Edward stood in front of his friend's grave, smiling.
"It's been ten years now." He said while tears are forming in his eyes.
"Grandpa? Who's that? Is he a friend of yours?" his ten year old grandson asked.
"Yes, a very dear friend of mine. In fact, you are named after him, Roy."
Little Roy looked curiously at the grave.
"Let me tell you a story."
A knock was heard on Roy Mustang's door.
"Excuse me sir." Riza Hawkeye came inside his office. "You have visitors."
"Hey, colonel!" Ed shouted with a big grin.
"It's Führer, Fullmetal." Roy answered with a frown on his face. "Why do you always call me that?"
"Sorry." He answered. "It's just that, it brings back a lot of memories."
"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm Fuhrer now? Want me to toast you?" He raised his hands, ready to snap his fingers.
"Why? Aren't you being a little nostalgic too, huh? You just called me Fullmetal. I'm not in service anymore so I don't think I'm still fit to be called that."
"Oh, come on Ed. You'll always be Fullmetal to us." Riza butted in, smiling.
"Oh? Then you two will always be "Colonel" and "Lieutenant" to us." Al responded.
Roy was holding back his smile but eventually gave in.
"It's nice to see you again."
Jean Havoc, Kain Fury, Vato Falman and Heymans Breda, former members of Mustang's unit when he was still a colonel, came in through the door.
"What about us?" Havoc grinned. "You changed a lot, chief."
"So touching! A wonderful reunion indeed!" A big man, shirtless, also came in. It was Alex Louis Armstrong.
"It seems that many idiots have appeared in my office."
Everybody were laughing at his remarks.
It was a picture perfect moment: a reunion between friends who have been through the toughest times. None of us knew that it will be the last time we'd see the lieutenant's smile. It was a rainy night when we received devastating news…
"Brother…" Al stared at the words written in the newspaper that Ed was holding.
They could not believe what they have read:
...
"Major General Riza Hawkeye killed in duty, promoted two ranks higher."
...
She was involved in a shootout against the rebels and she acted as a decoy to let her injured subordinates get away.
"Is this true?" Ed refused to believe what he had just read.
"Yeah." Al replied sadly. "Brigadier General Armstrong confirmed it already on the phone."
"Damn!" Ed punched the wall in front of him. "Why?! Why did this have to happen?"
"Calm down brother. She died protecting her precious subordinates. She's just that kind of person. I know she does not regret her actions, wherever she may be now."
Ed finally calmed down, absorbing the words his brother told him.
"How about him? I know he's the person who's the most devastated about this."
"Y-yeah." Al just stared at the floor, speechless.
Many were present in Hawkeye's funeral. The whole military personnel as well as a couple of Riza's friends were there. The Elric Brothers and Winry were there too. Ling could not come because of his duties as the king of Xing Empire, so he sent his half-sister May Chang in his stead.
"Colonel…"
Ed and Al approached the Führer, which is standing in front of the grave of the woman he loves.
"I told you it's Führer." He said in a calm, but sad voice.
"I thought the rain had already stopped. Why is it pouring again?"
"What do you mean? It's not…"
"Brother…" Al stopped him.
Ed saw the tears in Roy's eyes. "I see. It is raining, indeed."
Roy looked at the gun on his table. It used to be Riza's.
"Why? You said you'd always be supporting me behind my back. Why did you have to end up like Hughes? Dammit."
He felt like it was his fault. If only he had proposed to her, she would have retired from being a police officer once they got married, but he could not do it. He saw how she still wanted to continue being a police officer. He knew she was more fit to be a police officer who could be with him all the time than a housewife who's always at home making dinner for when he comes home, that's why he never came up with the idea of asking her, and that's what she wanted too. They obviously do love each other but both have passion in their duty, so they could not be together.
"What am I supposed to do now? A King who has lost his Queen is nothing more than a loser. Who would scold me now whenever I'm slacking? You idiot."
As he was going through Riza's other belongings, he saw an old photograph of him with his former subordinates, the six of them together. At the back of the photograph, there was something written in it. He read it.
...
Promise me, that you wouldn't slack off when I'm gone. I am writing this just in case that I die before you become fuhrer. I'd still be watching you, colonel. Yes, this message is addressed to you sir, hoping that you'd get a hold of this photo and read my last message. Remember, life goes on. You can still be Führer without me, and also, you still have them. Our precious friends.
Farewell.
Riza Hawkeye
...
"You're really an idiot. What's the purpose of this if I'm already the Führer?"
He fell asleep on his office table, with the photograph still clutched in his hand. When he woke up, it was already morning. He wasn't able to go home last night. He wanted to slack off again today, but he remembered that no one would reprimand him anymore; he decided to be diligent, starting today.
While looking at the papers in his desk, he noticed something on the right side of it.
There was a cup of coffee with a note beside it:
...
We asked Sheska to bring you coffee since we knew that you might feel sleepy again during work hours. We're always here if you need a friend.
-Jean Havoc, Kain Fury, Vato Falman and Heymans Breda
...
"Yes. I still have them. My bishop, my pawn, my knight and my rook."
"Grandpa, so the former Führer was your friend!" said little Roy.
"Yes, he was." Ed answered.
"But I heard from my friends that he never married. Why? Was he really that busy?"
"That's what you think? I think you're all wrong."
Ed smiled. Beside Roy's grave lies Riza's. He saluted to the graves.
"I hope you two are happy now."