care for Roy as well; these rare occasions she was at her parents' she only reminded her brother that he should learn alchemy. So now she should be proud for me, Roy thought as he reached his sister's house.
It was complete mess, as always. Roy knew that it's dangerous even to touch most of things here.
And he heard something like baby's cry. It was impossible, but…
Curious, Roy followed this sound.
It was baby's cry.
A naked baby- a girl, as Roy realized- was lying right on the floor, crying so loudly that it should be heard by everyone in Resembool, not only by Nancy. Roy picked the baby up and cuddled her. She didn't stop crying.
I must go find Nancy, Roy thought and went right into his sister's lab. As he expected, Nancy was sitting at her table, mixing stinky liquids and taking notes.
'Nancy? I found a baby here and…' he said. Nancy looked at him unconsciously.
'Take it if you want.'
'But Nancy, it's your daughter…'
'I don't need it, stop interrupting me. Or have you anything important to tell me?'
'Oh yeah, Hawkeye sensei agreed to teach me… and the baby…'
'I told you, you can take it.'
Roy shrugged and went to kitchen to find some milk to feed the baby. There wasn't any. Only good was that Roy met Nancy's husband.
'Oh, hello, Patrick.' He said.
'My name is Roy…' Roy whispered but he knew it was useless. Nancy's husband, George, never called him the right name. 'Is this baby yours?'
'Chris? You can take her. We don't need a baby.'
So her name is Chris, Roy thought. Yes, girl looked like Chris. Her hair was fair now, but it of course could change, and her eyes were pure blue. Roy hugged her, still crying baby girl, and came back home. He wondered if his parents would accept this baby…
They didn't, although they agreed to find a woman who'd take care of Chris until Roy is eighteen.
She lived in Resembool, too, and had a son in the same age as Chris. Roy thought she was nice enough to take care of "his little girl".
Two years later Roy came to Resembool again.
'How are you, my sweetie?' he asked Chris.
'Daddy!' she shouted, grabbing his trousers. Roy laughed and raised Chris.
'My clever sweetie.' He said, stroking Chris' hair and hugged her tightly.
'She recognizes you… she calls you Daddy, how sweet!' Trisha said.
'Yes, I was worried about it… but it's all okay.' Roy smiled. 'Chris sweetie, Daddy takes you now for a trip! You know, Mrs. Trisha, it's her birthday today!'
'How do you know?'
'I feel it' Roy laughed. 'Chris my sweetie, let's go!'
Chris laughed and grabbed Roy's shirt.
'Daddy, Daddy, Daddy, Chis loves Daddy' she said.
'Yes, I love you too.' Roy smiled. And they went together to the railway station.
Riza waited there.
'Oh, so this is your lovely little girl! She's so cute!' she said, stroking Chris' hair.
'Daddy, who?' Chris asked.
'Chris sweetie, it's Riza, my girlfriend.'
'Who is a gilfiend?'
Roy seemed confused for a while. Riza helped him.
'I'm the girl Roy loves.'
'Daddy loves Chis.'
'But me too.'
'Yes it's true, I love you both. Look Chris, Mrs. Elric loves her sons and Mr. Elric. And I love you and Riza.'
'And Liza loves you?'
'Of course!' they both shouted. Chris grinned.
'And Liza loves Chis?'
'Yes I do.' Riza smiled and patted Chris' shoulder.
'So Liza is Chis' mommy?'
Roy didn't answer, confused, but Riza laughed.
'Yes, you're right!'
'Mommy, take me!' Chris asked, waving her hands.
'Yes, take her.' Roy gave Riza the girl. 'She's getting heavy.'
'No she's not'. Riza said, cuddling Chris. 'We have such a cute daughter! Aren't we too young?'
'Oh, Riza, we are young, but we love our Chris. And I know we don't deserve her, but who does?'
'Oh yes. And happy birthday.'
'It's double birthday, Chris' and mine.'
'How do you know when she was born?'
'I just… feel it.' Roy shrugged his shoulders. 'Give me her back, OK?'
'No, not now… look Roy, she's asleep.'
'Strange. Mrs. Elric said that she refuses to sleep when I don't hug her.'
'See? She accepted me as her mommy.'
Riza and Roy kissed warmly over Chris' head.
'So that's why you have so little time for me…' Riza said. Roy blushed.
'Riza, don't get me wrong… Chris needs me, she's only two and…'
'I don't get you wrong. You are her Daddy, and she accepted me as mommy, so why not go visit her together?'
Roy smiled widely and sincerely.
'That would be great. Hey, let's take her to my place… she'll have great surprise, and I prepared a birthday gift for her.'
'Oh… is it this chair you attached to your bike?'
'Yes. We'll take our daughter to trips, won't we?'
'Of course we will'
And they got to East City and walked to Roy's home like a full and happy family.
/
In the late evening, Roy and Riza rode their bikes back from Resembool, where they left "their daughter".
'She is always like this?' Riza asked. Roy laughed loudly.
'Yes. I have to ride see her every single evening, at least to kiss her goodnight… she won't sleep without it!'
Now Riza laughed.
'You pamper her.'
'Really?'
Riza sighed.
'Yes, really. Normal children don't act like her.'
'What do you mean?'
'Normal children don't look for caress all the time.'
Roy scratched his neck.
'True…'
And since then, Roy and Riza rode to Resembool together. On Chris' third birthday, they wanted to take her to Riza's father, Hawkeye Sensei. They arrived to Resembool, tied their daughter to baby chair on Roy's bike and rode.
'Daddy, where we go?' Chris asked. Roy grinned.
'You'll see your grandpa.' He said. Chris gave a short shriek of joy. Her "parents" laughed. It was a warm, spring morning, just ideal for double birthday. Apart of seeing grandpa, Chris was going to have a surprise cake, with three candles. Roy had one, too. With seventeen candles.
They got to destination place. Riza carried Chris to the flat.
They entered Hawkeye Sensei's room. Riza was first, Roy walked behind her, quite sad that he wasn't the one who carried Chris.
'Mommy, who's this?' Chris asked. Hawkeye stood up.
'WHAT DOES IT MEAN?! RIZA…" he grabbed Roy's shirt. 'WHAT THE HELL YOU DID TO MY LITTLE INNOCENT RIZA?!' he started slapping Roy.
'Dad! It's not what you think!' Riza shouted, hugging Chris. 'I can explain, just let Roy go! Here, Roy, take Chris and leave us alone. I have to talk with my dad face to face.' She pushed Chris into Roy's arms and showed him door. Roy got out with three-year-old girl, whose birthday was meant to be best day of her life, trying to hide in his arms. Inside the room, Hawkeye Sensei was still roaring, but Roy couldn't understand the words. He sat down on the floor, hugging Chris and trying to calm her down. He was surprised that she wasn't crying. However, she still looked frightened.
'Hush, my little girl,' Roy whispered. 'Daddy is here, Daddy holds you… no need to worry…'
He was trying to calm down both Chris and himself. There were no loud noises from sensei's room, it seemed like Riza was explaining him.
'…she's already three years old! When she was born, I was ten! And I didn't know Roy back then! Look, Dad, she's not my biological daughter, but she accepted me as mommy and I love her, so why won't you do so? She's Roy's niece, you know, his sister Nancy is a State Alchemist and she just didn't even notice Chris crying! We don't know if she's really named Chris, Roy says her father called her so, but he mistakes most names, even his wife's name. Roy took this little one half-starved, he found a woman who cares of her, but he wants to give her love… and I want this too!'
'Okay, okay, Riza.' Hawkeye sensei smiled. 'Call this young man and it'll be okay.'
'Daddy… it hurts?' Chris touched Roy's swollen cheek. He stroked her hair.
'Only a little. Don't worry, sweetheart.'
And the door swung open.
'Roy, Dad wants to see us all.' Riza said. She was smiling. Roy stood up, still carrying Chris.
'No, I'm not giving her to you.' He said. 'It's also MY birthday.'
Riza said nothing. They entered the room and Hawkeye Sensei smiled as he saw Chris.
'I'm sorry, Roy. Chris, come here, sit Grandpa on knee…'
Chris looked like she wanted to hide in Roy's arms. Riza sighed.
'Okay, Roy, let's go… don't worry, Dad, she will accept you… one day.'
Riza, Roy and Chris went out. Roy and Riza took Chris each by one hand. She had to run to follow her "parents". They reached Roy's place. However, Roy heard his parents and his eldest sister.
'Riza, let's go somewhere else. Or... take Chris and go. I know what is happening...' he said and entered the flat.
'Roy!' his father screamed. 'Where you were? You turned seventeen and it's time you joined the military!'
'Dad, I don't wanna join the military.' Roy sighed. 'I wanna find a peaceful job, marry Riza and live with our little girl...'
Too late, he realized he said too much. Well, he realized it hanging half a foot over floor with his shirt in his father's grasp.
'Don't wanna join the military, huh? Your sister, Nancy, was sixteen when she joined! And she didn't think of "our little girl"!'
'I know.' Said Roy calmly. 'If she did, my little girl wouldn't be mine.'
'What little girl?'
'Chris, the baby I took from Nancy's place three years ago, half starved.'
'I didn't have a baby!' Nancy shrieked.
'You did, Nancy. I took all the papers I needed, when you told me I could take the baby... my little girl. And I must take care of her, when you, who should, decided to join the military.' Roy said and felt his father slapping him and his second cheek swelling.
'Don't talk like this to your big sister! And don't be sissy and join the military... for generations in our family there wasn't a single man who didn't join the military!'
'And maybe I want to break this tradition and be a happy sissy with loving wife and wonderful children? This is my life and it's me who decides whether to join the military or not.'
'Don't you dare...'
'I dare.' Roy was still calm, still hanging. 'I choose family life. Not being a murderer.'
His father slapped him again, and again.
'You filthy stupid bastard!' he screamed. 'You have to join the military! Like I did, like your sister did, like your grandfather did and...'
'I won't join!' Roy screamed back. His father threw him against the wall.
'How you dare raise your voice! You will join the military, or...' Roy's father kicked his only son. Roy coughed, choking with his own blood, and fell unconscious.
When he woke up, first he saw was Riza's face. He felt half of his face was bandaged and so was about half of his body.
'Oh. Riza.' He said, trying to smile. 'Where is Chris?' he asked.
'Here.' Riza unzipped her blouse, showing their little girl, sleeping. 'I'm sorry... I heard screams and fighting...'
'It wasn't a fight. I didn't do anything...'
'Now I know. And I looked through the window and... I saw what happened...'
'Where I am?'
'In the hospital. You were so badly hurt… your father…'
'Yes I know. It's my fourth time I'm in hospital after my father beat me.'
Riza's face paled.
'Fourth?'
'Yes... but I don't wanna talk of this. Chris can hear... how long I was unconscious?'
'One day. And this was meant to be happy double birthday...'
Roy smiled, ignoring pain.
'Chris is asleep?' he asked. Chris moved.
'No. Do you want her? But you have to lie...'
'Don't worry, I'll be lying. Just... I want to feel her...'
'Daddy...' Chris said half-asleep. 'It hurts a lot?'
Roy touched her gently.
'Yes, Chris... it hurts, but don't worry... I will be okay...'
'Good...' Chris stroked Roy's hair and fell asleep again. Riza hid her under her blouse.
'What's exactly with me?' Roy asked. Riza hesitated.
'Several broken bones… and minor cuts... lots of bruises and swellings...' she said. 'In two of three weeks you'll leave hospital.'
'So, Riza, now go, take Chris and leave her at Ms Trisha's. Then go and sleep. Don't worry, I'm safe... here.' Roy finished bitterly. Riza saw a tear in his eye, but he was still smiling.
After three weeks, Roy left the hospital. He impatiently looked forward seeing Chris again. Unfortunately, he wasn't allowed to ride a bike yet, so he took Riza and they caught a train.
Chris was outside, playing with ball with Elric brothers and their friend, Winry. However, when she saw Roy and Riza, she threw the ball to Ed and ran straight in Roy's arms.
'Daddy! You're back!' she shrieked with joy. Roy hugged her tightly. Elric brothers looked at Chris enviously. Their father abandoned them and he never ever hugged any of them.
This was like their happy days passed.
Nancy, Roy's sister, was called to duty and sent to Ishvar with her husband. There she shot an innocent child, what caused a war.
/
Next year Roy agreed to join the military. The only reason was that his father next several times beat him.
Riza now spent more time with Chris. Roy wanted to do so too, but he had his duties. As a State Alchemist, he earned enough money to have family, so Chris no longer lived in Resembool. She was now closer to Riza. And they lived quite happily. Mommy, Daddy and their little girl.
/
This was the day Riza turned sixteen, so she could get married. Roy dressed Chris in new, sapphire dress, in which she looked like a little angel, and they went to Riza's birthday party.
There were many Riza's friends, mostly girls. A sigh of delight rippled through them as they saw Chris. Later they noticed Roy.
'Riza! I want to ask you...' he searched his pocket and took out a small box. 'Will you marry me?'
Inside the box, there was a small silver ring. Another sigh rippled.
'Of course I will!' Riza laughed. 'I love you two.'
She tried to hug Roy and Chris at once, which was impossible, so she hugged first Chris and then Roy, who put the ring on her finger.
Three months later, Roy and Riza got married. They didn't make any wedding party. They only wanted to get married and to live peacefully with their adopted daughter.
/
Riza was over four months pregnant and seven-year-old Chris noticed that of course.
'Why is Mommy's stomach so big?' she asked.
'Sweetheart, it's because Mommy has a baby inside. The baby will be born after next five months.' Roy explained.
'Ooh. And how the baby came inside Mommy?'
'Well… it was like… Daddy sowed a seed inside Mommy and baby is growing from this seed.'
'Ooh… and every baby comes from inside a woman?'
'Yes, every…'
'And I was inside Mommy too?'
Roy and Riza looked at each other. They haven't told Chris before that she was adopted.
'Er… no, Chris. You weren't inside me… you were inside… er, other woman.'
Chris looked shocked.
'Why?' she asked.
'It was Roy's sister who carried you inside.'
'Daddy has a sister?'
'I had. And… well, I didn't sow the seed you've grown from.'
Chris hung down her head and sobbed. Then, she ran to her room. Riza and Roy heard her crying.
'Second time I hear her crying. I'll go calm her… and explain everything.'
Roy entered Chris' room. The girl was lying on her bed, hiding her face in the pillow and crying. Roy sat next to her.
'Chris… Chris, you are sad because we didn't tell you before?'
She nodded.
'You are a bit angry?'
She nodded again. Roy laid his hand on her head.
'But what changed? Did it change that we love you?'
Chris didn't move, although she stopped crying. Roy stroked her gently.
'We love you, Chris. I'm sorry that we didn't tell you earlier. We didn't dare. Do you want to ask me something?'
Chris stood up.
'My real parents, are they dead?'
'Yes. They both died several weeks ago.'
Chris looked shocked again.
'Several… weeks? So why didn't I live with them?'
Roy sighed. He didn't want her to know the truth about her mother, but he thought he had to tell her.
'Sit down, Chris. It's a long story.' He said and hugged his niece… his adopted daughter.
'It started over seven years ago…' Roy started the story. 'I turned fourteen and Riza's dad agreed to teach me alchemy. I went to tell my sister, Nancy… and I heard a baby crying. It was you. You were emaciated, just like you weren't fed since you were born… and it could be so. Your mother was working, as always. When I told her that I'd found a baby, she just said "You can take it, I don't need it." And I took you. That's why you didn't live with your real parents.' Roy sighed. 'You'd be dead you stayed with your mother. If you didn't starve to death, you'd get poisoned. Your parents… they had two sons before. They are both dead, I don't know how they survived to their age… but they ate something poisonous. Their… and your… mother even didn't notice. Don't get me wrong. She wasn't a bad woman, but the only thing she cared of was her work. Do you understand?'
'I think so... you and Riza took me and gave me to Ms Trisha to feed me because she has a son in same age?'
'Something like this.'
'And you love me?'
'Of course.'
'And the baby, he or she will be my little brother or sister?'
'You are right.'
'Ed has a little brother,' Chris smiled. 'They fight a lot but they really love each other. So I will have a little brother?'
'A little brother or a little sister, we don't know.'
'I love you Daddy.' Chris hugged herself to Roy. 'I'm sorry.'
'Don't be sorry, it's all right.' Roy hugged his daughter. Then she let go of him and went hug Riza.
'I love you, Mommy, and I love Daddy and the baby. Daddy explained me this all.' She said, smiling. 'You aren't my biological parents, but you are my real parents.'
'Oh… yes, that's true.' Riza smiled and hugged Chris. 'I think you can't remember how we met for the first time… you were only two and you first called me "Mommy". I was so happy…'
'And now you are going to have your own baby and…'
'…and it doesn't mean we are going to love you less. You are going to be a big sister, isn't it good?'
The only answer Chris gave was a big hug. Then Roy joined the girls.
/
The baby was born. It was a black-haired girl, very similar to Roy.
'Oh, can I carry her for a while? Please…' Chris begged. Riza gave her the baby.
'She'll be named Catherine.' Roy said and Riza agreed.
'Cathy, my little sister.' Chris smiled. 'Will we take a photo of us all?'
'Of course we will. Next month, okay?' Riza asked and Roy and Chris agreed.
/
Nine-year-old Chris was playing with Cathy when Roy came back from work.
'They send me to Ishvar', he said. Chris saw Riza's pale face so she realized it was something wrong, but she didn't know what until Riza said:
'This war? They send State Alchemists there?'
'Unfortunately yes. I must leave you… for a year maybe. I'm going to miss you. Take care of the kids.' Roy said. Chris heard about that war before. This war killed her biological parents.
'When you go?' Riza asked. Roy sighed. He hated the answer.
'Tomorrow.' He said.
Chris sobbed. She didn't want to cry, she knew that Cathy would cry if she did, so she wiped the single tear she shed.
'Come back soon, Daddy.' She said with a weak smile. 'Don't let these Ishvarites kill you.'
'I won't, Chris, I promise. Help Mommy if you can.'
'I will, Daddy.'
/
Chris spent lots of time in Resembool now. Elric brothers and Winry were her good friends and she learned alchemy with them. Riza then decided to move to Resembool, to the house Roy's sister left. Countryside where Chris had good pals was a good place for a mother with two daughters. Elric brothers helped with their alchemy to clean the house, as it was unused for years. All five of them played outside almost all the day, but Chris remembered to help Riza when it was needed.
The war ended and Roy came back to his family. About this time Trisha Elric died. Chris knew that Elric brothers wanted to revive her, but she didn't give them the slightest idea she heard them talking of this.
'Daddy… is this true that no one can make a living thing?' she asked Roy.
'Yes, my darling. We can transmute dead into dead or alive into alive, but not dead into alive. You learned alchemy when I was away?' he asked.
'Yes, with Ed and Al. They are better than I am now…'
'Don't worry, Chris, Daddy can teach you a bit. Do you want?'
'Of course! You can make fire, am I right?'
'Yes, my gloves create sparks and I can make air burn.'
'Wow… Ed and Al can't do this! Will you teach me?'
'Yes, I will, I can teach you every day a bit.'
'Thanks, Daddy…'
/
Next year Riza gave birth to Ricky, a healthy blond-haired boy. On next family photo, Chris carried Ricky, Cathy sat on Riza's knees, Roy hugged them all, and they looked like a happy family.
'I could be Ricky's mommy.' Chris said. Riza looked at her, surprised.
'Aren't you too young?' she asked. Chris laughed.
'You weren't for me… I know I'm his sister. But I could, right?'
'But Ricky already has mommy.' Roy said, hugging his elder daughter.
/
Ed and Al returned from Dublith when Chris was still in Resembool.
'What are you doing?' she asked as she saw a huge transmutation circle on their floor.
'We are going to revive mm…' Al tried to say, but Ed silenced him.
'You are going to perform human transmutation?!' Chris yelled. 'It's dangerous! Daddy says that it's forbidden too! You cannot…'
'Trust me, Chris, it'll be all right.' Ed said. 'And sorry, Chris, but you stay here until we succeed. You cannot go tell your Daddy, because he'll come and destroy it… don't worry, it won't last long.'
'But…'
'Just trust me.' Ed smiled. 'Ready, Al?'
'You can't…'
Flash of light. Then… the Gate. It sucked all three into itself. Chris screamed…
…and then she saw the Truth.
'Hey, you! It wasn't I who did it, right? So let go of me!' she yelled, but Truth only laughed.
She paid a lot. She gave all her limbs and the Gate threw her away.
The phone rang in Mustangs' house.
'Mr. Mustang?' Roy heard. 'Please come to Rockbells' house. It's important…'
'What happened? Chris? Is she… hurt?' he asked, terrified.
'Yes. Please come…'
Roy ran all the way. Chris… was injured…
'What the hell…' Roy gasped and he saw his daughter. He burst into tears.
'It's our fault…' Al whispered. Roy looked at armored boy through tears, hugging maimed body of his beloved daughter.
'How…' he tried to ask.
'We tried to perform human transmutation… and… and… Chris wanted to stop us, we didn't let her out… and she was hurt too… like brother and me …'
'This armor… it's empty, isn't it?' Roy understood.
'It is…'
Roy hid his face in his hands, crying. Chris was still alive, but… but when she lost all her limbs… how would she live?
Automails. This is the answer. She can get artificial limbs and live like before…
'When she is better… could you give her automails?' Roy asked. 'I know the surgery hurts a lot, but if it can give my daughter chance to live like a normal child…'
'Your daughter?' Pinako looked thoroughly at Roy. 'Aren't you too young to have such a big girl?'
'Biologically, she's only my niece… but I adopted her when my sister and brother-in-law died.' Roy explained. 'And I love her as my daughter. Please, don't ask… just tell me… can you?'
'I can… but…'
Roy smiled weakly and he carried his maimed and unconscious daughter home.
'Roy! What…' Riza suddenly stopped her question. 'Oh no, it's impossible… not Chris…'
'Alas it's true.' Roy cried. 'They did human transmutation.'
'Chris?'
'No. Elric brothers.'
'So why she…'
'She tried to prevent them from doing it, but failed. And they even didn't let her go home, so she… I don't know how it was, but it looks like something made her participate in this.'
'Oh. Cathy, not now.' Riza told younger girl. 'Go and play, Chris is wounded and she needs rest.'
Cathy left the room but she kept listening to her parents' talk.
'Do you think we can afford automails for her?' Roy asked.
'How expensive are they? I have no idea.'
'About…' Roy told the price, which Cathy didn't hear.
'I think we can. What else could we do? If she only survives…'
'Don't say this!' Roy almost cried. 'She will survive! She has to!'
'I know… but, Roy, I'm being realistic. I know it's heartbreaking, but it's not sure she…'
'She has to! I don't know what we would do without her…'
Cathy didn't hear anything then. Riza just hugged her crying husband, pretending not to be so sad. She could convincingly hide her true feelings.
She cried later, when she was alone. Only Roy heard her, but he didn't say anything. He understood his wife, because he felt the same.
He stayed by his daughter's side. Chris had a fever; he could feel this. She was talking things he didn't understand. He understood just single words.
'Daddy… Daddy… help Ed… lost a leg… Al is gone… Daddy… Daddy… help… it hurts… my legs… help me… help Ed… Daddy…'
'Don't worry, Chris' Roy whispered. 'Daddy is here. It'll be all right, you'll get new limbs. I'm here, Chris.'
About midnight Riza entered this room.
'Go to bed, Roy. I'll stay with her.' She said. Roy saw tears on her cheeks. He yawned and went sleep. Riza sat on Chris' bed.
'Don't worry, my darling.' She whispered. 'I'm here to protect you.'
She knew she failed and all she could do now was to stay here…
/
'Daddy…' Chris whispered. Roy looked at her.
'What's up, my poor little one?' he asked.
'Upstairs there is my mother's desk… and inside… there is money… enough to pay for automails… please check it…' she gasped. Roy went check. She was right, Nancy kept money in the desk. Lots of money.
'I know it will hurt… but if you can… I want new arms and legs…' Chris gasped in fever.
'You'll get them, sweetheart, as soon as fever is gone.' Roy said. 'I promise.'
/
Roy didn't break his promise. Chris got automails. Steel limbs were almost as good as flesh ones.
Ed got automails too and two of them were getting used to them the same time.
'I'm sorry, Chris.' Ed said. 'Should have listened to you. This all is my fault. Slap me now. I deserve it.'
Chris looked at her cold, heavy, steel hands.
'Are you sure?' she asked.
'Yes. Trust me, I deserve a slap.'
'Last time you told me to trust you…'
'Just slap me.'
Chris sighed and slapped Ed. He fell down with his cheek swelling.
'Ouch…' he whined. 'It hurts…'
Chris smirked.
'It's steel, Ed. It must hurt. I asked you if you were sure, so…'
'Yeah, I know.' Ed rose again. 'How do you feel with your automails?'
'All right. Good limbs, and easy to use.' Chris smiled. 'You still can't?'
'I can!' Ed yelled. 'Want a proof?'
'Of course. So what, want a fight?'
'Course!'
However, Ed didn't manage to run. Chris laughed.
'How can you be used to these limbs so quickly?' Ed asked. Chris didn't stop laughing.
'That's because you have different weight of your arms and legs. It's easier to get used to two automails than one.' She explained. Ed blushed.
'Only my fault…' he said. Chris only laughed.
A year after it, they fought really. Ed was used to his automails now, so they fought like earlier: no helps, no handicaps, like with greatest enemy.
Ed quickly saw that Chris was trying to keep the distance and then to attack, so he approached her nearer and nearer. She smirked and hit him with her fist right on his eye. He hissed and kicked Chris on her chest. He knew she had no breasts because they were amputated to attach automails. But kicking on chest with the steel leg…
Chris fell down but stood up quickly and kicked Ed between his legs. He shrieked with pain and attacked her, transmuting his right hand into a blade.
It was a moment and Chris fell down, splashing bloody paddle. She was dead.
Ed's eyes widened.
'I didn't… I didn't want it… Chris… wake up… tell me you're joking… tell me it's not true… Chris… Chris…' he whispered in a shock.
Then he stood up and went to the Rockbell's house, still whispering and repeating his hopeless mantra.
He entered the house and stopped in the doors. This is how Winry saw him. She was unpleasantly surprised seeing him like that: he looked dazed; his black eye differed with his pale face, his right arm was bloodstained and he was repeating same words in whisper: "Didn't want to… didn't want to… didn't want to…"
Winry pushed him on a chair and gave him a glass of milk. He drank it at once mechanically and still kept repeating same words.
'Ed!' Winry shouted. 'You didn't want to do what?'
Ed shook his head. He couldn't say it now. Not knowing what else she could do, Winry poured him another glass of milk. He drank, not sensing any taste. He gasped heavily.
'Could you now tell me' Winry asked 'what happened?'
Ed looked at her as if he's never seen her before.
'Chris is dead' he said. 'And it all is my fault. Only my fault.'
Winry shrieked. She now understood why Ed's arm was bloodstained and whose blood it was. Chris, dead? But it was impossible, it couldn't happen…
It was true. Chris was dead and her body was already stiff and cold. Winry gulped.
'So… we should tell her parents, shouldn't we?' she said. Ed nodded and without thinking, he went to Mustangs' house.
'Oh, hello, Ed.' Roy said with a smile. 'How are your automails? Chris told me you had difficulties with using them…'
'Okay, I learned it.' Ed said gloomily.
'And where is Chris? I thought you two were practicing together, weren't you?'
Ed shed several tears.
'We… were.' He said. 'Chris… Chris…' he suddenly looked at Roy rebelliously. 'Kill me!' he inquired.
'Wha…what?' Roy asked, astonished. Ed didn't change his look.
'Kill me.' He insisted. 'I killed Chris.'
Roy lowered his hands.
'Chris… she is dead?' he asked, terrified. Ed nodded sadly.
'We were practicing… you know, fighting… and I… I… I killed her!' he burst into tears. Roy didn't know what to do or say.
'Gone…' Roy murmured, touching his daughter's cheek. 'Gone forever… my little girl…'
He was crying. He hasn't told Riza yet; he thought he'd do it later, when she returned with younger kids.
'Will you kill me now?' Ed asked. Roy shook his head.
'One death is enough, don't you think?' he said. Now Ed shook his head, took the gun out of Roy's holster and put its barrel onto his own temple.
'It you don't do it, I must do it myself!' he screamed. Roy grabbed Ed's wrist, preventing him from shooting himself but Ed was determined. He dragged his hand from Roy's grasp and ran about twenty meters away, where he managed to shoot himself down. Roy was terrified. It was first time he saw a suicide. When he approached Ed, the boy was still alive.
'Killed Chris…' Ed uttered. 'Don't deserve life…'
'No… no! You didn't want to kill her, did you? It was an accident! You fool… silly, silly boy…' Roy almost cried. He took his daughter's corpse and realized he wouldn't manage to bring her home, as automails were heavy, so he left her near Ed's body and went to Rockbells.
'Excuse me…' he said. 'My daughter… uh… could you unscrew the automails? I believe they can be used again… I won't manage to take her home… before funeral… and… uh, I have bad news…'
'What bad news?' Winry asked frightened by what she expected to hear.
'Ed is dead. I'm sorry… I couldn't save him…' Roy said, hiding tears. Winry shrieked. It was too much for her.
'O…of course I will help. But what…'
'He shot himself.' Roy said. Winry unscrewed Chris' automails and Roy could go bury his beloved daughter. He was crying all the time, then he went home and started to drink.
Then Riza returned with the kids. She saw him crying.
'Roy…' she said. 'What happened?'
'None of your bloody business!' Roy screamed. Riza paled. Roy looked drunk.
'Where is Chris?' Riza asked. Roy made an angry face.
'Roy,' Riza said calmly, 'If something bad happened to Chris, it's your business as well as mine. So what happened?'
'Not your business you damned bitch!' Roy screamed, punching Riza on her eye before realizing what he did. Riza sobbed and ran away, taking the children with her.
'Riza, wait!' Roy shouted for her, seeming to be suddenly sober. 'Riza… I didn't want…'
Riza shut herself with children down in one room, sat down on the bed and hugged both of her biological children, crying.
'Mommy…' Roy heard Cathy's voice, standing outside the room. 'Why did daddy punch you? You said bullies do such things… is daddy a bully?'
'No… no, Cathy. Just something bad happened, I don't know exactly what, but daddy is dazed and he didn't know he hurt me. It'll be okay, Cathy…'
'Riza!' Roy shouted. 'I'm sorry…'
His family silenced in the room. He could easily imagine them, hugging to each other, still not knowing what happened…
'I'm sorry!' he repeated. 'Please… will you listen to what happened?'
'So now it is my business?' Riza asked furiously. Roy blushed.
'I'm so, so sorry… Riza… will you let me into?'
Riza opened the door. He saw her black eye and tried to hug her, but she pushed him.
'Don't touch me!' she warned. Roy sighed.
'I'm sorry, Riza. Please, listen now… Chris is dead.'
Riza paled and dropped the teddy bear she just a while before picked up from the floor.
'Chris… dead?' she repeated. Roy nodded sorrowfully.
'She was fighting with Ed, for practice. And he unintentionally killed her. Then he committed suicide. With my gun, see? And that's why…' Roy stopped, seeing Riza crying. He hugged her. It was the only thing he could do.
'Roy. Before we got married, we agreed that when you get drunk, I take children and leave you…'
'I'm not drunk!'
'It's a warning.'
Two days after it, Pinako found her granddaughter dead, hanging among automails, and Al's armor, not empty, but with a cat inside and blood seal scratched out. The suicide notes they left clearly said that they didn't want to live without Ed.
/
In next year, Roy was still in condition that could be described as "almost drunk". He drank much, but not enough to be drunk. He didn't hit Riza or whichever of his children anymore. He just was sleeping or walking from wall to wall, murmuring single words.
And suddenly, exactly a year after Chris died, he drank too much.
'Roy!' Riza hissed. 'You're drunk!'
'Not drunk you bitch!' he screamed. This was enough proof that he was drunk: when he was sober, he'd never call Riza a bitch.
'You drank too much; you should… go to bed or…'
'Won't tell me what to do or not!' Roy yelled. Riza noticed that children were terrified.
'Children, go outside.' She said and Cathy pulled Ricky's hand. Riza now grabbed Roy's shirt and held him slightly above ground.
'Roy' she said calmly. 'You're drunk. We agreed that when you get drunk, I take the children and leave you alone.'
'So do it filthy bitch!' Roy roared, trying to reach Riza. She dropped him, knowing he was too drunk to stand up and run after her. She took the children, packed all necessary things and left. Nothing could make her stay with Roy now.
'Mommy?' Cathy said. 'Why are we leaving Daddy?'
'Daddy has to rest alone and think something over.' Riza explained. Cathy nodded as if she understood.
They now lived with Riza's father, who was happy to see his grandchildren, but sad that he couldn't see eldest of them. Chris, however, never liked him, she started to tolerate him after Cathy was born, but she never accepted him as her grandfather.
They stayed there for a long time. A year after they moved, Riza's father died. Ricky was told this time about death, as Cathy knew before, when Chris died.
'Look, Ricky' Cathy explained, 'Grandpa is far, far away and he doesn't know the way back…'
'He is lost?' Ricky asked.
'Something like this. And we'll never see him again, as we'll never see again Chris…'
'Chris?'
'She was my big sister, but she is now dead, like Grandpa…'
'But why did they leave us? Maybe if Chris was still with us, Daddy wouldn't be so naughty…'
'Why you think Daddy is naughty?'
'He hit Mommy last time she went see him… it's naughty…'
'Daddy hit Mommy?'
'Yes, I heard Grandpa talking about this with Mommy… that Mommy shouldn't go see Daddy again if he is so naughty… are you crying?'
'Yes… it's sad…'
'What?'
'It all… it's sad…'
Riza came into the room the children were and hugged them. She was crying.
'So now there are three of us…' she said.
/
It was a year after. Someone knocked to the door. Riza opened it and saw a man she didn't know.
'Mrs. Roy Mustang?' he asked.
'Yes, it's me.' Riza said. She and Roy never divorced, but only separated.
'I have some bad news for you.'
'Again bad news? Oh my…'
'Yes, but I have to tell you… your husband…'
'What's wrong?'
'…he had an accident and… huh, he's not very well. But he wants to see you.'
'Okay, I'll leave my children at my neighbors and go.'
And she did so. "Not very well" was a euphemism. Roy was dying, but when he saw Riza, he smiled a bit.
'Riza… I'm sorry…' he said. '…and I love you…'
After it, he died. Riza felt she was crying, but she knew she had to come back home and pick up the children.
/
'Cathy…'
'Yes, Ricky?'
'Mommy is crying again… something bad happened…'
'So we have to cheer her up.'
'How?'
'Mommy likes tea… and chocolate. So maybe…'
'Yes!'
The children brought Riza some tea and chocolate. She smiled weakly through tears.
'Thanks a lot, kids.' She said. 'At least… I still have you…'
THE (SAD) END