A/N: If you haven't heard the song "At the Beginning" from Disney's Anastasia, you might want to listen to it before reading this story, or the title will make no sense to you. (Although it makes only a little more sense even if you do know the song... it just seemed to fit somehow, okay?)
Oh, and this takes place after MAJOR, TOTAL, AND COMPLETE MOVIE SPOILER Ed crosses back over to our world and Al follows him. And they leave Winry in their world, the little jerks (especially Ed!). NO MORE SPOILERS!
"I get the feeling that it's over."
"Yeah."
But it wasn't. Not for Riza. She had to find him. She looked to Major Armstrong, who nodded.
With a quick salute and a nod of thanks, Riza turned and ran, scanning the sky as she went. The bright flash she had seen earlier had come from over by the park, and the wind was blowing back toward her. At least that somewhat limited her search area.
"Roy Mustang, where are you?" she called, not sure if he would respond, or if he could even hear.
Not sure if he was even alive actually, but she hoped for the best.
Suddenly, she saw the unmistakable bright flash of a transmutation.
"Roy! Roy Mustang!" she called again, running in that direction.
As she rounded the corner, several things happened at once: she saw the floating mass of whatever it was, saw Roy on it, a shot rang out, and the contraption began to plummet rapidly toward the ground.
"No!" Riza heard herself scream, sprinting toward the area.
"Lieutenant Hawkeye! Stop!"
"You'll be hit!"
The first voice was Havoc's, but she did not recognize the second one, not that it really mattered. She knew she was being irrational, plunging into the heart of danger, but she couldn't stand back and watch helplessly. Not again.
"Riza! Move!"
It was his voice, and, unfortunately, it had the opposite effect on Riza: she froze.
However, just before the mass of twisted metal hit the ground, Riza was tackled. That impact, along with the force of the impact of the machine, blew Riza and her savior back a good twenty feet.
As soon as the person could speak, Riza heard Roy's voice harshly whisper in her ear, "Don't you ever do that again. You would've been killed!" before heaving himself off of her and propping himself up against a nearby chunk of debris.
"Are you alright?" she asked, sitting up as well.
Roy had a coughing fit before answering. "A little worse for the wear, but yes, I'm fine."
"You weren't shot?"
"No; I did that to get that thing to the ground."
Riza glared at him. "Idiot. You could've been killed."
Roy shrugged. "Injured at the very worst, and it's not like that hasn't happened before."
"Yes, but I'd like to avoid that again, if at all possible!" Riza spat back. "I didn't enjoy last time, and I wouldn't have enjoyed it if it had happened again! I can take only so much before I break!" She lowered her voice, almost pleading. "I know my limit, Roy. Please don't push me to it again."
"You didn't have to stay, you know." Roy regretted saying that even as the words came out. The last thing he needed right now was to give her one more reason to slap him and walk away forever.
"And here I thought you cared." Riza walked over and tugged him to his feet. "So, do you care?"
Roy nodded, realizing just how much he had missed Riza, and yet knowing that he would have to prove himself now more than ever. "I care."
Riza leaned in, barely an inch away. "Then act like it." she hissed.
Roy grimaced. "I'm not hurting you again, Riza. I promise."
With a sigh, Riza explained, "It's more than words, Roy. You know how much I feel for you, even when you managed to shatter every last bit of my trust in you by leaving. You know how much words mean to me, but I'm not going to let it be just words this time, because you can make it so much more."
Roy looked her straight in the eyes, absolute seriousness in every feature. "I'm doing what it takes this time, Riza. I just couldn't win by going North. If it wasn't what I'd done to everyone else that bugged me all day and night, it was what I'd done to you. I was worried that I'd never get the chance to apologize and explain myself, if anything. I didn't want you to move on Riza, but I'd understand if you did. I hurt you in a way no one deserves, and you are within your rights to tell me that you never want to see me again."
"You know I wouldn't do that!" she protested, pain flashing across her features. "You're just barely back, and I'm supposed to try to live without you again?"
Roy grit his teeth. "That's not what I was trying to imply. What I was trying to say was: I'm sorry. It wasn't to hurt you but I know full-well that you took it personally."
Riza shook her head. "I just couldn't understand what would scare you off so suddenly. I didn't realize that you were struggling so much, though you refused to show it," she added semi-accusingly.
"Riza, I'm the one who's to blame for these past two years. I own up to that. I've just given myself more to atone for, and I have every intention of doing everything I can to fulfill that goal and not run from my nightmares any longer." He took her hands in his. "Will you stay by my side while I do this?"
It was Riza's turn to stare Roy straight in the eye. "You know the answer to that."
Roy pulled her against him, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I'm not letting you go again."
Riza nodded against him. "I know."
Roy pulled back and smiled.
"Good. Now, let's begin."
A/N: I was quoting the English dub of CoS in the two beginning lines because it seemed to give more of a sense of finality, so Armstrong would be more likely to tell Riza to go. (In case anyone is wondering/doesn't know, Armstrong asks if it's over in the Japanese version. Riza's response doesn't change between the two.)
Oddly enough, I didn't listen to the song for which this was named even once during writing. I actually listened to "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera, "Never Too Late" by Three Days' Grace, and "Which To Bury, Us or the Hatchet" by Relient K, mostly for when Riza's letting Roy have it.
And Roy… he's just a little… meh… in this. I feel like I made him too… compliant, maybe? Nonchalant? Spontaneous? All of the above? None of the above? Riza, too. I would've had her actually slap him, but I just couldn't make it work without going majorly OOC. In short, not my best character work. I still had fun writing it, though!
Hmmm… In any case, please review, tell me what could use work, what I should keep doing, etc.